thank you, eleanor.

For introducing me to Lonny Mag. I missed you, Domino. Thank you Lonny for bringing back some of that lovely inspiration.

And thank you eleanor for being you. I always appreciate your willingness to hear me, really listen, and give me advice I appreciate – whether it’s what I want to hear or not. You know me well.

And some other sweet inspiration I’ve found today:

This would be a lot prettier on my bedside table than my sony alarm clock. Ha.

I’d love to be able to do calligraphy like that. And I think I’m in need of twine.

Fun fluffy ribbon. Would look really sweet on some crisp glossy wrapping paper with a wide grosgrain in another spring pastel underneath.

And why didn’t I take watercolor while I was getting my BFA?????

Think I might have to borrow this idea and put my own spin on it for some personal cards. Too bad I don’t have a letterpress press.

X-acto anyone? 🙂

There you go, Monday. Gray skies and rainy days can’t get me down when there’s blogs to enjoy!

Now…to work in a little project Eleanor and I are doing…and a little bullion rose addition to Garner’s Easter dress. Those bring be BIG sunshine.

Yes, I’m a fan.

If you’ve read this blog, you know I’m a Martha Stewart fan. I’d like to clarify that by saying I’m a fan of the brand. The design and photography are some of the best I’ve ever seen. The typography and attention to design in the layouts is just beautiful. I am always inspired when I pick up a copy of MSL or any book I own, or the website. No matter how old they are, the design is timeless. I can recall the first time I really looked at the design of MSL magazine – in college. Beautiful then. Beautiful now. Thank you

I love the tools, books, website, ideas, and on and on and on. I have no doubt in my mind that MS herself is a visionary and quite an accomplished business woman. However, I do know that it takes an army of creative and administrative people to pull off just one of these items.

Thank you MSL Omnimedia for your never ending stream of creative, inventive, thoughtful and beautiful ideas.

So when I saw this announce I was a bit giddy inside:

On sale March 30. Buy it here.

And because I was in the MSL mood this weekend, I baked Cream Cheese Blondies (the bottom of the three)

Recipe and Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

I mean, thank you, OK Go.

I could watch this a thousand times! Enjoy.

Spring Break. Birthdays. Stomach Bug. Vacation.

Yep. I look back at the last three weeks and realize we’ve been busy.

Garner celebrated 2 with a small party due to a stomach bug the previous 24 hours. We had the immediately family mostly and it was nice. My Mom and Dad were in town and helped tremendously. Pics to come.

Spring Break Vacation started with me having the stomach bug en route to Mobile. Nice. We hopped on the “big boat” as Garner calls it and headed out into the ocean to Mexi-mo – Cozymel, Calica, and Playa. The weather was gray and windy from here to there and back but our two days in Mexico were warm and sunny. We survived it. We enjoyed parts of it. We cruised, finally. Not sure that’s our ideal kind of vacation but we did it and we’re glad we did.

Return home means back to work and we’re on the 9 week home stretch til school is out. I’m a 12 month employee so I don’t get the luxury of a full summer break, but I do get Fridays off and a shorter day M-Th. I enjoy that time and use Fridays to run errands, see friends and clean the house so my weekends are chore free. I’d kind of love that every week. 🙂

So, the Lord has been teaching me a few things lately that I wanted to share. For the last several years I’ve struggled with the notion of being older and missing my 20s. Let me clarify – I love my marriage, my daughter, and my place in life but I miss the freedom, sometimes irresponsibility, and quiet that came with my 20s. I’ve struggled with guilt though. Guilt of wasted time and years. Guilt that my life had no real purpose or reason. Guilt regarding some of the decisions I made.

But this past week the Lord spoke to me through a bible study I’m doing by Priscilla Shirer. It’s called Discerning the Voice of God. It’s one of those studies that has a lot of real life application and allows you to really look at yourself in a fresh way.

My 20s were (and my life still is) a sanctification process and I’m so thankful that God loves me, cares for me, wants to have a relationship with me, and has an awesome plan for my life.

I realized through this study that I’m really wasting precious time right now by dwelling on the past – the good or bad of it. Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV) reminded me that I shouldn’t dwell in the past, that I should look to the future God has for me. All the while I’ve been thinking about my 20s, I’ve been missing out the joys and blessing God has for me right now in this time. My goal this week is to enjoy where I am. Get to know this season a little better, and embrace it with all of who I am. This is far from a desert season, but God is teaching me something through this time and don’t want to miss it.

And thank you, Lord, for daffodils and longer days. They  make me happy.