LAST MINUTE GIFTS

My shop is having a SALE! Free shipping on ALL items, plus....

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING on all orders of $25 and over.

And that's not all....... 20% off Everything! This includes my Scarves & Winter Wear, Christmas Items, Home Decor & Spring/Summer Wear.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Dancing with Jesus

Today is the one year anniversary of my mom's passing away. I like to call it her "birthday to heaven". She is whole and happy. She is dancing with Jesus, praising the Lord eternally. I miss her more every day, not less. Knowing she is with God helps a little but doesn't fill the whole left in my heart since she left. I love her forever whether we are together on earth or not.

My dad came up yesterday to be with me for today, which was helpful. He even brought gifts, her purse and wallet, and also her personal Bible. I was overjoyed to receive those priceless gifts!

Today my dad and I decided to celebrate her life, and her birthday to heaven. We went to a lake that she liked, and tossed flowers into the water, and released a balloon into the air over the lake. I wrote her a letter, and attached it to the balloon. We watched it fly for several minutes until it was completely out of view. It was actually a beautiful tribute to her life and we  had tears in our eyes. We started talking about her life, and her 3 month illness. There were many good memories, many times of laughter and lots of tears during that illness. Memories that will stay with me forever! Then we ate her favorite candy, York peppermint patties.

I am sad today, but I am sad every day that I don't have her here with me. But I also have the blessed assurance that I will be reunited with her someday, and will live forever in heaven with her. I look forward to that so much, but until then I must live my life in a way that would please her and make her proud. I live every day leaning on my Jesus, living for Him. I try to be a good mom, and daughter to my dad. She would love that!

I know she is dancing with Jesus, running free and spending time with her own mom, happy and waiting for my arrival. I love her so very much, always and forever.

Almost a Year Now

Well, it's been one of those years. On Monday, it will be one year since my mom was "birthed to Paradise" and took her journey to heaven. It's been a long, hard year. There have been many tears, and lots of empty sadness in my heart. I will never be the same, even when the wound heals there will be a hole forever in my heart. When I get to heaven and reunite with my sweet Mommy, then I will be whole again. I will have all of my loved ones with me and we'll celebrate our Lord together forever. Until then, I miss her with a depth of sadness that cannot be put into words.

One year ago today I went down to see her one last time. On the 5th they told my dad she would die on that day. On the 6th she was still hanging on, so we took a drive to try to see her. I got to hold her hand, kiss her and talk in her ear even though she could not respond. She was sleeping in a very deep sleep, getting ready to meet her Lord and Savior. We had to leave the following afternoon to get home and be with my autistic son, so I didn't have much time. I slept for maybe 1 1/2 hours by her side then stayed up the rest of the time, watching her and speaking softly to her. I guess it was not the Lord's will for me to be with her when her time came, because she hung on while I was there and after. The following morning I called to check on her, and was on the phone when she took her last breath on the 8th of November. It's still hard to think about. I'm still trying to sort through my feelings. I'm still missing a piece of my heart. My dad is coming tomorrow to be with me through Monday for the one-year anniversary of her birth to heaven.

The kids have been great as well. My aunt has become my confidante. I have lots of family and friends who have prayed for me. I know because I feel them. I know because I feel His arms around me all the time.

Facebook Giveaway

FACEBOOK GIVEAWAY

I have 187 fans on my Facebook Fan Page, and when I hit 200 I will be drawing a name to win my giveaway. Fans have been asking what the giveaway will be, but I have been rather elusive in my answer. I am finally revealing the secret prize, which is.....

Your choice of any item $5 or under from my mattscraftywife Artfire Shop!

This includes any Christmas stocking ornament, and my cup cozy/coasters. ANY item that is $5 or under can be the prize. When I draw the name, using random.org, I will notify the winner on my fan page. If they don't respond within 48 hours, I will draw a different name. The winner will be posted here after they respond also.

This giveaway is for fans of my Facebook Page only, so come on over and become a fan and be eligible for this awesome giveaway! The name drawing will happen as soon as I reach 200 fans, only 13 more to go!

Scarf Help

Choosing the Right Scarf

Finding the right scarf can be difficult. Some people live in very cold climates and need very warm scarves, and others live where it's just chilly so need light protection from the cool air. This article is coming to help you figure out what you need.

Wool and silk scarf in blue.

Wool is one of the warmest materials to wear, so if you live in a very cold climate wool is a great choice. Some wools are softer than others, and some wash better than others. Wool with silk is very soft and, of course silky. It requires a bit more care when washing however. A wool with acrylic can be soft, and is machine washable and dryable. Wool is pretty affordable when used with acrylic or cotton too, and pricier when paired with silk.

Plum Scarf in cotton

Cotton works great because it is all natural but is not as warm as wool. Cotton works really well for those in cool climates, not very cold ones. Cotton has a pretty easy care routine

as well. Cotton mixed with acrylic is warmer than just cotton usually and is easier to wash.

Total acrylic yarn scarves can be pretty warm, not as warm as wool of course. They are also machine washable and dryable in most cases.

Chenille scarf in black and hot pink.

Chenille (the fuzzy velvety yarn or fabric) is warm and cozy, super soft against the skin.

Scarflette in cotton and acrylic

Silk scarves are best for style, not warmth, when they are just silk not combined with a warmer material like wool.

That's a small synopsis of how to choose the right scarf, for both warmth and care. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Gifts for Men or Women

Christmas is coming and I've started shopping! I'm always looking for gifts for both men and women. Shopping online is a great place to find gifts for both sexes. There are gifts for the home, for the recipient to wear, and many other choices. I have seen lots of great items on ArtFire that I'd like to share in case anyone needs to find a gift that works for men or women.

Blue Luxurious Silk and Wool Scarf for Men or Women by me, MattsCraftyWife.

Etched Cross Metal Stone Inspirational Necklace by wirenwhimsy, unisex gift idea.

Black Pigskin Wallet from cosmichippodesigns is a beautiful unisex gift.

Fir Tree Soap for men or women, festive and fun gift from LusciousLather.

Moonlight Wedding Band Ring from ngoriginals is the perfect gift for a man or a woman.

Cherry's Creations made this Amazing Grace Cross that would work for men or women. It's beautifully made and would be a lovely gift!

I hope these gift ideas help you to find something you like! Unisex gifts are perfect when you don't know what to buy someone for Christmas. Thanks for browsing with me.

Cup Cozy Sale in My Shop

Cup Cozy Sale!

All of my cozies, except the candy corn model, are on sale in my Artfire Shop, MattsCraftyWife.

They are 1.50 each, with 1.50 to ship, so they are affordable Christmas gifts, or treats for yourself!

There are several colors left, come and get them!

Pinks, purples, patriotic red white and blue, pastels, yellow, lime, blue...

Sale won't last long so come and get 'em!

Visit my Shop to see the great sale!

Time for Fall!

Time for Fall!

I am so ready for Fall- including Thanksgiving! I am getting in the spirit by decorating my home in fall colors and themes such as pumpkins and turkeys. I also decided to make these cute lil pumpkin ornaments for my aunt who has a palm tree in her house that she decorates for the seasons and holidays. I sent them to her and she loved them, so I'm making more to sell in my Artfire Shop. Hopefully customers will think they are cute, too.

Pumpkins are very special to me and I love to crochet them in all kinds of sizes, as ornaments and as table decor.

Featured Item Fridays!

I have been doing "Featured Item Fridays" for a few weeks on my Facebook Fan Page. Here is how it works... I find an item in my shop to mark down 25% each week. I post it on my FB fan page with a link. The buyer needs to either contact me first to change the price, or be refunded the amount through Paypal after the sale. When purchasing, the buyer will put "FB FAN" in the notes to the seller when they check out, and I will know that they saw the deal. Pretty easy, right?!

You must be a fan of my Facebook Page to get in on the deal. Come on over and click "LIKE" on the top of my page and get in on the action. I have these deals every week and other secret sales there as well. It's a great way to save money on some quality handmade items. I crochet or knit every item with great attention to detail and with lots of love. I have things from scarves and shawls to Christmas ornaments and home decor... and much more.

Today's featured item is my Plum Passion Purple Scarf in Soft Cotton, Super Long. Come on over and say hello on MattsCraftyWife on Facebook!

Artfire Pro Group Deal!

Pro Account Group Deal on Artfire

Artfire is offering an amazing deal on pro accounts! The ArtFire.com group deal will be activated once 20,000 members have opted into the promotion. Sign up now to get locked in at $5.95 a month for LIFE. Once 20,000 members have opted in, we'll get this fantastic deal for life on our Artfire accounts. Isn't that awesome? I have signed up already and anxiously awaiting the quota to be filled so I can enjoy the perks of a Pro account. Sign up HERE.

Here is my Artfire shop in case you want to visit, MattsCraftyWife

The Shack

I'm reading The Shack right now, by William P. Young and have to recommend it to everyone I know now. I'm not even finished, about 2/3 through it, and love it so much that I'm telling all of my friends about it! There is some very deep spiritual meat to chew on in this awesome book. I don't want to give too much away, because I hope you will all read it yourselves. The main character is struggling with a tragic event and God steps in to help him through it. This is The God people can relate to, the Real God who Loves in the gentlest way. I have had many tears and a few laughs too. I feel closer to the Lord than ever, and that's saying something because He has been my best friend for many years. I am trying to see the world through His eyes, and the people in the world in the same way. If you can't afford to buy it (there are inexpensive copies on Amazon), then try your local library! Meet the God who can change your life, if you haven't already.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

BIG 10% OFF SALE!

Happy Labor Day Weekend! I hope everyone has a great long weekend. I decided that a nice way to celebrate would be to have a 10% off sale in my Artfire shop this weekend. The sale is from now, Friday night, to Monday night at 11:59 pm. I have a fabulous selection of shawls that keeps growing, plus scarves added weekly and much more.
I love to create shawls and scarves in the fall. I have had some wonderful inspiration lately and am very pleased with the shawls and scarves that I crocheted. I have many more projects in the works and will be adding them to my shop as I finish them.
Take advantage of this shop-wide sale going on now at mattscraftywife on Artfire! Save money on that beautiful handmade item that you have had your eye on for awhile!

Happy birthday Mommy

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Today is my mommy pooh's 63rd birthday, if she were on earth. It is her first in heaven. I miss her so much. It's been a really hard day, the worst one yet. I do not wish her back to earth, I am happy for her not being in pain, and being with the Lord and her mom again. I just miss her like crazy here. Life is so different without her, it will never be the same. I'm learning to live with the new "normal" but it is very hard. I made her a cake today, her very favorite. We called it "chocolate, chocolate, chocolate" It's a chocolate cake, then chocolate chips are mixed in before baking, then chocolate frosting on top and between the 2 layers. She loves that cake and I had to make it today for her birthday. 3 of my aunts called today to check on me and that was such a wonderful surprise. They were all concerned for me and for my dad today. We made it through the day but not without many many tears.

I love my mom, now and forever. I'm blessed to have such a wonderful mommy, who always loves me unconditionally. I will see her again, in the by-and-by. Until then, I'm here missing her every day.

New Shrug!

New cream cotton shrug!

New shrug is available in my Artfire shop, mattscraftywife!

I crocheted this lovely cream colored shrug with some fancy cotton/rayon yarn I bought recently. It is so soft and satiny! Feels great on the skin. Since a shrug usually touches the skin near the shoulders and neck, and part of the arms, it's nice when the material is soft. This cream shrug looks great with jeans as shown, or with shorts, a dress or a skirt and shirt. It is light and airy, crocheted in a open lacy design. Please check it out and let me know what you think. I designed this cream shrug myself, and love how cute it came out!

New Thread Crochet Listings!

Thread Crochet Listings

{Just click on the picture to go to the listing in my shop on Artfire.}

I have some new listings on Artfire now. Today I finished this angel:

I had fun making this one, the design is mine and I love how she turned out. Crocheted angels are so pretty and I can make them in any color or combination of colors. I also have a cross listed that I designed and can make in any color:

This crocheted cross has points that give it extra appeal. I can also add beads to this to make it sparkly and give it more interest. I have many colors of thread to make these items with, if anyone wants something different all they need to do is ask!

And my Breast Cancer Awareness Angels are great gifts for anyone who has survived breast cancer, or for anyone who has lost a loved one after a battle with breast cancer. This one is beaded and can hang in a car rearview mirror, on a wall or anywhere. She has a pink ribbon sewn on at her waist and a bead in the middle of it as well. I'm very proud of how she turned out, and since my mom passed away from breast cancer and a brain tumor 7 months ago, she has special meaning to me.

Enjoying Artfire

I have set up an account on Artfire, and so far I LOVE IT. I don't know if the sales fairy will visit me or not, but time will tell! I think the setup process is so much easier than Etsy, where I used to sell. The process to list a new item is amazing. There is one simple page with everything I need to list an item. On Etsy there are four or five pages to go through and it takes forever. One thing about Artfire is that it seems to have personality and a bit more personal style added to my shop. I only have two items listed right now, but plan to list a lot more and see how it goes. It costs nothing to list items, and nothing when the items sell. They make their money by having pro accounts that sellers can buy, at $15.95 a month. There are some features not available on basic that are available on pro, and that's what you pay for if you get a pro account. I have a basic account for now, and plan to keep it. Free is for me!

Visit My Artfire Shop and see the cute crochet items I am listing and selling.

The Next Chapter

My new item, Crochet Brooches

I'm enjoying my off-Etsy time! I know it was the right decision to close up shop a few weeks ago. I've been really having fun during my free time. I needed a break from selling all together for the last few weeks. Now I'm ready to sell again, but at my own pace and on a site with less stress for me. I was going broke relisting trying to stay on top of searches, so I'm now selling a few little items on my Facebook Fan Page. I'm having a trial run there, and will see if I like it or not. Here is the link to it:

MattsCraftyWife

Along with that change, I've just changed my blog background and layout. I love how it looks now, so fresh and new. I hope this new chapter will be fun, having a few items for sale on Facebook, where I made most of my sales before anyway! If not, I'll move on to the next chapter of life.

The End of an Era

The time has come. The end of an era. I am officially closing my Etsy shop, mattscraftywife. I have thought long and hard about this and feel it is the right decision. I have a part time job working from home and do not have the time to devote to making new items for my Etsy shop now. Sales have been pretty slow for the better part of a year. The passing of my mom has brought me to a new chapter in my life, whether I like it or not, and it's time to do something else. I just don't have the heart for it right now.

I will be leaving my BreathofDawnStudio shop open until fall/winter to see if the higher-end scarves and winter items will sell. If they do, I might keep that shop as a seasonal shop. I will not be leaving Etsy altogether, I will still log in with the one shop in order to check on sales, and to check in with my teams. I'll just be laying a little low until Fall. I can still be found on Facebook at My Fan Page.

A Great Big thank you to all of the customers who have come to me and been loyal to me. I also need to thank my Etsy friends who taught me so much and supported me during some hard times. You all are dear to my heart. And thanks to my husband who has supported my time on Etsy, and my other family members who bought from me and supported me emotionally. Of course I thank and praise God for the success I had on Etsy over the last two years. I had 319 sales as of today, with 100% positive feedback. Maybe someday God will bring me back to Etsy on a more regular basis, who knows. Until then...

Farewell!

Easter Sunday

He is Risen!

He has risen from the grave! The tomb is empty! Hallelujah!

Happy Easter Sunday!

Palm Sunday

The Triumphal Entry

John 12:12-15

¹²The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Blessed is the King of Israel!" ¹⁴Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
¹⁵"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey's colt."

Today is Palm Sunday. I am thinking back to my childhood today. I grew up Catholic and Palm Sunday was always a big deal. They handed out palm fronds and we waved them just like they did when Jesus came back to Jerusalem. I can still remember how much my sweet mom loved Palm Sunday. She was a true lover of the Lord, and is now Home with Him in heaven. This will be my first Easter without her, and it will be very difficult. I am trying to remember that she is happy, happier than ever in this life, in heaven. She is with Jesus celebrating Palm Sunday today in the most spectacular celebration. I can not imagine what heaven is like, but I know it is full of worship, full of love, and full of joy. I know she is happy and content, praising her Lord today in eternity. I love her and miss her and will Praise the Lord even through my sadness and pain. She would want me to, and I need to because I too am a Lover of the Lord!

My Daughter Has an Etsy Shop!

My thirteen year old daughter won an award for her art last year, and has decided to open an Etsy shop to sell original watercolors, drawings and other art. It opened today, and we listed her very first painting. It is called "Evening Meadow".

Please check out her shop at foreverdawn17 on Etsy.

Missing Mommy "TODAY"

Today

Chorus:
Today, is the happiest day of her life
I should be happy for her today
So tell me why are these tears in my eyes?
I know i should be happy for her
But i've lost everything
I've lost everything i've ever wanted today
I heard this song today and found it to mean something different to me than what he was really singing about. He is singing about a woman he loved, that is marrying someone else "today". But when I hear the chorus, I think of my sweet mommy. The day she went to heaven WAS the happiest day of her life, how could it not be? I am happy for her, but there are still tears in my eyes... often. I didn't lose EVERYTHING because I still have three great kids, and other family like Dad. But I lost a lot that day, so much more than words can explain. I had tears streaming during this song today, and had to go and look at photos of mom because I miss her so much today. I don't think this pain will ever go away. It may lessen a little, but never go away. I am mommy's girl, always. She was my best girlfriend and my mom. She always will be. Yesterday was four months since she went to be with Jesus in heaven, that may not be helping my feelings right now! These are just my musings from the depths of my sadness.

More Blog Wins

Yep, I won MORE blog contests. I'm on a roll! I have learned, if I don't enter I can't win. So I entered several and won some of them! I'm not entering any more right now since I got so lucky with these, to give others a better chance to win, having one less name on the list. :)



this is one of my wins, from the Loud and Wacky Street Team. It was a goodie box full of stuff from several of their members. Inside were a small black and red knitted pouch, a felted bag, several cards and postcards, an ACEO with hearts, a heart shaped clay magnet, a heart shaped keychain, a guitar pick necklace, a pair of earrings, stickers, notepads and a pencil. WOW I was so blown away by all of this wonderful stuff!!! I'm so thankful that I won such wonderful things.



I also won these ACEOS from Kathy of Tapestry 316. I received this beautiful ACEO along with a few others that she chose for me. I love them so much! She is a wonderful lady - check out her shop and blog.




Lastly, I won this set of wonderful items from Marlene of Marlene's Musings. Included was a book about acrylic paintings, an ACEO and a beautiful pair of blue beaded earrings. I'm just thrilled with this stuff!! My teen daughter is a painter so the book was given to her to learn from. Her Etsy Shop is wonderful! Check it out.

I'm so thankful to all of these etsy shops and teams for having wonderful giveaways. I hope you will take a look at all of them!