Rain is Here

The PG&E tree crew was supposed to come yesterday to cut down the tree, but it rained.  And more rain today and it looks like through into next week.  Now the plan is to take it down one day next week.  Then our shed can get installed about the second week of April.

Went to see my doctor for the first time today since my surgery.  Orders are that I cannot lift anything over five pounds for a minimum of six more weeks.

Wrapping Up

11 packages ready to ship.  Whew!  All morning and most of the afternoon, I spent wrapping packages getting them safe for travel to their new homes.

Teddy Bears and Antique Quilt

Our Shelf Ledge

We designed this shelf ledge quite awhile back and it's become a popular seller in our shop.  I love it and Michael designed this shelf to hang on the wall with his special hanger to make it the most secure way to attach it.  He's so clever!  We do live in earthquake country and so I've secured all the things to the shelf using museum wax.  

Teddy Bear

The teddy bear on the left is not for sale.  I'm probably going to regret letting the one with the cute little sweater go. I see him every day and he's sort of captured my heart with his worn nose.

My Antique Quilt nfs

I bought this antique quilt (30's and 40's feedsack fabric) at an antique street sale in Carmel Valley.
I cannot part with this.

Needed:  Minor repairs.

It needs a few repairs and new binding.  One of these days, when my sewing room is all set up I can tackle it.  There are many yards of fabrics that I've been lugging around for years and years stored away in a closet just waiting for me to get back to sewing and perhaps quilting.  Lots of scrap pieces that would be perfect for fixing this quilt.

My New Houseplant

My new Hoya plant is very happy in it's bright and sunny spot.

Many years ago I had the most beautiful Hoya Carnosa whose blossoms were the most gorgeous pink wax flowers.  I cannot remember what happened to my plant, but now, after all these years (about 20) I now have a Hoya to care for and hopefully (fingers crossed) will have many clusters of dainty, itty-bitty, star like wax flowers.  I picked out a glossy cottage white glazed pot with an attached saucer for it's new home.  It's leaves are thick and waxy and can break off fairly easily if you're not careful.

My favorite two birds carved by Michael.

He carved these two many, many years ago.

One for the Irish

CLICK HERE:  Wise Owl Bank

CLICK HERE;  Served With Love

CLICK HERE;  Glass Fishing Float

CLICK HERE;  Like a Grecian Goddess

CLICK HERE;  57 Chevy

CLICK HERE;  Child's Reversible Apron

CLICK HERE;  Shady Path

CLICK HERE;  Cloudy Day

CLICK HERE;  Little Felt Flower

CLICK HERE;  Twirly Girly

CLICK HERE;  Clover

A few of my favorite things.

First day of landscape planting

Sango Kaku Japanese Maple Tree going in!

Mike's tired and hungry.

We went to Mid City Nursery this afternoon to purchase a few plants and our Japanese Maple tree with the beautiful red bark.  A stunning tree!  We cannot plant too much because we have to wait until the tree in the corner comes out and the shed is in place.  Don't want to spend all that money just to have the plants trampled.

Cedar Waxwing Accident

Late this afternoon, I was sitting on the sofa reading a book and WHAM, a bird hit our large front window.  I rushed to see outside and lying on the brick was this little bird.

He was stunned and breathing heavily.

I cooed and gently pet him to try and calm the poor thing down. 

You can see the tiny spot of blood under his beak area.

I carefully picked him up.

And held him.  His right foot seemed a little off kilter.

My precious and darling friend.

I walked across the street with him still perched on my finger to show our neighbors, Richard and Sharon.  They suggested that I put him in a box with some holes and a little water for him.  We were planning on going to see The Artist, so I did just that and left him inside a box while we were out for a couple hours.  When I came home, the first thing I did was check on him.  I took him outside, slowly tipped the box and he flew up into our nearby tree, but not so high that I couldn't reach up and pet him.  Which I did.

I'm going to go outside now and see if he's still there.  Update:  He made it through the night safely and flew off in the morning.

Feel Like a Crafting DIY Day?

Pocket Pixie

Owl Ball Needle Felting Kit

DIY Pinwheel Kit

Little Sheep Felt Kit

DIY Terrarium Kit

Just a small sampling of some wonderful DIY kits available on Etsy. 

Rainy Day Lunch

I was craving tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch.  Not just any old grilled cheese sandwich, I wanted to eat the grilled cheese of my youth, with oozing gooey cheese spilling out.  The only way to get that kind of sandwich was to pull out my Toas-Tite antique gadget.  If you've never eaten a grilled cheese sandwich with a Toas-Tite maker, you've no idea what you're missing.

You might have seen one at a flea market or antique store and not known what it was.  This is a Toas-Tite:

Antique Toas-Tite

This was how I thought everyone in the world ate grilled cheese sandwiches for it was the only way I knew.  The only way our family ate them.  It was in fifth grade when some girlfriends came over for lunch and I introduced them to our special grilled cheese maker, it was then that I realized there were a lot of people missing out on something that was special and unique to me.

Buttered side down, cheese in the middle.

Put the other bread buttered side up and close.

Trim off bread.  Eat or give to birds.

Cook on gas or electric stove top.

   Eat and enjoy.  Watch closely or it can burn as mine did on one side.  I put it on the stove top and walked away for a couple of minutes and one side burned.  Oh, I don't mind a little charred sandwich though.

The unburned side.  ;)

Disasters all around, knocked over and spilled my cup of tomato soup before I had a chance to eat it.

Golden oozing cheese.  Yummy goodness!

 You can make a grilled dessert pie with these, too.  Just butter the bread as shown and instead of cheese, put canned fruit pie filling of your choice inside.  Not too much though.  Most likely a tablespoon or two.

Dresses and Things.

I love to sew and each summer usually make a few things such as shorts or tops or skirts.  Here's a very nice clothing site I just discovered.  Some really cute dresses and things.

Shabby Apple

Overboard

Toe the Line

A few of my favorites!  So playful and cute.  The belts really make these dresses adorable and they have that vintage look I so love.

Gold Circles

Fun and Playful

Some Plants We're Considering...

Japanese Maple - Gorgeous Red

Possible fence screening.

Something for ground cover and color.

Grasses for texture and movement.