Tamagrams Wedding Collections & Kleinfeld Paper

Anyone familiar with the TLC show, "Say Yes to the Dress"? Tamagrams wedding invitation collections will be available through Kleinfeld Paper and supported by national advertising in Brides, The Knot, Martha Stewart and others starting January 2013...continuing to thank God for opening doors for this passion He has given me. 

On the note of passions and dreams...I wanted to end this post with an excerpt to share with you as it encourages me - I love to think about this... "I AM WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF. Bring Me all your concerns, including your dreams. Talk with Me about everything, letting the Light of My Presence shine on your hopes and plans. Spend time allowing My Light to infuse your dreams with life, gradually transforming them into reality. This is a very practical way of collaborating with Me. I, the Creator of the Universe, have deigned to co-create with you. Do not try to hurry this process. If you want to work with Me, you have to accept My time frame. Hurry is not in My nature. Abraham and Sarah had to wait many years for the fulfillment of My promise, a son. How their long wait intensified their enjoyment of this child! Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses." - Jesus Calling 

Interview/Feature on Sorry You're Happy Blog

One of the things I have loved about exhibiting at shows in the past have been the amazing people I meet. No seriously, just awesome.  It is so neat to be around and connect with other creatives who share a similar passion.  I have been lucky enough to also have some beautiful friendships blossom and still talk to on a regular basis, years later. (both were next door booth neighbors)

On the note about booth neighbors...do you remember back in the spring when I shared our experience exhibiting at the Surtex show in NY? Well, while we were there we were blessed once again in meeting a neat couple from Canada named Jen and Kyle. They were our booth neighbors and featured us on their fun company blog called Sorry You're Happy! So nice of them! To read the interview and feature, Click here!

Not saying Good-bye, but see you soon...

Hey y'all! Hope each of you are having a fabulous start to the Christmas season. It feels like a lot has gone on over the past month or so in the Brown household.

Not to be a downer, but I thought I'd share with you something I've been walking through. We got pretty sudden news several weeks ago that my grandfather had only a couple hours to a couple days to live. My grandfather has been my father figure through out my life so it felt as if I was loosing a parent. He would have been 100 years old on December 8th.  He has been married to my sweet grandmother for 72 years. Despite how old someone is, I don't think you can ever fully prepare yourself for the finality of knowing you will never see them again on this Earth. I am so very thankful for the one on one time I had with him the day before he died. He was in his room at home and I was able to hold his hand while talking and reminiscing over my memories with him. I sung him some of my favorite songs and got to pray over him.  He already had one foot in heaven and was unresponsive but the hospice nurse told me he was definitely able to hear, as hearing is the last sense that goes. As I hugged good bye, I was reminded once again just how fleeting our lives are. Jesus said to not get too attached of the things of this world because our lives are vapors, fleeting and a bleep in the scheme of eternity. I am so thankful that I don't have to say good bye forever but know I will see him again when it is my turn to enter the gates. I can't help but rejoice for him in what he is experiencing now. Meeting our Savior face to face, being united with loved one that have entered before him and being in the most beautiful and breathtaking place. No sin. No pain. No brokenness that we experience here on Earth. Thanks for letting me share a tribute and my last hours with him. He was one special man who shaped me in more ways than he will ever know. He loved me and my family so well. I love and miss you Pop.

A picture of him when he was about 30 years old, so handsome...

This sobering reminder of the delicacy of life makes me want to be sure that I am living every SINGLE day to the fullest. Utilizing every gift and ability that God has so kindly entrusted to me. I want to share it with others in hopes that it can in some way bring encouragement and/or inspiration to others. It is a neat thought to think if we all were tapping into these sweet gifts we have received how each and every one of us DOES add more joy and beauty to this world.  Join me as we can ask ourselves, "Am I living each day to the fullest?", "Am I sharing these awesome gifts to touch others lives and make a difference?" If there is any bit of hesitation holding us back, my hope is that we would shine brightly through the light He graciously gives to us! Amen.