The Merriest Christmas

We had the best Christmas ever. The Turkey was perfect ( as always ).......and the little ones were tracking Santa on NORAD as they made cookies for him and set out baby carrotts for the raindeer.

I am now back home with something like a terrible head cold. We have had winds coming down from the north laden with cedar pollen that just drives my sinses crazy.

Hope your Christmas was as wonderful as mine.

Have a great day !

Laraine

OH Happy Happy Joy Joy !!

One of the nice things about living in Texas, is the fact that roses bloom in December.

My Broken tooth was removed yesterday. It was a tough job for the dentist because he kept lowering my chair and tilting my head back. I almost expected him to put his knee on my chest and give it the old heave ho. He had to cut it up in little pieces in order to get it all out.

My upper jaw is sore today but all in all it wasn't so bad. I'm going to make an appointment after the first of the year to some more work done.

Have a great day

Laraine

My New Best Most Favorite Color

The color is called Navajo Sand and it is my new best most favorite color. I am lusting to repaint my livingroom but it is tiersome to remove all my things from the walls. Oh well.....I guess I'll do a little each day and probably repaint after Christmas.

Believe it or not.....when talking with Dara yesterday, Navajo Sand is the very same color she chose to repaint her kitchen and livingroom. Great minds think alike!!!

Have a great Day.....I'm off to wrap presents

Laraine

Trading Places

I traded tables with Dara this Thanksgiving. After all....she has the bigger family and since hers is the house we celebrate Holidays at, I thought she could make better use of my larger table and chairs.
I am looking forward to refinishing the smaller set. But for now, one of my vintage tablecloths will do.
I'll pick up the fourth chair when I go up to San Antonio for Christmas.
Have a great day!
Laraine

The Little Tree in the Living Room

Just a quick post..........these are just some of the handmade Christmas ornaments I made this year. If I was feeling any better......I would be a super hero. Having a tooth pulled at 12:00 today. Wish me good luck.....Laraine

I thought I would try and make an old fashioned Victorian spun cotton Christmas ornament. You make a human stick figure out of pipe cleaners...then begin wrapping mummy like with cotton batting strips. The clothing is added later as well as the fancy trim. I think my first try turned out pretty good.

Have a great day

Laraine

Christmas Ladies

Feel free to use these two jpg's of beautiful Christmas ladies in your Christmas projects.

Have a Wonderful Day !!

Laraine

Sweet Little Christmas Blue Bird

Hayley and I made this little blue bird ornament when I went to visit for Thanksgiving. It's very easy. All you need are a felted wool or cashmere sweater..a sharp pair of sissors..fancy trim...a small twig...fabric glue..some buttons or beads for the eyes ..cotton balls for the stuffing and clips to hold the bird closed untill it drys and a small strip of lace or ribbon to tie around the birds neck.

Using the templace cut out the back and front of the bird as well as two wings. Put glue around all the edges of the birds body..remember to glue trim hanger in middle of body and twig on bottom. Put the two pieces together holding them with clips untill dry ( we used clothespins). Add the wings and the beads for eyes. When all is dry add a small snip of lace or ribbon around the neck.......Sweet and very simple.

Have a wonderful day

Laraine

Santa Statement Necklaces

Last week, I made two Santa Statement Necklaces using lightweight plastic Santa heads. Much to my happy surprise they both sold almost at once.

Have A Wonderful Day !!

Laraine

It's Been So Long !

I cannot believe I have been away from my blog for so long. Summer has faded and we are enjoying a cool fall on the Texas coast. Little "Sport" and "Tibadeaux" are wearing sweaters since I trimmed their coats short.

I am feeling much better since I found a RA Doctor in Corpus Christi. She was able to diagnose me after a few minuets of my telling her my symptoms. I am on medication and sleeping much better. I am regaining my strength and am looking forward to going up to San Antonio to see my daughter and her beautiful family for Thanksgiving.

I am sharing with you photo's of a plant I grew from seed. It is now as tall as me, with such beautiful and exotic orange flowers. The original plant grew in my neighbors yard. One day on a trip to the mail box...I noticed the green seed pods had turned brown and were splitting open. I gathered a good two handfuls of pods and let the sit in a envelope until I planted them last spring. I am constantly amazed at how easy it is to grow things in Texas.

Have a great day !

Laraine

Working on a Problem

I must admit I have had to step away from my blog to work on a problem.
You may already know that I took a fall when my office chair broke in half. The break was caused by age not weight....so don't even go there. I had been having trouble with my shoulders and had cortisone shots for the pain and improved mobility. Sadly all that work was undone when I tried to break my fall with my arms.
If having arms that I cannot raise above my shoulders wasn't enough, I suddenly started having almost the very same type of pain in my hips. Getting up and walking has become a problem.
My Doctor and I are trying to find out what the problem is. Blood tests were taken in an effort to rule out RA. In the mean time I am taking pain pills and trying to make the best of it.
Since I hate to talk about my day to day "problems" and try my best to keep my blog on a happy note.....sharing my love of white washed country antiques.....my home....my animals....my art and handmade jewelry, I have decided to step away from my blog in order to concentrate all my efforts on solving this "problem"
Have a Great Day and if you have a free moment please send some good vibes my way.
Laraine

Sweet Tuffy

My dearest Tuffy.....I am missing you so very much.

Have a wonderful day !!

Laraine

Time Fly's When Your Busy

I must apologize .....I don't know where the time has gone. It seems as though there are not enough hours in the day.


I accidently killed my big beautiful goldfish in my pond. So I had to go and completely clean out the pond and start it up again with fresh water and new little goldfish. This time I got two white fan tails with red heads and two black red and white spatter pattern fan tails. My old goldfish were just the regular kind with the plain tails. 


 The terrible pain in my shoulders has let up, but I am being careful to overuse my arms. I am prone to bite off more than I can chew.


Have a wonderful day!!


Laraine

Flutter Baby

Several years ago, I purchased a group of cabinet card photo's. This one in particular, a smiling happy baby was crying out to be altered. At first I painted a hibiscus flower around him, but I did't really like it. I wound up turning him into a fantasy baby......a flutter baby.

Have a wonderful day !

Laraine

Assemblage

I am positive that my mothers younger sister was a hoarder. Her house was full of animals and assorted junk. Some of the newspapers were from before I was born. There was just a small path on order to get from room to room. Keeping that in mind, I have tried to not hang on to things that have no value.

About a year ago last Easter, I purchased a cute little rabbit statue for 25 cents at the local thrift shop. Well it broke when I unpacked the bag when I got home because I forgot about it being there. It's been a year that I had that poor little rabbit head sitting on my workbench. Last week, I started assembling things I thought would look good when put together in a fantasy assemblage.

The body is an old H.E.B. pepper shaker.....the legs are from a vintage puppet and the arms are from a bisque doll and the poor little bunny head has found a home

Have a Wonderful Productive Day !!

Laraine

Tomatoes....The Food of the Gods

From "tiny" seeds.......The Majestic Tomato Grows..................

I am giddy with joy, at the size of my tomatoes this year.

Have a Great Day !!

Laraine

Coastal White Washed Charm

Just thought I would post some beautiful photos of things that have coastal white washed charm.

Have a Great Weekend !

Laraine

Happy Mothers Day

To all the mothers....both young or old.......May your Mothers Day be filled with love.

Laraine

Still in a White Wash Frame of Mind

I am still in a white washed frame of mind so today I have just posted some pictures taken from some of my favorite artists and designers blogs.

I went to Corpus Christi and had the second shot of cortisone, this time to my right shoulder. I think the doctor used a little more in this injection because my arm and hand hurt during the night, so today I'll be taking it easy. I truly am thankful for the wonders of modern medicine. Without it, I would be just an old crippled lady unable to raise my hands over my head. The pain was truly annoying and unrelenting. Sorry to say, that after two months of pain pills, I may very well be addicted. I tried to not take any pain pills yesterday but at around 11:00am I got that electric shock feeling behind my eyes. I broke the pill in half and did not need to take the other half untill after midnight when I could not relax and go to sleep.

My dear next door neighbors are opening a brick and mortor shop where they will sell chocolate covered decorated fruit. I got the call to help with the signage. I'm thinking over the door sign.....not so much......the sign is a freaking billboard and I'm pretty sure they want human looking fruit with smiling faces and dancing feet. God help me....the sign is so big. I told them I would draw the sign but might not be able to paint it because I need to give my shoulders a rest.

Have a Great Day !

Laraine

That's My Story and I"m sticking to it

This just kind of says it all.

Have A great day!

Laraine

I have a lot of brown wicker furniture and brick in and outside my house. I am thinking a lot lately about white wash.

I like the understated tones of the white washed house. What really helps the look are the shutters. It would be great if I could get shutters that I could close for the hurricane season. Could possibly get a discount on my home insurance.

My sofa and chairs are very similar to the second photo. I have seen the dark wicker white washed and then the cushions covered in french grain sack material......sooooooo beautiful.

The white washed fireplace mantel will probably be the project I will start with first. I have a sinking feeling that the lovely white washed fireplace mantel will require me to completely repaint the whole living room.

Have a Great Day!

Laraine