~ Baking Ups and Downs ~

Oh No!

Does this ever happen to your cookies?

Flat as pancakes

What did I do wrong?

They look like something the birds would enjoy

My apple crisp did turn out!

Our favourite after school snack

Do you have a favourite baked item

that brings comfort to your soul?

~ An Adorable Apple Sweater for the Teacher ~

Have you ever seen anything so cute?

Found this on etsy

at jacqueline knits

I want to give everyone I work with

one for Christmas...

{they are all teachers!}

A*D*O*R*A*B*L*E

Jacqueline also has these little beauties for all you

tea lovers

It's a tea bag holder!

How clever!

If only I could knit

my dear Grandma tried to teach me when I was a young girl

but I was hopeless

note.....there will be slim pick ens on my own photos until I can get a new camera

my daughter's camera is just not the same.

*****

A great big thank you hug to

Luiza

over at Feelings

for the amazing award she designed for me

Please go say hi to her

she is a Swedish Sweetheart!

*****

Thanks to all you lovely amazing wonderful friends

who entered my giveaway

and especially those that posted about it on their blogs

{you still have time to enter on the post below}

xoxoxo

~ It's a BLUEBIRD GIVEAWAY ~

I have been so blessed lately

that I have decided to have my very first

giveaway

to thank you all so very much for your

Friendship and Love

I went to a fabulous Barn Sale

{and I mean fabulous}

Angela

{who does not have a blog and really needs to get one}

and her friends

amazed me with such glorious handmade items

so I had to pick up a few to share with you

In my giveaway package is

*a lovely Friend banner

made from vintage seam binding and authentic German glass glitter

* a set of six special gift tags

handmade with vintage buttons, ribbon & glass glitter

&

*a "wee" little Paris perfume bottle

decorated with a sweet vintage key

{Angela told me these bottles were found at the bottom of the Puget Sound}

***

please enter

you have until Tuesday November 24th

~Just leave me a comment on this post

and your name will be added to the draw

~If you are a follower let me know

and I will add your name a second time

~If you post about my giveaway on your blog

I will enter your name again

{just let me know}

Oh I am so excited...this will be so much fun!

I am also special guest over at Little Monarch

for her "Talk to me Tuesday"

She asked me the best questions

and

I even gave her some photos of me

{so unlike me..I am a bit shy when it comes to showing my face}
Go visit and say hi

{a sweet little blog indeed}

you may even find out something about me you didn't know!
XOXOX

~ Pinwheel Dreams ~

How lovely is this?

Magical Pinwheels above my bed

I saw this here
and just knew I had to share

Just think of the lovely dreams you would have

with this bit of whimsical joy floating over your head
from a special blog you must visit
Portabellopixie

~ The Spirit of Love ~

The Art of Encouragement

is

the art of creating community

and celebrating friendship....

it is a way of living that seeks to bless

every person

we meet

-candy paull

*******

This week I have been blessed beyond words

by a wonderful friend

who knows the

true meaning of Encouragement

This lovely package arrived in the mail from

Janet...her lovely blog French Blue

....a wee little french creamer from a Paris flea market
.....some amazing Marie Antoinette tea from Laduree
{in such a lovely pale pink box..heaven}


and some sweets for my "sweet tooth"
{Janet remembered my sweet tooth xoxoo}
all for me ...just because

What a blessing to bless others
a true gift from above


"You will find as you look back upon your life
that the moments when you have really lived
are the moments when you have
done things in the spirit of love."
H. Drummond



Love in Action
Thank you my thoughtful friend!

*******

More love this week

from some more thoughtful friends

Jacqueline from Home

gave me the most amazing award

which she designed herself

{please see my sidebar}

Thank you my friend

*******

Madame Sucre

presented me with the

Creative Blogger Award

Many many thanks!

*******

What a blessed week I have had

I am back to school starting tomorrow

still not 100% but getting there...

Thank you for all your well wishes all week long

you all are my blessings

xoxoxo

~ How to drive your kids crazy ~

? ? ?

! ! !



Has she gone crazy?

....no it is not the flu bug meds.
......it is just me feeling a little silly
....i brought some new polka dot panties home a while ago
.....pinned them in my frames to see what sort of reaction I would get
....no one noticed for awhile
.....then I got the eye roll
...... someone said "so typical of you mom..lucky I didn't bring home a friend today"
.....oh how they will miss me when I'm gone!

~ Drs. Orders ...... Have You Taken Your Soul Break Today?

what would we {I} do without tea?

soothes my soul

a constant companion

helps me to capture a quiet moment

my sweet daughter introduced us to the delight of

homemade London Fogs


now we are all hooked
earl grey + vanilla = a little self-nurturing
{just what the Dr. ordered}



we have been treating ourselves constantly
{in fact my camera has been completely ruined from one of my indulgences..
I went to take an image of all that lovely foam and PLOP in went my camera...lens full of vanilla foam..}
oh how I miss my camera





you can blame me if you
fall head over heels in love
with this warm cup of bliss


"take time to come home to yourself every day"
-robin casarjen