Found this wonderful vintage shop!

While searching the Internet this evening for some vintage items, I found this wonderful shop called Madison's Manor ~ http://www.madisonsmanor.com/index.php. She has a beautiful selection of vintage items. Check her on-line store and blog out!

I will be posting some photos of my vintage finds this weekend.

Hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Sharon

Forgiving the Mother We Were

A year ago today my only child was killed in auto accident. In loving memory of Jeremy. There is not a day that goes by without thoughts of you. Love, Mom.

A passage from the book The Woman's Book of Soul.

Forgiving the Mother We Were

I forgive myself for my past mothering. I am the best mother I can be.

I lovingly support all children in my care.

We are so vulnerable about mothering abilities. It's all too easy for us to feel guilty. Have we done too much or not done enough? Are we too strict or too permissive? Questions such as these can haunt us whether our children are fourteen days old or forty-seven years old. But in order to have peace of mind, we need to forgive the mother we were. This takes great courage, particlular in the face of society's attitude of "it must be the mother's fault" no matter what "it" is.

When my first child was born, I was young, inexperienced, and unhappy...and not too great a mother. I wanted to be good. I tried to be good, but wasn't the kind of good mother I eventually became.

Before, I could relax and be the mother I wanted to be, I needed to forgive the struggling young mother I was originally. I did that by picturing myself in my early twenties, acknowledging my loneliness and confusion, then assuring myself that I did the best I could at the time. And I had.

If you need to forgive the mother you were, allow yourself to close your eyes and see the young woman to the past. How does she feel, and how do you feel about her? Try to understand what motivated the actions or attitudes that you now need to to forgive. Understanding fosters forgiveness.

We all do the best we can at the time. Knowing that helps us to forgive ourselves and, in a climate of forgiveness, we can become better than we were. If our relationships with our children are secure enough, after we heal our shame at not being a perfect parent, we may eventually, want to talk to them about our regrets and ask for their forgiveness.

In the past year I have felt so much guilt about my son and our relationship. I won't go into the issues and hurts I felt in the past with Jeremy, his father and stepmother. I feel fortunate enough that the past few years we talked and laughed. We were in the process of healing our relationship. I pray everyday that he forgives his young mother.

Sharon

Have a great holiday weekend!

Wishing you a wonderful and safe weekend!
Hugs, Sharon

Girly Comments & Graphics

It has been a tough year for me. Needless to say I have not been creating as much as I had planned. Some days are very hard for me. This weekend I ventured out to downtown Memphis to an antigue shop and flea market. It was nice getting out. I did purchase some great items and plan on showing you photos of the group when DH returns with my camera. I am hoping to make some tags for another blogger and maybe some collages this week.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Sharon

As you can see, I worked on my blog background last night. Thank you for those that left comments on where and how suggestions!

Still needs work...but it is a start!

Hope you have a great day!

Happy Friday!

I don't have my camera this week. DH is taking a few days off to visit his son at West Point. Hope he has a great weekend. But I miss him!

I am trying to locate someone who can help me with my blog background...I am willing to pay for this service. I have sent emails to several ladies that helped some bloggers that posted about their backgrounds. But have not heard from anyone I sent a message. Just disappointed with no response from anyone.

I will be posting a new blog to sell some of my vintage items. More news to follow.

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend.

An apology...

I would like to apologize to those who have received emails, and blog comments from my blog address. We had our laptop/wireless card hacked. We also had problems with our PayPal account. The past few weeks have been stressful to say the least. But we think we have resolved all the issues. We are keeping our fingers crossed!

I hope all of you ladies had a wonderful Mother's Day filled with love and lots of goodies! It was quiet for me. This was my first Mother's Day since the death of my only child ~ Jeremy. It was a sad day...I cried a few tears!

I have been busy scanning my Czech glass button collection ~ sample cards. I am now offering in my Etsy store a CD with over 1200 button samples. You can easily altered and adjust with your imaging software for altered art projects.

I will not be doing a monthly blog give away as previously posted. I received some negative emails about my blog give aways. So I will post my next blog give away on June 1 with a winner announced on/around 15th. The dates could change. I will keep you posted.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Hugs, Sharon

Happy Mother's Day!

Show Me ~ Wednesdays...NEW

Welcome to our home!

Sorry my posting is late this evening. Busy day for me.

This is a photo of the front entrance to our house. I haven't started planting any annuals yet...can you tell by the St Patty Day flag still hanging! lol

My husband went to Lowe's last weekend and bought me the two planters by the door. He is such a sweetie!

Till next Wednesday...take care!

Sharon

Emails and my monthly give aways...

This morning I recieved an email from someone stating I am not fair with my drawing of names. First, I offer monthly drawings for a fun way of meeting other bloggers. I do NOT offer my drawings to out do any other bloggers, praise my work, put other artist down, and toot anyone's horn so to say. Second, I hope I have not offended anyone with my monthly give aways.
For April's drawing I put all of the names that submitted comments in a bowl and my husband drew a name. I really don't feel I have to get all technical on my monthly drawings...such as an autmated name/number system on the internet. Please allow me to have some integrity.

I really think there are MANY more situations in life to worry about...family, and your health. So to the emailer with no name...get a life!

I want to thank all of those you have read my blog and left comments for my monthly give aways. It is my only desire that my give aways provide you with vintage and new items for inspiring your art.

Sharon

April BLog Give Away Winner...

The winner of April's blog give away is Deena. Her blogs are Can I Be Pretty in Pink and The Primitive Gathering. Congratulations Deena!
I want to thank all of you for entering my monthly blog ~ so please keep entering. In June there will be 2 give aways. One with vintage collectibles and another with vintge fabrics and lace. So you have your choice in June. I will be posting May's give away on/around May 10th. So please check back and sign up!
I hope everyone is having a great week!
Hugs, Sharon