Pin Swap Group Update.....

I have been worried that I might have lost someone from the pin swap list. So if you haven't been contacted (I have had trouble with some emails)....please don't feel you have been forgotten. Go to www.yahoogroups.com and look for the group "The Gathering Basket". This is the group I set up for this swap group....there we will post updates and share info about the swap.
If you can't get on, please email me at: dailygrace@bellsouth.net

I am going to close the sign ups later tonight....so get with me as soon as you can!!! I can already see that this is going to be a fun group. I love it when you get a group of women together that have the willingness to share ideas, inspire each other....let the creativity flow!!!! LOL

Hugs,
Debbie

Pin Swap Update.....

I am so excited about the pin swap and all the gals that want to participate. I will be working on an email to send you all this evening...and if you missed the sign up, please go ahead and email me your name and email addy...and I will get you added.

Actually, if those of you that signed up want to email me directly with your email addy and name, it will make getting my list together so much easier.

Looking forward to this!!!!!
Hugs,
Debbie

A little of this, A little of that.....

I started this blog awhile back just to record where I was with my life. At that time my son was just getting ready to graduate from high school and I knew that my life would be changing....entering a new phase. The blog reflected that journey.....but it also became about home, crafting and such.
During the last few months more changes have occurred with the passing of my hubby...and I was wondering about where this blog was going....was I pulling it in two many directions...what did I really want it to be about??? Especially since our "life" is being tossed in so many directions.
I decided to keep this blog about home....decorating, crafts....about the grace of opening your home to others....and even about the faith side of life. But I needed a place to put all my stuff about some of the other changes in my life. So I have started a sister blog to put those things about health, about changes in the year ahead and such.
It may be of no interest to you at all...and that is perfectly ok....but it is there if you are interested.... http://lossandfound-ajourney.blogspot.com

About the pin swap.....I have had others tell me they were interested, I am hoping we have a good turn out for this as I believe it will be lots of fun.

Sweet Dreams all....
hugs,
Debbie

Pin Swap!!!!

(Hi--you will see we have added a swap button for the pin swap to the side bar..please feel free to add it to your blog and link back to this post. Thank you so much for helping me promote this...and a HUGE thanks to Kris of SewPrimKris for making the button for me!!!)


Pins, glorious pins....I love fun seasonal pins, everyday pins....from prim to shabby chic and everything in between.
I am inviting you to join me in a fun pin swap. For now, I am just asking you to sign up to make pins in whatever medium you work with for this swap. How many you will need to make will depend on how many we have sign up. If there are alot of people, we will break down into smaller groups.....so hang on till the sign ups end and we will have more info then.
So the rules, you ask????
Simple....make pins for your group (number to be determined) and by the cut off date, you will mail your pins, a return address label and a small shipping fee (to be determined---this is not for anything other than to pay for the shipping of your set of pins back to you)..to me. I will then package them up and ship them back out to all of the participants... This way no one ends up not receiving something because someone didn't participate...only those sending something in will receive a package back.
One of the things I really love about these types of swaps is I always learn something.....everyone is at a different place with their crafting, different mediums and such and it is so much fun to collect. I also love these to use on small trees for ornies.....
If you have any questions let me know....and I will get back with you. You have until Sunday, August 16 to sign up and I plan to give everyone until October 1 to get your pins in...I wanted everyone to have plenty of time and not be hurried.
So Sign Up Today...and tell you friends....
A side note....I would love to have an icon for this that you could put on your blogs to advertise it...I don't know how to do this or who to ask...if you have anyone you would like to suggest or ideas on how to do a nice one, please let me know!!! (dailygrace@bellsouth.net)

Thanks everyone...I look forward to sharing this with you all!!!!
Hugs,
Debbie

Sweet Friendship Swap...and Creative Beginnings....

Yesterday was a wonderful mail day!!! Awhile back I signed up to do a Friendship Swap....this was a new one for me. For this swap you had to find things to represent each letter in the word "Friends"...it was such great fun and an opportunity to get to know someone new. I was so fortunate to be paired up with Joann from CA. I signed up for this swap before John was taken to the hospital....and Joann has been such a sweetheart through all of this, even giving me the option to back out if I no longer wanted to participate. Through everything that was going on...it was something I had to look forward to, and I am glad I decided to stay with it.

Opening the box was so much fun, as I took out each item...I knew just where it would go or how I could use it...and it was truly special to have some items (the tote and pillow) that Joann had made herself.

Thank you Joann for being such a dear.....and as you can see from the next picture, I am finding homes for all the sweet gifts your sent. You have been such a great friend through this....thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!

Above is the mantle I put up in my bedroom...as you can see I already have a space for the pillow and tin Joann sent.
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We were invited to a wedding this weekend...the first one that I have attended in some time. And feeling like my creativity has been on hiatus for awhile...I decided to try to make a gift tin to house the gift card that I was giving. I know -so dang generic...I normally try to do some sort of themed basket, but you read the last sentence.....creativity has left the building (for awhile)...LOL.
I have seen such beautiful things done with these tins...and I know this is just basic, but give me credit for trying...LOL

It really was a lot of fun to pull out the papers and stickers to create something again...just feels good. I filled the inside of the tin with wrapped wintergreen lifesavers and buried the gift card in it. I was happy with the result...and everyone seemed to really like it. So at least it is a start.

Do something creatively fun this weekend.....it can be something as simple as making a card...but it can really open you up to your creative side that spills over into all areas of your life.

I haven't forgotten the pin swap....I will be posting the sign ups for it on Monday, I really am hoping that several of you will want to play!!!

Have a great weekend.....tomorrow is church and then off to see Julia and Julie.....
Hugs,
Debbie

The Note......

This has been a really busy week....lots of decisions to make. Some things had to go on the back burner till other things are handled...and some things just may not make the list, ever.

But as I have been dealing with all the new things coming our way...I remembered several years ago, I was doing a little speaking for women's groups about the creativity of grace in our lives. When I started, I chatted with a dear friend whose ministry I was working with...and told her how in making some of the decisions about this, I just wish God would write me a note and fill me in on what I needed to do. Then He gently reminded me of the time in the Old Testament that He wrote on the wall.....yep, things didn't go to well with that.... (smile). But awhile later, I discovered Beth Moore studies, and in one of them she talks about "God Stops"....all the little things we take for granted that God has placed in our way to make us smile, to remind us that He loves us....and things that just act as a gentle hug. So I am looking for these things in my life...those sweet reminders....

After a meeting this week about my going back to school (I will fill you all in on that adventure later!!! LOL).....I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and decided to stop by a popular re-sale book store in our area and browsed through some books...looking for some treasures to take home. As I was flipping through the pages of one of my "finds"....I found a note tucked inside that spoke to me....it said,
"You and I have some pretty big waves in our oceans of life right now. They're simply an invitation from God's own hand to come with Him "further still", and come to know Him more intimately than we have ever dared dream. So come on Sister...we've got some waves to walk on."

I truly feel like I got my "note from home" this week..... And a reminder, that the words of kindness we share with others, may reach much farther than we ever realized....

Sweet dreams all,
Debbie