Hi Anj, thanks for letting me know--I do need some more easels for plates, I'll have to try to get over there tomorrow.

I've go two 40% off coupons, but never seem to use them--the things I want are always the sale items and you can't use the coupons on those.

Funny, I have never thought about looking at their website, I'll go check out the table pic.

I've even been recording Sandra Lee's Semi Homemade just so I can see her tablescapes at the end of the show! Of course, it is easy when you have that kind of a budget too.

Did you see the Christmas post by Pat725 of her home for the garden tour? It is just beautiful. Home looks very liveable, but gorgeous too. Sure admire people who have the knack to put rooms together like that.

Oh, I have found a couple patterns I want to paint--just need to figure out what to paint them on and get myself off the computer and in the painting chair! Amazing how quickly time goes by while checking things out on this thing! ;o)

Hope things are going well at your house too. I look forward to seeing your posts, and glad you liked the emails I sent.

Take care.

Luvs

Hope you find something you like.

I did see Pat725's Christmas pics. Very pretty. I think I need to start adding bigger items with more punch. I love her big chunky vases and things. Less is more kind of thing.

Can't wait to see what you are working on. I've been painting,but nothing decorative. Just some old picture frames and base coated DD's box. I'm not feeling very inspired for some reason. Keep looking thru things trying to find something that speaks to me.

Plus, my back is out again so I've been spending more time here kicked back in my computer chair working on old pictures until I can get it feeling better.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. I'll be back tomorrow. ~Anj

Sorry you are having back problems--been there, done that! Not fun! And it can happen so quickly--don't even have to do anything unusual to pull a muscle. Did you go get a muscle relaxer, or are you just relying on a pain reliever and time? Hope you feel better soon.

Yes, I agree about the bigger and less--I've always had way too many little items around just because I think they are "cute". Worked fine with my sort of country style--but now I am getting older, I sort of want to pare down and make things simpler--less dusting you know! However, I don't think I have the "eye" to know what goes well with what. Hoping I might "absorb" some of that by "hanging out" with ladies like Pat and Judith! Ha ha Plus I just enjoy the "eye candy" of seeing all their beautiful things. ;o)

I think the hard part about our painting is trying to figure out what to make that we can actually "use" or have a place for. Easier to paint items for gifts--then we don't have to worry about that part! LOL

I'll talk to you soon. Take care.

Luvs

Unfortunately my back problems stem from a birth defect and I've had problems with it since I was around 15. And you are right, it doesn't take much. I was actually advised not to have kids by more than one dr, but 4 kids later. ha The pain is just something I live with, there, but doesn't really interfere with me too much. I know my limitations, but sometimes it's more extreme and gets me down. Once it was so bad I couldn't walk for about 3 months. I have seen a really good chiropractor who would actually touch me ha(I have something that is only seen in textbooks and the others wouldn't try anything for fear of paralyzing me). He has taught me some good exercises to do to help it too and I recently got a good inversion table that helps immensely. I try not to take any meds for it cause I have a thing about that, but I will sometimes take Ibuprofen at night. It's more pinched irritated nerves than muscles. It is feeling much better today, but I'll still try to take it easy. Sorry, didn't mean to write a book about it. ha

You are right. It's hard to find just the right thing to paint, especially if it's for your house. It's easier if it's for gifts or outdoors or holidays are easy too. I'm trying to find something for that basket I bought the other day with the flat top. I've found 2 things that will probably work, but not really sure they are what I want so I keep searching. ha

Talk to ya later. ~Anj

Hey Anj, sorry to hear your back is not just a once in awhile thing. How can you be so darn nice and friendly when you have so much pain? I think I'd be grumpy all the time if it were me. How in the world did you lift those babies and all? That must have been challenging. Just shows where there's a will, there's a way, right?

I painted some wooden eggs today. I've had them on hand for more years than I can remember, but I was inspired by Oddie's wreath on the craft forum. I put the diamond dust on them and stuck them in a basket--not sure that will be where they will stay, but shouldn't handle them too much or I'll have Diamond Dust on everything! LOL

I took a pic of the eggs and of some of my metal pieces I've painted so I will post them as soon as I get them on Photobucket.

Now I need to find something really cute to work on for Easter or Spring. Hope you have good luck finding the perfect pattern for your basket too.

I'll talk to you soon.

Luvs

Sorry, don't know why I went into all that. I usually don't mention it cause I don't want to sound like a whiner. ha My family may disagree with you on the nice all the time thing. ha I do pretty good until later at night when it of course hurts the most and I'm short on patience. I'm usually grinding my teeth to keep from snapping at everyone. Just want everyone to go to bed and let me relax a bit. The pregnancies were bad at the end because I have a small frame and my babies were all over 8 lbs and one lacked only a few ounces of being 10 lbs!! A lot of weight to carry around like that, but I was basically bedridden anyway because I had Hyperemesis Gravidarum (extreme morning, noon, night sickness) and had tons of problems from that. ha Don't ask me how they all weighed that much because I didn't keep anything down the whole 9 months, not even water!! ha On my second child I even asked the dr if the baby was still in there because I was pretty sure I had thrown him up! ha I made it thru and it was only 9 months of heck for each and I have my little angels forever. Anyway, after apologizing I went ahead and gave you my life history again .ha Sorry!!

I just got to look at your pics. I was out most of yesterday trying to buy a new shirt to wear out to dinner with some friends. Went to a yummy chinese restaurant. It was nice to get out. Anyhoo, saw your eggs and trays and just realized I forgot to comment on the trays. ha I'll go back over there and post there. ha You have a great weekend. ~Anj

Hi Anj, no need to apologise, I am interested in getting to know you better, and how can I do that if you don't tell me about things?

Besides things have been pretty slow on here, so it is nice to at least have conversations to look forward too!

Glad you had a nice night out with friends. Love Chinese food. In fact, one of our routines is that when I take the little GD home on Sunday evenings, I stop on the way back for Chinese takeout.

Got to go check my email, so I will talk to you later.

Luvs