Our Springtime Front Door

Do you change your curbside staging by the season? There's nothing I like better to do. Especially in Springtime. I wanted to show you the Springtime décor on our blue front door. I will also change up the two urns I keep on either side of the porch entry just as soon as I get the grapevine lit up trees from Christmas, out of the urns, I will fill them with yellow faux forsythia blooms. I do make changes for Summertime, Fall, Christmas, and Valentines Day. Spring is, by far, the one I most enjoy. Especially this year after the long hard winter we endured. It snowed 27 out the 28 days in February. We had frigid temps, slippery roads, buried mailboxes, mountains of snow piled up at the ends of our driveways - which is all melting down now. Spring is definitely approaching quickly. The birds know it - starting to set up housekeeping on my patio. The chipmunks know it - skittering across the bricks on the patio. I haven't seen any crocus popping their little heads up yet, because they're still buried in leftover melting snow.

I made a trip to Hobby Lobby last week for the specific purpose of bringing home materials to make a Springtime look for the front door. I brought along my 40% off coupon from Sunday's paper, which I applied to the yellow paper parasol which cost 6.99 (4.89 with my discount). I also bought 5 stems of these beautiful yellow flowers which were regularly 4.99 each but were on sale for 50% off. (12.50 with store discount). For $17.39 I have Springtime at my front door. 

Hobby Lobby carries these paper parasols in various colors. You'll find them in the birthday party décor aisle. I thought an umbrella would be the perfect vehicle to fill with Spring flowers. As you know the olde saying: "April showers bring May flowers".

Happy Springtime ♥

Happy Birthday To Me

I had a birthday last week. I think that's sufficient reason for celebration. My son and daughter in law took me out to lunch at one of my favorite restaurants. They presented me with this "oh, so long awaited Springtime" bouquet. I had a delicious lunch of tomato bisque soup, chicken cutlet on a bed of arugula, and a latte with a plate of Italian cookies.

On the following day, I celebrated with my BFF. I met her at the Street of Shops, which is an antique mall, cum vintage shops, cum furniture refinishers Paradise, cum flea market........plus a small café. There's approximately 200 vendors, each with their own booth/space which they decorate to the "nines". Some with stenciled walls, faux wall treatments, curtains, rugs, room settings. To me, it's nirvana.

This is my favorite "room" - all white - vintage furniture painted white



New vendor - mostly white again - her name is on the banner - she "reimagines"

 

Revamped White "big girl" tutu in TamiLyn's shop 

I always come home with something. Here's what came home with me this time.


If you knew me you would know how appropriate this little plaque is


 

Sparkle Plenty Lace Baseball Cap

Twinkley star garland - I took it right off the white chest of drawers (above)
 

We capped off our day of delight with a stop at an Italian café/gelateria to have dessert.
https://www.facebook.com/orienscafe

I'm not finished celebrating my birthday yet. A friend is taking me to lunch this week and I have a coupon for free birthday gifts from Sephora which I need to pick up in my birthday month (March).
How do ya'll celebrate your birthday?????????

Welcome to Crochet Zoo

This past Christmas, I crocheted a little hat for a baby on my Christmas list. I made him a doggie hat.

first ever animal hat

I enjoyed that process so much, I decided I would make lots of animal hats and add them to my etsy shop.

I enjoy the process of crocheting up a plain little hat then operating on it to make it into a recognizable animal to keep baby's wee head warm and cozy.

After you've made a couple of the same pattern, you tweak to get all the kinks out and make an item that is your own personal style. Now I use the same pattern for all the hats. I like the single crochet process because those close together stitches create an airtight fabric that prevents the entrance of cold winds and temperatures. Then I set about adding the elements that will let you know what kind of animal this is.


These are the animals that dwell in the animal zoo department in my etsy shop. You'll find them in the "kids knits" section.

Bunny

chick

Foxy

Panda

he isn't an animal - he's a minion