Come Visit On My Porch

Good evening everyone.  It has been a hot and stuffy day here in the South.
 That sun has shined so brightly and here at the homeplace all is well.  Actually really quite after 4 days with Mr. P. home from work.  This morning there was just me, the humming of the washing machine and the sound of the ceiling fans.  Hoping all of you had a great long weekend and Happy Memorial Day.

As summer is ever so fast approaching thought I would get the front porch ready for all of you to stop by and visit.  Early morning is a great time to sit and have a cup of coffee and plan your day.  And of course since we are friends a little gossip between us girls won't hurt anything. Huh?   And then late evening after the sun has gone down is a nice time to go out and watch the day come to a close.  As darkness approaches if we are lucky you can see a deer out having its evening meal, hopefully across the street and not in Mr. P's garden again. So come along and pick you out a comfortable spot and lets chat.  Can I get you a glass of iced sweet tea?

As you know from the lamp we are visiting in the evening.  Instead of tea, would you like some homemade ice cream.  That's Mr. P's favortie on a hot summer evening.  He was a sweetie and made this old sewing machine planter for me.  I just love it.  Have a feeling it won't belong to me once our fall craft fair rolls around.  Maybe if I'm a good little lady I will get to keep it.

You can have a seat on the old glider if you like.  This was a very big surprise gift from Holly and family for Mother's Day many years ago.  I had searched for one in good condition for ever.  Knowing the shopper Holly is.... she came thru and found me one.

I really want you to be comfortable.  If our muggy evening has you feeling pretty warm, just turn on the old vintage fan.  It works like a charm and also helps to keep the dreaded bugs away.  Love sitting on the glider with the fan blowing and a really good book to read.  Don't get any better than this.

If you'd rather swing, come along to the other side of the porch and we can talk awhile there. The wreath on the door looks blury, think it' the reflection on the glass.

Take a look at the old flour and meal bin.  It is so old.  It belonged to my hubby's grandparents.  I just love displaying it on the porch. Can you tell I love lamps out on the porch.  They are all on timers and I love coming home in the evening  to a warm glow on the porch. I know, this one is not prim, but is special as it was a gift from my Daddy many moons ago.  So on the porch it will be fine.

Love the little wagon. So easy to decorate season to season

Another view on top of the old flour bin. 

Okay have a seat and I'll get us a snack.  I just finished the chain covers yesterday.  I was so tired of looking at the chains.  Remember all the material I got a few weeks back at a yard sale for $1.00.  Well it sure came in handy and I put it to a good use. Thought they turned out okay.

Here is a close up of them.  They match the valances I had made for the windows a few years back.

So hope you have enjoyed your visit on the porch.  I have really enjoyed having you.  Just a few more things to glance at on your way out

Mr. P's old scooter  he rode as a little boy.  Boy that is an old toy. Wish we could age that well. (okay just kidding darlin,,,, I know I want to keep my sewing machine cabinet. will be careful what I say)  Love the hen and chicks in the old boot.

Love the old bike on the other side of the steps.  He just made these two beds last weekend. Haven't  decided what else to put there if anything.

So this brings our visit to a close.  Hope you have enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed having you. 

Be careful as you are leaving, and I would love to have you come again soon.  I love it when friends stop by.

Who Will You Thank Today?

Hello Everyone.  Today is a very sentimental day for me as my Daddy served in WW11 and I miss him still even though he has been gone for quite some time now.  I visitied his grave site yesterday.
Those of you who follow me regularly know Holly and know the relationship I have with my daughter, my only child.  Her PawPaw passed away before she became engaged to be married, however he had met Stacy.  He told me one day after he had become quite ill that he would never live to see her married (and he didn't) but Stacy would be the man she would marry. (and he was)

Holly has a blog,"Popscicles and Pigtails" and today she paid tribute to her Paw Paw.  I could have never said it better.  It would so do my heart good if you would take the time to visit and look at the videos and recordings she made of her "Paw Paw", my Dad and also my  Hero.  Thank you Holly.  So beautifully done. You can visit her here.  Hoping a great evening for everyone.

And The Winner Is.........

Good evening all my blogging friends.  Well it's finally here.  Time to announce my giveaway winner. First let me wish all of you a safe and fun Memorial Day.  Let's not forget the men and women who have and are still serving in our military to make this a better place for one and all.

First let me say to you all, I have had so much fun doing this giveaway.  I so wish I could send each one of you a gift but as you know that is not possible.  I am so blessed to have you all as followers and am looking forward to visiting with you thru blogland. 

All your names were written and put into a bowl.  I let Darbee Rae draw the name.

Can you tell I just love to tease ya?  When I tell you who won,, it's over.  Do I really want the fun to end? 

Okay , don't get mad.  I'll tell you who the winner is......

Connie at Cabin Fever Primitives you have won the Poney Express Mail Pouch. Connie's entry

said:

Oh Angela, what a neat giveaway. That mailbag would be perfect in my Colorado Cabin as it was the last Post Office in our Ghost Town of Turret. Enter me to win, love your blog and your talents. I too will check out Dee's patterns.
Connie

Congratulations Connie.  You have Darbee Rae to thank for drawing your name.  Please e-mail me your address and It will be on its way on Tuesday.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it. 

Please continue to stop by because I have more fun up my sleeve.  Have a great evening.

A Package Perfect Day

Good evening all my dear friends.  Hoping your beginning to a long weekend has found you having a great day and good weather.  Here it has been beautiful and HOT.  I am not complaining, there have been no storms and for that I am so thankful.  Let's not forget those suffering from the effects of the storms across our country and keep them in our prayers.

As most of you know I won my very first giveaway earlier in the week.  I was so excited and then blogger didn't want to cooperate.  I couldn't post and get in touch with my friend to give her my address.  But thankfully things worked out and today I recieved my surprise giveaway from Shirlee over at Farmhouse Ponderings.  If you haven't visited her blog you are missing a treat.  She is such a sweet and talented lady.  Go over and say hello and tell her Angela sent you. You can visit her here.

I had gone out on the porch to take a picture and to my surprise found this box. I wasn't expecting it so soon .  Sometime the United States Post Office can surprise you.

I couldn't wait to see my treasures inside.  I immediately started ripping tape, and once opened ,Shirlee was teasing me again.

Oodles and oodles of packing peanuts.  Of course I ran for a bag and started digging through.  Are ya wondering what I found?  Is the suspense driving you crazy?  Know how I was feeling?

This was the first package I saw.  Oh, Shirlee how sweet to think of Darbee! So thoughtful.  It literally brought tears to my eyes.  Couldn't wait to call and tell her she had a gift from Nana's blogging friend.  Mind you she knows all about blogging.  She tells me (pretend) all the time about her blogging friends and what they post on her blog.  (too funny)  She couldn't wait to get to Nana's .In the meantime, I continued with my package.

Are you still with me?  Of course you are.  What lady could leave not knowing what goodies were wrapped inside this prim paper, right? Are you ready?

I got another whisk broome,  Whoo Hoooo!!! Shirlee must have read that's a new collection of mine and around these parts they are so hard to find.  I also got some great smelling tarts, and a set of primitive stacking boxes.  Are all ya ladies jealous??   Sure you are!  I was so thrilled and began right away making a home for my goodies.

I hung the whisk broome here but it is not its permanent home.  Now that I have four of them I will move them to a crock or somewhere after the holiday.  Can't wait to play around with my newest collection.

How did Shirlee know I go thru tarts like most folks go thru paper towels.  I can't be without them.  Love a great smell in the house all the time.  These smell wonderful, they are "White Lilac".  Couldn't wait to put one on in the downstairs bath.  They smell just like fresh flowers. 

Yesterday while "playing house"  I brought back in my old wooden ironing board that I have had for 28 years.  I had it in the storage barn.  Didn't know what I was going to put on it and these boxes were perfect.  This is in my sunroom.  Love them here.

Don't ya just love them?  I was so excited with all my gifts.  After a rough day yesterday, Shirlee you made my day. 

Last but not least there was a very sweet card from my blogging friend.  These next few pictures are of Darbee Rae opening her gift from Shirlee.  The pictures say it all.... no words needed

Thank you so much Shirlee.  Darbee was so excited and loved it all.  Can't ya tell?

Don't forget my giveaway ends tonight at midnight eastern standard time.  Can't wait to see who the lucky person will be.  Check back tomorrow evening and I will post the results.

Hoping all of you have had a special gift in your life today. Whether visiting with friends, spending time with family or just waking to the dawn of another day, my friend that is a Gift.

Until tomorrow thanks for stopping by and come back soon.

Just A Reminder

Just a quick reminder the deadline for my giveawy ends tonight at 12:00 midnight Eastern Standard Time.  So if you haven't been able to comment or have just heard about the giveaway, hurry over and sign up on the Let's Have a Giveaway post.  The winner will be announced on Sunday evening May 29th and good luck!

A Story From My Journal

Hello all my friends.  This post is going to be long but a heartfelt story that I wrote three years ago today as my life took a drastic change.  If you are reading this and have parents that are aging and still own their own home, please take this to heart and talk to them and make whatever changes that need to be made.  My heart is saddened every day as I look across the street and see a home that is no longer ours.  This WAS my parents home .

                                                            
                                                                             The Key

To millions of people, today will be a normal day.  Adults will go to work, children to school and the business world will conduct business as usual.  For me on this warm May day, I am locking memories of a lifetime away in my mind to open only when loneliness overpowers me.  I am selling my parent's homeplace.  This will no longer be the home of my Mother and Daddy

Before the closing, I decided to visit the homeplace for one last time.  With my old key into the lock, I pushed open the door pondering in my mind the many times I had performed this task throughout the years.  Many nights coming in from a date, I would turn the key so quietly and enter into the security of a loving home. When Daddy's health deteriated, we would get calls during the night for help and hurriedly with a racing heart opening the door could not take place fast enought.  When Daddy passed on to heaven, we continured to be there for Mother.  Unlocking the door to take her grocery shopping and to doctor's appointments became a weekly task. As mother grew more feeble, calls from her lifeline monitor came more frequent.  Opening the door not knowing the condition we would find her upon the floor was frightening. Unable to take proper care of her, she now reside in a nursing facitlity where we visit her regularly.

Thus the process began.  Sorting through my parent's personal belongings was not a job I looked forward to.  Then came the estate sale.  Unfamiliar faces pondering over items that meant so much to the two people I loved so dearly was almost unbearable.

Today entering the empty homplace I feel as if part of my life is gone along with the material items that helped to make this house a home. If only these old paneled walls could talk, the stories they could tell.  I closed my eyes and in my mind I could see the old black piano.  As a child, I banged on its key and played church as my dolls sat patiently as my congregation.  Years later, I took lessons on that piano and play the piano in church today.

I could almost smell the scent of a lighted match as the old gas heater was lit in the living room.  The same heater that warmed me as a child still sits in its place where it sat during my childhood.  Christmas mornings the smell from  that heater gave me an overwhelming sense of love and warmth as in the wee hours of the morning, so full of excitment I would wait to see what Santa had left under the tree.  Crawling back into bed between old handmade quilts and snuggling into a feather mattress with the smell of my new plastic baby doll in my arms is a memory I will cherish forever.  Oh for the innocence of youth.

My grandmother lived with us and the memory of her baking during special holidays was a time I grew to love.  Pies, cookies, and home cooked meals filled our house with a delicious aroma. Anticipation of all the happy times sharing our bounty of food with friends and relatives seems like yesterday.  Today, most of those people have passed away but their memories remain.

I began and ended my school years, got married, and years later brought our newborn baby girl from the hospital to her grandparent's home here.  But today, the homeplace has changed.  It's no longer filled with laughter and love but looks tired and lonely.

As I took my memories and walked out, the same old key locked the door behind me.  No longer would I turn the key with anticipation of what I would find inside.  Closing this part of my life was not an easy task.

Yardwork needs to be done, but I looked past the driveway and said a final farewell to the memories of grandchildren playing  there as a loving "PawPaw" looked on with a smile that only a grandparent could wear.

I closed the door knowing the next time I saw the yellow house on the hill, it would belong to a young couple, in love and so excited to purchase their first home.

Today was an emotional day.  This same old key will be passed along to a new family as they begin their journey in the old homeplace.  Our journey has come full circle.  So much can change by the opening and closing of an old door with a key.        The end!

Today has been an emotional day.  Thanks for hanging in with me.  Tomorrow will be a better day and I have lots of pictures to share.  Don't forget if you haven't already to visit my giveaway post and enter my giveaway.  Wishing a great weekend your way.  Until tomorrow...

Blogger Problems

Morning everyone, Just to let you all know blogger is not letting me comment on any post.  Just saw where I won a giveaway from Shirlee at Farmhouse Ponderings.  Shirlee if you read this please comment so I can get in touch with you thru e-mail.. Hopefully this problem will be corrected soon.  Miss all of you.

Let's Have A Giveaway

Hello Everyone, Hoping you're having a great Monday.  Wow, this weekend officially starts the beginning of Summer activities.  Pools open, most schools around our neck of the woods will be out for the summer and time will continure to pass by so quickly. So before I get  caught up in the hustle and bustle of summer lets do my very first giveaway.  I am so excited to have exceeded the goal I set for myself and have more followers than I thought ever possible.

I had quite a few people guess what the giveaway would be as I showed the work in progress.  Sorry folks you were all wrong.  This is what one lucky person will recieve.

This is a replica of an old pony express mail pouch, with 2 letters and a grungy candle made from felt.  These items were made by me and will come to you from a smoke free home.  The mail pouch will hang if you so choose.  It was made from a Dee Duncan pattern. This will be great displayed with your patriotic items or could be displayed daily in your colonial home near an old desk.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it for you.

Now on to the rules.  Really simple since this is my first giveaway.  You must be a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post only. New followers are welcome to participate.  Please  make sure I can link back to your blog or leave your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you are the lucky winner.  Easy enough, huh?

So come one and come all and lets get this giveaway started.  You have from now until Saturday night May 28, 2011 to enter.  I will post the winner on Sunday evening May 29,2011. Good luck!

Until we meet again, stay safe and share a smile.

A Great Giveaway

Good evening everyone.  Hoping you are having a great start to the weekend.  Today has been great.  My gardner Mr. P. worked for me outside today. He took a holiday from work so he did some outside work I have wanted to have done for a long time.  I was his supervisor  loving wife , sitting on the porch swing watching him work. Sound like fun?  Yes it was because I do not work outside. As most of you know I hate  dislike outside pretty bad. But tonight it looks great out front.  We were sitting on the porch enjoying the view and Mr. P. was reading the newspaper and poor thing got stung twice by a mean old wasp.  Needless to say that is one dead insect now.  Way to go Honey.   Will show pictures of his hard work later.

Tonight you need to hurry over to visit Wendy at Ravenwood Whimzies.  She is having a wonderful giveaway. You can visit her here. Be sure to sign up for that wonderful patriotic gift, but really t I want to win. (ha)

Hoping you all will have a great weekend whatever your plans may be.  Thanks for stopping by and we will talk again soon.

Thankful Thursday

A very warm welcome to all of my faithful followers and to ALL my new friends who have stopped by to follow along with me on my daily journey shopping, cooking, crafting,junkin, and spending time with my family.  I hope along the way you will find something to make you smile, make you thankful,inspire you, and you will be able to say we have become friends.  Thanks to all of you who gave me a "shout out" on your blogs.  I am so thankful to you all

Thought today I would show a few little things I have gotten done for my fall show.  I know it's just Spring but as I have said this is the only show I do, so I work on fall and Christmas all thru the year.

Thought these stick pumpkins turned out cute.  I do really well with small items and Mr. P. sells the bigger wood and furniture pieces.  It gets hard sometimes finding so many small things.  My customers are not into extreme prims so I have to be really selective as to what I sell.  Oh this is a pattern from The Primitive Saltbox. Love her patterns as they come together so well.

Candy corn has been around forever but it is always a sell out for me. Altho simple to make these little things are so time consuming.

This next item I have fallen in love with.  On a previous post I showed the old dresser on the carport and the lamp I had used my stamp pad on.   This stamp pad is amazing.  Susan over at Homeroad blogspot did a post and introduced me to it.  You can literaly stamp on anything.  It does not recommend stamping on material but like Susan said she had tried it and washed it and it held up great,,, same for me.  So... let me share my new love with you.

You can get them in many colors, and I got mine at Michael's.  But I saw this week Hobby Lobby also carries them.  I made these little pillows using Michael's stamps.  Thought they turned out cute.  Again something little I think my customers will like.

Can't you see them embellished with a little fabric flower, an old key , old buttons?  Don't think I am compeletly finished with these yet. 

There you have it for today.  Have more stitcheries made and a few other new items I will share with you later.  Got two new e-patterns today and can't wait to start on them.  But first I have a giveaway to get finished.  Don't you want to know what it is?    Stay tuned.

I am leaving you with something so sweet and close to my heart.  A few weeks back a blogging friend Val over at Life's Little Garden sent me a package .  She makes the greatest crochet dishcloths.  She sent me yarn and pattern and I have fallen in love with them.  Have made some to share with friends and family.  Gave Holly one and WHAT was I thinking?  Did I make one for Darbee Rae?  Well I heard about it.  So I had to make her one.  She had to have one when she was helping Mommy in the kitchen.  Today I got this from Darbee Rae.  Keep in mind she is only 3 going on 20.  She want to read and write soooo bad.  She did this on her own.  Luckily Holly is a pre-K teacher and has taught her to write some by saying things like straight line, big belly, etc.  So cute.  Can you make it out?

It says, " Dear Nana , Thank you for my dishcloth."  Love Darbee

Yep, it's the little things that make me smile, make me realize how blessed I am , and give me desire to continue along my journey.  Glad you stopped by and come back soon ya hear?

Working On My First Giveaway

Okay blogging friends, The time is almost here for my very first giveaway and I am soo excited.  If you check out my followers I am only 9 friends away from reaching  the goal I set for myself of 100 followers in order to do my first giveaway.  I would have never dreamed  when I started back in January that I would have made so many friends and have so many wonderful folks stopping by to visit  and so many of you on a regular basic. You make my day and I love reading all the sweet comments and e-mails you leave for me. So help me get the word out and invite some of your friends to come and visit and become a follower and we will get this giveaway under way.

Will give you a tease ..... Got busy this afternoon and cut it out.... so part of the giveaway will be out of material.  But what will it be?   Will it be stained or painted,,, does it sit, stand , or hang?  What room would you use it in?  Is it seasonal or could it be left out all the time?  Will it need a name ?  Will it be stuffed or stiff? Will it be scented or have the prim coffee,vanilla scent? Guess what?  I know the answers to all the questions!!!  Having fun yet? (giggle)  I AM!!! Here is a picture.  Can you figure it out?

Okay , that's all I am going to tell you .  So come on ladies get the word out.  If I reach 100 followers by the weekend, on  Monday I will post the actual giveaway post and show a part of the giveaway.  If I reach 150 followers before the giveaway closes, then there will be a second drawing for another gift.  So go on now and tell your buddies to stop by and visit.

Thank all of you who continue to stop by.  Love chatting with you all .  Hope you have all had a blessed day and have found something to smile about.  Until next time.......

Did You Hear Me Squeal?

My morning started out as a typical Tuesday morning.  Darbee Rae has a song on her Kids Tunes CD that I try to sing to myself every morning when I get out of bed and open the blinds.  It goes like  Rise and Shine and give God the Glory children of the Lord. I am thankful for the dawn of another day. Then off to the kitchen to visit with my buddy, the coffee pot. Was just sitting down having my morning cup of coffee and looked out back and there was the mail truck in the drive.  Hmmm, maybe today was going to be a special day. I found this on my table on the carport.

I couldn't wait to get inside and see what goodies I had recieved. The package was from a blogging friend, Linda  at Parker's Paradise.  She has become such a good friend thru blogger. If you haven't visited her blog you are missing a treat.  Click here to visit.

This is what I saw when I opened my package.

Linda has a wonderful collection of whisk brooms.  I had showed one I had got on a recent junkin trip and was so proud to have found it.  She shared one of her brooms with me.  How sweet of her and so thoughtful. She also sent me 2 cute kitchen towels in a precious prim drawstring bag and a very sweet angel picture.  I could not wait to find new homes for my goodies.

The broom from Linda is in the middle with Home stitched on it.  Thanks again Linda.  It will always be special to me.  With the purchase of my next broom, I will have to find a new place to display.  Don't you just love to be on the hunt for something.  Yep, I now have a collection ongoing.

The neat little drawstring bag found it's home in my upstairs bathroom.  It will hold extra soap for guest.  Love it hanging on the peg shelf.

The angel picture found a home on my desk in the guest room.  The colors match perfect up there and I will be reminded of my far away friend every time I sit there to write a note.  Thanks again Linda for making me SMILE today.

I was home most of the day and got some of my patriotic decorations out.  I decorate for Memorial Day and leave it out until Fourth of July is over.  Altho I am actually making a few things for myself this year I have had fun "playing house" today.  Was going to share the decor with you but with my special gift that can wait until another day.

I will show you what Mr. P. surprised me with this weekend.  I have always wanted a barn sink so he came in on Saturday and this is what  he had made.

 I love it.  It shows a lot lighter than it actually is.  It is mustard with dark walnut stain over it.  Thanks Mr. P. for  taking the time to make something for me.  Love ya.

So,,,,,, this is a recap of my fun filled day.  Tonight we had WMU at church and the evening just flew by spending time with the ladies of the church.  Hope you all had something to smile about today.  Thank you all for stopping by and for leaving your sweet comments.  Until next time.....