Stable for the Situation

Stable for the Situation

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My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Psalm 62:5-7

It has been a while since I shared a life update. We have had many ups and downs in the last few months – days of hope and days of “what’s next, Lord?”. John is in physical therapy for his back and is still under the care of a good pain management doctor. He is receiving care from the VA neurologist for his migraines. He is trying a new treatment using an Alpha-Stim device which is supposed to help with overall chronic pain relief. In the short time that he has been using it, he has had more days of feeling “ok”. He is able to stay awake longer and perform small tasks such as walking to the mailbox and back, helping wash dishes, or working on paperwork for full disability compensation. He has trouble sitting for long periods of time. Some days he feels stronger, and some days, not so much. Things I take for granted every day, he has to fight for constantly. He feels more hopeful, though, since he started this new treatment.

I haven’t been feeling all that well in the last few months. It has been quite a long time since I have seen a doctor for any kind of health update. I have been feeling strongly that I needed to see a doctor for a general check-up and with a gentle nudge from a friend who recently had a health scare, I scheduled an appointment with a local family doctor’s office. I have several friends who are struggling with health issues and frankly, it’s scary. I have always been in good health up until recently. My doctor visit naturally started with a blood pressure check – and the doctor and I didn’t get past much else. My blood pressure was (and still is at present) dangerously high and I was immediately told to take medication while I was there. I was given several doses during my visit. While I have other issues needing attention, my blood pressure is the first to get under control. I now have to take medication for that and something to help me relax at night. The blood pressure number has us all very concerned.

Jonathan has been helping me with my dad and with John. At times, doctor or therapy appointments are on the same day for the two men and Jonathan goes with John while I go with my dad to his appointment. Jonathan is updating his Resumé and Curriculum Vitae for employment applications. While not needed for all job applications, they may be useful depending on what he will apply for.

In spite of all that, we are “stable for the situation”. We are processing changes which need to be made. We are working to limit stressors and make wiser health choices.

It has been a while, too, since I’ve shared a few stray gifts! I still look for them and absolutely love when friends text me various gifts of their own they see through the day!

Top left: Our passion flowers have been blooming quite nicely this year! Such a gorgeous flower. Top right: The roses were blooming last week, but have since all faded away. It might be the last time they bloom for the year. This coral color is stunning! Right middle: With as much rock and sand as we have, there is still plant life that does well. The Morning Glory vines need next to no help and they cover bare rock walls nicely. They do tend to grow everywhere, so we have to weed them away from the roses and honeysuckle as needed. Bottom right: As always, the pink oleander is a pretty site. Bottom middle: Jonathan has been making breakfast more often which is a huge help! Bottom left: The last of the butterflies, I believe, for the season. We have enjoyed seeing more bees and butterflies in our yard this year.

It’s Time for a Change

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Hello and Happy August! I have an update for my card-making business that I’m going to dive into right from the start.

I have had quite a bit of business in the last year since selling my card creations. When I first started selling them last summer, I did not know where to start in pricing and I was content with $25.00 for a set of 10 cards which included shipping. I am not trying to make a living from this but I still need to cover the costs of supplies and a bit of my time. I have been told multiple times by friends and family that the price I charge is not high enough for what I make and I should be asking more. It is difficult to put a price on your own work! I have been doing a lot of thinking and researching concerning the pricing of handmade items. I have looked on Etsy to see what is out there in the card-making world and am surprised at some of the higher prices of other handmade cards that are much simpler than mine -no stickers, no shimmer, no sentiment or greeting, no detail– just a patterned paper piece glued on to a card base. The ones who have given me advice are businesswomen who know how to handle business and finances successfully and I value their input. But what to charge? It would be less expensive to mass-produce the same card or set of cards, but I am not ready to do that. I enjoy making each card a bit differently, even if I use the same patterned paper for multiple orders.

Through research, I am learning I need to start keeping better track of expenses as card orders keep coming in. I have had enough consistent repeat purchasers now to make this a priority (stray gifts!!). I need to learn how to make a spreadsheet and factor in the time it takes to make a card and what it costs for shipping. In the past year, shipping prices have increased. I was shocked at how much it cost to ship a set of 10 cards out recently –it’s just paper! I am also looking into a different kind of packaging to see if there is a less expensive way to send the cards securely so they don’t bend in the shipping process.

I hear the advice I am being given. I don’t take it lightly. With that said, I am raising the price for a set of 10 handmade cards to $35.00. This does include the shipping. If you would like to order more than 20 cards, we can discuss a bulk price. And even if you would like just a few, we can discuss that as well. The price may increase in the next six months to a year but, for now, John and I agree this is the next step.

I am so grateful to you who keep coming back for more cards! I love making them for you. Your encouragement and your business mean so much!

More Supplies

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“Organize? I thought you said, “Order more supplies!”

– crafting meme seen on social media

It has been a while since I have shared photos of my cardmaking “adventures” here. In December, I posted photos of Christmas cards and February was the last time I sent out a large group of “just because” cards. Last summer, I started selling my handmade creations to friends and family and I received eight orders right in a row! I made one hundred cards between June and December for others. Things got “quiet” after that and I wondered if the cards really were liked as much as I had thought they were because card sales completely stopped. In March, however, I had requests for more cards from some of the same friends and family who ordered last year. They were restocking their card supplies! From March to a few weeks ago, I have made more than eighty cards (not including those that ended up in the recycling because of mess-ups)!! I created Easter, graduation, birthday, Christmas, and get-well-soon cards. And I have a new request just recently for “thinking of you” ones. Whew! That is a lot of cardstock, tape, pretty stickers, and envelopes! As I continue creating, I become more aware of the tools that work best. The designs on patterned paper, the quality of patterned paper, types of adhesives, weights of cardstock, and more are things I’ve had to consider when purchasing supplies. Lots of learning is going on in making cards. There are thousands of designs and layouts which, if I look too long on Pinterest, can make my head spin – and makes it harder to choose which design to use for each order. Decisions, decisions!

What touches me, is that others like to send cards, too. Notes of thanks, well wishes, encouragement, sympathy, love, and kindness should never be a thing of the past. A note on social media and through texts is appreciated, yes, but there’s nothing quite like a handwritten note that took some time and effort. With that, I’ll leave you with a few photos of the cards I created in February. I have a few more sets I have worked on this year and will share them in the coming months. In the meantime, I need to get started on my new request …but first, I need to organize and order more supplies.

If interested in me making handmade cards for you, I charge $35.00 for a set of ten cards. This does not include shipping. Each card and envelope is put in a plastic envelope for protection and sent to you in a small box. It typically takes me a week or two to make a set of cards, depending on family events. To order, simply e-mail me and we can discuss what you have in mind.

My e-mail address is straygiftsstudio@gmail.com.

You Never Can Tell

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Poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

You never can tell when you send a word,
Like an arrow shot from a bow
By an archer blind, be it cruel or kind,
Just where it may chance to go.
It may pierce the breast of your dearest friend.
Tipped with its poison or balm,
To a stranger’s heart in life’s great mart,
It may carry its pain or its calm.

You never can tell when you do an act
Just what the result will be;
But with every deed you are sowing a seed,
Though the harvest you may not see.
Each kindly act is an acorn dropped
In God’s productive soil
You may not know, but the tree shall grow,
With shelter for those who toil.

You never can tell what your thoughts will do,
In bringing you hate or love;
For thoughts are things, and their airy wings
Are swifter than carrier doves.
They follow the law of the universe –
Each thing must create its kind,
And they speed o’er the track to bring you back
Whatever went out from your mind.

The Struggle Is Real

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Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

Isaiah 26:3-4

Have you ever heard the expression, “The struggle is real.”? We have been feeling it lately with the many ups and downs concerning John’s health. Discouragement knocks on the door as we seek balance in all things. John had an appointment with his rheumatologist this week who prescribed a pain medication that may help with the fibromyalgia. I don’t know what it feels like to be in constant pain, not knowing the right answer as to what will bring a sense of well-being. There may not be one single answer. Watching him struggle with illness and even depression as the days go by is difficult. This week, he is scheduled to receive shots in his back to relieve pressure in his lower back and legs. Migraine medicine is hit and miss as he tries different treatments. It has helped to understand what is happening in doing research on Gulf War Syndrome. While he never served in the Gulf War, his ship which supplied ammunition, oil, and explosives was in the Gulf around those times. Many of the veterans who were on the same vessel as he was are experiencing the same disabilities. Focusing solely on health has brought some peace because he isn’t trying to go back to Radiology school or do too many things at once. We are taking one doctor’s appointment at a time and praying for wisdom.

I saw a church sign a few weeks ago that said, “The struggle is real…but so is God”. Sometimes a statement comes in a still small voice. Other times it pierces through the heart like an arrow. What a timely reminder! Thank you, Lord. I needed that.

While seeking answers, we are still looking for stray gifts in life – bits of God’s presence throughout the day. We have had several really good rainy days here – and in the desert, they are a few and far between. We lost power for just a little bit, too, one night. It was fun to light candles and just sit and talk without watching television.

Top Row (left) Passionflower! We planted this vine last year and never saw one flower. We had caterpillars on the vine, which, at the time, we thought was exciting because we knew butterflies were coming. The butterflies were exciting to see, yes, but the caterpillars ate every bloom. This year, we watched carefully so that the flowers would blossom. We have a whole vine of them now blooming in different stages. (middle) A McAlister’s Deli recently opened near us. We used to hunt for this restaurant during our deputation days because we knew we could find a good sandwich or soup and of course, sweet tea. (right) Mums are still one of my favorite outdoor plants as they need little maintenance.

Bottom Row (left) I saw this art piece displayed in a doctor’s office while with my dad a few weeks ago. It is made from colored glass tile and is stunning. This piece is a depiction of a popular bit of scenery here in El Paso. If interested, you can read about the star on the mountain’s significance here. (right) Our daylilies are back in full force right now – especially after the rain. I may need to repot them next year!

Thank you to those who share your own stray gifts with me through text messages! I love the ripple effect this has had! I am thinking about sharing some of them here on the blog as I think others would love to see them as well.

The Grace To Be There

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“Be aware of what season you are in and give yourself the grace to be there.”

K. Dalton

It has been a while since I have written. I received an email recently informing me of my upcoming due date to renew this blog, so I am taking a look at the stats, drafts, and published work wondering whether or not to keep up with my writing. There are so many things I have shared here that I do look back on now and then and I would hate to lose all of that. Nothing has been written since last December for good reasons. So much has been happening with John’s health and with my dad’s as well. John is having tests done to investigate the cause of his migraines. He has ongoing pain management care which has included physical therapy and soon, he will be getting shots to relieve back pain. He also had ankle surgery in February which was a long ordeal in healing. My dad is having testing done for memory loss which means quite a few doctor appointments. Some days, my dad is just fine. Other days, he has trouble remembering how to get to a place he has been driving to for years or difficulty doing something on the computer he had no trouble with in the past. This has been a season of doctor appointments one right after the other and I have had to let some things go in order to be all here – present. This meant letting go of Facebook and trying to keep up with everyone. It meant burgers or pizza for dinner sometimes because we weren’t home all day or I forgot to put something in the crockpot. It means a lot of things for peace of mind. We try to be easy-going and take one day at a time.

Jonathan is doing well and is in a season of big decisions. He has been volunteering for the local Historical Society since he graduated from college last year. He may be leaving that position soon to look for a paid position elsewhere. He has enjoyed his time there very much and has learned so much! He still lives at home and is a HUGE help to us all.

In the midst of all that, I received orders one right after another for handmade cards! In a few months span, I made over eighty cards for friends and family and still have an order of birthday cards to complete. So exciting! Writing has been on my mind, too (somewhere way back there), during these months but I just have not had the time to “be there” for all my creative pursuits and for family and home life.

I am still keeping up with stray gifts and collecting them from friends who share their own gifts with me through text messages.

Left Row: Top: We believe this is a grackle egg. It’s so tiny! Bottom: There was a train exhibit in town last weekend all about how the train affected El Paso’s history. There was even a skit performed by a group called, “Six Guns and Shady Ladies”. It was a reenactment of the first deadly train robbery in the west. We enjoyed our time out together.

Right Row: Roses, Chrysanthemums, and Star Jasmine are a few of the beauties in our yard. We also have honeysuckle and alyssums blooming.

Christmas Cards 2021

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The pen in your hand is a magic wand with which you can send joy, hope, love and courage across deserts and plains, over mountains and seas, around the world and around the corner.

Wilferd A. Peterson, “The Art of Writing Letters”

In one of my classes during Bible college, we students took a “Spiritual Gifts” test to help us understand where we best fit in ministry opportunities. One of my gifts results was that I was an encourager. One of the ways I enjoy encouraging is through making and sending handmade cards. I wrote a bit about this cardmaking journey in a previous blog post, Stray Gifts Studio. I have a list of friends and family I create for regularly, but sometimes life gets busy and time is short for playing with all my pretty paper. I was determined to get nice Christmas cards out this year and worked at making cards to send out. I had come down with a bad cold a few weeks before Christmas and I wasn’t sure I would even be able to get these out in the mail. I had wanted to write a nice long ‘catching up’ note in each card, yet as Christmas grew nearer, I had to settle for a quick Christmas and New Year greeting. I hope that even with a short note, the cards sent brought a bit of joy to the receivers. Here are my latest creations in cardmaking.

Exalted Simplicity

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He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter…. In winter the stars seem to have rekindled their fires, the moon achieves a fuller triumph, and the heavens wear a look of a more exalted simplicity.

John Burroughs, “The Snow-Walkers,” 1866

I have been interested in decorating for the seasons versus decorating for any holiday in particular. I do not enjoy putting things up only to take them down a few weeks later. And I am not one who likes to get out the Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. I love arranging seasonal accents, knowing we have three months to enjoy the change of pace each phase of the year brings. This year for winter, I was inspired by the simplicity of winter light. The other day, I was looking outside our living room window at the Chinese elm tree in the front yard. The tree was bare of leaves, the bark a mix of brown and gray and the sky above was a blue-gray color. In the tree, there were finches with the same brown, gray, and blue easily seen on the branches. It was such a simple scene- devoid of the green leaves of spring and summer with just a few yellow leaves left from fall. I realized that this time of year is the only time I can see all the birds in the tree and I was struck by the clarity of the view. I stood for quite a while watching the finches happily singing away.

In keeping with a winter home decorating theme, you won’t find a lot of Christmas decorations in the house. In fact, we didn’t even put any ornaments on our tree! As Jonathan and I were unpacking the Christmas decorations and figuring out how we wanted to display them, we just loved the way the tree looked all lit up with nothing on it but tiny lights and the pinecones and berries that were on the tree when we bought it. With simplicity in mind, we were content with the way the tree looked as-is. What you will find are bits of light here and there through candles and Christmas lights in other places. What you will also see are bits of greenery from the japonica bushes that are in the front yard. Instead of buying greenery that doesn’t match our natural surroundings, I used what we had and cut fresh branches to put in a vase. The branches and leaves which stay green year-round add a natural element to our simple decor.

In the living room, we have tall ceilings with a very high shelf. We have decorated that shelf with lanterns, baskets, greenery, and other home accents. We put Christmas lights up there and I think we are going to keep them up all year. We like to plug them in at night as the sun goes down and it gives the living room a nice glow.

The longest dark hours are in winter and as the sun goes down early, my battery-operated candles light up on their timer, our Christmas lights get plugged in as well as the high living room shelf lights. We light candles and keep the bright lights off enjoying the cozy feel. It makes winter nights a bit more comforting as we settle in for the evening. All of us look forward to that time of day very much.

In the kitchen, I’ve been changing out the curtains to transition into the next season. During the fall months, I had orange, brown, and white in a tablecloth, in curtains, and in accents. For winter, I swapped out the warm colors for cool, using gray and white curtains and tablecloth with just a hint of Christmas in red and green glass bottles with a few japonica branches for more color. The bottles are displayed in the kitchen window and when the sun hits them in the afternoon, the bottles look like lanterns.

A few weeks ago, we were out late at night for an event at the local Historical Society (a 1912 historic home) where Jonathan works. John and I had stepped outside for a few minutes to get some fresh air and we happened to look up at the sky. Orion was right above us- big as life -spread across the sky and the stars were just so bright and beautiful! Later that evening, I went upstairs because I knew there would be an amazing night view of the city lights. Seeing the stars and the night lights confirmed that I wanted to bring that feeling of wonder from outside to the inside of our home.

Whether you love to go all out for decorating every holiday or you enjoy keeping it simple like me, may we all see cause for wonder and admiration in every season.

Stray Gifts Studio

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“Stray Gifts Studio” is the name of our former “homeschool room” and it is where I create handmade cards. My cardmaking journey initially began twenty-five years ago when I lived in Washington State where John was stationed in the Navy. I had a group of friends who were into cardmaking and we would get together with our rubber stamps and ink pads to enjoy the time of fellowship and creativity. Over the years, I had moved away from making cards and had eventually donated my collection of rubber stamps.

I happened to be visiting an aunt in GA one year when she received a birthday card I had sent in the mail. The card was from a set of boxed cards I had bought at the Christian book store. I thought the card I had picked out was especially pretty and “fit” her. She opened the card and said, “Oh! My friend gave me this exact same card! I love it!” My heart sank. The exact same card? The card did mean something, yes, but I decided then and there I would get back into cardmaking. I also decided that not one card I made would look the same. I may use the same designer paper, the same card material, but I have yet to make the exact same card twice. Each one has been a different layout, or I have used a different ribbon, or I have chosen a different mix of papers or materials. It’s a personal decision, I know, but one I value seriously. I love to receive any “happy mail” – whether handmade or store bought, and every card is significant. I craft cards because I love it. I send them to friends and family for birthdays, holidays, and just because. In the last few years, I have been asked if I would sell the cards, but I never felt confident enough that someone would actually pay me to be creative. I took a leap of faith this past June and sold a set of cards to my friend Angela who loved them. I have since received orders from others and have created/sold nine sets of cards with ten cards in each set. When I explained to the Postal Annex employee what I kept shipping out, he said, “Oh, you’re an artist!”. I hadn’t thought of myself that way, but I liked the sound of it.

I have been encouraged to start an Etsy shop online to sell my cards and even the bookmarks I make. I have looked into it, but right now is not the right season for various reasons. I do have an Instagram account (@stray_gifts_studio) where I share photos of cards I create. I have thought about starting another website designed to share my cardmaking exclusively, but I don’t have peace about doing that just yet. For now, I share bits and pieces of the cardmaking on Instagram and personally through texts with friends and family. Since I already have this website up and going (and somewhat figured out), I plan to share photos of my cards here. Maybe it will gather more ‘business’ and maybe not. Maybe it will encourage someone to get creative again. And maybe it will encourage someone to write a card and send it out. It doesn’t need to be handmade- just from the heart.

I recently made a set of Christmas cards for a friend. Their last name is “Bright” and she thought it would be cute for the cards to say, “Merry Christmas from the Bright Bunch”. I created the sentiments with Canva, uploaded them to my Cricut and had the machine cut these out. Each card has a bit of shimmer which does not show up in the photos, unfortunately. The cards are so much more vibrant in person.

Here are a few of the cards I made. I enjoyed crafting the Christmas cards and hope they will be a blessing.

If interested in me making handmade cards for you, I charge $25.00 for a set of ten cards. This includes shipping. Each card and envelope is put in a plastic envelope for protection and sent to you in a box. It typically takes me a week to make a set of cards, depending on family events. To order, simply e-mail me and we can discuss what you are looking for.

My e-mail address is: straygiftsstudio@gmail.com.

Working in Shifts

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Nature bestows her own, richest gifts and, with lavish hands, she works in shifts…

Gertrude Tooley Buckingham, “The Four Seasons,” 1940s

Our winters are mild here in the southwest, but we are starting to feel the shift of the season. The heat is kicking on in the morning, but by afternoon, the sun is up and the house heat gets turned down. Jonathan opened his bedroom window the other day and there was a nice breeze coming through the back of the house. There’s a shift in the yard as leaves are falling and the plants are changing in appearance. I have a few roses blooming for the last time this year, yet my chrysanthemums are shedding off. I don’t think I’ll see those bloom again until spring. Jonathan put hay out in the dog house for our girl to keep warm at night. I am stocking up on dry beans and canned goods for soups and stews. Fall decorations will be coming down, soon to be replaced with Christmas and winter accents. I’m shifting slowly from this season into the next, enjoying the transition. Do you like to see Christmas come early and already have your decorations up? Or do you gradually move into seasons as they come?

The latest in my stray gifts journey:

Gifts in the yard: (clockwise) I have two roses blooming on the same bush at the moment. Morning Glory flowers are still around in various places. I spotted this yellow leaf on the ground and loved the bit of fall present. The tomatoes seen in the photo are now turning red and will soon be eaten by whoever picks them off first! The passionflower vine had been eaten up by caterpillars earlier in the year. They ate most of the leaves and all of the flowers. The butterflies that came after were pretty, but I did not like that most of our new vine had disappeared. The leaves are growing back now quite nicely and we will be watching the vines like a hawk for any caterpillars come spring. I didn’t buy as many mums as I would have liked this year when they were on clearance, but I did get a few. By now, I have ‘deadheaded’ these and just the green leaves are left.

Gifts Unconventional: Instead of cooking a turkey and having leftovers for days, we decided we wanted to grill steaks this year for Thanksgiving. My dad said we can give thanks for a cow as well as for a turkey for the special day- and we all agreed. We had mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, and peas, too. Jonathan made a pumpkin pie from scratch that turned out amazing.

Gifts in the Kitchen: Jonathan and I wanted a cake mix for something a few weeks ago. I can’t remember what, but I don’t keep cake mixes in the pantry. We looked up a recipe on the internet for a homemade cake mix and tried it out one day. It was very good! We included shredded coconut so that it wasn’t plain. Instead of frosting, we added whipped cream on top before each piece was served.

Homemade bread is always a gift in the kitchen. By now, Jonathan and I have perfected our recipe to the way we like it. We make the recipe and keep it in the fridge in a vented container until we’re ready to bake. Cold dough is easier to work with. Fresh, hot bread goes well with the soups and stews we’re having lately!

Gifts from Others: From time to time, friends and family send me photos of their own stray gifts and I love it! A sunset in New Mexico is stunning! I’ve seen beautiful fall photos from Pennsylvania and a snapshot of snow from the same friend yesterday morning. A friend in Texas shared with me a photo of a new bread recipe she tried which used einkorn and kefir. It looked tasty!

A handmade card from my 10 year old niece in Alabama and a card, also, from a distant cousin in Wisconsin came in the mail last week. What a nice surprise!

Gifts from around the world: Our former church in Mexico is doing really well. The church held a teen conference recently, and the building was full of people. Our hearts bust wide open when we see photos of what God is doing.

Pleasure is spread through the earth in stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find. -William Wordsworth, 1806