CALLING ALL TEN PING MOMMYS…if you are looking for an Easter dress for your little sweetie, I have one ending tonight (Tuesday) and hope you’ll take a peek one more time… You can click on the pink picture at the right or you can click HERE.
Today, I’ll tell you about the A, B, C’s and D’s of my weekend.
Joy and her hubby weren’t the only ones who had a traveling adventure… we had one of our own Saturday. My sister in law, Gloria, (Larry’s wife), sent us pictures of an antique wardrobe she had and said we could have it if we wanted it! Duh!! YES!!! It was beautiful and we told her we wanted it, but trying to get all three of us lined up for a road trip took a little time.
We rented a U-Haul trailer for the day and Rebecca pulled it behind her Blazer. Her dad road in the front seat, so guess WHO got stuck in the back seat? Both of them have really long legs so guess WHO was squished back there too? I was like a sardine in a thimble! Trying to get in and out (it’s a 2 door), was quite amusing to them…not me! Sometimes we’d laugh so hard, I couldn’t move…so my hubby would just shove me in and I’d be laying in the back seat with my head in the seat, laughing… There surely must be some easier way to get in.
Okay, so let’s get on with some pictures..
This is the wardrobe… it’s an Eastlake Knock Down piece and is held in place with little dowel like pins…the whole thing comes apart pretty quickly and stacks flat for moving. (sorry, but these pictures don’t enlarge when you click on them.)
With the decorative piece on the top, it’s 8′ tall. Without it, it’s 7′ 1″. Good thing we have tall ceilings! :o)
We had some help taking it apart… Gloria’s son in law, Peter, knew how it came apart, and so did Gloria, so I just took pictures…
Well, I really did take some pictures but apparently you aren’t supposed to see them. I have tried to load them at least a dozen times and they absolutely will not go through. The first ones did… But the ones where the wardrobe was being dismantled, did not! So I guess I’ll move on…
This is the only picture of them loading the pieces into the U-Haul..
I do have one picture of it stacked up in our sitting room (unfinished sitting room, I might add…) so you can see how compact it is to move it.
Gloria made us a nice lunch and even a homemade angel food cake for my hubby’s 61st birthday, which was yesterday! She had sliced strawberries and whip cream to go with it! I couldn’t resist a few pictures…
After we visited for a while, we decided it was time to go…Rebecca wanted to do some shopping… We hit a big thrift store in Fairview Heights, Illinois, called Savers and it’s a HUGE place; the biggest one I’ve ever been in. It’s the same place I showed you the “baggie wall” before. I took another picture, but I didn’t look at all them this time…
The building just goes on and on and on…Here are a few more shots…
Okay…next topic for today…
Remember when I told you about a few doll dresses of mine being resold on Ebay by the original winner? Well, it just so happens that Joy won one of them and Linda won one of them… Here is my 10″ Patsy Tonner in the dress I made…
…and here is Joy’s sweet Haviland (an 11″ Dumpling by My Meadow dolls) wearing the dress, but a tiny bit overshadowed by the giant daffodils!
…and here is my sweet Lian in the dress I made for the Little Darlings a few years ago…
…and then Linda’s Betsy McCall doll in it…
Since we are all anticipating Spring… I thought I’d share this picture of some cupcakes Gloria showed me from Facebook. I don’t know who made them but they certainly challenged me to want to try again… aren’t they absolutely breathtaking?
I hope you’ll come back tomorrow to see what’s happening…
Blessings, Jeanne
What a fun and interesting post, Jeanne! That wardrobe is really something, the way it comse apart for moving, etc. Such a sensible thing to do with a huge piece of furniture!!
Happy birthday to George! I’m glad he’s doing so well these days. What a blessing modern medicine can be!
Our local Value Village thrift stores are pretty big, too, with some being bigger than others. I think they often go into old grocery stores or something like that. Always fun to look, but sometimes it can be overwhelming!
I’m so glad that those two outfits you made got rehomed and are now being enjoyed by their new owners! Thanks to Joy and Linda for sharing pictures!
Oh, yes, those cupcakes look wonderful!! I used to do a fair bit of cake decorating (altough nothing like this), but I find I can’t squeeze the icing bags as easily as I used to be able to do. Old age is relentlessly creeping up on me!!
Hi Charlotte,
We don’t have it put together yet, but we’ll get to it soon!! It is wonderful how it comes apart for easy assembly and dismantling!
My hubby’s birthday this year was certainly better than last year. On his birthday last year he was in the hospital for emergency surgery…
We are certainly blessed!
I’m ready to do some fancy cupcakes after seeing those…aren’t they just the prettiest things?
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
First, right off the bat, a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to George! He looks wonderful and is so deserving of all the accolades he can get! He was a great catch, Jeanne, you are SO lucky!! 🙂
Wow, that wardrobe is just gorgeous! The top piece is what makes it look so unique, and even I like it, which is something, since I usually don’t go for that kind of furniture. So where is it going? Like I mentioned yesterday, you certainly lucked out on the weather, to be putting that in the trailer and hauling it back. Now wouldn’t that make a good U-tube video of you getting in and out of the Blazer? 🙂
I’m so happy that Joy won her rehomed dress for her little Dumpling! How creative of her to take her picture outside among the grass and flowers, and to think I just have Betsy modeling on the kitchen table where I changed her! While our grass is starting to green up, we have nothing like that yet.
Those cupcakes at too pretty to eat! Don’t forget to show us how to make those flower cupcakes you have made for the baby shower. Yours were every bit as pretty!
Hi Linda,
I’ll pass your birthday wishes on to my hubby!!
I think he had a nice day…and yes, I certainly have a keeper!!
The wardrobe is going in Rebecca’s room for now…George is going to build her a shelving unit to set inside it without adding anything permanently.
I’m in the mood for a cupcake myself and haven’t forgotten about showing you how I did them…
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
In reverse order, first: The cupcakes. Sharkfind.com has the attachments to fit onto a sturdy plastic food storage bag to make the cupcake icing flowers. There is a part which is divided into three sections that goes on first that I think is designed to distribute the icing evenly into the templates. Check it out on YouTube for directions for how to use them and see the results. Looks easy to use but I haven’t tried it yet. I’ll send a picture of the set to Jeanne.
Happy Birthday, George. You are a very lucky family.
So glad to see the pictures of Linda and Joy’s dolls in their rehomed ensembles. What fun to have a Jeanne Marie original. We have some stores like this around but I’m frankly afraid to go into them. I’ll send Jeanne a picture of the last thing I bought at one of them years ago. It can’t compare with the amazing wardrobe that Aunt Gloria gifted to Rebecca. Wonderful to give it a new home.
I saw the Painted Lady Butterfly migration flying by this weekend, sometimes bucking 13 mph North winds. I’ve lived in Southern California for 28 years and had never seen it before. It is truly amazing. It seems to be due to the heavy rains we have had here that produced a bumper crop of wildflowers that they are coming through this close to the coast. Check it out in your Search function.
Hi Susette,
As soon as I get done with the comments I’m going to check out that site you mentioned about the cupcakes… I have some Russian decorating tips that make beautiful flowers so maybe it’s something like that…
I bet the butterflies were quite the sight to see. I’m so glad you witnessed it with your own eyes. I bet it’s a beautiful sight to behold!
Yes, I’d love to see what you bought at your thrift store…the best thing about thrift stores is the thrill of never knowing what you might find!!
Thanks Susette,
Blessings. Jeanne
First things first! That angel food cake looks so perfect. What a lovely one. So happy that George had a birthday to share. Chocolate angel food cake is my all time favorite, but only when made by my grandmother who died quite awhile back. Fortunately, I have the recipe and her cake pan. 🙂 Best get busy around here and make one. Thanks for the reminder.
That Eastlake armoire is such a wonderful gift. So glad you and family were able to retrieve it for Rebecca. Believe it or not, we have one too. Not the fancy Eastlake style, but similar in that it breaks down into pieces for moving. Not like that huge piece stuck into the wall from that story you showed us a few weeks back. We have shelves added inside ours that house our vintage records as well as my camera collection. Loved your story of squeezing into the backseat of the Bronco. At least it was a two door. 🙂 Hope there were no ill effects.
So, were any purchases made in that fab Savers store? Love that baggie wall.
Linda’s Betsy looks adorable in her new to her outfit. Sweet.
Those cupcakes are quite a wonder. All of that coloring and special tips. Wow! I noticed that in the presentation, the person used what looks like tissue paper between to make a leaf effect. Tissue paper that I have seen, usually bleeds if it gets damp. Can’t imagine the green transferring over onto those beautiful cakes. The special blue cupcakes you made are just as lovely. Really would like to know how to do them. I have several sets of tips my mother used. Need that tutorial. 🙂
A big related birthday to George, and congrats to Rebecca on the new armoire, and a special award to Jeanne for Bronco backseat survival.
The website is sharkfind.com for the icing tips. An short explanation is in my Comment.
Hi Joy,
That angel food cake was divine! It really was….and I love chocolate ones too!! I hope you make one and if you do, eat a piece for me!!
The armoire has LOTS of room inside…you could literally organize a whole closet in there…clothes, shoes, purses, sweaters, etc…
..
As far as riding in the backseat of the Blazer…it was good the trip was only about 2 hours…I don’t think I could have gone much longer. I would hate to think of me being shoved in the back seat shown on YouTube! Everytime we stopped someplace, I had Rebecca pull way in the back with the car door NOT facing the people walking by. :o)
I didn’t find anything at Savers but I spent part of my time at Joann’s getting some tulle for doll slips. They have stopped carrying the stuff I use at our store.
I haven’t forgotten about showing how I did the cupcakes.. I will…
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
So much to comment on today, but first I need to comment on Saturday’s blog. I had my grand kids so I didn’t get to comment then. But I want to tell Joy I loved the pictures of her adventure. What a sweet little cabin. And Debs piano piece was delightful. I have a good friend in Delaware who is a professional pianist. He plays mostly light jazz. I love that kind of music so I really enjoyed Debs piece. Wish it had been longer.
Now for today. What a lovely armoire and lucky for you to be able to have it. And how wonderful that it broke down so easily for transport. I hope you can finally make your other pictures work.
Cupcakes! My ultimate weakness. And such pretty ones make temptation even stronger.
Happy birthday to George! He and my hubby would get on famously. Unfortunately Illinois has never been on my travel route but should I ever get there, I really want to go to Savers. What a wonderful place to spend a day.
I’m glad Joy and Linda’s dolls have the privilege of wearing Jeanne Marie originals. Both outfits are lovely.
Hi Barbara,
I know what you mean wishing Deb’s piece had been longer. 57 seconds was just getting me started!! :o)
It would be easy to spend a day at Savers… there is so much to look at. I love the books and all the odds and ends…
I’m glad you enjoyed looking at all the things on today’s post.
Blessings, Jeanne
Happy Birthday to George! My favorite thing from those pictures is how healthy he looks. My birthday wish for him is that he stays that way. He deserves it and so do you.
That armoire is beautiful. What a lovely gift for Rebecca, and how wonderful that she could just drive away with it. Competence is a wonderful gift.
This really is a great blog entry. I’m sorry I can’t send a picture of the third dress from the same seller — since it’s going back on the original Wellie Wisher model, the original picture will work as well. For now, they are a neatly boxed up secret until their new owner is old enough to take care of them.
I love the picture of Joy’s doll posing in the grass. It makes her look even smaller than she is.
My biologist friend Larry says that the Painted Lady migration is headed our way in a couple of weeks. First they have to fly over our mountains.
I checked and the cupcake decorating tools are also available on Amazon, along with useful reviews. The green does look like tissue paper but I’ll bet it’s some special decorating paper. Someone else commented that Wilton makes tips for leaves. They work quite well too. I got mine for my first decorating project, when a friend demanded that I decorate her wedding cakes. I finally realized she had no one else to do it, so I practiced my edges and flowers on a worktable and then moved to the cakes.
The Saver store reminded me of a story from a friend, who went shopping in a book warehouse. She eventually felt overwhelmed, and she was someone who was overwhelmed by almost nothing, and just left the cart and books and went home to recover. From that many things, how do you choose?
Hi Marilyn,
My hubby IS healthy looking right now and we are so grateful!!
It was so wonderful that Gloria offered it to Rebecca. I love to keep pieces like that in the family.
I should have just shown the purple dress and mentioned you won it…I don’t know why I didn’t!!
Oh, I hope you get to witness the butterflies as Susette did…I can only imagine seeing something like that!!
I really enjoy looking at how people decorate cakes and cupcakes and cookies…I’m anxious to see the site Susette mentioned and hope I learn something I didn’t know before.
George found some videos and Rebecca found some active wear pants. I spent too much time in Joann’s (standing in line for my tulle) so I didn’t get as much time to look as they did.
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
You said you had some Russian decorating tips. The ones on Amazon that are like the ones on Sharkfind are also Russian — the variety is huge. I want to make the hydrangeas.
HI Marilyn,
I have 3 of the Russian tips and love using them… I wish I had put 2 different colors of buttercream frosting in my bag…then I’d of had hydrangeas! Rats! I’m ready for cupcakes…anyone else?
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Been a few busy days around here… trying to catch up and have to make it short and sweet. My one kitty had a bad UTI, but is doing fine now thanks to a complete food , switch.
What a beautiful wardrobe… just lovely. Makes me think of Narnia.
HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY to George. He looks like he had a great one.
Congratulations to Joy and Linda on their Jeanne Marie dresses. Your girls look beautiful.
Wow, those cupcakes are stunning!
HI Laura,
I’m so sorry about your poor little kitty… I hope she feels better soon…
Now every time I walk past that wardrobe, I’ll think of Narnia! :o)
I’m ready to make some cupcakes now… sometimes only a cupcake will do! Like NOW!
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
HI Laura,
I WISH I had a cupcake right now… I just made some tapioca, but it doesn’t cut it when you see those magnificent cupcakes… I bet they taste as good as they look!
Sorry about your poor kitty…she must have been miserable.
The wardrobe IS about as big as the Narnia closet! Now I’ll always think of that when I see it.
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne