How time flies! Our baby has grown up!

Yay! I just published my second children's book, How Danny the Dragon Came to Live with Wanda the Witch. It is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

http://outskirtspress.com/webPage/isbn/9781478751168

Our New Addition!

We have added a new member to our family! It's a girl--Tea-C--a micro mini pig! We even had a piggy shower where friends and family brought lots of toys for her to play with. She has the run of our office where her bed, water bowl, toys, and litter box are kept. Yes, she is litter trained! We have a gate in the door where she can see us, but not get out (she has to be confined in one area for several weeks). She loves people and the day of the shower we let 2-3 people at a time into the office where hubby Jack was with her. They sat on the floor and she crawled into their laps so they could pet her. A fun time was had by all!

more ornaments for the pig Christmas tree

I even got a pig towel from Lannie plus 5 new pig ornaments for my pig Christmas tree 

REMINISCING

On the 21st of this month, hubby Jack and I will celebrate our 65th wedding anniversary. We
sat down last week and talked about how blessed our lives have been. Three children, a wonderful daughter-in-law and son-in-law, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
For over 35 years Jack and I have worked together, doing decorative finishes for Interior Designers and their clients. We opened a school called The American Academy Of Decorative Finishes. We have. taught many times in London, France, Italy and Canada. We also took students with us to do hands on work in a 16th chateau in Chinon in the Lorie Valley in France and an Italian Villa out of Florence Italy.

We have been fortunate we like working together and since retiring from doing walls, ceiling, furniture etc. we are together 24-7, that doesn't mean we don't give each other space. I am  a person who has to be busy doing something painting, decoupage, all the time which sometimes drives Jack crazy but he's smart enough to keep quiet and let me project.

Through the years of working and teaching, we have made many life long friends we both love and value very much. Thank you for letting me share this with you. Enough of this reminiscing, I have some new and exciting announcements to share with you in the near future. Keep tuned for coming attractions !!! God Bless, Vonda

PICTURES OF OUR PATIO HOME

REDOING BY BREAKFAST TABLE AND CHAIRS

WHEN WE MOVED LAST YEAR I WANTED TO REDO OUR BREAKFAST ROOM TABLE AND CHAIRS .HOPE THIS GIVES YOU SOME IDEAS YOU CAN USE

 I STRIPPED THE THE CHAIRS, PAINTED THE CHAIRS BLACK PAINTED THE EDGES IN WHITE  ..CUT OUT LITTLE FRENCH SCENES FROM WRAPPING PAPER I BOUGHT IN LONDON THE SCENES WERE IN COLOR BUT I PRINTED THEM IN BLACK AND WHITE. I  DECOUPAGED THEM ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CHAIRS.. EACH SCENE IS DIFFERENT

.FOR THE TOP OF THE TABLE I PHOTO COPIED TWO DIFFERENT SIZE BLACK AND WHITE CHECKED GINGHAMS THEN ADDED A DECORATIVE EDGE.. ON EACH CORNER,OF THE TABLE. I ADDED A SCENE TO MATCH THE BACKS OF THE CHAIRS. FOUR COATS OF WATERBASED VARNISH WAS BRUSED ON TO GIVE IT PERMANENCE.
 A NOTHER SHOT OF THE TABLE AND CHAIRS..THE CUSHIONS WERE COVERED WITH A WASHABLE SMALL BLACK AND WHITE TOILE.. THE EDGE OF THE CUSHIONS WERE  SMALL  BLACK AND WHITE GATHERED GINGHAM

THIS WAS THE PIERRE DEUX FABRIC I HAD AT THE OTHER HOUSE ON THE CHAIRS. I PHOTO COPIED THE FABRIC AND DECOUPAGED THEM ON THE TABLE, MAKING THE CENTER OF THE TABLE A DIFFERENT DESIGN. I PADDED THE BACK AND FRONTS OF THE CHAIRS WITH FABRIC. WHEN I TOOK THESE PICTURES I HAD ALREADY REMOVED THE FABRIC. BELOW IS A CLOSE UP OF THE PRINTS I USED ON THE CHAIRS. HOPE THIS WILL GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS.

Electric fireplace in breakfast room

THE ELECTRIC FIREPLACE IN THE BREAKFAST ROOM

Even though we live in warm Arizona, we have been having quite cold days and nights (lost some plants) We found this cute electric stove at Walmart..it is perfect to take the chill off when we get up in the morning.

Every one in the family got decoupage trays for Christmas

Haidyn's cat looks just like the one in the print I used

 

 

 

 

Prints were arranged.. I added ribbon scrolls I had hand colored at the top and bottom of the prints to add interest. I added large handles from Hobby Lobby

Background was painted black so panda prints would show up better. Handles were from Home Depot

 

 

 

Small tray for a friend. Handles from Home Depot

 

Frame was done in silver leaf craft paint the molding edges touch with black paint. Handles from Home Depot

Yelp, had a ball making the trays for this years Christmas presents. They were so different from each other. Daughter Jorjann likes things from Italy, Granddaughter Haidyn loves cats and Chelsa loves anything with Pandas.  Also two more trays for friends.

Parisienne Farmgirl: I am Still Here

I think moving is next to death especially if you are not feeling well..also the the children can since when things are out of whack which adds to your stress..hang in there this too will pass. You are in my prayers.Much love, Vonda

More pictures of the backyard and patio

 We have a lovely minneola citrus tree. The fruit is just now starting to ripen. I have planted impatiens in front and to the side of the boy and girl statues. 

 

 

 

We brought our two espallier apple trees from the other house at the wrong time of the year to transplant but they made it thank goodness. Different color petunas are planted all across the back.

 

 

 

Another picture of our fountain..to the left of the fountain on the back wall I have started training red bougainvillea in an espallier shape 

 

 

I guess you realize by now that I really love the backyard and working with flowers. Hubby and I spend a lot of time drinking coffee and reading out there. Here are more pictures...hope you enjoy.