One Fell Out of the Cuckoo's Nest

Pruning Hydrangeas

2011-03-21T12:57:00.018-04:00

The key to knowing when and how to prune hydrangeas is knowing what type of hydrangea you have.

(Pee Gee hydrangea)

Pee Gees - can be pruned as early as January here in the south, but can also be pruned into March. Pee Gees bloom on "new" wood, meaning they haven't set their buds yet and won't be affected by a late frost.

Annabelles (Hydrangea Arborescens or Smooth Hydrangeas) - any time in February - March.

(Annabelle)

Both of the above can be pruned severely if you wish to keep them on the smaller side. Otherwise, they can all become quite big. Pruning severely = taking them down to 12 inches.

(mophead hydrangea)

Mopheads and Lacecaps - AFTER the LAST frost.(See special pruning instructions below.) I've pruned mine too early before and ended up doing the same job twice. Boo to late frosts!

(lacecap hydrangea)

In the south you are usually safe to prune around Mother's Day weekend.
Northeasterners should wait closer to Memorial Day weekend to prune.

Pruning Instructions for Mopheads & Lacecaps :
DO NOT prune severely. These hydrangeas bloom on "old" wood. Meaning their buds were setting back in September. The buds form on branches which were formed last summer. If you pruned them after September, you may be low on blooms this year.

If they have a bud or new growth at the tip of the branch, DO NOT cut it off.

(Unless it has been hit by frost and is brown. Like below)

If the new growth is a few inches down the branch, cut it about an inch above the bud or new growth. See below.(Oakleaf Hydrangea)

Pruning Oakleafs:
Cut off spent flowers and do any pruning to shape the shrub or to control its size AFTER the flowers have bloomed. (July) If you live in a hot climate, the flowers will age and then brown out from the heat - so cutting them at this time improves the look of the plant anyway. Oakleafs also bloom on old wood and waiting too long to prune can decrease the blooms you get the following year.

General Pruning Tips:
When pruning, remove any dead wood from your shrub. Often these branches appear white, brittle and do not have any green in the branch even if you were to break it and look inside like I've done here. Cut these as close to the base of the plant as you can.You can remove up to one-third of a hydrangea, so if there are any branches that "bother" you, cut away!

Use sharp bypass shears when cutting hydrangeas. Thicker branches may require the larger, lopping shears.

('Endless Summer' Hydrangea)

If you are lucky enough to have an 'Endless Summer' mophead hydrangea, you can cut the blooms off by July 4th and should get a second bloom out of your shrub.

Well, if you're still reading, you're either my Ma-Ma or really into hydrangeas. Feel free to ask any hydrangea related questions in the comment area and if I don't know the answer, I'll try to find out.

Hope you have a bloom filled summer!
Thanks for visiting.

Subtle Valentine Decorating

2011-02-13T20:57:00.005-05:00

Something a little different for Valentine's Day.
A combination of silver, candles, miniature dry rosebuds, pepperberries and a Valentine card given to my hubby's mother and passed on to me by my wonderful SIL. Thanks, Nancy!

Be sure to check out the other
wonderful mosaics over
at Mary's!

Sweetness Through the Year

2011-02-11T15:33:00.011-05:00

This idea came to me via my good friend, Amanda. She's so smart and thoughtful sometimes I forget what a sassypants she is. But sassy or not, this is a wonderful idea! And it is very simple.
Get a notebook for each of your kiddos and start a love journal. These are my kids' journals and I got them at Wal-Mart. Each night or every other night, you write something positive, funny or memorable from the day which specifically involves them. My kids like to read their notes at the breakfast table.

You decide how much you want to write and how often. Even on a rough day, you can find one positive thing...and no, it shouldn't say "Finally, you went to bed."

After on particularly rough day with our son, I reminded him in his notebook how his daddy and I had prayed to God for a child of our own and He ended up giving us him. I told him I say a thank you prayer to God every day for making him our son - even on tough days! This is important because Jack knows his story (of adoption) and he is as precious now as he was then. And it helped me put a whole new perspective on the day to come.

I especially like this idea because their notes are organized in one area, it's a fabulous way to spread the love daily or often, they read back and laugh at some of the early notes and they have your handwriting.

My mother recently found and gave to me a recipe of my grandmother's written in her handwriting. I can't even begin to tell you what a treasure it is. And it's perfect for a Valentine's treat!

Traci's No Cook Fudge

1 box 10x sugar
1 egg
2 TBSP. milk
Vanilla as desired
1 stick of butter
1/2 c. Hershey's cocoa

Mix sugar, egg, milk and vanilla together in a large bowl with a mixer.
Melt butter and cocoa together.
Add to bowl with first set of ingredients and stir together.
Pour into a buttered or Pam sprayed pan.

Keep in fridge and cut when cool.

If you prefer peanut butter fudge, simply substitute 1/2 c. peanut butter for the cocoa.

Enjoy!
Thanks for visiting and Happy Valentine's Day!

Stimulating the Senses

2011-02-06T22:52:00.011-05:00

You're thinking, "What in the world is she talking about?" Well, I took a look at my winter/February mantel from last year and thought it felt a little "cold". So I went back to what I like best when decorating: nature and feeling cozy.

This mantel from last year, was missing something - warmth. And goodness knows we can all use some warmth!

This is much better. Not a huge change, but definitely an improvement. All it took were some mason jars, filled with Epsom salts to mimic the look of snow, (those of you in the midwest and along the east coast may want to skip the salts) and a tea light nestled in the top. And no, you don't see any amaryllis blooms this year - all I got are big green wonky leaves that look like green antlers. Don't look.

On to the olfactory sense...and this is one of my favorite things to do on a chilly day. Fill a large pot with water, slice up an orange/tangerine, toss in a couple of bay leaves, a few cloves, sprinkle in these spices: cinnamon, nutmeg and ground allspice. Bring to a soft boil and then reduce to simmering. Now...DON'T forget about this on your stove!! I add more water when I notice it getting low. You can reheat with the same ingredients 2 or 3 times. This homemade simmering potpourri smells divine!

Last but not least, lets cover the ole' taste buds. Because who couldn't use a warm you to the bones stew after being out in the brutal cold? This is a delicious and very easy recipe to boot.

French Vegetable Beef Stew

2 lbs. beef stew meat and olive oil to brown meat
1 can condensed onion soup
1 - 6oz. can tomato paste
1 TBSP. basil
1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper
5-8 carrots, sliced
2 c. sliced celery
1 can or frozen wax beans - if canned, do not drain
1 can or frozen green beans - again, do not drain if canned
1 can kidney beans (don't drain)
optional: potatoes are fine if you don't plan on freezing the stew and Parmesan cheese if you want to top it off.

In a large pot over medium/high heat, brown meat well in olive oil. Reduce heat to medium, stir in undiluted onion soup, 5 soup cans water, tomato paste, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer covered, 1 and 1/2 hours.

Add all vegetables; reheat to boiling, then simmer covered 30 minutes or until meat and veggies are fork tender. Top with Parmesan cheese if you'd like.

The beauty of this recipe is that it has such a good base that you can vary or add vegetables to you liking. I try to healthy it up a bit, by skipping the canned veggies as much as possible and use fresh or frozen. Yum!

Thanks for visiting and come back for a Valentine's gift (for kiddos) that keeps giving through out the year!

Puppy Chow for People

2010-12-02T06:17:00.008-05:00

"Puppy Chow"

1/2 c. butter
1 -12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. peanut butter
9 c. Crispix cereal (some recipes call for Chex cereal, but I like this better)
4 c. powdered sugar
paper bag (I add this because it was the only thing I needed to get at the grocery store.)

Directions: (super easy - trust me!)

1. In a sauce pan, melt together butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips. (low to medium heat)
2. Stir until all is evenly distributed and all is completely melted.
3. Measure out Crispix into a large bowl.
4. Pour chocolate mixture over Crispix and fold until all the cereal is completely covered.
5. Put powdered sugar into large paper bag.
6. Put Crispix into the bag with the sugar and shake until all the cereal is covered.
7. Add more sugar as needed.
8. Lay cereal on wax paper until cool.

Get these adorable treat boxes at Hobby Lobby - they've gone on sale already, so 10 only cost $3! That is a whole lotta cute for not a lotta money, my friends! I plan on squirreling away some of these babies to use through the year.

I like to refrigerate my puppy chow. I also place it in baggies before packaging so the powdered sugar doesn't go everywhere it's not supposed to.

This was the perfect favor for my daughter's birthday party which had a doggy theme to it. I think it would make an excellent holiday treat...however, you may want to rename it to "Chocolate-Peanut Butter Crunch" so people don't think you're insulting them. You can even top it off with an ornament.

Thanks for visiting and happy snackin'!

Incredible Florabella Give-Away!

2010-11-27T17:02:00.003-05:00

I'm sure most of my photographer friends know
of Florabella actions and textures.

(This is actually a vertical template, but I rotated it for this photo.)

But did ya know, she has generously sent out an invite
to download these gorgeous holiday cards? The
invite came via her newsletter. Sign up!

Yepper. All you have to do is "like" Florabella
on FaceBook and you can download all FIVE
of these beauties.
Comes with lovely matching patterns
for your text on the back.
Details found here.

Not only that, but you can then sign up for the
chance to win a $100 gift certificate to
purchase any of her incredible
actions, textures, frames or digital papers!

Thanks for visiting!

Halloween Scissor Cutting Pattern

2010-10-14T11:54:00.013-04:00

I've been working on a little something to share with you all. Since this is something you can make now and keep for next year's Halloween season, I'm going with the motto of better late than never! I was inspired by a fabulous scissor-cutting artist, Cindy - found here, an exhibitor at a local show and a silhouette pattern from the Better Homes & Garden Halloween magazine to create this:

Ta-Dah!! (Or as my daughter says, "Ta-Tah!!" She has no idea why I find this funny.)This is my own drawing/template, yours to print off and use to make your own Halloween scissor-cutting. Right-click on the template. Click on "Open Link in New Tab". You should be able to print from that image.Once printed, use as much or as little of the template as you like. You may only want to do the moon and the owl or the cat and pumpkins - enlarge if you'd like.

1. Cut the excess white paper away and tape to a piece of black paper. (Unless you want to make a white silhouette. Which I think gives this wonderful craft a modern look to it - however, I like the black for Halloween.) I'm not sure if this taping process is "cheating" in the scissor-cutting world, but I certainly didn't want to cut out the pattern, trace it with a white pen on black paper and then cut it again from the black paper. If you want to do that - knock yourself out. Seriously.

2. Use your exacto knife and tiny hole punch to cut out the small inner pieces and eyes FIRST.
3. Using fine tipped, sharp scissors, cut around the outer lines. Turn the paper, rather than your scissors to get a better cut. Sorry I didn't have the grass drawn on my original drawing, but I kind of pieced this together as I went.
If you are a novice, like me, you will want to cut the little figures and grass separately and just glue them close together onto your background when finished. (I'm pretty sure this is also "cheating".)

If your cuts are not perfect, don't sweat it! Perfectionists are chicken-$hits. If you are a perfectionist, I'm sorry, someone had to tell you.

4. Find an old black frame, use one ya have or get one on sale...this pattern fits just right in a 5x7 frame.

5. Pick out a sheet of colored or patterned paper and glue your cuttings down.

Ta-tah, you're done!

You might get inspired and draw your own little figures to match your little one's costumes. I made this magician and bunny rabbit for my friend who's boys are dressing in these costumes. I thought she was so creative making their costumes relate like that! Way to go, Amanda Carol!
Thanks for visiting and happy scissor-cutting! (Sounds better than happy scerenschnitting, don'tcha think?)

Confessions of a Crappy Blogger

2010-09-26T18:07:00.008-04:00

I have been just awful about posting in the last month. And if this blog was a plant, it would be dried up, brown and just plain pitiful looking. But I must say "thank you" to my followers and my readers. Thank you for sticking with me, thank you for your continued support and thank you for your thoughtful comments. And now, if you only wish to read positive, feel-good blogs...you may wanna go read elsewhere. If you can handle some honesty and reality, stick around.

I have been busy with my family. The kids have after school activities three days of the week. I have been exhausted. I have been hot. Bring on the fall weather already! Laundry, cleaning and all domestic chores have been done. And repeated to the Nth degree. (If you are one of my three male followers or my brother, avert your eyes now...I'm about to discuss female issues.)

Let's quit this BS that our 40's are the best thing since they started making snack bags of Nutter-Butter cookies. I gotta ask Oprah, Demi and that Eat, Pray, Love chick to just shut it! I feel like I've got another set of armpits directly under my breasts. I am tired, moody and filled with self doubt. I could eat 24/7. I am out of shape and out of my mind. Yes, I'm perimenopausal. It's not pretty, it's not fun and I am at a time where I am trying to take care of everyone else.

For the past month, I collapse on the couch at the end of the day. I mindlessly watch tv and try to let go the worst of the day. I tell myself that tomorrow is another day. It hasn't been working. So I began exercising again. It hasn't solved everything, but I am feeling mentally better. Therefore, I decided to share. Because somebody else may be feeling similarly. And because the Pioneer Woman wrote that anything I'd share with a sister (if I had a sister), I could feel comfortable sharing with my readers. If you've made it this far reading, I am crowning you a blogging sister.

And I feel better unleashing that bout of verbal diarrhea.
Thanks for listening and sticking by me.

Baby Fix

2010-08-20T11:07:00.006-04:00

For all of us who are "finished" adding to our immediate family...sometimes, ya just need a little baby fix and then you're good to go!
I love all his dark hair and his incredible dark brown eyes...oops! You can't see his dark eyes here. You'll need to go here to my photography blog to see MORE and BIGGER photos!

In case you are interested, I'll be sharing a post about lighting & photography here next week. All of my portraits are done with natural lighting.

Thanks for visiting and following!

Family Portrait

2010-08-12T11:28:00.005-04:00

This is the first full week of school here in Georgia and I have begun the process of catching up! I feel sometimes like I'm in a constant state of catching up, but love when I'm able to chip away at my list.

This is just a sneak peak at the "H" family portrait session I shot back in June. Yes, June. Back when I thought it couldn't get any hotter. My mistake. However, you'd never know it was blazin' hot by looking at these guys. They looked "Mahhvelous". (Yes, I'm channeling my inner Billy Crystal and I don't care if that clues you in to my age!)

You can see more and larger photos from our session here.

Off to work on "Baby Z". Be sure to come back if you're in need of an adorable baby fix!
Thanks for visiting!

Hydrangeas Part II

2010-07-28T15:11:00.020-04:00

You thought I forgot, didn't you? I did not. I lost my notes. I lost my mind. They have both returned. I began writing this post in my notebook, but found it became rather verbose. So if you can believe it, I'll have to write another post for Part III and the remaining questions I am often asked. This post addresses the question:

Is there a hydrangea I can grow even though we have harsh winters?

Why,yes, my cold weather friends there is...as long as you are in a region no lower than Zone 3 on a climate map. In case you are unsure of your zone, I've scanned a climate map below.(Click on map to enlarge)

Here is a breakdown for hydrangeas suitable for cold regions:

Zone 3: Hydrangea Paniculata AKA Pee Gee Hydrangeas

What they lack in color, they make up for with presence and abundance.Jackie-Baby and 'Limelight' blooms as big as his head

Bloom Color: Cream, ivory or white often aging to green or pink.
Pros: Blooms on new wood, so it is not affected by late frosts.
One of the few hydrangeas which does well in full sun - don't even think about putting her in the shade!
Fast grower and gets BIG! (I guess that's not a "Pro" if you have a small space.)
Bloom Time: Late summer, but blooms will age beautifully until hard frost.
Favorite Pee Gee: Limelight

Zone 4: Hydrangea Aborescens AKA Wild or Smooth Hydrangeas

A prolific and consistent bloomer. ( I have 6 of these beauties.)early 'Anabelle' hydrangea blooms

Bloom color: begins bright green, turns white and ages back to green.
Pros: Also blooms on new wood and is not affected by late frosts.
Can tolerate a little more sun. (But not full sun.)
Bloom time: Early in the season.
Favorite: Annabelle, which will re-bloom in late summer if deadheaded and cut back after the first bloom.

Zone 4: Hydrangea macrophylla 'Endless Summer' - mophead

The only mophead which can survive in the cold of Zone 4.'Endless Summer'

Bloom color: blue or pink depending on soil conditions.
Pros: very hardy and colorful!
Bloom time: June
The further north you are located, the more sun she'll tolerate. Here in the south, she'll need protection from the afternoon sun.

Zone 5: Hydrangea quercifolia AKA Oakleaf Hydrangea

As the name suggests, it's leaves look like those of an oak and color up beautifully in the late summer and fall. Oakleafs are are consistent and abundant bloomers which do well with sun, but not full sun. Needs good drainage. Some varieties get VERY big. Lulu by my neighbor, Pam's Oakleaf Hydrangea

Bloom color: Green to ivory/white and age pink. However, they will burn out or brown out by July here in the south. I simply cut the spent blooms & enjoy the remaining foliage.
Note: Bees love oakleaf blooms in the early stages, so beware if you are allergic to stings.

Favorite Oakleaf: 'Snowflake' - it has a double flower and the bloom ages better than others in my garden.

early blooming 'Snowflake' Oakleaf

'Snowflake' Oakleaf aging to pink

Zone 5: Hydrangea serrata AKA Lacecaps

Lacecaps have delicate, airy and dainty blooms and their leaves are narrow.'Purple Tiers'

Bloom colors: Purple, blue, white or pink.
Pros: Lacecaps are a more reliable bloomer than mopheads since they are hardier. (Less threatened by late frosts.) Since their blooms are more delicate, they remain upright.
Favorite Lacecaps: 'Purple Tiers', 'Tiara' and 'Blue Billow'

Note: Another favorite of bees once the centers "pop".'Tiara'

In case you are wondering why I am posting this now, it is because hydrangeas are best to plant in the fall. This way, there is less stress on the plant, it gets plenty of winter moisture and has time to set it's buds.
So go forth and get yourself a hydrangea or three...or five. Best to plant in odd numbers.

Thanks for visiting!

Lost and Found

2010-07-17T14:05:00.007-04:00

And because I know you all will lose sleep if I don't spill the beans.
Here is what happened:

I was on my way to Target.
I see this black dog standing by a bus stop looking up at the people there.
I see black dog run into street and continue to cross four lanes of busy traffic.
I see black dog nearly get hit on three occasions. My heart is jumping out of my chest.
I see he has a collar, so I pull over into the empty (thank goodness) parking lot where he has now trotted to.
He is scared. He is hesitant. His tail is between his legs. His collar has no tags.
He is Ozzy.
I took him to our vet to be scanned to see if he has a chip. No chip.
I called Animal Control, Cocker Spaniel Rescue (they are full) and four local groomers.
Nobody has reported him missing.
His tongue sticks out while he sleeps.
He is sweet with everyone. He is housebroken. He is overweight. He snores.
He gets along with Ella...

Ah, yes...Ella.
The princess is not so happy.
Proof:I have no idea what his story is, but my vet told me they are seeing an unbelievable number of strays being found. People move and leave them behind. I can't fathom it.

So now we have a new member of the family. I'm pretty sure you'll be seeing much more of him. You can see more of him over at my photography blog here.

Thanks for visiting!

Connected

2010-07-16T20:29:00.011-04:00

Tucker - Ella's new BFF

So dear blogger friends, while Mr. Sassypants and our children were away, I took the opportunity to visit my dear friend, Martha. A road trip to Alabama with Ella-baby.
I hadn't talked to Martha in forever. But I contacted her to let her know what had been going on with a mutual girlfriend. We decided we shouldn't only be contacting each other whenever there's bad news. We should get together!!We had the best time! We hung out, did a little shopping, and re-connected. Re-connecting entails laughing, crying and reminiscing. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to be with a friend who knows me and my quirks and still loves me anyway.Tucker and Ella got along fabulously! They played and played until one of them got too pooped to play any more. If Ella was a human, I swear she'd be a Cougar - she gets all the young studs chasing her.
Thank you Martha for taking the time for our visit!

Upon my return to Georgia, I had work to do for my husband's business. Then I set about cleaning the house, ridding it of piles, doing laundry and re-organizing some areas. It was not fun, but wonderful to have finished. Because as you all know, cleaning while there are children around is like trying to nail Jello to a tree. Impossible!

And then this happened: (insert "Dun, dun, dun", for dramatic effect)

To Be Continued...

Life Got Busy!

2010-07-01T16:24:00.007-04:00

Hello Friends!
I'm so glad you all have stuck around during my early summer hiatus, otherwise known as "school is out and these kids are runnin' me ragged". I was on a road trip to PA with the dog and both kids for 11 days. Mr. Sassypants had business to take care of so we made the journey ourselves. I was quite tired afterwards...but those kids weren't.

In the meantime, I'd taken part in two online photography courses. How well I did with those children out of school is debatable. My creativity was nil.

The heat and humidity had sky rocketed just in time for our return to Georgia. So we've been to the pool. Day after day, after hot, stinkin' day.Add to the weather the fact that I went through a serious funk. Maybe because I'm a Momma's girl and I missed being around her when we got back. Maybe because I seem unable to focus for more than 10 seconds while these kiddos run around like squirrels on crack. Think I'm exaggerating? Maybe I was forgetting to keep a grateful heart.Then...June 28th came around. And I remembered.The happiest day of my life. I know there are girls who dream of their wedding day from the time they are very young. Not me. I dreamt of meeting a man of integrity, strong character, who is kind-hearted and can make me laugh. So the day, was just the icing on the cake.
This was 13 years ago.He has been my rock. He supports me and all I do. He works hard and long hours. He's a wonderful and playful father. We still laugh ourselves silly.This is us 13 years later. We went out for dinner by ourselves. We had such a great time talking - uninterrupted. Our son asked if our anniversary lasted more than one day - he and his sister thoroughly enjoyed their evening with their babysitter and good friend, Heather.

So my grateful heart has been restored. And I'll be back sooner than three weeks. My wonderful husband has taken both kiddos on a road trip to Chicago to visit family and friends. I have had two days of just me and the dog and a whole lot of quiet.

Thanks for visiting!

Hydrangeas - Part I

2010-06-02T13:20:00.016-04:00

I have no idea how many parts this will result in because I am writing this as I type. Anybody else still like writing in notebooks or filling up tablets - then transfer it to the computer? No? Just a quirk I have cornered on the market? *Edited to add: I got kinda wordy and this is a long post - if you're not interested in learning about hydrangeas, you might just want to check out the pretty pictures. (Click on any picture to enlarge.)

Anyway, I began my love affair with hydrangeas when Mr. Sassypants and I moved into our home 13 years ago. My Ma-Ma sent me one as a housewarming gift and it is the stunner I still have at the bottom of our front porch steps. Um, I'm going to try and not gush on and on about the beauty of this plant... (Merritt's Supreme Hydrangea)
Since I have an obscene number of these gems (50 total - 18 varieties and three "unknowns") and because I think I've been so fortunate to learn from some of the best hydrangea "experts", I want to share the knowledge I've gained from others and from my own experiences. Please take into account I am gardening in Zone 7, so my info translates well if you are in the Southeast. Mophead hydrangeas are the pickiest about their climates (in my opinion) and will do best if grown in Zones 6-9. (Tiara Hydrangea)
Requirements for healthy hydrangeas:

GOOD LIGHT
First, I'd like to address the issue of sun versus shade for hydrangeas. While they are known as a "shade" plant, they really should have SUN until about 1:00 or 2:00 pm. (Some types will tolerate a full day of sun and I'll tell more about them later.) The further north you are, the more they can tolerate more sun. If their leaves begin to scorch, they may be getting too much sun. Too little sun and you will end up with a green shrub and very few, if any, blooms. Say you have a mix of sun and shade...provided they get about 4 hours of direct light, you can grow a hydrangea.

(Limelight, PeeGee Hydrangea)
Say you have not a stitch of shade to be found on your property...you can still grow a hydrangea! Pick up a PeeGee hydrangea (known in hoighty-toighty garden circles as Hydrangea Paniculata). Best in zones 3-8. PeeGees are one of my VERY favorite varieties! They NEED full sun, can produce HUGE blooms (which dry exquisitely), are not affected by late frosts, can be pruned to tree form and bloom late in the summer when little else is happening in this southern garden! This is a picture from last summer. This was only it's second year in the ground and it reached about eight feet high. Be prepared to give this big girl some room! Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea Quercifolia, Zones 5-9) also will tolerate and do better with a little more sun. (Oakleaf Hydrangea)

GOOD SOIL
Here in Georgia I've learned the hard way that amending my soil before planting is a required step - a huge pain in the tush, too! Given the hard clay we naturally have means adding and mixing in some bagged soil and compost. If you have gorgeous, dark, rich soil, I'm SO happy for you. (Dig into some hard clay and heave around some bags of cow manure and you'll realize I'm not being overly dramatic here.) Once your hydrangeas have been in the ground for a year, lay on a couple of inches of manure around the base of your plant. (Around March for Atlanta.)

(Penny Mac Hydrangea)

Sounds like a lot of work? The incredible, late Penny McHenry did this every spring and had over 300 hydrangeas. Penny was the founder of the American Hydrangea Society and a premier stop on the annual Hydrangea Tour here in Atlanta. Her garden was breathtaking and she was generous with her knowledge. Her garden is the reason I introduced Annabelles (a type of Hydrangea Arborescens, Zones 4-8) to my garden. This is also a variety which likes some more sun. (young Annabelle Hydrangea)

If you feel you must fertilize your hydrangea, you need only sprinkle some 10-10-10 at the base after the last freeze and when new green growth has pushed out. You can do the same again in June, but only if you're NOT in the middle of a drought! I've never fertilized my hydrangeas and never really felt the need for this step.

WATER
Of course all plants need water, but your hydrangea may need a little more in the first two years of its life, especially if you plant them in the early summer. The ideal (for the plant) time of year to plant a hydrangea is in the fall. (October for Atlanta) There is very little stress through our winters for a hydrangea. However, I know all the nurseries will have these gorgeous plants out now - my Ma-Ma gave me this one (below) while she was visiting - this Matilda Gutges, we both thought belonged in my garden.Even when your hydrangea has been in the ground a few years, don't be surprised to see it go "limp" around 3:00pm. They will all do it (in the south especially).Here is one which has been in my garden for eight years now. The heat tends to bother it, but it will wake up refreshed the next morning. Of course, if your area is suffering from a drought, hydrangeas will become very stressed. Just try to get them water in the early morning at the base of the plant if possible.

I'll be back in a couple of days to answer FAQ's, so if you have any questions of your own, feel free to leave them in the comment section!
Thanks for visiting and Happy Gardening!

My Sweet Birthday and a Surprise

2010-05-29T19:50:00.008-04:00

Yesterday I turned 44.

My sweetheart husband made pecan pancakes for breakfast.

I was serenaded via the phone - twice! (For their trouble, I put them both on speakerphone - be forewarned!)

My kids made me cards, but neither could fit 44 candles on either of their illustrations.

I received cards, e-mails and phone messages from loved ones with birthday wishes.

I spent much of the morning taking photographs in my garden. (I'll be sharing my hydrangeas on here with some tips soon!)

Later I got a spa pedicure - hot pink for the sassy birthday girl!

My sweetheart husband made one of his specialty dinners for me - orzo pasta with fresh vegetables and mozzarella and a whole bunch of other flavorful ingredients!

It was a very good day.

Then to top it all off - the icing on the cake you might say...my husband brought up this beauty - a blue and white hydrangea cake! Inside it contained homemade peanut butter icing. Oh, yeah. My day just got better!
Made by this beauty: My sweet, fabulous, sneaky and uber talented friend, Amanda. Thank you my dear friend!
Thank you everybody for your birthday wishes.
A special thank you to my hubby, too for making it such a sweet day!
I leave you with some of my favorite quotes about aging & birthdays.

The secret of staying young is to love honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age.
Lucille Ball

You are young only once. If you act foolish after that, you'll have to find some other excuse.
unknown

Youth is not a time of life, it's a state of mind.
You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt;
as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear;
as young as your hope, as old as your despair.
unknown

Next time you want to be young again, remember algebra.
unknown

M Family Session

2010-05-20T16:08:00.008-04:00

Remember when I shot this Sweet Pea?
Well, guess who was lucky enough to shoot big brother and expectant mommy?
Yep, me!
To see MORE and BIGGER photos from this shoot, click here.
Or, you could even follow me over at:
http://tracilordphotography.blogspot.com/
(That would really make my day!)

Thank you M Family for the opportunity to do a family portrait!
I look forward to meeting your newest little one in a few weeks!

Mosaic Monday - Pink & Green

2010-05-16T20:17:00.004-04:00

Linking up over at Mary's Little Red House
for Mosaic Monday.
Be sure to check out all the other lovely linker's mosaics!
From my garden: (top left going clockwise)
Matilda Gutges (hydrangea), Oakleaf Hydrangea,
peony and Geisha hosta.

Thanks for stopping by!
I also welcome all visitors to my photography site - here!

Excuse Note

2010-05-13T13:42:00.005-04:00

Dear Friends,
Please excuse Traci's absence from Bloggerland as she has been working in the gardens morning, noon and night.
I, myself, have tried to be patient with her, but then she went and had THIS done to me.
The words "summer cut" are forever ingrained in this canine brain of mine.
I did hear her babbling on to herself about gardening, hydrangea and photo shoot posts, but I don't know if the "moo-nure" is getting to her.
Please be sure to come back. Soon it will be sweltering outside and then Traci will be right back where she belongs...giving me belly rubs and biscuits.

Your Faithful Friend,
Ella

Fabulous Photoshop!

2010-05-03T20:24:00.011-04:00

I have to admit that a lot of work (for me) goes into making a photograph. Before this whole digital world, I shot with a SLR and film - for twenty years. (Feel free to think, "Gee she must've started taking pictures when she was 10 years-old." I love starting the the day off in denial!) So shooting photos was a lot of trial and error. I got photos back and had to learn from my mistakes after the fact.

Now with my digital SLR and photoshop, I can go from this:(not too bad)
to this:

Our wonderful, cute, stinker-boy, Godson goes from this:

to this:

or even this:

Doesn't that make a world of difference?

So while it may take some extra time processing my own photographs, the time is well spent. I've had to learn to embrace this technical & digital world. It hasn't been the easiest transition, but how can I argue with the results?
I still believe though that even without this technology, anyone can become a better photographer by learning about the basics: lighting, composition, textures, patterns, etc. Do any of these topics interest you? Let me know!

If you have time, please visit Lens Us Together. I am hosting the theme this week and it is "Prepared". See what my peonies have to do with my theme!

As always, thank you for stopping by. Your kind comments and encouragement are greatly appreciated!

Green & White Mosaic

2010-04-25T23:06:00.004-04:00

Taking part in Mary's Mosaic Monday again. Be sure to check out the other fab mosaics via her Mr. Linky.
The viburnum and clover are mine, the tulips and dogwood courtesy of my neighbor, Caroline.
Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek!

Lears - Part I

2010-04-24T21:21:00.004-04:00

It took a day of stormy weather to tear me apart from my mulching/weeding/gardening. I figure I'm down to about 30 bags (from 200) of mulch left and much of my body was screaming for a break. Not to mention, how positively awful I was feeling for not working on my dear friends' family portraits before now.

You can see more photos of this wonderful family and larger versions from our shoot here.

I Can Tell It's Spring...

2010-04-20T13:46:00.004-04:00

my house is dustier than usual,

the kids beg to be outside every day after school and
the only thing my neighbors have seen of me is my fanny
due to weeding and mulch-spreading.
And then there's this:

I planted these Lily of the Valley plants years ago.
This is the first year one has bloomed.

My new blog is more for my photography and less blabbing.
You can click here or at the top of this blog there is a link.
(But don't Google Traci Lord - that's a whole other kind of photography!)

Happy Spring, blogging friends!

Dog Park Mosaic

2010-04-04T22:16:00.004-04:00

Linking up again at Mary's for her Mosaic Monday, found here. I should mention my fabulous models are from top to bottom: Roady (or Rhodey?), Miles and Ella. Ella is mine, if you are new here and I love her as though I birthed her myself. (Really, I should be ashamed, but I'm not.)

Thanks to all the kind comments and visits last week! I love looking at everyone's mosaics - it's a great way to start the week!
Hope everyone had a Happy Easter and thanks so much for visiting.

Spring Decor - Part II

2010-04-01T21:33:00.007-04:00

click on any image to enlarge

Built-in shelves flank our fireplace since this house was built. We've lived in this house for 13 years and many of those years these shelves have been one hot mess! Only recently have I been enlightened by my good friend, Amanda, that you don't just pile up all your crap up there and call it a day. Who knew?I always knew I liked how other people arranged their schtuff, but had no idea of the thought process which went into it. So, I scoured catalogs and the internet in search of some guidelines. These are some pointers I took note of.

OBJECTS
Keep "heavy" objects on the lower shelves. (Heavy can be weight or bulkiness.)

Like items make more of an impression when grouped together. (Especially if they're small.)

Use "greens" as a place for your eye to rest. (My greens are dried or fake.)

Vary textures, shapes and colors to keep the eye moving from top to bottom.
For a more subtle effect, vary the textures and shapes, but keep everything in the same color.

Use items which have special meaning to you. (This Pressman camera was given to me by my father-in-law and is a real treasure to me.)

SPACING
Place objects on shelves in layers. (I'm a major offender of this "rule" - I used to line up my items like soldiers in one row.)

Leave some open space on each shelf. (About 10%)

BOOKS
Sort books by color rather than subject. (This works well if you don't have a ton of books.)

Stand books vertically and stack horizontally. Large books make a great stand to elevate a piece. (plates, pictures, etc.)Exclude paperbacks and remove dust jackets from hardcovers.

I don't know that I've followed all the "rules', but I do know my shelves look a whole lot better. Before, I had a ton of framed pictures on my shelves and now the pictures I've selected have special meaning and can get the proper attention they deserve.

What rules do you follow or break when decorating your shelves?
Thanks for visiting and Happy Easter, friends!

Spring Decor - Part I

2010-03-28T18:15:00.013-04:00

Finally! I'm hoping to successfully link up to Mary's Monday Mosaic tonight. She hosts this at her blog Little Red House. I have long admired the creative and fabulous bloggers who participate in Mary's weekly feature. Be sure to check them out here.I've included a few more shots of our mantel. I've fussed and fussed with this and I've decided to let it go. You see, I try to maintain a symmetry on our mantel and this time it just didn't work out. See how my apothecary jars are not the same size? I also wanted to paint some larger eggs to put in the hurricane on the left. It didn't happen. So I put off this post long enough and said "the heck with it". The bunnies are made from vintage handkerchiefs and they remain my favorite Easter decorations.What took the longest was the shelves to the left and right of the fireplace. I completely cleared them off. (Even dusted them!) I looked all over the internet at professional designer sites, bloggers' home photos and retailers for some inspiration and guidance. There was a ton of great stuff to look through! And of course all that research takes time...so my next post I'll share some pointers from those who really know how to decorate.Thanks for stopping by and if you're coming via Mary's Mosaic Monday, I hope you'll come back!

Happy Gotcha Day!

2010-03-13T22:15:00.010-05:00

A celebration of our son, who began our family life back in 2002.

Picked for us by God and the angels at Cradle of Hope.

An adorable chunk of love who was instantly a Daddy's boy.

Not yet walking, but always busy.

So eager to be fed, he'd kick his feet, wave his arms
and hold his mouth open like a baby bird.

The son we'd always dreamed of and are blessed to call our own...

Happy Gotcha Day, Jackie-baby!
We love you!

P.S. If you are or know of someone considering adoption, but they want to speak to someone who has been through the process, please feel free to give them my e-mail.

Bedroom Board & Batten or WOO-HOO!

2010-03-10T22:24:00.019-05:00

BEFORE

Maybe the title should be "What Was I Thinking?!" I remember being impressed with myself when I matched up a border with a wallpaper from another manufacturer. That was 12 or so years ago.
And cherubs! If you know me, then this might be shocking. In my defense, we were just married. I dunno. I should just let it go and show you the "After".You can find a tutorial here. There are a lot of things I am able to do myself, but power tools simply are not "my thing".Before this treatment, I was thinking I needed to paint our bedroom furniture. Now I see the previous "dirty khaki" paint color was a terrible match for our wood. Now I think it pops nicely against the white. The paint color above is now "Bird's Nest" SR211 by Valspar. Here is another blogger who had the same treatment done in her bedroom. I opted for the bedroom because ours lacks any architectural interest and I wouldn't have to worry about the kiddos knocking into the woodwork.

Thanks for visiting, friends!

Something Different

2010-03-05T12:07:00.004-05:00

Sorry for my lengthy absence from posting here...I start feeling really bad when my good friend, Bethany has managed three posts for March, by March 4th and she has four children! I haven't posted since February. Oh fudge.

I have been productive though! I spent a good bit of time moving furniture in preparation for...having painting done and having a board & batten treatment done to our bedroom. So of course, I also spent two days removing wallpaper. (If I ever speak of having wallpaper put up in our home, somebody please promise me you will walk, run, drive or fly to my house, ring my doorbell and smack me upside my head.) I will take you to lunch or dinner and thank you profusely when I come to my senses. Jeez. What was I thinking? Obviously, I had never had to remove wallpaper before I'd gone through my wallpaper phase! Anyway, I will be sure to post some before and after shots when the work is done - which is soon.

In the meantime, I leave you with this:
Camillas from our back yard.
Photograph enhanced with photoshop and textures. Very fun to do!
(Much more fun than removing wallpaper!) What isn't?
Happy Friday, friends!

Sweet Pea, Cassidy

2010-02-25T19:19:00.011-05:00

I had the honor of taking Cassidy's two-year-old portrait recently. I have to admit I was a little nervous at the thought of photographing a toddler who has been described as a bit of a diva. Like my wise friend, Bethany, once said "we want our daughters to be strong and opinionated - just not with us. Yep. You got that right, B!Anyway, Miss Cassidy loved seeing herself in my camera after I gushed about how adorable she looked. So she was very agreeable to taking more shots. Even when she wasn't agreeable to a pose, she was sugary sweet with her rejection of the idea. A soft "naaahh" was all she would say. I can take that all day long! No fits, no tears, just a pure delight to photograph.Do you love my background? It's a shower curtain from HomeGoods! I do have a portable stand I use, but that's where the professional look ended. I forgot to buy some heavy-duty clamps from Home Depot, so I had to use duct tape. Classy, huh?Thank you Marty for the honor of taking Cassidy's portrait! And a big thanks to your little girl for taking it easy on me. Thanks to Amanda for recommending me, too!I'm always striving to learn from every session, so if you have any suggestions, comments or even questions, I'm game! Thanks for stopping by.

Homework

2010-02-21T12:17:00.014-05:00

My online photography class is over and I miss it. I loved getting a lesson each week with clear and concise ideas, photos illustrating the teacher's point perfectly and then finally the assignment. I learned so much and would highly recommend Maggie Holmes' online courses.
However, the in-house models I was using tired quickly of helping me with my homework assignments.

Example A:Ella is so sick of this...

Example B:

She couldn't get the dog in the shot, so now she's sick of it, too.

To the rescue - my good friend, Heather. She generously agreed to volunteer her time and be my "lighting" homework assignment model.Did I luck out or what?
It was a great learning experience for me. Plus it helps having someone incapable of taking a bad picture as your model.Out of the whole session, I think there were maybe four shots I didn't edit.An example of how back-lighting, if properly exposed can produce stunning results.
(I was taught from the beginning to never have the light behind your subject.) Who knew?

Heather and her fabulous hair - holy cow!A huge thank you to Heather for her help, patience and feedback! I can not even tell you how fun this was for me.
This experience also made me think about how often we (moms, women, the family photographer) are not in the shot. So even if you don't go and have a whole session of photos taken, make sure you get in some shots as well.

And so you know I follow my own advice:portrait by our son, Jack

Get into the picture, friends!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-11T20:18:00.002-05:00

From me and my little sweeties!

Quick, Cheap and Easy...

2010-02-08T11:55:00.010-05:00

Decorations! Don't be sassy with me...my son and I barely survived his first book report last week and now I'm waiting for the AT & ! guy who was supposed to be here between 9 and 11. It's now noon. Do you think God is trying to tell me something?! Be patient, child!

I have no problem with Valentine's Day. I just don't want my house to look like Cupid came in and threw up everywhere. Nice image, huh? However, our kids do love when I change things up a bit. So in keeping with my "streamline" approach, I share with you my felt circle garland and tissue paper hearts.

Here is the mantel for February:
Close up of garland.Very easy to make! Buy the adhesive backed felt and you don't even need to mess with glue. I used ribbon spools to trace my circles. Use 4 circles if you want the dimension like mine. Peel off backing, fold circle (good side to good side) and match up another folded circle, stick halves together, stick your third circle on there, place your twine or ribbon down the center and then place your fourth circle, matching up the edges. Did that make sense?Next project is excellent with the kiddos! I used the cardboard from our empty cereal boxes, drew different sizes of hearts and cut them out. I didn't paint mine, but thought about it and said who gives a rip if you see some cardboard? Besides, the kids made more of an effort to cover the entire shape rather than have cardboard showing. Punch a hole to hang your heart from.I love this project because you can use that tissue paper that's all wrinkled up or has a rip...what !? you don't save crumpled up tissue paper?!!? Okay then, go to the dollar store! I cut my tissue paper into 2"x2" squares - no measuring, just approximate. Ball up tissue and glue on randomly or make patterns.
Get some colorful curling ribbon at the Dollar Store or use whatever you've got stashed away. You can repeat this project for any seasonal decorating - just cut different shapes. When you're done you can hang them, prop them against pictures of loved ones or share them!Happy crafting!

Valentine Photo Possibilities

2010-02-02T20:53:00.011-05:00

As I began writing this, I realized a few of the photos I wanted to use are not digital. Drat! So we will have to make due with what I've got...you'll forgive me won't you? Anyway, I get so many compliments whenever I take Valentine themed photos and send them to loved ones far away. Why shouldn't you, too?

These are from 2008: Doesn't Ella look like she's givin' me the ole stink-eye? I think she's Amish and thinks I'm stealing her soul whenever I take her picture. These two I have framed and on the mantel: Want to duplicate this? Set up your shot before adding the poochie into the equation. Have your child's face filling most of the frame and the focus locked in. Take a delicious spreadable food (i.e. peanut butter, cream cheese, etc.) and place a small amount on your child's cheek. Call over the pup and snap away! I guess I should suggest only doing this with an animal you trust completely. Oh, and know whatever food item you use doesn't cause an allergic reaction in anyone.

If you don't have a pooch or if you want some other fabulous Valentine photo ideas, head over here to see the winners of her Valentine themed photo contest.
Happy snapping!

January Decor

2010-01-27T00:36:00.003-05:00

I do realize January is almost over.

I'm not gonna let that little detail stop me from sharing with you all how I decided to transition from the excessiveness of the holiday season to the streamlined natural look for the new year. I seem to struggle every January with how I want to decorate...being in the South, we don't have true winter weather or I might be tempted to try this:image from Hope Studios

Here is the link if you'd like the instructions. I think this is a great wintry look!
But, like I said, we don't get real winter weather. (Don't hate - you wouldn't want to be here in August. I don't want to be here in August!)
Back to January. It all started with the spring Pottery Barn catalog. If you read this post, you know I'm on a tear to organize this house and you'd think all catalogs go directly into recycling. Not...so...fast!
The Reader's Digest version is, I saw these:
and made it my mission to find a cheapie version. (The larger one goes for $59.)
Friends, you have to go weekly and you too can find "PB imitators" at incredibly reasonable prices. How reasonable, Trace? $4.99 reasonable!!!Yep, $4.99 a piece for these beauties! Now I know there are bloggers who get great stuff at the Goodwill or thrift shops. Not me. Not only do I strike out, but I feel like I need to shower afterwards. (You might recall I live in an area where portable dancing poles are advertised as Christmas gift ideas.) See here, if you need proof.

Where to go? TJ Maxx Home Goods! I then copied my good friend, Amanda's idea to use whole coffee beans as filler around my pillar candles.I don't even drink coffee, but I love the aroma of my hubby's hazelnut blend! The table runner is from Ma-Ma and too pretty to be covered up by anything else. This is where I got my jumping off point. I decided I wanted to keep things neutral browns, creams, whites and subtle greens...leave the color for February and eventually spring. And then my brain ran with it and thought, what should go on the mantel?Well, of course! Issue: we have not one pine tree in our yard. I needed an immediate fix, so while walking Ella, I spotted a house in our neighborhood that had a plethora of pine cones. Unfortunately, Ella filled the bag I had with me, so I had to get one from home and come back. My plan was to "ad-mire and ac-quire" (say this with a deep Southern accent) those pine cones, but it couldn't be that easy could it? Nope, by the time I returned to the house, there was a car in the driveway. Hmmm. What's an impatient, gotta-decorate-it-now girl to do? I'll tell you what - knock on the door, lie your a$$ off about needing pine cones for your kid's school project and promptly collect them and be on your happy little way. I mean really, do I want to be known as the crazy pine cone lady of the neighborhood? Right. Did it work? You betcha.
Here is the result on my mantel: (click to enlarge)I tried it with just the potted bulbs up there, but it was too plain for my liking. I collected the sticks from our back yard and tied them with jute/twine and placed them behind the pots. I know it's nothing fancy, but I have loved the simplicity.
Another fabulous find at Home Goods is this large pedestal bowl for $20. Filled it with pine cones too. I'm crazy like that. The flower pot hugger is hand made and reminds me of Ella. I just realized I am way beyond a Reader's Digest version, so here's my dining room:A closer look at the terrarium (also from Ma-Ma) on the hutch:I came across a blogger who recommended taking a closer look at faux florals. She said the quality has improved and I certainly agreed when I found this orchid stem for $2. I thought the fern looked good too. Already had the river rocks, cut some stem off and bent them to place under the rocks - no hot glue needed. Easy and I don't have to worry about killing an expensive plant!Whew! If you're still reading you get a gold star! (And a pine cone.)
Happy ad-mirin' and ac-quirin'!

A Very Good Day

2010-01-21T22:22:00.015-05:00

I have been so excited to share with you what happened to me recently, but I had to wait until I received my "prize" to show you. Yes, I said prize! I entered in a give-away over at Mary's Little Red House. You all remember Mary, I expressed my admiration for her work in this post. Well, she is now selling her prints on etsy, here. And winner, winner, chicken dinner....I won! No skill was involved, just pure luck. Here is my selection from Mary's fabulous shop:copyright Mary Carroll
(don't make me hunt you down!)

Isn't it beautiful? I love it!
Well, the same day I saw I had won a print, I got a box from my Ma-Ma. What could this be? Sneaky, she is! I called her as I opened it and to my surprise were a set of milk glass dessert plates.Apparently, Ma-Ma was cleaning out and organizing her basement and came across these plates given to her from my grandmother, Mia. Who is the whole reason I started collecting a few pieces of milk glass. Milk glass like this:Does this piece look familiar? It's part of the reason I picked the above photo from Mary's selection!
Be sure to come back as I share how these two pieces inspired my January decor. In the meantime, head on over to Mary's shop!
Thanks for stopping by and Happy shopping!

P.S. Notice the length between my posting? Well, this organizing bit is really puttin' a kink into my blogging! Thanks for returning and I am grateful for your comments!

Back to School - sort of...

2010-01-17T15:33:00.013-05:00

For Christmas, my sweetheart of a hubby enrolled me in an online photography class being taught by professional photographer, Maggie Holmes. Here on her blog, she offers beginners and advanced photographer workshops as well as actions. She has been terrific and I'm hopeful I can finally learn to shoot fully manual with my camera.
Anyway, I'd like to share with you some shots I took for part of my assignment this week.I think they are pretty cute. Good news is, you too can freeze your subjects in mid-air! If your camera comes with a "sports mode" (often shown as a running figure on one of the dials of your camera), you just have to switch it to that symbol. Don't save it just for sports photos, either!
Here is an older photo, but one of my favorites:
This mode will also freeze water in mid-air:
Even a photo such as this could be shot in sports mode:So go catch some action. And happy shooting!

The Game Plan a.k.a. Resolutions

2010-01-07T18:19:00.014-05:00

(via Martha Stewart)

Oh, where to start? I'm feeling re-energized, renewed and resolved. Like so many others in bloggerland, I feel the new year is providing me a fresh start. I started writing down resolutions and felt compelled to add a "Be" column and an "I Will" column following my "Goals" column. In short, I've got a whole resolutions flow chart thing goin on. I've done this because just writing down the goal is not concrete enough - I need to include how (the "I will" part) and the change (the "be" part) I need to make in my lifestyle if I truly intend to reach these goals.
Here's an example:

GOAL
Organize house
.
BE
daily with my organizing habits
.
I WILL
organize one drawer or shelf,
find a permanent home for 1 thing,
file 10 pieces of paper,
keep a donation bag in my closet and get rid of 1 piece of clothing each day

As you can see, I've got some very concrete steps to keep my resolutions on track! Of course, I also have a flow chart for losing 20 pounds, but I won't bore you with that. (And I need to get to my chiropractor before I start with that game plan.) More importantly, let's get to...

Ella's Resolutions:

Make nice with the UPS man.
Cut back on the Milkbones.
Give chipmunks a chance.
Look cute.
(Who am I kidding? Done deal.)

Finally, I've got to link you up to Leigh. She wrote up an inspiring resolutions post here. I also love my dear friend, Bethany's "Year of the Yes" found here.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T16:54:00.008-05:00

Holy guacamole! What is going on here?!?! December came and went and I posted just once. I know I was sick a few days because I didn't even make it to the kid's school parties. Shopping, check. Making teacher's treats, check. Mailing Christmas cards, check. More shopping, check. Eating, check and check. Seven days in PA, check. A good time, check.
There, now we're caught up. See how easy that was?

I did mean to post a Christmas card, but in my rush to get them out and arrive on time, I neglected to scan one in to post. However, I can still share my photos from the shoot.
Here are the cooperative cuties:
I took some extra of Lulu since I had a few good ones of Jack back from October. (I don't want you to think Jack was excluded.)I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!
Thank you all for reading, following and leaving your kind thoughts on my blog! I look forward to seeing and hearing more from you in 2010!

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign...

2009-12-06T00:14:00.007-05:00

BUT, I bet you never saw a sign like this one - unless you live near me. Making a turn into Hobby Lobby I almost ran up over the curb when I first saw it.

Ready?
Prepare yourself...

I laughed s o o o o hard. Unique Gifts...no kiddin'!
I can appreciate enterprising new ventures, but really. Is there high demand for portable dancer's poles? Am I living in an area where this is so? Dear Lord.

I know you have questions...
- no, I didn't call the number and no, this is not on my wish list.
- why did I erase the last of the number? My husband, Mr. Sassypants, has a warped sense of humor and practical jokes are his thing. I don't even want to tempt him.
- yes, I have the rest of the number for you, Amanda.

Signing off.

Aromatic Project

2009-11-29T20:31:00.007-05:00

Disclaimer: I'm not sure what the duration of these things is gonna be, but for now they smell awfully good!
Materials used:
oranges (get the cheapest you can find - $2.50 at Wal-Mart for these)
cloves (super-sized courtesy of BJ's)
thumb tacks or push pins (what is the difference?)
band-aids (unless you aren't as wimpy as me)
The band aids help push in the cloves. Use the push pin to make holes for the cloves. I found that three holes was my max before I lost sight of the holes amongst the orange dimples. Make different designs - mine were not as fancy as some I've seen...or make a smiley face like Lulu did!Bonus: On chilly days, I like to simmer (bring to a soft boil first) a large pot of water with one orange sliced into rings, add some cloves, a bay leaf, a shake of cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice. Your house will smell like you've been baking all day! A lovely treat without a lot of work.
*WARNING: Be sure to keep an eye on your pot. You can add water if it gets low, but eventually you'll be able to tell that you've gotten all the oomph from your spices that your going to get.

Happy Birthday!

2009-11-25T21:41:00.003-05:00

Our little girl turned 7 today.
Born in Russia.
Small, but determined.
Her fiestiness has grown with her.
This is her favorite gift from today, Hannah. A purring lion cub from Nanny.

Happy Birthday, Lulu!

Inspiration

2009-11-15T10:44:00.022-05:00

I have been so inspired by the talented photographers over at Lens Us Together, that I have to share what they have motivated me to try and link you up directly to some of their awesome sites!
Some brief background as we start. I value my sleep. With two young 'uns who must be at the bus stop by 7:00 am, my night owl tendencies and a husband who travels Monday through Friday, I covet my sleep. But after seeing the shots being taken by these ladies, I was determined to get out and catch the early rising sun and the fabulous light which comes with it. Yep, I spent two hours one day shooting landscapes and nature shots when I could've been comfy cozy back in bed.
Look what I would have missed:These shots were inspired by Mary over at In a Soft Light and Simple Things.
She is my Landscape Idol. Back when I got my first camera, I was crazy for landscapes, but extreme lighting situations befuddled me. I'm still befuddled, but now I'm digitally learning how to cover up, I mean correct my mistakes. Back to Mary...her photographs have such a dreamy, peaceful feel to them. Check out this one and this one to see a couple of my favorites. She also has a feature called Mosaic Monday on her third blog, Little Red House. I've lost a few morning hours clicking on the links of everybody who comes there to share their own mosaics.
Next up is Caroline from NoWordz and Whimsical Whispers. Her photographs are breath taking! I love her use of textures and the way she finds beauty in everyday objects.
Be sure to check out the black and white of apples on NoWordz which is just awesome (but I can't link up for some reason)! I mean, apples...really? I love it.
I took these:
after seeing this incredible photo of Caroline's.
She also has her first book for sale! You can preview it here or click on the "Buy the Book!" button at the top of her NoWordz site. Talk about a great gift for a photography enthusiast! Are you listening, honey?

Then there is 30 Days of Gratitude as Cora's theme for November on her blog, Heartfelt and Homemade. I had every intention of following Cora's lead on this one, but did I mention how much I love and need sleep? I have so enjoyed reading her posts each day. On some particularly long, rainy days, I have been pulled out of a funk by reading one of Cora's gratitudes. One of my favorites can be found here, but I highly recommend reading them all to find your personal favorite! Of course, each gratitude is accompanied by one of Cora's beautiful photographs.
Here is my precious Ella yet again. You can thank Kate at A Picture A Day for inspiring me to share my dear Ella more often. You see, in addition to her fabulous photos, you will see her fabulous dog, George. Ella was getting a wee bit jealous.

Finally, to see some ridiculously amazing family portraits, you need to visit Michelle (Shell) over at Wildflower Studio Blog. She is one smart cookie - picking a winery for a family session so mom and dad can do some tasting while the kids are busy being photographed. I have no pictures to show you - go visit her site while I pour some wine. See... she did inspire me!

Thank you ladies, for sharing your gifts and talents, for inspiring me to try new things and to look at things in a new light!

Ann - Maternity Shoot

2009-11-08T12:59:00.010-05:00

It was such an honor to photograph our friends/neighbors who have since welcomed their baby girl into the world. Ann was just so relaxed and flexible regarding the scheduling (two bouts of the flu hit our house the week we were to shoot) and was wonderful to photograph.
Here's a sampling of our shoot:
Photographing adults was sooo much easier than children. Cooperative and highly photogenic subjects - what else could I ask for?
I think their happiness is so obvious in these shots and we couldn't be happier for all three of them! Congratulations Ann and Paul!

Jack, Memories and 5 Tips

2009-10-30T11:28:00.011-04:00

Jack has been very eager to have his picture up on my blog. My mother asked for a recent vertical picture of Jack for her to frame and hang up. The stars aligned and Jackie-baby and I had ourselves a photo shoot this week while sister was at gymnastics. (Our last shoot did not go so well and I flat-out refused to take his picture for awhile after that.) Mean Mommy.
However, my refusal seemed to help my cause. You see, Jack likes seeing himself. He's never met a reflective surface he didn't like. Really. And here's the proof:Just turned two, Jack in front of our fireplace watching his reflection as he sings to himself.
Five years and eight months later...
Jack without a reflective surface, but have no fear! He's equally entertained by his own shadow. (It's still him, after all.) They had been watching tennis with me and ever the imitator, Jack is shifting his weight from foot to foot like the pros do waiting for a serve.
Another imitator photo I found in storage that shows the real Jack. Jack also loves music. This photo is also from March 2003 at the age of two. Jack is singing along with Dean Martin. He obviously didn't know the words, but boy, does he love a good duet. It was an hour long special and I bet he stood there close to the full hour! (He's wearing the head piece from his red Clifford pajamas given to him from Aunt Paula.)Thanks for sticking with me as I strolled down memory lane. Here is one of the best photos from our shoot this week.I think it captures Jack in all his young-boy sweetness. Looking handsome, cooperating with his demanding photographer and hoping she got some good shots. (Which he begged to see once we were done...and asked if I'd be putting one up on my blog.) Here you go, Buddy!

Tips for Photographing your Own Children

Tip #1: Jack does much better by himself than with his sister. If you have a child who distracts easily, they may cooperate better on a solo shoot.
Tip #2: Scout out your location before you go and if possible, let them do some climbing/ jumping/exploring as a reward for being such a good subject.
Tip #3: Work quickly. I shot 40+ shots in under 45 minutes. Twenty were keepers.
Tip #4: Don't be afraid to give some simple directions - Jack was unsure of what to do with his hands while standing, so I told him to stuff 'em into his pockets or cross his arms. Sometimes, I actually did the pose myself...just leave it up to your little imitator!
Tip #5: If things aren't working out today, bag it. Tomorrow is another day.

Saving Face...

2009-10-27T14:28:00.007-04:00

...faces, that is for another post. This tip may be something you've never considered doing before. Exclude faces to emphasize a different part of your subject and to give a twist to a portrait shot. This type of photo is a terrific addition to more traditional portraits and can say something totally different about your subject.
Here are some examples:

This ballet photo puts the emphasis on the three girls being in-sync. Quite an accomplishment for five-year-olds, if you ask me.
(I did a cross-processing treatment-why the color may look wonky to you.)

Bob, our neighbor's cat and our daughter. Listening to the birds together.

Baby P's feet in Momma, Bethany's hands. See his toes wrapping around her finger? Shows how baby is a snuggler - right down to his toes!

So the next time you're clicking off a bunch of shots, try to add a bit of the unexpected to your series and exclude the face of your subject.

Happy picture-taking and thanks for stopping by!

Back in the Saddle Again

2009-10-22T16:00:00.004-04:00

Where to start? An apology because I hate that I went so long without posting. Our daughter came down with the flu...while my husband was on an eight-day road trip...I then caught it...while my husband was still gone. I recovered in time to work down at the apparel mart for my husband, but the "ick" (coughing) lingers. My appetite is still gone - however, the only weight I may have lost is in the fingers.

Fortunately, I recovered in time to photograph my pregnant neighbor. It went very well and I'm hoping she's happy with the results. I've just started processing them, but will be sure to post a few soon.

In the meantime, let me show you who was the best behaved in our house while I suffered.

Fall/Halloween Decorating Done Cheap

2009-10-12T15:33:00.015-04:00

You'll notice I lean towards fall decorations versus Halloween decorations. It all has to do with being lazy. That's the truth. Sad, but I know myself. I'd rather be able to leave things up through November than go through the whole process again on November first. A BIG thank you to Amanda who was so generous and thoughtful to make this fabulous FALL banner for me. I love it!(I was shopping the house and was encouraged to move something from one room to another {via the Nester}. This picture is usually in our bedroom, but I like its vibe for this season. Not sure its the right size, but whaddya think?)

This year I got a bag of various smallish pumpkins at BJ's for just $6.99. I love how they look on top of my urns, candlestick holders and mantle. Add a little reindeer moss and...instant, inexpensive fall decor.goblin is a sales find from Michael's

I buy my stuff when things go on sale - lots of times they are on sale before the holiday. I found these feathery picks half off at Hobby Lobby and they added some punch to a premade garland I already had and look terrific with this urn - gives it more presence up on that top shelf.I did have to wait until after the holidays for this cornucopia, though. It was originally $50 and went down to $10 - again at BJ's.
There are a few cutesy things I have for the kids including this wooden Halloween tree and the countdown calendar I shared with you here. I also put up tacky orange lights on the front porch the week of Halloween. Honestly though, they seem to enjoy the change of decor no matter if it's Halloween themed or not.
Thanks for stopping by and happy decorating!

Quickie Card

2009-10-07T09:26:00.007-04:00

Good news - I've kept my August resolution and am 4 for 4 in sending out birthday cards! Hardly a stretch to get 4 cards made, but maybe it's better that I'm eased into this deal.
I'm sharing this card because I just love this new stamp. It has incredible details! (Click on the image to enlarge.) I got it over at addicted to rubber stamps.com. If you don't have a local stamp store, you should check out this place. They run different promotions and sales weekly. Thousands of stamps to choose from - thousands, people! If you need a place to start looking, I'd recommend these companies: Impression Obsession, Inkadinkado, Magenta and Rubber Romance Stamps. No need to thank me - I'm happy to help! (wink)Once stamped, I used colored pencils to color in the cake. Who doesn't love to color? I actually think it's therapeutic. But I digress. Here's the inside:Cake Stamp: Impression Obsession (sorry there is no company name on the "bloomin'" stamp)
Patterned Paper: ki memories (quite old actually)
Edge Punch: Fiskars
Scalloped Punch: Stampin' Up

Thanks for stopping by and happy-stamping!

Photography: Angles, Part III

2009-10-04T15:43:00.005-04:00

This is the last of this series, unless I learn something new and then I'll be sure to pass it along. This recommendation is also easy-peasy.
Instead of always shooting your subject straight-on, tilt your camera a bit. Just be sure that your subject doesn't look like they are about to fall down a steep slope.
Here are some examples:

Our Godson

The angle of Baby S. here works well, but would not have worked if the top of his head had been tilted towards the bottom left corner. Can you picture what I'm talkin' about? (I am somewhat biased, but look at those sweet little lips and cute wittle nose...isn't he beautiful?)

Our daughter, Daniella

She's a cutie, too. (Again, I'm pretty biased.)

This week I have the distinct honor of photographing our neighbor who will be giving birth to their first child sometime this month. It will be my first maternity shoot, so send some good thoughts my way as I am a bit nervous.

Thanks for stopping by and happy picture-taking!

Photography: Angles, Part II

2009-09-25T23:03:00.014-04:00

Amanda's oldest stinker-boy

Part II is simple: Shoot from above your subject.
One of my favorite angles because it eliminates double chins. (Not that any of these subjects suffers from the dreaded turkey neck.)

My Ma-Ma and our kiddos

I really adore these first two photos. However, in my effort to continually improve, I often critique my own work. In the first one, I am so mad that I cut off his toes. In the second one, I would have adjusted the glasses on Jack, so as to not have the top of his frame cutting right through his eyes. Mind you, it doesn't keep me from enjoying these photos, it just reminds to pull back a little to include tiny toes and double-check where glasses are sitting on a subject.

Our daughter, Daniella and our fur-baby, Ella

This shot of Daniella and Ella is one of my all-time very favorites. I love how it looks like Ella is smiling and I just remember what a joyful afternoon that was - our little girl playing with her new doggy.

Happy picture-taking!
P.S. Sorry my font sizes are all over the place! I've tried correcting it and have just about burst a vein in my neck trying to fix it. My apologies.

Photography: Angles, Part I

2009-09-20T09:45:00.010-04:00

Disclaimer: I am not a professional photographer. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Noooo. Just kidding.
I am constantly learning and my goal here with photography posts is to share what I have learned through my experiences or have been taught or have read with you so you may learn how to make a better photograph.

This post is about using the background to tell more of the story. Backgrounds can either be a distraction or a vital part of the story. A lot of times when I am shooting a portrait, I get in close to eliminate anything which may take away the focus from my subject. This results in a tight shot. Like this:

Bethany's youngest cutie-patootie

However, you (as a photographer) will become bored looking at the same kind of shots over and over. Not to mention that some of us might not be as fond of such a close-up of ourselves. Why can't chipmunk cheeks be cute in adulthood?

So my challenge or tip for you all to try is to pull back a bit and consider including important background elements.

This was not only the first day of school, but their first time riding a school bus. A simple smiling shot with new backpacks would not suffice.

This is Christmas morning and lucky us! Santa left presents and a thank you note for the cookies. Ahhhh. Mexico. Our first vacation (won by my awesome salesman, hubby of mine) without children in nine years. Sunshine, a cabana, frozen fruity drinks, beautiful blue water and palm trees. This shot takes me right back there...

It can even work for a family portrait, as seen here:

Aren't my nieces adorable? I give all the credit to my super sweet SIL, Kristin.

I hope this was helpful. Let me know if you have questions. I always appreciate your comments!

While here...

2009-09-16T14:15:00.032-04:00

...we saw a plaque with this printed on it: "I'm not mean. You're just a sissy." My dear friend said (while laughing) "That is SO you!"
A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.
How true.
I have friends who have seen me at my worst, friends who have been with me through tough times and still they are my friends. If you're lucky enough to have a few friends like this, then you're lucky enough.

I want to introduce you to the friend who inspired me to start blogging - the same friend who declared that sign to be "so you." Friends, meet Bethany, of Borderland Traveler.

Her writing is thought-provoking, witty, entertaining and for me, educational. If I make it through a post of hers without copying a word down to look up, I feel like I've won the lottery! Words I've learned from reading Bethany's blog: detritus, gustatory, poultice (which has nothing to do with chickens - so misleading) and tincture. She probably does crossword puzzles with a pen. If you already were using these words - good for you! You really need to take a looksy at her blog.

See, B. has a gift for putting words together. Her stories about her four, yes, four children (feel free to gasp) are riotous. Check out this one for proof. How about this conversation recorded between three siblings? What a hoot!

In addition to being a talented writer, Bethany is a bold crafty girl. This is a recent fabulous project for her youngest one's room. While we've explored our crafty talents together, she is a perfect match for my "let's see how we should do this" attitude - saying "oh, let's just do it"! For her take on our crafty adventures, check out this post, where she so generously introduced me to her blog readers.

She's a true friend. A spirit-filled cheerleader, an encourager and one who always manages to see the silver lining. Who would have thought years after playing an ill-fated game of Pictionary together, we'd be such good friends?
Remember I said I have friends who've seen me at my worst? During that game of Pictionary, poor Bethany was on the receiving end of "I can't believe you can't tell what that is!", from yours truly. Yeah, I'm lucky this girl hung around. Lucky enough.In honor of B., I'm passing along this fabulous bookplate which I found here.
You can find loads more there and they are free for personal use. My son pointed out that the black and white ones would be fun to color in!
Thanks Bethany, for inspiring me! My writing will never compare to yours, but I'm so glad I caught the blogging bug!

Hello!

2009-09-16T10:11:00.003-04:00

Thank you for coming back!
I really do want to be more consistent with my posts..I wish I was a better writer.
Until then - here is a card I made for our friend and neighbor, Ann, soon due with a baby girl.
And I promise I'll be posting again soon!

Card: My Mind's Eye, boxed set (Hobby Lobby)
Ribbon: Archiver's
Embossing plate: Michael's (long time ago) and I can't remember the brand
Checkered paper: A Muse Art Stamps (I think) - came via my local stamping store

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?!?!

2009-09-10T07:42:00.003-04:00

I AM!! I'll keep this post brief since I know I've lost many of you already...the season begins tonight and you will find me glued to the game. That's right, your crafty pal is a tomboy at heart. I watched football with my dad growing up and now love watchin it with my honey! I have my own Terrible Towel and have been known to scare children and dogs with my cheering at times. I had pictures of Jack Lambert (he's the guy at the bottom of my blog) on my wall in college. My roommate did ask that I take down the one showing him without his teeth. I don't believe I did, but we remain friends.

I also want to mention the button I've put up for the blog lens.us.together.
I'm so excited to be part of this talented group of people! Each week is a different theme, picked by one of the contributors to the blog. Our assignment then is to take a photo to go with that theme. Many write about the photo or include a poem. Some photos speak for themselves. It's fascinating to see all the different perspectives on one topic. I hope you'll check it out and let me know what you think!

So much for keeping it brief. :D

Another Halloween Countdown Calendar!

2009-09-09T15:49:00.005-04:00

How cool is this?!? My good friend, Amanda, made a countdown calendar for Halloween! I love how it turned out. All her dates have glitter or some fabulous treatment. She painted her baking sheet (bought for $2.99 at Target) and modge podged her calendar on it. She used Dollar Store goodies she'd had in her stash.
Here is a close-up of some of her cutie-patootie dates:I'm thrilled by everyone's responses and sweet comments and so flattered I actually inspired some people! Thanks for sharing your calendar, Amanda! You rock!

Have a Beautiful Day!

2009-09-07T22:50:00.003-04:00

A quick post - hoping you had a fabulous Labor Day weekend. And sharing a card...Sunflower stamp: Stampin' Up
sentiment stamp: A Muse Artstamps
gatefold card: DCWV

Halloween Countdown Calendar

2009-09-01T21:38:00.017-04:00

I love Target. Seeing those Dollar Bins right inside the doors thrills me. I know. Get a life, right? Today I found these fabulous Halloween letters stickers and it made me think I'd better share my Halloween countdown calendar with you all in case you want to make on and save your sanity - or at least a portion of it. How will it do that, you ask?

I don't think I'm the only one who gets tired of the same question every day, sometimes asked repeatedly throughout the day. "What's for dinner, Mommy? " I'm baffled as to why they still ask this. Being the Mean Mommy that I am, my answer is almost always "food". This started because I used to not plan ahead so much and I had no idea at that point. I'm getting a little better, but the question drives me crazy, so I still tell them "food". Well, "When is Halloween?' starts the split second a leaf turns orange or the chill in the air returns. This project makes a nice decoration, serves a purpose and the kids really enjoy taking turns taking the date off the calendar.

Here are some of the materials I used:
* old baking sheet * halloween themed papers * variety of number stickers * rub-ons * tags * acrylic paint * magnet strips with adhesive * greeting card * table-top easel to hold the finished product
I got my money's worth out of this baking sheet and knew I wanted to make this project, but any cheapie baking sheet you can find will work, too. I painted the edging and part of the front with orange acrylic paint. I didn't spray a sealer over it, but did put on two coats.

Next, I used manilla paper and measured out squares for the dates and smaller rectangles for the days of the week. I used rub-ons for my days of the week, but you may have lovely handwriting - me, not so much.Playing around a bit, I decided where I was placing different elements of this calendar. I came across a cute little 99 cent card with this kitty on it and wanted to use it. I know the kiddos will outgrow the cuteness eventually, so I placed magnets on the back instead of adhesive.

Once I knew where everything was going, I cut my black dotted paper to cover the baking sheet not covered by the calendar. I used a decorative edge punch on the black paper and glued it down. Glue down the "Halloween" (also came from the greeting card), the "countdown" and the empty calendar.

Now the fun begins! Dig into your stash of number stickers, decorative papers and all those crafting goodies I know you've got hidden somewhere. I used a bunch of metal tags and metal numbers made by Making Memories which I've had for years. Some shapes were just paper punched and stickers applied.I used a couple of button pins I think I found at the dollar store. I had googly eyes left over from another project and glued them on a slide holder. Anything goes!Once done, just cut pieces from the magnetized roll to fit on the back of the dates. I got my magnetic strip at Hobby Lobby.
Rather than look at a blank calendar much of the month, we opt to put all the dates on and take them off one at a time and place them in a little basket after dinner each day.

If you happen to not have a bunch of products, or much time, you can still make an easy version of this calendar. Go get some stickers from the dollar store and place them one at a time on a school calendar or family calendar the little ones can see and reach. Works just the same! :D Now they can look at the calendar and figure out how close Halloween is all on their own!

If you're in need of a creative jump-start, go to twopeasinabucket.com. You can find greeting cards, scrapbooking pages, photography and projects like this. I get tons of inspiration from everyone on there.

Christmas in July - Part I

2009-08-30T16:06:00.009-04:00

A few places I shop...er, browse used this marketing ploy to try and boost their summer sales figures. And it got me thinking. How about New Year's resolutions in August? Why in the world would anyone want to do that, you ask? I dunno. Maybe it's the Georgia heat and humidity getting the best of me. Or that the start of school is like a new beginning for me too. Maybe I know I need to make some changes and I shouldn't wait any longer. Maybe actually writing them down for all to see will be what keeps me accountable. It really probably is the heat, though. I sweat just puttin' lipstick on. Really.

Regardless the reason - the resolution I want to make is getting birthday cards out to friends and family. Yes, I actually have to include family on this one. I am an equal opportunity slacker. Sad and shameful, but true. I'm embarrassed even writing this for all to see.

The kicker?

I actually make cards! Nice ones, too, I'm told.

So if your birthday has passed already in 2009, here's my birthday card to you.

Expect one closer to your actual birthday in 2010. (Unless this whole August resolution thing goes down the crapper as fast as January resolutions do.)

P.S. If I ever make a resolution regarding any kind of exercise or work out program any time other than January - call 911, I'm suffering from heatstroke!

Congratulations, Ma-Ma!

2009-08-25T10:02:00.003-04:00

Congratulations on your upcoming, fast-approaching, I-can't-wait-for-it-to-happen retirement!

You have worked hard and worked your way up from a secretary to the Inside Sales Manager/National Sales Manager. Your integrity, honesty and exceptional people skills got you noticed and promoted. You set high expectations, but also set the example for those who work with you. You have been the best role model a daughter could ever ask for. I am so proud of all that you have accomplished!

And now it is your time. Maybe more Nanny-time. Maybe more Sparky-time. But definitely more Darlene-time. I know you will continue to live life to the fullest - you're just gonna have a whole lot more fun!

Happy retirement, Mom! I love you.

Hydrangeas in the Home

2009-08-17T11:04:00.010-04:00

So you know I'm not a complete decorating dunce, I do know that dried flowers are a big faux pas to decorating divas. My opinion though is that hydrangeas are fabulous cottagey classics. My spell checker doesn't like my made up word cottagey, but you know what I mean, right? And what's better than fresh cut flowers which didn't cost an arm and a leg, thankyouverymuch?!

I also know they only have a certain shelf-life and should be disposed of before gathering dust. However, if used in the right area - say, above kitchen cabinets, their shelf life can be extended. No dust can be seen from down below and aren't those decorative ledges put there to keep any dust from floating downward?
There. I've made my case for allowing my hydrangeas to stay as part of my decor and exposed myself as a decorating rebel. (Of course, you know doilies and milk glass are not so chic either, but they remind me of my grandmother, Mia, and pair up nicely with cottagey accents.)
Our home may not be Pottery Barn material, but it is a reflection of my quirky, sometimes-sentimental self. This post was inspired by the Nester's mantra "It Doesn't Have to be Perfect to be Beautiful". Check out her oh-so-inspiring blog!

Tone on Tone

2009-08-10T10:53:00.007-04:00

So this was the inspiration for my latest project. A pillow from Pier 1 which perfectly matched the fresh coat of paint I applied not so long ago. I loved the texture of it and it "spoke to me". (Not that I'm hearing voices.) Just a little justification going on.

Anyway, my space has lots of personal eye candy. Photos, ribbons, stuff I love. However, I wanted to keep the one wall as a place where the eyes can rest, but not be left undone. What to do?
Here's what I did:

I found these tins at Hobby Lobby and got them when their wall decor was on sale at 50% off. They would have been fine (and even matched) if I'd left them black. Instead, I used some remaining paint and ooh,la,la! I was a happy girl. And the kicker???
I get to make my own magnets and clips in case I want to use them to put up inspirational/creative goodies. Don'tcha just love when a plan comes together?

Where have you found inspiration?
Thanks for looking.

Hydrangeas!

2009-08-04T20:31:00.008-04:00

Oh, how I love them! They are exquisite show-stoppers even if they can be tempermental at times. I've been growing hydrangeas for the past twelve years and I'm still trying to learn how to get better results in my garden.

If you are lucky enough to have some in your garden and are interested in drying some, now is a good time to go out and give them a touch. If they are starting to feel papery, then they are ready to cut. If they still feel soft, then it is too early to cut them - give them some time.They should be ready by the end of August.

If your evenings cool down (that just doesn't happen down here), you can cut them at that time. If not, then wait until the morning. You want to avoid cutting them in the heat of the day. Use sharp pruners and cut the stem diagonally. Try to get a long stem, but if you see any nodes (I call them nubs) appearing where the leaves connect to the stem, be sure to cut at least an inch above these nubs. These nubs could be next year's blooms. Most mophead hydrangeas bloom on "old" wood and I never cut mine after September for this reason.

As soon as you've cut your bouquet, take them inside! Do not go get the mail, do not stay out and water your other plants, do not pass GO! Sink them in water and just leave them. That's it - other than checking to be sure the water level doesn't go below the end of the stems.

This is a Penny Mac hydrangea from my neighbor, Pam's beautiful garden.
SOOC (straight-out-of-camera)

Same shot, but edited to add some color pop.

This one I went with the vintage look.
Enjoy!

My Purpose Here and an Apology in Advance

2009-08-02T20:37:00.005-04:00

My plan is to share tips, funny stories (I think I'm a distant relative of Lucille Ball), hobbies/obsessions, photos, but most of all it is to stay connected. So often life just seems to sweep us up, wear us down or just plain ol' get in the way. I have friends who live ten minutes away, but we have to make serious commitments to get together or it doesn't happen. Let 's not even mention any friends who live more than ten minutes away. So I feel I've lost touch with some very dear people. People who I think of often, but neglect to call for one sorry reason or another. So I hope you'll come, maybe learn something, maybe get a chuckle, but I really hope to keep my friends and I feeling connected. And maybe even make some new friends.

That being said, now here is my apology. Sorry, but I am not going to fret over ending my sentences with prepositions, I will misuse punctuation marks frequently, I will forget to use spell check a time or two and I will often write run-on sentences. Nor do I claim to be a talented writer, but I will always try to share goodness. Apology done.

Now...so you know I mean what I say and so my husband knows I wasn't bluffing about repaying him for his "helpfulness" (see previous post if this needs further explanation)...here ya go:
Who's laughing now, Mr. Sassypants? HA!

Welcome to my Cyber Nest!

2009-08-01T21:40:00.006-04:00

I guess I'm gonna need to explain how I came to pick this quirky name for my blog. I'd like to point out(to my Mother mostly) that I am not making any kind of crack about how I was raised by using this offbeat name.

I knew I wanted a title using something with a "bird" reference. Mostly because my Nanny, now 92 years young, used to say I was such a "catbird" when I was little. That was her way of saying I was being a real stinker, but she'd always laugh when she said it. I also happen to call my best friend from Pittsburgh "Bird". It is a real term of endearment and reminds me of my Nanny whenever I hear it!

I asked my husband for some help with naming my blog and wanted a bird reference. His suggestion: call it "Bird Dirt". Ah. Yeah. Trying to be more helpful he then asked what I'd be writing about. I told him, "you know, gardening info, photography info and lots of crafty stuff." His second suggestion: "Stuff My Husband Doesn't Want to Hear About". You see what I'm working with here?

His final suggestion was "Blah, Bla-Blah, Bla-Blah, Blah, Blah". Not to worry. I already have ideas on how to repay his helpfulness.

So this blog name kinda suits me. If you know me, you probably didn't even need an explanation.

To show you who the real catbird is though, I'm posting this picture of my Nanny from Christmas 1998.

Yeah, she received and posed with a "do-rag" and Risky Business sunglasses on Christmas day. Gift courtesy of my brother - another real bird! However, it took no coaxing to get this photo. She's always up for a good time.

So here's to the matriarchal bird of our family! (Thank God she doesn't own a computer!)