An Online Diary

I am not really sure why I even blog anymore. I've been wondering that for a while now. It's like an online diary you're opening up for the world to see. I guess that's a good thing? I am just not sure where my head is with that.
Today I had an online conversation with a friend I only know on face book. He stated that he started a post and then deleted it because he didn't want to start a controversy. I told him that sometimes it's good to just write it down, even if you never send it. I've always felt that writing is very therapeutic. I used to write long, drawn out letters to no one and then rip the pages out of my notebook and shred it to pieces. Very cathartic. I guess that's why I still blog. Who cares if anyone is looking!?!

Are you sick of Valentine's yet?

I am sorry if you are, but I'm not! I truly enjoyed Valentine's this year. I found a couple of cute little Valentines I had to add to my collection. I don't collect them, but have so many from past exchanges with my Tasha Tudor friends. It's fun to go back through them!
Here are the two I found last week. One is so sweet with the little hanky. It was to his teacher!



And this one I had to have because of our name! I like the unusual shape and the way it stands up too.




My friend Linda is always the best when it comes to giving. She is probably thee most giving person I know or have ever known. She sent me a lovely little package and here's what was inside.



I absolutely LOVE the mouse! Linda found her in the Christmas stuff over the holidays and redid her for a little Valentine. I just can't get over her attention to detail, forethought and her follow-through. Everyone should be half as thoughtful and organized as this woman and the world would be much better off.
She knew my kids were coming home from Portland to clean out the shop behind their house and finalize their move. She sent some goodies for us to enjoy. We ate the heart-shaped pasta on the 15th. I made shrimp alfredo with it. What a hit that was!


Here's a close up of Miss Mouse and the candies Linda made for her friends. She actually painted the white candy on first and then poured the pink in. Cameo candies are SOOOO Linda! You can't imagine how many little packages she sends out too! I know the postal service loves her!



And what a beautiful, hand-made Valentine to match!

Her thoughtfulness is not lost on me. I appreciate the effort she puts in to make me feel special and her gift is that she makes A LOT of people feel special. No wonder she's my best friend in the whole world!

Valentines Continued

Here's a small sample of the Valentines I made at Karen's. Very simple. Some others I purchased and have ready to mail pictured on the left. Just the process of laying them all out with my little list of people to send to and choosing the right one for the right person was pure enjoyment for me. I love to make them with that person in mind as well! Addressing with a red pen, making the perfect Valentine return address label and the heart postage stamps completed it! Just fun for me and especially so this year! It seems that some of the most fun things in my life always go back to Tasha Tudor. If you don't know about her, please google the name and check out some books about her life and art. It's worth pursuing. I have said it many times before and will say it many more times, I am sure, that the best gift she gave me (unknowingly, of course) was the gift of friendship. I have met so many wonderful, life-long kindred spirits because of her and the internet. On one list I belong to I suggested a Valentine Exchange. We decided to keep it to a $10 minimum. What fun I had shopping the thrift stores and going through my own little stashes to come up with a box of goodies for my exchange person. Through luck of the draw, I had Morgan and she had me. Here's some pictures of my goodies. I love how she incorporated my favorite color, blue, into the whole thing. She didn't even know it was my favorite color either. It just happens to be hers as well! My Annabelle doll has inherited the 2 Tasha Tudor items! We love them!

Valentines and Friends!

For some reason this year, Valentines has been a lot of fun for me. I can't quite pin point it, but I wish I'd been inspired about one week earlier. I didn't get my white tree out again as I thought I might. I wish I had, but I won't do it now. I have a lot of Valentine's from my Tasha Tudor friends and they would look great on the tree. Instead I am pinning all of my new ones this year on my bulletin board. I went to a friend's house Sunday for a Valentine party. This is an annual event for her and the past 2 years were rough on her, so this year she did it up in true Karen style! She puts on quite a spread of goodies and then supplies us with the stuff to make our own Valentines! WHAT FUN! It really got me in the spirit and I truly wished it had been a week earlier. First I will share her invitation, which, of course, is a little work of art itself. Here are some pictures from her party taken on my phone. I am not completely impressed with them,but you get the idea! I sat at the little table in front on the left. Karen on the left. This is her buffet filled with goodies of all kinds! Her fireplace, all decorated up. This tea tray sits on her coffee table. Gorgeous! Friends mulling around. Her lime green kitchen! She loves Mary Englebright. Karen painted this. It's so sweet. Her guest book and lovlies along with it. Such a pretty cake plate and topper. Her friend, Lynn, does mosaics and made this for her. I really like this. This is part of the supply table for making Valentines! So fun! I will share some Valentines later.