A Vintage Obsession

Mosaic Monday: A White Christmas

2010-12-12T17:02:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed, I have not been posting here for many a week. I've been so busy with my etsy shop and other projects that something had to give and it was my blog posting.

Well, I'm back....and in an effort to get into the Christmas spirit, I'm posting some photos I took 2 years ago around Christmas in Spokane...hope you enjoy them.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting...please take a look at all the other participants in Mary's Little Red House Mosaic Monday.

Mosaic: More Fabulous Fall Foliage

2010-10-31T17:29:00.000-07:00

It's Mosaic Monday and I'm continuing with my wonder at the gorgeous colors of nature.

(click on the photos for a better view)

Can't you just see yourself wandering down the road in these lovely settings?

I love to see all these fabulous colors reflected in the water

Please join our gracious host Mary, over at Little Red House for much more Mosaic Monday fun.

Thank you for spending a bit of your time with me today and I always appreciate hearing from you.

I must tell you the Blogger is giving me FITS today...I can't get the spacing right and I've given up...hope you excuse the blunders.

Mosaic Monday: A Sad Farewell

2010-10-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

Recently a former neighbor and friend for over 3 decades passed away way too soon.

After her funeral on Friday, I took some of the beautiful roses home to dry for her daughters but thought I would enjoy them a few days before I started the drying process.

Goodbye dear friend!

Please visit Mary over at Little Red House for more fun Mosaic Monday.

Thank you for your visit and your kind comments.

Mosaic Monday: Fabulous Fall Colors

2010-10-17T19:03:00.000-07:00

Today I 've put together a couple of mosaics that I couldn't resist the fabulous Autumn colors...hope you enjoy them also.

(click on photos to enlarge)

Wow, can you believe these colors?

I'm always in awe of the beauties of nature!

Thank you for stopping by...your lovely comments are always appreciated.

Please visit our hostess Mary, over at Little Red House to view lots more Mosaic Monday.

Mosaic Monday: Fabulous Fall Wreaths

2010-10-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

In an effort to get into the Fall spirit, today I'm presenting some wonderful wreaths that are just so perfect for the season.

Please join Mary over at Little Red House for more wonderful Mosaic Monday lovelies.

Don't you just LOVE this idea of double wreaths on your front door?

All these lovely wreaths should start to get me in the mood for Fall!

Thanks for spending a bit of your time with me today. I appreciate and read all of your precious comments.

Mosaic Monday: Wonderful Colors of Fall

2010-10-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

Fall is here and I've scoured the web searching for some examples of garden and outdoor decorating and I've put them together for Mary's wonderful Mosaic Monday party over

at Little Red House.

Please enjoy!

How I love these wonderful colors

Check out that crazy sign!

You must peek at all the other wonderful bloggers joining in Mary's Mosaic Monday.

Thank you for your visit...I always appreciate and read your lovely comments.

Mosaic Monday: A Nod to Autumn

2010-09-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

Since we barely had a summer here in San Diego this year I had hoped that we still might have some hot weather, but now that it really looks as if Fall is just around the corner, I'm somewhat getting into the mood for all the beauties that season has to offer.

Here are a few photos that just shout "Fall"!

(click on any photo to enlarge)

Don't you jut love all these wonderful colors?

I'm so fascinated with the white pumpkin that I had to include them too

Thanks for stopping by today and please take a look at Mary's Little Red House for lots more lovely photos in this wonderful Mosaic Monday party.

I always look forward to reading your comments.

Mosaic Monday: Summer's End

2010-09-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

It seems as if all the bloggers out there in blog land are breathlessly waiting for the commencement of Fall and it's much cooler weather while I'm lamenting the end of what little summer we had here in SD.

These seashell photos are a reminder of the glories of the summer season and, seashells happen to be a favorite of mine.

Thank you for dropping in today...please take a look at Mary's Little Red House for all her wonderful Mosaic Monday participants.

I always appreciate hearing from you and look forward to reading your comments.

Show & Tell Friday: Great Grandmother's Clock

2010-09-09T18:49:00.000-07:00

Do you ever just not know what to post???

Well, that's where I've been the last 2 weeks beside being very busy with my etsy shop and trying to get a website up and running...that is quite difficult when one is as tech challenged as I am!!!

Today I'm showing you Mr AVO's great grandmother's mantel clock that he remembers sitting in his grandmother's living room.

The photo on the right hand side is Great Grandmother...the left hand photo are Great Grandmother's parents

I use a glittered clothes pin to hold the photos to an old door knob...I like to display lots of vintage photos that way and then I can change the photos around when I feel like it.

I purchased these glittered clothes pins at a lovely shop on Etsy called

The Cottage Market...you can view all her items by clicking on the shop's name.

Thanks for stopping in today for a visit...please pop on over to Cindy's My Romantic Home for more of her wonderful Show & Tell Friday.

Your comments are greatly appreciated.

Mosaic Monday: A Few Old Photos

2010-08-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

Here are a few vintage photos from my collection for Mosaic Monday.

(Click on any photo to enlarge)

These are old family photos

I love these little children photos from my archives

Thank you for spending a bit of your time with me today.

Your comments are always appreciated!

Mary is having a Mosaic Monday party...please join her at Little Red House.

Mosaic Monday: Just Another Day at the Beach

2010-08-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

Last week our son and DIL rented a house at Newport Beach for the week and we joined them for 2 days...here are some of the photos I took...

(Click on any photos to enlarge...you'll be amazed!)

I've possibly seen star fish in a marine world type setting, but not in their natural habitat

These guys don't look like star fish to me

I've never seen this color of star fish either

Okay, so taking a photo on top of a yellow sand bucket isn't exactly photographic genius...lol

Lots of mollusks right where we found the star fish

I must tell you that while taking these photos, I was still wearing my jean shorts and a blouse because it was cloudy and a bit chilly for me...I stepped backwards to avoid getting hit by a wave and stepped into a huge hole and fell down on my backside...not a pretty sight!

Mr AVO said "Oh, that was the hole I told the kids to avoid"...well, you get my train of thought here I'm sure!!! And of course, there were plenty of spectators watching the entire episode.

The great part of this was that I SAVED my camera from getting wet!!!

Oh, and a disclaimer here...NO star fish were injured in the taking of these photos!

The kids took those 2 on the bucket back to where they found them...hopefully no worse for the wear.

Thanks for the visit today...your comments are always appreciated.

I'm joining Mary's fun Mosaic Monday party today...please give her a visit at Little Red House

Show & Tell Friday: The Amazing Hummingbird

2010-08-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

After several attempts to lure some hummingbirds to our yard, we finally hit the jackpot!

Mr AVO read an article about these lovely creatures online and decided to make his own

sugar water for our feeders.

On the first attempt, the ants got into the mixture so quickly, they clogged up the entire feeder. We were reluctant to use any chemicals around these little guys as it would be toxic for them. He sprayed the fence post with ant spray and soaked the bottom of it where they would start their trek upward and then waited a day or so for the chemicals to dissipate.

This is an amazing shot for me...couldn't believe I got it.

Those tiny little feet are used only for perching...not for walking.

I know that the feeder doesn't make for a great shot but wanted to show him up close

Well, now that these little creatures have found the sugar water, they pretty much ignore the flowers we planted to attract them!!!

They are coming in droves...hubby says that they must have alerted all the hummingbirds in our area. One would think by looking at them that they would be delicate little things...they swoop and swerve and knock each other off the feeders and squawk the entire time...I never realized that they were such noisy little guys. If I look out in the early AM, I sometimes see as many as 12-15 of them flying and squawking and feeding.

I've also read that our birds here on the west coast come from Mexico City...they are migratory. The round trip is about 6,000 miles...amazing! Also read that they have the largest brain for their size in the bird world.

Thank you for visiting with me today and I hope you enjoyed yourself.

Please leave a comment to let me know you were here.

I'm joining Cindy's lovely Show &Tell party today...please take a peek at all the other posts over at My Romantic Home.

Mosaic Monday: Birthday Flowers & Blueberry Buckle

2010-08-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I celebrated a big birthday and we went to the Palm Desert area to spend the day.

The next day we spent at Newport Beach in a house that my son and DIL rented for the week.

We have been having a VERY cool summer so I wanted to visit the desert for some warmth and the beach house was great too except for the overcast mornings.

The orchids are flowers I received from Mr AVO...I like to receive plants as they last much longer than a bouquet and of course, I'm partial to orchids.

I also decided to bake a blueberry buckle as my birthday cake and here is the result...

This buckle came out just great...I meant to cut and photograph it artfully, but it got eaten before I had a chance to do so.

If you are interested in the recipe, you can find it here...

I would be interested in knowing if you tried this recipe and how you like it.

Please drop by Mary's Little Red House to view all the other participants in this Mosaic Monday party.

Thank you for visiting...your comments make me smile.

Show & Tell Friday: Flea Market Treasures

2010-08-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know how most of us love a great antique flea market, estate sales and even garage sales, so I thought I would show a few of the items we've picked up at these places.

Lots of old watches and watch parts here

A closer look at these vintage pieces

Who ever though that grungy old silver plated spoons could be a treasure?

Some rusty old French keys

And if you're thinking that maybe just MAYBE some of these pieces will show up in my etsy shop.....you would be absolutely right...it all depends on which items I can bear to part with.

Thanks for joining me for a little while today and please be sure to hop on over to Cindy's My Romantic Home for all the other Show &Tell loveliness!

Your comments make me smile.

Mosaic Monday: Covered Bridges

2010-08-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

With my great interest in genealogy and history I've also come to love all the old covered bridges that can still be seen, particularly on the east coast where we visited a few months back.

Hope you enjoy a look at these lovely old pieces of history.

(click on any of the mosaic to enlarge)

Thanks for stopping by.....your comments are always greatly appreciated.

Please visit Mary over at Little Red House for lots more fun mosaics!

Mosaic Monday: Southold, NY

2010-07-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

I hope that all of you my wonderful blog readers out there don't get too tired of all the history and genealogy that I've been posting lately.

This is again from our recent trip to the east coast...

Old Burying Ground of 1st Presbyterian Church in Southold, NY.

(click on any photo to enlarge)

This church was organized in 1640 and the burial grounds are kept in nice condition

This is a monument to the founders of Southold, NY and Mr AVO's 10th great grandfather, Philemon Dickerson and his son, Peter and grandson, Thomas are all named on the monument...

They are all my hubby's direct ancestors

Philemon Dickerson arrived in this country in 1637 aboard the ship "Mary Anne"

There are headstones here for 9 of hubby's ancestors.

I was really taken with this beautiful little church

A few different views on the burial ground

This is the area where the oldest stones are located

and close to the monument

When we made this trip we didn't realize the length of Long Island, NY....120 miles

This Church and burial grounds are almost to the tip of the island.

Thanks for stopping by today for Mosaic Monday and please don't forget to pop over to

Mary's Little Red House for more party fun.

Your comments are wonderful!

Show & Tell Friday: Vintage Bottles Anyone?

2010-07-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

Like many of us reading these blogs, I am a collector of lots of different vintage items..today I'd like to show you a small part of my vintage bottle collection.

(click on any photo to enlarge)

Love this beautiful aqua color....it reminds me of the Mediterannean and the ocean off the south Florida coast.

I've decorated a few of these bottles and they can be seen in my etsy shop.

Of all the bottles shown above beside the ones I've decorated and the vintage sea shell bottles, these are my favorites.

You might recognize the bottle on the right as I've used it for flowers cut from my garden

Thanks for coming on over to visit today...I always appreciate the visit and you kind comments.

Please visit Cindy over at My Romantic Home to view lots more of this lovely party.

Mosaic Monday: Historic Huguenot Street

2010-07-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Another of our outings on our recent trip to the east coast was to visit a small town located in Ulster County, Hudson Valley, New York....the historic town of New Paltz.

(Click on any photo to enlarge)

Huguenot Street, is a National Historic Landmark and the site of a collection of Colonial and early period stone houses owned and operated as historic house museums by the Huguenot Historical Society of New Paltz, NY.

The Dubois House shown above was built in 1705 and was originally a fort....there are gun port holes at the end which you can see in the middle photo of the mosaic.

This is the Jean Hasbrouck house built in 1712... one of the old stone houses we toured....and some of the period furnishings inside.

A shot of the downtown town area of New Paltz...Huguenot Street is off to the right

This village of New Paltz was founded 1677 by 12 French Huguenot (protestant) families who fled political and religious persecution in Northern France.

Louis DuBois, Mr. AVO's 10th great grandfather, settled in Kingston and was caught up in the Esopus Indian wars with the Dutch in 1663. The Esopus Indians captured women and children as hostages and took them off to the south. Louis' wife and 3 children were among those taken hostage.

Louis joined a party of the Dutch who were out to rescue the captives and it was then that Louis saw the area that is now New Paltz that he determined to establish a Huguenot settlement on that land.

Louis became the acknowledged leader of the Huguenots and headed the party in the negotiations with the Esopus Indians for the purchase of the land. The DuBois family made up one fourth of the patentees as 2 of his sons were among those purchasing this land.

Monument at the entrance to Huguenot Street.

Louis DuBois' name at the top of the list of patentees and his sons are farther down on the list.

Louis' great grand daughter Elizabeth Van Meter Shepherd was the wife of the founder of Shepherdstown that I posted about here.

Please join Mary's wonderful Mosaic Monday party at Little Red House and see more interesting posts.

I always appreciate you spending a bit of your time with me and anticipate your lovely comments.

It's a Cloche Party!

2010-07-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it's time again for another cloche party over at Marty's A Stroll Through Life.

I always look forward to these parties as so many bloggers have so many interesting and unusual ideas.

Please enjoy!

I only own 2 "real" cloches so I'm showing a few different ideas with them

This vignette is sitting in my living room all the time

I love the red transfer ware plate with this one

As you can see, this is a summer arrangement

More of my summer arrangements

I keep seashells in jars all year around because I love them so much

One of my favorites as I love the vintage pocket watches

I appreciate you spending some time with me today...thanks in advance for your kind comments.

I'm also linking with Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday....
please visit all the wonderful bloggers at both these parties.

Have an enjoyable weekend.

Just wanted you to know that Blogger is giving me fits so I couldn't add a few photos that I wanted to and lost my patience!

Mosaic Monday: Ancient Burying Grounds

2010-07-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

On our recent trip to the east coast, we visited many ancient burial grounds looking for Mr. AVO's ancestors.

Here are a few photos of some of the places we went.

(Click on any photo to enlarge)

This is the Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven, CT where hubby has more than 8 of his ancestors buried.....and the Palisado Cemetery in Windsor, Ct where there are at least 6 of his ancestors buried.

This is the monument in the Palisado Cemetery that has the names engraved of the 1st settlers and founders of Windsor, CT....there are at least 6 known ancestors on this monument

Outside the Ancient Burying Ground in downtown Hartford, CT

Monument in Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, CT

There are 5 names of the founders of New Haven, CT that are hubby's ancestors

The most well known would be the first governor of what they then called the "Connecticut Colony"...John Haynes

John Haynes tombstone

Plaque on the outer gate honoring John Haynes

Another plaque on the outer gate honoring John Haynes

Statue of John Haynes on Hartford, CT Capitol Building

John Haynes arrived in the colonies in 1633 aboard the ship "Griffin"

Governor of MA Bay Colony 1635

First Governor of CT Colony ...1639 and governor for 7 more years

At that time the governor was only elected for a 1 year term and so John Haynes was Lieutenant Governor in the years he wasn't governor...so he was either Governor or Lieutenant Governor from 1639 until his death in 1654.

John Haynes is Mr. AVO's paternal 10th great grandfather.

More photos of the Ancient Burying Ground

I appreciate you spending a bit of your time with me today and please leave a comment about this post.

I'm linking with Mary over at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday....please visit all her wonderful participants.

Show & Tell Friday: Blue or Red Transferware?

2010-07-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

While on our recent trip to the east coast in May and June, we went to a lot of antique shops and antique flea markets looking for whatever struck our fancy.

While at Mt Vernon, I was looking at their red transfer ware pieces and was almost tempted to buy a few but the prices were too steep. So, Mr. AVO (unknown to me) purchased this beautiful antique piece of transfer ware at a local flea market.....and , of course, he got them WAY down from the original asking price.

The markings on the back of the plate

This is my rather small collection of red transfer ware so far

Small creamer that is vintage

I love this tea pot even though it's a reproduction

So now the question is.....do you like red transfer ware or blue transfer ware better?

I think I might like them both...(he he) and of course, that means I NEED to collect both colors!

Thank you for spending a bit of your day with me and please go over to
Cindy's My Romantic Home
to join in the rest of the party.

Your comments are greatly appreciated!

Happy 234th Birthday America!

2010-07-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

Two hundred and thirty-four years ago, 56 men stood around a table and signed their names to a document we’ll be celebrating this weekend- the Declaration of Independence. Together, they pledged their “lives, fortunes and sacred honor” to a grand experiment, an idea of a republic in which balanced order and individual liberty were the law of the land, charity and religion were free to thrive, and sovereignty rested with the citizens who granted government its rule.

This is the real reason for our celebrating the 4th of July

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Let's remember this one-of-a kind document that was a grand experiment of the highest proportions and what it has meant in our lives and the lives of our families.

So put up your flag, light some fireworks, watch a parade, eat tasty b-b-que and apple pie, sing the Star Spangled Banner, spend the day at the beach....but ALWAYS remember why we celebrate this day and what we owe to those 56 brave men who declared us free and the men of the Continental Army that fought and died for our freedom!

God Bless America!

Happy 234th Birthday America

I'm joining Mary over at Little Red House for a Mosaic Monday party!

Thank you for taking a bit of your time to look in at my blog...

as always, your comments make me smile!

Show & Tell Friday: Orchids and Vacation

2010-07-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

Before leaving on our long vacation last month, I was concerned about my beautiful phalaenopsis orchids that I have on my kitchen counter.

They would need to be watered several times during the time we were gone and I didn't feel comfortable with asking our neighbor girls to water them .....they were taking care of our yard and our tomato plants, but I wasn't sure they would handle my precious orchids properly.

(click on any photo to enlarge)

So we got these watering bulbs that I'm sure you've seen advertised over the last few years.

I wasn't sure that they would work well enough, but when we returned home my orchids were fine and many new blossoms had opened.

Glass watering bulbs

So my orchids have remained in good condition and I will have many weeks of enjoyment looking at them.....in previous years some of my spikes have lasted FIVE months.

Please join Cindy over at My Romantic Home for other posts on Show & Tell Friday.

Your visits and comments mean a lot to me....thank you for spending a bit of your time with me today.

Have an enjoyable weekend and a wonderful 4th of July!

Mosaic Monday: Shepherdstown, West Virginia

2010-06-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

On our recent trip to the east coast, Mr. AVO and I went to various places for ancentry/genealogy searches.

This little town in the north eastern panhandle of West Virginia, was founded by Mr. AVO;s maternal 7th great grandfather in 1762...his name was Thomas Shepherd Sr.

He originally named the town Mecklenburg, but it was renamed after he died to Shepardstown in his honor.

Thomas Shepherd and his 5 sons all fought in the Revolutionary War and there are records that he voted for George Washington as the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army and was actually an acquaintance of George Washington.

(Please click on any of the photos to enlarge)

Shepherdstown is the oldest incorporated town in West Virginia....incorporated in 1762.

Local citizens proposed this town for a possible site for our new nation's capitol, offering land on both sides of the Potomac for consideration.

In 1862, when the Civil War came to W. Virginia, virtually every building standing in town at the time was used as a makeshift hospital or morgue for the wounded and dead of the battle of Antietam.

Some shots of the old Shepherd Burying Ground

Shepherdstown bridge over the Potomac

Shepherd University founded in 1872....total enrollment about 4,200.

A look down German Street...population of this town is around 861.

A home just off German Street and across from the ancient cemetery.

This mill is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

This is a photocopy taken in 1972 from an original photo from the early 1900's.
The mill was built prior to 1735 by Thomas Shepherd, Sr.

How the original grist mill looks today....it is under private ownership and it was all locked up.

They do take reservations for private tours several times a year.

The old cemetery where Thomas Shepherd and his wife and sons are buried.

Plaque on the outside of the cemetery wall honoring Thomas Shepherd.

Memorial headstone for Elizabeth VanMeter Shepherd, wife of Thomas....7th great grandmother to Mr. AVO.

Memorial headstone for Thomas Shepherd,Sr.

Thanks for spending a few moments with me today....I appreciate your interest and your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Please join Mary over at Little Red House for much more Mosaic Monday.

Show & Tell Friday: The Elusive "Perfect" Bird Photo

2010-06-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

Some weeks ago I asked Mr AVO to purchase some bird seed for our feeder that hasn't been used in a couple of years.

Now I try to sit on our patio every day for lunch and relax and read a bit and now I get to view the birds too.

I've taken more than 3 dozen photos of the feeder trying in vain to get the "perfect" shot. I wanted to show when 5 or 6 birds are holding on for dear life or when a bunch of huge pigeons scare away the smaller birds.....to no avail.

I've also noticed that almost all the smaller birds are of the same species....and they come to feed in pairs. There is a brownish gray bird and then the brightly colored red on the head and breast of the other bird, which I suppose is the male.

I hope you can see the bright red on the male bird, (you can click on the photos for a much larger view)....I really tried to get better photos than these but the birds alluded me.

Does anyone know what type of bird they are?.....I think I saw them pictured on someone's blog and they called them some type of a Finch....but can't remember where.

Thanks for stopping by.....I always appreciate your comments.

Please visit Cindy over at My Romantic Home to see more great Show & Tell Friday.

Mosaic Monday: Amish Country

2010-06-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well, okay, you may have noticed that I've not been blogging for quite a while. In my defense, (do I really need one?....lol) Mr AVO and I have been out of town on a family vacation for almost 3 weeks, and then when we returned, LIFE got in the way....if you know what I mean.

Well, I'm here now and wanted to show you some of the places we traveled.

Hope you enjoy this little piece of Lancaster County, PA.

Remember you can click on the photos for a larger view.

Thank you for stopping by my little blog.....I always appreciate you taking the time to comment!

Please join Mary over at Little Red House to view many more interesting bloggers for Mosaic Monday.

Mosiac Monday: Vintage Photos

2010-05-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

Mosaic Monday is here again and I'm posting some very vintage photos of Mr AVO's family.

Please check out Mary's Little Red House for more lovely mosaics.

The photo on the top is Mr AVO's paternal 2nd great grandparents......they were quite well known Quakers, the little girl is their daughter.....Mr. AVO's 1st great grandmother.

The bottom photo is his paternal 3rd Great Grandparents and I'm guessing the photo is from somewhere in the 1880's.

Thanks for stopping by today for a visit.....all your lovely comments are greatly appreciated!

I will not be posting for a few weeks as I will be out of town on a family vacation and I get to do some genealogy things on this vacation too.....I'm sure I'll have LOTS of photos to share with you with I return.

Show & Tell Friday: A View from my Window

2010-05-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is another Show &Tell Friday over at Cindy's My Romantic Home.

Show & Tell is meant to show something in your home or garden....well, this is not exactly my garden, but it is a view from my window upstairs in a loft where I have my computer.

I glanced up to look out of the window and this was my view.....I took these photos through the window and was surprised that they came out as well as they did.

Normally the hills wouldn't be quite this green....they are funky interesting hills that are almost all rock, but we've had more rain this year than usual and so we get a bit greener.

Please visit My Romantic Home to get a look at lots of interesting posts.

Thanks for looking in and for taking the time to comment.

Mosaic Monday: Beautiful Tulips

2010-05-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

After receiving the beautiful flowers for Mom's Day I decided to do a bit of artsy photography....I took the tulips out of the arrangement and took lots of photos.

Here is the result for my Mosaic Monday post.

Be sure to hop on over to Mary's Little Red House so you can enjoy all the other fabulous mosaics.

Thanks for looking in.

As always, your comments make me smile.

Show & Tell Friday: Mother's Day Flowers

2010-05-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

For Show & Tell Friday this week, I'm posting some beautiful flowers I received for Mom's Day from my oldest son and his family.

I took dozens of photos to try to get a few good ones....hope you enjoy these.

I was working on being artistic here....

Please join the rest of the participants over at Cindy's My Romantic Home to have some more fun for Show & Tell Friday.

Thank you as always for stopping by and you know I love to hear from you!

Have an enjoyable weekend.

Mosaic Monday: Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful bloggers and readers of blogs!

I thought I would post a photo or two of a lovely and yummy Mother's Day gift for Mosaic Monday...please visit Mary over at Little Red House for more goodies.

These yummy strawberries are from younger son.....are you drooling yet?

Thanks for dropping in and all comments are greatly appreciated!

If you like these canvas panel mosaics, you can see my tutorial HERE.

Show & Tell Friday: The First Tomatoes of the Season

2010-05-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

Do any of you bloggers out there start wondering as to what to blog about? I'm having that difficulty off and on for months now.

Today I was sitting on the patio having my lunch and wondering just what I was going to post for Show &Tell Friday and I happened to glance at our tomato plants and saw the first tomato on the vine....granted it's still very green but it gave me the inspiration for this post....hope you enjoy it.

This is how we are growing the tomatoes this year....not in the ground as in previous years.

There appears to be a 2nd tomato on the vine....yipee!

Thanks for dropping in and please take a look at all the other participants at Cindy's My Romantic Home.....there's always lots of good stuff to look at.

Your comments are always appreciated.

Mosaic Monday: Vintage Watches

2010-05-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

Another fun Mosaic Monday is here.....please pop over to Mary's Little Red House to see all the interesting participants.

These are a few of my many vintage watches that are not running but I love them anyway....
although I'm going to go through them and put a few pieces in my etsy shop.

Some lovely vintage inspired and French wall clocks.....love the black and red reverse toile faces.

If you missed my recent tutorial on how to make the "canvas panel" mosaic on my top photo....you can check it out HERE.

Thanks you for looking in and have a pleasant week!

Your comments are greatly appreciated!

Show & Tell Friday: What Happened to My Orchids?

2010-04-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I was looking for something to post on Show &Tell Friday and took some photos of the spikes on my Cymbidium orchids that we grow outside.

Normally by this time of the year we have about 12 to 15 spikes altogether on our various orchids. This year I've found only 3 blooming or spiking and am very disappointed. I think it was possibly the cold and hail that we've had here in So CA this winter.....but I can't say for sure.

This was 2 weeks ago

This is today....not much progress

This is 2 weeks ago

This is today....a little more progress

A close up of one of the blooms.

Please check out Cindy's My Romantic Home for all the other participants.

If you are interested in a tutorial on mosaic canvas panels that some of you have asked for instructions...please check it out HERE and let me know how it works out for you.

Thanks for looking in....I appreciate each and every one of your comments.

Mosaic and Canvas Panels Tutorial

2010-04-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

Quite a number of my dear readers have asked me how I do these panel mosaics pictured above.

Well, I'm absolutely not a computer wiz but I can (hopefully) give you enough understandable instructions on how to create these mosaics.

First, go to Big Hug Labs and about the middle of the upper right side, you will see a drop down window.

Click on "Framer" and a new window will open.....choose "Canvas Panels" from the drop down menu.....make sure you choose between "Canvas Panels" or "Portrait" as this is the orientation of your original photo.

Hit browse if you are getting the photo from your computer or you can upload from Flickr or Facebook.

After uploading your photo, hit "Create" and it's all done.....save to your computer or wherever you would like.

Now, for a little more magic.....after you've saved your canvas panel photo......go back to the upload page and hit the drop down menu again and click on "Frosted Glass" or "Portrait" and then use browse to get your "panel" photo from your computer or upload from wherever you saved your "panel" photo.

Hit Create and voila'.....you've got a glass frame on your mosaic photo.

Hope you enjoyed this little tutorial and if you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me.

Thanks for stopping by!

I would really enjoy hearing about how this worked out for you.....I love your comments.

Mosaic Monday: Mother's Day Flowers

2010-04-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

Since it's getting close to Mother's Day I thought it would be nice to look at beautiful flower arrangements that would all be perfect for Mother's Day giving.

I absolutely love lavender in any form

Aren't these wonderful bouquets?

More perfect arrangements.

Remember you can click on each photo to enlarge.

Before you, my readers get the idea that I've taken all these wonderful photos, I must admit that I've gotten them from PB's online catalogue.

I hope you enjoyed these virtual flowers and that you will give a look at all the other wonderful participants in Mosaic Monday over at Mary's Little Red House.

Thanks for dropping in .....I'd love to hear from you.

Oh, and before I forget it, wanted all of you who asked for a tutorial on the canvas panel mosaics that I've posted many times....I hope to get one posted later this week.....so please keep on looking in.

Show & Tell Friday: Spring Roses

2010-04-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

We've had some more weird spring weather this week, but just before all the rain and hail, I noticed these beautiful roses on the bush outside and decided to bring them inside to enjoy.

I caught this photo just as the sun was shining through the window.

I hope you enjoy your weekend but first hop on over to Cindy's My Romantic Home for a look at all the other participants in this week's Show & Tell.

Your lovely comments are always appreciated!

Mosaic Monday: Beautiful Hummingbirds

2010-04-18T17:59:00.000-07:00

I was sitting on the back patio enjoying my morning cup of tea when a darling little hummingbird came to our feeder. I, of course, did not have my camera with me, but it inspired these photos of colorful and beautiful hummingbirds for today's Mosaic Monday.

I would certainly love to take credit for the photos of these beautiful little creatures, but alas, I found them on the web......hope you've enjoyed them!

Please visit all the wonderful participants in Mosaic Monday over at Mary's Little Red House.

Thank you for your visit and taking the time to comment.....I love hearing from you!

Show & Tell Friday: Lots of Color

2010-04-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

After returning from running some errands this morning I drove by this wonderful, colorful profusion of ice plant blooming on the hill in the front of our house and it was the immediate inspiration for this week's Show & Tell post.

I've been having a major blogging block for a while now but these beautiful flowers put me back in the mood for posting......hope the mood lasts!

You may remember that I blogged about these bright flowers before here, but that was the hill behind our house that I see from the back patio and on this front hill there are several different colors of the ice plant.

Thank you for joining me today and have a lovely weekend.

Please don't forget to take a look at all the participants in Show & Tell Friday over at Cindy's My Romantic Home.

I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

Mosaic Monday: Ties to the Past

2010-04-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

As many of you may know from some of my past posts I'm very much into genealogy

So, here are a few family photos that I've put together for today's

Mosaic Monday......please pop on over to our wonderful host, Mary, at

Little Red House to visit all the other wonderful participants.

Mr. AVO's father

Mr. AVO's paternal grandmother

Mr. AVO's maternal grandfather

Thanks for the visit......I always look forward to your comments.

It's a Spring Cloche Party!

2010-04-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

Here we are at another wonderful cloche party hosted by Marty over at A Stroll through Life....

please join our wonderful hosts and take a look at the other fabulous participants because

I'm also linking with Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show &Tell Friday....

A few of my favorite things.....seashells and vintage bottles.

I've added a bit of moss for spring.

This is on our dining room table......the silver tray belonged

to my Mom and I love to use it in vignettes.

As you can see....a few more seashells.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.....I

look forward to your visits and comments.

Mosaic Monday: Birds of Spring

2010-03-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

It's Mosaic Monday over at Mary's Little Red House and so I'm joining her again.....please pop on over.

I've been having a complete and utter blogging block for the last few weeks or so....don't know what the problem is but hope to get back into posting more often very soon.

These mosaics are composed of free photos that I found on the internet and thought they would be perfect for spring.

Have a great week and thanks for looking.

Thank you for taking the time to comment.....it makes me smile.

Mosaic Monday: Spring Wildflowers

2010-03-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

Since Saturday was the Vernal Equiniox, which marks the end of winter and the beginning of warmer and longer days, and since many of my blogging friends have had a severe winter, I decided to bring some beautiful spring color into my Mosaic Monday.
I'm joining Mary over at Little Red House ....please give all the wonderful participants a look.

Although I would love to take all the credit for these beautiful photos, I have to admit that I got them all from Flickr.

I have done some photo editing and added some focal zoom and of course, the frames.

Thank you for stopping by.

I always look forward to your lovely comments.

Table Top Tuesday: Kitchen Vignette

2010-03-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

I'm joining Marty over at A Stroll Through Life for her Table Top Tuesday

Please hop on over and take a look at all the other interesting Table Top Tuesday participants.

The blue and white pitchers are Polish stoneware that we purchased in Poland on a

trip a few years back.

I can't tell you how many times various people have picked up the vase that's on it's side and sat it upright.....everyone thinks it fell over!

I caught this shot with the sun shining through the window and thought it was interesting.

I've had this bunny plaque for over 10 years and have always had him in the kitchen......and I LOVE him.

Thanks you for looking in and all of your comments are greatly appreciated.

Mosaic Monday: More Spring Flowers

2010-03-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is another Mosaic Monday over at Mary's Little Red House.

Please take a look at what all the other wonderful participants have in store for you.

A few photos of my flowers that I've taken over the past several years.....I have grown all these flowers except for the pink roses bouquet and the mixed flowers bouquet. Both of them were Mother's Day bouquets in the past.

Thank you for stopping by.

Your sweet comments are music to my ears.

Show & Tell Friday: Spring Flowers

2010-03-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

After all the rain we've had this winter, we have having a bumper crop of beautiful blooming flowers.

Today I decided to go outside and photograph some of the vibrant color where we live.

These photos are of the what we call our "back hill", which is right below us....I see this every day that I go outside and sit on the patio.

A close up of the "ice plant".

A view from the front porch.

I'm joining Cindy over at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.....please pop on over and take a look at all the participants.

Thank you for looking in .....I always look forward to your lovely comments.

Have an enjoyable weekend!

Table Top Tuesday

2010-03-08T16:23:00.000-08:00

I'm joining Marty over at A Stroll through Life for her weekly meme called Table Top Tuesday....please take a look at all the other interesting participants.

Here is a closer look at my vintage photos in the cloche.

The larger photo is hubby's grandmother and the smaller photo is her mother....his great grandmother. The little photo peeking out of the antique shoe is hubby in high school and playing football.

This clock belonged to the Grandmother in the photo.

These pair of antique shoes belonged to a dear cousin.

A closer look at the other side of the table scape.

Thank you for looking in and please take the time to leave me a comment, if you will.

Mosaic Monday: Canterbury Cathedral

2010-03-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

For this week's Mosaic Monday I'd like to show you some of my photos from the Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent,UK. taken about 2 years ago.

St. Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory the Great in 597 as a missionary to the Anglo-Saxons.

Augustine then founded the cathedral in 602.

One of the most pivotal points in the history of the Cathedral was the murder of Thomas Becket in December of 1170 by the knights of Henry II.

Henry had frequent disagreements with Archbishop Becket and as the story goes, was said to have exclaimed in frustration "Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?"

Henry's knights took it seriously and murdered Becket in his own cathedral.

Of course, Hollywood had to put it's own spin on the story and in 1964 the movie "Becket" previewed with Richard Burton as Becket and Peter O'Toole as Henry II.

Thanks for joining me for Mosaic Monday, I hope you enjoyed my history lesson.....please hop on over to Mary's at Little Red House to view all the great mosaics.

As always, you comments are dear to my heart.

Ancient Cemeteries and Genealogy

2010-03-06T18:04:00.000-08:00

Today I'm joining Chari over at Happy to Design for her interesting meme.....Sunday Favorites.

This is a repost of a favorite from August of 2009 that has been buried under newer posts and one that maybe you haven't seen.

Please pop on over to Happy to Design to see all Chari's interesting participants.

As I have posted previously, I am extremely interested in our family history and genealogy.
After joining an ancestry website and doing some investigating I've found many of my hubby's family when they first arrived in this country....well, it wasn't America yet, it was the "Colonies".
This man, David James (1660-1739) would be my hubby's paternal 6th great grandfather (that means 9 generations ago) and he came to the colonies seeking religious freedom as he was a Quaker.
He and his wife and new born child (hubby's 5th great grandfather) arrived from Wales in Oct 1682, on board the ship "Bristol Factor".
David James was given "city lots" in 1683 or 1684 but eventually settled in Radnor, PA.
David James name is on the map of the State House grounds on Chestnut St. in Philadelphia.
After finding some of these people I became interested in finding out where they were buried and from there is was a short jump to going to ancient burying grounds or searching them out on the internet.
The above photos are of the church grounds and the headstone where David James is buried....this cemetery is near the Valley Forge Campground where General Washington and his troops wintered during the Revolutionary War.
Some people feel that this is a bit macabre but I am always excited to come across a new cemetery find.
Thanks for visiting (or re-visiting) me.....as always, I look forward to reading your comments.

Outdoor Wednesday: Amsterdam

2010-03-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

Since I have taken boatloads of photos from our various trips in the last few years, I thought I would share some of them with you on this Outdoor Wednesday hosted by Susan over at
A Southern Daydreamer.

Please give all the wonderful participants a look.

The Amsterdam flower market.

One of the many canals in Amsterdam

This is a park across the street from the hotel where we stayed.

These are some of the tulips we purchased while in Amsterdam.....growing in my front yard.

I certainly would like to take credit for the two flower market photos that aren't watermarked, but I found them online and don't remember where.....thought you might enjoy them anyway.

Thanks for looking in......I always look forward to your lovely comments.

Outdoor Wednesday: The Grey Abbey…..Part II

2010-02-23T17:13:00.001-08:00

Today I’m joining Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday……please take a look to see what the other participants have in store for you.

I’m continuing my photos and post from Monday on the Grey Abbey…..you can see the first post here if you missed it.

Several of these photos were taken from the internet but most of them were taken by me on our visit to the Grey Abbey in Northern Ireland.

I usually try to photograph some of the signs as they help me remember all the dates and other info about the places we’re visiting.

Because I’m interested in history and family ancestry, these old grave yards really are very intriguing to me.

Some of the ancient grave markers in this old cemetery….these grave stones are not the oldest in this cemetery….if I remember right, some of them that were still readable were from the 1500’s.

Thanks for stopping by to visit…..please leave a comment to let me know you were here.

Mosaic Monday: The Grey Abbey

2010-02-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Mosaic Monday hosted by our lovely Mary over at Little Red House.

Please take a look at all the other participants in this interesting meme.

On a trip to the British Isles a year or so ago, I took these photos of the Grey Abbey.

I'm fascinated with history and found this Abbey and it's history quite interesting.

The Abbey was founded in 1193 by Affreca, wife of John De Courcy, Anglo-Norman conqueror of the province of Ulster in is what is now Northern Ireland.

The Abbey was almost completely destroyed during the invasion of Edward the Bruce (1315-1318) and was completely dissolved in 1541.

The Commission of Public works started a crude repair in the late 1800's, using cement that is still very visible today.

The ruins are now set in a beautiful private parkland belonging to the 18th century mansion, Rosemont House.

I will have more photos and history about the Grey Abbey in future posts.

Thanks for stopping in for a look at my blog, I always appreciate hearing from you to know that you've visited.

This Feels Like Spring to Me

2010-02-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted for almost three weeks due to a problem with viewing and posting on my blog. My blog page would redirect to another page that was all ads and junk every time I tried to get on and post or view my blog.
I finally got technical help and after 2 1/2 hours of deleting cookies, history and cache, defragmenting, running a virus scan on all files and then running a registry cleanup, we finally found the culprit. It appears that the "snow effect widget" that I had been running on my blog for about 3 months had somehow been corrupted and was causing this problem.

Well, at least after all this cleanup, my computer is running somewhat faster!

The lovely treasury is compliments of Jane over at Glorioushats.....please hop on over and have a look at her interesting shop.

My item featured is the purple botanical journal and bookmark on the top row.
If you would like a closer look at the treasury, please click on the photo to enlarge.

Thanks for looking in and have a relaxing weekend!

As always, your comments are dear to my heart.

Mosaic Monday: Visiting the Hotel del Coronado

2010-01-31T17:12:00.000-08:00

After our unusual week of rain and whacky weather a week ago, we visited

the Hotel del Coronado for a nice sunny days' outing.

These photos are from one of the lovely shops on the premises of the Del.....

the Babcock & Story Emporium.

This shop had a lot of the items that I love to browse through but the prices were on the high side, so I just enjoyed looking and photographing the interesting vignettes.

Please join Mary at Little Red House to see the what the other participants in Mosaic Monday have in store for you.

Thank you for taking the time to comment.....I appreciate and read all of them.

Show & Tell Friday: Weird and Whacky Weather

2010-01-28T20:06:00.001-08:00

We’ve had some really weird weather last week here in San Diego, and in most of CA.

We got some really heavy hail many times and these photos are of one of the heaviest downpours.

Please check out Cindy’s My Romantic Home to see what the other participants have in store for you.

Here you can see how much hail was coming down at one time. It didn’t stay long

as the temps outside were not cold enough to keep the hail from melting.

Thank you for looking in…. and have an enjoyable weekend.

I always look forward to reading your comments.

Outdoor Wednesday: A Winter Snow Storm

2010-01-26T20:01:00.001-08:00

The only snow we get here in SO CA is in the mountains, so I took a lot of snow photos during a recent trip to visit family in Spokane, WA.

The tree branches were so heavy with snow that some of them were cracking and breaking off while I was up there shooting photos.

Please hop on over to Susan’s A Southern Daydreamer and see all the lovely participants in Outdoor Wednesday this week.

Thanks for looking in.

I read and appreciate all your lovely comments.

Mosaic Monday: After the Storms

2010-01-24T17:22:00.000-08:00

After almost a week of rain, hail, thunder and lightening, we decided to get outside on a beautiful day in San Diego.

We had company from out of the country and went to do the touristy thing around town.

These are some photos from the Hotel Del Coronado that I took on Saturday.

Thanks for looking in.....please stop by Mary's

Little Red House and visit all the other participants in

her Mosaic Monday.

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

Show & Tell Friday: Between Storms

2010-01-21T19:42:00.001-08:00

We’ve been having a very unusual week for southern CA in that it has rained almost the entire week and has rained VERY hard.

I managed to snap this photo from my back yard on Wednesday morning just as the sun was coming up and we had a few hours between storms.

I ran outside to get this photo of our lone rose left on the bush…..just as I was taking the photos, the rain started up again and I had to get back inside.

Now it’s absolutely POURING again, with some hail and thunder and lightening and it’s nearly black outside.

My hubby and our 8 year old grandson just went out for a walk before the downpour…..they have a large umbrella, but I’m afraid they will be soaked when they get back. I know the 8 year old will be having a great time…..I don’t know about hubby!

Please pop over to Cindy’s My Romantic Home to see what all the other participants have in store for you.

Thanks for the visit……I LOVE when you take the time to comment.

Mosaic Monday: A Winter Wonderland

2010-01-17T17:28:00.000-08:00

Well, after a few weeks off from blogging, I thought it was time I rejoined Mary

over at Little Red House for her Mosaic Monday.

These photos are of Mt Spokane WA where I spent a few weeks

visiting my daughter and her family.

The top center photo is the view she has from her kitchen window!

The top left photo was taken while snowing and the rest were taken

after the snow and when the wind was blowing so hard I could barely

stand up straight.

Please visit all Mary's other participants at Little Red House.

Thanks for visiting.....and as always, I LOVE your comments.

Mosaic Monday: Happy New Year

2010-01-04T10:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year

I'm wishing all of my blogger friends a safe, healthy, cozy and Happy New Year!

Remember those loved ones who are no longer with you and smile when you think of them and all the good times you had together!

I'm joining Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.....please hop on over and take a look at all the fabulous mosaics the other participants have in store for you.

I had meant to post this last week before The New Year and didn't realize that Mary had taken some much needed time off from blogging.

I really appreciate all of you, my blogging friends and I thank you for looking in and keeping me company.

Love, love, love your sweet comments.

I will be taking some time off from blogging as I will be out of town for a nice family visit.....I will be back blogging as soon as I return in mid-January.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

2009-12-31T11:29:00.000-08:00

Wishing all of you, my blogger friends, a happy, healthy, warm New Year!

May your homes be filled with love and laughter all year long.

I am out of town and will be taking a break from blogging.....see all of you in the New Year.

Thanks for all your lovely comments.

Outdoor Wednesday: Merry Christmas

2009-12-22T20:21:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

This will be my last post before Christmas Day and I wanted to wish all my blogging friends a peaceful and joyful Christmas.

May all your homes overflow with blessings and love and the remembrance of the reason we celebrate Christmas.....the birth of the Christ Child.

These are again photos taken at my daughter's home last Christmas when they had over

5 feet of snow for the season.

Please pop on over to Susan's at A Southern Daydreamer to see all the other

wonderful participants for this week.

Thank you for stopping in.

Your sweet comments are dear to my heart.

Mosaic Monday: Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2009-12-20T18:43:00.000-08:00

Hello, and thanks for coming over to take a look at my post for Mosaic Monday, hosted by our Mary at Little Red House.

Please visit all the other participants in this fun meme.

All these photos were taken last year at Christmas while I was visiting my daughter and her family in the Spokane, WA area.

They eventually had well over 5 feet of snow.....I believe it was a record.

Hope your week is filled with laughter, love and lots of Christmas goodies.

Your comments are dear to my heart.

Show & Tell Friday: The Finishing Touches for Christmas

2009-12-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

Welcome friends .....I'm so happy you stopped in to take a look at my blog....

please pop on over to Cindy's My Romantic Home and see what the other participants have in store for you.

I finished all my decorations last weekend and wanted to give you all a peek.

Mr. AVO picked up some free cut branches from Home Depot and I decided to make something for our front door.

More of the free cut greenery and sugared rusty bells and sugared pomegranates.

A close up of some large red vintage-looking mercury glass ornaments.....found at Tuesday Morning.

More free greenery on the mantel.

Our stockings are hung by the chimney with care.

My primitive fabric snowman really is NOT on fire....hehe

I hope you enjoyed your visit, have an enjoyable weekend.

Your lovely comments are dear to my heart.

Mosaic Monday: Christmas Around Town

2009-12-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post a few photos of some shots I took while doing some Christmas shopping last week....again, I felt like I had to take the photos surreptitiously as many shops don't want photos of their displays taken.

Hope you enjoy !

Thanks for looking in and please pop over to see Mary at Little Red House for more Mosaic Monday participants.

Your lovely comments are greatly appreciated!

Show & Tell Friday: A Bit More Christmas

2009-12-10T20:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Show & Tell Friday, hosted by Cindy over at My Romantic Home.

Cindy has a lot of participants, so please hop on over there and take a look.

I'm showing you some more of my Christmas decorations....after the cloche party last week I had lots of inspiration!

This first photo is of my vintage seashell bottles that I first showed you here.

I didn't want to put them away for the Christmas holidays so I decided to add a bit of Christmas to the vignette......I LOVE it.

Here is a close up of the vintage-looking mercury glass Christmas tree and ornaments that I found at Tuesday Morning.....I love these glass balls and will probably have a difficult time putting them away after the holidays!

This is where I have this arrangement.....on our kitchen table but couldn't get a good photo of it....the lighting leaves something to be desired.

The wainscoting that was put up some time ago, still needs painting!

I have this arrangement on my kitchen counter but I couldn't get a decent picture there either.

I took two candle holders and turned one upside down and made a cloche out of it.

The other one I just added a lid from another cloche and voila'....I have an additional cloche.

This is the first year I've used fake snow and love it except for the mess.

I glittered away on my pine cones and pomegranates.

Hope you enjoyed this look at my decorations.

Have an enjoyable weekend.

I love and read each and every one of your sweet comments!

Outdoor Wednesday

2009-12-08T20:27:00.000-08:00

I decided to join Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for "Outdoor Wednesday"......

please hop on over to Susan's to check out all the other fabulous participants and what they have in store for you!

I wanted to visit a local poinsettia farm to get a few good shots of the acres and acres of poinsettias grown here in San Diego county......but was unable to enter as they only allow the "trade" inside.

So we went to a nursery and a farmer's market to get all these shots.

Hope you enjoyed my photos.

I read all your lovely comments and they are greatly appreciated!

Mosaic Monday: A Litle Bit of Christmas

2009-12-06T17:00:00.000-08:00

These photos were taken at an open air mall in the Las Vegas area.

Some of you may recognize some of your favorite stores like Anthropologie and Pottery Barn.....

other shots are of local shops with hand made items. I felt like I was into espionage as sometimes shops don't want you to take photos as they feel you are stealing their "intellectual concept".....one customer in PB said "oh, that's a great idea so you can duplicate it at home".
I then tried to explain to her that I was photographing for my blog and she seemed disappointed.

I hope you enjoy looking and thanks for visiting.

Please join Mary over at Little Red House for photos from lots of other wonderful participants.

You may click on any of the photos to enlarge.

I read and appreciate all of your sweet comments, so please keep them coming!

Holiday Cloche Party and Show & Tell Friday

2009-12-03T16:07:00.000-08:00

I'm joining Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life for her Holiday Cloche Party.....please visit all the other fabulous participants in this fun party and a big thanks to Marty for hosting this fabulous party!

I, of course, never even knew I NEEDED a cloche until I read several posts from Cindy at

My Romantic Home and then saw a previous cloche party over at Marty's.....I'm also joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for her wonderful Show & Tell Friday......please pop on over and see her participants too.

Thanks for visiting.

Have an enjoyable and relaxing weekend.

Your sweet comments are greatly appreciated and I read each and every one.!

Just Featured by People's Style Watch and Etsy!!!!

2009-12-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

My hand knit wool afghan was just featured in "People's Style Watch" picks, an online shopping event held in etsy's online meeting space!!!!

The picks were to represent People's top Fall fashions and decor trends.

Thanks People Magazine and Etsy!

The item featured is my green wool afghan in the bottom left corner.
You can click on the photo for a larger view and I've also featured the afghan in my etsy mini right here on my blog page.

Your comments are music to my ears.

Show & Tell Friday: A Thankful Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T20:29:00.000-08:00

We were not at home for Thanksgiving this year but at our son's home in Las Vegas. I cooked the meal in his kitchen and as all of you know, cooking in someone else's kitchen is quite a challenge.

Here are just a few photos of the meal.

Please go over to visit Cindy at My Romantic Home to see what the other participants have in store for you.

This first photo is of brussel sprouts.....hubby brought them home from the store and I had never seen them like this.....did you?
By the way, my son BAKED the brussel sprouts on the B-B-Que and they were tasty and not bitter at all, as they have been in the past.

This is an Apple Crostata that I found the recipe here......this photo really doesn't do it justice. It was quite delicious!
Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving.

Your lovely comments make me smile!
Have an enjoyable weekend.

Mosaic Monday: Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

Here it is Monday again and time for another Mosaic Monday over at

Mary's Little Red House.....please stop by and see what all the other participants have in store for you.

These photos are not from my collection but I feel they represent Thanksgiving.....

I was trying to find some 1st Thanksgiving photos , you know, like of the pilgrims and such, but was unable to find any.

Happy Thanksgiving... and let's remember all the things we have for which to be thankful!

Thanks for looking in and you know that I appreciate all your sweet comments!

Show & Tell Friday: A Bit of Fall Color

2009-11-19T21:00:00.000-08:00

I know that Show & Tell Friday is supposed to be about items around our homes and gardens but I couldn't resist showing a bit of Fall color southern CA style.....these photos are all taken on my street this afternoon.

Please enjoy and then hop over to see all Cindy's fabulous participants at

My Romantic Home.

Have an enjoyable and relaxing weekend.....please remember to leave me a comment.

Mosaic Monday: A Few Spectacular Rocks

2009-11-15T17:14:00.000-08:00

In a previous post I mentioned that we went to Clovis, CA for a family wedding and visited "old town" Clovis.

This rock shop was a few doors away from the Robin's Nest Antique shop that I showed you last Monday.....I don't even know the name of the shop but it was spectacular!!!

When we asked him, the owner said most of his rocks were from Brazil.

Hop on over to see Mary at Little Red House and view the other participants in Mosiac Monday.

Thanks for dropping by and as always, I LOVE your comments.

Show & Tell Friday: More Vintage Pocket Watches

2009-11-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

I know, I can hear you thinking it now....."here is that blogger with more about vintage pocket watches"....well, these watches have a bit of a story behind them.

My hubby purchases antique pocket watches wherever he can find a good deal and mostly they are in disrepair and need a lot of TLC.

He buys them from individuals, estate sales and flea markets etc.

Well, he found these three at an antique flea market a few weeks back and they were not looking so good. But the story here is that the two watches you see that are almost identical were from two spinster sisters who were in their 90's and going to move into a care center and decided to sell a lot of their possessions. Both watches have the womens' names engraved inside and the outside has the letter "B" for their last name.....Beard. The faces of each watch are almost identical and each very lovely. I felt badly that there wasn't someone in their family who would have liked to have these beauties for keepsakes....

The other watch has an unusual drum case and is in almost perfect condition, although it took some work to get it that way.

I, of course, would love to keep all three of these watches, but hubby has a say here soooooooo.....

Please visit Cindy over at My Romantic Home to see all the other "Show & Tell Friday" participants.

Thank you for your comments.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Wanted to tell all of you that I'm having a difficult time tonight with the new post editor here on blogspot.....it's flipped some of the photos and I can't get my text where I want it, so I'm giving up for tonight.

Mosaic Monday: Robin's Nest Antiques

2009-11-08T18:10:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we traveled to Clovis, CA for a family wedding and while there I had to check out the "old town" area.

We found this lovely antique shop "The Robin's Nest Antiques" and here are a few photos of their interesting and crammed full shop.

I'm joining Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.....take a look at all the other wonderful mosaics.
As always, your comments make me smile!

Show & Tell Friday: My Doll Collection

2009-11-05T16:13:00.000-08:00

For Show & Tell this Friday I'm posting a few of my favorites in my doll collection.

As some of my readers may know, I have been designing and making collectible mohair teddy bears for over 20 years under my company name of "Just Wee Bears".
Well, while selling at bear shows all over the U.S., I became enamoured of dolls from a doll maker from Australia. Lucky for me, she also fell in love with my bears and so we decided to trade at almost every show we met.....and voila', I had a doll collection that I love.
The larger of the two dolls pictured in this first photo was my first trade and I still love her face the absolute best!
Please take a look at the other wonderful participants at Cindy's My Romantic Home.

As always, I LOVE your comments!
Have an enjoyable weekend.