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bj-sweetnothings.blogspot.com

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thanks, bj

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Behind the scenes of a pretty porch swing...

A lot of my readers know that one material thing I have that I LOVE is my
porch swing....
Mr. Sweet bought me a new one 2 summers ago  and  I really am proud of it.
I have ALWAYS loved porch swings and not sure why.
I mean, we didn't have one when I was growing up until
my freshman year in high school.
My mom, my Aunt Lillian and I would sit on it and they  THOUGHT
they were telling me all about the
birds and the bees.....
:))
I mean, GOOD GRIEF...I was 15.
Although we didn't have CLASSES on it in school back then,
you know how all the 'big' girls love to tell the 'little' girls
THOSE kind of things.
I would be scared to tell Mother that I already knew all about this.
Aunt Lillian was a nurse so she had to get her sweet little 2 cents worth in.
She didn't have a daughter...
and she wanted to be MY mother soooo bad.
I pretty much had 2 mamas but it was ok with me.
So, I would sit, sipping iced tea with mint, and nod my head yes
and then no.
"Do you have any questions?" they wanted to know.
HOLLY COW......I would have fallen over and DIED
before I would ask them THAT kind of question.
haaaahhhaaaa....how funny...
and what WONDERFUL memories for me.
O, I loved my mama and my Aunt Lillian.
SOMEtimes, I wish I could be a little girl again..
with them on the front porch,
in a swing.
bwaaaaaaaaaaa
Getting back to the SWING...
THIS is what it looks like at the start of every spring.
I take all the covers off the pillows and seat,
shake the fire out of them,
take them inside for a good soak and wash.

NOW....at the risk of being turned in to the
PILLOW POLICE,
I PIN MY FABRIC ONTO MY PILLOWS I use outside.
Am I totally just TERRIBLE ??
We have so much sand and blowing dust out here on
the Plains of West Texas, especially thruout spring
that these pillows need washing or at least shaken,
several times throughout the summer.
Oh, I know I could make pillow covers with zippers or whatever...
Waaay too much sewing for me...
and besides, I usually have to buy new fabric every couple of years.
Sooo,
I take the easy way out.
I am going to make new covers out of
OIL CLOTH
and then I won't have to replace the fabric so often....
maybe make little envelope covers....
I use any kind of pillow form I can find...
and also, I use olden pillows and just wrap the fabric 'round
and pin those babies on.
Beautiful PINK and RED  flowers all around my
WHITE, YUMMY PORCH SWING......

Long about THIS time of year...
when everything is still BROWN...
and DRY....
and UGLY...
I wonder if my sweet porch swing will ever
look this good again !
BUT...
I know it WILL
and when it's all nice and clean and pretty again,
I'll invite you over for
BREAKFAST AT THE SWING.
In the meantime,
I have a basket full of
CLEAN fabric...
on the ready for the time when the sandstorms are over
and that will be sometime in MAY.
*heavy sigh

I am linking with
WHITE WEDNESDAY (white swing...hope that works:)

My thanks to the hosts...
and thanks to you for stopping by.
LOVE,
bj

32 comments:

Sarah said...

BJ, I absolutely love a porch swing. Had to give mine up when we changed up our sun porch. Wish I could figure out another spot for one, cause I sure do miss it. Something so calming about swinging in one of these.
Of course I'm loving that black and white with your touch of red and all those gorgeous geraniums. You need to link this to REDnesday. ~ Sarah

Julie Harward said...

I love the conversations with your mom on the swing. My mom never told me a thing, she and my aunt..who was a nurse..just gave me and my cousin a big yellow envelope with pamplets and booklets..we were in my room, trying to read and figure all of this out..but some of it we never did understand! ;D

Fishtail Cottage said...

Adoring your porch swing....i really would like to have one (someday)...but need a porch first! lol - xoxo, Tracie

Linda said...

Precious memories!

I like to pin fabric, too!
It makes it possible to use as a cushion cover one year or a table cloth another!

Kai Rui said...

visiting from Outdoor Wednesday

following you...hope you'll follow me back

here's my entry
http://kc2009.blogspot.com/2011/03/escapar-una-isla-hermosa.html

Anonymous said...

Lovely porch swing dear!
Greetings.

Hootin Anni said...

LOL....I got a big kick out of the 'birds and the bees' part. Heck, by the time I was 6 or so, I knew what it was 'all about'...having grandparents living on a farm.

Oh boy, do I love porch swings too. I can just picture myself on a huge covered and pillared front veranda on my southern plantation---and swinging with a minted iced tea...enjoying the summer days. But, oil cloth? Wouldn't that be uncomfortably 'sweaty' in the hot days of summer?

Thanks for stopping by BJ. It was a pleasure having you visit with me today at: Black Night Heron
Your company is always a special treat.

Lori said...

Why wouldn't anyone want to stop there and sit a spell.

Vee said...

Wonderful story to go along with the story of your pretty porch swing. I wish that I had enough room on my porch for a swing. I think pins are just fine, but a gal who makes quilts could whip up an envelope pillow cover in no time and it'd be less work than fiddling with pins. Then you could teach me how you did it. ;>

Debbie said...

I love your story about being told the birds and bees. I would have done the exact same thing. I don't recall my mother ever even telling me. She is still odd about stuff like that.

Your swing is just so pretty and inviting to me.

I have the perfect porch for a swing, but it forever sits on the "to do" list.

I do change my pillows out there, though. I just make little envelopes. I should try something more durable.

Debbie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rita said...

Again, great post full of memories. Yes Your porch swing is lovely. We used to have one, but it disappeared like so many other things when we downsized. You made me realize how much I miss it.
Rita

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

What a wonderful story! My mom handed me a book called, On Becoming A Woman. Told me to read it and if I had any questions, ask her...nope, no questions -lol.

Love your porch swing. We have pollen here, so I don't even clean my porches until pollen season ends.
Hugs,
Penny

Anonymous said...

And a beautiful porch swing it is, BJ.

My guest room makeover post is published. I am really loving that room.:-)

On Crooked Creek said...

BJ,
Growing up in SE Kansas, we lived in a huge two-story Victorian. The year I began working at the local grocery store, I bought my dad a wooden porch swing for Father's Day. It took all my pay for two months, but I was so proud of myself. That was the year I was 15, also! Dad didn't sit down much in those days. We owned a fourth of a city block and he had too much lawn to care for, plus he was still employed in the KC area. My MoMa and I swang, quietly. She was a very quiet, deep thinker type of soul. My neice and I swang really high and got the evil eye from my MoMa. Thanks for allowing me to remember life was good then, life is good now. Enjoy your swing with this oncoming Spring weather.
Fondly,
Pat

Linda said...

Your swing is just so cute. It's lovely that you have a porch to sit on. Enjoy it for many years to come.Love the black and white theme.

Madeline's Album said...

Love the porch swing we see a lot of them around here in Alabama. I do not have a porch big enough to put one on. Yours is so pretty with the pillows and the pretty flowers around it. I remember driving across Texas and stopping to eat at a roadside park and how the wind would blow so I know what you go through with the dust blowing on everything. Have a blessed day BJ. Madeline

Kendra@Creative Ambitions said...

Beautiful swing BJ!! Love the fabrics you used... I would love to have a swing... my grandad had one at his farmhouse growing up and I loved it!

Spring is bad where I live for porch furniture... pollen... pollen covers everything!!! I let it go last year but I plan to stay on top of it this year and try to keep my porch clean!!

You'll have to come check out my no sew pillow tutorial when I get it up on the blog... pretty easy... but pinning sounds good, too!! Thanks for sharing sweet BJ!! Oh... funny about the "girl" talk they wanted to have with you!!!

(HUGS)
Kendra

Southerncook said...

I thoroughly enjoyed your post about your porch swing. I have one on my front porch and I love sitting out there with a glass of "something" watching as the cars go by and the neighbors walk past. After reading your post I have a renewed interest in mine and some new ideas to embelish my swing that you shared.

Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook

The Charm of Home said...

Your porch swing is so charming! I love the black and white fabrics you used. The flowers add the perfect pop of color. Just delightful.
Sherry

Wanda Metcalf said...

Love the swing and the colors. We have hit the high 70's and so I thought we were in for spring and I was all excited then today I heard we are going to have now/mix on Friday : (

Oh I just giggled at the birds and bees story. My mom never told me - sure know now where they come from - OUCH!
All I was ever told was in 5th grade the boys went to one class and the girls to another. girls saw a film on "getting their period" I to this day don't know what the boys did. NOBODY talked about what we did in those rooms! hahahaha

Fun post thanks =0)

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Your idea of pinning covers on pillows is wonnnnnnnnnderful! Thank you for the pointer.

I often think how fun it would be to have different covered pillows, here and there. Then the JOB of making the ding-dang-covers for them, stops me. -pout-

Now! I can carry on with an idea, now and then. :-) Merci!!!

♥ Gentle hugs ♥

Shug said...

I am pretty fond of porch swings as well...One year we attended the Renaissance festival down in South Texas...The only thing I liked about it was this HUGE swing (looked just like a porch swing)About 5 people could get on it and then they had this crank that would pull the swing back. When they let go, the swing would go so high...I could have rode that thing all day...
Great post and great color...
shug

Theresa said...

I am in love with your porch swing! Mine is in need of repair! It is on my "honey-do" list:) Love all of your black and white! Enjoyed this post! Have a blessed day my friend, HUGS!

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

bj, I had no idea you had SAND storms out there...those can be miserable. They are still talking about the one that hit Bakersfield California some years back and filled swimming pools and totally ruined yards. It took weeks to dig out...I think these were more DUST then sand because it turned to mud. Sand would be better? Or is there such a thing with a storm like that.
LOVE the colors of your material. May? Sheesh...that's a long time to wait!
Love and hugs,
Mona
P.s. No one had to tell me anything. I was born all knowing..
:):)

Susie Q said...

Jow I envy having a sweet porch swing! The perfect spot to spend some time, share a giggle and watch the world go by! Your swing is as pretty as YOU! And just as warm and welcoming!
Love,
Sue

La said...

OH BJ.

Your posts always move me for one reason or the other. Today, you reminded me of my "talk." Oh, how I miss my mom. :o)

I look forward to breakfast on the porch swing. La

Unknown said...

Love your porch swing! There's just something about them that is inviting...and yours certainly is pretty with the pillows and geraniums surround them. Great idea about pinning the fabric....who knew!??!?!

Kathleen Grace said...

I got a book about the "birds and bees". You know, the experts all say we should talk about those things openly and frankly with our kids. I don't think I have ever met anyone, kid or adult who wanted to have that conversation with a parent!
I love your fabrics for the swing pillows. I have always loved your choice of crisp black and white out there. It looks so pretty:>)

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

What a wonderful post...that brings back lots of good memories for me! Hugs, sweet friend! ♥

Beth said...

We love our porch swings, too! We have two and they overlook our backyard gardens. What a sweet place to relax with a glass of wine after work!
Awwwwwww........
blessings, Beth

Rosie@travel-i-tales said...

Such a lovely tale...you're a natural. I want a porch swing like yours.
Rosie