Peacock Class

This is what me and mom did last night!! We went to a painting class... We all painted a peacock. It is funny how everyone paints different from the same picture ! Mom has been going every Saturday night. It was a lot of fun. 
I have not been doing much else, beside stitching projects for designer's Brenda and Shell. That has been keeping me so busy, but I enjoy it alot. Hope everyone is getting their Summer stitching done in this Hot weather...
Till later....

SWAP PICTURES

 Here is the long awaited mystery of What Is Under Those Daisies?
These are the Patriotic Strawberries I made. I put the daisies on after I took this picture. These went to Viv house for an exchange I signed up at her blog.  All the ladies in the exchange are so talented. Here below is what I received:

 Look at all the Patriotic things !!! I am so excited. I ran out to meet the mailman. I nearly knocked him over grabbing the box. It was like: Give me!  I don't even think I said thanks. !!!  lol  Here are close up pictures:

 This was the Daisy Box my strawberries were in. 

 These two are from Kim - Old Bingo Card and Jill - Patriotic Disk. So Cute!!!

 This one is from Viv. How does she get that icing to look so yummy?

 Upper is from Cindy. Heart and Hip Hip Hooray is from Linda. I love them!!!

 This one is mine and Viv's.  Pinwheel was in with Kim's package.

Ta Da !!! This is my Patriotic Tree!  I have added some of my stuff to it. I can't keep my hands off this tree. I keep re-arranging.. lol
Thanks to all my wonderful exchange partners!! I am so excited and I love everything!! Thank you Viv, Jill, Sandy, Linda and Kim ! Thank you Viv for having the Swap!
Till Later.... I am back to looking at these so cute ornaments!

Stitching Update !

 So this is it ! 4th of July stitching for this year... A freebie for Glory Bee. Here is a link: http://www.glorybeestitch.com/free.shtml

This is my memorial for Will & Cate's Wedding. Yes, I did finish stitching as the wedding was going on... Nope.. It is not made into a pillow yet... Maybe before their 1 year anniversary...

This is a tease picture for the gals in my swap group over at Viv's Blog.  You just don't know what is under these daisies !!!

I am moving furniture around today in the sewing/craft room. It is clean, I'm just putting a chair in here to sit and stitch. It is a small room... I may have to use the window sill to lay my stitching threads, scissors and chart.  The grandchildren love to try to run with my scissors and re-arrange my threads that I have laying around the sun room.  Right now my tension on my sewing machine is all messed up... Somebodies little fingers likes to turn nobs! I have been working on getting the tension just right.. It is not working!!!  I gave up and said I would try again another day when I am in a better mood. This way I can just close the door and no one will mess with my stitching... lol

Oh... I got a new design from Brenda ( With Thy Needle & Thread) It is a Halloween one !!! That is all I can say, other than GREAT DESIGN !!! 

Till later.... and we need some rain!!!!  Someone please send some our way !!!

JUNKIN MORNING !!!

Hey Everyone !!!  I went Junkin this morning to our local junk sale store called - J & J Junk.  I had not been in a long time. They still have the same junk they had years ago. We were looking for doors. Old wood doors. Nope... They didn't have any, but it was the grave yard for all things no one wanted. Just take a look:

 These are the tubs of old curling irons. Please pick you out one !NOT.... Now.. why would I want to buy a curling iron that had been in someone Else's hair?.. yuck

 Yes ! Here we have a Spa Treatment item.... A BaByliss. Is it called Baby-lis or Ba-Byliss. Sauna Facial. Why would you want just your face to have a Sauna?  I don't want it!! I want a whole body Sauna!! Next Item-

 My mom used to have one of these suitcases.. OH... It is a hair dyer? I am so glad we have blow dyers now.. I would not want to share that cap with anyone!!!  If I was a hairdresser, I might consider buying the yellow hardhat one for a fun conversation piece... Next item-

 Oh... This is pitiful... Death Row of old sewing machines.. They are Laying In State as hubby passes by viewing them. Sad....Next Items-

I always wanted one of these Easy Bake Ovens growing up. My mom would never let me get one... Now is my chance... but I.... think I will pass.. I need more than a light bulb to cook now-a-days!
Do they still use a light bulb ? Or are they like micro waves?

That was my morning of Junkin!!! I didn't buy one thing.. Is that bad?  oh...
If this show would just come back on TV. Junkin With Val & Dave. It was on for 4 years and I got to see them in person in Alabama. They both were very funny... Where are all the good decorating shows anymore.. HGTV has Zillion of House Hunters Shows. What happened to the shows they used to have, that would show different homes and how they were decorated. I miss those... Or at least bring back Junkin With Val & Dave.. They did win 2 daytime Emmy's!!! Watch Val & Dave here:

Have a great weekend!! Mine will be junkie!!.....

WE HAVE BABY BIRDS!!

 I think we have 3 babies in our house!!  If you don't remember me telling about Mom moving in within one day of erecting their new home check here:  http://aprilmechellesdulllife.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-work-in-yard.html

 Correct me if I am wrong... But I think they are Eastern Bluebirds. This one just left the front door of their home and flew up to these wires. I checked a site on the web that had a picture.. Looks just like our bird. Now to keep the neighbor's cats away!

 I built this house a couple of weeks ago. I have it where the Old Homestead used to be. It is under a big Oak tree and stays shaded all day. That is why the fern is hanging there..  It is a 4 room duplex. Newly Painted, Lush Fern Yard, Wooden Roof and Brass Perch. Spacious Living at it finest. Move-In Ready.. call ***-***-nest.

This is about all the annuals I have left. This tropical heat wave is killing all my pretty flowers. My grass is just about dead. Having these upper 90 temps (sometimes 100's with heat index) and no rain for over 2 weeks is taking it toll. I am watering everyday. I might have to run the sprinkler tonight on my grass.
I have been getting together my items to make for my Patriotic Swap over on Viv's Site. I can go ahead and make two. There is 6 of us swapping. I had to order some more fabric today to complete the others. I can't give any hints to what I will be making. Viv makes cutest things.. I love reading her blog!  Check it out :
 http://vivs-whimsy.blogspot.com/
She has the cutest little grand baby. He is all the time smiling. Speaking of grand baby... I have a picture of GS - Josh.

Josh is trying to stay cool. I know.... He has swimmies on in 3 inches of water... The pool is leaning downhill. His poppa told him to stay out of the deep end unless he had his swimmies on. So.. that is why he is wearing them... Little sister Zoe came over later. I can't put her pictures on here. She was not dressed for picture time..  Mom forgot suit.. She took off her clothes and she jumped right in Naked. Don't get between her and a pool of cold water on a HOT day. She will mow you over to get to it!!

Till later....   STAY COOL !!! 

FAMILY SUMMERTIME LAKE PICS!!!

 Well, I promised to let ya'll see inside my family !!!  This is a picture of me and dad. August 1970. I was 5 years old and we are at my grandparent's place on Lay Lake in Alabama. They had an Airstream Trailer, we would all stay in it and that metal shed in the background on the right. My Mawmaw (as I called her) had 2 twin beds and a nightstand in there for company. Now... She had the right idea, don't put them in the trailer with you... It was a small trailer...

 Now, this is my Mawmaw & Pappaw. The more I look at this picture.. I see me in her. I do have the same taste in things.. The more wilder the print the better !!! The more outrageous it is, I love it more!!! They always made sure everyone had a great time while you were visiting with them. I say they.. But it was my pappaw that kept things going.  My mawmaw called him Doodles.. She would yell" Doodles get the grill started!, Doodles, they need more gas for the boats! Doodles, where is so in so!  I love it !!!  I still hear them!!  Hot summer days and fun on the lake !! My dad could also ski like no one else.. Lay down on those ski's till his shoulder would touch the water! and then pull that rope up and let it catch back and fly across that water till he was up beside us in the boat!!!  Can I say... I want a place on the Lake now!!!  lol

 Now, here we have the Lake Queens !!!   Aunt Judy on the left with cousin Toby beside her.. Aunt Gloria on the right side. I just love those head scarves ladies!!!  Hopefully they were watching us children in the water!!!  Toby, I don't think ever went into the water the whole time. He was a momma's child...lol My Raeanne has one of those in Zoe... She never lets mom out of her sight.

 Yes, Here we have The On The Lake Pier poise from Aunt Judy ( Marilyn ) Check out those shades and that Boy Cut 2 piece bathing suit!!  This was in 1971!

 Here is my Uncle Phil. He is smiling big! Just got back from paddling that canoe. That was an unsinkable canoe.. Why.. It was made out of Aluminum. Believe we tried many times. We would turn it over to fill with water then go out over our heads and then get inside of it and stand up. We would also turn it upside down and get under it in the water and have that air pocket.. That is fun !!! Canoe Sinking 101 .. Try It !!

 I will explain about the over sized Donut in a minute !!!  My cousin Andrea is on the left inside the inner tube. I am on the right, behind her. !!! I just love the ponytails!!  Ok, now. My Papaw worked for Sinclair Gas, Drove a gas truck and delivered gas to stations. He would get these inner tubes from work.. Patch them.. bring them to the lake and blow them up for everyone to bob around on! That big one was my favorite, we would take it out into the deep part and try to climb up on it and jump off.  Rule #1 - when coming up through middle of hole... watch out for that valve stem!  OUCH !! It would leave a scar.

This picture is the cousins in 1971 !!!  Toby of course.. Hanging on to the Float. That is Uncle Fritz holding him. Andrea is in the Boat poise, I am the little one in the red Bikini ( only time I have been able to wear one), Cousin Todd smirking, and Cousin Donna, ( she was getting on into those teenager years) is acting like we don't exist. The Pontoon boat in the background was one that my Pappaw made.. Very resourceful man.
My Pappaw die from a brain tumor. I think it was from working with the gas that goes in our cars. They have warnings at the pumps to not breath in the vapors.. But he had to everyday. I think it is linked to those flumes. 
Now you have met some of my family.. even if it is pictures from 1970 & 1971. By the way... My brother was not born yet, and I was an only CHILD !!!  hehehehe.  I got to be an only child for 7 years! 
I will have more next week. till then.....

SUMMER IS HERE IN ALABAMA

Don't those peaches look good?

Yummy!!

This is want I have started out doing this morning. I cut up peaches to put in the freezer. I have a bunch of strawberries to cut up next. It is so hot outside!

I think the strawberries will be cut up inside in an air conditioned climate. lol I did cut some grass this morning. Wearing my bathing suit was the closest I could get to being NAKED... It was 88 at 7:30 this morning and humid. So see... Summer Is Here In Bama!!!

till later........

I'M BACK !!!

I 'm Back !!!  We are home sweet home... I did have a wonderful time, but glad to be home. I missed the grand babies. I have pictures of the beach but they are on my phone. I don't know how to get them over to my computer.. So ya'll will have to look at my pictures of Ft Pickens in Pensacola Fl. I love history. I had no idea that Geronimo and 15 of his braves were held there as prisoners. I read a book about Geronimo. He was very smart and knew how to work things around to his way. He and his braves had the run of the Fort. They were not kept as prisoners, confined or chained. They played cards, worked on the fort, and sold autographs (he did learn to sign his name) to people who came to see him. It was also used during WWII. Very interesting place. Some more pictures:

I tried to get online when I was away. I had to use hubby's computer. His will pick up anywhere, even going down the interstate. I tried to leave some comments on blogs, but I think Blogger was acting up again. I kept signing in and it would not let me leave any comments. I could just read. My computer picked up Wifi but they all had to have passwords to log on.. So mine went back in the suitcase. Lets just say I read alot on the Kindle and leave it at that...No sun here... It was beautifull for the six days. I came home yesterday and it feels like 100 degrees here.. Oh .. I forgot it is near 100 here in Bama.
I signed up for an exchange on Viv's site. Patriotic Swap. I can't wait to get started. This is my 2nd exchange with Viv. 
Well, I am tired.. Been with the Grands all day. 
Thank you for hanging in with me on this blog.. I have some great pictures and stories coming up this week and next.. Come back and see me... bye for tonight.