Homegrown Hospitality

Have a little....

 

 If you are feeling wound up...maybe you wanna curl up or you feel like you are going in all directions at once, just remember to hang on and rely on your faith!

Finding Your Target

Silly title and could probably lead to a million different topics, but I am going to keep it short and simple (well, at least try!) 

 I was headed out the door yesterday, for probably the thousandth time and coincidentally, as the title infers, was headed to Target, when I was stopped dead in my tracks.  I had to quietly back up, grab my camera, change the lense and head back outside.

it seems this little one was testing out his wings..and missed his Target.

Talk about a hopeless feeling.  All lil bird was doing was chirpping and chirping away, I am sure for his momma, which I heard chirpping back.  I looked up, and there, on the highest peek of our next door neighbors house were Target's momma and daddy. (I named this lil birdie Target)

another hopeless moment, where I really needed to have either Ace Ventura or Bird Whisperer" skills to say "He is right here, OVERRR HEEEREEE...just look down"

another very hopeless moment.

Maybe they knew that lil bird, I mean "Target" was right there and they were just waiting for me to move from the area so that he could keep going, or keep trying. 

so I did. and went to Target. 

and when I got home, Lil birdie and his momma and daddy were gone.

So, as I unloaded my target bags, which were empty just a day ago, I  starred out the window, reflected on it and here is what I got from this lil birdie....

it is really good to have a Target in life (& one that is right down the street from you) and to remember that we are not always going to get to our intended destination just because we want to.  Sometimes our wings are not strong enough or simply, it is not our time to fly....BUT it does not mean to give up... I believe that as long as you stay focused, do the right thing, do your best and keep trying, well then you are hitting the "Bull's Eye", which does not have to be necessarily right in the center of the Target.  Just remember that way up above, at the highest point, there is someone watching over us, guiding us and reminding us to keep going...

thank you lil Target birdie

wherever you are

Here I am again.  Yes, this is me, well, a sketch that I did of myself a few years back.  It is a really good representation of all moms (and some dads, too!) just "skating through life" but don't be fooled by this cute little drawing...

you see, I am soooo not always balanced like the sketch would indicate, in fact, I am more unbalanced than in balance, and I betcha you might be able to relate.

If you look closely (don't really) the Marathon Medal around my neck is tarnished because I have not made anytime to run lately, and for me, running is not only a physical thing, but more a mental and spiritual thing.

that chandelier hanging from my arm, it is in my bedroom and desperately needs to be dusted and one bulb needs to be replaced...

The yoga mat hanging on my back...ummm....yah, have not gone to yoga in quite a while...

my toes..need some polish

the Target & TJMaxx bags are empty, which is an okay thing, because I now use fabric bags that my mother-in-law made me...but, those are empty, too....

The lunch bags and diet coke with extra ice...well, I can not get my boys to eat lunch at school anymore...and then of course they come home and eat like elephants (which is like 89-90% of the day!) and the diet coke...well, everything happens for a reason...like recession and a new automated drinkmachine at McDonald's which only dispenses a certain amount of ice...so they have kinda lost my business but I have also cut WAY WAY WAY back on my spending and diet coke intake...so that is a GREAT THING....

and my hair...ugghhh...my hair. Funny how the world can be at odds, there is swine flu starting to seep into the country, there are wars, famines, unrest, poverty, lack of money for good hair product, recession and then you experience a "bad hair day" and nothing else seems to matter.  Why I choose this time in life to grow it out, is beyond me & not easy, but I am testing myself, i think, to choose to not care so much about my hair....I said "I think" and "I am trying"...

but you know what I do see everything time I look at this sketch....the cross around my neck. 

It shines, even though it is pencil on paper..I can see it & I can feel it shine. 

Here is the thing, at some point in pretty much every day of my life, something tends to be shaken and/or stirred but thankfully, I have GOD as my center to focus on..therefore, I am pretty much able "to skate through it" (like spending 3+ hoursin another urgent care yesterday)

So even though at this very minute I feel under the gun, over my head,  in too deep, upside down and a little bit out of control....I can still focus and that my friends(in my best John McCain Voice) is a very good thing! ( and I invite you to try it out!)

and take it from me, without GOD as my center, it would not be remotely possible.

Three Cheers for Ordinary Things!

WARNING.....THIS IS GONNA BE A LONG ONE

You know that question people ask you "If you could meet one person, who would it be?" 

I think at one point in my life, my answer would have been Bon Jovi, maybe Oprah, or even Jesus (except I knew I'd meet Jesus in Heaven) Truth is, I'd say that in the past several years, my answer has been Rick Warren, the pastor of my church and author of "The Purpose Driven Life"...BUT, I never gave that answer, in fact, I never even said it out loud.  I just did not answer. I guess I was confused on why I wanted to meet him because he is "just a man".

This is super personal...but worth it to me to share....

Saddleback Church, Pastor Rick and me finding "my purpose" have been in my heart, right next to GOD, my family & friends for the past several years...the years that I found great love and devastating loss, the years of tremendous growth and life altering mistakes.  Throughout my journey, God, family, friends & Saddleback have been my source of support, have been with me on that rubber dingy with the broken oar, have been with me as I went through divorce, have been with me as I took a leap of faith and traveled around the globe in the name of paper and helped me to be able to appreciate & absorb the true sense of God as I witnessed the sunrise and the sunset in South Africa. 

My life has changed for the better because of many many factors, including Pastor Rick...

But he is "just a man", so "wanting to meet him" felt like I was a groupie, waiting back stage...therefore, I never said anything....

Something has changed in the past year as I really started to identify with my Purpose.  I started to answer that "Who would you meet..." question when asked, especially when I was around the people that I knew"knew him"  I even said it out loud in our small group and my own husband said "he is just a man"..."duh...I know that " was my response, but I still was unsure "why" and could not defend my reasoning for wanting to meet him (as if I need a reason???) & I continued to share my wishes & thoughts with my small group and said that I did not think that God was going to make it possible for me to meet him because I was unsure of exactly "why"...

long story short....fast forward to today...

The morning got away from me, John was helping a neighbor, Ben was at a friends so I decided to stay in my jammies and watch church.  During the message....Rick spoke about how we are jars of clay and more importantly that "God puts his glory in ordinary thingsand how God wants to be inside of us, so that he is exposed through us and Rick continued on by giving this example:

Rick : "I am just a man, but through me, people see God in me...and I see God in people because it comes out through their actions, through their gifts & through their purpose"

light bulb moment....He, Pastor Rick..."is just a man"

...Insert screeching breaks sound effect...

THAT'S IT.....

that is MY ANSWER.....

I know why....

because he is an ordinary man (Rick) and I do see GOD in him...

longer story shorter...

showered, got ready, Jack & I went to Church...

met up with some friends and look what happened...

I got my answer and I got my wish...

an amazing full circle moment for me...and guess what he said (not just to me, because I heard him say it to another...)

"Have you hugged your Pastor today???"and he gave me a big ol' bear hug.

if you are wondering what I said...I said "It is a pleasure to finally meet you"and he looked at me and said "God Bless You"

(and I did not even sneeze!!!)

such an amazing day.

T.G.I.F...I think.

It is here..the sniffling, sneezing, head cold because the weather went from 97 on Monday to 67 yesterday...add in all of the dust blowing from the A/C being turned on for the first time to the heater being switched back on...and then crying over a very sad scene in Grey's last night.....and a mini swarm of earthquakes....ack!!!!!

Nevertheless, today is Friday and to kick things off "Cast Boy" Ben & I are headed to the Orthopedic Dr. first thing to check the hand & speaking of hands , I am seriously up to my swollen eyeballs in kitting for Reflections...and Inspired...and my Doodle Class and a **NEW PROJECT** my Zutter hand is, well, I will cut to the chase...

I found a volunteer to help punch chipboard and pages for the kits...He showed up freshly showered and in his jammies....and although he really thought the dog should be UP ON THE TABLE while we worked ( I talked him out of that one!) he did a good job....Teresa has her Ty...and now so do I!!

I can not wait to see what I can get him to kit tonight...I may recruit more of our street men tonight since it is Friday and they will be out in front of our house looking at this

what is it you ask?? Oh, it is a big ol long shiny black Cadillac that belonged to an old jazz singer named Erroll Garner...in the 70's!!!

and why is it at my house you wonder (like the rest of our neighbors)..well, because long long ago, my great grandpa bought it from Erroll Garner...and he kept it (and drove it) and then my Grandpa inherited it...and then my dad inherited it....and guess who has inherited it now???? but guess what....

IT CAN BE YOURS (pictured those words flashing in multi-color) ...because we are selling it....

it is okay, you can laugh.  I just shake my head and twirl my eyes. 

You should see the size of this car in all of it's shining glory.  Last night as we came around the corner from Jr. High Open House, my headlights shined on the GIANT SHINY GRILL and you should have heard the jammie wearing Zutter Guy pictured above...you would have thought he'd seen Jesus!...hey, maybe that is why he was so happy to help me....

and get this....as I came home from teaching Good News Club yesterday, switching gears to get one to practice and the other to Open House, a bird poops on the Big Black Caddy...so my gosh, stop the presses....the entire car must be washed.....

take a look at the photo...TAKE A LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS CAR....it is no small quick job, and can I add that I have had bird poop, butterfly guts and random bee butts on my car for at least the past week and nobody seems to jump at that??????

so, just in case your husband is peering over your shoulder either because you are laughing hysterically at this or oohing at my studly man with the pink Zutter, you might want to see if he is interested in the BUYING the Big Black Caddy....please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I may even go as far to say that I will fill up the ridiculously sized trunk full of paper crafting supplies should one of you buy it...and THAT WOULD BE ALOT OF STUFF!!!!!

Don't be jealous, but this is what I see EVERY SINGLE GLORIOUS GOD GIVEN DAY out my front window...

 

and it can be yours....just send me an email and I will give you all of the details!

Have a wonderful Friday...

p.s.again, it is okay to laugh at this...it is NEVER a regular ol' dull moment around here.

p.s. add lots of prayer...

 

p.s..don't forget to add in lots of prayer, duh!~

Reflections offfffff......

My brain works functions in a very...um, "creative way" and it never shuts off.  I used to make little comments & complain a bit about it but aparently, GOD made it like that for a reason, therefore, I must embrace it.

One of my quirky brain functions is that I am part "Weird Al Yankovic" when it comes to changing words in songs to relate to what I am doing.  For instance, I am up to my EARS, NOSE & THROAT in kitting for Reflections....and what do I sing, constantly?, oh just a little snippet of the theme song from China Beach 

"Reflections offff...the way life used to beee" 

over and over and over (so sorry if you sing that for the rest of the day)...

back to Reflections....It is next week....yikes....and it is going to be amazing.  I have been spending some time with the two minds behind this event and have been hearing some exciting stuff for those who are coming to the event...as of Monday, there were still a few spots open, so it is not to late to sign up..again, it is going to be amazing....

I was in the garag-mah-hall kitting all day yesterday and I was going to take some photos of the stacks of product and the 800 pieces of chipboard that I punched with the zutter and look what I found when I backed up to take a photo....coco, laying right by my feet, on the trailer.

anyways, here is another look at the project I am teaching..it is one of my favorites, ever!

if you are coming Reflections, I highly suggest that you come to the Thursday night "Get Ready Crop" to...um...get ready.

I have lots of little this & that's that you could get done before class...

It is going to be fun, and together, we can eat chocolate chip cookies and sing the theme song from "China Beach"....

"Reflections offfff, the way life used to beeeee"

This & That

I use that title quite often because I always seem to have lots of "This & That" to tell you about...

first off, I have been coloring......with my markers...

so much, that I plum runned them out of ink! seriously...BUT good news #1 is that they are refillable, whew...and good news #2 is that I just placed an order for my own collection of  "Homegrown Colors".  I am starting off with a small order because I am unsure of how they will sell...they are a little costly...$4.88 each...but, like I said, they are refillable...and they are double sided...and they are COPIC, duh...say no more!

As soon as they come in...I will letcha know...

and what is it that I have been coloring??? Well, my digital, I mean "Hybri-Doodle" stuff from The Daily Digi store...

This layout is a PERFECT example of how to explain my stuff for all of us NON-DIGI creators...

I printed all of the doodles you see on the layout, colored them in & cut them out...and simply used them just like an embellishment that you would buy...

Example: I printed "Cutie Pie" out, cut it with my giant scalloped punch, added some lines around the outside..whalaah!

The frame that is around the photo of Ben & I is actually the same scalloped framed heart that is located near the top of the layout...BUT, I made it bigger, used a black pen to make the checker board edges and cut the picture to fit right on top...

The"You & Are" are just white stickers (not mine) and the paper...not mine either...the paper is by Bella Blvd. and goes quite well with my junk....

another new thing that I was introduced to is this lovely little adhesive gun called the Glue Glider PRO.  If you are attending Reflections, I will be using it in my classes and you will be able to purchase them at the on-site store, that is, if you want...it is a handy little tool

 

and well...you know that it needs a little holster....

I am sure that I have lots more to tell you, but right now...I have felt to cut, instructions to print, kits to kit and a PTA meeting to get to!

one last thing....

 

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind....This is the first and greatest commandment"     Matt. 22:37-38

really...if you do that...you are good to go...and hey....

Have a great day!

Love..Think..Act..Serve..Tell

In my opinion, yesterday's message was one of my favorite ever given from Pastor Rick and I really really wish that everyone in the world could have not only heard, but felt it.  It was called "What on Earth Should I be Doing" and it was one of those "I don't know what all of you are doing here because obviously he is talking to ME" messages.

It affected my day, my words, my thoughts, and it is one of those lessons where I don't want the message to just disappear as the week goes on.  I want it to affect my everyday and I know to do that, I have to make a conscience effort to remember & be aware that This life is a gift. That this life is a test.  That this life is temporary and that there are much bigger and far better things ahead..BUT, we need to prepare for them...um....NOW.

Part of the prep work is to Love, to Think & Act, to Serve & to Tell.                                                         As long as I (& you) get those ingredients mixed thoroughly into our daily lives...Then we are headed in the right direction.

The past 10 years for me personally has been a journey & a battle.  I once described it as being in a class 5 rapids, going the wrong way, in a rubber dingy, with a broken oar...and a life jacket. The lifejacket, in all of it's bright "Cal-Trans" Orange glory continues to be my saving Grace.  Regardless of how hard, rough..or even still live gets, I know that it is all part of the bigger plan.

The past three years for me Creatively have also been a battle..with a lifetime worth of lessons, opportunities that are once, or even twice in a lifetime and a group of incredible women that have come into my life. I can now start to refocus & see that I need to continue using my creativity to better myself, my creative journey and as my Purpose.  

p.s..In case you did not understand my ramblings...GOD is my Life Jacket, my oar ois repaired, I am going the right way and although the river is rough..I am okay...whew.

Hello Saturday!

I am soooo glad it is Saturday and it is sunny, clear..and at 7:20 am...starting to be warm!  Yes, I am so sorry for all of you non- Californians because although we might have the highest Taxes, on the brink of State Financial Failure & Home of the Real Orange County Housewives (don't get me started)....we also have summer for the weekend....it is supposed to be in the high 80's today and 90 tomorrow....yowza!  Time to switch the heat to air on the thermostat.

and for anyone who may be local and has nothing to do but go to the beach on this fine sunny Saturday...I am spending the entire day at Scrapbook Oasis kitting my kits for Reflections that is TWO WEEKS FROM RIGHT NOW....so if you wanna come help, hangout, scrap and/or shop, or heck, even sign up for the event....come on by...

xoxo

s.