My finds from the fantastic flea mkt yesterday still aren't unpacked yet. But I did pull a couple hats from the bags to play with.
Some how, today got away from me I had a lot of errands to run before picking up the fairy grand baby from school. Then, Sugarwings and I baked brownies and invited some friends over to hold puppies. Playing with all the babies seemed much more fun than getting all my stuff unpacked, cleaned, photographed and listed for sale.
I'm pretty lucky to have the flexibility to spend a day like this, aren't I???
Not a lot of real work got done today. I did squeeze in time to make some more wallpaper folder/bag things to pack stuff in. Every package that I dropped at the PO was packed up in a pretty little pouch today. The little pink flocked wallpaper one in front contains April's Giveaway and is all ready to mail as soon as I draw a name on May 1st. You can still enter to win it by leaving a comment today.
Next to the pouches are some of the hats that I scored yesterday.
I really can't believe that tomorrow is May already! In a few days, I turn FIFTY TWO.
Birthdays make me think about life. I really am very lucky to have the life I do. When I was in my 20s, if you had tried to tell me that I'd be where I am now at this age, I wouldn't have believed it.
Of course, if you'd told me that I would have posted a photo of myself with no makeup, uncombed hair, and wearing gym clothes on the internet, I would have been shocked. Then, I might have said, "what is an internet?"
Of course, in my 20s, I never left the house without makeup, and would have screamed at anyone who tried to photograph me that way. But now I know that being comfortable with who I am and liking my own skin, no matter how saggy it might be getting, is a key to a happy life. I don't take myself or my looks (or lack there of) very seriously.
Enjoying and excepting what I have and what I am, and being more aware of the world around me than of myself is something that I wish I'd learned when I was younger.
Last week, I won a giveaway from Myrna and had a choice of her gifts. When I saw this phrase on her tag, I had to chose the little book it was on.
What great words to live by. Happiness is what you make of it. There are many ways of looking at your everyday life, and I chose to look at mine through what a friend used to call my "Karla Goggles", which meant rose colored lenses, I think. Well, you can look at the gloomy side of things and never be satisfied with what you have. Or you can look at the good stuff with a smile on your face and feel like the luckiest person on the planet.
Life goes by so quickly. Just a couple weeks ago, these guys were tiny as mice and all piled in their nest. Their world is expanding by the moment as they start to explore and experience life.
Yes, that is dust on my floor in this photo. Just like those were wrinkles on my face in the earlier photo. But that is just a part of life and I'd rather focus on the the joy of seeing the pups take their very first steps out of their nest and of the happiness on my face when I hold Sugarwings.
I have a feeling that in the next 50 years of my life, I'll be a LOT more wrinkly than I am now, and my house will not be much cleaner. But I sure am excited about seeing all the good things those years bring, dust, wrinkles, and all.
Oh what a wonderful post and important words we all need to be reminded of regularly.
Special post! Sugarwings is getting so big and just pretty as ever. I hope you have a wonderful birthday! ~ Angela
Beautiful post! And amen to not sweating the small stuff and rejoicing in the things that really matter.
Happy Happy birthday to you Karla . I hope you have the bestest of days Donna
Amen Sister. Have a fun filled weekend.
Blessings,
Carolyn
Lovely post. Isn’t is funny how our priorities change the older we get?
You are a blessed woman! Thanks for your previous post about Sparks. I had just read about it in a magazine and was hoping to go…maybe next year!
rosie
What a wonderful post!! Happy Birthday Dear Karla and
may many, many more blessings come to you.
I love the picture of you, Sugarwings and the sweet
Twinkle pup and pups. That parti is sooooooo sooooooo cute!
Love the sweet bags that you made too!
Have a wonderful weekend.
Many Hugs,
Janis
P.S. What dust? I don’t see any at all.
I’m turning 52 in July but not anywhere near where i expected to be! I love cats but have really been enjoying following the stuff about your puppies. I was on another blog the other day and saw a dog and puppies just like yours. Was surprised till I read down and discovered she had been at your house that day and it was your puppies!! The blogging world is really small some days. I’d like to be in the prize drawing, Thanks!
Karla,
Blessed indeed!! From all appearances you DO have a wonderful life. You are beautiful and your sweet spirit shines through make-up or not.
I love being this age. It’s been such a gift to me to be able to let go of so many things that I held close to in my 20’s. Who would have thought??!! I know what you mean.
Have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Birthday.
See you next week sweet-pea!
j
Oh puppies!! I want one! 😉 You are lucky to get to spend free days loving on a pretty little girl. I’m waiting to see your amazing stash of goodies you found… Have a great weekend.
My friend always said that life was backwards. We should be born old and grow young. As we grow older, it doesn’t take much to make us happy.
I love the pics of you and Sugarwings that you’ve posted the past two days. Such pure joy. One day, she will treasure these photos.
~elaine~
Karla, I just love this post~ it is joyous…and it made me smile! Thank you!
Karla,
It’s funny that as we get older, it’s the simple things that shine in our lives. Our granddaughters smiles, those little puppies on their first outing…. these are the preious moments – live in the now. I last saw my grandies in October but I can still see their smiley faces, and hear their laughter and feel their little hands clutching mine. They don’t care if we haven’t got our makeup on – FORGET THE DUST!!! Wishing you a wonderful birthday too!
you are LOVELY….especially without the makeup!!!!
What a beautiful post, words of wisdom and words to live by. Thank you for that reminder. And Karla you’re killing me with all the cute puppy pictures. They are sooooooo sweet, especially the one in the hat!!! Thank you for a sweet post to drink my coffee this morning by. Happy May Day.
Hugs
Ginger
Ohh I can’t get enough of those precious babies!!! That sentiment on the tag you won is such a touching and inspirational one! I hope your birthday is wonderful and filled with Happiness! 🙂
Hi Karla, You for sure don’t look like 52 and I love your attitude! If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t even have seen that there is dust on your floor. Your puppies are too cute and those hats are to die for. I think that kind had never been really fashionable in Germany. At least I haven’t seen hats with so many flowers over here yet.
Have a great weekend!
Hugs,
Julia
What wrinkles? I don’t see any. And who cares about dust on the floor? The puppies are adorable and they are becoming so active! Sugarwings looks like she is having so much fun and you do too!!
Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo
I love that post! Very inspiring…and ahem…what wrinkles???? You are beautiful! Inside and out! I have come to the same conclusion you have about wrinkles, chubiness and dust! (I am just behind you, 48yrs.)
You’re wonderful dear Karla!
karen….
hey doll
eeeekkk i love the pups, so stinken cute!!!
is the tri color one still available??? he or she??? so stinken sweet.
hope all is well love bug.
oxoxo,
jessi
Karla,
You look so young.Must be the magic of that little Sugarwings! I love your pups and every time I see them, I want one! I think Twinks is just about the cutest pups I have ever seen but don’t let my two hear me say that.
Love those peat pots. I just cry every time I see them because I won once and I know that’s probably the end of my luck 🙂
xo,
Suz
Great post, Karla! That’s my favorite quote, too!!
been having just the most scrummy catch up. So much to see. The little dog babies are growing up quickly.
Well, you are luck that you looked good to be photographed sans photos. I’ve been known to scare small children and animals with my scary slap free face! Best that I put on some before facing the world! ;o)
Wishing you a wonderful birthday. I’m happy to look through the world through your Karla goggles, the world looks fabulous that way! xx
Wow Karla I love how you said it my friend! We all need to take a chapter out of that book I think. Life goes by too quickly, so enjoy everyday.
Wishing you lots of cake and ice cream!
Leann
Karla,
This is a beautiful post! Very encouraging and filled with wisdom…Love the pups and the pouches as well!
xo
sue
Love Myrna’s quote & love this post!
Puppy’s are growing. How cute they are. You look great Karla, and you are right about life. I am just so blessed each day to be alive and healthy.
Great philosophy Karla! I personally think you are beautiful and you have such natural beauty and confidence that always shines through in all of your photos. You can tell you are are happy with yourself and that is a wonderful quality!
Karla
P.S. Your comments on the dust make me realize I need to let some of this stuff go in my own house!
Oh, what a lovely post! I saw your pretty picture and it registered as happy, beautiful gramma!!! You are simply gorgeous, and you are enjoying your life. What else could be prettier than a happy woman?
A wonderful and insightful post, Karla! You and Sugarwings look fantastic in that photo. You must frame it! I turned 53 in February. I know just what you mean. Life is how you choose to see it. Yes, sometimes there are difficult hurdles to overcome. But all in all, I’m a happy camper. Wish I could hug you and Sugarwings in celebration! Those pups are adorable!
Brenda
Happy May Day Karla, I love the photos of you n’ Sugarwings
in this post and the others. Enjoy the puppies, they will grow up fast! Love the quote! Pups are so sweet; makes me want one! You have a natural glow about you! Keep smiling~
Well Happy Birthday a little early. Mine was yesterday and I had a similiar post about just accepting things how they are wrinkles and all:)and enjoy each day. I hope I am as fun a grandma as you someday:)
Sadder news our little Sandy Cheeks (our dorkie:) has started having seizures:( The vet still can’t figure out why. She’s only 7 but she was the runt of her litter and only weighs 3.6 pounds today so we don’t know if that may have something to do with it. It’s scary as hell when she has one! And she is really too small to give any major drugs to without every adverse effect imaginable:( She is such a sweetie pie and the whole family has been teary eyed all week. As of today she hasn’t had one since last Wednesday. We are keeping our fingers crossed that those 3 days last week were just a fluke and maybe she ate something bad (she loves poking around in the yard). But right now she is just getting more spoiled and carried everwhere because she is walking with her head cocked to the left. Poor baby!! At first she couldn’t even get herself up and down the stairs but she isn’t as crooked today and did it all by herself. Keep her in your thoughts. I know you’ll understand:)
Hi Karla
Happy birthday to you and you sure do not look 52. You have many years ahead of you and just keep enjoying them like you do now. That is the way to live. You, your grandbaby and Twinkles and her puppies all go together to make your own heaven.
Hugs
FredaB
Karla: I loved this post…and I believe it too.
Have a happy birthday! I heard that you were at Jesse James Ant. Mall yesterday. Wish I would have been there.
Joyce
Beautiful post and very well said!
Karla, love all your beautiful creations, you never cease to amaze me with your talent.
And the find of the hats is WOW ! We don’t have any like that around here, they are very scarce.
Hey, email me about one of the female pups, I was hoping to get an email from you already.
Love the peat pots, and everything ! Your life is lovely, just as it is !
HHey Sweet Karla! Love the picture of you and your Grandbaby, and am a ‘little bit’ jealous…your face shows such pure joy! Your friend, Bobbi
What beautiful thoughts… May your birthday be filled with the people that you hold dear and magical moments.
Happy Birthday
Karla, you are beautiful inside and out…makeup on or not..i know what you mean though…i used to spend hours putting myself together…now, i don’t really care…i can be showered and out the door in half an hour…i frequently leave the house without makeup on…something i never would have dreamed of years ago…not sure if i am ready to have that image plastered all over the internet though…i am not as brave {or as cute} as you:)
Hello Miss Karla,
A beautiful post with wisdom I appreciate. Your a beauty as it shines from your soul. Have a Happy Happy Birthday!
The pups are so adorable and I’m sure they will melt even more hearts, like mine.
Warmly,
Karla
Hi Karla; Amen,,,,,to your post,, I so agree with it all… and I love the photo of you and Sugarwings,, she is so darn cute….. oh my how big the puppies are getting,, love the sweet faces….. how fun it must be holding them, and playing with them…. Poor Sugarwings is going to be sad when they find homes,,,,,, I would be…. have a great week.
Hugs;
Alaura
karla your outlook is so inspiring, and I say you never take off those karla goggles!! You are perfect the way you are!
happy happy birthday!
xoxo, TIffany
thank you for this wonderful post, Karla! I love that quote. I need to buy some Karla goggles!
xo
Claudia
I used to have the same issue with makeup, clothes, hair, etc. We were trained that way during our formative years. The older I get, the less makeup I wear, the shorter my hair gets, and the happier I am with my appearance. Thanks for your inspiring post! And from a dog-lovers point of view, I look at your little Dorkies and imagine how much joy each one will bring into their future owners’ lives…..
Bravo, my friend, for a glorious, honest post and for seeing yourself in a new way over these years. One of the promos for a show I had to promote was “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change,” and I so see this in how you tell of the makeup, uncombed hair, and dust! You see, it doesn’t make any difference to us — perhaps we love you all the more for it, because despite your enormous creativity that probably more than a few of us envy, we know you are a great deal like we are! Happy Upcoming Birthday, Karla! Happy new year!
Gorgeous post Karla!!!! Just like YOU…with or without makeup!!! 🙂 LOOOOVE puppies!!!
Happy Early birthday my friend!!! XOXO,Jenn
What a beautiful post! I love the saying on the tag too…such wonderful words to live by. Those puppies are about the cutest little things I have ever seen! Thank you for such an inspirational post!
Shannon
Shabby Shan’s Cottage
Karla, your smile is the only thing people see in your photos of lovely you. And that tricolor puppy!! Oh my gosh — they are so precious!
Happy belated birthday! I had to a lot of catching up! So glad to hear you’re healed up and not a snorer anymore! You and Sugarwings look all pretty and glowy in your photo – you have great skin! The dorkies sure are cute!Have a wonderful mothers day!
Awwww! Let me say it again: Awwww!
Also, love the quote “When you come right down to it, the secret of having it all is believe that you do.” Absolutely true!
Hey Karla. What was the art program you use for your photos? I can’t remember what it was called. I downloaded it when you first mentioned it but then my computer crashed 🙁 Now I don’t have it.