The Sum of All My Parts

First off, a little eye candy because from this point on it sure isn't "eye candy" so be forewarned, chicks!! *Wink* In fact, it could be just downright scary for some of ya! Just something that hangs in my office that I made a few years ago. I tried selling it but got no takers on it, so does that say something about my "selling" skills because we all know that being the highest paid woman in a very top Fortune 500 company my "working" skills were top notch. Now I'm a simple housewife living the retired life out in Idaho...one blog at a time, slouching around in pants and t-shirts instead of designer dresses and suits and not coiffing th' hair on a daily basis. *Happily!*...
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I've been wanting to do this post ever since some girls in our church ward had their pictures done for their senior year. Plus I've seen this talked about much on the blogs and certainly in society today with the "Magazine Mentality" of what beauty is.

A friend I have is a photographer. She's as enamored of it as I am, but she's taken it up a couple of levels and is trying to make money at it. She's very good but beats herself to death over what isn't just perfect. Right, S***y?! She has taken some senior pictures of some young women, and I've seen them on her blog. She has done an amazing job but I had to laugh at a couple of the antics of the girls. The question asked of Stacy by some of the girls is "does it make me look fat?" What??? They look "natural." They're as thin as rails as it is. I'd be asking "does it make me look like someone a guy would like for the mother of his children?" These girls have a LOT to learn.

Many years ago I wasn't happy with lots of things about my body: very slender ankles, nose had a bump in it, arms were too long, wished I was taller than my 5' 4 3/4", smaller chest...yes, I know, but if you've got it, you don't want it! We're never happy with our bodies initially.

One day it hit me though: I am what I am. I like myself. When did I start liking the way I looked? I can't remember a specific point but just one day I realized I was "OKAY" and from that point on I liked how I looked. Oh, we can all lose a little weight at some points in our lives but I never worried about it. I truly didn't have a problem with the way I looked.

So I've composed this blog to put it all into perspective. None of those girls will ever see this blog and I'm not mentioning my friend's blog so these girls will never be embarrassed.

These are my eyes. Oh, they're not gloriously exquisite like some of the Hollywood stars or magazine models but they are my eyes and they've never had plastic surgery. Let's call them "natural." Okay, so I use mascara and in this photo it looks a bit messy, but I promised myself I'd post whatever I came up with today. AND I cannot for the life of me get false eyelashes on them! I've tried but I waste money every few years trying again. The color of them is green. And the left one droops slightly, which truly wasn't noticed by me until I reached my senior year in high school. I just never noticed it! That's gray in the eyebrow also. If you look closely enough you'll see the wrinkles and the epicanthic fold is what it should be for a woman of my age–almost 70 years of age. Yikes! Hmmmmm....maybe even better. ;-) And my eyebrows are about half gray. In fact, that could be them hanging in my eyes! *Smirk*

My nose has a "bump" on the top of it. I can't show you any better than this but I tried. Have I ever wished it was perfect? Sure I have, but not enough concerned to get under th' knife, chicks! Besides, I had it when I married Love Bunny and I'm guessing he's gotten used to it by now and still loves me anyway. You will notice the little peach fuzz on my nose also. Very fine peach fuzz but it's there. Plus you can see the wrinkles on my inner eye better on this one.

My mouth is extremely small, although some would dispute this fact. ;-) They are by no means exquisite or full or plump lips and you can see my lines around them.

My hair. No, it's not frosted; it's gray...commingled with the ash brown. Although, my daughter and granddaughter "enhance" the color of their hair, I love gray hair. I don't want to spend the time nor the money to keep it colored and no matter what the beauticians say they have never, ever been able to match the color of my hair. I get a lot of compliments on it and always have even though I cannot imagine or understand why. Truly, I can't. And I do NOT fuss with the hairdresser except for cuts and perms. I froufrou my own hair, not some other person.

Nothing is perfect on this face...NOTHING. But the final result is one with which I can live. It's not beautiful or lovely (LB might just might disagree but I'm a realist). Also you don't see the eyebrow hairs I have to pluck under my brows. *Sigh*..... I hate plucking those things. A face only a mother or Love Bunny could love, but that's enough for me!

Finally, just let me say to you young women, teenagers, moms and mature women, seek not for outer beauty, seek for your inner beauty and strength. You're going to need it in the road ahead. Be happy with how you look and don't lust after some model in a magazine whose photo has been PhotoShopped out of reality. Be happy and grateful for what you have. Truly, you are all beautiful.
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My Favorite Things

Come and join in the fun for My Favorite Things hosted by 320 Sycamore. You'll be delighted I'm sure.
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Where do I begin? I have so much that are my favorites so let's just take a journey through my house and see.

Perfume or oil fragrances I'm never without. I love smelling good and I do because I've had dozens of people stop and ask me what is the fragrance I'm wearing at any given time. So here are a couple of my favorite scents. If I like them I don't care what they cost. It's my one indulgence!

Plumeria,Michael Kors, Samsara, Beyond Paradise, Fracas, Night Magic, Red Door, Lolita Lempicka, Burberry, Poison, Shalimar and Tatiana are my most frequent ones used. Fracas is one my mother gave me about 40 years ago. It's an oil and I've used it sparingly through the years. It should now last me for the rest of my life! I have looked and looked for more but nowhere have I found it. It's french so maybe someplace in France might still have it.

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Dishes. I have some favorite plates I bought several years. They are stunningly gorgeous and hard to photograph because of the real gold on them.
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Crystal stemware. These are just 2 of my collection of stemware. We don't drink alcohol but I love to put juices or soft drinks in them, makes it seem very elegant. These are extremely delicate and fragile. I have so many goblets that I'll never use them all at once. They aren't dirty, just the sun glinting off them.
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I love to read just about anything but this is my favorite book of all times. It changed my life. I've bought several and given them to friends. I don't think the book touched their lives as much as it touched mine. I'll be grateful forever for what this woman taught me in this book. I enjoy the mundane things of life much more and truly try to live like she suggests.
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An artist I discovered through the pages of Victoria magazine was Susan Rios. She's my favorite of all times. I feel her paintings more than any other I've seen. Words cannot even come close to conveying how much I adore her paintings and I have several of them.

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Apple Mac Computer. Love Bunny has doubts about what I'd get out of the house first if there were a fire: him or my Mac. I don't know either. My Apple Cinema Display is 21" and fantastic.

Max, my computer. He just sits there looking all innocent like he's doing nothing, but I know Max; he's working very hard! Trust me, he's NOT innocent; he knows all my secrets. *Wink*
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Lamps are another thing I love to redo and frequently, when I'm feeling the need for a change somewhere, the lamps get it. This consternates Love Bunny to no end! This was a yard sale find for about a dollar. It's heavy wood but I painted it pink, added some decals and refurbished a lampshade.
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I saw a painting by a woman who was in my eBay group and just fell in love with it. Again, it spoke to my heart. I told her and she gifted me with this one. I adore Holly for this gift that has so touched me. She probably doesn't know it hangs behind my family room sofa in a place of honor so I can view it from my chair across from it.
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Many, many years ago this was given to me as a Christmas gift with evergreens and red carnations. It was the most beautiful bouquet and since we lived in the SF Bay area I love the whimsical victorian vase. I presently keep faux roses in it.
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White Wednesday 11/18/09

How exquisite are these vintage linens! No, they are not mine however much I wish they were. Enough said; just enjoy looking at them.

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I'm also grateful for the simple garden Love Bunny and I do have. I thank God for giving us so many beautiful things to look at and enjoy. Flowers have always intrigued and fascinated me, and I, as so many millions of others, have loved them. They bring beauty and serenity to my world. I don't know what I'd do if we couldn't have a small plot of land to plant a few rose bushes. I think ours is as beautiful as the greatest gardens of the world in God's eye.
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Show Off Your Cottage Monday 11/16/09

I had a giveaway saturday and no one caught on! I gave lots of hints. YOU could have won these little wood letters. Shabby Kim caught on just in time. Even my eBay group chicks didn't catch on in time and they KNOW me and what I do in our group. When I post something "weird" or somewhat "mysterious" you can generally count on it being something you're going to like, chicks. So pay attention carefully. Trust me on this one.
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When I am creating, this room is a disaster area. I cannot create, sew or craft neatly. Anyone else like that?!?! Hmmmmm??? Yeah, I thought so. ;-)

Working on 3 different things at the moment here.

That being said, lately I have been doing things for ME, strictly for ME. I created a list about a year ago now of the things I've always wanted to do and just somehow could never find the time or get around to doing it, so I "got on a roll" and did them recently. First it was the cuffs. Then it was the Marie dolls. Now it's the froufrou-y letters. So I recently decided to make a trip to Joanns specifically to find some letters to make. I love the feeling I receive from the word nest; actually, cocoon or celestial are my favorite words in regards to home but nest was shorter and, at $2.99 a letter, you know what won out.

The final results! I love it. These are papier machè letters and very lightweight; however, I did the laundry room letters in wood and liked them better.

Closer view

The new look of the faux fireplace.
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Random Thought:

What good does it do to have 3 sets of tire snow chains to cars we no longer own? Just wondering. *Sigh*...........
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I am grateful for new appliances. Let me explain.

When hubby was in the Marine Corps we lived in government quarters several times and trust me, we were happy to get them. They were clean, inexpensive, safe and commodious. But sometimes we lived in homes in town. Those were nice also but they were never ours and mostly they came with a stove and refrigerator. I don't even remember anyone we knew back then having a microwave. But we bought a refrigerator during one of our "in town homes" and had that for 24 years and the man who bought it thought it was new because it was so clean and in such good shape. Then we bought a home and had to buy other appliances. But never at one time did we have new appliances until we moved to this house 4 1/2 years ago. Then about 2 years ago it hit me: I had all new appliances—stove, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator! That just seemed like so much to absorb from all those years of living frugally. Plus they are all paid for. So that's why I feel so blessed.
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Surprise!!!!

Maaaaan, how many of you are going to be ticked you didn't just keep postin'!!! Winner turns out to be Shabby Kim.


COME ON, YOU CAN KEEP GOING AS LONG AS IT HITS 20!! I CAN'T BELIEVE SOME OF YOU AREN'T READING CAREFULLY!!

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

Now that I've captured your attention I'll let you know what I'm going to do.

A GIVEAWAY! YES, OF THOSE VERY LETTERS YOU SEE ON THE POST.
N E S T

Yep, and no waiting for me to draw a name out of a bowl. I have done this frequently in my eBay group in the past—just post a picture of something or give them a hint to do something and tell them it's a giveaway and the first one to shoutout gets it. It keeps them on their toes, I tell ya. I've a very, very creative person when it comes to giveaways. *Wink*

Anyway, it can't possibly be the first one today but here's how it works now—very simple. The 20th person to leave a post on this post right here wins them. But they have to live in the U.S. You can post all you want on here, no limit, but it's the 20th post. Ain't I a sweetheart? (In my best southern drawl voice.)
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