Happy New Year!

Best Wishes for a Safe, Healthy

& Prosperous 2009

As Seen In...Somerset Life

Have you seen the latest edition of Somerset Life? What a treasure trove of glorious finds (as usual!) I got my issue in the mail on Christmas Eve afternoon and was more than thrilled (and honored) to find my flash cards featured in this section

Here they are:

I also had 2 ads in this issue, one in Shabby Lane Shops

& one of my own. So exciting!

Holiday Greetings

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of my wonderful friends!

Winter Wonderland

I spent today on an annual tradition. Five Christmas music infused hours of making homemade pierogis at my fellow Polish pal's house. We were having so much fun inside, that we almost didnt realize there was a HUGE storm brewing outside.

Since this morning, it has been snowing at the rate of about 2" an hour. Schools are closed! Its freezing! We are scheduled to get 12" - 15" of snow AND an ice storm by the morning. Looks like a good evening to make a fire and stay inside!
Photo from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle newspaper.

CLICK HERE to see pictures of the storm and check out the video below.

Thoughts on Giving

Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.
Kahlil Gibran

Do give books - religious or otherwise - for Christmas. They're never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal.
Lenore Hershey

You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it's a little thing, do something for others - something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.
Albert Schweitzer

Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

SO Darn Cute

No Bake Cookies to Make with the Kids

Peanut Creams
1960's recipe
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup peanut butter
mix well drop round balls on wax paper
let set

Blog Giveaway Martha Stewart Style

If you love faux desserts as much as I do you will DEFINITELY want to check out this blog giveaway. As seen on the Martha Stewart show-JenniB is giving away the very products used on the show. Check it out HERE

I LOVE YOUR BLOG!

I LOVE YOUR BLOG AWARD!

The rules:
1. The winner can put the logo on their blog
2. Link the person you received your award from
3. Nominate 5 other blogs
4. Put links of those blogs on your own
5. Leave a message on the blogs that you nominated

I nominated:
1. Velvet Strawberries

2. Happy Loves Rosie

3. 'New Girl in Class' Maisie Paisley

4. Inspire Company

5. Heather Knits Designs

Speaking of Packages...

In this busy time of shopping and wrapping and decorating I started really thinking about 'packages'. I think you find in life that you judge people on 1st appearances-the 'package' they present to the world. We all do it....we judge them. Based solely on their shirt, their accent, their hairstyle, their car...whatever. Shallow. When you think about it, its really no wonder why the divorce rate is soaring, who people are fighting, arguing, feuding. Relationships based on outward appearances dont offer much other than comfortable familiarity. There is no depth. Just what 'seems' to be. How can we build meaningful lasting relationships of any sort without a foundation. Its like building a house on a wetland. Its just a matter of time...

If you believe (as I do) that we are all here for a reason, we all have a purpose....then you must believe that everyone has something wonderful to offer.

I am trying really hard to retrain myself to look past the outside and see only what the person is sharing with me through their eyes & their words. It makes perfect sense, after all if you are so busy looking at the outfit they are wearing, you fail to see the person wearing that outfit. Take a moment to delve deeper to see who they really are, not just what they chose to wear that day. Much easier said than done. Sizing people up is human nature. We're all guilty.

I think this holds true for our loved ones as well. Our spouses, parents, children. Dont take advantage of their presence in your lives. You love them, sure. But by finding out more about them, you are certain to expand your depth of your adoration & love. There's nothing worse than a shallow relationship. I am guilty of having so many of them in my own life. Each a powderkeg.

I certainly dont mean to preach to you today...but in this season of giving, I hope for each of you that you can find the beauty in the people around you. Many are put in your path for reasons you will never know. Enjoy them, get to know them....you dont have to like them. Just give them a chance. You never know, you may be surprised.

When you are able to train yourself to listen thoroughly & without judgement- when you are able to step away from making instant external judgements, it is then that you will begin to see true beauty.

I hope each of you has the opportunity to be discovered by others in this very same way.