Good things to keep open…
our hearts
our minds
windows on cool summer evenings
windows on hot summer mornings
old books
new books
eyes to see the beauty around us
ears to hear the birds singing
back doors for friends
doors to bakeries, bookstores, and antique shops
our lives
to each other
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
…when you are fortunate enough to work from a home office.
I often start out early in the morning on the back deck where the morning sun is bright and warm.
But when it gets too hot there, I move to the side porch for some shade,
or the front porch to swing a bit while typing.
Sometimes it’s necessary to work in THE actual home office…
but I also might sit at the kitchen table,
or more often stand at the kitchen counter,
or even curl up on the couch.
And though I so terribly miss my little four-legged co-worker, buddy, and pal, Mikey who was constantly by my side,
many of you have asked about our new neighbor, the baby cardinal.
Well – she visits often. She has learned to eat from the feeders and is growing fast.
Isn’t she cute?!
She hangs out with the menagerie of other cardinals, goldfinches, grosbeaks, woodpeckers, orioles, and all the others that flutter about in our backyard.
So who needs an office with a window – eh?
I am so fortunate to have my office at home tweet home.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
(Some of you commented about enjoying my “behind the scenes” photo the other day, so I thought you might enjoy a few more behind the scene photos.)
Wishing all the Santas and Elves a peaceful and relaxing day after Christmas.
This is one of my all-time favorite Santas in the collection I have accumulated over the years. A good reminder that even Santa needs a break and some pampering.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Cheers & Merry Hugs,
Jodi
Wishing you Joy on this Christmas Eve…
Joy that comes from contentment
in who you are,
where you are,
who you choose to share your journey with,
and what you do with all of it.
Cheers & Joy-Filled Hugs,
Jodi
Wishing you calm
Wishing you bright
Be with the people you love
Doing the things that are right
As best as you can
Each day and each night
Cheers & Calm, Bright Hugs,
Jodi
Look what flew in….
Yep – this is what we do in Mars…
Do you have a coffee lover on your holiday gift list?
I do, so I was excited to try this idea for a simple homemade gift. It’s a coffee bean tree! What do you think?
I started with a 12″ Styrofoam cone and painted it with brown acrylic paint.
Once dry, I adhered the coffee beans with hot glue, then decorated with a few red berries and a festive bow.
(When gluing the beans on, I laid the cone down horizontally on a large paper plate, applied an area of hot glue, and poured a handful of beans on, pressing lightly. Once the whole side was covered, I rotated the cone and repeated. The loose beans fall off onto the paper plate, and you can redistribute. For the 12 inch cone, I used about 2/3 of a 1 l lb. bag of beans.)
To finish it off, I glued a brown felt circle to the bottom.
Not only does it look pretty and festive, it smells wonderful too! I used a dark Colombian roast, but you could do a hazelnut or french vanilla or any other flavor/scent you like.
You might even like to make one for yourself. It’s a great little kitchen Christmas tree.
I love how it turned out, and I think my coffee-lover liked it too! 🙂
Cheers & Latte Hugs,
Jodi
December 1st already! Where did 2014 go?! I do adore December and decorating for the holidays.
I had fun creating a woodsy rustic setting on the front porch with lots of fresh greenery, wood, red berries, burlap and pine cones in my fave antique crates I got for Mother’s day from Jake and Colleen. Out with the summer ferns, but not putting these beloved crates away. 🙂
The tree is up…
and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.
This Santa is chillin’ on the mantel with the some others (real Santas drink wine not milk)…
and other Santas pop up in just about every corner.
I love tucking this little ceramic tree in a special corner. It so reminds me of my Grandma.
Snowies are chillin’ too.
Wishing you toasty toes and a warm nose as we gear up for the holiday season!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
I’ve been blogging a little over six months now here at lifeinbetween.me, and I can’t believe how much I am enjoying it and how much I am learning…
about blogging, writing, technology, but most of all about MYSELF!
I thought it high time I build a Welcome (Home) Page for those that may visit and wonder what this is all about here.
It was fun pulling photos and linking them with the posts that I thought summed up my blog and my lifeinbetween.
Check it out HERE, and let me know if you think I hit the highlights or if I missed something important or should do something different. I did it very late at night and kept falling asleep in the middle of working on it! 🙂
I would LOVE your feedback, comments, questions, whatever you’d like to say or share – as I grow on this journey of blogging and the never-ending journey of self-discovery.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 