ThankGiving Prep

The Countdown is on here for me, I am "Chief Cook and Bottle Washer" as my Dad would say for this Years Celebration. Jamie's theme, "LowKey" HA! This is what I am striving for at least. It's small, so I wanted to Enjoy the day as much as possible and not have too much Fuss. Decor is out and ready just need to finish buying and prepping food along with the most fun Table Decor. If you read my blog regularly or know me, I focus more on the whats the table looks like rather than the whats going in the mouth. I know, I know, but cooking really isn't my Favorite. Anyhoo...here is the menu: Turkey (Martha style), Cranberries, Mashed Potatoes,Stuffing, Green Beans, French Rolls, Gravy (grandma) and Candied Yams! I hope I haven't forgotten anything. Oh, light Holdovers to go along with FootBall and the Couch. Also, French Apple Pie and what ever Sweet Mom is Creating. I'm looking forward to Thursday, How about you? Cooking, any recipes to share? Have a Wonderful Fall Weekend. xo Jamie

TEAM JACOB

BABY! Yes, you read it correctly, I am a TWI-MOM and Proud of it. Tonight at the strike of Midnight, myself and three Extremely Excited High School Girls will be sitting with baited breath ready to watch, Jacob, Bella and Edward! Awww, you see, We aren't just Team Jacob Fans for the Obvious reasons, but he is a local boy so we are a little bias for Taylor Lautner .Well, no we don't really know him, but we can say we have seen him around town a few times, ok, that was a few years back but who's counting right? Not only are we hitting the midnight showing but the girls are skipping school tomorrow too! Ok, Ok, I know we may hear some grief for this but, were making memories and that's a Good thing! Can't wait, xo Jamie

Hand Made for the Holidays

How was your weekend? Mine was Great, filled with lots of activity and creating time with some family time thrown it too. Don't you feel like in the blink of a Eye Sunday evening is here. Geesh, I wish there was a way to slow down the weekend just a bit. Ok, Ok, sorry to digress on weekend junk, now to the Important stuff...Do you Hand Make Holiday Gifts? I only wish I had time to Hand Make all the Gifts I give but, "Yeah Right" as Emily would say, not enough time in my days. I made this fun little "Monogram" Frame a few weeks ago by complete accident. Here goes another quick digression, do you have a "HomeGoods" near you? If so, stop in, I Love that store and I think sometimes I could get lost in there. My favorite section, the Sale isles, I dig and dig into those shelves and almost always find some goodies. I pick up frames there all the time for $2-$3 and hang onto them, usually for Pics of the Autumn or the kids if I'm Lucky. This frame was a 5X7" frame but you could use any size. I actually kept the glass in and cut a piece of my Love/Hate dark brown Burlap, then glued it down. I used a sharpie and drew out the letter "S". As I was working on it, I had the thought, you could create shapes too, Fleur de Lies, heart, diamond shape, crown, the possibilities are endless. Next I used a combo of Hot Glue(dislike with a passion) and E6000 spread out a small amount at a time and filled it in with Vintage pearls and beads. You could use buttons, jewelry findings, even coffee beans what ever you can think of. I happen to have a LARGE amount of old pearls and beads so that is what I chose. Let it dry over night and that was it! The easiest project and I thought "Perfect" Gift Ideas on the Cheap but Creative side. So what do you think? Easy Peasy and actually, I found it quite relaxing! I would, it's strange things like this that relax me , but I won't even go there. If you have any "Hand Made" ideas, please share. I Love getting Hand Made Gifts, those are the items I Cherish the most.

My Forever Passion

I couldn't end the week on a low note, so not me, No "Debbie Downer" here! Thank you, Thank you for all the advice, sweet words and kind emails, I definitely know I am not alone in my struggle. My Forever Passion, my Jewelry, this gives me Peace like you can not believe. The Thrill of the Find and the Creativity of putting things together and coming up with something New, my Passion. Have a Wonderful Weekend, some New sparkles in the Shop this week. xo Jamie

My Forever Struggle

Each and Every Day I wake up with a list of things I want and need to accomplish. The list is forever growing and it seems to chase me in my Dreams. Did you know, when I was a kid and through most of my adult life I was a "Pleaser", I just wanted everyone around me to be Happy and I was going to do everything I could to make that happen. Well, Boy has that changed over the last few years, I won't even go there, it's a whole other Post. I Struggle with wanting to do it all and be all to everyone in my life each and every day. Now that I'm writing this and reading it, it's just a extension of my Pleasing Everyone that I thought I had gotten away from! Ha!! Eye opening moment for myself.Obviously I need more work! Anyway...I struggle with being a Great Mom, (not Perfect, I'm over that) but just being there for my kids. Yes I'm home when they get home from school, but many days, my brain is in work or creative mode. I hear their words about their day, but in my mind I'm thinking of that email from a customer I have to get out. I sit with them to do homework, we start laughing and talking and then I'm thinking of the dinner I need to get going on. My husband walks through the door and we talk about our day, while I'm cooking dinner and trying to remember the order that I have to wrap up, plus make lunches, along with getting things ready for the next day.It's almost like I can't Enjoy each moment because I'm forever thinking of the next several moments. So what I'm trying to saying, "I STRUGGLE TO DO IT ALL", it frustrates the Hell out of me. In my head, I know I have dreams of everything I want to accomplish for everyone including myself, but honestly, not nearly enough hours in my day. Do you as Women, who wear so many hats Struggle with trying to do it all? Do you have any methods that work well for you Balancing it all? Book suggestions? Life Suggestions???? Anyone, Anyone??? Bueller???? So is Jamie's Life, don't get me wrong, I Love it, that's part of the Problem, I want to take it all in and do it all.

Holiday 2009

As my dear Friend always says, "You must Believe to Receive!" I Love that, I'm not the most spiritual person but, that just really Speaks to me. I'm Big on Presentation all the time with my Jewelry but I like to have a Holiday Theme. This year, Vintage music sheets wrap up each purchase along with vintage seam binding ribbon, lace and a little surprise. I dipped the little tags in Tea and Stamped them with "Believe!" Perfect wrap for what ever you may Celebrate or maybe a little something for Yourself! xo, Jamie

P.S. Thank you for all the PMS Support, so nice to know I'm not the only Middle Age Crazy woman 3 days a month.