New Beginnings

This week I have revisited our scare from Sept. 22 when my husband had his open heart surgery. Another blogger that I follow (http://teresaksheeley.typepad.com ) had a similar situation happen this week. As I have been thinking and praying for her family it has brought me back to the renewed sense of commitment I have to my family and especially to my husband.
I recently found a key at a craft show I was in that had a V in it. I just had to have it since my husbands name starts with a V. I had already purchased the silver heart, planning on adding it to a necklace sometime. While perusing Etsy, I found this cool soldered slider from http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtUnderGlass. It says Embrace The Moment, with a pretty image on the other side.

This is my new way of living. Living in the NOW! I have found it to be less stressful and I am open to what is happening around me more, because I am not focused on what I am doing (in the future).

I Love my husband! So now I am reminded of the blessing of the New Beginning I was given when I wear this necklace. It makes me happy :)

I found this pillow while out Christmas shopping and had to add it to my collection also.


It is sad that it takes things like a health scare or financial pressure for us to realize just what is really important in life. I encourage you to hug your kids and spouse tonight!

Embrace the Moment!

Prayers Please

I decided to take today to just spend time reading and then spending time here visiting my favorite blogs. I went to Teresa Sheeley's blog and had a flash back to my life on September 22 this year. We have really had a wake up call this last year with my husbands open heart surgery being the topper.

We have watched our businesses dwindle with the economy, the bills mount up and no answers in site. Then we add a health care bill on my part for an unnecessary test and then my husbands heart surgery. Sometimes I feel I want to give up but most days I feel God's peace that I have never in my life felt. I am so thankful for what we have been through and for the Joy, Peace and Love I feel now for so much in my life. I live simply, one day at a time, listening to what God has for me each day. I see the beauty in small places and simple things and in all of his people. He has opened my eyes beyond the mundane churchiness I was living in. I feel richer than anyone who has millions of dollars and I am grateful for such a wonderful family He has blessed me with.

I would like everyone to pray for Teresa's husband Dave and the family and their finances. They don't have insurance. Check out her blog & Etsy shop.

http://teresaksheeley.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/12/dave.html

Maybe buy something? Most of all pray for God's strength and peace for all of them.

Thanks.

Vacum a Christmas Tree?

This holiday season has been long and busy for me at work since I had to let my office manager go. I have not had time for decorating and wasn't much in the mood for it. My youngest daughter (the chief) wanted to have a Christmas/Birthday party for her friends. (Her birthday is Dec. 27Th) So as usual I waited till the last minute to finally get the decorations out.

I have a large Santa collection that I have not gotten out for the last 3 years so I decided I missed them so I started with them. I finished everything but getting the tree out. 2 days later my daughter and I go to the closet to pull out the box with the tree. The box had popped open sometime during the last year.

As we were carrying (dragging) the tree to the living room, I noticed some pink stuff on a branch.
Huh, wonder...is that insulation? ugh, mice? I pull it out and lay the tree on the floor. As we were preparing to put the bottom in the stand, Coooper had his coonhound nose buried in this one spot on the tree.

ewe.. LOTS of pink insulation! Then LOTS of baby mouse poo fell to the floor.
I should have called Mike Rowe, he loves poo!

Anyway, I got out the sweeper and began to suck out all the STUFF in that part of the tree. What a mess I had! Thank God the mouse family had moved on! All I could think of then was, I hope they didn't chew through the light cords.

I must tell you,I love live trees but this tree is special. It is the perfect size, is prelit and has microfiber lights also. I have never seen another one like it since I bought it. Up until 8ish years ago we always had a fresh, from North Carolina, Frasier fur. (My all time fave!) but when I saw this lovely tree I knew I had to have it for my nice living room decorated in girly pinks and white! We would continue to get the live tree for the family room.

Sorry I digress...anyway while holding my breath I plug in the lights and...


They were OK!!!!!!!!!!!






As you can see I have a lovely (clean) Christmas Tree this year! It did take me till the day of my daughters party to put the ornaments on though. I thought about just telling the kids I like my tree's natural. Then my daughter pointed out "It's a FAKE tree". That really hurt my tree's feelings. It is a Special tree not fake! Another friend suggested I hand each guest an ornament and let them decorate it. Uh, I don't think so. This is my tree with beautiful glass ornaments and it has to be done right. To controlling? Oh well, I guess that is why I put it off because once I started, it becomes like a work of art for me to place each ornament in just the right place. I really do enjoy doing this but like all creative endeavours I need to be in the mood.

I have a few favorite decorations I want to share with you also. A couple of my old Santa's and a newer snowman.
Have A Merry Christmas everyone!

Beautiful Winter

This morning I took Cooper for his walk. I took my camera and got so wrapped up in what I was seeing that he got tired and went home without me! I have always thought Winter was ugly without snow but today I found so much beauty all around me. I want to share some of my images in a slide show and then I'll post more soon!

Enjoy, and have a great week.



Remember to look for the beauty...sometimes you have to look close.

Thanksgiving Blessings

It was our turn to host Thanksgiving for my side of the family. We were missing a couple of people but we still had a nice dinner and enjoyed time together. In the last several years I have not been all that into decorating like I used to but because my Wonderful Daughter and my Husband were taking care of the food I spent a little time putting the table together. I think it came out nice considering I threw it together with stuff I had around the house in about 15 minutes.

My daughter made the yeast rolls, and a pumpkin pie and helped her dad with the turkey. My sister's family brought the vegitables and stuffing. That is why the table is a bit empty for this shot. After they arrived things got crazy and I forgot to take more photos.

After my family left for home we went to my husbands family to visit and take part in their 2nd round of Thanksgiving dinner. We skyped my daughter in Chicago, played games and checked out the ad's for tomorrows shopping. (I will not be participating in the madness but my young nieces are getting psyched up for the big day.) So all in all a very good day spent with family.

I am Thankful for...

a daughter who loves to cook!

technology that lets us talk to our loved ones far away.

that my daughter in Chicago had a friend invite her to their family dinner so she wouldn't be alone.

for the guy in her apartment building who baked her a pumpkin pie since she didn't get a piece of the one she helped make while here last week.

that I do not have any desire to join the madness at 4 A.M. to get deals that really are not deals anymore.

And on a really serious note, I am thankful that my husband is still with us, that I have a loving close family I am so proud of and that God has truly Bless our home!

Hope you all had a great day and enjoy the weekend.

Heaven on Earth Emporium

A few months ago a new antique store opened in our town and when I went in for the first time I was mesmerized. Donna Blackmon, the owner, has done a wonderful job putting her items in color coordinating displays as well as themes. Some of my friends say there is to much and it is overwhelming but I find myself just standing in front of the different displays enjoying all the items displayed together. It makes me want to buy several pieces instead of just the one. I have so many images that I will post about her shop for several days.

I love white so I am starting with her white collections.

I wish my girls were little again and I could put some of this stuff in their rooms.

I have a linen addiction and I just love looking at work like this. Am I weird? If we didn't have TV and Internet maybe more of us would still be sitting by the fire in the evenings practicing our needle skills... Or maybe not.

How about this collection. Beautiful baby gown, and more linens! I know our economy isn't at it's best but I hope enough people just can't leave her store without purchasing a few items and Donna is able to keep the store she has worked so hard for open!

I will feature different color themes over the next few weeks. If you see something you are interested in that you collect, you can reach Donna at heavenonearthemporium@yahoo.com.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy my images as much as I have.

Happy Fall

Fall is rapidly coming to an end here in Southwestern Ohio. I just finished a very productive week photographing seniors and children outdoors. I am so grateful we had sun and higher temps. Next week we will see.

Great walk with Cooper on the golf course. Beautiful colors! I love all the seasons but Fall has to be my favorite..

I just wish it lasted longer.

Hope you all have a great week and Halloween!

Are You A Bookaholic?

Bookworm
Hi. My name is Jenaveve, and I'm a bookaholic Books are ace - agreed? Well I found this little bit of fun via fabulous Valerie, a fellow bookworm. And here's my take on literary rituals...
This is what popped up on my blog list and I had to check it out! I'm having a difficult week this week so I'm just going to cheat and pass on this fun questionnaire. If you love books too pass it on with your answers.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snack?I like to drink a mug of mocha but I usually do not eat and read.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read them, or does the idea of writing on your books horrify you? I write all over informative and inspiring books. Helps me retain information. I don't mark in fiction books.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog ears? Leaving the book open flat?Bookmarks...I love pretty ones and I make beaded ones but for some reason I seem to use any piece of paper I have close.

Fiction, Non-Fiction or both? Both. Love to read lots of stuff. Just depends on the mood I'm in. Also depends on what my bookclub is reading.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?I like to get to the chapter end, but sometimes I'll stop at one of those little breaks within the chapter. All good books need a few of those. Don't you love books with really short chapters though? You can stop any time. I hate really long chapters.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?No not very often.

What are you currently reading?Not really having much time to read right now :( but I'm in a bit of a spiritual mode right now. Reading Tramp for the Lord by Corrie Ten Boom, and Teresa of A'vila-The Book of My Life.

What is the last book you bought? Oh My! Well I have had to stop going to book stores right now because of finances and the fact I have tons of books I own and have yet to read. But I did buy a .25 book at my library "The Gilded Chamber" by Rebecca Kohn. It looked interesting. Haven't read it yet.

Are you the type of person who can only read one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time? I can only read one book for enjoyment at a time but I usually have an inspirational or helpful book going on at all times too.

Do you prefer series or stand alone books?Stand-alone; I like to many books to get tied down. I'm also a slow reader so I'd never get any where. I do read some series books though but not one after the other.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?I do have several books and authors that I love and recommend. They are on my Library Thing here.

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?) The only organizing I really do is, 2 bookcases full of (to be read books) and 1 of (already read keepers). I Lie, just looked and I do have some stacked together. Some by genre and some by author. The rest are just lined up waiting...
Let me know if you've played too so I can swing by and check out your reading habits. Have a great week! Read a book or 2!

Woopsie...My Bad!

Nothing like giving nothing away!

I didn't think to check my Etsy shop before I posted the offer to give you a 5x7 of any image in my shop that you like. To my horror, today I went there and found it empty except for my pillows! LOL
So once more. I really want to give some gifts away. So I will keep this offer open until Wed. Oct. 7th.
Pick out your favorite image and I will send you a 5x7 for free. I am doing this to celebrate my 50th birthday and the fact I still have my husband after he had unexpected open heart surgery. Life is about living and giving and that's what I want to do.
Please visit my shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6212569 and pick out your favorite print. Leave me a comment here and email your address to cooper585@earthlink.net and I will mail your your free 5x7.

Please, don't be shy. I will be disappointed if I can't even give my work away!

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's my Birthday today and I want to celebrate!

After this crazy week I just want to do something special for those around me so I am using my birthday as an excuse! I am turning 50 today and I have lost my mind :}.

For my blogging friends I would like to send you a 5x7 of any image you choose from my Etsy shop. Go to http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6212569 and look around then choose which image you would like. Let me know in a comment here and where I can contact you for shipping info and I will get it out to you soon! You have until Sunday evening to leave your comment.

I appreciate all of you who check in and especially those who comment!

Have a great day on me!

I'm off to a relaxing place! In my mind at least :)

Thankful!

So, I'm sitting here knowing I need to update my blog. I'm tired and over whelmed. It has been a very long week and I am so far behind in work and house work and getting with people but as I sit here just trying to relax and read some of my favorite blogs I am reminded that nothing last forever and what I feel I need to do is not an emergency and can wait. I need to stop trying to be perfect. I need to take time for myself or I will not be able to take care of my family.

Let me explain just a bit of what has been happening here.

Monday evening a week ago my husband and I were getting ready for the Monday night new episodes of our favorite TV shows. It is the only night I really watch TV. I was finishing up some work in my office when my husband comes to the doorway with his hand on his chest. I ask him "Do we need to go to the emergency room?" and what you hope not to hear , he says.
Yes.

I want to add a bit of comic relief here coz it really is funny and so typical of me. My husband has had afib or what ever it is called in the past, so I thought it may just be that but a bit worse so I go back to get decent clothes on, pee and brush my teeth. Then I was thinking "I better get a book. You know how emergency rooms are. We may be there forever" when he kinda yells out " Where are you!"
Woopsie! I better just go.

Then I see his face again and know this time it is different. So off we go around the corner to our local hospital. Literally, it is 2 minutes away. He makes me leave him at the ambulance entrance coz he doesn't want to wait for triage and registration. I drop him at the door and go park. This door is locked and he has to bang on it for them to let him in. (He knew this, I did not) But he gets right in, bypassing all the paperwork. He is so sneaky.

Skip to next day

He has a heart cath. It is not good news. He has bad coronary artery disease. They want to do several bypasses the next day. They go back and put him on a balloon pump to keep his artery open until they can operate the next day.

Another funny scene. When I get to the hospital Wednesday morning he is on his blackberry conducting business, in his hospital room! It is 3 hours before open heart surgery and he is working on a bid for a job! We teased him that we were going to give the Doc. the phone to answer any important calls and wake him if it was an emergency. If it wasn't, just tell them "His heart isn't in it right now." We really are bad. Our pastor said that now I can't accuse him of not having a heart and I said yeah but I now know for a fact he has a cold, hard heart!

We have been going through some very trying times for the last couple of years and the last few months have been the worst but God has given us a peace and has provided all we have needed so I had faith in God that He would see us through this also. We had family and friends praying and sitting with us and I just knew he would come through this.
Sometimes we have to go through difficult times in order to grow and trust God. I have always heard this said but until you start to live it you really don't understand. It has been a really rough go for quite some time now and we keep wondering when the tide will turn. But I wouldn't give anything to change any of it because of how close we have grown and our trust in God has changed. It has all been worth it.
I am thankful for what God has brought us through and because of all of this I do not battle fear or anxiety anymore. After almost 50 years of not living for me but doing what I thought everyone else wanted. I am finally free. I have a hard head and it took a lot for God to finally make me see but He is so faithful and He never leaves us!

Today is day 3 at home and my husband gets stronger and better each day. I am learning to take each moment as a gift from God and cherish the time God gives us. I also say in stressful times, It is what it is, and I go on.

God has been showing me how to appreciate all that is around me. This is why I take so many photos and why I share them with you. I want others to see the beauty of everyday that is all around us. I will continue to just put up images that move me hoping that somehow they will speak to you too!

What I was hopping to do and what I actually had to do!

Are you ready to start your Christmas shopping?

Would you like to support women in business and artisans who make their own products?

Then this is the perfect weekend!
Go to the link below and you can check out different shops and enter giveaways!
http://rdgirlsnightout.blogspot.com/2009/09/fall-business-womens-expo-has-started.html


I was suppose to participate in the expo but I didn't get my blog post and specials ready in time (procrastination) and then on Monday evening my husband came and told me he thought we needed to go to the emergency room. Well, that visit lead to a heart cath on Tuesday and open heart surgery on Wednesday. It has been a long week but he is doing very good and we hope he will be home Monday. I will post more about that when he gets home and I am not running back and fourth.
I have a few amusing stories that came out of a very scarry situation.

I'd still like you to visit my Etsy shop if you have time and check it out and leave me a comment as to which item is your favorite!http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6212569 Thanks! And happy shopping.

Busy Weekend!

Last week I helped my friend pick out and place plants in her new landscaping area in front of her new house. This weekend we went out for a great lunch at a cute and very good tea room. They have a store and that was trouble for my friend. She made a few purchases that were pushing the budget, but they were so cute! Well, after lunch we decided to go look for pumpkins and such for our porches.

This is my front porch at my studio door. Just a few of the things I picked up. I love decorating for Fall.

Doesn't this look like a duck?

How about my Mocha Mum, whipped cream!

I have a few other decorating things I have done lately so I thought I'd share them with you coz my family think I'm nuts. Especially my husband!

I found this awesomely made nest in my backyard! I knew I had to do something with it. I mean, this bird worked so hard on her home! Then, while on several walks with Cooper (who by the way, is laying beside me on the couch and on my lap trying hard to push this laptop onto the floor! I'm having a really hard time typing with my left arm on his head.) anyway, I found the cool feathers and these wonderfully marked rocks! Are they not the coolest?

So I added it to the top of my bookcase.

Now I must digress back to the lunch. On our way home we saw a garage sale. Woo Hoo, Got to love bargain hunting and this was the ultimate garage sale find! There were two old wooden rustic garden benches that I knew would be perfect for her porch. Did I mention that she had nothing on the porch and it NEEDED STUFF! Also did I mention I love spending other peoples money as much as I like finding bargains? Well these benches go for around $20 to $40 around here at antique shows so when the guy said one was 1 and one was 2 we weren't sure we heard right. We snatched those babies up plus she got a few other things, I forget what coz I was busy spying this great old book and fake, but very real looking, dried roses. My purchase $2.00!

Look at that book! I just love the cover! and the inside page. I love this! Why don't we have beautiful printing in our books today? I am so excited to own this precious piece of history.

Then... I looked inside to the next page and saw this inscription!

1899! and this book cost .25! I am loving the new additions to my living room!

On we go...

Well we stopped at a few other garage sales back in our town and got more cute stuff but we needed more stuff for her porch so we went to Flower Factory. I said we'd try to only spend 30.00 more dollars! Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you how I justified her purchases to her husband and how we could spend more. One of the items she got at that cute shop at the restaurant were new valances for her front hall. Cost, $37.00. Really a good deal actually but she had valances. (They were ugly!) She had to get these cute new ones. Any way, after we found those 2 benches for $3.00 that could have cost her $40.00, I pointed out her valances were basically free! A wash! Then after buying a rod iron bench for the foot of her bed that was priced at $50.00 and I bargained it down to $40.00. I saved her lots so we could spend a bit more to make her porch perfect.

Well, 2 hours later we had everything we needed!

Whew, Cooper finally got down. My arm was killing me.

I wish I had, had my camera with me to capture the perfectness of her porch but I wasn't planning on blogging about it. Sorry I was to lazy to get in my car and drive to her home for photos once I decided to blog this story.

I found a few things for me too so I photographed them instead.

This is my enchanted garden area where I have hung a chandler I found earlier this summer along with some other candle holders. Well I found the perfect candles to fit in the holders! These were the only ones this size and color!

As we were leaving to go to lunch I was looking at the tree in the front yard and thought I needed something for it. Well, low and behold I found this great chandelier for $5.00! Unbelievable!

Well this is my sanctuary where I spend my time when I am not working and this is why I don't get my blog up dated. Alas, the Fall will be over soon and to cold to hang out there and I must cease the day while it last! I'll try to be more faithful once the temperatures get colder and I won't be shopping any more real soon with my friend...Her husband has band us from being together for awhile.

Have a great Fall and take time to really see the beauty around you!

South Carolina

I'm just not ready to let Summer go just yet!

Took a few early Fall images this weekend so I'll be sharing those soon. Enjoy 2 of my favorite coastal paintings!

Just to let you know they are available in my Etsy shop!

Happy Purple Monday!

I Love Purple! and Blossom http://blossomandbloom.blogspot.com/

is featuring Purple Monday and I want to pass it on! Hope you like Purple too!

Don't forget to enter my drawing!

Paying it forward...Last Days of Summer Giveaway!

As we finish this Labor Day weekend I want to have a giveaway!

Autumn Antics http://autumnsantics.blogspot.com just had an amazing giveaway that started with Bone Head Studio's. http://boneheadstudio.blogspot.com/ But it has a catch. Those entering to win the prizes must agree to create 5 of their own pieces of art to offer in a giveaway. I have created these cute little cards called Bitty Sentiments. Leave a comment and I will have a drawing on Tuesday morning. I worked on the sets today and here are some of the images from the themes I used. Enjoy the Last Images of Summer and good luck.

The Cards I Made for you today!

These are some of my photographs I got the little images from Enjoy!







Happy Labor Day!