Trying to Suppress the HOUSE Love!

Today I am trying to occupy myself with some needed cleaning and fun projects so I can quit thinking about...

...this

My friend The realtor has already called to see if we were really interested. It is probably going to be gone by the end of the day (my guess). I am trying to be realistic here, and be a Big Girl and not let my wants hurt me.

My husband did not totally squash the idea, but there are pros and cons both ways. We really like where we are, however it is not the dream cottage, but God has provided a wonderful home that is paid for. We live very close to where I have been subbing in a good neighborhood, where I actually have someone a walk away that takes care of Stella when I have to be gone.

However, it is not the Cottage neighborhood.

OK enough of that. If God wants us to have it, he will show us. Both of us, not just me!

In continued effort not to think about the COTTAGE, Sheree is having another great

Giveaway!

Winning this could probably help with the Cottage thing! Check it out here.
Have a wonderful week!

Jackie

House Love!

Have you ever dreamed of what you think would be your perfect house? Many of you would think that I am crazy, but I have always dreamed of an old house with cottage charm a big porch and qualities that give it a lot of charm. Well yesterday I found my potential candidate and here it is!

My huge wrap around porch. Tin shingles. Small cottage front yard.

The swing is already there, and it works!


A little of what you see in the living room. It is very large.

Check out these dining room windows!

Dining room fireplace. This room is very large too.

A glimpse at the kitchen, with a feeble attempt at remodeling.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, the price is right!

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of repairs that would need to be made, but this place could be absolutely charming. My battery went dead or I would have taken more pictures. I might also add that it is in a very small little town, with lots of houses that look even more charming than this, and the yard backs up to a friend of mine that was once my neighbor. To be exact, the one I took the gift to yesterday. You would also be getting the best neighbor in the world! It is oh so tempting! I wish I had never gone to look at it . It could be a dream, but I have to remember it could also be a nightmare! What do you all think, other than that I am crazy?

Have an absolutely wonderful Saturday!

Jackie

Gift Wrap 102

As I put this together I thought you all might enjoy this little how to. First of all it started with trying to figure out what to give a good friend who is one of the most excellent gift givers I have ever known. She strives to give a unique and thoughtful gift every time. In trying to decide what to get, I started thinking of things that I love to get. One thing I love to get, is plants. I love to get things that I can plant in my yard that come back year after year. That is definitely a gift that keeps on giving. I went to the plant nursery and picked out a Bottle Brush Tree, but it had no blooms yet, so it needed a little dressing up instead of the plain black plastic container that it came in, so here is what I did. Everything I used I already had on hand.

First I put plastic grocery bags around pot because it was a little damp.

Then I took a piece of blue check wrapping paper just the right size.

Cut the edges with a scallop pair of craft scissors.

Next I gathered the paper around the pot and secured with clothespins.

To hold the paper in place I put a rubber band around the wrapping paper.

The only thing I could find for ribbon to match was raffia. So I made a raffia bow.

Added this little tag so she would know what it was.

Popped in a little "American" flag.

And there you have it!

I delivered it and she loved it. Happy Birthday to my friend Millie. What are some of your creative gift giving ideas. I would love to hear from you.

Have a wonderful weekend! Jackie

Summer Siesta Bible Study

Me, Myself, and I met for the first time this evening for the Summer Siesta Bible Study that is going on over at LPM. Grab a workbook its not too late. As you can see I do not have a group, but me and God will be group a plenty because I want to hear from HIM. I would love to hear from you if you are participating. A little on-line discussion with someone else would be great! Have a blessed day! Jackie

The Visitor

Have you ever had a guest in your home, that you just wished would leave, but you didn't want to feel as if you would have to be mean to get them to leave? One that just wouldn't go away? They seem harmless but create a mess. Well I have one of those visitors and here he is:

He remained a bit of a mystery for a little while because he would disappear during the day, and I couldn't figure out what was digging in my potted plants on the back porch. I would come out in the mornings to find dirt everywhere!

Yesterday I noticed a nice little lump in this cactus that I had re potted Saturday when I dropped the pot. So I gently patted the dirt back down, to find this little guy buried in the dirt. I gently scooped him out and shooed him away, and tried to remedy the situation by doing this:

He returned to bury himself in the spot where there were no rocks. So I am now thinking of making him a pot of his very own. I will water it just like the other plants so he has a nice cool spot to relax. What kind of visitors are you entertaining these days? Have a great day! Jackie

Planning

During the past week or so the Lord has been speaking to me about "PLANNING", or to be more specific, "My Lack of It"! This morning in my quiet time I did a quick search of the word "Plan" (Bible gateway) in an effort to know more of what God wants to show me. Here is a little of what I think that is:

*I do not have to be out evangelizing the world to be daily following God's plans for me. (Don't get me wrong, I think He intends for me to seize those opportunities) but today it may be simply be, making sure I have taken care of things in my home. Proverbs 15:21-23

*The Lord will establish my plans if I am seeking Him daily. In my flesh, I can devise all sorts of plans that seem "Good" to me. Proverbs 16:2-3

*I need to be diligent in what God has shown me to do.
Proverbs 21:5

Isaiah 32:8 says, "But the noble man devises noble plans; and by noble plans he stands."
Here are some of the definitions I found for noble:

1. Possessing outstanding qualities
2. possessing very high or excellent qualities or properties

What I asked myself is, "How can I devise noble plans?"
The answer is, I Can't but He Can!
I realized if I am seeking the Lord daily, His daily plans for me, listening to His instruction, I can have noble plans, because His ways are not my ways, see Isaiah 55:8-9

So today I am out to do some "Planning" God's way.

If you would like to know what God used to get me to hear what He has been trying to say to me, Go Here. This insightful post got me to thinking! Hope you all have a wonderful week! Blessings, Jackie

FOUND.....another Giveaway!

My sweet husband was called into work this evening, so what do I do but check out a few new blogs, and look what I found.

Sheree is having a wonderful giveaway for those who like to craft, sew, quilt or whatever. I get an extra entry for telling you about this, but sure hope I win!!! Go here to check out the details, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend! Jackie

Ideas Anyone?

Today I am looking for some inspirational ideas from all of you, so if you haven't commented before, here's your chance to tell me what you think. I have finally painted what we called the orange bedroom. See the picture below. When my daughter moved back home while she was sick she chose this color. We now both remind ourselves that this was one of our biggest paint mistakes! In trying to work with what I already had I have changed it to a light blue. Not exactly the color I was going for, but I am not one to change it if it is close.

I am not going for a country look, but more vintage if that is possible. The pillow shams were Pottery Barn shams that I bought off of e-bay several years back and was called the Nostalgia Collection. The dust ruffle is a light chambray and the matelasse coverlet is one that I have had forever and is a quality coverlet. Here is a close up of the pillow shams.

They look kind of like vintage handkerchiefs.

Now my question is, what would you put over the bed? What type pictures , etc. I have already used plates in our bedroom, so that isn't an option. What kind of window treatments would you
hang? I would love to hear any and all suggestions. Looking forward to hearing from all of you. Have a great weekend! Jackie

NOT FUN!!!!

This is a little of what is left of my little adventure at the allergy clinic this morning. Please remember that I am a girl who is not fond of any kind of shots at all!!! A friend said it would be like a toothpick touching my skin.

WRONG!!!!

Not for this girl any way! After 74 pricks in a row I almost passed out. When the nurse came back to check on me, and I am beginning to itch like crazy while feeling nauseated at the same time, I apologize and she tells me, "no problem, one time we had a man pass out 3 times and had to call 911 to have him taken to the ER.

Now let me tell you, that made me feel good!

The timing was perfect because I have yet another sinus infection, and house dust mites is on the top of the list for me, along with seasonal grasses. Since this is about the 4th infection I have had this year, I will be beginning allergy shots in 2 weeks.

Now for my question have any of you had experience with allergy shots, and has it helped?

I am off to run wash all of these markings off my arm before I pick up my medicine and head to church. Have a wonderful evening. Jackie

A little loveliness....

........from my house to yours.

Fragrant gardenias from my bush that has been in full bloom. This is always a reminder of my children's elementary school days. I won this gardenia bush at a PTO meeting and it was so pitiful, but has grown into something beautiful. The blossoms are so fragrant they can be overpowering at times, but I have sure enjoyed them this year.

Coleus on the back porch.

Swedish ivy that I salvaged from last year.


Day lily that has survived the dog.

Nick loves to dig in my flower beds.

Red geranium in a mixed pot of beautiful flowers. Hope you are having a lovely day!

Jackie

Giveaway, Giveaway!!

Look what Pampering Beki is giving away here.

Go here to enter and see all of the great stuff she has in her etsy shop.

I am having a bit of blog block today, so see you here tomorrow.

Jackie

More Vacation Fun!

I wanted to share how we spent our time late one afternoon on vacation. We thought that it was getting ready to rain, and preferred not to be sitting in the tent in the rain. We had seen this on our way in, and decided that it would be worth a stop. Being the wonderful blogger that I am ( a little sarcasm there) I did not even get a picture of the road side stand. But what you are seeing is Kings Produce market, or rather some of the farm surrounding the market. there were rows and rows of these...

and more rows of these...


which were made into bundles of these...

FOR SALE at $5.00 a bunch.
Quite the bargain if you compare them to florist prices.

These were out back in the coop . Fascinating and fun to watch. Doing what they do best

Laying some EGGS of course!

As you can see it takes very little to entertain me on vacation. I just enjoy simple things. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. What kind of simple things will you be enjoying?

Jackie

Thrifty Vacation

You might ask, "how do you have a thrifty vacation?" You camp of course, and in a tent at that! We are back from our beach camping adventure. And it was all that we had hoped it would be relaxation, fun, adventure, and Stella even adapted well. I cannot believe that I did not even take a picture of our little home away from home, but I did get a few other pics.

This was right over the dune from where we camped.

Fences to protect where Loggerhead Sea Turtles are laying their eggs.

Beach reading.

Stella's shady spot on the beach.

Now to get busy finishing up a little laundry. Have a great day! Jackie

A Camping We Will Go

We went this weekend to visit family, so I have missed a little catching up with you all, and will be missing you a little more, because tomorrow my husband and I head out to Edisto Island for a mini vacation camping trip. We will return on Saturday hopefully with great pictures, no sunburn and a some needed relaxation. Edisto is usually booked up, and we were trying to decide what to do. We have been there once many years ago when our kids were small. It is a State Park with some campsites just a sand dune over the beach. When I called to get information they had one beach site available for 3 nights and we took it. I know this sounds a little primitive, but I am really excited.We are doing a little cheating on the cooking. We have already grilled hot dogs and chicken, and cooked bacon for breakfast sandwiched. Since it is just the two of us, we didn't want to spend a lot of time cooking. We will probably go into Charleston one day. I have never visited Charleston so I think that's going to be a lot of fun! I will let you know for sure when we get back. Have a great week and look forward to catching up on Monday. Jackie