RIGHT til your heart's content

So- I think that lots has been lost in this age of technology... ipods, smart phones, email, text  (just to name a few)  and to RIGHT that- I would like to get back to the more simple communication called RIGHTing a letter.  Yes it is misspelled (this I know).  However, to receive a letter in the mail (because most times these days you only receive junk mail and bills {also called junk mail}) is so VERY exciting.  Way more fun than an email or a boring text.
My daughter Annily has done such a great job keeping up with friends that have moved across the country by sending them small gifts and letters... I have encouraged this, as it has been so nice seeing the look on her face when she receives a letter or seeing her joy when she writes a letter.  Sending a small handmade gift has taught her the value of giving and this is what I hope my children learn from this technology age... Giving is the best gift you can give yourself.  Make sense?  If not, then try it!  Give of your time volunteering for your community, give of your services by taking a sick meal to your friend, neighbor or someone you know of in need, give of yourself more and you will soon see that all that giving has given you a new zeal for life.  How do I know this you ask?  Because last year I started giving more, loving more and being more... I was inspired recently to give EVEN more when I saw a community of ladies that got together and offered the giveaway(closed, but you can read about it here ) that I spoke about in December (click on link if you would like to read my post)  All of the sponsors are listed below and all offered an amazing prize.  I spent an entire day trying to win the giveaway and was NOT SAD AT ALL when I didnt win and this is why:  I spent time at each one of their facebook pages and or blogs and I was so inspired to keep up on my own blog.  It was a great gift that I received by reading their stories, seeing how their businesses grow and I now am trying to give back to them.

Adored Before

A Gilded Life
AJ Bloom

An Era's Ambiance

Avalon Rose Design {includes Market Square}

Bella Rennie

Belle Inspiration Magazine

Bittersweet Ridge Jewelry

Blooming Hairlooms

Brave Girls Club

Calico Juno Designs

Caroline Alexander

New York Times Bestselling Author, Christina Skye

Crescendoh

The Crystal Cottage Boutique

Designher Brands

Everyday is a Holiday
For the Love Designs

For the Love of Junk

Here to There Life Coaching

Jennifer Wolsey Photography

Julee Ireland
Just Wright Designs

Lavender Fields

La Vie Charmante

Mary Not Martha

Pansy Cottage & Garden

Romantic Homes Magazine

Shabby Lane Shops

Snazzie Drawers

Stampington & Company

Upcycled Soul

If you can find them on facebook, it is worth it to check any/all of them out.  AND I must say that the one I am most impressed with is Designher Brands, as she arranged it all and has been so sweet to give me some pointers on a giveaway that I am doing to thank them all for the inspiration.  It is thanks to kind people like her that I have a fire lit to go forward and WRITE about the rights (staying away from the wrongs)....    I have a care package going out for her next week!  Cant wait to see what she thinks!  It is the beginnings of paying it forward... 12 prizes I am offering if I can get 12 of them to enter.  If not, each one will receive a random prize drawn the old fashioned way.  OUT OF A HAT!!  :)   I will update this as it nears the end.  I am eagerly awaiting some handmade tags to tag my gifts with and then they will be sent.  

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY...

ALL you have to do is follow the link. HERE and it is SUPER SIMPLE to win a VAGABOND!  If you would like more information on what a vagabond is then click on this vagabond link
THIS amazing system retails for $249.00 and he is giving one away.. FOR FREE!  Follow the directions for how to have numerous entries.

GOOD LUCK!!

Friends are FOREVER... or at least from 2nd grade to forever...
For those that know me- I love FACEBOOK... for the simple reason that it has reconnected me to people that  really mean loads to me that I lost track of due to moving as a young child.  One friend, who was spoken so much about that it caused my daughter at age 2 to name her imaginary friend after her.  My friend's name is Jenette and the imaginary friend's name is "myjenette" all one word and only my little one is allowed to call her "myjenette"  Imagine what it is like at my house when I try to talk about my friend Jenette now... If I say Jenette- there is much laughter.... as if I am the one that has the imaginary friend.

BriElle and I were lucky enough to see Jenette at the PHX airport during her layover and THIS is what we took her for a Christmas gift...  Each strip has meaning... and the back is my rendition of ART... dedicated to my friend Jenette.  I plan on sending her pieces to sew onto it, each year as we get older.. Does it look like the butterflies are flying out of the flower patch?  and the chicken at the bottom is on some chicken wire fabric and you may not catch them, but there are some cute little snails with a heart between them on the 1st photo... Also just FOR JENETTE!  Love this friend!  I have numerous times caught myself in mama bear mode for her, when others have been unkind to her... In fact- if I lived in her neighborhood there would be a few people that would see my gangsta side... And to some other friends that know me (my fellow Jail Officers who say I am "so white"- cha!! whatever THAT MEANS.. other than yep- both my parents happen to be caucasion)- they would wonder what gangsta side I am talking about.  Its more of the mother bear in me (not really that gangsta)
So my point of this post is that THIS BLOG is my journal, to pass on my legacy to my children.  I hope that someday- they will be able to reminisce on my goings ons and be thankful that I am their mom.  THAT is what makes me happy... my children seeing that good people do good things and see the bright side of trials and adversity.
I would never profess to be perfect or even half perfect, but I will say that it pays to be honest and hold yourself to high standards.  Now I can profess to say that I have lived lots and made some choices myself that held consequences and I hold myself accountable for them...  SEE what that said?  Hold myself... MYSELF- not others, not my children, not my spouse.. JUST me.  I am in charge of ME.  I do not consider any of my choices as mistakes... they are choices, I knowingly made and learned from.  I can teach my children right from wrong and teach them about accountability and consequences... meaning- you speak up for your part in all situations and you understand that always when unwise choices are made- there are consequences.  Not just when you get caught either.  Teaching my children these things is a part of my duties as a parent.  I can only hold myself accountable for just that... and it is also important to realize that we don't have a say so in how others raise their children and its NOT OK to be speaking ill of anyone because they were raised differently.  LOVE ONE ANOTHER!!!  I love all of my children!  AND I love all my friends and even those who consider me their enemy..

Update on that FREE printable calendar from www.myowlbarn.com..... 

There is also a contest going on to win an owl vase that is ADORABLE... please go to my post on facebook here to vote for my calendar to win... Please?!  I will be giving the calendar away in a giveaway soon!  Leave a comment on this post if you are interested in winning the calendar and I will make sure you are notified when the giveaway is posted!!

THANK you in advance !

THE POWER OF A GIFT!

I love love love to make gifts and to give others home-made items that I put all my heart into.  However, I think I am a little reluctant to give the gift after I have made it... someone please tell me you have an emotional tie to something when you spend so many hours making it just right for someone...??? anyone?

so, insert the most favorite baby blanket I have made to this point... favorite for many reasons.. I love the colors, 60+ hours that it took to sew on each individual block onto the "blank canvas" love that it has a mini Dresden in the center and I love that the recipient will hopefully cherish it someday.

I wanted to keep it, but wanted to give it to a sweet little baby even more... Her daddy is a cousin of my husband and I have seen pictures of the baby with my blanket in the background... isnt that just worth it?  They USE IT and it might just get to be her favorite blanket someday!!! That would make my day!!!  Its the silly things!

So- back to the gift giving!  I am truly paying it forward this year.  I am working on a few gifts (10) to send out and I will update on them as soon as I get them in the mail to their recipients.  I am also going to work on my shop and actually learn how to sell these items.  I am thinking I will focus mainly on quilts, and totebags (love totebags, but have too many) ALL will have the option of being customized and the quilts will also have the option of using childrens old clothing for some of the fabric... denim graduation quilts, etc.  SO- family- order away... I did just quit my job to follow through on some new goals.... live more simply and healthy... the job- ya.. not so healthy!

WATCH for the gifts... one will be announced as a giveaway here on my blog, one will be donated to another person for a giveaway on their blog, 5 are for a pay it forward goal and 3 more are for gifts that I have been meaning to send friends for a year but have been too busy to do so!  AND- ask yourself this.. ARE you paying it forward and enjoying the power of gift giving?

See this baby chick?? WOW do they ever make them smarter these days... Her ever so talented 13 year old photographer sister did a mini photo shoot (dressed her up and posed her and all... it was so adorable)and  this one just makes me wonder exactly what she is thinking behind those big beautiful eyes...

She said to me the other day, as we were driving home from pre-school, "mom- how did I get in your tummy?  was I in your blood or what?"  As I thought there wondering after the 1st question how I would answer this to a 4 year old, her 2nd question made it a little easier to answer.  I told her that she was in my ovary and then made it into my uterus.  Her reply?  "Oh! ok!, they did a good job at the hospital.  I heard them."  Later as I was telling my mom about the conversation- the conversation once again got a little more smart... she said "and YA! they hurt me when they were getting me out of your tummy."  She is so smart and I firmly believe that she is quite close and really does remember this.  She has convinced me!

so this is our youngest little chick... more on the rest of them to follow.  I am sure there will be a whole tab dedicated to the baby of the family, as she is our constant entertainment and holds a spot in all our hearts.

Look at the GREAT free calendar!!!

Not exactly sure with the whole blogging world how you take the tags and place them ever so carefully on your blog page, but this little calendar that you can customize is BEAUTIFUL!!! and it is FREE!!! 

Check out the blog at http://www.myowlbarn.com/ for the spectacular (did I mention FREE?) calendar!  I was sure to print several and will be posting the project I am using them for soon!

Just entered an exciting giveaway

I had to share how GREAT I think it is that there are women out there that put forth the effort to help other women starting new businesses!!  I am grateful for the networking, even if I do not win the giveaway!!  It was fun to look at everyone's pages and leave them a note.... How sweet they even all responded!!!  It gave me new found hope to keep up with my blog and get some more projects completed today.  In the works- a desk to paint (much to the chagrin of my mom because it is antique and "how dare you paint that"... the desk was $1 at Goodwill.. yes a great find, but I have zero emotional ties to it.  It is a great piece that will be in our entry on the wall of the stairs... ), One quilt that just has the binding to be completed (that will be done today) and one more quilt with that order that has the top completed and needs some TLC since it is going to be a gift from a grandma.  THEN... I am so very excited that I get to see my VERY good friend Jenette (Holyoak) Scott and I have a HUGE surprise for her that I am working on that is only in the "design in my head" phase and has to be completed by Dec 15 at 0600 when I get to meet her at the Phoenix airport for her layover.... I have not seen her since 6th grade and we reconnected thanks to facebook and have been in constant communication... so much that my little BriElle named her imaginary friend "my Jenette"... LOVE IT!!!  Ok, time to get busy now... uber excited about the new found motivation to blog and complete some projects!!! See COMMENT for link to the giveaway!!

Who rules the ROOST?

So we are all aware that if mama hen is not happy then good luck with the Rooster or the Chicks being happy... That being said- The mama hens of the world need to make a conscientious effort to realize this and take control of their destiny.. Afterall, the impact we have on our children could determine whether or not they fly the coop or stick their head in the chicken wire and get caught... The silly metaphors aside- this is a VERY serious issue that we all have a responsibility to address.  Will I let my child fail?  Or be lazy?  Absolutely not!  At what point do we quit trying?  Never!  Will there be tears shed? With girls- most likely.. and with tears, I will add, is someone taking accountability for their actions or lack therof. 
At our house, with a blended family, there are still personalities meshing and he said/she said and determining why one person feels this way or that way... outside influences that we have no control over are taken into consideration too.

I love my children and my husband's children... and here is where I realize that sometimes love is one sided.  THAT is perfectly OK and so I will just LOVE MORE.  Due to circumstances before I was in the picture... there are difficult feelings and goings on that need to be dealt with between others that do not include me.... Hopefully when grown children actually grow up, they understand and can heal.  Divorce is a difficult thing to get over.  However, all children do grow up and when they do- will they remember every bad thing you ever said about their other parent? YES they absolutely will.  Therefore, DO NOT speak unkind words about your childs other parent!  I repeat DO NOT! 
We all keep our little chicks wings clipped so that they cannot fly the coop too soon or before they are ready...
Until they realize that the sky will not fall because there was a little bump in their road... they still need our guidance. 
I have made a very large decision to stay at home so that I can be happy, so that I can make healthy choices for my family and so that I can live more simple... There will be sacrifices and lifestyle changes and a happy HEN.  THAT is what counts the most.  I hope that you will follow me on this journey and watch for a few more baby chicks that will be joining our family in the near future.

FIT for a King!

A friend who flips houses needed an 8 ft table and a matching hutch removed from a house... it had 1 captains chair (with arms) and 3 more chairs and the hutch had glass doors (most of which broke in transit)... cost $200 (those that know me have to know that is a ton for me to pay for furniture, but I saw something in this set that I just knew would fit to my liking- eventually)... so this is the UGLY captain's chair- FOR THE CAPTAIN OF OUR HOUSE!  This sweet husband of mine, drove me to Tempe, helped me load it on the trailer and drove it home and I can only imagine what he was thinking... this crazy wife of mine has really done it this time with this horribly ugly furniture...  Almost immediately he started working on an 8 ft bench to accommodate our children, since there were only 4 chairs.  He designed it, built it and (insert about 8 months later) I painted and covered it with Silver vinyl (this is not just ANY vinyl though- it is BOAT upholstery, given to me by my dear friend Amy- who lucky for me- completely refinishes boats and is so kind as to give me the scraps).... to make it easy to clean.
ok- back to the CAPTAIN chair...