Okay - so I [still] have bunch of stuff that needs to GO - and I'm really tired of seeing the OMG abbreviation everywhere [I try hard to make my mind read 'oh my goodness!] so am hoping that we might also come to think of it as 'Once a Month [old stuff] Giveaway! I plan to randomly draw a name from the comments on this post and send that person a little bag of goodies that hopefully they can use [new to them and all, you know...]
It's been a full and happy month for us - with lots of posts - just browse through the blog and leave a comment about your favorite post from NOVEMBER.
Comments will close on Thursday night at midnight [central.]
Annnnnnddddd – here are the winners from last month!
For the “Where in the World” have we been: Anita Holden
[We were in Gatlinburg - and Pigeon Forge is pretty close, wouldn't you say?]
Edited: Wow - wow- wow - can we be up to "b" already? I remember pre-posting all of my EOYOL way back in January when I was working out of town more than I was home and it seemed so tedious and far away - and it has been, and I'm happy about that - that I haven't rushed the year - that I've taken the time to enjoy The Moments. As we move fully into the holiday season, I hope to remind myself to slow down and enjoy. I hope you do too -
A few years ago I had the opportunity to complete this extraordinary scrapbook album designed by CathyZ and based on the book, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Rosenthal. While I still haven't read the book, I love the concept of this album - a random sampling of those ordinary facts about your life [my life.] The homework involves keeping a list, A to Z, of random memories for several weeks and then gathering photos [or not] to support these memories. Love it. The album is really very simple [a la Cathy Z] and easy to put together with only two square photos per page and two to four 'definitions.' Have I said I love this album? And I want to share some of my life with you so I've committed to do just that in 2009 [keep in mind this was completed during the summer of 2007.] I'm going backwards and today I present:B
BEST FRIEND Without a doubt – Craig is my absolute BEST FRIEND. I love him, and him alone. Without him I am incomplete. He is the one I hoped for and longed for and I am so happy to have him go through this journey of life by my side! I tell him everything and so much more than I tell any girlfriend I have. He knows all there is to know about me and still loves me completely. I am blessed.
BOOKS My love of books and reading definitely is a tribute to our Mom. I remember she always received “Reader’s Digest Condensed” books in the mail and she signed us up for book clubs too! One of my earliest memories is going to the library each week to check out books. My favorites were: Toby Tyler, Henry Huggins, The Bobbsy Twins, and Tough Enough. And later, when the grandsons visited, they looked forward to this little outing too!
BLACKBERRY Jam, hot, on buttered biscuits. A special treat for a cold winter morning. Every summer mom and some of our aunts would go pick blackberries near Aunt Billie’s place [by the spring.] We weren’t allowed to go because of snakes. After washing them they were home-canned in quart jars and saved for winter. Recipe: I part blackberries to 3 parts sugar; cook over medium heat until thick and syrupy. Spoon over one of Mama’s delicious buttered biscuits.
I have so many things to be thankful for - this year and always. I'll post photos from the day later on... until then, take a look back to last year's faith based pages layout using a favorite photo of mine - some of my cousins gathered around the table with my aunt - so sweet!
This year we had my family here at our house [last weekend] and cooked FISH - don't you think the Pilgrims had their fair share of fish at the first Thanksgiving? It was yummy since Craig always does such an excellent job frying it up! And we'll be with Craig's family on Saturday so we had our own little family here today.
I prepared everything last night while the kids had friends over to play cards and games - and then just baked and heated it all up this morning. We had turkey, Aunt Betty's Dressing [recipe follows], green bean casserole, veg-all casserole, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce [of course!], rolls, and pumpkin roll for dessert. It was nice to gather around the table to share... so here are some photos:
goofing off while I set-up the camera- Ready to dig in - gathered 'round the table And the last photo is of my absolute LAST HARVEST - yes! I met my goal and picked a ripe tomato on Thanksgiving Day! Yay! After lunch I went out and cleaned the garden out... now I'm pondering the possibility of planting turnip greens ... Hope you all had a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving Day as well!
And now to Aunt Betty's Dressing
Prepare ahead of time: 3 boiled eggs 1 pan of cornbread -------------------------------
Cook: 1 lb. sausage [mild] - crumble as it cooks Add: 1 large onion, chopped a couple of stalks celery, chopped [or a couple of teaspoons celery seed Cook until all is tender and remove from heat - Add: 1 quart chicken broth 1 package chicken flavored stove top stuffing crumbled cornbread chopped boiled eggs Add more chicken broth if needed to make moist dressing. Put into rectangle pan and bake at 350* until warm. Enjoy! Note: boiled chicken can be added before baking...
It’s thanksgiving, the boys are home, we’re celebrating a birthday, and our house is filled with lots of good meals and treats [pecan pies, apple pie, brownies, ice cream, apple dumplings, pumpkin roll, etc.] I’m cooking turkey and dressing with all the trimmings [probably only the second time I’ve done this in my life!] so while I'd hoped to make the Cookie of the Month from scratch this month -- I’m all about simplifying things for now – and keeping with that theme – here’s the cookie of the month – Pillsbury REady to bake Cookies
Something fun I've been playing around with - an old printer drawer and some of my favorite photos.
I need suggestions on what to put in a few of the other spaces
- I don't want to fill it up completely -
And also a little autmun goodness as I watched a red-headed woodpecker out my window this morning - always makes me remember how I saved and saved cereal box tops to get a little plastic woodie woodpecker door knocker only to have it melt in the sun... Happy fall Y'all!
In this ever-evolving journey of faith I walk I’m taking a step in a new [but not so different] direction with Faith Based Pages. You see, I really believe it’s a path that God is leading, and while I may take a few missteps along the way, I pray that He uses FBP to touch those who need Him [in whatever way He sees best.]
First, a little walk down memory lane – back in 2005 I was facing the first stages of the empty nest and had a little more time on my hands [as well as few more bills, called college expenses, on my brain.] Our high schooler still at home was getting pre-tty tired of mom standing in the door of the play room just LOOKING at him [and treasuring the time he was till with us here at home.] It was then I was searching and asking the Lord for guidance – what to do with my time and maybe, perhaps, make a little mullah on the side too?
And Faith Based Pages was born – a little monthly kit company, that was, ironically, faith based. Ha. It was fun to pull together kits with my own quirky color combinations, but it was oh so much more rewarding to introduce some for the first time to the idea of putting THEIR faith on their scrapbook pages. We traveled to shows from New Orleans to St. Paul that year as I taught class after class, and we [the students and I] shared our hearts. I was more convinced than ever that we need to share together as we put our faith on our pages. As a result the Yahoo group was formed – and what a blessing it’s been to me as we’ve grown and shared together. Crafters with our minds focused on Christ -- and while we may not always – always put faith on every single page, we do strive to live our lives for Him.
Then as 2007 was coming into view DH & I felt the Lord saying, ‘slow down, take some time, consider stopping the kits as I lead in a different direction.’ So we did slow down, maybe did two shows that year, stayed close to home, and realized, oh how the Lord prepares our way – bc that was the year my parents were so very ill and I needed to be close by to help [I can’t EVEN imagine how CrAzY I would’ve been if I was also doing classes and kitting up for those – and life was pretty cRaZy already during that time.] The blog was started and we continued the kit company, all the while, thinking, maybe we should have stopped. December 2008 was our last regular monthly kit. [Past kits are still available here – for each one ordered we’ll throw in one of our choice free.] After that I was in a waiting period – Fully in the empty nest, and finding myself with even more time – but also finding that that time was quickly filling up with Bible Study, friends, gardening, my love of photography, reading, and crafting and quality time with my sweetie pie.
It was then I felt the Lord leading me to do some free on-line Faith Based Pages classes and another Yahoo group was started just this year. It’s small, with only a few regularly posting as participating in our ‘classes’, but I know others are reading, and my prayer is that the Lord is using our efforts to touch just the right one in just the way He knows is needed. It’s a blessing to me to pull some Faith Based Pages ideas from the books I read and share with others. And I loved having Kim do a class as well [look for more from her in the future!]
Now, back to the blog – through the last couple of years I’ve tried to make it a balance of sharing my life, my journey of faith, my scrapbooking, and my hobbies [gardening, photography, scrapbooking, and other crafts.] I’ve made the occasional effort to share Faith Based Pages, sometimes with step-by-step instructions…this year I’ve seen changes in the internet world as participation in yahoo groups is waning and more and more people are into blogs and even facebook [yes! Me too.] and I’m feeling led to include Faith Based Pages more regularly on the ole blog – meaning I have to make the effort to listen to God’s voice in leading me so that I post what I feel He wants – and not just my own ramblings.
So in 2010 I plan to put a Faith Based Pages Challenge on once a month [probably around the 15th] – I really hope we’ll have some people participate as 1] there’ll be a WHOLE MONTH to completed the challenge – and 2] there’ll be a little prize given [randomly] to one of those who share their projects, and 3] I JUST LOVE to see how different ones interpret my ideas [REALLY – REALLY love this!!] I’m looking forward to it – and think it will be a challenge for me as well! The free classes will continue on the FBP Classes Yahoo Group and the FBP Yahoo Group will also continue [maybe we can talk a little about the monthly challenges and how we interpret the faith theme, as well as how we tweak them differently?]
All this to introduce the Monthly FBP Challenge concept – and, it’s starting THIS month Now, in fact! This month's challenge is all about thanking those we love - it's inspired by that Hallmark commercial seen all over TV and the concept of handmade cards in the Scrap, Etc. Magazine [Nov. 09] Remember, if you participate, you need to let me know where to find your work - either by leaving a comment here on the blog or posting on the FBP Yahoo Group [not classes.]
Deadline is December 15th. Here we go:
Theme: Thanksgiving Blessings - cards
[Scrap lift from Scrapbooks Etc.Nov / Dec 2009, p.32+]
Create three - four cards to send to others for Thanksgiving
Must include: Thanksgiving embellishments, brown cardstock, paint and
Scripture: “May the Lord bless thee, and keep thee: may the Lord make His face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee.” Numbers 6: 24-25 [or one of your choice.]
I took a little trip down to Carrollton, Georgia [-really not THAT far from home, a little less than 3 hours drive] to a fun little scrapbook store, called Sweet Memories, with an awesome crop and class room. Debby Schuh [one of THE BEST designer / teachers in the biz] was there teaching several classes and I was thrilled to take the 3 hour class doing a Canvas Christmas Album -[photo from Debby Schuh] It was fun to meet my friend Becky [we met --and were secret sisters at CKU -07] to scrap together - she's SUCH a talented artist [you can see some of her art here - we've already bought a beautiful charcoal and pencil drawing that I'll share with you sometime next month] and get to know her better and it was neat to see Aileen, whom I met at CKU-09. And of course it was so fun to spend some time with Debby - the little pockets and flips she puts in her albums are always so fun - and she's such a sweet person to share with - - I LOVE THIS ALBUM! [It's from Donna Downey's canvas line]
I plan to use it for my Daily December Album and supplemented it with a few acrylic pages that I actually had cut at Lowes this afternoon from a piece of 18x24 [for $6.00] So fun! I'm setting it aside for now and will work on each page throughout the month as I add photos and memorabilia from the Christmas season. Until then, let's celebrate all we have to be thankful for -
Today's focus is on friendship and I am so blessed to have many God-given friends in my life. I hope you do too! I remember going on a mission trip [way out West] when we were young and without children... we were the youngest on this trip and the "older" women [probably younger than I am now - ha!] were talking about having good [women] friends in our lives. I admitted I didn't have any close friends in the city where we lived [we'd moved for my husband to attend college.] And they immediately prayed for me - [I can feel the Spirit as I write this] and asked the Lord to give me some good close women friends. And He blessed me with that request. Since that day, I haven't been afraid to make that same request over and over again as we moved from place to place. And God blesses. Right now I'm praying for those who read this and asking our Lord to bless you with good, strong, trustworthy friends like these pictured in my layout - good friends for over twenty years - friends we can share our hearts and hurts with; friends who pick each other up when we fall. Here's the next link on the blog hop
I apologize for the late post on this i didn't get the link until Saturday evening since I was out of town Friday evening and all day Saturday - For a complete list of blogs participating go h ere http://www.ilovepapercrafting.blogspot.com
A few years ago I had the opportunity to complete this extraordinary scrapbook album designed by CathyZ and based on the book, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Rosenthal. While I still haven't read the book, I love the concept of this album - a random sampling of those ordinary facts about your life [my life.] The homework involves keeping a list, A to Z, of random memories for several weeks and then gathering photos [or not] to support these memories. Love it. The album is really very simple [a la Cathy Z] and easy to put together with only two square photos per page and two to four 'definitions.' Have I said I love this album? And I want to share some of my life with you so I've committed to do just that in 2009 [keep in mind this was completed during the summer of 2007.] I'm going backwards and today I present: C
COUSINS
Such a [HUGE] part of my life as there were 32 on Mama’s side, and 12 on Joe’s side of the family. We have cousins that range from being older than our Mom to a few years younger than me. I’ll always remember going to Mama Moland’s and being excited that ‘the box’ was coming too! The box held all sorts of clothes that we passed from cousin to cousin between the girls. And as the youngest girl cousin I always got the last pick. But so much fun anyway! These cousins and aunts [on both sides of the family] have certainly helped mold me into the person I am today.
CAMPFIRES
Campfires are a special place to commune with God, friends, family, and nature. My earliest memory of a campfire is not actually of a fire, but of hearing Joe and Mama laugh and talk about Ronnie, a young neighbor of ours in Chattanooga, playing in the fire and being told he’d wet the bed if he continued with it. I had wonderful times at youth camp [church] singing praise songs and sharing our testimonies around a campfire. Mama and Joe would have fires in the backyard for the boys to roast hot dogs and marshmallows on, and we continued that while camping with friends and at our own home with our fire pit. There’s just something relaxing about sitting around a fire and visiting with friends in the quietness of the night.
CELL PHONES
Luxury?Necessity?So good to be connected to others most of the time. So very different from when I was growing up when all we had were land-lines and it was sooo pricey to talk to someone long-distance.
well,really, a couple of days ago as I walked into my skin doctor's office [for a twice yearly oh-so-fun visit to nip the pre-cancerous spots in the bud.] You know that smell - crunchy and woodsy and, well, just FALL. Fall has been slow to come to our part of the South and since it's my favorite time of year I was concerned it might be brief but turns out - we're having a gorgeous fall season. Today is beautiful and since it's a holiday I've checked quite a few things off my[perpetual] list of things to do - made pancakes for breakfast - took a carload [yes!, another one!] of stuff to donate to the thrift store - painted my little metal flag out front - cleaned the hardwood floors [wow! they can get really dusty underneath furniture!] - redid / refreshed a couple of dried flower arrangements - replaced the lights in my foam pumpkins [so not fun] that have little stars cut out all over & placed them on the bench out front [cute!] - deep cleaned the kitchen -sat out back and just enjoyed watching the leaves fall - cleaned out my car - and finished up my latest crafty project [still gotta hang it on the wall.] So now I'm going to grab a bite to eat and then I think I'll scrap a bit - I'll share some ideas with you in the next few days.
First a few notes: 1]I'm very new photoshop and realize I went a little over the top with some of my shopping techniques, 2] Many of my photos are noisy since I didn't use a flash in an effort to be considerate of the assigned photographer, 3] the originasl and shopped versions are included here, 4] as always, if you want to see the photos bigger just click on the slide show, and 5] these files are HUGE and are posted here since I've failed MULTIPLE attempts to send them via email to the bride and groom - hence, they will only be here for a few days and then be deleted, so for now: ENJOY!
Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.
We've been looking for a new table for the past three years and finally gave up and painted our old one [bought in 1987] black to match the chairs we’d bought earlier. But I just wasn’t loving all the black in the area we’re using as a ‘dining room’ so I’ve had my eye out for just the right piece – and I’m happy to report that we found it last weekend. Love it – and am blessed that we could just scoop it up right then. It's a great brown stain with black in the grooved areas so it goes perfectly with our black chairs and the rest of the wood furniture in the room. There are times when I feel like an ‘impulse-shopper’ but the truth is, for most of our larger purchases we spend a great deal of time looking, and pricing, and comparing, and looking, and pricing, so when we see “IT” we know it and grab it up. I’m blessed that I can share many home-cooked meals and soup nights with friends and family around this table – and as an extra bonus, those sitting on the side won’t have to straddle a table-leg any longer!
I’ve been playing around with some altered art pieces this week.
And I think I’ll call it trash art – because I really am going for the ‘this-is-made-with stuff-I-picked-up-around-the-house’ look. Some pieces I like better than others – here’s a couple to share.
Check back next month because I’m already working on my next piece –
not so much ‘trash art’ since I’ll be using a printer’s drawer
[okay, okay – that WAS picked up out of someone else’s trash]
and some prints of my very own sunflowers – CAN’T WAIT to get this finished!
I wanted to share just how much we enjoyed the quietness of nature during our
recent visit to The Smokies. We stayed right downtown in Gatlinburg beside the Little River [or creek as we usually call it] and it was so nice to sit out on our little patio and ‘play’ on the computer while listening to the water rushing over the rocks and watch the occasional ducks go by. I sure feel God’s presence when I’m close to nature – and this was a great weekend for that. We had beautiful crisp – fall weather the whole weekend.
On Saturday Craig had planned a fly-fishing trip and we rented waders for me so I could tag along and take photos. [I don't have a fancy-dancy camera, but mine does have a pretty good zoom and some features I enjoy playing with when I have the time [as well as capability to use manual modes when I want.] And, I'm feeling more comfortable with PS so all of these have been 'shopped' up a bit using The Pioneer Woman's actions - pretty fast and easy-peasy once I learned how to use it.] Such a fun feeling walking into the water and at first feeling like you’re getting all wet – but staying completely dry…and oh, how beautiful the trees, water, and mountains were! As usual, I took way too many pictures! -- but I had such a good subject!!The next day, Craig fished along the creek, hmm, river, in Gatlinburg, and after I’d finished taking photos I got out my Bible study and sat along the creek bank and read The Word. Such a pretty and quiet [even right in town] place to meet the Lord. I didn’t want to leave. For me, there’s just something special about being out in God’s creation where I can celebrate His majesty. It makes me think of this verse, "Look who's here! Mountain shaper! Wind maker! He laid out the whole plot before Adam; He brings everything out of nothing - like dawn out of darkness. He strides across the mountain ridges, His name is GOD." Amos 4:14 [The Message.] - love it.
I know this is a bit late - but there's a lot going on in October - and Okay - so I [still] have bunch of stuff that needs to GO - and I'm really tired of seeing the OMG abbreviation everywhere [I try hard to make my mind read 'oh my goodness!] so am hoping that we might also come to think of it as 'Once a Month [old stuff] Giveaway! I plan to randomly draw a name from the comments on this post and send that person a little bag of goodies that hopefully they can use [new to them and all, you know...] Just post a comment about your favorite post in October! Time's up at midnight [central x] Friday night.
