His Girl Friday...

Over on Shelese's blog, there has been some talk about Cary Grant movies. My favorite! I have collected quite a few. This is one that did not get a mention and I really love. Whoever wrote this movie wrote 5 hours of dialogue that is delivered in 2. Don't watch this drowsy, you'll miss it. I really think this movie has some of the best dialogue (funny) written. I love sharp female leads like the ones that Rosalind Russell plays here. Then WW11 happened and after the boys came home, the movie people thought Rosie the Riveter should act like the dumb girl poor Doris Day had to play in so many of her films.
I need to watch this movie again sometime this week. Last time I watched it, I thought that if they simply added new wardrobe, Rosalind's hat are really over the top, they could release this movie in theaters as is and it would be a hit. I'll have to watch it again and see.

Hand Painted Love Boxes...Lily of the Valley...

Thanks Parkland! This will be sent out this afternoon.

Pink Elephants...

I did a lot of painting Saturday. I finished these elephants which say inside, "Thank heaven for little girls." & "Sugar n' Spice n' everything nice." & "A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend..."

For these simple baby gifts, I think I will stick with the top design. What do you think?

Another thing, this weekend was fun because I got to give away one of the blue boy elephants to a friend who had a cute baby boy with a head full of red hair. He is adorable! Congratulations!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie...

(I like this recipe much better than the one I gave out in the Christmas card several years ago.)

2 9" unbaked pie shells

4 eggs

1 tsp. good Mexican Vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cup butter

2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips either way, I like the Guittard

Beat eggs until foamy. Beat in flour, sugars and vanilla until well-blended. Add butter and blend. Stir in chips and nuts. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake 45 min. at 325 degrees. The recipe says to serve warm with ice cream, but I really love it best cool and the next day.

2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

My Favorite Chocolate Chips...Guittard...

These are the best! And, they are even lovely just plain. And, they are recommended by Cook's Illustrated too.

Boho Bedding...

I adore this tangerine color. Several Saturdays ago, I went to Park City and I saw this beautiful blonde woman wearing a coat in this tangerine. She had a tangerine purse and a tangerine wallet with her. No one would have a tangerine wallet, unless this was their favorite color, right? It just made her look like the most fun and happy person. I think tangerine must be one of the most cheerful colors ever. Hmmm what to paint tangerine???

If anyone sees this throw anywhere, please tell me... I keep thinking about it.

See this bedding here.

Victoria & Albert...

Produced by the BBC and A&E, as well as the same group who put together the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice, this program is a gem. Don't miss it, it is simply inspiring.

Turtles...

We had a turtle day yesterday. We saw some pictures of someone we know and love dressed as a turtle. We watched a National Geographic Explorer program about saving the nearly extinct Leatherback Turtles that can grow from this size to be six feet in length and 900 pds. Wow.

And, my dad sent us this poem to perfectly cap the turtle theme we had going for our day.

“I am Home,” Said the Turtleby John Ciardi,
(The Little that is All [Boston, 1974], p. 294)
“I am home,” said the turtle, as it pulled in its head
And its feet, and its tail. “I am home, and in bed.
“No matter what inches and inches I roam,
When the long day is done, I am always at home.
“I may go whole feet . . . even yards . . . in a day,
But I never get lost, for I’m never away—
“From my snug little house and my snug little bed.
I can dream lots of dreams, but remain here instead . . .
“You can go on forever, no matter how far,
And whatever you need is wherever you are!”
(“Is there one thing I miss when I’m snuggled in tight?
Yes: there’s no room for someone to kiss me good night.”)

More Kokeshi Dolls...

I put these up for sale here. So, it will be interesting. Japanese dolls made in Utah??? Hmmmmm..

Hand Painted Love Boxes... The most requested...

The elephants are my personal favorites, but this is the most requested box. The best one I ever made is part of my youngest sister's collection and appears in lime green.

Lean Cuisine...

Lean Cuisine has some new meals that I really like. I like this butternut squash ravioli and the new potstickers meal, thai chicken is very good too. I haven't really been on a diet and I am not losing weight, but it is nice to have these around for a healthy lunch when you're busy. I'm tired of peanut butter and soup for the moment. The portions are small so I heat up some frozen veggies to go with this and it makes a great lunch and right now Albertson's has them on sale for $2 so thats a cheap lunch too and what is really great is the trays wash up and then they are perfect for holding paint.

Pink Elephants...

Not the baby pink elephants yet, but I do love pink elephants... more are coming soon!

Somewhere Over the Rainbow...

My favority painting by an award winning and yet anonymous artist... :)

My Funny Valentine...

Made these funny valentines...

Alexandra's Newsletter is Posted...

See it here.

Love These Colors...

The top photo is a Valentine heart that I made last summer and I just love the color combination. I grew up with red and blue because they are my mom's favorites and to just add my own favorite fushia to the mix makes this really fun for me.

Last night we put together some bluebird valentines in these colors. We had a great time making them while we watched You Got Mail with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.

I love to buy potted flowers and put them in the little white wicker baskets they sell at my nursery. They are inexpensive and really cute in my house, especially in a grouping. Daisies are one of my favorite flowers, partially because they are so tough and less likely to face an early death under my care.

The last photo a copy of a painting I made in 2005 and had copied so that I could make little things like Valentines and greeting cards out of it. I love my fat little bluebird.

Lovely...

See it here.

Granny Chic Cute of the Week...

A special someone sent me these Valentines! Thank you, Thank you!!! I love them very much and I just keep looking through them again and again. I think the bluebird is my favorite and then I love the fuzzy ducky. These are so lovely.

Movie Night Again...

We've been having movie night almost every night recently while we do our little/big projects. I had about 3 hours of sanding to do last night. We watched What's Up Doc? This movie is a favorite. And, I think it would make a great Valentine.

A Simple Elephant...

This soft & simple elephant is the baby boy gift that I am giving to a friend. I think this elephant looks really cute all wrapped up with Swedish Fish and Lemon Heads...

Granny Chic... Outfit of the Week...

See it here.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico...

Beautiful Mexico! Shawna sent these lovely pictures from

her trip. I wanted to share them so that everyone

who is dealing with smog, fog or inversion

has something beautiful to look at. Those

pink flowers are heaven. Shawna said there

are so many pink flowers that they have

to rake the petals into piles and she

really wanted to dive into a pile

of pink petals. How did she resist???

I never would have been able to.

A New Leaf...

This is a favorite movie of mine. I seem to be the only person who thinks it's hilarious. I love Walter Matthau and his adorable droopy dog face and how he plays irritated. It's so funny.

This movie is about a guy who has a trust fund which would live forever if he would just spend $90,000 a year, and this was a long time ago, but he insists on spending $200,000 a year and so he loses his capital, his... He loses all his money. He becomes poor. Suicide seems the only option... until his butler explains to him that as an alternative to suicide, marriage might be considered.

You will not enjoy this movie if you take any of it seriously. It is dry and very subtle in places but funnier to me every time.

The New and Improved Studio...

All this stuff was on the floor. This little shelf is a Martha Stewart Everyday item from K-Mart. I love it! I was really surprised at the quality. It is really heavy enamel coated metal and I think it will be very durable. I thought I was out of the college furniture stage, but... this was 39.99 and it solved my floor troubles and I love that I can tie all sorts of do-dads to this thing.

Alicia Paulson...

Alicia Paulson is in Romantic Homes this March, right on the cover, (this looks like her to me). I love her blog and her little shop. You can see both here. Very Granny Chic!!! I can't wait to get my issue! Ok... off to paint... :)

Fishs Eddy...

Thanks so much Jenni! This is a fun site. If you only knew how right you are. Aren't these things beautiful?!?!!

Room Service Home... Sale!!!

This is cute!

Fun Valentine Stuff from Kate's...

See it here.

Satine Ribbon Place Cards...

This is a cute idea for a dinner party. See them here.

Thanks Lindsey... Jane Eyre... Marvelous!!!

Jane Eyre was so amazing. What a brilliantly talented cast. Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens were just perfect. I think they have made the definitive version. Has anyone seen this done better? Thanks to Lindsey for pointing this out. I did not know about it. PBS is the only television lately.

Hand Painted Love Boxes...

More Valentines... Don't you love this deep red? I love it!

Alexandra Stoddard...

Alexandra has re-done her site, with lots of fun new pictures, some from the Country Living article. It's wonderful... Big Smile!!! Isn't she lovely.

Hand Painted Love Boxes... St. Patrick's Day Again...

Maybe it's because I don't think I have

a single drop of Irish blood, but I just don't know

which of these four boxes I should send out.

I did like the quote, so I made them all the

same that way.

Hand Painted Love Boxes... St. Patrick's Day...

When painting, it is good to get one or two holiday's

ahead. I finished these yesterday. If you click on the

picture, you will be able to see the detail on the

lids better.

Inside the message says:

May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow

& may trouble avoid you wherever you go.

Great News!!! April is back!

I got this note from April Cornell just this morning with wonderful news. April Cornell will be aprilcornell.com again in February. Hurray!!!

Hand Painted Love Boxes...

Love is a gift...