A Little Bit of Everything! Happy Valentine's Day Y'all!!

The sun is FINALLY shining, and here in Texas things are warming up.

I hope it's warm where you are!!

I have some catching up to do, and I want to start with one important item.

The winner of my giveaway was Deb over at Garage Sale Gal!! Congratulations Deb!! You should have received your box of goodies by now (or very soon!).

Now to wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day!

I took all my heart shaped pillows and pin cushions down from the shelves and put them in my newest find...an old tray from a trunk!  I have loved the look of these old trays for a while now, and have 2 to hold my ever growing piles of pretties!

And those of you who joined me last month for my party, I want to give a HUGE thank you!!

All of the comments and Happy Birthday wishes just made me so happy!!!

Here are some pictures of what my husband gave me:

but let me say the SURPRISE PARTY totally surprised me!!

It was the day before my actual birthday.  I was tired, not happy with my appearance, etc....you know...all the yucky-fixin-to-turn-50 things that pop in your head.

I decided about 4:00 that afternoon to color my hair.  Red.

I'm in the bathroom valiantly trying to get the hair color EVENLY all over the GRAY roots of my hair, getting mad because I'm dripping the yucky stuff on my cheeks, and trying NOT to get the stuff all over myself.  Dearest Hubby in the world says through the door, "My dad just called and wanted to know if we wanted to go eat with them tomorrow (my birthday) night with them"?

Huh???  That means if we accept that he didn't even have any plans for my BIRTHDAY!!!!

I'm crying by now.  But I answer, "yes, that's fine"....sniff sniff, poor me.  Now I'm really mad.

So I sit down, towel properly covering my shoulders so the gooey hair color won't drip on the furniture or my clothes, I'm all red in the eyes, mad, and he is outside.  I am thinking by now that all I want to do is wash this stuff out of my hair and take a nap!!

I hear him approaching the door and think, so help me if he has my present in his hand right now, the day BEFORE my birthday, I'm going to blow up!!

Guess what?

Yes he did.

Now seriously, WHO wants their 50th birthday present the DAY BEFORE??????

He walks in the door, smiles, and says, "Happy Birthday!"

OK, are you laughing yet??? Get the picture???

My hair is wet and dripping goo, I've been crying, and it's the day before my birthday.

What do I say...."It's NOT my birthday today!!!!"

Pause for the effect to really hit.

"Well," he is trying, I can tell.  "You can open it tomorrow if you want".  

OK.  I'm trying not to cry, but it just can't be helped.  "I really want to wait for my real birthday."

There, I said it nicely.

And he said alright, and put the gorgeous sacks of gifts in the office.  

Now I'm feeling worse, and the story continues.  If you read this far, please don't stop.  It gets better.

I FINALLY have the hair color on for the correct time and can go take a shower and get it washed off.  What a mess.  Who really can get this stuff out of their hair and not make a mess, right?

BUT, while I'm in the shower no less, he hollers to me, "I'm hungry!  Want to go get something to eat in town"?

Huh???  

I told him in no uncertain terms that I wanted to stay HOME!!!  

Well, that didn't sit too well.  He got kinda mad as he says rather loud, "But I'm HUNGRY!"

OK, OK....I decide alright, we can go out, but I need some time.

I tell him so, and he's a happy camper.

Progress about an hour.  I'm trying to dry out my hair, make my red eyes look normal, quit sniffling, and pull myself together.  I told him to give me a few minutes to get ready, and I'd go eat wherever he wanted.

We leave the house around 6 or so, and go to our little town.  Now let me put in here, that we have exactly 2 good sit down and eat in restaurants here.  One we favor over the other, but both have good food.  I pull the car into the driveway of the one we like best and there's all these cars parked there!!

"Good grief, it looks like a convention" I say.  I'm starting to LEAVE the parking lot (because I'm driving), and he says, "Naw, let's just eat here.  They'll all probably leave soon".

Yea, right.

OK...I park the car WAY over to the side of the parking lot, in fact in front of another store, and we walk in.  The waitress says to me, "There's a table in the back where there's more space" as she walks away and I look around and think, where is everybody???  It was seriously empty!!  I see a friend I haven't seen in a while though, and go over to speak to her.  She has this 'look' on her face, but I'm totally clueless...

Then, I go to the back.  What do you know...there sitting with a HUGE pack of people are my in-laws, just smiling!!  I look around and they all shout, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"!!!

I turned around and almost ran......

I was SO SURPRISED!!!!!!

Turns out my wonderful sweet husband had called just about every single person in our church and they had filled the whole back of the restaurant!!!!  These flowers were there, a HUGE birthday cake, and cards galore.  I am very blessed.

Thanks to you all who gave me such a wonderful birthday!!

This pic was taken BEFORE the hair color!!

I am so busy this month...lots to do and lots to get finished, so I will not be hosting a party this month.

But, I will try to post more than I have been doing lately!  I have some pics of gorgeous laces that I have already downloaded and want to share with you.

Keep your eyes open for a lacy post soon!

Blessings to you,

Doni

Pink and Cream: One of My Favorite Combinations

Once I joined my first pink post to the Pink Saturday linky party, I was hooked.

On PINK...and I've been a happy lady ever since!

Here are a few of the pinks I've hoarded found in the last few years.

And if you've been a regular to my blog, you know I almost never have a post that I don't have some type of LACE, or Pearls, or buttons, or thread, or sewing notions, or pretty colors, or music, well you get the gist!

This post all started with the thought that I wanted to have a pink post especially for Pink Saturday today.

Pink buttons being in my mind,I started grabbing whatever I found sitting around in my craft room.

DMC flosses, scissors, laces, spools, you name it I added it!

And the pearls...they were just sitting there in a pile left from my Violin and Lace posts...here and here,

so I HAD to have them too!!

I am in love with the different shades of pinks against the shades of creams...

Like pink icing on a vanilla cake...without the calories!!

bits of bling for sparkle, and pearls for lustre...

Below is another (the first actually) of the background boards I made a few weeks ago.

Very simple and easy, it uses a foam board with one side that has a peel away backing covering the sticky side.  I cut out some of my favorite hymns from an old hymn book, and carefully placed them first across the bottom of the board so that they would all show...trimming sides as needed.

Row two was the top row...again trimming as I went.  I wanted to make sure to stagger the pages, so the middle row I trimmed short hymns to fit along the board an covered all parts of the board.

A total of three rows, two rows (top and bottom) of full pages, and one row (middle) of short hymns.

Actually very fun and I loved the way it turned out! 

I chose NOT to Mod-Podge this board because the pages were not brittle, but of course it could be done as I did the board in my previous post (here).

I love playing with my pinks, and laces, and buttons....and ALL of the pretties I have.

I hope you've enjoyed the Pink and Cream's!!

Blessings, Doni

You will probably see my post added to some of the parties listed below.

Be sure and pay a visit to see some other lovely posts!

Mosiac Monday at

http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

Today's Thrifty Treasures at

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/

Blue Monday at

http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

Show Off Your Cottage Monday at

http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/

Metamorphosis Monday

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Cowgirl Up Party Monday

http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/

Just Something I Whipped Up

http://www.thegirlcreative.com/

Knick of Time Tuesday

http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/

Teacup Tuesday at

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

Teatime Tuesday at

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

Victoria Tuesday at

http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Tuesday Tea for Two at

http://theplumedpen.blogspot.com/

Teatime Tuesday at

http://ladykatherineteaparlor.blogspot.com/

Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday at

http://breathoffreshair-paperbutterfly.blogspot.com/

Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday at

http://silkenpurse.blogspot.com/

Tea Cup Tuesday at

http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/

2nd Time Around Tuesday at

http://diane1876.blogspot.com/

White Wednesday

http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/

What's It Wednesday

http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

Whatever You Want Wednesday
http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/

Vintage Thingie Thursday

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Minute for Me Thursday

http://marciascraftysewing.blogspot.com/

Treasure Hunt Thursday

http://www.bluecreekhome.com/

Open House Party

http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/

Home Sweet Home

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Feathered Nest Friday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

It's a Hodgepodge Friday

http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/

Frugalicious Friday

http://decormamma.blogspot.com/

A Crafty Soiree

http://www.katiesnestingspot.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday

http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/

Thrifty Things Friday

http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/

Simple and Sweet Fridays

http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/

Flaunt It Friday

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

Pink Saturday

http://www.howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Sew Darn Crafty

http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/

Pearls and Lace Thursday #79 Crocheted Edges

Hello Everyone!

Hope you are all safe and warm.  The sun is shining brightly here, and last night was cold, but today and the rest of the week we are warming up.

For all of you who are slushing through snow, I really feel for you.

I would make you a hot cup of chocolate and sit you near the fire so you'd be cozy and warm!!

During December I stayed busy making some small stuffed hearts out of a piece of embroidery I found at a garage sale.  I met the little lady who had spent so many of her days working with her hands to make these squares for a quilt. 

She was moving, and all of her sewing items were having to be sold.

I always have a feeling of sadness when I find things like this.  Especially if I've met the woman who made them.  But this time, I think she was ready.

I ask myself the question too...will I someday be ready to give all my prized sewing items up?

I think it will be easier if I know they are going to someone who will cherish them as much as I did.

I hope she would think that I did a good job of carrying on with her work.

While I was in the crocheting mood, I grabbed my favorite heart pillow from the guestroom bed and decided it needed a crocheted edge as well.  I think it's just what it needed!

I loved the pastel colors of these roses so much that I couldn't give it away!

And I've see so many of you talented ladies making these little strawberries that I thought I'd try some!

The crochet thread and hooks are put away, and I'm doing something now that I haven't picked up in years.  Can you guess what I'm working on now??

I have a question for you.  If you have cases of DMC floss, how do you prefer to order them in the cases?

I started with one box, so easiest to do was by number.  Now I have ALL of the DMC floss colors (thanks to my dear birthmother) and she ordered them by color group according to DMC.  Hmmm....seems like I can't find the right color very easily.  Should I go ahead and redo ALL 10 BOXES?????

It's time for Pearls and Lace Thursday!!!

Please know that I have tried to get to each of your blogs this week and leave a comment.  Many I have had to do with my iphone!!  My computer keeps freezing up on me when I open a new page (argh!!) so it's very hard to get to your blogs!!  I'm trying all kinds of things on my end to fix that!

I am in love with so many of your blogs!  I am enchanted by your talents!  And I'm so fickle.  I go from saying, 'oh I love that', to 'oh...I love THAT' so many times it's silly!

Y'all have made my week too by so many of you joining me!  I'm so excited!  And honored!

Many many thanks to each of you, and a warm welcome to the new followers!

Please join me again this week and add the url code from your blog post to the link below.

I hope you all have a marvelous week!!

Blessings, Doni

Pearls and Lace Thursday #46; and Last Week for Spring Giveaway!!!

Only one more week left for the Giveaway I'm having!!!

Be sure and go to the original post here to read the directions, and you can also join by joining me for Pearls and Lace this week!

I'm adding the pillow pictured below to the Giveaway!!!  If you want to enter, be sure and follow the rules posted here...I would hate for you to think you've entered, but haven't.

This Giveaway ends May 10th, 2011 at midnight.

On to the Party!

Pearls!!  I found three sets of GORGEOUS pearls at a very special Antique shop last week.

My HUSBAND bought them for me!!!

I thought the clasps were so sweet, and I'm so excited about them.  I think they're lovely.

And, I'd like to introduce you to my newest friend, Paula.  She owns the Somewhere In Time Antiques Shop

in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  Located along the Mississippi River, right up at the Wall!!!

She told us the most amazing history of her family and the area where we were, and with all the flooding and chances that the levee would be blasted open, well, we were enthralled.  Texas might have storms and flooding, but not like the Mississippi River flooding.  And we witnessed numerous spots that were flooding all along the trip.

The picture below was taken on the east side of the bridge from Cape Girardeau into Illinois. 

Again, we were amazed.

As we headed back west into Cape Girardeau and approached the bridge over the Mississippi River, we saw the sun break forth from the clouds.

To all those affected by the flooding, to all those who have lost your homes and loved ones from the recent storms, know that God will make your way....

May His Light shine on you...

OK...last week...be sure and get your entries in.

And also, please join me for Pearls and Lace Thursday!!

You do NOT have to have a post that shows pearls or lace, but some thing special that you love.  We love beautiful things and we want to see your pretties!

Please do NOT add a link for a blog, but your blog post url, link back to this post,

 and please no Etsy, Ebay or sales posts. 

Blessings,

Doni

I think I'll be joining a few linky parties!!

Have a look and join too!

Vintage Thingy Thursday

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Treasure hunt Thursday

http://www.bluecreekhome.com/

Home Sweet Home

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Feathered Nest Friday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday

http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Pink Saturday
http://www.howsweetthesound.typepad.com/



Pearls and Lace Thursday #33 and Giveaway Winner Announced!

The Best of 2010

Pearls and Lace Thursdays of the Past

As I've been blogging for the last year, I've realized a few things about myself.  I find that I love pearls and lace (of course) more and more.  I seek the laces and pearls wherever I go shopping.
But I have also found some new favorites.  Hand Painted items have become a HUGE love for me!  Even today I received a new object (to be shared later), and I'm on the hunt for more.

My mother's stichery, and dried roses are also some of my favorite subjects. 

I have a camera now that I'm trying to get used to, and as the new year progresses, I hope to capture new subject material in much better light and with much more appeal.

I've also found out that I love old books, especially pastel colored children's books!  I seem to use them all the time!

The hand painted bowl below has become my favorite piece ever.  It sits in a place of honor in my home.  I've only once seen a piece that compares, and now I own a piece to be proud of.

And along with the pearls and lace theme, I have begun making pillow recently.  I have opened an Etsy shop, and hopefully I'll be adding more and more items to it during the year.

The pillow below is the Giveaway item chosen by the winner of my Giveaway!

Purple and black are the main colors, with pearl and rhineston button accents.

A vintage embroidered doily was used to make a pocket, and the roses were crocheted by me.

Congratulations to Sherry at Blessings From Our Nest!  Be sure and click on her Blog name and visit her.  She has a wonderful family and lifestyle, and her blog is a joy to follow!

Now.  Tell me what your favorite Pearls and Lace Post was last year, and join me this week for Pearls and Lace Thursday.  Either share a past favorite with us, or share a new one, but please only add the url link to your single blog post, not for your whole blog, and please also include a link back to this site.

I hope the new year will be full of Pearls and Laces for you all!

Blessings, Doni