One for him, and one for me...these are the moments that make life so very rewarding...

Sweet boy has an affinity for sunsets like his mother.  I drove around and around in the church parking lot to fulfill his request to capture this sunset over our church with my camera.  It fills my heart with joy knowing how such simple beauty makes him oh so very delighted.

Psalm 144:1-2 “Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.  He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.”

I took this photograph right before Coe Polk’s father boarded the plane to go back to Afghanistan.  When I look at it, I smile as I am reminded the hands that prepare for battle, are the same hands that comfort a child.

A little peek into my miniature creations.  There’s something very calming about creating an inanimate world where there’s no disorder and no calories ::smile::  My next project?  Sweet boy has asked me to create a teal and aqua bakery for his little hands to play with.  I’m still trying to wrap my head around aqua muffins and teal cookies…what do you think?

Almost half a year has gone by since I last posted.  This was certainly not intentional, but life has kept me quite busy.  The not-for-profit organization I run, Operation Stars & Stripes, Inc., has seen growth this year like never before in support of our heroes — growth we have been praying for the past 10 years since the birth of our organization.  We have continued to work diligently to make strides in the right direction to help our sweet boy and are so grateful for his doctors and therapists.  We were recently offered a most wonderful opportunity to help him. And my thesis project is getting closer and closer to coming to fruition.

God has continually put before me this past year, a verse from Jeremiah (29:11) — ” ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  My faith has been tested in many ways, but God has brought me through, blessed me 10-fold, and given me comfort in his Word.

I want to start blogging again, but I want to wait until my plate clears up a bit more.  I don’t want to jump back in half-heartedly.  I plan to post a few times throughout the next few months and be back with some completed ideas and plans that I’ve been slowly working on for a while in the new year (once graduate school is completed).

And the photograph above?  It is from a recent get-together my dearest friend Heidi and I put together for our sweet friends.  I have more to share and will do so soon.  I look forward to reconnecting with all of you in “blogland” soon!

It’s strawberry time here in Georgia, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.  My mother knows how much I love strawberries, so she planted me a small strawberry garden last year.  I tended to the tiny plants and tried to help them grow strong.  The more I tended to them though, the worse off they were.  I decided to leave them alone, fearing they would probably not survive.  To my amazement they are now thriving a year later and have even multiplied!

My sweet mother has added to my strawberry garden this year again, and we promised Coe Polk he could pick the first ones that were ripe.  He eagerly reminded us recently of our promise and proceeded to pick the succulent berries and cart them off to his “magical forest” in the backyard for a picnic.  It’s moments like these that make being a mother so very rewarding.

I recently organized a swap with a sweet group of friends, and I thought I would share my contribution.  I made miniature bakery counters.  The lighting wasn’t the best when I photographed them, so please forgive my pictures.  This book that I have was my original inspiration.

These were very therapeutic to make.  While I never seem to have time anymore to sit down and create all night, I worked on a few pieces a night to unwind over the past couple months. 

I really love miniatures because it’s a fantasy world of sorts — you can create what would never be practical in reality.  A big thank you to all the over-the-top talented girls who shared in this creative little venture with me.  As I’ve said before, I am in awe of each of you in your own unique ways.

One of my dearest friends, Kristy, came to visit for the weekend in January.  Coe Polk took a nap, which never happens, and we sneaked off to craft a few cards.  Kristy and I had bakeries on the brain, so we rummaged through my wall of stamps and decided to make our own.  I thought I would share a couple I put together using three different stamps I have — wood grain, cupcakes, and an awning.  I added some Stickles, bakers twine, ribbon, and my most favorite product — Liquid Applique!

It comes in a myriad of colors, which you can view by clicking here.  Some of my favorite uses for the white Liquid Applique are snowballs, whipped cream for cups of cocoa, frosting, snowmen, fur on Santa hats, sheep, and popcorn.  You apply a small bit, apply heat with an embossing gun, and it puffs up on the spot.  Give it a try, and I’m sure you will find your own favorite uses too!