Back from Jamaica!

What a great trip! Beautiful beaches and luscious tropical scenery! We had such a relaxing time just sitting on the beach, swimming endlessly, and sipping the national beer,"Red Stripe". Went to see the world famous cliff diving and had a great dinner at "Ricks Cafe" The sunsets were so fantastic! We sat for hours watching the sun slip into the ocean. It was amazing. We went Snorkeling on the reef, I picked up tons of shells and the most beautiful Conch shells. We spent a whole afternoon at the Appleton Rum factory, sampling all the delicious rums. It is an amazing process to see them making it. We ate our way through "Jerk Chicken" drank buckets of " Dragon Stout Beer" and enjoyed the bananas called honey bananas, a much smaller and sweeter version of ours. Vendors walking along the beach always had a great selection of fresh fruit to choose from. Well now I must wash the mountain of laundry piling up! Back to the daily grind!!!!

Bumper Crop of Heirloom Tomatoes !

With the slow start to summer, I thought the tomatoes would never ripen. Finally we got some serious sun and warm temps in July and August. Now the rain has been falling, the temperature has dropped at least 20 degrees, but not to worry! The tomatoes are ripe and so sweet. We have gorged on them every night. I still have quite a few on the vines, but as soon as they get just a bit of color, we bring them into the house and put them in the kitchen window. They ripen like magic!!!! I will miss them when they are gone. Next year I will add more plants. Heirlooms are so easy to grow, and so delicious! I am going to make Tomato Jelly next week with the leftovers.....

Fall Colors, check out this little hat!

I have been having a great time with my creativity! I came across this vintage birdcage netting at a estate sale, and decided it needed to be added to my new shop. After going through ton's of my boxes, I came across the old shredded feather thread, and vintage maple leaves, I decided to pair them up with some of the birdcage lace. What I ended up with is a gorgeous fall statement. It could be used for a bridal headpiece, with more lace added for a short veil, or as a brides maid hat. The options are endless. Hope you like it! It can be worn with the lace on the side, to the front or at the back with the flowers to the front. the possibilities are numerous.

Walk the Walk!

I just have to report that it was a big success on Sunday at the Portland Alzheimer's walk. Our group," Cornerstone Care Option" raised a lot of money. (don't have the final total yet) funds are still coming in. We walked to be the Cornerstone in your life! We had a good group of over 30 walkers in our group. We were Team Yellow!

The purple shirts are the color the foundation chose this year. Our yellow shirts were designed by Ellia and the staff at Cornerstone. We want to be the "Cornerstone" in your life.

LOL, even the cat likes my new shop!!!!!

My cat was pretty fascinated with the Hair items I have been making! He sits for hours watching me make them. I finally decided that he could be my new Model!!!! What do you think? He is a sleek Russian Blue, modeling a single two tone Tulle Rose(white/red). Let's hear it for the cat!!!!!

His name is Zar Nicholas, He is used to wearing a crown, but a hair Fascinator is just as good! Next he will be modeling a bright orange

Poppy. He actually had to check it out in the mirror. Seemed pretty happy with it! Enjoy!

The" Bride's Touch Vintage" shop on Etsy.....

I have been working diligently on my new shop on Etsy. I have created several items and will list them soon. I have been learning the art of making silk, satin, and tulle flowers. it is really cool.

They will be used on some of my Bridal hats, Veils, Fascinators and Hair clips. You use a candle to singe the fabric. I finally got the hang of it after burning several flower petals. The color combinations are only limited to your imagination.

I have several old vintage hats I am restoring and will include in my shop also. It will be a nice blend of old and new. I am hoping to get my first photo's listed this week.

I feel like 10 miles of bad road!!!

What a night and day it has been. My cold is at it's worst, and kept me up all night. I coughed till 3 A.M., and finally said enough. I rummaged around the bathroom till I found my heavy duty cough syrup, and it was off to Na Na land. Slept till about 9:00, then got up long enough to feed my furry little friends, Buddy and Sweetie. They are my two little Kitty's I adopted about a year ago when their Mother dumped them on the back porch. They are my constant companions. Buddy is the white one, and Sweety is a petite little female Siamese. They are adorable most of the time when they are not nibbling my toes. I have slept most of the day on the couch, and I am ready to go back to bed now. I think we should call it a day!

Saturday, and I got the blues!!!

Good morning to all! I have a horrible cold, and I can't figure out where I got it???

I woke up Thursday morning with a sore throat, and now my head is ready to explode. We just had over a week of awesome hot weather, and now it is cold and gray out! I guess it suits my mood for the day. I will need a lot of strong coffee to keep going today. It seems I spent nearly a year before I retired, not writing much, or doing anything memorable. The last 9 months since I left my job have been very full and rewarding. I was able to do some traveling out to Texas and New Mexico, and many wonderful trips to our beach house. We spent the last 6 months getting the beach house completely resided, new windows and a new downstairs bathroom that was a lot of fun to work on( I mosaiced the vanity!) It turned out beautifully. We are almost done, have had the back yard landscaped and the only thing left is a new roof to be completed in the next few months. Then we can relax and enjoy it.

Retirement

Well its September and I've been retired for nine months and no I'm not pregnant, ha ha. During this time I have been focusing on my Etsy shop lisadqueen.etsy.com , trying to enjoy retirement, and taking care of my feisty father and semi sick husband. Life is a blast. I've been to the beach, and New Mexico. I am planning a trip to Jamaica in October. And I've enjoyed a visit from my mother-in-law. I am currently focusing on opening a new Etsy shop that specializes in vintage bridal. I would show pictures of some of my adventures but unfortunately I lost my camera in the airport :(

Now with a new camera and a new shop I am prepared for whatever life throws at me next.

Check out my new shop at BridestouchVintage.etsy.com

I haven't had time to download any pictures yet but they are coming soon.

Sorry, it has been a long time...

Hi All!

It has been a while since my last post. SORRY! This has been such a busy summer, I don't feel like I have had time to catch my breath. I have been to two incredible weddings this summer, and still one more to go in August. It has been a whirlwind. My dear friend Tiffany got married at the end of June. It turned into the most beautiful day you could have wanted. It was the stuff girls dreams are made of!I got two really good photos, and want to share them.I think I did pretty good! The week was forecasting nothing but rain! On Sunday it was the most beautiful sunny morning. It ended up being 80' and fantastic. It was one of the nicest weddings I have been to in years. It was great to see the couple tie the knot after nearly 6 years. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Floyd !

Finally, the Quilt is done!

Yea! I have the Quilt top finally done! I have severely neglected this Blog, But I AM BACK, and promise to do better! I set myself a deadline to get it done, and nothing was going to make me deviate from my goal!! That said, I can now enjoy the month of June until the quilt comes back in July to be binded. my good friend Christy, was a life saver. We spent many afternoons at her house or mine working on it. She has almost as much time invested in it as me. Thank you Christy! You make my life wonderful with your friendship. Here are some photos of the monster Quilt. The Pattern is called Pinwheel.

I can't believe it has been two months...

I can't believe it has been two months ago since I last blogged!!! I should be getting ready for work, but had to stop in and let you know I am still around. I have been very busy at work, have made about a gazillion trips to the VA, and just plain busy. I have been working like mad to get a quilt completed for my Nephews wedding in August. Last Saturday we went to our first Wedding Shower for Andrew and Angie. It was so beautiful. had a great time and took some nice photos to share. Hope you all enjoy!

We are on a roll !

In spite of the crazy week I have been having, My ETSY Shop has really taken off. Between the orders on the shop, and locally, We are on a roll! Can you say "TRAIL MIX". What started as a venture with my Twig Santa's and other Carvings, fast turned into a cooking gig. It started out as a shop to sell my crafts, and has become a showcase for my baked treats. What started it all was my Granola. They evolved into many different kinds. I started with Cranberry Pecan, and Lemon Blueberry Almond. Next came Cranberry Pecan with mixed Fruit. By this time I had a Lady asking me about Low Carb Granola, Of course I had to come up with something. I used a variation of my regular recipes but changed the sugar for Splenda. These became fast hits. This same wonderful Lady, talked me into doing Trail Mixes. One thing just lead to another, and now I am putting out several types of Regular Granola, Low Carb Granola and now I have two types Trail Mixes. Off of the Trail Mixes, I have created for the Holidays,Valentines/Mothers Day Blend, St. Patrick's Day Blend, and we are now up to the Easter Blend. This is simply Amazing! To see all my Treats, be sure to go visit Me at my Etsy Shop. http://lisadqueen.etsy.com My next project is to create for my friend Joanne, some dried mixed fruits. It will be interesting to see what kinds of fruits I can find to dry. I have already, Cranberries, Apples, Pineapple and Bananas. I will try to find some Papaya's and Guava's. That should give it some color. Well It is time to set the clocks forward. Good night, and sleep tight!

XOXO, LISA :>)

This has absolutely GOT to be the most rotten day yet !!!

I wonder if I knew how this day was going to turn out, would I have even bothered to get up?

I can't believe the day, week, or month I have been having. It started as a pretty normal friday for me. It seems I am taking someone every Friday to a doctor appointment. So again it was a appointment for Chuck. For those who don't know him, he is my better half. After 27 years of bliss,(yuk ! yuk !) We are still together. Most thought we'd never make it... Well on this auspicious morning we were headed to yet another dreaded appointment at the Portland, VAMC.(Veterans Hospital) This is the last place I like to spend my Fridays. If you have never been to the VA Hospital, live dangerously, take a trip on the wild side and visit one. Any how, we had only got about 1 mile down the road when I heard this loud "pop".

I asked Chuck what did you do? He just smiled and said "nothing". Well by the next 1/2 mile I noticed he was reclining pretty far back in his seat. It turns out the bolts on his wheel chair back popped off, and his seat back was coming off. Next he's lying in the rear of the van.

The chair, and Chuck from the waist down were still in the passenger seat. But Chuck from the waist up was in the back of the van???? go figure??? You have to realize Chuck standing is about 6'2.5" tall. So to me, that is what it looked like! It was the weirdest thing!!!

Needless to say, I got out of having to take him up to the VA Hospital. I had to call my Brother Kevin, and he sent his # 1 Maintenance Man, Ken to come and help me get Chuck back up. We ended up tying him up in his chair with a rope, to get him back home??? Tell me this was not a crazy, nightmare of a day???? I think I will go have a glass of Kahlua, and take a warm bath. Maybe when I get out, this day will have been nothing but a bad dream.

Cheers and goodnight!

Lisa

Easter is nearly on us !!!

Out with the old, and in with the new! It is TIME to unveil the new  Trail Mix for Easter. I wanted something delicious to go with my pastel theme. After much searching at the stores, I came across this juicy blend of Sweet and Sour Pastel Jelly Eggs. I used the base for my Ultimate Mix with lots of yummy Mixed Nuts, Red Hots, M & M's, White Chocolate, and my all time favorite, Cranberries. I think it looks scrumptious! I love the way it looks in the picture. What do you think? Good enough to eat?

Saying good bye to a great Guy!

I have neglected my blog for the past few weeks. It has been hard to feel like writing about much this past 2 weeks. On the 21st. of February, my Father in Law passed away. We were in the middle of Sunday dinner and my Mother in Law called us. I took the call in the other room, and then had to come back to the table and tell my husband. That was one of the hardest things I have had to do. My husband had just spoken to him the week before,so it seemed so surreal. My in laws are out in Michigan, and in the middle of all the terrible blizzards they were having out there. My mother in law is so level headed and practical, I had never heard that level of distress in her voice before. I wish so bad we could have been there with her.  Travel for Chuck is pretty impossible, But I will try to get out there in May. Saying good bye is so hard. Frank Feringa was a great man, and a wonderful Father in Law to me.

Today Chuck and I celebrated our 27Th. Anniversary! Heehaw! Where has the time gone???  It has been a real adventure! I hope the next 27 years go by a little slower! I want to enjoy the time more. Well I am about out of steam, will get back on track again soon.

Bye for now,

XOXO, Lisa

It's time for the GREEN !

Well, need I say more... It is one of my favorite time of the year!!! I love green beer! My husband's birthday is the day after, so it gives us an extra day to celebrate his special day too. In honor of St. Patrick, I created a special "St Paddy's" Blend of Trail Mix. Don't worry, I didn't add any Snakes to the mix. It is a luscious blend of Mixed Nuts,Red hots, White Chocolate,Cranberries, M&M'S, Sour Apple Rings, Fruitos, and Gummy Bears.  It is a take off of my "Ultimate Trail Mix" I sell on my Etsy site. I think it is pretty yummy.  The Red Hots and Cranberries give it a nice ZING!

I will only offer it till March 13, on my site, otherwise I can't guarantee it will ship in time. Well it is 8:30 P.M. So better go make my Popcorn!

Cheers :)

Check out the Craft show!

I just got back on Monday from a real great Craft Show. I was very happy with the sales this show generated!!! It was called the "Confluence" and was held in the old Town of Gardner, on the Oregon Coast. It was a Wine and Seafood Festival. There were lost of great Bands, yummy food, and some of the best wines that oregon has to offer. I had a great booth in the main Vendor room, alongside two women who had tons of Oregon/Oregon State items which drew the crowds to our section. This is a selection of photos I took. You can see my Granola's and Trail Mixes along with my Twig Santa's! The two sisters to my right had the cutes Nome's !!! They also had the college items, which were a magnet for people. On the right of them was the Couple selling delicious jam's with wine. We all enjoyed our two days together. I made lot's of new friends, and got lot's of helpful tips about other shows coming up. I thought I did quite well for my first real show. Mostly I just sell my items on my Etsy site. If you haven't check it out yet, it's lisadqueen.etsy.com  chek me out.  Well it's off to bed :)

It's that time of year again....

Well it is that time of year again...... The dreaded PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIK;'''''''''''''''''/;PLLLLLLLLLL roperty TaxKLLLLL (This is what you get with a cat who likes to walk across your Macbook!) As I was saying it is Property Tax time. I moan and complain just like everyone else, but it is worth every penny!  It has been six years since we found our home at the Beach. It has Morphed into a wonderful place. It started as a haven for Feral cats before we ran them all out. Now we have a place to come and relax and renew. Which brings up the name. This year I will finish the sign I started four years ago for the front porch. We call the house "Come and Renew".  From the minute you walk in the front door, you will understand what it is all about. A place to come to from the City to unwind, relax, enjoy friends and family. It is a Divine invitation every moment we spend there. I always leave refreshed. For the last six years my family and I have spent a good deal of time there. It has become the place to hang out every 4th. of July. We have finally completed most of the exhausting remodel, and now I need to just spend some time over there relaxing. I am showing some of the completed work which included a new bigger back deck, complete overhaul inside the house from top to bottom, a beautiful new bathroom upstairs. I can't remember how many windows we replaced, it seems like most of them though.  

Good Morning!

Well It is Sunday Morning. I have had a very busy weekend. I just completed  a large order for a lady in Phoenix. 4.5 pounds of Granola's, and Trail mixes. That is a lot of baking. Then it has to be packaged in 2 ounce bags. She is one of my best customers, so It is worth the extra work. She convinced me to do a Trail Mix for each holiday coming up Soooo......We have Valentines now, next will be something green for St. Patrick's Day, I see Pastel's for Easter and on, and on we go! 

I will be taking a bunch of my Granola's and Trail Mixes with me for a show on the Oregon Coast at Reedsport/Gardnier area. It is the annual Wine and Seafood festival over the Valentines weekend. It should be lot's of fun. Of course my Trail mix will be a big feature. This is the photo I submitted to "Foodgawker" It is even harder to get one on the food site! The competition is real stiff. I think food is harder to photograph. I have been rejected 4 times already. I will just keep trying.

Well, it's bye for now.