Beach Walk

Originally posted on Flickr

We spent the night in the city this weekend

So after a day of working at the house

Cleaning, mowing, organizing and purging....

We took a walk along the beach

Ocean Beach, that is

Originally posted on Flickr

A lovely weekend indeed

A Handmade Pillow For a Special Girl

Do you remember me telling you about this little girl?

Well, she is moving 3100 miles away with her parents

So her dad could attend graduate school at Dartmouth

She has been such a delight in my life

And I will miss seeing her bright smiling face each Sunday

I made this little pillow for her

Used a handmade vintage doily, a decorator's sample of exquisite linen fabric

And some vintage buttons

She will now have a bit of California with her wherever she goes

Helicopter Ride

Helicopter, originally uploaded by kzensius.

Matt's ride that brought him to a trauma hospital in San Jose

He was involved in a bike accident on the 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach

And suffered some nasty injuries

Good news

He will be ok...

Just has a bit of healing to do

Dahlias on Steroids

IMG_2316, originally uploaded by kzensius.

I came back from Atlanta and found that my dinner plate sized dahlias popped.

These are the biggest dahlias I've ever grown...they look like they are on steroids

It must be that wonderful Wheeler farm compost that helped them grow into such beauties

Love the lemon fizz color, don't you?

Before You Leave For The Airport

Before you jump in your car

And head to the airport

Do you check the status of your scheduled flight?

I checked in online the night before

But didn't think to check in the am

Neither did Mrs. Shoe or DZ

And we paid for it dearly

We arrived at the airport 3 1/2 hours before

Our originally scheduled 1:30 flight

As I checked my big bag

We were informed that our flight was delayed

TWO HOURS!

So...we spent the next 5 hours

reading....talking....napping...making lists...

playing games on the cellphone.....

and playing with this Q-T-PIE

Note to self:

ALWAYS CHECK FLIGHT STATUS BEFORE HEADING TO AIRPORT

New Life for a Little Table

Several months ago when I was away on a trip

DZ knocked over a midcentury modern "ceramic table"

Which I thought was in a safe place on our deck outside our bedroom

I was a bit tiffed

For this isn't the first time one of my treasures hit the dust

It took some time

But my sore wounds healed

Instead of throwing it away

I found a spot in my garden for the broken "top"

And recycled an old beat-up hunk of wood

Which in its prior life

Was the top of a work bench in our garage

At my direction

DZ cut down the plank to a fun shape

(I do think he felt bad about breaking my treasure)

And I placed it on top of the "paperclip style" legs

My little table has a new life...what do you think?

Sunflowers

I looked out my window this morning

And I saw fifteen foot Jolly- 'Ol -Giant "mammoth" sunflower stalks

Growing in my garden

I swear they sprouted five feet in one day

Check out my blooming "moonshine" sunflowers

I am having a hard time wiping away my smile.

Close-up of the Linen Dress With Vintage Pin and Belt Buckle

Linen Dress With Vintage Pin and Belt Buckle, originally uploaded by kzensius.

I added a vintage daisy pin (with a tiny lady bug) to my linen dress which is all ready to go into my suitcase. Gives it a nice little touch.

Wearing the yellow seersucker dress

IMG_2158, originally uploaded by kzensius.

Here I am filling the dress..

It is really quite comfortable.

A Linen Dress

Am I on a roll or what?

A second completed dress within a week!

I am planning to wear this dress to the open house in Atlanta

It is made from a 60/40 linen-cotton blend with machine embroidered yellow and white flowers

I used a fabric sample from an upscale interior decorator for the belt

And the buckle is true blue vintage

Something I picked it up many years ago

Before those type of things were so hip

Don't you think the two work well together?

I did purchase the trim around the neckline

It brings in a modern softness

Have I told you how much I love having a room dedicated to sewing

And creating?

I also love having my sewing machine and my serger side by side

And an ironing board right behind me (a nice vintage wooden freestanding one)

And the tunes of 89.1 blaring

You should see me

Going from one machine to the other

And then turning around to press the creation

At the end of the day

All I have to do is shut the door to the disorder

Breakfast Today

My daughter left these sweet, red, juicy strawberries on my counter

So I had them for breakfast on top of my belgian waffle (from Costco) along with my fave oj from Trader Joes and my Torini hazelnut flavored hot chocolate

(She brought the hydrangeas from her garden too!)

Those strawbs are the best I've tasted all year...ooolala

What a way to start the day

Summer Yellow Stripe Seersucker Dress

Look what I finished yesterday.

I thought I would make something cool and airy for my upcoming trip to Atlanta

I haven't been to Atlanta before...but I understand it is steaming hot

So I needed something fresh and flowy

Check out the lace trim along the neckline (already had it in my stash)

I love using things I have

Here is Vintage Vogue pattern I used:

Just love those patterns...you should see my collection

I purchase Vogue patterns at Joanne Fabrics when they are on sale for $3.99

Vogue is my most fave

I purchased the slip/skirt from Target on super duper sale last year (got it for $4.74)

And "remade" it

Cut it down (it was floor length)

Added the layer of lace on the bottom

(which I already had..was a window valance in its previous life)

Whalaa...I can now wear it as a slip underneath my "vintage" dress

Or as a skirt on its own

Love the length

Feels so fun swishing around my legs

I purchased the little white leather belt from Marshalls for $12.99 last night

(spent more on the belt than the fabric!)

I already have some yellow suede shoes from the wedding

Maybe I should pick up a little vintage hat?

And some wrist length white gloves?

Oh..no..I am just kidding about the last two items

Do you think I will fit right in when I go South?

Making Lemonade Out of Lemons

I found that my car was getting drenched by the sprinklers

When I came back after my swim workout at the Y last night

At first I let out a exasperated sigh...

Thinking....what a waste taking my car to the car wash

(two weeks ago!)

And then I remembered that my windshield wiper fluid was empty

And my windshield had been speckled with lots of water spots

When it rained a week or so ago

So I turned on my windshield wipers

With a swish and a swash

I had a squeaky clean windshield!

No sour lemons here.

Lavender Harvest

Last night I went over to visit my parents

And harvested this trug of blooms

Under the light of the moon

Ahh...my home is filled

With a very lovely, calming aroma

My French Corner

IMG_2090, originally uploaded by kzensius.

This is the French corner in my garden. The blue shutters came from my sister who lives in El Cerrito.

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth!

From my house to yours....

May your day sparkle with fun.

Wedding wishing tree has transformed into my holiday celebration tree:

Max enjoying the sunshine...

Scene on the front porch...

Newly made "tie-flags"...

And half circle flags along the driveway..