*****SHOW SPECIAL*****  Now through October 7, 2012 you can get one of these handmade rugs for only $35.00 for one, or if you buy 2 or more you can get them for $30.00 each!  That's a steal!  Head to our ETSY page  to order - or click on Contact Us.  You can also come pick up these and much more next weekend at the Arkansas Apple Festival!  

We are proud to show you a new line of beaded bracelets that will be available at the Arkansas Apple Festival next weekend, October 5-7 in Lincoln, Arkansas.

Today I delivered this wonderful blue paisley sign to my friend and former co-worker Jill.  She picked out everything she wanted, and viola!  What a great sign she came up with!  I have the BEST clients!  ;)

We then took a scenic trip through Bentonville, Arkansas and back again.  No major incidents... But it was still early in the day.  The store we stopped at had toys.  Always a bonus.  

A trip to the bank and then we ran through the grocery store (with Ethan almost trapped inside a racecar/cart thingy and Mason drunkenly driving a kiddy-cart through the Siloam Springs Harps.  I'm sure they were glad to see us leave...) to pick up a few things, at least 3 of which I completely forgot until I was sitting in the car ready to leave the parking lot.  I din't go back in.  I'll repeat the experience again tomorrow, thank you.

After getting home and putting the boys down for naps - it counts if they just stay in their rooms, right?  Ha!  I ran to Westville for hay, alfalfa cubes and mineral blocks for my horses.  Within about 45 minutes of my arrival back at home, my horses were eating happily, but the remainder of their open bale was skewed across half the property and the alfalfa cubes' bag was mutilated almost beyond recognition.  Luckily, they haven't done any damage to the mineral blocks yet.  I also have 3 square bales of hale completely intact.  I mean, I did earlier.  Maybe I should go check.....  Yep, 3 full bales.    

They're asleep now.  Whew!  

Today I had the splendid pleasure of taking my boys on a trip around town - well, two towns actually.  But let's start with the first.  In Siloam Springs we managed to drop off a Custom Business Sign(pictured, albeit terribly - I wanted to share the sign with the customers, so I took this while it was drying...then forgot to take new ones before its delivery today... woops) to its proud new owners.  Mason was also able to be a coach and mentor to his G-ma. He really is such a loving child - always telling her she is doing great - a telling her how much he loves her.   He has been gifted with affection and encouragement.  
And he is quite a coach ... fast forwarding to late this afternoon - back home - Mason puts on his soccer shirt and pretends to be a coach - telling us (although we weren't paying much mind) to sit on the blue line, etc.   But after a minute or two he says, "Okay everyone, pack up your straws and pick out a dinosaur."  ... I went to the other room to laugh out loud!  
I was very proud to see that coach Mason and coach Ethan were excellent helpers all the way through the second town, Fayetteville, and helped G-ma through her doctors appointment - they even made a quick fort under the exam table.   They both recieved a special prize of dill pickle potato chips.  :) I opted out of the promised ice cream, I was afraid that would put them over the edge, with having had no nap and all....
I told you yesterday about the blessings of hearing 4 year old Mason reciting his first memory verse... This evening the boys and I were watching Cat in the Hat when I heard 3 year old Ethan reciting the verse to himself as well.  And I think he's not paying attention a lot of the time, but I forget that he can be listening even if he's playing across the room from me. 
I'm sure as our homeschool experience progresses, I will learn as much from these little men as they will learn from me!

I'm new to blogging, I'm new to homeschooling, but I'm not new to blessings from my wonderful family. 

Now that I've had time to cool off a bit and laugh about it, I can tell you about something my youngest snot-slinger did last week.

After shipping 5 signs this morning and building, sanding and staining 3 more this evening - I was able to have everything in my "orders" list built and at least one base coat on.  Doing good!    Hope to have everything on the list out by the end of the week.  
Although I'm always happy with new orders, I am also hoping to have some time in the next few weeks to build up inventory for two local arts and crafts festivals I've applied to.  Details to follow as we hear back from their approval committees.  Woohoo!    Big thanks to Kim and Savannah at Little Jodie Designs for being the brave souls who dare to enter new craft fairs and shows.  But I know, since she survived the International Waterfowl Festival's tents full of duck and goose calls for sale (ya know you have to try it before you buy it, right?) And kids who are practicing with their duck and goose calls, she can survive anything!   

While this is the first blog post I've ever written, I am going to attempt to give you a little insight into the sometimes crazy life I lead as a wife, as a mom, as a teacher, and as a creator of salvaged jewels.  

The picture shown was taken a few weeks ago in an attempt to share with my Facebook fans where their signs come from and the amount of work that goes into not only finding and bringing home the lumber - but also the sometimes challenging job of tearing things apart... When you finish this task you are left with these two piles (pictured)  One of nice straight boards and one of rusty nails.  

I'm going to estimate the number of times I picked up these nails and re-piled them was at least two dozen, before they finally landed in the trashcan.    I have two little helpers.  And they have little track hoes.   And little dump trucks.  And little hands that get into everything.

I'm off to fix supper - enchilladas, yumm!