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 :)

Invitation of friendship

As a married couple, finding other couples to hang out with is not easy. Its gotta to be that right combination and the four of you need to Click. We have that! and what a Joy. Our good friends invited us to hang out today. We spent hrs at the bookstore laughing, sharing and connecting . Our time spilled into the evening and we continued with an invitation to dinner. We laughed more, shared more and grew closer. True friends just invite you to bare your soul, the good and bad ... and they still like you. As we left with a feeling of peace and contentment, I realized they make us want to be better people. We are so fortunate to have friends who really bring out the best in us. May God bless you all with special friendships.

A good friend is a connecter to life, - a tie to the past, a road to the future and the key to sanity in a totally insane world.- Lois Wyse

Journey

These old beat up suitcases reminded me of the journey we are all on. Remember that every path you cross has its purpose, learn from it, grow from it. Know you are blessed for those friends you meet along the way, they were placed there, special delivery. Be that Friend to others on your path, you never know how a kind word or gesture can help a fellow traveler on his way. Treasure your family. They will be with you till the end. Share your wisdom with those who are just starting on a similar path you've already traveled. Don't get caught up on the small things, its all part of the journey to becoming who we were intended to be and will give you true character. The more nic's on your heart and scars on your knee's from where you have fallen make you more real and genuine as the years go by. Find joy along the way. Laugh,laugh till you cry and cry until you can laugh again. But most of all -Love...Love with abandonment. Love with all of your heart.

Keep It Fresh

Sometimes life starts to get so routine. You dont have to let life pull you by the ear, keeping you in the mundane. "Keep it fresh." Break out of your routine, eat lunch at the park, take a new route to work. catch up with an old friend. Take your dog to a new park. Leave the TV off and play cards or a game after dinner. Entertain guest this weekend. Plan a progressive dinner. Go have dessert at the tower of America's. Have a night picnic in your back yard with lots of candles and junk food. Be creative. There's a whole world of fun just waiting to be opened. Think outside of the box.

Purpose

What on EARTH am I here FOR?

The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfilment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. Its far greater than your family, your career or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose, and for his purpose.

It is only in God that we discover our orgin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance and our destiny.

- Rick warren (from the book - The Purpose Driven Life)

Thy Word

Thy Word Is A Lamp Unto My Feet And A Light Unto My Path

As I seek guidance in the midst of my dilemma, I am reminded of what true peace reading God's word gives me. God's word is a lamp unto my feet. He guides me. wheather or not you are a believer, we all need guidance in the midst of our storms. We go to a counselor, seek wisdom from a friend. But nothing will give that peace and comfort to know that God is right beside you, through your storm. And nothing else compares to lighting your path like God's word.

Dance

This morning I was reminded that in the midst of our struggle, in the depths of our dilemma, he is there. So look up, let the light of God shine upon your face right into your soul. Lay those burdens down at his feet and dance because you know he is there and has everything under control. May your heart be light as you journey through this life.

A New Day

"A New Day and a Spinach Cheese Souffle."

The sun came out this morning. Not like the past gloomy mornings we have been having. The rising of the sun reminds me that today is A New Day, and the possibilities are numerous for what the day has to hold for us. This is the day that the lord has made Let us rejoice and be Glad in it.

Happy Day, have a blessed one.

Your Own Cozy Nest

Along with my post on nesting, thought Id show this beautiful picture I took of a storefront window at Pottery Barn. It reminds me of All things home. Its so cozy, clean and orderly. And beautamis. I love it. I walked in and immediately saw these pillows I fell in love with. It read $39.00 and $24.00. So I assumed they meant it was on sale for 24.00. Yippee I thought. So I asked. Was I wrong! It was $39.00 for the cover only and 24.00 for the insert. Oh My. Well They wont be in my house, on my couch, but I can provide a clean,cozy, orderly home at no cost but my hard work. You don't need fancy to have a nice warm, welcoming home. Just love, peace and little elbow grease. Create your own cozy unique nest :)

Nesting

NEST :

A cozy snug place in which to live or rest : a place of retreat.

To Nest - to create a place where one feels secure and comfortable.

Is your home a place of retreat? Can you come home and find rest from the world. Our home should be the place where we find retreat from the rest of the world, from the demands of our jobs, traffic, the busyness and craziness. We should look forward to going home, hugging on our loved ones and feeling safe. It should be a safe harbor in which we find peace. Though some households are brimming with cooking dinner, kids, homework and bathes, take some time out for rest for yourself. Create a calm, loving safe harbor for your family. Cherish your time at home. Make it cozy, warm and welcoming.

Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,

A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest. - Robert Montgomery

Generosity

GENEROSITY - giving out of the abundance of you heart.

There is wellspring of love inside of us and so many people out there in need of it. What you have to offer is so imperative to a hurting world. There are people out there waiting for what you have to offer. So what are you waiting for? Look for opportunities to serve others out of the abundance of your blessings. Your time, your talents, your resources, your love. Share God's love with others... Your love can make a difference.

A Cup Of Tea

A cup of tea between friends is such a warm thing to share. A sweet friend and her mom ( Suzy and Barbara Gibson) turned me on to a pot of tea. It was so quaint and personal. We'd share a pot of tea in a cute tea pot at the kitchen table. We'd talk and laugh. They bought me my first tea pot. It has always stuck with me and brings me such a cozy feeling on a cold rainy day.

Once when I was living in Los Angeles with my sister, my brother came by. I was making a pot of tea. I invited him to join me. He said sure. He sat down to my sweet tea pot and dainty tea cups. I had made some biscuits and jam. As he sipped his tea and ate his biscuit. He looked at the spread and made an assessment, then said, "Wow... I feel like...I feel like a dolly." I laughed so hard. (So I guess it doesn't work for a man!) Invite your female Friends over, share a pot of tea or just enjoy a cup of tea for yourself. It will warm your heart.

Captivating

Isn't this lovely? I was drawn to it, captivated by the fun, frolicy feel of the dress. So light and playful- like whipped frosting! While searching for a quote to match, I came across this in a book called Captivating.

A women in the presence of a man, a real man, loves being a women. His strength allows her feminine heart to flourish. His pursuit draws out her beauty. And a man in the presence of a real women loves being a man. Her beauty arouses him to play the man, it draws out his strength... she inspires him to be a hero.

May your feminine heart always flourish and may you inspire the man in your life to become the hero he was meant to be.

Fresh Laundry

We have never ending washing in our house. But I love it. I love the smell of clean clothes. It is one chore I really enjoy. I wish they had detergent inserts for my nose so I could smell the aroma all day. I once carried around a sample dryer sheet they gave me at the grocery store, in a baggie and every time I began to feel stressed Id reach into my purse take out the baggie and gave it a long wiff. Mmm Mmm good.

Find joy in small things today :)

Simple Things

SIMPLE THINGS

that bring me JOY

The rising of the sun on a new day

Jumping into clean sheets on my bed

Sipping a cup a hot tea on a cool day

Snuggle-buggling with my Bella-Boo(my doggie)

Spending quality time with my sweet family

White twinkle light's on my patio

Laughter and Friends

Quite times with God

Creating something beautiful

Bringing Joy to another persons life

Blogging for Bliss

Encouraging others on their journey

Live life Simply in all its fullness!

Shared Lives

As we left our friends from our small group at a restaurant this morning I was overwhelmed with such utter contentment in life. We are so blessed to be part of a body of people who journey along side us. Though we each journey on our own unique path, we find encouragement, comfort, enjoyment, love and acceptance. We share our troubles and we share our triumphs. Life is meant to be shared, to be enjoyed . We are part of something bigger than ourselves. A body of like-minded people that make up the body of the church. What a joy and what a difference it has made in our lives! Life is beautiful. Share it, open up and reach out. Stop being a spectator in life looking out ... join in. You will be blessed.

Train tracks

Are you on the right track? Has your train derailed? Is this the path you chose for yourself?We all get off track at times. We wake up one day and find we are way off course and wonder how we got so off the path. There are consequences for all of our choices we make. You know deep in your heart when you are on the wrong train, heading in the wrong direction . Get off the train if you need to, take time and reassess the direction you need to go. When you are on the right train, you will know it, peace will flood your soul. Make good choices for your life. You've only got one chance to live it.