Metamorphosis Monday

Every Monday Susan at Between Naps on a Porch hosts Metamorphosis Monday. Since I just finished a little transformation project I thought I'd join in today!
I bought some padded hangers this morning, 7 of them for $1.50. They were all clean but tired looking, so...

I recovered them. I happened to have some cute black dot fabric and black checked ribbon enough to complete two of them. I think they turned out great!

I have lots more fabric with dots but I'll have to buy some more ribbon before I can do the rest. They are really going to spruce up my closet!
Make sure you visit Susan and see what other metamorphoses are happening today.
Happy Monday!
Rhondi xo

A Giveaway in The Mail

Look what came in the mail! A beautiful tassel, some Mary Engelbreit (my favorite) notecards and dimensional stickers, a pumpkin scented candle and Hallowe'en tissues. Achoo! I was just expecting the tassel but all the other goodies were tucked inside the package too!

Don't you just love to win a giveaway? I've only won a couple and it's been a long time since the last one, so when I heard from Martha from Mid Atlantic Martha, that I had won, I was thrilled. I know you'd enjoy visiting Martha. She has a great blog and would make you feel very welcome.

Yesterday my sister and I were sitting in the dining room and she said, "The mailman's here and he's coming to the front door." The only time he does that is to bring a package, so I ran to the front door expectantly, hoping it was Martha's give away and it was!

A beautiful tassel. Where shall I hang it?

On the lamp by my chaise lounge in the studio?

On the doorknob in the front hall, so everyone can see it when they come in the front door?

On a nail in my red kitchen china hutch?

Or on the doorknob in the dining room?

I just can't decide. I think it looks good everywhere! What do you think?

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

Good morning. What a beautiful day we have here in North Carolina and today that is one of the things I am thankful for. When we walked early this morning the sky was pink, the temperature was cool and the air was fresh. It is going to warm up into the 70s, a perfect fall day.

There is something else I am thankful for. My sister from Canada has been visiting here all week. It has been such fun just to hang out together. We don't have to do anything special to enjoy ourselves, just being together and chatting is enough.

"To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's heart. We share private family jokes. We remember family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time." Clara Ortega

Today I am thankful that I have a sister who I am close to and that I get to have here in my home for a whole week!

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

Time For Tea

It's just about 4:00, time for tea. I am expecting 2 friends for tea today, both from New Zealand! So I picked some camelias from the garden.

I got this tray out of the cabinet. It's just plastic but I love the picture on it.


I decided to use some English blue transferware cups.

I made some peanut butter cookies and put everything on a tray.

We'll have tea in the living room. I think I just heard them at the front door. Gotta go! If you're in the neighborhood please stop by and I'll get out an extra cup and saucer for you!
Rhondi xo

It’s The Berries

This year the trees and bushes around our home are loaded with berries. When we lived in Canada that signified a cold winter ahead. I clipped some branches and brought them inside this morning. The purple is Beautyberry and the green is holly which is just beginning to turn red.

Two little ceramic pumpkins completes the fall arrangement.



The first time I saw a beautyberry I thought the berries were fake. They almost look plastic! They are the most amazing color of purple.

I also brought in some hydrangeas which have dried and have become these lovely soft shades of green and mauve. In a big container surrounded by a little bittersweet it brings the feeling of autumn into our dining room.

Today is dull and dreary. We almost need the heat on today but for now I've bundled up with an extra sweater. I am making some soup with the leftover Thanksgiving turkey and the house smells wonderful.
I've got a busy day. The first thing to do is call a chimney sweep and get an appointment for them to come and clean out our chimney. If it's going to be a cold winter we'll have lots of fiires in the fireplace, so I want it to be safe.
Hope you have a great weekend and the sun shines where you are.
Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for cardinals. I want to tell you a story about them but first let me show you these wooden cardinals I got at a yard sale for 50 cents each. They are even signed by the artist!

When I brought them inside I wasn't sure where to put them. There was some discussion among the flock as to where they wanted to be.

It was decided that 2 would be on the windowsill in the kitchen and have a view outside. My little ceramic cardinal was glad to have some company!
One nestled in among the teapots in the corner on the kitchen counter.
The other three decided they'd like to be near the TV. Even though their team (The Cardinals, he he) isn't in the playoffs they wanted to watch the games!

So my new acquistions are all settled in. Now let me tell you a story.
This happened a long time ago when my husband was concerned about losing his job. I was sitting out on our patio, talking to God about the job situation. Well actually I was probably complaining to Him! We always put bird seed out for the birds, but this particular day I also put some seed scattered along the low stone wall that surrounded our patio. While I watched, several cardinals came over, landed on the stone wall and began to peck at all the seed I had put out. I enjoy watching the birds, especially the cardinals, just because of their brilliant color.
As I sat there watching , I thought about how I provided food for the birds every day. Usually the food was in the feeder but today there was food in a different spot and there was lots of it. It was then that I had a revelation. I think that it was God showing me. Just as I provided for the birds every day, God will provide for my needs. But here was the bigger lesson from watching the birds. Those cardinals had always got food from the feeder and today there was a new source of provision for them, from a place where there had never been food before. But what the cardinals didn't know was that I had a huge bag of seed inside, so when that seed was all gone I had plenty more for them. It was like God said to me, "I have an unlimited supply too. Just enjoy what you have today and when tomorrow comes I'll provide."
So today I am thankful for a God who provides and for that unforgettable lesson I learned from watching the birds.
What are you thankful for today?
Rhondi

Happy Thanksgiving

To all my Canadian friends.

I hope you got to make some lovely memories with your family and friends this weekend celebrating Thanksgiving.

Rhondi xo

Bloggers' Quilt Festival

There is an online bloggers' quilt festival going on at Amy's Park City Girl blog today.

I am showing my favorite quilt. I named it Blue Plate Special. It's is 63" x63".




It is my own original design and the second quilt I ever made. I was inspired by the first quilt I made, called The Blue Collection, designed by Maggie Walker. Since I collect blue and white china I thought it would be fun to design my own quilt and use my collection as the inspiration. It is hand appliqued and hand quilted and I'm very proud of it because I won first prize in the applique division in our guild quilt show and I also won viewer's choice.

All the objects in the quilt are in our home and I tried my best to use fabric that was close to the pattern on the china. The vine represents the magnolia tree espaliered against the wall of our house. The pink flowers were in planters at the back door.

If you click here. you can see the quilt that inspired me, which I also hand appliqued and hand quilted and you can see the Blue Plate Special hanging on the wall in the front hall. Right now it hangs in the living room which I wrote about in this post.

There are so many wonderful quilts over at Amy's. Thank you Amy for putting on this wonderful event.
Make sure you visit her. I know you're going to enjoy the Blogger's Quilt Festival.

Rhondi xo

Come For Lunch

Calling all bloggers in North and South Carolina. I am having a party and I want you to come.! This is a real party not a virtual one.

Y’all are invited for lunch at my house on Saturday November 7 at 12:00. I thought it would be fun to meet some of you! I know it’s a long distance for some , so I don’t know how many will be able to come, but as long as at least 2 of you can come I’ll do it.

Please RSVP by email, not by leaving a comment.

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

I have to confess that often I am not thankful at all. I am not satisfied with the things I have. I am wanting things I don't need. Wishing some things were different in my life. Looking at the things I don't have rather than the things I have. Feeling sorry for myself over some trivial thing....

That's why I like to take Thursday to post about being thankful. In this country where we have so much, it is so easy to forget that we live a very rich life. Even in this terrible economy with so many jobs uncertain, including my husband's, we still live the life of luxury compared to most of the world.

So today I am thinking of a few things I take for granted:

Food: I will not have to worry about having enough food for today. I'll have 3 good meals and there is plenty of food in our pantry for many days to come.

Shelter: I do not have to sleep in the street. I have a lovely home with heat and air conditioning and furniture .

Water: I don't have to walk 5 miles to get water. It have it hot and cold in my home.

Transportation:I don't have to walk long distances to town or to school. I have a car. My husband and I both have a car and we even had an extra one before the tree destroyed it.

Safety: My family is safe. There is no war here, or violent civil action.

Health: We are all healthy right now but when we get sick we can go to the doctor.

I thank my Heavenly Father who has provided all these things for me.

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi

Bonjour

Bonjour. I missed you! We were away this weekend. Do you know where this is?

We went on a Duck Tour

We walked around a college campus.

Did you guess Boston? The first photo is of the finish line for The Boston Marathon and the college is Harvard.

But we didn’t go to sightsee. We went to visit our son and his wife and to go to a baby shower for them. They are having a boy and they have chosen orange and blue for his room. They like very contemporary style, so this is the quilt I made for them. They loved it.

Their baby is due the end of November and we are so excited. It's their first baby and our 4th grandchild.

The “BONJOUR” teapot was something I purchased for only $3 when I went to some of the shops in Monroe which I posted about here.

Now I’m off to see what y’all have been up to while I’ve been gone.

Rhondi xo

Happy Weekend

I hope you have a happy weekend. You might hit some yard sales and find a treasure like this small antique tureen I got for 25 cents. Maybe go to a farmer’s market and get some fresh flowers. I happened upon a yard sale today and got this fake bunch for $1. Hang around with some people you love. Enjoy some of the fall color. Go to a pumpkin patch.I have a very fun filled weekend planned. I’ll tell you all about it after it’s over!
What are your plans for the weekend?
Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for the beautiful fall weather we are having. It's cool at night so we can sleep with the windows open. It's lovely and crisp and fresh in the early morning when we go for a walk. It's sunny all day. These kind of days just make me feel good. I have the energy to get things done. I'm able to work out in the garden again.
I love it!

I hope you are having this beautiful fall weather where you live too!

Rhondi xo