ring around the rosey....

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

So happy to meet this sweet sweet family! I enjoyed our time together despite the record high temps! :)

rain rain go away

Sometimes it works!

I got to spend this glorious morning with some beautiful children.

Thank you two for working with me to get some gorgeous images for your parents. More to come soon!

Have a fun filled vacation.

Christmas in July!

I just wanted to share a small sample of some of the Christmas cards I will be offering this year. I have several really cute cards this year & I will be sharing more samples soon!

P.S. Don't tell Martha...

A funny thing happens when you start working on Christmas cards in July. You start craving Christmas cookies.

I had a snickerdoodle recipe but I wasn’t happy with it so I started looking for a new one and I found Martha Stewart’s with one minor tweak it was perfect (don’t tell Martha but I added the vanilla).

I hope you enjoy & in a few days I will have some card samples up!


Snickerdoodles
(from Martha's Holiday Cookies 2005)

makes about 20 (or 40, if you make the balls very small)

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla

2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Put butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture.

2. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 20 (1 3/4-inch) balls; roll in cinnamon sugar. Space 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Sunshine on a cloudy day

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

~Howard Thurman

The greatest gift

It is not a slight thing when those so fresh from God love us. -- Dickens

Treasure this.

Those tiny fingers and sleeping eyes.

That fresh peeling baby skin.

Bliss.

everyone needs something to believe in

Sometimes I get so tired,
Just trying to find a place,
To lay my head,
I look up to the sky,
I feel the warmest light comfort me,
I've seen the great heights,
Reminding me... that I'm alive...
~Tyrone Wells