Sewing...sewing...

 I've been doing quite a bit of sewing around here lately...there's been quite a few custom bag orders and I have been waiting to show these until everything was delivered...I still have a couple more diaper bags to finish...but here's some that I have finished...I made this for a client who has a niece having twins..a boy and a girl...I found this P. Kaufman canvas and she loved it...if it looks a bit familiar...its because I used this fabric before in pink and brown.

 Here's a close up of the pocket...such pretty fabric!

 Here's another diaper bag. This one was for a client who's friend is having a boy and she didn't want her bag to look like a diaper bag...I loved this graphic canvas and she loved it too...it turns out that the friend's favorite color combination is green and brown...

 The colors in the polka dot I used on the pockets and the lining couldn't have been a better match...boy did I get lucky there!!

 This bag is similar to a bag I made a while back...only that one was in red. I bought this black at the same time and thought it would be nice to make them somewhat alike...

 Daisies are just so happy...I couldn't resist doing them again here!

 I finished this one the other day...yes...more daisies!

 Here's the back...a daisy on the back pocket too!

I made another doll carrier for a client...these are just so much fun to make! I still haven't made any to put in my Etsy shop, but I will try to soon! 

In other news...I just found out that I was accepted into the Villa Park Garden and Craft Show on April 29. I I need to work to get my inventory up...it is seriously down since I have been making so many custom orders.  This should be a fun show...they have a home garden tour of some of the lovely homes in the area, as well as a craft show and dining experience back at the Woman's Club...they have been holding this for quite a number of years and I find myself in very good company of crafters who were invited to participate in the event. If you live anywhere close to this event...you should come...I would love to go on the garden tour...but I'm not sure if that will be possible since I will have to be in my booth all day. Don and I have been working hard at designing our booth to look more like a boutique...that's the hard part for me...how can I make an Easy Up and some tables look like a cottage boutique! 

Until next time...enjoy the day!!!

Just gardening and relaxing...

 This morning started out on the foggy side but it has turned into a very pretty day...I went outside sort of bundled up to mow the back lawn...but by the time I had finished I was all warmed up. I had a list in my head of things to be done and I got most of them done...so now it was time for a lunch break and a visit with Don...he made us both cheese sandwiches...

 These are the tea cups that the kids made for decorations for Don's party....I think they look great all lined up on my coffee table on the back porch...

 Here's a view from the back porch...we were enjoying the birds and the nice weather...it's about 67 today...very nice!!

 The birds were splashing around in the bird bath I had just cleaned out for them...but they wouldn't cooperate...so all you get to see is the bird bath!! There is water in there...but the bath is deep and they are small...so I just put in a little...besides it's supposed to rain tomorrow and Sunday...

 My little doggie topiary is filling in...all that's left is the legs and head...

 A closeup of a stock flower...they smell so good!

 One of things on my list was to straighten out the peas...they keep attaching themselves to the snap dragons and not to the trellis...they needed my help!

 We have 3 kinds of daffodils in our yard...these are the King daffodils...they are bigger and a little more colorful than the yellow ones...I only know the name of these because when I planted the bulbs a few years ago...I wrote it down!

 The Hostas are starting to show up too! This one is usually the first one to arrive...the others are just peeking out...no leaves yet...I can't wait for them all to show up...they fill in the shaded area so nicely!

 Coral Bells are looking good too...I think I need more of these...

 We have tomatoes...yes we do!Actually...I picked 2 red ones yesterday...believe it or not...this plant was a year old in February...something weird about that...yes, indeed...I have never had a tomato plant live through the winter...but it was a strange winter and this one just seems to like this spot! There are quite a few tomatoes on here...its nice not having to wait until Summer to enjoy a home grown tomato!

I walked out here to see if the orioles needed more jelly...they arrived...or so we noticed their arrival this week...well...Cal arrived...we have only seen one male...all males are Cal...if you are a Baltimore Oriole's fan...or even a baseball fan...you'll know why! Anyway...I thought the flower beds looked pretty out here...they are starting to fill in nicely, but I have lost a few pansies...oh I see a dead one I missed when I cleaned up!

Now that I am rested...I think its time to get to my sewing...I just completed the hand stitching on a wool applique last night...I need to make it into a bag...so I better get to work!!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Oh the joy of Springtime...

 Today we are back to Spring weather and it couldn't have been a more beautiful morning to spend in my yard doing what I love...gardening!! The yard was buzzing with friends...my next door neighbor and I had a nice chat to catch up on the week's happenings...kids were out riding bikes...all on this perfect Spring day!

 After I mowed the front lawn...I got down to the part that's my favorite...dead heading my flowers and trimming what needs to be trimmed and checking to see what new growth is popping up...

 Even my shy little friend came out to take a peek...

 Spring decor came out on the front porch too...I always hang a banner of some sort here...to welcome everyone to my front door...

 The bees were quite active this morning...it was pretty noisy dead heading the lavender...

 The Iceland poppies are all showing their faces finally...I planted these from seed back in the Fall...

 These bright flowers always brighten up the yard and I am fascinated by their paper like blooms...I planted some pink ones too...but I haven't seen a bloom on those yet...just the yellow and orange...

 The Japanese Maple on the side is getting its Spring leaves...I love them at this time of year...they are such a bright red...and there are tiny little flowers on them...

 The bees are busy over there too...

The flowers in the basket on the front of the house are blooming now too...soon they will drip down and cover the metal basket up...that's always a pretty sight...

I spent the whole morning out here in my front yard...I didn't really want to come in...but there are other things to be done...so in I went...but I left the front door open...there's a nice breeze and the birds are singing...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

What a difference a day makes...

 We've had a Winter storm come through here the last couple of days...yesterday it poured like crazy...it was cold too! I know...I know...you say what does she know about cold...she lives in Southern California....

 But I think this might be considered cold...

 I went to go out to the grocery store....and this is what I saw...

 Lots of white stuff everywhere!! In fact as I was driving...it was snowing...on my car...with me driving it!! Crazy...I know!!

 It is pretty thick too...maybe it will stay a while...this is not my yard...it's by the grocery store...we only got hail here...I'm about 300 feet too short...low...whatever you might call it to get this beautiful white stuff...but its close...just a couple minutes away...

 I drove a little bit out of my way to see it better...maybe a minute or two...

 Where I could get a better picture...pretty...

Here's closer to the horse barn...see the roof...all covered in snow too! I love it!! The sun broke out for a few minutes on my way home...now it's back to rain again...it's about 45 in my yard...so no snow here...I guess in some ways that's good...all my Spring flowers are blooming and veggies too...I don't think they would like the snow...I don't think they like the hail they got either come to think of it...I hope they survive OK...I heard it was in the high 70's in the midwest...this is a switch!!We need the moisture...so I'm all for a winter storm or two!! It won't last too long though...a day or two and then it will be back to shorts I'm sure...

Until next time...enjoy the day!!!

Happy Birthday Joseph!!!

 32 years ago...we welcomed the arrival of a beautiful baby boy...he was perfect in every way! He grew into a smart, quiet, handsome young man who worked hard and made friends easily...

And then he discovered snowboarding!! What can I say...he is still a quiet, handsome young man who everyone loves...but here is how we will celebrate  his 32nd birthday...he had to have a pin put in his hand due to a bad fall...well... you guessed it...snowboarding!! It seems that he has the devil may care attitude while up on the slopes...well ...Happy Birthday to the dare devil son of mine...who knew???

It feels like Spring...

 Even though the temperature has been going up and down in my neck of the woods...it still feels like Spring is in the air...

 This is my little peach tree...I say little because it is a dwarf tree...maybe about 8 feet tall now...it is one of the older trees in our yard...about 28 years old and has the best peaches every year.

 The blossoms are always so pretty to see...it is usually the last of the fruit trees to start blooming...

 It gets a bit more shade than the other trees in the yard...

 There's even a few leaves on it now...

I think the blossoms look so pretty against the bright blue sky...it's been nice today...in the mid 60's in my yard...a great day to do a bit of gardening....but today I just wandered out and took some pictures...tomorrow I will garden ...today I ran errands...I'm not fond of running errands...but it was nice to have company on my errands...since Don's retirement I don't have to go alone...I like that!!

Until next time...enjoy the day!!!

I hope you enjoy these!

 I have 2 Camilla bushes in my front yard in the deep shade...they grow very slowly...this bush has not gotten very many flowers on it in years past...this year I have had 4 or 5...

 I can see why! These flowers are triple the size of those on the other bush...it must take a lot of effort to get flowers this big!

 When they bloom...they just sort of hang down though...so I cut them off and floated a couple...like my Grandmas used to do!

 I put them next to my kitchen sink...where I can see them all the time...it seems like I'm there half the day!

I hope you enjoy these late winter blooms...if you could only smell them...wonderful!!!

Until next time...enjoy the day!!!