Travel Cup Wishes

We are traveling this holiday weekend...for the first time in many years. We're excited to spend Thanksgiving with my sister's family. There's nothing like a house filled to the brim with people you love, and the chatter of conversation over good food and drink. What a blessing!

Here's a little travel mug card for wishes on the go!

{Today's Brew: Love You a Latte stamp set and die (lawn fawn), lawn fawn papers, PTI card stock, COPIC markers, lawn fawn snowflake twinkle, washi tape, silver twine (SU), paper doily}

Don't forget! Today is the last day to enter my blogiversary contest!


Saying prayers for all of those travelers this weekend!

Warm wishes, cafe friends!

Limestone Cafe

The temperatures dropped earlier this week and it got cold! Cold, as in "time to get out the fingerless gloves!" cold.

Luke had a craving for hot cocoa, so we decided to visit the local coffee shop, Limestone Cafe!

I ordered the Morning Latte and explored the local artwork...

...and these funny coffee mugs!

Is it too early for a hot cocoa inspired card? Certainly not! If Hallmark channel is showing the holiday movies, then I have permission to show you this card!

{Today's Brew: Love You A Latte (Lawn Fawn), Lawn Fawn papers and dies, PTI card stock and ink, doily, Lawn Fawn snowflake, Amuse ribbon and rhinestone twinkle}

It seems that ribbons have sort of fallen out of fashion in the paper crafting world, but I still find that they can really add a certain warmth to some cards. And they often serve a purpose, too. For example, in this card they blur the edge where the papers and doily came together, tying it all up with a neat bow.

Where do you stand with the use of ribbons? Love em or leave em?

And where do you stand with hot cocoa? Add a shot of espresso or keep it unadultered?

Vote now!

:)

Blessings on your weekend, cafe friends!

Pumpkin Spice On The Road

Today's Brew has a hint of autumn spice, inspired by our weekend trip to Indiana to see our son, John!

{Today's Brew: You're A Hoot stamps (Lawn Fawn), Flirty Frames stamps and dies (Lawn Fawn), Lawn Fawn papers and dies, PTI card stock and inks, baker's twine}

I made a batch of pumpkin spice cookies (with cream cheese frosting, yum!) and loaded them into Pumpkin Spice (the Subaru Crosstrek!) before we set out for Indiana on Saturday!

I love autumn road trips! The weather is beautiful, the trees are turning golden and crimson, and most of the orange cones of road construction have disappeared.

Blessings, cafe friends!

My Baby Turns Thirteen!

My baby is a teenager today!

Yes, Samuel turns thirteen at precisely 2:57 pm.

It's hard to believe it's been thirteen years.

Thirteen years ago today, Samuel was born blue. The doctors gave him an Apgar score of 1, meaning he had a heartbeat and little else. My husband said he looked like a frog in biology lab, with  his limp blue body and limp blue limbs askew, ready to be dissected. He spent a week in neonatal intensive care before we were allowed to bring him home.

The neonatal docs gave us a grim prognosis. They told us that his disabilities would likely present themselves in the months and years to come. He'd probably have multiple physical hurdles and learning disorders to face in the future.

My husband was devastated.

But I remember so clearly what I told him that day.

"They know the size of our problem, but they don't know the size of our God."

We prayed Psalm 139 over Samuel, and we believed that he was fearfully and wonderfully made.

This preschool teacher mama poured all of her learning into that baby. I read to him, constantly. I taught him baby sign language. I sang to him and played with him, and I took him on walks a showed him every leaf and flower and tree. The dog loved him. The cat loved him. His entire extended family loved him.

Samuel said his first words before his first birthday. He walked by his first birthday. He achieved every developmental milestone early.

That little blue baby is now a middle schooler, in Honors English and Honors Math. He plays trumpet and piano. He's learning to speak French. And he's a whiz at all things computer and artistic.

I think it's important to share our personal testimonies with our children. They need to know the amazing ways that our big God moved big mountains in our lives. They need to hear stories of everyday miracles. And they need to know how God has blessed them and will continue to bless them in the future.

I made a harvest blessing card for Samuel to show him what a blessing he is to us!

{Today's Brew: Harvest Mouse stamp set (MFT), sentiment and dies (MFT), Lawn Fawn Sweater Weather papers, PTI card stock, COPIC markers}

Lawnscaping Challenge #129: Critters

I've been working really hard to attract birds to the yard of the Fixer Upper house. Like, really hard.

In every other house we've lived in, I've filled a feeder, walked in to the house, and turned around to see visitors already there. Not this house. For months and months, I would fill the feeder and barely see a bird. I added another feeder at the back of the yard. Same story.

Around the time that Jemma came in to our lives, it seems the birds finally learned to accept us. Apparently, if we were good enough to care for this golden girl, then we were good enough to care for them, too.

                            (A younger Jemma, keeping watch over the flock at the feeder!)

It's time to find a spot for my hummingbird feeder. I think I'll put one near the front porch so that I can watch them when I sit and stitch and read. Of course, I can't sit and stitch and read there until the purple house finch have their babies and move out. Hmm. That could be a while.

I made this little hummingbird card for the Critters challenge at the Lawnscaping Blog!

And here it is:

{Today's Brew: Gleeful Gardens stamp set (and yes, I used dies this time!) from Lawn Fawn, Holiday Tags set (Lawn Fawn), papers and card base (Lawn Fawn), grass die (Lawn Fawn), COPIC markers, baker's twine}

Thanks for visiting the cafe today!

Craving The Simple

I sent this photo to my sister, Tina, last weekend with this text message:

"A photo of my desk. Can you zoom in on the book? That is what is known as 'irony'. Looks like I'll be cleaning this weekend."

The book in mention? Organized Simplicity.  Yes, I crack myself up.

We all crave simplicity, don't we? No one wants a complicated life. And yet life is often just as messy as the top of my desk.

I've been studying First and Second Thessalonians, and I found this verse from 1 Thess. 4:11-12 to be a great reminder:

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

That is so counter-cultural to the messages we hear in the world. Quiet? We live in the loud. MYOB? Is that even possible with Facebook and Twitter and 24/7 streaming news? Work with your hands? We work with our brains. Our daily life is so insular from outsiders, it's hard to think of even making an impact on others.

And yet we crave the simple.

Most of the time, I am completely content in my quiet life. A puppy chewing at my shoe laces, an espresso from my coffee bar, and I'm all set. It's the solitary life that gets me into trouble. That is when I need to remember to put on my coat and go work in the garden or take a walk or go in the basement and work with my hands.

Something simple.

So I made this Easter card with that thought in mind.

{Today's Brew: stamps from Lawn Fawn, picket fence die (Lawn Fawn), scallop edge die (MFT),PTI card stock, COPIC markers, paper doily}

Simple blessings, cafe friends!

My Mother's Day

Today is my Mother's Day.

Twenty-six years ago today, I became a mother!

It is true what they say about the parenting years. The days are long, but the years are short.

I made this card for my eldest. Luke is a hoot, and he makes me laugh, even on the crummiest of days.

{Today's Brew: You're A Hoot stamp set (Lawn fawn), Lawn Fawn dies, Lawn Fawn card base and papers, PTI card stock and ink}

Happy Birthday, my sweet Luke! I'm so glad that I get to be your mother! Love you!

Just to Say Hello

In a mailbox filled with catalogs and bills and flyers, isn't it nice to get a little happy mail?

Papertrey Ink has started a campaign called #saturdaysnailmail. It's just a reminder to all of us card makers to actually { ahem, raising hand! Guilty as charged!} stick a stamp on those envelopes and mail those cards!

And what could be happier than an envelope decorated with washi? It's fun to treat envelopes as another blank canvas. I like to think it makes the postal workers smile, too.

I managed to get five or six cards mailed out last weekend. Success!

I spent an hour or two in the craft room this weekend. It was a much needed mental health break. Sometimes, you have to tell the family "It's your turn to watch the puppy!" and then walk away.

I played around with some Distress Stains and sprays, got out some COPIC markers, and just had a little fun. No special reason. Just a chance to say Hello to creativity.

{Today's Brew: Lawn Fawn stamps and dies, Lawn Fawn sequins, Ranger paper and Distress Spray, PTI card stock, COPIC markers}

Thanks for visiting the cafe, today! I love your comments in my inbox! For me, that's as welcome as a happy "Hello!"

Tell me, do you send happy mail regularly, or do you need reminders like me?

Sending Hedgehugs

Happy Friday, cafe friends!

Where has the week gone? Time seems to fly when you are in the midst of home repairs and renovations. Sadly, none of them were photo worthy or bloggable. For example, we swapped out all of the nasty old toilet seats with new ones. But I'm guessing you probably don't want to see photos of that, am I right? We repaired some broken closet doors and hung some artwork. Again, nothing newsworthy. I painted the upstairs hallway, giving it a fresh clean coat of Accessible Beige (Sherwin Williams) to hide all of the nasty scrapes and dirty marks that came with the house. And can we all make a pinkie promise to never ever paint with flat paint ever?

These are all the little details that improve a house and make a good first impression. It just shows that a house is well loved and well cared for. Updating light fixtures, updating bathroom fixtures, paint. In the grand scheme of things, these are not costly updates, but boy do they make a difference when you are ready to put your house on the market.

I found some free time to pop into my craft space today!

I needed to make a card for my mom, who has a cold this week. Winter colds are no fun. It's the double whammy of being stuck indoors because it's winter AND being stuck indoors because she isn't feeling well.

I made a scalloped "lawn" for my critters, but wanted to give it a few heart flowers. So, I used the tulip stamp from Gleeful Gardens, cut off the tulip at the top, and glued a heart to the top instead.

I used some white craft ink to give the card base a heart-y background.

{Today's Brew: Sending Hedgehugs (Lawn Fawn), Gleeful Gardens (Lawn Fawn), stitched frame dies (Lawn Fawn), Let's Polka papers (Lawn Fawn), PTI card stock, watercolor paper, watercolors}

Now if I can only remember to get this one in the mailbox. Mom, I'm sending hedgehugs your way!

A Star Wars Birthday!

My husband had a birthday yesterday! And what better way to celebrate than with the premiere showing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens!

Our oldest son, Luke (yes, Luke) stayed up late one night a few weeks back to buy tickets online for the very first showing.

I knew I'd have to make my husband a Star Wars inspired birthday card!

I added some stars and sparkle to the project.

You know you are a true geek when you really care that Yoda's lightsaber looks correct and that the Death Star is accurate.

{Today's Brew: Alphabet stamp set (Lawn Fawn), word window punch (SU), circle dies (WPlus9), star stencil (Memory Box), Glimmer Mist, PTI ink and card stock, washi tape, rhinestone}

The movie was packed, a sold out show! Lots of people in costumes, as we expected. We chose to be a little more understated and just wore our Star Wars T-shirts. ;)

The movie was great! A good time was had by all, especially the birthday boy!

May the force be with you, cafe friends!

Birthdays and Christmas and Travel, Oh My!

Last week, our family converged from north and south to celebrate the Christmas season in Michigan. My husband, who was traveling for work, met us there. My son, John, drove up from Indiana. And Luke and Sam and I piled into Pumpkin Spice (that's what we call my orange Subaru Crosstrek) and braved the wild expressways of Chicago to make it home to see our extended families.

I had to pack all the Christmas presents, three sets of birthday presents, homemade shortbread cookies, food and clothing into the car. It was a miracle that we had any room for passengers.

I was crafting on the fly last week.

Here's a birthday card I made for my great niece, Lola, who turned one. She is so adorable. I cannot believe I forgot to take her photograph! Too much time smiling and clapping with her, I guess!

{Today's Brew: Lawn Fawn Hello Sunshine papers and badge. Lawn Fawn frame die, PTI card stock}

I chose the background paper because it looks as if you pieced it together yourself. And because the background is pretty busy, I kept the rest of the card simple.

I have a lot to show you this week! More cards, more projects, and photos from an awesome barn antique store that you will love. Stop back to the cafe, friends! I'm serving up piping hot cups of inspiration!

Wrapping It Up

I've been wrapping up Christmas presents this week as we prepare for our trip to Michigan this weekend to see our families. Lots to do! I should be making Christmas cards, but instead I'm having fun making gift tags.

I made all of these using stamps and dies from Lawn Fawn.

I found these wooden embellishments in my stash. I think I bought them from Target a few years back. I added them to tags that I cut out from kraft and red card stock and embellished with a little washi tape.

Time to add these to some packages!