Friday, February 26, 2010

things to love

thank you for all the birthday wishes for my son, they were much appreciated!
i had to take photos of the treasures i found last weekend and of course share them here. see the three little gnomes? they are like little rattles, someone long ago filled them with rocks or seeds to weigh them down. i think they'll add so much charm to my garden!



this is a one of a kind plate by susan branch! it is a series of three. i love the soft colors and the little mouse. can you see what she's written? it says: now i see why people like to paint these adorable creatures...i had to stop myself from putting little clothes on them ♥




and these books by sharon lovejoy. i can't say enough about them, if you love nature, gardening and children, you will love these! there is so much to choose from, projects and ideas, i don't know where to begin. thank you sharon for the inspiration, you truly do spread love and joy!




my finds: the books, the plate, a stack of old martha stewart gardening magazines, the gnomes, an old tablecloth and an old victorian finial with old peeling paint, and the color, pink! and more pink ...





my shawlette, all blocked and done. i'm not sure this is the best way to photograph it. stretching it out on nails is probably not a good idea, but lacking a model, it'll have to do.




i like to wear it as a scarf, wrapped around my neck, the wool is so soft and smells so good, it's my favorite. thank you sally anne, again, i loved this yarn. i even have enough i think to make a tiny pair of baby booties!



here is another scarf i made this week. it's a scrumptiously soft one piece scarf that you can wear long like this or...


like this, wrapped twice around your neck for a cowl. the colors don't really show, it's more of a pinky mauve. i used plymouth yarns baby alpaca grande yarn. it took two skeins on a size ten needle. the pattern was based on a mobius cowl scarf but i couldn't get the hang of the cast on for that so it's simply a continuous scarf instead. i cast on 150 stitch's, placed a marker, then purled for 4 rounds knit for 4, continuing like that until it was about 8 inches wide. that's it! so cozy and warm.


photos are taken with the softest early morning light, but it was brief since another storm is on the way, let's go outside next, owen is waiting!



bulbs are coming up! these were here when we moved in, what a fantastic discovery every year, these gorgeous yellow blooms!



owen likes them too. here he looks all mild mannered, smelling the blossoms. right after this photo he shook them all apart. oh owen.





fallen camellias make a pretty still life arranged on a mossy stepping stone...



with a little help from me!




and our oranges are almost ready. i wish you could smell this tree.




the last thing i want to remember of this week, is the thing i'd also like to forget! i went to see my dentist last monday. it involved all the shots, drills and other torture devices they treat you with. i am still numb from one of the shots, apparently there was a little muscle or nerve damage, i hope it goes away soon! my dentist mentioned that it might help me to relax if i closed my eyes and imagined a place i love. somewhere i'd like to be. i did and here is what came into my thoughts...the seventeen giraffe i saw gracefully striding across a grassy plain in zimbabwe. i love giraffes and i love africa. this image played through my head making the time i spent in that chair not so bad after all.

where would your favorite place be?

have a lovely weekend everyone !

♥ lori

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

february twenty third

twenty four years ago
a child was born,
baby number three he'd be
for me.

best brother, uncle, friend
and son,
he makes my life,
this one.

happy happy birthday erik
love forever,
mom



p.s. so hard to choose photos to make this collage, i love all the millions of photos i have of my keikis. umm. make that zillions.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

kindred spirits

this post is dedicated to our friend renee, who loved to travel (vicariously) with me on my adventures. i loved her company and she'll be dearly missed. she'll be leaving this world soon as this life as she knows it is coming to an end. bless her beautiful heart. safe journey my angel kindred friend.




i invited my eldest daughter to come with me on saturday, up to the small town of arroyo grande. there was someone i was hoping to meet at a special antique sale & book signing.







here we are, at branchs farm, i am sure the weather couldn't have been more beautiful, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, people were smiling...



we looked around, me enjoying more the scenery than anything else. after our recent rains the hills and fields were green and lush, spring feels like it's arrived...



this pile of books represents heaven to me. this is why i came almost two hours (although i would have come four, to meet this kindred spirit, author and illustrator...



Sharon Lovejoy!
what a thrill for me to meet her and her husband, that's Jeff standing behind her. I've been collecting and reading Sharon's books for 19 years now. that's when her first book, Sunflower Houses:Inspiration from the Garden first came out. She's recently released her seventh book, Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars. another gem i treasure.




there is no one that's inspired me more in gardening and watercolors, except my own granma rose. and i am so happy to say that she was even more charming in person and i didn't think that was possible if you know her books. this was one of those days that i'll never ever forget.

thank you sharon, i can't wait to meet again someday! until then i know we'll stay in touch via blogging, if you'd like to visit her go here. (see my new scarf?, finished, well, it still needs blocking!)




susan branch was there too, and many of her books and patterns, stencils and calendars. i met her also and although she was lovely as well, it was brief, there was a long line!











we'll leave the farm now and go explore the town of arroyo grande...




we stopped for fields of blooms...




and antique stores...




we walked (tentatively) over a swinging bridge, with a running creek below...



we went to farmer's market. at one booth my daughter kimberly and i stopped to admire tiny watercolor paintings, all of different scenes of the central coast. a couple was there also asking the artist about the various locations. he said your not from around here are you? they answered no, we're from winnepeg.


winnepeg is renee's home.


my daughter and i had just had lunch and i told her about the latest news with renee and her own daughter angelique. we both had tears as i shared what i knew.



when not an hour later we heard this couple say winnepeg, kimberly and i both stopped. and hugged. and i am sure i saw all the trees and flowers sway suddenly in the wind as if they knew and she knew she were here with us. and i had tears again.




after we crossed the bridge we found yet another antique store, i could keep this up all day, but i wanted kimberly to enjoy it too, she said she was, so on we went...











"be careful with the words you use, they create the world around you" a native american saying i love. isn't this a sweet and simple sign?....



more beauty everywhere, in thoughtful displays...




and soft fabrics nestled in baskets...




new blossoms appearing on a painted sky...



and funny chickens and roosters that mind your business on the streets of this town...





thank you for coming with kimberly and i, now it's time we started making our way home, safe journeys to all of us...



♥ happy sad lori



(i can't seem to leave off the back to the beloved ocean going home photo,
however blurred and an antenna filled it is.)

Friday, February 19, 2010

girl's night

last night was girl's night out! friends of mine that own a gorgeous shop, had an after hours, ladies only night. the invitation said : it is a gathering of amazing women, friends & clients, and a hand-picked group of talented service professionals who will be offering up a taste of their services to each of our guests (you!). Each guest will have the opportunity to spend 15 minutes at 2 or more service “stations”, which include a fabulous facialist, two masseuses (one Thai and one Swedish), a tarot card reader, an astrologer and more. Iris de Santo, one of our favorite jewelers, will be showing her gorgeous and well-priced jewelry as well. So, please join us for a special evening - kind of a mini-spa night with a splash of mystery & fun, lots of laughs & good food too!

i chose the thai massage and the tarot card reading. what wasn't mentioned was all the flowing prosecco champagne, hence, all the slightly (slight understatement too) blurred photos! heehee, if i had remembered to take photos at the start you would have seen all kinds of happy laughing faces, massage tables and service stations, lovely fruit and cheese plates, cupcakes! but i was having too much fun to think of my camera.
thank you christie and diana! what fun!

i hope a girl's night, in what ever form, comes soon for you too,
♥ lori