Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A little Traveling companion

Sometimes I DO bring along a little companion

IMG_1969

~Meet Sandy~

but that’s not what I’m talking about this time.

I like to take a small pillow when we travel.

It’s nice to prop up your arm or put behind your neck.

IMG_2411

Hubby dug through the camping gear we still have and gave me his REI pillow.

IMG_2412

And I made a little envelope style pillow cover for it.

IMG_2413

I love making pillow covers because you can easily wash them.

IMG_2415

Of course I had to embellish it a little to make it pretty. (I used soft lace instead of a button to keep it comfy)

IMG_2414

I’m ready to GO!

IMG_2416

I’m joining Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday and Brenda at the Cozy Little House for Tweak it Tuesday.

Do you have any travel tips to share?

 

Sunday, April 28, 2013

I hope this doesn’t sound too ‘fishy’…

or mushy!

But I DO love all of my sweet blog buddies!

IPBest-001

And I love living in Florida!

These were taken at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park.

This is not one of my best photos but it gives you an idea of where we were to take these photos.

DianeIMG_2132

We walked down steps and viewed them through the glass.

IMG_2126

They were swimming in the Spring headwaters.

HeatIMG_2119 

Amazing!

I’m joining

Beautiful Sunday,

Sunny Simple Sunday,

Mosaic Monday,

Amaze me Monday,

and Sundays in my City!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Crochet your own seashells AND a Giveaway!

My girlfriend, Judy from CJ’s Stitching and Blooms has been surprising me with postcards from Michigan. I’ve never been to that state so it’s great fun to get a variety of postcards from the area that she lives in. And then one day, I got a package with seashells….YES…seashells that she made!

PostIMG_2588 

Aren’t they the cutest? Thanks Judy!

I made the bowl, Judy made the seastar!

BlueBowlIMG_2578

Of course she showed darling little bowls on her blog so I got busy crocheting up a storm. I’m probably the only person you know that can use the same pattern and come out with a different creation every time! heehee! I TRY to follow directions…really I do.

BlueIMG_2577

I even made the little sea star for this coral bowl.

CoralIMG_2581

I told you….I’m having WAY too much FUN this Spring! I made a bracelet, too!

IMG_2585

But our weather is fabulous and we’re either on the go or I’m sitting in the lanai, crocheting, reading or visiting with all of you! It’s a good thing my hubby likes to grill or we would starve!

IMG_2586

Have you made anything new for Spring?

What inspires you?

And just for fun…

RedIMG_2582

does anyone want this Americana potholder. Yes, it was supposed to be a bowl but it got bigger and flatter the more I crocheted. It could be a candle mat or a trivet.

RedIMG_2583 

Leave a comment IF you want it and I’ll draw a winner in a couple of days. Anyone can enter!!! (just don’t tell anyone I used a pattern for a BOWL to make it! We girls need a FEW secrets! hahaha!)

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Some new Pretties!

I received a sweet gift from a friend a few days ago.

Tricia from Hillcrest Home Prims sent me some nail polish she thought I would like. Aren’t the colors perfect for Spring in Florida? I love them! And she included the little hand sanitizer with a holder to hook to your purse or a bag. Thanks so much Tricia!

IMG_2512

You know just what I love! These colors look like the pillow in my lanai!

IMG_2513

Everyone knows I love Etsy and here are a couple of new favorites.

I bought some Lavender Sea Salts from Laurie B Creations. She lives right here in Florida, close to one of my favorite beaches, Clearwater! And these sea salts are SO luxurious! They smell amazing and leave my skin so soft and smooth. She has some other scents, too and gave me samples of those! Thanks Laurie!

IMG_2469

And then I ordered a new bracelet. I love wearing more than one bracelet and this one is made to look like 2. It is SO beautiful….the photos don’t show how pretty it really is. It’s braided aqua leather and then a string of small seashells and it’s perfect!

IMG_2552

And she has some other jewelry on my wish list, too! Her Etsy shop is Bone Beach…HERE!

IMG_2548

I love pretty handmade things, don’t you?

Do you have a favorite Etsy shop?

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The Pretty Blue Book

I did an update on my post yesterday to show how we hung the ‘fish plates’ on the wall…HERE.

I reached for a book on my coffee table to provide a dark background and then asked if anyone recognized the book.

IMG_2569

The book is vintage….I got it from a library book sale a couple of weeks ago and probably most of you have seen the movie (if you are anywhere near my age! lol) and one of the characters is Moondoggie!

IMG_2572

It was a surprise to me to find out it WAS a book first and from the reviews I’ve read, it sounds like a fun summer read.

IMG_2571

Do you remember the first movie with Sandra Dee? Oh how I loved it and all of the others, too!

51SCP0Q1P5L._SY300_

Gidget by Frederick Kohner, written in 1957.

IMG_2570

Have you read it or watched any of the Gidget movies?

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

I can’t reach the dinner plates! Updated with HOW TO!

Well, we weren’t really going to eat out of them anyway.

IMG_2529

I thought they would look nice hanging in the foyer!

IMG_2522

Hubby did a little ‘honey do’ project for me over the weekend.

IMG_2524

He hung the ‘fish plates’ that I bought at the thrift store (a few ‘years’ ago) above the front door.

IMG_2526

Of course now I think I’ll change things up on this piece of furniture. I think the red candles need moved or grouped together…not sure what!

FoyerIMG_2560

I’m joining Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday and Brenda at the Cozy Little House for Tweak it Tuesday.

One thing leads to another…doesn’t it?

Updated to add…

Here’s how they are attached on the back.

PlateCloseIMG_2566

He used a little wire wrap, tie thingy on the plate and a regular picture frame hook in the wall.

BookIMG_2567

My hubby has all kinds of wraps and wire ties, hooks and do dads in the garage!

Lucky me!

If you can guess what that blue book is, I’ll give you a Yankee dime! heehee!!!

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Florida in just One Day

We love to pack a picnic lunch and drive to a favorite beach.

OceanIMG_2454

One day last week we drove to Canaveral National Seashore and spent the day on the beach.

Canaveral

And some of the sights we saw were surprising.

There were TONS of seashells this time and aren’t the bottle caps that hubby found cute?

5Apr

But don’t you love the ‘unexpected’ when you travel?

While we drove home, I made a list of some of the things we had seen that includes an eagle, wild turkeys, sandhill cranes and brown pelicans, a hawk and several osprey, dolphins, a small airplane doing stunts over the ocean and the Met Life Blimp!!

IMG_2453

How amazing!

We drive by this ‘Ranch’ every time we go to the beach but this time hubby pulled over for me to get a proper photo! (more commonly called a horse farm here in Florida)

RanchIMG_2465

It was a GLORIOUS day!

I’m joining

Beautiful Sunday,

Sunny Simple Sunday,

Mosaic Monday,

Amaze me Monday,

and Sundays in my City!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Who do you shop with?

Would you like to go shopping with me?

0414031429

I usually go by myself but I’m fortunate to have a hubby that likes to shop, too and today he asked me if I wanted to go to the mall! I just need to hear the word GO….I love to GO anywhere! lol

0414031425

First stop…the linen shop!

0414031424b

Hubby found these pillows that he knew I would like!

0414031424

Remember I am Southern….through and through! If you could only hear my accent you wouldn’t have a doubt!

0414031424a

Hubby bought new hand towels for his bathroom. (the secret of a happy marriage…his and her bathrooms! heehee)

TowelsIMG_2503

He helped me pick out a fun new handbag.

BagIMG_2504

It’s even cuter on the back!

BagIMG_2506

And I got some Lemon Zest bath products….we both like this fresh scent.

BBWIMG_2508

We haven’t been to the mall in awhile and it was fun to see all of the new shoe styles for Spring!

I thought of my girlfriend, Diane HERE when I saw these and knew she would love them!

0414031432

What do you like to shop for at the mall?

Clothes? Shoes? Handbags? Linens? Bath Products? Jewelry? (what did I miss?)