I love dolls!

 

Do you know this girls? They are called storybook dolls. Some are made of bisque and some are made of hard plastic. I have some teenagers, girls and babies. What make me start collecting them was a box I found at a rummage sale. It had rain the night before and the dolls were in a plastic shoe box full of water. Some of the dresses got die stains from the color fabrics and I could not salvage them. I wash and iron every dress and that is how my quest started. This days I have paid up to 35$ for a rare one and I look for cream or pink dresses to match the decor in my princess room.

                                                      This one is my southern belle

           She is so sweet in person. All she needs is her mom to comb her hair and put a pretty bow in it.

 The composition girl with the big blue eyes  and the big head was not cheap but I could not                        leave her.

Look at this beauty.  She is showing too much skin with her sheer underwear. She is hard plastic and her hair is so pretty. I paid 1.00 for her.

Last, I do not like new dolls, unless they "speak to me". This one last doll have my heart. She is a doll with a great message.

See her face, how could you not love her! Wait till you see and you will love her even more.

She could have her choice between the raggedy doll or this one. I'm with her.

The little raggedy ann is missing a leg but she chose her. That is exactly how I feel about  my friends, about everything. My things are not of great value, just to me. I do not always now the story but I like to imagine one. I feel like a caretaker, like I must protect, restore and honor the history. I see beauty in things that most will not, my friends growing up were the ones that other people made fun of. Nobody will take the time to know them, they missed so much beauty. I was never bullied but I was questioned about my choice of friends. There was nothing wrong with them, people just could not get pass the flaws , the clothes, where they live, what they drive, etc. As an adult I have to constantly remind myself of what is important. You start to make a little bit more money, you become somewhat successful, you meet and socialize with different people and if you don't stay grounded you start to loose sight of what is of great value. I aspire to mix with humble people. I want to look at their souls and not at what designer are they wearing. I do not want to compete, I want to share my blessings. Life is too short, live it well. Blessings, Marta.

PD: Go and visit the other Pink Saturday girls. You can find a list @Ms Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND.

      We are happy. We got the house. We will be closing on Tuesday, after that, chaos. We will be moving our household and my shop into this property. I'm excited, I do not want to think about the logistics of moving all my stuff and believe me I have lots. I'm trying to convince my husband that is time to downsize. He thinks that he needs 100 tupperware bowls and cabinets full of pots. The closet in the masterdom is full of stuff that I have not visit in years. I'm not a size 16 anymore. The attic is boarded and full of stuff that have sat there for a decade now. So a lot of cleaning, donating, trashing and packing. I have 3 appointments with contractors on Wednesday since the house we are buying is not a new home. Think, pink formica countertops, wall paper in the bathroom in hunter green, burgundy and mauve. We are doing countertops and flooring, textured walls and painting all over. The shop will require walls, heating and air, restroom and lighting. Argg...that is a lot. I keep telling myself that Rome was not built in a day. So, wish me well, I will need to keep it together thru it all. I will take pictures of the before and after as soon I can get in there. Blessings, Marta.

It is 12:12 AM Central Texas time, Sunday. I can't sleep, too much coffee and too much thinking. I want to share with you something that happened at the shop today. One of the pros about having a shop is the amount of nice and interesting people you get to meet. Then in between those sometimes you meet the ones you wish they will stay away. Today a couple stop by and when asked if they needed assistance the gentleman started to ask for prices in various old books collections I have. He described himself as a book and history worm. His body language was turning me off since I can tell he was used to get his way. I collect beautiful books and any kind of ephemera and I have a lot of very tattered, spine showing books which I considered for their decorative value. He was very prompt to let me know his opinion about my books. They were "ridiculously priced and in such an horrendous state" that he could not understand why I even bother with them. Well, even after complaining he proceeded to buy two of my books for 3.00 each. I tried to explain to him how mixed media artist, decorators and designers everywhere are finding beauty in the rustic, tattered, junky, rough items. I tried to explain to him about the beauty of a pile of book with no covers, only old pages with the spine showing. I tell you, looking at his face I can tell he was horrified by what I was describing. I told him I was aware of the fact that to a book collector what we do with papers this days is sacrilegious. I think that was  the only statement he fully agreed on. I thought I can do without the men business.
       Well, I take that back. I did noticed that he will take breaks sitting at every chair in the shop and that he was limping. Even though I didn't feel any kind of friendly manners coming from him I went ahead and asked him what was wrong with his leg. He was kind to share with me that he suffered from a degenerative condition and that he eventually will ended up in a wheelchair. I asked if there was any medical help he can get and he said no. Then he proceeded to laugh about it, a laugh that didn't make any sense to me. I don't know why but I felt compelled to share this with him, even when I could not get any kind of spiritual connection and though he might just put me off. Many years ago, 24, I fell from 18 feet during a training session. I was military and climbing poles was my job. I was expected to be medically discharge since I suffered a muscular-skeleton injury. The pain was the most excruciating pain, I couldn't even wear a belt or buttoned my uniform all the way. I was not supposed to be able to exercise or perform my duties as needed. I started to slowly exercise myself back to health against medical advise and surprised everybody by passing my physical test. The only thing was that I learn to live in pain, the kind that make you crawled out of bed. I learned to put my pain off and continue with life as usual. I was in a lot of medications for the pain but tossed them since they only doped me up and did nothing for the pain. Where I'm going with this? This is why I share this with him. I was not a believer then, didn't even asked God to heal me since I thought I can handle it with out Him. I was self sufficient and arrogant, didn't expect much from anybody, God included. Every morning I got used to turn and crawled out off bed, that was the routine and then the pain. One day, 2 years after getting married I woke up and just got up from bed, without crawling or rolling. I thought that was weird and didn't understand what  had just happened. I expected the pain to start, like every day, but it didn't. What did just happened? I expected to go to bed and wake up back to "normal" the next day, but I remain pain free, that was 22 years ago. This is where the gentleman comes back in the story. I did not get any kind of response from him, you know, some people don't like Jesus freaks. I added him up, packed his goods and send him off with the most tattered book he liked but will not purchased because of the condition it was. I told him to remember the crazy lady in the highway every time he saw that book. Well I thought I was done with him, but as I watched him trying to get into his car with much difficulty I felt the urge to go and knock at their window and said a last message to him.
               I wanted him and his wife to know that we are not without hope. That miracles do happen, everyday, to all people and with out any reasons. That God so chooses to  performs miracles sometimes because He is God and He can. I was not a christian, I was not praying for healing, I didn't knew God like I know Him today, I didn't even believe in miracles!. Somebody was praying for me though. I visited my mom 2 years prior to my healing and I remembered visiting her church and going with her during the altar call. I only did that to pleased her. When I told her about my healing (now I know is called that)  she told me she have been praying for me all that time. See...I offered to pray for him from today on and asked him to please come and tell me when he get his miracle. I can tell he thought I was insane, but guess what? I am, I am a Jesus freak, a God fanatic. I will be waiting, he will be back...
        GOD IS GOOD AND HE IS GOOD ALL THE TIME, NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. Blessings to you all, Marta.

I got nothing

Oh, I'm a party crasher. I did not respond to Ms Beverly invite to participate in her Pink Saturday today. I do not have much to tell today. I didn't want to leave my Memorial Day post on. It have been that long. I got no new pictures to post and I been told a post without pictures is kind of sacrilegious. Because of those reasons I'm giving you nothing, just a blah of a post. We do not have any news about the property we  are buying, my realtor keeps telling me that no news can be good news. In the meantime we wait.

Some of this stuff, actually most of it is already gone. My sales this month have been crazy good. That is a good thing since the "new" house needs a lot of cosmetic stuff done.

I hoping things start to move along, I do not want to be moving during Christmas time. (I'm exaggerating, hopefully!)

I'm close approaching my 100 post. I know lots of bloggers have giveaways to celebrate the occasion. I don't even want to think about it right now. We got so much packing to do both at the 2 houses and the shop, I try not to think, maybe if I put it in the back of my mind it will go away until I'm free and feeling more creative. I do want to celebrate my followers and the milestone, just not right now. I will think of something. Can you tell I'm in a little funk? Thank God for His mercy and grace. I will go on with His help. Blessings, Marta.

Freedom is not free.

Today as I meditate on the celebration of Memorial day I can only think about the fact that this freedom we enjoy in our country is not free. Today I think about the mothers and fathers, son and daughters, brothers and sisters, all gone so we can live the life we so privileged live. I think about the missed births and graduations, the weddings and birthdays, the Christmas days and the growing spurs. All missed because they choose to serve, to go and fight for us, to die for us. Some are coming back with broken bodies, some come back with a battered spirit, some change for the better, some come back in presence, their mind is still there.

It is our duty to remember, not only today, but everyday. For our children, for the families left behind, for our nation. We are to be proactive. I can be proactive by lending a hand. Yards need to be mowed, some need to be relocated, some need a shoulder to cry, some need to talk, some need space. I can be  there when needed. I can be proactive with my prayers; maybe I can criticize less and pray more. I believe that God listens, I believed that God cares. So my prayer today is that God will show His mercy and grace over our country, that He will protect our troops, that his angels will camp around those that serve Him, that we get to keep our freedom but not at the cost of the blood of our sons and daughters. I pray that the fathers and mothers get to come back home safe to their kids, that freedom will not only be an american commodity but the standard established by example. I pray that we get to have dreams just like MLK, that our government will be one compose and preside by God fearing men, that our children learn from history and hopefully will not make the same mistakes.
To you all serving our country, to the millions of veterans from any war,  let it be known that you are loved and appreciated for all you have done so we can enjoy our freedom. To all the military wives, mothers and fathers, THANK YOU for all your sacrifices, for every life lost, for every tear, THANK YOU and God bless you all...Marta.


To all the Fort Hood soldiers, THANK YOU.
To all the proactive members of our community, THANK YOU.

Happy Birthday Pink Saturday!

It is no secret I love having beautiful things around me. I constantly have to edit, restrain and drag myself out of trouble. When you have been an avid collector for most of your adult life it gets to a point that you have to start doing negotiations with yourself and others around you; (DH). The store had been a good excuse for my misbehaving habits (Hoarder). I am able to recycle, change, redecorate as I please. If I did'n have the store that will be another story. In the house the deal is, one comes in, another needs to go out. I'm cheating though, my princess room is where most of the new stuff goes, then again in more than one occasion I have brought home big things thinking I'm going to get in trouble. I sometimes worry in vain since sometimes (many times) my DH will notice weeks or months later. I love the  French look with all the neutrals, sepia colors. I of course have some of that but my heart for ever will be pink. I still buy anything with roses in it. At the shop I have noticed that my creams and whites are the hot sellers now. My pink rooms just sit there waiting for some pink friends. That is why Pink Saturday is my favorite party to attend. Every Saturday I can't wait to see all the pink yumminess out there. The pink girls are some of the most sweet, talented beautiful girls in blogland. I just want to thank MSs Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound for starting and continue to host PS for all of us. Happy PS and blessings to you all!

                                                                          Yumm

                                                         Even the sides are beautiful

                            Do you know what this is? It is full of  powder with the most amazing fragrance.                

                                                                       Instant love

                                                           Gorgeous silk address case.

                                                               Love my compacts.  

                                
                                                               God bless you all.

I love hats!!!

  Michelle from Rose Garden Romantic was asking bloggers what do they collect. I tell people that ask the same question not to ask a collector that, asking what you don't collect in my case is easy to answer. We have at one point or the other collected something or all. Something I have collected most of my adult life have been hats. These days they have become a popular thing to wear and to collect so when you find a really good one be ready to pay a lot. I have about five hats in the house that I will never get rid off but at the shop my hats are mostly black, creams, whites and my favorite pink. I love wide brims and lots of millinery flowers. I leave you with a sample of my favorite pinks. Pinky Girls I hope you enjoy.

                                            This baby is still at home. Can you blame me?

                                                    Cute, just not enough flowers for me.

                 I got this one for a song, the shape is cute, I called it my pink Charlie Chaplin Hat.

                 This one was a fun hat, a ton of flowers but it fit funny. It is gone to a lady that say she will      
                          wear it. More power to her!

                                                              This one is gone too.

                               This one looks like a shriners hat. I love the huge pink rose.

                                                                     Yummy

. The flowers on the fuchshia one look too new for me. 

The pink silk on this is a weird shade of mauve. I love the pin.

Last, I wanted to include a picture of our going to be God willing front yard. We pass the home inspection yesterday and we will do the official loan application today. It's one day at a time. My DH is already estimating how long it is going to take him to mow this yard. It is like having your own park. As soon as we go into escrow I will take pictures of the before and after. Lots to do but very exciting. 

Go and check the rest of the Pink Saturday girls. You can find a list @ Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND. Blessings, Marta. 

PD   We finished the loan process this afternoon. The mortgage company is going to try to move things faster since the lady owner of the house has terminal cancer and seem to be doing not too well. Say a prayer for this family since they really got a lot in their plates. The son was so sad last week when he told us about the mom. I hope they know their beloved home will be loved and treasured like they did for so many years. I feel lucky and honor to "inherit" this little piece of heaven. Will give you updates as we get closer to closing day. Blessings, Marta.