Monday, August 8, 2011

Daddy's Hands....nursery portraits


As my daughter's August 15th due date approaches, our whole family is completely engrossed in keeping an eye on her "belly"...so it only stands to reason that we would of course have to capture that "belly" in photos.  Miranda is so tiny, it's just really been amazing to watch her belly grow...and grow....and still keep growing.....(this pic was taken in the evening after she had worked for 10 hours, doesn't she look tired, I think she is finally "over" enjoying her pregnancy and ready to get it over with)

We managed to talk her hubby into letting us photograph his hands on her belly in a heart shape....and her BFF Hannah suggested we frame them for the nursery.....(awesome idea Hannah!, there's just nothing quite as charming as the sight of a man's large, hard-working hands holding his pregnant wife's belly, except maybe when he holds his new little one for the first time).   We are definitely on count-down....and every phone call from one of them, has us answering with bated breath (is it time?).

And I couldn't stop there, I wanted a picture of my daughter holding her belly as well, she was not thrilled with my idea as she is retaining quite a bit of water and feels her hands look huge...."oh pah-leeze".....
 The nursery is really coming together, and I'm getting anxious to take pics and share them with you.....andddd, I really do think these pics will look adorable on the walls....
 I just LOVEEEEEEE that belly!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Harlequin Baby Boy Security Blankie--"My 1st Wubby"

I know, I know, I'm kinda absent on here lately.....summer is just so busy on a farm, even a mini-farm...


So I'm just going to quickly show you my most recent custom order for a Baby Boy's Security Blankie--"My 1st Wubby".



The client asked for a baby blue color and the almond color, then asked for suggestions for a third color.   And since I absolutely love baby blue paired with chocolate brown, that is of course what I was hoping she'd go for....and walaaaa...she did! (I realize my amazing photography skills make the chocolate color look black, but it really is a deep, dark chocolate....still working on improving those amazing photography skills)
I kinda had a picture in my mind of how I wanted the design to look, but it ended up so much better than what I had envisioned....I think the border has a bit of a "harlequin" look to it....what do you think?

I again chose to use the organic cotton yarn I've been using on all my baby security blankies, sooooo very soft and cuddly...I'm still lovin' it....

And on a different subject...
My daughter is getting awfully close to her August 15th due date (I told her she has "popped" and "dropped" this past week)....and we managed to talk her hubby into some pics of his hands on her belly, too too cute....I'll be sharing a couple this week.  Her BFF suggested framing them to hang on the walls of the nursery and I LOVE that idea.   "Grammie" may just have to do that :))

Monday, August 1, 2011

WARNING: Political Post

I found the following article in my email inbox this morning...let me just apologize now if it's offends anyone, I normally try to stay away from political views, but just couldn't resist sharing.

from


A very interesting column.. COMPLETELY NEUTRAL
Be sure to Read the Poem at the end.

Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel...
He has been a journalist for 49 years.
He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.

Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day. It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000 People
-By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations & taxes. Who is the speaker of the House now? He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ...

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses. Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!



What you do with this article now that you have read it... is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax


STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom, if agreed, stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

Monday, July 25, 2011

What have I been up to....

Well, I finally finished my summer wreath....with the saying, "better late than never", yeah, whatever...anyway here it is...

I found my inspiration for this wreath from Scissors and Spatulas Blog.  Go check out her post for the full tutorial, and her tutorial for the Fabric Flowers and Rosettes.  I enjoyed every minute of making this wreath and I'm sure I'll be making more in different colors.  I chose to use reds, chartreuse, yellow and white as my colors to match the cushions on my front porch, but when you see the following pics of my summer flowers, you'll notice I planted most everything in pinks....what was I thinking you might ask...well I was planting at the same time I was helping to plan my daughter's baby girl shower....so pink was definitely on my mind.
 I at least had the foresight to use red pots...
I love this vintage copper canner...




My Brown-eyed Susans are just starting to bloom...

And "million-bells" are one of my all time favs...


Who doesn't love daisies!!! (this may not be what they are called in the different colors, but that's what they look like to me)

I've also been very inspired to try my hand at spray-painting this year after seeing all the fun projects on other blogs.  So my first spray-painting project was the following metal 4-tiered ivy plant stand which was rusted and icky looking, sorry I forgot to take a before pic...
I placed it on my front porch and placed my herbs on it as they were getting too much sun on our deck....my basil is not doing so great this year, but the rosemary and italian flat-leaf parsley are going gangbusters.  And the off-white pot that holds the pony-tail palm is most certainly next on the spray-painting list...
I've simply fallen in love with succulents...I had this small windowbox/frame in aqua blue, so a coat of pure white was def called for...then I painted the small cream colored plastic pots and planted a couple of succulents in them, then topped them with beach gravel.   They may very well be my summery fav...

 Note to self: next year plan colors better!!!!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Inspirational Quote -- American Indian

from

I found the following quote posted on a friend's facebook wall, fell in love with it, and informed him I was stealing it....
An old Cherokee told his grandson, “My son, there's a battle between two wolves inside us all.
One is Evil. It's anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego.
The other is Good. It's joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, and truth. The grandson thought about it and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
--author-- "I have no idea..."
from

Check out both etsy shops to see more of their beautiful photography and fine art.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Marine stuns crowd at party....MUST See Vid...

I found this vid in an email this morning and was sooo very touched I had to share it....it's just a couple of minutes.....so pass it on.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

And the W I N N E R is........

And the winner of our Giveaway is..............


(okay, so I still haven't figured out exactly how to show you the random.org widget.....sigh, I'll keep working on it)
Huge Congrats Marietta!  Contact Jami at jami@freckledlaundry.com

Marietta makes some of the most beautiful pottery I've ever seen...and as luck would have it, she agreed last week to become my next interview and GIVEAWAY...so stay tuned for that.  She is also an amazingly nice person :)

And I owe a huge, I mean HUGE "Thank You" to Jami for this awesome interview and GIVEAWAY!!!   She was so professional, yet warm to deal with.  A true pleasure...