Christmas Roses

I'm pretty sure my family and friends on my private Facebook page are tired of me posting this same thing every major holiday but I just can't help it.

Christmas morning we went out into our backyard and the rosebush my husband's grandmother plannted more than 30 years ago was in full bloom again. I am so excited that every holiday, no matter what time of year, this beautiful bush of pink roses greets us with a floral display. It's kind of like those who have passed away are wanting to remind us that they are still in our hearts.

This poor plant hasn't been cared for properly in many years. My father-in-law was content to let it gow wild and it has held up under a variety of winter freezes, droughts, hurricanes and so much more. I want to prune it and give it a little TLC (tender loving care), but I am scared if I do that it won't bloom yearround like it has been since before we inherited the house in 2008.

Any suggestions or advice?? I have no experience whatsoever with plants. In fact, I am a bit of a plant-nemisis, but I really want this one to be its best. Should I leave it be or do a little work?

Until our next cup of tea ...

Tote-ally Out of Control!

So I finally had time to sit down and play with the sewing & embroidery machine that my husband got me for Christmas. Well, actually, I've been sewing on it sporatically for the past 10 months (as I can fit in now that the baby is getting more mobile.)

Well, I'd only been able to try out the embroidery part once before and I couldn't figure out why the tension was too loose causing big loops during stitching. When my mom came to visit in August she looked it over and I learned I was using the wrong thread weight. Whew! That's an easy fix!

Well, I'm finally getting around to trying it again and "Voila!" it worked! I was embroidering like a fool the last three last night!a Anything I could get my hands on. I actually "destroyed" a neatly organized and color coded bin of fabric looking for anything to embroider on! Unfortunately, I ony had one bobbin left and filled it with the orange I wanted to use for Baby Geo's Halloween tote, so Halloween orange it was!

First I practiced a little and then did a Halloween towel for the kitchen ...



It turned out so cute I got started ... I made his tote, then me a tote, and since I had more orange floss left ... I made a Halloween tote for his godmother & aunt, Mindy. (Since she doesn't visit thie blog I can post it. We surprise her with it tomorrow!) Here they are ...

Baby Geo's Halloween bag

My Halloween "boo" bag

(front)



(back)

Aunt Mimi's Halloween tiny tote (front & back)

I had so much fun, I looked through my fabric bin and decided to make myself the every day tote I'd been planning but never found time for. I got to play around with some decorative stitches and created a one-of-a-kind pink and chocolate tote, measuring just over 16 inches wide and just shy of 16 inches tall. What do you think?





I have a little "perfecting" to do on the tote, but once I get it figured out I think I'll make one for Mindy and my niece Stepha, my mini-me, for Christmas. I'll post pics when I do.

Until our next cup of tea ...

A Holiday Rose

We have so much to do to finish clearing my father-in-law's house before visiting Family them heading back home to Army Life this weekend, but I wanted to share this with you.

This post will be short and sweet, but it seemd so appropriate for Thanksgiving. This rose reminds me so much of Fall each time I see it I think of how beautiful life is regardless of whether it is cheery and bright or dark and sad. This rose, in all its beauty, was part of a floral arrangement for Dad's funeral. (It's actually a very deep golden yellow and vivid orange.) Beautiful yet sad. But I chose not to dwell on the sadness, but rather the celebration of his life, just as this rose lives on in ths photo, so does Dad live on in our hearts. I'm sure the holidays will be hard for us as well face them so close to losing him, but George and I are thankful we have each other.

Until our next visit ...

Photographic Florals

I love everything rose ... some of my first projects as a photography student were of roses. No matter how many times I've photographed these beutiful flowers, I never seem to get tired of it. In fact, some have been featured in gallery showings and the installation newspaper. Many of my teacups have roses too, but that is a story for another post.

Today I want to share some of my floral photography. There are a variety of gardens and such near the installation that I visit. I haven't been but plan to visit the American Rose Society Rose Garden in Shreveport, LA. But until then, here is one of my favorites ...

This is a photograph of roses that my husband got me for my 29th birthday (or as I like to say the 7th anniversary of my 22nd birthday!)



I changed them a little using Photoshop, as you can see here, there are actually red. Ah, but I do love pink ...

More of my natural photography can be seen here and here.

Remember to take time to smell the roses!

Until our next visit ...