Roses and Lilacs

As I told y'all in my last post, my lilacs are blooming. I was all ready to get some to bring in for vases and we had 3 days of cold and rain! I finally got some yesterday afternoon! My husband and I also went estate sale-ing this weekend (the only kind of sailing we do!) I got some pretty antique and vintage rosy china pieces. I am a total sucker for roses..especially pink ones! This is a sweet little creamer...

And the "matching" sugar..they do match, but they have different rosy decals!

These were on an antique celery dish. Celery used to be considered a luxury and it merited its own dish! So pretty!

These were the lilacs. I couldn't decide on the vase so I did 2. This one is a vintage (probably McCoy) matte white urn shaped one. I looove these. This one holds flowers and when it is cold, it can hold vintage Shiny Brite Christmas ornaments, shells or my mother of pearl button collection.

I am a former farm girl so these old blue canning jars always hold a special place in my heart. On the Etsy forum I frequent, today we were reminiscing about canning and all the canned goodies we remembered growing up. I need to dust off my jars and get to canning this summer! I guess first I need to get my garden planted.. lol. I hope you are not like my sisters and still looking at snow and your day is coming up roses! Until next time! Julia

Lilacs and Butterflies

Ohhh..you guys are totally going to hate me! Look what I found in my backyard this morning! THE LILACS ARE BLOOMING!!

I can never get used to how early they bloom here. In SD where I grew up it was late April or May. One year I missed them blooming and I was so bummed! Lilacs realy don't do as well in the South. When we moved in this house there were 2 almost dead bushes. I dug the grass away from their roots and Miracle Growed them for a few months. The next summer they took off! They still aren't as spectacular as up north but beggars can't be choosers. They..smell..heavenly!

This little guy thought so too..not sure what breed he is. In my hometown, in the park they had rows and rows of lilac bushes..they were huge. When we lived in Fargo, the bushes in the backyard were 12-15 feet tall. You has to climb on the roof of the garage to get the big blooms on the top!

These always remind me of my Gramma Hardie too.. she loved flowers and had lilac perfume. I didn't pick any today, they are just starting, but I will have vases full on my table later in the week! Wishing you great surprises today too! Until next time! Julia

Sunrise, Sunset...

This was the view out of my bedroom window the other morning..the sun was rising in the east and this is the western sky..all pale lavender..

Sunset the same night out of my kitchen window..so pretty! I should've had my camera this morning when taking my son to school. The sun was rising and the clouds looked like pink and grape cotton candy in a peachy sky..the Lord does good work! Today I opened all my windows and let the breeze blow through. I washed my sheets and toted them to the clothesline..only to find it had been unstrung when my husband and his buddy moved our shed earlier this spring. After some finagling, I had it back up. My 2 yr old grandson was "helping" me. He learned the tough lesson of "clothespins and little fingers don't mix". There was a few tears but his Nina soon distracted him by showing him the "cave" the sheets make when you climb under them while they are folded in half on the line! I am so looking foreward to those sheets tonight! We surveyed my wreck of a garden from last year (I think a blow torch would be handy!) and took a hike down the driveway looking for his momma's cell phone which she thought she had put on the top of her car and drove off with last night. No luck finding the phone (which tells me it is hiding elsewhere) but we did spend time throwing pebbles in the puddle at the corner of the driveway. Who needs toys or 'toonies..just give a 2 yr old a puddle and some rocks and he is happy! Hoping you all had a great day too! Til next time! Julia

Vintage map paper mini wreath wallflowers

Hi guys! This is what I was working on today..tomarrow I will probably be back to listing in my vintage Etsy shop. It is hard to juggle! If the grandbaby is uncooperative ( he wants to "help" me take pix) maybe I will do artsy things instead.

These are a smaller version of my vintage map paper wallflower wreaths. These are 8' across.

The centers are a mix of vintage and new glass and pearly beads. The paper is vintage map paper and pronunciation pages from the back of the book. I like mixing the text with the map bits.

There is also a layer of hand dyed aqua crinkled paper petals to seperate the inner petals from the outer wreath...I think it gives it a pop of color.I want to do these in other colors. I amazed my hubs by not glittering the edges on them..(I have a bad glitter addiction!)These are made to hang on the wall but you could add a ribbon and hang them anywhere. These are my daughter's hands..my fingers are now bright blue..it looks like I choked a Smurf or something! The 2 yr old was NOT amused w/ Nina's blue fingers and demanded that I get it OFF! It may fade with dishwashing..I just despise using gloves. Blue flowers are a rarity in the natural world but not in mine! Hoping you day is filled with cheer! Til next time! Julia

Spring has Sprung

I have been noticing things budding and blooming around town and itching to get pics but it pretty much rained every day last week! Yesterday the clouds parted . I spent the morning estate saling and on my way home I snatched a couple pics. It was so sunny, I could hardly see what I was taking pics of... I just pointed and clicked!

This first one I think is a Bradford pear tree. The one in my yard isn't this far along yet. I spied this one by the church we have cubscouts at the night before..it was so pretty! All fluffy and white.

This one is forsythia. These are so bright neon yellow..always one of the first shrubs to bloom. It was like my camera could not even capture the yellowness of this! I have always meant to plant a couple of these..I have not accomplished it yet!

I'm not entirely sure WHAT this tree is but it is absolutely breathtaking. Those flowers are the size of my hand and they are such a gorgeous pink! They are shaped like magnolias, but my magnolia is evergreen and this tree sisn't have any leaves yet. I spent this afternoon watching my daughter play softball in Kentucky. She is a senior in college..seems like she was just in T ball! It was beautiful. They got beat but she had a good hit and some excellent catches in center field. It was breezy but warm. My condolences to my sisters , friends and parents in South Dakota..they were hip deep in snow last week! Hoping Spring is on the way for you too! Until next time! Julia

Sheet music wedding flowers

Hi guys! I apologize for the gap in posts..I have had a horrible cold for the last week and a half! I'm getting back to work..things just pile up when Mom is sick! This is what I was working on today. These are some sheet music paper flowers I made for a wedding bouquet. These are made with the bride's personal sheet music. She picked pieces that held meaning for her... you can even see her notations on a couple.

The centers are silvery flashed crystal beads.

I like how the different "densities" of the music lend a different look to each layer...there is even a layer of musical "text".

Each one is different. One the edge of one of them, you can even see the words "All You Need Is Love"!

She is planning to mix these in her bouquet with real flowers and peacock feathers...I think they will look fab! Hoping your day is coming up roses.. Until next time! Julia

My vintage Map Paper Roses

Hi! I have been making these for awhile. I learned to make roses when I was a teenager, making them for my cousins wedding. She had 8 attendants who all carried baskets of flowers, her flowers, altar flowers, groom and groomsmen, flowers for the hall..My mom and aunts and I made bushels of flowers! I reused those skills to make these. The idea came to me one night while I was TRYING to sleep. That's when my brain usually goes to overdrive! I like the pastel colors of the old maps..buttermint, sherbet-y shades. This is a full blown rose I am working on. Still need to add a leaf and calyx.

These are some boutonnieres I just finished for a wedding. The groom's flower has a crystal beaded heart encircling 2 larger beads (bride and groom). You can sort of see it upside down at the bottom of this pic.

A close up. I have some more vintage paper flowers I am working on for another person's bouquet. Those are a different style and made of sheet music..when I am done I will share here! I hope everything is coming up roses for you today! Til next time! Julia