Greetings from Missouri ~ the Show Me State

We arrived at our destination, Land's End Condominiums, Osage Beach, Missouri early afternoon on Thursday.  For a peek inside, it's listed under vrbo 65127.

After having lunch, it was fun to get out and explore our surroundings.

The time was filled with plenty of laughs, giggles, screams of excitement and smiles.

It was only a four hour pontoon ride, but it was a great four hour pontoon ride!

After an eight hour drive and afternoon spent at the pool we began to relax in our comfortable surroundings to a good night's rest.  I arrose at the break of dawn, made myself a cup of coffee and relaxed on the screened patio to take in the sites, sounds, smells and peaceful calm.

Our time was filled with activity.

"Here I will spend my leisure, secure from the worries of business and the excitement of city life.  I will fish and loaf and explore the caves of these hills, with no fear of intrusion."

-Robert McClure Snyder about the property he bought to build Ha Ha Tonka Castle

Quote from the website: legendsofamerica.com 

If you desire to view the above website, it's interesting to read how the castle got it's name and met it's destruction.

Cleveland Indians vs. St. Louis Cardinals

We headed back to St. Louis on Saturday and took in the St. Louis Arch.  It was interesting to learn the fore sight that Thomas Jefferson had for this area and it's contribution to the expansion of America to the west.  Everyone had smiles when we joined together.  My family went to the top and I viewed a movie on the making of the Arch.  It all worked out great.

We spent a beautiful Saturday night viewing one of our favored baseball games.

It was filled with music, excitement for the kids with character mascots, catching baseballs and getting their  gloves autographed by their favored team players.

Thanks to the most wonderful posts created by Pat of http:// backporchmusings.typepad.com./, I was able to enjoy this family trip planned since last Christmas.  It had everything that I was looking and hoping for that would interest everyone in our group.  Even though I'm recuperating from a broken leg, I was able to participate with the long awaited plans of our family trip.  By getting in the lazy river children's pool at the condo, I was able to get in and exercise to help rehabilitate my leg and the walking helped to get me trying harder at it.  Dennis and I were both tired.  He from driving the distance and assisting me in getting around in hilly terrain really took a lot out of him.  Our meals depended on where we were and what we were doing at the time and I think that drained his energy too.  Do to the terrain, I used my wheel chair often and walked with my walker when possible, but the riding for the duration and not elevating my leg like I normally would do, caused it to swell and stiffen.  I'm so appreciative for the great family time we shared and wouldn't have traded it for the world.

Pat has the most beautiful photographs and her writing style is so enjoyable.  You'll want to keep coming back for more once you've read just a couple of her posts.  That's how I became hooked on a cold, snowy January night when I referred to my laptop for inspiration.  I noticed that she had just visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina and we had just taken a family trip there before Christmas and thouroughly enjoyed the candle light tour.  After viewing her lovely photos and reading about her preparations for Christmas, I couldn't wait to read her review of their experience traveled there.  She's gracious, kind, open and most generous with her helpful creative insights.  She's assisted  my  recuperation process on a daily basis through here blogging. I always look forward to her newest thought, idea or creation for they are always stunning and executed to a "T".

Have a wonderful summer.

Be safe,

Love,

A Room That Little Boys Are Made Of.

Life is full of changes and new chapters.  After our youngest son moved to an apartment across town, we decided his old room would be a logical guest room for our two sweet grandsons when they come to visit.

So, on the first weekend, after picking out a cute little boy blue, Dennis helped me to paint the room and transform it into something appropriate and comfortable for them to enjoy and stay in while visiting.

On the following Tuesday morning, I got up early after working the night before and was anxious to finish the white trim.  I made myself a cup of coffee and proceeded to the room with it in hand and an arm load of  some necessary tools.  After being up and down the ladder a few times moving it along as I went, one time would prove to result in a  very unfortunate accident with an extended period of healing time.  After repairative surgery and time spent healing a broken bone below the knee, the time and desire had finally come to finish the room.

Part of my inspiration to decorate the room came from an enjoyable trip with our grands on a beautiful spring day to Carriage Hill Metro Park.  Carriage Hill is a great place children love.  It's all about life in the 1880's.  There are demonstrations and reconstructed life style activities.  At times someone can be making a wonderfully aromatic meal of fried chicken and bisquits in the summer kitchen while ladies might be quilting in the parlor.  Outside, are other smells of coal and scented woods from a fire for the blacksmith who is busy at work.  There are farm animals of the time.

It's great to see a pony for the first time!  An earlier encounter.

You also know you're growing up when you ride one for the first time at a carnival.

Tucker's first ride.

It wouldn't be a really comfortable room if it didn't include baseball.  Especially Cleveland Indians baseball.  Grandpa remains a tried and true Cincinnati Reds baseball fan so there is always a little friendly team rivalry bantering going on.

Dennis put together the bunk beds that Jamie and Matt had given us that they were no longer using.  This set of bunk beds were used by Matt and his brother, Brian, growing up.  They look very well homemade and I'm curious to hear more of the story behind them.  Dennis helped me to make the beds also.

The comfortors were picked up at a steel of a price on clearance at WalMart.  The stuffed ponies were also on after Christmas clearance.  I thought they added, warmth, comfort and softness not to mention a sweet memory.

While viewing Pinterest this weekend, I came across free letter and numbers to download to use for art projects.  They are by Leo Reynolds on Flickr.  After downloading letters and numbers I liked, I went to Picnik to create the collage to use as framed artwork.

I enjoyed putting these collages together.  Picnik will be up for use until the 19th of this month and then it will be on Google +.

I love how the room is coming together.  I have one other thing to do.  Pick a rug for the brown painted wooden floor.

by Kathy Ireland at RugsDirect.

This rug is by Dash and Albert, woven yacht stripe cotton at Wayfair.

by Rugstudio.com

opulon yarns

by Rugstudio.com

acrylic blend

I'll continue to ponder this week which rug to choose for the wooden painted floor.  After all, one thing I do have at the moment is:

"Time".

Go about your projects with passion and enjoyment in what you love doing.  Most of all, go about it

"safely" as I always close with.  Right now, I set the example to heed.

Love,

Christ the LORD has risen today!

A blessed Easter to you.

Be kind to one another.

Love,

Isn't She Lovely...

Joy

Joy!

Joy!

A sweet baby girl has been born into the family!

Celebrating her sweetness and beauty with love and congratulations to her wonderful parents, Jeff and Mandy and big sister, Ainsley.

Welcome little Makaylin Rose

With love,

from

Mother Goose

and

My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses

by Aditi Kidambi

Whiskers on kittens

by Tante Bluhme

Bright copper kettles

by Manufactum

And warm woolen "smittens"

by Susan Cappon

Recently, I joined Pinterest, a website designed to allow you  to pin photos of things that you like.  It's a way to get an overall view of how an idea might come together as a whole.

For years, I think since the first Martha Stewart Magazine describing how to dip pumpkins into gold paint in a galvanized tub of water as elegant fall decorations and the first Country Living Magazine full of crocks, mammy dolls, and everything antique and primitive arrived on the newsstand, I've been tearing out pages and keeping in a file for future reference.

marthastewart.com

Home and Garden - The Martha Stewart Timeline

Martha Stewart Living Magazine by Time Publishing Ventures - Winter 1990

The pocket portfolio on the left is almost 25 years old and contains the colors I wanted to have in this house when we first bought it.

At the time Victorian decor was somewhat stylish.  I loved the smokey green base color of our house with lighter green moldings and mauve accent.  I used mauve & cream as Christmas decoration that year.

The swag and jabot draperies were made by my Sister-In-Law, Donna of Donna's Draperies, my grandmother's quilts displayed on a quilt rack using salvaged corbels that my husband kindly made for me, the Santa throw is actually cross stitch made by a friend and fellow co-worker.  The rocker was a wedding gift by my husband's fellow co-workers.  It is going on 35 years old.  It was originally a brown early American maple color.  As you can see, I've since painted it white.

Spring

A class in Art Therapy at a local community college had us making boards of our favorite things.  I loved the idea of the seasons and including all the senses.  Sight, fragrance of spring flowers, Kathie Lee Gifford CD.

Summer

The original path of the Miami River is behind our house.  Our kids grew up fishing there.  The above photo shows them practicing casting.  I loved the Enya CD and  Sail Away was my favorite song on that CD.  A found blue jay feather.

Fall

A bouquet of oak leaves, acorn, eucalyptus and raffia, a photo of a deer buck seen on a trip to Colorado and Reflections of Autumn CD.

Winter

I loved the antiquity of the old Christmas greeting postcard as a framed piece of art in a gold frame.  The scent of pine and the sounds of Kenny G.

Recently, a fellow co-worker and Supervisor showed me a photo of this table and chair set as well as a curved chaise.  She said, "there's something about this, I don't know what in particular, but I just love it and I have to have it"!   I loved hearing the excitement as she was expressing her desires for her living space.  She was unsure of how to put it all together and "what goes with what" uncertainty.  She asked a few of us for our opinion and it was fun.  I gave her my opinion when it was my turn and the next day I brought in this board to support why I thought  the idea I was describing might work.

I told her that British Colonial was reminiscent in her chosen pieces of furniture.  The surprise on her face was amazing as she looked at the collected photos as a whole and she loved it!  "This is exactly what I like"!  She loved the idea that I picked up on her strong belief in Christ and included it in her design to express her personality in the the space.  The chair in the lower left corner sold her on the idea.  I even looked up where it could be purchased and it turned out to be at Sellman's Furniture just the next town from us in Covington.  That interaction was so fun.

This was the chair.  It was my favorite too.

The Ernest Hemingway Collection by Thomasville

http://www.ernesthemingwaycollection.com/

That has happened a couple of times for Supervisors.  The first was for a bachelor who was bringing his wife- to- be to his home for the first time.  I guess he looked around his space and thought he should make what was a little on the practical necessity side like a chair and t.v. look a little more homey and appealing for a female.  He mentioned how he was putting up a tree for the first time and he put white lights on it.  He had met her while shopping for drapes for his home.  She was the sales assistant and I guess he kept going to her for her opinion.  One day he said, "Krista, I'm wanting to get a rug.  I know what I want in my mind but I'm not sure, what do you think"?  The next day, I brought in a photo of a beautiful Laura Ashley wool rug in time worn russett tones and he said, "Aaa...that's it"!  "Thank you, Krista"!  He smiled and folded it and put it safely in his pocket and it appeared he might be making a trip to his favorite mall that weekend.  :)

It was so many years ago the rug is no longer available to show but it was similar to this antique kilam rug.

It was fun to present a young couple who purchased a brand new traditional style home and wanted it to have a sense of personalized character.  I brought in samples of  a  beautiful copper dupioni silk for drapery side panels and her favorite art by Monet to grace her suggested light golden walls with buttery cream trim and a hint of pale lavender as accent.  It was a beautiful composition story board that matched her own feminine beauty.  Other rooms of their home were relaxed and comfortable to balance the look but still continued the Monet artwork to make it cohesive.

Living Room Inspiration

The Artist's Garden at Giverny, 1900

artposters.com

Family Room Inspiration

The Artist's Garden at Argenteuil

artposters.com

Powder Room Inspiration

Path Through The Corn At Pourville, 1882

artposters.com

Water Lilies Morning

allposters.com

I love to think of baby nurseries.  When my Sister-In-Law, Karen, told me that her daughter was expecting her first child and her first grand child, I couldn't help but spend a leisurely Saturday putting together for fun ideas for nurseries based on items that Karen and I have always loved.  I cut out fun photos from my favorite magazines such as Country Living, Country Home, Martha Stewart, children's books, art catalogs, and internet sites of history.  I love Smith Noble for window treatments, shades in particular.  They have great samples to use for this purpose.

To this day when I see a Jenny Lind bed, I think of Karen and how we used to talk about styles we liked and accessories.  I love to put something vintage in the mix.  A photo or toy.  Karen passed too soon and didn't get the privelege to enjoy all these things to the fullest.  We shared the fun of the idea and the excitement of it.

Summer Room Screened Porch

My most recent story board is for an outdoor screened in room to enjoy during the summer and early fall.

Last fall I painted a wicker couch and chair purchased about 20 some years ago at an auction from white to a dark chocolate brown.  I recovered the cushions with an olive green and muslin upholstery weight ticking.  I found the shams at Marshall's on sale for $5.00 and thought they would look great as back cushions for the couch.  We found white washed paneling at Menards and finished the back wall of the room for privacy.  The rest of the area will be screened in.  Can't wait to get out there when the weather gets above 65 degrees to white wash the whole area.

For fun, I thought I would post a few of my favorite things in photo form that I have collected and keep in my photo library.

Family

Our daughter, Jamie with her Dad.

Her daughter, our granddaughter, Kate, as a flower girl for their good friends Alexandria and Dan.

Grandson Tucker.

Grandson Blake.

Son-In-Law Matt.

"Go Tribe in 2012"!

Son John doing what he loves.

Son Ryan with his cousin Levi doing what he loves.

Theme flower gardening.  Orange was my favorite last year.

Coral pink another year.

And purple yet another year.  Embroidered pillow -  Belle journe'e ~ Beautiful Day in French.

Permet de venirs' asseois visite ~ Come sit, let's visit.

Children's theme parties, holidays and crafts.

Sweet idea found on Pinterest

Pinterest Pin

Handmade gifts.

Received gifts.

Food and recipes

Pinterest Pin

Pinterest Pin

Pinterest Pin

Sweet things vintage.  My sister and I had two lamps on our dresser made with figurines similar to these in pink with dotted Swiss lamp shades.

Love this spaghetti poodle on chenille pillow pin cushion.

Destinations within a 12 hour radius.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water

Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

Charleston, SC

P Allen Smith's Garden Home Retreat

Little Rock, Arkansas

Christmas candle light dinner and tour at the Biltmore Estate Asheville, North Carolina.

Branson, Missouri

Big Cedar Lodge

The Truman House Restaurant (original house)

Harbor Springs, Michigan

My photo library goes on and on.  I love looking back through great saved memories and photos of inspiration.  Technology is always being updated.  It's fun to check out sites to see if it can be of use to you as a hobby or favorite pass time.  What ever tickles your fancy may you go about it with passion and safety of course.

Love,