Celebrating With Family

 Celebrating With Family

Celebrating July 4th out on my brother's farm. It was an amazing cookout and fireworks show with family and friends.

Note ... I only have 2 pictures because I was enjoying the celebration, my family and friends, the fireworks and the food.

As it should be ...

It was a wonderful evening!

Smoky Mountain Quilter's 44th Annual Quilt Show

 Smoky Mountain Quilter's 44th Annual Quilt Show

Week before last I took a couple of days of vacation and over that weekend the Expo Center hosted the Smoky Mountain Quilter's 44th Annual Quilt Show. 

This quilt show is near and dear to my heart, in years past I have entered quilts in the show and won a couple of ribbons. The Smoky Mountain Quilter's Quilt Guild do a wonderful job putting on this annual quilt show with quilts on display and quilty vendors with amazing fabrics, patterns, kits, machines and notions of all sorts. This year's show was no different.

Mountain Top Fabrics and More

A friend from my hometown and her husband have a quilt shop that had a wonderful booth at this year's quilt show. It was great to see her and browse their booth.

I purchased a quilt pattern by Lori Holt called Millie's Dresses and a beautiful stack of blue fabrics.

I think I am entering my "Blue" Phase.

Front Flower Bed - Mulch and BLING

Front Flower Bed

Mulch and BLING

Thanks to a friend for hooking me up with an app to calculate how much mulch I would need ...

I was off to my local Home Depot to get the required 16 bags of mulch required for the task.

**This post is not an advertisement or a sponsored post**

8:00 a.m. and already hotter than blue blazes!

But I was able to get the mulch spread in no time.

I went with black mulch ... who knew mulch came in so many colors?

I am very happy with the results. Hopefully my hosta plants and hydrangeas will continue to thrive.

A very sweet friend gifted me the cutest solar lite watering can BLING for my front flower bed.

I can now say ... after 3 years ... my front flower bed is now complete.

I love it!!!

Front Flower Bed

 Front Flower Bed

Sweat Equity

As you know my youngest came here Mother's Day weekend and worked his magic. I have been trying to get my front flower bed planted for 3 years now. I even hired someone to do it for me and it still never happened. So, you can imagine how grateful I am that my son came to help me.

Fast forward to June ...

Just in the few weeks since my son cleared and planted my front flower bed the weeds were trying to take over. 

So the weekend before the heatwave began I spent a bit of time laying landscape fabric. It was still a bit warm out but I was very happy with the results.

July

 JULY

I cannot believe that it is already July!

Christmas Gift Giving Prep 101

 Christmas Gift Giving Prep 101

Homemade Vanilla

Several years ago I made homemade vanilla to give as gifts and it was a big hit. Since then I've been asked if I had anymore vanilla, so earlier this month I decided to make another batch.

As with the Cherry Bounce, vanilla takes it least 6 months to cure. This batch will be ready for Christmas gift giving.

Van Gogh

Van Gogh

I spent a wonderful day with my daughter enjoying and learning about Van Gogh and his art. Everything about the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit is visually pleasing. EVERYTHING! 

 

 Christmas Gift Giving Prep 101

Candle Making

This is not an advertisement or sponsored post. This is only to reference the kit that I purchased to begin making candles. I chose this kit because it truly includes everything one would need to make a candle from start to finish.

I have never made candles before ... EVER ... but I really enjoy the process. There will definitely be more candle making in my future. 

End of Spring Cleaning - AFTER

 End of Spring Cleaning

AFTER

Decluttered, organized, and scoured clean.

Another project completed.

But now, I think I want to ...

Paint and figure out a different flooring option.

Off to YouTube to look into the Pros and Cons of painting vinyl flooring ...

It never ends, one completed projects leads to another and another and another ... 

End of Spring Cleaning - BEFORE

 End of Spring Cleaning

BEFORE

Until I began deep cleaning my bathroom as part of my end of spring, spring cleaning ... I didn't realize how much STUFF I had crammed into every nook and cranny of my bathroom!

WOW! Just WOW!!

I also realized that I have over time spent a small fortune on health and beauty products.

I may have single handedly kept this industry in business ...

Admittedly, I have put off spring cleaning this year until the last possible moment but progress is progress ... right?

Cherry Bounce

 Cherry Bounce

Holiday Cheer Prep

Interestingly enough when trying to live more intentionally you begin to realize that if you want to have something special for the holidays you have to plan and execute some things well in advance.

Such as the making of Cherry Bounce. There are many recipes for Cherry Bounce but basically it is fresh pitted sweet and/or tart cherries, sugar, and a liquor of choice. As I was also making vanilla at the time I used vodka. 

Combine the ingredients in an air tight container, I used a mason jar, and store in a cool dark place for 6 months. 

Come Christmas and New Years this Cherry Bounce will be used in one of our family favorites, Champagne Cocktails.

CHEERS!!!