Time to Celebrate!

My friends, I'm breaking out the party hats and prizes in celebration, because it's my 3rd Bloggiversary this week! July 2nd will mark the day that I first stumbled into blogging back in 2006.

I never dreamed how much I would learn on this journey, or how many wonderful, talented, creative, and generous people I would meet - online and in person, both near and far. I am continually blessed by the connections, friendships, and community that have resulted from taking this brave step. (Deb was a complete and utter html probie, remember, and Miss Amy was my 'Patron Saint of the Technologically Disenfranchised'. She patiently and generously guided and coached me through those early days, before Blogger made it easy to personalize our blogs without knowing html...bless her heart.) I have Amy to thank for introducing me to all of you!

This blog has become a place where I can share the more personal side of my life, with insight into my design and decor businesses every once in awhile. I've enjoyed sharing photos of my corner of the world, home, decor, parties, family, and all of our celebrations with you. I think of you as the modern equivalent to pen pals - friends located near and far, whom I write to keep in touch with. (Remember pen pals? Oh, in sixth grade I had dozens, all across the country.) The difference is I write here once, and reach so many friends!To me, one of the best things about celebrating is sharing it with others. (Along with the decorating, of course!) I want to thank you for your friendship by offering something to you that is unique, and that you can only get from me. In honor of my three years of blogging, I am going to give away THREE of my original crown/tiara designs... yes, my dears, you can win one of three of the special darlings that met a very enthusiastic reception at Farm Chicks.

The photos in this post show three of my new 'signature' creations:
* The 'Junk Queen' crown. The largest of the three, she features a vintage crystal drop in the center loop of wire, and the wire form will bend just a bit to fit most adult heads. One lucky reader will win her!

*The 'Princess' is actually a medium sized tiara, open on the back with ribbons to tie it closed, and a small vintage crystal featured in front. This will fit a child, smaller heads, or an adult as a headband and around a bun or updo. Another lucky reader will win her!

*The 'Mini Princess' (or 'Mini P' as I call her!) is a very small crown with a tiny vintage crystal sparkling in the front center loop. She is an accent piece and makes a darling final touch perched on a stack of books, on a lampshade, or displayed on headless mannequins - as she fits perfectly over the neck. Yet another reader will win her!

Enter to win by posting a comment on this post and indicating which of the three crowns you would most prefer. (Junk Queen, Princess, or Mini Princess). A comment is required to win, and gives you an entry in the drawing for that crown. I am going to place each entry into a separate drawing based on the crown you most desire, so make sure you choose one!

And if you'd like a second entry, simply become a Follower of this blog - I'll check that list before I hold the drawing. You do need to post a comment, tho - just becoming a Follower won't enter you on it's own. (Remember, I need to know which crown you covet!) If you are already a Follower and you enter with a comment, you automatically have two entries.

If you'd like a third entry, post about my giveaway on your blog and provide a linkback to this post. In your comment here, leave me a link to that post. Again, you must still leave a comment to be entered.

(To make it easy, become a Follower, then post about the giveaway on your blog, then post a comment with references to the other two and your choice of crown here! Just remember to post a comment, as it is required.)

You can enter comments for one week - until 11:59 PM PDT on Monday, July 6th, 2009. I'll draw three names - one for each of the three crowns - on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009. And I'll announce the winners here on my blog, so check back to see if it's YOU!

Now, my dears, if you are not chosen as a winner, don't fret... I will have more of my 'Junk Queen', and also 'Duchess' and 'Empress' crowns (the ones with vintage French trims), at the upcoming BarnHouse Flea Market on July 18th. I'll also be introducing a brand new style of crown at that show, and I just know you'll love it. If you attend, please come by and say hello. I just love meeting you all in person... I'll be in our Retreat space inside the barn, wearing my very own 'Junk Diva' crown!

Mr. Troy Comes for a Visit!

(Warning: Rambling Grandma Post Ahead!)
This little ray of sunshine descended upon our world yesterday afternoon, and stayed for his very first overnighter. We had so much fun and did SO many things....
First, we had to give him the Jooooze. He loves Jooooze. He also loves riding in PahwPahw's truck. So, we took him down to our favorite beach...
On the way to the beach, we walked past the Wooden Boat Center. Mr. Man went berserk, to put it mildly. He also loves Boots. (Boats). He grabbed PahwPahw's hand and dragged him inside to look at every last boat. Then he discovered the ones hanging overhead! He was not so sure about this.... we said 'Are those boats?' and he slowly said 'Noooooooooo......'
He even found a Troy-sized boot!
Finally, we make it to the beach - and he can see the boats IN the water. I ask 'Are THOSE boats?' and he smiles and says 'YUP! Boots!'He spies a speedboat in the water as we are walking.... and rocks. You know what happens when you get boys, rocks, and water together, right?Yup! Rock throwing. For HOURS. Check out the wrist action:
Such concentration!
The wind kicked up and clouds moved in, so we attempted to leave the beach. Notsomuch. Another ten minutes of rock throwing ensued, until we managed to distract him with a big old log...He made it all the way to the end and was very proud of himself. 'Mahrmee, I did it!' he shouted. We walked back to the truck, and went to the grocery store. (I have photos of that too - me pushing the cart backward so he is in the front and can pretend to 'drive' - but I thought I'd spare you....) On our way home from the grocery store, we passed the small airfield on the Island. He pointed and shouted 'Planes!' Mr. Man loves planes, so PahwPahw pulled in to give him a closer look...
He took PahwPahw's hand and dragged him all over the place, looking at each plane. These are old clunkers tethered permanently, but HE doesn't care!
He growled at the propeller!!! The old gent working in the shop at the airfield watched Troy explore, and shook his head smiling. 'Not too many kids into this stuff anymore......' he said.

Once home, we built a fort under the dining room table. We played with cars and the big exercise ball, he turned on his very own radio and we danced to very bad seventies music, and we beat PahwPahw up with the exercise ball, too!
Then he decided to copy PahwPahw and bbq up some grub...
Just about the time Mahrmee & PahwPahw thought this guy might never wear out, we saw a bonafide yawn! The tub was filled and the lavender baby wash (nighttime secret weapon, according to mommy) poured in, and we walked him in to take a bath in the master bathroom. You should have seen the smile on his face when he got a load of the swimming-pool size tub! 'WATER!' he laughed and pointed. Then he looked at me very seriously and asked 'MY water?' O my heart. Yes, honey, it's for you!
He did some actual swimming in there, as well as exploring the jets. (We left those off, so he wouldn't be terrified of baths for the rest of his life). Then he decided that Mahrmee needed a shower.
Oh yeah, he thought it was hilarious to splash water all over me, the bathroom, the dry towels.... but his giggles were worth it. I was thinking 'This is supposed to be calming him down.....I don't think it's working....' It did, though, and he suddenly decided he was done. We dried off, put on his favorite jammies, and crawled into the 'big bed!' to watch 'The Bee Movie'. Somewhere around the point where the bees are flying the plane, he dozed off. I watched the rest of the movie. PahwPahw? Heck, he was out by the end of the title....

I forgot what it's like to have a small warm little person snuggled up to you all night! I also forgot what it's like to have them kick the living hell out of you all night long, but we grandparents make sacrifices. He slept all the way through, and this morning I woke to find him and Pahw Pahw staring at me. They giggled when I opened my eyes, and I got a very nice squishy hug to start my day. sigh.
Breakfast was waffles and bananas and milk. He was a very hungry boy! Then we crawled back into bed to watch Handy Manny. (Hey, what are Sunday mornings for if not being lazy?!) About an hour later, there was a knock on the front door - and daddy walked in. 'DADDY!' screamed a smiling Mr. Man, jumping up and off the bed to run smack into his daddy's arms. A quick gathering of clothes and toys and snacks, a swap of the carseat from Pahw Pahw's truck to Daddy's car, and Troy was hugging us goodbye.... then gone.

It was an exhausting but totally enjoyable time. He was SO good, much to Mommie's dismay! No crying or fussing, no asking for Mommy & Daddy, no pouting... just a very well-behaved little boy. The perfect houseguest, really.... he can come back anytime. And his visit really was perfectly timed. After a very bad day yesterday and a cancellation of my weekend trip, I needed some sunshine. God bless a little boy for bringing it right to my heart.

Island Solitude

Woke up to another gorgeous sunny summer morning here on the island..... oh, how I love this place!
Breakfast in the warm early morning sunshine
It's rather like waking up every day in a hotel suite...And the view from the bed is so relaxing!
I agree with Dorothy: 'There's No Place Like HOME'......

I've had such a great week, finally being able to putter and fluff my own nest to prepare it for summer. And guests arrive this weekend: tonight, my grandson comes over for his first overnighter! Tomorrow morning, two friends arrive and we are headed out on a ferry to spend a Girlfriend's Weekend (mmmm, sort of weekend - Sunday/Monday!) at Friday Harbor. Then on Wednesday, a friend is coming for dinner. I love sharing the peace and calmness of this place....

Angel

I have always liked this particular photo of Farrah Fawcett. It's not the famous screaming siren red swimsuit poster or the tiny white tennis skirt photo or even a' Charlie's Angels' promo shot. It just always seemed to me to be closer to the 'real' Farrah. A shy, feminine but sporty girl who happened to work in show business. An artist at heart.

She inspired so many women with the FABulous hairstyle that we all emulated, dazzled us with her gorgeous smile, and captivated men with her tanned body. The characters she portrayed as an actress ranged from ditzy blondes to tough blondes to determined women - just as she matured, so did her choice of roles. Her projects gave voice to her concerns and values, and her choice to walk away from the spotlight spoke louder than any of them.

But really, the spirit that shines through in this photo is something that was with her her whole life, apparently. Mary Farrah Lina Fawcett was a special person, one who will be missed by people who never even really knew her. Her own story has touched our hearts more than any role she ever played. I wish her family peace.

When I was getting my hair cut a few weeks ago, the stylist and I talked about fashion trends and fads. (Mostly because I am STILL a fan of Jennifer Aniston's 'Rachel' cut) We circled 'round to what trends may be on the rise, and I predicted that the 'Farrah Feathers' style - the one that was THE cut to have when I was in high school, and that made stylist Jose Eber famous - will become popular again, just as our bell bottoms, smocked tube tops, and scarves have in recent years.

I really hope it does, as a kind of tribute to this beautiful lady.

Oh, It's ON, Baby!!!

Oh Mah Gawd. We just received a communique from headquarters for an upcoming show that the stakes, they have been RAISED. Show booth designs extraordinaire, yes, we knew that. We are working on jaw-dropping effects and inspiring settings and a plethora of products so that we contribute sufficiently to the joie de vivre of the event and do not dissapoint. We are so thrilled to be participating!
And a post-show party for the vendors, well, heck yeah, we knew that, too. Total bonus, of course, but after the Farm Chicks falderal we just knew that this show would include a party of epic proportions. We are even apportioning our alcohol intake in incremental measures, so as to raise our tolerance levels to allow us to keep up with the young'uns this time around. ;0) All we have to do is manage to stay awake......
But Wait! There's MORE! Not only is something really COOOOOL happening during the show (and it's top secret so I can't.spill.one.single.word. or they will kill me) but now there is a PRE show vendor bbq and smores fest. They have outdone themselves.It is toooo much. I am spinning. But wait.....
There is STILL MORE! Contests. There will be contests of great skill and ability. Baking. Cooking. And.... get this.... a TENT DECORATING CONTEST. Because there will be vendors who take the hosts up on their most generous invite to camp out on the property (vendors only). And to make it fun (like everything else involved in this show) they are encouraging prettifying our temporary domiciles in a spirit of comraderie and friendly competition. You know what that means, right?

Bring on the GLAMPING!!!!!!! Oh what FUN! It's like DesignStar for Junkophiles!!!! And I am SO there. Consider it buh-roughten, baby! (For the uninitiated, that's a movie reference to 'Bring It On'. Dumb, but appropriate).

Visions are already spinning in my head....the photos in this post are inspiring, but I have sooooooo much more in mind. So while Bob contemplates which of his six barbecues he will be taking, I'll be loading chandeliers and down comforters and white linens and..... well, you get the picture. It will be a Divafied glampsite. I wonder..... can one get away with glittering a Coleman lantern???

'Luv U'

A few weeks ago, when we took a mid-afternoon break and headed down to the beach, we saw the creative use of seashells shown above... which was actually a part of this larger artistic expression:
This made us smile. Not just to think of two other people like us coming to this quiet stretch of beach to relax together, but it reminded us of a day we shared long, long ago. And no, it wasn't even on a beach....

Way back in 1979 when we started dating, Bob took me to a baseball game. He's a smart one, I tell ya...he knew I loved the game, so that was one of our early dates. A few innings in, we are sitting there watching the Angels (um, yes, the Angels. So not my favorite team, but He got the tix from a friend, OK? And Angel's Stadium was just a few miles from our homes, whereas Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine was several hours away. I'm just sayin'.....) ANYway, we are munching on snacks and sipping Cokes while the Angels lose, and I felt him touching my leg. When I looked over at him, I saw that he was using Lays potato chips to spell out 'Luv U' on my thigh.

sigh. Sixteen year old guys just do not DO that, ok? I was reeling and spinning in my own little romantic world with theme music playing in my head, I tell ya. It really was sweet.

And then his ex girlfriend walked up and saw it. The ex girlfriend who had been his girlfriend until just a week earlier when he broke it off after meeting me. yipes. Awkward! She was not nice, didn't think too much of either of us, and we ended up leaving the game right about then to avoid a scene. I think we laughed all the way home.(( In defense, I'll say that I was also dating someone when Bob & I met. I was miserable, but thought I would be more miserable without a guy. (DUH). So I just kept seeing him. Even tho he was seeing a few other girls that I wasn't supposed to know about. Until I met Bob and we went on our first date - then it was like, um, later, dude. He literally got a dear John goodbye!))

However, the memory of the 'Luv U' on my leg has outlasted the temporary embarassment and awkwardness of that moment. We'll be in the truck driving somewhere, or sitting at a movie, or even on our bed surfing the internet, and he'll reach over and use his finger to write 'Luv U' on my leg. And we smile, remembering.

sigh. Men who have been married 29 years just don't DO that, you know?!!! But he does!
So many memories, so much love. And that seashell heart we saw inspired me to gather shells and make one of my own, with our initials in it. I haven't put it together yet, but I will soon. I'm currently in full redecorating mode around here, turning the place into our very own beach cottage for the summer! My favorite accessory? My hubby, of course.....

Special Delivery

So there were the obligatory phone calls this morning from the kids.... 'Happy Father's Day, Dad!'... and Anni asked if it was ok if she came out after getting off work (she works nights at the vet hospital), so Daddy said sure. Jeni said that Anni was bringing out something that she had sent with Joel from Texas. About two hours later, Bob goes to answer a knock on the door....... and I hear him say - um, shout - "DUDE!"

Our son Joel was standing at the door. Lil' sis had delivered her big bro right to our doorstep as a Father's Day Surprise! And yes, it worked... Bob was flummoxed. And very happy to see Joel. We were told he had a 7 AM flight back to San Antonio. Actually, he did... He missed it. (Long story) His new itinerary has him heading home tomorrow morning. Joel was here for this visit with his dad because of some mishaps and also because of extreme action taken by his big sister Beth. Thank you, sweetie!

We sat in the sun and visited for awhile, then Anni went home to get some sleep. A bit later, Beth came out with Troy (and I, shamefully, do not have any photos of beautiful Beth. Somebody smack me. I was distracted by Troy!) and we watched as he played in the water and with the tent and the ball pit.

Then we went down to the beach to see the 'Boaps' (boats), while PahwPahw & Uncle Joel had a nice long talk while staring out at the bay.

Troy decided he needed a higher vantage point to see the Boaps. PahwPahw was lovin' this, let me tell ya. He regailed Troy with stories of how much fun they will have on Grandpa's boat. That he doesn't have yet. ;0)

Then it was back to the farm for a bbq. There is no Kennedy family gathering without a bbq, and Mr. 'King of the Grill' always mans his station - even on Father's Day. He says it's not work and he loves doing it, but I just want him to kick back with a cold one (Coke) and let someone else flip the burgers. It's HIS day, however, and so he does what he wants!

Spending it with his son and grandson was almost perfect, I think..... if Bob's dad and grandfather and Joel's 6-month old son Jameson could have been here, it would have been everything he wanted. I'm on it for next year. Happy Dad's Day, my love. None of this would exist without you!

Ahead of the Curve.....

This is a photo of our latest coup de grace, the Piano Bar made from an old baby grand piano. Bob's inspiration & muscle and my patience with sheet music and rolls of player piano music combined in a really remarkable piece. She was the hit of the Farm Chicks show, judging from the over 50 blog posts that she appeared in!

I've been using player piano music rolls for a year now, in collaged & decopauged products and also in displays (hanging them as window valances and wallpaper, etc.).

This morning I discovered that a bonafide design star lifestyle expert is touting this material as 'the next big thing'.... check out Danny Seo's post:http://www.dailydanny.com/?p=1573

Whaddya' know? Deb's been ahead of the trend all along! ;0)

Yes, I did send Danny a link to our piano bar photos! She didn't sell, by the way. So to protect her finish until we begin renting her out as a party & display prop, she's taken up residence in my living room. With a DVD playing piano concertos tucked into her 'wine rack' area. Getting to enjoy a product that I worked so hard on? Music to my ears........

He & I

There would be no Deb without Bob, no DivaDeb without Mr. Deb, no Grammy without El Guappo (don't ask), no Retreat, and certainly no fun at all. I am who I am because of the man who loves me, walks through life beside me, and very often finds himself in the position of tolerating me. Poor guy! He never knows what harebrained idea I'm going to come up with next, what interesting gyrations I'll go thru to accomplish it, or what part he will have to play in it's completion.... but he's always there, ready to jump in with me.

And I do what I do because he is my partner - in love, in life, in business. I often hear 'It's so great that your husband helps you with all this' (meaning my seminars or display sets or show setups) and I have to jump in and explain that he and I are partners in this - all of it - and if not for him, it wouldn't happen. Yeah, I could sell the little stuff I create at shows. And he could make furniture and haul it in a trailer. But it's the two of us together that make everything we enjoy doing possible. In every measure of the phrase, we are 'Helpmates'. Neither of us can imagine a moment, a day, a future without the other.... it's all wrapped up in US.

From the discovery & design process to creating products to hauling & setting up & selling at shows (and an occasional party!), from long journeys in the truck or the short hops to McDonalds for a sweet tea three times a day, from dreaming big and working on small details to sitting in silence watching eagles soar overhead, from waking up each morning next to each other (this is a treat for us after years and years of him being gone by 4:30 AM) to falling into bed exhausted but giggling happy at the end of a day..... all of it is the 'best' part. It's never been better and yet we know that there is still so much MORE to come for us! We have spent nearly 30 years together, and this man is my best friend, partner, and love of my life. It's always, always, always been him. I am the LUCKIEST, most blessed girl on earth to have love like this, I truly am.

I love you, Mr. K. Thank you......

Thank You, My Friends

I remember a time in my life when I needed a lot of cheering up, and a lot of emotional support from family & friends. We all have those days....weeks....months...years.... don't we? We just need help breaking out of a cage of our own mind sometimes. Or, as in my case, a lot of the time. I remember every single instance that someone would say the right words at the right moment, or do something thoughtful for me, and it would just bring me to tears. I was so grateful for the slightest bit of reaching out that someone would do on my behalf. It meant more to me that words could ever express, and to this day I am certain that some people do not adequately know how deeply they have touched my life.

So to Don Gunderson, Connie Hart, Bob Sanders, Sherrie Roy Goodsell, Lori Fuller Pittman, Steve & Nancy Hart, Wilma & Ray Carte, Harold & Inga, Joni & JB Rogers, Kim & Sverre Vandehei, Kim Faires, Jennifer & Lee Barnhart, Tracy Mintz, Holly Matson, Kelly Corlett, Cheryl Admire, Wayland Dickens, Lisa Johnson, Karen Liebel, Joan Fennel, Linda Tweedie Yates, Sue Kirby (times three), Stacey Heiss, Julie Sande, Marybeth Sande, Ruth Harsham, Heather Bullard, Bari Akkerman, Tammy Gilley, Amy Smith, Kim McIlrath, Mari Bloomberg, Teri & Serena, Randy Smith, .... good heavens, I could go on for weeks.... THANK YOU for an encouraging word, a smile, a compliment, a thank you, a phone call or email out of the blue, or an act of kindness that you shared with me.

I am beyond blessed to have had friends like you in my life. Some are old friends, some are new friends, some are no longer friends, and some are no longer with us, but the positive impact they have made on me is a lasting one. And believe me, every single blog reader who leaves an appreciative comment really has no idea that they have just made my day so much more meaningful. (There's a joke that 'Bloggers do it for the comments'.... not exactly true, but one kind sentence can really make an impact.)

In the past weeks, we have repeatedly been in the position to offer those kind words, acts of selflessness, helping hands, compliments, and encouragement to others in many ways. It feels SO GOOD to be on this side! I am just incredibly blessed that I am able to give back what I have so gratefully accepted over the years...it lifts my spirit to be able to do this for my friends, even for people I just met. From very small things to some big things, we offer them with hearts full of love and thanks.

Just today, we saw friends from years back and had such a nice visit. I am in hopes that as we shared our own vision with them, it inspired and uplifted them in their own journey as business owners. They have been such an inspiration to us for years, and to be able to encourage them would be such a blessing. I don't know if we did.... maybe, maybe not. We did what we could, and will just leave the outcome of it to God. That's His department, anyway! All we can do is make the most of every moment, be open to be a channel for kindness and love, and then let go of the results.

It's a long road sometimes, this journey of life we are all on. Traveling together arm in arm makes it a whole lot better...

American Beauties

We returned home from Farm Chicks to find these lovelies blooming up a storm next to one of the barns... early due to the very warm weather that we've been experiencing, no doubt. (And let's not discuss the abhorrent condition of the beds they live in, shall we? I'm on it this week, figuring that it's better late than never to weed & feed. The blooms will continue through September.) What a joy to see them bobbing in the breeze when I am working out in my barn. The wonder of watching each season bring new beauties to life in our new home is something I am enjoying immensely!

Meanwhile, I am not cutting these roses.... I am leaving them on the plants so that they can dry perfectly. Just before they are brittle, I'll cut them carefully and package them up for our display at the BarnHouse show in July. They will be the perfect finishing touch to our American Beauty theme!

Lil' Dude!

It's been awhile since I kicked into grandma mode and made you look at photos of my darling grandsons, hasn't it?! My sweet daughter #4 just posted some shots on Facebook, and I swiped 'em to share here: Mr. Jameson, grandson numbah two, sportin' his daddy's baseball cap and looking mighty happy with himself!

Bubba, freewheelin' around in his walker with a pixie-ish face. Isn't that adorable?! He's also mastered the Commando Crawl - I got to see video of that on momma's Facebook page. oh how I miss this little squirt!

Amazingly enough, exactly two years ago I shared photos of numbah one grandson Troy in this post... wearing his daddy's baseball cap. I can just imagine future summers on grammy & grampy's farm, with these two cousins playin' catch out in the field. ahhhhhhhhhhh....