Thursday, September 2, 2010

Give-Away in 3 days???

OK, can somebody tell me where time goes when it fly's???
Cuz I can't believe we're already 3 days away from my 300th Friend Give-away & I didn't even have a chance to have my Sneak Peek or remind everyone who hasn't had a chance to enter, to Enter, or go on & on about all the bloggie buddy love that's going to be in the winners box when it arrives! What's a CRAZED BLOGGER to do?

So why am I a little more CRAZY then usual you may ask? {or maybe you didn't ask, but I'm going to tell you anyway}

My Grandson Kai has started kindergarten this week & it's been CRAZY around here. Last minute shopping trips to Target & Payless for the usual Back to School supplies, kindergarten orientation, {orientation??? when I was in kindergarten they just threw you out of the station wagon & said "be good & listen to your teacher..I'm pretty sure that was the extent of my "orientation"} And today is his 1st day of after-school care at a portable at his school run by the Parks & Rec. Will he make it there OK??? Will he know he's suppose to go with that teacher?? Will he sit alone waiting for Mommy or Monga to pick him up & we won't be there? Will something horrible happen? OMG, I watch WAYYYYY to much Nancy Grace!

Enough of that silliness! I just want you to know that I am so excited about this Give-away & can't wait for 1 of my friends to win something wonderful, hand-made with love & heartfelt from me to you, because as far as I'm concerned...you are all just
Sooooo Awesome!
Thanks for being my friend!
XOXO

Monday, August 30, 2010

long lost friends...found!

Can 36 years go by in the blink of an eye?
Growing up in Huntington Beach, CA was something of an idyllic childhood. We had a modest home in a lovely little neighborhood where all the kids that lived there, played together, joined Scouts together, played softball together & went to elementary, junior high & high school together. One of my bestest little friends was Susan Jacques.

My family took very few photographs, so this is one of my prized possessions...an old black & white photo of my 11th birthday party. My face is covered by a reflection, but on the right you can see Susan sitting on the floor next to me. {my little sister Kristen, who has the llama's in CO, is standing on the left}

I was in the sixth grade then & Susan & I did everything together!
Things I remember about Susan...
Her parents were French & had accents & sometimes I had a hard time understanding them.
She lived just a few house away from our elementary school Schroeder, so it was always fun to go to her house right after school.
We went to Girl Scouts together & our leader had a wandering eye & I could never tell when she was talking to me...so I got in trouble a lot cuz I wouldn't stop doing whatever she was telling me to stop doing. I thought she was talking to someone else. lol
I sold her sister my entire collection of Barbie's for $5 when I was in HS so I could go to a movie. I still kick myself for that.
And she was my bestest friend.

After HS, the gypsy in my soul took me to far off lands like San Francisco, Durango, Co & Salt Lake City & sadly, I lost track of so many of my childhood friends.
Fast Forward.
Through the super powers of facebook, Susan & I have just found each other after being separated for 36 years....how Crazy & Wonderful!
This is her sweet hubby Phil standing in front of the sign of my local lake, the lake I see everyday.

As serendipity would have it, they have been coming to Crestline for years. They have friends with a cabin here where they often come to relax & get away. They have eaten at the Cafe directly across the street from my shop. We have been feet away from each other all this time & never even knew it.

They came up this past weekend & we got to see each other face to face & it seemed as if time had stood still & we were still those 2 little girls who loved to talk & play.

She loves to make handmade jewelry...just like me.
She has her house decorated in lovely little vignettes...just like my shop.
She loves antiques...just like I do.
There was a reason we were such good friends when we were young.
We are so very similar.

So Sweet Hearts...today, if I could wish you anything, I would wish for you the pure joy of standing next to, talking & laughing with & being able to give a hug to,
a long, lost friend, found.
It's Magic!


Click here to view this photo book larger


{a photo book from Shutterfly I made a few years back with some of my childhood pictures}