The Letter L

LuluLiz in LalaLand gently bullied me yesterday,

those were HER words, not mine..... ;)  into making a tag for 

Tag Tuesday

Actually, she has been encouraging me for months to do it. Even though the

"Official Tag Tuesday" is no longer open to new participants, I want to make a tag each week so I might learn to make tags quicker and try new ideas and techniques. But I guess she is right....

I have to ACTUALLY MAKE a tag 

to learn something new!
The background lace is a newer piece of lace that Daughters*1 and *3 bought for me in Germany three years ago. I love it! the lace is about 5 1/2 inches wide and LONG. I lays in the windowsill of my Quiet Room window, with three Willow figures I have been given as gifts. It is just the thing for the front window! Thanks girls!

I love lace...so this "L" tag is dedicated to 

"The Love of  Lace"

I even used some champagne pink lace,

I tell ya, you pink gals are rubbing off on me!

This has three layers of lace on the edges

with some fussy cut pieces.

I also have a heart fetish, as you know, and I have plans to build a mantel around the

fireplace in our master bedroom.
I saw this verse on
 Suziqus Threadworks

on her Valentines Day post, and I just adored it. I changed "hundred" to "thousand"
and contacted Kerry of 
French & Sparrow
to see if she would custom make me one of her beautiful clay heart garlands
with the verse on the main heart.  And she said she could! Kerry sells these and other adorable clay items in her Etsy Shop,
FrenchandSparrow.
Oh, the garland will go across the new mantel...Yes I am putting the hearts before the mantel...

The garland is 4 1/2 feet long with seven hearts and extra twine on each end to attach it and hang down each side.
I just love the impressions she places on each of the clay hearts. Leaves and florals,
French writing and swirls and fancies.
Some hearts have impressions on both sides.
I love the Champagne Pink Lace.
I will have to use it judiciously because I
have only a very little bit...
If you like the garlands and tags,
check out her Etsy shop.
Kerry is in Paris right now... I am trying to figure out a way for her to have to work HARD when she gets back...
I could always order more...
That would really show her.....
**rolling eyes at self**

In just the right lighting, you can see the shimmers on the tag. I really did have fun making it, though I hope to get faster. It still took longer than I wanted it to. I guess I'll have to let go of some of my perfectionism. That is what making weekly tags is about for me, learning to create and not fuss over every little thing. I will let you know how successful I am with that...













Thanks for coming by,
Hearts and hugs to all of you followers!

PS ~ Did you notice the difference in my header? I am so happy with it!

Memories Tug At My Heartstrings . . .

Memories of Sister and Brother,

But the fondest of all that I can recall,

Are the Memories of Father and Mother.

My Mother and oldest sister as a baby. My Mother was 17.
Aren't they beautiful?!!

The Family Meeting

By  Charles Sprague

(first voice)

We are all here!

Father, Mother, Sister, Brother,

All who hold each other dear.

Each chair is filled, we're all at home;

Tonight let no cold stranger come;

It is not often thus around

Our old familiar hearth we're found.

Bless, then, the meeting and the spot;

For once be every care forgot;

Let gentle Peace assert her power,

And Kind Affection rule the hour;

We are all, all here!

My Mother as a 10 year old and some things I cross stitched for her
through the years.The Easter chicks we had for as long as I can remember
and the bunny and duck she made when I was young. I have always
loved them, and they remind me of Mama.

(second voice)

We're not all here. . .

Some are away, the dead ones dear,

Who thronged with us this ancient hearth,

And gave the hour to guileless mirth.

Fate, with a stern, relentless hand

Looked in and thinned our little band;

Some like a night-flash passed away,

And some sank, lingering, day by day;

The quiet graveyard some lie here

And cruel ocean has his share.

We're not all here. . .

The pillow was cross stitched in 1987 at our first family reunion with just us
siblings and our parents.  The girls cross stitched a "Sisters" poem, and I had
the honor of stitching this for Mama. She loved the lace rose potpouri bag
I made for her as well as the needle roll.  I think she was my
biggest fan of just about everything I made.

(first voice)

We ARE all here!

Even they the dead, though dead, so dear.

Fond Memory, to her duty true,

Brings back their faded forms to view.

How life-like, through the mist of years,

Each well-remembered face appears!

We see them as in times long past;

From each to each kind looks are cast;

We hear their words, their smiles behold,

They're 'round us as they were of old

We Are all here!

This tile on the left was painted by my Mother. She made these Easter Eggs and they
were in our Easter decor for as long as I can remember. You know the child who
begs and begs to decorate for EVERY Holiday, As soon as possible...
Yeah, that was me.

(voices together)

We are all here!

Father, Mother, Sister, Brother,

You that I love with love so dear.

This may not long of us be said;

Soon we must join the gathered dead;

And by the hearth we now sit 'round,

Some other circle will be found.

O, then that wisdom may we know,

Which yields a life of peace below!

So, in the world to follow this,

May each repeat, in words of bliss

WE ARE ALL, ALL HERE!

Yesterday, March 23, 2013 was the 4th anniversary of my Mother's death... 

This poem, by Charles Sprague, was shared with us by our sister, Jody, as a theme

for a family reunion in 1989 and has since become the family poem. 

It is recited at each extended family reunion and we all join on the last,

"WE ARE ALL, ALL HERE!"

Sometimes we hold hands as it is recited. It is a very heart warming thing for us. 

Jody also recited it at our Father's funeral, but at Mama's,  Jody was recovering from a medical emergency. The rest of this story is for another post. Memories ~ Part II.

Our oldest daughter is an editor
and she was able to edit this picture
of my Mother for the front of the funeral program. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was the one who typed up and had copied our Father's funeral program. So, we just decided that we could do the program for Mom's funeral, too. In the original picture, my Grandniece was sitting on Mom's lap. My daughter was able to take her out of the picture, and make a lapel on Mom's Jacket. Doesn't Daughter*1 have great skills?

















We placed the words to
"The Family Meeting",
"our family poem", on the  back of the program,
(the typing and the typos were MINE!),
as a reminder to family and friends how much
we love each other.
And we all have a copy of the poem now.

The picture in the picture ;) , is of my parents and I when I was 17. The lace heart is one I purchased from
Sweet Inspirations Etsy Shop
The Easter decor is from the 50's aand 60's.

Thank you, Mama, for your
undying love...
I miss you, but know that
"Our love will still be there...
 It will always be there."
My heart is so full of gratitude....

Heart hugs to you,
my blogging friends,

Betsy





PS ~ This evening I received the sad news that my Mother's Sister passed away today.
Four years and two days after my Mother.

You will never guess!!!!!

WARNING ** IF YOU THOUGHT MY OTHER POSTS WERE LONG.....**

A month or so ago, I received a sweet message from Derrith from 
Tied Up in Ribbon
telling me that she nominated me for a 

Liebster Award!!!

I was not sure what a "Liebster Award" was, so I did a Google search and this is what I found ...

"The Liebster award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. What is a Liebster? "Liebster" is a German word meaning sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome."

It makes me happy that someone thinks of my blog as sweet, nice, beloved, kind, valued, endearing and welcoming! I hoped it would feel that way to any guest who came to visit!

Here are the "rules" that one must follow, if one receives a Liebster Award:

1 ~ You must tell 11 things about yourself.
2 ~ Answer the 11 questions your nominator gives you.
3 ~ Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.
4 ~ Choose new blogs with less than 200 followers and link them to your post.
5 ~ Leave a comment on this post with the URL to your Leibster Award Post so I can learn about you!

Hmmmm....., I have told many things about myself, but I guess there is more to tell. 

So, here we go!

11 Things About Myself ~ I will try to list things I have NOT already told you....

1 ~ I broke my foot while skydiving when I was 39.  Actually, I broke my foot at 39, and when people asked how I broke my foot, I said, "I was skydiving...". Without fail, they asked, "REALLY?" and I replied,  "No, but it sounds much more interesting than what actually happened...". They would laugh and move on, and I never had to tell the silly tale of rolling my foot off a board in the garage and my foot breaking....I mean, how boring is THAT? 

2 ~ I am really good at changing the lyrics to a song for a ditty, a specific event, or randomly singing with my kids while we are working at home....words that go along with whatever we are doing at the time...I've done it since I was a teen, and it is something I enjoy doing. People even ask me to help them change a song for a special occasion!!

           

3 ~ I have lived the majority of my life within  50 miles of the town I was born in. 2 houses I lived in were when I was away from home, at school. The other 3 were the home I grew up in, the 14 x 70 early 1970s mobile home we lived in the first 12 years we were married, and the house we built on the farm 20 years ago.

4 ~ I have visited a few foreign countries: Italy, Greece, Germany, Luxembourg, and have been in airports in Holland, France and Canada...I'd like to stay a little longer in those places sometime!

5 ~ In my birth family we are nine sisters and one brother. In my own family, we have four girls and one son. Different, but Similar...

6 ~ I am the youngest in my birth family, and my youngest is the daughter that looks like me....interesting fact. When someone saw her as a very young girl, she was at a water park with a friend and her family celebrating her friend's birthday. They asked her specifically if her Mother's name was "Lanette Powell", my maiden name. I asked her if she had asked the "lady's name", and with a look of shock and surprise she answered, "NO!!! She was a "Stranger"... so I RAN!" I still wonder who it was that recognised her as MINE when she was a five year old!

7 ~ The Most Embarrassing Moment of my life was something that happened with....get this...Donny and Marie Osmond and all of their extended family.....please, do not EVEN ask me about it....

8 ~ Mostly I enjoy making a fool out of myself in public, (except for the occasion of the aforementioned Embarrassment!) I love having fun and making fun for others and I will do whatever needs to be done to make an event successful...much to the dismay of my hubby and children.... Mostly they are accustom to it now, it has been something they know I have to do. I am known as the "Guitar Lady" to many cub scouts and girls who attended our Church Girls Camp. One daughter was surprised at Girls Camp to see me do in public what I did in private at home, but she decided that it was okay when peers said her, "Your Mom is so much fun!"  Singing silly songs and special songs and spiritual songs...There really is a method to crowd control and leading a group from inviting them to a fun campfire night to taking it to a spiritual devotional time just before night time prayer. You just have to know how to guide the group. I really enjoy being a part of that process.

9 ~ I have had a Balloon Business in my home for years,and I'll bet you can't guess what it's called......Oh, you are right......"Heartstrings"....no surprise there.

10 ~ I wish I could be barefoot all the time....but that foot breaking thing....both feet, broken twice each...having to wear shoes with support has made me a wimp, I can't easily cross the gravel in our driveway barefoot anymore. I don't like it, and it makes flip flops not an option because they don't provide enough support due to foot injuries...humph!!!

11 ~ I don't like decorating with pink. I do not know why.....I love other people's pink decorations, and I can use it in with multiple colors, but I just can't have it be a main color... I tend toward a peachy pink. Not Apricot, not pink, but that one color in between or a very soft peach...

Now, I will answer the questions Derrith asked me about myself....
Wow, someone wants to know about me?!!! How sweet! I think you might already know more than you wanted to from the things I've already TOLD you about me!!

1. What were your aspirations when you were a child?
I wanted to grown up and be a  Mom, pretty just like my mom...also, a gymnast - every time the summer Olympics came on, and a Pop Star, when The Carpenters and Olivia Newton-John were popular, and be able to do everything PERFECTLY....ummmm....that's not gonna happen.....Also, I not a gymnast or a Pop Star or pretty, like my Mom, but I AM a Mom!

2. What is your favorite romantic movie? 
Oh....too many to have a favorite...I thought Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was romantic as a little girl...My all time favorite Movie is probably "The Princess Bride". I refer to my hubby as "farm Boy...." regularly....and the movie is still funny after all these viewings! Romantic movies..."How to Steal a Million" Audry Hepburn and Peter O'Toole...Love it.

3. What is your dream vacation destination?
I love many places I have already been, of course Germany is one of my favorites because  Daughter*1 and her family, my Grandgirls, live there. But New Zealand would be an amazing place to visit...

4. Do you have a favorite book(s)?
It took years for me to enjoy fiction...So, Non fiction would be The Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon, and fiction would have to be "The Wooing of Miss Masters".....total fluff....but a fun, clean romance novel...

5. What is your favorite family tradition? A daily tradition I love, but does not happen everyday, is family prayer and scripture study. An annual tradition I love is Christmas Caroling on Christmas Eve, and Family Vacation to the Oregon Coast, and celebrating birthdays with breakfast in bed. A summertime tradition is singing around the fire pit with my family and friends, sleeping on the deck star gazing with my children, and....oh...there are many!


6. How long have you been blogging? 
5 months...I started in October of 2012

7. What do you most enjoy shopping for? 
That depends on the current fetish....it was dishes, and now it seems to be vintage laces and dishes, and ephemera for tags and dolly dresses and ...a basement full...My hubby and children would probably like me to care more about new shoes and clothes than I really do...I usually dress like I am going to work in the yard, except on Sunday for church. Then I am in a dress. When I do Sheffield Cider Tastings, I am dressed up in a nice pants outfit.

8. What pets do you have? 
We have outdoor kitties. They keep the mice down around the outside of the house. We ARE on a farm.....and Hubby is allergic, so we don't have any in home pets.  I used to say that our son was the only indoor pet. He loved to pretend he was a puppy....until I made him lap up his meal on the deck instead of on the floor near the table....because we only have outside pets....

9. What one thing would you most like to do to change the world? 
Love completely, as the Savior loves, with my heart...
As Mothers, I don't think we realize how much we do that influences the world. But, recently I have had multiple people tell me how much they love MY children. They value their kindness, their thoughtfulness, their abilities to communicate and to comfort others. I hear things from adults about my children's willingness to step out of their comfort zone and be of assistance, and their standing up for what they believe is right, to defend those who are picked on by others. I knew they were wonderful.  They are mine, so I adore them! But to hear others speak so highly of my children, .... I think "Wow, my children have influenced for good, lifted another person's burdens and have been kind to someone who needed kindness and knows they can count on them for kindness....."I must have done something good......"  

Don't get me wrong, I am NO perfect Mother and we are NO perfect family, I KNOW that and so does anyone who knows me. My house is a mess most of the time, in a multitude of ways! And I don't take credit for the good things my children do....I am certainly NOT going to take credit for the Not-So-Good things they do either!  Without realizing it, as a family, we have changed someone's world.....and that changes our family's world for the better ... and that feels good to me.

10. What do you collect? 
Dishes, dolls, lace, tea sets, music to perform for uplifting occasions, Music of all genres, Christmas decor, vintage cookie cutters, Gluten Free Chocolate Cake recipes, Children's Books, Stuff....

11. Do you prefer being indoors or outdoors?
I prefer .....BOTH! It depends on where I need to be to do what I want to do! And wherever that is, I prefer it!


The sweet, kind, nice, dear, beloved, lovely, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcoming 5 blogs I am nominating are:

Shabby Royale ~ Wilma

French & Sparrow ~ Kerry

Black Rooster Cottage ~ Amber

Rosemary & Thyme ~ Janet

Frenchy Blue and Peachy Pink ~ Melanie

Okay, blog girlfriends, don't hate me....I will only ask you a few questions.....maybe....and I know a few of you are not even available to do this right now...but I just love all your blogs and want everyone to know about them!!!!

This has taken me 6 weeks to do this!So, when you get to it, we'd love to hear about you! If you have received this award before...sorry, just post a link to that previous post of yours on here...Okay? Thanks gals, your are all the above!

Gals, as a reminder....Here are the "rules" that one must follow, if one receives a Liebster Award: 

1 ~ You must tell 11 things about yourself.
2 ~ Answer the 11 questions your nominator gives you.
3 ~ Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.
4 ~ Choose new blogs with less than 200 followers and link them to your post.
5 ~ Leave a comment on this post with the URL to your Leibster Award Post so I can learn about you! 

So, here are my questions for you...

1 ~ What was the first creative item that you can remember making as a child?

2 ~Please share with us how you felt about that process at that time.

3 ~ What do you remember about creating in Elementary School?

4 ~ Who is your biggest fan of your creative pursuits?

5 ~ How do they show you they care about those pursuits?

6 ~ Do you have a favorite saying that inspires your work?

7 ~ Where is your favorite place to draw inspiration from for your creations?

8 ~ What talent do you wish you could develop, but have not done much with in the past?

9 ~ Do you ever dream about your creations, or of things you'd like to make....in your SLEEP, I mean...not MAKE in your sleep, but DREAM about in your sleep...

10 ~ What is the funniest creative mess you have ever made? 

11 ~ If there was one more thing in life you would like to have, what would that be?

There you go, those shouldn't be too much trouble for you! 
Please let me know how it goes for you in this process, and Kerry, I so envy your location at this time...

Heart Hugs to you all!

Betsy

PS Derrith at Tied Up In Ribbon, I ACCEPT THE AWARD!!!!

Vintage Laces and Vintage Style Laces

I have been looking through my fabrics and trims and laces to

see what different things I have to work with for the bulletin board for church.

These are some laces I purchased at an antique store in my area, Washington State, that has many booths.

One particular booth is full of fabrics and notions and looks like a lovely old fabric store.

I think these will be beautiful on the bulletin board in addition to what I have!

The really wonderful item also in this picture is a vintage french roller stamp

used to mark fabric for embroidery. I purchased it from Liz's Etsy shop, La Croix Rosion.

She also has a gorgeous blog, Lululiz in Lalaland. It is she who got me blogging.  I have some more things to show you that I bought from her. I love the items she finds a brocantes and boot fairs in France when she is there at their cottage
in the countryside of France.

They are always so unique and gorgeous...I wondered how they used to mark fabrics for embroidery! I am sure there are many ways, but I can use this myself!!!

Don't these stamp patterns look beautiful? I am excited to mark some fabric and see what I can do with embroidery! So many plans.....
I wonder if there

is a washable ink pad that I can purchase. . .

I'll have to look for that. The balls of yarn I also found at the "Old Fabric Store" and will use them on SOMETHING as a crotcheted edging.

My friend has some Mexican Embroidered towels she uses to keep her tortillas warm in. They have the same type of yarn used to make the edging on them. I have one of those towels that needs to be finished and I think I will try this yarn! The fancy ecru lace beneath is a sleeve off of a vintage dress, and it is so pretty. And I have TWO sleeves, one for each side of the bulletin board!

I love this lace collar...it will be pretty as a topper to one side of the bulletin board. I think I will look for something similar for the other 

side of the bulletin board. This ceramic piece is supposed to be a garbage can, but I cannot stand to use it that way, it is just too pretty! I've tried and I just can't! So it has some pretty double Narcissus bulbs in it. It is a piece of a bathroom set that blends in with  my dishes, American Ateleir Athena. This is the American Atelier Baroque Bathroom set my children gave me for Mother's Day one year. The story about the dishes is a doozy.... well, that LONG story IS for another post...

These are some larger pieces of lace that will cover more areas on either side of
the bulletin board,
I love the details and the open weave
on each of these pieces.

 I adore this fillet crochet piece that my Mom~I~L made for me, years ago. One Winter when she and my hubby's father were going to Arizona, she asked if there was anything she could make for me....I will have to show you all she made for me that winter in the way of crochet and hardanger embroidery. I gave her patterns to CHOOSE from. She did them all!!! She does even and gorgeous work and I simply love each thing she has made me. She is a very talented woman, like my own Mother. And she treats her Daughter's in Law like her own daughters. I have kept it on the back of this chair for a few months. I had plans to put it on the back of a chair but that plan for a chair to sit in to cross stitch, in my sewing room,  never materialized. I'd rather be where family is and stitch. So, it has traveled to my bedroom and guest room, I have been nervous about it being unprotected on the back of a chair. I have considered framing it and I may still do that. The fabric behind it now is a section of curtains that Mom made for her homestead on the farm, and that seems an appropriate backing for it in a frame, don't you think?

I love the crocheted image of a woman knitting with that lovely frame

around the image. I am SURE I would mess a pattern like this up.

And at the time I did not knit very well, but thanks to my Mom~I~L's help,

I knit better now. 

This lovely cream wing back chair, with "peachypink" flowers with sage green leaves,

 I inherited, from Daughter*2's Mother~in~law's Mother. I have been 

thrilled that our Daughter*2 married into a family I have 

known and loved for most of my lifetime, and that is another post for another day! 

I post about so many things in one post, but that is because 

I am sentimental about EVERYTHING!!!!!

I thought I'd better tell you that....

(like you didn't already notice it!! **rolling eyes at self**)

Will be sharing at Blissful Whites Wednesday
at TIMEWASHED     
THANK YOU, BECKY!

and at

Pearls and Lace Thursday
at Faith, Grace, and Crafts
THANK YOU, DONI!


And again at
Our Beautiful World
Thanks for the Photo linky party! This will be fun!
Go see the beautiful photos taken from all over the world!

Hearts and hugs to you,

Betsy

A Gift of Hearts

One heart.....

Two heart,

Pink heart,

Blue heart!

Pink ribbon flower,

Doily power,

I received a gift of a pretty heart shower 

from 

Joan, of Fibre Fascination

Thank you, Joan, for the beautiful hearts I received from your blog giveaway! 

I love them! This style of art warms my heart! It reminds me of my oldest sister's style of 

quilting and embroidered artwork. I don't know what the name of the style would be. 

I watched her make things like these through the 60s, 70s, and 80s. 

And her work is awesome! Just like Joan's work. I don't know

if Joan made the doily, but I love it too!

And the sweet pink flower made with layers of pink. . .

My bloggy friends, I find my heart turning a bit more

toward pink, because of your pink pretties.

Usually I like a peach with pink in it more, at least that is what I decorate with.

I am so happy to hold the hearts you made, Joan, and I will keep this 

little jar of hearts in my sewing room... 

Or my bedroom... Or my guest room...I can move them and enjoy them all over!

Enjoy your hearts, where ever you are!

Hugs,

Betsy

Anniversary Gift

I am a silly romantic. . . 

I asked Shannon of Sweet Inspirations to make 

a special memento in honor of our 32 Anniversary that

was at the beginning of February.

I have been admiring her Sweet Inspirations for quite some time now

and I thought it would be so fun to have one of her vintage lace hearts

personalized with out wedding date on it

to hang in our Master Bedroom.

Items in our Master Bedroom have been reminders of our family we love.

But now that the youngest will be going off to college in a year,

I decided to change that focus back to 

he and I as a couple, and on our love for each other. 

As soon as I saw this on Sweet Inspirations Etsy shop, I knew

that I wanted to have one.

I could probably make one myself, but Shannon's 

work is exquisite!

I love her choice of vintage laces, buttons, beads and embellishments on her gorgeous ...EVERYTHING! She makes fabric collages, fabulous Christmas stockings, and also sells amazing hand dyed Viennese laces. I love her vintage formal look. Not Victorian, but more of a formal shabby chic, more of an English Country look.  Many people say, "I've never heard of that.....", but it makes sense that you wouldn't hear  of something you weren't looking for.

I love the glimmer of the faceted beads she so carefully hand sews on her items.

The round  silver beads add to that shine. 

Each item is unique, beautiful and created with thought and care.

The feminine pink porcelain roses are her trademark. Most of her items have one or more

pink porcelain roses on them, and they give it just the right touch.

I was so happy when it came in the mail!

I had to share it with you all.

If you like her style as much as I do, check out her Etsy store, Sweet Inspirations, or her 

Facebook page of the same name, and you can see the marvelous

creations she makes.

We look so young....and we are still in love, even though we are

"Old Guys" as my hubby says...

The happiest hearts to you today, and always!

Hugs,

Betsy

Posting at
Our Beautiful World
10/21/2013
Week 17 ~ LOVE