Reminiscing...our handmade doll house from a Christmas long ago~

Several years ago I drove out to my parents house while they were away and took several
snapshots of the dollhouse that my parents made for my sister and I one Christmas. I'm guessing
it was made in the 60's. We adored that dollhouse and as I got older I could really appreciate the love
and care that went into making it. It was so special to us!

My mom used a large cardboard box and her attention to detail was amazing! Dad made the wood
items, but she created all the rest of it.

It has seen better days, but I will always love it.  After all it is decades old, but it still stands.  My
daughter played with it when she was small along with several nieces of mine and I am pretty sure
that my granddaughters may have played with it as well. I will have to check that out.

I just love this little wooden candle-holder that my daddy made!

Mom even added a picture above the fireplace that I am guessing was from a
Christmas card. She didn't leave out any details for sure.

Girls just HAVE to have a mirror. (smile) Poor little chest of drawers is showing it's age, but
that's ok. I am too! ha!

My mom  used a round oatmeal container for the chair and even added a ruffle. 

The curtains with rick rack...can you say PRECIOUS? 

My dads attention to detail on these beds was a sign of the wonderful cabinet maker he would
become in the years that followed.

A crocheted rug...or knitted? I'm not sure, but mom sure made it special!

Mom added wallpaper along with "wood" floors and "bricks" on the fireplace with a black marker.

Not just any old pillow, but a lace edged pillow for her girls. 

I am so very thankful for my parents and their love for us all through our lives!! Dad is almost 87
and mom is almost 82 and I am so thankful that they are still with us. They were the most loving
parents a child could have and instilled in us right from wrong and brought us up to
know and love Jesus. What a legacy!!

Merry Christmas to each one of you!!
Blessings~

Trick-or-treat!

Just look what I found!! A pretty little mermaid  getting ready to go trick-or-treating.

...along with her sweet little sister. Aren't they both so precious and don't they make
beautiful little mermaids? :)

My son also donned a costume ...lol!

Hubby and I went to our son and daughter-in-laws place and trick-or-treated with them and the girls
 last Saturday evening. We had a lot of fun, although just as we were starting it began raining so we
 had to break out the umbrellas.

The above photo is an apartment building that we walked past.

Two little mermaids getting ready to head out for treats.

 {yes I got the photos in the wrong order...sorry}

Grandpa and Grandma all ready for a fun evening with the pretty little mermaids. ♥

This was my costume! HA HA! We did look for ears on the spur of the moment, but didn't find any.
 Annika wanted me to say "meow" at every place we went so I tried to oblige her. HA! They are only
young once and we are making memories. I found out when I became a grandparent that I will do
things for my grands that I have never done before! :) Fun, fun times that will pass all too soon
 and they will be 16 before we know it. I am treasuring these days and holding them close to my
heart.

Some recent finds and around the house

Oh my goodness!

It is sooooo hot here. Supposed to

hit 102 degrees today with a heat index that is

much higher. I will be very thankful when the heat lets

up as it is hard to do anything at all in this weather.

I have been mostly staying indoors except for yesterday

when I ran off for a haircut, pick up a prescription and to

buy my hubby some food/drink for work.

Looks like another day of pretty much the same so I

have been paying bills online , a little laundry and

staying inside! Our little air conditioner is working

it's heart out. We ususally run it at night and then turn

it off during the day because it stays pretty nice in here

with fans etc., but I haven't shut it off yet today from

last night. Just too hot!

Remember the antique booth I went to several weeks

ago and got my french items? I also purchased these two

candles in the same booth. Aren't they pretty?

My favorite corner and lampshade again

some of my old dried hydrangeas in a birdcage

Last week I headed up to the antique mall where I

used to have my booth and spotted some sidewalk

sales so I stopped back at them on the way

home. There is a very nice upscale home store and

that is where I purchased most of my items including

the dried lavender laundry sachet above. It is a nice

large size. You throw it in the dryer for a nice

lavender scent...haven't tried it yet. :)

I also found this burlap pillow cover for $2.00!! Can't beat that. Now I just need to get a pillow form

for it.

Then I picked up two linen stockings with the initials

*S* on them. They had probably half a dozen or so

and they all had the same initial.

I hope you are having a good day today and if you

are in the midst of a heatwave like we are please stay

inside and be very careful if you do go out.

Also, please say a prayer for my hubby and son who

both are working in this awful weather.

Blessings~

Front porch serenity

My ivy geranium on my front porch has really

taken a growth spurt lately with all the rain

we have had and I love it.

I don't know if I have ever told you, but we live on a dirt road

{what other kinds of roads are there in Michigan!}

in a two story house that was

built in the 1890's. We have lived here for over

29 years

and truth be told we will probably always live here.

Once in awhile I get the urge to pack it all up and

move ,but then when I think of all the work

involved ...yea, it stops me dead in my tracks! lol.

Our home sweet home still needs a lot of

work! We went through several years of babies,

lay-offs, machinist strikes, etc. and the time

just has never been right to fix it all up

like it needs to be.

We did replace the siding ourselves one

year when the kids were still at home, hubby

was working 10 or more hours a day and he was

also coaching our sons little league team at the time.

He would get home from work, we would literally

throw a couple pieces of siding on the house

and then run off to a game. I don't know how,

but we finally did manage to get it all sided

that year.

However those little *finishing touches* like the

soffit, trim etc never got all done. Almost , but not totally.

We are hoping to get that accomplished this

summer but once again...

Hubby is working a lot again so that doesn't leave much

time. We also need to replace a few of the windows.

Hopefully within a couple years we will get that

accomplished too, but God is good and I do enjoy

my little corner of the world...most of the time!

Remember this mirror? I think I had photos up

of it last year when it was dark green. I gave it the white treatment and it goes so much

better now don't you think?

A birds nest that I found while trimming bushes one day.

There is still part of a broken egg shell in it.

I purchased this wicker stand one year at a garage sale for $5.00! Still can't believe that price.

I love anything architectural!

I love this bush when it is in bloom. Also loving this plant

stand that I purchased for 5.99.

Don't look too close! The allysum in the pot is almost

dead I think...but it is coming back now slowly

but surely. lol.

View from the west end of the porch.

One of these days I would like to paint

( I mean...I would Mr. Wayside to paint) the green

table and chairs white and our dark blue shutters

white as well. I also want to get a new market

umbrella for the table. All in due time.

I just planted a lilac bush at this end too so am

anxious for that to grow and fill in the space. Once in awhile I toy with the idea of hanging

airy curtains at this end of the porch too.

What do you think?

Hope you enjoyed your tour of my front porch.

Maybe next time I can get better photos of the

glider and other items that I missed.

Blessings~