Thank you Ginger!

Gold Canyon Candle

Ginger from Enchanting Cottage

Early this week I was surprised when friend Ginger sent me this wonderful Gold Canyon Candle! Ginger is a demonstrator for Gold Canyon ~ and I am a HUGE fan of these candles, that are second to none! The candles burn perfectly, smell unbelievable, and there are so many other items to choose from ~ making shopping that much more fun!

A little card on top of the candle read: I fill myself with spirited energy & exuberance... I told her timing couldn't be better because we're having family in for several celebrations ~ my daughter had a birthday on St. Patrick's Day, and we will have an early Easter celebration too.... This candle will be perfect to burn for the celebrations! It smells so fruity, so spring like ~ just divine! I just love it!

Thank you Ginger!

Beautiful Table Runner...

Table runner from Susan Lizotte, ME
I wanted to share something I was "gifted". This exquisite table runner shown in the picture is from Susan Lizotte in Maine.

I really was taken back because Susan contacted me about purchasing some soaps & other gifts from Under the Willow~ so I sent Ms. Susan about 20 soaps, a Billow, an Unconditional Lovie, and other goodies. Susan has a display in Maine called "The Sisters" (cute!) at Barthash's in Stella's... SO if you are in that area- you have to see all the gifts that Susan has ready for the holidays & more!

And by the way this is the 2ND time blogging about Ms. Susan- the first time was here when I purchased some great handmade cards from her...
She is ONE talented lady!

I LOVE the table runner, I LOVE the thoughtfulness that was behind it, AND I LOVE everything about it! Thank you Ms. Susan

& best of luck with your shop!

Thank you Susan you are too thoughtful!

When a bird is not just a bird...

One of the photo on cards created by Teresa ~ a dear blogging friend of mine

A bird is not just a bird when the photo is made into a beautiful card...

and this was just one of many cards she sent.

Here is a flock of birds in the sky making a beautiful V formation...

Earlier this week I was gifted some exquiste cards from sweet Teresa at Life, Homesteading , and Everything. This was totally a surprise and certainly warmed my heart.

A captured rainbow...I love this!

Believe me my "photos" of these cards don't do them justice...the trouble I am having is do I frame them or share them with someone...ummmm...

For a real treat you need to visit Teresa & her tadpoles . Teresa and her family are super super smart cookies! You will love their blog about home life, natural living, creating everything from home cooked meals, gardening, handmade paper, and even lovely handcrafted pottery!

Thank you so much~ I love each and every one of them!

Fabulous Weekend!

Handcrafted plate by Tadpole#2


The day after Thanksgiving~ our whole family headed to the Eastern shore for a short holiday~ as if Thanksgiving wasn't a blessing enough (hosted 23 people!) with a mix of dear family & friends at our home...



As soon as we returned I received a package from Teresa & Tadpole #2~ from Life, Homesteading & Everything~I had purchased a handmade pottery dish (Tadpole#2) that craftsmanship is outstanding, adorable lego soaps for my granddaughters made by Tadpole#1, and some beautiful handmade paper (yes handmade paper) adorned with photos. And as a surprise I also received a lovely dove soap (beau-ti-ful), and some handmade tags with photos placed on them also.

Lego soaps, beautiful white dove soap, handmade cards with real handmade paper & beautiful photos from Teresa & her son Tadpole#2


As you can tell by the pictures...this is a "stand-out" family
beaming with talent~all natural inspired.


Thank you Teresa & Tadpole#2!!!!!


The whole weekend we had a fabulous time as we spent the entire time with our children. Our oldest son & new bride hosted a FIVE STAR dinner that was unbelievable~ and all prepared in their newly completed cottage kitchen fit for a KING OR QUEEN. My son & daughter-in-law prepared some wonderful dishes that put everyone in awe...and very very full! There was...

Glazed cranberry sauce that was a super hit...and left with a handful of people to take home...

Peek at the kitchen~ the hallway in the back was painted with a warm pumpkin & detailed craftsmanship mouldings....

Pork loin tenderized with a special marinate with the cranberry sauce over it...

Stuffed chicken breast filled with tomato pesto & cream cheese~yum!

Fresh green beans with garlic, potatoes ready to be mashed & my daughter-in-law grannies family famous deviled eggs! (Oh-- I am trying to copy that deviled egg recipe!!!!!)

And for dessert my daughter-in-law made the most WONDERFUL pumpkin pies, DIRT (yummy mix of Oreo cookies, whipped cream, pudding, etc....), and some peanut butter mini cheesecakes.....AND NO the pictures of these were tooooo dark-darn because she is a fabulous baker that was soooo unbelievable!!!!! We love it all......................... a marriage made in heaven-he cooks, she bakes.............

The newlyweds J & J............. wonderful hosts!

and here's my youngest son with his new beautiful fiance~ enjoying the nite!

And what would a weekend be without a handmade craft project with my granddaughters? To see how they made ALOT of money that night visit my Mud Puddle Girl Blog here.

Enchanting Gifts...

Perennial Grace Datebook
It's Monday nite...cold here on the East coast...and did I mention it's Monday? It's the hardest day of the week for me-but my heart was about to be warmed up. Outside my front door was a package from a friend I've never met in person-but has become a very very dear friend. Ginger from Enchanting Cottage blog sent me a heart warming package filled with gifts that are so uplifting...it doesn't matter it's Monday or cold outside.



Autumn Pumpkin towel with a cookie cutter & recipe

As I opened it my husband sighed, "Well look at that." My dear friend Ginger sent: A Perennial Grace 2009 Date Book- with beautiful saying, graceful birds, and plenty of room to write daily notes. A beautiful Thomas Kinkade (painter of light) coffee mug that I will fill with the Pumpkin spice coffee she sent with the Almond Biscottis, and the cutest pumpkin towel with a recipe for Pumpkin sugar cookies (oh-the granddaughters will be making these with me)...and cookie cutter.

Thomas Kinkade coffee mug sitting on the Pumpkin Spice coffee...

I wanted to post all these wonderful gifts tonite--so I could start using them all! And I am really going to enjoy reading all the saying in the datebook...here is one from Mother Teresa...

Dear Ginger--thank you from the bottom of my heart~ you are truly an angel.

So beautiful!

If you want to read a wonderful blog that is uplifting, fun and wonderfully Christian you need to visit Ginger at Enchanting Cottage~ it will certainly warm your heart too.

Circle of Friends...

I love this picture of the Circle of Friends...

Michelle from Soap Pixie blog sent this award my way....Michelle is one of the nicest people I have met through blogging...she's creative, SUPER MOM, thoughtful and has some wonderful blogs...Hugs to you Michelle! And since there are SO many friends I have met~ I am including them all~ and will leave it up to them to pass this along to a special friend....

"The rules for acceptance of the award are as follows: Pick 8 blogs that you consider deserving of this award based on their creativity, design, interesting material and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language. Congratulations and please pass the award to others who are deserving. Share the friendship........x

Away for a couple days...

...And when we got back into town I was visiting some of my favorite blogs & found I had won an award from Ginger...she is a very special friend I have met through blogging... (I'm the one with the glasses in red---I wear them to see the computer :) ))) Thank you Ginger!

I would love this cute~ sweet award go to Teresa who always has such a fun & interesting blog to follow~ filled with homesteading tips from garden harvests to even making paper. Her family is truly a hands on family on her beautiful homestead....

During the last several days...my husband & I finalized the purchase of a waterfront home, that one day may be our retirement home...Here are several pics of our first night/day on the water....

Our backyard as we watched our first sunset...

Moving "stuff" in...but we forgot one thing...

Oops...a coffee cup...my husband had to have his coffee in a wine glass from the night before...

The dogs head out to see the morning ducks...

Before we left I placed a fall wreath on the front door... hopefully the granddaughters will be with us next weekend. We can't wait to sit on the dock with them & fish & feed the morning ducks...

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Sweetest Thank You Gift...

I received this package this weekend, via my new daughter-in-law, from one of her grandmothers...Mary Ann or as everyone knows her as "Grannie". How sweet & thoughtful! A gift bag was filled with wonderful treasures...New Orleans cafe Southern Pecan coffee, a warming pillow that smells like orange/cinnamon cloves (yum!), and an absolutely beautiful handcrafted spoon made by woman crafters from the village of South River, South Africa.

Grannie's note said, "Thanks for making this a special day." She was referring to the wedding of her granddaughter to our oldest son. I say, "Grannie~ thank you for such lovely gifts, your thoughtfulness, & such a beautiful daughter-in-law we are blessed to have in our family.

Okay~ now I'm off to open the Southern Pecan coffee~ I LOVE pecans!!!!