Anniversary Week Recap

We declare Anniversary Week a huge success!

Monday we headed to Ballard to Mike's Chili Parlor. We kept hearing about this place on food shows and were intrigued. The original Mike had passed his meat-only chili recipe down through 4 generations. It was fabulous! I had it over spaghetti noodles with beans, cheese and onions. Doug had his over a burger patty. We loved it so much we went back on Saturday for more! Next on our Monday itinerary was to explore Magnolia. The day was gorgeous! We stopped at Bill the Butcher for an organic grass-fed mock tenderloin to have for dinner. We have been waiting and waiting for Bill's shop to open in Edmonds...maybe this summer???

Tuesday we had lunch at the Edmonds Community College Culinary Arts Cafe. We love going there. A gourmet meal for cheap. Brioche rolls, soup or salad, entree...all for around 7 bucks. I had the Chicken Cordon Bleu and Doug had the Rib-eye. Yum. Then we were off for a pedicure together at Amai Day Spa in Country Village. We capped off the day with appetizers and drinks at Emory's on Silver Lake. They rebuilt after a devasting fire and the place looks fabulous...and the food is stellar!

Wednesday it was off to the Maltby Cafe for breakfast. I used to go a lot back in the day but Doug had never been. The cinnamon rolls are still huge and food is still delicious.

Thursday we stayed home and rested...our bellies and our bodies! Yes, you can have too much of a good thing!

Friday was our 'fanciest' day...Lunchbox Laboratory. Oh my! Fabulous food, fun vibe and great service. We really loved this place. My burger 'Homage to Dick's Deluxe' was a beautiful blend of flavors and textures. Doug had the Dork (!), a blend of pork and duck, that he thought was delish.

Just one of the many lunchboxes on display. The 'threat' did not phase our appetite!

So now, just writing about this, I am full again. Full tummy and full heart. We had a wonderful week to celebrate our last 25 years together!

got bunnies?

Happy Easter everyone! Just wanted to share a collection of mine....Cottontailers. Those little ceramic bunnies with a hole in the backend for dispensing cotton balls.

I purchased my first one at a garage sale over 10 years ago. Since then I have been picking them up at thrift stores and garage sales and have been receiving them as gifts. I am at 56 right now and am always looking for more! Why? Because they make me smile. I have them grouped on a specially made shelf in my laundry area...reserved for Cottontailers!

Have a great day...and enjoy what makes you smile!



25 Loooonnnngggg Years!

Who are those young kids?

That is how long Doug and I have been married. Happy Anniversary to us today! This week is all about food and fun! Doug took the week off and we are eating at all of those places we have always wanted to try. Local, sustainable, organic, funky and famous. I will be posting about our gastronomic adventures later this week but for now...off to get a pedicure together!

Love you, honey!

Rack and Roll

Thursday I picked up these babies!

The storage capacity!

The wheels!

The color!

I called my Dad; asked him if he wanted to go for a road trip; picked him up from the Anderson Island ferry; and we headed to Aberdeen. And yes, it was the rainiest, soggiest, coldest day of the week! But Lisa of Seaworthy Home and her husband Steve helped us load them into the truck, lickity split. On our way out of town we checked out the Grand Heron. Beautiful store, but we were so distracted by hunger, cold and feeling like drowned rats that we couldn't give it the attention it deserved. But pop in if you are in Aberdeen!

All in all, it was a terrific road trip. I don't spend near enough time with my Dad, so it was a real treat to have him all to myself for a day...and he bought me lunch!

Can't wait to put these racks to work!

New Beginnings

I spent Monday setting up my new little space at Town Hall Antique Mall at Country Village in Bothell.

It was good medicine. Creating, arranging, visiting.

Sam only had a 6' x 4' case available...but I was ready to take the plunge.

Plus, I welcomed the challenge of working in a small space...it is after all for Lisa's Little House!

Ta Da!

And I made a sale while I was setting up. A fine start to a new adventure.

I am really excited about this new chapter.

And I have been so welcomed by the folks there already; like I am one of the family.

 And that means the world to me.

A year ago today...

...my step-dad of nearly 40 years passed away. I can't believe it. Some days it feels like yesterday.

Rod fell head over heels in love with my mom and wasn't a bit daunted by the fact that she had two little kids, 7 and 5 years old. He was still head over heels in love with her on the day he died. He told her so that day, like he did everyday. Important lesson here. Tell people you love them; every chance you get.

We tell stories; we always have as a family. We reminisce...a lot. We have so many stories to tell Henry, the first grandchild, when he gets here in May. He will never meet his grandpa, but he will know him. He will know what a practical joker he was, how much he loved books and learning and how much his family meant to him.

Mom is doing good. She recently drove herself to Salem, Oregon for a visit with my in-laws. A very big and brave step for her. Ophelia is getting ready for her first wedding anniversary and Henry's birth. I have been working on this junking business of mine and reconnecting to my home and garden.

We are adjusting to our new 'normal'. But still missing him so.

But I hope that Rod would be proud of 'his girls'...

Fat Book Swap

My page front and back

I really love swaps! For me, it is a super good excuse to create AND I have a deadline. Without a deadline, I would be lost! But that is another story for another day.
Last Saturday our monthly Artist Trading Card (ATC) group met at the Urban Scrapbooker in Edmonds and traded ATC's and then 9 of us stayed and swapped our Fat Book pages. After the pages are collected we bind them up however we like and enjoy!
In the past we have done a Halloween Fat Book and a Winter Fat Book. Of course, I loved the House theme! I used metal tape measure for my roof and red twig dogwood from my garden for my tree. I had picked up some mini-picket fence at St. Vinnie's on my last visit to Mom's so I wrapped some green wired stuff around the pickets and added some pink wired stuff for blooms. The back is an aeronatical map of the Puget Sound region, just because this is my home!

Lisa R & Caroline C side 1

Caroline C & Lisa R side 2

Cheryl H & Joanne C side 1

Cheryl H & Joanne C side 2

Linda B & Jane K side 1

Linda B & Jane K side 2

Nan did a pop-up page

The pages are best with lots of 3-dimensional detail. That makes them nice and Fat! And even though everyone's style is so different, as a book it all works due to the common thread of the theme. Now I need to work on my cover and get these babies bound up.
I love the pages I received in return; a little slice of Home from my swapping buddies.

The Curious Nest

It started with this darling necklace. Andrea Savar, proprietress of The Curious Nest in Seattle, posted this limited edition necklace as a fundraiser for Japan on her blog. Loved the cherry blossom bling and the worthy cause...so Friday, Ophelia and I took a drive to her shop. Oh my goodness. I have always loved Andrea and her vintage French pretties and she has outdone herself with this cozy 'nest' of a shop. It is filled with vintage French goodness along with Andrea's own jewerly line, Debbie Savar's (her mom) original paintings and various other local artist's work. It is a happy place with something for everyone.

One of Debbie's paintings...the detail and colors are beautiful.

Beads, baubles, boxes! Paper, pillows, paintings!

Andrea also carries The Salvage Studio book...so I autographed all she had...fun! And then I saw goodies by Laurie Cinotto of LaLaLaurie and Hazel's Vintage Pretties sachets from Katie Galbraith. It was like attending a party and some unexpected friends showed up.

"Urban Nests" for Urban Birds
Colorful nests filled with found objects.

Metal Star

And I loved these colorful creations from Kim Groff-Harrington.

Some vintage jewelry pieces from Miriam Haskell and some glass goodies.

And of course I had to pick up some treasures. Some will be used for my May Day Charm. I haven't decided what yet!

Beautiful birdcages filled to the brim!

It is hard to take a photo of a window display...but look at all the goodness inside!

Thank you Andrea, for your warm greeting, your beautiful Cherry Blossom Necklace fundraiser and creating a cozy 'nest' for us to visit!