Butterfly Face~

~Erin at the fair~

~Butterfly Face~

~This little Butterfly face is for you Joyce~


If there happens to be anyone out in blog-land that hasn't yet met Joyce from A Perfect Beginning, visit soon and make her a part of your daily bread. Joyce is a special lady that sees the beauty in life. Butterflies have a special, loving meaning for Joyce-and this special Butterfly face is just for her.
I hope your weekend was as nice as ours was.

County Fair~

~Cotton Candy~

This weekend we have two special little ones coming to visit- starting a week-long vacation here in Maine.

I think that Saturday evening may involve cotton candy, merry-go-round rides, clowns, fireworks and a very late night.

We'll be looking for fireflies, lighting sparklers, roasting marshmallows and telling stories.
I hope that you have a weekend full of summer fun!

Jewels of the sea~

~The exquisite creations of Lisa Hall.~

I have long been enamored by sea glass. The jewels of the sea. Shards of colorful glass, tumbled smooth by the tides and sand.

My love of sea glass started years ago with trips to the ocean with my Mother and Father. That first piece spotted- rubbed gently by the sea is like finding a precious gem. I was hooked. Checking for low tides on the weekends and especially if a storm had recently washed these beauties up on a rocky shore.

Years later I would take my young son with me. He usually tired quickly of the light digging that with patience, could hold some delicate slice of smooth glass or a shard of painted pottery.

My husband became fascinated with the hunt for the unusual colors one could unearth.

Among my favorites are cobalt blue, light lemon yellow, citrus green and the light, water aqua.

Ruby is rare, but do have a few small pieces.

~*~

Right here in Maine the artist Lisa Hall creates the most treasured pieces of jewelry. Each one having it's own story.

~Stunning Water Blue Studs~

~Who could say 'no' to this impressive piece?~

~Soft Shades of the Sea~

~Cobalt-at it's finest~

~Click here to visit Lisa's website~

We're talking the real deal here. Not the bags of machine-tumbled glass you can buy at craft stores. Sea glassing takes real dedication. You must check for tides, be willing to brave stormy weather and extreme temperatures. It takes patience...lots of patience.

There are number of good books out there that can give you the history and sea tales of these baubles as well as photographs of the best collections.

I have them all and couldn't recommend one over the other.

* Pure Sea Glass by Richard LaMotte

* Sea Glass Chronicles by C.S. Lambert

* Sea Glass by Christeena Hockin-Minopetros

* Sea Glass Secrets by Valerie Raudonis

* A Passion for Sea Glass by C.S. Lambert

* The Story of the Sea Glass by Mary Beth Owens {a delightful children's story}

If you happen to find yourself on a rocky coastline-check for a low tide, grab an old wooden spoon and gently dig into the wet gravelly sand. You never know what treasure may be awaiting you.

PJ Party~

~Peaceful, lazy afternoon~

~Long, sweet conversation~

~...and a Mai Tai before dinner~

Tuesday afternoon I went to my friend's summer cottage. We have a P.J. party once each summer. No phones, no computers, no kids, no husbands. But there is lots of catching-up, sharing stories and a mai tai before dinner.

We stayed up far too late and got up early for coffee and more stories before I had to get home to the eager pups, waiting for a walk.

This is one of the things I love about summer. Connecting with dear friends, catching up on events of the past few months and relaxing without any other temptations. It's a day of reprieve from chores, errands, sketching and the other daily duties that so often keep us from those that we hold dear and don't see often enough.

Treat yourself to an afternoon with a good friend. Catch up on books read, movies seen, projects accomplished and what the year ahead may hold. It's a summer treat.

BUSTED!

~Store Security~

Today, while out on errands...I stopped at Kohl's. They were having a sale, and I wanted to take a peek! I purchased a pair of Ralph Lauren pearl earrings. I can never have too many, they were the size I love and they were ON SALE!!!
As I was walking out the door- this thing went off! I stopped dead-in-my-tracks!!!
The very nice sales associate said- "No problem, you're fine". But everyone nearby looked. I tucked the small bag with my earrings in my purse and continued on my errands. Right! The security went off in two other stores, causing my face to turn red {which makes you look very guilty by the way}, and anyone in ear-shot stopped and stared at me. I had to show my purchase, and proof of purchase to the not-so-nice sales associates.
I immediately took off for my car and sped away.

Moral of this story... when you purchase a cute pair of pearl earrings, do not~ I repeat DO NOT tuck them into your purse. Deliver them directly to your vehicle and then continue with what is suppose to be a nice, relaxing day of checking out the sales!
~*~
Have you had a similar, embarrassing experience??? It would make me ever so happy to hear about it.

Sunday evening ~

~ ... or fresh raspberry sauce...~

Tonight we headed to the lakes region for dinner at The Village Inn. They are famous for the roast duck. I don't eat meat- sometimes a little chicken, but I could not pass up this duck. Cooked for hours and hours and the one I chose had a fresh raspberry sauce on the side.

My husband had been having a craving for this duck- but you know, the duck he prepares is equally as good. Still, it was nice to sit quietly, watch a small wedding reception outside and enjoy a well prepared meal.

I love Sundays- they are usually quiet, laid-back and a time to catch your breath and ready yourself for the week ahead. I hope that you had a pleasant weekend and are ready for whatever the week has in store.

Making the most of it~

~When Life Gives You Lemons... Make Limoncello".

I do love this little quote- and I do enjoy a thimbleful of Limoncello every now and then.

~When Life Gives You Rain... Make The Most of The Day".

~*~

Remember this graphic? I used a few months ago. I'll probably use it again~it's a favorite!

Well, today I decided to embrace the wet weather- what else can you do, really? It was a great day for visiting the new market in town, restocking, cleaning the refrigerator and getting things done so the weekend will be free to enjoy. YES!!! Sunny skies are headed our way!

Have a wonderful weekend. And if you have lemons... make Limoncello.

If it rains... take a long walk with one of your snazzy umbrellas.