From Lamb To Lion

This is a true story as recounted to me by my mom.  It really demonstrates that true courage is present in all creatures........even a lamb.

Last week on a whim, my mom purchased a lamb.  Not rack of lamb, but a real live, cute cuddly woolly lamb.  My mom named her Julia.  Reason for buying Julia?  Well.  Let's just say that Julia may  have been destined for babacue sauce at some point.  More on this later....

Anyway, Julia somehow escaped her enclosure and was reaping havoc on a near by vegetable garden.  The little lamb was out of control. 

And having a ball.  

Well, my mom eventually got a few men to corral the lamb so she could return her to her enclosure but alas, miss Julia wasn't having it.   She sidestepped the men and off she went.  Well after this happened repeatedly, the big gun was called to the site.  Enter Grover.  My aunt's Verna's mammoth size dog. 

With the command "sic em Grover", he was off. He charged full speed at Julia but Julia had a surprise for him.  She held her ground and then suddenly charged full speed at him!  Grover promptly did an 180, tucked his tail and ran as if his life depended on it with Julia hot on his heels.  It didn't help that he was howling as he ran.  Poor grover.  He jumped straight unto my aunts lap.  Only then did Julia stop chasing him.  

Needless to say, Grover has permanently ruined his macho reputation and Julia....well she will not be on anyones plate any time soon.  Lol, this lamb is a soldier.  I made a deal with mom deal to buy her freedom.  Long live Julia!

Cherio

The Boho Chic Skirt - A Fabulous Blast From The Past

A few days ago my sister sent me an email with all kinds of fabulous boho chic skirts attached that she had found on the net.  It took me back.....way back and brought back so many good memories.  I remember the textures, originality and swag of those skirts.  They were daring and unapologetic.  Any girl wearing one of them, you just knew she could care less what you thought...she was her own woman in every sense of the word.

Somewhere along the way though, clothes became a lot more tame.

Streamlined.  

Standardized

Sensible

Normal

 Now, only the brave, eccentric, hippies, or out of the box personalities wear these skirts.  

So sad.

And so I bring to you my fav Boho chic skirts.  It really doesn't get any better than this.  I have a closet full of them and I wear them ever so proudly.  All it takes is a few modern touches to work this look.  Whether it is shoes and accessories or a simple tee shirt, this is a super easy style to modernize and rock.

But don't just take my word for it, check these pics out and see for yourself.  Enjoy!

Cherio

Peony Power (Guest Post By Shanda Neighbors)

I have developed a full blown love affair with flowers. Now, it's not to the point where I'm talking to them yet...Well actually, I did speak to one today so cancel that. I said something to the effect of "you have to get better." Hey don't judge. Besides, you'd do the same thing if you were in my shoes. One of my all time favorite flowers (and only for the sake of this post will I admit I have one) is the peony. For those of you who don't know what they look look like, see below:
Oh, and yes these happen to smell as beautiful as they look. They come in a variety of colors, coral and purple being the most stunning (my opinion). They are reasonably priced, but when you have a project the size of mine, and a limited budget, they are not reasonably priced enough, which brings me back to my story. I was out in the yard today (where else would I be on such a beautiful day) surveying my latest project (I'm landscaping a slope in the front yard). I've planted a row of rose bushes, and thought that something with lush, green leaves would add contrast, and look nice there. That's when I remembered the lone peony I inherited from the previous owner of this property. Unfortunately, it was planted in a shaded location. Peonies are not a shade plant. I also learned that they are finicky about being moved. In attempt to save this plant I actually debated cutting down the tree that was causing the shade. My husband wouldn't go for it. After a year of stalling, and with the plant near death, I was forced to make a decision. Today, and far to late in spring to transplant the poor thing, I gathered the courage, dug it up, and gave it a sunny, new location. I'm not sure if it's gonna make it, but hopeful. I'd love for this story to have a happy ending. I don't even know the color of the flower on this particular peony bush. Only time will tell. I'm hoping it turns out looking like this:

But for now it looks like this:

Pathetic. I know. I've heard that talking to plants help. I'm not saying that I willing to have a full blown conversation, but given the looks of this one,  and despite the "looks" I'll be getting when I do, I'm at least willing to say hi. I'm thinking we'll be be on speaking terms for a while...

Mariah Carey ft Whitney Houston When You Believe HD

This song makes me want to break bricks with my bare hards and crack a few walnuts under my armpits.  Lol, in other words it is awesome! I am sure you will agree too.  No body does it like my girl Ms Whitney.

Have a beautiful day lovelies!

Cherio!

It's All About Me

I used to think that to focus on oneself was selfish, arrogant.....egotistical.  That to do so was a not so slow march towards narcissism.  Eventually. 

It took a long tome to get here, but  I no longer think this way.

You see, I have a natural affinity to care for others, some may even call it a gift or talent.  Whatever it is, at the very least it is a nurturing spirit.  I want to heal the broken, take away what is hurting, and above all, help in whatever way I can. Sometimes I can, and sometimes unfortunately I cannot....but man do I try!  Somewhere in the middle of this though, I've learned to put my own emotional well being on the back burner.  Sure, I took care of everything else over the years, work, family etc., except this one area.  

Why?  Because I believed to do otherwise would be selfish.

 I was wrong.

Truth is, even a gift can be like a curse if not managed properly.  

Case in point. For as long as I can remember, anyone with a problem seemed to be drawn to me like a moth to a flame.  And when I say anyone, I do mean that.  It is not unusual at all for me to meet a complete stranger and have them pour out their life to me in a grocery line.  No kidding.  The point is, I love to help hurting people and they love me right back.  Unfortunately as with any thing that is wounded, one must exercise caution. The same is true.  Hurt people, hurt people.


Over the past year I have learned a lot about myself.  I know that we are all instinctually what God created us to be.  I know that I will always be a nurturer at heart but there has to be some changes in my life. After all, if I am upset, frustrated and sad, what help am I to anyone else?  For this reason, it is indeed all about me! 

 I choose to focus on being the positive glass half full gal that I am and take time to nurture myself and the things that are dear to me.  Only then will I be able to give anything back....that is worthwhile.  

Cherio!

The Fashionista Precious Metals Check List

I really hope this post helps someone the way it did me.  Sometime precious metals like gold, silver and platinum, depending on the country that manufactured the piece has markings that may be foreign to you or unfamiliar at the very least.  We all recognize 14kt, 10kt and 18kt but do you know that in other countries the markings can be entirely different?  For instance, 14kt in the United kingdom is often marked 585.  In cases like this, due to lack of knowledge,  lots of people have given away or mistook precious metals for costume jewelry.  Sadly, this happens more often than you think. When I started selling on Ebay, I had a similar experience that taught me an invaluable lesson.  One of the pieces I sold was a platinum bracelet with the markings 950.  I had no idea it was platinum and sold it as costume jewelry for little or nothing.  Needless to say, I lost that piece and the customer who bought it probably fist pumped when he or she received it.  That is...if they knew what it was. The bracelet was worth at least $550.00  (I am too ashamed to tell you what I sold it for.)  It still hurts today to recall the incident.  And so, please take a minute to look at this chart, it may save you from the same horror......or, you may find that you have precious metals in your collection that you didn't even know you had!

Metal Stamps

Metal stamp	Minimum percentage of pure metal	Common alloys**
.925 Sterling SilverAlso: 925 Sterling, Sterling Silver*	92.5% pure fine silver	Usually copper
10kAlso: 16, 417, 10KP*	41.6% pure gold (10 parts out of 24)	Usually silver, copper, zinc, and nickel
14kAlso: 583, 585, 14KP*	58.3% pure gold (14 parts out of 24)	Usually silver, copper, zinc, and nickel
18kAlso: 750, 18KP*	75% pure gold (18 parts out of 24)	Usually silver, copper, nickel, and palladium (for white gold)
22kAlso: 916, 917*	91.6% pure gold (22 parts out of 24)	Usually silver and copper
24kAlso: 999*	100% pure gold (24 parts out of 24)	None
900 PlatinumAlso: 900 Plat, Plat 900, Pt900, 900Pt*	90% pure platinum (900 parts out of 1,000)	Ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, and other platinum group metals
950 PlatinumAlso: PLAT, PT, 950 Plat, Plat 950, Pt950, 950Pt*	95% pure platinum (950 parts out of 1,000)	Ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, and other platinum group metals
*Alternate stamp or European hallmark **May vary depending on desired color, such as white gold or rose gold Additional Information Additional Information The term "karat" (usually abbreviated as "k," "K," or "Kt") refers to the relative purity of gold; pure gold is 24 karats. "Karat" is different from "carat," which is a metric unit of weight for gemstones. In the context of gold jewelry, "plumb" is an old-fashioned term that means that the fineness or purity level of the gold content is precisely what is stamped on the item. The word "Plumb" or the letter P still sometimes follows the metal stamp (e.g., "14k Plumb," "14KP").

Cherio!

Southwestern Style...Not Just For Cowpokes

I have a soft spot for all things Southwestern.  I mean seriously.  From the old western movies to the decor and  fashion, I just love it all!  Here is a brief summary of how to bring some south west style to your environment.  

Colors: Traditional palette of cactus green, adobe red and desert-toned neutral hues are hallmark Southwest colors. Shots of bright yellow, dusty orange and turquoise are also indicative of Southwestern design.

Textiles: Sturdy woven fabrics, leather and suede are used for upholstery. Striped serapes (colorful wool shawls) can be used as pure decoration on walls.

Furniture: Leather is a common covering for sofas and chairs. Knotty pine is a popular choice for wood furniture, which may also feature a distressed finish embellished with burnished metal accents.

Accents: Talavera pottery, painted ceramic pieces with roots in 16^th century Mexico, adds color and design interest to a desert home. Hand-painted tiles are used on walls, floors and countertops. Wrought iron is used for all types of accessories.

These arts include architecture, ceramics, drawing, filmmaking, painting, 

photography, sculpture, printmaking, and other media, ranging from the ancient past to the contemporary arts of the present day.

Southwestern home décor reflects the colors of the desert and the peoples who have carved out a living from it. Earth tones—browns, reds and oranges—dominate most Southwest home decoration. Traditional Native American Indian geometric designs and symbols, like Acoma’s parrot motif, Hopi Pueblo’s migration pattern and Zuni lizards adorn pottery, rugs and other collectible artwork.

Southwestern fashion tends to be a style that has always been there whenever people need comfort. It's all about warm colors/tones and simple designs but in a colorful chic way.  The classic dress silhouettes, zig-zag patterns, and printed feathers are just some of the elements incorporated with this style........and it's all kinds of awesome!

And so, hope now you can agree with me. Southwestern style is certainly not just for cowpokes!

Have a happy EASTER!