THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING...Bearly Able to Speak

God is always on time.

And He sends the most unbelievable blessings my way just in case I tend to forget it.

 Last week was a super BUSY week for me and I had no time at all to jot down any thoughts or visit some of my favorite decorating and inspirational blogs.  Painting walls and planning some new, updated decor projects really had me feeling overwhelmed.

I keep telling myself:

"Rebecca~you are NOT 30 anymore!"

Anyway, a few days ago one of my LONGTIME artisan friends contacted me via Facebook and said she was sending something my way.  Knowing Carolyn as I do, and her incredible talent, I knew that whatever was coming my way would be something wonderful...  Carolyn owns and is the creator of 

WARM HEART BEARS 

and her darling Bears are the BEST I've ever seen!

Over the years of buying/selling online I have GREATLY admired her creative gifts and have truly been in awe of the beautiful things she fashions by hand.

 Well, nothing could have prepared me for what was inside the little brown box sitting on my table when my Mr. AGP Man and I returned from being away a couple of days...

 Our daughter brought the package in for us when she came to water our flowers and garden over the weekend.

Along with a PRECIOUS BEAR Carolyn named "Rachelle", she included this charming little keepsake book with all these dainty handmade tags and papers, tiny lavender sachets and a beautiful sachet pillow.

 I am still speechless over Carolyn's generosity.  As a shoppe owner I rarely buy things for myself and so I feel especially blessed by this talented lady...

Aside from absolutely loving "Rachelle", the little keepsake book includes the music to one of my favorite old hymns, "In The Garden."  

It's like Carolyn just knew everything I would love even though we have never met each other in person...

She even sent me a packet of my favorite tea...Earl Grey.  Yummmm...

Now...this is the truly "extra special" part of my Bear, "Rachelle".  Carolyn didn't know it, but RACHELLE is my daughter's middle name.  Isn't that just the neatest thing evahhhhh????

To visit Carolyn Robbin's Website called

Warm Heart Bears

just click HERE!

Thank you, Carolyn, for being such a loving, caring friend.  You will never know how much your thoughtfulness means to me!  I will keep Rachelle forevahh and evahhh...

~*~

I'm thinking it's my turn to pay it foreward.

Blessings...

Rebecca

~~~~~~~ A SWAP TO MAKE ME SWOON~~~~~~~ And Treasures from Piney Rose Melissa

Ooo....I'm so late with my Saturday post!  Constantly coming, going, creating, working or playing around here!  Sometimes squeezing in a moment or two to BLOG is difficult~

Sooo~here I be!  Late or not, today I just had to share with you something exciting that came my way this past week.

 

First...the back-story~

 

I "met" Melissa from Piney Rose Cottage several years ago during the height of my eBay selling days.  She'd pop in now and then with the sweetest emails and one day I got word that she had been one of a group of ladies that had written ROMANTIC HOMES MAGAZINE about my work and SOMEHOW that led to being in several issues of their amazing magazine.  Ever since then I've tried to keep tabs on her.  She's blessed me more than I can say...

Anyway, a couple of months back while visiting Miss Melissa's sweet Bloggie I read some chatter about a MATCHBOX SWAP she had either hosted or participated in.  Now...I've never been in a Swap...didn't really know much about them or even what to do.   Miss M wrote me back with the details and we decided to do a Swap just between the two of us with a ship date of 8/1.

Well...a few days ago my box from Melissa arrived and it is just the sweetest thing EVAHHH!  She hand decorated a sweet matchbox and filled it up and overflowing with the neatest treasures.  Old buttons, lace (gobs of lace), trinkets, rhinestones, old roses, leaves, ribbon, picture cards, etc.

 

You name it she tucked it inside...  Not only that she sent me a separate rose tin/box filled up, too!  I couldn't believe it.  And...to make my already happy heart sing even louder she sent me a sweet card and hand written note.

Now...I would LOVE to show you the box that I sent to Melissa.  I took pictures of it and everything...but, I can't find where I put them on my computer and I've looked everywhere.  My offering to my friend greatly paled in comparison to what she sent me, however.  I'll let her tell you about it if she feels so led.  If I run across the pictures over the next few days I'll upload them for you...

Thank you, Miss M, for your generous heart.  I learned a great deal doing this FIRST SWAP and I just very well may have to participate in another one in the future!  It was so much fun and I hope you liked the FEW treasures I sent your way...

At the very least your box was painted with LOVE!  

Let it be said~

Your heart

is

MUCH MORE GIVING

THAN MINE!

Love to you all this beautiful Saturday...

~SWEET GIFTS from VERY SPECIAL BLOGGERS~

In early  February of 2008 I created this little blog of mine even though I didn't make my first Post for almost an entire year.  I'm a little embarrassed to tell you that I was a big fat chicken  afraid to venture out into such unknown territory and I'm quite sure if it wasn't for my sister, Jenny from JenX67, I would still be 'just talking about it'.  In January of 2009 I vowed to get my A Gathering Place (A Gathering of Thoughts) Blog going and now here I am 18 months later still enjoying every single moment of it.  

One of the things I've grown to love about Blogging are the fabulous Bloggers that I meet along the way.  Some are local peeps like Stacey from Poofing the Pillows (don't you just LOVE that name!) and then there is Ginger from Glitter and Roses and her daughter, Tammy from Tammy's Heart .  They are all lovely ladies and I'm excited to tell you they hail from the very place "where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain"!  

Another sweet lady who also lives not too terribly far from me is Miss Glenda from Serendipity Cottage.  Just recently Miss G sent me a sweet little box packed FULL of the most amazing ribbons, trims and laces.  I was more excited than I can say when I saw the treasures inside, but mostly I was taken back by her generosity.  Thank you Glenda!   I hope you will take the time to visit Glenda and the other Red-Earth lovin' ladies who all call the beautiful state of Oklahoma home!

Next I want to brag on another lovely blogger by the name of Donna.  Donna from Brynwood Needleworks is an amazing artisan.  I recently won a giveaway she was hosting and she gifted me with this BEAUTIFUL handmade strawberry sachet.  It is completely hand embroidered and is full of delicate ribbon-work.  Donna's work is absolutely stunning and I'm honored to have something fashioned by her talented hands.  Thank you soooo very much Miss D!

Also tucked inside the box from Donna was this charming little notepad with a tea theme.  I'm just crazy about it and couldn't wait to place it on top of my desk!  I hope you will take time out to visit this lovely blogger.  She has quite the following but I'm certain she's up for many more!  Thank you again, Donna!

Now...the next person I want to tell you all about is a blogger by the name of Mary B.  I've yet to meet Mary in person but I hope some day that will change!  Not too long ago Mary (who lives in Texas) visited my little booth space here in Oklahoma and after purchasing a pictorial sachet left me the sweet vintage heart molds you see above!  About a week ago I received this beautiful vintage framed needlepoint picture from her as well!  Aren't they lovely?  Thank you Mary B!  You bless me and the Light in your life shines on and on...

Thank you again so very much to these beautiful ladies who remembered me in such a thoughtful way.  I hope you'll find time to stop in and say hello.

I'm hoping to share with you a mini lampshade tutorial later this weekend (or early next week).  It's all about transforming something plain into something fan-tabulous!  Hope you'll stop back by when you can!

Blessings for another lovely Summer day!

Love to you~

~BE STILL MY 'VINTAGE-SILVER-LOVING' HEART~

~AN UNEXPECTED PINKY PRESENT~

For as long as I live I will never ever match the generous hearts of some of people I've met online in my life.  No kidding.  I never will.

For years I only THOUGHT I was a generous person.  But, since being introduced to the world of blogging I've been proven wrong over and over and over again.  I've decided that some people are just blessed with the gift of giving.  Whether it be their time, talents or lovely little presents birthed from somewhere deep in the heart, they just give and give and give some more.

I've known Melissa since early in my eBay days and today enjoy reading about her life and loves on her Blog, PINEY ROSE.  She is a sweet, amazingly talented friend and never fails to inspire those around her!  So, when she emailed me last week asking me for my snail mail address I was more than happy to forward it along!  As Melissa put it, she'd found something on one of her little shopping jaunts she thought I would like to have and wanted to send it my way...

How special is that?  And...how EXCITING!

Presents!  PreSENTS! PRESENTS!!!!

Well...after a day of doing super boring stuff that involved buying things like FENCE and DECK STAIN and plastic conduit for underground wiring projects (all things on my Mr. AGPMan 2-Do-Lists!) I couldn't wait to escape return to the comfort of my studio for some creative fun.  After we pulled into the driveway of our La Chaumiere de Briarwood I grabbed our Saturday  mail and  headed inside.  Safe at last!

It was then I found it.  A petite little package hand addressed to me with the return address of my Tennessean friend.  

I carefully pulled the pretty wrapped package from it's mailing envelope and set it down in front of me so I could read the note penned by Melissa's hand (don't you LOVE hand written notes?  It's beginning to be a lost art!)...

"Dearest Rebecca" it began...

(I always feel tears begin to burn in my eyes when someone begins a sentence with DEAREST!)

As I made my way down the page I couldn't believe how kind and thoughtful her words were to me.  They did what I'm sure she meant them to do...they blessed me.  And so, I read it again...and then they blessed me again.

Soft pink tissue and dainty flowers surrounded an unknown treasure.

"What did Melissa send me?"  I just couldn't imagine!

 ~DAINTY and EVER SWEET~

As I pulled back the pastel paper I stood in silence before letting out a soft, but audible gasp.  Right there, held between my two hands was the most lovely silver keepsake I'd seen in many a moon.  It is, what I believe to be, a vintage silver Calling Card Case, complete with working clasp and original chain handle.  Engraved on one side are the initials of someone I know must have been very special and on the other side is the single letter R.  

"R" for Rebecca...

~MY INITIAL R~

I turned the piece over and over in my hands and then gently opened it up.  The Case, still in wonderful condition, was so well cared for that  I could barely believe my eyes.

~THE INSIDE~

Now, I'm not 100% positive the Case was designed for Calling Cards...maybe it was for notes or maybe it was originally a compact.  I can't say for certain.  I only know  I absolutely love it.

"Miss M...thank you!  Truly, THANK YOU from the deepest part of my heart.  Not only for the generous, most beautiful gift, but for all the words of encouragement you've spoken to me and in my behalf over the past several years.  Additionally, I'll never forget your gracious praise back in 2004 and all it led to.  I still owe you so very much.   May God Bless you my friend...one hundred-zillion fold~ Love,Rebecca"

 Experiencing the generosity of others has taught me something very precious about my walk with my Lord...  No matter how things may be going in my life...good, great or even not-so-good, God cares about every tiny moment of it.  He never ever fails to guide His children my way.  And they always come, just when I'm in need of them most~

Blessings to you today as you lovingly, generously, bless others!

Love to you~

~A SECRET SWAP - and Gifts From Sweet Ginger~

When people bless you...they just BLESS! 

You know?

About ten days ago a big ole box arrived on my doorstep!

What could it be?

I wasn't expecting anything...not that I could remember anyway (sorta gettin' old here)!  I hadn't purchased any sweet things of late and I was sure I hadn't won any bids on eBay.  AND...my luck (which I don't believe in!) hadn't led a single person to draw my name in any of the INCREDIBLE GIVEAWAYS going on over the past month...

I never win anything...(Oops..not true!  I won a FABULOUS Giveaway last year from Martha and also one from Laura...AND I was gifted with a sweet little necklace from Sherry, unexpected books from Marilyn and that 2die4 bonnet from Sara)...  Am I forgetting anyone?  Oh yes...pretty handmade paper roses from Miss Connie!  Am I forgetting someone?  Oh yes...Mary Don...she sent me a menagerie of fabulous old finds!)...

Now...I couldn't WAIT to open this box.  It had MY name on it and the name on the return address label was none other than my friend, Ginger, (who happens to live in the same beautiful state as ME!).  This, of course, made me even more excited to rip it open!

Tucked inside were the most FABULOUS things. All wrapped up in pretty tissue and dainty bows were tiny little packages all for me!   A darling hand made Tussy Mussy, a precious vintage creamy white Creamer, a tiny bejeweled box filled with dainty little finds (like a tiny key, an aging rhinestone earring, old tickets, etc.),  a  vintage crocheted doily and a lovely lace and heart hand-towel...

Now peeps...I ALWAYS have SOMETHING to say (just ask my kids and my siblings) about  EVERYTHING... but when I opened the box of goodies the words just left me.  All I could think of was what a GENEROUS, LOVING friend Ginger is...and how very blessed I am!

 Someday I hope my heart grows as big as yours already is Miss G.  I'm honored to call her friend.  Thank you GingerGirl.  You will never know how very frazzled I was the day your pretties arrived.  It was a little boost from the Most High, sent to me by YOUR loving, gracious, talented hands!

Blessings to you as you remember it is always better to give than receive...(but GETTING is great, too!).

~In The Spotlight - SARA NORRIS - Featured Artisan~

~A PRESENT FROM SARA NORRIS~

Want to know a secret?

I guess if I tell you it won't be a secret any longer, huh?

~SO EXCITING~

That's OK...I'm going to tell you anyway!

~CAN IT BE?~

I love being part of the Blog World and for lots of different reasons.  I've had the pleasure of meeting some of you face to face and it's been a huge joy to count so many of you amongst my real friends.  Some of you make me smile and some of you make me laugh out loud.  Some of you have the gift of encouragement while some of you have helped take my faith to a new, deeper level.  Some of you inspire me and some of you, well...just listen.  Without a doubt though, all of you bless me...

 ~YES! IT CAN BE!~

One of my very favorite things about becoming part of the Blogging Community is when I stumble upon an Artisan with a deep love for what they do.  It is easy to see the passion behind everything they create because it shows in each and every tiny detail.

 ~A BONNET FOR LEARNING SMOCKING~

I'm immediately drawn to artists like this and find myself visiting their sites over and over again.

~TINY LITTLE STITCHES~

Because I love quality handwork when I found Sara Norris from Sara Norris, Ltd., I found myself mesmerized from the start.

~TINY LACE TRIM~

Sara has mastered the intricacy of SMOCKING and her handwork, simply stated, takes my breath away.  Her custom designs, including her handwork, are like none I have ever seen. I've become a huge fan of both her calling and her gentle spirit.  I mentioned once in a comment to Sara how I would LOVE to learn how to Smock someday.  (I know how to do a lot of things, especially sewing related things, but Smocking is NOT one of them!) 

~HANDMADE not HOMEMADE~

Anyway, about ten days ago I was wandering around in Blogland when came across one of Sara's latest Posts.   I immediately thought...'Gosh...I'd really LOVE to showcase this beautiful lady's handwork on my Blog!  Instead of acting on the thought that very moment I tucked the little idea in the back of my head, but promised myself to visit it again once my website was back up and running.  I'm always doing that...putting things off until.........................

Well...(I'm not kidding when I tell you this!), two days later I got an email from sweet Sara telling me she wanted to send me something.  Knowing ahead of time how much I've wanted to learn Smocking, she graciously sent me one of the Baby Bonnets she uses in her demonstration classes!  A precious little yellow Bonnet, needles, instructions and even the embroidery floss were in the box! Now how is that for the blessing of the day? Sara...if only you could see how excited I am!!  If ONLY...

Now, is there a lesson to be learned here?  Sometimes I get so preoccupied with what I do and love that I don't pay attention to the Spirit that lives within me and ACT timely upon His quiet instruction...  And, since I don't believe in coincidences, I can only conclude that sharing with you all about Sara is a God-Thing! :)

Now...I so hope you will take the time to visit Sara Norris, Ltd.  Believing children are a gift from God, Sara specializes in beautiful things for a Baby's Layette.  Because the days of infancy are fleeting, she encourages celebrating them with beautiful heirloom quality clothing!

Sara is definitely in the blessing-business!

Thank you, Sara!  Now it's my turn to 'Pay-It-Forward'....

Love to you all...

~FROM ONE ARTIST TO ANOTHER...Creative Ladies You Should Know~

For me, one of the wonderful benefits of being part of the Blog world is, without a doubt, the other Artisans I've had the privilege of meeting along my way.  I mean...our planet is FULL of simply outrageous talent and I can't help but think it's a miracle of God that we all intersect at the corner of blogspot & dotcom.

PAT WINTER

PAT WINTER'S GATHERINGS

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from a fellow blogger asking if I would share with her a graphic I had included on one of my past Posts.  She was looking for a picture, one with something purple (maybe violets or pansies!) and I obliged her by forwarding her a clear copy of the vintage image she was wanting.  I readily admit I'm stingy with SOME of my graphics ...but a few I willingly share! (Only the ones that are extremely rare or have to pay big $$$$ for are horded!) ahhahahh...

MADE BY SUCH TALENTED HANDS

Gorgeous Handwork

Anyway...to my SHOCK (see...God rewards our gifts to others!) I received this simply GORGEOUS gift in the mail today!  It is a little purse made by none other than Pat Winter herself!  Not only does it showcase the image I emailed to her, but it is full of tiny bead work, beautiful silk hand embroidery, lovely laces and colorized motifs.  In her note to me it said 'since I was a PINK GIRL if I wanted to I could forward it along'....HUH???  No way!  This gorgeous masterpiece is staying here in my La Chaumerie de Briarwood.

Thank you, Pat!  Your heart is much more generous than mine.  I will treasure your gift always!

Please take the time to visit Pat via the link above.  She has a lovely blog full of 2die4 things...

TERRI SMITH

DIMPLES and DRAGONFLIES

My second BRAG ABOUT Artisan is none other than Terri Smith.  I love Terri's work and so happy we have become friends.  Her painting is like none other and I sooo love her originality and the passion that shines through in all she creates.  I can tell by the comments Terri makes on my Posts as well as the style in which she writes she has a heart full of sweetness.   I hope you again will take the time to check out this talented woman's blog.  You can find her at the link above!

Blessings as you seek to uncover your greatest passion...