Weekend Musings

Yesterday the fog finally lifted, revealing our beloved Mt. Rainier.

 We haven't had a glimpse of the mountain in weeks. 

I spent the afternoon with my friend, Ginger, browsing at the Windmill Nursery in Sumner, WA. 

But first we had lunch at the little bistro on site. 

There was a lovely selection of early spring flowers. 

Primroses, Heather, potted Daffodils, 

Pansies,

Vinca, and so much more. 

I had to show some restraint! 

I did come home with two flats of flowers that I will be potting up for some early spring color on my deck. 

There was also a gift shop. 

Of course I had to bring these little charmers home! 

They will go perfectly with these! 

And these! Oh, I have such a weakness for robin's egg blue pottery! 

And blue glass! The fish sauce server and tiny hand blown glass pitcher was my Dear Mother's. 

And who doesn't love blue canning jars? Don't they make lovely vases for daisies and wildflowers?

The skies are not so clear today! The clouds are moving very fast. 

 I won't be doing any potting today.

It is windy and cold,

making my wind chimes sing and dance. 

This is the only sun for today!

(Do you see our little spider friend peering at us from the top?)

So I am staying in and looking out. 

 I did get some beautiful roses for Valentine's Day to keep me company. 

And a gift of angels, too! 

With chocolates to keep me sweet. 

Oh, and did I mention that I am pet sitting this little girl, Peanut, for the weekend? (A photo of my oldest son  on his wedding day, peeking behind my computer)

And this little sweetheart, Weenie Baby.  (She is very suspicious of the camera! Don't get too close!)

So who needs sunny skies when I have so much love inside! 

Wishing you a cozy and love filled weekend, too! 

What are you doing this weekend? 

xoxo

Morning

This is a typical morning here in Western Washington. 

We haven't seem Mt. Rainier in days. Maybe weeks. I can't remember the last time. 

But somewhere behind all those clouds, the mighty mountain rests. 

Mist envelopes everything in it's path. 

Making hunting difficult for this Red Tailed Hawk. 

But underneath - a glimmer of hope! 

xoxo

Valentine's Wishes

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Do you remember celebrating Valentine's Day in school? 

Mom would buy those little packages of 32 Valentine's. 

We would get the name list from the teacher. 

The best part for me was decorating the little tissue box that we would place on a shelf with our name on it so our classmates could drop in our Valentine's. 

I loved cutting out paper hearts and making tissue roses to cover my crepe paper covered tissue box. 

And then on Valentine's Day, the sweet surprise to see who gave you one! 

In those days they didn't require everyone to be fair and equal in their Valentine's giving. 

So some of us only got a precious few. 

I was the shy girl. 

Usually, I got about 3 or 4. 

But there was always one from the shy boy in the class. 

Shy people stick together. 

I would keep this special Valentine a secret. 

I knew what it was like to be teased. 

But we shared that special little smile of acknowledgement. 

Sometimes there would even be a little candy heart placed in the envelope with a special little sentiment. 

I was never jealous of the popular girls who had their tissue paper boxes stuffed full. 

I liked my special little friendships. 

They were deeper, less superficial. 

Based on true kindred spirits and not on popularity. 

And so I would treasure my few special Valentines in my pretty little box. 

I also loved creating home made Valentines for my Dear Mother. 

I would spend hours gathering bits and pieces of trinkets and mementos to glue to my card. 

Do you know that when I was going through my Dear Mother's things, I found one such card that I made when I was a child? 

She kept it all these years.

I always brought her roses and a beautiful card every Valentine's Day all of my life. 

And every year since we were high school sweethearts, my love buys me a dozen roses for Valentine's Day. 

All of my life I have been blessed with these sweet tokens of love. 

Given or Received, they mean so much. 

A chance to show how much someone means to you and you to them.

And so Dear Friends, I send these sweet tokens of Friendship and Love on this very special day. 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

May your world be filled with love! 

xoxo

'Heartfelt' Decorating for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I have added a few little touches to commemorate the day and to add to my Springtime Decorating. 

This little basket was a very unattractive dark brown. 

I simply painted it with a little acrylic craft paint in the color 'Blue Mist'. 

I added a tiny bouquet of vintage paper flowers and a collage brooch made from a puzzle piece!

Here you can see the sweet little details. This was a gift from a long ago friend and I never knew what to do with it. And now it is the perfect thing to hold my miniature posies together! 

I like re-purposing old brooches and earrings to decorate with. 

I hung it on my kitchen door along with a heart shaped scented sachet that I sewed together.

I filled it with French Lavender and it releases it's scent whenever the door is opened and shut. 

I made a similar decorated heart basket for a small corner. 

A small bouquet of dried roses is tied with some sheer golden ribbon with a little heart charm. 

Hung next to my utility closet and above my heart fly swatter! A little cheer for a neglected space. 

I found one more heart basket at the thrift store and decided to create a moss and rose collage with it. 

The basket is twig, so I didn't want to paint over this one. 

I placed it next to a deep basket filled with faux bird eggs. 

My bird print hangs right above it on the wall. 

To make the rose and moss collage, I simply lined the basket with a brown paper bag cut a little larger than the bottom (trace around the bottom and add an inch when cutting)

This keeps the moss from seeping through and making a big mess. 

Fill the basket with moss, leaving about an inch at the top - or the thickness of your roses. 

I used roses that I dried by hanging upside down. 

To make this basket, just clip the stems about 1/2 inch long and push them into the moss. Place them around the perimeter first and then fill in. Tuck some moss around the edges. 

A pretty and rustic touch for Valentine's Day and beyond. 

You can see the finished effect here. The bird print on the wall, the basket of eggs, the grape vine heart garland and the twig basket rose collage. 

To add to the romance, I brought down these unglazed bisque pieces from my sewing room and put them on my Kitchen Queen. 

Some precious angels to guard sweet treats inside. 

A tiny basket to hold a few scented rose buds. 

You can find dried rosebuds, lavender and scented oil at Mountain Rose Herbs 

www.mountainroseherbs.com

I found these two pieces on separate trips to the thrift store. They belonged together, I am sure. 

I hung this heart garland made from a tattered applique pillow. 

The colors go so well with my McCoy pottery. 

And of course what self respecting romantic doesn't have a few keys to the heart? 

Together with two porcelain hearts, one sent all the way from Scotland from my dear friend, Christine. 

Will you be mine? 

xoxo