"You Lift Me Up"

Is there anything better than a friend (or family member) who lifts you up?

In a world where so many women tear each other apart it is SO refreshing to have friends who lift you up.

I am SO very lucky to have wonderful friends who genuinely make me feel good about myself.

I was looking at Instagram today and my friend Erin Gray

aka...

https://eringraydesign.com

reminded me of the fact that GREAT things happen when women lift each other up...

btw.

her jewelry is AWESOME!!!!

She does the Wesleyan Artist Market with me and she kills it every show.

____________________

This weekend we celebrated my niece at THE most amazing home ever.

My niece is expecting her first child in December and her other aunt (on her mom's side) is Dana Wolter.

aka

www.danawolterinteriors.com

I wanted to snap pics of every room in her home but my daughters' reminded me of how rude that would be.

So glad they have my back

😍

but seriously y'all.  If you want to see some beautiful home designs look at her website. 

And...I have to say how proud I am of her! She has raised her family and now is killing it in the design industry.  She is known as a leader in the industry and one of Traditional Homes finalist for many, many years.

She is also super sweet.

So, back to my niece.  My husband and I have 12 nieces and 8 nephews.

Sally is the oldest daughter of my brother.

I am so very excited for her and her husband John.

pics of her beautiful baby shower:

Sally holding Boggsy in one of my mom's outfits.

How cool is this? Dana has this (what we assume to be) an antique waiter's restaurant order wheel of some kind. Everyone wrote wishes for baby Jack!

The hostesses

My daughters, granddaughters and some of my beautiful nieces!

we served Bloody Marys with vege kabob's.

I loved how the cake blended with the art work!

Just a reminder to "lift a woman up" today!

We are all in this together.

xoxo

kb

Tailgaten Style

Around the Bogges house its....

Tennessee Hate Week.

Well, we don't really hate Tennessee, it's just a thing with Alabama fans.

There is just no way you can like 5,000 different shades of orange.

Period.

I actually happen to LOVE the color orange unless it is on someone from Tennessee or Auburn.

Clemson gets a pass....

only because Dabo is a friend (and a great human).

So,,,,let's share a few tailgate recipes....

I'll start with everyone's all time favorite.

Rotel cups for the win.

https://kendallboggsfineart.blogspot.com/2010/08/simple-absolute-must-have-appetizer.html

just click on this link and it will show you the recipe/instructions.

_________________________________

Next.....

If you want to impress by bringing a dish....(which is what I'm bringing to our tailgate this weekend)...

Make this....

Chicken Taquitos

Now....if you DO make these, you need to make about 100 of them.

Trust me on this.

And quadruple the sauce because let me just tell you....it's good.

https://kendallboggsfineart.blogspot.com/search?q=chicken+taquitos

__________________________

If you want to impress your tailgating guests with something sweet?

Do this....

get small ball jars for people to just pick them up.

Slice up green apples for them to dip.

(or just include a spoon so they can just eat it right out of the jar)

😂🤪

(what I would do)

***HINT - to preserve the apple slices, soak them in ginger ale.

https://kendallboggsfineart.blogspot.com/search?q=sea+salt+caramel

__________________________________

Now for the real deal in tailgating....

Let's get serious for a sec.

"Kendall Boggs' Drag it Through the Garden Bloody Mary"....

"the more veggies you put in it the better it is"

and healthier😂😂😂

I'm sharing my secret recipe even though I swear one day I WILL bottle and sell this stuff....

https://kendallboggsfineart.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-to-make-perfect-bloody-mary.html

*****edited....this recipe left out my secret ingredient.😳

1 tbsp. of brown sugar. Mix it in well. Cuts through the tart and gives the BM a slightly sweet yet horseradishy taste.

Don't leave it out, trust me.

Wherever you tailgate this weekend have a safe and FUN time!!!

Later!

OH....and Roll Tide

xoxoxoxxoxo

kb

Parents

As a 60 year old (and an almost 64 year old husband)

we are learning so very much about aging parents.

Aside from my mom who passed away about 8 years ago we have been so blessed with having healthy parents.

Until recently when my husband's mom developed a very sudden case of dementia.

It was like wham. A shelf broke.

This is a world that we have had to take a crash course in.

It's also something everyone (probably about age 50 or younger) should research and know about.

Your aging parents.

Because, let me tell you, like I said, we have been lucky.  Very, very lucky, but many, many of my friends and family have not. I have many friends and family members who are dealing with Alzheimer's.  And trust me on this....Alzheimer's and dementia is a long hard haul and takes such a toll on loved ones.

One thing I have learned is to always just agree with the affected person.

And remember....they do not want to be this way.

Just like a person with a mental health issue.

This is NOT THEIR CHOICE.  THEY DID NOT ASK FOR THIS.

They have no say so in the matter and you simply have to pray for patience.

So....my daddy.

He's 86 and really in pretty good health, except for his back which hurts him ALL THE TIME, and he can't hear.

Which is a problem (for me) because I'm not real patient with yelling into a phone. So I just don't call.

I'm SO very ashamed of that fact.

So....we are working on getting him a phone and teaching him how to text....hopefully.

Anyway.

I have this favorite book.

It was my grandmother's favorite book and she read it to me when I was little.

"The Velveteen Rabbit"

you've heard of it I'm sure.

Let's back up a bit.  I'm a bit obsessed with an app on my phone called "Calm". Trust me, this is the best app purchase you will ever make in your life if you have sleep issues. (like me)....it's 4:12 a.m. and I've been up since 3 a.m.....

I will wake up but can't listen to the app unless I use an ear bud and that hurts.  I don't want to wake "W" up, so I just get up....and blog.

Back to Calm.

They have sleep stories.

From taking you on a trip through the lavender fields in Provence, to a cruise on the Nile, to South Africa's Blue Train.

Y'all. I absolutely love this app.

But, my favorite is this woman who recites The Velveteen Rabbit.

It actually makes me cry myself to sleep.

Why?

Read these words.

Has there every been a more poignantly written paragraph?

How many times do we look at our parents and they are loosing their eye site or getting shabby or loose in the joints and their hair is falling out?

They've loved us, we've loved them until they are Real.

Being a parent means you can't break easily or cannot have sharp edges.

You have to be strong and not carefully kept.

Life is just that way.

Yesterday, I got to treat my daddy to lunch.

Boggsy is here with us for the week and my dad got to visit with him.

Just love your parents.

That's all!

Have a terrific day y'all!

xoxoxoxox

kb

Things I Love

There are just certain things that I simply cannot live without.

Some I can, some I just don't want too.
Some I just dream about having.

Actually, everyone can live without things, some things we just choose not to.

From cleaning supplies, to clothing, to my favorite shoes, hair products, etc....

Here are some of those things.

 I highly recommend.....

First up...this

Y'all....if there is any cleaner you ever need to buy, it is this.

This is what I use to clean my acrylic frames (with a soft cloth - not a paper towel).  It will also clean stainless, marble, glass, leather, your face (just kidding). Get it....you will not regret it.

https://www.amazon.com/Original-World-Formula-Furniture-

Polish

Next....I love a great blue jean skirt.

I found this one on the sale rack at...

wait for it....

Target....

15.00 (and the top too...15.00)

The shoes? That's another story...

But I do love a pair of Golden Goose sneaks

https://www.neimanmarcus.com/p/golden-goose-superstar-peony-leather-low-top-sneakers-prod221100150?childItemId=NMX4P0Q_

(don't judge)

I am totally obsessed with an online company called Food 52.

If you are a foodie (like I pretend to be)

then you are going to LOVE this shop.

https://food52.com/shop/products/5234-vintage-copper-french-oval-daubiere-late-19th-century

I love an apron

and anything copper

and they sell Ebelskiver pans! (ask me for my family recipe)

Or just google Kendall Boggs ebelskiver.

I am also totally obsessed with a friend of my daughter's art.

Emily Morgan Brown.

https://www.emilymorganbrown.com

Y'all.....

Young, oozing with talent, grinds up her own paint from natural sources (like plants and stuff) I mean stuff that just blows my mind....

One day I WILL own a piece of her work.

Another artist that I have a slight obsession with....

Bobbie Burgers

http://www.bobbieburgers.com

She's a Canadian acrylic painter

Just dreamy work

I also love Athleta.

https://athleta.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=1112011&mlink=44913,17610101,topNav_Activity,visnav&clink=17610101

Y'all, just go ahead and ditch LULU.

The prices are ridiculous. And so are the sizes.

Although I HAVE heard great things about the men's shorts.

This is what I LOVE about Athleta.

I used to be a size 6....oh about 30 years ago...

Now that I am 60 I am a size 12. Do I want to be a size 6 again? Yes.

But that would mean I would have to spend thousands on fillers for my face.....so gain weight for the win...j/k (sorta)

Anyway, they have sizes for every body.  And I absolutely love that.

Susan Gordon Pottery tops my list of my favorite things.

She is so amazing and I am just SO very proud of what she has done with her company.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/susangordonpottery/

My Andrea....

As in Andrea Goldklang

Belle du Jour Salon

in Atlanta

http://bdjsalon.com

I literally drive back to Atlanta to let her do her thing.

She is the only person in the world that I turn my head over to and say "go for it"

If I could just re-create it on a daily basis....

Speaking of hair....

and really other products...

Have you heard of Blue Mercury?

Obsessed with this shop.

And they give you tons of samples

https://bluemercury.com

My hubs and I both use this.

Jack Black Turbo Wash

I wish I could properly tell you how great this stuff is.

It's the ONLY thing my husband will splurge on....and I love it because I use it too!

Now,,,,,as for this Prairie dress look that's coming around?

Come on people.

Please....

Have a great day y'all!

xoxo

kb

Roundtop Roundup!

WE ARE BACK!!!

Yippee, Hallelujah, Thank the Lord, raise the roof and rock the baby.

Y'all, the heat.

It was excruciating.  And I am serious.

I mean like nothing I've ever been through in my life.

I came home and had to get a salt scrub at the spa just to exfoliate the layers of sweat off my body

j/k (sort of)

You know we stay in an RV right?

Well, we are parked kinda at the top of a slanted hill so the water pressure is below sub par in the shower.

Put it this way....it stinks.

Which makes us well.....wear a lot of cologne.

😱

Other than the heat, the show was.....

AMAZING!!!

The clients showed up and loved what they saw!

The acrylic inks in the stand off frames flew off the wall!

as did the framed acrylic inks.

check out these ankole horns

https://ankoleliving.com

I have one single framed green acrylic ink left

As usual Kendall and Lisa fashion, we had lots of fun!

this is a staple at RT...

(don't judge)

We got to ride around in a Kaboda on a friend's farm and see all the farm animals

"Starring contest"

The longhorns out there are for real....

Like everywhere

(well it is Texas ya know)

luckily I was in Texas for the wedding of my nephew and his beautiful bride!

My sister

Speaking of sister....she would send me pics of her at her boyfriends beach house.

Like ON THE BEACH with a sailboat sailing on the ocean....

I sent this back.

(my view)

😂😂😂😂😂

(I'm just a redneck)

All in all, Roundtop was a HUGE success!!!

and fun.

and crazy.

and exhausting.

Get ready Roundtop!

We will be back!!!

Have a terrific day y'all!

oxoxoxoxo

kb