Thursday, February 26, 2009

Support Our Troops Blog Day Event ~ March 21, 2009 ~ Please Join Me!


I haven't posted in a while, sorry, I have been under the weather and received a telephone call I wasn't expecting...
I have some news I want to share with everyone ~ my niece, who is 19 left for Iraq last Thursday and will be gone for approximately 16 months! I was upset, but proud! She joined the US Army when she was 17, yes ~ 17! She did her basic training at Fort Leonardwood, in Missouri, did very well and then was transferred to Washington State where she stayed until last Thursday. She trained as a medic and will be close to all of the terrible things happening in Iraq! Given the circumstances they weren't supposed to be sending any more troops to Iraq with the new administration in place, I was both very saddened, upset and worried about her being stationed in Iraq! I guess you could say it's better than Afghanistan, but who knows, with her tour of duty just beginning, she may up there along with the rest of her company. They sent another 16,000 troops over there! So anyway this is my thought and want I would like to do!

I want to host a blog event (certainly not a party) ~ but an event to Support Our Troops! I have been thinking about what to do and this is what I am going to plan:

I am going to post my niece's name, rank and APO mailing address here on the blog and would like to invite any blogger who would like to support our troops to participate, to please email me with their link and I will post it on my blog, with a link back to your blog. Please just drop a card in the mail, an email or possibly even a small package with some of the items from below! A card saying "thank you" would also be wonderful.

There are many wonderful creative people out there with beautiful blogs with hearts to match, and I think it would truly lift these "kids" spirits, given the location, living conditions not to mention what they will endure for quite a while!

It's a good way to keep up their morale while they are in this awful place and make them smile, given what they will see and have to do while they are stationed there.
If you send a box of "goodies and smiles", with a note asking Meggie to please share whatever items you send to the troops in her company, she will do that.

If you think about your "special tribute" post for your blog, maybe there is someone you know who is stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan or some other remote place in the world, who would love to receive a "care package" and post their information on your blog. An email would be great, as they love to receive news from the States with well wishes extended! When people read your story about your special person, friend or family member, they may choose to send a "care package" to them! I am hoping this will be like a "Pay it Forward" event honoring all of our troops!
Meggie has no idea I am doing this, I am sure she and her fellow soliders will be so happy to know that we, as Americans are just taking the time to send a note, an email or a box from home, especially being from someone they don't even know, it truly speaks volumes about each and every one of us. Oh, they also love pictures, especially when receiving a gift from someone they don't know, but are fighting for!!
So here is how it will work ~ and hopefully many of my wonderful followers and visitors will decide to participate! The "Support Our Troops" Blog Day Event will be March 21st.

All that is required of you is to have a "Support Our Troops" inspired event on your blog the day of this special tribute, a link back to my blog (Banner is above) and I will link to yours.

If you would like to post about this special tribute to "Our Troops" on your blog here is the flyer with the information, please feel free to copy this and post it on your blog, along with a link back to my blog! The more people who see it, the more participation we will have and the more emails, letters or cards our troops will receive!


Oh, and be sure to let me know you are going to participate by leaving your blog name and address either in a reply post or by emailing it directly to me at mimisrosecreations@yahoo.com (be sure to put "Support Our Troops" as the subject line).

The week of this very special tribute, I will create a list of all blogs/sites that are participating so that we can all visit each other's blogs the day of the v
ery special event!

Some of the items which are most requested by our Soldiers are listed below:

wet wipes, individually wrapped in foil packs (not gel bottles)
body wipes in plastic pull-out canisters
disposable razors – men's and women's
chap sticks
floss
toothbrushes

feminine hygiene products

foot powder
and the like
magazines (clean content)
books (clean content)
fun posters & calendars for dressing the place up
AA batteries
AAA batteries
movie DVD's (clean content)
music CDs (clean content)
small earphones
1 GB and 2 GB USB memory sticks (external hard drives) (blank)
beef jerky and sticks
peanuts and nuts in cans with lids
tins and packets of flavored coffee and cappuccino
candy
gum
breath mints


Thank you for your support and I hope you will decide to participate! I have added Mr.Linky ~ yeah, if you want to participate, I am thanking you in advance. Just sign up following the easy linking device below! Then grab the small banner on the right side bar up at the top, along with the link to this post and place it on your blog.
Mimi

I received this email from Becky, her husband is a medic and also in Iraq. There is some information on shipping items to our troops which is very helpful ~ Thank you Becky!!

I left a comment on you blog. But I wanted you to know that you should mail all packages priority mail. It still takes about 2 weeks for them
to get it but you have less chance for the boxes to get lost if you send it priority.
Also the post office have boxes that you can pick up just for the troops. The boxes are free they are a flat rate box so you can fill it as heavy as you want.
It is $11.95 a box to send I think. But I do not know if they will go up in May when the stamps go up.
I hope this info helps.
And some thing to add to your list if you want. The sand is real bad there so they
need computer wipes and some good eye glass cleaner. They wear goggles alot because of the sand storms. Plus the sand is always bad.
Thanks so much.
Hope you have a great weekend.
Becky

Mimi

Sunday, February 15, 2009

A Valentine's Day Blog Party Giveaway Winner of Mimi's Rose Special Friend!



I first would like to say "thank you" to all the wonderful ladies who visited my blog for the "Valentine's Day Blog Party" and the beautiful comments each of you left about my dear friend, Ag! I know the winner of this very special doily will take good care and cherish it forever! Especially since you know the entire story behind it! When we go antiquing, flea marketing, or just plain junking, I am sure there are many, like me, who would love to know the story behind that very special treasure we just happened to "stumble on"!

So here's the lucky lady ~ Jenny Fowler! Congratulations Jenny, I know you will take good care of this very special heart and I am honored to send it to you! When you receive this "special heart", please post it on your blog, telling a bit of the story behind it! Enjoy with my blessings, Ag will be smiling down on you too!

This beautiful Valentine Heart is from Victoria Rose Graphics, thank you Vicky for sharing this lovely heart! She has some of the most beautiful graphics you will find anywhere!

Mimi

Friday, February 13, 2009

Celebrate Love & Romance ~ A Valentine's Day Blog Party Giveaway! ~ Mimi's Rose Special Friend!

Today is a special day, it's a day of love, romance and sharing your heart with all the people you surround yourself with in your life!

I want to tell you about a very special friend of mine, who made me smile and laugh! She was very special to me, you knew you could always count on her when you were down, when you needed a cup of sugar and just wanted to share a cup of coffee with in the morning, or anytime! Her name was Agnes, "Ag" as we all called her! She could make you laugh even when your heart was blue or aching. She was my best friend! You always know when you meet someone you just "click" with and this was true for me!

I moved to North Carolina in 1996, not by choosing, but because of my husband's job being eliminated due to "base closures" when Clinton was in office! Oh, I didn't want to move, we had built our life, our home and memories in Virginia, but we had no choice! My husband had 8 years left before he could retire, my daughter, who was 16 at the time, still had college to attend and we knew couldn't send her to college without relocating and getting the retirement he had worked so hard for! So we moved! It was dreadful, in a new place, where we knew no one, had to make friends again and try to fit in! While we settled, bought an old house built in 1890, just to keep me and my mind occupied while I renovated and redecorated!

Well, about a year later, I hear all this commotion across the street, boy, were they loud! I thought to myself, "oh, great" what kind of neighbors are we getting!! Well, it was Ag and Kenny, they were from New Jersey and had rented the house from the previous couple who had renovated it and moved to another part of the city! Little did I know at the time, she would be one of my best friends! She was Italian, talked with a "Jersey" accent and said what she had to say! They were wonderful neighbors, we became very good friends, traveled, antiqued, dined and even had a "luau" party! They had bought property and Kenny was going to build a house on the land they had purchased!

Ag and I had so much fun looking for antique pieces to use in their new house! One day, we went antiquing and stopped at this little place, we found a gorgeous oak fireplace surround and an antique white iron bed! Well, actually I found the bed, and she oohed and aahed, asked me "Deb, you want this bed" (I have four bedrooms upstairs, anyway, I said "no, I don't", so she got it. It went into her new house in Bath! Every time I saw that bed, I drooled, but it was perfect for them! We always joked about it, because I told her more than once, I could kick myself for not getting, and she would say, "you had your chance, it's mine now!". We had so many wonderful times and I truly miss her! You see, she died on her birthday of cancer, after loosing her wonderful husband and friend, to pancreatic cancer, only five months before, not even suspecting she had cancer!

So, I dedicate this heart to my friend Ag, and wanted you to know the story behind this heart!

I was on eBay looking for beautiful crocheted doilies and roses. I emailed one of the sellers to ask a question about her beautiful work. Add a bit of info about me and she emailed back, told me she had a sister who lived where I do, mentioned their names and I also most fell over, it was Ag's sister! What fate it was, she is now my friend, though lives in another state, and crochets the most beautiful things, you can find her on etsy!

Anyway, it's been almost three years since my dear sweet friend traveled to heaven to be with her husband and best friend, Kenny. Her sister, Mary Ann, made this heart for me, so I am passing it on to someone who will cherish it and understand the true meaning of love, remembering to always treasure your family, friends and life! I hope you will treasure this heart as a gift from me to you!!

Now that you have read the story behind this heart. Here is what I ask you to do for the Valentine's Day Blog Party ~ look for the Pink Bling Giveaway, leave a comment there and come back and leave a kind comment here on this post. You will have to post in both the "Pink Bling Giveaway for February" and this one too. Ag loved bling!

This is a special giveaway in honor of Ag and Kenny, to "Celebrate Love and Romance", which is what they did everyday of their lives! They also loved Chocolate, as we all do! Please visit the other blogs for great giveaways and enjoy "The Valentine's Day Blog Party" with love from me to you!

You will have to check back to see who won, the comments must be posted before 12 PM EST on Valentine's Day. I will announce the winner of this very special heart on Sunday afternoon!

Mimi



Friday, February 6, 2009

Friday Flea Market ~ It's SALE DAY at Mimi's Rose

It's Friday Flea Market and I am having a Sale on the previous Friday Flea Market Items! Just Click on the links below, they are reduced!! You will have to email me directly to purchase them, because the price reflected is NOT the 35% discount you will receive. I need to clear some of these pretties out, so take a peek at the links below, if you like something ~ email me, don't purchase it directly from the post, because it will not reflect the 35% discount! So here goes, hope you see something shabby and chic you like? I will send you an invoice thru Paypal.

Also, you may want to visit my website, I am having a great sale, 20% everything in the boutique! I added new fabrics yesterday, along with some great "Nursery Crib Sheet Sets", so please stop by and take a peek! Just use the discount code "Perfect Gift" when you check out in the shopping cart! You will receive 20% off your entire purchase, but hurry, the "Valentine's Day Sweetheart Sale" at Mimi's Rose Chenille Boutique ends on February 12th!

http://mimisrosechenilleboutique.blogspot.com/2009/01/pink-friday-flea-market-finds-at-mimis.html

http://mimisrosechenilleboutique.blogspot.com/2009/01/shabby-chic-pink-clothespin-bag-its.html

http://mimisrosechenilleboutique.blogspot.com/2008/11/mimis-rose-friday-flea-market-special.html

Hope everyone has a great weekend and stays toasty and warm!

Mimi

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

****Etsy Thread Artists Team Artistic Color Challenge****

Etsy is having a Thread Artists "Team Artistic" Color Challenge and I just wanted everyone to see the beautiful work Mary Ann, a wonderful friend of mine, does! Her work is absolutely beautiful. I get a lot of my crocheted items from Mary Ann. She honestly, I think, can crochet anything. It's truly becoming a lost art!

I remember when I was a kid and my grandmother would sit and crochet in the evening while we were watching "Gunsmoke", on Saturday night, she used to create the most beautiful things! They can't make a machine to recreate beautiful doilies like this one! My grandma tried to teach me, but at the time I wasn't interested in learning, sure wish I would have, but then I guess I wouldn't have met Mary Ann. (There is a very long story behind on how we met and it truly is something very special!! I believe to this day, God had in his plan!)

Please take the time to visit The " Etsy Thread Artists Blogspot", and vote for Mary Ann! You will see some amazing work by these talented ladies! Vote here for Mary Ann!! Click on the "Triple Pink Valentine's Heart & Lace Doily! It's pink and oh so beautiful!!

Are you looking for something special, visit Mary Ann at her etsy shop. Just a note, my one day Valentine Giveaway will be something from Mary Ann's beautiful creations! So be sure to check back, the Valentine's Giveaway will be posted on February 13th early and will close at 12 PM on the 12th! The winner will be announced on Valentine's Day!

One more thing, don't forget about My "Pink Bling" Blog Giveaway for February. Check out what you have to do to have a chance to win this month's giveaway! It's like a "Scavenger Hunt", but an easy one!! Have fun! Don't forget to leave a comment! Have a Sweet Day!

Mimi

Sunday, February 1, 2009

I've Been Tagged by Lisa!

I have been tagged by my friend Lisa!
Here are the things to do:
1. Go to the fourth folder in your picture file on your computer.
2. Post the fourth picture from that file (here's mine):

3. Explain the picture:

This is a picture of my kitchen we renovated in our home which was built in 1890. We took the cupboard doors off above the sink and added a cornice to create a little display area for some of my favorite things! I redid all of the cabinets myself (boy, will I ever do it again, NO!) Because the cupboards were in such great condition I did a paint technique on them to give them that old world feel. Below the sink, we took out the board and added tiles to create the effect of the old farm sinks you spend a fortune on! You have to come up with creative ways when you are renovating an old house! The wallpaper has monkeys swinging on vines and they really make me smile when I get up to have my morning cup of coffee! On the wall opposite this area, I had a great lady come in and do a trompe loile (oops, not sure I spelled this right, did a spell check but it didn't come up) of the monkeys swinging on the vines with their little vests on to match the wallpaper! My granddaughter just loves it and so do we!

4. Tag 4 more people, so this is who I tagged:

Jennifer ~ Bella Lucille

Debbi ~ Marionberry Cottage

Mrs. Charlotte ~ Mrs. Charlotte's Boutique

Melissa ~ Adored Before

Don't Forget to check out my blog giveaway for February! It's the next post down or just look to the right sidebar and click on "Mimi's Rose Blog Giveaway for February"