I received this wonderful gift in the mail From Coddy. Just because! I got to meet Coddy last fall at the DC Big flea.....she does not have a blog (yet!). She has her own business and works outside the home! She makes wonderful pieces from shells. She used to live in Hawaii and recently moved to the area. She included a little piece of sea glass from the beach in Hawaii....it's truly just so special to me! Her son sweetly calls the sea glass finds "Diamonds from the sea" OH MY GOSH! How appropriate! Coddy, thank you so much! I love it dearly! Coddy is in the process of starting an on line boutique and a blog! Yay! I'll update you when she is up and running!
Today after the crappiest day at work I've EVER had I got home and there was a box waiting for me! My daughter always stands beside me anticipating what I'm opening. I'd won a giveaway on Rosemary's blog and look what she sent-
I just love a pretty box! My daughter immediately reached over and untied the bow.....I yelled STOP! I have to get a picture! So I retied it and snapped away. It was KILLING her!
Just look at these petite little bottles! The one with the red flowers was an old ink bottle I think! So sweet!
and then I found this:
These could not be any more perfect if I'd selected them myself! FIVE of these beautiful stuffed hearts....one to represent each person in my family! They are made from vintage quilts out of the softest fabric I've ever felt! OH MY GOSH! She tells me they are called Tennessee Hearts...and she selected them because she saw my scrappy garlands and thought the fabrics were similar! She also included these ADORABLE tiny tags.....you almost need a magnifying glass to look at them and all the detail. The buttons are sewn!
Rosemary selected these things without ever meeting me in "real life". I swear it's like she KNEW me, that's how perfect it all is. Why is it that a blog friend "gets you" but members of your own family don't? She actually used to live in the next town over from me....8 miles away....but moved to Tennessee several years ago. We "met" and clicked because of one common bond....both of our sweet moms suffer from Alzheimers. We started comparing notes and stories back and forth. I have to say that one of the biggest benefits of blogging has been my ability to find and talk with other "daughters" who share this struggle of the long goodbye with our moms. When my mom first moved to assisted living, it was so raw. I cried so many tears, and sobbed harder than I ever have in my life. I've learned to understand the disease and even laugh about it at times with friends like Rosemary. Other women I've met don't feel comfortable sharing their alzheimer stories yet on their blogs, but we've privately shared our pains through emails and it makes it just a tiny bit better to know someone elses story. So Coddy and Rosemary, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity!
Speaking of alzheimers....my mom's house has been sitting for over a year now. My sisters and I decided to quit avoiding the task at hand and drove down there on Saturday morning. Our plan was to clean out, donate and get it ready for sale. We anticipated it taking 2-3 weekends. Well, the three of us worked like horses and from 11a.m. Saturday until 2pm Sunday.....we were able to get it ready and cleaned out and we even "staged it" for the Realtor. He saw it at it's worst on Saturday. I emailed the pictures to him on Sunday and he was in shock! So now it's on the market and we'll see what happens.
I'll share a few pictures with you. The house looks bare because we wanted it that way! My mom had so much stuff on walls etc...we had to un personalize it!
My sister pointed out that the tablecloth is crooked! Whoops! And that wall hanging in the background is disguising and UGLY electric panel. We had to work with what we had! We'd already given EVERYTHING away....and we scrounged around and found this. We hadn't donated it because it was special to my mom...handwoven in Norway.
my moms bedroom after we'd removed most of the big furniture! I WANT that little dresser! But I have absolutely no place to put it!
my sisters wanted to pitch the little wicker trunk but I protested and it's staying until the yard sale.
We also managed to fill up her TWO car garage with stuff to sell in the Spring. That's in ADDITION to the three trips we made to the thrift store! Thanks to Beth...she gave me some tips on where to take it. Her family has a vacation home here and she's quite familiar with the thrifting scene!
see those SILLY little spindles holding up those cabinets? That's an accident waiting to happen. My dad fought with the builder for 3 years about this and he would not change it out. He never got the balance of his money either! How ridiculous does that look? We want to change it out, but it has to meet code and it's a can of worms we aren't opening! We'll allow $$ in the contract for re-decorating this part of the kitchen.
And just for the record....my mom would officially KILL me if she knew what blogging was and that I'd plastered her home all over the internet!
This is at the end of her street, just a block away. Boat access to the Chesapeake Bay.
I hope you enjoyed the tour!
Have a wonderful weekend! It's my first weekend "off" in THREE WEEKS (I've had mom duty the previous two weekends...it's really not a duty at all....but I've not been able to get a lot of things done" and my favorite thrift store is 50% off this weekend! You KNOW where I'll be!
Take it easy this weekend. Whenever I'm in Denver I drive by my Mom's house. I secretly hope I'll see her sweeping the front porch or watering her flowers... Love to you!
Posted by: Cami @ Heart-Shaped Rock Cottage | February 27, 2009 at 11:13 PM
(Thinking that if you really want the chest you should make a home for it. Those are the things you tend to regret, aren't they?)
Posted by: Sarah | February 27, 2009 at 06:39 PM
Coddy sent one to me too!!! Aren't they lovely?
Good job getting your mom's house ready. I think it will show well.
Wish I was going to be in town for the thrift trip!
Posted by: karla nathan | February 27, 2009 at 04:05 PM
I imagine cleaning out your mom's house was a bittersweet task for you and your sisters. But, you did a great job as it looks very inviting.
Enjoy your weekend off and the sale at the thrift shop.
Hugs,
Kim
Posted by: Kim | February 27, 2009 at 01:14 PM
About those spindley things - my sister and her husband moved into a house with them. They tried to remove them but the cabinet immediately started to sag.
Her husband built a shallow little spice rack shelf there instead - so it is functional instead of just tacky.
beautiful goodies.
Posted by: teresa | February 27, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Boy, I was already loving that house and THEN I saw the water access - that's fabulous. You guys did a great job - I'm just imagining the "before" shots. Your gift is packed with pretty things - I need to check out Rosemary's blog. Have a fun weekend - sounds like you have one coming!
Posted by: barbara | February 27, 2009 at 08:01 AM
Yes we do have a connection, don't we. So glad you liked everything. I love your mom's house! And to be that close to the Bay, it doesn't get much better than that. I hope it sells quickly for you. You're so sweet. xoxo
Posted by: Rosa | February 26, 2009 at 10:50 PM