A Very Thankful Thursday

happy thankful thursday!

i just happened to glance at the calendar
 and i have no idea where time has gone
how on earth are we in the middle of march already?
wasn't it just christmas?
didn't we just ring in the new year?
anyone else having a minor panic attack right now?
ok moving on...

over the past couple months
i have sat at my computer
and have tried to write  thankful posts
but i just haven't been able to
not because there aren't things to be thankful for
but because i just don't know where to start
 on multiple occasions i have sat staring at an empty screen
with words swirling around in my head
unable to make themselves form coherent sentences

but i think that's exactly where i needed to be
over the last couple months
god has really given me time and space to think
to be quiet and still
to process through just where he has me
forcing me to face a few harsh realities about where my heart has truly been lately
and it's been good
hard
 but real good

god has really been tugging at my heart strings
i've begun to see i'm quick to jump to conclusions and assumptions
i'm so impatient
i can never sit, be still and just listen

i've been learning that recently
i haven't been giving God the space he needs deserves to work in my life
{yes he works despite this}
but i tend to make things extremely difficult
and sometimes more painful for myself

i'm beginning to see the difference it makes
when He is in control
i'm seeing just how different things are
when i don't
and when i do
 let him in to things
the big things and the little things
life looks so different when he is allowed into every part of my life
night and day different
there is power
beauty
majesty
and joy
so so so much joy
and i could not be more thankful for these sweet gifts

so today i am thankful for so so so much
that every day is new and beautiful

birds singing early in the morning
singing in the shower at the top of my lungs when no one is home

the warmth of the sun on my skin

 the smell of jasmine
the feeling of a breeze blowing through my hair
beautiful rays of sunshine

gardening

meeting with brides

booking summer weddings

filling special flower orders

getting to create pretty things with flowers

friday phone calls with my friend erin

my small group

my church

wearing dresses and skirts

building terrariums

dinner parties with friends

trips to orange county

evenings at karaoke bars

coldplay's new song that remains on repeat

lunch at the beach

spending time with my sweet friend margo

sleepovers

birthday dinners

a whole day spent with my three year old niece

which included a trip to barnes and noble to pick out new books

target to get a snack

old navy to say hello to the manikins 

chick fil a for a yummy meal

the park to play pretend

and more hugs and kisses than i could ever want

my sweet nephew and niece

and the way they melt my heart

beer and yahtzee filled evenings with friends

falling asleep to the sound of rain

movie nights

new running clothes

meeting new people

evening coffee dates

friends visiting from utah

trips to downtown la

walks to the park

seeing new sights

blueberry mint lemonade

spending afternoons in venice

walking down abbot kinney blvd

exploring the gorgeous la library with friends

passing exams

getting a full time job offer

{with benefits}

taking that full time job offer

working as a horticulturist

and getting to wear this sick get up everyday

lunch dates in santa monica

sweet memories of a wonderful summer spent in santa monica

trips to the patagonia store

sipping free coffee, using free wifi and perusing a pretty sweet catalog

 at the patagonia store

friends who buy me things from the patagonia store

{thanks michy}

my new patagonia messenger bag that im slightly obsessed with

my bed

the couch
my car

my journal
finishing great books
getting to know people 
taking things slow

i'm thankful for the past couple months
for learning how to let the lord lead
for learning patience
for the true joy that is found in Christ

what are you thankful for today?....

Weekend Thankfuls {wait it's not thursday}...

i know, i know, i know

it's not thursday

it's sunday

but today is still a great day to be thankful

i've got a hot cup of tea to my right

 a sweet pup curled up at my feet
and a little bit of down time

so let's do this

a lot has changed since my
last thankful thursday post

a lot

and for that i am so thankful

i am so thankful that i serve a god

who is always working

never stagnant

a god who protects me 

who goes before me in everything

a god who can take my

clouded judgments

and mistakes

and transform them into something beautiful

who can turn them into new adventures

and things i never would have expected

only He can do these things

and i'm so thankful He does

i'm so thankful He doesn't give up on us

i'm so thankful He pursues

i'm so thankful he loves us beyond all comprehension

and i am so thankful that

 i am His

today i am thankful for so much

for trips to orange county

housewarming parties

friends who hire me 

to make flower arrangements for their home

the church i am now going to
restoration and healing of broken hearts

friends coming to visit me
learning to bake homemade bread

dinner out with my cousin 

hikes with my sweet friend jenny

{babe alert}

conversations on the front porch

walks with my sweet puppy

my running shoes

cool evening runs

weekly phone dates with my friend erin

encouraging letters from north carolina

getting this unbelievably sweet and completely undeserved
gift in the mail from my best friend

happy hour on sunset blvd

evenings in downtown la

meeting new people

an ice cold rum and coke

making decisions

{for those that know me you know this is a big deal}

deciding to start my own business

{say what?!...}

new job opportunities

flowers cut straight from the garden
{and grown from seeds!}

learning to be brave

my morning coffee

friends who encourage me in everything i do

my passion for horticulture

{that it is still growing daily}

my music library

"talking" with my nephew
while my niece smothers me
{i melt}

super bowl sunday with my family

seeing old friends 

surprise frozen yogurt

parents who are still allowing me to live with them

{thanks mom and dad,

i promise i'll be out soon}

my little car that just keeps going and going

and lastly
i am thankful that i'm now off
to meet with a bride to talk about wedding flowers
{sigh}

God's blessings are abundant
whether it's thursday
monday
sunday
every stinking day He pours out blessing after blessing

so what are you thankful for?...

Terrarium Tuesday: the fool proof terrarium tutorial

so

you want to make a terrarium

but you're afraid you're going to kill it

well i've got a confession

i {just like many of you} kill plants

{gasp}

what? the plant loving, terrarium building, floral designer girl kills plants?..

you bet i do

want proof

this used to be the cutest little fern

then i killed it

{my bad}

the thing is

plants have minds of their own

sure there are very specific reasons a plant dies

{i've studied every possible scientific cause of their death}

but in my opinion

plants are going to do what they want to do when they want to do it

regardless of how much we tend to them

if they want to die

they're going to

and sometimes it's the opposite

a completely neglected plant will continue living and living and living

and just not quit

{even if you want it to}

minds of their own i tell you

minds of their own

well here is a tutorial for all you self proclaimed

"plant killers"

it's the easiest terrarium you will ever make

and one that you don't have to worry about dying days after you make it

it is absolutely fool proof

materials

glass container

sand

craft moss bought at michaels

small pebbles

twig cut from our mulberry tree

instructions

pour as much or as little sand as you want into jar

add your moss

add your pebbles

add your twig{s}

enjoy your kill proof 

and absolutely adorably darling terrarium!

Happy Terrarium Tuesday!

Thankful Thursday: he never stops, he never ever stops

happy thankful thursday to you!

i've been intentionally staying away from thankful thursdays recently
but today i'm biting the bullet
so here goes nothing

one of my favorite worship songs is

 "blessed be your name"

its an extremely simple and slightly repetitive song

but i think that's why i like it so much
it's straight to the point

and over the past couple weeks there is one line of lyrics from that song

that keeps replaying over and over in my head
when i'm washing the dishes
when i'm laying in bed
when i'm working

"you give and take away, you give and take away" 

the past few months have been beautiful
so very very beautiful
filled with excitement and newness and beauty and wonder
then there was a day when everything shifted
directions were changed and rhythm was broken

the past couple weeks have been unexpected to say the least

a few months ago i never thought i would be

where i am right now
i never thought i'd be

picking up the pieces of a failed relationship
dealing with different disappointments and let downs
struggling to find anything positive about where i am
i never thought i'd be writing a post about all this

 over the past couple of days i have been reminded that

everything i have belongs to the one who provided me with them

all are provisions given to me by my heavenly father

finances

jobs
security

talents and abilities

the roof over my head

cars

family

relationships

he most certainly gives and gives abundantly

and on occasion he does take away

in the past couple weeks i have lost things

things i held dear

 things i truly did care about

things that in my selfishness and entitlement

 i held onto tightly and labeled as "mine"

well it took losing them 

to realize none of them were actually mine to begin with

they were gifts that were given to me

and that were intricately created by 

 the hands of the lord

it took a painful break up

to realize the man i "lost" was never actually mine

he belongs to the lord just like i do

the relationship we had

it was never mine

rather it was a beautiful gift that was given to me
 for that specific moment in time

it took losing material possessions that i daily rely on

to realize they aren't mine and never have been

{and also to remind me who is really orchestrating my finances}

they are all provisions that were given to me

things in no way i deserve

and yet i feel entitled to

it took a week of laying in bed 

sicker than i've been in years

to realize that my body and my health are not my own

they are in the hands of my creator

good health is truly a gift

and something that is so easily taken for granted

so here it is plain and simple

 nothing is our own

&

 god is good

when he gives 

he is good

when he takes away

he is still good

he knows us

he knows what's best

and it's in the moments he takes away

he swoops in and does something that only he can do

he restores

he fixes

he heals

he reveals how much he wants us

and how much he wants us to experience abundant life

i get so caught up in what i've lost

i become blind to the fact that god is still working

because in what we see as loss god is still giving

guys he...is...still...giving

he never stops
he never ever stops

yes the lord has taken things away in the past couple of weeks

but in the past couple of weeks

i have never experienced more love and grace 

from my friends

i have never felt so deeply cared for 

valued

and affirmed 

{things i don't deserve}

god is radiating through my sweet friends

he is restoring my brokenness through his provisions

he is once again proving to me

that he is the most important thing

that i need to be willing to give up and let go of things i hold dear

{because they aren't even mine}

for him

for his will

for his plan

because he is good

always

period

today i am thankful for so much
for starters

i am thankful for

friends who are patient with me

friends who deeply care for me

friends who listen

friends who hold me when i'm hurting
friends who put there hands on me to let me know they are there
visiting friends i haven't seen in years

trips to san fransico

hikes in berkley

engagements
celebrations
glasses of wine and downton abbey

snuggles from my puppy

watching my nephew learn how to smile

sleepovers with my niece

making terrariums

playing with flowers

conversation over beer and scrabble
that at any given moment i can walk into a room and see gracie asleep like this
{my dog is a total freak}

friends who are persistent

friends who speak truth

friends who take care of me when i'm sick

trips to orange county

meeting with brides

morning coffee on the patio with margo

wedding dress shopping 

face timing with far away friends

making big decisions

taking chances
gods protection
planning a year full of weddings

spur of the moment trips to sequoia national park

long car rides with friends

i am thankful that 

god gives

takes away

restores

and provides

 just as the song says
 god you give and take away
but today
my heart will choose to say
 blessed be your name

DIY Terrarium Tutorial: Reuse, Recycle & Regenerate

its the perfect tuesday
for a little dose of terrariums

i've got a huge thing for terrariums

they're adorable and pretty stinking cool
and they make my heart flutter all over the place

 you can find them just about anywhere now
i found these in a clothing boutique on pier 39 in san francisco for $20
{which is a bit steep if you ask me...}

i also have a mini obsession with glass jars
they're just so nifty

maybe its because you can use them for anything

{drinking, crafting, q-tip holding...literally anything}

and sometimes it's that olive jar, jam jar, or pasta sauce jar sitting in your recycle

that will make the perfect terrarium

 no need to spend your life savings on a crate and barrel apothecary jar

{though i wouldn't mind owning one or two of those...}

when you can just reuse use what you already have

 i also have this soft spot in my heart for reject plants

you know
the ones that sit on the clearance racks in garden sections

waiting for their imminent death
they're just so sad

i always do a quick walk by just in case i can save a plant or two

and bring them back to health
and sometimes a terrarium is the perfect place
for a helpless plant to regenerate and make its comeback
and on occasion there will be a very sweet guy working in the garden department 
who will just give you clearanced plants for free
{a smile may increase your chances}

so here's a little DIY terrarium tutorial for those of you
 that like to reuse, recycle and don't want to break the bank

my materials

olive jar, pasta sauce jar, baby food jar, kerr jar, all from the recycle {$0}
irish moss Sagina subulata purchased with a home depot gift card {$0}
a rescued zebra plant Hawthornia fasciata {$0}
a rescued echeveria hybrid Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg' {$0}
soil from a potted plant in yard {$0}
rocks from yard {$0}
bark and twigs collected from yard {$0}

the moss terrarium

1. begin by placing a layer of rocks in your container

2. add a layer of soil

3. remove moss from container and break up rootball

4. place moss in container and press down gently to nest it into the top of the layer of soil

5. add rocks, bark, twigs, or figurines for embellishment

{if desired}

6. water enough so things are moist but do not saturate 

7. place lid on container

{lid will need to be removed occasionally for air flow}

8. enjoy your creation!

the succulent terrarium

1. place layer of rocks then a layer of soil

2. remove succulent from container break up root ball

3. place succulent{s} in soil

4. use a spoon to add soil around the succulent

5. add embellishments 

{i added some moss and bark}

6. water but do not put a lid on the container

{succulents need air circulation}

7. soak up the cuteness!

follow same steps for these smaller plantings

for $0

i recycled 4 glass jars

saved two succulents

 made 4 terrariums

and had an absolute blast doing it

terrariums are perfect for table tops

bookshelves

window sills

and make great gifts

{housewarming, get well, birthday, just because...}

i'm currently keeping these little guys all to myself though

as they've now made their new home on the dresser in my bedroom

Thankful Thursday: let the pun begin!

Happy Thankful Thursday!

i'm going to get straight to the point.

i love puns
like a lot

they're probably one of my favorite things
and they make me so incredibly happy
they bring me so much joy

whether they're spur of the moment or carefully thought out

i just love them

puns all day
erry day
please

i have to believe that God has an amazing sense of humor

after all we are created in His image

we reflect His characteristics
and humor is definitely a characteristic that people have
so it must come from Him
{i can only imagine how punderful His jokes would be}

so today i am thankful for humor
for joy

for laughing

for goofiness

for puns

and just for you
here are some puns that i myself have enjoyed
and they are most certainly pun in a million
now let the pun being!...

{via}

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{via}

{via}

what are the things you thankful for

 that make you laugh

 that bring you joy?