Reinvented Centerpiece

 This is my current centerpiece. I loved the battery operated candles, so I bought another one while they were still 1/2 off at Hobby Lobby. As you can see, I re-used many of the items from my Christmas centerpiece. As I said, I bought the third candle and the boxwood ball. I already had the other items and pulled the moss off a tree! Hmm, I wish I had "lit" the candles for the now photo!

We actually had a sunny day on Sunday. I took advantage! I cut back my asparagus and weeded around it. It is cold, windy and wet again today. 
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Mom's needlework

My Mom was always busy. Besides gardening, cooking and baking, she also did various types of needlework, sewing, and crocheting. I recently did some re-decorating and hung some of her needlework in my dining area. 

I am trying to follow in her footsteps and hone my embroidery, sewing and crocheting skills along with gardening, cooking and baking!

She was my best friend. She has been gone 15 years now. I still miss her.

Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Crocheted Ripples

I have been working on this Ripple spread since February I think. I started it when I ran out of yarn on another project. (I was able to finally get the colors I needed for the other project and will go back to it when this is finished) I got the Ripple Pattern from Lucy at Attic 64.  I love her blog and tutorials!

I guess it is obvious I chose colors to coordinate with my comforter and shams. The reverse side of the comforter and shams is floral which will probably look better with the ripple stripes than more stripes. 

Yippee, it shouldn't be long now! This is my second spread and the largest project I have ever crocheted. It is rather cumbersome, and I only work on it while sitting in bed before I go to sleep. 
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Rooster tray

I love my new rooster tile tray. A friend gave me the rooster tiles several years ago. She had planned to use them on her backsplash during a kitchen remodel but changed her mind. I boxed them up and thought about them every now and then. This spring, my brother and SIL re-grouted the tile on their kitchen counter. I came across my box of tiles and said to myself, "Hmmmm, ---- just re-grouted his countertops. I bet he still has grout and the tools". So I found a wooden tray on sale at Hobby Lobby and took it along with the tiles to his house. He did all the work for me. My brother is a sweety that way!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Rummage Sale treasures

My SIL has been in charge of the "boutique"  part of her church's rummage sale. Last year I helped her work on pricing for a day. This year I had a week of Pre-kindergarten teacher workshops to attend and was only able to help for a couple of hours. The perk is getting to shop early! I have been looking for a simple miniature coat rack styled jewelry rack but have been unable to find one that fit my vision or pocket book! SCORE for $1.

A lavender Liz Claiborne handbag. It doesn't appear to have been used at all. I usually buy sensible brown handbags. I always love the brightly colored ones, but I  hate to spend so much money on something that won't match everything! Perfect for $5.

I want to display more of my vintage hat collection, but vintage hat stands are too expensive. This is actually a candle holder that was marked 50 cents! Yippee!

AND I found this crocheted shawl in a box of scarves marked 25 cents each. 

These treasures made my day!

I also made my first fabric and appliqué banner. I  was working on it until time for Ashlynn's birthday party and didn't get a photo of it.  So here it is with Ashlynn and her mom, Michelle.
Y'all come back!
Lorilee

Before, After and a Catnap!

 Before: I had a bathroom door with a crack resulting from the teenage boy living here. Replacing a door is not fun or cheap!

 After: The crack is at least hidden! I printed and framed a vintage ad from the Graphics Fairy. I used some of the 3M stick-on velcro picture hangers. 

A Catnap: Little Soundrel is worn out from a hard day of playing!

Y'all come back!

Lorilee

Patriotic Project.

 Happy Independence Day. Although the rest of my house has its usual patriotic touches, my feather tree remained empty. Glass ornaments do not mix with young cats. Finally, I had an idea to rectify the matter. Beaded ornaments . Thankfully, I have a stash of the needed beads because Hobby Lobby in my town does not currently carry all the needed beads. (They do show them on their online store.) 

 I used 6mm faceted beads in red, clear and blue; 6mm. round silver and gold beads; and 18mm sunburst beads also in red, clear and blue. I also needed chenille stems, wire cutters, needle nose pliers, scissors, and thread for hanging. I cut the chenille stems into 4-inch pieces and used the pliers to make a tiny loop in one end to keep the beads from sliding off. Then I strung the beads and made a larger loop at the top and added the thread for hanging. In about 1 hour, I had enough ornaments for my bare feather tree.

 So bright and sparkly!

 So patriotic and pretty!

 Ahh, Much better than bare.

Go away, Scoundrel.
Y'all come back!
Lorilee

Summer is here!

 It has been months since I have posted anything here at Cackleberry Cottage! Busy months. End of the school year as a teacher, packing the classroom for the summer, baby graduating, working in the garden and slipping in a little clogging and crocheting. I made some changes in my bedroom. The old sewing machine cabinet was in the living room. I finally added the lace at the bottom of the door to hide the stuff stashed in the cabinet along with the sewing machine. I just received the print from a friend. I love how it has the same colors as the lamp.

 My baby graduated from high school. He is on the far left. This foursome has been friends since middle school.

 My oldest son joined me on a trip to Lake Texana. We joined my baby brother and his family and my dad and stepmom. We rode bikes, ate too much, had campfires every night, and swam a little. We had t-storms pass through almost every afternoon which made it unseasonably cool for south Texas. It was wonderful for bike riding and a campfire felt good in the evening.

 This is the clan on one of the several fishing piers. There was an alligator hanging around below the pier which had a fish cleaning sink. It was waiting for dinner.

 Another shot with me in the line-up!

 We rode some of the trails. This one had a nice little bridge over some water.

We really needed to burn some calories. Did I mention we ate too much!
Hopefully, I will not be as negligent about posting as I have been the last few months.
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Pre-Christmas Surprise!

During the week of Thanksgiving, I was surprised with a gift from longtime friend. The bird curio that belonged to my husband's grandmother was moved to our dining area and the barrister shelves took that place. Many of the items in the shelves are from my friend as well. I am so honored to be entrusted with these treasures.

I have admired them since I was in High school. They still contain the original wavy glass.

I also received china and Fostoria. I spent several days doing some major re-arranging in my large curio, hutch and other cabinets! Then the Christmas decorating began, which didn't leave much time for blogging. Now that I am out of school until the New Year,so I hope to catch up on blogging and many other things.
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

French inspired bottle rack

I have admired French wine bottle drying racks for some time. I've seen them used for cups, glasses, terra cotta pots, vintage Christmas ornaments and even wine bottles. I really wanted one, but they were far too expensive for me. I was thrilled to find this one at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home.

At the moment, it is displaying some of my vintage cups.
Blessings,
Lorilee

Following trends!

I've noticed so much "subway art" in blog-land and on Pinterest! I had to give it a try. This is it.

I also found an old photo frame to use as a photo prop!  It was natural wood. I painted it bright red.
Oh, and we have caught camper fever!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Wine Bottle Torches

It rained all day last Sunday. It was a perfect day for working on torches on the patio. I robbed the bottle tree for a few choice wine bottles. We bought the supplies at Lowe's.(The ceiling flange, split ring hanger, cap, reducing coupler, and teflon tape were all in the plumbing department.) Not shown is the torch fuel and spray paint we used to paint the ceiling flange and the threaded rod. We also needed a hacksaw, screwdriver, and pliers. You can find a full tutorial here. It would have been nice to have a bench vise to hold the rods while cutting them with the hacksaw. (That was definitely my husband's job.) He did most of this project. I wrapped the reducing couplers with the teflon tape for a snug fit in the wine bottle and filled them with torch fuel.

So far, we have two on the patio and one on the front porch.
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

More black!

 I just had to paint one last thing black before the end of 2011! The new ladder sure made reaching the curtain rod easier. I made the curtains about 12 years ago! The wooden rod was just natural wood. I had always meant to stain it, but I just never got around to it. Well, 12 years later it is finally complete, just not as I originally planned!

While I had the curtains down, I also "dry cleaned" them in my dryer. I'm thrilled with the "new" look. It is also nice to have all the cobwebs cleaned off !
On a less exciting note, I started having severe side pain when we were eating out last night. We cancelled our plans to go to Cherry Berry for dessert and came home instead. The pain is the same as the pain I had 15 years ago when I had a kidney stone. I've been keeping it down to a slight ache with pain meds. What a way to ring in the New Year!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee