Fall Styles I Love!!!

I thought I would share some fall fashion I love this year.

I love the ruffles on this jacket and the black tights!

I Love Love Love these boots!!!!

I know your not suppose to wear white after labor day but I love this look with cute brown boots!

These look super comfy!

Got to love the sparkle!

A place of Peace...

Do you have a place where you can just be? A place where you can get away from the stress of life? There are two places where I have felt totally at peace with the world, places where I feel Gods presence all around me. I just met someone, and two weeks after we met he lost his mother. I too have lost people close to me and can understand the pain he is going through. I wonder if he has a place where he can get away from all the hurt and find find peace.

This is the Monastery of St. Benedict in Subiaco Italy. I was lucky to have the chance to study art and history in Italy. This was a place that left me speachless. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The area of Subiaco lies along the valley of the Anio which, in the first part of its course, flows between narrow gorges amidst the simbruini mountains.

Holden Village is another place that really does it for me, and Holden is a little closer to home than Italy. Holden lies in the mountains above lake Chelan. I have been going their on retreats ever since I was in High school. At Holden, communication with the outside world is limited. They have no phones or television, no cell phone reception, and limited radio. There are no roads connecting to Holden. So it easy to see how you can escape from life's stress.

Art

Now that football is over, at least for 10 year old boys I can spend more time on my art. I would like to post some of my sketches for you. Below is my replica (done in Pencil) of Norman Rockwells painting "First Down."Enjoy.

Fall staff meeting

It's almost autumn, and there's magic in the air. Tree's are ablaze; sunlight glitters like golden coins. Cheers rise from football stadiums and school playing fields. ~ Home companion

Last Friday we had our annual Fall staff meeting. At this meeting we went over Encompass goals and dreams for the up coming year. Very exciting news!! Encompass hopes to open a "Teen Center," right here in North Bend. I plan to take part in this project in hopes to get hired as the teen center director. At this meeting we were given dream journals and we were told to write 100 dreams/goals we hope to accomplish in our lives. I thought it might be fun to post this list, here is what I have thus far.

1. To open my own shop "Zerebells"

2. To become a homeowner

3. To get married to my soul mate

4. To have my art displayed within the community (paintings, photos, etc.)

5. Become Encompass Teen Center director

6. To help support military families

7. To start a teen program in my community

8. Travel to Russia

9. Travel to Germany

10. Learn to cook European pastries

11. Grow an impossible garden

12. Do a whole high ropes coarse with no fear

13. Learn to fly fish

14. To become fluent in a language

15. Learn to play the guitar really well

16. Be in a magazine (country living, BH&Gardens)

17. To be more involved with my church

18. Teach an art class

19. To Lose weight

20. To hike more

21. Learn to rock climb

22. sky dive

23. hang glide

24. Learn to Kayak

25. Start my own book club

26. To be more organized

27. To have my little brother go pro in football or baseball

28. To touch someones life

Alex & Steve's Wedding

My best friend got married this past August. I was feeling creative and put together a paper wedding rose for her.

We use to dream about this day when we were little girls. I am so happy that she has found her prince charming, and she really has. Steve is one of the good one's. Her wedding was one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever been to. Here are some pictures to share her special day with all of you.

Bridesmaid flowers, I thought this was such a creative idea.

Two best friend

The happy couple

Nice Catch!

May your love be firm,

and may your dream of life together

be a river between two shores-

by day bathed in sunlight, and by night

illuminated from within. May the heron

carry news of you to the heavens, and the salmon bring

the sea's blue grace. May your twin thoughts spiral upward

like leafy vines, like fiddle strings in the wind,

and be as noble as the Douglas fir.

May you never find yourselves back to back

without love pulling you around

into each other's arms.

~ James Bertolino

cookies

This past summer I worked at Lazy F Camp and Retreat Center, where the camp chef passed on her famous cookie recipe for Ginger Snaps. I added a homemade buttercream frosting and they are a hit among family and friends.

Ginger Snaps:

1 1/2 c Shortening/Marg.

2 c Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 c Molasses

2 t Ginger

2 t Cinnamon

1 1/3 T Soda

1 t Salt

4 c Flour

use a Ice cream scoop. Place cookie dough on parchment paper. cook at 325 convection oven, for 10 - 12 minutes.

Almost Homemade Buttercream:

16 ounces Marshmallow cream

1 1/2 c butter, softened

5 t fresh lemon juice

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 c confectioners' sugar

Tip: want to make buttercream frosting completely from scratch? Visit Countryliving.com/recipefinder

Tulips 4 Sale!!

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous." - Aristotle

This past weekend my family and I traveled to La Conner to see the tulips, along with every-other family in Western Washington/B.C. The town of La Conner was very charming, and the shops and restaurants were bursting with people. You would never know the economy is suffering. We watched a couple take off on a float plane and sore high above the tulips. Just one of the ways to cruz La Conner in style. After some morning shopping we drove around the tulip fields searching for a place to pull over, and get a better look. I was surprised to see that there were so many bright colorful fields of tulips, they seemed to go on forever. I encourage everyone to take a little drive to La Conner, to admire the beauty for yourself.

Seeing the tulips inspired me to pull out my watercolors.