Getting into the EARLY Christmas mood...

(badge created by Follow Your Bliss Designs)

i know, i know...we are barely finishing up with summer and here i am talking about Christmas...My sis, Mary Ann ,and i have resurrected a swap we did a couple of years ago...dealing with delectable COOKIES!

i also know that i have a bunch of stuff on my plate but i just couldn't resist creating a new cookie recipe book, swap with someone new and continue my simple way of living by handmaking something sweet or giving away some of my neat stuff that i've been collecting for years...

so hence, the Cookie Swap 08 has been reborn. stop by here to sign up...only 24 participants and mail-out is between 11/29-12/06/08...

two years ago...i had a very sweet partner, Kumi of England. it was nice figuring out a simple book that Kumi can change from time to time...she showered me with sweetness too...i adored her leather bound portfolio + wonderful illustrations she created with her own hands! see more of Kumi's recipe book she gave to me here and all the neat goodies she sent too!!! here's a sampling of her swap goodies to me:

this is what i gave to sweet Kumi...

Cookie Swap 06

so, if this excites you like it does for me and my sis...stop by here to sign up...only 24 participants and mail-out is between 11/29-12/06/08...

ok...now on to this one...

(badge created by Follow Your Bliss Designs)

Vintage Christmas Stocking Swap 08

i had a blast creating this stocking last year for my swap partner.

but not sure if she enjoyed it since i haven't heard from her or received my stocking yet...things happen and i'm not going to dwell on the negative side of swapping but i truly enjoyed making my version of a vintage stocking and wrapping all the lil' surprises for my partner...

looking forward to doing it again but this time, i hope i get feedback and

maybe, just maybe...a stocking of my very own too! ;)

and finally, this last one:

(badge created by Follow Your Bliss Designs)

is being hosted by callieflowergirl, Bridget. we have to make 35 vintage Christmas itty bitty pages due 11.17.08...these itty bitty books are quite addictive...currently i have about 4 now and will be getting two or three more...my studio is filled with these adorable books...

for more info about this swap visit the Vintage Christmas Itty Bitty Book Swap 08

now...one more thing...i was surfing and came upon Pearl Maple (thanks so much, Pearl Maple!!!) who shared a link to a sweet blog enamored with all things Christmas, equipped with a Christmas Count down and sweet tunes to get you in the mood to create Christmasy goodies...
go check Whispering Christmas Dreams
and dream of a White Christmas to come...

until next time...

bonne nuit, xoxo jo ;)

2nd annual Apothe'SCARY' swap...

(image courtesy of Rachel Whetzel )

my ever so sweet French sister, Rhonda has sent me a wonderful link to a Halloween Swap hosted by Rachel Whetzel . Group 1 is totally FULL but she is opening Group 2 at Tally Scrapper there's only 5 more spots left. it's a really unique swap where you have to make 20 Halloween-French themed art to either house your treats or not. you'll get 20 different types of Halloween-French inspired art + goody...now that's some kind of 'trick o' treatin' ' i just found out that there was room for me in Group 2...yayyyyyyyyyyy!!!! thank you so very much Chris for adding me on to Group 2's list-you're the BEST!!!

...looking forward to creating something sweet for the group!

i'm not familiar with Tally Scrapper but joined in to find out more about them... my love of paper and art challenges seem to be a running theme over there...i look forward to finding out more about this neat place for creative genuises!

so go over to Rachel's blog and i'll guarantee you'll surely get into the Halloween spirit...

merci beaucoup, sweet Rhonda, for whispering sweet French things in my ears...you're so GOOD to me and i heart you soooo !!!!!!!!

xoxo jo ;)

Shabby Chic photoshoot

enjoy this lil' tour into Rachel Ashwell's beautiful Chicago Shoppe...all photographs were taken by me, @Labour of Love 2008

What an HONOUR!!! WELCOME Shabby Chic-Rachel Ashwell's new BLOG...

(photo courtesy of Rachel Ashwell- this is her blog header...check out her new BLOG-simply beautiful!!!! i just added my welcome sign!)

what a sweet surprise after dopping the kiddlets at their "Olympic Extravaganza" at a local kiddie gym ... my dearest sis, Mary Ann, left me a very surprising message on my cell... "OMG, OMG, OMG...you'eve got to check out Rachel Ashwell's site...RACHEL started a BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...you're IN IT!!!!!!!!!! wowowowow...CONGRATULATIONS!!!...CHECK IT OUT NOW!!!!!!"

needless to say, i was on pins & needles to see what the heck she was talking about...so, i went to check out Rachel's new blog and lo and behold...what did my big, ol' brown eyes see...but this...

i'm still rubbing my eyes off to really see if that's what indeed i think it is...

WOW!!! i'm totally pinching myself to see if this is for real...WOW...that lil' pic of Rachel's Chicago Shabby Chic Store was taken by ME way back in April...i went with my sis, Mary Ann and my lil' Shioban...i adore Photography and would love to get into commercial/advertising/marketing arena of photography...thinking of taking classes to learn even more...we'll see what the fall brings... if you want to see more pics...go check my sis' post out, she created a sweet slide of all my pics that i took of Rachel's Chicago shoppe.

i am so honoured that Rachel Ashwell chose one of my photos to be in her blog and to represent her Chicago shoppe...thank you Ms. Rachel Ashwell for having one of my photos in your blog...i'm tickled pink that you liked it so much to add it to your new blog and to represent your Chicago store...WOW!!! so very HONOURED!!!

Sending you a warm welcome as you begin your new journey into the Blogosphere...you will find so many hearts that love you and your designs...your inspirations will touch so many...and the beauty you create will be definitely watched by so many...like so many, i look forward to reading more of your adventures and seeing your world through your eyes! much success to you and your new venture!!!

bonne nuit, Ms. Rachel...

xoxo jo ;)

Simple + Sweet = Real Living...Bubble and Squeak...

(photo courtesy of Microsoft clipart & altered by Labour of Love)

while on twitter...i stumbled on a very exciting and fascinating blog from Ms. Lune Greenwood called, 'Bubble and Squeak' . she is a special mom who lives in a small valley in rural France in a 'chocolate-box wooden chalet' with her loving family (oh, doesn't that just sound absolutely magical????) they are 'slow living' which means living quite simply and Lune is home-schooling her lil' girls: Bubble and Squeak...i truly admire people who want more meaning in their lives then $ and all the superficial stuff out there...

i've always been enthralled with living simply...in our overwhelming world. i truly admire the amish+shakers, minimalists and those who just find that the simple things are what makes their happy world work. i think little by little, i'd like to run my family's life a bit more simpler...so i truly look forward to reading more of Lune's journey...she's also writing a book called: "Snowflakes On Our Tongues". she has even designed the book cover...see how beautiful this book is...

(photo courtesy of Lune Greenwood)

oh, i just can't wait until this lovely book hits the shelves...if you want to learn more about Lune and her exciting adventures, i urge you to visit her...PLEASE...you will not be disappointed...you'll be mesmerized by her passionate words, her wisdom, her amazing stories...(ps she also has a wonderful blog roll of really neat blogs...French, parenthood, slow-living, crafts oh...just about everything about this wonderful LIFE we live in...

this is why i truly love the worldwide web...connecting with creative + kindred spirits...

looking so forward to more...

thank you, sweet Lune...for inspiring such beauty and greatness!!!

xoxo jo ;)

due date...

i can't believe it has been 6 years already...

that my lil' munchkins finally came home from the NICU-their 1st home...

to their final homestead. they came home on their DUE DATE, AUGUST 12, 2002. WOW...if they had only stayed in my tummy for 3 1/2 more months...but you just can't control what God wants...you just have to deal with what cards have been dealt to you...my dh + i truly did just that...we just kept plugging away, prayed with convictions and hoped for the very best!

you know...

they truly were tiny lil' people...these pictures were taken

when they were about 3 1/2 months old...

they were my ultra-premiees-1 lb 5.5 oz (Ian) and 1 lb 5 oz (Shioban) (our lil' sweet Angel Sinead was 1 lb 7 oz...the biggest of the three...but God called her back and she's now in HEAVEN...we truly miss her...there's not one day that we wish she were here playing, growing and being with her siblings...life isn't the same without her...at times, i see ian or shioban and think...who would've sinead looked more like, what would she say or do...to feel her hug me back, to kiss her sweet face...but we know that she's in a much better place and that one day we will see each other and be one BIG+happy family...sorry for being a bit melancholy...my heart will always long for my sweet Sinead...)

anyway...i'll have to dig for some new-bornish pics...when literally they were only as big as the palm of my hands...i still can't believe we went through all of the NICU processes/nightmares etc.

it's just a miracle that they have survived and are doing good these days...i thank GOD every day for our miracle.

i'll have to find some recent pics of my lil' bugs so we could compare...they truly have grown like weeds...i miss those days...it feels like it was only yesterday all of this happened...except looking back at these photos remind me of the life we had during those trying times...it was a blur and wish i could've relished in some of those moments...when they were babies...i guess i was sooooo worried about EVERYTHING...i just wanted to make sure they stayed healthy...

until next time...enjoy the lil' pics of my miracle babes...

bonne nuit

xoxo jo ;)

Ian my Deere...

while shioban came with me to catch the 'flea' bug,

ian went with daddy

down to the farm...to spend some time with

grampy + grammy...

he had a fab time!

saw a 'zebdon' + some newborn pups...what's a 'zebdon?!'

you're probably wondering...

can you quess?!

~sweet dreams~

xoxo jo ;)

Caught the "Flea" bug...

(photo by allposter and collectors quest)

will be going here for the weekend to help my sis, Mary Ann on her newest adventure...go here to read more about it.

havin' a feelin' it'll be loads of hard work but a

fun & fantastic learning experience...

will write more + post pics later...

have a wonderful weekend!

~bonne nuit~

xoxo jo ;)

BELIEVE...

sometimes...

there are days that make you feel very unsure of yourself...

sometimes sad...

or even down & out...

you

just have to...

that the "universe is good & abundant"

~by: Mary Ann of Follow Your Bliss Designs~

AND
that everything WILL be alright...

just BELIEVE!

...made this lil' pick me up for a lil' special someone to help brighten their day.

a very good reminder...that i need to remember now & then, esp. right now...

have a beautiful night...

~ sweet dreams ~

xoxo jo ;)

Merci...

Merci beaucoup...

to all the sweet artists around this wonderful world we live in...

i made this especially for Teresa Gifford who sent my 7 mini eiffel towers from her adorable shoppe special delivery to lil' ol' moi...i ADORE your shoppe!!!

i still owe my blog a lil' photo journal of our trip to door county...

soon...i promise!

bonne nuit...

xoxo jo ;)

hallow's eve...

(Photo by and courtesy of Mary Ann- followyourblissdesigns.com)

it's never too early to think about 'hallow's eve', huh? fall is one of my favourite seasons and halloween is one of our favourite holidays over here in our lil' munchkins' world.

my sis, Mary Ann's itty bitty club on flickr is holding a 'Halloween' itty bitty book swap...Terri Ruiz is hosting it and i believe there's some spots available...feel like trick o' treatin' earlier...then you must come + play...create a one of a kind itty bitty page about one of our favourite childhood holidays...it's going to be absolutely 'spook'taculer!!!

have a 'boo'tiful day!

xoxo jo ;)

Guess who...

took the plunge and asked the hairstylist to chop off "5 inches" off her hair...

has the courage to say goodbye to 'long' hair...

is more carefree...

yup...SHIOBAN!

i think she's lovin' it...shorter, bouncier and oh so adorable! hmmm...wish i could do the same...

summer+heat=pixie cut...now that's a 'good thing!!!'

Happy August!

bonne nuit!

xoxo jo ;)