New Years, and My Birthday!!!

I cannot believe that another year is almost gone. Where does time go?? I am so thankful for all of the wonderful friends I have made through this blog. I appreciate each and every one of you. I read your comments, and it makes my heart happy. This has been a very difficult year for my family, our health has been an issue. I am hoping that next year will be a much easier one. Have a wonderful New Year, be safe. Oh, and it's my Birthday today, so I will drink a glass of champagne, and think of each of you.

xxoo Valarie

Christmas Dinner

Happy Holidays Friends. I wanted to give you a quick update on my surgery, and share some pictures with you. I came through my surgery with flying colors...everything was fine. I ended up having my ovary removed, because the cyst was so large and had grown into the ovary. I am old, so one ovary is sufficient. I was told that I am still able to have a baby. HAHA...that made me laugh. The recovery has been harder than I anticipated....I thought I'd be up and around in a day or two, but that hasn't happened. I am hoping that tomorrow will be the day when I get up and get a few things done. I also had a small growth removed from my inner thigh.....It was causing me some pain, so they removed and biopsied it. I get the results in a few days, but the doctor thinks that and the cyst are both benign. Thank The Lord that my Family is so good to me. I get waited on like I'm the queen!! Please enjoy the pictures of my family taken a couple of days before my surgery. My sons GF Jenny is spending the Holidays in Vermont with her family, so we had a family dinner with her before she left!!
My baby Brad and his Girlfriend Jill. Her dress is gorgeous...the bottom is roses....click on the picture to see the fabulous detail!!
Dust and Jenny!! Jenny's dress is the most beautiful shade of purple and black. Lovely!!!
Brad and Jill doing their Toddlers and Tiaras impression for me. Brads is pretending to be a little angry, and Jill loves to ham it up!!!

Have a wonderful day,, and thanks for your well wishes.

xxoo Valarie

Christmas with Santa

We had lunch with Santa on Saturday, and I had to share these sweet photos with you. The Grandkids on Santa's lap.....the purple boots with the dress crack me up!!
My little sweeties!! LOVE them!!
After we had lunch, we headed back to Grandmas house to play. They wanted to spend the night, so we put a blow up mattress on the floor by the Christmas tree, and had a sleep over!! It was a wonderful day, and took my mind off my dreaded surgery!! Thank you all for the well wishes. ( I borrowed my sons camera, so I will post my matchboxes later today).

xxoo Valarie

Surgery?? Are you kidding me??

Right now it seems like a broken camera is the least of my worries. It has been a horrible day today. My husband has been having shoulder pain, so the doctor has scheduled him for a shoulder manipulation. No surgery, but he does have to be put under. No big deal, I can take care of that. However, I also went to the Dr., as a follow up to my recent problems with my darned ovaries. They have been keeping track of a nasty little cyst that has been giving me a lot of pain. Today the ultra sound showed that it has grown from the size of a walnut to a plum in the last month. The doctor is afraid that it will rupture, or that it may be more than just a silly little cyst. So, I am now scheduled for surgery on Friday, December 18th. He said I will need to stay in bed for 4 days, and then no activities, or heavy lifting for 2 weeks. Are you kidding Me??? The week before Christmas?? I have spent the morning crying, and now I am putting on my big girl panties, and getting my shopping done. GAH!! What a downright horrible day!!!

xxoo Valarie

Broken camera......again!

My camera is broken......this is the 3rd camera I've had in 2 years.....I am so upset, and promise to post my matchboxes as soon as I get a new camera!!

xxoo Valarie

Pink Saturday

Happy Pink Saturday. Hubby and I are in Beaver Creek for the weekend. We went to a fabulous fundraiser for CASA...(court appointed special advocates)....they have a silent auction every year to raise money. This year I won a fabulous gingerbread house. Every year I bid on one, and never seem to win. Well, this was my year. Here I am with the fabulous chef who made the house I won. (it was the first place house)....His name is Bernie Oswald, he is the chef at the Swiss Chalet in Vail. It is a wonderful fondue restaurant. He said this is the last year he is donating a house (he has won the past 7 years), because he is moving to Seattle. The house is beyond amazing. I will post more pictures when I get it home and can use my camera instead of my phone!! Be sure to stop by Beverlys at How Sweet the Sound. She is our wonderful hostess every week!!

Have a wonderful day.

xxoo Valarie

Belated Pink Saturday

This post was supposed to be for Saturday, but I got busy and didn't get it done. I rec'd this beautiful angel from my Great Grandmother. I was only 10 when she passed away at the wonderful age of 98!! I believe this was a Christmas ornament, but I keep it on my dining room mirror year round. She has the most beautiful "angel hair" wings, and gorgeous pink satin and velvet ribbon body. If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can see her praying hands. I love her.I hope you have a wonderful day.

xxoo Valarie

Holiday Fair Table

I wanted to share a picture of the table I set up at the Holiday Fair!! Unfortunately it was not very successful. Very few people showed up, and hardly anyone bought anything. Oh well....live and learn.I am going to have an open house at my home, and invite some friends over, hopefully they will want some of these sugary goodies.

XXoo - Valarie

We have a Winner

This week is starting out bad for us. Saturday we discovered we had a gas leak in our Guest House....Excel Energy came out, and said it was testing off the meter for gas, so they had to turn the power off. We didn't want our pipes to freeze, so we had to have a plumber come out and winterize the house, by blowing out all the water pipes. The Heating company is coming today to start digging up the backyard.....but we woke up with no heat in our main house....so we called the Heating company back again, and they are sending someone out at some point today to fix the furnace. (of coarse the people who are fixing the gas leak can't fix the furnace)!! I have a feeling the trip we were planning to New York for a little getaway to see the lights is going to be cancelled. UGH! On a happier note we have a winner for my giveaway, and it is lucky number 17! Tammy, you have won. Tammy at Tinsel & Company is such a sweet friend, and I couldn't be happier to wrap up these goodies and send them on their way to her. I hope everyone has a wonderful week. I will post some pictures of my craft fair I was in.

Happy Pink Saturday Giveaway

Happy Pink Saturday.......I know this isn't pink, but I am so happy, I feel pink. I have been working so hard getting things ready for my Holiday Craft Show. I just reached 100 followers, and as a Thank you, I would like to have a giveaway........and decided to give away a few of the things I have been working on!

A little stocking made out of crepe paper and organza...filled with yummy sixlets! The fabulous tag was made by the beautiful Keren of Free Pretty Things for You!! If you haven't visited her blog, stop by and say hello. Let her know Valarie sent you!!

A set of 4 faux Christmas cupcakes!!

A Joy banner made with vintage wallpaper.

These are just a few of the goodies that I will be selling. I wish you all lived closer so you could stop by and say Hi!! To enter, just leave a comment....for an extra entry mention the giveaway on your blog, grab the button on my sidebar...for yet another entry just become a follower!! Be sure and leave a separate comment for each entry! I am heading to Miami on Monday for a week, so I will pick a winner on Sunday November 14th!!

I hope everyone has a beautiful Saturday. Be sure to stop by How Sweet the Sound and say Hi to Beverly, she is such a wonderful hostess.

xxoo Valarie

Masquerade Ball

A couple of years ago, I was in Vivian's Halloween Shadow Box swap. I never posted photos of the box I made, and decided to share them with you now. I did mine as a Marie Antoinette Masquerade Ball theme:I hung a crystal mini chandelier from the ceiling, she had lovely velvet drapes, glittered pumpkins, and a picture of herself (of coarse)!!

I decided she had to have a cake.....after all, it was Marie Antoinette. Have a wonderful Halloween.

xxoo Valarie

Pink Saturday

Happy Pink Saturday!!! I hope everyone will hop on over to visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. She is our fabulous hostess for this wonderful day.I am loving this wreath!! I purchased 6 vintage chenille wreaths on Ebay this week, but they haven't arrived yet. I will post pictures when they arrive. In the meantime, enjoy this fabulous pink eye candy!!

Don't forget to follow my blog....I am only 3 away from having a giveaway.

Have a lovely day.

xxoo Valarie

Fall Basket Swap

My Fall Basket Swap goodies arrived, and I am a very happy girl. I was partners with our hostess Michele of As Michele Something Special, and she went waaaay overboard!! Just look at all of the goodies I got!!

Michele made this wonderful haunted house......it is beyond cute!!!

The adorable pumpkin basket was filled to the brim with goodies.

Michele made this wonderful pillow!! Check out the amazing Christmas pillows she made here!

Cute little turkey salt and pepper shakers......LOVE!!

A journal with a funny scarecrow pencil...candy (some of it didn't make it into the picture), ribbons, a picture frame, leaves....oh my...too much to remember!!

Beautiful soaps and buttons in organza bags. Be still my heart!!

This is how it looked when I ripped it all open with excitement. Thank you so much Michele for hosting this amazing swap, and an even bigger thanks for the Love you put into my basket. Love ya friend!!

xxoo Valarie

I need your help!!

Hi Friends.....I need your help!! I am looking for these sweet little deer, and I cannot find them anywhere. If you have any you would like to sell, or know where to get them, would you please let me know.
I am almost to 100 followers, and I will be having a wonderful Christmas giveaway when I reach that magical number. Thanks sweet friends.

xxoo Valarie

More Christmas?

I have Christmas on the brain. I am still plugging away making more things for the craft show. I wanted to show the sweet house I finally finished!!

Don't you love the snowman and the sweet lantern??

Have a fabulous day.

xxoo Valarie

More Crafting goodies....

Just thought I'd share a few more projects that are in the process of being completed.

A cute little Christmas light....all glitter and sweetness!!

I need to add some vintage bells, greenery and ribbons, and this sweet star will be done.

I used gorgeous vintage wallpaper to cover this beauty. The edge is vintage crepe paper, and the center has this gorgeous glittered star. I can't decide what else to put on it...it needs something....what do you think?

xxoo - Valarie

Missing In Action......

I have been a very bad blogger.....As you can see from the chaos in my craft room, I have been a very busy girl. I am getting ready for a big craft fair in November.....I am also having a big open house at my home, and will be selling crafts, along with other wonderful vendors. Ugh....so much to do.

You can't see the surface of my table.....the glitter is flying.

Just a few Christmas houses waiting for trees and snowmen to be glued on.

Ornaments, ornaments, and more ornaments. Lots of cupcakes hiding in the boxes.

Bags and bags of goodies that need to be assembled. Well, Have a super wonderful day. Fall has finally arrived here in Colorado.

xxoo Valarie

I am looking for a tutorial on making tulle trees.....any ideas?? The first person to send me a link for an easy tutorial will win a prize.

Deck the halls Friday

Happy Deck the Halls Friday.....I decided to share some photos of my glittery houses that I display at Christmas. This fabulous set of pink ones are displayed on our piano in the living room. I LOVE the sugary sweetness of the pink!! It's just like cotton candy. MmmmmThe buffet in my dining room hosts my cream and silver houses. I made these several years ago and just love them. If you click on the picture you can see the sweet angel that hangs on the mirror. I was given this after my Great Grandmother passed away. She has beautiful Angel Hair for her actual hair....it is so sweet. She hangs up all year. I can't bear to take her down.
Don't forget to stop by Tammy's at Tinsel & Company to see all of the other participants. Have a wonderful Day.

xxoo Valarie

Kitchy Easter Goodies

I went to a sale at the local grange. There were 2 tractor trailers loaded with junk....they opened the doors, and basically threw everything on tables. There was no rhyme or reason to where they put things. I was left to dig, and I do mean dig through the junk. I found a box filled with Easter goodies that looked promising. I forked over 5 bucks, and this is what I got:

These Easter planters are all marked Lefton and Napco!

This planter is the cutest thing ever!! The mama Chick has her babies on chain leashes. It was still wrapped in the paper it was shipped in. I think the person that donated the box was a florist, because there were bunches of floral picks in it.

These 3 bunnies are adorable....they are all marked Japan on their wee little bottoms!

There were a few old Easter cards....love these two cuties!

There were four of these cuties....sitting in their little eggs with velvet forget- me- nots around their necks.

Okay, these are honestly kind of creepy....all marked Japan...and ready to kill you in your sleep. haha

A bunch of cute Mother's Day picks....love the plastic cameo pick, and the sweet bouquet of flowers with the velvet heart that says Mother.

Sweet little velvet Chickies just hatched!

The flocked eggs and chick on this one is adorable!!
This little just born chick has a glittery egg, and the little flocked bunny looks worn out!!
This one is sooo goofy. My son Brad has claimed it for his basket this year!!!

I hope everyone has a lovely day.

xxoo Valarie