Sticking my nose up in the air...

As everyone is revealing their Cara Boxes this week, (here is mine, I think I revealed early?), I like to check out everyone else's and leave comments here and there.  When someone emailed me back and we started this chat, I realized - I am a snob.

Not your everyday run-of-the-mill snob. Like, I don't get snobby over your income, your clothes, if your toes are the right color, if you have a trendy car or a smashing haircut.  I truly do not care about any of that.

I'm a pen snob.  I want nice pens that write decent. Goooood pens. Smooth writing pens. I'm even happier when they are in a dark navy ink color. Not bright blue. Not black. But blue-black. Yeah, I'm picky. I'm a pen snob.

I have a feeling I'm not the only one. Who else out there is a snob about something?  FESS UP.

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I'm also confessing here my new love of DUCT TAPE!  Well, decorative duct tape.  Isn't this stuff awesome?

My niece needed her dance box decorated and I was at a loss at how to make it cute for her.  It's a big plastic tool box, how do you cute that up?  After buying $35+ worth of supplies at Wal-Mart, I ended up only using $9!!!  I'm taking back all kinds of stuff because once I discovered my love for duct tape, I just didn't open the rest of the stuff.

The polka-dots are from a roll of duct tape and the letters are from a duct tape sheet - about 8" x 10". I still have over half the roll left for other projects.

So how did I get cute letters when I don't own one of those Cricut machines?

I found a font I liked and printed the letters out on regular paper. I used pencil to scribble all around the outline of the letters and placed it face down (pencil rubbings face down) to the back of the tape sheet.  Then I realized I couldn't read the letters through the paper anymore because of the pencil rubbing! So I printed another, placed it on top so I could SEE the outline through the paper and using a pen, traced the letters with LOTS of pressure. When I took off all the paper, the letters were traced onto the back of the tape sheet.  Just cut and stick to the box!  With the left over tape sheet I made stars and hearts and added little details to carry the zebra print all the way down to the bottom.

I thought it was cute! I know there are dance moms that have much more creativity and do all kinds of oh-la-la things to their youngin's dance box... but hey! I'm happy, she's happy and that's all that matters. :)

March Cara Box!

Ya'll, I have decided when you REALLY need a pick-me-up is when one appears on your doorstep. Or on your office desk, in my case.

My Cara Box was waiting for me at work, a big brown box wanting me to rip into it and find lots of GOODIES inside!!! :)

Clara at Walking in the Light really knocked it out of the park with my awesome Cara Box. This month's theme for our Cara Boxes was to use the first initial of the receiver's first name. B is for BETH! And also a lot of other goodies!

Yes, I have my Cara Boxes delivered to my office because I want to make sure I actually GET them. We've had packages left sitting on top of the mailbox on the road and HELLO, can we say FREE GIFTS for the first person who swipes it? So yeah, this is my messy desk. And my way cool presents! Woop woop!

Bride Wars!!! I am looking forward to a weekend of kicking back and watching chick flicks.  Butterfingers Bites! And I'm going to be so sweet that I'll even share with the office! :)  Que Bella face mask - oh la la! How nice will that be!

B is for BETH MUG!  Isn't this adorable? BBB... and I'll probably eat ice cream out of it. :)  Yum. Blue toenail polish that I plan on using ASAP for the benefit of ALL those around me.  Burt's Bees totally rocks my world-Lemon is one of my favs. And a Blue poof! Isn't this awesome? I think she did great.

THANK YOU CLARA! You are so cool!

I'm packing up my gifts for Tyler at Rays of Purple today and hoooope to have it in the mail this afternoon. I loved this first initial box and had to stop myself from buying anything else with the letter T.   :)  I really enjoyed this month!

Now I'm ready for the Spring Swap Box! :)

---- So I posted this WAY EARLY --- now you all need to go see what everyone's else got in their box, and SIGN UP for next month because HONESTLY, aren't you feeling left out of the fun?? I keep saying - I'm not doing it this month, no really, I'm not. (I always fear I'll disappoint someone or drop the ball or something!) but I'm totally addicted. So why don't you just go ahead and sign up so maybe we'll be matched up! AWESOME!

------------>  OK the link to check out everyone else's loot is with Kaitlyn at Wifessionals!

Spring is on it's way!

I love these!  Find them here... before I buy them myself!

Spring Spring Spring!

Oh my, I'm just so excited at the thoughts of SPRING being here soon.  EIKK! I'm SO SICK of cold weather.  I'm sick of everyone being SICK.  Oh please send a warm breeze, bright colors, some good music... oh yeah.... bring on the Spring! Of course, that means bringing on the allergies... poooooooh.  But I think I'll risk it for some beautiful weather. 

I'm also excited to join Katie at Tomorrow with a Smile for a 

Spring Blog Swap! 

It's like a Cara Box (for those of you who do Cara Box) but it seems like this will be more friend-inspiring.  Or maybe create deeper friendships through blogging... anyway, I think it will fit my wants for a swap better, so I'm totally excited!  Click the link and sign up yourself by Friday so you can be a part of the fun and friendship building. 

So, Confession Time... I'm telling myself this is the year to lose weight and feel better about myself. Yeah, I haven't done the first thing to change my weight. I had started walking at work, but when life happened, that stopped. So hopefully I can buy a DVD player that works this weekend and start my mornings with a 15-minute energizing yoga DVD and then walk when I get home. This week won't start it (long story), so my goal is Monday.  Will ya'll please say a prayer that God will give me the focus and motivation to see this through?  I know it won't happen on my own steampower, so I'm asking for some prayer support here, ok?  Thanks! 

Funding Vacation Homes... among other things...

see the website here

How do you like the house my family purchased in the past two weeks? It's nice, isn't it? Too bad it's for the doctors and not for the family...

Seriously, I think with the four doctor visits my sister has had in the past week + the visit my mom will have tomorrow + the one Macy is going to have if she doesn't get over this cold = a new vacation home for the doctor!!

Strep, Flu, Virus, Thrush, Coughing, Hacking... it's really lovely between all the three houses. And we are all praying that Macy just has a cold and doesn't get anything more serious - like STREP! Please send up a prayer for her, too. Thanks.

So I cleaned out my car this week. I really should have taken before and after pictures because it was that bad.  I'm not sure what I have against taking my mail inside, but I found all kinds of unopened mail. Mostly junk mail.  A bottle of prescription medicine dating back to April 2012. Three more that I picked up last month.  Three jackets - one was my old letter jacket from high school (and I'm 37 now!)  A crockpot. Shoes shoes shoes. A full-sized George Foreman grill. A random large serving bowl in an everyday china pattern that involves giraffe print. My charger for the Garmin. The Garmin. Hot glue sticks. Country Dance for the Wii. A case of water. And just junk junk junk.  Now I need to vacuum. And stay a bit more organized!


I'm so excited, I've heard from both Cara Box partners for this month! The one I'm sending to and the one sending to me! I think this theme of finding things with the person's first name is going to be fun. I have a list of ideas already.


I'm also excited because I won a gift card to Whole Foods from Influenster last night! WHOO HOO!  I never win anything, but my tweets won me this!  I'm watching The Taste while tweeting like a mad woman with Influenster.  Although it's a show I might not watch initially, it's a lot of fun to join the tweeting party while watching!  And sometimes you WIN THINGS! So I'm totally psyched.  Basically, these chef contestants have been making themed dishes (last night was Seduction) and they have one spoonful of the dish to impress the judges.  Blindly the judges eat and rate - chefs go home and others move forward. Pretty cool so far.  I would love to have gotten a VoxBox last night, but maybe next time. (Check out Influenster to learn more about how this program works).

Ok, time to refocus energy on something else today...  ya'll have a good one!

Changing my Word?

Isn't this pretty? Buy it here!

If you have followed along here for a while, you know I choose one word to be my focus for the year, in an effort to see self-improvement within the calendar year.  When I chose "Appreciation," I could see great improvements in my attitude and thankfulness.  Last year I chose "Breathe" and I totally failed.  This year, the word I picked was "Simplify," but I'm discovering this is difficult to implement and measure.  So I'm becoming frustrated. 

Yesterday I mentioned I would discuss further this concept of THINKing before you speak. After being severely chastized through #shereadstruth while we visited through Proverbs about my words, then this THINK poster popped up somewhere... it is one of those things none of us REALLY want to work on but KNOW we need to work on.  You know what I mean?  

I think my problem is two-fold.  I've lost my focus on "simplify."  While I won't completely kick it to the curb, I'm going to add the THINK concept to my yearly word.  This is something I struggle with and hopefully can make some progress in this year.  

Along with this, I shared a friend's blog yesterday.  Today I would like to share another blog with you, because this really seemed to strike in my heart.  Funny enough, both ladies that I have shared are my Cara Box peeps! Cool, huh?  Anna at The Things I'm Learning had someone pay it forward for her, which is inspiring her to do the same for others.  

After the tragic events at Sandy Hook, I wrote a blog post about the tragedy and the triumph over this evil.  America was buzzing with people doing good deeds in honor of those who were killed on that day.  I followed along on Twitter (#26acts, #20acts) and would end up crying at some of the acts of kindness people would perform for random strangers in the name of innocent lives lost. Seeing Anna's post reminded me of the beauty that came from such sorrow... 

I'm not sure where I'm going this year. I'm not sure why I'm struggling with my word. But I believe if I can incorporate all three concepts: simplify and focus on the priorities, remove the gossip and irrelevent talking from my life and pay love forward, I know I'll be a much better person in the end. 

 

Friday's Letters

Dear Sickness, seriously, you need to go. My entire family is sick and tired of being sick and tired. Please give us a break this weekend and let next week be better. Dear Macy, I know you are teething and that isn't fun, but you have to let your grandparents get some rest. Dear Cara Box partner, Kelly, Girl, you can't know how much this chocolate has come in handy. Perfect timing!  Dear Donna, thanks for finding 9 to 5 for us to go see - I love catching all these plays! Dear God, I love when you show your artistic skills in nature. Thank you. Dear weekend, I need a break. I need to get my house cleaned up, my car cleaned out, my life back in order. Think we can accomplish this? Dear Sherry, thanks for being understanding when I rescheduled the vacay!

I didn't blog much this week. It was a week of survival. But I did share  my Sweet Niece's Birthday and reveal the contents of my Cara Box this month!  

Link up with Ashley at: 

Cara Box Reveal! :)

OH! So excited!!  I came to work today after taking yesterday off to help Mom with a sick Katie and wide open Macy.  (Katie and I visited the ER on Tuesday night because she was in one heck of a mess with blisters in her throat. STREP! Three shots, two bills and a barf bag later, we made it back home at 2ish a.m.  Poor thing is sick as a dog.)   

So, when I came in this morning and found a box on my desk I was THRILLED! My Cara Box had arrived from Kelly at Honor Courage Commitment  - my Cara Box partner this month.  I'll admit that I just ripped right into it and didn't take any pictures... like, I had to go back and stage some pictures I was so dang excited. (sorry!) 

Kelly was SO NICE about the fact she was stuck with a single gal for a #clubsexy create the perfect date themed Cara Box. I immediately felt awkward and I was afraid she would, too.  But nope, she was totally cool to create a single gal "date night" and made an awesome box!  

The card was beautiful, so South Carolina which is A.W.E.S.O.M.E! I adore our state flag so that tickled me to see it.  Then, the gifts - a huge lavender candle, so yummy smelling, lavish coconut & hibiscus shea butter soap, Ghirardelli chocolate squares and Hershey's Raspberry Hugs. Oh my, I had some for breakfast, which is why you have no cute pics of the packaging. Sorry again! 

My state rocks.

Hot bath & candle, YES!

Oh-La-La Soap!

Chocolate. Need I say more?

Breakfast of Champions. :) 

Thanks for making me feel special on a day that started out very crappy! I'm so happy to have chocolate to help me survive this day. Thanks Kelly, you totally rocked it! :)  

And I made a box for my partner, Anna, over at The Things I'm Learning, for her and her new hubby of only 4-5 months, Kevin!  You can see it here!

Want to learn more about Cara Box? Click here! 

Friday's Letter

Dear nasty cold, please remove me from your evil clutches. I feel like poo, isn't that enough for you?



Dear Ultra Soft Kleenex, you are my friend. I adore you and my nose does, too.



Dear weird tree, you are being shipped to my Cara Box partner this month. I struggled with the theme this month, so I hope she likes it.



Dear Macy, I am missing you, sweet girl. But I can't risk giving this to you. :( I must get welk quick I'm having withdrawals.



Dear peeps, aka YOU, I know so many people struggling, as we all do at some time in life. Please share your favorite Bible verse below that may help someone get over the hump. Mine is above. Thank you!

Go link up at sweet season!

Friday's Letter

Dear Sweet Niece #2, you are too cute for your own good.  I love visiting you every morning before work. I love you!  Sweet Niece #1, so glad you are coming home this weekend! :) I miss you when you aren't here. I love you, too, wild child!

Dear Cara Box partner, Kelly, you are awesome. I was pretty discouraged after signing up for Cara Box this month, only to hear the theme is #ClubSexy.  It just seemed to heighten my awareness that I'm single, and the only #ClubSexy in my house would be expenive kitty treats for Muffin. But you are awesome for shrugging that off and saying it's all about pampering you! (or me...) So thanks for that. :)  And Anna, I'm looking forward to creating a box for you! :) 


Dear Edisto, I'm soooo looking forward to frying on your beaches, then relaxing in the beach house. Please let me surivive until then. 

Dear Sherry, the countdown is on!! I'll be hanging out on your back porch very soon! Can't wait! :) 

Dear Readers - I've so enjoyed "meeting" so many wonderful people online. You are inspiring in so many ways! :) 

Head over to Sweet Season and link up with everyone else! :) 

Friday's Letter

Dear Weekend, I'm so very excited you are almost here. Not sure why. But I am! :)  Woop woop! Dear Macy Mae, I'm so sorry your daddy is sick but you have been so good for your Memaw. Thanks for visiting me at work and making my day so happy! Dear Pintrest, you are killing me and my time. But I am enjoying finding new projects to torture the nieces with! It's not over.. muahahahaha!  Dear Cara Box, thank you, Andrea, for making me a GREAT box! :) I'm so looking forward to what February's theme might be! EEeiikkk!  Dear Paulene, thank you! :) Your motivational spirit finally got me moving. I've done some form of exercise every day this week (for the first time in about 38 years!) and oh my gosh, my legs are paying for it. But it's ok! I'm happy about it! (You can sign up for motivation, too, just click here!)  Dear Water, why can't you taste like Sundrop or Mountain Dew? :(  Dear Pressed Clovers, I'm so excited to have a Facebook page for you, to have two new books available in your store.  Pretty excited about you in general!

Dear Downton Abbey, *spoiler alert* HOW COULD YOU KILL OFF SYBIL!!!! Oh My Gosh, why?!?!?! She's the sweetest, most cool girl on the show! ARRRRGH! What will happen with Branson? The baby? What will he name it? Does Cora know about Lord Grantham's adulterous kiss? Will that Patrick guy come back into the picture? Why did Mary go to the doctor? Did she lose a baby? *breathe breathe* ... must get my heart rate down... *breathe breathe* Ok ok. So thank goodness for Sundays.  See you on Twitter as we all discuss this during the show? :)   Want some entertainment? Check this out!

Dear God, Thank you. For many many reasons. Thanks for the GREAT reminder to THINK before speaking - one of my greatest weaknesses that I'm focused on improving.

Dear Friends - Thanks for reading/visiting! :) Hope you come back soon.  Lots of hotlinks above, enjoy exploring them when you are bored. :)  Leave me a message so I can go visit you, too!




Join the fun! -

Cara Box Reveal!

It's time for CARA BOX REVEAL!!! This is the first month I have done Cara Box and I LOVED it. Basically, you submit your name to be part of this program.  You will receive a person to give a gift to and someone will send you a gift.  You spend some time getting to know them, you make two new friends, you assemble a box of goodies under $15 for your partner that fits the theme of the month and you have a box arrive on your porch with goodies for you! Is this awesome or what?!  I know, totally love it.

The person I created a box for was Amy.  This story is a bit crazy as she is a Carolina gal living in Kansas. Come to find out, I know her people here in my community! CRAZY?! I think so!  Amy's blog is here and she can tell you more about what I sent her. :)

Andrea (her blog is here!) received my name and she is awesome! :) She sent a list of questions to learn more about me, followed me on instagram and facebook and I just wish we lived closer! I love her inspirational posts that are so uplifting!  This month, Cara Box was about resolutions, but I don't really do resolutions, so I know I made it hard on her. But she did REALLY GREAT!

Yesterday my present was waiting for me on my porch, too adorable.  I was ready to do flips to see what was inside. :)  It was STUFFED full of fun, just for me!

Everything was wrapped really pretty but I took care of that in no time. :)  I love PINK and loved the pink poofs tied to everything. Muffin is going to have a grand time chasing them around the house!

I have chosen "one little word" to apply to my life this year, which is Simplify.  Andrea included the planner to help me get organized and simplify my daily life. 

 I LOVE these notecards!  The first says, "Be encouraged, I will never leave you nor forsake you." - a Bible verse, and how totally encouraging is that? And the second is just beautiful, with rhinestones on the upper right side of the cross.  The envelopes are awesome, too, which is one of those little things I LOVE about stationary. Cool envelopes. :)  The pen is now part of my Thankful Journal and it also mentions living simply.  I am so thankful I chose this word! 

This is just for me! Body mist and lotion to pamper myself - and the card which was full of encouragement. Andrea didn't know it, but I had dropped my bottle of perfume and shattered the bottle, leaving me "scentless." So this is awesome! :) 

Cara Box has been such a blessing, I am so thankful for the two ladies I met through the program. It always amazes me the online network of Christian women out there, and I was matched up with two of them! :) YAY!  

I'm off to link up with everyone else - thanks again, Andrea!! You did an awesome job!

Four New Books

Ya'll, this is one tired puppy. I have been in training all day to learn how to manage conflict and confrontation.  Ohhh.. my body aches. But it was a really good class. I laughingly decided I sounded like a bully because I love to use sarcasm. *sigh* I am definitely working on a new attitude, as I've become more frowny faced than I used to be. Back to writing in my Thankful Journal on a regular basis. I really does help refocus me to the positive.

So, as you already know, I took this weekend to create books. It felt so good to create... love it. And I managed to post four of them online today - so go check them out. www.etsy.com/shop/PressedClovers.  Bookmark me, so me some love. :)

We have baby boy books ready now! Loved the adorable cuteness of these baby books. There were already a baby girl and neutral baby for those who didn't want to be overcome with blue and pink. Or, who have a shy baby like Macy was for us.

We have tween/girl books for those girls ages 1 - 8 or so. Lots of glitter, glitz, flowers, butterflies and just all things adorably girlie.  My older sweet niece, AH, loved the one I gave her for Christmas. Was over the moon. I think she felt so grown up. :)

And I added two holiday / calendar books that include all the major holidays. You'll just have to check them out, they are each different, so sometimes it's just a matter of preference. The girls at work couldn't decide which one they would prefer. I like the crazy cat myself.

I'm excited, I should get my Cara Box this week! EEEKKK!!! So excited! My first time, as you already know, so I'm just giggly wondering what is coming in the mail!! I've had such an amazing time meeting these two girls and getting to know them better. I highly recommend everyone trying it and seeing if Cara Box is for you.  It's been really wonderful for me.

Ok, I need to get moving and keep getting stuff done. I'm zonked and really want a hot bath and a good book, but that will have to wait just a little while longer. Hope your hump day was fabulous and give me some feedback on what you think of the new books.

Thanks ya'll - I really appreciate you and all the support you've given me here! It's just amazing!

Friday's Letter

Dear Southern Winter,

    You see, I live in the south to avoid issues like the one above. Ice that won't allow me to open the car door without a serious struggle is not funny.  Pretty maybe, but not funny. But thank you for not dumping serious amounts of snow on us. 

Dear Muffin,

    I realize everything in the house is yours, by virtue of you being a cat. However, I did want to read that letter before you claimed it and wrinkled it up with your large furry self. 

Dear Macy,

    You are stinkin' adorable. You are barely seven months old and I can't remember what life was like before you were here. Your joy is just so beautiful. Your crazy laughter this morning was beyond precious!  I <3 my two adorable sweet nieces!

Dear Winter Sun,

    I can't possibly see a dang thing when you are pulling this crap in the mornings. It's very frustrating, painful, and dangerous.  While I love your warmth, can you tone it back a bit, please? Thanks.

Dear Sara, so tickled to see your new digs this week!  You have such a unique style, it looks really great.  Dear Paulene, Playday tomorrow! Can't wait! AND I get to eat some Lizard's Thicket - oh yeah!  Dear Donna, I'm blaming you for the craving of chocolate chip pizza.... *sigh* so tasty.  Dear Friday's Letter, thank you for introducing me to some super cool people. Dear Cara Box, you are on your merry way to Kansas.  How you managed to link me up to the transplanted Southern gal from my own backyard, I'll never know. But it's so cool! DEAR LONG WEEKEND, oh thank you thank you thank you. Pressed Clovers will have new inventory soon, since I'll be home long enough to work on books! 

Thanks for dropping by and visiting.  Link up yourself with Ashley at Sweet Season!

Motivation... oh where have you gone?

Sunrise this morning, looking across the road from my house

"I will greet this day with love in my heart. And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness as it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge."  -- Og Mandino

I haven't been motivated to do much in the past few weeks. I haven't started cleaning up and cleaning out and simplifying this way. I haven't even packed up Christmas yet. What am I saying - I'm still listening to Christmas music!! I think the drama is beginning to weigh on me again - the worries we have happening with health issues in the family. :(  Please say a prayer for my family and God will know exactly where all to apply it. Thank you.

This little girl is the light of our lives. Granted she refuses to sleep at night and isn't the light of her mama and daddy's lives at the moment, but she is so joyous. Do you see her little toothie in the pic on the left? One little toothie has poked out. My oh my, she's not a happy teether.  But thankfully we've found a gel that works and Sister Beth gave us some teething tablets by that same company that works, too. I'll find the name and share with you later - all natural! So that made us all a bit happier.

Any suggestions on getting a 6-month-old to sleep through the night? Please share. She hates her crib at home and refuses to sleep in it. Play in it - yes. Sleep - no.

In other news, I'm working on my first ever Cara Box! I have a few ideas I have to work on this weekend so it's ready to mail soon! I need to read those directions again... but anyway, I'm so excited! I have been given Amy to send a Cara Box to with New Year's Resolutions in it... and she's a Carolina Gal living in Kansas! So I plan to help her remember all about the Greatness that is South Carolina!! :) :)  Lovin' it already.

*sigh* Ok, I'm off to do something ... not sure what but something. Motivate me, ya'll... help me out here! :)