{ parisian love }

I will admit it. I'm not a big fan of football.

I would much rather watch a movie or something similar.

But I did watch the Superbowl, or at least most of it. I didn't pay much attention, because I was working on several other projects while I was "watching"...but I did see most of the commercials.

And I now think that Google is brilliant.

{please note: Google is not paying me to be nice to them. I just thoroughly enjoyed their commercial.}

Isn't that the sweetest?! I love it. :)

What was your favorite part of the Superbowl?

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Be sure to enter the Spunk & Sass giveaway right here!

{ visiting }

In my perfect dream world, I would love to invite some fellow bloggers for coffee.

Nevermind the fact that in real life, I can be painfully shy.

{This is just my dream.}

{source}

Maybe Kim would come over.

{She actually does live fairly close to me!}

Maybe Gussy. Or Natalie. Or Erica.

{You know, I'd probably still be nervous. Even in my dream world!}

We would sip coffee with special creamer and topped with whipped cream. I might even make some Coffee & Cream muffins. We'd spend several hours talking, laughing...it would be so much fun.

But since that probably won't happen {at least not any time soon}, I'll just have to be content visiting their blogs and leaving comments. And that's fun, too.

Now, I know there are lots of other great blogs out there.

I'd love to be able to visit some of them over the next week or so!

So here's my plan.

If you are a fellow blogger, and you'd like me to come visit your blog for a virtual "coffee visit", I'd love to! Just leave me a sweet comment about your dream world + a link to your blog.

P.S. I do have one small request. I don't want any weird links to nasty sites or anything like that.

{not that any of you would do that, but this is my disclaimer.}

Please keep it clean, safe and family friendly!

I'll be seeing you soon!

{ random Loveliness }

Passion Vine Soy Candle

from Zuz Design

Sweet Cherry Blossoms

from VerreEncore

The Butterflies

from Susannah Tucker Photography

What's making your day lovely?

{ tired }

I have a bad habit.

{Well, maybe more than one, but for now, it's enough.}

I always have books on hand, just waiting for me to read.

And I read them.

I have read SO much in my lifetime.

My problem is that sometimes {especially on Saturday nights}, I'll finish one book...

{source}

...and then I'll pick up a book I've already started...

{source}

...and finish it.

And think to myself, my alarm will go off early in the morning, and I really should be sleeping.

{source}

But I don't turn off the light. I just pick up another book. And proceed to read almost the entire thing.

And then I finally go to sleep at 2:30am.

Trust me, I regret it when the alarm goes off at 6:30.

{Someday, maybe I'll grow out of this habit. I hope.}

{winner} + news

I've been a bad blogger lately. You may have noticed, but if you didn't, that's okay, too. ;)

This week has been busy. I'm worn out.

But I missed my blogging a lot! So now I'm back, and trying

my hardest to fight off bad blogging habits.

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I'm sure you'd like to know who the winner of The Lavender Road giveaway is, right?

Well, I plugged in the number at random.org, and the winner is...

Bailey!

from Addicted to Addison.

Bailey, please email me!

thesweetestpetunia {at} gmail {dot} com

If I don't hear from you, I'll have to pick another winner, and I'd really hate to do that.

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Thank you for the sweet and heartfelt comments left on my post about Haiti. I did find out that those 2 little girls and their family are all right, but I'm sure they're still having a rough time. I'm not sure if they have food, or a place to live...it's very sad for me. But I am very thankful that they are alive.

I've created a Help for Haiti section in my shop.

I had made some zipper pouches like the one shown above, and I decided to sell them

{just for now, not permanently}, to help raise money.

$10 from each sale {of a zippered pouch} is being donated to Compassion's Disaster Relief for Haiti.

Right now that section is empty.

7 pouches have been sold.

That's $70 for Haiti.

I am so excited!

Right now my sewing machine is giving me fits, {seriously, it's driving me crazy!} but as soon as I can, I'm hoping to list a few more of the zippered pouches.

I'm not selling them for me, I just want to be able to help Haiti.

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I've managed to cross some things off of my {101 in 1001} list!

I'll be showing some of that during the week.

Still can't wait to see just how many I can accomplish!

On a Wednesday...

...when I totally forgot to take pictures so I could show you all the fun I've made with these:

...and when I promise you they'll be up tomorrow. Thanks in advance for your patience.

...When I discovered that Pandora is one of my all-time favorite websites. And that my favorite "channels" have to do with Dario Marianelli and Bing Crosby (although not both at the same time).

...When I'm missing this sweet guy like crazy.

...When I'm {finally} going to go get my hair cut this afternoon. After I've put it off for a looong time.

{And I'm excited. I like getting my hair cut!}

...And when Christmas is only 9 days away. Can you believe it??

How are you on this Wednesday? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Today I Am...

{Recovering}

Yesterday was a loong day. Driving, talking, dressing, driving, dinner, walking, driving...it got a little tiresome. The good news?

I know what I'm wearing for my friend's wedding. And I'm excited because I'm the Maid of Honor.

{Sewing}

I really enjoyed everyone's ideas from this post. I've been working on some of them, and I think I've used all of these:

So I'd like to make some more today. Don't worry, I'll show you what I've come up with soon!

{Reviewing}

This book right here.

{Cleaning}

So that my lovely room...

...stays that way.

What are you doing today?

Monday Musings {no. 4}

via

I hope all of you had a lovely Thanksgiving! If you read my {Thankful Day} post, you know that I am thankful for love. But trust me, there is SO much more that I am thankful for. I'd just hate to take up the rest of your life telling you about it.

One thing I am thankful for is my family. I spent most of Thanksgiving with my entire family (who lives near us). I love that we all live close. Grandparents, two uncles, two aunts, nine cousins, my parents, and the five girls. Makes for large family gatherings with lots of food, but we always have enough to go around. And I am thankful for that.

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Gussy!

Okay, yes, I realize that I pretty much shamelessly promote Maggie's products at any chance I get, but I can't help it. I just love me some Gussy!

And this lovely pouch...

...now belongs to me! I love it.

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Did you know that Christmas is approximately 24 days, 16 hours, 4 minutes away as I type this??

photo credit

Wow. I looove Christmas, and I'm starting to get excited about it. Have you started up the Christmas season at your house?

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Happy Monday, everyone!

Monday Musings {and a giveaway winner!}

via

I just have to ask. Has anyone tried the new Caramel Brulee Latte at Starbucks? I know, I know...I make it sound like I really am addicted to Starbucks...but I promise I'm not. I just really want to try it. But first I thought I'd see if anyone else likes it! So let me know.

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Guess what? We have a winner for the Cymbaline Designs giveaway!

Snow White Teardrop

I plugged the numbers in at Random.org, and number ONE happened to be the lucky one. And the winner is

Heidi!

I've already sent Heidi an email, so congratulations!

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I really just want to give all of you blog followers and commenters a huge

Thank You

While I try to remind myself that comments and followers aren't everything, they do help me feel encouraged to blog. Does that make sense? So thanks. Because all of you are pretty special.

And really, I'm not just saying that.

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Last night I sat down and wrote myself a "blogging schedule". Not a big deal really, just a simple thing. I'm hoping that having a blogging plan will keep me from getting stressed out when I feel like I don't have anything to post. And this is perfectly flexible for me. It will probably change. Of course. So if you'd like to know what to expect for now, here it is:

Monday--a Monday Musings post like this one. I like the freedom to be random.

Wednesday--Whatever post I think up. This depends mostly on my life. I'll write about what I'm thinking, how I'm feeling, or something funny that happened.

Friday--I'll share something I like. It might be in the form of some Etsy finds, or a product I love. I'd love to do some giveaways, too, but I'm still working on that.

Tomorrow I'll already be changing my schedule, though. I got an award over the weekend and I need to make my "formal acceptance speech". Do you have a cute blog? I need to nominate 10 others for the award, and I'm giving you a chance to get one. Just leave a link and I'll come visit you! Tomorrow the cute blogs will be announced.

*****

Well, that about all I've got for now. Whew! Hope you all had a great weekend. Feel free to tell me about it!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, I will have a "real" post up.

The day after tomorrow, some fun stuff will be happening. Remember? We'll be celebrating my first year of blogging. And there might be something pretty involved.

Today, I have a lot to do. So today, there really isn't much going on for the blog. Sorry.

BUT, be sure to come back!

Monday Musings, {one}

via

Mmmm, Fall. Have I mentioned that sometimes I wish I lived up north where there was actually a change of seasons? I found these beautiful leaves and had to share.

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So, Monday Musings. Did you notice the title? I find that on Mondays, I have a lot to say, but not a definitive subject. Monday Musings will just be a post of anything (and everything) I can think of!

Oh, and if anyone else already has the Monday Musings title, I'm not trying to steal your thing. It's just what I though of off the top of my head. If it's too big of a problem for you, just let me know so I can work it out.

*****

Guess what?! I am very excited to tell you all that this coming Saturday (the 14th) is my first "blogiversary". Yep, I've been blogging for one year. I can hardly believe it myself. When I started blogging, I never really thought I would have a true following of readers. So each and every follower, subscriber, kind word, comment...means SO much to me. Thank you.

And in honor of one year of blogging, there might be a little celebration. Just maybe. And it might be something you could find in this post. Have I piqued your interest? Be sure to come back on Saturday!

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via

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you may have picked up on the fact that I have a Starbucks addiction. I mean, it's not that bad...mainly because it's a little out of my budget. But on Friday morning I did go to Starbucks, and the girl who took my order made me laugh. Our conversation went something like this:

Her: So, I noticed that you wear skirts all the time...

Me: Oh really?

Her: Do your legs ever get cold?

Me: Well, it's not really that cold, here, so not really...

Her: Oh, okay. I think my legs would get cold.

I live in Florida, so it's not really cold. I just thought it was really funny that she asked me that!

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Well, I think that's about it for this edition of Monday Musings! Tell me, what did you think of it? And be sure to check back on Saturday for a blogiversary celebration!

Oh, Gussy.

First of all, I just have to say it. My sweetheart is amazing. =)

Look at what he surprised me with this week...

Now, if you didn't know already, I absolutely love Gussy stuff. LOVE it! If you've never seen any of Maggie's work before, you are missing out. Seriously, check out her shop.

And Maggie is one of the sweetest people I have ever met via blog. She really is. Have you ever read her blog? She's even giving away an adorable zipped pouch this weekend!

This really was just a post to sing the praises of Gussy. Is that pathetic?

Naw...

In other news:

2 of my Christmas card designs are up in my shop, and you can see them here. I'll hopefully be putting up more over the weekend. Click here to see a special preview of all 5 designs.

I am twittering again! You can see some of my tweets in the sidebar, or you can follow me to see what I'm up to. Other than that, I've got nothin'. My brain is dead. =)

Happy Friday!