A Sweet Gesture!

I am so excited to have time for a quick post on this lovely Tuesday evening! I wanted to share a special blessing I received in the mail on my way home from work yesterday. I opened the box to a large, yellow envelope....I wasn't expecting anything so I was quite surprised! When I pulled it out of the box and looked at the return address, I saw that it was from my friend Bev from Tablescapes by Bev. I remembered her e-mailing me several days earlier asking for my address to add to her address book, but seems she had another plan in mind...:) I immediately opened the surprise package to see what it contained and was thrilled to find this gorgeous strawberry table runner and these precious strawberry napkins inside! 

So pretty!

I was even more blessed by the sweet sentiments Bev wrote in the card. She said she remembered me posting about a strawberry tablescape a while back and she had been thinking about me since this post I wrote a couple weeks ago, so when she found this table runner, she immediately knew it was for me. She then stumbled across the napkins in the same box and had to send them to me as well. These items belonged to a precious lady from her church who had passed away, so that makes them more special. I had tears in my eyes and a smile on my face as I read Bev's sweet words to me. I don't know if I have ever been more moved by such a sweet and thoughtful gesture from a friend...especially one whom I have never met in person. I am truly amazed by the kind and thoughtful ladies I have become friends with through my blog. I had no idea when I started this, that I would make such precious friends. I value each and every one of you and so enjoy communicating with all of you. Bev...if you are reading this, thank you again for your kindness.....it means so much to me. You are a blessing! 

Now....let me share the ironic thing about this sweet gesture! Bev recently wrote this post to share the items she had purchased from the sweet lady whom these strawberry items had belonged to. She featured the napkins that she sent to me along with many other items. Well, Bev sells items via her flea market shop as well as online, so I wrote her this comment after reading her post over the weekend....

Lovely finds from a lovely departed friend. What an honor to have some of her things. I love all your finds and your table is beautiful. My favorite of all are the sweet strawberry napkins. Are you selling those? Have a blessed week…:) Vicky

Life On Willie Mae Lane

The very next day I come home to find them in my mailbox! Isn't that amazing? It certainly was to me since she had no idea I would inquire about buying the napkins and I had no idea she had already sent them to me. 

Funny how things work isn't it? 

Please give Bev a visit....she sets some of the most beautiful tables and she is a lovely lady to get to know. You won't regret stopping by for a visit!

I also wanted to share the lovely glasses I found at the Dollar General. I spotted them on the shelf in the Christmas section and thought they were plastic. I picked one up just to be sure and imagine my surprise when I discovered they were glass! They are gorgeous and cost just $1.50 each!!!

Look at the pedestal....it looks like candle wick around the edges! They will be gorgeous on a Christmas table, at Valentine's Day, and with my gorgeous new strawberry items from Bev!

I also bought these two jars for $2 each while I was there. I love the shape of them and you all know I love jars! I have an obsession with them...:)

Well ladies...I am off to plan some science activities for my sweet kinders! I hope you have a blessed evening and rest of the week! Thanks so much to everyone who has signed up for the ornament exchange! I am beyond excited about it and think it is going to be so fun! 

Until next time.....

An Ornament Exchange!

Well....I decided to do it!

 I decided to host an ornament exchange! I had so much fun participating in Stephanie's teacup/mug exchange over at The Enchanting Rose and got to thinking that I should host some sort of exchange. This led me to remember the ornament exchange that I participated in a couple years ago through a teacher website I often visit. It was so much fun, so I decided to host one of my own. It is so exciting to get some happy mail now and then and this is the opportunity to do just that! I do hope you will consider participating in the exchange. I decided to host this early, so you can get your ornaments well before Christmas. I don't know about you, but I decorate early....usually during the week I am off for Thanksgiving. I love to enjoy and admire my decorations for at least a month! 

No big rules....just don't spend over $15. Your ornament can be purchased or handmade by you. It's up to you...:) You can send additional items if you wish, just remember it is not required so don't feel pressured to send extra items or disappointed if you only receive an ornament. I think an ornament and a nice hand-written note is sufficient, but I know some of us just love shopping for or crafting items for others, so you may choose to include an additional item or two. It is entirely up to you...:) Also, you will make two new friends since you will send to one person and receive your package from an entirely different person! Also, please let me know in your comment if you would be willing to send to someone out of the country. I have a few blog friends from other countries whom I want to be able to participate if they wish. I personally don't mind shipping to another country!

You can spread the word by copying the picture below and pasting it into a post with the link to this post. You do NOT have to do this to sign up though! Only if you want to...:)

Here are the details:

1. Sign-up will run today through November 8th. 

To sign up you just need to leave me a comment! I will contact you after I get your comment and you can then send me your name and address.

2. I will announce your partners by Sunday, November 10th.

3. Purchase or make an ornament (spending limit is $15).

4. Ship your ornament by November 19th.

5. I will have a link-up on my blog on or by December 7th so you can show off your new ornament from your new friend!

I am so excited and I hope many of you want to participate! I love and collect Christmas ornaments and how exciting to receive an ornament from someone across the country or the world! I can't think of a better way to kick-off the Christmas season! It's my favorite time of the year.....:)
I look forward to hearing from you!

A Burlap Message Board & More!

It happened! I finally had a chance to get into my craft room and create something! I have been itching to get in there for quite some time but I have just been too busy! So, I was thrilled this weekend to have some time to get in there and play...:)

I have been wanting to use this adorable burlap that my good friend Carol from Art and Sand sent me a while back! You can read that post here. I had an idea what I wanted to do with it, so I gathered my supplies and got to work!

I 

I started with this message board that was living in my shed. It used to hang on my office wall the year I was guidance counselor at school. Anywho, I didn't love guidance, so went back to the classroom and no longer needed this. It was pretty enough, but didn't match my home, so it went to live in the shed. I had forgotten all about it until a few weeks ago when I was getting my fall decor out and stumbled upon it. I have been trying to use things I already have, so I knew this was the perfect project for my burlap. 

I also gathered these canvas strips which were cut off some Home Depot nail aprons I used to construct a pocket chart for my classroom with.

Here is the board covered and one strip on.

Here is the board with all the strips on. I used a staple gun to attach the burlap and hot glue for the canvas strings.

Next I gathered some buttons to place on each X.

Like this....:)

Then I took a manilla shipping tag and added a vintage look key, a real vintage clock hand and a couple buttons to hang from one corner of the board.

And here it is on the wall. I found this old hanger in my craft room and clipped it on to hang it. I can't decide if I like it hanging from the hanger....

or from one of the canvas strips. I didn't glue the hanger down so I can remove it, but I just can't decide. Which do you prefer? 

Oh.....and just so you know, I decided to use it to display the cards and notes I have received from some blog friends since it was inspired by the gift of burlap from Carol! You may recognize your card or note....Chel from Sweetbriar Dreams, Stephanie from The Enchanting Rose, Beverly from Tablescapes by Bev, and Julie from Julie's Lifestyle. I just love how it turned out and thanks again Carol for sending me the burlap....:) I still have quite a bit left to create something else with and have an idea, but haven't gotten to it yet. Hopefully soon!

Here it is surrounded by many other items on my craft room gallery wall.  I love the number 4 I found a few weeks ago. I love that number since there are four of us in my little family.....not counting fur babies...:)

I love these spools that I thrifted last weekend. They look at home in the aqua blue Ball jar.....I love it! 

It's the little things!

While I was in my craft room, I decided to take a few of the manilla tags I bought a while back as well as some washi tape and make a few gift tags. I love how they turned out, even if they are super simple! They are not nearly as unique and creative as my friend Donna's tags, but they made me smile and I had fun making them. Maybe this will inspire me to get really creative with some soon.

I just love all the fun patterns and colors!

I so enjoy my time crafting and creating. It is good for the soul...:)

 I only wish I had more time to do it. Maybe some day!

 Here's a picture of my little helper.....

I can't believe how big she is getting! And have a look at that M above her eyes! Looks like eyebrows or a mask...lol! This area wasn't so black and defined when she was smaller, but it has gotten darker and darker. She's such a cutie even if she does weigh  25 pounds now! 

And now...a sneak peek at my next post's topic!

I do hope you will join the fun! Details coming soon!!!

Until next time......

Three Thrifty Finds!

Hello and Happy Monday everyone! I am so excited to be sitting home today...even if it is the last day of my 4-day weekend! It has been busy but I got a lot of things done that needed doing...:) I was in Tallahassee Friday, Chiefland on Saturday, Lake City on Sunday, and back to Chiefland today. They are all 45 minutes to 2 hours away, so I have spent a good deal of time on the road! My trip today was quick....I had to go have fasting labs drawn at my doctor's office

 so I had to do this today since I didn't want to take a day off work for it or go without eating all day and go after work. I really just wanted to stay home all day, but that just wasn't possible. Anywho, I also needed to pick up some medicine for my mama who is sick, bless her heart. I decided to run to the Hospice Attic thrift while I was there too....imagine that! LOL!

I only found a couple things though which is for the best....remember I am outgrowing my home!

First thing I spotted was this set of dishes. They are by Knowles and are called Grapevine. They are really pretty and will look great in many tablescapes. There were 5 plates, 1 serving bowl, 2 soup bowls, and 3 small bowls for $3.99. I am only keeping the plates. I am adding the bowls to my growing ETSY stash! I can sell them for more than I paid for all of it....that is, if I ever start my shop!

I love the simplicity of these plates and can picture them in a variety of tablescapes.

The only other things I bought were a couple books, a green leaf table runner for my mama, and this milk glass pedestal vase. It was just $1 and I didn't have one like it.

I am also sharing these beautiful emerald green goblets my mother-in-law picked up for me at a yard sale Saturday. They are very heavy glass and absolutely gorgeous. They will look great in many tablescapes!

There are 6 of them in perfect condition! I can just picture them on a Christmas table already!

That's all I have for today. I am so excited that I had time on a Monday to share. Now I am off to clean house and write lesson plans. I'm even hoping I might have the time to whip up something in my craft room.....we shall see! Have a beautiful week everyone and as always, thanks for stopping by!

One Little Song.....

I am writing this second post today because I accidentally posted my Sunday post on Saturday night and robbed my friend Donna of her Sunday night visit. So....I hope you don't mind this double post, but I wanted to share this story with you.

Do you ever just feel worn down from life? 

I'm not trying to be a downer, but a couple weeks ago, that was exactly how I was feeling.....worn. So much was wearing me down.....things I won't go into.....things that I really feel like I have no right to complain about since there are so many all over the world who truly have valid reasons to feel worn. My reasons are nothing terrible or life altering....it just felt like everything in life was falling apart or pulling me down. Part of it was due to me being sick for so many weeks and feeling like I couldn't drag myself through yet another day. I was starting to get depressed.....but then.....God spoke to me through a song. A song called Worn by Tenth Avenue North.....and He brought me out of the fog.....out of the defeat.....and said to me.....only you can make the choice. You can make the choice to truly live and let me carry you through or you can continue to feel worn.

I cried and prayed my way through this song.....and then I decided to truly live. 

I urge you to listen to this beautiful song....the lyrics are absolutely amazing and uplifting.

So.....for the past couple weeks, I have chosen to make the best of everything and you know what.....everything is better. I have so much to be thankful for and I am trying to remember that. On that note..... I walked out my door earlier and just looked around at all the beauty I am surrounded with. I decided to share just a few photos with you.

I just love my oak trees and these two are my prettiest ones. They form a nice canopy over much of our yard and provide lots of shade, which is much needed in Florida!

The acorns are starting to fall. Every other year, we have a ton of acorns and every other year we don't. I just read that acorns take from 6 to 24 months to mature....I guess ours take 24 months. 

This dead leaf got trapped amongst the green leaves on my red maple and it caught my eye. The holes look like little windows in the leaf.

These leaves are starting to wither and die but they are pretty to me and worthy of a photo.

My hibiscus is still blooming almost daily. I was surprised to see 3 blooms open at once this late in the year though. The blooms are a bit smaller and even a deeper shade of coral, but it hasn't given up blooming yet this year.

It is loaded with buds too.

Love the color of the petals with the almost white center.

Still pretty after the blooms shed too.

This little cutie loves to romp around the yard. She is such a light in my life....always happy to see me and welcomes me with puppy kisses every day when I get home from work. I love my little Sadie Lou...:)

I am glad you stopped by today.....and thank you for listening. I debated whether or not to share that little story, but decided that I might as well since I try to keep it real on this little blog of mine. Life isn't always sunshine and roses.....sometimes it's blisters and thorns.

 But....the beautiful thing is....we don't have to let it overwhelm us. 

Just remember this.....

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Exodus 14:14

May you have a beautiful week!