Ketchup

That's how you pronounce "catch up" in Texan-ese - and that's what this post is for - to catch up on several sadly neglected but fun bloggy things that I've been wanting to share/participate in. SO hang on - this will be quite a long-winded post with lots o' pictures too...
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Mom's Birthday and Retirement Parties

On May 30th, 2008, after 22 years as a lab tech with the same company, my sweet Mom has finally retired and I am SO happy for her!! Just so happens her __th birthday was the same week (on Memorial Day) so it was a week of parties and fun! The photo montage is from both the birthday and retirement parities...ain't my Mom the cutest thing!!?? She smiles all the time...and is very beloved by family and friends/co-workers alike...

Isn't this the sweetest little heart with the nest, bead eggs, and the handmade "Mom" charm...? I had shown Mom a similar heart on Kathy's blog a few weeks prior to her birthday and she loved it, so I wrote the sweet and talented Kathy to see if I could get one customized as a surprise for the upcoming birthday celebration - she was able to do just that (Thank you Kathy!!) and I had the perfect gift for my wonderful Mom...Be sure and check out Kathy's Etsy shop for more cute hearts and other goodies - she was a peach to do business with! Kathy - Mom just LOVED this and was thrilled with it!!! (PS - I won't tell you my Mom's age...although she wouldn't mind...but she does not look it...I think she is just so beautiful! Happy Birthday and Retirement Mom!! Enjoy!!)
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Just Bee 'n Me Boutique Update

It's overall been quite slow at the little Antique store where we sell our goodies (no one wants to shop in 98 degree heat, 89% humidity and almost $4 per gallon gas), but the day before Father's Day when we had a special sale, we were the top seller in the shop! Since then, eh, not so much, but we're about even with everyone else...a few little sales here and there. It's all good though because I am committed to learning and have no illusions about big $$...that's not why we're here... I have added a few more things over the last few weeks and have done some tweaking and fluffing, so I thought I'd share a few photos...

I updated the short wall section including a cool dresser we found, where else, but at a yard sale...

I painted this really cool old $2 frame and added blue china plates and a fabric collage for a little wall grouping...there are so many things you can do with an empty frame...

Here are progressive closeups of the fabric collage I made using a vintage embroidered piece, doilies, buttons, wire, lace and ribbon trims and a tag with a Scripture...all framed with an old frame that I shabby-ed...

This antique "StorkLine" brand child's chifforobe sold the very day we put it put it out...it's patiently awaiting it's new owners to pick it up...such a cute piece!

On Sunday I redid the table and changed the table coverings and dishes/accessories - went with pinks this go round...

I like the addition of the rustic little stool on the tabletop - it added some vertical interest and allowed more space for displaying goodies...

Had to move a few things around in this section because we sold several things in this spot...pink & cream is definitely the dominant color story at the moment...

This little candle holder is one of my favorite examples of repurposing and using simple, inexpensive elements to make something special. The metal candle holder (previously gold) was 25 cents as was the porcelain rose I tinged with pink and glued on.The candles are from WalMart, and I simply added coordinating ribbon to the candles to dress them up a touch...

BTW, hubby and I are planning (soon) to open an online shop as a compliment to our brick and mortar shop...and we will be adding similar pieces to the ones you see here, plus much more....If you ever see anything you're interested in in any of these and future photos, please leave a comment with your email and we can make it happen!! We're all set up with PayPal and ready to go!!!
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Birthdays in Louisiana

On June 18th we headed to Louisiana to see the kids and grand kids which is always wonderful - I am still so grateful and very happy that my new family has welcomed me so warmly. We all get along so well...it's as if I've always been part of the family (it's the same way with sweet hubby, btw - he just fit right in with my wonderfully nutty family right off and they have loved him from the get go). Anyway, Johnny's two oldest daughters' birthdays are just one day apart, so we had a big birthday party for the pair and had a wonderful time! I've included just a couple of grand kid photos too (PaPa John has eight so it's hard to include them all), but I thought you'd like to see how little Miss Hope has grown...and big brother Kane - he is the biggest photo ham...he's always quite aware of the presence of a camera...

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7 Things

My new friends Patricia over at Vintage Linen Treasures and Myrna at More Than Heirlooms each recently honored me with a tag to play "7 Things" where you share 7 random/weird facts about yourself. Check out these sweet ladies' sites - lots of great stuff to see and read!

So here goes nothin'....
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1. 
   
   Sweet hubby and I live next door...yes, right next door to my parents. Long story short, when I moved back to Houston from Colorado after my divorce, I lived temporarily with my folks while I looked for a house to buy. It just so happened that at the same time I moved in at Mom and Dad's, the house next door to them was purchased by a couple who were going to fix it up and flip it. I loved the house, and as the couple began making repairs and updates, they began to ask me if I liked this color paint, this tile, this front door, etc and basically, before I knew it, the house was being finished pretty much according to my tastes and desires...but I wasn't having to do the actual work...very cool. Well - ended up that the timing of the house being ready coincided perfectly with me getting my financing together (with lots of behind the scene miracles), and I closed on the house April 20, 2006! When Johnny and I were planning to get married, he had no problem whatsoever contemplating living next door to his future in-laws - what a guy! And since being married a year now, I can happily report that we both are having a blast with the folks being next door...it's a blessing!



2. 
   
   I have to rip out all the card stock inserts in magazines before I can even begin to read the magazine...can't stand how they hinder turning the page.




3. 
   
   I often randomly shorten, lengthen, or completely change people's names when I talk to them - even if I just recently met them. (Sue = SusieQ, Jamie = James, Sharon = Sharona, etc)




4. 
   
   My name was supposed to be Lauren Gayle instead of Rebecca Renee' (Lauren Gayle was the name my Mom wanted) - while my mother was in recovery after I was born, my Dad and maternal Grandmother put "Rebecca Renee'" on the birth certificate because my Grandma wanted a Bible name (Rebecca) and my Dad wanted a French name (Renee'). Sneaky. (Mom never told me how she responded after finding it out) Once I found this out as a kid, my alter ego when I would write stories or whatever was always named Lauren.




5. 
   
   I CRINGE at the sound of cardboard scratching against cardboard (like when you fold the top of a cardboard box down "layering" each flap on top of the other and tucking the last one under)...same with Styrofoam (like egg cartons). To me, it's like fingernails on a chalkboard (which ironically doesn't really bother me that bad). I guess I would die penniless if I had a job as a packer at an egg processing plant...
   



6. I work at my day job as a software trainer for one of the world's largest IT companies, and have for almost 10 years - BUT, I am blessed to be able to telecommute 100% from home...I never have to go into an office, dress up, any of that! I have a company-provided laptop and business phone and I do everything online and on the phone...all day long...right here in our home sweet home. I have never even met the manager I've had for 3 years face to face...neither have several of my co-workers...we all work virtually...or virtually work, depending on your perspective. As I said, I am blessed. And yet, even with this cool stay at home job, my heart longs to be an illustrator full-time...all in God's perfect timing...
   
   


7. 
   
   I can recite the McDonalds commercial from the 70s that spells out all the things in a Big Mac backwards: "Bun Seed Sesame A On Onions Pickles Cheese Lettuce Sauce Special Patties Beef All Two" (read this backwards and those of you who are "vintage" like me will remember the tune). I used to have a t-shirt with those words printed on them (the right way) and I could look down on the shirt and read it backwards, and for some unknown reason I committed it to memory backwards...weird, I know...

I know I am supposed to now tag other folks to play along, but quite a few of you have already done this, so I'll just say if you've never done this 7 Things meme before, consider yourself tagged!

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FROG Update

Finally, I thought you'd enjoy seeing the young recipient of the FROG Illustration I recently completed for my sweet friend Sue. Here's brand new baby boy Bridger, his great Aunt Sue and his dad Nick, Sue's nephew! This was such a fun project - I'm pleased with how it all turned out... Thanks Susie for sharing the photos!!
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And may I again say "Thank You" for still coming by here even as my postings are sometimes few and far between - also thank you for your patience in waiting for the Blog Birthday Giveaway - although it is, alas, a month late now, I'm still having it VERY soon, so please don't give up!! I hope it will be worth the wait...

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"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1