Fingerprint Friday { i c e }

Tuesday & Wednesday we had an ice storm.
Despite the inconvenience this causes many of us, it sure is beautiful to look at.


every blade of grass covered with a shimmery layer
every icicle dripping from everyday items
give an amazing reminder of
God's vast creative beauty
with something as simple as water.

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.

all I can say is wow

Do you knit? Or are you fascinated with tiny things? This is an amazing 2-minute movie about both.

brrrr...it's a soup night

Baked Potato Soup

3 carrots (or 12 baby carrots), finely chopped or shredded
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 c. yellow onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 c. chicken broth
3 cans cream of potato soup
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream, chopped chives & bacon bits for topping

In a soup pot, saute' the vegetables in the olive oil for 10 min. Add the broth, bring to a boil & cook for another 10 min. Add the cans of soup, stir until completely blended, bring to a simmer.

Serve immediately, topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, chives & bacon bits.
Add a salad & some crunchy garlic bread for a whole meal.

* * snow * *

Yeah, right. Not here. Not now. But a girl can dream, right? We usually get snow once every winter, twice if we're extra special. Now, we do get plenty of days where it's at the freezing mark, and the wind here during the winter is almost unbelievable. Kind of a cruel joke, really - teasing us that it's winter, but rarely giving us the white stuff.

I found this funny listing on etsy... lvsbeadsnthings is sick of her snow!
If you want a good laugh, go take a look:



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Are your kids (or you!) getting cabin fever?

Go try out Make A Flake! Trust me, Make A Flake kept me and my kids busy for a whole hour!

You "cut" the flake using mouse clicks, and you can preview and then go back to cutting as many times as you want. When you're finished, your flake goes in a gallery for all to see, and you can also save a copy of it on your computer.


Here's one I cut out today:

You should see some of the amazing flakes people cut out! They're all viewable in the Gallery.

Self Portrait Challenge - { album covers 2 }

When I found out that this month's Self Portrait Challenge was going to be Album Covers, I knew immediately this would be one of my submissions.

Now, I know it's not a re-creation of a cover, there's no creative photoshopping going on, and I'm not rocking the photo skills here. It's just a little story, near to my heart.



When I was a little girl, my dad called me "B" - short for the "Beka" my close family calls me. "Hey, B! Come see this!"... "Hey, B, how are ya?"... "See ya, B." I don't know if he realizes it, but he still calls me that sometimes, probably from habit, and I don't mind.

A few years before I came into this world, a little band that Dad liked came out with this song... Let It Be.

Somewhere along the way, that song attached itself to me. I think it was when there was a silly parody on Sesame Street called "Letter B" that was sung by a band of shaggy-haired bug puppets called The Beetles. In that silly, goofy, lighthearted way that my dad does things, he started singing that song to me, since I am "B", after all. If the song came on the radio (or record player!) he'd be singing along, like the song was written just for me, making me laugh and laugh.

Then a couple years ago I found this necklace, inspired by the album. Any time I wear it, or when I hear the original Beatles' version of Let It Be, it reminds me of those good times with my dad, and the way he makes me laugh.

This one's for you, Dad.

one of those days

This morning, my sister and I went to breakfast & a movie, and then she went with me to the store while I bought myself some new running shoes.

And I took her picture.

Some days are worth so much more than just the schedule of events.
This was one of those days.

a few more

I made a few more things for the Andalucia launch, and Claire modeled them for me for the first time in a looong time:

(click the picture to be taken to its listing)

the skirt set

the scarf (will fit grown-ups, too - 53" long!)

the babydoll top (not for the launch, really, but it matches the skirt)

the hair flower Claire is wearing can be found in my etsy shop...

Fingerprint Friday { youngest }

She is my...


snugglebug

gentle heart

easy smile

thinker

lover of all God's creatures

...and I let her use my camera today, so she took this picture of me - what fun it is to watch our kids have fun trying new things!

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.

andalucia

It's hard to believe it's been at least 6 months since I listed on eBay, but here I am again with a new launch for Patty of modkidboutique, who has designed the "Andalucia" fabric line for Michael Miller fabrics. Search eBay for "Boutique Andalucia" for all the launch participants' listings.

I created this fun transitional set that can be worn with tops underneath and/or a little cardigan for now, and then by itself in the warmer weather. Click here to go see the listing.


~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

In addition, I spotted a resell of one of my favorite designs from last spring -
click here to go see.

Self Portrait Challenge - { album covers }

January's Self Portrait Challenge is Album Covers.
There have been a number of creative submissions so far - go check them out by clicking here.

This challenge is definitely challenging! This is the first time in a long time that I've been hesitant to post what I've done. I think Barbra looks beautiful on this cover, and I'm not sure I did her justice with my ideas.

Did you see it?

Tonight was the largest moon of 2009 - called a perigee moon.
There will not be another moon to appear this large again this year.

When I walked out my backdoor with all my gear to "shoot the moon", I had to put it all down for a moment and just take in what I saw... the clouds were positioned in just the right way that the moon's glow created a huge ring reflection. I tried my best to capture it... it's the arc near the top of the first picture, as well as around the right third of the second picture. This is not a reflection in my camera lens, but a truly beautiful phenomena appearing for a few fleeting moments in the sky.

The clouds thinned out a bit later, and I did get a few close shots with my zoom lense. While the moon is still not very clear, I like the clouds in the foreground - a hazy moon is still a beautiful moon.

If you'd like to read more about the perigee moon click here
to go to a great article on NASA's website.

Marley & Me

I read the book well before I saw the movie! I loved it, John Grogan is a great writer - he captures hilarious moments and poignant ones equally well. I was eager to see the movie because the book was so great, and I figured even if the movie was only half as good as the book, I'd enjoy it.

I was right - I enjoyed the movie so much - and it kept very well to the book. There is a lot that had to be eliminated from the book text - there was just too much to tell in the time a movie allows. There were a few added things, but they were very minor, and seemed to allow the plot to move along more smoothly to make up for what had to be cut out.

It is worth reading "Marley and Me" if you want to have lots more of what was so enjoyable about the movie!

As far as age-appropriate-ness of the movie - I considered taking my girls, but changed my mind after reading the full review on pluggedinonline. There is some language and some mild intimate scenes & discussions (that would probably fly right over the girls' heads, but still.)

**spoiler!** The most difficult thing for me in considering taking my kids was there is a scene showing him being put to sleep because he is old and sick. I know this is part of life, having put a dog to sleep when our kids were younger - they still miss her. But this scene, as well as the burial/saying goodbye scene, were so moving - I cried, my sister-in-law who was with me cried, I heard sniffles all around the theater - I am glad I didn't take my girls, or they would have been bawling. So maybe this movie is best for older kids, those who are more prepared to handle the emotional level of the sad goodbye.

Overall - a good movie and a great book!

Fingerprint Friday { s i s t e r s }

While I was editing this picture, I could hear them arguing in the garage about something. That's why I take shots like these, so they'll remember that they really do love each other, that God had a plan when He put them together.

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.

s c r a b b l e

She trumped me this time - 246 to 215 - she scored 42 points for "quiet" alone.

We used every single tile, and used 5 of the Triple Word Score squares -
both of these are house records.

And here she gets a congratulatory hug from her sister...

hey, where's my hug? I did lose to an 8 year old, after all...

don't miss it

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Today is the last day to enter my giveaway for the camera strap cover...

Leave a comment to the giveaway post below to enter!

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Alright, I have a winner:

Post #5 was Megan!

small projects

I've been working on finishing up small projects around here this week.
Here's a new pillow I made for my sofa.

calendar thoughts

Every year on the first or second day of January, I sit down with my new calendar. Using last year's calendar as a guide, I write in the birthdays & anniversaries of friends and family. I transfer over upcoming appointments and other important dates.

I am always struck by how quickly last year filled up and then flew by. And even more amazed at this whole new year that has yet to be lived. The new calendar will fill up, eventually looking like last year's. Places to go, people to see, things to do.

The days to come are little empty boxes, waiting to be filled with something... there will be joy, peace, stress, relief, heartache, fun, disappointment, excitement, surprises...

And at the end, when it's all been filled and all been lived,
I hope to look back again and be able to say that I lived it well.