LoveFeast Table

Yes, to say our lives are filled to the brim would not be an understatement.  It’s layered with kids, husbands, homework and homeschooling, sports, travel, pets and business.  But somehow when we started this blog with our husbands cheering us on we knew we would fit it all in.

Because it’s important to us to have something creative and engaging.

It’s important to us to share a table together and to gather with you!

You could say we cut our work in half~but really the two of us just created more…together!

But, like any project working together makes it more fun!

We hope you were inspired by our series 31 Days To Savoring A Beautiful Life!  We enjoyed bringing it to you~it taught us we can post once, even twice a day, if need be!  It reminded us that life, slowed down and savored is a little bit more enjoyable and a little bit more beautiful!!

Finally, we hope you take our last tip number 31, of 31 Days Of Savoring A Beautiful Life, which is find a someone to share your work with!!  (Be it planning a meal, painting, gardening, or cleaning out a closet!)  Together is always the best place to be!!  Thanks for being a part of our journey and joining us at the table!! ~Chris Ann & Kristin

With a big shout out to the bloggers that inspired us to do our own 31 Days Series:

31 Days of Stress-free Entertaining – Sandy, The Reluctant Entertainer

31 Days to a Less Messy Nest – Nester, Nesting Place

31 Days to Grace – Emily, Chatting at the Sky

31 Days to More with Less – Jen, Balancing Bedlam and Beauty

31 Days to a Better Photo – Darcy, My 3 Boybarians

31 Days of Autumn Bliss – Melissa, The Inspired Room

31 Days of Living Simply – Emily, Remodeling this Life

31 Days to an Inspired Table – Kendra, My First Kitchen

We think Savoring A Beautiful Life can be as simple as donning a pair or amazing earrings.

The simplest outfit can be taken to another level with the right baubles.  We always knew that.  But, a while ago after we did our original earring post, Fancy Friday Earrings we knew that fact rang true.  One of our readers even commented:

“I am yet intimidated by my jewelry box. Up to now, I am the type that has a comfy set of diamond earrings that never–okay occasionally–leave my ears. One day I’ll comprehend the full power of stepping out. Thanks for the insight.”

While it may be true “diamond are a girl’s best friend” we don’t think you need to break the bank to be fabulous!  There are great earring to be had for a fraction at Target as well as pretty hand-made ones from artisan craft fairs.  “Stepping out” in a great earrings, no matter what the price, can make you feel alive, energetic and quite frankly, powerful!!

I got these for Kristin, for our trip to Mexico we took last month.  They are big and bold and one of our LoveFeast signature colors.  I like to think my earring gift sent a little secret meaning too.

“You go girl, I know you can rock these!!”

We think it never hurts to have a friend that backs you up with a great pair of earrings.  And, Kristin and I have exchanged and borrowed each other many a dangly treasure through the years.  So, there’s the tip of the day, take out your tired studs or even your classic diamonds and rock something fabulous, bold, and powerful on your ears and savor owning the day!!

“It’s not how you start or where you start from ~ it’s how you finish!” ~Advice from my friend, Frances.

Honest advice can set us out in the right direction.

Sound advice can help us see if we are on a good path.

Good advice can help you decide if you are making the right choices.

The right advice can help us see who we want to be.

The right advice can turn you in a new direction.

The right advice helps us stand firm and grow.

Have you been given or do you have some good advice that we can savor?

Recently, a dear friend of mine sent me this colorful and whimsical apron!!  It is now the inspiration piece to our next 31 Days To Savor A Beautiful Life subject ~ Aprons!!

This is an apron I received from a neighbor-lady from my childhood at my wedding shower.  I have used it for years.  It is hand made!!  I love the big pockets…which are a handy spot to drop a lego, a hair-clip, pen or pencil or just any odd bit that is out of place as I scurry through my house picking up.  This is my cleaning-up-the-house apron!

This is an antique apron that Kristin once lined a gift basket for me with.  Nestled inside the apron fabric was a group of unique and vintage cordial glasses!  This was a head start to my collection which I use at special dinners especially around the holidays.  They are very much like Happy Glasses!

This beautifully tailored, classic yet funky apron is made by our friend Janelle.  I met Janelle originally a year ago at MckMama’s Mudd Lake gathering and then later she joined us at our BlogLove event!  She and her mother had just launched their apron business, J & J Inspirations around that time and Janelle left us this apron to give away!

We thought Halloween time would be a great time to giveaway this apron!

What’s great about aprons?  They’re fun, beautiful, practical and a great way to savor your home-making and cooking with out getting your self into a mess!!  We think you should break out your mother’s, your grandmother’s or find a cute modern apron in Janelle’s shop, J & J Inspirations!

How do you win this cute apron to hang around your neck?  Three ways to win!

1.  Twitter this:  Check out the cute b&w Owl Apron #Giveaway at @lovefeast here: http://bit.ly/93JRls

2.  Follow Janelle’s new business on twitter: @jjinspirations

3.  Share a comment on this post!  And, don’t forget to let us know if you did 1 & 2!!

Contest ends October 31st, at midnight!  Winner chosen via Random.org

Wanna put a little whistle in your work?  Then this is my 31 Days To Savoring A Beautiful Life tip number 27:  Upgrade your dish soap!

Lately I’ve chosen Mrs. Meyer’s Basil scent.  My local grocery store sells it.  It’s a tad more than other commercial brands, but it makes me happy~dare I say cheerful about my scrubbing!

Scrubbing goes by quicker with happy-soap…and a cheerful tune!

What’s your trick for getting your work done and savoring the moments you’re working?

Life is so busy.  The tools around us help us flow quickly with the pace…cars, airplanes, computers and even twitter.  We communicate quickly and in real time.  It’s a gift.  We are even able to touch base with people who we wouldn’t normally through facebook.

With all of our quick communication and busy life, I kinda miss the art of the handwritten note.  Recently, we received a handwritten note from Queen of the House of Boys. She was thanking us for a wonderful time at the BlogLove European Marketplace event.  She’s our hero. The note made us smile.

This year, I’m thinking I will make a resolution to write a note a week…to an old friend, or a new one!  Maybe I’ll write a note of thanks to my kid’s teacher, or drop my dad a note just to let him know I’m thinking about him.

What about you?  Take a moment to savor the art of a handwritten note.

When was the last time you bought new spices for your pantry?  Do your spice jars look like this?

When then look like this, they have very little flavor.  Throw them out!  To fully savor your spices’ potential, look for new spices that look like this!

Some weeks ago I was bobbing and surfing the Twitter-feeds and the websites connected to them when I came across this recipe from A Farm Girl’s Dabbles.  It caught my eye and wooed my taste buds.  And, it didn’t hurt that I had beautiful peaches ripening nicely on my counter.

The thing was it was late in the afternoon.  The kids were home from school already.  I really should have been starting dinner instead of this cake.  But, I couldn’t resist.  Soon, the smell of baked sugar and peaches filled the air.  Dinner approached.  And, the questions began…”what are we having for dinner Mom?”…and then, from my 10 year old a hopeful, “cake?”.

Who am I to waste an opportunity to have this warm cake out of the oven.  And, besides…after I reread the directions over at A Farm’s Girls Dabbles…it was brought to my attention that Brenda, distinctly recommend eating this cake warm.

Before we tried it I had to take the obligatory blogger pictures.  Everyone who is part of a blogger’s family knows that first comes the photo shoot and then the feast.

Look at that smirk!  Looks like someone’s thieving a piece of cake from my photo shoot.  Or, is that a slice of a smile of someone who is getting away with having warm peach cake for dinner?

Savoring peach cake~Just what you might want to try some time for dinner.  Skip a meal, make some memories!

Here is Brenda’s cake recipe that she has agreed me to let me share with you here at LoveFeast Table!

Perfect Peach Cake

2/3 c. butter, softened
1-1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
4 medium peaches, peeled and chopped, or 3 cups frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed and chopped
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (I completely recommend the cinnamon from Penzeys Spices!)

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add flour mixture to the creamed butter and brown sugar, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat until smooth after each addition.  Gently stir in the peaches by hand.  Pour the batter into the pan.  In a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over the batter.  Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Serve warm.

Servings:  12 to 14

Source:  Penzeys Spices, originally from Maggie Dennis of Findlay, OH

Hey!! See the light bulb going on?  Here is another good idea for our 31 Days of Savoring A Beautiful Life series.

Need a break?  Grab some friends and go on an adventure for a day!  That’s what I did with my two friends Mela and Kristen.  Did we get our laundry, blogging, house-cleaning and errands done?  Nope.  But we had a great day clowning around!

Sometimes it’s hard to balance all of life’s to-do-s !

Some times it is hard to find the forest through the trees!  But, try to at least find your funnies and embrace it!

See life through rose colored glasses!

Savor~Your sense of humor!

Because~ it frames your life with happiness!

Having a fall gathering?  Isn’t this the niftiest idea ever?  It’s an old burlap sack pulled over the back of a chair and re-purposed as a slipcover.  Then, the sack was tied with some twine and decorated with festive ornamental corncobs.

This particular one was made out of old coffee bags that were found and purchased for a few dollars at a local coffee shop.

I bought some old burlap potato bags at our local garden market for a couple of bucks a piece.  I may make these slipcovers, pillows, or let my kids play some old fashioned bag races.  Burlap bags ~ re-purpose and savor holiday crafts and decorating.