A GIVEAWAY AND A BLOG PARTY!

Hi, y'all! I am way behind in taking part in 

Vicki's amazing blog party and I apologize. 

Life has been full.

But, I'm here now, with my giveaway and ready to tell you about me and blogging.

Jan Vermillion Thomason of

the Polka Dot Barn

and the blog, polkadotbarn.blogspot.com.

I started blogging several years ago thinking that I would use it as my personal diary. 

And, I have used it that way.

I don't get every event covered

(I've been known to go weeks.......   without hittin' the blog)

but when something funny, fabulous or rusty passes by me

I have to blog about it.

I let you see me at my worst,

I will entertain you with humorous stories,

I will show you amazing junk and antiques

(some I buy, some I simply photograph).

All the while hoping that you accept me,

and that you come to love me as I share my life with you.

I love Jesus Christ.

I adore my husband and three grown boys;

hoping that my sweet boys will always need

their mom.

I adore my brothers and sister.

Nieces, nephews, sister in laws, cousins, 

my dad and Ursula, 

all very important to me.

I try to find joy in every situation,

sometimes after I throw a fit or cry in despair.

I love spending time in my studio, The Crack House.

(I'll be doing a blog post about it in the near future.

If you want to make sure you don't miss it, 

sign up to receive my posts via email at the top of 

the right hand column)

Creating and spending time with 

my friends that create,

reading every single page of my art zines,

and being an mixed media hoarder

make me who I am.

Okay, that's enough, let's talk about THE GIVEAWAY!!

I am parting with two of my favorite vintage hats that I've been saving,

waiting for those perfect projects that will show off those beautiful 

flowers and leaves!

THERE WILL BE TWO WINNERS!

To enter, simply leave a comment.

And if you want to have a second entry,

let me know if you're following me on Pinterest,

Twitter or my blog emails.

I'm supposed to close out my contest and draw for

winners on February 1st, but I'm extending my giveaway

to February 2nd and I'll draw for the winners

that following week.

I'm right in the middle of getting my house in order

and planning supper for fifty

as I get ready for my mom's memorial that will be held here.

After that I'll be able to get back to my blog. *happy feet*

I sincerely thank you for reading this post

and for entering the giveaway.

I hope that you come back often to see what I'm up to.

And, if you do, remember that leaving a comment

makes me do the happy dance!

Warmly,

        Jan

If, for whatever reason, you don't know how to get to the other (over 400) blogs participating

in the Grow Your Blog party, leave me a note in your comment and I'll get you there. :)

I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN

I'm blessed to the max, but a fairytale??

.......not so much

How do y'all do it??

You make it seem so effortless.

I've come to the conclusion that some of you

might be a wee bit O.C.D.

And the rest of you never sleep.

Me??

I feel like Barbie every minute of every hour of every day.

Did you know that I qualify for that Hoarders show on T.V.?

Yeah, I'm a Mixed Media Hoarder.

It's gotten so bad that I haven't completely unpacked from two art retreats....

both held last year and then there's this year's p.c. retreat...

Oh, and estate sales, flea markets, resale shops, junk shops,

people's trash by the side of the road,

crack house apartments being demo'd - I stopped to see

what treasures I could find.

I found a pick-up load. No kidding.

In an effort to keep up with something,

I made a promise to myself - it was about a week ago -

I was going to keep up with my blog roll.

Then I got this great idea that I would "rotate" some blogs

 off to get the number of blogs I read  I'm supposed to be reading

under 200. It didn't work.

I added six new blogs.

Oh, and my blogging??

I think it's so cute that you feel you have to ask.

I'm about 8 or 9 posts behind.

I plan on catching up.

Surely I can find the time.

The rest of you manage to blog, read your blog roll,

scour estate sales, create!, list all of your many creations

in your Etsy shop,

mail out all of the orders you get "the next day",

host swaps, be in five or more swaps at a time,

teach workshops, attend art retreats,

raise your well-behaved children,

cook well-balanced meals for your well-behaved children

and your darling husband,

and I'll bet you clean your own house, too.

AND, you work.

YOU WORK!...

I don't.

Work, that is.

I will admit that I have a couple of medical adventures

that I deal with on a daily basis, but I DON'T WORK....

Where are you finding the time??

I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't a master plan

of *church lady's voice* "Saaa-tan".

I can hear him now, telling his evil little elves,

"Let's drive Jan nuts. I know just how to do it..."

I see you looking at the picture above of my kitchen

and at the picture just below of our bedroom.

These pictures are a few years old.

I've been pretty immobile off and on for the last six years

and I can assure you that the kitchen doesn't look

like the picture above.

The Tank's had free reign and that speaks volumes.

And the bedroom??

Well, both areas had probably just been cleaned

by my cleaning lady when these pictures were snapped.

That cleaning lady was 'let go' yesterday.

Let's just say I didn't vote for Obama

and we use to have money left over

every month for that cleaning lady...

for the last 25 years.

I'll be doing the cleaning from now on.

Well, all except the Tank's bathroom.

I refuse to go into that room.

There's a reason a man should have his own bathroom.

Oh, and one last special little thing I want to

share with you about my life...

I haven't cooked or baked in years.

Mostly because of illnesses, broken bones,

snapped tendons and leg braces, blah, blah, blah.

I told Frank yesterday that I'd start cooking again.

Yeah.

I think my meds need to be adjusted.

So, here it is, sweet friends.

I'll probably re-read this story and realize

that it's completely disjointed

but, heck, I really don't care.

I have dinner to cook.

And, I'm doing the best I can.

I NEED TO APOLOGIZE

I've been carrying guilt around with me for weeks now.

And it's gone on so long that there is nothing I can do

but throw myself on the floor at your feet and beg forgiveness.

How could I go so long without posting?

I also haven't read your latest blog posts.

I don't even have a good reason.

I've sat here day after day with my foot elevated,

it's been 12 weeks now.

It's not like I'm out standing on my street corner working.

I'm sitting.

In my bedroom.

Watching Memorial Day's "HOARDERS" marathon.

I'm beginning to like the look.

Shame on me.

I'm not even Catholic.

My dog is, but I'm not, so I don't understand why that nun's scowling at me. . . . .

I'm not too busy,

I'm lazy??

It's possible.

All I know is that I'm sorry.

Please forgive me?

Yours in scum, Jan

I'M SO EXCITED TO TELL YOU THAT I HAVE A WINNER!!

All parts of having a giveaway are fun for me.

....the entries....counting up the number of entries.....going to RANDOM.ORG for a fair pick of the winner....and then telling everyone who the winner is when I don't even have a clue at this point! It's just so exciting.

Okay, RANDOM.ORG was fed the number of entries and it picked #12!! So, I'm going over to my blog post to see who #12 is....back in a second....just hold on....

............AND THE WINNER IS....................

YVETTE from THE CHARM HOUSE!!

Congratulations, Yvette!! Just email me at polkadotbarn@gmail.com and give me your mailing address and I'll get the book and the other loot in the mail to you!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE OF YOU

that took the time to read my post, leave the sweet comments, and pray for me. This giveaway just gets me so excited. It's April, the tulips are blooming and I'm feelin' pretty darn blessed!

XOXO,
Jan

IS IT ANY WONDER THAT I COUNT Y'ALL AS FRIENDS??

Is it any wonder that I count y'all as friends?

Is it any wonder that some of my closest friends are women that I've never met face to face?

Is it any wonder that I count several of my blog friends as "BFF's"?

No, it's no wonder.

A lot of you have been with me for several years as I've blogged about everything from my art, the things that I think are funny, and my medical adventures *though I admit that I haven't been as open with those as I have with other things* because. . . . .

I have always felt that if I was too open with y'all that I would be setting myself up for your distain, that you may feel like my blog isn't the place for me to tell the world (yeah, the whole world reads my blog - I have a lot of lurkers) about my boo-boo's;  you all have your own problems, you don't want to read about mine.

And, worst of all, I was a bit concerned that you might think I was complaining. I try so hard not to complain that it would kill me to have someone think *or worse, "comment"* that I was complaining. But, slowly I have started sharing my many medical adventures, though I will admit that I don't share them all, and so far no one has said anything negative.

And, the pictures you're looking at are representative *to me* of the friendships that I have made with other like minded artists through my blogging.

I happened to receive all of these treasures from my good friend, Deb Christensen of Dye-ing to be Yours, and when she read that I was having pretty serious surgery last week, she put together a box of well wishes to make me smile! She is someone that I met through blogging and I simply adore her. See what I mean??

I had foot surgery last week and spent three delight (Vicadin) filled days in the hospital, coming home on Friday afternoon; and I understand the fun is just beginning.

Deb's gift represents all of the kind words, cards, phone calls (my precious friend, Julie of Kitchen Floor Creations actually called me from New York. Shut up!) and one of my closest friends, Anne of Fiona and Twig, has called several times and has posted updates on my condition on her own blog.

And the one thing that touches my heart more than anything else?
All of the prayers that have been lifted up on my behalf by many of you. (And don't stop praying, heck, don't stop sending presents, just because the surgery is over - there's lots more to this medical adventure.)

(If you don't know exactly what I'm referring to, scroll back a couple of posts and read IT SUCKS TO BE ME.)

All of you are so very precious to me. I hope I've been able to convey that; my words seem inadequate to me somehow. 

Anyway, I love you and I cherish the friendships that I have made through blogging. (And lurkers, I love you, too.....pssst...Julie used to lurk...)

xoxo, Jan

.....love the Lord with all your heart.....

A BLOG ABOUT BLOGGING...MAKES SENSE TO ME!

This is going to be so much fun!

What I'm talking about is this idea, all credit goes to Cupid's Charm, about posting about why I/we/you love to blog.

Oh, I'm simply thrilled at the chance to tell y'all, my wonderful readers, why it is that I love to blog.

You can join in the fun, also. Simply go to http://www.cupidscharm.blogspot.com/ for the details!

And, be sure and check my blog on May 1st for my "Why I Love Blogging" post! In fact, you can go to Cupid's Charm on May 1st and get the blogging addresses of everyone that is playing.

I hope you decide to join us! I would love to read about MY readers and why y'all enjoy blogging!

Warmly,

. . .Jan

YIKES!! God is so amazing!............As I was finishing up this post, I got a text message from my dear, dear friend, Tina, asking for prayers for her grandchild, Sage, who may have meningitis. Knowing that so many of my readers are believers I have decided to post about this since God sent me the text (through Tina. duh) while I was in the middle of a post. It's obvious that he wants as many prayers warriors as I can gather up to pray for Sage.

So, you that are pray-ers, hit your knees.

No, wait.

Don't hit your knees if you're over 45 years old.

If I hit my knees I'd be in a wheelchair............for life.

Just stop what you're doing right now (reading my post) and pray for Sage and Tina and all that love that little wee one.

If you would like to leave a message of encouragement for Tina, her blog address is:

http://www.tina-wright.blogspot.com/ . Just leave a comment on her last blog entry - I don't know what it's about, oh, dear....oh, I'm sure it's totally appropriate! Just leave your comments there on her last entry:)

I know she'd appreciate the encouragement, even if you don't know her!!

Y'all are great! I love you!!

UPDATE: Sage did NOT have meningitis! Praise the Lord!! God is faithful and is taking care of Sage - I forget what he had (no surprise there) but he's fine and Tina has been so blessed by y'all's prayers.

Thank you for caring for another blogger - no doubt in my mind that I could count on each of y'all! XOXO