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

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.....

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....

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....

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...