I went out to my garden, this morning, in search of something pink to take pictures of for Beverly's Pink Saturday. I was semi-shocked ("shocked" being too strong of a word, perhaps) to find that my white tulips had turned pink overnight! These are the same tulips pictured in my post on April 29! Now, I'm fairly certain there is some horticulturally sound explanation for this phenomenon, although I choose to believe that even the flowers wanted in on today's pink celebration! I realized, as I went to add the collage to this post, that the tulips look more lavender than pink. They are pink, pink, pink when you see them up close & personal!
Thank you, Beverly, for hosting another Pink Saturday Party. To find out what other blog friends are participating, this week, hop over to Beverly's blog (How Sweet The Sound)!
Okay, I've gotta do it...my son, James and my nephew, Ben, were born 8 days apart. James turned 14 last week and Ben's birthday is today. Happy Birthday, Ben...don't hate me for this :-) Although Ben is a bit younger than James, he was always so much bigger...and far more "advanced". I remember being so proud, when James was 2 or so, and he had just started putting together two word phrases: "big ball", "want juice", etc. Right around that time, James' dad and I took a trip down to Tupelo, MS to visit my sister and her family. Shortly after our arrival, we were watching the kids play in the driveway, and "Macarena" came on the radio. I started bopping around and Ben (remember: he is 8 days younger than my boy) looks at me and says, with perfect articulation: "You really like that song, huh, Aunt Kim?" So much for stringing two words together! Stop by my sister's blog, Savannah Gourmet...Ben is now a solid 8" taller than James and, I'm sure, has a vocabulary that would put him/ me to shame :-)
Earlier this month, I joined Sarah's (Blue Castle) Pink & Green swap and was paired up with Katie (Katie Crocker). Katie and I exchanged emails and I was so excited to find that we appear to enjoy many of the same things...makes gathering goodies, for a swap, much more fun! Katie's package just arrived and I am "tickled pink"...and green! The box, itself, was beautifully wrapped in vivid pink & green paper. Inside were some lovely "shabby chic" cloth napkins and dish towels, a Yankee Candle "Cottage Breeze" votive candle and an adorable bunny cheese/ butter knife. Katie added a decorative jar with FUN ribbons, which will probably never get used because it is so cute on display! Inside of the jar, I also uncovered a hidden treasure: a pair of funky green earrings (good thing I opened the jar). My favorite part of Katie's package was a beautiful teacup & saucer with pink roses, which I have already added to the collection in my china cabinet. I really do love swaps and a big thank you to Katie for picking out such thoughtful gifts...as if she doesn't have enough going on right now (she is expecting a bundle of joy on May 6th) :-) A special thank you to Sarah, for organizing this swap!
While I don't harbor any resentments against folks who make a gazillion $ inventing/ creating something ingenious, these shoes have me a little irked. Given my love of fashion and my outside-the-box thinking, I'm fairly certain I would have thought of something like this.....if some other early bird didn't already snatch my worm. That analogy didn't quite work, did it? Ah well...stick with me friends...I'll try to get back on track.
The concept behind this shoe design is simply brilliant. They're called "Onesole: Many Mates". The shoes I have are a wedge (the only heels I can walk safely in), but they come in various styles. You can buy different tops that are interchangeable. They have a huge selection of tops and they just snap on/ off. I bought these toward the end of last summer and wore them all the time...so comfortable and absolutely adorable! Why didn't I think of that???
Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE spring??? Aside from the reasons I've already mentioned, in previous posts, I, personally, am just more acutely aware of things. Today, as I was kicking some pesky weeds out of my front garden, I happened to glance at the of the inside of my white tulips. I don't know if my pictures captured it, but the insides were so cool! My senses all seem to be in overdrive and I pay closer attention to details like that. I suppose it falls into the "take time to smell the flowers" suggestion, which I heed willingly. Every morning, as I walk my daughter to the bus, we take a few minutes to study our gardens: in search of new signs of life. We do the same thing in the afternoon and are rarely without a new discovery, during these warmer months. I was never what one would consider a nature girl, so this Pop-a-bonnet-on-my-head and let me tiptoe-through-the-tulips feeling is very new & exciting to me :-) Okay, I know my sister is reading this...you can stop laughing now!
I hope you all are having the same beautiful weather as we are, here in SUNNY CT! Seems, once again, we catapulted from winter right into the dog days of summer. You won't catch me complaining. A few of you left comments/ questions about my fairy doors (two posts back). The store, at which they were purchased, closed...broke my heart! I just did a search on GOOGLE and came across a fabulous website for fairy garden doo-dads, Enchanted Gardens. WARNING***this site could be hazardous to your wallets! The prices are reasonable, but they have SO many cute things. I browsed their selection of doors very quickly and the ones they carry are significantly smaller than mine...FYI. The ones I have are approximately 6"H x 4"W and theirs are about 1/2 that size. Happy fairy hunting :-)
Thank you SO much to Sue (Gossamer Creations) who named mine as one of the blogs that makes her heart smile! Hers was one of the first blogs I started following and when I saw her amazingly adorable creations (shadow boxes, block fairies) I was a dead duck! Almost as quickly as Sue makes them, I race to complete snatch them up. ALMOST makes me feel guilty for not giving others the opportunity to start their own collection...almost :-)
Now here are the suggestions (I changed "rules" to suggestions because I, for one, am the biggest rule-breaker going) to accepting and sharing this award:
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 10 blogs.
4. Put links to their 10 blogs.
5. Leave a comment for the nominees.
Here goes:
1.) Cindy @ My Romantic Home
2.) Kelly @ A Girl Named Kelly Kelly
3.) Louise @ Whispering Poppies
4.) Kim @ Savannah Gourmet
5.) Monica :-)
6.) Sarah @ Blue Castle
7.) Heather @ Pretty Petals
8.) Isabel @ Maison Douce
9.) Amy @ Keep'n The Sunny Side
10.) Stephenie @ Just A Little Bit PinkI know many of you feel uncomfortable receiving awards and I absolutely respect your position. If I happen to mention one of you humble sorts amongst my 10, PLEASE forgive me...feel absolutely free to keep it to yourself...and just consider it a "thank you" for being part of my blog life :-) Some of the blogs I mentioned are ones I have never even left a comment on, but have followed quietly. Don't you think it's extra special when you get an out-of-the-blue compliment?
It was a splendiforous day in CT...finally...and we're in for more glorious sunshine this weekend. WOOHOO! I love how there is a palpable shift in the energy level when spring arrives in full force: people are more patient with other drivers on the road, smiling faces are more abundant and simple greetings are friendlier & more genuine. In short, most of the "Eeyores" go into hibernation and the world is abound with "Tiggers". Although I had a "to do" list chock full of indoor chores, I just couldn't keep myself confined by four walls. I did a bit of gardening, cleaning up the garage, had a picnic lunch with a friend and practiced my photography skills. Did the spring & winter clothes get switched around? Nope! Did I sort through clothes the kids have outgrown? Nope! Did I organize the basement, in anticipation of my landlord bringing me dumpsters for a massive purging? Nope...nope...nope! I joined the rest of the springy Tiggers and worked on refining my bounce. Still lacks finesse, so I just may practice again tomorrow :-)
Ohhh....pictures: the flowers are self-explanatory (simple collages of my miniature daffodils & my one, red tulip). The little doors are "fairy" doors that I have scattered around my gardens. I also happened to catch a shadow, from the "GROW" sign I have in my side garden. I thought it went well with my tiny fairy doors when I was doing that collage. Yes? No?
It must have something to do with celebrating my son's birthday today...I have been fixated on where time goes. In the blink of an eye, my baby boy goes from weighing in at a whopping 5 pounds, 11 ounces to....well, a bit more than that :-) I realized, too, that the kittens will be 2 weeks old tomorrow and I haven't updated on them since they looked like a small pile of mice! That is hardly the case now. They are up and about, eyes wide opened and have very distinct, individual personalities. Cute as can be they are! We are definitely keeping the gray kitten...aptly named "Gray" (although, "Shadow" and "Bagheera" were considerations). The other 3 are fairly identical looking, so we'll see which, of those, my son takes a liking to.
Days turn into weeks. Weeks turn into months. Months turn into....well, you get the idea. One day you're holding this miraculous creation in your arms, wondering if you can do it "right"; IT being this whole parenting thing. The most important job you'll ever have, yet the one there is no real training for, other than trial & error and a whole lot of prayer. Before you know it, you're staring eyeball to eyeball with a wonderfully independent, ferociously moody teenager who is the first to let you know that there is very little you (Mom) can do "right" :-) It is during those moments that I need to turn a deaf ear to what he is saying and listen, with my heart, to the echoes of his footsteps while he continues on his own journey. He is respectful to others. He doesn't get in trouble at school. He is (mostly) kind & tolerant of his little sister. His grades are decent. AND, he still hugs and kisses me every night before bed and every morning before he heads off to school! When I listen carefully and look closely, I know that I am, in fact, doing more right than I could have imagined. So, as my baby turns 14 today, I will count my blessings and pray that the foundation has been set strongly enough for my James to become a man of honor & integrity. That's really the best we can hope for, isn't it?
***The baby picture was taken the day after I found out that there was a BIG mistake with a MISdiagnosis of a rare, cancerous tumor they thought they had found in my uterine wall. Although the picture quality is not top notch, my expression reflects the relief in my heart!
Do you ever have times when you just can seem to get your wheels rolling? That pretty much sums up what's been happening, with me, since my last post. I had a few days of feeling fairly melancholy, after having to put our cat, Sam, to sleep. The kids have been gone (with their dad) for four days, so I've been trying to catch up on the things I can't get done while they are under foot...weeding through bins of broken toys, purging games & playthings they have outgrown/ don't use. It's been so quiet, at home, that you'd think I'd be a whirling dervish of activity...not so much :-) I'd get started on one project, remember another thing that needed my attention, get distracted by the kittens. Before I knew it, nothing had gotten completely finished. The children come home this evening, so today is my day...I really mean it...to tie up loose ends. I did manage to treat myself to some fun project time, but haven't taking any pictures. ***Note to self: take pictures to share with blog friends. I'm thinking I need to start with a "To do" list. There is something intrinsically rewarding about the physical act of crossing things off a "To do" list. I always break tasks down to such minute steps, so I get to do lots of crossing off :-)
Just as a new life is such a joyous experience, the end of a life is so painful. Our 13 year old cat, Sam, started acting strangely this morning. He was absolutely fine one minute, but dragging his hind legs and yowling the next. I immediately called the vet (who has built a revolving door for me and my menagerie) and brought Sam in. The dr. quickly determined that Sam had a sizable blood clot and told me that the prognosis was very bad...even if we took extraordinary measures to treat him. After calling my ex-husband, we decided it best to have Sam put to sleep. I came home to tell the children and to give them the opportunity to go say goodbye to our Sam. Neither one of them wanted to remember him that way, so my ex-husband and I went back together. Our vet, who is the kindest, most gentle doctor I have ever known, was wonderful with Sam and so tender with us! Sam was a sweet, gentle cat...most definitely part of the family...and he will be missed by all of us.
The miracle of birth: our younger cat, Abigail (who was adopted a year ago by our DOG! Be careful who your puppy brings home when you let them out to go to the bathroom!) gave birth to 4 adorable kittens on Friday. It was definitely a "Good Friday"! I haven't posted about the kittens yet because many/ most people feel it is irresponsible to allow a cat to have kittens, with the overabundance of homeless cats. We didn't intend for her to get pregnant (okay, y'all can stop rolling your eyes), but I made sure I found potential homes for them as soon as I found out. In fact, we have more people who want the kittens than we have kittens :-) I believe strongly, that all children should experience the birth of a litter at least ONCE in their life. Abigail went into labor at 1:00 a.m., so my children did not witness the births, but it has been an amazing series of lessons about LIFE ever since. An animals maternal instincts are truly miraculous. One day you have a cat who is completely self-absorbed in meeting her own needs and the next she is 100% devoted to caring for her litter of babies. This is without the need for pain meds/ epidurals, a round-the-clock staff of nurses, a mother/ mother-in-law who comes to wait on the new Mommy hand & foot....there is none of that. It's been an extraordinary experience for all of us.
The timing is an absolute Godsend! When we weren't certain if Gretel would pull through, the impending birth of the kitties helped to ease our worried hearts. Today, with the death of our Sam, the children and I can focus on the new lives that are right in front of us. God certainly knew what He was doing when he orchestrated this chain of events!
I made an appointment today to have Abigail spayed, for anyone who feels compelled to suggest it :-)
I can't believe I haven't posted since Wednesday! Since I joined this wonderful community, I have to hold myself back from over-posting, lest I lose the interest of my followers. Fortunately/ unfortunately there has been nothing monumental that is to blame for my absence. My days have simply been busy. Given the alternative (famine, flood, fire or pet catastrophe), I am grateful for plain, old "busy"! However, now that I'm comfortably seated, at my computer, that familiar urge to share every, mundane detail of my life is back. I sense this will be a multiple-post day, friends.
I absolutely have to start with a HUGE, public thank you to Margaret, The French Bear, for the amazing gifts she sent me for participating in her "Pay it Forward" event. I have been drooling over Margaret's creations ever since I was introduced to her blog via Monica's (The White Bench). When Margaret invited her readers to join in her "Pay it Forward", I was all over it :-) Not only do I LOVE the concept, but (not-so-secretly) I was so excited to have one of Margaret's beautiful creations for my very own. When the package arrived, a few days ago, I was beyond thrilled! Of course, everything was wrapped beautifully and I opened everything with great care.
***Note: I have learned, thanks to you ladies, how to practice a bit of patience when it comes to unwrapping gifts. Typically, I am a tear-into-it, get-to-the-good-stuff kind of girl!
Margaret made me the most lovely collage, combining elements that I never, in a million years, would have thought to put together: pale blue journal paper, speckled eggs, burgundy rose ribbon....simply (nothing simple about it, actually) stunning! I am so impressed by those of you who let your creative juices flow freely. I tend to be very one-dimensional when it comes to expressing myself creatively. Margaret also made me the sweetest "Welcome Spring" nesting box...yes, there is a nest with speckled eggs inside. Attention to details???? I've made four attempts to describe the intricacies of this piece (deleted them all, obviously), so I will rely on my pictures to illustrate what I cannot put into words. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you Margaret. Small words for the gratitude I feel!
I am very simply a blogging idiot. For those of you who stick by me and attempt to follow my haphazard, circuitous, awkward ramblings......y'all have the patience of saints :-) Five days ago, Margaret (The French Bear) graciously passed along the Kreativ Blogger award to me. I'm just acknowledging this now, for what reason??? The blogger poltergeist removed the link to Margaret's blog from my sidebar...that's why! Same poltergeist, by the way, that devours socks in the washing machine/ dryer...nasty bugger. Sooo, here I am, thinking Margaret is giving "us" the cold shoulder because she hasn't been posting. Not so much, folks. Fortunately, I went in search of Margaret's link, to thank her for the AMAZING "Pay it Forward" gifts (post on that to follow because my panties are in a bunch and I want to be appropriately thankful and sweet when I gush about the goodies she sent me!). It was then that I discovered that Margaret had gone M.I.A. from my list of favorite blogs AND that she had honored me with the award. This ranting is exhausting, so it's time to slow down.
:::deep breaths:::
Thank you, Margaret, for thinking of me and for passing along the Kreativ Blogger award. I am so truly touched and you know (I hope) how much it means to me, coming from a woman I hold in such high regard!
Seven things I love:
~God...who knows more about my haphazard, circuitous, awkward ramblings than anyone...and, still, He loves me for it!
~My children...being a single mom has encouraged (okay....at times, forced) me to connect on a different level with my kids. There are times, logistically, that I have to wear both the mom hat and the dad hat. Challenging? You bet, but it has helped me grow in ways I never thought possible.
~People....more and more, each day, I'm recognizing how much I enjoy people. Sound strange? Perhaps, but I truly love meeting new people whether it's via my blog, at the local convenience store or picking my daughter up from school. It drives my children crazy that I am always making a conscious effort to be outgoing and warm to complete strangers. Someday, I hope their perception will shift and they will recognize the benefit of approaching life with an outstretched hand and an open heart. Either that or I'm going to have huge therapy bills to cover in their future!
~The beach...anyone who knows me at all, knows I love the beach. With on and off snow flurries today, I'm especially longing for the warmth of the sand beneath my feet and the sweet/ salty smell of the ocean. Block Island sounds perfect right now!
~My pets...since Gretel's accident, I recognize how much a part of my family they are.
~Music...my taste in music varies widely, but it is always reflective of my mood/ state of mind.
~Creating...when I do not make time to express myself creatively, whether it's crafting, sewing, cooking or blogging, I am just "off" (more so than usual:-)
Time to "Pay it Forward"! This is the hard part for two reasons: 1.)there are so many blogs that have become an integral part of my day, so choosing seven is very difficult and 2.) many of you have already received this honor. I know you were as touched as I was, by the gesture of whomever thought so highly of you. That said, it must be challenging to come up with new friends to pass the award along to. Since Margaret has given me permission :::smiles::: to abide or break the "rules" as I see fit, I'm going to...can anyone guess?...BREAK THEM! Now, there's your shock for the day. I will mention 7 people whose blogs I follow regularly. I love all of them for very different reasons, which should be reflected in my choices. With that, ladies, you can opt in or opt out as far as whether to pass the baton.
~Margaret, The French Bear (and not just because she sent me really cool stuff today AND was thoughtful enough to flatter me in this way...Really!)
~Monica, The White Bench
~Kelly, A Girl Named Kelly Kelly
~Jen, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
~Lynn, Lynn's Lovelies
~Stephenie: Just a Little Bit Pink
~Sue: Gossamer Creations
Thank you, Lynn, for your continued concern about Gretel. She's doing so well and is getting more bold every day, which thrills me to no end...as long as she doesn't consider going a few more rounds with another mini-van! I was FINALLY able to bathe Miss Stinkpot the other day and she's even easier to love now that she doesn't smell like...well, like a dog who's been hit by a car, undergone surgery, and been without a bath for nearly a month. She and I had some playful lovin' time 2 nights ago and my son actually asked where my camera was so he could take pictures. Two of his least favorite things: being my photographer and the dog! To his credit, he has softened toward the pup, since her accident. They'll never be the best of pals, but she gets an overabundance of love/ affection from his sister and me!
***I REFUSE to acknowledge the fact that there is a bunch of white stuff, falling from the sky (as I type this), that looks suspiciously like S*#@W!
While I, personally, have never had an issue with secondhand shopping, I am empathetic to those who remain hesitant. I was raised in a very traditional, old New England, waste-not-want-not family where tag/ yard sales and consignment/ thrift shops were considered weekend highlights. Buying secondhand wasn't, necessarily, a financial necessity. It was more the "thrill of the hunt" and getting a good "deal" on new (used) treasures.
When my youngest child started preschool, I started working at a consignment shop I had haunted for several years. I was in the shop one day and joked with the owner that she would have to make a light fixture out of me or give me a job. She hired me and thus began my entre' to the inner workings of secondhand retail. Fashion Exchange is the oldest consignment shop in Connecticut and was the brainchild of the owner, Janet Falkenthal, who created this treasure trove of designer fashions 25 years ago. Yes, most of the clothing has been gently worn, but...unless you plan on leaving new tags displayed on your ensemble...the only telltale difference between her clothing and that you might find at Neiman Marcus, is the damage to your bank account. The clothing is always a fraction of what you would pay for retail, but it is the end of the season sales that induce a feeding frenzy in avid bargain shoppers. I was over at the shop last week, to take pictures for this post, and found the back room still stacked to the rafters with the $5 items. Okay, so what's the big fuss over finding $5 clothing at a consignment shop when you can snag stuff, at a yard sale, for $.50? I'm talking about Armani suits, St John's pants, Michael Kors tops & dresses, Carolina Herrera dresses & Coach handbags! Is Fashion Exchange the "norm" as far as shopping secondhand? Certainly not! Janet has set the bar as high as it could be, but she has single-handedly dispelled the stigma that so many associate with consignment/ thrift stores. Who knows what hidden treasures are lurking in your neck of the woods? Who knows? Those "frugal fashionistas" that are dressed to the nines and smiling knowingly!
Fashion Exchange
109 South Main Street
Newtown, CT 06470
(203) 270-0354
I took two of the things I like best...pink and books...to celebrate Beverly's Pink Saturday extravaganza.
Oh, oh, oh: I first want to thank all of you who stopped by to visit me last week. It's always wonderful to meet new friends and I've loved spending time, this week, getting to know you via your blogs.
Back to the matter at hand. Pink Saturday. I was sorting through some books this week and came across three that I love...and they all happened to be pink. I set them aside for today's post, but forgot to photograph them while the natural lighting was optimal, so we're back to my familiar, amateurish, had-to-use-the-flash pictures. Progress, not perfection :::sighs:::
The first book combines the talents of two of my favorite artists: Anne Geddes (photographer) and Celine Dion (singer). They collaborated, on this book/ cd /dvd in 2004, which is aptly named: "Miracle: a celebration of new life". Any description I attempt to offer would scarcely do the project justice, so I'll just say: it's a brilliant work of art and the perfect gift for expecting parents.
The second book (since I'm, apparently, on an Anne Geddes roll) is called "My Baby Sister". It is a book for siblings to record the events surrounding the birth of a new baby and, subsequently, the growth milestones of a baby sister. The book is filled with Anne's amazing photographs and has pages for big brother or sister to record their memories of baby. Another unique gift idea...and a terrific way to make older siblings get involved in the life of a new addition to the family.
The last book, "Return to Fairyopolis" is a whimsical journal of fairy fun, fancy & faith. Ten years after her first encounter at Fairyopolis, Cicely Mary Barker’s young charge, Dulcie, is now a teenager—and her belief in the Flower Fairies is beginning to waver. That is until a journey to the countryside begins to melt her doubt. Investigation, research, and correspondence with her friend (and still a believer) Cicely Mary Barker—along with fairy magic—leads her back to Fairyopolis! (Amazon.com Editorial Review)
I hope all of you have a wonderful Pink Saturday!
I took my Gretel to get the staples taken out today (13 days after the surgery to repair her broken pelvis). She is such a little trooper: not a peep, out of her, as the vet removed the 27 staples. I, of course, couldn't wait to get her home and give her a bath. That will have to wait, a few days, per order of the doggie doc! She seems relieved to have those metal objects out of her skin. Perhaps it's just me projecting...okay, it's most likely me projecting! I hardly think she, who went head to head (or bumper to rump) with a mini-van, and emerged victoriously, gave a fig about a few staples. After I took a few pictures of her, I came into my room to find the cats snuggled, happily together on my bed. Animal photo ops abound!
I just came across this fabulous site, via Cindy's blog (My Romantic Home). Fabric Guru has a huge assortment of gorgeous fabrics...some up to 75% off...and shipping is only $4.99, regardless of how much fabric you are purchasing! If you're anything like me, the thought of paying a small fortune for shipping is abhorrent. I'm not big on promoting random websites, but this one is worth taking a peek.
