photo by Daisyluvinbutterfly                                                      Alfresco - in the fresh air Don't have to pre-clean and post-clean the inside of the house (does not work at our place, because the party always moves indoors eventually)Outside everything can be hosed off, including the children and dogsCricket, frogs, and the sounds of running water (depending on what it is running from) are soothingEveryone (no exceptions here ) and everything looks more attractive in candlelightThe food can be simpler and it is more likely others will offer to bring something for a picnic or BBQAdults can eat and talk and the kids can eat and runEverything goes with JelloPaper plates and napkins can be used to start the wood fire for toasting marshmallowsEveryone sleeps better after ta... 07/15/2007

  photo by K@telyn Since a stager on Active Rain suddenly finds herself with child and is wondering "what to do with her growing business", I though a few  quotes from other women on the subject might be in order. I know that I have had many interesting and fulfilling jobs, but motherhood (if that is a job) has been the best of all.  The others have come and gone, but I will always be a MOM. Now that my own children are starting out on their own , I'm finding a whole new group, that aren't biologically my children, but call me Mom just the same.Former ABC World New Tonight co-anchor Elizabeth Vargas, explaining why she left the program when she became pregnant with her second child, on The Oprah Winfrey Show"I was finding it more and more difficult to do that job the way I wanted to do ... 07/14/2007

The three basic neutral hues used to be black, white, and beige.  Their inherent beauty was that they went with everything - the simple choices.  Then along came camel, taupe, and gray which provided more variations on the basic theme.  Today, however, the "new neutrals" have a completely new definition.  These are colors that simply and beautifully complement most of the other colors in the spectrum.The right shade is the sticking point.  A soft buttery yellow will go with about everything, but school bus yellow looks best on buses,  rain slickers, and children's rubber duck boots.  Imagine a pale mustard shade that is not too bright and not too dull, but just quietly remains in the background, allowing furnishings to take the center stage. The same can be said of green.  Spring green ... 07/14/2007

  OK - so now you know- I love cast offs, the abandoned & forlorn objects of other people's wrath. A ding, a nick - that is nothing to me. Replace a table top - sure in fact, I have 4 legs that need a top - presto, table.This talent (obsession) started when I was but a wee lass.  My father was a very talented inventor and re-purposer.  Almost everything would "Come in handy " someday and a lot of things did.  I rescued an old wooden bench from our local dump along with two puppies that I found homes for.  The bench I painted, decal-ed, and sold for $90.00.  What encouragement to this young entrepreneur.Now when a church or other organization has a Vacation Bible School program, a Christmas musical. wedding or other event - I am the "go to" person.  Need  retro clocks - how many?  Top ha... 06/11/2007