Daisy Cottage

A Gift Named Claudia

'Tis the season for gifts and gift giving....

I want to share with you a VERY special gift. It is the gift of Claudia.  She wrote me one day and introduced herself as a reader of my blog. She asked me for some advice on how to make her new, precious home more "cottagy". She told me that she loved pretty things... china cups and saucers, flowers, pillows, etc. She sweetly told me that she loved my blog and that it "brightened her day".  Claudia included her blog link in her email to me and so I visited it and her personal website.

I was blown away with her story. I was touched more than I've been touched in a loooooong time. Tears welled with compassion as I read about her life's journey. I knew that I had just met an amazing soul - a true testament to courage and the love of LIFE.

We've since shared emails and "goodie packages" and Claudia just gave me the most beautiful plate....

She also made for me a special MP3 version of my Dad's favorite song. There really are NO words to express how much Claudia's kindness and generosity has meant to me. If you have the chance, please visit her website and drop her a note on her blog - I know that she would love to meet you. You will be giving her and yourself a REAL gift.. and your heart will thank you for it. And dear Claudia - YOU HAVE BRIGHTENED MY LIFE.  THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

An Ugly Painting

I was able to visit Goodwill yesterday, and as I usually do, I walked straight to the back of the store where the furniture and artwork is sold. A beautifully dressed lady was standing over the framed art bin and I had to patiently (which is NOT easy for me to do) wait until she was through looking at each item. She picked up this floral painting and turned to me and said, "Now THIS is UGLY!" and after showing me, she placed it back in its' proper "discarded" place. Now knowing me as you all do, I did NOT think that it was ugly - no, I knew that I had just the place for it! When she finally stepped aside, I quietly picked up the $3 painting and put it in my cart. The lady looked at me and I just smiled and walked away. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? And I knew of a certain buffet that would LOVE to have this perched on it...

This "ugly" painting was painted by someone in Tennessee and made its' way to a Florida Goodwill... the artist will probably never know that it ended up in Daisy Cottage. But I would love for her or him to know that I DON'T think it is ugly at all..

I think it is just beautiful!  I love its' sweet innocence too.  :-)

No Christmas Decorating

No Christmas decorating going on here at Daisy Cottage - yet..

But some aqua tole tray love is going on!

And I love how the little flowers on the vintage hanky seem to imitate the painted flower on the tray - yep, just LOVE it when that happens!  ;-)

Thank you ALL for your sweet comments about my family - and my Mom thanks you very much too!     :-)

Whew!

The day after hosting Thanksgiving is kind of like a nice loooooong sigh, isn't it? You are not only feeling "stuffed" from all of the holiday food, but hopefully feeling full of some good old-fashioned family time too. Everything turned out beautifully, and I had lots and lots of help from everyone! I hardly took any pictures because I was all wrapped up in turkey and mashed potato creating, but I did manage to snap these..

One of my two VERY impatient and hungry children....   ;-)

(Shannon decided to be a brunette this fall by coloring her gorgeous, natural blonde hair, which in turn has created MORE gray hairs on her MOTHER'S head)

One of my really sweet and pretty niece, Jamie....

One of my BEAUTIFUL Mommy and Shawn...

And, of course, one of Miss Maggie, all freshly bathed for the special day!

I hope YOUR Thanksgiving was wonderful too!

xo,

Kim

Feeling Thankful

I am. I am feeling thankful for EVERYTHING.

Everything that life has brought my way... the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, the good AND even the bad, because life has taught me that even in dark times the light WILL shine again. I'm just so thankful that I feel at all. That I "get" it.. this blessing called "life". Yes, I'm thankful for each moment. Thankful for each morning. Thankful for ALL of our friends and family. And thankful for you.

           I hope you have a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

From the Desk Of..

Yours truly - information for YOU about a really FUN holiday decorating contest:

Jennifer at The Old Painted Cottage is hosting a Holiday Decorating Contest on her website, www.theoldpaintedcottage.com and she's looking for the Best decorated Holiday Home! The winner of this contest will be fully featured in her upcoming "Dreaming of a Cottage Christmas" holiday issue of her December Cottage of the Month page. Also the winner will have permanent placement in her Cottage of the Month archives book, and will receive gifts & prizes.

*

If you wish to post about this contest on your blog, please email Jennifer at jennifer@theoldpaintedcottage.com and she'll gladly send you the contest image and info.

*

All entries must be received by midnight, November 28th. Winner to be announced on Jennifer's blog on November 30th.

Jennifer is a TRUE sweetheart - if you haven't met her yet, please stop by her pretty blog and WONDERFUL web site! You will LOVE her "Cottage of the Month" feature too!

xo, Kim

Breakfast At The Diner

I think some of the BEST breakfasts are served at the local diners - and the older the better too..

Nothing fancy - but predictably comforting and the coffee is always on..

And when you share a breakfast like this one with your one and only sweet son, who needs linens and fine china?

I know the days ahead are going to be very busy ones for many of us, but I hope that you can steal a few moments away to enjoy the simple things... like a good, old-fashioned diner breakfast!  Even if it isn't low-cal!  ;-)   

Lucy's Game Pieces

Remember when Charlotte sweetly sent me this game board? Well, after I shared it on my blog, dear Kathy from Vermont, emailed me and asked if I would like to have the game pieces for the " The Glad Game". I said that I would LOVE to have them! She told me that the pieces had come from her husband's grandmother's house.

This beautifully wrapped package arrived a few days ago. Attached to it was a card with a handwritten note from Kathy that I will now treasure forever too.  In her note, she shares about the game pieces -

"...these came from my husband's grandmother's house.  When I looked to see how many pieces were there, I was puzzled by the marbles in the box.  Then I realized their intent.  Lucy McCollough raised four boys and one girl through the depression.  Her husband was a logger and a trucker.  Just like many others, they "made do".  I imagine game pieces went missing over time, so marbles were substituted."

Sigh.  Can you imagine Lucy and her five children lovingly playing "The Glad Game" together, during the Great Depression? What a precious thought. Something tells me that even though it WAS the Great Depression, they, as a family, had much to be glad about... for they had each other and they knew, first-hand, how that was all that really mattered. They were very, very WISE back then.

Thank you Kathy, SO MUCH, for passing these little tokens of a family's treasured past on to me. You know that I will keep these here, safe and sound, and will love them always.

Dusting And Fluffing

Dusting....

Fluffing.....

 

Simply enjoying some Daisy Cottage "nesting" on this beautiful, sunny, November day....

          AND always so thankful that YOU stopped by.

It's A Sham

It's really a pillow sham (thank you Fifi) - but now it is a seat cover for my red office chair -

I simply slipped it on - no fuss, no muss, and best of all - NO SEWING!  ;-)

Which is great because I can spend quality time with these instead...

And now, the old chair cushion can have a turn being a pillow in the wing back chair..  fun, right?   :-)