Book Review: Deep Harbor ** Win Copy**

Title: Deep Harbor

Series: Northern Lights Series

Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren

Publisher’s Synopsis: As they build new lives in America, Tora, Elsa, Kaatje, and Karl each experience a personal tragedy that threatens to destroy everything they left Norway to find. Tora’s web of lies has cost her a successful future with the man she loves. When tragedy strikes, Elsa must draw upon her faith and the strength she can muster to discover who she is and the path she must follow. After her husband’s disappearance, Kaatje struggles to raise two young daughters and tend her farm, and Karl finds himself caught in a life of loneliness and emptiness. Only by placing their trust in God—and in each other—will they pass through these rough waters and find the safety of the harbor.

From the richly forested banks of the Washington Territory to the burgeoning city of Yokohama and across the turbulent, danger-filled waves of the open sea—experience the epic saga of perseverance, pain, faith, and calling in the Northern Lights series.

Well, I confess.  I didn’t think I was going to like reviewing this book when I discovered it is the sequel to the book The Captain’s Bride, but fortunately, and unlike me, Ms. Bergren knows how to write a continuing story that can stand alone.  I was suitable captivated by the Norwegian women.  After all, if they were real, they could have been my children’s ancestors.

While Historical Fiction is not my favorite genre, Ms. Bergren did an excellent job creating a tale that grabbed and then held my interest.  I love her flawed but endearing characters.  Too often, authors seem to give their characters token faults, but these women, as admirable as they are, had serious character flaws that made them believable and helped the reader grow sympathetic.

There were a couple of minor historical errors… I THINK… I haven’t looked them up so I won’t say what, but they were minor and honestly, if I didn’t have parents that were closet etymologists, I doubt I would have noticed one of them.  So, I really don’t have much complaint at all with the book, but I can recommend it and do.  I think one of the nicest things about this book is the ability to disappear into a different place and part of history.  Instead of Victorian England or  the American Prairies, this book takes you onto the open sea with people from a place not often found in Christian fiction– Norway.

I want to thank Waterbrook for providing this copy for review.  I would also like to share the bounty and offer a chance for someone else to enjoy it!  So to enter, simply post a comment and tell me what part of history or place in history you’ve never read fiction about and would like to OR that is where/when your favorite book is situated.

Mirror Image~

I have a few warnings for mothers…

Your children learn how to cope with life from you.  If you fall apart when everything isn’t smooth, don’t be surprised when they do the same thing.

Your children learn contentment from you.  If you are always wanting bigger, better, or simply different than what you have, don’t be surprised when they aren’t satisfied with what you do for or give to them.

Your children learn manners from you.  If you are demanding of others, don’t be surprised when people don’t want to be around your children because they learned to be demanding from you.

Your children learn appreciation from you.  If you want appreciation for what you do for your children, you might want to show it when others do for you.

Your children learn service from you.  If you want your children to have servants’ hearts, you must first show them what that looks like.

Your children learn joy from you.  If you wonder why they whine, pout, sulk, and throw ‘grown up tantrums’ as teens or young adults, look in the mirror.  There’s a good chance they learned it from you.  Teach joy instead.

I have never been so unmotivated to help others.  I’ve never seen others so very entitlement oriented and unappreciative of that which is done for them.  I’ve never seen such immature fits of temper from people who are supposedly adults.  And in every single case, I have to pause and think about whether it is mom or child that is the offender right now.  These grown children are exact mirrors of their parents– and it’s not a good thing.

I have failed in every area of my parenting.  We all will.  We’re fallen sinners and we take our eyes off Jesus and let them rest on the waves and the ugliness of life takes over.  I look at my kids, and I know that the only reason they aren’t glaring testimonies to my personal weaknesses is because of Jesus.  But I’ll tell you, after watching what I’ve seen recently, I know this.  I will be even more diligent in the future.  I will keep my eyes on the goal, my prayers flowing heavenward, and my heart rooted in the Word or I’m going to be looking back at a week or two like the past few and realize that MY grown kids are the ones that are bringing shame to me– because they’ll be exact reflections of my ugliness.

I know that our children have the Holy Spirit to sanctify them.  I know that at some point they stand before the Lord as individuals who choose sin over godliness and answer for it.  However, you cannot watch what I’ve watched these past few weeks and not see that who we are, our strengths and weaknesses, are reflected in our children and if our weaknesses are what characterize us, it is not only not pretty… it’s also misery on people around you.

Stepping off soapbox and smashing with a hammer.

Book Review: Secrets

Title: Secrets

Author: Robin Jones Gunn

Series: Glenbrooke Series

Publisher’s Synopsis: Jessica ran from her past…but can she hide from love?

Jessica Morgan wants desperately to forget the past and begin a new life. She chooses a small, peaceful town tucked away in Oregon’s Willamette Valley as the place to start over—Glenbrooke. Once there, Jessica conceals her identity from the intriguing personalities she meets—including the compassionate paramedic who desires to protect her and the jealous woman who wants nothing more than to destroy her.

Will Jessica’s deceit ruin all hope for the future? Or will she find a deeper peace that allows her to stop hiding the truth from those who love her most of all?

This heartwarming bestseller, book one in the Glenbrooke series, introduces the fascinating people of Glenbrooke in a compelling tale of romance and spiritual truth.

Well, reading this book was like picking up an old friend.  I read this series probably ten years ago.  First, may I say I love the new covers.  L.O.V.E.  Just sayin’.

Ok, the book.  Well, since I’d read all of the series in the course of two days the last time I read it, I made sure I reread it.  I enjoyed it as much as I did last time.  The story is clean, interesting, and has a few nuggets to really inspire you to be the person that GOD wants you to be.

However, I found myself shaking my head in the same places as the last time.  The “realization” that she needs salvation was very convenient, happened early, and she sure knew an awful lot about what she needed in regards to salvation when she didn’t know the simplest things about the Bible before that moment.  The main male character, Kyle, managed to fall for her awfully quickly.

So, suffice it to say, it isn’t going to go down in history as one of the finest works in Christian literature.  Hey, most people wouldn’t call it literature at all.  It’s just a really nice story about likable people, and a plot that is a lovely escape.  Will I read it again?  Probably.  Sometimes you just need an enjoyable story to lose yourself in for a while.  This is that story.

Get yourself down to the local bookstore, over to Amazon.com, or to Randomhouse.com and buy a copy.   Then, next time you have a rough day and want to disappear into another world, it’ll be waiting for you.  Welcome to Glenbrooke… you might not want to go home.

Thank you Random House for providing this copy for review.

Book Review~ Ned: Barnardo Boy ** Win Free Copy**

Title: Ned

Subtitle: Barnardo Boy

Author: Barbara Coyle

Publisher’s Synopsis: Ned is nobody’s child. Abandoned as a toddler on the streets of 1870′s London, he must fend for himself and survive by his wits. Discover how Ned finds help at a Ragged School, becomes a “Barnardo boy,” and eventually emigrates to Canada to begin a new life.

Ned: Barnardo Boy is a historically accurate children’s book that is delighting children and adults alike. Meticulously researched and full of spiritual truth, Ned is a book your family will treasure.

To be honest, I knew I’d like this book when I bought it.  I like the author, I love children’s books, and who doesn’t love a good orphan story– assuming it has a happy ending!  So, I bought it, stuffed it on my shelf, and then the next time I felt sick, I grabbed it for “comfort food”.   Let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed.

Historically speaking, it’s spot on.  You learn a lot about the era, the fact of the Ragged Schools, and get a feel for the time.  However, that isn’t the brilliancy that I love about this book.  Ned grips your heart and won’t let you go.  Barbara’s masterful characterization has created a child you can’t help but fall in love with.  Good vs. evil, the work of the Lord in a young boy’s life, and the obedience of God’s people to His commandments combine into one amazing story that will leave you eager for more.  And Barbara gives you more in her book A Fine Young Lady.  While A Fine Young Lady isn’t a children’s novel, it does give you a glimpse of similar themes and more of one of the same characters in a beautiful story for adults.

To learn more about Barbara’s Historical Fiction Unit Studies, visit her website and get a fresh look into spring.  After the February Blues, having something like this to look forward to is exactly what your home school might need.  For those who don’t homeschool, this book is still a fascinating story that any child will enjoy.

So, to win a copy of this wonderful heartwarming story, simply leave a comment and tell me if you’d ever heard of the Barnardo Boys or the Ragged Schools before hearing of this book.  I can’t wait to give away a copy!

Winner! Love and War!

The readers have it!  You asked for give away, and you got it.  I went over to Random.org and plugged in the mere 4 people who commented– that gave you guys a one in FOUR chance.  Odds were so good!

There you go botaitai (Beth?)!!!  You win!  Email me your address and you’ll get your book ASAP!  Yippie Skippie!

Winner! Raising Godly Tomatoes!!!

So, we have a winner of this marvelous book!  I did my trusty Random.org integer generation magic and  the generator spit out one number…

And there you go!  Stacy!  Email me your address and I’ll zip out your copy ASAP.  Yippie Skippy!

Enjoy the book!

We Have a Winner: ANGELS

Excellent!  We have a winner for the book, Angels by Dr. David Jeremiah!  I go to Random.org, plug in 10 comments, and it spits out a winner.  Wanna see who?  Sure you do.

Email me your address, Sarah!  I hope you enjoy it!

Craft Challenge: Week Four Results

Week 4- Paper

Erm.. yeah.  See, remember, I don’t have a huge paper craft mess yet.  I’ve just gotten started in this gig, so we’re good, right?  Yeah.  Well, see this picture…

One thing I learned in this process is that those drawers and I don’t mix.  Nope.  No way, no how.  Ain’t happenin’.  You see, in those drawers, I have to pull everything out, look at it, think about it, and then put it all back.  It’s not exactly conducive to efficient crafting.  Sure, it’s easy to put away… but it’s horrible to get out.  The point isn’t to hoard paper– it’s to use it for cryin’ out loud! BTW… if you have a paper collection that is collecting dust, reread that italicized sentence again.  Once a week if necessary!

So, those drawers had to give up the paper.  That’s good, because I’m thinkin’ that’d be a GREAT spot for… yep, you guessed it (work with me here)… RUBBER STAMPS!  YIPPEE!

Yes, you too can have an amazing rubber stamp collection in nice little drawers designed for paper!

So, what did I put my paper in instead of those drawers?  Well, first I took all paper (including the stupid Martha Stewart ones with the over sized pads that didn’t fit in drawers) and tore them all out of any books, packaging, etc and separated by colors and patterns

I had the following color sets:

• Pink/Red
• Blue
• Green
• Purple
• White/Tan/Yellows/Black
• Mixed

I separated all the printed first and put them into stacks.  Then I separated the solids and put them behind the printed in each color set.  Now I was ready to put them in my new container.  Here’s the funny part.  Sunday night, I didn’t do my usual prepare for this week’s crafting.  Dumb move.  I was knee deep in formatting and editing my book and was too engrossed to think about the fact that Monday I was going to be where you can actually buy stuff for this kind of project.  So, I got down to the LA area and had a wealth of products at my fingertips… and didn’t know what this week’s challenge was.  I thought it was paper, but I wasn’t sure.  I looked at several options, but since I didn’t realize I was coming home to DO it… I didn’t buy anything.  Dumb.

So, today I opened up the challenge, checked out the job, and sighed.  Then, I got to work.  I moseyed over to Wal-Mart… nothing grabbed me.  Staples had lots of options, but nothing fit 12×12″ paper.  EEK.  Then, just as I was ready to give up, I found these things on the clearance rack!

There are three racks in each one.  I bought both of the ones that our Staples had and have begged my internet buddies to do a search at their stores to see if I can get two more.  Right now, my two are not packed to the gills, but they are reasonably full.  I want to have matching things for later if I get more.

Now, my room and such is all white.  That black isn’t going to cut it, so I need to figure out how to cover it.  What do you think?  How should I cover it?  Find contact paper?  Paper mache?  Cloth?  Any ideas out there?

Here is my paper in its new home.  I think it looks happy, don’t you?

Now, I have to figure out what to do with my 8.5 x 11″ paper.  I don’t have a lot now, but I am going to have more as I do more card making.

Any suggestions?

Now, all I have to do is make it pretty (cover it somehow– off to do research for ideas for that) and decide on the 8.5 x 11″ paper.  Since it’ll likely be mostly solids, I’m seriously considering putting it in an accordion file and leave it at that.  We’ll see.  Meanwhile, share your ideas.  All I know is that I want VERTICAL storage.  Horizontal and I don’t match.

Moments of Insanity~

I decided to embark on a new project.  Yeah, cause I need another one like a hole in the head, right?

Step over to Eclectivity and see just how insane I am!

Book Review: Love & War

Book: Love and War

Subtitle: Finding the Marriage You’ve Dreamed Of

Author: John and Stasi Eldredge

Publisher’s Synopsis: What the Eldredge bestsellers Wild at Heart did for men, and Captivating did for women, LOVE & WAR will do for married couples everywhere. John and Stasi Eldredge have contributed the quintessential works on Christian spirituality through the experience of men and the experience of women and now they turn their focus to the incredible dynamic between those two forces.

With refreshing openness that will grab readers from the first page, the Eldredges candidly discuss their own marriage and the insights they’ve gained from the challenges they faced. Each talks independently to the reader about what they’ve learned, giving their guidance personal immediacy and a balance between the male and female perspectives that has been absent from all previous books on this topic.   They begin LOVE & WAR with an obvious but necessary acknowledgement:  Marriage is fabulously hard.  They advise that the sooner we get the shame and confusion off our backs, the sooner we’ll find our way through.

LOVE & WAR shows couples how to fight for their love and happiness, calling men and women to step into the great adventure God has waiting for them together. Walking alongside John and Stasi Eldredge, every couple can discover how their individual journeys are growing into a story of meaning much greater than anything they could do or be on their own.

I’ve never read anything by John or Stasi Eldredge, but I’ve heard of them.  To be honest, I didn’t expect to find anything new and exciting revealed in the pages of this book– and I didn’t.  However, that isn’t to be taken as some kind of condemnation of the contents or that I think it was a waste of time to read.  On the contrary, the book is full of great reminders that most married couples need to hear from time to time.  In it you’ll find ideas like:

• Marriage is hard work– so roll up your sleeves and get to it.
• Satan hates marriage and will fight against yours.
• Men and women think differently.
• You’re going to have to die to self and serve your spouse.

All through the book, we read about the troubles and triumphs of the authors and their friends both in life and in their marriages.  The book is full of anecdotes and scripture alike.  While I do not agree with all of the psychology and the theology presented in the book, I do agree with the main powerful premise.  Marriage is worth it.  Period.  Marriage is a picture of God’s love for mankind and we need to value it enough to make it work.

For me, the biggest question was in the statement, “Marriage is hard.”  You see, I may be alone in this– Kevin may have a totally different perspective– but for me, our marriage hasn’t been hard.  I feel like I’m opening myself to some horrible calamity by saying it, but it’s true.  We’ve just never had horrible times.  Our little difficulties, when really examined in the light of reality, just haven’t been much trouble.  We’ve not suffered huge loss, struggled with terrible difficulties, or had great rifts in our relationships.  We’ve never even had a ‘fight’.  Forget that, we’ve barely had a snip at each other in the twenty-one years we’ve been married.  Do we agree on everything?  Nope.  We’re just not the “get riled up” about things types.  We’re more the, “Oh who cares, it’s not that important” types.

So, as I read that line, “Marriage is hard” repeatedly through the book, I confess, I wondered about it.  I even started a few ideas for a new novel based upon that line.  I wondered.  Is our marriage not “hard” because we’re apathetic?  Is that how Satan is attacking us as a couple?  Apathy?  Are we somehow in deep spiritual blindness as evidenced by ease?  Or, I wondered, is it that Satan has lain in wait for this moment to stir seeds of doubt in my heart in order to, after all these years of what I’ve always seen as a good marriage, destroy it from the core.

You know, at the time of our wedding, we knew at least six other couples.  Within a year of our wedding, five of those couples were separated or divorced.  Twenty-one years later, only one of those couples is still married.  I remember when Kevin asked me to marry him.  The guy has to have guts like no man ever had.  I was a single mom.  I had great thunderpuppy ideas about what my life should be like as a single mom.  I’d never planned to have any children or get married.  I was a mom now, but marriage wasn’t a part of my future, and as I told my best friend that, he asked me to marry him.  Can you see it?

Me: “I’ve got a child to raise, a living to make, and I don’t think it’s right to bring a man into that picture.  I’m never getting married.”
Kevin: “Well, would you marry me?”

Uhhhhhhhh–  How do you answer that?  I mean, frankly, Kevin was either stupid (I knew he was not), or this was God (bingo!).  I opted to go with the God thing.  In the couple of seconds it took all that to go through my head, I made up my mind.  I don’t remember if my NEXT words were this or if I said yes first.  I do know that they were very close together, but I said, “If you marry me, you’re stuck.”  Yeah, I’m romantic.  *cough*.

But I believe that.  I firmly believe, we’re stuck.  We said, “Until death,” and vows are unbreakable in my book.  One thing this book didn’t say but made me think about was my vows and how often we DO break them.  Think about it, the preacher says, “Will you love, honor, cherish (insert appropriate verb here) for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, until death–” and then we say we will.  Um, how many times have you not loved in your words, actions, or even in your heart?  How many times were you dishonoring in your words (the things you’ve said to a friend over lunch or online on a message board… I’ve done it.  SHAME ON ME), your actions, or your thoughts. “As he thinks in his heart…”  This book, whether they meant to or not, really drove home the idea that our vows are ongoing.  We didn’t make them once and that’s it.  We’re home free.  We have to live them, day in and day out, every second, even when it’s difficult.  In THAT sense, yeah… marriage is hard.  Because it’s hard for me to die to myself every day and when I get irritated over some stupid little thing that poor Kevin has no idea irritates me (and I really need to get over 99% of the time), I need to honor him in THOUGHT as well as in word or deed.  Ouch.

Who is this book for?  Well, honestly, I guess it’s for everyone, however I’d say that if you are someone who easily becomes discontent with how your spouse compares to other people, this book isn’t for you.  I found myself thinking, “Oy, I won’t be passing this on to so and so” a few times.  On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who reads a book and sees from it what you need to do to serve the Lord in how you relate to others,  I personally think the book is worth your time and money.  I think it’s good to be shaken out of our comfort zones and examine our hearts before the Lord in specific areas like this.  And, I think it helped me see that there are more ways for things to be than it seems.  Just because Kevin and I have never once even thought divorce (or I certainly haven’t and I don’t think he has), doesn’t mean that we’ve arrived in our marriage.  Just because we’ve never had an affair or become immune to one another, doesn’t mean I don’t have a responsibility to invest in him in ways I tend to forget.  So yes, the book is good, even if your marriage is too!

I want to thank Random House for providing this book for review, and I’ll be adding it to my “bonus box” that is getting almost full!  We’ll be drawing for it soon unless I get a bunch of comments asking for a give away.  Then, I’ll probably just draw from those comments and send it to that winner.  So tell me, which would you rather see?  Part of the box of books give away or draw for it as an individual book?

Book Review: Raising Godly Tomatoes ** Win Free Copy**

Title: Raising Godly Tomatoes

Subtitle: Loving Parenting With Only Occasional Trips To the Woodshed

Author: L. Elizabeth Krueger

Publisher’s Synopsis: Weary of struggling with your toddler? Frustrated with the failing advice of secular psychologists and permissive parenting gurus? Leery of the strict focus on rules and the hyper-regimentation advocated elsewhere?

If you are simply looking for a straightforward Biblical approach to parenting that focuses on the heart of your child, as well as his outward actions, then Raising Godly Tomatoes is for you. In these pages you’ll find a wealth of common sense and godly wisdom, a guide to applying reasonable discipline, and instructions on how to build a close relationship with your child.

Raising Godly Tomatoes encourages parents to keep their young children — their little ‘tomatoes’ — lovingly staked to them, in order to train and apprentice them in a godly way of life that will prepare them for Christ’s calling in the future, and render them a pleasure to live with today. Elizabeth is a Christian homeschooling mother of ten children, ages 7 to 27. She lives with her children and her husband of 30 years, in the state of Michigan. She enjoys quilting, riding horses and playing her violin. She also spends much of her spare time encouraging parents daily via her website at RaisingGodlyTomatoes.com.
This is one of the most common sense approaches to parenting that I’ve seen in a long time. It has zippo to do with over-spiritualizing our gardening practices and everything to do with proper training of mind, body and spirit of our children.

I found Mrs. Krueger’s book both sensible and balanced. The simple premise is, “Keep children in sight and/or ear shot until you can fully trust them out of sight and/or earshot.”  While not exactly a complicated concept, it is quite revolutionary in today’s parenting climate.

When you think about it, the concept is simple common sense.  If children are to learn how to behave and what is and isn’t acceptable behavior, we must be near them in order to demonstrate proper behavior and nip improper behavior in the bud.

I was surprised by several of the reviews I read on Amazon.com regarding this book. To read what some had to say, you’d think we read entirely different books. Mrs. Krueger encouraged parents to be reasonable, consistent, and most of all, loving! There is no pressure to isolate ourselves from everyone around us and where anyone got that idea, I cannot fathom! There is no encouragement to physical harshness of any kind.  While Mrs. Krueger does not discourage corporal punishment, she certainly does NOT encourage the use of it on whim or for simple childishness.  What is advocated in this book is, as the title says, “occasional” and obviously (if you actually read how she encourages constant loving interaction) nothing extreme or excessively harsh.  While I think the change would be initially difficult for both parent and child, embracing the simple principles of togetherness with your children and the consistent discipleship of their character will certainly foster close and loving relationships. I recommend that readers find Mrs. Krueger’s website by the same name and read excerpts from the book and make an intelligent decision based upon rational assessment rather than overly dramatic misinformation.

I decided to give a copy away to a commenter because I believe that this book could really encourage mothers.  So, to enter, simply post a comment and tell us the best parenting advice you’ve ever received.

Craft Challenge Week Three Results

Week 3-  Start Small or Go for Broke

Well, I really had to think hard about this.  You see, on the one hand, definitely, I need to go for broke.  But, when you read what she says to do, it becomes daunting.  You see, I don’t have a whole room that I can box up, move out, and then slowly move back in.  I have a very small house.  Furthermore, half my craft space is dedicated to sewing paraphernalia.But as I thought about things, I realized that most of what I have IS boxed already!  Yippie!  I won’t move it out per se, and I won’t be painting or anything, but I can do quite a bit.  I’m actually planning on doing some book renovations and such. If I’m going to do my space, I’m going to make sure the rest of my room fits it.  My bedroom is my scrap/craft room.  So, I’m going to go for it.  All the way.  here we go!

Yep… if you missed that… I’m “going for broke.  Just sayin’.

The big “go for broke” assignment is to VACUUM.  Well, I dusted and dustbusted.  I’m still dusting and dustbusting.  Let’s just say that I think these bunnies have FANGS.  I do pretty good at keeping anything I can reach dusted.  However, if it’s near the floor or my hands can’t reach it, I forget to dust.  Then the bunnies multiply (as God created bunnies to do) and man… they are mutants!  So, while the bulk of the area was relatively dust-free, this um… well… wasn’t.

Week 3-  Bonus for Overhaulers

Bonus for overhauling…  Ok… I was a little afraid to read, but I did it.

So, here’s my “scrapbook” of ideas

Compliments of HGTV

Compliments of HGTV

Compliments of Flicker

Compliments of Home-designing.com

Compliments of home-designing.com

Image Compliments of BHG

I particularly love this because I have some great storage drawers that I realize would fit in my bedroom closet on the floor!  YES!!

Image Compliments of BHG

Image compliments of BHG

Compliments of BGH

I want to figure out how they hung these cans…

Image Compliments of BGH

Oh, well now, look at this!  It says “Paper-covered soup cans hold markers, pencils, and brushes. Punch a hole in the back of the can to hang.”

Image compliments of BGH

For my handled boxes…

Image compliments of BGH

Image compliments of BGH

Do this to my white boxes?

Image compliments of MarthaStewart.com

I’m thinking this might be a good idea…

Image compliments of BGH

Image Compliments of BGH

Ok, I like this idea for clear stamps.

Image compliments of BGH

I really think this’ll be my paper solution.  I think.

Image compliments of BGH

She asked a few questions to get you thinking… I thought I’d answer them.. cause I can.

Where will your main scrap area be? Well, everything I do will likely be done in my bedroom at the craft table.  Semi sitting/standing unless I’m sewing.

What tools need to be close by, which ones can be stored further away? I think paper can be portable, but I need to be able to easily get to the stuff that goes on paper.  Otherwise, I won’t do it.  Photos also can be stored away as long as they aren’t “out of sight/out of mind.”  I definitely need to be able to walk in, grab my paper, sit down, and have most of the rest of the stuff within easy reach.

How about workstations – one for stamping, one for die cuts, etc? Not possible.  I don’t have the space.  However, if I planned my work out when I’m going to do big projects, I could do work DAYS where I did all the die cuts one day, all the stamping another, all the assembling another… etc.

I also want to consider what using the drawers under my bed or a new bed like THIS would do for the room.  We’ll see.

Ok, so she’s hinting that we should have color choices for paint now.  Well, my room has a color choice for paint.  I was also thinking it HAS been painted, but I just remembered that the whole thing hasn’t.  So, I may take this week and try to finish painting the parts of the room that are unpainted.  Just for kicks and giggles.  However, if I have to choose between painting and finishing the organizing and PURGING I’m doing… purge gets it.  I’m in a de-clutter mood and I’m going to embrace it while I’ve got it.  But, for the record, my walls will be cream, my trim BRIGHT WHITE, my Roman shades are blue and white striped with silver dots (which I’ve never really paid attention to until now, but I might get some gray with a sheen for accents somewhere to grab it.  For the fun don’tcha know.  My splash of color is going to be RED.  I’ve decided that I like red with light blue as long as the blue is the predominant color.  I have pretty vinyl wall clings I bought to brighten up my space, and I’m going to put them up too. 

My space was already mapped out for me, so I didn’t have to do that part.  It’s pretty simple.  I get one corner of the room unless we build that bed, and school gets the opposing wall, and our bed gets the last wall.  Voila.  Snort.

I am considering putting a lingerie drawer that I have in my garage on one wall.  If I CAN’T, then I’ll put it at the back of my closet where I plan to REMOVE the crates that are holding seldom to never used stuff and PURGE.  YES!  She said to “go on a house hunt” to find little used space.  Well, I’m going to do that in a bit of a different way.  I’m looking around my house for stuff I can

• get rid of
• reassign a home for it in the house
• store in the garage
• replace with something smaller/more efficient

Already, I’ve decided that I am not storing my sheets under my bed anymore.  I have drawers under my bed for the sheets, but that’s just ridiculous.  So, I’m keeping spare sheets in a tote in the girls’ closet and voila.  Out of my hair.  I’m lovin’ it.  We’ll see what else I can find.  I’m thinking this is gonna be great.

God In the Little Things…

Have you ever found the perfect something and then discovered that perfect or not, you can’t have it?  We did that this week while looking for fabric for dresses for the girls to wear to a wedding next month (pick yourself up off the floor,  I know it’s not tomorrow and I already have fabric… sometimes I work ahead… sometimes).  I found this at Fabric.com, and instantly, we all loved it.  However, when I went to put it in my cart, there were only 3 yards.  Enough for one dress, but then what about the other girls?  I wasn’t sure.  So, I kept looking.

Today, I woke up and knew I had to go down to the Quilted Quail and find something.  Now normally, I love going into that store and perusing the beautiful fabrics that they have available.  Let’s face it, nothing gets your creative juices flowing like a store FULL of raw materials.  Pun intended.

I wandered around the room, its nooks, the crannies, and paused before several prints, but none of them said, “This’ll be GREAT!”   Then, as I was explaining to the owner Cindy what I was making, I saw it.   THE FABRIC.  Sitting on a shelf, and with enough for two of the dresses.  With it,  coordinating fabrics that would work to make up the loss (and now don’t I wish I’d bought what fabric.com had while they had it.  Drat!)  I found a nice print that reads as a solid and voila.  We’ve got DRESSES!  I am so stinkin’ excited!

You know, I know  that God cares about the little things.  I mean, if He keeps tabs on the number of hairs I have on any given days, He cares about little girls and their clothing.  So, for what it’s worth, God blessed us with fabric today.  I’m so thankful that if I was a crier, I’d be weeping!  Thank you, Lord, for the little things.

Jar Total for January~ Winner!!!

Pretty cool, isn’t it!  $17.17

February is a shorter month, so I doubt we’ll be $34.34 at the end of the month!

Faith got it with an even seventeen dollars so she wins!  I’ll pick a card and take a pic and send it out!

Change for Change’s Sake~

Ok, with all the buzz about change that we’ve had since President Clinton and the ’90′s and now with President Obama, I decided to ensure REAL change occurs in the Havig House.  Enter…  THE JAR.

I bought this sucker for $5 bucks on clearance at K-Mart.  It was one of those pre-wrapped gifts for $20 dollars that you buy for gift swaps and hard to shop-for nephews or brothers-in-law. The reason it’s so cool is that it has a nice digital counter that counts your money as it goes in.  So, I can tell you, at the end of the year, just how much money is in the thing!

I liked this change because it signaled financial growth in some area of life during this recessed economy.  What can I say, I’m into the visual.

So, I decided to share the growth of this silly little jar.  I took pictures today of how full it is, and I’m thinking it’d be fun to see who comes closest.  To make it even more fun, I’ll mail a handmade card or bookmark, your choice, to the person who comes closest as LONG as they get within 75 cents.  To make it even MORE fun, I’m going to keep the contest going until there’s a winner!  But wait, there’s more!  Act now and you can enter once per day until I have a winner!  You say your family wants in on the fun, no problem!  Just have them post their guesses too!  This contest is for ANYONE and all for only … um… the time it takes to post a guess!  That’s right, for just seconds, you too can win a marvelous handcrafted paper item and there are no shipping and handling charges.  Better yet, NO TAX!  How can you resist.

I’ve taken a picture of the top of this jar and I’ll post it as soon as there is a winner.  Enter now, enter often, WIN… and come back next month for another prize and another chance.

For Reference:

Jar height:  6.5″

Jar width:  4.5″