Creativity, Crafts, Books, Movies, Greyhounds & Favorite Things

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Daily Inspiration

The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go.

Steve Maraboli

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A simple list today. May I reflect on it and do my part.

Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.

Attributed to John Wesley

Daily Inspiration

Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.

John Wesley

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Sugar the Golden Retriever is hosting a {This Moment} See Beautifu Blog Hop. Today’s hop is very special because we are supporting St Anne’s Homeless Center Pet Area in Ogden, Utah. St. Anne’s Homeless Center is very dear to our friend Goose (Gospel of Goose) and his mom, Pastor Michelle. They do a lot of work at the center. Sugar is donating $1 (max $100) for everyone joining in today’s hop.

No way would I miss this chance to assist the pets of folks who need a helping hand. Plus, it’s easy for me to see beautiful because I live with the definitions of beauty…

1. the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit.

2. a particularly graceful, ornamental, or excellent quality.

3. a brilliant, extreme, or egregious example or instance.

The goodness doesn’t end there.  If you want to spread even more beauty, See Beautiful will donate $2, up to $1000, to St. Anne’s Homeless Center Pet Area for every picture you submit where you capture “seeing beautiful” through the lens of a camera.  Simply submit a photo that captures what you believe honors “seeing beautiful” to lcrissmays@seebeautiful.com or See Beautiful’s Facebook Page. If you’d like them to include information about the picture or a link to you, include that as well.  There is a wonderful slideshow of submitted photos on See Beautiful’s website. You can submit a photo during the whole month of December.

Daily Inspiration

Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.

Edgar Allan Poe

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I’m working, little by little, on my School Memories album.

I need to set aside some blocks of time to concentrate on getting it put together. December isn’t the best month for that but hopefully, between doing little bits and  a couple of periods where I can really concentrate, I’ll get it done.

Here’s something clever…

…a 3-in-1 corner punch. I was looking for something to “dress up” my photo mats. This fit the bill…one punch, three different looks.

Daily Inspiration

I have spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument, while the song I came to sing remains unsung.

Tagore

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I’ve been wanting to make these for a long time. I saw them in the Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Crafts 2011 magazine. You can find the pattern here.

I started by cutting out the pattern pieces.

I ironed a piece of freezer paper on to the felt, then traced and cutout the pattern pieces.

Following the instructions…

…I layered the pieces on a lollipop stick.

I cut a piece of wire and wrapped a thin strip of felt around it to form the stem.

I glued the stem and a pinked circle of felt on the pinecone to finish.

You can make them in your favorite colors or in browns to look more natural.

Daily Inspiration

 

 The color of springtime is in the flowers; the color of winter is in the imagination.

Terri Guillemets

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My husband and I have slept on inexpensive pillows for years. When I saw this pillow, I was intrigued, but it was WAY more money than I have ever paid for a pillow.  I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I had to give it a try. I’ve only had it for two nights, so I may be premature, but I have to say…it may be the most comfortable pillow I’ve ever owned.

Daily Inspiration

The day has eyes; the night has ears.

David Fergusson

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It’s been a light week, in my studio…

I made this felt ornament for last Wednesday’s “Try This” post.

Here’s something that’s fun…

The Pet Blogger Challenge is on January 10. Sponsored by GoPetFriendly.com, it is a community event that gives pet bloggers from around the world the chance to get to know each other, find out what motivates them, share tips for making their blogs better, commiserate, inspire, and support each other. It’s an opportunity to celebrate what they’ve accomplished over the last year, recognize how they’ve changed and grown, and lay out their vision for the year ahead.

I’m not really a pet blogger; I’m sort of a pet blogger, but I have a lot of pet blogger friends, so I figure that qualifies me. The challenge questions will be posted in a few weeks then, on January 10th, the participants will post their answers to the questions. Sounds like fun.

Daily Inspiration

Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.

Grandma Moses

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Today, I went to a Girlfriends Christmas Luncheon. It was at this great restaurant, Capri Italian Restaurant, just down the road from where I live (I didn’t even know it was there!).

We had a delicious lunch. I was going to take pictures, but the lovely lady sitting next to me asked me about greyhounds and…let’s just say I’m lucky to have any pictures at all.

We played a gift exchange game.

This is what I received…chocolate wine. I’m willing to give it a try.

This luncheon, and many other events like this, was organized by my girlfriend, Eileen. I met Eileen in 1987 at my first “civilian” job, after I got off active duty with the Army. At that time, we were wild young women who liked to party. Through the years, many things have changed but Eileen always kept in touch. That is one of my dear friend’s special gifts…keeping in touch. If left up to me and my slip-shod ways, we would have probably lost track of each other many years ago. Thankfully, Eileen didn’t leave our friendship in charge of me. Through the years, she would show up, with a card here and a lunch date there. Eileen even invited me to her church, in her unassuming manner, and got me back in touch with my faith after a very long absence.

Every woman at the luncheon knows Eileen, with friendships starting in the 1970’s to those just a a few years old. I’m blessed and grateful to have Eileen in my life. I don’t deserve her, but I sure am glad I have her as a friend.

Daily Inspiration

 This was a note Eileen left on my desk regarding the company picnic. She was writing this nonsense on company time; I’m glad she’s going to church now…

Relationship is an art.  The dream that two people create is more difficult to master than one.

Don Miguel Ruiz

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How is it that I’m just learning about freezer paper? Freezer paper is a thick, plastic-coated paper used for wrapping food for freezing. Here are a few of its other uses:

1. Protect work surfaces.

2. Use as a paint palette.

3. Cover school books.

4. Cover party tables and let your guests draw on it with crayons or markers.

5. Create templates. Draw the design on the paper side of the freezer paper. Temporarily adhere the plastic side to the fabric with a hot, dry iron. Cut out the shape, then peel off the paper.

6. Wrap packages for mailing or gifts.

7. Line shelves and drawers.

8. Use to catch spills in refrigerator drawers or bins, under pet dishes, when painting or potting plants.

9. Protect kitchen counters from raw meat juices.

10. Make banners for school functions, welcome greetings or parties.

That’s a lot of fun and function in a box.

Daily Inspiration

My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.

Erma Bombeck

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I’m weak! I promised myself I wouldn’t sign-up for any e-courses until I finished my Mixed Devotions bottles and the Capturing the Essence Online Workshop by Katherine Dunn, but then I saw this…

It is an awesome workshop offer by Christy Tomlinson.  She’s gathered together 11 guest artists to create 12 festive projects. I’m in a crafting mood, so I gave in and signed-up. Of course, the Murphy’s Law of Crafting immediately kicked in…”No matter how many crafting supplies you have, you won’t have the ones needed for your current project.” So, I went to the craft store and picked up a few things.

4″ frosted glass ornament, 4″x4″ canvases and modeling clay. That’s not all I’ll need if I complete all 12 projects, but I’m just going to pick up things a little at a time. The projects are very diverse, so it will be fun to learn some new things.

Daily Inspiration

 

 There are two kinds of light – the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures.

James Thurber