From Chaos Comes Happiness

Hey Friends!!! Time for our weekly vlog! Before we begin, I actually have a couple corrections to announce . . . because my brain, quite frankly, has no idea what day today is!  I actually begin the vlog by saying it is Vlog #4 . . . when it really is Vlog #3! AND, at the end of the Vlog, I state that I will be back next week with Vlog #5 . . . when I'll really be back with Vlog #4! (Remember when I told you once that I was really bad with numbers? Here is proof that I was telling you the truth!) So, let our Magnificent Monday begin . . . Now, it's time to enter the GIVE AWAY!!! What am I giving away? Well . . . if you watched today's Vlog, you already know! But  . . . . in case you didn't see it, I'll share it with you. Leave a comment and you will be eligible to win this ORIGINAL Annalee Canvas piece: This piece is one of my very first Annalee sketches, and has great sentimental value to me as it was a bit of a pers...

I woke up today . . . feeling like Christmas. I know. I know. It's way too early . . . it's not even November yet, right? Let us enjoy a little bit of this Fall before we jump into something else, don't you think? But I couldn't help it. My friend Leslie has been playing Christmas music all week, and telling us about it on her Facebook page. My sister sent an email that she was in the Christmas spirit, too. It's gonna happen, you know. Why put off to tomorrow, what you can feel today, right? If you have been around here any time at all, you know that I love Christmas. I mean, who doesn't? Ok . . . I am sure there are plenty who don't like the commercialization of it, and think it's gotten way out of hand over the years. But, my friends . . .  I love the true meaning of it. The celebration of the birth of Jesus, the son of God. The giving to others and doing kind things for others. The singing of Christmas Carols and the making of hot chocolate...

I don't know where the days are going. Or the hours, for that matter. It feels like fast motion, again. Seems to happen every fall. So many things I want to accomplish by the end of the year, and the clock is ticking. So many things happening each and every day. Life is definitely good, but it's going by so fast. And some days, I need it to slow down. PG has been home this week, which has been such a bonus. I have gotten so used to him being out of town, that I forgot how good it feels to have him home. After a pretty hectic weekend of parties and visits with family, we had a few hours Monday afternoon of just our family (PG, Me, Katie and Ella), and those few hours did a world of good for my soul. Monday afternoon, I found myself in our car with my husband and my daughters . . . and realized that there was no place else on this earth where I would have rather been at that very minute. And how there are no other people on this earth who I would have rather been with. I ...

Happy Monday, friends! Time for another VLOG . . . (can it be? I thought we just did one of these!) I am OPEN for Business! (WOO HOO!) Click the tab "SHOP (GRAND OPENING)" above, or  link to my Etsy shop (at right) to see what's happening!

Like this one little leaf on the branch, getting ready to let go, getting ready for the wind to pick it up and take it on an amazing adventure . . . I am getting ready, friends! And it is SO exciting. Wishing you Peace.

What are you shooting for today? Wishing you Peace, my friends. * * * p.s. Did you see my VLOG on Monday? It was SO MUCH FUN! My mind is already spinning and spinning with ideas for future VLOGS (poor you!) Click here to see what I am talking about. And make sure you start each Monday with a visit right here at From Chaos Comes Happiness!!! Yes, friends, you heard right!  I'm turning it into a REGULAR WEEKLY VLOG post!   Oh, we're going to have SO much fun . . . just you and me! ( and a MILLION others! ) Ok, I'm shooting for the moon . . . remember? So, grab your coffee and start every week with ME! Ooooo . . . I might even have special GUEST STARS from time to time! TELL YOUR FRIENDS! Let them know what's happening. Encourage them to STOP ON BY! Oooooo . . . imagine . . . I could be the NEXT OPRAH!!! : )

Yes . . . I've done it! A VLOG!!!  Sorry . . . it may be a little long. I guess I just had so much to share with you. I hope you enjoy it! I was strongly suggested to start doing them at TCC, so . . . here goes it! Watch the video and take a sneak peek at my new products that will be available on Etsy. Thanks for joining me here today! Have a MAGNIFICENT day!

The other day, my friend Touhy told me that she missed my daily journey posts, and it made me smile.  I was surprised that anyone remembered how I used to write about my favorite road. Having her mention to me how she missed my stories made me want to grab my camera and hop in the car. So, a few days later, I did just that. My daily journey . . . has turned into my weekly journey, as I don't travel down my favorite road nearly as often as I used to (when I had a job to drive.) But I do find myself taking this road as often as possible. And just as I expected, my favorite road is changing with the seasons. The last time I wrote about this road was back in July (click here to be reminded). It's funny to read that post now. It was actually 10 days before losing my job. In the post I wrote about the need to breathe, and about how badly I needed to slow down. Funny, isn't it? 10 days after that . . . I was able to SLOW DOWN . . . BIG TIME. Most of ...

I was in a gloomy mood yesterday. Big time gloomy. After what seems like WEEKS of sunshine and glorious weather, it was a cold, damp, rainy day. Not only were we covered with rain drops all day, but I felt like there was a big dark cloud stuck right above my spirit. And it bummed me out . . . BIG time. By 8:30 PM last evening, I was ready to put it all behind me. After tucking in the girls and changing into my PJ's, and knowing that PG was out of town (and I didn't feel much like doing anything myself), I went straight to bed. I think I was already asleep as my head lowered to the pillow. The next thing I knew, it was 6:00 AM and my alarm clock was going off. Sleep. Sometimes our souls just need that. As I showered and got ready for the day, I decided that I wasn't going to let my poopy spirit come out. No matter what the weather was like today, I was going to make the best of it. So, I headed downstairs with a pep in my step, and a plan in my brain. Farina. I...

I am enjoying every single moment of this fall . . . every single second of every single moment. It's amazing how, without the day to day stress of my job, my eyes are wide open and I am able to take in this life of mine. I am blessed. I know it. We had such a lovely afternoon yesterday, at a nearby nature preserve. For hours we picnicked, we hiked, we explored, and we absorbed the beauty of our surroundings . . . . Our dear neighbor and friend, Gabby, joined us for the day. Gabby (who is 11) is so good with both Katie and Ella, and they absolutely idolize her. We've known Gabby since she was 18 months old, and she is like a third daughter to me. I snapped this next photo of the girls as they ventured around after lunch. I think my heart skipped a beat when I saw how cool this shot came out. Even though they are getting bigger and bigger each and every day, in this great big world, they are so small,  aren't they? They have so much to do and see in...

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein We had such a beautiful day yesterday. The weather has been so gorgeous . . . almost unbelievable beautiful for this time of year. I hear it is going to be one of our roughest winters. That's ok . . . we love the snow, too. PG is out of town, and the girls are off from school today (thank you, Mr. Columbus). I think we are going to spend the afternoon having a lovely picnic at a near by nature center. Maybe collect some more leaves. Wishing you a wonderful day, my friend.

My brain is fried. Absolutely fried. Like it's been twisted and turned and every last word has been rung from it. I've got nothing right now. Just me. And my brainless self. So, I thought I'd show you what I've been doing lately. Boring, huh? Sorry. It's all I've got. I mentioned my last post (or maybe the post before the last post) that I took over our basement (aka: PG's man cave.) I feel bad about that. I do. But I need a space right now, and this is the only option. I am secretly thrilled to have a place I call my own - a place where I can surround myself in the things I love, and the things that inspire me. And that is just what I am turning this space into. I bought an AWESOME table at a local resale shop for . . . get this . . . $67 dollars! Seriously!!! $67 dollars. It is HUGE (came with two table leaves) and is the PERFECT workspace for the business. So, this is where I am spending much of my days lately:  Isn't that the coolest t...

I've been thinking so much about the whole idea of having a vision lately. How I can see, somewhere in my mind, what I want to do or the art that I want to make. I somehow know the steps I need to take to get to the finished product, starting with the basics and working up to the vision. And while many might question the choices I make along the way, they are often surprised if they just sit back and wait to the end. Because at the end . . . it all works out. Visions. I have a lot of them. I remember moving into our house 10 years ago and having a vision for our living room. I knew the color I wanted the walls to be. I knew the art I wanted on the walls. I knew the furniture I wanted to fill it. I actually went and bought the couch without PG, because I was so certain what I wanted. I remember having to talk myself out of the dog house from that one . . . as I had no idea how upset PG would be with me for buying our first home furniture purchase without him. Ah, but he has...

Greetings my beloved friends! How do you do? I can't believe I haven't written to you since Tuesday (tsk, tsk! This will never do.) I think life has been on some sort of fast speed mode, and I haven't even blinked in days. I find that I am now so far into the business planning of "From Chaos Comes Happiness", that I think I'm too far to turn back. Not that I want to turn back . . . no way, no how . . . but it brings a sense of relief to know that I am too far in to turn around. Does that make sense? Like, I've invested too much to walk away. It's kind of as if the fear has gone away, too. And I have to tell you . . . I like that! I'm creating creating creating . . . and I am so excited about everything that will be available soon. I know I keep talking about the "Etsy Store!" I am sure you are wondering what is taking so long . . . my friends, there is SO MUCH to do to get a store up. Product descriptions need to be written, photos n...