MY OWN WINTER WONDERLAND

Just sharing a little holiday bling....the nice thing about being a snowman person is after Christmas you dont feel the rush to take it all down !!! as long as its winter I am safe to have a little snowman village in my dining room...Christmas came and went just like it always does...the hustle and bustle are all over now except now there is a new hustle and bustle still swarming in my head...in the form of wedding bells chaos...now that Christmas is over , I feel like I am on a downhill sled without brakes....so for all you experienced wedding planners send your thoughts and prayers my way.. May 16 is going to be here before we know it !!!

Wishing everyone a very happy new year filled with blessings and baubles !!!!!

MORE SAVING GRACE

Below are some more pictures of my friend Sharon's house...sorry the pictures are divided into two postings because I cannot figure out how to download more than 5 pictures to one post at a time...so for you blogging buddies...HELP !!!!!

MY SAVING GRACE

All it takes is once a month, once a month to meet with my creative , soulful friends to get me re energized....today was our December meeting of SPQOH ( society for the preservation of quaint old homes) and I always come away from the meeting with a smile and a little dance in my step... we meet once a month and share stories , ideas, smiles and tears, fears or whatever else we want to.. it is a unique group of women of all ages who have been blessed with special talents...every month I learn something new or meet a new friend or become reaquainted with an old one.. it is truly my creative saving grace....today we met at my friend Sharon's house...she is a nurse and works at the hospital with me...she is incredibly talented and this is the second old home her and her husband Walt have restored...

THE JOY'S OF SLEEPING WITH A YOUNGER MAN

gotcha ya thinking .....just my little buddy...last friday at work we were all talking about what we were doing this weekend and my response was "Allen's out of town till sunday so I'm gonna be sleeping with a younger man..." and everyone gasped!!!...and so I did...Carson came to stay with me on saturday night...my car is even now equipped with a car seat...professionally put in by the local fire department certified safe and all...because we have places to go and people to see....

he is all over the house....faster than greased lightning....hmmmm he says , I know there is something in here I need....

just as sweet as he can be ...perfect in every way...I know his Mimi would be most proud of him ....

FEELS LIKE FALL

This past weekend was just about like fall as fall can be...cool temperatures...overcast skies...lazy days....so I decided to do a little fall decorating....fall is probably my favorite season...I like the warm colors... leaves falling from the trees...pumpkins...scarecrows...ghosts and goblins...and hot apple cider...drinking hot apple cider is not quite the same in Abilene, Texas as it is in Nashua, New Hampshire but this is where I happen to be now...so it works...
A few trinkets going up my staircase.....
a few pumpkins.....

and my St. Francis to watch over things... Hoping fall brings joy to all of you like it does me....have a blessed week.....

THIS AND THAT

Last weekend I once again went to canton to the flea market...I think its an addiction...I dont know whether its the thrill of the hunt of the perfect treasuure or just good times spent with friends....its like a soul revival...so I captured a few pictures to document my day....the weather was great as were the treasures..

I actually came home with these skeleton friends....couldnt resist...

MORE HAPPENINGS

This last week we had our Quaint Old Homes meeting...not to be confused with Quaint old Ladies!!!! but most of us are quaint, creative, love to go junkin and flea marketing...there are about 50 of us who meet once a month in one of our homes...all of us live in and love old homes and are forever working on a project or two....this last week it was at my friends, Kayes home..which is a darling cottage with a wonderful cottage backyard....I am dreaming of waking up and finding my backyard as great as hers is ...everything she touches grows...and grows...and grows...next month we are meeting at my friend Jana's house and since we cant go to round top we are bringing roundtop to abilene....we are setting up booths and selling our junk and wares and eating flea market food...sounds tasty....cant wait... table decorations
more table decorations

heavenly brownies...you can see most are gone
so until later....have a good week and happy fall!!!!!

HAPPENINGS

A couple of weeks ago my dad celebrated his 80th birthday...it is hard to believe he is 80 , not that its old or anything...but he just doesnt seem like he should be 80....he doesnt act like he is 80 ....maybe because of the geriatric ballet class (as he calls it ) he goes to at the health club....keep up the good work and thanks for all you have done....


My brother and his grandson Carson at my dads 80th birthday dinner...He is our little ray of sunshine...he is a very happy baby and it makes my day and fills my heart with joy when he comes to visit me...My parents at my dads birthday dinner....

Well, I dont know whether I can sleep because I got back on my hormones or because the wedding frenzy has finally left my creative brain!! but whatever it is I am thankful...it has been a month since Mckinsey got engaged and the anal and obsessive , creative person I am thought I had to get the big event all worked out immediately down to every little detail....I must say we have done a whole lot, got the date, church, reception site, florist, cake baker, photographer, compiled a guest list, sent out save a dates.. and a planner to help me on the day of the wedding so now I can finally rest...we are going wedding gown shopping in October and besides the invitations the big decisions are made...that is until the spring 2009 Brides magazines come out...no we are not changing our minds we like what we have done ...that is our story and we are sticking to it!!!

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Its official!!!! the wedding is on...proposal done... ring on finger...now all we need is the date, time , place, prayers for patience and a credit card !!! Mckinsey's boyfriend proposed to her Friday night and all is good..they came in this weekend to share their joy....and their story begins....so all you creative friends with wedding experience or just creative brains I will be calling on you and your expertise to help us make all her dreams come true...

ON VACATION

Last week I took off work and took a much needed vacation....not really intending on going anywhere but my own home....My true intentions were to work nonstop on the bedroom we have been remodeling...trying to get it done so we can venture on to other projects...did I say work nonstop while on VACATION!!!! no way ...changed my mind ....not gonna do that...so while drinking my coffee tuesday morning my friend Gail called and when she realized I was off all week she insisted I get in the car right then and come see her and go to Canton...she didnt have to twist my arm much....so off I went...like I have said before going to Gails is like going on vacation...she has a wonderful cottage home that welcomes you the minute you walk in the front door..most everything in her home is from canton or the roundtop flea markets...she is very creative and can make anything look like a million dollars.
chest 50.00 she painted white!!!! looks like something right out of Rachel Ashwells books...
So off to canton we went...I will post my treasures later and boy did I find treasures...blessings to everyone and have a happy week!!!

COME TO THE TABLE

Come to the table ...all who are able..come to the table of the Lord...Bow down before Him... all who adore Him...Bow down and worship the Lord....

~~~Steve Massey

Wishing you a blessed and fruitful day!!!

(pictures courtesy of comfortable country by enrica stabile)

WHAT WOULD YOU DO

My daughter asked me one day if in my lifetime so far do I have any regrets....I quickly answered no ( which is usually my immediate response) and then after I thought about it for a while my answer was still no...are there things I wished I would have done and things I wished I would have said and people I wished I would have spent more time with....yes ...but no regets....
so why when I see this quote does it make me stop and think.....What would you do if you knew you would not fail?...Is there more to my life than what I am doing?... am I too secure and content to take chances ....probably so!!! Is contentment a good thing or the enemy...do you stop striving to be your best and do your best when you are content?...so to my blogging friends out there are you doing what you would do if you knew you would not fail?....

ONLY GOD KNOWS

Just trying to get out of the dumps with the passing of my sister-in-law Melinda last week. Thanks to all of you who brought me flowers and sent me cards.....The flowers at the top of my blog page are just a sampling of the incredible flowers at her service...I took it upon myself to dismantle a few of the decorations before I left the service...I know she would have wanted me to have them....I will work on something creative to do with them in her honor...

Sometimes I think the best thing anyone can say is simply I am sorry...because we know she is in a better place , but we would still like her here with us... we know she is no longer suffering but why did she even have to suffer at all.....we know God never gives us more than we can handle....but our hearts are still broken...her home here on earth is still empty....we know that God has a purpose for this that we will understand later....

My last post was about attitudes and opportunities...there has got to be an opportunity here somewhere in all this sadness....I will find it ...

Only God knows...

ATTITUDE AND OPPORTUNITIES

This past week has not been the best...we had to put our 15 year old sheltie "Clementine" to sleep ....she had really gone down hill for the past several months and we finally realized that her existence here was simply just that, an existence ...no life at all of any quality in her sweet little body....
and once again the big , bad , ugly monster inside Melinda 's body is slowly sucking the life out of her....NOT FAIR...NOT FAIR...NOT FAIR....
several years ago I was whining to my mom Judy about something that wasn"t going right or something that was happening to me that I was frustrated about and the eternal optimist she is quickly told me that those were opportunities....so when things aren't always going exactly my way I have to figure out exactly what lesson someone is trying to teach me and turn it into an opportunity...we all have opportunities everyday to change an attitude...make someone feel important...to share a smile....to help someone who is a whole lot less fortunate than us...so with that said I am working on my attitude this week....trying to make my way through the fog of unfairness....and change the world one upside down frown at a time!!!!!

CLUTTER, CREATIVITY AND CHAOS

Photos are borrowed (can I legally do that ) from the book WHERE WOMEN CREATE. Surely the copyright nazi has something better to do then scout out blogs....

About a month ago , I mentioned to my friend Jana that I had been wanting the book WHERE WOMEN CREATE by Jo Packham. Lo and behold the next day I found it at my front door. A much appreciated surprise at the end of a long work day. She has graciously let me borrow it to get inspired.....and that I did!!!!! All you inspiring women out there if you haven't gotten a chance to read ( I mean look at the pictures ) do we really ever read books like these or go straight to the pictures,than it is a must....if your creativity is on a permanent vacation like mine has been lately, it will take you to your very own creative paradise.... so since Allen has a huge golf tournament this weekend and is working 12 hour days I have had a lot of alone time...so I decided to cleanout, de clutter and re vamp my guest bedroom into my very own inspirational creative space...starting with the closet....I think I have opened the door to this closet at least 20 times in the last month to get motivated only to quickly close it before I got attacked with what lurks inside....
lots of boxes went to the trash, need I say the dumpster is full to the brim..... some of the boxes are going to goodwill .....some of the boxes in the closet I think have been in there since we moved into this house 6 years ago...Oh my Oh my!!!!! It was kind of like Christmas opening boxes that I had no idea what was in them and hoping it was something I couldn't live without......but most I could definitely live without...
and then there's the dreaded sewing space....who could even begin to be inspired or creative with a mess of a table like this....so I am dreaming of a space like the one at the top of the page....if I knew how to put those pictures at the bottom of my post I would but.....I guess you just have to see the after before the before...is that possible? so girls , lets quit just sitting around and use our talents the way we are meant to....

when I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, " I used everything You gave me."

---erma bombeck

THE DAY MY WORLD CHANGED

Twenty seven years ago today I entered a hospital as a nieve, innocent young girl. The nurse came into my room and asked me to take off all my clothes and put this gown on and I thought "I dont think I want to do that", but being the compliant person I am, I did as I was told....and 6 hours later my world was forever changed...in came Quintan Luke, the new love of my life...he was much anticipated, a little slow in coming, two weeks overdue, but nevertheless he was all mine...a blessing that God intrusted in me to love and take care of forever and always...so I hope you have a wonderfully Happy Birthday and I dont know how you could be 27 when I am just 29 myself!!! I love you....

Again, eleven years ago today, I entered a hospital , this time with my husband Allen...after 30 years of diabetes destroying his body, he was given the gift of life.....the chance to live life to the fullest once again....and after about 6 hours of successful surgery he had a brand new kidney and pancreas that functioned as if they were his own.....no more insulin, no more daily shots, no more special diet, just a normal functioning body...of course he would disagree and say that there is nothing normal about him and I would say "who likes normal?" so with that said....

Let it be known that I have been twice blessed on this day, the first time with the birth of my baby boy, and the second time by God giving Allen the gift of new life... I will be forever indebted to God for allowing these two men to be a part of my life....without them I would not be who I am today...would not have had the ups and downs that have made me stronger...would not have the memories that make me grateful....and would not be the complete person I am today....so to both my men I hope you have the happiest day ever!!!

MY TREASURE CHEST

Your possessions express your personality. Few things, including clothes are more personal than your cherished ornaments. The pioneer women, who crossed a wild continent clutching their treasures to them, knew that a clock, a picture , a pair of candlesticks, meant HOME even in the wilderness.--Good Houskeeping, August 1952

I believe that our treasures can offer true insight into our personalities. I believe that when we surround ourselves with treasures that speak to our souls it lets other people understand who we are. Most of my treasures tell a story , whether it's the search, or the day I found it, or who I was with , or the vacation, or whether it was a gift from someone special....they are all memories that fill the treasure chest of my soul!!! Have a happy weekend....