Fall Beauty From Flagstaff

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My family recently took a day trip to Flagstaff, Arizona to soak up some gorgeous fall color. Gold dazzled us from ground to sky. Enjoy the video!

The Plains of Avendale by The Sailor's Lantern

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I'm posting my son's latest composition in honor of his 17th birthday.

Born to be a musician this one, my blessed firstborn. A self-taught musician, he's been gifted with the natural ability to make music like his dad.

I am sure that when the very near day comes when I will no longer hear melodies wafting from my son's bedroom, SoundCloud will become my new best friend.

For more dreamy ambient music, you can listen to all of the music by The Sailor's Lantern here. :)

Handmade Treasures and Where to Offer Your Support

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I haven't created very many handmade treasures. It's not because I don't like to. It's just that I've put my time and effort into other things during this mothering season. Homeschooling does take quite a bit of time, and I like a consistently clean house. Hopefully, I will have time one day for more handmade projects.

I did publish an eBook with illustrations that were painted by my hand. Does that count? I've made an autumn wreath, a wrapping paper Christmas tree, and this weird paper flower thing . . . hmmm, what else? Oh, I've made lots of scrapbooks. I think that counts. And I make lots and lots of homemade meals, too. I don't think that counts, though. At least not for this post. I do hope my family treasures some of these handmade/homemade things.

We know handmade items take time and love. That's probably why we like them so much.

Handmade things crafted by familiar hands can be some of our most treasured possessions.

I know that's certainly true for me . . .

the cross painted by my oldest son when he was little

the flower drawn and colored by my daughter years ago

the quilt made from my babies' clothes sewn and stitched together by friends

the rocking chair made by my mom to give to her very first grandchild

the blanket knitted by my husband's grandma

. . . just to name a few.


Handmade things crafted by unfamiliar hands can be special too. Especially when you know your purchase is helping a fellow mom or someone in need.

Fair Trade Friday

This has been my experience since joining Fair Trade Friday's Earring of the Month Club at the beginning of this year. I feel blessed to be able to help women provide for their children.

I'm actually wearing these earrings today. :) Fair Trade Friday (a Mercy House ministry) has other monthly clubs you can join to help mamas around the world. Be sure to check them out!

Noonday Collection

My friend, Emily, is an ambassador for Noonday Collection, a company who partners with artisan entrepreneurs to help communities in need. They design and sell jewelry and accessories hand made by women from 12 different countries. As an ambassador, Emily is trying to earn money to help families fund adoptions. She and her family know firsthand the blessing of adoption. I've known Emily for almost 2 decades - please support her if you can. :)

Montana Songbird Art Studio by MontanaArtStudio

My friend's daughter, Kiersten, owns Montana Songbird Art Studio and offers unique, handmade watercolor prints and greeting cards. Customization is also available. Kiersten is a young, single mom who sells her work to provide for her two boys. Here are a couple of her best selling pieces:

Be sure to check out her other works of art as well. I'm a bit partial to her fawns (especially the pink one) since my nickname used to be Autumn Fawn. :) I will be ordering a set soon!

And So She Said Creations

My mom's cousin, Cathy, owns And So She Said Creations where she offers handcrafted home decor, gifts, and apparel designed with YOU in mind. She is located in Arizona, and you can see her work and contact her by direct message on Instagram and Facebook.

Amazon

Guess who else is offering handmade products? Amazon! Yes, you can now buy handmade items from Amazon and even connect with the featured artisans who make them. You can search for artisans from your own state or from over 85 different countries. Customization for certain handmade items is also available. Start your Christmas shopping early and check out all of the handmade departments below.




I absolutely love this concept from Embie Design in Georgia! I have the perfect people in mind for customizing a gift like this. :) This is just one of the many items I've seen that I've loved. I could get lost looking at all of the handmade stuff!!



There's just something special about handmade.

By clicking and purchasing from any of the above links, know that you are helping some moms I do know and some moms I don't know provide for their families. It is much appreciated!

By clicking and purchasing from my amazon links, know you are helping me provide for mine in a small way. While I don't make much as an amazon affiliate, I am able to put what I do make toward homeschool supplies, essential oils for our health needs, and some supplements for some of my ongoing health issues. Thanks so much!!

What are some of your most treasured handmade possessions? Let me know in the comments!!

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*affiliate links included in this post.

Proverbs 6:20-23 in Pictures

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As I was reading from the book of Proverbs, the words in chapter 6 verses 20-23 struck me. Maybe more so now since I have 2 sons who are growing up ever so fast and on the brink of manhood - one entering his final year of high school and one entering his first.

I'm a very visual person, and as I read I began to see these verses come to life. It was so peaceful to take a break from the busyness of life to put the words to pictures. I need to do this more often.

 

To my dear sons,

As I am sure you've noticed, being a mom of teens isn't easy for me, but joy fills my heart to overflowing watching you embrace the faith in which you've been trained up and seeing you make an effort to follow the values and principles your dad and I have instilled in you.

I won't lie, though, it can be scary witnessing the struggle in each of you to find your own way in the world. It aches, too, when I feel the slip and fall of yet another apron string. I know you need to form your own thoughts and ideas about life, and I know you need to experience the power, the realness, of this God who made you and who lives in you for yourselves. 

But trying to keep the balance of letting go and reigning in, and knowing when to step in and when to stay out is hard. 

It gets messy on both sides, but my prayer has always been that my love for you and your love for me will cover a multitude of sins. 

It is also my prayer that you both will always remember these wise words from Proverbs 6:20-23. Following God's commands will never lead you astray. If you keep them, bind them, fasten them, and forsake them not; they will guide you, watch over you, and speak to you all the days of your lives.

                                                                              I love you both with all my heart,

                                                                                                  -- Mom

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Original photos in this post are from pixabay.

Introducing The Classics to Young Children

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I can't believe it's been over a decade ago when I started collecting children's classics from Treasury of Illustrated Classics and The Great Classics for Children to read to my kids. I fondly remember picking up one or so every week when I was out doing my weekly shopping. I ended up with 14 classics for children, though there are many more than that! Back then, I had to take what I could get at the store since I wasn't ordering anything on line. 

Now there's this thing called Amazon, and you can order classics and everything else on the planet and then some! I've included links to classics from both book sets (mentioned above) at the end of this post. :)

I've always LOVED reading aloud to my kids, and these classics were some of the very first chapter books I read to them. It was pure joy for me to see their anticipation as we'd open up one of the books to pick up where we'd left off the day before. Continuing a longer book even when my kids were pretty young was like going on an extended trip except without all the luggage and are we there yets!

Both sets of these beautiful, hard cover children's classics have been condensed and retold so that young kids can enjoy the world's most beloved and timeless stories. Black and white illustrations are scattered throughout the chapters, and each book contains an About the Author page at the end. All of the books in my personal collection are around 180 pages long, give or take a few.

All three of my kids tell me that reading aloud together is one of their top favorite memories. I am SO glad!!

My only regret when it comes to all of these wonderful classics is that I don't own them all. My personal collection is getting kind of dusty sitting on a shelf in my closet, but they are waiting patiently to be passed down to grandchildren whenever that may be.

The Great Classics for Children and Treasury of Illustrated Classics are the perfect way to introduce the classics to young children!! I know there are 36 total books in the Treasury of Illustrated Classics set, but I am not sure how many are in the other one. I couldn't find an option for purchasing the entire set, so I listed some separately.

Hope you enjoy these as much as we did!




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Peach Tips & Recipe Wins {from Pinterest}

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In May my hubby, my daughter, and I picked peaches at a local farm. Surrounded by the heavenly scent of spring sweetness, we carefully selected about 9 lbs. of beautiful fruit. Knowing that most of my family of 5 wouldn't eat the fruit, I turned to Pinterest and started pinning away. Here's what I've done so far. I only have about a cup of frozen peaches left, so I guess I will have to wait until next peach season to try out all the other recipes I pinned.

Peach Crumb Pie  {Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen}

The one thing I absolutely loved about this pie was that it kept it's shape when cut. The flavor was yummy, too.

I'd change the way I cut my peaches, though. I'd slice bigger pieces instead of cutting into cubes. I'd already cut all my peaches into cubes, so I had no choice when I decided to give this pie a try.

Next time, I'd like to try and make the pie just a tad bit juicer. It's a recipe I'd definitely try again and maybe experiment with different fruits.

Paula Deen's Peach Cobbler  {Stockpiling Moms}

Well, goodness. This cobbler didn't last long at our house. Huge hit. Add a little vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream, and you are all set!

How to Peel Peaches {Queen Bee Coupons}

I was thankful for this tutorial since I'd never peeled peaches this way before. It was pretty quick and easy just like the post said. I did have a couple of peaches that weren't as ripe as the rest, and those were a little harder to peel. Definitely great for when you have lots of peaches!

How to Freeze Peaches {Queen Bee Coupons}

I also followed Queen Bee Coupon's instructions on how to freeze peaches. I freeze fruit all of the time for smoothies, but I usually just throw the fruit in a zip loc freezer bag not caring if some of it clumps together. However, since I wanted to use these peach pieces for recipes, I wanted to freeze them the "right" way. :)

Easy Peach Tea {Passion for Savings}

I love peach flavored drinks. And I love tea. So, when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it out. It was really yummy and refreshing. The above picture shows the peach syrup, not the peach tea. Click the above link for pictures of what the tea looks like. I didn't add actual peach slices to my tea, though.

Peach Lemonade Smoothie {Not from Pinterest}

I make smoothies quite a bit, especially now that my older boys don't really like eating fruit all that much anymore. I rarely, if ever, make peach smoothies, so this was a treat!

Since I've been making smoothies for years now, I don't really follow recipes, but here's what I did. I put about 1 frozen banana and about 2 cups frozen peaches in my Ninja blender. Then I added about 1 cup of yogurt. After that, I filled the blender with peach lemonade up to about the #6 line, so I'd have enough for 5 people. It was delicious!

What are your favorite peach recipes?

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Should You Buy Jewelry from Amazon?

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In light of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share my unfortunate wedding ring story that ended happily ever after due to Amazon! (If you're not into stories, feel free to scroll down to the end of this post and find out my answer to the title's question. Also be sure to click on the links and buy jewelry!)

A few years ago I began experiencing some swelling in my fingers during the night while I slept. I'd never had to take off my rings before going to bed, but a couple of desperate middle-of-the-night attempts to "unstuck" my wedding ring served as a compelling reminder to take my rings off as part of my bedtime routine.

However, one night I forgot.

To make matters worse, my husband happened to be out of town the night I had to choose between keeping my ring or my finger. I awoke in the middle of the night that night with the realization that not only were my fingers super swollen but that my wedding ring was still on one of them.

Pulling with all my might didn't work one bit, so I got up, and through much prayer and tears tried everything I knew to do. Butter. Oil. Lotion. Cold water. Sticking my hand in the freezer. You name it.

After some time had gone by and my finger started turning purple, I became a bit frantic. I debated whether or not I should call 911. I know. Before I completely humiliated myself by dialing for emergency help, I decided to try and cut my ring off. I felt horrible, but I figured it was better than losing my finger.

I found a wire cutter in the garage, and with racing heart and trembling hands, I pressed on those wire cutter handles with all the strength I could muster. It took several agonizing tries, but finally the blades broke through the gold. Pure relief! I praised the Lord that I'd chosen a dainty, thin band all those years ago and that I was only wearing the engagement ring that night.

I felt awful about destroying my husband's symbol of undying love and devotion that he gave to me in the parking lot of Howard's Donuts on a chilly November night in 1996, but it had to be done to save my finger.

Well, we didn't have extra money at the time to just go out and buy a brand new diamond ring, so I went without. I tried to wear a cheap, fake wedding-looking ring from Charming Charlie, but as expected, my acidic skin turned the band a funky color within a week. So that didn't work.

In late 2013, my hubby started looking into ordering quality yet inexpensive rings off of Amazon. He sent me several designs from which to choose, and my favorite was the Zoe R 925 Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia pictured on my finger below. I've worn this ring everyday since January 2014.

First picture: my real gold and diamond engagement ring that I had to cut off of my finger.
Second picture: my new, beautiful sterling silver cubic zirconia ring from Amazon.

It's funny because even though my current ring is considered "fake," I get so many compliments on it. When I tell people what it is, they sometimes don't believe me at first. I love it and couldn't be happier with it. I really don't care that it isn't "real." I love that I don't have to worry about losing or cutting off a super expensive ring. Plus, maybe in the future, I'll even get to order more rings so I can change them out according to my mood or outfit.

(images from Amazon)

Answer: So, my answer to the question, "Should you buy jewelry from Amazon?" is YES! I am a 100% happy and satisfied customer. (The affiliate link to my ring is for a size 8.5, but I ordered my normal size of 4.5, and it fits perfectly. Pay attention to the size you need.)



If you'd rather go all out and get the real thing, by all means do so! I won't complain one bit. ;)



Here are some other sterling silver rings that I think are pretty. And they're inexpensive. :)










Okay, I think I could look at rings all day long, but those above are just a few that I saw that I liked.


While I can't specifically vouch for other jewelry on Amazon, here are some categories you may wish to peruse. Right now, Amazon has a Valentine special going on: take 30% off of eligible jewelry from now until February 7.

Necklaces

Women's rings

Bracelets

Earrings

Happy shopping! I'd love to know what your favorite rings are, and have you ever bought jewelry from Amazon?

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