A Quick Hello & a Challenge!
We just returned from a trip inland to my parents year-round home in central Maine. They just recently moved into their new home so it was the first time I had seen it. It is an adorable little place, nestled deep in the woods of a rural area. They have a small brook gurgling right by their front door with it's banks dotted with colorful foxgloves that are now in full bloom. There are even apple tress stretching across from one grassy side of the brook to the other, as if reaching out to touch the sides of the house. Truly a magical place to be. We had quite an interesting mixture of weather, with warm sunny mornings that allowed the kids to do some outdoor exploring and rainy afternoons that allowed time for enjoying cozy nooks & reading books. Very relaxing & enjoyable. We just arrived back on the island to enjoy the remainder of our vacation here on the ocean. We were greeted by a gloriously beautiful sunny afternoon with just a touch of fog on the horizon that is promising a walk down to the beach with the kids. (This is a picture that David took during our pleasant ferry ride over, with Portland Headlight just barely visible in the distance.)
David and I enjoyed a nice little jaunt to Scarborough on Sunday to attend a little gathering that Julie Masse organized. She was kind enough to seek out & assemble many of Papertrey's dedicated Maine customers and plan a picnic. The weather didn't fully cooperate, so we weren't beach side as originally planned, but the location was still fairly coastal with the company being so enjoyable it made up for the weather! I had the opportunity to meet several people face to face with whom I have interacted with online. Everyone was so kind and had so many heartwarming things to say; it was like being enveloped in one big hug the entire time we were there. (Speaking of hugs from that day, I need to give a shout out to the Carriage Trail Stampers & to all the other amazing women I had the pleasure of meeting!) I wanted to publicly thank Julie for taking the time out of her busy schedule and preparing such a wonderful afternoon! David and I both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!!!
"It's in the Bag" Challenge
Did you see what the Senior Design Team has been up to since I've been away? Before I left, I challenged them to do something creative with our signature coffee bags. They are such a great product, and if you haven't tried them out before, I suggest sampling them some time soon. The bags are wax-lined, which makes them perfect for holding baked good with no worries of leak throughs ruining your decor on the outside. I love to use them whenever I am sharing anything homemade because it just makes everything look so professional and polished. The bags come in both white & kraft with a variety of sizes available, and some even feature windows.
Lisa Johnson shows you how well the bags can hold up to moist soil and can be a bit more durable than a traditional gift bag with her beautiful project!
Lauren Meader discovered that the bags were the PERFECT way to share Amish Friendship Bread practically & stylishly!
Heather Nichols created a beautiful patriotic version with a very clever glitter & stars shaker component that is incorporated into the window of the bag!
Debbie Olson decided to utilize the windowed variety of the bags to allow the recipient to have a peek at one of her favorite cookie concoctions!
Amy Rysavy created a special gift of spa products, complimented by a special "bag band" for her calming interpretation of a coffee bag..
Each and every one of of them really stepped up to the plate with this challenge and I hope you will take the time to see what they have done! And I know you will enjoy many of the recipes they have shared as well!!! I hope you've become inspired and create a small token of gratitude and appreciation *just because* for someone special in your life!
My favorite memory of home is the time I spent with my sisters. I have three sisters and we were always really close. And now that we have our own families, we aren't able to get together very often. When we do, it seems like we are all talking at once to each other with at least 3 different conversations going on at the same time. Love those rare times when we are able to get together.
Posted by: Niki Estes | June 14, 2008 at 09:50 PM