Waiting for the bus through Summer, Fall, Winter

 

Looking at the passing train - while waiting for the bus

Last Summer waiting for the bus

Taking the bus home from the Free Summer Movies

Downtown City Transit

Brielle & "Sweetheart" - that's our bus!

Walking to the bus stop in our neighborhood

 

The waterfall at the Courthouse

The Christmas Tree covering the water fountain at Courthouse

She looked so big to me here - had to take pictures

 
 

"Is the bus coming?"

Can I make that?

On a recent trip to Hobby Lobby (my favorite craft store) I was browsing through the isles of some discounted Christmas decorations to get some cool ideas.

Now, I love going to craft fairs and markets where I usually have the thoughts: "How do they make that?" "Could I make that?" or "Impressive. I could not make that. What a talent/gift/ability they have."

But at Hobby Lobby my thoughts are generally, "I could never make that." I don't wonder who made it (Made in China) or how it was made (a factory?) or how it arrived at my local Hobby Lobby store, but I guess I'm starting to think about it. I can almost guarantee that while I may truly like the finished product, I could not recreate something to look as professionally machine-manipulated as it does.

Handcrafted artwork is naturally going to be original. It's going to be a little off or "imperfect" and that is what makes it so beautiful. Moreover, I cannot create something by hand and sell it for the same rate as mechanically made mass-produced items sold at Hobby Lobby or any other large retailer.

So, I've decided to release myself from the burden of making an item that could be sold at a local large retailer. I still buy supplies from Hobby Lobby, but I'm certainly considering the impact of purchasing finished crafts, decorations, and home items from large retailers. I'm looking into Etsy.com and local markets and stores that might know where their items came from, or better yet - the supplies to make them. Or even better - the person who handcrafted the piece.

If I can't make that - then what I am going to make will be original, unique, and hand crafted with all of the creativity God has given me.

And then ultimately... the customer will be able to choose where and how to spend their $15.

　

A slightly clean and workable space!

My "packaging" station

This morning is one of the best ever...if I can just get past myself and my inclinations to mess things up!   I say that in all seriousness.  The sun is shining (though I know it is cold out there) and the trees are moving gracefully to the sound of the wind as I see it through my windows.  I've got great music playing through our living room stereo via Pandora...and the children are (ahem - were) being calm and peaceful.  I took the pictures below just a few minutes ago.  This is my coffee table next to me as I sit on the couch with my new Christmas present.  I just popped out the SD card and put it right into my laptop and WhaLah, just like that...nearly Real Time.  I took the Netbook back and got a Notebook for not much more, but still...I already appreciate this laptop already, simply because of the keyboard, speed, and its ability to function. I really wanted a netbook to work out, because of it's lightness & long battery life.  But for the blogging & Etsy listing that I want to do - I now know this device is a better tool.

Now accepting 2011 calendars!

 

So much potential!

Below:  a friend of mine & her daughter gave this groovy bead stringing kit to Brielle for her birthday.  She loves it of course!  She wants to do what I do...and these are better for her little fingers to string.

 

Now, back to how *I* get in the way a wonderful bestest morning ever.  Well...it's just impossible to go through a morning, afternoon, or evening without some sort of disruption of the peace.  Coffee spills, bad attitudes, laundry, play fights, grumbling tones, dishes, laundry, computer frustrations, trying to find something lost...the list goes on and on.  I can feel it inside of me.  The unsettling pressure that rises when contentment escapes me.  I know it should not be this way.  I feel it is wrong.  And I know why....I'm lacking.  I'm craving closeness to the Source of  Love (which is God), abandonment of my own comfort, and contentment in ALL circumstances.
Because I can appreciate WHAT IS.  I can do that.  It takes effort, but my daily life is not designed to "smile and experience peace" when everything appears to be going great. 
It is designed to be building, growing, experiencing and loving into the child that He created me to be.  And as a mom....it's showing that to my children as well. 
I'm actually relieved it doesn't have to *be* perfect to *feel* like it's a wonderful morning!

Christmas Day 2011

Well, I now have a netbook! Yay! Apparently, they are really going out of style (thanks to the new Android tablets) so they are few and far between. Kudos to my sweet husband for locating one! He was really convinced in the Android technology and preferred to get me that...but I'm cheap (ahem! frugal) and practical and I knew the Netbook would be all I need for what I need it to do: which is what I'm doing right now (blogging!) :) I am not a gam-er, app-er, or video stream-er gal. I'm a typer. And a reader. And a blogger. Everything else I like to do can be done by our hard wired PC (thank you GOD for that!). This is perfect. I'm sitting here comfortably typing in the recliner while one son plays our new Xbox Kinect game: Wipeout 2, the other is flying his r/c helicopter in the kitchen, and our daughter is watching "Princess Pop Star" on her new portable DVD player.

We took a family vote and they all wanted to go to Shoney's for breakfast Christmas morning.  So, donning the Santa caps & PJs - off we went!  Unfortunately, Brielle continued to get progressively ill by the second and by the time we got home she was sick :(  She got better progressively all day though too, thank God.  That would have been a sad way to spend the entire Christmas day.

I'm taking a break today. It's Christmas, so I decided I would rest. My Etsy shop did far better than I ever imagined it would this holiday season! This is a VERY good thing! Apparently several people thought, "Well, I would like to buy __________ a present anyway...so why not buy something hand-made from a friend - where 10% goes to support an Adoption Fund?" (At least I'm thinking that's what they were thinking) I am refraining until Tuesday to start working to replenish my inventory. Almost everything sold (and the three things that still remain are of my "apprentice" line and not my best work yet). I have to wonder the expressions of those opening their gifts today. I hope they liked them at least a fraction as much as I enjoyed creating them.

I'm looking forward to creating more. I hope that it works out that I can sell at the Downtown Market. I always have that in my mind, but I know that God's plans are not my own and I hope that I just follow His plans and not my own ideas of what I'd like to see happen (which never works anyway).

This is a hand sewn bag made by a friend- re purposed from a
pair of her shorts that she made for me to hold a
gift.  She thinks the bag was just for fun, but I think
it totally makes a great bike handlebar accessory!
LOVE IT!!!

Praying that the New Year looks bright and beautiful for all of my friends & loved ones.

What do you think?  And how did you spend your Christmas day???

Brielle's Dance Recital

She is the dancer to the far Right.

Happy Holiday!

Well, I had all the good intentions. I did. But I really didn't think it was worth it to feel stressed out to complete my ideal "goals." Kinda sucks the holiday joy right out from under ya. So, I just had to release my good intentions because time & space would not allow for everything. Today, I should have been done wrapping gifts and on my way to Baking, Baking, Baking. Packaging little goodie treats tied with a ribbon and decorated with hand-picked painted pine cones - to hang on my neighbors' doorknobs.
Yeah.
Probably not happening today.
I really wanted to take my teens (via the city bus) to the mall. Not to shop. (Good grief, no!) But for other reasons I can't explain. Reasons that make sense to me.
It's 8:21am and no one has stirred yet. We were up late last night at the basketball game.
The toasted pecans.
Maybe I can get home in time to toast the pecans.
That would be something.
I haven't wrapped a single present to place under the tree.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Jump for JOY!
Enjoy the Holiday Season!

Attempting Earrings

 The weather was unseasonable warm (70's) today, so I took my kits and beads outside and tried my hands at making earrings.  I don't wear earrings much, so this was new for me, but fortunately my neighbor was visiting over and she DOES wear earrings and was able to give me some advice and confirmation.  (Note:  I will always take advice and suggestions, as everyone has different preferences of what they actually like.)  Here are pictures of the final results which are also available on my Etsy shop.