Finding joy in the everyday

Art Friday: Holly Hobbie Were you a fan of Holly Hobby as a child? As a child I loved the Holly Hobby character and can remember owning several things with the imagine of the blue Holly in her traditional floral bonnet (see below). It brings back warm memories of my childhood!! Holly Hobby was created by  Denise Holly Ulinskas, born 1944 in the USA.  In the late 1960s, Hobbie sold distinctive artwork of a cat-loving, rag dress-wearing little girl in a giant bonnet to American Greetings. This series of illustrations became popular, and her originally nameless character became known as "Holly Hobbie”. The blue girl is  probably  the best known and always my favourite.  *****

Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober , faithful in all things. (1 Timothy 3:11) That the aged men be sober , grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. (Titus 2:2) But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober , and watch unto prayer. (1 Peter 4:7) Do you get the feeling that we as Christians need to be sober. There are plenty of verses telling us just that.   I remember reading these verses as a much younger woman and thinking "that doesn't sound like much fun". And at face value it sounds like a very serious, solemn woman who know nothing about enjoying herself. So what does it mean to be a "sober (sensible) woman" in the 21st century when most women (and men) are anything but.  Ultimately it means that she is has strong self-control and able to curb her passions. She is a sensible woman who is not silly, giggly, crude, obnoxious or vulgar in her behaviour or language. She is calm, dis

Being a mother is hard work and it doesn't stop when your child becomes an adult, in fact it can become even harder. These last 12 months have been extremely difficult for our entire family and whilst I would like to say I wouldn't want them repeated, I have learnt a lot about being mother and a Christian. A mother never stops learning and every time a new problem or issue arises, mothers learn how to respond and we all do, even when we don't realise it. My son turns 22 today and its a joyous occasion. One year ago he wasn't in a good place at all, 12 months along there have been many improvements but I am realistic and know we still have a road ahead to tackle.  As a little boy he was the sweetest cuddliest child but like any little boy he wasn't perfect and was very capable of getting up to all sorts of mischief! Interestedly - it is not only my son's birthday today, it is also my oldest friend's birthday (a lady I have known since we were bab

Sadly our beautiful tan doberman passed away suddenly on Friday 24th October.  Gaia Like all four-legged members of our family, Gaia was much loved and very spoilt. He was a gentle dog to his family and a great guard dog who took his job very seriously. Only on Friday, the week before he "protected" us from a dog that was trying to cause problems along our back lane way.  He loved a cuddle, having his "hand" held, very fond of curling up in bed next to my husband and going to sleep, loved going for walks and eating grass along the way and got along very well with the cats (Ruby adored him). However he hated thunderstorms and could predict them long before they arrives. To help reduce the stress, we would bring him inside and then he was much happier and wouldn't annoy the neighbours with his endless barking. He also strongly disliked the possums that liked to visit  at night and would bark at them to go away. Ruby (my black cat) knew all the diffe

Roses from my garden Brighten the Corner Where You Are ~ by Ira D. Ogdon (1872-1964) ~ Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do, Do not wait to shed your light afar, To the many duties ever near you now be true, Brighten the corner where you are. Refrain: Brighten the corner where you are! Brighten the corner where you are! Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar; Brighten the corner where you are! Just above are clouded skies that you may help to clear, Let not narrow self your way debar; Though into one heart alone may fall your song of cheer, Brighten the corner where you are. Refrain Here for all your talent you may surely find a need, Here reflect the bright and Morning Star; Even from your humble hand the Bread of Life may feed, Brighten the corner where you are. Refrain ***** You don't need to be a missionary and relocate to another country to make a differences. You don't need to do charity work

Artist: Deborah DeWit Born Portland, Oregon, USA Paintings of those quite moments we all enjoy and treasure. Enjoy. *****

Its my friends birthday next week and I wanted to make her something special so I made these lavender bags for her clothing. I am really pleased with the end result and I do like the purple and green fabric.  I love handmade gifts, it shows that the giver has gone to a lot of effort to make something unique, just for you.  Once upon-a-time it was completely normal to make gifts for friends and family.  Only the rich could afford to buy and give gifts, no one else had money to waste. Women would spent their evenings sewing, knitting, embroidering, crocheting to make all sorts of wonderful things to give to others. Each piece was made with love and care. Often the items were practical such as clothing, but they also make pretty doilies, tablecloths and quilts that were then passed down the family.  Men made items out of wood - toys for the children and pretty jewellery boxes for their wives.  Even after a busy day, they still found the time to handcraft gifts for  others. Thos

Flowers on my buffet Home is where the heart can laugh without shyness.  Home is where the heart’s tears can dry at their own pace .   ( Vermon Baker) A homemaker is an artist who paints into existence her family's set-apart place or haven, which becomes like heaven in the sense of ultimate rest.  The house or apartment, as well as the area surrounding it - whether concrete or garden - together become a canvas upon which the homemaker can create the perfect shelter for those whom she loves most in the world. She is seeking to combine comfort with a style that fits her family. Much of creating this prepared place lies in the art and accessories to be used. These times usually are not newly purchased on mass but rather are gathered over a lifetime, expressing who you are and what you like, a distinctive place in your own world and one in which every family member can see himself.  ~ from The Christian homemakers handbook, page 57 ***** The wise woman build