Naked pooh

This was my mums pooh bear. He's a good 40 plus years old and you can see time has taken a toll on him sadly. I wish he was coming undone. Though he definitely looks like he has a story to tell!
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Handmade goodness

This part of my collection of handmade dolls. I don't remember who made the sleepy bear I'm guessing auntie.

Next two have distinct style that I grew to love when I was tiny. The lady made these dolls for years and just retired this fort days. They all came with names and the first I ever had was pattycake. Her name hinted what her hands were doing.
Raggedy ann my nana (grandma shireys mother) made me. One of the very few things I have from her.
Another distinct doll style. This blond haired raggedy ann some woman made and my granny bought for me when I was tiny.

The bunny auntie made me and the falling off apron my mum made me.

These are definitely treasures!
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Happy cleaning day!

Something that I've always loved since I was tiny was cleaning and organizing. I love to have everything in its place and be super organized. NOW, I almost fight myself now with doing it. I tell myself that's a waste of time and you could be doing other things. I think this negative talk causes turmoil, because I just love having an organized life.

I can organize anything and do it well. The key is to divide it up and have like stations or areas that are specifically for that and have homes for everything. I think it's fun to try out different ways and see what works best.

I'm looking forward to doing all of that today.

Laundry, I just love the idea of it getting squeaky clean and smelling oh so fresh.
Clean sheets, there was an episode on Dharma and Greg, the show I loved to watch back in the day, and she said it's clean sheet day! We have a joke at home about clean sheet day and that is just what it is. I love crawling into a bed with clean sheets, I would have clean ones everyday if I could!
Ok, as much as I hate chemicals I love the smell of Pledge! I don't know what it is about it that I love but it just makes me feel homey and smile.
Fresh air in a room. I love to open the windows or have circulating air.
Curtains wide open to let the weather in. I was told that keeping the sun shining in will eliminate germs and keep a healthy room, not sure how much that is true, but sounds good.

Excerpt from the fotygraft album

Why how d'do mrs. Miggs? Come right on in. Ma's jist run over t' smith's a minute t' borruh some thread and some m'lasses and a couple uh aigs.

I bought this book at our local library re-readables. Its the used book area where you can purchase them.
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The fotygraft album

I know it looks dull and possibly like a holy bible but it is not. Its a cute 1915 book about a family.
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Argyle fun

I just had to share my fun new argyle socks. I went shopping this weekend for socks and tights and matching undie sets. These socks are fun and slightly dressy. For some reason I think of willy wonka when I look at my socks.
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Christmas

Yes, I just went there. Just got finished with halloween and its not even thanksgiving and I'm already in the christmas mood. Maybe its because I love decorating, making holiday cookies, and thinking about gifts. I'm going to do homemade gifts this year or low cost but high thought gifts. I think with the weather nippy and the nights dark early it is responsible for my holiday spirit!
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It's coming all together

Do you know when you feel all in balance and in alignment how things just fall in place? After waiting for awhile to try to figure out a vision I have finally come up with one for a small starting out business. I knew it would come to me and especially when I was in my "little world". My world consists of those things that give me a warm fuzzy and excited feeling. I can't get enough of blogs, french things, european culture, american history, and my small town. That's just a hint!

Halloween pillows

I'm so happy to get these. When I saw them I just had to buy them!! Janets creative pillows has some really cute pillows for just about anyone! I love to see what she comes up with next. I keep meaning to get some of the frenchy ones. These will be hung around the house for halloween to give a lil quirky decorating and fun to the season. Look closely at the pumpkin, boots, and hat. I love the buttons and ribbons. She even tied the bag they came in up with halloween ribbon and sent a lovely card. You have to check her out janetscreativepillows.com. Tell her I sent ya :-)
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So excited

I was getting antsy for this!
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today

This was what I did today in between a nap and liquids all day. I have come down with the flu that has plagued my small town.
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Gluten free

This is what is left of a gluten free cookie and brownie. Let me say I did NOT miss the gluten and it was amazingly good! We have a new cafe in town bella donnas bakery and she has organic and gluten free foods. I am going to try the pizza for lunch. Ill let you know how it goes. Saw the sign today and thought there's lunch!
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Divine pumpkin

I love anything pumpkin so I had to start fall out with this pumpkin latte. Its something I get every fall and live on. May your fall be filled with pumpkin dreams.
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My fall color

I'm loving the warm color of this nail polish. Check out the title, celebrity bash. Doesn't that say it all? Its a darker almost blood red but has that warm tone to it like fall has. Think of the dark red leaves. This is similar. I had to get a color for fall. The pastel pink and fench manicure was not cutting it. Gotta have the warmth and bask in the glories of fall.
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The Law of Attraction

I truly believe in The Secret. I was a skeptic before, but I have seen it work. It all makes sense. You attract things to yourself. Put out good energy and you get good things back, put out bad energy and you attract bad things. The law of attraction.

This summer I was enjoying some "free time" after getting my masters degree in Instructional Design. I applied at all the big name companies here, even ones that were not hiring, but figured it couldn't hurt. I know with the way the economy is going some places are advertising jobs, but seem to be dragging their feet and taking time to fill the position. Just by a fluke, or was it, I ran into the kindergarten teacher/friend at the farmers market. She informed me that the computer teacher was leaving and the position was open. Most people have no clue about my masters degree and what it is. I have had so many people tune out what I say and my explanation as to what it is and they just hear in......design. They fill that in with Interior Design. Well as much as I love that as a hobby, no it was not a masters in that. So the principal thought it was in interior design and wondered why the teacher was telling her about me. I got a call that day offering the position. So I got a job without even applying for it! Of course they have all my paper work and information already.

This has happened before....I had wanted to try my hand out at playing at a church and sure enough an ex bfs father came down to my work at the time and said to call them up cause I could have the job.

I've been wanting to build up my private lessons, but not all about advertising so I put it out and I have a growing number of students.

Put it out there and it will come to you. I can't count how much things are coming my way lately. Attract what you want. Think and dream of what you want and it will come. You might think that it is wild and you will never have what you have, turn that into a positive. I will have this, I want this. See what happens!!! It's like magic, but all coming from God, after all he made the universe.

My treat

I'm feeling oh so special with one of my favorite treats today. Nothing like a little sparkle on a cold wet dreary day.
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IMG00374.jpg

After much deliberation and thought I finally decided what the essentials were that I needed for holiday decorating...well and then a few extras. I now have everything in the cozy underneath of the steps. I now have decided on a new project, to make a little curtain to cover this during the off season of decorating. The feeling of relief is great and I just adore organizing.
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Gift Giving

"Give experiences as gifts, not stuff. Instead of shopping for someone come birthdays or Christmas, think of an experience you can give them instead. A date with you, doing something fun, hanging out, cooking, playing, talking, exploring. A fun time at a park or beach. Something other than everyday. An experience is much more meaningful than an object." This is taken from the article from Zen Habits that I just mentioned.

I have already made up my mind that I am making homemade or as close to homemade/handmade gifts for Christmas and Birthdays.
One reason was the cost of things and how ridiculous gift giving can get. I am always flattered that I have been thought of by so many people, but I also appreciate a card with a handwritten note in it just as much!
The second reason is that when I have given handmade gifts the reaction that people have to receiving that gift is better or more so than getting something mass made. Last Christmas my family exchanged some gifts that were made by women in 3rd world countries and that with the purchase of them it helps them to have a better life and support themselves. To me that is meaningful as well.

A particular gift that I am looking to give is canned goods. People go crazy for the peaches we can and you'd think that we gave them something that cost 100's of dollars. Though I am biased the peaches are delicious and I have yet to have any that are better!

I also agree that taking someone out for a meal and good conversation could be the best gift they could receive. Or a simple cup of wonderful coffee and company. It truly IS the thought that is the most precious part of gift giving rather than what you are giving.

Love not Stuff

It's like Zen Habits crawled into my mind and read it when he blogged about loving life and the experiences we have in it instead of buying anything and everything searching for that fulfillment that we never get through stuff. Ah! So VERY true. I know I am guilty of getting caught up in the materialistic world and struggle with it from time to time. The balance has been better for me and I am only realizing how the free and cherished things in life bring me utter happiness and fulfillment. Check out his amazing article and just soak it all in.

A Vision for a Room

Something that just makes me absolutely *giddy* is having everything organized and in it's place. "A home for everything." Ok, I don't really have it that organized yet! That is my goal. This summer I bought a bookcase to house all my teaching supplies (they would wind up being scattered and crammed in odd places). This way I can go out and grab what I need the night before and have it all set for morning! Ah to not race around like a mad woman would be wondrous. So last night I was out there moving things around, organizing, throwing away (don't worry I only throw paper away, things I find a new home for or donate) and looking at the mess dissolve.

The room where the bookcase is we used to call the "Playroom" it housed a ridiculous amount of toys when I was younger. Now I would love to make it more a library/exercise room. My great-grandfather turned it into a room after there was a fire in that area of the house. It used to be the garage so it does get a bit chilly in the winter, but we have a heater out there. There are built-in book shelves that house mainly books, finally! The goal is to put all books out there and bring up a bench from the basement to put in front of the shelves like you see in magazines. I always think that it looks very inviting eventhough it's placed in front of the books.

The other thing that is out in the room is the treadmill, elliptical machine, and stationary bike, along with yoga equipment, weights, and a gazelle. I called Directv on Monday to set up an appointment to get TV out there. Right now the small 16" or whatever tv will have to suffice till we get a little bigger tv, preferrably with a dvd hooked up. Someone suggested I hook the Wii up to the tv and play while on the treadmill, that is a little to much even for me!!!! I can't wait to go out and watch the morning shows that I have discovered give me comfort and happiness while walking on the treadmill, especially on rainy and snowy days when I don't drag myself outside to walk.