Many blessings . . .

Everyday I thank God for blessing me so abundantly.  And everyday I'm amazed (but never surprised) that God blesses me so abundantly.  Today was very rainy in Dallas--but our plants, lawns, and trees needed the water soooo much!  The skies were gray and overcast--a good thing because I couldn't find my sunglasses!  And the cool, clear air was clearly enjoyed by everyone--I didn't encounter one person on the roads today who was speeding and trying to run me off the road (hahaha).  Overall, I felt pretty blessed today!

I also was blessed by unknown people.  I attended the regular Wednesday Texas Twisters spinning get-together last week.  While I was there, somebody (was it Marlene? or Kate? or maybe Peggy? or Lori)--my recollection isn't clear who--let us all know that a Dallas nursing home was clearing out their loom room and was looking for homes for their looms.

Well, I'm a total fiber geek . . . and hand woven things are just about my favorite things (my favorite decorative piece at Christmastime is a table scarf that I put on the entryway table each year--and always hate putting away after Christmas).  So I made the right calls and found the loom room at the nursing home and WOW.  It was love at first sight.  Hard to believe that had these looms not been claimed by new homes they would have been plowed under when the building is demolished next year. 

There were eight looms in the beginning--there were three left when I went this morning to look at them.  I met a darling Lisa, who claimed one; a Parker lady will be claiming the second; and I was BLESSED to be the recipient of the third.  Of course, at such an auspicious event, cameras are a must---right???  And I managed to remember to take mine with me.  Only problem is that I was so excited today that I didn't take a picture. 

However . . . here's a picture I found that looks very similar to mine, except the ratchet wheel on mine is much, much larger:

The wood is darker on mine.  But it's large like this one--the biggest one they had remaining.  I wanted the bigger, and most sturdy of the bunch, because I'd like to be able to make rugs.  And not only can I use yarns to weave rugs, scarves, blankets, etc., but I can also use strips of fabric (this is what my mother made rugs with when I was a child) to make sweet, woven rag rugs.  Cute, gorgeous, divine!!  Can't wait!!!

Here are a few of the things I came home with:

Gobs of beautiful yarns,

 

 

 Lots of shuttles and spools,

 and several excellent books.

And a cute, cute, cute little bench.

 I'll try to get to the nursing home tomorrow with a truck to pick up my sweet loom.  Truth is, I probably shouldn't be calling it "my" wheel until I get it home and tucked into its special place I've picked out for it . . . but I'm so tickled, I can't resist.  And whether my sweet loom makes it to my house or not, C.C. Young Retirement Center still must be applauded for their impressive act of generosity! 

And again . . . I've been blessed so abundantly!!

xoxo

Friday, Friday . . .

Monday, Monday, so good to me
Monday morning, it was all I hoped it would be . . .

Monday, Monday?  How about Friday, Friday.  Today was a "get stuff done," "let's get going," loving fun with my friends, furry dogs, tying up loose ends, good coffee, kinda day . . . and . . .

are you ready? . . .

FIBER!!!!!!!!!

I was at Jacob's Reward Farm when the shareholders' fiber was delivered by FedEx (poor guy--he had to work a little today).  I wasn't sure if Cindy would open the box and let me love on it a little, but I think she was as excited to see it and touch it as I was! 

And it was oh so touchable and oh so lovable!!

If you're a shareholder, you're going to love, love, love your share this year!!!   So . . . since you need a little something to dream about, let me tide you over until Cindy has a chance to blog better pix:

Fiber,

 fiber,

fiber, and

fiber!

xoxo (I can hardly wait!!!!)

My room français . . .

Those folks who easily and beautifully decorate are so lucky . . . so talented.  My sister, Sue, is one of those people.  She has that magic touch, eyes that really see, and impeccable taste.  She decorates with her talents. 

I decorate very differently.  Unlike my sister, and others who can look at a room and know where it should go, I am decorationally challenged.  You've been in homes decorated by people like me . . . boring, no great color combinations, furniture so badly put together that it can't even be call eclectic--it just looks bad.

Several years ago, however, I stumbled upon the most perfect, effortless, flawless method of decorating.  It's called "Theme" decorating.  You get an idea in your head of something you like, go to all the different stores and web sites you can think of that might have things that are in line with your idea, and shop like a madwoman (or man). 

Case in point is my guest room.  For years it was like a barren desert--forsaken, drab, dull--just a no-man's land.  That might be a good thing if you don't want guests to outstay their welcome.  Enter Theme Decorating. 

I took French in high school and, although I wasn't any good at it, I really liked it.  When my daughters were younger, I ordered an adorable Madeleine doll from etoys.com, at which my daughters immediately turned up their noses--too juvenile, not cool enough, not a Cabbage Patch Doll.  My daughter, Riann, has been to France several times, so I've received several gifts from her from her travels.

Enter my room français--my French room:

One of my favorite pieces is a Limoges Perrier-Jouet Champagne coaster (I think there's another name for this little item, but can't recall what it is--can you tell me?).  It's just so French and so cute . . . really fits the "decor."

 

Then there's my Madeleine tea set . . . just the perfect size for my sweet little Madeleine doll.

This is a little blue glass Eiffel Tower.  Impressive?  No.  Cute?  Yes.  And, again, it fits the "decor."

And here's a doll my daughter, Riann, had in her bedroom when she was quite a bit younger.  I think she decided to leave it because I had a "French" room by the time she left home.

And here's a cute little souvenir from Paris.  Cute, huh?  Very touristy.  Behind the souvinour piece is and old, hand carved Père Noël that took up residence in my French room.

And of course, no French room would be worth its salt without a little art work.

And a Madeleine Limoges.

And of course, color is everything.  My French country means reds and yellows.  I found a Pottery

Barn pattern several years ago--I bought several duvets so I'd have plenty of fabric for

a balloon shade, a bed duvet, pillows, etc., etc. 

And cutsie things around . . .

and

And a memory shadow box that my sweet older daughter, Erin, left at home for the French room.  I added silk flowers to make it look more French.  Cute, huh?

Hope you enjoyed a tour of my French room.  Perfectly decorated?  Probably not.  But I sure like it!  Come visit sometime and you can try out the bed--it's good too.  

Au revoir.

xoxo



Oh em gee . . .

I can't believe it's been so long since I've blogged.  Shame on me for slipping so far into the abyss . . . I'll make up for it--promise.

So . . . today I updated this blog a tad and added a couple of little doo-dads on the side bar.  One of them is a quiz sponsored by This Garden is Illegal that tells you what kind of flower you are.  I love this garden blog and recommend that you follow it.  It always has something that's fun, interesting, and educational. 

So, it appears, according to the "flower quiz," that I'm a Nigella.  "What's that?" you ask.  Beats me.  I've never heard of a Nigella until today, but that's not saying much, really.  I'm pretty garden challenged, so I'm not surprised.  However, the site did have this to say about me:  "Many people think you are just a little bit odd, but you consider yourself just a little eccentric. You find new experiences exciting and fulfilling."

That pretty much says it about me . . . a little bit odd, a little eccentric, finds new experiences fulfilling.  In a nutshell, memorable? 

You might want to try it.  Have fun.  I hope you're a pretty flower, like a rose or a hydrangea or a lilac--something pretty that smells good. 

xoxo

Travels . . .

It's amazing how much time I waste spend on the Internet.  I wonder if any other generation has had so much opportunity to learn, travel, read, covet, shop, date . . . should I go on?

Today I traveled to Ethiopia with my friend, Heather.  She recently returned from Ethiopia, where she took beautiful pictures of the people and the places she enjoyed.  I loved this picture--so adorable. 

(c) 2010 Heather Fenwick Amare

I rattled around in the Farmgirl world.  I love what they're doing . . . but I'm still on the fence.  I want, want, want to get involved.  But will I have time for anything else?  Just this part of it, alone, will keep me busy too many hours of the day.

(c) 2010 Maryjanesfarm

I journeyed over to Christ Church Plano to look at the Roof Dog Run page.  If you live in or around the Dallas area and have never run (or walked) in the Roof Dog Run, you really should give it a try.  They have a lot of fun, and your entry is going to a great cause--The Casa Hogares orphanage at Arequipa, Peru--one of two orphanages supported by Christ Church.  The run is being held on September 9th this year--but it's not too late to enter.  Below is a video from last year's run.  Hope to see you there this year.



I then traveled to The Dizzy Sheep.  I take a gander at their daily special every day.  Never know when they'll have something I just HAVE to have.

(c) 2010 The Village Yarn and Fiber Shop

Nope, didn't find anything today that I had to have.  Maybe another day.

I went to Etsy to look around.  Love, love, love that place.   I can always find something I love.  And today was no exception.  I found two fantastic things that I think will end up in my house.  The first are felted spotted slippers that are just to die for!!

Aren't these just darling?  They're sold by Onstail from Lithuania.  Check out her store--really darling stuff!

And my second must have are these cute, cute dresses:

 . . . and just about everything else that NewvExtrave has in her Etsy shop.  Totally the kind of dresses I like to wear!! 

So . . . while I'm traveling on the Internet, my sweet husband is traveling home.  I suspect he'll be here tomorrow (earlier than I anticipated).  I can hardly wait.  I'm making his favorite dinner tomorrow night and I plan to scratch his back and put him to bed in his own bed!!!  He'll think he's died and gone to heaven.  xoxo

But for now, good night from me.  I still have a craft room to finish picking up and laundry to fold before I can go to bed.  Later . . .

Camping 101 . . .

Since my friends, Cindy and Maryann, are making it so easy, I'm totally tempted to join the Farmgirl Sisterhood.  They've stated a new chapter, The Little Red Barn Farmgirls' Chapter. It looks like so much fun, and they're doing a lot of the things I do everyday anyway--sewing, knitting, crocheting, spinning, embroidery, canning, cooking, etc., etc., etc.

And the badges . . . OMG . . . this just carries me back to my Girl Scout days--remember this?

(c) 2010 Girl Scouts of the United States of America

The Farmgirl Sisterhood badges are a little different, but oh so adorable!  I want, I want, I want . . .

© 2010 MaryJanesFarm

And to think that I can do other stuff that I love to do is really exciting.  For instance, I think badges like "Going Green," Entrepreneurial Spirit," and "Shutterbug" would be fantastic to earn.  So I'm sort of thinking this is a "have to do."

I could make these for the "cooking" badge, don't you think?

(c) 2010 Summer Craft Camp by Rachel Hobson

or this

(c) 2010 Summer Craft Camp by Rachel Hobson

Yum. 

Let me know if you find other camp girl type stuff you'd like to share.

Camera blues . . .

I'd love to win this camera tote:

If you'd like to enter to win it, go to the Thompson Family-Life web site and enter for yourself.  Who knows, maybe one of us will get lucky!  I hope so--I'm crossing my fingers and toes!!