Celebrating Our 48th Wedding Anniversary

 

 Today marks the 48th Anniversary of our wedding.  Here we are in this photo....it was taken in 1965 out on my in-laws' farm, in Clifton, Texas.  I can't remember who took the photo, but I remember it being taken.  It was a windy day....and here we are standing there, happy as can be, looking forward to the future.  There are no wedding photos (it's a long story), but this one will do for me...the first photo of the two of us that I know of.  It's not the best photo...kind of blurry and too dark, but I can still see us as we stood there out on the Texas prairie. That tall, 'fresh out of the navy' man and me.  Just happy to be together.

 

    Two kids, really, back then.  Doing their best.

 

Happy 48th Anniversary, my Old Navy Man and thank you, as I treasure all those memories......

Until next time, pat ♥

Two Books for People Like Me and "The Great Eaton Moving Saga Begins"

                                                                               "The Great Eaton Moving Saga" has begun!  I have been packing for what seems like weeks at this point, with so much more to go. (It hasn't been that long!!) I am reminded daily that I am somewhat of a hoarder.  It's a fact of life and I don't think much will change, even with the move to a great little home...and with no studio.  So, along with packing, I am trying to decide what can go somewhere else to live and what can go with me.   Here are two of my favorite books...about collecting and collectors.  They are very inspiring to me and I hope you will look them up and see if they would do the same for you. (And, they are going with me, of course!)

"a perfectly kept house is the sign of a misspent life" and "NEVER STOP TO THINK...DO I HAVE A PLACE FOR THIS?"  Both by Mary Randolph Carter.  (I got them at amazon.com.)  Needless to say, they are not helping me decide what to edit from my possessions, but I find them comforting in that they introduce me to folks who are "like me." 

 

Rather than show you pages in these books, I have decided to show you part of what I am dealing with here....LOTS of stuff!  Most of this is already packed and ready to go...with only some of it going to storage or to a new owner.  I may end up with more of it going away if I get to the new home and 'something' has to give!  I'm going to let you guess where all this stuff was in this house...or else I'll be posting all day.  Just suffice it to say, it's a lot of packing!!!

 

No way am I leaving this fabulous little gas heater...retrieved from my son-in-law's family store which closed a few years ago.  I do love it so!  And, oh gosh, I may never get all the books I have stuffed here and there over to the new place...but you know - I will try!

 

Dishes....well, some of them will go somewhere....but not my favorites! 

 

 

Family photos....real family and adopted family from the flea market.  These will go with me.

 

This antique washstand is one of my most loved things.  The old navy man bought it for me a couple years after we got married.  It HAS to go with ME! 

Loaded with old things.......old ashtrays full of glass buttons, photos...more real and adopted family, including me as a child.  Lots of quilts in the house...all going with me, OF COURSE!

 

This vintage print belonged to my mother-in-law.  It always reminds me of her.  It's been one I admired for a long time.

Here's the glass buttons in glass ashtrays....a card from sweet Vicki, other vintage things on a tray with a newspaper under glass.  Now, do you think I would not want to keep these?

These old suitcases are filled with REAL family photos and papers.  And, on top, old thread bobbins, a photograph album I made myself....staying with me!

Old quilts and linens stacked under this cart I use for a nightstand....books, all...yes, going with me!

 

This is most, but not all, of my vintage clothing collection, including many children's garments.  A few pieces from my daughter and mother-in-law are tucked in there, but the rest are quite old.   I don't own that many pieces of clothing in my own wardrobe, so figure these will go in one of the two closets in the master bedroom of my new home.  Fingers crossed.

Yes, I also have collected a pretty good amount of baby shoes.  Including the ones my children wore.  Now, why, I can't tell you....just know that it's difficult for me to turn them down when they show up in my life.  I was fortunate enough to find the child's shoe form and also the baby one...I had never seen one that small....well, you know...it had to come home with me!

 A better look!

Artwork in my front bathroom....will go in one of the bathrooms at the new place.  Work by Sharon Tomlinson, Lisa Klaus, Kelly Rae Roberts and ME!  (Click to see up close!)

 

A little cabinet from friend, Jim.  Also some TINY buttons....adorable, and an old hanky with an "E" monogram.  

 

See....LOVE!!!  Packed and ready to go!

My mantle in the living room....will take it down and right over to the new place and put it right back up.  Part of my collection of old clocks.....and little chests of drawers.  One can never have too many!

The butterflies are real, I bought them at an estate sale, along with the little butterfly book.  They belonged to a local doctor's family....I think they are special, as you can see.  The little girl with butterfly wings, made for me by a special friend, Gaby, in Germany, see her work here.

Close-ups of mantle.

Other side.

Not attractive, really, but in my kitchen.  I like things 'at hand.'  That little green glass measuring cup has a crack in it....but caring friend, Susan, gave it to me, from Dr. Bob's family.  Something I love!

I keep all my measuring spoons in it.

 

 A piece of art from friend, Jim, painted long ago, a very fun piece of art.  Some of the old navy man's vintage bottles...he went out and scrounged around to find them....two vintage children's cups, a wine bottle from Texas from my sister, and roses, (not real).  Packed and going.

So, you can see lots will be going....but lots will go somewhere else too.  As I said, I don't like packing...but just think how much fun UNPACKING will be!

I'll be keeping you posted as the moving saga continues.

Until then, pat ♥

More Blue and News

 

Just wanted to post a little something today along with my news.  First the little something...more blue.  The cup and the platter are badly worn...but not too shabby for me.  I love that they were well loved.  More beads, another pendent, a big vintage pin, and a crocheted doily of sorts.   Notice the big glass heart paperweight.  It's not blue, but appears blue depending on the light.  The Heartfelt Sympathy box I kept just because of the tiny blue flowers...reminds me of the Bluetts I seem to not get enough of this year.

  

A sweet bird....and of all things....a button card made by my friend, Jim, with his own photo, of course.  There is a very tiny blue glass button on it.  Unique, as he is.

  

Here is that well loved platter...so sweet and a better shot of the glass heart.  Lovely.

A close-up of the cup, actually, it might be a bowl, as it has no handle.  VERY loved.  I think I paid a quarter for it.  Thought it would look great with blue buttons in it.  But, since I seem to choose white buttons, or mother of pearl ones...it has failed to be filled.  Well, there is always tomorrow!

 

Inside.

 

The pendant.  Quite lovely.

  

Another photo of the platter, cup and heart, along with a sweet beaded necklace.

And, now for the "news."  As you know, this year has been kind of difficult.  Finding my way these days has been tough, but I keep trying to figure out the right things to do.  So, here is the news, followed by my story about it all.....I'm moving!

Here's the story: About four years ago, the old navy man and I went to look at a patio home.  He was already pretty ill and taking care of two acres in the city limits is a lot of work.  He had COPD, so breathing was tough and getting worse...grass, dust and so forth aggravated everything.  So...we went to look at this patio home.  I absolutely thought it was perfect...he hated it.  Of course, even though he was ill, he really didn't want to give up his little piece of land.  So, we didn't.   And, that was fine.  Several days after we had looked at the place, he said..."you know...someday that would be a perfect place for you."  

Well, there aren't a lot of these kinds of places in my town.  In fact, hardly any, so they sell very fast when one becomes available.  I figured I'd never be able to get one...so gave up thinking about it.

A couple of weeks ago, my daughter...who just happens to be a realtor, called to tell me that a three bedroom was up for sale...was I interested?  We went to see it.  And, as before, I loved it.  So, I guess 'someday' is here because I bought it!  We close on July 9th.  

I know, I know.  I said I would wait a year to decide what to do....but guess what....I really don't like dealing with this two acres....so I plan on enjoying that kind of thing to be done for me.  There is, of course, a fenced in patio that runs the length of the house...with a nice flower bed that I can play around with....I do like a few flowers.  But, the yard, well, that job will go to guys who do that for a living.  

Yes, I know what you are thinking....what about Bird Nest on The Ground and my porch?  Well, my little backyard studio will belong to someone else and that is ok with me.  I used it all I could while I was here and I can pass it along now.  (I guess you could also call it "previously loved, the same for the porch!)  The street I'm moving to looks like a park and there is a small front porch.  Big enough for a couple of chairs...one for me, one for a friend.  It will be ok. Without the old navy man here, it isn't the same anyway.  Needless to say, however, I am going to have to be creative about where to work.  There will be many posts, I am quite sure, about me solving that little issue...probably coming up in the Fall.  

And, another yes....I will have to let some things go.  But, not anything that is important to me.  So, not to worry.  I am feeling good about it.   By the way....wherever I find to be my studio, no matter where it is....it will always be called the Bird Nest on The Ground, as that name was given 'my space' by the old navy man!

I'm not sure I will be posting much...maybe a word or two here and there,  until I get moved.  I said I hate packing....but once everything gets in the new place...I DO love unpacking and putting away, that always reminds me of Christmas!

Please be patient and hang in there with me.  Enjoy the summer!!!

Until next time, pat ♥

A Little Blue Collection

 

For way over a week, I have been trying to think of something to show you.  Many things are on my mind these days and my thoughts seem to rush through my head faster than I can latch onto them.  That may explain why I am getting next to nothing done around here.  It's that focus thing I keep talking about.

 

 Anyway, today I was thinking about the post I did a few weeks ago about Bluetts.    (I love saying the name of those sweet flowers!)  Thinking then of the color blue, I decided I would show you some of the few things I own in the color blue. 

 

 There is a blue/white pincushion I made several years ago....two strands of DMC floss, a very thin needle and the chain stitch, with a beaded edge.  I should make some of those in my favorite colors...have I even begun to do that? NO. There is that little doll dress I bought long ago.  Just love it!  Some buttons, threads, bits of broken jewelry....an envelope/hand/bluebird button I bought long ago at the Houston quilt show.  A vintage blue plate...a tiny rose dish filled with blue straight pins.  My sister-in-law, Sandy, gave me that.  It is very teeny and sweet.  (Thank you again, Sandy!) And, a Star pillow given me by my sweet friend, Jean.  She is dear...over 90 and puts us all to shame!  And, makes me laugh...a really GOOD thing!  Thank YOU...Jean!

 

Two little books...very sweet.  I have a small collection of vintage and new LITTLE books and these are two of the newest.

 

  

  

This is a card from my son...his photograph of San Francisco he took one day out walking Bernal Hill.  Well, I think that's where he was...that is his neighborhood.  LOVE IT!  

 

This is the lid of a small box.  The largest of two sent to me filled with 'goodies' by my friend, Jackie, in Waco, Texas.  Maybe someday, I thought I'd try to do my version of this basket in embroidery....simplified, of course!   Well, you never know...if I can find light bright enough I could do it.  Just got some new lights...maybe they will help.  (Thanks again, Jackie...these two little boxes bring me great pleasure and good cheer!)

 

I bought these two little birds in Texas.  Out shopping with my sister on a visit there.  Very cute little things!  The butterfly is a ceramic pendant I purchased at the Houston Quilt Show also.  I don't remember what year.  Then, the blue Dragonfly pin....a gift for my friend, Sherry, to be given her when next we meet.

  

Got this little embroidered bird just the other week...two for $1.50.  They spoke to me.  I may also do these myself one of these days...quite simple to do....it's just taking the time to do it.  Someday!

 

 A tiny pitcher....pretty.

 

A close-up of one of the books.  Sitting on a vintage quilt.  

 

 And, a couple of verses and a lovely picture from the book.  Love it~

 Of course, you know you can enlarge to read the verses.  Quite wonderful in themselves.

 

Can't leave out that great platter.  It has sweet blue flowers...only a fraction larger than the actual Bluetts out in the yard!  In the background on the right...more embroidery.  Lovely stuff!

I disappoint myself when I don't post as often as I think I should....but these days it is sometimes hard to do it.  I know it matters not to anyone else...but I like to think I'm doing a good job and when I take too long between posts...well, let's just say I feel like I'm letting you, and myself, down.  I do intend to do better.....but for the next several weeks...maybe even a bit longer...I will still be 'in and out' of here.  In this 'new' life I am trying to find my way in - well, there are things that need doing in it and there is no one here but me to figure it all out and get it done.  Some changes to certain areas of life might help and I am working on them, with the help of my two kids. I will find my way back to enjoying my simple little life here and then I will be more able to focus and share with you the things I love.  I hope you will hang in there with me.   

 

Til next time, pat  ♥