Cute Paper Addictions!!!

In this new world of e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, cell phones, and text messages, the art of the handwritten note is being forgotten! For those of us with cute paper addictions, this is unforgiveable! We love to get notes, handwritten ones, on cute monogrammed stationery or note paper. We love to send handwritten notes, thank you's or a "Just because I'm thinking of you" note! It's a wonderful feeling to go to the mail box and find beneath the stack of bills an envelope addressed, by a friend, to you! With so many wonderful designs to choose from it's hard to believe it's a dying tradition. I encourage all of my Southern friends to not let this art die! Encourage a friend who is having a rough time or let someone know you're thinking of them today with a handwritten note (and it doesn't even have to be on cute monogrammed stationery... but it doesn't hurt!)

Happy Fall Y'all

Ahhh...the crisp, cool mornings as we wait for the school bus to arrive! It's Fall! I love it...I can already see the leaves turning brilliant shades or oranges and reds! There is just something refreshing about the first few days of Fall!

Saturdays are full of fantastic College football, tailgating and neighborhood football pools. Soon children will be deciding what to dress up for Halloween as, pumpkins will start appearing on front porches and neighbors will begin the ritual of "ghosting" one another with treats! It's a Season filled with wonderful Holidays and traditions. Happy Fall Y'all!

Back-to-School Blues?

Does anyone else have them? The first day of schol came way too fast for me, or maybe I should say the end of summer did. The house became way too quiet, the routine of sleeping late and playing Scrabble in our PJ's was gon, only to be replace with homeowrk, bedtimes and test schedules. Did I say the house became way too quiet? Am I crazy? Back-to-School time is a tansition time that I've always looked forward to, maybe not for the reasons you may be thinking. :)



Back-to-School has always been an opportunity to adopt new routines, impliment new disciplines, discover new recipes...this year...I was having too much fun with my kids! At ages eleven and tweleve (I can't believe it!) they are pople that I want to spend time with. We had a great summer with family. Bike rides and "mule" rides, it was always an adventure! Taylor learned to fly fish with my Dad, and wond the trophy for the summer's biggest fish, a 22lb catfish. (I owe a big thank you to my Daddy for waking out of a dead sleep to come take that monster off the hook...I'm such a girl!) McKay developed her own sense of style (thank God, it's a good one!) and became an accooplished fisher in her own right. I love a girl who can bait her own hook and perfectly accessorize her outfit in the same afternoon! I t was a summer that reminded me of the ones I had when I was growing up. My children begged to drive the "mule" just like I used to beg "Pop" to let me drive his pick-up truck out on the open acres of The Farm...learning to drive on The Farm, just like I did. Games of Liverpool, Scrabble and Apples to Apples...what better way to spend the summer?



School began and summer ended. The house became quiet, schedules became regimented and I got a big case of the Back-to-School Blues! Finally, after being back two weeks, I'm remembering how much I love being in the grocery store by myself, and catching up on my soaps isn't so bad either, I even have time for laundry, dinner, cleaning errands, and ...oh yeah, my other job, providing great gifts at http://www.shopconfetti.com/ .



It wasn't easy, I had plenty of reminders and subtle ones either! The first week I was sent a daily devotional from Purpose Driven Connection and it told me:



"Stay flexible! Before glass bottles were invented, wine was kept in canteens made of animal skins. As they aged, they'd become brittle and crack from new wine that was fermenting. Jesus once said, 'You can't put new wine in old wineskins' (Luke 5:37-39). Here was his point: When face with chage, we must adjust or we'll explode!"



Pray This: "Dear God, help me be more flexible this week."



This week, God got my attention by putting friends in my life who won't let me throw myself a Pity Party no matter how bad I want to Party!



I still mss my kids and am not thrilled with the afternoons being peppered with carpools, spelling lists, exponents (?), iParent, practice schedules, dinner on the fly, and having to ask sixteen times per child, "Is your homework done?" but I am finding peace in the quiet and the time to get things done before the afternoon begins. I am enjoying firends, who were just "Mom's" , like me, before the summer ended and I'm enjoying rediscovering the things I enjoy doing.



"When faced with change, we must adjust or we'll explode!" I think I'll role with the change, God knows I don't want to spend my free time cleaning up the mess if I explode! I have to run, my oldest is actually asking for me to come say "Good Night"...maybe he misses our summer, too!



Happy Back-to-School! Call me if want to do lunch! :0

Back to School Blues?

Does anyone else have them? The first day of school came way too fast for me, or maybe I should say the end of summer did. The house became way too quiet, the routine of sleeping late and playing Scrabble in our PJ's was gone, only to be replaced with homework, bedtimes and test schedules. Did I say the house became way too quiet? Am I crazy? Back-to-School time is a transition time that I've always looked forward to, maybe not for the reasons you may be thinking. :)

Back-to-School has always been an opportunity to adopt new routines, impliment new disciplines, discover new recipes...this year...I was having too much fun with my kids! At ages eleven and twelve ( I can't believe it!) they are people that I want to spend time with. We had a great summer with family. Bike rides and "mule" rides, it was always an adventure! Taylor learned to fly fish with my Dad, and won the trophy for the biggest fish of the summer, a 22 lb. catfish. (I owe a big thank you to my Dad for waking out of a dead sleep to come take that monster off the hook for me...I'm such a girl!) McKay developed her own sense of style (thank God it's a good one!) and became an accomplished fisher in her own right. I love a girl who can bait her own hook and mix and match fashion accessories in the same afternoon! It was a summer that reminded me of the ones I had when I was growing up. My children begged to drive the "mule" as I used beg "Pop" to let me drive his pick-up truck out on the open acres of The Farm, learning to drive on The Farm just like I did. Liverpool, Scrabble

Shop Confetti for a Cause...shopping for a greater good!

These days shopping should not only be about finding just what you're looking for - you're buying dollar should benefit a greater good. www.shopconfetti.com would like to help organizations that my be struggling to raise funds during these difficult economic times.

We have always supported fundraising efforts but we feel that more can be done. We have developed a new program, "Shop Confetti for a Cause". Your organization, church or school can apply to partner with www.shopconfetti.com and receive up to 20% of sales, generated by your organization, back. This time of year consumers are buying Graduation, Mother's Day and Wedding gifts, why shouldn't your association earn recognition and raise funds while they get what they are shopping for any way?

We are currently preparing to do our 2nd "Shop Confetti for a Cause" event with the Women's Ministry of Providence Presbyterian Church of Hilton Head Island to benefit the Thornwell Home for Children in Clinton, South Carolina. Thornwell has been providing hope and care for children, youth and families since 1875. The home nurtures more than 100 children, many who suffer from mild to moderate emotional difficulties stemming from a variety of family complications. The care of the Thornwell's residents is based on sound Christian principles and a warm, loving atmospher staffed by teachers dedicated to providing the finest in Christian development.

On April 22, 2009 the Women's Ministry of Providence Presbyterian Church is hosting a luncheon where everyone is invited for an afternoon of boutique shopping and lunch. Twenty percent of the sales will be donated to the Thornwell Home for Children. Last year, the Women's Ministry in combination with www.shopconfetti.com were able to give the Home over two thousand dollars to benefit their faith based programs. This year, our goal is to surpass that amount.

If you would like to attend the event, please contact Pat Green (843) 341-3574 for tickets. You can also go to www.thornwell.org and make a direct donation or find out more about their programs.

www.shopconfetti.com would like to help other organizations, schools, churches raise funds and awareness. Please contact Katie at katie@shopconfetti.com to learn more about our "Shop Confetti for a Cause" program. Making the world a better place to SHOP!

Spring has Sprung...finally!

It's about time...after a long, cold, damp winter I see tulips blooming, hot air balloons in the sky and I actually saw my neighbor for the first time since November...Hi, Joyce! Spring is here and with it comes a slew of wonderful celebrations...Easter, Graduation, Mother's Day and don't forget all those Spring Birthdays, Expectant Mother's and Brides-To-Be! They say that in "tough times" creativity flourishes and I'm excited to say that I think that may be true. (Did you know that the Chocolate Chip Cookie was created during the Great Depression?) There are so many new and innovative ideas that have been hibernating and are ready to be seen, just in time for all of your Spring entertaining and celebrating. Our goal at www.shopconfetti.com is to provide our customers with fun and creative ways to enjoy life and spoil friends and family without having to give up dinner for a week, in order to afford it. We think you'll love giving these gifts as much as your friends will love receiving them.

Monogrammed Flower Pots...why didn't we think of it sooner? What a wonderful hostess, house warming or "Because it's Spring!" gift idea. They can be monogrammed or embellished with the address. Smaller 6" pots are also available, and we love those for anything and everything; teachers, birthdays, "get well"... I have an idea for Teacher appreciation Week at school and using the 6" pots with "thank you" on them for the centerpieces for the tables at our luncheon. One lucky winner from each table could take them home. The possibilities are endless! We'd love to hear your ideas!

Thanks for checking out our blog. We look forward to keeping up with all the latest trends and sharing them with you.