Happy New Year!

Tonight we will be eating and playing games with a bunch of friends in our church gym. Ringing in 2010 with folks we love to spend time with.

This year I long for life.  I long to be available for God to use me to further His kingdom.  I want to be awoken from my slumber and really embrace the possibilities and adventures my Father has in store for me.  I want to gain wisdom, fight spiritual battles and love those around me with abandon.

Bring on 2010!  

Wordless Wednesday- Pajama Model

For more Wordless Wednesday head on over to 5m4m

The Fifth Street Studio Revealed

Well I got it done! My studio is now useable. The only problem is it's so clean that I don't want to mess it up by creating a masterpiece :)
If you missed the before pictures then go back to yesterdays Motivate Me Monday post.
And now drum roll please.....here are the after pictures:

The Shelves

I do need to get another shoe box or 2 for my punches and cutting tools.

The Counter

Look at how bare it is!  I could spread out all sorts of projects here!

The Floor

I can now enter my studio with ease.  How lovely.

How did I accomplish such a feat you ask?

1. I made myself accountable to all of you yesterday.
2. I used the small bits of spare time to do as much as I could.
3. I pawned the kiddos off on their dad and cleaned like a mad woman for an hour before bedtime.

LInking this up with Tackle It Tuesday and Works For Me Wednesday

Motivate Me Monday - Clean Out the Studio!

I have no profound words or concepts to discuss today. only those pictures of my studio.

I received some really wonderful Christmas presents that will help me create wonderful things in this room... so off I go to clean it up because I really want to redeem my space.

Link up your motivational or inspirational posts below.

Merry Christmas!

The Palace is on Vacation! See you next week! Have a blessed and Merry Christmas!

Do continue to enter my giveaway until tomorrow at 9pm PAC!

Motivate me Monday- Your Heart is Good

Welcome to post number two in the Waking The Dead Series. If you missed post one you can find it here.

The second lesson I want to share with you from Waking the Dead by  John Eldredge is that your heart is good.
How often so we hear or even say ourselves "Oh I'm just a poor sinner."
That is not how God sees you.  You are a new creation in Christ.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

God has promised you a new heart.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26

You were created to reflect the glory of God.  You are not a sinner.  You may sin but that is not who you are.
I encourage you (just as I did last week) to ask God who you are to Him and what He thinks of you.

Link up your Motivational and inspirational post below

Happy Birthday Julie!

Yesterday was Julie's birthday. Julie is my sister who died almost 5 years ago. I really wasn't going to post about her. I sort of just wanted to let the day go by and hide my sorrow. The truth is I am really missing her.
Here is a poem I wrote to her last year:

FOR JULIE

Long blond hair and pretty brown eyes,

I look at your face and try not to cry.

Comfy tshirts and pajama pants,

Do they have those in heaven by any chance?

These are things that remind me of you.

Little girls who should be tucked in bed,

Talking all night through the wall instead.

Watching Days over the phone,

Saving our words ...for when commercials came on.

These are the things that remind me of you.

That Christmas time with the poofy hair,

I'm sure I still have that picture somewhere.

Forever young, only twenty years old

So much of your story left untold.

I always want to be reminded of you.

Friday Funnies- Yes sigh another Hudson conversation

Setting: Craig and Hudson are at the breakfast table. I am on the computer.

Hudson:(yelling) Mommy! Daddy's not eating the last little bit of oatmeal!

Craig: Hudson are you tattling on me?

Hudson: No, I'm just chatting with mommy.


For more Friday Funnies head on over to Kim's Blog Homesteaders Heart

Also remember to enter my giveaway to win Cleo The Bunny!

'Tis The Season Thursday *Giveaway*

Are you stumped for those last few gifts? Well how about making something cute and simple at home?
I am a novice seamstress (if I can even call myself that), but I have made some really adorable things from You Can Make This.com

One of my favorite project has been Max the Owl Pillow.

Here are 2 of the four that I made.(The other 2 I have already given).

 Seriously these were made out of scraps that I had in my studio already.  The Bob the Builder fabric I got for free from my sewing teacher's stash.  I am sure they will be well loved :)

 Of course if you are just not in a crafty mood...(or really short on time:)) you can also just head over to Jeanne's etsy shop Raga Dea Dolls.  She has the sweetest hand made stuffies, dolls and accessories.

Her toys are:

♥ CHILD FRIENDLY: face is hand embroidered, no buttons to come off

♥ EASY to DRESS: I use Velcro and elastic
♥ LIGHT to carry: so they can go places with their Mommys
♥ MACHINE WASHABLE (put in a pillowcase & wash cold gentle cycle, tumble dry low)
♥ made in a SMOKE FREE home
♥ winners (blue ribbon at the SC State Fair)
♥ One of a Kind
♥ powered by imagination: no batteries needed

Plus for a limited time she is offering free shipping in the US and Canada!

Jeanne has been kind enough to allow me to giveaway one of her cute creations.

Meet Cleo the bunny.

Isn't she cute?  I think my favorite part about her is the bow on her bum :)

Here's how to enter to win her:

Mandatory- Go to Raga Dea Dolls and leave me a comment telling me your favorite item for sale there. (besides Cleo)

 

Extra entries (leave a comment for each one)
*Follow The Fifth Street Palace publicly (If you already do leave me a comment reminding me).
 

*Spread the word (leave a comment for each)
Blog about this giveaway
Share it on Facebook
Twitter this giveaway
Stumble This giveaway

Rules:
The Winner will be chosen by random.org. Contest is open until Wednesday December 23 at 11:59pm PAC time. Winner has 48 hours to respond with mailing info.  If the winner does not respond or I can not contact the winner a new winner will be chosen.  Prize will not arrive in time for Christmas!
U.S. and Canadian Addresses only please.

Link up your holiday posts below!

Also linking up with Proverbs31 Living.

Wordless Wednesday- Obscure Exercise

For more Wordless Wednesday visit 5m4m

What I Learned This Week

When it's -38 degrees Celsius you can throw a pot of boiling water into the air and watch it freeze.


Find out what other folks learned over at Musings of a Housewife
Remember to enter my giveaway for your chance to win some super cute snowman earrings!

Motivate Me Monday - Who Am I to God?

I have been reading John Eldredge's book Waking the Dead. (Not as morbid as it sounds).

I really want to share with you some things that have revolutionized my walk with God and the way I see myself.  So my next few Motivate Me Mondays will be based on things I have learned through reading this book.

In chapter five Eldredge asks God  "What do You think of me God?  Who am I to You?"

Just ask?   What a concept.

I asked these questions of God. What do You think of me God?  Who am I to You?

I actually asked these questions twice.  The first time the only answer I received was; "You are my daughter."  Profound and disappointing at the same time.

The second time I asked this is the answer I got; "You are Ruth.  Caring, compassionate, devoted, brave, obedient, mother and wife."  You are worthy, willing, precious, loved, faithful and pleasing.

That is what my Father thinks of me.  I am in awe.

I could (and did) doubt each one of these things He said.  I could rationalize that I am not any of these things by bringing up events from my past.

God has shown me that this is the truth.  This is how He sees me and who I am to Him.  I am so thrilled to have these words revealed to me.

I want to challenge you  to ask these questions yourself and really listen to what God has to reveal to you.

Link up your motivational and inspirational posts below!
Also remember to enter my giveaway!

Friday Funnies-Worst phrase to wake up to

MOM!!!
Can you just help me clean this poop off the floor?

(I knew that boy would come through with some writing material for his mama:))

On with the Christmas funny now.

If our Christmas tree hat doesn't make you chuckle you should get your funny bone checked :)

Head on over to Homesteader's Heart for more Friday Funnies
Also enter my GIVEAWAY to win some super cute snowman earrings.  

Writer's Block!!!

My brain is mush. I am too tired to think let alone write.
Head on over to my other blog:

and read all about Hudson Christmas Party.

Also be sure to enter my GIVEAWAY!!!!!

'Tis The Season Thursday *Giveaway* Closed!

The perfect handmade (literally) gift for Grandparents.
I got this idea from Erin at Home Grown Hearts.

Handprint snowman ornaments.
Materials:

• Clear glass ball ornaments
• white acrylic paint
• sponge brush
• paint pens in black, orange and a color of your choice.

Step 1: Paint your child's hand white.

Step 2: Have your child grab the ball.  Don't worry if the fingers don't come out perfect.

Step 3: Hang and let dry ( I should have mentioned that I attached the ribbons before we started).

Step 4: Use the paint pens draw on hats, scarves, eyes, carrot noses, mouths and buttons.

Erin also has a really cute poem to go with these.  So you can pop over to Home Grown Hearts and get it to make tags with.
 Link up your holiday posts below.  Anything from recipes to decor, gifts to devotionals.  I look forward to reading about your family's traditions.
I just know that you would love to see some more cute handmade snowman things.
So let me introduce you to Deena from Daisy Blue Store.  Deena has a great collection of sparkly jewelery and cozy scarves in her shop.
The Fifth Street Palace Discount!!!
The whole month of December Daisy Blue Store is having a 10% off sale.

If you make a purchase from Daisy Blue Store and mention The Fifth Street Palace you will receive an additional 10% off your purchase until Dec 31 2009.  That's 20% off just for being one of my very wonderful readers!

Win a pair of Earrings!

 Deena has been kind enough to send me a pair of Frosty Friends earrings to giveaway to one blessed reader.

Here's How To Enter:

Mandatory- Go to Daisy Blue Store and leave me a comment telling me your favorite pair of Christmas earrings (besides the Frosty Friends).

Extra entries (leave a comment for each one)
*Follow The Fifth Street Palace publicly (If you already do leave me a comment reminding me).

* Become a fan of Daisy Blue Store on Facebook

*Spread the word (leave a comment for each)
Blog about this giveaway
Share it on Facebook
Twitter this giveaway
Stumble This giveaway

Rules:
The Winner will be chosen by random.org. Contest is open until Wednesday December 16 at 5pm PAC time. Winner has 48 hours to respond with mailing info.  If the winner does not respond or I can not contact the winner a new winner will be chosen.
U.S. and Canadian Addresses only please.


Also linking up with