Hello world....

are you still there? I hope so...cause I'm back!

I'm sorry I haven't posted in so long....it's been quite a month. But I finally feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel...things are looking brighter!

I'm happy to tell you that I've gone and got my self a partner~ a wonderful friend who's ready to take a plunge into this sign painting world with me! We've been busy, showing her the process and teaching her the techniques I use...lot's of fun and she's doing great! I'm quite optimistic about this venture of acquiring a partner~protege. When I get back from our little jaunt to Iowa I'll do a formal introduction:)

We leave tomorrow for a family wedding. I hope to have our laptop up and running so I can still keep in touch.

I've opened my shops...my etsy shop and my website, with limited signs right now and a 3 week turnaround time. When I get back from Iowa and we get rolling it'll be a much shorter turnaround time.

Wishing you all a safe & happy 4th of July weekend!!

xo

MacKenzie's sign ~ with ♥

As promised...and with lot's of love painted in...my sign (now on ebay...click here! ) to help my niece MacKenzie raise the funds she needs to go on a humanitarian mission to Haiti~


Mac Kenzie just finished her freshman year at Northwestern College in Orange City, IA...(where she is also a member of their women's basketball team, which, by the way, just won the NAIA national championship!!!...but I digress...back to her mission...)

Along with other members of the Trinity Reformed Church of Orange City and with two other organizations... United Christians International and Promise for Haiti they will travel to Pignon Haiti, July 27th~ Aug 5th.

"An estimated 250,000 people were killed and 300,000 homes destroyed in the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the Port-au-Prince region January 2010, leaving 1.5 million homeless. Eighteen months later, roughly 700,000 are still living in miserable tent camps, with nowhere to go."
source~ montrealgazette.com

MacKenzie and her team members will be making cement floors and roofs for housing, helping at the hospital and a newly developed school. Knowing MacKenzie, she'll be putting her whole heart into this mission and I couldn't be happier to help her get there!

visit Castle & Cottage on ebay

On another note....

I've been on quite a ride since the June issue of Romantic Homes (this is a big part of why my blogging has been sporatic, to say the least!)...

it's been a whirlwind of sorts and has me thinking and rethinking alot of things~

all to do with Castle & Cottage and the kind of business I have and the kind of business

I want it to be.

Many opportunities have been presented, to the point of leaving me completely overwhelmed...what path I take, if any, remains to be seen but I just wanted to mention it here, as I am spending alot of time contemplating many things, many changes and

crossing my fingers

I make all the right choices!

xo

my little royal wedding

Welcome to Stephanie's Wedding Blog party! I'm so happy to share and relive my wedding with you...24.5 years ago...I felt like a queen for a day!

~the church~

St. Mary's in North Attleboro, Mass... the same church where my parents were married and I was baptized....

one of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen...the architecture is stunning!

I wore my mom's wedding dress, and carried an exact replica of her gorgeous bouquet...to me it was perfection, how could you improve on perfection?!

from the newspaper...

our photographer captured the look on our faces after the ceremony... when they opened the church doors and we saw how much snow was falling.... priceless!

~us with Nate...Mike's nephew~

even 25 years ago I was in love with vintage.... my going away 'outfit' ... an antique Dior sequin sweater in creamy white, purchased at a thrift store near my college for $2.50, and yes I wore it at my wedding!... oh how I loved that sweater and still do!

I'm off to paint wedding signs today.... Ryan and Jena's sign is next up...their big day is fast approaching!!

Thanks to Stephanie of Angelic Accents for hosting this fabulous wedding party!!!

xo

What's new...and what's old

I've been dying to post all week!.....so much busy fun stuff going on!


Here's what's new.....

The response to my little debut in Romantic Homes has been overwhelming! You may have noticed my shops are sorta...closed! This is just for a little bit while I catch up. ....

a few of the customs I've done recently.....

and what's not new?....blogger issues.....what's up????

I've tried to do some blog hopping today but it only remembers me and let's me comment

some of the time....then it's starts going nuts, it has no clue who I am...what????

Even my blogroll has mysterious posts listed under some of your blogs....okay...who's 'tuttie'???

anyone else notice this lately?

on Memorial Day...~later in the day when all the tourists had headed home~we ventured to the beach...I took a ton of photos but here's my favorite...
Mike on his skimboard...he did this all day!

one more new thing in the works....

coming up soon I've a gorgeous new sign that I'm working on for a fundraiser for my niece MacKenzie and her upcoming trip to Haiti....

So proud of her and so excited to be helping her out for this once in a lifetime experience!
stay tuned...

xoxo