Thinking Of Tootie....remember ?

Happy Saturday girls........I am thinking about one of my all time favorite movies this morning....you guessed it...

Ever since I was little "Meet Me In St. Louis" has been a season favorite...because it was the first movie besides Little Women that ever took you through all the seasons of the year....

It starts off n the Summer....and takes you through to Spring time 1904....the family interaction...the house....Marjorie Main as their raspy housekeeper....who could resist Judy Garland in what I think was the most BEAUTIFUL movie she ever did....

BUT....my favorite little person in the whole thing was that precious ....Margaret O'Brien...

She had scenes in this movie that just stole your heart....made you laugh....even mad you think what a little snicklfritz she was...always in the middle of ...EVERYTHING....

I'd never seen this poster before....I like it....

She was a brilliant little actress...I guess I woke up thinking about something I could put on TV later when the family is here for our little M....this is a perfect time of year for her to enjoy this movie....I doubt she's ever seen it before...I think she'll love it......everyone will be here later this afternoon ...I can hardly wait...

I hope you girls all have a great day...is it cool where you live...??? .....it is here....it will be a great night for a fire...thank you for stopping by...blessings and big hugs to each of you till next time.......Karena

Singing ..Led To Creating..Then Sharing.....

Good Morning girls....it's almost afternoon...I am later posting this morning ...I woke up ..grabbed my cup of coffee...sat in my posting/prayer chair to get my day started...but first I had to pick up the Carly Simon CD off  the floor in front of my chair...our Cat Frankie was batting at it....(bad kitty)....as I did I was overcome with the urge to pop the CD into our Bose player ...and... SING...

So I went into the kitchen...put the new CD in and hit play...OH...MY....the first notes of "Anticipation" started...so familiar... I was all in...I continued to sit there and sing... ALL 20 SONGS..on that CD .....I used to sing all the time when I was younger...I'm not sure why I've stopped....lately so much has been going on (or not going on) trying to find work...trying to stay centered....motivated to continue this journey even when all I hear or see is NO ....either verbally or silently from the places I never hear back from....or the reality of needing extra income...I've gone through the menopause thing...without drugs of any kind...I have survived the heart attack...I have been in sort of a "silent"  place lately...I realized when I sang out that first note .... I have been trying to find my voice again....I need to be me....to make time again for the things I love without feeling guilty...like sitting in the middle of my kitchen...on a stool...singing my heart out with these favorites of mine...

Girls Like Carly Simon

Linda Ronstadt

and BASIA....I enjoyed saying YES to myself...I liked the feeling of connecting with what I really love again...I also realized life is too short to be hindered by the things I am trying  so hard to accomplish...I don't have to put my heart on hold ...I think I've been feeling it's wrong somehow to smile....sing...create....have fun...when I'm in the middle of the great trek toward being an employed contributing asset to my household ...maybe that's exactly when I need to stand on my faith...knowing the Lord is not and will not forget me...(being at peace with myself in all of this is VERY HARD)... so FOR TODAY.... the first part of the morning I spent indulging my need to sing...(by no means am I anything but a "sing to myself" kind of gal....never have I sung in front of anyone )....it's just a huge part of ...ME..

I'm going to switch gears now to show you something I made this week...I am in LOVE with these battery operated candles...their similar to tea lights...they take 2 dbl AA  batteries...anyway I wanted to fix this chandelier up with some fall leaves ...crows...and these candles...the question was how to hang them...I thought of  wrought iron prim candle holders I've seen...I thought maybe I could take an old wire hanger....(no easy feat to find them either) and bend them in such a way to make holders for my candles.....I did...and they turned out great...just what I wanted...

This is the look I wanted all finished....what do you think???

My final thought for today is sharing this present my sweetie gave me Tues. for my birthday....this chickadee is so precious...we have slews of them eating out of our bird feeders in the garden and outside the window upstairs in our ..."Cabin in the Attic..."

So he gave me this tray....mug...and creamer set...I just love it...I hope you girls are blessed big time today...I pray safety....fun...and some good music YOU can sing along too ....if your so inclined....thank you for stopping by...hugs till next time....Karena

One Last Burst Of Blooms..........

Good Day ladies...how are you ...I woke up this morning to a  COOL ....breezy...blustery....dappled light kind of morning...as I poured my first cup of coffee...I realized the flowers outside were putting on a FINAL PERFORMANCE for us...one last burst of blooms ....with their heads held high....blossoms floating...morning dew still clinging to every branch and leaf...

I peeked outside at my "pip" of a Mum plant....she's just exploding with yellow petals shaped like buttons..

Even the Cosmos my bunny friend enjoyed earlier this summer snapped back to give me a final smile...with blooms that I had to capture on film

My Lobelia plant is spilling out of it's container....so pretty

If you peek close...you can see a bronze mouse standing on a mushroom...looking up at the sky...so cute...

I have no idea what this flower is called but I love it's strong ...pointy....capable ...blooms...stunning

Of course I finish my post with these sweet little "johnny jump up's"....they are  some of my favorites...I hope you all have a good day today...I have  been working on some projects this week...when I get done I will share with you.... hoping this Thursday is blessed ...and full of fun for you....hugs till next time.....Karena

Birthday Blessings....

Good day girls...well I am here to share the wonderful Birthday Blessings heaped on me yesterday...first ...THANK YOU for your sweet birthday wishes ...I really appreciate it....So let me back up a bit....on Saturday my sweetie and I were up in our Cabin in the Attic having coffee...he  went downstairs to grab the pot for refills...when he came back he had something other then the coffee pot in his hands...he handed me a wrapped package...and said "Sweetie you are going to get a present a day for the next 3 three days...would you like that...?"...I sort of squealed as I took the package from him....

The Candle I unwrapped is below...it smells so good...I LOVE CANDLES...anything that brings heavenly smells into our home is a passion...as you can see I've burned a lot of it already....

Sunday we woke up and went to the Antique Mall like I told you...I did come home with some treasures ...

This wonderful wooden tole tray...I collect them...they're getting harder to find... when I picked this one up I was encouraged to get it...SO I DID...Monday morning before he left for work my sweetie brought another package to me...I opened up the sweetest ...tray...creamer...and 2 mugs...they have berry's and Chikadee's on them...I don't have a picture yet ...they're in the dishwasher this morning as I make this post...I will show you tomorrow...when I woke up yesterday I shared my big surprise was the presence of my sweetie for my birthday...he took me to DMV to get my License renewed...I forgot it was expiring...that was a bit of a CONUNDRUM ...I couldn't find my birth certificate ...have to send off for one...they were really nice about it...a couple of steps to acquire it from out of state...all will eventually be well. So we had breakfast together...visited a health food store...then I was surprised with dinner...My daughter...My sister...brother-in-law and of course my man took me to dinner....we laughed and visited...then when dinner was over AM and my hubbi told me Saturday the rest of the family would come to our house for a Taco Dinner....(my favorite)...

My sister gave me my favorite fragrance....thank you sis......

My daughter knows her momma...I LOVE TO SING....she's grown up listening to me belt out many of the tunes my favorite ....."SONG BIRDS"....ever recorded....Carly Simon and Linda Ronstadt are my FAVORITES....these are their new "Best Hits" cd's....THANK YOU AM

Well girls I thank you for spending a moment to share my birthday happenings...I hope you all have a splendid Wednesday....blessings and hugs till next time.......Karena  by the way sweetie...thank you for such a special day...

Letting You In On a Little Secret....

Good Morning Girls.....on Oct. 18 1956....exactly 55 years ago ....yours truly came into the world...yes today is my birthday...I know you might think that's the secret I'm letting you in on but actually it's not the fact that today is the anniversary of my birth...the surprise is that I woke up this morning ....EXCITED ABOUT IT....as if I were 7 or 8 years old....I woke up with a smile on my face...made my bed...walked out to the kitchen to find my first PRESENT....my sweetie ... HE took the day off to spend with me....SURPRISE....

This Birthday Cake was the cake my sister made for my daughters birthday on the 6th of this month...I don't eat cake...or sweets...I try to stay away from refined sugar...but she put a lot of time and care into making this and transporting it to the restaurant we all gathered at....so I cropped this photo to include today...I think it will touch my sister's heart....

 I have no idea how today will "unfold"...but for now I am going to have a cup of....SEATTEL'S BEST COFFEE....with my sweetie...I will be back tomorrow to let you know how today went...and share some other things with you..........you all have a great day...thanks for popping in........blessings and hugs ...Karena

Let's Go Antiquing....

Hi Girls...another Monday morning is upon us....I can't get over how October ALWAYS fly's by....were already at the 17th....yesterday was so beautiful here...a wonderful fall breeze was blowing...the temps were perfect ...a STELLAR day to take a ride....my sweetie and I decided to do just that...we hopped in the car with some fruit...bran muffins..(homemade) and some water ...we headed down the road...to....

one of our favorite places....The Williamsburg Antique Mall......it's a bit of a drive for us but totally worth it...we arrived 15 minutes after they opened ...all these folks were walking in too....when we got inside I asked permission to take some pictures....generously the management said ...SURE....so girls....let's go antiquing....

First I want to take you to my ALL TIME favorite booth...the gal who owns this space is a PRIM lover...I always run to her spot first thing...it is warm ...welcoming...and chuck full of treasures ....like this cute pumpkin couple ....her displays are always wonderful...

As I started down some of the other aisles (they start at A-J)...over 300 dealers...you can spend the whole day here just looking....and believe me we have ...MANY TIMES....today however we divvied up our time....anyway this floral painting spoke to me....I couldn't move it because they had their display built up around it behind this cabinet door...I decided to shoot the picture as it sat....I loved it...

These Kitty's were precious...

These next few photo's were of a particular booth that was new since our last visit...I included it because I was impressed with the feeling they created in the 10 x 12 foot space...it was inviting to come upon this well thought out "nook" of treasures....you let me know if you feel the same....

These flowers were made out of felt..then splattered with something....paint...or maybe ink...they are charming aren't they...I feel a project coming on....

I had to wait patiently to take this shot....the "men folk" were enjoying this space...it tickled me to see them congregated here admiring the oil cans... it reminded me of Frank  on the TV show... American Pickers....he always looks for oil cans too....we had a good time looking thru the mall together  finding things that took us back to our childhoods...or when we were first married...antiquing is like breathing for us...we just love it...nothing makes me get butterfly's like the promise of finding that perfect "thing"...the something your always on point to find.....I realized...  this trip to the mall was my first since starting Loblolly ...I had the most fun taking these pictures to share with you ...as much as if I was actually buying things.....THANK YOU....so....I guess that's it for this post girls...I hope you all have a great start to the week....be blessed today...big hugs...till next time..Karena