Wednesday, May 21, 2014

our own little midwest meet-up

 Yesterday I had the pleasure of lunching with Penny from At Home in English Valley
 and Cathy from My 1929 Charmer. Penny and I had actually met last year at the 
Midwest Bloggers Conference and have become good friends and see each other
once in awhile, but neither one of us had met Cathy. We talked and laughed for almost
three hours. It's a lot of fun getting to know the person behind the blog!

 {Penny, Cathy, me}

Penny is so sweet, generous, and talented ~ she gave me and Cathy a gift bag
 full of pretty things that she had made. I love this crocheted Ball jar cozy.


 I'm not sure if this vintage Oriole fabric piece is supposed to be a dish towel,
but I think it looks pretty in my office, hung over the door of my vintage dresser.
The colors and the bird theme fit in perfectly!


Another pretty puffed heart to add to my collection! Penny finds gorgeous
vintage fabrics when she's thrifting and then repurposes the fabric by making
something new. I love the colors and details of the flowers in this fabric.


We are finally having warm weather here in northern IL (85F today - a bit too warm
for my likes, but I'm not complaining - sure beats winter!) so Brian and I have been
doing a lot of yard work. I was at Home Depot a few days ago looking for annuals
and they didn't have much of a selection yet - just the usual petunias and marigolds.
I bought a couple of hanging baskets but that was it. I'm going to another garden
center tomorrow to check out the annuals. Hopefully, they will have a good selection
and I can get busy planting flowers in pots for my porch and patio.

20 comments:

  1. Hi Melanie - Isn't it special to meet fellow bloggers that you've exchanged emails and posts with for years and then actually meet them in person? I did that with Paula when I was in Alaska. It was like we were old friends and I guess we were! And especially nice to get special gifts!

    I'm using my little redone smoking cabinet inside. Don't know exactly what the wax would do outside. Have to check on that.

    Thanks for dropping by 20 North Ora.

    Judy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it sure is nice to meet fellow bloggers in person. I'd like to meet more! You are right - that cabinet probably wouldn't do well outside with either too much sun or rain.

      Delete
  2. Melanie, the pleasure was mine to meet you and Penny. It was a great lunch and so much fun. You guys have both beat me to posting, but I'm gonna try tomorrow. Are you going to the market you sent to us? I am thinking about it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure which market you're talking about, but I'm just going to a garden center out in my neck of the woods. Your yard and gardens are so beautiful (from what I've seen over the past years on your blog), that I can't wait to see what you do this year!

      Delete
  3. How nice to be able to meet up with blogging friends. You were given some very pretty gifts. I hope you all had a nice time together.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Come to Chicago and we can meet up, too! :-)

      Delete
  4. Dear Mel, We have a great time whenever we get together, especially thrifting! Meeting Cathy was so much fun...we love so many of the same things. I am so happy you liked your little gifts... You know I do things when I am nervous, or happy or sad...I just have to create! See you soon my friend. Love, Penny

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are always creating beautiful things, Penny. You are so creative and talented. Were you really writing this comment in the middle of the night?!

      Delete
  5. How nice! I know you all had a great time!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have read about several different large group midwest blogging get together and also little ones like yours. I think it would be so much fun to meet up with other southern California bloggers, but I only know of a few.

    I am glad you had a fun time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jen Rizzo heads up a Midwest blogging meet-up in the spring, but I didn't go this year. Who knows, maybe you'll encounter more bloggers in your area just from word of mouth or FB groups, or even through your blog.

      Delete
  7. How great that you got to meet up with some other bloggers, it is great to make online friendships, but how lovely to be able to extend those. Your gifts are beautiful, the heart especially is so pretty, what a nice friend! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love meeting blogger friends in person! Isn't that heart pretty? Penny is a very talented (and generous) friend!

      Delete
  8. How nice that you were all able to get together! I love that little heart gift.

    I have both a HD and Lowes nearby and Lowes always seems to have so much more. Trying to do most everything that I can from seed this year, though...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard such good things about Lowes, but unfortunately the closest one to us is about 1/2 hour away. HD and Menards are both within a 7 min. drive.

      Delete
  9. It must have been so nice to meet Cathy and Penny! I think I'm a little too far away to pop in for a cup of tea!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you ever feel like hopping on a plane and flying across the big pond... ;-)

      Delete
  10. Oh, what fun . . . meeting fellow sister bloggers in person. I've yet to do that :)
    Have a great Memorial Day weekend.
    Your blogging sister, Connie :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You never know, Connie - it may happen someday!

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to leave a kind comment - I read and appreciate each one!