Hand Painted Love Boxes...Lily of the Valley...

Thanks Parkland! This will be sent out this afternoon.

Pink Elephants...

I did a lot of painting Saturday. I finished these elephants which say inside, "Thank heaven for little girls." & "Sugar n' Spice n' everything nice." & "A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend..."

For these simple baby gifts, I think I will stick with the top design. What do you think?

Another thing, this weekend was fun because I got to give away one of the blue boy elephants to a friend who had a cute baby boy with a head full of red hair. He is adorable! Congratulations!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie...

(I like this recipe much better than the one I gave out in the Christmas card several years ago.)

2 9" unbaked pie shells

4 eggs

1 tsp. good Mexican Vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cup butter

2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips either way, I like the Guittard

Beat eggs until foamy. Beat in flour, sugars and vanilla until well-blended. Add butter and blend. Stir in chips and nuts. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake 45 min. at 325 degrees. The recipe says to serve warm with ice cream, but I really love it best cool and the next day.

2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

My Favorite Chocolate Chips...Guittard...

These are the best! And, they are even lovely just plain. And, they are recommended by Cook's Illustrated too.

Boho Bedding...

I adore this tangerine color. Several Saturdays ago, I went to Park City and I saw this beautiful blonde woman wearing a coat in this tangerine. She had a tangerine purse and a tangerine wallet with her. No one would have a tangerine wallet, unless this was their favorite color, right? It just made her look like the most fun and happy person. I think tangerine must be one of the most cheerful colors ever. Hmmm what to paint tangerine???

If anyone sees this throw anywhere, please tell me... I keep thinking about it.

See this bedding here.

Victoria & Albert...

Produced by the BBC and A&E, as well as the same group who put together the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice, this program is a gem. Don't miss it, it is simply inspiring.

Turtles...

We had a turtle day yesterday. We saw some pictures of someone we know and love dressed as a turtle. We watched a National Geographic Explorer program about saving the nearly extinct Leatherback Turtles that can grow from this size to be six feet in length and 900 pds. Wow.

And, my dad sent us this poem to perfectly cap the turtle theme we had going for our day.

“I am Home,” Said the Turtleby John Ciardi,
(The Little that is All [Boston, 1974], p. 294)
“I am home,” said the turtle, as it pulled in its head
And its feet, and its tail. “I am home, and in bed.
“No matter what inches and inches I roam,
When the long day is done, I am always at home.
“I may go whole feet . . . even yards . . . in a day,
But I never get lost, for I’m never away—
“From my snug little house and my snug little bed.
I can dream lots of dreams, but remain here instead . . .
“You can go on forever, no matter how far,
And whatever you need is wherever you are!”
(“Is there one thing I miss when I’m snuggled in tight?
Yes: there’s no room for someone to kiss me good night.”)