Lent and Easter

Hello Dear Blogging Friends...with the Holy Easter Season upon us I decided to post tonight a few of the devotional items that I make. I do boutiques in churches and sell my items there. Also have a few in my etsy shop.
I have made many things in my life but this by far is the most rewarding, giving me peace and hope. I feel so blessed and feel that I am spreading the love of God.

This is a collage of the Virgen of Guadalupe. The rest are sachet pillows.

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, your name is near.

Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

We love Him,because He loved us first.

I will leave you with these words...May you walk the path before you, with Angels by your side, and may the peace and love of God within your heart abide. C. Harison.

Some of My Favorite Things

Hello to all my dear friends,
This week I decided to show you some of my favorite things around the house, mostly white since I joined Faded-Charm for White Wednesday. I will tell you a little bit about them as we start the tour. Hope you enjoy them.
This pretty hand I purchased at Home Goods a couple of years ago and I added the lace trim, little rose and of course the large rose.


We love romantic things. This is in our bedroom.

First rose of Spring.

Stunning cream color body form I bought her at a lovely boutique shop.


Lovely lady is from Ross and I decorated her, I really like Miss Lily.

Pink body form is from a boutique, she has been with me about three years.

My favorite pillow is this huge rose pillow. We had a darling little shop not far from home with many handmade items, sorry to say they are now gone.

On our 50th wedding anniversary we went up to Solvang and Los Olivos with our daughter and her husband, this is what I wore for our special dinner at Fess Parker Inn. We had a wonderful three days.

I love this dove resting on the hands of Jesus. They are in our bedroom.

This little bench I bought at The Barn in Encinitas, perhaps some of you have been there or sold there. It's an enchanting store. I get many compliments on it.

I saw this darling table lamp at Lamps Plus and of course had to have it because it had pink crystals. It's in my studio.

This gorgeous chandelier is also in my studio, it matches the table lamp.

So this is it my friends, just some of my favorite things. Of course, I have more but decided on these for my post today. I enjoyed showing them to you. Have a wonderful week as we head into the end of February.

My Friend's Gift Shop

Hello everyone, hope all of you had a wonderful day today.
Well today I would like to show you a darling gift shop that belongs to a very dear friend of mine who I have known for about 30 years. It is located here in So. CA and close to my home. Country Gifts 5911 Temple City Blvd. Temple City, CA 91780 ... She offers vintage shabby furniture, seasonal decor, fine tea accessories and handmade items. If you are ever in this area, please do stop by. Here are a few pictures that I took just today when I stopped by for a visit.
This is painted on the side wall of the shop.


This cute cow is in front of shop, along with hand painted bird bath and doves behind it, see the squirrel on that tree stump to the left?

She has plenty of china in lovely color combinations.

Lovely glass cabinet with pretties inside.

Wow! aren't these so very pretty...



Cute body form holding jewelry.

Look at this beautiful chandelier hanging in a corner of the shop.

I love this antique vanity.

Valentine displays.



These lavender pieces are just precious.

Here are some vintage items.

Hope you have enjoyed visiting Country Gifts owned by Betty Consolli, perhaps some day you will be able to visit in person. Till next time...

Valentine's Day a Day of Hearts

This is from my friend's Crystal's blog and etsy shop.
Blog:http://lechicbakeryboutique.blogspot.com/ and
www.etsy.com/shop/LeChicBakeryBoutique
Happy Valentine's Day to all my dear friends here on blogland. This is one of my favorite days of the year, you see I collect hearts and when one of my granddaughters was a little girl she always called me Queen of Hearts. These are only a few of my collection of beautiful hearts.

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is a holiday observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI.

So here we go...This first one is a silver "ex-voto or milagro", which I got into recently...also the next gold one.

Being deeply loved by someone, gives you Strength; Loving someone deeply gives you Courage...


Roses the flower of love...

A single rose can be my garden as a single friend my world...


Angels are always with us...


Write it on your heart that the one's you love are life's most precious gifts...


Creation is God's art work...Love is His signature...

It doesn't matter how much love you have gathered...but how much you've given away...

Follow your Heart...

In our home Happiness, In our Hearts Love...

I hope you all enjoy a beautiful and romantic Valentine's Day with your special someone and remember to always keep love in your heart...cause it's all about Love.

My Grandson the Chef

Hello Dear Friends,
The end of January is here and the weather here in CA is lovely, so decided to take you to the beach today, Manhattan Beach to be exact, let's enjoy lunch at Old Venice. This restaurant belongs to my daughter Julie and her son Andrew and daughter Natalie. Her husband Jimmy, Jimmy the Greek, as people called him was killed by a woman using her cell phone and not watching the road. Natalie is the manager and Julie, well she takes care of everything, she is a busy girl.

Here is a beautiful sunset at Manhattan Beach taken by my grandson Andrew, who is the chef at the restaurant.

And here he is, I am so proud of him taking over after his dad was killed. This photo appeared in the magazine Southbay in the culinary section.

This is the restaurant the way it looks now after rebuilding cause of a fire.


This is the article:
Old Venice, a family owned and operated restaurant featuring Greek and Italian food, has been in business in Manhattan Beach for more than 25 years. Owner/Chef Andrew Hantzaritez, who oversees a culinary team of eight, has been a resident of Redondo Beach his entire life. Andrew's parents, Jimmy and Julie Hantzarides, first opened the doors of Old Venice for business in 1984, the year Chef Andrew was born. He started cooking at the restaurant "as soon as I was old enough to stretch out a pizza" the chef says at about age 2.
The original restaurant was destroyed by fire in 2006 and despite the untimely death of Jimmy in 2008, his family rebuilt Old Venice in a manner that would honor his legacy. Jimmy was famous for his Greek hospitality and he is Chef Andrew's culinary role model. Here is Jimmy with his eternal smile.

Well dear ones this is the story about my daughter and her family. Jimmy's pictures are on the walls of the restaurant and a tile sign which says, Jimmy's Cucina. It has beautiful art work on some walls. If you are ever in CA drop in and enjoy Greek or Italian cuisine. Sandwiches and other items also available. Have a wonderful weekend.