~ * Bliss And Inspiration *~

Each Season Comes with it own

JOY ~

~ * It is up to us to find them!

This weekend I set out for Leola's

for inspiration and bliss ~ *

And I was not disappointed,

I never am...

Good Friend and Neighbor Jan,

a proprietress of Leolas.

She has a great blog and you can visit

Summer Sundays by clicking here!

You will love it!

My friend Dulcy and I were thinking ~

Other than online and an occasional trip

to pick up grocery items,

there in no other place we acturally visit

 to shop beside Leolas. 

If you are even close to Ozark

you should stop in and see

what we are talking about!

It has been a beautiful weekend

here in Southwest Missouri.

I hope you are experiencing

Joy, Bliss, and Inspiration

wherever you are

finding yourself

these days!

Wishing YOU many many

Almost Spring

BLESSINGS!

I am teaching myself how to use photo shop elements.

Here is my second try! I put the image inside the scene.

Then I put a filter over it!  If you have any suggestions

for visual tutorials, please let me know ~

it would be most appreciated!

MaNy NeW yEaR bLeSsiNgS~**~

May Your New Year Dreams Take Flight!
Dear Friends,

WiShiNg YoU mAnY NeW YeAr BleSsiNgS!!!



I have decide that the theme of 2009

will be re~connecting!

God has been whispering this into my ear

throughout the Holiday Season~

reconnecting with old friends,

reconnecting with what is really important in my life,

reconnecting with simplicity,

reconnecting with creativity,

And

reconnecting more often with Him!

Those are my dreams for 2009~

What are yours?

(The winged manequin is from Leola's store window in early December)

~*ThiS cOuLd Be tHe StArT oF SoMeThiNg BIG!~*

~**~ HAPPY FALL ~**~

I love this pumpkin couple from Leola's

Dear Friends,

Things I love about Fall!

The beginning of a new rug for my Fall front door~

Mr. Pumpkin Man

Top picture, my good friend Dulcy,
rug designer extrodinaire.

Below, is Tammy, our rug hooking teacher

and dyer of the most perfect colors of wool

for rug hooking.

Visit her blog here ~ Skip To My Ewe

1. Rug Hooking

with friends at Simply Fibers

on Wed. nights.

2. Putting together Fall

arrangements

to decorate our home.

3. Being Inspired to create new things!

4. Going to Leola's

for friendly coversation

and fabulous vintage

Fall-themed merchandise.

Here's hoping all of your

Fall Days are days

you love!

~* MoRe * LoVeLy * DiScoVeRys *~

More lovely discoveries ~

A western themed Tea Room next to Leola's

I am always in the mood to go next door

for a shopping trip to Leola's

(each time I go, things are changed

so there are always new things to dream about)

I thought this vanity set was lovely.

~**~

I found this used Kate Greenaway book

at a used bookstore. So I dolled it up

as a present for a friend.

Close up of the tag

~***~

Little girl in a window at the Art Walk

throw faux snow up in the air

while twirling and laughing.

~*~

More Leola's

I just love this blue green color

with the red, How about you?

I could take a summer nap on

this chaise lounge.

Tag hanger I made for good friend Betsy

My Thrift Store 8 Swap Package

ready to send to Kelly on 8-8-08

Bird box wrapped and tagged

ready to send to Patti of the Altered Attic blog.

When you find cat hair on my packages~

She is the culprit ~

Sophie thinks I have done all of

this just for her!

I will write again soon!

Blessings,

Katie

~** LoVeLy * DiScoVeRieS ~**

Dear Friends,

Today's Lovely Discoveries

Are ....

Last week while at Leolas,

I spied .....

A SuitCaSe FuLL of FaDed BeaUtiEs.

Only one grabbed my attention and heart,

Her once grand dress had dulled to a faded pink.

Her face was dark and brooding.

Her hair had been all but lost through her hard years.

She was bald so a little babushka scarf was gently wrapped

about her head which gave her a wild gypsy look.

Do you know which one I chose?

I gently picked her up and whispered

"Nothing bad is ever going to happen to you again."

I paid for her and now she sits regally upon a shelf

in my studio watching all of my daily manovers.

Watching, waiting, living her life in my care.

She understands what is going on and eagerly awaits

the day I will take her down and refashion her into a

beautiful art creation.

And as I write this I think.....

Isn't this a picture of what God did for me,

He chose me apart from the rest,

carries me, holds me, and places me in

his gentle care. He paid for me

and He whispers to me,

"Nothing bad is going to happen to you

that I will not be with you through it all

child of mine."

I wait, I watch Him work in the world

around me. And as bruised and damaged as

I have become, I am not weary because

I can eagerly await the day

when I will be created anew and

given a body that is perfect for eternity.

*~Blessings Friends~*

*** A little note for those who

visited my blog and left a comment

anytime during my

blogiversary ~ 1 year celebration

week! I only

have about half of the address I

need to send out your party happy.

Please email me with your address

sometime this week so I can get them

all mailed out.

ksragamuffin@aol.com

~*~ Thank You!

~**~ HaViNg SoMe SumMeR FuN!!!~**~ Leola's Open House & KC trip!

Leola's daughters and grandaughter

there to welcome you and make you feel welcomed

with a smile, laugh, or some lovely goodies!

Two dolls I would love to take home

and alter up a little!

Those brownie bites covered in

powder sugar were dee~lish!

Name hanger I created for

Beth's daughter Shelby.

Trip To KC

Stayed on the Plaza

and went to all my favorite places:

Anthropologie

The Cheesecake Factory

& The Curious Sofa

Mark even found something to amuse him!

One of my favorite things to do in stores

like Anthropologie is to rearrange items

and then take pictures of them!

Fill in the blanks with two A's

Where we plan on going for vacation

after our next big one to Canada next year!

(Mark lived there for 2 years and really

wants to go back and see it again ~ he

doesn't have to twist my arm)

Name Hanger for Chris

(I got it into the mail for her today!)

Summer is in Full Swing

At Ragamuffin Gal's!!!