My FIRST Giveaway....

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH I had SUCH fun shopping for a few little things for a giveaway.

So looky looky at what I found!!!

And then I am also adding some pretty little cupcake toppers from my future (as yet in progress) biz.....

How do you enter this giveaway you ask???? Just a few easy steps and you are there......

1. Follow me here at Blogspot
2. Leave a comment letting me know if you are a new follower or a seasoned Creative Spirit veteran.
3. Share this on Facebook or Twitter and leave me a comment on how you shared it. To share it just use the cute little Share icon and choose where you wanna let your friends know about the giveaway. Each separate share earns another entry, so be sure to post a comment for each share.

Yep, that is it..... not so tuff huh????

Now get crackin on the entering..... oh and FYI, the giveaway will remain open until midnight on Friday, December 3rd, so pass the word!!!!

And the celebration continues.....

FIREWORKS......

A GREAT BIG TOAST....

OK, so it isn't champagne but it IS the holidays and moola is a little tight....

ON TO THE REASON FOR THE CELEBRATION

Yep, I did it. I hit 100 followers... woo hoo, yippee and zip e dee do dah day!!!!

And it is ALL thanks for you!!! I promised a giveaway and it is on it's way.....

Tune in tomorrow for a pic of the fun ornaments I was able to scarf up at Target as well as a little something from my upcoming, and in the works, biz......

I will provide info then on how to enter...... It won't be too tuff.....

Until next time.....

                     

Sunday Morning......

Another BLESSING FILLED Sunday morning...

Mom and I watched church online this morning. I LOVE technology which allows us to watch the entire service at my home church while keeping mom in the comfort of home.

The sermon was done in a team setting with three of our pastors participating. They started the Advent Conspiracy in our church.... Check it out and see what the international movement of Advent Conspiracy is all about. In a nutshell they are promoting compassion at Christmas time in lieu of consumption... GREAT message.

I am not sure about all of you, but I am soooooo loving this cool to cold weather and I consider it a blessing that the recent frosts have killed off the ragweed. One allergy irritant down.... woo hooo.

It is a blessing to still be receiving sympathy cards for the death of my dad from my parents friends, old and new. We are planning the memorial lunch next weekend and I think all the cards being displayed will show how much he was loved and will truly be missed. Receiving so many condolences and kind gestures from people that never even met dad has also been a blessing.

So on to a new week that I know will bring many more blessings.... With the start of the holiday season, I will remember WHO is the reason for the season while enjoying all the modern trappings.

Be Blessed.

CELEBRATION TIME......

I can't believe that my little blog has almost 100 followers. WOO HOO........

As you can tell by my Winter theme on my blog from LeeLou, I LOVE this time of year... I LOVE winter, LOVE snow, LOVE the Christmas holiday......

So in the spirit of the season, once I reach the 100 followers mark, I will be having a giveaway... YES, my very first one.

I was in Target yesterday (after all the craziness calmed down) and saw some FUN ornaments in bright and joyful colors..... so maybe they will be finding their way into this giveaway.......

So spread the word, spread the love...... and help me reach 100 followers.

Then stay tuned for the giveaway.

More thankful moments.....

And adding to the list started on Wednesday.......

I am also thankful for ........

• my wonderful grandchildren who give me joy each time I look in their little faces. Seeing things new through them is amazing... All the things I missed when I was too busy being a mom, I am getting to experience now.
• a great relationship with my children's father. We all spent Thanksgiving together and it is a blessing to not pull the kids in all different directions to make choices on where to go and when.
• the blessings that abound when spending time with family and friends.
• WAY too much food to eat when there are those who have little or none.
• the ability to also help others this time of year like Operation Christmas Child, as well as helping to fill ALL the wishes of an adopt a child for Christmas that my son and future daughter in love adopted.
• ALL of you out there in blog land. I appreciate ALL your comments, ALL your support and ALL your love.

I know for a fact there are LOADS more to be thankful for and that is why I thank God every day for the blessings I have......

Until next time.....

Happy Turkey Day to all.........

Thankful list......

I AM SOOOOOO VERY THANKFUL FOR...........................

• wonderful friends that have been there and walked with me through the death of my father, and continue to support me in my new role as caregiver for mom.
• wonderful children who are helping with the care of their grandmother so that I can spend some time actually IN the office.
• a wonderful company with a couple of great bosses that are working with me on flexible work schedules and location.... not everyone would be this blessed.
• for my job... yes, I work for a great company, but I am blessed to be one of those people who LOVES their job.
• for super co-workers that I also consider friends.
• for a faith that has carried me so much in the past and continues to carry me through each and ever trial I face.
• for my health... I will take the minor little aches and pains and quirks that are a part of growing older because I know it could be much worse.
• for a beautiful home, a solid roof over my head.
• for the means to provide for myself with food, clothing, and even some of the WANTS on my list.
• for a church that provides comfort, joy and a church family I wouldn't want to trade for anything.

There are a zillion other things I am sure I could be thankful for, but I will stop for now.... This entire season is a time for thankfulness, to thank God for his everlasting and amazing Grace.

Wishing all of you a blessed and joy filled Thanksgiving.......

A wonderful blessing.....

On top of all of those that I already am working on putting in print.....

WOO HOO!

I just won my very first bloggy land award from Adri at Ma Cherie Creations....

I love the blog world and a big ole thanks to Adri for this award!!!

Not so fast tho as there
ARE rules for accepting the award...

While I humbly accept this award I also must:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this

2. Share 8 things about yourself

3. Pay it forward to 8 bloggers that you have recently discovered

4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about their awards

So please check out Adri when you get a chance...

Now on to 8 KIM facts......

1. I am the mother of 2 wonderful adult children.
2. I am also a blessed grandma of 2 little ones, and looking foward to many more in the future.. Hey a gramma can hope can't she???
3. I am a West Virginia girl by birth and still at heart.
4. I have a major love of both Country and Christian Music.....
5. I have two cute little furry friends that I love to cuddle with.... Oh, dogs that is.....not hairy guys.....
6. I am obsessed with always trying new crafty ideas and LOVE all the ideas I find in blog world and other spots on the web.
7. In my next life, I would LOVE to be a party planner.... from the decor to the food to the....well you get the picture.
8. I have a very strong Faith, and count on God and his precious son, Jesus, each and every day to keep me on a semi-straight path. He is still working to make my paths straight and help me get my little ducks in a row.

AND NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO..... I would like to pass this wonderful award on to these eight blogger friends.....I love them ALL and it was very hard to narrow it down to just these 8.

The Skinny on Mini

Black and White (side by side)

The Becker's (Shawn and Bill)

Beach Bungalow

The Paper Straw Blog

Walking the off-beaten path

Ordinary Inpirations

Not a Sparrow Falls

Now I need to pop on over to each of them and tell them how much I adore their blogs and in some cases, their friendships. Why don't you take a minute to check them out too???

And the calm continues.......

..... I always try to make Sunday's a nice relaxing day every week.....Church then Sunday School, and maybe on to the Grocery Store, but otherwise like to spend my time at home. I even snuck in a nap yesterday.

I also spent a lot of time working on biz stuff and sharing some laughs and some tears with my blogland friends. With the years I spent as an interior designer, you would think I would have an easier time designing just what I want, but I am being a little too picky.

During Sunday School, we talked to our first graders today about what they are Thankful for and what they are doing on this Thanksgiving Day. I am also going to put some thought into that to remember to count MY blessings.

Until next time

Sunday Morning......

A very relaxing Sunday morning here in Ohio and a beautiful day predicted weather wise.

Is it the beautiful fall days? Is it the accupuncture???? Is it the Chinese flower tea for Stress Relief???? Or is it just that I am settling in to my role as caregiver. NOT sure but the last three days I have felt calm, peace and my usual crazy anxiety has been wonderfully absent.

The anxiousness that includes sweating, shaking and genral feelings of helplessness are symptoms I am not going to miss. I am sure they will show up in the most inconvenient places at the least convenient time, though I will feel blessed if they are not an all day everyday threat as they have been.

So here's hoping YOUR Sunday morning is also calm and peaceful....

Until next time.... be blessed!

LONG DAY....

.....and I wanted to touch base and let you know what is keeping me so busy...

I am still spending a lot of time  on the computer and trying to learn new programs (WHAT IS UP WITH PHOTOSHOP ANYWAY???) in order to create some samples for a photo shoot to promote my start-up local biz for handcrafted party supplies as well as desserts, cakes or cupcakes etc.. I have wanted to do this for a couple of years now and am finally getting around to it... (for future reference - yes I am a procrastinator).

I LOVE  being hands on and doing the actual crafting of the pretties, but I may consider putting some things on Etsy too either as printables or as completed items.

Here are a few things I put together for a friend's daughter.

I KNOW I KNOW.... I really need to work on taking pics with my AWESOME Canon camera instead of my IPOD touch. I will get some pics of this on there to see if any better......

I also need a great place to take the pics, so thinking of using the clubhouse for my condo.... that way I don't have to work around any clutter at my place....

More this weekend.....

Answering Questions from Monday Blog Hop

OK, so NO I don't play by the rules... always been a problem I have had.....  I could kick myself or I could just accept it.... I choose acceptance....

Why do I say all this... well, the Meet Me on Monday blog always asks 5 questions but for some reason I never quite get to them before I have another post in the books...

So a couple days late, here is a little about me....

Questions:
1. Do you eat Sushi?
LOVE IT....OK well only the cooked or veggie stuff. The raw fish kinda freaks me out....

2. What kind of bath soap do you use?
Dove bar soap but I LOVE LOVE LOVE anything from Bath and Body Works as a treat.

3. How often do you talk to your Mom?
Every day since she now lives with me.....

4. What TV shows do you watch on a regular basis?
Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. Dancing with the Stars., House, Bones, and some of the Real Housewives... boy I watch TOOO Much tv....
5. Did you start Christmas shopping yet?
Just Barely.....
t
So there you have it... not real exciting huh????? I live a pretty boring life I guess....

I plan on putting together a list of things you need (ok not need, but maybe want) to know about me.... so once I thing of some INTERESTING things... I will share it with you.

Until next time.

What I been working on......

I have been having such fun creating some party stuff for a good friend's daughter's eighth birthday.. MAN that was a mouthful huh????

I have been working on a small start up biz for party planning and decorations and this is my first real gig... OK, not a real gig as I am only making a few decorations..... and some fun marshmallow pops, but it is a start....

WAIT..... I did make some cupcake pics and a banner for my little grandson's pre-school Harvest  party, so I guess that was really my first attempt......

I am hoping to set up a small photo shoot with my limited photography skills, so hoping to share the things I came up with for the birthday party later this week.

I am also working on some Christmas and New Year's stuff too, so I can feel a giveaway coming... My very first giveaway so watch for it soon.......

Until next time.....

And on to Monday morning.....

A minor meltdown was the way the day started yesterday.. YEP, a meltdown for me... PITY PARTY, TABLE FOR ONE......OH YEA, I kinda felt like this little popsicle.....

All the stress of the last few weeks kinda caved in on me and I took a little while to cry it out... stomp it out... and just generally act like a 2 year old....

Luckily it was a church day, so I went off to church where I listened to a GREAT sermon on giving... yep, you heard that right... an ENJOYABLE and interesting and thought provoking sermon asking for money....

 This wonderful talk made me totally rethink  stepping up my giving at church after a couple of sermons the last couple of weeks that really didn't trip my triggert or make me think I could actually up the bar this year. NO I don't tithe... but I am on my way to doing that and today made me actually want to step even closer.

So after a mini meltdown, then a great sermon.... I was off to my accupuncture free trial and a mini massage... aaaaaahhhhhhhh

That made me get up from my pity party table and LEAVE that dark place.....

So hoping today finds you in a light filled, happy place..... ENJOY YOUR MONDAY.

More info to follow on my accupunture experience after a FULL treatment on Tuesday....

Until next time....

Sunday morning......

This was a week of cardiologist appointments and playing the waiting game... Mom has a heart murmur as well as a bad aortic valve, both of which we knew about... Now we will wait to see what the doc recommends... but I am not sure mom really wants the surgery. Her plans were to have the surgery before my dad died, but now she doesn't feel there is a need to follow through.... so we are waiting on the cardio guy and then waiting on mom and her decision.

Today is Samaratin's Purse Sunday at church and I have had such fun this week hitting the dollar aisle at Target as well as finding cool and fun toothbrushes etc to send in the shoe boxes to be sent to children that otherwise would not have much of a Christmas.... I fill one in honor of each of my grandchildren, so it also gives me great ideas for stocking stuffers for MY little ones....

Sending all of you blessings for this Sunday.....

On to a future project.....

Not so very long ago, in a land so very near and dear....meaning my new bedroom..... I started working on organizing my upstairs office/bedroom.

Take a look at the ugly before...... This shows the messy, the unpainted, the downright embarrasing state I had let this room get to......

Now onto this week when I showed you this.....where you see the newly organized, newly painted and soft comfortable haven I created for myself....with a little bit of help from my friends on the painting.......at least on this half of the room.

BUT.... the other half of the room is still a semi-disaster....not as bad as the before pics but not much better either.... IN the before postI hinted at a future project. I had showed you just a small little snippet in the of the fabrics I wanted to use in my new bedroom....and thought is was time you saw the real thing.....

ON to the unveiling.....

I am using the beautiful new FANDANGO collection from Moda Fabrics..... and will be using a Layer Cake, a Charm Pack (don't you just LOVE those names?), a couple of patterns and a bunch of cut Moda fabric.......

....to make a quilt and pillows and some cool pillows....

to make a quilt

So what do you think???? Good plan to go in my pretty new 'spaqua' room....?????

If you haven't figured it out yet, I LOVE the word 'SPAQUA'. It just makes me smile, it brings me to a happy place....... which will eventually be my happy bedroom/office/crafting space.

Until next time.....

Winston Churchill said.....

 "When you're going through Hell, keep going."

HMMM that got me thinking bout the country song by Rodney Atkins

If You're Going Through Hell

abbreviated lyrics

If you're goin' through hell keep on going
Don't slow down if you're scared don't show it
You might get out before the devil even knows you're there
When you're goin' through hell keep on movin'
Face that fire walk right through it
You might get out before the devil even knows you're there

But the good news is there's angels everywhere out on the street
Holdin' out a hand to pull you back up on your feet
The one's that you've been draggin' for so long
You're on your knees might as well be prayin'
Guess what I'm sayin'

If you're goin' through hell keep on going
Don't slow down if you're scared don't show it
You might get out before the devil even knows you're there

WOW do these lyrics speak to me right now..... I have been thru fire-y times before..... Two divorces - one of them VERY nasty...crazy relationships with the wrong men.....friendships that were more destructive than friendly.....a lousy job, money troubles...the death of my father..... the list goes on and on and we have ALL been there walking thru the fire.....dealing with demons.

But today... I choose to JUST KEEP GOING..... RELY ON THE ANGELS IN MY LIFE.... and most of all RELY ON PRAYER!!!

Until next time.....

For the full lyrics to If You're Going Through Hell click here.

Completed.......

I promised to work on showing some of my in progress, completed and future projects.... so here goes.....

One of my fun completed projects started MONTHS ago with this little gem. It started out so ugly, so bedraggled and look at it now.....

OK, so not a GREAT picture but I will work on my photography skills.

It took more coats of primer and paint than I expected  but I LOVE it.... I haven't really integrated it into the room by adding accessories etc. but it is a perfect bedside table.

AHHHHHH you may notice the aqua walls in the background.... Those are my spaqua walls that I first introduced  here. Well, really it was one of the colors I was considering for the little cloverleaf table, but then it turned into a color I wanted to use more of, to use on the walls of my THEN TO BE office....

Then with all the stress of the past few months and then my parents moving in, the spaqua room became my bedroom. So here is another look at it....

I LOVE it and hope you all do too....... I will show you the REAL finished pics when I add wall decor and other stuff as I feel suits my fancy.

So there you have some of the completed things I have been working on..... Still to come are new fabrics for draperies, pillows and a quilt that better match the new wall color in my bedroom.

Stay tuned.  

Alternative Medicine.....

When it comes to medical issues, I find myself fairly blessed. All my issues are small but annoying mostly.....

• Like the arthritis in my hip that has been flaring up more lately.....
• Like the allergies to just about any pollen, grass, dust mite or dust known to man.....
• Like the annoying symptoms that come with being a woman getting older.....

BUT the most annoying is the recurring (WAY too often) vertigo I experience. I have researched it soooooo much I am kinda sick of looking for new information.....

My first vertigo attack was debilitating for 3, count em, 3 days...... I really WAS down for the count,. I couldn't walk without getting nauseous. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sit up. IT WAS UGLY.....About the only thing I could do was to lay flat with my eyes closed. Every time I opened them, the room would start spinning.....

Luckily I have only had 3-4 attacks that were THAT bad> Mostly I just have very annoying and very dizzy days.... ICK....

I KNOW, I KNOW.....land the plane Kim....... WHAT are you getting at????

All this chatter brings me to my last bout of the crazy dizzy vertigo. It has been annoying me for a week now and I decided it is time to look into something other than just taking what amounts to a prescription strength Dramamine.......

IN comes the thought of acupuncture.... YES, you read that right....ACUPUNCTURE....

AM I CRAZY??? Well, maybe a little but I started thinking it is time to look at alternative treatments for my vertigo symptoms.....What are YOUR thoughts????

I researched it and yes, there is acupuncture that can help..... it depends on symptoms where they would put the needles....guess it has something to do with nerves and flow and chi or whatever..... THIS is what scares me tho....

What is one of my points of need is in my face??? OH NO!!!! that part makes me nervous..

So here are a few questions for all of you....

1. Anyone else have vertigo??? If so, what works for you???
2. Anyone else ever tried acupuncture for ANYTHING??? If so, what did you think of it???
3. Anyone have any other alternative medicine treatments to recommend????

I am really looking foward to hearing what everyone thinks...

Until next time.....

Sunday morning......

Spending it thinking of innocence. The age of innocence when you don't know or understand grief.... the worries of the world do not weigh down on you......you don't worry about money or stress or taxes or....well you get picture.

I wanted to share a picture with you that this week represented true innocence. This is my little granddaughter just staring at and enjoying the flowers that my mom and I sent her after a minor surgery earlier this week.

This picture brings a smile to my face, a sense of peace..... knowing that she still has the childhood innocence.... I pray she keeps that for as long as possible.....

Car update.....

Thanks for all the comments, emails, phone calls etc on thoughts on my parents car. I still have not made a FINAL decision. I sent the picture to my brother yesterday as he will make the final decision since the car is probably going to him.

The lovely young lady who hit the care came over last night and brought me flowers to thank me for being so understanding. Such a sweet thing and I told her I could see myself in her.... thirty years ago of course, but a twenty something upset over hitting someone's car....yep, been there done there..... and I bet a lot of you have been in that same spot......

I will let you know the final decision once made.... Hey, while you are in blogland....hop on over to visit a couple of my bloggy pals.

 



WHO AM I........

AND WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH MY FORMER SELF?????

OK, so some background as most of you have only known me thru blogland for the last few months......

I used to be a pretty big hot head... I DID sweat the small stuff, no matter how hard I tried to do otherwise. :o(

I cussed like a sailor, not one that was out at sea for months mind you, but one close to home that loved a good cuss word.... I LOVED blowing off steam by using my entire repertoire.

Then 4 years ago, I attended an Emmaus weekend at my church.... To say that weekend changed my life would be a big understatement..... After that weekend I stopped cussing, then and there, and I became a much calmer and less hot headed gal. I stopped on the sweating the small stuff mentality. I just decided to 'let go and let God' and wow what a difference that has made in my everyday life.....

OK, so on to today, and wondering where the OLD me is.....

Last night there was a knock on my door.... It wasn't late but it WAS dark so I got a little nervous. When I opened the door, there stood a condo neighbor of mine. A lovely late 20ish gal that I only know enough to wave to or shout hi to on garbage day when we are putting out our trash.

The poor thing was visibly upset and she said that she had just hit the car sitting behind my condo (my parents car). I told her that we could go look at it but that it was no big deal (former self would have been FUMING). I told her I should have moved it after I brought mom home from her doc appointment but just was lazy so the accident was as much my fault as hers (former self would have accepted NONE of the blame).

She was visibly shaken and actually shaking when I looked at the damage. Again, it was dark and in the dark it didn't seem too bad. I told her not to worry about it, just get me her insurance info and we would go from there..... She offered to go get it then and I told her that within the next day or so was soon enuf......(former self would have followed her into her condo to get that info ASAP).

I once again told her not to worry, it wasn't that bad and that if THAT was the worst thing that happened to me all week, I would be THRILLED!!!! I am not sure what she thought of me or my not so normal reactions... Maybe she thought I was hitting the sauce (which I was not), or that I was just a crazy old lady  (jury is still out on the crazy part). But either way, I was calm and felt fine with the whole situation.

I then called my brother to tell him and he agreed that if the damage wasn't too bad, to just let it slide..... the car is paid off, it is several years old, and since mom can't see much, she will never even NOTICE the damage.....

So here is a picture of the damage... what do you think???? Let it slide??? That of course is my choice but I am interested to hear what all of you would do.....

Damage to mom's car!!!!

 Anyway, I have decided I like this new me..... I am glad that old grumpy, hot headed, cussing gal is gone....oh believe me .... small glimpses of her still peak around corners but I can usually push her back where she came from and relax into the calm.......

Hoping this day finds you relaxing in the calm too......

Until next time....

And another little gift.......

It always amazes me the timing of JUST THE RIGHT WORDS at JUST THE RIGHT TIME!!!! This devotion was sent to me by a dear friend........and it kind of goes along with yesterday's thought....

An Attitude of Gratitude Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! Psalm 136:26
An attitude of gratitude gives thanks to GOD not only for what He does, but also simply for whom He is.

I hope this find you thinking positive thoughts....thoughts of gratitude.....

Until next time.

Food for thought.......

Whatever you persistently allow to occupy your thoughts will magnify in your life.

Please hold.......

While dealing with a mild case of vertigo today.....out the window went my plans to take pics of completed, in progress and future projects to be tackled by ME.....

DANG and I planned to use this "putting it out there" opportunity to make SURE I move toward completion on ALL of them.

 I am always looking for more fun projects tho..... like these wreaths I saw over on  Black and White. There are 10, count em, 10 variations on this wreath so be sure to check them ALL out.

Or how about this over on My Computer is My Canvas?

Check it out as she has the printable of this FREE on her site. I love the Scrapbook Max program she uses and may put my own spin on a fun Birtday Calendar.

EWW EWW EWW... check out THIS cool wreath I found over on The Shabby Chic Cottage.

HOW FUN IS THAT??? And so simple.....

OK  just one last "CHECK IT OUT" for you!!!

How about some HAPPY TAPE. You can take a look out at Happy Tape.

And look what you can do with it..........

You REALLY  need to check out all the other uses for it... and the color choices are A-MA-ZING!!!

So when I feel like I can stand up long enough to take pictures, let alone set up some shots.... have fun checking out all these FUTURE projects of mine.

Until next time.