Voila!

The unveiling of my daughter's bedroom...a guest room while she is away at university. Everybody loves this bed and says that it is the most comfortable bed to sleep in. When my daughter came home for Christmas break and saw her "new room" she was not taken with it. She said she loved her old room (yuck - blue and green!) and that this room would have to grow on her. I love it and how it turned out - I wish I could sleep in here!

The lace panel in the window was from the Queen of Tarte's barn sale. I purchased four of these panels from Annie, Fannie and Abigail who had lots of treasures there. It was ivory (if you look here you will see how I used it at my sister's wedding) but I dyed one panel black so I could use it in this room.

I'm still working on something else for above the bed but I stuck this candle holder up for the time being...

The shelf that used to be blue but now is painted black...

The other side of the room...

Some red boa feathers for fun...

Pillows from HomeSense - my favorite store for great finds...

A lampshade I altered with some old sheet music and an image from the front of some old song sheet...

My grandma's old hat box and some vintage black hats...

I love this box!

This is a great beehive hat with lovely cream millinery flowers...

Another great hat...

This was a hat my grandma had in the hatbox - this old red book I purchased at the vendor faire at art and soul portland...

A close-up...

I love this old clock face...

An old nancy ann doll and vintage pressed glass jar...

Such a cute face...

This one is a bit "googly-eyed"...

And of course there would be a red and black chandelier!

These are some old cameos...I don't know whether to repurpose them and make some jewelry from them?

Well, my daughter is just going to have to get used to the fact that her mom loves the color red and everything she touches turns to this color...even her bedroom! After all, she is only home 4 months out of the year so my decision rules!

Since I can't afford to go and visit Paris, I can visit this room and dream that I am there. I think it has a bit of that "feel" to it - do you?

Sisters

Circa 1983...27 years ago

My 21st Birthday Party....a surprise party

Rose Court Apartments...great times with great roommates

Campbell, CA...warm California weather

Relaxing in the pool with my sisters...fun

The memories it brings back...priceless

Me and Melissa...

Me and Jen...

A trip back in time to those carefree days of childhood and becoming an adult...

Putting It Off

Just as I was late in getting all the Christmas decor up, it is taking just as long to take it down...possibly because I am catching up on all the blogs I follow and relaxing with these two gals. Which would you rather do? Stare into these two adorable faces or stare into the task at hand of undressing the tree and boxing up ALL of the Christmas frills that adorn EVERY room in your house?? I know my answer and the proof is in the picture! A day without the love of a dog is, well, just an ordinary day. A day with the love of a dog is an EXTRAORDINARY day! What would we do without them?

I hope you have been more productive than me!

Goodbye 2009

Goodbye to 2009...will have to wait another 12 months

to put out these little guys again...

They cheer up the table so much it's a shame to put them away in boxes...

Mr. and Mrs. Claus are doing a little jig to ring in the new year...

He still sees you when you're sleeping...even if it is in January...

Bye Bye 2009!

It's a New Year

Here's wishing you all a very 

Happy New Year...all the best to you in 2010!!

A Quarter of a Century

25 years ago today this boy came into my life...

And 25 years later he is still in my life but looking a little older...and his mom is looking a little older too...

The quarter of a century birthday celebration happened with family and a few friends - on the menu for the night was homemade italian sausage spaghetti sauce with spaghettini, caesar salad and pesto garlic bread. For dessert - tiramisu cake...

Cheers to the birthday boy...

25...Wow...

May the next 25 years go a lot slower than these ones did...here's to the future and being a responsible adult!

Under Construction

Please excuse the "blahness" of the blog now....I am reading my new "Blogging for Bliss" book and trying to recreate my banners, backgrounds and what have you. The new look will be coming soon...

A Special Keepsake

This Christmas called for a very special gift for one very special woman...a sentimental bit of her lineage...a love story in a picture...her mom and her dad on their wedding day in Italy...

I enjoyed making this apron for her...every little bit that went into it...and, as I stared at the image of the two in love I could only imagine how it was back then to fall in love - during a war when everything around you was crumbling away - when the city you once knew as a child doesn't look the same - when friends and family you know were injured or killed - all you had left was love...love to give, love to receive, love to share, love to last forever...

The "look of love" is what this picture says to me...

Look Who's Helpin' in the Kitchen

Look who was helping me in the kitchen on Christmas morning...

It's Mr. Claus and he was here all day with me and he couldn't help but keep me company while I was cooking up a storm for Christmas dinner.

And, along with him were his other kin around the house here and there...

There was Mr. Elf...

And of course his other friends and cousins...

A lot of his friends and family were hanging around here waiting for him to come and play...

Some were out for a winter's night ride...

Others were just "hangin out"...

Some were dancing a jig or two...

Others were looking up to the heavens...

Ho Ho Ho says this fellow...

And this fella seems like he was doing a little hip hop dance...

Fuzzy wuzzy bearded guy...

And one with the sweetest face...

And others can't wait to get outta town...

Wanna come along?

The rest of the gang was having a party on the buffet - I guess no one ever told them it's not right to dance on tables...

Oh Christmas tree...

Hey, let's check out Mr. Claus in the kitchen - he might need some help with supper...

A Christmas cake for you...

Ride em' cowboy!

Here's winkin' at you...

Hope you had yourself a very Merry Christmas...

And that you will have a very Happy New Year...

All the best to you and your yours in the coming year...

Merry Christmas!

Here's wishing you and yours a very blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! May the time you spend with your family and friends this season be filled with merriment and joy!

Not a Merry Christmas for this Pooch

It won't be a Merry Christmas for this pooch....poor Lucy the beagle...had to have some surgery the other day - they removed a huge fat tumor off of her backside. So, she has looked like this for the past 48 hours situated in front of the warm fireplace...recooperating and sleeping.

Another 10 days of this...she is not impressed!