I'm late

My apologies to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and all the other purveyors of pink. I've been away on vacation and didn't get my Pink Saturday post ready before we left. So sorry my friends. Don't ya just love my new pink bling watch? It's AVON! I love it and the numbers are soo easy to read. I'll be around to visit you all soon. Soon as I catch -up on the laundry, pay some special attention to Alley our catand watch last week's episode of True Blood on demand. Any other True Blood fans? I just saw Eclipse while we were on vacation - loved it. I just love vampire movies - they are sexy to me. Hope that you all had a terrific week!

Portable Summer Sunset

I filled an old blue canning jar with the zinnias I bought at a local roadside stand. They were a quarter per bloom. So I bought them all!


The bright yellow and vibrant oranges of this summer bouquet remind me of a portable sunset.


Wishing you beautiful summer sunsets!

Happy Rudolph Day!

Well, it's officially Christmas in July!!! Only 4 more Rudolph Days 'til the big day.

I thought that you might like to see a few more pages from my Christmas Magic book.


My Christmas Magic Book is where I organize anything and everything to do with Christmas planning.


It includes a weekly countdown and a task list for cleaning, organizing, shopping for gifts, food, etc.


I found this sweet corsage long forgotten in the bottom of a box that I bought at a yard sale. Can you see the tiny pink bottle brush trees peeking out behind the small mercury glass balls?

I can remember my Gram wearing corsages (faux and real) on all the holidays. What a sweet tradition. Why don't we do this anymore?

Maybe if I plan some things for Christmas it'll make me feel cooler - ugh! I'm so sorry that I haven't been around to visit much, but our computer is not in a room with A/C, and I'm making visits very sporadically. I promise to visit soon.

Soothing Shade

I'm looking for soothing shade and cool breezes these days. The temps are still in the 90's and this Saturday it's supposed to hit 100 degrees with the heat index at 110 - I'm READY FOR THE FALL! Until I can find some soothing shade under a tree, I'll have to settle for the soothing shades of pink and cream on this lovely vintage hat.

Don't forget to stop by Beverly's for Pink Saturday, where you'll find lovers of pink each and every Saturday!! Last week I found Doni at Faith, Grace and Crafts. What a terrific woman and her blog...well I'm loving all the vintage goodness! Stop on by and tell her that I sent you.

Playing at The Old Parsonage

We love to play scrabble. Well, when I say we, it doesn't include DH, he's doesn't like to play games (except horseshoes). But the rest of us really enjoy it. We break it out at picnics and take it on vacation. There's just something about seeing those wooden letters sitting there waiting to become a word that excites me.


I recently bought this game at Jake's flea market for $5. Not all of the pieces are there, so this one will be delegated to craft projects and decorating. I love to use the tiles on scrapbook pages, cards or just to spell out messages and have them sitting around the house.


Speaking of things just sitting around the house... I buy old books to use the same way. They give added height to things that you are displaying and they are terrific to use in craft projects. These books are from the same junking trip to Jake's - 25 cents each and the sweet doll - just another quarter! I love those kind of days!

Merci!

Well I really should be embarrassed to tell you this, but I won another FABULOUS giveaway!!! But I'm not embarrassed, I'm grinning from ear to ear.



This giveaway comes from Marie Arden Pink Living. She is actually a fellow Pink Saturday gal and had the contest a few Saturday's ago. Marie describes herself as just a girl from the South with an eye for pink and for pretty homes and gardens. She loves to travel, especially to France. On a recent trip to that fab country, she brought back this delicious Marie Antoinette tea and yummy smelling soap from a Versailles gift shop! And here it sits on my table at The Old Parsonage. Oh I feel so very European! Thanks again Marie!




Temps haven't fallen any lower than 90's during the day this week with the humidity making it feel like a sauna whenever you step outside. I feel like Frosty in the greenhouse - I'm the melted puddle over in the corner!

Don't forget to stop by Beverly's for Pink Saturday, where you'll find lovers of pink each and every Saturday!!

Ya Gotta Have Friends...

A little while ago I decided to play a "Pay it Forward" game with Barbara Jean over at Treasures from the Heart. And this beautiful wall hanging is what I received. Isn't it wonderful? And, all the more special because she made it herself.

Can you read the verse? It's all about friends. I count myself lucky to have met Barbara Jean and all of you wonderful gals who visit The Old Parsonage and I truly consider all of you my friends. Stop back tomorrow for Pink Saturday to see what other goodies the postman brought my way. Enjoy your day!

National Christmas Center

Yesterday was the Mid-Summer Yule Festival at The National Christmas Center in Paradise, PA. Remember that rain I was asking for? Well, it came as a torrential downpour - in fact, sideways at times! I'm not complaining though, we needed the rain badly - all of the lawns are brown and small bushes are withering and wilting.


But as they say, neither rain, nor wind, nor...something like that will keep me away from a Christmas event, especially when DH agrees to take me - he's not too big on Christmas other than December. So we packed up some water and away we went.



All of the vendors were set-up under huge tents. With umbrella's in hand we sloshed through ankle deep puddles into a wonderland of antique Christmas! It was so beautiful, there were Dresden ornaments, mercury glass ornaments, creches, feather tress, you name it they had it. It was all lovely to look at, but waaaayyy out of my price range. Remember me? I'm more the gal who bought these glass beads for $2.50 at a local flea market. But if you are ever in Lancaster County, PA I would definitely recommend going to the National Christmas Center!

Thanks so much to all you who gave me some great ideas for family fun at our reunion. I'm off to make some very overdue visits to you my friends!

A Pink Friend

A few weeks ago I entered another giveaway at Dawn's A Cottage State of Mind. Little did I know, but that little stinker planned on giving something to everyone who entered.


She sent me the most beautiful gingham apron with a pretty embroidered detail along the waist and hem.



This little beauty - a Haviland plate that was tucked into my treasure box. L - O -V-E it Dawn!

It's the perfect spot for my shakers full of that wonderful glass glitter from Debbie at Sugar Camp Cottage.


Dawn is such a special loving person. Her blog A Cottage state of Mind, shares her life as a wife and mom to two beautiful children. If you haven't been by to visit Dawn, please stop by and tell her that I sent you.

I'm linking this to Beverly's Pink Saturday, where you'll find lovers of pink each and every Saturday!!


The temps have dropped into the 90's but the humidity? Mercy, I'm typing and dripping and it's only 8am! Yes, we only have a window a/c in the bedroom and living room. Oh well it can't last forever. Enjoy your week and stay cool!

A Bag for my Christmas Magic

Remember the giveaway that Cathi had a few weeks ago? Well, guess who won the tote bag? ME - that's who! She let me choose from several of the gorgeous bags that she made. Isn't this bag beautiful?

I love the colors and plan on keeping my Christmas Magic notebook in it as well as other Rudolph day items - some Christmas Breath (peppermint candies), my Christmas Card address book and a few other fun things. Stay tuned for some other giveaways that I've won - I seem to have the luck of the Irish with me!

It's only in the mid-nineties today, but the humidity is horrendous. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

A note or 2

Do you find that you are always needing a little card just to let someone know that you are thinking about them? I'm an old-fashioned kind of gal that likes to send hand written notes. E-mail is fine for a quick "hey how's it going," but I love to send the unexpected note through the mail. I made these two the other night for Aunt Gladys and a family friend.

My sweet, Great Aunt Gladys (91yrs - bless her heart) lives in a nursing home and loves to get notes, cards, flowers and such. It makes me feel good that I can brighten her day in such a small way.


And that's how I feel when I receive sweet and loving comments from you all. You just brighten my day.

We hit 103 yesterday without the heat index - YOWZA! And, today it's supposed to be just as hot. I have towels from the pool in the washer and want to get them hung out before I head to work - who wants to turn on the dryer when it's this hot? Certainly not me!

Stay cool my friends and send some gentle rain our way - things are looking really droopy 'round here (including me)!

My Guys

Last Christmas the boys gave me this frame with the intent to have their photo taken within the week. It was the one thing that I had been asking for, for years. Well, needless to say the urgency to have it taken as a Christmas present fell by the wayside. Father's Day (the Sunday before Adam and Jade moved) they gave me the photo. Well, emotions were running high that weekend anyway...I bawled like a baby (sorry for the glare).

It's supposed to hit 100 today - thank goodness I work in air conditioning. Stay cool my friends!

Holiday Weekend at The Old Parsonage

I know, I know...but he is patriotic! We had such a relaxing weekend. DH went fishing for most of the day on Saturday, and Bryan had to work. I took advantage of being home alone and cleaned. I got everything done except the kitchen floor, so that means the rest of the weekend I could play and relax.


Sunday afternoon, my nephew Zach came over for an impromptu picnic. It was so great to see him. We hadn't had the chance to see each other since Christmas. It's not that he lives far away, it's just everyone is sooo busy these days that it's hard to get together. We practically spent the entire day in the pool. The temps hit 99 yesterday and I get cranky when I'm hot, so I was a bit wrinkled by the end of the day - and I'm not talking the everyday wrinkles either.

,

Today, after being in the pool for a few hours I thought I'd try to get into my studio and organize, snap photos and do a little creating. Well, remember my studio is on the 2nd floor and doesn't have any air conditioning. I have a tower type fan that basically just moves the air around, after about 45min I came back downstairs. I did manage to take photos of my recent winnings, flea market and thrift store finds as well as some recent thinking of you note cards. I'll share these with you later this week.

Speaking of Santa, anyone doing any Christmas in July projects? I'm going to try and design my Christmas cards this month. Hope that you all had a terrific holiday weekend!

What's better than...

a bowl full of Pink German Glass Glitter? Why that's a hard one to beat for sure! I won this fabulous Glass glitter from Debbie at Sugar Camp Cottage. You may all remember Debbie's giveaway a few Pink Saturday's ago -June 5. And guess what? She has an e-bay store with tons of vintage reproduction Christmas items - AWESOME!!

I've used some of the chunky stuff on a birthday project for my niece Sydney. I'll share that with you next week. I'm linking this to Beverly's Pink Saturday, where all lovers of pink go to meet every Saturday!!

Enjoy your holiday weekend and stay safe my friends!

Sew Buttons

That's something my Gram would say. Whenever anyone would ask the question, "So what?", "Sew buttons," was her reply. My boys used to crack -up when she'd say it. They were so lucky to have known her. She was more like a grandmother than a GG (great-grandmother) and that's what they called her - GG.



Another favorite of hers was "Oh prunes." This one came out when she was frustrated and needed to curse. All of us grandchildren still use it from time-to-time. She loved it when we all got together for family dinners and picnics. There are 5 children (my Uncle John passed) and spouses, 13 grandchildren and spouses and 28 great-grandchildren that she knew and loved. Since she passed in 2002 there has been one addition, a great-great granddaughter.


A few years back I organized a family reunion just for these relatives (we have even more extended family that we are quite close with). It was so much fun! I've started planning again for this year - September 18th is the big day. If anyone has any games to share I would love it.

Dessert Anyone?

Looking for a quick, easy and yummy dessert for your Fourth of July picnic?

• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 cup Water
• 3 Eggs
• 1 box White Cake Mix (I stock up when they are .99 cents a box. I use them as a base for Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cakes)
  

Mix the above (it will be lumpy) and spread on a greased jelly roll pan.

• 1 can Cherry Pie Filling
  
• 1/4 cup Slivered Almonds

Drop the filling on top of the batter. Sprinkle the nuts over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30min. Cool completely.

• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 Tbl Milk

Whisk together to make glaze. Drizzle over the top.

Note: I change up the pie fillings from time to time. Why not make a cherry and a blueberry version for the fourth?