My Rule of 15

I have a theory....
And it is that I could always use 15 more minutes, anytime and anywhere... 15 more minutes are always needed! Let me explain, I used to be such a punctual person! Really... I was!!! My OCD tendency ;) made it necessary for me to be a prompt person! Well... that was until I had kids, a house to keep, laundry to do, email to check, facebook to stare at, and now blogs to stalk!!!!!!! But still to no end, I attempt to be on time or early wherever we go, most of the time struggling the whole time! I drive my husband nuts with my theory!!! Mainly because he doesn't "get" my trick I try to attempt to be on time. See if you do.... I set my clocks and watches 15 minutes ahead (Shane get so frustrated especially with the clock in my car)!!! But here is my thought... when I get in the car or look at my watch, inevitably running late, and I look at the clock and remember it is 15 minutes fast I then get a Moment of Peace knowing that I have some extra time to work with in my quest to arrive to my destination promptly!!! Shane just thinks its crazy talk, and maybe it is... but that's my mind!!! LOL....

So now that you have seen into how my crazy mind works, let me let you go so you are not late :))))) But before you go.... take a peek at these cute wreaths I made for my sister-n-law for Easter! Super cute...

Mother's Day is just around the corner!!! What are you giving your sweet Momma??! Need a wreath? Heeheee...

Always - Abbey

A New Obsession...

What got this whole blog thing in my head was the bazillion creative blogs out there, and I mean bazillion... it messes with my OCD tendencies like no other ;)) My all time fav is www.jonesdesigncompany.com... the page itself is so pleasing to the eyes, easy to read, and the content of her posts are so real life - and not to mention she is crazy talented!! So, I stalk her shamelessly! Out of this stalking I began to love all these 'flower pins/clips/headbands' that were on there (and on many other sites).  Well, of course I had to give them a try (like I need one more thing to add to my 'to do' list), plus I had a special nudge from my friend Julie to try to make them with her! I am not one to shy away from a challenge, believe me!! Pretty much all Julie and I do is pick at each other and taunt one another via text message all day every day.... and so the flower making started! Then the comparisons became fun and competitive (of course). After a while, we were lucky enough vacation together and the obsession officially started!
To date I have had the pleasure of giving many flowers to friends I adore, teachers I just love, and I have even sold a set (yeehaw, thanks Teresa)!!!!!!
So... here are some of my creations:
St. Patty's Day Flowers... Mostly for teachers but a couple sweet friends had surprises delivered to them that month!

A Spring Wreath... Made for MYSELF! heeheee...

One day I was feeling generous and gave these precious girls away on facebook! I was so pumped when people actually responded and wanted them!

Here are the last couple of projects and my first real customer order...

So there you have it... that is what I am obsessed with these days! If you know anyone that wants some or needs some cute accessories for themselves or their daughters... send them my way!!! I would love to make some for people who like them and share my crafty obsession with anyone that wants to join my craziness! (plus I am a lot cheaper than most who make them... shhhh!) Let me know what you think?

Last thought as I leave...
I am the Lord your God, who grasps your right hand.
Isaiah 41:13
Are your hands open for God's grasp? Or are they clinched in stress or burden of unrest? How often do we reach out our hands for help or to help others? I have to constantly remind myself that openness is a good thing, not something to be ashamed of or unsure of. Be a friend, take time to listen and share... you never know when someone is reaching out their hand or trying to grasp yours!
Always - Abbey

Day 2

I made it thru my first blog post and I can't tell you how much fun I had "putting it out there" and then the love that was sent back was so touching! Thanks...
I am a talker and better yet a lover of text, fb and email.. so when I got 3 comments back on my blog I did my happy dance, hip shake!!!! Loved it beyond words... Thanks Ladies, Joy www.wethreesmiths@blogspot.com, Suzy http://suzyjeffords@blogspot.com, and my dear friend Julie who hasn't committed to a blog but should cause I'd stalk the heck out of it!!!
So on to today, day 2 of this blog stuff! I don't think I will be a daily post type of a person, or maybe I will... only time will tell. But what I do know is that today is a new day and that always excites me! I will admit that today started off early and hasn't stopped buzzing since (thank you very much AT&T), but either way it is my day!
Here is my thought for today, it's about Grace again! Not only was this my precious (and boldy stern) grandmother's name, it is one of the greatest gifts from above... one I don't think a lot of people pause to ask for or say thank you for! I bought this cute metal plaque at Hobby Lobby the other day (on sale :) )... It says:

Grace is when God gives us what we don't deserve. 

Mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve!

That really hit home for me... there are things in this life that we pray for and do or don't get and then there are things in this life we don't even remember asking for and have to deal with! But when it comes down to it Grace is given either way!

And to complete this post, a pic of my Nani... She was a lot sassier than she looks!

Hope your day is Grace filled....

Always - Abbey

Putting it Out There!

So, here I go.... I have been an obsessed blog stalker now for about 3 months (thanks to my wonderful friends Mandy and Kim) and I thought about starting a blog of my own for a long time but now I am taking that step and... Putting it out there!!! What am I sending out into cyberspace, well who knows!??! 
I have so many ideas.... for one, I want to explore this blog world and see if it suits my personality. Secondly, I want to share my passions and yes, I mean passions in the plural sense because I feel like I have a lot and add new ones to my list daily! Lastly, I want to have something concrete to look back on to see growth, change, and even inspiration!  
Here are some of my inspirations.....

See the cute guy in the red hat... he has been my inspiration for over 16 years now!! I beyond love him.

This boy here is my first son... He brings me pride, joy and unbelievable amounts of happiness! He is an old soul, Jacob Robert.  He never does anything without thinking it through a 100 times and he feels with his whole heart all the time!!!!

This little guy is my youngest! Matthew Ray never has a dull moment... he is a constant chatter box and is always ready to party! He reminds me to live each day to it's fullest, keep a smile on my face and never underestimate a good back rub! He is too MUCH!

My Mom... through good times and bad she has walked with me! She may not always agree with me but she always loves me endlessly! She is our family's rock!

Oh, this girl... what do I say about this girl!!! From the moment we met in a tiny, unairconditioned dorm room in 1994 I knew she was going to be someone I never let go! She inspires me  to be a better person, especially via text message on a daily basis!!
So there you have it, in a nutshell... my life, my inspirations! I look forward to many more posts about this topic in addition to many, many more! 
Each day is a gift, a journey just for you to travel... whether it be to the grocery store or the Himalayas make sure you know that it is a gift of grace and don't let it go to waste!!!
Always - Abbey