Flowers and More

 A Little Bit of This and That

Hello there, everyone!  Today's post is just a whole lot of this and that around the house. Nothing earth shattering-just a few pics I have taken recently and some random thoughts. I moved the tiered tray with 4th of July items off the foyer table and replaced it with my pretty large Longaberger pitcher filled with flowers I bought myself at the grocery store. The colors of these flowers were so pretty and I hadn't bought live flowers for inside the house in forever so I splurged. I'm so glad I did! I stop and "smell the roses" literally every time I go down the stairs to the basement. The flowers seem to be lasting a long time which is nice. This happens to be a great spot for live flowers because it's in a place that "Little Missy," AKA Cassie, can't climb to get to! 

Speaking of flowers, here are my back porch Impatiens. You may recall that, last summer, my Impatiens were huge and mounding and popping up everywhere on our driveway and even between the porch steps! This summer they haven't done that great at all. It's a bit disappointing. I don't pretend to be an expert Gardener but it just seems like one year plants grow well and the next year they don't. Who knows?

We started the summer in a drought and then had days of heavy rain. The zinnias look just terrible. Last summer they were gorgeous. The one plant that has truly excelled this summer is the New Guinea Impatiens you see in this picture. They are a bigger variety of Impatiens and they seem to love this spot on the porch! Go figure! Petunias always look spindly this time of year and I think mine are about finished for the season. But, I hate to get rid of any flower when it still has blooms on it. Never give up hope, right?!

Dollar Tree has already put out their Fall faux flowers and I picked out some stems the last time I was in the store. I'm thinking ahead to Fall decor coming up soon! It always seems exciting to anticipate a new season, doesn't it?

And in "Barbie news" I have been experimenting with sewing some items from patterns I fashioned from a purchased skirt that I took apart and used to trace my own pattern. I'm using fabrics that my friend, Sharon, gave me. I love this skirt fabric with the black turtleneck and heels. I would totally wear this combination myself! And, yes, I know the skirt isn't hemmed yet. 

And, I sewed this dress and belt using two different materials that I thought would coordinate well. Again, I would love to wear this dress myself! I'm still experimenting with how to handle necklines and sleeve areas. Doll clothing is on such a small scale that it's hard to know how to handle these areas. I have tried "Fray away" and spray starch and it does help but I need to figure out a better solution. As a relatively new sewer, who never sewed her own clothing, I still have a lot to learn. 

I've also done some creative journaling lately using a scripture and hearts that I received at a gathering at a friend's house recently. We were each given a scripture to read and share with the group and pretty paper hearts were scattered on the ground. We were invited to "collect" as many hearts as we wanted to take home with us. I added those hearts around the scripture and then added in some other stickers that I liked. What a pretty journal page and so meaningful! We surely have had some "mighty downpours" of rain this summer!

I'll end this post with a silly picture of River sticking his tongue out at the world! This is actually his way of smiling and he was very happy on this day because his "Auntie Elizabeth" had come to visit him! I laugh each time I see this picture! Hope you do too. 

Until Next Time,

Debbie, This and That

Happy 11th Anniversary To My Blogging!

 A Very Special Blog Anniversary!

Hello friends!  Today, I am celebrating 11 years of blogging! It's hard for me to believe that I have been blogging for that long. I never imagined when I sat down at my computer eleven long years ago and began designing a blogspot blog (Debbie This and That) that I would still be at it all these many years later. Now, today, I am still styling life here at Debbie Styles Life and sharing my stylings and musings with all of you!

You know, many folks were blogging when I first started on July 25, 2015. There were lots of blog parties to participate in (and there are still some) but so many bloggers dropped out and either stopped completely or went the way of Instagram, YouTube, or Substack. I met a lot of bloggy friends along the way and I miss many of them who simply aren't around anymore. I wrote about this awhile ago when I asked, "Where Have All The Bloggers Gone?"

Call me old fashioned, but I still enjoy the platform of blogging. And I have stuck through the years with using Blogger to showcase my blog. My domain name, debbiestyleslife.com, is now maintained through Squarespace (Google sold their domain names to Squarespace) but Blogger is still here and, fingers crossed, that won't change. 

I enjoy lifestyle blogging because it gives me the opportunity to share many different things with my readers, and myself, that I enjoy. Things such as home decor, fashion, books, family life, pets, faith and devotions, memories, food and more. My blog has always been a "little bit of this and that" and the "styling life" part is just another way of saying that there are many facets to my life, and to everyone's life,  and it's fun to live life with flair and style. 

Sharing my faith in God with others is always a part of who I am and I bring that into the blog, as well. Over the years I have written many devotionals. I still do that although, now, I tend to incorporate my faith into other stories on my blogs rather than individual devotionals. My writing, overall, has become simpler these days. A little bit more "diary like" and that's okay. After eleven years of blogging, I'm relaxing more into less posts and more of writing when I have something I want to share rather than forcing two or three posts a week. That's a lot to keep up with and, to be honest, that just doesn't work for me anymore. I suspect that's why many bloggers have stopped. Because the grind of creating several posts per week or each month is hard and time consuming. Plus, those who monetized their blogs (which I never did) had many rules to keep up with as well as finding that the pay didn't fit their needs. 

Over the years I have shared many style posts with you. And, looking back, some of these posts were good and some were not so good! It seemed to be a "thing" back then, however, to share style posts. I don't share many style posts at this point although I will occasionally pop on with one. In general, with blogging, it is hard to continually come up with new ideas for posts. I think that is why many people have gone to Instagram where one or a few photos with a couple lines of writing is sufficient. Plus, readers seem to want shorter blurbs to read nowadays.  I've even noticed that some bloggers now list at the top of their post how many minutes it will take for people to read the blog post. Are people really so busy nowadays that they only have three minutes to spare to read a post?! If so, that is sad for our world. I'm in favor of slowing down and taking life a little bit easier. But, I also realize that, as a retiree, I am in a better position to slow down more now.

As I look back over photos from the eleven years I have been blogging I can see that there have been changes. How I have aged. We can't really avoid that in life can we?! There have been some big events in these eleven years that have contributed to some aging as well. Some personal and some that affected many or all of us. Things like deaths in the family, Covid, Hurricane Helene, a tornado, family health issues, loss of beloved pets. There have been many joys as well. Things like musical events, new instruments to play, a new dog (although the new dog event was mixed with negative before it became positive 😂), new hobbies, new babies in the family, new experiences. Life is very full and can give both pleasure and sadness, but overall I have so very much for which to be thankful. 

My blog is still a very important part of what I enjoy doing. Writing is still a pleasure along with other hobbies that I enjoy. One hobby that I love and share with all of you is my new interest in sewing doll clothes. Since acquiring several Barbie dolls, I have immersed myself in fabrics and learning how to sew better. My friend, Sharon, has been a big support for me in this endeavor. She is an expert sewer and quilter and gives me helpful pointers that have added to my sewing knowledge. 

This skirt is a recent sewing project. I made it from leftover fabric that Sharon used to create placemats for me for my last birthday. The fabric is called, "Deborah's Garden," and is just beautiful fabric! I really enjoyed making this skirt. 

And so, my blog is eleven years old....the foyer table is still changing decor regularly and seasonally...

My book basket is still being filled with books I love and want to share with you.....

I'm still creating little crafts and sharing them with you as I can....

Even when my crafts don't turn out the way they're supposed to....(At least I have a sense of humor about it!)

And I'm still here with a cup of tea in my hand thinking of things I can share with you as Debbie Styles Life continues on!

Until Next Time,

Debbie, This and That

Everything Barbie and Some Beautiful Photography

 Time For A Little Bit of This and That

Hello friends! Today, in true "this and that" fashion, I am sharing a little bit of this and that about subjects that are dear to my heart. Barbie and some beautiful photography by The Mr. I hope you will enjoy it all like I do. Above you see a beautiful lily that The Mr. captured on a recent hike. I'll share some more of his expert photography a little later in this post. But first, it's time for everything Barbie!

Look what I found out about today! Did you know that Barbie forever stamps have recently been released? I didn't know that until today and I took a pic of these I found online. I plan to go to the post office soon and see if I can purchase some of these. How fun that Barbie is being honored in this way! These stamps represent the different Career Barbies and show how the dolls are dressed to represent these careers. It's a reminder that little girls can grow up to be anything!

Closer to home, I have been enjoying dressing the girls in some purchased outfits. From jeans to skirts to party dresses and ball gowns, these dolls are dressed to impress!

I've also been continuing to try my hand at sewing doll clothes and I recently fashioned and sewed this simple wedding dress for Barbie to wear at her garden wedding. 

My sewing machine decided to act up while sewing this dress and I ended up finishing it by hand. I'm still pleased with how it turned out.

Barbie's bouquet is "something borrowed" and her shoes are "something blue". Of course her dress is "something new". I guess the "something old" could be the lace at the neck and hem of her dress. At any rate, she makes a beautiful bride, don't you think? I also fashioned her headpiece using lace wrapped around a pipe cleaner fitted to her head size. I also created the decorative belt she is wearing with her dress. It adds just the perfect touch to take this dress up a notch!

The Mr. loves to do photography with our fur family members and also when he is hiking on trails. So please enjoy some of the wonderful photos he has taken recently beginning with the above pic of our sweet Cassie relaxing on the big rock she loves to lay on in our yard. He stays right with her when she lays on the rock. She is not allowed outside otherwise. 

Another lily surrounded by green, green ferns.

                                Another beautiful flower. 

                And how gorgeous is this huge lichen?!

He always has lots of photos to show me when he returns home from a hike. It's hard for me to choose the ones I like best. I would like to frame them all but we would run out of wall space!

So what little bits of this and that are happening in your life right now? As we approach the end of July in a couple weeks a very important anniversary will be happening in my life. Stay tuned for more info in my next post. I'm going to be celebrating and you can join in with me!

Until Next Time,

Debbie, This and That

*nature and cat photography by Bill Ross

Cherry Ames In My Book Basket

 What's In My Book Basket?

Hello friends! Oh my goodness, I've got too many books! In fact, I have been spending some time off and on this week filling boxes with books I no longer am going to keep so I can trade them at our local used bookstore. It's amazing how quickly books can accumulate when one is a bibliophile, right?!

Luckily, however, I definitely have room on my bookshelves and, of course, in my book basket for the books I am sharing today. 

Do you remember the "Cherry Ames" series of books? This series was begun in 1943 and continued until 1968. These books are mysteries that involve dedicated nurse Cherry Ames. She has a different nursing assignment in each book and there is always a mystery happening that she manages to solve. 

There are 27 titles in this series with two different authors having written the books. Helen Wells began the series writing titles #1-9 and #17-27. In the middle of the series, Julie Trantham (who also authored the Trixie Belden series) wrote titles #10-16. 

These books were popular during the 40's, 50's and 60's with the late teen to early twenties set because they offered adventure for young women with a career minded focus. Many young women went into nursing careers, in part, because of reading these books and being exposed to nursing as a career. 

So, why am I, a woman in my late sixties, suddenly interested in these books?  Well, I actually never read these books when I was an older teen and when I saw some discussion of them on Facebook sites I got interested in what they were about. So, I ordered a couple on Amazon (yes, several titles have been re-issued and are available) and started reading. And I must tell you dear readers, I am officially hooked!

I find the books to be really interesting, light reads. They aren't at all what I would consider "juvenile" and are an interesting flashback to what life and nursing were like in the 40's and 50's and 60's. And, of course, I always love a mystery so there's that as well. 

I can remember doctor's offices similar to the ones described in these books in which the nurse (wearing a white uniform and nurses' cap!) sat at the desk in the reception part of the office and acted as secretary, scheduler, money taker and, of course, the nurse when the doctor needed her. There's a whole lot of nostalgia in the Cherry Ames series that I find appealing. 

Cherry is dedicated to her career and has so many varied and different opportunities for using her nursing skills. Just look at the titles and you can see she was up for anything!

1. Cherry Ames, Student Nurse (1943)
2. Cherry Ames, Senior Nurse (1944)
3. Cherry Ames, Army Nurse (1944)
4. Cherry Ames, Chief Nurse (1944)
5. Cherry Ames, Flight Nurse (1945)
6. Cherry Ames, Veterans' Nurse (1946)
7. Cherry Ames, Private Duty Nurse (1946)
8. Cherry Ames, Visiting Nurse (1947)
9. Cherry Ames, Cruise Nurse (1948)
10. Cherry Ames, at Spencer (1949)
11. Cherry Ames, Night Supervisor (1950)
12. Cherry Ames, Mountaineer Nurse (1951)
13. Cherry Ames, Clinic Nurse (1952)
14. Cherry Ames, Dude Ranch Nurse (1953)
15. Cherry Ames, Rest Home Nurse (1954)
16. Cherry Ames, Country Doctor's Nurse (1955)
17. Cherry Ames, Boarding School Nurse (1955)
18. Cherry Ames, Department Store Nurse (1956)
19. Cherry Ames, Camp Nurse^[5] (1957)
20. Cherry Ames, at Hilton Hospital^[6] (1959)
21. Cherry Ames, Island Nurse^[7] (1960)
22. Cherry Ames, Rural Nurse^[8] (1961)
23. Cherry Ames, Staff Nurse (1962)
24. Cherry Ames, Companion Nurse (1964)
25. Cherry Ames, Jungle Nurse (1965)
26. Cherry Ames: The Mystery in the Doctor's Office (1966)
27. Cherry Ames: Ski Nurse Mystery (1968)

      *(Titles from Wikipedia, Cherry Ames search)

While some critiques I read stated that the books gave an idealized version of nursing, it is still refreshing to read stories that are wholesome and adventurous and hold the reader's interest. It is important to keep in mind when these stories were written because from time to time particular phrases hit me as sexist or outdated ways of speaking in today's world. But this may also be found in other books written during these years. 

In doing research about Cherry Ames and in looking for some of the titles to purchase, I have discovered that there are many other adult fans of the Cherry Ames books. I intend to look for other titles in the series to read and add to my collection. Just as I have loved, and continue to love and read, the Betsy-Tacy series of books by Maud Hart Lovelace, I find the Cherry Ames series to be a nostalgic breath of fresh air to read and add to my book basket and book shelves.

How about you? Have you read the Cherry Ames series either in the past or currently? Do you enjoy nostalgic books that harken back to yesteryear? What books are in your reading basket right now?

I hope you will take a moment to share in the comments. I love hearing from you!

Until Next Time,

Debbie, This and That

Red, White and Blue For A Tiered Tray, Barbie Outfits and Me

 Decor For The 4th of July And More!

Hello everyone! It's been a minute or two since I last posted. I went on a trip and have been busy with other things but I wanted to pop on and share some fun ideas as the 4th of July approaches. 

I found some cute smaller items for the 4th at Aldi recently and I'm using them on the Foyer table. The top tier of my tiered tray shows a candle draped in colorful beads and a flag themed little hat. The bottom tier shows the little garden figurines I bought last summer. So, the tiered tray is a combo of 4th of July and summer type figurines. 

The bottom shelf of the Foyer table holds a vase with flags, a little flag dish and the Red, White and Blue sign. This is a simple nod to the 4th of July this year. 

And just look at how festive these Barbies look! They are definitely dressed for the 4th of July! I used a star bandana that I had on hand to create the dresses and skirts except for the one Barbie who is all dressed in blue with a red plaid tie at her neck. I personally sewed everything you see here except for the white top on the last Barbie which was a purchased piece. And, of course, I didn't make the shoes.  By the way, the last Barbie on the right is my most recent find and she had not been out of her original Spring Petals Barbie outfit for 30 years! So, she is definitely ready to kick up her heels and have a new outfit to wear! 

This is the outfit she had been wearing for 30 years. She is an absolutely beautiful doll. The Spring Petals Barbie was designed by Mattel for Avon in 1996. I am enjoying my Barbies and not leaving them in boxes or wearing the same outfits they arrived in. I am enjoying my hobby and sewing and dressing the dolls in different outfits. I must say, however, that this doll arrived in pristine condition with everything original in the box. This beautiful spring outfit is very high quality. Much different from the cheaper materials used for Barbie clothing today in my opinion. 

Here are some close-ups of the outfits. I'm using a red earring to hold the navy blue scarf in place on the doll to the right. 

It's so much fun to be creative and to try to design and sew outfits. I created my own pattern from another Barbie dress to use for the all blue top on the doll to the right. In my opinion it would be too short for a dress so I am using it as a tunic top instead. Mix and match, right?! And you have seen the all blue skirt that I sewed already on a different doll. 

And speaking of sewing, here's the skirt I sewed from a lounging robe that belonged to my Mom. I wore it today to go shopping paired with a navy blue top and navy shoes. No white in the outfit (except on the shoes) but definitely red and blue! I wore a white sweater inside the stores because I'm always cool in the AC and, to be honest, I kinda felt like this outfit made me look too much like a little old lady. Different shoes and not wearing the sweater would have helped but these were comfortable. Sometimes I struggle between wanting to be comfortable and wanting to be stylish. Do you ever feel like this?

How about you? Are you displaying any red, white and blue around your home? How is your summer going? Hope you will chime in and share in the comments. I'll try to post again, soon! I have some fun new books I've been reading to share with you!

Until Next Time,

Debbie This and That

Red, White and Blue Outfit and A Lake Retreat

 Styling and Retreating!

Hey there, everyone!  It's Friday of Memorial Day Weekend and the official start of Summer. So, what better time is there to share some red, white and blue style with you along with a beautiful lake retreat I attended recently? 

I wore this outfit to a Memorial Day service held at the local Veteran's Village here in Asheville. It was a meaningful service and The Mr. was invited to play "Taps" on his trumpet. My heart was remembering those who have served and who have given their all in the military. I was also remembering family members who have served in the military over many years dating back to World War I, World War II, Vietnam and more.

 The newest addition to this red, white and blue outfit is the white blouse covered in strawberries that I discovered recently at Hamrick's, a local clothing store. This is one of those pieces of clothing that just "calls" to you when you see it. I saw this blouse and instantly thought of warm, sunny, summer days and the sweetness of summer strawberries! And it pairs so beautifully with blue jeans and a sweater. I know that I will get lots of wear from this blouse. I don't own a lot of clothing that is specifically "themed" for a particular season so it was kind of fun to add this strawberry piece to my wardrobe.

And speaking of "fun" I went on a fun retreat last weekend with several other women to beautiful Lake Junaluska, NC. 

This group of women has been gathering together and going on annual retreats together for 19 years! We offer Christian support, prayer and sisterhood to one another and these women are precious to me. This is the house at Lake Junaluska that we stayed at this past weekend. What a lovely house and such a peaceful setting, as well. 

This covered front porch with the swing, might have been my favorite spot of the weekend! I enjoyed morning tea on the swing while soaking in the views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. I find swinging to be therapeutic and relaxing. Maybe I need to put a bug in The Mr.'s ear about setting up a front porch swing at our house?! 

It was just a short walk to the lake from the house and I enjoyed passing by some beautiful flower gardens like this one along the way. 

And I was really excited to see some old fashioned "Sweet Pea" flowers that I remember from my childhood. My Mom had planted Sweet Peas in our front yard and they grew all around and over a large rock on the hillside. When I was little I loved to pick these flowers and take them to my Mom as a "gift." Not sure I was supposed to pick her flowers but she always seemed happy when I brought them to her, lol! She had this special little clear glass vase, probably four inches tall, that had pretty purple flowers painted on the front that she would place the Sweet Peas in with some water and then would set the vase in the kitchen window. I always thought that the vase filled with the Sweet Peas made the kitchen window look so pretty! Isn't it interesting the memories from childhood that stay with us? And how simply walking by some gardens can bring these memories flooding back? Such sweet memories. My Mom has been in my thoughts frequently recently. If you missed the Mother's Day tribute to her you can catch up by clicking on the link. At any rate, the weekend retreat was a special time of spiritual growth, prayer and deep reflection. I'm so grateful to these women who journey through life with me!

Above you see our SOS group standing on the front porch of our retreat house and standing/sitting at the foot of the cross at Lake Junaluska. Such a precious group!

So tell me....have you been doing any styling or retreating lately? Hope you will share about your life in the comments. Take care and have a good Memorial Day Weekend!

Until Next Time,

Debbie, This and That

Preaching at Pleasant Gap UMC