I Am A Winner!!

Hello my dear friends,

I don't often write more than one post a day and lately not more than one post a week (sad) but I just had to today. What a wonderful way to wake up by being told you won a giveaway!

Look what I won!!!

A most beautiful pouch and lace from sweet Rhonda at "A Little Bit French".

I had entered her "French Friday Giveaway" some time ago and had forgotten all about it because I have been so very busy with everthing and anything!

Thank you so much Rhonda for making my day!!!

I hope you are all well.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

I Received An Award!

Hello my dear friends,

a few days ago I received an award - I was so surprised!! I know my blog is meant to be award free, but this one is different - take a look.

I was awarded the "#1 Mum" award!

My baby girl Caylagh was the one that made this award for me and gave it to me the other day after a visit to Michaels.

It even came with a little envelope on the back with a little note in it.

Awww, I was so touched by her little note she wrote to me, I almost cried!

(I am a big softy) and she even made a "#1 Sister" award for my older daughter Ashleigh.

Even the bears were touched by this and hugged each other!! These are two of Caylagh's bears. The pink one is Ruthie-Bear and she has had her since the day she was born (11 years ago now!) and the other is a bear that she bought the other day from her pocket money and she named him Whisper. They are so precious!

I hope you are all well.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

My Mail From Lalaland Has Arrived!

Hello my dear friends,

this morning the postman brought me something special. It was mail from Lalaland aka England. I had won Liz's giveaway and now my gifts are here!! YAY!! (at last our postal strike is over).

I can hardly wait to open this and look at everything!

Everything is so pretty and neat - some beautiful lace and rickrack and a very lovely decorated tag!

The canvas is so lovely!!!

I will have to find a special place for it in my craft room to display it.

And last but not least ...

I just wanted to share a few other things that made me smile in the last few days...

I have the neatest daisies in my front yard! I just love how the petals look like they are frayed!

Such lovely flowers!

I have shown you pictures of one of our cats before but I don't think I have ever shown you our "baby".

Iris is our second cat and she belongs to my daughter Caylagh. She is just over 2 years old now but still such a kitten.

When Iris is tired, she will lay down and cover her eyes with her paw so the light doesn't bother her and once she is fast asleep she looks like this...

... just like a baby kitten!

I hope you all are well.

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

It Might Be Raining Outside, But Not In My Heart

Hello my dear friends,

even though it is raining outside right now the sun is shining in my heart for more than one reason.

http://www.tarnishedandtattered.blogspot.com/

Firstly I am very happy because Lisa from Tarnished and Tattered is working on a few new tutorials ~ YAY!! For those that don't know Lisa, drop by her blog and take a look at all her neat creation and her tutorials.

And secondly ...

 ....I am a winner in Liz's giveaway!!!!

The lovely Liz from " Lululiz in Lalaland" in the UK had a wonderful giveaway and I had just talked to her yesterday via e-mail and this morning she let me know I had won!! What a wonderful way to start the day!! Thank you so much Liz!

And this is the beautiful gift I won ~ I am so happy and excited!!

And last but not least ...

... because I have the chance to meet so many lovely people here in blogland I would like to take this post to thank all of you lovely bloggers and followers that have been so kind with their words and so helpful with their advice since I have started Todolwen. You have welcomed me into blogland and made me so very happy. My heart is touched by your kindness ~ thank you!

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.

I Am So Fortunate!!

Hello my dear friends,

this is what was waiting of me yesterday morning when I came downstairs. My girls got up before 7am and decorated the cake they had baked the evening before and then they set up the table with so many wonderful gifts for me.

All this was for me ~ how wonderful!!

I was so excited!! My birthday cake looks amazing!!

My girls baked me a Swiss chocolate cake (to look like soil) with mint green icing (to look like grass).

They had decorated it with chocolate hedgehogs, one of my favourite animals, and real flowers from my garden. It looked so pretty and it tasted fantastic!!

This is one of my gifts my older daughter Ashleigh made me. It is a bird feeder she made from a glass cup and saucer. The vintage bottle is filled with birdseed.

My baby girl Caylagh B. made me this little birdhouse, well fairy house complete with fairy dust and a new fairy named Chante.

Chante is an Iron Fairy and she comes from Australia. She is my fourth iron fairy that now lives in our home.

This is my new muffin recipe book. I really enjoy baking muffins these days and I can't wait to start using this book!

My older daughter Ashleigh also gave me these lovely gifts. She made me a bottle with fairy dust and  a beautiful sun catcher made from a vintage crystal and pretty glass beads. The little read book is a very special gift. It holds poems written by her about me and other things in her life. So far I have not been able to read any of it because I tend to cry at things like this and I didn't want to cry yesterday ( I am a big softy).

Another one of my great gifts is another pair of old baby shoes!!! Yay!!!

My hubby gave me a new leather wallet which I love.

And this is my last gift which is so beautiful and gorgeous.

It is a garden fairy. 

I called him Peter just like Peter Pan.

He will find a new home in my backyard under a bush just in view from my dinning room window so I can see him every time I look outside. I even went to Walmart and bought a new set of solar garden lights which I am going to drape around the bush so even in the dark I will be able to see little Peter.

Another lovely surprise was all the birthday wishes I received from my friends all the way from England, Germany, the US and Australia and of course here in Canada. The day ended with us going bowling and on returning home my daughter Ashleigh cooked dinner for all of us which was such a nice treat for me.

I am so fortunate that I have so many wonderful people in my life!!! That is the best gift of all!!

Have a peaceful and creative day,

Karen B.