It has been a rough week didn't get as much accomplished as
I would have liked. Enough whining! 

The blog will now match my newsletter which is also getting a little makeover into a decorating ezine dedicated to shabby chic and romantic vintage decorating. I am finishing up this month's newsletter and it should be in your inboxes next week make sure you have added me to your safe list. I have also changed the preferences around a bit on the sign up so you can pick and choose which emails you would like to receive
along with our decorating ezine.

The Mother's Day blog contest will start next week. Here is a peek...



a little retro pink.



Love this magazine "Cottage Style" by Meredith Publications
and it's only on the stands until May 13th or 15th.



Of course Rachel Ashwell has pics of one of her homes as examples of cottage style, there are lots of beautiful pictures in this magazine. Definitely a keeper.

Shabby Rose is offering free shipping on all purchases made on Saturday, May 10th and Mother's Day May 11th and shipped within the U.S.

Give your Moms an extra kiss and hug and Have a very Happy Mother's Day!

~ S ~

In my last post you see I was on my way to meet some new blog friends and shop at the wonderful Barn Sale I have heard so much about at La Maison Rustique. On my way there Friday my beloved 98 Thunderbird gave out, she only has 198,000 miles on her, I can't imagine why she is so tired. Thank goodness for AAA. While we are trying to figure out what to do for her, my hubby offered to chauffeur me on Saturday, but on the way there he received an emergency call from one of his hotel accounts, so back home I go and can only assume that I was not meant to be there for this particular weekend, but will definitely try again next month.

I have a few things to cover today before I forget so here goes.



Make Mine Pink will be offering a Mother's Day Shop Hop starting on April 21st, 2008 and ending on May 10th, 2008. Join the Make Mine Pink Bloggers as we each post our plans for a Mother's Day Event~ we will share stories and recipes, a garden hat or two, and stop and smell the roses along the way. For more information and contest rules go to MakeMinePink.
Shabby Rose Cottage missed the sign up for this one but I will be participating in some of the blog events. Thursday, April 25~Share some favorite recipes

Monday, April 28~Gifts to give or gift's not to give
Thursday, May 1 ~ May flowers and May Baskets/Garden Events/Decorating with Flowers
Monday, May 5 ~Planning for a brunch/lunch or tea~ in the garden or not~

Thursday, May 8 thru Sunday, May 11 ~ Mothers Day Events, memories, anecdotes, pictures, life's little lessons

Next on my agenda: it is time for another fabulous Cottage Giveaway , this one has a twist. I will post more about that in a few days. 

I hope you all had a great weekend and wish you all a wonderful week!

~ S ~

I am sorry I was unable to post comments and answer emails for the last few days it seems my browser was hijacked.....

I also shop online and while I was out browsing I was visiting some new links and someone sweetly designed a banner link that looked like a place I would shop and I clicked on it and there you go. The next morning my home pages were all changed and a little pop up kept coming up whenever I logged in somewhere and a friend posted to not go to this same link and I knew I was had. Well 3 days later, one day with Microsoft and one day with Mcafee because both of those systems missed it, I was clean. It is such a violation and all I can think of is if they put that much time into helping others, building a legitimate business or creating something useful on the computer how much further we would all be. So here is my policy.....

I take and make every effort to keep my customers, clients and bloggers safe. I do not post comments with questionable links, I do not link to anything I have not checked out myself and I check all my links on a weekly basis. I want you all to feel safe when you visit me or my links. I even check out links from their links which is how I got hijacked. Better me than you. So when you click on links I have listed they have been checked, double checked and triple checked but once you are out into those links be careful where you go.

The name of that  link was called Pink Paint and Roses
 
I would like to encourage all my other business friends to do the same if they are not already doing it and I will be posting that these links have all been checked and the date I checked them on my links page on my website.

Safe Surfing

~ S ~

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Once again the hubby decided I needed a little airing out (I get a little cranky when I don't go out for days) so we went and did a little treasure hunting and I got more than my share this weekend. I totally scored on some ironstone, I will be adding these to our inventory. I keep trying to remember to take my camera with me so you can come along on our treasure hunts but for some reason I keep thinking about it after I get home. lol...

I have also been meaning to share one of my other finds with you so that I could make a point.....

My hubby actually spotted this gorgeous wicker day bed in front of somebody's house waiting for trash pick up. Silly hubby didn't want to bring it home for nothing so he came home to ask if I wanted it......needless to say I sent him right back to get it and he beat the truck by two houses. It needed a good scrubbing and that was it, we added a mattress and it is perfect. Always keep your eyes open and teach your husband to do the same because you never know what you will find. I will post more pics after I get the room finished. It is in my guest(really means granddaughter's) room/office.

~ S ~