Summer lovin'

Sophie holding her future charge...he is almost as long as her!

Things here have been alternatively quiet and busy, much like everyone's summer , I guess. We are shuttling between tennis lessons and basketball camps, but other than that, the weekdays are about swimming, relaxing, and puttering in the yard. I have tackled a few projects, but I seem to flit between them, never truly finishing anything I start. Kids, of course, are one reason (do they really need to eat so frequently?), but it is partly me and the scattered state I find myself in. I want to do so much, yet I also want to have quality time doing summery things like relaxation...just hanging out.

• I did manage to spray paint my outdoor chairs that I have pulled up to my "home-made" patio table made by my frugal husband (please excuse the horrible photo!).He found the iron legs of an old Singer sewing machine in the woods (his office), and fired them into the back of his truck. I squealed with delight when I saw them and he promptly crafted a top for them out of old boards. That was then. Now, almost eight years later, the table has seen better days, and is in need of either a new top or, at the very least, a paint job. It seems my husband has either a frugal or lazy wife, as I haven`t drummed up the ambition to do either. So, each summer, I simply buy a cheap, punchy, plastic table cloth to make a clean eating surface...vowing I will get to it by summer`s end. Yeah...right!

• Instead, I have been puttering in my camper. It is probably sinful how much I love that thing! I think it would probably qualify as my very own playhouse. We temporarily set it up in the drive-way, and each night I find some excuse to slip into it, and pretend to be taking inventory, making up the beds, or "tidying" it. Instead, I sit in the relative darkness, planning where I want to go camping, rehashing the day, or simply staring into space like a soul devoid of thoughts. It is rather relaxing, and I cringe when I hear a little (or big) one stick their head out the door calling my name. I have discovered that holding one`s breath in an attempt to hide doesn`t work at all... On a decorating note, I have a wonderful, talented friend working her seamstress magic and making me new cushion covers for the camper. I can`t wait till they are done, and they will be a huge improvement on the ugly fabric it came with. I must ask, who on earth selects the fabric that goes into campers? Blecch!

• I have also been putting the finishing details on Sophie`s playhouse. It is better than I imagined, and I am thrilled to bits at how it turned out. I will post pictures very soon...I still need to finish painting the clapboards.

• Below is the birthday cake I made for my eldest son`s birthday party. It was a pool party, of course, and because it was for teenagers, I was a bit off track with regards to traditional birthday planning. In fact, a little too much off track. It occurred to me as I was nodding off to sleep the night before the party, that I had forgotten to make a birthday cake! The next day found me searching my brain for an easy alternative to the three-layer cake. I came up with this, out of sheer desperation: I lined a 9x13 baking pan with ice-cream sandwiches. Then I added a generous layer of softened chocolate ice cream. I topped it all with a sprinkling of Oreo cookie crumbs. Well, it turned out wonderfully, was delicious, and tasted like a yummy ice cream cake for the grand total of $9.00 !! Can`t beat that...and made in minutes, literally!
  

• This pile of glorious loot was gifted to me by Claire @ Serendipity Loves New York. She sent it to me after I won her give-away...all the way from Cardiff, Wales!! I could not believe her generosity...not only was the prize wonderful, but the cost of postage must have made her pause! She has a lovely blog and you are missing out if you don`t check it out. Thank you Claire!!

• I picked up this beautiful dress for Sophie last weekend. It is from the April Cornell collection and was, thankfully, half price. It is a tad short for her, but it is the quintessential little girl`s dress, and is how I envision a little girl dressing. It even has the simple phrase, "In My Garden" stitched across the bottom . SIGH...I can`t wait to photograph her in it!
  

Oh, and I finally put together a lemonade stand a friend picked up for me last year! Of course, I first had to paint it pink. I`m crossing my fingers the weather will be fine this weekend...there are lemonade sales to be made!! Pictures to follow, of course...