Saturday, October 18, 2014

Cross Stitch Gift : Bookmark

Here is a cross stitched bookmark that I made for our sweet Chinese scholar when she returned home... I actually made a second one similar for me to keep to remember her by.

One of my sons gave me a laminator as a Christmas gift and this was its inaugural project.  Works GREAT.



The verse on the back in Mandarin Chinese reads:

Philippians 1:3-4
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you...


Friday, October 10, 2014

Coming soon: First Disney Cruise

My husband and I experienced our first cruise last week--on the Disney ship Fantasy. 
I will start posting about it over the weekend and will do a series on this excellent adventure. 

Check back soon!


Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Seasons of Life ... Time to Cross Stitch

I used to do cross stitch when my children were very young... before our homeschooling days.  Now that our youngest is about to move out of the house for college [bittersweet to me]  I've picked it back up again.

How do you like these two cards I made last week?

Cross Stitch Handmade Card

Cross Stitch Handmade Card

I also tried my hand(s) at quilling... something I'd only done once before marriage, before kids...  It was quite easy to do.  Saving these pieces to add embellishments to cards at a later time.

My P52 photo for Week #34

Quilling Tonya Travelstead P52

Working with your hands can be a pleasurable way to spend some time, especially if doing something mundane like watching television in the evenings... handmade gifts are so cherished.  Give a little of yourself to someone else...


1 Thess 4:11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands...




Thursday, August 7, 2014

Buried Treasure ... Treasured Memories

It's been windy and rainy lately here in Florida.  My husband and I were sitting in the front yard over the weekend and a little bit of color peeked through the mulch.  With all the wind, this buried treasured artwork--a mosaic stepping stone-- made by one of our sons had been covered in the mulch.

It's funny how little things can spark memories.  He made this one summer in an art camp.  I think he was about 8 or 9 years old at the time (now 25).  Because the tiles are coated and encased in concrete it will probably last longer than we do.  Whenever I see this, I think back to those special years of having two young boys at home and am so thankful I was able to be home with them...

...years of joyful play
...swimming and shrieks of laughter
...lots of little boy friends over to play
...homeschooling and learning together
...story time at the library
...Barney and Arthur
...afternoon snack time
...cuddles and naptime

SO thankful for these sweet memories...my own personal treasures from long ago.

P52, Week #32
Tonya Travelstead P52


Luke 2:19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Art: Fifty Shades of Grey

If you stopped by to see a review of the popular erotic book or the movie, you'll be disappointed.  Not something I plan to read or see and I would advise you to not do the same.

I took this photo on an outing last week... simply a wall of grey brick with water streaming over it.  If someone told me they had a photo of a basically grey wall, I'd think "how boring"... but if you look at it for a bit as I did when I took the photo, it's actually quite beautiful.  Because of the flowing stream of water, what is plain and simple can become lovely.  I think there is a life lesson here.  :)

Tonya Travelstead Fifty Shades of Grey
This is my P52 2014 photo for Week #31


John 7:37-39  ... “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive...

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

TGCW2014

http://thegospelcoalition.org/2014/


The talks from #tgcw2014 are now available online. 




Lazy Saturday plus Grain-free lunch

Fun Saturday morning for me... Slept in, shopped at Staples to use up my rewards... 


Trip to the library for fun books... Watched Pioneer Woman while eating this yummy grain-free lunch.  

Spring greens. Tomatoes. Avocado.  Sunflower seeds. Green pepper. Small bit of chicken salad. Delicious. 


Monday, July 21, 2014

Saturday in the Park ...

Saturday, as is our custom, we had breakfast with friends and the strolled around the park. Here are a few sights from that morning...


This one is my P52 photo for Week # 30. [I'm #22}
 Can you find the bee?

Tonya Travelstead P52

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Gorgeous Sunset AND a Rainbow ?

Everyone loves posting photos of sunsets and rainbows but both at the same time?

My husband walked past our kitchen window at 8:30 pm the other night and saw the brilliant sky all lit up.  We went outside, me of course, with my phone in hand (wish I'd had my real camera in hand) and this is what we saw (facing west).


Choosing this one for my P52, Week #29.  [I'm # 39.]
Tonya Travelstead Florida Sunset

We turned around to go back in the house and this is what was behind us.  Friends told us if we'd looked that direction a few minutes earlier, we'd have seen a double rainbow (facing east)!  Amazing.



Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. 

Friday, July 11, 2014

It's 7 Eleven Day again... Free Slurpees + Free Treats all week!

Don't forget that today is 7 / 11 day... free slurps and with their new app, you can get free treats all week long!

Click HERE for more info.


RECIPE: Kale Soup

 Kale comes in such large packages. I don't really like it as well raw as cooked and  I had a LOT to use up. Found this recipe for kale ...