Like Father / Like Son

So many of you commented on my last post about how much Drew looks like his Dad.  I always knew this.  But reading that post back, prompted me to dig up some old photos of Greg.  These were taken right around the time we were married.  Greg was the same age as Drew is now.
Oh my gosh, how cute is he!!!   I remember this trip EXACTLY!  It was mid October, and Big Bear had gotten their first snow of the season.  We went up and rented a little cottage for the weekend.  We loved Big Bear, even way back then.
I took this next one on the beach one day while we were in Laguna.  It has always been one of my favorites!

And another one.

Those were the days of guys wearing their hair longer.  Greg also had a handlebar mustache.
He had a Volkswagon Camper Bus that we went all over in.  I loved that car.  I sure wish we still had it!!

We had driven up to San Francisco to visit his Aunt and Uncle.  That is his cousin Bren sitting next to him.
This was taken on our first Christmas together.
How do you like my Farrah Fawcett hair?   Someone said that Drew had my golden locks.  I am giving away a secret here.  I wasn't born blonde.  Just born to BE blonde!
I found this one too.  Guess who?

 My high school graduation day.  I see Erika and Gennifer both in photos of me.  Not so much of Drew, as he has always pretty much been all Greg. But he has Fink eyes.  He looks a little like photos of my Dad as a young man.
This one was taken a few years later, after we had the girls.

Striking resemblance, don't you think?

And how about Greg in a beard?

 I was not crazy about Greg in a beard.  In fact, I hated it!  I am not crazy about Drew in a beard either.  They have nice handsome faces.  Why cover them in hair?   Greg was about 29 here in this photo.
When I was uploading these next photos, of a cowl I made yesterday, I was thinking to myself, how much I look like my Mom!!!
This is a pattern that was shared by my blogging friend Priscilla  She has the link on her blog to the video.  I have done several of this lady's patterns, and she gives great instructions.  I love the texture of this cowl.

 To make the flower, I also used a pattern that Priscilla  had on her blog.  I like to use my beautiful daughters for models, but it is hard to do sometimes.  I was all dressed up in my sweats today, but took the photos anyway.  I have no shame.

This cowl is so soft and cozy.  It can also be worn up over your head as a hood.  In the back, it looks like a snood.  I love those too.

I will surely be making a lot more of these!
I recently found the wreaths that I put on my front doors after Christmas comes down.  They were hiding up in the rafters still.

I painted two wooden hearts with chalkboard paint.  On one side, I have a Valentine message.  When Valentine's is over, I flip the signs to read Welcome Friends.  I leave these up until I put my Spring baskets on the door.

 I like to pick up little wooden benches when I see them.  I use them in all sorts of ways to decorate.  Also on buffet tables to elevate things at various heights to add visual interest.  This bench was painted sort of a light blue.  I painted it over in barn red, leaving some of the blue to show through in spots.  The sides of the bench have little heart shapes cut out of the wood.

A red candle nestled in coffee beans, inside an antique jello mold tin.  An antique red lunch box, with some of my crochet puffed hearts tucked inside.  On the second shelf is a tiny quilt I made years ago when I wanted to learn how to make my own chenille.  You use multiple layers of fabric, and then cut it, and wash it, and using a stiff wire brush, you fray the fabric up until it is soft like chenille.  I used both a red and a navy blue fabric to make my heart.  Then, for fun and practice, I machine quilted it in red thread, and bound it.  I put little eyelets in the top so I could hang it.  

 And also put an applique heart on the back and used a blanket stitch to attach.

There is also a cute mug rug that a blogging friend sent to me.  And a little heart pincushion that I got when taking a class at our local quilt shop.  And a little Valentine Mouse Limoge that my Dad gave me one year.

I put a red tablecloth on the little breakfast table in the kitchen.  And then some Moda Hankie fabric on the tray with some Valentines.

Greg got me that chicken napkin holder one time when we were at the Farmer's Market here in town.  

Two of my favorite little Valentine pillows rest on an ottoman in the family room.

Remember the wooden cabinet with basket shelving I got at the Goodwill recently?  I love it here in the family room.  It holds our DVD collection in the upper two shelves.

I have kept the top of the chest free of clutter, but today when I was looking for photos of Greg, I ran across my Jim Shore pieces, and decided to put those out for awhile.

In the large bottom drawer, I have put some of my ever growing yarn collection.

Yummy, yummy yarn!!!  Don't you love those yarn cakes you get at the yarn shops after they have put your hank on a swift, and wind it into a nice pretty ball?  I sure do. 

Well did you know that even if you don't have a swift and winder, you can make them yourself?  I didn't.  But my friend  Niki  shared this great tutorial on how to wind your leftover balls of yarn into nice neat yarn cakes, using an empty toilet paper roll.  Dropping your beginning yarn down inside the tube, and then winding the yarn around the top portion of the tube.  Then gently slide ball off of roll for the perfect little cake of yarn.  LOVE it!!!  I wouldn't want to do it to my larger rolls, but when you get all of those messy ends, it is a nice way to organize it.
I got this beautiful yarn bowl for Christmas from my girlfriend Ally, and it works perfectly for feeding your yarn through without having your yarn bounce all over the floor or whatever, while you are working.

This was sort of an all over the place kind of post.  I have spent the last two days just relaxing and crocheting.  No housework, except laundry.  Felt kind of nice.  I think I needed it.
See you soon with my movie review.  We are trying to see all of the movies nominated for awards, as I go to an Academy Awards party every year, and we vote for prizes.  I like to see as many as I can.  I don't think I can see 12 Years A Slave though.  Too brutal for me.
Tootle-Loo

Kris