What I've Been Doing Lately 11/5/2013

BTW, this post right here is my 1,400th post. Can I hear a round of applause or a hoorah or something equally cheery?! Hmmmm. Let's hear it, now!

This is the Posh girl or Fancy Nancy, better known around her as my great-granddaughter, Miss C. She is intrigued by the Fancy Nancy books and her mom (my granddaughter) and my daughter, (whose name is Nancy and Miss C calls her Fancy Nancy) are ordering them for her. I'll be doing the same so we have to coordinate as to not duplicate them. She is never without a book. That's her favorite "accessory" as her mom puts it. She also says the most amazing things trying to be like Fancy Nancy. (I highly recommend these books for young girls. They are adorable!) Also the books called Anna Hibiscus about a young girl in Africa are her favorite books and her mom highly recommends them also. She asks many questions about that continent now. This photo is Miss C going to her school. It's a kind of expensive school, actually a pre-school, but how many pre-schools have a chef! He prepares them wonderful snacks. Today she has so much Hello Kitty on—courtesy of her grandmother, my daughter—that she looks like an advertisement for Hello Kitty! :-) My daughter's RV is done completely in Hello Kitty and she's 51 years old! She's indulged by her hubby and she indulges Miss C. Sigh.

Okay, this is one of the things that has kept me so busy lately, besides maintaining my diet, running to doctor's appointments, and generally, just treating myself to a few shopping excursions for makeup. Can we ever have enough? I think not. ;-)

So this is one I made for me exclusively for in my family room. It has a pillow of stuffing I made underneath to give me more cushioning for my feet. I've photographed it here in our living room, but read on.

I also made this one, but it stays in the living room. I made these out of a drop cloth and it was really "on th' cheap"! I think we paid about $20 for the drop cloth and I got these two covers made with all the ruffles included. I then stenciled the letter "C" and the designs on the corners. The stool cover on the top also has the letter "C" on it also but that was after I took these photos.

I had to finish off all the edges of the fabric as canvas drop cloths are loosely woven and will start fraying in the wash, but all of this fabric was washed twice before I cut into it. BTW, it washes beautifully and I don't iron it afterwards. I like the looks of it that way. As I said, this has been washed a couple of times and I think it looks great. Decorating on th' cheap is my favorite way of doing things. I already had the little stools and they've been covered several times.

I moved my old sofa back into the living room as I absolutely love it more than the new one, which is now in our family room. I've had it for 18 years and the man who came to dry-clean it a few weeks ago said it looked brand new to him. Well, I take very good care of my things. But this Ethan Allen sofa really is my favorite of all times. I'll never part with it.

I think it goes well with the French chair I got from Ethan Allen a few months ago.

I used a Dusty Lilac craft paint for the stenciling as I love that color and it looked better than the pinks I tried on a scrap of the drop cloth.

Now, how about this darling caravan! Is this posh cute or what? If hubs had this kind of camper I think I'd be more enticed to go along with him.

I'm not fond of the colors of Fall. I detest orange and don't have it in my home. But I do love the coolness of the season. I like cold, or at least cool, climates. So why would I decide to live in the desert? Well, I feel a peace here I don't feel anywhere else in the world. I've lived in 3 deserts 4 times in my life and each time I felt "at home" there so this is where I'll spend the rest of my life. Hopefully.

Talk about a "posh" bathroom. Red walls and a fantastic chandelier certainly qualifies this one for posh status!

This one looks like something the old movie stars of the 40s and 50s would have. Also very posh. We're using that word a lot around here lately because of Miss C. (See above if you've forgotten.) ;-)

A craft room I could love. It would be pink though.

Another cute and all-in-one craft, sewing, computer room/office. I like this one a lot.

I like this room because of its cheerful yellow color. Plus it has a red rug to offset a lot of the yellow. Pink and yellow is my favorite color combo. I'd probably paint the walls pink  but keep the yellow chairs. I think they're adorable. But I had yellow walls once and didn't care for them as much as my pink walls now. Another time; another place. ;-)

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If you knew how many times I read and re-read these posts before I hit the "Publish" finding mistakes, it would amaze you. I do the photos first and then add the remarks about each photo and then—usually—add the story when I put a story first in the blog. I read it over from Previewing it several times and each time I'll change it. It's a lot of work but I'm sure most of you do this also.
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Linking up with NMH.
Linking up with Pink Saturday.

Whatever Happened to......

I now have over 12,300 images on my Pinterest. I pin just about every single day as I search the internet for gorgeous images. I strongly suggest you go visit and see all the photos as I doubt I'll ever get them all on this blog. With over 9,700 followers, I can assure you that you'll love looking at all the eye candy I have: beautiful rooms, laundry rooms, pastries real and faux, random places around the world, gorgeous couture and handbags, bedrooms, campers and caravans, aprons, fancy bottles, furniture  and lamps I love, china, pillows, kitchens, bathrooms, porches, patios, pretty craft rooms and offices, just lots of stuff to see. I don't earn any money doing this, just the pleasure of seeing them and sharing with others. GO!
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I hate cleaning house. But I like a clean house, especially clean floors as I go barefooted most of the time. If I'm not barefoot I have on socks, but no shoes.

So today it was time to clean the floors. I hate this job but it has to be done and I don't like asking th' hubs to do things I can do as he does so much more than I do anyway. Me? I love to just sit and read or come in here to my office and Pin or blog.

I usually use a Swiffer in addition to my Tyson vacuum.

But today I thought about the old mops and brooms we used to use.

I love the old dust mops and brooms. Where have they all gone? Oh, I'll find one in WM but I rarely ever see them in friends' homes anymore. Have the dust mop and broom gone the way of the dinosaur? I bought a dust mop several months ago in WM and use it once in a while but today I decided to give it a good sweep with the broom. I think I got more stuff in the nooks and crannies than I usually get with the Swiffer. And I KNOW my floors get cleaner with a good old-fashion mopping than the wet Swiffer. I doubt many young homemakers use an old-fashioned dust mop or wet mop anymore. It makes me sad when some of the things I've been so familiar with in my childhood have gone the way of the Edsel.

And then there's cooking and the cook ware we used 70+ years ago. I still use the pots I've had for 45 years and a roasting pot my mother gave me 52 years ago when we got married. I remember her buying it from the Wear-Ever salesman in Texas at a home demonstration. It still cooks better than any of these fancy pots and skillets on the market today. Slow cookers? I have had 2 and I've used them a time or two but I've never cooked a roast in one. I cook my roasts in my mother's old Wear-Ever pot and have for our whole marriage. I've never, ever cooked a roast in the oven. Always cooked them on the top of my electric stove on the lowest heat setting—truly, it's almost OFF when I cook it—and I challenge anyone to have better roasts than I can cook. I put it in frozen, caramel some onions, add Mrs. Dash and salt and pepper and forget it until dinner time.

The other day in Costco I dropped in to just buy a couple of hams for food storage in the freezer. The man in front of me had some pork roasts and proceeded to tell me how to cook them in the slow cooker. I told him I had one but have never ever cooked my "PULLED" pork in it. Always on top of the stove. And I told him I have the best ever "PULLED" pork he's ever tasted. He shut up and didn't talk to me again. (I know, I can be obnoxious sometimes.) But we never ever called it PULLED pork as I was growing up; it was BBQ pork. I have witnesses that can tell you mine is far superior to any they've yet eaten.

About a year ago, a Dickey's BBQ came to our town. Hubby and I went there for their grand opening. There was a very, very long line. As we got up to the ordering spot and they asked us if we like it spicy or regular, hubs and I knew right then it wasn't going to be the best. Now, I know it's supposed to be very popular in the South but neither one of us liked it and won't go back. They sliced the pork right then and there and then put the sauce in a paper cup for us to add! That is NOT how you cook BBQ pork. (And when did it become PULLED pork because to us it was always "pulled" apart as we cooked it in the BBQ sauce.) That's the way to BBQ pork! Not just slopping some sauce on top of the pork. I've even put frozen pork chops in the pot and poured my sauce over it and cooked them all day in the sauce, "pulling" it apart with a wooden spoon during the day so the sauce gets to every single morsel. Does this sound vain or bragging? Well, so what? I doubt you'd not like my cooking. ;-) But cooking is a whole other story! I love eating out. :-)
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A gorgeous living room in the Oriental style. I love those sofas.

Another room I like a lot, with the little private areas sectioned off.

Such a darling vignette for a party.

I've always wondered how they make these little cupcakes. I wish I had the talent but I don't. I'm lucky to even get frosting on them, real frosting!

Is this a hollyhock? If so, it's the most gorgeous one I've ever seen. I know nothing about gardening.

One of my all-time favorites.

This is a kitchen I could love.

A beautiful feather-y pink tulip.

A darling wreath made from scraps of fabric. Looks like it would be easy to make for anyone.

A heart shaped rose.

A beautiful place in another country with gorgeous geraniums.

Wisteria growing on a lovely porch.

I like little cabinets like this. And little enamelware like that Cakes one below.

While it isn't feasible to have a lamp outdoors like this, it is still gorgeous and I love it!

A cute little banner put up by a homeowner who like roses and pink. ;-0

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Linking up with Pink Saturday and Home & Lifestyle Design.

Ramblings 10/21/2013

I have over 12,000 photos on my Pinterest now with nothing but gorgeous images, or as I prefer to call them, Eye Candy, with many more to post on there. In a very short time period, there are now over 9,600 followers so you know there must be a lot to see. Just scoot on over and view it as I'll probably never get all of those images on this blog, especially since I'm now not posting as often. That may change but life right now is challenging me. Dieting being my number one priority. But service to others has been also challenging. I'll speak to that issue later.
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But first a few more stories about my precocious great-granddaughter as told to her mummy.

Miss C, as I call her, told her mummy these things the last week or two and we have no idea where these ramblings are coming from:

C. says J. [her baby sister] is the "little nutcracker in the moonlight of her heart" and she also told me that if I lie to her she will "poke out my eyeballs with a fish hook."

Heading into daycare today, some father is heading back out to his car as we enter and is singing a children's song to himself, fairly loud (and he is alone at this point just having dropped off his child). C. asks where "Steve" is going. I was about to ask if she knew the man, then looked back at him, realized he was wearing a shirt with large horizontal stripes of gray and green, and immediately realized she thought is was Steve from Blues Clues!

C. wants to buy her 87 year old great grandma a "real-life adult pony so she can gallop and ride" for her birthday.

My daughter thinks the birthmark on her hip is her cutey mark. [This has something to do with those Pony dolls.]

As we drove into work today, C. told me stories about living in Mexico as a child, where she swam in the ocean, went bowling, and "ate fairies with a little tomato on them sprinkled with parmesan." And then she was a pirate captain in the sea of Egypt who found a boy that wanted to be a pirate but he didn't know how to swim, so they had to take him to the Egypt swim school, but when they got there it was actually a house filled with gems that were booby trapped with nails and they all had to run away. This kid is nuts. ;-)


So we're thinking she possibly has a future as a writer or at least a great storyteller. But as her teachers tell her parents, and we can definitely affirm, she never, ever forgets a thing. This could spell trouble for us!
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Did you hear about the college professor holding a lecture on "Orchestrating Orgasms" lecture at a university? I doubt anyone needs a lecture on that. But to do it in a school/university setting I believe is appalling. What in the world is going on in our educational system today?
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I cut my index finger just before we went to Southern California a few weeks ago and it actually took off the tip of that finger. That'll teach me to not sharpen my butcher knife right before I intend to cut the meat off of a ham bone. Anyway, it bled practically non-stop for 2 days, requiring many band-aids and multiple ones for that finger. My hubby then said I used band-aids like my great-granddaughter. She absolutely loves putting band-aids on everyone regardless if they have a cut or not. I saw her mum, my granddaughter with band-aids all over her legs in a photo the other day and asked her about it. She said Miss C just kept wanting to put them on her and it's a cheap "toy" for her to play around with. My hubby said, "Your great-granddaughter is just like you, uses a lot of band-aids." I just stared at him.
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I love laundry hanging on a line but having a clothesline near this adorable porch makes it even cuter.

This is a gorgeous room in several colors of blue.

A cute kitchen dining area.

Don't you love those foreign soaps all done up in beautiful packaging?

And of course we can't get enough roses.....EVER!!

I do like this small home with a living room and dining area combined.

I love these laundry carts with gorgeous fabrics to hold the laundry. My double one has mesh bags on it but they're starting to rip apart. I plan on making new ones with gorgeous fabric for ours.

While it's a gorgeous room, I cannot see myself in a room like this. I'd never want to clean it for one thing. ;-)

A delightful, charming homey kitchen and dining room.

A beautiful home in France.

I love the colors in this room. Beautiful. And that sofa? Gorgeous!

A vision in white.

While I love this, it wouldn't be practical in this desert sun, plus we're surrounded by huge farms and the dust would be horrid to have this setting outside around here.

But of course, I'd love to have this on my front porch!

Life doesn't get any better than coconut in my opinion. :-)

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Our Own Miss Posh/Hello Kitty ;-)

I pin more and more images on my pinterest each day. I'm up to almost 11,900. Just go on over to see them. I know you'll spend a lot of time just browsing the photos I haven't gotten on this blog yet. Just eye candy!
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As I've stated before, I've got a "pip" of a great granddaughter. She's very precocious. Never forgets a thing. I recently sent her some leg warmers and a hat made especially for her:

She now refers to herself as Fancy Nancy or Posh. She's definitely a "star" and if you know the order of birth characteristics in a family, the first one is usually a star. She is!

Here she is going into her school dressed in so much Hello Kitty she could be an advertisement:

And here she is asleep with her sister, and yes, they both have curly hair, WILD hair, which pleases me to no end!!

They are both so funny and a delight to me and their grandfather! Her mother, our granddaughter, tells us this story from a day ago:

Heading into daycare today, some father is heading back out to his car as we enter and is singing a children's song to himself, fairly loud (and he is alone at this point just having dropped off his child). Caroline asks where "Steve" is going. I was about to ask if she knew the man, then looked back at him, realized he was wearing a shirt with large horizontal stripes of gray and green, and immediately realized she thought is was Steve from Blues Clues!
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Gorgeous color in this tropical paradise.

Lovin' the red in this kitchen.

I'd just like a skylight in my living room! This is pure decadence, having one in a bath.

Beautiful.

What a cute table setting.

Just because I love seeing fabrics. ;-)

More lovely peonies.

I collected so many plates over the years that I had no room for them so started selling some, giving away some and sending some to my daughter for mosaics.

I'd love to have this trio for my kitchen counters.

My favorite color combo: pink and yellow.

Just a room I found beautiful for both women and men. Who wouldn't love to live in this comfy room?

Lovin' this porch also.

A red stove? Yes, I would like a red one...or a pink one.

A perfect setup for a kitchen and dining area in my opinion.

Stunningly gorgeous. Too rich for my budget however.

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Linking up with Pink Saturday.