A Week for Visiting

Hard to believe it has been nearly a week since my last post! 

Lately, life has been full of visits from out-of-town friends and family which has been very nice for me as it gave me a chance to explore our town's nooks and crannies with fresh eyes. Odd how we can get so wrapped up in the day-to-day that we do not take full advantage of the local pleasures that are only a short walk from our doorstep. 

Now that my week of receiving visitors is over and done, I look forward to nestling into my cozy office chair for a chance to catch up on visiting my favorite blogs. I hope your week has been a fully and happy one.

Looking forward to visiting you soon!

P.S. Check out this blog here to enter a lovely crochet giveaway.
What a cool new crochet blog!

B&B's Wedding!

 Hard to believe my sister-in-law's long-anticipated wedding has now come and gone.  The day smiled all bright and sunshiny - 

the perfect blessing for starting a life together.

 Niece Ozzy took her job quite seriously 

and was a most winsome little princess. 

(The flowers I crocheted for the skirts sort of disappeared into the billowy folds of tulle. 

You can see them on the headbands most clearly).

Each attendant wore a tea-length gown with a fitted bodice and flared skirt which was misted with a gentle splash of sequence bubbling up from the hem. The sherbet hues contrasted nicely with the white gloves and bright bouquets (Becky handmade each bouquet herself!). I loved how she added a 1950's touch to her very modern wedding.

Sealed with Kiss!

 Now let's head in to the reception to celebrate this sweet start!

Becky created her own candy bar station which perfectly played off the cotton candy hues of the wedding. 

No, that's not a misspelling on the candy boxes. 

Becky came up with the perfect play-on-words for her new name.

Becky handcrafted a unique guest book by scrap-booking 

their love story right into each page!

 This vintage suitcase honored the grandparents, aunts, and uncles who were with us in spirit on this day. 

 My sis-in-law and her husband are both very creative and worked together to scrapbook a tri-fold wedding program. (He even hand cut their names on the front!) Then, they made color copies of their 3-D masterpiece thus mass producing their art work while still keeping the depth and dimension of the original program. How cool is that?

 

Cheery flower pots in a rainbow of pastels were scattered down each table at the reception.

 Look how grown up my oldest niece is getting! We both had fun helping set up the candy station together the day before the wedding. It was wonderful to discover that she has inherited the family sense of humor and is blossoming into a genuinely caring and yet very outgoing and creative young lady. 

Niece Ellie is a dear. While not normally into playing dress up instead preferring a more rough and tumble routine, she really got into her role as flower girl. Just look at those big, beautiful eyes! 

 Littlest niece Alice's favorite part of the day was delving into the treasures of the candy bar station! She is still young enough to enjoy cuddles, hugs, and lots of oohing and ahhing over her pretty little self. John and I kept her with us to help minimize the chaos of the reception for her parents which was a very great treat for us both. 

So many happy memories were made on this beautiful day. It was an honor getting to see Becky's vision for her big day come to fruition. 

Congratulations to a very special couple!

Vintage Treasures

These are all recent finds from my local antique mall. I paid no more than two dollars for any item here (and was delighted to find a stock of vintage button sets for only 50 cents). I am proudest of my set of 8 aqua napkins and wooden rings which I scored together for just $1.50! *happy dance*

Wishing you a weekend full of rest, relaxation, 

and a treasure or two discovered! ;-)

Still Bow Crazy

The allure of this charming little pattern has not yet worn off. In case you missed it in last week's post, click here to replicate this adorable bow tie.

Happy Crocheting!

The Amazing Lionheart Project

Over a year ago, I read an article  about Shauna Richardson and the crocheted art installation pieces she was working on for this year's summer Olympics. I remember reading how Richardson spent such long hours crocheting with rough wool that at the end of the day her hands were blistered. The only way she could relieve her discomfort was to plunge her hands into a bowl of ice water. Richardson repeated this ritual until eventually her hands calloused and she was able to continue her art without as much pain. 

Being an avid crocheter myself, I naturally took a great interest in this fascinating endeavor. Curious as to whether or not she had finished on time (the article had stated her concern with being done by schedule), I was delighted to discover Richardson's London 2012 feature The Amazing Lionheart Project is now proudly finished and currently on display in Chatsworth, England. Follow the link here to see pictures of Shauna Richardson's incredible creation. 

Wishing you a happily inspired day!

Quiet Pursuits

 I have found that "those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" have not yet materialized for me. Each day seems to bring a new busyness to it. Yet, I find somehow that I don't mind too much. As long as I get a chance to start the day off with some quiet time and a cuppa joe.

While I may not be able to indulge in full-blown laziness, I have been able to find bits and pieces of leisure time sprinkled throughout each day that quite suit my fancy. Yarn and hook are never far from my side.

Neither is Miss Lucy Cat. It would seem this little miss has been enjoying the stolen bits of summer just as much as I have. She is quite childlike being noticeably more amiable when her mommy is home. Lucy follows me around each day and is always eager to greet me at the back door whenever I come home from errands and visiting. The patter of her sweet paws are one of the many simple joys of my life just now. 

What simple joys are you enjoying during this sweet season?

Pretty in Purple

Check out the pattern for 

this oval dishcloth here.

Happy crocheting!