It's Spring....

...but has anyone told Mother Nature? I think not!!!! She thinks it's still winter with the blowing winds and the chilly air. I am beginning to think that maybe I made a mistake.

The other day I planted strawberries, tomatoes, green peppers and cucumbers. Those little plants look like they need a winter jacket blowing around in the chilly air! LOL

I'm ready for flowers, sunshine...heck I'll even take the hot and humid air. 

Today's feature is a piece of my painted glass. I use Folk Art enamel paints. They are not fired as my porcelain paints are. They are "set" in the oven.  The paint says you can wash it top rack dishwasher but I'd handwash it it it were me.  Anyway, I have 4 of these available in my Etsy shop. Here's the link to the listing: 
http://www.etsy.com/listing/27412672/handpainted-wine-glasses-cottage-style

Humor Italian Kids

So a friend of mine who knows I'm second generation Italian, sent this to me....I've made some comments.

If you're Italian, you can relate..if you're not...send to your Italian friends...they will... 
  

 American Kids vs. Italian Kids   

American kids: Move out when they're 18 with the full support of their parents.   
Italian kids: Move out when they're 28, having saved enough money for a house, and are two weeks away from getting married..... unless there's room in the basement for the newlyweds.  (THATS SO FUNNY MY SON WHO'S LIVING WITH ME JUST BOUGHT A HOUSE---HE'S 28)

American kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings a Bundt cake, and you sip coffee and chat.   
Italian kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings 3 days worth of food, begins to tidy up, dust, do the laundry, and rearrange the furniture. 
American kids: Their dads always call before they come over to visit them, and it's usually only on special occasions.   
Italian kids: Are not at all fazed when their dads show up, unannounced, on a Saturday morning at 7:00am, and starts cleaning out your garage, washes your cars, & pruning the fruit trees. If there are no fruit trees, he'll plant some.  (THAT'S MY DAD--HES THE ITALIAN!)

American kids: Always pay retail, and look in the Yellow Pages when they need to have something done.   
Italian kids: Call their dad or uncle, and ask for another dad's or uncle's phone number to get it done. (IT'S JUST BEING THRIFTY - BESIDES ALL ITALIAN'S ARE HANDY-MY BROTHER'S A CONTRACTOR & DAD IS A RETIRED CONTRACTOR)

American kids:  Will come over for cake and coffee, and get only cake and coffee. No more.   
Italian kids: Will come over for cake and coffee, and get antipasto, wine, a pasta dish, a choice of two meats, salad, bread, a canoli, fruit, espresso, and a few after dinner drinks.

American kids: Will greet you with 'Hello' or 'Hi'.   
Italian kids: Will give you a big hug, a kiss on your cheek, and a pat on your back. 
American kids: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.   
Italian kids: Call your parents Mom and Dad. 

American kids: Have never seen you cry.   
Italian kids: Cry with you. 

American kids: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.   
Italian kids: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing, and just being together. 
American kids: Know few things about you.   
Italian kids: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.   
  
American kids: Eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on soft mushy white bread.   
Italian kids: Eat Genoa Salami, prosciutto, capacol, and Provolone sandwiches on crusty Italian bread (for breakfast). 
American kids: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing   
Italian kids: Will kick the whole crowds' ass who left you behind. 

American kids: Think that being Italian is cool.   
Italian kids: Know that being Italian is cool. 

American kids: Will ignore this. 
Italian kids: Will forward it.

Pink Cottage at the Farmhouse

One of the Etsy teams I belong to is the Old Farmhouse Gathering.  There's a lot of talent on this team, from those who sew to those who paint and everything in between.  We even those techie types, the graphic banner designers. In the farmhouse you can find accessories for your primitive or shabby/cottage decor.

I love the doll designers and one of my favorites is Pocomedio.  She designed one for me for my husband when he was suffering from his kidney stones. It's called Stoney. It's a hoot.  All of her dolls have personality. The picture on this blog is one of hers. It's called  Stop Talking! It reminds me of some teachers I had in school! :)

Well anyway I have put together a new Treasury on Treasury East on Etsy to feature some of the artisans from my team. I hope you will visit it and comment to let me know how you like it!  Thanks.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4bd17db9521d8eefd526a238

Outsmarting the Kitties

All of you "Cat People" can probably relate to my story.  I have 2 cats..LeeLu and Lily. I spend more money at the pet store buying things I just KNOW the girls will like.  My husband  says, "You waste your money. They won't like that." I always want to prove him wrong.


My problem is I watch all those infomercials that make it look like your cat will love whatever the item is.This time I was sure that it would be different. So I go to the pet store and buy a self grooming cat brush (you know the one in an arch) and an emery scratching board (the one where the TV cat stretches and scratches and looks so happy).


I buy them, set them up-- No Interest.  I soak them in catnip--No interest.  OH, I thought, I can outsmart those girls.  I pull out the laser pointer. They love to chase it around. I point it under the arch of the self grooming brush thinking they'd go under it brush themselves and see how good it feels..nope. They just ran around it.  I gave up.  Then I decide well maybe they need a demonstration of how to use the scratching board so I kneel down and demonstrate scratching the board. I know I looked silly.  They watched and looked very interested. Then Lily decided it was more fun to put her paw under the board, playing with a toy she swatted under there. And LeeLu just walked away.


I give up...instead of outsmarting the kitties I think they have outsmarted me.

~~~The above ACEO Original Watercolor is available in my Etsy shop-Painted Panache by Joann Y Wheeler. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40817607

Holy Week Reflection

Thinking back on tonight's Holy Thursday Mass, I can't help thinking about all Jesus went through for us. As I knelt before the Cross, I was thinking, why did You have to have such a horrible torturous death? And then I heard a voice say "Because it was SO horrible.  Would the world remember a death  that wasn't so horrible for over 2,000 years?"

I know He's right but I just wish that someone I love didn't have to suffer such pain and agony.

Some of my non-Catholic friends have asked me in the past why Catholic's crosses have the crucified Christ on it since He is risen. Yes, He is risen. But if not for that image of that horrible, horrible death would we really remember what He suffered for our sins?

Every time I gaze upon the Cross I remember and I think I am not worthy for that sacrifice and suffering.

........and tonight before I go to bed a song is stuck in my head "Jesus Remember me, when You come into Your Kingdom. Jesus, remember me, when You come into Your Kingdom".