Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Home Again...a Blustery Day...and Easter Re-visited

Good afternoon, my friends!  I feel like I have been gone forever...hope you still remember me!  What a great vacation we've had!  We went to Utah to see my parents & our college girl and also two of my brothers and their families--so much wonderful visiting!

The funny thing about the trip, though...it felt like WINTER!  It snowed so many of the days we were there...and yesterday coming home...all day!  It got a bit tricky up in the Sierras on our way back to California, but here we are...safe and sound once again...

Vacations are wonderful things, aren't they...but there's nothing quite like being home again.  I couldn't wait to get back to my blog again and visiting you all...I'm so far behind!  Had to get my juices flowing again today, so I made this little card...



Oh, it felt SO good to get inky/gluey/glittery again!  My hands are a mess & I'm covered with glitter and I couldn't be happier! 

This sweet little spring image is from Crafty Secrets' "Seasonal" Images & Journal Notes booklet.  I love blustery feel of the image--how the kite, the little girls' dresses, and the big, fat hollyhocks are all blowing about so wonderfully--such a beautiful scene!  This is how spring feels here today--very cool, just a bit sunny, and a nice, fresh wind blowing...better than all that snow yesterday!


The blue & white gingham print is from Crafty Secrets' "Earthy" paper pack, and that luscious floral print behind it is a new one I picked up by My Mind's Eye, called "Quite Contrary"--isn't it gorgeous?!  The flowers on it felt like the hollyhocks in the image...

I printed up my own saying using my favorite vintage-style font..."Apricot".  Some pretty crocheted lace, ribbon, buttons and lots of glitter, of course--that's about it!

Before I go, I thought I'd share a few scenes of Easter with you from my parents' house.  My Mother is a wonderful and fanciful decorator--such a child at heart.  I love it when I can go for a visit during different holidays and see that season celebrated through her eyes...


Mom has a wonderful little alcove in her entry--we call it "the shrine"--it's always the focal point of her holiday decorating...


...she's got quite a knack for it, don't you think?!


 I love this bunny swinging in the Easter tree...


A pretty, folksy piece I love...


An adorable bunch of chickies...


...fun, colored glass bunnies surrounding one of my favorites...



...a gorgeous bouquet of beaded flowers that she made when I was a girl.  There's really nothing this Mom of mine can't do!

Well, that's it for today--hope you enjoyed my look back at Easter--what a beautiful and peaceful time of the year.  It was such a blessing to be surrounded by so much of our family.  Thanks, Mom, for always making it so wonderful to come HOME.

Thanks so much for all of your kind visits while I was away!  Looking forward to visiting all of you and catching up! 

Hope your day is wonderful!  I'll be back very soon with something new...

35 comments:

  1. Welcome home, Julie! What a sweet card! And your Mom... can she come decorate MY house? :) Such beautiful arrangements!

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  2. Oh, I do think your mom definitely has a knack for decorating! Love the Easter tree. I'm going to have to maybe try to do one of those next year. Just so cute!
    Brenda

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  3. Hi Julie, oooh, I love your mom's beautiful Easter decorations, especially the little bunny in the swing! We are still having blustery weather here in Utah... we got over 6 inches of snow last night (YUCK!) and more is predicted for tonight... I want Spring! xoxo Julie Marie

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  4. Welcome back! Glad you had a great time! My, how I've missed your pictures! This one of the basket of chicks makes my heart happy! Thanks!

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  5. Utah! And you didn't come visit?! LOL Yes it has been wintery here, we got more snow last night! I love your new card and I can see where you got your creativity from! And yes, there is no place like home is there?! :D

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  6. Julie I do see now where your creative talents come from now. Thanks for showing us all your Mom does in her home at Easter. Loved your see card too you made.

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  7. Hi Julie,

    Your mom's house looks exactly like I want mine to be.......only I can't! I gave up decorating for the holidays (except Christmas) as my mobility issues got worse. I don't have the time, or the ability to set it all up and take it all down, I can, however make all the goodies to decorate with......weird huh? Your card is lovely, thank you for sharing with us.

    Hugs,
    Meri

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  8. Welcome back!!! So glad you had a wonderful trip and visit with your family.

    Love your newest card, so very cute.

    We've had all kinds of weather today. Sun, wind, rain, hail. Very, very confusing :)

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  9. Oh those beaded flowers are so pretty. I have always wanted to try making those.

    karen

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  10. Love the pictures! So glad you had a nice time with your family. Your card and the image--darling!

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  11. Welcome back! We missed you! So nice to see your new card. Just lovely.

    Your mom has some serious gorgeousness going on over there. I just love the tree, especially the swinging bunny. It makes me smile and long for Easter again.

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  12. I wrote you a comment on your last post asking if you were all right because I hadn't heard from you or you hadn't posted in so long. NOW I know you were off playing & having fun. GOOD FOR YOU! Your Mom's Easter goodies were so cute. I'm with you loving the bunny on the swing. Your card is adorable & would have worked well here today too. BLUSTERY FOR SURE! HUGS! Charlene

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  13. Welcome Home Julie!!!!
    I missed you!!!!! :))))
    I'm so glad you had a safe and happy vacation and spent the holidays with family. And snow? At Easter? Cool, but I don't think I'd like to drive through it...I'd be so stressed out. And can you imagine hiding Easter eggs in the snow? The footprints would give it away! haha

    I see where you get your wonderful creative talent from...your Mom sure is wonderful. Her handmade beaded flowers are to die for...I just love them! Talent runs in your genes girl, that's for sure!

    Well, welcome home and I'm looking forward to seeing all of your creativity again. Love your last creation...it's amazing how you can jump from vacation to creation in an instant! Where do you get your energy from???? ;)

    Have a wonderful week Julie!!!

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  14. Lovely pictures! Personally, I love quirky Utah weather, it's what makes Utah, well, Utah!

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  15. Yum! I love your crystal eggs! They're just beautiful!

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  16. Lovely creations..they are beautiful.

    Hugs,Willy

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  17. Glad to hear you had a nice trip, thanks for the pictures, the card and the crafts!

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  18. Welcome back!
    You have made a really beautiful card again! Your moms decorations are so beautiful!
    Hugs Hanne

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  19. Welcome Back My Friend!!! So glad you had such a nice time (other than the weather) visiting family! Time goes by so quickly ...
    Your card is beautiful, as always, ... you didn't miss a beat ... gorgeous layout!!
    WOW ... what cool Easter decorations your mom has! Absolutely beautiful pieces of art and your photos show the details perfectly ...
    I would say there is nothing this Mother/Daughter act can't do!!! LOL!!! Hugs to ya!

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  20. What a lovely card en the photo's are great, thanks for sharing it and .... welcome home !!!
    Greetings from a sunny Holland :-) Caroline

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  21. Welcome back! Love this post, especially...well, everything! Your handmade card is gorgeous and I'm in love with the little lady on the lamb! How fabulous!
    Have a great day!
    Hugs,
    Coralie

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  22. Welcome Home Julie! What fun you bring us today with your beautiful card and your Mother's Shrine! This post gives me hope that we can go right on decorating for our holidays even as we get older - honestly I thought there was a cut-off date! Julie, you would have gasped to see your tag box. Crushed beyond belief! Thank goodness your box was large, the tags were not touched a bit, and are in perfectly adorable condition! I am so excited you would like to do the August swap. You can have any state you like! Today I purchased 15 vintage post card packets to give as a gift and will save aside the best California one for you. I'm really pondering how we should make these. Will it be too boring that they must remain "flat" so that I can attach them together? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated - this is going to be a tough one. I'm going to have my scrapbook store use their Cricket to cut out my state's letters. Hard to choose! Rambling because I'm so happy you are back in the community! Let you go, E

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  23. Glad you had a great time and you're safely home! Sweet little card with the blustery day image (do you know that Bosskut have the Apricot font as a set of dies, BTW? Can't remember if you're a die cut girlie, maybe not).

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  24. So great to have you back, Jules!

    Although my spiritual beliefs keep me grounded as to the celebration of Easter, I have always loved collecting rabbits and of course, this is the time of year for the best selection.

    I love stuffed bunnies and china bunnies and everything in between...paper mache are always beautiful : )

    Thanks for sharing this colorful post!

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  25. Wow what a beautiful Easter Tree your Mum made, Julie. So full of colour and it looks so fragile.
    Glad you had a good break.
    Back to the sunshine!!
    Lesley x

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  26. welcome home! It looks as though you were in an Easter paradise at your Mom's house :)

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  27. Julie, I'd say talent runs in your family! Your mother is very gifted with her decorating skills. I'm so glad you had a nice Easter. That card is so very cute! One of my favorites! Twyla

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  28. Well now we know where you get all your creativity from. Love the shrine! I need an area like that. I already have so many decorations that when I try to decorate for the holidays, everything seems to get lost. There's been many times when Christmas decoratons aer out forever because they blend in with everything else. HA! Hope you are having a crafty, glittery, sweet day! Blessings, Tammy

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  29. Glad you are back. Yes, there is no place like home. Love all the Easter decor at your mom's. 2 lovely ladies with creative juices.
    Blessings!
    Gwen

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  30. Welcome home!
    Vacations are home, but it's always great to get back to your own bed. :-)

    I love your sweet little card!

    Have a wonderful Thursday!
    Anne

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  31. What a beautiful card, Julie! Would you kindly direct me to the right place to find this journal of images? Thanks. Welcome home! Your mom's decorating is so sweet!

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  32. Great to catch up over here and see all your pretties Julie!!

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  33. Your card is absolutely gorgeous!!! And yes, your mom decorates beautifully!!! Love her Easter tree! Maybe she could come to Chicago and decorate my house??? : )

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  34. Hi Julie! I know exactly what you mean! I love it when my hands are covered in Distress ink and stickles!
    Beautiful card!
    Have a great night, Lindsey

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  35. Welcome back Mama Julie! Now we know where you get your creative gift from! Your Mama! But seriously........how do you whip up these beautiful cards so quickly?

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