And the winner is.....

#36, Patti from Pandora's Box! Congratulations Patti, I'll get it out to you as soon as I get your address. I wish I could send you all a pillow, but I have some in the works for the shop if you must have one, and I'm working on the pattern so you can sew it yourself if you would rather:>)
Many thanks for all the kind comments. If you didn't win this time I have some more fun giveaways up my sleeve for this summer. Stay tuned!

A Blessing Of Berries

Earl's favorite Uncle showed up a couple days ago with a load of fresh picked berries. This is the Uncle that sometimes drops off a big bag of wild Morel mushrooms or a fresh pheasant he got during hunting season. Once I asked him if he could save me some pheasant feathers and he brought me the whole pheasant.

 Alive.

Don't ask me how he got a live one....but I digress.

This time he showed up with a big bag of berries. A blessing for sure. Enough for fresh strawberry shortcake and a batch of freezer jam. Yum!

 This will taste like summer when the cold winds blow!

 That is, it will if we don't eat it all before winter;>)  

And just for a little extra fun, if you're making freezer jam of your own, you might want to print out these cute labels I made.  I printed them on card stock, but if you have label paper, even better! Then just use some fancy scrapbook scissors to cut a scalloped edge.

You can find them on my new Graphics page, just click on the picture and  print.

 Have you gone berry picking yet?

Don't forget, this is the last weekend before the pillow giveaway ends. I'll be picking a name Tuesday morning so go leave a comment now!

Dahlia Cupcakes

This weekend I helped a friend decorate cupcakes for an open house. It was getting dark by the time we finished and my photos didn't turn out. So I had to make a batch at home.

 Darn:>)

These cupcakes are super easy and I think they are just the cutest ever.  You simply cut mini marshmallows in half diagonally, toss in a bag with colored sugar and arrange the "petals" around the frosted cupcake in layers to make the flower.  I used white pearl cake decorations for the centers, and I had to use red sugar because that was all I had.  Go figure.

These look adorable on mini cupcakes too.

Don't forget to comment on my giveaway post for a chance to win my ruffled flag pillow.  Giveaway ends Monday, June 27th so hurry!

A Fourth of July Giveway!

Oh happy day! Summer is finally here for me. I have been wanting to do a giveaway as a thank you to all my loyal readers and friends, and now seems like a great time.  You all mean so much to me, and I really mean that! Some of you have been friends for most or all of the 4 years I have been blogging, and I hope our friendship continues for many more.You've lifted my spirits when I was down, given advice, listened to my woes and cheered on my victories.

I love you for that and so much more:>)

So, I just couldn't wait any longer to post this giveaway. This is the prototype for my new pillow. I hope to have some in the shop by early next week, but for now, I am giving this one away and I'll send it out in time for you to get it before the 4th of July weekend.  The giveaway ends Monday June 27th, that should give it plenty of time to get where it's going before the holiday.  Here's how to enter:

Simple really, just leave a comment! If you want a second entry, just mention this giveaway on your blog and then leave me a separate comment to let me know you helped me get the word out.  Please, please make sure you are either signed in to your blog so I can contact you, or leave an email address so I can reach you if you win.  If I can't reach you, I will have no choice but to pick another name:>(

So tell me, what kind of fun do you have planned for the 4th of July weekend?
This giveaway is now closed.

Sharing this project on:

And:

Button, Button

Don't you love these covered buttons? I had a beautiful old tablecover embroidered with these pretty blue flowers that was terribly stained. I hated to throw it out, so I purchased cover-your-own buttons at the fabric store and gave it a shot. I love how they turned out and they are so unique. Think of all the  damaged linens that could be saved from the trash this way!  I can see these down the back of a wedding dress as the something blue can't you?

 I haven't forgotten the give away I promised you either. In honor of the beginning of my summer, I will be posting it tomorrow. Here's a sneak peek;>)

Oh say, can you see?

Bet you can tell what it is. ♥

My Bowl of Cherries

I woke up this morning to the leftovers of our busy weekend. Dishes in the sink, the Sunday paper on the floor, laundry to be done.  Not the kind of house that inspires beautiful photos of the latest makeover, upcycle, decorating binge.  One more week of my school job before my summer truly begins. The week ahead is crammed with an open house, birthday party, baking, helping friends move, physical therapy sessions for a bunged up shoulder as the result of a spectacular clown like fall at work,( holding the remains of my birthday cake no less!) and lots of family time.  I'm getting to the give-away I promised, really I am, but it may be the end of the week rather than the beginning. I think it's worth the wait:>)

This life may not be the perfect photo op at the moment, but it is beautiful.  I'm betting that your summer is filling up too.  So tell me, what is it filling up with? Family? Camping? Parties?

I can't wait to hear.

Salad Days

I just looked up the term Salad days, Wikipedia says it refers to a youthful time, accompanied by the inexperience, enthusiasm, idealism, innocence, or indiscretion of youth. Well I don't know about  you, but summer seems full of idealism and innocence to me, and it always makes me feel a little younger to grab a cool glass of tea or lemonade and a fresh salad and head out for a little down time in the shade!

With the weather heating up, it has been in the 90's here for the past two days, I love a cool, easy salad for dinner.Here is a good one to try.

Asparagus with Tomatoes and Feta, served warm or cold. We tried it warm and I added a splash of balsamic viniagrette. Delicious and healthy. You can find the recipe here.

How about you? Do you have any new salad recipes to share? Just add them to the linky below!

Six more days of work and then I am off for the summer, I just. can't. wait. I'm working on some fun things already and gearing up for a little give-away next week to celebrate my summer freedom, so stay tuned!

Pinterest

Do you Pinterest? Need an invite? I have a few left, just let me know in the comments (I'll need your email). In the meantime, I'm having a blast! Happy Saturday:>)

Stash Busting

Is it really June already? May went by in a blur of raindrops here. They say out of the last 60 days, 40 of them have been rainy. The inch of water in our basement confirms that. How I wish I could send some of it to those of you who are going through drought.

May was crazy busy, last Thursday Earl and I  cooked an appreciation dinner for 21 volunteers in our churches Children's department. Yard work, cookouts, and I have been trying to get through the yards and yards of fabrics I have in my stash. Time to stock the shop.  

I am having so much fun mixing and matching colors and patterns.  Who knew I had this much pink and green?  I hope to have some fun things for Hens in Daisies by the end of the week.

Now I'm grabbing an iced coffee and taking a quick walk in the cool morning garden before work.

 Any special plans for June?