Handmade rocks!

One of the tassels I made last year that I wish I hadn't sold.:(

First, an update (for all of you who keep harassing me:). We are PRAYING that we receive a travel date next week, and PRAYING that it is for the first week in December. A family who submitted paperwork the week before us just got a date this week for November 30th. I promise, I'll keep you posted.

Christmas. Oh how I LOVE this season of giving!! And I'll go ahead and say that this post isn't about whether we should or shouldn't exchange gifts or how much or little we should spend. For my family, we are focusing on both the orphan crisis and giving gifts.

We adore creating. We love getting our hands dirty and pouring ourselves into our creations. There are so many others out there who love the same thing. If it's something that I cannot make myself, I'd much rather support a fellow creator instead of Walmart or Target. Don't get me wrong, you'll see us many days strolling the aisles at Target indulging ourselves in the popcorn combo snack for $1.50. I love Target's clearance. Very rarely do I buy something there that isn't 75% off. Sorry...back to my topic.

Handmade. Support the locals. Support other Moms. Support other adoptive families. Support the "little guys". Let's support each other. I encourage you to check out Etsy. The talent you will find there is unbelievable. I am including just a few of my favorites.

FreeBranch Jewelry- this lady does beautiful work. Maybe I'm partial because she is my sister, but I don't think so. She has such an eye for nature and incorporates that into her jewelry. And can I just say that I've told her she's crazy for charging so little for her masterpieces?!? Yes, she charges between $8-$10 per pair of earrings and doesn't even charge shipping! J's Etsy shop is brand new but you can visit her blog and view a few more of her creations here. Just snoop around, I'm sure she won't mind- her jewelry photos are in a couple posts.

Dare I say I am the proud owner of several of these bags (and some of my family received them as gifts last year) and I LOVE them!! I never knew what to do with those silly, plastic produce bags at the grocery store and didn't dare throw them away. Now, I don't have to worry about it. I have owned my mesh veggie bags for about a year now and they are still going strong. And the price, you ask? Only $6 for a set of 4. Stop by and pick up some for yourself and those you love.

And these....well, let's just say DON'T EAT THEM!! Yes, they look good enough to eat but they do better in the bathtub. That's right- each of these works of deliciousness are soap (the popcorn above and the cupcake things below). Everytime I look at them they make me smile. The same family members who received the reusable produce bags above also received some soaps from LoveLeeSoaps. The popcorn soap even comes in it's own popcorn bag. Too cute! The owner of LoveLee is also only 19 years old- how cool is that?!

Oh, and Red Letters. Can you guess what Red Letter Words stands for? Just think "Bible". The creator of Red Letter Words is a strong Christian lady who proclaims her faith through her work. She is able to put any favorite scripture onto canvas.

And of course, there is Shaping Lives Pottery. Our daughter was part of a huge holiday show this past weekend and was so blessed by the many people she met. I know some of you are reading this- thank you for supporting my girl! She sold A LOT but has plenty left ready to ship. I will post more pictures of immediately available items tomorrow. If orders are placed this weekend, she will ship Monday afternoon.

Again, I encourage you to support each other. Visit a few of the artists I've mentioned. You won't be disappointed.

In Him,

E

**And, of course, don't forget Reece's Rainbow's Angel Tree Project. Each of these children need a family NOW and your small financial gift could mean the gift of life to these angels.