Last Christmas at the country house for the Roans?

This Christmas, Justin and I travelled to Nacogdoches to spend some extra time with his parents and the family. It hit us right before Christmas dinner that this might be the last time that this house will see Christmas for the Roan family. They are getting ready to put the house up for sale to move into town and build a new shiney home.

See the pretty antiques that Mary collects, she has ultimate taste and an eye for things pretty. Manuel and Pat (Mary's brother and sister) joined in for the feast. Yummy! We ate way too much and took more home for Justin to pig out on.

Merry Christmas!!

Vanessa's African Journey into the Wild

You can check out Vanessa's journey here: http://austinlehman.com/blog/

Wish her well and pray for a safe return. Her blog updates are simply amazing and inspiring. You really should read.

Another little creation

Since Traci is expecting in March, I thought it would be nice to start sewing little bitty things.

I sewed a couple of bibs, felt baby shoes, burb towels and a very small quilt.

I have lots more I want to do...it really is quite a small bit of fun to do the small things in life too.

The cutest scarf

http://www.freepeople.com/index.cfm




So I discovered a new store: Free People


I loooove this store. It reminds me of hymalayan/nepal type wear bordering on czech and alpine lace. I think it is very bohemian and I love it all. There is one scarf in particular that I have my eye on for Xmas. So...honey..if you are reading this then this is the one I want. I promise to put more color in my wardrobe if you buy this for me.. hehehe

Camping at Pace Bend Park

A group of friends decided to get together and go camping this past weekend. Since the weather is nice (cool for Texas standards) we headed out to Pace Bend Park on Lake Travis with Sarah, Carlos, Jesse, and James. Boy..what an a great time.
It did rain a little. There were noisy kids first thing in the morning. It was a bit cold at night. BUT things turned out just perfect!

Camping at Pace Bend Park

Longhorn Living News

We're famous!

http://www.tsp.utexas.edu/FrontPage/TSMweb/advertising%20supplements/Longhorn%20Living/longhorn_living.pdf

True Texas Tailgating Takes Planning, Time

By Amber Groce
From hook ‘em horns to the lit orange tower to “The Eyes of Texas”, UT has its fair share of traditions. Among these, tailgating is a Texas tradition that takes planning–more than most game-goers realize.
The tailgating tradition begins early on Fridays before home-game Saturdays. Most tailgates begin several hours before the kickoff, which requires the hosts to start setting up and preparing hours before that. Many groups and organizations at The University of Texas set up booths for tailgating. Companies sponsor some because they realize so many show up to tailgate before games. The tailgate tradition tends to last longer for evening games than for morning and afternoon ones because there is more time to set up, cook, eat and hang out.

Carter Goss, advertising representative for Texas Student Media, hosts The Daily Texan’s Kickoff Countdown Tailgate Party that is sponsored by Toyota before every home game. Goss said that companies jump at sponsorship opportunities––unique ways to be associated with the University––because there are so many loyal UT fans at the tailgates. At any given time, there are typically 40 people at the Texan’s tailgate, with about 200 in attendance
throughout the day. One member of the team begins waiting in line at 5 a.m. on Friday mornings to reserve a space in the parking lot. Team members continue taking turns in line until the space on the lot is secured around 6 p.m. that same evening. Last year, Goss began waiting in line Wednesday morning for the Ohio State game. There are normally 60 groups that tailgate in the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum parking lot, where Goss’ tailgate is located. Tailgates, which typically begin anywhere from four hours to 30 minutes before kickoff, sometimes
resume for an hour or so after the games. County Line BBQ provides sausage wraps with tortillas and Cannoli Joe’s provides a veggie and Italian sausage dish for the Texan’s tailgate. Along with catered food and beverages, Goss said that the best tailgates incorporate fun activities for the fans, and give out prizes. Goss’ tailgate tradition is going on its 15th year.
“We offer free food and fun,” Goss said. “Every year, all the tailgate teams in lot seven at Brazos and MLK put together a golf tournament to benefit the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum.”

Jason Pittman started his tailgate, Texas Pigs, seven years ago. His tailgate is also in the Bob Bullock Museum lot, and has been at that location for the past five years. Sponsored by Shiner, Red Bull and Dos Lunas Tequila, the Texas Pigs tailgate includes throwing washers and watching the game via satellite on their plasma screen television.
“We arrive early on Saturday mornings to set up the bus and tap the kegs,” Pittman said. “We started off with two chairs and a Lil’ Smokey Grill. Now we have a renovated school bus, a 55-inch plasma-screen TV, three to four kegs, food and hundreds of friends.”

Justin Roan hosts Texas Ringers, another tailgate on home game days in the same parking lot. Since they cook their food themselves, they purchase and prepare the food on Fridays before game days. They recently teamed up with Texas Pigs and Hornball to triple the tailgating fun. “We used to have about 10 people at our tailgates, but now my wife and I have to cook enough food for at least 200 people,” Roan said. “We set up and start cooking early Saturday morning to make sure all the food is ready before we have to leave for the game.”

Tailgates bring fans together to celebrate the one thing they all have in common: their passion for Longhorn football. Look for the massive crowds on Martin Luther King Boulevard between Congress and Brazos Oct. 27 when Texas plays Nebraska. It is hard to miss the Texas Pigs’ big orange school bus.

Justin's Day of Relaxing Golf and Wreckage?!

Justin was playing in a Golf tournament on Friday, October 19th. He had just finished at around 7pm and was leaving the course to turn on Enfield (not even a mile from home) when a white van t-boned him. He said that he looked both ways and didn't see the van until it was too late. The speed limit is 30 miles an hour on this road but I am convinced that the van had to be speeding considering Justin's truck was facing back to where he came out of the drive, the bed of his truck smashed into the high embankment yard of a nearby neighbor and his tool chest (bolted to his truck) was torn and thrown into the yard. But Justin was cited for Failure to Yield at a Stop Sign and the other old country guy was left without a ticket.
Be sure that there is a fight in order.

These are the day-after pictures....

Justin's Wreck

Family Photo--finish

The finished product..for Nanny Bday (just in time) - updated w/Pics Now!

Whew!!

I finally did it. The quilt is done and it was so much fun to make but I have to say that it is a relief because it is done in the nick of time for her suprise birthday party this coming Saturday.

just look!!!

Nanny's 80th Birthday

The weekend in pictures!

Dinner Out

http://picasaweb.google.com/SheRoan/DinnerElArroyo

quilt

Almost there!! I just finished putting the layers together and pinning the whole thing together with about 100 safety pins. All that is left is to quilt the layers together.

wed

Jennifer & Charles Lang Wedding

The family attende the Lang wedding this past weekend. Donna & Chuck Lang's son, Charlie, wed Jennifer in a lovely but hot outdoor wedding. Donna is the daughter to James and Alma (Aunt Blondie) Kerlick. Alma is Nanny's sister. ....that should sum it up.

The wedding was held at the old Red Berry Mansion off of Gembler Road and Hwy 90. I was especially delighted about the building after hearing stories of Aunt Sharon and my mom's adventures when the son of Red Berry was entertaining at their pool. The pool in the picture is not the original pool. That one is long gone, but at one time was at lake level with lake fed water that is crystal clear. Mom also mentioned that it had a spiral slide into the pool. Red Berry was notorious for gambling and hosting all sorts of parties. There is even mention that he won this land in a poker party.

http://www.redberrymansion.com/

The Legend of "Red Berry"
By Tom Rickoff
Red Berry and his horse
From bootlegging and organized gambling to the Texas Senate, "Red" Berry settled in San Antonio in the early 1930’s, bringing with him a fast mind and style that made him a unique character in the city’s history.
Virgil Edward Berry was born February 27, 1899, one of thirteen children born in a log cabin on a farm in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He only attended school through the seventh grade, and then became an office clerk in Fort Smith where be was quickly dubbed "Red" because of his stock of red hair. He went on to work for the Union Pacific Railroad as a machinist and then enlisted with the U.S. Army. His introduction to San Antonio was during a 10-month assignment at Fort Sam Houston where he was an M.P.
In 1929 he settled permanently in the Alamo City in what he fondly called the "recreational business". He purchased a number of horses to race at the old Alamo Downs and indulged in high stakes poker playing from $2 to $5,000 a hand. His lifetime motto, "I never cheated a man," was basically true when applied to head-to head poker playing only. He really did not need to cheat because he only played with the cream of San Antonio’s gamblers and in the long haul was generally able to prevail through superior skill.
He opened The Turf Club that housed a beer hall, restaurant, cocktail lounge and a lavish gambling casino with mirrored walls, crystal chandeliers and thick carpets beneath the dice tables. From April 1934 through 1957, politicians looking for fame repeatedly targeted the club. Eventually the raids and seizures of gaming equipment put a damper on the operation and when the county was looking for additional office space downtown Red offered his Turf Club building for $120,000. Throughout the 30’s and 40’s Red was "boss gambler" in San Antonio.
After the close of the Turf Club he moved his operation to La Vernia, Texas until the 40’s, when one day he sat down to play a little "pitch" with one of his favorite marks, John Sullivan. Red walked away with what is known today as the Red Berry Mansion and estate. Red bulldozed out a rise on the property, threw up an earthen damn, diverted the flow of his well and soon had a beautiful 15-acre lake complete with a small island.
Overlooking the lake, Berry constructed one of San Antonio's most unique residences, a three story, 12,000-square foot mansion, which resembled a Riviera chateau and was at the time valued at $125,000. Berry was extremely proud of his home and imported many of the material used in its construction. Designed not only as a home, Berry’s plush mansion became the haunt of San Antonio’s wealthy gamblers and therefore the political football of law enforcement-minded politicians. Raids ensued, as did Red’s lavish gambling parties, through the 50’s and into the early 60’s. Red went on to have a successful career as a politician, first entering the race for Police and Fire Commissioner in 1947.
In 1960, he won the primary and general election for State Representative 60th District Place 4. In 1962 and 1964, Berry was re-elected and in 1966, at the age of 70, he was selected to that State Senate, 19th district. Red’s platform always pushed for pari-mutuel betting even though he was never able to convince Texans to vote for it. Red sold his property and home in 1973 to Walter Corrigan, then the President of Sommers Drug. In 2002, Bill Tidwell, owner of Cardell Cabinetry, purchased the estate from Corrigan, refurbishing the mansion to its original splendor and re-opened it to the public as San Antonio’s most beautiful and unique special events facility.

Aunt Sha Sha & Aunt Linda's new Totes!

I just finished with Aunt Sharon's tote last night and Aunt Linda's new tote this morning. What do you think?

Sha Sha's is denim on the outside and bright yellow cotton on the inside. Her name is stitched to match the inside with bright yellow and the handles are a cool retro fabric that is paisley with reds, browns and yellows.

Lin's is in the same denim but has a nice burnt red for the inside and her name is in a verigated red/orange thread. The handles are also done in the retro fabric.

update on Nanny's quilt..

The quilt is coming along nicely. But you tell me....

OMG Estate Sales R Us

When I woke up this morning around 6:30ish I wondered what I was going to do today. I sat down and pinned a couple of more pieces together for Nanny's quilt and thought to myself today would be a good day for garage sales....nea, Estate Sales!

Why waste your time at garage sales sifting through the junk of people and who knows what you would find. Go straight for the good stuff I always say.

I found this ad in the Austin Statesman this morning:

Details
Central - FINE ESTATE SALE 1914 Victorian estate in Hyde Park, a time capsule of the very finest china-crystal -Roseville-Staffordshire- Limoges-too numerous to list-old Persian rugs-exquisite American furniture- 1960's collection of vintage Mexican pottery, iron & decor-rare Life mags, paper & vintage postcards-linens, quilt fabrics-vintage hats & clothes-rare books-costume jewelry-the best of everything & some good old junk too. Fri, 24th at 9am-5pm (no earlier!). Sat, 25th, 9-5. Sun, 26th, 10-5 half price. CC & cash only. Park smart or ride the bus. 506 Texas Ave. 38th at Duval. This great lady had fine stuff, come and see
First Date Published: 24-Aug-07
Source: Statesman Classifieds


Delighted with my newest direction of buying, I headed out early to beat the crowd only with the presumption that I would only look for fabric...vintage of course.


BUT..you wouldn't believe what I FOUND....LOOK!!!


My first find was a picture frame containing old flower post cards...



My second find was a pair of lights..yippee!

Next up were some small stuff: Tinkertoys, anytime note cards, teapot, really cool purple hat, glass bowl and some old vases (Haeger and Redwing). Cool old sheet pans, old rag rugs and a brooch thrown in! But that's not all I tell you. Not by far!!

Then I went into the backyard and found a lamp and a chandelier that you will find amazing..

Why stop there?!! Don't even think about it! I found some old fabric shears and shoe horns (metal), antique glass salt bowls and mother of pearl spoons to match!

Then I found what I call the best of the best... a kick ass actual silver mirror!! Jealous???!!! You should be! I got the mirror for pennies and it is worth thousands!! Whoo Haa Haa Haa!!!!!

This was my final purchase, I just love old ties. Brodie doesn't look to happy but his momma was considering I purchased all this for just a few hundred dollars.

New Hutch for my fabric - UPDATED

I was inspired! I found and conquered what I would be my first installment of my fabric/creative furniture pieces. :)

You will have to judge for yourself though.
Notice the vintage wash bins I picked up many years back for $1 each.
Goodie for me!!!!

UPDATED..check out the new picture of my lamps. I re-wired them and now they match perfectly.

The Kiwi

The need to keep fidgeting

Most Excellent Kid Boutique

http://www.modkidboutique.com/

Keep you kids in style, cool patterns!