A LITTLE DOWN

I am feeling a little down today.  I am usually an upbeat, glass half full kind of person.  I am the one who makes everyone feel better.  I try to be positive about all situations but sometimes it all piles on top of me and I am the one who could use a hug. 

When I do get feeling blue I usually keep it to myself and handle it.  The few times I have reached out to family and friends I did not get the response I thought I would.  I guess because I never show my vulnerability and try to help everyone, people are taken aback when my shell cracks a little.

I have so much going on right now and I am trying to keep all the balls in the air but today they dropped.  It is a little bit of everything.  As you know I help with the Dog Rescue and I am organizing the fundraiser for June.  I e-mail so many people for donations for baskets and I am so happy when I get a good response but then when I think about the dogs it just makes me so sad.  I know you can't save them all and thank the goddesses for Brenda and others like her who save so many.  I wish I could have 100 because I would.  I look at my babies and they are so happy I just wish all creatures could have that kind of love and security.

So, today, that along with some other things I have been trying to handle,  I just came crashing down.  I am turning to my blogging friends for a virtual hug.  I could really use it.

Maybe you need a hug too.  Or perhaps someone in your life needs one.  It is such a simple gesture but believe me when someone is down the opening of arms that are wrapped around you and squeeze can make all the difference in the world.

THE SPRING GODDESS & SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES!

The Goddess of Spring has finally shown herself here today.  I don't know what has taken her so long but I am glad she has finally graced us with some form of Spring.

The sun was finally shining and the ground is drying up a bit.  It is still going to be wet and cool later in the week but I will take what I can get.  Poor Daisy, Rufus and Atticus are just covered in mud.  Daisy is now a brown dog instead of her beautiful white.  Bath time is coming soon.

I just hope it is not a cold, wet summer because I am hosting the SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES Fundraiser for RESCUE DOGS MATCH on June 8th.  I hope we raise a lot for the dogs this time because it is a never ending battle.

Once again I am asking if any of you lovely artist out there would like to contribute a little something for the Raffle Baskets.  Last fall so many of you sent such lovely pieces and the baskets were a big hit raising over half the funds.  If you would like to help out the dogs,  I only ask you send something light so you don't have to pay much for the postage.  Paper things are alway great.

If you are interested I thank you and let me know and I will give you my address.  Also, if I can ever help any of you with a donation for something close to your heart do not hesitate to let me know.

Hope you all have a sunny, happy day.

THANKS AND A WINNER!

 I want to thank everyone for the Birthday Wishes yesterday.  I had a fabulous birthday despite the wintery weather.  Lots of phone calls, cards and a couple a nice visits.  And it's not over yet, on Sunday my little doll is coming for another Birthday Celebration.


And as promised the announcement of the winner of  my Birthday Giveaway.  Thank so much to all of you who participated and thank you to the new followers.  Now that I have started making my Hippie Jewelry I will be doing another giveaway very soon.  But I am sure you all want to know who won.

Carmen!  Just e-mail me your address Carmen with your choice of necklace.  Don't forget, pick the one you want because if it was sold I will make up another one.

Thank you all again and I hope wherever you are the weather is sunny and bright, still very cold here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Yes, today is my birthday!  I am sitting here freezing while ice pellets hit my window.  I cannot believe that on my birthday, in April, we had a sudden winter ice storm.

Oh how I would have loved a birthday outside in the sun like last year.  What a different Spring we are having.  Where the heck is the sun?

 But, I am not going to let the weather ruin my Birthday so please join me this morning for a celebration!

We are having cake for breakfast!  Yes, it's my birthday and I declare " Let them eat cake".  Isn't that rose cake gorgeous!  Boy would I love that for my birthday and it's Red Velvet too, my favourite.

We have delicious lattes this morning and Raspberry Champagne Cocktails so grab a mug, a glass and a piece of cake and let's have a Breakfast Birthday Party.

This is my motto today.  So true, I am sure you all agree.  Thank you all, my lovely blogging family, for joining me on my Birthday!    And don't forget............

You can get a birthday present from me too.  I will draw my BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY tomorrow so if you haven't already sign up.

THE "MUD"ROOM!

Let me tell you the story of my Mudroom.  Living in a 235 year old house is wonderful but there are things that needed adding.  Such as a mudroom.

After living in our farmhouse for a few years and having to come into the front door directly into the livingroom we decided to build a mudroom off of the cooking kitchen we had just built.  I lovingly designed a pretty room with iron hooks for hanging coats and a place to sit down.

It is not too big but there is enough room for my stackable washer and dryer and a jam cupboard that I store my vaccum and cleaning products.

I put lovely black and white tile flooring down and put battenboard on the walls.  At the time we had a kennel for the dogs but eventually we took that down and Duffy and Penny slept in there. 

Now, it wasn't always perfectly clean, dogs do get dirty, but it was okay.  Then, as you know, my Duffy and Penny left us and we brought Rufus, Daisy and Atticus into our family and into our mudroom.  Well, it is now officially a "Mud"room and a dog room.  These 3 giants, who I love dearly, have three big comfy beds in there that I have to walk over to get to the vaccum cleaner and with all of this darn rain even the walls get covered in mud when they come barreling in from a days romp on the farm.  I long for a nice mudroom, all organized and clean but when I get big wet kisses and tails that wag so lovingly when they see me I know the sacrifice is worth it.

Just a couple more days until my BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY so don't forget to sign up, oh, and don't worry if the pieces you get to choose from are sold from my shop, I will make the winner whichever piece they like.

BOOK NOOKS & CRANNIES

  Books!  I do love books.  I love to read them but I also love to display them.

 I am always looking for different place to put my huge collection of books.  I have a bookcase built at the bottom of the staircase and it is full.  I really like the idea of building book shelves in different spaces.

 Oh I just adore this one.  Could you imagine building a little library off a room in your house, lovely!

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 And what a great idea this is.  You don't need a lot of space to put your favourite books and this case is perfect.

 A little messy for my taste but unique all the same.

 I have actually done this before we had a house.  I displayed my limited book collection in wood crates when we lived a very short time in an apartment.

 I think this is the most inventive book shelf I have ever seen.  How fabulous to use the space under the stairs for shelves.

 Love the winding staircase and the fact that a little room was created under book storage is fantastic.

 This is a great idea for a book shelf.  Most home have a blank wall at the bottom of the stairs so why not use it, whether for a built-in or a bookshelf built against the wall.

 Could you imagine cuddling up here with that view and all those books to choose from?

 Book Nooks are a passion of mine.  I cannot think of a better use of a little space than to fill it with books and a spot to read them in.

How pretty this is.  Snuggled up against those pillows on a rainy day with a good mystery.

  And let's not forget the kids.  I have always loved books and I think it is so important to have a space for your kids to look at their books and learn the joy of reading as a pleasure not just for school.

 This is a great idea too.  Just like the library display shelves.  A great way to show you good magazines as well.

 Well, I don't think there are any words necessary for this gorgeous space.

 This is a really good use of a small space.  Book storage, a nook and a bed.

 How may of us have wasted space under the stairs?  Lots of times there is a closet there that gets jammed full of things we don't need so why not make use of the space like this, beautiful.

 You can pick up this kind of shelving anywhere.  Convenient and easy to assemble.  Your books would love you.

 I think this is wonderful for kids.  I think I may use this idea when my little grandbaby gets her big girl room.

So, whether you stack them, line them up on a shelf, read them cuddled in a nook or in bed, books are the one true friends that are always there for you and always entertaining.

Don't forget to sign up for my BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY.   I will draw on April 13th.