OH, I JUST HAVE SO MUCH TO TELL YOU!

BLOG GIVEAWAY

IT'S STILL OPEN, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T ENTERED,

SCROLL DOWN A FEW POSTS & ENTER!

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Now, where to start???
Should I break all of my fun news into several posts over the next several days or give it all to you at once?
I'm feelin' "break it down into several posts" - keeps ya guessin' and comin' back, right???
So, let's start with the BIG NEWS!

I HAVE *finally* OFFICIALLY OPENED MY LOLLISHOP! wooo hooo!!
I have been working so hard on Valentine's pieces so y'all would have much to choose from and I feel like I've stocked the shop enough to break out in song that it's open!!
You're looking at some pictures of what you can expect to see in
my new shop.

And, while you're here, I'd like for you to take a poll........
in the comments section, after you rave about my art

and before you go to the shop and buy lots,

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let me know, do you think:
(a.) I should keep the name "Velvet Rain Studio" for my Lollishop name,
(b.) I should change the name to "the Polka Dot Barn" which is the name I've used forever for my Etsy shop and my blog, or
(c.) I should call it "the Velvet Rain Studio at the polka dot barn".

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I really value your input so please let me know what you're thinking - though I will tell you that if you "search" for "Polka Dot Barn" when you go to Lollishops, it should take you to my shop because I always use P.D.B. in my tags list.

OH, and this is a vital piece of information!..........
THE POSTAGE CHARGE IS FIGURED INTO THE COST OF EACH PIECE!
No extra postage charges tacked on at checkout.
AND, if you buy more than one item,

of course I'll combine the shipping!

I'm even using a digital scale, so I'm exact.
Obviously, I'm a professional. LOL

I hope you've enjoyed this peek into my new Lollishop!
I'm really excited about it!
Double click on any of the highlighted and underlined

"Lollishop" or "my new shop"
and my shop will magically appear for you to look over!
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Thanks so much for letting me ramble on about my new adventure!

And, don't forget the giveaway if you haven't entered!

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Like I always say,

I have the best readers and I do so appreciate you!!

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XOXO,

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KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD....i got an award!!

For me, to receive an award that references my blog and shows me that someone appreciates the work I put into making it the best I know how, means a LOT to me.

Silly, I know, and it sorta reminds me of high school - the affirmation, the being chosen (and not being chosen last - horrors)

- anyway, my sweet friend, Heidi, at Everyday Cookies has presented me with an award! ....made MY day!

(Also, be sure and visit her blog because she has a nice surprise for you:)

The rules of this award are pretty straightforward.

I am to name 7 random things that I love and pass the award along to 7 deserving bloggers.

Now, naming 7 random things that I love is easy-peasy - I could make this list like 100 random things I love! LOL
So. What I'm going to do is list things that are not the first things that pop into my head.....like God, my family, my studio...........you get it, right? I'm going for random!

1. I love that all three of our boys (age 18, 21, 23) are letting God lead them in school, relationships and work. (pics of the Fab Three are in a post a couple below this one...)

2. I love that we have so many winter birds that they're eating us out of house and home.

3. I love that we live on a ranch and don't have neighbors. That I can spend days at home without seeing anyone or going anywhere.

4. However, I love going to the movies, so much so that I don't mind at all going alone.

5. I love that I'm having my very first blog giveaway - I think that's so cool!

6. I love that I've taken the plunge, which comes with great risk of failure, to open a shop on the new marketplace, Lollishops. (www.lollishops.com/velvetrainstudio)

7. I love junking. It's like a drug for me. The thrill of the hunt and then when I find a treasure and the price is right - it's a high.

Now, the rules state that I must pass this award onto 7 deserving bloggers and they will tell us 7 random things that they love. I think this is one of the better survey thingies I've been asked to do - I liked the random part.

So, ladies, I tag..............

1. Kathy @ http://www.alteredantiquity.typepad.com - she' a friend from Paper Whimsy and I just adore her!

2. Blaiz @ http://www.blaiz.blogspot.com - I met Blaiz at Art-n-Soul and she is the sweetest thing!

3. Tina Lee @ http://cherryhillcottage.typepad.com - I haven't visited her blog in entirely too long *however, I will very soon!*, but, I love it and Tina Lee, herself!

4. Theresa @ http://gardenantqs.blogspot.com - oh, my gosh, I adore her blog!

5. Keesha @ http://lemoncholys.blogspot.com/ - one of my dearest friends and even though we have both gotten so busy in so many directions that we're not in touch as much as we used to be, I still count her as one of my BFF. She's wonderful!

6. Pam @ http://pamwardenart.blogspot.com - a true soul mate. This woman is one of my closest friends. . .and we've never even met! How about that!

7. And, last but never least, Rande @ http://r2artstudio.typepad.com - she is my inspiration when it comes to art. Visit her blog and see what I mean...http://r2artstudio.typepad.com

I hate that I have to stop at 7 because there are more I'd love for you to get to know.

The only thing I ask of my 7 is that when you've posted, that you shot me an email so I can go read and learn more about you because you're all dear to my heart.

Don't forget my blog giveaway (the post is right below this one:) and thanks so much for taking the time to visit my blog! I've just got the BEST readers!

XOXO,

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MY FIRST BLOG GIVEAWAY...about time, don't 'cha think?

Hi, sweet friends!
I'm having my very first blog giveaway and I'm so excited!
. . .I gotta tell ya, I've never even been tempted to have one before last night!
Last night I was working on this most precious box of treats for my new *more empty than full!* Lollishop and it just hit me, "Der! You should put together some of these fabulous treats for a giveaway!"
The "Der" told me it was from God - so, a giveaway it is!

Now that you've seen the big picture, here's a close-up of part of the treats!
I want you to notice the paints.....I LOVE THEM! They are amazing - the paint goes on translucent with a sheen to it. Light. They're so wonderful - you will love them!
And, there's tickets, ribbons, glitter flower die-cuts and a really cute stick pin.
And, in this next close-up you can see that there's yards of ribbon (single seam binding), a vintage needle folder that is shaped like a rose and comes in a glassine envelope, lace, darling tags, flowers and it all comes presented beautifully to the winner of the giveaway!

Oh, and looking at these pictures I just thought of something else to add! It's fabulous - I'll keep it a surprise!! wooohooo!!

Okay, so here's all you need to do to win!
(Isn't this fun???)
Just post a comment making sure you give me your email address and it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all *giggling* if you signed up to receive my newsletter and signed up to follow my blog (both in the right column)!

I'm going to run this giveaway until, hmmmmmmm, I wanna give everyone in the world time to find it, sooooo, I will run it until Monday, January 26th.
That's three weeks - I think that's long enough, don't you?
I'll be on the road from January 15th 'til January 22nd making my way to my mom's (road trip! "Yes!!"). I'll be in Michigan at mom's when the drawing for the winner takes place so I'll have my mother pick the winner and mail the 'package' from her house!

Thanks for playing! You're the best and I appreciate all of my readers so much!

XOXO,
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Later this week look for a post about my new shop at Lollishops!

CHRISTMAS DAY WAS FULL OF.............LAUGHTER!

Hi, y'all! and, Merry Christmas! I just had to post this in red to celebrate Christmas - I sure hope you can read it.
Okay, enough red, let's get really festive and write this in PINK! heehee. It's late,......I'm in the sitting area of our bedroom listening to Frank the Tank snore,
my studio dog, Ben, is "passing gas" which, btw, can make you breathe through your shirt,
the house is quiet as everyone is in bed,
but, I had to stay up and post this ON Christmas - then I'll go to bed.
This is a great time to reminisce about this special day of family, faith and the overwhelming love I have for my boys. Our day started out with opening presents.
I made a huge mistake of having Santa give our three "boys", ages 18, 21 and 23, these air guns that shot the large marshmallows.
Yeah.
BIG mistake, but so funny that I couldn't breathe! You should have seen those "young adults".
Best gift Santa could have given them.

The afternoon was filled with the boys and their good friend, Brat, visiting while I made supper.
I'm not bragging when I say this. I'm stating a fact...................Blake and Clay are a SCREAM.
Making Christmas supper has never been so much fun!
About 9 p.m. Blake wanted to take the "Christmas picture" so I found my camera and we headed to the dining room.
The background isn't the best, actually it's pretty bad, but there are stools at the bar and we like the way the boys can situate themselves.
Before I show you the pictures that were taken,
I want to ask you if you have ever seen the YouTube "mother's day" with Barats and Bereta?
(if you can't get there from this link, go to http://www.youtube.com/ and in the "search box" type in "mother's day". it should be the first one listed. You must see it!)
IT IS A SCREAM AND ALL I COULD THINK OF AS WE HAD OUR "PHOTO SHOT".
During our time with the camera clicking away, I felt like I was working with 1st graders during all of this 'fun'.....you know 1st grade boys -
they pee on the floor instead into the toilet,
they cut the bangs off the little girl sitting next to them *Clay*,
they think it's so funny to say the really bad words {shut-up, stupid, pee...} and watch little girl's reactions..........
The boys had the best time being simply foolish and, of course, I can't breathe once again!
Here they are, the pics.................Merry Christmas said with laughter because of the memories of this special day make the BEST MEMORIES.

FYI, Clay is on the left, age 18, freshman at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Blake is in the middle, age 21, senior at UMHB,
and Craig is on the right, age 23, soon to be graduate of the University of San Angelo, and a police officer on the San Angelo P.D.

......words are not necessary........

I went through all of that to get this.....through i really like the muscle one. LOL
It's now tomorrow [1:15 am.], the day after Christmas, and the memories are the same - precious.

How blessed am I to have such good guys that can have so much fun with their old mom?

I sincerely hope that your Christmas was joy filled and that you remembered *and celebrated* the reason for this holiday - the birth of the King.

If you didn't have a joyful day, please let me know - sometimes it helps to talk about the things in our life that keep us from being joyful and I would be honored to talk to you. polkadotbarn@gmail.com

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I love you,

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XOXO,

A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT!

Oh, my sweet, sweet readers, I feel so badly! I have let you down - it's been OVER a month since I posted. Shame on me! I know you're faithful in checking my blog for new posts and I really am sorry I've been such a disappointment these last couple of months.
It seems like since I got home from those 4+ weeks in Michigan taking care of mom *who is doing REALLY well, btw*, that I've just been lost! No direction!
I think part of it was walking into my studio and seeing the pile of mail and boxes on my worktable.
You see that and start thinking, "dump it on the floor and pretend it doesn't exist", and, "torch it. it's faster...".......
and it was the Christmas season and I had a Lollishop to open. (More about that later:)

So, here ya go............a little bit of this, a little bit of that.............there's really been no rhyme or reason to what I've been doing....just trying to keep up! LOL
So. Want a pictorial tour of what I've been up to???
I've made some precious tags for packages, gift sacks AND you can buy them with envelopes and use them as note cards {the backs are blank}. These next two pics show them - if you want to buy some for this year *I know, I know, I'm late!* or to hold onto for next year, email me. I don't know if I'll get them listed in my Lollishop, but I'd like to.
Two completely different tags, but, both darling {my prejudiced opinion:}

So, I was in a couple of swaps while up north and had to get them done the minute I returned. They were both Paper Whimsy swaps and the girls were so kind and let me turn mine in late.

I LOVE that group - if you've never checked out the shoppe or forum, oh, you must - amazing!

My swap partner that "did" for me was Gail, my good friend and the owner of Paper Whimsy - and she did a fabulous job! Oh, baby, she did REALLY GOOD! LOL

This is the beautiful box she sent her vintage bits gathered in her studio to me.

Here are just a few of the wonderful things she stuffed into that box!

And, these note cards from FRANCE! She travels overseas often because her husband is from England and so I was the recipient of these gorgeous note cards.

Will I ever use them??? I just don't know! They're really special to me!

I had a swap partner, Amber, and she was such a treat to fill my special bucket with vintage pieces from my studio - oh, how I love(d) this bucket! hahaha - I'm so glad she has it now and I really did have such a wonderful time filling it for her - she was so patient with me being late:)
I filled that bucket with as much as I could fit into it! Oh, it was so much fun!! Giving certainly does rival receiving, doesn't it?? (you might be able to click on the picture(s) and see them larger and clearer, I don't know for sure)

And, see that special "I know Jan Thomason" bumper sticker??? I'm pretty sure she liked that the best.....

Part of the swap was to make something using a Paper Whimsy collage girl so I opted to make her a book cover with a collage including one of the new Goth girls on Paper Whimsy. I think it turned out really cute!

The other Paper Whimsy swap was a Victorian Christmas ornament exchange where we ended up with seven color coordinated, yet different, Christmas ornaments that we then strung into a banner. OMG, so cute, I can't tell you!! This ornament shows you what I created for my group. Our colors were blues and silver. Hmmmmm. The banner is so lovely!

This is *part of* one of the bottles I've started creating and hope to have in my Lollishop "soon".

I used it as an advertisement for Lollishops. You can visit the forum at http://www.lollishops.com/ - start there and you'll hopefully find it - that's the best address I have right now.

Wait til you see some of the amazing shops - mine's not open yet, but there are so many other amazing artists selling there, you won't be disappointed!!

A vignette I made to use to take some pics of pieces to sell. Don't you love that rose??? Lovely!

This amazing angel is now used as my avatar on most of my websites. I LOVE her and whenever I look at her, I can't help but smile - she touches my heart.

I've been working on some different designs of snowman gift sacks.

I've done a lot of custom orders, so feel free to email me if you want to order some and they're not listed yet! I'm also doing them on brown lunch sacks with white snowmen. SO darling!

Lots of glitter, lots of Stickles! What more do ya need??? LOL

My first and absolute favorite bottle that I've made. It will be for sale *sometime soon* and I wanted to show it to you. I LOVE it so much!

Another bottle - one of my silhouette bottles. You can expect to see them for sale, too, but if you can't wait, email me at polkadotbarn@gmail.com and I'll get you set up! Just one more picture! LOL - I had to show you this custom bottle order. That's a Great Pyrenees dog on the cork - I think it's a great bottle, don't you??!Y'all are so special to me and I feel so blessed that you stick with me and read my blog posts.

I apologize again for it being so long since I posted and tonight I'm in such a hurry to get this up that I can't even think of being funny!

Augghhhhhh!! I need an assistant!

I'll post again after Christmas so I want to take this time to tell you that I hope for you a blessed Christmas. I hope you all receive all that you hope for on Christmas, especially a re-newed love and dedication to our precious Lord.

Happy Birthday, sweet Jesus!

XOXO,

"O-PEN!.....O-PEN!.....O-PEN!"

MY NEW SHOP, www.lollishops.com/velvetrainstudio , SHOULD BE OPEN VERY SOON! LIKE REAL SOON!! wooooohooooooo!

SO MANY BLESSINGS, I CAN'T BEGIN TO COUNT. . .

So many blessings, so little time.
No, wait.
That's not the way it goes.
So many blessings, so little time.
What is wrong with me??? I can't get it right!

However, when I think of all that I have to do, all of the obligations and commitments that threaten to overwhelm me, all of the friends and family that I feel like I'm not paying enough attention to.....
I KNOW I AM BLESSED.
....because I am able to be in the middle of "all of this" and I know that I am physically able to get to all of it *in time*. Last year at this time I was in and out of the hospital and at one point, almost died.
So, I am feelin' mighty blessed right now.....

Blake and Clay are home from college and I can hear them and their many friends down the hall in Clay's bedroom laughing,
Craig gets Thanksgiving off and will be home tomorrow morning and as a rookie (police officer), to get a holiday off is amazing,
My boys have the best father and I have the most wonderful, supportive and understanding husband,
I'm serving lunch at the Salvation Army tomorrow,
I have orders continue to flow into my Etsy store,
I'm opening a second online shop by the 1st of December *maybe the 1st! LOL*,
I'm finishing up three swap commitments that I made before I had to rush up to Michigan,
I was able to spend almost five weeks with my mother and my siblings after my mother's fall,
My mother is getting better every day; she's doing great,
I have amazing friends, some I've never met,
I can walk,
and I have an amazing God that gets me through all of the hard times, is with me during all of the good times, and continues to love me even though I'm so unworthy.

I am blessed.
So, so blessed.

Below, this is a picture of mess on the table in the sitting area of my bedroom where I'm working on one of those many commitments I mentioned..................just looking at this picture makes me smile - I love creating!

Of course, the pictures are out of order..... I never do get them uploaded correctly but have learned to *sometimes, like tonight* look past it and simply 'blog'. This one is of the snow I experienced while in Kalamazoo at mom's.......in October ..........in linen.........and, of course, no coat.

This is a picture of my mom doing her leg lifts with her ankle weights on - she's become very diligent and is doing all of her exercises every day:)
Oh, and see the *ugly, dated, not owned by my mother* recliner she's sitting in?
It's gone.
She's gotten so much better that she doesn't need a chair that she can doze in when up!
Praise God!..........that she's so much better and that that chair is gone!
So.
I need to get back to my "commitments" and will end this post.
I'm so glad to be home - I think I neglected to tell you that I came home last Thursday -
we were late in taking off out of Detroit because THE PLANE HAD TO BE DEICED........
and I was wearing linen.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my precious readers.
YOU bless me!


XOXO, .........Jan

ODDLY, I FELT RIGHT AT HOME

Check it out.
First of all, a post NOT about my mom (who is at home and healing with my prodding....).
Secondly, since I'm in Kalamazoo and my sister, Jean, knows I do odd, she took me to her friend's house, Joan and Eric's, to see their place KNOWING that I would love it.
And, I did. I LOVED it!
Okay. This first picture is a shot taken from their *really cool* deck.
You are looking at..............are you ready???................Frank the Tank is SO going to want one...............their pellet gun shooting range! ROTF!!
What a hoot! I LOVED IT and I don't even do guns!
But, I thought it was hysterical. I can just see Frank sitting on the lane, (we don't have a deck, just a patio and if you shot from it you'd be aiming towards the pool and the horse barn - I just didn't feel like that was a good idea....) anyway, back to Frank.......he'll be sitting on the lane, shooting at the shooting range I plan on assembling when I get home!
.....See the little town? the mermaid from that animated movie??? Oh, I'm dyin' here!!
Look closely at the pictures, they're great! I just must re-create the range from Joan and Eric's!
Oh. Oh. First, I'll have to go to the Salvation Army and buy just the right targets.
Isn't this hysterical???

Oh, and move the bench that I pulled out of a stranger's trash pile by the side of the road, set it up with targets.............and when the boys come home during breaks from college??? They'll LOVE this!

Oh, and we'll have to buy a pellet gun. [Being from Texas, we only have real guns - the targets would have to be honkin' if we used real, I mean, if THEY, used real guns]

Now, this mobile below, I would have bought. The problem was that it wasn't for sale.

I was so bummed.

The metal part is from an old paint store's paint can shaker machine. Isn't it wonderful? And the animal bones??? Well, these animal bones came from Joan and Eric's five acres - they're smaller animals but I think they make a great mobile.

What was that movie where the girl used bones to make mobiles???...........

Anyway, we have bones all over the ranch! I just need to find a great metal thing to hang them from....

This baby doll on the metal planter???

I never really cared for those tricycle planters. I've always thought they were, oh, I can't say I thought they were stupid, I might hurt someone's feelings, but I always thought they were just not me.

There. That works.

Well, I've since changed my mind and am on the lookout for a metal tricycle planter so I can put a nasty baby doll in the driver's seat! THIS IS HYSTERICAL!

The clown.

Used, I think, to scare small children, is on the pathway from the deck to the house. I LOVE IT! LOL

The unicorn lamp wouldn't fit in my purse! That's the only reason it's still in their house.

Isn't it fabulous??? Oh, and they have two.

Unicorn - lamp - hogs.

Getting in the car I noticed the paint brush.

A fine piece of art.

So, those are the highlights of my visit to Joan and Eric's Triple Nasty Bohemian Country Club.
It was wonderful! A little side trip during all of the stress - it was great!

XOXO,