kids in a box . . . 30 years later

 I have wanted to recreate this photo for years.  The original was taken I believe in 1989 . . . 

It has always been one of my favorite photos of the four of them.

We had gotten a new tv . . . and of course being kids, they were more excited about playing in the box than watching the tv.

We finally did it!  Richard pieced together a bunch of cardboard . . . the kids recreated their clothes.  They were good sports doing this for me.  I laughed so hard when Sarah walked out in her pink sweats and black patent leather shoes.  Then I laughed again at Jacob's expression when he saw her. 

30 years . . .

They have grown up . . . most of them have become parents themselves.  I have watched them become adults . . . but they will always be my kids.   

little things . . .

I stitched up some rice warmers last night,  They are great this time of year when it's cold . . . just 2 minutes in the microwave.  I always like to have a few extra gifts on hand . . . 

Grandma's old box that she used to keep gift tags in.  I can't remember how I ended up with this box.  I think Mom had it and she was going to toss it out . . . of course I had to keep it.  

This sticker came on a Christmas card at work . . . do you know one?

A little extra decoration on my nail the night we decorated ornaments at Brent & Ashley's . . . SMILE!

My new ornament . . . Richard spotted it in a store last week.  It looks great on my pink tree!

Trying on hats and snapping selfies . . . just one of those things we do.  

I like the silly side of this man. 

"Keep your Christmas-heart 

open all the year round. "

~Jessica Archmint

Cat and a Hat . . . .

Stella just being Stella . . .

Mom knows that I like vintage boxes.  I didn't even know that she had this old hat and hat box that belonged to my grandma.  Mom's smile was great when she saw how excited I was about it. 

Not sure what I will ever do with this hat . . . but it makes the old hat box even better.  I found a great place for it up on a shelf.  I am having a relaxing Sunday . . . back to work tomorrow.  I actually am looking forward to that too.

Boxes . . .

Little did I know that cleaning out our garage yesterday would get me feeling all sentimental.  Then again . . . it doesn't take much to make me sentimental . . . just the way I am. 

I found this box up in one of the cabinets in our garage.  I was probably about 8-10 years old when I covered it with patches of fabric.  This was before ModgePodge . . . I think I just used Elmer's Glue and cut out little pieces of fabric with a pinking shears.  The original box was a Birdsall Ice Cream box.  (I probably remember that only because my first husband's last name was Birdsall ). . . (I'm rambling) . . . but I'm in sort a rambling mood tonight . . . my apologies.  So often I have thought about throwing this box out - as I did this time, but I find something to fill it with - and it finds a place on a shelf in the garage for another year.  My Gramma would laugh if she saw it . . . anyway - that got me thinking about a post on  boxes . . .

I think I have mentioned in an earlier post that I have a thing for boxes . . . so I got to looking around (like I did with the pillows the other day) . . . I really have a lot of boxes.  If they are cute or vintage - I just can't seem to part with them.  Kasey gave me this bar of soap a couple of years ago . . . I think I was more excited about the "Believe" box.  Richard could probably give me diamond earrings - and if the box they came in was something special, I probably would be just as excited about the box as I was the diamonds.

An old cigar box (full of incense) . . . a vintage Almond Joy box (full of origami paper) . . . the flowered box was the box that held my first prom corsage from that boy with the last name Birdsall - it was an orchid and white rosebuds (full of Raggedy Ann stuff) . . . the top box is just a little box I think I picked up at the dollar store.  It holds a picture of Luke and our old cat Cinders (full of index cards).  This stack of boxes is an example of how I drive my sons crazy.  When something happens to me and they have to go through all this stuff - they will just laugh and shake their heads.

I also came across this box  . . . another one I have held onto for over 30 years.  It came from overseas . . . when Richard was in the Navy - he brought me home a tea set from Japan.  I liked the pink lid on the box so had to keep it . . .

 . . . it is full of cards and letters that we wrote to each other when he was overseas for six months.  So I sat and read some of these today . . .  (this is how cleaning the garage can get me all sentimental.) 

Some cute book type boxes (full of my Halloween ornaments) . . .

  . . . this top box holds a beautiful rubber stamp set and the green box is another box that Richard brought back from overseas (full of silly little odds and ends that we have picked up over the years) . . . again I can just see my kids shaking their heads if ever they have to look through this stuff. :)

This old box belonged to my Gramma . . . (it actually is empty - I better find something to fill it up with)

This is one of my favorite boxes . . . we made it out of a book.

It holds special cards . . . and this is where I start getting sentimental again, so bear with me. 

Richard and I have exchanged so many cards through the years.  I found the first Valentine that he ever gave me . . . . and cards from when we were first dating.  I think the most special cards are from when we were struggling with our marriage . . . I can look back at them and see how we still took the time to give each other a card and say "I love you."

32 years . . . means a lot of cards . . . I thought about sorting through them and getting rid of some of them a few times.  It isn't like I get them out at look at them very often . . . except maybe when I clean out the garage.  :)

Then I remember how after my Dad passed away and I was helping my Mom go through some things.  She sat a read the cards from my Dad . . . and it made her so happy.  So I will hang on to them . . .

A Boyd's Bear Box . . . (full of colored pencils)

Colorful hat boxes . . . (full of hats of course)

Another box that makes me sentimental.  This box belonged to my Dad.  He used to build wood boxes to hold whatever in his shop.  His shop was usually in quite a state of disarray - but he could always find what he was looking for (usually stuck in one of these boxes)  

He did a lot of work with his scroll saw and used to make tiny three dimensional reindeer.  He had small rubber stamps of the reindeer that he used as a pattern.  I love that he stamped these on this piece of wood.  Knowing Dad - he probably intending on cutting these out - but instead grabbed the piece of wood to build a box.  (This box holds pens and markers.)

Thanks for bearing with me . . . sort of a long post and quite a few pictures. 

Feeling sentimental . . . but a Happy Planet!

Random Stuff . . .

Richard surprised me with this little Lucky Cat when we were out shopping one day.

PINK!

Just snapped some pictures in my craft room today . . . nothing special - just stuff . . . that I like, that I'm sentimental about, that I use, just things that are ME.  Organized chaos might be a good description of this room . . . but it is my chaos and I know where everything is.  I tend to just hang or set something somewhere - and there it stays.  It tends to be a room that gets messy . . . but when I am busy making a doll or something - it doesn't seem to matter. 

My last post was about Jake's Coach shoes.  I'm not much into things like Coach shoes or designer names . . . I was more excited about the box.  LOL . . . I have a thing for boxes and this one I liked.  It is now the perfect box for holding photos.

Every craft room needs a wine fridge . . . right?

I couldn't throw this wine bottle out .  The wine wasn't very good - but liked the label . . . PINK even.

I was going to have Richard drill a hole in the bottom of it for me - and put a string of lights in it - but instead he bought me a candle holder for the top of it.  (I think I remember a bitch from 2008.)

I have to fix this little doll that my mom dressed in a little Czech outfit.  My mom made wonderful doll clothes.  She used to pick up old dolls here and there and make new clothes for them.  This one is one of my favorites . . . but her head is actually broken and I need to figure out the best way to fix her.  I really don't think gluing her head on is the best answer.

Lily wasn't home for Easter . . . so we gave her her Easter gift late.  She loves to work with Papa in the garage . . . so we took one of the boxes that Richard makes and turned it into a tool box for her.  I was hoping for a quick easy coat of paint - but the spray paint leaked and dripped . . . I finally handed it over to Luke and he used three different colors of paint . . . roughed it up a bit and it turned out cute.  Now she has her own hammer, level, and measuring tape - PINK even.  She's coming over this weekend to work with Papa.

A little heart from Richard while at our favorite pizza place last night.  Let's see . .. does this mean he loves me or the beer?  It came with a smile and a wink - I will take it as he loves me.

I have been somewhat anxious this week . . . waiting for Monday to get here so I can get the results of my PET scan.  I know worrying doesn't help - I've had a couple bad days . . . being busy at work has helped.  Richard and the kids have helped the most.  Really when it comes down to it - no matter what the results come back as . . . it is all about the people I love and the life I choose to live from here on.  I choose happiness, I choose my marriage and my family, I choose my wonderful friends who have gotten me through the best and worst of times . . . I choose to do more of the things I like to do and less of the things that are not really that important.  I choose kindness . . . I choose to be passionate about things that matter to me . . . I choose to try to be the person God intended me to be.

I went through a period of time where my life was not what I expected it to be . . . I came through it stronger and more sure of what I wanted than ever before.  I will be me . . . I will not waste time worrying about people and things I can't control . . . and I will not put up with bullshit. 

LOL . . . Enough said for tonight.  Here's to a great tomorrow . . . and it's Friday!!!!!!

What's in a box . . .

I love old boxes . . . actually I like cute boxes even if they are new, but I have a real thing for vintage ones.  So yes - I keep them and gleam them up whenever I find them.  I think this little NOEL box is as cute at the angel figurines that came in it. 

My mother had some Christmas decorations stored in this old greeting card box.  She probably started using it years ago to pack stuff away after Christmas because she thought it was cute . . . (hmmm . . . I wonder who I get it from).  

I wish I had the old Whitman candy boxes that my Grandma used to keep her embroidery floss in. I used to love getting them out from the bottom of her cupboard and looking at all the different colors of floss . . . (hmmm . . . I wonder where mom got it from.)

I found this box at a yard sale in Iowa a few years ago.  It had a few old glass ornaments inside.  It was only 25 cents - ornaments included. 

All of my pink tree ornaments are stored in these Victoria's Secret boxes.  It makes me wonder . . . 40-50 years from now if they will still be around.  Will someone see the beauty in something as simple as a box and use them for something special?  Will this little Christmas Elf find a home in one of these boxes until someone takes him out each December?  Will one of my grandchildren remember me when they take out these boxes every year and like the boxes as much as the ornaments and decorations that are inside?  I am hoping they do.