Changes

Laura's new room! Here is the desk I found her early in the Summer at an antique shop.

Here is the photo ledge shelf we found.

Toile curtains made by Laura !

I painted my antique dresser white and switched with her. My beloved Mick. He watches me brush my teeth every day and reminds me to to turn off the lights and conserve energy!

I painted the kitchen "Peeps" yellow.

My giant ice cream cone!

The number 4 is from my Sister-in-Heart S4.

A new floor soon!

My talking candy machine and giant fork and spoon.

I love Fall. As I have stated in previous blogs, I love Summer as well. I actually love each season and appreciate the beauty and change of the passage of time. In Oregon, our rainy season is very long. Due to this fact, it is in summer when I usually do all my painting and redecorating. This summer I worked on several projects. I painted and rearranged my kitchen. I was happy to add some cool pieces like a talking candy machine and giant ice cream cone to my ecclectic kitchen art collection! I was going to have the kitchen floor redone but my husband had other plans in the form of a travel trailer he purchased with the floor money so I guess we will wait until next summer for that!

I changed up the bath a bit and finally framed my favorite Mick Jagger poster that my Mum bought me years ago. I think it looks pretty cool!

The biggest project was redecorating my daughter's room. She is almost 13 and she really wanted a change. This is the fourth remodel of her room since she has been born. It was a basic blue nursery until she was 5. I then did a lavender and yellow "shabby chic" motiff. I loved it. She did not. She designed her last remodel in the 4th grade. It was green and purple and very "tie dye hippie." She swears she lost her marbles in 4th grade and begged me to change it when she was away at camp this summer.

I said okay for two reasons. 1. I have a hard time refusing my daughter anything. (I am a sucker for her baby blues and long eyelashes) 2. I love to decorate!

She picked out the paint. She chose a grey blue (full circle) paint, Tiffany blue, faux fur rug, chandelier, new shelves and a cool photo ledge shelf, white bedding and Toile curtains. She actually made the curtains herself and they are stunning!

Her room is gorgeous and she loves it.

Cheers to change and a Happy Fall! XO

Camp!

Laura and her camp buddies after a week at camp. They had a blast as always!

Here we have Laura joining the group at camp.

Saying good bye to Daddy Cool

This is the gorgeous view my daughter has at Camp Cleawox in Florence, Oregon

Heading to Camp!

My daughter just returned from a week at (Girl Scout) Camp Cleawox in Florence, Oregon. This was her third year at this camp and every year she insists is just gets better. My daughter loves camp. She never gets homesick and she is much to busy to write. I had trouble with this at first but I have come to accept it and look at it in a positive way. My daughter is very well adjusted and confident and this makes me proud. She is not afraid to try new things either. I was always afraid to be away form home and I feel like I missed out on so much when I was younger.

Laura spent the week canoeing, kayaking, swimming, doing archery, singing around the camp fire, making new friends and catching up with old ones. The setting is at a lake very close to the ocean and huge sand dunes. You could not ask for a more beautiful setting.

Laura wants to go for a 2 week session next summer and she intends to work at the camp during the summer when she is in college. It is awesome that she has something to look forward to every year. What fantastic memories she will carry with her! This is a gift. XO

Photobooth Fun!

This is a Photobooth shot of my Sister-in-Heart Adrienne (S4) and I on our recent trip to San Francisco. It was not a good Photobooth but I wanted to include these shots because it still captures some of the fun we had that day. S4 and I have a special connection which I shared in an earlier blog. Her joy is irrepressible. She sparkles and shines brightly and brings happiness to all of those who are fortunate to know her. I adore my SIH and the first stop when she visits is the Voodoo Photobooth for some kick ass photoboothing!

I am 15 years old in this Photobooth picture with my daughter's Godfather David Torrey DeFreschville. We were at the Santa Clara County Fair and yes, I am wearing a tube dress! I adore this man beyond measure!

Here I am with my dear friend Tina. (We call ourselves Tenafer for Tina and Jennifer-like Brangelina but much cooler) We met 15 years ago when I moved to Oregon. We were pregnant at the same time. She is one of the funniest, most genuine people I have ever met and I adore her! We can go 6 months without seeing each other in person and pick up like it was yesterday. We have the best time together and I cherish our time together because we are both busy Mommas! XO (It looks like I am goosing her in this photo!) Here I am with the beautiful, bodacious Robin whom I call R-Cake. Our daughters met in pre-school when they were 3 years old and they are still best friends! She has mad style and LOTS of musical connections. She knows more about music than any woman I have ever met (although Cass could give her a run for her money) ;) You will not meet a wittier or more loyal gal! I adore her too! XO

Here I am with my beautiful daughter on her 12 1/2 Birthday. She also has inimitable style. My daughter was born an old soul and I am a better person for having parented this remarkable child! I must add that I adore her too! XO

I am crazy for Photobooths! I can clearly recall my first photobooth experience. It was at Woolworth's in the Mayfield Mall in Mountain View, CA. My Grandma would take me there for a hot dog (on special toasted bread), fries and a shake and then let me go in the photobooth. I still have a picture of she and I in that booth when I was 9 years old. Over the years I sat in many a photobooth. I never have liked the more modern booths that shoot in color but I would still drag my friends and loved ones into them if I saw one!

There has been a Photobooth Renaissance the past few years especially here in Portland. I was thrilled to discover that Voodoo Donuts (#2) had recently acquired a Photobooth just like the one I loved in the 1970's at Woolworths. What is especially cool about this Photobooth is that the photos look different every time you sit for your 4 poses. I love the timeless quality of the shots. I also enjoy capturing the FUN I always have inside the booth as it is always with someone I adore! If you come to visit me in Portland you can rest assured we will be hitting the Photobooth!

Blueberry Pie Oh My!

Greg gave the pie a big thumbs up!Best served warm with vanilla ice cream. Delicious.

Finished pie!

Ready to pop in the oven.

Rolling out the pie crust.

There are many great things about living in Oregon. One of them is the abundance of fresh berries in July. It seems there are stands selling fresh berries of all kinds on every corner. There are also many U-Pick farms in the area. I have grown my own raspberries and blackberries for years but have never been really sucessful growing my favorite: blueberries! I purchased the sweetest blueberries the other day at the stand down the street and decided to make a pie. Let me tell you it was the best pie I think I have ever eaten! It was very easy so I thought I would share the recipe. Pies=good old-fashioned happiness to me! XO

Blueberry Pie

You need pie pastry for a two-crust pie. You can buy a pie crust mix or frozen but I prefer my own:

For a 8' pie:

1 1/2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup shortening

4 tbsp. water

Measure flour and salt into a bowl and mix.

With a pastry cutter cut in half the shortening until the mixture looks like meal.

Cut in the remaining shortening coarsely until particles are the size of giant peas.

Sprinkle with water, a tbsp. at a time..mixing lightly until all flour is moistened.

Gather dough together with fingers and clean the bowl.

Press into two balls.

Roll out one slightly larger ball and line 8" pie pan. (See photo) Roll out remaining ball and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide strips to form a lattice after you fill the pie.

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

5-6 Tbsps. cornstarch

4 cups fresh blueberries

1 tbsp. butter cut up into small pats

Dash of lemon if you like. (I did not)

Mix dry ingredients

Add blueberries to pie crust

Pour dry ingredients over 4 cups fresh blueberries

Sprinle butter pats on top of berries

Cover with strips to make a lattice on top pinching the edges together.

Bake at 4oo degrees for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle a little sugar on top if you like!

Wait an hour to cut. It will still be warm. Serve with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream. Enjoy!

Among the lavender

One of my favorite summer traditions is going with my friend/neighbor Ginger to the lavender fields in Hillsboro, Oregon. We missed the Lavender Festival which was last weekend but that was okay since we had the whole field at Bishop House to ourselves! They work on an honor system there. You leave $5 in a jar (cash or check) and cut a basketful with the scissors they provide. It is peaceful and smells lovely. You can hear the bees buzzing away- hard at work. They leave you alone as they are in some sort of a bee trance which is good because Ginger is allergic to bee stings. Every year we run into the Swiss Parade as we are leaving. This year we got to tell the Sheriff that the parade was ready to start and to hit the siren! We then had a fantastic lunch and some laughs! I have a lavender infused house now and lots of plans for my lavender! XOXO

Today I stopped to smell the roses. It felt great! I hope you get a chance to do so yourself! If not literally than figuratively! XOXOXO

Oregon Summer, Oh how I love thee!

The girls at Enchanted Forest in Salem, Oregon

Have you ever had one of those weekends where you looked back and marveled at how glorious it was? I did this past weekend. It was if the stars were aligned and all was right in my world. The weather was near perfect (a bit hot but tolerable Friday) and my beloved Northwest was lit up in technicolor!

On Friday I took Laura and several friends to Enchanted Forest near Salem, Oregon. This is a an annual tradition for the Young Girls and we have done it every summer since Laura was 4. Her BFF Sarah has gone with us for most of those years and all of the girls this year went last year excepting Lizzy. We were able to introduce her to the this sweet place. Enchanted Forest is small and was built by a family and is not as fancy as some amusement parks but they do have a log ride and a forest full of fairy tale scenes. I am happy the girls are still enjoying it and want to keep the tradition alive. I am happy to take them every year! I will be one sad Momma if they outgrow it!

Laura and Lizzy after the log ride!

The next day we went to Portland Saturday Market. I had not been since the market place was remodeled last year. It seems there were even more artisans and sellers than before. The weather was picture perfect and the girls enjoyed a dip in the public fountain. We listened to some music and had our portraits done by the "60 second artist." He sketches a full portrait in a timed minute! I was also able to catch up with my favorite glass artist Brian of B Originals. (He made my fabulous red ring) He sold me some awesome pieces I plan to gift a few lucky July Birthday girls! We capped our day off with a terrific Mexican meal! I had so much fun this weekend that I did not mind spending my Sunday painting the kitchen! It looks awesome but that is another post! I hope you all were able to enjoy the weather and weekend where ever you were! XOXOXO Sending sparkles!