GIVEAWAY WINNERS of PINK SANTA CHRISTMAS CARDS and TAGS

Good Morning, Peeps!  I missed being part of PINK SATURDAY yesterday because I forgot to email Miss Beverly to tell her I'd be participating again this past week!  I had my head filled up and overflowing from working in my studio and let the time slip up on me! Bah!

~SWEET PINK SANTA CARDS and MORE~

Have you been checking to see whose name was drawn for the PINK SANTA CHRISTMAS CARDS and TAGS?????  This time my hubby wrote me a computer program where I could place all my followers names, comments, links and blog posts and it randomly chose a name!  

THE WINNER IS:

LDY~~Dy from ROSES CAKES and PEARLS

CONGRATS TO LADY-~DY!  She wins a full set of my Pink Santa Greeting Cards and matching Hang Tags!

Now...if you were paying attention you know I said I might draw and second name for another prize!  I did!  I did!  Once again a random winner was chosen from the entrants

SECOND PLACE WINNER IS:

CAROLYN from COTTAGE SUNSHINE

Carolyn wins a full set of my Pink Santa Greeting Cards!

Thank you all for playing along and for ALL your lovely comments, links and posts!  Thanks to all my followers, too!  In a few days I'll be having another giveaway JUST FOR YOU! :)  Sure to be fun and exciting!

I'll be back later today for my Sunday Post!

Love to you~

~DON'T FORGET! PINK SANTA CARD and TAG GIVEAWAY ENDS TONIGHT!~

  ~ENTER TONIGHT by MIDNIGHT (CST)~

I'm working in my studio today on new website goodies

but just had to peek in for a second

to remind you to go and

ENTER MY PINK SANTA CARD and TAG

GIVEAWAY

by MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

10/29/10

(Central Time)

 ~PINK SANTA CARDS and TAGS~

Somebody is going to win and I may even draw for a 2nd prize.  To enter just...

 CLICK HERE 

and follow directions!

Blessings...

FROSTY the PINK SNOWMAN REVEAL...and a Thank You, too!

 ~SWEET PINK and CREAM SNOWMAN~

Before I say anything about Mr. Frosty's Makeover I first want to say a BIG, BIG thank you for your thoughts and concern over my daughter.  Her recent emergency room trip from a couple of days ago was frightening but she is doing great now and has returned to work.  Thank you for your prayers...  Honest~THANK YOU!!!  They matter and they mean more than I can say!  I'm so grateful to God for always being just a whisper away and for friends who are willing to present our travails to the Father in our behalf... 

Bless You!

~REPAINTED w/CREAM, TAUPE, AGED PINK and SAGE~

Now...I promised you on Monday (gosh...was it MONDAY???) that I'd show you pictures of the repaint I gave to the wooden Snowman I picked up a few days ago at ROSS.  As much as I love the traditional colors of Christmas they just don't work in my softly colored home. Still...I wanted to be careful because I'm not a big fan of things being overdone OR over-pinked.  I love pink...I do!  I do!!!!!  But, during the past year and a half I've become a huge fan of the paler, softer side of this amazing color.  You can still find it in every room in my home only it's been toned down and I'm over-the-moon happy with it!

 ~HAND PAINTED PINK ROSE on HAT~

 I may go back and add a little something or other (that means a pink rose or two or maybe some rosebuds) to the vest of my stylin' Snow-Dude and yet again...I may not.  May add something to the little birdhouse instead.  We'll see!  I do know that I will be dusting parts of my new holiday friend with a bit of German Glass Glitter for just a hint of Christmas sparkle and shine!

~PINK ROSEBUDS ON MITTENS~

I opted to leave my little winged friends their original color.  I love Red Birds and see them often in our trees...  So...the pretty bird found at the top of the broom and the one on the birdhouse were left as-is!  A repaint was given to the scarf, mittens, holly leaves and berry, birdhouse, vest and lining as well as Frosty's top hat!  His cheeks were lightly blushed but the original soft white paint used on Frosty Body (which looked fabulous) was left in place!  Not sure if you can tell in the photos but the front buttons are actually old soda bottle caps (lids).  Too cool!

Here is the original picture again so you don't have to scroll back:

 

~TOTALLY COTTAGE CHIC~

~BEFORE SHOT~

Thanks for stopping in today!

I'm headed back into my studio to work on new Christmas Goodies for your buying (and dreaming about) pleasure! :) :) :)

Blessings and love to you~

PRAYERS FOR THE UNEXPECTED...but Mr. Frosty's Coming Soon!

~GET WELL, ADRIENNE~

Yesterday my daughter (yes, the one who just had a birthday) was taken to hospital in the middle of the night.  She is doing OK and is going to be fine but I have to tell you the experience took the wind out of my sails for a bit.  This Momma doesn't do well when her children are sick...even though they are both grown up now.  I fare even worse when something comes up that is unexpected and I'm awakened at 2AM...  Still, God's hand of protection continues to be upon my beautiful girl and although she's in some pain, she will recover soon.

Thank you in advance for your prayers...

I'll try and be back later with pictures of Mr. Frosty (from yesterday).  I have a doctor's appointment this morning as well as lots of shipments to get out, too!  So~taking pictures of Frosty's new duds is on the back burner for the moment.  But, I promise I'll upload them later tonight or in the morning!

Blessings and love to you for a wonderful day...

 

~VINTAGE SNOWMAN and a Makeover in the Works~

"I'M READY FOR MY MAKEOVER MR. DeMILLE"

Last week while jaunting about my town I found myself in my neighborhood ROSS STORE and found this amazing wooden SNOWMAN.  Now...I actually saw one exactly like it last year but it came into the store late in the Season (which is unusual) and so I passed on it.  I kicked myself for weeks afterward because although he looked truly amazing dressed in the traditional colors of the season I couldn't stop thinking about  refashioning him in a softer and lighter color palate.

Tisk...Tisk...  You snooze, You lose!

Also...I don't normally purchase decorative finds that are large in size because I hate storing them year after year.  But...when I saw Old Frosty make a second debut I didn't hesitate to snap him up.  Since my Mr. AGPMan and I did some intense cleaning and clearing out this past summer both our garage and attic are looking pretty fine...  Of course this made room for a FEW new treasures...

TRANSFORMATION is COMING

Over the weekend I spent some time giving Mr. Frosty Man a repaint.  I left the white of his chunky little snowman body in it's original condition opting to recolor his hat, gloves, scarf, vest and birdhouse...

TOTALLY CHARMING GUY

Now...I'm back in my studio today finishing up the painting and glittering of new Christmas Ornaments for my A Gathering Place Website.  I hope you'll pop back in tomorrow and view Frosty's Makeover.  If you love the softer side of Christmas, complete with sugar pinks and minty greens, then I think you might just LOVE his transformation!

I'm off to create!

Have a beautiful day~  Love to you...

~CELEBRATING ADRIENNE...Happy Birthday To You~

 

~OUR NEW BABY GIRL~

(Scrapbook Memories)

Dear Adrie Girl~

Twenty-six years ago today your daddy drove me to the hospital and at 9:34 in the morning you were born.  Expecting to have baby boy #2 (which would have been just fine!) we were totally unprepared when we were told the baby I had carried for nine long months was a girl!  We didn't have a girl name chosen and only had a handful of baby girl clothes (which were gifted to us just in case!).  It honestly took us six days to agree on a name for you...

 

 ~FRIENDS FOREVER~

(Meeting You For The First Time)

I can remember saying the name "Adrienne" over and over and over out loud!  Your daddy loved it, but it seemed like such a BIG name and you were such a tiny baby!  How glad I am we finally chose it for you though...  It was meant for you~

~BABY DEDICATION DAY~

(You Are Now The Age I Was Here!)

I've loved watching you grow up!  I loved every single part of your childhood and was so proud when you started school...

 

 ~GOING TO KINDERGARTEN~

(Sweet and Petite)

~STARTING FIRST GRADE~

(So Shy and Quiet)

I loved making your clothes for you...

~BEGINNING OF THIRD GRADE~

(Coming Out of Your Shell)

Seems like it was yesterday you waved good-bye to me as you walked into your kindergarten classroom hand in hand with big brother, Brandon.

Then one day you were going to your Senior Prom...

~SENIOR PROM~

 (The Most Precious Girl)

And graduating from High School...  And then life around your childhood home was never quite the same.

~CLASS OF 2003~

(You've Made Us Proud!)

Once you graduated and started college you met the love of your life and in just a matter of time you married your beloved...

 

~ADRIE and MICAH~

(Running Here and Running There!)

~WEDDING DAY 2007~

(Beautiful Inside and Out!)

You looked stunning on your wedding day and will always be the most beautiful bride I have ever, ever seen...

~STILL LOVELY~

And will always remain the most beautiful daughter I could have ever hoped to have.

Thank you for your deep rooted faith in the Most High and for the grace and love you show to those around you.  Thank you for honoring us as your parents and for all the joy you have brought into our lives since the day God first placed you in our arms...

I pray today for God's peace to wash over you and that this will be one of your happiest and most blessed birthdays ever.

I'm so glad we are friends~

Love you most...Mom

Blessings to you as you celebrate the lives of those you love...

SWEETENING LIFE WITH VANILLA...and Memories

 ~CAKE MAKING AT IT'S FINEST~

This weekend I'm hosting a little dinner party in honor of my daughter, Adrienne.  We've always celebrated birthdays BIG in our family and this year I've found so much joy in planning something extra special for her.  She's in her last year of college (YEAH!) and is looking forward to graduating and getting on with her life.  I am so proud of her and all she has accomplished. (More about my girl coming this weekend!)

~WHIPPED VANILLA CREAM CAKE~

I'm not a "store-bought-cake-" kind of gal! :)  Not that I don't like bakery cakes...some I've tasted have been truly amazing.  And if the truth be told many, many times during my kid's growing up years I purchased (usually on the fly) a visually beautiful cake that looked fabulous on the outside only to find it tasted like cardboard on the inside (I've never actually tasted cardboard...but you know...)

 ~RECIPE FROM VICTORIA MAGAZINE~

While flipping through one of my aging (and vintage) issues of Victoria Magazine I came across a recipe for a Golden Whipped Vanilla Cream Cake and thought it sounded perfect for my girl's day.  And so...I gathered together all the ingredients for me to recreate the recipe in the kitchen of my La Chaumière de Briarwood.  Since the cake called for a tablespoon of "Vanilla Brandy" I had to plan early.  Not only did I not have a whole Vanilla Bean I also didn't have any Brandy!  And so I set in motion just what it would take to create such a concoction!

The recipe for the cake can be found below:

~YUMMY VANILLA~

Vanilla Brandy

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 Cup Brandy

1.  Pour brandy into 1-pink glass jar with tight fitting lid.  Add vanilla bean.  Seal jar and store at least 1 week in cool, dark, dry place.

Use in recipe below for Vanilla Cream Cake.

~*~

Vanilla Cream Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp Vanilla Brandy (above)

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups Vanilla Granulated Sugar

Vanilla Confectioners' Sugar

1.  Butter and flour 10" tube pane.  Line bottom of pan with waxed paper.  Butter and flower paper.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix well and set aside.

3.  In small mixer bowl, beat heavy cream and Vanilla Brandy until stiff.  Cover and refrigerate while mixing batter.

4.  Wash beaters.  In large mixer bow, beat eggs at high speed with electric mixer until foamy.  Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes.

5.  Add flour mixture all at once.  Beat at low speed until moistened.  Fol in whipped cream.  Pour into pan.  Place pan on baking sheet.

6.  Bake on bottom rack of oven at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes until skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool on Rack. (Cake will not fill pan.)

To Serve:

1.  Invert cake on serving platter.  Remove pan.  Peel off waxed paper.  Dust cake with Vanilla flavored Confectioners' sugar.  

Yield:  12-16 Servings 

There is just something about a cake made by Mom...don't you think?  Just to be safe I made a test-cake ahead of time to be sure it was going taste as fabulous as the recipe sounded!  

It did!

It's raining here today in my Oklahoma town and drizzly or not, I'm excited my Miss K is coming over this afternoon for a visit!  Tonight she'll be helping me prepare for her beloved Auntie Adrie's party.

Memories is the making.  Nothing finer.

Not even Vanilla Cream Cake.

Love to you...
PS:  DID YOU ENTER MY GIVEAWAY ON MY LEFT SIDEBAR?

~CREATING A BABY CHRISTMAS STOCKING KEEPSAKE~

~VINTAGE LACE CHRISTMAS STOCKING~

Made From Old Pink Damask

One of the things I love most about creating for the upcoming Holidays always centers around making hand painted Christmas Ornaments and one-of-a-kind Christmas Stockings.  Yesterday I worked on finishing up my first four Stockings for the 2010 Christmas Season even though I only got around to photographing and listing ONE on my website.  Can't wait to upload the other ones so you can all get a peek at what's new!  Hope to get to it later today...

~FRANCES BRUNDAGE ~

Precious Sleeping Baby

(Isn't She the SWEETEST THING?)

Learning more and more about Photo Shop and/or Paint Shop Pro continues to be a challenge but I'm determined to continue to take in all I can.  Seems everyday I figure out something new which makes me yippee-skippee-happeee! :)  I truly think I have ADD when I read computer program manuals because nothing sinks into my brain the first time around.  I always have to read the instructions at least twice before I begin to grasp the written word.  I'm certainly not too proud to tell you that learning how to manipulate both graphics and photographs with my computer was really tough for me...  I'm going to say it again~

If I can learn the Programs then anyone can!

~OLD LACES and HAND BEADING~

The Christmas Stocking you see above was made using a self-printed panel designed from vintage graphics.  Several old images were combined together and then nestled into layers of vintage pink Damask and older and newer laces.  This one is perfect for a new baby girl and would make a lovely keepsake...  Learning the ins and outs of Photo Shop made designing the fabric panels possible!!!

UP-CLOSE VIEW

Now...don't you want to learn it, too!?

Today I'll be back in my studio working on more Christmas goodies that will be listed later this week!  I hope you'll stop by soon to see what's new!

Don't forget to check out the Pink Santa Christmas Card and Hang Tag Giveaway from yesterday!  Leave a comment ON THAT POST for a chance to win a complete set for yourself!

 PINK SANTA CHRISTMAS CARDS

 (GIVEAWAY ON PREVIOUS POST!)

Thank you for visiting me today!  I'm soo behind in visiting your lovely Blogs...but I will this week!  Promise!  I'm always lurking about even when you might not think I am!

Love to you~

ROMANTIC CHRISTMAS PINK SANTA CARD GIVEAWAY

~ VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS PINK SANTA CARDS~

A Sweet Giveaway For You

Before I left on my little getaway a couple of weeks ago I shared with you that when I returned I would begin the first of four Holiday Giveaways!  I'm excited today to offer up a set of seven full size

ROMANTIC CHRISTMAS PINK SANTA CARDS

and

and one full set of matching

PINK SANTA CHRISTMAS HANG TAGS

to one special person! 

 

ROMANTIC SANTA HANG TAGS

It's super easy to enter the drawing for a chance to win these Pink Santa Pretties valued at approximately $50!  You don't have to follow my A Gathering of Thoughts Blog (but I'd love it if you did!) or even have a blog of your own to enter!

ASSORTMENT OF SEVEN CARDS

AND MATCHING HANG TAGS

1.  For once chance to enter the drawing just leave one comment ON THIS POST!

2.  If you'd like a 2nd chance all you need to do is write a post about my Giveaway on your blog and link it back to this post! (please email me if you've done this!)

3.  For a 3rd chance to win just grab my Giveaway BUTTON Below and post it on your sidebar! (please email me if you've done this!)

4.  For a 4th chance to win just follow my blog!

(Just left click to enlarge and then copy!)

Don't forget if you already follow my blog you are automatically entered in my drawing!

If you do not have a blog and would still like to have your name entered into the drawing please email me using the email link on my sidebar.  Include you full name in the email, please!

Deadline to enter the drawing is October 29, 2010 at midnight.  Winner will be drawn on October 30, 2010 and announced sometime that day!

Thank you so much for playing along!  If you are really good :) I might even draw for a 2nd place PRIZE!  Hmmmm....

Love to you~

MERCY IN THE FATHER'S EYES

Ever since I was a little girl I've loved the Parable of The Prodigal Son.  It of course is a wonderful story of love and redemption and can be found in the third book of the New Testament (Luke 15:11-32).

Several years ago when my family and I were going through an extremely emotional and challenging time I found myself leaning heavily upon the teachings of my early childhood. I can't begin to tell you the renewed hope I carried within my heart as I remembered the message behind the words Jesus first shared with his Disciples over two thousand year ago.  There is such mercy in the Father's eyes!

Through twenty-one verses of a fairly short Bible story I learned to hold fast to my faith in God and to never give up on those I love...no matter how despairing things may seem.

I was certain I had once shared with you the words to the following song, but try as I might I can't find the Post with the lyrics.  Maybe I'm mistaken...or...maybe I just need to share them again.  Just maybe...JUST MAYBE one of you is standing today in the very place where I once stood...

Blessings to you today as you worship and trust completely in The Most High!

COME HOME

(Author Unknown)

"Have you hungered in the wilderness for a peace that your heart knew before? Have you wandered finding something less when inside you've been longing for more. If you remember how it used to be when you lived your life more abundantly...

Come home...come home.
If you're tired, and weary, come home. The Father is waiting to welcome his own, and you've been gone, so long. Come home.

You've been searching since you said good-bye, like a child with a lesson to learn. But there's mercy in your Father's eyes as He waits for the day you return. And it won't matter where your heart has been when He holds you close in His arms again...

Come home...come home.
If you're tired and weary, come home. The Father is waiting to welcome His own, and you've been gone so long.. come home... come home...

Oh why do you keep running from the one who loves you most, so far from where you know you want to be? Patiently He's waiting and He longs to hold you close...even now He's calling softly and tenderly;

Come home...Come home.
If you're tired and weary come home... the Father is waiting to welcome His own... and you've been gone so long... you've been gone so long... Come home."

Love to you...