Calling All Shipping Pros!

I need your help!

I just had the most ridiculous time at the post office.

A month ago when I started looking at shipping costs, I got really excited to find out about USPS's $4.95 flat rate shipping.  I also got really excited to see that they would send any boxes to you that you requested.  So I requested one pack each of small, medium, and large flat rate shipping boxes, totaling 30 boxes to mail my items to customers who purchased things on Etsy.

When I went to use my flat rate shipping boxes for the first time today, I packaged two sets of items lovingly in medium sized boxes, tucked them in gently with tissue paper, and set a card inside each box with a note to the recipient.

I was proud of myself for packing everything up at home, and doing it in such a nice, presentable way.  I was also happy to cut out the hectic packaging in line at the post office.

But when I set my boxes in front of the man behind the counter, he put labels on them and promptly charged me $10.20 each.  Each?!?  What happened to the $4.95 flat rate shipping?  I still don't quite understand what he said to me as he briskly tried to finish with me and get on with the next customer.  Apparently I picked the wrong boxes.  Apparently, the $4.95 flat rate shipping applies to an envelope.  What's the point of that?

I was flustered, embarrassed, and completely confused.  Thankfully, he allowed me to step out of line and shovel my beloved items into smaller boxes that only cost a little over $5 each.  I still don't understand the difference, though.

Etsy ladies, how do you do it?  I always see low shipping/handling costs in Etsy shops, but don't know how you pull it off if the USPS wants to charge me ten bucks to mail someone 50 miles away a hat and scarf.

What am I doing wrong?

Can you please share your wisdom with me?  How do you ship things?  What do you charge?  What's the secret knowledge that I'm missing out on?

Date with God

Our 2nd annual "Date with God" is coming up soon, and I'm excited!

What is "Date with God?"

It's an evening of chocolate and roses, Scripture, music, candles, and being reminded of God's love for us

Our first " Date with God" went beautifully last year, and I'm already looking forward to the one we're having this February 4th.

Friends and I began it last year at our church, fashioning it after a similar Date with God idea that is done every February at Concordia University, Irvine.

We adapted ours to be for jr. high and high school age young ladies.

The girls dressed up for their "date," and we hand each one a pink rose when they come in.  The night is filled with worship music, devotions, and prayer.  I love seeing these young girls share their hearts with Jesus.

One thing we learned the hard way last year is to never plan an event like this during Lent!  It hadn't even occurred to us, and we had so many lovely little desserts for the girls to eat (most of whom had given up sweets!)

It was such a lovely evening.

Invitations were sent out this week to all the girls in our church, and I can't wait for this special night!

If you're interested in doing something like this at your church, I have many resources I would be happy to pass on to you.

It's a blessing to be a blessing ♥

.

Tape and Rollers

That's what my day will consist of.

I'm excited.

Farewell, 40 year old aquamarine colored paint.

Soon to be...Hello, Craft Room of my dreams!

You probably won't hear from me much today.  But when I return, I will return victorious!

Psalm 111

We read this psalm in church today.  It resonated with me, and I wanted to share it with you:

¹ Praise the Lord!

I will thank the Lord with all my heart
as I meet with His godly people.
² How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in Him should ponder them.
³ Everything He does reveals His glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
⁴ He causes us to remember His wonderful works.
How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
⁵ He gives food to those who fear Him;
He always remembers His covenant.
⁶ He has shown his great power to His people
by giving them the lands of other nations.
⁷ All He does is just and good,
and all His commandments are trustworthy.
⁸ They are forever true,
to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
⁹ He has paid a full ransom for His people.
He has guaranteed His covenant with them forever.
What a holy, awe-inspiring name He has!
¹⁰ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom.

Praise him forever!

The Perfect Day

I had been looking forward to yesterday for weeks.

Friday was the first day that Jesse and I were able to spend together--just the two of us--since early November.  It was the first day we didn't have a church event, church-school event, youth group event, family event, or anything else.  We were so excited!

We needed a day like yesterday.  Two months is way too long to go without getting to spend a full day with the one you love.

It was perfect.

We slept in, enjoyed a lovely breakfast and a slow morning together, and then we spent our afternoon at The Huntington Library.



I had been looking forward to it for so long that I was practically giddy with excitement.  I love him!

Here are some pictures from our perfect day:

We enjoyed an audio tour of the Huntington Art Gallery.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a harp in the museum!  A single action pedal harp from 1800.  So crazy cool.

"Pinkie"

After paying homage to some of my favorite paintings, we went back outside to see what the rainforest glasshouse had to offer.

It was an absolutely perfect day.

An Etsy-Perfect Home: Birds

I've had so much fun looking at items on Etsy lately that I decided to build up a dream house with things from some of the amazing shops found there.

I think I'll do this as a series.  It's so much fun!

Here are some things that are making my heart sigh today.  (Be sure to click on the links so that you can see what other little lovelies are in each of these shops!)

Come on in!

BurlapLuxe

FadedPlains

Gem Bird

Handmade By Sima

Elitas

The Shabby Home

Fun Vintage Living

Swamp Yankee

Stone School Vintage

Plundered

Sadie Olive

Bella Chic Boutique

Lucy and Ellen

Daily Inspiration: Doily-Covered Soaps

I love this idea from Kootoyoo.  Aren't they pretty and elegant?



I like that it's a very versatile project.  You can follow Kirsty's vintage doily repurposing steps, or you can crochet you own little covers for soaps (you can even make the soaps!)

I'm tucking this idea away.  I totally want to make some of these.  When I come up with a crochet pattern for soap covers of my own, I"ll share it with you!

Happy Homemaking!

♥ Bethany