Hello all my primilishious friends. I have still been battling the cold from helsinki, so I am WAYYYYYYY behind on giving a big shouting THANK YOU to Lauren over at Rugs & Pugs. She was my swap partner for the Bumblebee Lane "Prairie Swap" that Amy hosted. This was Laurens very first swap and let me tell you...you're going to hope she's your next swap partner cause she knows how to spoil a gal !!! Of course, I have the patience of a newly potty trained 3 year old who really has to pee, and I saw that box and just tore into all the gifts, so you all are missing out on how pretty she had everything wrapped. She had this adorable vintage newspaper and everything was tied with twine...Oh so sweet ! Of course I have told myself over and over to take a picture BEFORE I open everything, but what can I say ? I was too excited (which might mean I have a very dull life, but thats another story).
OK...drum roll please....Just loook at all the sweet goodies.
I just love the wooden bowl filled with dirty little gourds...they are wonderful and isnt that pumpkin mat just so sweet. She's very talented and I think that its punch needle ???? All I know is its really adorable...havent decided yet where to put everything since I have been ubdet the weather. The little pin keep is adorable too...oooh and do you see that necklace ???? It says "rug hooker" and has a little tiny sheep on it...SWEET ! Now, I must confess, much to my shame, it took me a little while to figure out the scrabble letters..I know, I know...It shouldve been easy, but guys, seriously I have had like, nooooo sleep and have been taking cold meds along with my pain meds since when I get a cold my body just does NOT cooperate...all the residuals of West Nile. Lordy Hannah I wouldnt wish West Nile on my worst enemy. Ok, enough boo-hooing from me...I'm just saying I had legitimate reasons for it to take me almost an hour to figure it out ! No joke..I kept thinking well gosh, its not my name, or primitives or October and then DUHHHHHHH...it hit me ! I chuckle every time I look at it now. Gigantic hugs to Lauren !!!
So, here's where I put some of the loot..
Let's see....The bowl, pin keep and gourds are from Lauren, the corn cob beeswax bowl fillers are from Amy at Bumble Bee Lane . YUUUMMMMMMM they smell so good...wish I wouldve bought more sine I have 2 in my table center piece too. Oh and the pumpkin is one of the ones I swapped with Maire over at Old Lady Morgans. I painted the little round box and put a copy of a vintage Thanksgiving card on the front and all those wooden sewing spools are another thing from the hubs grammas that the family was going to pitch !!! I think they look nice in the mason jar with the old doily on top. I picked up the runner at Goodwill awhile back for $1 along with the Kraft cheese box, also $1.
Ok, so its 4:30 am and I am getting tired and hopefully sleep will come to me soon, but let me ask a quick gardening question first. I am a gardening newbie (most plants I have ever touched have died so I was quite pleased when the mums I planted last year actually came back up this year, but they are so doggone big that they are falling over...any ideas ? They just are sort of falling over. Should I tie them up with something ?
ALso...look at how brown some of the red blooms are ...is that normal or did I get to close and now they are ready to die on me ?
One more funny thing before I go try to get some sleep...As I was trying to do at least some fall decorating the other day I took this picture of one of my hooked tugs laid over a basket....notice anything ????
Other than the fact that I seriously need to move the furniture and vacuum behind the sewing machine...Look to the right...Yep, thata a SNOWMAN sitting in my crock ! No, I am not super early getting my winter decor out...I am LATE. I guess its been up all year. I walk past this everyday....several times a day. It's right at the bottom of the steps and never saw it. Wow, when did that happen ? I used to move my furniture around almost weekly. I was always fixing and fussing over every little thing in my house and now I am lucky to get ALL my winter deor put away beofre it starts snowing again. Yikes ! I gotta get more on the ball.
Well, I guess I should go. Oh, this was my 50th post, so I will be doing a giveaway, but I am too tired to tell you all the details tonight, so stay tuned. I will get it up by Friday for sure along with lots of wool...I am still clearing out some of my excess wool and have made up some nice "stash starters" for rug hookers or penny rug makers.
OK...sleep may finally be coming..
Grace to you,
Margie
well its 2 am here..and I thought I was a night owl..lol..love the swap you got..she did a great job..and I love your mums..and the red ones are on their way out..mine did the same thing..not sure what to tell you on how to keep them from getting big and droopy..can't wait to see what you have for your wool stash..and i hope you get some rest and start feeling better.;)
ReplyDeleteLauren does beautiful work indeed! Lucky you to receive such a lovely package of goodies!! Hope you feel better very soon! Colds are the worst, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteMargie~ Just dead head the brown ones it will prolonge the blooms longer and yes just tieing them is the best way to bring them together...The swap goodies from Lauren Oh my goodness just beautiful! Love the pumpkin mat but she put alot of thought into you.She even sent you entertainment..smile..I knew you would both make this special for each other.Hugs!~Amy
ReplyDeleteMargie ~
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better soon!
Glad you liked your goodies :)
As for the mums, as they are growing in late spring/early summer, you are supposed to cut them back a couple times before the buds set and they will get bushier and not as tall. I'm not sure what the rule of thumb is, but I'm sure you could google it.
Hugs, hooker friend :)
Lauren (I can only comment if I comment as anonymous.)
I looooove this post. Except you having the excuse of being on meds, you sound like me! lol.
ReplyDeleteWhat fantastic treasures from Lauren. I've been on the receiving end from her and she is a wonderfully generous Lady.
Hey, I think you need that snowman out all year long...it's like 'seed' for the next year...lol You plant it and they will grow.
Lovely Mums...but I have no luck with them at all.
I buy them every year and they do what your Red one is doing. The White, Yellow and deep Red are okay, but the Rusty color like yours all the heads turned brown!
karen
Good Morning, Margie,
ReplyDeleteI started leaving you a comment at 6am and I'm finally able to, I messed up my Google Chrome files.
You did well with the swap, I'll bet you are thrilled.
The mums are what they call "leggy". At the end of
the fall when the stems and leaves are dead and dried up, you cut the mums down to the ground level and mulch over them for the winter. You can control the height and look of them if you keep them pinched back regularly, as they are growing in early in the season. (Just pop those dried up flower heads off now and they'll look better.)
Love your treasures from Lauren! Especially the rughooker scrabble sign. I really want one that say Primcats. :)
ReplyDeleteThe mums turning brown is normal. thats the spent flowers. You just need to pull them off so that new blooms can come in. It's called Dead heading.
Carmen and the Primcats
Great stuff from Lauren!! I usually have to tie my mums back also, they get in the way of the sidewalk! Hope you get to feeling better real soon!!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Oh Margie Girl - you're too funny - only you are up posting at 4:41 - not because you got up early, but because you haven't gone to bed yet! And you always pack so much in, I feel like I want to write a novel for a comment! Anywho - starting with Lauren - AWESOME!!! The mat is adorable - and I have one of her "Happy Hooker" necklaces and adore it...and LOVE me my gourds...And that scrabble thing is too stinking cute (and funny!!) She did you up great (but I saw the wonderful things you sent her too and looks like a pretty swap!) Looks like you got your answers on the mums...yup, gotta deadhead the spent blooms....and cut them back early on....And too funny about the snowman - when my family comes over, if they get bored they play "I spy" and try to find a decoration from all the holidays past - because there's usually more than just one stray!! See we have lots and lots in common. Hope you got some sleep....Have a wonderful Thursday! Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin
ReplyDeleteHi Margie~
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love all your goodies from Lauren!! She sure did spoil you!! But I saw what you sent her & you spoiled her too!!
Have a wonderful day~Becky
Hi Margie,I was just thinking about you this morning. Hope that you are feeling better soon!Love your swap goodies from Lauren!That pumpkin mat is adorable.Thanks for the chuckle,the scrabble tile sounds like something I'd do.Feel better soon!Hugs,Jen
ReplyDeleteGreat swap!
ReplyDeleteWell, the mums~ you have to pinch them and pinch them to keep them nice and full. Don't cut them back! What ever you do, don't do it until Spring. If you do, they won't return. Every three years or so, you need to dig them out and divide them, discarding the centers. Replant and pinch and pinch. That's how you get the nice tight blooms.What zone are you?
Pinch them~ and I mean be severe about it until July 4th and then stop. Once they start flowering, then you can pinch the dead blooms off, and they will rebloom.
I hope that you can keep them, they are a favorite of mine! I did like your swap stuff, and I am sorry you are feeling icky. I hope you are on the mend soon.
Have a good night.
Renee
That Lauren is a wonderful gal!! Feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteKaren
Oh, love love that Scrabble board and the necklace. So creative!
ReplyDelete