We're home quick enough to drop off Emma's best friend, check on the gardens and head back to the Lake MI cottage. While we were temporarily home, I couldn't stay away from the computer. This being unplugged thing is really hard. Don't tell Chris.
Here are just a few of my favorite pictures.
The infamous cottage.
Taking Josie on her first sand dune ride
Loving our own private beach!!
I'll be back later this week. I can't wait to catch up with everyone. PS. I've managed to hit five different antique stores while we've been gone. These paper lanterns are my favorite purchase so far.
Yes. I could definitely get used to my summer's off.
We are heading out for our annual week-long vacation and I'm looking forward to some much needed rest and relaxation.
It will be our 8th year returning to this Lake MI cottage.
Although we take our chances on the water temps, nothing beats the waves and the sunsets.
Our view each evening is just lovely.
Aside from digging in the sand, Chris and I will spend the week playing board games with the girls, attempting to fish at a smaller inland lake nearby, reading lots of books, and indulging in lots of yummy food & drinks. You can bet that I'll also be sneaking in some shopping at a few of my favorite antique stores too!!
We have absolutely ZERO cell phone or internet access at the cottage.Those bars just don't want to light up at the top of the sand dunes, so it forces me to be completely unplugged.
The cottage is just shy of 70 minutes, which makes it nice for quick trips home to water the plants and retrieve Emma's best friend for overnight visits.
I can hardly wait!
Be good. Don't have too much fun without me. I'll miss you.
We lost significant trees around our garden. Chris spent Wednesday rebuilding the fencing and clearing trees. We're missing one tree that framed the treehouse deck, but it could have been much worse. The garden took the brunt of the storm.
When we were in Detroit visiting family recently, Chris noticed a garage sale going on down the street from his parent's home. I spotted these washboards and thought they would make a nice addition to our laundry room.
He added picture hooks to the back of the washboards and hung them on the laundry room wall for me. I really liked them, but it felt like I needed something more to go with them.
I dug through my stash of vintage doll dresses in my craft room (you probably will recognize one of them from my blog banner) and attached a few of my favorite ones onto the washboards with string and clothes pins.
I added a framed print of a little girl ironing from Round the Mulberry Bush by Marion McNeil illustrated by one of my favorite children's illustrators, Fern Bisel Peat (copyright 1933).
By the way, this book is about a playhouse that was built for two little girls. I've owned the book for several years (way before the girl's treehouse became a reality).
The woman that sold the washboards to us, said they used to be her mother's and she remembers helping her mother with the weekly laundry. I promised her that they had found a good home.
A few weeks ago, my blogging friend Vivian organized a patriotic ornament swap. We each made six. One to keep and five to send. This vintage bingo card is the ornament I made.
The rest of my ornaments arrived Monday.
Aren't they lovely?
Thank you ladies, your items are just a delightful addition to my patriotic tree! One of the best parts of participating in a crafty/art swap is making new online friends. If you would like to check out these creative artists and their lovely blogs, you can find them at: http://buckscountyfolkart.blogspot.com/
Vivian has a quick tutorial on her blog with tips for making these cupcakes here.
With all my new red, white & blue items, I quickly got to work transforming Josie's superhero tree into a patriotic tree. I made the star ornaments last year using vintage postcard images, crepe paper and a touch of glitter.
I found these birds last summer when we were on vacation at a local thrift store. Super gaudy, but I love them!!
Here are a few more red, white & blue decorations that I have on display on top of my dish hutch.
I love these American Bisque salt & pepper bears & jam jar.
I picked up these bottle brush trees while on last summer in Pentwater.
The paper lanterns are currently at the Dollar Tree. I added the tassels and hung them from our chandelier.
Have I mentioned that I love to decorate for ALL holidays? See I really do use that tree all year long!!
On Thursday, Lee from Small Enchantments (and her husband John) came to our house for a treehouse tour. If you haven't been to Lee's blog, you must. She and my mother have been good friends for years. They share a special interest in miniatures and Lee's been known to scout out new antique stores and give me a heads-up. She is also equally passionate about Halloween (another one of my favorite holidays).
Just look at what she brought the girls!
Isn't this fairy door the sweetest thing ever?
The fairies now have a special entrance into the treehouse. Thank you, Lee. We had such a good time sharing our treehouse with you & your husband.
Speaking of doors, Chris spent Father's day making a special gate into our wooded garden.
He just so happened to have a new Father's day drill that needed testing and a few extra pieces of lumber laying around.
In 2008, we traveled to China to adopt a toddler who needed
heart surgery for Tetralogy of Fallot and hand surgery to remove an extra thumb. I'm always happy to share our experience with SN adoption. When I'm not at work, you might find me at an thrift/antique store or estate sale. I also love to sneak in a craft project and decorate our multiple dollhouses with my girls.
Come play with me!
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In 2008, we went to the Jiangxi Province to adopt a little girl who needed open-heart surgery for Tetralogy of Fallot and hand surgery to remove an extra thumb. I'm always happy to share our experience with a SN adoption with others.
When I'm home from work, I love to sneak in a weekly craft project or a trip to my favorite antique/thrift stores. Come play with me!
Taking Josie on her first sand dune ride
Loving our own private beach!!
I'll be back later this week.
Yes. I could definitely get used to my summer's off.
Although we take our chances on the water temps, nothing beats the waves and the sunsets.
Our view each evening is just lovely.
Aside from digging in the sand, Chris and I will spend the week playing board games with the girls, attempting to fish at a smaller inland lake nearby, reading lots of books, and indulging in lots of yummy food & drinks. You can bet that I'll also be sneaking in some shopping at a few of my favorite antique stores too!!
We have absolutely ZERO cell phone or internet access at the cottage. Those bars just don't want to light up at the top of the sand dunes, so it forces me to be completely unplugged. 
The cottage is just shy of 70 minutes, which makes it nice for quick trips home to water the plants and retrieve Emma's best friend for overnight visits.
I can hardly wait!
Be good. 
We lost significant trees around our garden. Chris spent Wednesday rebuilding the fencing and clearing trees. We're missing one tree that framed the treehouse deck, but it could have been much worse. The garden took the brunt of the storm.
We definitely had a few fairies & angels protecting our special little dwelling.
He added picture hooks to the back of the washboards and hung them on the laundry room wall for me. I really liked them, but it felt like I needed something more to go with them.
I dug through my stash of vintage doll dresses in my craft room (you probably will recognize one of them from my blog banner) and attached a few of my favorite ones onto the washboards with string and clothes pins.
I added a framed print of a little girl ironing from Round the Mulberry Bush by Marion McNeil illustrated by one of my favorite children's illustrators, Fern Bisel Peat (copyright 1933).
By the way, this book is about a playhouse that was built for two little girls. I've owned the book for several years (way before the girl's treehouse became a reality).
The woman that sold the washboards to us, said they used to be her mother's and she remembers helping her mother with the weekly laundry. I promised her that they had found a good home. 
The rest of my ornaments arrived Monday.
Aren't they lovely?
Vivian has a quick tutorial on her blog with tips for making these cupcakes here.
I found these birds last summer when we were on vacation at a local thrift store. Super gaudy, but I love them!!
Here are a few more red, white & blue decorations that I have on display on top of my dish hutch.
I love these American Bisque salt & pepper bears & jam jar.
I picked up these bottle brush trees while on last summer in Pentwater.
Have I mentioned that I love to decorate for ALL holidays?
Isn't this fairy door the sweetest thing ever?
The fairies now have a special entrance into the treehouse. Thank you, Lee. We had such a good time sharing our treehouse with you & your husband.
He just so happened to have a new Father's day drill that needed testing and a few extra pieces of lumber laying around. 
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