I'm looking back at this last year and wondering what it all meant. Wondering how the choices that I made will play out in the coming days. Wondering if any of it will matter this time next year.
I've made some great decisions (go ahead and start that business) and followed them with some not so great ones (why did I think I could strain that through pantyhose?).
Many of you have followed me through this journey on this blog and the one I closed in the middle of the year. I thank you for sticking with me through the changes. Some of you were just bored and others couldn't look away...kinda like a train wreck. Admit it.
So...what am I really thinking? Well, what were the best things I learned in 2012? Here is the list:
You cannot strain home made hair setting lotion through control top pantyhose.
It is totally possible to stick your eye shut with eyelash glue.
Small dogs do hold grudges.
Bandaids still fix everything (even a broken hearted 16 yr old).
Sometimes, a good cry is all you really need.
Red lipstick makes you invincible.
Walking with a cane is hard but, not walking at all is far worse.
My husband can totally tell when I substitute even a pinch of sugar with Splenda...and he hates it.
Getting my degree was awesome...getting the next one will be epic.
Being me is not as bad as I once thought.
Wine makes everything better.
The meaning of life boils down to two things, bobby pins and butter.
So, this list seems pretty trivial, huh. I've learned many more lessons. The best though is this:
As long as I stay true to myself and speak the truth with love, everything will work out in time.
Not an easy lesson to learn, but one that I think is important.
Thanks for hanging out with me this year.
I plan to blog more, hit the thrift stores hard, and open a vintage hat store. 2013, you are going to be a busy year!
So today was my 6th anniversary! I'm thankful to be married to a wonderful man. Even more thankful that he still loves me in my present condition. That condition, besides the ankle issue, is fat. I got fat. No two ways about it.
So, I'm a huge advocate for being comfortable in your own skin. Yes, I love me the way I am but...I know I could be a better me. So here it goes. I've made the choice, done a huge amount of research, and I'm on it.
What am I talking about? Beachbody. Wanna find out more? Well, check out this link: click here.
Is is going to work? Well, just watch me. I'm so totally committed to this that I actually posted my current picture...a horrible, fat roll revealing one. That, my friends, that will be my before. Just wait until you see my after. I'm doing Slim in 6 and using Shakeology. Check it out. What have you got to lose...maybe some love-handles?
So my family is a little odd...ok we are very odd. My sisters and I had the privilege of growing up over seas and the customs there that surround the holidays are quite different. Well, so were/are we.
The anticipation of Christmas was almost unbearable. Counting the days until Christmas eve. Wondering what Santa would bring. (Yes, we believed in Santa but we knew the true meaning of Christmas). Sometimes, things are just too hard to wait for. We had to have reason to be excited for the days before Christmas. Christmas eve was a big one. Woo hoo! It whas THE night! Well, we felt that we needed to have something more the day before Christmas eve.
Children have an interesting perspective. We thought of the build up in a linear, orderly fashion. What came before eve...ADAM! No concept of the word not being a name. Kids, their brains work on a totally different level. So, out of our excitement, Christmas Adam was born.
Every year it is a competition to see who will be the first to wish the family a Merry Christmas Adam on December 23rd. Weird? Yes. Tradition, it sure is in this family. I sent text messages to my sisters this year and called my mother. I won. Last year, my youngest sister beat me to it.
My kids understand Christmas Adam. The fully embrace the fact that their mom and their aunts are weirdos. It's Christmas, Christmas Adam to be precise.
My weird and wonderful family wish you the very merriest of Christmas Adam's and hope that the holiday season is filled with love, laughter and light.
My sisters and I in the "pool" Sometime late 70's Korea
What the heck is a pomander? This is a pomander...and orange and clove one. It smells fantastic and lasts for ages.
They aren't difficult to make. Stud an orange with whole cloves. There are so many variations.
The scent is lovely and lasts and lasts. This easy little craft will keep your home fresh and is a lovely home made vintage touch!
What vintage touches do you add to your holiday decor?
Hello again! It's been a little while since I last posted. So many things have happened in the last weeks and I've been trying to wrap my head around them. Today, I'm not posting anything vintage or vintage related. I need to speak from my heart on the events of the last few days.
I have stepped away from my personal page on Facebook because I really got tired of all the whining and negativity. I'm active on the fan page and one other page I moderate. I haven't turned on the news, just music to keep things upbeat. My stress levels have been at an all time high causing my pain levels to follow. So, that being said, I was spending a lovely afternoon editing some video for the Youtube page when my sister called to tell me to turn on the news. There had been a shooting at an elementary school and she wanted me to pray.
I turned on the news and saw what most of us around the nation and the world were seeing. I had no words. With my sister on the phone all I could repeat as she spoke was "Jesus, Name of God". No, not swearing. Calling on the name of my Savior.
In the hours that followed I have found myself on my face on the floor weeping and pouring my heart out in prayer. No words, I don't even know what to pray, but my heart has cried out in a way I don't think it ever has before not only for the families in Newtown, but those in China who also had an attack on little children only five hours before the tragedy in Newtown.
Thankfully, I'm still staying Facebook free as far as my personal page goes, except for posting my support and prayers for the families. I knew what was going to happen next, People would lose sight of the real tragedy and focus on agendas such as gun control.
This isn't about gun control. Talk about that later. This is about grieving. This is about the families that will have an empty stocking hung on their mantle in the coming weeks. Unopened presents under the tree. An empty place at the breakfast table. This is about arms reaching out to hold a child who isn't there and will never be there.
I cannot begin to imagine the emptiness, the pain. I know, in my heart, that the last thing I would be thinking of today is gun control laws. Only the devastating silence that replaces the voice of a slain child.
I don't want to talk of gun control.
I want to pour out my soul and my heart to these families. Tell them I cannot know what you are going through. I know the words "I'm sorry" are empty and useless. I have no words. I will grieve with you. I will hold you sacred and hold your name in my heart when I go to prayer. I will pray that in time, you will find peace. That somehow, the sting of death will ease and you will only remember the good times and place the pain away only to be visited in times you seek comfort. I pray that no matter what your faith, you will be comforted by the Great Comforter. Healed by the Great Healer, held by the Everlasting Arms.
I pray for this nation and for the world. A world that seems to be crying out for help and for hope. How can we effectively change things when we go about change with anger and confrontation? I choose to love and to understand. To embrace the differences and know that the common bond in our world is not love, it is pain. We all hurt. Then we must enter into this world, this nation, this neighborhood with love, light and healing. Through tears, I choose to be the gentle voice, the understanding heart, the listening ear.
I cannot undo this agony. None of us can. We can, choose to love and focus on being that love.
Natalie Grant sang a song that I will link here that says it so much better than I ever could. "We are asking, why this happens, to us who have died to live, it's unfair. This is what it means, to be held, how it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life and you've survived. This is what it is, to be loved, and to know, that the promise was when everything fell we'd be held."
My heart is shattered. Even so, it is nothing compared to those of the families directly affected. I'm not going to focus on what should have, could have been done. I choose to focus on sending love, hope, and prayers to those who are so broken.
I posted this on my Facebook group today and wanted to share it with your here....
It's
Thursday again! The weeks are flying by! Not too long now and the
Holiday Season will be in full swing! The happiest time of the....what?
Who said that? Well they lied. We, as women, know that the holidays
mean STRESSSSSSSSSS. You know what? Most of it is stress we bring on
ourselves. If you didn't nearly kill yourself this year making
everything "perfect" what would happen? Well the world would come to a
screeching hault, that's what. WRONG! Let me tell you a little
secret...If you don't spend 40 million hours planning and prepping the
perfect holiday feast complete with all the obligatory decor and
instead, set a simple but lovely table and gather your family....nobody
is going to say "wow, the food was great but where were the 32 origami
elf napkins and the reindeer ice sculpture that has a gumdrop fountain?
gee...Christmas is ruined." I promise. We need to cut ourselves
some slack. Things do not need to be magazine cover perfect. If one
of your knives doesn't match...nobody will notice...only you...and you
will freak...for what??? A non matching knife? Oh that everyone's
troubles were that severe. This isn't the season of perfection. I
read the book and I'm telling you, it says NOTHING about things having
to be perfect. Wanna know what it does say...here goes: There were shepherds. (These guys bathe once a year, even if they think they don't need it).
There were wise men. (These guys took forever getting where they were
going because they wouldn't ask for directions but hey, they did have a
star). There was no room at the inn. (The no vacancy sign was flashing hard). There was a stable. (Not the lovely cleaned ones you see on movies and on tv). There was a manger. (Those things are covered in horse/cow/grazing animal slobber. They really are.)
There was perfection. THAT was perfection. That was where the Prince of
Peace was born. He isn't asking for tinsel and perfect center pieces.
He looks at the mess you are and says, this is where I want to be.
Stop stressing. Stop putting unrealistic goals in your own head.
Perfection isn't the perfect decoration or the perfect wrapping on a
store bought gift. Perfection is easy. It is stress free. It is the
beautiful mess that is and was and always will be where God chooses to
meet us.
Now, go start your holiday madness...but remember...the Prince of Peace was born in a manger.....not a palace.
Those of you who have been following me for a while know that I love all things vintage. Well, I want to share a fantastic shop with you where you can pick up something vintage and delicate and lovely for your home. Let me tell you about it.
LizzieB Vintage makes my heart smile for so many reasons. Firstly, the shop is located in Northern Ireland. My mother was born and raised in Northern Ireland and I have a very large family there. Anything from "the old country" feels like home to me.
Secondly, just look at the items!!!!! Sometimes you come across a vintage store that sells nothing but garbage. Not this time boy! These items are such good quality and so beautifully presented.
Thirdly, THEY SHIP INTERNATIONALLY!!! That is a huge deal to me. Sometimes I get to a shop that says "no international shipping". This makes my heart very unhappy when I've found something I just MUST have. This shop really makes my heart happy.
So who and what and where? Well, lets start with what she has to say on her facebook page:
Isn't this lovely!
"Welcome to LizzieB Vintage. We make and sell a wide range of vintage,
antique and shabby chic items including; Vintage china, jewellery,
linen, baskets & homewares and so much more. Our ethos is to
rediscover the beauty of vintage. As Granny always used to say "they
don't make them like they used to". We believe that vintage is timeless
and our gifts will grace any modern home with a charm and beauty that is
synonymous with the classic quality of yesteryear. NEW Studio open
Tullynacross Road, Lambeg, Lisburn Northern Ireland. Open Friday 9-12,
Saturday 9-1pm and Sunday 1 - 5pm. All other times by appointment only.
Please call 07872163272 for details x"
Really, could it get any better? Oh but wait...let me show you what she sells...
Um yes please!
Lovely vintage lace!
So much more to explore. Folks, please, please, please check out her shop. Honestly, she has some of the most lovely things I have seen in a while! Check her out on facebook and go to her etsy shop as soon as you can...like now...go on...I'll wait.
Nope, I'm not in any way affiliated with this shop, not charging for blogging, I just love, love, love what she has. Have you got a vintage business that you would like me to check out? Drop me a line. I'll check you out and blog about it. For now, treat yourself to something vintage from LizzieB Vintage. You are worth it and you will be so glad you did!
I noticed a few things about my youtube and blog this week. As most of you know I had a combined give-away with Katie. We both had a huge influx of subscribers and were rather shocked by that. Well, the contest ended and I see several people have "unsubscribed". Hey, no problem. It's to be expected. The other thing I noticed is how many stayed! Far more people have stayed than have left and I want you to know, that is such a great thing. I know that many of you are really supportive and have really interacted with me both here and on youtube. My loyal followers are so important to me and I just want to say thank you. In fact....I am planning a give-away that will only be open to current subscribers in the very near future. Something exclusive just for you, a way for me to say thank you.
Stay tuned and after the holidays, I will announce what I'm going to be giving away. Who knows, I may get someone else to collaborate with me and it could be a bigger prize!
Again, all my love and thanks. You guys make my day so much brighter!
Milk of magnesia, it is not just a laxative any more. Seriously, do you have makeup that goes shiny half way through the day? My foundation does that and I hate it. Constantly having to "powder your nose". Well, I have found the solution! Check it out! I also want you to check out the original video that I found this tip from. The link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmeYRJL4Uug
Let me know what you think and again, much love to you!
xoxo Sharon
Ladies, I want to extend an invitation to you to join Lambda Nu Alpha Sorority. We are currently recruiting in the US only. Hopefully we will be able to open it up Internationally very soon! Please check out the video!
