I {heart} Magazines

Hello! Once again, this week is getting away from me. I just can't seem to keep up. My Grandpa used to say, "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get." That is how I feel!

Sweet Girl has had a great week! The greatest sound in the world is her giggles. We've gotten to hear some of those this week. Yesterday was a beautiful day for her hippotherapy. Man, I love to see her riding that horse! In the world of Rett Syndrome research there was some promising news this week. I won't go into it all right now (and I don't understand all of it), but every little step takes us closer to a cure!

My boys cut these branches and brought them in to me this afternoon. They are such a pretty shade of red. Thanks, boys!

Now on to the subject of my post. I love magazines! My heart goes pitter-patter when I open my mailbox and a new issue peaks out at me. Just so you know, I do some serious "shopping around" to find cheap subscriptions. I subscribe to a few and do occasionally splurge on a magazine at the store. I look at them over and over. I dog-ear my favorite pages. Then I tear my very favorite pages out and put them in my inspiration folders.

Sadly, the magazine industry is struggling. Now, I know there are more serious economical issues than magazines, but still.... This week I received my very last issue of Country Home. It is no more. I've also read that Cottage Living and Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion are no longer being printed. Today another blogger mentioned that Hallmark magazine has sent out its last issue. Wow!

All is not lost, though. Yesterday I received the most beautiful magazine in the mail. I've blogged about it before. You really must have this magazine in your hands to understand how wonderful it is.

This issue is 96 pages (with no advertising). Ninety-six beautiful pages! I photographed a few so you could see for yourself.



See. I told you. Now, do me a favor. Subscribe to this publication! It is a bit pricey and normally I wouldn't pay that much for a magazine. But I want to make a statement. I want the editors to know what they are doing is worthwhile. If you aren't ready to subscribe yet, how about asking your local retailer to carry this magazine. I just know you will love it!

Instead of typing in a scripture tonight, I am going to leave you with one last page from life:beautiful. (Remember, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them.)

Seeing Red

We live in a fairly small town. So, when I needed some red spray shortly after we moved here I had two choices - WalMart and Ace Hardware. I didn't want bright red and I didn't want burgandy. I was having trouble finding just the right shade of red.

Then I found "International Red" (as in International tractors). Yes, this paint is meant for farm implements, but it has become my favorite spray paint. I've been through three cans now.

Last weekend I spent some time doing some "trash to treasure" projects for my antique booth. This little chalkboard was my favorite project. It was actually a mirror (in fact I just turned the mirror around and painted the chalkboard paint on the back). The wood basically had no finish left. I just got my spray paint and painted away. I love how it turned out and wish I would have kept it. Too late. It sold a couple days after I put it in the booth.

Here are some other projects. Sorry about the bad lighting. There is a very large picture-turned bulletin board, a picture-turned chalkboard, a metal tray-turned chalkboard....

....a little red camp stool and this mini message board with cute little red clothespins. I don't know what it is supposed to be. I just thought it would be fun to clip pictures, recipe cards, etc. to. When I bought the camp stool it was dirty and the seat was torn. I painted it and then used this fun webbing from WalMart for the seat. Love that webbing! It is like 62 cents/yard and I have seen some really fun projects with it here in blogland.

Garage sale season is starting to pick back up here. Yeah! On Friday afternoon I stopped by one and found some great (and much needed) clothes for the boys. Like-new Levi Silvertabs for the 11 yr old - $1, American Eagle cargo shorts - $1, like-new Old Navy dress pants for the 8 yr. old - 50 cents! I was excited about those purchases, but this is what really made my heart skip a beat....

Seven sheets of vintage valentines! Aren't they incredible?! I will keep some and sell some. Love 'em!

Well, I've got to get off the computer. Laundry to do. House to clean. Soup to get in the crockpot. Busy, busy!

{"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18}

P & V and a Mystery Object

Once again it has been almost a week since I posted. I still can't believe when I started this blog I posted almost every day. How did I manage that? Today I am trying to multi-task. While I read email and blogs I clipped coupons. While I waited for these pictures to upload I folded laundry....

I took this photo the other day just for fun. Then when I couldn't decide what to get my Hubby for Valentine's Day I decided I could use the picture. Should I frame it? Use it on a card?

Then I remembered this block of wood. It was one of those "I have no idea what this is, but I'm sure I will find a use for it" purchases at the thrift store. It is just the right size for a paperweight for Hubby's desk.

I thought about decorating it up a bit more, but since it was for a guy I decided to keep it simple. Hubby maybe wouldn't have appreciated antique lace and buttons.

An old skeleton key is manly, though, don't you think?

I tore out the definition of love from an old dictionary to finish it off.

Now for the mystery object. It is another one of those "I have no idea..." finds. I don't know if I will ever find a use for this one, but for 49 cents I decided to bring it home. If nothing else, I knew it would give me something to blog about.

It is some sort of handmade wooden object.


Here is a shot of the whole thing laying on the table.

Then I figured out that if I stood it up by the center part it would balance on the edge of the table. Hmmm....Does it have a purpose? Is it just a conversation piece? Any thoughts?

If you haven't read my post about Baby be Blessed, I would love for you to do so. I continue to be amazed and humbled by the kindness of strangers. There are many people praying for Sweet Girl thanks to Baby be Blessed! Yes, there is a place on the Give a Blessing page for donations, but that really isn't what it is all about. It is about blessing my Sweet Girl with prayer. She deserves it! (I do want to say this, though. If any donations are made, they will go into an account to be used for special equipment - feeding chair, adapted bike - or to make our home handicap accessible.)

I suppose I should get back to the laundry and the many other things on my "to do" list today. I hope you have a wonderful day!

{I will never give up hope or stop praising you. Psalm 71:14}

Fingerprint Friday

This is a first for me. I am participating in PamperingBeki's "Fingerprint Friday." There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them?

This week I am seeing God's fingerprints in nature's blooms. This is our first spring in this house, so all the blooms and blossoms are somewhat of a surprise. There is a Jane Magnolia tree in the yard. I blogged a little about it here.
I know nothing about this kind of tree. In July I wondered why the blooms were turning brown and dying. Now I am thinking that maybe that just wasn't the season for the tree to bloom and thrive. {There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven....Ecclesiastes 3:1}

Now it is spring and the tree is covered in buds. They are beginning to open and it is beautiful. I look at it each day with hope that it will be more beautiful than the day before. {"But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you." Psalm 39:7}

I am also seeing the fingerprints of God in these daffodils. They are just popping up here and there.

What a beautiful promise of spring!

If you would like to see more "fingerprints" please make sure to visit PamperingBeki. You will be blessed!

{For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations. Isaiah 61:10}

Love You More!

Can you believe it is already the second week of February? That means it is almost Valentine's Day. I want to be that mom who makes cute handmade Valentines for her kids. I'm not. Although, last year I guess I was. It is not looking good for this year.

I did put together a couple things for my antique booth. This probably needs some glitter or buttons or something. If it doesn't sell maybe I can jazz it up for next year.

I wasn't sure what to do with these little milk glass containers. Does anyone know what they orginally contained? Was it "LOVE" potion? Sorry. That was lame. I'm not very creative today and can't think what to write.
I used these stamps for the "LOVE." It is not a complete set, but they are fun.

Man, I really can't think of anything to write today. Maybe it is God's way of nudging me to get off the computer and get busy with cleaning, laundry, etc.

{"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3}

The Handmade Dress and Frieda's Fabric

Hello! I think I am finally getting back into the swing of things. Sweet Girl has had a good week. I just can't tell you how much all your kind words have meant. I have received comments and emails from so many of you. I am completely humbled because some of you have been through so much with your sweet children. Thank you for sharing your stories. I read an appropriate quote the other day: "God doesn't give us what we can handle; God helps us handle what we are given."

I recently discovered The Handmade Dress and immediately fell in love! Samantha is so talented! I just kept going back to her dress patterns and thinking how cute one of them would be on Sweet Girl. I even emailed my SIL, mom and a friend to tell them about the patterns. The Handmade Dress was, of course, added to Google Reader so I could keep up with all the happenings. Also, I figured that would be a good reminder for me to go back and purchase a dress pattern.

Photo from The Handmade Dress

Much to my delight, Samantha hosted a giveaway a few days later. I entered, but didn't get my hopes up. Then, last week while I was sitting in the hospital with Sweet Girl I logged on and discovered that I had one the Miss Madeline pattern. Woohoo! What a wonderful blessing during that time. Thank you, Samantha, for the pattern (and the sweet email). I can't wait to sew a dress for my Sweet Girl!

Speaking of sewing, when I was a little girl my Grandma owned a fabric store. I really don't have many memories of it because I was quite young. Anyway, the last time I was home I was helping my mom organize her closets and I came across this little advertising mirror from Frieda's Fabric. What a fun little keepsake...and useful, too! It has a fabric conversion chart on it.

Wow! It is Thursday evening already. Amazing how much faster this week is going compared to last week. I hope you are having a good week. Thanks for stopping by!

{I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13}

Baby Be Blessed

We got home from the hospital about 6:00 last night. Sweet Girl was very happy to be home. It was so good to see her smile. Other than being tired, she has had a good day. We are just praying that she continues to feel good.

I mentioned the other day about God's perfect timing. That is what I want to share with you today. I've been thinking about how I can make this a short story, but I'm not sure I can do that. Bear with me....

I love this big blog world. One of the blogs I read regulary is Bring the Rain . What an inspiration! A few weeks ago Angie posted about some sweet little dolls that her daughters had received. That led me to Baby be Blessed and I quickly added the blog to my Google Reader. You've just got to look at these precious dolls! Laura and Tina,the fabulous women who create the dolls do a "Yay Free Friday" giveaway each week. On January 16 I entered with this comment: "Ahhhh, how sweet! My sweet girl would love her - and she could certainly use a blessing right now. Rett Syndrome is not being kind to her little body." We were in the midst of the horrible vomiting and it was taking its toll.

Well, I didn't win, but another comment caught the attention of the gals at Baby be Blessed. Betty of Simply Southern said, "just beautiful! if you pull my name please send it to the commenter who wrote this ...commenter # 15 i believe...sounds like she needs a sweet blessing!" I don't know Betty and I knew nothing about this comment until January 25.

On that night I was tired and discouraged. Sweet Girl had started vomiting again that evening after having been in the hospital the previous weekend and supposedly on the mend. (Remember, I told you I couldn't make this short.) Before going to bed I sat down to read my email. An email from Laura at Baby be Blessed caught my attention. Next thing I knew I had tears streaming down my face.

Laura had visited my blog after reading my comment and Betty's comment on her blog. She emailed me to see if Sweet Girl could be a part of their Give a Blessing program. God is so good! When Laura sat down to email me she didn't know Sweet Girl was sick again. She didn't know how weary I was. God knew!

As we headed to the hospital on Tuesday I was comforted by the knowledge that there would soon be many people praying for my Sweet Girl. A blessing, indeed! I would love for you to visit Give a Blessing to learn more about this wonderful ministry. Thank you, Laura and Tina. May you be blessed abundantly in return. Also, blessings to you, Betty!

{From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16}