What a wonderful birthday present....

Oh Happy Day! This weekend is hubby and my birthday. Our birthdays are two days apart. Mine is actually Leap Year...but hubby does not get off the hook that easily...I celebrate on the 28th when Leap Year is nowhere to be found, and he usually gets me a gift card to my favorite store~Joann's. We decided the best present to each other would be to have some kids home from college. These two didn't make it home for Christmas....sooooo

They are here for the weekend and our hearts are very happy. They are on the countdown to graduate this May from college. They are soooo cute together and very in love....and very exhausted from the college routine. We are having a big party with a Farmer and Farmer's wife theme. Lots of farm animals, bales of hay, chickens (decorative only) and eggs...you get the picture!

Also a picture of the addition, just a couple more weeks and it will be done and my parents will move in!
Next! I ran into the Vintage Housewife! Have you been to her amazing blog? Visit Cat here @ http://thevintagehousewife.blogspot.com/ She is quite a gal. Our daughters played soccer together during high school and we decided one night after a long soccer game...where a player ended up in the hospital and we were in the waiting room (she was ok)...we discussed blogging and whether we should start one! Well the rest is history!

What a mess....But things are moving along!

Have a blessed day...while I turn 50! I actually enjoy getting older and feistier! Hahahha....there is a little more freedom to be who you want to be...you are wiser....ok and a little bigger around the hips...but....life just seems to be getting better the older I get! And I thank God for every blessing!

Pictures of spring flowers in Palm Springs this morning!

Blessings,

Debbie

Oh no he didn't!

Hubby was a little TICKED OFF AT ME! He happened to read my blog...where I mentioned that when he says he loves me...which wasn't often...that I swooned! Us females know what I meant. He was furious....said I shouldn't write that....shouldn't say that...that he says he loves me plenty! (wink wink)...so I removed that phrase immediately...realizing I didn't want to hurt my favorite farmer's feelings. He could hardly talk he was so upset at me! Wow...I had no idea.... Next thing I know he's in the kitchen baking me something....called me babe...and said he hoped I would like this little chocolate somethin' somethin'! Wow....I didn't know what to think except to pour some milk and dive in!A

A little chocolate pudding dessert by Barefoot Contessa. Mighty good! Yummo!

Who would think that hubby's would dare read our blog!

I'll have to be more careful next time. (wink, wink)

Blessings,

Debbie

Pink and Chocolate quilt top...

Hey everyone!! Welcome again...things are pink again...with a little chocolate brown!

Here was a little chocolate cherry cross stitch I worked on for Valentines AND JUST FINISHED! I'm determined to finish ALL projects that I start! Easier said than done!

... a quilt top I just love, I've added batting and the backing and safety pinned it (my form of basting!) together. Now I just have to machine quilt it! I have a 25 year old Bernina that has been my friend for a long time now and I will machine quilt it!

Next, if you missed this...I made a Garden/Cottage style cloche with chicken wire. The chickens won't miss it...although hubby squinted his eyes at it...and then at me. I just smile. How can you get into trouble for stealing if you smile. He probably wondered which chicken pen I stole the wire from. I told the girls (chickens) not to say a word or they would be DINNER! Big smile.

http://ribbonwoodcottage.blogspot.com/2010/02/make-cottagegarden-style-cloche.html click here to see tutorial.

Last but not least....I visited French Laundry Blog for Pink Saturday. She has the loveliest blog....lovely pictures and ohhhhh the handpainted pieces with roses. My heart just got weak looking at them. Please give Judy a visit. You won't be disappointed!

http://www.frenchlaundryblog.blogspot.com/

Today I've joined in with Beverly at http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Blessings,

Debbie

Make a Cottage/Garden style Cloche

Have you all seen one of these?

A garden wired cloche? I've seen a couple in farmer hubby's magazines....usually covering plants!
I took (snuck) some chicken wire (from the chicken pen) and cut it with my handy dandy wire cutters. Snuck some 18 gauge wire (from hubby~barn) and started cutting it.
I made some wire bobbie pins to wire the cloche closed.
After I shaped it into a round cloche I smooshed the top of the wires closed so they would meet each other at the top. Then I would close it and put a finial on top.




I had decided a while ago that I wanted to make something with chicken wire...and I had also wanted to make a cloche. I see so many creative ideas out there and wanted to try this project.



Once the cloches were closed and rounded at the top I spray painted little terra cotta pots to attach to the top.
I had enough chicken wire to make three....all different heights. This was very fun and addicting. Of course hubby wasn't too impressed, but he did recognize what they were.

Tomorrow I am joining the Winter Cloche party and I will show all that I did with these and other Cloches I had around the house! Come back soon for a visit!
Blessings,
Debbie
Today I'm playing along with:
http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/

and Leigh @
http://lbratina.blogspot.com/

MAD + LOVE=MADLY IN LOVE

When I first met my hubby and went home with him to meet his family for the first time...I was 18 and naive(dumb). It never occurred to me when we were planting a garden (1/2 acre size garden) and he asked me to shovel manure so he could fertilize before we planted....that I would be doing this for years to come. (Big big smile)

I was so in love with him....I practically drooled over the shovel (and manure!) and said yes...

Yes to years of planting

years to lots of laughing and crying

years of planting good seeds in our kids so that when they grew up they would be able to

face whatever storms came their way.

Valentine's day is about living happily ever after.....but there is a great deal of planting, fertilizing, watering and hard work....before you get the flowers (again...big smile)

I've found (perhaps you would agree) there are lots of planting seeds before you see a harvest.

Years of saying 'yes dear' even when you want to lay down and take a nap...instead of picking up someone's dirty clothes off the floor and not griping about it.

But in the end...when you have planted seeds of love, kindness, sacrifice....

someone says 'I love you" and your heart swoons....all over again.

When Mr. Farmer says I love you......I melt!

But this morning he said "let's go out to breakfast." We went to Palm Springs...we are only 30 minutes away...and ate a wonderful breakfast. Then he proceeded to take me to all my favorite thrift stores. He said he thought it would make me happy....and it did.

My other Valentines....
MOM AND DAD OVER 50 YEARS AGO....
MY PARENTS TODAY...STILL KISSIN' AND HUGGIN'
MY DAUGHTER AND DAUGHTER-IN-LOVE...

VALENTINE'S DOLLY DRESS PROJECT...




WOW....FARMER HUBBY AND I ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO....

WOW....YOU CAN'T SEE IT BUT I HAD A WAIST IN THIS PICTURE! HAHAHAHA....

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYONE.

BLESSINGS,

DEBBIE

"GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE THAN THIS THAN TO LAY DOWN ONE'S LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS." JOHN 15:16

Pink Shabby Birdhouse topiary

...hope your day today is sweet and your heart is filled with love.

I decided to decorate a few birdhouses, for spring. I wanted something light, airy looking and very pale. Of course pink is the perfect option for Pink Saturday!

Also a very frugal decorating project. Visit here for some great ideas! http://decormamma.blogspot.com/

I found some unfinished birdhouses at Joann's. Only a couple dollars each. We don't have Hobby Lobby in California!

Spray painted them white and then used a foam brush to paint the roof pale pink.

And Beverly our sweet hostess...we are praying for you Beverly. She's faced some rough waters lately. Visit her beautiful blog @ How Sweet the Sound.

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Next I Modge Podged light pink fabric to some round boxes.
I stacked the birdhouse on top of the finished round box....and stacked these on top of white candle sticks.
Sorry I had to tilt the camera to get everything in the picture...Kind of gets a kink in your neck to look at it! Hahaha

Some more pink heart marshmallows...I bought way too many of these!

Below are some sweet little salt dough cookie looking thingamabobs!

I'm glad you came by for a visit!

Blessings,

Debbie

"Better are the days ahead of you than the days behind you." Ecclesiastes 7:8