accessories · home · Uncategorized

No-Sew Pillow Cover

Watch the video below to :

  1. See a simple no-sewBolster Pillow cover that I made recently.
  2. See the coolest (as in temperature) way to wear a scarf in summertime
  3. Hear about a fun activity I’m participating in this weekend!

 

Here’s the tutorial about how to braid a scarf.

Check out my finished pillows in the picture below:

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The fashion show in Jonesborough is on the back patio of Type A, 123 Main Street, Jonesborough.  If you’re not busy come over and see the cute things that will be modeled.  It’s free and it will be so much fun! It starts at 11:00.  Amber, who owns Type A will also be talking about Closet organization – something most everyone needs a little more of!  Come early so you can get a seat!

Stay refreshed,

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Uncategorized

Celebrating With Our Favorites

If you’re planning a special anniversary or birthday it’s a great idea to first come up with a theme.  The theme for our day of celebrating our 35th was, “Our Favorite Things.”  Our day was full and overflowing with just that!  Let me tell you about it and share a few pictures.

I  am blessed to have a husband who is a romantic at heart.  He loves to surprise me with thoughtful and romantic rendezvous!  He is the best at planning fantastic events to create memories for special days.  Even after 35 years he still comes up with ideas and trips that blow me away!  Our 35th anniversary was no exception!

We decided that we’d just like to go away for the day and come home that night.  Beautiful places to stay the night are great, but when you love home as much as we do, you don’t care about spending a fortune on the luxury you don’t feel you need. Home is our favorite place, so with that much being decided, we planned to have a really special supper out in the evening in a favorite nearby city – Asheville.

We started out from home before 10:00 in the morning and headed to Wheeler’s Bagels for breakfast.  We ate at a table outside – which is our favorite thing to do!

From there we headed towards Asheville.  We went to another favorite place – Grove Park Inn and went inside the inn and simply  sat and enjoyed the view and enjoyed time to chat and relax.

Next came the Biltmore Gardens.   We sat in the shade on a favorite bench and were amazed at the quiet and the beauty.

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Late in the afternoon, we changed into our dinner clothes and made our way to the Inn at Biltmore where we would enjoy a scrumptious meal!

 

I wish I could describe our meal, but it was all so unique, I’ll just sum it up by saying, there was nothing we didn’t love about it!  We each chose different items for each of the three courses, so we could sample one another’s choice!  The salad pictured above was the chef’s take on the Caesar Salad – really different, but it was outstanding!

The dessert I chose was Raspberry Lemon and Mint – there was a shortbread cookie, lemon curd, sponge cake, Raspberry sorbet and blackberries and fresh mint.  I couldn’t finish it, but it was heavenly.

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Through the day we also shared favorite memories, using 35 words I’d written down. Oh, to think back on our 35 years and the wonderful times we’ve shared.  We also talked about some hard things, and how the Lord brought us through those as well.

It was a day of tears, laughter, remembering and creating new memories at all of our favorite places, enjoying all of our favorite things – the greatest being time together!

If you could use a theme for your next special date with your spouse, what theme would you choose?

Thanks for coming by to read and share in our celebration!

With love,

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Uncategorized

An Anniversary Celebration Peek (and more to come)

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Happy Tuesday, Friends!  A well-ordered life is about priorities.  Yesterday’s priority was celebrating  our 35th anniversary all day long!  We got home late and crashed, so this morning I’m sharing the above photo with the promise of some more special pics to come…tomorrow.  This dessert photo was from our spectacular dinner in Asheville where we ate at The Inn at Biltmore.  Oh. My. Goodness.  It was perfect!

I cant’ wait to share the rest of our meal, and the events of the day, but in the meantime, there’s VBS to prepare for tonight and a mountain of laundry that awaits.

Choose the most important of priorities today and leave the rest for another day!

Until tomorrow,

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Cooking · Home making · summertime · Uncategorized

Tempting Your Family with Summer Fruits

There is a saying my girls remember well that I used in our home A LOT.  When they would want dessert, I would say,

“Why don’t you have some nice fruit?!”

They would look at me as if to say,

“Really? That’s not dessert!”

It may not be a chocolate chip cookie, but summer fruits are sweet and full of flavor!  I love summertime for lots of reasons, but all the fresh fruits is one of them!  I love cutting up a variety and having it in a bowl for quick snacks or dessert!  Having a big bowl all ready washed, cut up and ready to eat is far more appealing than the watermelon that has to be sliced every time you want to indulge.

Another  trick  secret to getting your family to eat more fruits like peaches or grapes is to have some washed and sitting out on the counter.  Put it in a pretty tray or bowl and set it on the counter.  They’ll snack on it more readily if it’s within easy reach.

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The pineapple will be sliced for a rice dish I’m making, then I’ll add the rest to my bowl of cut up fruit! For now it’s serving as a garnish!

This week our Aldi’s had mango’s for forty-nine cents!  That’s a good deal!  Mango’s are so sweet and make a great addition to a taco (if you haven’t tried that as a topping, you really should!) or a fruit salad.  To get the most out of the fruit, here’s the easiest way to peel and chop them:

You slice down on each side beside the long stone in the middle.  Then score each half with a knife.  Pop the skin inside out, then slice off the squares of fruit!  It’s super easy this way!

I have a bowl of fruit in the fridge right now with watermelon, peaches, honeydew, strawberries, blackberries and mango.  My favorite?  Probably the melons – or the blackberries, or maybe the mango… Excuse me while I go have some nice fruit!

What’s your favorite summer fruit?  How do you serve it?

Stay refreshed by slicing up some summer fruits!

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Christian Life · Uncategorized

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Recently while making my bed, I sighed and thought what a blessing to have a comfy bed and lovely bedroom in which to rest each night.  I thanked the Lord for His gift of rest and even of this bed that had once again, given us the sleep needed for the day’s activities that were ahead.

But you know, sometimes that same bed finds me holding my pounding head when I’m dealing with a migraine.  Other times the sheets have been twisted and strewn all over the place, due to a stomach bug.  On those days and nights, as well as the days when we jump up feeling rested, we can (and should) have praise on our lips to our God.  On a sickbed, we can remember:

~He has our days in His hands.

~He has grace sufficient for each trial.

~He will be with me.

~He will perfect that which concerns me.

~He will comfort me.

~He desires to use this time to conform me to His likeness.

It’s good on the days of health to think ahead and get a jump on praise for the sick days.  Store up praise in your heart by rehearsing these truths.  God never changes, and these Truths won’t either!  Whether we’re rising from a good night, from a fitful night, or even a very sick night, in our inner most being, let’s resolve to give God the praise that is always due His name.  Here’s what David said in Psalm 149:5

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

Well-bed, sickbed or deathbed, God is always worthy of praise!

With praise,

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