Bella Pink Cafe

The Romantics...

      If I died tomorrow, it would be alright (ok..I'm exaggerating, but only a little) I just received the new February issue of Romantic Homes.  Besides being a blow out issue with dreamy eye candy on every page, they have chosen their "Top Romantics" for the year and yours truly is named.  ACK!  Can you believe?  I'm so honored!  As a long time admirer of this magazine for many years, drooling over every page, each issue... words can't express what this means to me.  I'm in unbelievable company with 10 fabulous women.  Just to name a few, there is Tanya , Annette , Claudia , and Shelly .  If you are a romantic (which I know you all are!) go get a copy today, you will love this issue!

     My "Junk Drawer" photo accidentally got placed into Heather Lee's page.  These things happen and it's cool just to see it in print, so I am not complaining!

    Sneak peek of things to come next issue!  It will be eye popping, very OOH LA LA, I promise!  Thank you for sharing in my excitement! I wish you all a safe, healthy, happy, prosperous and most of all "Romantic" new year! ~xo

He sees you when you're sleeping...

Wishing you all a magical Christmas filled with sparkle, love and laughter.

Paper Cuts...

Country Homes 

   Paper, scissors, tape...GO!  I'm a wrapping fool.  Along with that comes those nasty paper cuts.  My fingers are already covered in band aids, the only ones in the house are these .  At least my fingers are colorful (and glow in the dark).  I feel overwhelmed as most of you probably do.  This weekend will be devoted to the chore of wrapping.  Although it's a labor of love, I hope things go smoother than last year when during my wrapping fest, my back went out and I ended up in the ER.  Did I mention I have a really bad back?  REALLY bad....it's definitely on a naughty list somewhere.  I plan to be more careful this year!  Hope you have a wonderful weekend, (with no back pain and paper cut free ! ) ~xo

Santa Baby...

     What a difference a year makes?  Cranky, tired and crying (SO sorry Mom!) at age 2.  Cut to a year later...the crybaby is calm, cool, and just chillin with Santa at age 3!  Looking at these photos I can see my daughter (especially in the "ugly cry"..lol)  Isn't it a weird feeling to look at old photos of yourself and see your babies eyes looking back at you? ~xo

Santa and The City...

    Santa had no idea what he was in for with this crew!  My 3 best friends and I hiked our butts to a crowded mall (you know how I love the mall?..not) But I love my friends and will do it for them.  It's our yearly Christmas tradition of shopping, dinner and drinks and a picture with Santa.  We have done this since we were young (the drink thing was added after we turned 21, of course) I can't explain how embarrased my friend Rachel was (she is the blonde standing behind me) so grumpy, saying "we are too old for this"....just then the girl behind the camera shook a teddy bear with jingle bells, saying "Smile girls!" as if she were talking to toddlers, trying to get the perfect shot for their mom & dad... needless to say we cracked up and "SNAP" this picture was taken!  My friend Gina thinks she smelled liquor on Santa, perhaps his hot chocolate was spiked with something?  We ate at the Cheescake Factory, love this place...great food and ambience, and yes! they serve way more than just cheesecake! lol...I had the fried macaroni & cheese balls... unbelievable, really!  So many laughs when I am with these girls and countless insane moments, (my weak bladder sometimes gives out)...my 3 best friends since grade school, through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, til death do us part....love them to pieces!

Making a list...

     The kids use these erasable plates to make their list and put under the tree.  I am still de-coding my daughter's list, but it's something like this:  "Socks,  Pogo Stick and a Puppy for my brother"    Cute?  Santa can manage the socks and Pogo stick.  We have to talk some more about the puppy , explaining to her that "Santa doesn't bring real animals"  Not sure if she is buying it. I'm still holding on to these years when she still believes in Santa.  Our son, who is 10, has known the "real story" of Santa for about 2 years now.  He is good at pretending for his baby sister!  Chiming in "I hope Santa can make it to the video game store this year" with a sheepish grin.  Christmas is so magical when the kids believe, don't you think?

Deck The Halls (and get some light bulbs)...

     Here is the foyer window (waiting patiently for it's pretty custom curtains).  It takes a long ladder just to put up a candle in the bare window, only to realize the bulb isn't working! ACK!  I quickly shout, "No worries honey I have a drawer full of them"...and then discover that none of them work either!  Ok...on to plan "B"...

...and steal some from the chandelier by the coat closet

and don't forget a drink for my thristy worker...that should smooth things over

     Now let's get down to business and unpack these boxes!  Don't you love finding treasures you have long forgotten about?  (well maybe since last Christmas!) Below are some crafties I made when pregnant with little man.  It was during my tole painting primitive ish stage...I still love them and remembering the excitement painting them, 9 months preggers...

And my love of anything with mercury glass will never die

Winter floral arrangements...

and little corners

Here is a handmade ornament my brother made for the foyer tree (it's a picture of his dog Dixie and we laugh every year when we hang it)

other pretty ornament treasures from friends and family...

Stay tuned for part II of our Holiday Home Tour.  We have one tree up and one more to go and a lot more boxes to unpack (and bulbs to buy!)~xo

Tassles & Dazzles...

     Here is a quick shot of the Target curtains I talked about here.  My talented seamstress added some *tassle dazzle*.  Now they look custom and I love it!  A girl can never have too many tassles?!

     Speaking of dazzle, I ordered this beautiful paperweight from Janet at ShabbyFufu.  It came packed with goodies in true FuFu style.  Such a unique idea and a beautiful gift for someone special on your list!  I mentioned Janet and her home in Florida here in a previous post.  You can find these beautiful paperweights at her store here ~xo

Getting There...

   

     I have been a bad blogger lately!  Thank you Chris  for reminding me!  Looking back on my last entry, I think she may be right! Let's see...my foyer looks like a bomb went off with boxes of Christmas decorations.  The boxes have magically moved, doubled and spread out onto the front porch and into the dining and living room.  It looks like we are moving!  The foyer tree is up.  whew.  now it has to be decorated.  We usually have two trees every year, one in our family room and always a big tall foyer tree that we decorate with ornaments brought by our guests and family at Christmas time.  (I have only one rule each Christmas, you must bring an ornament for the foyer tree!)  Some are handmade and some are store bought, but each one means so much to us and I love looking back on them and remembering the friend or family member who hung it the year or two before. I am covered in glitter and sparkling from head to toe!  Here is a quick tour and I'll bring you more shots as we go along.  Happy decorating!~xo

Night glow from the staircase: