You're Invited...

...if you're local. Come early for the best selection.

We'll have all our Christmas inventory plus some handmade crafts.

Bea there, pretty please!

It's Beginning...

...to look a lot like Christmas!!! And I am loving it!

Life has been super busy for us around here lately. The simple bustle that the holidays bring along with holiday soap orders coming in and trying to get ready for my open house next weekend...it's all kept us in pretty much constant motion for the last few weeks. I'm definitely getting a good sense for the luxuries vs. necessities in my life. I've had to cut back the time I'm spending at different things to give them to others. I'm hearing very loudly where my heart is wishing to be and once this Christmas season is over I'm really going to need to evaluate which parts of my life are no longer serving me and which parts I need to grow into more. Life is constantly flowing; ever changing, joining with others, branching out...we need to remain fluid so that we can continue on our paths.

Because of having a new{ish} baby around this Christmas and being additional busy with my family's needs, I've have to be very realistic as to what was going to be feasible this year as far as Madeline Bea Soap Co. is concerned. I'm proud of the limits I placed upon myself in order to be the mom that I need to be. I truly feel that I have adequately put my family first this year. But it has meant giving up the feeling that I'm well stocked and well prepared for holiday business. It has meant being good enough rather than my normal strive for excellence. I would like to be operating at my normal level...it drives me crazy to not be giving something 110%. But the reality is that I now have three very young children...one of whom is the cutest baby ever who is literally attached to me constantly. And I like things that way. I like that I'm busy with my kids. I like that Maya sleeps with me. I don't want to miss the everyday moments with my children. In a few years, I'm going to be so happy that I chose to go with my family flow rather than disturb it and rush it along for a little bit of extra productivity.

So, this week, I will be a little extra busy with the soap biz. But after that, I'm going to slow down, savor the magic of this most cherished season, and enjoy the holidays with my family.

What's your holiday game plan? How are you balancing the busy?

Happy Thanksgving...

Dear friends, may your hearts and your table be full this Thanksgiving and the whole year through! Enjoy your day!

Anti Black Friday Shopping...

I dislike crowds. The whole idea of shopping on Black Friday gives me great anxiety. And the thought of entering a store anytime after that and before Christmas doesn't make me warm and fuzzy either. The whole 'three little kids thing', the whole 'I'm never alone' thing, the whole 'I'm a total hermit thing'...they all combine to make me an excellent online shopper! I much prefer to sit at my comfy computer chair with my cup of coffee, browse idly, take three hours {or days} to decide if I want to buy something...all while my kiddos are free to yell, play, explore, and touch all they'd like in the comforts of our own home. I love that in recent years shopping online has become so incredibly safe and easy. It makes this mama's life soooooo much easier.

Here are some of my favorite gift ideas this year...

These initial compact mirrors from Anthropologie could be cute for just about any girl on your list, right? But, let's just honest...what from Anthropologie would any girl not love?

This print, titled Jubilant from Alicia Bock Photography is gorgeous. Great for your art loving bff!






Some cute and comfy pajama pants from American Eagle for the guys in your life.











My girls are always wanting to take their artwork on the go {so cute, right?}! These little crayon wallets are so perfect. There's room for a notebook and some crayons that you can close up in there. They'd be perfect for restaurants or doctor's appointments. And, if you're friends with your sewing machine, she even offers a pattern for sale in her shop.







These little birdie rattles are adorable and they look so soft and sweet!

I'll tell you what...for me, you just can't go wrong with socks. I love getting them and giving them. I love these knee-high socks from Gap. They'd look so cute peeking out of the tops of your Uggs! Perhaps you could just scoop these up for yourself with all the gas money you saved by not running all over to do your Christmas shopping!

I cannot urge you enough to look for coupon codes online before you purchase. Just do a quick google search for "(store name) coupon codes" before you purchase. This time of year you can almost always get free shipping at the very least!

I've found a lot of great stuff online this year so maybe I'll do another post like this next week!

Thanksgiving Placemat Tutorial...

Things are a little crazy around here right now. Good...but crazy! I have a list of post ideas and topics...but no time to actually compose them. Things will settle down after my Open House on December 5th but until then, things may be a little sporadic over here. But I did want to re-post this fun kid craft idea {which I originally posted last November}. It's a really fun and easy project that allows your kids to bring something to your Thanksgiving table. It can really be modified to a variety of skill levels too! Enjoy!

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The girls had such a wonderful time making these place mats for Thanksgiving at their aunt & uncle's house this year that I decided to share a little how-to with you! It's my first attempt at any sort of tutorial and it is NOT perfect, but I think you'll get the idea.



I did forget to mention in the "supplies" about the large piece of heavy white card stock. You may make this whatever size you'd like. I used one of our place mats as a template and cut it out of white poster board.


Also, this craft can be adjusted to the skill level of your children: allow them to do whatever they're capable of (e.g. cutting, gluing, drawing...) or whatever they'd like to do.


Have fun and enjoy!

Weekend Crafting...

Yarn Ball & Ornament Wreath

Christmas is by far my most creative time. It's usually the only time of year that I really get into crafts. This year I found a tutorial for these yarn ball wreaths that I had seen at Starbucks last year during the holidays. My personal affections for yarn balls and ornaments had me swooning and the project looked to be at or around my skill level {which is pretty basic} so off to Michael's I went. So, if you are the crafty type and would like one of these pretty little numbers for your very own, here is a little step-by-step for you...

Materials Needed:

Yarn {you may use one color or 14, whatever your personal preference}

Foam Balls in two different sizes {In my wreath, I used 14 big balls and 11 small...you could use less or more depending on your wreath size and/or preference}

Wreath Form {I used a 18in. wire form, you could use smaller if you'd like}

Ornaments {I used a stash of vintage ornaments that were a variety of sizes. You could certainly use just one size or just one color or a variety of each...whatever suits your fancy. My wreath took 14 big-ish and 14 small-ish ornaments.}

Glue Gun with plenty of glue sticks

Step 1:

Make your yarn balls by wrapping yarn around the foam ball, varying your angles and directions, until all the white is covered. You can either just tuck the tail in at the end or put a little dab of craft glue to secure it. I just tucked and they stayed just fine. Now, just to warn you...you might find these yarn balls to be the most beautiful things you've ever seen. Go ahead and take a few days to admire them, photograph them, let the baby play with them...whatever you'd like.

Step 2:

Cover your work area with freezer paper or wrapping paper...something that the hot glue won't stick to.

Step 3:

Lay out your large yarn balls, evenly spaced onto your wreath form. Using your hot glue gun, glue the balls to the form one by one.

Step 4:

Gather your smaller yarn balls and your ornaments and start hot gluing them in and around your large yarn balls. {I must tell you that this step intimidated me greatly...especially since I was using my very loved vintage ornaments. But I took a deep breath and just let loose. It was very therapeutic.} Vary your patterns and colors all around while building your wreath up and out {and in}. I found it helpful to glue the pieces to the big yarn balls first and then to the other smaller pieces that it was touching as a way to anchor it all together. I always held thing in places for about ten seconds for the glue to set a bit before moving on. Stick some here and there. You can always lift the wreath up to see where you might need some additional pieces. I used some large ornaments and {I think} a large yarn ball as add on pieces and I think they added some nice texture and dimension to the wreath. But work to your pleasing.

Step 5:

Put on a cute scarf & sweater and have someone take your picture holding your wreath. Then{here is the very important part} upload your picture to Flickr or your blog and send me the link!!!! I would love to see your creations!

Happy Crafting!!!

It's My Bicentennial Blogiversary!!!...

Yes folks, this is my 200th post!!! Can you believe that I've had 200 somethings to say over the past two years? Well yes, most were just ramblings about one thing or another. But none-the-less...two hundred is A LOT! I must say that writing this post has been a little intimidating. How do I acknowledge this milestone in a meaningful way and what could I possible have to say that would validate a 200th post? What is left to say?

However, there are some things you might not know about me...even after 200 somethings that I've said. So, I've decided devote this very special blog post to...

10 Things You Might Not Know About Me

{Totally un-original idea, I know, but let's get to it anyway...}

1. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing



2. I took ballet from age 3 to age 18, and jazz/lyrical/modern from age 6 to age 18



3. I danced in the 1995 Florida Citrus Bowl halftime show {see #2}. Ohio State played Alabama...I believe that Alabama won.



4. I have my motorcycle license. {I worked in a Harley-Davidson shop for four years after college as a retail manager and wanted to learn how to ride}



5. I live in the same town I grew up in



6. I married my high school sweetheart



7. I have an illegitimate fear of knives...using them to cook and such gives me great anxiety



8. My favorite movie of all time is Dirty Dancing {of course, see #2}



9. I will watch any version of Law & Order, whenever it is on, even if I've seen it, no matter how many times.



10. My favorite color is turquoise/teal blue/robin's egg blue/any pretty version of blue and green mixed together

Well, there you have it...the missing blanks about my life. Sure, there are more. But some things are best left to discuss over coffee. Thank you, my dear readers and friends, for reading my 200 somethings {or a few of them here and there}. I'm so grateful to have this space to share my life and you all to share it with.

Our Weekend In Pictures...

It was good and busy and productive and crazy and lazy...in all the right ways!

I hope you all had a good, restful weekend! Happy Monday!

P.S...My next post will be my 200th post!!!! I'm planning something special so be on the lookout!

Sunday Recipe : : Easy Peasy Cheesy Mexican Chicken

I am a huge fan of Mexican food! This recipe is hands down our favorite meal around here...and it really could not be easier.

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breasts {cubed}

1 1/2 cup salsa

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

6 large flour tortillas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown chicken in skillet over medium heat. {I add a bit of salt and pepper to the chicken as I'm cooking it...but you don't need to} When chicken is cooked through, drain off liquid and set aside. Line a casserole dish with three tortillas, overlapping them so they cover the bottom completely. In a large bowl, mix chicken, 1 cup salsa, and 1 cup cheese. Spread mixture evenly over tortillas. Layer three tortillas over the mixture once again overlapping to cover completely. Top with remaining salsa, then with remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.

This recipe is really flexible as far as amounts. Sometimes if I'm low on chicken, I add more cheese. If I have a bit more chicken, I add more salsa. Sometimes the tortillas are really thin so I use more. You get the picture...don't over think this one. I don't see how you could go wrong!

Enjoy!

Gratitude : : Week Two...

I'm a bit behind on many things this week so I only have four images this week. There's so much I'm grateful for, always. This project is encouraging me to put it all into words. It's been good to actualize my feelings about things that I typically would not verbalize. You can view these, as well as my images from last week, along with the sentiments which they represent here.

I'm super tired this evening...it's been a rather long week. I'm hoping to get a good night's sleep tonight so that I can be tip-top once again. I have so very many things brewing and so very much to say, only I haven't got the mental capacity at this moment to bring it all together. Perhaps tomorrow!

Have a good evening!

Getting Crafty Up In Here...

Hey, whoa, I totally did not mean to flake on you like that this week. We had a really nice visit with my grandmother this past weekend but I started off the week a bit tired and totally, completely, and utterly depleted. It really wasn't looking so great for anyone here in our little household. But then my truly amazing hubby surprised me by taking the girls {all three} to their dance classes on Tuesday night leaving me home. Alone. Just me and my creative whims. {*angels singing*}

It was so great! Totally refreshing, renewing, and absolutely essential to my well being. I picked up the house, crafted, listened to music, sang my little heart out... For a busy mommy, that's pretty darn close to heaven.

So...I really just spent the rest of the week trying to catch up and rest up...riding out the high of my night off. But I'll be back tomorrow with my Gratitude photos from this week. Also, this weekend look for my very special {much loved} Easy-Peasy Cheesy Mexican Chicken recipe!!!

Gratitude : : Week One...

So I have a lot of proverbial balls in the "gratitude" court this month and I've come up with a way to make all of it jive...I think. My posts here this month, as I've said, will carry the theme of "gratitude" but I'm also doing a photographic series this month over at Flickr about "gratitude. It didn't really start out as such but I found myself beginning it without thought or purposeful action. And then it was there as if I made so much sense that I didn't even take the normal thought processes to stew it over. I really just began to post these black and white photos depicting real concepts of gratitude in my life.

The black & white thing also wasn't really something I feel like I deliberately chose. I feel like it chose me. I had felt, in a way, that I was hiding behind beautiful colors in my photographs. I kind-of thought that I should start attempting more black & whites and then I just started doing it in this really relevant way. Because these concepts of gratitude that I'm depicting are about the real deal: the real slices of life stuff that really matter in life. They are about the moments and the people and what's really going on. I like to photograph pretty flowers but, let's face it, life is not all pretty flowers and perfectly composed still lifes. I'm currently not very good at black & whites but hopefully I will improve as the month progresses.

So this gratitude photographic series developed really organically and I feel like it ties in really well with the theme here and with the overall theme of the month of November. Anyway, life is like that sometimes {awesome like that sometimes...}! Then I found this Flickr group called 30 Days/Gratitude '09 and instantly my "thing" became a real thing and...Ta-Da!...month long series. So, on addition to regular posting, I'm going to try to post my week's gratitude photos here every Friday. But I've also created a special set just for this series on my Flickr site. And you should check out the 30 Days/Gratitude Group Pool as well for some truly moving photos and sentiments.

We are off today, over the river and through the woods, for a little visit with my grandmother. I'm looking forward to being "un-plugged" all weekend!

I wish you all a lovely weekend!

Greetings, November...

I had very good intentions of posting Sunday, then Monday, then Tuesday, and half of today. But I've been, well, living life. And it is feeling really good. For quite some time I've been feeling quite out of balance. Mostly I've felt like I wasn't really seeing and being with my kids. I mean, yes, I see them everyday...all day. But often I'm juggling so many other things that often we're all just going through the motions. But Rayne had off school Monday & Tuesday this week and I really feel like the focus got put back where it should be: on them and on us being together. At least for now, anyway. Tomorrow could be an entirely different story.

So I hear that it's November! Not that I know where October has gone...but I think I say that every month. Never-the-less, it is a new month and because I enjoyed having a theme to guide my posts last month I thought we should definitely have a new theme this month. Naturally {and totally un-originally} this month's theme will be gratitude!

I had a request for more quick and easy recipes and I promise to post a couple more. But I'm really anal about having proper pictures to go with my posts so I'll have to wait until I make one again and take pictures to post the recipe. But I'm sure it will be soon...

And one last bit of business for the month...I am keeping up with my daily photo challenge {in case you were wondering}. But being the anti-detail person I am, I have totally lost count of what day I'm on and have since quit numbering them. I was beginning to stress over it and then I reminded myself that the challenge is about the taking of the pictures on a daily basis and not about the trying to make me a more orderly and organized person. That is a whole other challenge for hopefully a day that will never come {because that sounds like a lot of not fun work}... You can view my daily pictures here.

Well then, let's see...this month's theme, future recipes, an attempt at justifying my inability to count my pictures...I think I've covered everything!

Happy November to you all!

One Last Bit of October Sharing...

Halloween 2009