Hello everyone! Thank you for the handmade love, cheers and support! I'm always thrilled by how the folks in the blogging and craft-blogging communities encourage, share, help and strengthen each other. And I was so glad to hear how many of you feel the same in regards to buying handmade and supporting handcrafters. I hope that even passers by here, who just happen upon this blog will see that post and stop and think for a moment about what they purchase at Christmastime (and other times too, really)--where the items come from, who made them, and why they are buying them. Commercialism and marketing tempt us with many things, especially this time of year...But I think what most of us appreciate best are the handmade gifts and cards. So please do spread a lot of that handmade love throughout the Christmas holiday season wherever you go!
We're already working towards another weekend... But I didn't get a chance yet to share something fun that happened last weekend. Beachy awarded me the "Friendly Site Award"! Such a wonderful surprise, thank you so much, Beachy!! It is an honor and a thrill...and even more fun as I am now able to give out this award to some sweet friends who have some very friendly and warm places in blogland. And I would love to share this award with:
Cielo of The House in the Roses has just recently started blogging and is creating a beautiful place to share the joy of living. She is such a gracious lady...stop by and say hello to her!
Lynda of Hedgerow Hollow also shares the pleasures of life at her charming place, and she's lately opened her own shop at Etsy selling lots of pretties, so be sure to stop by her shop too!
Felicia of Fluffy Flowers is making a great name for herself at Etsy and elsewhere for the creation of her fun, fantastic and lovable creatures and softies. Smiles abound when you stop by her place!
Sisters Melly and Rosie at Melly & Me will win your hearts with their whimsical softies, quilting and other stitched sensations at their very friendly spot!
Nature Girl at Nature Trail shares the view from her own back garden of the natural wonders and creatures playing there...musings, poetry and gorgeous photography are sprinkled liberally at her friendly place!
Yesterday I had a free day and went on a little shopping outing with one of my sisters-in-law and mother-in-law. We had a grand time with a little shopping and lunch out! One place we went to was Løiten Lys, to their shop in Tønsberg, Lysglede. "Lys" is Norwegian for light or candle. And this shop was candle heaven! You will find the candles of your dreams and then some here! LOL! Such fanciful, sculptural candles, as well as wax tapers, tea light candles, candles for occasions (weddings, christenings, holidays, etc.) and much more. Unfortunately, I found next to no information or photos with English about this great place. But here is a little something I bought there (pictured below)--a big fat candle frosted lightly with silver glitter along with a wreath for extra decoration with gold, silver and crystal flowers and prisms, also a tea light candle holder flecked with gold leaf. These will look so pretty in our dining room and living room! And the white roses...well, you'll not believe it, but they are silk flowers! There are so many very life-like silk flowers out there now, it's incredible. Since real roses are months away again, I'll happily look at these and dream...
But today I am playing catch up for having had the day off yesterday--LOL! So I'm a bit slow getting around to visiting some of you these later days this week, but will do by the weekend. And I have a couple more pretties to share next time too... But until then, hope this finds all of you having a very HAPPY DAY! :o)
Hi dear Tracy,
Congratulations on you award. Yours for sure is a very friendly site. :)
The candles look fantastic. I love candles, but Lepooh is way too curious, so we need to be very careful around here.
Take care.
x
Posted by: Isobel | November 15, 2007 at 08:37 PM
Congratulations Tracy, you are very friendly and so is your blog!
Posted by: nicolette | November 15, 2007 at 09:50 PM
My dear Tracy, thank you so much! I am truly honored. The wonderful thing about blogging is that you happen upon friends you had no idea existed. You read their words, see their world, view their masterpieces, laugh at their stories, and learn their wisdom and you suddenly realize that although different from each other, you two were cut form the same cloth.
Congratulations on your own award; not only your site is a very friendly site... YOU are a truly friend!
Hugs!!
Cielo
Posted by: Cielo | November 15, 2007 at 10:15 PM
Tracy, A Big Congratulations on your award! Pink Purl has to be one of the friendliest places in blogland! Congratulations to all the other winners too, and I am so happy for Cielo and her beautiful blog... What a sweet shop, and thoses roses look so real...they are beautiful! Lovely lovely post today.
Hugs to you...
Beverly
Posted by: tea time and roses | November 15, 2007 at 11:26 PM
Hi, Tracy, congrats on your award, it is well deserved!
Have a great weekend. Klem
Posted by: Marit | November 15, 2007 at 11:48 PM
The Friendliest Site! Congratulations Tracy. And thank you for bringing us along to the candle shop... I needed an outing!
Posted by: Natalie | November 16, 2007 at 01:26 AM
Love the vingette of everlasting roses! You are right the white roses look so real!!
Tracy yours is always a friendly site to visit and you are such a wonderful spirit to call friend!
Congratulations on this award and thank you for passing it on to me and few friends I notice! Congrats to Hedgegrow!! I shall take a peek at the others mentioned!hugs aNNa
Posted by: naturegirl | November 16, 2007 at 03:25 AM
What a lovely Award Tracy, and you are so deserving of it! I will be sure to check out all those sites you have passed it on to as well! If they come with your recommendation they must be very special indeed! Sounds as if you had a lovely day with your inlaws! Love the candle and the roses. They look so real. Your package arrived intact by the way and I am over the moon with this lovely bag you made for me. I know my mother will love it as well! You did such a beautiful job on it. I am ever so pleased! All the tissue holders are lovely as well. You do such beautiful work Tracy, you really do. ((((HUGS)))) Look for an extra special something in your stocking this year I am thinking! ;-)
much love and hope you are enjoying your little corner of the kingdom today!
Posted by: Marie | November 16, 2007 at 09:01 AM
Congratulations on your award! I just spend the last 10 minutes surfing the blogs that you nominated and my Bloglines has increased (yet again!).
Have a good weekend Tracy!
Posted by: Karyn | November 16, 2007 at 11:59 AM
Thank you so much Tracy for passing on such a sweet award. The wonders of the blogging world include meeting such very lovely people online and seeing beautiful glimpses of their worlds :)
Posted by: Felicia | November 16, 2007 at 01:18 PM
What a lovely award Tracey...Congratulations. Oh for days off...sounds like you made the most of it.
Suzie Sews
Posted by: suzie sews | November 16, 2007 at 03:59 PM
Tracy, A Big Congratulations on your award!
Happy weekend to you!
Sonnja
Posted by: Sonnja | November 16, 2007 at 04:15 PM
Hi Tracy, congratulations on the award. Thanks for popping over to my blog too. I always enjoy hearing from you.
Posted by: Teresa Alber | November 16, 2007 at 04:37 PM
Good morning Tracy! I've just been looking around your beautiful blog, and think it's fabulous! Would you mind if I added you to my blog roll? Thank you for visiting with me at Jacaranda Cottage and taking the time to leave a comment. I really appreciate it and hope to see you again soon!
Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)
Posted by: Cottage Contessa | November 16, 2007 at 09:26 PM
We have a Løiten Lys shop here in Norway also. It is Marta's favorite shop in town :-)
Posted by: Britt-Arnhild | November 16, 2007 at 10:25 PM
What a beautiful shop that looks to be! Must smell like heaven! I LOVE the candle that you've chosen!
Most of my holiday gifts for adults this Christmas are all handmade ~ most either purchased through etsy or from craft gals' online sites. It's thrilling buying handmade! =)
Posted by: beachy | November 16, 2007 at 10:43 PM
Hi Tracy,
Many congratulations on your award. I love your pretty candle and I'm so happy that you had an enjoyable day out yesterday ~ thanks for your e-mail ~ I'll be replying soon.
Have a great weekend.
Marie x
Posted by: marie | November 17, 2007 at 12:40 AM
Congratulations on your award, Tracy! Your blog is such pleasure to visit and your friendship is so special to me. Thank you so much for sharing this with me! Love that white candle! Won't it look fabulous lit on a winter's eve? Those roses look so real! Have a great weekend! ~ hugs, Lynda xoxo
Posted by: Lynda | November 17, 2007 at 01:20 AM
It's always so nice to stop by to visit your blog. I've been too busy lately, and am happy to have a little breathing room again to enjoy things like your blog.
I absolutely love the blue purse.
Posted by: Caroline | November 17, 2007 at 05:33 AM
LOvely links, pics etc and that award couldn't have gone to a nicer blogger.
Posted by: cd&m | November 17, 2007 at 02:59 PM
Congrats on your award Tracy, again it's well deserved!!! I love visiting your warm, friendly and welcoming blog! :Love those candles and the roses are beautiful. Hope you're having a great weekend
Kim x
Posted by: kim | November 18, 2007 at 09:51 AM