SRKindredSpirits

I absolutely love flowers. I think they are beautiful and if they smell heavenly than that is just icing on the cake. I love having a bouquet of fresh cut flowers on my table to look at, every day. They just make me smile. Flowers are my love language. Since I got that off my chest....  Martha's Flowers is a truly a beautiful book. The first surprise about this book is it's size! This is certainly a coffee table book in size, quality, heaviness, durability, and photos.  What pleased me most about this book is that these aren't rare or difficult to grow flowers, but rather the old fashioned garden flowers most gardeners will already have growing in their gardens; roses, peonies, lilacs, hydrangeas, etc. However seeing them so artfully, elegantly, and dare I say simply arranged, is nothing short of inspiring! Each flower/bush has a dedicated section with a story from Martha then specific, detailed directions regarding growing them and suggestions with...

For those of you who don't know, my daughter, Faith is an amazing writer and is extremely gifted at putting her words down on paper.... so she's guest posting on the blog today.  I love taking personality tests and seeing how people are different by their own types. I  am an introvert and extrovert myself and agree completely with 1 and 2. However, number 5 is completely not me... isn't it interesting how God made each of us uniquely different? Here's what Faith has to say about what introverts want us to know.... As an introvert myself, I really value my alone time. It’s a time to unwind, be myself, and do stupid things without having to worry if anyone’s watching. It’s my “happy place”, my recharge, and I depend on it to get me through life’s hectic situations. Sure, I like spending time with friends, going shopping, and eating out, but honestly, I like my solitude even more. When I try to explain this to certain people, they often don’t get i...

Anyone that has followed my blog any length of time knows how much we try to live a clutter free life. That being said, I'm always on the look out for different approaches of getting rid of more stuff... (my long term goal is to get our stuff down to fit inside a 20x30 ft cabin that the hubby and I would like to build and live in after the kids are grown.) But even in our current house, I love having a clutter free home and with living on a hobby farm and 3 kids, we are always bringing in stuff, so there is always things to get rid of. I will just put this out there.... I am a huge Joshua Becker fan and have read all his books. But I also enjoy reading different peoples approaches to decluttering and minimalism; like the Kon Marie Method ,  Courtney Carver's Project 333 , or  The Minimalists    so I was excited to read Dana White's  step by step approach, using the 5 steps. Step 1: Trash Step 2: Easy Stuff Step 3: Duh Clutter Step 4: Ask...

I'm not super big into birthdays, but every year, I let my kids pick the birthday supper menu -complete with homemade ice cream, and the cake flavor and design of their choice. I then try my hardest to make the cake exactly what they want. This year my youngest daughter wanted a "cat" cake, so here's what I came up with.... How To Make A Cat Cake . Start with 1, cooled, 9x13 cake. (I only use and love USA pans for my cakes, no spraying, no flour, no sticking..... USA pans are the best!) Cut the cake in half and use a knife to level off both halves. Then stack the halves with icing in the middle to keep them together. Do not icing to the edge. Put the cake into the freezer for 20 min. Then, remove from freezer and start shaping the cake.... Cut the back so that it's rounded, and cut a small half circle out of the front. Save all your pieces of cake. Also, cut a dip out for the cats shoulders, and used the extra pieces to put together t...

This is such a cute little book full of lots of information! I liked everything about it.... but then I like everything about plants and flowers, so I guess it' only right to like this book! The author did a great job. There is lots of info on anything from personalizing your window box, adding grow lights, to pruning the plants and watering. I liked all the different kind of examples given:  - the sand box - the rain forest - the herb garden - the woodlands - the salad bar - the window bog and more.... The pictures are beautiful. I loved that the title is stamped into the front of the book and that the cover pages look like this: If you love flowers, plants, or gardening - you will love this little book! Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through a  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

I have always wanted to try to transfer a photo to wood, so I figured what better photo to use than my all time favorite picture of my kiddos. It was fun and surprisingly easy to do. It is also a cheep way to add a unique look to your decor. To begin with, know that you can not use an image that comes from your ink jet printer at home. The ink will smear and you’ll be disappointed. Know that you also can not use an actual photo print as they have a plastic/vinyl coating and the image will not transfer. You must use a photocopied image. I went to my local Staples to use the copier - just take the actual photo and copy it on plan white paper - you can either use color or black and white. (It cost me around $2.55 for a 16 x 20 black and white copy.) Supplies needed to transfer a photo to wood:  Unfinished Wood - sanded smooth (I bought a 24 x 24" sanded board at Menards for around $5.00 and had my hubby cut it down to the size)  Photocopied Image Liquitex Prof...

Why does every study bible have to be so huge??? I mean, I know that it has alot of information crammed into one book that has to be big enough print to read, but for the love of all small people, it'd be nice to have a good study bible that didn't weigh as much as we do..... I really wish this was a KJV Study Bible.... but other than that I love this bible study book.  Features include:  The full text of the New King James Version (NKJV) translation  In depth book introductions that include an outline and information on authorship, background, structure, themes, and a map, a timeline, or both  Verse-by-verse study notes with the unique focus of revealing nuances from the original biblical languages for modern readers  Informative contributions by respected scholars and best-selling authors including Charles Stanley, Randy Alcorn, and Ed Stetzer, among others  Over 100 innovative full color infographics, comprehensive timel...

Somehow, I missed that this book was for men when I requested it for a review.  I loved the quotes -  "Make your mistakes full speed." "Always fall forward." "There are worse things than dying." And although I think a man would enjoy this book much more than myself, it does have some pretty good lessons for everyday life regardless of who you are.  I put this book on my hubby nightstand for him to read. In Always Fall Forward, join the Coach's son, Todd Gerelds, as he reflects on fifty-two of his dad's most formative "coachisms." From "Your stance is critical" to "One play at a time," you, too, will start hearing the strong and encouraging voice of the Coach when life hits you hard. Packed with life application, Always Fall Forward challenges you each week to live the way the Coach lived--grounded in faith and willing to stand up for what he believed--no matter the cost. Disclosure: I rec...

We took our 7 yr old and 10 yr old to a viewing for the first time today. We explained what to expect before we got there, dressed them in their Sunday best, and went through the line. But when it came time to view and walk by the casket, we let them sit with family instead of going up to it.  I'm a grown-up and I still hate walking by an open casket. (And I used to work at a cemetery doing funerals and filling the grave sites!)   There's always been a debate about whether or not kids should go to viewings and funerals. My hubby and I have lost 6 grandparents between us: four since we've been married. Our oldest daughter was age 9 -14, and we gave her the choice if she wanted to go or not. Our special needs son and youngest was ages 2-7, so we have always had someone watch them. I always figured that they were too young to really understand, and I don't regret waiting until they were older. At one viewing, this pastor came in with four of his grand kids; a...

Trade Your Cares for Calm By: Max Lucado I loved this little book! The size, the design, the words.... it did not disappoint! If you’re trembling on a tightrope of fear and worry, get ready for the best trade ever: your cares for God’s calm. What if faith, not fear, could be your default reaction to circumstances? Imagine being able to walk away from worry, conquer the need to control, get rid of guilt, and end if-only thinking. That’s God’s offer. He wants to exchange your burdens for an abundance of mercy, gratitude, and trust. To replace striving and stress with a faith-filled life in which you’ll see God’s goodness, feel calm in chaos, and find peace through prayer. Author Max Lucado understands what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by anxiety. Through unforgettable stories and biblical wisdom, he offers powerful tools and scripture to help you manage your fears and worries and give our cares and anxiety to God. Disclosure: I received this book free fro...

Zen Camera By: David Ulrich Now, that we all have a camera in our pocket and are taking photographs and sharing them all over social media, this book helps you to become more fully in the present moment and to be able to find your own authentic vision by  creating your own masterpiece .  Zen Camera teaches mindful attention through the medium of photography and cultivates a personal development and awareness for its readers to look at their own photographs in a totally different way. This book reminds us that with even just an cell phone camera in hand, we can capture the stunning world around us. The photographs are exquisite, and the stories are inspiring. This book makes you want to get outside and start  immediately.    Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through a  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Here's our bedroom before we started decluttering.... I never thought of us as being packrats or having a cluttered home until we started going through our house room by room and getting rid of stuff. ... Here's some ideas to help you unclutter your bedroom and make it a beautiful, relaxing space. Closets - clean them out! Get rid of all the clothes , shoes, purses, scarfs, and anything else you don't use reguarly or items that you have more than enough. Get rid of all the fake plants, they only collect dust. I'd like to add a few more live plants in here. Wall decor - less is more! For example: In our room we have four wall decor items. One is a picure fame with our  wedding photo , an old window frame from my Grandpa that I decorated, an old windmill blade and my jewelry holder which I made.  We do have a mirror hanging on the back of the of the bedroom door. Decor items, shelves, display cabinets - get rid of at least 75% of the ...