Aruba...Jamaica....

Just wanted to show.....

you where we've been for almost 2 weeks........

THE BEACH!

Well, I really wish it was that beach......

but we've really been at this beach......

Yeah...

Mr. Hero and I started on this about 2 weeks ago.

Soooo...

We'll look like we belong here

this summer !

Yes.......

We've decided to get healthy!

(Translate: Lose pounds and inches!)

With the grandbaby due in May

and a wedding in December...

we want to be able to keep up with the kids.

(Translate: Look good in wedding pictures!)

So South Beach ....we're living it!

I cook it...He eats it!

Now his suggestion was ......

we eat in our bathing suits.

Now that would keep us focused!

but I told him it

is a little chilly this week here!

(Translate: No Way!)

I think we start the "E" word next week....

(And I guarantee you I will not be in my bathing suit!)

Anyone care to join us on the beach?

Ya'll are invited!

Aruba, Jamaica...ooh I want to take ya...

Bermuda, Bahama, Come on pretty mama...
Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go?

Down to Kokomo.......

Hope ya'll are having a great week and keeping warm!

From my soon to be healthy

(translate: Skinny!)

delighted heart to yours!

Patti

A Few More....From The Palace

Thought I'd post... a few more pictures that I took at the Junk Palace on Saturday. This beautiful lantern was hanging over the table in the middle of the arbor. (See larger photo in previous post.) That's a plate and hanging crystals on the inside of the lantern! Too cute!

Here's a little shot..... of the garden area.

Look closely...There's a live fish in the bowl! Really!

(The bowl was sitting on an iron plant stand!)

Too pretty for words!

Another great display in an old suitcase!

Cool pom-pom fringe!

Vintage paper wedding bells!

(Should have got some of those!)

(OK another road trip!)

And this was one of my favorite pieces used for display!

(And if you know me you will know why!)

It's an old dental cabinet filled with great jewelry!

(New jewelry...great prices!)

Again.....

Congratulations

goes out to

The Amazing Lillie

at the

Junk Palace

Beautiful Job!

Best Wishes!

Hope y'all have a great week!

Blessings from my Delighted Heart to Yours!

Patti

Road Trip!

I left town this morning ... in my trusty Jetta (gotta love the 45 MPG!) headed for the Grand Opening of THE JUNK PALACE in Malakoff , Texas about an hour and a half drive south. It was COLD (in the 30s) and the wind was blowing Texas hard, so I dressed appropriately by layering my long johns, turtleneck sweater, black velvety velour vest, scarf and jeans with my pearls and cowboy boots...black dress boots as this was a Grand Opening! Boy, was I excited! Not only was I going to get to see amazing junk this morning but rumor had it this was going to be a Grand Meeting of some of the awesome bloggers I follow!

WooHoo! I was ready!

Someone mentioned yesterday that we all need name tags with our blog on it. They will know us by our blog name for sure! So last night after midnight, I hit a little creative streak and made me a nametag..........ok.............all you alter art people I know this is really basic but hey......... what can you do with elmer's glue and a brown envelope?! I did find a heart doily and added a vintage rhinestone pin for glamour. My first altered art project! So I arrived at the Junk Palace with nametag in hand 15 minutes after they had opened and it was packed.

Oh. My. Goodness.

It was amazing! Situated in a really cool OLD, OLD, OLD building with exposed brick and plaster walls, open rafters, unusual electric lighting, and old concrete floors, Lillie has created a wonderful vintage atmosphere remenisent of ole Pariee plus vintage glamour plus garden junk. Awe-inspiring creative displays start as soon as you step foot in the door...........

The first thing your eyes rest on is this wonderful garden arbor made of cast off porch posts...the kind everybody had on their house years ago to hold up the front porch or the back patio awning. Lillie used this arbor to frame a great white table with an amazing vinette on top.
(She says this also fits over a double bed....how cool would that be......she called it "the Little Love Shack!" TMI...TMI! HAHA! Yes, that's Lillie in the vintage garden chair ..the first time she's sat down in weeks...doing the Texas Beauty Queen wave!)

Yes, today Lillie...

You are the Queen of Vintage!

Take a closer look at the table top......lots of my favorite white and would ya look at the roll of paper (elementary school writing paper with the broken lines) billowing around the dishes!
My paper towels...I mean our napkins do that at times when the Texas breeze blows!

Out of the Box!

Love the creamy, white textures!

I think those are disposable florist containers!?!

Garden table with burlap top and scrabble pieces!

Gotta love the southern bell slip on the manaquin!

Display in the forefront includes several vintage cake toppers!

And did you notice the partially exposed brick wall?
LOVE IT!

OK , so I get a C+ for not taking photos of the blogroll! This is the only pic I got of all the wonderful bloggers who were there! Here I am with my fun and fabulously talented friend Renee (A Junk Queen) and Donna (Curious Goods) in Donna's cute shop by the same name. Donna takes junk and makes the neatest "things" out of it. Jewelry and objects d'art...very creative! And Renee can take trash and make it look good! No kidding!

Some of the other talented bloggers and creative people

who I saw this morning include:

Theresa (Garden Antiqs Vintage)

I think she's known by the whole blogosphere cause not only is she very

talented but she is very sweet and remembers everyone!

Maggie (The Veranda) Very talented, too. See her at Canton.

Judy (J. Hill Designs) Very talented .... Canton and Texas Shows

The Girls from (Funky Monkey) Very funky store in Keller, TX

Don't forget Lillie's blog at Junk Palace.

Gee...Hope I didn't leave anyone out.......

You can probably see more fabulous photos of this morning's event

and more of all the who's who on these talented gals' blogs!

Click on them from My Favorites List!

We were all shooting our cameras like paparazzi!

Thanks Lillie for letting us take all the shots!

There is ONE more blogger I saw this morning......(I didn't forget ya girl!)

I had the priviledge of meeting IN PERSON.......Ta Da!!!!!!

Miss Debbie from Talking Trash and her driver and sweetie ...Cat Daddy!

Debbie has such a way with words....a good way!

Not just on her blog ..... she leaves some of the best comments, too!

What a blessing! Can't wait to spend some more fun time with her!

You HAVE to read her post about today...and see her great photos!

She brought me the prize I won in her contest last week....

They were all wrapped up CHIK STYLE in a black sack with hot pink paper!

Too stinkin cute! I didn't want to open it it was so pretty.......

Well I only waited a second ....cause I wanted to see my.......

FLIP-FLOPS!

WOOHOO...They're HOT PINK!

Are these not the cutest sparkley thangs!
Thank You Deb!

You are definitely a Diva!

You Rock!

As soon as I got home I tried them on......awesome!

They are sooooo comfortable!

How did you know PINK is my new favorite color!

(First granddaughter due in May!)




So I had to have a little photo shoot with

my new hot pink thongs!

Now, don't get too excited...

that's what we called flip-flops when I was young

back when yer undies covered yer backside!

Now my undies hang out from under my jeans!
Yup, those are my long johns...

I told you it was cold today!

Ya did good! I love them!

Thanks Deb!

You da bomb!



This has been one Super Saturday!

Hope yours has been just as good!

Wishing you many blessings

from my Delighted Heart to yours!

Patti

From the photo you are probably thinking I'm talking Valentine's Day....No not yet. I happened upon these photos the other day over at
4 Angels Momma's blog and they really got me thinking. (Along with her beautiful post...)
These works of art were created by .....


Sandman uses what he has in his hand (a broom and a dust pan) to bless others with his sidewalk art. One of 4 Angels Momma's daughters was down at the beach and saw Sandman's artwork. Wanting to bless her Momma she used what she had in her hand (her cell phone) and called to tell her to get down to the beach right away and bring her camera.

Now when 4 Angels Momma saw Sandman's work she wanted to bless others who weren't able to go to the beach and see Sandman's work by using what was in her hand (her camera). She then went home and used her hands to posted the photos on her blog to bless those of us in blogland. (She also did a beautiful commentary to go along with it.)

All of this got me to thinkin......about using my hands...

And about how powerful this blogging can be.

We bloggers using our hands (and computers) can choose to post or not to post.

Or choose to comment or not to comment. We choose to bless or not to bless.

The Lord says in Deuteronomy 30:19..."I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live."

Choosing to bless others with your blog post and comments brings life not only to the reader but to you and your descendants. Wow...that your kids may have life too! I always want my kids in that catagory! It's like reaping and sowing. Sow blessings...reap blessings! Sow cursing...you know exactly what you will reep! (now I know you all are not going to sow cursing but sowing negative comments is like sowing death to the reader.) As to this date I have not received any negative comments...that's not why I'm writing this!



Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians 4:29..."Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."

Corrupt...decayed, rotten ...like meat.

Edification.....to edify; to lift one up.

Grace....unmerited favor.

Let no stinking rotten words proceed from your blog (or mouth), but what is positive to lift one up, that it may give a thrill (unmerited favor) to those reading (or hearing).



I like that! I think I'm just going to print that on a little card and stick it on my monitor for a reminder! (I know, I know.... I'm preaching to myself cause you all leave only thrilling comments!)

Ok....so I'm thinkin back to Mr. Sandman.....He was using what was in his hand to impart a blessing to others. Taking this beyond the blogosphere......what have you got in your hand that you can use to bless someone else today? A cell phone can make a call to someone who needs encouraging. A camera can take photos and print them to share a memory with someone. A spoon in your hand can make dinner or cookies for someone in need. A book in your hand can read to someone who can't see. Flowers in your hand can make someone smile! A smile on your face can light up someone's day. OK....OK....you get the picture? :-))



Check out this post from yesterday. Debbie from Talking Trash is asking everyone to "pay it forward". Go find someone in blogland who needs an encouraging word ...someone going through a hard time.... someone who needs grace and impart that to them. You will be surprised at what happens next.....open your eyes and watch so as not to miss the blessing!

So Mr. Sandman left this to bless us.

How many people saw it that day before the wind

blew the sand off the sidewalk?

I don't know but thanks to 4 Angels Momma Debbie

lots of folks now are getting the thrill!

Debbie left us with these

beautiful words that day....... (read more here)

"Love is what remains.....

love can never be erased."

"Faith, hope and love.

And the greatest of these is love."

1 Corinthians 13:13

I'd say that both the Debbies have got it goin on!

They are definitely using what's in their hands!

from my Delighted Heart to yours....

Be Blessed!

Patti

p.s. I want to thank all who have left comments for me....I am so blessed by all the sweet, kind, and awesome words! You all are amazing! And a big thank you to 4 Angels Momma for the use of her photos and the inspiration! You rock!

I WON!

WooHoo! I Won!

Look at these awesome flip-flops!

Deb at Talking Trash had a contest going on

over the weekend.

You see...her hero "Cat Daddy" had given

her a canned ham.

No, not the Hormel variety,

not the kind you have for Easter dinner,

or the kind you cook with your beans

to make them taste yummy,

or the green eggs and ham kind

but the vintage kind!

A real, honest-to-goodness vintage

canned ham travel trailer!

(I never knew them by this name...

you know they were before my time!)

HAHA!

Anywho, Deb wanted some comments about how to fix that

Baby up so she had a contest .....the prize...a pair of the cutest

flip flops (that are reported to be really comfy) I think I've ever seen!

Well, she ASKED for comments and BOY did she get them!

But I think the one that took the cake (or maybe I should say ham)

was the WHOLE post that the sistas over at Moonlight Hollow did.

It's a little racy.....

but seeing as how all of you are over 21....

you can handle it!

And if you are under 40.......

well it was before your time!

So, sometime in the near future,

you will be traveling down the highway

and something like this......

will whizz by you...

no, it may not be pink...

it may be red, yellow, turquoise or

my fav...leopard and you'll think

"canned ham"!

Look for Deb and her Cat Daddy

to be cruising by

cause she is one amazing chik and she's

gonna have one amazing ham to

tool around in!

Deb, we can't wait to see what

you are going to do with this

thang!


Thanks, Cat Daddy for pulling

MY name out of the fish bowl!

I think I may just make you some of my

Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Thanks Deb!
You are FABULOUS!



And thank you Jesus...
I'm blessed and highly favored!

From my delighted heart to yours...

Have a blessed and fabulous day!

Patti

And CONGRATULATIONS go out to Deb also!

For being asked to be a part of The Vintge Journal.

She wrote a great post over there today....

about some of her favorite

"junkin spots".
Can't wait to check them out!
You go girl!

Chik Nite Rocked!

Last Friday night was Chik Nite...
Here's a little recap......It Rocked!




Here's the stage and

the Funky

Flower

Arrangement

I blogged about here.












Here's part of our Chik Team.

Christy, Jennifer and Crystal

These gals work tirelessly to put our Chik Nites together.

Thank You! You are awesome!

Look at all the ladies!
We were playing a game!



Five days before ...Crystal only had 30 ladies signed up....
Total signed up that night.......163! Isn't God good!

This is our fearless leader

Head Chik Crystal.

Our speaker for the night ...

April Simmons (on left) and
Misti from High Point Church
Arlington, Texas
April's message for us was awesome!

"Mile 19"

If you have hit a wall in your life ...

whether it be a death in your family,

a problem marriage, problem kids,

problem finances or just problems with life

and need encouragement.......

leave me a comment

and I will send you a cd of her message...free!

You can now download her message free at

www.familylifechurch.com

under media title: God Chik

Miss Sandy ... our minister's wife holding
one of the youngest chiks!

My sister-in-law Cindy and my daughter-in-law Jessica.

Don't they look cute!

Cindy drove four hours to come to Chik Nite!

And if you look closely you can see "Baby Vee" under that ribbon!

(She's due in May!)

Miss April and Me





Our "goodie" table
The Word was sent out along with other chiky stuff!

Best Comment of the Evening:

"I didn't know church could be this fun!"

"I have come that they may have life

and that they may have it more abundantly"

John 10:10

Next Chik Nite.........March 6
Consider yourself invited!

See here or here for more info!

from my delighted heart...to yours!

Patti

What's On Your Kitchen Countertop?

Last night... I walked into the kitchen and saw a plastic box sitting on the countertop.
I didn't remember leaving it there.....I thought maybe Mr. Hero had brought leftovers home ...you know...a to-go-box or a doggie bag as we used to call it. .....so I peeked under the lid. Well.....

This is what I saw............

"Honey...did you leave a box on the kitchen counter?" I sweetly hollared at Mr. Hero.
"Ummm...what's in it?" He sweetly hollared back.
"Don't know....looks like bones or something." "Are they for Dodger?"
"Ahhh no...DON'T GIVE THEM TO THE DOG!"


"They're dinosaur bones!"


And there...sitting right next to the Cheerios was a box of real dinosaur bones. Well, they were the fossilized stone that's left after the bone dissenigrates. (Mr. Hero explained..not really the real bones.) Then I remembered seeing Mr. Hero talking to Mr. Dinosaur Hunter at church. It seems they were trying to figure out a way to replicate the bones/fossils. Mr. Dinosaur Hunter actually found the fossils just north of town. He finds lots and lots of fossils and is very well versed on dinosaurs. He gives talks to the school kids and wanted some replicas to hand out.

I was just glad they were't leftovers...
Well technically they were.......
The Fred Flinstone kind!
(Music swells in the background...Meet the Flinstones...the modern stone age family!)

Sorry Dodger....Want some Cheerios?

What's On Your Kitchen Countertop?

Have a Yabba Dabba Do Day!

Patti

Thank You Sarah!

I'm so honored! So humbled!

So thankful!

WOW... Double WOW!!

This award traveled a long way

to reach me this morning.

All the way from......

AUSTRALIA!

My new Aussie friend...

Sarah of Shabby Roses & Pretty Things

gave me this award. She is from Southern Highlands,

New South Wales, Australia.

She leaves the sweetest comments and has such a beautiful blog!

Ya'll give her a visit and a hollar!

Here are the guidelines for this award:

"This Blog invests and believes in the

PROXIMITY: nearness in space, time and relationship.

These blogs are exceedingly charming.

These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.

They are not interested in prizes for self-aggrandizement!

Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut,

even more friendships are propagated.

Please give attention to these writers!

These are some very wonderful gals to visit.

They are thoughtful, friendly, and have so many wonderful ideas!

So it's time to pass it on.....

A Junk Queen........Renee

Talking Trash.......Deb

Texas Daisey.....Debbie

The Cozy Parsonage.....Tress

Just Practicing Random Acts of Kindness.....Sue

The English Cottage Collection......Debra

Four Angels Momma.....Debra

Cynthia's Cottage Design.....Cynthia

All of the above women show outstanding friendship qualities and make the blogging world an absolute pleasure to be involved in. (They all have left me the sweetest comments!) Please stop by their blogs for a visit and don't forget to leave them a comment! You'll be glad you did!

And jump on over across the pond to

Shabby Roses & Pretty Things

to see my sweet Aussie pal Sarah!

From my Delighted Heart to yours!

Patti

Broken Heart Ministries

This is Whiskers... John...

and Jacob.

Jacob is one of John's students. Look at the excitment on Jacob's face! Whiskers is John's horse. John uses Whiskers to teach theraputic riding to students like Jacob. John says these kids come alive when they are around Whiskers. Some of John's students are challenged physically and some are challenged mentally. Some are troubled teens that just need answers. John teaches them about God's unconditional love. And he does that through a sweet horse named Whiskers and through Broken Heart Ministries. "We do not charge the kids or their families for the therapy riding at the ranch." says John. They operate only on sponsorships. John has a BIG, BIG heart. This is not his day job but his ministry. During the day John serves this man of God as a personal assistant. John has pastored churches around the country in the past and at one time was a part of this team. John tells us that he used to break bricks with his bare hands in order to share the love of Jesus. Now John mends broken hearts using those same hands, the love of Jesus, and a horse named Whiskers.

How do we know this awesome man of God?

On December 12, 2009 John will walk his beautiful daughter Amanda down the aisle and give her away to our son Bo.....And as their two hearts are united in marriage...Our two families will become united also. We are so excited to become a part of this awesome family and so excited to see what God has planned for our kids and our families in the years to come!

As we say here in Texas....

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!"

If you would like to be a part of Broken Heart Ministries and help scholarship someone like Jacob you can contact John at:

Broken Heart Ministries
515 Preston Glen Gunter, Texas 75058

Blessings from my Delighted Heart......to Yours!

Patti

CHIK NITE

This Friday night at our church we're having one of our Chik Nites.

Crystal, our women's ministry leader asked me to do something funky,

with this large bottle and these Christmas balls for a prop on the stage.

Theme: Rocker Chik

(Oops I don't think I was supposed to tell)

So I grabbed a couple of large silk flowers I had...

sprayed some glitter on them...

headed down to a local store and found the glittery greenery at 50% off...

picked up the pink belt at Walmart (I did pay for it)

threw it together this afternoon.

Is it funky enough?

The Chik Team loved it!

I even pulled my 1980s rocker earrings out of my jewelry drawer

to use as centers on the flowers.

Now what am I going to wear?

If any of you are within driving distance of Sulphur Springs, Texas

(hey if you want to fly in we have a small airport!)

You are invited to attend

CHIK NITE

Friday January 9 @ 7pm

Family Life Church

We always have a rockin time!

Guest Speaker: April Simmons

(Joel Osteen's Sister)

It is going to be fantastic!

Whoop! Whoop!

Check out more about it at Chik Nite blog!
Let me know if you are coming...I'd love to get you a ticket!

from my Delighted Heart to yours!

Patti

Winter Wonderland II

And now......

for the 2nd half of the

Winter Wonderland Tour!

Thanks for all your sweet comments on the first half!

You've noticed I'm not calling this my Christmas Home Tour...

That's because I didn't get it all together in time to show before Christmas!

I always need December to have one more week in it!!!

It doesn't feel like winter here today at 85 degrees!

But hold on...

Monday we're due for sleet and 30 degrees!

If ya don't like the weather in Texas....

just wait a day!

Let's get this tour done before the ice hits!

So sit back and relax and enjoy!

Simplicity in the stairwell.

Twig wreaths from here and sparkle leaves from here.

Stepping in to my kitchen you'll see our "Chili's Booth".

We spend a lot of time here...

in fact we've crammed 6 people in here

on several occassions.

Everyone always gathers in the kitchen!
More sticks!

Here's a view from above.

There is a landing on the 2nd floor that looks

down into the kitchen.

There's always lots of light in here!

Sign says....

"Common sense is not so common."
Exactly!

Here's the built-in hutch.

Real pine branches mixed with faux pine branches.

Angel statue came from Tony's.

Can you tell what the wreath is made from.....?

SWEATERS!!!!!!



goodwill rides again!



Saw a wreath in Better Homes and Gardens made with

upholstry webbing and then saw what Deb did.

It inspired me to try a little different version.

Strips of sweaters wrapped around straw forms

and secured with straight pins.

Tie was the skirt band from the wool skirt I

used for my tree skirt.

Vintage broach from my jewelry box.

Here's a little better picture.






Window from Tony's Town Square Antique Mall.

Mr. Hero trys to keep me out of there!








Hutch in the breakfast room.

Yes, I like hutches....and dishes!

More sticks!

The ceiling is the same color as the dining room walls.










Some of my mom's blue willow...she loved blue.....

I was never a "blue" person.

But I'm loving her stuff now that she's not here.















Moving into the den.......

that's the sunroom/tv room through the opening.






Top of the tree....

You guessed it....more sticks!

My friend RuthAnn did the same thing!
Great Minds!







Here's a few more of the tree.

More ideas for sweaters!

Pillow koozies!

I pulled them over some pillows I had...

whipped the neck closed.

Tied the arms.

You could whip the bottom closed but I didn't.
Funky, fun and cozy.

The stockings were hung on the lockers with care.

My kids got me the set of lockers for my birthday last year.

I love my kids!

the stockings came from Target on sale at the last minute.

I had plans to make some from......

You guessed it.....

Sweaters!

well, maybe next year.

The Mantel

The Sunroom/TV Room
BIG Sticks!

and four strings of lights!

I love how soft the light is in this room!

I just might have to leave them up all year!

Christmas 1956.

Me on Santa's knee.

Age 19 months.

(Can you dig the satin santa suit!)

Vintage flower globe from my mom's estate.

(You turn it over, fill with water, put a flower on the

frog where the photo is, put the lid on and turn it

rightside up and the flower is submerged in water.)

I had remembered she had one but thought she

had gotten rid of it. I couldn't find it in all her stuff.

Last Christmas Eve I was checking on her house

(she had died the year before)

and saw a box up in the top of her pantry

which I thought had a coffee pot in it.

The last box to go through.

I got it down and there was the flower globe.

What an awesome Christmas present.

Little did she know when she put it up there

(probably several years earlier) that I would find it

a whole year after she died and it would help me

get through the next day...the first Christmas without her.

Thank you Jesus!

I know you orchestrated that!

May the lights of this season remind you that

He is the Light of the world!

from my Delighted Heart to yours....

Patti