Starting to Decorate..

Hi Friends,



Well we started decorating yesterday for Christmas. I ended up cleaning up the closet that holds the decorations (and my craft supplies), the screened in porch, the living room, and moving Chloe's toys and table to the living room. Woo I am glad that is done! We have a new Simplicity vacuum that just does a fantastic job and really made cleaning easy.


Chloe and I both got the H1N1 shot. Chloe did a good job and is glad it is over with.

By the way if there is anyone out there who would like to be added to the list of handmade shops I have on the side panel please let me know.  I think it is great to promote the unique and hard work people create. At this time I am not selling myself and this helps me to feel like I am doing something and doing something positive for others.


For those of you who work with scented goods like candles, tarts, fixins, ornies or just scented crafts here are some scent mixing ideas:


Fresh Bake Pie Crust:  Buttercream+Pumpkin Spice
Peach Pie:  Georgia Peach+ Fresh Bake Pie Crust
Sugar Cookie: Southern Butter Pecan+ Cream Brulee
Hugs n Kisses: Candy Corn+ Peaches+Strawberry
Coconut Cream Pie: French Vanilla+Coconut+ Fresh Baked Pie Crust
Candy Cane: Peppermint+Strawberry
Birthday Cake: Buttercream+vanilla


Pillar Candle Layer Technique..


Take a box and fill it half way up or so with sand. Then place you candle mold at a tilt and pack sand around it to hold it in place. Then pour different colored layers. Great for candy cane candles!

Time to go hope you all have a great day....

Love....

Hi Friends,

It is a bright sunny late fall day here and Chloe and I are getting ready to go get her an H1N1 shot at our local health department. The school and the health department are offering them free today and so I thought we would try and get her one.  Right now she is working with play dough, a small rolling pin and cookie cutters. I really like that she enjoys that. In the past she has enjoyed helping me make ornies for handmade fixins.

I thought about Love again today and decided to post "The Message" version of the Love chapter...

Love never gives up.



Love cares more for others than for self.


Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.


Love doesn't strut,


Doesn't have a swelled head,


Doesn't force itself on others,


Isn't always "me first,"


Doesn't fly off the handle,


Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,


Doesn't revel when others grovel,


Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,


Puts up with anything,


Trusts God always,


Always looks for the best,


Never looks back,


But keeps going to the end.
 
 
The thing about love is that it has boundaries. A person with no boundaries or weak boundaries can get run over by a frieght train if they try to practice love in the above prescribed form. To be able to practice love most effectively without hurting yourself from being a relentless people pleaser is to cultivate boundaries for your own emotional safety. Once you have the boundaries in place then practicing love is much easier. In my case it is still an effort but much easier( and quite satisfying to me) than in times when I had no boundaries. I think that this is where people misunderstand. Some think love is a sacrifice that eats away at peaceful living because it appears that you must sacrifice yourself for others without end. That is false. When you have an understanding of boundaries then you can work within those boundaries in a loving manner.
 
Boundaries are like your own personal house and yard. People have loads that they must carry by themselves. You cannot help everyone take responsibility for their own load. They must do that. A loving gesture is one of encouragement or just listening. Not doing the task for that other person. If you know someone is going to do something dangerous you sometimes can't stop them. But a loving person can say I will be here for you when you come back.
 
Well it looks like I have got to get Chloe and I out the door so she can get the vaccine.
 
"Better to lose count while naming your blessings than to lose your blessings to counting your troubles. "



Maltbie D. Babcock

 
Take care all and Bless you on this fine day.....

Getting Thru The Holiday Season In a Loving Manner

Goodmorning!

Today I thought I would write about some practical skills to perhaps use during the holiday season. Some people are just hard to get along with and yet you must spend time with them . There is nothing worse than having an awkward get together when times are supposed to be joyous.

Interpersonal effectiveness skills help in this area. Since the holidays are all about love and cheer probably the best skill to use would be Relationship Effectiveness called GIVE. Interpersonal effectiveness skills can take alot of distress tolerance skills such as radical acceptance, improving the moment, and self soothe. For instance if someone is coming to your house you aren't compatible with you have to radically accept that they are coming no matter what ...what is is. Then you can help yourself out by cheerleading yourself " I can do this. I can tolerate this. I can show hospitality and respect for the family." Or you can ask for help thru prayer. You can put on your favorite music and one mindfully prepare and decorate and serve.

Then you can use GIVE. This is what GIVE looks like.....

Be Gentle

Act Interested

Validate

Easy Manner

This is hard to do sometimes but never impossible. We have to get past our pride. Besides it is a loving gesture. Love is not faint heartedness it is bold and courageous. Love is strength and freedom.

Hope you all have a nice weekend...take care now and God bless....