{life made lovely: so much goodness}

These last few weeks have worn me out.  

In a good way .  

Lots of family time, crafting time, being in the moment...great stuff.

Opening my shop has been a whirlwind, trying to figure out what being a business owner is all about and how to make it successful.  I have had no shortage of support and it has made me feel so incredibly loved.  First my awesome sister-in-law offered to host a giveaway for me on her blog Melissa Stuff. I got my first ETSY order and have gotten three custom orders from family and friends!  I have several fans on my Ragamuffin Beauties Facebook page, which is awesome, because I was sure it would be comprised of just family.  A sweet bloggy friend, Janet posted about several Mom-Preneur's and included me on her post and gift shopping guide!  Today my sweet friend Heather offered to feature my shop in a giveaway on her series, Life Made Lovely and her shopping guide...so thankful.  I adore Heather for her generous nature and sweet friendship!  Then on Twitter, my sweet friend Shealynn of SheyB gave my shop a shout out!  Topping it off my kindred spirit friend, Julie, let me guest post in her sweet series, Joy's Hope hearts.

My cup runneth over.

I am blessed and I have loved feeling loved.

So thankful.

My heart is so, so, so full.

 I am most thankful for my sweet nephew Mason Tyler making his debut last Friday...he is already a crowd favorite!  

Thank you, thank you, thank you for everyone who has visited my shop, made a purchase, entered a giveaway, placed a custom order, blogged/tweeted/facebooked/social media'd of any kind promoted it...I am blown away by your kindness.  It isn't over, because my beautiful and very pregnant friend Rachel, is due any day now and will be hosting a giveaway dubbed the Labor Day Giveaway and I will be part of that too!  Please keep me in mind for all your handmade needs...I would love to create something special for your someone special!

XOXO,
Jenni

{oh Christmas card, oh Christmas card}

Oh Christmas card, how I love thee.  Christmas cards may be one of my favorite Christmas traditions.  Growing up in a military family, we met lots of families along the years.  Many of those families have treasured places in our hearts from many a meal or celebration enjoyed together.  Paired with the blessing of meeting so many people in the military comes the inevitable move.  Years have passed and my parents still get Christmas cards, typically with a yearly update, from these treasured friends.  I love pouring over the Christmas cards and letters as they begin to arrive to see who is married, who is having children, who has switched jobs, who has endured hardships and heart aches.  It's a lifetime of memories strung together like twinkling Christmas lights, only instead friendships are strung together throughout the years with Christmas cards.

Here are some of my favorites from the Christmas Card line:

 Pine Cone Toile 



O Holy Night 

Keep Believing

I think I have a thing for the clean classic look...it's just so pretty!

The Holiday Card line has some adorable options, as well.

 

With Love Blue

  

Kaleidoscope Noir

Woodblock Joy

Along with the great options they have in the Christmas Card line and Holiday Card line, they have endless options for gifts like their fabulous desk calendars and mugs.  They pretty much are a one stop shop with so many amazing products to choose from.  The great thing is they know a thing or two about customer service too and send out fabulous promotions when you sign up...run don't walk to open a Shutterfly account.  I promise they will not disappoint!  I can't wait to get started on designing my Christmas cards for 2010 and I better get cracking!

37 Days til Christmas!

With love, 

Jenni

 

{WFMW: Operation Christmas Child}

 

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

We try our best to cultivate a servant's heart for our kids.  Lots a days the example we provide isn't anything we want mirrored back.  But some times, we are in awe of the work that God is doing and instead of being the teachers, we become the students.

In the last couple of years we have really weighed what we want our kids to place value on.  Do we want it to be things or do we want it to be people.  So we started with gifts.  We have never placed gifts as a high priority for our family and most birthdays, Christmas', Valentine's Day, and anniversaries for my husband and I have been celebrated without a gift. It's not necessarily something we elected to do, most years the funds left us with little choice.  But after being married for several years we didn't miss it either.  As we realized it wasn't this gaping hole, but rather an area God was refining in us, we applied it to our kiddos.

Last Christmas we started a tradition to only give our children three gifts representing the three gifts Jesus received at his birth.  We explained the significance to our children and they were excited, eager even.  It is such a joy to watch them get excited about the things that God has placed in our hearts as parents!

The last two years we have also given them the option on their birthdays to replace their gifts for donations to a ministry we decide upon as a family.  The first year we collected toiletries for a local Women's Shelter/Transitional Home.  This year the kids collected items and donations for Operation Christmas Child. I was so humbled at the generosity.  My kids begged for weeks after their birthdays to get started on the boxes.  They helped wrap, pack, and pray for these boxes that will find their way into the hands of sweet babies that might be receiving their first gift ever.  The excitement in my children's eyes during the process warmed my Momma heart.  We wrapped, packed, and prayed over 16 boxes. Sixteen lives that will be blessed.  Sixteen lives that will hear the gospel.  Sixteen lives that will be impacted for eternity and possibly for generations.  I'm believing, because I know God can do it.  The impact, while humbling, for these sweet children that we will never know are impacting the two sweet babies I have been given charge to.  That is a precious, precious gift.

We have some areas we can grow in and can't wait for areas to be stretched in.  I would love to hear ideas your family uses to help your littles cultivate a servant's heart.  This post unraveled me. It gave me a new way to celebrate Thanksgiving and I hope to use it next year.  We can make a difference in little ways that impact others in a big way!

In love,   Jenni