A Most Serendipitous Birthday

If you have been patiently following this blog, you might notice that I am quite enthralled with the kismetian aspect of life.  I enjoy those 'chance occurences', those 'coincidental oddities', those 'only we could have this happen to' moments.

And this past birthday has proven, once again, that my little family certainly flies close together while we are miles apart.

Many years ago, my sisters and I would laugh, long distance, about how we managed to send our parents the same or very similar card for some important occasion.  We often sent each other the same cards for holidays.  Fun, family stuff.

But my little gang really did it this time.

 This past summer, during one of our rare visits as a group, Eldest/Administrator and Baby Girl and I, stumbled upon a most delightful booth at our local Farmer's Market.  Pam Voorhies  http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/LittleRedPorch has put together a 'little' business of making signs with all sorts of heartfelt, whimsical sayings on them, expertly combining colors and fonts to please the eye and to decorate your abode.   Needless to say, E/A, BG and I were smitten.  E/A found a sign perfect for her Hazel Jane's bedroom and I. Found. Mine.

Those that know me, know my love for my porch.  ALL of my porches from each stage of my married life.

  I plan each winter as to the layout of each year's porch, that important summer room. I have utilized the tiniest of screened in porches, rejoiced in a windowed in porch in my first married apartment and now glory in my broad eaved veranda that has been our seasonal perch for fifteen summers now.

Life slows down on the porch. 

 You are out there for only one reason: to relax.  There are no dishes to do on the porch.  There are no bathrooms to clean on the porch.  There are only cooling breezes, books and magazines to read and people to draw into this lovely.

 The conversations that have taken place on my porch, go deeper than most.  Secrets are shared, hearts are exposed and burdens are lifted.  Magical.  Spiritual.

At the time of the discovery of  Little Red Porch and it's goodness, I could not justify the expense for such a treat that I really didn't know where it would even go in my already overladen walls.  And E/A so wanted a sign as well.  I sighed, put my little covetousness on the shelf and went on my way.

But I kept thinking about the porch sign.

  Every week at Farmer's Market, I visited 'my' sign.  One week, I saw where she had come up with another one that stated, 'Life is Better on the Farm'.  PERFECT for BG's in laws.  I quickly messaged BG and her MIL and let them know that they had to get that sign toot sweet.  And they did.  And I was just the teensiest bit jealous at their good fortune.

Several times, I visited LRP's etsy and several times I was tempted.  But Hubby and I are on limited income these days since Retirement visited our home.  So I would acquiesce.

Then one day, I had a brilliant idea.  As you know, my family has a Code Word that is just for us.  LYSMICETY will show up on our notes, cards and banners. (http://sonowiknow.blogspot.com/2012/02/lysmicety.html ) Love You So Much I Can't Even Tell You is our slogan, our motto, our family solidarity.  I thought it was highly appropriate, for Christmas, to tell each of them and their families in solid, colorful, wood.  Something that will survive the years and remind them each of their importance in this family.  I could envision cousins being comforted in knowing that they belonged to each other as they visited each other's homes...

Quick as a bunny, I sent LRP and the lovely Pam a message and the process began.  I told her I was in no hurry as Christmas was many weeks away.

MEANWHILE,
 in lands far away, some Birthday Gift Planning was taking place, unbeknownst to me.

The time came when the signs were dry and ready to be picked up at Pam's Little Red Porch in a little town nearby.  I looked at my burgeoning schedule and tried to figure out how to pick up all of the signs in a timely manner.  (I do not drive and thus the arrangements.)

LRP contacted me that she was going to be headed my way and would I prefer to just meet her at the local MickyD's to make the exchange of goods and services.  I was gleeful at the ease of it and the prospect of viewing the ordered signs.

Halloween Night came with a chill, so Hubby and I decided to kindle the fireplace so that we could roast hot dogs for supper as we answered the door to the ghoulies and ghosties of Halloween.  We informed Youngest Son that this was commencing in the Big House and he could not resist a good inside weinie roast with the prospect of viewing costumed little ones at our door.

In the course of our fireside chat, I mentioned that I had an early morning meeting at McDonalds.  YS was very intrigued as to the reason: 1 Why  I would have an early morning meeting.  2.  That it would be at McDonalds.  I noticed that for a fireside chat, he was awfully interested in his cell phone, but in this day and age, it's not terribly unexpected.  I also couldn't help but notice that he asked me Three Times why I was going to McDonalds at 9am.

Being the kind of mother that I am, I replied to his queries, 'None of your business.'

When I refused to tell his nosy self, he responded to me (after much consulting to his cell screen, communicating with E/A, that I really needed to tell him since HE had a 9am meeting at McDonalds as well......

The roar of laughter that emitted from me was epic.
I could not believe the coincidence regarding the whole situation.
I could not believe that two orders headed to the same house without any pre planning, landed at the same early morning drop off by the same innocent artist who HAD NO IDEA THE TWO ORDERS WERE IN THE LEAST CONNECTED! 

What fun it was to pick up the orders and have a good giggle with Pam as to her unsuspecting complicity!
What fun to see my children ban together to get their poor mama the sign that she kept referring to and whining over!
What fun to see what the whole scenario means to us!
What fun to see O'Henry sacrificial giving in action!
What fun to now have my beloved sign on my wall and all the fun filled meaning that it has to me!

Thank you Pam at Little Red Porch for your talent and time!

Thank you, dear children, for making your mama's 60th memorable and sweet - you all are the best....

(ps.  Baby Girl's birthday card came in the mail today - compare it to E/A's...Similiar?  I think so....Love. It.)

LYSMICETY!

 Rarely do my redecorative adventures have an ultimate goal.  They mostly evolve.  I can start out with specific plans only to scrap them to do what the project leads me to do. It is a most spontaneous form of decorating not exactly fit for most people.  I remember years ago, buying flooring for a kitchen and telling Hubby that most definitely I wanted something completely plain, white and utilitarian.  I wanted a plain backdrop for my kitchen needs.  I told the salesman that as he greeted us at the door.  I was specific and determined and he set out to show me all the plain, white linoleum that he had.  While perusing his stock, I noticed, across the room, a most interesting floor displayed.  Full of my favorite colors and properly early 80's stencil look that I loved, I drifted over to it and pictured it in my small kitchen.  By the time Hubby and Perplexed Salesman came over to where I stood, I had decided.  I told them both very decidedly, 'This is It.'  Hubby, knowing  my propensity for my mercurial decorating tendencies, merely smiled and said, 'Sure?' And with an enthusiastic nod of the head, it was a done deal.  Poor Flooring Salesman.  That floor served many a trod foot for over 17 years....

 That said, my family, particularly Hubby, has come to accept my Crazy Decorating Ways.  He understands my need to draw on my walls.  My need to flail color wildly and to hang things that most people would throw away.  I have the oak trim from the inside of my long ago upright piano utilized to separate places in my kitchen from the dining room.  See?  Just oddly interesting.....

 When I set out to update my upstairs bathroom this past week, I had no goal, only color determination.  The whole time I was painting over my antiquated sponge painting from 2000, I kept waiting for the room to speak to me.  Nuttin.  Paint, paint.  Think, think, think......

 As often happens when I paint and redo, my thoughts drifted to the purpose of my actions.  I picture the guests that will enjoy the view.  I think of their entertainment and pleasure in the sharing of my space. The upstairs bathroom seldom sees the traffic that the downstairs rooms sees.  I wrapped my mind around that thought and saw that usually the closest and personal spend time in our upstairs area.  Usually, this up close and personal are our own children and their children.  This led me to reflect on each one of them and the joy that I receive from knowing them.


Years ago, and the following will be debated until the grave, our children would come into our bedroom to wish us good night.  This would stem from me nursing the youngest in bed while the olders got themselves ready for nighty nite.  Rumor has it that one or the other of my two eldest, and I have no distinct memory of the initial onset, but as we departed for the nightly separation, the children would kiss and hug us and tell us, 'Love You So Much I Can't Even Tell You'.  What a great night time greeting.  It warmed my heart every single time.  The thought that his/her love for me/us was inexpressible was so dear to this mama.

 The tag line, LYSMICETY, soon became our sign off in cards and correspondence.  Email was developed and that too was the choice for signature.  To this day, this continues; our own family slogan.  It was this thought that came to me while painting in the upstairs room that is usually reserved for our children and our near and dear.  I knew I wanted to make a reminder to those that were in the room, and while I had their, ahem, full attention, I wanted them to once again remember, that I 'Love Them So Much That I Can't Even Tell You....

 As is my usual beginning to projects like this, my first thought was, 'What do I have on hand?'  What is the right texture, right color, right representation of this room and it's new style?  After just finishing the library a few weeks before, I knew that one thing that I had lots of was photo frames.  I had removed all the outdated photos and stored away the frames waiting for more current pictures.  I thought about the fact that most of my work involves around fabric and needlework so I knew that the letters had to be cloth and pearl cotton for the best visual effect.

 I gathered the frames and sorted them by size, knowing I wanted a rather eclectic grouping.  Felt was the preferred backing; sturdy and solid to back the letters that I would design from color appealing fabric.

 No templates, just free hand letter cut outs, something I have done with construction paper since I was little.  I purposely wanted it simple and primitive, almost child like in it's presentation.  No hemming of the fabric- just a stitching on the machine close to the edge.  An outline stitch with pearl cotton since it is thicker than embroidery floss....

 And before the end of the evening, I had wall art that represented my family, my craft and my colors...Things that my family will recognize as a gift to them each time they use the bathroom!  And isn't that where all great thinking occurs??!

Love You So Much I Can't Even Tell You....