JUNK Bag Giveaway

Yesterday I worked on a JUNK bag for the Black Friday giveaway.

It's reversible too.
You can sign up to win it HERE if you would like.

Department Store Vintage

We had Sunday lunch at mom's house (Yes, we're that old fashioned! Mr. Blessing, the kids and I have lunch every Sunday with my parents. I treasure it, actually). Mom had her even-more-old-fashioned-than-me Christmas tree up. I thought you might like to see this lovely old beauty.
It was a display in a department store ages ago.
HOW does she find these things??

Look at that gold-glittered bucket that it sits in!

No snow yet but if you look carefully, there's warm fuzzies flittering about.

Tangling With The Past

My sweet farmhouse was intruded upon last weekend.

I could smell his cologne in my bedroom, as we walked through with the police. We had only been gone about 15 minutes and when we returned, he was bolting out the door. No one got hurt and nothing was taken. But he unlocked the windows like he was planning to return. It's a precarious thing to lay restless at night, wondering if tonight is the night. To listen to each creak of the floor when Mr. Blessing is out of the house. But I will not give in. I will not let my children give in. In fact, they were at grandma's when it happened and we haven't told them. Why spread fear?

I have struggled with this post, not having the words... and wondering if my ex-husband will find a way to misuse the information. Funny how one new fright can get all tangled up with the old. I know myself well enough to know that I have to capture those thoughts before they run a-muk. So I'm choosing to see this as an opportunity to rejoice. Praising God that my home is not only an old farmhouse. My home is also in Christ.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snair and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

In The Little Things

In our everyday things, everyday lives

He's there.
I spent an afternoon this week with my sister and my mom hitting some thrift shops around town. I didn't see Jesus in that pendant until days later. Made me wonder how many days go by when I haven't seen Him in the little things all around me. Let's go on a scavenger hunt this week. Let's look at our treasures, our favorite things, our homes, our healed and broken relationships, our conversations...

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD

(Mr. Blessing thought I sounded a bit like a fanatic when he read my post so I'm updating it to assure you that the pendant really was created with a Jesus face in it. I don't normally see faces carved in the mash potatoes or get secret codes from my newspaper, etc.)

Porch Magazine is Here

Can you see me? I'm the crazy redhead at the farmhouse jumping up and down!!

Our new issue of Porch Magazine is ready and believe me this is the one to get! Bloggers all across the country have pitched in to provide photos of some of the great Fall antique shows...

Marburger/Warrenton

Leftovers

Barn House

Vintage Home Lifestyle

Queen of Tarte

Molly Mo's

Petaluma

Summer Cottage Antiques

La Maison Rustique

Funky Junk Sisters

Wait until you see all the vendors that are included, all the amazing displays, all the shows that we dream about visiting! It's Flea Market heaven... Junker's heaven... OH you just gotta see it!

GO THERE NOW

Aroma

I don't drink coffee.

I'm a straight Diet Pepsi girl but I love the smell of coffee! I think it must remind me of my childhood home. My parents always had coffee brewing or a cup cooling. Last week I was working on some rosehip filled sachets for the holiday season and decided to fill a few burlap sachets with coffee - just to try it out. Oh My! I had no idea how the scent would fill the house. No idea how this common scent would entice feelings of home and family. Like how the smell of a newborn makes moms remember their own sweet babies. Like the smell of old books... Like the smell of rain... Funny how a simple scent can represent so much.

For we are to God the aroma of Christ...

Tree Hair

Now here's an interesting way to dress up a dead tree!

This tree sits at the corner of a very busy intersection on the corner of someone's lawn. I think it was struck by lightning years ago and now it's just a very tall tree stump. Every couple of weeks it gets a new hairdo, some amazing adornment. Makes me wish I had a dead tree in my front yard!

Puddles

We are in the midst of selling puppies. The kids are crying puddles with each goodbye but the puppy puddles make me press on. We made homemade treats to send in their doggie-bags (along with other yummy things like deworming meds) and we give each puppy lots of goodbye hugs but still I have a 6 year old sobbing at the door. It's a good thing that I can divert the kids attention with talk of Christmas. By the way, do you want a puppy for Christmas?