My Spring Giveaway!

Giveaway Closed

Happy Wednesday!

I am so happy to finally be sharing my extra special

Spring giveaway with all of you!

I've teamed up with the lovely Sheila at

Tattered Goods

to offer you a pair of her exquisite tea towels

available exclusively in her wonderful Etsy Shop.

 Aren't they divine?

Sheila calls this lovely creation her
Shabby Chic French Flour Sack Towel with Ruffle,

and it is even more beautiful up close and personal!

I actually own a pair of these same tea towels myself,

and I thought you'd like to see the creative way I use mine...

Yep, as a curtain for the back door in our kitchen!

It's just perfect there.

So, how can YOU win a pair of these pretties?

Simple.

1. Just leave a comment on this post.

2. Leave an extra comment if you are or become a follower.

3. Leave yet another comment if you grab the giveaway button, found on my sidebar.

4. And leave additional comments for blogging, facebooking or tweeting about it.

I will choose a winner 

Friday, April 20th.

Oh, and before I sign off,
I also want to share with you this photo
that my best friend and photographer extraordinaire
Thomas Adams shot of me a couple of weeks ago...

It's a bio photo shot to accompany
an upcoming article feature on me
in a magazine I'm not at liberty to divulge yet.
But many of y'all know the writer, and she has done
a WONDERFUL job on the piece.
Details coming soon!

Good Luck on the giveaway!!!!

Beloved

I lost a most precious family member this past Saturday,

my beloved Uncle J.B.

He was my mom's oldest brother, and was in many ways,

the father I should have had.

Having lost my mom just 7 short months ago,

my family is struggling to process this second loss.

I am re-posting this from November 2009,

when I paid him homage here on my blog

****

My beloved Uncle J.B.

That would be short for John Broadus, 

named after my beloved Pappaw, John Broadus Christian.

"The Old Chevy"...that's the title my Mammaw gave this photo. 

There he is on the left, with his little brother, my uncle, 

cradled in my Pappaw's lap.

My Uncle J.B. has always held the 

softest of spots in my heart...he and my Aunt Betty never had children,

 but oh, how he doted on me!

 How tiny I was! 

And yet how safe and completely adored 

I have always felt while in his presence.

How tiny and completely adored he looks here, 

as my Mammaw proudly gazes on...

He has had a rough road of late...he was widowed last year, 

and has suffered other set-backs as well...a car accident, 

a hospitalization and lengthy rehab, moving into assisted living.

But how I love to remember him as this...

What joy!

I love all my uncles, my mothers three brothers, 

but my Pappaw's namesake, Uncle JB, has always been my touchstone.

I received this letter from him as a young teen. 

Kept it safely protected all these many years. 

It's worth more than gold to me now.

Beloved Uncle, 

you are indeed truly beloved.

John Broadus Christian Jr. (1923 - 2012)

J. B. (John Broadus) Christian Jr. was born in Fort Worth, Texas April 13, 1923 and passed away in Dallas, Texas on Holy Saturday, the Eve of Resurrection, April 7, 2012 at the age of eighty-eight. He was preceded in death by his wife of over sixty years, Betty Jo Owens Christian. He is survived by two brothers, C. W. Christian of Waco, Texas and Jimmie Sams Christian of Dallas, Texas and by nieces and nephews. J. B. graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas. He served aboard the U.S.S. Goss in the Pacific theater in World War II and was in Tokyo Bay during the surrender of the Empire of Japan. He studied music at Baylor University, served as Minister of Music and Choirmaster at several Baptist churches in Dallas and Mexia, Texas, and was organist at Calvary Baptist Church in Garland for twenty-five years. He worked also for Lamar & Smith Funeral Home for many years, providing music and other services for thousands of bereaved families. He was a talented painter, an athlete and a lover of the outdoors. J.B. was a wonderfully gifted man. He was a superior tennis player, an able writer, a man of endless curiosity about life and the world about him. Above all, he was a musician who loved the harmonies of life.

ETERNAL rest grant unto him, O Lord, 

and let perpetual light shine upon him. 

 May the souls of the faithful departed, 

through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

Amen.

Give my mama a hug from me, okay?

Home Again

It was a blast!

Although my  

Round Top - Marburger Farm

adventure ended a day early due to illness,

it was still a wonderfully memorable experience,

and I had a blast.

One of the absolute highlights was FINALLY

meeting this junking goddess diva...

That's my junkin' sista from another mother,

Sue of Vintage Rescue Squad.

I've loved her since I began stalking her blog three years ago,

and next year, I plan to get to know
my long-distance buddy better by getting into
some certified junkin' mayhem with her!

The lovely Magnolia Pearl folks were a joy to work with,

and my two days spent with them were so much fun.

Thank you, my sweet friends!

I also had the chance to attend the wonderful Bloggers Luncheon

held at Royer's Cafe, which featured an inspiring talk from

my precious friend, Carol Hicks Bolton.

Carol was a revelation to listen to,

as she shared her design philosophy with those of us

lucky enough to attend.

It was also fun to see that my photos are being used

on the advertising materials for Carol's new shop,

Laboratoire de Design.

I'll share those with you soon!

And finally, in super exciting news,

I am pleased and thrilled to announce that I have been

added to the editorial staff of  

FOLK magazine

as a regular contributor!

This is such an honor,

and if you haven't subscribed yet, you really should.

It's chock full of all those things
we bloggers hold near and dear...

Per the blog...

FOLK magazine is....

"Devoted to presenting a fresh and youthful interpretation of simple country lifestyles.
We focus on the stories that make America our collective home sweet home.  
FOLK reaches across the many representations of American Country style
to celebrate personal expression in our homes, businesses, and lives.

We are all about the country, sweet tea, indie music, antiques,
roadtrips, small towns, comfort, home, artists,
locally grown and locally made, one-of-a-kind art,
open spaces, photography, patriotism,
simple living.... and the little things."

Sounds great, right?

You can subscribe

HERE.

More exciting news in the days ahead,
including a wonderful giveaway that I'll be announcing
the first part of the week.
You won't want to miss it!

Happy Weekend, and have a Blessed Easter!

Headed for the Promised Land....

Be sure to look for me

HERE

working with

THESE

amazing folks,

wearing some fun variation on

the fabulous duds below...

{ me and my Magnolia Pearl jacket }

photo courtesy of Jill at  

Haberdashery Boutique, Fredericksburg, TX
where they just so happen to sell MP creations!

See you in Round Top, I hope!

Have a wonderful weekend, and to my lucky

friends attending and selling at the shows,

I will see you soon!

Bloggers Luncheon

Hello Friends!

I am super happy to make a special announcement

on behalf of my sweet friends

Carol Hicks Bolton  and Bud Royers...

 My dear friend Carol will be speaking at

a very special luncheon at Royers Cafe

in Round Top, Texas to kick off

Antique Week at Marburger Farm!

Carol will be discussing her design philosophy,

and I was asked to provide the photography

for her special presentation.

Ain't she cute?

Here, courtesy of Bud, is what awaits

the winning blog entry about this event... 

"Dallas Market Center will recognize the best blog entry 

covering the Luncheon and Round Top Antique Week 

with a prize package worth approximately $600. 

We invite the winner to join us in Dallas 

for our summer FINDS Dallas Temp Show (June 21-24) 

featuring Vintage categories across our wholesale campus. 

The Market will feature a bloggers’ lounge on the show floor – 

the perfect place to regroup, relax and do a little blogging from Market! 

The prize package will include a two night hotel stay, 

a $200 gas card, and two restaurant gift certificates for dinner in Dallas."

 

All the info you need is on the announcement, 

so please be sure to contact Michaela Webb from
Dallas Market Center

for further details...I'm just the happy messenger! 

I'm not sure if I'll be able to sneak away to attend,

as I will be working with the lovely Magnolia Pearl

folks that day, but I do hope you will contact

Michaela for all the details if you wish to attend.

Have a wonderful day!

A New Adventure!

I love a challenge.

Trying something new, fresh, exciting.

Stepping out on a limb.

Three years ago
I tried out an antique mall booth.

Then two years ago,
I set up in Bar W Field with my buddy

Effie to sell at Warrenton.

I've tried to expand and take my photography

to new and fresh places in the past year.

And now...

{ photo courtesy of Amy Gawlik Scarborough 
at Al Gawlik Photography }

A new adventure awaits!

I'll be headed up to Round Top

this weekend to help the fabulous

Magnolia Pearl

crew set up their space at Marburger Farm!

I had the privilege of helping out at their

gorgeous fashion show in Fredericksburg last month,

and thought it would be both an adventure

and an honor to do the same at Round Top.
It will be my first time there!

This isn't about going there to take photos,
for the many who have asked.
This is about so much more.

I know it's going to be a lot of hard work,

but it's also going to be a guaranteed blast.
Good times with great people, what's not to love?
It's also going to serve as some emotional healing, I think...
much needed right now.

That's one more check off the ole' bucket list.

:-)

Happy Monday!

to see more of Amy's gorgeous photography,

be sure to click on

Gypsy Pearl Studio

Beautiful Saturday

All over Facebook,

my friends are posting about what

a gorgeous day it is in their neck of the woods.

Same here!

Here's the view from my front yard...

My front porch.

The entire exterior of the house is due to be re-painted

this Summer, with the gingerboard trim restored

to its former glory. I can't wait!

How is your beautiful Saturday shaping up

out there in blogland? :-)