Mondays encouragement...

Happy Monday everyone...

I had such a busy weekend.  My house is somewhat back in order after the tea...All the dishes are put away...the table is back to it's normal size...the leftover sweets (why are there so many) have been divided and frozen for sharing later.  I can't wait to show you pictures later this week...

But today's Monday and it's time for a little encouragement plus a couple of giveaway winners!

I made these cute boxes as tokens for my tea guests and needed something small to fill them with...

I have purchased scripture tea in the past and thought that would be nice but I wanted something with a little more personal touch.  So this is what I came up with...

I printed scripture promises from the Psalms and cut out these cute flower shapes, embellishing the fronts and using a mini stapler to attach them to tea bags with some thin rope.  Pretty cute, huh!

I was on a roll so I made an extra box and a few extra tea bags to giveaway with this weeks encouragement card...

My encouraging word for the week is love...even when we don't feel it, even when we don't understand why we should...We just have to trust God for the ending, knowing that he is righteous and true.

"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child.  But when I grew up, I put away childish things.  Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.  All that I know now is partial and incomplete but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 
Three things will forever endure -   faith, hope, and love -  and the greatest of these is love." 
1 Corinthians 13:11-13

Quick refresher on how this works.  If you know someone who could use a little encouragement just leave me a comment, (no specifics necessary).  Then next Monday, I will draw a name and contact the winner for an address and message to send to that person.

Did you happen to notice the cute bench that the card is sitting on...

this will be going into my sunroom/retreat very soon.

Take a look at the before...

I bought the bench at a local thriftstore for $5.95.  It was in good working order, had cute legs and was a good proportion for the space...I snuck it home while dear hubby was distracted and quickly chucked the disgusting green terrycloth seat cover and foam cushion...then I sprayed all the wood with a good disinfectant.  After letting it dry out, I painted it with the same Celadon blue that I used for my coffee bar/nightstand.

I found about five yards of this cute polka dot upholstery fabric at the same thrift store for $5.00...whoo, hoo major score...I purchased a piece of 2 inch foam at Joannes for around $8.00...I forgot my 40% off coupon but bought it anyway.  I hate when that happens...So I think the whole thing cost me around $15.00.

I am just thrilled with the results. Even dear hubby was impressed.

Okay, now onto the giveaways...

First is last weeks encouragement card...

Robin from Decorating Tennis Girl

And the winner of my blog Anniversary giveaway is...

Jane from Green and Serene Country Garden

If both you ladies will email me with addresses, I will get these off in the mail!

Thank you all for your encouraging words.

Have a blessed day,

Patty

I'm linked up to BNOFP for Metamorphis Monday...

Southern Hospitality, Today's Thrifty Treasures...

Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays...

Go visit these blogs for more transformations...

Saturday morning... {D}

I really just have a minute to pop in and say,  "Good morning".  Today is the day of my tea party for ten of the most important ladies in my life...my bible study sisters.  As usual I still have a gazillion things to do, but my devotional this morning stopped me short and I knew I just had to share it with all of you.

Oswald Chambers is on the subject of following completely after Jesus...could there be any better subject?

"Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus.  Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "Your name is Simon, son of John - but you will be called Cephas" (which means "Peter').  John 1:42

Chambers says, "God writes the new name on those places in our lives where He has erased pride and self-sufficiency and self-interest.  Some of us have the new name in spots only, like spiritual measles.  In sections we look all right.  When we have our best spiritual mood on, you would think we were very high-toned saints; but don't look at us when we are not in that mood.  The disciple is one who has the new name written all over him; self interest and pride and self-sufficiency have been completely erased."

I cut these flowers yesterday for my centerpieces today...At first glance they are quite beautiful...

but as I snapped the pictures from different angles...

the container that held them began to come into focus more...

the focus was no longer on the beautiful flowers but on the cheap plastic bucket that held them...

Is this my spiritual life?  At first glance this unworthy vessel shows off the sweet beauty of Jesus pretty well but as you begin turn the angles of my life the container becomes more evident and Jesus begins to fade in the background.  Pride, self sufficiency and self interest begin to show in spots like measles.

I long to have my new name be evident in all areas of my life...to have this earthen vessel show only the love, compassion, grace and patience of Jesus.  I know that this will take surrendering every aspect of my life to Him daily, hourly...by the minute if necessary.

How about you?   Are the measles going around where you dwell, too?  Just something to think about...

Have a wonderful, abiding weekend...

Blessings, Patty

If you haven't enter my giveaway this is the last weekend to do so...Just click on the picture at the top of my side bar.

I've linked up with Spiritual Sundays...Head over there and be inspired...

cottage sisters...the pink rooms

Are you back for more?  If you've loved it to this point, you won't be disappointed today...

One of the things I admire most about Shelly is her ability to blend it all together and have it make sense in the end.  She is very comfortable in her decorating skin.  If she loves it...she finds a place for it...

She doesn't play by any decorating rules and is not afraid to have half of her house vintage red and the other half shabby pink.  I think what helps make this work is the fact that a neutral hallway separates the two styles.

Okay, enough chit, chat...let's get this show on the road...

I promised you pink...

This is the princess guest room...

You can see why this is a favorite destination for her granddaughter...

On to the master bedroom...

Against every ones belief, she had her husband paint the cherry wood furniture white.

The white works in here...

Isn't this the prettiest lamp?

A great place for a nice relaxing cup of tea...

and a few pictures of the guest bathroom...

Well, there you have it...

Thanks for joining me all three days...
I know she's gotten a kick out of reading all your comments.  Can you believe she didn't think you would?

One last photo to leave you with...

This just about says it all.

Blessings,
Patty

If you haven't left a comment for my giveaway you still have time...the link is at the top of my sidebar.

I'm linked up to Home is Where My Story Begins for Home and Family Friday...
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday...
and Cottage Charm for Treasures and Trinkets Thursdays...
Head over to both those sights to see what everyone has to share.

cottage sisters...the home tour continues with the red rooms...

Thanks for joining me again...

I was editing the gazillion pictures I took and decided to post the red rooms today and save the pink rooms for tomorrow...

  

It makes sense to begin as you enter her home into her adorable living room...

Can you tell she loves pillows?  She has some of the prettiest I've seen anywhere.

 

She's lucky enough to have high ceilings in here...her husband Dave custom made the shelves and bookcases she uses to display her wares...

Theirs is definitely a team effort...he has the ability to either envision what she sees or just trust that she knows what she's doing.  Either way, it's a winning combination.

This is one of her favorite displays...notice the nice big armoire...it's mine.  Well, let me clarify... it will be mine once the TV it houses tears up...is it bad for me to wish that will happen sooner rather than later?...

A small sample of her collection of jadiete...I love that she mixes the old with the new.

Okay, now we're moving into the dining area...

This large farmhouse table has a nice big bench seat full of comfy pillows...

A fresh bouquet of daisies just for our visit...how sweet! 

She picks up the vintage salt and pepper shakers for a song and then paints the lids to match her decor...

Aren't these the coolest cherry glasses?

This is the area between her dining room and kitchen...

I love this display on her kitchen counter.  She has a nice wide island area for her prep work so having her things displayed in the kitchen is not a space issue...

Even her spices look cute in this repurposed display shelf...

She left the doors off these cabinets...you can see why.  What a perfect area to display more of her great finds.

I wish you could see it all in person.  My limited photography skills just don't do it justice.  Trust me, this is just the tip of the iceberg...

I've been encouraging her to start her own blog...I know the stories that go along with her decorating would only enhance her adorable cottage.  Maybe one day soon...

I'll leave you with this for now...

but if you are a pink lovin' girl, you're gonna love tomorrows post!

Don't forget, you still have a few days left to enter my Anniversary giveaway.  Just click on the picture at the top of my sidebar...

Happy Thursday,

Patty

I'm linking Shelly's cottage up to the following sites...
 BNOTP - Tablescape Thursday

cottage sisters...a home tour

Grab yourself something cool to drink and settle in a while...

My sister in law Shelly was kind enough to let me snap a few dozen photos of her adorable cottage to share with you all during my anniversary week...

This is the fence leading up to her front door...

As you can see she loves red...and polka dots...and vintage...

Her front porch is just full of whimsical treasures...

and plenty of potted goodness...

This was just a plain white bench...

she painted and added the cherries, too cute...

You say you love vintage tablecloths...well she's the girl for you.  She can spot them anywhere she goes, whether its the Rosebowl swap meet or her local thriftstore...

Our hostess, with a sneak peak at what's inside...

I can get in more trouble with this girl...she is also my best friend and such a blessing...can't imagine what my life would be like without her.

You're gonna love her, too.

Don't forget about my giveaway here...

I'll be posting Shelly's home all week, so come on back tomorrow.

I've linked up to It's a Very Cherry World for Rednesday...

A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday...

Heart and Home for Wednesday Gratitude ...