Did You Know…. and A Giveaway….

……that the author of these two wonderful collectible books NOW has her own blog?

Yes, C. Dianne Zweig is now blogging (click HERE) about collecting those sweet treasures that so many of us gals love to scout out and read about.

Dianne has a keen eye for cute, whimsy and adorable! So please navigate your mouse on over to her “house” to have a visit.

Dianne has been so kind to me and has featured a few of my former ETSY listings on her blog. **Thank you, Dianne!**

And as a little thank you to you sweet peoples, I am having a giveaway for one of Dianne’s books. Just leave me a comment on THIS POST and indicate which book you would like to have. If you would like to give a shout out on your blog about the giveaway, I will add your name twice. Just be sure to let me know that you shouted out, okay? ** insert a smiling face here **. If you don’t have a way of leaving a comment, then you can just email me and let me know you are interested in the giveaway. I will draw the winner on Monday night – Pacific Standard Time.

Till then….happy weekend!

Do something fun and memorable – and housework does NOT count. :)

Road Map

Sometimes the road we travel is uncertain. We may not even know where it may lead us.

And sometimes we feel as though we are walking alone on our journey down this road – this road called LIFE. There may be times that we would like to share about this journey we have taken, but perhaps may ask ourselves if anyone even cares.

We may also say, “do I realllly want to involve others in my predicament? Should I? Could I?” But maybe we just really don’t want to dump our worries or situations out on the table – afraid that we may appear weak or even vulnerable. Or, plain and simply, we may fear rejection.

Just remember, no matter how much we may think we are alone in our thoughts and troubles, just know that there are others on earth who understand and who care. As faint as the reality may seem, we all travel this road in many similar parallels.

We are not alone. Never feel that there isn’t a friend or loved one to turn to.

Most importantly, God loves YOU and me and wants us to be happy. He cares for us. We just need to remember to put our FAITH in Him and know that He walks each step along this road with us. FAITH is of utter most importance. Listen to your inner self and know that when the little voice of reasoning is speaking, it is important. Follow through with the thought, the voice of reasoning – you will never regret it. This little voice is our travel guide – the most incredible tour guide in our journey called life.

FAITH is a road map - All aboard!

Luke 1:37, “For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.”

Photos by Mr. Sweet Cottage Dreams.

My darling husband captured these photos when on a drive with our youngest sweetheart son. These are photos of the foothills that are about 30 minutes from our home. They foothills are part of the mountain range between the central valley of California and the Bay Area. All of our rain has given these hills such beautiful jewel tones. They do look a bit like hills of Ireland!

Beach Time With Duhgall and Fiona

Our favorite thing to do is to go to the beach. We love the smells that the ocean brings.

We cannot run free on this beach as there are leash laws in place. But that is ok because the surf today was HUGE...and there are signs all over the place that warn us of rip tides, sneaker waves, SHARKS, etc.

We are happy to stand back and just watch the waves crash down on the beach.

Did you hear about the rogue wave that crashed into a crowd watching a surf competition in California? This is what the ocean looked like that very day. Amazing!

“LOOK at that HUGE wave, Fiona!!”

“OHMYGOSH!!!,” (and use your best "valley girl" California accent) says Fiona, “I know that we need to be groomed and bathed, but I am NOT going anywhere close to that water!”

Watch out birdies!!!

“Hmph,” explains Fiona, “do you think they are looking for heart rocks like Maw?”

“I tried to help, Maw….just look at my tongue……awwwwwwwwww!”

…..that sister of mine……..geeesh!

Thanks for coming on a little stroll with us.

Today was a reflective day for our family….we miss our oldest brother. But our paths will come together again…..

Photos by Mr. Sweet Cottage Dreams

Music by Incubus…for our J.Boy

Cut Ups

I am in love with vintage sheets.

There is a softness to them like no other vintage fabric.

Pretty flowers and the sweetest designs.

Delicate roses, little posies, rose buds, daffodils, iris and charming ticking.

I have been collecting vintage sheets so that I can make a quilt, like the one that Sara (Anyone Can Quilt) made.

Just click HERE to take you to the post where Sara shared her glorious quilt with us.

In the meantime, I have cut bundles of fat quarters to sell on my ETSY.

A girl just cannot keep all of the fabric, but I AM going to make me a quilt with pieces I have set aside for one.

I hope that Mother Nature is treating you kindly and perhaps showing off her spring talent with you.

Tiny Hearts

Teensy….

tiny….

little rocks in shapes of a heart.

We found these yesterday while walking on the beach. I like to think that God was sending us His love and a little reminder that we can find beauty in all things big and small.

Happy Valentines Day to you.

May you find beauty in the day.

Topping It Off – Emma Style

I am so excited to share this with all of you!

My dear and sweet friend, Emma (Vintage Magpie Blog), gave me permission to gush over her and her fabulous handmade cake topper. Gush! Gush! Gush!

And more GUSH!!!

Emma designed her own wonderful, and fat free, wedding cake topper using remnants of vintage buttons, old ephemera and scrabble pieces. See the little scottie dog? Emma included her handsome scottie, Bob, to the cake. After all, he is family, too!

Emma and her fiance', The Dutch Man, are planning their wedding and she made this fabulous piece to be the centerpiece on the table where she is serving homemade cupcakes instead of wedding cake. I love that idea!!

I also love how she wrapped twine around the side and tucked in paper hearts. And check out the cute photos of Emma and The Dutch Man at the top. Just cute, cute, cute! They are planning on tying the knot in the near future – oh how exciting!! I wish them the best of luck in planning their wedding and best wishes for a lovely life together.

Emma also makes beautiful bride bouquets from vintage fabrics, buttons and rhinestone jewelry. She describes herself as a “bespoke wedding bouquet designer, ex-florist, with a passion for anything vintage.”

So stop on over to check out Emma’s beautiful creations on her website and sweet blog. You will be taking a little trip to Brighton, England – and it is free!

Thank you for stopping by…..

….and thank you, Miss Emma, for allowing me to share your artistic and beautiful creations on my blog.

xxooxxoo

thinking

…..of you today.

This is for you….

Friendship ~

I think that there shall never be a friend as dear as you to me;

A friend of whom I’m always sure,

Who’s faith and loyalty endure.

Through tears or laughter, loss or gain,

though days be fair or drenched in rain.

A friend who's glad heart-warming smile,

Has cheered my way for many a mile;

Who magnifies the good in me,

Yet overlooks the faults there be.

Good friends are often found, ‘tis true,

But Heaven sends a friend like YOU.

…from the writings of Maurine Hathaway

~~~~~~~

Thank you for sharing your hearts with me this week.

xoxo

For Jordan – Heaven’s Angel

It will be a year ago tomorrow when you followed that bright light to Heaven’s door……

…yet it feels like yesterday that the USAF notification team arrived to give us the raw and painful news that our son had passed away. Never before did we ever imagine that scenario – that 3 Class A Uniformed Officers would be knocking at our door to tell us that our son was gone. I never thought that our family would ever have to have our child’s body flown back home on a plane. I never imagined that I would be that mother who would be presented her son’s flag - the very one that covered his casket back home - the one that was precisely folded and honorably handed over with a salute.

Just the day before, we had talked for a long time on the phone. He shared with me what kind of dog he wanted to get and that he was having a touch of food poisoning from an under-cooked BBQ burger he had made for himself. We laughed and talked about how the family was and how his work was going. He loved being a firefighter. At the end of the conversation he said to me, “I love you, mom.” He always told me this and he always thanked me for cooking dinner. A very appreciative heart. A very loving heart. An excellent young man. A wonderful son, brother and friend.

Always smiling....that sweet and slight sideways smile...

Jordan loved to come home on military leave time. We were always greeted with big hugs and kisses and caught up with what he had been doing on our drive home. One time he grabbed the wrong military duffle bag and didn't realize it wasn't his until he pulled it out of the trunk and an Army issued combat helmet fell out. So back to the airport we went, wrong bag in tow. Luckily, his was waiting in the baggage claim area. **whew!**

See....even as a child, he was always making us laugh! When Jordan walked into a room, people noticed. People loved him - and he loved back.

As his friends will say, Jordan always found fun and humor in each day. Here he was pole dancing in the firehouse…..

…and goofing around with the Hulla-Hoop at a BBQ with coworkers and friends whilst in England.

Oh how he loved to play with the water hoses! He so loved his family and friends…

How much do you love us? “THIS MUCH!!”

Jordan wanted to make a difference in the world and enlisted with the USAF to be a firefighter because, in his words, “I want to serve our country and to help people as a firefighter.” And that you did, son. That you did. You have made a difference in the world – both then and even now. We celebrate YOU – we celebrate your LIFE – all that you gave to us while on earth.

Forever you will reside in Heaven to live in the presence of His light and love. As we look up at the stars at night, we know that your star is shining down on us like a little beacon. Someday we shall be together again. Someday. Till then, just know that each tear shed is because we love you so much.

There is a special place in Heaven for those who serve our country.

*********

Our family has been so touched by the compassion, prayers and acts of kindness shown to us this year. We thank each of you. To all of you who have shared your hearts and your life with me, thank you. None of us escapes the sorrows that come our way in life. We can only draw strength from our Father, our Faith and friendships. A dear blog reader, Constance, wrote this:

“Dear Becky, I know we have never met but you are very dear to me. I never told you, but the day it was posted on your site that you had lost your son, I wept for days . I did not know you could love and care for someone you had never met or be so hurt by their loss. I know the wounds are still very fresh and I hope this doesn’t increase your pain today... we women are all sisters , in every country, in every land, language, economic situation, age, color, and religion. We all come from the same Father. The older I get the more I realize how much we are all tied by our joy and grief. The more we come together the more we can uplift each other and support each other. I could go on and on but when one other woman's heart breaks, all our hearts break with her, don't you think? I do not think anyone gets off this planet unscathed. I always wished some could , but I haven’t met anyone yet that has.”

And dear Kim said, “

“God bless you and your family and our precious Jordan. Please know that I will light a candle on his day in honor of him and of course pray for him and all of you. On Jordan's Day we will celebrate his beautiful life and remember how precious life is in honor of him.” ….thank you, Kim.

And thank you, Wave, for your beautiful card…and yes, I see the yellow butterfly and the rainbow that represents the one that stretched over us at the cemetery last February 13th. God’s promises…..blessings from The Holy Spirit. Amen.

For you, sweet and precious son….In God's speed....

We love you. Always and forever, my baby you’ll be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

note: I will taking a break now to be with my family. God Bless all of you.