grace for the poor planner

i think i've shared with ya'll 

my inadequacies when it comes to executing a meal plan.

i'm compulsive & organized

& tidy

but planning ahead for my weekly menu

just never seems to make it to the top of my list.

truth be told,

i pat myself on the back for preparing hot meals for my family all week.

however, eating out is my love language after all,

as is my love for chips, salsa & cheese dip

& pizza

so on the weekends we hit the road & eat at some of our favorite

local atlanta spots.

while i cook all week

( she says while wiping her brow as if just the thought of that conjures up memories of 

slaving over the hot stove for days)

i don't actually plan what i cook all week

& 

because of my lack of a plan

i usually end up at the grocery store multiple times.

that would drive you crazy wouldn't it?

i'll probably lose a few readers after that confession...

actually in true ADD form

that reminds me that i must tell you

everyone

i do mean everyone

in my home

sans moi

(might have something to do with my passion for cheese dip & pizza)

has lost weight.

thankyouverymuch

& is looking good!

we're all trying to make better choices so my dinners are usually light

grilled fish or chicken

a veggie

& a starch

but smaller portions & lighter fare.

hoorah.

( i felt i needed to tell you that just because i don't plan in advance 

doesn't mean when i do cook, i make poor choices)

ok...

so the other day i already cruised through publix to pick up my items 

necessary for one of edie's claims to fame, mexican hotdish

when after running errands , running & needing to get home to do a zillion other things

i remembered that  i needed one. more. crucial. ingredient.

i was so flustered with my "let's go to the grocery store every single day"-ness.

i drove to kroger (my publix folks would not see me twice. mkay?)

i thought to myself

"i must get a grip on this"

i thought

" i could add hours to my week if i could get my act together"

i stormed in there, all mad at myself

when lo & behold

the flower lady was putting a buggy together of marked down flowers.

i'm certain i heard the angels singing a hallelujah chorus

when i saw lavender roses....

for FOUR NINETYNINE.

last week they were $14.99.

i love photographing florals this time of year

& really love photographing lavender roses

but i didn't want to pony up the fifteen bucks.

& there 

in the midst of my grumpiness stood that same dozen

for a fraction of the price

still in all their glory.

i know i smiled. i'm sure the ladies beside me at said bargain flower buggy

might have even heard me make an audible gasp.

i placed my bargain gorgeous lavender roses in my minibuggy

and completely changed my disposition.

i honestly felt my $5 glorious flower score

was like the Lord was telling me...

"i know you are a meal plan failure, paige

but i love you

& i love that you love that i created beautiful flowers

especially the purple ones

& i know you'll return home to photograph

approximately 147 images of the purple flowers i created

&

then 

you'll bake your mexican hotdish

&

you'll probably be back at publix tomorrow...

but i love you

& i love to give you your hearts desire

especially on sale"

the end

~~

"you took our sin

you bore our shame

you rose to life

you defeated the grave.

a love like this 

the world has never known"

chris tomlin

lisa leonard giveaway

 

i'm super tickled today to share with you 

a special treat from Lisa Leonard.

i'm sure you already know sweet lisa

but lisa, to me, is one of the most 

genuine

generous

& kind hearted souls.

i've followed her over the years

& seen her continue to giveaway so much.

whether it be encouragement 

or her creations

the woman consistantly pours out...

evidence of a beautiful soul & grateful heart.

she's mommy to david & matty

wife to steve

& friend to so many!

lisa has recently began a very affordable pewter line

to run along side her sterling line

thus offering you two great options 

for personalized pieces.

lisa has offered two of my readers

a $50 gift certificate!

the one thing we ask is that you please scoot 

over & sign up for her newsletter

on her website page

& then come on back & leave us a comment telling that you've done just that.

 

two of my current favorites~

 

a few years ago a sweet friend

sent caroline this precious necklace from lisa's line

& the initial necklace for our anniversary.

i love these special personalized pieces

and reminders of the generous heart of my friend.

lisa's shop

lisa's blog

lisa on twitter

lisa's facebook

alrighty,

go forth & sign up.

i'll announce the winners to the lisa gift certificate

&

the two seats on jeanne's ecourse

monday

(the day between happy birthday to me & my 13th anniversary to dan!)

thank you lisa!!

~~~

"on the altar of our praise

let there be no higher name,

Jesus Son of God"

her little glitter necklace, thank you & a link party

wanted to share a few recent images

of little bit

& a super sweet little necklace

it can read:

wish

believe

blessed

faith

let it be

love

& sparkle

 

over the last few weeks i have read emails & messages from you

sharing your own story

( i LOVE that!!!)

& sending such personal and encouraging

words especially following the pearl event

& this recent post.

i still have much to share about that day!

sibi has a link party going on 

over at Pearls & Grace

so if you've blogged about the day

or wish to read a few posts then swing by.

 ps---not to tease you or anything

but i have another fun giveaway tomorrow!

~~~

"Here on this Holy ground
You made a way for peace
Laying your body down
You took our rightful place
This freedom song is marching on

We lift the cross
Lift it high"

chris tomlin

 

are you a dreamer? building a creatively made business

 years ago i owned my own small business.

it was a charming little gift shop in the historic town in which i grew up.

located next door to a coffee shop, it had all the special touches that made

it a place i loved to be.

colorful, cheerful and current all with the divine scent of fresh coffee infused.

i loved ordering & purchasing for my shop

i loved having another little nook to decorate

i love getting to know my customers

& having a little something 

that was just mine.

now fifteen years later

i find myself starting two new business ventures again.

while this time, my businesses don't reside inside a brick & mortar

location,

i feel i have a little something

that's just mine all over again.

these last few years, primarily through blogging

i have met so many gifted entrepreneurs.

their dreams & visions for their companies

provide daily inspiration for me.

watching jeanne oliver's designs

simply FLOURISH

the last few years has been a delight for me.

if you've been around my blog long enough you know i have almost every tote

bag & camera bag she's created. i wear my leather cuffs daily

as do my girls...and many of their friends.

her art touches my soul.

but her desire to share her heart

the ups & downs of starting from the bottom

encouraging others who are in the birthing stages of their own dreams & businesses

is truly what i love about her.

jeanne is doing another ( hallelujah)

ecourse.

this one is titled Building a Creatively Made Business.

i'm so tickled to share with you that she has offered

two of my readers a seat in her course!!

please leave me a comment & you will be entered.

personally, i can. not. wait. for this one to begin!

in jeanne's own words~

One life on this earth is all that we get, whether it is enough or not enough, and the obvious conclusion would seem to be that at the very least we are fools if we do not live it as fully and bravely and beautifully as we can.  –Frederick Buechner 

Are you a dreamer?

Do you have ideas, dreams and a beautiful product to go with it? 

Have you been putting off starting your own business?

Do you feel stuck in the online business you have already created?

Do you just need someone to take your hand and walk you through the process?

It is time to take yourself and your dreams seriously.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Join me for a three week journey in building a “Creatively Made Business”.

SOME of the topics we will cover …..

Setting up your business

Websites 

Social networking

Promoting your business

Pricing and staying competitive

Photographing your product 

Setting yourself apart

Growing your brand

Markets and shows 

Manufacturing

Reproducing your work 

Keeping the books

Balancing home and creativity 

I will share my journey

I will talk honestly about what worked and what didn’t.

I will talk about growing pains and when you will know it is time to expand.

I will talk about all the things I wish someone had told me before I started to manufacture my clothing and bags (all the mistakes I made too).

Each week you will hear from other guest business owners and they will share what they wish they would have known and give you their best piece of advice.

You will have access to a Facebook group so you can connect with other business owners (or dreamers) in the class.

Each week we will have a live chat where you can ask questions.

All sessions are recorded and available as videos for you to watch at your convenience.  You will learn at your own pace and around your own schedule.

Growth, dreams and possibilities begin April 16^th.

Registration is now open.

{class will begin April 16^th and the classroom will be open for 3 months}

 $48 for the course

NO COUPON CAN BE APPLIED TO THIS COURSE

Introduction to Building a Creatively Made Business from Jeanne Oliver on Vimeo.


thank you sweet jeanne!

sorority formals & surprise parties

 

for years i worked primarily weekends & holidays.

since leaving my position at the hospital

i have loved being available & free for whatever comes up.

even if i have a photo session i still have the majority of the weekend

wide open!

being one of "those moms" who has an insatiable need to capture

all her children's moments on film

missing much of savannah's days at UGA has been toughie.

surely you can relate.

she had asked, weeks ago, if i'd come up & photograph her and trevor 

before her AXO formal.

wouldn't miss that for the world!

while no parents were on the lawn of the sorority house

& she was so kind to make sure that my feelings weren't hurt

if i just dropped them off there

i do treasure the shots i captured of them before joining up with the rest of the crew!

it was originally forecast to rain

but thankfully they had a spectacular spring day instead!

& i loved snapping a few in front of the honors college too.

bowties?

can i get an amen!

 

 

 

caroline rode to athens with me

& we had such a sweet time together.

 

the glorious sky on the ride up...

 

earlier in the week i received a call from the mama of one of caroline's

best friends.

two her girlfriends had planned a surprise party for her,

complete with all the details.

starla & kristin took care of everything!

can you imagine...5th graders planning a day for their friend.

honestly it was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done 

for one of my girls.

& amazingly...it stayed a surprise!

everything was pink

starla's mama baked a delicious cake from a family recipe

topped with buttercream frosting!

 

 what a blessing these girls are 

in caroline's life. 

they are sweet girls, smart girls,

& are obviously great friends to each other.

so glad i was able to be at both events for my bookends!

ya'll come back & visit this week 

as i have two super giveaways for you!!

~~~

"Here on this Holy ground
You made a way for peace
Laying your body down
You took our rightful place
This freedom song is marching on"

chris tomlin

you're aleady amazing

 i just finished  reviewing a book for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing group named

 "You're Already Amazing"

by Holly Gerth

&

i loved it!

holly is a life coach, a writer, the cofounder of (in)courage

& i could tell from the first page,

a woman with a heart to connect with women

& to you, her reader.

holly will take you on an easy to follow & very personal

and introspective guide to learning and understanding

how god uniquely created you

& then

how to best channel how he wired you

into living an intentional, purposeful life.

living a life that is unique because of who you are,

how you relate and respond to others, 

how you're motivated,

how you best do what you do,

and

how you most effectively love

& serve others.

i think as women

it's so easy for us to beat ourselves up emotionally because we never feel

we arrive at our "best"

we watch others, we read blogs & magazines,

we sign up to be committee chairs & team moms

we never say no when someone calls to ask us to volunteer

we pluck & tweeze & run on the treadmill

& eat things like flax seed and kale

all in an effort to be our "best me".

we strive to be great

& be great at so many things.

at the end of the day, 

many of us fall into bed 

exhausted & feeling that we didn't quite measure up

or that our to-do list

albeit full of good things

actually hindered us

from doing the best things
& the best things that are unique to us.

we feel that our time was misspent or not fully invested 

in the best of places.

"forcing yourself to live in a way that doesn't make sense for who you are 

will just lead to frustration & wasted energy."

sigh.

in You're Already Amazing,

holly shares wayne cordeiro's insight.

"85% of what we do, anyone can do.

10% could be done by someone else if we trained them.

5% is what only we can do.

making choices about that 5% became a life-changing revelation."

he then goes on to say,

brace yourself,

"your choice of what is most important will shape your soul.

we won't be accountable for how much we have done,

but for how much we have done of what He asked us to do".

can i get an amen?

holly will help guide you as you determine

what does the "best you" really look like

& how you can be her. 

how you are actually already her.

you'll look at your own strengths & skills

you'll evaluate how you best connect with others.

then once you put all those pieces together,

she'll help guide you as you determine

or capture

what God wants you to do with your life.

doesn't that sound freeing?!

holly, as she so sweetly does throughout the book

will remind you of truth...

"you are loved. you matter. 

you have so much to give to the world 

& the hearts in it"

"you're amazing because you're God's creation

& he lives in you. you're valuable because you belong to him.

you're worth investing in because he paid the ultimate price

for you"

i don't want to steal anymore thunder,

but i highly encourage you to read You're Already Amazing..

because you are!

you can order your book  at 25% off, here
or via amazon linked below.
 

angie & jessica are starting 

You're Already Amazing 

book club on monday.

check it out here!

25% off all Heart to Heart with Holly Gerth

~~~~