Still Thinking on This One....

While scrolling through Pinterest this week I came across this quote and I can't stop thinking about it...

"If someone wants to be a part

of your life, they'll be there.

So don't bother saving a spot

for someone who won't make

an effort to stay."

The quote is by Michael Cera. I googled him because I had no idea who he is! He is a Canadian actor and writer and guitarist. The part I identify with him on is the fact that he is a middle child, like myself, and that he must have had the same experience and same pain in his heart as I do to have said this quote.

We've all heard the comments and funny remarks about social media and technology and that our friends are all at the push of a button instead of face to face. I am all for the connections we can make through social media and understand it more and more because of my two Etsy shops and Pinterest and Twitter and Stumble Upon. I too sometimes "talk" more with my friends through Facebook or email than in person these days.

I still need the personal connections though. That face to face, one on one is how you tell who is a true friend. I treasure my friends and those in my family that are my friends. I am working on not saving a spot for those that won't make the effort to stay.

I  have a high standard (maybe too high!) when it comes to friendship. I want a give and take. An equal sharing of time, trust, confidences, advice, prayer and love as opposed to a dumper and a dumpee. I am all for you venting to me if I can vent to you! I want to know where I stand with you as a friend. I can list those friends that I know that I know are there for me, love me and have no ill will towards me. Then there are those I am not so sure of. Some of them are in my family. Those are the ones, if any, I may tend to save a spot for, just in case they come around. Just in case they realize what they are missing in having me as a friend. Just in case they want to start making an effort to stay.

Scripture has got it all there for us -

Proverbs 17:17 says "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (NIV) meaning when you are in trouble, you see who your friends are and how helpful a brother can be. Thank God for my sisters in Christ!

Proverbs 27:6 says " Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." (NIV) meaning that a loyal friend may correct you and the wounds will heal, while a deceitful enemy says sweet things that offer no real help. 

Whether you have friendships through social media or face to face....you know who your true friends are. They are a part of your life and want to be. Treasure them.

AnnMarie :)

Been Thinking About..........

......Pinterest since I finally joined and started my own boards and am getting the hang of it. It was something I kept hearing about but didn't have a clue how to join in on. Now I check in everyday to see what everyone is pinning and then I pin a few things of my own. I love pinning fabulous finds from all the wonderful shops on Etsy and have created boards just to go with the items I am finding. I hear it is addicting but can't say that I am yet! If you are already on, Follow Me !

......my two Etsy shops and how to keep them fresh and new and interesting with new items. I have been going to thrift shops and garage sales, a few estate sales and even some flea markets. I have found some new treasures to list in my NaNa's Things shop and did all that over the weekend. This mini oil can is my favorite new old treasure that I found. Makes a perfect shabby chic ring holder for your dresser!

And then I found these great silverplate horn candlesticks at an estate sale that has me thinking suddenly about Christmas!  I have always loved the Colonial, country style of decorating for the holidays with the pinecones and garland and berries. These just stir up all those memories.

 

I think if you are an Etsy shop owner, now is a good time to plan for items for the Christmas season, especially if they are things that have to be made. But the thought of getting into all those holidayish supplies and the red and green and bows and sparkles......it's a little overwhelming this time of year when out in my yard the flowers are purple and yellow!

Then I remembered Christmas in July! I believe last year Etsy had a promotion in July for shops to join in to sell Christmas items. I got to thinking that I would make more of my puzzle and button ornaments that were very popular last year and to introduce the button garland I just started offering this year in a longer length for the tree. I was in a warehouse type thrift store today and found 5 packs of these buttons.....what do you think of a button garland for the Christmas tree out of these?

 

It would end up looking like this only longer to drape on the tree....

It will be my 'sitting on the couch' in the evening project for the next several months!

Do you have any projects planned for the holidays yet?

AnnMarie :)

What's A Mother To Do?

with her 13 year old son all vacation week?

He is into Xbox and basketball. I don't have a clue how to play video games and I won't be running around a basketball court anytime soon!

Besides us both being sick with head colds, there is not a lot to do in our area this time of year. Yeah, there are museums and the zoo....not too interested in those.

Sometimes we just have to fill the day up with silly things like errands, stopping at the grocery store, and a doctor's appointment for my inevitable sinus infection. I tried to make doing all that today sound better by saying we would go to Wegmans for lunch and maybe they would be giving out samples at the bakery and deli and other places throughout the store like they sometimes do.



If you have never heard of Wegmans than you are not from the northeast....or even Pennsylvania.....I hear there are Wegmans popping up there too. It is quite the place to go for groceries because of their specialty areas. The store in Pittsford, which is 20 minutes from me, has a kosher deli area, a patisserie, a cheese shop and a Godiva chocolate shop to name a few. It's the atmosphere there that is amazing. I told my husband I want to go there on a date on a Saturday afternoon when it is crowded just to walk around and look! It is like going through a small marketplace in an exotic city!

Anyways, I digress. On the way to Canandaigua, which is where my doctor is and where I do most of my shopping, there was a mishap with me and another car at a 4-way stop. Neither one of us knew whose turn it was and we both ended up in the middle of the intersection at the same time. I backed up and when I looked over, there sitting at one of the other stops was a Canandaigua Sheriff's car. I went on my way, watching my driving because he followed us all the way to Wegmans and then finally turned off. We got inside and I went to the food area to get some soup. Who was standing right there, about 7 feet tall, getting himself some soup, but the policeman that had been following us! I guess I didn't do anything wrong, or at least I handled it correctly. In front of my son. Whew!

I guess we made some memories with that one. We spent the rest of the day watching the movie Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was really good, and then he beat me 5 games to 2  at Sequence. I used to beat him....

Tomorrow is lunch with Dad and then we'll have to come up with something for the rest of the week.

Any ideas for me?

AnnMarie :)

Happy Resurrection Sunday! Happy Cheesecake for Dessert!

It is a beautiful, sunny day here in Upstate New York. The lawn is mowed, the daffodils are blooming and the tulip buds are emerging. Unfortunately, I am stuck inside with a cold and did not even make it to church today. But I know my Redeemer lives today because He is Risen!

I did get the most important part of my dinner for today done yesterday so I am happy about that. It is a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake by request of my daughter Jena.

Twenty-seven years ago, on Easter Sunday, she was born. You see, I had been running around the day before, at nine months pregnant, with her 3 year old sister, hunting for Easter eggs. The next morning I woke up with labor pains and by afternoon I had been blessed with an Easter baby girl. She has been a blessing ever since. This is the second time in all those years that her birthday has come close to falling on Easter Sunday. Her actual day is April 7th.

So, she wanted to have her birthday dinner (a tradition) on Easter this year. We are having grilled chicken burgers on kaiser rolls (fabulous recipe!), sweet potato fries, antipasto salad, her favorite homemade herbal iced tea and THIS fabulous looking cheesecake. I think it came out pretty good! Will let you know later how it tastes!



I hope your time with family or friends or however you are spending your day is wonderful and that there are lots of good things to eat on your menu.

While we are celebrating, let's not forget the cross and the resurrection and what that means for those of us who have chosen Him as our Savior.

AnnMarie :)

A Unique Way to Show Your Support - April is National Autism Awareness Month

I have always loved puzzles. When I was looking for something new to make with my vintage buttons for The Button Lady shop, I came across a pin someone had made out of puzzle pieces. I loved it! I added my own touch and my own design with vintage buttons. The end result is a very unique, funky kinda brooch to wear on your outwear coat or jacket.

They became quite popular in my shop. I am grateful for the feedback I got from a mother who was buying them in honor of her autistic daughter. The puzzle piece is the symbol of Autism and so she was glad to have found something different and unique to wear. I was even able to make a custom pin for her with puzzle pieces I had found with musical notes on them. Her daughter loves music.

The Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon is the most recognized symbol of the autism community in the world. One in every 88 children in America is affected with autism.

The Autism Society has been celebrating National Autism Awareness Month since the 1970's to highlight the need for concern and awareness about autism. The month of April is recognized by the United States as a special opportunity to educate the public about autism and the issues within the autism community.

Although Autism does not affect my family personally, I do have girlfriends who live with it daily through their children. For the month of April I would like to donate a portion of the sales of my puzzle pins to the Austim Society as a small way of helping. If you'd like to know more about the society or how you can help, click here.

 

Each one of my puzzle pins is one of a kind and I am working on making more of them for this month. They are a great way to show your support or just wear them as a unique accessory. Here are a few examples of pins currently in my shop.....

Irridescent green and blue  

shades of pink and Mother of Pearl

Floral white and greens

 

I am not affiliated with the Autism Society. This is just a small way to show my support for the ongoing research and programs.

Do you know a child with Autism?

Become aware this month....

AnnMarie :)