So... I have a problem...

According to most addiction recovery programs, the first step is admitting you have a problem. Well... I have a problem. I'm a journal-a-holic. It's true, but it's probably not the worst problem I could (or do) have.

My obsession with writing began at an early age. I remember my grandmother teaching me how to write cursive by writing letters and words at the top of the page, and then letting me copy them below. I had this knack for rhyming that probably drove my teachers and family insane, but made them proud at the same time. I'm sure I should have been rapper... well, maybe not... ;)

I started keeping a diary because I was lonely. My brothers were all way older or way younger than me. I lived in the tiniest of towns and didn't have many neighbor kids to play with. I was a dorky looking kid with big, red, curly hair (thanks to my Mother who decided to cut my hair into a chili-bowl to make my dad mad, and my Step-mom who decided she would fix it by perming it.... great idea!) and glasses. Orphan Annie anyone? Yeah, that was me. When I was really little I was popular. Then I hit the Orphan Annie stage of my life and was soon passed up by boys for the cuter, less awkward girls. I must've had the most dramatic girls ever in my class because even with my BFFs, there was always drama and fights and betrayal. But I had my diary. I could tell my diary secrets, dreams, wishes, thoughts, desires, stories and it never betrayed me.

In the beginning, it was a Lisa Frank diary with a lock and key. I had traded something (probably of more value) for it but I loved it dearly! The front and back inside covers are graffitied with "Regina loves Josh", Josh is erased, "Regina loves Dustin", Dustin is scratched out, "Regina loves Jonathan", etc., etc., etc. I even named the diary so I would have "someone" to write my letters to. "Dear Minnie" is how most of my early diary entries began.

Then in high school it was just 5 subject spiral notebooks. The first one was an old notebook I had found that hadn't been used much. When I filled that one up, I wrote on the front the beginning and end dates, tied it up with ribbon, and bought a new 5 subject notebook. I also had stopped addressing my diary as "Minnie" and instead would write, "Dear Diary" and later it evolved to just the date.  After filling up 3 5 subject notebooks I was now in college, and married in fact. I had been buying professionally made journals and storing them away until I needed them.

Finally, I graduated into the world of real journals. I have a lot of them. Some are really big, some are really small. Some are intricately detailed, some have beautiful pictures, and some are very plain. Some were gifts with beautiful words from a dear friend written inside, but most I bought for myself. When I see lovely notebooks, it's hard for me to pass them up. I want them. I want them ALL. I justify it to myself and my husband by saying, "They don't expire." or "They don't go bad." But really, what I'm saying is, "They're my friends. My new friends."

Like I said, I started journaling when I was little because I was lonely. And I've kept it up for most of my life because I still feel the pangs of loneliness. Even with my friends, even with my darling husband, I still need that journal, that friend that I can tell my inner most, deepest and darkest of secrets. And let me tell you, my journals contain a lot of deep, dark secrets. I write because when I was a young child and all the way up to today and even to tomorrow, I need a way to outlet the feelings I have. To catch the overflow of ideas and emotions, to work through the problems of life, to record that I have lived at all.

Maybe you're like me, and you need that outlet, that friend, that only a journal can provide. Maybe you want to use a journal to supplement your prayer life, or your biblical study. Maybe you want to document and record your thoughts and ideas so you can create them later. Maybe you want to write a journal for your future children, grand-children, great grand-children to read. Whatever your reasoning is, I have a VERY special announcement for you. :)

By now, hopefully you've noticed the LOVELY, and I mean ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS journals throughout this blog. I don't know if all of you read through the Featured Seller Interviews on Etsy, but one wonderful shop that was featured some time ago is having a wonderful special on her journals. You can read all about Julie Boyles and her "Writing It Down Event" here. A selection of her journals are half-price and include some freebies. It's an absolutely wonderful special and if you've been waiting for the right journal or the right time then it's staring you in the face right now! The journals in this post are available for $24, instead of the usual $48. And like I said, there's some freebies, so go read her blog now and find out all about it. I hope you get inspired to journal and when you do, that you purchase from her shop! :)

I guess I had better talk to the husband when he gets home and try to convince him that I need a new "friend." ;)

All photos are directly from http://www.julieboyles.etsy.com/.

A Room of My Own - Part 5

I feel like my room makeover has stalled. I haven't been able to do much because of money. Can I just take this time right this moment to tell you that I utterly, irrevocably, despise doing and then paying taxes. It doesn't matter if I know I'm going to get money back (which, RARELY happens) I still hate doing taxes. I loathe taxes. I despise taxes. My husband and I own the government $1300! Grr... I'd really love to call up Obama and be like "Hey, you don't go into Youth Ministry because you want to make a lot of money. You go into Youth Ministry because you're passionate about it and want to make a difference in the lives of tweens, teens and young adults. So how about you give us a break and since we're good people, you give us $1300? Mmmkay? Thanks!" --- Anyone think that would work? Yeah, I didn't think so either.  Then on top of the $1300 we owe, we also have to pay someone else $350 to do those taxes. Geez... April is my least favorite month I've decided. It's a month of life-suckage. :(

Okay, rant over. I'll keep paying my taxes because I don't want to go to jail. But let it be known that I this time next year, I'll be irritated and broke yet again.

Now, onto bigger and better things... like dreaming and planning about things to do to my office when I get more money.... :) Afterall, dreaming and planning are free, so I can do all of that I want right now! And maybe you're in the same boat. If so, come dream and plan with me. We'll work out the fine details so when the time comes that our wallets and back accounts aren't bare, we can put some of those dreams and plans into action.

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Part Five: LIGHTING!

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There's nothing worse (except taxes) than working on a project and giving yourself a headache because your lighting isn't good enough. You make this wonderful thing, but you've got this horrible headache and now you can't enjoy this wonderful thing. What you need is better lighting.

 

Lighting is also a relatively inexpensive (depending on your tastes) way to add ambience and mood to your room. I'll be the first to admit, that having harsh flourescent lights (like office buildings or stores) doesn't inspire me at all. I feel like I'm working in a factory rather than in my cozy studio. Right now in my office I have an overhead light that has two of those Energy Saving bulbs. I admit, I rarely use that light. Instead, I use these two floor lamps that really brighten up my room/office but without creating a harsh environment. They are black and white so they match my decor, but now I'm looking for a couple table lamps and perhaps a chandelier at some point.

 

Here are some ideas:

 

What I have now.

I have two of them, one in the corner by my desk,

one in another corner by my worktable.

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This is my FAVORITE! I really want one of these for my desk!

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Maybe not for me, but still interesting...

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Maybe this is my favorite? I don't know, I love it too!

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But then again... maybe THIS one is my favorite... haha.

Oh goodness, there's so much to choose from!

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This one is pretty, very whimsical and nice.

 I'm not sold on the gold details though...

Well, not for my office anyway.... ;)

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Okay, so there are LOTS of choices out there.

These are some that I liked as I was searching for "red" lamps. Just remember when it comes to lighting, that it can be functional AND decorative. There's a lot of choices out there so don't confine yourself to something before doing lots of browsing.

I'm hoping to get my fabric this weekend for my curtains. Not sure if it's going to happen since I'm counting pennies until my next payday. But we'll see... afterall eating spaghetti O's is fine if you eat them in a GORGEOUS room right? ;)

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Stay tuned for Part Six: Decorating Tips

& Possibly another Sneak Peek

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So... whatcha think?

Anyone have fun/cute/exciting lighting in their workspace that they want to share?

I'm shocked! & the winner is....

WOW! I'm really shocked that I had SOOO many comments/entries for my giveaway! That's definitely an all time high and I am super impressed! Well, without further ado, here is the winner:

And the 38th comment was:

Marci J said...

I love the mary janes: http://www.etsy.com/listing/41010998/infant-mary-janes

june_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com

April 20, 2010 11:34 AM

 

CONGRATS MARCI J!!!!

Please contact Prairie Wind Designs via convo on Etsy. Let her know you won and which shopping bag you'd like. :D

 

 

Alright, Well I've got to get busy this morning but I'll be back as soon as I can with another post! And the next giveaway will begin next Monday so stay tuned!! :D

Embrace the Ebb & Flow

Youth Ministry is an interesting ministry and I think, one of the most challenging ministries that a person can choose to be a part of. With prison ministry, women's ministry, elderly ministry, and others, you are in contact with people who live a pretty repetitive life. People in prison are usually there for a while, women usually have a schedule worked out that they stick to, the elderly are usually on a schedule planned for them by their aides, nursing home, or family. But in Youth Ministry, you are in contact with people who are always changing, whose lives are always changing, and who are going through the ups and downs of growing up all at the same time.

For my husband and I, our Youth Group is completely involved in extra-curricular activities. Every single person is involved in at least one extra-curricular activity, and many are involved in several activities. From band to sports and FFA to FCA, everyone has things to do. This creates a bit of a hassle for a person like me, who prefers planned events, schedules, calendars filled with dates... yeah, it's a chore.

When we first got this job, Joey and I both had this idea of what Youth Ministry was going to be like, all the things we wanted to do, what we wanted them to learn, everything was planned. That was our first mistake. Free Advice #1 - Don't think you can have anything planned for long. With all the extra-curricular activities that our kids are/were involved in, all of those plans fell through. We went through a period of excitement and anticipation, only to fall into a period of helplessness and disappointment.

You would think we would learn our lesson, but no, not so. We did it again and again, trying to plan things, trying to get things on a schedule and then realizing that it just doesn't work like that. So... Free Advice #2 - Be willing and able to change your game plan, because it's necessary.

Here's what we've learned: In the fall, you have softball/baseball, then football, then basketball during the winter, then in January/February they disappear again for stock shows and FFA stuff, this lasts through March and then softball/baseball sart up again, then it's a summer full of all sorts of activities from church camp to mission trips with some baseball league games in there too... it's INSANE! We will go for a couple weeks where we don't see our Youth Group at all. Then suddenly... they are all back, have nothing to do and want to hang out ALL the time. This is the Ebb & Flow of Youth Ministry, and it's something you MUST embrace. Free Advice #3 - Embrace the Ebb & Flow.

Recognize that your Youth Group doesn't hate you, it doesn't hate God, your kids are good kids, they are just busy kids. So, instead of fighting against the current, learn to work with it. When the older kids are busy running all over the state for stock shows, use that time to work with the younger kids, take them out to a movie, invite them over for a game night. Also, this is a good time to review together any new material you'd like to try out in the future. Then, when the older kids are done with stock shows, you can pick up where you left off and hang out with them again. Embrace the Ebb & Flow of Youth Ministry, don't try to fight the current all the time.

*Many Blessings*

Earth Day Giveaway!

April 22 is Earth Day! And in honor of such a great awareness, I'm hosting a giveaway! This week's featured shop is owned by a lovely lady named Misti! Misti is very "green" and is doing what she can to protect our environment while also passing that passion on to her children. I'm happy to get to introduce you to her and her shop! So, without further ado, here is Misti and Prairie Wind Designs!

Why is it important to be green?

"I feel the most important reason for me to be green is for my children. I set an example for them each and every day - whether I mean to or not. I believe actions speak louder than words and if my children see me being envrionmentally responsible, they will see the importance of it as well and do the same. After all, we do not inherit the earth, we borrow it from our children."

A lovely dress that can be found in her shop - $17.50

Wouldn't this be a lovely summer dress for a special girl?

What is your family doing to be green?

"We do our best to take care of our land. We live in the land of shining mountains, and wherever we go, we always try to leave a place better than we found it. When in the mountains, we only leave footprints and only take pictures. We have a reycyling system set up in which the kids are actively involved in deciding what can be reused and once a week we make the trip to the recycling facility with the kids, so they understand the bigger picture. We teach our children to conserve everything - water, electricity and food. I teach my children to take what you need and need what you take and not be wasteful. My kids are great about recycling their toys and clothes to those in need. I use my Etsy shop as an outlet to make environmentally responsible products available. My upcycled dresses and handbags breathe new life into a discarded piece of fabric. My reusable sandwich and snack bags cut down on the amount of ziploc bags we use and my reusable shopping bags and library totes reduce the amount of plastic sacks we go through. When my 3 year old plays house, she uses her small market bag to put her play food in when she goes grocery shopping. Of course there is always room for improvement and we are always evaluating and looking for new ways to incorporate "being green" in our daily lives. "

Reusable snack bag - $5.50

Where can we find you?

"You can find me at

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrairieWindDesigns


http://twitter.com/PrairieWindDsgn


http://www.facebook.com/prairiewinddesign


http://www.flickr.com/photos/prairiewinddesigns/ "

Aren't these the most adorable shoes ever! I just love them!

Mary Janes - $8.50

Now, Misti has generously offered to give away a Reusable Shopping Bag to ONE lucky winner! Just look at what you can win:

And that's not all there is to choose from -- Check out the Reusable Shopping Bags section in Misti's shop and the lucky winner will be able to choose one bag from her whole section!

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2 Ways to Enter:

1) Go to Prairie Wind Designs and leave a comment here

with your favorite item from her shop.

2) Leave a comment here telling me what you are doing to "be green"?

Remember to enter in seperate comments so you can be counted for both entries! :)

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The giveaway ends Sunday, April 25th at midnight (CST). The winner will be chosen using random.org and I will post the winner on my blog Monday, April 26th. The winner will then have to contact Misti via Etsy convo and discuss shipping information.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!! :D

A Room of My Own - Part 4

Alrighty, it seems forever since I've done a post about my current office makeover. But last week with a business trip to Oklahoma City, and a Women's Retreat in Amherst, TX, I didn't get much done on anything. But no worries, everything is settling down again and I'm back with a new post! YAY! 

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Part FOUR: The Power of Pegboard, Fabulous Fabrics
 & a Sneak Peek

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I know, I know... Part FOUR was supposed to be on Accents. Well, we're gonna get there I promise... but I think I'm taking a different avenue to get there. :) Stay with me though... 

Okay, let's recap. And don't worry, this is as much for me as it is you, haha!

Back here I revealed my ideas for my room and my color palette. Then here I talked about desks, chairs and reading nooks. And finally here I gave you lots of ideas for storage and organization and then gave you a little sneak peek into what I'd done so far. But there's one more area of storage and organization that I want to show you before moving on. It's call the pegboard.

For me, I'd only seen pegboard in my Grandpa's workshop. It was always boring and brown and covered with a variety of tools. Nothing fancy about it at all. But then, as I was searching for ideas for my new office/studio/craft room/mystical unicorn of a room I re-discovered pegboard in a whole new light! It's amazing! Here, let me show you:

Paint it! - Don't be afraid to paint your pegboard in ANY color you want. I'm still undecided on what I want to do with my pegboard. I could paint it soft jade to blend in with my walls, or white to make it *POP* against my walls, Orrrrrr I could do a wonderful painting on it to match the other paintings I'm going to do so it works as a work of art AND a functional piece for storage and organization. Really, don't hold back. Paint the pegboard any way you want!

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Use it! - Pegboard isn't for my Papa's workshop anymore. Use pegboard for scrapbook supplies, sewing supplies, paints, paintbrushes, trays for pictures of ideas or magazines, little shelves!!! There really is a plethora of uses and ideas for your pegboard!

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Hang it! - Once you've painted your pegboard a beautiful color, it doesn't have to be hidden in a dingy workshop. Make it into a work of art that you can hang proudly in your craft room. OR for those of you who don't have your own space for crafting, and you might need to quickly hide your pegboard, hang it vertically on a closet door. Then, when company is coming and the mess needs to disappear, you can just close the closet door and VOILA, it disappears! :D

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I love fabric. From the time I was in the 5th grade (or so) to the summer I graduated high school, I would go stay with my cousins in Bay City, TX. My cousin Leonard and his wife Laura had one daughter Alicia who was just a year younger than I was so we were/are very close! I would go spend two weeks to a month with them and it was absolutely the best part of my summer. For a while, Laura worked in a fabric store and she would pay Alicia and I to go upstairs in the attic and cut fat quarters and bind them. It was wonderful playing with all that beautiful fabric. My love for fabric is still around, only this time, I'm actually making things with it. Either this weekend or next weekend, I'm going shopping for fabric for my makeover. I'm looking for fabric to make curtains, a doggy pillow for that lovable pooch of ours and to do a couple pretty decorating projects I've found. A few things I know: I want it to be BOLD and beautiful, red and white, and the curtains need to be full window length, but not necessarily to the floor. Here's some ideas...

I think these curtains are PERFECT! They fit all my criteria and they are just gorgeous! If only I could find some just like it... I guess I'll have to keep looking...

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I think the pola dots are super cute. But they just aren't screaming out to me....

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I absolutely ADORE this fabric! If I can find some like it somewhere, it's MINE, ALL MINE!!! BWAHAHAHA... hmmm... little fabric crazed there. >.>

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While Googling "red and white fabric" I came across this chair. Amazing, yes? Yeah, I think so too. :)

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Okay, okay, you've waited long enough I suppose... here's a little sneak peek. ;)

I know, these aren't in my room... yet. I ordered these lovely IKEA magazine files last night and should have them in early next week. I'm so excited! I've been looking for the perfect (and affordable) set of magazine files and finally found these. I'm getting 12 of them. I know, I know, that's a lot. But... well you should see all the Good Housekeeping and Real Simple magazines I have. And I can't throw them away, I may need them one day....

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A little peek at my desk. It's been completely refinished and I think it turned out absolutely perfect. I didn't paint the insde of the drawers but I'm still deciding on if I want to paint them or put some fancy shmancy drawer liners in them. :) Pretty cool though huh?

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My former desk that is getting refinished and will soon be my new work table! YAY!

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The shelves are up! The shelves are up! Golly gee, the shelves are up!

I finally bought the shelves this week and they are now hanging proudly in my office. There is 5 of them and they are a lot bigger than this picture gives them credit for. I'm looking forward to getting them filled with beautifully organized things. :)

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Stay tuned for Part FIVE: Lighting!

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Well, what do you think so far?

Has anyone else made progress on their room?

Live Delightfully

The name of my blog is "A Delightful Life." The website address is www.livedelightfully.blogspot.com. But why did I choose these names? What does it mean to live delightfully? What does it mean to live a delightful life?

Why is this my theme verse: Psalm 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." ?? I want to encourage people, namely women, especially Youth Minister/Pastor's wives, to delight themselves in the LORD.

Allow me to expound further:

According to dictionary.com:

Delight

–noun
1.a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; rapture: She takes great delight in her job.
2.something that gives great pleasure: The dance was a delight to see.

–verb (used with object)
3.to give great pleasure, satisfaction, or enjoyment to; please highly: The show delighted everyone.

–verb (used without object)
4.to have great pleasure; take pleasure (fol. by in or an infinitive): She delights in going for long walks in the country.
 
Let's take all of this and look at it together. "Delight yourself in the LORD..."  

• God takes delight in You.
• You take delight in God.
• To be a delight to God.
• To delight in God's will.
• To delight in God's word.
• To take delight in doing God's work.

To live delightfully means you want to live according to all of these. To live delightfully means you want to be a delight to God, your Father; you want to delight in His will & His word; and you want to take delight in serving Him.
 
 

Are you living delightfully?

 

 

*Many Blessings*

Delightfully Living

Hi everyone! I just wanted to post really quick that I have a new blog. Yes, I now manage two blogs. This may get a little crazy at times but I think it will be a very rewarding experience as well. I plan to use this new blog for Devotionals, Prayers, Encouragement, Inspirational thoughts, etc. I hope it helps others in their Christian life and helps them Live Delightfully.

You can check it out here: http://livedelightfully.blogspot.com/

I hope you all like it and decide to follow it. :D

Hello & Facts of the Bible

Hello and welcome to my new blog! I'm not too sure about the stress of having two blogs, but I feel that I need to have this second blog to really focus it on God and living a Delightful life. What is a Delightful Life? To me a delightful life or to live delightfully means to live my life according to God's will. I will expound more on this in later posts but for now, I want to share with you some facts of the Bible. I like to think of them as facts because facts do not change depending on my mood or how I feel. They are facts because they are, not because I want them to be.

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I am created in His image (Genesis 1:26-27).

I am created with a desire and an ability to connect with God and others in love (Psalms 40:8; John 13:34-35).

I am created to communicate verbally, physically, and emotionally (Genesis 3:8-9; Luke 2:52).

I am created to be thankful to God for all he has done (Colossians 3:15; Hebrews 12:28).

I am created to praise God (Luke 5:26; Psalms 40:3).

I am created to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15).

I am created to give and to receive (Acts 20:35).

I am created to be generous (Psalms112:4-5; Proverbs 11:25).

I am created with the ability to make decisions and choices (Joshua 24:15).

I am created to fully enjoy every aspect of life in God’s creation and will (Ephesians 6:2-3; John 10:10).

I am created to grow physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually (Luke 2:52).

I am created to be creative and productive, using the gifts and skills God has given me (Genesis 2:15; Matthew 25:14-30).

I am created with an intelligent mind (James 1:5; Ephesians 1:7-8).

I am created with a mind that desires to learn and grow (Psalms 119:73; Isaiah 1:17).

I am created physically attractive to myself, God and others (Genesis 1:31).

I am created as a sexual being blessed to enjoy my sexuality in accordance with God’s will (Genesis 2:24-25; Proverbs 5:15-20).

I am created to walk through life with God and others (Genesis 3:8-9; John 13:34-35).

I am created to be with him now and forever (John 14:3; Hebrews 13:5).

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Do any of these speak to you especially today?

Many Blessings!

I'm back! & the winner is....

Wow! Last week was definitely a VERY busy week! I left on Tuesday for a business trip, returned on Thursday afternoon, unpacked, did a load of laundry, repacked and left for a Women's Retreat. The Retreat was incredibly awesome! I feel so uplifted! And I have to say... while I was gone I did miss my Blogging friends and Etsy friends. But don't worry, I've got lots of posts coming this week. :) And let's go ahead and get started with the WINNER for the Spring time Giveaway:

The 14th comment was from CORY of FALLINGSTARLANE! CONGRATULATIONS Cory!

Cory - Please contact Flibbertigibbet by convoing her via Etsy! :)

Well, I need to get things done, but I'll be back today or tomorrow with another post! :D

Spring Time Giveaway

Ebony & Ivory - Piano Adjustable Ring - $5

As some of you know, I've decided to do a lot more giveaways on my blog. I think giveaways are super fun and are a great way to learn about different Etsy (and non-Etsy) shops and maybe get a freebie or two. So without furter ado, welcome to the first blog feature giveaway!

Spring is a lovely time, filled with feelings of all things fresh and renewed. The world is waking up again after a winter slumber. Pastel colors are everywhere. It's so beautiful.



Our first featured Etsy shop is a lovely place called The Flibbertigibbet. [Which definitely reminds me of The Sound of Music movie and makes me want to watch it today.] The Flibbertigibbet is full of wonderful lovelies that I just adore! Here's a little interview with the shop owner:

What is your favorite thing/memory relating to spring?

"I love spring because it reminds me of turtle hunting! After a hard spring rain, my mom would wake us up in the early, early morning and take us out into the country to drive the dirt roads looking for turtles. The rain wakes them up and gets them moving and you can easily spot them crossing the muddy roads. We would eat breakfast in the car and then drive around in the misty mornings, looking for box turtles. We always found at least one. We would take him home in a cardboard box in the backseat of the car to make a pet for the summer. We had a huge enclosed sandbox and we would take the turtle out to live in it during the day. We spent our summer days catching crickets and grasshoppers and worms to feed our turtle friend. At night we would take him inside to live in a huge box in our room.It was a bit of an odd family tradition, I guess. But spring rain always makes me think of beautiful box turtles lumbering across country roads. Beautiful."

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Pick a Peck - Lovely Floral Stud Earrings - $4

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What is your most cherished handmade item?

"Everything my granny made for me I treasure. She passed away so that makes the things she put her hands on and love into even more special to me. There is this amazing crocheted Easter dress and jacket set that she made for me when I was about 4 years old. I still have it wrapped in tissue paper and stashed away. It is all lacy and lovely. She also use to do ceramics and made me a pair of Goofy and Mickey mouse figurines. While I am not into Disney, I adore them. They are always on display in my house where I can see them and remember how much I love her."

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Peachy Keen - Bracelet - $8

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Where else can we find you? (blog, twitter, flickr, facebook, myspace, etc.)

"Twitter - https://twitter.com/Flibbertigib "
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Lady in Waiting - Adjustable Ring - $5

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Isn't that just lovely! Such wonderful items that would be perfect for any age! And that's not all, here's a couple more lovelies that are available in her shop!

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Simply Beautiful - White Floral Bobby Pins - $5

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Old Timey Telephones - Stud Earrings - $4
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Aren't you impressed by these lovely AND affordable items?

Are you ready to know what the giveaway is?

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The WINNER: Will get to choose ANY stud earrings (like the telephone and flower
earrings above) from The Flibbertigibbet's shop. ANY earrings, it's YOUR choice!
Win 'em for yourself OR win 'em for a gift!

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How to Enter:

#1 - Leave a comment sharing your favorite thing/memory relating to spring.

#2 - Go visit The Flibbertigibbet and leave a comment here with your favorite item.

The Winner:

I will pick a winner using random.org and will post the winner NEXT MONDAY (April 12th), here on my blog.

REMEMBER:

Each entry needs to be in a seperate comment to count. :)

Good luck to all!!

Treasure Finding

A few weeks ago we had a couple friends from Oklahoma City come down to visit us. It was a grand time full of all sorts of adventures, one of which included treasure hunting. On the last day they were here, we got up early, ate breakfast and went down to the local flea market/antique store. I *really* like this place because they aren't totally an antique store so they don't overprice their items. And they have such a large collection, we spent WAY more time in there than I thought we would. :) Here are some of my finds:

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My Papa was in the army and was stationed in Germany for a long time. In fact, 3 of his 5 children (including my Dad) were born in Frankfurt, Germany. One day, I want to travel to Frankfurt, to see the birthplace of my dad and to see the place my Papa called home for the longest time. It would be more grand if I could make that journey with Papa, but I'm not sure that will happen. But because of this, I feel I have a connection with Germany and could NOT pass up this gorgeous stein. I wish I had taken enough pictures so you could see ALL the artwork ALL the way around it. How could I not love it?

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So I'm a big Lord of the Rings fan. My hubby is not. I've read Fellowship of the Ring. He gets bored with the movie. BUT, his brother is also a LOTR fan and so Joey has seen some of the movies. His favorite part is when Pippin and Merry are in the pub and they Merry orders a pint of ale. When Pippin sees the size of a pint he exclaims, "It comes in pint!?! I'm getting one!!" Joey quotes that a lot, in fact, anytime anyone says anything about "pint"

Joey quotes that. haha.

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As I've said somewhere before, rather in a forum thread or on here, I can't remember (I havne't had my coffee yet, thoughts are fuzzy), I'm planning to redecorate my living room/dining room area in a more shabby chic/country theme. I might even redecorate the kitchen, who knows? BUT, when I saw this little churn for only $5, how could I pass it up?

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I don't know what Liquid Blueing is. BUT, I have a serious crush on little bottles, ESPECIALLY little bottles with old paper on them. The best part? There's about 1/3 of the bottle of blueing left in the jar!!! --- Could this be the Mrs. Stewart before Martha? ;)

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Okay, to be honest, I don't know why I bought this. Except that it's really cute and every time I would walk away from it I kept wishing I had it in my hand. So finally, after making about 4 trips back to it's little area, I decided to pick it up and take it home with me. I think it's adorable!

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Do you love treasure finding too?