Bloom....please!

Hmmmm.... I wonder if God finds it humorous that I named my blog {Bloom Right Here!}? When I chose that name I was in a good spot; growing and thriving in my comfortable little world. How many times since then have I found myself withering instead of blooming?

Sometimes I think God is saying to me, "This is where I planted you. Bloom....please!" If only I were a better listener. I am trying.

In turn, I hope my bulbs grow and bloom. I have paper whites in the milk glass pedestal and the boots and an amaryllis in the other white container. Paper whites are new to me and I am not sure how quickly they usually grow. Have you ever grown an amaryllis? Especially if you have children, you really should try it. They grow so fast! It is fun to put a ruler in the soil beside it and check the height each day.

I always buy my bulbs on clearance after Christmas. Of course, these containers came from the thrift store. The itty-bitty black boots were my boys'. When I came across them recently I started to get rid of them, but decided I couldn't part with them. Do you know how many pair of these "muddy boots" my boys have had? They have been a wardrobe essential for them since they were toddlers. At 9 and 12 they are still wearing them.

Just before Christmas I received a package in the mail from Jill of Jill Ruth & Co. Inside was this beautiful piece of art. I wish I would have taken a better picture. Hand stitching. Free-form machine stitching. Old buttons. Bent wire. It is absolutely wonderful!

Jill also sent these little "word nuggets." So fun!

Thank you, Jill, for reminding me to bloom! And thank you, Lord, for sending me friends to remind of this!


{...the desert will bloom with flowers. It will be very glad and shout with joy. The glorious beauty of Lebanon will be given to it.... Everyone will see the glory of the Lord. They will see the beauty of our God. Isaiah 35:2}

Just a Little Something

Lots going on in my head and in my heart right now, but I'm not sure any of it is blog-worthy. I don't have much time today. Just thought I would show you a little project I did recently.

In the February issue of Country Living I saw this little tray. It is not exactly my style, but it still caught my eye.

I decided to use some of these little black trays I've had for a long time and make something a little more to my liking. I have 8 of these and I'm sure I paid less than $1 for them at the thrift store a few years ago. First I primed them and then painted them with my favorite red paint.

Then I used Mod Podge to adhere some old reciepts. The store-bought version is okay, but I like mine better! I think these would be good to put in the laundry room or on your dresser to catch the "pocket change." Or set it on a table next to your door so you will always have a place to drop your keys when you come in. My version is also metal, so that adds some magnetic possibilities.

See that quilt the trays are sitting on? That is one of my newest thrift store finds. I will have to blog about it soon.

I am linking up to Becky's blog again today. Just click on the button below to see some fun projects.

Saturday's Psalm

{"O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things." Psalm 98:1}

A Thought for Thursday

This is all I've got for you today....

{Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10}

I'm linking up to "$100 Ideas Under $100" over at Becky's blog.

A Look Back

Hello! I hope you haven't completely given up on me - or just plain forgot about me and my little old blog. We traveled some (and by some I mean from Arkansas to Kansas to Colorado, back to Kansas and home to Arkansas) at Christmas. Since we have been home I have been trying to come up with some great, inspiring blog post to start out the new year. I am still trying to come up with it.....

Until then I thought I would share some photos from the past year. I just went through my pictures month-by-month and picked a favorite for each month.

Well-dressed chairs for January.

February's beautiful bloom!

Hope springs eternal in March.


Sweet Girl's April Easter dress.


A latch from an old leather suitcase I sold in May.


June was canning season. {wink}

It was not I who turned 40 in July!

An August prayer.

And a September prayer.

Lovin' my clothesline on an October day!

November is family picture time.

December's simple tree decorations.

That is my quick year-in-review. I wonder what my pictures will be like a year from now? I know that God has good things in store for our family. Waiting on (and recognizing) those "good things" is sometimes difficult. My January 2010 prayer needs to be one of patience and surrender.

{Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer. Job 11:13}

{We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. Romans 5:3}