Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Coffee Break!

Sometimes nothing will do, but
a cuppa coffee...

I looove Starbucks, I seem
to always have a coffee card
around here that's good for a
mocha or two!

But sometimes,
I just need a quieter spot,
and
 I find myself
 
HERE!


~The Hotspot~

Isn't it about the cutest espresso
stand you've ever seen?

 


The Hotspot Espresso Stand!


So grab yourself a cuppa coffee,
find a shady spot to
kick back,
and
enjoy a
quite moment!

I hope your enjoying these last days
of summer!

Always, Debbie~

Friday, August 26, 2011

Something New...No, I Just Painted it WHITE!

Not too long ago, I wanted a new(to me)
vintage cupboard, for my dining room!
Something
pretty and WHITE, 
(of course)
 to hold all my (new thrift) China...

Funny how sometimes it's hard
to see past something
right in front of you!

~my little pyrex cupboard~

This cupboard is very small,
(perfect for my small dining room)
I know it's probably out of
some sweet English or French
kitchen.

I've had it for years, it was hiding
behind all my colorful Pyrex.

A few of my blog readers
ASKED
(inquiring minds) why I wanted
something different,
when I had this adorable
cupboard already???

Hmmmm!
They were right, it was the perfect
size...and honestly why not?! I
already had it, why pay for
something else...

Let the transformation begin!

Yes, I had even painted fruit on it!


~My McGiver sanding all the fruit, getting ready for paint~

~sanded~


~My new to me China~

In what feels like a new
China cupboard!

I was so ready for a change...
Letting go of color
and going

WHITE!

~my china cupboard today~

It's amazing what a coat of
WHITE paint can do!

Remember, if you don't like it,

PAINT IT!

I still have my beloved
Pyrex, it's stored away
and brought out for
summer parties
or for those times
when we just need some
COLOR!

Thanks so very much for
visiting my blog,
and I would looove it,
if you'd leave me a
comment!

I'm linking to Cindy's blog
My Romantic Home
for

Please go visit as many of
these folks that you can,
they always have such
fun and interesting
things to share with us!

Always, Debbie~

Monday, August 22, 2011

Old Fashioned Foxgloves!

Don't you just love Foxgloves?

I've never planted them. They
always seem to know how much I love
them, and reappear each year!
They're so old fashioned,
a perfect addition to my
 cottage garden! 

Most are biennials,
they need two years to bloom and then die in the fall.
Mine reseed so prolifically it seems they're perennials.
I usually have two area's in my yard that have
several growing at one time in the early summer!


I get a few different colors, but
these lavender colored beauties,
seem to visit me more than
their dark purple, white or light yellow
sisters!

Just starting to show some color!
~my garden~
I think they're beautiful before they bloom out too!
~my garden~
Beeautiful!


image Better Homes & Gardens


 Do remember you can get
Foxglove poisoning!

Foxglove poisoning usually occurs from sucking the flowers
 or eating the seeds, stems, or leaves of the foxglove plant.

This is for information only
and not for use in the treatment or management
of an actual poison exposure.
If you have an exposure,
you should call your local emergency
number (such as 911)
or the
National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
Poisonous Ingredient
  • Deslanoside
  • Digitoxin
  • Digitalis glycoside
Where Found

  •  Flowers, leaves, stems, and seeds of the foxglove plant  
  • Heart medicine (digitalis glycoside)

Symptoms


 Possible symptoms include:

  • Blurred vision 
  • Confusion  
  • Depression  
  • Disorientation or hallucinations  
  • Fainting  
  • Halos around objects (yellow, green, white)  
  • Headache  
  • Irregular or slow heartbeat
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite  
  • Low blood pressure  
  • Rash or hives
  • Stomach pain
  • Vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea
  • Weakness or drowsiness
  • Hallucinations, loss of appetite, and halos are usually only seen in people who have been poisoned over a long period of time.
    http://drugster.info/ail/pathography/2875/
 I got all this info from this link, it has more details and tells
you what to do if you believe you could have Foxglove poisoning!


Thanks for visiting my blog!
(Is anyone else having problems leaving comments?
It's very frustrating, I've tried & tried to leave
you all comments. I want you all to know for some reason,
I'm just not able too...I know if you're like me,
the comments keep us going, right?!
 It gives us affirmation proof someone is reading our blog,
and we looove knowing you've been here!
I'll keep trying, once in awhile I get to leave one,
but very seldom)!

Always, Debbie~ 

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

San Juan Island!

We had a wonderful vacation
on San Juan Island.
My McGivers sister invited
everyone to come for a
'Family Campout'!

It was wonderful, 
Pat & David,
were wonderful hosts!
(pampered us beyond belief ).

We took Lulu with us and
she had an amazing time.

We stayed in our Nomad (just happy) trailer.
(I stole that line from my cousin Lisa).

It was my maiden voyage in it,
and I really enjoyed the comfort.
The rest of the family (adult children and
their children, (grandchildren) slept
in tents. His two other sisters also
live on the island, and opted to go
home to their own beds...


~photo taken by Lacey King~

Our little home home away from home!

This is the view out our door!

~we're camping in their large side yard~

~photo taken by Lacey King~

Early morning visitor!


~photo taken by Lacey King~

A 6am. heart to heart with Grandpa!


~taken by Lacey King~

The story telling tipi!

We had two wonderful evenings
of story telling and singing songs in the tent!
The first eveining we took turns adding onto
 a bear legend story, by looking at a
fabulous folk lore bear picture! 
The next evening we 
sang old time camp songs,
Auntie Pat and Auntie Pam
printed off for all of us!
What fun we all had!

~taken by Lacey King~

Looking up through the top of the
tipi!

~photo taken by Lacey King~

Trevor, looks like his imagination
is in full swing!
~Sportz, always our faithful companion~

Doing what he loves best!


Audrey & Lulu

Rushing down to the beach!


Pants rolled up, checking out the beach very carefully!



Audrey's the only one that see's a shark!!!


Phew...it's just a rock!


~a Different beach~

Everyone loooved beach combing, they found
lots of wonderful little eels, crabs and
sea stars to look at, 
and then released them
all back into nature!


~Simply beautiful~

A walk through the woods to the other
side of the island (South Beach).

Oh My!



Mona the camel, (yes camel) 
lives on San Juan Island,
she's famous...she's on the label of one of
San Juan Vinyards wines!

Mona Vino is only sold in the tasting rooms...


~Washington State Ferry~

Our mode of transportation to and from the island!

I looove riding on the ferries, there's
just something about them...
Not sure what it is, but I always
look forward to my next ferry ride!


~a free concert~


 Island Rec. (San Juan Island)
Music on the Lawn Concert series...
Deadwood Revival –
Progressive old-timey band with feel good music.

They were wonderful, and the setting
doesn't get much better!

~Uncle David groovin' to the music~


~Lulu loves to people watch~

She's listening to the music,
while keeping a watchful eye
on the crowd behind us!

~*~ 

We even had an art project!


~Lacey watching Audrey working on her art project~


~Lulu decided to make hers for her Mama~

Auntie Pat & Auntie Pam
had this wonderful art project
for everyone to make!
They had just about everything
imaginable to use
in or on them,
it was so much fun!

~*~

We had a wonderful time, the
weather was glorious and it
was so much fun visiting
with family!

Thanks so much for visiting
my blog, and I'd looove it
if you left me a message!

Always, Debbie~

Thursday, August 4, 2011

A Collection of Hearts, That Rock!

Sometimes a collection just happens,

With a whole lot of Heart!

...and

this one's the best,
because it's
not only fun,
it's
Free!

One lead to another, and
before I knew it...
I had
 a
~beautiful ~

HEART
ROCK
collection!
~BIG ROCKS, small rocks, fossil rocks~

My little paper duck has seen a lot of years,
and the bird nest he's holding keeps
getting torn apart by some critter...


~found rocks, gifted rocks, even a pink rock~

~a lot of peace & Love rocks~

~the Love U rock, speaks for itself~

Do you see the broken heart, top left?

Some are so perfect, and others are
perfectly imperfect!


~I love how some have such flair~


~This jolly ole rock brings a smile~

But, it's those with heart, that ROCK!

~wide, flat, and smooth~

ROCKS!

~some large~


~some wished upon, and some barnacled~

~perfectly imperfect~


~so much heart~

~some blurry hearts~

~Awww a sweet heart~


I found them here, there and
 everywhere! 
(here in Washington
Some have been gifts from
friends,
found in far away places,
like Belize!

Such treasures!

Others,
simply
have appeared at my feet.

My Grand kiddos love to hunt
for them now!

They're given with so much 
LOVE!


I'm also finding out, other
friends collect them too...
How fun is that?

What do YOU collect?

I just got back from vacationing in the San Juan's,
so I'll be adding new heart rocks to my
heart garden!

I'll be linking up to Cindy's blog,
My Romantic Home
for
and
Beverly's blog,
How Sweet the Sound
for
Pink Saturday!
Please visit as many
of the participants that you can,
they're very CrEaTiVe!

Thanks for visiting my blog
and don't forget to leave a
message, they make my day!

Always, Debbie~

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

If You Don't Like it, Paint it!

I hated this flat hollow door,
smack dab in the middle of my
dining room.

I've shown this before,
but I decided to show
it again, because it's
been such a favorite of
ours!

I bought a beautiful
vintage screen door
to put there instead,
but it was way too big

I bought an old window
pane door, but it wasn't
the right size either...

What have I always done
when I couldn't get something
to fit or work out...
I painted it, yep I did!

Here's what I did with that old
flat door.


It's really hard to see, but I decided
this door was going to be a 3 panel door!

Yes I did!
 First, I measured out the 3 panels,
then I drew the 'Pantry' lettering.

 I started by painting the top panel,
basically it's just a shadow,
giving the illusion of a panel...

Next I painted the lettering on,
it took some time to get this part done,
but I'm happy with how it turned out!

Then I painted the chalkboard paint onto
the two bottom panels!



Huge difference right away!


I was loving it already!



You can tell I was excited, the paints still wet!

We love it this way,
 and our Grand kiddos probably
love it even more!

There's one slight problem
with it though...

Well maybe a big problem,
I didn't sand off the door paint,
and you've probably guessed,
the door paint is a good oil base
paint, and the chalkboard paint isn't.

So, the first time brand new chalk
was used, it scratched the chalkboard
paint right off, leaving what I wrote
as a constant reminder of what I
shouldn't do...I do know better.
So, sometime soon, I will have
the job of sanding it all off and
starting over...

But you know what?
It'll be worth it, because
I looove this old door now!

Thanks for visiting my blog and
I'd love it if you left me a comment!

I'm linking up to Cindy's blog,
My Romantic Home,
for her wonderful new
 Please go check out everyone's
painted goodies, they're
wonderful!

Always, Debbie~