Today's Bouquets

Blogging in itself has been a bouquet of multiple and varied blooms. One of these sweet blooms has involved making the acquaintance of Judy at Fabric Art & Crafts. One of Judy's standout qualities is her beautiful heart, which permeates her correspondence as well as her creative process.

Yesterday, I received a Judy "ju-be" in the mail. A "ju-be"– rhymes with chubby– is my abbreviation for a "just because": a gift with no connection to a standard holiday or event. I was delighted to open a plump envelope containing a gorgeous handmade card and 2 playful holiday magnets. Judy meticulously created each of these gifts with the use of miniature pieces of fabric and small embellishments. I couldn't be more pleased!

I definitely want Judy to share the details of her artistry! I'm wondering if she uses tweezers... The results are wonderful!

Thank-YOU, Judy, for blessing me with such one-of-a-kind gifts! I am honored to be the recipient of your friendship and affirmation! It means a great deal to me!

ANOTHER BOUQUET

Several weeks ago, I ordered a framed, embroidered songbird from the fabulous Mrs. Kwitty! She hosts the whimsical blog, Whatever Strikes Mrs. Kwitty's Fancy. She faithfully finished the project and sent it my way; however, my little songbird took a detour. This was a mystery to us both until this last week; I arrived at work and found a "Mrs. Kwitty" package sitting on my piano bench! At first, I was shocked because Mrs. Kwitty doesn't know where I work. Then, it all began to make sense.

I moved in May of this year. We were approaching the deadline of finding a home, so I had all of our mail forwarded to a friend near my workplace. When I payed through PayPal, the purchase somehow defaulted to my previous information. So, this little songbird traveled to my old address and was then forwarded to my friend– who graciously delivered it to where I work!

This was an answer to prayer! The backside of the frame reads: "Life is a dance; God's love is the music." Beautiful! Thank-YOU, Mrs. Kwitty! As a singer, this little songbird and I have many duets ahead of us!

A Matter of "Purge"ency

"Daily Something: Organizing." Uploaded on August 16, 2007 by tiffhewlett at Flickr.com (Click on photo to enlarge.)

While reading Tiff Hewlett's "daily something" entry expressing her considerable passion to organize, I smiled a knowing smile. She appears to be on a higher plain of organizational drivenness, but we do share common ground: the pleasure of visual results! One look at her orderly game closet and I know that I'm feeling some degree of her satisfaction.

I'm a highly visual person, thus I struggle to create when my environment is cluttered and askew. Disorganization is an insistent nag that distracts and steals my energy.

I have a looming list of projects that need to be tackled. I understand that "starting" is often the biggest victory, but my ignition sometimes needs convincing when my to-do list is off the page. I joke that I line up my hurdles by priority and start jumping!

I would subscribe to the motto, "once organized, always organized," except that my family tends to tamper with my success. Therein lies one of my dilemmas and a flashback to my youth. I recall my Dad's frustration when items from his office/art supply cupboard would mysteriously disappear and– if I was the culprit– they would just as mysteriously reappear! Now, as I confront my own family, I receive shrugs of classic innocence. I'm left wondering if the sock demon no longer favors socks! My Dad has to be smiling right now!

Recently, when we were given 60 days to find a new home, I immediately launched into purging and having garage sales. I was adamant about not moving burdensome things to my new address. Even while house hunting, I managed to lighten our load; however, the items that had been delegated to my husband still made the move. To his credit, he did have major survival issues to focus on, but he admitted that procrastination had won. Add to this the fact that our hired mover was arrested at the last moment for an unpaid traffic citation! This necessitated moving– for the umpteenth time in my life– an old, "sold" Rembrandt upright piano that was to have been delivered somewhere else!

Currently, my garage is brimming with things that need departure, and I still have boxes of miscellany in my living room that either need discarding, shredding, or closure. I'm happy with my progress. Nevertheless, it's time to finish the job so that I can flow, unhindered, into my new season of creative pursuits.

As you can see, it's a matter of "purge"-ency, and I have a plan! I'll keep you posted . . .

Reflections

Fall at the Loch - Fall Reflection
Used with permission from Tony Sweet @ http://tonysweet.com

I wonder if these trees are admiring their reflection in the lake's rippled mirror. Perhaps nature is double checking her make-up before baring her branches for winter!

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With every leaf a miracle.
– Walt Whitman
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Segue

Leaf Behinds: Maine Foliage Photographs - CHARLIE MOREY

This image is a perfect segue into the affairs of Christmas. A lingering leaf resides brilliantly with an evergreen bough and birch bark.

• • • • • • • • •

Rev up those endorphins today with some playful fun! SCROLL DOWN to the bottom of this blog to view the YouTube video about The Squirrel Church Revival! This Mississippi church went nuts! And, wait until you see Sister Bertha-Better-than-You meet up with the altar of repentance!

Nature's Palette

The Miracle of Fall

Winter

is an etching,

Spring a watercolor,

Summer an oil painting,

and Autumn a mosaic of them all.

- Stanley Horowitz

Tea Time Magazine ~ Holiday Issue

Yesterday, I picked up the November/December 2007 Special Holiday Issue of Tea Time magazine. It is a stirring periodical that is not just for the tea lover.

When I receive a magazine, I'm not always afforded the luxury of sitting down immediately to peruse it. Often, I do a quick flip through the pages to somewhat satiate my curiosity and give myself a preview of coming attractions.

This particular issue was difficult to put down! There is so much to glean! For starters, there are 2 articles that pertain to Colonial Williamsburg: one includes an interview with a Tea Mistress, and the other covers traditional Christmas celebrations. There are at least 9 wreath photos boasting an array of intrigue and design, and including items such as pomegranates, pineapples, seashells, pods, dried citrus, and orange zest twirls. In addition to wreaths, Williamsburg is alluringly transformed with garlands, window treatments, and swags.

For those of you who are savvy to iTunes, there is a wonderfully enlightening podcast entitled, Colonial Williamsburg Podcasts. These podcasts are about 10 to 20 minutes in length and cover historical facts, dramatic reenactments, storytelling, and current excavations. Be sure to check out the 2006 Christmas podcasts entitled, 18th Century Christmas, and Christmas Carols You Thought You Knew.

Tea Time's Indulgences include Fig-sweetened scones, Fish and Chips with Gribiche Sauce, Mini Stilton Cheesecakes with Pecan Crusts, and Turkey Salad Crostini with Cranberry Relish. My mouth is flooding! There is also a section entitled, Dreaming of a White Christmas, which features fabulous finger foods and sweet treats– many with a white theme. Dreamy!

Additionally, there is a plethora of decorating stimulus, and purchasing information for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Several of the ads have even tickled my fancy, meaning that I have further exploring to do!

Photos were taken of the current Tea Time magazine issue. Subscription information, recipes, and events can be obtained from this site.