Best of 2008

Welcome to 2009! I thought I'd take a moment to recap the best of last year.

The best, by all counts -- page visits, comments, referrals -- was Holly Black's Hidden Library.

My favorite part of the year was discovering artists like Art Donovan and Eric Freitas.

"Minimalist Steampunk?" was thought provoking and picked up by a number of other bloggers.

Let's not forget the Lost New York Times Steampunk Feature, which, among other things made me blush.

What was your favorite post of 2008?

New Years 2009: A Reading Goal & Resolutions

For 2009, I hope to read through one shelf of about 40 pre-selected books. Normally, I just grab and read whatever I want from whatever source on whatever topic is of interest at the moment. But this year, I've put together a collection of books from a variety of authors on a variety of topics... homeschooling, discipleship, marriage, Puritan classics, homemaking, sex, politics, gender differences, abortion, and more. I put them all on one shelf in our living room, and I'm going to (hopefully) work through the shelf as the year progresses. This way, I hope to be more intentional about the portions I'm "eating" in each area of interest as I read throughout the year.

As for other "resolutions", I have some personal goals I'm striving for (like losing the 15-20 extra pounds that always seems to hang on until I wean the baby, and finishing the novel I started writing in November)... but these really aren't related to the New Year as much as just the extra time I'll have after getting past the busy holidays and my parents' visit here (they're halfway through a 3-week long visit).

And I hope to continue doing my one-book-of-the-Bible-per-month reading plan. I've been doing this for two years now and I really enjoy knowing where I'm reading when I sit down with scripture, but not having to blaze through the Word at a crazy pace to stay on some pre-appointed "one-year" plan. This year, because we visited Ephesus (that picture is of me & our two oldest children in front of the library there last week), I'll start out with Ephesians in January. If you'd like to join me, e-mail me, or comment here, and I'll try to post more about Ephesians. If not, I might share my observations anyway. :)

I'm not one to make very strict resolutions-- at New Years or any other time. Maybe it's a lack of self-discipline; I just like to think of it as honest. :) I don't mean to shame others who do make goals and end up letting them slide over time... I just know before I even start that there are certain things that I just won't follow through on. So, generally, I don't make big sweeping commitments. No fault at all on those who do-- I think it's awesome when people set goals and really pursue them! And don't get me wrong; I do have goals in life that I'm shooting for... I just typically don't try to "start" doing something totally different than what we have been doing in life just because the calendar date changes.

What about you? What are you hoping to accomplish? Do you set goals at each new year?

Regardless, I hope you had a very delightful Christmas holiday, celebrating the miracle and wonder of Christ's birth, and that you have a Happy New Years Day!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well, like most everyone of you are doing I'm wishing you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR - May it be the best one ever.

I know the economy is taking a dive right now...so they say....don't see it when I'm out and about - people are still shopping....but that said, I think I will start thinking differently how I live.

I have taken for granted the electricity, water, food - it's just THERE....but not really. We have to work for it to be able to have it and I for one squander more than I should.

I don't do New Years Resolutions but I will try from here on to watch how I spend my money - not be frugal but just look more closely at prices and do some comparison shopping which I never usually do...if I want it I buy it. And also, not keep the water runnning unnecessarily JUST BECAUSE when I'm at the sink - and turn lights out when I'm not needing them. I find myself lazy in this respect and I will do my best to THINK from here on. It just might be fun!

Well we're in a deep freeze here yesterday and today and we have to get out and head to Janesville to a lunch with my brother/wife and then we're all going to visit an aunt/uncle.
Hopefully we'll be home this evening early and have our traditional New Year's Eve dinner of Steaks, Crab Legs.

Last night we headed to Janesville to have dinner at a great steak place with cousins visiting from Pennsylvania and by the time we left the wind was blowing hard, snowing and drifting. We have an hours drive through country, not interstate and let me tell you there were many white outs. We were very happy to hit our driveway!

Have a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Year's Day everyone.
Hugs, Karen

Back to Work

If you are in the Arcadia FL area on New's Years Day and are needing an antiquing fix, please stop by the annual Maddy's Antiques New Year's Day Show where we are setting up for the first time. Our booth is located on the stage. Please see the info below for the specifics:

Maddy's Antiques New Year's Day Show
Arbor Banquet Hall
111 W. Oak St.
Arcadia FL 34266
Thurs. Jan. 1st, 2009
10am til 2pm
$2 admission
Rain or shine
Food available for purchase

Hope you will stop by the show! I'm sure it will be fabulous!

Happy and Safe New Year!
Shelley

Garden of Decay

Garden of Decay is a self published book of industrial decay and abandoned buildings that is captivating.


Be sure to click through for a mosaic of their images (including an abandoned Gothic church...)

The Showtime House

Have you seen the Showtime House? Sponsored by Metropolitan Home, each room was designed with a different Showtime TV show in mind.

The most steampunk is The Tudors Living Room. The era isn't Victorian, but it has a lot of design elements in common with steampunk -- antiques, brass surrounding the fireplace, and industrial inspired lighting.

The Dexter Dining Room is not at all steampunk, but is incredibly creative and over the top, in a very macabre way.

Also, don't miss the book tower in the Californication Study.

Thomas Hamel

Reader Natália and I are both fans of Desire To Inspire. (In fact, this is my 2nd find from them this month! Oops!) DTI recently spotlighted Australian designer Thomas Hamel.

This is a designer who loves books --I think this is the only bedroom I've seen with glass fronted bookshelves in it. I love the medieval map (Ben guessed Canterbury) set into the wall and framed with molding.

I'm not sure what the framed print is here (anyone else?), but you could have fun Photoshopping an old Scientific American print to get a similar affect.


I love the symmetry here -- the bookcase is centered at the end of a long hall, with the light extending the vertical line -- and the touches of the exotic in the Chinese seat and wicker chest under the window.

THE AFTERMATH

What a wonderful Christmas day we had - we had to wait for Darren and MaryAnn to get here a bit late so we all just sat around snacking and playing games which was really a fun time.

By the time they got here the little ones were beside themselves with eagerness to open their gifts - but I sure give them lots of credit for not begging!

After opening gifts and stockings we had a wonderful dinner of baked ham, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, jello and lots of desserts. A typical Christmas dinner in our house.

After dinner Jesse got his Guitar Hero hooked up and that was a fun time for everyone - I'm always so amazed at how teenagers can immediately hook something up and go at it! Camera card was full by this time so no pictures of that fun moment.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Aidan arriving!

Aidan being held by Uncle Dan

Aidan's daddy is in the left corner in the tan sweater

Jesse

Alexandra, Joseph, Emily and Jamie (in chair)

Game time...

Darren, MaryAnn and Aidan

Jamie and Heather

Brett and Doug

Karen

CHRISTMAS MORNING

Merry Christmas morning whoever ventures over to BLOG LAND today!

I woke very early after a solid nights sleep (went to bed at 9:30!)

Got up and made our traditional sweet rolls - Cinnamon rolls and Orange rolls - from the Pillsbury can of course! lol It has been something we have done since the kids were real little as part of our morning around the tree....eating sweet rolls, drinking milk and juice and hoping not to tip the glasses over as we're scattering boxes and papers in 10 differnt directions!

Here's a couple pictures of the mess of gifts that need to be arranged around the tree!

And here they are all under the tree

And this morning, even though we weren't around the tree with the kids, we had to have our sweet rolls with our coffee and milk.

Now the table is set, the kitties are fed, the ham is in the oven, the meatballs are simmering and the rest of the morning is ours and we still need to hang the 'oh so filled stockings'....then wait for the family to arrive around 1 or so.

They are all bringing some kind of appetizer for the afternoon along with our meatballs, chips/dip, cheese assortment so there should be quite an array of goodies.

Have A Wonderful Christmas Day To All My Friends!
Karen

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

My sister Shirley, Me, my brother Gene 1951
Click on picture to view larger

P.S. Those bright things on the tree that look like clouds all lit up are actually the bottom of Bubble Lights that were so popular in the 40's and 50's!
And don't you just love the Charlie Brown look of the tree???? Oh what I'd give to find one that looks like that!

TO ALL MY FRIENDS OUT THERE WHO HAVE COME AND LEFT WONDERFUL COMMENTS AND WHOS BLOGS I VISIT AND ENJOY SO MUCH....MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MAY YOUR HOLIDAY BE FILLED WITH MUCH DELIGHT AND I HOPE YOU MAKE WONDERFUL MEMORIES WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO SHARE FOR YEARS TO COME.

STAY SAFE AND WARM....HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Karen

Copper Kitchen

I ran across this kitchen at a Home Depot Expo in Fairfax County, Virginia a while back and was taken by all the shiny bright copper.

The copper really stands out against a black granite backsplash and counters.

The sink might be a bit much -- I think it would be impossible to keep this shiny. You can find some quite reasonably priced antiqued copper bathroom sinks, however.

The $6,000 copper hood by Abbaka Trading Company.

Closeup of the copper tile border.

The border and accent tiles featured old fashioned botanicals.

The entire kitchen might be a bit more than you would do in a "real" kitchen, but I think the idea of warm wood, copper accent tiles (You can find a variety of copper tiles with a quick Google search.), and black counters is really striking. A more "country" look would be to combine copper with white counters and backsplash.

MAKING HOME 2008: YEAR IN REVIEW

For the last post of the year, I'd like to feature two posts from each month of 2008... one chosen by the readers (indicated by how many comments it received), and one chosen by me as my favorite from the month. Hopefully you'll enjoy this and find some things to read... and I'll enjoy getting to see 2008 in review. So let's do it... feel free to jump in and add your comments and thoughts to any of these.

JANUARY 2008

• We started out the year with you all lending your advice to a Christian women dealing with a husband's porn addiction. (43 comments)
  
• Something to ask ourselves... who am I going to be today?

FEBRUARY 2008

• "Being Sexy For Your Husband (part 3 in a 5-part series)"--this one was controversial, as some Christians want to put extra restrictions (beyond what the Bible lays out) on what married couples can do within their marriage bed. (56 comments)
• Specifics on how family devotions go at our house.

MARCH 2008

• Silas was born! I was so blessed to have you all celebrate his arrival with us! (87 comments)
  
• Time management with little ones has lots of good advice and ideas for moms in the comments!
  

APRIL 2008

• You all had fun picking which useful skill you'd choose if you could "instantly acquire" that ability... (56 comments)
• The most helpful thing I can share with new mothers has been such a complete blessing to our family, that I can't help but share about it. Maybe it will help some of you. It's our thoughts on battling bedtime and training our children in good sleep habits.
  

MAY 2008

• Many of you shared your thoughts about the poor husband who was served up "rice" for every "meal" (wink, wink). (64 comments)
• This is a lesson I am still learning-- what the Word of God says about differences between preferences & convictions in the choices we make as mothers.

JUNE 2008

• The readers enjoyed this humorous quote about homeschoolers and socialization. (55 comments)
• I know I struggle with making the best use of my time... maybe you do too?
  

JULY/AUGUST 2008 (I took a sabbatical, so the posts were light in these months)

• Many readers weighed in about when the person who wears the pants in your family is a size 2T. (51 comments)
  
• Favorite from July: Don't compare your spouse with anyone else!!!
  
• Favorite from August: It's not our culture that has sexualized the breasts. Just had to get this little rant off my, ahem, chest. :)
  

SEPTEMBER 2008

• This one really brought readers out... Some Subtle Effects of the Birth Control Culture (117 comments)
• SEX: What if you just don't want to? Perhaps this will help or motivate the wife who is willing but not wanting to regularly be with her husband.

OCTOBER 2008

• A post about Psychobabble Parenting really lit up with comments... so fast and furious that they ended up being shut down. (55 comments in less than 72 hours)
• Lessons about what Love really looks like-- these are things I'm still learning.

NOVEMBER 2008

• Apparently, my "true confessions" post struck a chord with many other mamas out there... "My Seven Month Old Ate Dirt" was the high-comment post for last month. (49 comments)
• I love to celebrate adoption! Many of our friends had "gotcha days" this year, and it is such a blessing to see God knit families together!

DECEMBER 2008

• This month, the definite "hit" was for other young Christian moms-- "Combating the 'You Should Get Out of the House More' Mentality". (112 comments so far)
• One thing we can easily forget in the busy season of Christmas is that everyone leaves some things undone.
  

May God richly bless you all in this final week of 2008! I pray that Christ will become more highly prized and more richly exalted in your home and mine as we celebrate His birth! Merry Christmas & have a delightfully Christ-centered remainder of the year! "See you" in 2009!!!

GREAT WEBSITE

I have been so fortunate lately with my web site business....many opportunities have openened up for me because of it....one of them is from this wonderful website: http://www.todaysprimitivehome.com/

These two girls, Andrea and Caryn are promoting websites and products out of the love of creativity! Their writing is fun and upbeat - you must read the descriptions of artists products....you will enjoy your visit there.

This weeek they have featured one of my products AGAIN....this is the third time! And they are giving away a $50.00 shoping certificate at my site....go visit them here: http://www.todaysprimitivehome.com/

I have also been asked to become a 'team member' to do a monthly 'decorating tips' article....we'll see how that goes! Sometimes my decorating ideas are off the top of my head at the spur of the moment so only time will tell whether they keep me on.

Have a wonderful Tuesday
Karen

MONDAY'S MUSINGS

I just can't believe that Christmas is just less than a couple days away.

Oh how we plan and prepare and shop and wrap and then only to have it over with so fast. I wish I could bottle these feelings up and bring them out when I need a warm cozy feeling.

I honestly don't think there is a more magical holiday out there - I know we all need to think more about the true meaning of Christmas ... and we do ... we enjoy both aspects of this wondurous holiday.

Today we went for a ride to Janesville to finish up our shopping - we didn't need to but I felt the need to continue this feeling of preperation. Yes, I need to start wrapping but I have Tuesday and Wednesday to take my time with it - it's this way every year with my wrapping. I'm not putting it off, I just like to do it at the end and all at once.

We got the single item we drove all that way for and then had some lunch and then headed back home which is an hours drive! I had full intentions of visiting an Aunt and Uncle while there but that just didn't happen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I made a wonderful pot of Vegetable Beef Soup yesterday and we had it for dinner last night but don't you think that soup or stews need to be eaten the next day for the best of flavor - I do! It tasted so good tonight after being gone all day and so beat.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A few weels ago I received a bag of wonderful Hickory Nuts from Lea of Farmhouse Blessings and I am now just getting around to taking a picture of them! Aren't they packaged so cute with a little birdhouse tied to it. I just can't wait to get crackin!

COLD SUNDAY

Well Christmas is fast approaching and I'm anxious!

But at the same time don't want it to come this fast....I'm like a little kid at this time of year - I want it here but not - guess I want to savor the moments.

Yesterday we went to do more Christmas shopping and why I try and go on the weekend is a mystery to me - busy, busy, busy!

And I guess that's a good thing for today's economy!

I was like a chicken with its head cut off....going in circles in the stores looking for STOCKING STUFFERS....why this is so difficult for me is puzzling.

I guess I make it a chore - but I will not stop the tradition...it's just that when you are looking for little items for 12 stockings it can be undaunting!

On our way home we stopped at our sons/family home and her mother and sister were there - they had a cookine baking day. How fun is that?

We had a taste of some really good cut-out cookies and then headed home....the weather was turning bad again with more snow and it was dinner time too.

Today will be a relaxing day - no shopping! Plus it's minus 4 below zero and windy!!!

I might wrap gifts and sew on a couple orders that just came in.

BY THE WAY.....I HAVE PUT MANY, MANY

ITEMS ON SALE ON MY WEBSITE

so come on over! www.kmprimitives.com

In regards to the post below....with our Stepfather, well we received a note card yesterday with this message in it

"We can't thank you enough for your thoughtfulness in treating us to a Christmas dinner.

We may not show it, but you are very special to us.

YOUR MOTHER would be very proud of you!

Love you much!"

Now wasn't that just sooooo nice!

I added some pictures of the mess I need to start wrapping that are in our guest bedroom!

Plus there are 3 huge boxes with Craftsman Tool Boxes in them in the screen room and a set of Pots and Pans in the basement that aren't even included in the pile! lol

Still need to shop for more stuffers but that's all.

Here are some not 'so interesting' pictures of Fridays snow


On our drive shopping Saturday

Doug doing what is becomming the 'normal' around these parts

Not many more places to put the snow on the bridge until they can remove it

Downtown

Downtown

That's it for today - hope you are all staying safe and happy!

Karen

He Has Dealt Bountifully with Me

Sometimes, between the new gadgets and the gimmes and the advertisements, we can forget God's profuse blessings and get caught up in a sea of negativity... and I just read something that I think will combat this in our lives if we let it roll around in our minds:

Psalm 13:6--
I will sing to the Lord,
Because HE has dealt bountifully with me.

So, I want to share some of the ways that God has dealt bountifully with me:

• He placed me in a family that taught me things of God from the very beginning of my life.
• I have been raised in a country where we are able to worship God freely. I have always known this, but having lived in places where Bibles are hidden and churches meet secretly, I am much more aware now of what a gift this really is.
  
• I have always had a copy of His Word available to me in my language, and I was taught to read from a young age.
• Though I could have gone hopelessly astray, He righted me and gave me a series of mid-course corrections. He kept me from ruining my own life.
• This husband He picked out for me... y'all. Seriously. What a man... I am so very blessed.
  
• He has allowed me to be home with our children from the very beginning, and (having held my "dream" job before having kids) I am fully convinced that no job could compare with this one of wife & mom.
• He is changing us to be more and more like Him... I see evidence of His work in Doug and in my own life as well. And though we're not anywhere near completed, it is exciting to know that "He's still working on me."
  
• He has given us four beautiful, incredibly funny, unique little people to (Lord willing) raise up into men and a woman of God.
• AND... He is already drawing them to Himself. Each one of them is being drawn towards Christ at his/her level, and it is precious to see.
• He is faithful to teach me through His Word.
• He is faithful to convict me of sin and not just let me wallow in mediocrity or shallow, unrefined faith.
• He is faithful to give painful, much-needed discipline when I am hard-hearted and need it, and to deal with me gently when I am broken and easily moldable.
• He is faithful to continue the work that He starts, and I see evidence of that all around me... in our lives and in the lives of the people all around us.
  
• He has given me Making Home, which has become such a neat place where I can encourage, exhort, love, and sharpen (and be encouraged, exhorted, loved, and sharpened by) the Body of Christ, even from a great distance.
• He has even allowed us to live in amazing places all around the world-- letting our family see the day-in, day-out hopelessness and emptiness of atheism, idol worship, and works-based religions. I am so grateful that my children in particular have had this firsthand evidence of the insufficiency of religions that depend on man. I trust that this is part of His plan to draw each of them towards faith in Him & His extravagant grace.
  
• When I offer myself up (through hospitality, writing, praying for a friend, or being willing to do whatever I can do) for His service, He uses me! What a sweet thing it is to be a useful "pot" in the hands of the Almighty God!

And I could go on and on! And you probably could too. Take this day to consider how God has dealt with you.

Psalm 13:6--
I will sing to the Lord,
Because HE has dealt bountifully with me.

A request: please don't let this list serve as reasons for grumbling or complaining, even in your mind. There are many, MANY things I could have listed that would not sound bountiful. But the truth is that even in those things, God has been gracious. If I listed out every negative thing that ever happened to me, or every sin I have willfully committed against my God, it would not be a pretty sight.

But we all have so much to be thankful for. Even those who do not know Him as God receive grace from His hand every single day. Rain, food, love, provision, friends, each and every breath of life... all of these things are undeserved grace from His hand. We all have much to be thankful for.

So consider. If you were to sing of God's bounty in your life, what would be the themes of your song?