$5 Monday

Etsy Texas Crafters is having their $5 / 5th Monday Sale tomorrow - time to pick up some great stocking stuffers!



Go here to see all my listings that have been reduced to $5 - sale ends Monday night!

on the road.......

Thanks to Chad's laptop and an aircard, I'm posting this from the passenger seat of my van in the Virginia mountains!

Earlier today, as we rode through Tennessee, I couldn't help pulling out a Christmas cd, and playing Amy Grant's "Tennessee Christmas". I can see why she loves her home state - it is so picturesque.

Which reminds me - what is your favorite Christmas album of all?

Mine is
Home For Christmas
by Amy Grant



I bought this as a teenager when it first hit the shelves. Every song is amazing, beautifully arranged with detail and talent. Several of them were originals that have since been covered by several other artists - Breath of Heaven, Grown Up Christmas List, Emmanuel God With Us. Every year I put this one in and that's when it feels like Christmas.


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If you have a minute, please jump over here
and vote for my Spice Jumper Dress
in the EtsyKids November Design Challenge - Harvest Full of Thanks.
Grazie!

Self Portrait Challenge - { clean }

One in six people in the world do not have clean drinking water.

Go here to give a family the gift of clean water via a water filter this Christmas, or any time of the year(see #35 on the link page).

This month I am using Self Portrait Challenge's tiny words challenge to find small but meaningful things that I am thankful for - things I usually take for granted, but without which I would have a very different life.

{ spice }

Just in time for Thanksgiving...

spice
in my etsy shop...





There is still time to get this (or other items from my shop) in time for next week - just make your purchase by Friday, Nov. 20th, and it will go out Priority Mail (for US) and should be to you by Wednesday at the latest!

Fingerprint Friday - { you }

You - yes, you - are a fingerprint of God.

I have spent over a year participating in Fingerprint Friday, taking time to notice God's handiwork in the world around me, be it children, animals, plants, even bugs!

But the Lord prompted me recently to turn the camera on myself.

And I said to myself, "Me?? But I'm not sweet and cute like a child or a butterfly... I have scars and grey hair and 'those places'" (you know, the ones that never went back to where they used to be before having babies!)

And He says, "Yes, you. Those scars are from things that made you who you are. Grey hairs are from experience. And bearing children is a beautiful thing that you did with your life. These things make you unique, which is what makes you lovely to Me."

Just because I'm a grown up doesn't mean I've outgrown being made by His hands. In fact, I'm being changed from the inside out by Him each and every day.





I would like to challenge all Fingerprint Friday readers to go to a mirror and look at yourself, and as soon as you start mentally pointing out the flaws you usually notice, stop! Concentrate on looking at the beautiful things God made in you (you know what they are, we're just often to self-critical to notice!) Perhaps your smile, the color of your eyes, freckles, the color of your skin... oh, and what's that shining out of you? It's Him!

I further challenge all Fingerprint Friday posters, in the next couple of weeks, be bold! Use a picture of yourself for FF! You can do it! We will all encourage you and lift you up - that's a wonderful part of what FF is all about!

Show us the fingerprint that is YOU.



There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in:

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints.

2. Be sure to link so others can find the entire list of participants! Go over to PamperingBeki's blog to add your link to the list of participants.

Self Portrait Challenge - { air }

Take a deep breath with me. It isn't easy for everyone - asthma, copd, upper respiratory infections... if you have one of these you know, every breath is a gift.

This is one of the reasons I love running. The deep, regular breathing needed to keep pace and not get worn out quickly forces me to think about something I rarely give any thought to the rest of the day. Running keeps me thankful that I can.

This month I am using Self Portrait Challenge's tiny words challenge to find small but meaningful things that I am thankful for - things I usually take for granted, but without which I would have a very different life.

recent reads

I finished two books last week, both true life stories, both so different yet so enjoyable that I wanted to share.

First,
A Man Called Peter
by Catherine Marshall





I've recently discovered Catherine Marshall's writings, and she has quickly become one of my heroes of faith. Her gentle way of writing is not soft on the message. She is clear and thoughtful, always well-grounded in the Word of God, and attuned with His Spirit.

A Man Called Peter is about her first husband, Peter Marshall - his life and ministry. This book was a bit slow at times, but it was written a long time ago, when people did not need sensationalism to guide them through a book, just a well-written story. I took it slow (started it in May), and found I enjoyed it more in small chunks anyway.

'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'


My Life in France
by Julia Child




After seeing Julie & Julia, I thought it would be fun to read the book by the blog writer that inspired the movie. However, after reading the reviews, I decided to skip that book because it didn't sound like something I would enjoy. One reviewer recommended that if you enjoyed the movie, My Life in France would give you more of what you loved in the movie. Oh joy when I discovered it at my library!

This book was a delight, cover to cover. Until reading this, I have never enjoyed an autobiography or biography so much that I did not want to put it down. Julia Child was so in love with food, down-to-earth people, and her husband. I felt like I was listening to her talk, not reading sentences on a page. Her use of words which she just made up to fit the situation - brilliant. Her outlook on life - simple and real.

She taught me a great lesson as a cook that I will never forget:

No matter how something you make turns out,
Never Apologize!
Learn from your mistakes, and hold your head high.


'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'~+~'

Take some time to read a good book this holiday season. It is a refreshing way to lower stress and grow at the same time.

Self Portrait Challenge - { ten }

November is the month of Thanksgiving here in the US. I am saddened that this holiday has been reduced to what some call "Turkey Day" with football... or just a segway into Christmas.

The men and women who came to this country suffered and struggled in those first few years just to survive, and nearly half of the 102 who started the Plymouth colony did not make it through. The first giving-thanks meal they celebrated was laden with awareness that God was the only reason they had made it this far.

This month I will be using the Self Portrait Challenge's "tiny words" challenge to find small but meaningful things that I am thankful for - things I usually take for granted, but without which I would have a very different life.



An excellent book about the original history and meaning of Thanksgiving for adults and children is Barbara Rainey's Thanksgiving - A Time to Remember. We read this together every November. Just pulling it off the shelf this month has stirred my heart anew for this special time of year.

:: spice tea mix ::

I adore this tea - the orange and cinnamon flavor is so delicious! Not only is it great on an ordinary day, but it's amazingly soothing for a sore throat, with a high vitamin c content that will help kick the sicky blues out the door. I drink it a lot when I'm feeling sick and find it is an almost miraculous pick-me-up. I don't use that word miraculous often, dear reader... to try it is to believe it!





Spice Tea Mix

one container of Tang mix (1 lb. 4 oz.)
one envelope of lemonade mix (the kind without the sugar included)
2/3 c. instant tea granules (unsweetened)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon

Use a 1 qt. jar with a lid, or larger - I use an old canning jar, you could recycle a spaghetti sauce jar or the like

Pour all the ingredients into the jar. Screw the lid on, shake it a whole lot to mix thoroughly.

Put 2 spoons of the mix into a mug, add boiling water, and stir to dissolve the mix.

Self Portrait Challenge - { hats week 4 }

I do love a good mystery...



Final week for "Hats" over at Self Portrait Challenge, come join in the fun!

{ fair day }

The State Fair - an iconic fall outing!




This year, I tried very hard to keep it within a budget. Our tickets were free through the Texas State Fair Homeschool Ticket program - woohoo! I packed our lunches and put them in my backpack with bottled water. I never took the girls through the midway, we were so busy the whole time that they never noticed we didn't get to it.

There are so many activites, shows, and educational demonstrations at the Texas State fair that don't require extra money. We treated it like a trip to a museum (learning!) and we had a marvelous time!


Here's "Big Tex" - he truly is huge, see the tree down in the right bottom corner of the photo (that is not a bush!)




In the huge pavilion where they show all the fair contest entries, we saw so much talent, including paintings, quilting, woodworking, and knitting (like the American Girl sweater below, that my girls are hoping Gramma can figure out how to replicate **wink**) We were also reminded that there are still people who make and can jellies and vegetables and beans in hopes of winning a blue ribbon!




Also in that pavillion, the enormous annual butter sculpure... this year, it was an entire saloon scene made of butter!







We saw a cow milking machine demonstration,
the junior competition for Brahmas,
a dog talent show,
a bee colony with honey tasting,
(my personal favorite) The Birds of the World Show,
and the ever-popular petting zoo:





Yes, a baby giraffe at the petting zoo!




After 6 hours of walking around, the girls spent some time sitting on the Footsie Wootsie foot massagers... it didn't seem to matter to them that the machines weren't on!




When all was seen and done, we spent $15: $10 for parking, $5 for a funnel cake we shared. Proof that you don't have to spend a lot to have a lot of fun at the state fair!

apple crisp..... in the slow cooker!

Every autumn, I like to buy a big bag of Granny Smiths and make a few tasty apple treats. This year, I've found a new recipe that I've fallen head over heels for - it cooks in the crock pot!

Start it in the early afternoon, and you'll have a warm, cinnamon-y finish for dinner.





Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

4 large Granny Smith (or other baking) apples - cored & sliced
1 c. water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice

Mix this together, spread evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker.

3/4 c. dry oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. butter @ room temperature

Combine the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter with two forks or pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the apples in the slow cooker.

Cover, cook on low for 2-3 hours or high for 1 hr.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream for an extra treat!

a handful of small projects

Just few extra little projects I've worked on in the last week or so:

I made this card for my parents' anniversary last week...






recycled, reused, repurposed... waterproof, too!



easy to and fast to make, took me about 20 minutes to put together... I found a bunch of tutorials searching google for "juice pouch bag"

I'll be using this as a gift bag for a little girl's birthday gift next week. My girls have one, and love it... it's just the right size for carrying a Webkinz (no higher honor could be given a bag in this house!)




baby anella's dress



Thanks again to Rae for her free pattern & tutorial - it has come in so handy with all the babies being born to people in my life right now!

hothouse......

Why be stuck with muted, dark colors this fall?
Step into the hothouse for lush, beautiful flowers in delicate colors...

My newest line,
Hothouse
in my etsy shop...








Also, I've entered my Hothouse Countryside Dress in this month's EtsyKids Design Challenge - "Birds and Owls"...

If you have a just a moment, and the inclination to do so, please vote for me, #44, the second from the bottom in the poll list, here... thank you!

Fingerprint Friday - { Karis }

A baby is a reminder that God delights in making all things new...


This precious girl was born just three weeks ago. She is absolutely adored by her parents and sister and brother, and I'm sure you can see why! I spent such a sweet afternoon with her and her mommy...












One of her mommy's nesting projects was this dressing table/desk,
which she painted and distressed, then added new knobs...




I think I wore her out...





There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in:

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints.

2. Be sure to link so others can find the entire list of participants! Go over to PamperingBeki's blog to add your link to the list of participants.