Busy Time

So much going on over the last few weeks.  I've been waaaaaaaaay busy!!

Remember the bed I made last month for my niece's dog, Milo?

I think he likes it.

Doesn't he look comfortable?

Too bad he roots for the wrong team.  I'm a die-hard Red Sox fan, and I wish he had better taste!

 I bought this framed print at an auction.  I love the simple rose print, matted with sage-colored silk.  The gold frame, not so much...........

So I painted the frame.

Then I got busy in my kitchen and dining room.  I did the semi-annual decor switch.  I like red in the fall and winter, and plum in the spring and summer.

So into the attic went the red valances.......

.........and the red rugs.

And up went the plum-colored valances (in the dining room),

cornices (in the kitchen),

and rugs.  This is the dining room rug,

and these throw rugs are in the kitchen.  And then I switched the dishes.  And the pictures on the wall.    

And the towels, potholders, napkins, placemats and dog dishes.  Yes, dog dishes.  Out with the red, in with the plum.  For six months.  Then I'll switch back.  

I started thinking that it's been several years since I sewed those valances, so maybe it's time for a change, time to freshen up the look and sew something new..........and then I stopped and gave myself a reality check.  Maybe next year.

I've also been spending lots of time at the ball field!  Evenings spent coaching a team of 13 to 15-year old boys (we are currently in second place in our 10-team league), 

and afternoons watching Erin pitch for her high school softball team.

And then it was time for the Senior prom (that's Sean in the middle, behind his date in the pink and white dress).  

Yes, Senior prom and then.........

his graduation!

And this past weekend, a graduation party for Sean.  Which means that for the last month, I've been frantically trying to get my garden in shape for the party.

 Filling the planters on the front steps......

 and on the deck..........

 and by the back door........

and by the driveway..........

 and then hoping that I can keep them healthy and thriving!

 The hanging baskets..........

at the front door.......

 the boxes on the deck..........

 the window boxes,

 newly installed for this year.........

wondering if I planted the right flowers for the amount of sun and shade that they will receive?

And in the midst of my preparations, goofing around with my camera, taking pictures of the perennials that are currently in bloom!

 The clematis......

 dianthus.......

and my favorite peonies.

And a new favorite, in my deck boxes.  I don't even know what this flower is called, but I love the way it's starting to trail down the sides of the containers.

I've still been doing lots of cooking, I just haven't had the time to blog about it!

 Things like rotisserie chicken sandwiches with a layer of bruschetta,

  topped with cheese and broiled until everything is all melty and gooey and wonderful.

 Caprese skewers; chunks of fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes and basil slices drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

And red velvet brownies topped with a cheesecake layer.

But best of all, in the middle of my planting-decorating-cooking-graduation party-planning frenzy, a package arrived from Pam at Virginia Retro.

I had won her giveaway!

I honestly can't remember the last time I won anything.  But fortunately for me, my luck changed at the right time, because Pam's giveaway was incredibly generous!

!

A vintage yellow rose table topper.  Made of crisp, wonderful linen, with tags still attached!  And a lovely how-to book for creating greeting cards.  But possibly my favorite part of her giveaway was the bonus "packing material"........the vintage rose tablecloth you see in the bottom of the picture!

It has issues, which makes it PERFECT for crafting.  I'm going to make some pillows with it, one of which is going to find its way back to Pam.

Please check out her blog, Virginia Retro, where she shares her love of vintage tablecloths (she has about 200 in her collection)!