6 Things I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE...

...and that make me a very HAPPY girl!

(well, besides being back at my blog, of course:)

let's get right to it...

1.  this AMAZING, GORGEOUS, perfectly SHABBY quilt 

made by my extremely talented sister Kathy

for my sweet girl's 16th birthday.

 I know what you're thinking...

how come I didn't get this sewing/quilting gene

passed on by my Grandma!

trust me, I ask myself this SAME question:)

Isn't it PRETTY?

  oh my gosh, I fell in love with these rag quilts when I first saw them.

so COZY!!!

yes, she makes very INTRICATE quilts too, 

but when she said she wanted to make a quilt for her sweet 16,

I begged her to make Taylor a rag quilt that she would have forever!

 she loves it...we all love it!

in fact, now Jordan wants a shabby chic room 

so she can have a quilt from Aunt Kathy someday too:)

see why I LOVE this? 

2.   I absolutely adore this bag made for me by

Kellie from Bag Full of Posies.

 she makes these adorable fabric rosettes and 

prints your blog name (or whatever you like) on the bag. 

 It's big, roomy...

and oh, so SHABBY!

I get stopped everywhere I go by people who rave about the bag,

so check her out on etsy...

you'll be so HAPPY you did!

3.  I LOVE strawberry season!

 strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, strawberry cake, 

strawberries on toast...on ice cream...

strawberries & cream...

and now, strawberry MUFFINS!!!

 these are so YUMMY...

oh my gosh, one bite and you can't stop.

so next time I write about dieting, you'll know what I've been stuffing my face with:)

4.  The English Home magazine.

 oh...this is so LOVELY!

well written articles, beautiful pictures.

I fell in love with England when we were there last Fall...

so when I saw this magazine at Borders (40% off sale you know)

I picked it up and fell in love.  

see for yourself...

 now put the kettle on for some tea and grab yourself a strawberry muffin...

snuggle under a COZY quilt and I promise...

you will ENJOY this one! 

5.  Flowers...on SANDALS!

yep...a big thing this season.

you may still be in boot mode but trust me,

when you get around to warmer weather,

you'll see all kids of shoes embellished with flowers.

now, I'm not talking about some tacky flower thingies but

PRETTY accents on sandals. 

these...I LOVE!  

since I am a jeans-wearing mama...BIG TIME... 

I think a pair of these would make me a HAPPY shabby chick! 

these are a bit dressier but SO pretty and delicate!

my girls REALLY like these...me too:) 

 6.  Cookie Brownies...

or as Jordan and her BFF Lucy have named them...

"Crownies"!

 Oh man...are these good.

I know...more food.  

hey...I send most...well, some of them...home with Lucy...5 kids there:) 

they're really simple and below I'll give you the recipe.

 but don't worry...my friend Duncan Hines has a box mix at the store:)

 every recipe I've seen calls for a top layer of chocolate frosting or ganache

but we have never done this.

we don't need to.

they're all warm and gooey with just the right blend of 

fudgy brownie and cookie dough as is.

Recipe for Crownies:

1  box (1 lb 2.4 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme Premium brownie mix
    Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box
1  pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix
1/2   cup butter or margarine, softened
1  egg

(or you can make brownies and dough from scratch...if you're one of THOSE people:)  haha 

 1. 1 Heat oven to 350ºF (325ºF for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray, or grease with shortening. Make brownie mix as directed on box. Spread in pan.
   2. 2 Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.
   3. 3 Bake 42 to 47 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes.

 (or like I said, there's an easy box mix...if you can find it:)

 well, there you have it.

It's been a time of shoe shopping, 

going to the beach with my new bag,

reading magazines, 

stuffing my face with strawberries and CROWNIES

while curled up under a pretty quilt.

(actually, there is NO eating allowed anywhere near that pretty quilt:)

hope everyone is HAPPY and HEALTHY!

XOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne 

A Gift For You...

" The Lord has abundantly blessed me all of my life.

I'm not trying to pay Him back for all of His wonderful gifts;

I just realize that he gave them to me to give away."

                          Lisa Welchel

 

this came from my daughter's devotion book.

it's FULL of good things like this.

she wrote this down and brought it to me one morning.

every day there is a practical lesson, 

verses to live by

and many words of encouragement.

something they need...

and us Moms do too.

simple words of common sense...

simple words to live by.

like "the golden rule starts at home but it should never end there."

Hmmm...simple...true...should've thought of that myself.

maybe it's just me...

I've often said I need to keep things simple:)

but when a 13 year old comes out and says 

"I really liked my devotion this morning. it just made sense."

then I know we're on to something:)

So that's my gift to you today...

a reminder that we ALL have gifts to share...

with 

someone...somewhere...someplace.

Happy Monday!

XOXOXO

Trading Teacups AND Valentine's Day...

don't you just LOVE this day?

it's such a SWEET Holiday!

 lots of HUGS

 KISSES

 FLOWERS

 PINK heart shaped pancakes for breakfast and

PINK mashed potatoes with dinner,

and those Valentine notes...

 whether I'm 5 or 75,

I think I'll always LOVE Valentine's Day.

only  a few things could make my day better...

and they came in the mail from

THE GILDED CHERUB!

yes, Lorene was my special partner in the teacup trade 

hosted by Sharon, another sweet lady who lives at

FAITH, HOPE and CHERRYTEA

(now you know how clever she is by the name:)

anyway, my teacup package came a week ago at least...

 because Lorene followed directions.

I didn't read them clearly so I ordered her a teacup from the UK...

meaning she won't get her package until today...

Valentine's Day.

but I hope it will make her as happy as hers made me!

I opened this BIG box to find the sweetest, shabby chic teacup...

 I couldn't have picked it out any better myself:)

then, she had so many other goodies for me...

like this BEAUTIFUL vintage apron...

 these adorable little stickers,

 the PRETTIEST handmade card...

 talented lady here, you know!

there was also everything I could possibly need for Valentine cupcakes...

cute heart pics and cupcake liners (my girls LOVE these:)

 and a lovely silver heart ornament

that already has a place of honor in my home!

Lorene, you spoiled me...

 and I LOVED IT!!!

thank you so much!!!

if you haven't visited Lorene before, 

today would be a good day to start!

and the only way you get to see what I sent HER is to start paying her visits so...:)

and then there is Sharon from 

Faith, Hope and Cherrytea to get to know, also.

don't be shy...they are LOVELY ladies!

BUT WAIT...

I'm not done!

I received another package from one of the most loyal blog friends you will

EVER have...

Linda at A LA CARTE.

she is so sweet and always pays me visits, encourages me

and CHEERS ME UP!

she had a drawing for 2 books from her favorite author,

one I had been wanting to try anyway.

so I entered...

and didn't win.

but miraculously, this kind lady had TWO sets and sent me the second place

prize.  Hmmmmm...what a fabulous coincidence she had two:)

and how lucky was I to win!

 Linda, you made my day when you told me this,

then when I received your package and started one of the books that very night,

you made my night.

you make me happy EVERY time I see your comments. 

you HAVE to get to know Linda too!

but be warned...

if you go today, you will wish you were sitting at HER Valentine's table instead of your own:)

she just has a gift for prettiness!

so my friends,

I hope you GET and GIVE a little LOVE today!

if you don't have a special valentine,

remember this...

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne

SEA GLASS Makes Me HAPPY so...

so my new accent color for this coming Spring/Summer is

none other than the beautiful shades of

faded greens and blues.

SEA GLASS.

now remember...this is just an accent color so I will have a few hints of it here and there...

 but my overall color scheme will still be creamy white, tone on tone:)

I've mentioned how much we LOVE sea glass...

the way we feel when we find a lonely place down here in south Florida...

so excited...like it's sure to be a GOOD day.

 In fact, I recently thought of naming my blog something related to sea glass.

(you know how easily bored I am...even with blog names:)

I haven't done it yet...but don't be surprised if I do!

and as my girls were growing up. we LOVED anything relating to mermaids.

just kind of fun for little girls.

and big ones too:)

some refer to sea glass as

Mermaids Tears.

Awwwww....

 some call it beach glass.

whatever it's called it is LOVELY...

soft, pretty.

 the colors are soothing, calming...

SERENE.

just what I need.

so I'm on the hunt for a few pretty additions to my home.

Check out these photos to see what others have done to add a pop of color in the same hue...

I love the fact that when I googled "sea glass", THIS photo came up...

 

this was taken last summer in Kennebunkport, Maine...

my HAPPY place.

I posted it on my blog and the title was
"Sea glass, Whoopie Pies and God".

In looking at my tracking statistics,

this post was the MOST read of all on my blog by a long way.

that made me VERY happy:)

If all else fails, maybe I can just paint my house like this...

leaving you with this thought...

and I hope your day is filled with many happy moments or as we call them

SEA GLASS MOMENTS!

XOXOXOXOXO

White on White on White...

I was SO excited to get my new copy of Ballard Designs catalog.

the theme for this catalog...decorating with all shades white.

cream, ivory, white, vanilla...

BLANC.

(french for "white"...you know:)

I am IN LOVE with the color I painted my walls.

not strictly white but latte white.

COCONUT latte white!

It's so warm with my cherry wood floors and all white furniture.

makes me HAPPY!

so...since I don't want to be happy by myself,

I have a few pics and a book to share with you.

and I know what some say...

white is boring,

bland,

uninteresting.

NOT!!!

 according to this book...

"White is the color for all seasons, and it never goes out of style. Rest your tired soul in a cool summer beach room, revel in the sumptuousness of an orange-white living room steeped in autumn elegance, or welcome winter with a classic gold-and-white table setting. White furnishings and home accessories have many contrasts and hues, but their net effect is always one of elegance"

(by the way...a good "white" book!

see for yourself...but to me, creams and whites together ARE interesting in a subtle way.

very serene (I need serenity)

simple.

comfy and cozy.

creamy.

DREAMY!

white on white...

good for any time of year,

any Holiday,

any reason

any room.

tomorrow I'll show you what accent color I am adding to my creamy whites for spring/summer.

I know what you're thinking...pink.

nope!

I love it...and will have a few touches...

but not pink.

and let me leave you today with one of my favorite white on white accessories...

my sweet boy, MAUI.

XOXOXOXOXO

joining Kathleen at Faded Charm Cottage for White Wednesday

AWWWW...

so if you've read my blog at any time in the past,

you must know that

I LOVE MY DOGS!

it's true...

there are many days when they are my BEST friends.

make what you want of that one but they are just pure affection, loyalty, and FUN!

so you know I was terrified when, while teaching my daughter about 

checking pupil dilation,

I shined the light on my Freddy-Bear and saw that one eye was dilated and did not

constrict when the light hit it.

I knew that was NOT right.

all night long, I could only find BAD news online regarding this. 

mostly a brain tumor.

oh brother...I've heard those words myself, last summer.

now my sweet little guy...my greatest fan in the world?

so we went to the vet the next day.

she knew what I was thinking and brought out her vet-medical book

to show me there was another option.  

after looking at his eye with her instruments, I could also see what she

was referring to. 

he has a little tear (hole) that prevents his eye from 

constricting in sunlight.

  NOT a tumor.

BUT...have you ever had an eye exam and had your eyes dilated?

if you go out in the sun without sunglasses, your eyes just burn until the pupils

can constrict again.

 

so...what to do?

well, the vet said to walk him in the morning/evening hours mainly

(my little fluff ball doesn't like long walks anyway.)

and if we DO go out in the bright sun,

he needs sunglasses.

SUNGLASSES!

you've heard of goggles, right?

well, these are called DOGGLES...

and they are Freddy's new shades.

 

 oh yeah...he is one cool dude!

the first time he wore them, he would walk 2 steps, stop and try to get them off...

walk a few more, stop...

yesterday he wore them for 15 minutes straight so we're getting there.

his favorite way to wear his new shades...

on top of his head, of course.

 

now you know why this post was titled "awwwww":)

if you can stand it, here's one more pic of my guys.

every time I go into my bathroom to shower and get ready to go out...

they wait by my door.

sometimes I take longer than they would like but still they stay put,

sneaking in a little nap but staying close... 

 

just in case they get to come too.

talk about living in hope...

talk about giving me a GUILT trip!!!

GEEZ guys, I can't take you everywhere!

but trust me, I would if I could:)

 

lastly, Freddy does not have a new wig...

but he does have Maui's tail on his head:)

 

 

(sorry...just thought it was time for a "puppy post":)

yes, sometimes they are a pain.

a BIG pain!

but they are always cute...

always a part of the family...

 and they love me even when I'm in a grumpy mood..

and write grumpy blog posts, like yesterday:)

have a good one...