Spring Beauty

16 Thursday May 2013

Posted by in Decorating

≈ 25 Comments

I apologize that I haven’t been posting, everything is packed and I have been very pre-occupied about this deal getting finished with the house.  We received our house inspection report and at least that’s over.  There are just some minor things that were picked out that need to be fixed.  I think they wouldn’t be happy if they didn’t find anything wrong when they do inspections LOL!!

This is the last time I will see this little pink beauty in the yard in all its glory.  I just love the delicate flowers on Dogwood trees.  I tried to get a close shot of the leaves so you can see the beautiful veining.

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Our lovely flowering Crabapple trees are in full bloom also.  The white flowers are so pretty and they are very delicate.  They add such beauty to our yard.

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I am already planning what I will be planting in our new yard believe it or not.  I must have boxwood, which I just love and a couple of flowering trees and yes, tons of daffodil bulbs.  We didn’t even get the drawings from the architect yet and I am thinking about planting trees and bulbs…..LOL!

We are hoping to have plans soon and get this house finished up ASAP so we can break ground on the new house.

I  am linking to:

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/2013/05/pink-saturday-may-18-2013.html

 

It ain’t over till it’s over…

26 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by in Decorating, General Stuff

≈ 82 Comments

In life you aren’t always prepared for the unforeseen issues that may come up, although you tend to think things are moving along and will work out smoothly.

Well, things worked out in the end but it was a nerve-racking time over the last week or so.

As many of you know, we are moving and planning to build our new one level home on flatter land due to my MS.  We had a buyer within five days with a good offer and everything was moving along and progressing very well.  We had packed up most of the house; I posted pictures of all our boxes a few weeks back.

Well, the people who bought our home had problems on their end with the sale of their home and the deal fell apart.  We felt bad for us and especially bad for the people purchasing our home because they loved this home.  They drove by one day and said if this home ever goes up for sale this is where we are going to live, and we were just putting it on the market then!

We went into action immediately by putting our home back on the market.  Our realtors have been very helpful and supportive during this process.

We had to run to good old Home Goods and make some purchases to stage our home since mostly everything had been packed.  That store never disappoints; here’s a few of the items called into action to fill a spot or cover some nail’s, etc.

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We got the house staged and made it look more homey and I used some of my French flower pots I made with transfers to use as display in our kitchen to hold some inexpensive bamboo utensils we grabbed and some linen dish towels.  They look like they were always there LOL.

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Within two days we had people wanting to see our home but we had to wait for a “kill letter” on the other deal.  We finally got that pushed through as we had several people begging to see our home and waiting patiently to make offers.

The Lord must have been watching over us because we got multiple offers on our home.  We finally put another deal together Wednesday night.  I pray and hope this goes smoothly and we are planning on closing some time soon.

I guess my mom telling me that God never gives you more than you can handle is true but I really don’t want to be tested anymore.  We are anxious to get our new home started.   Our plans have gotten started by the architect.

The lesson I learned is that deals aren’t finished until finished, don’t get ahead of yourself, and it this one step at a time.

Looking Like Spring (doesn’t feel like it yet though!)

22 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in Gardening

≈ 45 Comments

Happy Monday!! I hope everyone had a great weekend.

Spring has finally sprung here….the temperatures are still chilly but there is beauty everywhere. The sun was shining so brightly this weekend.  I thought I would share some of our last spring at our home as time is drawing closer to close.  I will be looking forward to planting more of these beauties in our new home!

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I love this picture with the sun just starting to set as it casts a beautiful glow.

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This bloomed Forsythia is stunning in all of its yellow glory.

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Our last spring here is opening a whole new life for our small family.

West End

27 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by in General Stuff

≈ 62 Comments

 

Happy Wednesday!!!

As I posted a few weeks ago, we are downsizing and building a new home that will be better for me and the puppies…all on one level.

Needless to say; I am excited!  We found a lot on a street called West End (pictures below) to build our new home and it is perfectly flat.  Great for me and the puppies will love it too.  Unlike our current location (bear, hawks, turkey vultures, etc), we won’t have to worry about other animals bothering them.  In our new location, they will be able run and romp outside in a fenced in area like puppies should.  They won’t know what to do with themselves! LOL.  Where we live now is too dangerous to let them play outside.

We have to meet with the architect to get blueprints done from a design we found online.  It is going to be so exciting and a beautiful home.  I can’t wait for the fun stuff like picking out all the cabinets, moldings, tile, etc.

I will be posting during the progress of building and our continued progress in packing and the puppies (pretend you want to hear about them) LOL!

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Getting a Move On!

26 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by in General Stuff

≈ 30 Comments

Good morning everyone, I hope you are all doing well!!  I am waiting for spring weather to appear in NJ but it hasn’t shown up yet.  Hopefully soon, I think it may reach the upper 50′s by the weekend.  I’ll take anything a bit warmer than the 30′s now.

It has been a very hectic time at Cloches and Lavender.  We have been packing for our move and I can’t believe how much we accumulated in 18 years in this home.  We have been packing the kitchen for what seems like forever.

Peanut and Reeses haven’t really enjoyed our packing, they can’t stand the noise from the tape gun.  Every time we take a box out to put together they give us a look , like they are saying, we are out of here and make a run for it to my office which they feel very safe and secure.

As you can see by the boxes piled up we are making some major headway.  I have missed blogging but I have to get this done.  I will keep you posted. On to other areas of the house now.

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Have a great week and I will have updates very soon!

Downsizing and Losing a Loved One

05 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by in General Stuff

≈ 84 Comments

It has been a weird and tough few months at Cloches and Lavender.  I haven’t posted since January and I really miss it, but things have been going on behind the scenes.

As many of you know, I suffer from Multiple Sclerosis; I am still the same and have not had any episodes thank God!  However, we have been talking a lot lately about whether we should down size and sell our lovely home after 18 wonderful years.  It is a center hall colonial and the stairs have been a struggle for me for quite some time.

I have to go up the stairs one leg at a time since I can’t bend my right leg to well; as I suffer from drop foot due to the MS.  It is very tiring and I have fallen on occasion; not worth it anymore.

This is and was a very hard decision to make but it had to be done for my safety and well-being.  It will be better in the long run.  So downsizing and one level-living here we come.

We are moving to a much flatter area of Northern New Jersey about 10 minutes from where we are now and into a brand new ranch that we will build.  It will be better for me for everyday living and cleaning.  I will be able to take care of our two puppies more easily.

I am excited about our new endeavor.   I mean, come on, it is a new house and I get to do all my decorating all over again, so that is fun.  I could spend weeks and weeks picking out cabinets, hardwood floors, etc.

I haven’t started any new projects since we are going to be packing up the house in just a matter of weeks.  We are moving in with a friend while the house is getting done.  We are so blessed to have her in our lives.

On a sad note, just recently, we lost our brother-in-law to lung cancer.  He was a fantastic man and would do anything for anyone he cared for, he was great.  My husband has known him since he was 5 and he was actually an altar boy at his sister’s wedding to him.

He loved his family dearly and I am so thankful that he had a chance to see his brand new granddaughter.  He loved her very much.

I was and feel very blessed that I got to know such a wonderful man for 24 ½ years.

Look for posts in the future with updates on our new home and posts regarding our lives while we are at our friends home with 5 dogs in total.

Some Gifts

23 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by in General Stuff

≈ 71 Comments

I hope everyone is having a good week.  In NJ we are going through a cold snap.  It is 10 degrees this morning!!!

By now, everyone knows that I love placing transfers with Mod Podge on flower pots and embellishing them with various dried flowers, etc.  I recently made these pots for some folks that we don’t get to see during the Holidays.  They make nice little gifts and people appreciate the homemade thought.

One has Lavender (www.lavenderfanatic.com) and the other wheat grass (Michael’s); off course while I was doing these I had to make one for myself.

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I am Linking to:

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/2013/01/home_23.html

http://faithgracecrafts.blogspot.com/2013/01/pearls-and-lace-120-craft-room-progress.html

http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/2013/01/thrifty-things-friday-93.html

http://www.findingsilverpennies.com/2013/01/silver-pennies-sundays-features-and_27.html

http://ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/search/label/Linky%20Party

Simple Sweet Treats!!

21 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by in Decorating, Posts for Parties

≈ 47 Comments

Hello, hope you had a great weekend.

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching,  I don’t really decorate for Valentines but I decided to make a few little quick and easy treats…adorable too!

I purchased Oreo Cakesters (who doesn’t love anything Oreo!) and by using a small heart cookie cutter I cut out hearts and then rolled them in pink sprinkles to make them festive.

By the way, these are really fattening but really good, so I sat down with some tea and a design magazine to have a few.

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I am Linking to:

http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2013/01/make-it-pretty-monday-week-33.html

http://www.serendipityandspice.com/2013/01/manic-monday-linky-party-121.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/01/clever-chicks-blog-hop-18-and-country.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:

http://www.cedarhill-ranch.com/2013/01/cowgirl-up-50-with-stone-gable.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:

http://debbie-debbiedoos.com/old-chippy-shabby-chic-vintage-mirror.html

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-tea-of-roses-for-tea-time-tuesday.html

http://www.kathewithane.com/2013/01/youre-gonna-love-it-week-38.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed

http://ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/2013/01/live-show-me-what-you-got-tuesdays-at_21.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed

http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/2013/01/winter-blues-wednesday-its-party-101.html

http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2013/01/wednesdays-adorned-from-above-blog-hop_22.html

http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2013/01/wow-me-wednesday-87.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed

http://www.southernlovely.com/2013/01/show-share-76.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed

http://staceyembracingchange.blogspot.com/2013/01/creative-inspirations-linky-party-blog.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:

http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/2013/01/open-house-party_23.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:

http://www.stonegableblog.com/2013/01/tutorials-tips-and-tidbits-32-and-winner.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:

http://katherinescorner.com/2013/01/23/thursday-favorite-things-blog-hop-72/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:

http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/2013/01/celery-rose-and-simple-sweet-fridays-47.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed

http://thrifty101.blogspot.com/2013/01/diy-thrifty-thursday-98.html

http://shabbyartboutique.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/shabbilicious-friday.html

http://thebusybhive.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-busy-bees-thursdays-blog-hop.html

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/2013/01/home-sweet-home-103.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:

Start of the New Year!

20 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by in Decorating

≈ 8 Comments

I would like to take a moment today, before I do my post, to thank everyone that contacted and showed their support while my MS was acting up.  It made me feel so good and reassured.  I appreciate it very much.  MS is a weird disease and I have had it for 20 some years and still don’t always understand.

Anyway, on to my post.  I know this is very overdue, but I wanted to show some favors I made for a party we had during the holidays.  I made small flowers pots with candy canes as topiaries for my female friends and got small tins from the craft store and filled them with homemade cookies for the Gents. 

I ordered the candy canes from Christmas Central and cut a Styrofoam ball in half.  I then carefully pushed the candy canes into the foam and added a ribbon with some starlight red and green candies.

I used a graphic that I found from Graphics Fairy with the mod podge method to add some whimsy to the front. 

I placed them on the buffet table in the dining room for all to take home.

I hope you enjoy them and I look forward to posting with you all in 2013.

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Getting Caught Up!!

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by in Decorating

≈ 50 Comments

I hope everyone had a great New Year and is doing well!

I am playing catch-up this year from Christmas.  It was a very busy holiday season in our home this year and with my MS it has been a little slow getting our stuff down.  I am so tired of looking at it all and the dust is unreal.

From doing too much during Christmas and New Year’s, I have been very run down and my MS has been acting up a bit.  You would think I would learn, I go through this every year because I try to make my life as normal as possible.

The Christmas items are almost done and then I have to get moving on some posting.  I have to get better at getting organized during the Christmas season so I don’t got through this anymore.

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