An educational NIGHT OUT...

What a lucky man that Brent Severe is...he got to hang out with columnist Jeffrey Zaslow for the Wall Street Journal and co-author of the International bestseller,
the Last Lecture and take him to the schools in the district yesterday and then to this awesome dinner and lecture. Picture shown is Randy & Jeffrey...not Brent.

This was sponsered by the Davis Reads and the Davis Education Foundation.I just blogged about the book last week, so it was a special treat to attend this lecture
My husband and I met neat new friends during dinner and many of the shops School district customers.
I also had the weirdest dream...I dreamed I got hired on at the School District in an office which when I went into the room it just didnt do it for me...so I was throwing everything out of the cupboards, drawers, file cabinets, moving the furniture around in the room and decorating it up like a boutique...can you imagine ME being a secretary???
Anyway...Randy Pausch had some memorable thoughts and wisdom that would be good for any of us to incorporate into our lives. One was encouraging patience with others. "Wait long enough, and people will surprise and impress you!"

Thanks for and inspirational NIGHT OUT!

Jayna's giving us SPRING FEVER...

I say...NO ONE does it better...and that's Jayna's unique altered art neclaces and this is why! This is her FIRST little ALTERED ART bird house neclace... with more to come, each you know will be their own unique masterpiece.
Don't you just love the dried daisies pressed in the stained glass neclaces too.
I still love it when she walks in the door with her art neclaces...we still giggle at the funny things and have our breath taken away by the ones loaded with pretty ornamentations. Jayna restocks her work 2-3 times a week, so there is always new work to enjoy and "gift" those you love.
That's why I say...No One really does it any better!

The sun is shining again...TIME TO get out and SHOP

We are excited to show you our new Bronze Black & Red ROSES handbags,in attractive styles! You'll wear them well. Also a new line of handmade pins or clips for your hair, clothes or something you create... will enjoy wearing these pretties.

For our Humanitarian giving we have stained glass hearts all handmade in colors that will adorn your home well...all proceeds go to Humanitarian. We still have our Think pink pins for humanitarian too, this will buy food and shoes for orphans. Thanks for all your support this month in our efforts to raise money for the Mayan villages.

Jayna's NEW altered art Neclaces...Hippie, Initials & Marie

You will love her new style of art...gatherings of crystals, initials, peace love signs and the trend setter in her day... Marie Antoinette!
P.s. we will have a new selection of vintage jewelry in on Tuesday!

The Last Lecture...Randy Pausch

Just Love this book...What's ironic is that I was planning on blogging this book today as Husband and I finished reading it this week, enjoyed it immensly and wanted to share some of our thoughts. In the Standard Examiner newspaper today there is a big article on the book as Randy's friend who co-authored this book is speaking at the Davis conference Center this coming Thursday. Tickets available at Smith's tix.

Randy was a professor,highly intelligent engineer & energetic about life and was dying of Pancreatic Cancer which there is no cure, he was a young man of 47 with a small family...of course he doesn't want to leave them. He is determined to write a book so that his young children will know him.

It's not a book about dying, it's about living, the book was barely finished before he passed away. He got emails about his book making them realizing that life is short,START LIVING IF YOUR NOT. On the comical side he was a home wrecker...leaving a rotten spouse they would email. He talks about his neat childhood, lessons learned there, fun things they did as a family.

Brent Severe, assistant director of the Davis education foundation,whom I love when he comes into our shop and I much admire for HIS enthusiasm for living life, he says they chose this book as it was a good tie-in with what they were doing as a school district because it dealt with life transitions and to overcome your obstacles.

Randy puts a positive spin and is extrememly motivating. His short stories are inspiring and what I always love is the sense of humor he faces about our so called "brick walls" in life and to teach us and our children how to get past them, after all, they are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough.
His co-author wants others to get to know this funny, flawed and fascinating man. Besides he loves Disneyworld, he worked there after much persistance...my favorite place...so instant connection there!
I recommend reading this book...its only 200 pages, he looked at the light side of dying, not having to go to the dentist etc! If you are familiar with his story feel free to comment and tell us how his life and death has put some value to your life...
Now...if I can only conquer reading the Count of Monte Cristo!

1896 Just a Bed of Roses as a Telephone Office

The nicest man came into the shop and brought me this picture of the shop in 1896 as a Telephone Office...SO cool! I was so thrilled I may have to get a neclace done up with it...maybe a 1896 and a 2009 side! How fun. Now i need to get the nice mans name again.
We are having "SNOWY DAY" sales going on at JUST A BED OF ROSES over the next two weeks...just check in and see what's on sale that day there should be MULTIPLE items and be sure to check the 1/2 price drawers.
Always something new arriving, yesterday I brought in some vintage glass pieces,tea dyed linens & florals, we have some pretty pink paper rose garlands and new jewelry designs and purses coming any day now. Jayna brought in the coolest jewelry too, we will be showing her jewerly more often on this blog.
Nows a great time to dig out those old pictures and have a handcrafted neclace made by Jayna.

Just because someone doesn't LOVE YOU the way you want them to LOVE YOU

Just because someone doesnt love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have....Here is a LOVE STORY of Ralph and Edna:

Ralph and Edna were Both patients in a mental hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool, Ralph suddenly jumped into the deep end.

He sank to the bottom of the pool and stayed there.

Edna promptly jumped in to save him. She swam to the bottom and pulled him out. When the head nurse director Became aware of Edna's heroic act she immediately ordered her to be discharged from the hospital, as she now considered her to be mentally stable.

When she went to tell Edna the news she said, "Edna, I have GOOD new and BAD news. The GOOD new is your're being discharged, since you were able to rationally respond to a crisis by jumping in and savethe life of the person you love. I have concluded that your act displays sound mindedness.

The BAD news is, Ralph hung himself in the bathroom with his bathrobe belt right after you saved him. I am so sorry, but he's dead.

Edna repliled, "He didn't hang himself, I put him there to dry. How soon can I go home?

Happy day after Valentines Day, see you tomorrow, the shop will be opened on Presidents Day from noon till 4:00 We may be closed on Tuesday check back here and we will announce if the storm will affect our day or not.

WE ARE OPEN TODAY...though snowy

YES we are open today even though very snowy, we want to make sure you get your loved ones taken care of properly and a lovely gift from JUST A BED OF ROSES is so perfect. Snow is pretty and fun to be out in anyway...just take it slow and Lisa is there to help you and will wrap your gift up complimentary for you. Happy Valentines to all our wonderful customers, we LOVE YOU!

CHANGE YOUR LIFE...NOW!

A big HELLO...Just a bed of roses customers. My name is Debi Reynolds (no, not THAT Debbie!) and I want you to know that LIFE IS GOOD! If you listen to the news or read the papers, you know there is a scary recession, many job layoffs and economic ruin on our doorsteps. Well, not for me and don't you believe it either. My husband and I are debt-free and secure. You can be too by following some simple steps with FOCUSED DETERMINATION.

Let me start at the beginning.

In 2002 we were bopping around like everyone else..2 kids still at home in college and high school, oldest daughter married, had DEBT AND MARRIAGE CONFLICTS BECAUSE OF MONEY. A friend turned us on to the Dave Ramsey show, a radio show about finances. Dave's "live totally debt-free" message really hit home with us. We listened to his show, read his books and, for the first time in 26 years of marriage, started working together with our money It took us two years of INTENSITY AND PERSISTENCE, but we became totally debt-free, INCLUDING OUR HOUSE!
In those two years, with an annual income of 70,000 we had paid off 40,000 in debt, saved a $15,000 emergency fund and added $17,000 to our retirement savings. We cut WAY back and MADE IT HAPPEN...no excuses, no op-outs...and what a difference this made in our marriage!

Since that time, my husband and I have become co-ordinators of DAVE RAMSEYS FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY classes...a 13 week course that "empowers and gives hope to everyone from the financially distressed to the financially secure." We are co-ordinating our 10th class right now. People ask us all the time why we do this, since we volunteer our time and make no money from the class or sale of supplies. Sometimes we ask ourselves that same question, but when we see our students CATCH THE VISION and HAVE HOPE for their future, we KNOW why this is such a PASSION for us.

For more information check out www.daveramsey.com. You can also listen to his radio show 570 a.m. 7-10 p.m. mon-friday. Financial Peace revisited and total money makeover are available at bookstores and libraries. You may also email me at randalldebi@msn.com Thanks to Mike Geilman, Principal of Country View Elementary who provides the building for a comfortable class..He is a Dave fan too!

On a PERSONAL NOTE from Brenda...I attended their first class last evening in Roy,they are so organized and live what they teach. My husband and I were co-ordinators for a few series and then Reynolds took over, I COMMEND them for their passion, to help families get the right tools and work on financial peace to change their family histories.We began with Dave Ramsey 7-8 years ago when he was unknown and took the first FPU class in the state of Utah, that's when we REALLY started to be able to TALK about money and not FIGHT about it. I love Dave's sense of Humor...anytime you can put money & FUNNY together then it's a winner in my eyes, the class videos makes you laugh at life and our sometime/many times stupid mistakes,we all make them!

We're taking this MOTIVATING course AGAIN, being a LIFE TIME passionate member. I want to do it for Just a Bed of Roses. The shop is succeeding (thanks too you) and I know that my 13 week commitment to its financial security will make sure we are there for years to come. SO Sorry customers...ITS A LITTLE IRONIC but NOT planned that SHOPAHOLIC comes out today...(Do I need to sneek out and go see it this afternoon?) Thanks Randy and Debbie Reynolds...YOU are ANGELS here on earth!

A Grandparents VALENTINE

Loved my Valentine Mail yesterday...this is Kenedi she sure reminds me of my son, what a cutie! Thank You Kenedi, Grandma and Grandpa love you so much! Gotta Love the grandchildren! Shop is opened all week, snow or no snow. It snowed all day in Farmington yesterday, pretty though.

VICTORIA March issue & Peace

March issue of VICTORIA is in ...even though we long to see our green grass again and warm sunshine this book will refresh our minds of what's to come really soon. I say this as Utah is getting snowed on everyday!

You'll notice on the magazine a peace flower and peace sign neclace charm Jayna brought in yesterday among other fun Peace themed charms...Oh I love these!
She has neclaces and charms that are PERFECT your YOUR VALENTINE. I mean this girl has personality! Karen has also stocked the chocolate caramel apples and pretzels, new line of jewelry should arrive today, if our abundance isnt enough for you, wink wink!

Come in, we'll warm your HEARTS plus we're here to help you make your valentines week-end a little more special.

SNOWY today...shop CLOSED

The new snow this morning is so beautiful, not fond of traveling the freeways so shop will be closed today. Will be open again on Tues.& the rest of the week. Sorry for any inconvenience. I will be working today on florals, EASTER & taxes! See you then and be sure to visit the www.romanticmarriages.com website posted below, its full of suprises, YOU'LL LOVE IT!

LOVING wives HAPPY Husbands STRONGER marriages

For your Romance Concierge this year you'll want to use their help: www.romanticmarriages.com

Before leaving work the other morning I was turning off the tv and it happen to be on channel 2 and one of the girls was showing the Valentine package they have created to purchase, so I looked up their website... Very creative ladies!(note, the picture is from the shop and not their romantic website).

What also impressed me and gave them complete credibility in my eyes was that under features there was Matt Townsend, whom I love and adore and when his book "feeding the starved marriage" comes out I'm hoping to sell it in our shop. You will also see two of the 5 ladies who are behind this website with their husbands, what beautiful couples they are.
I know Just a Bed of Roses customers love creativity...Love 2 Romance will fill your creativity needs and today I will hear from them and will feature them as this weeks women in business and what they love...so check back and hear what they love.

In the mean time...get your love 2 romance started by checking out this romantic website.Valentines week could be quite hot this year for you! Really, is there anything more special than happily content married couples?

We have beautiful rhinestone & vintage jewelry in the shop to glam yourself up with...and gift to those you share your love That reminds me: Jayna brought in an soldered art neclace that goes something like this: on the front is this old fashioned couple getting married, on the back it states: she search high and low for someone she could torment her whole life! Jayna has some of her best work in right now, perfect for Valentines giving & having one yourself.

GLOVEABLES...they're loveable

Suddenly ...cleaning has a new meaning! Gloveables they're loveble. Use them for: Cleaning, Gardening, Hair Coloring, Scrubbing, and fun, fun, fun...Caution: Use of this product has been known to cause laughter.
Guaranteed to class up your day!

Do you love these! Here's just a few color samples, we have some in lavendars and animal print too. Made of textured latex rubber and oil cloth tops and the packaging so chic. Oh, I want to plant flowers right now,and may even be tempted to pull a few weeds this year...what are YOU thinking?
I could be tempted to spray paint in them...but I wont. Better get a cute pair in the mail for my mother for Valentines day though before you buy them all up!
I would say these GLOVEABLES fit into our theme this month of things we love, don't you think so!

Can't wait to present our next women in business #6, may even do them Saturday...Your going to LOVE LOVE LOVE them...here is a clue: romantic marriages. That's all I can say right now...until then I will be home creating with my piles and piles and piles of boxes of neat stuff to bring in for next week.

Romantic Homes March is In...Must See

You have got to see the ALL PINK mansion from Bella Pink...ohhh it's spectacular, I will guarantee you have never seen anything like it in your life. I love her kitchen, especially the light painted colors and then the rose curtains with the black background. I am going to go get it out of my car right now and cozy up before the days work begins...can't wait this issue is full of delightful goodies!

You'll enjoy reading the post below, Karen was the first consignor at Just a bed of Roses and she has added so much character to our shop...I hope you enjoy reading what she loves as much as I did.

Utah Women in Business #5 KAREN PETTIT

My name is karen Pettit. Brenda has asked me to share some things that are dear to me and since I am all about "hearts",one day I had taken a drive to the post office exactly 2 years ago in January and on my way around the corner from the Farmington Post Office I saw a big red heart in the window of what I remembered to be a floral shop. I stopped, went in and was greeted with a friendly "Hello". That was my first meeting with Brenda and I was impressed from the start...with her shop and with her! She began telling me that I could look around but that she would officially be opened in a couple of days. I found a darling button pillow which I purchased and told her that I make something that I thought would look great in the shop since it was vintage inspired. Soon after I brought her some of my vintage Quilt Heart Cards. She began selling them immediatly. Brenda has always been charming & kind...to me and to everyone I have ever seen around her. I appreciate her coaching me on ideas, new sayings and her trust in my ability to always come through. She is just the greatest! (okay Karen, now i am blushing as I have to type this you know.)

These are some of the things that I LOVE...

First and foremost, I love being a woman. I love being a wife and a mother! I have such a fantastic husband that I treasure as well as our 4 precious sons and our daughter-in-law too, They fulfill me.

The more I think about all the things I love, they are all things that my Heavenly Father has blessed my life with. I love my savior and I love the scriptures. I love how I can improve my life by following good examples. I love people who have depth to them. I love beautiful sunsets and to share them with a family member who might be close by. I love my neighborhood, my excellent friends and family. Utah has a bounty of quality things to see and do, and I love living here. I also love simple things that have a sentimental meaning behind them (like when Brenda tells me of a man who came into her shop and bought one of my cards to give to his wife who had a bad day and just wanted to cheer her up, or the wife who had recently lost her husband and she found a saying on one of my frames that brought a tear to her eye and had to have 5 made up for her & her children).. I love those stories.

I love things that are clean like...I love a clean car, I love a clean house and clean fresh smelling laundry. I love organization tips and all the fun containers that make it happen. I love the quiet moments of a day to just reflect on life. I love tucking my youngest in bed at night and him asking me to tickle his back (and then waking up at night and going in to give him a kiss on the cheek). I love chocolate dipped strawberries & raspberries. I love chocolate alone too! I love Valentines's Day and anything that has to do with hearts and love! I love working in the yard and making things look better than when I began the task. I love fresh flowers... especially in the winter.

Knowing me, I have left out many things that I love, but you get the idea, lastly I love my home and I love being home...with my family.

A special note from Brenda...Karen was the first consignor to Just a Bed of Roses, I was so thrilled and excited to meet such a lovely woman and when I saw her impeccable work with her antique quilted hearts I knew the customers would love them, and they have for 2 years. I could tell precious stories as to where each one of her handmade pieces have gone to. I myself love to use her cards for the special occasions in my life, just used 3 this past week, one for a funeral, one for my grandchildrens nanny and one as a late Christmas. Anyway, being kind of scared to be in a new town where I knew no one, it was a relief to meet such a lovely person right from the beginning.

Not only is she a perfectionist at cutting/color and sewing, she makes our addicting carmel chocolate covered pretzels and granny smith apples which are pictured in a few blogs down.I will get a current picture of her framed heart pictures too on here.

Thanks Karen for sticking with us, the customers love you and your work and all appreciate sharing your talent which you are passionate about and we know your time is limited as you are such a well rounded person....of depth!
We are taking special orders for her spectacular pretzels & apples...just call ahead and you will get them freshly made for your valentines...call 451-2556

GIANT CUPCAKE year tradition

For christmas I bought myself the giant cupcake pan (from Michaels)as I wanted to CREATE a ONE YEAR "tradition" giving each family member(scarey) a BIG baked cupcake for each of their birthdays...THIS is the FIRST one: Meet our grandson JURIAN (a little dutch name) he turned 7 years old, he is decorating it himself and LITTLE SISTER has mischief in her eyes as I can tell she is planning for an attack, which SHE DID! I chose YELLOW because he makes us and everyone else SO HAPPY!

The jewelry...just a few on the new vintage pieces that have come in.

Our weekly Women in utah business feature and what they love will be posted this evening as our emails are not going through with each other. Check back later, Karen Pettit will be featured... she is a delight!

P.S. I just noticed: www.thelavenderhouse.etsy.com is now opened for business! congratulations Dixie and Kim! And thanks for the thanks!!!