I planted these Crown Azure Pansies in September and they are a little rough around the edges, but with some Preen in the beds and a little fertilizer as well, these will be huge clumps in just a few weeks. I love Pansies...
The thing is ... I married a farm boy. Farm boys are morning people. They are also often not party people, homebodies, you could say. Once one of my husbands brothers came for dinner, at 9:30 P.M. he was, head back, snoring away in a chair.
If you are contemplating marrying into an agricultural family, you need to be aware that this behavior, all of this behavior... is contagious. I used to come alive at 10 o'clock, now I'm dead at that hour. I used to love parties and going out, now I love to be home.
I love to wake up before the sun and open all the shades and watch the sunlight enter the room while I blog or clean up last night's dishes. Sadly, the morning light shows how desparately the windows need washing and the furniture needs dusting and because of that I almost didn't show you these pictures, but .... look how pretty the sunshine is on the ivy and the pretty stripes it makes on my little table. Someday I am going to get the windows really clean and the dusting done... at the same time... and then it will really be amazing. Until then... I am going to enjoy and be grateful for the pretty sunshine coming in after all those cold, gray winter days. And, even with dirty windows... I am going to be very happy. 
I actually have not seen this yet. I am going to add it to my Netflix list, but how lovely does Audrey look there... So pretty. I must see it!
These are the boxes that I have been working on lately.
These don't have finish on them yet...
however.. they almost photograph better without. These above have finish...
Don't you love how the afternoon light comes in bathes the room in this beautiful light, highlighting my mini-plastic lawn ornaments... :)
I thought that Jenni & Shauna would love the simplicity of these apothecary jars. I love them, they could be filled with anything from lemons to gumballs. And, my mom wanted everyone to see these lovely green glasses. See them all here.
Mother Goose!!!
Watch! See the birdie... To celebrate the opening of 
Today's giveaway will include this Elephant box. When people ask me which of the designs is my favorite, this little pink elephant wins every time. He is also available here.
And, it will include this fun book and all the fun things in the bag below. In order to enter the drawing, all you need to do is comment on this post...
Comment by Midnight tonight EST. I will draw a name out of a hat and post the winner Teusday morning! Good luck to all!!!
My friend Angie made me this cute thing, and it's so cute I can't eat it. I thought everyone might want to have a look at this. The little box is made out of cardstock.
My lovely friend Shawna commissioned this little golden crown as a birthday gift for her daughter. The inscription inside the box reads, " I am a child of royal birth, my father is king of heaven and earth. My spirit was born in the courts on high, a child beloved, a princess am I. I love that quote and remember hearing in forever. What I did not know is that it is part of a larger poem by Anna Johnson:I spent most of yesterday finishing the finish on quite a few boxes which I will show you next week. And listening to more Robinson Crusoe. He has finally escaped the cannibal island and so maybe we are done with scattered bits and pieces of people and endless discussions about raising goats. Goats are Robinson Crusoe's main source of protein. And, Jenni maybe you can answer this.... why do the English always want to boil their meat? Why not roast it over the fire?
Anyway, enough of him. Later in the evening we moved on to reading Peter and the Starcatchers... which is much more fun, and a gift from Shawna. Thank you Shawna! We love this book so much that we are reading it aloud together & cruising through it. So I have purchased an additional copy...
.... which brings me to my next point...
Once upon a time, I made this pillow. I chose strips and scraps of favorite fabrics and sewed some pretty ribbons on top and then added some buttons that cames as extras in those tiny plastic bags attatched to new articles of clothing. I love this pillow because every once in awhile something turns out how you want it to and this was the case here. Sadly, it is coming to pieces and needs to be replaced. My family loves pillows, but they do not have the word "decorative" in their vocabulary; they only understand the words "user friendly". So... when I do make a pillow, I make it envelope style so that the cover can be slipped off and washed in the machine. This works well because all of the pillows I make turn into bean bags and all sorts of other things on the floor. Also, when the pillow form becomes flat and useless, a new one can be slipped into its place. Some of the pillows I have made with sturdier fabrics have gone through 3 sets of pillow forms before the covers have worn out. 
Yesterday, I painted these Easter Eggs while listening to the book Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Dafoe. I have always thought I should read this book and never have had the chance. So here I am painting eggs, as safe as can be, but feeling like I've been through an earthquake, chased by beasts, captured and enslaved by pirates, wind blown by tornados and finally shipwrecked for years. At least I have these pretty colors to look at... Have a bright happy day! :)
I haven't quite finished this box yet, it has no finish or words yet... but it's coming...
This is one of the completely finishes prams that will be appearing in my new Etsy shop! Handpaintedloveboxes.etsy.com !!!
