Nan's Gift to Me

I'm blessed to have a  very special friend, Nan, whom I can go without seeing or talking to for weeks or longer and when you see each other you pick up the conversation like it was just yesterday. I hope everyone else is as blessed to have a friend(s) like this~they are very rare and need to be treasured, which I do!! 

Yesterday was a wonderful day...I got to spend the day and part of the evening with Nan (thank you) and had an amazing time. Before leaving for Gainesville, Nan presented me with this:

My special gift, I was and am so touched, for My Studio that Nan made for Me!! My photography doesn't do it justice; however, it is 6x6, has my ladybug on it, even on the paper, my initial in silver foil, which also wraps around the frame, the title to my shop underneath, a beautiful red and white polka dot bow, and hangs from a ball chain....PERFECT! Nan, will be selling her works of art in her shop...as soon as it is up and going I'll post a notice here so you can visit and see all of her creations...I was able to get some of the "inside" scoop on some she is making...you are going to love them!!! 

Nan helps me in ways she doesn't even know...she shares her expertise (commercial graphic artist), teaches me about tricks of the trade for online business, listens, laughs with me, I can be myself, and treats me like an equal, I could go on and on, let's just say, when you find someone this special and rare-hold on tight!

...this is a friend...a very special one...whom I treasure a lot. 

After an appointment, our excuse for the trip :-), we shared and enjoyed each other's company at Red Lobster and had the waiter with the best sense of humor and attitude, Casey...great young man. We bounced ideas off each other all day, came up with new ones, checked out Books a Million~dangerous place for us haha, took in Joann's, Dollar Tree (still wish we had ours...please bring it back!), and a quick trip in K-Mart. Time flies when you're with someone who shares your same interests, likes, and sometimes can say what you are about to...it was after 7pm before we left Gainesville and Nan's husband I'm sure thought I had kidnapped her. Steve is a great guy and thankfully takes it all in stride when Nan and I go off for the day...thank you Steve!

I'm headed back to My Studio this morning to move my table and supplies in...probably won't get much organizing accomplished, because I want to work on the "butterfly" picture and hopefully finish it this weekend. Thank you Nan for some great insight regarding this project. Also a couple of little "works of art" that I want to see how they turn out. So I better get busy!! :)

I wish each and everyone a wonderful day...the sun is out here, the squirrels were in the yard scampering about, the High School Prom is tonight-wishing all of the young ladies and men a great time and please be careful. Even though I'm not English nor royalty, I watched a part of the tapping of the Royal Wedding last night-what a perfect couple...Kate was gorgeous and looks regal without overdoing...William's smile was there...I know Diana was looking down feeling so proud!

Enjoy your day!!!! Lynn

Happy Friday

Good Morning Everyone...I hope this finds you doing well this morning and having survived the terrible storms of yesterday. Please say a special prayer for those that lost their homes and communities in the Mississippi, Alabama area yesterday~and another special prayer for those that lost family members-may they be able to find comfort and strength from God to be strong throughout all of this.
Yesterday, my daughter Stacy and I enjoyed a great day together and were able to find some new door mats at Lowe's for the room, along with a new addition of a purple African Violet~in honor of my mother...so Mom, the African Violet will have a new home in the room in front of the window on my mother's antique plant stand where she grew African Violets. I don't have a green thumb like her, so I'll start off with one and maybe work in a couple of different houseplants also. Stacy bought me a Ladybug flag, of course, for outside...the theme will be carried over to the outside. We spent quite a bit of time at Lowe's and made comments about a lot of different hardware that could be incorporated into the room for storage. It's amazing that one of my favorite stores is a hardware store, especially Lowe's. There are so many different items that can be turned into and used for all my needs!!! We refrained ourselves from going overboard until I find everything I already have and incorporate that into the room, then to see what else I need!! What fun!
I am meeting some wonderful people online, as I did when I joined Facebook a year ago...I'll be adding to my list of people that inspire me under the caption "My Inspiration". Please check them out...the world is full of talented and special people!
I just saw a bunny in the yard eating when I let Teddy Bear (my Shih Tzu) out...he was a big, brown bunny! He just kept on eating while Teddy was out there except by the time I got my phone (to take a picture) he had hopped away...I'll keep looking for him...next time I'll have my phone with me!
I'm off today to help a dear friend, my special friend Nan...of course, we will visit a few stores in the course of the day...just being around creative people, I feel brings your own creative level to new heights...so on the drive to an appointment, we will bounce ideas off each other~what fun!!
I wish each of you a wonderful day...full of laughter, fun, love, relaxing and of course, paying it forward. We would not be where we are today, without paying it forward, I believe. So give a smile, a helping hand, a hug, a word of encouragement~give of yourself-the reward is even greater.
Happy Friday....with Love, Lynn

My Studio

It seems so weird to be saying "My Studio"...this room has been a screened porch, children's playroom, parents and mother-in-law suite, to storage of stuff, now it is beginning to take shape as my "retreat" and room for creativity! For the last couple of days, the room has been cleaned out, carpet removed, new overhead lights installed (thank you Donnie) and concrete floors sealed. Yesterday, I painted the concrete floors gray! Now to check for areas that might need  touch-ups and then the fun begins! I can start arranging the room and getting supplies organized. Then I'll have a place to be creative...I can hardly wait! I took pictures from the beginning of the prep work, not of the storage clutter~that should be forever embedded in my mind! :) I'll upload a couple so you can follow the progress also. I'm hoping that by this weekend, if not sooner, I can "move in" to the Studio!! I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

My Etsy shop is open during all of this "work in progress"...check it out... www.ladybugscottage.etsy.com
Keep checking back for progress! Lynn

A Beautiful Day

Good Morning Everyone! It is a beautiful morning with the sun shinning and all the birds feeding and flying in the yard. We are supposed to have another hot day...I know I live in Florida; however, it seems our weather skipped right over Spring and went straight to Summer temperatures...I have a feeling it is going to be a very long, hot one...thank goodness for air conditioning!

Today I am continuing on my "studio"...that seems so weird to say! hehe I am converting a back room in the house which has been everything from an enclosed patio, to our children's playroom, to our parents' apartment over the years into my place to create. Yesterday was taking out carpet and cleaning the concrete...today, hopefully, will be sealing the concrete and possibly painting the floor. Yes, painting the floor! Right now my money is going into supplies/etc., so area rugs will have to wait. I do have a summer area rug with bright stripes around 7 ft. long that I'll use in the room. One step at a time. So I'll create around the "mess" in the other part of the house for now...I've learned over the years to adapt to any environment! :) Just makes like a little more interesting. I'm taking pictures to document...I'll post some tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'm working on embossing butterflies and hand embroidering a meadow as the background for my crocheted butterfly picture. Will also try to put together a couple more scrapbook/altered art/mixed media kits today and post. I am learning that keeping the online business going is a 24-48 hr. job!! I'm so excited though that I have been given this second opportunity in life that I'm enjoying all that goes with it!!

I wish you all a wonderful day...I'll try to post pictures tomorrow of my studio's progress and also give you some other Etsy shops to take a look at...there are soooooo many talented people on Etsy...I feel extremely honored to be a part of this site.

My Etsy shop is Ladybugs Cottage...www.ladybugscottage.etsy.com   Believe me I was so excited when that name was available on Etsy, along with Facebook and Blogger. For me, it was all meant to be! If you go to my Etsy shop, you can go to my Favorites and visit some truly unique shops...make sure you're comfortable and have a glass of iced tea or your favorite beverage, you'll be there for awhile...I know I am!

Lynn

A New Beginning

This is a new beginning...a new venture in my life. I've opened my shop on Etsy (thank you very much for letting me be a part of it). I'm creating little works of art and one of a kind kits to make your imagination and creativity go wild! I love technology; however, I feel that your mind is the greatest gift there is and should be utilized to the fullest. I hope that my little corner in the world brings a smile to your face and provides you a place to come and visit often. With my shop being new, I will be adding new ideas and creations weekly~so please check back often. In the meantime, thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful day!
Lynn