JESUS is the Reaon for the Season....and so are WE?

Merry Christmas 2007, to all!!!

Last night we attended our church's annual Christmas Eve Candle Light Services...needless to say, you don't have to push me there. I just love the dark sanctuary, large white lighted tree and wreaths all around, candles all aglow down the aisle, familiar Christmas Carole's and a special remembrance of what Christmas is really all about. The birth of our Jesus so many years ago.

I really liked how our Pastor reflected on the 3 Wise Magi who came from afar seeking the baby. Knowing that they must have been studiers of early manuscripts of prophesy about the birth of Jesus, our King. These regal men, who were quite noble, seeking the child that was foretold of. They drew quite a crowd I am sure, and not worrying about their own safety, but that of bringing gifts to the long awaited King of the Jews. Not a King in the way we would think, but one who would offer an eternal life, for those who believe on Him...that's where our Pastor ended with saying that it really wasn't Jesus is the Reason, and much as WE are the reason HE came. What a wonderful thought to ponder on...he really came for me...and YOU!

And then we always finish with Silent night sung acapella and the lighting ceremony of individual held candles. Then as these candles are being lit, we stand all around our large auditorium and sing that familiar song. What an awesome way to put perspective back into Christmas..and knowing that JESUS IS the reason, and so are we!

Merry Christmas and Happy New year my dear friends!

Christmas is HERE!!!

This morning we awoke to one of the Biggest Snow storms to hit the Metro Detroit area since 1999. Thankfully, it is Sunday, which means no one having to rush to school or work. Our church services were even cancelled. So...I decided to use this cozy, comfy feeling that being *Snowed In* gives me...and finish my decorating and do some baking. As I write, the wonderful smell of pumpkin loaves permeates my home! A wonderful feeling as well. I am planning on doing my baking today and just enjoy the fact that I don't have to go anywhere out in the cold!

That leads me share with you my home, as I have prepped it for Christmas. Now this year I have not gone overboard, as I have in past....but I do love the festive feeling that my decor gives me.

My living room is my Victorian Palor. I have a Cameo Mauve colored rug and beautiful floral sofas, with a treasured piano, that my mom gave me. I kept it very simple with vintage ornies mixed with other goodies as well. Enjoy!








The rest of my pictures are of our Family room, and one of my Dining room table. I keep those rooms done with more traditional reds and gold...I like lots a sparkle as my pictures will show you. Thanks for letting me share a bit of my Christmas Cheer with you...I'd love to hear about your Christmas decor and why you decorate the way you do, see PLEASE leave comments!

A PRH MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wow...I cannot believe how long it has been since I have been able to post! But be assured that I have been a busy beaver painting and creating unique one of a kind items for my etsy, ebay and a local area shoppe. I hope you will take a few minutes to check out some of my offerings. My mind is in a whirl and designing and beginning to plot out my Valentine's Day and Spring items...so check back often!!!

First off, I want to wish everyone a very MERRY Christmas. For me this is a time to reflect on what the LORD has done in my life this past year. So thru the hustle and bustle of Christmas I have been so blessed and have many things to be thankful for. First and foremost, I am so thankful for my Salvation in Jesus Christ..who gave his life for mine! I am also thankful for my wonderful, loving and supportive husband and daughter. I am thankful for parents who raised me with wonderful values and a sense of family...who I dearly wish we all lived closer to each other, cause I miss them so much!

And last but surely not least...I also want to say I am thankful for a wonderful group of cyber FRIENDS I have made. Who would have thought that a loving, supportive and even spiritually encouraging group of women would come into my life and be such a blessing...but they have! They are my PRH Sisters, or Pretty Romantic Homes group from ebay. We have shared and been thru so much this year, but most importantly we have LOVED on each other. I am the most BLESSED women to have met these wonderful gals.

So...with saying all this..I wanted to share with you a Special Christmas tree I have dedecated to them. This tree is just full of their creative items, some painted, some baked and some are created from paper, glittler, glass and of course full of BLING! I do hope that you will love this as much as I do...I have tried to take pictures of all around this tree for you to see each treasure I have on it...LOOK at how full it is...just like my blessings are!

My ETSY Store

Here's a sneak peak at what is being offering in my ETSY store. I'd love to invite you to stop in and see what's new for Christmas. I had some free time to just sit with family while watching movies...I decided I had collected enough beads, crystals and baubbles that I wanted to make some earrings...of course I made a couple of pair for me...but the rest I am offering. I'd love for you to stop by and send me a little note to. Have a great 2007!

The Art of Having the BEST of Friends EVER!!!

WOW...Christmas is fast approaching and I feel further and further behind....do you all do that too? Well...I wanted those who are visiting my BLOG to know about a wonderful group of Ladies I know. These are the sweetest Ladies on EBAY!!! Which is how we all met! Many are sellers, artist and crafters, just like me! So if you are in need of ideas for Christmas gifts..I assure you, you won't go wrong checking these ladies out and purchasing the many items they are offering for the Upcoming Christmas Season!

The group I am talking about are my PRH sisters ~ Pretty Romantic Homes on ebaysisters. You won't find a nicer, sweeter and more caring group of ladies. We Decided to help advertise each other by promoting our items for sale. We want to invite you get to know us better and see the wonderful things that we have to offer.

In order to view their many offerings just click on the names on the list below, it will take you straight to each lady's ebay/etsy or web sites!!

AMY Of Bunny Rose Cottage ~ She is the peppiest and sweetest girl you'd ever meet. She just amazes and awes me as she has just blossomed before us as an avid crafter. She is offering, hand made ornaments, pumpkins, roses made, from of all things, coffee filters too darling!...and she just keeps adding new things almost daily!

Ele of Pink Praire Lady ~ What a talent this lady has. Her eye for detail and the many fun things she does is to numerous for me to list...among them are tags, mussy tussy's, sewing stockings, ornaments, and collages, but it doesn't stop there so you must go see!

Rhea of Sweet*n*Shabby*Roses ~ A highly creative and talented Lady that is for sure! She can paint, sew and work with paper like no one can. Her eye for anything soft, serene, romantic and gentleness comes through her work! I also love her boldness for our Lord and her straight forwardness too.

Katie of Rose Breeze Boutique ~ Katie's is our energetic, pick-me-up girl who has a HUGE generous heart. I remember when she was learning how to paint, the determination she had and how she just kept at! You MUST look at her handpainted item nows! They are incredible! She also is a very talented sewer as well.

Connie of Rose Porch Designs ~ Connie is our MOTHER HEN...she is always clucking about her brood, helping, loving and caring for each of us. But not to forget.... she's our fearless leader. Her love and giving spirit is what we are all about. Thank you Connie! Be sure to see her wonderful birdhouses, sewn items and soon her handpainted roses!!!

Karen of Second Hand Rose ~ Karen is a sweety! A highly valued, talented and so much fun member of our group. Besure to check her awesome handmade and handpainted items out!

Celeste of Le Rae Rose ~ A dear Godly lady who is so upbeat and caring to us all. An inspiration to me as well. Her talents are endless as a designer, handpainter, tag maker and much more!

Bertie of Aunt Mays Cottage ~ What a Victorian Charmer Bertie is. Of course, if you are like me and love lacy, pearly and anything Victorian, you will LOVE her stuff! She is very talented with such a lovely array of Victorian items and of course, anyting with Roses for you home!

Stephanie of Angelic Accents ~ Of course Steph, is our resident Angel and thus her name. What a sweetie she is and we have had so much fun through her helping her daughter plan her wedding...that we all think she Should be a Wedding Planner!!! She has absolutely beautiful mirrors and so much more to offer for your home decor!

Sharon of Sweet Victorian Rose ~ Oh my goodness, you just have to see her precious charms. They are so gorgious, intricate, delicate and tiny! Yet so worth it! Be sure to check them out!

Lorena ~ 2ChicFriends ~ Well, this is me. Most of you know about me..but I do love to paint...roses of course and sew and dabble in paper tags...so I would love to have you come see what I have to offer on a weekly basis! I will try to keep you up to date. If you scroll down you will see items I have have offered as well as my links too!

LOOK What I just GOT!

Oh...My sweet friend Amy just sent this my way this morning! Doesn't it just make you HAPPY? Love you Amy...and all my PRH Sister...and family and friends too!!!

My Latest Offering on EBAY/ETSY!

I have been soooooo busy, trying to get ahead of the game. You see, next week my Mom and Dad fly out from Seattle for a visit. I am so excited to have them come, but that means I need to work ahead and get more done, so that I can enjoy their visit. So, I have given you a peek of my lastest offerings on ebay and etsy...

These are my new Shab2Chic Hang Tags and Ornaments!

The Art of Collecting (Part 2)

Okay, I did it again...I went through my home and found more of my collections and vinettes! I guess when I decorate, I just love putting these areas together...like each one is a piece to the puzzle. Some of these are in my Oh so Shabby/Chic soft baby blue master suite! ENJOY!!!! Be sure to leave comments at the bottom. I just love hearing from those who take a peek, it's like opening a box at Christmas!

The Art of being TAGGED, again!!!

My sweet dear friend Celeste of CelestinaMarie has tagged me. This tag is to tell 7 things about yourself that no one would know. Once you have done this, be sure to pass it on to up to 7 more of your friends. How much fun to find out new and interesting things about one another!

Okay here goes:

1. At 18 I was in the Miss Washington U.S.A Pagent.
2. I must copy Celeste...I have at least 100 pair of shoes..and love purses too!
3. I worked 11.5 years at Boeing Commercial Airplane Company.
4. I have been painting 9 years, creating all my life...
5. In order to create, I must have my home in order or it will drive me nuts until I get my tasks all done. But, when I create, it is CHAOS!!!
6. I love just about anything sweet.
7. My favorite time of the year is SPRING...love the green and flowers blooming!

Now to pass this on...hopefully to someone who has not been tagged...sorry if you have!

Connie...Living Beautifully
Sharon...SweetVictorianRose
Rhea...SweetnShabbyRoses
Karen...Oh*Happy*Day
Steph...Angelicaccents
Holly...Hollydoodledesigns
Heather..HeathersPrettyPetalBoutique

The Art of Painting A ROSE

As most of you are aware, my passion is painting roses. I can tell over the past few years as an artis that I have finally gotten MY rose down to a science. So, I thought I would *toot* my own horn, so to speak. I have been busy painting up items that had been waiting over the summer. Now that my daughter is back into school, life is finally settling down. Maybe from time to time, I will show you my latest renderings? Would you like that?

My first offering is on esty...so don't forget to click the link. I just am a HUGE blue fan. My master suite is painting a soft *little boy blue* and I just love it! This was an old mirror that I have painted and added applique's to the corners. One of my current favorites, that is for sure!


My other offerings are on ebay, one is a foam pumpkin that I just love to do and the other is a wonderful old tray that has 3 glass inserts. I hope you enjoy my latest offerings!

The Art of Design on a Budget

Well....I had showed my pictures of our recent Guest Bedroom Redo to my Pretty Romantic Homes Friends (PRH) and they said I need to add this to my BLOG. So here I am...

Over this past 4th of July week my sweet hubby had to take vacation. Sooo...he set aside one day to paint our guest bedroom, just for me. This room was also better known, in my daughter's younger days, as Gramma's Room. We had agreed that it needed a redo badly since we have lived in our home for 14 years and this was a room we really had not done to much to.

Out starting point was 2 cans of $5 "Ooops" Paint. These both were colors I just loved and knew would help create a unique color pallet. We painted one wall a very bright Brick Red, and the other 3 walls a very pretty almost mocha or coffee color. I had seen pictures of a sweet friends home and just loved the quilt on a bed in one of her guest rooms and knew where I wanted to go with bedding. But I also had been thinking toile as well. So...the next Sunday afternoon, after church and lunch we were at our local mall and I asked if we could go shopping for bedding ideas. My sweetie was so obliging. You see, he is a shopper!...Yes a real LIVE man that enjoys shopping. But let me qualify this so you know that when I am in MY zone to shop...I do it alone. LOL

Anyway, we found a pillow that had the quilt pattern with our wall colors but nothing else to match. The next day my hub actually offered to go to a mall nearby where he worked to see what they had, during his lunch hour. Well, they had more of a selection...he wasn't sure which one was close to what we both liked. So he didn't get it...but that evening he and I ran back to that mall and found just exactly what we were looking for...and best of all, we go a $200 heirloom quality quilt for $50. I then found on-line matching shams and bedskirt all on sale, making all the bedding cost just $110. I just could not believe that we could get all of this for such a great price!!!

During this process, I had been corresponding on my ebay group PRH and had asked if anyone knew where to get toile fabric for cheap. Thinking I was going to make some panels for curtains. My friend Rhea of Sweet N Shabby Roses (go see her blog!), offered me some curtain panels she had in a toile...for FREE!!!!! And best of all they were a perfect match. I then paired Rhea's toile curtains with some creamy cherub panels that I had in a drawer. I placed my bed in front of the window knowing that I wanted frame out my bed.

My sister came to visit during this time and helped me shop for treasure and then went around my home and picked out some amber glass that I have been collecting to place in the room. And then slowly, I began to *shop* around my home until I reach the desired affect I wanted. Using furniture that we already had in this room and from others..that cost me $0. My latest purchased were 2 rugs for $14...which made my final total for our Guest Room Redo around $150.

I love the challenge of not having a lot of $, but lots of creativity to use to come up with a whole new design...and a wonderfully comfortable place for guest to rest.

The Art of being Tagged

TAG, your it!!! Well, my sweet friend Amy of BunnyRoseCottage just tagged me and this is what it's all about. You must take your middle name and after each letter write out a description of what that says about who you are. Amy's was so short but sweet, just like her! Now, if you don't have a middle name, you could use one you would have like to have had.

Mine is Ellen...which actually is my mother's middle name, Rose Ellen, and we passed in on to my daughter Michaela Ellen...keeping it all in the family and passing it on. I just love that we were able to keep this going in my family.

E - Exhorter- this is one of my *Spiritual* gifts that I guess I use w/o ever knowing it.
L - LOYAL - I think I am a loyal friend, once a friend always a friend!
L - LOVING - This just comes natural for me to love others...I just love people!
E - ELLEGANT - That is what I have been told is my personal style as well as decorating styles too!
N - NOSEY - Okay, I admit it...I just love to snoop, that is, at other's home decor and how they do things...aren't we all a bit inquisitive too?

Thanks Amy...I am gonna pass this on to Ele of PinkPrairieLady and Rhea of Sweet*n*Shabby*Roses...TAG your it!!!...If you haven't been already!

The Art of Swapping

Today was such a neat day. I had been out running my daughter everywhere...to driving instruction, out with my friend *thrifting*, daughter to basketball training session and when I got home from going to the grocery store I had a Box awaiting for me to open.

I could hardly contain myself and tore into it. What I recieved was absolutely gorgeous...my PUMPKIN SWAP arrived. Why am I so excited...well my wonderful group Pretty Romantic Homes, an ebay group came up with a wonderful swap in July to do for our fall decorating. We were told we could do anything, as long as it had to do with pumpkins. Well...we have such a wonderfully talented group of ladies and what they have com up with is just unbelievable. Be sure to check my PRH friends blogs.

My swap Partner was Ele, who lives in North Dakota of pinkprairielady and has the most wondful studio on her property, which is an old church! What a luck gal I was to recieve her OHHHHH Soooo glittery pink collage for fall, and a sweet tag with a white lacy runner. I was so spoiled...and I will also include pictures of what she recieved from me. Would love to hear from y'all about what you think.

Thanks Ele, you have made my fall so much more special this year!
Beautiful Pink and Glittery Collage...







My sweet tag and lacy runner!



Here's What Ele Got: