CAKE

Ever thought about CAKE ? I am pretty much a simple chocolate girl, but I love to look at a pretty cake any day. I love wedding cakes, cup cakes, pretty fluffy cakes. Contemplated baking one today and take a picture just for you. But I made a simple lemon cake with a lime glaze. Yummy as it was, it was not picture worthy. So thought id show you what your grocery store has to offer. yes, HEB! ( oops I could of gone to central market) these are average grocery store cakes. The pretty colors and fluff icing caught my eye. Had to get the lady behind the counter take them out so I could snap a shot. Oh and these great poster prints also one of my new favorites. So simple. Light and fluffy.

"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." - Anonymous

Melancholy

Deep inside I Dream ... and I doubt. I Aspire... and I feel discouraged. I wonder what I am contributing to the world. I wonder If I am making the most of my opportunities set before me. I hope that I share Gods love, I desire to make a difference, to change a life, to touch a heart. Do I use my gifts and talents to glorify God. Do I persevere? Am I making the right choices for my life? Am I a good friend ... a good listener. Do I show kindness, Do I display Love? Do I worry too much? Do I smile enough... laugh enough? Am I who God intended me to be. Do I learn from life's lessons or keep making the same mistakes. I am strong ... I am weak. Do I lay my burdens down or pile them on and walk on, with a heavy heart? In the bible God says COME... Lay your burdens down... and come. He does not expect perfection. Just as I am ... He says Come. With all my imperfections ... I come.

...Just as I am, tho tossed about

With may a conflict, many a doubt

fightings and fears within, without

Oh lamb of God, I come I come...

- Charlotte Elliot

Brain fog

Brain fog, brain frog...I have been having 'brain fog" lately. So today I will write about my "Ceramic Masterpiece." My wonderous "garden frog." Made by a special little boy, my sweet nephew Jakob. I cherish it. It was shipped with love to me, on my birthday a few yrs ago. It hangs on my patio and reminds me of how much I love him. You cant buy this kind of gift in a store!

This is Jakob. I love him to pieces. Just the thought of him brings me JOY. He is a love bug and has such a kind compassionate heart (He got that from his mommy and daddy)He makes friends with everyone around him, He could make a rock like him if he wanted to. He just has that charisma about him. I love him. Just thought I would talk about him since he is on my mind and in my heart today.

I love you Jakob Eric :)

Home-made fun

A cup of Sunshine

I bought this tea- cup at thrift shop for a dollar. Glued the plate to it with super glue. stuck a flower into a floral Styrofoam ball cut in half and glued into the cup. Viola, A cup of sunshine.

Pudding Cones

In quart size zip lock empty pudding mix and 2 cups of milk. Place in refrigerator until firm. Cut an end off and squeeze into ice cream cone. Don't forget the sprinkles.

Cat-Nip toy

Fill a baby sock with cat nip, fiber fill. Tie sock at the end with matching yarn. Use permanent marker to draw face and glue on ears with non toxic glue.

Sunshine

Last week was wonderful. We had some days of sunshine amiss a few gloomy days. Sunday was the best. Hope all took advantage of it and enjoyed the sun and perfect weather. We cooked out and kicked back enjoying the day. It was like Spring. But looks like tomorrow will bring in some more rain and colder temps. So bundle back up and throw on a log! We might just skip spring and go right into summer, then we will be longing for some cooler temps. So just enjoy each day for what it has to offer. Happy Monday :)

"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive-

To breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. " - Marus Aurelius

Celebrate Friendship

Friendship is a blessing. As your paths cross remember, God places them there for a season or for a lifetime, for a reason. Draw on their strength and learn from each friend. Each holds something special we will take away with us.

Today we met at a tearoom across from Braken Village. Good eats, Great fellowship, Grand time. We laughed, ate and shared, growing closer in our hearts. Life was meant to enjoy. Enjoy it with a friend.

"Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make everyday a holiday and celebrate just living!" -Amanda Bradley

First Rate Version of Yourself

Flipping through channels yesterday I came across the Tyra show. She was interviewing young girls and teens who thought they were ugly and not satisfied with the way they looked. An 11 yr old girl was talking about what plastic surgery she wanted to have done. So sad. What has the world come to that the media and magazine covers are influencing these young girls to believing all they need is a pretty face and a beautiful body to live a happy life? Life is so much more. There is such beauty inside every individual that is so unique. Why would we want to be anyone other than who and how God created us to be? I believe it is extra difficult for young girls and teens growing up in the world today. Make a difference, words are powerful, encourage those young people around you. They are so special just the way they are and they need to know.

Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else.

- Judy garland

Vintage T-shirts sold on blog prairiehome.typepad.com

Finding My Creative Voice.

A little over 2 yrs ago, I quit my stressful job. I enrolled to substitute teach to bring in income as I found my creative voice. I took adult ed. classes in the evening in design and lay out and photo shop, traveled with my husband with his job on the east coast, started a drawing journal, read books and magazines, dabbled in some volunteer work, joined a small group at my church, joined a gym, ventured in renting a place to sell my flea market finds/crafts using my visual merchandising skills and... started a blog. I know I was born to create, it is one of my passions. Serving, encouraging, inspiring, is also my passion. It's time to incorporate these passions into some regular income. But what??? I have been searching for a job and find myself discouraged and hitting walls. My degree is in social work. but I dont want to get into another stressful environment wishing I was out. I dont have the experience in creative jobs and employers want experience. Am I being too picky in our economy right now, should I just get any job? Any advice or words of wisdom? email me. lisa.loraine@yahoo.com

Happy Valentines Day

Hope you all had a blessed Valentine's day. Every day should be a day to display your love for one another. Dont wait for a holiday to express your love. Show love and kindness everyday.

Thrift-Store Valentine

This morning my husband drove us to one of my favorite thrift stores. He remembered, I had hinted to him (a month ago, preparing him to think ahead for the day...???) that this would be a great place to get me a valentine gift. Ok, so somehow the "element of surprise" was lost in translation, but I enjoyed the hunt. I found this lovely belt buckle, I am going to get a velvet ribbon to string through it.

This sweet simple necklace.

And ahhh, I needed a bit of sparkle to add to my wardrobe. Thought this was pretty and sweet with a little bit of bling. Perfect purchase... and all for under $24.00. What a deal. Store bought, Mall bought gifts are great, but you've got to love a good thrift store deal.

Glorious Sun

Glorious Sun. Beautiful day! After weeks and weeks of dreary rain ... the sun came out. My heart sprung at the sight. The birds were singing, clouds were billowing. My soul was uplifted. Thank you God for the sun, the birds, the soft billowy clouds against a bright blue sky. Thank you for the weekend ahead and all the joys it holds. My soul rejoices. Maybe sometimes we need to have those dark dreary days,weeks, months. (trials in life), to appreciate the beauty of each day that other wise would be just ordinary unless show cased after a storm.

Have a glorious weekend. Remember to thank God for all the Good :)

Aging

Time has a way of sneaking up on you. The other day I was laughing with some forth grade girls, at the school I was working at. Age came up and they asked how old I was. I said "guess!" just to see how old they perceived me. Was it a rude awakening.I got 38! 40! and a whopping 45! OUCH. do I really look that old?? But I still feel like I just got out of college? I just laughed it off. Later I thought about it. Wow, time flies by. So use every minute of it. Growing old is not so bad. We are as old as we feel inside.

Everyone is the age of their heart. - Guatemalan Proverb

Simplicity of the Common

As I was searching for inspiration, I came across this artist. Holly Farrell. I was immediately drawn to her style and her simplicity for common things. I love it. So here is a bit about her. She works and resides in Toronto, Canada. She is a self-taught artist and paints from everyday experiences and common things. She did not start painting until she was 29 yrs old. She says, It's never too late. These are just some of her paintings. More can be found on her website at hollyfarrell.com

Essentials On A Cold Rainy Day

The essentials on a cold rainy day, of course consist of a blanket, a pillow and my favorite slippers.

Rainy day meal- a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Comfort food.

Creating a sense of cozy with the glow of lit candles in the house.

and I love to listen and watch the rain pour down from inside of my warm dry house. It gives me such a sense of peace. I am blessed.

Snuggle Buggle

I am not a fan of our sweet Bella-boo sharing our bed. Being that I religiously wash and change our sheets once a week. She is not allowed to sleep with us. She has her own bed. she knows this. But my husband insists on breaking every rule I try to instill. Its a ritual. before I come to bed he jumps in excitedly and calls her to snuggle buggle with him. She knows what this is and happily jumps in. They both retired early one evening and I found this. Too adorable, I had to snap a picture. It was hard to break up the duo, so we snuggled for a bit before I asked her to get in her bed. She promptly got up and went to her bed. Good Doggie.

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.

You are his life, his love, his leader.

He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart.

You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion - unknown

Quaint , He Ain't

The biggest conflict my husband I continually work on in our relationship is FOOD. He is a "Quantity man" and I am a "Quality gal." Going out to eat should be a treat, right? For us its not Its a thorn! After our 30 minute discussion on what restaurant we would like to eat at, we finally agree to compromise. Neither of us get what we really want and both of us tolerate our choice. So Sunday he has come up with a marvelous idea. He took me to La Madeline where I dined in a cozy table right by the fire place, taking in the ambiance and loving it. I thoroughly enjoyed a large bowl of french onion soup with croutons and melted cheese, with side of homemade bread and strawberry jam. Mmmmm. It was Di-vinity. Then we drove straight the cheapest Chinese Buffet we could find. He piled his 4 plates of ribs, chicken, steak, rice, noodles,sushi. you name it, he had it on his plate. He was so happy. So was I :)