8/27/09

My Nene

Ella Kate Willingham born January 1, 1913. She is mother to four. Grandmother to eight. Great Grandmother to 12. Cook extraordinaire. Remarkable seamstress. Mover. Shaker. She is extremely proud of the fact that she has shaken more hands at First Baptist Church than anybody else in the history of the world. She has happily greeted there for too many years to count.

When I was a child she was my connection to church. She would pick my cousins and me up in her green car and chauffeur us like a taxi. We would squeeze in, take turns in the front seat, and go to church. I love her for instilling in me that church was so important.

We loved spending the night with her because we knew breakfast would be a feast. She, perhaps, made the best oatmeal with crumbled up bacon there was. I remember her almond crescent cookies that she "hid" under the sink to the left in a tupperware container. Now if you ate at Nene's, you cleaned your plate. Period. She was a hound dog in this area!

She loved to sew all 8 of us grandchildren matching outfits for Christmas. One year she made us all denim pantsuits that were covered with embroidered designs. I have no idea where she found the time. Another Christmas she made these plaid dresses out of the scratchiest material I had ever felt. It was so uncomfortable and all of us wondered why she would use such an awful fabric. It was taffeta. I had zero appreciation for fine fabric then, however.

It is heartbreaking to see her in this position now. She is 96 1/2 years old. She is growing weaker and weaker. Her memory is fading and she remembers less and less. She said to me just yesterday, "I can't believe this is how it is going to end. I can't believe it has come to this." The time my children and I are spending with her now is precious. I, now, can fully appreciate all those things that make her "Nene." And though her hair no longer shows signs of red, she will always be a redhead to me.

Nene Kate at my house for Tucker's 11th birthday 6/09. She had fallen and broken her arm, but that wouldn't keep her away!!!


Tucker with his Nene 6-23-09


Johnny and Nene.


Nene surrounded with some of her Great Grandbabies- Lily, Tucker, Reid and Landyn.


Landyn Olivia and her Nene


Tucker taking Nene for a walk at the nursing home


My Nene and me at the hospital


Nene and Landyn


Tucker and Nene


Ella Kate Willingham, my vibrantly red-headed Nene! This was taken in 1929. She was 16 years old.


Full of life!


Nene always had a sense of style!


Nene and Papa. He died in 1977. She has been a widow for 32 years.



Posing in Aunt Annie's car in Birmingham.


What a beauty!


I told you she had style!


And glam...


8/21/09

Color Splash


Downloaded a new app on my iPhone called "Color Splash." Been having some fun "doctoring" up all my picts!!!

8/20/09

♩♫♪ These are a Few of My Favorite Things ♬♪♩

My daughter Landyn's room. She is 9 and wanted something more "grown up". So...we ditched the pastels and went for bold purples and vibrant lime! I painted the pink petals on her chandelier red to coordinate!

Wall tapestry depicting the Garden of Eden.


My favorite candle holders inside of my other favorite candle holders! They give a warm amber glow!

These are shells and driftwood from our last trip to Siesta Key. I was carrying pieces of the wood along the beach and my husband told me I looked like a nut and should put some down! I told him if they knew what I was going to do with them, they would think I was a genius! I did drop some, but kept my favs!

Antique movie projector (compliments of Ebay) along with two amber glass lanterns.


The Creeping Fig Wall is one of favorite places in my yard. It is a challenge to keep it cut back, but I love how it frames the windows.

This one pillow was the inspiration piece for the design of my entire home. Love it against brown leather.


I love these old glass bottles and wanted a way to draw attention to them. So, I made "cherry blossom branches" by attaching artificial flowers to real cut branches.


Adore the turquoise. Adore the cracks. Adore the 3 contrasting shapes. Need I say more?


This is the all-time best reed diffuser I've ever found. The scent is "Spiced Pepper". You have to smell to fully understand!


Love these bottles in my bathroom. Amber glass. Bottle of Victoria's Secret "Rapture" fits in perfectly.

This is a shelf above my garden tub. In love with Indian chests and boxes! So ornate and beautiful.


This is actually an Indian jewelry box. Love the simple grass on top.


Since I have a passion for video, my husband started buying antique film projectors and cameras to display. This is one of my favorites.


Turtle nightlight keeping a miniature Indian chest company.


I love the vase filled with pussy willow. I tucked a treasured photo of my children into it. The small, smooth stones in the compact glass jar were collected on Siesta Key beach. The photos of the piano were taken by my husband in a church in Jamaica. A hasty, metal clock attempts to keep me on schedule everyday!


The 7 clocks above my bed represent all the members of our family. The largest is my husband. The smallest is our youngest daughter. Each clock is set to the exact time that person was born. (Yes, the batteries were taken out!)


I am smitten with this photo of my husband and I. Love the red, jeweled frame against the black wood. The silver mirror in the background adds a nice shimmer. Drama!



Bought this cabinet at a used furniture store. My husband refinished it. Holds his collection of autographed, first-edition books. The plaque needed a home. Fit quite nicely.


Moroccan lanterns are another passion of mine. I can't seem to say no to any I find! These sit on the island of my kitchen. Makes the whole space glow with warmth. (Also safe with kids and cats...)


Piero Fornasetti was an eclectic Italian designer. He specialized in designing plates with images of his beautiful daughter "Julia." I love the different themes he portrays.






And then there is Shawn. Shawn Mullins is my favorite musician. My husband called his record label the day before my birthday and he autographed this picture and overnighted it to me! Do you see the ♥ beside his name? That means he loves me!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

8/13/09

Flowers in the Sun


You Do The Math...






I ❤ Tucker!!


My Girl Landyn

Looks just like daddy! I've been asked before if she was adopted.

Landyn and Coco. I've had Coco since she was 6 weeks old. She is 21 in this photo. She died weeks after this was taken, which was May 09. I still look for her outside the front window everyday as I pass by.


My beautiful beach baby!



Photo "doctored" up by an iPhone app. I think it makes her look glam!

Cartoon Kidlets



LOVE...LOVE...LOVE iPhone apps!!!

Landyn


Tucker