the lemondime

An Open Letter to the Woman I Overheard say, "There's nothing she can't do; she's perfect."

2015-09-16T22:24:00.001-07:00

i'm not sure if it was meant to be a private thought passed between yourself and your friend, or if you said it just loud enough for me to purposefully hear, but i heard it, nonetheless. i almost opened my mouth and put you on the spot right there, but i stopped. maybe it was my courtesy as to not embarrass you in front of the other women shopping my booth. maybe it was because in order for you to really know the depth of my answer, you would have had to spend at least 5 full minutes with me face to face, and not rely on the perfect world of FB to know my story.

you see, i'm pretty sure you've heard this before, but there is no such thing as 'perfect.' not unless we're talking about Jesus here, and i'm very well sure you were not. i can't pretend to know much about you, because, well.... i don't KNOW you. i would hope that you wouldn't expect to KNOW me from what you apparently pour over, about my life on social media. i don't know you, but i'm pretty sure i can assume you have some crap in your life. do you think i don't? do you think i don't have piles of laundry and pain that runs deep? don't we all? so why would you for one second think i'm perfect? now i know you may have a rebuttal; you may have just been making that statement under your breath in jest. but i can tell you, i didn't take it lightly, and i'll tell you why.....

i'm 40 years old. i spent the first 33 of those years obsessed with perfection. thankfully we didn't have social media outlets back then to show you all how amazing i was. 'cause let me tell you, i most certainly would have. you would have bet your life savings that i was 'perfect' because i did everything in my power to be so. until. until my perfectionism turned me into someone i loathed. Jesus began a work in my life that flipped my perfect world on it's head and i've never been the same, and WILL never be the same. i am most certainly NOT, perfect, and i will be the first to tell you that i'm not, and not only that, i'm FAR from it, but i do still struggle with moments of perfectionism. so you may have to give me some grace.

so you think there's nothing i can't do, huh? sure, i can use power tools, and fix a lawnmower, change tires and probably your oil if you asked me. i can paint a beautiful mural, make a mean toffee-nut latte, bake fresh bread and grind wheat to make baby cereal. i can give you some money if you're hungry and sew you some clothes. i can even recite Scripture if you'd like to hear it. that is the most important of all these things, by the way- the Scripture, not the reciting.....

but there's a much longer list of the things i can't do, and since you wouldn't know that by the pretty pictures i post on FB, let me enlighten you. oh, and let me know if you want to see my piles of laundry and cobwebs in my bathroom... they are there, and i don't mind proving it with an instagram picture (with the 'nashville' filter and the hashtag #dirtyhousewivesofindianapolis). i just think pretty pictures on instagram are way more fun to look at than dirt. unless it's a photo of a farmer plowing dirt, then that's way up there in my ''pretty-pictures-on-instagram meter.''

oh, about that list: some of these may need some explaining....

i CAN'T feed my kids-
-now don't get me wrong, i don't mean the kind of 'not feeding them' as in, we're starving. although, we did spend several years as a one-small-income family (our choice) on food stamps and rounding up all our children to take them to the food pantry once a week or we actually may starve. i'm thankful to those years that taught us contentment, and resourcefulness. remember the rice i ground? way cheaper than boxed baby cereal. and healthier i may add.
what i actually mean is, i can't stop what i'm doing to feed my kids. i have a problem. it's one of the hardest things for me to do, to stop in the middle of something that i'm doing, or making, to make something for my children to eat. so my default is to have them make something. problem is, i haven't taken much time to actually teach them how to cook, so it's often super healthy food like corndogs, frozen pizza and deli meat sandwiches. lots of pride in this momma for big accomplishments like that! sad thing is, i know how to cook, and how to cook well. my momma cooked everything from scratch and i know how too. are frozen crap foods bad necessarily? they are to me when they are being consumed out of necessity 'cause mom can't tear herself away from her sewing machine long enough to cook up some supper. menu planning is amazing, but for me, i get depressed even thinking about the grocery store. i hate grocery shopping. i'm sure you can relate. you didn't actually think i was good at everything, did you now?

i CAN'T remember-
-yeah, us mom's can't remember where we put our keys, and where our favorite shirt went, but that's not what i'm talking about. i can't remember what my children looked like when they were growing up, a movie that i watched last week, an important conversation i had with my husband, wonderful memories i made with people i love, a back and forth text last week about a vintage refrigerator, a trip i took, friends that i have (yes, you read that right), a book i read, a conference i attended.... it's gone. there have been times i sit on the toilet and honestly can't remember if i peed yet. i joke that i have early onset beginning signs of dementia... and i actually am not joking. it's scares me, and i hate that people have to stay on me about stuff because of it. i just forget. a lot.

i CAN'T keep my house in order-
-just to name a few: come see me- just pick a random day of the week and here's what you'll see.... the windows have been cleaned 1 time in the 7 years we've lived here. there are cobwebs throughout the house, and my husband is horrifically afraid of spiders. the floor is so dirty that i feel it's pointless to even mop, because there's no way i'd ever get through all the layers of dirt by doing so. i've even considered just sanding the whole floor down just to have a do-over. (now i CAN do that!) i'm not even joking. our couch cushions smell like dog. it disgusts me. the covers zip off! do i wash them? no. there is constant clutter and i haven't washed the kids' sheets for, well.... let's just be honest here; months. yes, they can do it themselves, but they don't because i don't think to tell them. and they're kids, so they don't think about it either. the list goes on. there's no excuse.

i CAN'T not grab my phone first thing in the morning-
-i don't think there's one of us reading this that likes that about ourselves. there's guilt there- let's face it. what about my phone makes it so hard to reach for my Bible first thing in the morning, BEFORE i check my business emails and fb... and how many people like the pretty pictures i post on IG. there have been times i just plain didn't bring the li'l sucker in my room at night, and that helps, but it's a constant struggle... and it's one i lose quite often.

i CAN'T handle germs in public-
-now you'd think my house would be pristine and germ free, but MY germs are ok. see? i'm not ok. i feel germs, i 'see germs,' and i can't handle them. restaurant menu's are the worst. ugh. i carry hand sanitizer with me in the car, and not only me, but everyone in the car my gets a 'squirt' upon entering the car, every time re-entry happens. if i don't feel my hands are 'clean' it's all i think about. when i'm out with the kids, they pretty much can't touch anything. i'm sure they get sick of hearing, "don't touch that! ISH... so many germs!"

i CAN'T always go-
- yeah- that's right, i can't go. sometimes i can't go out with friends. i can't go to a meeting. i can't go for a walk. i can't to to target with my family. my world would crash down to ever take my kids downtown on a sunny afternoon to walk around or go to the 'big' library. that one is so, so hard.
why you ask? i struggle with anxiety- self diagnosed of course. there's no reason i shouldn't be able to go, but i can almost bet, many times we have something planned, about an hour before go time, i panic, get scared and end up on my bed in tears. you wouldn't know this about me, 'cause well, to be honest- i don't think of snapping a picture or pulling out my cell in the middle of one of my whiny tantrums- the kind that my husband has to swoop in and save the day by either hugging me until my world is back on it's axis, or getting feisty with me and telling me to basically, suck it up, and God's bigger than this. (oh, and then there's the 'we-rarely-go-anywhere-together-as-a-whole-family-because-that-just-seems-too-stressful-to-me, CAN'T..... let's just not go there tonight, ok? that's too much for one paragraph)

i CAN'T get out of bed some days-
-and not because i'm tired.

i CAN'T love people-
-i like people, don't get me wrong. and i actually love many people. you may have noticed me at my booth, milling about helping customers, giving hugs, talking with women, crying. i love some people, just not all of them. i'm learning, and growing in my love for people, but i'll be honest, i'm pretty prejudice. i grew up in northern wisconsin, and up there- we're all 'alike'.... it's something that the Lord has been refining in my for a few years now- but i catch myself often- i'm trying to see all people on level ground, and although i've come a LONG way, i've not arrived.

i CAN'T be free in intimacy
-spending so many years as a child and young adult, doing so many things i shouldn't have been, really puts a damper on Godly intimacy with your spouse. patterns that form are hard-broken in this life of mine. it was all so wrong and now it's supposed to be all so right... with the man i love so deeply... it's just all screwed up, and it's a struggle. 16 years and counting... and you thought i was so confident.

i CAN'T say i've been a faithful wife.
-that's a tough one. but, can you? probably. trade ya!

_________________
i'm going to stop there. i think you get the idea. there are a LOT of can't-do's in my life. i promise this is just a small sample. we all have them. i think if you look at someone and think they are perfect, maybe it's because that's what you want to see. i mean, i think we're all adults here, and i think we all agree that we all have crap. we all have crap and we all have amazing. my amazing just happens to be different than your amazing. my amazing is all because of Him... my Father who graciously forgives and restores. who instills gifts and insists on perfecting me through HIS ways, into the likeness of His Son. so let's call it what it is. i'm not perfect, but i know the One who is, and i'm clinging to Him to use my cannot's to keep me humble, and my cans to show His glory.

so, please be more careful about who you look up to. i promise, you don't want someone else's struggles just to 'look' perfect.

..and if you're interested in seeing another side of me, here's an old blog i wrote... that is sometimes still true.

Craft Lib Sneak Peak, Winners & announcement!

2014-07-11T12:32:00.003-07:00

HELLO GIRLS!!!

first, i want to say a HUGMUNGO THANK YOU to everyone who commented, shared and liked my giveaway- you guys ROCK! it's amazing what can be accomplished by sharing a little love around social media! if you haven't noticed by now, i REALLY like doing giveaways- it's so fun to bless someone with a little bit of happy! i'll get to the winners shortly, but first a few FUN THINGS...

as many of you may know, i have a little bit of a break until my next Craft Liberation weekend getaway in Nov, so i've been having a blast with my family, AND having fun doing some projects that i've have to put on the back burner for awhile. i've been stepping out of my comfort zone, and just digging in and STARTING a few things i've put off for too long.

here's what i'm talking about:

see this beauty? i had been looking for something like this to go under our tv for a long time, and just so happened my neighbor was selling hers last fall! it started out dark brown, then i primed it, not realizing that i was going to use chalk paint for it... it was a long process, but after having it sit with white primer on it, i took the plunge and whipped up some chalk paint, and went at it. i LOVE the finish!!!! distressing was time consuming, but well worth the outcome!

my inspiration was from a photo i had made into a huge canvas print. the photo was from one of my FAVORITE photographers, Andrew Alexander, of Off The Beaten Path Photography. it hangs above our piano.

i am in LOVE with this color! ellie thought we should stick with the original hardware- and i agree! if you have wanted to make your own chalk paint, DO IT! it was SUPER great to work with, and NO PREP (even tho i had already primed it ;) pick a BOLD color, one of your faves, and GO FOR IT! you won't regret it as long as it's a color you love. :)

also, i decided to surprise Joel for an early birthday gift, and re-model the bathroom! some of you may know, we rent an old, very small (under 1000 sq feet/7 people) home... that we LOVE! even though we just rent our home, i decided to spend the money and just do it anyway! we have LOATHED our bathroom for years! gah! the thought of anyone going in there was embarrassing. the pink toilet and sink just made the situation worse, by not being able to decorate it with anything even slightly eye appealing. so, with weeks of planning with my awesome friend, and tool-hoarder, Anne, we waited for my husband, Joel, to head out of town for a daddy daughter date with the neighbors, and we went for it! look at this deplorable BEFORE shot:

14 hours later, with just minutes to spare, WE DID IT! ceiling, walls, toilet, vanity, mirror, light fixture, towel bar, rack, and all the accessories! (we were missing a part or two for the new plumbing, so our neighbor who was in on the surprise, is coming to finish connecting the new plumbing under the sink)... but we did it! AND JOEL WAS SHOCKED!!! i'm so happy i was FINALLY able to surprise him with something! SUPER thankful to my awesome friend, Anne, who is KILLER at this kind of thing... we work well together as a team and i'm so glad we go to do this together- i would have never been able to pull this off myself! WHOOO HOOO for breaking out of comfort zones! (not that anyone was comfortable in our green and mauve bathroom)

AFTER!

i could seriously sleep in there now. it makes me so happy! wonder what it would feel like to have an updated kitchen. hmm.

NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS:
CRAFT LIBERATION!

here's a sneak peek from the last craft lib! it was UH. MAZE. ING!

we had a WONDERFUL time! what a beautiful group of women. i miss you girls of Craft Lib #5!!!

***ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT CRAFT LIBERATION!***
i JUST booked my first date of 2015! i have decided to only hold 4 craft weekends next year, so if you are interested in attending the winter one, Feb 20-22, sign up fast! i am only taking 10 people this time, and it's first come, first served! make sure to email me at: thelemondime at yahoo dot com, to reserve your spot! also, there is more info HERE!

FINALLY! the WINNERS picked by random.org are:

the wire-headband
#142 Christina Turley

the scrappy bunting
#56 Kim Bolte

the necklace
#60 Megan Trackwell Wendell

the BAG!
#35 Kellye Knaper Herbert

CONGRATS TO ALL OF YOU!!!
***please email me your address at: thelemondime at yahoo dot com so i can ship out your goodies!!!

HAVE A CREATIVE DAY! GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Craft Liberation #4: The REUNION!

2014-06-08T21:49:00.000-07:00

so, if you remember last year, in the early months of spring, the idea of having a crafting weekend getaway came to life in the hills of brown county, indiana. it seems like so long ago, that i started planning my event, but in reality it wasn't. this year has been a whirlwind of excitement, hard work, dedication and really, fear. i can't tell you how fun it was to watch God work in and through the last four craft weekends! the women who came were exactly who was supposed to be there... there were NO coincidences. at the end of my very first Craft Lib, the girls decided to have a reunion the following year. all but three made it back, and it was beautiful thing. God filled those three open spots with new women... the perfect fit.

this girl. she holds a SUPER special place in my heart. i LOVE this picture of her.... and i'm SO thankful to God and to her for her role in helping me get Craft Liberation off the ground. She is going to focus on other things now, and is moving on from being a part of these weekends. although it will be different without her, i am super happy for her. she always tells people ''you're a force'' but it's HER that's a FORCE. a force for GOOD, for JOY and for LOVE. i will miss her there. isn't she beautiful? her soul is even more so.

my daughter, Ellie... she's such an amazing help to me- i don't think i could do this without her. <3

there were a few special things waiting for the girls who had been to the very first Craft Lib.... like green ball jars filled with flowers, and 'difference maker' key chains to pass on...because they made a difference in my life.

the name tags are always one of my favorite parts of the weekend....i think these were my favorite.

i heart tiny paper flowers.

as always, generous Sponsors sent lots of fun SWAG for the girls!

(more on the sponsors soon!)

giveaway items were AWESOME!

of course, there is always something special waiting on their beds when they get there. this time, my right-now-favorite chocolate bar and a wire headband! i LOVE making them- so fun to wear too!

when the girls started to arrive, it was like old friends who hadn't seen each other in a year! :) here's Laurie's sister, Becky! she is a RIOT. craft weekend is never the same without her... and if you know her, you'll know why ;)

i mean... see?

beauties.

Laurie, sorry for the star across the forehead, but i thought it just fit you perfectly... the 'star girl.' she's responsible for the starry-ness of the cabin. frankly, it's the perfect touch.

ok, so apparently i never got a picture with my sister (gah!) so i had to import a bright green one from my phone... but hey... at least i like green!

this is my sister Keri- she travels from St. Louis. she'll be attending her third craft lib in november :)

more arrivals!

Rebecca was new to the group. look at her! she's so precious. she put her headband on right away and it's PERFECT for her!

she's headed to Rwanda soon with Noonday! you can see more about all that here!

my sister's friend Stephanie. aka: Wonder Woman

a friend we've know since grade school! she traveled from Wisconsin! Christine!

ok. so you've come to know Patty, our cook!

she rocks. in all ways.

she was busy prepping dinner while we hung out. some roasted veggies for the pasta!

(ok, an apology needed here... i think this is the ONLY food picture i took! i have NO idea what came over me! i know. lame. sorry!)

intros!

i see Laura! her and Steph are the other two who were new to the group. Laura is HIL. AR. IOUS.

talk about witty!

this is Melissa. look at her intently listening, armed with her camera. she's has a quiet spirit, and is a great balance to all the 'crazy' this group brings. lol!

there's her sweet smile!

after intros and dinner, we got right to sewing our bags! well, the new girls made the traditional 'liberation bag' and the returning girls got to make a fold-over clutch, complete with a zipper! the tutorial we used is HERE.... so go make ya-self one!

look at their concentration!

here's Allison!

she drove from Michigan!

Anne gettin snarky ;)

Keri follows suit!

Rebecca was the first to flip her bag!

Andrea's clutch!

isn't it CUTE???

then there was coffee in the morning...

and Roni! she came late on friday and i don't have any pics of her :( it's a LOT to remember for me... sorry Roni!

Traci relaxing with a sewing book after breakfast.

Saturday morning we head to into Nashville for shopping, right after we take some pics of the girls with their new bags!

STEPHANIE!

TRACI!

(my bestie!)

ANNE!

ANDREA!

(Anne's bestie)

LAURA!

(she just moved to Georgia. we'll miss you girl! :)

then there's THIS chick.

she pretty much ROCKS.

i love her.

a lot.

just call her drama. but in a good way. :)

CHRISTINE!

MELISSA!

my beautiful sis, and recent

Air Force Retiree!!!....

yep. that's right!

KERI!

ALLISON!

REBECCA!

RONI and BECKY didn't get in on those shots (their bags may have not yet been finished? i don't remember. ;)

sorry girls... but this was too funny not to post!

does Laura have a big bug on her back or something? is Andrea mad at the photographer?

that's better!

OH MY. LOOK AT THOSE SMILES!!!

happy girls. <3

shopping!

Brenda Kay from Madeline's in Nashville is always so good to us.

she's a doll! she and my sister met during craft lib #1 shopping, and now they share quite a bond.

here they are talking to a lady who came in the shop! what a team! they ended up encouraging her so much... hugs and tears followed.

checkin' in at home

i wont say anything here.

you all know me...

i'm doing this for all the animal lovers out there, ok!?

Roni? you too?

gotta admit, the tiny homemade dog bones are cute. but that's all you're gettin' outta me! (i posted this pic for Zig!)

once back at the cabin, we eat, show off our buys, then it's straight back to crafting!

or relaxing.... like Traci ;)

these girls were looking for the best scraps while they waited for the next craft to be set up

meanwhile, i sent Ellie out to find fresh moss

for the TERRARIUM BAR!

ok.... here comes a FLOOD of pics.

everyone LOVED this craft, led by Laurie!

the pics are all too great NOT to post... so if you're not into succulents and mini mushrooms, pass these up. ;)

here's Laurie's examples. EEEEK!

it was blue day, apparently. ;)

HEE!

this was REALLY a lot of fun!

AWESOME JOB LAURIE!!!

OOH! can't forget the little yellow birdie!

(and prepare yourself. there's more where these came from at the end of the post.)

next up!

PALLET WOOD SIGNS!!!

here's Ellie, sorting the stencils

yes, there were power tools involved!

even Ellie got in on the action!

Beck's making house numbers!

BRILLS!

meanwhile, outside... peeps just can't get over the cuteness!

Anne is whittling sticks to make a cross!

this calls for a sweet b&w edit.... meaning the color on the photo was so messed up i couldn't fix it and ended up with this.

a good fake fix :)

Steph is super serious about her work. she studies and plans carefully. that's probably why her work was so nice and neat, and AMAZING!

now onto necklaces!

ruffles and pom poms!

(that's supposed to be pom poNs i know, but i think people these days don't know that. i mean- if you're older like me you would! these are the things that keep me up at night. lol)

NEXT!

FABRIC BOWLS!

i used to make these bowls YEARS ago as gifts... i saw them in Target recently. not as pretty of course... weird tho. ;)

and... one more sign for Christine.

that flower thingy? Laurie made that!

it's SO. COOL.

drum roll.........

here's all the crafts!!!!

these girls are SO talented! it happens every time.... they always surprise themselves!

there's that ROSETTE! eek!

it's time to say goodbye.

this part is always hard.

Craft Lib #4 girls...

you blessed me in more ways than i can count.

thank you for being there for each other, and the new girls too....

what a great thing.

#mycuprunnethover

*there MAY be a spot open for the June 20-22, 2014 Craft Lib!* contact me right away if you are interested! there are NO other spots open for this year. if you are interested in getting on a waiting list for a future Craft Liberation, please email me at:

thelemondime at yahoo dot com

more info HERE

Craft Liberation #3

2014-03-23T22:00:00.003-07:00

on the road again....

EEEK! it happened AGAIN! Craft Liberation 3 has come and gone and it was just as good as the others :) i don't know what else there is to say about craft weekend, other than, overwhelming. overwhelming in a good way of course! the prep for this sort of thing, is just short of a miracle, and when it all comes together, i just kind of can't really believe how well this thing is working out. i mean, i can, and i can't. i know that when the Lord gave me this vision, and all the little details that surrounded it's beginning, i trusted that He had His hands all over it, and if i just kept asking for wisdom and following through with what He was asking me, it would work. i just didn't expect it to work more than once! now, we have 5 craft weekends this year alone, and i think there are only 4 spots left total. so, yeah, that's overwhelmingly amazing. the women are always such a riot to hang with for the weekend, strong bonds are formed, women share pain and hope.... i am so very thankful to the Lord for all He has done through this seed He planted in me. i pray i continue to listen closely to Him for the direction for 'the lemondime' and that i will always remember that i prayed for this for a very long time. it's pretty special to me. thank you again for everyone who has supported me in ANY way- my cup runneth over...

CRAFT LIBERATON 3#

OK! here we go! drumroll.........

this is how we roll after spending HOURS prepping and preparing the cabin... Laurie's chilling with some white and her red ''X''

while Ellie and Melanie are doing Zentangle.

SO thankful to ALL our SPONSORS!

starting top left

Get Lathered (a craft lib favorite and long time sponsor) always sends soap and lip balm for the girls, but also sent extras for the giveaways (i'm obsessed with their balms!)

PICKFAIR sent these sweet 'bless your heart' prints- visit their shop (sisters, mind you!) for beautiful, one of a kind prints, pillow covers and baby blankets! (another craft lib fave

and long time sponsor)

the lemondime (me) gave the girls each a special 'craft lib' edition mini mug necklace

Laurie Young (my sidekick) made handmade cards and mini paper stars for all the girls, and they were beautifully crafted. and those stars.... oh my, totally sweetness

JenDaisy Boutique was so sweet to send a $25 gift cert as well as earrings for the girls! this shop is on the southside of Indy and is worth a visit! i LOVE everything in there!

The paper-roSe sent along the most charming stamped bracelets... they say, ''creativity takes courage''... such a perfect reminder to us!

Cuppow (another craft lib fave and long time sponsor) give the girls each a MINT CUPPOW lid... you HAVE to get one- i'm telling you... i'm in love!

Rustic Wagon (a craft lib fave and long time sponsor) sent prints for the girls... and they are so colorful and awesome! she does unbelievable custom work... go check her out!

Swanky Artisans (not only wow'ed us with her mad kitchen skillz all weekend as our in-cabin cook) but also gave the girls these adorable upcycled pin cushion rings made from bottle caps! can you even believe how cute they are!?

Outside the Box Papers sent that cute place-mat pack and a little chalkboard message board to give away, plus all sorts of sweet goodies for all the girls! visit their site- super cute paper goods!

The Urban Poppy Shoppe sent that TOTALLY adorable ruffle pillow! i hear she's about to open up a shop in Greenwood, IN... so stay tuned on her FB page!

Crimson Tate: Modern Quilter (thee most fab fabric shop in Indy!) sent lots of little bits of goodness! fabric hexies, a travel mug, sewing kits and a tote bag! get down to their Mass Ave shop, i dare you! inspiration awaits!

SWAG

stuff. we. all. get

happy stuff

the little 'lemondime' shop

Bullwinkle's Lodge

Nashville, IN

breaking in three new machines!

hoping to eliminate some of the re-threading ;)

the lemon ''dime''

...get it?

what a beautiful group of women we had!

this is how i prepped for the first day.... after the dust settles and i've gotten some sleep i spend some time alone with the Lord, thanking Him for how He's guided me and completely overwhelmed me with blessing. i pray for each of the women attending by name and remind myself that it is only through Him that i have these gifts that i bring. it was a beautiful time. as always.

so happy to have Laurie join me again- she's has a servants heart, great style, a unbelievable HUGE heart, and i just love her. not to mention i love her family too.... doing this with Laurie makes it so much more special to me.

here's PATTY of Swanky Artisans!!!

she's our cook for the weekend and seriously looks like she isn't even working in there at all.

the night before, when we are setting everything up, she just out-of-the-blue, decided to make us lemon AND lime curd and blondies!!! who does that?

she's a serious JOY and we can't imagine CL without her!

the guests start to arrive!

my beautiful daughter, Ellie... she helps out until Saturday, and it's always so hard to say goodbye. i have tears every time. there are no words to describe her heart. i love her so.

here's Jen... she touches everything... watch out! LOL!

hee... Teresa felt right at home. :)

i spy some mint nail polish going on Vicki's nails! good choice friend!

about to start intros and pickin at the SWAG!

this is Faith. beautiful soul... and she has hobbies. that's all i'll say about that ;)

onto the big sewing project.... LIBERATION BAGS!!! it was fun to see the returning gals get right to work on the machines and bust out their bags in lightning speed. i also always love how the girls who know how to sew step right in and help out those who don't while i'm helping cut fabric etc. community- a beautiful thing in so many ways.

serious concentration here for these ladies

Teresa ''does NOT sew.''

yet.

Theresa, who ''does not sew'' created what she calls an 'ice flower'.... and is clearly about to make a bag to put it on.

meantime, Patty is teaching the girls how to make 'curd!' one of my FAVE desserty things.

LINA'S the FIRST ONE DONE!

WHOO HOOO!

the 'FLIP'!

i completely forgot to take pics of our amazing dinner,

but the dessert.... wowee!

little fried dough puffs with lemon curd,

whipped cream, chocolate and strawberries!

yummmm!

a few embellishments before bed

here they all are!

each one uniquely beautiful just like the girls who made them.

and a campfire and cocoa compliments

of Patty the campfire girl.

oh LOOK! here's Vicki and Jen with mugs again-

this time Sat morning before breakfast and shopping

Veronica's still sporting her SWAG from CL #2! her little pouch from Boris Loved Natasha! have you seen her work? get to her Etsy shop right away- oh my.

Patty is ready in her favorite... yellow!

a few girls headed over to Columbus to the Antique Mall, while the rest of us wandered around Nashville. it's one of my favorite times, just to hang as friends and shop.

LOOK AT THOSE BAGS!

Laurie's other kids came to pic up Melanie and Ellie and take them back to Indy. it's always good to see the Young Fam. the whole crew just rocks! look at those hugs!

after shopping it was back to the cabin for eats and sharing our finds! i won't even explain the spread... it was delish!

Patty's Momma came to help that day- she's a sweetie, and i feel horrible i never even got

a picture of her for this post. :(

onto the next craft led by Laurie this time! i LOVED this wrapped yarn wreath... even if the girls were a bit hesitant, the black and white base and touch of color... each one turned out so great!

and look at this special one:

aren't those wreaths SO FUN?

and....break for mexican and margaritas!!!

next it was onto another special teacher... JONEE of Rusic Wagon taught us how to paint and collage a block of wood. even Laurie and I got to do this craft!!! it was fun to sit in on a craft for once! she did an excellent job guiding us how to make each one special.

it was a weekend favorite i think, and i'm so grateful

she agreed to lead this.

as the girls finished up, i showed them how to

paint and distress ball jars

LOOK! LOOK! LOOK!

i can't get over these blocks, still!

what CREATIVITY these girls have!!!

after the blocks and jars were finished, we had a little time left to make wire headbands! for some reason, the ONLY picture i have of anyone's finished headband is Patty's, and we laughed SO hard, 'cause it was just a TAD too long.... look:

watch out for the BULL!

after our lemon bars, that my mother-in-law makes for us each time, and really are the BEST lemon bars i've EVER tasted, everyone heads to bed, and Laurie and I stay up and pack a little bit to ease the strain on us the next day. many of you know that we had some really severe weather coming in this night, and were expecting some ice. sure enough, waking up finding lots of ice on the ground and knowing the hill outside was treacherous, some of the women found it hard to realize we were kinda stuck there for awhile. the BEST thing for our weary minds that morning was our Sunday morning devotion time, watching Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts Video Series, Lesson One. as the Lord spoke to us and through us, to trust Him, we all were able to sigh relief. the sharing time was emotional, beautiful and much needed. i think as women, we tend to hold things together for those around us, and it's at these times, we find comfort in community. some of us come as strangers and leave as friends.... some of us close friends.

i just LOVE how God wrapped up our weekend.

lean into Him friends.... he sticks closer than a brother.

THANK YOU to everyone who has attended a Craft Liberation weekend getaway. i will never be able to tell you or show you how much you all enrich my life.

as i always say,

my cup runneth over.

if you are interested in a future Craft Liberation,

please click on the middle tab at the top of the page for more information. you can also email me at

thelemondime@yahoo.com

***there are only a 3-4 spots open for the rest of the YEAR!

please contact me asap for dates, or if you would like

to reserve one of those spots.***

next up: April 25.... Craft Lib #1 REUNION!

500 'LIKES' GIVEAWAY!!!

2013-11-24T13:59:00.000-08:00

HELLO FRIENDS!!!
i'm completely humbled here....
please head over to my FB page, to see the contest rules!!!

***IT'S HERE!!! MY 500 'likes' GIVEAWAY!*** i am beyond words. just a little over a year ago, this dream of mine began to take shape. so many people over the years, have encouraged me to step out in faith and start something. i'm so glad they did! being a homeschooling momma of 5, it's been imperative that i keep doing what i love. yes, it's been hard, but none of us should abandon what is already instilled in us.... it's so important. it's ONLY the Lord, who has given these gifts, who has done above and beyond all that i have asked, or even dreamed of. touching people's lives through all that He's given me.... THAT'S what gives me deep joy. i'm so thankful to each and every one of you who have cheered me on, given me advice, bought my things, attended/ing/sponsored Craft Liberation, sent me cards, texts and gave me hugs. i just LOVE you all. thank you from the bottom of my very grateful heart.

- and with that i give you- THIS:

i am giving away 3 of my handmade items! a mini-mug necklace, a beautiful blue cowl, and a little bouquet of pom-pom flowers! to be entered into the contest, you must already 'like' my page, AND also share this photo on your page. (while you're there, encourage your friends to come and enter too!) THEN, come back here and tell me you've shared! (LIKE, SHARE, TELL- so easy- hee!) i will be picking 3 winners on Thanksgiving because i'm SO thankful for you all! now GO SHARE!!! HUGE GIANT HUGS AND LOVE FROM ME TO YOU!

-kellie, 'the lemondime girl'

mom-guilt... i struggle.

2013-10-28T16:13:00.001-07:00

if you are anything like me, you in constant wonder if you are doing, saying, being, teaching, encouraging, training {the list goes on} your children the best that you can... so that when they leave home, they'll already BE a successful person. not in the worlds way of describing success, but what the Lord wants for them... that ''abundant life'' that comes along with the beautiful free gift of salvation... living abundantly in love, joy, grace, selflessness, peace... that's all just so important to Him... and to us.

today i was struggling. i had guilt that i wasn't out playing football with the kids and joel, since it's a rarity that BOTH us parents ''play'' with them at the same time. so instead of working on orders, i put it all down to get out and enjoy a bit of time with all of them. it was incredibly fun... but then, guilt. ''it's 2pm and i still haven't fed them lunch. they have GOT to be sick of sandwiches. if i go in to make them lunch, then that means i 'quit' on them again.".... {the list goes on}

i did leave them to make lunch, but then, guilt. ''are they disappointed? man, the table is STILL full of craft supplies and i told them we'd eat at the table more often. i FINALLY planned healthy meals for the whole week, and this kitchen is so messy, i can't even start preparing for supper.'' ...{and the list goes on}

i know i can't be the ONLY one whose mind wanders this way. mom-guilt... a destroyer of joy. i know i have to stop this un-ending circle of chaos in my mind about my children, and when i fix my mind on the Lord, it's so much less of a battle. some days are better than others. today was a not so good one.

but then, this:

beauty.
[click this link.]

{momma, please don't leave this page until you click that link and watch. what our children really think about us? wonderful, beautiful, sweet {the list goes on} and kind things...

remember with me, that we are our own worst critics. our children love and adore us. and so does the Lord.

peace-
kellie

PART TWO: Craft Liberation -a weekend getaway #2

2013-10-22T07:14:00.001-07:00

day two of our weekend consists of breakfast, shopping in downtown nashville, back to the cabin for show and tell, finger foods, and a FULL night of crafting...not to mention mexican food and margaritas for dinner! this is the time i really love...the girls are finally starting to get to know each other and things are a bit more relaxed and open. see the new friends hanging in the back of the picture below! Jennifer and Patty chattin' it up on the couch :) makes me happy to see this- to think back to the friendships that were created that weekend.

this is what we woke up to

~made by our amazing cooks: Patty and Sherrie

of Swanky Artisans!

Lina and Jenn: roomies and new friends!

look at this cutie! Veronica's ready to shop!

getting ready to head into nashville, and here are all the girls sportin' their NEW LIBERATION BAGS!

they all did SO AMAZING!

i'm always so proud to see them walking around with those bags... for many of them, it's the first time they've sewn anything!

i LOVE their smiles.

these two sassy ladies cracked us up ALL weekend long!

we started out in my FAVORITE nashville shop: Madeline's! the girls there have been so good to us- even giving us 20% off all our purchases that day! if you are down in nashville, be sure to stop by- just look for the huge pale blue victorian home on the main drag!

i can't believe what an avid tea drinker my ellie has become!

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!!

A 'LEMONDIME' STOVE!!!

(you know how many time's i've contemplated finding out if that stove works and saving up for it?)

SIGH. what a BEAUTY!

this place was SO great... so much chippy paint and rust... i could have just stood on that porch ALL day.

then there was this guy...i thought it was so cool that a guy that young took to an art this 'non-traditional'... he was GOOD!

SO many great treasures to discover there... like this stage we found through a little opening between shops! ellie was enamored.

and if anyone remembers...i do have a slight obsession with old trucks. see?

and who doesn't just LOVE the look of ornamental cabbage?

''meet us under the yellow umbrellas"

Jonee with her Papertrix loot :)

these three bonded... big time <3

along with many more gifts, look at the ADORABLE earrings they bought for ellie from the fair-trade store! they were so good to her <3

there was a slight miscommunication about our transportation back to the cabin, so while ellie and i waited for someone to come get us, she wanted to do a little photo shoot. this was RIGHT after i tried to sit down on a bench and missed completely, falling like a brick straight onto the concrete. (don't ask) minus the sore back-side, a huge bruise and a scrape, all was well.

shortly after we got back to the cabin, ellie was headed back home... since this is a 'women's getaway weekend' i think it's important that she be there as i train her to serve others, but equally important is honoring the women of Craft Liberation, allowing them time alone from children and the freedom to be 'real' in an adult-only setting. she really made an impact on many women there. we have a beautiful relationship, and from what i've heard from them, it was really inspiring. we all missed her when she left. i even cried. it was weird.

because i was late getting back to the cabin, i missed getting a pic of the food! also- i had Veronica teach a quick, fabric rosette lesson to anyone interested, while they snacked and waited for me. #leaderfail

SHOW & TELL

and... LET THE CRAFTING BEGIN!

Anne brought her own supplies! silly girl!

break for dinner and margs!

this is where we head out for a group shot. we had a LOT of practice at CL #1 trying to set the camera timer and get a shot of everyone, without said camera timer-er running back to the group in the picture. this was easier since we had Patty get the shot.

Roni being photo-bombed by her mom, Carolyn!

ATTN: ok- i'm going to be nice here, and post the picture that everyone looked their best in... EXCEPT for ME! LOL! there was one with a much more flattering picture of me, but then i'd have to be mean and post someone else's not-so-flattering picture. no, i DON'T have to go to the bathroom as much as it looks like i did. hee. so, there you go.... don't hate. :)

[now i'm kinda bummed Patty and Sherrie weren't in this picture!!! man.]

Anne and her mother, Eva....Egyptian beauties.

round 2: Roni introduced me to a craft i had NEVER heard of... have you? it's MOD MELTS! it involved a glue gun, special glue sticks, and silicone molds... and it was SO fun! i had her teach the 'class' since i had no clue how to make them... she did great!

Patty even got in on the action! she was over-the-moon excited about her SPOO-KEY! :) she was crackin' herself up!

one last meal before we all part ways.

THANK YOU SWANKY GIRLS!

your food was AMAZING!

on Sunday morning, we view an incredibly powerful video by Ann Voskamp. if you aren't familiar with her, i highly recommend you get to know her through her blog, and her powerful book, One Thousand Gifts.

before our goodbyes, everyone was INCREDIBLY giving, helping me do some cleaning up, so i wouldn't be doing it alone. what a great group of ladies. i'm so grateful to get to know each and every one.

and... the GRAND FINALE!

i cannot even TELL you how stinkin' proud of these girls i am! this is seriously fantastic!

Lina, Eva, Jennifer

Steph, Stephanie, Veronica

Jenn, Carolyn, Anneke

Roni, Janice, Jonee

ELLIE AND I THANK YOU GIRLS for an AMAZING weekend! can't wait til CRAFT LIBERATION #3 in February,

and #4 in April!

(all spots for these dates are filled, but there are more being planned! go here more info about our weekends. i PROMISE, you will have a beautiful time!

if you are interested in being a Sponsor of a Craft Liberation, please email: thelemondime@yahoo.com

'TIL NEXT TIME...

PART ONE: Craft Liberation -a weekend getaway #2

2013-09-28T20:30:00.002-07:00

thankful for the guys at the 'mac experience' for fixing up my computer.... kind of. we had to take it back AGAIN, and the ''corrupted file'' we paid to have taken off actually wasn't off. nice. at least i can edit these photos for this post, even though photoshop as well as all the apps i've paid for could not be recovered, even though i paid for them to be. ugh. i thought macs were supposed to be 'da bomb' of computers..... apparently they can self destruct due to corrupted files. i feel sort of outta touch here on the blog... hope this post gets me back into the swing of blogging! there really is SO much to share!

ok. i'm about to throw down some sweet pics from Craft Liberation #2 (aka, the craft weekend i never thought would happen. i mean, the first one was amazeballs.... didn't really think the Lord would let me do it again!)

this time was different. a different cabin, professional cooks, (oh m'word) new people of whom i knew few.... it felt, well, more professional, more structured... and just plain awesome! the first was awesome too- just a different kind... more of a close bonding friendship, as opposed to a new blossoming one. i hope you get that. i was so blessed.

since these pictures were taken, i've already booked two more craft weekends, and both are full. (are you flippin' kidding me? whoa.)

*i wish i could share the personal stories of what has happened with some of these women [and myself] since craft liberation. i will tell you this. when God spoke to my heart and told me to do this, it was never just about crafting. it was and is much deeper. lives are being changed... families. crafts are just a tool. i am COMPLETELY humbled by what is going on because i said YES to God. un. real.

hope these photos speak for themselves:

SWAG: so. much. swag. our sponsors just ROCK!

(and look at my amazing daughter/helper extraordinaire)

EEK! that is THEE Patty, of THEE Swanky Artisans... one of THEE cooks for the weekend! LOVE HER. LOVE HER FOOD!

here's Patty with her sister Sherrie- the OTHER Swanky Artisan! you HAVE to check out their work- they up-cycle vintage treasures... so. much. cuteness! and they did such an amazing job on the food!

IN-CABIN SHOPPING? WHY YES!

this time, i decided to set up a li'l 'lemondime' shop! it was a great success and a nice added touch to the bright and cheery decor! (we hid a LOT of ducks and bears when we set this up!)

and.....SUPPLIES GALORE!

the GIVEAWAY TABLE!!! EEEK! so many amazing sponsors!

THE SNACKS!

OK!

ellie and i were ready for our guests!

{thank you Jonee from Rustic Wagon for getting a photo of us together}

HERE THEY ARE!!!

the girls of Craft Liberation #2!!!

time to get down to business.... intros, eating and

SEWING OUR BAGS!

{ wah. no pics of our dinner!

we were all so hungry we forgot to take pictures.

it was AMAZING! french theme...

beef tips....wine. you get the picture. ahh. }

by this time night has fallen and it gets a little crazy when we sew... i guess you could say it's become tradition that everyone grabs a fabric scrap and throws it up in their hair so they can either be like me, or mock me... i'm not quite sure! LOL!

either way- it's ADORABLE!

i can thank the super awesome becky cuniff, who attended the first Craft Lib and is a sister to my beautiful friend laurie young who ROCKED Craft Lib #1 with me... she started the head scarf thing.. and she'll go down in history for it! thanks becky!

look at these ladies! roni in the middle of her aunt and momma. sweet, sweet memories.

and then you have anne, and her momma!!! this is anne's second time at craft lib! they are from Egypt originally... and her mom brought authentic, homemade BAKLAVA!!! it was Unbelievable.

late night DESSERT BAR! EEK! chocolate silk pie,

sugar-free pineapple dessert, creme brulee,

and that BAKLAVA!

i hope patty was teaching ellie how to

make that creme brulee!

(soak it all in ellie girl!)

OK! that's all for this post... stay tuned for DAY TWO! breakfast, shopping, and LOTS more crafting!

if you are interested in getting on the list for a future Craft Liberation -a weekend getaway, please email me at: thelemondime@yahoo.com

SPONSORS CL #1

2013-07-01T09:36:00.002-07:00

S.W.A.G.

{stuff we all get}

I am so honored that so many amazing people, artists, etsy shop owners and companies found Craft Liberation worthy of being a part of. Each of them sent amazing gifts for each of the women that attended. Please head to their shops and facebook pages and let them know what you think of their stuff.... and of course, SHOP! they were so fun to work with! THANK YOU SPONSORS!

YOU READY FOR THIS AWESOMENESS?

here we go...

i was overjoyed when Cuppow agreed to send each women a lid! i have loved their products for a long time, and always get asked about where to get them. an adult sippy lid for a mason jar! drinking out of a jar is way healthier than plastic, and much more nostalgic and cool... i think ;)

get over to Cuppow's website and get a few for yourself and your family! perfect for the car, gifts, picnics.... any time!

i, the lemondime, gave each woman a jar, and made them jar sleeves... they were all different and the ribbon reminded me of fruit stripe gum! so fun!

the Paisley Moon was such a perfect choice for this event! they sent the girls the ADORABLE earrings! each pair was unique and colorful....and the packaging...oh- these girls know what they're doing! they specialize in beautiful vintage inspired bridesmaid fabric flower bouquets, sashes, jewelry and much more. go take a peek at their Etsy shop!

so i was in this great new coffee/ice cream shop several months back and immediately noticed the AMAZING (i know i use that word a lot) art on the wall. the whole wall was covered in these bright and cheery collage paintings by Rustic Wagon [isn't that the greatest name!] now, to be honest, usually when i see art my my first thought is, nah... i don't need that- i could just make it myself.... but THESE pieces were WORTHY of the half an hour of my time reading each piece, looking closely at the intricacy of the work. i was IN LOVE!!! come to find out, i not only have met the artist, but she was 2 of my children's art teacher when they were young! how fun is THAT! it just so happens, i ran into her one day in that same coffee shop, introduced myself again- she remembered me and the kids, and through talking about my craft weekend adventure, she found it in her generous heart to donate limited, signed prints of one her pieces to all the girls! this print is ADORABLE! and is so meaningful. now, Jonee, the artist is going to be attending the August Craft Liberation!!!!! SO excited to have her with us- just love her.

Something Monumental.... what can i say? mandy is an incredibly talented girl; jewelry designer, photographer, creator of beautiful things. i especially love the little polaroid charms she makes.

{super cute stuff!} find her on etsy, facebook, and her blog. she sent each of the girls these sweet leather braided bracelets. they are perfect alone as a simple compliment to any outfit, or you can even hook a charm on them- like one of HERS! go see!

Stampin Up's awesome consultant, Tonya Dieterlen, sent these absolutely special and beautiful packages for each of the women. the thought and time she put into each one was so meaningful. she must have spent hours stamping, punching, pounding, tying, packaging.... truly time consuming work- aren't these keychains off the chain?! wait. um.... scratch that. she also sent coupons, invites to her scrap nights, [she has tons of events at her home!!!] PLUS 3 amazing gift bag packed full of goodies to giveaway! what a sweetie! check out all this stuff that helps our creativity blossom!

Love Maude sent the girls these GORGEOUS hand embroidered broaches... i mean...this is such a lost art. i just LOVE them- all unique and fabulous! you HAVE to go visit her etsy shop and see all her handmade lovelies. [the teeny pouch necklace; eek!]

when i contacted Cu-te Ta-pe about being a sponsor, i was a bit unsure i'd even hear back. i mean, like, they're pretty huge in the world of Washi Tape! so when i got a YES, i about peed my pants! they not only send some tape for us to use on our coasters, but they sent each women a little glassine paper package, stuffed with washi tape, bakers twine [i could wrap car in that stuff, i love it so], and mini colorful tags. i think there was a whole lotta fallin'-in-love-over-washi that weekend! go get some for yourself and use it on everything you can- it just makes life so much... well... CUTER!

the sisters of PICKFAIR, not only came up with a great name for their business, but they also make awesome stuff. they sent the girls bags of fun goods: chevron paper bags, paper straws, french fry bags, tags and a 50% off coupon on anything in their shop! how sweet! they make truly one of a kind pillow covers and baby blankets, with class and style. speaking of pillow covers, they sent one to giveaway to one lucky girl! sisters rock!

when i found Get Lathered, i couldn't help but fall in love with their cute soaps, shampoo and conditioning bars and lip balms! such fun colors, scents...and Rhonda of Get Lathered was more than happy to send us soap and lip balm in thee perfect scents for 'the lemondime'... like 'Sugared Lemons' and 'Mojito!' the packages were adorbs too!

bonus: Anne, who works for Get Lathered heard about the craft weekend and decided to attend with her best friend, Andrea. it was so fun to have them both- and to know that it was through contacting Get Lathered, that i gained two beautiful new friends- wow!

ok... this next sponsor, Lettered Life, has serious talent! her specialty is 'hand lettering' and she is unbelievably good. when i came across her Etsy Shop, i couldn't wait to ask her to be a part of our weekend. she send prints of a beautiful Scripture verse for each of the girls. she speciallizes in hand lettering wedding invitations... hours and hours of work goes into each order, and it shows. such beauty. PLEASE go over to her shop- she has GORGEOUS prints... bright and beautiful things. go like her FB page while you're at it... Caitlin is such a sweetie...and seriously, who writes like this!

ok.... so this next one's a biggy. i have been following the blog of Melissa Averinos for years! her blog is Yummy Goods, and she's not only a fabric designer, she's also an author, painter, jewelery maker and all around cool chick. i mean, not many girls can pull off short cotton candy pink hair like Melissa. not only did she LOADS of her amazing fabric but she sent a sweet little painting for a giveaway, little notebooks she designed, and a vintage button necklace just for me.... she's just a DOLL! her new book was just released... DIY Mason Jars... it's ADORBS!

here's Melissa's new book.... isn't this just the bees knees?

i had some gals send some gifts for giveaways too.... and they were SO fun to give! Sherrie, of Ruthie's Tiara sent this queenly mug filled with goodies. i know it may be hard to see, but the personalized bracelet inside is her specialty. she works closely with her sister of Swanky Artisans who sent the vase made with, get this.... vintage pattern flowers! WOW- they were so cool! you can even find these girls and their goods down in Franklin, Indiana at the well known Vintage Whimsy.

HUGE THANK YOU

TO CL #1 SPONSORS!

please go and support these amazing artists,

who were kind enough to send their goods!

***IF YOU or SOMEONE YOU KNOW would like to be considered for a sponsor spot for the August Craft Liberation,

please email me at: thelemondime@yahoo.com

{i love to spread the word about our local talent}

if you would like to reserve a spot at a future

Craft Liberation, -a weekend getaway,

click here for more details!

see you soon with more fun!

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

2013-06-13T15:21:00.001-07:00

oh my word....

i just think giveaways are so much fun.

i love each and every piece i make so much,

but giving them away is so fun and rewarding!

i just checked and i am only 4 likes away from

400

on my facebook page!!!

THAT BLOWS MY MIND!

i will have to do another giveaway as soon as we hit it!

(shouldn't be long now :)

anyways...

it was hard to record all the shares for this contest! they were all over the place! how fun!

(sorry if you had a hard time tagging me...i think i found you all anyway!)

now let's get to it!

DRUMROLL....

THIS BAG:

GOES TO:

CONGRATULATIONS

DENISE WILSON!!!

please email your address to:

thelemondime@yahoo.com

thank you all so very much for entering, sharing, spreading the word.....

it means the WORLD to me!

i am so glad to be doing what i love!

and if you are interested in a future craft weekend...

head HERE and see all the deets!

huge hugs and crafty love,

kellie

GIVEAWAY!

2013-06-10T06:45:00.002-07:00

HELLO EVERYONE!

would you like to win THIS BAG?

*this BIG shoulder bag is made from a great fabric= silvery, wood-grain, slightly shiny/ bright interior and accents, with ruffled handle. quilt batting is placed between layers for a softer bag. measures approx 20" wide x 13'' tall

you have until midnight, wednesday june 12 to enter! to do so, please copy and paste this link: http://thelemondime.blogspot.com/ to your facebook page and encourage your friends to come see the bag you are trying to win! tell them they can do the same!

WINNER ANNOUNCED THURSDAY!

EEK!
i love giveaways!

PART TWO: Craft Liberation -a weekend getaway #1... A COMPLETE SUCCESS!

2013-05-14T19:43:00.001-07:00

well, friends... i FINALLY figured out the snag with trying to upload these photos, plus i'm new to editing my own on a mac, so thank you for being patient. probably not the best time to switch out my computer. oops.

gotta give some major props to our official photographer, Katie, for how hard she worked during CL to capture every detail and so many great memories! having many differing craftiness levels in the house made it a great atmosphere for growth, helping one another, and of course, learning new skills! she even came early to get photos while everything was still untouched. you'll have to excuse my not-anywhere-near-as-steller-as-katie's photos in this post. there were moments that katie was shooting other things, being crafty or just simply relaxing, so i took the liberty to grab some shots. you'll notice mine by the lack of watermark, and skill in editing the orangey color out of all those cabin pics. ;)

i'm so thankful to my beautiful and gifted friend laurie for partnering with me in this journey. isn't she just beautiful? her insides are even more. (click her name to read her blog. if you don't know her and her story of JOY, you MUST! Jack, you'd be so stinkin' proud of your mom for so many reasons. she, and everyone, misses you.)

and if course, i can't help but put a plug in for our sweet helpers, our daughters. so stinkin' proud of these girls!

(ok, so we kinda sorta maybe forgot to bring food to eat for ourselves for the day prior while we were setting up. so, for some reason, i feel like all we ate for two days straight was subway. i'm a bit burnt out. even still.)

i was so blessed that my sister came to my first Craft Liberation. she drove in from St. Louis! she arrived early, and after hitting up nashville for a bit of shopping, she arrived in time to get some pics of her own, and even star in this beauty...i love her so. OH!!! and do you see that silver necklace i'm sportin'? it was her gift to me! it is customized with words like, 'fabric,' 'lemondime,' and 'craft liberation!' do you see that teeny pair of retro green scissors! i think this needs a post of it's own. one of thee most thoughtful gifts i've ever been given. she's so special to me.

so let's recap a minute. beautiful cabin, supplies galore, yummy food, and a group of beautiful women with huge hearts and amazing lives....3 days. lifechanging. if you missed part one, go there first and read the how and why of what's going on.
here we go!
DAY ONE:

THIS is what the girls walked in to.

SWAG!!!

my contribution to the SWAG: jars and sleeves to go with their Cuppow lids!

do you see these nametags? they were made by hand, by Laurie and me-some serious love went into those babies!

after the girls arrived, it was time to mingle, get to know each other, grab a refreshment, and relax. there were girls who drove from michigan, illinois and wisconsin....so time to relax while dinner was being prepared was welcomed.

after some talking, and while dinner was being prepared, everyone found a place at the table to begin digging through their swag. it was so fun seeing everyone's expressions! (a HUGE THANK YOU to all the SPONSORS that sent goodies for the girls. i will be posting specifically about you all NEXT!)
next, it was my turn to officially begin our weekend. i had rehearsed this moment in my head what seemed a hundred times. and just as i had expected, 3 words out of my mouth and i was in tears. i'm so thankful to the Lord that He allowed me, prepared me, led me, and blessed me with the opportunity to use the gifts and talents He gave me to do something so exciting and enjoyable. this moment will forever be etched into my memory as point in my life of joy, fulfillment and thankfulness. (posting this: fresh tears)
then it was time to tell L how much i love and appreciate her.
explaining the stories behind the swag. so fun.

next, everyone got a turn introducing themselves, getting a few moments of personal fame, and maybe just one or two or a hundred tears were shed. so humbling to have them all sitting around that table. i felt like a mother hen having gathered all her chicks. my sister Keri starts. so glad she sat right next to me. (she's my momma hen) then, you see that beautiful soul sitting next to her? that's Andrea. this pic was taken moments before she fearfully and half-heartedly told us all she wanted to start her own photography business. AND, just since this pic was taken, SHE LAUNCHED HER BUSINESS! check it out here!!! EEK! sooo proud of you Andrea!!! oh- and we can't forget her other business Knits and Knots- oozes talent, this girl does.

Joy cracks me up! look at her smile.... sweet thang.

Roni, in the blue there... she may have forgotten to tell us she had kids until her turn was well over. i wish i would have gotten some pics of all the laughter that stemmed from that. i guess some of us were just really glad to be outta the house, and didn't even mentally want to go back. hee hee.
the Young ladies watch from afar as they tend to preparing dinner.

up next was dinner. we enjoyed roasted vegetable orzo pasta with feta cheese and crusty bread. light and tasty. (this is the closest recipe i could find... i just added some veggies and took out the pine nuts, or i would'a gone broke)

well.....
time to settle into the crafting part of the evening.
the first night was dedicated to our 'big' sewing project. no, we didn't reupholster furniture, but we did make some SUPER cute bags! when praying about what crafts to make for CL, i was reminded that when i first began sewing almost five years ago, the very first thing i ever made was what i called, a weekender bag. my husband joel and i were headed to a retreat for the weekend, and i thought it would be fun to bring a big bag for all my stuff.
here is the first 'kellie bag' (as it would come to be called by all my friends):

i came up with a new design for the official Craft Liberation Bag. something easy enough for non-sewers, but still cute and a just a bit of a challenge to prove to these girls anyone can sew! all the crafts were kept a secret... so this was the first big reveal. i didn't have a name for this bag design... but the girls came up with one for me and i LOVE it: the 'Liberation Bag'!!! and that basket of fabric was filled with 'the good stuff;' some of my favorites... like the Amy Butler print i used for the sample. swoon!

time to let the girls dig and claw their way through that stack of fabric love to pick out two prints for their bag.

did someone draw blood?

i taught the girls out to rip their fabric. talk about liberating! although it turned out a bit disastrous, it was no fault of their own. we pushed through, and much pressing and sewing commenced.

it didn't take long before Becky (who picked out my fave fabric from the stack!) tied some fabric on her head and yelled out, "LOOK! I'M KELLIE!" anyone who knows me, knows that i'm often found with a bandana or scarf in my hair..... and so began the picking out of headbands. it continued all weekend. it was quite comical! i wasn't sure if i felt picked on, or slightly honored. :)

Allison drove from MICHIGAN!

"LOOK MOM! I'M SEWING!"

ok... i have to tell you a story about Roni. i was really proud of her here. she is a sewer, but sews while sitting on the floor using her KNEE to push the foot pedal!!! WHO DOES THAT? she is ULTRA talented! and she's gets extra points for sucking it up and sewing in the normal seated position.

at one point, i look over, and Laurie is going to town, teaching the girls how to make fabric rosettes. creativity was flowin! keri made a super cute one for her bag. everyone was getting into their comfy clothes, enjoying some snacks, and even late night dessert of cheesecake made with Fudge Stripe Cookie crust!

one of my fave shots of that night...helping Joy.

as the night got later, girls were turning to coffee for a second wind. i know this is kinda a silly picture of Christine, who drove from Wisconsin... but i couldn't help but give some bonus points to Laurie for the coffee she made for us which had her homemade sweet-cream creamer in it... oh, and topped with those mini Ghirardelli chips on top! mmmm Laurie, you ROCK- i think you've become the official CL Barista!

Traci had to have proof for her husband that she was actually sewing on this women's getaway. here it is; you can't make this stuff up!

Katie preparing her interfacing.

OOH! there's Miss Photographer with her purple tipped hair goin' to town on the bag!

I wish we would have captured more moments of 'turning,' where the girls turned their bags right side out to reveal the almost finished product. we clapped each time someone turned.... well, almost each time- there was one or two whose handles were sewn into the bag layers, but we won't point them out here. Allison did a great job!

OH MY WORD!!! LOOK AT ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL BAGS!

I'M SO PROUD OF EACH OF YOU!

everyone went to bed LATE but feeling accomplished. what a perfect first day!

DAY TWO:

saturday morning ran a bit late, as everyone was dragging a bit, including me. some slept in, exercised, got dolled up...they were free to do what they wanted until breakfast was served; broccoli bacon quiche and fresh fruit. bonus points to Melissa for being my hand model.

from here we all drove into Nashville (indiana that is) to split up and shop, snack.... or enjoy time with the girls we just met. i couldn't help but go straight to the candy shop- ellie, melanie and i found some great treats there! check out these big candy sticks! they put the ones from Cracker Barrel to shame.

LOOK AT THIS TAFFY!

it's like it knew 'the lemondime' girls were coming for a visit!

i found Christine and Keri at a super cute soap shop: Bathology! look at these colors! i could eat it.

this looks like KIWI!

more fun shopping! look at her bag- sassy pants ;)
hee hee. aw naw you di-int!

then it was time to say goodbye to our beautiful helper/daughters. cuties!

and.... back to shopping! look what i found! (my sister sent this SAME pic to my phone when she was in the shop. great minds think alike....or at least minds created by the same mother and father ;)

although these quilts are not really my style... i can appreciate them- and love how they were all displayed.

yep. that's what i think.

walking out of one shops with Laurie, we saw this stump and had to laugh at how entirely painful that would be to sit on, or fall into. OUCHIE!

everyone met back at the cabin for lunch and a bit of show and tell. it was fun to see what everyone picked up- but there was some overly obsessive kitchen utensil buying going on... i was getting worried. too bad i didn't get a pic of that!

lunch menu: Creamy Chicken Packets, salad and lemon bars.

after everyone ate, cleaned up and got comfy again, it was time for a night FILLED with many different crafts. they started by painting chalkboards. i loved their creativity... each one different. in between coats of paint, they worked on shrink film bracelets. (do you remember Shrinky Dinks?) also, i introduced them to the fun that is fabric wrapped wire words, and washi tape coasters.

love this random hug from L.

CREATE: one of my favorite words.

oh. be still my heart. i love their creations!

my bestie, Traci decided to try her hand at sewing her own messenger bag, based on a pattern from one of the sewing books i had there for the girls browsing pleasure. she just needed a few simple instructions, and then she took the wheel.... she did a GREAT JOB!

these shrink bracelets turned out so so awesome!

dinner break: chicken fajitas and margaritas!

there is a HUGE story behind this ONE and ONLY group shot. it took many tries, lotsa butt shots of the one running into the scene for the timer and a high speed body-into-drink crash. so thankful to have all the girls in at least one photo. my awesome Mother insisted on us drinking from real marg. glasses, so she sent these as a gift. i love her. bonus points go to Andrea for having a lengthy timer, and wanting Katie to relax on this shot.
(if you look closely, you'll see some empty glasses...it took. that. long.)

after dinner it was back to crafting, and a totally spontaneous straightening of my sisters hair, by Anne, the in-house hair-straightener.

Roni took a moment to write a beautiful sentiment in the CL guest book.

i started on the cinnamon rolls early.... but kinda got a bit distracted- the dough busted right through the plastic wrap! oopsie. don't have a good after pic of these ginormous rolls. oh they were good- with a giant schmear of thick cream cheese icing.

so much painting going on here-Christine took on the role of official painter of tiles. she made each girl one of their own to take as a souvenir. some used the washi tape that was donated by Cute-tape! when i recieved their box of swag and supplies, i immediately ordered TONS more... it's uh.maze.ing! some of the girls were even making little teeny washi bunting!!! EEK!

Roni came to me halfway into the night, asking if i had any Christmas lights she could buy. and actually, i had one strand left after making the scrappy lights for decorating the cabin. she tore and tied fabric for what seemed HOURS! the result was BEAUTIFUL! she posted the pic below of her bannister, to facebook after we got home- it's just perfect there, isn't it?

oh, i almost forgot to add, Laurie also taught some of the girls how to make these awesome paper stars....and if you ever get a chance to see L's house, there are stars EVERYWHERE!!! and our Miss Katie Photographer Girl, made her daughters APRONS! and she's NEW to sewing! HOW CUTE ARE THOSE!? Jen made some headbands... i think the girls were CRAFT LIBERATED!

DAY THREE:
Sunday morning, Katie had to leave early to tend to her sick little girl, and the rest of us took some time to feed our souls. Laurie introduced me to the book, One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp. it was a book that changed us both. i had recently ordered the dvd study, and we watched the first session that morning. it was touching as we all learned the importance of slowing down time, and being present and thankful in each moment of our lives. start counting gifts. thanksgiving always precedes the miracle. if you haven't read the book- please do. here is her blog- it will change you if you let it.

i handed out little handmade JOY journals to all the girls; something they can keep with them and jot down all the ways God loves them. we wiped tears, prayed... even sang Amazing Grace together. it was a moment in time i'll never forget. my cup runneth over.
we said our goodbyes and held tightly to our new group of friends. so many memories made that weekend. i'm so thankful to each and every girl that signed up to be a guest at the very first Craft Liberation.

as i sat and thought about the days prior, after packing and cleaning, i thanked the Lord for all the ways He helped me, and how much His presence was with us in that cabin. i can't wait for CL #2

i wanted to add some testimonies i recieved after the weekend was done, and everyone had a chance decompress and take in what they had experienced. enjoy, and consider attending the next craft weekend on August 16-18th. if you haven't been to my FB page, it's found right here. if you would like to reserve a spot for a future weekend or if you have any questions, you can message me there or email me at thelemondime@yahoo.com.

"My life is absolutely changed. no denying that. I've been in a different place since then. even with the "stuff" going on here...I'm just in such a peaceful place about it all and that's NOT like me. lol. it's all HIM!"

"While I really miss our time together, I really needed that weekend to strengthen me spiritually. I feel like that strengthening was needed by all of us for one reason or another. God knew what we needed exactly when we needed it. Love you ALL."

"I just want to ramble on for hours to everyone I run into and tell them about how awesome it was! When I go out to the store I look around hoping to run into any one of you and then I realize...not going to happen! "

"I most definitely needed it. It couldn't have come at a better time for me. I feel refreshed and like I have ten NEW best friends! I love you all and miss you terribly. I keep remembering funny little things that happened and want to tell whoever is close by and willing to pretend to listen! I pray for all of you daily. I know we're each going through different "things" and we all need to be uplifted in prayer. Love you girls!"
..........................................................

with that, i thank you- and i thank God most of all, that i have been chosen for such a time as this.

PART ONE: Craft Liberation -a weekend getaway #1... A COMPLETE SUCCESS!

2013-05-02T08:36:00.003-07:00

WE DID IT!

with God's help, laurie, i,

and our two daughters

pulled off the

#1 ever Craft Liberation: a-weekend getaway!

months of planning, countless hours of research, phone calls, nerves, tears, and a TON of heart and inspiration (you must click that inspiration link!) have come down to this:14 women, 2 helpers, 14 sponsors, 1 luxury cabin, 3 days, crafts, food, laughs, tears, worship and lifetime friendships built. THIS is what i've been waiting for. i cannot tell you the beauty that unfolded this past weekend. i will be forever grateful to God for this amazing experience, and humbled that He is allowing me to do it again- and again.

in the next week, i'll be posting about all our amazing sponsors who donated SWAG: (stuff we all get... isn't that so cute? ;) and goods for our giveaways. right now, i still have no words for how amazing this experience was for all of the women who attended, including me, so i am just going to post pics to tell the story. these are just some teasers up until the point of people arriving. i can't WAIT to share photos of the women crafting and letting their creativity run wild. i was so proud of each and every one, for their courage to try something new, and for tapping into the creativity God gave them to make beautiful things.

the response to this has been amazing and i've decided to book more weekends! this is my passion- and i'm so honored to have the chance to do it again! you can click on the ''craft liberation'' tab at the top of my page to get more info on how to sign up for a future Craft Liberation Weekend Getaway. there are already more booked, so message me to get on the list!

all loaded up and ready to head to Nashville Indiana; to our beautiful cabin in the woods.

upon arrival, my sweet daughter ellie, who has a gift for serving, and melanie, laurie's daughter, who is just downright the sweetest thing EVER, got right to work in the kitchen... unpacking and preparing veggies for Friday's dinner. they worked hard taking care of food and the women of CL, Friday evening and Saturday morning, before they headed back home. i'm so blessed to be able to have planned this whole event with ellie by my side... she's a mean list maker!

this AMAZING MOMMA OF 6, my beautiful friend laurie, was AMAZING and WONDERFUL and i couldn't have done it without her! here's she's finishing up covering the box of paint with cute fabric- she's so stinkin smart!

she spent much of that evening doing THIS: 'cause she had a lot of her super cute paper stars to hang...no frustration involved here... at all. ;)

her house is LOADED with these bad boys... and you walk in and feel INSTA-HAPPY!

supplies waiting to be dug through

the machines... oh the machines. you served us well! (except for the one in the back corner...stinkin' bobbin!) and those nametags there: laurie was a rosette making machine, and i, the painter of the names. i heart these.

views from the balcony:

the size of this room, well... kinda hard to capture in pictures. monstrosity has a nice ring to it. the scrappy lights were made by our girls... and kinda were a hit. i think i'll start making these to sell. FOR SURE supes cute when strung up.

and for your reading pleasure: oh, just some of my all time FAVE fabic desiners, Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, you know.. the youge. and... well... just MELISSA VERINOS, of thee YUMMY GOODS, who just happened to have sent a TON of fabric yardage, an original paining (that my sis won!!!), her cutesy notebooks (WITH a unicorn on them. EEK!) and a special gift for me; a necklace she made from a vintage button! SWOON!!! LITERALLY! (see fabric salvage below!) her next book may just be in the running for next CL's SWAG! (i would just die!)

each of the women had their name on their door: handstamped (by ellie) on bunting i made. i have this stuff all over my house! just can't get enough bunting...i have a problem.

we left these adorbs berry-baskets-of-love for each women on their bed as a welcome treat... choc full of special chocolate and candy. nothin' says fun like old fashion candy sticks! nestled in on top there, you'll see a yellow ticket. there were LOTS of prizes. these tickets were so great.

i put this bag of surpirses together for ellie and melanie to open upon their return home.... just some fun stuff to remind them of how much we appreciated all their help. gifts are always fun! (there's even silly putty in that puppy ;)

the drink bar was ready to go! (the girls didn't know that THIS was one of the crafts we were going to do- chalkboards! wait until you see what the girls did with theirs- i was SO impressed! (and they think i'm talented- geesh!) laurie made HOMEMADE SWEET CREAM! who does that??? yep- she did. and does. and i'm about to call her over here to make me a batch.

SNACK BAR... with LEMON DROPS!
no explanation needed here.

the ''lemon... dime... '' GET IT? great idea by my daughter here. it took a couple hours of swapping machine parts, painting and repainting... even had to replace the glass on this after ellie took a whack at the fudge stripe cookies she was crushing for the cheesecake crust, and missed just slightly. the thing exploded!

all set up and ready! had to get a pic of my sweet ellie- see me in the reflection? i am so proud of her!!! look out world; this girl is on a mission!

and finally... the first guests arrive! little did i know that this beginning would end so breathtakingly beautiful. (my beautiful sister, Keri, on the right brought me the most AMAZING necklace. i will take pics soon and share this thoughtful gift with you all. THEE best gift EVER! THANK YOU KERI! i love you so much and so blessed that you were there with me for this big moment. btw, do you believe me now? ;)

this is JUST the beginning of lots more eye candy- the sponsors, the crafts, the outtakes... all coming soon! i will be ''off the grid'' for the next 4 days. keep a lookout for the next post coming soon. thank you for taking the time to come here and spend some time. PLEASE leave me a comment, follow me here, on FB, instagram... whatevs... just know you are appreciated and loved!

to all the girls of CL #1: i LOVE you all, appreciate you more than you know- and SO STINKIN' PROUD OF YOU ALL! i can't wait for next years' reunion!!! <3

interested in coming? got friends who would love this? wanna send swag? here's more info!

to be continued:

one month left

2013-04-05T23:14:00.002-07:00

Oh my.....

can it possibly be that this whole Craft Liberation -a weekend getaway thing is almost here? it seems like so long ago that i was sitting right here at my computer in the middle of the night, and ran across this blog post.... and i was so inspired, i KNEW it was going to come to pass for me.

i have to say that the response has truly been nothing but miraculous... for someone to catch a glimpse of my vision has been inspiring in and of itself. the more i plan for this weekend, the more i realize i couldn't do any of this without the leading of my Father God. He keeps throwing these turns at me, and i'm all about letting him take control, as i've learned so much in my lifetime, that apart from Him, i can do nothing- i want the best not only for me, but for every women to cross the threshold of CL. i am expecting Him to inspire, renew and bless each one.... and to be used by Him is the icing on my yellow and mint ombre cake.

it's been awhile since i've posted here... sometimes i rely too much on facebook and instagram to tell a story- but it's here i can share my heart, and open myself up to you... my friends. i struggle with that perfectionism, grrr.... even here, still. wanting to have only the most beautiful of pictures, and posts... but i know that defeats the purpose here.

i have decided that not only am i going to post all things creative and craftastic here, but i am also going to be posting much about my life and family as well. it's difficult enough to post here, let alone on my personal blog, bandanna day, so i'm moving on over to this beautiful space for all things me. ;)
SO... here's a snippet of what's been going on in my life lately, in no particular order.
(cause that would make my head hurt) :

we had the wonderful pleasure of having my parents at our home this Christmas! (yes... it's been that long.) this is what happens when we get crazy...

i took these pictures while cutting Ezra's hair. he's 7, and i'm pretty sure there will come a point that he won't want me to cut his hair anymore.... that will be sad. so for now, i'm capturing these moments.

sometimes i can't even believe she's mine. never a dull moment. sometimes she's as cute as bunting... and sometimes... she's into EVERYTHING! she somehow finds glitter. easily. (i can't even find it when i need it!)

we dabbled in juicing for awhile... we need to get back to it. amazing things happened when i told the kids how healthy this stuff was... they asked for them constantly.

the kids were totally into entering lego contests online. i had a fun time taking these pics, but they never won.

we've taken a few trips to the Indianapolis Children's Museum this winter. yes, we're ''those'' parents who let their kids roll down the 'hill' to the dinosaur exhibit. here are two of my other fave pics from those trips... a glass sculpture, and a selfie.

i had the pleasure of creating a baby blanket for someone's upcoming bundle of joy... i love how this turned out.

this little art/science experiment was fun. except for the fact, i wanted the pan all to myself. that didn't happen.

Amara was SO mad that i wouldn't let her do this with the kids.... she stomped off to her bed and did this: big whiner!

we got ANOTHER chance to see my parents... they were staying with my sister's kids near st. louis while my sister and brother-in-law were in trinidad. the kids had SO much fun with their cousins... my sisters six kids and my five... what a bunch. these are a few highlights from the trip:

lots of games- blokus and backgammon

my amazing daddy

my beautiful mother.... always in the kitchen making amazing food for our families.

best cousins! Amara looks SO much like Ezra here!

one of the cutest things that the girls all do when they get together is have a SPA. they make up a 'menu' and set it all up, invite everyone to get pampered, and they even make some money, and sometimes if their lucky, some candy as payment. this particular time, they convinced Cullen to get his hair straightened and he was NOT happy when i showed up with my camera.

but look how cute it turned out! looks like i needed my roots touched up at the spa that day! yeesh!

we actually all got really sick while we were there... it's surprising i even got some good pics. in the middle of all the blowing my nose and sneezing, i was able to do Kaylie's hair and make up for her formal dance. i was so sick that as SOON as i finished it i went straight up to bed... i didn't even get to see her leave OR get a picture of the final look. i'm so lame. here's before mascara and mid-way through hair.

we celebrated Valentine's Day a day late. my kids spent hours putting these little ninja and rockstar people/bags together. one for everyone- they were adorable.

the trip, despite all the sickness, and the fact the living room looked like a triage unit all week, was wonderful. it was great to be with my mom and dad, and to be a part of the memories built.

here are two more pics from that trip that i love... they have a beautiful place. reminds me of Grandpa's Farm.

and....here she is again...

SWEET:

and....

SOUR:

i designed and sew this bag for a friend a few weeks back. it's currently in puerto rico as i type. that's pretty cool to me.

this beauty turned 13 on wednesday. i am beyond joyful that she is not who i was at her age, and that she has a true heart for God. why we got so blessed, i will never understand. so humbled by her.

i thought it would be fun the other day, to do a makeover on half my face. although i freaked my kids out a bit, it was cool to see the difference.

here's TRUE ME... bearing it all:

and here's made-up me:

that

was

nice.

eh ehmmm...

OK GIRLS!!!

HERE

YOUR

SNEAK

PEAK!!!

THANK YOU ALL for bearing with me on this journey.

it's been

so.

much.

fun.

Giveaway WINNERS!

2012-11-08T19:50:00.001-08:00

WOW! facebook fans of 'the lemondime' are just too kind!!! i have to tell you that one of my favorite things about sewing, is getting to give away my handmade goods. whether it is a gift for someone, a surprise or a fun giveaway- it really is so much fun for me! i love to hear peoples' reactions when they win! this time around, i wanted to make two things to give and i am about to announce the winners!

THANK YOU ALL for entering my contest, and sharing my page with your friends. your words are touching.... that you would even think that i am ''one of the most talented people you know''.... that just floors me.

i. am. humbled. my talent comes from Him, and it's only by His grace and love that i can even share it with all of you. for years, i have been so scared of stepping out to do any of this. can anyone relate to being a perfectionist? that's why it took me so long to do it. it is a difficult thing to overcome, and i have to constantly remind myself of how to pull away from that trait. it's a daily struggle. you get that, right?

ok- so back to YOU! i had 20 people share these pictures:


SWEET Apron (i need a cupcake!)

FALL MUG RUG (glorified coaster, really ;)

so, what i did this time is asked my beautiful daughter, ellie, to help me make a list of all the entries. she is going to be helping tend to the amazing women at the very first CRAFT LIBERATION -a weekend getaway! this is her.... she ROCKS!

she made a list for me of all the women who entered the contest. here's the list:

then we used random number generator dot com to pick TWO winners! she hit enter and this number came up.

WINNER #1

number 11!

EEEK! that's my bestie, Traci!

congrats girl...you FINALLY won!

and... WINNER #2

number 15!

CONGRATS AMY! wow... a 'lemondime' goody will be living up in Wisconsin! how cool is that?

(maybe i should make a goal of having

something i've made in every state.. hee hee)

YAY! congrats to both winners! since Traci was picked first, she will have the first pick of prizes. Amy, you will get the other prize, so make sure to send me your address!

THANK YOU ALL FOR ENTERING! thank you for supporting my venture! and as you leave: here's a rice bag for sore muscles and wine bags.

(not what i call my kids sometimes, the other kind of wine ;)

a friend of mine ordered these from me for a friends' birthday gift.


(nice, blurry cell phone pic huh?)

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

PEACE

giveaway WINNER, a SALE and a HINT

2012-09-19T10:05:00.002-07:00

i just LOVE to do giveaways... they are just so much fun! i thought you all would just 'share' the photo, but you did so much more. by far, one of the more humbling things i've done. i know, it's weird to say that, but it's true. for as long as i can remember, i've always had a hard time just saying ''thank you'' when someone compliments me or my work. i've learned over the past couple of years, and through the gentle reminders of my amazing husband, why it was that it was hard for me. it's as though i didn't think it was worthy of the thanks. if someone would compliment me on my dress, i would say, "oh this? i got this at Goodwill." it's as if i thought: ~if they knew the truth about the clothes...or ~how quickly i made that bag... or ~how badly i needed my hair cut...they wouldn't have complimented me in the first place. it's SO FLIPPIN hard to JUST SAY THANKS!
pride.
eew.
nasty trap.

HOWEVER- i AM so thankful that God doesn't leave us the way we are, and he uses amazing people and events to challenge and change us... SO... for all those dear and humbling comments that were made about me and that ~~it's not that big of a deal to make~~ apron yesterday...

THANK YOU

~from the bottom of a very grateful heart!

OK! so onto the WINNER!!!........................
- here's where the honesty comes out... i actually had to pick twice! my dear friend Laurie Young, shared my page yesterday and made the comment that she shouldn't be eligible to win (since she's my leading lady for Craft Liberation.) but i said YES SHE IS.. cause she shared it, and that was the way to enter. SO... my 12 year old daughter has become the official ''picker'' and i told her that if she picked Laurie, that we would have to pick another name so people didn't think i just picked her 'cause she's my homegirl. ellie and i got all the names written on the ~~we wrote them all out on small white papers and it looked silly~~ appropriate colored paper and threw them in the 'special jar.' ellie shook, she picked and she read the name.....

LAURIE YOUNG!

bwhaa haaaa! we were cracking UP!

so laurie, i made TWO aprons... one for you and one for our next winner (just in case anyone would have had a hissy, or doubt my honesty. hee. and that woman is....

ANNE ELLIOT!

WHO, by the way, i had the pleasure of meeting behind the kiosk of one of our sponsors for Craft Liberation, while i was down at City Market last week!!! how cool is THAT!

*go ahead and take a sneak peek at GET LATHERED Soap Company! my whole bathroom smells amazing from this to-die-for 'lemondimey' soap i picked up while i was there!

CONGRATS LAURIE AND ANNE!

i had SO much fun with that whole apron-thingy, that i decided i'd make another to sell... then i made another. here's what the two look like that will be for sale today over on the lemondime's facebook page- so if you likey, you should get over there this afternoon and check it out!

AND.... about that HINT as to what our newest sponsor is for 'Craft Liberation -a weekend getaway' will be.... it's somewhere in this post- that's all you get! hee.

thanks again wonderful and amazing friends...

peace!

2012-09-10T20:56:00.000-07:00

i know i say it often, but...
EEEK!

this is the moment i've been waiting for! i am so excited you are here! if you are here because you have heard of my new venture, 'Craft Liberation -a weekend getaway,' you can just click that link in the banner above... see it up there? it will tell you all you need to know.

i hope you stop back often... i will be posting all kinds of projects i'm working on, things i'm selling, giveaways and inspiration. please leave a comment below telling me you were here and what you would like to see on 'the lemondime' blog! thank you to everyone who has cheered me on during my intense focus and utmost excitement through all this!

my cup runneth over,

-kellie