Meet My Besty

I have to tell you all... I have the best "besty" in the whole world! Her name is Mary Ann and she's a whole lot like me only more!
I'm fun, she's funner. I'm talented, she's amazingly talented. I'm a giver, she's generous to a fault. I can shop, she's turned it into an art form! She says she's my evil twin ~ but really she's a sweetheart.

She and I met back in 2001 when I lived in Raleigh, NC. We both worked for the YMCA. She was working in the nursery and I was in the front office yet we didn't know each other. We even took a quilt class together and our whole conversation went "You work at the "Y" right?" "Yes." "I thought I recognized you." That was it! We had a mutual friend at work, Ann, who kept telling us (separately) that we should be friends but it really didn't happen ~ not sure why. Then one day she came into the front office to see Ann and she had this amazing dress with her. It was a Halloween dress she had made for her youngest daughter. Now THAT caught my attention and we started to talk but only at work.

The next thing I remember is that some of us in the office had been given a recipe and I was trying to make it but had some questions. I called a friend who didn't know the answer but gave me Mary Ann's phone number and told me to ask her. I think somehow that was the turning point. After that we just were. Can you say inseperable! Unfortunately 6 months later we moved to Florida and you'd think that would be the end of the story ~ but no ~ we are closer than ever. We've managed to travel back and forth all these years (still hoping for an instant transporter machine!) and now I will be moving close enough that we will be able to get together any time we want!!!  

Not only is she a talented seamstress ~  check out the dresses she made for our daughters... She's a talented knitter, and all around crafter of so many mediums.  She just opened her own Etsy shop here.  It's more of a supply shop with some great fabrics and yarns.  Definitely worth checking out.

She's got an eye for color and a flair for the unique.  I learn something from her every time we are together.
I'm telling you ... she even makes beautiful babies.  Just look at her girls up there with her!

She's also a fantastic cake baker & decorator.  She got so many requests for her incredible edibles she recently started her own business.  Mas Dulce (translates into much sweet) which is really cool cause MAS are also her initials!   Check out this incredible cake she made over the summer for a wedding.  Her tasty treats also made an appearance at  "The Black & White Affair" in Raleigh recently.  I'm telling you, there is not much this woman cannot do.

And it that wasn't enough  ~ check out what she sent me for my birthday this year....    Yes, she painted it ~ just for me!  It goes so amazingly well with my dining room and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love it.  This picture of it does not even begin to do it justice.  There are so many layers and highlights, it's just incredible.  I can't wait to hang it in my dining room once we move.

All of you know that I call my darling husband honey ~ well she's my other honey!   I believe when you love someone you should never miss an opportunity to tell them so.  We end every conversation with "Love you" ~ and I do.   
Thanks honey, for being my besty and for always being there for me ~ I'll always be there for you!