Some Americana

Today I am thinking of all of the wonderful men and women who have served this great country
so that I can enjoy my freedom. My husband was in the army and my father was in the marines,
so the veterans have an extra special place in my heart. My son, Luke was born in a military hospital,
Fort Belvoir, Va.
Wishing everyone a wonderful and safe holiday, we are having a family cookout with my children and
grandchildren. Take time to think about what today really means and  be thankful that we live in
the wonderful USA.
I will share a few pictures of some of my Americana things,

I need your prayers!

Hi friends, I have been so busy, working my two jobs and with my mom. But mom is finally home so
things are getting better for her. I am usually quiet about things I am going though and keep it to myself,
but I need your prayers for me to have strength and for my daughter. She battles "Diabulemia"
She struggles with this every day. She will do good for awhile and then relapse again. This has been off and on for ten years now. I just wish sometimes I would to to sleep and never wake up. I don't know what to do any more. I have prayed and prayed and begged and begged God for her deliverance.
And to make it worse she has no insurance, so overall help is out of the question.
I just feel so helpless setting back and watching my daughter slowly die, but that is what I feel like I am doing. And I know she honestly can't help it as crazy as it may sound, it is really a mental disorder.
And it doesn't just effect her it effects the whole family.
Just wanted to get it off my chest. But I will never stop praying and trusting that one day this will be over,
and some way somehow she can help others going through the same battle.

Wonderful visit and swap goodies!

As most of you know I am so fortunate to live near Jean "Prim Crafts"  . We didn't even know each other
until we met through blogging. And am I ever the lucky one. Jean has given me so many wonderful pointers
and advice about crafting and has now became a really good friend! She is so kind and generous.
I have to watch about telling Jean that I like something that she makes or she will just give it to me.
  We recently decided to do a personal swap, of course I like anything that Jean makes, but I told her
that I would like an Uncle Sam and anything Americana, I also found out that she makes bottle dolls,
and told her that I would love one of them. She  gave me a glass bottle so that I could make one,
sorry but I forgot to take a picture of the bottle.
 Jean I love everything and have had such a wonderful time placing my goodies throughout my house!
I am so lucky to have you for a friend!!!!! I enjoyed our visit yesterday!!!
Yesterday I also went with my parents to Charlottesville for mom a check up, her arm and leg are healing beautiful!!! She is walking with a walker and we hope soon she won't even need that!!!!
She is enjoying being home so much!!!

Now pictures of my wonderful goodies from Jean.

Wonderful Swap Goodies!

Margie "Hungry Hook Primitives"  and I had our own private swap. If you don't know Margie she
makes the most beautiful hooked rugs. She also sells wool that she dyes, which is beautiful.
She is so talented and has tutorials about hooking rugs. If you don't know Margie please check out
her blog. Not only is she talented but such a sweet wonderful person!

She was going to send me a hooked candle mat, and some of her beautiful wool.
Well the hooked rug is such a nice size that I think I will hang it on the wall and the wool
looks so pretty stacked that I hate to cut it for penny rugs, but am dreaming of the
beautiful penny rugs that could be made with it.
She also surprised me by sending me some other things. Margie certainly spoiled me.
 Thank you Margie for swapping with me, I love everything sooooo much!!!!
I admire your wonderful talent!!!! I want to learn to hook rugs one day, it is on my bucket list,
but for now I will just ooohhh and aahhh over Margie's hooked rugs.

Everything is wrapped and packed in this beautiful bag.

Look at this beautiful sheep hooked rug with flowers, it is awesome!

Such beautiful pieces of wool, for me to make penny rugs, Love the colors!

Wonderful Americana bunny! Love his nail arms.

Love the stacking boxes and primitive towel!

Flowers I planted today!

I love Spring, everything is blooming and so green. I especially love going to greenhouses. We
are so fortunate in the area where I live to have several greenhouses. One of my favorites is owned by
a young mennonite family. They have such beautiful things and work so hard. I think one reason I love going
there is that they have 5 young children and they come and talk to me. The mom looks like a teenager,
and has 4 daughters and the last one is a boy, they are like stairsteps, all young. They are so adorable.

Today they had their open house, they have door prizes and grilled hotdogs with her homemade garden relish and all kinds of different baked cookies, the little girls just love waiting on me and they always tell me that they helped bake the cookies.

I will share some of the flowers that I got and planted today, I especially like making mini flower gardens
and putting different flowers together.
I can't wait to see them grow. Wishing you a lovely day and beautiful Spring.

New Wiskey Barrell planter, I can't lift it on my deck,

Old Enamel pan

Old Coal bucket

Love million bells and dragon wing begonias

Chair and wash tub

May offerings at Early Work Mercantile

Hope all my blogger friends have been doing well. We are getting my mom all settled at home.
She is walking with a walker and improving with each passing day, we are expecting her to have a full recovery. She can already touch her head with the arm she had surgery on, she was never expected to
be able to lift her arm that high. So we are thankful that mom is home and she is enjoying every minute of it and
doing well.it has been a long hard road for her. Thanks for your prayers!

I have several items listed for the month of May on the
"Early Work Mercantile" site. Please stop by and take a peek, wishing you all a lovely spring.

Wonderful Giveaway!

Sara "Salmonfalls Prims"   is hosting a wonderful giveaway. She is giving away one of her awesome

Independence Day Signs. I am the lucky owner of some of Sara's creations and they are wonderful!

Go over to Sara's blog and sign up for this wonderful giveaway!