A NEW RECIPE AND A CORSAGE

All summer, people have been asking me, "So, how does it feel to be retired?"  I never knew how to answer because I ALWAYS had a summer!  Not only that, but I'm not really old enough to "retire".  (just had to get that in!)  But, anyway, this is the first day I really feel "retired" from teaching.  The school staff begins their week of meetings today.

AND I WON'T BE THERE!
(Being a teacher, I feel as if I'm really getting away with something by starting my sentences with a conjunction.  Therefore, I'm planning on doing it all the time now!  Because I can.)

So, what will I do with my first real day of retirement?  First of all I made just a little something out of some of that burlap I was talking about in yesterday's post.  And I do mean little.  This will not even begin to make a dent in all that burlap!  But, this is the sort of little thing that you just don't have time for when you're getting a classroom ready for a new year.  This is the sort of thing that goes on the back burner and usually never gets done.   So, what is it?  A corsage, of course!   Women sometimes wear a corsage to commemorate a special day and this IS a special day!

I followed a super easy little "frayed flower tutorial" at Maize Hutton's blog.  First, I cut a strip of burlap.  Then for contrast I cut a strip of fine tulle.  In the center I put a button from my collection that was handed down from my Great Aunt Pearl!  So, this is my own version of a flower brooch to wear today as I celebrate my freedom!

Then, speaking of "burners" - one of my missions now is to become a better cook.  So, I'll also be making a new recipe for dinner tonight: 

MARSALA CHICKEN WITH SAGE AND CREMINI MUSHROOMS.

So, I'm off to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients.

(Complete with fabric flower brooch clipped on my sweater!)

It's going to be a great day!

24 SQUARE YARDS OF BURLAP!

It's time to dive into my 24 sq. yards of burlap!  That's a lot of burlap - it was used to cover the tables from our party a week ago.  There are SO many great things to use burlap for.  Here are a few of my ideas.

An upholstered headboard for our master bedroom:

"Farm chicks"

 Quatrine

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Some burlap buckets?  Maybe some stenciled, burlap buckets?




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Or . . .  a table runner?

      
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A burlap purse . . . maybe two?

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Find a great tutorial at La Maison Reid.

This is my favorite and there's a complete tutorial on The Black Crow and More blog.

                            

The possibilities are endless with burlap -

I'm off to visit my sewing machine . . .

CELEBRATION!

The last two weeks have been busy around my house - getting ready for almost 70 friends and family to help us celebrate my son's great health.  Almost eight months ago, my oldest son was diagnosed with stage two testicular cancer.  Since then he has undergone surgery and four rounds of chemotherapy.  The great news is, being a very curable cancer when caught early, he is doing great!  So the last few weeks have been all about planning, setting up, celebrating, and cleaning up.  Here are just a couple pictures from our 

CELEBRATION BARBECUE!

My daughter-in-law, and her artistic flair, getting the menu board ready.(thank you Karen, from the Graphics Fairy, for the great "MENU" graphic) I just painted a piece of plywood with chalkboard paint and then used white acrylic paint and my overhead projector to get the graphic blown-up to the right size.  The menu itself can be washed right off and used over and over.  

Tables were set with burlap cloths . . .

and centerpieces complete with LIVESTRONG clay tags.

 Even Harley and Harriet (my son's dogs) came all the way from Minnesota to celebrate with us!

Great music provided by good friends Tom and Evan, from Leahy's Luck.
And . . . just a few of the friends and family who were here -

 

     

 

  

  

The guest of honor, Andy, with me.  Doesn't he look great!!??!!

Now.

What to do with all that burlap????

Hmmmm . . .

Sharing on The Graphics Fairy's "Brag Monday"

AFTER THE PARTY . . .

No posts since last Thursday!

And I can see that I've had many faithful visits to my blog since then.

Only to come back to see the same old thing.

Sorry.

Our house has been a busy place lately.  We're getting ready for a very big party in a few days, to celebrate a very big deal!  As I explained in a previous post here, we have reason to celebrate!   Getting ready for that celebration is what has been keeping me off this little blog lately.  I'll be sure to post photos next week.  

However.

That does NOT mean my mind hasn't been flooded with ideas and projects.  One of my ideas is to make something out of good old burlap.  Burlap is all over the decorating blogs and we're using a bunch of it at our party too - more on that later.  But when the party is over . . . what to do with all that burlap?  Maybe incorporate it into a pillow?  Or two, or three???  Here are some great pillows I've been browsing through to get me inspired!  Some are burlap, some are not, but they could ALL be made with some burlap.  If I don't use burlap for the front of the pillow, I could certainly use it for the back.  I think some people might be bothered by the feel of burlap pillows against the skin, but I really like that texture on a pillow.  

This one is a kit you can order here.  Beautiful out of any fabric but wouldn't it be great in burlap?

Anthropologie

Anthropologie, again!

And, again!

Beautiful stitching!  Doesn't the coming of Fall make you want to stitch??

Very whimsical!  My niece would love this one!

Birds!  How I love birds!

A beautiful bird transfer pillow featured on the Graphics Fairy.

And one of my favorites!

What a wonderful thing to be able to say to the one you love!  I have an idea beyond the pillow for this one!

When the party is over and everything is cleaned up and put away I'm going to be getting some of those ideas out of my head and into some fabric.  So, lookout all you friends-who-sometimes-are-roped-into-crafting-get-togethers 
at my house!  Get out your needle and thread and get ready!