Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!

Last week the "Stay at Home Lockdown" went into effect in the county we live in - this isn't anything new for me as I've been on house quarantine since being discharged from the hospital on March 11th because of RSV and a severely compromised immune system.

I had a rather difficult week last week where my health is concerned, and I made myself comfortable on the couch. I had a spiral, pen, and of course my laptop in proximity. 

While scrolling through Facebook - I noticed an ad for Gigi's Cupcakes. I sat there looking at their description of their ad. "$8.00 delivery fee for an 8-mile radius". I thought about that for a bit and had this internal conversation with myself in my head. It went like this, "You can't go shopping for things you need, you haven't been out of this house for three weeks and you were hospitalized for the two weeks before, and you're missing your daughter AND your grandson who isn't even 2 months old yet.  - you deserve a cupcake today - go for it! The more I thought about, the more my mouth started watering. I could taste the sweet icing and the fluffy cake below and that was it for me.  

I picked up my cell phone to call my daughter to ask if she would want a delicious cupcake from Gigi's. She said, "what kind do they have"? I looked on their website and saw a few choices. 

Caramel Turtle Cheesecake

Wedding Cake

Red Velvet

Birthday Cake

Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie

among several others

I read the list to my daughter and she expounds, 'they all sound good - surprise me, but C would like a Red Velvet one'. Okay, I'll have dad bring them over later today and we hung up. 

I tried calling the number listed on the Facebook page, on their website and could not reach them. Was this a sign that I didn't need the cupcake? I continued to sit there doing what I was doing...which was literally nothing. I didn't have the energy to do anything that day and in fact, just holding the cellphone in my hand - created so much angst for me and zapped me completely of what little energy I had. I thought that taking Gigi's up on their $8.00 delivery fee was going to pass. 

With the laptop still on my lap, Gigi's ad staring me in the face, I decided to find their page on Facebook. I clicked over and a pop-up box came up. Great, I can send them a message and let them know that I have been trying to call them, but their phones aren't working. That's what I did...within a few short minutes, I had a reply. I could tell by the conversation the lady seemed pleasant enough. I asked her a few questions and she asked what she could get started for me. 

Looking back at their website, I made my selections and typed them in the box. The lady who was receiving my messages indicated that someone would call me in a few minutes to arrange for payment and the pertinent information needed to deliver the wonderful cupcakes to me. I explained to her that I would not be going to the door for her to knock and then leave them on the porch. Perfect was her reply! 

I hadn't told my daughter what kind of delicious surprise I had ordered for her - after all, she did say 'surprise me'! Shhh, don't say anything but while I was in the hospital in quarantine - I missed her birthday - the decisions made. I'll order her a Birthday Cupcake with sprinkles and a little thingamajig on top. I was so excited...in fact, I couldn't wait to bite into one of these delicious cakes, a cupcake that is. 

Gigi's Cupcakes

About an hour and a half later, I received a text indicating they were on their way to deliver the cupcakes. woohoo, I can't wait to surprise everyone with a sweet for their sweet tooth tonight. This IS what I was thinking. Knock, Knock, Knock - they've arrived!!! I waited a few minutes to ensure she had made it back to her car before I opened the door. Remember, I'm in quarantine at the house. The dog is going berserk with barking and I'm trying to no avail to quiet him down. Not only am I not feeling good, but my voice has also been compromised with the respiratory issues I'm currently dealing with. The dog finally settles down and I inch the door open to retrieve the box of goodness from Gigi's. 

Once back inside, the dog goes outside - I wash my hands and I open the sack along with the two small boxes. Oh

my...before my eyes were these amazing, wonderfully, crafted mounds of confectionary sugar and cake! My mouth drooling...I stood there leaning up against the marble countertop. I made sure that my daughter's choices were together and then I put my husband in another location. He will be surprised tonight by his sweets. 

Wedding Cake

I closed the box back up, closed the sack and went back to the couch. I let my daughter know the cupcakes had arrived and dad would drop them off after work. 

Fast forward to after work...we've eaten supper and now it's time to take part in the wonderfully crafted cupcake. I made my selection. I chose Wedding Cake. It looked like a miniature cake. The icing was swirled so high and it had these edible silver and white sprinkles splashed about it all the way down the cake itself.  My husband was being funny by putting a loose chocolate chip on the top of my selection. It was ok though...

He decided that he was going to save his selection until the next night. Not me! I have been waiting for this sweet, delicious, fluffy cupcake all day long and I'm not going to wait any longer. I took one bite - I was in sugar heaven! 

Who says being quarantined for the last 5 weeks a person can't have their cake and eat it too? 

What are you waiting for, try Gigi's next time you would like something sweet for that sweet tooth! 

It will be a while before we order again as we don't eat a lot of sweets in our house. But this simple pleasure was simply divine. I savored every single morsel of sweet, delicious, fluffy goodness! 

Have a wonderful day! 

Heart to Heart Soul Creations

H2hsc2020

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Genealogy and Family Roots

Hello everyone...!

I have been on the couch since I woke up this morning - but I have been quite productive. Earlier today, a family member of my husband posted a black and white photo of their grandmother's family farm. The comments from their friends and family took off like a house on fire.

As I sat there watching the comments roll in, I immediately thought to myself - why not set them up a Facebook Cousin's page "Descendants of ...." to capture all of these rich memories and conversations along with their photos. After all, being the genealogist in the family, I eat this stuff up - whether they are of my family or not!! LOL Sometimes, I think I AM more passionate about learning people's family history than those who the information is originally for.

I messaged the lady who I have been friends with now for many years and dangled the carrot in front of her. She jumped on it like a hot potato.

I have spent the last few hours setting up their cousin's Facebook group and posting pictures and documents that I have found while researching my husband's family tree. The conversations have been priceless. I don't know why I didn't think of this years ago!!!

My husband's grandparents - his father's Mother and Father had 12 children. Within the Facebook group, I set up individual Units in order to capture their children's names. Under each one of the Units, I then add the names of their children and so forth and so on. For instance, my husband only knows a few of his 1st cousins in this particular line - by setting the group up in this manner, it will make learning who this person is or that person much easier and as he and I talk about his family tree and I show him where people fall - he will be able to visualize it understand his family roots easier.

It's interesting to me how much history is lost through the generations because the stories aren't captured or documented. By having a Facebook group set up specifically for families, these memories can be captured and saved for a lifetime.

For instance, I posted this photograph- I didn't realize looking at the photo that this man was blind. I was taken back with what I thought was a Uniform jacket. (I'm still not sure if it is or not). Immediately, an Aunt of my husband commented and shared the story with the group of how he was blind. An amazing piece of family history to learn about. Being who I am, I immediately started asking the 'who, what', how, why, where' questions in hopes of learning 'how' he became blind and whether or not he was blind due to genetics and if it is hereditary.

William Thomas Durbin, 1841-1905, 2nd Gr Grandfather of my husband

I feel accomplished today. I am now inserting these precious nuggets into my husband's family tree that I've learned about today. I love filling in the pieces of family roots! Today, I'm filling in family history for the Smith/Durbin branches on my husband's family tree.

Soon, he will have his DNA results back, and hopefully, I will be able to take all that I learn from this group and figure things out rather quickly. 

Have you started your family tree? 

Heart to Heart Soul Creations

H2hsc2020

#UltimateBlogChallenge, #challenge, #genealogy, #ancestors, #ancestry, #familytree, #walkingwiththeancestors, #inspiration, #memories, 

National Day of...

According to a Calendar I stumbled across recently, today is National "Joe", "Spanish Paella", "Scribble", and, "International Medical Science Liaison" Day. 

I think I'll write about National Joe Day as I've never eaten Paella (although I have many friends who cook it), "Scribble" - is that the same as doodling? and Medical Science Liaison, I'll save that for another day as the entire Medical field is on extreme overload at the moment putting their lives and the lives of their families at risk while saving others during this most difficult season in our land. Before I go further, let me say "THANK YOU"! 

National Joe Day - is that coffee or the name of a person? If this is pertaining to coffee - this is going to be a no brainer for me as I can't stand coffee. I've NEVER drunk coffee in my life and I'm not about to start now.   I literally cannot stand the smell of it on a person's breath. This goes back to my childhood days...now the smell of coffee brewing is something completely different. I like smelling a fresh pot of coffee. 

Thinking about how many Joes I might know; I'm reminded that I went to school with a few of them. There was this Joe and that Jo. This Jody and that Jodie. There was Josephine and Josie. Then there was Joey and Joy. Also, in the class were Johanna and Joseph. We also have a few men named Joe in the family. I hadn't thought about many of these individuals for a few years... 

So exactly what is all the fuss about this National Joe Day? According to the Calendar site linked above, on National Joe Day, which is March 27th, they encourage everyone to enjoy a cup of joe with all your friends named Joe, Jo, Joey, Joseph, and Josephine. It also says not to forget names like Joetta, Jody, Johanna, Jodie or any other variant of the name Joe. 

If you didn't know it, quite a few nicknames can be created from this one name. How many can you come up with? 

According to the Social Security Administration, the name Joseph was ranked No. 6 from 1893 to 1899 behind John, William, James, George, and Charles. In 1910, it moved to No. 5. From 1911 to 2005 it was ranked No. 12 or lower. 

Now I'm curious HOW many Joe's or the variations of I have in my family tree. That ought to be fun trying to figure that one out. Maybe they have a search filter that would assist me in determining this. I'll get back to you on my findings! LOL

Did you know that Famous Joes, Jos and Jo Ann’s populate the world? How many can you name? No cheating...

I think it's interesting how we get the idea in our head that a name defines us. That is not true...how can a name define us? 

Looking further at this Calendar and exactly what National Joe Day was all about, it listed a few Famous Joes who filled many roles and wore a variety of hats! 

Here are just a few the site mentioned: 

·         American football player and coach – Joe Montana 

·         Comedian, musician, and actor – Joe Pesci 

·         Politician and layer – Joe Biden 

·         American football player – Joe Namath 

·         Baseball player – Shoeless Joe Jackson

·         Olympic medalist, swimmer – Josephine McKim

·         American football player – Joe Greene

·         Actress – Jodie Foster

·         Musician – Joe Jonas

·         Baseball player, actor – Joe DiMaggio

·         Musician – Joe Cocker

I'm familiar with the names listed above as they were on the television and in the news regularly when I was young. Some of them, we still hear about today from time to time. 

Joe Montana - one of the greatest NFL players of all time. (I remember watching him play football when I was young).

Joe Pesci - he is hilarious. I really enjoyed the movie Twins, 1988 - when he Co-Starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger. There are many more movies, but Twins was the first one I thought about. 

Joe Biden, we see him on the television quite a bit these days. I wonder if he'll be our next President. 

Joe Namath - played College football for Alabama Crimson Tide under the leadership of Paul "Bear" Bryant. He acquired his nickname "Broadway Joe" as a result of his ownership of a New York City Nightclub in 1969. He sold it though and returned to playing for the Jets. (It's interesting the things we can learn through the world wide web).

Shoeless Joe Jackson - I don't know this name, but I listed it as a reminder to research his story. 

Josephine McKim - she is also known as Josephine Chalmers, her married name. She was an Olympic swimmer in 1928 and 1932. She won three medals. 

(I'm glad they finally have made the decision to postpone this year's Olympics. It took them long enough!)

Joe Greene - also known as Mean Joe Greene!! Oh yes, recall this name back in the day. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica - Mr. Greene was an American professional gridiron football player who is widely considered one of the greatest defensive linemen in the National Football League (NFL) history. 

Jodie Foster - I grew up watching her movies. Most of them anyway. I have my favorites and they aren't in any order. Flight plan, Silence of the Lambs, Panic Room, Bugsy Malone, Nell, Freaky Friday, Inside Man, Little Man Tate. 

Joe Jonas - you may know this name by way of the singing group, "Jonas Brothers". My daughter as a teenager listened to them around the clock. Me, not so much...sorry. 

Joe DiMaggio - was an American Icon in Baseball. 

Joe Cocker - who doesn't remember his English accent and gritty voice. If you don't, these titles might resonate with you. "You Are So Beautiful," and "I Get by With A Little Help from My Friends". 

There are so many more Famous Joes around - who comes to mind for you? Let me know by leaving me a comment. 

Being on quarantined to our homes across America and abroad - you may not have an opportunity to enjoy a cup of Joe with a friend or loved ones who are named with such a name. I'd encourage you to call them up, chat for a while - maybe even FB skype with them - enjoying memories of yesterday and don't talk about the headlines of today. 

Wake up and smell the coffee...

Heart to Heart Soul Creations

H2hsc2020

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Make Your Own Holiday

Did you know that you can Create a Holiday spread the word and celebrate it when the day comes? If you want to make it official, you may have to talk to your local representative - only an official act of the legislature or government can make a holiday a national day.

What I'd give to be sitting on a beach right now

With everyone on at a standstill today because of the Coronavirus-COVID19, what better time than now to 'make your own holiday"! 

How interesting that today is "Fun Holiday - Make Up Your Own Holiday Day" 

Think about the memories you could make with your family members because of social distancing. What would it look like? What would you call it? Is it something you would hold year after year like a tradition? 

Webster's Dictionary defines the word Holiday as a Noun and lists it like this:  

1. Holy Day

2. a day on which one is exempt from work

3. vacation or going somewhere

4. a period of exemption or relief

So, let me get this straight if I was to establish a holiday for my family today it might look like something like this: 

• Online Church, including Praise and Worship Holiday
• Avoid Social Distancing Holiday
• STAY IN YOUR HOMES Holiday
• No Work Today Holiday (remember, I can't leave my house)
• Bills - NOT Going to Happen Holiday (no work, no money to pay them!)
• I'm Hungry Holiday (can't leave the house, grocery stores have empty aisles)
• Rip Van Winkle Holiday (all I have is time - might as well sleep) THIS would be my husband...that's all he ever wants to do! LOL
• Shopping, ONLY if it's Online Holiday
• Toilet Paper Holiday (My dad would be zoning in on the USE 1 square sheet rule now). WOW - I hated when he would tell us that growing up...what a memory...thanks, dad! 
• Got Milk Holiday
• Let's Hold a Family Fashion Show Holiday
• Family Heritage Holiday (know your ancestors?)
• Let's Celebrate our Pets Holiday
• QUARANTINE - Stay 6 ft away Holiday (don't get around mom's droplets!)
• Trivia Pursuit Family-Style Holiday (games families play)
• Gardening as A Family Holiday (I'll NEVER go hungry again)
• Crafting, Crafting, Crafting Holiday
• Streaming Binge Holiday
• Let's FLIP our House Holiday (I just did two rooms, I'll pass!)
• I Can Name That Tune Holiday (I never knew there were so many songs on playlists)
• Makeover Holiday (grab the curlers, the curling iron, the clippers, the make-up, the hair dyes and look in the closet for something fancy to wear)
• Autobody Holiday (honey, it's time for a brake change - do it yourself 101- I'll YouTube it) OH SNAP, all the car part stores are closed!!! LOL
• The Smith Family Food Competition Holiday (watch out Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen and Guy's Grocery Games) - there's some want to be NEW cooks in the house!
• Family Game Night Holiday or DAY at that!
• Junk Food Junkie - Let's See How Fast We Can Eat All the Snacks in the House holiday (if only I had junk food here). 
• Garage Organization Holiday 
• Buttons, Let's Color Code Them Holiday
• Paper Stash Holiday (let's count how many papers mom has in her crafting room)
• JUNK Holiday - It's Time to Destash Holiday

These are a few I'd come up with and I'm sure my husband would have a few of his own - they'd look like this: 

• How to Lure the Big Buck in Holiday
• Public Hunting Lands in Texas Holiday
• You Say Hunt, I Say Where Holiday
• Catch the Big One Fishing Holiday
• Sleep Holiday (remember, he loves sleeping)
• Let's Make A Cheeseball Holiday (I'll grab the crackers, oh snap - we don't have snack food - remember!)
• Binge Watching Anything Avengers, Godzilla, Thor and all these other types of shows Holiday (regardless of HOW many times he has watched them before) UGH LOL

With all the 'free' time on your hands, these days...what kind of holiday or holidays will you create? 

I'm off to establish the Holiday "Crafting, Crafting, Crafting" and "Family Heritage History" now for my family. 

Heart to Heart Soul Creations

H2Hsc2020

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Creativity and Crafting

As far back as I can remember, I have loved crafting. It began as a young child. I'd grab a newspaper or a magazine and begin cutting away at the pages. Sometimes, I'd even tear them. 

I'd look for different words or phrases that I could use. Those bold titles, advertisements, photos, etc. I began watching how colors were displayed together and I locked the look into my memory. 

Through the years, I took I up scrapbooking. I recall my granddad loved taking black and white photos. At one time, I had a very large portfolio of his with nothing but amazing photographs in it. I don't know what happened to that. I have looked high and low for it. I'm sure it was misplaced many years ago during one of my life escapes. It makes my heart sad...especially today, with my appreciation of genealogy and family history preservation. What those stories would tell of his life. I miss granddad! 

My Grandparents and I - (2 yrs old)

When I was a teenager, scrapbooking was mainly what I did. I'd take school pictures or a few family photos and create images on construction paper, using some of those 'cut' out words, or letters and even other photos such as a butterfly, or a smiley face to enhance the look of my pages. I had no idea what an embellishment was back then, and I didn't have access to stickers. (which I can't stand!!)

Sometimes, I'd just draw a page full of flowers. I'm the artistic one in the family when it comes to drawing - but sometimes, I do amaze myself with something like these. (If you opened the page it would like this.

+

this was the opposite page of May in the Bullet Journal

front page from a Bullet Journal I made

Several years now, I've participated in several Facebook crafting, swapping groups. We craft, we swap, we have challenges, etc. I've learned many different tips and techniques that I had no idea these things even existed. Like fussy cutting or how to use oxide inks. Even using a sewing machine on a scrapbook layout. Wait - what? sewing on paper??? wow - when I first heard of that, I thought my granny would roll over in her grave if she knew I used a needle on paper. My granny was an amazing seamstress. She is pictured above. She made beautiful clothes, draperies, blankets, and many more items. She loved anything to do with textiles. At one time, she even crafted me a dress out of a parachute!!! I lived with Granny and Granddad until their deaths. I miss them a great deal. When I'm crafting at times, I wish I had had the opportunity of hearing granny talk about how she became a crafter in her own sense. I'd love hearing her stories and showing her things that I make. I think she would be pleased. 

Learning so many different techniques, I quickly moved from Scrapbooking into making tags, Loaded Envelopes, 9-pocket Pocket Letters, Artist Trading Cards (ATC), Junk Journal pages, different types of embellishments (altered paperclips, layered things, altered clothespins, etc.) and the list goes on and on. I learned mixed media and altered art. My world opened too many more things on my artistic side of my brain. After all, why wouldn't it? I was an accomplished violinist back in the day and the talent was there. Why would art be any different? 

an Altered bag I created

Now notice in my last paragraph I did not mention cards. Cards ARE my nemesis. I'm not sure why, but I can't stand making cards. Even after perusing Pinterest, YouTube, seeing other's creations - I abhor making handmade cards with a passion. I know, it's silly - - but! I can't explain my thinking on this one. I can set down wanting to make a handcrafted card for someone and I hit a brick wall. I can't get to the paper what my brain thinks. Cards and I just don't get along. Don't get me wrong, I have made cards in the past, but they are not my forte'. I'll pass on them most days. 

A Thanksgiving Day card I made a few years back

I prefer creating anything BUT cards, so I'll craft everything else! Scrapbooking was and will always be my first love. I can set for hours on end losing all sense of time when I'm crafting. Scrapbooking is no different. I don't particularly care for digital scrapbooking. I'm more of a hands-on type of person. I love feeling the different textures in my hands, looking or creating that specific embellishment, making different types of tuck spots or pockets on the page and creating something that others will enjoy while looking at their photograph.

I'm all about the details! I build my layouts from the picture itself. I've made many scrapbooks for family members and others. In fact, a few years ago I had a young lady ask me how much I'd charge her to make scrapbooks from a few of her photographs. I quoted her a price and she dropped off the pictures. When all was said and done, I had scrapped over 2000 photographs and she ended up with 18 beautiful scrapbook albums that she and her family would enjoy for generations to come.  

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to Junk Journals (JJ). Oh my, oh my...what can I say - I fell in love with them. I follow several Facebook groups on JJ's. Talk about intimidation!  It took me a while before I posted any of my things on those sites. I would set and watch YouTube videos for hours on end trying to figure out what all the hype was about. I quickly figured it out. I scrapbook and do all these other types of crafts - how difficult could a junk journal be? Oh, trust me, it was QUITE difficult! I didn't have the first clue how to make a hidden spine or incorporate a pull-out pocket or a flip-up page. So, I educated myself in Junk Journaling 101! I watched more and more videos. I still watch videos to this day.

According to the internet, the definition of a  Junk Journal is a handmade book made up of recycled items such as papers from magazines, brochures, patterned paper, music sheets, envelopes, packaging, brown paper bags, maps, greeting cards, postcards, doilies, to name a few. The book covers can be made from cereal boxes, old book covers or any hard cardboards. 

A Junk Journal can be anything and everything!! You don't need anything fancy. Just random 

STUFF! We all have stuff, right? I can pull out any drawer in my crafting room and find stuff. 

Whether it's something my son has kept from his younger days or something, my husband

has found during his day at work. From time to time, he will walk in the door and say, 

"I found you something today you might be able to use in your crafting projects"!

 I love it when he brings little trinkets home that I can incorporate into my crafting. 

I made a few months back. I've posted the actual junk journal and a few pages from it. 

A Junk Journal I made recently

another view

the signatures

the back

Crafting, my favorite past time as far back as I can remember.  

I'm off to continue working on my current junk journal, "My Asthmatic Body". It's coming along nicely. I'm in the process of making the ephemera for it from different things I've collected and printed off with regard to Environmental Asthma, quality air control, food, and drinks that help boost an asthmatics immune system, Facts/Myths, and what my specific journey has been learning to live with Environmental Asthma. 

I wonder if my grandparents were still living today if they would enjoy making junk journals? 

Got junk, try making your own Junk Journal! 

Have a GREAT day!

Heart to Heart Soul Creations
H2hsc2020

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