Ten things for Tuesday....

Today's Top 10 of Things I'm loving....

1. Loreal One-Sweep Eye Shadow. This product is amazing. It has great staying power and the variety of shades blend to give your eyes a unique look. It is so lightweight that you can't even tell you have it on.



2. Pure Ice Nail Polish. The variety of shades is amazing. I have it in pinks, silvers, whites, golds, lilacs, mint green, blue, lavendar, gray, and the list goes on. I love the way it shimmers and shines. One coat is enough to look like you spent hours in the salon.

3. The perfect white shoe. Every year around this time, I start to hunt for white shoes for Easter. I love heels with an ankle strap and lots of little straps. I fell in love with this pair. To me, it is the PERFECT Easter shoe. So I went to the website to see what else they had to offer. When I saw categories like "Goth" and "Exotic" and "Stripper" I decided maybe this wasn't the best site to find my new church shoes at. But I do love these.

4. I love this cute dress for spring and summer. Trying to decide if it would be a cute Easter dress or not. If I decide I like it, it would be adorable with strappy white sandals.

5. Our anniversary is in March and I would like to have an Anniversary Band. I've been looking at them and know about what I'd like to have. I found one I liked, but it had a $5900 price tag! I'm thinking that is a little A LOT out of my budget. Now this one is exactly what I'm looking for and at a very affordable price.

6.  These white shoes are more my style. The lower heel is a lot easier to walk in. They would be so cute with the little dress above.

7. My daughter is a Coach purse fanatic. She has some really cute ones and I'm starting to love them. Living just 15 minutes from the Coach Outlet and with the discount coupons we get from them, it is easy to pick up a new Coach purse with a Retail Price of $200 - $300 for just $30 or $40 if you time it right. That being the case, I think I need to start watching the store for this white purse for spring. I love it.

8. If you followed my blog last spring, you will recall that our swing cushions got beat up pretty bad in a hail storm. They were ripped and torn that they were not repairable. We were able to flip them over but the back side wasn't as tufted and comfy as the front. Now that we have moved and have a front porch, we figured we'd buy replacement cushions. I was shocked to learn that replacement cushions cost more than I paid for the original swing brand new. So we are going to just replace the whole swing. I'm trying to decide between an old fashioned wood swing or wicker. I am really loving this look.

9. And since we want a new table and chair set for the other end of the porch, I thought this would go good with it.

10. I am getting obsessed with these little floral candles. I love anything with flowers on it, but lately I have been noticing a lot of these little votives. I have three in my living room. But I really am loving the ones I just found yesterday on the internet.

Can you tell I have spring on my mind?

Today, I am hooking up over at the Tuesday Train

And I'm also joining up with several other blog hops at Quick Tattletales Tuesday Blog Hop

Am I being unfeeling?

I have a situation and I don't know how to handle it.

Last week, my children's Godfather passed away. Their Godmother passed away about 7 years ago.

Due to us living so far apart, we haven't seen them regularly. However, sometimes my daughter and I will take all the grandchildren back to WV for a visit and we tried to stop by and see Junior and Nila if time allows.

We saw Nila a year before her death and saw Junior on our last trip in about 2 years ago.

Here is my dilemma. I didn't find out about his death until it was too late to attend the funeral. They didn't have any children and only one or two nieces that they were not close to.

When my twins were one year old, I had professional portraits done. There were two large 17" or 20" prints done. One of me and the twins and one of the twins by themself. It is the only professional portrait I ever had done of my children with me. The pictures have hung for 33 years over Junior and Nila's bed. Every time I would visit, they would show me that they still had the pictures and tell me when anything ever happened to them, I needed to get the pictures.

I'm sure that is not an item anybody would ever remember to leave in a will, but I would really like to have those portraits. I don't know who the executor would be or how to even get ahold of anybody to find out. But I am fearful that whoever they left things to will just destroy the pictures because they won't even know me or my children.

I want to contact the local courthouse in WV and find out who the executor is and see if I would be able to buy the portraits from the estate. But I don't want to seem cold or unfeeling to thier loss. My heart grieves deeply at Junior's passing. I read the obituary yesterday and spent a lot of time just staring at his picture remembering all the times I spent in church growing up with him and Nila and all the times they would come and visit their godchildren. I remembered how she loved to buy frilly dresses and patent leather shoes for my daughter and little baseball shirts and ball caps for my son.

So, believe me I am very sensitive to the loss and I know that they ones they left behind will grieve them greatly as well. I just don't want to appear cold and call and say "What's going to happen to my children's portraits?" But by the same token, I can't stand the thought of somebody just tossing them out or selling them in a yard sale for $1 for the frames.

Does anybody have any ideas, thoughts, or comments on how I can handle this diplomatically without looking like I'm coldhearted or imposing on their family grieving time. 

My visit to Staples...



I really enjoyed my trip to Staples Saturday. I found some new spring items to help me get organized for my Thirty-One business.

Now it's time to get my files all organized and set up a system. I just love Staples. 

Peace

Saw this on Facebook this morning and it really made me stop and think. How much time do we spend worrying about what others think about us or letting them pass judgment on us? Should we not spend more time looking for the joy and love with those who mean something to us instead of worrying so much about those who seem to want to bring strife and drama to our lives.

Life would be so much simpler and we would be so much happier if we just spent our time loving people who love us and not worrying about the ones that don't. Their thoughts and feelings about you are not YOUR issues, it is THEIR issues.

I was driving over to do some work for a friend Friday night and saw this beautiful sky at dusk.

Then the next morning, this was my bible scripture of the day....

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. - John 14:27

It all just seemed to tie in together with the theme of being at peace with ourselves.

Have a blessed Sunday.

I need to shop...

Oh, how I love Saturdays. This one sure seemed to take a long time coming. It's been a crazy, hectic week around here. My work load has picked up and the excited of my starting my Thirty-One business has really made my week spin wildly along.

I didn't go shopping last Saturday and I didn't take a day off this week to run out to any stores. I'm having withdrawal...BAD.

So I am ready to hit the road this morning. I have a great love for office supplies and my daughter is needing to go to Staples this morning and Office Max if we can't find what she wants at Staples. Needless to say, I am beside myself with excitement. Who would ever think that office supplies could be exciting....but they are for me. 

I love this accordian organizer for files on the go.

And I am addicted to the Poly Document Envelopes. I find so many uses for them. They are inexpensive and very versatile.

And Mead has some adorable file folders.

Now that I have some things to look for today, I guess I'd better get on with the day. Let the shopping begin!

Enjoy your Saturday.

Neat things I found under $10.00....

Two or three times a year, I like to head over to www.lakeside.com to check out their neat collections of affordable "stuff". The new spring catalog is out so I thought I'd pop over to see what I liked. The following items were some great finds at some bargain prices.

This little cookbook by Gooseberry is a good buy at $3.95.

I love the look of the door mat for just $4.25. I need a new one for the front porch.

I like this recipe box and cards for just $4.95. You can also get them that say Mom's Recipes or Grandma's Recipes.

I really like this dish drain mat for those times when you just need to wash a few items. It is only $4.95

These would make great Easter gift bags for grandkids, kids, friends, secret sisters, etc. You get 6 bags for a total of $5.95. I bought the Christmas ones one year and loved them. They are printed felt and are reusable.

These would make great little thinking of you gifts or party favors. You get all 5 of them for a total of $5.95. Not bad.

I really like this bread tray at just $6.95.

I have finally found a cookie jar that I am loving. And at a price of $7.95 you can't beat that. It also comes in a cute pig or frog pattern.

These little boy or girl figurines for outside are too cute. They are holding little jars with what we always called lightening bugs. The "bugs" are solar powered. These are actually not under $10.00, they are $10.95 each but I really liked them so I wanted to show them anyway.

Proud of my nieces

I talk a lot of being a grandmother and about my grandchildren. I talk about my sister and share pics of her decorating. I talk about my twins and how great it was being a mother of twins.

But I am also an Aunt and as an Aunt, I get bragging rights on my nieces and nephews who I love dearly. Between the two sides of the family, hubby and I have 8 nieces and 5 nephews, 4 great-nieces and 8 great-nephews.

Today, I want to introduce you to two of my nieces who are bloggers. Kari is a mother of two who went on vacation a couple of years ago and saws some making lampwork glass beads. The lady let Kari try her hand at it and the rest is history. She now owns her own business and sells her beads in many crafts markets surrounding areas of her hometown in West Virginia. Take a moment and visit her blog when you get a chance. She is very talented and some of the details she can do totally amaze me. Her blog is Bead Unique by Kari and her Etsy shop is http://www.beaduniquebykari.etsy.com.

My niece Emili is a freshman at Bethany College in West Virginia. She is taking a class that is a craft class. They are learning to do all kinds of crafts ... old and new... such as knitting, weaving, making lures for fly fishing, cross stitch, soap...they even made cheese. Check out her blog at Emili's New and Old Crafts. I love the stories she tells along with the crafts. Especially the one where she can't wait to come back to Mamaw's house and sit on the front porch and do cross stitch with her.

I am so proud of both of them for their talents. I just wanted to show them off as an Aunt is allowed to do. If you get a chance to stop by their blogs and leave a comment, just tell them Aunt Bee sent you!

A new blog and a giveaway...

I am happy to announce that my new blog is up and running for my Thirty One business. I am going to really enjoy being an Independent Consultant for the company.

My kit was full of some awesome products with the new patterns.

In honor of my new venture, we are going to be doing a giveaway. The winner will get to choose either a Thirty One Cinch It Up Thermal Tote or a Thermal Tote in the pattern of their choice.

It's simple to enter. Visit our new blog Bee's 31 Gifts and become a follower. That will enter you one time. If you would like to receive a second entry, leave a comment on Bee's 31 Gifts and let me know which tote you would choose if you win.  The winner will be announced on February 1st.





An exciting day ahead...

I'm riding the Tuesday Train .

Very excited today. I will be on pins and needles all day. Why? Because I get my first pink box today!

That's right, I am now officially an Independent Consultant for Thirty One.

 I have loved their products ever since I was introduced to them over two years ago. I have so many products from the company that I realized, I just needed to sell it. So I signed up last week and my first box of goodies arrives today.

I actually have two boxes on the way, but am not sure if they are both coming today or if one will be today and one tomorrow. I'll be getting lots of goodies just released for their spring catalog that goes into effect February 1st.

I am going to be introducing a new blog once I get all my materials. I'll post a link when it is up and running.

I am very excited about this new venture. I hope I can be successful at it. I love the products and love the fact that it is a faith based business that gets it's name from Proverbs 31 (the virtuous woman scriptures). I believe in what they do and since I use the product daily, I can vouch for the quality of workmanship.

They have an awesome special right now. There Thermal Lunch tote is on sale for $10.00

And the new Cinch-it-Up Thermal tote is only $15.00.

You can check them out along with the other totes, purses, bags, and accessories that Thirty One makes by visiting my site at My Thirty One.

All in all, it is an exciting time for me and I am going to be looking out the window all day watching for the Fed Ex guy and the pink box.

Pizza and a tealess tea party..

It's not every lady who will hold a tea party with her most cherished, "real" tea set....especially when the guests are 3, 7, 8 and 12.

But when you become a grandmother everything changes. One time I was working on a blog and was going to type "Grandma's rules." Alexis was watching me and I asked her to help me list rules, and she said "Rule #1, there are no rules." So that was the end of that and we have pretty much adopted that policy.

So when they wanted a tea party with their pizza lunch, I said okay....(only a grandmother would use her good tea set and pair it with Solo disposable plates.)

I might be easy, but I'm not stupid. I knew I would get stuck with the clean up detail. I let the girls help carry the tea set into the kitchen and set the table. Caleb went around to my various tea cups in the house and gathered the fancy tea spoons. The little silver cups are for M & M's which is a must when we have pizza at my house. But Alexis decided we need to have a card so everybody would know where to set. So we made place cards out of some yellow card stock she liked.

She decided who was setting where and put their name cards out. The boys wanted Dr. Pepper and the girls wanted chocolate milk. But they wanted to use the cream and sugar bowl. So we thought and thought. And then we decided to put white milk in the tea cups and and Hershey's chocolate syrup in the cream pitcher. That gave them a chance to use their spoons. And what was in the sugar bowl? Well, M & M's of course!



Caleb and the girls were my assistants. As a twelve year old boy, Garret had more of a "watching tv - call me when the foods ready" approach to the tea party. Caleb appointed himself Chef and the girls were his sou chef, which made everybody happy. The chef wouldn't wear an apron but the girls love theirs that my mom made them.

So we got the Digiorno's out of the boxes and I rearranged the toppings on one so Alexis had ham on her part and I had sausage on mine. Everybody else wanted cheese. And the Chef slid them into the oven.

I even managed a good picture of all my guests. We missed little Colby, who was supposed to attend as well. He was spending the night Saturday, but by 2:00 in the morning he had a bad case of mommy-itis so we had to meet up with him mom and dad so he could go back home. We missed him. But the Chef's nabbed there guest and had me take a picture of them all.

All in all, it was a huge success and the girls did help with the clean up. They even carried the tea set back and put it where it belonged. Not to mention the pizza was delicious. A great time was had by all.







And again on Saturday....

I attended a basketball game Saturday where my granddaughter Alexis was cheering. It had been raining all morning. On the way there, I had some extra time so I stopped off at a couple more antique shops in Wears Valley, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. This was the view when I was on the porch of one of them. Guess you can tell why they call them the Smoky Mountains.

Anyway, I saw quite a few things that caught my eye. I was just window shopping again. I saw some things that I think my sister needs to go with her antique red and white cabinet she just bought. Check these out....

Aren't they just adorable. They weren't very big, just about 5-6" round. I love them. I also think she needs this...

I'm pretty sure when she sees this I'm going to get a call asking why I didn't buy these for her. Here are some more things that just caught my fancy...some my sister would love and some I love. I really enjoyed going in the different shops.

This was a cute little sugar and creamer but a tad on the expensive side.

I keep seeing white and red enamel coffee pots everywhere. I think I might have to get me one.

Check out the green table and chairs below. Doesn't that just scream "fixer upper".

I liked colander below for my idea for over my fridge, but it was a little too rusted for the price they were asking. I'll keep looking.

This was an adorable little basket/trunk.

My sister like aqua as well. This mixer was a beautiful aqua color, but you can't tell it in the picture.

Some Pyrex.

This brought back memories of childhood. I think my best friend had one like this.

Another red and white that Sis needs.

All in all, I saw some great finds. I still have about 7 more local shops I want to scout around in before I start some serious purchasing for my kitchen.