There are times that escaping to a good book brings such joy. I love finding a story that draws me in, keeps my interest, and is intriguing. The only problem, I want to read all the time! But that's okay, I can pace myself and enjoy the journey. I am grateful for wonderful story tellers that produce books I enjoy reading.
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| Love the way John Grisham tells a story! |
Home is...
In this month of thankfulness, referred to as November, I have chosen to reflect on the blessings I have. The funny thing is, this week has been a rough one and so identifying the blessings in my life reminds me how good my life is instead of wallowing in self pity, which was not part of the original plan but definitely a benefit.
And so I'll attempt to capture the people, things, events, and more that make my life meaningful and oh, so wonderful. And no, these will not be listed in any particular order but rather influenced by the events of the day.
Today I realize how many wonderful people I am surrounded by. People that are willing to help when needed. Those that are willing to pick up and do what I can't do for myself right now. Loved ones, friends, family, co-workers, and strangers. My heart is filled with gratitude and my eyes with tears as I think of the acts of kindness received this week and especially today.
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| Image from Remodelaholic and Lexiphilia |
Friday evening I had the wonderful opportunity to attend my first Utah Bloggers gathering. What a wonderful bunch of women! Everyone was kind, welcoming, and easy to talk with.
The gathering was held at Gardner Village, a lovely group of homes converted to a quaint shopping area in West Jordan, UT. We started the evening enjoying delightful appetizers from Archibald's Restaurant (fried green tomatoes, fried avocados, and spinach dip). After picking up my name badge, bag, and card to mark the stores I visited, I headed out. As a bonus, they said we could take pictures of anything in or outside the shops, so I took advantage and captured a few of my favorite things.
The following photos are in no particular order and I apologize to the stores that I photographed items from but can't remember which store it was (if it isn't written down....).
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| The Gathering Place - we wrapped up the evening here with prizes, a chocolate fountain, and lots of chatting. |
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| Adorable tea set - reminds me of tea parties from my childhood. |
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| Pine Needles is an adorable sewing and stitching store and I LOVE this cute Basset. Might need to warm up my sewing skills. |
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| Elegant chandelier at the Sassy Babies shop and it isn't just a decor item, you can buy it. |
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| Beads, beads, and more beads at The Bead Farm. Love the clear jar storage. |
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| The Cottage Retreat Salon & Spa was inviting and relaxing as evidenced by this clever corner shelf display. |
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| Another adorable dog found at Pine Needles. |
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| The Naborhood Bakery caters to humans with their cupcakes, rolls, cookies, and other delights. But how could I pass up doggy treats for the hounds? The review - snarfed in two bites! |
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| Halloween decor was everywhere but the purple ribbon around the door caught my attention at Aunt Elsie's Trinkets. |
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| Love the dress form especially as a creative way to display jewelry. |
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| Plum Dandy had something for everyone and everything was displayed so invitingly. |
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| Sassy Babies had the cutest clothes - too bad there are no baby girls in my life right now cause these ruffles and adorable tights were calling to me. |
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| Down to Earth is a store I have frequented often over the years. This leaf pillow captures the essence of the season. |
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| Dried oranges in clear glass reflect the color of the season as did so many items displayed at Country Furniture & Gifts. This store is a favorite and never disappoints. |
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| Seeing these Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls transported me back to my Grandma's house and spending nights there. Georgell Doll Shop had an incredible variety of dolls. |
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| Love the saying, but it was the cool, purple background that caught my eye. |
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| Loved these over-sized pumpkins and their wavy lines for depth and definition. Highlite Photography was decked out for the season and a friendly place for a quick photo shoot. |
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| Yes, more beads from The Bead Farm. Oh to have so many beautiful, purple beads displayed so inticingly. |
I want to thank everyone again for all their wonderful comments this week. Like I said several times, I thoroughly enjoyed the excuse to create this week and especially to use Unity Stamps on my creations. It definitely has renewed my desire to include creative time in my week.
And as promised, I picked a winner from the comments left this week. This person gets two Itty Bitty stamps from Unity Stamp Company. And the winner is......
The first time I saw a Smash book at CHA Winter a few years ago I instantly fell in love. Funny thing is, I just recently acquired one, but it was worth the wait - I LOVE it. I can doodle, stamp, capture ideas, save fun things, and so much more. The possibilities are endless.
I understand that the first step in overcoming an addiction is admitting you have one. Well, I have a few, one of which is ribbon. Unfortunately, I have admitted this addiction many times and yet I still find the need to save scraps of ribbons from gifts, packages, and any other item containing the beloved piece.
This is a picture of my "traveling" bag of ribbon. I have jars at home containing scraps (organized by color) and ribbons on spools line my work area as well as other jars containing smaller spools. But, I do use my ribbon stash so I'm hoping that justifies my need to acquire every pretty piece/style I come across.
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