My Very Own Card Keyper

Ok, before I tell you about this great invention made my my dear friend Suzanne of Privet and Holly, and her equally wonderful mom, I have to first apologize for my obnoxious watermark on these photos!  In Photoshop, if you don't pay close attention, when you go to watermark something it will pick a random color...this time black, and I also didn't downsize it to make it less noticeable!  And I would sub out these pics for my none watermarked ones, but they are HUGE...ugh...sorry!  Ok, back to my post!

Yesterday, I received a lovely package from Suzanne at Privet and Holly.  I had ordered one of her cool Card Keypers just as soon as I read about it HERE on her blog.  I was so psyched that she had decided to take a dream and turn it into reality, and I thought it was even more cool that she and her mom had done it together! 

The concept behind their super smart invention is to keep all of those cards we have floating everywhere in one easy place.  Now, instead of digging for my library card, my grocery store discount cards, my Panera card, Petco, etc. I can simply grab my Card Keyper and voila, they will all be in one place and right at my fingertips but also not weighing down my car key chain...which I hate!

Another added bonus is that for people like me who switch between my camera bag and my purse frequently, I can just grab my handy dandy Card Keyper and I won't end up forgetting a card I might need.

I can't tell you how many times I've switched purses or taken my camera bag and realized I didn't have a discount card that I wanted.  I know, you can often just give them your phone number, but it never fails that when I give the store clerk my phone number it never comes up, so this is so much better!  And it's pretty to boot, just look at those darling charms!!!

And speaking of cute, can a hole punch be cute?!  Well a bright blue baby hole punch sure can be!  But don't let its cuteness fool you, it's completely up to the job of punching through those thick plastic cards without blinking an eye hole! ;-)

True to Suzanne and her mom's great sense of style, the packaging is just as beautiful as the items inside.  I will be keeping the bag not just to hold the hole punch, but because it's so pretty!

I love their logo too, and they even include a sample card and instructions on how to use the Card Keyper...those girls think of everything I tell ya!

Thank you to Suzanne and her mom for creating such a wonderful and useful item and for using such heavy duty quality materials.  And for demonstrating awesome girl power across the generations!  

Be sure to stop by their Etsy store where you can pick up your very own Card Keyper.  Just click HERE to order a Card Keyper for yourself or someone you love...it is almost Valentine's Day after all!

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

Little Misty Belle has asked me to send each of you wet puppy kisses for all of your kind comments about her pictures from yesterday's post!

This morning it was cold and cloudy with that hushed quiet that comes with a coating of fresh snow.  Last night, and again this morning, when I took the dogs out there was almost complete silence except for the sound of crunching snow and swans flying overhead.  I love that kind of silence, not awkward, just contented, the kind that doesn't require you to fill it but allows you to become one with it.

The creek has a coating of ice on it, sadly it's not thick enough now, and probably never will be to skate away on...

Later this afternoon, the sun was shining and the snow and ice against the blue sky was beautiful but I was too lazy to go back out and take more pictures.  It's my day of rest after all, and rest I did!

Snow is such a wonderful substance for those of us who don't get a lot of it.  Water, which we take for granted, is magically transformed and makes even the most mundane things look beautiful.  I love how the snow looks like little waves along the fence gates...nautical inspired snow, what's not to love?!

I thought the fresh wreaths I bought from a local Mennonite family were beautiful before, but with just a kiss of snow they are even prettier.

Even the awkward driftwood pelican that I rescued while cleaning out my parent's house (because no one else wanted it) looks more handsome in the snow.  He's grown on me, and I'm very happy I gave him a new home.

Trees which have dropped their leaves and look naked against a cloudy or sunlit sky also look more elegant with a shawl of snow draped around their branches.

And what beachy Christmas would be complete without a little turquoise and white?  The big blue spruce in our front yard (which has enough lights on it to be seen from space I might add) fits the bill when a coating of white snow embraces its soft blue/green branches.

I think I'm waxing a bit poetic today.  Maybe it's because my work commitments have been met and now I can focus on the things that make this season special.  My dear friend Suzanne from Privet and Holly did a beautiful post today on finding the "it" which makes this, and every season, special.  As I read her post, I was reminded that sometimes we have to slow down, let the stress and expectations go a little, and focus on those things that bring us joy...namely the small things.  And to embrace and enjoy those things in order to find the true meaning of Christmas.  Thank you Suzanne!

For me, finding the "it" of this holiday season was a quiet walk through snow and a gift from my sister and also a friend.  I'll be sharing those with you in an upcoming post.  I'm happy I found my "it" and all it took was Walking In A Winter Wonderland!

These pups have obviously found their "it"!!!

Note:  Several people have asked how I processed the pictures of Misty yesterday.  I used a free action by Paint The Moon called Illuminate, and then I added a Flora Bella Texture Overlay called Pure Milk and played around with soft light, overlay, and color burn.

Today's photos are a mis-mash, but I also used Illuminate on most of them.  Some have overlays with reduced opacity and the rose has a overlay texture called White Linen from Flora Bella.

Enjoy your weekend everyone! 

What a Difference a Day Makes

This time last week, I was feeling a lot like the leaf above.  Like I was barely holding on to the branch while the wind tried its darnedest to rip me off and send me crashing to the ground.

Then this guy decided to chill out and that puppies aren't so bad.

And this one got her meds squared away and even though she's still not healthy, she's much better.

Which all resulted in this...sweet harmony!!!

And my friends Michelle and Suzanne graciously did thoughtful and intelligent guest posts which gave me some much needed encouragement and time to enjoy this...

And this! 

Then on Saturday, my dear friend Connie came to visit and we spent the day chatting, lunching, and shopping and life was good again.  A day with Connie is always a day filled with calm and wisdom.

And although it took more than a day to make a difference...a difference was definitely made.  Your heartfelt words of encouragement and understanding taught me a valuable lesson this week.

Because of you all, I will continue to blog, but things will be different around here.  I will be taking a cue from Misty Belle and will spend much more time laying on my back in the grass and enjoying the things around me.  

I learned some things this week...

That I miss visiting other people's blogs instead of just trying to maintain my own.

That being outside when the weather is sunny, or even rainy is good for the soul.

That putting decor out in my house doesn't always mean I have to do a photo shoot...unless "I" want to!

That taking pictures is something I do not only for my blog, but also just for me.

That bubble baths are a lost art.

That puppies make everything better...and so do pets in general.

That although I share a lot on here I don't share everything so sometimes only I really know everything I have going on...and I don't have to explain myself as long as I'm doing the best I can.

That guilt makes you tired.

and

That friends, in real life or online, understand when you feel overwhelmed and just want to throw in the towel and they will be there to help you through the rough spots.

So I won't be blogging nearly as much as I once did.  It may be a post without words and only a picture I love for that week or day...and I won't feel guilty and will post whenever I feel like it.  But I know you all will understand, and that, my friends, is what a difference a day... or week makes!

Now...onto the winner of my latest Giveaway!  Thank you again Studio Three Flowers for your generous Lampe Berger Gift Set!

The winner is lucky #26, Grace from Sense and Simplicity!  I am always interested to see what number the old random generator picks and then I go to the comments section to see who has won...it's kind of a little bit of excitement for me...yeah I'm weird like that!  So when I saw it was Grace I had to smile because she was one of my very first blog friends...so congrats Grace...all I need now is your address and I'll put this in the mail sometime this week!

Helpful Friends Guest Post - Privet and Holly - Small Bites

Thank you Michelle from Emerald Cove for your wonderful guest post yesterday!!!

I'm am so lucky to have friends that are not only fun, pretty, smart, and caring, but also super talented! Suzanne of Privet and Holly is another one of those friends.  She has a way with words and has created a special guest post just for LTHS entitled Small Bites...enjoy!

What a treat to be

guest posting here

at Low Tide, High Style.

Thank you, Kat!

This dreamy arts and crafts studio is also a treat.
Found it here.

I've been thinking

a lot lately about

the balance between

my job as a home-

maker mom and my

wish to express myself

through my projects.

There never seems

to be enough time

to do it all, or at 

least, to do it all

well. 


But I've discovered a secret.

Before kids {BK}, I had 

a full time career,

commuted 40 minutes each way...

yet still had time to 

garden, can, sew, craft

 and go to flea markets

in addition to the normal chores 

of a young married professional, 

like errands, cooking, cleaning

and spoiling our dog.

Phew!

Even after kids {AK},

when they were very young,

I still pursued ways to fluff the

nest despite what the experts

advise….

Sleep when the baby sleeps!

Never listened.

I learned how to 

smock clothing

make lined curtains

stencil walls

weld garden sculptures

finish unpainted furniture

flood sugar cookies

and make every single 

birthday invitation

by hand.

Then, somewhere along the way,

{probably about the time the

chauffeur’s cap came out}

all of this get up and go….

got up and went!  

{Hey, isn’t 

that a song?} 

There goes my get up and go....bye-bye!

However, since discovering

blogs such as Kat’s, 

my dormant creative 
aspirations have been 
reawakened.....

Yes, I’m still wearing my 

driver’s cap, but I realized
that I can pursue imagination,
as long as it's in

 small bites….


That's the secret.
{Okay, maybe not so secret.}

Like photography

I took this in Washington State this summer.

I always have a camera
with me!

New recipes

Goat Cheese with Pistachios and Cranberries


Fast fast fast,
but they'll never know : )

{Simply….wonderful.}

Get it here

Home improvement

{This happened in small steps over two days.}

Fun upgrade to the 
door that leads from 
our garage into the house.

Find my muse here.

Crafts

I re-purposed a trug to hold my current projects.
It's being used for Christmas cards at the moment.

I was inspired here.

And dearest to me….

writing.

{And blogging!}

All

in

small

bites.

Are you able to

have delicious

long stretches to

create, or do you

work in short

sessions, like I do?

Found this lovely work room here.

And how do you keep

your get up and go….

going??? 

I {and I'm sure, Kat} 
would both
love to know!


You must not for one
instant give up the effort
to build new lives for yourselves.
Creativity means to push open
the heavy, groaning doorway to life.   
This is not an easy struggle.
Indeed, it may be the  most difficult
task in the world, for opening.


~Dais aku Ikeda,
Buddhist philosopher and peacebuilder




[images:]
2-3, 5, 7, 12 Flickr
{click for attribution}
4, 8, 10-11 Privet & Holly
6 Martha Stewart
9 Real Simple
1, 13 noted above

To read more of Suzanne's wonderfully poetic words of wisdom stop by her beautiful blog Privet and Holly.  Thank you Suzanne, from the bottom of my heart!