Sunday, July 24, 2011

Life is short...

So this post might be a little sad, a little glad, but hopefully, encouraging.  Tomorrow will be my baby sister's 36th birthday.  Unfortunately, she didn't live to see her 12th birthday.  She was hit by a car and tragically taken from our family in 1987.  There is not a single day that goes by that I don't think about her in some way or another...whether it be a song on the radio, a photograph, a little girl with her mom, or big sister, a butterfly, a kitten, or even a pair of pink shoes...always reminders of her.  She was such a little brat though, sometimes...always mama's little angel and never did anything wrong.  I remember sometimes feeling a little jealous of the attention she got and now I regret ever having those feelings and wishing I could reverse the world.  After she died, my life changed forever.  I think I've become the person I am because of that tragic day.  I try to never go to bed mad, never hold grudges, always be happy and certainly, never be jealous of anything, ever again.  I embrace every moment of life and try to live it to the fullest.  So here I'm sharing a photo of my baby sister with Broc [my son]...they were best of buddies and she loved him dearly:
Earlier this week a longtime friend of mine died in a fire.  She was only 57 years old.  She was one of my "pokeno girls"...a group of us played pokeno on the 2nd Wednesday of every month for over 20 years.  Those girls are all like sisters to me...we watched each others lives change with children being born, graduations, weddings, divorces, financial problems, job changes, etc.  In a way, we were like a support group for each other all of those years.  Sometimes we didn't even play pokeno, but just sat around talking, eating and discussing current events.  I think that group kept us sane all of those years.  It was like "AA" meetings, without the "AA".  Earlier this week I talked on the phone for over 2 hours to one of my other pokeno girls and we laughed and cried and reminisced and wished we could reverse the world.  
 My friend indicated how much she would love to be able to quit working and just be an artist and do her art.  I certainly hope she is able to do that one day...and one day soon.  Life is just to short to keep thinking..."one day".  I know I'm rehashing the same ole same ole, but it's true.  You just have to take the goat by the horns and do what you want to do in this life.  You only get one shot at it, because when you come back as a butterfly, as beautiful as that may be, you won't be able to paint a picture, or hug a child, or tell someone how much you love them.  You need to do that today, while you still can.  
So if I made you sad, I'm sorry.  If I made you happy, I'm glad.  If I made you think twice about life, I'm ecstatic.  Seize the day and always live life to the fullest.  It's a privilege denied to many. 

xo ~ Kathy

"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one." ~ John Lennon

Friday, July 22, 2011

We have a winner!!!

Whoo hoo!!!  Lita picked lucky #5 to win this awesome paper butterfly wing necklace!!  And #5 is:
Yay!!!  Congratulations Sandy!!  That awesome necklace will be shipped out to you in two shakes of a lamb's tail!  I know you'll love it!  And thanks so much for all of the wonderful and heart-warming comments everybody...always know you are loved by me...always :)
 And I'm sooooo excited!  A flying Squirrel is living in our little "Blues Bayou Bed & Breakfast" from "Bayou Goula, LA" ~ that girl knows how to live!  Wayne and I have been on a nightly surveillance to see her peek out, but have only managed to catch her once....we will prevail, I can feel it!  I hope she raises a little family in there...how cute is that going to be!  I can't wait!!
Just had to share this gorgeous Sunflower with all of you ~ you make me smile!  Remember, if you would like to purchase a print of it, just click on it and choose your option.

If you live in Brevard, come see me tomorrow @ the Tailgate Market!  I'll be there from 8am until noon, with lots of new things.

Have a wonderful weekend!!  xo ~ Kathy

"Never regret growing old, it's a privilege denied to many" ~ unknown

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Summer Love!!!

 Hello Everybody!!  Hope your summer is shaping up great!  We've had amazing weather here, lately!  The high for last Friday was 71 degrees!  71!!!  We slept with the windows open a couple of nights and it was so nice.  Hard to believe it's almost August 1st!  I've been busy, busy, busy making new things and keeping my earring racks full for the shows.  My favorite things of late are these gorgeous paper butterfly wings.  I made earrings and necklaces with them:
And since you are so patient with me and my blog absense, I'm giving this one away on Friday [July 22nd].  Lita is picking the winner!  Just leave a comment on this post and your name will be in the drawing!  Good Luck!!!

And, since I haven't been here since July 4th, I'll share some fireworks with you:


We had such a great visit with my cousin and her family!  I took these from the ledge behind our house.  You can see all the way down into town from up there!  I hope you enjoy them!  

I'm about 1/2 way finished reading Jaycee Dugard's book "a stolen life" ~ what an amazing young woman!  We sure can learn a lot from her.

Good Luck in the drawing!!  Happy Tuesday!!  xo ~ Kathy

"Life's adventure is important.  It is important to live each day to its fullest, whatever life brings you." ~ Jaycee Lee Dugard

Monday, July 4, 2011

Happy 4th!!

I hope everyone has a safe & enjoyable day!!  My cousin and her family are in town and we are cooking some chicken on the grill, I'm making my famous potato salad and we are having corn on the cob and ice cold watermelon!!  Yum!!

Don't forget to leave a comment on this post for a change to win this awesome little necklace!
 1st daisy of the year!  My favorite little flowers :)

♥ & peace always ~ Kathy
"Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die."  ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower