Artist Christie Repasie

 Guess Who's going to be at Sweet Salvage?

 Christie Repasy the beloved artist that captures the romance of roses like no other will be a special guest at Sweet Salvage in Arizona for their

"Romancing the Home" event January 19th-21st.

I have had the pleasure of getting to know Christie and she is as 

beautiful as the bouquets she paints. 

A passionate yet modest heart that takes nothing for granted.

Christie's studio is an amazing escape to a world filled with everything romantic.

Elegant charms, mirrors, note cards and pieces of furniture and of course her paintings with her signature roses are available on her website and 

at the "Vintage Marketplace" Flea she puts on quarterly

with her sister in-law, Rita Reade of Mammabellarte.

  Christie has also began teaching painting techniques in her poolside classroom. Students are spoiled by the gorgeous surroundings and served lunch garden side.

She resides in Southern California in a lovely cottage with her son and 2 dogs.

For more information contact Christie at 

Crepasy@christierepasy.com

My Special Guest~Karen Valentine

 Guess Who is speaking at Launch Your Creativity?

 

 

Karen Valentine of Valentine Design and "Where Bloggers Create"

Did I tell you that this amazing, creative lady will be one of my guest speakers

at Launch Your Creativity in April?

Visit Karen's blog for cottage inspiration, tutorials and blingy eye candy galore. She is an amazing photographer and has been published  in Somerset Studio & Where Women Create.

Im so excited to have Karen speak and I know you will love hearing from her. 

Dont miss the event!

Fortune Cookies & Romance

 What do fortune cookies and romance have in common?

 Well nothing really unless your fortune.....

...comes true!
Thank you Peking Noodle Co.!

I opened this cookie a few years ago and thought
it was sweet so I put it on my pin board.

Little did I know this was in my future.

 Thank you Romantic Homes Magazine for featuring me as one of your Romantics!

 It is a privilege and honor to be featured among so many amazing women.

I have subscribed to the magazine for years and this annual feature

has always been a favorite of mine. 

The stories are so inspiring and encouraging and I love reading about how 

those I admire live a romantic lifestyle  and what inspires them.

How do You live a romantic lifestyle?

Believe in YOU for 2012!

 Happy New Year Friends and 

Fellow Dreamers!

Today we stand at the threshold of the unknown, 

before us lies a new year. 

Who knows what we will find, 

what new experiences or challenges will come our way?

It is a fresh start for you and pursuing your dreams and goals. 

Don't put them off another year, month or week. 

You've been given those dreams because only 

you can complete them like no one else can.

I wish you all the best for your creative journey in the New Year.

 You know my motto, 

"Follow Your Dreams, Anything IS Possible"!

Angels All Around Us

I am smitten with this statue.

The desert is so wide!

The desert is so bare!

What springs to quench my thirst are there?

Where will I from the tempest hide?

I heard the flow of hidden springs;

Before me palms rose green and fair;

The birds were singing,

All the air  was filled and stirred with Angels' wings.

                                                                                                                          Streams in the Desert

When you are feeling low and uncertain take heart that you are not alone. 

Your Guardian Angels are watching over you.

Last week I was given many gifts from dear friends, 

not gifts wrapped in pretty paper and tied with ribbon
although those are so fun to open

They were the kind of gifts that money can't buy; 

prayers, kind words, and emails of encouragement. 

To all of you my cherished friends, I Thank You for being you and letting me be me.

And a special thank you to Cindy Adkins whose book

"Angels At My Door" is a top seller on  Amazon.


p.s. This post was up for a few days and I didn't even realize it said "dessert" at the beginning of the poem. Guess that tells you where my mind is!

The Road Home

Photo: Cathy Scalise

But you will not mind the roughness, nor the steepness of the way,

Nor the cold, unrested morning, nor the heat of the noonday;

 And you will not take a turning to the left or the right,

But go straight ahead, nor tremble at the coming of the night,

 For the road leads HOME.

                                          Author Unknown

 I read this poem this morning and pondered it quite some time. 

HOME 

HOME

Our thoughts of home are so powerful. 

The place where we belong. 

Where we are molded into who we are. 

Where we learn the earliest lessons in life.

The smell of your favorite soap, the sounds of your family.

The pet that greets you faithfully.

Where we are safe to just be.

Have you ever broken down in an unfamiliar place and 

all you could think is how you want to go home?

When I mop the sticky mess from the kid's cooking experiment gone wrong

I will not complain but rejoice with a heart full of gratitude that I am in this place.

May your day be blessed with all the riches in your home.

Merry Christmas to all!

I hope all of you had a wonderful, joyful Christmas!

Here are a few pictures of my trees.

 I always put the white tree decorated with red bulbs in my dining room 

to go along with my red, white and black decor.

I love birds so aside from the ones that stay up all year I add them to the holiday decor.

 

A vignette in the dining room

 This has got to be the easiest last minute centerpiece to pull together. 
Any plate or bowl filled with bulbs looks so pretty. I added a candelabra to the center.

 My gold & green pencil tree.

With more birds of course!

 A sweet angel

My snowman clown from Bethany Lowe. Love this piece!

  

 On Christmas Eve we attended a party in Long Beach then took a drive down to the marina. It was 70* out and absolutely beautiful I wanted to show you a Christmas Eve sunset California style!

Wishing you and yours the season's best!
XO~

Apron Winner!

 Thank you for entering the give away

 The names were placed in a bowl

 And watched over by royal guards

 Congratulations K. Graves!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

XO~

Giveaways, Blessings and Congratulations!

photo: Good Life Zen

 First off I would like to thank Melissa Bolton of DesignHer Brands and Catherine Hoagland of Avalon Rose for putting together "The Ultimate No Excuses New Year, New You Giveaway". This truly was a life changer for one lucky winner, Jessie Lowery who one $4500 in prizes. Its a great blessing to me to be able to sponsor the event that helped to support another woman with her dream of starting & building her business.

Whimsical Musings

If you are looking for great business blogging tips be sure to visit Cindy Adkins' Whimsical Musings blog: women-blogging-for-busines-seminar.html

Cindy is a very talented author, artist and motivator. 

She was featured on Launch Your Creativity here

How about another giveaway?

Hurray! I think so too!

Leave a comment here and I will enter your name in the drawing. Entry closes Friday, December 16th at midnight pacific time.The winner will be announced on Saturday morning. Shipping to the U.S. only please.

Good Luck!

XO~

"The Ultimate New Year, New You Giveaway"

Whether you're starting a new business or revamping and expanding an existing business - you don't want to miss out on this UNBELIEVABLE opportunity! 

We're hoping it'll be a life-changer for some lucky dreamer.

 One lucky winner will receive:

~Over $4,500 worth of prizes~

This amazing opportunity starts TODAY, Thursday, December 1st, 2011 and ends on Sunday, December 

11th, 2011 at midnight EST. The winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced on this blog on Monday December 12th, 2011. 

Items donated will be provided to the winner directly through individual sponsors.

 

To see a list of donors & to enter go here~Good Luck!

http://designherbrands.blogspot.com/2011/12/ultimate-4500-no-excuses-giveaway.html

Pansy Cottage & Garden is proud to be a sponsor!

XO~