Rod got his wings 4 years ago today

Love that hat and "vintage" Natural Light can but not as much as I love you!

I remember when I was younger, people telling me that the older you get, the faster time flies.  I didn't believe them.  Now that I'm {cough cough} "older".. I can relate.

Today marks four years without Rod.  Four YEARS!  FOUR YEARS? 4-years, YEARS?  really???!!!        whoaaaaaaa.. that is crazy....  


Sometimes it feels like yesterday Rod got his wings ~ other times it seems like an eternity.  The past few months though I've had some great dreams that seemed so real.  Rod & I were just hanging out and talking about nothing in particular, just talking like we always did.  When I woke up I swear it felt we had really been talking!  My heart felt full again.  I feel his presence.  I know he had been here flying through, visiting, checkin' in, letting me know he is still around.

I am here, missing him, remembering him & cherishing every moment we had together.


Love ya, dude!

Happy Birthday Rod!

Happy 58th birthday!

There isn't a day that doesn't go by that you aren't in my thoughts.... wow, check out that sentence full of negatives. So two negatives, make a positive, right? but there has to be a neutral in there somewhere... right? I can see you rubbing your head now and rolling your eyes.

I love you and miss you.

Sending cheers along with a Natural Light with wings to you on your birthday

What a little doll...

This is one of my precious customers...

She is six months old and has quite the collection of Hartwell Designs bibs...

6 years

ago today I told my Mother good-bye for the very last time.

Everything happens for a reason

It's weird how one single decision can change our lives so much. How sometimes we are too caught up in the moment to think things through enough, and then we find ourselves wishing that we could go back in time and change the way we have handled things. Decisions tend to surround us in our everyday lives: should i have toast or eggs for breakfast? Should i buy the green shirt or the pink one? Most choices are so little and easy for us to make, we don't even consider them as decisions. But what happens when one of those big ones hits you in the face? And what's more, what happens when you find yourself making the wrong choice? It just goes to show you that life is just plain tough sometimes and most of the time it is hard to see the plus side of our bad choices. That overwhelming sense of regret seems to take over our emotional selves, and all seems hopeless. Eventually we do see that things turn out okay, but it just goes to show how one little decision might affect our entire lives. We all just need to be reminded from time to time that everything does happen for a reason. I find myself asking.. what is the reason this is happening? I cannot find the answer.

Where do other people find vintage chenille??

I see sellers on eBay that have many vintage chenille bedspreads up for sale. I'm wondering, where do they find these bedspreads? I'm constantly checking our thrift stores and antique shops but I never run across the "good stuff". Is it because I live in South Carolina or do these sellers have "connections"???

My business or as I call it ... "bib"ness has been booming lately - but I'm running low on certain spreads that I like to keep on hand. I was lucky enough to win an auction this afternoon on eBay for a Morgan Jones pink rosebud spread.. yeah :) I'll have to sell 6 bibs until I can start turning a profit - but the rosebud chenille is so girly.. it is a wonderful seller!

Oh to find a gingham Morgan Jones chenille spread.. pink & white, or blue & white.... ahhhhhhhhh - that would be a gold mine find.. maybe one day. If you happen to have one, like the 2nd picture, with either blue or pink checks.. let me know.. I would love to purchase it from you. These spreads are perfect for boy and girl patchwork chenille quilts.

Don't you just love the floral bib? It has been a wonderful seller but unfortunately this spread is about gone.. that is the down side of working with vintage chenille. I can't just run out to the fabric store to buy more - but then again.. it makes my items more unique. I just love creating vintage chenille bibs.

Be sure to take a peek at my Etsy Shoppe... I'm always adding "new" items, created from vintage finds.

www.hartwelldesigns.etsy.com

playing in photoshop

I took this picture on the way to West Virginia over Memorial Day weekend.

It was on the right, with a for sale sign.. so why not stop and take a peek? Hmmmm.... a tavern for sale... but... in the middle of.... exactly where? I think I'll pass for now but who knows what 10 years from now will bring.

We lost internet the other night so I decided to play in photoshop..
I really need to take a class.

and then there were four

Here we are at Arlington Cemetery

the strange thing.. no matter how much I edit this picture, it always posts sideways...

I think Rod is telling me that wherever we go, he is with us.

Pictures from the 4th of July

The invisible man at our house

Eastin was suppose to be in her room cleaning, which is pretty much what she is always suppose to be doing because her room is always a mess..

she is quite creative & a mess in more ways than one :)

Hello Everyone!

Yup.. I know.. I'm a slacker with a capital "S". I'll be the first to admit it. I don't seem to juggle well, time that is.

So many events to catch up on, I'll fill you in quickly with more details soon. I have a great niece/nephew on the way! My nephew and his wife have the gender tucked away in an envelope and they cannot decide if they want to know.. so until they open the envelope, I don't know what will be arriving at Thanksgiving.

In May... Jon, Billie & Jackson visited, spent the night, swam, played in the sand, took a boat ride and played with Miller. They weren't able to be here for the 4th of July so they visited early and we had the best time. It was nice having time just with them to appreciate how big the world is to a 2 year old. Every new adventure brightened his eyes. Oh the innocence of a child....

My two sisters and I flew to Washington, DC over Memorial Day weekend to visit my brother and what a big time we had! It was a great trip!

June... a time to look back and mark the anniversary of Rod's death - I treasure the memories I have of him so much.

In July, Russ & I hosted the annual 4th of July family get together here in Anderson, where it was hosted many years ago when Momma & Pappy were both living. There were around 50 people here counting the 20 (or so it seemed) little ones.. I have some awesome pictures of that fun day!

It has been so hot, the lake is like bath water - it really hasn't been too refreshing to us.

I've been busy with orders too and I cannot wait to post pictures of some of my new creations that have gone out the door.

Oh... Russ sold his Harley and his Firebird and bought a pontoon - that is where we usually spend our Saturdays.. checking out different islands on Lake Hartwell. It has been a great Summer so far - 5 more weeks until Eastin starts 5th grade... It sure is flying by.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

HartwellDesigns has been busy!

I've been creating chenille bibs, bloomers and daisy tops for over 10 years now. Chenille bibs are by far the BEST investment a new parent can make! Easy to take care of and so soft, little ones love them! So absorbant they will even keep babes with reflux dry underneath. It is so much easier to wash a bib than an entire outfit.
Infant size bibs are recommended for ages up to 12 months.


The twins below are wearing my toddler size feeding bibs.
They are generously cut and will fit up to a size 4t.

I have a extensive collection of vintage chenille spreads and also create one-of-a-kind patchwork throws. These are perfect for curling up under with a book in your favorite chair or for giving as a baby gift. These throws are the type of item that people pass down each generation.



About chenille bibs..
They are the most incredible, most addicting and most usable baby necessity! So soft to wear, so unique and most of all.. so easy to wash!
Machine wash, tumble dry! That is it!
They make the best baby gifts and come with a signature bib shaped Hartwell Designs care tag.

Copyright © 2006-2010 Hartwell Designs TM.

All rights reserved.

All product designs, images, and presentation are protected by copyright, trade mark and other intellectual property laws and may not be reproduced or appropriated in any manner without written permission.

Hey Y'all!

as you have noticed, time has gotten away from me again.

I have so many pictures, stories, thoughts, etc. to share - just need a few days to myself away from home to catch up.

I know.. I'm a slacker

Facebook vs. Blog

I found it is so much easier posting pictures on facebook and as you can tell I rarely give my blog any attention. I just realized I haven't put pictures from our big Emory family beach trip on and that was months ago. I know some of my blog friends don't do facebook.. so I apologize..

Here are just a few, we were there 7 days and what an amazing time we had!

Carol & Gary