Well, it's like this...

I was going to brave the Christmas crowds and those slow-driving snowbirds today to get my Christmas card supplies, but I think I'll just stay home and enjoy the contented company of my associates.

Life is too short...

to not do silly things that make you inexplicably happy.  Like decorating the tops of these lavender legal pads with Mary Engelbreit stickers.  Maybe that's what they were meant for, who knows?  I like the way they look and that's all that matters.  It really breit-ened my day.

A lovely surprise...

I was dashing out the door to go to the bank this afternoon - as much as I dash - and the postman had just left a parcel for me.  I pushed it inside the door and decided to open it when I came back.  When I returned and unlocked the door, Peter was sitting on top of the box, as if to remind me to open it.  Cats!  It turned out to be a lovely birthday box from my friend, Erin in Arkansas.  I am so thrilled - I just have to share the contents.  There is a wonderful Gooseberry Patch cookbook: The Cozy Home Cookbook.  I love those - just reading the recipes is fun!  And I am all set for 2012 with a Mary Engelbreit page-a-day calendar.  Love it, love it, love it!  And inside a little brown bag from Branson (don't the best things come in brown paper?) were some postcards and other treasures from Erin's recent vacation - including a paw-shaped magnet that says Cairn Terriers Rule!  It looks just like Aggie - and I have affixed it to near the bottom of the refrigerator door so it's right by her food dish.  Aggie probably thinks that it's to remind Peter who's boss around here, but I am sure he could not care less.  And two bookmarks - which a book person can never have enough of - believe me.  Even the birthday card is cute - bunnies from Holly Pond Hill.

Thank you, Erin, for the sweet surprise!  You made my day!

ME Sunday?

Since Vicki over at Cherry Chick has finished her ME Monday blog posts, I guess I'll just have to do my own little ME Sunday.  Not that I'll make a habit of it, but I did find yet another piece of Mary Engelbreit Bloom artwork to add to my ME bathroom.  The top framed print is actually her original Bloom Where You're Planted card design.  It was a thrift shop find and I couldn't believe my luck - professionally framed in perfect shape - and just perfect for my ME-themed bathroom.  I just had to make a couple of adjustments with the other two things on the wall and voila! - the "rule of three" rules again.

ME Monday...

and it's our sponsor's last ME Monday over at Cherry Chick!  Vickie has gone back to work in the corporate world and she's a busy lady.  Thanks, Vickie, for encouraging me to unearth my hidden Mary Engelbreit treasures.  I've gained a new appreciate for them - and Mary's wonderful artwork.  I never did take my lunch anywhere in this cute lunchbox, but I still love it.

And yes, it's good to be queen!

ME Monday...

and another hidden Mary Engelbreit treasure that I'd forgotten all about.  This is a cookie press which will turn shortbread cookie dough into perfect ME fried-egg flowers.  Not that I ever got to work successfully, but that is the general idea.  They advertised it as being good.  At any rate, it makes a great paperweight.  Cute, huh?  Join the ME fun over at Cherry Chick for more cute and possibly marginally functional ME stuff. 

ME Monday...

and I am so ready for my annual stay-cation.  I've got the books piled up, the DVDs next to the television and the pantry stocked up.  I just still have too much work to catch up on to shut the world off for a few days.  Soon!  Soon this will be me, with my feet on the ottoman and my nose in a book, with Aggie and Peter snoozing contentedly by my side and on my lap.  Ah, heaven!

ME Monday...

I've rediscovered an old Mary Engelbreit cardboard suitcase!  Somehow it found its way into the bedroom closet and I forgot all about it.  I've been looking for something to store cards-in-progress - and there it was in all its ME glory.  I've had it forever - probably ten years or more.  Funny how we sometimes forget about things we have and then when we rediscover them, we remember why we liked them so much in the first place.  The artist Anne Estelle and the little scotty just make me happy!  Check out more ME fun over at Cherry Chick!

ME Monday...

and it's time to share another bargain ME find with you all.  Aren't these hatboxes too cute?  Believe it or not, they are empty!  I'm sure I'll find something to store in them eventually - but for right now I'm just enjoying their colorful addition to the nightstand shelf in the bedroom.

For more ME fun, check out Cherry Chick!

ME Monday...

and last week I found my ME charm bracelet inside that little round ME box I shared.  I am a terrible photographer is small things - but this is the sweetest charm bracelet.  All Mary Engelbreit charms, from a watering can to a teapot to a crown - and I love the tarnish.  Too shiny is not a good thing, if you ask me.  I collected these charms over a period of time almost ten years ago - starting with the scotty dog.  I also think the inkwell is pretty cute.  Tim found a couple of the charms at a gift shop and the rest we found on eBay - all after having seen the charms advertised in Mary's Home Companion magazine.  Of course, I still have my charm bracelet from my teenage years - but this one is infinitely cuter.  For more ME goodies, check out the fun at Cherry Chick!

ME Monday...

and more cute ME stuff!  I unearthed these boxes the other day when I was moving what's left of my jewelry to a different (and smaller) drawer.  The largest box came with a watch in it - and it was so cute I couldn't bear to throw it away.  The others held gifts from my husband over the years - and they make great storage boxes for odds and ends I never wear, like button covers and my old charm bracelet.  The round box was a recent find at Michael's in their $1 bin - don't you love that?  Just looking at the illustrations on these boxes makes me happy.  For more ME, head on over to Cherry Chick.

ME Monday...

It's Monday again - and I found another ME treasure to share!  Every time I think I'm running out of things to write about on Mondays, I discovered another hidden May Engelbreit piece in the cupboard.  I love this teacup which says, "Will you by my honey?"  It's perfect for two reasons: it's an ME thing and it goes with this whole honeybee thing I have going on lately.  At any rate, I'd sort of forgotten about it - and when I opened the cabinet to get a mug this morning, there it was.  It's always fun to discover something you'd forgotten all about, isn't it?  As always, check out Cherry Chick for more ME fun!

ME Monday...

and it sure has been a while for me!  It was time to get out the Easter decorations yesterday - and here's my sole ME Easter finery.  I love this little tin pail - and it's perfect for my sweet little wooden speckled eggs.  The mama bunny keeps a watchful eye on those eggs...  For more ME fun and ME decorating ideas, check out the photos at Cherry Chick!

ME Monday...

While I have nothing ME to share today, I ran across these photos of a Mary Engelbreit Style home and I was completely enthralled.  I like to think that I have a smidgen of ME style in my surroundings, but these two rooms are totally ME!

I know my home will never make it into a magazine, but I like it and I guess that's all that really matters.  I'm sure Mary feels the same way about her home!  For more ME fun, check out Cherry Chick!

ME Monday...

Okay, I'll admit it.  One of the reasons I chose Aggie that fateful day in 1998 when my husband took me puppy shopping was that she looked exactly like the ME scotty dog in all of her illustrations.  The other was that I'd always wanted a little dog that looked like the Monopoly dog - like this little guy.  And while I can't get Aggie to wear a straw hat festooned with flowers and ribbon, she is exactly the canine companion I always dreamed of.  While my dream is to meet Mary Engelbreit in person, Aggie's is to meet Mary's dog.  For more ME, check out all the interesting stuff over at Cherry Chick!

ME Monday...

and the top o' the morning' to ye!  A couple of days early...

ME Monday...

You know I love Mary Engelbreit and I love a book - what could be better than two for one?  Artful Words - Mary Engelbreit and the Illustrated Quote is my latest Mary acquisition.  Isn't the book jacket amazing?  When I first started doing calligraphy (thirty years ago!) I spent a lot of time writing quotes with illuminated lettering, as my teacher called it.  This book - especially the cover - reminds me of all those pieces I did: cards, matted quotes - even the envelopes I mailed the cards in - fancy capitals with ivy and swirls and gold ink for good measure.  ME is the undisputed queen of the illustrated quote - and I am still in awe of her work.  I haven't done any actual pen & ink calligraphy in years - having lots of cats who always wanted to help put an end to that - but one of these days...  For more ME fun, head on over to Cherry Chick.

ME Monday...

and today I'm sharing one of my first ME things - this tote bag from one of her early book signings.  I am not even sure where I got it, because it wasn't at a book signing - but it's pretty cute.  And I've resisted coloring the illustration in over the years - although I often wonder if it was meant to be.  This bag has toted a lot of books around - even a lunch or two.  Vintage Mary - and I have gotten a lot of comments on it.  For more ME fun, check out the goodies over at Cherry Chick!

ME Monday...

and since I already posted my ME valentine decorations - I am instead sharing this lovely Valentine cake that Ariela made for me.  It's chocolate with whipped cream frosting - covered in coconut!  Almost too pretty to cut, but...

we couldn't help ourselves.  I'd never eat it all anyway - so we cut pieces for Ariela to take home and I've called Tom & Al to stop by and pick up some cake to share, too.  I'm sure Mary would approve.

ME Monday...

It's that time of the week again - and I've been scrounging around for some ME stuff that I haven't already shared.  I found this cute little frame in the drawer with my sewing stuff - and I'd always been going to put a photo in it.  I put it on the desk to take a photo and I realized that I really like it with the existing quote - just the way it is.  It's true: life has no blessing like a good friend.  For more ME fun, check out the links over at Cherry Chick.  Have a wonderful ME day!