tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11276526574980602342024-03-04T23:01:22.444-05:00QUEEN B. COTTAGENew England Folk and Mixed Media Artist Roberta Schramm shares her journey on the road to living her authentic life...as an artist, a woman of faith and a passionate soul who will not settle for anything less than all she was created to be.bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-59490641758217587292012-12-27T22:48:00.001-05:002012-12-27T22:48:00.514-05:00Go Light your World<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QUI51MrNYEc" width="459"></iframe><strong>Christmas is past and I must admit...it was hard to feel joyful and hold peace in my heart in the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. Not that the world felt it any less, but living in Ct. and not being that far away made it hit even closer to home as you could feel the sadness in the air, dripping like honey...but, not in sweetness, but in grief, shock, disbelief and outrage. I was so angry and immediately tried to vent my emotion and found myself waving a banner for gun control and the end of assault weapons...and I still do. But, somehow, I knew that was just a small bit of the answer. I then got angry that our country does not treat the mentally ill with serious conviction and that became a new banner to wave...and I still do. But, deep within my soul, I knew there was more and a banner that still needed to be raised. It was not enough for me to call my country to change...I needed to call myself to change and to action...so, I signed petitions and wrote my representatives. But, that was not enough either. I still felt like I was missing something. I saw the vigils and people lighting candles for a full week..tear stained faces and looks of dazed confusion as hundreds of teddy bears lay in the rain...a memorial to the innocents that were no longer here. We all lost our innocence in some respect that day. I then went to God on the holy night of Christmas and asked for help. My heart felt so broken and I felt so helpless...it was then that I heard the answer..the last and most important piece of the puzzle. </strong><br />
<strong>We must not just raise a banner, but raise our voices, raise our hands in service, carry our message to the broken..to the ill..to the unloveable...we must run towards the darkness to dispel it...and the only way to dispel it is with light...with the light that illuminated a stable and glowed around another innocent. He who is Light compels us to spread that light to others and that light is...love. That is the answer. Love. Love a million times over. So...this is my Christmas wish and my promise...that I will try to answer the call...a million times over. I invite you to do the same..talk of hate and punishment and retribution only creates a larger darkness. Make a difference and go light your candle...run to the darkness...Go light your world...and raise your banner of Love. Blessings be upon you in the coming year and may we be a world of peace and goodwill toward man.</strong>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-11822688701370891352012-10-05T15:21:00.000-04:002012-10-05T15:21:02.132-04:00I HAVE SUCH NEWS FOR YOU!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOn6nsqYYepOGsQmguPQOJNCcjexJDuP1jGMN4GyEjgbuQrmtyb6fsPPo0ilFvggTMCRJmaxsPuwT8uuOgAbu01daxHHbrFyEo0WdjSsLMgoYRXSS_tgKcdevqaGPLlcPVLgVp_XkTwg5z/s1600/LB-blogbutton2-static.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOn6nsqYYepOGsQmguPQOJNCcjexJDuP1jGMN4GyEjgbuQrmtyb6fsPPo0ilFvggTMCRJmaxsPuwT8uuOgAbu01daxHHbrFyEo0WdjSsLMgoYRXSS_tgKcdevqaGPLlcPVLgVp_XkTwg5z/s1600/LB-blogbutton2-static.jpg" /></a></div>
DO YOU LIKE TO WIN AWESOME..I MEAN, REALLY AWESOME TREASURES? I know I am raising my hand..."Pick me! Pick me!" Well, here is one totally "MAHOOSIVE GIVEAWAY" generously offered by Effy Wild of Wild Souls Arts..(one of my favorite journaling sites, ever!) Sweet, adorable Effy is offering a free space in the LIFE BOOK 2013 class, plus a bazillion (well, maybe not that many!) other treasures..like a spot in one of Andrea Schroeder's Creative Journal Kits (another of my favs) and so many other wonderfully generous and amazing gifts. Best of all, if you haven't already discovered Effy, you simply must join her Wild Soul Arts..it is amazing and gives me inspiration everyday, plus more than a chuckle or two as her personality just spills out of my computer! To check out the giveaway, just visit <a href="http://effywild.com/">http://effywild.com</a> and scroll down for more info. on how to enter. Also, don't forget to join Effy on <a href="http://www.wildsoularts.ning.com/">www.wildsoularts.ning.com</a> and tell her bertie sent you!<br />
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<br />bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-24267314138539831272011-07-15T13:39:00.000-04:002011-07-15T22:39:56.233-04:00WHERE THIS BLOGGER CREATES!<div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGCbczgWq38SYgqCbk5NsKgyyz6V_O4uaPfxTLLhSwI4vGpvpME5nBa71wqi5h2r4rWD7KeMo1yb-5-go8m0c-tacBVwO3idFL4HGkc8dwRWT9uFfqQ_XjPMAUT1Vegj6fvMQ50Is6r-q/s1600/WhereBloggersCreate2011.png"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 180px; height: 252px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629640507953959906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGCbczgWq38SYgqCbk5NsKgyyz6V_O4uaPfxTLLhSwI4vGpvpME5nBa71wqi5h2r4rWD7KeMo1yb-5-go8m0c-tacBVwO3idFL4HGkc8dwRWT9uFfqQ_XjPMAUT1Vegj6fvMQ50Is6r-q/s320/WhereBloggersCreate2011.png" /></a>It's time to party and share my creative space with you all for the "Where Bloggers Create 2011", hosted by My Desert Cottage. I am so excited and worked my little buns (Ohhh..if only they were little!) off to get ready for this event. I can't wait to see all of your spaces and be inspired! I hope you will catch a bit of who I am by seeing my space, as well. Let me begin by saying mine is a work in progress and is always changing, but my most important feature is that I love to surround myself with things that inspire me to live a magically creative life. In the coming pictures, you will see many of the things that make my world come to life...I am a child at heart and I surround myself with treasures that evoke fond childhood memories and bring a smile or sweet sense of childlike wonder to my face. I am deeply inspired by three illustrators from my childhood and you will see their influence throughout my little studio. They have impacted who I am today as I am illustrating my first children's books and my art has much whimsical innocence to it that I loved so much as a child. Well, enough chatting..let's get to the studio tour...lots of pics and I hope you enjoy your time in my little Queen B. Studio.<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdcu8YuDfTn1YTgqi2v7asPtc5Jw84JRGWSosWKiRWeHSiycp2Knj_Wt5Xlyafvx-uqiN9PGqayyb6IiYv6TItkVdVsTHnktBMtPw9FI6raLWX7_0VT2qa5GLz9D_qPfy3KQZQdtnxExG/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+047.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629638806252471314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdcu8YuDfTn1YTgqi2v7asPtc5Jw84JRGWSosWKiRWeHSiycp2Knj_Wt5Xlyafvx-uqiN9PGqayyb6IiYv6TItkVdVsTHnktBMtPw9FI6raLWX7_0VT2qa5GLz9D_qPfy3KQZQdtnxExG/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+047.JPG" /></a>When you walk in, this is what faces you...my little menagerie of treasures, trinkets and creative details that I can use in my art...mosaic pieces, shells, flowers, buttons....plus, eye candy to make me smile!<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8dEwkm7t4FxoZ6Zmq-Zyq4A4u6ARc6vtHSxUaYARJcLlZvSWpf-e1Cu7DLiiLBdd74yU6SA_-Q7zsGPtdAN86mPG0vvjsHzMyzaq4Qqe2JLxVou7UYLtxpblzYUadB9mNGoGBidk3bXm/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629638673019165538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8dEwkm7t4FxoZ6Zmq-Zyq4A4u6ARc6vtHSxUaYARJcLlZvSWpf-e1Cu7DLiiLBdd74yU6SA_-Q7zsGPtdAN86mPG0vvjsHzMyzaq4Qqe2JLxVou7UYLtxpblzYUadB9mNGoGBidk3bXm/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+020.JPG" /></a>This little bear and book of fairies is from my childhood. The bear has a little tail that when you move it, it makes his head move side to side or nod up and down. He is a one of my favorite friends to play with! In the background, I papered the shelf with vintage Beatrix Potter baby gift wrapping paper...you will see a lot of her around my little sanctuary..I love the movie "Miss Potter" and would live on a farm and dress that way all the time if I could get away with it!</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDX4ObdTOHHVJtyknVt0ZWghXfYfUFUUMV-vM0fZMiaZOji5AOPpPRW8jXHe56auL_xXW3J2dbGal_leQRW_upSEeXAeeW88yl_qS3qQAGAllo5pyLUoy89yjwAWbEXjm7b2767vJAk-K/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+088.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629638521313563314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDX4ObdTOHHVJtyknVt0ZWghXfYfUFUUMV-vM0fZMiaZOji5AOPpPRW8jXHe56auL_xXW3J2dbGal_leQRW_upSEeXAeeW88yl_qS3qQAGAllo5pyLUoy89yjwAWbEXjm7b2767vJAk-K/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+088.JPG" /></a>Turning the corner, you come to my sewing desk..don't get too impressed...I am not that great of a sewer and hate patterns. I like to wing it and just do my own thing! But, I have done quite a few primitive dolls in my time and they were huge sellers for me..so, I can't be too bad at it!<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdUEaNPloAPBLKr2mOqKftSvzUnqv365cWcZraf0j2jQs-prO6rDH5dMQ2v5bHOAl9uY67rmf97W7SLa0qCGldUzpQcOPUcGRAoybf1gooDwoJyiLWvkDwJ4Rnoef24xPVUh89cpKPgU7/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+053.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629638382772387922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdUEaNPloAPBLKr2mOqKftSvzUnqv365cWcZraf0j2jQs-prO6rDH5dMQ2v5bHOAl9uY67rmf97W7SLa0qCGldUzpQcOPUcGRAoybf1gooDwoJyiLWvkDwJ4Rnoef24xPVUh89cpKPgU7/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+053.JPG" /></a>Love this antique sewing basket that was given to me by my mother who has been gone for many years now...it brings sweet memories of her to me and that is why it is filled with hearts.<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdR3CU8dkCh-oSbbQRNgOtgA2ErT_AmoNrtMrrBSK25WcMR__b7dxaTsBfuWY0wgNo3gYx3PM_vCnHUjsq7krJN1P6zszHHVjF_r6DjofmmtGjRthsLMXnRmUgHoGHXQmWNOfwigcBa9u/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629638224391150466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdR3CU8dkCh-oSbbQRNgOtgA2ErT_AmoNrtMrrBSK25WcMR__b7dxaTsBfuWY0wgNo3gYx3PM_vCnHUjsq7krJN1P6zszHHVjF_r6DjofmmtGjRthsLMXnRmUgHoGHXQmWNOfwigcBa9u/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+087.JPG" /></a>This table top is really special and something I am really proud of. I collaged a piece of cardboard with all of my favorite illustrators art...from their books or things I have collected. I had a Joan Walsh Anglund paper doll when I was about 10 years old and the actual pieces are a part of the collage. I also took pages from some of her books and also those of my other two favorites, Tasha Tudor and Beatrix Potter and it is just a magical tribute to them. I love to look at it as I work and remember how much I loved them and still do. In the center is the greatest treasure of all....<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvsgFvxPBMUjNMrzSjMqcELlu8pVco5QrSe9AQLJXqxfdB5jLYtJSRrJ_JSCVzJUF2t2_unssTpXHdbRKjkhdWuWqw4aKY73XGs1rQ7Lc94TQfndqaKM5Rd1zhhFyp0MKcpkolYGP6TPB/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+086.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629638032309289522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvsgFvxPBMUjNMrzSjMqcELlu8pVco5QrSe9AQLJXqxfdB5jLYtJSRrJ_JSCVzJUF2t2_unssTpXHdbRKjkhdWuWqw4aKY73XGs1rQ7Lc94TQfndqaKM5Rd1zhhFyp0MKcpkolYGP6TPB/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+086.JPG" /></a>I wrote Joan Walsh Anglund as a child and enclosed a picture of myself and asked her if she could draw me! Aren't children shamelessly brazen to think a famous artist has the time to just whip off a likeness of them? Well, I was thrilled beyond measure when she wrote back to me and said she was busy, but would get to it soon...Alas,...she never did get to it, but I was grateful that she acknowledged me and I saved that letter all these years! The desk top, by the way, is covered in plexiglass to protect everything and is not in a super sunny window.<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2WEqqcfx-Ki9N5PilMod90I_S-NOv-Ka0hQ78pMlcbgeHp0zhX3Z_Yfh0Ze9H1aumjieJcuX6lhyphenhyphenjaV1lXscwvObvBes0QQLRE1HcOKGzOmwmf7a7aZOPOmeNeUH45w7NJXx3ViDaBVX/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+073.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629637417047202962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2WEqqcfx-Ki9N5PilMod90I_S-NOv-Ka0hQ78pMlcbgeHp0zhX3Z_Yfh0Ze9H1aumjieJcuX6lhyphenhyphenjaV1lXscwvObvBes0QQLRE1HcOKGzOmwmf7a7aZOPOmeNeUH45w7NJXx3ViDaBVX/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+073.JPG" /></a>Now, we come to my glorious old typewriter that was such a blessing to find...I paid $20.00 for it and it works great! I use it in my collage work all the time and I just love the look of it. I imagine a famous writer tapped on those ivory keys and wrote some famous work of art! Maybe, just maybe, I might be the famous writer someday who wrote their own work of art...but, even if that never happens, I still can imagine it will love being a part of my little world and know how much I appreciate its place in my creations...famous or not. I must admit, that my granddaughter, Emily, makes me feel like I am famous...she thinks I am the best artist in the world! She is ten...<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eCcjMw13B4oTeZeLwEbMUsgwO2aPhaA2dWidc6n_dO9uJMpjtNCf1AWvYwvTtLCqfiACz6lxlYaSs7Bruk_lq571IDGFhu6buqoaVGwlKIhCiZBmltJoc8vM-RollamctLTbryneF9kP/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+098.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629637257653031746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eCcjMw13B4oTeZeLwEbMUsgwO2aPhaA2dWidc6n_dO9uJMpjtNCf1AWvYwvTtLCqfiACz6lxlYaSs7Bruk_lq571IDGFhu6buqoaVGwlKIhCiZBmltJoc8vM-RollamctLTbryneF9kP/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+098.JPG" /></a>This is a closeup of my bulletin board that was on the previous picture..made with vintage sheet music, seed catalogs and cards given to me by friends, it was so fun to make. My little granddaughter, Madison's shoes are made into tacks to hang things and I have embellished the board with doilies, buttons and rhinestone jewelry...anything that strikes my fancy. I love the Mary Engelbreit picture and saying, "Neglect not the gift that is within thee." So true and I so is the other one the says, "I just want to be Queen...it is as simple and as complicated as that!" Period.<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pYMIlGyu1kILf_YBIumsrtKVRzx0eJDr6lqQKeWz5xIVXlE8tQJweqpx-iOU1qKvp1_BhwO2wuhsp7OjdkLNNeXLEiimvhPsKG44UTUSU8dmZ50z7kx77mqxtzebH-siPNEpuUfMVt_J/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+070.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629636822152707058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pYMIlGyu1kILf_YBIumsrtKVRzx0eJDr6lqQKeWz5xIVXlE8tQJweqpx-iOU1qKvp1_BhwO2wuhsp7OjdkLNNeXLEiimvhPsKG44UTUSU8dmZ50z7kx77mqxtzebH-siPNEpuUfMVt_J/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+070.JPG" /></a>I have a great collection of old books that I use in my art and also many childhood books by my </div><div>"three faves"...Plus, in that bookcase are lots of vintage papers, tissues and napkins that I use in my collage. Above are baskets brimming with canvases of all sizes wishing I would get cracking and do something with them! I wall papered all of the photo boxes to hold all sorts of things, from patterns to ribbons to ephemera, etc...It helps to have them all marked and organized as my space becomes cluttered and a disaster in no time!<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbsWPh7iyEXTJPz3A-0zn7jxxfi56EoIwNmuVpqyp4Hy_WkIQOZ-XKTkBBEaRRo-r4-DOfuqRMUlX4HznjRT8skmsDMZDA4ORxCktbGSad2s6EHYQpfAlNcYbYFhE8sMxt8oksK9GBAjr/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+059.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629636539797099618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbsWPh7iyEXTJPz3A-0zn7jxxfi56EoIwNmuVpqyp4Hy_WkIQOZ-XKTkBBEaRRo-r4-DOfuqRMUlX4HznjRT8skmsDMZDA4ORxCktbGSad2s6EHYQpfAlNcYbYFhE8sMxt8oksK9GBAjr/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+059.JPG" /></a>I love this little shelf that holds some of my collection of Joan Walsh Anglund dolls and books and also, my tiny Beatrix Potter books. The sign says, "Today is a Gift." and it is a constant reminder to me to be grateful for the gift within me and be committed to sharing with others. I truly want to not just paint, but inspire others to find their passion and bring their life to art. Everyone has a gift...the challenge is to find it, use it and pass it on.<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKO65hy1j9Q9YHM3U0sqF3s4zC1QxVkBTytsnDbVK3W3qjUBdJoOreA-gRZpAbKEvFr2cSmkdH6nhUfk3JkgG1WPBX7ovYYg45qNp74Ap3ePvAox0NkWCZBrQcI1H9nyssztnIROX_RL2N/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+062.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629636376788182290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKO65hy1j9Q9YHM3U0sqF3s4zC1QxVkBTytsnDbVK3W3qjUBdJoOreA-gRZpAbKEvFr2cSmkdH6nhUfk3JkgG1WPBX7ovYYg45qNp74Ap3ePvAox0NkWCZBrQcI1H9nyssztnIROX_RL2N/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+062.JPG" /></a>This is another table that I decorated with inspiration from the collection of vintage sewing things I inherited from my mom and my grandmothers sewing basket. I cut out flowers from fabric, used doilies, old sewing needle covers and measuring tape...vintage lace and even the labels off of old spools of thread. It came out really nicely and makes me remember running my fingers through my Nana's sewing box that had hundreds of old buttons..I have those very buttons in my collection of jars...they are gorgeous!<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDcAhKUNamrsxkvFqNfhp7N2J8PpCnrZmuiZDi_7eaAYNS4ZVGMZG3WRZhXKRX6x6hOsBjdP6Eu2R4jw9qEv4WwM-F0UHmI1uAOmKPzlSKO3y24SPIehpneTVZS1JN_XI1xrMaJ1jNkj3/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+064.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629636233793039522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDcAhKUNamrsxkvFqNfhp7N2J8PpCnrZmuiZDi_7eaAYNS4ZVGMZG3WRZhXKRX6x6hOsBjdP6Eu2R4jw9qEv4WwM-F0UHmI1uAOmKPzlSKO3y24SPIehpneTVZS1JN_XI1xrMaJ1jNkj3/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+064.JPG" /></a>Ahhh...my little friend, Peter. He and his books are all over this room...I love him so. I may just be a bit eccentric enough to hear him speak to me at times when I am drawing. I am almost positive I have seen him wink from time to time. My art is filled with fairies, mermaids and angels, so it really is kind of a prerequesite that I believe...and I do!<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVAT3P0fe9oJNkoLnhcYisXs1HuOJhyc03S03SBb0yU32w8d2D8elRzgP4VcZmt75e3-KQM8yjjZmizdM3wmEgvnetE1CaeGiSKnbqLUUkCI2urZyUm36-FLeCXpkyjWWAL22TzI8kKC9/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+071.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629636016878653714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVAT3P0fe9oJNkoLnhcYisXs1HuOJhyc03S03SBb0yU32w8d2D8elRzgP4VcZmt75e3-KQM8yjjZmizdM3wmEgvnetE1CaeGiSKnbqLUUkCI2urZyUm36-FLeCXpkyjWWAL22TzI8kKC9/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+071.JPG" /></a>There is so much more I could share, but I know you have to get going to visit the other sites..I will leave you with this thought above...I never went to college for art...I drew as a child and would retreat for hours into the magical world of my drawings and those of the artists I loved. I never imagined I would be still inspired, everyday, by those childhood memories and be doing what I loved so much as child as my fulltime profession. I have been an artist for over 20 years and have never looked back. I encourage you that it is never too late to do what you were created to do. If you have a creative gift, it is your destiny to fulfull using it...there is no what might've been...only what can be...<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxJpQBQf9gQk808xJdCr5gzbYtxNFR874tLpie_ckVov3H1L9mLe3MD39rnFHxsMZvWNf_SDT8b1RVbb6AB0yx-IG7BGRtm1i0ckW3nWQdF39vVXU3z7dNJ-nR69l_c_N78JtkONIAggO/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+080.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629635853595291010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxJpQBQf9gQk808xJdCr5gzbYtxNFR874tLpie_ckVov3H1L9mLe3MD39rnFHxsMZvWNf_SDT8b1RVbb6AB0yx-IG7BGRtm1i0ckW3nWQdF39vVXU3z7dNJ-nR69l_c_N78JtkONIAggO/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+080.JPG" /></a>So, know you are on the right track and do not negect the gift that has been given you. When you live the life you have imagined, you will be successful because the universe and God can not help but support you in living out what you were already ordained to be. So...find your passion. Live your bliss. Radiate your life...and you will feel just like me.....<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhTtphuXDRwAKE8Xh1BP9O_c88YESiP8obBS5FtWxCb9fHlOS_8c0reqC2yDvfBKv0wDN36YH4zKvsZhOFjyKYNEVlMvS_tUGD_0sZLkdRoTYLGve_GqmMRLNGjXnerLiQYjIfCAGq7xm/s1600/studio+and+13+beckwith+081.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629635648561529586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhTtphuXDRwAKE8Xh1BP9O_c88YESiP8obBS5FtWxCb9fHlOS_8c0reqC2yDvfBKv0wDN36YH4zKvsZhOFjyKYNEVlMvS_tUGD_0sZLkdRoTYLGve_GqmMRLNGjXnerLiQYjIfCAGq7xm/s400/studio+and+13+beckwith+081.JPG" /></a> a Queen!</div><div>(and yes, sometimes I do wear that crown and it lights up and sparkles like crazy!) May you all be blessed in your artful journeys and in your creative lives! Thank you for taking the time to share mine with me...I hope you will leave a comment to let me know you were here!<br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-79375274052232180252011-07-10T22:16:00.001-04:002011-07-10T22:46:28.558-04:00BROTHERLY LOVE<div>Well...I have been waiting to share this news with you all for some time...I have asked for prayers for the safe arrival of two little angels in the wee form of my twin grandsons, Ben and Jake and I am prouder than a peacock to be able to say that they are indeed here and my heart is full beyond measure. They did not have an easy time coming into this world and their mommy, my daughter Katy, fought hard to give them as much time as she could to grow and prepare for the miraculous wonder called, "Life." They wanted to make an appearance early and arrived a month and a half before expected, but they came in a just under 5 lbs. (for Jake) and just under 6 lbs. (for Ben).<br /></div><div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKgpyNatCXOWC2PGgK1SdYCJP9xZxo4edAHRZwaBZ3RBODdyO0uvHg0FLHN6AXr-Nq6ppITrx_BoDiTkRU9E3SbY_KyK7V9ba_axre5IkK6iB0iA2IDKldzckFEHiUx6pFP3I76nm6EJG/s1600/261638_2092046614499_1045283479_32195622_6702582_n.jpg"><img style="width: 340px; height: 266px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627913384062335842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKgpyNatCXOWC2PGgK1SdYCJP9xZxo4edAHRZwaBZ3RBODdyO0uvHg0FLHN6AXr-Nq6ppITrx_BoDiTkRU9E3SbY_KyK7V9ba_axre5IkK6iB0iA2IDKldzckFEHiUx6pFP3I76nm6EJG/s400/261638_2092046614499_1045283479_32195622_6702582_n.jpg" /></a></div><div> <br /><div>Let me introduce you to them...my sweet little men who have stolen my heart. This is my dear little Jake. He had a hard time getting used to feeding, but he is making great strides and is a real little fighter. His little face in this picture reminds me of how he must've felt with all of the tubes and poking around he endured in those first few days. He has such a sweet disposition and loves to cuddle and be touched. Soooo sweet, he just melts you to see this tiny little man.<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk387G-OxUcTkhfUwHz3dXUMZkzZSfasDDH_Qh8xaxWziAaV9nT3dpoTuUBbGZkffQfJlcWh5-R2h7a3fZSYs6g0hjeD4yal6aq_13O9JJeoh_jbGb2mi_4MnFNQKf-5Tg7Ke0SuTKmMi3/s1600/267943_2092046814504_1045283479_32195623_7963231_n.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 300px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627913507751271602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk387G-OxUcTkhfUwHz3dXUMZkzZSfasDDH_Qh8xaxWziAaV9nT3dpoTuUBbGZkffQfJlcWh5-R2h7a3fZSYs6g0hjeD4yal6aq_13O9JJeoh_jbGb2mi_4MnFNQKf-5Tg7Ke0SuTKmMi3/s400/267943_2092046814504_1045283479_32195623_7963231_n.jpg" /></a> </div><div> Here is the youngest of the twins by a whopping one minute! Meet Ben. He is such a little charmer and so beautiful with his perfect complexion and dark black hair. He just likes to chill out and sleeps quite a bit, but when he is awake, he has the most gorgeous eyes and just looks deep into your soul. </div><div>The boys are fraternal and could not be more different if they tried. Jake has blond hair, is fair skinned and has a long, slender face and petite frame and head. Ben has the black hair and olive complexion and a good sized round little face and his nose and mouth are totally different than Jake's. The nurses got a kick out of how different they are and remarked that we will always be able to tell them apart! </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMI9uY6ujTEwZNxYxzICPqDAOiJOeC1JFvETqGu6IY911kpQzhS5Qj-7zido_iPAoE6DQePWkKE7si8cvtZvRxyNKJ07mMWtk6LI0Rnl03Yzaa6NmXy7tGLfYI441MXIxth6XXuzZbkwY/s1600/261472_10150250621118069_271397343068_7335272_4383542_n.jpg"><img style="width: 300px; height: 400px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627914170776863058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMI9uY6ujTEwZNxYxzICPqDAOiJOeC1JFvETqGu6IY911kpQzhS5Qj-7zido_iPAoE6DQePWkKE7si8cvtZvRxyNKJ07mMWtk6LI0Rnl03Yzaa6NmXy7tGLfYI441MXIxth6XXuzZbkwY/s400/261472_10150250621118069_271397343068_7335272_4383542_n.jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div>But, for all of their differences, they do have one thing in common...they both love to suck their thumbs and they love to be close together. When they are put next to each other, their hearts find their way to beat at exactly the same rate and they just seem totally at peace to be so close. In the picture above, they are spending time skin to skin on the chest of their mommy...don't they look like they are just in heaven? What is too sweet for words is that Ben, who is at the bottom of the picture is so contented by that thumb in his mouth...and Jake appears to be just loving it, too...that is because Ben is sucking on Jake's thumb. Now that is brotherly love...Please continue to pray for my little men to come home soon and that they will continue to always be so close. They are a miracle...and I give thanks to the good Lord above for blessing our family with their remarkable presence. Sleep well, little ones...Grammie loves you. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> <br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMI9uY6ujTEwZNxYxzICPqDAOiJOeC1JFvETqGu6IY911kpQzhS5Qj-7zido_iPAoE6DQePWkKE7si8cvtZvRxyNKJ07mMWtk6LI0Rnl03Yzaa6NmXy7tGLfYI441MXIxth6XXuzZbkwY/s1600/261472_10150250621118069_271397343068_7335272_4383542_n.jpg"></a> </div><div> </div></div></div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-11564149959112484722011-06-08T16:14:00.000-04:002011-06-08T18:57:37.643-04:00To Have and To Hold<div><div><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Tomorrow is something I am really looking forward to. Stephanie from "Angelic Accents" is hosting a "To Have and To Hold Wedding Blog Party" for all those who love weddings...and who doesn't? Weddings represent all that is good in life...hope..new beginnings...loyalty and trust...and endless love for those who work as hard (seriously..alot HARDER) at the marriage as they did to have a beautiful wedding day. You just have to believe in happy endings..and "I DO!"</div><div> So, here is my little montage in honor of the wedding day...I am lucky enough to be able to enjoy many beautiful moments of lots of weddings as my daughters are both professional photographers and I get to peek at the pictures. My daughter, Emily, has graciously given me a few pics to share...I hope you enjoy them and at the very end of this post, I will share a personal moment that was precious to me personally..I hope it brings a little tear to your eyes or a smile to your face...it does to mine to know that love is alive and well and we are all a part of it. Blessings, friends and don't forget to check out the other posts at <a href="http://www.angelicaccents.blogspot.com">www.angelicaccents.blogspot.com</a>. </div><div> The Magic of Weddings...first, there is the ring... </div><div> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 275px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615983449943308914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IlZCG38RbGXuYWfyWzfrgJHmQWyToPCaNZS5oJ5CA3kzfwGVSrOCvtQo4rTfv4S_-fo9P1MMKZr6Tqr4P05ztgaUAYhhAZgg0cP_Ye5iLCZ3nMmAWPKvUiNn8r94_RKKKpBkEnTzGN4K/s320/179310_132367993497242_131150980285610_186016_4857999_n.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 247px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615984389269209826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4zvj2btfptzbNqwf-RQ_oRiSN29AXIitLZLUDVc-kYBRsu6M6cn1cqR8JbX9z3xrUnTtSgUG-7yCeyjlq8PmR1BP95K2QmcRb4N0uOrL1WS4PJB9CVXS8L5U_mPesD-K9_WikGXyRds-/s320/198408_140142882719753_131150980285610_234173_6665484_n.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div> ...then comes the planning for the special day...one must have the right pair of shoes...</div><div> </div><div> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 247px; height: 320px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615974766410569570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzvk80-KRoo-OE16sM5qPXJuurP-wo8YV8XF-G0HzZ0j5jmnBXS7o-WuPK30H0QD3901V1KQ0YMVK2JPl6Xd2J_n9I_eDsRb5P53Bd1EBMCeANY9AHPRzKGM_uF2T6sNyYpcwW0jg03QB/s320/196988_140143042719737_131150980285610_234179_2676803_n.jpg" /></div><div> ..and don't forget the bling...lots of bling...</div><div> </div><div><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 247px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615973283537074642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2OMVidorbt42-vl26rEOCUMkME8hrsif7wmK-GA2yRkwdftJqHCZtLnxrEDMSMf57CnMD9MOquyz-o7yGwKcjFe-red4pK76CZ0BPQGvt2yA4vvozy3YpgjMYG-5kogu1fO4gtOVC7mv/s320/189204_140143209386387_131150980285610_234187_787114_n.jpg" /></div><div> ...and flowers everywhere imaginable... </div><div> </div><div> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 247px; height: 320px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615976078812076130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV21I_x41VDVQrc73C6PZWeJ6c1_exprHuYWMzyHQPAJST7yf0e9hGroulcc4Voz79gUGbW-kGolPZk8iha60YVhe1fQs69q2ETs1ws-PJ9fqwUUSbd9dLSvlSgsgalKyH4xz6A1LIzyEl/s320/185827_140142669386441_131150980285610_234165_6024140_n.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 247px; height: 320px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615976711521263106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTr7GS7MW0F3d1963kaJqRBBZGYuv8Hvm0ZPh_1SLOCgYT0GFXF-0qbFT52sV6qHsWtpG181p5Qeoe178s9yVlF7O3cPkF1w0ATaeMIaJaYXHweJDPeUtAlxaaRjpiA2csRhixyFLISaV/s320/189087_140142872719754_131150980285610_234172_6197151_n.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div> ...and don't forget the most biggest "wow" factor of all...THE DRESS!</div><div> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 185px; height: 320px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615977440963851266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ekg-63PCoyj0neR96wwYz96BdOqB0p8WFz43lRpdes8rKMT_inrzjnZv01dyL0Qg-27cY2Lvm_3ZtwpSme58Q6mvv6Zrvvc4M1Vrwa-kzo1VKG6ogGCwm1jjTZiyiUdz11mcIFpUxiwK/s320/180695_132639876803387_131150980285610_187536_6587448_n.jpg" /></div><div> Add some adoring vows and a little bubbly to seal the kiss...</div><div> </div><div> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 214px; height: 320px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615978778611210882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYW7oHE8FgAgisngiInXGKbl774ummS5a3-t6xm31u-A13Vs0q3xrLk2LLsxawx8xVsHbjVIWhfTOy5RxCxHn0vgvtOfPfdIlZwtfdDL8VLvuDXbsw0UTFE45rPWwJbS_ROFxTO8r8ZEb/s320/179039_132368070163901_131150980285610_186019_3003777_n.jpg" /></div><div> And you are on your way to your happily ever after...</div><div><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 205px; height: 320px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615979725550571714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLiKiDvpk4iH6pI9dZp-60GhyphenhyphenFw2e8vTcUYtLzE_gt67kop8lEr8UV-4yDv_s1ny0pyCdwaCPEQaPiCNgL8AbkUTZRFcOvEGNlrKzBCiXvkStCBuzPQKMH0CqI1CZGlrT0tJKPwHPQC-N/s320/181836_132369706830404_131150980285610_186050_1141476_n.jpg" /></div><div> As promised...on a personal note...when my daughter had her wedding day, it was such a special day for us all...but, especially for my husband who came into our lives when she was just 3 years old. He was the happy ending that had eluded me the first time I was married and he stepped in as the best "step" father I could've ever hoped for. He is a rock and a hero and he does not cry easily. But, on that day, when Katy whispered in his ear as they danced, "Thank you for being my Dad.", all of his devotion and loyalty and love for her came back to him a hundred fold...and he cried..<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 213px; height: 320px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615982863499082210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWCqvkGxf_mGsZgmdsgbNu-peGjhTbSlGslaNNuSk0zeaUBPU0S_8xlHAKCfxfdU13l6XfBcbj6rDd5DqaronzFZEPUNVII_VwjhjzBQwbvXLxes9iJSde7gmgKyrnZwNLZZbf5S9sdRk/s320/Kate+and+Jeff%2527s+Wedding+%2528April+7%252C+2007%2529+447.jpg" />.and so did I. Happy endings can really happen...so, do I believe?... "I DO!"</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-19177552084208766512011-05-04T11:38:00.001-04:002011-05-04T12:37:21.206-04:00What Do I Wish to Know?<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMSV7gAGDbLa7b7cbEaPpFSpzn4Ipkh5D-NH3aI1-vHKFcmgi0Xrynbrolhnj-7nnbLkGNj2J9FvT3qAfDEU6AuLasXlCvXB97DR3joz140-mZdG1OpUyxxMYSmUbqmQ1FWIMP-9YQ8XU/s1600/ShabbyBlogsGratitude.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602892839243088226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMSV7gAGDbLa7b7cbEaPpFSpzn4Ipkh5D-NH3aI1-vHKFcmgi0Xrynbrolhnj-7nnbLkGNj2J9FvT3qAfDEU6AuLasXlCvXB97DR3joz140-mZdG1OpUyxxMYSmUbqmQ1FWIMP-9YQ8XU/s320/ShabbyBlogsGratitude.jpg" /></a><br />It's Wednesday and that means, time for another <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">wishcasting</span> at Jamie <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ridler</span> Studios. If you have never checked out her site, I really encourage you to do so as it is so uplifting and just an all around wonderful place to be. This week's question has an answer that came to me quickly...I wish to know Gratitude. With a capital "G". Not just, "Thanks, God.", but an all out, "OH MY GOSH, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY TOES TO THE TOP OF MY HEAD, THANK YOU GOD FOR EVERY BREATH YOU HAVE GIVEN ME!"....that kind of Gratitude. Sounds simple, right? Well, let me tell you...in my life, it is an act of will and is only possible when I am truly present and plugged into my spiritual self. Otherwise, as soon as things go well and without incident, I tend to go on my merry way and forget to say, "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">thank you</span>." On the other hand, when things go awry as they often do, and life throws some curve balls my way, I am <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">abt</span> to say, "Gee...thanks <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">alot</span>!" with just a hint, mind you, of sarcasm. Why God doesn't smack me upside of the head, I really don't know. Or maybe I do know...because He loves me...even when those little frogs jump out of my mouth...even when I am a perfect little princess..(yeah, like THAT ever happens!) no matter what or how I am..He loves me. ..the same...everyday. For that and so much more, I AM GRATEFUL. It took a long time getting here, to accept this kind of love and not feel like dog <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">dookie</span> because I thought I was so unworthy of it. But, when I finally got it...I mean, really got it..that I am not loved by God because of what I do or what I have or have not done..I don't need to meet some kind of criteria for my Creator to love me...that I am loved simply because I am...regardless. Nothing can change it..it's a done deal..well, that transformed my life. It has become my soul's song..I say it in my profile..."It is enough, just being me." Not because I look at myself and think I am all that..to the contrary. I often look in the mirror and fail to see it, but in my heart, I know it is in there. I have been stamped with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">indelible</span> ink with the word, "beloved." In gratitude, I hope to help others find their mark, too. Some days I do better than others...I hope this is one of those days. If you are reading this, I hope you can take away the knowledge that you are enough, too...enough to be treasured beyond belief, enough to be accepted as you are ...an incredible gift ...enough for the universe to be thankful for. Wake up each day thinking like that and we may just know gratitude like we have never imagined....so, this day..I raise my eyes upward and answer the question...I wish to know gratitude and at this moment, I think I am on my way. Be blessed!<br /></div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-19629241321224021552011-04-27T18:49:00.001-04:002011-04-27T19:39:59.790-04:00What Do I Wish To Focus On?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4YaPhesiSOKNosXtGx4iCjDfRUjkp1jEKwkvyTg_X4iGfgBfSUIzDDrOkf5N_3lwiwj5j-b30PRt60wP9grYQrywBUNdPz15aY49NwEfsM-20Ujde1FgXsDOCD0OiaYpxHbS4ymO9VEs/s1600/OverRainbow_preview%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 361px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 243px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600399617899624050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4YaPhesiSOKNosXtGx4iCjDfRUjkp1jEKwkvyTg_X4iGfgBfSUIzDDrOkf5N_3lwiwj5j-b30PRt60wP9grYQrywBUNdPz15aY49NwEfsM-20Ujde1FgXsDOCD0OiaYpxHbS4ymO9VEs/s320/OverRainbow_preview%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>It is another <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wishcasting</span> Wednesday at Jamie <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ridler</span> Studios...one of my favorite places. She always leads me to really think and ask myself some questions that bring much needed clarity to my life. This weeks question, "What do I wish to focus on?" could have several answers...obvious ones, like: losing weight, being healthy, getting organized, etc..but, I like to dig a bit deeper and try to find some new truth that isn't so obvious. Lately, I have found myself kind of stuck in the "If <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">only's</span>"...you know, "if only this hadn't happened, I would be happy" or "if only that person hadn't done that to me then I would be not going through this or that"...it is a very insidious little rut to fall into and can be hard to dig ones self out of. Especially, if one is rather feeling sorry for herself and wallowing in it like a little <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">piggie</span> neck deep in the mud. It seems to me, it really is an issue of not wanting to let go. If I let go of the "If only", then I might just have to move forward to the "What if?"..like, "what if I learn from this lesson and make something positive come out of it?" Or, even harder, "What if I stop feeling sorry for myself for what I don't have and be grateful for what I do and stop looking over the rainbow for something that is right in front of me?" <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ahhh</span>...now you see why I chose Dorothy as my blog picture. She epitomizes the state of being I have been in..there is something outside of myself that I am lacking and if I can just get my hands on it, life will be all bluebirds. If my life's circumstances were different, then I would find the end of the rainbow..it is all out of my hands..and on and on..blah.blah.blah. Pathetic! For Dorothy, it takes a freaking tornado to move her to a new place...she fights a wicked witch and goes through hell just to find out that the witch melts away with a bucket of water...Then, after all that, she is told that "She always had the power within her to go home" and she never needed the wizard at all, but just needed to click her shoes 3 times. I am sorry, but as much as I love the movie, if I were Dorothy, I think I would've punched <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Glinda</span> square in her pretty little glittery face. And...I might add that I feel there is something missing at the movie that bothers me. When Dorothy finally clicks those heels and says, "There's no place like home", I just really wish that her life turned into one of brilliant color. That revelation <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">should've</span> counted for something and changed her world...who wants to live forever in sepia tones? SO!! I didn't really expect this to turn into a commentary on "The Wizard of Oz", but I feel like I am on a roll here. Is there an answer to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">wishcasting</span> question somewhere in this all? Yes, and here it is...I wish to focus on being over the rainbow about my life just where I am and as it is..<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">in spite</span> of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">occasional</span> tornado or fall in the pigpen. I do not need to follow a yellow brick road in search of someone or something outside of myself to bring some color in..I wish to stop giving away my power to those "if <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">onlys</span>" and choose to start dwelling in the possibility of "What if?" because that is where my power lies and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Glinda</span> is right..It has always been right there. So, I guess my focus is about letting go and letting in..letting go of the past...hurts, disappointments, painful rejections and all and focus on letting in...more love, more gratitude, more forgiveness..more blessing. I have a seriously blessed life...it is about time I clicked my heels about it!</div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-5533938274967404402011-04-18T22:22:00.000-04:002011-04-18T23:06:25.016-04:00Am I Dreaming??<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 397px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 131px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597115242506036290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3BV43H_Z6KBN_SRwKya_CEAJJm28DmBiaK0zlZeWdjzjLmbhhnhbPXxE7IE84rq6YfbwuSLHsBCgPAhLInhgYIyr8WF4DNGVswkc3TCMI8JdYp7B5WvLIElCi5puEKT_bMfgGK-N5ifB/s400/staples+scan+grow+angel.jpg" /> Wow...do I have news to share with you! First, let me begin by saying that this year has been one of so much growth for me. It has been a year of deciphering just what works in my life and what doesn't..in my art and in my relationships. It has meant some hard decisions had to be made and some painful truths had to be faced and at one point, I felt so stripped that I didn't know what I believed anymore or exactly where my niche was. I have been a primitive folk artist for so many years and had reached that point where the joy was just gone. I needed a change and a new outlet for my creativity and so, I went back to my childhood and started to get to know that little girl within and let her come out to play...and what emerged was a totally different art that just made me smile whenever I had a brush in hand...I have always had a tremendous imagination and it seemed all of my fantasies came to life...mermaids, fairies and angels...little children with pudgy faces and flowers..lots of flowers, with lots of color! I took a few classes and discovered the technique of collage and that added even more to my world of possibilities..it felt like waking up after a long sleep, refreshing and full of expectation for what each day's imaginings would create. So, Queen B. Artistry was born..."B" being for me...bertie. "Queen" being for what my daughter said I have always been...I guess I may have used that title a few times during my children's growing up..you know...just a reminder of who is in charge? Anyway...I digress..which I am bound to do from time to time..Where was I? Oh..the exciting news! You know when you do something in your life and you just know it feels right and is the thing to do? Sometimes, you feel like you might be the only one who knows it is right and you just need that bit of confirmation to make it really feel right? Well...this new venture and art genre was a bit scary for me. It meant walking in a different direction, when the primitive look was still selling really well and represented security...big time. Well, I can say with great joy and relief that I got my confirmation...at a primitive art show of all places! I will just spit it out...I was approached by a beautiful lady at this show..she loved my new artwork and said it gave her such a happy feeling. This wonderful lady has a publishing company and are you ready???Wait for it...ok..that is long enough! She has asked me to illustrate A SERIES, I repeat, SERIES of children's books, featuring my little childhood characters! I can't tell you the details yet, as it is TOP SECRET and I would have to kill you..heehee. But, I can tell you that I am working on the first one and have already made plans for 2 more and who knows where this may lead? I am just flabberghasted and awed at how when you do what you love, the universe seems to align in agreement and God just opens the doors..ironically, this is usually after you have been heart broken because of other doors closing that you thought were reallllly good doors and you can't understand why they are now closed. Luckily, God knows what we don't...that there is something far more wonderful behind door #2..He is the ultimate Monty Hall, only he doesn't ever have a booby prize waiting for you. So! I must admit, I am a bit daunted at the task as it is new to me, this illustration process, but I know I am on the right path...my mind is filled to the brim with ideas and inspiration and my little characters are just itching to get out on that paper, so they can dance and dance...I think I will join them and as I do, I know I will be pinching myself and repeating, "Am I dreaming???"bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-8812638397708658452011-03-26T23:52:00.000-04:002011-04-18T02:16:20.761-04:00Figuring Life Out - One Thousand Gifts<iframe height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GhOUaszMGvQ?fs=1" frameborder="0" width="480" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>PLEASE SCROLL DOWN AND TURN OFF MY PLAYLIST BEFORE WATCHING VIDEO SO YOU DON'T HEAR THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME! THANKYOU AND ENJOY THIS LITTLE TREASURE! I kind of messed up a bit here...I wrote a post about this video that is actually the next post after this..I wanted it to be the other way around, but it is late and for some reason, my brain did not function the way I wanted...nothing new there! I would really like it if you read the post about "How do you live your moments" first and then watch the video, but you know what? Just as long as you get the message any which way is just fine. Soooo...here it is...take it in and feel it deep. And then...share it with someone you love and then, could you spare one of those little moments to let me know if it made a difference. love to you all!bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-78620269873325214242011-03-26T23:33:00.000-04:002011-03-26T23:55:45.550-04:00How do you live your moments?I just had to share something that really touched me...I mean, REALLY touched me. It is a message that I would want to share with my granddaughters, my daughters and with anyone that I think would have the heart to listen. Our world is in a whirlwind of trouble and pain...It is soooo easy to get discouraged and feel like life is just too big and the problems and angst just too much to take in. And, it is. It is too much to take in all at once. The earthquakes, the tsunamis, the war, the hatred, etc...already I can feel myself wanting to shut down from the weight. So...what to do? We can't shut our eyes and pretend we don't see..but WE CAN shift our vision and change our world...one moment at a time. Easy to say, not so easy to do...can you slow down? Can you really look around you at all of the wonder and see a miracle in a ladybug? Or in a baby's giggle? Can you touch and taste all of the limitless treats and sensations that surround you that in your hurry, you blur past them to get to work or drive that child to dance class? I know I have had many a blurry day and have missed the miracle. I am going to try to do better and be more present, more aware and more expectant in the simple moments of life...it is a new perspective..and it is about time. It is about gratitude and grace and seeing with a new set of eyes...maybe, just maybe, it will really be a miracle when the little things become the big things and instead of casting our eyes downward at the enormity of the pain in this world, we will cast our eyes upward at the beauty and limitless love that encompasses it all . Sounds good to me.bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-78958320340871425332010-09-29T17:57:00.000-04:002010-09-29T18:47:05.874-04:00Letting Go...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Lr-h3ytSS3Y0kjtdPzY8Ds6EwleDgxNo4XtI07dc2zQAIQFc1lYtGtERn7MtMQVXeiOmYixtVgs__WKecnHVudLJ3qTjq_TK-yGEgrSS2nR0pljzhWX8Lw7hN77MU2S_rSVKjFfgy3PR/s1600/katy+sparkler+heart.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522470708868224146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Lr-h3ytSS3Y0kjtdPzY8Ds6EwleDgxNo4XtI07dc2zQAIQFc1lYtGtERn7MtMQVXeiOmYixtVgs__WKecnHVudLJ3qTjq_TK-yGEgrSS2nR0pljzhWX8Lw7hN77MU2S_rSVKjFfgy3PR/s320/katy+sparkler+heart.jpg" /></a><br /><div>It has been awhile since I last posted, hasn't it? Needless to say, it was a whirlwind summer and the time got away from me, but that is not the only reason I was away. I normally like to share all the good stuff, the inspiring moments...you know..I like to make you feel good. I have a harder time sharing the really hard times..the things that make me feel a bit more vulnerable than I would like. But, I have decided that if you have the interest to read this blog and get to know me better, then, I must be real and being authentic, means just that. Be real and share it all. So, here goes...<br />I had a really painful thing happen to me this summer and I stayed away from blogging because it was just too hard to put on a happy face or even share what was inside. I lost a friendship. I mean, one of those "think you will be friends until you die, kindred spirit, one in a million" friendships. It was not just a growing apart, but a cruel severing and betrayal of all I believed in. It left me speechless. Literally. I could not speak without bursting into tears. I did not even talk to my friend about what this had done to me. I couldn't and I knew that no words of explanation could suffice or take my pain away. I have had so much loss in my life and this was one place I felt safe...and it was gone in an instant. So, as is my usual response to pain...I ran. I retreated so far into myself that I swore I would never trust another person again. I would never love with such abandon and put myself out there again. I was done and no one would ever climb the massive wall I started to build and get to me ever again. It didn't take long for all kinds of nasty things to start climbing and covering that wall..vines of bitterness. Dreams of how could I get even and hurt the heart that had so callously rejected mine. My dreams took on a darkness that scared me. I began to tell myself that I had never had a good moment or memory that was not tainted and a lie. I really became sick inside and my passion for life and the magic in my days seemed to die. It was truly one of the blackest times of my life...to feel such anger and not be able to forgive. I begged God to show me why this had happened? I do not have all of the answers, but I am learning a lot about myself as I await them. It took some time for me to look at myself and say, "This is not me. Nor is this who I want to be. I do not repay evil with evil. I believe in forgiveness, not retribution. I will not allow anyone to rob me of the magic in my life. No one deserves that kind of power...and most importantly, no one will rob me of my desire to love, put my heart out there and risk being hurt in order to experience all that life has to offer." I had to tell myself these things about a gazillion times a day at first and slowly...ever slowly, my heart began to change. I do have wonderful memories of this friend. We did share laughter and tears and times of fun like I have never had in my life. It does make me sad to think that they were thrown away so easily, but they did exist all the same. I wish no ill will on anyone and forgive completely...that does not mean that the friendship goes on..it just means that the bitterness does not. I have learned that I am stronger than I thought. I remember talking with my friend about how I could not survive if we were ever not friends. I know now that I am stronger than that. I choose to have people in my life, but I am no longer the insecure, needy girl who has to have them to survive. What I have written in my profile...the last line..has been tested and proven true. "It is enough...just being me." So, is that the lesson I was to learn? If so, it is a big one. I have never in my life valued myself enough to be able to say those words and mean them, until now. Now, I know they are not just words...they are my soul's cry. This friend once told me that some people come into your life for a reason and some for only a season...we did have some seasons that I will never forget and with time, they will not bring sadness to me to recall. I share this with you all as an encouragement as I know we all get hurt in this life. If you are in the same boat and have a hurt so deep that it is entangling and entwining you in vines of bitterness, hatred and pain..no matter what the other person did...let it go. Let it go! Feel your pain, cry your tears, scream your lungs out..and when you have emptied yourself of all that you need to let out, refill the cup...with love. with compassion. with forgiveness. Don't let yourself get lost and never shut off your capacity to love again. Be your authentic self and move on, always forward and realize that even if you have no answers as to "why" things happened, it doesn't change the "what"are you going to do to be true to yourself and come out the other side a better, stronger, wiser...you. As for me, it feels good to be me again. I am open and good things are coming to me because I am no longer holding them at arm's length...it is enough...more than enough...just being me. Finally, for real...now, that is magic.</div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-79764969034844861262010-08-18T14:28:00.000-04:002010-08-18T15:03:48.049-04:00Where Do You Wish To Make A Fresh Start?This is the wish casting q<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAGVngT6gqL5ctzI16LI0hYd7ssSVec8iZ27HSF8l-3hjrZ7IwlYgHxCfOyGKKqhqrb47iND-FzhuTlNtkqi1ach5vpt7jRHcXuT-dxUEV9gZwjwhlERU54sweUUUyUHmekCD4DYuVXoB/s1600/beckwith+lane+and+maddie+020.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 323px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506819588105829842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAGVngT6gqL5ctzI16LI0hYd7ssSVec8iZ27HSF8l-3hjrZ7IwlYgHxCfOyGKKqhqrb47iND-FzhuTlNtkqi1ach5vpt7jRHcXuT-dxUEV9gZwjwhlERU54sweUUUyUHmekCD4DYuVXoB/s320/beckwith+lane+and+maddie+020.JPG" /></a>uestion of the week from one of my favorite places, Jamie Ridler Studios. It is one that could be answered in so many ways..I would love a fresh start with so many things...my health...diet and more exercise is always an ongoing wish. I would've said my business, but, I am already on the road to making that wish come true. So, after looking through some of my pictures, this one stood out to me. I took it from my back door from the house we just moved into a year ago. I lived in Maine for the past 13 years and always dreamed of living in the country, surrounded by nature. Our property in Maine was my wish come true and I lived in what I named, "Wildberry Cottage", surrounded by wild blueberries and 7 acres of Balsam Fir trees. It was my sanctuary and I thought I would live there forever. But, life had other plans. I became a grandmother...to one precious little girl in Virginia Beach and then to another gift from God in Connecticut. I just could not be apart from these little lights and my sanctuary began to feel like a prison that kept me from them. So, we made a decision to move to Ct. and in a matter of months, we were here. We were blessed to find a house in a beautiful neighborhood, surrounded by wonderful people. I lived a very secluded life in Maine..here, I am more challenged to get out there. I have joined the neighborhood book chat and it is wonderful..especially the women who I am getting to know. I really wish to make a new start here and go for it. It is not as easy as I thought it would be. I struggle with missing Maine, being a recluse and having the courage to make new friends. Maine was safe...it was easy to hide in my life. My home here is open to the world on all sides. It takes me out of my comfort zone to be so exposed and yet, I know it is a good thing. I am not meant to hide...not anymore. Sometimes, the things we settle into as comfortable are not what is really good for us. So, my wish is to make a new start here. To embrace every change and be fearless in creating this new life of mine. To see the rainbow in this picture, and it was a double one, by the way, is a reminder that I am where I need to be and my wish is being blessed by the heavens above. Not a bad place to be at all.....bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-57466574357248229772010-08-15T00:43:00.000-04:002010-08-15T13:56:30.302-04:00<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XeHcxXi9lIScrVaDolJy5yjuTLBaebeeRIfgbPhIWIG3bt1ppAM9lsRxKSxYPegLvsfGqByeU9Kdyj1-avlqiCH7gQQiT39I06MK_0lniy6HuwGcEm8Tdb8qSHDjKCKBBsGdAt2X_67F/s1600/sparklers-2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505493095988464866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XeHcxXi9lIScrVaDolJy5yjuTLBaebeeRIfgbPhIWIG3bt1ppAM9lsRxKSxYPegLvsfGqByeU9Kdyj1-avlqiCH7gQQiT39I06MK_0lniy6HuwGcEm8Tdb8qSHDjKCKBBsGdAt2X_67F/s200/sparklers-2.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:180%;color:#333399;"> WHO DO YOU WISH TO SEND MORE LOVE TO?</span></div><div align="left">This is an exciting post for me! It is the very first one on my brand <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">spankin</span>' new blog that I designed myself after, just let me say, an obscene number of hours of trial and error and error and error. I wanted to see if a total computer illiterate like myself could do it and I am quite pleased. I really needed a new look from my old blog, Wildberry Gatherings, which was very pretty, but also very dark in color. This new blog really mirrors how I am feeling lately...more alive and more than a little sassy with life! So! That meant a new name for my business, as well! My daughter, Emily, came up with the idea. Seems I have made a point throughout my children's lives to point out to them (on occassion..ahem.) that "I am the Queen Bee around here." It seems the older I get, the more I repeat that I am the Queen..and you know what? I am kinda liking it. It seems to me that when you reach my age, you have kind of earned it. So, I say, with pride, that I dub thee, new blog..."Queen B. Attitude"! May she be a place for inspiration, laughter and honesty...the real deal. In that spirit, I answer Jamie <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ridler's,</span> "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wishcasting"</span> question.."Who do I wish to send more love to?" The answer is one that feels a bit awkward for me to say...it comes from that old feeling that everything should be for everyone else and not for myself. In my life, I have found it very easy to love people. I have not had a problem showing the people in my life that I love them, in fact, I am known as the "Queen of Mush." I am one of those people who just have to hug, say "I love you" <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">every time</span> I hang up the phone and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">embarrass</span> my kids with public displays of affection. No problem. There is only one person I can think of that I have met in my life that I found it nearly impossible to love...me. I grew up insecure, fearful and damaged..too much hurt, fear and rejection left me pretty damaged goods. Life has not been easy and with each heartbreak, I took it personally.. I obviously didn't deserve any better... God was not on my side, but the stern father, doling out punishment. On the outside, most people would say I was a very cheerful person who was always laughing and smiling. That is a huge part of who I am, but inside, I also was really lost within my negative thinking...and then, I turned fifty. So many women dread midlife and see it as a beginning to the end. Miraculously, for me, it has just been a beginning..a rebirth. With age comes clarity and I have finally begun to emerge out of that cocoon, that chrysalis and I am ready to shed that dried up old exterior and put on my new self. My authentic self...the one I was created to be..imperfect, but enough. For me..that is a huge step in the right direction. So, in that spirit, I send myself some love. Love to that little girl inside who has been angry for most of her life at the unfairness of it all...Love to that girl in the mirror who is not the size 6 she once was, but who is still told she is beautiful by her <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">soul mate</span> everyday and is now, just beginning to believe it..and Love to that fearful spirit who is ready to accept her place as a child of God, created and destined for great things and ready to make them happen. It is a long time coming and I still have to get used to these new wings of mine. I have loved those around me. It's about time I stretch those wings and love myself. So, when I thought of naming my business, "Queen B. Artistry" I was apprehensive...what if people think I am all full of myself and wonder, "Who does she think she is?" Well, the truth is," Queen B. Attitude" is not all about me. My vision for my blog is to inspire and encourage an attitude of self acceptance and love of life for all who read it. We are all Queens in our own lives and I have come to realise something. The more we love ourselves and nurture our creativity and passion and take care of ourselves, the more powerful our love will be for others. We will come from a healthy place, a joyous place..a place of gratitude and confidence, brimming with positive energy that can't help but spill over into everything we do and touch everyone we meet with love. THAT is the authentic life and the one I was created to be...the one you were created to be. So, as I wish to send more love to myself, I wish also to send it outward to you. May you be blessed with full measure to overflowing and embrace all that love has to offer!</div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-38332263335623806202010-07-16T17:31:00.000-04:002010-08-16T15:11:00.086-04:00I Believe She's Amazing Flash Mob - Toronto Eaton Centre<object style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/qfcKvevod3k/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qfcKvevod3k&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qfcKvevod3k&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object> I just had to post this as a big thank you and hug for all of the phenomenal women who have influenced my life lately. I have not felt this full of hope and expectation and inspiration in..??? Well, maybe ever! I dedicate this to Kelly Rae Roberts in gratitude for her wonderfully inspiring "Flying Lessons" ecourse and to all of my fellow flyers, who are taking wing as we speak. This video's message.."I BELIEVE!" is so perfect for what we have learned recently and for what we are sharing with eachother on our journeys to live an authenticly creative life...our dream come true. What I see in this video is that WE are the dancers...no longer spectators, looking on, but actively moving, reaching for our stars and sending out our energy to impact the world with love and light and magic. .In a world full of so much sadness and stress, our dreams and creative imaginings are more important than ever..we may never know how many lives we touch or draw into our circle by being who we were born to be, but we can be sure of this...the world will be a better place...a more colorful place..a more creative place...for it is being infused with the positive life force of hundreds of amazing women with wings!! ..may this give you a little added lift in reaching your dreams and soaring to your greatest height!! be blessed!bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-35109341741019222582010-07-14T11:26:00.000-04:002010-08-14T19:31:24.668-04:00How Do You Wish to Bloom?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPfK6VuwiHDifLt6LTlala3jm6Lqj9KavSEC2bgvQF01vNCwPu8s-GGtgO0ABL7H77PJdxqqXpDDpxISfwNIcDkvhCOmn5fnNWQH2RxLbN-lf7_CYbR85yWLhY6kBRJpRrMC_6khNFBB1/s1600/Bloom.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493797319957557042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPfK6VuwiHDifLt6LTlala3jm6Lqj9KavSEC2bgvQF01vNCwPu8s-GGtgO0ABL7H77PJdxqqXpDDpxISfwNIcDkvhCOmn5fnNWQH2RxLbN-lf7_CYbR85yWLhY6kBRJpRrMC_6khNFBB1/s200/Bloom.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Ok..I am busted. In my last post, I promised to be a good blogger and that was in...well...January. I know that is lamer than lame, but in all honesty, I have spent the past few months doing some really important work in finding out just what it is I want to say and share with you all. I have taken some time to do some really intensive personal reflection and have come across some really phenomenal women who have helped me in that journey. I share with you, one of those women...Jamie Ridler of Jamie Ridler Studios and she is a mentor in sharing how to live a creative and authentic life..It is her question that is the subject of this post. How do I wish to bloom? It would be easy to say that I wish to bloom with vibrant color and strength. I would love to attract many bees and leave them feeling nourished for having met me...and those statements would be true. But, I can feel that I want more than that and it has taken me until recently to discover why. For most of my life, I have felt that I just did not fit in...I was a wildflower in a garden of roses. I have often felt that I was just really trying to grow in the wrong garden or conditions...I needed more water and sunshine than most. I wanted to take more time to grow than the rest..I wanted to drink in the sunshine and let it warm my face for longer than was allowed. I was not really a good flower in the garden..I felt rebellious or inadaquate most of the time. It felt like I was always stretching to reach that elusive sunbeam, just out of my reach. A perfectionist, my blooms were just not as good or good enough or plentiful enough and I spent way too much time comparing my color and strengths to those around me. I have had people in my life, well meaning people, who have told me that I am too much of a dreamer. I have been told that to think that I can be an artist for a living is not realistic. I have heard, "Sure, everyone wishes they could stay home and be creative all day, but that is not reality." How many times have I been told to just go get a job??? Granted, reality means bills and responsibilities and I can't just piddle along day to day having a party, not getting serious about getting my art out there...after all..a flower's bloom can't be appreciated if it is seen by no one! I get that. But, miraculously, after some 50 odd years, I can say that I have had an epiphany...and I say to those who say that living the creative life and following my dreams is not a reality..."Bull Hockey"! It may not be THEIR reality, but it is MINE. In fact, I doubt that their "reality" is even theirs, at all. It is probably the reality that has been thrust on them by those who say so in their lives. This little bloom has realised something and it feels darn good. I AM A CREATIVE BEING. I WAS CREATED TO EXPRESS MYSELF CREATIVELY. Boy, that feels good. Whenever I have not been my true self and have tried to be a rose, instead of a wildflower, I have been miserable and have felt like I did not belong. But, here is the revelation...I am the one planting MYSELF in those gardens..and another revelation...being different does not mean I do not belong! I can bloom among roses, wildflowers or weeds...It is my choice and no one elses. How others see me does not change who I am. My dreams are important and are ordained by the One who made me. That does not mean that I will not have my struggles and days of significant wilting, where I wonder when the next drink of water is coming from. But, what it does mean, is that I can release myself from trying to fit that square peg into a round hole. How freeing...and I have come to know that I am not a bloom that is meant to stand alone, either. I have joyfully discovered that there are many wildflowers out there and bees, too, who are like me and I have been fed creative and inspirational nourishment from their example. I thank Andrea of ABCcreativity.com for her phenomenal inspiration and daily affirmation that I am worthy of all good things and that God supports me in living out my creative dreams. I thank Kelly Rae Roberts for her vision of sharing her positive energy and support of others on their quest through her "Taking Flight" ecourse... and Jamie Ridler, who is so committed to helping others find their authentic life and live it. I have been a bee, drinking in their life giving nectar and have been so recharged. I encourage all of you out there, yearning for more in your lives..more peace, joy, laughter, moments that are real and intimate, to explore the possibilities and check out what these women have to offer. As for me, how do I want to bloom? I want to bloom with all the intensity and energy that I have to give...with a gratitude for all that my Creator has blessed me to be..uniquelly me. I may not ever be the prize winning speciman of my species...I may just stay in that garden and bloom and die to bloom again...each time, stronger and smarter and hopefully, attractive to bees who can take some inspiration and use it in their lives. It doesn't mean I don't still have to stretch myself to reach that sunbeam..there is work ahead, for sure. But, I am not alone...I am surrounded by those who are here to support me..I am watched over by angels and a God who is in my corner and most importantly, holding the water can, knowing just the right moment I need a drink. I am in a garden of the most wonderful flowers and we are all different and valuable. It is the array of multi colors that fuse together to create a beautiful, one of a kind, work of art. The bees we attract not only take pollen from us, but spread the pollen from others to us...so, in all things, we are blessed. So, the journey ahead is one full of hope and I plan to share each moment I can with you, in hopes that you may leave refreshed and inspired to ask yourself this question... I ask you...little flower...How do you want to bloom?</div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-6053925150626273142010-01-04T17:05:00.000-05:002010-08-14T19:31:24.689-04:00Here's to New Beginnings!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMxuOiGd-7h17W3z8nH1aVXCJWPtEVCNCijM9NpNx-DuVj5e9XBj4F6l83SEPeNdtPxGLASolWA7IP_0DjUEl1-m0wTg7S-BnsC1G7CzgnT0ELZXCJvpudB0NXssJc3qEuR5tZc8zloxS/s1600-h/Christmas+blog+pictures+2009+018.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423018755986104146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMxuOiGd-7h17W3z8nH1aVXCJWPtEVCNCijM9NpNx-DuVj5e9XBj4F6l83SEPeNdtPxGLASolWA7IP_0DjUEl1-m0wTg7S-BnsC1G7CzgnT0ELZXCJvpudB0NXssJc3qEuR5tZc8zloxS/s200/Christmas+blog+pictures+2009+018.jpg" /></a><br /><div>2010! A fresh new year ahead of us, a pristine clean slate, just waiting for some new entries..what a wonderful feeling! Looking back on the past year, I have already had my sentimental indulgence as I recollected all that 2009 held for me, good and bad. I am blessed to say that in remembering, I had many occassions for smiles...recalling the sweet memories of times spent with precious family and friends..of adoring hugs and kisses from the little lights of my life, my granddaughters, Emily Ann and Madison Grace. I gave thanks for the blessed moments of celebration...Maddie's first birthday, where she had her first taste of sugar and fit as much cake into her little mouth as was possible! Then, there was Thanksgiving and the gratitude for family, as we sat around our parents dining table that has been handed down to my brother since their passing.We shared a fine meal, amidst much laughter and a bit of tears as we raised our glasses to toast the extraordinary mother and father who are so dearly missed. It is at those times that I give thanks for a grief so deep that I can weep after all these years. It is the evidence of a love that was just as deep and a blessing that will never grow old or die. The past year had several of those kind of moments..a time for tears at losing those I love and cherish so much. But, to never have tears to shed would mean not having much of a life to speak of...and I would not want to be spared the tears if it meant being spared the gift of their presence in my life, no matter how brief or long. So, after all of these smiles, tears, laughter and reflection, I have come to this conclusion... I have been truly blessed and in the coming year, I feel a passion and actually, a responsibilty to give back for all that I have been given. In that spirit, I have decided to require more of myself to live a life that is truly present, truly grateful, truly creative and passionate about the gifts that have been bestowed upon me. This stage of life has a life force all it's own and I feel like there is a fire burning from within..I guess it is time to take those hot flashes and put them to use and transfer them from body to soul! Look out world!! I think that should help create a more interesting blog..one that has more than 4 entries a year! I am sure there are not many out there who continued to follow after that pitiful representation, but I hope to win you back. I have had many people ask me to share what life is like at Wildberry Cottage and have expressed a desire to get to know "The Girl Beyond the Gate"..me. Well, my hope is to take you to the cottage and to my other home, "Daylily House" in Ct., to share the things that make my life so magical...perhaps a treasured recipe, or family tradition, a decorating idea or picture of something that inspired me...a craft or art project or just a simple joy that might bring a smile to your face. I plan to share who I am and hope you will be inspired to share who you are with me, so that we may share our journeys together. So, let us begin...may we all embrace the coming year with hope, gratitude, creative vision and a passion to live large! Happy and brightest blessing to you all and welcome 2010!!</div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-16686679842732030892009-10-12T23:38:00.000-04:002010-08-14T19:31:24.698-04:00Hello, Dear Friends...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvinZtuwrMd5oiwMfLQBWBW9NSDgd-RHVhyWCaeor3XMXTIhbfXeAuqHX5UXtoU5cVanz-i-SpHxRbRtgeKRMBUr6nQuBrk8yTsY5uoZ22e9Qjp0Ds8yhuqkGrrF3fUKrgjqOSR90la4ys/s1600-h/maddie+and+little+emily+and+maddies+bday+054.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391931149339507826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvinZtuwrMd5oiwMfLQBWBW9NSDgd-RHVhyWCaeor3XMXTIhbfXeAuqHX5UXtoU5cVanz-i-SpHxRbRtgeKRMBUr6nQuBrk8yTsY5uoZ22e9Qjp0Ds8yhuqkGrrF3fUKrgjqOSR90la4ys/s320/maddie+and+little+emily+and+maddies+bday+054.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Well, a ridiculous ammount of time has passed since my last posting. Honestly, the reason for that was that I could not seem to face my last entry about losing my wonderful dog, Brady. The grief over losing that precious friend has been deeper than I ever imagined. But, I am ready to move on and want to share the blessings of this life of mine. There is so much to be thankful for and Brady will always be a part of that for me. I want to thank all of you dear friends who offered kind words, support and compassion to me after his loss. What a precious gift you have given me. We are not alone on this journey of ours and it means so much to know that there are those willing to walk alongside and share their joys and sorrows. Truly..you blessed me beyond measure! </div><br /><div>So! Time to go forward to as a favorite song of mine says,"Live your life with arms wide open. Today is how your book begins..the rest is still unwritten." In that spirit, let me attempt to begin another chapter and bring you up to speed a bit on what is going on with this wildberry girl. The little granddaughter in my previous post is over a year old already and a miraculous joy in my life! I get to just play three times a week and have her to myself while my daughter works...how fun is that? She is a little imp, overflowing with personality and smiles..I never imagined that being a Gramma was going to be such fun..I get to have the best of both worlds..a little one to watch learn and grow and also, my "big girl" granddaughter, Emily, who is now 8 years old and so much fun to be with. We love to talk about fairies and angels and she has a thousand questions! She lives far away, so I don't see her as often, but she is always in my heart. I find this stage of life to be such a creative and powerful time. It is as if all of my creative energy and passion for life has multiplied and taken on a life of it's own. I find I know myself more than I ever have and I feel comfortable in my own skin. It is a nice perk, amidst all of the hot flashes and the endless little surprises that come with this age of mine. My hair is about 50% grey now and I just can't bring myself to dye it..I like it. It seems like a rite of passage or something. I don't feel like I want to look younger than I am...with joy and laughter, let the wrinkles come! To me, they are evidence of a life filled with emotion..proof that there is life in these bones and the story has just begun a new chapter! Well, I suppose that this all sounds so lofty and grand and I am just so in control of my life and at peace with all around me..ha! Give me a minute or two and when the next hot flash hits, we will see how I do..all I can say is, "Thank goodness my husband doesn't read this blog or he would probably tell you a very different story!" But, for now...for tonight...all is right with my world. My children are safe..my grandchildren are happy..and I have a warm roof over my head on this chilly New England evening. A cup of Chai Tea before going to bed and we can call it a day to truly be thankful for. </div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-65749335771820767772009-01-22T01:44:00.000-05:002010-08-14T19:31:24.706-04:00A Sad Day at the Cottage<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDehTvhx-xuuY5nOMrMw4flRFA4HZJ1uX1HpCGrfZG5mAAcVoILfl1tMahEf9_mbML_yg-n-XzW705bLo_x_1H029aUsgpRj2TBrQdSz8zmgm-Xyny7Afx2lexwdo4rhiFnEXfxzaE0jnP/s1600-h/Our+camera(6-14-2007)+442.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294013259258326866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDehTvhx-xuuY5nOMrMw4flRFA4HZJ1uX1HpCGrfZG5mAAcVoILfl1tMahEf9_mbML_yg-n-XzW705bLo_x_1H029aUsgpRj2TBrQdSz8zmgm-Xyny7Afx2lexwdo4rhiFnEXfxzaE0jnP/s320/Our+camera(6-14-2007)+442.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I want to share with you about a wonderful friend of mine. We are truly blessed if God allows us one friend in our life who shows such loyalty, unconditional love and selflessness as this friend. Not all of those friends He blesses us with walk on 2 legs...some walk on 4 and have a wagging tail. I have been blessed by such a friend for over 12 years..in that time, he has given me so many memories of joy and taught me more life lessons than I can count. His name is Brady and on Thursday evening, he is going to be leaving us to live a life, free from pain. We were chosen by him and we were chosen for him by God. We were moving to a new town in Maine and met the dog warden. He asked us if we were looking to have a dog and we said that we were. He said he had rescued a dog from neglect and abuse..one that had been so starved that he didn't think he was going to be able to save him, but he did. We said that we were really set on having a Golden Retriever..he said that this dog was a Golden Retriever and that he was 3 months old. We went to see him and were stunned when this huge dog came around the corner and knocked the daughter we had promised a dog to, down with his kisses. We knew he was for us. He grew to be 120 lbs of pure love and devotion. He saved my husband's life when 3 Pitbulls came into the yard to attack my husband who was on blood thinners at the time. Brady chased those dogs off of the property at only one year old. He was a genious and taught himself to sled down snowy hills on a frisbee. He loved to open Christmas presents, but never hurt the gift inside. He never needed a leash as he never wanted to leave our side. He loved snowballs and would catch them to eat. He accepted 2 new friends when we adopted 2 kitties from a shelter and let them have his bed from the very first night. Never showing a jealous bone in his body, he adopted them too. As he aged, his health began to fail and he developed hip problems. He now needs help to come in from the snow as he falls and can not get up. So, as our final gift to him, we are going to groom him with the pride of a showdog and give him lots of treats..I am making him a brand new bandana and we have spent many hours just loving him and telling him we will see him again. The vet will be coming to our home, so that Brady will never have to leave this property. I know his spirit will live on here as we grieve the loss of his beautiful smile and adoring eyes. He goes on ahead and I can just see him, running with grace and strength. I believe with all of my soul that heaven could not be what God has promised without him being there and so, I have told him to wait for me and listen for my whistle..it may be awhile before he hears it, but when he does, he knows to come to me and knock me down with his kisses. Afterall, he will be a puppy again and I will be young and strong enough to catch him. I pay tribute and honor to this special friend who has the deepest soul shining through in those eyes. I am heart broken at the thought of a world without his incredible life force. I don't know what I ever did in this life of mine to deserve such a gift. My life has been richer, sweeter and more profound for knowing him. I hope he can feel the same and take all the love I have for him with him as he falls asleep. Thank you God for choosing us to have the privilage of this tender and gentle soul..please help me to live without him. Goodbye, old friend...until we meet again.</div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-27517136289612904652008-08-04T23:42:00.000-04:002010-08-14T19:31:24.716-04:00Welcome to the world, little one!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55JB7mh0fTjIv5wMFd1PvqGWwrKCjm2KdAS88p3kN2nC8XnVZsbGJnoWeUSNH-GhNIatBSnQ4lJYsRQNjNKVDpMgTHrg0MK788IWLTqnokNft-1rp2RVVy7fa_sUg_UwuzmgC7YqCTC1g/s1600-h/Madison+314.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230877808536012434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55JB7mh0fTjIv5wMFd1PvqGWwrKCjm2KdAS88p3kN2nC8XnVZsbGJnoWeUSNH-GhNIatBSnQ4lJYsRQNjNKVDpMgTHrg0MK788IWLTqnokNft-1rp2RVVy7fa_sUg_UwuzmgC7YqCTC1g/s320/Madison+314.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Just when I thought life could not get any better, I am given another blessing! Her name is Madison Grace and she is my second grandchild, born on July 21st! She weighed in at 7 lbs. 3 oz. and she is absolutely gorgeous! What else would a proud Grammie say? Now I have two precious little lights in my life and life truly is good! I want to thank the Lord above for bringing Maddie into the world with no complications and for protecting my daughter, Emily during her difficult labor. It is definately a sign of how life comes full circle when my baby has her own! All I know is that between the birth of this little angel and my wonderful visit with my first granddaughter, Emily, I JUST CAN NOT STOP SMILING!</div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127652657498060234.post-16442601690973339762008-07-23T02:00:00.000-04:002010-08-14T19:31:24.725-04:00My little Sweetie Pie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgIIp-hvwkwWpryYHNK2987G4IlJOovo1XDpK6DPfEJfa2c7ZcYR9w8GTCby3Kwin7fg0sKGhQ3Vyj8NwLH31AzpsG5KlVyISxmNkr5KJLFQiWbnsQr08NLblMl0eV8SOm3ph_zOsCQNq/s1600-h/kids+are+portrits+087.jpg"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgIIp-hvwkwWpryYHNK2987G4IlJOovo1XDpK6DPfEJfa2c7ZcYR9w8GTCby3Kwin7fg0sKGhQ3Vyj8NwLH31AzpsG5KlVyISxmNkr5KJLFQiWbnsQr08NLblMl0eV8SOm3ph_zOsCQNq/s320/kids+are+portrits+087.jpg" border="0" /></a> I just had to share this picture of my beautiful grand daughter, Emily. She is such a little sweetheart and I am getting to have my first visit with her at my home in Maine. She is going to bring a party dress and we are going to make some tea cakes and treats and have a wonderfully old fashioned teaparty in my garden..complete with dolls and teddy bears, ofcourse! I can't wait to show her all of our beautiful wildlife and before she leaves, I have promised to make a fire outside at night in our stone fireplace and we are going to sit out amongst the fireflies and owls and toast marshmallows to our hearts delight! I can't wait!!<div style='clear:both; text-align:LEFT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>bertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855887002669835114noreply@blogger.com1