A Fanciful Twist

Most Special Little Girl + Free Garden Gift Tags

It's a very special day, oh me, oh my!  A very special day indeed! It's the birthday of a little girl, a girl dearest to my heart...

 

 

I wish that I could have recreated her extra lovely chicken piñata (or is it a rooster?), but I have other tricks and treats up my sleeve.  Hot glued fingers and countless hours, making something scrumptious for that sweet little girl, whom I love and adore...

 

 

Of course for her, I would be willing to turn over the keys to my studio and more, plus all my treasures, because I love her so much - as I type this, I might cry.

 

I'll tell you a little bit about the ruffle dress wearing little lass, for she infused me with tales a plenty, and possibilities of wildest imaginations come true (and still does).

 

You know who that girl is, with the giant white cake?

 

 

The one, who's fiddlin' with her buttons, while her guests so patiently wait?

 

Why, that little girl is...

 

My Mom.

 

Mombie, Mommy, Mammie, Mom ~ that's her.

 

The most specialist girl in my life, it's true.

 

 

 

I had her all to myself for almost 6 years, when she brought other stinky babies into the mix, haha!  But that's okay, because life wouldn't be the same without my brother and sis.

 

 

 

It's me, then a sister, then a brother you see.

 

And Dad, of course.

 

Those are the characters that make up my little nucleus, my pot of solid gold. (I drew this as a silly christmas card, many years ago, of our family.  Alas, goodness knows what is on my head in the drawing, a hat I think ?)

 

 

 

It all starts with Mombie, Mommy, Mammie Mom, who is the queen of our family.

 

 

 

Bold and strong, and carefree too.

 

I love her more than words can say.

 

So, join me in cheering Hip Hip Hooooray, won't you please?

 

 

You see.....

 

She is 60 today.

 

She told me that, when she thought of the number 60 in the car the other day, she lost her breath and started to panic.

 

But I said, 60 rocks, and when you are 80, you will wish you were 60 ;)

 

But, that might not have been too comforting.  So if you are 60 or above, do tell her how lovely it is going to be, this age of 60, please oh please (lie, if it isn't, tee hee).  She visits here often, and will read your kind words...

 

 

By the way, she told me I could tell you her age, so I am not being rude.

 

I actually can't find any current photos of this girl-woman, to save my life, except for the back of her head, or the top of her head, or the side of her head, isn't that sad? 

 

 

So I must remedy that, and take many more photos, faster than fast. (of course, I have many photos that she would kill me about, if I posted, so I won't, haha)

 

 

 

When I look at the photos of her as a little girl, it yanks at my heart strings so much.  I am not sure why... 

 

 

 

Anyhow, I just love her.

 

Soooooo, I was putting together her gifts, and I decided to make some gift tags.  Then I needed a recipe card, to include with her peaches, so I drew some up...

 

I will attach this one to some sunflowers, a pumpkin, basil and other treats from my garden...

 

 

I think it is a lovely touch for my gifts below, don't you?

 

 

 

Then, I will attach this one to some baked goods...

 

 

 

Of course, then I needed a recipe card, go figure.  So I whipped this little guy up, and am about to jot down a recipe, to go with the basket of peaches I am gifting her....

 

 

 

A peach cobbler recipe for a basket of peaches, isn't that scrumptious? 

 

Mmmm, yumm. 

 

 

I also made a little stack of garden cards for her. 

 

Then I thought, why not share my garden gift tags with you?  For personal use, at your leisure.

 

So, I will.  All you have to do is....

 

CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR A PRINTABLE PDF

 

 

Give the PDF a few seconds to open.

 

Easy as pie.

 

Well, I best finish decorating, and ungluing my fingers...

 

 

 

See you suuuuuuper soon.

 

 

♥,V

 

 

ps:  Random Things, 3 you say?

 

1)  I would rather eat real food than sweets, or preferably savory treats.

 

2)  I love to wash my face.

 

3)  I am mean when woken from a slumber or if I fall asleep on the couch, and am woken up.  Having to wake up and go to my bed annoys me to pieces.  Grouchy grouch.  And, I have to sleep at least 8 hours a night.  Once I fall asleep, the chances of me waking up are very slim.  I even slept through the huge early nineties earthquake in California, as the ocean waves splashed into my room.

Pleasant Little Day

There are several kinds of days that I love, however, there is one type of day, that I just adore.  Those are the days where I get to stay home all day, tucked into my room, cleaning, dusting (once in blue moon), listening to music, organizing trinkets and treasures, and simply being.

 

It's so super lovely to just get to be peaceful in your own space.  Folding laundry, tidying up drawers and taking a moment to appreciate the things that you love to surround yourself with...

 

Today I picked out some of my dried flowers to share with one of my beloved Madonna statues.  I love to create little shrines, and made her a new little shrine space today.  They bring me so much joy.  I am also adoring the shade the coral roses dried in.  A very dark brilliant pink...

 

I quite love lighting a candle or two, the warm glow is so lovely.  Do you enjoy candles?

 

I think that it is days like this, that also infuse the soul, and replenish my mind a bit.  It's like a tiny vacation.  Playing with pretty things, and bonding with your space.

To add to today's loveliness, it has been lightly raining, and deliciously overcast (a treat in sunny Arizona).  The storms are a reason you did not see me yesterday or earlier today.  The storm has been playing with my internet connection madly.  I hope I have success in posting this...

As for playing with trinkets - I like to move some of my things around, leave them in their new space for a while, then move them again.  Do you find yourself doing that too?  Part of collecting treasures is taking the time to enjoy them, and I do think that moving them around aids in the enjoyment factor.

 

My little vintage gold bag (clutch) above is a daily use staple for me.  I carry immediate necessities in it.  Library card, debit card and anything I need right away.  I also carry a giant wallet and a 40 lb. carpet bag (clutch and wallet ride inside the giant bag), but that's a tale for another day (maybe it's not thaaaat heavy - more like 20 lbs.).  I have been carrying the same huge carpet bag for a decade (you have seen it here before, I think?).  I just fall in love with things, and they become a part of me in a curious little way.  Do you have an item you have used for the past decade (or longer), daily?

One thing I miss from the city house are my perfume bottles.  Even if I only use the same signature scent -been using my scent since I was 14, and never tell a soul, soory ;) - I still love perfumes and perfume bottles.  Too much scent gives me a headache, but a light breeze infused with a tinge of scent is quite yummy to me...

On these, cleaning of the little room days, I love to figure out ways in which to organize jewels and trinkets.  Recently I picked up what looks like a cast iron fireplace surround (at Sue and Jerry's).  It had some places where I could tie lace across, and so it seemed a perfect place to hang earrings and such from.

 

The tip about lace is that, it is perfect to dangle earrings from, because you can simply weave baubles (like earrings) through the lace, and they hold safely...

I will weave a few more earrings through the lace after I visit with you, and vacuum (something I like to do almost everyday). 

A day to just be, is cherished indeed.

  

Actually, I do believe that I am off to snuggle in my red chair, read a little, and simply sit and watch candles flicker.  I will vacuum tomorrow ;)

Yes yes, that sounds like the perfect thing.

That and, playing dress up with my wee boy...

;)

I think that scarf is totally him, don't you?

 

♥ ,V

 

 

ps:  Eye spy, with my little eye.

 

 

Twins who have decided to stay and grow!

 

 

Growing fast too...

 

pps:  3 random things.

 

1) I have never plucked my eyebrows or altered them in any way.

ps to #1:  Pictures of me freak me out.

 

2)  When I am really stressed I can slip into a catatonic space of nail biting.

 

3)  I can spook myself silly, on a whim.  Reason to not watch scary movies :)

 

4 - extra one -  I LOVE the two fat ladies, and Mister and I watch this episode at the 3:38 mark (over and over), just to see Clarissa's face at the pony remark.  Hilarious.

Treasures from the Vine & Little Gardening Truths

One of my greatest endeavors = this year's garden.

 

I am smitten, and yet, I feel like somehow it is slipping through my fingers, and I am not basking in it enough.  I don't know why.  Maybe it's sort of like being the hostess of a busy party?  Mister Lovee suggested this to be the case, and I quite agree.

I do stand and admire it, and attempt to soak it all in.  I feel a bit in a state of shock, at the beautiful magnitude of it all (for me it's a lush garden, but maybe not so lush compared to those of you in a cooler and wetter climate). 

The giant sunflowers, the pumpkins, oh the pumpkins.  I have lived with the vast desire to grow pumpkins for years and years.  It seems like a dream to me in a way.  So many years of trying, and this time it worked.

 

The key.

Plant early, early, early.

I water twice a day.  I only fertilized the soil (organically) twice in 5 months.  No bug spray, nada, nothing to save me from the gophers except for me having the idea to push shishkabob skewers and popsicle sticks into the ground, all around my plant roots, to make it harder for gophers to get to them.  It worked, for a while.

 

If you know how I use tape - imagine how many popsicle sticks are in my ground :)

I used metal bars too (pushed into the ground, like the skewers and popsicle sticks, around my plant roots), and hit the bars many times a day with a large hammer, to make noise in the ground in an attempt to deter gophers.

I also started digging my planting area depth a bit extra, and lining the underground with chicken wire, as gophers eat your plants from underground.  Wow - what a job that was.  Alas, the early plantings were not in chicken wire. (btw, the rabbits have been aggressive too, eating most of my dahlias & much more)

 

Still, the stinky gophers attacked many times.  Oh and, I think I told you this, but my first planting of about 500 seeds were growing beautifully, and then were gone from one morning to the next (gophers and birds), so I had to plant everything again, way back in early March.  The goal is not to give up and keep forging ahead...

Recently I woke up to dead vines, that had two beautiful flourishing baby pumpkins on them (pumpkins unharmed, phew - vines, not so lucky).  Attacked by gophers over night.

 

I can't bring myself to kill the gophers, so I just try to protect my plants (next year I will plant above ground or figure out something better than plunking seeds right into the bare ground).  But, I would be lying if I didn't tell you that, I have woken up every morning with gopher fear.  I don't much like finding gopher holes and mounds, and missing 3 foot plants and healthy vines.

 

Yucky business I tell ya.  But, oh well, what can you do?  Just be happy for what survived, I say.

And, I am.

My gardening is like, super naked organic gardening.  So, I think I did okay.  I am pleased with the fruits of it.

 

Actually, I am greatly pleased. 

Okay, okay, I confess, I am obnoxiously over zealously thrilled with my garden.  Although it has been a ton of work, it has been totally worth it.

:)

  

Over 3oo packets of seeds, and most of the vegetable seed packs were some I found in my old desk, from 2004-2006, expired, yet they grew (I also planted new seeds).  I did all of my planting the last week in February and the first week in March.  We have the option to drain our washing machine into the garden, and so we did.  That, and 4-6 hours of tending the garden a day on my part, is what has helped the garden survive the summer heat, and the animals.

What an incredible experience.  Growing things.

 

I feel like I have not even begun to share photos of the garden, and all the varieties of flowers.  I will try to work on it, if you are interested that is?

I have thousands of photos, and just need to go through them all...

I got a huge break this past week and weekend.  We got rain.

Beautiful skies dropped buckets of rain.

We got to wade in it (it was a lot of water), and play hooky from having to water for 2 days.

 

The peach tree is puddling on the ground with the weight from the rain and the ripening fruit...

 

I found a beautiful peach cobbler recipe in Victoria Magazine (Victoria Classics ~ Special Issue~ Rooms of Bliss 2010).  I can not wait to try it.  A few more days for the peaches, and I will be baking... Yippee!

 

But, the moment I have been waiting to share, came right after the rain this weekend...

When our big baby, was ready to come inside (squeal, snort, skip, cackle).

Punkin' Love, oh punkin' LOVE!

I kissed it.

I hugged it.

I put it next to Mister Lovee while he slept, to surprise him.

My beloved, large, baby punkin' head...

 

I am so glad that so many folks told me there was no way I was going to grow pumpkins. (none of you of course)

You know why?

Because, I believe that every time someone says something negative to you, 10 good things happen to you.  So therefore, I grew pumpkins...

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

I am tickled orange!

 

Small, medium or large...

I love them all the same.

 

And, if we are lucky, there are more interesting squash loves on the way...

 

But for now.

My Family's Portrait.........

Aren't they handsome?

Pinch me.

Did they really grow?

Oh yes, they did, they did, they did! Hoooray!

I must confess, this whole thing has me feeling positively WITCHY!

 

Bwahahahahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

I have to go, cackle calling.  Must polish broom, on the double!
 
 

♥ ,V

 

ps:  Click below to read the 3 random things for today ;)

Snapshots (and a mish mosh of tales) from a Week in Time

Where did the week go?  Can someone kindly tell me, because time keeps on slippin' slippin', into the clouds, it seems.  Between tending my garden and painting, I am in some odd time warp.  Lost, on the other side of the looking glass...

Come on in for a spell, and I'll share some snapshots from this week.  I can't tell you how hard it is to decide on what photos to share, since I take a thousand a day it seems... 

Flutter in through the trees, and pick out a cozy branch, won'tcha?

 

I'll start with something purely tropical, since some of my friends don't want to hear a word about autumn ;)

 

So, here's how this part of the tale goes.

Oh wait, I have to preface it with this........ 

Now, first of all, imagine you are in a place where it is 120' F in the sun, and oddly (out of the ordinary) super humid, since monsoon storms are supposed to be rolling in, and clouds are packed with moisture.

 

If you can't imagine what that sort of heat feels like, imagine putting on 3 pairs of leggings, jeans (which are super tight over those leggings, and yuckily uncomfortable, to where you can't breathe or sit). 

Also put on 6 tank tops, and two wool sweaters over them.  Then put on your long wool winter coat, a scarf, earmuffs, and then wrap your whole head in a long wool blanket.  Then, put on 3 pairs of socks and a pair of Uggs.

Now, go outside (it's summer) and lay in the sun in that outfit.  Then try to do things, like pull weeds.  Oh, but remember, the air is thick, so you sort of have to moon walk.  And, I don't mean the dance move, I mean literally moon walk, slowly, through thick air.

That's Southern Arizona in summer :)

Anyhow, it was hot like that, when we went to sleep one day this past week.

In the morning, it was still a bit hot and muggy (it is normally drier than dry here), but I could feel a cool breeze moving in.  Interesting I thought.  I did some yard work, and then, as I have been doing all summer -I jumped into my outdoor bliss, hidden amongst trees and curtains...

This delicious place, always takes me to a far away land...

 

So, I hopped in.

If I could only convey, what it is like in the outdoor shower...

 

If you have ever bathed under the trees, with the light glimmering through the leaves, then you know what I am talking about.

In a word?

Heaven.

So there I am, looking up through the trees, imagining I am in paradise, when thunder roars through the sky, and the temperature starts to drop.  Oh what a treat!  3 months of heat makes you a bit nutty.

Thunder in the morning is odd, because monsoon rains typically only visit in the afternoon.

The clouds become thick as can be...

 

More thunder.

And then, it starts to rain.

A peaceful tropical sort of rain.  I mean, really tropical.

I squealed out loud.

Twice...

 

I am certain I heard Christopher Cross.

Absolutely certain.

It was awesome to be out there in the rain, under the trees.

I am tucking that one away for the memories, for certain.

 

Oh oh, and what about visiting the chickens around the bend and finding these?

Beauties!! 

Not only that, while picking up our eggs, we ran into someone with homemade corn tortillas, still hot, right off the griddle.

We had an awesome breakfast that morning.

Eggs, avocados, fresh salsa, hot corn tortillas...

YUMM!

Aren't these eggs just precious???

The blue ones are itty bitty.

My partner in crime and I have had one heck of a lovely of a week...

Everyday he trusts me more, and gives me more and more love.  He has always given love on his terms, but truly only on his terms, with a huge amount of personal space issues.  But, that has changed like 180' (okay maybe more like 120', but still).  I think he was badly treated where he lived, plus he was the runt that no one wanted.  No one but me that is.  I took him in a heart beat.  9 months of endless love later, he is morphing...

Wonderful, what love can do.

 

Ohhh, remember when we got him??  Oh preciousness!  I love fur babies.  I sort of want a sheep and some little pigs and chickens too.

Dancing and howling.  We howl in unison.  I LOVE IT!

(We call my Dad and howl to him on speaker phone)

 

I want to do a post about all the things I have learned about puppies, in order to help others.  When I first got Matty he had so many quirks, and I had buckets of questions.  Questions that I now have answers to, that I think might be beneficial to others.  What do you think?  Shall we do a post where all of us who have fur babies post any words of wisdom we are willing to share?

9 months of smothering Matty with love (and major learning curves for all of us), and his little heart is telling him to let go, to have no fear.  He follows me around, every step, every move.  He has changed a lot since he lost Baby.  He needs us more.

I am happy to have him need me.  I am happy to love him and kiss him until he lets me know, the fun is over, and he takes off.  He is so funny!

Plus, he only likes to play his games, and gets annoyed when I want to play Jane Austen Lives...

 

One day he will set the table for tea.

I just know it.

:)

I'll tell you one more funny Matty story, since he is 80% of my life these days. (please don't get annoyed with my over zealous puppy love, tee hee - oh and, don't even remind me that he is not a puppy anymore, I am so not accepting yet, haha!)

So, here is the deal.

Rabbits are everywhere, but they are almost too fast for Matty.  And let me tell you, he is faster than fast (you should see him run, it blows my mind).  But they can escape out the gates, and Matty can't get past the gates.

Anyhow, I was watching him the other day as he took his stuffed rabbit (he beyond adores stuffed animals), and placed it in the bushes where real rabbits normally hide.

 

Then, he did the funniest thing.  He ran back to the bushes and caught it.

That's his scary face :)

 

Yep, he planted his stuffed rabbit, and then pretended to catch it.  Is that genius or what?

 

Silly...

 

Cutie...

 

PIE!

 

My Dad says I have turned into one of those crazy pet owners.  And I said, "who has pets?  Oh, you mean fur babies?"  And he says,"OH FOR HEAVEN SAKES! Your Crrrrrazy..." 

Isn't that funny?

OH!  I almost forgot to tell you.

There were fairies in the property next door 2 mornings ago.

 

Those are not light orbs.  They are not reflections.  They were real fluttering creatures.

Plain and simple.

 

Believe me or not.

They were there, and it was AMAZING!

Also, I was gardening and could feel something on my shoulder, going down my arm.

Guess what it was?

Why, it was a wee caterpillar.

How sweet!

 

I took him back to the cilantro, on the double...

 

In more frivolous, but quite lovely news.  Mister Lovee, gifter of all matter of lovely accoutrements and treasures, gifted me an antique cameo a few days ago.

Isn't that touching?  I cherish anything he gives me. 

I am positively in love with my cameo...

I wanted to wear my new to me cameo with a different pin he gave me years ago, of a tiny coral rose.  I went to the box to get the coral rose, and the box was empty.  OH NO! 

For a week, I have been maniacally searching for the tiny rose, as it should have been in the box (I have only worn it once, in Winter).  But I am about to give up.  As things only turn up in my world when I stop looking.  Plus, my house looks like trolls and wart hogs live in it.  Messy...

For now I am not worrying (just hoping the little rose pin turns up), and I am adoring my antique cameo, and taking extra care that leprechauns don't snatch it up.

As I was photographing my cameo, I had this deep desire for a real dress-up fest.  Of the most wickedly silly and satisfying variety.

 

I all but missed the Mad Tea Party, which makes me so sad.  And, I have not gone out on the town in a long time...

Please please, grab my hand and pull me into the fantastical world of dress-up.

Won't you?

 

I've started with a few bracelets, stacked almost to my elbows.

You lead the way.

Hasn't this been a nutty babble filled post?

And, I haven't even had coffee or candy.

Maybe I have cabin fever?

I am itching to keep working on some art pieces, so I best be off.

I can't show you much, or I will ruin the sharing when I complete them...

 

Isn't that a silly snippet?

Okay okay, I promise I am leaving now ;)

Have a super awesome weekend!!!

 

♥ ,V

 

ps:  So, shall we still do the three random things?

 

Okay let's see.

 

1) This song makes me smile from ear to ear. (Note to Cori, tell me please, what does this song makes you want to do? That I might want to do too?)

 

2)  I am utterly sad I missed the Mad Tea Party festivities, because I could so use a Mad Tea Party right now.  I have been peeking into other's parties (totally gob-smacked by the way, you guys are INCREDIBLE!), and wishing I could have been there.  Alas, it was not possible at the time...

 

3)  We never eat pasta.  Maybe once a year.  Or Rice.  Isn't that odd?  I am not a huge pasta fan.  Although, as I get older, I like it more.

 

I guess that's all folks.

 

Oh, you say you want another more interesting random thing?

 

Hmmm.  I can touch my toes to my head. SCARY! ;)

 

Adios for now...