Spring Cleaning: Two Years Later

So a few of you may have noticed that I suddenly stopped posting mid-spring cleaning. Believe it or not, we actually followed each day, and I took photos and all that jazz to share with my readers, but...

Life decided to hand us some big news and it didn't slow down! Many of you are already "in the know", but I needed to get back here to give some explanation for my disappearance from the blog.

One, my husband accepted a position at new company and we moved to Pennsylvania. We live in Kennett Township, home of the sweet little historical town of Kennett Square. Our home sits nestled in a more rural area near the Delaware border. It has been quite a change from our life in Dearborn, Michigan. As you can imagine, life here, settling in two teenagers, trying to shift gears for business, and many other changes have been all-consuming.

Two, after years of being quite ill, I finally found a doctor who would treat my illness properly. As I started to get better and found a doctor here in PA who would continue treatment on the same path, something I had come to accept as my reality, infertility, suddenly reversed itself.

So, at 41, I found myself pregnant.

As I sit here with a darling sleeping 5 month old in my lap, I am overwhelmed with appreciation for all the changes that can happen very suddenly in life that can bring more joy than ever imagined.

But I am still a little sleep deprived, so please accept my apologies if my blog suffers for it.

Much Love!

Faith

Spring Cleaning with Apartment Therapy: Day Two

Day Two: The Fridge

Okay. I am exposing my embarrassing fridge for the day two challenge. Lucky you.

Before

A little over a year ago, we purchased a Samsung counter depth food showcase refrigerator. We love it. It is perfect for teens, and we literally have seen a difference in our electricity bill because we put the most commonly used foods and condiments in the front showcase. After a while, though, laziness sets in, and things start being put "wherever it can be shoved". We also made a rule that all leftovers or carry-out must be placed in our storage containers. It doesn't always happen, but really, this has been a HUGE help in keeping things less cluttered and chaotic. It also helps limit food waste and we are more prone to recycle the other containers right away. I find Styrofoam vile and a health/environmental hazard, so we try to get our food out of those types of containers as quickly as possible anyway.

I can't get enough of the InterDesign and mDesign acrylic fridge/food organizers. They make life a lot easier. We also use the special green-lidded Rubbermaid containers for fruit and veggies which lends to even more naturally easy organization with quick identification of the type of stored and slower food spoilage. It may not be designer beautiful, but it is extremely functional. Still, we are not perfect, so day two was a good kick in the pants for us as a family. 

Everyone pitched in a little for this one. Hopefully we will maintain our clean and organized fridge...well, at least for a couple weeks longer than last time...Baby steps.

After- Inside

After- Showcase Door


Happy Spring Cleaning!

Faith

Spring Cleaning with Apartment Therapy

SPRING CLEANING IN 20 MINUTES A DAY

'Tis the season for Spring cleaning, but for me, it's a bit more of necessity since we are preparing for a big move. While we are packing and planning, sometimes the mundane chores get lost in the larger projects. When I came across the Apartment Therapy challenge, I decided to sign up to help me stay motivated and on task. Even when tired and sore, a little extra 20 minutes is worth the peace of mind and the comfort of a community ritual.

First day: Cleaning the rubbish bins in the kitchen

I made my son do it.

Yes. I know. I'm horrible.

;)

Maybe tomorrow will be something less vile from having two teenagers in the house and I will take a picture of my progress.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Faith 

Adventures in Gardening: Stevia (not Truvia)

On my forever quest to find healthy alternatives to refined sugar for the family and for my guests, I have definitely found one that I have fallen in love with over the past couple years after I grew it in my herb garden for the first time in 2011.  The name of the plant is Stevia, and it is very likely you have heard of it before since it is mentioned in commercials for a product called Truvia.  I am not recommending Truvia in any way. I have not used it. I have since purchased stevia packaged by Trader Joe's, and am pleased with the product, however, there is nothing like growing it in your own yard.

I have started to grow it in my butterfly garden section of my yard instead of the herb garden with even better results.

One very cool way to sweeten coffee calorie free is to add the dried leaves to the coffee beans in the grinder, or the crushed leaves to your coffee grounds.  Same goes for tea.  While I know it can be purchased in highly processed form from the grocery store under the name Truvia, I am always hesitant when something is processed to the point of unrecognizable.   I still have dried leaves, and have ordered the plants from Michigan Bulb and purchased from our favorite local nursery, Schwartz's Greenhouse.

Happy Gardening!

Faith

Branching Out

My favorite custom request this year...for so many reasons.

We're coming to the close of another year, and I wanted to once again thank my wonderful customers for their continued business. I also want to thank my family and friends for the love and support as we navigated the twists and turns that came with Jonathan's recovery from the accident. We are hopefully celebrating his last surgery which took place on the 23rd. It truly is a year I gladly leave behind, but not without the hard lessons learned. I can find appreciation for the growth this year. 

I think most of us will relate with one another when I say "Hasta la vista!" to 2016, though. 

So much has changed since the days of my small office/craft room.

Many changes are coming to Inspirations by Faith and Novel Adornment as we also begin our new journey as a family in 2017. This year, I finally took the plunge and will be incorporating and expanding- laying the groundwork for a much larger scale production than I ever thought possible over these past years. It was about time I realized it was time to fish or cut bait, as my business has all but taken over the basement and some portions of the main floor of our home. Looking for a home with a dedicated large studio and office space has been a bit surreal.

And I started an Instagram account...finally. 
(My account is not terribly interesting or appealing quite yet, but I have to start somewhere and work my way into it.) 

I also had the wonderful pleasure of meeting fellow sellers on Etsy and the absolutely delightful Vanessa Bertozzi from Etsy corporate (Brooklyn, NY) as we discussed Etsy benefits and challenges for the coming new year. Vanessa's insight was invaluable, and I genuinely wish many others had the same opportunity. I have always loved Etsy, but have been met with concerns over the past couple years about where I fit in the Etsy community as the business expands. After the discussions we had in that get together, I know I still have a place there to call home. I plan on doing a lot more blogging on some of the new venues and features we will be utilizing. 

One very happy moment that came along is reconnecting with a colleague and fellow artist from my designer/teacher days. That has been a great joy to me this year. I hope to soon be able to share more about our collaboration this January.

So cheers to the coming year, and to all the big changes it will bring!

Faith

Re-think Pressed Pennies

Okay, so if you have kidlets, you probably have a bunch of these little flattened pennies from travel, amusement parks, and field trips.  They are inexpensive, and even us stodgy adults love to watch the process of a penny being smashed and pressed into a pretty little souvenir. But then you get them home...well, then what?

Over the years I have looked at the stashes of these shiny little mementos, and wondered what the heck I was going to do with them.  Put them in a jar? Nope. Then the jar became the change dumping ground, and they became mixed together.  After that, they end up all over the house in various areas. My favorite irritation was finding them clunking away in the washing machine.

Many of you know that we usually take an annual road trip around the US.  We started collecting ornaments for each special location.  A few years back, I decided to use our smaller artificial tree (purchased for displaying my ornaments at local shows- remember when I did those???) to also display all of our travel ornaments and special handmade or colorful keepsake ornaments that don't match the silver, cream, and white decor of our living room tree. We set it up in the sunroom and surround it with all our fun Christmas creations.

That's when I had a flicker of inspiration....

So I shouted to the kids to find all the pressed pennies they could from our trips. I grabbed my thin hemp twine, and my crop-a-dile, and voila!

Just one more crop-a-dile miracle ;)

Merry Christmas!

Faith

Black Friday Weekend Sale

Inspirations by Faith & Novel Adornment will have store-wide sales. Coupon codes will be announced on Facebook on Thanksgiving day.

Happy Shopping!

This Year's Teacher/Staff Gifts

Kids are home from school and it is officially winter break- Yay!

Today I sent the kids to school bearing gifts and since I have been so bad about blogging, I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to get back on track.

The great thing about this post is that it still can be used as quick, but thoughtful last minute Christmas gift ideas.

Jonathan, who is in middle school, was sent with two plates of home baked cookies- one for the teacher's lounge and one for the office.  I used my vintage seam binding, and handmade tag, and the cookies are on a (parchment lined) silver platter. The platters are a great find from the dollar store.

Bekah's were a little more involved. We bought glass mugs from the dollar store, Nestle hot cocoa mix, ultra mini dark chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows. I also found adorable (individually wrapped) candy cane spoons that I ordered from Oriental Trading Company.

Unfortunately the spoons sold out so no link. I can see why....they're so awesome! Hopefully they will have them back in stock for next year.  The cellophane food bags were purchased from Jo-Ann Fabrics. They came with the silver food grade ties as well.  In one bag I put the cocoa, mini chips, and marshmallows. Then added the spoon and the wrapped cookie. Add the vintage ribbon and the personalized tag, and voila!

Have an Inspired Day!

Replaced on the Dollar- IKEA Blomster

Every once in a while I find something on the cheap to replace a design element I have held off on purchasing.  This one I just had to share.

I have been eyeing the IKEA Blomster clear 3-pc set for quite some time. I wanted 3 sets for Christmas decor and other event decorations. They are very versatile, beautiful, and tealights are a quick, easy, inexpensive, no-mess way to add candlelight to a party.  Unfortunately, tealight holders generally don't have a lot of height, or are very style specific. I had seen a few examples of clear glass holders of tiered heights in a couple design magazines, but had no idea where to get them.  That's why, when I found the IKEA set, my imagination went wild over all the great ways I could achieve different looks with vignettes, table top decor, etc. I thought the $15 per set of 3 was a fair price.  I know not everyone gets so excited about tealight holders- call me strange- but I was seriously giddy when I found them.

However, I had not gotten around to forking over the $45.  Other things always seemed to catch my eye in IKEA when I would drop in to blow all my money pick up a few things.  Imagine that.

But now, boy am I glad I was sidetracked because look what I found at the dollar store:

On the mantle at home- yay!

Now, I know they are not exactly the same in design, but they function exactly the same way, and certainly meet the standard of "pretty darn close".  I actually find the ones from the dollar store to be more neutral in design...which is a good thing for these in particular. Especially since I am buying them for their design versatility.  

I purchased 9 holders in-store (the equivalent of 3 sets) for $9!!!! Two sets are already up on the mantle for Christmas- love it! The reviews do note about the stickers...I had no problem removing them by laying them in a casserole dish and gently pouring hot water in the dish to let the stickers soak.  The stickers rubbed right off without any issues. 

If you buy online, I think it must be purchased in bulk, but I had no trouble finding them locally for a $1 a piece.  And, seriously, you can get a box of 24 for less than the cost of 2 Blomster sets if purchased online at dollartree.com.  

This is definitely a win-win find. What awesome dollar store items have you found as a trade for a much pricier item? 

Have an inspired day!

Faith

My Black-eyed Peas Recipe

Today we are having one of my favorites meals of homemade comfort food heaven: Southern style barbecue pulled pork, black-eyed peas, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese.  By far my husband makes the best mac and cheese I have ever had in my life. And sorry, he doesn't give out the recipe ;) So I am stuck with giving you my black-eyed peas recipe, which the whole family loves as well. (At least, that is what they say....haha) It is surprisingly healthy- unlike that macaroni and cheese that makes you gain five pounds just smelling it- and can optionally be made with more liquid added along the way and some favorite veggies to make a yummy soup.

What you will need:

1 Bag of dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and soaked.
10 cups Water
1 Smoked ham hock
1 Green tomato, quartered
1 Small Jalapeno, halved and seeds removed
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and halved
8 Fresh sage leaves
3 Sprigs of thyme
1/4 Large red onion, halved
1-2 tablespoons Salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon White pepper

Bring first 8 ingredients to boil all together in a large pot or dutch oven.  Turn down burner to low and let simmer for one hour. Stir occasionally and check water level to make sure water is always above the beans as they cook. Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue simmering on low until beans are tender and soft with no graininess, always remembering to stir occasionally. Remove ham hock from the pot, and cut of all meat from the bone and chop up into small pieces. Remove garlic, herbs, pepper, and onion (or leave them in and just avoid them when serving). Add ham hock meat back in, and stir. Serves 8-10 as a side dish.

Enjoy!

Quick Upcycle: Cork Board

Hello to all!

It has been an insanely busy Summer so far, but one of the things we have been working on is our home renovations (Yes, still going...but the end is in sight.)  Here is a quick revamp of an old (and ugly) cork board that is now hanging on the wall behind the door in my daughter's room.  It's a tight squeeze for photographing so photos aren't magnificent, but hopefully you will glean a little inspiration of your own from it.

To achieve this look, I covered and taped off the cork board then spray painted the frame.   Once dry, I carefully inked up a large corner stamp (Fancy Pants).  I actually did two trial stamps on the back of the board to get a feel for it- it's hidden, so I highly recommend it so you can get a feel for the ink and pressure you will need :)  A stencil and paint will work fine for the corners as well. Once this is done, attach the hangers that go with the board (if you don't have any, they can be purchased at any craft/hobby store.)

I doubled the twine and tied it off a few inches off to the side, and tied the ribbon and tags to the twine using a bow from the long hanging ends.  You certainly could just do it in the center, but I love the look of offsetting, and am playing with the idea of adding a paper blossom arrangement later.  

Materials you will need:

White paint (I used spray paint)
Large corner stamp or stencil
Ink or paint for stamp/stencil
Thick twine or thin rope
Decorative ribbon scraps
Tea stained and stamped tags
Painters tape and covering for the cork

Have an inspired day!

Faith

Custom Recipe Boxes

I often have customers ask me how the process works, and I thought it about time that I blog about the wonderful way I get the opportunity to create something uniquely beautiful for each customer.

The first thing I do is get an idea of my client's style and color theme.  My favorite way of do that is to send them over to design-seeds.com where they can pick color palettes that suit the look they want.  I also have them go to my facebook page to look at my different created boxes and my pinterest boards for style ideas and inspiration.  Knowing what catches their eye give me wonderful insight into their bent of artistic style.

Once we hit that point, I might ask a couple clarifying questions.  Sometimes, clients tell me to just do my "thing" from there, but usually this is where I send swatches for the client to pick from, reminding them that this is probably a paper from a line of many patterns.  Their box will generally not be exclusively the paper swatch chosen unless requested.  Here is an example:

A client picked the far right swatch-

These three paper swatches I sent were based off of this design seed pick:

Her recipe box turned out to look like this:

As you can see, I use finite cutting techniques to add additional layers to the patterns from papers that are in or match the same line, as is also exampled here:

And sometimes a customer asks for a special personalization: 

The time to create can differ from one box to the next but generally takes a week from start to finish including a painted interior. Each is made to order.  Lead times vary by the amount of custom orders I am already working on, so sometimes it can take a bit longer. 

This is truly one of my favorite parts of my business- creating these special recipe boxes for others.  It's even more heartwarming to hear back from my customers with stories of the way it has been used or gifted. I even get photos of the box in use every once in a while and that just tickles me pink!

So a huge "Thank You!" to my many customers who have given me the opportunity to create a recipe box, just for them!  

Faith

PS If you are looking to have one made as well, just click here.

Great interior design tool!

So while in the midst of designing the boys' bedroom, I came across this FREE design tool by Autodesk.  I love using it!  Even though the selections are somewhat limited, it still gives me a basic understanding of my space.  It also helps me give my dear husband who struggles understanding my inspiration for designs no matter how well I describe them, a tangible visual of what I am trying to accomplish. Several times it has helped pull us from the brink of an avoidable argument. How's that for Awesome?

So here is a snapshot of the basic layout I designed in the attic room:

Because we had to gut the attic after the extensive storm damage,  (See blogs: It Could Happen to Anyone and Trying to Play Catch-Up) we reconfigured a couple of areas like the stairwell and closet to make them safer, more efficient, and get them into code.  Just building up the floor at a bizarre drop allowed us to push back a wall and add square footage to reduce the overall pieced-together feeling of the space. I am so grateful that this CAD program was available for free..it saved us from many headaches.  Hope you enjoy using it as much as I have!

And as a little extra holiday weekend bonus- A fun curation for your Friday viewing pleasure:

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!


Faith

Decoupaging Clothespins

I haven't done a "how-to" in a awhile, so thought I would do a small one today while the house is still relatively quiet.

Many of you have seen my decoupaged clothespins. They are pretty easy to make, but there are a few tips to make sure you are creating something that isn't going to fall apart on you and will look their best for years to come no matter how you use decide to use them.

(Click Here to Pin on Pinterest)

What you will need for this project:

• Plain wooden clothes pins
• Decoupage 
• Matching printed  paper selection 
• Small bowl of water
• Sponge brush
• Paper towel or rag
• Trimmer
• Distress Ink/Chalk (optional)

Directions:

Measure the flat side of the clothespins. Cut the paper strips to the measurement. Using your lightly dampened brush, apply a thin layer of decoupage on both the side of the clothespin you will be placing the paper on, and the backside of the paper. Adhere together.  Make sure placement is as exact as possible.  Gently wipe off excess decoupage, trying to avoid getting decoupage on the printed side of the paper.  Set aside with paper side upright on paper towel or rag and let dry.  Repeat with all the clothespins for your project.  Let them dry completely (see the directions for dry time on your decoupage bottle).  Optional: distress ink/chalk edges.  Once dry, put another layer of decoupage on top of the papered side and let dry.

Here are some important tips:

Measure the flat side of your clothespins and cut to size as exactly as possible.  This is very important.  Paper that is too big or too small on the clothespins looks shoddy, and larger strips will not stay adhered as well. 

Heavier stock paper works much better for this project.

Do not use xyron, zipdry, or other adhesives instead of decoupage.  For something as small as a clothespin, it does not work as well. The firmness of the top protective layer causes the paper to eventually lift off the clothespin.

I do not recommend homemade decoupage because is yellows and is more likely to crack on this project.

I like to boil (about 15 minutes) and dry my clothespins to breakdown the wood sealant a little.  Clothespins that you buy at the store for laundry use typically have a bit of weatherproofing seal on them that can make it more difficult for a good initial adhesion.

The final seal on top of the paper can be done a second time to make sure it is well-protected.  Just remember to allow the decoupage to dry completely between coats.  

Using high-gloss for the top coat process gives a very unique look. I usually use matte, but using gloss, glimmer, outdoor, or another sheen is totally fine.  

Have an inspired day!

Spring Treasuries

Created two new treasuries in the past couple days, and I wanted to share. There are some really unique gifts for mother's day, and definitely some cool wedding ideas, as well as a few items of just plain awesomeness. Just click on the photos to be taken to the treasuries and all the store links of the wonderful artisans that created these goodies.

Enjoy!

Faith

A Time to Create

I have been very inspired lately, which is a wonderful thing!  However, my business has been keeping me so busy (a very good thing too!) that the opportunities to delve into producing new designs and invest that level of attention and time has been diminishing greatly especially since we are still in the midst of construction in our home.  Because of this, I have decided to thin out my store a bit and limit my stock availability for a month while I create.  What I have realized from this incredible increase in business, is that I burn out very quickly when I don't make time for inspired creation. It begins to show in my work and my attitude towards the business side.  I love what I do and I love the business, but like a marriage, I need to work at it and keep falling in love with it, or it starts to becomes almost a burden touched with resentment- I don't ever want to feel that way about something I am so passionate about.

For the next 2 days I will have a store-wide sale of 30% the entire purchase. This is a huge sale, so if there were pieces you have been keeping an eye on, this is the time to buy.  I will not be re-listing anything until February, and some items will not be returning, so I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to check the store out. Make sure to go to my facebook page and grab the 30% off coupon code for the 2 day sale.

I look forward to being able to share with all of you the new designs that I have been working on.  I hope you will be inspired right along with me.

Have a wonderfully inspired day!

Faith

A Family Production

Today's entry needs to be dedicated to my amazing husband and children.  I could not have survived this holiday season without them.  To bring everyone up to speed, I was given the rare and wonderful opportunity to have one of my Pride and Prejudice novel ornaments featured in the National Post.  It created a whirlwind of business that no one expected and I desperately needed the help of my family to fulfill orders and stay on top of all the holiday shopping madness going on in my online shop.  My vintage novel ornaments and french script candles were an incredible hit this year, and I am immensely grateful and humbled.  A few of the ornaments are still available at Paint Creek Center for the Arts locally in an exclusive large glass bulb with opalescent finish that I don't yet sell online (as well as some of my frames, french script candles, cupcake gift boxes, and covered wood boxes.) If you would like to grab a few ornaments at a discount, my shop will be selling the Sets of 3 10% off in the month of January.  I will re-announce the sale in my next blog and on facebook.

The infamous Pride and Prejudice novel ornament.

I finally decided to join twitter.  I am still getting used to the idea of trying to remember to "tweet" things, and find the balance between not enough/boring and over the top/obnoxious.  I lean to the former out of fear of the latter.  The whole concept of putting something out there in cyberspace that I may never be able to take back makes me a tad nervous...oh wait...this is a blog, right? haha

Thanks to the lovely invitation by an long-time friend, Christine Martinez, creator of Miles to Style, I am now on Pinterest as well. (Thank you, Christine!) This is a sloooooow process since I am still juggling home/work/construction/holidays, but I think I am getting the hang of pinning much more quickly than tweeting.  Afterall, I am skimming through the pages of Etsy and the net all day looking for beautiful things to feature, buy, and inspire me. Being able to pin them into a virtual book totally rocks!  No more word docs of links in barely organized categories (yes, I actually have been doing that for over 5 years).  I really enjoy looking at the pins of my friends as well.  You all have great taste!

Well that's my update in a big flowery basket of newsy goodness.  Looking forward to chatting into the New Year...

Have an inspired day!

Faith

Recipe: Potato Leek Soup

Okay, so if you have never used leeks before, you must try them...and this is the perfect way to lose your leek virginity. (Yes, I know that sounds wrong, but it made me giggle, so it stays. ;P)

One quick mention is that preparing leeks is easy, but you might be surprised by finding the pockets with sand and soil among the layers if it is your first time using them, so I am going to give you a link to help with prep: How to prep leeks. Now I do use more of the greens than is shown in the video, but that is just preference. Also, as much as I think lavender adds a beautiful flavor to this, it can be left out- especially if you don't live close enough to steal some from my herb garden.

Now to the fun part:

Ingredients 

2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp chopped fresh lavender
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
2 leeks, sliced
7 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
Gorgonzola cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a soup pot, melt butter, add leeks, salt, peppers, and lavender, then saute for 10-15 minutes at medium to low heat.  some light browning from the butter is fine, but do not brown the leeks or caramelize, just let them become soft and tender.    Add white wine and stir, releasing any browning from the bottom. let cook down for about 5 minutes.  During this time, add the cornstarch to the stock and stir. Add stock and potatoes to the leeks, and bring to a boil.  Turn down stove to low heat and add milk and cream.  Let simmer for 30 minutes. When you are ready to serve, you can leave as is, or blend half in the blender and re-add to create a thicker, more velvety soup.  Garnish with Gorgonzola cheese if desired.

It tastes incredible, and is even better the second day...the perfect comfort food on these cold dreary days :)

Enjoy!

My German-style Split Pea Soup

Another Family Favorite we can't live without that goes perfectly with cold, gloomy weather. I usually make a double batch to freeze because it is so popular with the kidlets. While it does take about an hour and a half cook time, total prep time is actually about 15 minutes, so is a very easy recipe. Usually I serve it with a loaf of pumpernickel bread or hearty multi-grain on the side. And if you have the inclination to make homemade butter to spread, I added the instructions after the soup recipe :) Cheers!

Ingredients:
1 Hamhock
1 bag of Dry Split Peas
6 Slices of Bacon chopped
Water
5 carrots, sliced in coins
1 red onion Chopped
4 stalks of celery chopped
2 Tbsp. Sea Salt
1 Tsp. freshly gound Black Pepper
2 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 cup White wine


First, in a large pot/dutch oven, Place hamhock, pour in split peas, salt, and half of the pepper, and cover with water. Bring to Boil at high heat on a back burner then turn down heat to medium to allow for a rolling boil. With a large skillet, brown bacon until crisp, then add chopped onion, carrots, and celery and the remaining pepper. Let brown and caramelize over medium heat, then deglaze with wine. Once all of the browning has lifted from the bottom (you can help it along with stirring), pour the contents of the pan into the pot of boiling lentils. Add 4 cups of water, cover and and turn down heat until at a nice simmer. Let simmer for 1-11/2 hours, or until peas have fully softened. Stir occasionally to make sure there is nothing sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add a little water as needed to make sure all ingredients are covered with liquid. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add lemon juice and thyme.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Fresh butter

Ingredients:
1 pint Heavy cream
1/4 tsp. sea salt (optional)

In a mixer, whip cream and salt until it forms a pale yellow creamy butter. Great way to show the kids where butter comes from...well besides taking them to a farm to milk a cow, etc. ;)

Anniversary Bliss

It is officially the 10 year anniversary of Inspirations by Faith! In celebration, I am offering ALL repeat customer who have supported me over the years (including those who have done business with me through private art commissions), 50% off any one item in my Etsy store.  Just message me with the item you would like to purchase, and I will create a custom listing just for you.  All customers, in the month of September will receive a special anniversary gift valued at $5. There will also be a tons of great items going on sale throughout the month, so make sure to check it out and check back regularly!  This is the perfect time to buy for the holidays...and if you participate in the design challenge and/or Riddle Me treasury, you can get an even bigger discount!

There is something very unique in how we all view anniversaries.  They have a way of making us look back and conjure up the special, often life-altering, moments we connect to a particular date and time.  Some can be joyous occasions. Some are, well, not.  But our minds have a way of letting us lose ourselves in those moments...such an incredible gift!  We can take those re-connections and learn, grow, heal, and even find ourselves inspired into action. 

The one custom order this last month that touched me the most deeply, was a husband's first wedding anniversary request.  It is a very rare occasion for a man to grace the virtual doorstep of my online store.  And even more surprising, he contacted me from overseas on military deployment, inquiring about my Paintbrush Bouquets.  Spending his anniversary away from his wife, he wanted to send her a paper flower bouquet in the time-honored tradition of giving paper on the first anniversary. Now I am an imaginative, and creative person, but it had never crossed my mind how great this item is as a first anniversary gift, and I just love the idea! (Not to mention that "Awwww...how sweet" moment.)  He had me add a very special message, and he picked the custom colors he knew she would love. We waited to ship so she could receive it just before her anniversary with the message on the box for her to not open it until that date.  The romantic in me can just imagine her surprise, and total adoration knowing he put so much effort and thought into making the day special and gifting something so unique.  He later messaged me to confirm the bouquet had arrived safely....and the coup de gras, he shared that it may have inspired her to start painting again.  That just makes my soul dance.

As the years have gone by, I have created many things to commemorate anniversaries of various types.  This one certainly has reminded me the incredible value of having a life partner that supports not just the everyday, but also your dreams and aspirations.  When someone supports the part of you that is inspired, creative, even a little frivolous and unconventional because they know it feeds your soul...you know you have someone in life that is of incredible value.  I know I am blessed to have that in my life {love you, Marc}, and I feel very honored to have been a part of the story this wonderful couple has begun to write.  Happy Anniversary!

The custom paintbrush bouquet :)

I need to share a few important announcements before I go eat the carrot cake my husband just handed me :)

The winner of the Riddle Me Treasury goes to *drum roll* Angela. Congratulations! She will be receiving a wonderful collection of goodies and 40% off her next order! She is a fellow seller on Etsy, and I hope you check out all her pretty wares. The answer, as many of you know, was Anne of Green Gables.  Everyone who guessed should have received a response from me earlier today with your discount coupon. If for some reason you didn't receive it, please drop me a line. If you didn't get a chance to participate, I still encourage you to click the treasury link to get a giggle, and see how the riddle treasury works just in case you want to participate in the next one.

The September design challenge is still in effect, so make sure to join in the fun.  I will announce October's challenge in a couple weeks.

So on that note, I bid you all a happy holiday weekend, and hope you all stay deeply, madly, passionately, inspired by life!

Faith