Happy Birthday!

This precious little guy is my grandson Brent and he is celebrating his 5th birthday today.

What a blessing he has been to all of us.

Happy Birthday Brent! Jesus loves you ....

& so do I!

Catching up...

It's been a week since I last posted on my blog. I must apologize but I have so much going on right now that I'm finding it hard to find the time to sit and write something.

I have finally finished painting the main bathroom. The chair rail has been put on and tomorrow I will try to get the wall paper on.

We have also had a vent cut into the hallway floor and the ceiling of our family room to allow the heat from our new pellet stove to heat the upstairs. Hopefully that will help offset the heating bill this coming winter. They say we're in for a very cold winter this year; not looking forward to that!

Last night we had Bible study so I spent the day getting ready for our group. Apple Crisp made from freshly picked apples went over very well with coffee afterwards.

I am still having trouble with my shoulder-collar bone area, so I went to the doctor and he is sending me for x rays and physio therapy. I find whenever I slacken off from the work in the bathroom I feel a little better. Hmmm, I wonder what that means!

Last Sunday morning my hubby had a preaching engagement down in the country at our former church and on the way home, we took some pictures of churches along the way. I will share those pictures in the near future. Hubby will be preaching this coming Sunday as well so I will have a chance to get more shots.

I remember one Sunday morning when our youngest son was home from university for the holidays and he was accompanying us to the service that day. He commented on the number of churches we passed along the way. He said that we must be on PEI because every mile there was a church by the side of the road. He's right! One doesn't have to go very far on the Island to find a church. It's a comforting sight to see those steeples off in the distance.

I especially love the little white churches with their steeples reaching towards heaven!

I love bird houses too; especially church bird houses. Sometimes I buy them and sometimes I get one and paint it. Here are three of my favourites.

Have a lovely day everyone and God bless you!

~ Sandi

Sentimentalities

Hello everyone. I have been busy painting again today. I have finally gotten the first coat on the bathroom walls. It was a chore with my sore shoulder and weak arms but I got it done; one more coat and then the wallpaper goes on.... Can't wait to be finished!

I have a couple of items that hold sentimental value for me besides my dishes and my wall hanging.

The hand made green taffeta gown and bonnet I wore as a flower girl when I was 4 years old. They hang from a pretty shelf in the bedroom. I still remember that day because it was one of the few times in my life I ever felt like a princess! I remember walking down the isle holding a white wicker basket full of flowers in my little gloved hands.

Then there is my Daddy's violin. He gave it to my middle son when my son was in the school band. My son left it with me for safe keeping until he settles into his own place. My Daddy passed away thirteen years ago so it means a lot to have it hanging in the room where I can enjoy it.

My father never did master the violin very well but I look at it with fondness as I recall listening to him play in the evenings after supper. To those of you who still have your fathers, I pray you will cherish them because they won't be here forever.

Enjoy your evening everyone ~

Blessings,

Sandi

Treasures

I have been working on the bathroom all day and still only half finished painting. I had forgotten how much work there is in painting the smallest room in the house. So many things to go around!

It's time to take a break and talk to you about my treasures......
Over the past week I have introduced to you some of the most important people in my life; the male members of my family. I have yet to talk about my daughters-in-law, my mother, and other family members.
I consider my family to be my most valued treasures. They are gifts that the Lord has given me and I am so thankful for each one of them. My life is richer because of their being a part of my life. Each one is so very precious and I wouldn't trade them for anything!
I also have some very dear friends; people that have enriched my life in so many ways and I thank God for them as well. I really am a blessed lady.

Yesterday, I shared with you some of my material treasures and possessions.
There is really nothing wrong with having things or collecting things. Indeed, it is good to have a hobby or something to do that gives us pleasure.

Every day life can become monotonous at times without a release of some kind.
Some of my things have sentimental value like my Rose Chintz dishes for instance. They represent a part of my childhood because they always graced my aunt's kitchen table at meal times and they conjure up happy memories whenever I look at them.

However, more valuable than family, friends, or material possessions is my relationship with God. I am where I am today because of Him.
I am basically a happy person and even though I struggle with disappointments in life like everyone else, I know that God is there, watching over me and taking care of me.
He is concerned about everything that happens to me. That is hard to fathom sometimes because this is a great big world that we live in and it's getting crazier every day.
But it is because of His love that I can face each day with a smile on my face. Whenever the hard times come and they will come, I can trust Him to see me through those hard times.
My life has not been a rose garden by any means but because my faith is in God, He has given me the grace and the strength to get through everything the world dishes out at me.
I know that because of Him, my life is better and I cannot imagine my life without Him in it.
"From the rising of the sun until the going down of the same; the name of the Lord is to be praised." I guess that is what I'm trying to convey here.
God is bigger than all my problems and He's on top of all my circumstances.
He even cares that I'm tired right now from all the painting I've done today.
He truly is an awesome God! He is my Saviour and He is my Best Friend!
He is my Treasure above all other treasures!

May the Lord bless you today and make you a blessing!

Continuation of today's post.....

These are the items I had mentioned earlier in my post. See how well the tray matches the teapot and egg cups? It's as though they were made for each other.

This is the stereo cabinet which I painted and distressed from a dark brown wood colour.

The mantle which I had specially made. It had been a dark walnut stain in the beginning which I changed to white.

And finally the little distressed table in the corner of the living room.

Auntie P's Quilt

I would like to share with you a story I wrote about my wall hanging which hangs in the den. I will condense it for my post and hope you will enjoy reading it; maybe even be inspired somehow.

AUNTIE P's QUILT

Times were hard, but life was a little simpler back in the early 1950's. Those were the days when young women were taught by their mothers and grandmothers to crochet, knit, sew, and quilt in preparation for their futures and their own families.

Almost everything in that day was either handmade or homemade.

And so it was, in the early 1950's, that my aunt was a young bride and expecting her first baby.

I can almost see her and my beloved grandmother sitting out on the veranda, sipping cold homemade lemonade and enjoying each others company as they worked tirelessly on the many baby clothes, quilts, and necessities.

During that time my aunt had made five quilts. One quilt, she designed herself and she called it the "Star Quilt." She pieced the quilt together and my grandmother helped her to quilt it.

Each quilt was pieced and then sewn together with love and the pride of a job well done. They were works of art and served my aunt's family for many years.

The "Star Quilt," my aunt passed down to me. I used it until it was too delicate and threadbare for use and for many years, it remained unseen and unused in the linen closet.

Then one day, I thought it would be nice to display it as a wall hanging.

So I commissioned one of my daughters-in-law to salvage what she could and turn the quilt into a beautiful wall hanging. While making the wall hanging, she was able to save three star pieces which I framed for each of my daughters-in-law.

For Christmas 2005, I presented each of my two daughters-in-law with a framed star piece and a copy of my story which I hope they will treasure always.

The third star piece I have in safe keeping until my youngest son finds himself a bride.

My Flock of Men

Every year around this time we are hearing the sounds of Canadian geese flying overhead. They are a wonder to watch in their V formations and they always let you know when they're coming by their loud honking sounds. They flock together on ponds and rivers awaiting just the right time to fly south for the winter months. We see thousands of them here.......


Now, enough about geese! Today I would like to introduce you to my flock of men....

They are quite the boys, and from the oldest to the youngest, they make my heart truly glad for their presence in my life! I thank God for each one; even when they torture me with their teasing!

First up is my hubby who I adore. He makes me laugh like no one else I know and he is my best friend. I think I'll keep him!













Then there is my oldest son, Jeff.













Next is my son Joel who just became a daddy for the first time.















My youngest son Jordan, is still unattached ladies and is in university studying for his PhD in Math!














Cameron is next on the list. He is my 7 year old grandson.


































Brent will be 5 at the end of this month and he goes to kindergarten.

Jared is 3 and he is not at all scared to take on his older brothers!














Cameron, Brent, & Jared are my son Jeff's boys.

Last, but certainly not least, is my newest grandson, Zachary. He is 6 weeks old. He is Joel's son.


















God has been very good to me and He has blessed me with an incredible flock of men!

New Brunswick in All Her Glory

I would like to share with you a few pictures of Hillsborough county, New Brunswick. I was born in Albert county which is the neighboring county to Hillsborough and I still have a heart for the place from whence I came. My maternal grandmother grew up on Caledonia Mountain which is where some of these pictures were taken. My great grandparents spent their whole lives on the mountain and these pictures are so pretty that I thought I would share them with you. They are courtesy of my Uncle Allan who is up visiting from Oklahoma City. Some are taken while driving down Turtle Creek Road while others are on Caledonia Mountain then on to the golf course in Hillsborough county. The first two were taken at the site of the old homestead where the apple trees still stand nearby. All is quiet there now but I can imagine the sound of my grandmother as a young girl skipping about in the orchard perhaps gathering apples to make apple pies.....

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends!

I just finished making my pumpkin pies and now I will take a break before getting dinner started.

While my pies were in the oven I did some experimenting on my blog. As you can see, I've added a picture of some of my Rose Chintz from my china cabinet. At first it was huge and I had trouble getting it down to a size to fit the blog; but I finally did it! I am so very new at all this and it is just hit and miss these days. Someday in the very near future, I would like to have my own design but not sure how to go about that yet. I want to put some music on the side bar too.

I welcome any input from you more experienced blogging ladies.

Over the weekend I went around my home taking pictures of things I hope to show you in the coming weeks. I do believe I'm getting to enjoy this!

Well my sweetie just made me a nice hot cup of earl gray tea so I'm going to bid you a lovely day and I'll talk to you soon. Take care everyone.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Today was such a pretty day that my hubby and I decided to take a drive out to New Glasgow where they have a lovely preserve company with an adjoining tea room. They make their own jam right on the premises.

We went in and browsed the gift shop. Of course I had to buy something....a small white china tray with a lacey border. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it; all I know is I couldn't resist it! And I will find just the right spot for it. I really don't do that very often!

Then we made our way into the tea room where we treated ourselves to raspberry cream cheese pie and Earl Gray tea. It was indeed a treat!


One can sit and enjoy their tea while admiring the lovely scenery just beyond the windows. There is a pretty garden to look at and a river flows peacefully beside it. Every once in a while, you will see ducks, an eagle, and other wild life. The view is quite breathtaking, really!


While there, we took a couple of pictures of the scenery just beyond the PEI Preserves Co.
Our camera simply doesn't do them justice, but I thought I would share them with you anyway.
The little church is a beautiful sight as one drives into the small community of New Glasgow. It is nestled upon a hill overlooking the Clyde River. It is almost as though one has stepped back in time, it is so quaint.









Our Island has many special places to visit; New Glasgow being one of them.

Thanksgiving

It seems strange to me that we Canadians have always celebrated Thanksgiving a month earlier than our American neighbors. But I'm sure we are all thankful for our countries and the freedoms we enjoy in each one. God has been very good to us. May we never take our freedom or our blessings for granted!

May we all have an attitude of gratitude.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

A Little Bundle of Joy!

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of my family. This is Zachary, my newest grandbaby, and he was born September 1st. I haven't met him yet because he and his mommy and daddy live way out in Vancouver and I'm way out here on the east coast. I won't get to meet this little darling until January when he and his parents are coming home to show him off. Until then, I will just have to be content with pictures and videos of him. Isn't he a handsome little fellow?

God gives good gifts!

Today is Wednesday and tonight we have bible study so I have much to do today to prepare for it. Since I always have an ice-breaker, I have to come up with one sometime today. I will have to prepare something for lunch too. I think I'm going to make pudding tarts as they always go over well.

One of our ladies is very allergic to eggs so I always make something that doesn't have the egg in it.

Well, it's a beautiful day out there. "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad it it."

Have a wonderful day everyone.

We know Autumn is here when....

Hello. We know that Autumn is here when we can no longer go to the beach, which is one of my favourite things to do, my gold finches have gone south, the leaves are changing, the days and nights are cooler, and my hubby has put away his uniform shorts until next year! He wore his uniform pants to work today; which means my days of ironing are back again....Oh well, we are thankful for the good job he has.

Autumn also means for me, renovations....

Today I was hoping to get started at my bathroom makeover but I injured my shoulder a week ago so I'll have to try and be patient until I heal up again. In the meantime, I can spray my metal wall art again and look through magazines for ideas. Since I have a very small bathroom I need to come up with a plan which is attractive but not overpowering.

When I went to the paint store, the saleslady suggested a red for the walls or a deep gold. If my bathroom was larger and had a window, I might be tempted to go with the red but the look I'm going for is a quiet feminine look with lots of toile and lace; so I chose a bone white for the walls. I know, i'm not very brave. I really am a girly- girl.

It's a lovely day here in Anne of Green Gables country and I'm going to enjoy it in spite of a sore shoulder.

Have a wonderful day everyone and God bless you~ Sandi

Sunday - "Words of Wisdom"

" Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will win favour and a good name

in the sight of God and man."

Proverbs 3: 3-4

I just got home from a lovely drive with my hubby. We had picked up a burger and fries and went down to the park to eat them. It was a beautiful day out there. The leaves are changing and there is a crispness in the air.

The park was busy today as there was a cruise ship in the harbour and many had gathered to look at it.

Today was also the Run for Breast Cancer and we watched hundreds of people run or walk by; each one running for someone special in their lives.

I lost my best friend to breast cancer a number of years ago and I couldn't help but think of her. And even though I know she is in a better place, I still miss her.

~ Miss you Carol~

So, cherish your friends and loved ones; let's not take them for granted. One never knows what a day or a month will bring.

Take care everyone and let's be a blessing to one another....and have a happy day. ~Sandi

Welcome to My Blog ~ Rose Chintz Cottage

Welcome to Rose Chintz Cottage~  


Hello, my name is Sandi and I am a home maker; a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. I am married to my sweetie, the most wonderful man in the world and retired pastor, and we have three handsome sons and five darling grandchildren.

One of the main reasons why I started this blog was because I wanted an outlet of sorts to express myself; my thoughts, my pictures, crafts, stories, and to share about my faith and my family. No longer a church secretary has made me miss doing up bulletins and writing short stories for them. This blog fills that void in my life and hopefully will help to meet some other like-minded friends. This blog also gives my children who live off Island a chance to check in whenever they want to see what their mom is up to.

When I was a little girl, I used to dream about growing up, getting married, and living happily ever after with my prince and my babies. Well, I've lived my dream. That's not to say there haven't been any hard times; there have been plenty, but hard times only serve to make you stronger...hopefully.

I have worn many hats, {I have studied nursing, cosmetology, ran a ladies wear store, and was a pastor's wife, church secretary and music director}, but being a stay-at-home mom caring for my family, has been to date, the most satisfying job I have ever had. And if I could do it all over again, I would....be a stay-at-home mom, that is!

I live on PEI where we are surrounded by beautiful sandy beaches and where there is a slower pace of life; which suits me just fine. We enjoy all four seasons here including snow in the wintertime, and about the only thing we're missing are mountains and palm trees. It is Anne of Green Gables country and we are blessed to live on this Island!

In 1989, I was diagnosed with a form of Muscular Dystrophy called Myasthenia Gravis. For several years I had to rely on a cane to get around but now I am able to walk without one. Indeed, most people would not even be aware of my condition because I look "normal" most of the time. If I'm having an off day, I won't be outside my house. But I am thankful every day I wake up and I do the best I can with the life I've been given. For this, I give thanks to God; which brings me to my next confession.....

I am a born again Christian and I am thankful for all that God has done in my life.
My husband is a former pastor and I am grateful for the opportunity I had to serve the Lord by his side. We continue to have a heart for all of God's children; young, old, and from all walks of life. These days, I host a weekly bible study in our home and I so enjoy welcoming everyone through my yellow door.

I enjoy crafting, decorating, music, photography, reading, blogging/writing, and thrifting. A walk along the beach or a path in the woods are two of my most favourite things to do.

I enjoy my life and all of God's creation; for He makes all things beautiful! 


I collect vintage dishes too. Rose Chintz is the pattern I am most passionate about collecting although I do look for transferware too. I'm especially fond of red and pink.

Rose Chintz is of course the inspiration behind all my decorating including my blog name. I absolutely cannot get enough of it!

Some facts about me: I am a romantic, I'm sentimental, and I'm very analytical. It's a weird combination, I know; but my Auntie P tells me that is what makes me so unique.

~ But then we are all unique in our own way!

I have so much more I want to share with you and I hope you will come back and visit soon....In the meantime, enjoy your day....

Each day comes bearing its own gifts....untie the ribbons!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi