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Sunday, April 11, 2010

A Birthday Gift From Mr. Old Glory


I've never been too crazy about our little back porch. It always felt like a little roof that was just tacked onto the back of the house. Aren't those pillows and cushion pretty? Gee, how I miss them. I sewed them all by hand last year, and really enjoyed them on that bench for a few weeks, until squirrels ripped them all to shreds and dragged the stuffing up the tree to build their nest. Oh, the horror. I got a little satisfaction though when a storm blew their nest down! But I digress. Back to the porch.

Mr. Old Glory framed out a lattice panel, and to me it looks so much more porch-ier. Yes, that's a word!

And now I have a cozy little nook to read a book, or watch the birds. I want to make more pillows, but should I bother? If I knew it would keep them away from the pillows, I would just through a bag of stuffing out there for them to go nuts with. Again I digress. The whole point of this post is to do a little bragging on my husband. After he finished making this, a friend said that my husband always makes me nice things, and it's true.

He made this bench for me several years ago, and it's gone through a few paint changes.

He also made me a bear, with a chainsaw! Here is Smokey in his Fourth of July attire.

And here's Smokey O' Reilly!

Mr. Old Glory even made me a birdhouse that looks just like Old Glory Cottage! He's made me lots of other things too, including a wheelbarrow that I'll show when I'm done giving it a little facelift.

Other things that I got for my birthday include that pink McCoy vase, which is the start of my pink and white McCoy vase collection up there on top of the secretary.

Two books that I had been wanting for a while, especially that Napco book. You wouldn't believe how many tries it took to finally win it on Ebay! It's out of print, so it can't be found at a bookstore.

Violas from my friend Kari, in the most perfect chippy green pot!

Flowers from my friend Nancy, who is a floral designer. I had a great birthday WEEK!
Remember that you have until 10PM Monday night to enter my giveaway, which you can enter HERE. I will post the results on Tuesday morning.
The gardens are exploding with life, and there is so much to do, so if you don't see me here very often, look for me in the garden!

24 comments:

LiLi M. said...

I love that word porchier! You are right your porch looks a lot more porchier now. Have a great week!

happileah said...

Your porch looks like heaven and is just begging to be sat on for hours at a time.
You've been given some great gifts-Mr. Old Glory is talented, aren't Handmade gifts THE BEST?!

Happy Birthday!

GARAGE SALE GAL said...

I'm so happy that your birthday was a good one!
Your hubby is awesome to make you such nice gifts.
Your porch looks very cozy and those darn critters just loved your pillows.
Warmly,
Deb :)

Susie's country cottage said...

I was just thinking how nice the cushions were on the bench and then read about the squirrels. I would want to strangle them! The lattice panel looks great. I'm glad you had a good week for your birthday.
Susie

Holly, the Old Western Gal said...

Your hubby is very handy indeed. I love the lattice panel, makes it cozy.

Poor ol' squirrels, there they were thinking, "That nice lady put stuffing out for us, and she even wrapped it!"

Linda @ A La Carte said...

You are indeed lucky to have such a handy husband! I love the look of the porch with lattice. Such wonderful pillows gone to the squirrels...would some heavier outdoor fabric deter them?
Glad you had such a wonderful Birthday week!

jamie@midcenturymania said...

Beautiful. The lattice really finishes it off. Happy belated birthday.

Unknown said...

Carol,
I love your porch!!!! You are right, you have a very handy man living with you! :) By the way....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
It looks nice where you are...is spring finally there?????
It is just beautiful down here in AZ....but we are heading into the time we really hate!!!! Your get snow, I get HOT!!!! I know I don't have to shovel it, but it is sooo oppresive!!!! But right now it is about 60 degrees outside and it is suppose to get in the high 70's. :) I also wanted to tell you, that birdhouse that is just like your home>>>> AWESOME! Sorry....didn't mean to shout! LOL

Anonymous said...

Hey, Happy Birthday, Carol! You surely made out like a bandit, as they say ;) I love your porch and bench and lattice background. And all the gifts you rec'd are so happy-making. I love all the things you've shown that your hubby made for you. What a wonderful guy! Love the cushions you made (for the squirrels ;) too. They were so pretty.

Sherrie said...

Oh so much to say today. First of all I am jealous about the pink McCoy, yes the porch looks porchier and you have a talented hubby. I also wanted to say thanks for stopping by with kind thoughts about my cold. I sent you a thank you in my Sunday post and linked to your fun blog to send folks over to say hi. Your kind thoughts made me feel better. Thanks

Protector of Vintage said...

What a wonderful and talented husband you have!! The porch looks great!!

Vintage Christine said...

Wow--your squirrels really have some cojones to come up and drag off such big cushions! The porch looks wonderful, too. When my husband gets ahold of a chain saw no tree is safe so I'd probably never ask him to carve me a bear, but yours sure is cute. Looks like you had a fab b'day--mine is this Wednesday!!!

SueLovesCherries said...

Happy to you, Carol! I love the lattice! I think everything looks better with lattice. If I were you, I'd do more cushions, but keep them in by the back door so you can use them and bring them back in so's the rodents don't get them.

Richard said...

I love your porch! I would like a porch like that one day! :)

Barbara said...

That lattice is such a good idea! Your husband is very nice. And those squirrels are very bad. Possibly they're related to the ones who nibbled the corner of my rug last year.

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Love the lattice but I would have cried over the destruction of those pretty pillows!! My hubby is a lot of things but handy he is not!!
Debbie

Jane said...

I'm sorry I missed your birthday!!
I'm loving that back porch. The lattice does cozy things up.
You do have one handy hubby. Love everything he made for you.
Have a wonderful week.
Jane

Laura said...

The lattice looks beautiful. This spot would be perfect for reading or enjoying nature. We love that bench your husband made. Those water cans are so pretty and colorful.

Have a great week.

Laura and Michele

Carey said...

Happy, happy birthday. I love the bench on the porch and the screening you put behind it. I need that on my porch. Your hubby makes such nice things. I love the bear. I hope you had a wonderful day. I wish I visited earlier to enter the give away.
Birthday Hugs,
Carey

Denise Marie said...

Super post!! Happy b-day dear bloggy friend. Mr. Old Glory is a wonderful hubby. Love the lattice and dadgum squirrels...you never know what they'll get into. I think they topple over my night lights outside and beat up on my rabbits that are in the garden. When do they sleep? I can't believe they ate your cute pillows.

GardenOfDaisies said...

I do love the little bench and your painted watering cans!!

Coralie Cederna Johnson said...

What a fabulous birthday gift!!! I LOVE the little porch! It's just PERFECT! Happy belated birthday!
Hugs,
Coralie

Lisa said...

Lovin' that porch! And your new blog look!! Happy Birthday again!
Hugs, Lisa

MomWaldsPlace said...

Aaah, now I see. You've started a "pink and white pottery collection". Oh well, now you need light blue too.

Handy Hubbies are as good as gold. Your porch is definitely "porchier"!