TheRustedChain - The Blog

Lovey dovey crafty happy...

2012-02-11T13:41:00.004-06:00

The other day the kids and I had a craft afternoon.

We spread newspapers across the dining room table. (which should really be brown paper - kraft paper or grocery bags. They absorb the extra wax much better.)
Then a layer of wax paper.
(such concentration!)

Then with a pencil sharpener, we shaved crayons in lovey dovey colors in a thin layer over the wax paper.

Then added glitter.
Because sparkles make me happy!!

Put another layer of wax paper over the top.
Then another layer of newspaper. (which, again, should really be brown paper - kraft paper or grocery bags.)

We ironed it for a few seconds to melt it all together.

Then the kids drew hearts and cut them out.
We strung them with cute baker's twine in front of the window.

Sparkly, lovey dovey, happy...

(and yes, my dirty windows could use a washin'. They don't look that bad in real life, but goodness, it shows up in pictures! I'll work on that, next time I'm bored. Ha.)

Fingerprint Friday

2012-02-10T08:45:00.004-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

In the field next to us, there have been lots of birds lately.
Thousands and thousands of them, actually. (there was even a story about it on the news... apparently they're not harming the crops in any way, which is good.)
I've just been struck by how well they work together.
The flock moves as one unit, seeming to know exactly where to fly, where to land, where to move.

Why? Because that's what God designed them to do!
Just as he designs us for a purpose... to do good works.
He has prepared us, giving us talents, knowledge, and skills to work for him.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
—Ephesians 2:10

Me, on the cover of a magazine...

2012-02-08T10:10:00.003-06:00

Sort of.

In the fall a local college approached me and asked me to do a photo shoot for their magazine.
This is sent out to thousands of students and parents.

The focus was these two young men who received a scholarship for entrepreneurship.
Obviously this is a little something I'm passionate about. :)
The college flew the guys in for the day and drove them over to our farm.

When they arrived, I told the lady in charge that I was a little nervous.
I've done lots of photos of families and weddings, but never for a magazine.
I wasn't really crystal clear on what they were even wanting or needing.
She just laughed and said, "Don't be nervous! It's not like it's People magazine!"

So we just had a relaxed session, walked around the property and snapped lots of photos.
This is my dining room table they're sitting at.

It ended up being much less stressful than I anticipated.
And I got the cover shot! WooHoo!!!

I can't wait for warm weather again to be able to start taking photos outside.
I'm ready for flowers and green grass and warmth!

If you're local (in Kansas or Southwest Missouri) and want to plan photos, just contact me...

Good morning! { giveaway! }

2012-02-06T09:17:00.002-06:00

Did you watch the Superbowl last night?

We were supposed to go to a party at a friend's house but ended up with a sick kid so we stayed home.
I made Buffalo Chicken dip, Pizza dip, Terriyaki meatballs, homemade guacomole, and turkey tortilla pinwheels.
So.Much.Food. We'll have leftovers for days.
But that means I don't have to cook this week. Winning!

I didn't care at all about the game. Just the commercials and the food.

And I was excited for The Voice after the game. Did you watch that?
Ohmygoodness, I love that show!!
I'm on Team Blake.
Early favorites are the opera singer from Wichita, Chris Mann.
And I also loved Tony Lucca with his gravely voice...
It's on again tonight. You should watch.

*****
I found this image the other day and loved it.
It is so true!! Success is not always what's seen on the surface.

*****
We listed a new necklace in the shop the other day.
So sweet...
Teeny Hearts necklace

And just because my coffee has kicked in today, let's do a giveaway.
2 of you will win $50 gift certificates to TheRustedChain.com!
To enter: Leave a comment telling whether or not you watched the SuperBowl.

For additional entries: Facebook about this giveaway. Tweet it. Pin one of the above images (or something from our shop) to pinterest.
Please leave additional comments for each of these you do.

We'll pull 2 random winners soon.

Good morning, Y'all!!

Fingerprint Friday

2012-02-03T09:01:00.002-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

It's gray and rainy here today...
No matter how dark or dreary life can seem, just sing.
Sing to the Lord because he is there and does care about you, even if it feels like no one else does.

“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 59:16 NIV

Rustic Rainbow

2012-02-01T09:22:00.002-06:00

Just thought you might enjoy a splash of happy color in your day.

Happy Wednesday to you!

Small town USA

2012-01-30T10:30:00.002-06:00

For the past few months, Saturday mornings have been spent at basketball games.
And I love it. I love seeing the kids play, and observing the crowd.
(I could watch people all day long and be perfectly content...)

I thought I'd give you a little glimpse into not just our lives, but much of America's lives as well.
There are small towns like this all across the country.
The gym we played in has a stage.
This is the one and only auditorium at this school.
Concerts, high school plays, and ball games all happen here.

The bleachers aren't fancy metal or plastic, but old wood instead.

Windows galore... Beautiful light!

People dress like this, both young and old. This one just happened to be too cute to not snap a photo!

The top of the gym (which is really just a huge metal building) has been redone sometime recently.

I wanted you to see two things here.
1. That amazing woodwork at the top. So pretty!!
2. The timeclock. 25 seconds to go with a tied score. It was a good game!

We went into overtime. Our boys ended up losing by 1 point.

Some of the boys cried, which was heartbreaking for me. Not mine though.
He didn't cry at all. Not because he's so tough, but just because he really couldn't care less about basketball. Ha!
He's like, "Oh, the game's over now? Cool. Can we go get some snacks and play outside?!"
Hopefully next year he'll put his heart into it, but this year he just didn't care a bit.
It's way more fun to find girls to torture than to play basketball with a bunch of sweaty boys...

I do love to travel, shop, see big cities, and observe people wherever I go but I just don't think there's anything more beautiful than a small town in Middle America!

We're on TV! In New York City...

2012-01-27T20:50:00.007-06:00

I'm not really a fan of the group deal type sites.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to shop them! I can shop with the best of ya.
But as a small business owner, I'm not crazy about them.
I've seen many small business owners get the short end of the stick by doing them.
We've been asked many times to do one and have declined them.
I've always said the only way we would do a deep discount deal is if Tory Johnson came calling.

Well guess what? She did!

And earlier this week, a segment featuring The Rusted Chain aired in the New York area, on WABC. (I think our spot is about half way through...)

The video has been hit and miss for working... if it won't work, click here to watch it.

The deal is over now, but for our regular readers and shoppers, we're offering 20% off with code NYC20. (expires Sunday night.)

I keep saying it lately, but thank you guys for supporting us!
We love you! :)

Fingerprint Friday

2012-01-27T08:45:00.003-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

(cell phone shot)

This week we were blessed with gorgeous weather again.
Every single day has been mild and beautiful, perfect for evening walks.
(and I've lost 1 pound. Can I get a wooHoo?!)
I have to admit, I could go for some snow right about now. But I'll never turn down sunshine either!!
Or pretty sunsets...
Or walks with The Man...
Or little blessings from God...
It's the little things...

Happy Friday to you, beauties!!

Vintage goodness...

2012-01-25T11:44:00.005-06:00

Recently we were going through the attic looking for something and came across a stack of old photos.

I was so smitten with this one.
The post office.
It's timeless beauty.
Wondering who stepped through these doors...
Wondering how it looks today...

.
.
.
.
.

Okay that's a lie.
This is a post office we drive past on our way to and from Missouri.
And I've always wanted a photo of it.
So last weekend on my way home from my girl's getaway, I stopped in the middle of the road (for real), hopped out, snapped one quick photo, then jumped back in my car and moved on.

This is exactly how it looks today.
Isn't it cute?!
I would love for this to be in our little town!
I love buildings with a sense of nostalgia.

This one just looks like it has a story and I'm curious what it is...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! (wait... what?)

2012-01-23T09:19:00.003-06:00

Do you remember a while back when I said I was letting go?
Letting go of the pressure to do too much at the holidays...
One of the things I let go of was the idea of sending out Christmas cards.
I would have loved to do it. Really. But there was just no way it was going to happen.

So... I'm ~~breaking~~ re-writing the rules.
Who says cards have to be sent before Christmas?
Not me.
We're sending out Happy New Year cards!

We just put together sweet and simple handwritten cards wishing our loved ones a happy 2012.
We included a family photo from a session we had done late last year.

The idea is still the same, with heartfelt intent...
And people might actually be surprised by an unexpected card in the middle of January, right?!

You have permission to break the rules as well.
If you can't do it all (and who can?!), then just do what you can.
Even if it's a month later than expected.

This might become our new tradition.

Sponsor Spotlight...

2012-01-20T10:52:00.006-06:00

Over on the right side of this here blog, we have some pretty fabulous sponsors.
Occasionally I like to shine the spotlight on them.
I do hope you'll click around, check out these businesses, and get inspired!

*****
Buster and boo was born from a love of antiques and writing. I am a once-or twice published writer, and learned to type on a manual typewriter. I love working with these old, wonderful typewriter keys. For me, these keys turned into jewelry is a way to honor these old machines, and preserve a bit of the past. With each set of keys that I find, I wonder about how this machine was used - for what purpose. Was it in an office? A garrett? A college? These keys are a bit of a glimpse into the past. Reclaiming the keys is glorifying the wonderfulness of typewriters, and turning them into a mini piece of heirloom jewelry that will last a lifetime.
Enter the code "rustedchain" and receive 15% off!

******
Style Me Fashions: Style ME Fashions is a on-line store developed for the church-going girl/woman, business executive or everyday woman who has a strong desire to be stylish, classy and modest all at the same time. Our desire at Style ME Fashions is to keep "Modesty Alive."

******
Tippy Stockton Jewelry : It all began when I inherited my Mom's jewelry box after she had passed away. It's funny, I never remembered her wearing any of these amazing jewels. I've always been a girly, girl so I just knew at that moment that I needed to go on a hunt for vintage and other sparkly things. My dream of having my own site came true this week when I officially launched TippyStockton.com. I feel blessed beyond belief and I know that my angel is never far away. Patricia lives in Edmonds, WA and spends a great deal of time in her little Studio that sits under a huge spruce tree. Because of those snowed in in the Pacific NorthWest, ICE STORM will get you 20% off your purchase. Exp. 1/31.

*****
Sew Gracious : decorative pillow covers . home decor . accessories
Pam's lifetime of sewing experience & love of pretty things make each Sew Gracious special. Brand new to the Sew Gracious line : Decorative Pillow Covers! SG Pillow Covers are a beautiful, affordable way to spruce up your space! Available in pairs or to mix & match. More home items are coming soon!

*****
Burlap and Blue: I love spray paint, ruffles, thrift stores, dropcloths and Target (though maybe not in that exact order). I’m a big fan of DIY, and feel like you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a lot of style. Come get inspired!

*****
Octavia Bloom: Octavia Bloom began in 2005. Shortly after graduating college, owner & designer Jenny received an order from Anthropologie for her handmade jewelry and hasn't looked back since. Her love is for all things colorful and unique, which is what she desires to create in each of her pieces of jewelry. Currently, Jenny's work reflects a blossom shape with layers upon layers of color and texture.

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Minky and Me says: Sewing is a passion for me and I'm glad for the opportunity to share my creations with others. I specialize in blankets, tag alongs, custom clothing and so much more!

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Pink Lemonade says: Hello. I am Paige. A 15 year old homeschooled teen. Follower of Jesus. Daughter. Sister. Blogger. And owner of Pink Lemonade. I love my family and friends more than anything. I love crafting , shopping, cooking, thrifting, and sewing!

******
Doodle Bugs Paper: Doodle Bugs Paper began in January 2003. I started selling my personalized stationery by word of mouth, local home shows, and selling on ebay. The Doodle Bugs Paper website was opened in November 2004 and I went from designing stationery as a fun side hobby to a full time job. I offer personalized notecards, address labels, notepads, stickers, bag tags, self inking stamps and much more.

******
The Good Wife's Guide encourages women to make faith and family their first priorities from a place of sacrificial love. It reminds women that they were created with a specific purpose in mind, which is that of being a help meet. In supporting our husbands and living in unity we reflect God's blueprint for marriage.

==========

If you'd like to see your business featured here, just shoot me an email!

Do you like to go out and shop, or stay home and shop?

Fingerprint Friday

2012-01-20T08:19:00.003-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

The other day we were headed out to dinner and as we were driving down our dirt roads, the sunset grew more and more intense.
The colors were finally too much so I begged The Man to pull over to the side of the road.
I didn't have my real camera with me, only a cell phone but goodness gracious...
it was a breathtaking moment!

That. Was. Awesome.

2012-01-17T10:27:00.008-06:00

After such a busy season with The Rusted Chain, I've been exhausted.
I've been so ready for a break.
And while I was really wanting a beach, palm trees, and cabana boys, that wasn't an option right now with the kids in school and no one to watch them.

Sooooo, over the weekend my sister and I headed off for a girl's getaway.

We did our nails. Twice. Okay maybe three times.
The theme for the weekend was sparkles.
Every time we'd see anything sparkly we'd squeal like little girls, "Thparkles!!"

We drank large amounts of coffee. Neither of us is Diane, but Starbucks gave us a free Caramel Macchiato they goofed up. Score.

We had Chinese food. In Springfield, MO.
If you're ever in Springfield and have never tried their style of Cashew Chicken, do it.
It's my favorite. It's totally different than Chinese food anywhere else in the world, but Springfield is known for it.

There was this one random green chippy chair in the restaurant. All the others were black or white. And I wondered if I could sneek this one out with me.
Isn't it cute?

The toughest decision I had to make all weekend was firm or soft. I picked both.
And stuffed the rest around me.

We had a spa day. With the best massage I've ever had in my life. Ahhhhmazing.

We shopped and ate and talked and laughed and shopped some more.
I loved these colorful handmade rope reindeer.

Hoping to not get recognized. It worked. I didn't get asked for my autograph a single time.

I didn't actually eat these, but tweeted this pic to my friend Nichole Nordeman.
She loves the Italian Nachos from Old Chicago.

We had sushi. And tiramisu. And Doritos with wine while we watched the Golden Globes. (all on different days. I promise!)
I ooze class and sophistication.

The best part of this photo is that my sister is deathly afraid of clowns. And I made her hold my phone and take a picture of me with a clown. HeeHeeHee!!!

This store is called Devo and it's fabulous. You can try tons of different olive oils and balsamic vinegars. I could have taken a loaf of crusty bread in with me and called it my meal for the day.

I could have given you a hotel tour like Ree does, but we stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. Not terribly posh.
We did wake up smarter each morning though!

I tweeted a picture of these shoes and asked if I should buy them.
The overwhelming response was YES! I love that twitter helps me make my fashion decisions. They're now mine.

We LOVED the restaurant supply store. We're incredibly wild and crazy girls, in case you hadn't noticed. We know how to par-tayyyy!

I agree.

This is how we ended our weekend. So good. Such a splurge.
I came home 877 lbs. heavier than I left.

Based on the amount of shopping bags I have to unpack today, I should now be the best dressed lady in all of rural Kansas farm country.
So I'll pull on my favorite lounge pants and get to work.

If you had $500 and 3 free days, what would you do?

Fingerprint Friday

2012-01-13T08:43:00.004-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

This has been a busy week... full of meetings and emails and appointments and jewelry orders.
Nothing very noteworthy, just very productive.
I didn't even pick up my camera once. All I have is a cell phone snapshot of Lilo. Friday just sort of snuck up on me. In a good way!

Happy friday to you!!

Down & dirty, White & nerdy...

2012-01-10T11:13:00.002-06:00

Generally I try to keep my blog light. Silly. Inspirational. Positive.

I had to give a speech last night about my business, and in preparing for it, my eyes were really opened to realities of the past few years.
Getting to where we are now has not been easy.
At all.

I've been pushed down and stepped on.
I've been ridiculed and rejected more times than I can count.
I've been stabbed in the back by those I thought were friends.
People have immediately approached every celebrity we've worked with and "stolen" them.
I'm not a born business owner. I'm not a born leader.
I'm a tender hearted creative lady...
I've shed tears.
Maybe someday I'll go into some of the lessons I've learned.
Or maybe not. Who knows.

But it's made me wiser. A bit more savvy. And I'm happy to say that I don't think it's made me any less sensitive.
I understand more now than I ever thought I would or could.
I've always been accused of being a stubborn person. I like to think of it as a fierce determination.
And it's grown more fierce each passing day. (fiercer... that's not a word, right?)

It's not all easy. It's not all rainbows and sunshine.
But it's still so worth it. To be able to provide for my family.
To be able to stay at home with my kids.
To be able to inspire a few people along the way.
To be able to give financially more than I ever could have in the past.
To be taken seriously as a business owner. (Whaaa?? Me?!)
To be asked to be on tv, or give speeches.
To be able to shine a light for God... now that's cool.

At times it's been down and dirty.
But I'm still the same ol' white and nerdy girl I've always been.

Color me confused...

2012-01-09T10:16:00.002-06:00

This weather lately? Wacky!
I'm not complaining. I'll take sunshine any day!!
But it's January. We normally have snow.
Or ice. Or at the very least, lots of gray dreary days.

Now though? dandelions are popping up.
The grass is green.
And the other day, I noticed a new row of something growing in what was my garden.
I went to check it out.
Veggies.

My carrots and radishes are as confused as I am!

I'm the only one in my family who will eat radishes.
Sliced and sprinkled with salt - YUM.
Do you like radishes?

Fingerprint Friday

2012-01-06T08:28:00.003-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. -Isaiah 60:1

This week has been filled with sunshine, warm days, and even dandelions popping up.
Strange and unusual weather for sure!
But I've loved every second of it.
Happy Friday to you!!

Hey, whatcha doin'?

2012-01-05T09:58:00.005-06:00

Me? Just sitting here watching a coyote in my yard...

Wait, what?!

No, seriously. A coyote.

We hear them almost every night, but it's not very often that they just come strolling through the yard in the middle of the day.

When The Man got home and I told him he said, "Did you shoot it?!"

I proudly said, "YES!" and then grabbed my camera to show him the photos.
He rolled his eyes. "I meant with the gun, Beki."
Oh.

Many of you know that I'm not really a country girl. We moved to the country last year.
I'm still kind of an imposter.

You know how you can tell I'm not from around here?

I say kie-yoh-tee. If you're a true country person, this animal is a kie-yoat. 2 syllables, not 3.

And it really doesn't matter how you pronounce it, it still doesn't work phonetically with the spelling.

And regardless of the weird spelling and pronounciations, I still don't really want them in my yard.

How do you pronounce it? 2 syllables or 3?

It's Monday, man...

2012-01-02T12:56:00.005-06:00

But I thought it was Tuesday. ??
I'm so mixed up and turned around with all this holiday stuff.
The fact that the Rose Parade didn't air on New Year's morning really messed with my head, man.

We went to a party with friends the other night, but it was the night before New Year's Eve. Because they like to mess with my head too, man.
I discovered the joys of Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce.

We've had some crazy beautiful sunsets lately.
Sadly, I've been too lazy to get in the car with my real camera and go get a good shot.
But I'm quickly becoming a fan of the iphone camera, man.

I made one of our new bracelets for myself.
And I love it, man. Oh, do I love it. I've already gotten lots of compliments on it.
And it makes me so happy to look down and see this message.

Another pretty sunset, man.

Who loves the sunshine? That's me, man. Me. I'm pretty sure we need to move The Rusted Chain headquarters to Hawaii.

We still have one more Christmas to celebrate. Maybe when that's done and the kids are back in school, things will start to feel normal again.

I don't know, man. This schedule is messing with my melon.

What did you do for New Year's Eve?

New Year, New word, Big news!!

2011-12-31T11:53:00.004-06:00

Over the past few days we've listed several new pieces of jewelry for sale.

A metal cuff bracelet with a Short message (this is great for guys too!)

A metal cuff bracelet with a Long message (Fruits of the Spirit, family names, a verse, etc.)

Many of you do a Word of The Year, rather than New Year's Resolutions.
One simple word to focus on throughout the year.
My word this year is Dare.
Dare to be true to myself.
Dare to step out of my comfort zone.
Dare to dream bigger.
Dare to be courageous, not timid.
Dare to take risks.

The next necklace is one I'm super excited about!!
We've paired up with ICT S.O.S. - a local organization to help prevent human trafficking.
$10 from each of these sold in January will be donated to help!

What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking is modern day slavery and is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. It is the recruitment, transportation, harboring, or taking of persons by means of threat, force, coercion, abduction, fraud, or deception for the purpose of exploiting them. The United Nations estimates that 2.5 million people are trafficked annually. It deprives people of their human rights and freedoms, it is a global health risk, and it fuels organized crime.
Victims of trafficking are forced or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. Labor trafficking ranges from domestic servitude and small-scale labor operations to large-scale operations such as farms, sweatshops, and major multinational corporations.
Sex trafficking also happens to U.S. citizens and residents already residing within the U.S. borders. An estimated 300,000 American children are at risk for trafficking into the sex industry annually. Traffickers coerce women and children to enter the commercial sex industry through the use of a variety of recruitment and control mechanisms in strip clubs, street-based prostitution, escort services, and brothels. Source.

Be Free.

Even reading the description puts a lump in my throat.
It is a very real problem and we are honored to be able to do a tiny bit to help.

So.... That's a lot of info.
2012 is a year to be inspired. Make changes. Do more. Be daring.

What is your word of the year?

Fingerprint Friday

2011-12-30T08:45:00.003-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

Driving across Kansas the other day, in the middle of December, with no rain in site, I looked out my car window and noticed a huge rainbow.

If colors and scenes can be this beautiful on earth, I can only imagine what heaven will look like.
Rainbows everywhere? Warm yellow light? Gold sparkles? :) Yep, I believe so.

Hey Girl, .... This is all for you.

2011-12-28T09:50:00.006-06:00

There's a big trend right now - Ryan Gosling pictures with the words "Hey Girl" and then a message - things that women would love to hear.

Then a Hey Girl Handmade blog popped up. (click here)

And while I have nothing against Ryan Gosling, I mentioned on Facebook the other day that I think the Hey Girl's should include other men.

And I got a response. A big one.
One friend who I know is a homeschooler mentioned Hugh Jackman.
So to be silly, I grabbed a photo of him and edited it, then posted it to her wall.

And then it grew. And grew.
And before I knew it, I was making Hey Girl's with tons of different celebrity men.
While my kids ran wild and I should've been wrapping Christmas presents and praying The Man wouldn't show up while I was still in my pj's, I sat for way too long making Hey Girl's.

And then I started getting requests to please blog them.
So people can put them on pinterest.
So... Here are some Hey Girl's.
It's not my fault. Really...

Hey Girl, forgive me... I know not what I do.
It might have been lack of sleep.
Or stress.
Or Holiday libations.
Who knows.

Ho Ho Ho!

2011-12-27T11:40:00.004-06:00

Last week started our Christmas break.
And I started a break from my businesses.

I barely picked up my camera, which is rather nice sometimes.
No emails, no jewelry making, no nothing...
Just sleeping.
And sugar.
And coffee.
And eating.
And more sugar.
And chocolate.
And naps.
And caramel.
And nougat.
And pie.
And gooey butter cake.
And a candlelight service.
And caffeine.
And movie watching.
And laughing.
And whipped cream.
And family.
And sprinkles.
And java.
And cherry filling.
And toffee.
Oh yeah, and some presents too.

Whoever is opening presents gets to wear the Santa hat.

("that camera better not be aimed at me!!")

Today it's back to work though.

Do you have a usual Christmas dinner?
(We have turkey or ham, with stuffing, rolls, mashed potatoes, etc. for one side of the family. The other side of the family has a soup feast... Everyone brings a different type of soup!)

Fingerprint Friday

2011-12-23T08:57:00.002-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

What a week! I mentioned the other day that we had 2 kids' concerts to attend.
This is a snapshot of me and The Boy at one of them.
Children singing Christmas songs gets me choked up every time.
Our school has a tradition at the end of the Christmas concert where the kids all sing Silent Night.
Then the entire audience stands up and sings it with them!
For a brief moment, there is no "Public school" government legal blah blah drama... It's just an auditorium of people singing to God, led by children.

It's perfect.

Our TV segment...

2011-12-21T10:00:00.004-06:00

We've been featured in numerous magazines.
And I have at least one speaking engagement lined up for 2012.
But I think this is the first time we've been on TV about our business.

Apparently I roll my eyes when I'm nervous and talking.
Who knew??

The Baby makes a brief appearance.
And if you look closely, Lilo was under the desk. She's such a fame hog.

Have I mentioned that I feel abundantly blessed?
I do.

A birthday boy and I'm on TV.

2011-12-20T10:20:00.005-06:00

Yesterday was The Boy's birthday, but since it was going to be such a busy Monday, we celebrated over the weekend.
If you ever get the chance to have a baby 6 days before Christmas, don't.
It makes it very hard to do parties.
So our annual tradition is an indoor pool party.
We do easy, relaxed birthdays anyway. We just gathered up a bunch of his friends and went to the local indoor pool.

Then we headed back to our house for cake and presents. I seriously can't believe he's 10. I'm quite certain that I haven't aged a decade, even though he has.

We've started a new family tradition where I take donuts, rather than cupcakes, to the kid's classroom on their birthdays.
Donuts = different. Donuts = fun. Donuts = everyone loves them. Donus = one less thing for me to worry about.
So yesterday morning I got around bright and early and took donuts to The Boy's class.

I came home, headed into the studio and started making the last of our jewelry orders.
The phone rang. It was a local journalist who wanted to do a story on me/us/our business. And he wanted to do it right away.
Oh emm gee...
Because we live in the boondocks, it would take him about 45 minutes to get here.

We scrambled a little, maybe shoved a few things in drawers and closets, threw on mascara and lipgloss, thanked God that I wasn't wearing yoga pants and that I actually had a bra on, and prepared for a tv camera to show up.

Then another call came in. Our journalist was stuck. In the mud.
Because we live in THE BOONDOCKS!! My assistant and I made numerous phone calls and finally found a local farmer who could go pull him out.

So about an hour and 45 minutes later, he arrived and we did an interview.
I'm not entirely sure what I said.
I think I spit and stumbled a lot.
Lilo goosed the cameraman.
I'm pretty sure we laughed a lot.

And it airs tonight on the 6:00 news. Local people, tune into KAKE channel 10.
And please don't laugh at me. Or my chins.
Not so local people, I'll try to get online video when it's available and post it soon.

Then last night (still The Boy's birthday...) was his Christmas concert.
Christmas at the OK Corall.

This was followed by more cake. And more presents. And a mommy drink.

Oh, and I keep meaning to tell you - The Rusted Chain was thrilled to be featured in Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine's Holiday Gift Guide! (Hello, number 9!)

That's the end.

(I lied. That wasn't really the end. The winner our our recent giveaway is Danyelle! Congrats!! Please email therustedchaininfo AT yahoo.com to claim your $50 gift certificate.
That's the end. For real this time.)

Christmas Gift Certificate sale!

2011-12-19T10:05:00.003-06:00

Our Christmas deadline has arrived.
As of today, we can't ship orders for Christmas delivery.
Our team has worked insane hours to get all of our orders out!
I've been so impressed! The only thing the could've done to produce more jewelry is move in with us...
They've put in long hours and I am so appreciative.

So since we're no longer shipping in time for Christmas, we're offering a Gift Certificate sale!

For every $25 gift certificate purchased you'll receive a $5 coupon to be used in January. (gift certificates are emailed manually and will arrive within 24 hours.)

If you buy a $25 gift certificate you get a $5 coupon.
If you buy $50 in gift certificates, you get a $10 coupon.

You can have it emailed to the recipient, or to yourself... Even purchase it for yourself if you want a treat!

Happy New Week to you!

Happy RandomDays...

2011-12-18T11:01:00.002-06:00

*It's 10:49am and I smell popcorn. I wonder if I forgot to feed someone breakfast.

*This week we have a birthday for one of my kids.

*This week we have a concert for one of my kids.

*This week we have another concert for another one of my kids.

*This week we have 3 different dentist appointments.

*Thursday was National Cupcake Day. Did you know that? I'm a good blogger - telling you about it a few days late. I made cupcakes for my family.

*I'm nice sometimes.

*Did you know they make snowman Peeps? Now you do.

*I miss blogging. And taking fun pictures. And feeling "normal."

*I think I'm going to stay in my pj's for all of January, curled up in bed playing on pinterest and catching up on your blogs. I miss you.

*I just changed my mind. I'm going to spend all of January on a beach somewhere, not connected to the internet at all.

*Don't take that personally. I still miss you. But a beach sounds better than my bed.

*We have a bunch of people coming over in just a bit and I'm still in my Mickey Mouse lounge pants... a.k.a. "Work Attire."

*It's funny how you can want something so badly and when you get it, it's different than what you thought it would be.

*I'm not complaining. At all. Just saying, things can be different than you expect.

*I should shower now.

*Bye.

*Happy Sunday.

Fingerprint Friday

2011-12-16T09:04:00.002-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.” Luke 1:46-47, 49 NIV

Happy Friday to you lovelies. I hope you have a weekend filled with rejoicing!

Love it! {baking sheets}

2011-12-14T09:58:00.002-06:00

If you still don't know what to ask your family for for Christmas, this is is what you need.

Commercial baking sheets.

I know... I didn't know I needed them either.
ReeRee said so. She has mentioned several times that they're essential in the kitchen.
So last year I asked The Man to get some for me.
I didn't even know why I needed them, or what I'd use them for but if ReeRee said so then I was willing to listen to her.

They're 18x12 inches and if you get high quality ones, they'll never rust.
I ended up receiving 4 of them and I L.O.V.E. them. Love.
Use them all the time.
They're perfect for biscuits, baked potatoes, cookies, roasting veggies, sheet cakes, and thousands of other things.
If you're in a time crunch and need a cake, whip up a store bought cake mix and bake it in one of these for 17-18 minutes. Instant sheet cake.
We grill out a lot, even in the winter, and The Man uses one to carry steaks, seasonings, and grill tools out to the fire pit and back.
They have a lip on them so nothing drips off.

I promise, even if you didn't think you needed them, you do.
And your life will never be the same.

***********
Be sure to enter the giveaway in the post below this one!!

And we're still accepting orders and shipping in time for Christmas delivery within the US!

A bit of nothing... {giveaway!}

2011-12-12T13:23:00.003-06:00

I could bore you by telling you I've been crazy busy lately.
That I haven't had time to do anything other than eat, sleep, and work.
And eat plenty of Subway $2 subs.
And the occasional store bought cookie.
And comsume large doses of coffee.

And put sunglasses on Lilo.
And wonder why my couch looks green/yellow in cell phone pictures when it's really white, but not care enough to do anything about it.

But other than that I've had no time.

So I'll just ask you something.
What is the best gift you've ever received? Or if you've never received anything good, what's the best gift you've ever given?
Or if you've never giving anything, just tell me your hair color.

Whatever. Just leave a comment and you're entered to win a $50 gift certificate to The Rusted Chain! (we'll draw a random winner soon.)

*Facebook it, blog it, tweet it, pin it for extra entries. Please leave additional comments for each of these.

Date night with mummies.

2011-12-10T10:37:00.003-06:00

A while back The Man won tickets to a concert with a group called Here Come The Mummies.
Yeah.

Last night was the concert... and it was really good!
The Mummies are all Grammy winning artists who travel in this group called Here Come The Mummies, but keep their identities hidden.

Their sound is really cool... A little New Orleans, heavy on the trumpets and saxaphones, a lot of drums, very funky with an Earth Wind and Fire kind of vibe.
They have a huge cult following.

Here's the thing though... they're dirty. Naughty.
Not vulgar words, but definitely off color. You wouldn't want to take kids.

I don't really think I'd buy their music to listen to on a regular basis.
But I'd definitely see them in concert again!
If you have the chance, it's really fun.
They put on an amazing stage show!
If you ignore the dirty lyrics, the show is super cool. Ha!

Happy Weekend to you!!

Fingerprint Friday

2011-12-09T08:37:00.002-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

Lately it's beginning to look and feel a lot more like Christmas.
It's cold and a lot of days have been gray. We've had several heavy frosts and a little snow...
Combined with all the holiday madness it could be depressing. It really could.
But then I stop and think about what a wonderful joy Christmas is!
And suddenly everything in my mind shifts. Things seem brighter and happy, and joyous and even... sparkly. :) What a great time of year!!

On letting go...

2011-12-06T10:28:00.003-06:00

I'm changing. It's not comfortable, but it's good.

I like to think of myself as a good mom, a decent decorator, a crafty person with lots of ideas, someone with a fair amount of talent.

In the months leading up to The Holidays, my mind swirls with things I'll do, moments I'll create with the kids, all the fresh cookies and candies I'll make, and how amazing our home will look all decorated.
(Dang you Pinterest!!)

For the past few years I've been overwhelmed with jewelry orders and have ended up a blubbering bawling yelling stressed out hot mess.

This year I'm realizing that I am not Martha.
Not even Martha is really Martha. She has a huge staff of people to help her get everything done.

Most days lately I spend 14 hours (or more) in the studio making jewelry.
And that's okay. I'm beyond blessed.
I have a great team of helpers and an incredible support system.

We've put up a tree and that's where I'm stopping for this year.
I'm letting go of the idea of every room in the house being decorated and looking magazine perfect.
I may buy store bought cookie dough and bake with the kids.
I don't really have to provide fresh cookies to everyone I know.
Our "Christmas crafts" may consist of printer paper and crayons.
We'll still create plenty of family memories but they may be captured on a cell phone camera, not with my big fancy camera.
They may not get blogged.
We may eat out too many times this month because I'm too busy to cook.
But it's okay.

My kids and husband like me so much more when I'm not crying or yelling. (ha.)

I've never had a holiday season this stress-free, despite our business being bigger than ever.
This year is the first in a really long time that I'm learning to let go.
And it feels so good.

I suggest you try it.

Rain and coffee and cake

2011-12-05T09:33:00.003-06:00

Our weekend looked a lot like this.

Cold and rainy. But The Boy had a basketball game so we braved the nasty weather and did the good parent thing to do.

Someone should feed this child a sandwich.
He's so skinny and scrawny. He got that from his mama. *ahem*

Convenience store coffee.

Saturday was also laundry day. (Don't you love that you took time out of your busy Monday to come here and all you get to see is my laundry? Ha!)

Our shower broke. That's not fun.
We all took baths though, so we're not too stinky.

Sunday was The Baby's birthday. 5
I'm not even sure how that happened.
We went to lunch with some friends and family.

Then we went to a movie. Arthur Christmas.
It was really cute!!

Back home at night for cake and more presents.

It was cold and busy but really nice.
Is it January yet? I'm kind of ready for it.

Fingerprint Friday

2011-12-02T09:01:00.003-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

Last night I took The Man on a surprise date to a concert called The Story Tour.
It featured Max Lucado, Natalie Grant, Newsboys, Steven Curtis Chapman, Selah, Randy Frazee, Francesca Battestelli, and plenty more.

What a night!! It was beautiful and emotional. God's presence and power were so apparent in the room.
That was my highlight of the week!!

(I can't get the Linky website to work so please leave your links in the comments!)

December Giving...

2011-12-01T10:17:00.003-06:00

Happy December!!

Some of you have been "with me" since my business was selling a few jewelry items each week on ebay.
Then it was etsy.
Then it was our new name, The Rusted Chain.

Then things exploded. This "little" business of mine has become bigger than I could have ever imagined.
And I feel so humbled and blessed.

As an act of thankfulness, we try to give back. A lot.
We don't usually mention it.

But now I'm announcing that 10% of all our sales in December will be donated to Salvation Army to help Joplin families!

(I mentioned it the other day, but just casually in a blog post...)

We discussed numerous organizations we'd like to help, as well as the reasons behind each.
But my kids really wanted to help Joplin.
It's close to home for us. And we've seen the devastation first hand.
My kids just couldn't imagine these families who've lost their homes, not having anything for Christmas.

It feels so good to give!!

***If you had $10,000 to donate to any charity or organization, which would you choose?

Soft and pretty....

2011-11-29T12:46:00.003-06:00

At a wedding I got to photograph recently, everything just struck me as so soft and pretty.
The weather that day was perfect.
The lighting was amazing.
(none of these are sized for the blog and tend to look pixelated here.)

The bride: lovely and soft and pretty.

The church was beautiful... a little white chapel with amazing windows and wooden pews.

Weddings make me cry happy. Every.Single.Time.

There was so much love and trust between this glowing bride and her groom.
I was completely honored that they found me, asked me to be their photographer, and let me be a part of their beautiful day.

I'm still working on editing the last of the photo sessions from Fall families, and now we're in the peak of Christmas jewelry orders.
It's going to be a bumpy and wild few weeks around here, I think!

Fun weekend...

2011-11-28T09:55:00.005-06:00

We headed off to Springfield Missouri for the holiday weekend.
We ate too much turkey, pie, and mashed potatoes but loved every minute of it.

My sister and I went out shopping at Midnight Thursday night / Friday morning.
We went to Battlefield mall and oh.mah.gosh... What a madhouse!
There were people everywhere. And free donuts, which was nice.
I was on my phone (I'm no longer Amish, people!!! Can I get an amen?!) tweeting pictures while we were shopping.
And my BFF's Candace Cameron Bure and Mandy Young were doing the same.
Candace in California, Mandy in Georgia, and me in Missouri.
It was a really fun night.

Also over the weekend, we went to Silver Dollar City.
It's so beautiful at Christmas! They put up over 4 million lights!!

And we went to Bass Pro Shops. They do a Christmas Wonderland play area for kids.

I spent too much money, ate too many calories, and don't regret a bit of it.

How was your weekend? What did you do for Thanksgiving? Do you go out with the crazies on Black Friday or stay home?

Remember to check out our Cyber Monday sale... It expires tonight!

Cyber Monday!! {and Christmas giving}

2011-11-27T17:26:00.002-06:00

I hope you've had a fun weekend! We sure have.

We have a stellar Cyber Monday sale this year... and it starts right now.

Use code MONDAY to take 15% off your entire purchase.
AND any purchase of $60 or more will receive a free Christmas ornament!! That's a $20 value!
Just mention it when you check out... Right under the shipping address on paypal is a spot for notes - That's where you'll tell us you'd like the ornament and what you'd like it to say!
{it must be included in your order to qualify. Emails sent after the order is complete cannot qualify for the ornament.} Expires Monday night at 11:59pm.

On a different note, we're giving 10% of all sales in Dec to Salvation Army to help Joplin families. We're so blessed to be able to give a bit to families who've lost nearly everything this year.

Happy day to you, my lovelies.

Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday...

2011-11-24T18:03:00.004-06:00

First of all... Happy Thanksgiving!!
I truly hope you've had a warm and happy day filled with too much food, and plenty of love and warmth.

Second...
Here is a new necklace design. It's extremely limited and once they're gone, they won't be back.
Christmas Believe necklace

Third... Beginning right now is our Black Friday sale. (expires Friday night at 11:59)
Use code BLACKFRIDAY for 20% off everything in our entire shop!

Fourth... Saturday is "Small Business Saturday." I'd like to strongly encourage you to support small businesses on this day. Whether it's online, in your hometown, down on Main street, or wherever. Our economy needs a push, you'll be supporting small business owners, and you'll probably get a more unique product than any big box store can offer.

Fifth... Stay tuned for our Cyber Monday deals!

Hugs and kisses to you... You warm my heart. Truly.
Thank you for sharing this part of my life and caring the way you guys do.
Happy Thanksgiving to you.

(p.s. No Fingerprint Friday this week!!)

Country Living... (and a winner)

2011-11-22T10:43:00.003-06:00

Country living is awesome because there is plenty of room for a Basset Hound to run and play.
But she'd still rather be right in my face.

Country living is awesome because we have critters and deer run through our yard.

Country living is awesome because there are mountains of leaves to be gathered into red wagons.

Country living is awesome because when my baby Sully comes running toward me carrying something I say, "Oh Sully! You got a big stick!" ... and then he gets closer and I realize it's not a stick at all, it's a spine.

I'm sorry you had to see that. Sort of.
I'm sorry I had to see it.

Are you a city girl or country girl?
p.s. The winner of the recent giveaway is Lisa. Congratulations! Please email therustedchaininfo AT yahoo.com to claim your prize.

The weekend...

2011-11-21T09:35:00.003-06:00

was nice. Full of relaxing and girly stuff.
Sometimes it's so fun to be a girl!
I went to a jewelry party hosted by a friend.
The jewelry was from Plane Janes, who participate in the Barn Sale.

They also have candles and wreaths and other cute things.

Oh yeah... there were peanut butter brownies too.

Then I went and visited my friend's new store... It's super cute!

Then I napped.
And made tons of jewelry.
And napped.
And ignored calories.
And drank egg nog.

It was really good.
What did you do over the weekend?

Pretty people...

2011-11-19T08:24:00.001-06:00

It seemed to take a long time for our trees to turn pretty this year.
But they finally did just recently and everything has been so pretty!
So it was fun to plop pretty people in our pretty yard and take pretty pictures of them.
I didn't know the D family before the photo shoot and I think those are my favorite kind... just word of mouth from other clients, or people who've found me through my blog or facebook page.

When they showed up they were all so nice!! And so... pretty!

Such a classic boy... He couldn't wait to get on this log across the creek.

Prettttttty.

Pretty pretty pretty.

We're very busy with jewelry orders right now, but if you're local and we have a pretty day with pretty weather and you want pretty pictures of your pretty people, let me know...

Pretty things make me pretty happy.

p.s. I've been asked a lot about hosting another photography workshop. So I'm going to! It'll be in January. And it'll be free.
We'll just cover some photography basics, learn about ISO and aperture, and learn how to shoot in Manual!

Fingerprint Friday

2011-11-18T08:27:00.002-06:00

Sparkly and Bright

2011-11-17T09:22:00.002-06:00

It may be a bit premature, but I have Christmas on the brain.
Big time.
We've been playing Christmas music since November 1 in our little jewelry studio.
While I am very excited for Thanksgiving next week, we don't really do Thanksgiving decorations so I keep thinking about Christmas decorations.
I don't have mine up yet, so you don't have to get all bothered and bunched up about that.

But I photographed a wedding recently that had some gorgeous Christmas decor up and I loved this idea so I wanted to show you.

It was a sideboard table or buffet type piece of furniture, with a mirror back.
On it, there were lots of rows of white lights.
Over the white lights was several layers of glittery tulle.
And then vintage crystal candlesticks with ornaments turned upside down on them.

It was so sparkly and beautiful!

Such an easy little thing to do, but wow did it make a big impact in the room!

Talk to me: Do you have Christmas decor up yet? Are you thinking of any yet? Or are you annoyed with people like me who get excited for Christmas before Thanksgiving?

Love it. {Buxom}

2011-11-16T09:23:00.002-06:00

I'm telling you lately about a few products I love.
And one that I use daily... even if I'm in my yoga pants... can't live without... is
Buxom Lip gloss by Bare Escentuals, the company that makes Bare Minerals.

Love this stuff.

I grabbed the first 3 out of my purse to snap a photo.
But here's the truth... I probably have 8 or 9 more swimming in the bottom of my purse.

It's silky not sticky. It's slightly tingly. It's minty and vanilla-y at the same time. It's sheer. It's not goopy. It layers beautifully over other colors. It's affordable. And it lasts.

It's my favorite lipgloss ever.

Ever. Ever. Ever.

It would be a great gift to a girlfriend, gift to yourself, or stocking stuffer.

*Bare Minerals didn't pay me or sponsor this post in any way. I just love their products.

Do you have a favorite lip product?

Life's too short... {giveaway}

2011-11-14T11:33:00.005-06:00

to hold a grudge.
to eat bad chocolate.
to not be doing what you love.
to give up on your dreams.
to not spend time with God daily.
to not savor every moment.
to not give to others.

Life is just too short to waste days being selfish, grumpy, or unhappy.
If you're annoyed with your kids or spouse, let it go.
If you've given in and are at a job you can't stand, consider making a bold move.
God didn't design us to be fearful or negative. He wants us to have abundant joy!

I know it's not much, but I want to share a little bit of joy with you.
One of you will win a $50 gift certificate to TheRustedChain.com.

Just leave a comment telling one thing you're happy about today.
Facebook it, tweet it, pin it, or blog it for additional entries.
Please leave comments for each of these you do.
We'll pull a random winner in a week or so.

Happy Monday to you!

Fingerprint Friday

2011-11-11T08:31:00.002-06:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
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Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
— 2 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)

This verse made me laugh today... In the middle of the night one our dogs wanted to go out. So I let him out. Then heard crazy barking. Then smelled a foul fragrance... of skunk.
Not exactly the pleasant fragrance of the knowledge of God.
I kind of just want to take a nap in the sunshine, laying in the leaves, smelling a nice fragrance, not a skunky one.

Love it. {Krafty Kash}

2011-11-10T10:53:00.002-06:00

I frequently get asked to review or promote products on my blog.
And it's always weird. I want to. But I always worry about how it will be perceived.
I don't want it to seem fake and forced.

Between now and Christmas I'm going to be telling you about some products I love, that just might make good gifts... not because I have to, but just because I want to!

The first one is Krafty Kash.
Kashoan is a Midwestern lady who makes cute things, and has a family full of people whose first names start with K. Kool, huh? (Ha.)

A while back I purchased a necklace from her just because it was calling my name.
It's made from a vintage dictionary page, and she can find just about any word you'd like!

I love that it's long at 24". I wear it layered with my own stamped jewelry, or a string of fun colorful beads.

I added the pearl myself. Just because I love them. And it goes so well with the vintage brass color of the necklace.

You could pick a word that's meaningful to you, a scripture, or even your state!

You can also enter code rustedchain for 20% off! Click here to shop.

Which one would you get?

*KraftyKash did not pay me or sponsor this post in any way.

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

2011-11-08T09:34:00.003-06:00

This came from a Pillsbury Bake Off Cookie Book from 1967.
We use this recipe all the time, particularly in Fall and Winter.

It turns out perfect cookies every single time.
Not too thick, not too thin. Not too crunchy, not too squishy. Just soft enough.

Here's the deal. The original recipe is for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
And as much as I looooove me some chocolate, these are easily transformed into a lovely Fall flavor by switching out the chips for Craisins, and adding cinnamon.

So we make 'em both ways. And they're wonderful both ways.

Perfect Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup Craisins (or to taste)
1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients except oats and Craisins. Mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Shape into balls (we use a little ice cream scoop) and drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool.

**Frequently I don't have shortening so we replace it with butter and they still work fine.
**You can also add 1 cup nuts (chopped almonds or walnuts) if you'd like.
**It's not necessary to have a superhero helping you in the kitchen, but it does make cooking baking more enjoyable.

Let me know if you try them!

That's just weird.

2011-11-07T09:59:00.004-06:00

What a weird weekend.

- By Friday night I was desperate for alone time. I crave it sometimes. I was at my wit's end. I just wanted to go shop at Hobby Lobby for hours or anything to empty my brain. Alone.
For some reason my family likes me. And they wanted to be with me. A lot. So they took me to dinner.
After dinner, it was too late to go to the city, so I pleaded with them for just some time to go browse the walmarts. Alone. They agreed.
I took a seperate car, let out a big sigh of relief, and headed to the only place around that's open at 9:30pm. The WalMarts.
And wouldn't you know, as I was shopping alone brainlessly, I heard voices I recognized.
My own people. The Man, The Girl, The Boy, and The Baby. *sigh*
They decided they needed to take a trip there too. And they hung out with me on my "mommy needs to be alone time."
Weird.

- Right before I went to The WalMarts, I swung into McDonald's for a coffee. I don't know why. I try their coffee about once ever 6 months, and always cringe from the strange funk, and swear I'm never drinking it again.
But I thought it would be a relaxing thing in my alone time, to have a hot coffee in my hands.
And you know what? It was good. Really good. Later I mentioned it to The Man and he said he'd heard that McD's changed their coffee.
So I suddenly like McDonald's coffee.
Weird!

- The Baby sprouted a mustache. An impressive gray one, at that.
Weird.

- We had an earthquake Saturday night. Actually it was in Oklahoma, but we felt it here.
And actually I didn't feel it at all. Even though I was sitting in the same room as The Man, and he felt it.
He goes, "What was that?! And why is the chandelier swinging??" I looked up and sure enough, that thing was swinging like crazy!
But I hadn't felt anything. Probably my only chance to feel an earthquake in my lifetime and I missed it.
Weird.
- My house is clean. (mostly...) Weird.

- I got an extra hour of sleep Sunday morning. Then got up for a bit and decided I needed a nap. And slept for 3 more hours. Weird.

- "I before E, except after C." Weird.

How was your weekend? (hopefully not weird.)

Photos, Christmas, a winner, and stuff...

2011-11-05T08:01:00.001-05:00

I'm about done with photo sessions for the year.
I think.
Today I'm shooting a wedding.
Tomorrow I'm shooting a couple.

And then that's it for photos this year. Probably.
Here are a few I've done recently.
(none of them are resized for the blog so they tend to look pixelated here.)

This family drove all the way from Oklahoma just to have me do their photos. Wow!

This one makes me laugh.

This was the "D" family and they were so nice!!
These were the best behaved kids I've ever seen. Polite, funny, sweet...

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The winner of the recent giveaway is Vanessa. Congrats Vanessa!! Please email therustedchaininfo AT yahoo to claim your prize.

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The other day Lilo walked right up to a the backside of a skunk and got sprayed.
So instead of smelling like a stinky basset hound, she smells like a stinky skunky basset hound.

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I know it's barely November. I get it. I hear ya. I'm a huge fan of Thanksgiving.
But for those of you who are on the ball and already preparing for Christmas, we have our new ornament out!

Each year our ornaments have been a huge hit. This year we went a totally different route and did a very rustic design.

And look at the cute ribbons you can pick from!

Click here to shop.

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Sometimes I think I'm crazy. I tend to take on too much.
And when I get flustered and start whining about it, The Man always just says, "Sounds like life to me."
I know.

I'm thinking a relaxing day or weekend sounds reeeeeeally good right about now.
Maybe in January I'll get one.

If you could get away for the weekend to relax, where would you go? What would you do?

Fingerprint Friday

2011-11-04T09:27:00.001-05:00

Do it in love.

2011-11-03T09:49:00.005-05:00

Meet my friend Melissa.

We met online years ago on a message board. We've emailed, talked on the phone, bought from each other (she makes adorable things!!), and kept in touch for probably 6 years or so.

Her blog is colorful, beautiful, and heartwarming. Her voice is genuine and real.
She's just the real thing.

A couple weeks ago I got a package from her. I hadn't purchased anything from her recently so I didn't know what it was.
It was simply a sweet card, a decorated candy tub filled with candy, and a package of mommy chocolate, all wrapped up with hot pink zebra tape.

Her thoughtfulness inspires me.

It wasn't anything expensive or grand, but just a simple act that spoke volumes.
It reminds me of the verse "Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Cor. 16:14

I think we all get busy sometimes and forget that a simple little thing can brighten someone's day.
Love on someone soon.
Do a tiny little something for someone who isn't expecting it.
Give a friend mommy chocolate. (the good stuff that she can stash away and not share.)
Expect nothing in return.

Let all you do be done in love.

Sugar Ray

2011-11-01T09:47:00.003-05:00

When we were at EPCOT last week (was that last week?! My days are running together!) we saw a sign that said Sugar Ray would be in concert that evening.

I thought, "Cool! I like Sugar Ray. Their music takes me back to the 90's... back when I watched Friends religiously, sported "The Rachel" hairdo, and was skinny even though I didn't know it..."

I also loved Mark McGrath on the recent Celebrity Apprentice. I was totally pulling for him to win. (I think that's the 5th time I've used the word "totally" today... I'm like totally a Kansas valley girl all of a sudden.)

So we went. We grabbed our seats about 30 minutes before it was to start.
And at the last second I looked at The Man and said, "Wait! What if Mark McGrath isn't the lead singer anymore? If it's Sugar Ray with a bunch of new members, I'm going to Test Track."

And then they came out. And it was really him.

He showed off his mad cowbell skills.

It was insanely humid. And then it started raining.
And Mark went out into the crowd in the rain. What a nice guy!

They were really good. Very energetic and kind, and seemed to be having a great time at Disney.

My kids loved it too. The big ones anyway. This is what The Baby thought of it...

It was very fun! Very peppy. Very family friendly, which we appreciated.

The following night was a band I'd never heard of. And then it was Hanson. mmmmBop.
I'm glad we were there on the right day.

Happy November!

Discount codes and the Halloween Grinch

2011-10-31T09:03:00.001-05:00

Confession: I don't love Halloween.
I don't love all the candy. (I actually am not a big candy fan at all, so that works in my favor. If people handed out cupcakes, I'd be in big trouble though.)
I never prepare my kids' costumes in advance. (Mom of the Year.)
I'm okay with the happy, fun, sweet costumes but don't like the gruesome gory ones.
I'm a bit of a Halloween Grinch.
We did carve pumpkins over the weekend, despite me grumbling through it all (under my breath.)
And you know what? I survived. Ha! The kids love it. It's making good memories for them. That's what I always tell myself.

I do a lot of other good "mom things." But Halloween doesn't do much for me other than make me stabby. (get it? stabby. Ha.)

Okay enough with my grumbling... In case you never noticed, I have some awesome advertisers over there on the right sidebar!
And frequently they're kind enough to introduce themselves to you, sometimes even offering you discounts to use!
Check them out. I am sure you'll find something you love.

******
My Creative Peace: Funky.Boho.Hippie.Upcycled Love. Hi there! My name is Robin Norgren and I am a girl with braids in her hair and hope in her heart trying to let my little light shine in the world. My work is mostly inspired by funky, hippie, bohemian stylings. I hope you find items in my shop that inspire you to live a more creative life. All items are one of a kind. This shop is a off shoot of my etsy shop Well of Creations offering funky hippie one of a kind crocheted goodness. Thank you for taking the time to peek into my space.

******
Tippy Stockton Jewelry : It all began when I inherited my Mom's jewelry box after she had passed away. It's funny, I never remembered her wearing any of these amazing jewels. I've always been a girly, girl so I just knew at that moment that I needed to go on a hunt for vintage and other sparkly things. My dream of having my own site came true this week when I officially launched TippyStockton.com. I feel blessed beyond belief and I know that my angel is never far away. Patricia lives in Edmonds, WA and spends a great deal of time in her little Studio that sits under a huge spruce tree.
Purchase $75 in merchandise, and I will throw in a pair of my JEWEL earrings for free (a retail value of $30). Exp. 11/15.

*****
Sew Gracious : decorative pillow covers . home decor . accessories
Pam's lifetime of sewing experience & love of pretty things make each Sew Gracious special. Brand new to the Sew Gracious line : Decorative Pillow Covers! SG Pillow Covers are a beautiful, affordable way to spruce up your space! Available in pairs or to mix & match. More home items are coming soon!

*****
Heart of Virtue is a site filled with information, tips, and ideas for raising Godly girls. Their book "What Every Girl Should Know" is a personal favorite in our household and it would be great for youth groups or Sunday School classes.

******
Minky and Me says: Sewing is a passion for me and I'm glad for the opportunity to share my creations with others. I specialize in blankets, tag alongs, custom clothing and so much more!

******
Pink Lemonade says: Hello. I am Paige. A 15 year old homeschooled teen. Follower of Jesus. Daughter. Sister. Blogger. And owner of Pink Lemonade. I love my family and friends more than anything. I love crafting , shopping, cooking, thrifting, and sewing!

*****
Buster and boo was born from a love of antiques and writing. I am a once-or twice published writer, and learned to type on a manual typewriter. I love working with these old, wonderful typewriter keys. For me, these keys turned into jewelry is a way to honor these old machines, and preserve a bit of the past. With each set of keys that I find, I wonder about how this machine was used - for what purpose. Was it in an office? A garrett? A college? These keys are a bit of a glimpse into the past. Reclaiming the keys is glorifying the wonderfulness of typewriters, and turning them into a mini piece of heirloom jewelry that will last a lifetime.
Enter the code "rustedchain" and receive 15% off!

******
burlap+blue was created by Linda, who wanted a way to stay creative while staying at home with her toddler boy. We specialize in vintage-inspired, handcrafted goods, including dessert pedestals, personalized coaster sets (great wedding gift!) and personalized matching games for the kids! My blog, www.burlapandblue.com, has tutorials, home inspiration, and giveaways (check in Tuesday for a $75 giveaway to my shop!!).

==========

Guts.

But Beki, why are there only 4 pumpkins instead of 5? Oh yeah... because Beki was busy ~~grumbling~~ supervising and taking photos.

Happy Halloween to you!!
Tell me, do you love it? Hate it? Don't care?

Come fly with me { Giveaway! }

2011-10-29T11:45:00.003-05:00

As we were on our way to the airport recently, driving through Kansas, a hot air balloon floated right over the road above us.

I grabbed my camera and snapped a few pictures through the dirty windshield.

It was so pretty!

Because I got a good night's sleep last night...
and because I had a relaxing morning today...
and because my kids are all behaving...
and because I'm wearing fuzzy Mickey Mouse lounge pants...
and because the sun is shining...
and because I just like you...
Let's give away a $25 gift certificate to The Rusted Chain!

Just leave a comment answering this: Have you ever been up in a hot air balloon?

For additional entries: Facebook this, tweet it, blog it, pin it on pinterest.
(please leave additional comments for each thing you do.)

We'll draw a random winner soon.

Happy Day to you!

Fingerprint Friday

2011-10-28T08:15:00.001-05:00

It's magic.

2011-10-27T09:09:00.005-05:00

A few more photos from our Disney trip.

Clockwise starting at top left: 1. light up train 2. castle at night 3. Pete's Dragon (do you remember this movie? I LOVED it when I was a kid.) 4. Fall decorations 5. Electrical parade

(clockwise from top left) 1. rapping percussion comedian chefs (they were awesome!) 2. Toys Will Be Toys 3. Nemo ride 4. Soarin' - my favorite ride ever. 5. the big EPCOT ball 6. a cranberry bog 7. sticky sugary mess 8. a random line dance party broke out in the middle of the Coke shop. Fun! 9. Mickey pretzel

(clockwise from top left) 1. Rockin' Roller Coaster (fun but too loud for me because I'm an old lady) 2. Sully that we named our dog after 3. Tower of Terror (SO FuN!) 4. the big hat 5. water tower with Mickey ears 6. Are we having fun yet?! 7. Carl from Up. (gosh I love that movie.) 8. the kids at a sticker station 9. Mickey topiary

(clockwise from top left) 1. Me and The Boy (don't know what kind of weird face he was making) 2. Pooh and The Baby 3. Mickey ferris wheel 4. Disney Jr. show (The Baby said, "Those are not the real ones. Those are just puppets. The real ones are on tv.) 5. Pluto, Minnie, and The Baby

(clockwise from top left) 1. Mickey and Minnie topiaries 2. Thunder Mountain Railroad (we waited in line over an hour for this. Ugh.) 3. Splash Mountain (zippety doo dah, zippety ay..) 4. Pumba 5. carousel 6. Stitch, Lilo and Woody in the parade 7. Alice! (love her.) 8. Mickey 9. Get an idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it's done, and done right. ~Walt Disney

Saying goodbye...

We're recovering.
The laundry is all done. And by done, I mean washed and dried and piled on the couch.

Most of the suitcases are put away.

I still haven't been grocery shopping since we got home so we've had a lot of sandwiches for meals this week. (Mom of the Year!)

We're getting there...

Do you do amusement parks? Do you like roller coasters?

A little surprise...

2011-10-25T08:50:00.005-05:00

We've been gone.

Last week we went on a safari.

Okay that's not entirely true.
We took the kids on a surprise trip.
The first day, we went to Silver Dollar City in Missouri.
I didn't even take my camera so I don't have a single photo to share.

Then that night, after their baths and right before bed, we told them that they were flying out to Disney the next morning!

We had a superhero on the plane with us.

One of my favorite quotes.

I have lots more photos to share with you, but today I'm focused on tackling the seemingly impossible mountain of work that's built up.
11 days away creates a scary amount of work.

***Do you have a favorite vacation spot?

Fingerprint Friday

2011-10-21T07:03:00.000-05:00

Never enough...

2011-10-20T07:18:00.000-05:00

All of the orange ones, we grew ourselves.
The funky bumpy cool ones, I bought at the Farmer's Market.

We have at least 15 or so more that are about ready to cut.
And I love it!
There are never enough pumpkins to me.

The lady at the Farmer's Market told me that at the end of the season I can gather the seeds from all the heirloom ones and grow them ourselves next year.
So hopefully next year we'll have an even better variety!

p.s. Lilo felt like she's not getting enough blog time lately.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee at home!

2011-10-17T08:03:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite Fall treats.
And so easy!
There's no pumpkin in it. But the flavors we love are really not about the pumpkin anyway, are they? They're about the spices.

Before you brew coffee, sprinkle cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and cloves in with the coffee grounds.

I wish I could tell you precise measurements but I don't measure anything. And I don't know how much coffee you're making.
So just put a healthy helping of spices in with your coffee.
You don't want it to have wimpy flavors. Wimpy coffee is for wimps.

Brew as normal and then add Vanilla or Pumpkin Spice creamer!

Yes, I do have a ridiculous amount of cream in my coffee. And I'm good with that.

Enjoy!

Fallish

2011-10-15T08:55:00.001-05:00

The weather: crazy beautiful lately.

Even last week when we (finally) got rain: crazy beautiful.

I may have intentionally splashed in a puddle or two.
Does it feel like Fall in your area yet?

Fingerprint Friday

2011-10-14T08:48:00.003-05:00

Martina McBride

2011-10-13T08:45:00.003-05:00

The other day word quickly spread through our little town that a big event would be happening that evening.
Martina McBride would be stopping in to make an appearance!

She's currently doing a cross country tour on a pink Amtrak train to promote her newly released album, "Eleven", and to promote breast cancer awareness.
The tour ends in New York City at the end of the week where they will light the Empire State Building pink.

So about 3 hours before she was set to arrive, I called some friends and said, "You wanna go??"
We arrived early and waited. And waited. And waited.

Martina is a Kansas girl, so this was a hometown crowd.
And plenty of Kansas' finest came out to greet her.

My friends and I all had teeth. And were wearing real pants, not pajamas.
Which made us stand out from the crowd.

Mr. Orange Shirt here, was easily 6 feet, 4 inches. Broad as a barn. And lifted a young teenager up on his shoulders.
And stepped in front of my 5 foot 4 inch self.

Luckily my friend could step up on a park bench and get a much better view than me.
So I handed her my camera and she took all these pictures.

Finally Martina came out and spoke for a few minutes.

A lot of her male crew members were wearing these hot pink Converse, which was so cute!

The train is stinking awesome! It's only making 11 stops across the country.

I didn't get any special perks like this friend of mine. *ahem* (click here.)
In the end, this was as close as I got. But that's okay. It was still a fun time with my girlfriends... being thankful that we have our teeth, laughter, jeans, and knowing that if anything terrible ever happened to any of us, we'd be there to love each other through it!

p.s. If you haven't heard her song, or seen the video for I'm Gonna Love You Through It, click here! Grab your tissues. It tears me up every time.

Love What You Do.

2011-10-11T09:28:00.003-05:00

This is a poster that hangs on the wall in our studio.

Love What You Do.

I look at it several times a day.
And not to get all heavy and sappy on you, but it makes me think about important things in life.

We all have struggles. We all have times when we feel like what we're doing isn't enough or doesn't matter.
We feel like other people have "important" roles in life, while we don't.

Other people get tons of adoring comments when they show a picture of a paper plate on their blog, while you can spend hours writing something heartfelt and meaningful, and get little to no response.

It doesn't matter.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Let every single little thing you do be for the glory of God.
Love what you do. Embrace your own personality traits, gifts, faults, and circumstances you've been given.

Everything you've been given to do, there's a reason for.
Potty training. Mundane paperwork. Long commute. There's a reason for every single thing.

Me? I'm just making jewelry. Taking photos. Tossing up a blog post now and then.
Fighting the never ending messy house.
Struggling to stay organized and not miss meetings or appointments.
Employing a few more people than I ever thought I would. Learning through trial and error to become a business owner.
Meeting (and sometimes missing) deadlines.
It could all seem pointless.
Am I perfect? Absolutely not. I make mistakes more often than I'd care to admit.

But I love what I do.
I try to remember to do every single thing for the glory of God.
Even laundry.

Happy Tuesday to you lovelies!!

p.s. The winners of the recent giveway are Leanna and Laura. Congrats ladies! Please email therustedchaininfo AT yahoo.com to claim your gift certificates and your new subscriptions to Country Living magazine!!

Top 10 list...

2011-10-08T12:16:00.002-05:00

10. This week, cinnamon has become my life. I'm using it in everything. Hello Fall.

9. Christmas shoppers are already starting. Holy cow! Y'all are way more prepared and organized than I am. I'll start thinking about shopping around Dec. 21st.

8. The Baby has been doing a lot of fishing lately. He sometimes uses a stick with a string, hook, and bobber tied to it. This time, he was using a plastic Mickey Mouse fishing pole. And he's darn good at it. (We just toss them all back in. And by "we" I mean, whoever is helping him. I've never touched a live fish and I'm not about to start now.)

7. If Verizon Wireless would only introduce 4G to our area, my life would be complete. Sites are updating themselves and getting more complicated - Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, photobucket. It's all making our internet slower and slower, which makes blogging increasingly difficult. Come on Verizon. I need you now like I've never needed you before.

6. This is not a very impressive "Top 10 list." I hope you weren't looking for greatness.

5. One day this week, my weight was up by 6 lbs. I freaked out, threw a little fit, pouted, and comforted myself with pumpkin pie. And the next day my weight was down by 6 lbs. Hormones are awesome. So is pumpkin pie.

4. Sunrises lately have been stunning. They're even better when I stand inside in my pj's and just shoot them through the window.

3. The other day I had a Sonic Route 44 Diet Dr. Pepper. I'd nearly finished it when The Man came home with a big smile and a Sonic Route 44 Diet Coke for me. I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd just had one, so I drank it too. Surely all the caffeine and chemicals won't kill me, right??

2. A cowboy and his new baby girl. Are you kidding me? The most precious thing. Ever.

1. My photography schedule only has a few more dates open for this year. If you're interested in photos, please let me know. Soon.

Fingerprint Friday

2011-10-06T21:00:00.002-05:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
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These are The Rusted Chain kids.
One is mine, one is not. But we feel so blessed to be "working moms" who don't have to pay for childcare.
The kids come play, make messes, occasionally fight, create art, help with packaging, etc.
They keep us on our toes, for sure! It's great that we can be with them while we're working.

Fall food, fun, and free jewelry {giveaway!}

2011-10-06T09:17:00.006-05:00

I may have mentioned a time or twenty that I love Fall.
One of our new favorite snacks can be made year round, but feels a little fall-ish too.
S'more Pops

The kids made these for the Barn Sale.

We use the huge campfire marshmallows. Put a wooden popsicle stick in the end.
I think it's easiest to "paint" it with chocolate using the back of a spoon, rather than dip it.
Then over a bowl, sprinkle on crushed graham crackers. Or colored sprinkles.
Or my favorite, Heath bar bits. Oh yes! Toffee S'more Pops!
And if you're a chocolate snob like me, you'll use Ghirardelli dark chocolate. Your life will never be the same.

Now just because you look so lovely today, we're offering a giveaway.
2 people will win a $25 gift certificate to The Rusted Chain!

Those two people will also receive a subscription to one of our favorite magazines, Country Living!

To enter: simply leave a comment telling your favorite Fall treat.
For additional entries: share on Facebook, twitter, or pin one of these photos to pinterest. (please leave additional comments for each that you do.)

We'll pull 2 random winners in a few days.

Happy Fall!!

Holiday

2011-10-04T09:03:00.005-05:00

Yes it's barely Fall.
But the winter holidays are sneaking up quickly!
And that means a fabulous issue of Holiday with Matthew Mead is just around the corner.

This year they're doing two issues of HOLIDAY 2011. Both will be amazing but one will be a keepsake edition.
The keepsake issue is BIG: it is an expanded issue, with additional pages of beautiful holiday ideas, recipes, and projects, and it arrives directly to your mailbox before the newsstand edition is available.
You can order the keepsake edition by clicking here.

Be sure to head over to the holiday website Holiday With Matthew Mead for their launch week of contests which will feature cash prizes, home accessories from Matthew’s new home décor collection, and free copies of his books and magazines.

I don't get paid for telling you this. I'm just a big fan of Matthew and his team.
They've always been big supporters of mine and The Rusted Chain, so I am happy to share the love about his new magazine!
The ones from previous years have been ah-ma-zing.

Ho Ho Ho and Happy Fall Y'all!

****When do you start your holiday crafting, baking, card planning, etc.?

Fall Barn Sale

2011-10-02T17:16:00.004-05:00

Over the weekend was the Fall Barn Sale. What a blast!
The weather was complete perfection.
There were over 1200 shoppers. Oh.My.Word.
This thing is awesome.

The criteria are that everything must be handmade, homegrown, or vintage.

Some vendors and shoppers traveled over 3 hours to attend!

Homemade cinnamon rolls with caramel icing. Yes please.

There was a decent sized parking area but the parking lot overflowed. There were cars on the road for a quarter mile in each direction.

There was so much antique goodness!!

My favorite shot of the day. Super Barn Sale Baby. (in John Deere green.)

You'll all come next time, right??

Update: Here are other blog posts about the Barn Sale. If you have one, let me know and I'll add the link here!

Amy

Nicole

Fingerprint Friday

2011-09-30T08:16:00.002-05:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
— 1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV)

I hope that you have pure inexpressible and glorious joy this weekend!

Around here lately...

2011-09-28T09:25:00.004-05:00

The other day I went out for a little walk around our place.
I could show you different rooms in the house.
But some of them still aren't decorated. We've only lived here a year... (ha.)
And I'd have to clean it.
So the better option was to show you bits and pieces of the outside.

This tree was completely uprooted by a storm recently.

A hole in the shape of Texas. Fortunately it's not the size of Texas.

Our bridge.

Do you know what these are? Hedge Apples. Some people call them Osage Apples.
I don't know that they're really good for anything. But they look like monster brains, which is pretty cool this time of year.

Locust trees are completely covered in thorns. Huge ones.

Heart. Or pig snout?

When I was walking way back in the woods I kept hoping someone wouldn't jump out and get me.
It's spooky back there!
The Man thinks I'm crazy but if you were an escaped convict, where would you go?
To the woods!! Exactly. I'm glad you all think like I do.
I'd totally go hang out and make camp back in the boonies somewhere.
And if some strang lady came walking up with a big camera, I'd jump out and grab her.

Oy.
My imagination gets the best of me sometimes.
Hope you enjoyed the pretty rustic photos!

Never enough pumpkins...

2011-09-26T10:52:00.004-05:00

I loooove pumpkins. And when it comes to Fall decorating, I think you can never have too many.
(by the way, the number one google search leading to this blog right now is "Is it time to decorate for Fall?" Yes. It's time. Do it.)

In the past I've been known to spend too much money on pumpkins, just to have tons of them sitting on the porch.
So this year I decided to grow my own. It's my first time.
Did you know they're incredibly easy to grow? But they spread and take up lots of room, so don't do it unless you don't mind losing a big space in your yard.

I grew these!

I've actually been able to cut 8 or 9 of them so far.
But they keep disappearing. And then I find them in the yard looking like this.

I know who's doing it. I have seen him a few times.
I don't want to name names, but it starts with S and ends with ully.

He thinks they're fabulous toys and even better snacks.
And with all the vitamins he's getting, his coat has never looked better.

He's a punk. A big soft fluffy cuddly pumpkin eating punk.

Fly butter... Flutter by...

2011-09-24T10:22:00.004-05:00

I've mentioned before that I have a thing for butterflies.
Love them.
My bedroom was decorated in butterflies when I was a little girl.
It's why I drew this butterfly and had it made into a metal stamp.
So I've been very happy lately to see thousands of Monarch butterflies migrating through our yard!

There were days when entire trees were bright fluttering orange.
And I kept thinking I needed to go take some photos.
But then I'd get busy and put it off.

And by the time I finally went out to do it, there were only a handful left.
But you know what?
Monarch butterflies hibernate in the same trees every single year.
So they'll be back next year!

***Do you have plans for this weekend? We're just soaking up the weather, doing yard work and relaxing.

p.s. The recent giveaway winners are The Amazing Johnsons and Marianne at Songbird. Congrats ladies! Please email therustedchaininfo AT yahoo.com.

Fingerprint Friday

2011-09-23T08:26:00.003-05:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.
— Psalm 79:9 (NIV)

Thank you to each of you who participate in this every week! Our slow rural internet doesn't allow me to comment on very many blogs, but I do try to check out each link.
I love seeing what you guys come up with!

Craft Show...

2011-09-21T09:28:00.002-05:00

We don't do many craft shows. And there's a reason.
The Man was raised doing them. His family did them for a living.
He was homeschooled and they traveled the country all year long doing craft shows.

He hates them.

So there's a real irony in the fact that he now has a wife who does craft shows.
I had to drag him to the one over the weekend. But he did it.

Here's a little peek at our booth.

I gathered frames from thrift stores and spray painted them.
I'm smart like that.
I think I spent $15 total.

It was cold and raining when we set up.
And it was cold and raining when we tore down.

My biggest goal was to have the display be as simple and easy as possible, without being cheesy.
And to meet lots of people.
And we achieved both. So many people came to look, shop, and meet us!
That was super fun.
And some people who've never heard of this blog, still recognized our business from magazines and other blog features.
That was fun too.

I'm still not a craft show kind of girl. I won't do many of them.
But once or twice a year, it's worth it!

I'm kind of spoiled. Being in my home studio. Surrounded by wild sunflowers.

No cupcakes.

2011-09-19T10:19:00.004-05:00

You know that bloggers lives aren't exactly real, right?
If it seems picture perfect on the blog, I promise you there's something different going on behind the scenes.
Certainly some people have a happy and cheerful outlook on life. And I love that!
I try to be one of those. And generally I am.
But it's not always rainbows and cupcakes around here.
And if there's anything I am, it's real. Honest. Blunt. (to a fault)

For the past few weeks, every waking moment has been spent preparing for a big show we did over the weekend.
There were nights with 3 hours of sleep, only to wake up at 4am and start another new day.

My house looks like a tornado hit. It's not good.

Last night my dinner was Buffalo Wing Doritos and a piece of Dove dark Chocolate.

There's currently a 4 year old screaming as if he's being tortured in the room next to me. Hysteria.

I'm exhausted. Drinking a bucket of coffee. Already considering another one when this one is empty.

But despite it all, I'm so grateful.

There is beauty all around.

No it's not perfect. But it's good.
And I could sure use a cupcake right about now.

Fingerprint Friday

2011-09-16T07:30:00.004-05:00

There's Something about Fall... {giveaway}

2011-09-15T09:31:00.005-05:00

There's just something about Fall that makes me want to look cute.
To start piling on accessories. Boots. Scarves. Brooches. Necklaces.
Earrings. Hair accessories. Bracelets... oh the bracelets.
There's never enough jewelry in the Fall. (Okay I'm sure some ladies could prove me wrong on this theory, but if you do it tastefully, there's never enough jewelry.)

We listed several new pieces of jewelry in the shop yesterday.

Dream Big necklace

Audrey Earrings

Ashley Earrings

Vintage Pumpkin Earrings

Thankful Charm Necklace

Because we think you need to be well accessorized this Fall, we're giving away 2 $25 gift certificates.

To enter: Leave a comment telling which of these new pieces is your favorite.

For additional entries: blog it. facebook it. tweet it. pin it. (please leave additional entries for each of these you do.)

We'll pull 2 random winners soon.

Happy Fall y'all!

Come see me.

2011-09-13T09:08:00.005-05:00

This is my favorite time of year. (until Spring comes and then I always declare it as my favorite... but really, it's Fall.)

I get to wear scarves and cute boots and it puts me in the mood to bake, get crafty, and go shopping.

I hit the Farmer's Market recently.

If you're around this coming weekend, come see me!
We'll be at the biggest Art and Craft show around, in Hillsboro.
We will have lots of one of a kind jewelry for sale, that's not available on the website.
Plus you can see what a dork I am in real life.
One of my favorite things is when I meet people and they say, "You are EXACTLY like you seem on your blog!" I love that.
I is what I is.

And in a few weeks, on Oct. 1st, we'll be selling at the Big Barn Sale. So you can come to that too.
Everything there is antique, vintage, and handmade.
It's full of fun shopping goodness!
Both events are free admission.

Are you feeling Fall yet where you are?

I have friends.

2011-09-12T09:25:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago on this blog post, I said that we had friends over on Saturday night.

And I posted this photo.

It has been brought to my attention (several times now) that it looks like the "friends" we had over were Mike and Sam.

So I just wanted to clear the record. I do have other friends!

In addition to Mike and Sam, I'm also friends with Jack Daniels, Captain Morgan, Mr. Smirnoff, Jim Beam, and Jose Cuervo.

See? I have friends, dangit.

God Bless America

2011-09-11T10:21:00.003-05:00

Last year I shared my 9/11 experience here.

If you'd like to share your's, I'm interested.
Each of our experiences are so different and so personal, yet all connected.
We're bruised but not broken.

Today, may we be grateful for the incredible blessings we have.
Hug your families, friends, and loved ones.
Look to the God who is all powerful, all mighty, and can bring a peace that passes all understanding.

God bless you.

Sponsor spotlight

2011-09-10T08:30:00.006-05:00

This is a weird weekend being the anniversary of the terror attack on America.
The reminders are everywhere on tv.
I've already been brought to tears several times.
And while I'm choosing not to forget, I'm also choosing hope.
I believe the future of our country's economy lies largely in the hands of the "little guys."
Click around, shop, get inspired... I bet you'll find something you love.

*****
Buster and boo was born from a love of antiques and writing. I am a once-or twice published writer, and learned to type on a manual typewriter. I love working with these old, wonderful typewriter keys. For me, these keys turned into jewelry is a way to honor these old machines, and preserve a bit of the past. With each set of keys that I find, I wonder about how this machine was used - for what purpose. Was it in an office? A garrett? A college? These keys are a bit of a glimpse into the past. Reclaiming the keys is glorifying the wonderfulness of typewriters, and turning them into a mini piece of heirloom jewelry that will last a lifetime.
Enter the code "rustedchain" and receive 15% off!

******
Hawthorne Hill says: Smack dab in the upper Midwest is my country house by a hill with hawthorne bushes growing all around called, Hawthorne Hill. This is a place where creations happen and the town and country meet to make eclectic, upbeat and affordable merchandise. Please browse our etsy site and sample some of the unique wares.

******
Tippy Stockton Jewelry : It all began when I inherited my Mom's jewelry box after she had passed away. It's funny, I never remembered her wearing any of these amazing jewels. I've always been a girly, girl so I just knew at that moment that I needed to go on a hunt for vintage and other sparkly things. My dream of having my own site came true this week when I officially launched TippyStockton.com. I feel blessed beyond belief and I know that my angel is never far away. Patricia lives in Edmonds, WA and spends a great deal of time in her little Studio that sits under a huge spruce tree.
Fall is in the air! Use TIPPY20 for 20% off at checkout. Good until the end of the month!

*****
Sew Gracious : decorative pillow covers . home decor . accessories
Pam's lifetime of sewing experience & love of pretty things make each Sew Gracious special. Brand new to the Sew Gracious line : Decorative Pillow Covers! SG Pillow Covers are a beautiful, affordable way to spruce up your space! Available in pairs or to mix & match. More home items are coming soon!

*****
Heart of Virtue is a site filled with information, tips, and ideas for raising Godly girls. Their book "What Every Girl Should Know" is a personal favorite in our household and it would be great for youth groups or Sunday School classes.

*****
Wendy Darling Ltd. is a sweet etsy shop with a variety of items. I'm a stay-at-home mom who is smitten with her little one. She likes to give her input on all of my creations and it's so fun to hear what she has to say. I have all kinds of ideas floating around in my head and I love to create things! What I make depends on my mood and which way the wind is blowing, so you never know what you might find here. Don't you just love surprises?

******
Minky and Me says: Sewing is a passion for me and I'm glad for the opportunity to share my creations with others. I specialize in blankets, tag alongs, custom clothing and so much more!

******
Pink Lemonade says: Hello. I am Paige. A 15 year old homeschooled teen. Follower of Jesus. Daughter. Sister. Blogger. And owner of Pink Lemonade. I love my family and friends more than anything. I love crafting , shopping, cooking, thrifting, and sewing!

==========

Have a Blessed weekend, y'all!

Fingerprint Friday

2011-09-09T08:28:00.002-05:00

Gonna work at Disney.

2011-09-07T10:40:00.002-05:00

The other day The Baby started telling me a story.
It went on for about 40 minutes.

"When I'm 5, I'm gonna work at Disney."

"I'm gonna drive my bike around and pull the wagon and give people rides."

"I'll be very tareful around the train tracks."
"At night I'll sleep in the tastle."

"I'm not sure how to get there.
Maybe I'll have the school bus driver drop me off at Disney."

"I will eat poptorn and totton tandy."
"People are gonna love my ride."
"I will still come home sometimes to see you."

"Don't worry,I will still love you."
"Okay, my backpack is packed. I'm ready. Wait!! I'm not 5 yet!! Aw man..."

Good gracious... it hurts to love someone this much.

It's a sign.

2011-09-05T12:21:00.004-05:00

We've just come through the hottest Kansas summer in recorded history.
And a severe drought.
It was a rough one.
To my knowledge, none of the sunflower fields produced anything this year. (Thank goodness farmers have crop insurance.)

But things seem to be settling down now. We're finally getting cooler temperatures.
And one of my favorite things is happening.
Each year these wild sunflowers start popping up everywhere just before Fall.
It's a sign.
Right now they're everywhere!
All along the sides of the roads and in the medians, wild sunflowers show color.

Over the weekend I stopped on the side of the road near my house and grabbed some quick pictures.

We'll surely have some hot days ahead of us, but these wild sunflowers announce that Fall is officially on the way!
Bring. It. On.

Happy Labor Day to you!

Fingerprint Friday

2011-09-02T08:06:00.002-05:00

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
-------------------

Every single day we are showered with blessings.
Sometimes we just have to open our eyes and look for them.
Sugary ceral with cold milk - definitely a blessing!
When so many people in our world go hungry or eat food filled with bugs, we can't overlook little things like a stocked fridge and pantry.

School days...

2011-08-31T12:16:00.003-05:00

One thing our school does is have a picnic at the beginning of each school year.
Being in a small town, you get to see everyone and their mama.

Tug of War and gourmet food.

The Boy with his favorite sister and his best friend.

The kids have a "pie" eating contest... which is really just pudding and whipped cream. But what a mess!!

On the way home, we had a sunset that looked like we were in the Sahara desert.

I say it all the time, but I love small town America!

My weekend with Pioneer Woman.

2011-08-29T15:22:00.003-05:00

On Saturday morning, ReeRee and I had a girl date.

It was the premier of her Food Network show!
Lilo wanted to watch too, in case her boyfriend Charlie ended up on tv.

She was very excited about the show.

She was riveted.

This was the part where Ree looked at the camera and said, "Beki, thank you so much for being my best friend. You're lovely and wonderful and skinny and beautiful. Your support means the world to me. I sure hope you don't have a glare on your tv that will block out my face!"

I asked Lilo, "Sooo? What did you think of Charlie? And did you see Walter?"

Saturday night we had some other friends over.

We sat out by the fire, under an unbelievable sky, laughing until midnight.
And that's a little glimpse into my ultra exciting life.

How was your weekend?

*********
p.s. The winners of the recent giveaway are Heather and Katie. Please email us at therustedchaininfo AT yahoo.com.

Makes me wanna take the back roads...

2011-08-27T16:04:00.004-05:00

There's a country song out right now that says that.
"Makes me want to take the back roads. Makes me want to take the long way home.
Put a little gravel in my travel..."

I think of it every time I'm driving to my home out in the boonies.

On our trips to Missouri, we take some back roads too.
And one of them is the old Route 66.

While I love seeing rustic places, there's something melancholy about it as well.

It makes me wonder what used to be there.
What types of people walked through those doors.
How many laughs were shared there.
Why did someone finally decide it wasn't worth keeping it up anymore?

Have you ever seen the movie Cars? It reminds me of Radiator Springs.

If you haven't taken any back roads in a while, I suggest it.
You never know what you'll find!
You might see pretty scenery. You might find interesting people.
You might find a little diner. You might find a great little mom and pop shop to support.

Fingerprint Friday

2011-08-26T08:15:00.002-05:00

There. I said it.

2011-08-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

I love frozen burritos. There, I said it.

And I like them dipped in ketchup. There, I said it.

I have jowls. There, I said it.

I'm a complete magazine junkie. There, I said it.

I wish I had more time for decorating my house. There, I said it.

I'm way too hard on myself. There, I said it.

People who wake at 5:00am on purpose and say things like "I can sleep when I'm dead!" are clearly messed up in the head. There, I said it.

I don't think I'll ever be a runner. And I'm good with that. There, I said it.

Even at 34 years old, if someone's mean to me I cry. There, I said it.

Cilantro should be removed from the face of the earth. There, I said it.

If Old Navy ever stops making the Sweetheart cut jeans, I'm living in yoga pants for the rest of my life. There, I said it.

I love living in the country. There, I said it.

When I stop, take a look around, and realize how blessed I am, I cry. There, I said it.

Just a few things I needed to get out.
This is like a group therapy session.
You're next.

Golf.

2011-08-22T08:22:00.004-05:00

Over the weekend we had a golf tournament.
Not "we" like we hosted it. But The Man played in it, and I was the photographer for it.

It's a charity tournament for cancer awareness. They collect prizes from loads of sponsors and hold auctions and raffles, with all the money going to good causes.

It started bright and early on Saturday.

Here's a little story for ya...
Do you remember when I blogged about the Kenny Chesney concert a while back?
During the concert, Kenny pulled a little girl out of the audience up on stage and sang to her. It was soooo sweet!
Over the next few days, the story came out on the local news that the girl was fighting cancer.
Kenny didn't know it when he pulled her on stage. It made her day! Okay, it made her year!
Well we didn't know until this past weekend that the organizers of this charity golf tournament were at the concert too.
They were right next to the little girl, Carrington, and her family.
They were the ones who snapped the photos that ended up on the news.
They sent some to Kenny Chesney and told him the story and he autographed them for her.

As of last month, Carrington is cancer free!!
So she was the VIP guest at the golf tournament. As horrible as it is to see someone struggling with cancer, it's amazing to see a survivor.
And it's amazing to see a bunch of grown men golfers tear up at knowing this money is truly going to help people.

Here's Carrington with her mom, a table full of exhausted guys, a couple of pretty girls, and the tournament banner.

This was hole number 17.

What's that little sign say? Oh yea, this hole was sponsored by Me!

There were pretty girls selling beverages, a free massage stand (I went here. Twice.), golfers, and more golfers.

A train track runs right through the middle of this course.
Guys get a leeeetle crazy as the day goes on.
There was plenty of yummy food at the end of the day!

The Man is a really good golfer.
Me? I've swung a club 2 or 3 times and missed the ball every time so I gave up.
I stick with hiding behind my camera.

*****
Do you know how to golf?

New pretties... { Giveaway! }

2011-08-19T19:20:00.004-05:00

We have some new jewelry listed...
So pretty.
Pretty things make me happy.

And free things make you happy.

2 people will win a $50 gift certificate to our shop!

Love Never Fails necklace

Kansas City Chiefs necklace

Betty earrings

Celebrate Family necklace (Pennant flags!! YAY!)

Faith hope Love necklace

I have Fall on the brain big-time lately so to enter just leave a comment answering this question: Are you a football fan?

For additional entries:
Facebook it.
Tweet it.
Blog it.
Pin it on pinterest.
(please leave additional comments for each of these you do.)

We'll draw 2 random winners in about a week.

Fingerprint Friday

2011-08-19T08:15:00.002-05:00

It's here.

2011-08-16T13:57:00.002-05:00

The first day of school.

We have an end-of-summer-tradition of getting ice cream the day before school starts.
So yesterday we went out and got our yummies!

I will take salty carbs over sweets any old time.

But I did have ice cream too... Moooo.

Our local ice cream shop is super cute, styled like a '50s diner.

The kids are super excited about this school year!
Last year Lilo jumped on the bus with them.
This year she didn't. Sully got scared of the big yellow bus and ran away wimpering.

We think we have some great teachers this year.
I always have plans to help out in the classroom, and yeah.... that doesn't always happen.
We'll see if it happens this time.

We're back to a schedule with early mornings, hot coffee, and lots of golden yellow sun.
I'm excited! Now I'm ready for Fall.