Miles I've Covered.......

 I helped behind the scenes for a shower-- a teensy peek: wooden forks & kraft trays for the apple cake with rum sauce.  Bamboo picks for the cheese & dried fruit.

 DIY garland and maps "stating" where the bride & groom are from.

 My grandmother, Irene passed away last week {91 years}. We drove 16 hours to a teensy town in Kansas. Kansas will never be the same again without her.  I will miss her cheery, always wanting to sit-a-spell & chat- with- me grandma. I loved her letters she wrote me, when she ran out of space she would just write all around the card then finish on the very back! :) I'm thankful I saved a very important letter from her when I moved from Ohio to California in 1994. Happy to tell you she knew Jesus Christ as her Savior.

 I spotted this old service station in one of those wee towns and wanted to packed it up and bring it back with me. I think it would be cute for a store in my yard. It even had built in cupboards. I wonder if I should've just taken those doors home?

 Metallic golds & silvers are beckoning me these days........

1. I found the very cool vintage coin purse at Sylvia's for a mere 50 cents. It's in great condition and I love the zipper opening on the bottom, an all-in-one coin purse! 2. Letterpress card in golds & blacks. 3. A delicious caramel with sea salt, a brand new company debuting soon! The proprietress is one of my customers and has very good taste. Literally.
3. Vintage pharmacy measure jars, because vintage glass is always "in"! Found at one of my favorite places to dig. 4. Paper tape from Martha Stewart.

 1. Gold $1 coin  2. My favorite pencils, Verithin in metallic gold.

 What to get the guys this year? I found these via Garret Wade and they were a steal on sale at $14.95, regular $29.95. Perfect to tuck in with this at RH. These screwdrivers are the berries. Read some fun reviews by Garret Wade customers......{Oh, I think they are pretty too!}

Real Tools for Real People
Reviewed By:	David A. (San Francisco , Ca.)
Shaped like a zeppelin , tough as a tank and worthy of building or maintaining both . One solid piece of cold hard steel runs form the tip, all the way up the shaft where it slips into your palm as though it's hardwood handle were created for your firm grip . Old school and mean looking . So tough the first time I went to use it the screw got scared and twisted itself in . Set of four , one each of six , eight , ten , and twelve inches ... depending on preference or who's measuring . History Reviewed By:  Jeff F (Clarksville, OH)  I believe these were originally made by the Irwin Tool Co., in Wilmington, OH. (Home of the infamous Irwin Auger Bit.) Subsequently sold to American Tool, then to Rubbermaid. No longer located in Wilmington, OH (near Martinsville where it all began.) These screwdrivers are real brutes. The kind of tool you want in your truck toolbox if you're stranded somewhere.

See those tiny vintage hardware parts? I'm thinking of selling them. Well, about selling things I need to take photos today as once again I'm behind even more so.

{when I get all caught up ;) this looks like an interesting book about Catherine the Great.}
xo

Fall

Thanks to my in-laws we get the monthly issues of Midwest Living......... it's a nice reminder that there really is a ton to do & see in the Midwest! An opening sentence caught my eye---

Around here, autumn creeps in like a long, slow swig of sweet tea. More balmy than brisk, fall here is perfect for hopscotching between...............

{Fall's palate shimmering in this Findings bracelet}

Cool mornings and Indian summer warm by mid-morning.........welcome to fall in the Midwest.

Progress

Graduation gift wrapped........{1 more to go, eeeek}
Strawberry shortcake with a layer of fresh whipped cream.........{yum}
My dad's 66th birthday.................{A milk bucket from his childhood, filled with soda.}
1 of 4 Clover & Bee projects we completed..........{this one is now up here!}
Last Saturday Jill & I hauled these 3 stinkers, oops I mean cuties to town...............{Luke was in heaven with these two girlies. I thought he would never calm down, he was so excited. Usually it's just mom & him.}
I came home to a laid, salvaged wood floor after shopping..................{Thanks Travis & Matt!!}

Now for sanding and putting the finish on. Really, all the fun things now---walls, bead-board ceiling, trim & decorating-- woohoo! 

I researched whitewashing for the boards to go on the walls. I'm so happy to have finally decided on this--paint, whitewash, paint.........{Whitewash it is! & thanks to those that put their 2 cents into that decision, I'm grateful!}

Darcy's coming tomorrow---the first since before her back incident. She is doing well, mobile and slowing getting into the groove of things. 

I need to clean, clean the upstairs so we can get inspired and get things done. We have been putting things off for far too long. We are working on something and fingers crossed we'll get to share with you next week.

k & d too

Visions of Sugarplums

{Iced Shortbread "birdies"}

I have a very good friend {she's 23 and hangs out with me, even though I'm 35} she has made this recipe since she was 16. I can't even remember when I was 16. She doesn't bake anything else at Christmas besides this shortbread recipe. I'm following in her footsteps. Easy directions. Easy ingredients. Easy small batch. Easy.Easy.Easy. I'm all about that. Plus they're yummy.

It's Martha Stewart's basic shortbread recipe. I think since it calls for confectioners' sugar instead of granulated makes all the difference. I also add almond flavoring in the dough and the icing---I'm a huge fan of almond flavoring.

For the icing:

3/4 cup of powdered sugar

1-2 teaspoons of almond flavoring

3 or more tablespoons of milk

Icing is slightly runny, I drizzle away over cookies and it sets up.

{The dirty "fluff" is his Snoopy baby----yes, my friends the classic Snoopy}

Luke is now 4 {December 1st} and it's fun seeing Christmas through his eyes. Soon after Thanksgiving he told me to get out the Christmas toys, he then stated---that means Jesus is born. What he meant was to get out the nativity set! Bless his little heart! 

I also love taking pictures of my sleeping kidlets.........

{Snoopy's tail is what he holds while sucking this thumb to go to sleep}

I thought you would want to know that. Just in case.

merrily,

k

1997

April 5th 1997

Yes, that's me the night before my wedding. Kasey asked so here it is......

I'm in the middle with my head to one side, because I'm tall. Oh, so wanted to be like 5'7" instead of 5'10.5"!

Sorry it's so small, that's the way it scanned in and plus didn't want you to see too close! {actually you can click the picture and if you really want to have a looky} Picture taken in my little rental house in California.

Oh, dear I went a little crazy with the red eye editing thing-y, it made some of them look like the 1980's eyeshadow craze. No, this picture was from the 90's.

hmmmmm, should dig one up of Darcy, I think her sisters would oblige promptly!

K

Celebrating 10 Years of Retail Ventures! A Contest!

{Celebrating 10 years of Creative Endeavors}

1999-2009

Marks the time between us, we have either had stores or have helped others in their retail ventures. So many stories, faces and memories. What a grand adventure! Yes, times flies when you're having fun.

Top ones

Kara: Crossing the Oakland Bay bridge to get to the Flower Market at 3:30am. Sharp. To beat rush hour traffic to bring back fresh garlands, wreaths {at Christmas}& plants. Then run the store all day. We lived 1.5 hours from San Fran.

Darcy & I: Getting stuck in the Chicago Gift market {at an off gift show} in the stair well soon after 9/11 and it was weird. Very weird.

Kara: Opening a store in CA with very little money and being incredibly blessed that first year. {man, those economic times were different!}

Darcy: Seeing her husband pound her store sign in the ground.

Kara & Darcy: Taking the BUS instead of the taxi from La Guardia to Manhattan. We still laugh at this one. Hey, it said 20 minutes on the Internet. Try 2.5 hours. OK, really don't laugh too hard at us.

Darcy & Kara: Schlepping on the "long blocks" in NYC in the rain. We literally were drowned rats when we arrived at the Javitz Center. {When people say "oh, it's just right up the way....it could mean a looooooooooong way!}

Kara: Hauling furniture out of the bay area......I used to know how to tie trucker's knots. Now that I'm almost 35 I would be scared to death to do what I used to do. Bizarre, hauling furniture out of warehouses in Oakland and going to San Fran with a trailer. eek. Good thing I never had to back a trailer ever. I would be in trouble. Big trouble.

Darcy & Kara: Granville........lots of coffee. Fun times. Amy Butler's home & studio.

Darcy: Sliding on a stack of tissue paper that Kara had left on the floor. She was carrying an cast iron urn and caught it and the item that flew out of the urn landed back into the urn. ---Somehow Darcy missed the glass topped coffee table and caught that urn. {she's a whiz}

Kara & Darcy: Driving to Atlanta and stopping at all these fun antique stores on the way home.

No kids. Pure bliss.

Kara: Paris & Brussels 2000. Time to go back. Darcy needs to go too. Hmmmmmm. It's been way to long. Vanves flea market. Fabric stores. Crossiants. Interesting people. Meeting a vendor for lunch. People taking pictures of my prayer covering. Not kidding, I had people turn me around and snap away.

Kara & Darcy: McMaster & Storm Brick & Mortar storefront.

Kara & Darcy: The countless vendors we have done business with for 10 years, this leads to something we're giving away. It's been a favorite of ours for 10 years and it's yours if you just post! BUT, we want feedback: a comment of what you would like to see us do, a complaint {we want to know} so have at it. OK, try to be somewhat nice.

We want to keep the giveaway a surprise. Yes, it will be at the Country Living Fair! We're keeping everything under wraps until after the fair and we'll post pics. Also, a lot of the products will be available online after the fair. It's time to update our website for sure. {yes, we know everyone's emailing about this}

Some of you will be traveling from far away to the show.........have a safe trip and we'll see you there. Tent space #108, same area as last year. Next week. YIKES!

Thanks for celebrating with us!

Kara + Darcy

Parties, Picnics & Fairy Rings

Darcy's picnic for her family {& no, this was not staged for a blog post. she is just that inspiring}
Pink lemonade perfect in every way.........
Fairy ring a nature phenomenon made by God, a ring of toad stools popped up in Darcy's yard.......
Stand in the circle and make a wish..............
close up of perfect toad stools.......aren't they cute...........
Party ahead! Teague and McKell's Circus party................
Prizes.............
Kid Tatoos..........a sweet client..........
Happy Birthday Teague & McKell..............

a summer-y weekend to you

pictures from summer 2007............peeking back.............

Dining Al Fresco

{Kip & Matt}

After a friends graduation ceremony {ok, ok we left as soon as Dale's name was mentioned and he was handed his diploma}! Anyway we headed to Milano's in Dayton for some pizza. A casual evening out. I {Kara} is practicing with my new point & shoot camera. Nothing fancy, a Nikon Cool Pix, trying to figure out the anti-jiggle mode. As you see some are blurry and some are clear. I have a lot to learn.

I'm not technical, where as Darcy can change her own headlights on her car. I think she has even replaced an engine or something major in their lawnmower. If there's a will there's a way for Darcy. When we had our shop I would waltz into the store and she would be dangling from the ceiling re-wiring something or other.

{Luke}

{serious jiggling here}

{still blurry}

{I pushed the right button...it's clear}

Anyway sorry for this post, I just thought it was fun to have normal, everyday pictures, even the not so perfect ones!

Chubba-Wubba Baby Zach

{Zach 4 months}

& ta-da he sleeps through the night!

And She Was.........

a little birdie told me....

"you will soon be 12".........

so I twirled and swirled in the meadow.........

let's climb the mossy woodland hill........

sweetly I step.........

lovely woodland discoveries......

let me have a closer look........

I took my "growing-up-too-fast" daughter for some photo shoots on Saturday. We had a ball just being spontaneous........

I let McKell edit her own pics, {with a tad bit of help} she loved doing this. She is 11 going on 12 in a few months. Wow, we must enjoy every sweet moment and let the times together be well loved. Enjoy every moment as youth will be a distant whisper someday.....

Love,

Darcy