~SiLveR BeLLa * ShOw aNd TeLLa~*

For more pictures of

Silver Bella

click here

and

here

too!

To see pictures of some of my creations

visit my studio blog

I will be posting more narrative on the event later,

I just wanted to get some pictures posted.

Blessings!

~*~

Silver Bella Preparations~**

*

*~Dear Friends ~*

I invite you to read my post

 about getting ready

for Silver Bella

on my

studio blog

(which you can find by clicking on the link above,
or the ragamuffin gal picture on my side bar,

or simply just click here!)

I will be posting pictures

from SB right here

on this very blog.

Until then... here are some

fun photos of my friends from the weekend.

Sally and Amanda

at Sally's Open House.

Together they create lots of beautiful things

for our Christmas lists.

Mary Ellen at Leola's Open House
(for more fabulous pictures of Leola's Open House,
just click on and visit Mandy's blog and Jan's blog as
they took some fabulous photos and their blogs are
 so worth the visits there!)

Here is a short apron I was inspired
 to create this weekend. 

Hope you are enjoying

your week! Much Love

and many

Blessings!

Fleeting Childhood ~ Falling Leaves

I was blessed to live the first 10 years of my life
 on an idealytic farm complete with a big red barn
 and custom built (by my dad) orchard treehouse.

Fall was always a mysterious time of the year

for me.  I rode a school bus and crossed

through the orchard and climbed over a wooden

ladder (carefully as I wore little dresses my
seamtress grandmother designed and
sewedfor me). Then I walked to an open field 

by my dad's propane tanks that had a gravel lane

 for the bus to drive into and picked us up.

It was always an adventure to see

what orchard fruit the trees were producing and

dropping...   if black walnuts, then my brother

and I would pick and sack them up for sale

 until our hands were dark brown.

At times it was persimmons,

I can still remember my first bitter taste.

While I was hoping for more a peachy/apricot

delight, I tasted the strange sensation

and had to spit it our quickly.

Even today I love the mysteries of Fall,

the leaves turning (seemingly overnight)

the smells, the briskness of the morning air,

the brighter than summer days sun,

and the sounds and whispers

that puts nature to sleep.

The taste of apples, candy corn, popcorn,

and cider.  The squeals of costume kids

dreaming of stuffed bags of happy delights,

make me shiver with mystery.

I love Fall!

I love the days leading up to family get togethers,

with familiar recipes, out of town relatives,

road trips to visit them,

and

planning for the Holidays.

As I write this I am looking out over our back yard

covered almost completely in leaves.

Young Ollie's little head popping up as he

chases the falling leaves.

And sweet older Heide

underneath the wooden bench

waiting for Ollie to calm down and come lay

beside her.

Fall Always blesses me

And I hope and pray

it is blessing

YoU!

~~*~~

All pictures were taken by me at Leolas except the top one which is from
Capt. Piper.  And the pictures of mom, brother John, and Jaclyn at
her Oct. birthday get together And the one of Lauren's children
 on Halloween this year. The last one is of the apron I found at
Leolas for Silver Bella vendors night.

Getting My SpOOk On~**!

I received two items in the mail recently

that have put me in the mood

for Hallow's Eve.

First a ghoulish hanging collage from Anna my dear

And...

a Sweet yet sinister ATC from friend

and fellow Silver Bella ~ Linda

... So

Tell Me...

What Are YoU

doing????

To get your spOOk On???

Happy Fall Blessings!

~Extreme Heart Makeover*

Maybe you saw our fair city on last week's Extreme Makeovers. 

They had a page spread about it in our local newspaper today. 

What stood out the most to me was the gracious way the family

received this humongo gift.  They were so genuine and
 unpretenious in all of the remarks they made to reporters. 
They and all the people in our community who
supported this effort, made me so proud to be

a Springfieldian.

After watching all of the festivities and reading the newspaper
 articles, I am convinced that there are two kinds of people: 

those who wish it would happen to them and
wonder "how can I get me some of that?"

And then there are those who wish to find someone
 to help like that with whatever resources they can give.

I don't which category is yours, but I know which one I wish
to be in, so through some soul seaching, prayer,
 and being led to just the right place,
I have came up with a way I think I can use
 what I have to bless and help others.
to "give back." 

I found this on a lovely blog called Clearly Vintage 
where they had a journals for
cancer patients challenge. 
Well, I am way late for their challenge,
but I am not too late to challenge myself
 to make some journals that cancer patients can use to
write down their cancer journey. 

This is especially precious to me as I currently
 have two dear friends battling cancer
and my mom is a five year survivor. 

How can I not help this most worthy cause.

I love giving back and would love to hear of other ways

you or someone you know or even something you heard

about that is a way of "giving back" ~
so please let me know.
Happy Creating Blessings!

Gratfully Yours~*

Katie

I was the lucky recipitent of a RAK from

Barb Johnson and a package of her backgrounds.

I am having so much fun playing with all of the

textures and colors.  The image is from Itkupilli 
and all are part of my "I'm no angel" altered art series which
I am happily working on now. Please visit my studio blog for more updates.

In my blog visits tonight (Thursday) I found Amanda at Maygreen Fairies
that she is hosting a handmade for Haiti sale.  How wonderfully gracious Amanda!

~*SaTurDay FaMiLiars**

I can still remember the first time
 I saw a pair of Levis 50ls...

I was at the swimming pool & one of the
older "cool" high school

girls came walking in with a pair on.

and I can remember thinking

"Wow - I love those jeans!"

and
I have had a pair in my closet ever since.

The picture above is of my favorite pair.

They use to be my husband's jeans. 

Several years ago they went into
the rag pile

and I dug them out. 

They use to be way too big,

and I loved the baggy fit. 

But after several years of washing

and me growing, they fit like a dream, and

they are the ones I grab every Saturday.

They were way too long,
so I cut them off a couple of years ago.

I just love the way they feel!!!
And since they are kind of raggy
they fit this ragamuffin gal.

I have several old familiars,
Things I turn to again and again
because they give me such confort.

Here is a list of some of my
Old Familiars:

1. My favorite necklace

made by Sam i am creations

2.  rootbeer

3.  The Library Center

4.  Jack Prelutsky Poetry

5.  Country Living Magazine

6.  My Best Friends ~ Sally, Dulcy, and Relyn

7.  PBS Jane Austens book's movie adaptations

8.  Music by Rich Mullins

9.  Chai Banana Smoothies

10.  My classroom when I
open the door in the morning

My classroom as I open the door

11.  My daily phone conversations with my mom

12.  Watching the Lord of The Rings movie triology
one more time

13.  Leolas

14.  My favorite Artists,
 Anahata, Marsha, and Debrina,

15. Animals that sit quietly in your lap or beside you
 while you stroke them

16.  Friends I have met and made
that I love to return to visit their blogs
over and over again.
Nest Happenings
Summer Sundays
Linda Jo's Obsessions
Mrs. E.'s Easy Street & Quothe She

What are some of your Old Familiars?

I would love to hear about them.

Wishing you many

Happy October Days!!!

 Katie

*~You can't always Get What You Want*~

I was racing home last week to see,

of all things, a premiere of a favorite TV Show.

It was a race against the clock,

one in which I was sure to lose.

I was so intent on pressing my gas peddle

closer to the floor with one eye on the passing minutes

on the clock, that I almost missed it....

A georgeous Missouri Sunset.

I immediately went from rushing home

to rushing to the next hill

that would give me a better view.

I had almost missed seeing it,

a beautiful sight that has me still smiling

as I think about it.
I can only say Thank you God for allowing

me this glimpse of your created glory.

*~*

And I think... how many times have I missed

the precious small gifts of life

because my eyes have been focused on something else,

Something bigger or more important in my mind.

~*~

When the truth of it is

I have more than I need to make me happy

if I would just slow down and look around me.

~*You can't always get what you need,

but if you try sometimes...

You get what you need*~

Here to you getting just what you need this week!

I acturally dressed up as Mick Jagger one Halloween. All I did was wear some

tight Levis, one of my brother's white tank tees, and I

drew big lips on my face with liner. When I chose this picture

of Mick to use, Mark said, "He looks so human"

Well the picture is dated 1969. I don't think he had his crazy

freak flag flying so high then. But the Rolling stones have given

us some memorable sound bites to our lives.

~*LiVe SiMpLy ~ LoVe EveRyOne**

*

Friends,
*

I read this quote on a picture which stated

lessons I learned from my dog.

*

Live Simply ~ Love Everyone

*

I may not have a dog

(But if I could

have a dog

this one

is the kind

I would choose)

*

I think this quote

really says it all.

*

A valuable lesson

in our journey and study of life

in working with

difficult to love

people and hard situations.

*

Most of the difficulty

is centered around

*

Me..,

thinking

that somehow

I

am

more important

than them,

*

and

the situation.

*

When I change my view

*

and begin to think less of me,

*

then I find

that it is much

easier to live with them

and the situation.

*

My friends

sometimes call this

choosing your battles wisely,

*

I call it...

a

beautiful

*

Peace-filled

*

release!

*

May you find happiness

in whatever situatio you find yourself in today!

*

blessings Aways,

*

kt

*

Unless stated otherwise, the vintage photos found on my blog are from my own

personal and private collection and may be used in your art work.

*