Karen Eileen

Have you heard?

2011-08-30T12:25:00.001-07:00

Karen Eileen is Now Tales of Lovely? Please stop by and let me know that you found me.

Just click on Tales of Lovely and pop in for a bit.

2011-08-17T09:59:00.001-07:00

TALES FROM LOVELY....A NEW ADVENTURE click on this to visit the very beginning

I am now officially starting a new blog that will link to my new website. Be patient with me though. I move like a turtle going backwards! I promise though that I have oodles and oodles of beautiful things to come.

Winner Winner Chickens' making dinner

2011-07-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

Love my girls and they are such hard workers. I made them some of their favorite treats: oatmeal (not cooked), raisins, blueberries, flax seed and crushed eggshell....yummy! They get to be free-range in our yard just before it gets dark, that way they go back in when it is dark and leave less amounts of fertilizer for me to pick up.My friends all save cartons and when I have a dozen to give the lucky person next on the list gets fresh eggs for breakfast!
Aren't they pretty all in a row? They are french blue/green, aka Easter Eggs. It is the breed. Arracuana (sp?) is the name. They are very docile, quiet and great pets.
This is the freshest it gets. No running here and the yolks are BRIGHT. Having hens is really a lot of fun. THey love to follow me around the yard hoping for a worm tossed their way, but unlike all of the photos I see of hen houses in magazines and blogs......they are messy. Adorable...but messy. I have yet to see any chicken doopies in a photo, which is amazing because they drop gifts about every few seconds. I try to tidy up every day and then every few days clean out the whole henhouse. I never knew that chickens could be such good pets....now if you could only potty-train them.

Henry's a cat burglar

2011-07-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

Henry caught in the act.

EVERYTHING ON SALE IN MY ETSY

2011-06-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

Lovely, and soooooo cheap!! Some great deals in my Etsy store so stop by and take a peek!

2011-06-10T09:22:00.001-07:00

We donated one of our couches to Salvation Army. Moved it closer to the door for pick up.Forgot to tell Winnie. It's her favorite place to sleep. Now she is sleeping by the door.

REMNANTS WEEKEND With the MR.

2011-05-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

A Little late in getting this post up. My Mac Crashed (evidently they can!), but fortunately Apple got me back up in a few days and I am now backing up on outside service for future....ANYWAY.....Usually I go to the Remnants affair with my dear friend Lidy (French garden House), but she couldn't attend and I didn't want to miss, so I took the hubby, with explicit instructions that he couldn't say, "Where are you going to put that" or "We don't NEED that." He agreed so off we went....I won't go on about the chaos of the even this time since Country Living Magazine published the story. Let's just say there were long lines and shuttles..TWO shuttles....but we persevered and this is what I came home with....Did we NEED it, NO...but my hubby actually picked it out! We love our little lobster from New York Painting.
Loved all of the great ideas and inspiration....isn't this the greatest lamp shade?
Do you recognize what this is? They are made with old gas pump numbers? Maybe you have to be as old as me to remember when the numbers rolled like this...
Anything white.....
Loved this.....
Just adorable

And Elegantly clever... Couldn't you spend the day in this bed? The displays were so much fun.
All in all, the crowds got a little less, so we spent a little more.... I was surprised at how much my hubby liked it. Maybe it was the whole weekend away with wonderful food, nice hotel....quality time.....the perfect weekend...for both of us. I will go next year, because I know they will work out all the bugs of the huge crowds.....a good thing doesn't stay a secret very long!

Way back when......Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

2011-05-08T09:18:00.001-07:00

Oops!! ALmost forgot my co-workers

2011-05-03T08:59:00.001-07:00

I almost forgot the best part of working at home. My BFF's....I could tell that Their feelings were hurt not to be included in my post. One of the best way of taking breaks from work for me are taking my little Dorkies (Yorki-poos) for a walk to our park.
We do this about twice a day and they spend the rest of the day like this, but just having them near is the best comfort I could have.
That, and it keeps me doing laundry so that Winnie is always supplied with warm towels from the dryer to keep her cozy.

Why I love working at home

2011-04-28T09:28:00.001-07:00

Some days I must admit, it is hard to focus when working from home.....but you have to smile when you watch Henry opening the screen and coming in to eat the dog food....And of course, he doesn't close the door so the girls stop in for a visit....
This is my nice way of saying, "I'm trying to work here, people!"
And when I take a break....I get to be here....

If you have to work at home, make it your favorite place to be with your bestest creature buddies and be inspired by the beauty you surround yourself with.

Shopping for fleas

2011-04-12T09:11:00.001-07:00

There really aren't too many things that get me as excited as shopping at flea markets with a friend who is just as happy to be there. There is never a thought in the world about what you are looking for, which makes it all the more fun when you find things like these:I have collected ephemera for years. Love these pics of sport girls.
This was a must have for me. An antique jewelry cleaning kit, complete with sawdust.
And this beautiful box that someone lovingly hand painted inside and out!

I love bowls. These dough bowls have seen many years in cozy kitchens.
I just love these, don't you? One is marked and one isn't. The unmarked I am told is even more valuable.

These will all be in my Etsy store today, so if you would like to take a peek, come on over.

LIFE UNINTERRUPTED

2011-03-20T20:13:00.001-07:00

So few times anymore that we are truly present...just to enjoy the smell, sound of our surroundings. Doesn't it seem as if our thoughts are being stolen from us by the day-to-day and minute by minute reminders and lists that are constantly at our fingertips and ears? When was the last time you went someplace, did something and left your phone at home? How often I see people walking early in the morning while on their phone....
Must we always be reachable, everyplace at every moment? My goodness, it seems difficult for most people to sit through a single movie without texting at least once. I went to Glitterfest yesterday with one of my dearest friends and she saw my phone in the car and asked if I was going to take it.... "No, I said. ALmost feeling a little guilty for being out of reach for a few hours.. Whatever happened to being with who you are with? I don't know about you, but I never answer the phone when I am with someone, unless it is my children, and then I tell them I will call them back. Most of my close friends do the same, but it amazes me when I see a group of high-shcoolers and they are all texting other people.
It seems almost impossible to escape the reachability of our lives now. Even if I choose to just be in the moment, not on my phone....everyone around me is talking...talking.....usually without a notice to anyone around them....
I hope we don't forget what it is to be alone with our own thoughts, or the quiet company of an animal we love.. or tending the roses without another thought in your head....these are the treasured moments we are losing by constant chatter.....find out what it is in your day that tunes out all of the noise and gives you the peace that you so much deserve. Live a day in the life of Tasha Tudor, or imagine life on the prairie and enjoy the simple solitude that only a beautiful garden or beloved animal can bring. Spend an hour with a furry friend, take a walk together, or put a cozy kitty on your lap and just enjoy the peace that comes.... And put your phone in a drawer where it will be when you need it. xo

Magic In Vegas

2011-02-23T09:27:00.000-08:00

Last week I drove to Vegas with two friends. One is opening her own boutique and the other was a friend that we eventually named "Nanny Dorinda" for she was the keeper of the valet tickets, name badges and just overall ring leader. (Good person to have when you are surrounded by sooooo much fashion overload.
As I have mentioned, I am opening a new store on line. I am no longer wholesaling. When we arrived at MAGIC (Women's wear Daily) to check in for one of the biggest shows on the West Coast....we were checking in at different terminals when my friend noticed that the screen facing the person I was checking in with was all "RED" as in "terror alert high," Do not allow admittance." Whereby I was told it would be $500.00 for my entrance due to the fact that I had mentioned that I sell wholesale.....after losing a few ounces of sweat and lots of pathetic looks....I was allowed entrance as a "guest" of my friend.....

This is how I usually roll... not cool for fashion show....
Once gaining entry it was like the heavens parted and I was walking on snow white carpet with white leather furniture and stunning chandeliers. (Cameras not allowed, sorry).... as I walked down the aisles (which were MANY) it was sensory overload of stunning models wearing lines in front of booths that proudly displayed photos of Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, and mostly other people I didn't know....wearing their lines.

After many hours of looking I placed three orders: Purses , Overnight bags & some fun, beautiful jewelry... one of which is this romantic line with the perfect combination of rustic and elegant....

And as anyone who knows me will attest....I heart them. So, of course, I will carry purses and bags...this is one of the Over-nighter bags that I ordered from Atenti bags.

I must admit, it was a challenge to keep focused. I saw my friend going through it on a much larger scale (due to her brick & mortar boutique).... To stay true to what you love.....to try to buy what everyone else will like.... I needed to remind myself to follow my passion. I want my shop to be filled with everything that I LOVE and hopefully you will too!! After all, isn't the best part of finding something we adore sharing it with our friends....or being so happy with a gift you bought someone that you can hardly wait for them to tear the paper off?! That is what I thought of when I bought each and every item.

So there lies my first lesson in ShopGirl 101.

xoxo

KAREN EILEEN

Happy Day to Love and be loved!

2011-02-14T14:36:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!! I hope you all give and receive lots of love and hugs today.And that you feel like a queen in your castle......
I am off on a buying trip to open my new store soon.......promise lots of pretty and fun things to wear and adorn your royal cottage with!

xoxoxo

2011-02-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things in the whole-wide world are hats!!! I wear hats a lot. So many times I get compliments on my hat and then the very next thing the person says is: "I can't wear hats."
Nonsense! Everyone can. Years ago, you wouldn't even go outside without a hat. Remember all of the Lucy episodes where lucy would beg Ricky for a new hat she just had to have?
Getting ready to launch my new website in a few weeks, and it will have lots of hats...beautiful, feminine and flattering styles. Living in Southern Calif and being a woman of a reasonable age....I can promise you that not only will you get plenty of compliments, but your skin will thank you. I never garden without a hat or walk at the beach. I think one of the biggest causes of "hat anxiety" is the attention it attracts.....when my children were small one of them said as I was wearing a rather big straw hat..."Mommy, you look like you are in a parade."
If you are going to stand out you might as well be at the head of the parade. Just like JT brought sexy back...I am going to bring hats back.....with your help of course.....next will be gloves! If you are interested in these, they will be in my Etsy store, and they each come with their own vintage brooch for 68.00.

A House a Home

2011-01-22T21:40:00.000-08:00

Tess now has some girlfriends.... Unfortunately, I had to wait until they were much bigger to introduce them... putting them together at this age would look like a fight on Jersey Shore because of the pecking order.....there really is one. So I waited until these beauties grew for about 5 months and introduced them slowly. There was a lot of chasing and pecking, but now I am happy to say the all sleep together happily in the hen house and sun next to each other during the day...I so love to watch my hens taking a cozy nap in the sun.
And this is the stressful life my other girls lead....oh, if we could just take a few lessons from them. Eat when you're hungry, rest when you're tired, and when you play...don't hold anything back...

To tuck away for next Christmas

2010-12-26T10:21:00.000-08:00

I just adore these tags and wanted to share with you the beautiful gift offered by one of my favorore blogs.

So pop on over to CREATURE COMFORTS and print them out to tuck away for next year. Hope your Christmas was Merry and Bright!

Beautiful Free tags

Beautiful Farm White Christmas

2010-12-23T16:49:00.001-08:00

A Visit to NA DA FARM LIFE where the stillness can be felt...

The simple beauty will warm your soul
And the true meaning of Christmas is revealed.

2010-12-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

Merry, Merry Christmas to all of my blogging women who inspire me and bring out the best that I can be and want to be by all of the beauty and strength they show in their day-to-day lives. All of these photos were taken in Breckenridge Colo. One of my favorite places in the world. My great aunt had a ranch and drygoods store here. They were one of the first settlers, and their home is still there, now a marked historic home. While the boys were snowboarding, we were cross-country (ing?).....anyway..This was actually in the Spring, but it is our Christmas Card this year.
It is a cold and rainy day here in Southern Cal....no snow to play in, but still a cozy fire, pretty music and a chance to visit all of my favorite bloggers. Christmas is such a wonderful time of year, not only for the spirit and family, but for new beginnings.
Next year will be a new beginning for me. Just having finished up my baby business, I am following my heart...doing what I have always wanted to do...create from my soul....for myself....to share what I love with others. Isn't that what art really is? An expression of our soul & spirit? I have no formal training (I am just learning to sew). My name isn't one that people have heard of.....I just want to be the BEST that I can be. To listen to that quiet voice that stirs my emotions and tells me "you can do that." Not to listen to whether people will like it, or buy it, or if it will pay for any bills or luxuries....but just to make it, because in doing so I have great joy...
Having sold wholesale and been in over 200 stores, I now KNOW what I really want, success doesn't always mean numbers of invoices or being in runway shows if it doesn't make you sing with pleasure.....Even if no one hears me, or I am a little out of tune....This time I will sing just because it makes me happy......Here's a toast to all of you that already do that. It is a road that is paved with many distractions and insecurity.....but if you stay true to doing what you love....the rest will follow. It won't be so much work, but joy.

Wishing all of you the most blessed of Holidays filled with family, friends and inspiration with courage on top!! xoxo

New Chicks in the House.

2010-11-08T13:56:00.001-08:00

Poor Tessie has been alone too long. At night, she flys on top of my bird aviary to be with the doves. We had two chicks and lost them. So this last week I purchased two more. I wanted to get Silky's, but they don't lay...so two more Arracana's Like Tessie. She is used to being the baby around here, but I told her we wer growing some playmates for her and she seemed quite pleased.
I make all my animals my babies. She actually likes to be held like this. :-)

Refuge

2010-10-25T13:36:00.001-07:00

For me there is no time in a garden. My heart sings when my hands are in the soil.
Peace does not hide from me here. Quietly tending. Admiring. Wondering at how life carries on.....tending to help in small ways I can.
No cell phone....just my classical music in my Ipod and I am swept away.
So much beauty and wonder all around. Like a walk on the beach, a hike in the mountains.....just to close my mind and see with my heart as God reveals the every-day joy that is mine for the taking if I just find refuge in creation. Go outside. Sit on the grass. Feel it underneath you. Pull weeds. Trim roses. and the best part...gather your garden gifts to bring inside. Make a fire. Cup of tea. Remember all of the things to be grateful for. Don't let a single thought disrupt this time. Make it a priority. Just 20 minutes a day. No schedules or lists allowed to enter your thoughts. Call it prayer, mediation...quieting your mind.... this is how we change. This is how we grow. This is how we are happiest.

Leaving on a jet plane

2010-10-21T13:28:00.001-07:00

I am attending a funeral tomorrow. We are flying out for the day and flying home in the evening. It seems I have been frequenting these sad and reflective events a lot recently. It has put me in a bit of a state. Just a paralyzed way of thinking day after day. I have always been strong and able to comfort those I love on the previous occasions.
So many people losing their parents at my age. I am quite familiar with that. I was very early on. My mother when I was 12 and my father at 26. Still, there is a sense that life goes on. The circle of life. This has struck me so hard, and not because of the closeness to the person. She is my husband's cousin -- a vibrant, happy and life-loving person -- So young. Happily married. Perfect health....and cancer just declares war on her and takes her from us in just a few short months. It makes you think. You STOP and think. Everything else sort of fades into the background. All the little things you busy yourself with just seem so irrelevant now. I feel like I want to have my entire family on the couch, in front of the fire. Safe. Where I know where they are and nothing can take them from me.

I know that God does not call us to have a spirit of fear..... I saw a documentary once on the commonality of people who live a long time. It wasn't diet, married/single, ethnicity.... it was how they dealt with loss. Most of them had lost their spouses, even children...friends....and yet they found joy in life. A reason to go on. A purpose. I think until we find the joy in life we never really live. We just exist. It is a bit confusing to me, to see the BIG picture you need to quiet all the noise. And sometimes the big picture can be so hard to see....

...forgive my rambling. I usually write about all of those other things....but sometimes the big picture is just so much in focus that you can't ignore it. We will get on that plane tomorrow. We will hold hands. Cry. Imagine ourselves in their situation.

Comfort each other.

On the plane home my mind will begin to busy itself with all of the noise again....work to be done, football games to attend, workouts at the gym......but I hope and pray that as I am entering the second half of my life, I fear less and see the joy in every day more. In each moment. Now. Not tomorrow.

xoxoxo

Few of my favorite things

2010-10-16T22:15:00.001-07:00

Spending so much time working on my baby line, there hasn't been time for all of the things

I love like flea marketing; finding those treasures that we don't know what we will do with....but you just HAVE to have. I Love the thought of this beautiful garter for something old or blue.
All of these will be either in my shop or Etsy store. This beauty is an antique necklace with hand-painted porcelain portrait. So stunning.
Probably my most favorite thing....hats. I love them, wear them and now I get to sell them!

Along with vintage and antique accessories.
This "something old" garter is a hand pearl beaded garter from Germany.
I will be carrying the finest soap I could possibly find....and believe me, I have used more soap in the last few weeks.... I think I am a soap snob. It has to lather with cream, not just bubbles, feel nice in your hand, smell clean and natural, not artificial AND be made with goats milk. I found All of them in this beautiful soap maker whose goats in Vermont are her only employees.
I not only LOVE her soap, but I like nothing more than supporting someone who is living their passion and truly has their heart in everything they do. Also being a small business myself, I know how hard it is to compete with large over-seas manufacturing. Tomorrow I am going to my favorite flea market and will have more treasures to share.

HUge Savings on WHolesale itmes!!

2010-09-26T13:37:00.001-07:00

Get Ready.....Set.... GO!!!! I am starting to list wholesale items in my Etsy store today. These are a few peeks of what will be there at GREAT prices. There will be blanks, supplies....and lots more every day.

JUmPinG OfF......

2010-09-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

A few of the pieces I will be carrying in my shop.....posted soon!

Do you ever realize that you are making decisions without really thinking about it? Sometimes it is just the way you feel when you think of doing something....or of never doing it again.

Business is like that too. I have been in a pattern of just doing and moving right along with my line, and not really feeling passion about it. At first I thought it was just because I knew the work that would follow would be the "not fun" part. The faxes coming in and weeks full of busy work. My hubby has been telling me for years that I shouldn't be in the "production" part of it.

I've been designing baby clothing for four years now. WHen I think about four more years......not so exciting for me. I want to have an entirely selfish website. Only what I love, have made or design.....That is PASSION! Of course, that doesn't mean everyone else will love it, but I know there will be a few of you out there because people I don't know are always asking me where I got this or that....It will be a slow start. My website will sell all of my baby line for a while. (I have so much inventory)....(If you want to order any clothing please email me for 25% off. )

I am taking the first step.....my husband said that he read recently that your level of success depends greatly on the number of uncomfortable conversations you are willing to have. I have to have a few of those with my showrooms that I know won't be happy....

So this week.....I will make those phonecalls and ink it in that I am on a new path...a path that no matter who is following will truly make me happy.

Around the house

2010-09-12T14:16:00.001-07:00

Wishing everyone a peaceful Sunday afternoon. Fall is in the air. Winnie can smell it.
Soon it will be time to warm the fires and pull out our wool sweaters...

2010-09-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

"For God did not give us a spirit of Fear, but of Power, Love & Self Control." II Timothy 1:7

My favorite things

2010-09-09T10:39:00.001-07:00

My poor Etsy store has been so neglected. In the next few days I will be posting all of my new goodies....well, most of them anyway. Lots of antique linen, beautiful hand -painted antique apron....and much more. Check back for new photos. Also, some of the items from my last post.

Business of Bliss

2010-09-07T12:21:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since I have had a nice chat with you all. My business was growing leaps and bounds....YEAH!!! at first.....I became so busy with the day-to-day work of filling orders and invoicing that I began to feel like my bliss had turned into a sweat shop. Literally, because of the heat press that I use for my images.I had been slow to come up with new designs and felt the pressure from my three showrooms to create more and more, while I was still trying to keep up with orders and paperwork.
This was my first business. It grew from a very small place. I guess you could call it playing store is my passion. I love to create, but just as much as that, I love to give gifts and share great finds with my friends.
I am at a crossroads.....if I grow I become a manufacturer....if I don't....I can still be shop girl and keep a few house accounts.

I know that business takes time.....I have given soooo much time and this is probably the first year that I will show a profit. Now comes the time to weigh the choices. I have decided to follow my heart and just have a retail site, along with my Etsy to share and sell my designs and finds. I will have more time to do what I love...like this. Being in over 200 stores sounds wonderful, but when you don't have the time to garden and enjoy a good book....... I do believe you can have it all...as long as you know what is most important first.

xoxoxoxo

Little Missy Marie Ann Toilette's debut!!

2010-08-20T22:42:00.001-07:00

TA DA!!! AND LA DEE DA!
Our New little design is here. A long time in the making, and changed many times, but so worth the wait.... I am so excited about this new baby to the Karen Eileen Family. This is exclusively ours and trademarked. The Crest is Marie Antoinette's real crest. Cozy cotton undies for the big girl in your family, that comes with a little story of a princess becoming Queen and fully packaged to adore on a bedroom shelf until that special day when diapers are no more.

Cozy & Glamorous, these are being offered at a special price for a very limited time. They are on their way to Dallas, Atlanta and Los Angeles showrooms, and won't be in stores for a few weeks.... they fit size 2-3 and are double-lined inside and slight ruffle on top, so as not to interfere with clothing. Please let me know what you think, as I am not in the showrooms and you are the first to see!!

Special price for all of my blogging friends out there: 18.00. They will be 24.00 in the store.

Rock a bye Baby

2010-07-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

We are so happy to be able to offer these stunning, quality cradles. When my children were small I had a beatiful basket that one of my dearest friends made with beautiful cotton, lace bedding. It really is so wonderful to fall asleep knowing they are right next to you and if they wake, sometimes just a small rocking of the cradle will send them back to slumberland.

These sleigh-cribs are the perfect accent for any room, and will be treasured as a family heirloom for years to come, and passed down in the family.
All of our cribs are finished with non-toxic paints and stains and are suitable for babies up to 25 pounds that aren't yet using their hands and feet to push up yet.A mattress of finest quality is also included and all cribs meet current ASTM safety standards.
How beautiful would one of these look at the mother-to-be shower filled with all of her

gifts? To purchase one from my website, please go to "shop" and see them ther

Barbie goes Antoinette

2010-07-07T15:28:00.001-07:00

Isn't she just sooooo pretty!! Love her!!! This is the new collectible Barbie. I don't collect Barbie, but I would make an exception for her. Maybe for that Grandbaby some day. (All you grandma's with grand daughters out there have an excuse now.)....but just as the wealth of Marie was not attainable to the masses, so I, a mere peasant, must accept the fact that I am forever cursed to adore her from afar.... for her beauty is that of a ruby....and her price also....1,400 on amazon

2010-07-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday USA!

It has been a little while since I posted last. I have had blogger's guilt. Do you ever get that? Or Bloggers blank page? I get that A LOT! And then there is the ...LIFE gets in the way. That has been the case for me lately. Without going into detail, my life has felt like a rollercoaster through a thunderstorm. You know how they say that tough times don't last but tough people do? I am not so tough. I guess you see the true you in a crisis. I am a little bit of the "the sky is falling" and my husband is a "no, it's just a little cloudy." It is really quite wonderful how that works out so that you can endure the storm together. My husband says between the two of us we are normal.

I know I could never be president because the first sign of trouble I would have my hand on that red button. I am not proud of this quality in myself. I wish I could stoically be calm and quote Norman Vincent Peale all day long.....but I am a panicker. I panic a little more to myself (thus, lack of sleep and stomache ache), but I panic nontheless.

Well, the reason for this long, boring story.....I am learning. I am trying to balance my life, business, home, family and friends in a more even fashion.

I love, care & hope deeply. I am a woman of Faith. However cracked, or set aside it might be in the middle of the storm....I am learning that what happens outwardly to you in your life is not as important as what happens inside you. One of my favorite new quotes: "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."

Have a happy, safe 4th.

Fantasy Island for wee ones

2010-06-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

This is THE most wonderful children's store I have ever visited....and now I am so blessed as to be in it!!!! When I received the order from my showroom I felt like I was playing VEGAS!BEARS, BUDDIES & TOYS is a wonderland filled with imagination and fun! What little boy (or girl) wouldn't want to have their party on a Pirate Ship?!
And everyone knows there isn't anything a little girl loves more than dress up... and to be able to dress up all of your friends at the same time for your party.....heaven!
And moms can shop till you drop with WONDERFUL Lines....can you see mine at the top of this display? Yeah!! I am so excited!
LINDA, the owner even has a littel reading nook....where she has story times and reads from her favorite books.
Back to the party......look at the choices!!! Do I want to be a princess? Cinderella?
Let's cozy up the fire while we wait for our cake.
Mirror Mirror on the Wall....the birthday girl is the Belle of the Ball!
The table is set.....the party is about to begin.
You can also visit the newborn nursery and adopt a baby of your very own. With adorable clothes to boot!
Here I am.....in this magical place.....
I seem to fit right in!
Don't forget a little bling! And there is a sparkly lotion bar, lipgloss bar too!
Whatever your fantasy....Linda has imagined it first: Princess, Pirate, Knight, Fancy Tea, Glamour Girl.......and the list goes on!! If you are in Huntington Beach stop by at 10061 Adams Avenue, 92646 (Orange county, Calif) (714 968-4050) Whether you are planning a party or just want to lose yourself in this beautiful, whimsical place!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARILYN

2010-06-01T17:51:00.001-07:00

HARD TO BELIEVE...SHE WOULD BE 84 TODAY. We will forever be curious and fascinated by her beauty and her charms. Maybe it's the sadness that keeps us close to her. It is hard to understand how someone so beautiful could have been so lonely in her life.

Years ago when I was a court reporter, I was taking a deposition in a high-rise on Wilshire in Beverly Hills. At lunchtime I looked out the window and told one of the attorneys that I might take my lunch down to that pretty little park. "That isn't a park, it's a cemetary" someone said. So unusual. Small, hidden, no signs on the street. He said that is because a LOT of famous people are buried there and it's sort of a secret place. I took my lunch down there and began walking around.

A lot of the headstones were very old, early 1800's even...then I saw Natalie Wood, Dean Martin, Mel Torme, Dorothy Stratton (the playboy model that was murdered by her ex-husband), the little girl from Poltergiest, Burt Lancaster.....and too many others to remember, but the one I will never forget was Marilyn's.

She was entombed in a wall, alongside many others. You would never even know it was her grave, but for the hundreds of letters, flowers, photographs that people had sent of themselves with writings of, "Everyone says I look just like you," To passionate love letters. You could pick them up and read them if you wanted to. Joe Dimaggio had a bench placed in front of her grave so that he could sit there when he came to visit.

The groundskeeper said that he removes items sometimes twice a day every day from her grave. After all this time. It is so funny in our culture how we put celebrities in a whole other category....so untouchable. And here they all were....at my feet. I don't know quite what I took away from that experience, but I did feel a little almost star struck....knowing that Dean Martin was six feet under where I stood.. I just love him. He reminds me so much of my father and that was the music played in my home growing up.

Somehow when you admire a famous person you always have a little dream of....maybe some day I will meet them. Maybe it seems hard to believe they are gone because we still see them on TV, in magazines, movies....unless you die a legend like Marilyn who truly does seem to live forever......

2010-05-19T12:57:00.000-07:00

I Love Etsy. I sell there and shop there..... a lot. One of the main reasons I have for blogging is to share fun finds.....this is so much fun!
What could be a more special and one of a kind gift than these for the newlyweds, new parents,
or even maternity would be adorable!!!
Her designs are contemporary and old fashioned at the same time. Guaranteed to be the best gift ever! She also makes beautiful calling cards.
Happy shopping!

Karen Eileen on the CATWALK!

2010-05-18T14:01:00.001-07:00

Tickled PINK to finally see my designs on the runway. This is a HUGE moment for me. All the time spent at home alone, working on designs, shipping them to showrooms and stores....and this is the big payoff for me... I can't tell you how much time I've spent posing dolls with my dresses and putting my headbands on their little heads.
So excited to finally SEE them on a model. Isn't she the bees knees? I couldn't have picked a better model myself. My showroom rep said that the models were moving so fast that this was the only picture she had turn out of my line. I guess it's like hearing your song on the radio or seeing your book in the bookstore!! When you work for yourself, mostly by yourself, you don't get to see or hear the response to your designs very often. This will keep me happy for a long time.

My first photo shoot

2010-05-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

Sophie will be able to say this is where it all began.These are the almost finished products of my photos with Sophie this morning. She was so cooperative....no Diva here. Just sugar and spice and everything nice.
I, on the other hand, could have used some professional experience, but I decided to just do it myself. Her parents were wonderful and even had the backdrop all set and everything. I was able to shoot a few good shots for my website, but after seeing the mom's camera, soon realized she was better than I could have been if I stayed there all day.
The best idea I found was to leave them with the clothes (because all supermodels get to keep the clothes) and let her take them at her leisure and mail them to me.
How lucky can you get to have such a beautiful model and such wonderful parents. Some day when she is famous I will be able to say I discovered her first!!

Sophia is ready for her closeup

2010-05-12T09:06:00.001-07:00

BABY EILEEN has yet to have a model for the line....until now. Meet Sophia, my new Supermodel!

I can't wait to see her tomorrow and see how adorable she will look in my headbands & hats! I just hope and pray that my lack of photo skills do her justice....how can you go wrong with a face like that? Next post will be the "after" photos.

Things that make me happy

2010-05-07T19:11:00.001-07:00

A special salad made from my garden...for my doves & quail....French Strawberries & Baby Tears.Roses from my garden in Creamers..........
And the best..... dogs in hats!
I used to do this to my kids (both boys) when they were babies.......Now that they are too big...
At least it's a girl dog!!

BIG SALE AT KAREN EILEEN ETSY

2010-05-06T15:08:00.001-07:00

I am having a sale in my Etsy store to make room for new items coming soon. These truly are a few of my favorite things and for the life of me I don't know why they are still here...
So I have chopped/slashed/cut prices to maybe meet some pocketbooks that have been saving up for that little special something.
If not, I will continue to enjoy this beautiful French Phone which has been in my home for quite some time.

If you love French Knots as much as I do you will be forever happy with this beautiful piece

New category coming in shop!!

2010-05-05T08:55:00.001-07:00

I just LOVE these little fabric balls. Look for them in the shop next week for sale. They are made of Vintage Chenille and Anna Marie Good Folks Fabric. They are all hand made with the greatest of care. A Perfect gift that will make any mommy happy.These will be available in sizes 6" & 4" They will list for 16.00 & 11.00.

New at Karen Eileen

2010-05-04T10:01:00.001-07:00

HAPPY MAY!

2010-05-01T11:25:00.001-07:00

My volunteer flower has now bloomed!! Penny is Laying her eggs.......wait....wait...
ON MY CHAIR!! She is such a little Diva...no wooden box for her..
Time for Spring hats!!! Coming soon to the shop.

Glorious Spring Surprises

2010-04-29T11:21:00.001-07:00

I am a gardener at heart. I would rather be there than anyplace else. One of the most beautiful things about gardening is finding volunteer plants like this beautiful sunflower. I think some birds might have dropped a seed in just the perfect place and mother nature did the rest.Sometimes we can spend so much time and money on "helping" things to grow....and then the world reminds us that we have nothing to do with it....
It is time to make some Summer hats for my shop. (If I can keep from wanting to wear them myself) Hats a re a big part of my everyday life. So many people say that they recognize me by my hats.....I have a love for hats mostly because I love being outdoors....and living near the beach it is just so much better for you.
The true Miracles of Spring. Our Penny Hen is laying!!! Early too!! Tess hasn't had one yet, but she is carefully taking instruction from Penny so that when her time comes she will be ready. My dear husband has been busy building me a studio in the garage so the chickens are free-range until bed time. Penny has taken to having her little babies on one of our cozy patio chairs. Sort of like the nicest LDR room at the hospital. She has a nesting box too....not quite as soft. When we have their little sanctuary all built I will have to find a way to cushion her spoiled little bottom.
This is one of the roses that I purchased at a nursery that was going out of business. We got there late and it was in a row with some other very sad looking roses. I think it feels like a puppy from the pound. Truly grateful to have a home.....and thanking us with its glorious blooms...Aren't they beautiful? And the smell....yummy!!! All of my roses are doing so well this year....it makes it all worthwhile, but I still wonder if I have anything to do with it.

Relax & Recharge Weekend

2010-04-25T21:26:00.001-07:00

This weekend was a chance to be inspired and relax & recharge. It doesn't get any better than that unless you are doing it at REMANTS OF THE PAST in Northern Calif.Lidy and I had a wonderful time. We stayed at Le Petit Soleil in San Luis Obispo and were treated like family by the owners who even gave me a sweet little toy for my doggies when I left.

I know there will be many blogs covering this event, as there were so many talented women selling and buying, but I know we all focus on different things. My first love is the garden. I loved all of the beautiful produce. I sampled fresh strawberries and English peas. These sweetpeas smelled wonderful!

How creative is this? An old piano covered with beatiful music and filled with wine and crystal.
I did find some treasures here. I was buying just for me. Not anything to sell myself. So it was a pure pleasure trip. It really was just one night and two days. It felt like I really had a vacation. Incredible dinner. Beautiful Weather. Farm Livin'.......paradise. My heart knows that it belongs in the country. Some day my hubby and I are planning a move to be able to have gardens for many flowers and produce, along with all the animals our hearts desire. We will be visiting next month to look at property and research our dream cottage.

I hope you enjoyed these few peeks into a little bit of everthing you could ever want on a mini vacation.

HAPPY EARTHDAY ART

2010-04-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

Love this!! I will be selling this line on my website next week!!! email if you would like info before then.

karen@kareneileendesigns.com

TA DAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! Finally

2010-04-17T11:48:00.001-07:00

WEBSITE IS UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THERE ARE SOME LITTLE BUGS WE ARE WORKING ON....BUT IT IS UP!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE VISIT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. STILL HAVE A FEW PAGES TO LOAD, BUT YOU CAN GET THE IDEA

Wordless Wednesday: Our Summer In Italy

2010-04-14T13:15:00.001-07:00

jeez ma neez!!

2010-04-12T20:21:00.001-07:00

This website thing is taking forrrrrrrreeeeeevvvvvveeeeeer!!

So until that moment (any day now) I feel like I am in limbo. These are two of my latest designs to share. I call them cowgirl cutie and tiny dancer. They are a two- piece outfit.
I have been selling wholesale only in the past two years. Now with my website I will be selling retail as well. I have had a hard time staying focused because there are so many things I want to sell....
mostly gorgeous things that I want to share. I love to give gifts. I have been told that I have a gift for giving......let's keep our fingers crossed and hope that everyone agrees with my family and friends. I always joke with my husband and say I am going to quit all of this crazy "own your own business stuff" and work at Starbucks. I am sure there are those of you out there that can relate. My mind never stops thinking about new designs.....orders to get out... inventory....business....advertising......sooooooooo much. And the hardest thing in a creative business for me is trusting what I like verses what I think "everyone" else will like. I think you have to always create for yourself first. Of all of my designs, the ones that I designed with what would sell....sold the least. The ones that I designed from my heart.....the most.

EASTER BLESSINGS

2010-04-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

I HOPE YOUR EASTER IS FILLED WITH LOVE AND NEW BEGINNINGS.
NEW BABIES AT OUR HOUSE
OUR QUAIL EGGS

MY WINNIE
TESSIE

KEEPING THEIR BABIES WARM

LuCkY GiRl

2010-03-27T18:25:00.001-07:00

I was trying to download some photos of my new designs now that I am down to the final minutes before my launch. Couldn't find the file, but found this from the slideshow my dear hubby made of my life story for my 50th.....Don't you just love it? My mother took me for swim lessons every day of the summer. It was like a second home for me and I had such fun....I wonder why?

The one on the bottom was MY swim teacher...John...isn't he dreamy? I think he was really into my swimcap and no front teeth look....

I still remember that swimsuit and how it fluttered when I jumped off the low dive.

Turtle & The Long Road

2010-03-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't fallen off or down and can't get up..... I have a new MAC. I am learning all of the "ins" & "outs". Everyone says I will L-O-V-E it and I am sure I will. Just getting used to the keyboard was difficult for me. I don't adjust to change. I love knowing what I'm doing and just doing it. I have tried to save photos.....and then I don't know where they go. Sort of like that missing sock in the dryer. I am getting it though. I hope to have a photo post next. I am moving up from the bottom of the learning curve. I have lots to talk about, but I don't want to bore you with just rambling.....don't you think visual aids make it so much nicer? For this one I could have a turtle climbing up a long road (that is about my speed), or Lucy with her scrunched up face.....you get the picture....well, I hope you WILL soon.

2010-03-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

And the winner is.....Karen at "OUT IN THE FIELDS"

I do hope she likes it. Be sure to stop and pay her a visit. LOVE her blog.

Thank you all for leaving your comments. Come back soon.

2010-03-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will announce the winner of my give away.....the odds are looking pretty good so far only five or six gals competing.....good luck!!

Better Late than Later Still

2010-03-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

Give away Time.........................

Cheers to my new Blog Design. Having a give away of a few of my favorite things... Pearls, Luxurious triple-milled soap and antique cabinet cards.

I am a soap snob, collect way too much ephemera and always love pearls....Just leave a comment and on Friday I will announce the winner. Good luck and I hope you love these as much as me.

2010-02-27T19:40:00.000-08:00

Had a little delay...... I didn't forget.....Had a wireless problem (Thank Goodness my hubby is a Network Engineer) I will take photos tomorrow of my give away.

2010-02-25T20:08:00.001-08:00

TA DA!!!!! So happy with my new look!!! Will be back tomorrow with a surprise giveaway.... no better way to celebrate than with presents!!! Stop by later to see what it is........ my new design matches my new website up in a few days......

2010-02-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's day. My hubby and I went to the Huntington Library Museum....I imagined a day of strolling through the gardens and admiring beautiful art.....along with thousands of other people! It was so crowded that there was no parking left....so we spent the day in Pasadena shopping and having a wonderful lunch.

There is always so much "TO DO" about this romantic day. This is a reflective day for me this year. Three of my dearest friends are getting divorced or heading in that direction.

I am blessed to be happily married for 23 years. But this has made me think of what REAL love is, not the romantic brings-you-flowers- kind of love, but REAL Love. So I have made a list of some of the things in my marriage that have carried us through....

LOVE IS...

*When you feel so sick that you can't go to the doctor, and he puts your jacket on, combs your hair, walks you to the car and takes you

* When he never complains about a single thing you cook.....just let's you know what his "favorites are."

* Taking the cat to the Vet when it was hit by a car (eventhough incredibly difficult for you,) because you know how much he loved her.

* Going to Sci-Fi movies because he loves them.

*Going to Romance movies because she loves them.

* Being happy that you have friends to spend time with and encouraging you to go.

*Letting you have whatever animals will make you happy, even if it means spending hours building a chicken coop for them.

* Whenever you complain about sagging, pooching or flabbiness....he says. "Oh honey, Grow Old with me."

One of the defining moments for the man I married was when we were first married and I asked him thatquestion: "What would you do if you found out I was unfaithful to you? " He quickly asked me what I would do.....I proceeded to say, "WELL!! I would.....and then I informed him of where on the curb his clothes would be, et cetera....(You can fill in the blanks....) And then when I asked him what he would do... he said. "I would fight for you."

That is so right on so many levels. Thank goodness we have never faced this challenge, but marriage is work, putting the other person's needs ahead of your own at times....and if you both do this and guard your words and hearts from anything that could divide you......that, is Love.

2010-02-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

I can hardly stand it......dreaming of my new website and blog......stay tuned....it's just around the corner.....

Spring Cleaning

2010-02-03T11:10:00.000-08:00

My blog is having a brand-new custom make-over from Michelle at Shabby Creations. She will be sending me the finals this week and you will have a peek into what my new website will look like as well. This has been a HUGE job in time and effort. It is one thing to have all of these great ideas.... another to put it all together...taking photos...descriptions are a challenge for me.....I have to force myself not to use cliche words like "whimsical".

The Sun is Out........and all is right

2010-01-28T15:42:00.000-08:00

I know what I said...

2010-01-22T21:05:00.000-08:00

That I wouldn't be blogging for a while. How could I not share this photo of our new baby? Or the fact that it hasn't stopped raining and my chickens are now sleeping in the bathtub.

2010-01-19T21:22:00.000-08:00

Taking a little blog break... working on new website for a few weeks.......my blog will have a matching makover as well.
Don't forget about me.....all four of you! :)

2010-01-16T13:55:00.000-08:00

THE LATEST FROM MY LINE. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE CREATIVE PROCESS WORKS FOR YOU, BUT FOR ME I FEEL LIKE ME DAYS ARE JUST FILLED WITH IDEAS AND INSPIRATIONS SOMETIMES.......BUT THEN I SIT DOWN TO CREATE.....BLANK.... THEN PANIC....I HAVE TO CREATE AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE NOW WE ARE SHOWING SPRING. YOU KNOW HOW THE SWIMSUITS ARE IN THE STORES IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER? ALWAYS 6 MONTHES AHEAD.....BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT HAS TAKEN ME YEARS TO FIGURE THIS OUT. I STARTED OUT AS JUST A LADY WHO MADE CUTE LITTLE TEES..........NOW I HAVE TO HAVE A "SPRING LINE, FALL LINE...." YIKES, SOUNDS SO OFFICIAL. GROWTH IS SOMETIMES A DIFFICULT TASK. IT IS JUST LITTLE UNORGANIZED ME TRYING TO STAY AFLOAT SOMETIMES BETWEEN FAMILY, GARDEN, HOME, PETS, TAKING CARE OF MYSELF (NOTICE WHERE THAT IS ON THE LIST).....I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU MANY CREATIVE, AND INSPIRING WOMEN WHAT YOU DO TO STAY FOCUSED....A HINT, AN IDEA OR WHAT LOCKS YOU PUT ON YOUR DOORS TO KEEP FROM BEING INTERRUPTED....:)

Lollipops & Polkadots

2010-01-12T15:42:00.000-08:00

What a Fun & Fabulous store! I don't get the opportunity to visit my stores very often, and this was a real treat!! This little boutique in Yorba Linda(click on photo to go to website) has everything a girl could want....cute clothes, accessories, shabby/girlie decor (for sale) & PARTIES!! I met with Bertha, who is behind the counter. Her & Michele are the owners and you can tell right away that their heart is poured into their business.

What little princess wouldn't want this in her boudoir?

Susan Brown, a wonderful artist also sells her original art here...

Here, you can see one of my dresses hanging behind the counter.

More Susan.....aren't these wonderful? And very reasonably priced for original art.

This is the party table. If only the chairs were bigger...

The parties feature tutu's and pampering with face painting, and jewelry making.

You can never have too much pink.

If you are looking for a fun place to have a party that your little missy will always remember, don't forget about this wonderful boutique. And while the girls are giggling in tutus.....you can admire the art, and furniture and chandeliers that are custom made and for sale!!

Thank you to Bertha and Michelle for making this such a fun visit and giving me the tour....I will look forward to dropping off orders personally!!

SHop GiRl

2010-01-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

Today I am taking an order to a boutique near my home. They ordered quite a few of my dresses. It is called Lollipops & Polkadots (isn't that a cute name?) They have little tea parties there. I will bring my camera and share photos later.

Visiting stores is something I seldom do, since I sell mostly wholesale, and mostly in the South. But my Los Angeles Rep has been doing a great job in getting me in stores in my area. Seeing your product in a store is like hearing your song on the radio............ :) I'm off to deliver my wares..

Goodbye to Peter......

2010-01-04T20:12:00.000-08:00

I went to a funeral today for a man that I know wanted to stay.

I saw his family so broken at his going.

His friends all gathered to remember good times.

Little children whose memory of him will soon be erased.

I had communion and thought of hereafter.

Moments that trickle by as I sat there and felt the heaviness of a book being closed.

Pages that would never be written.

I said goodbye today to a man that didn't want to leave.

(1-4-2010 Peter Laurie Braden's funeral.)

I want to fill every moment with meaning....

New Pencils

2009-12-30T09:56:00.001-08:00

I love the days before the NEW YEAR....It reminds me of the first day of school with new notebooks, brand new freshly sharpened pencils....anything is possibleDo you make resolutions? I do. This time of year is a forgiving time..... a fresh start. Makes me think of one of my favorite sayings: "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"

Each of us should start the new year with this in mind. Our potential is limitless.... with ambition, hard work and passion.....you can do anything (although ballerina has probably passed me by -- maybe not you though!)

We just purchased a Cello!! Never played an instrument....why not? Exactly!!

I wanted to feature these beautiful paintings by a very talented artist, ROZ. I love all of her images, of nature, girls on swings.....so beautiful and warm. I especially like the fortune cookie, you can have your own painting commissioned with your very own fortune on it!! What a great way to start the new year....a reminder of how far you want to go...where you want to live....how you want to live.

A fresh start... a new beginning.

I hope that the New Year brings you all of your own possibilities. A "Toast" to friends encouraging each other to Be and Do their Best!

Christmas Chicken Wisdom

2009-12-21T10:52:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all of my Blogging friends and family....Tessy is here to remind you to just sit and rest. Take time to stretch your wings and be with the ones you love (notice how perfect Tess has applied her eyliner for her first photo shoot). I told her it was casual....but girls will be girls.........

With all the hustle & Bustle the Holidays bring... being with those you love is the greatest gift of all....and Tess & Penny are celebrating their first Christmas in Sunny California, where the rocks are warm....the food is plenty and they skys are not cloudy all day.....

Take time to Cherish..............

We will be spending time with our family (and furry, feathered friends) this week. Wishing you all a time of reflection and Gratitude for all the the Blessings in your life.

God Bless you Every ONE..

Chickens & Cake

2009-12-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Wanted to share with you a few pics of my party. Wonderful food, my family....and check out this cake! My sister in law ordered it for me from my favorite bakery. Marzipan on the outside, the whistle and handle are white chocolate. Raspberry and Bavarian cream filling.....yummy. It's been one week since my party.....I like the streamers still up. Looks so festive. Maybe crepe paper streamers could be up all the time......makes the house look "happy"

My sweet husband was busy making martinis for everyone and we all enjoyed wonderful pasta, garlic bread......my boys know my heart.....they picked out two of the most adorable chicks for me

I heard chirping in the house and my first thought was that my doggies had brought a bird in......then I saw this sweet little face. There were two. One died. I have since given little Penny a new little sister. Show you pics soon. They are happy and growing so fast. It's too cold to keep them outside so we are all enjoying their company inside.

My sweet husband made the most beautiful slide show of my life....from birth, swim lessons, labor (could have done without 30 people viewing this photo of me.), but it was my story...flashing before my eyes .
He had "Isn't she Lovely" playing during the slide....I can honestly say I don't remember when I felt so loved.. Knowing that he knows me in my absolute worst.....and my story is now part of his story.......a better gift I could not have asked for.

50 is the youth of old age

2009-12-01T10:45:00.000-08:00

This is the beginning of the next half of my century. I turn 50 this Friday. Still sounds funny.... I am sure I seem 50 to my kids....but I certainly don't feel it. "Getting old ain't for sissies" I am going to be a tough old broad....with a soft center.

Sort of Like Dear Katherine.

And do and wear whatever I want....even if it is the wrong century....Like Tasha...

You know how when your birthday is coming and all of your favorite restaurants start sending you reminders (and free appetizer coupons); along with cards from all of those places that you forgot you gave your birth date to? I am happy Anthropologie remembered....Well, THIS year I also recieved an invitation to live in an "active" senior community in Texas or Arizona....Should I pack my bags, teeth & Ben Gay or should I give it a couple of years?

I love this quote: "40 is the old age of youth; 50 is the youth of old age"

I am a teenager again. Yeah!

What I am thankful for......the day after

2009-11-27T20:16:00.001-08:00

My first ever turkey....26 lbs. (those are herbs above the wing....I know it looks burnt.) The day was wonderful....I felt as if I had finally graduated from UEWS (University of Entertaining without stress). I made everything...except rolls and vegetables for 17 people. I am usually quite the stress queen and honestly never seem to completely enjoy myself for fear that something might not be "perfect"

I read in Ina Garten's book that the most important part of having your guests enjoy themselves is being a relaxed and gracious hostess. Have you ever been to a home for dinner and you almost feel like you are imposing because the hostess is so worried. You think no one will notice, but they do. (and "sorry" should never be a word used at a dinner party") Everything is just as it was meant to be.....

The girls were happy. We were happy. I made wonderful Pear, Ginger martinis....yummy! And most of the dishes were made the day before, the oranges filled with sweet potatoes, pecans, brown sugar & maple syrup....and a dollop of marshmallow cream on top; stuffing with sausage and apples.

My sweet sister in law came over and we peeled potatoes, watched "Emma" *Gwyneth Paltrow version, and just had a wonderful time looking through magazines, checking the turkey and visiting until people arrived. It was a beautiful, warm & sunny day here in Calif, and the best part was I enjoyed myself every minute.....and I know they did too.

Hope you all had a wonderful day of giving Thanks....and now on to.........Christmas!

2009-11-23T19:52:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a Thanksgiving full of time with those we love; wonderful food and memories to carry us until next year.

2009-11-14T21:25:00.000-08:00

"For Beautiful Eyes, look for good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; for poise, walk with a knowledge that you are never alone." Audrey Hepburn

Get out of the Way Thanksgiving.......

2009-11-10T20:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas is in a big hurry!! I am so happy that Georgia from Saltwater Studios invited me back to share my wares with her at the Christmas Company. If you have never been......Go!(click on photo for info.) Every year the Orange County Junior League has this wonderful event at the OC Fairgrounds. There are over 90 Vendors and so much fun shopping to be had......I had to summon some help from the Christmas Fairy to get me in the spirit....as I have yet to plan my Thanksgiving menu

I will have some of my Baby Line there, but I couldn't resist getting a jump on some of the things that I will be selling on my soon-to-be-up (aren't you sick of me saying that?) website.

I made these card cases that I think will be a nice addition to my line.

This is my favorite. Some of them are adorned with vintage jewels....some just have fun, funky jewels. These two below are vintage.

The last two are the new pins. I have one of my own, and I love it. I made it a while ago and get so many compliments on it. I think even if you don't have business cards, just a calling card is always handy. I recently met someone that carried "mom" cards. They had her listed as "Mother of"...... and her name and info. Great idea I thought! What better way to hand out info to new friends. And now with Etsy, the design possibilities are endless. So many talented women designing personal cards. It's a piece of cake.

Even if you don't need a card case, Georgia and Wendy Humphrey will have Beautiful things to see and buy for gifts or....( I won't tell) yourself. Maybe I will see you there. It is Nov 13-15.
(Sorry Georgia, couldn't link your website for some reason.....)

Wordless Outdoor WEdnesday - Sunset at Dog Beach with Dorkies

2009-11-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

Past Fashion....................

2009-10-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

Not going to any parties.......just staying home passing out candy. But if I were......

It would be so much fun to wear.............

this

this or this....

Do you ever feel like you were born in the wrong century? I have always wanted to period dress. Check out Recollections for shopping in the past.....

Gardening like the Pros

2009-10-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I attended a gardening seminar and I got to meet .....Pat Welsh!! For those of you that don't know her...she is like the Julia Child of Southern Calif. gardening. She was in such a hurry to leave to a wedding and I grabbed her (literally) to pose with me. And I hate having my photo taken, but with her.....an exception She is a delightful lady from England and has such a way of story tellingI took three classes that day and have way too much information to share, but I will share some of my favorites..... Always incorporate your own style into your garden. Just as you would your home. Your garden isn't that piece of grass in the front or back....it is an extension of your home .

Gardens can serve a purpose as well as be beautiful....here is an example of a kitchen garden. Take advantage of those sideyards and make them beautiful. They are perfect for a cutting garden... I learned a new phrase: "Cut and come again gardens"

This is just a little photo of a space in my home with my favorite accent...chickens

Here is a playhouse that Heather Lenkin Designed.

You can go to her website and see more of her beautiful work. A lot of her ideas are very high budget.....but you can incorporate smaller versions, and her ideas of Harmony, Color and Texture can fit anyone's gardening budget.

An example of a formal garden... and her doggie. One of my favorite things to spend time with in the garden...my animals.

One of my favorites.....a rose I am training.

And my beautiful Nika.

Look how happy we are to be in this beautiful garden here....you can see Ginny's chicken coop behind us (I featured her garden in an earlier post.)
A great example of texture and color. One of the best pieces of advice: "It is better to place a $1 plant in a $10 hole, than a $10 plant ina $1 hole......invest in your soil!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, a formal garden, but you can also make it practical by making it your herb garden.

Here I am in Lake Como, Italy....strolling

Como again. The same family has been doing the gardening for this estate for over 100 years. Three little men climb up these trees and cut them all by hand.

I wanted to leave you with a few great new tips I took away from this seminar:

A garden should be a place of remembrance ( fill your spaces with items from trips, statuary of special times in your life), as well as memories from pets and family. Then years later when you are sipping that glass of iced tea in the yard you can remember that beloved pet, trip to Italy, graduation party.....a wonderful place of reflection. Myself, when someone I know loses a loved one I give them a rose to plant. A memory rose, of if they don't garden like myself, a statue (usually) an angel for their garden.

One of the speakers reminded us that so much of what we like in our gardens are smells, textures of a memory that we are usually unaware of.....I had an aha moment because my only memories of my gardens growing up were taking photos in front of my mother's roses on special occasions...always happy times(Now I know why I am determined to have lots of roses)......it's fun to try to remember your own garden memories and recreate them in your home.

2009-10-15T21:20:00.001-07:00

I HEART hats. You can ask anyone who knows me and they will all say they can find me by my hat most of the time. I have been furiously working on my new designs and website. I will carry my baby line, along with things that I adore and can't live without. Half the fun of great finds is sharing them.

I spent a little time in photoshop working on these. They will be available on my website. Aren't they fun?

I know so many people that say they don't think they look good in a hat. I think that is silly......they just haven't found the right one. How much time do you really spend trying on hats? I hope to sell lots and lots of my hats to women that thought they could never wear them before...... a hat can make any outift better or just a simple straw with a wide brim is my favorite. I will be selling this one for 67.00, including stunning vintage pin!! there is a buy it now at the top if you can't wait.....the pins will all be different so if this is the one you want...........

Wordless Autumn Beauty Wednesday

2009-10-14T11:40:00.001-07:00

Can't wait!!

2009-10-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the second Glitterfest!! I am so excited and will be there when the doors open. The first one was so much fun and this one will be even bigger and better. I can't take photos.....so sad...hubby took camera hiking....I don't know about you, but I would rather see Glitter and sparkles over dirt and trees.......................come by if you can.....click on photo for info.

Baby Business

2009-10-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

click on photo for larger view

New designs are now officially in the showrooms. This is the birthday girl dress..... the cake has low-lead crystal rhinestones to add to that special day. This is the little shopper, complete with leopard purse and trim.

My website isn't quite ready to go yet.......but I wanted to make these available to all of my bloggers. They are just starting to make it into stores (not many yet, because I do the shipping). They are pre-washed and soft cotton with nylon tutu attached, and are a little wider than most to accomodate getting off and on.

This is an exclusive offer that will only be available this week. When my new website is up (soon I hope) you will be able to purchase them there or at a store near you.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-30T20:07:00.001-07:00

Roadside view in Colorado..............

Lounging on a Sunny Sunday

2009-09-27T14:15:00.001-07:00

Working upstairs I heard a bowl scooting across the cement. Guess who? My Hubby left his gate open and Henry was helping himself to some coffee grounds intended for my roses.

I wonder if he would be faster......

Since I just took a photo of Henry I decided to share some of my little backyard world. We have a small backyard (California Real Estate!) and recently took our grass out and put in gravel. It took some convincing to my hubs that it wouldn't look like an old parking lot. I think it is quite nice. AND saves water. Which is very important since I have two sons who shower numerous times a day! We recently had a cozy dinner party at our home and everyone wanted to hang out here. With candles at night it was very nice...and cool in the Summer.

"Here Henry......have some grapes instead."

The first Hydrangea to survive in my yard. I am so happy it's blue. There is a caterpillar on one of the flowers. Every year they come and evolve on my passion fruit across my deck. The plant looks hideous with caterpillars all over it, and I have to sweep the droppings....but then one day.......beautiful butterflies all over the garden!!!

I don't usually plant orange in my garden....This is one rose with two different colors....couldn't resist.

Every Garden needs a Garden Angel....She watches over my labor of love

The first of my apples to ripen. Even if you have a small yard you can fill it with fruit trees....I love to pick a fresh lemon, basil, or tomato from my garden.

A little peek at my everyday life.

Not that exciting....but worth every minute!

Sunrise ~ Sunset

2009-09-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

I have an affinity to old graveyards. I love the reverence, the detailed sentiment. Just knowing these were all people who were loved long ago and perhaps no one comes to visit them anymore.
The past, dark and colorless looking at the vibrant life that goes on around it.

I imagine these once filled with flowers that loved ones brought after church on Sunday. A day of rest...a day with family....even those who have gone ahead of us.

Entire families.....year by year........laid to rest together. Everyone so young. Life was shorter then.

One thing that stood out in my mind was the absolute detail of time lived....today we just say from 1932-2009 etc. They counted, the months, and days. Somehow reading them is an honoring of sorts. Most of the women didn't even have their names on their stones....they were always listed as "wife of" "mother of". We had a different definition then. We were definded by those we married and brought into the world....and sometimes if we never married....some said "daughter of."

It really is a circle of life....a bumpy crooked circle. Live life every day. Count each and every one a blessing as they did.

THE FAMILY CHAIN

We little knew that morning,

God was going to call your name,

In life we loved you dearly,

In death we do the same

It broke our hearts to lose you,

You did not go alone.

For part of us went with you

The day God called you home

You left us beautiful memories,

Your love is still our guide,

And though we cannot see you,

You are always at our side.

Our family chain is broken,

and nothing seems the same,

But as God calls us one by one,

THE CHAIN WILL LINK AGAIN.
(dedicated to my cousin Gregg who left us way too soon.....)

The Path Before us

2009-09-08T19:47:00.001-07:00

My trip to Breckenridge was a journey into my past I guess you could say. This is my great Aunt May and My grandmother Ruth Kirkpatrick. They had a ranch in Breckenridge. Here they are the two sassy pure-blooded Irish Lassies striking a pose at AuntyMay's Ranch about 7 miles outside of town. This is the historical marker that sits on the property of her home in town. I always knew about it, but had never visited. My dad and uncle spent their summers here as young boys, helping on the ranch and getting into trouble in their spare time. It was an innocent time. A beginning. 1922.

The Gold Rush was on and Uncle Olaf (Johnson, aunt May's husband) was a gold engineer and came here to strike it rich. He earned a decent living and my sweet aunt Lillian still wears the gold nugget that he gave to her when she and my uncle spent their honeymoon here. She still tells me stories of how they would sneak off to the forrest for some romance and the deer were always a captive audience.

I imagined my dad as a young boy....just running in this yard.

scampering up the steps for a refreshing drink of lemonade.....then back out again.

I stood at this door for quite a while. I knew that his hand must have touched this door a hundred times....my sweet uncle who is still living, as well. And my grandma and Aunt May, whom I never met. My family was here. RIGHT here. Where I am now. It was a moment for me. I feel emotional just writing about it.

Here I am on her porch. It has been lived in by the same person since the 50's. He was out of town ( a neighbor told us). So I very boldy looked in the windows, sat on the porch....
this was part of my heritage and I wanted to soak it up.

This is the only train of it's kind in the U.S. It was loaned to Breckenridge by the Canadians. (Those Canadians are always so gracious. ) The snow was so bad at times that the town couldn't receive mail or supplies......so this acted as a giant snowplow....I am giving you my Vanna White.

The barn across the street. I loved standing in the front of the house and seeing what they saw so many years ago.

A statue to represent the foundations of this beautiful town.

This is an upstairs window thatI imagine my father looked out of many times. Maybe to watch the snow fall in winter, a deer and her new fawn cross the street, or maybe just to pass the time and daydream of what was to come....

I cherish this time at Breckenridge.

My sweet Dad has been gone for a long time now. He wanted to be cremated and cast in the sea....I always felt a little sad that there wasn't a place I could go to to visit him.....now I have found it, and along with him, so many others from my past. We will take our boys here this winter. We will ski, admire the beauty and they will hear stories of people they never met that are and forever will be a part of them.

2009-09-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

CHRISTINE ANNETE.....Come on down!!!! You are the fabulous queen found worthy (by a totally random drawing) to wear the Crown!!!!
Please forgive lack of photos.......It's hot and I just wanted to get to it.......we only care who wins, anyway, right? Please email me and give me your address so that I can send it off to you. I know you will love it as much as I love mine. I only wish I had one for all of you!!!
karen@kareneileendesigns.com

2009-09-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

will be drawing a name tonite PST. Approx 9:00 p.m.. So those of you who were worried....You will be entered....and those last minute ones too!!! Good Luck!

Last day to Enter to WIN!!!!!

2009-09-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the day!!!! Make sure to enter for drawing...

FIT FOR A QUEEN~~GIVE AWAY!!!

2009-08-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

200th Post Give away! Actually this is 201 now. I am waiting to post photos from my wonderful trip (great stories to tell too), so that I can share back with all of you wonderful readers out there. This a fabulous crown with a 12" chain. I cannot tell you how many compliments I receive when I wear mine. So much so that it prompted me to sell them on my new website coming soon!! It will be a few more weeks until I get my site up, but I have a few in inventory, so if you would like one (if you don't win), email me and I will get that to you. (they are 32.00)....but enough of THAT....leave a post so that I can enter your name in the drawing. Will list winner on Thursday. FORGOT TO MENTION....IT HAS RHINESTONES....VERY SPARLKLY~~~~~~~

ursday.

2009-08-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

I completely forgot...my last post was my 200th!! Am thinking what my give-away will be.....will let you know today!! Come back for a chance to win!!

2009-08-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

LIKE A HONEYMOON....My dear hubby and I were on an adventure for five glorious days. In 22 years we have never taken a vacation without our kids. I HIGHLY recommend it. We weren't mom or dad, or coach or team mom.....just honey and sweetie. We were actually a little giddy at times. We were telling Everyone it was our first getaway in 22 years! You would have thought we were newlyweds!

Just wanted to say "hello we are back", and I look forward to sharing all of the beauty we enjoyed in Boulder, and Breckenridge Colorado. I am forever convinced that you need a break with just the two of you. . I don't think I can separate myself from everything unless I get on a plane, don't do any dishes for days and sleep until I wake up....bliss. You forget how in love you still are and sometimes a little space is just the ticket....

KING HENRY

2009-08-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

How is it possible to have a pet for 10 years and be wrong about the sex? Henrietta is now Henry. He was missing for a few days and a kind neighbor took him into her back yard. Her grandchildren thought he was soooo "cute". Then he proceeded to make love to a pot in their back yard, whereupon the children laughed and said, "Look, it's like he's trying to start a motorcyle."
When my hubby went over to bring him home, he still insisted he was a she until the neighbor told him that he saw his......are you ready for this?.........His 5th leg!!! Ewwwwwww!!!! I guess Henry never loved any of our pots to show his true colors. Maybe I should find out what kind of pot it was so he isn't lonely.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-08-12T10:08:00.001-07:00

lazy days of summer

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-08-12T10:07:00.001-07:00

FARM LIVIN' IS THE LIFE FOR ME

2009-08-09T14:51:00.001-07:00

I know I have a farmer's heart.....don't these eyes just melt you?! I LOVE going to the fair for one thing only.....the animals I even love the smell of the barn (which my dear hubby pointed out what the smell actually was...) I think it's the alfalfa mixed with that that makes me wish I had on my overalls and sunhat.

This little mommy is taking a break while all her little piglets are sleeping.

OOOH...who couldn't love a face like that? And look at those pretty little ears.

Both of these gals had a lot to say. I have never heard so much mooing!

This reminds me of my eldest who is 6'4 before I got him the XLong bed.

Sweet dreams littel babes....do you think they count sheep?

THIS was my favorite fair moment.....Aren't they beautiful?

Until I have my own farm animals I can visit once a year......

The Blissful Bounty

2009-08-03T22:02:00.001-07:00

These looked so lovely, I put them in a frame....don't you just love summer tomatoes? These are the fruit of my labor. I LOVE the heirlooms, small sweet ones....every year I look forward to planting new ones. I don't know which I love more....eating them or giving them to others. I realized that my tomatoes come with a cost though....I am VERY particular to whom I bless with these babies....just the other day I brought a brown bag of these jewels to a basketball game. The person of my intent was not there....I couldn't just give them to ANYONE. It had to be someone who would appreciate them. Not let them get moldy on their counter....after asking some of the other moms about home-grown tomatoes, the one with the loudest and most passionate response proved worthy of them.

One of my ABSOLUTE favorites is Fried-green tomatoes. My Dear Friend Lidy and I make it a regular trip to have fried green tomato sandwiches at my favorite restaurant. It has Apple smoked bacon and a to-die for sauce....yummy! (never count calories on seasonal food!) You must take full advantage of the short duration of its presence.

And of course....just all by themselves...no salt even needed. There is nothing better than summer barbeque with fresh sliced tomatoes.

I think it goes beyond comfort food....I think it is Blissful food. Growing your own they are cared for and nurtured for weeks. I love checking for that first hint of red or gold.

I'm telling you it's better than a cake, pie or chocolate souffle. Nothing requires the care and patience like growing your own...and the reward is so great

Perfect for frying:

Here is a great recipe from the Whistle Stop Cafe Website.

Fried Green Tomatoes3-4 green tomatoes1 1/2 cups flour1/2 cup corn meal1/2 tsp salt & peppermilkvegetable oilMix together flour, cornmeal, salt & pepper.

Add enough milk to create a thick batter. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet. Batter each tomato slice, and wipe off excess. Carefully place in hot oil, browning on both sides. (may or may not need turning, depending on the amount of oil) To cool, drain in a colander to keep tomatoes from becoming soggy. Salt to taste.If you don't want to mix your own ingredients, we developed a batter mix that makes perfect fried green tomatoes every time.

Find the batter mix at WhistleStop Cafe website using a hot oil will actually make the tomatoes crispy, but not greasy.

The Clothes I dream of

2009-07-24T13:02:00.001-07:00

I don't know about you....but I find myself always thinking that the clothes I love just don't exist. Maybe some little boutique in a cottage by-the-sea in France, but not in my neck of the woods. I love romantic, linens; soft flowing cottons.....I can imagine it, but rarely do I find it....until now.(click above photo) Paula's in Old Tustin, Calif. (Only 20 minutes from me!) Is THAT place. Not only does she have the clothing I so adore, but she has a beautiful home shop and her decor reminds me of the quirky, fun ideas you see in Anthropologie. AND...it gets better!! Food. My faves too: Lemonade & Licorice.

I could stay here forever. She has wonderful and very generous sales as well. Not a teeny tiny rack in the back of the store that you have to hunt for, filled with all the not-so-great stuff....but great things all OVER the store half off! Her choice in designers all share one thing in common, quality and fashion at its best....AND....ALL sizes. Fashion should come in every size don't you think?

These beautiful headbands are made by my dear Friend, Kim. She is also designing for my new hat and baby headband line....lucky me

And wonderful Books.....my favorite cooking show....The barefoot Contessa. I just love the sound of her voice...

Shoes and Art for sale.

Can you imagine this with a beautiful summer hat? Sipping a nice glass of southern tea?

You can never have too much black or white. Flattering and it goes with every season.

Shoe sale....

Paula's loves TRAVEL, BOOKS, ROMANCE, COMFORT, HOME, SHOES, ART, ARTISAN JEWELRY......the list is almost too long. But if you are like me and you love linen....this is the answer to your prayers.....plus licorice and lemonade....what more could a girl want?

139 W. 1st street Tustin, calif 97780 /877-503-1856

http://www.shoppaula.com/

2009-07-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

I am taking a little break from blogging for the next few weeks. I will be focusing on my new website and designs that will be up and running soon.