Chasing Color: Day 2

Tuesday...the land is flat,long and wide open. These stretches of road feel weary and just as you feel you cannot stand another mile something crazy appears on the roadside!! I look up just in time to see a huge T-Rex, what was that?? The landscape seems to change right past this crazy siting and we soon approach the capitol city, Lincoln.
We are soooo ready to take a break...perfect timing to stop for a bit at the Sunken Gardens. What a beautiful job the people of Lincoln have done converting an eyesore into a place of beauty and serenity! We snapped lots of pictures, gazed at the water lilies and koi before heading to our dinner destination an hour away in Omaha. Looking for some tasty Mediterranean food in Omaha? Mediterranean Bistro has a yummy menu ;) Feeling quite satisfied we jump back in the car heading toward our final destination of this day... Smiths Bed & Breakfast. Although we really prefer to enjoy B&B longer this stay will only be a quick stop...I hope the beds are comfy , this has been a long day.

Chasing Color Day 1

Fall is coming in full regalia, I'm so excited to be on the road and chasing the colors of fall... Beginning in my home state ...all the way to Vermont and possibly beyond!!!! Road Trip, whoo-hoo!!
We left Sunday in the late afternoon enjoying the beauty in our home state of Utah. Eventually as we drove on toward Colorado we began to see glimpses of color...Spanish Fork Canyon is alive with hues of yellow, orange and gorgeous reds.
We made it as far as Glenwood Springs. Dear friends put us up for the night, fed us a yummy breakfast and we all filled up on stories of our lives in between since our last visit. It was hard saying goodbye but promises of another visit reminded us of our destination... Ahhh on to chasing color!
Monday: Heading toward Denver we just had one more stop...our dear friends the Huss family. Although we hadn't planned to, Karen tempted us with Dinner...Cincinnati Chili io ohhhh yum! We had a wonderful visit with Karen, Pete, Chemaine, Heidi, Tyler, Maurielle, Jeremiah and little Sophie too! We drove on to North Platte Nebraska before calling it a night.

Beautiful storage... the Mason jar?

August, September and October are busy birthday months for our family. I love to hand make gifts and if that isn't possible I often consider creating a package for my gifts...gosh there I've shown how compulsive I am about crafting LOL!Anyway....I've been thinking about gifts...and packaging. As sorted my email this I spotted this really clever way to use canning jars which are everywhere right now (it is almost fall, and canning season is in full swing right ;) I can think of some really fun gifts to put inside of these jars...

I don't know about you but I love to give gifts that LOOK as beautiful on the outside as they do on the inside. Wouldn't these jars be just the thing??

Simplicity...The One Layer Card

Life has been so hectic over these past few weeks and my time has been very limited. When my friend Melanie Diane sent news that she was spotlighting 1 layer cards it was like she read my mind! I need simple!!
Ok, so one layer does not always mean simple I discover... But to simplify we made a video! http://youtu.be/APqE0QF2ax8
The watercolor background technique isn't really hard, and it can produce so many varied looks. This was a fun class.

Are YOU Ready to Say Bye-Bye To Summer??




Are YOU Ready to Say Bye-Bye To Summer?? What a question! REALLY??? It is always so bittersweet.

I don't know about you but my summers seem to start out with alot of waiting...waiting for the weather to warm up, waiting for vacation dates to be firmed up, waiting for those early summer first fruits in my garden, then waiting to do that #one thing on my summer list...you know, the one you've  been planning for God only knows how long. Then all of the sudden SUMMER is here in full regalia, the garden is bursting forth, our vacation time is finally set and then Oh No!!, it is almost over... it just never seems long enough... <sigh>. My summer has gone this route and as I think of the many experiences I've enjoyed, the wonderful friendships I've rekindled and the precious moments with family there is a sense of joy...happiness and accomplishment.

 
 

Labor Day: So What YOU going to DO??

LABOR DAY... So What YOU going to DO??

First things first, I ponder WHY...why do we celebrate Labor Day?

It represents the a creation of the labor movement and is has been dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers, a national tribute to the contributions we workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Today as we celebrate Labor Day I think about the right to work, not the "right to work" that many states have enacted as law, and perhaps I should say the priviledge to work. Many wish they had the physical stamina to work, many wish they had work to do, some just wish they had a job.

I love this quote...

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us-yes, establish the work of our hands. -Psalm 90:17 (NIV)
 
 Much is speculated about who is the actual founder of Labor Day but I'd say it was something our creator put inside each of us. A desire to be more like HIM...to MAKE something happen...to be a part of MORE.

Vince Lombardi shared it this way... I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.
Wishing you all a wonderful LABOR DAY!!