Snow Again

I do not think the garden is quite ready for planting yet. Do you? After spending time at my daughter Heather's home in Montana with a foot of snow on the ground, I come home to the next morning waking up to two inches of snow right here in Washington.
Kalispell was spent enjoying and making memories. Heather and I always craft. I taught her how to make handmade soaps, we beaded, making earrings to sale. I made some new earrings to sell they have a magical fairy look to them. They are made with an opalescent stone accented with swarovski crystals and other stones. They remind me of a dancing fairy we used to make with hollyhock flowers, turning the flower heads upside down, adding adornments to create a dancing fairy doll.
We went to the high school play "Anne of Green Gables" the actors were fabulous. We wanted to go home and watch the movie. That says allot about the performance.
We also adventured up to Lone Pine Lookout, it gives you a view of "Flathead Valley." You can see by the photo the valley was covered in snow. On our way out we passed Foys Lake it was frozen over with ice fisherman fishing.
I am reminded how fast our children grow up as I watch my grandchildren grow and change each passing day. Treasure each moment you are with those you love.
Titus almost four years old likes to craft right along with mom and grandma.

My new magical fairy like earrings, they just glisten in the bright light.
Heather making her first batch of soap, she states this is sure allot easier than when we made it 20 years ago mom.
Heather with her handmade soap. They turned out beautiful and smelt heavenly.

Jason, Heather, Titus and Talea overlooking the Flathead Valley in Kalispell Montana.
Grandma and Talea her favorite way to be held and walked. Our cuddle time.

Montana Bound

Off to Montana to see my daughter Heather and son-n-law Jason and of course my two grandchildren, Titus and Talea. Florence
Ice Fishing on Whitefish Lake Montana

I will miss my honey RM

Cupid Delivers

I think I scored big. What girl wouldn't want chocolate and roses and a teddy bear to go with it? My favorite chocolate is the york pattie and red roses too, I am blessed.

Farm girl Valentine Wishes to all. May your day be whatever you want it to be. Perhaps full of lots of adventures and creativity. Love Florence Frances is ready for her "hot" date tonight.
You are all very special!

Farmgirls Gather

Welcome Farm girls to day of fun, creating, and building friendships. On Saturday the 7th of February, four of us women, Erin, Katy, Robin, and myself gathered at my home to form our maryjanesfarmgirl chapter. Our mission is to gather to share ideas, thoughts and life challenges. We plan to meet on a regular basis. We all brought an apron to share with a story to be told. One from a grandma, a friend or bought. I wore one that my friend Robin Miles made me many years ago, it had a valentine theme to it. We also had a craft time where I showed the girls how to make round glass magnets with many choices of hearts to choose from. We also made valentines for the special ones in our life. We shared our childhood memories of making valentines in school.
We all share common goals; keeping the "Back to Basics" alive in our life. We will go on adventures, help each with gardening, sewing, cooking, canning, all the while bringing our creative spirits alive.
We decided to name our group "Farm girls at Heart" I won't tell you what our second choice was, we had many laughs over that one. Thanks to the information my pastor son-in-law Jason's comment.
When I told Roger (my husband) that the farm girls were meeting at our house; he made the comment "since the weathers so nice should I pull out the shovel and gardening tools so you girls can work in the garden" of course I said " I do not think so." However we did go out for a walk to check out the garden, we are all eagerly awaiting the first signs of spring. Our day was filled with lots of laughter and new friendships were formed.
The valentine crafts supplies eagerly awaited the girls to create with.
A yummy cherry pie was enjoyed after lunch completing a fun valentine party.
Robin Katy and Erin check out their aprons, it was a beautiful sunny day.
A visit to the garden to check for any signs of spring. Robin, Katy and Florence
I think the girls are having fun making their valentines, don't you?
Katy shows us her heart magnet. I think she likes it.
Robin showing us her quilt she is working on for her husband,lucky guy huh?

Creating soaps and bath salts

Yesterday Friday the 6th of February I went to my friend Jan's house and we made soap and bath salts, she wanted me to help her with the blending of the oils, as she knew I had a background in aromatherapy, I knew what oils go well together. This day brought a whole new light to me on the art of soap making, in 1988 I started making soap from scratch with the oils and the water and the lye, now you can just buy the product, melt it and pour, how easy is that, I think I am hooked. I am picky about what goes into it however and there is no way getting around the lye, it has been added at one time before it gets to the consumer. We had fun making different types of bath salts using different recipes other than my own, as you can see I am a note taker, I have always told my aromatherapy students that you must write down what you put into your product so that if you really like it you will be able to repeat it. We had a great day and I thank Jan for having me up to do some creating and having some good friendship time. The pictures show the soap on the pedestal look like you could eat them.

Oregon Gardens Quilt Show in Silverton, Oregon
My Best Friend Erin and I traveled to Silverton, Oregon to go to a quilt show and of course we knew our friend Joy from" Antie Joy " would be there. The quilts were nice and they had a selection of antique or older ones that naturally caught my eye. I often wonder if my quilts that I have made over the years, will catch someones interest in a 100 years from now, I would like to think so. As I look at them I think of the history and the stories that went into making them. I marvel at the workmanship in the handquilting that was done. Most of us tend to have our quilts machine quilted, there are however those that still take the time to work every stitch into their quilts. As you see in the photo there was something for me to find in Joy's booth, perhaps and apron to be made and a treasure to wear.