Summer Messages...

Here are a few cute "quotes and phrases" I have seen recently:

Christmases Past

When I think of Christmases past, my mind is filled with images from my childhood home.

Harvesting Basil

          Basil

Do you need ideas for all of your basil? 

 

Make sure you pick it before the first frost and wash and dry it well!

Easy Fall Decor...

            Fall is right around the corner...

Are you ready to put your summer decor away and pull out some warm fall colors?

Do you need a little inspiration for your fall decorating?  Here are some easy and creative craft ideas to keep you busy, just follow the links:

Canvas Coasters

 Hand Painted Coasters

I recently saw this idea on Leslie's blog and couldn't wait to make some.  I was inspired by the colors she used, especially as we creep into fall. I changed a few things about the assembly of them, as you will see at the end of the post.  I always try to change things up a bit to make it my own.  

These would make a cute hostess gift with a bottle of wine!!

TEA, TEA, TEA...

"Come let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things." Chaim Potok

Do It Over Designers - Recycling Your Throw-aways!

Today I am sharing a few quick and easy ways to recycle our typical throw-aways to create packaging for birthdays gifts, holiday gifts or last minute hostess gifts.

The first idea is to take a pizza/cookie box....

....and cover it with gift wrap...

...and attach a card, ornament or label on top:

So, what can you put inside?  

How about a chocolate pizza  (recipe HERE).....

...or cookies (try this delish recipe HERE) or candy (recipe HERE)

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I still enjoy magazines.  I know we can see most of the ideas, recipes and stories online, but there is something about flipping through the magazines, dog-earing pages that have something that caught my eye, and ripping out recipes!

I try to pass magazines on to someone else, but I have found a way to use the covers!

So, I created a few tote bags!

  

Sometimes I need just a small reusable bag when I run into a store and this is the perfect size:

These also make unique gift bags!

They are simple to make and all you need is 5 magazine covers, a grommet tool and grommets, ribbon or cording and a sewing machine!

What can you put inside?  Make-up, t-shirt, jewelry or any "fashionable" gift!

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My last idea is to use a large tin can and a wooden ornament that you can find at the craft store.  You can paint your own, or buy one already painted.  Spray paint a can and glue the ornament on the front:

These can be filled with cookies, sox, candy, jewelry....the ideas are endless!

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Visit these other creative designers to see what they have created:

Ann - The Apple Street Cottage

Anita - Unique Creations by Anita

Allyson - Southern Sunflowers

Chas - Chas’ Crazy Creations

Cindy - Cloches & Lavender

Donna - Modern on Monticello

Gail - Purple Hues & Me

Kathleen - Our Hopeful Home

Kim - Exquisitely Unremarkable

Naush - DoodleBuddies

*Patti - Pandora’s Box

Sara - Birdz of a Feather

Tania - Little Vintage Cottage

Thanks for stopping by!

Being Grateful...

Some say being thankful is a feeling, being grateful is an action.

Are you grateful? 

What are you grateful for? 

 

Each day I make a mental list of what I am grateful for - there are always a few things to add to the prior list! 

Grateful is showing an appreciation of kindness.

1. 

Studies have linked gratitude with increased satisfaction, motivation, and energy; better sleep and health; and reduced stress and sadness. 

Grateful people are much more engaged with their environment, leading to greater personal growth and self-acceptance, and stronger feelings of purpose, meaning, and specialness. (Psychology Today)

So find reasons to be grateful!

A Dessert Tray for these new times ....

Are you familiar with Olive and Cocoa?  

The company has the cutest catalog and such unique and special gifts..  Each time I (or Mom) have ordered, the item is shipped in a hand made wooden gift box.  

I decided to upcycle this box when I was asked to bring dessert to my SILs cookout over the weekend:

I removed all of the paper filling and wrapped the box in a seasonal ribbon, which covers the Olive and Cocoa name engraved in the wood:

I bought little chalkboards clip-ons and labeled each with the type of sweet treat:

They have clothespin clips on the back and were easy to clip on the box:

I grabbed a bunch of paper cups from my party supply drawer

And to make this easy for me, I bought these two, pre-made brownie doughs....

...and baked them in paper cups from Sophistiplate, my go-to source for paper goods:

I also made some Cookie Balls:

I wrapped some plastic wrap over the cups and covered with the wooden lid.  

Ready to go!!

I decorated the brownies with dollops of chocolate frosting and a few sprinkle and used bamboo sporks in each brownie and a wooden pick in each cookie ball:

This was an easy way for guests to grab one or two desserts, no cutting, no serving, no paper plates and an easy dessert for the hostess to just place on the counter!!  Clean up is also easy - Toss everything away and recycle the box for the next party!

If you want to create something similar, here are links to purchase:

Bamboo Sporks

Paper Baking Cups

Chalkboard Clips

Olive and Cocoa

Faux Mackenzie-Childs Sunflowers....

I recently bought three MacKenzie-Childs sunflowers for $15 ea (additional 40% off). They are beautiful and of great quality:

I wanted to add a few more to the vase so I went to the Dollar Store and bought one bunch of three rust colored sunflowers on a stem and a roll of 'off brand' duct tape.

This was a very inexpensive craft that only took a few minutes to make some 'faux MacKenzie-Childs' sunflowers!

I laid one petal onto the tape, pressed it with my fingers to adhere and cut it to size:

I did this to every other petal:

Two flowers had the tape on the back petals and on the third I put the tape on the front petals:

These added a bit of height and an additional color to my bouquet!

This took all of 20 minutes and cost only $2 !!

The Power of Words....

I am a retired teacher with over 25 years of experience and while in the classroom I knew the power of my words and how they could affect a teenager's life, I understood how words had the ability to help, heal, hinder, harm, humiliate and humble. I could motivate and influence my students with my vocabulary as well as with my silence, expressions and/or encouragement.  My words helped to build positive relationships, drove positive behavior and impacted many, many lives over the years.  

I could manifest change with my words! 

I understood the power of words!

I started blogging over 10 years ago as a way to journal and share ideas.  I know I have influenced some with a few of my creative ideas, I have made incredible friendships, and I have been inspired by so many.

What I never gave much thought to was how my words on this blog or on Instagram would affect others as much as they do.  

During the Pandemic I tried to stay positive, posting photos with inspiring quotes, sharing recipes and encouraging thoughts.  It was a challenging time to blog because I was housebound for so long.

I received lots of feedback, inspiration, messages and thanks from many followers and they were all appreciated, especially because as a blogger you don't always know whose lives you have touched.

My point is this:

I received a lovely note and gift from a woman who said I inspired her to 

"spread some sunshine....and instead of buying, started gifting".  

Out of the kindest of her heart, she sent me this lovely MacKenzie-Childs pitcher to use when my "wonderful hubby makes breakfast".

All bloggers appreciate comments on their posts, but to receive a gift and hand written note is an extraordinary and spectacular surprise!

Simply put, words hold an immense and tremendous power to manifest change, and hopefully for the best.  It can be contagious, can make you feel appreciated and can promote a bond of friendship.

So this past Saturday, when John made his "Saturday Breakfast", we enjoyed a pitcher of Mango  Mimosas!

Cheers to YOU!

Because of this sweet gift, I will also be "paying it forward" to someone who has inspired me!

Thanks to my dear friend and I hope our paths cross again soon!

Circus Glassware by MacKenzie-Childs