The Pitfalls of Aging...

My fuzzy son Barkley and I share March as our birth month. Upon opening my mail I saw that both of our birthdays had been realized by completely different sources.

Barkley received an adorable card from his vet with his name inside on a banner and coupons for treats:

Apparently someone else knew that my birthday was coming up and mistakenly thought that I was 40 years older than I really am...

That's right friends! Barkley gets free treats and I can get a free hearing evaluation at the new hearing aid center. I admit I have been to my fair share of loud rock concerts where I have stood right up front next to the speakers. However, I can still hear perfectly fine!

I will overlook this invitation, but I draw the line at the grave site plot sellers. When they start calling me to sell me a space so I do not put a burden on my family when I pass, that is the year I will officially stop counting birthdays!

And Our Winner Is...

Congratulations Belinda! You are the weekly winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered. Special thanks to Viola at Backbone Studio! It was so nice to be introduced to your wonderful shop!

I Was Doing So Well

As a rule I don't make meaningful resolutions for the new year. I generally make fun ones that I will want to keep like going on a vacation, continuing my quest to get on the Oprah show and so on. This year against my better judgement I decided this would be the year I would get healthy, tone up, eat better. I have been doing so well and then IT happened:

Yes my friends it is Girl Scouts cookie time again! The time that cute little kiddos stand outside of the grocery store selling for a good cause and the time of the year that I am sure the owners of Weight Watchers look forward to. Of course it should be easy to politely decline, but who among us can turn down those adorable faces that are counting on us as the consumers to fund their Girl Scouts activities? I will not be responsible for little Suzy Q being on the street when she is 16 because I did not help to pay for this wonderful group who is giving her self esteem. Not to mention the fact that those little thin mints are so darn yummy. Combining two things I adore-chocolate and minty goodness...irresistible. The only problem is that the only thing thin will be those cookies, because my bootie will not be so if I keep eating them.

Have You Seen This Etsy Shop?

Backbone Studio features the fine photographic artwork of owner Viola Joyner. Always striving to learn new techniques helps this professionally trained artist keep her ideas fresh, even after ten years as a photographer. Viola's mission is for you to find something that you would want to look at everyday in your home or office. Take a look at some of her work and I am sure you will have no problem finding something perfect.

Zen Garden

This would make a perfect photograph for an office. The tranquil zen garden would make the frantic work day seem a little less stressful.

Merry Go Round

Children and adults alike would appreciate the sense of nostalgia that the Merry Go Round provides.

Three of a Kind

A texturized finish gives this garden landscape a vintage appeal.

Carriage Ride Scene

Doesn't a carriage ride in the snow flurries sound like a perfect winter outing? I'll answer that for us all, yes it does!

On a side note, check out each of the listings at Backbone Studio for more information. There are different papers, sizes and even matting that can customize your order. Information on prices for additions are available at Viola's shop.

This week the winner gets to choose their own prize! If you are the lucky winner you will receive a free 5 x 7 of your choice of any of the photographs at Backbone Studio.

How to enter?

1. Check out Backbone Studio, come back here and make a comment on your favorite photograph and you will get one entry.

2. Be or become a follower of this blog and you will get another entry.

Entries will accepted until midnight Friday. Check back this weekend and see if you are the winner! Good luck to all!

Happy Birthday to My Dad

He turns 72 today!

Happy Monday

Time to get this week started, even if some of us may need a little caffeine jolt to do it!

Does anyone have any exciting plans this week?

photo courtesy of flickr

Lazy Sunday

Lazy weekend actually. I don't know why, but every time I stop to rest for a moment I feel guilty for not doing something more productive. There is certainly something to paint, something to read, something to do, but all of those things will have to wait.

It is so hard to feel like conquering the world though when you peer outside your window and are greeted with gray skies. The sky blends almost seamlessly with the concrete driveways. So very blah!

I did venture out yesterday so I have not been a hermit all weekend, even if I feel like I have. I went to my parents house and then we went over to take the pups to the beach. When I came home and checked the mail I was met with a nice note, a thank you note from one of the sales associates at Anthropologie. Rarely do I get anything in the form of snail mail that is not a lovely bill so this note was a welcome change. Working as a cashier was my first job and customer service was a big deal to me then. I continue to appreciate a store with good customer service now.

Last night after my friend decided she wasn't going to show up, (or bother calling, yes I am bitter), for our planned get together, I got really bored. What do I do when I get really bored? I play dress up. Yes the concept is the same as when you were a kid, only now my shoes actually fit and my makeup is applied correctly. I have a few things coming up that I need clothes for so it wasn't a complete waste. Yes I know that I am a goof!

I hope you all are having a more eventful weekend than I am!

And Our Winner Is....

Congratulations Erica! You are the weekly winner!

Thank you so much to all who entered this week.

Thanks to Tatiana for sharing your beautiful photography with all of us here! Best of luck with your shop.

Have You Seen This Etsy Shop?

Our shop this week, Tatiana Rene Photography, has two things that I know we all love here at Joy De Vivre: a beautiful shop and a great cause! Tatiana's shop is filled with an eclectic mix of her photography. Her passion for photography grew while living in Hawaii and one can understand why with its beautiful natural surroundings. Now, not only does Tatiana find beauty in the classic sense of the word, she also finds it in the grittiness of the city, in a mysterious staircase, parts of a car. Her photography portrays each of her subjects in a way that you may not have thought of before. When you purchase a photo from Tatiana Rene Photography, which you will certainly want to do after seeing her work, 10% of every sale will go to a charity of your choice by just following the instructions on her shop announcement.

Without further ado I give you Tatiana Rene Photography:
Colored Streets-8x10 Fine Art Print

Colored chalk at the Chalk Art Festival in Denver shows that even concrete streets can get a vivid makeover. Doesn't this make you long for summer days of playing outside?

As with all of Tatiana's prints the watermark will not be on them when you receive them.

Games 8x10 Fine Art Print

Tatiana found this human-sized chess board in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The palm leaf shadowed in the photo is a great touch that brings in that sense of the beach.

Vintage Surf-5x7 Fine Art Photography Print

Resting on the Outer Banks of the East Coast is this colorful surf shop. Can't you just smell the coconut tan oil now?

For our weekly prize this week we are going to get you started in your collection of Tatiana Rene's photography. If you are the weekly winner you will win this gorgeous example of Tatiana's nature photography in this postcard.

You all know the drill, but for any newbies out there here are the rules for the weekly drawing:

1. Check out Tatiana Rene Photography. Come back here and leave a comment about your favorite photo.

2. Be or become a follower of this blog and you will get a second entry.

If you are in the Denver area you can also purchase Tatiana's work in West Wash Park at On A Lark Gifts.

http://onalarkgifts.com/Home.html

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope you all are having a wonderful day!

In the spirit of this day I decided to watch a classic love story that for some reason I have never gotten around to watching.:

It was a really lovely movie and quite fitting for Valentine's Day. I will certainly be adding this one to my classic movie collection.

Love photo courtesy of flickr.

And Our Winner Is...

Congratulations Liv! You are the winner of 6 notecards of your choice from Rue Renee!

Thank you to all who entered and thank you to Megan for sharing your shop with us this week!

Have You Seen This Etsy Shop?

Looking for a cute card to send someone for a special occasion? Perhaps some note cards to use for invitations or to just send out since you are so over the impersonal quality of email? Well Megan at Rue Renee has you covered. Megan is a professional graphic designer who fills her Etsy shop with high quality cards and note card sets. They are simple, but oh so cute with a retro feel. Take a look:

Polka Dot notecard stationary set (12 cards)

Polka Dots are a pattern that will always be in style. This set features 6 cards with large polka dots, 6 cards with smaller polka dots and 12 envelopes of brown textured kraft paper. They are each approx. 4.75 x 3.5 inches and blank inside.

Retro Bicycle notecard set (6 cards)

How great would these be for thank you notes? Since they are blank inside you can use them for thank yous or any messages. These are also 4.75 X 3.5 inches and have envelopes included.

Retro Toy notecard set (6 cards)


I think these would make perfect birthday invitations for perhaps an older gentleman who used to own these toy cars when he was a child. They would be perfect for any age in fact.



This week we are allowing you to choose your gift if you are our weekly winner! Megan is giving the choice of 6 cards in either the typewriter, retro fan, mailbox, bicycle, retro toy or kettle designs.
The possibilities go on and on as how to use these cards. The fans would be wonderful for invitations to a summer party. The kettles, perhaps a brunch invite? The typewriter would be great to just say hello! Whichever you choose, shall you be the winner, is up to you!

How do you enter?

1. Check out Rue Renee at Etsy.com and come back here to make a comment. Tell us your favorite item in the shop.

2. Be or become a follower of this blog.

Entries will be accepted until Friday at midnight. Check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner!

Is This How Grown Up Princess Rooms Look?

We have all seen the little girls rooms themed with Disney Princess bedding and pictures. Well imagine that little girl in 20 years. What will she have then?

It seems like British designer Lulu Guinness, more well known for her unique handbags and clutches such as this one:

has thought about the grown up princess and designed bedding just for her. And let me add it is pretty darn beautiful, but oh so pricey!

This is the Ribbon Loop design. The colors are so vivid!

Oh the Fuchsia! If I were Rachel Zoe I would be screaming "I die" right now! Actually my husband would probably die if I ordered it. It is 400 pounds and since I am not planning on actually owning it I will not bother converting that into dollars, but whatever it is I know it is too much for someone whose pup sleeps on the bed. I could just imagine Barkley taking a rawhide up there and Gabe having a heart attack. Since I do not own a defibrillator I shall also never own the Lulu Guinness Pure Silk Bedspread in Fuchsia.

But a girl can dream!

Happy Monday by the way!

So While Some Are Watching the Super Bowl...

allow me to reiterate the reasons why I hate football, as posted here in a previous post.

1. Why does it take 20 grown men to tackle a football!?! If the two or three guys that get to it first and land on it are not enough to keep it down then that mighty football deserves to be set free.
2. Why do they build a huge goal post thing and then when the person kicks the ball through it it is only worth 3 points? For them to build such a monumental contraption, aka eyesore, it should be worth at least a good 10 points.
3. How can a clock that says it has 3 seconds left, take 30 agonizing minutes to count down those 3 seconds?
4. It takes 5 minutes for all of the guys to line up in their spots, then within 10 seconds they throw the ball, run 2 feet, go through my #1 pet peeve and then the clock stops and they do it all over again.
5. Why does the quarterback make so much money? He rarely gets tackled, doesn't have to run far or kick the ball. All he does is have to generally be the cutest guy on the team and throw the ball while everyone else protects him.

Instead I will watch the Puppy Bowl with Barkley. I am not sure if he is mad that he is not up there in the limelight or if he is trying to figure out who those puppies are in his house, but either way it is really pissing him off! LOL!

And Our Winner Is....

Congratulations! You have won the small bubble bath gift set from Kootenay Bath Products!

Thank you so much to all who entered this week.

Special thanks go out to Charlene for offering a great gift and for letting us visit her wonderful shop!

Yay for the Weekend!

This has felt like such a long week! I guess adding an extra nine hours of overtime did make it a little longer, but that's life.

Last night my home reverted back to the 1800's. For some reason unknown to me our cable company was having difficulties which left our home with no phone, no cable and worse yet no internet! Thankfully everything is in working condition now.

During my boredom I was able to bake cupcakes for one of my coworkers for her birthday. They were so cute until she turned the cupcake holder on its side and there was a major pileup in cupcake land. While they were no longer pretty they still tasted good!

Wednesday I had to go to a party for one of my best friends, who also works with us. I use the term party loosely as it was a get together to say bye as she is going to another job. It was fun, despite being sad at the same time.

So that is all of the excitement I have for you all since we last chatted. I use the term excitement loosely as well!

I will leave you with a random thought that I had earlier. If you have your facebook linked to your job is it not the slightest bit inappropriate to have photos of you in a swimsuit looking like you are trying out for Maxim? Hmm...

Have You Seen This Etsy Shop?

Do I have a treat in store for you all? Yes I do! This week our Etsy shop is a little something different than any we have seen here before. Our featured shop this week is Kootenay Bath Products. Owner Charlene has turned her hobby into her own shop that makes affordable bath products that are also great for sensitive skin. Come take a look:

Citronella Bugg Off Cream

Need a bug repellent that doesn't dry your skin or make you feel greasy all day? This will do the trick and it comes in a 2oz size perfect for throwing in your purse for those days at the park.

Lush Type Honey I Washed The Kids Whipped Body Butter

This body moisturizer will leave your skin soft and smelling oh so good! Combining shea butter coconut oil, coconut butter and honey bee sweet scents make for a fabulous addition to your bath product collection. It is also handmade and fresh when ordered.

The Everything Gift Bag

Love what you see and want to try it all? Well Charlene thought you might so she has everything ready for you! Included in the bag are shower gel, peppermint foot cream, whipped body butter and those are just to name a few. Click on the picture above to see the full line up in the gift bag.

What do we have for you all this week?

The small bubble bath gift set could be yours if you are our weekly winner!

To enter:

1. For one entry go to Kootenay Bath Products and see what product catches your eye. Come back here and make a comment about it and your name will be entered once.

2. For a second entry either be or become a follower of this blog and your name will be placed into the drawing again.

Entries will be accepted until Friday at midnight. Check back on Saturday to see if you are our lucky winner!

What is Wrong in the Universe When

as I am watching the Grammy arrivals I look at Lady Gaga and think oh ok, I get it she wants us to talk about her:

Then I see Britney and think...

what the....!!! Britney put some clothes on. You are never going to convince everyone that you have got it together when you are wearing Frederick's of Hollywood on the red carpet! Your hair and makeup look great though! Lord how I wish I could take this girl shopping. She needs a shopaholics expertise.

On a serious note, did you guys watch the tribute to Michael Jackson? His kids were so cute and well spoken. Their dad certainly raised great children.