Get out of the Way Thanksgiving.......

Christmas is in a big hurry!! I am so happy that Georgia from Saltwater Studios invited me back to share my wares with her at the Christmas Company. If you have never been......Go!(click on photo for info.) Every year the Orange County Junior League has this wonderful event at the OC Fairgrounds. There are over 90 Vendors and so much fun shopping to be had......I had to summon some help from the Christmas Fairy to get me in the spirit....as I have yet to plan my Thanksgiving menu

I will have some of my Baby Line there, but I couldn't resist getting a jump on some of the things that I will be selling on my soon-to-be-up (aren't you sick of me saying that?) website.

I made these card cases that I think will be a nice addition to my line.

This is my favorite. Some of them are adorned with vintage jewels....some just have fun, funky jewels. These two below are vintage.

The last two are the new pins. I have one of my own, and I love it. I made it a while ago and get so many compliments on it. I think even if you don't have business cards, just a calling card is always handy. I recently met someone that carried "mom" cards. They had her listed as "Mother of"...... and her name and info. Great idea I thought! What better way to hand out info to new friends. And now with Etsy, the design possibilities are endless. So many talented women designing personal cards. It's a piece of cake.

Even if you don't need a card case, Georgia and Wendy Humphrey will have Beautiful things to see and buy for gifts or....( I won't tell) yourself. Maybe I will see you there. It is Nov 13-15.
(Sorry Georgia, couldn't link your website for some reason.....)

Wordless Outdoor WEdnesday - Sunset at Dog Beach with Dorkies

Past Fashion....................

Not going to any parties.......just staying home passing out candy. But if I were......

It would be so much fun to wear.............

this

this

this or this....

Do you ever feel like you were born in the wrong century? I have always wanted to period dress. Check out Recollections for shopping in the past.....

Gardening like the Pros

Last weekend I attended a gardening seminar and I got to meet .....Pat Welsh!! For those of you that don't know her...she is like the Julia Child of Southern Calif. gardening. She was in such a hurry to leave to a wedding and I grabbed her (literally) to pose with me. And I hate having my photo taken, but with her.....an exception She is a delightful lady from England and has such a way of story tellingI took three classes that day and have way too much information to share, but I will share some of my favorites..... Always incorporate your own style into your garden. Just as you would your home. Your garden isn't that piece of grass in the front or back....it is an extension of your home .

Gardens can serve a purpose as well as be beautiful....here is an example of a kitchen garden. Take advantage of those sideyards and make them beautiful. They are perfect for a cutting garden... I learned a new phrase: "Cut and come again gardens"

This is just a little photo of a space in my home with my favorite accent...chickens

Here is a playhouse that Heather Lenkin Designed.

You can go to her website and see more of her beautiful work. A lot of her ideas are very high budget.....but you can incorporate smaller versions, and her ideas of Harmony, Color and Texture can fit anyone's gardening budget.

An example of a formal garden... and her doggie. One of my favorite things to spend time with in the garden...my animals.

One of my favorites.....a rose I am training.

And my beautiful Nika.

Look how happy we are to be in this beautiful garden here....you can see Ginny's chicken coop behind us (I featured her garden in an earlier post.)
A great example of texture and color. One of the best pieces of advice: "It is better to place a $1 plant in a $10 hole, than a $10 plant ina $1 hole......invest in your soil!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, a formal garden, but you can also make it practical by making it your herb garden.

Here I am in Lake Como, Italy....strolling

Como again. The same family has been doing the gardening for this estate for over 100 years. Three little men climb up these trees and cut them all by hand.

I wanted to leave you with a few great new tips I took away from this seminar:

A garden should be a place of remembrance ( fill your spaces with items from trips, statuary of special times in your life), as well as memories from pets and family. Then years later when you are sipping that glass of iced tea in the yard you can remember that beloved pet, trip to Italy, graduation party.....a wonderful place of reflection. Myself, when someone I know loses a loved one I give them a rose to plant. A memory rose, of if they don't garden like myself, a statue (usually) an angel for their garden.

One of the speakers reminded us that so much of what we like in our gardens are smells, textures of a memory that we are usually unaware of.....I had an aha moment because my only memories of my gardens growing up were taking photos in front of my mother's roses on special occasions...always happy times(Now I know why I am determined to have lots of roses)......it's fun to try to remember your own garden memories and recreate them in your home.

I HEART hats. You can ask anyone who knows me and they will all say they can find me by my hat most of the time. I have been furiously working on my new designs and website. I will carry my baby line, along with things that I adore and can't live without. Half the fun of great finds is sharing them.

I spent a little time in photoshop working on these. They will be available on my website. Aren't they fun?

I know so many people that say they don't think they look good in a hat. I think that is silly......they just haven't found the right one. How much time do you really spend trying on hats? I hope to sell lots and lots of my hats to women that thought they could never wear them before...... a hat can make any outift better or just a simple straw with a wide brim is my favorite. I will be selling this one for 67.00, including stunning vintage pin!! there is a buy it now at the top if you can't wait.....the pins will all be different so if this is the one you want...........

Wordless Autumn Beauty Wednesday

Can't wait!!

Tomorrow is the second Glitterfest!! I am so excited and will be there when the doors open. The first one was so much fun and this one will be even bigger and better. I can't take photos.....so sad...hubby took camera hiking....I don't know about you, but I would rather see Glitter and sparkles over dirt and trees.......................come by if you can.....click on photo for info.

Baby Business

click on photo for larger view

New designs are now officially in the showrooms. This is the birthday girl dress..... the cake has low-lead crystal rhinestones to add to that special day. This is the little shopper, complete with leopard purse and trim.

My website isn't quite ready to go yet.......but I wanted to make these available to all of my bloggers. They are just starting to make it into stores (not many yet, because I do the shipping). They are pre-washed and soft cotton with nylon tutu attached, and are a little wider than most to accomodate getting off and on.

This is an exclusive offer that will only be available this week. When my new website is up (soon I hope) you will be able to purchase them there or at a store near you.

Wordless Wednesday

Roadside view in Colorado..............

Lounging on a Sunny Sunday

Working upstairs I heard a bowl scooting across the cement. Guess who? My Hubby left his gate open and Henry was helping himself to some coffee grounds intended for my roses.

I wonder if he would be faster......

Since I just took a photo of Henry I decided to share some of my little backyard world. We have a small backyard (California Real Estate!) and recently took our grass out and put in gravel. It took some convincing to my hubs that it wouldn't look like an old parking lot. I think it is quite nice. AND saves water. Which is very important since I have two sons who shower numerous times a day! We recently had a cozy dinner party at our home and everyone wanted to hang out here. With candles at night it was very nice...and cool in the Summer.

"Here Henry......have some grapes instead."

The first Hydrangea to survive in my yard. I am so happy it's blue. There is a caterpillar on one of the flowers. Every year they come and evolve on my passion fruit across my deck. The plant looks hideous with caterpillars all over it, and I have to sweep the droppings....but then one day.......beautiful butterflies all over the garden!!!

I don't usually plant orange in my garden....This is one rose with two different colors....couldn't resist.

Every Garden needs a Garden Angel....She watches over my labor of love

The first of my apples to ripen. Even if you have a small yard you can fill it with fruit trees....I love to pick a fresh lemon, basil, or tomato from my garden.

A little peek at my everyday life.

Not that exciting....but worth every minute!