Updates on Ann

For any updates on Ann's surgery, please go to Life at Ann's Place.

Thanks!

Laura

Prayers for Ann

Please pray for our dear friend Ann at Life at Ann's Place.

All of Bloggyland loves you Anniepoo! The Lord, your family, and all your friends are with you on this journey!

Laura

Metamorphosis Monday ~ An Old Antique Table

Hi everyone!! This week I'm participating in Susan's (Between Naps on the Porch) Met Monday!! I was planning on participating last week but a sprained shoulder kept me off the 'puter!

Every summer I make a "To-do" list. Most of the time I usually accomplish about half on the list. :-) One of the things was to re-paint an old antique table I had previously been using as a TV stand.

It was painted a dark hunter green...

That definitely did not go with my bedspread.

So after taping up the "feet" with paper and painter's tape...

I spray painted it with an almond color. (Pictures make it look white.)

Added some of my favorite "girly" things and several doilies ~ and Presto! An easy and quick metamorphisis!! :-)

I can't wait to see more transformations over at BNOTP ~ I need an extra dose of inspiration to keep me "To-doing" this summer! :-)

Thanks for visiting!

Laura

Lovely Limoges!

(Gifts from my aunt who bought these three beauties in France.)

For Three or More Tuesday, hosted by Tam at The Gypsy's Corner, I thought I would share my love for Limoges!

Every Limoges needs a stage, so let's flip the cup over and start! :-)

This was the one that started my obsession! My mother gave this cutie to me for Christmas many years ago. I loved it's intricate detailing and the delicateness of it! I also couldn't stop opening and shutting it! Lol I had never heard of Limoges and knew I had to have more!

I knew my dh was the one for me when he didn't flinch at the price tag of $160.00 for this pretty little teapot! He bought it as a gift for me when we were first dating. :-)

Each Limoges is handpainted with it's own unique clasp~

And often has detailing on the inside too~

A polar bear in an igloo~

Isn't his little face cute?!

"Here kitty kitty..." :-)

The Holy Bible~

A precious angel given to me from my cousin~

A pretty purse. I love the little chain!

A sophisticated lady~

This is not a Limoges but he's an important part of my collection! My husband does a very good impersonation of the Cowardly Lion, my favorite character from The Wizard of Oz! :-)

A child playing with blocks. Notice the pretty bird clasp~

Can I offer you a glass? :-)

Got milk??

The granddaddy of them all!

The detailing is just beautiful! It's the most expensive one I have.

You will know a "real" Limoges by the marking at either the bottom or the inside~

I found a good explaination of Limoges Trinket Boxes on a website called Limoges Direct.

"An authentic Limoges Trinket Box is made of kaolin porcelain. A stamp saying Limoges France will often tell if the box is authentic. In 1841 a law was passed saying that all Limoges boxes must be stamped with this marking. Some Limoges boxes are detailed more than others, as some have more complexity in the sculpture, and the colors which depict the knowledge, as well as number of firings. This is how collectors distinguish quality. Limoges boxes of quality are usually hand-painted and marked peint mein (painted by hand). Porcelain Limoges boxes that are not hand painted sometimes will be decorated by transfers. Often when purchased in the states the supplier will include a certificate of Authenticity."

Who knows why we fall in love with the things we do ~ but I knew as soon as I saw one, I would never get enough of them!! ~SIGH~

Thanks so much for coming by! Now let's go see some more collections of Three or More over at Tam's!! :-)

Laura

Thank You for the Awards!

I have been given the "I'm A Fan of Your Site" award by Kathy at Emptynester and Ann at Life's At Ann's Place! Thank you both so much for this award!

The month of April has been named "Tell "Em You're A Fan Month"! All you have to do is let your favorite bloggers know you're a fan and pass it along!

Here are the Fun Fan rules:

1. Leave a comment or an e-mail for your favorite bloggers telling them that you are a fan of their site.

2. Copy and paste the award on your post so your blogger friends can take it too!

3. When you receive more than one fan, put the number of fans you have received under the image.

4. Have fun and giving and collecting as many fans as you can!! :-) Thank you again Kathy and Ann!

And speaking of my sweet friend Ann, she gave me this beautiful "Inspiration Award" which means so much to me because she is a constant inspiration to me and I know to so many of you! She has a spirit and a love that knows no boundries! Love ya Anniepoo! :-)

My good friends Christine from Christine's Home and Travel Adventures and Athella from OCDesigner gave me the "Honest Scrap Award"! To receive this I must list 10 honest and interesting "scrappy" facts about myself and pass it on to six other bloggers. What a fun way to get to know a little more about each other! :-)

Okay, so here I go!

1. I have taught for almost 23 years now. I've taught grades 1st-4th and have been teaching preschoolers with and without special needs for the last seven years.

2. Once while the passenger in a covered wagon that was going downhill, the wagon flipped over trapping my legs under it! Around 30 minutes later, my dh was rushed to the ER with symtoms of a heart attack because he thought I died!

3. I took cello, piano, and dance when I was a girl but gave each up after two years. I think I'm fickle. :-)

4. In my "other life" I would have been a glamorous Broadway actress and dancer! lol

5. I have a crush on Tommy Lee Jones. And I think I married someone just like him ~ he was even called Tommy when he was young! :-)

6. My great uncle grew up poor and peddled candy to earn money for his family. He later started a candy company and became a multi-millionaire. A songwriter met him and was inspired to write "The Candy Man" after him because of his happy and boisterious personality. The song was made famous by Sammy Davis Jr.

7. I once spent a week in the hospital because of a Recluse spider bite on my ankle.

8. I was born in Wyoming but grew up in Texas.

9. My mother, father, and I all earned our Master's while in our early 40's.

10. I have 5 step-children, 5 nieces and nephews, 3 horses, 1 cat and 3 dogs! :-)

Now I'd like to pass this award on to:

Ann from Life at Ann's Place

Debbie from Confessions of a Plate Addict

Chari from Happy to Design

Gloria from Happy to Be

Laurie from Bargain Hunting with Laurie

Susan from Between Naps on the Porch

And all of my visitors who would like to write some Honest Scrap about themselves! :-)

Hope you're all having a great weekend and thanks so much for visiting!!

Laura

Thank You Laurie!!

Laurie from Bargain Hunting with Laurie sent me the sweetest "Thank You" gift for "letting" her post our home on her Share a Space Saturday a couple of months ago. I told her I should be sending HER a thank you gift for honoring us...but it just goes to show what a sweetheart she is! I met Laurie over at RMS where we had an instant connection. She is a caring and compassionate person...and also very FUNNY!! I just love her! :-)

Inside the beautifully wrapped box was the prettiest heart ornament I had ever seen! I was so excited that before I unwrapped the next gift I went running around my home to find the perfect stand for it!

Oh it's so pretty!!

Then I unwrapped the cutest dog figurine that looks exactly like my chocolate lab, Elmo! Dh likes him too! :-)

And the sweetest little bird! I wonder if Laurie knew I had a "thing" for birds?? :-)

Thank you Laurie! For the sweet gifts, the beautiful card and for your friendship that I will cherish forever!!!

I am officially out on Spring Break!! Woohoo! We're heading for the lake for a week to get a little R & R!! I hope you all have a wonderful week! :-)

Laura

Buddy

Welcome to Friday's Favorite Family FotoHosted by Deborah at Pictures, Pots, Pens

All I ask of my youngest son is to pick up......HIS CHAIR!

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I would like you to meet Buddy the Slacker. He would get up and say "Hi" but he's just barked...so he's down for the count until Monday!

Have a great weekend!! :-)

Laura

Metamorphasis Monday~ My Mantel of Shame! :-)

This is my first time to participate in Metamorphasis Monday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch! Be sure to check out her blog for a complete list of today's MM participants!

I have held a secret for too long~ I have Mantel Shame. I also have what our Gollum describes as Noah's Ark Syndrome. This occurs when you have to have perfect symmetry by matching both sides of what you're decorating. The first pic clearly shows the severity of my NAS, therefore deepening my Mantel Shame!

I also was quite off on the...ummm, scale of things. Too many things and too many small things~ Mantel Shame deepens! :-)

So I make a trip to Hobby Lobby that is two hours away and look around fearfully, knowing what I buy will be hard to take back if it doesn't work. I almost walk out with all the choices but tell myself I must face my Mantel Shame head on! I buy the candle sticks you see. I know~ not very risky, but it's a first step :-)...
I still have the matchy-matchy thing going on but it's a little better than before...

I move the plate to the left...
And put a cylinder thingy behind it...

But alas, my NAS can't take it and I have to put the plate back in the middle! I take down the crosses from the wall in an attempt to reduce the number of "small things" on a large wall. This is still a work in progress~ it could be less matchy-matchy and I could still go with larger accessories, but what do you think? I'm sure liking it a lot more than before! :-)

~Awards~

I want to thank my good friends Vanna from Delusions of Grandeur and Athella from OCDesigner for giving me the "Let's Be Friends" award! I am deeply appreciative of the award AND of our friendships together!

I also want to thank Laurie from Bargain Hunting with Laurie for the "Finding Heart and Sole of Friendship" award! She passed it along to all those who had commented on her blog and I just had to grab it! Isn't it cute?! I just love the "girlyness" of it! :-)

Because I'm fairly new to blogging, I think I'm going to take Laurie's cue and pass both these awards along to all who have visited me! Your support and friendship mean so much to me!

Thank you for visiting! Laura

For My Grandson

There are pains that a woman has who doesn't have children of her own. The thoughts of what "might have been"...the loss of that sacred shared experience that you feel with almost every woman you meet. You learn to live with it and count your blessings.

I was fortunate to meet a man who had children. His oldest daughter had an eight year old son. I was technically a "step-grandmother", but would I ever feel like a "real" grandmother?

Due to a tragic accident several years before, his daughter would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. His father was not around. The day I met Ryan, the first thing he said was, "Can I come over?" I was immediately drawn to his happy and energetic eyes! Just look at that face!

His mother wanted him to have experiences outside the home that she couldn't provide. We started to get him on weekends~ and that was 10 years ago. It is hard to believe that so much time has gone by~~

Ryan and my youngest stepson around our wagon that we took on trailrides...

Two boys acting very dignified and refined in dh's mancave :-)...

One of my favorite school pics...
Ryan winning Reserve Champion in steer riding...
It was so easy to feel sorry for him. Afterall, he was "disadvantaged" in so many ways. I'd like to think that Tom and I modeled a loving relationship for him. I hope that we showed him that he was special and important.
I taught him the finer things in life...like how to put chips Inside your sandwich...and the words to every song from the Broadway musical "Chicago". :-)

What I didn't know is how much he would teach me. He has an energy that radiates from the inside out. People are drawn to him because of this. He has an optimism that had to have been by choice from a very young age.

I look at him now (with my mother and dh)...

And I realize that I am the one who benefited the most...
I also realize that I AM his grandmother and was all along, because family is who you make a committment to. They are those you choose to love and support forever.

To my little boy who is almost grown up~ We love you!
Mom and Pop