I Won! I Won!

At 9:30 this morning I sat down at my computer to check all the blogs that I follow. My feeds appear in alphabetical order, so the first blog that showed a new post was A Thing for Roses. I clicked through to her blog, started reading, and just stopped, amazed, when I saw "Shannon of Silver Trappings" in the first sentence. "Shannon of Silver Trappings?" Is that me????? Is there another Shannon of Silver Trappings???? After staring at that for several seconds, I finally read the whole post.

I Won! I Won!

It said that I had won her giveaway! I have never won a giveaway. Well, I had to make sure she actually meant me, so I scrolled down a couple of posts to the one where she was announcing this giveaway. And, yes, I actually clicked on the comments to that post, you know, to make sure that I HAD actually entered her giveaway. There I was. My comment and my picture.

So by now I was really excited. I went to her comments to say thanks, started writing. Wait. It's only 9:30. What if she only posted this 3 minutes ago? And I am already acknowledging. Will she think I am stalking her? Will I appear too anxious? Will she think I was just sitting on her blog all morning waiting to see if I had won?

Soooooo . . . I actually erased my comment. And opened another browser window and read all of the other blogs that I follow. Now it's 10:20. Oops. I am still in pajamas. So I got dressed, ate some toast.

And now I am writing this post. Now it's 11:10. Almost 2 hours after I made my discovery! I think an appropriate amount of time has gone by, don't you? After I publish this post, I will go back to A Thing for Roses and tell her that I am so excited, and THANKS!

Must maintain proper manners, you know.

I WON! I WON! I WON!

Shannon

Worried. Stressed. Worried.

Both of my daughters are in college. One of them sent me an email this morning with the following list in it.

I felt my stress level going up, up, up just READING this!!!!!! And now I feel very worried!

How to Write a Paper. College Style.

'Twas the night before the deadline...

1. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a well-lit place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.

2. Carefully read over the assignment. Underline or highlight any key instructions.

3. Walk down to the vending machines and buy some coffee so you can concentrate.

4. On the way back to your room, stop and visit with your friend from class. If he hasn't started his paper either, walk to McDonald's and buy a hamburger to help you concentrate. If, instead, he proudly shows off his paper- typed, double spaced, and bound in one of irritating see-through plastic folders- hurt him.

5. When you get back to your room, sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean well-lit place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.

6. Read over the assignment again to make absolutely certain you understand it. Highlight it in a different color.

7. You know, you haven't written to that kid you met at camp since fourth grade- better write that letter now and get it out of the way so you can concentrate.

8. Inspect your teeth in the bathroom mirror. Floss. Twice.

9. Listen to one song on your favorite CD. And that's it. I mean it. As soon as its over start writing that paper.

10. Listen to the rest of the CD.

11. Rearrange all your CDs into alphabetical order.

12. Phone your friend to see if he's started writing yet. Exchange derogatory remarks about your teacher, the course, the university, and the world at large.

13. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lit place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.

14. Read over the assignment again; roll the words across your tongue; savor their special flavor. Choose at least three more highlighter colors.

15. Check the newspaper listings to make sure you aren't missing something truly worthwhile one TV. Note: When you have a paper due in less than 12 hours, anything on TV- from Masterpiece Theater to Rocky and Bullwinkle- is truly worthwhile, with only two exception: a) Any show involving bowling; and b) any Suzanne Sommer's infomercial.

16. Look at your tongue in the bathroom mirror.

17. Sit down and do some serious thinking about your plans for the future.

18. Open your door; check to see if there are any mysterious, trench-coated strangers lurking in the hall.

19. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lit place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.

20. Read over the assignment one more time, just for the heck of it.

21. Scoot your chair across the room to the window and watch the sunrise.

22. Lay face down on the floor. Moan and thrash about.

23. Leap up and write that paper as fast as you can type!



Did I mention I was worried now?

Shannon

A POOPIE Party at The Nester's

The Nester is holding a POOPIE (People Opposing Objectionable Pretend plants In the Environment) party. I have to admit, I love my Objectionable Pretend Plants. Because they do not betray my trust. Because they do not turn into dry, crispy, brown stalks. And because I can neglect them all I want to. I don't know why it is that every living plant I have ever tried to grow has wilted and dried out into crispy sticks. I mean, I watered them, you know, probably twice a year. You'd think they would have been grateful enough to have at least tried to make it. But no. So I have long since given up on the live plant route. And now I happily co-exist with my Objectionable Pretend Plants!

To see more POOPIE participants, go see The Nester.

Shannon

Show Us Your Pretty Pumpkin

This week Life at Rose Cottage is hosting "Show Us Your Pretty Pumpkin." How fun! This really got me in the mood for fall. I am addicted to silver and to vintage jewelry (especially rhinestones!) and to all things glittery, so I had to dress my pumpkin in copper glitter and then I gave her some necklaces to wear that are made of vintage jewelry. I think she is happy with her new look.













To see more pretty pumpkins, click on the pink pumpkin below.


Enjoy this launch of fall decor.



Shannon

Fall Nesting Week

The Inspired Room is hosting Fall Nesting Week. I have loved going to all the sites and getting some wonderful ideas!!! I have only just begun putting out some fall decorations; but today the weather is cool and windy, and all of your fall posts have inspired me sooo much. So I just had to participate with the little bit that I've done so far.

Go to The Inspired Room for more Fall Nesting!

Shannon

Fun, Laughter and Some Accomplishments

Last week my mom packed her home office into her car (I mean, like everything except her desk and chair!) and came up for a visit. We had a wonderful week. We laughed until we cried, we visited our favorite stores here, we went to a fall decorating seminar at one of our favorite stores, and we worked on our Etsy stores and blogs. We are both fairly new to blogging, so we still have a lot to learn. And we both began stocking our Etsy stores for the first time - we stayed up till 5:00 a.m. on Thursday night getting this done! (And, as you can imagine, we got a little loopy - at about 3:30 or so we kind of lost it, and we were laughing so much that we woke my hubby up - he got on his computer for a little while till we got a grip and quieted down some. Oops.)

My mom has loaded quite a bit into her Etsy store - go here to check it out: My Song Within. She has some wonderful scripture pictures and greeting cards! Also go visit her blog at My Song Within.

I have only listed two items in my Etsy store, but more is coming soon!

It was a wonderful week. Now it is back to the grindstone. But. . . fall is just around the corner! And, in case you didn't know, Christmas is only 114 days away!!!!

Shannon