Ain't true love grand?

Today is our 25th wedding anniversary. Instead of getting all gushy, I thought I'd just post this video because it proves that true love transcends species. Watch til the end... it really gets sweet!



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I love you, Chris! Our marriage hasn't exactly been a peaceful float down the river of life *grins* but I'd do it all over again. Happy Anniversary... grow old w/ me, the best is yet to be!

Blogaversary countdown give-away continues!

Well shoot! I forgot alll about the countdown post last Friday. *turns red* I'm sorry! Anyway, I am adding 2 items to the tin today to make up for it. You've probably seen glimpses of my tole collection in previous posts. (I'll share pics of it soon) This is a stray that didn't make it onto the wall w/ the others. I have another red one just like it & then one in black, as well. They're small...about 4" by 6" so they make good change holders or jewelry trays on the dresser. This one is in great condition & I know y'all will enjoy it.

And to make up for the missed post last week, I am also adding a pair of vintage clip-on earrings. I have a large collection of vintage jewelry & am happy to share a bit of it. I use vintage clip-on earrings for everything but earrings. I try to wear them but they make my ears hurt! So I use them as barrettes...they hold a small strand of hair easily. I also use them to dress up bottles & apothecary jars, they look gorgeous in a crystal bowl & I have a bunch on a couple of old shutters, that are used as "photo clips".


These are lovely & I had a hard time giving them up but in the tin they go.

I've packed the earrings in a mini-"hatbox" because the hatbox symbolizes another of my collections. Here's all the treasures packed up til now....the old tin, the vintage hankie, the adorable cherub, red tole tray & vintage earrings in mini-hatbox. Remember, I will add a new treasure from one of my collections, every Friday & will draw a name on my blogaversary, on Feb 25th.

To get your name in the hat, just leave a comment on my blogaversary countdown on Fridays. For every Friday that you leave a comment, a slip w/ your name goes into the hat. If you want 3 more tries added to the hat, add this button, w/ a link back to my blog to your sidebar & let me know about it.

This give-away is restricted to the continental US...sorry! And you don't have to have a blog to enter but you must leave an email address so that I can contact you. Good luck!

Trim a Tree Thursday

Happy Trim a Tree Thursday...hosted by Brett @ The Southern Hostess . I won't start my Valentine's decor until the first (& then I'll be racing to get it done) so today I am sharing last year's decor. Some of it I am happy w/ it but I hope that it will be hugely improved this year. ;o)

This was the everyday centerpiece on my dining room table. I used another centerpiece for my Valentin'es dinner & will share pics of it in a Tablescape Thursday post soon.

I don't know why the coloring is so off in this photo...weird! But it's some stacked plates w/ a Valentine theme. I didn't have enough small stuff to make it full so I filled in places w/ votives full of candy.

Reaaalllllly not happy w/ photo & wouldn't even share it except I want to WOW you w/ the improvement I will make this year. ;o) It's going to be much better...I promise. Or you'll neevr see the pic. *grins*

I put a Valentine given to hubby's father when he was a boy (it's dated 1945) in a compote full of hearts, under a cloche. The table needs some fabric to soften it up some....why do I only see details like that in a pic? Is it just me? You wouldn't believe how blogging has helped me w/ my decor. I have the ability to put on rose-colored glasses & see things the way I envision them being....not how they actually are. Photos force me to take off those glasses & see the room/vignette for how it really looks.

My kitchen window. You can just barely make out the bottom of my pans that hang above it. Get a good look 'cause next week they'll be gone. ;o) We recently bought an iron piece to hug the ceiling & we are turning it into a pot rack. I cannot wait! I HATE the pot rack hanging over teh sink but it had to go somewhere when we put up a cabinet over the island.

Coleson broke this bell dome a few months ago. I still miss it! :o(

The mantel was cute but now seems unfinished to me. I'm not a "less is more" kind of gal & it just seems like it needs a little sumthin' sumthin'.

I love this china cabinet. I bought it many years ago. It did have a dark stain on it but I painted it white & distressed it a bit.

This year's decor is going to be soo much better! I'll feature pics of it next week.

Show us what's on your walls!

Barb @ Grits & Glamour is hosting a new blog party called What's on Your Wall Wednesday. Should be lots of fun!



I'm starting off w/ "wall art" that I am frequently asked about on my blog....the arrangement of sheet music I have over the faux mantel in my living room. It's actually over the mirror that's over the mantel but that's neither here nor there.

Before the old mirror, I had a very large, old painted sign, from an antique store that used to be in Ft Worth, hanging there. Like I said, it was large & bold... w/ peeling white paint & black letters so it made quite a statement. When I replaced it w/ the old mirror found at auction last year, I loved the mirror but the wall didn't have the impact it once did. I tried hanging sheet music over it but it looked stupid... like teh sheet music was just floating up there. Before I took the sheet music down, I tried hanging a metal scroll over it & loved it. A small victorian portrait & a vintage postcard helped tie it all together.



(click on any picture to enlarge)
I used corsage pins to hang the sheet music & the postcard.

The postcard gets switched out for the seasons...for now, it has a wintry feel. It's just an image I printed off my puter & aged w/ some distress ink. I love the Victorian family in the gold framed picture. I should have gotten a close-up of it but you can enlarge the pic to see the detail, if you want.

Also on this wall is a couple of framed pieces of sheet music & a trio of cherubs. I'll share pictures of the framed sheet music (as well as the rest of my collection) in tomorrow's 3 or More Thursday post.

Hope you all enjoyed what's on my wall... let's go to Barb's & see what everyone else has hanging! *grins*

Rose Wednesday

Today for Rose Wednesday, I am sharing the wealth! These are some of the vintage images I have saved on my puter. Some are scans of my own postcards but most I have been gathering across the web for years. I have thousands of images in my clip art file so occassionally, I like to share them w/ y'all.

I don't remember the sources where I got them... sorry! But you will find a list of links that provide free graphics on my sidebar. All have either old photographs or old postcards or other vintage ephemera.

(click on any image to enlarge)

Hope you enjoyed the images! Let's go to Jan's Rose Haven to see who else is "rosing" around today. ;o)

Tablescape Tuesday

Hello & welcome to another Tablescape Tuesday...or TT as it's been dubbed by us regulars. Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch is our wonderful hostess every week. There's been talk that it might switch to Thursdays but TT will still fit. ;o)


Today I am sharing pictures of last year's anniversary dinner. I used a framed piece of romantic sheet music from the 50's as my inspiration. Then I added an Amore sign that usually resides in our bedroom. The black chargers are just the cheap plastic ones...I want to buy some metal ones at a thrift store & spray paint them. The ironstone plates are Sauvignon in the Blanc de Blanc pattern (thrift store find) & the black & white toile bowl, the ivy is in, is by 222 Fifth in the Muse pattern. Both the bowl & the napkins I got @ either TJ Maxx, Marshall's or Ross. All votives were from the dollar store.

(click on any picture to enlarge)

I hung crystal prisms & votive holders from our chandelier w/ black & white checked ribbon.

Usually, I can remember what meal we served but I can't w/ this one....weird! Since it was such an important dinner & it was only last year.

There are lots more beauuuuutiful tables @ Susan's ...race ya!

I hate to be a party pooper!

I recently received several blogging awards that Tam @ Yakkidy Yak Yak, Barb @ Grits & Glamour , Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer & Susan @ Susan's Colorful Life have all graciously bestowed upon me. I appreciate them & I'm truly flattered but I can not accept them or pass them on. I'm really very sorry!

I've never been comfortable w/ the blog awards. I've always been afraid of leaving someone out & hurting someone's feelings. It's inevitable w/ these kinds of things. And then I recently read a post from somebody who had just received their first award after blogging for years. She said she had been feeling left out, lonely & wondering why she hadn't received an award herself. I HATE that anyone would feel that way. I'm sure it's just been an oversight of everyone's...she's a very friendly woman who often leaves comments & participates in blog parties so she's out there...she has just been overlooked in the awards.

I don't mean to come across as pointing fingers @ y'all & I certainly don't want to hurt the feelings of those who were kind enough to give me an award but I'm going to have to be a non-participant in the awards "ceremonies". I'll put a little notice widget on my blog somewhere (I know I saw someone else who had one up) that I will graciously decline all awards so please don't include me.

I really hope I don't offend anybody or hurt anyone's feelings...that's exactly what I am trying not to do. So please take my refusal of your awards in the manner that it's delivered...I appreciate you thinking of me & I am very grateful that my friendship is valued but I cannot accept the awards.

In the same vein & for the same reasoning, I will be removing the followers gadget from my blog as well as my list of those that I follow. I'll move everybody to google reader so I'll still be stalking y'all *grins*.... it just won't be publicly. Again, I don't mean to offend anyone who enjoys participating in the follows, I just don't feel comfortable w/ it myself.

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I've spent about 30 minutes already @ googlereader trying to "subscribe" to my list of blogs that I follow & it's going to be too big an ordeal to move evrybody over theer. Plus googlereader takes too long to load. So I'll remove the followers gadget from my sidebar but leave the list of blogs that I am following in my profile. You are welcome to continue to follow me, I just don't want a gadget displayed on my blog w/ the head count.

Also, I will leave the tablescapers award up that Debbie @ Confessions of a Plate Addict awarded us because it was an open award, bestowed on all those who have participated in Tablescape Tuesdays. If you want one, run over to her blog & grab the button. On second thought, I am taking down the tablescapers award, as lovely as it is & as proud as I am of it, I just don't want to have to explain it all the time, given the notice I have added to my blog. Sorry Debbie, I know you worked hard on it & it really is beautiful!

In the Pink!

Hello! I'm playing in Pink Saturday again this week, hosted by Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound. I wasn't able to get around to everybody last week but I did visit a lot of new, beautiful blogs. Nice to meet everybody! Last week, I started visiting blogs from the beginning of the list & then from the end...this week, I'll start in the middle & hopefully make it to everyone's blogs that I didn't get to last week.

I bought a pair of capodimonte style lamps @ a garage sale many, many years ago (long before they worked in any room of my house but they were only $20.00 for the pair...minus the shades!) They have no marks on them so I don't know who they were made by. I only have one displayed & the other sits in closet...I guess I really should find a home for it too.

Not sure this is the right shade for it...what do y'all think? Honestly? I've tried a marabou feather trimmed shade but that wasn't quite right. Should I do more elaborate like this fringed dome or just use a simple bell shade?

Love the "figurines"! What are cherubs called when they don't have wings?



And look how sweet the violets around the base of the lamp are! They're teeny-tiny.


There were over 100 participants in last week's Pink Saturday. Let's go check out all the glorious pink posts...don't forget to say hello to our hostess Beverly!

Trim a Tree Thursday

Hello & welcome to another Trin a Tree Thursday! Hosted by Brett over @ The Southern Hostess . Don't let the name fool you though...it's not all about trimming trees. It's just seasonal decor, from any holiday, in any form.

Today I'm sharing pictures of this year's winter look. I hate how bare my house looks after the Christmas decor is down so I leave a lot of festive silver, white & snowy accents up until the first of February, when my Valentine's decor comes out. I don't do every room up for winter ...just the main living area downstairs.

Love my mantel this year. Last year, I thought it had an unfinished look but not this year...I love it! The staples that I have kept there since Spring, (the crocheted-edge mantel scarf, the curio, the rose sheet music, apothecary jar, dried rose & cherub dish) make it really easy to update the look for teh change of seasons & take it to the max w/out having to work too hard or spend too much time on it.

(Click on any picture to enlarge)

I loaded up an ironstone urn w/ ornaments & a Friendly Village plate then hung a glittery "Let it Snow" message from it.

I used an old key & an old cameo necklace as a "bow" on this vintage crystal apothecary jar.

That same dried rose has been there from Spring, through Summer, then Fall & Halloween & on through Thanksgiving & Christmas. I just add seasonal accents to make it work. Here I've used a faux pine sprig underneath it. I loaded up all my teeny tiny white brush trees into the cherub dish.

Remember these wire snowmen from last year ? Look how good they look now that they are blinged up! I coated them w/ iridescent glitter, added embroidery floss smiles, rhinestone button eyes & pipe cleaner tiaras. I also tied a cream velvet ribbon as a scarf but it was too stark so I dabbed it w/ coffee to age it. Aren't they too, too cute? There's a close-up view of them in my post below.

I moved all my Dept 56 snowbabies to the curio cabinet & added some glitter trees.

This is my bombe chest w/ antique mantel topper. One of thse days, I will try to get a full shot of the bombe. It is so neat...it has clawfoot legs & real wormholes in the wood! I stocked it's shelf w/ tablesetting supplies...silverware, napkin rings, crystal plates & butter domes.

Love this little vignette! Although the hankie is not supposed to be there. I just stuck it there to see how it looked, didn't like it & forgot to remove it.

I treasure this heart Connor made me one year & I leave it out always! That teeny-tiny cloche fits perfectly over a mini-cupcake. Noah will be getting his first cupcake @ Easter. ;o) Coleson was so cute when I gave him his @ 6 mos. I lifted off that cloche & his hand shot for that cupcake. *grins*

Mother of pearl napkin rings.

My Staffordshire dogs. I love them...I really, really love them....I do! I've always wanted some & hubby surprised me w/ them a couple of years ago but I have such a hard time fitting them in w/ my decor so they usually spend at least half the year, in a closet. Poor things! They don't even fit in well w/ my collection of dog figurines because of their Oriental look.

My coffee table is simple but still interesting, I think. I layered 2 ironstone platters w/ scraps of lace & pine sprigs, then topped it w/ a snowbaby under a cloche.

I used more of my Friendly Village dishes in this vignette. With some snowbabies & some brush trees, it just screams "winter", doesn't it?

Didn't do much to winterize my china cabinet, just swagged some pine garland over the top & added some brush trees to the inside.

I'm really pleased w/ my winter decor this year...it has a much more polished, pulled-togther look than last year's, don't you think? Next week, I'll share photos of my Valentine decor from last year & then the next week, I'll share this year's.

Hopefully, this week more bloggers will have learned that Brett's blog party isn't just about Christmas & will share some of their wintry or Valentine's decor. Let's go see who's playing today!

It's 3 or More Thursday!

Happy 3 or More Thursday...hosted by Tam @ The Gypsy Corner . There's lots of neat collections being shared.... join us next week w/ your's!





For this week, I am sharing my snowbabies & snow angels. A few you saw during Christmas, but a few you have not. All have been placed in new spots for teh rest of January. Next year, I will save all my snowbabies, angels & snowmen to display after Christmas. That way they'll seem fresh.

I blinged up these wire snowmen w/ a coat of glitter, an aged velvet "scarf" ( teh ribbon was too new-looking so I dabbed it w/ coffee), rhinestone button eyes, embroidery floss smiles & a pipe cleaner tiara. (M @ Tales from an OC Cottage gives a tutorial on the tiaras)

Look at their sweet faces! My snow Princesses...I just love them!

This snow angel sets on top of the mantel topper over my bombe chest. I got a pair of them @ Hobby Lobby the year before last....love their aged, sepia tones!




One lone little snowbaby in a crystal punch cup on some stacked plates.

I moved these snowbabies from their Christmas home under a cloche, into the little curio cabinet on my mantel. They're by Dept 56.

The other one of the snowangels that I got @ Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago, is on my coffee table, on a bed of ironstone platters.

Hope you enjoyed my collection of snow people! Be sure & stop in @ Tam's lovely blog to see the other collections.