Follow the Checkerboard

She's got plans!  He's hard at work!  And that is how the story goes!  We are in the process of creating our backyard.  Five years ago we finished Gnomeland which is our front yard and now the work has begun on the backyard.  We are hoping to have it done by the fall season.  My husband is laying the patio foundation and believe it or not we are going to have a stone patio table.  It reminds me of the Flintstones.  We never create anything close to normal because neither my husband and I fall into the category of NORMAL.

We already have a wishing well however we are going to have a corner for elves to live.  If the gnomes claim the front yard, the backyard shall house the elves and pixies...This little house reminds me so much of the houses my dad built in Once Upon a Fairyland.

 Sweet idea's inspire from the world of Pinterest.  A little rabbit door is magical and needed to keep both rabbits and fairies safe.

 We have our pups and they need a place for shelter.  I'm on the lookout for something cute just like this!  Brick steps included and of course a flower garden.

 Yesterday I came home from work and my husband had attached our first window-box.  Now all I need to do is plant it and I'll have joy every morning when I look out to the backyard.  That is one of the fun things about a window-box, it gives joy from all directions.

Today is a hard work day, laying sand and  a pathway to a fairy garden.  I always think it is quite a miracle that I married a man that thinks and creates like I do.  It makes life magical and enchanting.  Stay tuned for more photo's as the work goes on.  Have a blessed day!  Summer is coming!

Peaceful Puttering

Sometimes you move like a tornado and sometimes all you want to do is be peaceful and putter.  That is how I've been spending my early morning hours.  I've been yearning for more charm in my life so I added some whimsy candylites to my guest bathroom.  I figure poodles and roses and candylites add charm.

 I adore Pinterest and I have a pinboard under "just do it" so I'm doing it, I'm transferring boxed goods into jar goods... 

We have boldly started our backyard plans which include a Fairy Garden so I've picked up some Fairy Meadow seeds in anticipation of fairy dust, this I trust!

 Up in my Happy Room where everything is really really happy I have been reorganizing the Happy Room including my book shelf. I have been collecting my old childhood books for years.  I loved Trixie Belden books and Mary Poppins books more than all.

 Why do I love tins, and boxes and containers?  I have no idea but I like this idea thank you Pinterest for helping me!

 My Three Bears master bedroom is coming along so fine.  It is warm and cozy and I've been puttering all around in there...

 However, when the day is done, I just want to be a kid again and play in my gnome house.  I love this idea for childhood play.  I even think I could fit through the door!

Sending happiness to you, enough for the whole week long.  Hope you take time for some peaceful puttering.  It does the heart good.

Somewhere over the Rainbow of 81

One of the joys in my life is working with seniors.  Adding up all my years, I've realized I've loved working with them since my teens.  My mom would haul me down to the local nursing home often, to visit, to play bingo with them and to craft.  It's no wonder I've found myself in the role of an activity director.  There is a fancy name for an activity director now...Life Enrichment Coordinator.  But down at heart, I'm just a gal hanging out with a bunch of great senior people.  Today's post is a show and tell from our Crafts with Purpose Class.  I call it affectionately our Crafter-AFternoon.  Last week we decorated journals.  The initials you see are the initials of some of the residents children.  I made the one in the middle "Believe"

 We have a beautiful flower garden (thanks to one of the residents) out on our back patio at the assisted living.  We painted rocks for the garden.

 We crafted wreaths or their doors to celebrate the goodness and happiness of springs arrival in the Pacific Northwest.  These are foam wreaths we wrapped with yarn.  It took time but was worth the effort for sure.

 We have a Purple Society and a few ladies got together and made these for our coming event at the end of this month called "If the shoe fits, wear it!"  These will be little gifts for the ladies who attend.

 Yesterday, perhaps our favorite craft of all, we made little shoe pincushions!  They were so fun and so sweet to make and easy!

 What is next?  We plan to gather sticks and pebbles and moss and decorate picture frames.  I have been thinking this morning we should make some of these cute crafts and have a bazaar in the fall and sell them!  Now that is making crafts with purpose!  I'm thinking if we sell enough we could buy a popcorn machine for our community!  Yep...I think that's a very good idea indeed.

Loving what I do!  Thank you for your visit!  Luv, luv, luv sent!

Where have all the fun girls gone?

Good morning, I've been so sad, I've looked everywhere for you...

 Folks have said my blogroll is no longer appearing.  I've tried so hard to fix it but I can't.  I don't understand because I never follow a blog roll, I just visit blogs as I can.  Perhaps everyone is busy...

 I remember...

 when we all walked down the same road and we simply followed the...

 I wonder, was it my wacky looks that scared them away or did some smack hacker have his way and take my blog away?  The good Lord tells us to pray for our enemies so I did...

 Perhaps it was the polka-dots that made everyone flee!

 Perhaps it was the fact that it was the little men with red caps like gnomes and Smurfs...

 I'm still here!  If anyone can help me fix this blog mess I would appreciate it so much, other wise I shall disappear.

A Frog Makes a Visit from Heaven

I have to tell you what happened to me this last week!  I was feeling like I wanted to get out of the house and do something!

 I had been hanging around with some friends and we decided to go our separate ways, one friend went to the grocery store, one had to go home and take care of her mom who was ill and I decided to go to the thrift store!

 I had considered the antique mall but turned left instead and headed for the local Value Village (photo credits to Penny Lane Antique Mall) and decided I'd go to the antique mall later.

 I had been thinking of my parents all month in April for many reasons and I knew that...

 I was missing my parents even after all these years and then I had a gift straight from heaven.  There on the shelf, minding his own business but yet looking me straight in the eye was a frog!  I knew right away that my mom had painted it back in the late 1960's.  I felt love immediately!

 I turned the frog over and was not surprised to see the signature on the bottom of the frog.

 I find when you open your heart to the world around you, love surrounds you in the most magical ways.  Happy May Day!  Wishing you a magical May, yes indeed!

Jackie Meets Jasmine

Often on sunny shine days I take a walk in the neighborhood with the senior residents at my work.  We have passed by this gate many times and just recently we were invited into the owners garden.  Jasmine is a gardener who lives in a whimsical old cottage filled with charm.  Jasmine is also an artist.  She loves clay, metal and folk art. When I first saw her I connected with her immediately   Her kind eyes were wise, her hands were not pretty but dirty, the dirt kind of dirty and I liked that about her.  She welcomed us warmly.

 She did not lead us on our tour but rather she let us roam free.  Through the garden gate she made, the beginning of her story.  We passed her bay window and our eyes turned away quick.  Right smack dab in the window was her clawfoot bathtub and healthy herbs and flowers surrounded the bathtub.  We continued to the old swing, hanging from a apple tree and Peter the resident sat down for a swing.  Considering he is 86 years old, the timing was perfect.

 Our eyes were wide open, catching the magic everywhere.  I named this garden angel June in memory of my mother because this metal sculpted art reminded me of her.  We looked down, and up, there were teacups in the trees and little dragons under the tulips.  Birds were everywhere, nesting and singing...Jasmine had mentioned this was her own personal heaven on earth...

The path was all grass, one resident pushed her walker through the garden.  We passed the treehouse and the thought crossed my mind if the resident in the wheelchair could only imagine climbing the stairs to the treehouse in the air.  Birds in flight handmade by Jasmine.

 Beauty surrounded us everywhere, blown glass, the sun shone down on our heads and reflected light everywhere.  You would have thought, the fairies were hiding in there.

 These moments in time when a complete stranger makes your heart take flight and you are reminded of the goodness we have to share.

 Jasmine gave us her heart...

 And the residents and I went home and painted rocks for her garden to share...our little way of sharing our heart...

 Inspire me Jasmine, to be small and create, one flower, one path, one birdhouse and one fairy at a time...

I have more pictures from the garden to come and I have a special event to share, that will make your heart feel good.  Stay tuned to my next blog post where a frog makes a visit from heaven!
Side note!  I am hoping my blogroll is showing once again.  I have bought a great book on blogging and I'm trying hard to make my blog even better and more interesting to my readers.  Bless you all...Jackie

A Small Life for Timble

Good morning to you please meet Timble my Elf.  I'm on my way this morning to far off places, far off and beyond the safety of Gnomeland.  If you blink twice you can see my through the pink flower field on top of the fairy stump in Gnomeland (my front yard)

 I am on my way to the flower shop to visit some friends and perhaps buy a mushroom or two.  The nursery says they deliver so I may add a new front door to my casa.

 I could use some new furniture too, white wicker or bronze metal and a flower pot or two...

 They even have fairy shoes! (fairy shoes were made by my Crafter-Afternoon senior ladies!)

 Once the day is done, I will be sure to pass by Gnometown and wave on my way back home to Gnomeland.  It's a good day ahead!

Waving to you from Washington, my little corner of the big world.
Hugs from me to you, Jackie (the girl with the curls)