Our Valentine Girl.....

What Adam is to Superbowl (post of Feb 2).....

 Kristen is to Valentines Day....she has always loved Valentines Day.....

 Being the Valentine girl she is she hosted a Valentine Party in her beautiful home for all her friends and their kids....they made crafts, popsicle boxes....

 Lots of yummy food...heart shaped watermelon and pizzas for kids; bacon wrapped scallops, homemade bread and Caesar salad for the grownups!

 Dylan made the homemade bread...this boy loves to cook....

 And helped with the heart shaped pizzas!

 She had craft stations and play areas set up everywhere.....

 Brody enjoying a heart shaped pizza....she even cut the pepperoni in heart shapes!

A very yummy and creative ice cream bar with toppings....

 And she stayed up the night before and made cameo wood blocks of all the little valentines....

She even made me a set of Dylan and Brody!

 Her house looked so nice...I love her decorating touches and items she makes....

I have been working on some items for our upcoming Wilson Family Day....I repurposed an old cardboard box into a baseball throwing game....Steve cut big holes in the box and spray painted the outside in blue and I drew white circle like balls on the outside.....

 Then I put 'stitching' on in red....

 Just to make it fun for the kids.....next up - the football throw...that's a real project!

 I went thrifting twice this week....first haul, these lovely pilgrims and lady liberty and yes for you collectors, those are Vintage Gurly Pilgrim candles - 2 for 25 cents....scored all of this for under $3.00

Yes, another set of Pilgrims....I hate to think about how many I really have need and Martha and George Washington figurines, an American Revolution Pewter Plate and a Shamrock box for St. Patrick's Day....this bundle was $12.00...the pewter plate was the pricey piece....I hesitated on it, but then saw what it was going for on ebay and felt better!

 

Oh, and thanks to Craig's list I found a bigger bike for Brody....Gramps will clean it all up for him to ride today!

 So from my furry Valentine and me....

Happy Valentines Week!

Winter Weather Advisory.....Home is where you build your nest

This week I have received the following pictures from family and loved ones across the country....they send me 'the view out my window' shots that I love to receive....

 

Southern Illinois:

 

Connecticut:

Colorado:

Each and everyone beautiful in it's own way...Home is where ever you choose to built your nest...


And these are the views at my windows: 

By car window in OB.....

 Out the French door window in dining room:

 Just outside the back French doors in Great Room (notice bare feet of Dylan).  Our garden has produced all year, we get about 3 tomatoes a week and the strawberries are on!

 So we did Valentines in the garage!

 Spent time on bikes....

 GiGi busted out the summer toys....

 And the 'I Spy' birdhouse was set up for spring time nests that will hopefully be built soon....

 We decided to put it on the outside of the rock garden as it get's the lowest traffic.....

 It has reflective glass shield so if/when our little birdies choose this slice of southern California real estate to build their nest they won't know they are watched!

 This weather Any weather perfect for Thrifting!!!!   Scores this week - total under $9.00

Luckily my nest,  home garage has room to store these treasurers.....have a great week wherever you are!

Feeding My Current Obsessions.....

In my little mind lives many dysfunctions needs and they want to be fed.  I feed my OCD and my anxieties regularly....they have been content....but my old pal, Obsession, has been raging lately. These are the things I am currently obsessing over and how I am feeding them!!!

 

Obsession:  Ralph Lauren Ad  I have often written about my obsession of Downton Abbey....however, my newest obsession even prior to the show is the Ralph Lauren ad with the blinged out sketch and necklace....

 

 I love what he creates, however, I am more of a jean girl than see through flowy fabrics  that don't match....here is how I recreated my obsession....blinged gladiator sandals, blinged statement necklace, bling pin that was my grandmothers with same jewel colors.....love...can wear so many ways!

Obsession:  Ancestory.com....thanks to my precious cousin, Mary Elizabeth Bunney.....she has opened a world of all worlds for me.  I really have to be careful when I start on the updates of the Wilsons and Auten's as I could spend hours and hours on the site.  I know see the Auten's back to the 1500's in Netherlands and working on those gypsy Wilsons!

Obsession:  Coconut flavor   I am sooooo obsessing on coconut flavors and crave them.  I have tried many, however these two are my current favorite.  I use the sugar free coconut syrup in my morning coffee with 2 percent milk instead of the sugar laden creamer I was using and I love the Chobani coconut yogurt with granola on top.  Satisfying!

 Obsession:  Old alarm clocks.....I am obsessing on the Thrifting front in finding old small alarm clocks....I have a huge project in mind and love it when I score a find on one of these.

Obsession:  Statement Necklaces....long time obsession with statement necklaces....these are just a few I have picked up lately....note:  January is the best month to buy statement necklaces as they are often marked down.

Obsession:  Adam's Obsession....I am oh so obsessed with how The Addie is obsessed with SuperBowl activities and making sure his sweet nephews got a shot out....

 How he got in every shot....

 On every channel....

 On every broadcast.....

 and was not thrown out was amazing....he is amazing.....

 Nice to see him catch up with his buds....

 Joe headed over but got called away by PaPa John to do a commercial! The nerve!

 And also obsessed with these boys that wanted to shout out back to their super bowl uncle!@

Obsession:  Old doilies.....My obsession with old crocheted doilies is well documented.....little orphans that were given up...some by my grandmothers and some by my loving aunties.....

 I decided to take all of them and create a table runner....so I carefully laid them out and tried different visions until I came up with this keeper....headed up to get my needle and thread and....

 Came back to find Rocky enjoying my creations!

 While he relaxed, I stitched them together....great opportunity to cover up a stain or a tear...

 And I love the way it turned out!

 I used mostly Ivory ones and love that contrast in my great room.....

Proof obsessions are strong right now....OCD would never cope with this mess!

It's just a matter of time! Oh yes, off to the Thrift Store for more clocks!