Chosen Nominees

Meet our chosen nominees: 
Julie Yoder and Debbi Hoxworth. 

They are both wonderful, well deserving moms. 

To learn about their heart touching stories, please read the posts below. 

Julie Yoder

To enlarge, click on photos below

Debbi Hoxworth

To enlarge, Click on photos below

Winner of the Fall Pumpkins Giveaway

!!!!CONGRATS to MARILYN WENGERD!!!!!

Be sure to check out the FB page (link below) to see how we picked the winner!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=359882197430250&notif_t=like

Tomorrow

TOMORROW we will announce the winner of the FALL PUMPKINS, so make sure you check in tomorrow afternoon for that announcement! But even more exciting, we will reveal the 2 women that have been chosen for this years room makeovers. We so appreciate all the nominations you sent in and we truly wish we could have done them all. Tomorrow you will hear from these 2 special women about the story that God has given them. We hope after reading their stories you will be inspired to be part of their blessing by attending the CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR on November 16th. So, go and get a van full of your friends and come celebrate this Christmas Season with us! Together we can make a huge difference in a family's life. We can't wait to meet you all:)

The Design Team

Meet our Hostesses

Introducing the five women who so graciously opened their homes for the 2012 Christmas Home Tour fundraiser. To view these stories, please click on photos below.

Rebecca's Baked Apple Bowl

Inspiration by Amy -- APPLES

Apples, Apples, Apples ...

We are thinking of auctioning off a "measuring tape" table runner (just like this one) to help raise funds for our next room makeover!... what do you think?

Sooo delish, yet sooo simple! Everybody so far LOVES it... tonight will be the third night in a row that i make it!!! thank you Rebecca :)

After school snack for one of my sons and a cousin... they loved it!

Next day... after school snack for other son and his friend... they loved it too! notice the friend getting every last drop ;)

I used my husbands organic apples... I call the orchards his "mistress" because he spends so much time out there;)... sometimes even cross pollinating;)

This is the younger orchard... These chickens have free range and are here to help take care of buggy pests... aaand provide delicious healthy eggs... and entertainment and jobs for the cousins :)

HONEY CRISP... great for cider!

LIBERTY... my fave for a tart delicious apple sauce.

just perty...

Cider time!!!

This is a cool antique press the brothers found on Craig's List... just needed a few modern tweaks...

... up and running the old fashioned way :)

getting started...

a family affair...

adorable nieces helping out... here comes the cider!!!

I'm serious... if you know where I live drop by!... JoEllen (our design team FB and blog expert/administrator ;)) stopped by yesterday for a glass :) ... I love drop in visits, expectations (for a perfect house and gourmet food) are low ;)

A word from Rebecca Miller---The Importance of Hospitality:

(Read previous post, "A word from Barb"...)

I never really made a big distinction between entertainment and hospitality until the day I met Mattie Miller. I used to walk past her house every morning. Every time the florescent light would be turned on in her kitchen. I could see that light from the road. It was like a warm and fuzzy feeling every time I’d walk by. I often thought, “How fun! I would love to  someday sit in her kitchen”.  Well...

One morning, I took my walk a bit later than normal. This time when I walked by Mattie’s house, she  was out in her yard, so I decided it would be nice to talk with her. Eventually, I explained to her how the light in her kitchen warmed my heart as I walked by every morning. She then said that she thought the kitchen would love to get to know me, so we made arrangements and met the following week. I walked in and the kitchen looked much like I would have visualized. Linoleum on the floor, yellow oil cloth on the table, chrome chairs with yellow backs and seats. Well, you get the idea. It was the typical kitchen that your grandma would have in her home....all of it has remained unchanged for many years. Maxwell house coffee and wonder white bread sat on her kitchen counter. She served me coffee and French toast. I think it was the best I have ever had. (*SMILE*) We sat down across from each other...she was 84, I was 46...our worlds were totally different, both culturally and almost in every other way. But then she changed my life...she reached across the table and held my hand and prayed for me. Wow, I started tearing up. I was thinking, “This lady doesn't even know who I am but yet she is praying for God to bless me!”. thought, “She really gets it”.  She was completely comfortable in her nest/home, because she was connected to something so much bigger. Well, that breakfast at 7 in the morning started almost 6 years ago, and we still meet to this day! We meet every other Thursday and have breakfast at 7 in the morning. 

Hospitality is the "pursuit of strangers". Meaning, I am here to meet you at the heart, accept and love you in Jesus name and nothing else. The Bible says older women should teach younger women to be hospitable. Mattie doesn’t compete with me, she encourages me in my Christian walk and wants to really hear whats happening in my life. She has taught me so many great truths from the word of God and prays daily for me. She understands that as a Christian, hospitality isn't an option, but it is our responsibility to open our homes to those whose paths we cross. We need to offer them a "Place to Belong". Meeting Mattie has encouraged me to do the same to those ladies younger than me. A home isn't meant to be a place to showcase what you have, but a place that you love! A place where the food doesn't have to be gourmet. Its all about having the time in a busy schedule, to sit across the table with another precious person, to be able connect and make a difference in their life. Remember what we do now, is what we will think about when we are old. 

A word from Barb---How this all began!

Let me say first, I believe God has gifted every women He has ever created. One of the gifts that I’ve been given is the ability to see beautiful possibilities in everything. Over the years it turned into a decorating career and a passion. But, I often thought “How can God use this?”.  Sitting in church one day I ask the same question I had ask so many times, “Why did you create me like this and how can I give back?”.

My thoughts began to race as I remembered a friend that I had helped in the past. She had a very sick husband and found herself needing to go back to work full time. She called me and ask for help with her home that she felt stuck in. She had an extremely minimal budget but wanted to feel good about her home. We made that happen for her!  It was the most rewarding project I have ever been involved in and I didn't even make a penny. In fact, I spent a few of my own:) When it was over she turned to me and said, “I love my home! Every time I come home I think how lucky I am that God gave us a home that I can still afford and it is a beautiful place for my family”. As nesters we are created as women to want to create a HAVEN for the ones we love the most in this world. So, this is really important stuff!

As I sat in church I thought that's it! I want to do that again and again, but my life is so busy. Then I thought I need a team, we could recreate a room in a day and help encourage another women! So, I began to doodle in Church. I made a list of people I would need: organizers, cleaners, bakers/cooks, encouragers, painters, runners, joyful people, hairstylist and a web person! I know some of this sounds crazy, but that is what I wrote down (I found my old list .ha!) Now it makes perfect sense. :) I thought we will call it "Be a Blessing" Design Team. 

After that church service, I began sharing this idea to all the ladies that I came in contact with. The most amazing thing happened, it seemed every women I spoke to had the same nagging question, “What am I to do with the gifts God has given me?”.  Their eyes lit up and the Blessing Design Team was formed.

Not too long after that incredible day at Church,  I ran into Rebecca from Rebecca's Bistro in Walnut Creek. I told her my (and God's) idea. She lit up like a Christmas Tree! Why you ask? I will let her tell you her story as only she can tell.  Her thoughts on Hospitality have not only inspired me but the whole Blessing Design Team. I pray her thoughts will inspire you too!   (Read following post..."A word from Rebecca Miller"...)

Our very 1st Facebook Give-Away

Be sure to log in to your Facebook Account and head over to the Blessing Design Team FB page for a chance to win these beautiful fall pumpkins (Decorated by Barb!).  Read instructions on FB page on how to enter your name into this drawing. The winner will be announced next Thursday...Septemeber 27th! GOOD LUCK!

A couple QUESTIONS with a couple of ANSWERS

The #1 question of the week: 
So,what is the Blessing Design Team and what do they do? 

ANSWER: 
They are a group of women coming together to provide room makeovers to encourage other women and their families who are walking through a difficult season of life.

We want to hear from you!

Holmes County Ohio Friends: Do you know of a special lady who is in need of some much needed love and attention from the Blessing Design Team? Please let us know! We need to pick a family or 2 to be a blessing to! Be sure to come back for the details of the 2012 Christmas Home Tour that takes place on November 16th. For our out of town friends: this event would make for a wonderful LADIES WEEKEND AWAY in beautiful Amish Country!!

Inspiration By Barb

This is a beautiful and sophisticated way to carve pumpkins, or should I say drill pumpkins. Have a fire in the backyard, invite some dear friends over and celebrate Fall with some great pumpkins in the distance! Makes for a memorable evening :)

Look like a pro! Use some of your favorite cookie cutters or maybe get a few new ones for fall. Tap a cookie cutter in a thinly hollowed out pumpkin. You might have to clean up the corners with a carving tool but the results will be well worth it! Have fun!

Need a touch of Fall at your next cook out? Try this, it's functional and fun!

House numbers, no carving necessary! Take some yellow paint and from a distance it looks carved!

I'm not sure why, but every time I see this it makes me smile:) so I thought I would share it! It takes black construction paper and then cut out some eyes Ha! Or should I say Boo! (my 4 year old loves it!)

This was done with kids Puff paint. You can get this at Walmart or any crafty place.This was a fun process for me. First I took a light marker and drew out my swirls, then I went back over it with little dots of puff paint. So relaxing and they're beautiful when your done! Instead of the swirls you can also write out WELCOME and set it by the front door!

This is so easy! Pull the old flowers out of your Urns. Place a big old pumpkin in the middle. Start snipping your Hydrangea bushes and Boxwood Bushes (even if they are getting a little brown) tuck them around your pumpkin and Wa La. Love this!

This is my twist on a few things we've shown on here. All it took was an urn, our house numbers, and then I threw a little puff Paint in! I love that stuff Ha! ha! This is outside my garage and yes some of my hydrangeas are dead, but it looks ok from the road ;)

The next few photos, I will show you some of the pumpkins I created. I had fun with paint and also upholstery tacks.

More fun with paint!

I included mini pumpkins in my vases

This was the closest thing I could think of to copy that carved/scared pumpkin. I wrote the word out with a light marker then I cut pieces the right size and hot glued them on. Since the pumpkin was a light green it didn't show up very well

 so I took some brown paint and smeared it on the twine! But, if I remember soon enough next year I assure that I will be out in a pumpkin patch somewhere carving a green pumpkin!

Bon Appetit!!! I love how this turned out!

I saw this and had to make it, but after a little research I found out these pumpkins are lightly carved when they are green in the fields. Then when they grow, they scare which results in this awesome effect. Hummm so I wasn't about to give up yet, so this is what I came with in a pinch. Check out the next pictures:)

This is where my THANKFUL pumpkin lives. This is my mantle and my house is a little tricky to decorate for fall because of all the light colors. So I decided to go with white pumpkins. Of course I could not leave well enough alone because 

of my (decorating) sickness;) so I added upholstery tacks to them, oh yes some silver and gold paint, some twigs and greens in a vase.... That's kind of how it happens! And now I feel better Ha!