RenoIowa Retreat 2008

This is my creation from Sherry and Jean's class retreat!!

Awards!!

My first award is from Shashi back in February.Even tho I was tickled to get this award I had no idea what to do with it, much less time.My life has been hectic for this entire year.So thank you very much Shashi! This is deeply appreciated .Thank you Linda Fleming for setting everything up! I still don't know what I am doing...the rules are:

1. If you get tagged (and want to play along), write a post with links to blogs that you love,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
The blogs I love are:
1.Linda F, she already has this award from Shashi but do go look at her beautiful art I enjoy reading her blog, she has such a creative talent and her blog is so much fun to read.


2.Mary O. , she is doing lots of great sketches. also check out her art dolls and knitting from the past year,you will love reading Mary O's blog.


3.Sherry G. She is a great artist and the reason behind all that I do.She always has her fingers in a new project!


4. Judi A, She is a fantastic artist, photographer and blogger, she really has a way with words.


5. Sue , not only is a great blogger but she makes the most wonderful soaps.Very talented in many areas including her home and flowers..

Rhiannon's 4TH Birthday!

Rhi is 4 years today can you believe that! Sherry and I had fun with the birthday party, Sherry did all the decorations..and was the incharge person for dress up LOL!!

New Car!!

Here is my new car, '99 Chrysler Sebring..Sherry and I will have something small to run around town instead of a big ole truck!Will I ever put the top down? I doubt it , just like the look!:)

New House!!

This is the house we are waiting patiently to close..UGLY!! this will be my before pic's , can't wait to show after!

more pic's

These pic's show DR, kitchen two views, and LR two views!

more pic's

Bedrooms, one ,two , three and master two views!

New Neighborhood!

Looking out my front door to the left, neighborhood..

Garage Sale find!

We found this little deck for 20.00 at a recent gargage sale, don't you just love it!

John's ( Scotti's) San Francisco Dance team

Here is a pic of Scotti's dance team he is far right back row..

Kitchen wallpaper border and paint!

This is my paint colors for my new house, light and dark marked with a star, and this is the kitchen border..

Can you Identify??

Is this a tree or shrub?? Can you identify??

New House !!!

Here is the new house( it is a little split level) we bought and waiting anxiously to close.This is the before pic's it will look much different went I get my grubby little hands on it, can't wait.It also has a fenced in back yard, deck and large tree like the front..
We had the floor man come to measure for carpet,pergo (laminate) floors and tiles.The prices were great so good to go.Then we went looking for appliances, we want all stainless..I needed a fainting couch after hearing his quote..we are good to go now just waiting for that closing date..

New World!!

For everyone that does not know.We sold our house in Gladbrook, closing date was Friday July 11, it is sold and over...I am so very thankful, I can breath a little easier....Just as we got news we had a contract on our house, my mother fell and laid on her LR floor all night , she developed pneumonia and had to spend a few days in the hospital.I had to make a very hard decisions to place her in a NH..That meant her apt. had to be cleared out within a week of our place..then the Iowa floods come,so you see I have been very very busy, I do come up for air ever so often just to read others blogs to see how the outside world is functioning..By the way Maggie (mother) is doing well and adjusting OK we just need to find s place closer to our new home.I can visit often and life can continue..right now I feel like we are all on hold..strange feeling too..

OK, we have finally finished moving all our furniture into storage, rented a house in Marshalltown and waiting to close on the house we bought..it would be nice just to have a closing date.This is a picture of the rent house inside/outside as you can see we are really just camping out.I don't have enough energy left to clean the rent house and set up house keeping so we either eat out call for delivery, which I really like and feel so amazed that even the pharmacy delivers..we feel kind of like country bumpkins moved to the city.. or eat finger foods from paper plates..

Also just yesterday one of my favorite journalist passed away Tony Snow..my heart and prayers go out to his family.What a wonderful kind person,we often wonder why the very good die young..

Happy Birthday Scarlett.!!

Scarlett, turned 2 years old May 22nd.Happy Birthday Scarlett, we love you!!

Play Day With Rhi and Scarlett!

Sherry and I have been taking turns keeping the girls while Em trains for her new job at one of the local banks.Yesterday was my turn..
I had to take a few pic to show Scarlett and one of PaPa's hanks tied to her head.It got unexpectied chilly in the afternoon, the girls said they were cold ( little girl in red is a neighbor) she said she would ask her mom if they had an extra hoodie for the girls but turned out she only had the hood that fit Rhi , so she offered the little tan jacket for Scarlett.. Wellll Scarlett had a little hissy fit wanting the hood part on her head...All I could find was one of Al's old hankies so I tied it around her head ole fashinon like, you would have thought I gave her the moon she was a happy girl and went around saying hat and pointing to her head I have never laughed so hard..Yesterday was Al birthday so when Em and Tatum come to pick up the girls they brought pizza, I had bought a small cake and let the girls help me decorate and clean the strawberries ..They were so excited we was having a birthday party for papa..we had a fun day but this ole ggrand was pooped roflol!!

House built in 1861

I guess I should have explained the curb appeal LOL! The front of my house has no curb appeal, so Al and I did the curb thing using landscape timber..( our most recent project) + new driveway/ sidewalk, new seamless gutters and new roof and plan to do something else to the front.
The back is really pretty with all the stone around the flower gardens and the big double deck with french door but the front is lacking.
I am from Texas and think we need a big ole front porch but this house sits too close to the 30 feet allowance to build the porch, maybe a pergola would be the answer..poor ole house has been here many many years and has been upgraded forever it is very sound and tight if you are upstairs you cannot hear any thing down and if you are down nothing can be heard up..not even walking which I like..very comfortable house , just not in Marshalltown.. and much too big for just the two of us.Are you sold yet roflol!!
Thank you everyone for your nice comments..

Spring Really Does Come To Iowa!

The pic of the house shows our new curb appeal, watching too much HGTV..
Another pic of a tree in bloom, have no idea what kind ( not a fruit tree, has red berries in the Fall..and no one else around here does either..something about Texas I miss.I knew all my trees well.
Most of my flowers are on their way up, but cannot get the full effect..I have not placed any flowers on the deck or patio or put out hanging baskets just a little too cool..
I noted berries forming on my Bittersweet.. first time to have the beautiful orange berries this fall..this is the fourth year planted..I am excited..
My little bird has return to his tiny little house, he darts around so much it is hard to get his pic.this one he is stitting on top of the house..Sure wish I knew what kind , not much bigger then a Hummer..

Frida Kahlo 15"

This is my rendition of Frida Kahlo..Frida is my submission to teach at"Creations In Fiber" Albuquerque NM, May '09..Monkey's are not my business roflol!!

New Pattern Lil Snip AKA Snippet 15"

New pattern is ready,no press mold need instructions for face included in pattern...you can order from http://www.dollmakersjourney.com or
http://www.dollmakersjourney.com