Noonday Collection {Atlanta Fun!}

Yesterday, I had the privilege of meeting our amazing founder and head of Noonday Collection,  Jessica Honegger. She made a trip to Atlanta to meet up with some of our ambassadors here in the south.  Five of our ambassadors from SC were able to make the trip. And, we got to meet some of our fabulous ambassadors from Georgia! And, the icing on the cake was lunch at JCT's Kitchen--oh my word! That smoked brisket sandwich simply melted in my mouth!

 

 

We had a great time getting to know each other, eating, and talking about Noonday. What a difference it is making in the lives of our artisans and their families.  Not all of us can be a part of a mission trip, but by purchasing handmade items to support those in 3rd world countries truly is something that we CAN do. I love being a part of this amazing team of women and those of you who make purchases to help our artisans receive a sustainable income. Take a moment and look at the beautiful items that we offer at Noonday Collection. Seeing God's hand in this ministry has been such a blessing.

Here are a few more pics of the gals from yesterday. Ladies, it was a pleasure to meet you all! You are beautiful inside and out.

Yes, God had us covered yesterday....He is faithful and keeps His promises.

Sweet blessings,
Susan

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We are finally experiencing a bit of spring in the sunny south....still another cold day this week mentioned on Weather Channel! And then....it just gets hot!!! So, I thought that I would go ahead and try to beat the heat by starting on my herb garden! This is sooo easy to do my friends (especially if I can do it!).  This will be a dish garden---so that all these fun plants don't go crazy and take over my beds! I have it on the deck to make it quite easy to get to.

My big question for y'all is do you cook with herbs? I really want to research this and see how to spice up my cooking a bit instead of just always using salt and pepper. I went to a nearby nursery yesterday, and the owner was going on and on about an herb that I have never used--lemon thyme. Do any of you use it? Do you have a fabulous recipe to share? I would LOVE to hear what all you do with these.

 First, find a fun bowl and a saucer....mine came from Old Time Pottery for $1.99!! I was so excited! Then use some good potting soil--not the cheap stuff!

 I chose four different herbs for this size pot. I have rosemary, chives, cilantro, and lemon thyme.

I love the color of this one....just hope I'll like the taste of it too!

Then, I just start adding the plants. Squish them together and add the extra potting soil.

Seriously, please share your recipes and links to recipes that you might have using fresh herbs.  That would be great! Hope y'all have a wonderful day!!

Hugs!

Susan

Front Door Re-Do!



 First Spring project for the season is done...actually two have been completed! For the past 7 years, as long as we have lived in this house, our front door has been red. I LOVE red! The color pops, and it makes giving directions to our home quite easy. We used to be the only house on the street with a red door. But, sun and time fade the lovely red to a dull something or other!  Here are the "before" pictures.

 Yes, it has been extremely sunny during my painting and picture taking time! The other week, I put some pics on Face Book with some paint swatches. Blue and green to be exact. I played with them and took them with me and asked advice of many wonderful friends who happen to be great decorators. Finally, I asked my sister. My sister truly could work for Southern Living. She has "the eye" for color, furniture and picture positioning, etc.  You get the point! I did not receive those genes in my family lineage. Period. But, I love me some Pinterest and BHG magazine!

Baby sister suggested "black." Simply "black". How boring!! She said it makes for a clean slate, and I could add pops of color in my wreathes and flowers that had to be coordinated with the red color for years would suddenly change to any flowers I wanted to use. Guess she has a point. So, I headed down to my local Sherwin Williams and got a quart of black satin paint. Then, the fun began--not really!  But, it had to be done.

Coat number one barely covered the red....mercy!  It took three heavy coats, but, I think I will get used to it. Nothing like having a "clean slate!"

Yes, I know we need to replace our doorknob and handle.  I am sure that they used to be a lovely brass. No more!  That might be a fall project.

Ok, then once the paint had dried, the real fun began: popping color on a plain black door. A few weeks ago, I saw a cute burlap cross that I  LOVED.  You can see it here.

 So I gathered my materials for what I thought would be an easy peasy project and take just a few minutes. Have mercy!!! Y'all, it was hard! Creating your own pattern, and cutting on burlap is not fun at all. I am pleased with the final outcome, but I will never attempt this again.  Pinky promise!

 

So, if you are interested in some really cute door hangings and don't want to attempt it yourself, PLEASE go to Fran's link that I have above. Fran is a dear friend from Tennessee.  She and two of her darling friends are raising money to go on a mission trip. They have a ton of cute items that they will ship to you. Just tell them that Runner Mom sent you!

 

Hugs!

Susan





A Little Bit of Chicken Fried....

This weekend, we celebrated hubby's BIG birthday...the one where you start receiving AARP letters welcoming you into their computer system! He had decided a while back that his BIG day would be just family...the four of us doing something fun. Well, that FUN turned out to be a HUMONGOUS zip line nestled in the Smokey Mountains. Mercy! Y'all, I do NOT do heights at all! I simply have this feeling of getting to close to the edge of a mountain corner and leaning forward just a tad to0 far and oopsi! I am toast!

This adventure turned out to be quite better than toast! It was actually a blast! Hubby's parents have retired in a small community in Eastern Tenn., and we have driven past this zip line and whitewater rafting place for eons it seems! We finally checked it out on Saturday. What an amazing time we had! I truly encourage y'all to find them on the web and make a reservation as you go toodling (is that a real word or a Susanism??) through the NC mountains into Tenn. As soon as you cross the NC/TN state line, it's the very first exit. There are signs galore! If I weren't so lazy, I would try to find the name of it, but....not this morning! Sorry!

The trip is SUPPOSED to take 3.5 hours to traverse all 12 zip lines. People, we did it in WAAAYYYY under that time frame. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were the ONLY folks in line for that entire day to do this (Yes, our family had the honor of being the first folks for the 2013 season to zip!). The two guides were great and very knowledgeable ( I felt better as a mama letting my children ride over the Pigeon River!). We had short zip lines, long zip lines and double zip lines. We climbed steps to get to zip lines and were bounced around on bridges above the river. Just lots of fun! (Lots of prayers were lifted for trust and peace too!)

So, that being said, here are a few pics to share with y'all from our adventure. Let me know if you have any questions! I am now an expert at zip lining ( in my own little mind, that is!). Really, it is a great family adventure!

PS--The title of this post is simply part of a Zac Brown song that hubby sang over and over this weekend, and since it was all about his birthday, I titled it that way! Now, you know!

Sweet blessings,
Susan

There are three large clips that are attached to the line at all times! Gloves are a must, and there is a brake pad on my right glove. I felt pretty safe! And the ride was a blast!

                       We did it! This might turn out to be our Christmas card picture this year!!
                                                    Happy birthday, Hubby! We love you!

From Guatemala with Love

Sweet friends! In the past few months, God has truly opened my eyes to see and hear what the "least of these" experience.  Our family has prayed about what it is He wants us to do during this season.  In addition to mission trips--local and foreign--He has shown us something that we can do which is such a  small thing in my opinion.  Let me explain.

As many of you know, we have two boys.  Boys that are very athletic and very active and busy.  The boys also have humongous appetites!  Imagine that. The manager at both Costco and Publix love it when I come strolling in several times a week!  We TRY to maintain a food budget at home, but it is amazing some weeks. Throw in eating out once a week....usually not even twice a week, and the budget has been destroyed.  We love to see our boys eat....especially when it's something healthy :).  So, whenever we  go out as a family, the bill at the end of the meal is over the top! Seriously. Even chic-fil-a can have a huge dollar amount on the register. Can any of you all relate?  I thought so.

A while back, we were given an opportunity to sponsor a child in another country.  Basically, it meant that we would just not eat out one of those times when mama didn't feel like cooking. And, the amount that we would spend on our meal was usually more than what it costs to sponsor a child.  Ya'll, it is only $38.00 a month....not even a meal out at your favorite restaurant...to sponsor a child!  Most of you readers are able to do this.  Unfortunately, in our busy lives, we don't think about this until later. I have done that many times over.  After our first foreign mission trip last summer, I am trying to make a conscience effort to make a difference.  Our family sponsors two children in two different countries.  We have a little boy (8) in the Philippines and a little girl (9) in Guatemala. That's two meals that we don't eat out each month. Just two!

I encourage you to click on the link and read about these precious little ones that need your help! Compassion International has been around longer than I have been on this earth! (And, that's quite a few years!). It serves needy children through their local churches....churches that have known and served and loved these children and their families. 

Just go here: http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm

I challenge you to sit down with a glass of iced tea or Coke or coffee and surf this page instead of catching up on Face Book or reading your email.  Those will still be there in a while...promise! I have stepped out in faith to be a voice for these children by becoming a Compassion blogger (which means I truly need to blog on a regular basis again!) And, for another piece of exciting news, I am going to Guatemala in January with Compassion International to meet our little girl that we sponsor! I am beyond excited about this opportunity.  I promise to keep y'all posted on this adventure! And, it will be one!!

So, will you come back by the blog and let me know that you did spend time on the sponsor website and that you and your family will prayerfully consider sponsoring a child? Please?? And, if God whispers to your heart to take this leap of faith, would you let me know?  I will be praying for you.

Sweet blessings,
Susan

Noonday Sample Sale....soon!!

Hey sweet friends! Just wanted to let you know that Noonday Collection is having an amazing summer sale....first of all! They have marked down some beautiful pieces that once we sell out, they are gone! They are also marking down some favorites that will be back in the fall, but are on sale just for you!!! You can visit the sale here!!

Coming up on September 4, we will be able to share with you our gorgeous fall line of new jewelry and accessories and "beyond amazing" scarves and purses!! I cannot wait! I will be ordering these new samples in the next few days!! And that means that I will be putting some of my beautiful and fun spring and summer samples on sale for you all.  They will be reduced from 20-40%.  I will take that money from the sale and put it right back into the business to purchase new samples.  It all goes back to support those who are less fortunate by providing them a sustainable income as they try to work their way out of poverty.  This is something that I pray about and dream about....no more poverty. I just thank you for your support in this wonderful business that God has placed on my heart during this season.

I CAN give you a Sneak Peek of some of the pictures that have been shared with us! I am loving the jewel tones this fall!

OK, just check out that darling bag and the cuff and the scarf! Loving this! And, here's another one for you to see...

Another fun bag and look at all the bracelets!! Love this too.

So, in order for me to have these beautiful and fun pieces, I really do need to let go of some of my favs from this summer. I will try to have the sale up over the weekend. It will be cash and checks only.  If you are local, then I can meet up with you and get your goodies to you. If not, there is a $6.00 fee for shipping and handling.

Hope you are as excited about the new items as I am.  But, I am even more excited about helping a mama in India or Ethiopia or Peru be able to stay at home with her child and continue to create her art that we are falling in love with--which is her way out of poverty!

Sweet blessings,
Susan

Peru, Here They come

Yes, sweet bloggy friends, I know that it's a hit or miss with my posts! That's just the way we are rolling during this season of life! But....I did want to share some fun pictures with you all today as our Peru Mission Team left a few hours ago.  They are headed for the airport in Atlanta, then to the airport in Miami, then to the airport in Lima, Peru, and then to the airport in Cuzco, Peru! I am tired simply typing out all of these checkpoints!

During the next ten days, they will be traveling (of course!), rebuilding an orphanage in Urubamba (Not sure if that's the exact spelling, but it's how I sounded it out. Spell check didn't know either!), playing with the children that Scripture Union is serving, and sharing the love of Christ to the "least of these." After trips such as these, many times we find that those who we think we are going to serve, actually serve us instead! They have so little, and they are still filled with the joy that only comes from Christ. My prayer for them is Col. 3:23--"Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord, and not for man."

Thank you in advance for your prayers. Our entire family did this mission trip last year.  This year, my oldest, will be representing our family. He is surrounded by precious ones from our church and nearby churches.  Here are some pics that I took this morning as they packed up the bus and headed down I-85!



You live among the least of these, the weary and the weak

  And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away. 

All my needs You have supplied 

When I was dead you gave me life

How could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow You into the homes of the broken

I'll follow You into the world

I'll meet the needs for the poor and the needy God

I'll follow you into the world.

Use my hands, use my feet to make Your kingdom come

To the corners of the earth until Your work is done.

'Cause faith without works is dead

 And on the cross Your blood was shed

 So how could we not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow You into the homes of the broken

I'll follow You into the world

I'll meet the needs for the poor and the needy God

I'll follow you into the world.

Sweet blessings,

Susan