Love Letters

A favorite book to linger over is this one called Passionate Love Letters. It not only quotes passages from those romantic letters but includes some little envelopes with facsimiles of the letters inside the envelopes.

I have always loved reading love letters from historical figures. I also love writing beautiful letters even if they aren't frequent. It is so much easier to just send an email to people in today's world, but think of the thrill when going to the mail box and finding an actual letter from a friend or relative instead of bills and spam mail. Just about all the mail received today is one form of spam or advertisements.

How thrilling it is to receive something in a pink envelope with lovely script flowing on flowered paper. I have a plethora of writing paper. All of it has flowers on it. When I write a letter I usually note the date, but also the time of the day and where I am sitting when I write it and my thoughts on the day I write. Now, I'm going to be brave and tell you that if you would like a letter from me, just send me an email from the address I have on my side bar and I'll be thrilled to fill your heart with a letter from me.

When one isn't married to a "romantic" it's a bit of a challenge. Love Bunny isn't a letter writer except when he and I were separated due to him being stationed in far away lands. I think I'll ask him for a love letter for Christmas since we've given up the commercial aspect of the season.

Are you one to save old love letters? I am. I love going back and reading cards sent to me and the love letters from hubby. There is always space in my heart for that.

Just a few photos of just some of my correspondence papers and note pads. Some of these are extremely rare. The roses one just below the violets cannot be found at all anymore and is the most gorgeous note paper I've ever seen. I'll usually include a few sheets of this paper when I gift some one with a swap. It is truly the prettiest paper ever.

Some of the papers are die cut and some are so delicate as to appear ethereal as is the one on the bottom left.

Small selection of note cards along with some stickers I've collected over many years. I have beautiful colorful ribbons around the sets to tie them together also.

Some have fruit themes. ALL are beautiful.

Even my staples are colorful and lovely. Nothing goes unnoticed in my world.

This is my favorite set of stationery. I've even embossed it with my name. Sorry, but I obliterate my last name on the blogs to preserve me and my family some privacy.



And all of it in beautiful storage boxes. Just a small sampling for you.

And if you are very fortunate, I'll drop in a bauble or two to brighten your day when I correspond with you. ;-)

Lastly, I have to admit I took these photos in that ethereal light just before the sun peeks over the horizon. BUT today it was 5° with a wind chill factor of -3° while taking these photos on the back patio with just a sweater on. I decided to come in and capture a photo of my red cheeks and nose. And this was before I even ran a brush through my hair and, of course, no makeup. See how brave I am!
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The Stockings Were Hung......and a Giveaway!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes of Saint Nicholas soon would be there.
Okay, okay, HINT: You need to use your mouse here.
Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!
About right now everyone—especially little children—are awaiting the night when in a few days the wonder and awe of Christmas will be upon us. I was late in coming up with this idea but it's better late than never. I made these stockings many years ago now to sell but they never did. Trust me, I can't imagine why because they are quite adorable. Just not meant to be I guess. Anyway, I wanted to keep them but I don't need three of them, so I'm giving one away. I love them all equally but one is smaller than the other two so I'm giving that one away. No, it won't be in time for Christmas this year, but what's wrong with having it for next year? In fact, you could absolutely display it all year long. It's a shabby chic, romantic, darling stocking after all. ;-)

Now, as I've said, in my eBay group I've had giveaways but I wanted to challenge them. I didn't want to make it too simple and easy. ;-) So here are the giveaway rules.

1. You must reside in the U.S. It has gotten too risky sending them to other countries. I've lost 3 items in sending them to Peru, France and Canada. I'm truly sorry but I hate to see something get lost as I feel a responsibility to replace it and it had gotten lost twice in going to France. That was an item paid for but I still made good on it. I can't afford to do that anymore.

2. You must be a follower of mine. It's really very simple to just sign up on the sidebar. You can gain many privileges by doing that. :-) You just never know when I'm having a giveaway and I can promise you that you'll never be disappointed in what I'm giving away. Items are being made this very day for future giveaways. It gives me pleasure to do this.

3. You must leave a comment on this post. Now, how much easier can that be, chicks? ;-)

4. There is a secret hidden in this blog post and you have to identify it and tell me what it is. THAT'S a little bit tougher for you, but if you put on your thinking cap you CAN get it. Don't you just love these games?! Hah. I did tell you that I was going to challenge you though, didn't I? Hmmmmm???

The contest will end on Christmas Eve at 7 pm. I'll draw a name at that time. We'll see how many can guess the secret.

This is the one to be given away. While smaller than the other two, it is still a big size. The other two are just huge!

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An Interesting Day and a Little Known Fact...

Being home alone today while the hubs was out running his trains down at his model RR club, I was crafting most of the day. Well, crafting, photograhing and pre-scheduling blog posts and surfing blogs while sitting here and receiving emails from bloggers. I noticed one blogger was having a birthday—yeah, right at the Christmas season; ain't that th' pits!—and I stopped to wish her a happy birthday. Then after a few emails I asked her if she'd like to see what I was doing today and I don't think she understood. It turned into a bit of a laugh for me because I started thinking about how pathetic we are when we sit at the computer most of the day communicating with people across the U.S. we've never met and probably never will. I had to chuckle when most of the women I know best are in my computer—either on the blogs or my eBay group. I do have a very good real friend but she moved an hour away about 4 years ago but we talk daily about our lives, children and our spirituality and how it's going and what we should do to be better women of faith. So to all of you who are finding that most of your better relationships are in the computer, let's hear it for the man who started the internet: J.C.R. Licklider, who came up with the idea in the early 60s and Lawrence Roberts, who was the first man to send a communication in 1965—over dial up. Yes, it's only that old, chicks.

Ooooh, yeah, almost forgot. I made this new tree topper today for our tree. You will never, ever see a blog post from me without some form of "eye candy"! :-)

I did actually switch it out myself with the other one. Hubs will be proud of me for not asking him to do it! ;-)


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A Quiet Day for Me

A friend in my eBay group made this for me. I tell you they spoil me rotten! Kates, my nickname for her, does silk ribbon embroidery and the most elegant things. I can't even begin to thank her for this little mitten she made. It is on my pink and white tree this year.
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These little wreaths are easy to make. Wrap a foam wreath with white ribbon. Then make the flowers out of any color wired ribbon you want. I've done wired ribbon flowers for years. Strip the wire from one side and shape into a round flower and attach to the wreath. Glue on and then add a sparkly button to the center. Lastly, add a length of ribbon for hanging and add something like this button for a little pizzazz and hang.

This one you could make by cutting 4" x 4" little squares of felt with pinking shears, taking a screwdriver and carefully sticking them in a straw wreath and adding whatever embellishments you'd like. Use any color you want.

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Pretty Rooms for Pink Saturday 12/19/09

Happy Pink Saturday. Join Beverly at howsweetthesound to view the other participants. I think you'll enjoy it.

Again, Beverly has asked us to share something and this time it is our holiday traditions. I'm not much into "traditions" for the holidays. I'm pretty much "easy does it" with that, plus I don't bake anymore because hubs and I certainly don't need the extra goodies but he is very specific about the food and it is rather easy also: turkey, mashed potatoes, candied yams, peas, waldorf salad, cranberry sauce, dressing and pie of course. If one thing varies, he misses it! He is such a traditionalist when it comes to his food. If we are invited out for that holiday and one of the things on our menu isn't on our hostess' menu then he doesn't consider it a "real Thanksgiving meal." He's so funny on this, but gotta love th' man for being so sentimental and he is nothing if not sentimental! ;-)
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There isn't much pink in this room but it was so attractive I couldn't let it go by without showing you what just a touch of "the most favorite color in the world" can do to a vintage room.

These walls are about the color of mine and that looks like a Laura Ashley fabric to me. Beautiful, romantic and feminine.

Pink and yellow is my favorite color combination. I've always loved it above all others. They simply complement each other beautifully and dramatically.

No pink here but isn't this room just glowing? It sets a mood as no other room can. Picture yourself on Christmas day in this room. Magnificent!

And now for a few modern day photos of red and/or Christmas rooms.

White, red and pink. Is this not lovely? While modern in a sense, it also speaks to a farmhouse style for its occupants. Darling!

I could definitely find solace in this eye-catching room.

A love red and white stunning vignette. Rich, luxurious and yet very homey.

You would sparkle in this dining setting. Glorious!

Would a guest not feel like a queen in this retreat? I would certainly love to be able to offer my guests this luxury.

Everyone should try a red bedroom at least once in their lives. I had a red wall in our family room in California. The room had a huge bay window and all the people walking by on the sidewalk would just stand and stare at it. Hubs and I would giggle at their reactions. It was quite flattering for them to stop, point and talk among themselves about it.
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