Prizes Won! And an update

I have been VERY remiss in not posting this past week. I have just been in such a funk lately and didn't feel like posting or even doing much visiting. I am just so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I am not good as a sick person. Thankfully, I am recovering very well and should be able to return to work next Monday which is a month after surgery. I think that being busy will definitely help with my mood. The staples came out December 30, and for some reason, I was in more pain afterward! It's better now, but the incision feels very sensitive and I am constantly aware of it. I asked my doctor how bad my gallbladder was on a scale of 1-10 and he said it was near the top and one of the worst, if not THE worst he had ever seen, and he has been a doctor for decades! Gangrene had begun to set in. Ick! Thank goodness I had surgery when I did.

I have also been feeling very lonely. I'm sure that's due in part to too much time on my hands! I have been reading voraciously and watching a lot of movies. It will be good for me to get back to work and be with people again.

On more note. I haven't wanted to say anything, but I am in serious risk of losing my home. Even if I could get out of this predicament, and that's possible, I'm not sure I want to because this home is just too expensive for me. I love it, but I don't love not having money to go on vacations or get my van fixed, things like that. If I empty the rest of my savings, I have absolutely NOTHING to fall back on and I don't want to be in that position. I have reassured my sons that although I dearly love this house, my HOME is wherever they are.

Anyhow, on to some HAPPY STUFF. Since I was laid up, I didn't get a chance to post some wonderful giveaways that I won! To me, getting these packages in the mail felt like Christmas had come early! Each of them was so appreciated and I was so happy to be the lucky winner!

I won two books on two separate occasions from Sally at Smiling Sally. I hear so much good stuff from my clients about the Joyce Meyers books! I think I am going to share from this book with them.


She also sent me this book from Carmindy. If you have ever seen "What Not to Wear," you know this women is a miracle worker! All the makeup I ever wear is just some eye liner and mascara. I ordered some Avon and am now going to have fun experimenting with makeup!

Sally is usually always having book giveaways, so go to her site and check it out! She also hosts Blue Mondays which are so fun! I need to get back to Blue Monday posts too!

Back in November, Deb from Deb's Country Kisses had a giveaway with a choice of a Prim package or a Cottage package. Though I dearly love cottage and porcelain pieces, I also love prim, and what she was giving away would fit in perfectly in my family room. I was thrilled to be the winner! Look at these darling candlesticks which are great on my kitchen table!

I had really been wanting a vintage looking prim gameboard for some time. Now I have one, thanks to Deb!

And how much do I love these letters spelling out "HOME!" There are a couple places in my home where they will be perfect if I stay here.

Deb is such a sweet blog friend and I love reading about her family get togethers in her basement which has a karaoke stage! She seems like just the type of person who would be so much fun to visit!

Also back in November, I entered a giveaway contest sponsored by Donna at An Enchanted Cottage. I couldn't believe when I won it! The first part of the prize was a book about the HGTV show "Sensible Chic." I used to just love that show! I liked how they would recreate a room using furnishings and accessories that cost far less than was spent in the inspiration room. The book came wrapped in the cutest package!



Donna also included a sweet card and this darling bird ornament! It wasn't until later that I also discovered a bookmark featuring a drawing by Aubry Beardsley who was my very favorite artist when I was in my 20s! I somehow didn't get a picture of that, but I love it!


The second part of Donna's giveaway was for a $20 gift certificate to Cherry Blossom Cottage. Free shipping was part of the deal. This is the most darling online shop and I encourage you to go visit the shop and Ronda who handcrafts many of the beautiful products!

For my $20, I got this beautiful chair slipcover for only $15!

And this darling, sparkly mitten ornament was only $5.


Ronda tossed in this darling lavendar scented sachet as a gift. It smells so good and hangs from a knob on my dresser. It's perfect in my cottage-y bedroom!

Of course, I couldn't resist buying a couple things on my own! I got this Waverly pillow which matches the valances that will eventually go in my kitchen!

And I also bought this adorable and funny picture! There is no wrinkle in the vintage picture. That is due to bad photography. Anyhow, I just love the pearls and the pretty buttons, but what really got me going was the saying "I dreamed my whole house was clean!" Yeah, that is just a dream here at my house! I so identified with it!

I also encourage you to visit Donna's blog. I first saw her home on Rate My Space, and was captured by her wonderful sense of shabby chic! At RMS, I would return to her pics again and again. I just love her gorgeous home!

Well, that's it for now! I deeply apologize to those who sent me these wonderful prizes because they weren't posted earlier.

I'll try to get back in the swing of things from this point on!