On Raggedy Overload!!!

There are many, many things that I love, and collect....but one of the all-time favorites is the raggedy annie style doll!!! I LOVE ANNIES!!! Big annies, little annies, fat annies, skinny annies, black annies, brown annies, tan annies, fancy annies, simple annies......I LOVE ANNIES!!! I have a GIANT collection of raggedy annie designs, both mine and from many wonderful designers. One can never have tooooo many annie patterns, or annie dolls, in their collections!! Sadly, after being in raggedy production mode for some time, preparing for a couple of shows, there are a few remaining annie dolls that are wanting to find homes before Christmas. They fear that if they remain here with me, Santa will have to share his wares with far too many others!! Therefore, they are hoping to be adopted into new families, where the gifts from Santa will perhaps be more plentiful than what they expect things to be like here!! The group site Glitter and Grunge will be updating tomorrow, December 1st, and I hope you will find time to take a peek at the raggedy dolls that I will be featuring there!! Thank you, Missy Ballance, for offering that wonderful venue for us, too!! 'Til next time, find the fun in everything you do, and keep a place in your heart to nurture your dreams!! Prim Blessings, Trudy

AS NOVEMBER DRAWS TO AN END............

I know. Only four more days left in November 2007.....and so much left to do! I have come to the conclusion that the older one gets, the faster the calendar pages turn!! What has happened to 2007???? This can't be!! And as is normal for me, when the weather begins to show signs of winter, the first snow has come and gone, and the holidays are upon us.....I decide it is time to make some changes!!! So....with all the Fall and Harvest decor put safely away, the Christmas and Winter things are anxiously awaiting their turn to come out of the Rubbermaid tubs!! But first....I must do more deep cleaning and organizing and rearranging, in an attempt to brighten and freshen our little castle!!

I also believe that houses grow smaller the longer you live in them!! When we bought this house not quite three years ago, it was definitely MUCH bigger than it is now!! Hmmmmmmm..........Interesting thought!! I know what my daughter says the real problem is!! She just does not understand that all of these treasures are true TREASURES...things to be cherished, and held onto forever!! And so....the collections grow.......

For those of you that need some inspiration for your work space, and wonderful tidbits of wisdom to spark the creativity, I highly recommend one of my favorite books........a fabulous collection of grand work spaces......Where Women Create, by Jo Packham. When I seem to be bogged down, and the creative mind is resting (or has left me!), I love to pull out this great work of talent and grandeur in search of an answer! I hope it will have answers for you, too!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY EVE!!

Sending blessings and wishes for safe travel and happy times for all!! I find it most difficult to believe that we are already near the end of November!! Although I try to focus on my many blessings every day, this time of year seems to pull from us deeper thoughts of appreciation for what we have. I am truly blessed with more than my share, perhaps. For those of us that are blessed with family time this holiday week.......enjoy!! For those that are separated from family.....enjoy!! Each situation has it's goodness!! "Til next time.....keep in your heart a place for your dreams...and find the fun in everything you do!!! Blessings, Trudy

Just a Smidgen from my "THANKFUL FOR" List!!

Sunsets and sunrises, family and friends, children and grandchildren..........just the beginning of my long, long list of all that I have to be thankful for.........Happy Thanksgiving to All!!

News About Precious Kitty!!!!

I must say that all the prayers and thoughts sent our way for the dear kitty, Precious, have been well received!! She has improved dramatically, and is nearly back to her old self now!! She spends far more time in her wooly bed in the family room than she might have before, but she does go upstairs for her morning naps in the sunshine in our bedroom, too! Her voice has not fully returned, but her meow is getting stronger by the day!! We have been very encouraged by her recovery, and were elated when she ran to the front door yesterday and this morning again, as we were going out, so that she could resume her routine of rolling on the sidewalk, and sniffing the flowers!! Thank you to everyone for thinking of her!! Hugs, Trudy

Precious the Kitty!!

We have been blessed with the MOST wonderful kitty cat of all times for the past 18 years!! Precious was born in August, 18 years ago. My daughter and I watched the little kittens romp around in the yard of Amy's friend, admiring the little furry critters as they grew, developed, and became evermore desirable!! The older those little kittens got, the more adorable they became, as all kittens do!! HA!! Please, Mom, can we take one home......those words became the repeat question day after day. We already had one cat, Chelsea, a rather strange but well loved Himalayan cat, so ........ did we really need another cat??? In a weak moment, Amy chose Precious to come home with us, and she has been loved and cared for ever since. When Amy went off to college, then returned and got an apartment, Precious remained with us, as pets often do when children leave home! I have had reason this week to reflect on the wonderful life of Precious, and realize that her time for joining her friends in kitty heaven is drawing near. Tuesday night we thought we had lost her, as she apparently suffered something like a mini stroke. She has been loved and watched over night and day since then, and today she seems to possibly be on the road to recovery. We can only hope and pray that she will be with us another few days, few months, few years.

As November arrives........

Well, November is well underway, and I am loving the scenes, the scents, and the hints of winter on the way!! Fall in Colorado is truly wonderful!! After living in Austin, TX for nearly 30 years, and not really getting to experience all four seasons, this mountain living is fabulous!! Being outdoors, tromping through the woods or exploring a new trail......that's heavenly!! The leaves are long gone up in the higher elevations, but are still gleaming and glistening here at 6,000 feet. My cold hardy flowers survived the brief snow that we had a couple weeks ago, but the warm natured folks are wilted....but not gone. I like to leave them for interest throughout the winter, and them put them to rest in the spring!! I hope everyone is enjoying the time of year, the signs of nature going to sleep, and the onset of the busy holiday time. I did my first show in Colorado, and the first show in many, many years, and I must celebrate!! It was a SUPERB success!! So.....I signed up for another one!! I hope it is a pleasurable experience, too!! If anyone is in the area, we'll be at the Littleton United Methodist Church on Saturday, on Datura Street in Littleton, CO!! Come by to say hello, and do some shopping, too!! Until next time....find the fun is everything you do!! Hugs, Trudy