A New Blog Home!

Well, after 9 years of blogging here at Just Bee 'n Me on Blogger, I have now moved my blog to a new home, right on my beckyschultea.com website! Here's the new link: http://beckyschultea.com/blog

I imported all my Just Bee 'n Me posts (http://beckyschultea.com/blog-archive), so everything is safely over there, but I will also be leaving this Just Bee 'n Me blog open indefinitely if you'd like to look at any of my old posts here. But I would love it if you would add my new blog address to your reader, and change any link you may have on your site that points to this address...thanks so much! If you've just found me through links on Pinterest, welcome! I hope you'll come check out the new happenings at the new digs!

I'm kinda sad leaving Just Bee 'n Me, but I am happy about a fresh start in a new place that makes more sense going forward! Thank you for following along with my journey so far... Lord willing there's much more to come, and I'd be honored to have you continue to share the journey with me!

HUGS & much love!!

Twinkle Balloons: My Latest Samples

I was so excited yesterday to finally receive my box of partyware samples of my latest collection with Unique: "Twinkle Balloons"! I'm very happy with how the whole collection came out - the colors are clear and bright and the printing is wonderful! Here are a few more samples...

 I really love the "Happy Birthday" banner...

The blowouts turned out so cute...

This time, Unique made gift bags with my design! 

I like the fact that the invitations simple say "You're Invited" - which means they can be used for any number of types of parties, not just birthdays...

LOVE the whole collection - so happy!!

Puts me in a party mood!

As soon as I find out where Twinkle Balloons are being sold, I will let you know...

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I have several exciting new licensing products coming out this Summer (3 greeting card sets!!) at the Atlanta market, as well as an entire exciting new product line that I am designing for 2015 release - can't wait to show it all to you! But licensing is about learning to WAIT...I'm getting a little bit better at it. A big box of goodies like this certainly makes the waiting worth it!!

Stay tuned for a Partyware Giveaway coming soon - keep up with my more day to day adventures and details on my Facebook Just Bee 'n Me page!

Have a happy, fun week - Spring is on its way!!

My 2014 One Word: Brave

BRAVE

For several years now, the Lord has been giving me a word or phrase at the beginning of the year to guide and encourage me as the year goes by.  I haven't always shared my words here, but I have them in my journals...I have found it to be a great help. I love reading all my blog and Facebook friends' words for the year...it's neat to see how we are all at different stages and places, ebbs and flows. Some are slowing down a bit and seeking more 'balance' or 'peace'...others are ramping up in some ways and seeking 'strength' or 'boldness'.

This year my word is 'brave'. I have had several years of quiet healing, growing, and changing - kind of like a caterpillar in a cocoon. I really needed those quiet, peaceful years after my divorce, and later the loss of my job, to help me heal. Then two years ago my word was 'Expansion' and the Lord started to have me emerge from the cocoon and stretch my new wings. That was the year I exhibited my artwork at the Craft & Hobby Association Winter show in Anaheim and attended the International Christian Retailers Show in Orlando and the International Quilt Market here in Houston. Plus I began contracting as a painting instructor at Pinot's Palette. Lots of new contacts...lots of new activity...lots of new work...expansion indeed! Then, 2013's word was 'New', which seemed rather odd to me at the time...didn't I just complete a year of new, new, new in the 2012 year of expansion? But it ended up being a very different thing. It was all about new attitudes, new priorities, new skills, new people, new approaches, new thought patterns, new appreciation, new gratitude...a quiet, reflective kind of 'new'.

So, I can see now that the quiet, reflective year of 'New' was the preparation I needed for 'Brave'. God had a lot of adjusting to do in my heart and mind (still does of course), but it was intensive. And now, I am stepping out again...and I know how much I need Him more than ever. Here's the only way I can be brave....

...I have to trust in Him with all my heart. He is my great BIG God - my strength and my shield. Apart from Him, I don't stand a chance.

SO, that's how 'Brave' will have to be for me...knowing He's got me, and trusting in that.

I'm not sure of all the things I am going to need to be brave about this year, but He did give me a bit more direction with the addition of 3 more words for the year:  'Enter', 'Explore', and 'Enjoy', and a word picture to tie it all together. He showed me a sheep that had been set free from its pen and had been turned out into a lovely, spacious pasture, but though the sheep knows she has been set free, she still remained close to the pen because it was what she knew best and where she felt "safe". So I feel the Lord is saying it's time for me to be brave (in Him) and enter the beautiful, spacious pasture, explore it far and wide, and enjoy myself in the process!

And I am starting to do just that. I will be leading/facilitating a women's Bible study at my church this Spring...I haven't done that since 2005, almost 9 years! That's just the beginning. Not sure of all the places I will explore, but I know in my heart that I can be brave enough to go there, trusting in His presence to be with me at all times...and, yes, I will even enjoy every step of the journey!

"...the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."

Psalm 18:18-19

The Unseen in 2013

Well, I blinked...and it's the end of another year/beginning of a new year. I usually say something like "how in the world did that happen?", but not this time. I know exactly why. I was busy doing life. I was spending time with the Father. I was journaling. I was doing my art. I was enjoying my family. I was growing my little business. I was teaching painting classes. I was planning showers and events. I was decorating my house. I was thrifting. I was Pinteresting. I was Etsy-ing. I was struggling. I was failing. I was crying. I was praying. I was dancing. I was laughing. I was just living this amazing, crazy, blessed life the Lord has given me...

Many of these are the unseen things of 2013. I didn't blog about them or even share them on Facebook. I lived them...and enjoyed them...and worked through them. 

But, being a visual person, I did take photos and scan images and doodle ideas and paint pictures...that's how I roll. But this past year I simply did not take the time to share it all. And that's OK.

2014 may very well be different - not sure yet. But I do feel a tug in my heart to begin sharing more and to encourage more...and I typically do that visually, with a little writing thrown in...

SO, to those of you who still visit here, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you would like to see a bit more of my day to day creative happenings I invite you to like my Just Bee 'n Me Facebook page and add me to your Activity list. But don't give up on the old blog. I'm not giving it up by any means. It's still a valuable tool and an enjoyable outlet...

I wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year, filled with blessings and the goodness of God! As a thank you, I am offering this little bookmark as a freebie for you to print and enjoy!

We'll talk again soon...meanwhile, I get to go spend time with my family today and enjoy their company...and laugh.  I hope you have the opportunity to do the same...

Finally Feels Like Fall!

So happy that it's FINALLY feeling like Fall here in Houston! 57 degrees, crisp air, blue skies...ahhh. Such a blessing after the long, hot Summer...

The weather has put me in an Autumn mood, so I thought I would re-post my "Fall Favorites" list...I re-post this about every other year since 2007, but this year I added a lot of Fall images for you to enjoy...

Feel free to add your Fall Favorites to the list...  Hope it's snuggle weather wherever you are...

A Acorns, apples, apple cider, antique-hunting, 

azure-blue skies

B Bales of hay, beauty berries, baking goodies, Bible reading on the back porch

C Candy corn, caramel apples, corduroy, chili and cornbread, crisp cool air, cozy nights

D Daylight savings time ends, deer, ducks, dogs, dunking for apples, drawing outdoors, dancing in the moonlight

E Extraordinary sunrises and sunsets, easy-going Sundays, espresso, extra covers on the bed

F Fall leaves, fires in the fireplace, football, flannel shirts, funnel cakes, flea markets, furry critters

G Grapevines, gourds, garage sales, good hair days

H Hay rides, horseback riding, hot chocolate, harvest moons

I  Iris bulbs, Irish coffee, Indian corn

J Jellies and jams, jackets, jerseys, jeans, junk stores

K Kids laughing, kittens scampering, Kettle corn

L  Logs on the fire, leaf piles, layering, lounging at a lake house

M Movie nights, mocha-chinos, marshmallows roasting on an open fire, making memories

N Nibbling on nuts, nests, naps on nippy afternoons

O Owls, oatmeal for breakfast, oldies on the radio, open windows at night

P Piles of pumpkins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pretty flannel PJs, painting from nature

Q Quilts, quiet walks

R Riding a bike, raccoons, raking red leaves

S Sunflowers, scarecrows, s'mores, savory soups, school supplies, sweaters, star-gazing, state fairs, singing for no reason, snuggling on the sofa with my sweetie

T Tailgate parties, turtlenecks, tea for two, Thanksgiving, turkey and dressing

U long Underwear, undertaking new projects

V Vanilla extract, votive candles, voting

W Wheat, wagons, warm cinnamon rolls

X  foXes, eXtra e-Bay boXes from Fed-eX

Y Yellow mums, yummy yams

Z  fuZZy bunny slippers

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Thanks for indulging me for my Fall overload - just love the changing seasons so much. I hope your Fall is filled with all your favorite Fall things!

Big HUGS!

Peace, Love, and Cupcakes Birthday Party!

This past weekend, we attended my great-niece's 1st birthday party - SO FUN!  The theme was "Peace, Love, and Cupcakes" and the yummy food, colorful decorations, and groovy clothes were wonderful! My brother and sister-in-law (the grandfather and grandmother of my great-niece) and my niece, as well as my nephew and his wife (parents of the birthday girl) teamed up to pull off this adorable party. I played photographer and captured as many of the sweet details as I could...

My sister-in-law and niece came up with this cute, inexpensive craft for a decoration on the fence in the back yard. Just paper plates, hand cut letter stencils, and several bright colors of spray paint...

This fun, groovy VW Van photo booth was a big hit at the party! My sister-in-law and niece had made this for a neighbor's 60th birthday, and it worked perfectly for this party too!  Here's sweet hubby and I posing for our photo...

Meanwhile back inside, the dessert table was so pretty...

...and the cupcakes (by GiGi's Cupcakes in Beaumont, TX) were to die for...SO pretty and SO yummy!

And here are the adorable matching mini-cupcakes...

We also had an array of colorful candies...

And of course, what 1st Birthday Party would be complete without the fun, messy "eating-of-the-cake"...?  Here's the perfectly beautiful (for now) little cake...

Here it is on the high chair. My nephew's wife made this adorable boho-style torn fabric "skirt" for the high chair tray - so cute!!

And here she is making a beautiful mess of it...love these kind of pictures. Oh, and that cake headband...mercy me it was cute...

She had a blast unwrapping presents...such a happy baby!

Speaking of gifts, here's the little mixed-media owl wall hanging I made for her birthday...

  

I used an 8 x 8 canvas board for the back, painted it hot pink with white polka dots, then painted an owl onto fun foam and cut it out and glued it on the board. I used little crochet circles that I cut out of a larger vintage crochet doily for the eyes, then glued on large black buttons in the centers. I glued gingham fabric onto fun foam and used pinking shears to cut it out for the wings and beak. I even used a bit of hot pink vintage 70's chunky yarn for her bow and wide yellow rick rack for accent...

I topped it off with a beaded wire hanger (my favorite part...I love choosing the coordinating beads) and put white ball fringe at the bottom. Love the way it turned out...

Kudos to my nephew and niece-in-law for hosing such a wonderful party...they are an adorable family! I'm so proud of them...

Peace, Love, and Cupcakes dear friends...HUGS!