Through The Tulips Words of 'Wiz'dom

January 23, 2017

Getting Organized

Filed under: Home,Life,Things I Love,Women — gardener @ 11:01 am

It’s hard for me to believe that we are in the last week of the first month of 2017 and it seems like a huge blur.   When I look back, I can’t figure out where the month has gone, and I also can’t figure out what I’ve done this past month, although I know that I’ve accomplished more than my mind first thinks of.

I’ve been in the process of reorganizing my business supplies and finding a better way to utilize the space that I have.    At times- I wish I had more space or at least a professional organizer, but since I don’t- I’m making the most of researching containers to store things in and creating a better system to keep everything much more organized.

I know having photo props, event items, plus cake pans, fondants, cookie cutters, and ingredients all labeled and organized by season and so forth will make life SO much easier for me when it comes to creating-    I also love beautiful packaging, so I’ve got an ever growing supply of ribbon as well.  I love it though 🙂

What are your favorite tips for organizing supplies?    Any favorite product ideas you’d like to share? I’d love to hear about them!

November 29, 2016

Grateful for Friends

Filed under: Gratitude,Holidays,Life,Things I Love,Women — gardener @ 12:30 pm

Sunday we celebrated “Friendsgiving” with a few friends.  One couple and their adorable children, plus the husband of a friend of ours.  She’s visiting her family and he was ‘home alone’, so we thought he would enjoy spending the day with us eating good food, laughing and playing games.   He felt that he would also, and said YES to joining us.  Roses

Even though I wasn’t feeling my optimum self, we still had a wonderful time and the food was delicious.   I brought several dishes and the hostess also made several dishes and it was more than enough to feed our very small crowd.   Plus we all had leftovers, which is always a huge plus in my book when it comes to Thanksgiving.    I’m grateful for these friends, plus my other friends both here and back ‘home’.   Life is better when shared with friends.

Martijn surprised Bobbi and I both with a huge bouquet of flowers each.  The photo is a shot of my flowers-   and is one of my favorite bouquets to receive of all time.  I love the white roses with the red ornamental peppers-   There’s something about the pop of color that makes me happy every single time I look at them.

How did you spend your Thanksgiving?

November 22, 2016

The Beginning of the End

Filed under: Gratitude,Women — gardener @ 9:18 am

That title sounds pretty gloomy doesn’t it?    It isn’t- I assure you.    It’s the week of Thanksgiving.   It’s also the beginning of the end of November, which means that we are walking up to the door of December and preparing to knock.

This year has been a blur for me.    Seriously-   When I think back, there have been so many wonderful moments-   Seeing Ainsley and Tyler say “I DO”,   seeing Caroline and Eric build their second home in the Deep South,  seeing my favorite sibling say I do and also move into his new home.     The list goes on and on.    I have so many favorite moments when I stop and think about it, but at the same time-  it seems like 2016 was just starting and the year of “Make it Happen” was beginning.

I haven’t read my list lately-   the card that I sent to myself at the beginning of the year of things I wanted to be ‘more’ of this year.     Where I haven’t accomplished some things (being in a regular exercise routine and dropping some of the extra weight I planned to drop), at the same time I haven’t given up, I’ve learned a lot about myself along the road, plus there are other things that happened that have been beautiful.

So while this may be the beginning of the end of 2016-   there is so much still to encounter, plus 2017 is shaping up to be an amazing year.    Maybe the best yet.

 

 

June 29, 2016

The Last of the 40’s

Filed under: Food for Thought,Gratitude,Life,Women — gardener @ 6:42 am

It’s hard to believe that in a few days my birthday month begins. One month long celebration of the month I was born. Also, this year will mark the last one in my 40’s. Nine years that have taught me so much, given me so many gifts, wonderful friendships & also hasn’t been without it’s heartache. I’ve lost people who I’ve loved dearly and deeply- been betrayed by people I would have never guessed would have done so, but through it all, I’m grateful for the opportunity to have known them, and also for the lessons that each experience has taught me.

This final year before I enter into the 5th decade of my life- I am going to honor myself in ways that I’ve learned over the past decades and enter my 50th with open eyes and a grateful heart. Life is good and I’m planning on making this last year of my 40’s amazing. Join me on the journey if you will. I’m always grateful for fellow travelers.

March 23, 2016

Discombobulation

Filed under: Women — gardener @ 1:14 pm

The title pretty much describes how I am feeling at the moment. Physically, I feel fantastic, but I have SO much to do between now and the time we leave for our vacation, that my head is spinning. Creative painting projects for the living room have pretty much taken the back seat, since I have a lot of work to get done between now and the time we leave. Cake projects, cupcake workshops, sugar work for a wedding I need to do when I return from vacation. All that and then some.

I suspect the feeling of discombobulation also may be attributed to the fact that I haven’t eaten enough today and I didn’t get enough rest last night. Tonight, I’m determined to do both. My work is done- packages need to be created and sent- but that’s tomorrow.

Tomorrow I’ll bake a cake- but now, it’s time to unplug and rest. Maybe tomorrow I’ll be more collected with my thoughts.

March 2, 2016

Words Matter

Filed under: Food for Thought,Inspiration,Women — gardener @ 11:02 am

In a world where not much surprises me these days, I’ll admit that I’ve been very surprised and saddened by the circus that has become our next presidential election.

I intentionally do not watch the news, because I prefer not to have the negativity floating in my  head that seems to be on a continual news loop.   For someone who was once upon a time a Broadcast Journalism major, it speaks volumes.    Around the time of the Sandy Hook shootings, it finally became ‘too much’ for me.

Life is so full of ups and downs, and keeping focused on the positive and the silver lining of life is important to me.   So I quit news cold turkey.   Now, I don’t see a lot, outside of what scrolls through on my Facebook feed, which generally isn’t ‘too much’, but lately it has become so.

If you know me then you know I rarely discuss politics, or religion.     It’s the two subjects where people can really get crazy if someone has a different viewpoint than them, so I avoid it. (Unless you are someone whom I know can have an intelligent conversation and the respect to agree to disagree if our views don’t match.)

When I see people blaming each other for this, that and the other- it makes me sad.  Why?   First, because it creates a larger divide amongst the people.   We are ALL human beings-  we ALL matter.

 

I posted the following on Facebook-   it sums up how I feel:

Love, Compassion, Integrity, Respect, Working TOGETHER towards the common good. ALL of those things matter to me personally.

Solutions to problems- I don’t care how big they are- will NEVER come by pointing fingers, placing blame and creating division.

If WE are not part of the solution then WE are part of the problem. Maybe WE should take a long hard look in the mirror at ourselves, be honest with who we have become and what we ‘put out there’ and realize that in order for real change to happen- it starts with US, with loving and accepting people right where they are.

We can only understand things based on our personal lens in which we view the world- No one has that same lens, because they are each based on our own personal experiences.

If someone else has a different experience in life than yours- even if you were at the same place at the same time- the different perspective doesn’t make one right and the other wrong- one more valid than the other- it makes them different- nothing more. We don’t have to ‘understand’ someone else’s experience- it’s theirs, but we should respect it.

Food for thought..

February 8, 2016

Honoring Mom

Filed under: Holidays,Life,Shop til ya Drop,Women — gardener @ 8:47 am

One of my life’s greatest inspirations has always been my mom.    Even though life has taken me thousands of miles from ‘home’, I still call her at least twice a day, sometimes more.   Then there’s always Facebook, WhatsApp and other means of interaction.     She’s been my greatest teacher, my greatest cheerleader and supporter, and my ‘go to’ person when I need an ear.   I can not imagine life without her.

She has always put others first, which is one of the many things I admire about her.    This year, I have been talking with my brother about doing something special for her.   I saw some beautiful  mothers rings from joyjewelers.com and thought it would be a wonderful gift for mom.     I’ve sent a few ideas to my brother and I’m waiting to hear his thoughts on my suggestions.   He may counter with a few of his own, but I would love to be able to give her something, that when she looks at it reminds her of my brother and I.   We both appreciate our parents so much and want them to know it through our every action.

What about y’all? What’s your favorite gift to give your mom for Mother’s Day?

July 31, 2014

Choices and Consequences

Filed under: Life,Women — gardener @ 11:09 am

I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about choices- and how when we make them, we don’t always take the time to consider the consequences. A while back I watched a TED talk about ‘unintentional consequences’- which is what happens when we make choices without thinking about the potential long-term consequence.

It has happened throughout history with so many instances, and it continues to happen today. Have you ever thought about your own unintentional consequences based on choices you’ve made? Meaning- that you chose x- and while it may have given you the result that you had wished for in the short term, when it came to the longer term- it started a domino effect that changed many other things, which weren’t necessarily what you would have wanted for yourself. Then again, sometimes the unintentional consequence turns out to be far greater than we ever imagined.

I’d love to hear your thoughts of those unintentional consequences in your own life.

Plans and Growth

Filed under: Life,Women — gardener @ 11:04 am

I’ve been doing some planning as to what changes I would like to make within my little company in the coming months and year. Rather than doing my taxes myself, I’ve hired an accountant to take care of everything. Someone like russalleninc.com who can give me the answers I need, and yet also make my life a little easier by taking care of something that I really don’t know all the ins and outs of.

I’ve learned that I don’t have to do everything myself- that finding the right people and delegating those tasks, not only makes my life easier, but it also frees up time for me to focus on other things that will help my business continue to grow.

November 28, 2013

Wedding Bells

Filed under: Life,Things I Love,Women — gardener @ 7:27 am

There are few things that excite me more than to see people that I love filled with happiness and joy. Recently, two of my dearest friends have decided to get engaged, and the wedding plans are in full swing. I’ve been blessed enough to be asked to be a part of the planning and celebration, which has inclueded the discussion of rings- both are leaning towards the idea of platinum wedding bands, which I think will be perfect with the engagement ring.

I can not wait to hear the date- which is yet to be decided, and then the planning really begins. I love weddings, even more so when it’s between two people that I adore.

Older Posts »

Powered by WordPress