What do Blogfriends mean to YOU? A thought......Pls read on!

Hi! Hope you are having a good weekend! I will draw a winner for my hoarders event at 10:00am Sunday,tomorrow, so check out yesterday's posts and leave a comment if you still want to enter..But more than THAT, I want you to consider having an Emergency Blog Contact..

Please Read on and Consider..........

My Blog friend Elizabeth Golden has been MIA for quite a while.....Her last post was that she broke her hip. . .

I put a link on my sidebar about visiting and leaving a comment.........And IF you go to that link, there were at last count about 125 comments.......And still NO word on Elizabeth!  I'm concerned, worried and frustrated as I know many bloggers that know her or have visited her wonderful site are.

Which got me to thinking. What do Blogfriends mean to YOU? How would you feel if they dropped off the blogger map and you had NO idea what had happened or what was going on?

Now, when my Dear blogger friend Maggie got seriously hurt, she was able to convey to her kids that they needed to post on her blog, "what was up!"  She was fortunate that her daughter jumped in and posted on Maggies Blogs, to all of us what was going on.....Because, HEY, we care and we HURT when our Blog friends hurt.  Right? And when they plain just drop out of site like Elizabeth? It is REALLY frustrating!!!!

Some of our blogfriends,,,,(and I'm going to reference my friend Lulu as a case in point), have a Spouse that would let us know if Lulu, (God forbid)  broke her Funny bone while reaching for the cuppycake she stashed on the TOP shelf. I think Rick is pretty savvy about the importance of  her blogging community and WOULD understand it was important to advise her blog friends why she wasn't currently posting. But not ALL of us have such an understanding partner/friend of our blogging life,,especially if THEY are not a blogger!

So, case in point.......and this isn't about me, but I've thought of it before, even prior to NOT knowing what was going on with my Blog friend Elizabeth.......I climb down a narrow staircase heading down to the basement of this old house,,to my studio, more often than not, with supplies in my hands thinking, "If I take a digger down the stairs,,whose going to know? " Sure, my son checks in Sometimes......and yet......

If I break my femur/neck/Casaba, who is going to know that it's important to tell  blog friends what happened?"

Now,,,,,for those of you that have followed my blog/posts for some time,,,,,I'd hope you KNOW I'm a Glass Half Full,,,,,,shoot Brimming over the TOP ,kind of Gal........BUT! I also live in Earthquake Country,,,,and some of us locals, have a FEW emergency plans in effect.

So, my thought was this, simple and yet to the point. You post ONE Blog friend (in the Very bottom corner of yourBlogs "Never Never land" ) as an Email Contact. Pick ONE blog friend and let them know that they are your emergency contact. Get their phone number and/or email and switch infor with  your partner/neighbor/local friend-whomever, as your emergency contact! It's your EBC.....Emergency Blog Contact.

I love the blog friends I've gotten to know,,,,,and if something happened to them,,,,and I didn't know what was going on,,,,like NOW, it would drive me Crazy! So,,,,call me Crazy, you wouldn't be the First. As stated, I'm concerned about my Friend Elizabeth,,,,as I'm sure others are, because we don't KNOW what is going on! If THIS kind of system was in place,,,we could learn from a blogger/family member what was going on! Does THIS make sense, or is it just me?

If you are like me, you want to do more than just sit idly by and wait..not knowing. You want to be PRO-Active! But HOW, when you have NO means of contacting anyone directly involved? Frustrating,

 ya think?

Okay, so/ My BBFF Lulu of Coastal sisters , read THIS just as I was finishing and is going to create an "EBC" Button for ALL of us to post on our sidebars~ Ackk! This is Great! So YOU can list an emergency contact! Thanks Sweetie!  I will post YOUR link and Button on MONDAY!

I think it's important and so awesome that YOU stepped up to the plate! 

 Lulu will have this posted on her Blog on Monday and I will post a Link!

Yep, blogger friends ARE Real friends. We get to know them, love them and worry about them~ I think we should ALL do this,,,,,even IF you have a child that is a saint and fills in for you,,,or a hubby that thinks you're the best thing since Cupcakes!

Thanks Lulu! You ARE the Best!

Hugs and love and enjoy the rest of your HOT weekend! And Lord, I wish SOMEONE would let us KNOW what's going on with my blog friend the sparked this whole line of thinking, Elizabeth!..........

Shell

A Bit Late for my own Blogging Event! Ackk!

I Thought I had it set up to post this morning,,,,before I left to go Garage and Estate sale Hunting!~ Sorry!

I've already shared ONE of my Crafts gone Wrong photos......

But here is a "Closet from Hell.!"

I'm a firm believer in, "If you can't see it, it isn't there!" Well,,,the tracks on the closet door broke,,,,and this was my stash place......30 years worth of MY stuff,,,,now some of my moms,,,,,and undoubtedly STILL some of my adult boys things are in here! Can you say "Intervention?" IF I knew you were coming for a visit,,,,,the STUFF would all be piled in the Garage and I'd put up a curtain or new "Track for the levers."

But you haven't mentioned coming yet!!

Pay NO attention to the pillow forms from Joanne's and the frame I got free at a garage sale.......they will,,,,ahem, be GONE if you come!

The problem with an old house is all the "nooks and crannies,,,,,and live in one for almost 30 years,,,,and ahem,,,,,those NOOKS and Crannies get filled with S...um,,,,,things!

Okay,,,,a couple of things, sinces I'm a BIT late posting,,,,I'll draw the winner(s) on Sunday morning instead. So post and comment when you get a few.......$30 buck Gift card from Home Depot..and/or $30bucks for Joannes. Drawings will be  through Random number Generator, so you COULD technically win both!

One for Entering

One for Following

One for Posting on your blog for EITHER a "Bad" Craft or a Hoarding Issue. Two for both!

One for Sidebar for the Event

For a total of 5 Points..........

Again,,,,,,all posts/sidebars/followers and comments from the original day of my posting about the event Count!

And,,,,,,,I think I'll put the Bunny on a base and give it a SASH,  "First Annual Crafts Gone Bad" Event!

Want it, as a token? LOL let me know!

A few quick garage sale photos from today,,,,Like I need MORE Stuff???

 vintage Christmas Finds.....10 Cents each...

Oil Painting,,,,,

old ribbons,,pepper grinder

Oval Lace table cloth and crochet topper.....

Fun finds, but again, like I needed MORE stuff! But seriously, if you DO come and visit in the Future, I promise to whip my Guestroom into shape!

Hugs and love,,,,,,,hope to see some of your posts and comments! Have a GREAT weekend,,,it's going to be hotter than Blazes in Washington State this weekend!

Shell

Literature, crack and "don't kill the messenger!"

I Finally put the book that I've been reading down and at LEAST. bought some art/crafting supplies and hit Macy's to see what was the latest this afternoon!

Yesterday, I was AWOL. I managed to hit the grocery store because the felines were having FITS about just getting DRY food! But, I'd read myself BLIND!

Ugggh! I bought this book LAST week at a Garage sale for a BUCK!This is the second, apparently, in a series,,,,,,at least at THIS point, ONE of three! I think I "hate" this author as much as I "hate" Diana Gibaldon,,,,,for HER books! They,,,,,truly, are like "CRACK!" a drug! As apparently is at least THIS book! Now,,,,,,,I'm going to have to invest time/energies in reading the FIRST book, and well Dang,,,,,,the THIRD is already OUT THERE!

18th Century London and Paris,,,,,,,costumes, architecture,,,,,scandal/ politics/ humor........Ugh....I'm TELLIN' you, it's CRACK!

I'll forewarn you,,,,,,some of the relationships are scandalous and incestuous.....There are references to various relions and paganism OF THOSE times.....if that offends you you may want to SKIP these books. However, the author, Karleen Koen, apparently is Quite well read/versed as to what transpired religiously, traditionally,socially, sexually, and  politically, etc.  So,,,,,,,I'd say, take it all with a grain of salt.

I so Enjoyed the elaborations on lodgings, the fashions, costumes, the politics, the social structures, art, "old wives tales and remedies , customs and even medicines of the time......

 I would enjoy any feedback or comments from those of you that are familiar to this series,,,,,,,or IF you are NOT familiar, and pick up the books down the road! Please share your insight or thoughts!

I am SO putting this book away,,,,,,well at LEAST until the early hours,,,,,,,,,I need to get stuff DONE!

Hope you are having a good week! Two Days until my "Hoarders and Crafts gone Bad event!" Hope you have some FUN images! and Laugh at your mistakes/misdeeds!

Hugs and Love,

Shell

Anne's Fantabulous Giveaway and Where and How did I MEET her?

Okay, first of all, my dear young friend Anne, of Fiona and Twig is having a HUGE and I mean HUGE CSN giveaway- $125 BUCKS~! To celebrate her FIRST year Blogging! Are you Kidding me? That's an awesome gift,,,but if you go over to my sidebar and click on her giveaway "Button" you'll see for yourself what kind of FOLLOWING she has,,,in a YEAR?  And that is NO coincedence! If you will,  please take a minute or two to first to read on...........

Her blog, is lovely, her antique booth is lovely and she is one of the best photographers that I've EVER come across!(Plug here also for my friend Jenn @ Amazing Graces on my sidebar) But Anne's images are ALL so lovely and I wish I could  just "bottle her up" and just take a BIT of her creativity/her eye and add it to MY blog!

But, More important? Is her Heart! I love this young lady, her creative spirit, the resillence and fortitude I've come to know. She's been through some tough times,,,,and comes back smiling and taking on NEW challenges!

By all means,,,,check out Anne's blog if you haven't already........and enter her great giveaway. But truly, she is the PRIZE!

This last week? After meeting Debi, from Ormolulu,,,I got to thinking.........I KNOW what your saying, "oh Geesh...where is she going with this?" Because I never to seem to suffer for a loss of words...Ya think?

But, Debi and I were talking when we met for the first time and trying to decide When/How we started "Chatting" through blogs and emails.....And I thought about OTHER blogfriends that have become really close friends thinking.....I met Lulu when..and how? I met Lynn where and how?  I THINK I met Vicki..........

I DO know at SOME point I found these wonderful blogfriends and started "following" and commenting,,,,and for the life of me,,,,the ONLY blogfriend I knew for SURE HOW I'd found was my now dear friend Maggie....whom Lulu had introduced to me.

It would be NICE if "Blogland" had a log or something that told us WHEN and how we found a new blog or When we started Following a particular person or site.....yeah, well, too much to hope for there! But as we all know, "one thing leads to another.......which lead me to .......whom lead me to..... and how I met..........Makes you stop and think though. doesn't it?

Regardless,,,,of how I met/found came to know my Blog friends, (thats YOU too!)  I'm sure glad I DID and it has certainly changed my life!

Are you getting ready to post  pictures or comments at my "Hoarders and Crafts Gone Wrong EVENT on your blog THIS Friday??" My prizes aren't as BIG as Anne's.......but I'm truly hoping it'll be a Funny and fun event!

Enjoy your week!

Hugs and Love,

Shell

A Funny,,,,,,if you will!

Okay,,,If you have or look at someone's "Live Traffic Feed" you get to see who has been there,Right? I have one,,,,, on my Blog sidebar,,,,,,,,and sometimes  I look at the Flags from different countries sometimes and think,,,,"Oh wow! Someone from Lithuania or some 3rd world Country in Southeast Asia,,,,,is looking at MY blog!" Amazing, exciting, a bit weird,,,,and you just wonder HOW or WHY they are visiting YOUR blog! Ya know? 

                     So anyway,,,,,,,,as of Late? I've had this "Stalker" or Spy  popping up on my Blog,,,,,,,,from of all places, Stanwood, WA!  I KNOW! If your local your thinking, what????????

If ONLY said Stalker looked like the divine Sean Connery!

"Bond,,,,James Bond"

I even mentioned the said "Stalker" to Jana and Clarice today while we were working at Joyworks!

"This is Really weird. you guys,,,,,because EVERYTIME I look at my Blog,,,,there is" this person"  from STANWOOD that is looking at ME, looking at MY blog! It's in my traffic feed!"

Well,,,,If you don't live around here,,,,,and even if you DO,,,Stanwood is a small town community up ,,,,about,,,,30/4O miles north. Not a HUB of anything......except, maybe NOW they are!

"News at 11:00....Spy Ring in Stanwood!"

But alas, no. If you've read my blog regularly......you might recall, " I Bundle." I have phone, internet/satellite and the provider, and, much to my initial dismay and nightmare has CHANGED companies. The expression, "I am my OWN shadow" is apparently appropro! I log on in Snohomish,,,,,,,some 40 miles away,,,,and "Traffic Feed" shows activity in STANWOOD now......Too weird!

But at least I KNOW who the "Shadow/Spy is!" It's me!  Dang,,,No Sean, no Liam, no Sam, no Val.....I am totally bummed up! 

 Well,,,,,,they'd best straighten THIS out! Or,,I guess,,,I can continue to "Stalk" myself!

Have  a GREAT Sunday,,,,,,whatever you do!

Hugs and Love,

Shell

What a delightful BOX on my Front Porch today!

Okay,,,,,so I was out hitting the Garage and Estate sales? And I got home too late to watch the "Part Deux" of Oprah's Hoarding segment.....Ironic? Ya THINK???

But,,,,when I arrived home..........Look what I found next to my door!!! Okay,,,,,STOP IT! Do you know my DEAR, DEAR blogger friend Vicki? Of 2 Bags full? Vicki-2bagsfull.blogspot.com   LOOK WHAT SHE SENT ME!!! Too, Too Gorgeous!!!

As previously stated, I am NO photographer,,,,,,and my images will NOT do it justice..........But look how gorgeous!!!

The Textures? Are you Kidding me? So wonderful! And, I'm a "Green Girl" so,,,,,this is just the BEST!!

Okay,,,one more image,,,,because,,,,,,,this is SO YUMMY!

It even "Feels" Good!

I SO love this little Nesty......it is going to hold a special place of honor in my livingroom! My photos do NOT do it justice,,,,,,

Vicki and I just "Clicked" after the OWOH (One world, One Heart) Global event at the beginning of the year. There were just certain people during that event that I have grown to love......Vicki, is a neonatal nurse,,,,,and creates gorgeous things in her down time.......She has the biggest heart of anyone I know!

What is not to love? She is one of those blogger friends,,,that SOME DAY and SOMEHOW,,we will meet! It's a given! In the meantime,,,,we swap emails and share.........

Handcrafted items,,,,,especially those made by friends.....Like this wonderful nest that will  most certainly adorn my livingroom, a Faux cake from my friend Lulu (Coastal Sisters) that takes "Best of Show" in my French Cabinet......... and goodies that adorn my studio, as well, WOW! They make me smile....Especially since I've had a chance to learn about the HEART behind the inspiration!

Fun Week! I got to meet Debi,,,,,from Ormolulu and we had a Blast! I got to chat this morning with Lulu,,,,,,about our upcoming trip ( and First face to face MEET) in November at Silver Bella! I recieved this wonderful Nest,,,,,,,,from Vicki,,,whom I love to pieces,,,,,,and it means SO much!

Lovin' the Blogland!

Have a great weekend! I think we'll be BUSY in Joyworks,,,,as it's only supposed to be about 65! Sorry to those of you enduring the HEAT!

Love and Hugs,

Shell

And don't forget....ONE week from today, is my "Hoarders and Crafts Gone Wrong!" Event and Giveaway! Get some pics together and POST next Friday! It should be Fun!!!Geesh,,we're ALL human!

"I'll show you MORE of MINE,,,,if you show me Yours!"

Yesterday's Finds,,,and a Prototype,,,whaddya think?

As I mentioned yesterday (ughh,,,typing is NOT coming easy as I have a cat on my desk, who has her tail "a twitchin' over my keyboard!),,,,,,,But as I STARTED to say......I had a blast yesterday with Debi from Ormolulu!

Before I met up with Debi Conway/Mt Vernon, I stopped in a shop I'd seen advertised in the local paper. "The Vintage Violets." And,,,,she has a blog, thevintageviolet.blogspot.com which via her business card, doesn't seem to work! But,,,, her shop was darlin'-located about a block and a half from where I "rented" my first HOUSE.

Yeah,,,it was the size of a postage stamp,old, but NOT cute,,,but I had a fireplace and a BIG yard and I was 20 years old at the time!,,,located right in Downtown Marysville,,,,,,right on 3rd. I paid $78.50,,,,,which was ALL inclusive and I got a HUGE discount on my dry cleaning and alterations to boot, which came in handy in my early Nordstrom days!. Okay,,,I had an "IN." We'll leave it at that,,for now!

Anywhoo...........The Vintage Violets  shop was Cute,,,I will certainly be back! I found some AWESOME Chenille pieces at a GREAT price!

I've been crafting some items for the show in October,,,,,,and these will be GREAT to add to the "mix!"

Most of what I'm makingiin Chenille, is Christmas,,,,,which I'll save for a later post,,,,,,,

So? OFF the "shopping/buying" topic," I recently got a piece of Chenille from my friend Mary Larsen......(Thanks Mary!)  And have been "playing" with it.

This is just a tester,,,,,prototype if you will,,,,,But I'd LOVE to hear what you think of this funky little pumkin I made today,,,,,out of the Chenille Mary gave me,,I added some seam binding and some green wire........Whaddya think?

Retro and fun to add to your other "everlasting" pumkin collection? Feedback please!

That aside, I also had a couple of other Fun finds in Marysville, and I might add, I have NEVER gone junking or looking for Antiques there! But there WERE some Fun shops!

Fun Vintage Hat find in Marysville, and a GREAT price! $12

I loved this little Porcelain Doll,,,,,,same price as a Frozen Charlotte,,,,,Only She is intact AND has moveable arms! Too Cute!

The rest of my "Finds," were up "North" in La Conner and Mt Vernon, while in the company of the fun and astute Debi! I picked up a few other things that I'll not show here,,,,,,but here are a couple of my other fun Finds of the Day.....

I think I darn near "stole" this spool of vintage ribbon from "Egg and Dart" in La Conner.......it is ALMOST full and near 50 yards!,,,,, you cannot see from the image that amongst this yummy gold with black, it also has hints of Gold!

Score!

I found this fun Floridian Pin Cushion in Mt Vernon! I HAD to have it......the fabric is my Fav color,,,,that warm, "Flamingo Pink" like my bedroom walls,,,,,but this lovely lady will be placed in the sewing area of my Studio! $10 Bucks,,,,and I've gotta say, she was a STEAL!! Lovin' those encrusted shells!

Oh my, do you LOVE this hand crochet bag/pouch??? Debi and I BOTH did! I think this one will go on my new dress form,,,,,in some capacity! Love it!

As previously stated.....I worked in the Studio today,,,,hence the pumpkin above,,,,,,,and I thought after spending several hours in there I should RENAME my blog........ADD Arts and Crafts! I played with MORE materials, ideas, concept and things.........thinking, " WHERE are YOU headed?.....WHAT are you doing,,,,,,,I alternated between BLISS at trying new techniques/materials and pacing the floor thinking "okay,,,,,you wanted to do WHAT???"

Ackk,,,,going to try and go junking/garage sale hunting and the likes tomorrow.......But I dunno........I may pull the PLUG early and try and make sense of what in the HECK else I'm doing!!!

Would love some feedback on my funky Chenille Pumkin........I think it's kinda cute ,,,,,,,let me know! I can take it!!! LOL

Hugs, and love,,,,,,,,and if I don't "see" or talk to you first, have an AWESOME weekend!!! I'm TRYING to work on some Catch ups!!

Shell