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The 2nd issue of 2010 of Jeanne d'Arc Living arrived today in many boxes! :) This means that if  you pre-ordered this new issue, it will be winging it's way to you in the next day or two!!! Let the wrapping/packing/shipping begin!! If you would like to order a copy, they can be found HERE Just thought you'd like to know! :) ~RUTH~

I don't have as much free time as I did maybe 10 years ago... and that's okay -- I love what I'm doing now. But every now and then,  I pass by the room where my piano is and I sort of sigh to myself  and wonder what ever happened to the hours I'd spend  sitting there playing just for myself... no one home --  just playing for the sake of playing. I decided today that those keys and I will get reacquainted... My sheet music is hopelessly out of date,  but that's okay because I enjoy picking out a tune on the piano from memory and though I'm not great at it, I can somewhat  just play by ear  (hear a song enough times and then sort of knock it out on the piano) so for now, I'll make do and play t he music in my soul... There are many such "lost arts" of mine -- glass painting drawing dance sewing floral arranging crafting of all kinds... But for now,  I'll turn my attention to one of my greatest loves of all -- music. Do you have a "lost ...

I am probably late to the game again (so what's new?) but until today, I had never seen a two-finger ring -- have you? Pretty cool! As web surfing often does, my online "travels" this morning led me to the Etsy shop of  "Hammered Heather". {Yes -- Etsy strikes again} She has a few different styles of these double-rings  but also very nice bracelets, necklaces, earrings and other things that she crafts herself. Check her out if you'd like -- it'd be a  fun way to "RING" in this new week! ~RUTH~

Happy Valentines Day  to  each of you who takes the time out of your busy lives to read this blog... Whether it's every post or once every few months... I wouldn't have this blog if it weren't for YOU. I'm thinking of you on this Valentine's weekend, and wishing I were sitting across from you just chatting away over coffee. Just wanted you to know... You are loved. You are appreciated. :) With love, ~Ruth~

Just had a nice big box delivered to the doorstep... FULL  of the "FABULOSITY" that I showed you a sneak peek of in the last post.... Well.... Sorry to tell ya, but  I'M KEEPIN' IT   ALL!!!!! Hee -- hee ... Just kidding. Maybe. ;) After taking one of everything out of it's packaging,  I heard myself saying  "This is MINE!" "Nobody's getting any of this -- I'm keeping this..."  But then I remember...  "Oops - I guess I shouldn't be greedy...." The large square block of French lavender soap... OH MY WORD... that's all I can say. The French ceramic match strikers -- OH MY WORD... again. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the paper napkins - they're gorgeous on BOTH sides!!!! Seriously... I may just keep that whole case of those... The bags of herbs are BIGGER than I thought they'd be... always nice. And they SMELL SO GOOD!!! Here is a VERY IMPROMPTU shot of the  "one of everything" I just opened scattered on my desk......

Late this week, we'll be getting in the first round of some great new things ordered for the store and I thought I'd share a few of them with you: Jute bags of one of my favorite cooking/seasoning blends -- Herbes de Provence. If you're anything like me, you'd buy these for the bag alone!    :) Another personal fave of mine for decades has been French paper "cheese leaves" -- but I use them regularly for WAY more than just for when I'm serving an assortment of cheeses. I've used them under sandwiches, pastries, deviled eggs, biscuits/rolls, etc. They come in a generous amount per package and include an assortment of leaf varieties. These particular leaves will be great going into Spring! Giant square blocks of natural French soap  packed full of fresh lavender fragrance. You'll love them in the kitchen or the bath... Wonderful ceramic match strikes from France! We carried these before (in a slightly different pattern)  and we just could not keep th...

I confess... I did NOT watch the game. BUT! I asked hubby who won just a minute ago, does that count??   :) I went up to Starbucks for a while to "caff up"  so I could stay up and pick the winner of the French bottle rack tonight! OH!  I'm sorry...  Did you want me to tell you who won?? So... I was sitting there having my Grande Triple Breve Latte  taking a little time out and enjoying the whole scene at  Starbucks... OH!!  I'm SOOO sorry!  You don't want to hear about my trip  to Starbucks, do you.... you want to know who won!! Okay --- no more playing around.... THE WINNER IS: CATHY from MILLE FLEUR blog I sooo love doing giveaways!!!   I hope you enjoy your new "toy", Cathy! To all of you who entered,  oh how I WISH I could send each of you one of the bottle racks --- truly I do. Stay tuned,  there will be other giveaways. I've just passed my 200th blog post mark (the fact that I can yak about just about anything -- not ...