Vintage Heart Valentine's Garland  

 Happy Birthday to me because this machine is amazing. I bought the Cricut Maker for as a birthday gift to myself. Did you see the picture on Instagram today?  I just opened the box. Within moments I was cutting felt which took less than 15 seconds to cut eight perfect hearts. OMG! Thursday I will provide a detailed tutorial for the vintage heart Valentine's Garland with link to this post.
 Forty Three makers are spending the week sharing Cricut Valentine's projects with you. You will find the remaining projects included at the end of this post. Please show us some love by pinning, commenting and sharing.

The One Room Challenge

    Hello, Darlins'. It is time for a big challenge! This challenge has been going on for five years & 10 seasons created by the blog Calling it Home. Linda is such a smart business woman that she trademarked the name and events. To learn more about the One Room Challenge plus see all the participants progress( Click Here) on Wednesday and Thursday each week.
  It is my first time participating in the ORC. What is it all about? The tough part  is getting it all done on time, photographing the progress while, writing posts each week to share with you. On Thursdays, the guest participants link to the ORC. The great part is sitting back relaxing with a Diet Coke and reading the progress happening during the next six weeks. Plus you will see current designs trends along with more than a 100 rooms in one place to find your dream style.

 The first week is designing the room I am going work on for the next six weeks. I have an entry way in Michigan which needs some serious attention. When we moved in a few years ago I was amazed by the size of the entry but, it has no storage or function in the room. At our lake home, everything needs to work double time for both form and function. I have had a plan in my head for a while but this opportunity has given me the push to move forward. 

Midwest DIY Blogger Round-Up Reservations

     I asked if we could blend the Randolph Street Market with DIY bloggers to create a place for bloggers to meet in the Midwest. This area of the country is an untapped resource for bloggers to network, learn and let their talents shine. Planning this event was no small task but, well worth the effort to provide a platform for the Midwest bloggers, companies, and of course, one of the top ten markets in the country.

   The Randolph Street Market Make Your Reservation Here along with a special rate at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel which has received numerous features in magazine, fabulous reviews and is absolutely a stunning restored piece of Chicago's skyline.

Thank you to the Randolph Street Market, Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, Hometalk and Blitsy for your generous sponsorships supporting the First Midwest DIY Blogger Roundup. Without their support to create this venue for us to network this event would not be possible. Please remember to show them your appreciation

Sweet Love Bridal Shower

           

Sweet Love Bridal Shower 

     This shower was the first of the three I attended recently. I did not make the shower decor but, did take all the photographs. I thought you would enjoy the beautiful touches of simple elegance, added to this special event, by my sister-in-law and a few of her dear friends. 

   The Wreath of Flowers and ribbon banners were made by the mother and father of the groom, curling each petal of the flowers, with scissors.

Gathering Memories

      One of my favorite spots is the Chicago Antique Randolph Street Market. I started going several years ago in the Summer with my husband, it is our date the last weekend of the month. You are probably wondering what we would do at the market, but once you go on a Saturday or Sunday, you will never ask that question again.

Fall at The Randolph Street Market

 You will be hooked! As you wind through each booth, meeting vendors, shopping, listening to the music, and enjoy the food & beverages, you too will begin to be woven into the Markets Huge Family Quilt.

Me enjoying a refreshment in my new hat

 Today is about a finding a piece of a childhood memory. Did you ever have milk and dairy products delivered to your house? My family home was within a block of Willow Farm Dairy. When I was young the milkman delivered milk, daily to our house in a milk box. It had a flip up lid, was dull gray insulated metal, with Willow Farm Products embossed on the front. It sat outside right next to the backdoor. Which to me seemed like a place of honor, because the kitchen was just inside, and we all know the kitchen is the, "Heart of a Home". Of course back then the whole neighborhood came to that door because, "Back Door Friends are Best."
  One of my favorite memories involving the old milk box was when we would go swimming in the back yard. No one was a loud in the house until, we dried off. So my Mom would tell us to sit on the milk box, or back step, to dry off after swimming. As I remember two of us could fit on that milk box, and the rest of us would overflow to the back step.
  One Summer we were sitting out on the milk box and the back step drying off when  I noticed that the ice cream truck would come at sit at the end of our driveway each day. when my mom would call us for dinner. We never bought ice cream because, we hadn't had dinner, plus it was expensive. It was then that I realized the ice cream man was just hanging out while we, dried off before dinner in our bathing suits.  
 As many things in life the milk box lost its usefulness, no more milk man, our moms bought milk at the grocery store. Eventually the Willow Farm Dairy Closed. The milk box I would guess was thrown away since it had no purpose.
 As an adult I started searching for items from the dairy but they were hard to find. After a few years I was able to collect 2 milk bottles, a cracked butter crock, and a wooden milk crate stamped with the year I was born. This past Summer at the Randolph Street Market, there it was right in the middle of the vendor booths, The Willow Farm Milk Box was in my sight again. My husband bought it for me which made me feel so happy.
 This will be used at parties as a cooler holding ice, with drinks chilling inside. I use the milk bottles as vases, and the butter crock as a candy dish.

Willow Farm Products Milk Box

The next weekend we had a big family celebration, at which I proudly showed my whole family what we had found. My Dad smiled and said that is just like the one we has at our house. 

  I truly love gathering memories, but sharing them is even better! 

Let's stay connected here are links to my blog & social media.

http://www.dragonflyandlilypads.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/kmkrere/

https://www.facebook.com/dragonflyandlilypads

https://twitter.com/KMKedzuch

http://instagram.com/karenrere

Until next time,
~ Let your Creative Spirit Dance~

Karen Marie

Something New

               Something New

                            

   The title of this blog today is Something New. Which seems like another day to most, but to me it is about the turn of a page, white with no words, directions, or calender.

 So what I am going to do about this blank page staring back at me? I am starting something new please join me on my blog.

 Dragonfly and Lily Pads is going to share ways to make your house, apartment, condo or dwelling into a home. I will show you how to fill your home with comfort, love and your story. Blending the new fresh trends, with trinkets along with pictures creating memories, and space to honor the past, with family treasures mixed in to create a place called home.
 This will not have recipe, unless it involves how to age a piece of new lumber. I have the tools, knowledge and skill to refinish, rebuild, remodel, reuse, or build furnishings. While knowing when to splurge purchasing key long lasting basics, keeping budget in mind at all times.
 I would be honored if you take the time to start something new with me. I can only imagine the possibilities.