Wednesday, April 12, 2006
*Book Fair {1}~ RAK *
1)Pay It Forward- After you are done, pass it along either by posting on your own blog or to a friend or family member.
2) Post some of your own books. I'm sure there are a few books around the house. Use this as an excuse to do a Spring Fling!
3) Only one book per person, please.
I know this might seem kinda weird, I don't know of anyone doing this before. But then I've always been kind of a weird person anyway :0)
If you are interested in any of the books, just put your name and address in the coment section of the appropiate book. I am hoping to make a post office run on Friday since I'll be on VACATION next week!!! Yippee!! We are going home {Mobile, AL}. I can't wait.
I hope this works out. Thought with summer coming on, it might be a good chance to get some reading time in. And with me on vacation next week, I'm sure I'll have more books to offer. If anyone has any suggestions or questions, just email me. FYI: Today is hubby's off day and we usually do some running around so it might be later this evening before I get a chance to reply. Have a great day!
*Book Fair RAK* The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom

Eddie is a grizzled war vetran who feels trapped in a meaningless life of fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. His days are a dull routine of work, loneliness, and regret.
Then, on his 83rd bday, Eddie dies in a tragic accident, trying to save a little girl from a falling cart. With his final breath, he feels two small hands in his-then nothing. He awakens in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a lush Garden of Eden, but a place where your earthly life is explained to you by five people who were in it. These people may have been loved ones or distant strangers. Yet each of them changed your path forever.
*Book Fair RAK* Songs in Ordinary Time by Mary McGarry Morris

It's the summer of 1960 in Atkinson, Vermont. Marie Fermoyle is a strong but vulnerable divorced woman whose loneliness and ambition for her children make her easy prey for dangerous con man Omar Duvall. Marie's children are Alice, seventeen-involed with a young priest; Norm, sixteen-hotheaded and idealistic; and Benjy, twelve-isolated and misunderstood and so desperate for his mother's happiness that he hides the deadly truth he knows about Duvall.
*Book Fair RAK* The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve

"I wonder this: If you take a woman and push her to the edge, how will she behave?" The question is posed by Jean, a photographer, who is 1995 arrives on Smuttynose Island, off the coast of Maine, to research a century-old crime . As she immerses herself in the details of the case-an outburst of passion the resulted in the deaths of two woman-Jean herself enters precarious emotional territory. The suspicion that her husband is having an affair burgeons into jealousy and distrust, and ultimately propels Jean to the verge of actions she had not known herself capable of-actions with horrific consequences.
*Book Fair RAK*~Queenmaker by India Edghill

"For over forty years, Michal lived and reigned in David's court. She was the beautiful and proud daughter of King Saul and the prize David would risk his kingdom to win.
Queenmaker introduces in unforgettable detail the characters of one of the greatest periods in Biblical history-their public deeds and private thoughts-and gives us the court of the kings as only a woman could see it."
Monday, April 10, 2006
~*{21} Challenge~Day 8, 9
~Good better best, never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is Best.
*Day 8~
Made a postcard for
postcardx . Like my little birdie?
Friday, April 07, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
*~* Great Mail Day *~*

Boy oh boy, did I have a great mail day yesterday!! And I really needed it :0) Thank you so much to Bonnie Rose and Bonnie.
I {heart} all of my goodies!! And the fact that both ladies sent me a handmade card, I'm just happy, happy, happy :0)
Big {{HUGS}} to both of you!!!
~XOXO~
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
* {21} Day Challenge- Day 5, 6 & 7 *

Day 6~My first layout posted on 2Peas!! Not very happy with it. It was a 12X12 & I have {NO CLUE} how to "stitch" so I took a pic.
Day 5~I finally made my charm bracelet!!! Rhonna's quote was: do yourself a favor....be a part of something exraoRdinary. I added: extRraoRinary chaRm bRacelet. I also made three pair of earrings from some old ones that had screw on post. Something else I have been putting off !!
Saturday, April 01, 2006
{21} Day Challenge - Day 3 & 4
Here are Day 3- Happiness 
and Day 4- Pimento Cheese. This recipe is from my grandmother (Grace) and I have wanted to make this for a very long time. I don't like anybody else's pimento cheese except hers :0) The stuff you buy in the stores is all lumpy. Hers is so smooth. And yes, I made it and it turned out great! This will be great for lunches in the summertime!! I'm off to finish Day 5!
Day 1 & 2 of Rhonna's {21} Day Challenge


The irony of all this is that my "habit" to break in this 21 days is procrastination and here it is day 6 into and I'm just now posting my first two lo's!! I have found in this process that I'm not a fast scrapbooker. It takes me awhile to get everything together. But I think that I am learning to get it done a little quicker. I have day 3 and 4 done, I'll get them posted later today.
Just a little background info on my goal. I have a list of 15 things that I want to do in this 21 days. Some are things that I have wanted to do for a really long time and some are more current. I have made 15 tags to put with each day as a kind of acknowledgement of these task being completed. The first one was on day 2, I got a library card. I know it may not seem like a big deal to some of you, but this has been something I have wanted to do for almost four years. I guess the main reason behind the procrastination on this one is that to get a library card you have to have a driver's license for that county. We have moved 8 times (Alabama,Florida, Mississippi,Florida, Texas, Florida) in the last 6 years. So we just kinda put it off because we never knew how long we were going to stay.
So now I have a library card for Leon county. Yippee!!
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Rhonna Farrer's {21} Day Challenge
What *is* The {21} Challenge?It's a challenge that is based on 2 ideas:
1. The idea of creating or breaking (conquering) a habit in 21 days. Studies have shown that it takes 21 days to change. So, choose a habit you want to create or conquer in these 21 days. 2. The idea that art is therapy. We take the 'art journal' angle on this to create for 21 days & journal our feelings,triumphs, failures, etc. It makes the 21 days go alot faster doing something we love.
My habit that I am trying to "break" is...Procrastination!! And here we are four days into the challenge and I'm already behind, I've only made one lo!! I didn't find out about the challenge until Monday so I give myself one day to be behind and Wednesday's are one of Charlie's off days and we usually do family stuff. So I guess I'll just have to catch up today :0) I am really excited about this. I have so ideas running around in my head of what I want from this challenge and how I want to create my journal.
Please keep checking back with me as I embark on this journey. Does anyone else want to join me? I've seen some really talented and beautiful work so far.
If not, watch the threads and give all the ladies some encouragement. We could all use more of that.
Off to work on the challenge :0)
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*SOUP OF THE DAY*
We are, each of us angels with only one wing; and we can only fly by embracing one another.
~~~Luciano de Crescenzo
*DESSERT OF THE DAY*
#1- Compliment three people every day
#30- Be a student in some kind of class
#177- Learn to recognize the inconsequential; then ignore it.
#379- Forget committees. New, noble, world-changing ideas always come from one person working alone.
~~~H. Jackson Brown, Jr
The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book
Friday, March 24, 2006
Daring To Be Yourself

I've just started reading a book by Alexandra Stoddard "Daring to be yourself". Although I've read some chapters before, I haven't really sat down and attempted to apply her principals to my life. Now that I have "retired" and have alot of time on my hands, I have realized that my dream of owning a shop is stronger than ever. But I feel as if my life isn't in order, so how can I be a shop owner?
I need to develop my own sense of style. After visiting many wonderful blogs and seeing other's creativeness, I'm am trying to discover my own style. I would be ashamed to let anyone see my home in the state that it's in. But as I look around at the "clutter" I realize that one of my downfalls is that I see beauty in the most mundane and ordinary objects. I see a wonderful little storage container out of a used holder of Pringles! A vintage cracked plate can be a mosaic birdbath. I have all these ideas and say that "One day I will make this or that" and then life happens and things get pushed back farther and farther. And I don't even want to get into the scrapbook lay out thing LOL. So I am on a quest to accomplish some of these projects.
I learned to make candles when we lived in Texas and I haven't made a single one since we moved to Florida. I also learned to make the cutest flip-flops, I have about 5 pair just waiting to be made. I was going to sell them, but I have to make them first :0) I have cross-stitched for 22 years and as of right now, there isn't a single x-stitched piece in our home! I have wanted to make a birdhouse (using recycled building materials) for a long time now.
So I am attempting to use this book to help me pinpoint my true style and learn how to creatively express it. I now that making things and being surrounded by beautiful things (at least beautiful to ME!) is what makes me happy. So bear with me, I might be doing alot of rambling in the next few weeks/months? as I attempt to find out who I want to be when I grow up!
Ciao for now!
*SOUP OF THE DAY*
There may be areas of your life in which you are stuck and others where you are gliding. When you understand what you want to do, you will experience an increased flow of natural energy. This feeds you and gives you the drive to go on. You sour in your own orbit once you move in the direction of self-discovery. You find out most about your essence by taking action.
~~~Alexandra Stoddard
*DESSERT OF THE DAY*
To thine own self to true.
~~~William Shakespeare
Thursday, March 23, 2006
*BEAUTIFUL BOOKS*

Beautiful Books.
1. What is the most beautiful book you own? 2. In what way is it beautiful? Is it the illustrations, the binding, a combination of these, or something else? 3. How often do you look at it, browse through it, read it?
Oh how I love Books!! I have loved books my whole life. All kinds. I can read just about anything. But the most favorite are craft and decorating books. And decor mags. I truly have a magazine fetish. In an attempt to help control all the ideas that I was finding, I started journals. One for out "Dream" home, one for gardening, one for fashion and so on. It at least helps me have a place to put things that inspire me. And there is so much that inspires me. That why it is so hard to answer this challenge. The most beautiful...Okay I'm going to say...Tracy Porter's "Inspired Gatherings". I say this because I can sit and look at every page of this book for hours. Days. Weeks. The pictures, her words and how she finds inspiration in so many different places. How she uses every day items and makes them look so festive. How she can turn a simple dinner into a magical gathering. There are beautiful illustrations of her artwork and some pages look as if they came straight out of a scrapbook. My nightstand has a bookshelf and I keep books there that I use for reference/inspiration. This is one of them.
But I must also mention my favorite magazine. Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion. Whatever would I do without it. It is my soul source of inspiration on an almost daily basis. Charlie just can't seem to understand how I can look at the same magazines over & over again. They are my muse.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Challenge 3-22-06
I dream that my "Dream Home" is built and paid for, Dane is married with kids (grandkids!) and secod child(which we don't even have yeet ;0) is hanging around. Having alot of land, at least 10 acres (Ashley Judd has 1,000 !!!) with a menagerie of animals. I can see myself in the kitchen baking cupcakes for all the grandkids and their friends. Then taking a couple to Charlie, who would be out playing a round of golf on his little private golf course :0) Later in the day, getting on our boat and cruising around the Gulf. But even with all these fancy dreams I can't forget that I just hope I'm as happy as my grandparents-my grandmother-Gigi-is 92 years young and although it's getting harder for her to get around she still enjoys entertaining people. We were just at their house last weekend and she bought two cakes-one for Charlie and one for Dane. Then invited my MIL and SIL along with her two kids. 11 people unexpectedley showing up and she couldn't have seemed happier. And the stories my grandparents can tell! I love hearing all of their tales about their life together. I guess I really need to write some of them down. That would make for an awesome album!
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Procrastinate...Who...ME??!!**??
I've been trying to post some more pics of the little shop I found, Nostalgia, but either I'm messed up or blogger is!
I'll try again later.
Hope everybody has a great day :0)
*SOUP OF THE DAY*
Sitting silently, doing nothing, Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.
~~~Osho
*DESSERT OF THE DAY*
From The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book by H. Jackson Brown, Jr
#1551-Live simply
#1552-Think quickly
#1553-Work diligently
#1554-Fight fairly
#1555-Give generously
#1556-Laugh loudly
#1557-Love deeply
Sunday, March 19, 2006
*Happy Spring 2006*
BonnieRose had a challenge today:
Scrapbooking and Music.
What kind of music do you listen to while scrapbooking? Any? What genre? What are your faves? Does music soothe you as u sb, or is it a distraction??
I love music. Right now in my CD player, I have "Elevation". Love that sound. I can't be creative with the tv. But music, that's different. It's funny, Charlie falls to sleep on the sofa with the tv on, but I can't sleep with it on. But turn the radio on and I can fall asleep in a second!
As for genre, I love Enya style music for somethings. But other times, I can listen to AC/DC, and still other times, Dance. We have DirectTv and they now offer XM on the music channels. Lately, I've even be known to listen to some country. I bought Sara Evans cd, there are some really great songs on there. One I was even thinking about using in a lo.
Overall, the answer is: I love music. Different music for different occasions, but music for me ;0)
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Catch of the Day 3-18-06
Anyway, hope you enjoy the shop.
Friday, March 17, 2006
*FrIdAy FuN FaCTs*}
Friday Challenge: List your personal mottos or inspired words you choose to live your life by. List as many as come to mind to you.....
Friday Fun Fact: I love quotes and sayings!!
As most of you know, I list two quotes a day on my blog. I try to have the Soup quote to be a thoughtful and inspiring quote. Something that has meaning to it. To nourish the soul, like soup! The other quote is Dessert. Something fun, witty, short and sweet, like dessert! I have collected quotes for a very long time. I have a journal that I started writing them in that I've had for almost 15 years. I have written all sorts of stuff in there. It's not really a diary(never really did those). Just things that I've read that I liked and wanted to remember. This brings me to the challenge today. I guess I've always been the kind to think of a quote or saying for most occasions. So, I tried to thing of some that I felt I could live by. Here goes:
1) Be who you are and say what you feel, because the people who mind don't matter and the people who matter don't mind. (This is my motto for this year!)
2) It's never too late to be what you might have been.~George Eliot
3) Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.~Ralph Waldo Emerson
4) If you see a chance to be happy, grab it with both hands and the hell with the consequences. The only things in ths life that you really regret are the risk you didn't take.~Jack Lemon in "Grumpy Old Men"
5) I can do everything through him who gives me strength.~Philippians 4:13
6) In everything...he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.~II Chronicles 31:21
I'm sure I could come up with a bunch more. But I think this is enough for now. Hope you enjoyed them.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Day 2 of Potty Training
Today has been a little off schedule. Had to run to Lowe's for some stuff to finish off the bathroom. New chrome doorknobs, hinges and I got some joint compound. Our walls aren't smooth, they are rough in spots, but not all over like texture. So I'm going to try and create a texture so maybe (hopefully) it will blend. I thought it would give the bathroom an old world feel.
Just had to do today challenge from BonnieRose.
1)Popcorn-We love watching movies and we just can't watch a movie w/out popcorn!!
2)Cheesecake-any kind!!
3) Ice cream-again, any flavor
4) Kahlua ice cream pie-from On The Border-totally to die for!!
5)Ruffles and onion dip
6) Rotel dip and tostitos (w/ Smirnoff Ice ;0)
7)Hot tamales-love eating a bunch of these right after I eat popcorn, don't ask me why!
8) Clausen pickles
9)Milky Ways
10)Peeps-I love peeps-especially since they now make them for all the holidays. I found some at the Dollar Tree in the shape of large easter eggs. Good thing I'm making my own Easter basket :0)
I could probably go on, but I'll stop now so I don't look like a total PIG!! Well, I'm off to go paint some more. And to wake a sleeping little boy. Hope you have a great day!!
*SOUP OF THE DAY*
All of us are watchers-of television, of time clocks, of traffic on the freeway-but few are observers. Everyone is looking, not many are seeing.
~~~Peter M. Leschak
*SOUP OF THE DAY*
Seek the greater vision.
~~~Plotinus
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
OH MY~How Time Flies!!!!
Speaking of Dane, we have started potty training this week. This being my first child and no further expierence with siblings or anything, I got some pointers this weekend and now we are on our second day. Hopefully we can get this done by the end of the week.
Also, Charlie and I found out some information about us starting our business. We might be moving sooner than expected. We want to put an ad in the phone book for the Eastern Shore and it has to been in by April 28 and the phonebook comes out in June. So we would have to have our house ready to sell AND have a house to purchase in Pensacola by sometime in May. This should be interesting :0) I started working in the bathroom last week painting the vanity. It was a boring brown (originaly to house) and I bought a nice white (Sawyer White). I think it looks good. I need to put one final coat on today, and get some new hinges and a knob. Then I want to caulk the trim and paint it. But the biggest project I want to do is learn to lay cermaic tile! I think that would add so much value to the house! I'll post some before and after pics later.
Just want to say that I'm glad I'm back. It feel weird being out of the blogging "loop" for a week. But I'm back! I know I've got alot of catching up to do!
**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~
*SOUP OF THE DAY*
Delicious candles, patterns that dance, restful white spaces, glistening tea cups, the texture of moss, the color of sea snimals...Just a bunch of nonsense? or perhaps the closest thing to a formula that I can offer as explanation of my design process.
~~~Tracy Porter
*DESSERT OF THE DAY*
No man is a hypocrite in his own pleasure.
~~~James Boswell
Sunday, March 05, 2006
My First RAK !!!!
She sent me a really sweet little package of goodies-A very talented lady that Bonnie Rose!! Thank you Bonnie Rose!
If everything goes as planned today, after Charlie and I finish nailing one side of the privacy fence that we are doing BY OURSELVES,(barring no WWIII arguments) we are going to try and attend a Seminoles baseball game. I figured, since we live here, why not enjoy some of what Tallahassee has to offer. Besides, I'm sure it would be fun for both Charlie and Dane. Gonna take the camera~never know when that great pic will happen.
As I was browsing on 2peas , came across Lisa G's blog with this link. This was fun!

HEIDI SWAPP DESIGN TEAM!
Just like Heidi, you are a believer. You are a
dreamer.You are an artist.You are a teacher.
You are a designer and you have a vision.
What scrapbook company should you design for...?
brought to you by Quizilla
Not the answer I was expecting. Not that it's a bad thing, love HS but I would have never thought that my design style would fit under her profile. That really gives me some inspiration!! I am feeling the need for SCRAP TIME!!
Friday, March 03, 2006
Friday Blog Challenge
Blog Challenge for Friday on 2peas: List 10 or more things that almost always make you laugh/smile:
1)Hubby calling just to day "I Love You"
2)Finding something I think I've lost
3)Comments on my blog!!!
4)Completing a project~scrapbook, cross-stitch, altering
5)Smelling frech baked Blackberry Cobbler
6)Hearing some of the funny things Dane says. He's been trying to ask us what are we doing, but it comes out sounding like "Duba-do-in Mama?"
7)COFFEE!!!
8)When I sell something on ebay-it makes me feel good. And then I get to wrap it real pretty and add a little note-:0)
9)Finding a treasure (see prev post on star fence)
10){{{Hugs}}}
11)Knowing God loves me no matter what. And that I can love him just as much!!
SOUP OF THE DAY:
Sacred space and sacred time and something joyous to do is all we need. Almost anything then becomes a continous and interesting joy.
---Joseph Campbell
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.
---John Gunther
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Where,Oh Where,Have you Been...
We have 9 days until we take a little R&R and go to Mobile~can't wait to see everybody! And I have so much to do before then. Presents to make, pages to make, 3 dogs to figure out what to do with, a charm bracelet I want to get made, I need a haircut (and color too :0) and we are stopping in Pensacola to look at houses. It's going to be hectic.
Did you enjoy the recipe the other day? I love having theme nights with dinner (love Rachel Ray). I'll try to have a new recipe on Sundays (don't hold me to that :0). Hopefully it will give someone some inspiration.
And now for the Day's Features:
SOUP OF THE DAY:
Years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.
---Mark Twain
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
You are in complete charge of coloring your own life.
---Alexandra Stoddard
Monday, February 27, 2006
Recipe of the Week
I made these Saturday night. It was two recipes that I found and I thought they would go together. I sliced the pork and layed on top of the rice and sprinkled the top with the toasted almonds. Not sure about the chocolate taste of the rice but the cherries added a nice touch. The pork was great, very moist and tender~you could use your fork to cut it. Enjoy!!Friday, February 24, 2006
*FrIdAy'S FuN FaCtS 2-24-06*
SOUP OF THE DAY:
The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.
---Norman Schwarzkopf
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
Smile! Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday!
---from a bookmark I had a long time ago :0)
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Catch of the Day

Just wanted to share some cool things I picked up over the weekend. I found the fencing at a salvage yard. There are two pieces. Just love the stars!!I lucked up on the magazines at a yard sale. 1953~Better Homes & Garden, 1956~Household, 1955~Woman's Day,1957~Ladies Home Journal and a 1953 Scrabble game--All for $2!!! Can't wait to start scrapping/collage.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Weekend Catch Up
Q1: Do you ever have epiphanies, moments when things become so abundantly clear that you're left wondering what in the heck you were thinking up until that point in time
~Actually, I've had a few of these. Two that I can say are quite clear. First was when Charlie & I were dating. We had been dating for a couple of months and were living together. Then one morning I remember waking up and thinking "the father of my children was lying beside me". It was if I had heard the words in my head. At first, it was unnerving. But the more I thought about it and spent time with him, I realized that I really had found the "Man of the Dreams"!
Second is about my old job. I had spent 18 years of my life working for this company. And since coming to Tallahassee, things had just gotten so unbearable. I prayed so much for some guidance that I was doing the right thing by quitting. I had finally accepted in my heart that this was what I needed to do. It was as if the Lord was trying to tell me"Hey, how can I take you some place else, if you don't trust me to quit from here?" Then on my last day, as I was walking across the frontend, I spotted a penny on the floor. I believe that pennies are from heaven with the quote"In God We Trust". A little something to say that He's there. As I picked up the penny, I looked at the year and it was 1968-the year I was born! I kept it in my pocket all day and was even thinking about making a lo with it!
Q2: They say every one of us has at least one in our lifetime... Without revealing something you're not comfortable sharing, have you ever had what you believed to be a million dollar business idea?
~My problem is that I have alot of these!! The first one I can think of (not million dollar) was when I was about 15 yrs old. I was out with my dad and we had stopped to look at an old house that was being used by a local garden nursery for storage. It was a small house, but had a big picture window in the front and was located on a main street. I told my dad that I thought that it would make a great location for a little retail shop. About a month later, someone bought it and turned it into {a little retail shop}!
I've had this happen to me with alot of different things. And I'm trying to make myself believe that I should go with what I feel. But sometimes, it's just so scary! I guess that's why I decided that my motto for this year is:
Be who you are and say what you feel, because the people who mind don't matter and the people who matter don't mind.
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture and if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.
--- Johann Wolfgang van Goethe
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
Truth should be highly valued.
--- Plato
Friday, February 17, 2006
FrIdAy'S FuN FaCtS
SOUP OF THE DAY:
Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever.
--- Horace Mann
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
Keep your face in the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind you.
--- Irish Proverb
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
A combo, please
BonnieRose-List your immediate family members, young and old -- and share what you admire most in them.
Michelle-Let's face it, no parents are perfect, they all do things we swear never doing it to our own kids. What's some on your no-no list?
I am an only child so my immediate family is very small. And this is the #1 thing on my No-No list-Not to have an only child! And yes(wink) we are working on it!
Charlie~My Love-He never stops to amaze me. Last night for example. His work has been relentless the last couple of weeks. I knew he didn't get a chance to get me anything for V-day. But here he comes, walking in the door last night with a dozen roses, big box of chocolates and a funny card. I was completely surprised. I also admire his ability to see the positive side of things. I like to think of myself as positive but sometimes I get so overwhelmed with life. He always manages to make it all seem so small and insignificant. I love this man!
My Mother-A very quite woman but I owe alot of my creativeness to her. I also owe my love of animals and gardening to her. My mom stayed home with me until I was in high school. It was good to have her home. I'm trying this now with our little one. Maybe try to work a little from home.
My Dad-My Dad!! What a guy. Always the life of the party. Complete opposite of my mom. To him I owe my love of reading. My dad has done alot of things in his life & he always reads about any new thing before he starts. He also has a gift to talking to people and they always open up to him and tell him all kinds of stuff. On the No-No side-For a couple of years, my dad have to work out of town alot. He'd spend a whole week out of town. This really put a strain on my parents relationship. And now when Charlie has go out of town, we both insist that he comes home each night. As for my parents, now you can't get them away from each other :0)
My Grandmother~Gigi-What an inspiration- 92 and still going strong! A very extraordinary woman. To her I owe my red hair(even if I have to help it along), love of cooking,and fashion. My grandmother's real name is Grace-hence my name "Bella Grace".
My Grandfather~Papa-I owe my love of nature to Papa. He's always outside working in the yard or in his workshop building a birdhouse or something. I guess some of the creativeness comes from his also.
I guess I don't have a long list of No-No's. Just want to make sure that both of us are able to be with our kids whenever they need us. And listen to them. And encourage them to be true to themselves.
SOUP OF THE DAY:
And now forgive the past and accept the present, be gracious and merciful to me and do not deprive me of sight, or take from me the art of love.
--- Plato
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
And now abideth faith, hope and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. --- Corinthians
And the answers are...
2. I've had a rat & a snake as pets-YES! We had a boa constrictor named "Huggy". Because of the snake, we started raising rats. I keep one as a pet and fell in love with them. They really are smarter and sweeter than any hamster. The last one was named "Jinx". I had her when my hubby & I started dating. He was a little freaked out about it, but he got to know her and now he knows how interesting they can be. And to think, they only cost $1.99!!
3. I drink coffee every morning-Yeap! And I love flavored Coffemate-yum
4. I was born in Italy-Do I wish! My dream is to visit Italy-soon :0)
5. I graduated from college with a degree in Art History-My best friend,Kimberly
6. My husband is a racecar driver-He wishes! Ashley Judd's hubby is-and he's Italian! P.S. They got married on my birthday-Good Marriage
7. I taught myself to cross-stitch & have been doing it for 22 years-How sad is that. Seriously, I love to cross-stitch. I just wish it didn't take so long. I'm working on a piece now call "The Kiss". Can't wait to finish.
8. I met my husband at a bar-When I first met Charlie, he was the manager for a sports bar. He was dating some blonde and I was dating a guy. Then, 8 years later, Yes 8 YEARS, we were both out one night at a bar and ran into each other. Started talking, he asked me to dance, I had had one too many drinks and as we were dancing, I just decided to kiss him!! He hasn't left me alone since :0) I love my hubby
9. I love to read-True, true
10. I won an ice skating contest-Never even been ice skating, or skiing. I can't even roller skate, sad
Did you guess right?? Thanks for playing :0)
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
2Peas Challenges 2-14-06
DH woke me up at about midnight to "wish" me a happy v'day. Great for him, he went right back to sleep, but I stayed up until almost 3 am!! Men!! lol I made a few changes to the blog and got to read a few new ones. I'll try to show links later.
On to the challenge-from Michelle:
Let's have fun to do an imaginary body make-over. What would you like to change?I know we all suppose to love our body, blah blah blah. So this is all for fun. Not to tell people that they need those changes to be happy.
1. Love to lose all the baby-fat and firm up those abs
2. A little taller
3. My fingernails are Weird. Paper thin and they curve. Love to have pretty nails.
4. Pretty feet
5. Thicker hair
6. smoother skin
7. Bigger boobs :0) (DH #1)
I think that's it. I just don't really think about it. Just #1 because I was so small most of my life and then as I got older, the food started "sticking" and having a 10 pound baby didn't help lol. I'm really wanting to start walking every day, but haven't gotten into the habit yet.
SOUP OF THE DAY:
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou not kiss me?
--- Percy Bysshe Shelly
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
Monday, February 13, 2006
2Peas Challenge-Truth vs. Lies
- I've been robbed at gun point
- I've had a rat & a snake as pets
- I drink coffee every morning
- I was born in Italy
- I graduated from college with a degree in Art History
- My husband is a racecar driver
- I taught myself to cross-stitch & have been doing it for 22 years
- I met my husband at a bar
- I love to read
- I won an ice skating contest
Okay, do you know what's the truth and what's lies? I'll let ya know tomorrow.
In the mean time, hope you enjoy today's specials. Hope these help you have a memorable Valentine's Day.
SOUP OF THE DAY:
If you see a chance to be happy, grab it with both hands and the hell with the consequences. The only things in this life that you really regret are the risk you didn't take.
---Jack Lemon"Grumpy Old Men"
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
Love is the irresistible desire to be desired irresistibly.
--- Louis Ginsberg
Sunday, February 12, 2006
My Dream Job
I love decorating and would sell home furnishings, both old and new. I love antiques/ vintage things. I am fascinated with handmade items ex. jewelry, pillows, purses. I would love to bring all of this together in a quaint little shop that offers wonderful customer service along with a glass of sweet tea in the summer and hot chocolate in the winter!
This is what started me selling on ebay, and although I do love ebay and I've meet some wonderful people, I would still open a shop if I ever got the chance. Can somebody tell me what the winning lottery numbers are? LOL
Friday, February 10, 2006
Let's Play Tag
1. What is your occupation? SAHM
2. What color is your underwear? yellow
3. What are you listening to right now? Noggin
4. What was the last thing you ate? popcorn
5. Do you wish on stars? No
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? bluish-green
7. How is the weather right now? cold and sunny
8. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Charlie~My Love
9. How old are you today? 37
10. Favorite drink? sweet tea
11. Favorite sport to watch? NASCAR
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? yes
13. Do you wear contacts or glasses? 'possed to LOL
14. Pets? Belle, Indy & Sasha- doggies
15. Favorite month? October
16. Favorite food? Pasta
17. What was the last movie you watched? Corpse Bride
18. Favorite day of the year? Halloween
19. What do you do to vent anger? Other than sitting on the floor and throwing a tantrum?
20. Hugs or kisses? XOXO :0)
21. Cherry or blueberry? Blackberry!!!
22. Living arrangements? Married to My Love, one son-3 yo and 3 doggies!! We need a bigger house!!
23. When was the last time you cried? January 27- when I found out I lost my credit cards & someone was using them! See #19
24. What is on the floor of your closet? There is a floor in there?
25. Who is/are the friends you have had the longest? Kimberly and Tracy girl
26. What did you do last night? watched tv
27. Favorite smell? hazelnut
28. What inspires you? wanting to create something beautiful/meaningful. Finding ways to be a better Christian.
29. What are you afraid of? losing a loved one
30. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Cheeseburger in Paradise! (Fav-Butch Cassidy's-Mobile, AL)
31. Favorite car? 1968 Camaro
32. Favorite dog breed? See #14 Mutts!!
33. Number of keys on your key ring? 3
34. How many years at your current job? As of last week, 18 yrs. But now that I'm "retired", who knows!!!
35. Favorite day of the week? Any that I'm alive and breathing
36. How many states have you lived in? Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Texas
37. How many cities have you lived in/name them? Mobile, AL, Biloxi, MS, Pensacola, FL, Longview, TX, Tallahassee, FL
38. What was the last book you read? The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
I tagged:
Michellehttp://scrapscrapscrap.blogspot.com/
Dawnhttp://daybreak1012.blogspot.com/
BonnieRosehttp://alifeunrehearsed.blogspot.com/
Bonzairnhttp://justfivemoreminutes.blogspot.com/
SOUP OF THE DAY:
I bless you. I kiss & caress every tenderly beloved place & gaze into your deep, sweet eyes which long ago conquered me completely. Love ever grows.
---Tsaritsa Alexandra to Tsar Nicholas II of Russia
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
A woman has got to love a bad man once or twice in her life to be thankful for a good one.
--- Mae West
Have a beautiful Day!!
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
2Peas Challenge-What NOT To Wear
I had a big "27 fling boogie" and tried to make sure that everything had something to match. Since I knew that things were going to be tight without my second income, I tried to create a "budget". I came up with an idea for purchasing clothing four times per year, the first day of each of the seasons. But I don't know how well this will last!!!
I use to love all my clothes, but gradually things started falling apart and then I was pregnant and after that Nothing fit!! I used to have accessories that matched all my outfits ( I love earrings). Now I'm down to about three pairs. I know there is truth in if you are dressed well, it makes you feel better. With embarking on a new phase of my life, I thought this is a good time to start.
As for style, I have a very eclectic style. I have alot of vintage clothing that I love, especially coats and jackets. And I really wasn't wearing them. So I pulled those things out and tried to make outfits around these special pieces. This would give me a place to start. I do love the "Bohemian" look. I receive a catalog from Anthropologie and love all the clothes, but can't afford anything :0( But I do get ideas.
Since I'm home more now, I am going to try my hand at learning to sew. I love skirts and my mom has been telling me for a long time that skirts are easy. I also want to learn to make purse and pillows. I just think that would be too cool!
And in preparation for Valentines Day, I hope you enjoy the Specials of the Day! Ciao!
SOUP OF THE DAY:
I do love you...as the dew loves the flowers; as the birds love the sunshine; as the wavelets love the breeze; as mothers love their firstborn; as memory loves old faces; as the yearning tides love the moon; as angels love the pure in heart.
---Mark Twain
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
I wasn't kissing her, I was whispering in her mouth.
--- Chico Marx
Monday, February 06, 2006
2 Peas Challenge 2-6-06
The men are out of the house with the kids (can you imagine) for the night into the morning. You and five of your best friends are getting together to scrap, eat, and gab. What ***five*** chick flicks would you have ready to watch while you are scrapping????
1) Serendipity
2) Hitch
3) The Wedding Planner
4) How to lose a guy in 10 Days
5) Sahara
Okay, can you say "Matthew McConaughey". Now if they would make a movie with Matthew, John (Travolta) and Mark (Walberg), I'd be all set.
#3 suggestion from Robin What size do you primarily scrapbook and why?
The first scrapbook I started was a 12 X 12. I only got a couple of lo finished. (Read=I'm really behind here!! lol) Then this past Christmas, I wanted to do a book for my grandparents. I settled on an 8 X 8 and LOVED IT!!! I felt like I could get more lo finished ( I only got about four done, but that was in like three days, so I was happy.) Part of the reason I joined the DW Challenges was that I would use a few of the Monthly Challenges as gifts. I want to start on another 8 X 8 for my parents as a combined Mother/Fathers day gift for them with lo's of Dane.
Since this is their only grandchild, and we live 250 miles away, they are more than happy to get pics of him.
Thanks for the Challenges!!!!! Ciao for now *
First Day Of My New Job
LISA-You left a comment but I couldn't link back to you. My email address is BellaGraceHome @AOL. I'd like to ask you some questions. Thanks
SOUP OF THE DAY
Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn't stop to enjoy it.
--- William Feather
DESSERT OF THE DAY
God gives every bird his worm, but he does not throw it into the nest.
--- Swedish Proverb
Friday, February 03, 2006
My Last Day


It's finally here, my last day at Sam's Club!!
I have mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness . I can't wait to get started on our new adventure. Pray of us and wish us luck. Off to get ready for the "Last Day" :0)
SOUP OF THE DAY
Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.
--- Confucius
DESSERT OF THE DAY
The only people who never fail are those who never try.
--- Ilka Chase
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
2 DAYS LEFT!!
So, keep us in your prayers. And I'll keep updates on the blog. Also, I have some ideas for the blog. On Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays I would like to have a Soup of the Day-inspirational/thoughtful quote and Dessert of the Day-playful/funny quote. I'm also hoping to add a recipe of the Week. We'll see. Hope you like them :0)
SOUP OF THE DAY:
Don't be afraid to take big steps. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.
--- David Lloyd George
DESSERT OF THE DAY:
Imagine whirled peas --- bumpersticker
Video code provided by HotCodez.com
Saturday, January 28, 2006
2 Peas Challenge 1-28-05
1) Elevation
2) Enya
3) Enigma (promise I wasn't trying to get all E's)
4) Anything 80's
For the first three, I guess I'm getting old, but I like the fact that there is beautiful music but not alot of words to distract me. Now, when I'm driving, that's a different story!! Anything for jazz to AC/DC. I love music. No, I don't own an iPod, DH was going to buy one this past Christmas, but I asked for Photo Shop instead. He did but me a nice little CD player for my scrap studio, so I have to listen to whole CD's.
Thanks to Michelle for the challenge :0)
Ciao for now!
Saturday, January 14, 2006
On the Ball
On to other things. Thanks to Plastic for the weekly questions.
1) What color makes you smile? Pink and Green (okay, I had to have two)
2) What is your food related pet peeve? When someone has something in their teeth and they smak their lips instead of getting a toothpick. Yuk!
3) What is your favorite website(beside 2peas)? Right now it's HGTV, I'm trying to win the f-ing house!!! (hey, I just answered #5!)
4) What did you do on your last date? Got married? No seriously, last week DH took us out to Osaka Japanese Steakhouse. Nothing exciting, but we've got a 3 yo.
5) What is your favorite slang word? F-ing!!! And I do say it that way!! And I need to stop. Like I said, we have 3 yo. He was playing a game on his Leapfrog and fell into the water, and he said "Damn". I almost fell of my chair!
If you are reading this blog, then your assignment is to copy these questions to your blog and answer them, got it?
Now , for another assignment. Back on December 30, Ms. Tenika tagged me (Thank you).
5 Weird things about me:
1) When brushing my teeth or standing in the kitchen cooking, for some reason, I stand on one foot!!
2) I am the only person on the road who can drive correctly :0)
3) I am a packrat (is this weird?) My mom just found two boxes of notes from 1982-1986!! Talk about a blast from the past. But I'm going to keep some and make a scrapbook lo with them.
4) When my DH first met me, I had a pet rat named Jinx. I've also had a couple of pet snakes
5) I refuse to walk into a theater after the previews.
Weird enuff?
Monday, January 02, 2006
*WELCOME 2006*
I wish everyone a "Happy New Year"!!!.
And where have I been for the last month? Humm... well, working almost 40 hours a week, keeping up with an almost 3 year old DS, staying on top of laundry, grocery, bills, and finishing Christmas shopping, making a cross-stitch sampler for my niece, who by the way, was born on my birthday, 12-12-05 (Happy Birthday Alyssa), making an 8X8 album for my grandparents, taking care of 3 dogs, and having dinner ready, well, I can't imagine why I haven't updated my blog. But I have been reading others and kudos to ya'll, keep up the good work. BTW, if this entry is a little goofy, I just finished off the bottle of Asti all by myself(even drank straight from the bottle-HA), DH isn't home yet :0)
I did sign up for a challenge from 2peas for the Designing With 2006 calendar. I bought my calendar today while I was at the LSS, which, bTW brings me to a funny story.
The LSS was hosting a Demo-O-Rama on NYD from 12-6pm. I had already asked a friend to watch Dane for a couple of hours so I could go(we don't have a regular babysitter). For some f-ing reason, my brain thought this event was on Monday, why, I don't know. I have no excuse. NYD was SUNDAY-not MONDAY. What a way to start the new year! But, good news. I did get a lo finished today, I'm happy. I haven't posted a lo on 2peas yet, so maybe I can figure that out sometime this week. I'm excited about the DW challenge, I'm hoping to use the 4 lo each month to get an album done for my parents for Mother's/Father's day.
Okay, I'm backspacing too much right now. Ciao!!!





