A Gift and a Giveaway

                                  

Valentines Day is only 2 days away.

Are you ready???

Me neither but that’s ok it will be wonderful because I will be spending it

with my friends at Evi’s houses.

You may remember me talking about it

Here.

I missed it last year because of jury duty and Laura wasn’t able to be there either.

Laura has been in Florida but is coming home earlier then planned so….

YAY she’ll be there too.

With the holiday of Love just around the corner

I wanted to share with you one of my dearest friends

 Julie of Being Ruby.

We met quite early in our blogging life. I immediately liked her and

we have grown closer throughout the years….gosh how long has it been?

Feels like I’ve known her all my life.

That’s a good feeling.

To think, we have never met face to face or talked on the phone but there isn’t a

day that I don’t think of her.

We may write everyday, sometimes not for weeks or months but she knows how much she means to me.

That’s when you know you have a good friend….you can catch up right where you left off  like

no time has passed.

Last month I received from Julie this sweetest little box.

It must have been made for someone dear.

It looks handmade.

A picture of a little girl holding an umbrella, though maybe more to

shade oneself from the sun then protect from the rain.

It comes from a brocante in France.

Inside a small delicate piece of lace and sewing needle.

I started playing around with some of my own sewing goods.

A small spool of thread, buttons, and sequined applique that

I bought at the flea market not too long ago.

On the other side of the cover a lovely print of a

 dove and  French saying.

I still speak some French but

my French reading shhhhheee….

how you say...?

not so good.

so Google came in to help.

WHITE DOVE, UNDER YOUR WING BRING TO THOSE

WHO HAVE MORE

FAITH, HOPE,

CHARITY AND SUBLIME VIRTUES.

isn’t that wonderful?

I wonder if it’s a common saying in France?

maybe we in the US should borrow it.

Thank you Julie I will treasure it forever!!!!

So in the same spirit of giving and to thank all of you that

come here and leave comments of encouragement and love,

I would like to have another giveaway.

The last one was so much fun.

                                                                            


                                                                

Yes the next issue of Jeanne d’Arc Living.

All you need to do is

1. leave a comment for one chance.

2. blog about it for another chance

3. become a follower on linky since google friends connect will be ending sooner and let me know for another chance.
(anyone who has already commented and have followed the old way will still be counted)

Just because I’m lazy  let me know how many times to enter you and

you only need to comment once.

Winner will be picked on Sunday  2:00 pm February 19th.

Bonne Chance!!!!

and Happy Valentines Day!

Carole

The New Phonebook’s HERE

                                                          The new Phonebooks here, the new phonebooks here!!!!

       No, not really

            Ok it’s a line from the movie

       “ The JERK”

                 remember how excited Steve Martin was when the phone book arrived???

              I think he originated the Happy dance!!!

          or was that the Egyptian mummy dance???

         I think of that scene every time I get

     excited myself when a big parcel comes to my door.

         The difference with me and Steve is that I’m not actually

         in this book.

            But that’s ok.

   

                                    

                                                                                               

                                                       

                      You may be surprised but there is actually a little color in this issue.

                         A few well chosen pastels to brighten and invigorate our

                        homes for Spring.

                             I want to thank all the people that preorder the magazine.

                                I just shipped them out and some have arrived already.

                                                      

                                      What is so versatile about a neutral color palette is how easy it is to change the look.

                           A few colorful pillows, some vintage plates with delicate florals and

                                 a bouquet of field flowers.

                                  All of a sudden you have a whole new room.

                                         

                                   

                You might even pull out something from your closet to hang from a door.

                               

                          

                   I know I always need to have my angel wings in easy reach.

                   Don’t you???

               Last month we had fun rearranging the Living Room.

                Nothing too special but just a few things moved around.

             Unfortunately most of the pictures had something Christmas in it…..

so I couldn’t show you that.

       

                  The light in the living room is so wonderful and we spent as much time in there as we could.

             Well then came the painting project in the family room.

                   As much as I thought we could keep things out of there some of the over flow went in my

    new clean room.

      What was only going to be a painting job turned into more.

        George decided to add more trim to the baseboard.

     Trim that we were suppose to put in 20yrs ago. Didn’t seem that important

after a couple of years went by…..and even less as time went on.

                     You know how that goes …..you just find more pressing things to work on.

    Oh yes the list is long and keeps growing.

            I really wanted to add molding to the ceiling but the angles are so strange

           that it makes it impossible. Not impossible, but more difficult then we’re willing to tackle.

          

       We did manage to clear off some room at the breakfast table (that we hardly ever use for breakfast)

for our Valentines Day dinner.

We had a lovely meal of baked flounder and shrimp.

Turns out I  didn’t devein the shrimp  the

correct way. I thought you just removed it from the inside.

Guess who ate them all!!!!!

What’s a little poo when the whole ocean is …..well you know.

Now you probably think I’m gross.

I know I’m being silly and all this is just

FLUFF!!!! after all.

The icing on the cake of life so to speak. I never write about really important subjects.

Politics, religion, news, etc. etc.

though I often want to.

BUT ….. 

I’d be a bad citizen of the world if I didn’t take the time to mention

the people of North Africa and the uprising in these nations.

They have shown such courage  in the face of such brutal dictatorship.

I pray that they get the Democracy that they so long for and deserve.

We in all the free nations should never take for granted what we have

and what others before us have fought and worked so hard for.

I Hope That You Treat Each Day as a GIFT!

Happy Valentines Day

                                               

                                   

                                             

                 

                                                                             

 

                                                                            

                                                                                  

                                                         Valentines Day is the day for LOVE and for us to remember to show

                                                        the ones we love just that .

                                                      “ I Love and appreciate you.”

                                                          It’s so easy to forget in our busy lives to stop  

                                                    and say those little words.

                                                  Whenever I get mad  at my husband or we have a fight.

                                          …..and yes we do.

                                    ( like any couple)

                                           I step back and remind myself…..

                                         what would I do if he wasn’t there anymore?

                                               What if this was the last day, or minute that

                                              I could see him, talk to him, hold him?

                                               would I want to be fighting over something insignificant?

                                            

                                                   Over the years of being together you begin to realize that they are not always perfect….

                                        like you once thought

                                        they won’t always pick up their clothes off the floor or  organized, or remember

                                            to write out the bills  ( oh right, I do that)

                                                   but that’s ok because I’m far from perfect either.

                                          That’s what makes a good marriage. Knowing that person accepts you warts and all.

                                           If you are gentle, kind and giving of your feelings you can overcome any problems life throws at you.

                                       So on this Valentines Day it isn’t important that you go out

                                       to dinner to a fancy restaurant or that he buys you flowers

                                      or that you exchange presents at all.

                                           Just that you tell that person how much you love them....

and couldn't imagine life them.

                      That’s it!!!

                          Now Have a Wonderful Valentines Day!

                         (I think I have to call someone )

            

Valentines Day Luncheon!

Only a mere week since our Valentine luncheon at our

fabulous and talented friend Evi's house.
I'm still floating on air about the whole day.

It was such a girls day....all 6 of us joining together for

the ultimate LOVE day.

Valentines Day.

Preparing the sweet treats the night before to add to the cans I had decorated. I think I ate a few while preparing them! but who's counting?

One for you.....

two for ME!....

and before I knew it they were done.

I headed upstairs to get the other things I was making their finishing touches.

George was making a fire in the wood stove and afterwards we would have champagne.

A little bubbly and a few apps!!!

Perfect!

I heard George call up to me to tell me to not get excited

but we had a fire in the house!

I thought he said we had a fire at the green (House).

My heart instantly went into my throat!

No !!! it was chimney fire....and here at home.

oh good that's not Bad!!!. I thought.

Always tell me the worst.... then the real news won't hit me so bad.

We stayed calm and called the fire dept.

We had to move furniture so the firemen could get in and do their thing.

I stayed out of way filling water buckets.

1 1/2 hours later everything was fine again.

The house was a mess but we still had one!

We were lucky and thankful for our volunteer fire dept.

Note: remember to be generous with your local fire dept.!!!

I was glad we hadn't gone out to dinner like previously planned,

but as George said he

wouldn't have started a fire if we had gone out.

"So I guess you would have burned down our house another night dear?"

HaHa.

Maybe it was my little Angel cans full of goodies that saved the night????

Needless to say we never had any champagne....poor George he loves champagne.

We were up pretty late that night but I was so excited that next morning

I wasn't even tired.....

Look at what awaited us!!!!

It's a feast for the eyes at Evi's and Ebbie's home.

The day was sunny on a warm Winter day. The house sits up on top of a hill with woods surrounding it.

You feel like your in a tree house. The sunlight fills from everywhere.

I know this picture is a tease.....just a little pact Laura and I have.

I think I really like the blur option!!!

too much maybe?

The food was amazing. Evi even made me something special......being a vegetarian.

Making me two delicious panini's.

Yummy!

She's so good to me!

We were also celebrating Laura's One year Blogiversary!

      It was the next day last year that Laura started her blog!

52 Flea!

She's having an giveaway to celebrate. I think it just ended today.

Congrats to the winner!

We ended the meal with chocolate covered strawberries, lemon cake and frangipane torte.

More details are on Laura's blog too.

The gift giving started soon after lunch..... I think Paula couldn't wait anymore and started the passing out of the presents.

Her presents are just as beautiful as her home. They even mimics the

colors of her home:)) so pretty!

Kathleen holding the chocolate boxes that Paula decorated. They were filled with homemade caramels

that she bought at Deanna's shop Gather.

I had one today...and OMG they were so good..

not like any caramels I've ever had.

Leave it to Deanna to get the best!

Thank you Paula too for being so sweet and treating all us girls!

now I just have to make sure to keep George from gobbling them up:))

Laura put together the cutest papers and little bits and bobs to make our own

Valentines. The cutout bird shaped papers were a big hit too.

We all vowed we'd all buy the punch from

the craft queen Martha Stewart!!!

The crown cookie that Evi made us you may have seen on Laura's blog. I only got this picture of it thinking I would take one later when I got home.

I was heart broken when I took it out of the bag in broken pieces....

Yup! it was broken....uggghh

This was the book box I made Evi.

Just an old book, papers and lace and looooots of glue!

oh, and of course a sharp blade to cut the middle out.

I had planned on putting small love letters in the box but I ran out of time

( the fire incident )

Evi told me she had some she could put in there.

Some from Ebbie maybe?:))

Now I know I'm forgetting details of that magical day.

Laura did a wonderful job recalling everything that happened.

I even forgot to photograph some of the hearts I made. Sigh!!!

In all the excitement I didn't want to miss anything and be annoying to anyone with my camera.

Please go to her post HERE

if you haven't already.

I think Evi was surprised and happy with her gift. It was fun to make. My first one ever.

We all went home that night with our little goodie bags having had an amazing day.

So happy to have spent time together laughing and telling stories.
Evi's generous spirit and gorgeous home all still embedding in our memories.

Now I'll have many pictures to look back on to remember that glorious day.

Thank you Evi!!!!!

Can't wait to come back.