Luck O' the Irish to Ye!

Hope you have a really fun St. Patty's Day! Feel free to copy this post card, it is from my collection.

I will be eating corned beef and cabbage for dinner tonite..How about you? Green Eggs and Ham anyone???

One year my brother made us green eggs and ham for breakfast..... I knew it was just eggs and ham with food coloring, but green ham? I just couldn't do it...I was 7, what can I say!....

Now go out and find someone to pinch.....Um I mean to Kiss, or just to enjoy the day with and don't forget....wear something green, because everyone is Irish on St. Patty's Day! karen...

My Giveaway!

Helloooo my friends!!!!!
So sorry that I have been gone so long! Sometimes your life if so filled with the everyday or not so fun things that you don't want to put that on others...So I stayed quiet for a while. But! I have some pretties to share with you and am ready to get back to taking photos and blogging!
Above is a rannacula (sp?) from our porch. My mom planted them last year and we only got droopy greens but this year they are budding and this is the first flower! I love it! And really, the little vase wasn't falling down, it was just the weird position I was in to take the photo!

I also went to a little Antique fair and have gotten some goodies. I have another beautiful book to show you but can't locate it at the moment. I will do a post on this book and the other because they are so pretty on the inside:

Here are some pretty papermache painted boxes, some beautiful buttons, tiny tins, some more bottles and an awesome book with wonderful lithographs...
The book is called "My Stunt Book" and for keeping your memories of friendships and events.... never heard it referred to as a stunt book...maybe a british term?
This next photo is a little egg cup nest I made. I will be giving the little bird a crown and sugaring the little berries and her tail but I still wanted to share. I made her last night from some egg cups my mom has had for years and never used. I am making one for a friend and adding a couple to my shop.
Now......Drum Roll please!!!!
This is my 105th post giveaway!

It is a pretty journal made by me... a set of my coasters in lovely spring images and a pretty floral shoe postcard to use as decoration or in your art projects.
I am so excited to finally do this giveaway! I appreciate you all so much and have had a great time doing this blog! I look forward to your comments each day....everyone has been kind and fun and I love reaching out to all of you!!!!
I would love if you post about it on your blog but I am not requiring it ...leave as many comments as you would like! I will show you more details of the journal this week. I will draw name next sunday, March 22nd around 5pm pacific time.
Good Luck! and Happy Sunday my friends! xoxo karen....

Helloooooooo!

This is what I was greeted with today from a sweet blogger friend..."Where are you????? "I'm here! Just been super busy with the must do kinda stuff, and a little blue. But that funk is lifting thanks to good friends and family.... Look what my good friend Robin gave me:

Isn't it the best when you have a friend that "gets you?" She always knows what brings me joy...and it could be the littlest treasure but how could you stay in a bad mood when you walk by this little bit of goodness? I will eventually make something with these pretties but for now they are just wonderful inspiration just as they are! Thank you my sweet friend!

I also wanted to post to the year of color flicker pool for pink and thought I could share the pics with you too...

Just a little vignette of pretty pink things:

A shabby trim card made for my etsy site last year:

And some pretty vintage beaded heart embellishments.....

I will be back, I promise! I am off to a little fabric/trim shoppe to find goodies to make some kits....Have a great Saturday! karen....

Sending Oodles of Love

Happy Valentines Day my friends!

We keep it simple in our family...a little candy, some flowers and a nice meal (this year made by my son and mom!)

I decorated the credenza and thought you might like to see it:

There is that yo-yo garland from christmas time, the hearts are from my all that you love swap partner Tanya, and just some other pretties out to enjoy...

Here are a couple of close-ups:

I also wanted to share the Valentine Fat Book with you. Dede assembled and decorated all of our covers for us! I just love it!
Well, I hope you are all having a wonderful day and your heart's are full like mine! xoxo karen....

MIA

Hello my dear blogging friends! I am so sorry I have been missing this week and when I was suppose to announce a giveaway! Harrrumph!

I have been a little on overwhelm lately and something had to give (unfortunately my blogging was it!)

I don't usually post about the "downer" things in life but I will just let you in on some of the reason that I have been gone. I work for one of the local school districts here in Southern California and we are suffering from all of good Ole Arnie's budget cuts and now he will be taking more away from education so it has put alot of panic into the administrators and the staff...We had a meeting with our Superintendent this week and it does not look good! I have already been told that it is more than likely that I won't have work over the summer so my family and I are trying to posture ourselves so that we don't struggle over that time.... When I have things on my mind that are this important I tend to act like a possum at times and just freeze up. I have made a big effort to not do this, but it still happens...

Another thing that I have had to do is help my mom a little more lately. Over Christmas she landed in the hopital with heart problems. She has been in a lot of pain over the last year due to a hip problem she has but the local surgeon will not replace her hip because she is high risk. Well her MD feels that the pain caused her heart problem and it will reoccur if we don't take care of the problem so he referred us to USC. We went yesterday and the specialist was very postitive. He is willing to do the surgery if we can get her heart more regulated. We waited 2 1/2 hrs. to see him but are so glad that he is hopeful! So next week it is on to the heart specialist and we will see how he can help......

Sorry this is such a heavy post...I just feel you deserve a little explaination because I made promises that I haven't been able to keep....

So...that being said, I absolutely, positively promise the giveaway sign-up will start this weekend... !!! REALLY, it will!!!

Please come back and visit! And I would love to hear about everyone's valentines! Hugs! karen...

Pink and White Inspiration

On the Year of Color Blog the color of the month is pink.... so since I wanted to add to the flicker site, I thought I would share some pretty pink with you also...

I love this tattered doll...and why not in a pink and white teacup?

a doll my mom made on the pink pillows from our couch... the one on the right is a vintage pillow and the other pillow was made by mom also.

Some pretty frou-frou millinery hats.....

Happy Pink Saturday! karen....

Catching Up a Little!

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. I have been crazy busy lately and have a feeling it might get a little worse before it gets better. I just need to figure out a little more balance so I can keep up with all you cute bloggers! I don't have any photos for you today, just some valentine images that I got off of a free sight last year (don't remember which one) so you can use them if you like!

I finished my All that I love swap for the Year of color blog and we will be getting our Valentine books from Dede soon, I can't wait! She showed a sneek peek on her blog and they look so pretty so I will have some pictures to show you soon.
This is actually my 100th post but I don't have my giveaway quite ready for you! I have designed some new fun art elements that I think will be unique and I need to finish up a project with them to give away, so hold tight! Hang in there with me! It will be worth it, I promise! I just enjoy doing this blog and meeting all you nice visitors who are now becoming friends and I want my giveaway to be extra special....Hopefully it will be ready by Sunday! I will post either way by then...Have a happy friday and I will talk to you this weekend! ...karen...