Homegrown Hospitality

Best Day After the Day After Purchase Ever!

Black Friday?

nope...

Didn't do it.

Okay, well husband tried on Thursday at 4:30 but it is not worth repeating.

Insert Thanksgiving...

It was a great day of food, family, football and stitching and we were fast asleep by, oh..7:30 pm (well, with random texts from friends having fun in line at Target)

Black Friday was spent with family and a few good ol' Lifetime Hallmark Channel movies...and then...I waited till the coast was clear and on Saturday, I dashed to Aaron Brothers just before my "until 2pm only extra 25% of off." coupon exploded in my hands..

and picked up something I had not planned on picking up...but with the 50% and then the additional 25%, I bought this "Tim Holtz'd" it and whahlah.. and it was the best day after the day after Thanksgiving EVER.

I hope that you enjoyed your holiday...now onto Christmas!

BRING IT ON!

Rejoice Always

Many are thankful for for health, wealth and happiness and those who are struggling with loss, fear, anxiety...so this is a special reminder to you that we must rejoice always...
That regardless of circumstances that are not in our control (because really none of it is) we should live daily with a grateful heart and give thanks in all circumstances.

Without our personal  trials, we would not be able to develop patience or faithfulness and without the circumstances we have to endure, would we experience great change and personal growth.

I know that many hate really dislike the phrase, "Everything thing happens for a reason"but...with great faith, you know that it does and it will....and with that said, we know that the outcome will be grand, therefore, we must Rejoice Always.

Today, I am thankful for my God and for home, family, friends and church, but also for the constant workout to strengthen my relationship with the Lord, a continual push to develop patience, to always remember to seek Joy in the midst of pain and sorrow and to continue to move foreword in walk by faith.

Today, I wish for you the same.  To seek joy...push through the rough spots and rejoice always...Happy Thanksgiving Friends.

 

 

All Things

4:13...The "address" of one of my life verses:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Phil. 4:13

and a number that has come up several times in the past week.

At church yesterday, I learned an awesome way to create a habit of gratitude. Think about the date of your birthday (mine is 4/13) and turn that into a time (4:13)   Now, get out your phone and set the alarm for everyday at that time. (Tip - set it at pm so you do not get an early morning reminder!) Every time that alarm sounds, chimes, beeps, rings or vibrates, stop and say/think or write down something that you are grateful for.

Friday night when I walked into Athlete's Choice to set up for the boutique, Kevin, owner of 1Eighty Apparel was setting up his booth and when he turned around, he was wearing this shirt.. and I was not surprised. It was not a coincidence...God does not talk to me in a great thunderous echo-ish deep voice...HE talks to me in ways like this.

All Things...

I, we, you, can do all things...with the strength HE gives us.  Not with our own strength....and thankful...We must be thankful for all things...not just the good things, but again ALL Things and I was reminded of that as I was reading this book last night... and as I turned the page that I had decided would be my last of the night...

yep..

there it was...

okay..go set your alarms!

p.s. the 4:13 story will continue on Wednesday..that's all I am sayin.

Whirling Dervish Surge

It always happens.  About 48 hours before any type of class or boutique I get this surge of " I MUST MAKE MORE THINGS"

Tomorrow is the 1st Annual Athlete's Choice Holiday Boutique where 10% (+10 more%) of all of the proceeds will go the the Jessie Rees Foundation.  I have told you about it on FB and here on the blog and I have been making things here and there along the way and then...

BAM

I got that "whirling dervish surge" and just started making things left and right, wasting what I thought was a TON of time, sewing, stopping...cutting & stitching and then stopping again, then painting and stopping and then more stitching...and stopping.  I finally made myself dizzy from the sporadic back and forth, I stacked it all up and put it away. (which is just 1 of 100 reasons why the Shead-Teau looks the way it does.)

I am not sure if it was the canvas, the hearts, the stitching or what, but something clicked and I drug it all back out, started completely over and created the 2012 version of my raviolis.  (In the past, the raviolis have been in felt, this year, canvas) and I kinda love them.

The nice thing, is they can be a gift tag, an ornament for the tree, a bottle hanger but best of all, just a cute little reminder of the important things...

Joy

Hope...
Peace and of course, LOVE, duh. so what I thought was wasted time was well spent time, because had I not taken all of the steps I had taken, I would not have these.

If you are in the area, be sure to come by Athlete's Choice tomorrow night from 7:00-9:00 pm.

23252 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688

Little House...

on the Prairie was my favorite collection of books to read and my favorite show to watch growing up so of course when I read this quote, from non other than Laura Ingalls Wilder herself, I knew it was the perfect thing to remind myself and others of... and it reminds me of where I just was and that feeling of simple pleasures as I took a picture of a couple of cows (and was so dumb happy about it..as if I had never seen a cow)and really how simple it is.

Life is complicated so today, I am thankful for prayer...

and Little House on the Prarie.

 

Christmas Boutique For a Cause

This Saturday, I will be setting up a little table to sell my wares at Athlete's Choice in my town, Rancho Santa Margarita and 10% of all sales will be donated to The Jessie Rees Foundation. In addition to the 10%, I am going to up it an additional 10% for a total of 20% (math skills, I know)

I will be selling the ornaments I have been making and teaching this season and am stitching up some super cute little quilted ornaments from the fabric I brought home from Pennsylvania that will hang on these even cuter little metal hangers from Amish country and there is plenty more cute where that came from...Happy Basket pillows, leather cuffs and more...If you are in the area, I would love to see you...and bring your friends...

Let's kick the season off together!

Athlete's Choice ..23252 Arroyo Vista, RSM 92688 (thanks, mom!)

p.s.In case you are still reading, I am going to teach a "Creative Muscle" class at Athlete's Choice in January so if you want to sign up, come on Saturday and check out the project!

Home Away From Home

I am home..from my home away from home and once again, I return with a swollen, overflowing heart for the experience with things like having a friend that giggles with me as I find happiness and see the beauty in taking a photo of the second floor old, worn ceilings (or maybe it is the third floor) and still giggling with me as I step out onto a REAL fire escape without a fear in the world (okay, a tiny bit, for just a second) Experiencing an amazing day in the "Valley" and the actual taste of adrenaline as "rutting" deer cross in front of you at 12:30 am on roads like this Happily singing John Denver songs as you breathe in the very old crisp air and dream about sitting here watching the horse drawn "toppers" go by and wondering how long I would really last on a big ol' farm before I would want to come home Experiencing a "Lifetime/Hallmark" channel movie moment as the Veteran's Day Parade marched by and experiencing the emotion of feeling really grateful for what others do for our freedom Grateful for new and old friends to travel from near and far to gather for the love of creating, laughing, eating, and sharing stories about "rutting" deer,choosing to spend the beginning of a 10th birthday celebration with me (Happy Birthday Carlee!)and making a big ol' creative mess with me.Thank you to Jeff & Staci Shuck for your love, hospitality, humor and your brick building that I love so much, to all of the crew at Grove's and to all of my PA family...I love you and miss you already!

What is a Nor'Easter?

I know, it is a storm and it is really trying to clog up my flights...but as of right now, we are clear for take off and I am prepared for the best and the worst, so I begin my journey to the East Coast.... see you soon PA...I have missed you. oh ya, and I packed my hat in case I get a chance to load up in the 84' Ford and shoot myself a dang deer(TOTALLY KIDDING)..whoops..it is Bear season!!

Ultimately...

And One Other Thing...

I Stitch.

I stitch when I don't know what else to do...when I have to wait...when I have open empty in-between time...to fill up my "Basket Of Happy"

The Ol' Basket of Happy is almost empty because I have been passing out little felt happy balls to those who either need something to hold onto, something to squeeze or, something to throw really hard at something, or someone...to spread a little happy...plus I am headed to my 2nd favorite place on Earth in two days

and in order to re-stock, I must use what I have...

In case you want to make your own "Happy Basket" of felt balls to, you know...throw..

really, all you need to do is cut some felt..stitch it
and stuff it! Happy Creating....