oh the many treasures.....

It's amazing how the tiniest of treasures can fill my heart. These are a few of the wonderful things I found over the weekend. We attended one of our favorite fleas over the weekend and this one is not for the faint of heart. It is down right dirty.....That is what makes it so cool...It doesn't matter who you are if you can deal, it will be a deal...

Hands down it is my favorite market to attend and we have gone to alot of them.

This year I spotted a bench the day we arrived and the man wouldn't not deal. This bench was plain and simple. Not even a "No Thanks" He wanted $75 I offered him $60...rather than come back with what he would have liked . Not even anything....I let it sit....and when the weekend came to an end guess who was packing it up...HIM...I will not buy anything from anyone rude...It may be the ONE...but so help me it will sit. Before I pass off the cash to a crabby man. The thing is he is the same every year...and every year he packs it up and is taking it all home. Even on the last day he was keeping it...I am a little sad I really wanted that great piece of junk..

We have been selling there since I was in diapers....It is a place to be easy going, firm on a price is ok, but have fun with it.. It is all about the hunt and the hobby of the things you love.

I can remember a story told often about a year my Grandpa ( a stubborn old man). He had a large number of things for sale. My Grandpa was an antique gas engine man. He had an oil can on the trailer for a steam engine. Now days the can would be worth a great deal to the right person. Then it was worth about $30- I am sure Grandpa had a ton of them. Guy asked sarcastically how much for the oil can Grandpa said $2.50.....The old man snickered and boldly stated he'd only give him 50 cents...wasn't worth anymore than that. ha! Well the old man wouldn't let it go...sooooooooo. Grandpa took a hammer, smashing this oil can to a crumpled mess.

"There, now it worth 50 cents............"

Needless to say it wasn't the last time he did that, I guess. In the end it pays to be respectful and thank you very much. You may not end up with your dreamy junk....

Although I walked away from the bench I am easily remind that it is his treasured junk, not mine yet!! I only wish he would smile once in awhile over the years.....

Lesson is one mans junk is very valuable to him. The idea is to find the one person who also believes that his junk does have the value. It only takes one person, one piece of junk.

I love the hunt for junk.....-L.

dog........

My dog......

Is a very, very lazy little dog.....

He loves to snuggle and sleep....

I am pretty sure he knows he's adorable and loves his photo taken....

What a dog.....

So we lost one of our Golden's last summer, we are still lost without her and miss her everyday.

People keep asking are you, when are you, you should, I know of this dog....Well gosh I still got 2 dogs- well, one and a 1/2. It's kind of empty without her, Toby our big guy is lonely I see that.

But I can't be the one who saves them all....I wish I could.

God, gave us this heart for creatures big and small. I am sad.

Over the weekend we attended a favorite flea market. It was rockin' and dirty and busy. Treasures to share another day. It is a junk mans, farmer mans kind of market.

One year my hubby came home with a box of bunnies. Why a box of them? I couldn't decide on a color for you honey!! Oh please, then he adds besides I couldn't leave them all behind.

One year there were little chicks, thankfully he didn't return with them just an awesome crock!!

This year on the 3rd day a guy came with puppies..ughhhhhh...His pure breed lab meet the mix lab down the road...8 puppies later He still had 3- 1 black 2 yellow and 2 were females....

My family was heart broken that I just couldn't do it. A much I would have loved a little sweetie

and how much she would have loved us. I couldn't do it. Today I feel so bad and I feel awful that my daughter shed the tears. I hope she understands that mommy just isn't ready, to let another one in my heart.

Besides the whole puppy phase again...it's been 6 years since we had to do the puppy thing. After Toby I am a little afraid of the puppy phase. He chewed everything!!! The siding the sidewalk, the deck. He even chewed the wheel well things on hubby's truck. Finally we just gave up on buying dog chews and gave him a tire and a rock. He liked the rock, go figure. It's like having a baby all over again and I am getting a little old for those things....

A puppy can't be in the moment of cute. A puppy has to be a plan....

I am sure there's a reason God creatures, all baby creatures are adorable...simply so that our hearts would melt and love them all....But oh the puppy breath, the puppy cry and the paws of love. Those big sad eyes....They simply say love me.....

I am looking forward to the puppy plan...someday just not today...I wonder who it will be?

-L.

owl be the one..............

"Owl-be the one....to change the world..."

A little creative moment with my kiddos....

We traced our arms and hands, to make the tree and branches...

Aren't they just the cutest of thing, sometimes I surprise myself....

How could possibly not write about this very important day.

Earth Day...I only wish the world treated everyday as earth day...

We need to plant the seeds, the seed in our children to love and cherish our earth and

the place we all share....

Those are the seeds we need to plant...

I had to chuckle, the other day I stop at an Old Navy..pick up an outfit for my sweets.

Nothing fits, growing like a weed...

Any how, the chicka behind the counter rattles her "checkout jingle" then adds we are celebrating earth day today would you like to donate $ to something, something, something....

Well, I missed that part because just as quick, she says...." So do you want a bag today with that stuff, cause it's like earth week?"

I am only smiling and thinking to myself...only this week...only this day...we need to care

about the earth thing....

I try hard to do my part everyday I know I could do better..

I get frustrated, when I want to purchase the earth friendly or organic products and the better choices, always have to be more

expensive...The way I see this they should be less expensive.

In the end I am being and doing good..that should just cost less. I not leaving nearly the trash and I am not using your chemicals to make my berries mega big.....they should be cheaper!!

I have learned that less is more....

We all know, I am all about recycle, reuse, and re purpose....

If you don't, then you haven't come and set awhile in my house. These are the things

I love....I smile every time someone will stop by and raise their eyebrows at the house.

The studio is no different.... new is only in the tools..It is what makes me comfy. Comfy is good - I love that everything that comes in my home has its own bones. It has a history and it fills my home with warmth..

People in this world have dings and chips. Why can't things?

Here's a good one the grocery store I frequent sold earth friendly bags one year.

I stocked up...I take them everywhere...Love them..

Don't get me wrong I wish they were cuter..

They offered a refund for every bag, that you take back with you to shop. Seems like a good enough deal, I realize it is about being good to the earth. But with the economy, the store

now waits to give you the five cents a bag only if you use them all...

Okay fine.....then give me the nickle for the bags !#ugh##@... Don't just say oh well..

forgot!! Or ya I guess we did use them all....I want my nickle for that darn bag.

I truck them in there I am the good one, do your part.

Please Please Don't ask to wrap my milk in plastic and then put it in the earth friendly bag....

It just looks wrong............

Let's plant our seeds and leave this earth a greener place for our little sweeties....

-L.

yummmies.........

Happy Monday!!!!!!!

I have this little yummy to share from my weekend...

I found this little table at a local shop that I love.

I seen it in the shop, admired it, and walked on because I had just arrived..

It is one of my rules of thumb when shopping for goodies. If you like it at that

moment ..Take it with you!!

The shop is good in size and full, full, full....saying nothing about the busy amount girls shopping!!!ugh..there are times I'd like to have the shop all to myself. Maybe if I win the lottery someday I make that request, hahaha. A chance to shop it all alone. Just thinking about that makes my heart flutter!!

Lesson learned last time, I was there I had seen this adorable little green set of drawers, the weekend before and left it sit. I got lucky the following weekend it was still there. However, a gal was carrying it around....my heart flutters at the thought...She put it down.

Wherever she is, I say thank you and my studio thanks you, it is home now..

So this weekend I'm shopping and shopping...found plenty of little goodies. Time to go hands are full...but wait where's the little table. I think it is to the right in back on this level, yeah and it is yellow sort of....

Well, we searched.....we searched again....

I give up lets go and all paid up, oh I can't stand...I'm now back in.

Okay, well it's lower level on the left and its white, and in the eyes of someones else..

Found it!!!

Huh, it's not yellow!! But it does have a drawer! I got that right...

One bit of advice I give to everyone. It never looks that big in the store..Today I got lucky it is the perfect size.

I also found these adorable letters....Can't leave without them. I had a hard time deciding, I had hoped for a "V" for something else but no luck....They make me nervous they are fragile and made of ceramic..

The only thing I wish I could have found was a bigger space for my studio..

Maybe they offer an addon space, and I'm sure it will be to the right and yellow...

hehehehe....
-L.

not what it seems......

Things in life.....

may not always be what they seem......

For example, here are these tiny little flowers.

As they are emerging from the cold brown earth, they become the first hint of spring...

What you don't see is the wonderful day that led up to the little photo.

The long trip thru the woods and along the river. The delicious lunch that fills us plenty.

The warmth of the sun, the cool of the breeze, the quiet of the woods. The laughter and exploration....

The sight of many creatures, the marks they have left on the woods they call home.

In a very short time these little flowers will no longer be something you can even see.

Although they will be there helping to fill up the woods with life.

The brown will be gone and all you'll see is green and all you'll feel is heat.

All you'll hear is the bugs, the frogs, and the birds..

For today these little flowers and the quiet of the woods is the start of something big..

I rode along this day and find it difficult to imagine the day that I will no longer be able to

be apart of these woods. As a child growing in these woods, I couldn't wait to find

my way...My way out....Yet, today the woods draw me back and I understand the

love that is shared for them..I have come to make peace with the things in life we can not change.

I have found that forgiveness is a powerful thing. I makes a bit of who I am...It has taken along time for me to want to be there and now knowing that the day will come that I may not be able to, is very sad.

The farm and the woods created a part of me. I gather strength and understanding for things now, from those days. Although I wish to always be a part of them, I realize the woods really don't belong to anyone.

People put up fences and they claim what they want, but really it will continue to be it's own creature beyond anyone of us...I just makes me sad to think I might miss it. Or not be able to protect it. I don't want to miss a thing.....

Life is what it is......

I believe that no matter how much I plan and try to be in control of things. Life is the path maker, the journey taker, the dreamer....

I am only along for the ride, I can only hope the choices I make, enhance the ride. Your best made plans can change at a moments notice. It is another life path coming at you and crossing in your moment.

It's funny how one often doesn't even see it, or notice the slight bend, or curve to the journey.

It is the tiniest of things that can make the biggest differences. It's the tap on the shoulder, just getting your attention. It's who you are, it's who you choose to be. It is however what you choose to do with that tiny moment and how it will touch your life's path.

It is what it is......maybe it's not your idea....but it's the path chosen....

Much like the woods it is on it's journey...it's path, man just seems to get in the way.

As I have grown older and had a child of my own, I have tried to capture every breath, every moment of every second. I hold on tight and although this path isn't what or where I thought I'd be, it is the one I'm on. I am not so quick to want to make my way another direction. I have come to simply want to follow life.......

A dear friend had this twist, this curve in her journey yesterday...It got me to thinking about those tiny little flowers, life grows and moves on with you and your path continues. Each tear we shed helps us grow along the way..That is our art....

We are life's art, on it's journey in this time.....

camera shy??

You'll never guess what I used??? okay maybe you will.....It is the tiny tiny tiny photo strips that sometimes come in a print order, when you pick them up.....I cut them into strips and went to work from there......I loved it!!!

Just goes to show that you can do anything with ANYTHING!! hahahaha

So often she gets tired of the photos I am always wanting to take...She gets very camera shy for the most part. So to get a time that she is willing to ham it up for the camera I am so taking advantage of that moment.

I love the delete feature in our digital cameras, but I too often have a hard time deleting even the duds. I sometimes have been known to create with an unfornatunte photo. Eyes closed, hair in the way and a blur that I have to carefully explain just what the photo was. In many cases it isn't about the quality of the photo, regardless of the fantastic camera is about the moment. Overall delete IS good and has truly saved me a ton of $$$$$$!

I only know that every moment counts and if it means I must take a million little pics to get the one I love, well that tells me not to ever remove the camera from my paws.

I remember the days of line up, stand up straight ( I had to stand in back, yeah the tAll girl), clean the dirt off your face, smile...."Stop touching your sister" Oh wait I need the flash...

Everything was posed. We still today tend to fall into that and I love some of those photos.

However, we just got our DD class picture from school...it is pretty obvious to me the person taking the photo doesn't know how to use the digital features available. If so, Can You say DELETE. I'd love to delete a couple of boys, maybe just zip a zipper or tie a shoe, comb hair, get them to look at the camera and smile. Oh well in a way this is what it makes the photo worth talking about!!hahahaha nothing can save this one...

The picture is sadly priceless.

In case your wondering I am pretty sure the photo will make in her books. It is just to bad not every photo can be photo shopped. Wishful thinking....

-L.

things that matter most...............

The world is moving fast and is huge.....

But in my life it is the littlest

things that matter most...

The world can keep moving

along, but for me, this is all that

matters......

A time in the bathroom brushing our

teeth......

Maybe it was the tippy toes, or the chubby legs, even the curls will melt your heart....

Mostly it is just the excitement about something we take for granted each and every day...

I created this layout with a very special Studio Calico kit....and Pink Paislee...........

The letters were sprayed with iridescent pearl mist....Although it is hard to see in the photos, the mist gave the chipboard a unique texture and coloring...Who ever said you had to settle for what the manufacture has provided for you....It is your stash now be daring and let the products work for you....Never settle for straight out of the package.

Think of the items as only the starting point, make them your own. :)

The accent is a bit of ribbon I cut into strips and the vintage button finishes it off.

I love this photo so much I have created it into another layout....it was too hard to choose...

The pattern paper I included with this design is one of my new favorites from Cosmo Cricket, "Girl Friday"...all of their new lines are so cute and unique whether you are creating for girls boys, or anything --the designs of the lines can easily be used for everything. If you haven't already checkout all the lines and cut into a few. You will not be disappointed in how creative you'll become.....

So today I challenge you to get out the camera before bed, use it quietly, then have it ready in the morning...The little things no matter how old they are a so very precious, and they will only happen that way today, tomorrows events will be different..

I don't want to miss a thing..................

-L.

Hopppppy Easter.....Hopppppy Spring......

Sending Bunny Wishes......

Sir William Thatcher Hopsalot Xfire.....

This is our Will....He is a pure MinRex...

He is named after William from a Knights Tale....

If you haven't seen it, you should, it is a movie we love..

When it came out we fell in love with Heath Ledger.

The rest is history.

So today being Good Friday I wish you and your family well.

It is a wonderful time of year, it is bringing a fresh new season.

A season of hope and promise.

May your season start with grace and happiness......

Peace .....

-L.

collections.......

I love my stuff.....

I love to surround myself with the things that make me,

happy and comfy.

When we first started out with our house, everything was a hand-me-down. Of sorts....I would want a new this or that. For awhile we bought new things..

Before long all the new was gone. The things that still remained were the old.Funny how that worked here....Even now people will come to visit our little old house, I watch their eyes. Some will roll. some will wonder, some will admire.

At first it was important to have things....then....not so much.....

I tend to always go back to the old. It is what makes me feel good.

I really love to use things in ways that wasn't its intention.

Years ago we had a gathering for my employees and their significant others.

There was this guy there who was driving me crazy, he went around my house touching

everything!! At the time it irritated me to no end, funny still kinda does. He would come out of a room with something and find me in the group, asking what was it and what was it used for. "That is sooooo cool" If you could only have seen how excited this boy got after a few cocktails..( I am so rolling my eyes)

I haven't forgotten him, but it got me to thinking. Every once in awhile when I find a treasure,

I laugh and think of how this or that would certainly puzzle that poor guy..

I finally got over having to have what everyone else had or was doing.

In our world bigger is always better. It surely must be new new new....

Frankly to me not everything good is bigger and definitely not new.

You just watch in 50 years the house remodels will offer a touch of character to homes and maybe they'll even downsize a little bit. I guess in the end I love my collections. I love how coming home makes me feel. I love how to me everything I am surrounded with has bones. Has its own story, it comes to live here with a history. It all has something to talk about..

I love how my studio comes alive with me. My studio inspires me. The space was storage, and then became a blank slate. My dear sweet husband worked day and night and I got just what I wanted. My space is made of things filled with my passion. It is always changing and growing. At first I wanted to go with all new cupboards, etc.. I love every ones space, but for me it wasn't who I am. To do it over I would have asked to have it bigger. HeHeHe...

Okay so sometimes bigger is better....

Well now I have rambled on about what I love about my space and things.. Take a minute look around you, smile and be grateful. The things that surround you are YOU...if they are not then maybe you change that. Let your things be you..be what you are about...not what the lastest trend is. Why, not you be the trend?

-L.

quiet time together................

You make me laugh.........

Nothing is better than our quiet time together.

It's our time, that is not shared with anything or anyone.

It's time to talk and catch up. It's time to open up and be you.

Be ten....Be my little girl....

I love these days just to listen to her. The world is so big...

I only wish I could protect you from the things...................

I love to be able to share the experiences of the day, it is amazing what we

have talked about. Even at ten....It is a good age, things aren't to

challenging and we still share. However it is the age

where we question everything. I am sometimes afraid to answer.

I only wish I could capture our moments and bottle them for the future.

Save a few and use them on those days, we need them most.

For now and always you make me laugh, laugh at me.....

Take a little time to tuck in slow, kiss twice and listen....It is amazing what you may learn..

The layout is thanks to Jenni Bowlin products, Making Memories, Creative imaginations, and a touch of Studio Calico.

-L.

doesn't have to be big.............

Beautiful doesn't have to be big to inspire you.........

We discovered this wonderful little house on our travels a couple weekends

ago....I am in love with sweet little space....

The design and the color were just inspiring......

It is too bad the more homes today aren't built with some

of the whimsy of those days.

I think often of all the things that make up a house..

Events, moments in our time.

All the layers of paint that builds a house.

I believe that a house structure is created, but the true

building can only come with time.

The events, the smells, the holes in the walls, and the creatures that

live in the house. It's bones.

You can tell the love in a house the moment you walk in.

If a house is filled with love, it shows.....

I think it is time to paint another new layer in our house.

Create with a color, enrich our walls and our lives.....

Isn't this little house just adorable...................

I love the story I can imagine from its beautiful grace.

a bright moment.....

Life is beautiful.....

I love how she always explores every time taking detail..

I wonder if life for grown up's would a little less stressful

if we also took time to explore, and discover to simple things.

Today the sun might be shining but it is chilly whilly.....we still have to wear a sweatshirt and mittens, it is up to 40*.

The wind is brisk, and the snow is coming....ughhh

So I decided to brighten the blog with a super stink'n sweet layout to bring warmth and hope. It is amazing how fast time goes by. People will always tell you once you have children time will take its own fast pace. Leave you wondering. No kidding..

Explore a little this weekend....

-L.

saving...........

I miss my Starbucks................

Life just ain't the same..........................

I would have to travel north about 1 1/2 hours to a true,

delicious coffee treat of choice...then I'd surely have to

decide on my flavor of the day, and making that choice might get the best of me.

Last weekend we were out of town and even our poor GPS was confused..

She tried over and over to get us to a Starbucks, but sadly they were all

closed................

When did we miss it? The coffee shop on every corner was closing, then the

economy began to go with them....

I am not saying that we really didn't need a Starbucks on every corner, it

was a little ridiculous but we had ours only a very short time..

If only one of them had stayed maybe financially our nation

would be a little better off...Okay I know that is crazy

talk, coffee and the economy in the same sentence??? Today

they announced that unemployment is up 8.5% frankly that is probably

all Starbucks employees.....

Well, if nothing else we all feel a whole lot better if we just

had a Grande Caramel Frappuccino, with a shot (old school)

and of course with whip.....Whip make things all better.....

So I guess I have to thank Starbucks a little for

saving my pocket book....Thanks to them I am saving big money.

Not being able to enjoy their wonderfully, delightful, delicious,

sinful treats..........

I think I need a coffee. No, not just any will do..........

-L.

april has arrived............

Oh....the many faces of spring......

Spring can be tough on a family....the sun will shine and show us the grace

of a season soon to arrive..

Only to have it chuckle, rain and snow that very afternoon....

We continue to have faith and believe in its arrival....

Spring please come, let the rain clean the earth and the wind dry it,as it turns

a graceful green..

I created this layout and had to laugh with your many faces....

You can tell that I take alot of photos of this poor child...

She is a little to comfortable in front of a camera.

When I want a few shots she may have another idea

at the type of shots I am going to get....

Little does she know I love to use them anyway.

I love the digital world only for this, the many photos I can collect.

I love to use a photo that often a person may find it a cropped

one and toss it aside..

Think of all the wonderful moments you can capture when you don't plan.

When we were little, photos were almost always, "Fix your hair, stand up

straight, smile, and stop TOUCHING YOUR SISTER!!!!"

My grama was a big photo taker.....ugughhhh....But the thought of her

running to the house to get the "Brownie" which she always

kept close at hand....makes me smile....The photos generally

were not great and looking at them now she was a classic, take a shot in the moment.

....which often describes the blurriness....

But those are the shots..............

(I still have the Brownie)

The layout that is up today....includes a little Bazzill, Crate paper, Sassfras, and Studio Calico rip strips and stamp. Finish off always with a touch of vintage goodies..

May spring melt our newly fallen snow..............-L.