The Ribbon Lady

Goodness knows I can easily find negatives

 about living where I do, 

being a country, four seasons kind of gal.

But there is goodness here.

And luscious, delectable, mouth dropping 

beauty to be found in unexpected places.

Imagine being able to open your

 mailbox once a month to a package

 such as this...

or this...

Or purchase art creations like these pincushions.

I had heard of the "Ribbon Lady" 

for many years and various

 friends had offered to take me there

 and introduce us, but the timing was always off, 

and the "meeting" eluded me. A month ago I finally 

 succeeded in meeting Carole Sidlow,

and today I spent even more time at her amazing home.

I would show home pictures but I cannot. I was there to take pre-view pics for a wonderful stylist considering Carole's home for publications.

Once they are published, I will link you for sure :D

  

Carole's ribbon store is located in her

 over sized studio behind her home.

There isn't a ribbon she does not carry

 or cannot locate for you. 
You can "shop" the store via the web,
 at the Ribbon Store  

or in person by appointment only.

You CA gals who visit here on weekends, 

be sure and bookmark this info!

Even better, everyone can join her

 Ribbon of the Month Club.

This is not like other clubs. Carole and her dear friend Laura personalize each kit to your desires, colors, widths, yardage, usage, vintage, new, trims etc...

Not just an identical box that dozens of others receive.

Each one made specifically for you doll makers,

quilters, scrap-bookers, milliners.

Joining the club, also earns you discount from retail. 

Stop the drooling, it really is that wonderful!

I cannot yet bring myself to open the packages of hand pleated ribbons I have purchased from her.

They are works of art just as they are. 

( be sure and check those out too!)

A small portion of the Ribbon Store

I have an inspirational place to shop,

 two wonderful new friends, and the world is good.

So, where have I been?

just busy...

1.put my design and organizing services on sale,

 so clients signing up for the "discount".

2. repaired most of the broken stuff from 2 weeks ago.

3. Held garage sale Saturday to sell off some extras

to raise funds for DD's apt in NYC this fall.

4. Preparing for photo shoot at the end of July, 

(too many embarrassing dust bunnies)

(actually dog fur bunnies...dust doogies?)

5. Just enjoying the time with darling daughter.

etc etc etc 

Still reading you all, and visiting as I can.

What a summer this is!

Anyone else miss the playlists?

Dang Lowe's for advertising on them.

I miss discovering new songs on your blogs :(

Z

BREAKTHROUGHS

It has been a week of breakthroughs.

Not always in the usual sense.

I refer to my broken toilet,

and broken porch light on a vintage timer that 

is no longer made, requiring new rewiring,

a broken garage door opener,

broken wi fi so daughter's computer won't work,

a broken pipe under my sink,

and now a flooded side yard

due to broken valves or some such thing.

No repairman in site that I can afford, and the

one I can afford has not shown up, and the other

has not returned my desperate phone calls.

Although I want to stamp and yell

or plunk down and cry,

I will do neither...

For this week has been spent cheering

 from the sidelines for my friends at their first

booth in a national show.

It has been a week spent reading 

alongside darling daughter.

It was a quick lunch with a dear friend 

recovering from many years of illness,

and a chance reunion with a friend 

who had slipped out of my life. 

The week was several phone calls

 from a far away friend always offering 

support and laughter in the midst of another 

personal disappointment that also came my way.

I caught myself thinking

"When is it my turn for things to be easy?" 

only to quickly retract 

the thought for my blessings are abundant.

These blessings come with each new daybreak.

I bend, I do not break.

I wish to remain like these sunflowers that 

touch almost to the ground in the raging storm and pop back up only to sway far over the other way.

Regardless, they always keep their sunny disposition.

This is me.

and how are you all doing? 

catch me up please..

Suzan

GIVING BACK

Justice and Libbey

I am off the radar. Just wanted to say a group hello to everyone. I am reading your posts and laughing and sharing with your ideas and stories..I am just unable to respond personally, or  individually until a little later.

I am happy that some of you got away to events and some of you are visiting family. Some of you are drenched with more rain, and some are planning parties this weekend anyway, some may 

roll down a dune or two.

So many of you have hit the gardens, the back yard or the front porch and attended fleas, farm sales and graduations. We are a busy lot.

Two have posted thoughtful and insightful posts about their personal struggles with weight and societal influences and pressures, some are experiencing personal losses of loved ones and beloved pets.

I adore you all but just for the past few days and a few more I am helping others.

Giving back.

When I scrolled through my roll late last night I thought to myself, what an amazing and diverse group of women.

Some I know intimately now, some I have never even chatted with, yet I peek into their lives daily and feel unconditional love. If you are unfamiliar with my gal pals over there to the right, go check them out.

You'll find kind hearted, intelligent

 gals that will enrich your life.

I have included pics of our beloved Libbey today

When I think of unconditional love 

she always comes to mind.

She was unconditional love wrapped in a furry,

constantly shedding, 95 pound box of love.

Years have passed without her but she touches my life still and that is my message today.

We touch each other's lives in so many small ways here.

The stories told, the heartaches shared, they carry on 

like seeds of wisdom in our hearts and we each replant them as we go on our own ways.

We say ""Hey I know a gal who did this, went here, found this" or I read about a Mom who did this to fix that issue... Let's try this, cook this at our next party, luncheon,... wedding. 

"She feels the way I do about these extra pounds, she is brave to discuss it, I need to be brave."

I carry you with me, in my heart, and you give back to me 

with each word and heartfelt thought you share.

Theresa sweetheart, you made my day with your call just now, and Carole your messages on my phone make me laugh after long hard days.

Heather and Sarah, these crazy days together 

are a blessing. Hard work but truly a blessing.

I am filled to the brim with gratitude for 

my friends both near and far.

I love you. 

Suzan

WINNERS

Ready?

These two lovely ladies will each receive a pair

of Heather French earrings, from

Vintage Meadow Artworks.

Congratulations to 

Karryann @ Gracefully Vintage

and

April @ Straight From The Heart

If you will send me your mailing info,

I will get them off to you ASAP.

Now the third pair will go to..

But wait, a disclaimer...

Too many gal pals entered with many

 clever comments, so I chickened out

and made Heather choose, after all she is the designer.

she chose...

 insert appropriate drum roll here..

the winner of the third pair is....

edisreviR 216 @ aserehT
( hee- hee)

Congratulations!!!! 

Thanks to all of you,

for sharing in my world

Suzan

It appears that just like blogger,

 websites can mess with you and Heather''s is messing with her, 
so the website launch will be slightly delayed, 
until her return from the show.

Please send your email address HERE

(safe, never shared or sold) 

so you will know when the site launches. 

This site will include supplies and kits to make 

jewelry as well as ready to wear pieces.

Look for them at Bead and Button
Booth is BEAD HAVEN
Milwaukee WI    6/10/11

GIVEAWAY

Celebrating the big 400.

I still cannot fathom that I have done this 400 times.

I meet up with you guys here to chat and share,

and you open up your lives and hearts with me,

and I am so blessed and I am so very grateful.

These incredible earrings, created by Heather French will
go to three lucky winners this weekend.

The first two pairs will go to two followers of oldgreymare selected at random, 

and one pair will go to the person who convinces me

 that they should win the third pair.

Blog about it, (let me know) or leave me a clever comment why you 

deserve to win, whatever you want to do

 to earn a pair of your very own.

Nearly impossible to choose, each flower is hand-dyed,

with exquisite color and shimmer

 and you will be stopped 

every time you wear them by folks asking

"where did you find those?"..seriously.

So, if you wish a chance to own 

a pair of these beauties,

saunter over there to the right

to make sure you are following, 

and comment if you choose.

I am thrilled to offer these to three

 of you dear friends. 

Thank you Heather.
(link to Heather's new site on Sunday)

You have until Sunday :D

Suzan

WHITE WEDNESDAY 100

As we celebrate this milestone with

 Kathleen of Faded Charm,

I reminisced with some of my favorites from

my past White Wednesdays.

Each week we would gather and share

 the latest goings on,

creations, and inspirational photos.

Gathering momentum, we shared our thoughts,

and our lives,

and reached out hands of friendship

 to other like minded women.

We shared stories of cancer, and of great personal loss.

We fretted over each other's personal

 tragedies and discussed earthquakes 

and floods and a bad economy that 

left many searching for work

and crafting to make ends meet. 

I did not make all 100 WW's, but I made quite a lot,

and each week it was a joy to see 

what everyone posted.

Through it all we women who love white, 

showed up and supported each other through 

great moments and horrible times,

and with a WOOT! and A YAY YOU! 

we said "here is a place to meet,

to feel safe, to share and express yourself."

Come join us.

Kathleen showed up without fail, our leader, our 

safe haven, all for the love of white.

Kathleen, I  thank you 

with all my heart.

Because we continue on with new chapters,

 I must share some new treasures

 of white that will be available soon.

These white pieces are the creations of 

my darling friend Heather French,

launching her new business at the

 Bead and Button show this June.
Vintage Meadow Artworks

(Heather's Acrylic Floral Artbeads also come in a zillion other colors)

Her website will be up following the show,

 around June 15th,

 but you can email her here,

 (and you SHOULD) to be added 

to her mailing list for the launch and further info.

Let me advise you, "you ain't seen nothin' yet."

Watch for my giveback this week,

celebrating my 400th post.

I do it a little differently than most.

I just draw one, or a couple numbers,

don't know yet,

based on those who already follow me.

I count 'em up on a given day and 

pick some numbers and there ya go.

 * WINNERS *

So if you are a follower when I 

choose, you have a chance.

You don't have to do anything else, 
I appreciate and adore you stopping by.

Though feel free to comment 

and beg me to choose you :D

Ya never know, I just might select

 something extra based on a clever,

 or hilarious comment. hint

oh..and the prizes are good ones :D

think jewelry

Suzan

JUST TUESDAY

Darling Daughter coming home 

tomorrow. I must go to Costco to buy

her favorite muffins.

The chocolate, poppy seed, blueberry combo.

She nibbles on them for hours leaving

 a trail of crumbs as she goes.

The house will be filled with her laugh.

Loud and contagious, she never holds back

 and lets it rip at the oddest things..at least to me

they seem odd and vice versa I suppose.

The only thing that would make it perfect

 is if my Dearest Son was coming home with her.

Mama loves to have both her chicklets home.  

I left home at 22 and never lived even

 remotely near my family again, 

except for two very brief times that 

 I managed to move back there, only to get 

yanked back west once more.

It was not to be.

Not by choice, I longed to move back 

my entire adult life, as every

 Sunday my Dad would ask, 

"When are you coming home?"

How I wish Skype and free long distance

 existed back then. How I wish I had been able to visit home more often. How hard this was for my folks, and I do not believe I fully comprehended until these past 2 years with both my kids so very far away.

Holidays of all sorts spent without my family

back then, and now history is repeating itself.

I am thrilled they are living full, exciting lives;

that they are responsible, self supporting adults 

of good character and kindness,

 but oh, how I miss them.

I will selfishly hoard all the memories of this summer,

as next summer DD begins living full time 

in New York in her new apartment. 

I am beyond grateful that both my kids 

live in the same city and see each other frequently, 

and adore each other.

These are the final months of a child living at home. 

From now on it is only visits.

Every Sunday I will be asking

"When are you coming home?"

Suzan

Mother's Day

"THE HURRIER I GO THE BEHINDER I GET"

(Pincushion made out of tabletop grinder)

Decided I would put a few things in the shop this am,

 really quick, no fuss.

(more vintage grinder pincushions)

(I can't live without my 3 clamped to tables in the studio)

WRONG!

First the camera would not cooperate as it should, 

the yard was in complete shade, 

so I hauled it all back into the house.

Saw the photos were not so hot, but running out of time, 

so decided to upload anyhoot.

WRONG!

Blogger over at A Mare of A Different Color

would not let me do zip, so,

no quilts got listed...

(Vintage quilt)

then I tried getting pics of the last of my floraline,

(I sold off other half last year.)

But then a girlfriend called and bought a bunch ( YAY) 

so I have to retake pics of the pieces left anyway.

 I had to leave for an orientation for

some volunteering I have begun, then run some errands, where I dropped a glass candle in a shop and broke shattered it and then knocked over an end cap display and still managed to make the manager laugh... then grabbed some Cinco De Mayo grub from Chipolte and had 2 long wonderful chats 

with the NYC kiddos..

and now here it is very late, 

and I never did get anything

into the shop.

sigh...

But it's all good.

Tomorrow is another chance to get 

it all together.

So if you see something of interest just ask, and 

as soon as I get blogger to cooperate over there,

 these, and some other goodies will get listed.

  Posting this in the am Friday.

Blogger has me scared to try anything tonight.

I'm walking on thin ice here folks,

it's still 45 minutes until tomorrow.  

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL MORNING

Secret to a beautiful morning

Buy a 12.99 hat from Target

Remove the brown vinyl buckle trim

Replace with checked ribbon

Add wool roses, an antique button

Clip some sprigs from nearby bush

Grab coffee and camera
Watch the sun shine through

 

Please go visit the other White Wednesday gals 

hosted by the delightful Kathleen