Tuesday, July 9, 2024

A Man and His Dollies...And I Ran out of Walls so Now I am Decorating my Fences!

Sunday was a good day for both of us.
Hurricane Beryl brought us cooler temps and some rain which made it possible for Louis Dean to go outside and play.


He is always looking for a project and has the need to DO and ACCOMPLISH things.
We have outdoor storage buildings and deck boxes and that's where he keeps all his 'debris' and I have two storage buildings and several deck boxes where I keep MY debris!

Back in his school teacher days he put on a play - How the Grinch Stole Christmas - back before it had gained popularity. He often quotes lines from the story line his wife Ellen wrote. They were both school teachers and shared such a beautiful life together for 41 years. He signed them up for college after he was discharged from the army - and those were some of the best years of his life.

So over coffee on Sunday morning he said, "The Grinch had an idea!"


This storage building is my Christmas house holding many of my decorations.
He proposed to enlarge the flower bed next to it out a few feet and make a garden plot.
I agreed and he set to work!
He came in when the sun was burning down and then went back out later!


Everything in our house gets cleaned at least once a year!


His doll collection is his pride and joy and we cleaned every shelf and dusted every doll and relocated them so they all get attention.
We put all his family Karate gees together on the bottom shelf of cabinet #1.
The odd and end dolls - some mine - some his went on the shelf above.


Making his Oriental collection center stage.


He does love his dolls!
Especially the Little House on the Prairie ones.

He went back outside to do his yard work and I did my 'therapy.'
My home is high maintenence - but it's worth it to me.


Our cats think wreathes are good resting spots!

Keeping with my tradition of doing Christmas in July - I worked on the Santa couple I am painting for our friend who graciously allows us to use his mountain cabin!


I hope to have it all ready to gift him by the first of August.

We woke up to rain on Monday and even cooler temps!
Louis Dean not only played in the dirt but the MUD, too!

I have deep cleaned the den, foyer, and living room and moved on to the laundry room.


Louis Dean likes to sort things so I asked him to organize my pantry a few months ago.
***Note to Self***
Don't do THAT again.
NOw I have put things back where I can find them!


What made sense to him did not make sense to me so I am back to knowing what and where things are.
(Since then I had added vinyl place mats to the shelves and it looks so pretty! I have put them in my fridge as well - makes it easier to clean since I am short and can just pull the place mat out and take it to the sink instead of climbing up on a step ladder!)


My first born granddaughter, Faith, requested a Santa painting for her birthday and I based it all in - except for the SANTA! Instead of the red suit - she chose a beautiful green one - making this a truly unique painting.

Today was Tuesday Treasues With Brenda and I left Louis Dean taking a nap this afternoon.


When I got home I saw this line of overalls he had washed in the bathtub!
You know what? If it makes him happy and doesn't hurt anything - why not??
I will run them through my routine laundry and he will never know - however he felt GOOD about washing them!

So I met up with Brenda at Texas Thrift along about 1:00....Tuesday is my favorite day of the week and I know I will find at least a few treasures but - even more important - I will get to visit with my best friend. I think Brenda is extra special to me since she is my very first best friend.


She was over in the lady's top section searching for Chico's.
She has an eye for brands.
She spied this one for me and I put it right in my basket!
I'm thinking it will go with a blue and white 'skort' I bought a week or three ago!


I love thes outdoor candle stands from Pier 1!
Louis Dean and I both think they will look like new if we spray paint them with out favorite - Kono Brown!


I love this beautiful peach sparkly necklace....and cute light weight earrings - NOT to be worn together!


I love a good book and ran into a Thrifting Sister at Texas Thrift and we admired each other's treasures!
Judy was the very first person I told about Amber expecting quads.
She is an avid gardener and I have many plants she has gifted me starts from.
That's not a proper sentence but you know what I mean!


Our dear friends, Dean and Lynn Baron, gave us their beautiful outdoor table and chairs when they moved to Florida some years ago now. We have enjoyed sitting out on the driveway and spent many an hour in these chairs. The backs had begun to show wear and today Brenda spotted three chair back covers. I snapped them right up. Next week we will lookk for a fourth - just in case they didn't put them all out at the same time.
I will need to slit the sides to pull them down all the way but what a blessing to find these!


A gold threaded round tablecloth and a pretty rug!


I'm going to love this beautiful black top! So elegant!


This is a Joan Rivers brand and my mother would have called it a Moo Moo!
Remember those???
It was made for a taller lady but I can so whack it off to fir me!


I'm a sucker for pillows and love the French writing. 
It pairs well with another one I have.


I close tonight's journal entry with this special Tuesday treasure.

I have decorated all my walls so now I am decorating my fences outside the kitchen deck!!

You know what my motto for life is???

More is always better!!!
At least for ME!!

Thank you all, my dear friends, for being such a source of encouragement to my heart. I try to stay real and honest as this is my online journal and I truly do think God wants me to share my journey.
Sometimes I feel fragile and vulnerable and other times - like today - I feel like I have renewed strength and purpose.
Love and prayers for all who read my words......
I do love you.


15 comments:

  1. You just have such a wonderful attitude, about EVERYTHING!! My favorites are the pillow and the shades of blue top. I had thought you do not have pierced ears? Maybe that was a different blogger.

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  2. Keep looking to Jesus! He’s our source!
    I love the look of LD’s overalls all hung out together like that. You found some treasure at the thrift!
    Friends are precious gifts.

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  3. Love you, sweetie! You inspire me so much;I enjoy reading your life!

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  4. Fences need love, too!

    Ed's arm looks just awful -- it's swollen and bruised purple from wrist to shoulder. I'm amazed it doesn't hurt more. Nothing broken -- he went and got it x-rayed this morning. It's ( his falling), really got me worried! Please pray for him!πŸ™πŸ’“

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  5. Good morning, Linda. I have been reading your blog for a long time now but have never commented. Sometimes I think how amazing it is that I've grown to love you and Louis and your children and you don't know I exist. That's okay because Jesus does and He gave you as a gift to me. I want you to know I pray for you and Louis often. Our journey on this earth is just the beginning of forever. I'm so glad I get to share in yours. You are never alone.
    Kathe

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    1. I’m so happy to meet you, Kathe! I would love to get to know you better! Are you on Facebook by any chance? I don’t have an email address to write to you personally…I’m at artlady1948@gmail.com
      I would love to hear from you!
      Linda C

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  6. that doll collection is something. I am so glad I married Bob who collects nothng other than junk in the garage. you already know my mantra is less is better, the opposite of your more is better. the good thing is, all you have collected is good for both of you and gives you things to do and also to enjoy. i am always amazed at what you find in the thrift stores. truly amazed. i wear mumus in the house all day every day

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  7. Linda, your ending personal note touched my heart so much.
    I don't know where I would be without my blogging friends. All of your comments make me feel loved and God's "got this"...
    Your home is a Treasure Chest of beautiful things and cherished memories.
    I do so love Louis Dean's doll collection. the Lucy and Rickey dolls are so cute.
    Could you sometime show the Little House on the Prairie dolls. I would love to see them up close.
    Bless LD and his overalls...He is a Prize.
    (((hugs)))
    Sue

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  8. You started with that doll collection - it is sure something else. I didn't know you were both collectors. I have to be honest I collect very little and now that we moved am collecting even less because if we move again, I have to pack it. Less is better for me - opposite of your more is better.

    The good thing is, that we all love each other and can be totally different.
    I love to look at all your collections! It is good for you. Gives you things to do and friends to do it with.

    I never go thrifting either - I always mean to do that. house

    I wear house dresses in the house all day every day.

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  9. Well we love you. I do anyway. Love the flower garden idea but then I thought he was gonna have you paint the Grinch on the shed. He could smell the flowers. That was so sweet of LD washing his overalls and by hand. I never knew about the dolls. That's pretty cool. Glad he allowed some of your babies to join his.
    David better not organize my panty. LOL

    Hugs
    Carla

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  10. Linda, as so many of your blogger friends have already said is what's in my heart too. I will keep it short....but you are a TREASURE, and your ability to share you life, the good, bad and difficult is a blessing and treasure to all of us that follow you.

    Every picture, every word was a joy to read and re-read!!

    Love you to the moon and way beyond!

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  11. I'm so glad that you posted about your storage buildings because I've often wondered where you keep your out-of-season things. And I love that you have His and Hers storage.
    Your pantry is huge!! Funny how you had to reorganize it after LD rearranged things.
    I love thrifting although I've had to quit. I enjoy seeing your special finds.
    Take care, keep enjoying lifeπŸ’—.

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  12. Linda, the reasons you are so beloved by your family, friends and fellow bloggers are many, but foremost is that you are a very special person who cares deeply and from the heart. You have many friends in the blog world, including myself and while I may not comment on every post, I always read them and appreciate that you share your life here. Your joint doll collections are amazing and maybe one day you will share how LD and yourself got started collecting. The Mr & Mrs SC painting looks wonderful and what a special gift!

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