Category: Celebrate


May
2022

A “Sweet” Table on Mother’s Day

categories: Celebrate, Mother's Day

Hello, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a blessed Mother’s Day.

My day was so beautiful.

I was able to spend some time with my sister, received many messages, with oh so many “I love you’s”, from all those in my life.

A special “sweet” gift arrived at my from door this weekend.

Mini cheesecakes from my nieces, strawberry, cookies and cream, and a plain one, all with almond icing.

I thought I would use these treats as an excuse to set a beautiful table for me and my family to share the cheesecakes with our afternoon coffee.

For a table runner I used a piece of leftover wallpaper from an old project.

A simple floral pattern.

I had seen this idea several times on Pinterest, was so happy to try it myself.

Gathered all my table pieces, especially the pink glasses and plate chargers, to add more color.

The cheesecakes made a beautiful centerpiece.

Setting this table was a pretty gift to myself on Mother’s Day.

Who would think that an old piece of leftover wallpaper could make such a beautiful table.

Thank you Amanda and Dianna for the “sweet” Mother’s Day gift, it was special, and so yummy!

Love to all, especially all the Moms.


May
2021

A Fun Cinco de Mayo Table Idea

categories: Celebrate

Most of you know that I love to do a little extra something on special days.

Look at this cute Cinco de Mayo idea using a Mexican hat as the centerpiece on your table.

I filled it with bowls of queso, salsa, and pico de gallo, with tortilla chips in between.

So festive without a bunch of planning or expense.

Cute isn’t it?

Hope you all are doing something special on this day, at least have tacos or enchiladas for dinner!

Enjoying these simple, maybe silly to some, special days, is part of what enjoying life is all about to me.

Enjoy this 5th of May.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!


Feb
2021

A Cute and Simple Valentine’s Day Table Idea

categories: Celebrate, Valentine's Day

It has been oh so cold here, hot cocoa everyday.

Today it is snowing, lots of it!

Spent time these past few days putting up a few Valentine decorations and making some cards and crafts.

So funny that as a child I never liked Valentine’s Day, but love it now!

In grade school we would all walk around the room and lay cards on the desks of our classmates.

My fear was that I would return to very few cards placed on my desk.

It happened, and I was crushed.

On a happier note, and making happier memories, today I thought I would share a Valentine’s Day idea that anyone can do to celebrate a bit.

All you need is a red table napkin folded 4 times to form an envelope.

Fold each side to the center, one over the other, and then fold up twice from the bottom to form the shape of an envelope.

Fold the flap down, and it looks exactly like a red envelope!

Don’t you think it is so cute?

You could place a simple greeting inside for those you love, or maybe a sweet treat, heart chocolates, or a Valentine cookie.

So simple, a surprise for those you love when they come to the table.

Valentine’s Day for me is telling and showing all the special folks in my life that I love them.

Show them in special little ways.

It’s LOVE day!

Until next time, with love and blessings.


Jun
2018

Our Summer Family Gathering

categories: Celebrate, Summer

Last weekend our family gathered at a local park for a picnic.

The occasion was the visit of my sister’s oldest daughter and granddaughter from Florida.

It was terribly hot that day, the temperature was well into the 90’s. We picked a shady area and tried to stay as cool as possible.

A watermelon pinata, purchased at Target, kinda gave us a theme, and a fun activity later for the kids.

Loved the cute, whimsy watermelon tablecloths, plates and napkins!  So festive!

The yummies were fried chicken, baked beans, fruit salad, and my brother-in-law’s famous mac and cheese.

I made a banner with family photos, tied around a large tree in the picnic area, our “family tree”!

There were many very old photos, and more recent ones, I wanted to include everyone!

My niece loved it!

Later, I gave her a small box to hold the photos, along with a note, as a keepsake of our gathering to take back to Florida.

We played games, of course.

Stenciled letters on cardstock and we played a version of “Bananagram” in the grass.

A hula hoop contest…

I remember the day when we all could “hula hoop”, not anymore!

We gave out simple gifts to our winners, wrapped in colorful tissue paper, tied with twine.

Made some silly tags to highlight which gifts were for men, women, or kids.

The pinata was filled with treats, a fun time for the kids.

Love those wonderful smiles on those beautiful faces!

I would like to end this post by saying a bit about families.

None of us are perfect, no family is perfect.  I think that is something we all should remember.

Ours has so much drama at times, and there are times when forgiveness is hard, but oh my gosh, how we all love each other.

We were all together for love, sharing our time together, to be with each other, making a wonderful memory!

I am so very emotional writing of my family, they, each and every one of them, mean the world to me!

Gather.

Love the imperfections of your family.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

 

 


Mar
2018

Our St. Patrick’s Day!

categories: Celebrate

I can never let St. Patrick’s Day pass without writing a bit about my husband’s Irish heritage.

His grandparents came to Ellis Island from County Galway, Ireland.

They did not come together, but met and married here, raising five sons and one daughter.

Such lovely people, religious, good, kind, and hard working.

Both living well into their 90’s.

My husband’s dream was always to go to Ireland, but that was not to be!

He is now not able to travel so much, and it saddens me that his dream will not come true.

We had a little Irish lunch celebration today, making a recipe I found on Pinterest, “Baked Reuben Sliders”.

They were yummy!

Added a bit of green to the table, and we talked about his childhood memories growing up with Irish grandparents.

Such sweet wonderful stories.

There’s an Irish Blessing, I wish for all of you today,

“may your troubles be less, your blessings be more,

and nothing but happiness come through your door”.

Love to all.

 

 


Feb
2018

A Very Special Day!

categories: Celebrate

Today is my son’s birthday!

I thank God for the gift of my dear son, for his life.

I remember the day he was born, the first time I held him, as if it were today.

That morning, so many years ago, I whispered to myself, “I will always have a special someone to love”.

He has been, and continues to be, my life.

A son who makes me smile.

What a joy he is to me, unconditional love, support, and not too “manly” to say, “I love you” to his Mom, everyday.

Jim is a sweet soul, simple, hard working, strong, a construction worker, never wanting anything expensive or fancy.

A simple celebration today, his favorite cake, white, with white icing, and our famous hometown, Greater’s chocolate chip ice cream.

So, Happy Birthday my son, just know you are loved so very much, and always know that I am so very proud of the wonderful human being you are!

God bless you always,

Mom

XO

 

 


Feb
2018

“Sweets” on a Cold Gloomy Day

categories: Celebrate, Valentine's Day

Oh my gosh, yesterday was a really cold, rainy day!

So, I made cookies to warm our home.

I am not a good cook, that is why you do not see many recipes on my blog.

I am not a good baker either, but I do love to make simple heart shaped sugar cookies for Valentine’s Day.

They are not perfect, my icing sometimes is a bit drippy, and maybe a bit too hot pink!

But I found that if you wrap them in a cellophane bag, with a colorful ribbon, they look almost perfect!

Wrapped up they become a sweet treat for anyone you love.

Bakery heart cookies are over $1 each, and sometimes just not so fresh.

On Valentine’s Day, I like to put one on each plate at supper.

So cute!

Just an inexpensive way to say, “I Love You”!

Today I am going to try to catch my “mail lady” as she delivers on our street.  She has been off sick for a bit, and maybe a cookie will cheer her, get her through a long day.

We have become friendly over the years, just chit chatting at my mailbox.  Love her, she is so sweet, down to earth, and a very hard working person.

I love to put a cookie in my son’s work lunchbox as a surprise!  I know he will smile when he sees it!

A great treat with coffee, on his mid morning break.

We eat too many cookies in our house, but isn’t that what cookies are for?

Hope you are warming your home on these cold days, with love, and making heart cookies!

Hugs and kisses!

 


Feb
2018

Planning a Valentine’s Day Breakfast

categories: Celebrate

I love to do something out of the ordinary every once in awhile!

So I decided to plan a simple Valentine’s Day breakfast surprise for my husband.

Staying home is what we do these days, it is difficult for him to get out with his physical issues, home feels safe to him.

These surprises don’t necessarily have to be fancy or expensive, even the smallest change in our ordinary routine can be delightful.

My husband gets up much later than I do, so I thought breakfast would be the best time for our little celebration, giving me time to set the simple table.

Menu will be his usual breakfast favorites, muffins, yogurt, fruit, juice, and coffee.

Gathered up all the red and pink items I have on hand, those things I thought I could use on my table, dishes, napkins, serving pieces, and such.

I will definitely be using these cute mugs I found at Target. 

Thought about framing some old photos of us for the table. I’ve tried a few small frames I have on hand.

Scattered paper hearts, here and there, on the table, might be a whimsy, colorful touch!

As we get older love changes.

It is different, a simple love, where a hug means so much more than a passionate kiss, a smile, just because, brightens us, a different kind of closeness develops.

I will let you all see how my breakfast surprise turns out!

Have you made plans for your sweeties on Valentine’s Day, a day to show love to those folks, you just love so much!

Plan to be silly and giggle a bit, it feels so good!

XO

Oh, Happy Birthday to my dear brother-in-law!

 

 


Feb
2018

“Love” Filled Sunday Project

categories: Celebrate, Crafts

Sunday afternoon I went back years, experiencing one of the joys I remembered as a little girl.

Enjoyed those little girl feelings, felt from so long ago!

I loved paperdolls, always taking pride in cutting them out, as best I could.  Carefully turning my scissors, trying to be perfect with every cut.

With Valentine’s Day upon us, I worked on a sweet “love” filled project, making a wreath from vintage valentines.

Some years back, I saw this idea at Williams-Sonoma, loved it, but too pricey for my budget.

Never forgot how cute it was, so I searched Pinterest, found some adorable old valentines, printed them out, and started to make my own wreath.

Used a styrofoam ring as my base, a cutout cardboard base would work too!

I glued some red paper heart doilies all around the base, placing them here and there.

What fun I had selecting from my valentine collection, deciding which ones to place around the heart filled base.

I used glue dots to attach the valentines to the doilies. These dots have glue on both sides, and also helped raise the valentines up a bit.

Added red ribbon to hang, that was all needed to complete.

Some craft folks use glitter and other embellishments, but I love simple, just the old valentines.

“Love” it!

Oh my gosh, it is so cute!

Loved looking at all the old sweet valentines!

A simple fun project with such a memory.  You all know I love memories!

After Valentine’s Day has passed, I will carefully pack up my wreath for next year, just as I packed up my precious paperdolls, in a shoebox, as a child.

Love, XO

 

 


Jan
2018

A Million Tiny Little Things…..

categories: Celebrate, Christmas, My Simple Home

There is a scene in one of my favorite movies, Sleepless in Seattle, when Tom Hanks talks about his wife in such a beautiful way, “it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they were supposed to be together…”.

When cleaning up a bit yesterday, room to room, picking up and dusting, I realized that Christmas in my home is a bunch of tiny small touches that when you put them all together, you feel the magic of the season.

Before this week is over, I wanted to share many of the tiny things I treasure each Christmas.  Many I have cared for with love over the years to use again and again.

My cherished white nativity set, purchased with Christmas money from my son.

My tree, with all the special ornaments I have collected over the years.

It is sprinkled with snow, pine cones and berries.

My beautiful paper mache angel, handmade, always sitting at the very top, love her so!

This wall hanging was my new addition this year.  I love that it is the first thing you see as you look into my home from the front door, “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”.

A snowflake pillow, a wreath on the mirror, lots of sparkle, with gold and silver ribbons.

Garland on my dining hutch, and entry clock, decorated with beautiful ribbons, lights, and snow covered pine cones.

A bit of red in my kitchen, small dishes, tin canisters, and a small tree.

A Hallmark Santa, so old, nestled under a tree on my kitchen counter.  Love him!

This salt dough nativity set I have carefully packed up each year, purchased at a church craft fair, 42 years ago. The faces are amazing.  Big smiles, rosy cheeks, just so sweet.

A Santa tray, purchased on a Thanksgiving visit, with my precious mother, to see my brother in New York City, so many years ago.

When I bring it out each year, I remember our trip together and how I struggled with spending $35 on this hand painted, paper mache tray.  So glad I did, the memory it brings to mind each year is priceless.

The best saved for last, this Baby Jesus made of paper over 40 years ago by my son.

I love the smile Jimmy placed on his face.

Oh my, precious, cherished, now a family tradition each year, finding the perfect place on our tree to place our Baby Jesus.

Thank you all for allowing me to share all these treasures.

I truly hope every one of you have collected special Christmas treasures, those items that when the season arrives you find such overwhelming joy in displaying in your home as I do.

Sad a bit that the holidays are over and my treasures must once again be packed up with loving care.

Love to all of you, also precious treasures to me.

Blessings and love.