My Blog has MOVED....

After numerous frustrations with trying to get pictures to show up in the right places (see my posts below...LOL) I`ve been encouraged to make the move to typepad. I`ve spent the past few days getting things set up and I`m already finding huge improvements!! Though the creative choices are so numerous I`m finding that I change things daily..LOL!!

Please visit me...and bookmark my new blog at:
http://kandykissesboutique.typepad.com/

Laurie

Wow...thanks so much!!

How sweet of Michelle from Boutique Buyers Blog to send this awesome award my way! I was just complaining to Sandi of Portabellopixie the other day how I must be totally uninspiring...because noone visits my blog. It was a total "pity party" day anyway..LOL

It is my hope that my stories and pictures might stir creativeness in others....if in any way I can inspire someone to laugh, to dream, to create, or to think higher thoughts...then I am totally thrilled! I love having the opportunity to share a little piece of my world with the boutique community!

Now for the rules:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

I am new to the blogging world...so I`m finding some new and creative place to visit every day!! These are my choices for the thinking blogger award.

1.To Daria Boutique Cafe- Secrets From the Studio I love reading about the behind the scenes news from Boutique Cafe. Especially recently with all the buzz about the girls Salt Lake City Get together....(which I MISSED) LOL Such wonderful stories and such amazing photos. I`m totally jealous!

2. To Gly for The Boutique Bloopers Log What a fun idea. I love seeing all the blooper photo pictures....its wonderful knowing that we all share the same frustrations when attempting to capture designer photos. Well...not really frustration....its all so worth it!!!

3. To Natalie for Livvy Doos I`ve been in a boutique group with Nat in the past ....she is such a sweetheart and her designs, her photography and just her bubbly personality always put a smile on my face.

4. To Lisa for The Mommy Designer Blog What a wonderful site full of stories and inspiration. Lisa is constantly showcasing other designers work...what a sweetheart!

5. To Shannon for Pearblossom- Madison Ave. Photography Blog I love going to Shannons site to drool over her photography! I`d love to someday be even HALF as good as she is. Always gorgeous....and always inspiring!

There you go girls...thanks for always inspiring and making me THINK as I visit your blogs. Can`t wait to see who you choose to receive this fun award!

Laurie

It`s That Time of Year Again...

Yep...time to put away the boutique shoes and bring out the slopping boots. It`s PIG time again!! For those of you who don`t know, my kids have been involved in 4-H and FFA forever!!
We`ve taken every project you can imagine...and the favorites of course are the animal projects.
From chickens to beef...we`ve done it all. But for some reason the project the kids always go back to is..... HOGS!
And every year around this time I take the kids to a local auction to pick out their fair pigs...it's fun, it`s exciting...and its smelly!! LOL This year we have 2 4-H pigs for Andrew, an FFA pig for Ryan and Annie settled for a lamb. Amber was totally frustrated that she is too young to take an animal to the fair......after all she is 3 going on 15......so we got her a little friend to keep her company!



Andrew hasn`t named his little buddies yet...we let them out to run around for the first time today and I managed to snap a couple pics.
He`ll be feeding and excercising these little guys until August when they will weigh approx 270 pounds each...then he`ll get them all washed, brushed and load up for to head for the county fair....where we camp for a fun filled, exciting week!!

Amber was pretty right on when she said to me..."Ewww Mommy these piggies need a bath!" She was totally grossed out by the way they dug in and rolled in the mud!

But...butt...?? But but butt>>>????

Isn`t it funny how you can leave your house and come home to find the strangest things.
And even funnier how you question everyone...but NOONE has any idea what happened.

This poor old chair WAS my computer desk chair. I will admit that its old, ugly and has seated many rear ends over its lifetime. But it was functional...it served a purpose.
After a morning of grocery shopping I arrived home , put the groceries away and grabbed a quick cup of coffee....time to relax and check my email. Yes...have a seat! Or NO seat! Good grief....what happened??



Now keep in mind I have 5 kids....only 3 of them were home during the time of the "mysterious" chair happening. I questioned all of them....NOONE knew anything about it.

Hmmmmmm...was it Goldielocks??? Was she trying out our chairs and just happened to fall through this one?? Should I assume that a stranger broke in to my house (with my children here) and busted out the seat of my chair?? Or was it an alien?? I know....the dog did it!!!

Whatever the case...I decided that because the kids were being rather "angelic" (gee I wonder why) that I would just let it go. Afterall the chair was old and the seat more than likely rotten.
If only it could talk!!!!! LOL

Yardsale? Trash? Goodwill? I`ve decided to give this chair new life.....a little elbow grease...some fabric and paint and it will be a welcome new addition to my studio! Trash to treasures!!

Now to just find the TIME!
I`ll post pics when I`m finished.
Thus ends the "Who done it chair dilema".....until next time

Laurie * * aka Sherlock

Taking Flight

It`s funny....after a week of planning, shopping, creating, cooking and then all the activities on Saturday and Sunday....I would have to say that my most favorite memory of Easter this year was an hour on Sunday that was totally unexpected. It wasn`t in the schedule , nothing anticipated, I didn`t have to gather ingredients for it, or follow a list to create it. I`m finding more and more that these moments are TRULY the most precious.

It started with 2 kites in a basket and a field of fresh spring grass. Andrew has always loved flying kites...and living on the coast he often has the opportunity to enjoy windy afternoons and his favorite kite on the beach. But Amber is a novice flyer... and I giggled as Andrew led her (kites in hand) to the grassy field by our house. It was his turn to be the "teacher" and I watched as he carefully unwrapped the kites... though Amber didn`t quite understand what this thing was all about...or what it would do, she was just itching to get her hands on it!

I sat in the tall grass and just watched... they talked, she asked questions, he got annoyed (LOL). But it wasn`t long before Ambers kite was in the air...she was so amazed and just totally thrilled. Such great joy over something so simple. As Andrew handed her the end of the string and told her she had to hold it...a huge smile came across her face. I sat there and watched her as she stared up that kite. The wind held it high, then it would dip as the wind died momentarily to a breeze. Then back up again. I just watched....she held tight....and a few times she looked over at me as if to say "I`m doing it !! ".

I couldn`t help but think of life....about my children....about my many blessings. About how such little things can touch your heart and become precious.. It was peaceful....it was quiet...and then...

Amber`s kite came crashing down.

She was instantly annoyed by this. The string got tangled as she tried over and over again to throw the kite back up into the air. Andrew tried to help but his patience as a "teacher" was long gone.

In the background was the faint call of "...something is burning" Of course it was the chicken on the grill. Amber was now totally mad and marched off towards the house....it was time to reclaim her basket and endulge in some candy.

Andrew was done...and walked away grumbling to himself . Kites and sisters just don`t mix!!! The kites now lay still on the ground encircled by twisted and knotted string...

It was over....the moment was gone...it came and went so fast and now... Back to the PLANNED activities.

I walked away from the field and sighed....it WAS a peaceful moment....it WAS a sweet time.

I`ll treasure it... as I do ANY quiet and unexpected moments that happen to creep into our busy and planned life.

Now on to remedy the burnt chicken...hmmm I hadn`t planned on that either! LOL

Take the time....GO FLY A KITE!

Laurie

Always something New to Learn

Here I am sitting on the edge of becoming an official "Blogger". I`m feeling guilty that I`ve walked past my pencil and my lined paper to record my thoughts in a more "virtual" way....but it`s all new....something to learn....something to expand horizens. So I`m jumping in!
I promise to still pick up that pencil...whether its for sketching, note taking or journaling...I promise not to completely set old ways aside. But for the sake of fun, adventure and keeping up with my kids (lol) ....I`m now officially a "blogger"

Please forgive me if my first few posts are upside down, backwards or just "wrong" according to blogger ins and outs. I promise I`ll get it all right...and hope to add my own creative flair to make this blog totally ME!

.......in awe of technology....Laurie