Unintentional Blogger

Honestly, I don't know what is wrong with me. I set out to be quite intentional about blogging, even if it was just for me, I had hopes of being more purposeful, but I have cycles of discipline and blah-dom. Maybe this is an upswing. I'm feeling the itch to communicate to the masses, or to the five people I hope are still interested in my musings.

I went back to NY last month. It. was. fabulous. Gosh, I like that city. It was especially fun trip time because I got to spend more time with my friend Jerri. She was so busy in October we didn't get to hang out as much as we liked. This time was different. We had lots of good conversation and a bounty of laughter. Whether staying up to 2 a.m. to recover dining room chairs, or bonding with another table over dinner, I had a wonderful time with Jerri.

And the laughter. In one situation we were on our way home after a night in the city, and we were laughing so hard, we half expected to be expelled from the train.

It was a good trip. Here are a few shots.

The Chrysler Building from the Empire State Building.

The Cloisters on the upper west side.

Outside the public library on 5th Avenue.

Fabulous sculpture in the median on Park Avenue between E 52nd and E 53rd.

If there are any readers left. I'm making a commitment to return later in the week. Maybe I'll have something crafty to share, if my week cooperates.

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The Problem With Pinterest

I know someone just read the button and shouted, "Amen!" Now don't get me wrong. I love me a healthy dose of Pinterest. Of course, I'm not sure there is such a thing as a "healthy dose" when it comes to Pinterest. I have to be careful not to log-on too often because I know I am liable to fall into a black hole of craftiness. And I would like to state for the record that I AM NOT AT ALL BITTER about the fact that I am not the one who came up with Pinterest. 

Now that I've established my affection to this ingenious website, I can get on with an area of discontent. How many times have you run into the issue in the button? 

I recently ran across a pin that claimed it only takes $5.00 and 30 minutes to make adorable, chairs. The chairs came from all new materials - nothing recycled.  That project may only cost $5.00 if all you have to buy is the paint! And while the directions are quite simple, you would have to be Ty Pennington to complete the project in 30 minutes or less, especially with sanding and painting. I'm a pretty handy, crafty girl, and I couldn't do it in that time frame. 

So what was that pinner thinking? Were they hoping they would get more pins if they fudge the facts? Does it make them look smarter if the rest of us can't accomplish the results as cheaply and timely as they? I don't know. 

Still, the chairs were pretty cool. I've decided to bookmark the page for a day when I have an extra hour or two and more than a $5.00 in my pocket. 

Thanks for stopping by. If you like what you've seen then give my page a "like" creative confetti (website) on Facebook, and subscribe on the right. Feel free to pin and share via the widget to the left. I'd also love to hear from you, so leave a comment or send me an email

Deadly Illusions

Okay, that may be slightly dramatic. I’m not really talking about death, but then again maybe I am.

The last few days have been smacking with the reality that perception is everything. At least we think it is everything. It is astonishing what our minds are able to create from nothing. Houdini would be proud.

Not long ago I was confronted with the declaration that I obviously didn’t like something because I had not commented on said object. The truth was that I had not seen this item due to my hectic schedule. When things slowed enough for me to notice, I commented on how nice I thought it was. It never occurred to me that a change had taken place and my failure to acknowledge the change could create such discontent in the heart of another.

A few days later I was eating a tasty potato soup with cornbread. I paused as I was eating. This was not out of character, as I am a slow eater, and my esophagus doesn't always play nice with letting food pass easily. This was common knowledge to my eating companions, but one looked at me and asked, “Don’t you like your soup? You aren't eating.”

I’m not sure how a 30 second pause equaled dislike for my lunch, but it must have. Then again, it could have been my body language. My head was throbbing, and I was irritated over a few ridiculous, tiny issues. Still that would seem to indicate a bad mood, not dislike of potato soup.

And seriously, who could dislike potato soup (or any potato dish) regardless of the circumstance?

I was sharp and impatient with my reply, pointing out the ridiculousness of the question. As I answered a scripture verse flashed through my mind. When I say flashed I mean I heard it and saw it in a soft, slightly scripted font. It was pretty definite.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Ephesians 4:29

I think that verse was so prevalent because I had just been talking about it a few days earlier as I shared an old post. It spoke about feeding in that which is good so that good is what comes from us. It’s called “What's in Your Well”, and you can read it HERE.

It wasn't lost on me that I had not spent much time in God’s beautiful, Holy, timeless Word lately. I had not been filling my well with all the things found in Philippians 4:8, so it was natural for impatience and disrespect to flow from me.

The end result was a a minuscule bit of a relationship that was critically injured. My heart has been heavy and my apologies have been made. Now it is time to spend time with the One who can renew my spirit.  

Butterflies and Rainbows (Seriously)

Today wasn't so great, but then again it wasn't the worst day either. At least I didn't collect concussion number six or broken pinky toe number eight. (There are about four hours left in the day, but I'm being positive.)

A couple of things at work caused me to have a decidedly unproductive day. A task that always take 10 minutes took almost an hour due to computer issues. Yay!

Unfortunately my computer wasn't finished tormenting me. It froze up and restarted itself and threw away over two hours of creative work. The kicker is that I could have limited the level of devastation, but I chose to ignore the "save as you go" rule.

Lesson learned.

But you know what? A couple of great things happened too. Last week I got to witness the birth of a butterfly. (The daycare at church has grown and cared for caterpillars over the last couple of weeks.) Today I participated as dozens of butterflies were released into the courtyard. One by one, children got to hold a butterfly in their palm until it flew away. Each time a butterfly took flight the children would wave and shout, "Bye, bye butterfly!"

 When I was almost ready to leave for the day, I walked into the sanctuary. The lights were off, and the sun was streaming through the stained glass. It was a beautiful, peaceful moment.

When I was almost home I realized I had left my phone in the bathroom at work. It was in a public area and I was concerned because it had been about 45 minutes since I last had it. I borrowed a phone and called a co-worker who happened to be near by. She went back to church and retrieved my phone.

So it was still a good day.

And Satan doesn't get to win. (He's a punk.)

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Forgive Me, I've Missed You

Puss in Boots from DreamWorks Animation's Shrek

It has been too long since I've been on the blog.

I've been a bit neglectful due to illness and a new job.

Please do forgive me for being away,

And thanks to those who stopped by to play.

It won’t be long before I return,

With new ideas my brain doth churn.

It will be much fun to share with you,

A few fun things to create anew.

Some you may have seen but have not tried,

And maybe a few that will be a surprise.

As soon as I finish my office re-do,

I promise to log on and get back to you.

But don’t get your hopes up too high,

These are simple ideas that are easy to try.

I love you guys for your loyal support.

I promise to make my absence quite short.

Thank you for visiting creative confetti!  Please take a moment to "like" creative confetti (website) on Facebook and/or follow me on Twitter or Pinterest. And I'd love to hear from you via the comment section or the email option on my profile page! 

New (Blue) Adventures

I started a new position as the Children's Ministry Assistant at my church. I can tell that it is going to be an adventure. To say that this job wasn't on my radar is quite the understatement. However God knew I would land here, and He put everything in motion to make it come to fruition.

Here are a few pictures of my new office taken with my phone. I was told that I was stuck with the colors, but that's okay. I can work with that shade of blue (and the purple too).

Chalkboard paint as you walk in. That has all kinds of  fun potential. 

The door "leads" to a dead-end alley between two of the church buildings. I think the key to the deadbolt  has been lost for a long time. 

The copier is a new addition to my office. It is extremely handy and horrifically ugly. I must find a way to camouflage it.

The rocker is also new. The previous rocking chair was much larger. 

I'm not sure what I'm going to do to soften the eyesore of this wall, but I hope to come up with something. The door on that wall leads to the office next door.

Finally, the view from my desk. There is much work to be done.

Stay tuned in the weeks to come to see the office make-over. I can't wait! Now to come up with a plan or two.

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A Wonderfully Busy Time

I've neglected the blog for a few days. My apologies, but in my defense I started a new job this week, and I'm getting ready for a craft show tomorrow. 

While I'm not a fan of college ball, I do live in Razorback country, and I thought people might like a hog to hang on their wall. Even though Arkansas hasn't done well thus far in the season, I'm hoping the fans stay true. (I am a Tennessee Titans fan win or lose!)

Here are a few of the canvases I've done in the past. Some of the designs will make their way to the show tomorrow and hopefully find lovely, new homes.

The canvases feature ink and acrylic and a some have Swarovski crystal embellishments.

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Sweet Tea, Jesus, and Me (What it means to live in the South.)

I love being a southern girl. The bulk of my years have been lived in the South, and that has been a large contributor in fashioning who I am. (Side note: I am not opposed to living outside the south. In fact, I would enjoy a new adventure.)

I may not be the average southern lady as typified by other parts of the map, but I love my roots. While I may not eat grits or catfish, wear cowboy boots, or use the word y'all, my membership card is authentic, and I have an accent to prove it.

There are a few basics of the southern life that are woven through me. Call it my southern fiber. It's a cozy, homey feel to me, and I'm not sure if I can put it to words, but I'll give it a go.

It's sitting on a porch swing for so many reasons- to watch a thunder storm, have lunch with your friends, or snuggle under a quilt in the cold to read a book. It's drinking sweet tea with lime (because I'm a little different), and catching lightning bugs in the evening.

Living in the South means talking to strangers, waving at people as you pass them, and saying "yes ma'am" is a sign of respect- not an insult. We love to have people over for any occasion, as long as we know ahead of time so the house can get picked up (tidied up for non-southern speakers). 

It's baking a casserole and a desert when you've found out someone is sick, or has lost a loved one. It's mowing your neighbor's yard when they aren't able to, and joining the community at the football field on Friday nights.

Personally it meant going to church every week (because that's what you do on Sundays and Wednesdays), until it brought me to a beautiful place of having an intimate relationship with my Savior. I'm so thankful for a tradition that showed me the way to my LORD.

There's also a sweet spirit of respect that runs deep in the South. I remember the funeral of a precious friend. As we drove to the cemetery, Andy's sister-in-law asked why all the cars had pulled over to the side of the road. We explained that the drivers were paying respect to the family in the procession. One gentleman stood outside his car with his hand over his heart. I'm getting choked up as I'm recalling that memory now.

There are some common misconceptions about southerns. One misguided notion is that we are all country folk and uneducated. I just love the quote from Sweet Home Alabama, "Honey, just 'cause I talk slow doesn't mean I'm stupid." (I happen to talk quickly with an accent.) Unfortunately I've had people tell me that a southern accent deducts IQ points. Pshaw! At least we have the manners not to say such things to people.

Once a roommate of mine was dating a guy from another continent, and he said that he didn't know there was a difference between being southern and being country. Well there is. You can be both, or either one exclusively. (I've know country folk from upstate NY.) My roommate and I laughed and explained as best we could. She, being a southern, country girl, said she enjoyed going to tractor pulls and fish fries. I, being southern but not country, said that I enjoy going to art museums and plays. 

Being from the South doesn't make me country. I'm not a country girl. That isn't an insult to those who are country. It's simply stating what I am not. I do have a lot of country relatives, and they are a good stock of people. (And by the way, country ≠ hillbilly.)

So that's a little about what it means to southern to me. Someday I hope to have a front porch swing and an attic fan of my own. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, or about your traditions. 

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What's Hiding in Your Closet?

Look what I found hiding on the floor at the back of my mom's pantry. I thought it deserved a place of honor on the window sill with the other plants. Froggy seems happy with the company.

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Stuck in the Backseat

I’m short.

I’m short, and I don’t get carsick. So guess who always sits in the backseat when there are more than two people in a car. 

I’m pretty used to it, and I don’t mind too much. It’s better than someone getting sick behind me because they can’t see through the front window. And I can’t bring myself to make an un-nauseated, tall person fold their legs up to their nose so I can ride shotgun.

None of this matters if I’m driving, but my car isn’t large, so I’m usually not the pilot. I’m a single gal and haven’t ever up-sized my vehicle. Being single also reserves other special seating. My “sit-at-the-kid’s-table” and “ride-in-the-backseat” identity is par for the course, but it’s not all bad. Let’s face it, we ALL want to sit at the kid’s table if we’re honest, but sometimes I’d like to ride in the front seat.

It would be nice to stretch out my non-long legs too. Sure I’m more comfortable in the back than a tall person, or anyone of average height, but I’d like to unbend too. And don’t get me started on conversations. Even though it’s never intentional, persons in the front seat seem to magically forget there is someone behind them. Maybe it’s because I’m not tall enough to be seen in the rear view mirror. (Just kidding, I hope.) Conversations start off as an ABC round-about, but they eventually turn to AB with C nodding to the music coming from the back speakers.

And let’s discuss the music. Most people I know use the fade control to move the weight of the sound to the backseat. I do it too, but what does that mean to the hobbit riding in the back? It means the driver’s gesture of “turning down the music so everyone can hear” only works for Driver A and Passenger B. Hobbit C can still hear the music but not the people speaking in the front seats.

Once three of my friends and I decided to take a trip from Nashville to Gatlinburg. It’s a beautiful drive, and there would be many laughs along the way. With less than an hour to leave another friend decided to join us. She is a great gal, and we were happy to have her on our adventure, but where did that put me? I was already in the backseat, and there was no hope for promotion.

As it were, the co-pilot was demoted due to the aforementioned car-sickness alibi of passenger number five. My DNA determined my newest seat assignment. I would ride in the middle. Unfortunately for me, the backseat wasn't a flat bench. The middle section was narrow and slightly elevated.

For once I was the one with my knees bent up to my chest for almost four hours. I tried stretching my legs out onto the armrest in front of me, but that got in the way of the only two comfortable passengers. It took half a day for the feeling in my bum to return, but I’d do it again. Never have I laughed so much on a trip. We found that there are song lyrics for every occasion and every conversation. The conversation maintained a nice flow and the music was accompanied by five enthusiastic voices. We perfected the art of speaking in song titles and lyrics. Whose Line is it Anyway had nothing on us.

We still laugh about that trip. Maybe someday I’ll find myself on another road trip with a group of friends, and maybe I’ll finally own a grown-up sized car, so I can drive- in the front seat! 

(teeheehee... And don't you LOVE the silly photo of the cow in the car. You can find anything online!)

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My Role In Life

mag·net
\ˈmag-nət\
noun

2: something that attracts
I am a magnet. Which means I could say that I am attractive. Unfortunately what I'm about to share isn't the attractiveness I desire.

I am a magnet for poor customer service. When it comes to dating I am a huge freak magnet, but that is a post for another time. For now I'm going to talk about how I draw horrendous service to myself and whatever party may have the misfortune of being with me.

Allow me to offer a few examples. Several years ago I was shopping with my dear friend Jef. She needed a black skirt for a recital. After searching for hours she found a skirt that was perfect. Unfortunately it had a button missing. The button was covered in the same fabric as the skirt so she was going to have to replace all the buttons. The young sales girl offered a discount on the skirt for the inconvenience. This young lady was truly amazing with her service.

As Jef was looking for a skirt I happened upon two white blouses I simply had to have. The shirts had just been stocked and neither had any pricing. The same sales girl (she was a teen) looked up the price for me (asking the manager about one of the items) and told me the shirts were $25 each. I decided to get both of them.

When Jennifer and I approached the register the manager was behind the counter and took over the sale, no doubt because she wanted the commission. She rang up Jef’s skirt for the full price. When we explained about the buttons she didn't seem to care and didn't want to give the discount promised. Knowing Jef needed the skirt for the recital a couple of hours away we persisted. The manager reluctantly gave in and told us that she would give in to the discount but that the sale would be final and could not be returned. I found that ironic considering the large sign above her head that said, "No sale ever final." The same sign said, “Ask about our lay-away program.” But when we asked to put something on lay-away the manager told us that the lay-away program had been suspended.

Then it was my turn. When the manager rang up my shirts the total was WELL over $50 plus tax. I asked about the discrepancy and she told me that only one of the shirts was $25 but the other was much higher. She said they had made a mistake in quoting that price to me. (It was in fact the manager that quoted the price to the sales girl.) She asked if I wanted to purchase the shirt at the much higher price and I declined. She then proceeded to tell us that she thought we were bad people trying get something for nothing. She also told us she believed we were acting the same as thieves.

As we walked through the mall I told Jef that I was angry by what had happened and wanted to go back to the department store. She just smiled and turned around.

We returned and I told the manager that I didn't appreciate her words or attitude that afternoon. I went on to explain that it was wrong, if not illegal, to quote a price on an item and then change that price at the register. I got the second shirt for $25 and I still have it today.

Another example would be my relationship with a certain restaurant chain. On five back-to-back occasions this chain has abused me. Yes, abused is a strong word. But when it happens five times I think you can choose to call it as such.

And before anyone asks why I was pathetic enough to keep returning to the same establishment I hope to redeem myself. You see, the first two times I could chalk up to coincidence. The 3rd and 4th times I stopped by to join friends already on location. The 5th time was sheer stupidity.

The first couple of times at this eatery (no longer in business at that location) I was served the wrong dish. If I ordered chicken I received steak. The 3rd time I placed an order but it was never delivered. Thankfully my two friends shared their food. We mentioned my lack of a dish several times to no avail. And the best part! Our server gave me a check anyway! We just stared at her and told her that the joke wasn't funny. We paid for my two friends and started to leave. Then our server told me she needed me to stay until she got my ticket handled. Um, excuse me? We explained that we needed to get to our movie. She was not happy we left before she could talk to the manager. Sadly that wasn't the last time I would order at a restaurant and not have my dish delivered. It has happened three times.

The 4th occurrence was as simple as me ordering a steak medium well and it being delivered rare. So you see, it isn't that I'm being unusual with my orders.

Several months passed and I tried the restaurant one last time. I ordered a salad to go. My mistake was not checking the salad before I left. When I got home there was an ingredient spread all over the salad that I did not like. Since that ingredient isn't supposed to be on the salad I wondered if I had been given someone else’s order. Nonetheless I wasn't going to eat it.

So I called and spoke to the manager. I explained I was too far away to drive back and asked for my debit card to be reimbursed for the mistake. He agreed and asked if he could do anything else. I told him there wasn't and then explained my five visits to his establishment. He offered 2 free meals to make up for the poor service. It was a nice gesture, but I declined. He continued to insist and I finally gave in and gave him my address so he could mail the coupons. When I got the coupons a week later they were not for two free meals as he had stated. Instead, I received two coupons for a free appetizer with the purchase of two entrees. And the two coupons couldn't be used on the same visit. Wow.

A few years ago my Sunday School class went out to eat after class for my birthday. While we were eating one of my friends told our server it was my birthday and asked for a piece of cake to be delivered to me. Five of us ate the cake. When our checks were delivered I noticed that I had been charged for the birthday cake that I hadn’t requested. How nice.

Now this type of service happens to me on a regular basis. My friends can attest to this fact. One evening, when going out to eat with several friends someone piped up and said, "Who wants to guess how Tauna’s order will be messed up." To which another friend added, "That's if she even gets any food."

And a story from Miami. When we were at the bakery my friend Kim and I took numbers and got in line. She was #60 and I was #61. They called her number and assisted her. Then my number popped up on the board. A lady behind the counter turned, looked at #61 then said, "Number 62." I held up my 61 and said, "Ma'am, I'm #61," but the lady with #62 stepped up next to me and she was taken ahead of me. So I waited. Then another bakery lady walked up and said, "Number 63." Mind you my number was still on the board. Again I showed my number to the lady and asked for assistance. She didn't acknowledge me but Instead helped #63. I finally found someone to sell me a pastry.

Just last Sunday I decided I wanted nachos from a place near home. I walked into an empty lobby with another lady and we waited for the host. When the host arrived I explained that I wanted an order to go. I didn't mind when he asked me to wait while he seated the other lady. However, I began to mind when he kept seating everyone that walked in after me and never took my order. He also didn't call anyone else over to take my order.

I stood for 10 minutes as he seated five more parties. When I asked about my order he told me to wait until he was finished seating the rest of the lobby and he would then go get someone to take my order. I said, "No thank you," and left.

I found another restaurant, placed my order and took it home. It was the wrong order.

Ugh.

Blog Note

In an effort to catch up with posting my Haiti journal I have/will be posting more than one entry per day if possible. Currently, I have posted 5 days of my journal with the earliest post toward the bottom. So start low and work your way up.

Thank you to those who have expressed interest in seeing the photos and hearing the stories. And thank you for the notes you've left me. I am so encouraged by you my friends.

Pardon the Delay

It seems that I have doubled my readers. So to the four of you that read my blog and have asked for an update, I beg your forgiveness. It will be a little while longer before I am able to post pictures and commentary from my latest Haiti trip. Unfortunately I got so run down on this trip that I now have sinusitis and bronchitis. Then as fate would have it, I broke my pinkie toe this morning.



I've only broken one bone in my body but this is the third time I've done so. I fear the toe is forever compromised and I will not be able to set it in place properly.



Bed seems like a beautiful idea at this moment. Alas, I must be at work.



I feel poopie. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated.



(Okay. Here's a sneak peak.)

Laugh until you lose your breath

That's pretty much my motto. I even had it printed on my checks. I love to laugh, so imagine my delight when I woke myself with laughter this morning.

It was about 3:oo when I slowly drifted back to consciousness because I was giggling. A very silly dream was playing in my head, and I was completely tickled. After I awoke I realized what had happened and giggled some more.

I didn't mind waking up so early. Fortunately I was able to return to sleep almost immediately. More importantly I was delighted at the manner in which I woke.

I'd share the dream with you, or at least the hazy glimpses that remain, but it wouldn't be funny in the retelling or in the "real" world. The dream itself isn't what is important. I like to think that God decided to get me all tickled and wake me in such a splendid way just to see His girl smile.

Good morning Lord.

Lockdown

My creativity is on strike. I'm sitting in the middle of thousands of beads, wire, tools, and other various findings and I have nothing. Nada. Zilch. I wonder where I could go to fill up my creativity tank.

Considering I have 6 jewelry orders to fill this is not good news. I feel completely drained. The worst part is that I'm not sure I want to be creative right now.

Ouch. Creativity is almost equal to air for me.

Good grief.