Finding Spring and a longtime friend.

Last Thursday, I loaded up my little blue car and drove 560 miles all by myself in search of spring and to visit an old friend.

My destination was the Ozarks of Missouri.

My friend Cheri had previously lived near me and her son and my daughter are very close in age.

After Cheri and her family moved to Missouri we always planned to get together but things just never worked out.

Cheri's beautiful Red Bud tree in bloom!

Well I simply decided that 20 years was long enough.

Yes, 20 years!  Cheri's son and my daughter were babies the last time we saw each other.

I had never driven that far by myself and in one day to boot.

But I got to tell you, it wasn't that bad.

I was exhausted but I felt proud I had made it without getting too lost.

I took a route down that took me through a good part of Iowa.

I thought it would be scenic.

Instead it was horribly dreary the whole way, rained and several area's were flooded which made me feel a bit nervous.

 Cheri's forsythia

But the really cool thing was that the farther I got south, the greener and prettier it got!

Now you have to remember there were still some piles of snow in my yard.

Actually by the time I got to Southern Wisconsin, it was already greening up.

And then I hit Hannibal, Missouri and the red buds were just spectacular!

And the flowering crab, oh my, a feast for my eyes!

Cheri had the guest room all fluffed and pretty.

This cute little tin was filled with anything I might have forgotten at home.

I wish I had a cute picture to share of the two of us, but her hubby snapped a few and we both have the squint eyes here.  I should have left my sunglasses on.  After our winter, I am like a mole coming out of hiding. ha!

My friend Cheri has some of the most amazing collections.

All of these vintage toys belonged to her hubby, Cheri, or her hubby's parents.

Cheri's Italian rooster collection.

They were purchased from all kinds of different artists while they were living there.

Love this!  The colors, the bunnies.

Oh my how I adore these!

They belonged to Cheri's late MIL.

And this set did as well.

I love them!

Cheri and her husband Kevin were such wonderful hosts.

I so enjoyed my visit and we are hoping to get together again very soon.

More on my trip later.

Spring has finally arrived around here.

Yes, finally!!!

I have never remembered it being this late before.

And the weatherman reported that we were 2 days short of record.  And not a good record.  The latest day to reach 60 degrees and over ever.  Happily it was 70 yesterday and will be again today.

So I am going to try to enjoy it this weekend because who knows, it may not last long.

Enjoy your weekend all,

Cindy

Sewing, crafting, anything to take my mind off of our rotten no show spring!

Little Addison modeling the skirt I made her.

I am using that term loosely here for she was way into her Dora movie and not in the mood for my modeling idea.

You can see by the expression on her face and her desire to bolt at any moment.

She is two after all, and sweet and smart as can be, but those two's still come through loud and clear.

I also made my niece Chloe who turned 4 on Saturday a little skirt as well.

Now one more to make for little Calista and then I will take a break from little girl sewing.

Anything to keep my mind off of our awful, horrible, no show spring!

On Saturday we celebrated my niece Chloe's 4th birthday with a trip to Chuck E Cheese.

The two little girls had a ball!

Rocking the house down!

Chloe is my sister Susie's youngest and my Mom's youngest grandchild.

Addison is my grand-daughter and my Mom's first great-grandchild.

She has 3 greats now.

Sweet cousin love!

This little decoupaged box is another little project.

I used pansies that I had pressed back when we actually had pansies.

I made sure to grab these when they were at their peak.

I bought the box unfinished at Hobby Lobby.

I painted and then I added the pansies on top and decoupaged.

I then added some pansy scrap book paper that I had in my stash.

And I decoupaged over that.

Quick and easy craft.

The pictures are dark, but they are of my daughter Katie when she was little.

 We just can't win this year as far as weather goes.

Yesterday we added 4 more inches of snow.  Most of it had melted but now it's back!

How ironic that I see my first robin of the season too.

Poor bird, just looking for something to eat through all that mess.

So you can see why I've been a sewing and crafting.

I would rather be outside but like my hubby says, "Cindy you can't control the weather".

Yes dear, I know.

On a brighter front I am going to visit a girlfriend later this week.

We haven't seen each other for 20 years!

Oh my, I am looking forward to it.

Take Care all and send weather prayers my way.

Cindy

joining:

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New do for an old pie hutch

Every few months I like to give my very old pie hutch a new do!

And she was way overdo for a new do.

She is my first ever antique.

I bought her almost 30 years ago for only $100.

She is a bit battered and bruised but I still love her all the same.

Since I live in Applestone Cottage I decided to have a bit of an apple theme this go around.

Apples, rooster, some spring chicks, a picnic basket from GW. And of course a little white stoneware and my old coffee grinder to boot.

Sorry for the sun glare here.

I am just so happy to see any sun after such a dreary March.

We have had to stop filling the bird feeders around here.

Poor little red headed woodpecker looking for a bite to eat.

But the bears have come out of hibernation and they are very drawn to bird feeders this time of year.

And the snow is melting but ever so slowly I must say.

Yesterday Addison and Grandpa built a mini slushy snow girl.

Oh gosh I love her!

She is so sick of being cooped up and she just had a ball playing outside with Grandpa yesterday.

My Mom actually has daffodils coming up next to the melting snow.

Take care my friends and have a great week!

Cindy

Joining:

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Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life

Tweak it Tuesday @ Cozy Little House

I'm hooked on vintage chenille!!

Right now I have a new love and it's vintage chenille bedspreads and quilts.

I've spent countless hours on E-Bay looking at them, bidding on them and kind of sorta realizing that a lot of them are bidding out pretty darn high.

I wanted one for the room we call Addison's room.

Previously known as my daughter Katie's room.

Or as Addison would say in her cute little 2 year old voice, "it's mine now". hehe.

 As you can see here, I thought it would look kind of cool to have the sun streaming in.  But instead it kind of made it a little harder to get a good picture.

So i kept looking and looking and bidding and being outbid and knowing I had to keep in my budget.

And finally score!

Starting bid was $15.00.

I bid and this time I got lucky.

Total cost $15.00 plus $10.00 shipping for a grand total of $25.00!!

And it's in excellent shape and just the color and style I was looking for.

And lately I've been eyeing one's for a Master bedroom.

The one I really loved went for $170.00 last week.

So I will keep looking and who knows...

I might get lucky again!

So there you have it, my new found love,vintage chenille!

Thanks for coming by,

Cindy

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