Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Wow, Sugar Pie Farmhouse is having a large giveaway!

Photobucket
This wonderful Farm Chicks cookbook is one of them, in fact, I just received my copy of it yesterday where I ordered it off of Amazon! I will have to share some of my favorite pages another day with my friends, but in the meantime, if you haven't been to Sugar Pie Farmhouse you need to hurry over! It's WONDERFUL!! Suzie

Happy 120th Birthday, Eiffel Tower!

Photobucket

The skyline of Paris can’t be imagined
Without its symbol, the Eiffel Tower**-
Located in the bank of River Seine,
It represents an awesome design power!
Built as the entrance arch to the Paris Exhibition
In 1889 with majestic glory and art-
It symbolized the centennial of French Revolution,
And still tantalizes the global heart!
Out of 700 proposals, one was unanimously selected,
Designed by Monsieur Eiffel-
And has become one of the premier tourist attractions
To tell us the tale!

Gustave Eiffel, the ‘Magician of Iron’,
Was the tower’s designer, who faced enormous toll-
Followed by skepticism from many critics,
As an eyesore in the heart of Paris lovers’ soul!
Completed on May 5, 1889, it was meant to be
A temporary structure, to stand for only twenty years-
But it still stands today to greet the world
With engineering wizardry without fears!
The structure is maintained and renovated
Every seven years with fifty tons of paint-
Executed by workers who master acrobatic
And climbing sports to stay free from ailment!
The tower was about to be demolished in 1909
With expiration of lease on the land-
But its value as an antenna for radio transmission
Saved it from the bulldozers’ hand!

During its lifetime so far, the Eiffel Tower
Has witnessed some strange scene-
Such as scaling by a mountaineer in 1954,
And parachuting off it in 1984 makes our blood thin!
A journalist in 1923 rode a bicycle down
From the first level stairs-
And was greeted like a hero by the cheery crowd
Waiting on lawn chairs!
Politics has also played a role in its life
Since it was opened for public view-
While the Germans hung a sign on it
During World War II with a colorful hue!
Cuban revolutionaries displayed their flag in 1958
From the first level of the tower-
And, in 1979, an American from Greenpeace
Hold a sign “Save the Seals” against the bullet shower!
It has been a popular place to commit suicide
Because it’s so high-
And over 400 people have thrown themselves off
Since it was built, for a deep sigh!

The Eiffel Tower at night is one of the greatest sights
That a tourist shouldn’t miss-
Especially the twinkling of lights may enlighten
The mysticisms followed by a kiss!
The gold lighting highlights the delicacy of steelworks,
Invisible in broad daylight-
And this masterpiece of Gustave Eiffel will be cherished
As the symbol of Paris with an impeccable sight!!

A fabric giveaway!

Go visit Sevi Designs for a chance to win some fabric today, plus she's having a giveaway a day for a whole week! Suzie
Photobucket

Monday, March 30, 2009

Photobucket

A special Monday morning breakfast for two...
Photobucket
Why?
Photobucket
Because my daughter is a week away from her due date...
Photobucket
And she's "tired" of being pregnant...
Photobucket
And breakfast cheers her up!
Here's the recipe for the wonderful moist Strawberry Bread I made....

Friday, March 27, 2009

Happy PINK Saturday...

I enjoyed Friday at the Dallas Arboretum with my daughter and girlfriends, so I thought I'd share some pink and otherwise pics from there with my Pink Saturday friends... Here I am saying hello out there!
Photobucket
Here comes some Pink...
Photobucket
and oh, how pretty these flowers were!
Photobucket
Pretty streams...
Photobucket

Photobucket
An adorable little Hansel and Gretel hutch...
Photobucket

Photobucket
and one perfect bloom color combination..
Photobucket
And a little slideshow if you want to see more! Happy Pink Saturday, everyone!
Suzie Button

Thursday, March 26, 2009

A couple of Giveaways to tell you about!

The first one is Laurel Plum Online
THIS...
Photobucket
AND THIS TOO!
Photobucket
AND ALSO...
Photobucket
This fabric giveaway at Sevi Designs

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

A Sense of Community...

Photobucket
Hi, friends! I'm sorry I haven't been so "weekly" with my Suzie Weekly Side Dish lately, I think I should just drop the "weekly" out of it, and get myself off the feeling guilty hook, right? ha,ha!
I thought I'd share today with my friends in blogland about a story I captioned about community and it's place in our hearts and spirits.
Photobucket
The story was based in Singapore in a neighborhood called Kampung Buangkok.
This is where a village once thrived, and today just a small piece of that neighborhood is left. The government has it slated to be demolished for future redevelopment.
The heart of this story, I found, as I captioned it was not the brick and mortar of the buildings themselves, but the story within the story of the people who once inhabited this village and villages such as these. This is where people grew up, where, in fact, they found their sense of community. What was the draw, the appeal, of living in what many would see as a rundown neighborhood over the bigger city apartments that they now dwell in?
One former resident said this, "If there's a change, I won't have my friends anymore," she said, but added, "We must not cling on to things. If the government wants to take the land, they will take it."
Another man interviewed added, "Even if I want to show my children how I was brought up, I can't show them," said Ho Why Hong, 50, a taxi driver, as he searched for Kampong Buangkok. "Everything is torn down."
"When we were growing up we didn't lock our doors," he said. "That kind of trust we had. Everyone knew each other. Any stranger who came into the kampong, we knew."
I felt sad and nostalgic when writing this story, I was sad for the loss of a past way that we all want to share with our children, a sadness for the older generation who have a story to share and nowhere to visualize it now. It felt lonely.
I began to think of my roots, my sense of community and what it meant to me and how it's changed.
Photobucket
I grew up in a middle-class neighborhood with a feeling of safety and in comfort. My sense of community was all around me, my BFF (best friend forever) who lived next door and who rode bicycles with me all over our several blocks when we were young ( and without any fear of being abducted!) and in the neighbors who had moms like mine, who were stay-at-home moms and packed lunches for their children every day and sent them to walk to school, to my church where I learned about God and smelled Summer freshness in the air when I attended Vacation Bible School.
Life as a community is much different now where I live. Now neighbors build their fences higher and higher to keep others from seeing inside, and I don't know many or any of my neighbors, everyone keeps to themselves and works outside the home and are stressed for time.
It seems to me that as a society we should slow down and encompass our past, our elders, our traditions back more into our everyday lives and preserve a sense of community for our children's futures.
Photobucket
Here's a website that has various topics on family and community at Women Today Magazine
Leave me a comment please and share with me your ideas of community. Blessings! Suzie

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

SPRING SURE IS...

Photobucket
AND MY FAVORITE CROCK POT SPAGHETTI SAUCE RECIPE (DINNER TONIGHT!)...
Photobucket
REALLY, IT'S NO MORE WORK THAN POURING SAUCE OUT OF A JAR, AND TASTES WAY BETTER!
HAPPY SPRING TUESDAY, SUZIE

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Finishing up my Easter Egg Garland Swap..

But first, here are some more pretty flowers, yellow tulips this time! What a way to cheer up the day and usher in Spring!
Photobucket

Photobucket
Here's another easter egg with a vintage bunny image and some fun trimmings!

Photobucket
And my last egg with a bird calling in Spring! Guess what the edging is on this egg? Cupcake liners cut open flat! I love when I use items in unexpected ways!
Happy Sunday! Suzie

Saturday, March 21, 2009

A Really Nice Giveaway!

Photobucket
I just discovered Retro Cafe Art Gallery and she's having a sweet giveaway! Please visit! Suzie

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Some of my favorite sewing tools...

I am participating in Heather Bailey's March of the Tools and wanted to share with you some of my sewing tools...

Photobucket
I love electric scissors! I have sewed for years, and never bought any until it came to sewing my daughter's baby bedding, and boy, why did I not purchase these nifty scissors earlier?!! They cut through fabric like melting butter! Everyone should have a set of these!

Photobucket

Photobucket
Plus these fabric weights in place of pins saves so much time! Love them!

Please visit Heather to see more favorite tools! Suzie

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

A Tribute to a Great Dog...

Photobucket
I'm very sad this evening, we had to put down our beloved dog, Bailey. He had been going downhill really through all of last year, and couldn't get up off the floor anymore and lost bowel control and so we had to make a choice. I couldn't make the choice, my daughter had to help us to follow through, it's just too hard to say goodbye to such a great dog as Bailey was. Goodbye, my sweet dog.

Working on my Easter Egg Swap...

First off though, I thought I'd share a bit of Spring with these daffodils I bought to cheer up my kitchen...
Photobucket
I'm working to finish up my Easter Eggs for the Artrageous AfternoonEgg Garland Swap!
Photobucket
And on this next one I used vintage millinery flowers...
Photobucket
And this one is from a vintage Easter card from when I was little, so cute!
Photobucket
Just a few more to go! Happy midweek, Suzie Button

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Would you drive four hours to shop?

I would! My daughter Megan and I took a two day getaway to San Marcos, TX to shop at San Marcos Prime Outlets, times two! It is double the size of an average outlet, maybe even bigger than that, so to us it was worth the trip! Plus it was a last chance for mommy-to-be Megan to get away before the baby comes in about three weeks. We even enjoyed a couple nights in a local Bed and Breakfast Crystal River Innwhich made the trip extra special for us both!
Here's why maybe you too would drive four hours to shop!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

What a Sweet Swap!

I received my wonderful swap gifts in the mail yesterday...
Photobucket
It was wrapped up so pretty with wonderful details...
Photobucket
And there were pretty dishtowels...
Photobucket
And knitted gorgeous spring color dishclothes...
Photobucket
Photobucket
Thank You,Heidi/Foxgloves Fabric and Folly
Hugs and Kisses... Suzie Button

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Here's my swap details...

I wanted to share with you what I made for my most recent swap...
Photobucket
An embroidery towel with a French flair. I bought the birdie design from this Etsy site DB Embroidery Designs
Photobucket
I began with this wonderful wooden tray...
Photobucket
I took a linen tablecloth and stitched French phrases around each side...
Photobucket
And I added a medallion in the middle.
Photobucket
And finished off with this gorgeous vintage necklace!
Photobucket
Here's the total swap! It was so much fun to stitch and put together! Suzie