Snow Shadows Spring

Mountain shadows are beautiful and intriguing. Mountains with snow and shadows are magnificently beautiful. I live in a high desert valley surrounded by mountains. Especially in the evenings I love to admire shadows on the mountains. Today I took the following photos. I love the huge shadow on the mountain just under the snow (top center photo). Not only were there snow and shadows on the mountains, but I noticed buds have popped up on some trees, a seasonal reminder that Spring is near. Three in one day - snow, shadows, and Spring. Lovely nature's beauty.


Snow Shadows & Spring

I'm visiting Shadow Shot Sunday to share my snow shadow photos.

Happy Weekend!

I'm joining  Create Something Project.
I'm joining Seasonal Sundays. 
I'm joining Outdoor Wednesday.



Mediterranean and Tuscan Decor Blend

Mediterranean and Tuscan styles of decor from Spain, Greece, and Italy have captivated my interest. In fact I invested in a few limited editions of giclee art, some of which portray these styles. Giclee is a French word meaning fine mist or spray and gives the effect of an original painting. I decided to market some of my art collection on iOffer.com. In our Mediterranean home to be built this year I plan to blend Mediterranean and Tuscan styles. The two types of decor are similar in rustic style which I love. I like the blend of Mediterranean/Spanish or Greek arches, white walls with a blue flair, and the Tuscan/Italian terracotta tile and warm earth-tone colors.

Two of my favorite of the art giclee collection are this beautiful Mediterranean House of Music by Ginger Cook...

Sold Out Limited Edition

and her Rendezvous at Sunset...

Sold Out Limited Edition

...both capturing lovely blue and pink hues which I'm sharing for Pink Saturday.

Indoor Patio Kitchen

Mediterranean patios excite me! They're beautiful. My dream home coming soon is designed by Custom Designer Bill.

How do you fix up a fixer-upper when it is soon to be replaced by a new house? Fix it up! It doesn't take much money if any to make a place livable. Go to yard sales, Goodwill, and antique shops. Often at antique shops vendors are constantly moving things around or out to keep their stock current, and they'll mark things way down. That's how I got my baker's rack I've blogged about before. When money is tight but you want to spruce up your house a bit, go to Home Depot. Sometimes you'll find a gallon of paint for $5 or less, a color that someone decided they didn't like. And have fun. Creating your home out of not much to choose from can be a delight for the family.

If you've rented out a place before, then you know you don't always get the place back just like you rented it out. Our fixer-upper originally came with a stove when we purchased it. The stove was not the best. At least a couple of burners worked. Occasionally, the oven would work. A couple lived there shortly after we purchased the place. When they left, we noticed there was no stove to be found anywhere. Cooking in an electric skillet and a griddle has created the opportunity for me to enjoy interesting and fun recipes. Oh what a delight. Seriously, I'm loving it, especially the griddle.

My husband and I had lived the RV life for ministry work for many years, and I've been accustomed to making do with the minimum. Our appliances amounted to a propane stove and frig in the RV that is parked on the property of the fixer-upper. It has been quite challenging to fix up a cabin with no appliances, no furniture, and little extra funds to work with for a time.

I'm fixing up my kitchen like a Mediterranean indoor patio. The little house is a cabin just in case you're reading my blog for the first time. The cabin looks quite country in a desert setting. Though I would be perfectly happy to remodel the cabin without enlarging it, that's not the plan. The plan is to tear down all but a couple of walls, use the foundation, and build a new house.

The little kitchen is cute but needs much repair. Why repair when you're about to tear down? Right. So I'm having fun fixing it up temporarily. The kitchen tile was ripped up, and we have a cement floor now. I picked up an indoor/outdoor rug, like a bamboo type or similar. Then I cleaned up my card table from outside and brought it in.

I picked up a little country red vinyl tablecloth to go over it and pushed the card table underneath the stairs.

At Goodwill one day I found the cutest little musical staff hanger (for about $5) that I plan to use for hanging my flowers. At a yard sale I found two shelving units that look adorable and are oh so handy. At another yard sale I found this freezer (I'd been wanting a little freezer for the longest) for only $30. As mentioned in another post, I found a red and white check tablecloth at an antique store.

See those unsightly walls? Hmm...well it's a work in progress. Like I said, I'm having fun with it. As I lost my camera and am trying to learn how to take pictures with Mr. Fun's camera, my photos could use some help. I hope you enjoy the photos (hopefully, I'll find my little camera soon) and my little country cabin indoor patio/kitchen decorating fun.

I'm joining Tablescape Thursday. 
I'm joining Show and Tell Friday.
I'm joining Fabulous Friday Finds Party.

Time for Spring and Girl Scout Cookies

Spring is just around the corner, and I'm ready for it. Last evening after dinner my husband and I opened the last bag of our Girl Scout cookies. Not just any Girl Scout cookies, but the popular ones. Mint cookies. Mmm! We've already gone through 1-1/2 boxes, so we're making this bag last as long as we can. But we didn't fight over them like Hersha Howard did. It does take a lot of willpower to share the cookies. One could eat a box full of these cookies almost without feeling bad about it. They are delicious!

After our dinner I put my red and white tablecloth up over the entry into the kitchen - the tablecloth I covered the table with for Valentine's Day. In its place is now a white tablecloth with spring flowers. My kitchen has stairs to the loft. Beside the stairs are my freezer and a card table, my plant and painting work table. It's covered with a cute Springy red vinyl tablecloth with chickens. That area of my kitchen is beginning to look like the inside patio look. I can't wait to get it all fixed up and show photos. Unfortunately, I've misplaced my camera. This week I stuck the camera in my coat pocket and went into the kitchen to take a picture of the new Ro*Tel tomatoes can for my other blog. I got sidetracked, and my camera fell out that morning. My husband has been elected to take photos for me right now until I can locate that camera. But I do have a photo of those yummy Girl Scout mint cookies.

Enjoy your day, and if you see Girl Scouts, don't forget the mint cookies!

Valentine Memories

Valentine's Day 2011 is now a memory! But it's a good one. I reminded Mr. Fun Other Half about the first box of Valentine's candy he gave me. I had gone to California from Texas for my friend's wedding. Mr. Fun not-yet-other-half was in the wedding also. The Sunday after the wedding my other friend's mom took me to the LA airport. Not only did Mr. Fun go, but another Mr. I occasionally dated also went along. That was quite an interesting trip. We went to Sunday morning church service then made a quick trip to the airport afterward with only time to stop at a convenience store for snacks. Mr. Fun someday-to-be-Other Half bought me a box of Valentine's candy. I even saved the box (that is now somewhere in a Texas attic)! That same year Mr. Fun and I became engaged. So see, Valentine's candy does work!

Mr. Fun and I celebrated this Valentine's Day on Sunday. Monday when we came home from our day jobs, I rushed inside our cutesy cottage cabin and decorated the little table with a red and white check tablecloth I purchased at my favorite antique shop.

 

Oh, did I tell you where the tablecloth is going next? Above our door-less-entry into the kitchen from the living room - as soon as Mr. Fun remembers to give me the cordless drill. 

Hey, when you're in between a fixer-upper cottage cabin and your soon-to-be-remodeled cottage beauty, you can create fun - even if it's a cutesy table scape with a country antique tablecloth and Valentine candles!

I'm joining Wow Us Wednesdays.

Baker's Rack Garden

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for spring flowers and gardening. This morning I watered my inside plants that were in desperate need of some TLC then moved them to the lower shelf of my baker's rack. The baker's rack is my little area in our cabin that is my inspiration. If you haven't read my previous cabin history, our little place is soon to be completely renovated. Only two walls and the foundation will remain. We've had a few bumps in the road, but this year we'll start on the new beautiful house. The plans are drawn, and we're getting closer. YAY!

Since the cabin's coming down, I'm limited on decorating - which absolutely drives me crazy! I use this baker's rack to change my seasonal decorating themes in the cabin. So here you go...from Christmas...

 to Valentine's Day...

Since it's Pink Saturday, I had the best fun finding pink and brown items for a garden baker's rack theme. On the second shelf is a photo of my daughter and me in the pink frame.

Two of my favorite books I get ideas from are Cabin Fever and a gardening book (I purchased the latter at a library book sale  for 50 cents). I placed them between two lovely brown leather candle holders next to the cute little pink and maroon purse cookie jar that I won at an antique store during the Christmas season. 

Oh, and did you notice the Peep's marshmallow and coconut cream Valentine candies I put inside the terra cotta pot? I needed wanted to get those last night as a treat for Valentine's Day. 

HAPPY PINK SATURDAY!
I'm joining Pink Saturday.
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True Love Afghan

Mother-in-laws are often joked about. My mother-in-law, however, was the best! We were friends. She always complimented my cooking, saying that she always told her kids that charcoal was good for your teeth. That's when she would burn the food. Another compliment she gave me was the "True Love" afghan she gave me as a gift. Mom knew I love roses. It even has a red rose, my favorite. The best part, though, is the quote on the afghan.

Mom loved to get up early when the mornings were cool to "do her gratefuls" as she called it. She was grateful to God for all her children. I am honored to have been claimed as her "Special Daughter".
Mom, I miss you!
I'm joining Green Mama's Pad's Wordless Wednesday 
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I'm joining Frou Frou Fridays Party.

Blog Mishaps

Change is a good thing, right? Seasons change. What if we had winter all year long? We would turn into ice statues. Today I decided it was time for my blog header to change. A good change. It has reminded me in a huge way, however, that I have not graduated from the beginner blogging class. A fellow blogger was generous and shared techniques she has learned about Picasa, a fabulous tool for a beginning blogger. I had fun with it, and now I have a new desert flower header. Unfortunately, as I moved gadgets around on my blog, I edited one of them. The "Take My Button" gadget. Do you know how long it took this beginning blogger to learn how to maneuver that button on my blog? Way too long for me to figure it out again today I'm afraid. This blog mishap reminds me, however, that we continue to learn as long as we live.

 I'm joining How Sweet The Sound: Pink Saturday.http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/pink-saturday/

Enjoy learning in each season of your life....

and when you learn something new, will you share it with me?
I'm joining Outdoor Wednesday

Plants Add Coziness

Want to bring that cozy home feeling with you to your day job? Use plants. Though I'd rather be blogging away for hours, I spend lots of hours at a day job. To feel more cozy in my office, I've added plants. People love plants. Plants make good conversational pieces as well. Plants also make a good transition from winter to spring. So go out this weekend, you part-time bloggers, and find a cozy-looking plant to bring with you to your day job. Of course, this works for full-time bloggers at home, too.

My plant fan gift from hubby! Isn't it lovely?

My little ivy is growing!

My office window.

Add a plant for a cozy, cheerful spring feeling this weekend!

Cozy Fireplaces

Imagine being stuck in traffic in Chicago for 12 hours due to the freezing weather or being out in this Oklahoma dilemma! All the news I've been hearing about ice and snow storms across America makes me want to curl up beside a cozy fireplace.

 Bing Fireplace Image

Bing Fireplace Image

Photos from: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=free+images+of+fireplaces

Stay warm, and be safe.