St. Luke's Brush Giveaway

It's Small Business Saturday and we are celebrating big here at In the Heart of my Home. I'm shining the spotlight on a new sponsor almost every waking hour today and offering you a chance to win with every post. I want you to get to know my kind sponsors and I think you'll be glad for the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping in these small shops. The giveaways will remain open until Tuesday at noon and then all the winners will be announced in the original posts.

Garry and Amy Brix, at St. Luke's Brush, were my very first sponsors. I think having sponsors at all might have been there idea. I'm grateful to them for the steadfast loyalty. I'm also a huge fan of Garry's art. These wooden dolls are by far the "toys" Sarah plays with the most. They are, no doubt, family heirlooms. 

Please let me share a little of Garry's story with you.

How did your shop come to be?

Amy and I started St. Luke's Brush  after a career setback. I have been an artist all my life, studied art in college and worked as a designer but lacked a way to channel my work. But the idea to do St. Luke's Brush provided direction and continues to unfold God's plan for me and bless our family.

Is yours a family business?

It is a family business in many ways as I have a busy daytime job and keeping organized and focused during our busy times requires someone with great organizational skills, the kind only a mother of four children could manifest. Our children help us get ready to host guests for open houses and have gone to help set up in exhibit halls at conferences. This business started for and continues to be for them.

 

How do combine your work and your family life?

The fact that my workspace is in the basement only steps away from my family, makes me feel as though they are with me as I paint. They are in and out all the time provided they observe just two rules: not to startle me and not to bump my chair while I'm working. J

What inspires you?

I am inspired by all kinds of art but with regard to religious art I am particularly inspired by icons and byzantine art and the design and care with which these things have been made. Just this past weekend we had the opportunity to attend Sunday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, center of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and one of the largest mosaic collections in the western hemisphere. If you visit St. Louis, you should make time to stop and see it.

What's the product you are most excited about in your shop right now?

I think the product I am most excited about in my shop right now would be all of them really in that this year I have been able to help several Catechesis of the Good Shepherd instructors set up their atriums using my work. Being able to lend a hand in religious formation of children gives me great joy and satisfaction.

 

What's your favorite Advent tradition? 

Not having grown up in the Catholic Church, the richness of the liturgical seasons provides some of the same wonder that our children experience as they unfold. Advent gives us so many opportunities to celebrate. Next week Saint Nicholas will fill shoes next to the door with special things.  We will celebrate with a Mexican fiesta to honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Saint Lucy will wake us early in the morning with rolls and hot chocolate.  It is our hope that by marking these traditions in a special way that seeds will fall on the fertile ground of our children’s hearts and instill a lover of the faith that they will carry into adulthood.

Any plans for your shop for the new year that you'd like to share?

Plans that we have for the new year include finding more ways to help make scripture and tradition come to life for anyone doing Catechesis of the Good Shepherd by painting as much love and beauty as I can into my work. I would like to thank all of the people who have supported us in this work and made it possible for me to use my talent to do God's will. I pray that His plan continue to unfold for me and that I have patience to let it continue and wisdom to see it at work in my life.

  Garry writes, "I have chosen to give away St. Francis of Assisi taming the fierce wolf of Gubbio in honor of the name our Holy Father chose to begin his papacy. The story of the wolf of Gubbio teaches us forgiveness, as the wolf promises to never again take the lives of the people and their animals at St. Francis’ intervention. St. Francis says to the people, “Remember, our Savior taught forgiveness. He taught us to love our enemies.” This is the spirit in which I would like to begin my Advent and want to share it with one of your readers. "

Please visit  St. Luke's Brush. These are a favorite stocking stuffers and they're perfect for Easter baskets, too. Browse the shop, come back, leave a comment, and let us know what you loved. You'll be entered to win the St. Francis doll.

The Winner is Kelly of  The Careless Catholic, who wrote: I love St. Luke's Brush and have their Etsy shop in my favorites. It's is hard to pick only one favorite doll, but first on my list is Our Lady of Guadalupe and the children's nativity set. So beautiful! 

Kelly, email me with your snail mail address at intheheartofmyhome AT gmail DOT com

Liturgical Time Veils Giveaway

It's Small Business Saturday and we are celebrating big here at In the Heart of my Home. I'm shining the spotlight on a new sponsor almost every waking hour today and offering you a chance to win with every post. I want you to get to know my kind sponsors and I think you'll be glad for the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping in these small shops. The giveaways will remain open until Tuesday at noon and then all the winners will be announced in the original posts.

I'm pleased to introduce you to Michelle of Liturgical Times Veil Shop . let's get to know her a little better.

Is yours a family business?

Ours is most definitely a family business. Both my husband and I grew up in families that were engaged in small business.  Cottage industry is in our blood, I suppose, and our daughter is being raised with the same experience. We are a small family (by God's will), and all three of us are actively involved in the daily tasks of running our little shop.

 

What's the product you are most excited about in your shop right now?

We are still very excited about the Eternity Veil.  As the original creators of the infinity style chapel veil, we are still finding many fun and creative new design twists to incorporate into the line.  We find that this veil is the perfect facilitator for women who really want to wear a veil at Mass, but are a little afraid to take the plunge.  Our Eternity Veil can be worn as a scarf when entering the worship space, and then discreetly slipped over the head when the wearer wishes to cover her head, making the process simple and comfortable.

 

What's your favorite Advent tradition? 

My absolute favorite Advent tradition has to be the Advent wreath. It is the highlight of so many childhood Advent memories for me and of so many memories of our own family life. Candlelight holds such mystical spiritual significance and yet fire is such a mundane and earthly thing.  We command it every day with the turn of a dial in our kitchens. Still, a flame atop a wick carries the prayers of generations heavenward.  I find it captivating.

 

Any plans for your shop for the new year that you'd like to share?

A line of vintage hat-style veils is forthcoming.  We are enthralled with the tradition of church hats and plan to incorporate the beauty of the chapel veil with a touch of yesteryear's pillbox hat. We are quite excited to begin creating.  Stay tuned!

 

 

Please visit Liturgical Times Veil Shop  and browse a bit. Come back and tell us which veil catches your fancy and you'll be entered to win the Eternity Veil in your choice of one of three colors: 

 Eternity Veil in Beach Sand

or

Eternity Veil in Black

or

Eternity Veil in Vanilla 

 

The winner is Delores who wrote, 

I really like the tichel -- I had never heard of that. I think because I like to wear my hair up and that is a great way to do that, plus have a head covering.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/154582608/brilliantly-colored-tichel-style?ref=shop_home_active

Delores, please contact me at intheheartofmyhome AT gmail DOT com with your snail mail address. 

Sacred Heart Books & Gifts Giveaway

It's Small Business Saturday and we are celebrating big here at In the Heart of my Home. I'm shining the spotlight on a new sponsor almost every waking hour today and offering you a chance to win with every post. I want you to get to know my kind sponsors and I think you'll be glad for the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping in these small shops. The giveaways will remain open until Tuesday at noon and then all the winners will be announced in the original posts.

First up is a lady who has been the biggest cheerleader for Real Learning since it was published more than ten years ago. I'm so grateful to Linda Nelson and her family for their support. Linda has a book and gift shop with an extensive selection of carefully chosen wares. I've asked her a few questions so that you can get to know her better and then you'll be thrilled to see the basket of books she's giving away.

How did your shop come to be?  Through prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.  The idea came to me that we could have a business serving the homeschool community and Catholic families and be able to offer discounts.  We understood what it is like to be a one income family.  

~

 

Is yours a family business?  Yes

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How do combine your work and your family life?  When our business began in 1997 I still was homeschooling our three sons.  They were 17, 15 and 13.  So we started very slow.  Family was and is still first.  After the youngest graduated from homeschooling then we become more active with the business.  Now that our sons are grown we still put family first.  I'm thankful that our business is out of our home because I am able to go and help my parents, other family members and friends when I am needed.

~

 

What inspires you?  My faith.

~

 

What's the product you are most excited about in your shop right now?Clare's Costly Cookie.  Even though the book is for children it blessed me when I read it.  It's a great reminder to us as adults to take ourselves away and BE with God.

 

What's your favorite Advent tradition? Favorite, I'm not sure if one really stands out except that Advent brings our family together through our traditions.  Whether it is the Advent Wreath, Jesse Tree, the various blessings given during Advent or getting our tree they are all memorable. A memory I enjoy is when our sons were home they would put any money they received from altar serving and any tithing money in a jar throughout the year.  When December came they used the money for gifts for needy children.  Our sons did the shopping and then we delivered it.  We have a Rudolph costume.  For years our sons took turns being Rudolph at the nursing home, youth center and at a food kitchen.  The joy found on the faces of the elderly due to the hug from Rudolph was priceless.  But even more priceless were the homeless of all ages wanting to hug Rudolph.  The homeless wouldn't hug one of the workers, but Rudolph they could.  The Advent season brought our family closer together. 

 

Another favorite started when a friend got our family into painting plaster paris Christmas ornaments when our sons were young teens.  When they were young adults they weren't into it much.  My oldest son, Kenny said I need to continue our traditions, so now I borrow my friends children for Ornament Painting Day.  I've been doing it for at least a dozen years or so.  I look forward to it just as much as the children do.  Sometimes I may have 12 children and other times it's over 20.  Painting, food and games makes a wonderful fun day with lots of laughter all around.

I plan to continue many of our traditions with our grandchildren.  Right now I have a 2 year old grandson.

 

Any plans for your shop for the new year that you'd like to share? We know God has more planned for us, but at this time we are just working hard to get new products added.

 

Linda has bundled these wonderful books for the giveaway. Just visit Sacred Heart Books & Gifts and browse around awhile. Come back here and leave a comment with a link to something that caught your eye--a favorite picture book, a book you'd like to read, a devotional, a video, or an educational toy--whatever you'd like to tell us about. One lucky winner will win this basket of goodies:

Claire's Costly Cookie

Our Lady Undoer of Knots Novena Booklet

Time for God

Consoling the Heart of Jesus

Interior Freedom

Brother Francis: The King is Born, DVD

The winner is Katie from She Laughs at the Days to Come who wrote, 

Yay for small and local businesses! I really like the 5 way Motherhood pendant. http://www.sacredheartbooksandgifts.com/index.php?m=4&s=0&mc=27&sc=564&pd=5708GF_24G Thanks for the chance to win!

Katie, please contact me at intheheartofmyhome AT gmail DOT com with your snail mail address. 

 

A Truly Happy Thanksgiving To You

~ G. K. Chesterton

Go out and make believers of all...

neighborhoods.

It was Commitment Sunday the year I had my sixth baby. I eagerly filled out the cards for ministry volunteers. The parish was new; many hands were needed to get things up and running. I was looking forward to jumping in with both feet.

No one ever called.

I asked my pastor about it and he said, “No, ma’am. I pulled your card.” Bewildered, I pressed on. He told me that he didn’t think it was wise to involve myself in anything. “Just focus on a being a really good wife, mother and neighbor. Opportunities to spread the Gospel will be plentiful.”

All around me, women are strapping on their sandals and going forth to share the good news. I have a friend who is sheltering pregnant women in Costa Rica. Nearly every month, someone I know goes abroad to travel with Compassion International. Here at home, there are committees, and classes and Bible studies, all being led by enthusiastic women. Good for them. Really. If God has called them, God has given them the grace to go out there and spread the Gospel, so that’s all good for them.

What about the rest of us? What about the mom at home with six children 12 and under? What about the young woman with the newborn and the traveling husband? What about the lady whose big family keeps her running from dawn until dark? Are they excluded in the call to make believers of all nations?

I don’t think so. I think that “all nations” includes this nation. And this nation encompasses your neighborhood. Do you want to be an evangelist? It’s hard. To evangelize in suburbia you have to do a hard thing. You have to open your door. You have to welcome other women into your home.

Women think about their houses the way they think about their bodies: never good enough, always lacking. They hesitate to invite other women in because they are afraid to let other women see the messes and imperfections of family life. The corollary is that women also are hesitant to go to another woman’s house. And there we sit, behind our own walls, not sharing even a cup of tea, never mind the love of Jesus.

We evangelize when we give a cup of water in His name. Pour it in a sippy cup, add a splash of apple juice, and serve it to the little boy down the street. Then sit on your couch with his mama, coffee and a muffin and befriend her. Meet her where she is. Share her burden. Find out that her husband is traveling and she has a new dog and the dog really needs to run every day, something she can’t do with three children in tow. Offer to watch the kids for half an hour while she gets out and runs with the dog.

Gather a couple of other women and study a book together. Invite them to come be in your home, with their children if necessary, and read and share. Here’s the thing: You don’t have to search Pinterest for the top 50 Bible study snacks. You don’t have to scrub your powder room with a toothbrush. You don’t have to melt scented wax so that it smells like autumn. Just smile. Share God.

Women tell me they are more comfortable in the home of someone who is welcoming but not perfect. There are a couple of reasons this seems to be true. First, when we let our guards down a little and let people see us as we are, we tell them we trust them and we invite them to trust us. Secondly, if we allow someone to see our imperfections, we let them know that we can love them despite their imperfections. We all are struggling; none of us is perfect. When I let someone in and they see the struggle, they also see the One who gives the strength.

Tune in to everyday needs in your everyday world. See that lady struggling to push her cart from the checkout stand while also holding and consoling her crying baby? Take the cart from her. Talk on the way to the car. Say something encouraging. Carry the cross just that small distance, but carry it as He would.

Evangelize your neighborhood. Share what God is doing in your life by allowing people into your life. Before long, they’ll bring you their heartaches, they’ll share their pain, they’ll reveal their wounds. Opportunity after opportunity to live the works of mercy will literally land on your doorstep. And you will have blessed moments to be the hands and the feet of the One who heals.

(A very kind soul sent me this after Granddad died. Like a big hug, I tell you!)