Bella Rosa

California Dreamin........

2010-08-28T23:30:00.000-07:00

***Before I begin...grazie to all of you for all your beautiful & healing thoughts & prayers for our daughter Ashley & our family...I want to tell you how much they have meant & how powerful your loving thoughts have been... less than 6 weeks after her car accident...w/ a broken pelvis and all...she was walking w/o a walker, crutches or cane & even more incredible... 3 months after her accident...on this day at the beach...she ran towards the waves and let the water engulf her & laughed with such loud & un-abandoned happiness! & all I could do... was look up at the sky & cry silent tears behind my sunglasses as I witnessed how powerful love & prayer can truly be...Grazie from the depth of my heart mis amores! ***

California Dreamin.....

That is how I feel I am living these days......although...the song Hotel California by the Eagles is what was playing on my Ipod as the picture below was taken...But as I sat on the sand and walked along the shore wetting my toes and looking for ocean treasures... Some great tunes were blastin on my Ipod.... some songs I am not sure many of you would smile at...I was also rockin AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and even some Daddy Yankee, Usher and yes even some Andrea Bocelli! Because if you could hear my life's playlist that plays in that lil jukebox in my head...it pretty much is the same as what is on my Ipod...a crazy mix of wonderfulness, In fact the whole time I was writing this long ass'd post... Led Zeppelin's Kashmir was blastin on my Ipod ...Cause yes mis amores......that's how I roll :)

( My youngest Anaissa & I...taken by Ashley, my oldest...from her cell phone!)
Nissa was actually trying to lift me up and toss me in this picture...but instead it looks like she was lovin on her mami :)

As Summer comes to a close...we decided to play hooky on Thursday.... I canceled all my afternoon errands & plans and told my kids to just grab whatever they didn't mind getting wet in & we grabbed some sandwiches from Subways' along with lots of fruits and water and headed out to Dockweiler, a great beach that I spent many a great days of my youth at and that to this day...also, holds such wonderful memories from high school, of bonfires...coolers....M&M's... dancing to wonderful music & hanging out with all my friends... Where did those days go?? Now I am the mami of an almost 20 & 14 yr. old....

I don't know about you...but I ADORE everything that is ocean related, from the waves, sand, salty air, seagulls trying to steal my lunch...even spotting yucky ocean things like jellyfish & sandcrabs :) But... I am also the first to admit to the fact that as much as I LOVE the ocean with a passion....I also HATE it with such....sometimes so much so that I stay away for years at a time and then cry when I think of past memories.... even as I miss it so much.... I can hardly breath from the pain of missing everything about it.....

I grew up in the So Bay in Southern California....& when I tell you that I am a beach girl through & through...I kid you not...yes...I might not fit the mold that comes to mind when one thinks.... Cali beach girl (blond hair, blue eyes) but from the time that I can remember I was at the beach from sun up to sun down all along the So Cal Coast...I knew every beach like the back of my hand in a time when as kids we were allowed to go off & explore all on our own, we had certain times we had to be back by...when the tide came in...lunchtime...when the water started to glisten w/golden colors...dinner...snacks were...you coming back to the cooler as your tummy told you to feed it! Yes those were definitely the days of my most treasured childhood memories....

Until I was 10...I always thought that when my parents said they wanted seafood for dinner....it meant get ready we were off to the beach...cause daddy was going scuba diving to get fresh fish, crabs or lobster and mami was catching fish on her pole or we kids would be diggin for clams....this was my life...until August of 79....when I was 10 & my daddy Bob...my "lil girl daddy" as I often refer to him was killed...after that...the Ocean and I...well to say our relationship changed...would be putting it mildly.....and it was then that I learned that "normal people" when they wanted seafood...either went to the seafood dept at their local grocery store or to a restaurant to fill that cravin......& yes...to me....well that just sucked ;)

Oh, but how I digress...you all really need to keep me on track here...been so long since I did one of my long ass'd posts that I keep going off in my heads lil bank of memories and the thoughts just start flooding out......So now back to this summer day in the here & now...

BTW....all the pictures on this post were taken by my youngest Anaissa with her cell phone camera! As you all know....I HATE having my pictures taken...because some how I ALWAYS come out looking like a total goober...I always threaten anyone w/a camera and as most of you know...everyone now has to post them on their FaceBook....I ask you....WHY?????
Well on this day...I forgot to confiscate their cells lol.....live & learn mami!

So we set up on the sand near the shore.... the kids took off to play in the surf & I began to let myself relax (I always have to take a few breaths and clear my mind when I come to the ocean...it is my own little "thing" I have to do) and enjoy hearing and seeing the airplanes taking off over the ocean from LAX down the road and I am just looking up & feeling the warm sun on my face as the proof shows below... & then later that night....the picture below and all the others, greeted me on my cell...thanks to my daughter Nissa! Thanks mamas :) Had I known when she took them, I more than likely would have made her delete them...smart girl for waiting till I was in bed to send to me ;)

(no...not working the Seks here..as my daughters say...I was just feeling the warm sun on my face)

My nephew Jordan & I walking along the waters edge hunting for ocean treasures for me :) In the far distance ahead of us, you can see a HUGE crane....it was holding a car suspended in the air...they were filming something that afternoon and someone was up in that car for hours! I totally felt for them...whoever they may be...but the crew was really nice....& I never once thought to ask what they were filming lol

Further down on our ocean treasure hunt...I spotted something in the water floating towards me and almost stepped into it a few times...

Below is the little beauty that I almost stepped on...there were alot of jellyfish on the shore that day...

After that exciting encounter...I continued on my merry way...listening to my Ipod, crackberry (blackberry phone) in my hand and keeping sooo many memories at bay in my head...believe it or not...listening to my music helps me with that....alot

Yay me....I found a treasure!! One of many, found by my girls, nephew & me that day! ;) Can you see the cords from my Ipod and it's radio remote all wrapped up with the cord from my blouse..yes...I was a mess...but look closely...you can also see my crackberry....cause...thats how I roll.........

After being completely worn out... from my ocean treasure expedition and eating 1/2 my veggie sandwich...did I mention I have become an accidental vegetarian? Well I have...and I love it along with the cool side effects like shrinking a few sizes and lbs...w/o trying, not to mention my healthier hair & just feeling better all around...who knew???? Not I!

But...this is me after all that excitement...sitting watching the colors of the sand and water changing to the beautiful hues of golds and bronzes as the sun is beginning to set....And I am all at once....feeling a little ill at ease and yet strangely at peace & giving tearful thanks for all that I was witness to on this day.....

(the wind kept pushing my cow boy hat up, after awhile...I just gave up...)

This was the beauty... that we spent an afternoon in anticipation of....so worth it! I am hoping I get to come back again soon and watch...and not have to wait so long in between my visits...because I don't know which pains me more...coming and remembering.....or staying away and missing this.......

Well mis amores.....this lil (stop laughing June :) post was a preshow to what is to come...see a while back I had written a story about some of my childhood memories of the ocean, its beautiful treasures & my dad Bob...and then almost a year ago while visiting my dear friend Nancy of the ever so beautiful blog...Fete et Fleur...well she had posted about a beautiful tiny little mermaid crown that she had made and well....I have to tell you, that......I had fallen in love with it so hard & completely...that my eyes watered from the memories it conjured up in my heart & mind.... Stay tuned for the outcome of that lil story! Grazie Nancy...because everytime I walk by my lil treasure... my heart skips a beat & I am once again...in my hearts eye....daddy's lil girl, walking on the beach behind him, forever his shadow....

Well until next time my dear friends......

OH My Stars.....Can it be?????

2010-08-12T23:48:00.001-07:00

Yes...mis amores....I am back!!

How was that for a warning ;) No truly mis amores...I am finally back...thru all of lives traumas, trials & tribulations and just losing myself for awhile there...I am back... I am still working on me, trying to be ok with all that is going on in life but I realized something...you all in our beautiful blogging community have held me together with love & support when I needed it the most...and as bad as things have been in my imperfect life...I know I am not the only one going thru lifes trials...to those of you who are going through your own difficulties and heartbreaks...I send you my prayers and support...know that as I can, I will be visiting you all and catching up with you & your beautiful blogs & postings...I truly hope I don't overwhelm you as I start commenting on a couple or a bunch of your wonderful posts that I have missed :)The lap top is fixed as of this evening...so I can finally start posting & visiting everyone again, since all of my blogging treasures, pictures, favorite blogs lists were all on it, I really need to learn how to put these things on one of those lil doo hickies that I can take every where with me! :)...ohhh how I have missed you all! And for all of you that were so wonderful to have written me the loveliest emails...I received them, but wasn't able to reply due to a bad virus on our desktop computer that my amor was worried I would send to you all and infect your own...but now that issue is cleaned up and in the next couple of days so many will be hearing from me again.... Grazie from my heart...for your love & friendship, it has truly meant the world...

Dawn, Lisa, Rebecca, Nancy and so many others....Grazie for never giving up on me :) Besos & huge hugs to you all!

I truly hope to reconnect with you all...I can't tell you how hard it was when I felt that I was losing my way...not only in life but with the things that I so enjoyed & loved...it really made me panic when I would go into my studio and look at all my wonderful treasures and feel nothing...when the things that bring us so much joy no longer make us smile...it is time to ask why...and I did....I am still working on that...as I start to go through my things and sort them, I am finding that lil old and tattered bebe shoes and clothing still make make me sigh....that is a good sign right???? :)

P.S. Grazie to all my new friends & followers, such a wonderful surprise to see you all :)

Until next time my dear friends,

Giveaway Love to share with you.....

2010-06-30T11:43:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh My Bellas, I have some lovely Giveaway love to share with you...cause your my peeps and all :) But you have to hurry the first one ends TONIGHT at MIDNIGHT!!!...I know...sorry, but since I have been awol...I am just getting back into the swing of things....but I love you all so much I still wanted to share & make sure you all had a chance....even though I bet most of you already entered! :)

Ok mis amores here is the important info!

First....The ever so sweet & lovely Debra of Common Ground is having a French Inspired 1 Year Anniversary Give Away... But RUN.!!!!! It ends TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT!!!!

Click here to enter.....

Second.....My beautiful & dearest friend Rebecca Ersfeld For Vintage Living is having a 1 Year Anniversary Give Back! Ends July 6th....

Click here to enter.....

You are going to LOVE these 2 beautiful ladies & their blogs as much as I do!!!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL MY BELLAS!!!!!

Until next time my dear friends,

Happy Birthday "Sonny".......My Dad

2010-06-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Sonny....

Today would have been your 75th Birthday.....and every year since I was a young girl, I would write something for you, a letter, a poem , a drawing...what ever it was, I would fold it up...sit on your lap and put it into your shirts pocket and say...."If I ask you something.....would you say yes?"

So, I couldn't let this year...our first without you, be any different...I had to write something for you....I know, you are reading it as I write it....I know because while I was writing it, I didn't cry...I felt like you were here, reading it, while I was watching your face for your reaction....like always...

Love & miss you more than words can say....

Daddy, This is for you....

"If I asked you something....."

"If I ask you something.....Would you say yes?"
How many times did Celeste & I as children sit on your lap and ask you this...
How many times did you reply "yes", without even knowing what we wanted....
ALWAYS...

How many times did we get what we asked for, whether it was a toy, a gift, a hug, to fix things with mom, school...our lives....
ALWAYS.....

How many times did we as teenagers walk into a room, see you and run to you shouting....
"Sonny!..If I ask you something....Would you say yes?"
ALWAYS....

How many times as adults did we come to you...smile, hug you, kiss your cheek and yes....even sit on your lap and say..."Sonny....If I ask you something....Would you say yes?"
ALWAYS...

How many times did our own children...your grandchildren come to you and say....
"Pampa....If I ask you something.....Would you say yes?"
And How many times did you follow through on your reply of "yes" to all of them...
ALWAYS....

The last couple months....you know...when we didn't yet know, that in just a few short months, you would be gone from our lives...

I came to you...I hugged & kissed you and I said..."Sonny, If ask you something...would..."
You didn't even let me finish....
You said....."NO!"

Dumbstruck....Adult that I was...I blinked back tears and said "BUT WHY???...YOU NEVER SAY NO!..."
You said..."Because...you need to start asking your husband that...your a big girl now....
I got mad for a moment...not being used to being told "NO!" by Daddy :)
And you gave me a hug and said..."What are you going to do when I am gone? Go sit on your husbands lap, SMILE, tell him you love him first...men need to be made to feel important...then very sweetly ask him...
"If I ask you something....Would you say yes...."

Never in my wildest nightmares... did I think...I would have to do this so soon....

This last Sunday...Fathers Day...as I visited your gravesite...Our first of many firsts without you...I closed my eyes and with my heart I asked you..."Sonny...please daddy...If I ask you something...please, please, one last time....Say yes"
I asked you to please let me remember the sound of your laughter...because your voice and the sound of your laughter...are starting to leaving my hearts memory...
The wind kicked up a bit & I wiped my tears...my girls were sitting on your grave, sharing memories of you and suddenly they both started laughing...loud and alot!
I smiled up to you and left you there once again....

Today June 22, is your Birthday....But... I have one wish to ask for from you....Please grant me the strength to one day... be able to watch videos of you...so that I can hear your laughter once more...

And Sonny....I did what you asked.....Chris smiled....and said "yes"

Dad....I Love & miss you more than words can say....Loving you always and a day...your Rose

Healing Grace....and the power of wonderful friends....

2010-06-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

**6/11/10....I have to tell you, I had a beautiful long post....but I guess I have been away from blogging for so long that I thought I was moving a picture down and proceeded to erase the whole thing! My tears from writing it were dry...now I have fresh tears of frustration :) So I am redoing this shorter one...I hope you all understand and can forgive me...because time is something I don't have a lot of these days...Hoping that will change soon :) **6/16/10.... But call me crazy...but because I love y'all so much...I am willing to give this one more try... :)

Healing Grace....that is what all your thoughts, prayers and good wishes, phone calls, emails, visits have meant to me and our family.....That is what all of your wonderful prayers and thoughts have done for me personally.....they have been my families and my own Healing Grace..... how can we, ever thank you .

I thank you all from the depths of my heart and soul for not only your beautiful thoughts from my last post...but for the enormous amount of love, thoughts & prayers that so many of you have sent to us these last couple of weeks, through posting about it on your own blogs, emails, phone calls and posting on my FaceBook page, I can't begin to tell you how full our hearts are as a family with all the love support and strength that we have gotten from all of you...... As some of you know, the tragedy that struck our family on May 21, at 2 a.m. when our oldest daughter Ashley was in a horrific car accident caused by the stupidity of a drunk driver.... has at the moment turned our lives upside down..

The driver T-boned our daughters boyfriends car, thank God, he was ok, but our daughter is currently recovering at her grandmas house from a broken pelvis, it is broken in various places and there is no cast, no brace...nothing, she just has to lay, sit, rest and heal...Because if she is not careful she can make it worse and possibly need surgery....she is 19 years old, was supposed to start her first job that Thursday, had her college class finals that week and was to start her summer classes...needless to say....none of those things are done at the moment...Her hopes and plans are to become a pediatric nurse, so that she can help and be with bebes and children, to give them comfort and help them heal, these are her words....These plans are all on hold for now....as sad as this is....I don't mind....not one iota...Because after we saw the pictures of the car she was in, with the passenger side almost completely gone..we know how blessed we are that she is here to continue to love and cherish her and our lives with her....don't get me wrong, when this first happened and I saw my child looking so little, mangled, bruised, battered and broken, laying in her hospital bed...I felt such a tremendous amount of hate for that drunk driver that I actually got physically ill for a couple of days.....I lost 10 lbs in 4 days...I slept maybe 12 hours...I would smile while I was with her and panic each time she tried to move....but I didn't cry in front of her....no....there was enough time to cry when I was home alone....then I could fall apart....and I will tell you something....reading all your emails, comments and talking to so many of you on the phone...lifted my spirits like you wouldn't believe....

See.....the man that cause my daughters accident...well when it first happened, I wanted him, in pain, mangled...yes I will admit it as ugly as it is to say it, it is even worse to feel it, but I wanted him dead....then I thought about how we all felt seeing our lil Ashley in the hospital and seeing her in pain and then I started to think of how his family must be feeling, was he young, married, did he have kids.....all I knew was the fact that he was someone's child....and that his parents must be feeling such immense pain, heartbreak and anguish over their own child.....see, the officers that were investigating the accident.... came to see our daughter and told her, that the man that hit her would never be a problem again....see....turns out....after he almost killed our daughter and her boyfriend, he proceeded to flee the scene....only to lead police on a high speed chase that was televised on the news and as I would later find out, viewed by many that know us....but at that moment, no one knew our Ashley was involved....well he proceeded to lose control of his car and crashed it on the freeway...from what the officers said....he broke his neck and is paralyzed from the neck down.....Justice??? I don't know...I only know that I feel like it is such a stupid waste of life because had he just stayed....his own life would be so much different....I try to forgive and ask God to give me the strength to do so....but I won't lie...it is hard...hard because my daughter is recovering at her grandmas home.....not ours, we have a 2 story house...doesn't work well in the recovery of a broken pelvis....our lives are soo drastically altered at the moment that I hope and pray for things to return to normal soon...but honestly at the end of every day when I feel over whelmed and discombobulated ( love this word ;) I remind myself that Ashley is can move around, it is limited but she can move, in time she will walk with out her walker, her crutches will be her main mode of transportation and the wheelchair will sit in storage one day when it is no longer needed...but the most wonderful thing of all is the KNOWING that our child will one day again...walk on her own and God-willing will run on the beach again...like she so loves to do and embrace the ocean waves that give her so much joy and laughter....laughter that I so miss hearing from her lately....

So now that I have updated everyone...I truly hope that you understand that if I don't make it personally to each of your blogs or email to let you know how much your thoughts and prayers have meant to us...it is only because at this moment, time isn't on our side....but I am hoping that with school being out this week and only having to go between our "2 households" I will have a lil more time to start visiting everyone again and leaving my comments...cause....well.....I know how much my opinion matters **wink** But know that I have when I can visited many of you, I just didn't leave a comment...sometimes there is just no time and other times, I am just so drained emotionally that I can't put my words into sentences that make sense...I hope you all understand and I am also hoping with this post...that after this long self & life imposed hiatus...that I haven't been forgotten by our wonderful Blogland that we all love so much, because I promise....I haven't forgot you....I miss you all tons and tons :) Much love to you all my amores...and know that you all mean so much to me and my family and that your support and love has kept our hopes and hearts afloat!

Ashley w/her cousin Alan
Dawn, Lisa, Rebecca, June, Lovey, Fairmaiden, your calls, emails and support...kept my head above water and kept me from the dispair, depression and fear of not being able to rise up once again from my knees...I thank you from my heart....because you listened, you gave me strength and you will never know just how much I held on to you for fear of drowning in dispair when I felt so alone and lost....I don't know how I will ever thank you all...love, love love you! Those that I didn't personally thank on here...please know it wasn't from forgetfulness, but because I would have to do a whole other post and right now...I am just so emotionally drained after doin this long assed post :) Much, much love to you all!!

One more thing....Kate...I am thinking and praying for you and your mami amor...I send you huge healing besos & hugs!! Anne, I am so thankful that all our prayers for you have been answered...I have tried so many times to call you amor, please call me anytime, I want to hear your beautiful voice...I think it would make my heart smile :) Thinking of you...Love you both :)

Until next time my dear friends....my amores......

Letting Go...Finding old friends and being ok with life....

2010-05-03T22:09:00.000-07:00

I have been gone for a few days and yet...as I look at my side bar and see all of your new updates...I feel as if I have missed soo much...but I am trying to come back...I truly am...Thank you everyone for your lovely comments and emails...they have meant the world to me.

On Sunday April 26th, I got a call from a dear friend, letting me know that one of our dearest friends... Joanne, had just passed...I don't do well with death, I never have, when loss hits me, it knocks me to my knees and knocks the wind out of my sails....when we lost my dad last year in March, I was so lucky that I had soo many of you wonderful ladies, that gave me such support both emotionally and mentally, I will forever be grateful for that...So this time, I felt I just needed a few days to wrap my mind around this new loss and the fact that I would never see or hear from my sweet friend again....I still haven't taken her off of my email contacts or my cell...they some how give me comfort when I see her name....I believe it or not still have my dads name & number on my cell, same with others I have loved and lost...this somehow comforts me...I guess letting go...is different for everyone, but I thank you all for understanding and your support when I have needed it...whether I knew I needed it or not...sometimes just listening....means the world...Thank you so much Dawn, Lisa and my amor Chris...My own mr wonderful...Love you guys :)

My Ita (grandma) used to say that when someone you loved passed...God always sent someone else to help fill that void, so that the hurt wouldn't be so heartbreaking...when we lost her, weeks later my beautiful niece Natalia was born, when we lost my dad, a few months later my baby grand nephew was born, he would have been my dads first great-grandchild.....When I found out about my dear friend Joanne, my heart was hurting and I could feel the saddness seeping in and I started to panic....I knew what that meant and I didn't want that old now familiar feeling of loss and saddness that can overtake my life to come back...not now...not so soon after just picking myself up from my dads loss, I was truly afraid of how long and how strong "This" would last this time...I prayed and I talked to my constant source of love and strength...my Ita for help and guidance, like I did when she was here and at my old age I would still sit on the floor with my head on her lap and tell her my problems and fears...she always listened with not only her mind but her heart...I believe in my heart...that even now in heaven, she still does this for me....I asked her to help me, so that this fall wouldn't be so long and hard because I was afraid of how my family would be affected....I told her to please help me because I was feeling so sad and my heart was feeling lonely...my friend Deb, talked me into joining Face Book which I swore I never would, this blog takes about all my computer knowledge that I have and that isn't much lol and I typed in a friends name that had meant soo much to me when I was a young girl in high school, I had tried through the years to find her, on Classmates.com, our high school Alumni website, you name it, I tried it...no one that I knew, knew what had happened to her and you know what?? I went on Face book typed in her name and Voila.....There she was! She looked just the same, still beautiful, like a little porcelain doll and still had that beautiful smile that said, I am your friend...here I am...we reconnected, have talked everyday since I found her on the phone and I can honestly tell you the first time after we talked on the phone, when I hung up I cried...because I had missed her so much through the years and when we talked....it was like it had been just days before the last time we talked....not over 20 years....Today she sent me a text to my phone and said...she had prayed and asked her mama who is now in heaven to please bring someone into her life, that loved her and would be her friend and truly care for her, then I sent her a message when I found her...my eyes started to water...because I had forgotten in my excitement in finding her...that just a few days before...I had asked the same thing from my Ita...

Sometimes....letting people in, even when you think you are just fine...makes all the difference in the world doesn't it...I used to say that I didn't want to let new people into my life because losing them was too painful and not worth it...My Ita said..."How sad you think...I think it is even sadder not letting people into your heart and sharing love with them, because think of all the wonderful times, laughter and memories you will have missed out on, if you don't let those people into your life and heart...isn't that worse....losing them and always wondering what could have been....maybe you could have made a difference in their life...don't be selfish....love people and let them love you"....Did I ever tell you at 93 my Ita was the wisest person I had the privilege to have loved :)

I thank you all for your patience, concern, and most of all for your beautiful friendships and I promise I will be back earlier tomorrow with a new post, some lovely giveaways and news to share..

And Ana....Welcome back into my life amor....you & your friendship were truly missed!

Until next time dear friends,

A lovely Giveaway and some good movies for a cold ugly day...

2010-04-21T18:19:00.000-07:00

First....I want to thank every single one of you for your beautiful birthday wishes for my mama..It meant the world to us all! THANK YOU !!!! Her Birthday was spent rather quiet without my dad and...she had a molar pulled and was a little swollen and a tad uncomfortable...So we had her cake and ice cream the next day when she wasn't looking quite the chipmunk and could enjoy it :)

***************

Everyone... loves a giveaway...but a fun one to boot? If you haven't visited Kasey of Lola B's wonderful blog yet, your in for such a treat, her blog is full of beautiful pictures and she has such a fun, witty and insightful way of writing, she really grabs you from the get go! Kasey is giving away the lovely necklace below called Fly Me to Paris, among some other lovelies :) Good Luck Everyone......and....Your Welcome :)

To enter click HERE...
Giveaway ends.... 4/23 at Midnight

Now I was going to originally use this picture below of Jean-Pierre, whom they met while on her wonderful trip to Paris, but thought better of it in case the winner decided to sue me because he wasn't included in the Giveaway prize they received in the mail...hence...the above lovely picture instead :)

Ps..You really should read her Girls In Paris...Day One post Here and then Girls in Paris...Deux Here if only to see where Jean-Pierre (pictured below) comes into all this and laugh so hard ya might just have to run and tinkle from her oh so witty writing :) And enjoy all her beautiful pictures...

And...incase you notice me rather quiet on my visits this week...tis only because I am doing some family obligations and will be back to visiting as soon as I can...But while I am working, I will be watching this movie tonight "The Young Victoria" I hope it is good....

Update***I loved this movie, but was rather disappointed with the ending....I, like many had read about her throughout the years and I just felt like the movie ended at the best part...when their lives together were just beginning...but the costumes and actors were wonderful, the scenery, locations and sets (palaces) were amazingly beautiful...gotta love period pieces :) Will I watch it again....You betcha!

I watched "Everybody's Fine" earlier today....tried to watch it three times before while I cooked and or cleaned the kitchen and I knew it was good, but kept missing so much, so this morning while I worked I finally saw it...I think it is a WONDERFUL movie...Not a Christmas Holiday like I thought it was going to be, it made me think of how many times our lives echoed the movie...always telling our parents or loved ones what we think they want to know, you know...the happy stuff only....and how we sometimes are guilty of not listening and only hearing what we want to hear.....I think at one time or another we are all guilty of that :) I can't tell you how many times I went to my dad with my troubles because I didn't want to trouble mama, dad always listened and would say..."let's not bother your mother with this...it'll be fine".....and you know....it always was...but now he is gone...and it is time to tell mama everything...not only the good.....Funny....my girls think I don't know or notice....but you know what??? I see them doing the same with not only their dad...but my mama as well, they go to them and try to spare me what they think I don't want to hear....I guess this movie kind of opened my eyes to that...kind of ironic if you think about it....I thought De Niro was fabulous in it.... Anyways I really enjoyed it, if you get a chance to see it, let me know what you think :)

Well "Young Victoria" is waiting....

Until next time dear friends,

Happy Birthday, Mia Bella Mamma Maria.....

2010-04-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, April 16th.... is my beautiful mama's 64th Birthday!

I look at my mamas pictures....and I look at every nuance that is her....and I try to find me...my eyes, my lips, my nose, my chin, no, nope...I don't see it, I don't see me in her beauty...BUT.....ask anyone and they will tell you....I have her strength, her sense of humor and her wickedly strong ability to hold a grudge and never forget the things I want to remember...notice I say...the things I want to remember lol

If I could grant her, her biggest wish....I would in a heart beat...without her even asking....I see it in her eyes...I hear it in her voice....I feel it in her quiet laughter...I would give her....just a few more precious moments with her own beautiful mama...my beloved Ita and her beloved husband Sonny...But I know that they are all around us...we can feel them.....loving her now, as they did back when a simple touch could make a memory to last in our hearts forever.

But God has a way of lessening the pain along the way, so that small miracles like holding your first great~grand bebe, can make your heart beat strong once again with the hope of many more beautiful tomorrows....

Feliz Cumple Anos mama...le deseamos un ano lleno de amor, felicidad con familia y queridos amigos siempre con nosotros, haciendonos siempre sonreir ....

(I know I more than likely totally butchered that, how in the world do you add accent marks above the letters?? lol, but she knows, it is full of love from her girls, My sister Celeste & me, my amor Chris, all your grand bebes, and our entire family & friends that love and adore you ALWAYS! )

Happy Birthday Maria!!!!!

Thank you all for allowing me this special lil moment to honor my bella mama,

Until next time dear friends,

My CraigsList Chronicles Part 2...wall of roses freebie... and a beautiful Giveaway.....

2010-04-13T01:18:00.000-07:00

First before I share this lil Craigs list story with you, I want to thank everyone that has visited my lil blog and left me such lovely comments and become new followers...I am truly humbled that you like my lil blog...everytime I see I have a new follower....I think....They like me, they really like me...I know, my own Sally Field moment :) I know....I'm a goober...I am the first to admit it!.....Ask anyone that knows me lol But, my dear amores....I have tried to get to visit each of you, but if I have missed you, please know that I will soon be there to visit your beautiful blogs too...but just incase I still missed you....I'm sorry, I am trying, there are just so many beautiful blogs that I love and only so many hours in the day to visit.... darn life, family, carpools, taking care of my home for getting in the way :)

Did I ever mention that I LOVE Craigs List??? Well....I do...not just for the treasures that I have found, both to buy and as freebies...but for the lovely people that I have come across.....I have made many a new friend through Craigs List :)

A few months back, I shared my first Craigs List story with you here, about my dad and that beautiful cabinet full of lil drawers that I got right before he passed away and I promised to share some more of my Craigs List stories with you...hence...The Craigs List Chronicles were born....This is where Part 2 comes in...

The Wall of Roses...
A bit ago, while searching through the Craigs list Freebies section...this title caught my eye.....Free Wall of Roses....Soooo of course I had to see what this was all about lol ...I LOVE roses...I really do, I clicked on it and this is what I saw...well actually it was a very close up picture of the wall of roses, but roses and flowers no less :)

The add said, "Free... Large piece of wall from a Marc Jacobs show"...I called the number, and the guy, lets say Ian...to protect the innocent :) was a sweet heart and said Many had called him for it, he asked me why I wanted it, I said, I like to do art projects and decorate with flowers around my house and I will also pass them on to friends who can use them for their own projects or just to decorate with, long story short we talked a few times on the phone for awhile lol (those of you that know me, I can absolutely hear laughing at this point... Cut it out, your interrupting my story... YOU know who you are!!! LOL See I have a habit of making friends everywhere I go...I can't just see something, buy it and leave, nooooo....I just can't help it, I like making new friends : ) He said...Rose come on over....the wall is yours....my mr wonderful being the amor that he is was game for taking me to go pick it up... Ian, was the sweetest guy, when he saw me, he actually came over and gave me huge hug lifting me off the ground and spun me around, and said I have a big personality for such a tiny lil person...he meant because I'm short...not thin :) lol did I mention he was about 6'4, if not taller! I am 5'4 but, anyone would seem tiny to him right lol He shook hands with my husband and told us that the piece of wall came from a Marc Jacobs show that they had just done, this one one of about 10 pieces of it...the wall for the show was huge and there was a pink car that was displayed in front of the wall of roses and he hugged me once more and said he was glad the flowers were going to a nice person, that wouldn't throw them away but that they would be reused and appreciated....Honestly the whole time we were talking with him, I couldn't stop smiling or laughing with him....his personality was completely infectious! My amor, was sweet enough to take all of these pictures for me below including the wall above :)

To be fair...as you can see...there are ALOT of flowers...some roses, a few lovely cream peonies, but mostly pretty little and some large magnolias :) but I still love them all :)

After we took all the flowers off the large piece of drywall, which was about 4ft x 4 1/2 ft....I had enough flowers to fill this huge pretty metal container that was another freebie story for another time :) btw, the container is large enough to bathe a bebe in...I haven't tried yet...but it is big, and the bench is large enough for 2-3 people to sit on :)

Dawn amor, I took the 2 bench pictures below!!! Aren't you proud! See I am tryin :)

Thank you Ian!!!!!! Every time I see these pretty flowers, I smile and think of him and his great personality!

Thank you for indulging me in my telling of one of my little stories...but now I want to share this beautiful Giveaway with you!

The lovely Shellagh of the beautiful blog Ticking and Toile did a lovely 2 part interview with Christina Strutt, author of the beautiful book below called "At Home With Country" and to add to the fun, she is having a lovely Giveaway featuring the Beautiful book below for one lucky winner!!!

Click here to enter....

Giveaway ends...Wednesday morning, April 14th...Good Luck!!

Well amores, sleep is coming to me quickly...Thank you Tylenol Simply Sleep!
(I'm not paid to say this...just thankful for it :)

Until next time dear friends,

The beauty of nature in our yard & Giveaway love....

2010-04-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

***Warning....Grab a cuppa coffee or tea.....another long ass post ahead..lots of pictures :)

I love when I look through old pictures and find wonderful surprises I forgot all about like the ones below...I am awed by nature in all is wonder...but sometimes the little pieces of nature that I come across in our own yard....well the beauty of it so inspires me...because the knowledge that there are soo many little worlds existing within my own world...truly boggles my mind

Awhile back we were working on cleaning up our yard....raking the millions of leaves from or avocado trees and trust me, after filling up 3 green trashcans and 5-6 huge construction trash bags full of leaves...there are millions of leaves lol we are lucky in the sense that we live in So Cal in the city and yet have over 1/2 an acre of yard...but not so lucky when you have to clean it and mow and rake...well you get the picture....

Anyways I digress......as I was saying, we were raking and I was cutting some branches down from the avocado...trust me they were skinny lil branches...it is all my weakling hands could manage to cut :) and when I cut one of the branches the heavier ones would then go up higher without the weight of all the smaller ones hanging on...well apparently when I did this and the bigger branch shot up...it catapulted this gorgeous lil bebe hummingbird to the ground :( my aunt picked it up because she was afraid the hawk flying above or stray cats would get it....mr wonderful climbed up a very tall ladder and placed it back in its nest and you know what??? the mama fed it and what seemed liked days later...that lil bebe was flying around with its mama :) How awesome is that!!!! We were all so happy because, we had always heard that when you touch a bebe bird, it's mama would then turn its back on it and let it fend for it's self and we were all so scared of that happening to this gorgeous lil one.

(doesn't it look like this lil bebe is saying "FEED ME!" :)

These next set of pictures were also taken by my husband... mr wonderful :) You can definitely see the difference in our picture taking skills lol he is great at getting really beautiful and clear shots...but I always feel so bad bugging him to take pictures for me, but I have my new lil pink beauty and as I practice using it, I will hopefully be able to take better pictures to share with you and hence...be able to post more ....wooohoo...betcha just can't wait right...yup see how well I know my peeps :)

(Dawn amor, one of these 2 nests above is now sitting pretty in your casa :) look at the bits and pieces of paint chips from our home and the neighbors in the nest, along with string and bits of paper...how awesome is that!!)

The next 2 pictures were taken in the tree on our sidewalk, jackaranda tree (I think that is what its called but have no idea how to spell it :) Anyways it is a pretty tree with tons of purple flowers...the drawback is having to clean up all them flowers and the sticky gunk they leave on your cars and all over your floors from sticking to your shoes and trust me...they stain hardwood floors :( But on the plus side...the humming birds love them...and we LOVE the hummingbirds!!!

Now.... these next 3 pictures are of our lil Lola, or as lovingly call her "pudge" because when her fur gets long, she looks like a lil ball of fur....hence...the pudge and it just stuck...she seems to love that name more :)

Can you tell she has attitude? And just so you know in case you are offended because she is wearing clothes...she LOVES it, in fact if I hold up bebe clothes she barks and dances around, because she thinks they are for her and when you put them away, she whimpers for quite a bit...my girls say that is her way of pouting cause she didn't get her way :) And yup.....you guesses it....she is the VP of my Fru Fru Gaudy Girls club...now g'head and admit it....you know you wanna join too! :)

(Dawn amor, thank you so much for fixing all these pictures of Pudge and makin her purrtiful :)

In this next picture...look at her baring her teeth (she never does this!) when my daughter tried to take the clothes off of her...told you she loves it :) ohh and by the way...the skirt is from the Build A Bear store, belongs to my youngest Kitty she made there and for a few minutes was "loaned" to our lil Pudge

And this is Pudge in all her fru fru gaudy girl glory :) My daughter says that in this picture...Pudge is sayin "smack that" lol

Ok, now on to some important stuffs.......Giveaways!!!!

***Please note that all giveaways will remain on my Giveaway Section on my R. sidebar until they are over ***

First....Is Andrea of Vintage Bella Studio is having a lovely Giveaway here!

Winner announced Saturday April 9th.

Second...Miss Sandy of Quill Cottage is having a Sharing Spring Giveaway here!

Giveaway ends Sunday April 10th.

Third...Myrna of More Than Heirlooms is having a Birthday Giveaway here!
Winner announced Tuesday April 13th.

Well amores, time to run and start dinner, the masses in my casa be hungry :)

Until next time dear friends,

Loving Easter thoughts....& and an Earthquake! Oh No!!

2010-04-04T00:58:00.000-07:00

Earthquake in So Cal
Title was my kids idea...:)
If you are here in So Cal, I am sure you felt that not so fun earthquake that we had at 3:40 pm this Easter Sunday...I know that here it was pretty bad , but I can't even imagine what it was like at the epicenter where it was a 7.2 magnitude ! I have family and friends in the San Diego area and I am hoping that everyone is ok...where ever you are, if you felt it, then stop to think how lucky we are that we and our loved ones are alright and how bad it must have been where the epicenter was in Mexicali, in Baja California...my friend is from there, she said...there is no power, no water and no phone service where her family is, just the thought of that terrifies me...know what went through my mind?.......Dear Lord, is that what is going to happen when the "big one" hits here in California? Today, I give thanks, that everyone I know is safe....I pray this is always the case and hope that when the next earthshake hits....we will all be ready!

Wishing you and your loved ones a beautiful Easter!

(Beautiful Easter image courtesy of The Graphics Fairy)

Oh my dear amores...as I visited your beautiful blogs these couple of days and seen how eloquently and beautiful all your Easter posts are...I am feeling at such a loss for words, I wish I could say something as beautiful and eloquent while talking about God and what this wonderous day truly means...but well those of you that truly know me, know my truth as far as religion goes, I have shared it here with you all before, I have never hidden it...I wish I could say something so full of meaning and filled with amazingly beautiful quotes from the Bible, the way so many of you have done...but well...then I would truly be at a loss, for the simple reason that I don't know how....sad right...but it is my truth, it is something that I am working on changing in my life, but it is taking time...so I will for now instead say what is in my heart....

God and religion is in my heart...I just don't know how to express my thoughts so beautifully and eloquently with scriptures like most of you can, but I can say this to you and it is meant with much love and respect...I hope that you all have the most joyous and beautiful of Easters, May it be filled with the love of family and friends,abundantly good food and the sound of laughter, from those you hold most dear...

So that being said...From my family to you and yours....
Happy Easter!

(Beautiful Easter image, courtesy of The Graphics Fairy)

P.S. I truly hope this post makes sense, it is almost 2 a.m..yet once again :)

Until next time dear friends,

April showers...usher in thoughts of wonder & wonderful Giveaways......

2010-04-01T00:13:00.000-07:00

(Wow...doesn't that title sound lovely.....I know sometimes I do my best thinking after midnight, tonight err...this morning must be one of those times !

I am so moved beyond words at everyone's beautiful and soo lovely words on the new look of my Blog....THANK YOU...from my heart!!! If you could just give me a moment to explain... the best way that I can tell you how I feel about my blogs new look is this...Dawn of The Feathered Nest, made my gorgeous header...it is from my original blog, which she lovingly made for me and when I see it...I see me....Karen of Valentine Design, remade my blog into this new gorgeous one you see now, but....she understood me and she kept what I loved most from my original blog...my header...so even though I see this beautiful new "me" so to speak....I still see the "me" I once was...just ever so more lovely, elegant and Gorgeous...wait... I meant my blog.... not me silly lol Since every morning I get to see the real me in the mirror...I know better than to believe this about moi!

So...every chance I get...I come onto my blog...and as I see it load up...I SMILE in wonder...because I realize...this is mine, mine, mine ....Thank you, Dawn & Karen!!!! Funny thing is I used to do this a lot the first month or so that I first got my blog too...wonder how long I will do it this time :)

Now...enough about me...I want to share these Wonderful Giveaways with you!

*All the following Giveaways will be on my side bar under the Giveaway section until they end...Good luck to you all!

First....Kim of The Sheep's Nest is having a 50th Follower Giveaway here!

Giveaway ends...April 12th.

Second...Dorthe of Den Lille Lade is having a 100 Followers Giveaway here!

Giveaway ends....April 14th.

Third....Debra of Common Ground is having a The Royal Treatment Giveaway here!

Giveaway ends....April 15th.

PS...I am seriously crushing on my beautiful new signature! Thank you again Karen! Besos, to you amor :)

Well my dear amores...It is almost that witching hour for me once again (after 2 a.m.) ...and my eyes are starting to droop and I think a bit more... and I will make...even less sense than usual, sooo

Until next time dear friends,

My Bebe's got a brand new, beautiful dress....

2010-03-29T01:08:00.000-07:00

Titles can be soo misleading.... no ?

When Dawn of The Feathered Nest first made my blog for me...I thought it was the MOST beautiful thing I had ever seen! Even now, I still love it ! Well...When Dawn had her own beautiful blog treated to a gorgeous new look recently, thanks to the lovely and talented Karen of My Desert Cottage....Who just launched her wonderful Web Design business called Valentine Design Well.... I, like so many of you ooh'd and ahhh'd and then I wanted something "new" for my blog too.....The changes I was thinking about were more along the lines of changing to 3 columns, a pretty followers button and a gorgeous new signature to close out my posts. (Did I ever mention I have a hard time with change?? I figure if it looks beautiful...don't mess with it!)

Then I talked to Karen and Dawn about my ideas for my lil blog and they had some great ideas for a "new" look for my blog and were so excited about how beautiful it could look and all I could think is....But...I LOVE my pretty lil blog and you guys are talking about it like my bebe is ugly lol ....kinda hurt my feelings...my poor lil bebe blog :)

When I mentioned this to Dawn she said..."hunny, we're not calling your bebe ugly...we're just trying on some pretty new dresses on her, to make her much prettier"....now...HOW...can you argue with that lol

Well, Karen and I talked a few times on the phone and this....Look all around your screen....is the BEAUTIFUL new blog that Karen created for me...Don'tcha just love my bebe's brand new dress! I sure do, I think it is the perfect fit! Beautiful, elegant, old world, frufru and gaudy...Rose frufru and gaudy style :) did I mention I love beautiful things?....

Yes, I am that woman....that when I see that gorgeous overly ornate, gaudy antique gold or dark wood frame..I gravitate to it...like a moth to a flame! Then when I bring it into my home...I think it is perfect...don't get me wrong...I quickly visualize it cream with antiquing glaze...but that thought I will be honest, last just a few seconds, as I look at all that beautiful gaudy loveliness before me...and I realize how much I love it just as it is :) My daughters call me ..."Fru Fru, Gaudy Girl" I wear that name with pride....cause that's how I roll :) lol

So when Karen sent me this blog mock up...I was literally jumping up and down because I was soo happy that this is exactly what I wanted...and didn't even know it lol

Thank you so much...Karen, Dawn and Lisa of Tarnished & Tattered , for listening to my rants of what I love and understanding my visions...that I didn't quite know how to put to words, that were easily understandable... But some how Karen did and gave me this beautiful "brand new" beautiful dress for my lil bebe blog...my own lil piece of heaven in this big...beautiful Blogland of ours!

If you want to completely redo your blog, or just add a few special lil somethings to it and like me....have no clue how to...Then go visit Karen at Valentine Design and I know she will help you achieve a look that you will just love!

Please let me know what you all think of my lil bebe's beautiful new dress...because my dear friends...your opinions do matter to me :)

Until next time dear friends......

Earthshakes (quakes), Sunshine & Giveaways.....

2010-03-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

This morning...just minutes after 4 am we were awakened by a strong, HARD & loud jolt to our home, I actually thought either a car hit our house or the 3 story tree on the side of it had come crashing into out home....Thank goodness it was neither....like so many of you out here in So Cal, we were awakened by an earth quake or as my kids always call them...Earth shakes :) The epicenter was about 5 miles or less from us, so we felt it pretty strong...nothing broken or no new cracks that we can see, but then again, our 1916 home seems to be pretty solid :) I did jam my knee hurrying down the stairs though...theres alot to be said for not having a few extra minutes to let your achy joints get ready for the day and a quick jog down the stairs lol

But all that being said...

I did want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments and emails :) I am coming back with some new posts, but I did warn you guys I would need a vacation after SOOO many posts in such a short time...ha!!

Actually...I took a lil break for the week, March 14th was the 1 year anniversary of my dads passing and I needed to focus on my family...and well to be honest me....the colds that I had been getting and the gloomy weather were kicken my butt both physically & emotionally...I can't tell you how amazing a B12 shot can be lol So every 3 weeks or so for 3 months, I will be getting one to replenish what I am missing...but the best medicine....besides all your caring visits :) Has been SUNSHINE......truly, it feels sooo good, I stand outside and literally let the sunshine warm my face...it warms me from my eye lids thru my heart and down to my toes :) Infact I am about to paint my toes hot pink in hopes that I will stay in this feeling for awhile longer :) I know so many of you are having such terrible weather, I wish I could send you all, our So. Cali sunshine, well....not all of it...but definately some to warm you and make you smile too! :) You know, our beautiful weather is a trade off for our earthquakes, you.... that get tornados, hurricanes and tons of snow, know what I mean....

Now I want to share some amazing giveaways with you all...

Please visit all these lovely blogs and enter to win...I know you will love them too...I will be back tomorrow to share some beautiful mail love I have received....cause you know,I don't want to start posting a ton and then have to take another vacation lol Seriously, have a beautiful day, and if it is full of snow and rain, look for that lil bit of sun shine I am sending your way!

Stefanie of Rose Petals and Rust is having a giveaway here!

My sweet & dear friend...Rebecca Ersfeld for Vintage Living is having a giveaway here!

Linda of Robin's Egg Blues is having a giveaway here!

Donna of Brynwood Needleworks is having a giveaway here!

Another dear friend...Anne of Fiona and Twig is having a giveaway here!

Until next time dear friends....

Besos,

Rose~

March giveaways & a giveback love....

2010-03-04T01:07:00.000-08:00

Oh my stars....say it isn't sooo....4 posts in less than 3 days....that is more than I sometimes posted in a whole month!!!....I may have to take a vacation after this :)...but first... let me share these wonderful giveaways with you.......and.....your welcome :)

First....I just want you to know how much I care for all of you and your wonderful caring hearts...Thank you so much for all the love you sent to my dear friend Kolleen...she feels your love and thoughts...THANK YOU....

Now that I am awake at 1 am from my meds stupor and looking so...so...well.... let me put it to you this way...during one of my naps...one of many today...I woke up to find pudge against my legs sleeping, when I woke her as I moved she looked up annoyed cause I woke her...and errr...she had the funniest look on her face, her fur right now is kinda long and it was all tweaked and smashed on one side of her face...she look like a sad...kinda pathetic...but much loved lil raggamuffin....and yes...I will admit it....I laughed.... so hard infact...that....I started to wheeze....lol But the payback was when I went to the rest room and caught my face in the mirror......my hair was all tweaked...kinda smashed into the side of my face, I had pillow and blanket lines all over my face....yup you got it....I looked like a pathetic... sad... raggamuffin.... I started to laugh and then the wheezing started... and needless to say...my inhaler was my best friend today :) lesson of the day....don't make fun of a lil defenseless dog....unless you look cuter than it does at the time.....Ha!

But I digress...back to more important stuffs.....

***UPDATE....I just added another giveaway by Jill of Gypsy Brocante, I was too sleepy last night to add it and have it make sense....and I also wanted to thank you on your get well wishes...this is just a cold that keeps on giving....I am good for a few days and then someone sniffles around me and bam....I am sick again :) see how talented I am :)

Lesson here...take your vitamins...keep your immune system strong!!!

First....the lovely Tracey of French Larkspur is having a wonderful "Pick me up " giveaway for March...it is a beautiful and as always generous giveaway... please visit her beautiful blog and don't forget while your there to enter....Ends Sunday, March 7th at Midnight......Good Luck!

click here to leave a comment for a chance to win...

Second....The lovely Jill of Gypsy Brocante is having a Count down to Spring giveaway , 1 each week. spread out over 3 weeks! How bad ass is that :).....( I mean that in a totally hot & good way :) Jill has a beautiful online store, make sure you visit it also when you visit her beautiful blog and don't forget to leave a comment to enter! Final part of her giveaway ends March 21st!

Click here for a chance to comment and win!.....

Third.....The lovely Debra of Common Ground is having a March Celebration GiveBack....how cool is that :) She is celebrating some great things this month incl. her Birthday! Happy Birthday Debra! :) Much love to you amor....Now go visit her beautiful blog too and while you eat some of that delish cake she is sharing....don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win...her giveback ends Tuesday March 9th...Good luck!!!

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win....

Well my meds are kicking in again its once again 2 a.m. and I hope I can stop coughing enough to get some sleep....making a mental note to go get a B12 shot tomorrow.....

Hope you all are well in your neck of the country....

Until next time dear friends,

Besos,

Rose~

Such heart breaking saddnes, anger and disbelief....

2010-03-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my heart broke for a sweet and dear friend...I have been in my own world for a bit, not even watching the news...just going about lifes everyday routine...My dear friend Kolleen of Heartwingssisters had posted about a member of her family that was missing...a beautiful, vibrant and much loved young girl....I saw her picture and I said a prayer...that she would soon be home with her family...but my life went on and I focused on that and nothing else..hence my earlier woewaysme post...And then a WAKE UP call went off in my head...being sick and taking cold meds that make me sleep, I woke up the other afternoon to the news and to a picture of a young lady that was missing....for a few days now...my heart froze...I suddenly felt nauseaus and shaky and knew it wasn't my cold...the picture that they were showing was the one Kolleen had shared with us.... I won't lie, the tv in our house is on 24/7 but mainly as background noise...we watch ALOT of movies and in the back of my mind...I remember hearing days ago of a missing girl....but when I glanced at the tv as I walked thru the living room, the picture was different from the one Kolleen had shared...so I didn't make the connection.....

On that day that I realized who she was....it was REAL...too real...my family prayed for her return, we asked each other all the time..."anything new? have you heard anything? Is she home yet?" but it was always asked with hope that she would soon be back in her families loving home...Yesterday that hope was broken....when we heard the news that she had been found....the way she was found...The look on our daughters faces as we told them...broke my heart....I saw fear, anger, outrage and disbelief....as a family, our hearts broke...for Chelsea...her mama, her papa, her family and friends that so loved her and my heart hurt for my friend Kolleen....

Kolleen is one of the loveliest woman I have had the pleasure of meeting here in Blogland...I don't just mean she is lovely in beauty...although she is...she has such a beautiful heart...she always visits with me, encourages me, laughs with me, at my silly comments or posts...but she is truly a friend of the heart...we were planning on getting together as soon as we can...see...as much as I would love to meet any and all of you....your are all mostly so FAR away :) But she and I are not...so we were both so happy that we have the chance to meet face to face....can you imagine??? yes....I know many of you can...I have seen your awsome posts of meeting blogging friends for lunch and shopping dates and just to spend time visiting and creating....how I wish to do that here with friends....you lucky ducks :)

Kolleen is a person with a huge heart....when you visit her blog and read her posts...you get that instantly...she IS her family...her family IS her....she lives and breathes them...her love story... she shared with us of the love of her life, how they met and later married....inspired me to not only read all the way back to her first post, but to write to her personally...I felt I knew her...we emailed and became fast friends....Her artwork reflects her love of life and those she holds close and dear....We found each other through a mutual friend named Kelly of Kelly Berkey Designs another amazingly lovely woman...I hope to meet her soon too, she moved from Manhattan Beach...my old stomping grounds to Egads...another state...Kelly come back...we miss you...don't you miss our warm Cali sunshine :) I know...shameless....

But what I am trying to say in all this is that...meeting all of you that I have visiting your blogs, emailing back and forth...we become a part of each other...we know each others hopes, artistic desires, life's dreams and it's heartbreaks...lets face it...whether or not we have had the pleasure to meet face to face or not...we have become friends...and we care about each other...we feel each others hurts, pains, joys and not only cheer each other on...we hold each other up when we are called upon to do so...

So please if you get a moment...go visit Kolleen and leave her a note...today her and her family sit in saddness and disbelief that their beautiful Chelsea King, was taken much too soon. And I know you are not supposed to wish evil on anyone...but today I pray that the monster that did this gets everything that is coming to him and more when he faces the judge....I pray that he doesn't get to walk among the innocent like Chelsea again...EVER and that his life will be something that if God truly is merciful will be soon extinguished and forgotten.

Kolleen... like I said has a huge heart...she says in todays post that she hopes to one day find understanding in all of this...Kolleen amor, you are a much stronger and forgiving person than me...God watch over you and your loved ones, please know my family is thinking of you and yours amor....Chelsea knows how much she is loved...it was evident in the thousands that showed up last night to offer support for her, her parents and loved ones...

Stay strong amor...

My favorite & most treasured cup....

2010-03-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

First I have to give much love to my mr wonderful for running to the store for me this morning and getting me a card reader so that this and many more posts would be possible :) Thank you papi! te quiero mucho :)

I had to take all my "beautiful" pictures again cause...goober that I am...I forgot to use a flash and at 11 pm apparently I need one lol I hope you enjoy my first try at new pictures...these are all me...can't blame anyone for my booboos....so be nice lol I promise I will keep practicing and I am even going to read my manual so that I can actually know what the thingys on my camera are for :)

Like I said in my earlier post today, the lovely Mira of Belle Blanc is having an active giveaway...you get to share you favorite cup and let her know you are participating, she will then visit everyone and then choose her favorite... I might be too late to have a chance to participate in the actual giveaway....but I still wanted to participate because I think it is such a lovely idea :) Go visit her blog and see who else is participating...

These are some of my favorite cups, I started collecting cups & saucers with roses on them when I was 13, starting at my neighbors yards sales...I think I have about 50-60 sets and maybe another 30 just cups and I can honestly tell you most were in the dollar or under price range :) although when I got older and my tastes got into the prettier ones...the prices weren't so pretty...still I tried to keep it under $5-7 :) My favorites are the tiny ones...I love tiny things...but that is for another post :)

The littles came out to play Vanna White and show off some of my lovely cups for you...To give you an idea of how small some of my cups are, the lil bebe dolls are about 2 1/2 in. tall whenever I take out my tiny lil bebe dolls, my daughter says this to me..."they're coming to take you away..ha! Ha!, they're coming to take you away" cheeky lil munkey isn't she :)

Doesn't everything look better under glass...always makes me smile...
excuse all my stuff on the table I was also taking pictures of some thriftin treasures :)

This is my everyday cup...made of china and has my very own cheeky lil munkey given to me by my cheeky lil munkies :) sorry for the picture quality...I took this late last nite...no flash.

But of all my cups...I must confess...I have only one that is my most favorite & treasured cup...it is this one below...it may not be gorgeous, with handpainted roses or some fru fru name on the bottom...although I gotta admit...I love those fru fru names especially of far away places :) This lovely little cup is one of my most treasured possesions and if we were to have a fire or an earthquake, I would make sure it is one of the things that I take with me when I ran out the door...see it has a beautiful history...it belonged to my great, great grandma and she gave it to my uncle when he was a lil boy...he died when he was 3 years old of an illness that in those days killed so many...my mama thinks maybe a common cold he was the eldest of 10 children...but my mama and I figured that this lil treasure of ours is over 100 years old and it comes from Germany...My great, great grandma bought it with her and it was her favorite cup....see I think I shared that before...I am kind of a lil mutt...I am Mexican, Italian, German & Spanish all that wrapped up in a 5ft 4in American package :)

Isn't she beautiful..her history still can bring me to tears...

This is a close up...notice all the dirt and cracks...I haven't been able to bring myself to clean it, I am so afraid to break it or damage it even more...all the petals from the little flower have long since broken off...But I think she is more beautiful and more valuable than any of the beautiful cups I have collected in my lifetime so far :) My mama and aunts gave this to me, trusting me to be the care taker of many of our families heirloom treasures....aren't I blessed to be trusted so....I think I am :)

Now, that I have shared my favorite & most treasured cup with you, make sure you hop into the Cinderelli coach and go see everyone else favorite cup post too and enjoy them as much as I have...just don't be a goober like me...and forget to leave a comment...I know...my bad :) Now I need to go revisit everyone and tell them what I think of their lovely cups...cause you know in my world...my opinion matters lol

Mira, thank you so much...I am so excited because this is my first time participating in something lovely like this in Blogland :) Grazie!!!

Until next time dear friends....

Besos,

Rose~

A little disappointment and a big Thank you!!

2010-03-02T01:20:00.000-08:00

I was all set to share a new post and all these gorgeous pictures that I just took tonight with my new camera that I got with my scratcher ticket winnings and come to find out that our reader (I think that is what my husband called it) won't work with my tiny new lil Sony memory stick....UGH and yes...if you know me you know most of this statement was a total fib....the pictures aren't gorgeous....but in my defense they looked really pretty on the camera screen lol Sooo I am hoping that these pictures will at least look alot prettier than what I normally shared before....(I hope...I hope)

I was intending to take part in My Favorite Cup..an active giveaway that the lovely Mira of Belle Blanc is having...I thought that the idea was so lovely...she is asking that you share your favorite cup and let her know you are particpating and she will pick her favorite picture for the winner. The Giveaway ends March 2nd... Maybe if I can get a new card reader in the morning, I can still join in :) Heres to hopin...

But in the meantime, if you get a chance, visit her beautiful blog, the pictures and posts are beautiful and I really liked the song by Billy Clyro called "Many of Horror" (I believe that is what it was called) that was playing when I last visited her, infact I liked it so much I kept her blog open while I wrote this post to listen to it over & over :) I also wanted to say how much I have enjoyed visiting everyone that has shared their favorite beautiful cups :)

You can clik on Mira's beautiful button
to see her post on this...

Now for that big thank you....THANK YOU!!!! to all of you that have sent me emails and left me such lovely comments asking if I am ok and probably wondering if I fell of this earth :) Well amores...I am still here...I have so many excuses...let me see...1. life is just taking over what is normally "my time" and although I am not happy about that...life is what it is right? :) 2. add in worries...financial...health...my families, friends....you name it...I think it...sometimes I know I think too much...I just can't help it...my mind seems to be forever going...one thought after another....3. then getting sick again...sounding like froggy of the little Rascals' is not my idea of a sexy throaty voice lol but right now....tis what I sound like....my friend who is a nurse said...stress...low immune system all can lead to not being able to fight all these lil colds....yeah like that can be helped right now ;) 4. And then feeling blue...what is that all about anyways??? I know I have sooo much to be thankful for.....I have a roof over my head, my kids, hubby, mama, sister, nieces and nephews are all well thank God, but still....I feel blue even when life is sometimes so overwheming....I am so ready for warm sun and gardening, working on our home....and that is one of the reasons I don't post or visit right now too much...GUILT....that I feel like this...when things are so much worse for others and I see on the news how they are snowed in, no heat or electricity, and yet I complain....I think Myrna of More Than Heirlooms hit it dead on with her post about Gratitude Journals....I think that is a wonderful idea to help me put things in perspective....In fact I just bought one of her beautiful Gratitude Journals that she made....I can't wait to get it and use it :) Anyways amores, enough about my woeswaysme tirade :) I will be back as soon as I can with pictures...lots of pictures of wonderful things I have to share with you....like gifts I got in the mail....lovely thrifting treasure hunt finds, Etsy finds and just sharing my wonderful... long posts that I know you all miss so much lol :)

Until next time, my dear friends.....

Besos,

Rose ~

Love... amor, amore, amour, Any way you say it...I wish you tons of it :)

2010-02-14T02:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you Dawn for this beautiful image... Besos to you, amor :)

Wishing you all a wonderful Valentine's Day, full of love, laughter, happiness and may it continue for not just this day...but for always!!!!

Sweet & to the point...I know... can you believe it...don't get used to it...you know I love to chat with you! :)

Besos y amor, amore, amour, love...you get the picture :)

Rose~

A Beautiful Gift & Lots of Giveaway Love !!

2010-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Before I begin my long awaited post :) I want to thank everyone from my heart for sending so much love to our wonderful friend Lorraine during her loss...she is such an amazing woman and I know she appreciates every ones love and concern during this time. She has a loving husband, children, family and friends that I know are there for her in her time of need, but I think knowing so many of us out here are thinking of her, must have made her heart smile, I know it did mine. Besos & huge hugs to all of you!

In Decemeber I won a wonderful Giveaway from the beautiful Rebecca of Rebecca for Vintage Living but to tell you what a heart she is, it was her Birthday...yet she did a giveaway for all her followers...see she is a total heart :) Anyways, the day before I got sick, a beautiful package came in the mail...then with me feeling so crappy...I actually forgot all about it...I know can you believe it!!! So when I opened it, I was just soo thrilled because I got one of her beautiful stars with some lil pretties :) and you know I love her Christmas stars... with all the creams and mochas, but I also LOVE the star I got, the colors are so rich and the materials she chose are so luxurious...I LOVE velvet & vintage trims...without knowing it....she sent me such a beautiful piece of art for my lil bebe art studio :) I know...lucky me right ! I feel so bad though because I know my pictures do not do my gifts justice....Rebecca amor, I am soo sorry for that....But I know, that you know....I LOVE them :)

This is the gorgeous package I saw when I opened my box...who am I kidding, mr wonderful opened the box and handed me this beauty :) I was so weak from the bad cold/flu, fever & body aches, that my fingers hurt from trying to pull the tabs apart on the box...(awww I love sympathy when I am sick...thank you :) lol

Look at the details of this gorgeous package!!! (clik on pictures to enlarge) the flower is so beautiful as is the tag that she made for me...oooh another beautiful tag for my collection :) If anyone wants to send me some of their own tags...I will hang them up in my bebe studio to display their beauty :) (shamless I know....but hey in my defense I have like 4 tags now and until Dawn told me what ATC's are...I had no idea, I thought it was like an art club :) lol

This is the gorgeousness (is that even a word?) that was inside...Look at the colors, I wish you could see how beautiful it really is, again so sorry for the pictures Rebecca.... The colors are in rich jewel tones...the textures and trims just gorgeous! I think this is vintage silver metal tinsel...although I would have to ask my dear friend Rebecca because I don't know too much about beautiful trims other than I LOVE them :)

Again please, clik on the pictures to enlarge, mr wonderful helped me take all these...so I guess I can blame him...Ha!!! I know I am such a goober...had I taken them I know I would have cut things out :) you should see how many pictures we have that have body parts missing lol Thank goodness for digital...processing pictures was getting expensive with all my booboos :) look at this lovely necklace I got too, you should see how beautiful the stone colors are...

Here are all my beautiful gifts...lucky me...I know :)

Wanna know an amazing thing....Rebecca is having another beautiful giveaway...I am telling you all about it below.....Lucky you!!!!

There seems to be sooo much beautiful & generous Giveaway love going on right now in our lovely BlogLand...and that is besides the Gigantic One World Giveaways that are going on now :) Here are a few really special one that I want to share with you....

But first... because as usual I am late with everything....I know...it is such a bad habit :( But none the less I share this wonderful news with you...our beautiful & big generous hearted, our dear friend... Dawn of The Feathered Nest is having a 3 Year Blogiversary Giveaway!!! 3 Years can you believe that...and that doesn't include her 1000 + posts she has :) I know so many of you have already congratulated her...but if you haven't visit her and give her some love :)

Clik here to leave a comment for a chance to win :)

Look at the beautiful treasures that Dawn is giving to one lucky winner :)

2nd Giveaway...Also ending on February 14th....The beautiful Rebecca of Rebecca for Vintage living is having a Feeling the Love Giveaway....Look at the beautiful necklace that she made for 1 lucky winner...since I don't want to appear too greedy...I would even love that gorgeous envelope pillow she made behind it :) ( I hope that is what it is...I am usually wrong with art work :)

Clik here to leave a comment for a chance to win :)

3rd Giveaway...The beautiful Lisa of Tarnished and Tattered is having a Thank You Giveaway...She like Dawn and Rebecca makes some of the most beautiful art creations and like them she also is of generous heart and shares with you how to make some of their gorgeous works...Look at all the beautiful treasures she has lovingly picked out for us :) Her giveaway ends February 22nd.

Clik here to leave a comment for a chance to win :)

4th Giveaway...The beautiful Karyn of French Charming is having a Whole Lot of Love Giveaway and that is exactly what she is giving away to one lucky winner..Look at the picture below :) Giveaway ends February 28th!

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win :)

Now....please go and visit all these wonderful ladies and enjoy visiting their beautiful blogs and while your there...don't forget to enter for a chance to win :)

I have my own giveaway to share with you still, I just wanted to share these wonderful giveaways first...I have some more gifts I received to share with you and if I forgot to mention YOUR giveaway...please let me know and I will add it to my next post!

Until next time dear friends....

Besos,

Rose~

Sending love to a dear friend on her heartbreaking loss...

2010-02-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

Today, I feel like I am finally getting over a bad cold/flu, I can now laugh without wheezing and do somethings around the house without feeling completely worn out, infact I was starting to feel so good I had a new post for you...but in light of a dear friend from our beautiful blogging communities loss, I have decided to share my post with you tomorrow. You see, today I was feeling well enough to visit some more of my favorite blogs that have new posts and when I visited one of my favorites Paper Bird, I saw that my sweet friend, the beautiful and loving Lorraine of Paper Bird, had lost her beloved beautiful mama early this morning...my heart just stopped for a moment as I thought about the pain and the loss that she must be feeling at this moment. If you have never visited Lorraines blog before, please do, it is so beautiful....not just for her art work or the beauty that is her blog, but because of the beauty of her heart, she writes from her heart and is so genuine..her posts sometimes make me laugh or cry, many times she makes me think or helps me to remember some long forgotten memory by sharing something of hers...

When we lost my dad last March, I was overwhelmed by grief, having just lost my Ita, (grandma) who was my heart and light 2 years before..his loss was almost unbearable, but with the help of my mama, my family and loving friends...including so many of you out here in Blogland that shared your losses and stories with me and showed me how to go on with such love and grace....it has made all the difference in my life...for that I thank you all....

I hope you all can share some of that love and hope that you shared with me......That you all.... can now share some of it with Lorraine and her family...Having just my mama left as my rock and strength, just the thought of losing her her can overwhelm me, so ...I can not even imagine what she must be feeling right now at this moment...Lorraine amor, my heart and love & friendship, is with you at this moment...May you and your family feel your mama all around you and in your hearts, in the up coming days and months...Much love to you my sweet friend. Thinking of you and your family..Rose

Whenever I think of Lorraine, this is the picture of her that comes into my hearts eye, smiling, sitting with the love of her life...I hope soon she will be smiling like this again...

my dear friend, I hope you don't mind me borrowing this beautiful picture of you and your love...

Until next time dear friends, may your hearts know no more saddness for a very long time and may your hearts instead be filled with the love and laughter and happiness of your family and loving friends....

Besos,

Rose~

Good Intentions and Giveaways ....

2010-01-25T23:55:00.000-08:00

What is it that they say about good intentions again???? Well, all I know is that my heart and thoughts were in the right place but time keeps slipping away from me...I think I need more hours in a day to just blog...and then let life and everyone else just wait until I am good and ready to deal with them...do any of you ever feel like that?....please tell me I am not the only one :)

Everyone left me such wonderful Birthday wishes on not only my blog, but on Dawns and Cynthia K's and I can honestly tell you that although I was missing my mr wonderful on my special day....you all made it so special for me with all your beautiful and wonderful wishes that not only was my birthday special...but even with all the crappy weather and bad thunder storms we had and having to be out driving in them each day for most of the mornings and afternoons, I can honestly tell you that even with all this and my wet frizzy hair and soggy clothes... because of all of you... my spirits were up all week...I Thank you again :) My intentions were to visit each one of you that left me such wonderful birthday wishes and personally thank you...well as hard as I have tried to... I have only made it to a handful of you :( With mr wonderful back in town late Friday afternoon, trying to spend time together as a family, running errands and preparing for the new week, we have been so busy...his duffle bag filled with his clothes sits at the base of the stairs still unpacked and dirty clothes unwashed...but on a good note we got to spend family time together, visited my dad with flowers and spent some time with my mama...a new week is here and it starts all over again...To be honest we haven't even gotten a chance to celebrate with one of my wonderderful giftcards I got for Christmas...hmmm Chilis and OutBack sure sound yummy about now :) Then to help matters...today we are supposed to have a new storm come in, I am hoping that I can remain online this time (no lightening) and visit as many of you as I can and thank you for your kindness and just see what all of you are up to in your own busy lives and see what beauties some of you are creating...I miss that...my time...where did it go?? If you find it...please let it know I am desperately searching for it :)

So please know that while my heart is in the right place....time isn't co-operating with my plans at this moment :) But I am trying....

In the meantime, I have some Giveaway love to share with you...

1st...The lovely Spencer of Bellamere Cottage is having a giveaway to celebrate her 1 year blogaversary!! She is such a sweet lady with a big heart and a beautiful blog, please visit her for a chance to enter her giveaway and stay to enjoy her wonderful blog...Ends Saturday Jan. 30th at 6pm her time....Good Luck to you all !!!

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win :)

2nd... Jill of Gypsy brocante is giving away one of her beautiful silver necklace creations for Silver Saturday. After you enter to win, stay and visit her beautiful blog, she creates some beautiful pieces, and has 2 wonderful online stores that you can find on her blog, while your there see the pictures of her beautiful studio...it always makes my heart stop and then I start to drool :) Winner will be announced on her next Silver Sunday Post...Good Luck to everyone!!

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win!

I am hoping that life slows down a bit in the next few days so that I can visit as many of you as I can. I really miss this huge part of me time & as I find out about more giveaways and news I will let you all know....cause well...your my peeps and I got your back like that :)

I don't know if you all have heard of the Artist Class or not, I signed up for them through Dawn of The Feathered Nest, The Artist Class button is towards the top of her blog in a beautiful black & white button, but I am sure you can sign up through some of the other instructors, I believe they have the Artist Class Button and info on their own blogs too, I just don't have that info at the moment. I can't wait for them to start...I am really excited and a lil scared about trying something new and creative...but my promise to myself for the New Year was to listen to my creative heart and not let fear keep me from trying new and wonderful artistic things and techniques....With these Artists Classes, I hope to, as my favorite saying goes..."I hope to close my eyes and just leap"...I hope many of you will leap with me, if you can. Then again...many of you are so talented and already know how to do many of these things :) Lucky ducks....well daggum it...I wanna be a lucky duck too lol....

Now... I don't know if you noticed or not but.....I am Celebrating myself....I have reached that wonderful milestone of 100 Followers!! Thank you La Plaza for becoming my 100th Follower! (gracias y muchos besos) I know...I can't believe it myself...I am overwhelmed by everyones kindness and you know like I said before, one of the neatest things about having someone become a follower of my blog is that when I go to visit them and thank them, I end up finding a beautiful new blog to not only visit and dream but to become a follower of their blog myself :) So as a thank you...I am going to have my own Giveback very soon! (like in a few days) I am getting some things together for it now, I will let you know more info on my next post! Please be patient with me :) Thank you everyone for being so generous with your time and visiting my lil blog, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do when I visit your own wonderful & beautiful blogs!

Until next time dear friends,

Besos,

Rose~

Beyond words...

2010-01-20T23:17:00.001-08:00

According to my profile here... I have been on Blogger since November of 2008...what it doesn't tell you is that a few months before that I was just lurking on blogs and falling in love with the land of blogging...once I joined blogger, I was able to still lurk, but also leave a comment every now and then when I saw something that so moved me...I felt I had too...the beauty I was finding on these wonderful blogs, was like nothing I had ever seen...I was finding other people that loved the same things as me...I won't even start a list of these things here because that would be a whole other post :) But I was also seeing so much beauty being created that just left me in awe of all the amazing talented woman and men out there, many would even share their know how with you to make these lil pieces of art for yourself...and the decorating...my stars don't even let me get started on that or...well you know the drill :) But what my Blogger profile doesn't tell you is that even though I have been with blogger since Nov. 2008, it wasn't until a sweet woman that we all know and love here in Blogland, was ever so lovely as to make me a blog of my very own...and I posted for the very first time on June 21, 2009....

What have I learned since then??? Well...when I first started visiting blogs and dreaming about having my own blog...one day...is that when I would visit alot of these gorgeous blogs, I would feel like an outsider looking in...kinda like that new girl in school looking at the popular clik that I soo wanted to be a part of...everyone just seemed to know each other and were so caring towards each other as they mentioned wonderful get togethers and swaps etc....etc...I always dreamed of being a part of something so wonderful...well it happened! I am a part of a huge worldwide group of amazingly talented, caring and extraordinary woman and men...Everyone that I have met along the way has treated me with nothing but love and generosity...with that being said.........

From the depths of my heart...I THANK YOU... all of you that have been so loving and generous to not only take the time to visit my blog and read my sometimes long assed meanderings...and still stuck around to become followers on my blog or even better...become true friends...I THANK YOU....I wish you were all near by and I could invite you to lunch with me and share some creative time or treasure hunt together or even just sit and talk...about anything of importance to us at that moment..doesn't matter how big or small...to me...if you have it to say...then it is important....but since this wish doesn't seem to be possible...then please...I offer you one of my favorite roses from my summers garden...it smells soo devine in the morning sun, that on some mornings you can see me just standing in front of the rose bush taking in its smell and beauty :)

So...what bought all this on you ask??? Well Monday Jan. 18th was my 42nd birthday...I was feeling a lil blue because my mr wonderful is out of town on a job...he works in construction and we live in the Southern California...as you know with the economy the way that it is now...especially in the construction field...you take the work when it is there because well...it has been a rough last year or so, as I know it has been for so many others too... So when work was available he had to go...BUT...this made it the first time I didn't get to celebrate my birthday with mr wonderful since my 19th birthday...Do we do it big??? no not really....I love just spending time with him...he is my best friend...who I fell in love with when I was 16 years old and saw him walking across our high school campus...but it wasn't until after I graduated that he finally got what I already knew for so long...he was my mr wonderful...and I was his pain in the ass :) Well all you lovely people...my friends of the heart...you guys broke down my saddness, because each time I came online to read my email... there were comments after comments from all of you, leaving me beautiful birthday wishes that would make me catch my breath and smile with delight and made my kids happy because I wasn't mopping around the house missing their dad :) I want to personally thank each and everyone of you that took the time in your busy life to stop and leave me these beautiful birthday wishes...they made my heart feel overwhelmed because your caring and generous hearts are just so beautiful...THANK YOU !!!

Dawn Of The Feathered Nest....You not only posted about my birthday on your beautiful blog but YOU gave me one of the greatest gifts ever...my very own beautiful Blog :) and it just keeps giving and giving...I love you my sweet friend!!! How lucky was I that day I went against my fear and emailed my rockstar :)

Cynthia of Beauty and Blessings....Thank you so much for the beautiful post and birthday party that you did for me on your blog...I am overwhelmed by your beautiful heart..thank you amor for this beautiful gift...

Ana of A Petite Cottage...Thank you for that sweet surprise I got in the mail on a cold dreary rainy day :) Your birthday card made me smile all day! What an honor to share my birthday with your beautiful daughter :) hey you know there are soo many others I am finding here that share this day with me...how great is that!

For everyone else that was soo lovely to me on my Birthday :) ....I wanted to thank each of you the same way...but I was worried it would turn into a 4 part post :) soooo....I am trying to make my way to each of you to personally thank you for your beautiful birthday wishes...please be patient...because of the bad storms here, my internet is being awfully rude, only lets me visit some blogs, and if I am lucky enough to have a page load...it doesn't let me comment or email to much :( do any of you have this happen with bad weather too?? I feel like I am missing soo much and I can't even leave my long assed comments on your wonderful posts :) Soon....I hope....

Soo let me now end this post with this other rose that I so love from my garden...ohhh how I miss Summer :)

Pssst...did you get my joke yet???? This posts title....Beyond words....right... like I could do a post without all my gabbing...please :)

Until next time my wonderful friends,

Besos,

Rose~

Sharing a New Blog & some giveaway love....

2010-01-17T01:33:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, hope your weekend has been wonderful so far... Ours has been very nice, my mama came home LATE Sat night... infact we got to her home at about 4:30 am on Sat from the airport...and just stayed over there...my poor mr wonderful...we went to pick her up at the airport then drove home from San Diego....and never once did he complain and me....lol ....yeah I guess that says it all doesn't it :) I complained that I was hungry, I wanted snacks..(the good kind..you know chocolate, potato chips, soda..I ate all these :) I was thristy...I had to tinkle...I know... and all that was just me...no kids lol I was supposed to be his Keep Me Awake buddy...uhmmm I did really good until the drive back...lets just say, I remember 2 bites of a chicken sandwich at 2 am and then he woke me up when we got to my mamas house :) yes...you can see how seriously I take my duties huh...well at least I remembered to remind him to drink his Rockstar :) See I am good for sumffin....Plus I blame this on my junk food induced coma ...lol yeah that works!

Sharing a funny here...I don't have a passport and neither does mr wonderful...I know, I know, we need one, but there is always something more pressing to use all that money on like groceries :) Well we had to pick my mama up at the border in San Diego, or is it San Isidro? See this is why he drives and not me :) anyways....We left her house at 9 pm Fri. night...but by the time we got there....it was very late at night, her flight came at almost 1 am in TJ ...it is very dark up there at that time and there are streets that when you go down them...you are suddenly in Mexico, soo as tired as I was. (did I mention I get car sick, so I close my eyes and kinda sleep it off :) well...each time I could feel us turning I would yell...OMStars...are we still in the U.S. ???? I think I he was wondering why I couldn't just go to sleep lol poor man..maybe that is why he reminded me I still had snacks in my bag..I am quiet when I eat...I take junk food seriously :)

So...my plans were to join in the great Silver Sunday party...but being gone as long as we were...I didn't get anything done that I wanted too, and in my defense my mama doesn't have internet :) ...so I am in for next weekend...I promised myself and well you know when you promise yourself...then it matters more ....right???? :)

Ok so I get home and I see that I have some new comments on my last post and I soo love when I get comments...it is like a wonderful friend came by to visit you and it makes you smile and feel all warm & tingly...doesn't it..or is that just me lol :) Well one of the comments was from the the lovely Keren of Free Pretty Things For You Hers is a new blog and I love it! She is so adorable and has such a great way of sharing some really pretty ideas and how to's I love when people do that...She is also having a giveaway to start her blog off but you guys have to hurry it ends Mon. January sorry to share it with you so late...but I just found out about it myself :)

Anyways, I really hope you all visit her & Welcome her to our wonderful Blogland! I know you guys are gonna love her and her lovely ideas :) I have a feeling her blog is going to be one of those that just "blows up" ie...her blog is gonna be huge! Enjoy!!!

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win :)

Well I better go to sleep now, mr wonderful is going away for work next week and this will be my first birthday not spent with him since I was 19 :( So I want to spend as much time as I can with him tomorrow. I actually feel bad for my girls...They have Monday off and I will more than likely be moping all day :) Ha...now they get to see what it feels like to be around someone moody for a change :) Hey by the way how unfair is that...it is my birthday and the get it off lol just my luck! I Know I will be hearing...Mami....this & that all day long (at 19 &13 they sometimes act like 3&6 :) Well at least they will keep me from focusing on the fact that Chris won't be here.....

Well dear friends until next time,

Besos,

Rose~

My life's little blessings...

2010-01-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

I want to thank everyone for their wonderful concern regarding my daughter and her friend. He is still in the hospital and will be wearing a cast for awhile, but we are all so thankful because we all know it could have been so much worse...My daughter well...she is at that age where she wants to be her own boss :) but she still wants to be our baby, so she only lets us see what she wants us too, but I can tell it really shook her up..we try to get her to talk to us about it, but it has to be when she is ready...Did I mention that she will soon be 14 and is about 5'8 -5'9 and I am 5'4 :) But to me, she will forever be my lil red headed bebe with the dandelion hair (is that what that flower is called that is like a puff of tiny feathers you can blow & make a wish on?)... In a bit you will see why I say this :)~

I know that right now, you are all probably like our family... watching the news and seeing all the heartbreak and devastation in Haiti...What can you do? If you can... you give...to the Red Cross or any other organization that you want that is helping Haiti...If you can't give financially as some at this moment might not be able too...then you give with your heart and you say a prayer...That those that are hurt...will receive care. That those that are hungry...will be fed. That those that have lost loved ones or still haven't been able to find them...will have someone to hug them and a warm shoulder to cry on...God bless everyone...

With everything that is going on right now in my life and in the world....when I start to feel the saddness seeping into my heart and starting to take a cold grip... I have to remind myself of my life's little blessings so that I can remember just how blessed I truly am! So I am going to share a few of them today with you...You lucky ducks :)

An award for me??? awww...I believe I am blushing :)

A few days ago the lovely Kolleen of HEARTWINGSISTERS blog awarded me this sweet award :) Thank you Kolleen!!! According to the rules I am supposed to tell you 10 things that I love and pass it on to 10 blogs I love to visit....Ok Here goes...

I Love.....

1. My husband...who even with all my craziness and "bright" ideas, bad hair days (and trust me I have alot of those ) loves me more than the world, even when I am in my pjs all day long...I know this because...always, when I ask ...."How much do you love me? he always replies.."More than you could ever know"

2. Stealin this one from Kolleen...I love the smell of the earth as soon as it starts to rain....where ever I am...no matter what I am doin...as soon as I hear or see spinkles, I run out and take a huge wiff :) The earth smells so good you wanna lick it! (actually don't try this...I did when I was lil...I picked up a damp rock with raindrops and licked it...not as good as it smelled lol aren't you glad I saved you from trying this yourself! ...your welcome :)

3. Watching my kids faces when they figure out how to do things by themselves...then forgetting...when it is time for them to do it again...like laundry :)

4. I am stealing this one from Kelly of Kelly Berkey Designs "Deep long kisses that seem to last for-ev-er" ... Amen sister :)

5. Spending time with my friends that I sooo love and miss...

6. watching a baby learning to walk and seeing them wobble from side to side as they take their next step...

7. Seeing my eldest come into her own...

8. When my mr wonderful calls me beautiful...and I am wearing no makeup and it is a bad hair day...looking into his eyes...I know he means it....

9. Visiting all your beautiful blogs...being inspired by your creativity, cherishing the friendships I have made and looking forward to meeting so many more of you!

10. snuggling a lil bebes neck and just taking in their smell...it is Gods beauty and perfection at its best !

Now...here is where I have to break the rules...sorry Kolleen :) But because I can't just choose 10 blogs to pass this award onto...Simply because I love & am inspired by each and everyone of the beautiful blogs that I visit...I give this award to all of you... my wonderful new friends! Besos & love to you all :)

So now I have a Question for all you out there....is getting older harder for you??? or are you embracing each new year added to your age?? I am just realizing that I am gonna be 42 in a few days....and I am not too sure how I am liking that lol I guess looking at the alternative I should be thanking my lucky stars...but....I am trying to wrap my brain around it...I truly am...I mean I still remember high school & meeting and falling in love with my husband like it was yesterday....those cute wrinkles I used to get around my eyes when I smiled...aren't so cute anymore :) But...like I said before...I am looking at my Life's lil blessings to help me...so please endulge me a minute...

I feel kinda like the flowers in this box...a little tattered and worn...a little shabby yet lovely because.....

I have these lil blessings in my life...

My girls...who as big as they are now...this is still what I see in my hearts eye when I look at them.....(Nissa wearing pampas boots, being loved & supported by her adoring big sister...see the hair, if you blew on her head, it stood straight up like a lil bebe troll doll :)

Anaissa & Ashley

My favorite lil treasure hunting partner & our first lil man.....my niece & nephew

Jordan & Bella

Oh amor....how we waited for you in anticipation...we were all heartbroken when pampa got sick and couldn't stay in this life, to meet & hold you himself....But know that...we all loved you long before we ever got to meet you....You remind us so much of your great-pampa!...See, I am smelling his lil neck...I am telling you...one of Gods lil perfections...

Baby Vance or as I call him " lil papas"

Did I mention that he is going to grow up to be a line backer :) That picture above was at the end of June...The picture below was Holloween! Barely 4 months had passed!!!

lil Papas sitting in Pampa's favorite chair....

This is bebe Natalia who I introduced you to here ... This is when she still had that "new bebe smell" lol ....

My stars how I love those cheeks!!

Thank you so much for indulging me...once again :)

Until next time dear friends,

Besos,

Rose~

A forgotten treasure... & More giveaway love...

2010-01-13T00:04:00.000-08:00

**Before I show you my forgotten curb treasure and share some wonderful giveaways...I wanted to share something that happened today...Something important that hopefully will remind us all to slow down...nothing is so important... that we can't take a moment to wait for the next green light...

Today my youngest called me when she got out of school to let me know she was on her way home....10 min later she called me again in tears...I was trying not to panic... so I tried to get her to calm down and tell me what was wrong...Her friend, who she has known since kindergarten was just hit by a van as they were crossing the street...now this is a very busy intersection that divides the block we live on from the rest of her 2 block walk to her school...so close to home, yet so far! I know it sounds wrong...but all I could think is thank God, MY child is ok! Next thing I asked was is he ok, how bad is it, she was hard to understand and wanted to wait with her friends for the ambulance to pick him up and then would continue home...I didn't have the heart to tell her no, to just come home...after all this is a boy she played with when she was a tiny lil girl...I could see his lil face laughing with hers...The van that hit him sped thru a yellow light as it turned red, the kids were all talking as they entered the crosswalk on a green light for them... he was ahead and was hit by the van...In shock... the kids all ran in the street to pull him back onto the curb as their light changed and more cars were starting coming forward... He was pretty hurt and starting to pass out, his legs had gashes deep enough they could see bone and my daughter was in tears again as she said his other leg wasn't laying right and he wouldn't stop grabbing it, but that he couldn't even talk, just barely shook his head with his eyes closed, seeming out of it...Parent, kids, people in cars that saw what happend were all trying to tell the police what happend, the guy in the van tried to blame the kids saying he had a green light...All I could think was...what was soo important that he couldn't slow down seeing all these kids walking home from school? In one instant...he could have changed not only his life...but the lives of some children forever, even worse ending some childs life...We are still waiting to hear how her friend is. My heart breaks for his mama when she got that phone call...I pray that I am never on the receiving end of a phone call like that..

Thank you for letting me vent....

Now back to my post...seems almost ludicrous to do so but I don't want to leave my post on a sad note...I don't want to give someone that just wasn't thinking...that kind of power....

I had almost forgotten about this wonderful curbside treasure...Aren't they the best kind??? My husband was going thru pictures on the camera card...and looky what I saw....my forgotten treasure, that is still in storage...waiting ever so patiently :) Soo....A while we were on our way to get some tacos at our favorite Mexican restaurant...now people, I don't know about you...but I have the nasty lil habbit of looking in peoples open garages and the curbs when someone else drives...I just can't help it lol sometimes you find the most amazing treasures...right???

Well as we drove by, we saw that the taco place was closed....BUT the auto shop place next door to it caught my eye, I saw the back of a tall secretary desk, next to the trash bin...how did I know that is what it was??? becaus I already had one at home :) I asked my husband to go back...he gave me that look....I think most of you have seen that look on your loves face a time or 2 right??? come on...I know it can't be just me that is that lucky lol We went back, the gate was locked...think that stopped me? I yelled Hello!!!!! till someone came out and I gave them my bestest ...I'm not a crazy lady smile I could and asked if they were selling or getting rid of that desk...He said sure...you can have it, it is a piece of junk though...that is why it is by the trash, it comes in the morning...We had to come back and get it in mr wonderful's truck...but needless to say...I was a happy girl with plans for this bebe!!!...did I mention over 2 or is it 3 years and it is still in storage...waiting...hey no one ever said genious is fast process...Ha!! I hear you snickering :) Anyways this is my lil treasure :) enjoy

I love this desk :) I see it painted cream & distressed...what do you think??

Look at all the lil drawers & cubbies :)

I even have an old skeleton key that locks everything up...

It has 2 lil secret compartments on each side of the lil door as you can see and also in one of the drawers underneath...

I was so happy when I found this because mr wonderful never let me paint the one at home...but this...this is my bebe...it demands to be painted :) I even found something to use as finial on top...now that I found this treasure...as soon as the weather is hot again...it moves to the top of my projects list...my ever growing projects list :) See it never hurts to look or just stop and ask...right???? :)

Now onto some more Giveaway love.....

1st is ...The lovely and talented Jill of Gypsy Brocante, she is giving away a beautiful silver tray that she has made into a beautifuller..is that even a word :) Chalkboard tray....When you visit her blog to enter, make sure you look through her posts, it is a gorgeous blog...wait till you see her studio...I drool everytime I see it :) !!!

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win....

Giveaway ends Sunday

The last 2 giveaways I found out about through...you guessed it :) Dawn of The Feathered Nest!!! :) I told you she finds the best blogs and their giveaways...

2nd is... Dorthe of Den Lille Lade, she makes beautiful dolls and other creations, she is celebrating her 100th post! and is giving away one of her lovely angel dolls to the lucky winner!

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win...

Giveaway ends Fri. Jan 22

3rd and final giveaway is...Molly of Molly B's she is giving away one of her gorgeous handmade word pillows with the winners choice of words...How great is that!!

***Oooh you have to hurry to this one...it ends Jan 13th at 6...TODAY!! She is in Texas so you figure out the time zone thingy :) sorry

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win...

Okay my wonderful and lovely friends, I need to crash...again it is after 2 am :( and I am sleepy....On my next post, I am going to share a wonderful award that I was given by the lovely Kolleen of HEARTWINGSISTERS blog :)

But before I close...Please keep all those poor people in Haiti in your thoughts and prayers...Being in Southern California...This is OUR greatest fear too....

So until next time dear friends....

Besos,

Rose~

Giveaway love....and a silly bebe...Natalia

2010-01-08T00:34:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know about 2 wonderful Giveaways that I found via Dawn of The Feathered Nest....yes I know exactly what your thinking....She knows all the best blog lowdown right :) beautiful blogs to share, wonderful giveaways, tutorials, you name it, you find it on her blog! Sooo without further adiu...please visit these beautiful blogs and leave a comment for a chance to win! GOOD LUCK :)

First Giveaway is for the lovely Tammy of The Other Side of Me Blog, she is celebrating her 200th post by giving away this beautiful organizer that she made..I love it!

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win :)

Winner announced Sunday, Jan. 10th !

2nd Giveaway is for the lovely Leslie of Orphaned Decor, she has a newer blog, but I am so liking what I have seen so far and she also has a really pretty store in Spokane, Wa. & best of all she loves pink!... I know right!

Click here to leave a comment for a chance to win :)

Winner announced Sunday, Jan. 10th also!

***I will be FINALLY be having a giveaway of my own...really soon!! Jan. 18th is my birthday and I am going to have a GiveBack!! Laura of 52 Flea did this last year and I love the idea...I have always felt like I should be giving you guys gifts for sharing your beautiful blogs, lives and creative hearts with me :) I am in the process of getting things together...and I will let you know more details on the 18th :)

Now let me introduce you to... my lil bebe cousin Natalie, who calls me tia... I call her Natalia :) She is something else! Precocious is her middle name lol She looks exactly like her mama at that age, in fact I remember when we saw her own mama for the first time...the day she came from the hospital after being born, she had the most beautiful cheeks...Natalie got them too :) At first she is really skittish around you, hiding behind my tia...who is her grandma or her parents....but....I found out that if I give her a piece of candy or chips...I am her new best friend! :) (just so you know, I tried veggies and fruit...bebe wasn't havin it! lol) This picture was taken at my dads service, she was looking out in awe at all the people that were arriving.

Natalia Feb 09

This picture above of Natalia...is how I feel when I am visiting all your blogs and I am just oohing and ahhing at everything! I feel like I am looking through a window into your worlds...Thank you all for sharing! Especially this Christmas, we didn't decorate in our house, I mean we took all the boxes with Christmas decor out of storage, the boxes stayed on our porch for 2 weeks, thank god no one jumped the fence to come see what was there lol I can't imagine losing some of those things...the memories they evoke are priceless and irreplaceable make me shudder & tear up just to think about it.... I even took the Nativity out...it stayed in my bedroom... I honestly just couldn't...but I got my Christmas decor fix visiting all of your beautifully decorated homes, I know that next year will be different...I feel it in my heart...I will share with you...I promise! pinky swear & all that fun promise stuff....

Now here is our silly bebe Natalia on Christmas night, she suddenly disappeared and we were on a hunt at my mamas house for her...as I walked down a dark hallway I hear a lil tiny warbbly sp? voice singing in one of the darkend rooms, so I followed the tiny muffled voice to the guest bath and I called out "Natalia?" she didn't answer...but I could see her little body moving... up pretty high and in a panic I turned on the light and this is what I saw..

(sorry for the poor picture quality of the next 2 pictures, but they were taken with my blackberry)

Natalia Christmas 09

No wonder her lil singing voice was muffled she was busy....We should all be so diligent about dental hygiene... right :)

When I asked her what she was doing up there so high all by herself in the dark...she gave me this lil look....and said huh??? silly tia for asking...I mean wasn't it obvious...

I love that she wouldn't be 2 yrs old for a couple of days and yet this bebe has no fear of the dark...crackers...I am gonna be 42 and I talk out loud as I go up the stairs late at night...by myself...cause you know, I live in a 1916 house with creaking floor boards and stairs and well...gotta let my unseen peeps of the night know what I am up to...you know...so no one gets a surprise...I guess it is all good..until a voice answers me back lol did I mention I go to bed after 2 am...nuff said :) and yes I am afraid of the dark lol

Doesn't it look like she is saying...what do you think I'm doin...HELLO!

Well dear friends this it all for now.... will have more in a couple of days, I am takin a break for a couple of days... Tonight my mama leaves to Mexico to go visit and honor her querida madre (beloved mother)...who is my beloved Ita (grandma)...you see...tomorrow the 9th is the anniversary of my Ita's passing and even though I can now think of her and see her pictures without falling apart...I still need to give myself a moment to feel her love wrapped around my heart...

It is really cold right now in the province my mama is going to... and some areas down there..I have heard people have been in danger...kidnappings, etc.... I don't know why I worry so...maybe it is because there are no guarantees with this life and I have learned that each time you say goodbye, can be the last...Maybe it is because my Ita and my dad are both gone now...that I panic when she isn't near enough for me to be there right away if she needs me...funny...almost 42 and now... I really need my mama :) My stars...how things have changed in the last 3 years....

Now please don't get sad...no reason to be....other than missing my heart :) I now truly feel so blessed... that I got to have her so long in my life...see my Ita was 93 and oh so tired. (I just didn't want to see it then, but I understand that now) I know many of you have lost your grandparents young and some of you might not have ever had the chance to meet them....so I know... that I am so fortunate that I have a lifetime of wonderful memories to give me strength and make my heart smile! I will visit you all as I can and I hope to be able to get it together and do a lil tribute to my Ita...but if not...I will at least share some special pictures of her...the only sad thing is that...I have no pictures that show just how amazingly beautiful her blue eyes were :)

Well...until next time dear friends.....

Besos,

Rose~

Happy New Year...& Happy 21 or 22 years Anniversary to us????

2009-12-31T02:24:00.001-08:00

If this is anyones image, please let me know,
I will give you credit for this wonderful picture

I hope everyone had a Wonderful Christmas!!! Things here have been somewhat hectic, we have had some emotional, tiring, yet thankful moments (u get the picture) and we have been taking whatever quiet moments we can to get some quiet time and just relax. I have even stayed away from the computer for a bit to focus on family and somethings that need our attention...(but I will be back very soon to visit all of you...my wonderful friends, how I have missed you! ) Our idea of fun these last couple of days is just staying home and enjoying some dvds and family time...before everyone goes back to school and things resume the normal hectic routine of our day to day lives...As I am sure this is the case in many of your own homes...

But.....

I just wanted a moment to wish you all a Beautiful New Year... filled with lots of love, new & cherished friendships and laughter...lots of laughter... less tears and may this New Year bring us all a more brighter outlook on whatever difficulties we may be facing...I mean lets face it... many of us haven't had the greatest of years, some of us have faced personal losses such as loved ones passing on to a better place, job slow down or even losing them completely, Possible home loss, finding someplace new to call home, financial or even family troubles...sadly many of us might be facing more than one of these issues at the same time, (God bless, everyone of us right now) so here is to hoping ...hoping that this New Year brings closure to many unhappy things and opens our hearts, souls and our lives to many new, wonderful and promising things and adventures! (Me personally, I need to start listening more to my heart and not my fears...)

Now....

I was just thinking, today is New Years Eve.....this in our home is a very special day! !! My husband and I celebrate our 21st or 22nd Wedding Anniversary today :)...hmmm...yes you are reading it right...I am not even sure which it is lol ....

So my dear amors...this is where I need your wonderful help & insight :)

We got married on New Years Eve 1988....so I am thinking we are celebrating our 22nd Wedding Anniversary....BUT...yes I know....theres seems to always be a BUT....

My husband swears that this is our 21st anniversary....soooo everyone... which one of us is right???

No pressure here everyone....just keep in mind that I have threatened to divorce him if he is indeed cheating me out of one of my years of wedded pain err Bliss, yeah that is it.... lol...I am just so tried of trying to figure this out & arguing about this.... year after year :) My dad poor amor, always sided with me...he said he knew me since I was a child and knew my will...hence he knew better :) My husband after all these years is still working on that lesson (wink)

Before I end this post...

I just saw that I am up to over 80 Followers!!! My stars...thank you everyone that has started to follow my lil bebe blog, how I appreciate each and everyone of you and I will be by to visit each of you shortly (I always love this part...because I find such wonderful new blogs to visit & dream!)

I see a giveaway in my future...wooohooo!!!! Finally my turn to giveback to all of you...my wonderful friends!

So....until next time my dear & wonderful friends (I have some new things to share...I promise)

Besos,

Rose~

Merry Christmas....May your heart be filled with Joy & Happiness today and everyday of the year

2009-12-25T02:13:00.000-08:00

Isn't this a beautiful Christmas image...Thank you "The Graphics Fairy" :)

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for making this...one of the hardest years of my life...into one that gave me such hope and inspiration...The friendships that I have made here in Blogland have made me so thankful everyday for all of you...your creative minds and hearts are truly a blessing to be embraced...

Thank you Dawn amor.....for pushing me off that precipice on the cliff of hope & wanting to one day...be part of such a world of creativity, friendship and love...that dropped me like Alice ...who fell down the rabbit hole...I so fell into..."This wonderful land of blog!"

So My Christmas wish for all of you is this....That your Christmas be full of the love of family and good friends...that your tables be full of wonderful foods and warm tummys...that your homes be warm and constantly filled with love and laughter and may all these things be abundant in your homes & hearts... everyday of every year...and that when you glance at the open space at your table for the ones our hearts so miss, may your memories bring you much warmth, love and laughter and not saddness and pain...Besos to you all!! Merry Christmas and God Bless!

p.s. I have so missed visiting all of you, as soon as things calm down, I will be by again to see what wonderful things you have all been up to! I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas in every language of my herritage...but at almost 3 am Christmas Day...I was just too tired to look up the spellings for 5 different languages... I am lucky I remembered it in English :) Nite!

Until next time dear friends.

Besos,

Rose~

Rose boots????...and a lil Christmas cheat & peak :)

2009-12-14T19:36:00.000-08:00

**Giveaway Update** Lulu Kellog is having a giveaway and she is giving away this lovely crown...isn't it gorgeous!! Her blog and creations are just beautiful!! I thought I had lost her blog when we reformatted but I was lucky enough to find her again thru The French Bear...Thank you Margaret!

Giveaway ends Sunday Dec. 20 at 7pm est.

Clik here to enter to win! Good luck everyone!!!

Do my daughters know me or what...My eldest Ashley found these Uggs for me, both my girls decided that they were "me" and that I should have them for Christmas, they are tall, almost to my knees & ohh so warm! :) Well as you know...Being in So Cal. we are pretty spoiled with our weather..under 50 degrees and we are freezin :) more than a sprinkle and we are on "Storm Track Watch 2009" My out of state friends tease me and say that this is our whimpy way of keeping track of our sprinkes lol....although in all fairness, these last few days we have had much more than just sprinkles...it has been down right freezin and wet and yukkkk! Don't get me wrong we need rain....I love the rain when I am layin in a warm bed, reading....or sitting in front of a warm fire...but not out drivin in it and doing lifes day to day things...to be honest...the cold, dreary weather with all that has been going on, makes me a lil bit depressed...So my girls decided that I should have these pink rose Uggs, my Christmas gift from them, early...so that I could be warm and hoped it would give me a more rosy disposition....well...at least I look cute & warm when I go out :)

I know right....Sooo me~ You know being in So Cal...wearing Uggs whether you are wearing shorts, a dress, jeans, sweats and yes even a bikini...it is the norm, your arse might be freezin...but your feet will be warm...and well I don't know about you, but if my feet are warm ...I am good to go :)

Now before I continue with my post...just thought I would share another of "pudges" friends that has gone on to that loved toy bin in the sky...I think for Christmas I might get her a muzzle hmmm maybe one of those lil shock collars so that each time I see her getting that look in her eye..that says...destroy!!!... when she is playin with her toys...I can Zapp her :) lol Oy I have been listening to mr wonderful too long :) Just kidding...but I like to think that like with my kids...threats might keep her inline...although since it doesn't work with my girls..I guess with "pudge" it is wishful thinkin huh :)

RIP munkey, you served your master well....

Now these next few pictures are my Christmas cheat pics, they are from the dining room last year, but my decor this year as we get it done, IF we get it done, will look like this again...I liked the colors that we used, we added more browns, ambers & bronzes to our usual golds, reds, greens, pearl & creams...so I thought I would share that until we get this years decor up :)

Oh yeah...we were also in the middle of changing out our smaller china cabinet for a much larger one and had dishes and things on every flat surface in the house :) So please excuse the mess :) These were the dining chairs we had before the parson chairs we have now...I am thinking of putting these on Craigslist...maybe someone else can use them :) They are huge and really comfy but I wanted parsons with slipcovers...sooo....got the parsons, now working on getting the slipcovers :)

This my gorgeous mirror over the buffet, we do a swag over it every year...the mirror was $30 and it is huge and heavy!!! but was on clearance in the scratch and dent department....because it has a scratch on the bottom left that you can't see...but hey, reduced from over $200 :) so I was calling mr wonderful to hurry and help me because I saw others looking at it too...or maybe they were just looking at the crazy excited lady jumpin up and down :) nah it was definately the mirror lol....

Can you see my chandelier in the mirror? twas under $30 on clearance at JC Penny a few years ago, in a box brand new, I changed out the crystals, fruits just weren't my thing, so last year I bought some huge amber color crystals at Target and loved how it looked so much I left them on year round....oh and I painted it too...I will do a post on that another time...

close-ups of the garland...

This next picture also shows our buffet, I love it along with my mirror, it is a swapmeet find from a few years ago...under $60! I know right...what can I say...Sumptuous living at its best....cause this is how I roll :) I am still trying to decide...paint in a cream with a darker glaze to antique it and distress of course or redo it in the darker color it already has...it is a very huge, tall, heavy, beautiful piece that just needs some love :) I can see finished either way in my minds eye...gorgeous!

These next 2 pictures are a sneak peak at our tree...will post more pictures soon!

Night time picture with the lights on....no flash, but I loved the way that the picture looked..what can I say...I'm a goob :)

Daytime picture...

Well until next time dear friends....

Besos,

Rose~

The ultimate in Giveaway Love :)

2009-12-08T00:19:00.000-08:00

I think that we all have favorite blogs that we visit, we might even have a select few that we visit everytime we see they have updated with a new post and then there is yet maybe a handful that we consider our peeps...You know...those special blogs that you have made a real connection with their owners, perhaps you have met them in person, email back & forth alot or talk to them on the phone regularly and have become your "friend" in every sense of the word, other than actually meeting them in person and getting to give them a hug and touch them in some way that tells you...I am real...but you know in your heart...just how real your friendship is, because of the wonderful heart that they have and it comes clearly across on their blogs...well Dawn of The Feathered Nest is one of those friends for me :) I loved how Anne of Fiona and Twig called people like that, who give unending support and are just there when you need them in anyway, encouraging your blogging efforts as a "Fairy Blog Mother" or "father" I think she nailed it with that phrase...that is how I see Dawn....I even call her my art guru and my lil blog yoda, because to be honest I am not sure who Yoda is, but I remember my brother always saying that Yoda knew all and was all lol ....sooo regarding Dawn.... nuff said right :)

Well Dawn is having a Giveaway celebrating her....are you ready for this....seriously...you ready???

Dawn is Celebrating her 1200th post!!! Can you believe that!!! Not only that but she is also Celebrating over 400 Followers!!! Dio Mio!! lol I am still counting till the day I reach 50 posts or 100 Followers...which ever comes first :) I will be over the top crazy doing the happy dance to the blog gods and have to have a giveaway lol

Click here to ENTER to win...

**Remember...drawing ends Sunday, Dec. 13th at 6 pm EST**

Dawn is giving away this beautiful lil fairy bebe in a jar & that's not all...

She is also giving away this beautiful French themed journal !! And that's still not all....

She is also including 3 of her beautiful "The Feathered Nest" egg soaps in your favorite color, besides some other lovely lil gifts that she will surprise you with!!!....My stars how sweet and generous is that....

So this is where I tell you...Run...Visit her blog and enter...and oh yeah....good luck...my mama said I have to say that...even if I wanna be the one to win it all... because it makes me not seem gracious if I don't... and her and my Ita raised me if anything to be gracious...even when I don't wanna...dang it... lol So there mama...that was for you :)

But seriously...Good luck to you all :) !!!!

Until next time dear friends.

Besos,

ROSE~

A quick note & more giveaway love :)

2009-12-04T21:26:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone...Just a quick note...I seemed to have caught a nasty lil bug...see I knew I shoulda kept up with the 5 mile walks, I stopped awhile back and I am going downhill fast lol I am so slow right now that a snail could pass me up :) I have some good posts coming up...I promise...I just need to wait a couple of days so that I don't feel like I keep getting hit by that same semi truck each time I stand up...by the way...did anyone get it's license plate number? :) just askin...but in the mean time, I wanted to share a lil funny that our lil Lola or for those in the know...."Pudge" did yesterday, while I was crashed out on the couch...gotta love those good cold meds :) my eldest took these pictures with her cell...ahhh lil pudge...just wait till I am better and can string you by your eber luvin tush :) After you see these pictures keep going...there are some wonderful giveaways that you have to go enter and you know what I love most about these giveaways??...That I always find such wonderful new blogs to visit...and add to my Favorites List....Enjoy :) &.....GOOD LUCK!!

Awwww....Doesn't Lola "pudge" look like a lil angel???.......

Ha.....Don't let her lil cuteness fool you....see her lil eye???? she is squinting as my daughter Ashley was taking these pictures and asking her "What did you do??? Course "pudge" just kept on keepin on...but here is what she was up to...while I was in a cold medicine enduced sleep coma and not even havin a clue what she was doing at my feet....

Awww Pudge :(.....another one bites the dust...that toy basket of hers is getting awfully low in toys...but ya know...I am feeling like...this lil walrus looks lol....So we took pity on it and tossed it...no more stiches poor thing...pudge had the nerve to whimper around for hours looking at us like..."How could you???" Do dogs understand taking responsibility for your own actions....I wonder lol

Now......On to some important business :) Hurry and visit these blogs for your chance to not only win some great giveways but even better....for a chance to find some wonderful new blogs to add to your own list of "Wonderful Places to Visit and Just Dream"......

*** I put these in order of how soon they end....sooooo Good Luck...and yes I really do mean it...I am telling you these cold meds...are good! :) Now hurry up before I come out of my medicinal stuppor and start crossing my fingers...eyes...and other parts...so that only I win...me..me..me :) hey I warned ya...now RUN.....

Click on the names of the Blogs to enter their Giveaways!! :)

The Junk Exchange This one made me laugh...& cry and then ooh & ahhh....these are the best...aren't they...

Vintage Lizzie Very lovely blog...

My Bella Rose I know great name right??? :) Lovely & Beautiful Xmas decor too

My Trinkets Lovely Blog...

Now this last giveaway is just genius....sheer genius ...I tell ya....These are 2 sisters...yup TWINS...and by entering on both their blogs you get a chance to win some great gifts...gifts that btw...complement what you win on the other one's blog...GENIUS....I told you :)

Six Divided By Two & Six In One Hand Sooo much to see and & do... lovely X2

I just can't wait to feel better so that I can go back & visit these great "new" blogs and leave some comments on my favorite posts :) I will be back to visiting the rest of you (My peeps & U know who u are :) too...in the meantime...I hope this bug hasn't found it's way into your casa....so far I am the only one here....oh joy :)

Oh My Stars....did you see??? I have 73 FOLLOWERS :) WOOHOOO...Thank you all my newbie and past followers...you guys are truly my peeps :) Doin the happy medicine induced dance....I am writing this so that I remember later when I wake up lol

I see a Giveaway in my own future :)!!!

Until next time dear friends....

Besos,

ROSE~

Does anyone know how to get rid of all this empty space?? It wore me out trying to fix it and nada...still there :(

**Update...Thank you Nancy of Fete et Fleur & Tracey from French Larkspur for helping me get rid of all this empty space :)

Giveaway Love :).......

2009-12-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

Good morning everyone, I just wanted to share that the lovely and sweet Tracey of French Larkspur is having a wonderful giveaway! She is giving away a copy of the current Christmas edition of Jeanne d' Arc Living Magazine (and its in English, so not only will we get to enjoy the beauty of it...but we can understand it too :) along with 5 lovely ornaments from the vintage inspired line she carries in her store! My stars....how generous is that...she has the sweetest heart...Please, if you haven't been to her blog....It is absolutely gorgeous as is her store soooo...darn my stars... guess there go my chances :) But....go...run...don't walk..!! You are running now right??? wait!!! let me give you the link :) Wouldn't you running amok all over the internet, now would we :) .....and your welcome! Good luck to us all! (is it bad to say that and cross my fingers and eyes at the same time...hoping that I get to win?? :) Just askin...

Hurry...The giveaway ends tomorrow Dec. 2 at midnight!!!

Clik here to enter!!

Be Back a bit later with my new post...just wanted to make sure I remembered to share this wonderful giveaway with you :) You guys are soo sweet to thank me for telling you about these great giveaways....but.....pssst...just between you and me....I get 99 % of all the wonderful giveaway information from my wonderful friend and yours...Dawn of The Feathered Nest! :)

Until next time dear friends.

besos,

Rose~

A Wonderful Giveaway...

2009-11-29T23:32:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, I just wanted to tell you about a wonderful giveaway that Anne of Fiona and Twig is having. Please go visit her and see her lovely blog, I loved it, She has such a wonderful way of writing and making you feel so welcome, I haven't yet visited her Etsy store, but I plan on it...Enjoy your visit, I know I will be going back myself to visit and peruse her older posts. Good luck...The winner will be picked Sunday Dec. 6th so don't forget to enter....Good luck...No really...this time I mean it :)

Clik here to enter

I'll be back tomorrow with a new post...camera battery ran out and darn it just when I needed your opinion on somethin :) Please check back so I can get your valuable help, because your opinion matters :)

Until next time dear friends,

Besos,

Rose~

My wish to you for this Thanksgiving....

2009-11-24T10:16:00.001-08:00

My Thanksgiving wish for all of you is this....MAY YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING, FILLED WITH THE LOVE OF FAMILY, GOOD FRIENDS, DELICIOUS FOOD AND LAUGHTER & HAPPINESS AS WE REMEMBER THE CHERISHED MEMORIES WE HAVE OF OUR LOVED ONES THAT ARE NOT AT OUR TABLE THIS YEAR....AND GIVE BLESSED THANKS FOR ALL THOSE THAT ARE.

Here in our home the last few days have been a whirlwind of getting the ideas together for dinner, the shopping and prep for this years Thanksgiving dinner and get-together. We are all looking forward to it and somewhat dreading it at the same time. In the last 2 years we have lost 5 beloved family members...I know there are so many of you out there that have your own losses of loved ones this year...my heart and thoughts go out to each and everyone of you. With our family as I am sure with many of you, our get together will be kind of small this year, everyone is grown now and making plans of their own, but so far in our house, it will be my mama, my sister and her 2 beautiful children, my husband, my girls and myself and even though some of our most loved ones will be missing from our table they are here... in our hearts, thoughts and memories, as I am sure they will be in yours.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful day, it reminds us not just of all the yummy foods that I and I am sure some of you :) give yourself free license to enjoy as much as you want even for just one day or like me the left over heaven that is the WHOLE weekend (lol, I can always start my diet Monday) But most importantly reminds us...sometimes thru our painful losses...just how much we truly have to be THANKFUL for.

The wonderful June of Laughing with Angels did a beautiful post on this HERE and it inspired me to write my own...

Please indulge me a lil moment...

Even with so many losses to our little family there is still so much to be thankful for...
Me..myself...I am thankful for...

Our family being in good health and even though some of our family members are off with plans of their own, they are still with us in heart and spirit knowing that we will see each other through out the year on special occasions and on my favorite get-togethers of all...the just because :)...

That we have gotten a blessed chance to stay in our home...because so many others out there are not, and we are very close to being one of them...My prayers & thoughts go out to all those that have lost their homes or are in the process of...Things have to get better regarding this...they just have to...I don't think anyone should give up hope on this. But all prayers on this, for us and everyone else in this situation are welcome :) beacuse we never know how quickly our lives can change...

That we have a warm (well kinda, in a 1916 house, you can only get so warm :) home filled with the love of our family and good food to keep our tummys full...what else is there be at this moment for me to be more thankful for? Well good health...How in the world did I forget that one...

That even though we are missing some of our loved ones so much it hurts to breathe...we have been blessed with the gift of memory...to bring forth all those cherished memories of all those our hearts so miss...

That I have "met" so many amazing woman & men, here in Blogland that have so enriched my life....so much more that I could ever imagine....

That I "met" my wonderful friend Dawn of The Feathered Nest that is so full of love and understanding and gave me the gift of this Beautiful blog she made for me....that has so changed my life and given me so much...I cry just to think about how much it has enriched my life in so many ways!

That I am soo blessed to have so many amazing people in my life that love and support me unconditionally and trust me....I can sometimes make that not so easy...(who knew...right....lol)...

Thank you Chris...my own mr wonderful...for keeping my head above the water... when I was only too happy and ready to let the tides pull me under....

Now...I ask for just one more indulgence from you....(well in this post at least...see if anything I try to be honest....and your welcome :)...

Thanksgiving other than for the good foods and the days off from work, and getting to spend time with loved ones, well...I will be honest...since I was a child this was the reason I liked the holiday, for I had many more "important" ones ie...Christmas, my families birthdays...MY birthday...Hey I never said I wasn't some what selfish :) & yes we consider birthdays a holiday in our home...we celebrate you the whole day...week if you have been extra good :) lol

But these last few years with all our family losses...things in my mind and heart have changed....See like I have shared with you before....My dad...he made all the other holidays about us...Christmas, birthdays..forget about it...he made us all...his focus...But...Thanksgiving was his holiday....we all made it about him, his favorite foods, the whole family getting together...even if everyone came in shifts on the actual day or over the long weekend...but we all understood...it was his day....the day he ate the dreaded sour cherry pie in a bowl with milk over it :) yes...he always said it was a "Southern thing"...you Southern ladies will have to tell me if that is true or not lol He had so many favorites...chicken noodles with lots of gravy over mashed potatos turkey n lots of gravy.. and my ham! He LOVED my ham, our last Thanksgiving with him, I took it over whole to save time and cut it once we got there....he saw the pineapple on top of the ham...and had a fit...like only he could...lol I can laugh at this memory now :) He HATED pineapple (in my defense, who knew?) ...he was so mad that I had it on there and I told him" But Sonny, I have always made my ham with pineapple" he said "since when Dammit" lol like I said, he was a pistol and never held anything back :) I said in reply..."like since I made my first ham....the pineapple juice is even in the sauce I make to baste my ham....you ALWAYS tell me how much you love it and how sweet and moist it is, my stars your a big ole grump butt :)"....(dumb..dumb...did I mention DUMB on my part!) I shoulda just said I'd take the slices off the ham....but nooo....we loved to go rounds with each other...did I mention that before? lol

Well to my heartbreak now....he didn't even have a bite of my ham...I could see his mouth watering with each slice someone took from the platter (not to mention the dirty looks he kept giving me and the grumbling :) but he stuck to his guns...If I only knew that this was our last with him....I would have cut the dam ham at home and bought it on a platter like I always did...If I had only known.....oh god....give me a moment.....

This year...I will bring it to my mamas table on a beautiful platter and we will all have an extra piece in his honor....along with all his favorites...minus the sour cherry pie...although knowing my mama...it might be at the buffet...just incase anyone gets brave...I just hope she adds a lil sugar this year :)

The picture below is of our Beloved Sonny, where he was his most happy...besides being with all of us...his family...although he and my brother Perry loved playing golf together (it was their time)...it is a loss his group of friends and my brother couldn't get over and their weekly golf group broke up (I hope my brother will one day enjoy it again, I truly believe our dad would have wanted that)...to them all...I am so Thankful for giving my dad much deserved fun and happiness and a reason to leave the hospital...see I promised I would drive him around the golf course chasing all the hot big chested lady golfers...Sonny...so sorry I didn't get to keep that promise...We love and miss you more than words can say...but are FOREVER THANKFUL for the honor of having loved you in this life....

Besos to you all and until next time,

Remember to be Thankful for all your blessings no matter how small :)

***June...sorry I broke that long ass post promise :) Besos & hugs to you anyways!

Rose ~

Craigslist finds...Meant to be? That is the question...What is your answer?

2009-11-19T22:29:00.000-08:00

Before, I start this new post...I have to tell you how thankful I am to have found and made so many new friends here in Blogland...Your inspiration, love and friendship mean soo much to me, with each comment that you leave me and each visit that I make to your blogs...Well it just proves to me...that no matter how ugly, sad or blue things sometimes get and feel...that there is so much goodness out there...you just have to be open...to receive it....accept it and embrace it!

And Kelly....Thank you for another wonderful Kreative Blogger Award! Is it cheating if I go ahead and accept it and use what I already wrote in my last post here ? :) The only thing I would love to change is this...I love what Lorraine of Paper Bird said when I awarded it to her...she went Rogue :)!! and gave the award to all the wonderful, inspiring blogs...and THAT is exactly what I wanted to do..but I was afraid of breaking the rules....but....you know...sometimes you just have to bite it... and do what feel right! :) So ladies congrats to all your wonderful blogs... for being so beautiful and inspiring!

Now to my new post :) thank you for indulging me that lil moment...

Have you ever come across something that you just loved and knew it was meant to be yours? I seem to do that ALOT lol Sadly my house isn't big enough to cater to these strong whims...err feelings!

I LOVE CraigsList...I can't tell you how many amazing things I have found on it...that I have not only bought... but even gotten for free....but as much as I love these things...it has been the wonderful people that I have come in contact with and made wonderful friendships that I know will last...That has made me such a fan of it! Each time Mr wonderful has taken me to go pick up a new "treasure" he knows that it will be a few hours...even if it is 20 min away :) because we end up talking for hours and even getting together to visit again with many of these neat people :) So it is because of these amazing experiences that I have decided to write my Craigslist Chronicles....small random...out of order stories of my found treasures there....the wonderful people I met and how I have used my treasures...Every now and then I will add one to not only entertain you....but to make a permanent record of it...so that I will hopefully never forget these wonderful people that sometimes came into my life for what might seem a moment...but left such an amazing footprint in my heart....

My Craigslist Chronicles Part 1 :
Sonny's lil cabinet...

See that beautiful cabinet above??? I saw it on Craigslist just this past February and Fell in love with it...is it possible to fall in love with an object??? I think so...All I know is that I wanted it....I felt it MUST be mine...almost to the point of tears did I beg Mr wonderful that as tired as he was after work...that he just HAD to take me to go look at it (BUY IT) but knowing me...he already knew that :) On our way to look at the cabinet my mom called me...If you are familiar with So Calif...I live near Long Beach....the cabinet was in the Valley...we went on a Friday evening in rush hour traffic, took us over 2 hours just to get there.

As I was saying on the way there my mom called me...she said and I will never forget...."Sonny wants to go to the hospital...can you come take us?" I remember feeling sooo sick..like a bucket of cold water was dumped on me, I was suddenly sweating and with the chills... and trying not to cry...or vomit...sitting in the front seat of my husbands truck between him and my youngest daughter...I especially didn't want to scare her, she was only 12 years old. I was trying hard to keep it together. The last time I remember feeling that way was when I was told my dad Bob died...I was 10...and when my Ita (grandma) got sick and we lost her...just a couple of years ago...although it feels like yesterday...I hate that feeling and hope to never feel it again...wishful thinking I know...but it makes me feel better to say it to myself....

I explained to my mom where I was and that it would take me a few hours to get back home in Friday nite traffic! I asked her to call my sister and that I would meet them at the hospital...you see my dad Sonny....has NEVER asked to be taken to the hospital...not even when he had a massive coronary heart attack!...He was after all...a Marine...it just wasn't his style. BTW he had 3 of those and survived! I think that is why I was so scared...we were 1 block from where we were to look at the cabinet, my husband trying to calm me said " we're here....they are waiting, lets just look at it, and if you want it...lets take it home now" I agreed...When I saw it...I didn't even open the drawers...I wouldn't touch it and hardly looked at it, I asked its history I was told the original owner of their home had made it for his garage to hold his nuts and bolts back in the 50's from what the original owners wife had told them...I smiled because it reminded me of my dad and all his neato things in his garage...we paid and we left...from there straight to the ER, all I remember is that it was the longest drive... like we were driving through a few states....

At the ER that night we found out my dad had pneumonia, but then even worse...after 3 am we were told he had cancer...in his lungs...It wasn't good the Dr said...I am sorry but when the hell is cancer good??? The next 2 weeks my dad was in the hospital....we were all there with him everyday...trying to find out what exactly we were looking at, what Stage, what were his chances? We knew nothing....till I finally felt beyond over whelmed and I yelled and threatened the Doctors and was finally told "he has 4th stage lung cancer" and I was the lucky one that had to go and tell that information to my mom, my sister and brothers....hmmmm now I understand the story of Pandora's Box....a little too well...don't know if I will ever push for answers like that again....

During all this time this lil cabinet sat on our porch...I would walk by it...NEVER touching it...almost hating it...because I wasn't where I should have been the nite we got it...and I wasn't about to forgive that stupid cabinet for that lil tragedy...much less myself. Funny thing is that during those long days in the hospital...I told my dad all about it and I promised to show it to him when he got home...the idea of all those lil drawers intrigued him too :) We never got that chance....and still the cabinet sat on my porch. My husband finally said "we need to clean it and bring it inside, it is going to get ruined outside"...to be honest after we buried my dad...I could have truly cared less about that stupid cabinet...all those great ideas that I had for it...seemed ludicris to me now...I just wanted to give it back and have that nite we got it never happen....

I forgot to tell you...my dad Sonny was one of the few people that always supported my art work, my creativity...my quirkiness...he said it made me special..made me stand out...he always looked at what I created and made my head and heart swell with his praise...he also would listen to my ideas and add his 2 cents when he wanted too :) He thought the cabinet was great for my supplies and doo dads and said that when I didn't want it...he would take it from me anytime...and still I wanted nothing to do with the stupid cabinet....

Mr wonderful bought it in for me to clean...I had decided to do that and sell it...it actually made me sick to even look at it...so you can imagine how I felt cleaning out over 70 lil drawers! late at night as I took each lil drawer out to clean, I suddenly realized that at the bottom of the drawers there was writting....I figured it was the company that made the metal studs ( I know this, because hubby is in construction so I learned some lingo :)...that is what all the lil drawers were made of with lil blocks of wood as drawer fronts with tiny handmade knobs....I didn't pay attention to what the writing said...It was late, I was tired and I didn't feel like hunting down my reading glasses....but if you look closely there are a few drawers that are double the size of the medium size drawers....when I held it to the light....this is what I saw...

ALCOA....Now this is where my heart stopped...see my dad worked for over 4o years for his company...It started as another company called Voi Shan...where he met and fell in love with my mami and I like to think with my sister and I :) from there it was taken over or merged with other companies, I think that is what happened... anyways because the last I knew it was Fairchild...but I had forgotten that it had changed names one more time... in the end and even now... it is named.....Ready for this??????? ALCOA

All I remember is sitting on my couch with the rag and hugging the drawer and crying... I truly believe with all my heart that it was his way of telling me it was ok...that it wasn't my fault and to be happy and let creativity back into my heart and life... Or as he would lovingly say to me..."Go play...Artsy Girl"

As you can see from this last picture...we kept it...it is one of my most favorite possessions...That and the fact that everyone in our family has told me that when I am tired of it...they want it...even my mama when I told her the story...well she walked out of the room, I thought from her reactions that she was angry at me for telling her about my cabinet...but she left because it made her cry for a moment and being so soon after we lost him...she needed a moment that was just theirs...she went to their room to shed her tears...away from us all..but she did say if I still was intent on selling it...that she had to be the one to buy it....In this picture you see all the craziness that is my bebe studio...it is almost done...and when it is, you will see it in its new home and you know what? when I look at that stupid lil cabinet...it always makes me smile....so you tell me....Meant to be??.....what is your answer???

P.S. I love you Sonny...

So for those of you that have read this LONG post to the end...I thank you from my heart for indulging me in my story telling or as my best friend used to say....long ass stories that make her cry :)

***Just incase your intrested...it is craigslist.org and you just clik on your state and cities you are intrested in...also I always look at the Freebies section first...I know I just gave myself a ton of competition...but hey with friends, you share and do what you have to do right?....Good Luck treasure hunting :)

Today I get to visit everyone....feels like I have missed so much in just 2-3 days :)

Until next time dear friends,

Besos,

Rose ~

Beyond words & a"lost" treasure...found.

2009-11-12T22:29:00.000-08:00

When Rebecca of Rebecca for Vintage Living first gave me the Kreative Blogger Award, I was overwhelmed...why? Because of the simple gesture of someone who's work, blog and beauty of spirit so moved me...to have some one like her give me an award...well to be honest...it seemed backwards...I feel I should be the one thanking her and all the other wonderful woman that I have met through their beautiful and creative blogs a HUGE thank you for sharing their visions & thoughts with me. When I join in a Giveaway, I always feel guilty...I feel like I should be sending them a gift for sharing their beauty with me, for allowing me to peek into their lives and thoughts, hopes, dreams, artistic creations, love and yes even their pain and loss...without ever meeting these woman, they have become my friends, I care for them, I cheer them on when they want to try something for the first time and I bask right along with them when they are thrilled with the results of their creations...I laugh, cry and even get angry right along with them, when they share their stories, good or bad, heartbreaking or enlightening, I learn and get strength from them all...I can visit at anytime of the day or night and they never complain that I am visiting them in my finest...my AC/DC jersey, sweats or whatever was comfortable, hair in a bun on top of my head with strands falling out everywhere, and trust me there is alot, my hair is to my waist now...my "Ita" (grandma) used to call them my baby bird hairs :) and my make up...well lets face it, sometimes it is the makeup from the day before :) but none the less, I always feel welcome when I visit their blogs...So when one of the rules of receiving said award was to award it to 7 other blogs....well it was really hard because there are so many that I love and admire...but I chose the ones with people that I had made a connection on a personal level, who's artistic souls...keep calling me back and who's eye for beauty whether it is for an art creation or a found treasure from their beloved treasure haunts...they spoke to my heart...my mind...I think that Dawn, said it best... when I told her how I felt about these woman in Blogland, she said " isn't it amazing how woman we have never met, share our same tastes, love the same old tattered beautiful things...it makes us kindred spirits"...I thought I understood it, but now...I know it. (Dawn, I hope I quoted you right :)

So when I chose these ladies for their beautiful blogs that I love so much because...when I need to get away for a moment alone and refuel my heart...their blogs are always an inspiring welcoming place to visit...but the irony of it all is this...I gave these woman an award...yet... they all came back and left me the most beautiful comments...they made me cry silent happy tears...because the words they left for me...well...they made my heart and soul smile beyond words...Thank You Ladies!!!

Now on to a not so sappy moment...betcha thought I didn't have any of those...right? Go on... admit it...I feel you smiling! :)

I think over a year ago, while on a treasure hunt at one of my favorite thirft stores, I found these 2 gorgeous pictures with these 2 beautiful bebes...and to be honest I am not sure if they are boys or girls...but I just fell in love with them. The pictures...well please forgive them, I am a work in learning process (on so many levels lol) so the pictures aren't that great and the frames might look a little gaudy in color but really they are not, they are a lovely antiquey (is that even a word :) tarnished gold color, but they have the prettiest details in the corners...I forgot what they are called, appliques ???. When I first spoted them, I thought they were paintings, but when a nice man got them down for me (did I mention I am short lol) I saw they are seem to be printed on material like silk or satin, whatever it is...they are beautiful and I love them :) The pictures are about 8x10 maybe a bit bigger and the frames 11x17...couldn't find my tape measure, so I am totally guessing :) They had been "put away" whos knows where and to be honest I forgot about them, but when going thru things for my bebe studio, I found them in the back of a closet and I felt just like the first time I saw them in the thrift store...my lost treasure...was found! Anyways here are the pictures...please let me know what you think, I value all your opinions because I am always loving and drooling over your finds and wondering....my stars...where are they huntin and when can I go lol

This is the first picture...girl or boy, does it even matter? He/she is beautiful

Close up

This one is my favorite though...I just love this little bebe...again, boy or girl?

close up

I added these last 3 close ups... because I thought they were so pretty and could be enlarged to use for a project...if I am doing it wrong, please let me know, I have no idea how I would scan them to make it a better picture :) the material they are printed on feels puffy.

Heres the best part...they were only $4.94 for the pair!

Woooohooo I don't believe it...2 posts in 1 week!! I finally learned how to upload my pictures (cruddy or not...tis what you get :) and save them...hoping to start posting more often now that I don't have to wait on Mr. wonderful to help me on his free time...but nahhh don't count on it :) lets face it...I am still me :)

***One more special thing...did you notice??? I sure did, I now have over 60 followers!! After following and visiting so many of you, to have followers myself now is beyond amazing! Thank you, hmmm, maybe soon I can have my own 100th Follower Giveaway....one can wish right :)

Until next time dear friends.

Besos,

Rose ~

A wonderful award & Honoring our Veterans....

2009-11-10T23:28:00.000-08:00

I am truly honored and humbled to accept this Kreative Blogger award from the very lovely and talented Rebecca of Rebecca for Vintage Living. (if you haven't visited Rebecca's blog you must...it is so beautiful, not only for her beautiful pictures and art, but her studio and home will leave you practically drooling if not down right green, I know it did for me :) Once you start looking at her blog, it is kinda hard to stop, it is just one beautiful image and post after another...enjoy! ohhh and your welcome...(sorry couldn't resist.)

Rebecca was so sweet that she had already given me another lovely award when I had dislocated my arm, being that I couldn't really type I thanked her for it but didn't honor its rules (bowing head in shame) But honestly...in my sorry defense... being new to all of this, I wasn't sure what to do or how to do it, luckily, after I finally got to the nerve to admit and ask for help...I went to my wonderful friend...Whom you all know...Dawn of The Feathered Nest, who took a few minutes to explain things to me...Dawn what would I do without you?

So according to the rules on Rebecca's blog....I have to tell you 7 things about me and then award 7 other blogs..Soooo...ok ready?....seriously are you ready?....I know I am stalling but I am starting to hyperventilate and I am starting to see stars and my ears are buzzing....kidding...kinda lol.

1~ I fell in love with my husband when I was 16 and in high school, I saw him walking across the quad and said to my best friend..."see that guy, I am gonna marry him one day and we both laughed...We married...over 2o years later and I am still laughing :)

2~ I, like Rebecca and many others of you out there lost my dad this year, March 14th and even though I still miss him so much it sometimes hurts to breathe...the holiday I associate most with him is Thanksgiving because he always made birthdays and Christmas about us and all the grandkids, but Turkey day was all about him and his favorite foods...I hope we carry on those yummy traditions...even the tart cherry pie (mouth is puckerin just thinking about it lol)

3~ I have 2 daughters ages 19 and 13, who even though I love them with all my heart....and sometimes wish they were still like I see them in my hearts eye...little and sweet...sometimes wish they would grow up and actually act their age :)

4~ I have had the privilege and heartbreak of having and losing... not 1 but 2 wonderful, amazing, loving daddys in my life. My first daddy I lost when I was 10 and he was only 35...then like I said earlier, my dad Sonny, we lost just this year, he was 73 and amazing. As painful as it is losing these wonderful men, I thank God everytime I think of them, because I was loved so much by them both...the most amazing thing though... I was their step daughter...but never once did they call me that or treated me like that...to them, I was their daughter, they were my daddys...and that is all that mattered.

5~I am so thankful for all the wonderful woman I have met and become friends with thru this amazing thing called Blogland...in my darkest moments...visiting you and talking to you has helped pull me out of some of the darkest moments... you will never know how truly thankful I and my family who have seen what this means to me, are.

6~I have so many ideas, so many things I want to do and try....but there just never seems to be enough time with all my excuses :)

7~I have the biggest weakness for chocolate and that is why I will forever battle the same 10-15 lbs lol (pathetic...I know but tis me)

Whewww that wasn't so bad....really, the shaking is finally subsiding :) Now the 7 blogs I want to give this award to are as follows...( if you feel you can't accept this award...because sometimes...life gets in the way) that is ok, because you know how wonderful you guys are...this is just away of letting you know, others think it too :) *I forgot to ask if you can give the award to someone the person who is giving you the award, chose too?

If you get a chance, visit these wonderful blogs, they are truly beautiful and inspiring.
Dawn of The Feathered Nest
June of Laughing With Angels
Carole of Maynard Greenhouse
Nancy of Fete et Fleur
Ana of A Petite Cottage
Carolyn of Little Bear Studio
Lorraine of Paper Bird

***I wanted to award these 2 wonderful ladies also, Rebecca, who originally gave this award to me and Tracey of French Larkspur, although Rebecca gave her the award already, I wanted to also....In fact there were so many more I wanted to give it to, all you have to do is look at the right side of my blog and see all those wonderful blogs...and you would know that this post would then be more than a few pages :)
Thank you, Rebecca!

Now to Honor all our Veterans and all who are still serving now...Thank you for so unselfishly serving our Country to protect and honor it and us...May you come home safe to those that love you...Thank you, thank you, thank you, I think a thousand thank you's would never be enough. To our dad Sonny, who will forever be a Marine....Thank you Dad, we love and miss you everyday!

Until next time dear friends...

Rose~

Please indulge me in this lil mamie moment...

2009-10-21T22:23:00.000-07:00

My stars I remember the day that this picture was taken and how she laughed and ran on the beach and had her sister Ashley and her cousin Alisha chase her. She like me and my older daughter truly love the beach and the ocean...

She was walking on the beach leaving her footprints and when I realized what she was doin, I wanted her to turn and walk away from us so that I could take a picture of her, because it reminded me so much of my favorite poem "Footprints In The Sand" but she was tired, grumpy and cold...so this picture was as good as it got :) Never once did we think to GO behind her and take the picture lol

When I look at my daughter Anaissa now, this is still what I see in my hearts eye...she is now 13 and about 5'8 and I coulda swore 5'10 because she looks so freakin tall, I am 5'4 so it amazes me still...that I have to look up...if I want to look into my babys eyes...not to mention that it breaks my heart sometimes too :)

Both my daughters are brilliant...at least in my eyes :) They are both equally talented and love to draw, write stories, do journals and are just so artistic and talented that it blows my mind...I often wonder how, where did this talent come from? At just 13, Anaissa speaks like an adult... an albeit pompous adult :) hey I am "ama"...I can say that lol She loves big words and loves throwing her sister off with them...I can't tell you how many times I hear her leaving her big sister in a huff simply saying..."look it up" after insulting her and you know....(pssst don't say anything, this is stickily between us..but I sometimes have to leave the room because the need to laugh is just overwhelming...especially when I hear my older daughter yell "Mamie" and I have to define for her what her baby sister just called her :)

The other day, Anaissa left a paper at my desk that she was typing up for her English Gate class so uhmmm I stole this little piece...I couldn't help it...I thought it was beautiful :)

The Brightest Star...

A young girl. Full of love. Full of happiness. A bright girl.

One that literally shines with enthusiasm. A girl...that glows with

happiness & joy. She's carefree. She's young.

She is enlightened. She smiles & every other person in the world

can't help but smile with her. Star...That's what they call her.

The brightest of them all. The one that's not afraid of strangers &

embraces them with open arms. She's never afraid...

She's the girl I want to be. A girl, not a woman.

But sadly, that's a girl...no one will ever see.

Oh Nissa amor, if you only knew... that when mamie looks at you....that is the girl... I see :)

Update on me :) I am doing somewhat better...you know how it is...mom is always ON so too much too soon rehurting my arm and so I am slowly recovering...my stars feels like forever! but my arm is better each day...thank goodness it has been warm here in So Cali. because cold makes me literally see stars lol I hope to be back to posting more often and leaving more comments than I have...sorry, I have been visiting but was just too sore too type because well...I always have alot to say :) lol

Until next time dear friends...

Rose

A quick thank you and an update...

2009-10-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

How can I tell you how blessed...happy...surprised and even a little sad all of your amazing comments on my last post about my dads pancakes have made me. When I wrote about my dads pancakes...it was all because a beautiful picture of a plate with delicious and beautiful..yes beautiful looking pancakes bought such a loved memory of my dad from my heart to my head.

When I wrote about my memory it hurt a bit, especially when I told about his last days... remembering that is still so hard...but it also made me soo happy to remember him, his pancakes and his smile and even the grumpy comments he made when we asked for his recipe...I just never thought how many of you could identify with this memory and feeling too.

I feel so blessed to have soo many beautiful, wonderful memories of my dad, I am even thankful for the not so happy memories...because, you know my dad was after all only human...like the rest of us...but none the less, they are memories that bring him back to me if only for a few precious moments...but I am so thankful for them. Now for why everyones comments made me a little sad too...I think the realization that so many of us have lost loved ones recently, or are going thru something painful with a loved ones illness is heartbreaking...Also the fact that cancer is so often a part of this factor with so many of us makes it even harder to deal with sometimes...But I wanted to Thank All Of You, that took the time to read my LONG post and left me such amazing heart felt comments....Thru my tears from reading them...I thank you from my heart and hope that you all have some amazing memories of your own loved ones in your heart that bring you happiness when you most need it. Again, Thank You!!!

Now for my little update, I also want to thank you all that have been so sweet to email and ask how I am, it is a wonderful feeling when friends realize they haven't seen you around their blogs and wonder why (makes you feel special..right :) What wonderful "friends" I have made here in Blogland...Dawn...I forever thank you for that :) I dislocated my shoulder...thinking that I just pinched a nerve and that is why it was hurting so bad, I proceeded to try doing windmills (slowly)with my arm, thinking this would help losin up my arm and make it not so sore...SMART...yeah I get that now lol. After Tylennol and Advil did nothing and the pain was to the point it was making me ill, I finally went in to get my arm checked and found out I had actually dislocated my shoulder...yup and let me tell you not fun getting it put back either lol Guess those windmills were a really bad idea :) So I have been trying to visit your blogs still, because I miss seeing what everyone is doing but I haven't left comments...(typin with 1 hand is sooo slow lol ) and it was my right arm I hurt..., I am right handed, I know....only I could do that much damage...so well lol Hopefully in a few more days I will be back to commenting as well as visiting :) Hope everyone has a wonderful week....And if you are in So California....yay do you not just love this new cooler Autumn weather...just lovely, we are getting the sweaters and lap blankets out :) Tine for lovely delicious soups and oven dishes like meatloaf and pot roast with mashed taters....loves it!

Well until next time dear friends....

Rose~

A Time for Pancakes...

2009-09-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

Picture by the lovely Mari Eriksson

Is this not the most beautiful picture of pancakes you have ever seen? It was taken by the lovely Mari Eriksson of the gorgeous blog An Angel At My Table, this picture literally bought me to (happy) tears and inspired this post, It's with a happy heart that I thank Mari for sharing her beautiful picture with me and allowing me to use it in this post :) If you have never seen her blog, you really should visit her...Her blog is so beautiful and her pictures are truly gorgeous!

Have you ever noticed that there is ALWAYS a time for pancakes? Day or night...breakfast..lunch..or dinner...shoot or like me...a 2 in the morning snack :) Everyone likes them different...in our house, my kids slather them with syrup..my youngest Anaissa...always steals MY apple cinnamon syrup...my husband loves them however I make them, I love them with warm strawberry compote...but my dad...my dad...well he made the most delicious...scrumptious pancakes that I have EVER eaten. No one else can match his...my mom has tried poor dear...but I am always the first to tell her...good... but nope!! ( I know even in my 40's I give my mama a hard time :) I have eaten them at some fru fru restaurants and some not so fru fru mom & pop joints and still no one made them like my dad....

When I was a young girl I remember waking up on Sunday mornings when he would make pancakes...mounds and mounds of delicious tiny... fluffy... yet crispy melt in your mouth...yes so good you wanna smack yo mama pancakes!! I would eat soo many that you could probably roll my lil butter ball butt back to bed! On weekends I hated...did I mention HATED waking up early...In fact...I hated it so much that most Sundays they... notice I said they all got up early and went out to breakfast, my sister getting those stupid mickey head shaped pancakes with tons of whipped cream...but not I...even at a young age I had a more upscale palatte (but looking back now...maybe I was just lazy lol) I preferred to stay in my warm bed...but when the smell of his pancakes wafted into my room...no matter what ungodly hour it was...I sat straight up in bed and smiled! I also knew I better get my lil butter ball butt in there before they were gone :) My sister is 7 years younger than me but let me tell you for someone as tiny as she was...that child could pack them pancakes away!!!

To say his pancakes were good...was an understatement...everyone loved them, when he took us camping as kids...we begged for them...when later in years my parents took all the grandkids camping without the adults...they begged for them and I would actually grumble when my kids came back and said "Pampa made pancakes!" Did I sound and act like a 2 yr old..yes and I don't care lol

He would make what seemed like hundreds of tiny lucious pancakes and we would literally devour them...but he would as a "surprise" make a bunch more and leave them on a pretty lil plate for later...just incase someone had a hankerin for a mid day snack...miday...heck I made excuses to walk into their kitchen and snatch one or two.. many times through out the day...plain..with nothing on them...they were even more delicious...they had such a light taste and just enough sweetness that to this day I haven't found anyone elses to compare...NOT EVEN CLOSE !

Everyone asked for his secret recipe...he response..."No secret...just follow the directions on the box, not too damn hard"...then he would smile....

It had been awhile since I had his pancakes...my tummy and my heart were craving them...He was in the hospital still processing the diagnosis they had given him, just like we all were. That morning for breakfast they bought everyone pancakes...but they came back to his room because they had made a mistake he was to have oatmeal...he didn't mind...he said he actually preferred it...he said "you can't mess up oatmeal but the pancakes looked and smelled like shit" (sorry but he didn't believe in mincing words :)

The morning after he shared his last wishes with us all...he was preparing to come home and trying to make him smile I said..."just think Sonny...you can eat all the pancakes you want when you get home....course you have to make them" ( I know selfish of me to say but...Hey he smiled!!) He was walking around on his own...although a lil tired..he still insisted on doing things on his own, joking...just happy he was finally coming home...Well we never got that chance...to have his special pancakes...He came home the next day on Sunday, early evening...and by Monday morning he couldn't really talk or walk much less stand...By that night you couldn't understand what he was saying...it was heartbreaking because when he spoke it sounded like he was drowning...By that next Sunday he was with us only in spirit and we were all hanging on to each other to survive and we were planning his funeral...

How sad that with everything going on that all too short week we had left with him...no one thought to make him pancakes...no one thought to get his recipe...no one will ever get to eat his melt in your mouth..soo good you wanna smack yo mama pancakes again.......

The holidays are quickly approaching...I think we are all quietly dreading it here, Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday because my mama made it all about him and all his favorite dishes...because you see, he made Christmas, all the other holidays and all our birthdays all about us...but sharing this memory and others like this with my mom, husband...my girls...my sister and her lil ones....I think helps us ease into the upcoming holiday season...

So you see...sometimes a picture isn't just worth a thousand words... sometimes it is worth much, much more...like one special, precious..albiet...delicious memory....Again, Mari thank you sooo much for reminding me of my beautiful memory...And helping me to smile once again when I think of him...

Until next time dear friends...

Rose~

A lovely friends 1100th Post Giveaway!!!!

2009-09-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

My stars just writing that left me speechless....1100 POSTS!!! Say it with me...
1..1..0..0 !!!! WOW!!!

My sweetest friend Dawn or as I with carino (love) call her Lovey...of The Feathered Nest blog, is having a Giveaway to Celebrate her 1100th post! But as amazing as that is, she is also making a piece of art for the lucky winner!!! Have you ever seen her work?? It is so beautiful...I would even go as far as saying Delish..because it is truly a feast for the eyes :) I know there are some of you out there that are fortunate enough to have one of her beautiful pieces in your home...then you know...because I have one and everytime I walk by it... I SMILE...her work just makes you do that..well that and oooh and ahhhhh !

So go over to her blog and leave a comment...and enjoy her gorgeous blog!! Good luck!!!

(So is it bad Karma to want no one to listen to me and leave a comment to win?...just kidding...not really :) ...like I said...have you seen her work!! :)

Click here to Enter Giveaway!!!

I will post something new later tonight, I got over the flu, feeling better and catching up on everything that didn't get done while I was sick...you know how that is...and now my girls are sick so between that and all the stuff going on around here, I am visiting as many of your beautiful blogs as I can but I don't get as much time as I would like to post...I mean the ideas are there...it''s the get up and actually do part is that is sadly lacking :) Hope you all are well...

Until next time dear friends....

Rose ~

2 Wonderful giveaways, Jeanne d'Arc Style and a sneak peek...

2009-09-11T00:50:00.000-07:00

I seem to have caught a nice lil bug here and feelin a lil crappy to put it nicely...but I really wanted to share these 2 wonderful giveaways with you...The first giveaway is from the lovely Jana of the beautiful blog Collected Treasures, she is actually having a monthly giveaway on her blog...how great is that :)

Click here to enter giveaway!

The second one I already posted about here It is for the lovely Kathleen of the beautiful blog Musings From A French Cottage

Click here to enter giveaway!

Please...Take a moment to visit their beautiful blogs and enter their wonderful giveaways and just enjoy your visit...I know I always do!

Now for the Jeanne d'Arc Style part...well all I can say is this....And So It Begins...A new obscession that is lol Thanks to the lovely Carol of Maynard Greenhouse who was ever so sweet to send me the Jeanne d'Arc magazine as part of my winnings from her giveaway..that magazine and I seem to be joined at the hip :) I take it with me everywhere and right now feeling crappy like I am...I am literally going from the couch to my bed and back and always with that book...cause lets be honest...should you really call this beauty a magazine??? But when we were taking pictures of my winngings, I noticed that I had something in my home that was in the magazine..and add that with some tiny pewter chairs and metal flower frog and the lovelies that Carole sent me and well I am on my way to embracing this new to me style :) Don't get me wrong..I still love all my stuff...but I am looking at my things in a new light...The only complaint that I have about this magazine is that the pictures are sooo amazingly beautiful and I truly don't mind that I don't understand a word...at least until I came across the gorgeous pictures of FOOD and what I can assume are the recipes lol my stars how I wanted to be able to understand more than the pictures then :) sooo I was soo thrilled when I found out that they were actually bringing out the magazine in English this month...oh the joy :) Look at the pictures below and see what I mean about on to a great start....See my wire basket just like the one in the magazine picture on the top left hand corner...and to think I paid a whole $1.91... I knew I was getting a good deal :)

Now here is a sneak peak at the picture wall in my bebe studio...still need to add more pictures and put more things away...or should I say a TON of things :)

I love this wall cabinet...I paid a whole $10 for it...Gaudy?...maybe...but tis me :) I just need to add the glass shelves and my treasures...

Ok it is almost that magical hour again...2 am...so I think I better go try and sleep for a few hours before it is time to get up and start it all...all over again.

But before I leave you...Let us take a moment today to think of all those special people that we lost on Sept.11, 2001 on that awful day that forever changed our Beautiful Country and us... And whether you agree with these wars or not...God bless all our men and woman who are still in the fight...Bring them home safely to their families and loved ones...and Like I said before...God Bless America...Again

Until next time dear friends....

Rose~

My Treasures from Carole of Maynard Greenhouse ...

2009-09-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read right :) ...Treasures...all from the lovely Carole from Maynard Green House blog, whose giveaway....I was ever so lucky to win :)

First of all, I want to thank all of you for your patience...because truth be told...patience and I have yet to meet :) I want to thank my lovely friend Dawn for her genuine happiness in my winning and encouraging me to take as many pictures as possible and just trying till I was happy with the results and then that leads me to my Mr wonderful, thank you papi for your love and patience, taking picture after picture till I was happy... and I am sooo sorry for those extra grey hairs that I just added to your head...but really you look ever so more gorgeous and distinguished...so papi... your welcome lol.

But most of all Carole, thank you! You picked all these lovely things that I absolutely love...like I said before, I love your taste and I am amazed at how you just knew everything that I would love...also Mr wonderful say thanks alot for the Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine and sending me into a whole new frenzy and obsession lol

Now without further adieu...please enjoy the treasures of this lucky duck...

In this first picture, please excuse the palm tree fabric parson chairs :) they are waiting for drop cloth slipcovers ... just imagine how they will look :)...Thank you for that idea, Dawn :)

I love, love this...I think I will leave it just like this...

look how tiny this lovely lil package is...I love love tiny things...

But look at the treasure that was waiting inside....

simply lovely....

que lindo....how lovely....

look at what pretties were in this music sheet package...

you see now why I felt so guilty opening these lovely packages :)

but look at the lovelies waiting inside....

mine, mine...mine

mine, mine mine...all mine...my stars I sound like I am 2 :)

we took about 60 pictures, I cut that to 20, I edited that to these....I didn't want to scare you off...but I did want you to enjoy all the lovelies that Carole was so kind to send to me...everytime I walk by the table and see these things...I smile...I gush and I say...THANK YOU, CAROLE...and then I say...mine, mine, mine...seriously..ask Mr wonderful :)

I hope you enjoyed all my treasures as much as I have and like said...it feels like I got a present from one of my favorite rockstars ;)

Until next time dear friends...

Rose~

A Fabulous Giveaway!!

2009-09-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I just wanted to share this "Fabulous Giveaway" with you...Kathleen of the Beautiful blog Musings From A French Cottage is having a giveaway! I know many of you already know about her blog, I have been quietly lurking on it for awhile, but if you haven't visited...GO... you will love it :) I will be back a bit later this evening with my post and pictures of my Maynard Greenhouse winnings :) Sorry but mamas back in town and have to spend some time with her too, we missed her and did I mention her cooking lordy...that is where we are off to now, to go have a yummy homemade mexican dinner...hmmm I wonder how it tis that eating all this yummy stuff I am not over 200 lbs again, cause I love me some good mexican comida :)

Clik here to enter giveaway!

Don't forget to clik on the big blog name above to enter :) Good luck to you all, maybe it is your turn to be a lucky duck!

Until next time dear friends,

Rose ~

A Beautiful New blog to me and a wonderful Giveaway!...

2009-09-06T22:43:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I just found out about a beautiful blog this evening from...you guessed it Dawn :) This is a gorgeous blog by Tracey, called French Larkspur and she has a wonderful store that she just opened and in its honor she is having a wonderful Giveaway, but it ends in just a few hours, sorry that I am letting you know about it so late but I know that even if you don't make it in time for the giveaway you will love her blog. Good luck to you all :)!!!!

Clik here for French Larkspur Blog, to enter giveaway :)

Until next time dear friends,

Rose ~

Don't you just love a good tease....

2009-09-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone...I just wanted to share some great news with you really quick :) On Wed. afternoon I recieved the best package in the mail from the ever so sweet Carole of Maynard Greenhouse Blog. Incase you didn't know...I.. me! me! me! was ever so lucky to have won her 100th Post Giveaway! I will be honest when I got it...I started shaking...yes I have gotten packages in the mail before :) But this was different...Let me try and explain my craziness...See when you visit blogs and admire so many of these wonderful talented ladies and then one day...get so amazingly lucky like me, to "meet" My Fairy Blog Mother Dawn, of The feathered Nest who grants my wish and gives me my very own blog and then what seems like magic...these wonderful woman that I so admired for so long are suddenly visiting my blog and leaving me the sweetest comments well...that was over whelming in it's self...and then this....this has been something that I NEVER would have thought...not only did I win an actual Blog Giveaway...but it was from a woman who's blog I had so admired for so long...well she...and the other woman whose blogs I love are like my rockstars...does that make sense??? Anyways I digress...as usual :)

So when I realized who the package was from I started to shake...I was sooo excited I had my husband tear the box open for me...that way incase I ruined anything I could blame him (jk..well not really lol) But well when I looked inside there were all these small packages all so beautifully wrapped and I froze up lol I sat the package on my dinning table and walked away ( I love beautiful packages, I am all about the details..I just didn't realize how guilty I would feel to "take them apart" lol )..I was actually scared to look inside and see my treasures lol

See I knew to expect that beautiful magazine Jeanne d'Arc Living...which everyone so loves and maybe one or two lil gifts that she mentioned...but...I wasn't expecting all THIS...Ok so I finally get the nerve to open my beautiful packages and start to take pictures to share with you all...well because in all my "research" visiting all your wonderful blogs...this is what I see you all do when you receive packages so..You know I have to try an emulate the greats :) And wouldn't you know it after 2 pics my husband says "hunny...the batterys dead..gonna be a few hrs to recharge" lol thats life for ya... lesson learned today...when you Officially become a "blogger" you must always have camera batteries ready to go :) So I was able to take a picture of 1 package that was so beautifully wrapped and you know what...it was the magazine and I have been looking at it through out the day every moment that I have gotten a chance too. Tonight I will finish taking pictures to share with you and I will post this weekend to share all the beauties that I got from Carole and I will tell you this...from what I have seen so far...if you have ever visited her blog...then you know...the woman has amazing taste and I am truly one lucky duck...

Have a wonderful safe weekend...may you be surrounded by the love of family and good friends...just enjoy yourselves and eat all the yummies your tummies and hearts desire..we can always diet on another Monday...after all there are sooo many in a year !~

Sorry to be such a tease but with family weekend commitments and trying to think of what I will bring to the get togethers that start tomorrow...well I hope you understand that I wanted to at least share that I received my package and what it meant to me...

Until next time dear friends,

Rose ~

Ode to the Rump Shaker....

2009-08-28T13:40:00.000-07:00

At this moment that Tobey Keith song keeps springing to my mind...you know the one.."How You Like Me Now!!??" Yes I know...but at this moment I am happier than a monkeys butt! I have gone and officially done it...mmmmhhh hmmmm...I have mastered the art of adding blog links to my blog!!! Only took me foreva!!! But hey...all I know is that at this moment in my own special lil way on this beautiful hot! Humid! did I meantion FREAKIN HOT day in So. Cali...I am waltzin around my house doin my version of the "Rump Shaker dance" yup..ahh huh...thats right...I know I gave you a stunning visiual of that a few posts ago...but you know I now have a better one lol!!! Have you seen the movie "The Proposal"? Well in that scene in the woods when Sandra Bullock does her version of the Praising the Gods dance w/the ever so lovely and vivacious Betty White...well...that be me!!!!

So everyone...while I might not always have informative...beautiful posts and pictures...you can honestly say....you will never be bored with all the amazing links I have provided from my tireless searching on all those other blogs...this is a wonderous columnation (is that even a word?) of some of the best blogs out there for your enjoyment....it was hard, hard tedious work, endless hours or perusing ALOT of blogs...hours upon hours of ignoring my poor family...all for you to have some lovelies to look at....YOUR WELCOME :)
I know that there are hundreds more...but honestly I wasn't sure #1 how many I could add #2 if I lose these links...I will be heartbroken...cause it was alot of freakin work :) #3 and most important... I was tired and hungry..ENJOY

***I told you tiny things to you...are MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS...to me :)

So...does this mean my blog is going to load up really slow now???

Until next time dear friends....

Rose~

A wonderful giveaway and a bebe studio update...

2009-08-26T00:19:00.000-07:00

I am all about supporting other blogs, especially after I got my own, the support and friendships that I have made here are amazing...so when someone has a giveaway for their readers...I think that is just great...but when it is such a wonderful blog to begin with, well how can you not share it with others...so I am sharing a blog that I found thru Dawn of The Feathered Nest (btw have you seen her new picture on her header, I think that is what its called, it is gorgeous! I am so glad that she shared this blog, because I might have found it myself somewhere down the line, but this way I get to enjoy it NOW and I am all about instant gratification....Bet you never woulda guessed that huh? (do I hear you smirkin? ) But seriously it is a beautiful blog thru which I have already found other wonderful blogs. I so love when people share such wonderful links on their blogs, as soon as I can master that next herculean (sp?) feat I will be adding them to my side bar too. Dawn already gave me a mini turorial...I just have to work on it :) Patience be not thy (my) name!

Ok...ok...so without further Adieu....Please go and visit the very talented Margaret of The French Bear Blog she makes the prettiest bears, bunnies and even dolls and not only that but I think her blog is ever so pretty and I just wanna bring all her creations that I have seen so far home with me :) So enough chit chat and hurry on over there because I believe she picks a winner this Friday.

clik here The French Bear Blog

Good luck everyone!!!!! Maybe...Just maybe it's your turn to win a wonderful giveaway and just think...you can then post about bein happier than.....come on you can say it...try it... you might like it....it rolls right off the tongue...Happier than a monkeys butt!!!! ... see I told ya :) (don't know if that helped you but my stars sure made me smile) And remember at least here...it's all about me....Ha!

And now onto my lil bebe studio update... I know it is drama that you have all been faithfully following soooo...

My goodness with everyones wonderful comments inspiring me along, I am in and out of the studio, moving things around and then changing my mind and moving them again and again and again...did I mention I think Mr wonderful is feeling not so wonderful :) The picture wall that is on the right side of my studio is really starting to come together, I am sitting here just looking up and smiling...I swear lil things make make me happier than a monkeys butt, maybe that is why Mr wonderful hasn't complained. I seriously believe that seeing me happy... makes him happy...(kinda full of myself huh? I can't help it, he does that for me :) He has been measuring walls, putting up pictures and wall display cabinets then moving them around because I find that I actually like them over there...rather than where I thought I liked them here....(hey I never said I was easy lol) but I am going for a look in my head that makes me happy and like I said what I am seeing so far is making me happier than...you got it...a monkeys butt! (I can just hear everyone reading this and thinking lordy will she ever get this done... I know this cause, I keep askin myself that same question lol. In a couple of days I will post some more pictures of our progress, just busy the next few days getting my youngest ready for school on Monday...Goodness she's starting the 8th grade and my eldest is now in her 2nd week of college...where did the time go??? Makes me wanna weep that I feel I missed so much and then I see what amazing young woman they are becoming and I wanna weep from happiness :) I know...I'm a goob, I am the VP of that club, I will save the Presidential spot for Dawn :) I know she would appreciate that :) I mean come on...I am usually all about me and here I am willing to take second in command....shhh don't let my kids know, we have a rule in this house...it's all about me...(lol don't I wish)

Well, again it is almost 2 am and I need to crash or risk waking up with a swollen face and eyes again...btw...when did that happen? Seems I hit 41 and late nights just aren't what they used to be..I mean...I used to wake up looking good no matter how much I did or didn't sleep! (right..look good, maybe I just didn't look in the mirror as much lol)

Until next time dear friends....

Rose~

Oh My Stars to Infinity...

2009-08-23T00:27:00.001-07:00

Oh My Stars...that is what keeps going thru my head this whole weekend. Lately things have been up and down around here...one moment I am laughing watching a comedy with my kids, to watching a classic that I used to share with my dad and thinking...I have to call him in the morning and tease him that he missed one of our favorite movies "Kings Go Forth" because he goes to bed so early to make sure he is not one of but THEE first person at the Golf course on the weekend :) and then I realize...wait, I can't call him, not anymore and the saddness seeks into my heart and my bones once again as I sit quietly late, late at night by myself and cry quiet tears because I don't want my family to worry. What is it about quiet tears that... I don't know maybe it is just me...but they hurt lol, my chest and my throat burn and I sometimes get a lil headache...maybe that is why they say to "let it out...you'll feel better... hmmm makes me wonder :) Then I visit my neighbor Renie and her beautiful baby girl who looks like a kewpie baby with huge eyes...did I mention HUGE eyes? this lil girl lights up as soon as she hears my voice and my stars that does my heart good! I will laugh with just the sound of her laughter till my eyes burn with happy tears...go figure :) Babies I think are one of God's greatest medicines (my opinion)

Wait I need to go back, to last week and feeling impending dread cause my mama was leaving for 1 week, I dunno maybe it was losin so many family members and loved ones in such a short time, that I was trying to keep myself from freakin out each time she reminded me of her plans...hmmm who woulda thought that at 41 I would be scared cause my mama was leavin for a few days :) But trust me I was...that and who would I talk to 20 times a day just to say "Hola, whatcha doin?" our usual reply "Nada and you?" lol then we talk for about 20 min about what we did since the last time we talked :) lol Lord the small things that make my day...I must be getting old :) This evenings she called from Mexico to let me know she got there safe and was visiting with family and forgot to call in the morning...did I mention all day I was wondering if it was overkill to call her cell and set up GPS lol...All I can say it is...hearing her voice calmed my heart, made me feel like she was sitting in her living room close by and not a whole county away.

late Friday nite I had the most amazing news... I WON the giveaway by Carole of the beautiful blog Maynard Greenhouse I just couldn't believe it! I won this beautiful magazine called Jeanne d'Arc Living! It looks like such a beautiful magazine....but thats not all, Carole is so generous she is actually sending something that is in the Jeanne d'Arc Living style. To me the magazine was such a sweet and generous gift but then to add anything else well...if you know her blog...then I guess it shouldn't be a surprise :) She loves tiny things too...but not only are they tiny, they are gorgeous and the way she photographs them well...all I can say is I wish she gave picture tutorials :) I am all about the details and she DOESN'T disappoint :) oh hey...that is a post idea for another day....I would love to see all the tiny treaures that make your heart smile :) Look at this gorgeous magazine...even the cover makes you want to sit in a quiet spot for some 'Me" time :)

But as I was saying before I so rudely interrupted my train of thought (I tend to do that ..ALOT) ...I was so excited talking on the phone to my dear friend Dawn of The Feathered Nest, since my best friend and hubby (same person) wasn't home yet, I shared my wonderful news with one of my sweetest friends. You know what was wonderful? Hearing the genuine heart felt happiness in her voice when she congratulated me. She truly is a heart. Tell me how you can not know someone in person...but yet you "know' Them?? Because let me tell you I can talk to her for hours and she is just the most amazing person, she makes me laugh at myself when I need to and she teaches me things that I never knew art wise and when my heart is hurting...she just listens...My stars...that to me is a wonderful friend. We share so many of the same likes and dislikes and I love that she calls me a goober and it doesn't hurt my feelings at t'all because....I know its true lol I mean come on who else but a great friend can laugh with you when you tell them some tiny accomplishment that might seem absurd to most but was MAJOR to you and understand where your coming from? which leads me to my next Oh MY Stars moment lol

Ok everyone ready for this....wait let me take a breath cause I am getting so excited again, that I am starting to get light headed from breathing so fast from the utter excitement ( and yes, thinking of winning Carole's giveaway does that to me too lol) Ok fair warning to EVERYONE out in blog land :)......ready...wait...trying to build up this amazing moment...ready...lol sorry I digress....I just heard Dawn calling me a Goober in my head :) ok here we go...I LEARNED HOW TO BECOME A FOLLOWER FRIDAY!!!! YEAH !!!!!!!!

Ok...wait a minute...gotta stop and...Do the "rump shaker dance"...you know the one that Cameron Diaz did in that first Charlies Angels movie, you know the scene from the Soul Train dance show?? well...lose that visual lol I did the dance alright but as my daughters let me know... my rump didn't shake...but hey I tried :) lol (hmm how can I do squats to get a booty without locking up my knee & blowin it out again? ? anyone have any ideas? cause hey I might be 41 but I would love a firm booty cause well ladies...have you seen my man...nuff said lol )

But really...If you see my lil icon...know that I might be a "new follower" but more than likely I am an "old lurker"...wait that doesn't sound right...but well you get the jist :)

I'm telling you I heard fireworks and band music when I saw that I had actually did it right and officially became a FOLLOWER!! Funny thing is my whole life I was told to do my own thing...not to be a follower, to be true to myself and be different....yeah whatever... I was thrilled to be a FOLLOWER :) sooooo...if you suddenly see this lil icon on your blog....TIS ME :)

Isn't this a gorgeous picture of me??? I know, I know...thats what I said...well that and that at my age I really need to learn a lil modesty :) But hey...at least in this picture I have a cute butt :) lol Actually when I joined my first blog, the lovely Susan's Peanut Petunia....I tried to upload my picture that is on my blog and well lets just say that until I learn to edit pictures...I didn't think you would appreciate seeing my nose and eye and my gorgeously arched eyebrow bahahahaha :) So I got this beautiful lil angel baby from Dawns blog, she shares some of the most beautiful images on her blog for you to create with...I am telling you as my dear friend Don from Tenn. that is now gone used to say "She is GOOD people" In my hearts eye...that means everything :)

Now I want to share something with you that I shared with Carole of Maynard Greenhouse...I trully hope she doesn't think I am nuts...but well maybe I am but...right now I am as my gorgeous lil niece Bella once said..."happier than a monkeys butt" lol Cause ladies, if you've ever seen a monkeys butt it has a rainbow and well...how can you not be happy with a rainbow on your butt? My Stars I guess you can't fight the logic of a 7 year old lol

Well dear friends its 2 am here and my sleepy pill is finally kicking in....hope everyones weekend is an "Oh My Stars Weekend" too...

*** Just a lil note I wanted to add...when I wrote this post, that first paragraph wasn't meant to make anyone sad, it was just one sad moment in a weekend of some wonderful moments that I wanted to share...But seeing the beautiful comments that I have gotten, made me understand that there are so many out there that have either gone thru what I went thru or they are going thru it now and understand what I am feeling. I cried when I read your comments...but they were happy tears...these didn't hurt :) but truly I want to thank you from the depts of my heart...you know the sweet part that would share my favorite last piece of Godiva chocolate cheesecake with you...If you have ever had some of this cheesecake heaven...then you know I am must really mean it if I am willing to share it with you :) XOXOXO.......

Until next time dear friends....

Rose~

My Bebe Studio... A work in progress...Enter at your own risk...

2009-08-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

Did I mention it's a VERY LONG...LONG PROCESS? Ok, so not sure if you remember my earlier post about my bebe studio (here) that wants to grow up and be just like Dawn's of The Feathered Nest (You can see my inspiration by clicking on her Blog name) Well...I know that I have sooo many posts...as those of you that have been keeping up with my blog can surely attest too :) so to help you find it easier just clik on the bold (here) above. Well Dawn, my sweet wonderful friend, said that I should show pictures of it as it progresses and well...I forgot to show some before pictures of the maddness that I am about to show you... sorry (I love looking at before & after pictures...so this is just for you guys that like them too...your welcome) Like I said in that past post, my Ita (grandma) is having fits for sure :) I figure if she pulls on my toes or worse...my hair while I am sleepin...I can always tell her it was Dawn's idea :) (Dawn if you wake up suddenly, sorry :) Goodness I sound like my kids passin the buck... I guess now I know where they get it from... well nice to know I am passin on somethin worthwhile :)

Does it seem like I am stalling???.......It's cause I am....Is it workin?....NO?...Darn, I thought not...well alrighty then...without further adieu...

Welcome to my present maddness. Now mind you that just like I keep reminding myself that this maddness is just temporary...Look at the date of that last studio post....SMILE...Now in a month or so...remind me that this IS only TEMPORARY...Deal?

This first picture is what you see when you walk in from my livingroom into my Bebe studio....I know...I know...sorry, gives me the chills too...and not in a good way *wink lol All I can say is thank goodness for pocket doors!!! (see that armoire? It is soo neat. I want to replace the stained glass doors with regular glass and vintage curtains (thank goodness I have people) and if you look on the left side of the armoire you can see all those lil shelves... they are moveable and can pull out and the door pulls UP just like on a roll top desk :)

Picture #2 is facing the right, I actually get a whole top of the wall to hang pictures! I am soo excited. We have a 1916 house and well...wall space is practically nill and windows are too abundant :) Wait... I digress...Ok this is my one of my work tables, I will hopefully soon have the computer outta the studio... I know I will hate walking to another room to use it but well...it is takin up VALUABLE space. I love those 2 metal and glass display cases...they are a future project...I am going to paint them a beautiful antique aged bronze with either dark brown or cream colored velvet on the bases. (Did I mention I am the Queen of Unfinished Projects? Well, I am...Hey Mr. wonderful even bought me a banner to prove it...Smile...)

Picture #3 is to the left (what would you do if I didn't point that out? Hey unlike most people...my brain does not come with built in GPS, this is for any others out there like me, I got your back :) That is my Ita's sewing machine, I used to "help" her sew on that when I was lil...I wonder if that is why she was always so tired after we were "done." Hey I would push the treadle for her with my own two lil hands :) She used to make me the prettiest doll clothes, wonder whatever happend to them. That area will be a special space dedicated to her, with all my (our) vintage sewing things. The sewing machine says Princesa sewing machine company, I can't find any info on it :( But it is really gorgeous. You know of everything that I own...that is my most cherished possession. My stars I miss her...

The final picture is the left, back corner...oh my stars did you see? I actually have a lil bit of window peeking thru my stuffs...I might just get some natural sunlight after all and not feel like I am in a cave :) That apothecary chest on the other side of the filing cabinet, the pine colored one...that will be my future doll hospital... or as I call it Doll Central lol Now looking at all this stuff can you see why I keep feeling overwhelmed and always closing those pocket doors to forget what is on the other side? lol I know when it is done I will be beyond thrilled... I want my bebe studio to look like an old mercantile store/art studio/display for my junk (treasure...to those in the know, that's everyone...right?) Have you seen the new VICTORIA Sept/Oct issue? The article called Crown Jewels on page 76-81 is my dream studio style...one can wish....Blog gods, are you listening?

Now, I have a favor for you guys out there in blogland...please, please put in a good word for me with the blog gods....that I get this done in this lifetime, I sure would love to have somewhere to create :) Thank you, I would do the same for all of you wonderful friends in a heartbeat~

I still have to decide...chandelier or pretty ceiling fan...I mean...I know I can always run outside for some air when I start to feel light headed...but my lil chandelier has pink porcelain roses and lots of crystals...never mind...dilemma solved!! ( I have plenty of paper I can make pretty fans with :)

I just realized that my bebe studio looks worse now than in my first post about it lol. Sad thing is... this lil voice keeps telling me to "purge stuff" and in my defense as you can attest to by looking at these pictures...so far I have been pretty darn good at ignoring it!~

Right now the plan is just to get everything where I want it, put things away in a somewhat orderly fashion (hey I told all you that I left comments on your "Where you create" blog party that if my studio was 1 tenth as orderly as yours I would be thrilled...thrilled I tell ya! See I wasn't lyin :) Then once everything is somewhat where it should be, I will start taking storage pieces out and redoing them (painting, cleaning, restaining etc...) then repainting the room, redoing the hardwood floors etc...etc....See their is a master plan, really there is (actually as you more than likely already figured it out by the placement of my things...I am making it up as I go...feel free to borrow this method anytime....your welcome :)

Before I end this post...I thought I would share this little tidbit of truth with you...You know why it takes me sooo long to post something new?....Well it is cause I am ALWAYS visiting everyone else's Gorgeous Blogs and leaving comments (cause I want you guys to feel special too, like I do when I read the lovely comments you all leave me)....See passin the buck...you can borrow that lil bit of knowledge anytime...I told you, I got your back...and you got it...your welcome :)

My stars did you see....I have 26 lovely followers...When did that happen??? I am one lucky duck!

Until next time, dear friends....

Rose~

A Wonderful "Give Back", 2 Give Aways!!! & My Own lil Pearls of Wisdom...

2009-08-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

My stars don't you just love "Give Aways"? I sure do and maybe one of these days, I will be one of the lucky ones winning one, but until then I want to tell you about two beautiful blogs that are doing just this.

First is 52 Flea. Laura is doing a wonderful "Give Back" don't you just love how that sounds :) Laura has a beautiful blog that once you visit one time, you will keep coming back over and over because of the beauty that she captures in her pictures and her posts. I borrowed one of her pictures to tell you about her "Give Back" because well...Look at the picture... need I say more. One of the neatest things about this give back is that she will shop for your favorite things while she is out treasure hunting herself at the Madison Bouckville Antique Show , if you are the winner!!!

52 Flea 200th Post Give Back!!!

The second Give Away is from Carol of the beautiful blog Raised In Cotton who is celebrating her 4 year Blogiversary!!. Carol's blog is also gorgeous and my stars wait till you see the pictures of her dream house. While you visit her blog and enjoy the beauty of it, make sure you visit her her store too, she carries some beautiful items including these magazines, 4 issues of which she is giving away to one lucky winner!!

Raised In Cotton 4 Year Blogiversary Give Away!!!

The final wonderful Give Away is from Carole of the beautiful Maynard Greenhouse Blog, celebrating her 100th post!! She is giving away the 3rd issue of Jeanne d'Arc Living, but not only that...She will be joining Laura of 52 Flea treasure hunting at the Madison Bouckville Antique Show where she will be shopping for a few items with a Jeanne d'Arc Living look about them for the winner!! If you haven't been to her beautiful blog, please do. It really is beautiful, she shares her beautiful pictures and lovely posts....I especially love the black and white pictures.

Maynard Greenhouse 100th Post Give Away!!

Just make sure to visit each of these beautiful blogs and leave a comment. Click on the large bold blog name...Good Luck Everyone!!!

You know it still amazes me that up until a few years ago I didn't know what a blog was...I know...scandalous! One of my girlfriends has had a blog on Zanga for years, I have loved that it was like a journal letting me keep up with what she has been up too and how her family is doing. Less than 2 years ago, I found my first "art blog" and I was hooked, these amazing woman had these little link thingys on their wonderful blogs that just opened up a whole new world for me. I found one amazing woman after another who not only showed their beautiful creations, but they sometimes even shared tutorials, simple how to's and gave ideas for decorating, even redoing furniture, paint techniques and the most amazing thing...they shared their lives with us, through pictures and the written word, they became "friends" who you could just grab your coffee or tea and in your jammies or sweats no matter what time it was...early in the morning or late, late at night, you could just have a wonderful visit and catch up with each other. I am embarrassed to say....well..not really lol that I would often tell Mr. Wonderful..."Oh my friend so and so did this or said that or posted the prettiest picture" or my favorite....You just don't understand hunny, they just so get me, they like the same things I like and they don't think I am nuts cuz I get excited when I find a box full of old buttons, lace, vintage papers or pictures, old baby clothes and practically start jumping up and down from excitement, while trying not to yell "This is my best find EVER!"(well till the next best find)....you get what I'm saying right....see what I mean :) Then these lovely woman do one better and do a "Give Away" or a "Give Back" and the funny thing is that I am the one that feels I should be giving them a gift for sharing their beautiful blogs with me. Funny thing is.....now I can't wait to have a few more posts under my belt so I can do a "Give Back!

Until then my dear friends....

Rose~

Pretty chairs and finds...

2009-08-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I wanted to share these pretty chairs that I found and hope to make into something that looks as close to the ones in the picture below as I can. See the pair to the far right...the gold oval backed ones with what looks like embroidery, aren't they beautiful... Well don't get too excited because I wish those are the ones I found (wink)

(I am not sure who's blog I got this beautiful picture from, but if you recognize your beautiful work, please let me know and I will give you full credit. You take amazing pictures. )

Now that you have seen those beauties, and ooohed and ahhh'd like I did...take a look at the not so pretties I found.... I shall call them my Cinderella Chairs, because I hope I can transform them into something beautiful. I have some beautiful material close to what the ones in the picture above have but I have no idea what to do as far as paint techniques :( If anyone has any ideas on how I can make this happen, please, please let me know :)

My mother bought these for me almost a year ago at a thrift store near our house and believe it or not we got these 2 chairs plus the matching small footstool and coffee table for under $80., course that was before the thrift stores started raising their prices to match antique malls and regular stores, what is up with that anyways? I mean don't get me wrong, there are still some good deals and treasures to be found but my $20 sure doesn't seem to get me what it used too. Although in fairness the usual 4 thrift stores I go to still have low prices and amazing sales, the other ones with the prices that either match or seem to be higher than regular stores now, I just don't go to anymore. I mean lets be honest, with the way that things are right now, when I do have a few extra dollars that I can have some "fun" with, I head to those same 4 "treasure stores" I always find some amazing things and spend my mad money ($10-20) at these stores only. I alternate them now where before I used to go every week to all of them and buy what ever I wanted, I now, like many of you have to wait, think it out and sometimes I still hit all 4 but have them hold things at each one so that I can see what everyone has and put my lil $ to it's best use. Tracey Buxton of the blog Notes from A Cottage Industry did a wonderful, eloquent post on just this subject, if you get a chance please clik on the name of her blog that is highlighted, it will take you to her post. Please read it, I sat there and read every single comment on it and you know what.... I agree with every one of these woman.

Oooh I almost forgot I wanted to share some pretties I found at HOME GOODS. In the First picture have a gander at these gorgeous apothecary jars. The second picture is of a pretty 2 drawer little cabinet also in that perfect distressed cream color. Aren't they gorgeous? The apothecary jars come in 3 sizes that I saw and started I believe at $14.99 and the cabinet was $49.00 OUCH...well I can dream, although I would love to do some things in my studio in that same color. My mama bought me some pretty things for my bebe studio, I will show them soon, we are slowly but surely working on it (did y'all just hear my nose hit the wall?)

gorgeous apothecary jar

lovely lil cabinet, isn't the color gorgeous...

And now for a big...

Mia Culpa...I can't believe it has been 2 weeks since my last post....I am kinda disappointed in myself, I always thought that when I was lucky enough to have my own blog that I would be posting every day like some of the other ladies that I so admire. (hanging head in shame...but smiling cause the up note on this is I HAVE A BLOG :)

I promise dear friends that I will be much better at posting, I know how much I love looking at all my favorite blogs and seeing all those great pictures and reading everyones wonderful posts. Until next time.....

~Rose ~

Life...Death...Birthdays and a quick hello

2009-07-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't been posting, life as usual has a way of getting in the way when your busy making plans :) I haven't really gotten a chance to post, been running around doing errands, spending time with my girls who are on vacation and are always "bored" :) Visiting my mom and just trying to get her thru some hard days. She hurt her back yesterday, just doing something so simple as streching to reach something but it was bad enough that she was barely moving and having a hard time just catching her breath, so as soon as I saw her, I rushed her to get adjusted and although sore, she is at least able to move a bit better. Hopefully in a few days she will be good as new!

We got sad news yesterday of a loved ones passing, so the next few days will be busy with the arrangements and everything that goes with it. The dear lady we just lost, was a lovely woman with a huge heart, she could be tough and said what she felt, she was, I liked to say the female version of my dad :) She could make you smile or laugh or cut you to the quick with her wit just like my dad lol (Hey they earnd that right to say what they felt no matter what anyone thought :) But she was truly a dear heart, always with a ready smile and she will be greatly missed by all those that were lucky enough to have known her. As soon as I get permission from my aunt, I will post a picture and a lil tribute to her :)

Today is my Abuelitas birthday, she would have been 95 years young, goodness I can't believe how it hurts to breath just writing that :) She is missed everyday but I can now smile when I think of her, because she was such an amazing woman and led such a full life filled with the love, respect and the admiration of sooo many family and friends. I will have to do a post soon about her amazing life. To say she was loved sometimes feels like an understatement. My abuelita was my mamas mama, my "Ita" and our large familys matriarch and heart. "Happy Birthday Ita!" we miss you and your precious always smiling baby blues!!

So for now that is all dear friends and Dawn, I haven't had a chance to speak to you, but it goes without saying, I send you and your family everything good that is in me and my heart that your dad is well, because he will be, with an amazing, loving daughter like you, he has to be around for years and years to spend time with you, all his beautiful grandchildren and loved ones and most importantly to teach baby Clara all the wonderful things he taught you :)

Now off to eat some pink cotton candy, cause Mr Wonderful doesn't know how to appreciate a sticky keyboard lol till the next post dear friends......

Rose

GOD BLESS AMERICA AGAIN

2009-07-04T17:04:00.001-07:00

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY, EVERYONE!!!!!!

Sonny this is for your and all the men and woman out there fighting for the freedom that we all so cherish .

SEMPER FI

Since I was a young girl our dad "Sonny" and I loved Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, especially this song God Bless America Again. I thought it rather poignant at this difficult time our Country and many of us are going thru right now. We hope everyone has a beautiful and safe 4th!

Sonny, heres our song...

GOD BLESS AMERICA AGAIN

God bless America again You see all the trouble that she's in Wash her pretty face, dry her eyes and then God bless America again
(Recitation)Dear God, I sure do wish you could bless America again Well, you know, just like they did way back when it all began you know, you surely blessed it once and we just took it for granted and never bothered to ask again So just hold her hand God, that's all And if she should stumble, Please don't let her fall
God bless America again You see all the trouble that she's in Wash her pretty face, dry her eyes and then God bless America again
(Recitation) You know God, Theres so much I don't understand About what I read and hear is wrong in America But I suppose if you don't have a lot of learnin'There's so much you can't understand Ahh but let me say this God she's like a mother to me And everything I am or ever hope to be I owe it to You and to her

(Abbreviated chorus) Wash her pretty face, dry her eyes and then God bless America again

I can almost here Sonny singing along with my whisper as I sing this to myself.

Rose