A Special Gift from the Heart~ a Handmade Batik Quilt

I went to a church conference in October and one of my dearest and sweetest friends made a wonderful gift for me.  

I've known this gem of a gal since she was a toddler and she has grown up to be a beautiful lady, both inside and out, serving in the ministry with her husband as the pastor of a church.

Look at this precious gift~  a beautiful batik quilt!  

It was in the prettiest gift bag with some tissue paper and wrapped in a golden yellow bow.  

How precious this wonderful gift is to me and I am so honored that it is mine.

 The fabrics are wonderfully bright and funky.

It's at times like these when words simply can't express the kindness and gratitude of dear friends.   

 I do hope that I can convey how much I love and cherish this wonderful gift of friendship!

Thank you, my dear friend!  I am so grateful for your friendship!  

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How much should Organizing Cost?

How much do you think organizing should cost?  
I've seen many bloggers and vloggers go 'all out' and spend a ton of money on getting their homes in order.  While that might be fine for them, I don't have the expendable money to buy hundreds of dollars in organizer doo~dads even tho honestly I'd love to.  Sometimes it's dishearteing to watch those professional organizing videos because it leaves us with the impression that we have to have certain tools to be successful in organizing.  I disagree entirely.  I am not saying that I haven't spent any money on organizing but I am trying to be as frugal as possible. 
 I think that organizing can cost nothing or next to nothing.  
And I like a good challenge.  
The main purpose of being organized is to help us better manage life, our finances, and help identify potential savings opportunities.  Organizing should help us SAVE money, not SPEND it. Here are a few tips that cost nothing (or next to nothing) that will stretch your budget.  
Clutter~ get rid of it.  This is the biggest deterrent in having an organized home.  I can't stress how important it is to declutter!!!  It might take a year OR MORE to get your home entirely decluttered and after you are finished, it will be something that you have to work at on a daily basis.  Even 15 minutes a day working on clutter really works.  Clutter is equal to Chaos and getting rid of it really does so much for our well being!   I've been inspired by flylady to ask a few questions about clutter~    Do I love it?  Do I use it frequently enough to justify keeping it?   Have I used it in the past year?  Does it help me feel more peaceful?   I can't stress how much more I am at peace since the clutter is gone from my life.   It is completely liberating.  
Take a picture~  Another thing I do is take a picture of my rooms.  There are SO many things that I MISS when I look at my rooms because I am used to what I see in everyday life.  When I take a picture I see things through new eyes.  I recently took a picture of underneath my kitchen cupboard and wasn't aware of the water stain on the back of the wall.  Having that in a picture made it stand out and notice just how bad it looked.  Pull out your digital camera and take a picture of all the rooms in your home.  Even the garage, basement and wherever your 'stashing' area is.  A picture can really help us see things we wouldn't normally see and can even help give ideas for decorating.  
Reuse~  I've made my own homemade laundry detergent and could have bought a fancy schmancy container with a spigot on the end to easily pour it into a cup every time I do laundry.  Instead I chose to save that money and recycle the containers from the Dole Juice that we have purchased.  They are thick plastic and have lasted us over a year.  We've used them many times over for years.
Go Thrift Store Shopping~  There are some things that I do buy retail, but every time I go retail I am usually in sticker shock!  I have found wonderful things thrifting that are great in keeping me in my budget.  It takes determination, patience and sometimes just being in the right place at the right time.    Those gems are so worth it.  
Don't go Thrift Store Shopping~   I know, I know!  First I recommend going thrift store shopping and now I say don't go thrift store shopping.  In trying to be frugal and maintaining a clutter free home, I REALLY tend to be choosy in what I buy.  It's so easy to justify a purchase because it is a few dollars, but those little spends add up to a big dollar amount.  I feel quite a bit of accomplishment when I can walk out of a Thrift Store with nothing in my hands.  
So, there you have it!  In a nutshell I think organizing should cost as little as possible!

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The Country Cook

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

My Dining Room Table Centerpiece

Doing a Shot a Day is causing me to try and see things in a new light and I think I'll have to start trying to be creative.  It IS, after all, still January with many more days to come till the end of the year!  

Someone had given me the bottom milk glass plate and I absolutely love it.  The scalloped edges and vintage style match my kitchen so well.   Along the way I've been able to pick up some bowls at the the thrift store and even the cake stand below to go with it.  The cup is very delicate white china and the glass dome was also a thrift store find.  The bird nest was purchased from target for a few dollars last easter.  

All stacked up and layered~ I simply love it.  It's not what you'd normally find on a table and I love the fact that it's different. 

 And I like different! 

I shot this in manual mode at f3 1/250 ISO 1000.  The light coming in our dining room (and living room is absolutely wonderful diffused light and the way my 105mm captures light is just incredible.  It can  make even the most boring subject look a lot better!

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