Urban Restoration and All Kinds of Fun

Weekend before last, I went to Gilbert to get my much needed hair done and to

see some much needed girlfriends.

We started out having breakfast at one of my favorite places, Brunchies, in 

Chandler, AZ

If you ever go, and you like Mexican food...here is what you should get..

Chile Reano with the Home Fries.

I never get anything else. It will keep you full all day long and your tummy

will Thank You!

After breakfast, we headed out to

Some of my favorite bloggers,

Mike and Cat Curio http://jackandcatcurio.com 

are now partners with 

another couple who are owners of the

above. It was so good to see old friends 

doing something they love.

One of my finds was these darling coasters. D My plan is to

perhaps paint them white and change out the

butterfly pictures. I might paint the glass with

chalk paint and use them for place cards....

OR

I might put burlap in them and stencil numbers on them

to also use as place cards...we'll see. 

You'll know why the below picture is here in just a minute...

 As we were leaving, I spotted some round, iron, scrolly things.

Mike did not know what they had been. He said they just

liked them. Well, guess what...so did I. I was about to

head back inside to pay for them when Mike took them

out of my hands and then handed them back and said, 

"Happy Birthday"

I was touched beyond words.

It is not the first kindness he has shown me.

The world is blessed to have he and Cat ( his partner's nick name )

 in this world!

As soon as I got home I headed for the living room. I did

not know how I was going to use them but as I rounded the curve,

I spotted the two pictures above the buffet. I could not believe it...

when I held one up, it framed the other frame perfectly!

I was so thankful I had scored both of them!

And yes, in the picture above, you see green Christmas bulbs.

I don't care....they go with my new evolving look

and I love them there. :)

 Then, all of a sudden, I spotted my Waterford cake plate

from my mother, sitting on top of the buffet. Again, another perfect fit!

And then, it didn't stop there....

I took one and put it around my Waterford compote bowl ( again, from my mom )

on the coffee table.

Problem...I only have two and I want four!!!!  :)

 Just look at the perfect pattern of filigree..love it!

At first, before coming home, I thought I would paint

them white...

But No More...

Too Perfect, As Is!

Below is my birthday package from my dear friend, Bonnie.

I should have rotated it..sorry. She always does the most

beautiful packages!

Just look at this vintage tin Handkerchief box...

Be still my heart!

 The package also contained vintage decals and all

sorts of vintage inspired goodies with which to play.

I wish she had a blog so I could send you to visit her!

She took a beach vacation in New Jersey, this summer.

She brought me a darling packaged soap from there.

See the tag...Dream

I want you to dream it is turned around!

I am dreaming about playing with all my goodies and 

being back at our beach place in the fall.

For now, I am dreaming about being finished with a huge endeavor I started

that I hope to share before too very long.

Wish me luck. I don't know what I was thinking

when I decided to take the job on...

O.K. enough for now. Hope your week is going well

and you have something to dream about that is special!

 What a beautiful golf course.

I don't play golf but it is my husband's passion.

Not long ago, I rode around with him. I took my

latest issue of Southern Living to read

while he played the round. I also could not help

taking lots of pictures with my IPhone.

The views were magnificent.

Scroll down to enjoy some of the sites....

We came upon this home that had the coolest railroad

winding around the home.

And look where the train ended....

at the station, inside the home!

It was a beautiful ride and a beautiful day.

Unexpected Package

Turning 66 next week..

I have hardly thought about it 

as much of the year 

I have said I was 66 already.

But, yesterday, the postman

came to the bottom of our front deck

and literally slid a package across

the deck to the door.

I thought it might be some sandals 

I ordered from Belks...

Note to self..

Check on sandals tomorrow!

Instead, it was a birthday package

from Tennessee, from Suzanne.

I was flabbergasted!

Anyone that knows me, knows I 

do not like opening presents early.

When I taught elementary school

and would get presents from some

of the children, for Christmas,

it was even hard for me to open

them before Dec. 25th!

My friend, Bonnie, is the opposite.

Some of Miss Bonnie has rubbed off

on me. She says to celebrate all week!

Well, technically, my week does not begin until

tomorrow, so I guess I am celebrating 

for over a week.

I guess when one turns 66,

one deserves to celebrate a lot

more than when one was truly young.

Anyway, to continue.....

Suzanne will tell you, throughout the

years, my greetings from her have

more often than not, been past the 

event....which was just fine with me.

You see, I got to celebrate after...and

that was just fine!

Lately, however, she has surprised me.

This time, I was really surprised....

EARLY, Really EARLY.

I could not resist.

I opened it upon the spot.

I am not sure the mailman was

even out of the driveway.

I wrote a thank you note immediately, 

and it has gone to the post office

but I could not resist sharing this beautiful

package. Everything was matched

to perfection and oh my goodness, such sweetness!

 The handmade, adorable card..

 Just look at this beautiful bag and tag...

And people, this is the wrapping...

NoT the GiFt!!!

 This is what was hiding inside..

Love It...

We were together, I am pretty sure,

when we came upon this beauty,

in an antique mall, in Destin, Fl.

I have not a clue how she got it

without me knowing...

See the Bakelite across the top...

And There Is More

See that card tucked into this wrapping..

Isn't it darling and so coordinated.

The wrapping is a vintage tea towel.....

Can anyone guess what is inside the wrapping?

Oh Yes...Vintage Linen Book!

I will have many hours of pleasure looking

through this book.

I was thrilled with this special, unexpected surprise

yesterday!!!!!

If you happen to be reading this, Miss Suzanne, before

your mailed Thank You arrives...

THANK YOU !

One last look at all of the beauty!

Now I am off to work on a pretty big project!

More Bird Fun and A Fabulous Gift

 This is our itty, bitty, Hummingbird Feeder

 It has been getting quite a work out

the past few days.

We have a green one, and a yellow one 

and an orange one and just a plain brown

one. They have discovered our feeder

and I could not be happier about it. :)

They come and they go throughout the day.

We have almost had a hard time keeping the vials full.

They are quite noisy, too. If the doors are open or we are 

sitting on the deck, there is no doubt when one is coming around. Sometimes it is like they are waiting in line at the water fountain, like school children to get a drink!

The other wonderful thing that happened this weekend

is pictured below. Our friend, Verdis, has moved in with 

her daughter, Judy. ( also a friend! ) We were at Judy's

Sat. evening and Verdis asked Randy if he would like to

have the fabulous cast iron pot. Before Randy could even speak, I said,"I want it!"  It fits perfectly on my Bridge burner. I took this picture before I even cleaned it up. I was so excited to show Verdis how perfect it was on our 

stovetop! I had just read The Pioneer Woman's recipe 

for Sloppy Joes. My mom used to make Sloppy Joes and I 

loved them. I think I know what the first thing I am going to try in this wonderful gift will be, :)

Sweet

Look Closely...

Actually, in the above picture, 

it looks like one of the white petals

is pointing to the egg.

I bought this hanging basket for the deck.

As soon as it was hung, I saw a couple of sweet,

little birds, flying in and out of the container.

They made quite a mess, at the time, knocking

off lots of the plant's blooms. I wondered what

they were doing and they were such cute birds,

I didn't care about my plant getting demolished, 

sort of... :)

Well, I like to water it with rain water so I take it 

down and put it on the patio area when it is raining.

My husband discovered the tiny nest, which I know you 

cannot really see, and two little eggs.

The trouble is, he dropped the basket and the eggs

toppled out of the little nest...  :(

I got a glove for him and he placed them carefully

back inside the nest. 

I don't know if we have ruined the beauty or not.

Anyway, we are hopeful.

It has once again ( sort of tired of all the rain ) been raining most of the day, so we have not been watching to see if the sweet mom and dad have been flying back to the nest.

Fun Finds

 Oh, so many fun finds!

I took a little break last week end to go to a boutique

fair being held in the local high school parking lot.

I always seem to have a need to drive by my deceased

daughter's house, each time we come to our home here.

I had to pass the road to her former home on the way to

the boutique...

AND

there was a very large yard sale...

I

HAD

TO

STOP!

First up are two Ironstone dishes...

See the emblem on the back of them.

One had a little chip but I got them both for

five dollars.. Happy Face

These were what caught my attention first.

Six of them for a dollar each.

I don't know the pattern.

The back says, Warwick and has an emblem.

Below the emblem it says Made in U.S.A

I might have gotten this beauty for a quarter...

Another dollar...

See all the little bottles lining the sink..

Did I ever have fun sorting through all she had!

And what does this have to do with my finds, you

might ask?

My plant stand was too low, so I had to come up

with a solution...

I placed a stepping stone down and then put 

the one I mosaiced last year on top of it to hold the stand.

Now my plants show over the railing.

Close up of the stepping stone.

Those plates were added to the collection above 

and below.

See the little green medicine cabinet?

I plan to mosaic it on the top rounded part and the very

bottom part that is hard to see in this picture.

I plan to use it in the valley ( Gilbert, AZ ) home

when we remodel our bathroom.

I have not decided yet on a pattern.

I do most of my mosaic work on the deck.

We just had the tongue and groove planks added

to the ceiling. They are painted the same color as our ceiling

in the living area in Destin, Fl...

Sherwin Williams Window Pane.

I am sure it will be even more fun to play out there now.

And, last today, but not least,

the bench my husband painted and revived

for me.

Got it years ago on a cross country trip,

with girlfriend, Suzanne, when I still

had antique booths.

This sits in front of some roses that are

not blooming, for some reason. :(

Anyway, I have decided the back rails are

calling out to have me mosaic them, sometime in the future...

So, I still have an excuse to look for dishes...

if one really needs an excuse!

Happy Day!