Kay Ellen

Gardenia Bloom Memories

The first time I smelled a Gardenia bloom was at my Grandma Ruth's house...The aroma was amazing.

When I was young, our summer vacation seemed to be right in the middle of the blooming season.
My sister and I would spend endless days at our grandma's home swimming, helping her in the garden and trying to learn how she made those amazing pies from scratch!

Well, I never did learn how to make her pies, thank goodness my Auntie Vay can make them! My sister is a pretty amazing pie maker too! I guess I loved the garden the best and still do.

When it was time to go home from my Grandmas after a full day of fun.... she would come outside to say goodbye and hand my mom, sister, and I gardenia blooms to take home. Sometimes we would be half way down the driveway and she would flag us down or run towards the car to make sure we had our flowers. 

Now each blooming season I take out some old lace that belonged to my Grandma.

I fill up glass dishes and float my gardenia blooms around my home and think of summer memories I spent at Ruth's house.

I am presently enjoying my last few blooms ... hoping for a few more in July.

Special memories continue...

Thank you for stopping by and going down memory lane with me...

Have a blessed week friends:)

:KayEllen

Tea Time!

Look Mickey, it's time for Vanessa's Mad Tea Party!

We are all excited at the happiest place on earth for Vanessa's Tea Party to begin!

Kay Ellen told us how much you enjoy visiting the Magic Kingdom so lets start the party!!!

Knock Knock! Helloooooo come on out and bring your tea cup.

Wow, that's a very big teacup! Maybe just right for a special friend...Hmmmmm

Sully you can use the Large Pink tea cup...just for you... kitty!!! 

Almost forgot.... let's ding the bell. Tea Time!!!

Oh thank you dear friends! I would love to have a spot of tea and join in the fun!

OOOhhh what an enchanting cup, perfect for me to use at the party.

My feet are really hurting, may I join the party and sit for awhile?

Look at those beautiful teacups!I would enjoy using the Daisey tea cup...it matches my shoes!!!

So nice to celebrate with you all!!Thank you for a wonderful tea party Vanessa!!!

I feel so special to use the Daisey tea cup.

I know I am posing for yet another picture, but the sugar bowl is on the table next to me...

Plenty of sugar and spoons for everyone to use.

One lump or two?

Oh my!!!I know the Mad Hatter and I would love to join you all for Vanessa's Tea Party... we will be right over after we finish this song...lalalala

Kay Ellen! this is a wonderful tea cup for the Mad Hatter and I to share. He is so messy and spills when he talks, so don't let him have his own cup...shhhhh.... It will be our little secret.

Oh darn...those puppies have escaped again!!!...no time for Tea darling...off to find the puppies and see my new shipments of furs, they just arrived!

Dude, I totally want to have some tea. No need for a tea cup, just pick out a sea shell for me. Righteous Party Vanessa!!!

Dumbo is getting a trim just for the party! Amazing gardeners at the park...

Thank you Benjamin, you are doing such a great job!! Dumbo looks amazing. All the landscape at the Disney Resorts are just stunning! Please take a break soon and join us for the tea party! 

Let's all go on the tea cup ride!

I am off to save the world.... but I wanted to stop by and say hello to Vanessa and friends!! Have a wonderful time at Disneyland and the tea party!

Don't forget to pick out a balloon!

Cookies! Plenty for everyone!

Clink Clink to Vanessa for having this wonderful tea party celebration!!!

A pleasure to see everyone!

Make sure and ride the carousel before you go...

Smiles coming your way sweet Vanessa!!!

Good Bye from the friends at the Happiest Place on Earth!!!

If you have time, please stay for a second cup of tea.

 

Cheers!

:KayEllen

Soft Mood

Happy Wednesday Friends,

My roses are bursting with color.

Our nice camera was home for a visit over the weekend...I snatched it up and started taking photos! My husband has the favorite camera at work most of the time. It is a very helpful tool for him in his design department.
But I love it too! Can you tell? A soft mood in a photo melts my heart!

I have been in such a whirl wind this past week... working on a new design project...an unexpected death in the family and my husbands Dad was rushed to the hospital over the weekend.

When life becomes hectic and uncertain, I have that urge to head for the garden, to pray, meditate and dig in the soil...

When I look at these photos I consider how fast life is going by... and it is OK to slow down and take little break...freeze frame if you can, savor each moment a little more, hug your kids a little tighter, and tell those around you how much they mean to you.

 

Tomorrow is a new day. I will strive to pour creativity in whatever I do...if I feel a little blurry take a time out, and remember God is our comforter he will give us the strength to move forward.

:KayEllen

A Warm and Charming Home

Hello Everyone,

A busy week filled with drapery installations and selecting home furnishings. I enjoy adding final touches that truly make a difference in pulling a room together. The most recent addition of valances in this home met my goal of adding some warmth to the windows. 

The cascade sides of this box pleat valance added not only a beautiful pattern but also a softening shape to the straight edges of the french sliders.  

I encourage my clients to decorate with their own touches ... showing off their creativity. In this home beautiful hand made quilts add warmth and charm. The goal when choosing the valance style and pattern was to compliment without distracting.

The window treatments, created by my mother, include a bendable wire product  [Sealah 20 gauge wire shaper] that allows bending and shaping fabrics keeping the drapery treatment in place. The wire inside the hem to makes the crisp fold... Peel, press and stick then bend it into place.

 

The drapery installer was thrilled because it made his job a lot easier when it was time to dress out each valance. 

 

A touch of plaid for contrast in each inverted pleat.

Here is a beautiful heirloom quilt displayed in the corner of the dining room. Soft velvet squares adorn this eighty year old treasure.

A special memory of a Great Grandma's love of quilting...

A new valance with bumble bee charm for the office.

Fabric valances can really warm up a shutter. This box pleated valance frames the window nicely.
I enjoy mixing fabrics on a valance and the checkered buttons are a great finishing touch on each pleat.

My mom again used her sealah shaper for crisp folds in each pleat.

After all the valances were installed we headed outside to see the summer blooms in the garden.

And the new chickens only 2 months old! Still too young to lay eggs...but so cute.

Such a pretty summer planter of flowers...

We have had June gloom and very mild weather the last couple of weeks. I know the heat is coming..but for now we are enjoying every minute of the mid 80 temps in southern California...and so will the flowers!

This chicken was very curious about my camera. I will have to come back and visit when they start laying pretty brown and blue eggs!

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed the tour of this charming home!

If you are interested in the 20 gauge bendable Sealah Shaper you can order it on my parents website: www.jodeesinc.com

Until next time.

:KayEllen

Happy Father's Day!

Hi Friends,

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank my DAD for so many wonderful memories and moments we have shared as time goes by...

A special DAD and grandpa ... the picture above gives you a little glimpse of what makes him so special, when he is with family, doing anything that makes them happy - he is happy. My DAD shows an unconditional love for our family and a special bond with his grandchildren.

Even though my DAD has traveled all over the world, if you asked him his favorite destination ...

 

He would say, "On the lake driving my boat." I have enjoyed countless memories throughout the years boating and water skiing with my DAD, family and friends.   

When I was young I wanted a new pair of water skis. I drew a picture of the skis I wanted ... the following summer my DAD surprised me with bright white water skis with cute yellow smiley faces on the tip of each ski! Just what I had drawn in the picture! I loved those skis! My sister and I used them for many years. Ahhhh, fond memories of special times at the lake.

My DAD coached and came to every sporting event  my sister and I were ever involved in. He also tries to be at every soccer, tennis, baseball, basketball, rugby or running event that his grand kids are in ... he is always so proud of them.

We are all so blessed to have such a supportive DAD and Grandpa!

 

Thank you for your love and support for all of us Dad! Happy Father's Day!

We love you Pops, may God Bless you at this special time,

:KayEllen and family

A present in the mail...

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to share with you... Scrappy Jessi chose my name for a contest she had recently!

What fun I had unwrapping this package:)
She has darling things online for sell...if you order something from her shop, I guarantee it will be an adventure just unwrapping your treasure.

Thank you Jessie!

What a pretty necklace.I just love it!

Please stop by her blog and say hello.

Also Jessie is asking for prayer right now...her Dad is very ill in the hospital.

Thinking of you today sweet Jessie. Hugs and heart felt prayers coming your way,

:KayEllen

Shiny and New

I have been excited to show you a few new pictures of the design project I have been working on.
The back splash is done. The tiles are hand painted and glazed. Each tile piece is beautiful and complements the granite nicely.

The wood floor is completed and looks warm and inviting. I chose a stain a little lighter then the cabinets. I like the contrast of wood tones.

The new shiny fridge adds sparkle to the kitchen.

The handles and knobs look great. Need a space saving idea? The new pull out microwave is a great way to save counter top space!

After finishing touches are added...

The floor tile is installed and looks beautiful in the entryway.

 

What about this shower? Didn't it turn out great! The drawing and measurements worked perfect for the space. We had a great tile installer too...he did all the hard work:)

Well back to designing...

:KayEllen

Day Dreaming

Here is a place I enjoy visiting. Just a few miles from my home and a nice walk to get there. If it's a planned visit I take my camera, sketch book, and calendar.

I can sit and daydream or work on a drawing for a client, maybe recheck some appointment's in my day planner.

Away from my desk, my stress lifts...

It is a quiet tranquil setting and the fragrance that surrounds the garden is amazing.

Day dreaming begins...

Another week has faded away like these lovely petals.

A restful weekend enters...

Blossoming ideas and plans for a new week yet to come.
 

Find a place where you can be creative or just day dream and relax...

 

We all need down time to recharge and reflect.

Happy Pink Saturday! Make sure and visit Beverly at www.howsweetthesound.typepad.com and say hello.

 

Back to daydreaming...

Good morning sunshine!

Have a blessed weekend.
:KayEllen

A Delightful Celebration

Hi Everyone!

We had a delightful celebration for our son graduating from Poly High School. Picture perfect weather too!

 

I made a quick wall hanging for the front door with school spirit of course!

Brothers smiling.

Bubbles blowing...

Family and friends arriving!

My funny sister Kim helping me get the food ready. She went to Poly High School class of 1982!

The open house was a lot of fun, we had a steady flow of family and friends for the evening.

We set tables up all over the yard. Lots of laughter coming from this table.

Captain Jim and his lovely wife Martina took a day off from sailing to wish us congrats.

 

Here are few of the 2009 Poly Bear graduates that came over to celebrate.

 

My friends Terry and Kelly stopped by. They graduated with me from Poly High School... class of 1979, thirty years ago!

My friend Lisa and brother-in-law Eric are looking at a Poly High School yearbook that my grandmother Ruth is in from 1932.

Grandma Barbara is looking at a scrap book my son made in his literature class for his senior project.

Here comes our friend Mark with more balloons? OK, hand one out to every guest! lol

Here is Sande, my Mom and Vicky. Close friends after all these years and you guessed it... Poly graduates!

Let's cut the cake please...

Here are more dear friends that came over...The Corbin family...both parents graduated from Poly!

Lot's of cousins!

More cousins...

The youngest cousin.

Graduating cousins from rival schools! shhhhhh

Wait, more cousins and a sweet Aunt and Uncle too:)

Happy Graduates! The class of 2009!

We are proud and excited for our son.

:KayEllen

Painting and Gardening

Hi Everyone!

This week is flying by. I have been planning for our son's party so my husband and I have been working on a few outside home improvements.

I was considering purchasing a new front door but decided to paint ours instead. A quick face lift and low cost improvement. We even kept the hardware, just added a faux finish to make it look like copper.

Amazing when company is coming how we get motivated to spruce things up!

One of my favorite areas in the garden is our time out corner. Well, it's a time out corner for me to relax and get away from the computer and phone...

The graduation party will be outside so I am sure this corner will get a lot of use!

My foxgloves are still blooming,I hope they will last for the weekend!

 

I love the detail of each blossom.

All the flower beds are weed free!

 

The fence is freshly painted and my rose garden is starting to flourish.

My gardeners came and mowed the grass in a thunder storm! That's dedication:)

I am off to shop for party supplies.

Thank you for stopping by!

:KayEllen