May Projects

Here are just a few of the projects I whipped up this past month. :)

This is a magnet board with several hooks, that a customer requested to display her jewelry on. I love the colors in this one.

These are some lace & button bracelets that I made for my niece and I to wear for Memorial Day. They were such a hit, I will definitely be making more.

Small, lighthouse cork board for my Mother-in-law. She wanted one that she could use in her RV. The colors are so classic, and I love that some Michigan lighthouses are visible. :)

I am such a huge fan of bright, bold colors and patterns. This fabric is to die for & the deep purple board is gorgeous. The jeweled detail along the bottom adds just the right touch. This cork board will look great in any room.

Red and black are my favorite colors, and they look so classy together. The pattern in the fabric is so classic, and paired with a bold color and the glittery black trim, it is just stunning. Another gorgeous cork board.

The retro colors and fabric in this cork board are so fun and funky. I can see this in a kitchen, or dorm room, or really anywhere. I just love this one.

Handcut & handpainted with embellishments. This decorative wall art with hanging pegs is so cute and full of whimsy. Would look great in a girl's room or nursery. The combination of the pink & green is so popular right now, and I love it.

Wine and wine related items are so popular right now. This is the third wine themed cork/magnet board I have made this month. The rich colors in this fabric are gorgeous, and the matching cork tacks are just too cute.

Pinterest Addict

For those of you who are not on Pinterest, I am so sorry. For those of you who are. Hello, my name is Teena, and I have a Pinterest addiction. (insert chorus of "Hi Teena's" here)
Pinterest is a place where you create boards for everything you could ever fathom and 'pin' things to them. Sounds simple and almost silly, right? WRONG! It's pure genius! Have you ever wanted a giant cork board where you can pin every recipe you would like to try? Or maybe a place to store pics that make you laugh, or inspire you to work out? Planning a wedding or a party & need a spot to not only find great ideas, but save them too? PINTEREST IS IT!
Whatever brilliant mind (It had to be a woman.) created this magical, wonderful world... I bow to your superb wisdom. If Pinterest was a religion, I would be baptized in its glory. It is a slice of birthday cake, wrapped in a hot caramel sundae, dipped in sprinkles with a side of bacon and cookies. It is pure, unadulterated joy. I login and in seconds I am laughing, crying, starving and ready to run a marathon. No other website has the ability to not only suck me in so deeply, but to do it for such incredible lengths of time. There is a phenomenon that occurs the moment you log in to Pinterest. Time no longer makes sense. I call it the Pinterest wormhole. A wrinkle in time, if you will. I start pinning, and before I know it hours have passed. Hours that felt like mere moments. But what joyus, blessed hours they are. It's like a peaceful cocoon of pleasure that wraps around your brain and makes you feel creative, beautiful, smart, funny and a little out of shape but inspired to change.
Then something happens...
You log off and realize that your clothes are hideous, your house is in desperate need of redecorating, you do not have any of the ingredients to be a master chef, your abs look more like a gallon jug than a 6 pack and your children have been waiting for lunch for several hours. The pinning high is gone... It's like a switch has been flipped and suddenly this amazing life you have created on imaginary boards isn't really real. (Although the craving for dessert somehow manages to linger much longer than the inspiration to work out does...) So what do you do? How do you get that feeling back?
You log back in and start pinning. This is the vicious Pinterest cycle. Sadly, there is not yet a 12 step program for this, though I imagine many of us could use it.
If I find one, I'll be sure to repin it...

My Gnomily

I thought it was time for an update on my gnome family (Gnomily) since they have been going through many changes as of late. Last we talked, Hank had been dating the lovely Willow and things were going great. So great in fact, that they decided to bring a new life into it. They were blessed with a precious little girl, and they couldn't be happier. Her name is Narnia Alice.

Isn't she adorable? Well things were going so well with the new baby, and life in general, Hank & Willow couldn't be happier. Then Hank got a surprise visit from his younger brother Hannibal (Hanni) who needed a place to stay for awhile.

Hanni is a true charcter. He is younger than Hank by a few years, and has always looked up to his big brother. But Hanni is a bit of a rebel. He loves to drink, smoke cigars, and party til the wee hours of the night. He has a big heart, and wouldn't hurt a flea, but he tends to get into mischief that he needs Hank to bail him out of. So, Hank & Willow decided it might be a good idea if he stayed with them for the time being, so they can keep an eye on him. So far so good... Things were going so well that Hank & Willow decided it was time to tie the knot. Being the modern couple that they are, it didn't matter to them that they had a baby first, but since they want to continue to add to their family, they thought it best to make it legal.

So they had a small, private ceremony and were hitched. It was a beautiful affair and the happy couple looked radiant. Of course, Willow was glowing for more reason than one. As it turned out, she was expecting gnomie #2. So shortly after the wedding, they welcomed a new little guy into their lives.

Meet Tolkien. A healthy, bouncing baby boy. The Gnomily was so excited to welcome its newest member. Hank, Willow & Narnia Alice were thrilled and Uncle Hanni couldn't wait to take his new nephew out to help him pick up chicks. The Gnomily was so happy, that Willow's father decided it was time to move in with his daughter and start relishing his role as a Grandpa.

 So Papa Birch came to stay. Willow is so glad her Dad is here, and loves to sit and watch him read to his grandgnomies. He is a very wise and peaceful old gnome, and the rest of the Gnomily is pleased to have him here as well. So after many changes and additions, my little Gnomily is all settled in and enjoying life. Things are going great, though living quarters are starting to get a bit snug, so a new home might be in the works very soon. But for now, they are all very content. Life in Gnomeville is just swell...

So as of now, you are all caught up. But you just never know what will happen...

Just some of my latest projects...

It's been awhile since I added pics of my projects, so I thought I would post some of my latest goods.

This is a wine themed magnet board. By special request from a customer. I also made matching magnets to go with it. I thought it turned out very nice. Can't wait to see it in use.

I recently discovered the magic of Fairy Doors and fell in love with them. I wanted to try my hand at painting one and opted for the woodsy look. I am very pleased with the results. Can't wait to make some more as gifts.

After receiving a special request from a customer for a "fun towel hook" for her boy's bathroom, I created this Froggie Hook. He is hand cut and hand painted, and cute as a button. I am currently in the process of making some new designs.

After the frog turned out so well, I had another request for an owl. Since I love owls, I was pretty excited to do this one. This one is also hand cut & hand painted, but it also has silk floral embellishments added. I am so thrilled with the way this one turned out, I am already making another one, but in different colors. I am also working on several new designs, so keep checking in to see them. Also be sure to check out my facebook page. (Berry Favorite Things)

Mysteries of Life

Do you ever wonder why an Easter egg is so much better than a regular hard boiled egg? Or why crayons don't come organized by color? These are just some of the things I think about sometimes. I consider them life's little mysteries. Sure, there are real mysteries out there. Like what really happened to Jimmy Hoffa, and what's the deal with the Bermuda Triangle, and they are fascinating as well. But how often in your daily life do you pause and say to yourself "Hmm... What is with all the sunken ships in Lake Superior?" Probably not often.
The real mysteries of life are the weird, wacky and just plain random things we encounter everyday and have no definitive answer for. Oh sure, some people will try and be all smart and make something up, but we know that those are just opinions and not facts, and that those people are morons. We know that when we ask "Why do old people hate loud music, but need to turn Wheel of Fortune up to the highest volume possible?" we aren't really looking for an answer, we are just stating an odd curiousity. We are the Alices of the world. We see a white rabbit in a suit and wonder where he's headed in such a hurry, where others would wonder why is a rabbit wearing a suit. Curiouser and Curiouser is our motto, we mystery lovers. We may seem (mostly) normal on the outside, but inside these heads is a different story. While you are enjoying a nice snack, we are wondering why you are biting into your string cheese like it's a bat at an Ozzy concert. (Seriously, it's called string cheese because you are supposed to peel it into strings.) While you are sitting at your desk, busy with work, we are staring at our pencil wondering who decided that such a tiny eraser would be sufficient enough. We weren't the kids who asked why the sky was blue, or why grass is green, we just wondered why grass couldn't be hot pink, or the sky neon yellow with puffy orange clouds. We were the kids in school who wondered why it's called math if there are letters involved, and if X = 5, then why not just put the 5 there and save everyone all this time. We are the adults who wonder how someone who clearly has less brains than a pet rock ever got elected into office. Twice. The ones who question how a show like 'Jersey Shore' can make it on TV and millions of kids watch it, but the idea of teaching safe sex in schools is considered an outrage.
Life is filled with little mysteries like these, and it's probably best that there are no solid answers, because we probably wouldn't like them anyway. I think it's better I'm left wondering why hot dogs taste so good when I know that they are literally made with ass...

Heaven's Seamstress

Somewhere up in Heaven, there is a huge, magical sewing room. It is filled with silver and gold threads, and racks of fabrics made from the clouds and sprinkled with shimmering stardust. This is a very special and secret place that not just anyone can see or enter.  This is where angel wings are made.
Not just anyone can make angel wings. Not only do you need to be a gifted seamstress, but you must have a pure and genuine soul. You must be as beautiful inside as out, and you must have a heart as big as the Heavens themselves. You must have a giving spirit, a smile as bright and warm as the sun, and a laugh that would rival the most beautiful music.
This is a very special job. Angel wings must be just right. They are different for every angel, and must fit each one perfectly. Some angels are small, and some are big, but each one needs its own unique set of wings in order to fly to Earth and watch over us.
Every lifetime, God must hand pick someone for this job. It is never an easy decision, and He knows that by selecting this person, He is taking them away from the people that love them. That is why, He also has to consider those people. Are they strong enough to handle it? Can they deal with the loss, and find peace with His decision?  Will they support one another, and find comfort in each other and the memories of their loved one? If He doesn't believe that they can, then He chooses someone else.
Once His decision is made, He calls their soul Home. He gives them a beautiful place in paradise, filled with all the things they loved most, and the opportunity to see their loved ones whom He called before them. Since only a very special person can create magical angel wings, this person is well loved and cared for in Heaven, and held in very high regard. They are given a special place where they can watch over their loved ones, and make sure that they are ok.
I believe that yesterday, God called Home his newest angel wing maker, and as much as it saddens me to lose her, I know that without her, the angels would be without wings, and wouldn't be able to fly to Earth to protect and guard us. I believe that He felt we were all strong enough to survive her loss, and that as long as we had each other, we would make it through. I believe she is looking down from Heaven, with her sister by her side, and she is at peace. She is no longer in any pain and she can run, dance and bowl with the best of them. I believe she is also missing us, but knows that we are in her heart as much as she remains in ours, and I believe that someday, when we are needed in Heaven, she will be waiting for us at the Pearly Gates, with our new set of wings.

Dedicated to Beverly Fratt (Aunt Boo Boo) You will be greatly missed. XOXO

Truth & Lies

From the time we are small, we are told how important it is to tell the truth. How even "little white lies" can lead to bigger and bigger lies, and how these lies can snowball and get out of control. In church we are taught the value and importance of honesty and integrity, and how telling the truth, even if no one believes it, is the most important thing. That all anyone has is their honor, and that the honorable thing to do, is to stand up for what you believe in, and to always hold the truth above all else.
Then at some point in your childhood, you tell a teacher or a parent what someone said or did, just being honest, and you are called a tattle-tale. Then you get even older and you see someone doing something they shouldn't, at your job for example, and you share that information with a boss, and you are called a whistle-blower or a snitch. And let's not forget the time you tell a friend or partner that yes, those jeans do make you look fat, and you are called mean or cruel.
So, are we saying that some lies and dishonesties are ok? Or that the truth is only important when it is convenient or benefits us? Don't get me wrong, we've all fibbed, or withheld little things to protect a person's feelings, or to help ease a situation. But what if those fibs or withholdings aren't protecting anyone? What if those are the very things that someone should hear? What if knowing that tiny bit of information would change the very nature of someone's beliefs or feelings? Is it still ok? How do you know when it is OK to lie? Or when it is OK to tell the truth, for that matter? Is there some rule book, or manual for knowing when to be honest? Because if such a thing does exsist, I think we need to start passing out copies for everyone to read. But since this is my blog, I am going to answer my own question the best way I know how.
It is NEVER OK to lie. Yes, some lies are necessary or even temporarily beneficial, but they are never good. Even the smallest lie can come back and bite you in the ass. Honesty is, and always will be, the BEST policy. It may cost you a job, a friendship, or even your heart & soul, but it will always be the right decision. Because, at the end of the day, the truth will win out, and integrity will stand. It may take days, or weeks, or even years, but eventually, all lies disintegrate and the only thing that remains is the truth. So you just have to decide what side you want to be standing on when it is all said and done.

"Many people, especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, for being correct, for being you. Never apologize for being correct, or for being years ahead of your time. If you're right and you know it, speak your mind. Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth."
- -Gandhi