photography:: wednesday

soon peonies, soon…

right now is the time of the gaillardias…

photography:: tuesday

allium and the clouds from my day-dreaming-bench…

photography:: another week in flowers…

Monday

It’s that time of year.

I cannot resist taking hundreds of fresh floral shots.

We may have had the most mild winter on record, but I still could not wait for fresh flowers.

The really cool thing about my snowball bush is that it has a history.

My Granma Amy had one planted on her farm in the early 1940’s.

My Mom made a cutting from that old shrub in the 1970’s.

I made a cutting from my my Mom’s about 10 years ago.

I have Granma Amy’s snowball bush in my front yard.

Boom.

So, this illustrates how the old heirloom varieties are better.

Both were planted the same year.

The one on the left:  3ft sapling bought from a local nursery

The one on the right:  3 tiny twigs from Granma Amy/Mom’s

Again…Boom.

crochet:: cowgirl up!

I didn’t make this one, but love love loved it!

This was from the baby shower a few days ago.

I really need to make some little girly clothes before my niece goes to college.

And the itty bitty cowgirl boots!  *gasp*  Divine!

I know I have a pattern that will work somewhere in the magical craft closet…

food:: skillet cake

I borrowed this recipe from Chiot’s Run

FAB.U.LOUS.

my only addition to the recipe is more sugar…I have a sweet-tooth…what can I say?

Voila!  Delish!

crochet:: toddler cloche

After giving my friend this hat for her babybump’s future enjoyment, I was asked to make another for the babybump’s cousin.

I didn’t wing it this time, I actually followed the directions.  Score one for me.  Not.

It is on it’s way to it’s new home in Colorado, and I am confident that it will be just a tad too large for the young lady.

But it sure is cute as hell.

edited to add the weird semi-hairy yarn:

photography:: my friend rowdy…

…stopped by for a visit this evening

crochet:: chenille cloche

So I went to baby shower recently, and one of the games was to guesstimate and cut a piece of yarn that will fit perfectly around the babymama’s belly.  Since the yarn was destined for the trash, and of course I could not allow that, I got the brilliant idea to make a keepsake for her to remember the shower.  It was more difficult to decide what to make than I thought, and I must have looked through several hundred patterns before I decided to wing it.  I tied it all back together and hid the knots inside the hat.

I loved the chenille yarn – it looked like sherbet and was incredibly soft.

If you want to make one – check out this pin for some inspiration.

 Cheers!

life:: the week in flowers is over…

…but I was given a great mixed bouquet that I have been enjoying all week and I hope to keep them cheering up my kitchen for awhile longer.  When someone gives me fresh flowers I am one of those people and squeezes every bit of life out of them.  I trim stems every couple of days, then I pick off browning leaves and petals, then they get put into a smaller and smaller vase until there is a single lonely bloom left…

Today the alliums were covered with butterflies and not a single one of the 20 shots I took turned out well in the bright noon-time sun.   So, this is all you get.

Anyhoo, speaking of a cheerful kitchen, a few days ago I posted this about my recent love affair with vintage pyrex and I happened to mention it to my mother.  That woman is so sweet…the next time I was at her house I thought nothing of it when my son asked for the keys to my car to go load up the misc. gear we had brought over since it was about time to leave.  When we got home and started to unload said misc. crap, I was pleasantly surprised with these.

 How cool is that?  A complete set of bowls in perfect condition!  And BONUS they are just like the set my Granma Amy had when I was a little girl.  That thoughtful mom of mine

Have a ridiculously amazing weekend!

photography:: the week in flowers ~ thursday

~japanese maple (OK it’s a tree, but it’s damn pretty)~