Remembering Cali Mae and CJ

It's always hard to say goodbye to a friend. A kitty friend is no exception. This is a small remembrance of Cali Mae and Cali, Jr. which I hope will bring some smiles :) 

 Cali Mae and Cali, Jr. (as a kitten)

Do you see Cali's floofy tail? (She apparently likes to hold up sticks with it...)

CJ has Cali's coloring, but is short haired and no floofyness!

Cali Mae ventured into our yard a couple of years ago and became our first outside kitty, and Cali, Jr. (or as we called her, CJ) was one of her kittens. As cats do, they checked out the wooded area behind our house, and wherever their noses led them, but always showed up for breakfast and dinner, and did a lot of napping and playing and sunning in our yard.

Camouflage Cali hiding

Whoops, there she is!

About six months ago Cali Mae stopped showing up for feeding, and after a week we knew she wasn't coming back. She was the sweetest kitty and I can only hope that she found a loving home, or perhaps went to the Rainbow Bridge without pain and met up with others who have gone before her. (Remember, no tears! Smiles for her, please!!)

Cali and her kittens

CJ on the left, Yellow Kitty and Funny Face

(Funny Face is still with us and is the patriarch of the family)

I love this sweet pic of the adult CJ

It's been a couple of weeks since we saw CJ, so I can only assume that she has followed in her mom's pawsteps. She was a feisty one, always on the lookout and never one to be petted. Even so, we still had tender feelings for her and enjoyed her time with us. 

She was a good mother to her kittens -- they live in our yard now and are the sweetest, allowing us to pet them, even pick them up! and circling our legs the way cats do. 

CJ's kittens: Phantom, Golden Marmalade, Opera, Thunder Paw, Oreo

Snoozing on the shed steps.

Woke them up!

(did you catch Phantom and Opera? heh heh, you can see Opera's mask and Phantom's is the same and their coloring is exactly like CJ's! 

CJ in all her kitty cuteness....

Always with that worried expression on her face!

Cali with those piercing yellow-green eyes, 

always watching

Both such sweet kitties. Even though we will miss them, we have lots of funny and touching memories to think back on....

sharing Cali and CJ.... 
~ AlphabeThursday where we are studying the letter C
~ Share Your Cup Thursday


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Butterball ~~ Big or Itty-Bitty?

So, do you get a big turkey like this fluffy guy....

and then serve him up

like Norman Rockwell

(LDphotography on Etsy)

Or do you just sit an itty-bitty guy like this one on the table

and have vegetarian turkey instead?

This is Tommy Turkey and he is a tiny guy

I sold him, along with his two brothers,

to a lady who wanted triplets! 

Do you watch this huge guy leading the Thanksgiving Day parade?

No matter the size of your turkey, or how many are around your table,

I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

and just for fun, here's the Thanksgiving Day parade from 1935...

Gobble Gobble!

~sharing on Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter B

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Along Magnolia Lane -- A Brand New Blog!

I kind of fell off the edge of the earth for a while there, but I'm crawling back on -- and with a whole new look!

I found myself stressing much too much about blogging, and trying to keep up with two blogs -- and in reality, nothing much was getting done on either blog. Mostly, my vintage blog, Magnolia's Attic, was the one falling apart at the seams, but Magnolia Surprise seemed to only have posts for Alphabe-Thursday and not much more.

Sooo, I thought and thought, and fumed and worried, and finally decided to reduce the stress and only have one blog. So I continued to think about how to accomplish this, and what I wanted to write about…. and came up with Along Magnolia Lane. So, although the look is a  bit different, it's still me behind the keyboard, and I hope you'll keep following -- and that Magnolia's Attic followers will join me here on Magnolia Lane as well. I basically just changed the name and look of Magnolia Surprise -- I didn't want to start a whole new blog, just spiff up the existing one and merge the two.

I wanted to keep the word "Magnolia" to tie in with my Etsy shops, and I wanted to blog about the things I make and the things I find on my thrifting excursions, as well as adventures with Noli, fun stuff I happen upon, and of course, letting Oliver take over my blog every now and then (he's got his own kitty agenda so "letting him" isn't exactly the right word…..) Anyway, I think this is the right direction to take, and I can again feel the excitement of an idea popping into my mind, or taking a cool photo, and rushing to the computer to write it all down!

I had some fun yesterday designing my new banner…. Magnolia Roseville vases that were my mother's, Magnolia aka Noli, a sweet and serious pic of Oliver, and some crochet foodies. I have purchased a pattern for a crochet magnolia which I plan to put in the place of the food…. so the food is just a holding place for now. I thought the Roseville would indicate vintage, the crochet magnolia would be for crochet (duh!) and of course Noli and Oliver are my partners in crime. 

Oliver insisted that I include a photo of him and threatened dire consequences if I didn't

So I got him good..... and only showed his foot and tail.

That'll teach him!

Don't expect that crochet magnolia for a while yet, although I'm anxious to make it….. I've got to work on replacing foodies in Magnolia Surprise that were depleted by a large order! Yay!! 

Double yay for the little girl who will find a bunch of fruits, veggies and desserts under the Christmas tree!

Wow, I've really got to get used to these larger photos! They seem HUGE!

I have written a little introduction about Magnolia Lane and I'd love for you to read it -- it's an imaginary place but hopefully explains a bit about my three Etsy shops in a fun way. I am not one to bombard you about the stuff I sell, but since that's a large part of what I do every day, it only follows that I would write about it!

I can't wait to get going on my new blog and hope you will follow along!  It's still a work in progress -- I really need to change up that right sidebar!

Funny how Along Magnolia Lane just happens to begin with the letter "A" and coincides with the 10th beginning of Alphabe-Thursday. You'd think I planned it that way…..


~ sharing on 
Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter A
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Knick of Time for Vintage Inspiration Party
Share Your Cup Thursday



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Shipping Assistant Oliver

>^.^<

Hewwo, Oliver here. I have taken over Mommy's blog today to tell you about my new job.... In addition to being King Kitty and Boss around here, I am also Chief Cat Shipping Assistant (CCSA for short). I have many duties and am well paid in kitty treats!

I hold down the boxes from the Post Office 

and make sure they don't fall off the bed

Extra benefit.... they are a good place for a nap

I hold down the regular boxes and make sure they don't fly away.

There are more boxes in the closet, 

but Mommy won't let me in there.

(I don't know why 'cause all I do is cat nap)

The box stack is also a great place for a nap

I inspect the inside of boxes and make sure all the paper stuff is out

Hey, quit looking at my tush

CCSA's are private kitties

Mommy got a new printer thingie

so I have to make sure she got all the pieces parts out of the box

Very good! Everything is out!

Also a good place for a nap

My most important CCSA job

is to watch for the Post Person to come by

And for all this work, I get kitty treats! Meowzer!

(Plus lots of good napping places, heh heh)

If you have a kitty, put him to work as a CCSA,

he will reward you with purrs. 

I guarantee it.

>^.^<

~ sharing on Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter S (say Hi to Miss Jenny while you're there, 'cause she's feeling poorly.) Mommy and I are sending (((hugs))).

>^.^<

Relaxing

Just couldn't resist this for the letter R....

Bear, in a state of total relaxation....

tail carefully guarding a favorite play-stick....

But always on the lookout 

Isn't he handsome (or maybe she's pretty, I don't know)

with that floofy tail!

 >^.^<

I, of course, accidentally scuffed my shoe on the patio and Bear heard it.... cats can hear everything, can't they! I wish s/he'd use that floofy tail to sweep up the leaves around the shed steps. You just can't get a cat to pay rent.... ha!


~ sharing a relaxing Bear on Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter R


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Quirky Noli Food

Kids not only say the darndest things, they eat the darndest things (hoping you remember that old TV show with Art Linkletter *grins*)

Anyway, I was raised on banana sandwiches and pineapple sandwiches and then, naturally I passed that particular cuisine on to my kids. I tried with Noli, but she would have none of it! On an earlier session of Alphabe-Thursday, Quirky Sandwiches was my Q post, complete with not only banana and pineapple, but also the famous Chex Sandwiches, made and perfected by Chef Noli! If you'd like to check them out, go here for Quirky Sandwiches!

So this is another Quirky post -- a couple of odd combinations that Noli discovered! Odd to me, and quite possibly to you, but apparently not odd at all to Noli!

Noli's favorite condiments

She likes honey on eggs.... actually on scrambled eggs 'cause she doesn't like fried eggs, probably because of the gooey yolks... But she loves a bit of honey on her 'crabbled' eggs (crabbled eggs is what Noli's mom called them when she was little, and the name has stuck.  Cute, huh?!

Noli says that one time when she was eating French fries and ketchup with apples on the side, an apple slice accidentally fell into the ketchup and went for a swim. She tasted..... she liked! So now she has apples dipped in ketchup!

I don't know, I like my crabbled eggs with cheese and butter melted in and a bit of pepper sprinkled on top. And my apples with their skin as their only covering. How about you?

Oh, and of course the crocheted stuff is from my shop (shameless promotion). I'm working on one or two more of the apple wedges to go with the apple in a little set.

Maybe I should crochet a bottle of ketchup to go with it!! Ha!

~ sharing Noli's quirky go-withs on Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter Q


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Peek-a-Boo, I See You!

Can you find Noli?
Hint -- she's NOT the one in the hat, although it is her hat. I know this because I made it for her. I also know she's not the one in the hat because I am just about sure that's Stephanie. LOL!

Can you find her?

Look closely....

Peek-a-Boo!!

These pictures were taken about three and a half years ago, so Noli was almost five at the time. And she loved, loved, loved My Little Pony which is what they are reading!

Coincidentally, Ponies just happen to start with a P also!

An unplanned happenstance :)

Noli gave her ponies a haircut a few years ago.

It hasn't grown back yet....

~ sharing Peek-a-Boo Noli and the Pony haircuts on AlphabeThursday where we are studying the letter P


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On the Way to Third Grade

I cannot believe that Noli is starting third grade this year -- third grade is that year between little kid and big kid and I'm just shocked and amazed that she is now a big kid!  You know how the third graders get all fluffy around the little kids in first and second grades.... preening their feathers and showing the little kids where the bathroom is... Ha!

Noli and her step-brother, Will

First day of school 2014

They are both the same age, with Will being a few months younger

She got all her curls cut off!! But she looks adorable, don't you think?!!  And what fashion sense!! Of course the sparkly ruby shoes top it all off!

I wonder if she'll learn cursive this year.... or if her school is one of those that are not teaching it anymore. I mourn the day that cursive writing is lost. How will old letters or manuscripts be read without it? 

Hard to believe she's not a baby anymore : )

~ sharing on Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter O
~ sharing the blues on the kids on Blue Monday

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Nearly Time for School!

And it's definitely time for another BBArtisans challenge!! This month's challenge is all about getting ready for school, whether it's a teacher gift, a memory of your first day of school or what you're gonna do now that the kids are out of the house! This challenge was dreamed up by yours truly!

It's funny, I can remember all of my elementary school teachers, but only a few of my Junior High and High School teachers. Maybe that's typical since the teachers in the younger grades usually make a greater impression on you since it's such a new experience for a little kid.

So, here we are at Walnut Hills Elementary and it's the first day of school and I'm in the 6th grade. A list of the kids in each class was posted on the classroom doors. There were two teachers for each of the grades and I was hoping, praying, crossing my fingers for Mrs. Holly. NOT Coach Sauls. (Yup, we had a football team -- I don't remember the name of the team but our colors were green and white.)

Anyway, Coach Sauls had quite the reputation. He was said to be quick with a paddle and that the paddle was ELECTRIC and it had holes in it, the better to pop your bottom with. I looked at Mrs. Holly's door.... all my best buds were in there.... but not me! I cried that I was in Coach Sauls' class with not one good friend to protect me. I would only see them at recess.... unless I was getting licks from Coach.

Maybe I should bring him an apple to get in his good graces....

Well, you know what? Coach Sauls turned out to be a big teddy bear, and that electric paddle.... well it wasn't electric, had no holes and stayed in Coach's desk drawer. He showed it to us and it was some little old silly thing -- just one of the many pranks played on the younger kids by the sixth graders -- and I was one of them that year!!

I ran across this idea on Little Birdie Secrets blog -- the apple slice is from Lion Brand and I paired it up with my own wash/dish cloth pattern that I use when I crochet them for my Etsy shop.  I thought it would be a cute teacher gift, whether for Christmas or the end of school.... 

or to bribe them on the first day of school!!

We wouldn't want that electric paddle to pop out of its drawer, now would we... Ha!

I  had this cute fabric on  hand and made up a little gift bag. 

Don't you love the fun fruit design?!!!

and this is something I dreamed up for the preschooler left at home! 

Fun colored pencils to play with...

no writing on the walls -- mom will love these!!

This was a free pattern from Crochet N Play Designs -- I've bought several of her patterns for my shop and for Noli gifts, and I just love them!

I'm going to offer them in my Etsy shop as pick-your-colors in a set of three. They are chubby little pencils, almost 5 inches long. 

I'm debating about doing a pen and pencil set -- a black pen and the typical yellow no. 2's we all know and love -- I've got the perfect golden orange color yarn. What do you think?

PS... The scrubbie set and the colored pencils will be in my Etsy shop sometime today and the apple is already there : )

~ sharing on AlphabeThursday where we are studying the letter N

~ if you have an Etsy shop and a blog, check out the Blogging Business Artisans team!

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