I just can't help it

Ken took these pictures of Thor this week and I just have to share. I like to think that he's sad because he's missing me. My boy is so cute.

Woodworking is best left to professionals

Krista and I decided that it would be fun to try and turn an old bookcase into an entertainment center. And honestly, if I had known what we were getting ourselves into, we would not have started the project. (I think that's why they say that ignorance is bliss!)

Despite initial appearances, the bookcase doesn't have any right angles on it. It DOES however have six coats of paint, which it turns out lend it all of its strength! Also, we had to replace the backing since after we carefully removed the back and removed each and every nail individually, the backing snapped in two. A 2x6 to provide center support for the TV, some trim and molding, and 137 coats of paint later... it actually turned out pretty good.

See what you think:

Krista the Anglophile and the Rainy Day

It sounds like a dirty word, but the official definition of Anglophile is a person who greatly admires or favors England and things English (ref: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anglophile). Yep, that's me to a tee!
After visiting England and discovering a deep and abiding love for traditional English scones, I found a recipe and have made them sporadically since my return. Granted, I don't "take tea" daily as the English do; however, I probably make tea and scones several times a month.
Today, it rained all afternoon and I thought what a perfect opportunity to stop my busy day and take tea. So, I made scones, I made tea, I took my beautiful tea set from the china cabinet and set it up on the table. I sat down and watched the rain fall, pretending that I was back in England. Except that it was really warm, I almost felt like I was in England again. There is something about the ritual of taking tea that calms the soul and renews the spirit. No wonder life in England centers around it.
The one souvenir I wanted from London was a real English tea set. So after traipsing around London and visiting 8 tea shops (and I just have to interject what an awesome husband I have to traipse around London visiting tea shops with me in search of the perfect one), I finally settled on the tea set we'd seen in the 2nd shop we visited. :-) Isn't it beautiful? Something about having it all set up on the table fills me with a joy and contentment that might be considered strange if you've never experienced it before. If you're ever visiting us and would like to experience the ritual for yourself, I would be more than happy to share it with you.
Here's a picture of me and my wonderful husband, who also shared the experience of taking tea in a real tea house with me more than once!

Randomness

One of our favorite things to do lately is to get up early on Sunday and sit outside with a glass of coke (Ken) and a cup of tea or coffee (Krista) and watch the dogs play, throw the ball for Thor, pet Saige, chat and/or read. This morning was no exception. Since our patio faces west, we get the benefit of shade in the morning and a nice breeze so it's generally quite pleasant. I usually have the annoying habit of talking only when Ken is trying to read, but he's quite nice about my interruptions. :-) I'd love to someday have a little bistro set where we can enjoy the morning and not worry about the dogs running off with our food.

One of the things I like about staying in Hilton hotels are the toiletries they give away. I know Hilton is pricier than other hotels, but Ken and I have found that the customer service, amenities and quality are well worth the extra money. The toiletries they use are Crabtree & Evelyn's La Source, which smell good and work great. While in Europe, we scored a ton of shampoo, conditioner, lotion and body wash. So now when we shower, not only do we smell good, but we're also reminded of our happy days exploring Paris and London. What could be better?

Our visit to England was simply not long enough. There are so many more places that we need to see and visit: like Wales, Scotland, Canterbury, Norwich, Oxford, the Tower of London, every possible castle and numerous other places. In future, I am willing to forgo traveling anywhere else to explore England as much as possible! Paris was nice and there are certainly several places in France I'd like to visit, but it doesn't hold the same wonder and excitement for me as England does. I'm excited because I've finally learned how to make real English scones and bake myself a batch every few weeks. Yum!

Recently, I got an unexpected package in the mail. It was a gift from my mom! She had bought me some needlework accessories, including several books on Celtic design needlework and a lovely pewter sewing station (see picture). It holds a pair of embroidery scissors, a thimble with the Celtic "endless knot" design and a place to hold pins and needles. And it's from England!! I'd been mentioning how I love embroidery and how my sewing skills are improving. This unexpected and loving encouragement, from my wonderful mom, gives me renewed energy to build my skills, explore new crafts and someday even try to sell my crafts!

In fact, here are some photos of my latest creations: some embroidered coasters, fabric wallets, and some embroidered onesies. Wish I'd had these skills before all our nieces and nephews had grown out of onesies, but I can still sell them and they make great gifts for our co-workers and friends who are having babies.

Darling Dachshunds

Floating Flowers

Fabric Wallets

Party Time Coasters

What do you think??