Guess who, upcoming giveaway, teeny tiny banners

The is a crazy post.  It's all over the board, as they say.  First up, I want you to comment on this painting. Can you guess who did this.  Don't cheat and look at the name.  If I knew how to block that out I would.  I should have when I took the picture.  So I guess you cheated and now you know. 
So, since you figured it out that Mabel did this painting.  What do you think.

Mabel is the little girl in this picture with her brother.  (Yes, they talked me into eating inside Wendy's yesterday).  I was tricked as what they really wanted was the Frostys not lunch.  Okay back to Mabel.....she is 5 1/2.  She did this painting at an art camp last week.  The border was penciled in for her.  Just like the outline of the mountain and where the grass should be.  She said they told her how to do it and she just followed directions.  I have been noticing lately some of the things she does that seem a bit unusual.  Am I just a proud Grammy?   Math skills,she wants flash cards.  Rhyming words.  She constantly asks me to tell her a word so she rhyme words with it.  She is a bit of a stinker sometimes.  She gets so mad quickly.  I don't know, but you tell me if you see some kind of a connection.  Just like her drink in this picture.  Her brother ordered it.  They wanted the ice cream cones as well.  I said since the drink had so much sugar we were only going to get the small Frostys.  She thought for awhile and then said if she didn't drink her drink could she have a bigger Frosty.  By the way, the name Mabel is for real and it fits her very well. (Next picture)  What is this mess you ask.  They are mini little banners for a miniature swap I am in.  It is somewhat like the one for Club Little House.  A different person started this swap.  Everyone had so much fun with the other swap they wanted to do it again and bigger.  I made 25 of these babies.  They are adorable in person.  So tiny.  My eyes crossed doing them.  It was like doing a tiny puzzle.  I used double sided paper and it worked just great for this.  Now I need to package them up and send them off.   I know, I know, I said I would be having a giveaway this week.  I will post, hopefully on Friday.  Tomorrow and Thursday I will be busy with out of town babysitting for 3/4 children.  But here is one of the items in the giveaway.  Sorry, I am having problems with placement this morning and I don't have time to spend correcting it.  Off for lunch with a friend.  It's a paying it forward act of kindness.  I did this on my facebook page.  It's a good thing I have a year to do this.  So toodles for today.

Changes, Geez.

I borrowed this image the other day.  It is so true isn't it.  Besides I am a bit tired to pull up pictures AFTER spending hours upon hours trying to change my blog a little.  I finally gave up and just posted another picture for my banner.  Maybe it's my age that makes change hard.
I bet you thought I was going to talk about my house being for sale, nope, not going to bring that up right now.
But my sweet little bug got a little dent yesterday.  While at the library with Little O someone must have slammed their car door into the side.  When I first saw it I thought ice cream had been spilled on it.  Well, little O and I had ice cream too.  We both had it all over us afterwards.  I thought maybe I was still dripping.  Nope, white paint.  They could have at least left a note saying I am sorry.  But who does that right.
I can actually say, today I feel better.  That has been awhile since I felt that way.  And that was after a late night with O.....her dad picked her up at 11;30 p.m.  When she woke up and realized she was leaving she got a pouty lip and started to cry.  Made me sad.  But this little girl is unbelievable.  She doesn't like toys or books.  She likes to destroy things.  Not kidding.
Oops, off the subject.  I hadn't gotten my head on the pillow til the nightmare began.  Izzy, the Yorkie, proceeding to get sick all over our bed.  Just got things changed and lights out and again and again.  Geez.  That poor girl has some issues.  Thinking of switching to a different vet that could at least tell me why she has so many things wrong.  She was pretty much out of it til afternoon.  I made her white rice and added a little pumpkin to it.  She loved it.  So far, shouldn't even say that, no problems.  But I am just about to head to bed.  It is almost 11 p.m.  Truthfully since that surgery I have been crawling into bed around 9 p.m.  I usually lay there til one or two before I fall asleep.  I hate it. 
Speaking of doggies and vets my grandpuppy Rudy had surgery this week.  The "fix" plus he had cherry eyes  Poor little guy has a cone head now.  When he sees me he goes nuts.  He really does.  He wants me to hold him.  I got up to answer the phone and he jumped into my chair and barked at me til I came back.  Makes me feel good.  But he is a bit sorry looking right now and that makes me sad.
Speaking (sorry, I just said that word) of making someone feel good.  A sweet blogging friend messaged me today.  I had to read it twice.  Her spell check misfired.  The first line said, " You are hot."  LOL.   She has been in a lot of pain following her surgery.  I asked her if she was on pain pills and then told her to check her message.  She was embarrassed, hah. Hey, I took it as a compliment.  Sorry, friend, I had to tell this story.
Today was also the first day in ages that I was kid free.  I actually had the day of surgery and the day after without kids, hah.  What did I do.  I got some groceries......wow, we had been depleted after the 8 day visit and family gatherings.  I also mopped floors, yep exciting huh.  I wanted to go junking but after checking my bank account I decided I couldn't.  Why do impulse online buying frenzies add up so fast.  Yikes.  But my cotton stems have arrived.  So did my no bark collars.  Still waiting on the rest of the things.
Oh, I am having a big giveaway next week.  I am destashing.  There will be rubber stamps and embellishments.  I can't sell things but boy am I getting good at giving things away.  And......it feels good.  My grandson's teacher came yesterday.  I felt like a store clerk boxing up things for her classroom.
Plans for the week-end.  Some rest for my hubby.  We will work around the house unless it rains.  We have a gift card for a diner/movie that we need to use if it does.
So friends, I am off to my side of the bed.  Hubby sleeps hugging one edge and me the other.  The dogs get the whole middle.  Piper, the Springer, is now in our bed.  The fireworks did him in so we gave in. 
Have a good week-end.

P.S.  That's not me in the picture with the bug.  Just thought I should clarify that.

Family and just a little chatting

I am having a bit of withdrawal from non-stop family get togethers.  I still have been watching two of the local grands while mom teaches at the exercise studio, but just a couple hours.  It always takes a week for me to get used to things settling down.
What else have I been doing.  Just bouncing back from a tummy bug or a Celiac attack.  Who knows.  Just glad it is better now.  I find that I can't cheat at all.  By cheating I mean a couple of bites of bread. 
It's hot out.  Just saw a weather map that is predicting a cooler August than normal.  Yeah, that's perfect for me.  Last week the weather was cooler and amazing.
The neighbors have been cutting down trees since 8 a.m. and it is now 3 p.m.  We are talking professional tree people.  Down is the gigantic leaning tree.  I can't see what else they have been doing.  They haven't asked me to move my car. They are working where I can't see and have been awhile.  I may have to switch from shade to sun plants.  I have to take my son to the doctor and hoping I can get down our lane to get out. The chain saws are a bit annoying.  Sometimes I forget and think that Izzy, the Yorkie, is snoring loudly.  She can keep up with the best in that department for sure.
No showings since the open house.  Sure hope we didn't jinx the market.  That happened when we listed four years ago  Hoping things pick up soon, real soon.  I am staying positive and not going to throw the towel in.  Too much work to do it again.  Looking so forward to my new cozy space.  I drove by yesterday and wished to myself for it to happen soon.
I started making mini banners for the mini swap that I signed up for.  Luckily I could find my paper and punches.
I will soon have a giveaway  I have been lucky to win a couple recently.  I always feel that I should pay if forward.  It will be stamping supplies.  I also will be parting with many stamp sets as our new place (oh let it be) will not be big enough for all that I have.
It sure feels like school is starting with all the advertising and talk about "back to school."  Being in a family of teachers I hear a lot of school talk.  Miss Mabel will be going to K full time.  I am sure I will be watching M and M before or after school.  I will still have Miss O on Thursdays.  It's funny that every year my jobs differ. 
I came across a special on canvases.  So I ordered this picture on one.  It will only be a 11 x 14.  My daughter liked this shot since everyone was doing their own thing.  I had yelled for them to look at me and that's what I got.  (It is a little different than the one that I posted before.)  My DIL has a camera with a foot long lens.  Wish she had offered to do pictures.  She didn't so this was the best I got with a point and shoot.  Can you see Mabel in the front with the net on her face, hah. 

I haven't been out to shop it seems forever.  But I have been ordering things online.  Watch everything will arrive at the same time.  They are all things that I really need, right. 
Well, friends.  Hoping your are enjoying your summer days with sunshine, swimming pools and lightening bugs.  I tell my littles they are fairies.

Cousins

The cousins are having so much fun.  They have a never ending amount of energy.  Having all six of my grandchildren together is so wonderful.  Trying to get them all in the same picture can be challenging. Here are three of the better ones. 
Backyard fun.
Cheese Cake Factory
Sprinklers at Easton.

The Happenings

We had our first open house on Sunday.  We used every last bit of energy to get it all ready.  The realtor said it all looked great.  He had five couples, that's really good esp. in the rain.  No negative comments, yeah.  He thought two might really be interested.
No showing since.  I don't what is going on in this market.  It was crazy then really slowed down.  But with the way my house looks after the Colorado kids arrived......I am actually glad we haven't had a showing.  Oh my, if we do.
We are having non-stop fun with all the grands  Cousins are loving being with each other.  Yesterday we did COSI.  It is a great science museum.  We were there for 6 hours yesterday.  Well, my body had had it long before we left.  They have IMax theaters so I took in an extra movie.  I saw the Return of the Pandas.  It was great.  Then we all saw the Shark movie.  Check out this row of relatives, hah.  The guy behind us looked at me once and just shook his head.  Our littles never ever stops talking, really.  And he is loud.  I am surprised these people didn't move.  I would have.

 All five are in this picture.  We are missing M. as he is at Lacrosse Camp at OSU

I haven't even taken time for some good pictures.  I am just trying to capture them in one spot lol.  So I will be back later but enjoy these crazy shots.  Oh, poor Goose.  See her eyes.  She wanted to ride the bike on the tight rope.  The guy had her all ready and then she was too short.  She has been hearing this for awhile.  She lost it.  Later her mom said she could go to Kids Space  I had to tell her that you had to be under 1st grade.  She said ,"Now, I'm too old."  But they didn't question her.  Guess she is small as she is going into third grade.  This girl steals all our heats.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

I am going to the Farmers Market tomorrow to get me some happy flowers BECAUSE my doctor called and I do NOT have CANCER or any PRE-CANCER cells.  God is good.  Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts.  Although these lumps (he called them masses) presented exactly like the ones that were cancer.......they weren't.  Whew......... So excited I might just ride that toy tractor down the hill..........JUST KIDDING.

XO

Staging the bedroom

Piper photo bombed this picture.  Before showings I take all the linens off the bed.  I put the ones we use in closed plastic bags and put the new bedding on.  Why..........we sleep with dogs.  I don't want the bedroom to smell like our doggies.  It is a pain to change everything.  No, Piper is not allowed on this spread.  I found this one at TJ Max.  It is light weight quilt.  My big quilt has to be taken in to the cleaners to get washed.  I probably have more money in that than the quilt itself.  This quilt was less than $50.  The shams were $25.  I need more pillows though.  I put the owl pillow on to fill it out a little.  I also like the reverse side. 

The teapot lamp I have had for awhile.  It moves from one room to another.

I got the Happy sign at a barn sale this spring.  It looks easy to make and hopefully I can make another one someday with a different saying.  I had this canvas made from a picture last year when we were in Hilton Head.  Not a selfie, either.

Hubby's dresser.  I cleaned off all his junk and gave him the doggy collection.  And a couple of books about being a grandpa.

This big dresser will not being going with us when we move.  I decided I had to decorate this room a little.  It's a very long room, actually used to be two bedrooms.  I remember hearing that every room needs a little black.  So I added the black frames.  I saw this aqua frame and thought it would bring out the spread cover on the other side of the room.  Also the eggs in the basket.  I wish the paint color on the walls would show up better.  It is called bubble.  It is actually a little on the bright side but looks so well with real wood.

Sorry you have to stand on your head for this.  A lot of my framed things are put away.  The middle picture is from a friend that just started painting.  I was so excited that she wanted to gift me one of her first paintings.  I picked up the other barn and farmhouse canvas at a décor place for less than $10 total.  I know, I am such a big spender.

My grandmothers old dresser.  My parents had it refinished years ago.  I just love this dresser.   The picture is of the grands last summer also at Hilton Head.  My DIL had each one put their fingerprint beside their picture and sign it.  The bride was a wedding gift from my aunt.

The framed doily was done by the same grandmother.  I bought the bridal dress for a wedding shop but kept it instead.  It says "Once upon a Fairy Tale" .  I have something else I want to add to this but maybe later.  Last but not least the rocking chair that I rocked my babies in.  The first one is now 41.  It was our first piece of furniture that we purchased.  It has been a part of all of our homes.

Okay, hope you aren't too bored.  Just trying to keep busy.  We had a showing today.  Not as much drama this time.  I took the dogs across the street and I sat in the swing by our clubhouse.  Of course, they spilled their water first right off the bat.  Things went okay til we left for home.  Izzy's leash broke and she was off.  I got Piper home and Izzy came back.  She usually does but she got lost once.  She is so little that I am afraid someone would hit her.  I came back and crashed. 

No word on the pathology report.  I called the doctor.  The doctor told his nurse to tell me sometimes it takes awhile and for me to call him on Monday.  Okay, so I just need to be patient.

HUGS

 

Staging with what you have.

As you know, our house has been listed for 2 1/2 weeks now.  Just thought I would show you a couple things that I changed.  Remember the little blue table that I was using for a coffee table.  I liked it but others thought the house would show better with a different table.  So the blue one became the side table.  This long sturdy bench I found out our local vintage and candy shop.  It was marked down to $29.  At first I thought I could stack some of my benches like Brenda of Cozy Little House did.  I may do that later.  The flowers were from my daughter as a "thinking of you" gift.  (Later the blue vase fell and shattered everywhere, but not til the flowers had seen their better days.)  The candle and the book were gifts.  (It's a book about vintage campers)  The burlap banner was a giveaway gift from a generous blogger.  The three floral and burlap pillows came from a sale on a blogger's etsy shop.  ($15 each.......I love those pillows.)  The other pillows came with  the sofa that I found at another vintage shop.  The picture above the sofa is another gift from my children.  So minus the sofa this whole arrangement cost me $74.  Not bad, right.  If you count the little blue table then it would be $94.....still under $100.  And, I already had all of it.

Happy Belated Fourth

Today I am doing better.  Not so sorely but a bit woobily.  I took a shower today, yeah for me.  I have been sitting instead of laying in my bed sleeping.  But I do feel a nap coming on.

I couldn't let the holiday go by without some pictures.  Our downtown is one big Norman Rockwell celebration for 4 days.  Streets closed, carnival rides and food, a parade, reunions, games, and a whole lot of fun.  Also the exercise studio is open and classes are full.  Tonight is the open house.  Hubby will go attend.  I will pass for this one.  Anyhow, it is cool and our windows are open.  I can hear the children playing at the pool in our neighborhood that is across the street from us.   

 

 

 

My wagon with some patriotic bears on board......the banner was from one of those online sales. Very cheap and cute.

 

 

My pretend mantle, hah.  Just a few things I still could find.

 

Closer view.  This Madame Alexander doll reminds me of Betsy Ross.  An old baking soda tin and a sweet candle.

 

The other side, bears of course.

I was in a patriotic swap hosted by Linda of a Very Cherry World.  There were only 5 of us participating.  The polka dot star on the light blue is mine.  I showed it before on another post.    I will make a banner from the three little ones.  The large one on the right, I may cut down to go with the others.

Then there was Judy, she made the sweet banner for us.  It's the one around the bottom.  Pretty choices of fabric so well sewn together into it's own banner.  So nice of her.  The place mat I already had.

 

Piper got a haircut on the 4th.  The groomers (both of the ones we use) have been so backed up from the long winter.  His first cut since December.  He was really buzzed.  Poor guy is so thin.  He eats well and we always have food out for him.  He just doesn't gain weight.  He doesn't even weigh 30 lbs.  Any suggestions on what to feed him so he can add a few pounds.

 

Well, that's it.  Back to being COZY.   Hope you have all had a lovely holiday in the USA and in Canada as well.

Doing okay

Doing okay.  Feeling sorely.  Seven lumps removed and off to the lab.  Doctor was feeling positive.  So glAd it's over.  Bad previous memories.  Thanks for being here for me.

Tomorrow is almost here

It has been a long wait but it is almost here.  I will be so glad to wake up tomorrow when the surgery is finished.  I am ready to get this over with.  I am a little anxious but not too bad.  I hope I can sleep tonight.  I am at least better than I was last week.  When I found the charger to my cell phone in the cookie jar this week, I just laughed at myself.  I pumped gas tonight and it all went into the tank.  I have been busy watching little ones the past three days.  That has helped keep my mind busy.  But today a 2 hour full blown temper tantrum was a bit much.
My grandson (8) always looks at me like I am too old to do fun things.  He was begging me to ride the Little Tykes tractor down the hill.  Finally I said yes.  What was I thinking.  I got on and immediately fell straight back.  Ouch, my tail bone hurt.  He couldn't quit laughing.  Well when I realized how funny it looked to him, I laughed too.  His sister ran into the house because she was afraid to watch.  The next day I took them swimming.  I came out of the house with my swim suit on and swim shorts.  Wow, they were excited.  I asked him what he thought.  He said good but my back jiggled a little.  What do I expect when his parents opened up a fitness center this week.  I even went into the pool.  It was fun.  I got a little sun burn on my shoulders.  I haven't been in the sun for awhile. 
Still only one showing and we still haven't heard back from that.  It seems the market has stopped.  Hoping it's just because of the holiday.  The inside is about as finished as it will be.  Still trying to declutter closets now.  Poor Hubby is still going strong outside and about killing himself.  I hope we can slow down and rest this week-end.  It will happen, I know it will.
Please include, Deb, the sweet gal that worked with my husband.  She is having the surgery to remove her cancer, at last, this week.  She has been through so much.  All the other surgeries, chemo, near death experiences.  She is strong and has a positive attitude and great faith.  I can learn from her for sure.
Well, I will be back as soon as I can.....probably Friday, to let you know how things went.  thanks for your prayers and well wishes.  I am feeling positive.
xo