Grandma's Comfort

When I was little my family and I would escape on weekends to a lake cottage in the uppermost part of Maryland.  The lake sat in the Allegheny Mountains and in the early spring and fall, it was cold.  The cottage wasn't winterized, but it did have a gas furnace that we would huddle around looking down through the floor at the pilot light, praying for heat upon arrival.  My mom brought up some old blankets from home and one of them was this sweet little quilt that my Great Grandma Baird had made. She raised 14 children and made use of all that she had.  The quilt is made of sweet little squares of flannel; plaids, flowers, stripes, argyles, kittens and other little flannel patches.  Grandma took whatever leftover sewing scraps she had and backed it with a blue and white flower flannel print.  She also pulled little strings of pink florets through every 3 inches or so.

It is the warmest and softest blanket you can imagine and you can bet that I snagged this for "my room" at the cottage.  I still have this today.  It's one of those blankets that you pull out when you are cold, sick or feeling blue and need an extra little hug.  Not only does it wrap you up in warmth, but it also wraps you up in love.  It's starting to fall apart because of the wear and tear over the years.  I might have to find some fabric of my own to patch it up with.

I never met my Great Grandma Baird, but maybe she is smiling down from heaven, happy to see something she made, wrapped around one of her own a few generations later.  Who knew those little scraps of fabric would have lent themselves to so much comfort.

I bet you have an old blanket similar to this.  Pull it out and use it.  It gives so much warmth to a room.

Hope you are warm today.

Paula

Life's Little Delays

One of the great many things about living in the south, is that we don't have to worry about snow days.  We don't have to scrape frost off of our windshields in below freezing temperatures or worry about ice on the roads after a rain in the winter. We just hum right along through winter with barely a thought of a winter jacket. Until....the weather randomly hits below 25 degrees. They delayed school for two hours this morning!  I looked up the weather channel to see what was coming.... Were we getting snow? Rain (We live in the "low country" so rain can reek havoc on us)?  Nope.  Just temperatures in the low 20's.  Come on people....right? I'm from Virginia, which is technically the south, but in South Carolina, Virginia is kind of the north. We didn't really blink at 20 degree weather up there much less check to see if schools would be delayed unless there was an imminent calling for snow.

What I have come to understand here, is that the south is not equipped to handle cold weather. The south sips sweet tea in ice chilled glasses throughout the winter. We sit on our porches in February. But, our water heaters are outside....hence, no hot water this morning as the lines are frozen.  The heat pumps work on auxiliary once the temps hit below 30. We don't drain our outside hose bibs for winter (I'm cringing).  I asked about hose bibs and water shut off valves when we moved here and my neighbors laughed at me.  Hence, no hot water, auxiliary heat and a school delay.  The temperature is also delaying a few projects I'm in the middle of.  No worries. They can wait.

I've decided to make some hot tea and use my good china this morning. I've also decided to use my good china throughout the year and not just on holidays or special occasions.

I painted this end table in Annie Sloan Duck Egg, with an Old White wash. I heavily distressed and then sanded the wash for a heavy brushed look and used clear wax.  You can't see it, but the wax buffed up so nicely and is super smooth.

I kind of miss those snow days.  Hello morning delay!

Paula

Linking up with:

Liz Marie
Up Cycled Treasures
Rain On A Tin Roof
A Stroll Thru Live
Domestically Speaking
Savy Southern Style
The Style Sisters
Green Willow Pond

New Beginnings

I love the holiday season, but admittedly, I am kind of happy when it's over.  Happy when the last holiday light and wreath is tucked away until next year.  Happy when the house is back to "normal".  I also find that that first week in January is a little melancholy.  The kids go back to school and the typical routines fall into place.  I have always relished a routine and those that know me, know that I like order.  But I'm working on this.  I'm working on letting go and finding peace with what I have and where I am in my life.  Peace in not having all of the answers today or even tomorrow.  Not only am I working this year to bring new life into old pieces and things that I already have, but I'm also going to work on being a kinder person. Not just to others, but to myself. I'm going to allow myself to be human and have faults and err. And hopefully, I can laugh about it along the way.  I think we all need to be kinder to ourselves and to others.  Something to think about.....How many times do you actually initiate kindness?  I mean, really offer it up and extend it to someone without any expectation in return.  I'm going to work on this and put focus on initiating kindness throughout 2014.  

Still pulling out cherished items that have been tucked away.  An old crystal bowl from my grandma, a treasured book from my mom and a silver pitcher from our wedding.  The flowers, I bought for myself today at the grocery store.  :)

In front of the pitcher are some old silver custard cups (they need polishing) from the Italian side of my family.  I don't make custard...and can't imagine my family ever being able to handle the delicate sweet fragile bowls that sit in the cups!  They now hold candles and I just love seeing them.

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."


- Mother Teresa

In kindness,

Paula