Sunday

Hello to everyone.  Tomorrow is my Mother’s memorial service and I have much to do, so I will keep this short. 

Again, I want everyone of you to know that I take great comfort in all of the comments that you are leaving.  They lift my spirit and help me as I walk this journey.  It’s such a strange feeling, even at my age, to know that both of your parents are gone.

Kathy…..I don’t have your e-mail but hopefully you will read this and know that I am praying for your husband and that his spinal surgery goes well.

To anyone out there who may have lost someone or knows of someone who has, there is a wonderful book on grieving called Don't Take My Grief Away From Me by Doug Manning.  I went to one of his seminars after my father passed away and he is an amazing man who really understands the grieving process and how different people grieve in different ways.

So…….tomorrow I WANT to read a poem that my mother had marked in a book that Heather found on my mothers shelves Wednesday. 

Wish me luck!  I don’t know if I’ll be able to maintain or not!  We are doing very very well here and I will be back to posting on Tuesday!  Boy do I have some interesting pics. to show all of you.

Denise

Saturday

At least I think it’s Saturday!  Oh yeah, it is, it’s 5:15 AM here.  I woke up at 4:30 AM and had to laugh at what I was thinking about.

My Mother wanted to be cremated.  Which she was.  And being the nontraditional type gals that we were, she did not want one of the traditional cremation urns that you purchase from the funeral home. 

Heather and I made a trip to Hobby Lobby (yep you heard me right) Thursday to pick out something appropriate.  Hey, no kidding, the next time you’re there, take a look at some of the urns and just think about it…….you see!

So anywho, I suddenly woke up at 4:30 and thought to myself……..oh my gosh!!  I forgot to take the Hobby Lobby price tag off of the bottom before my brother took it to the funeral home!  Now that’ll make you laugh.  I just sat in bed and had a good chuckle!  Oh well, I think they’ve probably seen it all over time!

So….I’m talking to all of you and having a nice cup of coffee, or two…..

Yesterday was a better day!  We found tons and I mean a HUGE stack of old vintage family photos from way way back.  One of my passions as you may (or may not) know, so I was thrilled.  Some great memorabilia from way on back when my Grandpa (mother’s Daddy) was in the military!   Can’t wait to show you photos later!  There were also some silly funny letters that he had written to his sisters during that period.  Then we all just sat around, ate lemon cake (yum) kindly baked by a friend and just kind of chatted.  Very healing! 

Again, thank all of you for your kind words and prayers.  You are truly my long distance friends! 

Sorry……no pics. today.  I promise I’ll catch up though!

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Denise

Precious Treasures

Thank you ALL so much for all of your kind comments, prayers, and words of wisdom.  I appreciate every one of you more than words can express.  I think that people in this blogging community are kind, wise, and compassionate people and there is no one whom I would rather turn to than each one of you!

We each deal with grief in our own unique way, don’t you think?  For my brother it has been spending time at my Mother’s house, often by himself.  For Heather, it is walking in her home and seeing things in their place, just the way her Grandmother left them.  For me, it is bringing home a special little piece of her each day and placing it somewhere  and knowing that she would be pleased with how much I love my treasures.

Her home is so beautiful.  Hubby was kind enough to take these pictures for me.  She would not have approved of the fact that pillows were out of place and the ottoman was not perfectly positioned in front of the chair.  I know that in the years to come, it will be very comforting to be able to look back on these pictures and remember her.

This little guy came home with me Monday evening.  Who knew that he would be the first thing that I thought of.  He is a very old old vintage bear who at one time had the fake velvety fur on him.  My mother placed the saddle on his back and that’s the way he’ll stay!

I was digging in a cabinet, just poking around, and suddenly I saw a dolls hand.  I pulled her out…….

I couldn’t believe it!  She was the doll who sat on my Nanny’s bed (my mother’s mother) years and years ago.  I had no idea that my Mother had her and had thought she was lost forever!  I hugged her to me and cried.  My poor Hubby, he just doesn’t know what to do with me.  He hugged me and said nothing while I blubbered and told him how much she meant to me and why.

I remember her wearing a purple silk dress trimmed in black.  However, I think she’s perfect just as she is.  Unless I stumble across that dress, she will stay dressed in her “undies.”

My mother loved her box collection.  These are just a few of them.  I don’t know why, but I just have to bring home a few things each day not too many.   Maybe to thoroughly enjoy them, think, and pray.

Yesterday, I actually started to feel guilty.  Although each of these treasures has nothing to do with monetary value AT ALL, I suddenly felt like it was wrong to be going through her things, deciding what to keep.  I suppose this is only natural?

Like this cream, chocolate brown, and gold bowl.  It actually has a crack in it, and probably isn’t worth all that much, but I’ve always loved it so it’s priceless to me.

There is so much more to discover.  Every drawer, every cabinet is jammed full of things that she has collected over the years.  The best advice came from a friend of my parents.  He advised us to take it slowly and not let anything go that we were in the least unsure about. 

More to talk about later.  Thank each and every one of you for listening.  As I said, it means so much to me!

Denise

Please Help Me Find My Happy Place

This is perhaps the most difficult post I have ever written.  It is certainly the saddest.  Really…..this blog is supposed to be my joy, the place where good feelings and good things happen.  But sometimes, I think we have to express the bad in order to return to the good happy places in our lives.  Certainly, I am not one to say, “I’ll see you in a few weeks, I have things that need taking care of.”  I would rather reach out to you……my friends in Blogland, and ask for your support, prayers, and maybe a few shoulders to lean on at a very difficult time.  So please if you will just “stick” with me for a couple of weeks, I think it will be much easier if I can just write it all down.

My Mother died unexpectedly this weekend. 

Her health had not been good for about ten years.  She had had a brain aneurysm ten years ago, behind the frontal lobe, and like patients that you may have seen on television, she had a complete personality change.  She became very angry, uncooperative, and depressed.  This was multiplied a thousand times when my Father passed away five years ago from cancer.  She missed him terribly and never really recovered from his death.

My Mother refused, I mean absolutely refused to seek any medical attention.  The last time she had had any serious medical help was when she had brain surgery.  The last time that she had been to the doctor was when they took the staples out of her head from the brain surgery.

So……she was a handful.  My brother and I and Heather had all begged her many times to get a physical.  We knew that she had high blood pressure and who knows what else.

Yesterday, at about 5:00PM we received a call from my Mother’s neighbor.  She said that there were several days newspapers out front, the house was locked and she couldn’t get any response either from the doorbell or the phone.  I of course just KNEW just knew that something was terribly wrong.  It just so happened that we had all talked to her Friday.  My aunt had tried to call her Sunday and had gotten no answer but that wasn’t too unusual.   She may have gone shopping or to Wal-Mart. 

I called my brother on his cell and told him that I would meet him at mother’s house.  I didn’t want him going alone or vice versa.  Thank GOD my Hubby was with me.

My brother had a key to the house but the front glass door was locked.  NOT a good sign at all.  So he just grabbed the handle and simply ripped it off.  Only to discover that the door was bolted from the inside.  He only had a key to the other lock.  We quickly decided that we should go around back and see if we could get in that way.  We went around to the side and the gate was chained shut.  I don’t know how he did it, but he just ripped the stockade gate open.

So…….this is where it gets so horrible so so sad, I just can’t stop crying. 

We ran into the side yard, him in front, me a little behind him, and then my Hubby.  I heard my brother start yelling and cussing and then I rounded the corner into the back yard. 

My Mother was lying face down on the ground, dead.  I don’t mean to be too graphic, but this was Monday evening and we determined that she had probably been there since sometime before noon Saturday. 

No one, no one should ever have to see someone that they love like that.  It was the most horrible indescribable thing that I have ever experienced.  I saw her and just started screaming and screaming and crying and my Hubby grabbed me and hugged me against him and wouldn’t let me go any closer.  It was just beyond awful. 

We think that she had taken her dog out in the backyard to potty and then probably had either a stroke or a heart attack.  My husband assures me that she died instantly.  Her head wasn’t turned to the side.  Just straight into the ground. 

So the shock has just been unbearable for all of us.  It was so surreal to walk into her house and see everything in place, just as she had left it. 

So I beg you to just bear with me.  I actually am quite a bit better today.  It’s just that trying to make sense of something that is impossible to make sense of takes a little while to come to terms with.  We had discussed the possibility that she might just drop dead some day because she didn’t take care of herself, but for some reason I always thought that I would see some signs of deterioration in her health as a warning sign.  She had seemed just fine when we all talked to her Friday.

So here we are.  We have already begun sorting through bills and trying to figure things like that out.  With as much “stuff” as she had, we think that it will take several months to go through everything.  I tell you, the woman taught me well!  She was the queen of shopaholics!  I found probably fifteen items in her closet with the tags still on!  So onward we trudge, and I hope this story wasn’t too…..I don’t know……disturbing.  I know it sure feels good to just “get it out” as it were.  I’ve already found some wonderful family treasures that I didn’t know she even had.  I know that it will be fun to share all of my little finds with all of you as we proceed.  So just be patient!  I promise not to be a slobbering mess for too long!  I really am doing much better than I expected. 

Tomorrow we go to the funeral home.  But honestly, after what we experienced, the rest is a “cake walk” as they say.

Denise

Destinations

I’m sure that the Oklahoma Department of Tourism would NOT want me as a spokesperson.  My view of the State as a tourist destination is not too favorable.  While the people here in Oklahoma are the best to be found anywhere, the landscape is pretty blah. 

And flat……really really flat.  In fact when people visit from out of State, they usually remark that it is “really really flat here!”  HA-HA!

But of course, there have to be exceptions just about anywhere that you go.  One of those in Oklahoma is

Medicine Park/Meers area near Lawton Oklahoma. 

Hubby found these great old photos from probably the 1930’s to the 1950’s??

Quite a few of the buildings were constructed of rock and still exist today.

You can still see these cute little cottages all over the area.  Even the new construction in the area is built the same way.    How much fun would it be to decorate one of these little cuties!

Still lots of Buffalo in the area.  Especially in the wild life preserve.   These guys are pretty common place in Oklahoma so we don’t think too much of it when we see one.  Some people raise them for…….dare I say it…….Buffalo meat and of course you can see them in the wildlife preserve.   However, last year when we were In Yellowstone, people were stopping all over the place to take their pictures.

Views like these still exist.  Okay, the bathing suits have changed some!

I love this picture!

This line of tiny cottages still exist.  I think most of them are little shops or artist studios.

Can’t remember if there are too many houses left higher up in the hills.

Tepees in the area, no date on this one.

And here it is today!  It really hasn’t changed that much.  Which I think is just PERFECT!

Can you see the white bridge in the back ground of this pic.?  The same one is pictured in one of the photos above.

Here’s an example of the architecture and one of the restaurants in the area.

So if you live in Oklahoma and you have never visited Medicine Park, you really should take a day and tour the area.  It’s very pretty, especially if you are fascinated with anything that has a “vintage feel” like I am.  While you’re there, you’ll want to drive through the wild life preserve and visit Mt. Scott.  I think it may be the only Mountain in Oklahoma.  Okay, I’m exaggerating a bit, but I’m used to REAL mountains.  Like the Rockies or the Tetons!

So…..that’s my destination pick for Oklahoma. 

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Other notes of interest!………………….

We’re moving to a larger space at the Rink after the first of the month.  I am sooo excited!  We have really run out of room in our little booth and this one is open on all sides AND at the front of the store!

I have been……PAINTING……in preparation for a larger space.  I usually leave the painting to Heather, but we are in desperate need of large pieces and she just can’t keep up.

Loved this little French chest.  The top is actually a lighter cream color.

Close up detail.  Just no pattern for me!  Solid colors only!

 

This little chest would be perfect beside the bed or in an entry.  Solid black with gold hardware. 

So there you have it……I will be painting my little heart out all this next week in hopes of having some great new pieces and a new look in our NEW booth!

Denise

It’s Coming!!!!!

It’s hard to believe that it’s already time to start planning for Vanessa’s wonderful Halloween Extravaganza!   After seeing the fabulous party that she threw last year, I can hardly wait to see what she will come up with.

As for myself……I am already busy busy planning, editing pictures, and plotting my party theme.  Stay tuned! 

Be sure to join everyone October 17th for……

A Hauntingly Magical Celebration!

To find out further details, or if you wish to participate, please visit Vanessa HERE !

Denise

Another Project Completed

Another one completed.  This one was a biggie because it involved finding a solution for a problem. A loooong window area, the entire width of our bedroom with a slanted ceiling, because it was a bump-out and the ceiling follows the roof line.  Secondly, what ever design I came up with HAD to incorporate a special purchase.  Something that I purchased in Houston that has just been waiting on me to find the right place.

Here she is……………..

I saw her, I loved her, I had to have her!  This is a matchstick blind with a vintage image printed on it.  I guess it’s printed.  You seriously can’t tell.  She actually looks like she is woven into the blind.  I know she isn’t, but the printing is amazingly perfect.  So if you love vintage photos as much as I do, you know why she had to come home with me!

Problem #1…….she wasn’t quite wide enough for the window.

Problem #2……..there was a window on either side of her that HAD to have a top treatment due to the fact that we were too broke to buy custom blinds so we had to drop the blind down about a foot to make it long enough.  So the top had to be covered.  Amazingly, it doesn’t show from outside.  Probably because it’s a second story window.

Problem #3……..Did I mention……We’re broke!  What ever I came up with had to be CHEAP!

I had two chocolate burnt-out velvet panels left from one of those “it’s such a bargain I better buy every single one that they have” kind of purchases.  Problem #1 solved.

We found a board wide enough and long enough that we could cut for the other two windows.  I glued a center piece on each one, painted the board white, the center piece blue, and glazed the entire piece.  Problem#2 and 3 solved.

These turned out nicely, but they still need some other element or texture across the bottom.  I would like to find some kind of metal ornamental trim to nail or glue on.

It actually ended up looking nicer than I had envisioned.  Those are sheers from Pier One that hang on either side of the opening.  They give the area a little bit of a closed-in intimate feeling.

My chandelier and a few accessories gathered from other parts of the house.

Vintage family photos in a mail basket.

My Nanny’s jewelry box and a favorite gift from Heather on top.

Add a little whimsy.

This used to be an upstairs balcony.  We love the area, but window treatments have always been a problem.  All finished….other than the trim across the bottom!  Yippee!  Something else to shop for.  I just hope I can find it inexpensively or it’ll be staying as is for a while!

On to the next project!!!

Have a lovely day!

Denise

Black & White Sunday

I’m sure you noticed that I changed my banner.  I am soooo through with “celebrating summer!”  I am ready for some nice crisp cool autumn weather  AND Halloween!  I am so silly about Halloween!  I even have my blog design all planned and just waiting.

In the meantime, my Butterfly Bush is blooming its little head off.  Look closely and you can see the……..I THINK that it’s a little moth guy?  They’re not as big as a Hummingbird but pretty good size.

And, of course, lots of butterflies.

So hurry up Autumn…….I’m ready and waiting for that gorgeous weather!

Have a lovely Sunday everyone!

Denise

It’s Exhausting!

Yep….it’s just exhausting….all of this shopping that I MUST do, just to have something to show all of you every week!  No?  Not going for it huh?  Well…it sounded like a good excuse anyway!

But REALLY, I ask ‘ya….how could I possibly have passed these up?

I found these yummy dishes at T.J. Maxx.  That place is one of my greatest weaknesses!  Salad plates $2.99 each, dinner plates, $3.99 each.  They’re kind of a smoky black with a cream background.  A wonderful neutral color that I can see used in so many different ways.  With red for Christmas, burnt orange for autumn or Thanksgiving, hot pink or lime green for Spring or Easter.   I think that they would also be wonderful with neutrals. 

I threw these ribbons in with them and they look lovely with neutrals and taupe's.

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I found some inexpensive little goodies at the Rink this week.  My other weakness!

These sweet little vintage dolls.

They have found their way into this Vignette (for now.)

This cute little leather first aid “zip kit.”  I’m not sure what I’ll do with it, maybe put buttons in it?

These spools…..$2.50 each!  Perfect for keeping lace organized. 

A fun and decorative way to keep supplies organized.  Sort them into colors, this has really helped me.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Denise