Haven of Creativity

My family and I had a wonderful Christmas. The entire season was enjoyable and included making gingerbread houses with my granddaughters, attending Simply Christmas at my church, hosting a party for my church secretary friends, having my kids and my nephew with his wife and kids for Christmas Eve, and spending Christmas Day with all of my children through different periods of the day.

Every year I strive for more and more simplicity and I think I am slowly achieving it! Everything doesn’t have to be perfect. My house is cozy and inviting, but doesn’t have to look like a picture from a magazine. The food prepared is good and the time spent together is priceless. Spending less money is still a goal and I need to curb that in the future. I enjoy making gifts and plan to continue to do that more and more.

I did buy myself an Amazon Echo and I just love it! I can ask Alexa to play a genre of music, or a specific artist, a question I am pondering or even to tell me a joke! My granddaughters have fun with that one! I also gave two of my sons each an Echo Dot. I’m hoping my youngest uses it to wake himself up every morning.

Now, I guess the time has come to start thinking about the new year. I’ve never been big on New Year’s resolutions, but I do reflect on the past year and have hopes and goals for the new year. One of the things I plan on doing is carving out the time to write more! I have the ideas flowing and notes taken, but I want to put them all together better and get more thoughts down on paper–or screen. Mindfulness, simplicity, relationships and helping others are all my forever goals. I definitely am looking forward to 2019, but truth be told–I look forward to every day, simply for the gift that it is.

I am not a Black Friday shopper, other than online. I don’t really enjoy finding a parking space, trying to weave through all the people just to get to the item I want…only to find it sold out. I love my small town and I do patronize the shops often, but I admittedly am a lover of all things Amazon. I love reading books on my Kindle Fire, I love listening to music with my  Amazon Echo and Dots  I have throughout the house and the two-day free shipping.

I love making gifts, and I have been working on some projects which serve two purposes: 1. is I have a nice handmade gift for a loved one and 2. it gives me much joy and relaxation while I’m creating. I think my 17 year old son is the most difficult to find gifts for, since he has never been a big “wanter of things”. So I am trying to think of experiences he may enjoy, rather than just things. He loves music and concerts, so I am doing a bit of checking in those areas. Any ideas? My older kids are easier, since they have homes and I can usually think of things they would like.

My granddaughters love to do crafts and play games so I am concentrating on those things for each of them and having so much fun doing it! They are the most fun to shop for! My grandson is 1 year old and is the most pleasant, happy little guy. He is very bright and he really concentrates on things and how they work. When he figures something out, he doesn’t forget. I want to look for fun, challenging things for him to enjoy! I also always make a handmade Christmas ornament for each of them to put in a box I gave them each on their first Christmas. by the time they have their own tree, they will have a good start on ornaments!

I do have some items for sale in my ETSY Shop.  If you are interested in needle felted items, Room Sprays, potpourri or papermaking kits, among other things that will be added, please check out my shop!

I’m looking forward to making gingerbread houses with my granddaughters and their aunt and uncles this weekend! It’s become a tradition and it’s just so much fun to be together. I am also looking forward to decorating, cookie baking and spending time with family and friends.

Well, I have to get back to creating…gotta keep moving!

It’s already October, yet I have my central air on today. I love fall and I hope we get some nice, cool evenings before the cold grip of winter sets in! I have been busily creating felted pumpkins, acorns, felted bowls and thinking about what gifts to make for Christmas. I like to make Christmas gifts for my friends and family because I just feel like it is more meaningful to take the time to handcraft something for someone special. I hope as my grandchildren grow up, they will someday look back and remember when Grammy made them things. Hopefully they’ll keep them to show their children!

I am sentimental about things from the past. I love old pictures, handmade quilts, embroidered pillows, postcards, and items from my parents and grandparents. When I look at photos or keepsakes that are meaningful from my past, I can be transported right back to places like my backyard while growing up, my grandparents kitchen and backyard, my school days, and my friends houses. Our memories are such treasures and one of my favorite things is hearing a word, smelling a familiar smell or looking at an old picture and for a moment, being 10 years old again, or 16 or 25.

Getting back to what I’ve been making, here is a picture of the acorns I needle felted! The caps are real acorn caps that have been washed, dried and sealed. I love needle felting and I am looking forward to starting some Christmas ornaments and decorations.

Enjoy the rest of your week! It is warm here, but it will be about 20 or more degrees cooler in about 3 days. Crazy weather this year! We’ll I’m going to get back to watching the Voice–I love that show…and Adam Levine!

 

 

Well, it’s still raining here in PA. I sound like a broken record, but this rain is just awful! We have had local flooding and it’s been so dreary and gray. The sunshine is desperately needed. When the sun does occasionally shine, it’s been so hot and humid that it’s hard to enjoy being outside. That said, it certainly has made for a lot of crafting indoors and salsa making with the abundance of tomatoes my garden is producing!

I have missed several Thursdays at the Lititz Farmer’s Market due to the weather and other obligations, but next week, September 20th, I will be there! I have my wonderful, fall potpourri blend ready to package up and a room spray to go with it. I have also been needle felting a lot of fall items and am also starting Christmas items. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to keep up with the ideas in my head, but I’m trying!

Sometimes life is just difficult. Then the next day, it’s a little better. I keep reminding myself through the challenges, that there are ebbs and flows and to ride them out the best I can. So far, that strategy has worked for me and creating and crafting is a HUGE part of the plan. My craft room is my Happy Place. It is a place where the only expectations put on me are my own and in a creative, positive way. When I emerge, having immersed myself in a creative process, I feel refreshed and relaxed. I wish for everyone to have that “thing” that can recenter, redirect and recharge you when it is needed. Hobbies and interests are just as important for our emotional well being as food and exercise are for our physical well being.

I will post pictures over the weekend of some new projects as I complete them, but in the meantime, remember to check out my Etsy page!    https://www.etsy.com/shop/susangf2

I will be adding some pumpkins and other felted items, as well as potpourri and room sprays!

Happy Crafting!

 

 

August has started out very wet here in PA! Luckily my house and basement are dry, but many had water in their basements due to all the rain in short periods of time. Our lovely Lititz Springs Park flooded so badly that you could only see the tops of benches. It is receding, but the BIG craft show will be making some changes this Saturday, moving park vendors to nearby streets to avoid slopping in the mud.

The Lititz Farmer’s Market will take place tomorrow, hopefully. The weather has been our friend most of the summer and hopefully we will be storm free tomorrow. I will have some needle felted pumpkins to add to your fall decor! My tomatoes are growing, but they aren’t red yet! I may have some jalapeno peppers. I have picked some, but the majority needed a little more time.

I’ve been a little MIA lately because I have been helping young girl who has been having some difficulties, and is now in the care of others. I am praying that she finds her way and can look forward to a bright future.

I also tripped over nothing, and fell and hurt my foot. I finally got an xray as the pain was better, but not gone and found out that I have two non-displaced fractures–so today I get a boot.  Yippee. Due to not being able to walk comfortably, vacation was postponed from last week, so we have that to look forward to later this month! Long Beach Island is our destination and I can’t wait! This is my son’s last summer as a high school student. He begins his senior year in September. It’s bittersweet, but after raising 4 kids, I am a little excited to see what life without a child in school is like!

I have been enjoying the show “Making It” on NBC on Tuesday nights. It’s nice to have a craft show on TV! Catch up online if you can, it’s a lot of fun! Have a great Wednesday and do something creative!

I have a store on Etsy that has some of my items listed for sale, with more to come! Please take a look here at Susan Faulkner, Back in Thyme to check out the site and get ideas for gifts for others or yourself. I will be adding more items soon, and if you have a special request, just let me know. Thanks for looking!

The weather looks beautiful for the Lititz Farmer’s Market tomorrow from 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm! We have really gotten lucky with the weather on Thursday evenings and I certainly hope it continues! I have been a bit preoccupied these days and haven’t been writing like I’ve wanted to and am trying to catch up. I have been helping an 18 year old girl who is in need of some guidance and support and a place to be right now. She’s doing well and we are moving in the direction of independence for her and it’s amazing what people are capable of with a support system in place. If you are of faith, I ask you to keep us in your prayers for guidance and security for her.

I will have more little bottle necklaces this week, I have the shore point map-in-a-bottle necklaces, and now I also have beach-in-a-bottle necklaces with tiny shells and sand. Don’t miss these great gift ideas for the beach lovers in your life!

My cucumbers are growing like crazy and although my tomatoes are a little slow, I will have A LOT when they all come in! Salsa making is on the horizon! I am also closely watching the birdhouse gourd plants and the luffa plants and I’m anxious to see them start to form.

The Lititz Springs Park is so beautiful, I went and had my lunch there today and it was so pleasant.

Happy gardening and crafting for now–come on out to the market tomorrow night!

While we are in a heatwave, I’m trying to make the most of my time indoors when I’m not cooling off in my neighbor’s pool. The Lititz Farmer’s Market is on a break this Thursday, since the big Fourth of July Celebration will be in the park on Wednesday. Thursday would have been the rain date. I am busy making my map-in-a-bottle necklaces and they seem to be a hit! I am hoping to be selling them on Long Beach Island soon as well as other shore points.

I am including a link to my Etsy shop if you would like to keep up with what I have in stock.  Just click on the link and it will take you there: https://www.etsy.com/shop/susangf2

I am looking forward to spending time soon in Bethany Beach, DE with my cousin (soul sister) Kathy. She and her husband have a place there and we’re excited to be able to exchange our 3 to 5 hour phone marathons with time together in person! We have so many common interests and never lack for topics of conversation. I’ll be taking cards and games and I can’t wait to just be laughing and relaxing. I’ll also be making and taking tabbouleh, which is a Middle-Eastern dish that our grandmother always made and we both love. I make it a lot through the summer when fresh parsley, tomatoes and cucumbers are abundant. We have many wonderful memories in our grandmother’s kitchen and home. She made every day special.

The items in my greenhouse are dwindling since the heat has set in and everything is getting planted or sold. I do have a jalapeno plant in there that is thriving so I’m going to let it go and see which ones produce first! Before you know it, we’ll have tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers galore! I’ll have them ready for the Farmer’s Market along with making my salsa regularly to have at home and share at work and with friends.

Stay cool! Stay tuned for updates and check out my Etsy shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/susangf2