Happee Hump Day!

Hi Gals!

   
{Graphic used with permission from All You Have To Give}

Just poppin’ in to wish you a happy Wednesday and to

tell you that I am praying for you!  I am praying for all that

concerns your heart, and that God will make His face to shine upon

you today and throughout your week!

Did you know that YOU are the crown of His creation and what He thinks about all day long??? 

How totally wonderful is that???

{BIG smile}

Joy and Love to you!
Becky

Monday Morning Cup of JOY!

As most of you know, I adore being outside and observing the
wondrous creation of God in all of it’s glory.

Over the weekend, I headed out for just such a time.

I am NEVER disappointed!

Before I get to the photos, have you ever thought…

I mean REALLY thought, about the incredibly creative

mind of God??? 

Trust me, if God hasn’t completely blown you away

with just the minute to minute function of your own body,

you haven’t given it enough thought!

HIS CREATIVITY IS TRULY UNFATHOMABLE!!

AND TO THINK THAT ALL HE CREATED ON THIS

EARTH, HE CREATED FOR US TO ENJOY!!

PERFECT LOVE.  JUST FOR YOU AND ME!

{If you don’t know God personally,  click HERE to learn how!}

 

Here we go!  I mean, just look at all this beauty!!

 
Such a pretty, serene setting

Sweet blooms everywhere

 

A winding walkway for strolling lakeside

An Osprey enjoying a fish for breakfast!

 

 

Incredible Ibisses {is that a word?}…wasn’t sure how close
they would let me get, but they obliged this curious onlooker… and are delightful to watch!!

I read that their legs are only orange during mating season; otherwise they are gray!  How interesting. The orange is really quite bright!

 

This was quite the accommodating bunch…they even lined up for me…

AND EACH STRUCK A POSE!!  Such fun!! 

Aren’t they peculiar looking with those curved bills? 
God really made them unique!

They use them to muddle around in the sand with in the
shallow coastal waters for all kinds of scrumptious meals!

A couple of parting shots…

One amazing GOD…

One truly delighted God’s Gal!!

Take some time to look at all God has created for you
to enjoy!  You will be in awe of His handiwork, too!

Big sunshiney Florida HUGS!

Have a joyful week!
Becky

Homespun Fall Goodness!

I had been waiting with great anticipation to walk down to my mailbox…

open it…

and find some more wonderful artwork from…

Michelle Palmer!

I am like a kid in a candy shop {or a grown woman in Godiva!)

when I see what she draws!!

This time I asked for some specific drawings, and per usual…

I was absolutely delighted with them!!
{better than candy, no calories!} :o)

As soon as I opened them I knew I simply must make something

with them right away!!

A sweet little snippet of homespun fall goodness!!

I had just added this lovely light sage burlap to my fabric stash and it
was perfect to pair with these precious pumpkins!

Aren’t these little pumpkins just the cutest??

I will be putting this door/wall hanger
in my Junk to Joy Shop soon. 

Be on the look out…I have more of her wonderful artwork
to create with!!  

If you would like to inquire about this piece,
just email me at junktojoyshop@yahoo.com!!

May your Sunday be full of JOY and PRAISE!
Love ya bunches!
Becky

Delicious Autumn!!

 

Do you know what today is?

I can hardly believe that it’s true.

Today is…

the first day of Autumn!!!

OH, "Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns."
-   George Eliot

What does this season hold for you?

For me it is a sweet change…although the change

down here in Florida takes a little longer.

  

It means…

~~Cooler evenings

~~Invigorating morning walks

~~Warm, wonderful mugs of homemade soup

~~Weekends at the hunting camp

~~Beginning preparations for the holiday season

~~Decking my halls with rich earthy colors and decor
      {pumpkins and acorns of course!}

~~Being especially mindful of our abundant blessings

~~Creating  some seasonal items for Junk to Joy Shop

~~delightful harvest aroma hand soaps and candles

~~New precious memories made with family and special friends

 

Oh I just really LOVE this time of year even though the warm sand
and water of the beach I love isn’t quite as warm!!

There is just something about this season that turns our hearts
towards home and toward each other that truly blesses me.

May God be glorified in your heart and home through this
season of thanks-giving!

What is Autumn to you?

Love ya bunches!
Becky

Tweet Surprise!

Since I opened Junk to Joy for business, I have had the extreme
pleasure and encouragement of having several of my items featured in what Etsy calls “treasuries”.

Other sellers choose a theme and select items from different Etsy shops  that they like and feature them in their treasury.

Today these new little birdy tags got featured, and are available for
purchase:

To view this “TWEET” treasury click here

Sophisticated Lady is the one who featured my item!
She makes beautiful jewelry!  Here is one of my faves that she designed:

The perfect colors for fall, huh?  Hope you’ll pay her shop a visit! 

Here are some other items I added today…

Hope your week is off to a great start!

Things here are hoppin for sure!!

Would you please join me in prayer for the Mom of a special blog friend?  She has experienced a health setback, and needs our prayers!  Thank you so much! 

May God richly bless you and all you put your hearts and hands to in His Name!!

Love ya!!
Becky

 

Cup of JOY!

Several years back I discovered a delightful Christian author and artist by the name of Karla Dornacher. Her heart overflows with love for the Lord as do her books and artwork.

This book is just a joyful blessing to my heart and encourages us
to GIVE THANKS IN ALL THINGS!  Why?  Because it is what
God says to do!!

God also says that we are to Him the “Aroma of Christ”!
(2 Cor. 2:15)

Can you even begin to wrap your brain around that? 

Me, Becky, with all of my issues and my sometimes stinkin’ thinkin’,
all of my mistakes, and sins…I smell like Christ to God?  WOW.

“The earth is full of smells, and so are the heavenly realms.
God apparently loves a good aroma as much as we do.
The Bible tells is in Ephesians 5:2 that the sacrifice of Christ
for our sins is like sweet perfume to God…the fragrance of
pure love.”
(excerpt from Karla’s writings)

So how is it that we smell so wonderful to God…even as the “fragrance of pure love”?

Karla says “As we give ourselves generously to love others the way Jesus loves us, we also become a sweet-smelling fragrance to God”!

Do you have someone in your life that needs your forgiveness?
Do you have someone in your life who needs some encouragement?
Do you have someone in your life that needs to know someone cares?
Do you have someone in your life that needs a gift of food?
Do you have someone in your life that needs to know you love them?

It may even be someone in your own home or in your family!

Will you join me and take action with your “someone”?

Let’s be the lovely fragrance of pure love to all those around us, and just delight in imagining God’s nostrils
filling with that wonderful aroma, making Him smile,
and touching people’s lives with His love.

I’ve enjoyed sharing a cup with you this morning!!
Have a glorious week!

NOW GO OUT AND BE A NUISANCE TO THE DEVIL!!
{SMILE}

Love you!
Becky

Sailing Takes Me Away

 

Our lives are but a series of moments.

Have any you would love to relive?

I sure do! 

You know, something that was so just basically good,

and makes you smile without even realizing you’re

smiling?

Sailing as a child is one of mine.

I saw this first photo this morning and just got
whisked away by it…

…whisked back to the wonderful tropical balmy
weekends we enjoyed cruising around Miami’s
Biscayne Bay as a family.

My Dad’s interest in sailing began with this model-
a 14 ft. Scorpion …

We would take our boat and put in at Matheson
Hammock Park.  Since there were six of us kids, we’d
take turns swimming and sailing, and Mom would
have a nice lunch waiting for us.  These little boats
are great fun.  Wish I had some pics of those adventures!

{Sidenote:  Believe me when I say that we didn’t have much money.  My Mom and Dad were masters at stretching every dollar,
and that is why they were able to get these boats.  They never
wasted money or food, and only bought us what we needed.
We lived in a 1200 sq ft. , 3 bedroom home with my 4 brothers
in one room, and me and my sis in another.}

Back to my story…

Eventually, the sailing bug really bit Dad.
He wanted a bigger boat, so we graduated to this
model; a 25 ft. Coronado.

As you can see, this boat has a cabin…one that was big enough
for us all to sleep in!  And that we did.

Spending the night out on the bay was wonderful!  Can’t you
just imagine it?  My sis and I would lay on the bow and get a tan.  I wasn’t very interested in learning the how-to’s of it all, so I just enjoyed! Sis and the boys all learned.  Kinda wish I had, too!

And let me tell you… FOOD has never tasted better
than it did out on the bay-except maybe when me and Maddy go
camping with my sis and her hubby!!


After a while, Dad wanted to start participating in races.  He had done some crewing for a friend, and got hooked.  So he needed a racing boat…

And he got one.  This is like the last model boat he owned.
A Bristol  racing boat.  He did some racing, but most
of his sailing was still for pleasure once the kids started to grow
up and move.

I can almost smell the interior of the cabin, feel the salt spray on my face,  taste my Mom’s yummy egg salad sandwiches, giggle at the silly jokes my brothers would tell, see my Father’s sense of pride and joy as he commanded the helm,

and get lost…

…in those moments.

fun memories…

Good times with family.  Does it get any better?

Thanks for daydreamin’ with me!
Becky

Ohhhh CUPCAKE!!

 

I want to thank all of you sweet friends who promoted my new shop!  What a HUGE blessing!!  And for all of you who have prayed for it as well!!  And then to each of you who have made a purchase!   Thank You, Lord for each and every one!!

Bet you are wondering why the title to this post is about a CUPCAKE??!!

Well, that is my nickname for an incredibly sweet bloggy friend who is loved and adored by hundreds of people in blogland…and who also is…

THE WINNER OF THE PUMPKIN QUARTET!!

Yes Spencer, you are the winner…courtesy of the random number generator…

I closed my eyes and hit the key, and there was your number!!!  The suspense was killing me so I peeked through my fingers!!  REALLY!!!

I hope you all will go meet Spencer at Bellamere Cottage She is so sweet and thoughtful, and VERY talented!!  You’ll find a wonderful new friend!!  Big Hugs, Spence!!  I will email you with details!!

Thank you again for all of your love and support! 

I am so blessed to know each of you!!
Have a DANDY week, and know how much I appreciate YOU!!

Sunshine and hugs,

Becky

The Beach and BIG Waves!

 

A BIG thank you to all of you who promoted my giveaway and shop!

Nothing like a little help from your friends!  :o)

Having a shop has been a long time dream of mine, and I can hardly believe it has come true! 

Please check in often as I will be adding new items very regularly!

                                   *************

Last week, me and Maddy headed out for a brief trip to the beach!  Yes,I said brief.  We had to get back and do school, but we wanted to see the big waves that Hurricane Earl was creating for us!

They weren’t quite as big as I had hoped for, but they were still 8-10 feet!

The pics don’t really show you their size, but here they are:

 

You knew I had to get a bird in there, right? {smile}

 

 

Uh oh…this isn’t a big wave and oops…another little birdy!!  I just can’t resist snapping these little cuties!!

I think this man thought I was taking his pic!!  How funny!

You can see a good size wave along the back…oops and a precious little birdy!

The pier in the distance.  This is right by the boardwalk and the main beach
entrance for cars.  The gray pics were the ones taken almost facing the sun.
It was really a gorgeous morning!  And hardly anyone there!

The waves were making a rather loud…and might I say wonderful sound!
It was soooo hard to leave!  But we will go back on Thursday and STAY this time!

I can’t wait!!!!  I am just itching to have sand between my toes
and salt spray on my face! 

Oooohhh…LIFE IS GOOD! 

Hope you’re all having a great week!!
Love Ya Lots!
Becky

Scroll down to enter my promotional giveaway!
I choose the winner Sunday!!

JuNk to JoY Promo!

Junk to Joy is now open for business!!
I am still adding items, and will be adding new items regularly!

A BIG thank you to my first two buyers!  You know who you are!  You are sweet encouragement to my heart!

HERE IS  MY FIRST SHOP PROMO!!

You can enter to win a set of 4 fabric pumpkins in your
choice of traditional or neutral color schemes.

These two are listed in my shop right now.

Here are the rules:

1.) Blog about the opening of JUNK to JOY SHOP and this promo.
2.) Include a link back to my blog 
Blog link:  http://holidayinthesun-becky.blogspot.com/2010/09/junk-to-joy-fun.html
3.) Leave this post as the top post on your blog for a full 24 hours!
4.) For a second chance to win, post this button in your sidebar with the link above.

5.)  For a third chance to win, visit my shop and leave a comment telling me your favorite item!

 This Promo will run through next Sunday at 6:00 p.m.

I will announce the winner that evening!

Thank you for helping me promote my new business!!

I will be back to regular blogging in a few days!!
Shop talk will only be 1-2x a week!

HUGS to you all!!

Becky

 

JUNK 2 JOY !

Hi Sweeties!

I am jumpin’ for joy that my shop is almost up and running!

It is, however, taking far longer than I anticipated to get each item listed.  Measure this, tag that…all you other shop owners know what I mean…figure shipping, etc…

When I have 20-25 items listed, (sometime later this evening) I will put the Etsy gadget
on my blog sidebar, and you can go have a look!  If you are really anxious you can try to google my shop, but I’m not sure if it will come up yet!

My dear friend, Jess, surprised me today with these…

this awesome announcement…

And a delightful bottle of Asti Spumante in celebration
of my opening. 

She has been my biggest cheerleader in
this dream of mine and has watched it change and change
over the years, and prayed with me to bring it into fruition.

Thanks so much, Jess, for dreaming with me, and believing in me, and always being there to cheer me on!! Love you LOTS!!

Thanks also to all of you!

You are so encouraging and I hope you enjoy looking around my shop once it is complete!!

Big Hugs!
Becky

UPDATE!! 

I HAVE TO GO TO SLEEP!  I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW LONG THIS LISTING STUFF IS TAKING ME!! 

MY EYES ARE CROSSING!  LOL!!

I’LL LIST MORE TOMORROW!

lOVE YOU!  THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE
FOR THIS WORN OUT NEWBIE!!

SHOP NEWS!!!

WOW!!!!

We are finally there!!!

You all have been so patient with me!

My heart just overflows with joy at the

thought of you!!! {smiles}

Drum Roll Please……..

JUNK 2 JOY  will be OPEN for
business tomorrow!!!  WOOHOO!!!

And as a thank you for being so very
wonderful, the first ten people to make a purchase
at JUNK 2 JOY will receive a bonus surprise in their package valued at $5!!

But wait, there’s more!!! 

If you blog about the opening of JUNK 2 JOY, after it opens, of course, and provide a link back to my blog, your name will be entered for a drawing to win a prize valued at $30-$40 to be revealed tomorrow! The only thing I ask is that you leave the post as the first post for 24 hours!

Sound like a good deal?  I hope so!

Here is another little sneak peek!!

Toile and moiré, and acorns OH MY!!

HOPE YOU’LL BE BACK TOMORROW FOR THE OPENING OF…

JUNK 2 JOY!!!

LOTS OF LAST MINUTE THINGS TO TEND TO, SO I CAN’T BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE TIME!!

Have a glorious holiday weekend!
 
Hubby has today off so I will take a wee little break
to be taken to lunch!!  Then right back to work!

Love ya bunches!
Becky