Homegrown Hospitality

Mixed Blessings & Simply complicated-ness

hip hip hooray for Friday...

Simply - It is Friday...the kids come home from camp today....

complicated..it NEVER rains in California ( I think we got 2 whopping inches last year) and today...it is raining...well, a VERY HEAVY sprinkle...

and Lord knows we need the rain...but today...the day the buses have to drive on the slick roads??? Mixed Blessings...maybe the kids will see a little snow before they leave...that would be AWESOME!

So yesterday, I was absent from my blog....I could not get my thoughts in order.  I got a real bummer call from my mom early yesterday morning about a dear dear family friend.  Let me introduce you to Sara Jane ( say that with a North Carolina Accent)...one of our families longest & best friends....not to mention my #1 fan (besides my mom) my life manager...the one that is always  positive of my creative journey...she even arranged a trip to California right around the Homegrown Hospitality Party in August ....when I got out of the car, she was the first one I saw....

The call I got yesterday is that she has cancer. It just totally bummed me out and dragged my heart through mud....mixed blessings come in, as the Dr's think that they got it all....so we are thankful for that..but I think of her husband, and her kids, and her grandkids...and it is like someone told me that my mom was sick...that's how close they are to us...and so all I can do, all we can do is be sad for a moment...and then pray...pray hard, pray feverishly...pray for recovery & healing & peace...still makes me grit my teeth a little...not at GOD, just at the facts.. and let me tell you, she would have a fit right know if she new I was squawking about her...but that is because we, I, love her too much to not shout out a little prayer request for her...and her family...

and all of this takes me back to the book I am reading...I am almost finished, but it is so raw, explicit and AWFUL in some chapters that you almost can only take little bits at a time...but it is speaking to me...almost in ways that I am not so sure that I want it to....and it is too hard at this point to explain it...I only suggest that you read it, to dive deeper into your faith and explore the guts of yourself, of Kay Warren and what may be on mine & many's horizon of things that need to be done...we can't change the world, but I am beginning to think that GOD wants us to try....one step at a time.

on a lighter note, I am going to dig up an old doodle from August...I still want to reach all across AMERICA and I have lots of states that need to be touched...so can you help me out???

and I found another file full of doodles...I am sorry that I did not get these all out sooner...it was when I packed everything up back in March to move Ben into his own room, stuff went into boxes & files, out to the garage and then back over to the Shed-Teau, it all just got put on the back burner...

and speaking of another Mixed Blessing...the Shed-Teau is an ABSOLUTE DISASTER right now...Mixed in the fact that I have tons of work to do, deadlines to meet & lots of product to use, but I have no space to do it because me and my "tigger-itis"...I just pounce back and forth from project to project... leaving piles here piles there....ahhh me and my Simply Complicatedness....

in fact, I am going to stop right now....go take a picture...and come back and post it...hold on...okay, I am back and I realized that because the shed-teau is such a mess that I some how migrated to the kitchen, so here are pictures of both...maybe this will motivate me to completed, clean up & start over... oh...good example....in the middle of working...I got a delivery from UPS...the upcoming KOTM stamp set...so I stopped what I was doing, and started playing around with stamps.....and there are LOTS....and back in July when I went to Utah, we were all ew-ing and ahhhing about these, and Ali took some home to play with...this kit totally reminds me of that trip...here is a shot of all of us....I am a lucky girl..one who has been blessed to be able to work with such a super group...Mixed because I am two states away from most of them...Blessed because I get to do what I love for a living and share it with you...

Have a Mixed Blessings day...Take the good with the not so good...It all fits together in the big picture...

p.s. the ground is not even wet anymore...

Not sure of a good title for todays blog....

I am still cornucopia of emotions with Jack being away at camp, but on the other hand, my little Ben is lavishly soaking up mom, which is fun....I was a bit weepy at bedtime last night, just hoping that Jack was so tired he would fall asleep fast, hoping that he was not the only one in his cabin that has terribly STINKY feet & shoes...hoping that he remembers to wear deodorant...ya know, mom stuff like that...I am glad night one is over...only two more to go...Darn it is hard being a MOM!!!

Now on the Creative front, I had been experiencing some creative road blocks....been on a bit of a creative hiatus...until yesterday as I sat and waited for the "got to camp safe call" .  You see, from the time I blogged yesterday, which was about 9:30ish until 1:01 ...I sat in one spot (which is not normal for me) and I stitched...and stitched...and stitched...Good for the mind..but I am learning that it is getting harder to thread a needle without squinting my eyes and holding the needle about three feet from me....(good thing GOD gave me  LONG ARMS).....

and speaking of GOD...

I am reading a new book called DANGEROUS SURRENDER By Kay Warren.  DEEP & captivating book....makin' me think ALOT about ALOT of things....Pastor Rick warned us that it was a very strong book..I will write about it more, as I find words to explain it...Along with my journey through 40 days of Purpose, this book has inspired, no inspired is the wrong word....

these two books have gently nudged into places I have not really been before...so I have decided to start a journal of sorts...of where I am, where I am going and what GOD needs me to do...not necessarily what he wants me to do, but what he needs me to do...I kinda, sorta know what I  need to do....told ya it was deep....

so to counter balance the intensity of this book, I stitched, and then read, then stitched, then read...it is impossible to do both at the same time...and then, I started to create a notebook/journal...

here is a shot of the journal in progress, a little colander of felt raviolis & a doodle of a verse written in the book.   

so, with the verse from today....what does it say or mean to you? 

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts....

Holy Emotions Batman!!!!

Well, I just put my first born pre-teen child on a bus and sent him off to 6th grade camp. Emotions are running rampid here in Rancho Santa Margarita....I held it together helping load the bus, taking temperatures, snapping pictures, and in about two hours I will get a call from Jack's teacher telling me that they have arrived safely and I will call every other 6th grade parent to let them know the same. 

Until then...I think I will just sit right here....and wait....faithfully, calmly and even though my heart feels a little tiny sad...This is part of the parenting thing, right???

I knew that I would feel shaky this morning, so I made this and showed it to Jack before he left...It is hanging on the tree, and after Benjamin gets home from school, we will make his.....

I used a Jenni Bowlin Bingo Card, red & green felt, an imaginesce flower, Daisy D red button, Making Memories kraft "words", a pewter heart, making memories safety pin, dyno tape &  a picture from the Polar Express trip....

and speaking of projects, here is my next class coming up at  Timeless Treasures.....it is a wall/garland hanging that spells NOEL, unless you want it to say LEON...it is your choice!  see how I am????

It is actually very cute and can be done in about 1 hour or less....and can be either hung vertically or you can tie it together to hang horizontally....maybe even tie it into a gardland??? CUTE!  so, if you are interested, please call Timeless Treasures at (949) 888-7151 & sign up, as space is limited to 20....and for you out of town friends...if you are interested in a kit, please email me with the word "NOEL CLASS" in the subject line and we will see what we can do...

and to end this post off with just the right thing, there is this....

a doodle for one of my blog friends, Angela.  You can read here story here.

and speaking of doodles....I have an rather large file of doodles that I need addresses for:

the Bryant family

the firstbrook family

clint, tammy, logan, clayton & corbin

the Ireland family

the baker family

Kelsey Marie

please send me your home address and put "doodle address" in the subject line....

Thanks for reading...have a great day!

Get ready for some rambling.....

well, it has been a few days since I last blogged.  Mostly because I have been on the couch for the past TWO days not feeling well.  I think it was a mixture of exhaustion, missing my kids, thanksgiving being over, my mom & dad leaving and an itty bitty cold....I slept more than I have the entire year.

Now, I must say that Valentine & I were up at 4:30 and out the day by 5:30 am to hit Target on Friday Morning....and we did have a lovely evening with friends for dinner on Friday night...I woke up fine on Saturday...went to Timeless Treasures and completed some class stuff...we went to Rogers Gardens and admired the total beauty of the day, took a drive down PCH and then pit stopped at Coscto to pick up some photos & food...but 1/2 through Costco...I started to melt...actually melt...by the time I got to the car, I was weepy..my arms were dragging and I just wanted to go home....that was my cue to stop, drop and sleep....and that is what I have been doing since.

rewind to Thanksgiving...we all had such a great day ...I am so blessed to have not only a super family....but now...a new family....this picture, for me, says 1 million things...   

and then Turkey Carving 101...SCARY...but he did do a fabulous job...although his brother kept looking at me and mouthed "take the knife away from John" and my mom kept mentioning that we did not want to have to go to the ER on Thanksgiving day.....

and the proud ( & goofy)  carver...just please keep your eyes on the turkey at all times...           

all in all...we had a super day! now onto Christmas.....

now onto other things....

I mentioned a week or so ago that the submission call for the MAY 2008 Issue of Homegrown Hospitality is open...but I am here to remind you.....Please go here to get all of the info

www.homegrownhospitality.com

and click on submissions in the upper right hand corner.

and there are still lots of spaces open for the Timeless Treasures Stamp Doodle Crop Cruise in April and I am excited to tell you that my friend Lain from Simple Scrapbooks & the  ScrapHappy Blog will be joining us and we sail to teach you some fun stuff......

and I thought I would send you an a little Blog tour of some of the blogs that I have been stalking letly....

stop by and say hello to the worlds newest blogger...my pal Suezi...and stop by here and visit my new pal and fellow fiskateer, Janna and go over and be inspired by Teresa...

okay, that is it for now...I have some serious catching up to do around here...Hope you have a fabulous day...and take a moment to smile at someone today...someone you don't know....It will change their day....and make your heart smile!

So Blessed...So Thankful

A while back, my mom asked me to write something that she could hang in the guest room.  Something that captured our life...full of family & friends...how they make us feel, how we live our lives and how we are blessed to be who we are....all together.

This is it. 

I had kinda forgotten about it until we were there last weekend and it was framed above the bed surrounded by pictures of our family & friends. It made me stop & reflect, and then I wrote it down and doodled it out for you.

I am blessed and thankful for you.....and for so much in my life. 

good stuff...bad stuff...funky stuff...lovely stuff...confusing stuff...hard stuff...easy stuff...all the stuff that life brings...It is what makes me, me... you, you...and us, us...

I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving Day...and many days after...whatever you are doing, take time to reflect...take time to show thanks, to give thanks and most of all, thank GOD for all he has given and continues to give.

Have a blessed day!

The Polar Express-The End

so our Polar Express adventure was nearing its end...we had a big buffet breakfast together in the lodge & the Jim & Sue headed back to Chandler...and we drove one hour to this magnificent place... yes, the Grand Canyon..(the closest I had ever got to being there was when the Brady Bunch went there...and that was a LONG time ago...) The pictures really do not show the true beauty of it all...kinda like when you take an underwater camera with you when you are snorkeling and the brilliant colors of the fish  are cloudy..same thing...but, breathtaking is a perfect word...and as a mom, I was a little bit on edge because Jack was constantly veering to the right, and the left, and wondering why there was not a fence here, or a guard rail there..which lead me to take a picture of this...now we only stayed a little bit because it was Sunday and we needed to catch a 5:20 flt. from Phoenix, so we piled back in the car and kept going...

we all(except dad, he was driving) fell asleep, and woke up in this fabulous town...Sedona.... TOTALLY makes you want to sing "America the Beautiful", but before we stopped for lunch here,

we pit stopped at the wonderful little place called the "Briar Patch Inn" my mom & dad stayed here last year...um, heelllooooo...we are in ARIZONA...no cactus, tumbleweeds or dust storms here...just plain ol beauty!!!

we had a wonderful time...from 7:00 pm Friday until 5:20pm Sunday...planes, trains & automobiles...a total family vacation experience....picture are all ready to be picked up from Costco!

alright, so now onto today...the day before the day....everything is in position and ready to be prepared, we are cleaning house today, a few forgotten things like rolls & whipped cream need to be picked up from the store...and well, like me, I want to make 4 new pillows for the couch.....so, I am going to leave you now....have a wonderful day and pace, keep the pace....

0000.The Polar Express -Part Two & random stuff

so part two...we finished dinner in the lodge, with our Jammie's on, and headed right on over to the 6:30 train....lots of happy, chilly, excited people and kids filled with anticipation...we were in car I and greeted by an elf & a girl dressed in a chef outfit...we got to our seats and sat down...you can tell we were all very comfortable and it seemed that that giddiness of Christmas crept inside of ALL of us...

we were greeted by the 10ft. tall conductor and the train sped off into the dark night...we had hot chocolate, choc. chip cookies and we sang...fa la la la la..la la la la....

about 45 minutes into our ride, we were all told to look out into the distance, as we were arriving to the North Pole.....

and well...for me going to the North pole inspired me to come home and do this....

okay, onto other random things...I have gillions of emails to answer, respond to and thank you for....I am trying my darnedest to get on top of things...and you are not forgotten...also, if you have ordered anything via Jingle Bell Boutique, all orders will be completed and shipped by the end of this Thanksgiving weekend...

and speaking of Thanksgiving, Valentine & I grocery shopped yesterday and besides  the dry Sage Leaves, it is all done!  I know that I am a dork for taking a picture of groceries...but sometimes I like to blog about the normal stuff..not just about crafts...although I got some of that for you too...this blogging thing is to be able to reach out and share silly stuff like this...and for some reason, you embrace it....my quirky, dorky and sometimes rather random blah blah blah-ness of it all...and for that, I am Thankful!!!

so onto a little craftiness before I go....we are having 14 guests for Thanksgiving...and well...we have a little house....so our garage will be transformed into a grand dining room for the day...it is okay though...this is what makes me Trailer-park....and I embrace it...and obviously, like you, I love to do this...right down to the last detail....it was like planning our wedding...you take what you got and make it work...which is what will happen on Thursday.  Yes, I did go buy a couple of new tablecloths at home goods but I am going to blend the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays together....kinda like a merger...Thanksgiving meal with a Holy Jolly Twist....I am using the napkins I made for the wedding (see March 2008 issue of HGH) and I am making napkin ring-ish type place cards from a package of rusted looking jingle bells that I picked up at Target (another Polar Express Inspired items...Bells!)

I printed out each name on cardstock using the "Edwardian" font, crimped some of my favorite kraft paper and placed it together and secured it with a eyelet...picked some coordinating ribbons to match the tablecloth, napkins and overall color of the Thanksgiving day, "Sage Green" (cant find the sage leaves...) and these will go onto each napkin and then after dinner, right onto our tree.

I challenge you to be creative with your day...keep it simple, as simple as it can be...embrace the reason for Thanksgiving...being together, being thankful...being close (in small spaces) and don't get so overwhelmed with duties that you are not able to relax and enjoy it...like me, I am learned to accept help and to delegate....doing it together is part of the day....

Hope you have a great day before the day before Thanksgiving....   

The Polar Express...Part one**EDITED**

first, I love the holidays.  I love the feeling, the music, the smells,the happy faces, the overall feeling that the holidays bring....so heading to Williams AZ was so on the mark for me...and our family...

now before I go on, I must admit, my mom is the responsible one for my love of the holidays....exhibit one...."FALL TREE"..yes my friends...a Fall themed tree...and it is lovely.

alright, so we landed in AZ late Friday night and hit the hay pretty quickly...The boys & grandpa (pictured here with his visor on backwards) were up at 5:30 for am for a quick round of golf before we hit the road...

on the road by 11:30ish and a few hours later...our first stop...to the Deer Farm....a must see if you are on your way to the Polar Express....just take wipes and expect deer slobber on you..(and if you don't follow directions and irritate the other animals...some Llama spit)   look...a multi-tasker....a tooth flosser & a deer feeder...I knew I loved this guy!!!

...back in the car for about 10 more minutes...

okay, this is when I start taking in the sights of Williams, AZ (Holiday Town USA)  First, when you think of Arizona...you think of desert...tumbleweeds, cactus....not in this part of AZ....beautiful forests, mountains....a chill in the air....smoke coming from chimneys....frost coming from your breathe when you talk....lovely...just lovely ( ABSOLUTE HONESTY HERE..NO SARCASM)...so we arrived to the cool looking town...like the village that I painted long ago...old buildings... lots of lights...trains....and we get to the lodge, check in with the trillion other people and get ready...now when I say trillion, many of them are six and under, and they are so cute & excited...it is a total family experience, and just because we have older "dudes" does not change the fact that we too are a family on a totally fun trip...so, as a family...in the the spirit of the Polar Express..we got on our Jammie's....we ALL got on our Jammie's and headed to the lodge for dinner....

part two tomorrow.....thanks mom & dad for a wonderful time!

p.s....Homegrown Hospitality May 2008 Issue submission call is out....go here to get the info:

www.homegrownhospitality.com - click on submissions.....

Happy Friday

Well it is Friday...Hip Hip Hooray!!! and after school we are headed to the airport...off to AZ for the weekend and onto the Polar Express.  Before we get to the train, we are going to pit stop at a reindeer farm...and we are on the lookout for Rudolph....Ben is sooo excited! Although Benjamin is such a rugged little dude, and a cool eight years old...he still Believes....well, we all do...so it makes it all that much better....and since I am in such a HUGE mood for the holidays....this is going to be a grand slam weekend....for when we get back, it is all about Thanksgiving....

We are having Thanksgiving at our house this year.  Usually we go to John's parents house, but they are smack dab in the middle of a remodel, so.....we will be celebrating together here... in our tiny little cozy home...I need to emphasize tiny, as we do not have a large house, but it is a home...and I am excited to be able to cook for my new family & my mom & dad.  The boys are with their dad on Thanksgiving, but with the change in plans, Ben has decided to stay here...I would LOVE to think that it was because he wanted to be with his "momma" but he has a new cousin...John's nephew Erik, which is now my nephew, and Ben has just fallen in love with him...he is a football player, loves video games and best of all...he is a teenager....so, he is super duper cool...and I love the way Ben has taken to him.  It will be the first of many thanks we will share together this year...New Family...New traditions...with many to follow in the coming years....

This morning I also added a few new things to the Jingle Bell Boutique...so go on over and check them out....we are trying to add new things each week....

Have a super weekend and get ready for the holidays friends....cause they are officially here!!!!

Do your Little Bit

Volunteering. 

Who has time with such a busy life. 

We all have time. 

We just need to find it and/or make it...and do your little bit.....  

I believe it is essential and needed in all of our lives.  The thing is, you have to wanna do it, because if you are doing it for the "pomp & circumstance" well, then don't do it.  It shows...just as clearly as if you want to do it....The hard work of planning and preparing is so much like labor...and it gets to the point that sometimes you ask yourself, "why am I doing this?" and then like birth...it is very clear...the aches and pains of planning, prepping, long days and restless nights are instantly forgotten and the feelings of happiness and joy wash out the long days of planning.

Yesterday was our school's biggest event of the year.   The committee plans and plans and plans...and unfortunately, our jog-a-thon is always jinxed...by weather....the past three years it has been post phoned by rain....and post phoned again by rain...and well, since it does not seem to rain anymore in So. California, this year it was jinxed by fire.  Unfortunate for so many reasons...but now that the fires are out, the ashes have stopped falling and the skies are blue again...Yesterday was the day...and it was HOT....but like I mentioned above, so rewarding and fun that the heat was forgotten about (kinda!)....and today, my face hurts so much from smiling...Our school has a bunch of unbelievable passionate volunteers, and I want to introduce a few of them to you....

This is Carly and April .. ...Carly, as you all know, is not only  my next door neighbor, but even better, one of my best friends....She & April have been doing this for the past few years, pretty much on cruise control...and they do such a awesome job...and April...my friend for the past few years gives  and gives and gives to our school, but not alone, for her wonderful husband, who is a teacher, a fantastic bake sale seller, and the world's best coach, is always there...right beside her... I love the things they do...together...and when I watch them, they are such a team...inspires me to be the same...and speaking or being inspired...this big guy came out to help...and he talked about what he saw all night long...his cheeks hurt from smiling too....

and these are my pals....such a rewarding day for the entire school....as much fun as the kids have...we have just as much fun doing it for them, and being together...

you guys are the best!!!...thank you!