OBSESSIVE OBJECT DU JOUR...

I know. Its my second post about aprons in a little over a month. Well, OK. I admit I may be a little obsessive about them at the moment. But can you blame me? We've been getting in and selling these incredible aprons -- all with such a great look -- and the more I see the more I love! I think I've finally "got" what ladies for decades have known about these little numbers -- and I'm hooked.

So "hooked" that I've just dedicated a section to my store just for our collection of what I've called our "Vintage Modern" Aprons.

While their basic design could definitely be considered "retro", the way the classic "bones" are then translated into the finished product is anything but!

The fabulous mix and match of fabrics and colors on each apron is so fresh, so modern -- yet comfortingly "familiar". Its that juxtaposition (LOVE that word!) of everything vintage with everything totally "NOW".

I'll tell you, since we've gotten these aprons into stock and have been working so closely with them during the photography, I'm SO wanting to just wear one every day!

Aprons really are so practical. I know -- I'm a little late to the game figuring this out...Maybe it's why aprons have been around for, oh I don't know, CENTURIES!

For one thing, with many of the aprons, you always have at least one pocket on you at all times, so pens, scissors, YOUR CELL PHONE/BLACKBERRY, etc. are always "right there" when you need them.

But you know what else? Can't explain it, but for some strange reason, the moment you slip one on, there is an immediate "attitude transformation".

I feel suddenly even more feminine. Suddenly more pretty. Even if I'm in my ragged jeans working in the office or the house, the addition of any one of the aprons is a fabulous "vintage modern" makeover!

I can't guarantee you'll get more done around the house wearing one, but you'll sure feel great doing whatever you do and LOOK fabulous in the process!

Magazine Recognition, New Items...Life's Good!

We're excited around here -- lots happening and that's always fun and exhilerating.

We're on a sort of on a "run" right now with magazine recognition and that is always especially thrilling, isn't it?

Romantic Homes magazine special issue "Bedrooms & Baths" features our French canvas "buckets" as a great idea for storage/organization/decor in the bath and here's the photo they chose to use:

This special Bedrooms & Baths issue is available on newsstands only, so even if you are a regular subscriber to the magazine, you'll want to be sure to pick one up when you're out!

You know what's terrible? I haven't even gotten my hands on a copy yet, so I can't even tell you what page we're on! :)

Romantic Homes has also shown our beautiful French draft stoppers in the current, regular issue out right now (the October issue).

As many of you will aready know, these beauties are hand made by Sylvie, sister to the one and only 'Fabulous Fifi'.

Sylvie lives in Provence and was kind enough to work her pretty fingers to the bone making us a large assortment of these functional and beautiful draft stoppers. As you can see, there are several variations on the general theme: "Ma Maison" ('My House' in French) but basically there is khaki stripe and a wonderful red stripe.

The painstakingly done hand cross-stitching (each letter takes her ONE HOUR!) takes on a few different font/color styles among the draft stoppers -- some script, some block, some very fanciful lettering!

**She also made us a selection of fabric French "shoe" decorations and some gorgeous linen cande/vase "bags" (shown further down below).

If you already have your October issue of Romantic Homes, you'll find them on page 26.

Last, coming soon to the Fall issue of a very beautiful magazine, you'll see us mentioned with regard to our beautiful handpainted toleware cachepots (below):

Now, one of the neatest, most unusual items we've carried in a long time are these other beauties made for us by Sylvie....she & We call them 'Candle bags' but they can be for whatever you choose.

The key is to use whatever form of vase or glass container you choose, and tuck it inside the linen "sleeve" or "bag" for added drama.

Shown here with a tall vase inside, holding beautiful roses. It really & truly elevates the use of a simple glass jar or vase to a WHOLE NEW French-style level!

When there aren't beautiful flowers in the glass container, place a candle inside! The fabric seems to glow beautifully against the light from the candle inside!

As you can see, we have several sizes/designs to offer. The exact measurements of each one will be listed on the site and you can choose the exact one that you want!

These are "coming soon" to the site -- pics need to be finished, etc. We have a VERY small amount of these and when they're gone, they're gone!

They're a beautiful, made-with-love-by-Sylvie treasure!

Below are our new sets of handpainted wooden bird plaques. They've "flown in" just in time -- especially with Fall around the corner -- they just look like Fall to me, for some reason...Their colors are warm and folksy and they're just perfect for that little spot on the wall that needs a "little someting"!

Below are sets of whimsical, candy-colored napkin sets from France. They match kitchen towel sets already in the Kitchen Department.

Pretty soft pink (above) or pale turquoise. You can't go wrong either way!

*CONFESSION TIME*

We've had these napkin sets for a few months, and although the towel sets have been on the site that long, we only just discovered that somehow, inadvertantly, we neglected to put the matching napkins on the site as well!

So...better late than never. :)

Drumroll, please...

Here are some FABULOUS, FUNKY, HIP, CHIC, CRAZY-GOOD new items that we're now in the process of adding to the site:

Sets of colorful Union Jack note cards!

Use them as intended, OR frame them for the world's least expensive way to add punch to a blank wall space!

SPEAKING OF ADD VISUAL, COLORFUL, PUNCH....

Feast your eyes on these to-die-for 8" x 10" prints...

Is it just me, or are these not just the most incredible prints ever??

Actually, there's more -- but I can't show you EVERYTHING here!!

Our photographing will be done soon (fingers crossed!) and we'll work fast to get it all up and for sale!

Suffice to say, if you like these....yeah, you'll love the rest...

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Last, but not least, just wanted to put a reminder out there about our fabby and oh-so-fun VOTE soaps...They won't be around for long and this couldn't be a better time to buy a few to give as 'friendly reminders'.

Hmm..."Vote" soap...who says politics is dirty?

Our Girl Fay Left Us In The Pink!

Well look at this!

Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay swept through leaving everything in her wake a lovely shade of PINK!

Even the brick walkway seems tinged with PINK!

The picture above was taken just after the first picture and as you can see we started to just then get some sprinkles -- I thought it almost looked like fireflies (though I've never actually seen fireflies in person...).

Just a quick note to thank you for your well-wishes for us here in Florida while we wondered what Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay would do.

I'm happy to report that her affects here in our neck of the woods resulted in nothing more than a super dark-grey day, windy at times, and just a bit of a sprinkling of rain off and on. All in all, it was actually kind of nice, since it cooled us down about 10 degrees!

And since there was not much we could do while waiting see what we were in for, we kicked back in our office/tv area (shown below) and even took it easy for a bit today!

So, all in all it was really a very nice day! Thanks, Fay! You painted our sky a girlie-girl shade of PINK and gave us some much needed "put your feet up and rest" time!

She's still swirling around out there and we may not have heard the last from her, but for now, we're back to business as usual!

Thank you, Lord!

WAITING. HOUR BY HOUR. WILL SHE OR WON'T SHE...?

So, we Floridians are sitting here on our hands waiting and watching to see what Tropical Storm Fay will do -- or not do.

Obviously, I'd love for "her" to do what any fickle female does -- change her mind -- and decide she'd much rather turn and head out to sea.

I'd much rather not have to deal with any type of damage to the other "old gal" in my life: my very fragile circa 1891 beauty that I call home. She's withstood being cut in half and moved at least 10 miles on two trucks to be saved from demolition. She's lookin' pretty good after all that and I, for one, would really like to keep her that way! :)

So the word spelled out in vintage metal letters on my living room transom says it all: we're "wishin' and hopin' and prayin'" that Tropical Storm Fay will at the very least take it easy on us and just rustle the trees, give us a soaking and move along.

AS IF THE AIR ITSELF WERE DRIPPING WITH CHOCOLATE...

As this past weekend was winding down and I was working and puttering about in my office/media room in our "barn" building where I work, I decided to "walk the talk" and live as beautifully as I try to teach others to do.

So, I did what any faithful devotee' of The Beautiful Life would do -- I decided to light a candle and add a luscious ambiance to the air as I went about my to-do list.

I surveyed the array of candles at my disposal (oh, the benefits of store ownership!!) and my eyes landed on a candle I have been dying to try out on my own time.

There it stood....

All purple and gold and exotic-looking. That was the one. . . It was time to fill the air with Mayan Hot Chocolate. The description reads "Cocoa beans and vanilla, with a hint of cayenne pepper...

Hmm...Sounds pretty great! OK, here goes.

Not being one typically for "sweet" food-smelling candles (I go more for the darker, green, woody scents on my own time), I decided to indulge in some calorie-free chocolate.

And since anyone who knows me knows that I'm never more than a few paces away from some form of chocolate, the fact that I had never actually burned this particular candle before, just seemed wrong! :)

Fast foward a few minutes after lighting the candle...

WOWZERS! Holy Mackerel! Get out!

As I sat there with the candle burning on the coffee table near me, I kept getting a whiff of it. And another whiff. And another chocolatey whiff.

I am officially hooked.

Skeem (the manufacturer) has really come up with a winner -- especially since they won over a die-hard 'I-can't-stand-those-icky-sweet-dessert-scented-candles' person!

AND HERE IS THE REALLY BIG REVELATION (well, big for me, anyway): I would even burn this in my entryway. I would have never said that prior to trying this candle. I would typically only burn a way more elegant scent such as a figiuer, or a red cedar, or cypress bark, etc., for the front hall/entry of my home.

Well, move over scents of trees, bark and twigs -- I'm a Mayan Hot Chocolate girl for now!

So there you have it. I just had to share this -- especially for those 'scent snobs' like me who would have previously never been caught dead burning a "foodie candle" at all, much less right up front and center in the front hall of your home.

Give it a shot, if you care to -- what do you have to lose? Luscious, yummy chocolate scent for your home, no calories, and we ship to you FREE!

I'm thinking this is some delicioso deal!

EVENING WITH TIFFANY'S...

Be still my heart....

What gal doesn't dream of 'THE BLUE BOX' ?

The box that needs no logo, no name -- the color says it all -- says 'no matter what's inside, you're gonna love it.'

Well, for the first time in my life, I got 'a blue box'! And trust me, the minute I saw that signature "Tiffany's blue" color I started screaming just that: "I GOT A BLUE BOX! I GOT A BLUE BOX!"

The card read "Now you don't have to be jealous..." (Who? ME?)

See, when my daughter graduated from high school a few months ago, some friends sent her a sterling key ring from Tiffany's. Out of the blue (no pun intended) a box arrived on the porch, she opened it and inside was "the blue box" and inside that was a beautiful, gorgeous, oh-so-silver key ring.

Naturally, her next question was "So when do I get a car so I can put some keys on it?"

Stinker. It was then that the envy set in...

Yeah, sure, she's 17 and gets a 'blue box' -- I'm "@%" (aka I'm not telling how old) and no blue box!

So imagine my sheer delight when I began to see the first signs of that blue as I opened my gift -- MY very own BLUE BOX...and inside... my very own key ring!! SWEET!!!

I'm so happy.

Not just because another thing on my 'bucket list' is checked off, but because my family knows me and is the kind that keeps mental notes -- the kind of mental notes that say "I'm listening, I'm noticing - even when you don't think I am." That's how special moments like this are created. I'm so happy. I'm so blessed.

I am SO going to put my keys on that key ring!!

Thanks for letting me share...

It's My Birthday, Its My Birthday...

NOTHING ELSE TO SAY BUT THAT!

THE BEST PRESENT OF ALL FOR ME???

MY SWEET OLIVIA JUST HAPPENS TO COME BACK INTO TOWN THIS EVENING AFTER BEING GONE ALL WEEK!

HEY! OLIVIA! LETS RIGHT NOW AGREE WE DON'T DO THIS AGAIN, OK?

HAVING HER GONE FOR A WEEK PRETTY MUCH ROTS... :)

IF ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY AS WELL,

HAVE A GREAT ONE AND HAVE SOME CAKE FOR ME!

AND!! REMEMBER TO STAY YOUNG AT HEART -- THAT IS THE ONLY FORM OF AGING YOU CAN CONTROL!

MY DAUGHTER AFFECTIONATELY REFERS TO ME AS FOREVER BEING AGE 17 (I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING....) EVEN THOUGH WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT MY TRUE AGE.

BUT, I MUST CONFESS, I DON'T FEEL ANY OLDER THAN 17. OK, TRUTH...MAYBE I DO SOMETIMES...LIKE WHEN I FIRST GET OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING... :)

I KNOW WHERE I'LL BE TONIGHT... OUR LOCAL STARBUCKS GETTING CAUGHT UP

WITH MY DAUGHTER...AH, BLISS....

And we just keep adding things....

You know, we never truly get "done" shopping, do we. Same thing when you have a store...

Just when I think we're good, I see more things we simply "must have"!

One of the things I'm most excited about (and I'm thinking some of you out there will be, too) is the addition of some really beautiful ribbons we're now selling.

In particular, the black & white French Landmarks ribbon is one that many customers will be glad to see offered for sale! For years, we've gotten raves and requests for it once someone receives their order in the mail with their goodies wrapped with the ribbon. I've had people place repeat orders JUST TO GET THE RIBBON on their package of items!! :) So...we took a hint and are now offering it for sale.

Another great new "find" are these hinged, fold-up organizers crafted from vintage recycled wood! Just look at all the little nooks and crannies you'll have to stash desk or craft supplies in (can't you just see rubber stamps, stamp pads, tags, etc. in it?). The coolest thing is that it actually can fold up to the size of a large shoe box...Not that you'll probably ever have it closed ('cause it looks so great open!), but its just a cool feature, I think!

Enjoy the slide show above for a small sampling of some of the very newest items just added to the store, BUT THERE IS EVEN MORE COMING IN EVERY DAY!

GO AHEAD -- "TIE ONE ON" (an APRON, that is...)

Ever wonder what it would have been like to be June Cleaver from the Leave It To Beaver show?

I sure have... then I get real.

I mean, with her ever-present apron, high-heeled pumps and strand of pearls -- all while doing her housework, she was the quintessential "domestic engineer" !

But for me, instead of pumps its bare feet, and instead of a pretty frock and cheerful apron, it yoga pants and a t-shirt (usually my husband's!). And not a strand of pearls in sight!

Well, here's a super quick and easy way to take those household chores up a notch or two!

We've just added a bunch of FUN, FUN, FUN aprons of all kinds! Something sure to please ANYONE.

HMM...LET'S SEE WHAT WE HAVE HERE....

We've added so many aprons, in fact, that you could have a fresh, new one for every day of the week!!

I'll bet even little Miss June Cleaver didn't have THAT many!

AND all the aprons even have bright, colorful matching kitchen towels available, too!

So ladies, with this new array of aprons and towels, there should be absolutely no reason why you shouldn't look every bit the "vision" that June-baby did!

And you can be sure that these new aprons are 'not your grandmother's aprons' to say the least -- I'm sure even June never had a selection so hip to choose from!

C'mon, gals!

Let's get that mixer and recipe book out! Its pot roast and chocolate layer cake tonight!

SUMMER ART SHOW EXTRAORDINAIRE!

HOPE YOU ENJOY A LITTLE FUN I HAD WITH MY DAUGHTER'S ART WORK..

CAN YOU TELL THAT I'M PROUD?? :)

Now THIS Is What I Call "BOOK-SMARTS"!

We've all got one (or more!)... That "plain vanilla" lampshade that came with the lamp. You know, you loved the lamp but that shade...well lets just say no imagination went into that choice...

DO I HAVE A PROJECT FOR YOU!

After years of tolerating one such shade on a favorite lamp of mine, I now have my "dream shade" -- and its SO perfect for the room it is in (the "library")! Plus, anyone who knows me, know my love of paper ANYTHING and especially vintage ephemera, so this project was a ringer for me! (Confession: lately, we've used vintage book pages and papers so much around here that I think my hubby must fear at times that if he stood still long enough, we'd cover HIM in it! ) :)

Just look! That sorry old plain white shade is now festooned in perfectly cut pages from a vintage book! Yes -- I cut up an old book - so what. :)

Before I go any further, I need to give credit where credit is due...My sweet and off-the-charts talented daughter did the labor for me on this one! I'd been saying for months that I wanted to do this project but as busy as I am all the time, I think she knew if she didn't spring into action I'd still be looking at that white lampshade ten years from now (can anyone else relate?).

So...one evening my Olivia walks into the kitchen as I'm preparing dinner and has two fists full of perfectly cut pieces from this old book I had. Normally, you wouldn't encourage your kids to cut up books, but in this case I was thrilled! Being the do-er (and not just a talker like her mom) she set about the task of taking all those pieces of paper and gluing them down to the lampshade.

Many, many hours later, I had what may be one of my most prized possessions in my house. Partly because of how AWESOME it looks and very much because of how much time my sweetie's little hands spent making that for me. What a kid!

I think she almost wanted to choke me when I casually strolled into the kitchen whilst she was a couple hours into the gluing and excitedly suggested:

"Hey! This looks so awesome!! What if I buy up a bunch of plain shades and old books and we can make them and sell them!"

If looks could kill.... Keep in mind, I was not the one sitting there gluing piece after piece, row after row, slowing becoming hypnotized by the process...

Yeah. So, suffice to say I won't be taking any orders for custom-papered shades anytime soon...

So instead, here are some shots of the "BEFORE" and "AFTER" so you can get the idea of how its done. As you can see, the only key is keeping your rows nice and neat and even (unless of course you mean to have a "swirling" affect when you're done).

As you can see, even though the shade had raised areas (ribs), this didn't affect the outcome, so really any shade is fair game! We (oops....I mean, Olivia) used plain old white school glue like Elmer's or whatever. Just a thin stripe of it at the top of each page piece did the trick.

And below is the finished product. I love, love, love it!! The mellowed/aged color of the pages is so wonderful with the bronze/rust color of the metal lamp base.

I do still have lots more ideas for variations on this project --

• Using vintage ledger paper instead of book pages -perfect for the desk where you pay your bills!.
• Or, using pieces cut from gorgeous vintage wallpaper - beautiful in a bedroom or bath!
• I'd also like to experiment with different shapes of paper like incorporating circles as well as squares/rectangles....

Hmm...how many of you believe I'll really ever do any of those things I just mentioned above? Yeah. Me either...

Hmm... where's Oliva? Surely she's not busy right now.... :)

We were just looking at the shade again last night just before turning off the light and admiring it...I told Olivia again how much I loved it (and her!) and appreciated all those hours she put into doing this for me. I declared that it was now one of my most favorite things I owned -- like, if the house were one fire it would be one of the first things I'd grab on the way out.

She looked at me, totally dead-pan, as if to say "It better be! If you don't grab it, I will!"

Gee, all those hours must have really taken a toll!

Uganda "NECKLACES-FOR-HOPE" Is HERE!!

LET THE HOPE BEGIN!

Our new endeavor, the Uganda Neclaces-For-Hope Project is now off the ground!

The necklaces are now in-house and ready to ship! You are going to love them! And I have a feeling you are going to love even more the feeling of truly being a blessing to someone you will never even meet even more...

The necklaces will vary in color and length but they're all wonderful! Since no two are alike, you'll understand why we ask that you let us simply reach in and pick one (or more!) for you.

Each necklace is $16.00 each (a deal!) or 2 for $30.00 or 3 for $39.00. We even reduced the price of giftwrapping from $4.00 to $2.00 to encourage you to share these with friends as a gift. If you do, be sure and print out the entire story behind this project from our website and tuck it in with the necklace gift -- this will make the recipient even more appreciative of their gift!

Below (in blue) is "the story" and it is also detailed on the website. My hope is that you will read this, take it all in, and never be the same...

These women are real. They woke up this morning just like you and began their day with their children and family's welfare in mind. But the burden they shoulder every day is enormous. There are no "getaway" trips to Starbucks or the mall for them. The stress is unrelenting and constant. BUT! By learning a trade and (EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY) having an avenue through which to consistently sell what they make, they now have hope. How can ask for more than that?

So again -- 'Can a necklace change a life?' You bet it can -- read on:

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Unbeknownst to most of us, there is a population of women a world away in Jinja, Uganda struggling just to survive.

Each day is a struggle to dodge the devastating "bullets" of malaria, hunger, water-borne disease, sheer poverty, and AIDS. For many, if not most, they are fighting a losing battle...

We have become aware of and are now taking concrete steps to help a group of women living in Jinja, Uganda, by being part of their efforts to learn a trade and then sell their works.The women are being taught viable trades such as sewing (see the pictures of the little shorts made from paper concrete mix bags!) and jewelry-making.

They go to a sort of shed-like structure, all open-air, each day and are taught these trades and are given opportunities to sell what they've made. Mainly, they count on tourists to buy a few things here and there. As you might imagine, though, tourism to Jinja, Uganda is not exactly a bustling industry. These women need other avenues of commerce besides just the occasional tourist there locally.

This is where The Beautiful Life has decided to become involved. Can you think of a broader avenue of commerce than the world-wide-web?? And, what better product to offer to you women than one made from a fellow woman who is in dire need? You get a beautiful, handmade piece of wearable art and in turn, you help change her life -- her world.

A trip was made in June, 2008 and at that time mosquito nets (to help prevent malaria) were handed out as well as bed sheets (to cover the grass/hay mats they sleep directly on!) and also travel-sized toiletries of all kinds (a real luxury for them!) and flip-flops, etc. It was like Christmas for them!

From the trip in June, we have necklaces only, but another trip to Jinja is planned and we hope to have beautiful dangling earrings brought back as well! As you can see, the necklaces vary in color and length, etc. so we ask that you allow us to simply reach in and grab one (or more!) for you. We know you'll love whatever you receive. You'll love the feeling of helping a fellow sister across the world even more!

How many can we send you???

A woman is a woman is a woman -- no matter what continent she lives on...

The Beautiful Life is almost ready to reveal

The Jinja Jewelry Project

It may not change your life, but it just might change the life of a Ugandan woman and her
children.

Coming soon...

Can a necklace help a group of women a world away? You bet it can!

She could be me. She could be you. Normal women, just like you and me. Except their lives are so very different from ours. Their daily existence would try the souls of the average 'Western' woman who is so used to conveniences and freedom.

But, their future is looking bright! These very ladies that you see in these photos are being trained to learn a craft, a skill, that will allow them to earn a living and thereby break the cycle of poverty and give their families a better chance of survival.

In this case, among other things like sewing, etc., they have learned to craft old posters of all kinds into jewelry! Isn't that amazing? They somehow cut and painstakingly roll the paper into beads and fashion them into this beautiful wearable art!

ABOVE you see the ladies showing off the beads and jewelry -- many finished sets are hanging up to dry. In the picture is my dear friend Beth who has just returned from spending time with these women in Uganda and has, at their request, brought back some of their jewelry.

Beth stayed among the women and got to know them and their stories and has come back a changed person. She can't get them off her mind and out of her heart and knew somehow she wanted to do something for them.

Enter The Beautiful Life and my agreement to offer the jewelry made by these beautiful Ugandan women to the beautiful women who frequent my store, The Beautiful Life...

BELOW are many, many finished necklaces -- many of which will now be available to you through the website by next week. I don't know how many we'll actually have to sell (I'll find out tomorrow when I meet with Beth to get them and start photographing them), but however many I can sell for them, I'll be thrilled and so will these beautiful Ugandan women.

Beth is going to continue to be involved in the lives of the Ugandan women indefinitely and will be able to continue to supply me with various new creations (earrings, bracelets, etc.) as she makes her trips back and forth to Africa.

With a large percentage of the proceeds from the sale of each of these necklaces being funneled directly back to these women in Uganda, it is truly an amazing trade off that happens: You get to enjoy and wear the beautiful handwork of another woman across the world and in turn, you help change her life and empower her like never before. Sounds like a win-win trade if ever there was one.

The ladies you see here had one parting word/request for my friend Beth and this was it:

"PLEASE DON'T FORGET US."

So...A necklace purchased by you becomes the start of a new 'Beautiful Life' for a fellow 'sister' thousands of miles away -- worlds away in many ways. Its a good thing.

**ALL PHOTOS WERE TAKEN IN JUNE, 2008**

And The Award Goes To....

In the short time that I've been blogging, I have occasionally run across bloggers who have either been "tagged" or received an "award" from another blogger.

Now, I don't mean to be infantile, but all the while I've been kind of, well...sort of, well, envious. I wondered if anyone would ever "tag" me or one day decide to give me an "award" of some kind...

Guess what? I got an award! (This is where you picture me dancing around, singing the words -- "I got an award, I got an award...Woo Hoo! Yes!" ) The pictues above are the closest I could come to re-creating Joy "presenting the award to me... :)

The award is called the Arte Y Pico Award and it is "dedicated to many who nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity" as described by it's originator Arte y Pico

And the greatest thing is, I got it from someone really special to me...someone that I've "discovered" online that I share so much in common with, its almost scary. Its the ever-sweet, ever-generous Joy! (And if a name ever fit, hers does!!)

Joy received the award from someone and she then felt compelled to pass it along; just like her -- so sweet and ALWAYS thinking of how she can brighten someone else's day!

The Amazing Joy, as she should be known, is not only a wife & mom but runs TWO sites -- her blog, The Joy Of, and her retail website, THE HOPE JAR. PLEASE do yourself a HUGE favor and stop by both sites!

Her blog will have you laughing along with her as she chronicles her daily life, but it will also have you SO inpired as she shows all the incredibly creative ways she turns "junk" into the most fabulous new treasures! AND you will FALL IN LOVE with Wilbur, her almost human-like dog...just look at him! :)

Joy's website, THE HOPE JAR, offers not only the creation the site is named after -- a pretty glass jar filled with single little cards with words of inspiration and encouragement for each day --

but ALSO is filled with some of the most fabulous vintage finds - some "altered" some not -- but ALL are "to die for"! Trust me, I know -- I've had packages from her store arriving at my house so often I think my hubby may pull the plug on my computer!

I really enjoy writing and although I probably don't create posts as often as I should. But when I do write one, I hope it in some way touches the heart of someone at just the right time.

Blogging is sort of today's version of old-time journaling. And if you think about it, each day is like a blank journal page and every one of us holds our own "quill" and measured amount of "ink" for the day.

It is then up to us, each day, to determine what we'll "write" -- how we'll fill today's "page" in our life's journal. Today, because of this award, my life's journal "page" has a very happy and upbeat entry.

Thank you, Joy!

We're Busy Bees Around Here. Queen Bees, Of Course...

**LOOK AT ALL THE NEW THINGS!!**

I love this job. I feel a little guilty even using the term 'job'. More like a dream-come-true hobby. Sort of like playing house when you were little only now its with REALLY cool stuff and I'm "required" to go shopping a lot (so I can supply you with all the latest and best, of course!).
No wonder I call it 'The Beautiful Life'! And let me tell you, there are SO MANY BEAUTFUL NEW THINGS already in and many, many more on the way!

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For many of you, the 'Fabulous Fifi' needs no introduction...

Her dreamy, inspiring blog has reached near cult status! If you have visited Fifi's blog, no doubt you've fallend in love with the many, many fabric treasures her sister Sylvie creates. Chief among them are her fabulous fabric shoes! (see the photos below from Fifi's blog).

~~~ FABULOUS FIFI (on the right) & HER SISTER "SAINT SYLVIE (on left)" ~~~

This photo (from Fifi's blog) was taken during one of Sylvie'strips back here to the U.S. to visit Fifi.

(By the way, I refer to Sylvie as a "saint" because of how patient she's been with me as we decided on just which fabrics and trimmings we'd use for the things she's making for me!) :)

Sylvie lives in France and runs a beautiful bed and breakfast (when she isn't sitting at the sewing machine turning out the most incredible home accessories).

Below are pictures from Fifi's blog showing just a fraction of the many, many designs that Sylvie comes up with! The shoe haning on the front door is fabulous! The sign above the shoe says "Please Wipe Your Feet". How Perfect!!

Sylvie obviously shares Fifi's limitless energy and creativity!

SO! All this to say that Sylvie has been working on some designs for The Beautiful Life and they are almost done and ready to be shipped over to me! There will be the little stuffed "shoes" (of course) but also the long, skinny stuffed "draft-stoppers" as well as something really neat she calls "candle bags". All are made from the finest, most beautiful fabrics and will have that elegant, classic 'Sylvie' look. A little touch of French elegance straight to you from the heart of France...