focus52 {10:52}

So much has happened in my life and I haven't been blogging like normal. What is normal anyway? Because I surely wasn't blogging a lot to begin with. Oh well.

So my dear friend, Jan, from TwoScoopz.com has been after to me to share my pics with the group. I have been a member of focus52 since the beginning but have not participated once. Until now, that is. Here ya go, dear Jan! ;o)

The theme is week is {Variety}.  Perfect timing as I receive a lovely bouquet of paper flowers from one of my dearest friends who lives in Louisiana. She made this little bit of sunshine for me. The variety of papers she used reflected my personally so well. She knows me. We have never met in person yet. Hopefully some day that will change but it is still very heartwarming to know that someone can really know who you are without ever having to meet in person. It is a soul connection. The vase she put them in is so darling and fits me to a tee too! Shipped from Louisiana with love. I adore them and I adore her. She is so special. {10:52} & {67:365}

{exposed}

Hello there.

It's been awhile.

I'm sorry for that.

I was feeling a bit raw.

Exposed.

So I went missing.

Well...just hiding for a bit.

I want to exhale now.

So hello there.

Let me share some inspiration with you before I go...

Just a few of my flickr favorites.

These images helped me take a new breath.

For a moment, I came alive once more.

I will catch up on my 12 Secrets soon.

I promise.

teen angel

Yes. She is now my teen angel. Today, she turned 13. There is so much I want to say but somehow, tonight, I am having a hard time finding the right words. Words to do her justice. She is truly one of the most well rounded, intelligent, sweet, and kind young ladies I have ever known.

And how lucky am I that she is MY daughter?

Very lucky. Seriously.

Wise beyond her years, she continues to amaze me every day with just how fabulous she is, inside and out. I wear my "proud momma" badge with great honor. Everyone that has ever met Emily has commented on how special she is and how lucky we are as parents to be gifted with this girl. She touches lives and that is just one great quality of my first born.

She loves to read and cannot ever be found without a book in her presence. It is the first thing, next to jewelry, that she wants to spend money on and the first thing she puts on a wish list. I am so grateful that she has inherited my love of books.

Art is her passion. And wow, what an artist she is. I will always encourage her to express herself through art... to be creative every day. To inspire and be inspired. She still says that she wants to be an art teacher when she grows up and now has added to that the desire to be a photographer too. She is very good with a camera in her hands and I have no doubts that she will be very successful in anything she attempts to do with her life.

She sees the best in people. She strives for peace. She longs for understanding. She seeks acceptance. She is blooming in new found confidence. She loves music. She loves her friends. She has been on the distinguished honor roll since first grade. She is a class representative. She makes me proud. So very proud. She is a joy. A true joy and brings so much warmth to our family.

And I know, without a shadow of doubt, that she will bring so much positive energy to the world around her as she grows into an amazing woman. She will change lives. She is going places. She will do big things. She will.

I will always be her biggest fan in life. I adore her and there will never be appropriate words to express just how much I love her. My teen angel. My beautiful young lady. My gorgeous daughter. I'm so blessed.

(please excuse the quality of the photo...it was taken with a cell phone at starbucks..her treat while shopping with momma..making memories)

a few of my favorite things

I am having a love affair with etsy.com lately. Herein lies the problem... I can't indulge myself aka spoil myself with the lush goodness that I am finding. Not yet anyway. But I thought I would share with you, a few of my favorite things...things that I seriously wish were MINE! ;o) enjoy. do you have any favorite sellers on etsy that you care to share? My favorite sellers list is huge. I mean, like, HUGE huge. It's an illness, people. This ring. Ah, this ring has so much charm and character. It is so me, no?

And then we have this adorable, big, rich, lush bag. A bit pricey for my wallet, but I covet it. I do. I even love that it comes in brown too. Mmm, goodness!


Oh, yum. Who can resist these fun and gorgeous lanyards?!?! Since I was hired by the school district, I need a lanyard to clip my id badge to. I am drooling over this fabulous green one and all the others she has listed! I need this one. Need!


One of my most favorite flickr people is kristybee. Imagine my delight when I found out that she is, in fact, selling her AMAZING images on etsy! I want so many of them! I can close my eyes and envision exactly where I would like them to go in my home. This image in particular would reside in my kitchen, naturally. Love love love it! Oh her work is soul soothing.


And this one, probably on my nightstand in a cute shabby chic frame.


Inspire and be inspired. My biggest life motto. This woman is insanely inspiring. Besides this print, I am hoping to get her book- Taking Flight- soon. Words cannot express just how her art seeps into my soul. I beg you, just let it.


Let's get funky, funky!! Everyone is making these fresh camera strap covers! Gotta love this one, like, lots!! Why be boring when you can express yourself? Yay!


Cuteness overload! No, really. I have wanted a darling key fob for a long time and these are just too cute and girly! You must take a look at her hair pretties too! Can you just imagine how darling those must look in a little girl's hair? I know!


And for now, I will end with this beautiful piece of art that I covet. Just lovely. Truly.


I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of my favorite things. I will do posts like this every now and again. I hope you come back to soak in the beauty that I have to share! oxox
now promise me that you will not go out and buy my beloved favorites for yourself before i have the chance to buy them all for me! haha! j/k

{lovin' it}

I thought it would be fun to start a new thing on my blog. I come across things all the time that are fabulous. So I thought, hey, why not compose a little post about these items of fabulocity? Seriously, right? :o) So from time to time, I will create a little something & call it "Lovin' It"...fair enough? Yeah, I thought so! After all, girls are suppose to share their delicious finds with other girls who will appreciate the love of shopping, coveting yummy goodies, and well, shopping. Oh. I said that already. ;o)

For the first installment of Lovin' It, I wanted to showcase an amazing jewelry maker, Lisa Leonard. Child, I am telling you...I'm some kind of c.r.a.z.y. over her beautiful pieces of jewelry...art, really.

I could sit here all night and show you pieces I covet the most but this new piece caught my eye tonight and I began to drool feverishly wishing it were MINE! ALL MINE! Oh I can dream. But mark my word, I WILL own a piece or, hey, while I am at it, several pieces some day! I just have to, yanno?

So go, peruse her wonderfully delicious shop but be prepared, you will drool. Grab some kleenex or something.

You can thank me later.

Seriously, go.