We just wanted to let you know some of the fun things happening at our Table. Tomorrow, Fancy Friday will be a Link Up party for all things GREEN and ST. PATRICK’S DAY! So, get your posts ready and link up tomorrow. Speaking of St. Patrick’s Day…let’s talk Ireland for a minute. I (Kristin) went to Ireland about  6 years ago. My husband and I have great friends who live there and are doing amazing work on reconciliation. They bring people to the table who have very different views and faith to share and listen to one another. One way they want to increase that conversation in their community, in Northern Ireland, is to open a Cafe. Since my husband and I owned Jahva House, we have always had a heart to help others open their own. We are firm believers that whole communities can be transformed over a cup of coffee. They have invited us to come to Ireland next month to help them and their team open up their coffee shop. I’m thrilled!

Speaking of COFFEE…have you seen what we added to the SHOP?

LoveFeast Brew

I’m hoping to share more with you in the upcoming weeks. In the meantime, if you’ve ever wanted to visit Ireland, International Delight is GIVING AWAY a trip for two, HERE. It’s easy to enter and you can enter once every day.

We’re sure you’ve noticed we are doing more with the BlogFrog community. Chris Ann and I have wanted for some time to create a place where we can all have more conversation. So, we started working with the International Delight Community. It has been a blast! There are 10 or so community leaders who start daily conversations. Then once a week or so, there is a LIVE Chat, which is like having an hour of talk time with your girlfriends, in real time. We’ve met amazing women and have also learned so much. We have decided to so something similar here at LoveFeast Table. Next week, we will be hosting our own LIVE Chat HERE on March 21 at 9pm eastern. We’d love for you to join us! We will be talking about …COMMUNITY. We want to hear your thoughts on how you are building community, meeting people online and how those compare to your IRL relationships. Will you join us?

Here is a snippet of what is happening at the International Delight Community to give you a taste!

Well, we know that’s a lot of fun info! One of our heart’s desires is to give everyone a place to pull up a chair to the (virtual) Table. We believe the more the merrier!

Check out these popular conversations from my community

What Makes You Unfollow?
So I’m curious over our cup of coffee here.. what makes you
unfollow a blog? I have a only a small group of visable followers
so i notice if the number drops off and it’s like….”hey where did
you go?” why?  May be the follow a lot of blogs and are just
cleaning house.. but still.. ouch

… read more…

What’s Your Slam Dunk Pulled Together Look for Spring?

You have a school function to go to or a last minute business
meeting. What are your tricks for pulling together a slam dunk
spring look at the last minute?  You know, the look that says
“I’m fashion forward”…I look pulled together (you’d never know I
was wrestling toddlers an hour earl… read more…

How do you unwind at night?
I have terrible insomnia, and am told that I should develop a
nighttime routine to help me unwind. Specifically, that I should
NOT look at TV, the Internet, my phone, or anything electronic for
at least an hour before bedtime. Easier said than done!
How do you unwind at night?

read more…

Powered by BlogFrog

Whoohooo!!  Guess who is blowing out 40 candles today!!  Kristin!  My LoveFeast Table partner in crime.  Now that Kristin is at “the top of the hill” (I didn’t say it first!)  you could say that it will be all down hill from here ~ LOL.  But, I can tell you this (from experience) Kristin’s 40’s ~ will probably be more of all the wonderful things her life is already filled with a loving husband, beautiful kids, an artistic cozy welcoming home, a table full of family friends who admire and respect her.   And a bff and biz partner who wouldn’t want to do this wild LoveFeast ride with anybody else!!

Cheers to all that goes beyond this top-of-the-hill-vista at 40!!  It’s going to be a wild ride, for sure, lots of laughs, good times, apparently LF budget forecasting (who knew?) and adventures all the way!!

High five!  Here’s to more fun filled years of LOVE, FEASTing & good friends at the TABLE!!!

Now, don’t get to winded from blowing out all those candles!!

Shew! We survived! We just wrapped up our first LIVE Chat on Coffee Talk at BlogFrog.

It was such a lively chat – what a blast!!

Yes, it was.

No major secrets came out – lol!!

Except that we use candlelight to hide craping.

Do people know what craping is?  Perhaps you should tell that story…Remember the time you called me from a restaurant because you had just over heard to ladies talking about craping in front of the mirror?  And, you had to call and tell me about it?

Yes, kinda…but, let’s just clarify, it’s not “crapping” we are talking about….”craping” AKA wrinkly skin.

I am sure that this conversation has not digressed into craping because you are about to turn 40?

Ouch. That seems to be a popular topic with you lately.

It had to come out sometime!
Tap. tap – hello?  Are you meditating?

No, just pouring another glass of vino. Taking it all in stride. Actually, I’m bound and determined to rock 40 and embrace it….I’m sure you have a few tips for surviving 40…you’ve had PLENTY of experience. Can you say reading glasses?

Oh no you didn’t!!

Actually – I thought there were quite a few great tips in our live chat tonight about ideas for your party.

Yes, I think I may roll with the chai spice kit.

Perfect for your “India” theme.  They will be great party favors.

Hookah?

Say ya!  And, I heard belly dancers!!  This will be perfect for your mid-life crisis!

Better than Billy Idol….just sayin’.

True, true!!  We won’t say who…..

Teen , just walked in and said, “You girls really need to go to bed.”

Yes, and we just finished our last sip of wine… (at the same time) (and from two different states)…so should we let peeps know when are next chat is? The online kind that is….

Totally! February 13 at 9pm. We will be chatting HERE, LIVE with Dani Petterey. Dani is a published author and will be our guest sharing tips on getting published, how to write solid posts, etc…

What about our readers who aren’t in the BlogFrog community…how do they participate?

Go into BlogFrog, create an account.  The night of the LIVE Chat, come HERE and click on the LIVE Chat, it will go live at 9pm. It’s super easy!

It was so so fun – more than I realized…it’s like hangin with the girls, at home, together and talking …letting the conversation go wherever it takes us!!  So fun!  And, Feb 13th ~ will be so inspiring!!  Should we call it a night now?

Yes, ‘cause it’s an hour later here in Baltimore. Night! I’ll call you in the morning! Any last tidbits to tell our readers?  

I’d like to say — be there!!  We want to meet you at the table!

Always!

OK ! Over and out from Minnesota!

(logged off at 10:11 central…11:11 eastern)

One of our favorite things is to share a cup of joe and some coffee chat.  When we were mothers with very young children we use to drive up and down the streets with our vans filled with sleeping toddlers and babies strapped in their car seats.  We would pass each other in the streets and nod and lift our cups to each other.

Times have changed for us!!  We’re now “coffee chatting” online ~ which is almost as good as in real life!!

Please join us TOMORROW for a LIVE CHAT  :  Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 9 pm est

We are going to be hosting the chat, along with our friend Heather from Whipperberry ~ on the topic of Hospitality and Entertaining!  We will share a conversation around ~ tips for entertaining, menu planning, conversation and memories!

IF YOU HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE:

First, join us at the International Delight: Coffee Talk Community on BlogFrog, HERE .  

Put the kids to bed earlier and ask  your hubby to do the dishes (that’s what we’re doing!)

Pour yourself a hot cup of joe and maybe somethin’ special to add into it !

Pull up a chair and join us online!! 

You know we are firm believers, in the more the merrier! So, pull up a chair to the virtual table and bring your tips and tricks to share. We are always on the hunt for new ideas on how to make a dinner party a success! 

Let us know if you’ll be there & what you are interested in chatting about too!

And just to give you a taste of some of the other conversations happening at the Coffee Talk Community take a look below…and hop in to the conversation! We’d love to get to know you better!

Check out these new conversations from my community

Before Kids……….
Before you had children, did you work full time outside
house?  If you’re still working full time outside the house,
did you change jobs?
Basically…….what did you do before you had children?
I worked full time in the fitness industry.  I’m still
working in the fitness industry, bu… read more…

What do you think about reusable K-Cup Filters?
Ok Ok…I need your opinion!  I got a keurig for Christmas
and while I am in love, I miss some of my old coffee beans.  I
have heard that the reusable k cup filters make watered down
coffee, etc.  So I have been skeptical to try.
I am wondering do you use the reusable filter?&nbsp… read more…

How Do You Fit “Fitness” Into Your Weekly Routine?
I feel like I can’t get a thirty minute block anywhere in my day
to do anything active…it seems like there is always a kid who
wants to hang on me right when some free time opens up.  And,
since the weather is unpredictable right now, it isn’t easy to grab
them all and head out for a walk… read more…

Powered by BlogFrog

A couple of years ago Kristin and I did some promotional work for a lovely hotel in Playa del Carmen called Azul Sensatori.  During our trip we visited a Children’s Home that friends of Kristin and Devon’s, Mike and Terrill, had been working on for about ten years.  It was the perfect time to see the progress that had happened over the years, with our own eyes.

After our first visit my husband had the inspiration to invite his company to get involved with this project.  That inspiration became the beginning of yearly trips during his company’s sales meetings.  You see it is not hard to want to help a community that takes such pride in their homes, be they ever so humble and their children and families.

My husband Todd and I have been back 3 times total, including a trip with our children.   We just returned a few weeks ago from our 2nd trip with Todd’s company, Capstone, which is a children’s book publisher.  We spent a day handing out books in the surrounding shanty town area, working on the grounds, and helping make and serve meals to the children and families in that community.

We have an idea of how we would like to involve our LoveFeast Table community as well.  Kristin and I knew right away, the first time we visited, where we wanted to contribute.  We then decided that we would take on  The Kitchen Project. We want to help pull together the people, brands, and resources need to fulfill the dream of having a kitchen at the Children’s Home.  There are plans in place for a fully built out kitchen, clean water and beautiful community gardens.  When the time is right ~ we are looking forward to supporting this vision.

This cinder block shell of a building will become a vibrant kitchen that will serve children and the community.

We really want to do more together with our community here at LoveFeast Table.  We want to inspire savoring a beautiful life.  Sometimes that can be to enjoy beautiful things, the kinds of items we gather in our LoveFeast Shop.  But, we truly believe that savoring a beautiful life is just not about savoring external beauty ~ even if it brings some joy.  Lasting beauty is what the eye cannot see, and that means living in a way that is about giving.  We think being a part of making something beautiful for someone else ~ is a lasting gift of beauty.

We want you to be a part of making those kind of dreams for someone else ~ with us.

We have already extended ourselves with the Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack effort to raise $24000 for a Mobile Pack unit to feed starving children.  But, we did want to share a peek into what else we would love to do in the coming years.  We know that these types of dreams don’t happen over night.  It’s a process and a journey.

You never know when you give someone a gift what beautiful new path it might put them on…

We hope you join us on these endeavors!!  Let’s together, help make something beautiful for someone else!

If you have ideas, connections, can right a post, or send  information to a friend, about either our project with Feed My Starving Children or The Kitchen Project, we would truly be thankful.

You can visit our LoveFeast Mobile Pack donation page HERE.

You can grab a badge and help spread the word HERE.

Let’s, together, make 2012 about savoring something truly beautiful – let’s REACH for the unseen beautiful something – Giving.

Wondering who the winner of the LoveFeast HeartGram™ is?  Wanna know who is going to get to send some Valentine love?

The winner from the giveaway  is ~ Carrie Phillips !!

Comment: I would definitely send this to my mother and make it from my two preschool sons. She would love to get a valentine like this from them! Thanks, Carrie (permalink)

*****

Now ~ don’t fret…you can send your own, to your Valentine, your friend or yourself.  It’s OK to love you some heart pumpkins.  We’ve never seen one before this ourselves ~ and that’s why we think their neat!

You can find the HeartGram™  at our LoveFeast Shop, along with plush velvet pumpkins, beautiful jewelry, art, and our delicious LoveFeast Coffee Cake.  We constantly keeping our eye open for an inspired find!

You never know who, or what you’ll find on the journey ~

Today, I’m home in Baltimore, homeschooling my 3 younger kids (in theory). My husband is at work with our 14 year old who is off of high school this week.  My oldest son, Drama Boy (17) is in Minnesota with Chris Ann and her family.

My thoughts have drifted to 15 years ago, when our two oldest sons were toddlers sharing a plastic table with a plate of cut up chicken nuggets and apples. Their vocabulary was limited, but somehow, even then, Chris Ann and I saw how easy they were with each other. They accepted each other.

Today, Chris Ann is being “stand in mama” and she is taking my oldest to his first college audition.  He has spent the past 3 1/2 years at a well known arts high school, learning the craft of acting.  It has not been easy. The school’s program prides itself on conservatory training, not making exceptions because the kids learning are just teenagers. They take a journey of discovering and owning who they are as people.  It has been a challenge.  Who knows who they are at 15?! There were challenges that arose along the way that made my husband and I wonder if Drama Boy would be able to survive. But, as I waved goodbye to him last week, when he was boarding the plane, on his own…I knew in my heart, he’d done it.

And, can I just tell you?! I am one blessed girl, that my bff is able to be by my kid’s side at his first audition!  She has spent the week, spoiling him.  They have shopped for a new audition outfit, shared sushi, played like they were suburban Brits while shopping in the posh grocery store…and shared meals with the whole family.  Drama Boy and Chris Ann’s oldest, have done homework together, toured the college with Todd, went snowboarding, dancing…and spent moments catching up.  Drama boy called me last night and said, “I have more friends here in Minnesota than in Baltimore.” That statement speaks of just how treasured their friendship is…how easy it is.

I’m so grateful today.  I’m also, patiently waiting by the phone for the update that he nailed it!

One season of for our plush bountiful beauties wasn’t’ enough!!  Just when we thought the end in was in sight – our eye caught a sweet little find in the pumpkin warehouse… a delicate sweet little curved up heart-shaped beauty there all alone.  Hearts be still.  We knew our pumpkin lovin’ friends would appreciate something to add to their nest of pumpkins! And, also the ability to share some pumpkin love!

We’re spreading the Valentine’s Day love early with a giveaway of our HeartGram™ which includes a pair of heart-shaped pumpkins with real natural stems.  The perfect gift to send to you Valentine.  It includes a vintage inspired postcard with which to send your message.  Perfect gift for family, friends, co-workers, teachers, or sweetheart!

We’ve packaged up a single or sets of these heart-shaped pumpkins in crinkled paper, gift boxed them and tied them with a beautiful red ribbon.  Each velvet heart-shaped pumpkin filled box includes a vintage inspired HeartGram™ postcard.

We’re so happy you have landed here today from The Nesting Place or perhaps somewhere else on the web.  At any rate this is your lucky day.  We’re doing a giveaway here at LoveFeast Table of our brand new, HeartGram™.

Giveaway open to US residents only.  This  giveaway will close on Thursday, January 26 at midnight. Stop by on Saturday the 28th around 9am, to find out our HeartGram™ winner!

Hear is how to win a LoveFeast HeartGram™ ~

Leave a comment – we’d love to know who you’d send a HeartGram™ to!

*Extra chance for twitter – but you must leave the information in a separate comment.

*Extra chance for Facebook update w/link of this post – but you must leave the information in a separate comment.

There are more giveaways going on over at The Nesting Place you can visit and sign up for as many as you like!

Oh happy day!

*****

We’d love to get to know you more!  Please visit The Traveling Cookbook page on our site here to learn about our project to raise $24000 for a Mobile Pack from Feed My Starving Children that will create 100,000 meals for starving children.  Many bloggers, readers and friends are joining us at the table for this exciting goal and important cause.

Get to know our story here.  Meet us here.  Join us on Facebook here.  Join us on Twitter here.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

When looking for products for LoveFeast Shop, there are a few criteria that we look for.  1) Does it make us happy? 2)Would we have it in our own homes and lives? 3)Is it unique? 4)Is it finely crafted? 5)Does it reflect a part of our journey?

Recently we added Skateboard Art to our Shop.  As soon as we stumbled on this artist at a local craft show and saw the unique ways she had upcycled used skateboard decks, we knew it was a perfect fit.

Upcycled Skateboard Luggage Tags $15

The luggage tags were unique and made us smile.  Not to mention, added to a Gussy LoveFeast Vacation Bag, added just a bit of urban edge that we like.

We had never seen skateboard decks upcycled in such a way that they could grace a table.

Upcycled Skateboard Salad Servers $65

And every time we look at these items, we remember the boys at Ridge.  The boys we LoveBombed for over a year.  The boy, from Ridge, we had live with us for a year.  These products remind us of the place these boys have in our hearts.  Recently, skater brother moved out.  He left us with a gift. This gift.

If only I could package it and put it in the Shop, I’d be able to share it with you.

I was at my aunt and uncle’s on Christmas.  They are both entrepreneurs.  They each had a dream, set out to pursue it and didn’t let anything stand in the way of making it happen.  My uncle was our business manager when we opened Jahva House.  He helped us write a business plan, think through the finances and marketing and was a wealth of information. He has an entrepreneurial spirit.

One of my cousins was sharing how he thought he may transition one day from being in law enforcement to starting his own company.  I said, “It’s a roller coaster ride.”  My uncle said, “It is, especially in the beginning. There are highs and lows.  But, then as you begin to walk it out, the distance between those hills begins to plateau and slowly climb.  That’s when it gets fun.”

My husband is self employed.  The past couple of years have been a roller coaster ride.  This last year, we’ve been hanging on for dear life.  But, the thought of going back to work for someone else doesn’t make us happy. There is something exhilarating about having a picture or a dream of what you want to create, then slowly building it…step by step until it takes on a shape and a personality that is all your own.

Chris Ann and I are beginning to move on from the beginning stages of our start up.  It has been a bumpy road.  We had a dream and a vision, but to be honest, we weren’t totally clear on that picture.  We knew we wanted to create careers for ourselves and we wanted to have a business that was a creative playground, so to speak.  The past three years we’ve pushed and pulled this lump of clay until it began to take shape.  Can I just say, last weekend, we had a “pinch us” moment.  The picture is becoming clear!  LoveFeast is becoming tangible and this roller coaster is moving.

If you’ve ever wanted to go into business for yourself but weren’t really sure…can I just encourage you, it is one of those rides.  You know the kind, while you’re on it, you’re screaming with every drop and wondering in your head why you ever talked yourself into getting on…but once you’re off, you go get back in line…’cause it was a thrill!  Here are a few of my tips for enjoying the ride:

1. Being willing to take a risk.

2. Have some sort of picture of where you’re going.

3. Determine to have white knuckle tenacity

4. Surround yourself with great people who will encourage you and who have an entrepreneurial spirit.

My daughter just asked me if I thought she could start a nail salon business at our house. (Chris Ann and I both have entrepreneurial kids.) I said, “Maybe not right now…but one day.” Then I picked up this knitted coffee cup cozy she made me for Christmas and said, “But, you could make these right now and start a business.” I love that the entrepreneurial spirit is being passed on.

Are you an entrepreneur or do you have a goal to be one, one day? We’d love to hear about it.