I've been pondering . . .

Pondering is different than thinking.

Thinking gets me in trouble more often than not so I call the conversations that I carry on with myself in my head ponderings.

I haven't been commenting on your blogs much lately.  I don't seem to have anything new to say.

I still absolutely LOVE each and every post you write.  I am still AMAZED at the projects you not only create all by your original selves but the amount of projects you actually complete.  I cheer you on when you post something inspirational, I sympathize with you when something bad happens and I am happy as a lark when you accomplish one of your dreams.

I just haven't been telling you so.  

So I'm telling you now.  Each and every blog I visit is a pleasure to my day!

But I have noticed some trends lately that have me pondering.

Are many of us suffering from blog burnout?

I find that there are many more ads on sidebars and between posts lately.  Do they really generate worthwhile money or are they just space fillers?  And the pop up ones that follow you as you scroll down the page?  Ugh . . . annoying!

I've noticed more professional photos duplicated from other sources.  Pretty, but not what I come to visit you for.  You all are so creative with your own vignettes and room makeovers.  Those are the photos I want to see!

I've heard some talk about too many blog parties out there.  Some bloggers link up their projects to lots and lots of parties.  I will link up to a couple every once in a while.  Parties are loads of fun.  I like parties of any kind.  I've just become overwhelmed when the parties are too big.  I want to visit all of the party goers and I just can't.  Therefore I don't participate.

Bummer!  

But that is my problem, not yours.  So you go ahead and party like it's 1999!

And now I see that some bloggers are upset when others pin their photos on Pinterest.  And leave a comment that they want to make one of whatever it is too!  Well of course we do.  Otherwise we wouldn't have pinned it in the first place.  I'm all for giving credit where credit is due but we all put our own little spin on whatever we create so I don't feel that we are copying.  Just getting inspiration.  Isn't that why we all show each other our creations in the first place?  Am I wrong in thinking that is what Pinterest was created for?  Or are we all just copying someone else's hard work and effort and taking away their profits like some bloggers think?  (I've always considered copying the sincerest form of flattery.  Except when my SIL chose the same china pattern as I did!)

If I didn't fall in love with something I've seen, whether it was on the web or in a store or a magazine, I probably wouldn't make a thing!

Oh, and I COPIED these adorable flowers from Chipping With Charm.  Thank you Laurel for understanding my need to find ideas somewhere other than in my own head!

Must I have a Facebook page to promote my blog?  Is liking you on FB more or different than being a follower of your blog?  Is there other content that I am missing on a FB page than there is on a blog?  Am I the ONLY person in the world that DOES NOT DO Facebook?

And this google - linky - follower thing has me all in a tizzy.

Just when I feel comfortable with something, someone goes and changes it!  (Isn't fighting change of any kind the first sign of old age?)

See what I mean about my pondering?  I'm stumped as how to continue blogging.  Do I go with my own flow and post only when I have something that I think is significant enough to post about?  Am I doing my blog an injustice by not posting any little thing every day or even once a week?  Do I try to post just to party?  Do I discontinue pinning?  (Please tell me I don't have to do that!)  Do you want to see every bit of minutia of where I go, what I do, what I try to accomplish and who I see?

Are you tired of waiting on me to post or does it make your heart go pitty-pat when you see my name come up on whatever reader you use?

Pondering makes my head hurt.

All of the above photos were taken by me of some things offered at the last sale at Miss Maggie's House.

You all deserve a little lovin' . . .

. . . whether you like hearts - or not.  

Whether Valentine's Day is your special holiday - or not.  

Whether your 'special someone(s)' brings you flowers or chocolates or diamonds - or not.

You are loved.

(And appreciated, and admired, and inspirational.) 

By me!

Now, go to the mirror and blow yourself a kiss!

Does it make me non-romantic . . .

. . . if I don't like hearts?

(I also don't like butterflies but that is for another post.)

If you are a heart lover, I commend you.  You are a true romantic.

Most of the time, if something has a heart on it, I pass it by (and honestly?  cringe a little).

I think my lack of enthusiasm for hearts stems from my 'country' phase when absolutely everything had a heart on it, a heart carved in it, hearts stamped on it or sported heart cutouts.  Hearts were on my walls, pillows, curtains and clothes.  I'm shuddering just thinking about hearts.

But . . .

Miss Maggie's House was open last weekend and I, in all my holiday wisdom, thought there should be a little nod to Valentine's Day.

So I cut out hearts.

Put them on a burlap banner.

Sewed up little cards.

Punched them out of dictionary pages.

I also stuck romantic flash cards everywhere to remind shoppers that come the 14th, they needed to be romantic themselves.

I've discovered that I'm not the only one who doesn't care for hearts.  

Nothing with a heart on it sold!

Is Valentine's Day outdated?  Do you love it or dread it?

I think I can be romantic without the hearts.  

Tomorrow I am making my main man homemade vegetable soup.  He tells me he could eat soup everyday but we very seldom have soup.  

Because I don't love soup like he does.

But I love him.  So on Valentine's Day we are having soup.

Maybe I'll cut the potatoes into hearts.

Happy Heart Day Everyone!  

Did you think that I was never coming back?

I thought about staying, I really did.

Who in their right mind would want to go from this . . .

to this?

Or this . . .

to this?

Since I had no connection to the outside world while on vacation on a resort in the Dominican Republic, I didn't know it was cold and snowy back home.

If I had, I just might have stayed on the beach until April.

But my sunburn was sunburned, there was sand where sand should never be, I ate so much that my shorts were beginning to get kind of tight, all of the green and sunshine was giving me a headache and I was tired of drinking pina coladas, delivered by very cute cabana boys.

Visiting Punta Cana was wonderful but I was ready to come home.  Even if home was cold and snowy.  Even if it meant I had to get back on several planes.  Even if customs in a foreign county made me very nervous.

All I want now is a glass of ice tea with actual ICE and a big, juicy Nebraska beef hamburger!

It is so good to be back in the United States.

Now, back to normal.  

And catching up on all that I missed while basking in the sun.

Another special gift to show you {and the winner} . . .

I'll never get to France.  

Frankly, I'm not sure I want to visit France.  Oh, if I was a gazillionairess it would be on my bucket list but there are so many places in the United States that I would like to see first.

But that doesn't mean that I don't love all things French!  I am so glad that there are blogs out there that supply me with all of the Frenchy goodness that I crave.

 Rhonda from A Little Bit French is usually where I go to dream of France.  

And I was lucky enough (not lucky enough to be a gazillionairess but . . .) to win her monthly giveaway!  Maybe some of the pieces she used to create these beauties actually came from France!  At least that is what I tell myself!

She made a pincushion out of a spoon!  Can you imagine the creative mind that thought that up?

And little stamped pillows!

I'm feeling the amour!  The jen e sais quai!  I'm transported to France!

I found the doorknob and it isn't from France (or is it?  hmmmm . . .).

The giveaway package is dressed and ready to go to the winner of my birthday giveaway!  Where shall I send it?  Who will the random generator choose?  (Why can't I get a picture of the random generator?)

#18!!!!!!

Joanna of Fiddlesnips!

You are going to celebrate my birthday month with me!

If I get your address before Monday morning, I'll get the package in the mail.  If not, you'll have to wait a little longer until I get back from my VACATION!  Send it to me ASAP, okay?

(Sorry about the difficulties commenting.  I hear that blogger wasn't being cooperative.  But if I heard from you telling me your problems, I added your name anyway.)

Yes, this little Nebraska girl is traveling out of the country.  To sun-filled (I hope!) Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!  Scary - YES!  Excited - YES!  Have to white-knuckle it on the plane -  DEFINITELY YES!  

Thanks to all of my friends who wished me a happy birthday and welcome to the new followers!  Sometimes we have fun here so the more the merrier!

See you on the flip side!

What a co-in-ci-dink ...

. . . I mean coincidence.

Well, you know it's my birthday month and I'm having a giveaway (see post here).  Only 6 commentors so far (what am I doing wrong?  this may just be my last giveaway!) so you have a really good chance to win.

Anywhoo, back to the coincidence.

Last year, way back in 2011 (isn't it funny that 13 days into 2012 we think of last year as being so far in the past), I was a happy camper to discover that I won 2 (not just one, but 2) giveaways!

And I received both gifts ON MY BIRTHDAY!

What are the odds of that happening?  Did they secretly know that is was my birthday?  Did they covertly send their packages so that they would arrive on the same special day?

Probably not.  Just a very lovely coincidence!

Marie from Lost Bird Studio is probably the most talented, creative and prolific artist I know.  Always, always something new and wonderful to see on her blog!  I truly hesitated to open this sweet packaging but I knew inside would be something even more special!

And special it is!  I'll treasure it Marie!

(Darn post office cracked the glass on my special piece but neither me or my memories are in perfect condition either).

Tracie of Fishtail Cottage (one of my 'new' favorite blogs) sponsored a giveaway with a prize from Shellagh of Ticking and Toile.  Another beautifully wrapped package almost too pretty to open.

But being the 'can't stand a unopened package' kind of gal that I am, I tore into it to find a wonderful stamped pillow cover.  Gorgeous, no?

Thank you Marie, Tracie and Shellagh for unknowingly making my birthday a day of happy surprises!

Now, IF you visit my blog and IF you enter my giveaway, maybe you will win and the package will arrive on one of your special days too!

Won't you celebrate with me?

It's my birthday.

Well, it was my birthday last week.  On the 7th.  

(a little trivia for you ~~ Elvis' birthday is on the 9th so I always say 'thank you, thank you very much' when receiving birthday wishes.  and nobody gets it!  my mom would have.)

At my age (which is very young!  tee hee!), I can't party hardy all in one day anymore so I spread out the celebration all month.

I love to get presents!  I love to win giveaways!  

And I know (at least I think) you love to win and get presents too!

So won't you celebrate my birthday by entering my giveaway?  Please?  Pretty please?

If the lucky stars choose you (by random generator, of course) you will receive a loooong crocheted-edge linen dresser scarf (which I really want to keep for myself), a teeny tiny flower frog (that is just so stinkin cute) and several vintage valentines (they came from my main man's stash so you know they are really vintage. tee hee again!).

Now, you know I don't like rules but I think I'll require some this time.

1.  Be a follower and wish me a Happy Birthday!  Yup, I think that is an important rule.  I should really require that you promise to leave me at least one other comment during the year to let me know that you still visit me and don't just follow to win but I won't.

2.  For another entry, the dreaded 'add my giveaway to your sidebar' requirement.  I know, I know, it is an extra step and time consuming but I love to see my name on your blogs.  I'm going to bask in the knowledge that I can be somewhat famous for awhile and maybe I'll meet some new bloggers out there (even though I LOVE all of my current bloggy friends!).

3.  This is an important giveaway rule and imperative to be included to win.  Since the picking has been really terrible around here lately and I'm lost as to what will sell at Miss Maggie's House and what won't, tell me what flies out of your store/shop every time you offer it.  Or if you don't have a store/shop, tell me what you always, always pick out for yourself when you are out and about.  This is worth another giveaway entry.  Or maybe 2!

4.  Do something out of the ordinary for someone else.  It won't get you an automatic win for this giveaway but it will make you and that someone else feel really good about the day.  Sometimes a sweet gesture can be life saving!

Whew!  Those are alot of rules but hey, it's my birthday and I can do what I want!

Let's draw the winner out of the proverbial hat on January 19th, okay?  That will give me 2 days to get the package in the mail before I leave on my beach laying, mai tai drinking, flip flop wearing, zip line screaming, weighing down the para-sailing, swimming with the fishes vacay! 

Now, get those fingers walking and shoot me some comments!  You just might be glad you did!