Of Twine and Summer: Here at Last!

I love baker's twine. Those twisty colorful strands are just so happy looking, they make me smile! And I love green. Limey, Shartreusy, Juicy Green. Delicious. So of course I had to go and get me some of this Honeydew-colored baker's twine from The Twinery. It goes perfectly with my favorite Peeled Paint Distress Ink from Ranger. Put those together and I am in green heaven! I can't wait to use my new twine, and just may have to get me another spool or two at Christmas time. Love!


I think that summer may actually be here, finally. It's been such a long and wet winter, and it feels like we hardly had a springtime at all. But now we're into the upper 80's here in NorCal, flirting with the 90's. It got quite warm in our house and I was even tempted to start up the AC yesterday, but I just went with a couple of fans instead. Love the warm weather, but it's easier to deal with when it comes on gradually! But summer is wonderful so I won't complain. Life is good!


My sweetie and I are headed out this evening to look for a new sectional sofa for our family room. We've been looking for a while now for the perfect pad on which to perch our bottoms, but so far no luck. We have a long and somewhat narrow room and the options that will fit the space are limited, but the search continues! Off we go...


"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."  —Russell Baker


Oh the summer night has a smile of light, and she sits on a sapphire throne."  —Barry Cornwall 


"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart."  —Celia Thaxter

Julie

I love my Aunt Julie. She's just ten years older than I am so she's more of a big sister than what you'd think of as a traditional "aunt." Julie is beautiful both inside and out. She listens to me and gives me great advice. She genuinely cares about me, understands me, trusts me, respects me, and I know she loves me. She and her awesome hubby Mike welcome me into their home and always make me feel important, valued, secure, and loved. I don't have a current photo of Julie, but she loves gardens (and is a very talented gardener - you should see her home and garden - so gorgeous!). Just look at the beauty of the flowers in this photo and you will see some of the beauty that is Julie. I thank God for Julie! She's what family should be. 


Sometimes life is challenging and people you thought were supposed to love you can break your heart. I know this from personal experience. When or if it happens to you, I hope you have a "Julie" in your life that you can turn to, to boost you up and give you strength when times are tough. And I hope that I can be a "Julie" to those I love, a true friend in every sense of the word. Julie, I love you.


Oh, and PS, our trip to Utah was mostly great. Steph is happy and doing well and it did my heart good to spend time with my girl! And Julie sent me home with several plants from her garden, which I am excited to plant here in CA. Thanks Julie! Spreadin' the love!


"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."  —Dr. Seuss


"Sometimes I wish I was a little kid again. Skinned knees are easier to fix than broken hearts."  —unknown


"Relationships are like glass. Sometimes it's better to leave them broken than to hurt yourself trying to put them back together,"  —unknown


"Maybe part of loving is learning to let go."  —from The Wonder Years

Sneak Peek Time!

Hey there. Here's a small sneak peek at one of my new collections, which will be released by Impression Obsession at CHA this summer. I am so excited about my new designs, and I've had so much fun researching and creating them. I have new stuff for birthdays (some of which you see here), Thanksgiving, Christmas, and LOTS of other special occasions, as well as many images that can be used for both card-making and scrapbooking. If you are at CHA in Chicago, please come by the Impression Obsession booth-a-rama and say hello! I love meeting all you creative people. You inspire me!


Rich and I are headed to Utah tomorrow, for a part-business, part-pleasure trip. We'll also get to see our girl Steph and spend some time with her. Very excited! I miss my girl. Since we'll be away I probably won't be posting here until I get home in ten days or so.

Happy Memorial Day to everyone, and hello Summer!


"Summer afternoon, Summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."  —Henry James


"Sun is shining, weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet."  —Bob Marley

May, and June.

The sweet June Bosworth, mother of my dear friend Lori, passed away last Friday. I've spent much of the past few days with Lori and her children. This is both a difficult and a blessed time for them, Lori especially, and I treasure the moments I was able to spend with June during her last days of life. Thank you, Lori, for letting me share this time with you and with your mama. She is an elect lady and I will miss her. Tomorrow is June's funeral, and we will say good-bye to her for a time.


Life is oh, so precious.

"I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: 'There, she is gone!

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: 'There, she is gone!' there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: 'Here she comes!'

And that is dying."  —Henry Van Dyke

Oh, Hey There, Pardon Me...

I seem to have lost my blogging groove. I can't find it. And I am overwhelmed with some LIFE stuff these days... Anyway, I just read the last two posts by Modern Mormon Men, and since this is pretty much what I would write if I could, I thought I'd just link there. So I did.


Later, dudes.  Gotta fly.


"Always gotta keep busy or the voices start telling me to do wild things."  —Steve Brown


"I always find something to keep me busy."  —Amy Sedaris

Peonies. Oh My.

So. Our first Spring in our new-old house here in beautiful Rocklin, CA. Rich and I, along with some help from David, have been spending some time outside trying to whip the old and overgrown landscaping into shape. Rich has been tending his ever-expanding vegetable garden, and also removing some trees and planting new fruit trees. And while deciding what to remove, what to keep, and what to bring in, I have discovered some peonies growing in the backyard. They are my new favorite flower! These are large double blooms in a gorgeous shade of pink. All I can say is wow, and I will be planting more peonies! They are amazing and they have no thorns, something that cannot be said for the many many many many rose bushes we have (that I can't wait to get rid of.) Roses are just not my thing. They do look nice in a vase, I will admit, but tending them in the garden, and dealing with the pests and the thorns... well, no thank you.

Ok. Gotta run. Rich took the day off today and we have lots to do. Make it a great day!

"The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses." —Hanna Rion

"Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to spak up a little peace and serenity." —Lindley Karstens

Blake Schmake

Three words: Tyler. Was. Robbed.

Judge for yourself (click Tyler's photo to view video of last night's battle on "The Voice"):

Also go HERE to read Tyler's gracious and classy (that's how we roll in Folsom, CA!) blog post on last night's performances and his elimination (and be sure to read the user comments below his post - I am not the only one who thinks Tyler should have won...)

Anyhoo, our boy Tyler did great. And I'm sure that America and the world will be seeing and hearing more from him in the future! He'll go far. And best of luck to Patrick. You're gonna need it, hehe. (yes I know Patrick was good too - just havin' a little fun here!)

"Great things are accomplished by talented people who believe they will accomplish them." —Warren Bennis