Mish Mash Monday

Here it is Monday again already!  I've been busy with Shylee all week while her parents went to a gaming convention and I'm on the verge of exhaustion!  She is busy, busy, busy doing the things toddlers do including throwing temper tantrums!  I'm talking screams that come close to shattering the windows, banging the head on the wall, floor, table or Grandma's leg, throwing herself on the floor and writhing, kicking, and thrashing about, throwing whatever her little hand can get hold of.  So we found a nice little corner for time out and she spends a good amount of time there!  These tantrums go on all day long.    Her mama is picking her up tomorrow!!!!!

Before Shylee came, I started on a pair of placemats and got one of them done.  I hope to finish the other one and list it in the Etsy shop by the end of the week.  This set coordinates with one of the dish towel dresses I made a while back.

If you have an Etsy shop, you should visit the blog All Things Tangled.  The Friday Feature features Etsy items that were submitted on Thursday when the theme for Friday is announced.   A couple of my things have been featured and it increased views in my shop!  It's also just a great blog!  

I hope it's not too late to tell you about a giveaway over at cabin + cub.  It ends today so hurry over and check out the cutest peel and stick, repositionable,  Dick and Jane bookplates.   These would be so cute in kids' books or even your own!!  And they can be personalized! 

After Shylee leaves, I will be getting ready for a road trip to Arkansas next week to visit family and go to a Bon Jovi concert!  I'm soooo excited!!!!!!!!!     

I hope you have a happy Monday!!!!

Silent Sunday

I received this photo in an email.  I don't know where it was taken.

Have a wonderful Sunday!!!

Friday's Fabulous Finds...Easter Baskets

While browsing through Etsy, I kept coming across some incredible Easter baskets.  These are some of my favorites.  Please visit these shops and see some of the other fabulous items they have!

Felted Easter Basket Center Piece with Hand Felted Colored Easter Eggs from The Critter Ranch

Easter Basket from jasperjane

Pink Spring Bunny Basket from Out on a Limb

Felt Easter Basket from Marcella Cottage

Egg Basket With Rainbow from Eight Hands Studio

Wheel Thrown Basket with Handle and Ruffled Rim from dkpottery

Fabric Easter Basket from loveseptember

Have a fabulous Friday!!!!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.  ~ Madame Marie Curie

I love this quote!  It makes me realize that if I don't believe in not only myself, but also my talent, then I might as well quit now.  How can perseverance, self-confidence, and belief in our craft not equal success?  

If you're like me, you are your own worst critic!  I can sew something up and convince myself that it's not worth giving away let alone selling.  When someone compliments my work, I find it difficult to accept the compliment because it's not THAT good.  Well, gosh darn it.....I AM good at what I do!  I have a talent for sewing and it's ok to say so and more importantly, it's ok to believe it!  If I don't believe in what I do, why should someone else?

This has been a real eye opener for me!  I sincerely hope it inspires you in some way too!  I'm anxious to know what you think about this quote!!!

Spring At Last

The first day of spring was last Saturday and I was out of town with limited time on the computer.  So today I will officially welcome my favorite season of the year!

Farewell winter.....

....Welcome spring!

The landscape becomes full of color and life after being dead and dull for so long.  The birds are singing and building nests, the days are longer, and I can get away without wearing a jacket!  I just love it!  Spring also means that summer is almost here!!! 

I hope you have a terrific Tuesday and are able to see and enjoy the signs of spring!!!

Mish Mash Monday

Happy Monday and welcome to MMM!  I hope you had a terrific weekend!

I was soooo excited and happy to meet two of my good friends on Friday for lunch.  It's been two years since seeing one and three years since seeing the other.  One of them has a 6 week old baby girl I got to meet but she had the nerve to sleep through the whole lunch!!!  I guess that means we'll have to get together again!

Saturday was perfect for the first day of spring.  My daughter, Shylee and I took a day trip to Lancaster County, PA and hit the antique mall and Amish shops.  I got some really great deals on these vintage goodies!

A lace dress for $5 that I got for the lace!

A skirt with jewel toned buttons for $3.  I'll be turning it into something else...stay tuned!!

 

Fabric scraps that I need like I need another hole in my head, but they're pink and were only $1 !! 

And a milk glass compote that has nothing to do with sewing, fabric, lace or crafting...it fills an empty spot on my buffet!

I know it's not much today, but that's all I've got!  Thanks again to Audrey at Audrey's Country Crafts for sponsoring MMM! 

Have you found any great bargains lately?

Ruby For Women...An Online Magazine

There is an online magazine I found to be not only interesting but inspiring.  The article below explains what the magazine is about better than I can.  Please note....Ruby for Women offers FREE advertising for your business!!!  Yes, FREE!!! 

Ruby for Women is an online Christian women's magazine that offers inspiration, encouragement, advice, and humor to women of all ages and stages of life. You will discover an amazing resource for your daily life that includes devotionals, recipes, craft and sewing tutorials, paper dolls, coloring pages, puzzles, gardening advice, and stationery that you can print out four your own personal use.

Ruby for Women is committed to bringing you a wide variety of articles on topics of interest to women, particularly focusing on family-friendly advice and wisdom. One of the goals of Ruby for Women in 2010 is to provide support and encouragement to women who are building a home-based business; we celebrate our WAHMs (Work-at-Home-Moms) and all women who have chosen to build a business that allows them the flexibility of working from home. One way that we can support our WAHMs is to offer FREE advertising to any woman who has a home-based, family-friendly business. Just drop by the Ruby blog and leave a comment if you are interested! In return, we only ask that you post our link and a brief article on your blog or website to let the world know about Ruby for Women.

In Ruby for Women you will discover articles such as: "Footprints in the Mud," a column that explores the joys of daily life in the midst of the craziness of caring for a family; "Ruby's Closet," where you will find advice on refashioning your clothing, natural cosmetic and cleansing recipes, and frugal ideas for your family; and helpful advice for the WAHMs from Katie. You will also read "Secrets About Love," and ongoing story written by Laura Day; poetry and inspirational articles; a recipe and the historical background for Hot Cross Buns; and a spring applique pattern to brighten up a t-top or jeans. "Ask Sue from IndieSmiles" offers you the opportunity to ask your own questions about building a home-based business; spring garden advice is offered by Aunt Dots, paper dolls from Rochelle, and word search puzzles by Beth, and so much more! If you would like to subscribe to Ruby for Women, or just purchase a single issue of the March / April issue, please visit the NEW Ruby blog at: http://mamaslittletreasures.typepad.com/ruby_for_women/

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom...Friendship

The word friendship brings to mind many people, places and memories of the past.  I was painfully shy as a child which made it difficult sometimes to make friends.  I was an army brat, moving every two years and having to start over time and time again making new friends.  However, through that shyness, I learned how to observe people and their behavior before rushing into friendship.   As an army wife and as an adult, I found making friends easier but continued to remain cautious as before. 

photo provided by The Graphics Fairy

Five years ago, my husband's company transfered him to where we live now.  The first two years we lived in the boonies and there was no one to make friends with.  By the time we moved into town, I was lonely and desperate to have a friend.  Lonliness and desperation can cause a person to throw caution to the wind!  That's what I did anyway.   I watched and observed and saw the red flags but chose to ignore them.  What I saw happening in their other relationships, wasn't going to happen with me because I was a true friend.  Well, I might have been a true friend but they weren't. 

Even though the friendships are over, the hurt and resentment lingers.  I really miss my friends I left five years ago.  I miss having a close friend.

Nothing but heaven itself is better than a friend who is really a friend. ~Plautus

Mish Mash Monday

Happy Monday to everyone and welcome to another edition of MMM!  I hope y'all remembered to set your clocks ahead over the weekend.  I'm so excited that spring is coming. Changing the time means it won't be much longer!!!!

I discovered a new Etsy shop via one of my favorite blogs, My Life Under the Bus.  The shop is Anita Begley Jewelry Designs and her jewelry is beautiful!  I really want these earrings!! 

One of my favorite things is shopping for fabric.  We live in a rural county and are fortunate enough to have a JoAnn's but it is small and limited in selection.  So I was thrilled to discover a quilt shop in the next county!  I walked in and thought I was in heaven!  I was surrounded by the largest selection of colors and patterns and I was in awe!  One of the employees walked around the corner to ask if I needed anything and I couldn't even speak!  She just smiled and said, "Oh, I see you're in your happy place"!  Because I was so overwhelmed, I only bought one yard of fabric and made these placemats.  I can't wait to go back there!

We left the quilt shop and went to Borders where I was further inspired by the projects in these magazines.  I'm just itching to get started working on the new ideas I have!

Thanks to Audrey over at Audrey's Country Crafts for sponsoring MMM.  Please visit her and check out the chicken recipe! 

What puts you in your "happy place"?

Silent Sunday

From a photo in a email I received.  I don't know where this is....sorry!

Have a happy Sunday!!!!

Friday's Fabulous Finds...Easter Eggs

After several days of glorious sunshine and temps in the 60's, we have rain, fog and cooler temps today.  The nice weather was wonderful while it lasted!  With rain forcasted for the next few days, I guess I'll be staying in and get some things done!  I managed to make some Easter placemats and get them listed in the shop. 

While I was browsing through Etsy, I came across some incredible and beautiful Easter eggs.  Here is just a small sampling of what I found.

Poppy Aqua Zig Zag ~Real Traditional Ukranian Goose Egg by Ukranian Treasures

Lace Easter Egg by From The Heart Creations

 Large Needle Fetlted Easter Egg from Chelsea's Crochet Cafe

Eccentric Eggs Easter Ornament Set No. 4 from Kreated By Kelly

Whilring Dervish Egg~purple calico from The Barnyard

 German Paper Mache Easter Eggs from Eclectic Pelican

I love Easter and springtime and pastel colors!  Maybe next week I'll feature Easter baskets!

I hope you have a Fabulous Friday!!!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be!

by: Donna Levine

There is inside you

All of the potential

To be whatever you want to be; 

All of the energy

To do whatever you want to do. 

Imagine yourself as you would like to be, 

Doing what you want to do, 

And each day, take one step

Towards your dream. 

And though at times it may seem too

difficult to continue, 

Hold on to your dream. 

One morning you will awake to find

That you are the person you dreamed of, 

Doing what you wanted to do, 

Simply because you had the courage

To believe in your potential

And to hold on to your dream

Are you holding on to your dream?  Do you believe in yourself?

Have a really wonderful Wednesday!!!

Mish Mash Monday

It was a busy weekend with Shylee visiting and keeping us entertained!  Who needs to watch television when you can be entertained by a toddler?!

Devon over at Devon's Quiet Corner is having a giveaway!  You have until March 11th to enter to win these spring time goodies.

Here's an update on my sewing room.  I've cleaned off the cutting table and the sewing table and have much more room to actually do some creating!  The rest of the room isn't done but this is a start.  You can read the original post and see pictures of the chaos here

.  

That's all for this edition of MMM.  Thanks to Audrey at Audrey's Country Crafts for hosting MMM.  Check out her blog and see what she's been up to.  Have a great week!!!

No Wonder We're So Confused

What?

Mass suicides...Cows going over the edge..tonight on Channel 3 News...

I'm Confused... .. But The Gas Prices Look Good

How does that work?

Don't drink and make signs...

Have a great Thursday!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

There's no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love. There is only a scarcity of resolve to make it happen.   ~Wayne Dyer

So, are you making a living at what you love?  I'm not...yet. I know how easy it is to lose your focus, get discouraged, make excuses, blame somebody else, just get lazy, and just plain give up.  I've been there, done that.  For me, it's easy to do all of the above when I'm not seeing results.  I want it all and I want it now!! 

When reality starts messing with our dreams, we tend to think that maybe what we're doing wasn't meant to be, or maybe it's just not the right time or any one of dozens of excuses we can think of to give in and give up.  What we need to do then is step back and look at the situation in a different light.  If we keep doing what we're doing, then we'll keep getting what we're getting.  We have to be willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means getting out of our comfort zone and doing something different, unusual, or out of the ordinary. How will you know if you can ever make a living at what you love if you give up now? 

What is one thing you could do different to get where you want to be?

Mish Mash Monday

Welcome to Mish Mash Monday where I write about a little bit of everything that happened this past week.  Thank you to Audrey at Audrey's Country Crafts for hosting MMM.  Check out her blog to see what she's been up to and to see other blogs participating in MMM.

There is a giveaway for a 8x10 photo of your choice over at Poppy Place.  You have to check out these beautiful photographs of sunsets, flowers, San Francisco, beautiful old buildings and so much more.  After you've entered the giveaway,  read through more of the blog posts.  This is one of my favorites because it is so positive, upbeat, encouraging and inspiring!

Another one of my favorite blogs is The Empty Nest and every Friday is Pieday!  Janet posts a recipe and photos of a pie each week and my mouth is watering by the time I'm finished reading.  This weekend I made her Creamy Pineapple Pie and it was heavenly!  You can find the recipe here.

I've also been babysitting Shylee this weekend.  She sure keeps me hopping!  She also keeps me laughing.  There is nothing better in this world than being a Grandma!

I managed to get some sewing done and listed these coasters and placemats in my Etsy shop.

                           

                           

I hope you have a marvelous Monday!!!