The Gentle Art Of Encouragement & Gratitude Giveaway.....

Last month a fellow blogger friend from
 Blueberry Cottage
 had an encouraging post about the gentle art of encouragement. She talked about how it is an encouragement to send friends and family little notes or cards as well as it being an encouragement when someone thinks of you in return. I thought it was sweet and well... encouraging. She was giving away some pretty postcards she had made from her personal photos... As I was one of the recipients to receive the gesture. It was really a pick me up for I was struggling with some stuff at the time. It was really nice to get a package in the mail... Who doesn't like receiving a little token of sentiments? I was inspired by her giving heart, so went ahead and had a few of my own postcards printed up from my personal photos... With gratitude for her sweet gift and for my friends who always stop by here everyday.... I would like to extend the love and send out my postcards to you!

The first 6 who leave me a comment here...
 Will receive 3 each of my 3 postcard prints...
I will e-mail you then, to get your address and send off your cards.
I hope this will encourage and inspire you to send a card to someone,
 let them know you care, your thinking of them,
 you love them and express your gratitude...
Be an encouragement to someone!
 It certainly is a gentle art....
You will brighten someones day!
Thank you to all my friends and family who support us,
whom encourage us and simply show their love...
 Blessings!!!
P.S. come back next week...I am having another giveaway!!!
 Scraps from my fabric stash!!!

Bringing Up My Boy....& Open Mic. Nite Debute...

Raising a boy, a young man I should say, has been very rewarding to us. Many ( not all, but enough) people complain of their "Teenage" children. I truly cannot find a complaint of raising a teenager. I am also not saying he is perfect either nor are we as parents. No one is. I can say this, our son has great respect for us and that is a great testimony of good character. How did we raise such a person you ask? Since we became new parents and new Christians almost 17 years ago we learned Biblical parenthood. God gave us our son and daughter to raise for His glory... This we believe full heartily.We are commanded to do this job. As he grew up he learned we are to be respected and that was expected of him, not because WE wanted the respect for our own agenda, but because God calls him to respect his parents. In writing this may sound harsh...but truly it is not as it sounds. Each of us have roles. We are the parents, you are the child, we are not your peers, yet you can trust us and know that you are loved and safe under our wing. We have always been open, therefore he has always trusted to come to us and has opened up to us on many delightful occasions which have become the perfect learning opportunities for us as a family and which has brought us all closer together Another thing that has made him who he is, is our consistency in our roles as well as our consistency of going to church every Sunday... This has become a positive in our home. As well as family time where we are reading scripture together, praying together and having fun together with game nights or movie nights or just plain ole chit chat amongst each other.. I believe this is not just a  lifestyle but a way of life and has made him want to be home, loving his family and wanting to be with his family... Without that needy feeling of peers/peer pressure and wanting to leave home or isolate himself from us. I can't even begin to tell you how very thankful we are to God .



I think our roles have also made him a lot more mature than most "TEENS" you hear of. This may be the fact that we have always been there for him, lifting him up and encouraging him...leading him through what God says scripturally and pertaining to our lives or his situation. We talk through these things...many hours of it have been talked out...And with that we are seeing him grow spiritually, heart changing, intellectually, independently and faithfully. I have no doubt that the road he is currently taking will be a bright future for him as long as he keeps his faith in God and takes with him his child rearing. I don't have all the answers to child rearing or confess we are not the perfect family by any means. This is just how I see it... This is how we strive to raise our children...biblical...and it works for us. Many have told me that it will be terrible, teens are all lazy, have no care and are full of attitude and depression. Not so. Clearly I don't see it in my home and have met many other brilliant teens who don't show these signs. I think that is a worldly stereotype that doesn't have to be bought into. I do believe it it how they are raised and how they are perceived. If one only thinks of teens as someone who can't do hard things or amount to anything, they show they don't have high expectations of them and the child learns if you don't expect more then neither will they. Then they give into the worldly stereotype because we are naturally sinful and lazy right? But if you raise them to have higher expectations of themselves...biblically and lovingly...they will surely amaze you and your home will be peaceful. Note again... I am not trying to come off as a know it all and that we have it all figured out. I feel I need to say this for there are people who like to attack. I don't think my regular loyal readers are like that. But, I just wanted to clarify.. This is only how we do things and it works for us. Maybe not for everybody, but hope this will at least give out encouragement & inspiration as well as uplift you so that it may give you a different perspective on your parenting...



For many years now our son has been blessed with a musical gift which started with the piano. He was already composing his own piano pieces at age 8~9. As the years went on his love of piano also grew to guitar as well... He has written his own music and lyrics to several unique songs may I add they are pretty catchy tunes too...So you may just find yourself dancing to it.. If you read his words you would also see much his faith shining through, which gives his songs meaning . Yes, of course I am a proud Mama...! My prayer for him would be to use his music to glorify God ultimately. I pray he would bless many with it and hope that he will use his gifts as a possible career. Not to be rich and famous...which wouldn't hurt...*GRIN* But to be an instrument...May it be in God's will. Whatever comes of it or not... I pray he will always be a faithful servant. So now to share.... I know this post s longer than expected. My son was able to attend an open mic. nite at a bookstore near us, so we took him in to share his music. he did an awesome job... it just made me so proud that he went up there in front of complete strangers and sang his little heart out.

It was fun to see him up there strumming away on his guitar.
It even boosted his self confidence.
 So here ya go family and friends...
check him out here:

Thank you all for your support, kind words and frequent visits.
We appreciate it!
I also want to share a book title for you and your teens!!!
 It's called Do Hard Things by Brett & Alex Harris. I recommend it for not only your teen, but you too! My son thought it was really good and has changed his perspective on a lot of things, for the better of course!
Enjoy!!!

Making Homemade Butter

 

 I am linking up with Homemaking Link Up at
 Raising Homemakers.
And...
It's A Very Cherry World
 for Rednesday!
Today we're making our own homemade butter.
 First did you notice the sweet Tiroler webkunst Folksy embroidered table doily made in Austria?
 And it is RED! It is so sweet!
I just had to share.
For the Homemade Butter You will need:
  2 quart jar, heavy whipping cream,
1 marble, strainer,bowl, measuring cup,
 wooden spoon, a butter mold or serving dish. 

 

Chill jar and marble in refrigerator for at least 1 hour to help butter form quickly. Once chilled pour 2 cups heavy whipping cream into jar, drop in marble and fasten lid tight. Shake the jar. At first you will hear the marble moving. After about 15 minutes, the cream will get so thick that you won't hear or feel the marble. The sides of the jar will be coated with thick cream. Continue shaking the jar for another 15- 30 minutes, butter will begin to form. First you will hear the marble moving around again, then the coating will disappear from the sides of the jar and you will see lumps of butter in milky liquid. This liquid is Buttermilk and can be used in another recipe using buttermilk...Perhaps buttermilk biscuits for the butter!

 

Open the jar and pour the butter and the buttermilk into a strainer.
The buttermilk will flow into the bowl, and the butter will stay in the strainer.
 Pour the buttermilk from the bowl into a covered container and store it in
the refrigerator. You can even drink the buttermilk.
 Now, rinse the bowl well to remove all the buttermilk.

Turn the butter out of the strainer and into the bowl.

 Cover the butter with cold water and pour the water off the strainer.

 Do not save the milky water substance.

 Keep washing the butter in this manner until the

 water you pour off is clear. You are washing out the buttermilk.

 Buttermilk that is not washed out will turn your butter sour.

 

Use a clean wooden spoon to stir and press the butter against the side of the bowl.

 Continue pressing the butter against the side

 of the bowl to work out any liquid that is left in the butter.

 Pour it off.

 

If you like your butter slightly salted, add a pinch of salt and stir it in.
 Press butter into a dish or a butter mold.
Chill it in the refrigerator for an hour before serving...

 

We used it on our morning waffles...
It was wonderfully natural!
Enjoy !!!

A Fox Tale....

I managed to get another Dottie Pog Dolly finished this weekend. I pulled this one out of my sleeve. I told you I have them up my sleeve. Ha Ha..... Bet you didn't know I was a Magician too!!! She is fully equipped with a tale. Is she not adorable ?? More coming soon...

We are off to the DMV...My son is taking his drivers permit test today!

Ahhh!!!! Yup he's going to be driving!

Lord help me...

Happy Monday!!!!

Scrappy Saturday Sewing...My Autumn Table Runner

I got sidetracked!

 I was going through my fabrics and scraps last night and found all this lovely fabric that needed to be made into something. I knew it wouldn't take me nearly as long to sew up as the scrap quilt so I detoured... cut my strips out..put the pedal to the medal...

And less then two hours later I had me a new table runner!

It's a little wrinkly, but hey it gives it character. I really didn't take my time on it.

 I just threw it together...but still very happy with it.

It goes perfectly with our front room/dining room. Festive and ready to celebrate

Thanksgiving next month. Now I am off to work with all the scraps I pulled out for my scrap quilt!

Will share progress soon!

Have a great weekend!!!

Sew Scraps Along

I am home!

 Just got back from my sisters house helping her out while she was recooping from surgery. All went well.Thank you everyone who sent her well wishes. We spent time caring for her, cooking dinners, shopping, taking her boy's to and from their school. Tried to do our schooling there as well as doctor visits.etc... I was able to finish up the pear canning as well as some dehydrating fruit, but didn't work on any dolls like I wanted. That's okay. Now that we are home we will get some things done from my list. perhaps a few dollies and start on my scrappy quilt!

 I have joined up with Pleasant Home

 for a fun Sew Scraps Along !If you have a bunch of scraps..stop over Jodi's blog and let her know you want to sew along! Hopefully I can keep up with her, since I have a billion and one other things going.

Now, I am off to get my scraps together.

This is the first project we are sewing along!

The photo's are taken from Jodi's blog.

This is just one of her gorgeous pieces out of many!!!

 Join in the fun!!!

Dottie Pogs....

I sat down this weekend to create a bit. I am taking a break from sewing and got out my paints to paint some wooden peg dolls. I am calling them Dottie Pogs. These Lil gals will be getting a few more details before I put them in my Etsy Shoppe. I have a few more little characters up my sleeve which I will paint up this week while I am at my Sisters. She just had surgery and will need my help to do her cooking and cleaning etc... The kids will be packing up their school and bringin' along. I just hope that I will be able to be a blessing for my Sister during her first week of recovery.

This Lil gal will be called The Mushroom Keeper.
 I love her polka Dottie dress. I wouldn't mind having one myself...
But I would probably literally
 look like a big ole' mushroom in it.
Ha Ha!

This girly reminds me of my freckled little daughter.
I just may have to call her Freckle Face.
Keep your eyes out for more Dottie Pogs!!!
I am always open for a special order!!!
Have a cheery day!

I Like To Eat..Eat...Eat...Apples And Bananas....

After getting apples for. 49 cents a pound, bananas for .33 cents a pound and strawberries for less than 1.00 a pound I decided it would be a good time to preserve them by dehydrating them. My sister gave me her old dehydrator which I was ecstatic about by the way. We love dried fruit snacks and this is the perfect way to preserve some of our favorites.

 

I will admit it is a bit time consuming, to prep, cut, lay out,
and wait for the 7-10 hours to go by before you can enjoy it...
But oh, so well worth the wait.
We seasoned the apples with sugar and Cinnamon yumminess.
 Absolutely delish!

I found myself singing to the Apples & Bananas song by Jack Johnson the whole time I was preparing them. geesh... Every time I see the jar full of goodness I start singing it. It is quite a song that will stick to you.

Oh, and every time we open the jar to eat it ...
The aroma fills the air...

I have a bit more to dehydrate as well as the pears
 I bought for .33 cents a pound. What a deal!!!...
 I picked up 35 pounds of pears the other day in
 which will also be canned this next week...
Yummy!!
If you are interested in preserving fruits there are many
 recipes online for using a dehydrator or an oven!

Literary Tea Time

Once again our daughters arrived for a lovely Literary Tea hosted by a delightful young lady friend of ours. We look forward to each month we have the opportunity to fellowship with one another. This month Avery read from Daughters Of Destiny and Words Of Wisdom. They were all short stories some were true stories as others were character builders. We are so blessed by this time... and hope that many other girls will have such an opportunity to be a part of a group , which reminds me so much of Titus 2.

Freckles and I also baked Cranberry Orange muffins
 to share with the mothers and daughters.

 

Each Mother and Daughter brings something to share.
 It is almost overwhelming how much food graces the tea table.
 It is wonderful!

   

 

I must confess though, it really isn't all about the food, as beautiful as it is.
 I adore the fact that these mothers and daughters are committing their time to the nurturing of the young girls.
 It truly is an encouraging time in which we look forward to each month.

 

I do consider myself a Titus 2 Woman. And encourage you to think about being the same. Just to be able to bless someone else is a blessing to you and most of all it blesses God.
I am also pulling together an Apron Bee for some of the young ladies who are married in our Church.These ladies also do not have children yet...  They have expressed their interest in sewing yet never have sewn an apron. It will be a wonderful opportunity to get together, teach them a little sewing, to talk about child rearing, marriage and to talk about the Lord.
A Titus Woman to me is:
One who has holy behavior -is  truthful - sober - teachers of good things

teaching young women - loving husbands- loving children
discreet - chaste
keepers at home (homemaking)
good - obedient to own own husbands

I pray for the younger ladies who have been willing to nurture the younger girls as well as the older ladies willing to nurture the younger wives and mothers...
 It is truly a wonderful ministry that will only bless and encourage through our Biblical womanhood.

~ Titus 2:4-15 ~

"encourage younger women to love their husbands,
and their children...
to be kind...
that the Word of God may not be dishonored...
For the grace of God that brings salvation
has appeared to all men,
teaching us ... in this present world, looking
for the blessed hope, and the appearance
of the glory of our great God
and Savior Jesus Christ,
who gave Himself for us..
These, then, are the things you should teach...."

Many blessings to you today and always!

Autumn Rose Hip Tapioca...

We are linking up with Homemaking linkup hosted by
 Raising Homemakers.
We spent some time outside in the garden pulling weeds and
cutting back overgrown plants left from the Summer.
I also picked the last of the roses before cutting back the rose bushes.
Freckles made up a sweet little bouquet to cheer the house in a sweet vase.
 It was pretty!

One rose bush left us a delightful bunch of rose hips.
 Which we plucked off one by one and filled a basket full.
 It is such a wonderful sight to see, knowing that we can use this for food!

Not only do roses grace our gardens and fill our vases with splendor,
 like it's cousins the apple, pear, peach and cherry,
 roses produce these decedent little balls of  fruit called rose hips.
They are a valuable source of vitamin C,
 containing 60x's more vitamin C than oranges!
 They are also an excellent antioxidant.
 Vitamin K and E are also found and used to prevent and
 treat various infections, especially colds and flu's as well as fighting diseases and ailments naturally.
 Rose hips also contain calcium, citric acid, iron, niacin, phosphorus, tannin, vitamin A, B1, B2, and P.
 That's amazing!
What to make you ask?
Once you puree them you can make them for jam,
 jelly, sauce, soup or add it to pudding. You can search the web for recipes...

We decided to cook it down and put it in tapioca.
I picked them, washed them well, cut off the ends, then cut in half, rinsed them some more, drained them. Placed 2 cut up cups of rose hips, two cups of water and 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan, let it boil, turn down the heat to a low simmering boil for 1 hour. After it was softened a bit I placed it in my magic bullet and blended it down to a puree. You can probably use a blender as well... You can add a tiny bit of water to get it mixed thoroughly. I then put it all into a sieve, which I also use for my apple sauce making. This sieved the fruit and left all the skin and seeds out. Set aside. You will then need to make the tapioca pudding. I used Kraft 1 minute Tapioca in a box and followed the instructions for making the Tapioca Fluffy Cream Pudding. Once I did that I put 1/2 cup of the rose hips in the tapioca mixture, mixed well. Let cool, place in dessert dishes, chill. serve with whipped cream. I made my own whipped cream...

This lovely Fall fruit paired with tapioca was delicious
 with a nice hint of natural taste of rose hips.
 You almost couldn't tell it was there!

If you happen to have some rose hips in your garden,
 I encourage you to try this at least once.
 It is fun to make and know there are so many benefits to eating it.
Have a blessed day!