Queen Bee Market this Friday and Saturday!

The Queen Bee Market is just a few short days away! I have been busy crafting up a storm of new pendants and also incorporating new designs for my pocket mirrors and magnets. The picture below shows a few of the vendors from the 2011 Queen Bee Market (Del Mar location). I'm in the front row, third from left and sitting next to Mique (the founder of QBM) who is wearing red. Mique's sister/founder Jess is also in the front row second from the right, also wearing red.

If you're planning to go to the Queen Bee Market, click here for information about how to get $1 off the admission fee for you and a friend. Hope to see you there!

Book Review - Break Through

I recently had an opportunity to read Break Through When To Give In, How To Push Back which is a book written by Dr. Tim Clinton and Pat Springle. Break Through will help anyone that is constantly rescuing their loved ones or making excuses for the controlling and irresponsible behaviors of others. By reading this book, the authors will help you to identify why you gravitate toward certain relationships, discern the warning signs of an unhealthy relationship, and help you to "break through" the fog of your relationships so you and your loved ones will be happier.

This book was very informative and presents different types of relationships. I think anyone reading the book can relate to at least one of the relationships in the book and you will be able to see what you can do to make the relationship better. At the end of each chapter is a section titled 'Think About It ...' which has a series of thought provoking questions. The last section of the book states that the book is designed for individual study, small groups and classes and I think that the questions in the Think About It section is perfect for discussion.

One part of the book that really stood out to me was the section on forgiveness. When my feelings have been hurt by others or I'm mad/annoyed at someone, I will try to keep in mind that "God isn't happy when his children fail to follow his example of generous forgiveness. When we refuse to forgive, we remain shackled to our old perceptions of the event." You don't need to be in a controlling or manipulative relationship to benefit from reading Break Through. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to make the relationships in their life better and more loving.

Some information about the author: Dr. Tim Clinton, LPC, LMFT, is president of the nearly 50,000-member American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) and founder of Light University Online, which has over 160,000 students enrolled. He is also the professor of counseling and executive director of the Center for Counseling and Family Studies at Liberty University. Click here to watch a video clip of Dr. Clinton talking about why he wrote Break Through.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Queen Bee Market

I'm excited to announce that I'll be a vendor at the Queen Bee Market that will be held June 1 & 2 in Carlsbad, California. The location will be at the Hilton Carlsbad Garden Inn which is right across the street from the Pacific Ocean!

Queen Bee Market is THE premier handmade craft show. If you can only make it to one craft show, this is the one I would recommend you go to. I hope to see you there!

craft show and pinterest update

Happy Tuesday! How was your Mother's Day weekend? My hubby and kids took me out for a nice lunch and then we went to Sprinkles cupcakes for dessert! They weren't offering my favorite (banana) so I just had a vanilla with chocolate frosting. A Paper Source store just opened last week and is 4 or 5 stores down from Sprinkles so I had lots of fun in there! I was good and only came home with two new sheets of Japanese chiyogami paper.

I've been busy making things for the craft show this weekend and also spending time on pinterest which I joined a couple of weeks ago. To see by boards, click here.

The Essential Mariah Carey CD Set

I'm a fan of Mariah Carey's music so I was happy to hear that Legacy Recordings has released (today) a brand new 2 CD greatest hits collection from Mariah Carey, The Essential Mariah Carey. This set has all of her hits including fourteen #1 hits!

And that's not all - to celebrate this release, Legacy Recordings has teamed up with Elizabeth Arden to offer prize packs of this new album + an autographed CD booklet Plus a bottle of Mariah’s Forever fragrance. Just in time for Mother’s Day, this pack would be a fabulous early mother’s day gift! (hint, hint if hubby is reading this)

Have a great Tuesday!

a recipe for Cinco de Mayo

Book Review - Finding Our Way Home

Finding Our Way Home is a novel written by Charlene Ann Baumbich. Sasha Davis is a ballerina who suffers a career ending injury at age 38. She leaves Boston to recuperate at her family home in Minnesota, living there alone because her mother recently died. Sasha ends up hiring 19 year old Evelyn Burt to be her live-in aide. As they get to know each other, Evelyn realizes that Sasha needs to heal other parts of herself besides just her bones. But as Sasha begins to heal, it is her turn to start taking care of Evelyn.

This book is a story of second chances and how there is power in even the smallest act done in the name of love. This is the kind of book that I would take to the beach with me for some light reading. It was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to others.

Disclosure: I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May Day

It's May 1st! Where has the time gone? I can't believe my little guy is almost done with kindergarten and will soon be a big first grader. May Day has traditionally been a time to mark the first day of summer so here's some summer-y pictures to look at. Enjoy!