I just found out about this great Merry Christmas giveaway at A Year From Oak Cottage blog. Hurry - today (11/30) is last day to enter!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Merry Christmas Giveaway
I just found out about this great Merry Christmas giveaway at A Year From Oak Cottage blog. Hurry - today (11/30) is last day to enter!
I'm Awake From The Turkey Coma
I think I've finally revived from the turkey coma and am getting back to normal! We had such a lovely Thanksgiving and I hope you all did too. The company was wonderful, the food great, and it was just the best day ever! Of course, we ate like there was no tomorrow. I still have 1 pumpkin pie left in the frig - can't believe it's lasted this long!
The bazaar that I'm doing is next Saturday so if I don't post much this next week it will be because I'm up to my eyeballs making snowmen, gift tags, and whatever else I can think of to work on. I've got all my soap done but still have to wrap it all. I don't like to do that much ahead of time as the soap always shrinks and the bands get loose. Wednesday and Thursday will be marathon wrapping days. Sure wish that some of you were here - we could sit around the table, wrap soap, and enjoy each other's company. Kind of like a quilting bee with soap!
Yesterday I got my big craft table moved into the dining room and rearranged my bedroom. Today the dresser will be moved into the bedroom and it will be done except for decorating. I have a swivel rocker in the corner by the window. I can sit there when I read my Bible and look out. I want to find an ottoman to put my feet on when I sit in the rocker. Maybe I can find one at the thrift stores or a garage sale. I'm not sure how I'm liking the size of the table in the dining room. It's about 10" wider than my other one so it sticks out farther. I've had to move the dining table over and things look kind of cramped. I was kind of thinking that I could take the dining table out and make the whole area my studio! I'll have to think on that for a while.
My oven is ready and I'm baking cinnamon rolls for breakfast - the Pillsbury Dough Boy was here this morning and left rolls for me! Have a great Lord's Day!!!
The bazaar that I'm doing is next Saturday so if I don't post much this next week it will be because I'm up to my eyeballs making snowmen, gift tags, and whatever else I can think of to work on. I've got all my soap done but still have to wrap it all. I don't like to do that much ahead of time as the soap always shrinks and the bands get loose. Wednesday and Thursday will be marathon wrapping days. Sure wish that some of you were here - we could sit around the table, wrap soap, and enjoy each other's company. Kind of like a quilting bee with soap!
Yesterday I got my big craft table moved into the dining room and rearranged my bedroom. Today the dresser will be moved into the bedroom and it will be done except for decorating. I have a swivel rocker in the corner by the window. I can sit there when I read my Bible and look out. I want to find an ottoman to put my feet on when I sit in the rocker. Maybe I can find one at the thrift stores or a garage sale. I'm not sure how I'm liking the size of the table in the dining room. It's about 10" wider than my other one so it sticks out farther. I've had to move the dining table over and things look kind of cramped. I was kind of thinking that I could take the dining table out and make the whole area my studio! I'll have to think on that for a while.
My oven is ready and I'm baking cinnamon rolls for breakfast - the Pillsbury Dough Boy was here this morning and left rolls for me! Have a great Lord's Day!!!
Friday, November 28, 2008
After Thanksgiving FREE Shipping Special
After Thanksgiving Shopping and Shipping Special - through Sunday 11/30 - FREE shipping on everything in my Etsy shop!!! http://therusticcottage.etsy.com
This will be the only free shipping special before Christmas!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thankful
Lord, I come to you today to bring thanks. Thank you for loving me so much that you gave your only Son to die for my sins. If I had been the only person in the whole world you would have still made the sacrifice just for me. Because of Your grace and mercy I am a sinner who has been set free!
Thank you for your provisions. For a warm home to nest in, for food on the table, for the financial provisions that you provide. These things I have taken for granted in the past. This time of struggle has been a lesson that a loving Father has taught His child - to enjoy the simple things in life and be grateful for even the smallest things.
Thank you for my family. You have blessed me with two beautiful daughters who are the joy of my life. You have blessed me with two grandsons who I adore. My cup runneth over with the blessings of these children and grandchildren. I am blessed to have had the love of a wonderful father and mother who are now with You. I look forward to being able to see them again some day. Thank you for my brother and sister. I am so grateful to have their love and I ask for your blessings on them this Thanksgiving season.
Thank you for my many friends. Thank you for my nearby friends who I am able to be with on a regular basis. They know me, know my heart, and love me anyway. Those are the best kind of friends. Thank you for my far away friends and online friends. Most I've never met but they are so dear to my heart. They lift me up, encourage me, and share their love for which I am so thankful. Bless all of them Lord with your love and grace.
I pray for blessings for each and every person who reads this post. Bless them Lord on this Thanksgiving holiday and all the days ahead.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Army of Women
Have you joined the Army of Women? If you haven't joined or haven't heard of it please visit the website to get more information. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to be part of the research that helps to eliminate breast cancer. The goal is 1,000,000 members by the end of 2008. There's a long way to go to reach that number. Won' you please join the fight??
Please click the link to see an ABC News Report on The Army of Women. http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6118891
Please click the link to see an ABC News Report on The Army of Women. http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6118891
I Got An Award
I got this award from sweet Betty at PrimitiveBettys. Thank you so much!!! You have to visit her blog to see some of the most amazing hand stitched items I've ever seen!I am supposed to share this award with 5 other amazing blogging friends. It's hard to narrow it down but here goes:
1. Peggy from ~The Simple Woman~ - Peggy gives so much of herself to others. She's so encouraging to women and shares her wisdom and love of Christ with all. She has been such an influence in my life.
2. Kim from Mrs. Morris Art - Kim is not only one of my dearest friends but she is so talented. She makes the most amazing altered art and has recently started making scrabble tile pendants. I would not have been able to go through the last few months without her encouragement and support. Thank you!
3. Lea from Farmhouse Blessings - I love to visit Lea's blog and feel her gentle spirit shining through. It is a place of quiet respite for me. I can only imagine what it would be like to visit her home in person!
4. Paula from The Fraker Farm - When I need to laugh I head for The Fraker Farm. There's always some kind of animal antics going on at The Fraker Farm - hostage holding chickens to a handsome rooster named Hamburger! Paula also shares her love of Jesus, family, and her land - things near and dear to my heart.
5. Aunt Jenny from Aunt Jenny's World - Aunt Jenny is like super mom and super farmgirl all rolled into one. She is who I want to be when I grow up. This woman accomplishes more in half a day than I can get done in a week! I love reading about her family life and the beautiful things that she makes. And the fact that she has the coolest Jersey cow in the world, Mona, is a plus too!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Thanksgiving Blessings
I just want to preface this post by saying that I hope no one will take it as whining. I truly am not doing that. I just have felt lead by the Lord to be truly open and, by doing that, share with everyone the blessing that He gave me.
This has been a tough year for my little family. Since losing my job in May, moving to Utah, then moving back to WA it seems like things have gotten so much harder. Of course, it's hard for everyone right now. I'm blessed to have gotten an extension on my unemployment so that is a huge load off my mind.
God has been so faithful through all of this. We have not gone hungry, have had a place to live, and have the love of family and good friends. There's not much more that one needs.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I always cook Thanksgiving dinner and this year wanted to be able to do that. I have been praying and praying for a way to have the food to prepare as I just didn't see it in my budget. Some weeks there's barely enough to buy the regular food that we eat. I went ahead and invited my daughter and some friends to share the day with us. I was truly stepping out in faith because I did not know where I was going to get the money to be able to buy a turkey and the trimmings.
Last night we got a call from a lady that was passing out Thanksgiving food baskets for a Portland church. She had an extra one and wanted us to have it. Praise God! But what I didn't expect was all the food that was in the box. Two turkeys!! Flour, sugar, rolls, celery, carrots, cool whip, yams, marshmallows, 5 lbs of potatoes, stuffing mix, aluminum foil, a roasting pan and a $15 gift card for a local grocery store!
To say that I wept over all this food is putting it mildly!! God blessed me with more than I even asked for. I even have enough flour and sugar now to be able to make Christmas cookies!!
In all my life I have always been the one that gave food for those boxes. Now I'm on the receiving end and I know the joy that the generosity of others has made in my life. There will be a time when I will be able to give again. I will do even more than I ever did before. I will truly remember this experience for the rest of my life. God is good and life is good!! This is going to be the best Thanksgiving ever!!!
This has been a tough year for my little family. Since losing my job in May, moving to Utah, then moving back to WA it seems like things have gotten so much harder. Of course, it's hard for everyone right now. I'm blessed to have gotten an extension on my unemployment so that is a huge load off my mind.
God has been so faithful through all of this. We have not gone hungry, have had a place to live, and have the love of family and good friends. There's not much more that one needs.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I always cook Thanksgiving dinner and this year wanted to be able to do that. I have been praying and praying for a way to have the food to prepare as I just didn't see it in my budget. Some weeks there's barely enough to buy the regular food that we eat. I went ahead and invited my daughter and some friends to share the day with us. I was truly stepping out in faith because I did not know where I was going to get the money to be able to buy a turkey and the trimmings.
Last night we got a call from a lady that was passing out Thanksgiving food baskets for a Portland church. She had an extra one and wanted us to have it. Praise God! But what I didn't expect was all the food that was in the box. Two turkeys!! Flour, sugar, rolls, celery, carrots, cool whip, yams, marshmallows, 5 lbs of potatoes, stuffing mix, aluminum foil, a roasting pan and a $15 gift card for a local grocery store!
To say that I wept over all this food is putting it mildly!! God blessed me with more than I even asked for. I even have enough flour and sugar now to be able to make Christmas cookies!!
In all my life I have always been the one that gave food for those boxes. Now I'm on the receiving end and I know the joy that the generosity of others has made in my life. There will be a time when I will be able to give again. I will do even more than I ever did before. I will truly remember this experience for the rest of my life. God is good and life is good!! This is going to be the best Thanksgiving ever!!!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
I'm Drowning. . . .
in soap!!! I'm practically up to my eyeballs in soap and soap making supplies. I'm getting ready for a bazaar on December 6th so crafting is in full swing around here. Since I don't have a separate room for making soap everything ends up in the kitchen and on the dining room table. It is much easier to leave all the supplies on the end of the counter than put them all away each evening when I'm going to get up and use them again.
I'm almost done though. I only have 5 more batches of soap to make and I hope to have that done by Thursday. Then all those supplies will be put away and I'll start on gift tags and snowmen. Of course, that brings out a whole new mess of stuff - quilt batting, glue, glitter, etc. I keep telling myself that the house will be back to normal in 2 weeks. Probably not but that's what I keep saying.
In the midst of all of this I got humbled big time! I usually don't color my soap. I just let it kind of do it's own thing. But I wanted green for the Citrus Basil and blue for the Blue Bonnet. Those are two that I do all the time so I have the process down pat. I decided to make a batch of lavender - which I never color - and thought it would be nice if it was a pale violet. I could just see these three colors together on my bazaar table. I was thinking how people would oooh and aaah over my beautiful soap. Getting kind of prideful, don't you think?? I think the Lord decided I needed to be taught a lesson.
I pulled out a cup of soap from the pot, added the violet color, and mixed it all up. It looked so pretty. My pride was swelling. I could just hear all the wonderful comments from people on the pretty lavender soap. I proceeded to dump this back into the soap pot and immediately it turned a light gray! Now that's attractive - NOT! The colorant reacted big time with the lye. The lavender soap smells heavenly and still feels wonderful to use. It's just not very pretty. That brought my pridefulness down a few notches!!
Point well taken Lord!!
I'm almost done though. I only have 5 more batches of soap to make and I hope to have that done by Thursday. Then all those supplies will be put away and I'll start on gift tags and snowmen. Of course, that brings out a whole new mess of stuff - quilt batting, glue, glitter, etc. I keep telling myself that the house will be back to normal in 2 weeks. Probably not but that's what I keep saying.
In the midst of all of this I got humbled big time! I usually don't color my soap. I just let it kind of do it's own thing. But I wanted green for the Citrus Basil and blue for the Blue Bonnet. Those are two that I do all the time so I have the process down pat. I decided to make a batch of lavender - which I never color - and thought it would be nice if it was a pale violet. I could just see these three colors together on my bazaar table. I was thinking how people would oooh and aaah over my beautiful soap. Getting kind of prideful, don't you think?? I think the Lord decided I needed to be taught a lesson.
I pulled out a cup of soap from the pot, added the violet color, and mixed it all up. It looked so pretty. My pride was swelling. I could just hear all the wonderful comments from people on the pretty lavender soap. I proceeded to dump this back into the soap pot and immediately it turned a light gray! Now that's attractive - NOT! The colorant reacted big time with the lye. The lavender soap smells heavenly and still feels wonderful to use. It's just not very pretty. That brought my pridefulness down a few notches!!
Point well taken Lord!!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Hope
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. Psalm 39:7 NLT
What a fitting scripture for the times we are all facing right now. God is our only hope. He is faithful and will walk beside each of us during these uncertain days.
Thank you Lord for giving each of your children hope. Walk with us today and during the days ahead. You know the plans you have for all of us. We are grateful for that and are peaceful because of it. In Jesus Name - Amen and Amen!!
What a fitting scripture for the times we are all facing right now. God is our only hope. He is faithful and will walk beside each of us during these uncertain days.
Thank you Lord for giving each of your children hope. Walk with us today and during the days ahead. You know the plans you have for all of us. We are grateful for that and are peaceful because of it. In Jesus Name - Amen and Amen!!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Hibernating and Moving Things Around
It's a blustery, rainy day here in SW Washington. The weather man (or am I supposed to say weather person? I know how important it is to be politically correct.) says we'll have 3 inches of rain by tomorrow morning. That's a lot! I'm hibernating today. It's a good day for soup.
I've decided to move my sewing area from my bedroom upstairs to the corner of my dining room downstairs. It will be right next to my computer table. I can look out the window while I sew. I also figure if I have the stuff in front of me all the time I will get motivated. The light here is really nice too so I think it will be a pleasant workplace.
I'm making my bedroom into a pretty girly room instead of a sewing room with a bed in it. Once the sewing table is gone I'm moving in a vintage dresser. I have a bookcase headboard on my bed which I'm going to paint white. Then, as funds allow, I'll start adding pretties like a new bedspread, curtains, pictures, etc. I want my room to be a sanctuary - someplace that I can go to for rest, to study my Bible, and read. My bedrooms have never been pretty. Every other room in the house got decorated but the bedroom was just a place for sleeping. I don't know what finally made me change my mind about that but I'm glad that I did.
I've decided to move my sewing area from my bedroom upstairs to the corner of my dining room downstairs. It will be right next to my computer table. I can look out the window while I sew. I also figure if I have the stuff in front of me all the time I will get motivated. The light here is really nice too so I think it will be a pleasant workplace.
I'm making my bedroom into a pretty girly room instead of a sewing room with a bed in it. Once the sewing table is gone I'm moving in a vintage dresser. I have a bookcase headboard on my bed which I'm going to paint white. Then, as funds allow, I'll start adding pretties like a new bedspread, curtains, pictures, etc. I want my room to be a sanctuary - someplace that I can go to for rest, to study my Bible, and read. My bedrooms have never been pretty. Every other room in the house got decorated but the bedroom was just a place for sleeping. I don't know what finally made me change my mind about that but I'm glad that I did.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Giveaway Winner
Marian from Princess of Pink!!! Congratulations! I'll email you to get your address. Thank you to everyone who left a comment and such nice words.Hugs,
Kay
An Award
Caroline from The Simple Things was so sweet to give me this award. Thank you so much!I'm supposed to pick 5 favorites to give this award to but I hate to choose just five. So I'm giving this to anyone who visits my blog tonight! You are all special! Feel free to post the award on your blog!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
20,000 Visitors Giveaway!
My blog has had 20,000 visitors! Thank you so much to everyone for visiting and reading about my ramblings. I promised a giveaway so you have until Sunday, November 2nd at 9 PM to enter. I'll draw a name a little after 9. What am I giving away? See the cute little zippered cosmetic bag above? You'll get that plus I'll tuck in a couple of surprises inside.Just leave me a comment on this post, a link back to my blog from yours would be nice, and you'll be entered. And don't forget to set your clocks back an hour tonight so you'll be on time tomorrow night to find out if you won!!!
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