Lollibag on the red carpet?!

There, can you see it?? Down to the left of her skirt, it's a Lollibag!  This is the sweet lady who bought our farm.  She was at the Emmy's and brought her Lollibag!

I gotta tell you, it kind of made my day, maybe my whole week.

Today is my son, Josh's, 21st birthday too.

It is so cliche to say it, but I don't know where the time went!  And frankly, I don't feel old enough to have a child that age.

Happy Birthday Joshua!

Remembering

Today is such a sad day.  I did not lose a loved one in the 9-11 terrorist attacks, but still my heart aches for everyone lost.  I remember the day exactly.  I was 6 months pregnant with Portia, my 4th child.  I had gotten my older children off to school and was sitting on my bed, I turned on the Today show to see the Twin Towers, one with smoke billowing out of it and the other a plane just flying into it.  I was so shocked.  I wondered if I should really be bringing a child into this evil world.  It was surreal.

I still think of it and think, did that really happen?  Do you think like that?  Do you ever have a moment where you look at what your doing and think, wow how did I arrive at this place in life?  What moments brought me here?

Do you remember what you were doing when you heard about the attacks?

Praying for the families who lost loved ones.

Treasures

Today my 15 year old daughter was on facebook live chatting with some of her facebook friends.  Her and I had just gotten done talking......I said to her remember the most important thing is to share the gospel!  Ask someone if they know where they are going when they die, and then you can tell them how to get to heaven.

Now...... I said that thinking well, she probably won't do it, but at least I am telling her to and maybe someday she will!  Not so, she made quick work of it!  She immediately put her status as: Is Jesus YOUR Savior?
And then she asked a boy through live chat if he knew Jesus as his Savior.  He responded with curse words and insults and told her she was a whore and what's up with this f'ing Jesus crap...

So I showed her this verse:

Matthew 5:11-12
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I then explained to her that everytime she tells someone about Jesus, she is "storing" up rewards in heaven.

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.


I don't know about you, but my heart is so longing for home.  Home with my Savior.  I have lots of exciting things going on in my life, but I will gladly leave it behind to go home.  But then I think of all my unsaved family and friends and I know there is much work to be done here.

God has been whispering the treasure verse in my mind for months and months, it is always popping into my thoughts.  That tells me I need to do more, to be about His work.  I pray God will give me boldness to do just that!

Cute Party!

Hi.

I'm sure you are as busy as I am, getting kids ready for school and tying up loose ends before school..... I have a lot to show you but I haven't taken the picture's yet!
My new deck.
My banner for The Creative Connection.
The girls new homework table from IKEA with 3 pink chairs.
Some new Lollibag's.

So don't abandon me just yet.  When school starts I will have more time. 

So for now, look at this cute birthday party!  Go on over to Daisy Pink Cupcake Blog and see the pictures of a Mary Poppins Party.  It is so adorable!!  Sigh..... why can't I be that creative?

Look at this vintage light!

Do you love these or what??  I LOVE THEM!  My friend went to a shop in Stillwater, Minnesota and e-mailed me this picture.  Now I may just have to make a trip out there.  The only problem would be the price, they are expensive.  But I really like them, I want to see them in person, even if I could only get one.  But wouldn't it be pretty to have all three hanging as my dining room chandelier? 

That would be the WOW I am looking for!

Thanks Lisa!

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

I went shopping the other day with Lauren for school clothes.  I noticed a Borders going out of business sale, so we went in and looked at the cookbooks.  I found a Master Chef cookbook.  I really love that show!

This is a recipe from that cookbook and it says: Recipe courtesy of Master Chef kitchen...
These are amazing!  Really, be afraid, because you won't be able to stop eating these!

For the scones:
Unsalted butter, at room temperature for greasing the baking sheets
2 Cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the blueberries
1 T baking powder
1/2 t fine salt
2 T sugar
5 T unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
1 Cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones
1 Cup fresh blueberries

For the glaze:
1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons
1 1/2 Cups confectioners sugar, sifted
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
1 T unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with butter.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour.  The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. ( I had to use more than 1 cup of the cream)...Fold everything together just to incorporate.  Do not overwork the dough. (my dough was very dry).  Toss the blueberries in some flour-to help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the scone when baked-then fold them into the batter.  Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough.

Using an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.  Brush the scones lightly with cream.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly brown.  Let the scones cool for at least 20 minutes before applying the glaze, or else it will not set.

Glaze:  Mix the lemon juice and confectioners sugar together in a microwaveable bowl.  Stir until the sugar dissolves.  Add the lemon zest (I didn't use zest) and butter.  Microwave on high power for 30 seconds.  Whisk the glaze to smooth out any lumps, then drizle the glaze over the top of the scones.  Let it set for 5 minutes.  Store in a covered airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

I put a second drizzle of the glaze on after the first one set... yum!

Lollibag's & Why Not? moments

Hello!

I did not find a chandelier................yet.  I am not sure when I will, but I'm in no rush.  Actually, it is something I would like to check off my list, but what can I do?  I have not found anything I'm in love with yet.

I currently have 77 Lollibag's in stock and ready to sell.  I would like to have 100 for The Creative Connection Event in 4 weeks.  That means I have to make 5.76 bags per week to meet my goal.

You know lovely suprises?  I had one, I found some gray linen in my fabric stash!  It was used for these Lollibag's.....

They sold out the first night of the show last year, so I was so, so happy to find that linen.  I am making a few more of these.

I also found some black linen!  I had no idea I had any!  I have never sold any Lollibag's with a black flower so I will try that.  Well actually I made my best friend a black flower bag, I forgot about that.....

Speaking of my best friend, she had a "Why Not?" moment this weekend...  What is a why not moment?  It is a moment when you say to yourself......WHY NOT?   A moment where you are tired of talking yourself out of things.  Can't we all find reasons why we should NOT do something???

I, DAILY, talk myself out of things.  But the last couple of years I have been asking myself.... well, Why Not? 
Why not try to make money at sewing handbag's?
Why not go on a girls trip to an exotic place?
Why not pray for that thing you don't think will get answered?
Why not move back to Minnesota?

Etc.......

So please don't be mad at me best buddy..... but, her why not moment was on a lake this weekend.  She was hot and wanted to swim but didn't have her swim suit.  She said to herself.... why not?  So she whipped off her dress and went tubing with her bra and undies.   Why not?  That's what a bikini looks like!
And to her I tip my hat, we should all have more WHY NOT? moments!!!

What is your, why not?

Chandelier Shopping

That is what I am doing today, chandelier shopping.  I have a budget and I am hoping I will find something I like in that budget.    What do I want?  Well I am thinking something gaudy, dripping with something or other.  My high ceilings call for grandiose!

I have always gotten your average black 6 arm plain chandelier.  I want to go crazy this time.

Even  if it doesn't scream "ME".... I will consider it.  The reaction I want would be for someone to see it and be a bit.....STARTLED, by how different it is.

Who knows, maybe the "startled" look is not in my budget.

I am expanding my taste.  Normally modern is not something I would even consider.  But not so much anymore.  If I like it, I will use it.

I'll take that bathtub while were at it too.  THAT, I know is not in the budget!

I am not opposed to something simple like this green one, as long as it is COLORFUL while being simple.  I am keeping an open mind, to all but price that is....

So wish me luck ladies, or I may just have to make it myself.  My husband may walk into the dining room one day and see all of our bowls and silverware hanging from the ceiling!

New Lollibag

I have been sewing like mad to have enough bags for The Creative Connection Event.  I always worry I'll never have enough!  I like to think positive that I will sell out.  Here is one of my new bags.

                                      The flower is  pink cotton from a vintage curtain. 

I wish I had rolls and rolls of this pink cotton ruffle, it is so fun to sew with.  It was a great find at an antique store in Oregon.  I can't believe it is August!  Have a great week!

DIY...am I getting crafty??

I suppose I am a bit crafty, but not like your average crafty blogger.  I have always wanted shopping bags for when I sell Lollibag's at shows.  But I've checked online and they are expensive and you end up ordering thousands if you want to get the best price.

I have a thing for paper shopping bags.  As a matter of fact I save all shopping bags and collect vintage paper products.  I used to have a huge stack of shopping bags, but sometimes I look at the pile and think....Prudy! What ARE you doing?  So currently I only have a few shopping bags, but don't worry, I plan on shopping in the near future.

Back to the subject at hand.  I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars for shopping bag's for show's....  So I decided to take my shopping bags.................

And my vintage newspapers, a glue stick and a marker, and make new label's for my old bags.

It was actually fun.  I didn't like cutting up the vintage newspaper, but I figured it was just sitting in a bin in my closet, so I might as well use it!

I can tell you exactly what I bought that was in these bags.  Is that bad?  This is the most darling bag from a store in Hawaii called Cinnamon Girl.  Summer shirt.

This bag was from Janie and Jack.  When I was pregnant with Sophie I bought her a really yummy pink knit sweater.  On the clearance rack of course.



Guess where that bag is from......

That was my retail therapy from Bare Escentuals.  Blush and eye shadow.

White House Black Market.  Really cute sandals with a bow across the front and wedge heels.

Nordstrom's.  After going to IKEA with my sister we stopped to look at Clinique stuff and I walked out with this bag.


So you may not need shopping bags for customers, but  you could do this for birthday's or Christmas too!  Write whatever you like on the new label.

Come back and tell me what you make!