Homegrown Hospitality

One less "O"

here we go...a quick little replacement....

A whole lotta blah blah blah.....***LOSE**

**THANKS READER AMY FOR THE HEADS UP ON LOSE...I AM FAMOUS FOR SPELLING THINGS WRONG...i WILL CHANGE IT WHEN I GET HOME FROM WALKING THE KIDS TO SCHOOL...OH BOTHER***      This is a doodle that I did last September.  I have been trying to go through and organize (hahahahahahahahahaha) my stuff, that is spread out a little in each room of our house, consolidate things, simplify things, purge things, you know, the basic spring cleaning type stuff, and although I am making some head way, there is still alot to accomplish.

anyways....I came across this ol' doodle and it is a good reminder for me, and for you....you see, for me, part of a fear of mine is being away from home.  I believe it is called being "HomeSick", thing is, part of my Simply Complicated self, is that I get it long before I even go anywhere....and I am really really trying to step out of my comfortable little zone, expand my horizons and flap my creative wings....

so,

yes,

I am going to Africa.  I told you all a few month back that my wish was to go to Rwanda with a group from church.  I want to help, I want to serve, and I want to make a little difference......I just knew in my heart of hearts that I wanted to go...I just did not know when...and then, two weeks ago, I was invited to come to South Africa, to teach in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

well, it was heavy on my heart for about a week because my intentions were to "serve" to help and to make a little bit of difference....I just never in my wildest dreams (and a little fear) think that I would be directed this way, before that way....and until I listened, did I understand that I would be serving, just not in the way that I intended.  duh!  it is not what I want, it is all in the hands of the Lord, and after I was reminded by Kerry & Chris Shook (and a little advice for Ali last year), my mom & a teacher...

I am going to South Africa....in October.

yikes.

and probably on my own.  Valentine can only take about a plane ride to Maui (duh, who wouldn't) before his 10 ft. long legs get agitated....so I proposed the idea to my mom & my sister....so who knows....no matter, who, I am going.  I am taking a leap of Faith....and I appreciate that Lara is taking a leap by inviting me....

(I am breathing deep as I type this, good thing it is bible study today, which coincidently, we are starting a new study....Dangerous Surrender....coincidence????...I THINK NOT)

so, onto more paper oriented talk, this weekend is National Scrapbooking Day...betcha' non-scrappy peeps out there did not even know that one existed.....and I may be popping into a store or two to deliver some cookies......hmmmmm......and I might even scrapbook, if you can imagine that....Deena and I have tentative plans to stay home & scrap....we will see....although, I must say, I did make a few more pages in the past few days, while cleaning & organizing the Shead-Teau....these two layouts document the boys working together to make a super big car for all of them to ride down our street in.

all you need is a gaggle of boys, duct tape, a very large box, a long board skateboard, a job supervisor ....and you got yourself days of play... and who knew boxes would leave skid marks!!!

broken down at the curb...good thing there is a supervisor on the job!

okay, and just a tiny bit more scrap-related news.....I am working on a silent auction book for the "From the Heart" Charity Crop at the Red Bee on May 31st....here is a little peek at it.. .BUT, you need to be there, at the crop, to be able to see it all...and all of the projects that people are sending in....good good good.....have your signed up yet?  Now Suezi, Deena & Karen and I are all sitting at a table and we want you to join us... come sit with us....it is gonna be good....

okay my friends, one last thing....in honor of practicing being away from home, today, I am registering, as a student...

for this

are you going ???

man, I must say, I am gonna get A's for effort in Homesickness 101....

Talking in code....

Today, I am getting my ducks in a row, dotting I's and crossing t's, wrapping things up and tying up a few loose ends....

are you picking up what I am putting down?

Here is a blank doodle for you to play with.....

have fun and don't forget to show me your work!

14 minutes to go **We Have A Winner!**

and holding at $150.00.... Sandra Smart...THANK YOU SO MUCH for your bid of $150.00.....you are a blessing!!!!

Thank you all for playing...Miranda & I thank you a trillion times....

gosh...so good!!!

Big hugs to all of you!!!

Did I Really Say That???

Yesterday afternoon I dropped in on a bunch of So.Cal Croppers at the Crop To Remember, did a little make-n-take, gave each cropper a little bag of cookies....

and stuck my foot in my mouth.  I wear an 8 1/2 so, that tells you what a big mouth I have.

As I was chattering about this, that and the other, about Homegrown, Home & Heart, the Cruise, going to South Africa, my blog, the blogs I read, about baking, creating, just blah blah blah...I said that I don't scrapbook....

wait...what?

here is what I probably sounded like....

"It's not just about Scrapbooking" (I was talking about Home & Heart) I rarely even scrapbook, I mean, I scrapbook for other people, I make things everyday, all day, I just don't really scrapbook,  Actually I scrapbook everyday, just not for me..." 

I am sure that I kept going, trying to weave myself out of a vicious circle of random non scrapbooking talk to a room of 24 girls that were FEVERISHLY scrapbooking......and now...I feel like a total boob!  and then, to top it off, I get home, to a FEDEX package from Lisa....and inside is her new book .....all about scrapbooking.....and well, on page 94, a scrapbook page done by me....and friends, this is going to sound absolutely ridiculous to you...but,

IT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED ..  don't I need to do a "toot-toot" or something like they do on message boards??.....I think I might have to pop back in on those ladies and tell them that I do scrapbook....in fact this morning, while cleaning the Shead-Teau & trying to figure out exactly how one's foot fits into one's mouth , I created a page, just to remind myself that I do indeed scrapbook....and took some shots of the ol' shead starting to take shape...

 

and a lovely little shot of the goodness growing and blooming on the walkway to my front door.... okay, I have a self induced headache, even though my foot was in my mouth....

I will be back at 5:00 to announce the Miranda Auction winner...The bidding is at $100.00 right now....go to yesterdays post to get all of the details...and just a little FYI...I stuffed more stuff in the bag today!!!!

and one more lil p.s.....did you read anywhere in this blog about me going somewhere????

ta ta for now...be back later.....

A little about...**links are fixed**

Miranda, Etsy, Doodle bags, Crops, Hearts, Soccer and a little bit of random news....

a corn-na-co-pea-ah of stuff today....starting with the most important.  My pal Miranda.  She is the granddaughter of my mom's best friend.  My mom has been best friends with her best friend since elementary school....hellllllooooooo...I think they get a badge, or a medal...or an Oscar, or something...they, my mom and her best friend, are a lost art!   Three cheers for them.....

anyways,

Miranda....suffers from Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis...she was diagnosed at age 13 and it is a daily battle for her.  If you are a new reader, Homegrown Hospitality helped raise $300.00 last year for her and her team (to read more about her team, go here) and right now we are at $125.00.  I would like to meet that $300.00, if not exceed it...sooo...I have listed 4 new items on Etsy.  $5.00 from each kit will be donated to Miranda's team, and I will match it $5.00.  So $10..00 from each kit will be donated....

in addition...we have a new AUCTION item...just for this weekend.....a tote bag, painted by me that reads "CREATE" stuffed with stuff....

and because it is an auction, you will have to watch the comment sections for the latest bids....so whoever wants to bid on this first.....

the opening bid is $25.00.....so leave a comment that says $25.00.....the next person needs to overbid that amount...and so on and so on....I will let this run until Sunday at 5:00 CALIFORNIA time......

and speaking of bags.....those are going to be listed soon as well...so keep watching and checking....

and then there is the "FROM THE HEART" Charity crop that I am fortunate to be part of....are you coming? have you signed up yet?  It is gonna be fuuunnnnnn.... I am going to do a little mini doodle demo/class....and LOTS more....you can read about more of why Donna is doing this and all about the event here....and here....

and today we, Jack & I, are off to sign up for soccer......I swear, signing up for kids sports has more steps than a person trying to become a citizen, get a drivers license or get married...geeessshhhh!!! and then it is baking time before the degrees of the day hits 90!!!!! I am taking a fresh batch of cookies over to my friends at this crop.....

alright my friends...I have lots more to share...just be patient....

and go on over to ETSY to see what is new.......I think you will like it.....

and let's starting the bidding......

NOW!

p.s. If you dont want to bid, and you just want to donate, there is a button under my photo in the left column of this page that says Miranda...just go there...thank you soooo much!

GOT SKILLS?

Before I start my blah blah blogging, I must correct some information that I may have mis-lead people with.....

I am sorry if I confused people by thinking that the life of Home & Heart is continuing into 2009.    

Not that it isn't...but no decisions have been made yet.  There will be the issue coming in May....     here is the picture again ( in case you forgot)

and then, another in August that is chock full of fall holidays....and then maybe, another issue in November. 

For now, that is it for 2008. 

Based on the sales for "Pink Girl" issue on newsstands now....

(okay, here is a little picture) ....

2009 plans will be made...

As of right now, there are no subscriptions available for the magazine...because it is quarterly, I guess.  I think...actually, I am not sure, and that sounds dumb of me to say, but I will check into that....maybe pre-sales should have been done...hmmm....

Okay, onto more fortified blogging...

I don't like roller coasters. never have, although in One Month to Live, Kerry & Chris ask us to embrace life like a roller coaster...breathtaking, fast, ups and downs...take it all in...and embrace each moment...

I prefer ric-rac.  HEY, there is BIG ric rac, so I am open to a ric rac thrill ride...I am just a bit CHICK-en with alot of things, which I have been having discussions about this past week.

Reading this book, just like in Dangerous Surrender, and the verse I taught yesterday,  I am remind to use & rely on my faith, and the One Month to Live book is encouraging me to exercise my thrill ride skills...because as of right now, I have none. 

I have other skills...just not roller coaster skills.

So, it has been a little of an emotional week...nothing too major, but just things that have happened that make you stop, cry, think, wish, reflect....one being that my little first born boy Jack (picture, age 2)  is staring testing his skills as a teen-ager.  We had Jr. High orientation & elective night and although this is the boy that will give his mom a kiss on the blacktop each morning in front of anyone, is also now the boy that wants his mom to wait outside the elective classroom, or better yet...just wait at the car.  whhhhaaaatttttt?  All of the other parents were there...actually going into the classrooms....BUT...I am the ultra involved, over involved, too involved mom to just say "okay"

but, I did.

John & I stood outside the classroom...sorry, I am NOT going to the car.... yes, it hurt my heart, but I think that these are just growing pains.  and really, it is not about me.  The part of the growing pains that I am having the hardest time with at the FEMALE pains...and I realize that although I am a girl, my mom & sister are girls...my mother-in-law, my nieces, sister-inlaw, and my friends are girls...others than that....

I don't like pre-teen girls, well, actually, I LOVE a handful ..coincidently I spoke with those girls moms that night...the rest, at least for now, that are calling and screaming when they see Jack, need to start scrap booking or playing sports or something.  Seems the only things kids do these days is talk on the phone and it has become my big pet peeve.  Why do all of the kids feel the need to talk on mobile phones, no matter where they are...what the Heck do they have to talk about????and WHY are the parents letting them do it? 

Apparently, from what Jack has said to me (because right now, he knows just about everything there is to know about everything) I am the ONLY....that absolute only mom, that is strict.(insert the giggling wicked witch sound)..and over protective, and wont let her kid have a phone. (I know I am not and just need to stop trying to get the last word in with him) (I hope Denise is reading this...she is going to giggle out loud)

I bought"What to expect when you are expecting"....I read "What To Expect the First Year" and I had "What To Expect the Toddler Years"...

why did they stop there?  "Where is the What to Expect the Teenage Years....."

oh Calgon...where are you when a mom needs you?

okay all of this teenager stuff (even though Jack is really ONLY 12 1/2) is making me cranky and it is supposed to be a BEE-U-TEE-FUL day....and it is Friday..so off I go into the day....

I am going to take all of this cranky energy and go the the gym...or go for a run...or something...then, I am going to get my haircut...and then...I am going to create a bunch of you-never knows....

Oh Goodness.....Let pray for a good day!!!!!

Good News Thursday

yes, it is that time again...Good News Thursday....and today's verse to be taught is a very simple & basic one...in fact, I had a harder time spelling the word Isaiah than anything else...(this doodle looks a little topsy-turvy) This is a really good basic "getting-to-know you" verse for those, like children, that are just learning all about GOD and a really, really good reminder type verse for us older folk that need to be reminded that where WE think we need to be and where he leads us to be could be the same or absolutely opposite...the fact is, it is not about us, and all about him...

The great part about teaching 48-51 kids from kindergarten to 6th grade is that I am teaching today's verse in sign language....no, I don't know sign language, but our curriculum has now taught me how, so I am going to teach them in silence....not a word....that will be a beautiful 10 minutes, because other than those ten or so minutes, they are a crazed pack of kiddos!!! ( I will let you know how that works out!)

in other news today, I am sending over my stuff to Freehand Scraps for May... once again, I have flapped my creative wings, stepped one foot outside my comfort zone...and was pleased with the outcome.  This month is a lovely collection of colors...

and speaking of colors.... I picked up a new tote bag at Borders...as if I need another bag, but it was 50% off...and it is big...for the beach, or for traveling....and speaking of traveling, I am headed down the ol' toll road this weekend, just about 2 miles, to an event where I am taking these...and speaking of events...my best pal Suezi G from Me and My Big Ideas is signing up today for the Charity Crop at the Red Bee on May 31....so now, at my table will sit Deena..Suezi, me ...and maybe you??? go here for all of the details...and make sure that you let me know when you sign up....don't want cha to miss out on the table goodies.....

ta ta for now...got lots to do....enjoy your day!!!  I would LOVE to hear from YOU!

Go TeaM oRANGE

well, it was a great day yesterday for many of my friends...if you are a Fiskateer, then you probably already know, and for those that are not fiskateers, first, you should be...go here to sign up...and for my non-scrappy friends....well, just play along....

so, the Lead Fiskateers 2008-1010 were announced yesterday...and I am so proud & excited to say that I know them all!!!! maybe this is what it feels like when you know someone that wins something major...so proud and so excited...like a mother bird watching her baby birds fly....I know that sounds silly, but I really am excited and proud, because they are great people and will do a great job...

so there is Cheryl...Cheryl is a gem.  Cheryl is a blessing and Cheryl is my friend.  In my opinion ( and the opinion of many) Cheryl is one of those people that you meet and her grace, her calm voice and her passion just resonates. Being around her makes you wish that you were like her.  Just pleasant lovely and loving! I am lucky she is my friend...and lucky that she lives just a few miles from me!

and there is my Laverne & Shirley Pal... Stephenie...  she is "E"...I am "A"...She and Cheryl are returning leads..My sister and I got to meet her for the first time last summer in Chick-ca-go (that is the way she says it)...and we had a blast laminating everything we could...Then I spent some quality time with her on the floor in San Antonio, sitting indian style having a real pow-wow....and then again this past Feb. at CHA in Anaheim....we are planning to celebrate big-time in Chick-ca-go in July....Congrats E....

and then Wendy Jo, who if I am not mistaken, I made cry in San Antonio....of course not intentional, but I think I hit a soft spot in her heart and we became instant friends.....and Kelly Jo ( who I have mistakenly identified as Wendy Jo) , the Fiskateer of 2007...betcha did not even know that there was one....well, I am here to tell you that she is! and now she is lead and will represent in a phenomenal way.....and then there is Angela....some people know her as Spider Girl...others as just Angela...and although I did not know who had applied to be a lead fiskateer, I knew she would win....I mean it, I did not know who had and who had not....but it is just one of those things that you just "Know"...

anyways...congrats to all of the great Fisk-a-teer Girls....and my the force be with you all on the great big new Orange ( & green) adventure....I cant wait to see what is in store for all of us other Fiskateers out here...

on another note, there have been lots of exciting emails and phone calls goin on here....just nothing I can spill quite yet...but one that I will share with you is a really really important crop that I am part of on May 31st at the Red Bee.  My sweet funky paint splattered friend Donna and my two scrapbook royalty gal-pals are putting together a wonderful event to help out a local family here, and very close friend of Donna's.  I will be there...with cookies of course...and doin a lil doodle make-n-take...Donna is teaching a class sponsored by Prima and a gal from Kits2Remember will be teaching a class..In addition to that, there are going to be some AMAZING raffle & silent auction items...I cant spill those details either...but it is gonna be good....the rest of the event will be cropping, eating, laughing, probably a little crying...all good though....and with the name "From the Heart"...you know there will be memories....so I am inviting you to come crop with me, eat cookies with me, let Donna splatter a little of her goodness on you and enjoy the day as well as brighting the life of a family in need....

come on...sign up....it will be fun....I think that I may even sponsor a table, so sign up and mention that you wanna sit at my table...it'll be fun...Deena is coming with me, too!...Special treats for my table.....good, good, good...fun...fun...fun...

go here for the info....Scrapbook Royalty

okay...off to make plans, finish projects, finalize plans and a little of this and a little of that.....

p.s.let me know if you sign up....dont want you to miss out of the goodies.....

Last night...

this made my heart sing...

and this morning...this comment made my heart sing...

Well Stephanie, I took your 30 minute challenge and for the first time in I don't know how many years, I read my bible.

have a really good day!