Hello Kitty

My best friend threw a birthday party at a jumpy place for her five year old. It was a Hello Kitty theme. I thought the decorations were adorable...granted, she had to work with a neon orange party room.  She made the tissue paper flowers and taught me how to make them in the process. So easy and cute!

She made the cake herself...but have you ever noticed that  Hello Kitty doesn't have a mouth? Strange.

I wish I had a picture of the birthday girl to share but she was not having it.  She had too many people to greet and things to hop on.  Maybe next time!

Everyone left with fun favors...and their own little flowers...

The Versatile Blogger Award!

Versatile Blogger!


I have been very blessed recently to receive the Versatile Blogger Award.

I received it from a new and very fun blogging friend, Jayaycee Blog.

That woman can knit...and she is a witty writer, two of my favorite things in one blog.  She also shares beautiful pictures of Scottsdale, one of the top ten places that I would like to visit in the US.  Maybe I will share the entire list with you someday.  Longevity has its priveleges.  You can learn all kinds of useless information about me if you stick around.

 

With this award comes some duties ... first, I must thank the blogger(s) who honored me. Thanks so much to Jayaycee. You have been a huge encouragement and I am thrilled to be among such great company.
Second, I must tell you 7 things about me ...I warned you earlier in the post that you would learn something about me if you stuck around.  Abandon ship now if you would prefer I be clothed in mystery. 

1. I have a fear of punctuation.  I am pretty sure I butcher proper punctuation (and grammar) 70% of the time.  The more I research it as an editor (yes, that's my job and I still have a fear of it), the more confused I become.  Can we just go back to the days when there were clear cut grammar and punctuation rules?  I would also like to vote for the return of etiquette.  Good, old fashioned, 'don't wear white to a wedding or a veil to your second wedding' etiquette.
2. I cannot pick-up, peel, or eat a whole peach. I love the taste of peaches but the fuzz makes my skin crawl.  Just thinking about it now gives me the icks. I decided I was going to get over this so I bought some peaches last Summer to make a dessert but I couldn't do it. They sat there until I emptied the whole bowl into the trashcan because it was too much for me.  I live in Georgia - the Peach State.  Why, oh why can't I eat or touch a stupid peach?
3. One day a friend said that he wished he had a passion like music. He said musicians eat, sleep, and breathe their passion.  They would rather make music than anything else.  I feel that way about God.  I eat, sleep, and breathe God.  He is all I think about. I love Him so much that I want to tell everyone about Him (just like being in love with a man). I am always asking what He thinks, wants, and why He created things a specific way.  He really does lead and guide my life.  I have no idea how people live without having a relationship with God - He is like air and water to me - necessary.  I am not a religious zealot, I am a woman in love.
4. If I could have any career, I would be a hair dresser. Unfortunately, I am past the stage when I can quit my job and make no money for five years to become one. If only I had gone with my gut at 18.
5. I wish there was a philanthropist who would sponsor scholarships for older men and women to go to medical school later in life.  I have met so many people who are passionate, committed, interested, and engaged in healthcare but they developed this interest later in life. Now they are stuck because they are older and have to support a family. I personally would prefer to have these people as my care providers!
6. I want a real, adult vacation. It has been years since I have had one. I love my family and they are spread out along the Eastern seaboard so I spend most of my vacation time traveling to see them. I am going to make this a priority in the next 18 months....even if it is driving to the Outer Banks of North Carolina!
7. I love newborn babies.  I have an amazing rock step that puts them right to sleep.  Nothing is better than rocking a newborn baby to sleep and them sleeping like a little tree frog on your chest. Oh how I love wittle babies.

I have one more responsibility as a versatile blogger award winner but it will have to wait until my next post. Too much to do today!  Check back for 15 of my favorite blogs!

When In Doubt, Craft it Out

My connection is spotty at best so I am going to post a few pictures now and will finish up later.  I did NOT want to be a craft tease - that is just so wrong.

I decided to use scrapbook paper for this particular set of coasters - you can see a selection above.  Tracy suggested cocktail napkins (check back for a link to her tutorial - connection too slow to post right now) and I think those would have worked a bit better because this paper was a little thick and stiff - it was hard to get it sufficiently soaked to 'melt' onto the coaster and so it slipped out of position fairly easily leaving white borders and crooked paper.  You should have seen the ones I gave away ; )

I kept the rejects for myself so please ignore the crooked paper above and the unsightly white border below.  Regardless, here is my morning cup of coffee enjoying a new resting place. Makes me want to write a love letter to a foreign man. Strange.

Where Are Those Coasters?

All the pictures are uploaded and I am ready to go, but my home computer doesn't want to connect to the Internet. Drats.  This is an issue.  Don't give up on me, though. I plan to do some sewing this weekend and hope to have several new things to upload in the next few days. 

I will tell you the back story to the coasters.  I woke-up Saturday morning and I had an itch.  If you are reading DIY blogs, you know the itch. It was that, "I need to do something creative before I jump out of my skin" itch.  The previous week was a bit of a downer.  I was excited about a new guy.  He is adorable.  He makes me laugh but isn't all laughs.  Cute.  Godly. Handy. Creative. He never followed up.  Radio silence.  There was no obligation to follow-up. Just hope. Hope springs eternal.  He did follow-up this week but definitely seems a bit down--sensing he needs some time to process some things in his life.  As my favorite saying goes, "C'est la vie." 

Mother's Day was also hard for me this year. I posted a bit about it here but took it down. Who comes to a lifestyle blog to read down in the dumps drivel?  Not me.  Here's the recap. I want to be a mama.  I am 36.  You do the math. You think the thoughts. There you go.  Saturday, I needed an outlet.

I have this thing.  When I start feeling down, I try to find someone I can bless.  Mother's Day was Sunday and my mind wandered to all of my single mother friends.  These are some committed women.  They work themselves to exhaustion for their children -- some with no support from the father.  I wanted to do something for them on a day when all the Dads out there plan a big show of appreciation for the Moms. I wanted these women to have something from someone who appreciates what they are doing.  I wanted them to know that they are seen and remembered. 

What I really wanted to make was a magnetic picture frame - the ones where you change out the picture just by removing the magnet and then putting a new one on. I couldn't find the tutorial. If you find one, can you post it in the comments?  So, I surfed Tracy's blog and found some adorable coasters.  Perfect. I can make  tons at once and can tailor them for each person.

It was such a great day.  As I made them, I focused my heart on how blessed I am to have time alone with God.  He is so good to me. He loves me so much and lavishes love and care on me constantly.  Although I would like to be married and have children, no one will compare to Him. Ever. As my heart recentered, an excitement grew - I couldn't wait to give these women their gifts and to hug their necks.

Check back and say a little prayer my Internet works tonight!

Make Your Own Coaster Tutorial...

Check back tonight for a tutorial on making your very own coasters.  It's so fun and a great gift!

Enjoying the Simple Things...

Whenever the world goes crazy and I get a little down around the edges, I stop and think of all the simple things in life there are to enjoy.  I thought I would share a few today.

Meet Jane - she is an ex-school teacher with grown children who regularly invites children over for a morning of cookie baking, flower watering and crafts.  What fun and what a lifesaver for tired parents or Aunt B on day long excursion with the girls.

I love gardens.  Any and every kind. I don't have much of one right now but love to linger in other people's gardens, enjoying their yard art.

 

I love my Azalaea (sp?) bush in spring and having my family come to visit.  Oh how a visit from family can brighten my whole month...especially when they are just 2, are learning to talk and wear tiny little sweater vests.

And now, I will exhale and go to bed thinking on these lovely yet simple things.

Being Open

If you truly want to see into the Simply Fabulous Single life, eavesdrop on this conversation:

Me:                 I'm done.  Really.  I have come to grips with the fact that he's just not that into me.

Best Friend:    Oh no, girl. Do not shut him down.  I will not let you shut him down.

Me:                You are going to have to work fast because I am almost there.

Best Friend:    Girl, you need to be open.  Drink your Frappucino, take a deep breath and be open with the
                      next single guy you see.  Practice.

Me:                OPEN?!  Girl - I have been as open as a 7 Eleven.  I don't get much more open.

Best Friend:    To me, it sounds like you are "CLOSED FOR BITTERNESS."

Me:                NO YOU DID NOT.

Best Friend:    YES I DID.

Me:                I have to go.

Best Friend:    STAY OPEN

Me:                Good bye.

I mean, really. I can see why she keeps me around as her token single friend - I offer her scintillating conversation.  Over and out.

My Marvelous Mother

I say it over and over but I stand by it – I have the best mother, ever. As she likes to remind me, she is my only mother, but I still am thankful she is the only one I got. She has introduced me to some of the best things in my life, like:


• Giving. My Mom has always said that she would have so much more money if she could just hold on to it. As soon as she gets it, she is looking for ways to give it away – through special gifts, little trinkets, donations, or a special dinner for the ones she loves. If she only had $1.00, she would find something fun for someone at The Dollar Store. For some, it is about the act of spending money. For my Mom, it is about the act of giving to others.

• Entertaining. Oh how she loves to throw a good party. Planning and preparing for the party are almost as much fun as the party itself. She has taught me the joy in setting beautiful tables, catering to special needs, and making guests feel loved and pampered. Some of my fondest memories have been around her table with the people we love.

• Quirky Humor. My friends always guffaw at my mother's witticisms. The best part is that they come out of nowhere and they are quick. 

• Writing. I so wish she would write a book. She is one of the most talented writers I know. I can’t hold a candle to her and I get paid to write. I love having my mother on Facebook so that I can see her writing everyday! She has the gift of storytelling. She polishes a story in her mind until it is perfect. Her emails are informative, entertaining, and encouraging. I will always remember her saying, “The one thing I disliked most about your college was that professor who discouraged you from writing.” It has given me the courage to write – knowing that such a talented writer thinks I have a talent that is worth nurturing.

• The Value of a Friendly Face. Anyone will approach my mother at anytime. There is something innately friendly about her face – her smile and your eyes show an openness. As one who hung on her leg for her first18 years, I have learned to emulate the same look and I love the way I am greeted by the world.

• Whimsy. My mother is whimsical. She loves fun little things and finds just as much joy in a child's toy as she does in the latest technological gadget.  She encouraged us to use our imaginations and to see whimsy in everything.

• Jesus Christ. I grieve the years I wasted running from the Lord. However, I receive letters daily at work from people who never heard of Jesus Christ until they turned on the TV or tuned in by radio. One of God’s greatest gifts to me was placing me in the care of parents who loved and feared the Lord. From a very early age, I knew what it meant to know and believe God. My mother never compromised on the Truth that Jesus is the only Way, the only Truth, and the only Life and that no one comes to the Father but by Him. She has always upheld the Word of God as true, living, and active. I am blessed to have grown up with the Word of God on my mother’s tongue, to have been bathed by her prayers, and to have been released to the care of the Lord because she knows He will complete the good work He has begun.

I love my Mom more than anyone will ever know and I thank God for every year we have together so that I may continue to learn and grow as her daughter. No ONE has a better mother than I do and that’s a FACT!

My Beautiful Mother

Mother's Day is approaching and I will be doing a few posts about my mother this week.  Before I do, I want to share these incredibly chic pictures of my mother.  She is still just as gorgeous - stay tuned.

You rock your baby dressed to the nines with full hair and make-up, don't you?  I am sure I will someday. I will make sure I am camera ready at all times. Such a beautiful mother.

What a Difference a Week Makes

My loves in full bloom....

Don't worry - I didn't use the key...or raid the bush...I was invited over for a green dog - at least that's what we call it.  This is what Spring should look like - beautiful flowers and outdoor livin'.

My Sewing Hero...

Visit this site.  Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.00.  Go straight to this site and meet my new sewing mentor.  I stumbled on her site like Alice in Wonderland. She purchased her first sewing machine in October 2009 and has done crazy incredible Goodwill makeovers - I can't explain it, I am too awestruck. There is hope for me and my little sewing machine - and my wardrobe.  Praise the Lord and go now. Go.

Please don't tell her that I named her my mentor - she doesn't know yet.  I don't want to freak her out.