What a lovely day I had!!
Carol and Beth came over to play. Carol worked on a cute book she was making out of envelopes- great idea. I want to try one too. Beth and I worked on our Sweet Treats and Roses Swap recipe book covers.
But first, we had a light lunch. I made a salad and some prime rib stew (well maybe not so light, huh?) with ruby gold potatoes and a crusty bread from the bakery downtown that uses a wood fired oven.
I took all 3 leaves out of the dining table so it would be cozy, and moved around some of my centerpiece stuff left over from Christmas to give it a new look (Christmas is still not put away yet around here, will it ever be????)
Just in time for the lunch, I received this cute as a button, wire cloche from Crystal as a giveaway prize from her blog!! I always say that every thing looks more important under glass, but now have to revise that to under a "cloche"- it doesn’t have to be a glass one! I also used the wallpaper book that Beth made for me as part of the display, it would dress up any vignette.
So, I have my gift of a new cloche and this great book Beth for made at Christmas. I am feeling pretty special to have gotten such nice presents. Then– Beth and Carol both brought stuff for me!!!! 
Beth picked up this candelabra at our favorite auction house last night. (I used to raise peacocks, and love anything with a peafowl on it- but never had a pink one before)
She thinks it is gaudy and apparently everyone else did too, she says no one bid on it. She knew it would be just gaudy enough for me to love.
Carol brought this royal bar of soap (available on her blog, if you want some- it is hand made and smells wonderful!) and these rhinestone embellished white gloves.
Just my style!
But that is not all! Our swap members are sending in the pages of recipes for the Sweet Treats books and a couple of them came with GIFTS for Beth and I. Kathy senrt us the tags and the "Beauty" collage, is from Sarah and it came with a pretty painted card.
The other side of it says:
Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old (Kafka)
I think I will keep this as my motto for my 5oth year celebration that is beginning now and going till my birthday in May. It is quite appropriate for me.
Remember, there is a gift for comment # 5,558 (my birthday, May 5, 1958) I also have my one year blog anniversary coming up on Valentines Day. I will need to do something special for that, too. I get so many things, I want to share the good fortune. I love presents, don’t you???? 
Blog giveaways are so generous. Here is one you should check into if, you have a little person in your life. A choice of hand made pants or a skirt. I think my little Sugarwings would be cute as pie in either! (by the way, thanks for all your input on her photos, #4 was the big winner)
You can enter at Clarice’s and while you are there, wish her pretty young lady a happy birthday.
You can also enter a great giveaway at KJ’s, she is throwing herself a surprise 50th birthday party and has presents for us!
Carol, Beth, and I did a lot of chatting, but we did manage to get some work done too. I made a few covers for the swap recipe books. (take a peek at the recipes in so far, here on our flickr page)
This one is from a copy of a De Longpre rose.
And this one is from some floral vintage wallpaper that Beth brought.
Why is it so much more fun to use someone else’s supplies than your own??
This one is on some old shelf liner paper I found in my garage last night when I was searching for supplies to make a magic wand ( pictures later!).
I also prepped a lot of covers, with some vintage wallpapers, ready to embellish and foof up.
Nice, cheerful Valentine reds on these.
Pretty pinks and chocolates here.
And some romantic neutrals with a touch of roses (the lavender one will be going to my pal who shares my 5-5-58 birthday, Barb , who is found on Lavender Lollipop Lane.
Remember how I have been whining about all the shopping I have had to do to set up our apartment outside of DC?
Yesterday, I actually got to pop in to the local antique mall and take a deep breath of that glorious musty antique store aroma and it was heaven! I didn’t buy much, but a few little OLD doo dads sure made me happy after the time I had to put in at retail shops and discount stores and mattress outlets!
But- I think I owe all of you an apology. I did whine a LOT last week about having to shop so much.
With all of the real problems in the world, that isn’t such a big one, really, is it?? Poor me, I had to buy 2 brand new flat screen TVs, 3 rooms full of brand new furniture, and all new kitchen stuff. What a bitch I am!!! Sorry.
But I just like old, or hand made things, and it was hard to get excited about filling a place with new stuff, plus it had to be done so fast, it was a marathon of never ending discount stores, plus, I was sad about my husband and I having to be apart so much.
Oh no, here I go again, whining. Sorry. I know I am LUCKY and I do appreciate what I have. I hope I didn’t offend anyone by my weasly whines.
You are so lucky to have two dear friends close by to create with. I have two best friends also and we do so many things together but creating is not one of them, one of us is totally not crafty, two of us are crafty but we like different media and I can’t lure her over to the dark side of playing with paper! I wish I had that, you are blessed!
What fun – and what a beautiful table. It sounds like a lovely lunch – too bad we don’t have smell-o-blog!
Cheers!
Dee Dee
I didn’t think you were whining at all! Everyone knows you appreciate all your treasures that you are so fortunate to have! You have everyright to be unahppy about spending money on things that aren’t really “you” but if it makes your hubbys time away from home a little cozier then it’s worth it. It’s awful to be away from each other like that, but I know you’ll appreciate each other even more when you are together!
Karla I did not think you were whining either BUT if you can’t whine on your OWN blog than were can you!!!
xo
Mary
Oooh- we just parked here and enjoyed your wonderful post chock-ful of goodies!!! Yummy lunches with friends, fabulous swap creations, lots of great giveaways…and more! We loved visiting as always!!!
blessings,
kari & kijsa
no more whining? awwwwww…are you sure? ok then…your table looks gorgeous~of course!! i love your candelabra from Beth, too cute and the tags the girls sent to you are lovely!!! and beautiful wall paper from Donna, i bought some too!!!
What a fun time you girls must have had!! The covers are looking so pretty. I am working on mine tonight… did you decorate the backs of yours? and if you did… did you glue something on each one or print front and back at the printer?
Wow what a big post. Such a fun one too.
Check out my blog I have given you the You Make My Day Award.
What fun you girls had.
Alison
I made the sweet and beautiful signs. I hope you and Beth loved them. I cant wait to see what the books are going to look like I am loving the cupcake wallpaper! do you sell that?
Toodles-
Sarah
gypsymermaid.blogspot.com
Oooh, I am so jealous that you three got to play! How far is the drive from West Texas to Kansas anyway? Looks like you had lots of fun and I love seeing pictures of your “stuff”. Anyone who has that much pink in their house is all right in my book. 🙂
Aw, heck, we forgive you!
(((hugs)))
~elaine~
What fun!! I loved reading each word…and I think the candelabra is just precious!! What would life be without a teensy bit of over the top pretties? : )
Now, if you feel the need to do it, you just whine away…I myself love a good whine from time to time.
Hugs,
Sue
Well the candelabra is fabulous, first thing I noticed on your table! Lunch sounded delicious, I could do with a hearty meal, you get a bit sick of summer food after a while. Covers are looking great. You don’t whinge and are not a bitch! I’m with you, really struggle with new furnishings . . .
I didn’t take it as whining either. 🙂
Oh what a fun day you must have had with the girls. Lunch sounded delish!
Joy
Too Gawdy?! Never! I noticed the candleabra right away and love it!
Looks like the recipe books are coming right along, can’t wait! My recipe cards will be put in the mail for you tomorrow!
And you can complain all you want, everyone needs a chance to vent! I imagine it will be very hard to be apart from your husband!
And I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the pictures of Sugarwings! How adorable and what a beautiful smile!
You weren’t whining! Remind me somebody …what goes in my package…do I print out the 40 pages? I’d love to sit at that table with you, Carol and Beth!
Thank you for the shout out for my birthday. 🙂 I had a lovely b.day, I am hoping to post about it soon.
Auberne’ Ancalimon
Can someone help me out? I posted a comment on another persons blog and my private family photo blog turned up. This was not meant for public viewing. (Not for any awful reasons, but because it is a photo/journal of sorts for me when my husband is in the hospital. He had a lung transplant).
How can I get my private blog address off there? I did try to ask there but ran into all sorts of difficulty with passwords etc. and was only able to delete my comment. I am new to this.
Thank you in advance.
Pam
Oh Karla I don’t think you were whining at all. Even though buying a new tv, etc. is not a hardship – it is still an emotional hardship to be juggling two households and to have your husband be in one place while you are in another. I will keep you in my prayers – I know you have the strength to turn to the positives!
Loving the candlestick – I don’t think its gaudy at all! I LOVE LOVE LOVE your cupcake paintings. The covers are so beautiful. I just got my color copies in and I’ll be sending everything off to you on Monday!
Have a great weekend.
Karla
Pretty photos! Very colorful….
Blessings
Cielo
Everything is so lovely!
What beautiful spring colors!
Sandra Evertson
Dear Karla, as much as I love to shop, if I had to cram it all in a week, I would not be a happy camper either. Hang in there and thank you for posting the give a-way and mentioning my darling daughters b-day. She is off shopping all day with her grandma. Love Clarice
Oh my gosh, tell Beth if she ever sees another candelabra like that to buy it for me and I will pay her. I love it and I don’t think it is gaudy at all. As far as whining, girlfriend, we all do our share of it too! Not that I thought you whined at all. I sent you and Beth a tag too, except I forgot to write your names on them. So you’ll have to fight over who gets which one. LOL
Hello Karla,
Your table looks so fun, I love your candle holder, must like goddy too. I No how you feel
about having to buy new, I am exactly the same way, it really does bother me…Yes, thanks for stopping by my blog, I am thinking about your swap and was thinking of using some of that wonderful vintage wallpaper, hard to cut up though….I have my reciepe picked and better get going…..visit again, and I love all your handpainted roses, so beautiful! Pinkie Denise
LOL
shopping for such much isn’t easy girl!!
whine away!!
fondly, deena
What a lovely day you had. The covers are coming along nicely and will be so special on our books. I also liked the wire cloche
karen
Ooh, the new Somerset Life looks sooo good, I want to run out and get it but may have to wait till tomorrow.
I love the sockies!
And you look great in your paint clothes–like any artist should!
Stephanie
I found you from Casii’s blog. I was reading, and thought we had a lot in common. Then, I read your birthday is in May – mine is too. And you are close to 50. Me, too. Your birthday is 5/5/58 and I’m just a day later. So, in a round about way – hello!