Some brightness on Sunday morning

SO, I totally copied this from The Deacon's Bench, a blog I really love. I liked this video so much I was afraid no one would use the link to see it. So, please watch and enjoy.

And, thanks for standing by me!


"Stand by Me" performed by musicians around the world from SKAT on Vimeo.

The urge to craft is rising its head again. I will most likely spend my creative urge searching the internet for the perfect craft. By the time I decide I have found the one -- the perfect one-- I will have lost the energy to do so. Such is the "perfectionism" of my brain. Perfectionism is paralyzing. You want to do it perfectly, and that need to do things perfectly keeps you from ever starting anything. Believe me, I know this well. You might look at my home and my desk and say-- this chick IS NOT A PERFECTIONIST! But no, I am, I am just researching the perfect way to clean a desk.

That being said, I just found this great idea AND tutorial from Wisdom of the Moon for personalized book plate stamps. How cute is that? Might be a useful graduation gift...and I get to play with sharp objects!

My bud Sara has been a great inspiration for all things creative lately. Check out her socks -- so cute, but too intimidating for me. Last week while we were setting up for the church yard sale she mentioned the new trend of "re-purposing". Mamma's Blessings has some cute ideas for crafting new items out of old.

My mom, sisters and I have been doing this for years. My mom's latest treasures? Button rings-- absolutely adorable. Want one? She only made 300...

Let me share my past "failed" attempts at re-purposing...

toddler dresses from t-shirts and fabric scraps;
oil candles made from old bottles-- then painted;
felting old wool sweaters into something (never got beyond the felting);
quilts out of old clothing (cut the fabric and then tossed it)

Looks like my time might be better served doing something else...

Cleaning perhaps?

Nah......

let there be cake

I have reached the next tier of my life.

The invitation tier...

You remember how it goes?

Think about that FIRST birthday party invite. For me it was a clown, announcing my best friend Maria's big day. She was cool, she had lots of big brothers and sisters, they all spoke in Spanish AND English and her house was loud. I was so excited....

Years of innocent birthday celebrations followed... 10...12...13...SLUMBER parties... Sweet 16 parties... Ah, youth. Usually, a lot of fun and a big cake.

The next tier? The drinking days... for us it began at 18 in NOLA. Birthday celebrations... sorority mixers...fraternity blow outs...All invitations were carefully crafted, xeroxed on neon paper and handed out in multitudes. Usually, a lot of fun and no cake.

Wedding showers and wedding invitations followed quickly there after. Remember the dread of seeing that big envelope? Another tafetta dress? Another wedding gift? At least it was guaranteed fun, and a promise of a BIG cake.

The baby tier followed. Especially in my Catholic circle of "girlies". Baby shower after baby shower. Parlor game after parlor game. Usually, it was fun and depending on the weight gain of the mother-to-be, there was cake.

Along side the baby shower invites was the stress of planning and sending my own children's invitations. If there is any doubt, see 100 things about me to know the real truth. Four parties a year to worry about, not to mention getting them to all the parties they were invited to. Usually, ours were fun, theirs were stressful, but they always had cupcakes.

Lately, things have slowed down. My youngest is 10 --still a few. My oldest is 18 and if they exist, I think it's better I not know.

I was ready to sit back and enjoy a "mid-life", all be it, aYOUNG mid-life" respite from the almighty invitation. And I was OK with that.

I don't really need cake that much any way.

Yesterday, I noticed that tell-tale big envelope in our mailbox ... a wedding invitation?

To the wedding of my friends' children.

I don't think I am ready for this...



Well, at least there will be cake.

Facebook has its time and place

I feel like I have been absent from Blogging for a long time. Heck my readership is like 4 a day now, don't even know why those 4 people even tune in. But today, that may be a good thing because I am going to use this time to vent.

I have mentioned before that my friends and I have joined the Facebook generation. And it has been pretty cool. Good things happened through Facebook.

I was able to re-connect as an adult with my cousins and really get to know them as the wonderful man and women that they are. This proved to be invaluable when the tragedy of my cousin Desha's death hit us. We were already connected and able to console each other, something that might have been difficult to do 6 months prior. I have learned through Facebook that they are some tough cookies, that they have friends that love them like sisters and that they really love their family. Sure, everyone thought that "25 things" was a total waste!

I have re-connected with college friends. I am proud to see that we have all turned into respectable, productive adults. I have agreed with my best high school buddy that the friends we made in college really and truly are friends for life. I know it sounds weird, but true.

All this is great and good, but there is a downside to this electronic wonder. Social networking has its time and place.

Here's my issue, my sister CALLED me yesterday and told me that my mother's best friend had lost her long, hard battle with cancer on Sunday afternoon. How did my sister find out? Cate's daughter told my mother on a WALL POST a day later.

30+ years of friendship -- a wall post? WTF?

I know it is hard. Making or receiving that heart-stopping phone call.

After 30 years of friendship...30 years that included potty training, carpooling, volunteering, and crafting. To parenting wild teenagers, sick children, even grandchildren. 30 years of mother-in-law stories, road-trips, vacations, prayers, and operations, to be reduced to a Facebook post. Social networking my ass.

I hope my kids hear me now, give my friends the consideration they deserve and call them please.

And for dear Cate, who for some reason I could still only call "Mrs. C" to her face even at 43:

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon her.
May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace.
Amen.

Give Jesus a big high five for me, make him some chicken wings and a have cold one on me.