11.30.2010

oh
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comfort and joy....

Receiving an item in the mail is awfully wonderful, especially when you weren't expecting it. A surprise package arrived yesterday from Aunt Crissy and Uncle David...acorns!!! Thank you!! I will be glittering them for days. Also, a box of twine in every color of the rainbow is on the way to my house, I can't wait! I am a member of the Twinery's Design Team and will be twining away with ideas for the next twelve months!!

{11.29 to 11.30, goodbye November 2010}

11.28.2010

the most
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{each year the marines we have over for Thanksgiving dinner write in our special guest book}
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wonderful time
   of
     the
        year....

{11.25 to 11.28}

11.24.2010

roots
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I have roots that twist and turn and grow from one coast to the other. My roots, my childhood, my family's history fill my heart with warmth, a love that doesn't know time has passed, a love that can be seen just looking into each other's eyes and felt in a hug.
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 {the chocolate chip pumpkin pancakes I ate on Monday and Tuesday}
My parents met in a charming small town, eloped at a young age, Dad joined the navy and Mom ventured from the only place she had ever called home.
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They left behind sisters, brothers, my aunts and uncles, a baby nephew, my oldest cousin, mothers and fathers, my dear grandparents...
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California became their new home and soon that home was filled with my sister and me.
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 {my sweet second cousins}
Missing our family in Pennsylvania, we packed up and moved back. We made memories with all of our cousins...now there were many. We sat in Grampa's lap and rode the big lawnmower, became a family of five with the surprise of my baby sister, watched the birds with Gramma, ran barefoot in the greenest grass, played Barbies into the night, got snow in our sleeves and lived happily on Leslie Road.
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Three years later we moved back to California, better weather for Dad's masonry business and opportunities my parents wanted us to have as we grew older. 
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Last Wednesday Mom and I visited our family in Pennsylvania. It was wonderful. We helped cousin Missy with her Trees of Christmas boutique, stayed up late talking to Aunt Chris, walked through the Market House, saw three doe run right by the kitchen slider, watched the squirrels and ate chocolatey chocolate cupcakes with Aunt Crissy and Uncle David and remembered the years that have passed.
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We sat at a long table filled with cousins, second cousins, aunts and uncles for Friday night dinner. We toured the Trees of Christmas at the Baldwin Reynolds house, a place I hadn't been inside since a first grade field trip. A birthday on Saturday was celebrated with Pizza Villa pizza (the very best) and an ice cream cake. Cousin Karen's home was filled with laughter and stories late into the evening.
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Much too soon our trip was coming to an end, too many goodbyes and much too sad.
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I am grateful for my roots, that I have a place where people know me, a place where Mom shows me the store Gramma and Grampa owned, or the sidewalk she walked home on, or the place where she had her first job, Jack's. Every moment spent with family is truly precious, may you find your way to your family this holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving!

{11.17 to 11.24}

11.16.2010

tuesday's
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sky...Hermie and I enjoyed a pinkish purplish sky on our walk today

11.15.2010

a long weekend...
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This morning I slept in. Sleeping in felt cozy and wonderful, like Ladybug's furry pink feet.
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Added a little love charm to the custom pendants, available in the shop!
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Thank you to everyone who came to the Queen Bee Market, it was fantastic! My next show will be at Unique LA in December!

{11.13 to 11.15}

11.12.2010

ow!
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I have a cutter with a gigantic blade, like the old kind from elementary school workrooms that people tell you to be careful around because it could cut your fingers off. All is well today, it was yesterday that I was cutting and my brain didn't realize my left hand went in to adjust the paper while my right hand was already in motion. Nothing was cut off,  just a disgusting deep cut that sounds worse than it looks and makes friends and family cringe when I tell them what happened.

All  that cutting was in preparation for the Queen Bee Market which begins this evening and goes through tomorrow, so if you're in the San Diego area come visit, shop, and say hello to me and my bandaged hand.

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new! Itty bitty sterling silver post earrings, so cute, I want to keep them all for myself.


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more new stuff!! Festive tags for gifties, soon to be added to the shop.

*see my guest post on caramel peanut butter apples, recipe included*

{11.10 to 11.12}

11.07.2010

a jar of stars
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new items added to Mom's vintage shop

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early morning sparkles in the park across the street

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and other beauties from the week's end...

{11.04 to 11.7}

11.01.2010

a sprig of rosemary
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The house smelled delightful as these little guys were baking. Another wonderful recipe from Martha. I tried one with honey and butter...scrumptious!

*A Monday morning feature on Our Designed Life, thank you Monica.*