Remembering Lincoln Logs ~ Tuesday's Treasury List

'Remembering Lincoln Logs' by hartleyrowe

Lincoln Logs were a constant source of creative play for myself, and then for my children. We still have a bucket of them in the garage, just waiting for future grandchildren. Take a look at some great vintage items and creative ideas for projects using Lincoln Logs ~ all can be found on Etsy.com!

Treasury tool by StylishHome.

Starting a New Chapter......

There's a story here.....

There's a story behind the pages you see above.  I'm not sure what it is yet, but I look forward to reading it as the year progresses.  I may not be "reading" it in the literal sense. This journal I just completed will be journeying with my son back to Egypt, his new home following his recently completed study abroad semester there. I will most likely depend on my son's updates to Facebook, his blog, and other social media applications to keep me connected to him. But I will also imagine him writing in this journal each day in a place so far away.

This was my first attempt at bookbinding by hand and it will certainly not be my last.  I loved the process beginning...to end.  I like the fact that I touched and shaped each of  these pages for my son.  Hopefully as he records his journal entries outlining his experiences in his new home and at his new career, it will bring him some comfort by reminding him we're here for him at all times.  He's a new college grad with an Anthropology degree and he is setting out to study, educate and serve the world!

These empty pages symbolize so much to all of us.  They represent an unwritten story of the future waiting to be told, the story of 2013, and beyond.  They will most likely reminisce of the past days of 2012 as well.  2012 has been an amazing year for all of us in so many ways.  All of our four children have reached major milestones in their personal lives and their careers ~ ranging from our oldest becoming a small business owner while still juggling the act of the corporate world, to our youngest getting his drivers license.  It's also been a year of discovery for me as I started the Hartley Rowe blog and opened my Etsy shop.  And, to anchor us all, 2012 has become the last full year my husband is a member of our beloved US Military.  We are looking toward his retirement from the Navy this summer and all the possibilities and challenges that come along when a lifelong member of the military (he was a Navy kid as well), tries to navigate his way in a civilian world.  2013 will be an exciting one for our family for sure!

So, here's to the beginning of stories...for my family and for yours ~ let's all keep reading to see how they out.

Thank you for stopping by today and thank you for a wonderful 2012 for the Hartley Rowe blog.

~ Alison

P.S. Keep an eye out for a future post with a tutorial on how I put the journal together.  If anyone out there has any tips for bookbinding, I would love to hear them.  By the end I was covered in glue and fearful it would all fall apart!!   Thank you!

....and Let the Decorating Begin!

I love this time of year!  This week I started pulling out the Halloween decorations.  I love the process of going through box after box and deciding what to put where. Most of our decorations are family treasures that my children have made over the years.  It takes me longer and longer each year to go through each box and decide where I am going to put each creation.  

                                      

We are renting our last house as we prepare for my husband's retirement from the Navy next year and the purchasing of our final (can I say "dream") home.  So this is the next to last house I will have to design a new decorating scheme for the holidays.  I think  I have lost count of all the wonderful homes we've had over the past 26 years.  Fifteen.Sixteen.Seventeen....it is somewhere near there.  I find that my decorating has changed from being all for the kiddos, to being all for my husband and me.  

Three of our four children aren't even home any longer.  They are off to college and beyond.  Two of them are not even in the country at the time!  But they know that I am here busy getting the house ready for all the neighborhood ghosts and goblins who will knock at the door in a couple of weeks looking for a treat.  I also think our 16-year-old, who is still stuck at home with his father and me, secretly likes all the decorations.  He may not say it, but I'm pretty sure he's glad I still take the time to get everything on display.

I hope my children know how much I look forward to this time of  year.  It brings back so many memories.  The little ghost above was one of the very first Halloween decorations we ever made as a family.  Our oldest son was only two years old and we did not have a lot of extra money to spend on holiday decorating.  The little fella above is made from a syrofoam ball covered with a napkin and tied with a ribbon.  I drew the eyes  and nose on with a Sharpie.                                                                    

                               

The sweet little ghost above was made  years ago at the children's preschool.  It's actually an embroidery hoop and a handkerchief.  We made felt cut-outs for the hat, eyes and mouths.  The children all got to glue on their hats and faces....(and oh, the painting in the picture of the turkey was done by one of my sons when he was in middle school ~ aren't the colors perfect for this time of year?)

Our mantle is usually held for our very special treasures.  This is one of the only places that is Smokey-proof.  Smokey is our cat ~ you will meet her at the end of this post.  We always hope our homes will have a great fireplace and mantle.  It becomes the focal point of all our holiday decorating.

Here is a brown lunch bag jack-o-lantern and a startched cheesecloth ghost.  I am constantly amazed at the fact they have survived packing and unpack over so many years.  The ghost is now 17 years old and the jack-o-lantern is 14.

 This precious jack-o-lantern was made by my daughter when she was in the first grade.  She's now away at college studying to be a teacher:)

In addition to decorating with my children's creations, I also love to use vintage items grouped together.  Having a similar color scheme or another like theme ties them in with their surroundings.

The arrangement above uses a silver pitcher we have  had for years and years; it was my grandmother's before it was ours.  Together with our antique metronome from Australia and my Goodwill candlesticks, the collection sits on one end of our piano.

Whenever we have a chandelier in our new home, I always try to make it a focal point as well.  Here, I've simply used a leaf garland.  I'm trying to decide if I want make simple shades as well....but I'm sure time will get in my way.

These sconces are on the wall and flank our dining room window year round.  The candles and embellishments change with the seasons.  Here I've used napkin rings, cut in the back to allow them to be stretched around the three inch pillar candle.  Our white walls usually drive me crazy.  But for some reason, I really like this white tone on tone look at this time of year.  However, you can bet your boots, the minute we buy our retirement home, I'm painting every room!  I love paint!

One of my favorite Halloween decorations is our very own Black Cat.  Meet Smokey, here she is lounging  

on one of her favorite spots in the house.  The very bottom step of our stairway.

Happy Halloween!             

The Greatest Advice a Sister Could Give

Today is my big sister's birthday.  I truly think she gets younger with age.  Does that make sense? Maybe not. However, I reserve the right to think she is one of the most amazing women ever, and not just because she seems to have reversed her aging process.  Her secret is simple, do all you can to take care of yourself and others and be kind and generous with your time and talents.


My sister and I did not grow up together.  She was the oldest and I, the youngest.  There are almost 16 years that separate us.  She was more of a mother figure to me growing up than a sister.  But as I got older, I realized the expression, "Your sister is your best friend," is more than an expression, it is a true statement.  


Research shows that people who have sisters have a lower risk of depression, higher self esteem, and a generally more positive outlook on life.  It's no wonder.  Sisters always have your back, so to speak.  There is no doubting it.  There is a certain security  in knowing that you have someone on your side no matter what.  Someone who will not preach or "parent" you, but someone who is there for you unconditionally.

As the years pass, distances and busyness can get in the way.  Long periods of time go by where siblings are not able to spend time together, especially if they live an entire country apart as my sister and I do.  But, whenever they come together, it is as if no time has passed at all.  This is how it is for me.

When I am in the company of my big sister, it is as if I am back in the school of life.  She never ceases to amaze me with her sage wisdom and intuition.  My sister  has taught me so much about life.  Not by preaching or nagging, but by living.  She is an amazing friend to her friends; wife to her husband; and mother to her children. So many of the lessons I have learned in parenting have come from her.  Those lessons don't end as our children get older, they only change.  I feel she has taught me all the important points of parenting adult children.  Her three children are devoted to her and know she will always be there for them.  I hope I can take the example she has set and continue to be there for my children now that they are young adults.

She was and is the most devoted daughter I have ever known.  I wish I could have been the same.  As we spent time with my father during his last days, she never left his side, ever.  I saw the love of a daughter that I could only aspire to copy.  I couldn't get past the sadness, heartbreak, and grief of losing him to truly "just be" with him as my sister was.  She is brave and courageous beyond belief.

One of the most important lessons my sister taught me, that sticks with me every single day, is to never give up.  She would not allow me to give up because I had made mistakes or because I didn't have the confidence to continue on.  She would always remind me that it was okay to make mistakes and learn from them.  The point was to never make the same mistake twice!  I've remembered that my entire adult life and have passed it on to my children.  I hope they can hold on to that tidbit of wisdom so it will serve them well in their adult lives.

So, today, as my sister celebrates her birthday, I hope she reads this and knows how much I appreciate all she did for me.  I also want to remind everyone to tell your sisters (and brothers too:) that you love them ~ and will be there for them forever!

I love you, Big Sis ~ Thank you for always being there for me.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!  The blog title, Hartley Rowe, is a tribute to both of my parents, Mary Jane Rowe and Jack Hartley.  They were married in 1957, and raised their family in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina.  I was the baby, Alison Rowe Hartley.

This blog is an online journal and scrapbook, past and present. I love technology and how it enables us to stay connected to one another.  I’m constantly exploring new systems and applications; yes, I am a computer geek.

However, I also feel we desperately need to hold on to yesterday. I believe it is important that my children have a sense of their parents' and grandparents' beginnings by preserving family documents, photographs, and heirlooms.  I also love to visit flea markets and antique stores to add to our collection of all things vintage, and to make creations that have a sense of timelessness.

I am about to take the leap.  My dear husband of over 25 years and my four wonderful children have been encouraging me to start my own business. With advances in technology (which you know I love) and online marketing, I plan to open my own Etsy shop to share with you some of the many items I've made and collected.  I can't stop creating or treasure hunting, and we are running out of room.  


Now that three of the four children have left the nest and my husband is looking toward retirement from his military career, I feel it is time to start this adventure. While I will never leave my day job as a part-time elementary school librarian, I am excited to begin the life of an entrepreneur. The shop is set to open on July 8th, which would have been my father's 84th birthday. It is a way to honor the most creative soul I've ever known. So, welcome to the blog and enjoy my musings. I would love to hear any comments you may have.