GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.17 {2016}

4.16.16 ~ SHOWER for BABY BEE

BABY SHOWERS are thoughtful, social, & emotional!

SLE's shower was NO exception! While working with my mom, daughter, niece, sister & sister-in-law, it was ALL about thoughtful details. The mother-to-be didn't want a "themed" event, but agreed on greens & yellows. Once the event was in full swing, it was ALL about the social aspect of visiting, eating, playing games, and presents. I hadn't anticipated that I would be so emotional the week following the party!!

SLE told me on the way to LAX (to catch her flight to Washington DC), she "didn't want the party to end!" YEA!!! it was a G.R.E.A.T. success! 

I wish we had taken more pictures of family... urrgh!

Friday, JPE & I met friends for dinner at the Olde Port Inn, Avila Beach. Great conversation, tasty food (although, expensive) & a beautiful evening...

a RANDOM picture of our walk on the pier. We never take for granted that we live in a beautiful community!

Several days before the shower, I scheduled some time to teach Katie to use a sewing machine. She's at that age where she's expanding her creative interests!

Some of the handmade gifts... Katie sewed five burp pads (bottom left)... Nana/Gigi made the baby quilt... Auntie Allie knit the mint green hat & purple headband! the monkey first appeared on this blog a few weeks ago. Auntie Janene (top picture) did all the table decorations for the party! & I know Baby Bee will be getting a handmade gift from Auntie Stacy... Welcome to the FUN club, Katie!!

posting with Tamar at Random-osity

Flying to Washington DC tomorrow!

catch me here, or on Instagram!!

WEEKEND WANDERINGS {CAMBRIA PINES}

Cambria Pines Lodge, Cambria, CA

I think I need to "pin" this so I can duplicate it
in my garden!

WOW! love this bedroom!

be careful! 

let's go check out the POOL now!

still following along?

ummm... this is an awfully small pool house...

the pool was closed for the winter!

well, it's time to head back to the car...

hope you enjoyed this magical visit??

website for Cambria Pines Lodge

(pssst... this was sort of a silly way to be able to post some of my pictures)

posting w: SUNDAYS IN MY CITY & WEEKEND TRAVEL INSPIRATION.

ORANGE, ROUND, SCARY...

Winchester, VA ~ pumpkin patch
"curly vine & visiting spider"

Fredericksburg, VA
"colonial skeletons, webs & spiders"

Fredericksburg, VA ~ decorating contest
"If she'd ONLY had a BRAIN"

Fredericksburg, VA
"a splash of fall colors + Halloween decor"

Fredericksburg, VA
Mary Washington's House
{mother of George} 
simple pumpkin & PicMonkey enhancements

remembering... reflecting
Fall Colors Trip

BLUE... SPRAY-PAINT-SATURDAY!

LOVE the detail on this clay pot, but it needs some color

to give it some pizzaz!

Looked through my stash of spray paint & remembered I had selected this color for another project --- a year ago! 

Don't ya LOVE the blue dirt!!?

and, how about the blue bricks lifting the pot off the ground?

Actually, I do think the addition of color has made

the scallops really "POP". What do you think?

AND, I also applied a "textured paint" to the square ceramic pot! It was the end of the can... actually, an experiment to see if the paint would keep the pot from crumbling into pieces. 

This pot is not in good condition... it's pretty awful, so the fact that it looks decent with just a quick spray is good enough for me to consider buying another can of paint to finish the project. 

We're planning to set both of these in the front planter & fill with some annuals or ??? something that can thrive on shade, with a touch of afternoon sun.

Oh, AND, in the background --- check out the chair frames I repainted. I found a piece of fabric to recover the seats, so out came the spray paint to give the frames a NEW LOOK.

This project is completed --- I've even used the chairs... will try to remember to take pictures of the completed chair reno!

UPCYCLE - RECYCLE

{to reuse in such a way as to create a product
of a higher quality or value than the original}

WILL YOU WANT THIS BACK?

My BIL {brother-in-law, BD}
was getting rid of this adorable wire stand!

Of course, I couldn't pass up digging it out of his trash pile

{he kept the other one, I think}... 

Sorry... I don't have a before picture of the "rusty wire look"...

last Sunday, I spray painted it a color called "FOSSIL"
{used a Rustoleum product}...

but, it still needed some pizzazzz!

I decided to use this paint pen...

NOT cheap... just under $5.

ONE coat of paint!

Coat number TWO!

Still need to paint the center!

{use this paint pen outside - it MAY drip}

the "home" for this 

MAGAZINE RACK is our bedroom!

OKAY, BD or SD,

are you going to ask for this MAGAZINE RACK back, NOW?

sorry for the quality of light!

OH... I spray painted the lamp base last weekend too!

Gotta LOVE spray paint!!

Rustoleum-Hammered in Dark Bronze.

Looking for a footstool or poof
{LOVE this ONE! a color can't be requested; recycled fabrics are used}
& new fabric for the chair! 

The kitchen smells yummy!

JPE is "putting up" apricot jam (5 quarts)!

MOM, it's time for JPE's scones!

Hop the train!

We're headed to a retirement party for my

soon-to-be ex-Assistant Superintendent!

PHOTO-HEART CONNECTION: JUNE 2012

BIG SUR - JUNE 2012

I'm participating in Kat's monthly Photo-Heart Connection! 

This activity asks you to review your previous month's photos & select one that tugs at your heart, or whatever reason.

No problem... this photo was taken during a quick trip to BIG SUR, on the first Friday in June. The trip came at a great time... following a rather intensive work schedule... JPE & I decided to take our house guests (cousins from Ohio) for a drive up the coast of California.

This photo of an Adironack chair, sitting along the edge of the Big Sur River, at the Big Sur River Inn,  triggers various emotions & senses! 

BIG SUR is AHHH! MAZING....

BREATH-TAKING SIGHTS

nothing beats sitting on the bluff 

at Andrew Molera State Park.

You can watch the waves crash on the beach

& with a slight turn of your head,

see the beautiful evergreens

dotting the landscape of the coastal hills.

RELAXATION

in less than a two hour drive, we can be dipping

our toes in the chilly mountain water

& soaking up the afternoon sun...

camping, hiking, riding bikes,

cooking outdoors, reading, napping...

can you name a better way to relax

& let your troubles slip away?

TREASURED TIMES

JPE & I were married on the sliver of a bluff overhang... 

we've camped with ACE & LYDIA...

& shared our favorite sites

(Andrew Molera State Park, Big Sur Lighthouse,

Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground,

Plaskett Creek Campground, 

Treebones & Nepenthe)

with family & friends...

CRISP, CLEAN MOUNTAIN & COASTAL AIR

AHHH!!!

nothing beats a get-away

to BIG SUR!

AMAZING!!

which reminds me!

JPE & I are leaving for a trip to PERU,

this coming Monday.

...we're taking a netbook, but will be

without internet connections for several days

(especially while we are staying in the Amazon rain forest;

in fact, we've been told the lodge rooms do NOT have electricity).

So... tomorrow, we'll devote our day to:

picking up our Rx's

(malaria & antibiotics + various over-the-counter stuff)

purchasing DEET

(mosquito repellant)

packing & weighing our bag

(limited to one bag & a day pack)

working on "lightening our load"

(hand-washable clothing is lightweight)

completing some advance reading

(about Machu Picchu, Lima, Cuzco, Iquitos)

Should I share my packing list?

TAKE A SEAT...

I COLLECT CHAIRS... 

But, this one isn't mine.

I bought this tiny ceramic chair for my mom...

a Mother's Day or birthday gift

(I don't remember because

they are within a week of each other).

One of a kind artwork! 

Adorable isn't it??

CLICK HERE to see a CHAIR from my collection.

See if you can find the CHAIR in this post??

(hint: it's in two photos! although one is blurry).

Do you BUY gifts

that you'd like to keep for yourself?

Mom's CHAIR is one of those GIFTS

I would have wanted to keep!

But... it's one of a kind!!!

IT'S COMING...

pic taken 3.11.12

I've MISSED it...

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY!

JPE & I spent the WEEKEND, OUTSIDE

 tidying the back & patio areas...

(trimming & raking)

taking care of the roses... 

(weeding & mulching)

moving dirt...

(the ground was damp, so the shovels just slipped

into the dirt "like a knife into butter")

JPE also had a lot computer work...

SO, I...

pic taken 3.11.12 @ 5:00pm

carried the Adirondack chairs into the backyard...

sanded & wiped down the wood...

and sprayed the first chair... 

"OREGANO"

(love the color)

One chair down ~ another to go!!!

HAVE A FABULOUS MONDAY?!!

Oh ~ the "little guy" in the first picture was part of my 

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

post...

the one I didn't finish!

WEATHER?? OR NOT!

I COLLECT CHAIRS...
red chair in the laundry room

The WEATHER is on everyone's mind these days... those in Seattle {like cousin, Sue} are buried in SNOW that is not-their-normal January WEATHER... 


WEATHER on the Central Coast of California ~ our morning are brrr! chilly! which is high 30's (F)... RAIN is predicted for later this week {which would be a welcome change ~ need some moisture to "green-up" the hillsides}...


SLE's WEATHER in Washington DC is sunny, chilly with a slight smattering of clouds... I wonder, does SEA-BASS wear a raincoat?


ACE {who lives 40 minutes south of San Francisco} is due for some RAIN. Hopefully, it will start after school is out at 2:30! RAINY day schedule with 23 five year olds can be exhausting!


Our Cincinnati family should have SNOW flurries with daytime temps in the mid-30's & a low of 18 at night!


Mom {& So California family} are experiencing sunny days, with a slight chill {chilly to them is anything below 68 degrees F} ~ they'll have to exchange their shorts for jeans & pull on a sweatshirt... maybe change out their flip-flops??


Some of my blogger friends who've posted about WEATHER today: 

Jaci @ BLUE CHINA STUDIO

Marzia @ MAKE EACH DAY COUNT

Kat @ KAT EYE STUDIO

Deborah @ LEARNING AS I GO

Perhaps I should have pursued a career as a... WEATHER-GIRL {ohhh-not the kind on TV! no! no!}?? NOPE - I wish I had pursued a career in ARCHITECTURE ~ love house plans {the paper kind}; but, I'm NOT good at manipulating numbers!


What's your favorite type of WEATHER? & why?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 12.4.11

my knit stocking ~ pic taken 12.4.11

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY ~~~ wanna participate? there's still time to take pictures & post them in the next two days!

Interested??? the words are: Portrait, Nostalgic, Time, Full of Light, & Motion. 

Had to pull one out of the photo archives... my "fave" PORTRAIT of Lydia ~ taken in July on her 8th birthday!

My hand-knit stocking... of course, I had to share my Christmas stocking ~ truly NOSTALGIC... (Mom knit this for my "first Christmas")

JPE left for OHIO this morning! the TIME? we got up at 3am to drive to Santa Barbara Airport!

Driving through AG (our hometown), I noticed one of the store windows was FULL OF LIGHT... a snowman!

"D" swinging a red lantern. A gift in MOTION.

Don't forget ~ you can check the other participating bloggers HERE.

Plan to join us! the words for Sunday 12.11.11 are:
Less is More, Holiday Lights, Ornaments, Cup of Cheer, & Nativity.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY!

KEW GARDENS ~ London, England

Looking for a photo challenge, I ran across SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY (several of my "fave" bloggers participate --- KAT, KAY & ASHLEY). Ashley blogs at RAMBLINGS & PHOTOS... if you care to participate in SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY, click on the link at the top of her blog. I've copied the rules directly from Ashley's blog...

The rules are simple: 

1. Anyone can participate.
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. Creativity is also encouraged!
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive (although I'm not too strict about it - I do my best to take fresh shots).
4. Link up here on Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above. I've added the button to the column on the right!
5. Leave comments for at least five entries around yours (we have so many new participants each week, this is the only way I know to be inclusive).
6. Have fun!

Pictures for this week:  Inspired by a Book or Movie, Brown, Hazy, Coffee or Tea, and Linger

:: INSPIRED BY A BOOK OR MOVIE ::

Have you seen the movie, MONEYBALL? it's currently playing in theaters & stars Brad Pitt, as the General Manager (Billy Beane) for the Oakland A's baseball team. Even if baseball is not your sport-of-choice, this movie is a "feel-good" movie. 

:: BROWN ::

Seed pod exhibit... the seed pod (at the top of post) was fairly tall - intriguing exhibit of man-made pods at Kew Garden...

:: HAZY ::

Final walk around the campground... a foggy, hazy, damp morning at Plaskett Creek, Big Sur, located on the coastline of California. Most summer days start out hazy... NOT all SUNSHINE!! (many people not familiar with the weather along California beaches, are surprised to find our summers are often chilly & damp).

:: COFFEE OR TEA ::

When in London, of course you have to drink TEA... even if you are a coffee drinker! Our London holiday included a visit to Kew Gardens ~ after wandering the gardens, seeing a butterfly exhibit, the seed pod exhibit, we ended our day with a "cuppa & scone" ~~~ YUMMY! 

:: LINGER ::

Pretty flowers + cafe chairs = a PLACE to LINGER! the flowers don't even need to be fragrant, nor the chairs soft & cushy, or in a secluded spot.... but, someplace that allows my mind to wander, enjoy the sounds of birds, water, or people chatting ~~~ and lingering also includes a journal, pens, book or playing with my camera + a cup of tea.... 

I hope you've enjoyed spending some time here? I've enjoyed putting together this photo montage for SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY!

Leave me a comment about your favorite place to :: LINGER :: or a link to your blog if you are participating in this week's hunt.

Please note: these photos were "scavenged" from my photo library - four have never been posted on my blog... I really "fudged" (see rule #3), but I wanted to participate!