Those coming from Emily’s little corner of the web, I’m sure have heard all about the wonderful things happening at the Simple Stories blog.  You all have the opportunity to win a Simple Stories collection of your choice like the one I’m going to show you now!  Details below…

*Don’t forget to leave your comments here and at the Simple Stories blog for your chance to win.*

(a reader from the blog in the hop with the most comments will get a Simple Stories collection!)

Simple Stories – Happy Day…

This Simple Stories project isn’t your typical paper crafting project.  I wanted to give you an idea of how you can use these wonderful papers in a whole new way.

We celebrated Talitha’s first birthday last fall with a woodland themed birthday party, an emphasis on owls.  While there are a few owl options in the Simple Stories line, the Happy Day colors and birthday theme were perfect for our party and, ultimately, the inspiration for many of the decorations.

For this project, You’ll see a little bit of everything in the Happy Day series.  I bought one of everything before the planning even began knowing much of it would also end up in the scrapbook.  I love being able to perfectly coordinate the layouts and photos!

A Happy Day Birthday

So here’s the main table.  You can see several Happy Day Elements here.  The photos framed in Happy Day layouts, the banner on the bottom, the paper medallion garland.

Birthday banner…

This was lots of fun.  Using my Cricut, I cut out the scallop ovals from the Happy Day Designer Cardstock Paper Pack and mounted the solid ovals and letters in the coordinating American Crafts cardstock colors.

Tell me these aren’t adorable.  Seriously!  So cute and simple.  The “1st” tag is going in the scrapbook!

I also mounted these little wooden owls (I found for less than a dollar each!) onto the dark brown cardstock in the same collection.  You can see those hanging in the banner and around the table.

Paper medallion garlands…

The cardstock colors are delicious in this pack – so wonderfully foresty.  I had to do something to highlight this fact and chose a garland for a dramatic effect over the large window.  With another scallop edge, this time a Fiskars punch, I created a garland using the AC cardstock, everyday twine, and a glue stick.

Get your self a big bowl, your punch, cardstock and good movie for this project!  Punch beyond your heart’s content and you’ll eventually have enough. 

Next just glue two scallops together with the twine sandwiched in between at even intervals and you’re all done.  While a bit tedious, this project is so simple, even your little helpers could manage it.  I alternated the garland with matching crepe paper streamers.

A paper chain…

Another party decoration that I absolutely loved was this colorful paper chain.  I wish I had a great picture of it in place at the party, but I couldn’t find one.  Using links of all different widths, I made the chain using the Happy Day 6×6 Paper Pad papers, the AC coordinating cardstock, and some of the Signature Elements Pack.  And a glue stick, of course! 

Party fun & framed photo layouts…

This is where the scrapbooking and party-going really start to meld.  One of the activities for the guests to participate in was to leave a love note for the birthday girl.  From the Signature Elements Pack, I cut out cute journaling boxes and photo mats for the guests to write on.  A recycled aluminum can got a treatment from the Elements pack as well to hold some scrapbooking markers.

In the photo above you can also see more of the framed photo layouts with pictures of our baby girl already mounted.  These guys can go straight into a scrapbook layout with very little effort!

With the Happy Day Flash Cards, I decorated the craft table by mounting them to these scallop edged containers that held our crafting supplies.

A really fun game we played, Pin the Owl on the Tree, got the whole bunch laughing when even great grandma participated.  Again the AC cardstock served as the base for these die-cut owls.  My 10 year old daughter put these together for the party.

I had SO much fun with this project!  I still have to get it all into an album but, believe it or not, I have a ton of supplies left for that.  I’m thinking maybe a mini album just for this event is in order.

Do you have a favorite not-your-typical-paper-crafting project?  Tell me about!

Now head on over to Simple Stories team member Allison’s blog to see what cool things she’s done with the Simple Stories collections!

Don’t forget to leave a comment below!  A reader from the blog with the most comments will get a Simple Stories collection of their choice.  You can check out the other collections at the Simple Stories blog.  Don’t forget to leave a comment there for another chance to win!

*In case you get lost along the way, here’s the trail we’re hopping along!

1. Simple Stories
2. Welcome To Martha’s World
3. Simple Stories Design Team Member, Kim Holmes at The Holmes Crew
4. Pursuit of Scrappiness
5. Scrapixie
6. Simple Stories Design Team Member, Emily Pitts at Here I Am, Here I Am
7. Knittingprose (ME, you’re here!)
8. Simple Stories Design Team Member, Allison Landy at Scraps-Are-Fun
9. Queen Kat
10. Simple Stories Design Team Member, Wendy Morris at scrapnspire
11. Scrappin’ –N- Crafting Princess
12. Wild ‘n’ Krazie Memories
13. Simple Stories Design Team Member, Liz Qualman at My Little Sketch Blook

-knittingprose

Check it out here!!!

Thinking about the new year that lies ahead inevitably makes me consider the year that came before it.  Looking back, I see how I’ve changed much.  The Lord continues to open up my mind to the revelations in His Word and my heart is soaking it in.  At the same time, while my understanding has blossomed, I feel my obedience has waned.  It’s always a balancing act, isn’t it?  This whole life in every possible way is about trying to stay on the narrow path and not slipping off the side into one extreme or the other.  We’re so prone to extremes, we humans.  I suppose it’s easier to meander along and drift where the wind and ruts would take us.  The vigilance required to stay on the road is tough for me to hang on to.  I’m constantly taking my eyes off the road to admire this or that.  In the end, I’m exerting so much more energy trying to drag myself back up the shoulder than if I’d just paid attention in the first place. 

Ah well, you know this all well yourself, I’m sure.  I am comforted by the fact that the Lord shows me where I’ve gone astray and restores me when I just simply ask for His hand.  He clings to me even when I let go.  I’m so thankful for God’s faithfulness. 

As we move into the new year, I have a few things I hope to accomplish.  Simple things really, but big.

• Get to know my neighbors better.  I’ve lived here for 7 years and hardly know any of them.  I can’t let anxiety or fear paralyze me into inaction any longer.  It’s become sinful.
• Spend more of my time and money in my community.  All a part of a greater effort to be in community with those around me.  It’s easy to not know people in this world of virtual everything.  It’s also unhealthy to not know people.  We lose our sense of responsibility and compassion when we neglect tangible human life and it’s emotions.
• Eat more responsibly.  Meaning organic, local, healthy, natural.  Real food grown and prepared by real people.  Maybe not always the cheapest, but the most sensible.
• Put more effort into a second income.  For the extra $$, obviously.  But also the learning experience for the entire family.  For the pleasure of doing something we enjoy.  For the opportunity to engage in our community.
• Spiritually speaking, I have several goals but I’m not sure they need to be mentioned specifically to the entire world.  As a family, I’d like to see us spend more consistent time in the Word.  I’d also like to see us spend a much greater amount of time loving others in prayer and in deed.  That may be vague but who knows what God will lead us to.  I’m not willing to limit that to a soup kitchen or a mission trip. (though both of those would be fine.)
• I want to learn the enjoyment of hiking this year.  Just for the fun of it.
• Get back into my paper crafts.  I’m glad to be doing this again.  I can’t wait to see what all projects I’ll accomplish this year.
• Get healthy.  Too many potential health problems loom in the distance for both myself and my husband.  And I’m sure we’re leading our kids in the same direction.  I’d like to redirect us all.

It’s not much, but it’s what I got.  So many of these ‘goals’ are interwoven and relate to one another.  That’s kind of a scary thought for my scattered brain!  I hope I can manage it.  

How about you.  Any new beginnings for you?

-knittingprose

Actually it’s the present-making I’m talking about today.  This year almost every present we gave/will give for the holidays has been handmade.  Abs and I spent a week doing some hard core crafting on mini albums and since the gift has been given, I can finally share my favorite one with you.  I absolutely love this mini album!

It was inspired by Laura at Following the Paper Trail and her beaded mini album.  Most of the papers, stickers, and die-cuts are from Colorbok’s Woodland set.  The letter stickers above on the front cover were from an old NSD DaisyD’s set I got years ago.

I love the way this album goes together.  The pockets are super simple to construct and lend themselves easily to a variety of pretreatments with edge punches, stamping, distressing, etc.  Let your imagination run wild here.

The interactivity level of this album is fairly high which makes it so much fun to flip through.

I believe the mushroom paper is my absolute favorite.  I’m a sucker for mushrooms.

The back cover has a small pocket for storing little trinkets.

Most all the embellishments I used in this album that weren’t die-cuts were things I found in my stash.  Always nice to use some of that cool stuff I tend to save for ‘something special’.

These letter stickers are one of my favorite embellishments in the album. I’m not even sure where I got them but they’ve been in my stash for a few years.  I’ve used one or two here and there and they were perfect for this album.  When you get to this page you just can’t resist running your fingers over them.

This was another fun thing I found in my stash – a looking glass!  Actually I found three and I can’t remember at all who made these.  Of course, the packaging was gone.

Anyhoo, this was such a fun project to complete.  So many things to touch and take in as you look through.  I can’t wait to see it again filled with pictures.

Aren’t these brads cute?      So elegant.  I love the paper and felt flower pieces mixed together.

All this paper crafting has resurrected my desire for more scrapping.  At one time, this was a business for me and I really enjoyed it.  After several years of dealing with a difficult company and some personal turmoil, I called it quits with a heavy heart.

Time has healed a lot of wounds in this area and I think I’m ready to get back to it.  Plans for a spring retreat are in the works so stay tuned for more details! 

Happy Crafting!

-knittingprose

The Herbal Medicine Making Kit 

from LearningHerbs.com…

*   $10 off the Herbal Medicine Making Kit

*   A $10 coupon off an HerbMentor annual membership
*   Access to the new "Kit Coaching" program, which we’ll eventually charge for in the   future. Free for you!

*   AND Rosalee’s new 93 page eBook, Herbal Remedies for Children During the Cold & Flu Season. This is an amazing book.

After tonight, bonuses will be gone.

Also, tonight, the $10 discount goes away.

This makes an amazing gift, and all the bonuses are easily
transferable to the person you are gifting the Kit to.

*** I can personally recommend this kit.  It was my introduction into the world of herbs and I never could have imagined where it has taken me.  If it weren’t for Learning Herbs I wouldn’t be making and selling my own herbal creations!  Learning Herbs and Herb Mentor have been with me for every step of my herbal journey and I’m so glad I found them in the beginning when I was just starting out.  I am very confident in the information and instruction given by John and the folks at Herb Mentor.  One of the biggest comforts I get is knowing I can trust the advice they give.  John and Kim run Learning Herbs and Herb Mentor with integrity and honesty – definitely the kind of people I want to support! 

As for some kit details, it’s beautifully and safely packaged.  The instructions are very clearly laid out in video and written form.  All the prep work is done for you, leaving you to supply a couple of minor things like alcohol for the tincture and olive oil for the salve.  (They can’t supply your liquor! hehe)  It really is an ‘open the box and go’ kind of kit.  As a new herbalist, this is such a relief.  I promise, anyone getting this gift will not be disappointed. 

They have about 31 kits left at last count.  More kits won’t come til after the New Year. 

Be quick, the sale won’t last long!

-knittingprose

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might.” Eccles. 9:10

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do,” refers to works that are possible.  There are many things which our heart findeth to do which we never shall do.  It is well it is in our heart; but if we would be eminently useful, we must not be content with forming schemes in our heart, and talking of them; we must practically carry out “whatsoever our hand findeth to do.”  One good deed is more worth than a thousand brilliant theories.  Let us not wait for large opportunities, or for a different kind of work, but do just the things we “find to do” day by day.  We have no other time in which to live.  The past is gone; the future has not arrived; we never shall have any time but time present.  Then do not wait until your experience has ripened into maturity before you attempt to serve God.  Endeavour now to bring forth fruit.  Serve God now, but be careful as to the way in which you perform what you find to do- “do it with thy might.”  Do it promptly; do not fritter away your life in thinking of what you intend to do to-morrow as if that could recompense for the idleness of to-day.  No man ever served God by doing things to-morrow.  If we honour Christ and are blessed, it is by the things which we do to-day.  Whatever you do for Christ throw your whole soul into it.  Do not give Christ a little slurred labour, done as a matter of course now and then; but when you do serve him, do it with heart, and soul, and strength.

But where is the might of a Christian?  It is not in himself, for he is perfect weakness.  His might lieth in the Lord of Hosts.  Then let us seek his help; let us proceed with prayer and faith, and when we have done what our “hand findeth to do,” let us wait upon the Lord for his blessing.  What we do thus will be well done, and will not fail in its effect. 

 

As someone with a “visionary”-type personality, I can tell you that I have constructed many more plans than I have followed through with.  This can be a great source of depression, frustration with myself, and guilt without the remembrance that God is merciful. 

But praise the Lord!  He is merciful!  Where I am weak, He is plenty strong and capable. 

Lord, let me see the value in a task completed.  Spur me on to the finish.

- knittingprose

*photo by Guillermo Lo Forte

-knittingprose

First get yourself some delicious, beautifully spotless sweet red berries like mine.  These came from my local produce coop and, man, they are good. You’ll need about 9 lbs.

Make sure there’s a whiney baby making noises in the background.

Don’t forget your whole bag of lemons and 12 cups of sugar… seriously.

Peel the entire bag of lemons and then juice them in your juicer… which you’ll be cleaning many hours later.  At least the machine will get clean.  The pitcher may have to wait until tomorrow.  

Add 4 kids begging to play some type of electronic device to the baby noises.

Hull, wash and cut up all the berries and put them into a ginormous stock pot.  Oh, and have your daughter do the chopping of all the berries.  When she tells you they’re all chopped up, go ahead and turn on the stove and add all twelve cups of sugar, the measly one cup of lemon juice you got from peeling and juicing the 11 lemons and your secret ingredient.  Shh. Don’t tell that part.  (and NO it’s not nasty pectin! and don’t look at me that way, either.)  Now, realize that she didn’t chop up all the berries.  That there are whole berries floating around in your jam!  Take a slotted spoon and dig out all the big chunks of berries and chop them up. Return them to the pot. 

About now is when you get a nasty, painful burn on the underside of your wrist from boiling berries.  We’re talking pain shooting up the arm.  Thank goodness you have Gardener’s Salve to sooth it.  Have the oldest child bandage you up and continue stirring your berries while you also cook lunch for the hungry kids.  They’ve moved on from electronics to focus on more immediate desires such as eating and drinking whatever’s least convenient in the kitchen. 

The baby is beyond cranky and absolutely must have her mother right now. 

So you’re standing there… stirring your berries (which are taking an awful long time to set up), holding a baby on your hip, watching the oven where lunch is cooking and rinsing dishes.  You serve lunch and stir.  Check the berries – not ready yet.  Stir some more.  This baby is getting heavy now.  Go sit down in the dining room for two minutes and come back to stir, stir, stir. 

Wait.

Sniff.

Oh man!!!!  Seriously?  All that and you burn the berries!  Oh my big fat cow! I cannot believe this. 

sigh

Now you have 21 jars of runny, dark and almost bitter strawberry jam that’s probably only fit for ice cream. 

Well.  Looks like we’ll be having ice cream a whole lot this year!

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”                            – 1 Corinthians 10:31

-knittingprose

You’ll notice the Etsy store link from now on in the sidebar.  I’d love to hear what you think of the offerings there.  Do you have any herbal delights you’d like to see in the store?  Suggestions?  Comments?  Let me know! 

In the meantime, why not do a little shopping…

Anyhoo, I’m telling you this a.) because I absolutely love being married to my husband and it’s an excuse to shout it across the internet and b.) because this was not your typical anniversary day.  You’re probably thinking we took the day and traipsed off to the City Museum or Art Hill and had dinner on the Landing.  But we didn’t.  We had dinner at home.  Chicken Pot Pie, home-style  of course.   I’ll get to that later.  For now, here’s how I did spend my anniversary day.

This morning the kiddos and I picked up the produce we ordered from our local coop called Community Helpings Coop.  It was a great week for produce!  I got there early to help set everything up and the coordinator, Jill, man this gal is on it!  Everything is so well organized that the produce on the truck was unloaded and the 53 baskets (plus extra orders!) were filled in a half hour’s time!  Wanna see what I got? 

I know, right?  A basket (that big blue bag there plus the stuff in the little green bag) costs $23.  The rest is extra stuff I ordered for $26 and the 2 cases of strawberries I got for $12.  Here’s a peek at what all these numbers turn into.

Strawberries were 75 cents a pound this week!  I got 16 lbs. for making strawberry jam.  Oh yeah!

These strawberries are perfect! Big, red & juicy!

Three bunches of celery (It was two but I traded my eggplant with someone. Not a big eggplant fan.)

12 ct. bi-color local corn, cauliflower, 3 1bs. new red potatoes, 3 lbs. creamer potatoes, 10 lbs. jumbo carrots, 5 lbs. onions, 5lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes

Here we have 5 green peppers, 4 ct. tomatoes, 1 head of green leaf lettuce, 4 lbs. Valencia oranges, 3 ct. nectarines, 3 lbs. Gala apples, watermelon, bananas, huge cantelope, black grapes (at least 2 lbs.), 10 ct. lemons & limes and gummi bears for my sweet littles who sat patiently in the truck watching Harry Potter while I loaded produce. 

Oh my goodness, this is so much good food!  Some of the produce is from local farms, which I absolutely love.  Supporting our local economy is so important!  When things can’t be gotten locally, Jill will get the best deal she can from elsewhere.  The prices are unbeatable and the quality is top notch.  If you’re in the St. Louis area and you’d like to see about joining a local coop, you can visit  the Community Helpings Coop website to find out more.  Most likely there’s a pick-up locale somewhere close by. 

With all this yummy fresh food in the house, I should be able to manage a couple recipe posts this week, eh?  About that chicken pot pie, you can bet I used fresh carrots, celery and onions in it.  Wanna know the secret to a delicious pot pie?  Shhh, don’t tell anyone I told you… sage.  Throw a dash of sage into the mixture and your pot pie will taste better than any other pot pie out there.  I’m pretty sure it makes people melt into a pool of nostalgia all because of it’s association with Thanksgiving foods.   Thanksgiving + chicken pot pie = comfort food on a whole ‘nother level!   

So today didn’t end up being a super fancy and romantic anniversary date, but it was still loads of fun.  The kids and I grocery shopped all day and my hubby came home an hour or two early from work.  We enjoyed a home-cooked meal as a family and even had a little chocolate cake.  Oh, and the kids were sweet enough to give us a wonderful anniversary surprise – a sheet draped coffee table adorned with two candles, two apples, two morsels of cheese bread, two glasses of water and stuffed animal for each of us.  It was precious.

Yep, It’s been a great 14 years.

- knittingprose