Decorating: Fresh Flowers

Every Friday, I purchase flowers for my office. Now, I am just as thrifty as the next girl but flowers on my desk make me smile every time I see them. I bought 14 yellow tulips at Wal-mart for $10. I have been know to purchase a dozen roses in the day old bin.

Look how pretty they are.

They make a messy desk look awesome.

The tulips are very tightly closed. They will give me a full week of joy.

Ladies, you deserve fresh flowers. Treat yourself and enjoy!!!

Reminder For Lent:
I am turning off the blog comments on this blog until Easter. I love my blog friends and will put my email in my profile to hear from you. I will follow all of your blogs. My purpose is to focus on him not myself.

Housekeeping: Spring Cleaning your bathroom drawers

Most blog posts I do are fun and creative. New recipes, new ideas, new sewing projects, but occasionally, I have to write about actual housekeeping. In the spring, I manage to try to get this house spring cleaned.

Okay, I confess, I hate to clean the bathroom. EVERYTHING IN THE BATHROOM AND THE DANG BATHROOM ITSELF. But once a year, I attempt to clean out the bathroom drawers. I go through my makeup, clean the drawer itself and the organizer.

Here is my ugly, blue contact drawer. Eventually we are going to replace this vanity and I am scared of what may be underneath the contact paper. Better to let sleeping dogs lie.

All the makeup on the counter. Oh yes, my crown leftover from my birthday.

Not so pretty.

Okay, all organized. Now don’t you feel better?

Next we are going to clean the make-up brushes. I don’t use all of these brushes but thought let’s clean them to go with the cleaned drawers.

I get all the brushes wet and then wash the bristles with a little soap.

Once they are thoroughly rinsed, squeeze any extra water out and line them up to dry.

I wash make-up brushes once a month. The entire process takes 15 minutes. So ladies, clean your brushes. They will be dry by tomorrow. And while your at it, clean out your drawers.

Reminder For Lent:
I am turning off the blog comments on this blog until Easter. I love my blog friends and will put my email in my profile to hear from you. I will follow all of your blogs. My purpose is to focus on him not myself.

Ladies who Lunch!!!

I went to lunch for my birthday the other day. One of the ladies took us to the Country Club in the town. These ladies are my mentors. If you don't spend time with women outside your generation, believe me, they add a richness to your life.

Here are the very wonderful ladies.

My very favorite older lady.

She and I have the same birthday.



The food was excellent.




Reminder For Lent:
I am turning off the blog comments on this blog until Easter. I love my blog friends and will put my email in my profile to hear from you. I will follow all of your blogs. My purpose is to focus on him not myself.

Crafting: Wooden Easter Eggs, Part 1

I am preparing Easter Baskets for some of my favorite older people in our neighborhood.

Let me show you the first ones I have made. I first spray painted the eggs a soft white.



Then I used a paint like this.

And painted flowers, clouds and the sun!!!


I hope they like them, but if not, I have some other ideas.

Reminder For Lent:
I am turning off the blog comments on this blog until Easter. I love my blog friends and will put my email in my profile to hear from you. I will follow all of your blogs. My purpose is to focus on him not myself.

Sewing: A cute toddler jumper

I asked a friend of mine if I could make her grandaughter a cute jumper. Mainly, I wanted to see how long it would take to sew. EXACTLY ONE HOUR!!!

Amazing

I used this pattern


As you can see, this pattern comes in size one to size six so it is a great investment.


To save the pattern, I cut it out of wax paper. A crafter's best friend.


Make sure you label it, to save the wax paper.


Lay it out and cut two fronts and two backs.


This jumper is reversible, so I used a pretty green with pink polka dot for the other side.


It was very easy to sew and I will post a picture when my friend's granddaughter wears this cutie.

She was surprised, and I was happy. I forgot to take a better picture, that is what happens when you are too busy.

Reminder For Lent:
I am turning off the blog comments on this blog until Easter. I love my blog friends and will put my email in my profile to hear from you. I will follow all of your blogs. My purpose is to focus on him not myself.

It's my Birthday and a Surprise

My birthday is today. Yes, I am 50 and no that is not me.

This weekend, my daughter came home from Jacksonville. She, my husband, son and his girlfriend had planned a surprise birthday party for me. My dear friend and her mother came into town from NC and we went to yard sales on Sat. morning bright and early.

Little did I know what was going on in my home:

The Cake

Another view of the cake lit.... no, it didn't burn down the house.

My daughter made a four tiered two flavor cake. Isn't it pretty!!! I am proud of her attempting such a big cake. She even transported it from Jacksonville.... Amazing.


Miss H made some pretty cake balls. Not only were they so pretty but they were soooooo good.



A view of all the food these kids made, with the help of a dear friend.

Another view!!!




People waiting for me to get done yard saling.... I didn't know, I would have been home sooner.


On top of the party, my son made a DVD of pictures of me, my husband, my family and the dogs.

Here he is expecting me to kill him!!!!


My daughter and a dear friend.


My official present opener. Isn't he adorable.



The chef!!! and co-conspirator


It was a wonderful party and I was totally surprised and humbled by such good friends and a loving family. Although I might be getting older, my blessings are multiplied ten fold every year by my friends and family.

I thought I would leave you with a picture of my lovely children.



P.S. I am not turning off comments because my husband and daughter are out of town today and I need to feel some blogging love. Sad but true.

Sewing: Embroidery Gone Bad

I love my embroidery machine. But my family thinks I might have a problem.

Is this wrong? I know he is a baby boy, but doesn't he look cute.



Look closer?



Now, you might ask, Cynthia, "How do you get such a good picture of your dog?"



Yes that is my son under the dog!!!! Poor boy!!

My daughter was home this weekend from Jacksonville and he loved on her too.



I think we need some obedience training.



Reminder For Lent:
I am turning off the blog comments on this blog until Easter. I love my blog friends and will put my email in my profile to hear from you. I will follow all of your blogs. My purpose is to focus on him not myself.

Cooking: Cheese Grits

photo courtesy of batter-splattered.typepad.com

I have a confession to make. I am a darn yankee but I adore grits, especially cheese grits. Absolutely hate oatmeal but adore grits. They can be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

So here is my secret fabulous Cheese Grits recipe.

2 t. kosher salt
1 c. fine quick-cooking grits, not instant
1 1/4 c cream
2 T unsalted butter
1 lb of Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Bring four cups of water to boil in a heavy 4 quart saucepan. Add the salt, then slowly add the grits, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until grits thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add cream and butter to the grits and stir. The grits will become creamy. Add the cheese and black pepper, cover and allow the cheese to melt, stir occasionally.

Once the cheese has melted, pour the mixture into either one large, greased baking dish or two smaller ones. I use two because I freeze one and save for later. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, the top will be golden brown.


If you have never tried grits, try this recipe. I promise you it will become a favorite.

Reminder For Lent:
I am turning off the blog comments on this blog until Easter. I love my blog friends and will put my email in my profile to hear from you. I will follow all of your blogs. My purpose is to focus on him not myself.

Sewing: A very stylish camera bag

I have been on a sewing roll lately..... a handbag roll!!! Most camera bags are ugly!!! I am sorry but they are, so I made myself a new camera bag.

Here she is:


And do you know this is the first thing I embroidered for myself?



The inside, don't you love the lining.


She is pretty!



The other handbag I sewed needed a new home and some of you responded in a handbag rescue program:

So I picked a name

And Tracey at I am me... won the handbag!!! Do you girls know that she has lost 21 pounds this year? I hate her and love her at the same time. Visit her, she is a really wonderful person.



Tracey, send me your address and the handbag will be on the way.

Reminder For Lent:
I am turning off the blog comments on this blog until Easter. I love my blog friends and will put my email in my profile to hear from you. I will follow all of your blogs. My purpose is to focus on him not myself.

Decorating: Late to the spring fluffing party.

Rhoda at Southern Hospitality is hosting a spring fluffing party and I decided to be fashionably late. Actually, I have been so busy that this is the first chance to post.




So here goes, the Living Room:


My kitchen:



I love these chocolate bunnies!

The hallway: I apologize for the lighting. It is dark in our hallway.



My favorite bunny:



I love this plate. I use it for Easter desserts.


The Easter tree in my office:


This egg is amazing, so pretty.


Okay, then this bunny showed up in my yard. Not really but he looks funny!!!



Reminder For Lent:
I am turning off the blog comments on this blog until Easter. I love my blog friends and will put my email in my profile to hear from you. I will follow all of your blogs. My purpose is to focus on him not myself.