for me?

I can't believe I got this award! I am so honored! I mean really.. .Me? Have you met me? For some reason Melissa over at Little Things In Life gave me this award and I'm naturally thrilled and grateful to be thought of. I just wouldn't think I'm high on anyone's list of recognition for the Dardos Award but Melissa being the sweet and generous soul that she is thought so. Thank you Melissa! I am so unworthy but I thank you all the same and will try to live up to your award!

“The Dardos Award is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web.”

I know there's been some talk about whether to participate in passing awards along. It takes time to select people to award and really when you think about it all of us who read each other's blogs daily know that we're all at the top of the list for any award that comes along because we all deserve it, why else would we read a blog if it wasn't worthy of this and many other awards, right? So how can I choose? I can't. I just don't want to slight anyone and I know I'll miss someone in the process. So if you've not received this award and would like it please take it and post that you received it from me with my heartfelt best wishes.

Blushing

My first awards for 2009 and I still can't believe I got one, let alone two! How cool is that? Especially since we all know I'm blog post and photography challenged! Have ya'll met Tardevil? She's lives in a house divided which she shares the special funny antics of a life lived with opposing college loyalties on her blog "Confessions of a 40 something mama queen"
You definitely should go by and give her a visit, she's a real hoot!

These friendship awards are for bloggers who are not into self-aggrandizement. I confess I wasn't 100% certain of the definition but I had a pretty fair passing idea of what that meant. This award is for bloggers who are more interested in establishing friendships than self promotion. I love sharing ideas and seeing bits of everyone lives, what's meaningful and special to them, sharing our trials and failures, being able to laugh and jump back in with another project. It's just a great big gab fest with your best girlfriends and that's what I love about the bloggers I call friends. They are women who are more interested in sharing and caring than selling, they sometimes deep down wonder why so many people leave comments on their blogs cause they just don't understand truly how sweet and wonderful they are. And they are always ready with with a warm wish of encouragement or a gentle scolding when needed *smiles*
So thank you Tardevil for this very special award and I'm geniunely sorry it took me so long to post and pass it along! And Miz Sweetie of Sweetie's World who gave me the second award which is for the same thing as the first, bloggers who are interested in friendships more than self aggrandizement.
Obviously there's a few people who come to mind when one thinks of friendship in a non self-aggrandizement way and those ladies whom I lovingly pass this award on to are:

The imperfectly wonderful and incomparable Darlene of Darlene's Days whom everyone knows and calls friend!

Miss Linda of Linda n Jake who shares her adventures with her sweet fur baby Jake

Miss Brandee of Very Berry Nice whom you just have to love inspite of her beautifully self decorated home because she is truly just so "very berry nice"

Miz Melissa of Little Things In Life who shares the cutest projects and is a smocker extraordinaire

and of course Miz Daphine of Just Stuff who shares her sweet wonderful adventures as she overcomes her pet related fears and raises her beautiful family

And Miz Rhonda of Scooterblu's Whimsy another beautifully self decorated home but you just love Miz Rhonda cause she's so darn sweet

The above mentioned Tardevil of Confessions of a 40 something Mama Queen

Finally Miz Sweetie of Sweetie's World who is a new friend but truly knows what it means to live, laugh and love every moment of life

I know I missed atleast 10 of friends who deserve these awards as well so please grab it and post it on your blog with love and friendship wishes from me! Please be sure to visit these ladies too and leave a comment cause we all know we live by the comment count on our blogs *smiles* I know I do!

On a personal note about my dental saga, I'm currently saving $$$ to have it removed by an oral surgeon so please pray for a speedy enlargement to my dental work fund *smiles* For now the antibiotics are working and the pain is lessening which is a blessing. And thanks Miz Darlene for the gentle scolding, now I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we should be next door neighbors!

A Perfect Blend of Friendship Award

Do you know Darlene of Darlene's Days? I bet you do, she has such a cute blog where she shares her daily decorating adventures whether it's a thrifted find she's made over into something totally fab or pictures of her dear daughter Lexi's adorable bedroom each entry is truly worth reading and copying. Now she's a sweetie, so sweet in fact that she was given the Perfect Blend of Friendship Award and passed it along to me! Imagine my surprise and delight. Be sure to visit her blog, she's a daily must read for me and I'm sure she'll fast become one of your favorite blogs too.

This award asks you to answer four questions.

Do you have the same friends since childhood? I moved several times growing up and lost contact with many friends but I've been blessed in recent years to be reunited with a few. Even though we live in different states we manage to keep in touch thru emails and it's wonderful.

What do you value most about your friends? Understanding. I think it's too easy to find fault with people and take offense. I value friends who try to understand where someone else may be coming from before judging, like the old saying about walking a mile in another's shoes.

Are your friends sounding boards? Absolutely! I tend to obsess over things and by talking things over with them it helps me to have clarity. I value their opinions and experiences.

What is your favorite activity to share with friends? Shopping is pretty close to the top of my list but I think time spent just hanging out and creating is pretty wonderful.


Now I am supposed to pass this along to three of my blogging friends they are:


Susie at Bienvenue


Rhonda at Scooterblu's Whimsy


Debs at Langfordlass



Be sure to stop by their blogs, you'll quickly see why I think they are wonderful blogging friends! And don't forget to visit Darlene of Darlene's Days who honored me with this special friendship award.

It's such an honor

My first blog award, given to me by Darlene of Darlene's Days Darlene has a super cute blog highlighting her yard sale finds, her creative use of spray paints, and her lovely home that she has been updating with great finds and clever furniture arrangement. Give her a visit and be sure to leave a comment as let's face it, it's all about the comments people! I live for comments, don't you?

For this award I'm supposed to list six things that make me happy...

1. My family and friends (including bloggy land friends)
2. My pets
3. Creating
4. Daydreaming about creating
5. Shopping for creating
6. Working at the Lobby where I can do #3, #4, and #5
7. Honorable mention: Starbucks! I don't one very often, watching my calories *smiles* but it's a real treat when I do allow myself to enjoy one!

OK now I'm supposed to pass this award along to five more people and they are supposed to post it on their blog including who it came from and 6 things that make them happy.

1. Miz Susie of Bienvenue Susie is a very inspiring, uplifting, creative lady. Her tassels are to die for and she has such a lovely home. Not only is she loaded with creativity but she's a real sweetheart. Be sure to scroll back thru and check out her home tour!



2. Bella of a day in the life of bella Bella is another one of those inspiring, positive thinking ladies, who loves a good yard sale! She has been updating her home with lots of creative touches and occassional recipe. Be sure to give her a visit!



3. Shannon of Bless Our Nest this little girl is wise beyond her years in decorating style. Her post on bedding makes you want to dive right into one of her comfy, lovely looking guest rooms to snuggle up and never leave! Lots of inspiration can be found there, be sure to visit her please.



4. Blanca of For the love of my home is another one of those creative girls who can whip up a fabulous project after midnight when the kiddo's are sleeping! So many ideas from her blog and so little time to try them out *sigh* You must visit her!



5. Nikki of Project: Domestic Bliss another young creative hip chick who has so much going on in a creative sense. Great ideas, lots of style, sweet lady. Be prepared to spend some time scrolling thru her projects *sigh* so much creativity, I'm jealous!

Many thanks to Darlene for my first ever blog award, I'm so excited! And there were probably like 50 more blogs I could easily award this to, so many talented bloggers out there!

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A little weekend update...

I've been hating my bedroom, no secret there. Been making do with my old bedding back from our corporate housing days when my bedroom was taupe. The despised bedding is rusty red and gold, lovely but it so doesn't go with Lowe's Leaf Green walls, this is the same green on the bottom half of my bathroom walls. Now I came up with some great alternatives, like black and white damask bedding which I think would be gorgeous in my bedroom and I'm sure to be very happy with it but it's pricey and I refuse to spend any $$$. So my next alterative was to shop my attic! I'll have to blog my attic one day, Oh My Word, that's a scary thought *smiles* Then one of my awarded bloggers, Shannon, of Bless Our Nest totally inspired me with her guest rooms. She blended her bedding for a mix matched look that totally rocks and looks so divinely snuggable. How can I get that look without spending? After some thought and a look around my calico wall at the Lobby, this is what I came up with. I present my $4 Master Bedroom makeover...

This quilt was given to us by my step MIL about 22 years ago. I'm sure she had it atleast 5 or 10 years before that, so it would be about 30 years old. It's a geniune Amish quilt. Step MIL gave it to us because of an ugly ink stain along the pie shaped scalloped border... *sigh* Well let me tell you, a good dousing with Grandma's Secret Spot Remover and soaking in the washing machine lifted the old, old ink spot out completely! I dried this lovely quilt draped over my porch railing on top of sheet. Our front porch either looked totally like redneck white trash or an antique shop, depending on how generous you viewed the sight (my big honkin furniture rehab is living on the porch right now). But the ink spot is gone, the quilt is no longer yellowed, and smells divine from being hung out of doors to dry.

Yes I know that white cord from the bedside lamp just jumps right out at you! I hate it. My table square is just a piece of fabric from my stash that I added some pom pom fringe all around to. The D. Morgan tapestry was a Charleston YS find that cost me $2, I spray painted the dowel rod black. The candle and candle holder were $1 each from the Lobby clearance aisle. The black wicker bowl on the bedside table was $2 (shopping on the clock, priceless). The crocheted pillow shams I've had for years. The vase on the pedestal is from Okinawa Japan and was given to me on my first Valentine's Day with my husband who wasn't my husband quite yet back then, we were married a month later, but I've kept it all these years and proudly display it.

I need to hang some black fabric behind this mantel too. It's an oldy though, I ripped it out of an old house years ago with a crow bar all by myself. The mirror was stamped with the year 1920. I spent one winter stripping and refinishing it, a labour of love. My finish of choice is tung oil. The antique dome topped trunk in front of the mantel is from the 1880's and had the original tray inside. I left the refinishing of this to a retired Air Force Colonel who had a refinishing shop outside Goldsboro NC. For two months I drove from La Juene every pay day to make a payment on the cost of the refinishing. Well worth it. On top is my baby blanket which is pretty remarkable considering our home burned when I was 11 and we lost pretty much everything. It had been used on my older brother and sister. Sadly I didn't have it when my son was born but someday my future grandbabies will be wrapped in it *smiles* Ooops you see that hanger?

And coffee mug? *smiles*

Shannon suggested I incorporate some brown into my bedding in order to help transition my lighter color quilt and bedding to the winter months. Still looking for some brown fabric to make Euro Shams out of but atleast I know my sheet is brown, does that count?

This is where I spent the money this weekend on my bedroom makeover, I bought 2.5 yards of homespun calico, $2.99/yard, discounted 30% to $2.09/yard then minus my 15% employee discount, $4 and change... Not bad. I have always loved this one. The lace I sewed to the bottom of the skirt was given to me from a work friend.

For the decking portion of the bedskirt I used an old twin sheet that I cut down to fit.

And that's it, my bedroom makeover. I still have some things to add, like the Euro pillows, some more throw pillows, but all in all it's pretty much done for now. My husband is happy we're back to using the quilt as he appreciates handcraftedness and has always loved this quilt. He said he thought my bedskirt looked really pretty with the quilt and how pretty he thought our room looked. Next will be an updated window treatment as well as something new for the canopy area. Still daydreaming on my options there... Maybe another trip to the attic will produce the eyelet panels I know that are somewhere up there *smiles* Thanks for looking! And thanks to Shannon for the inspiration!