‘Ink Re-cap 115 and Inspiring Inklings for the Weekend

‘Ink Re-cap 115.
Coldest night of the winter so far, valentine cards on our work table,
blog happenings and inspiring inklings for the weekend.

 

We’ve had a gorgeously “warm” winter so far, with no killing frost. Our bougainvillea and lantana are blooming their little hearts out, while it’s been cool enough for the heavenly bamboo (nandina) to turn brilliant red.

This Wednesday was our coldest morning of the season, with a chilly 32° F showing on the thermometer. So if there’d been oranges left on our Navel Orange tree they’d be trash now. They are at their prime in November and December, with January being iffy. We had family around for our MIL/Grandma’s funeral, so the tree was almost bare by New Years.

I love bringing orange and lemon branches inside for décor. They are a rich green, and smell soooo good.

Heavenly bamboo:

 

 

Kim worked super hard this week growing our stock of Valentine cards. The holiday is so close and we need stock to sell locally. We want to try a few new places and farmer’s markets this month. Wish us luck, so she’ll be inspired to keep on as my business partner.

 

 

Capping the pen and wrapping up this blog week

In full disclosure, we don’t write blog posts with pen on paper.

However, when I first started writing (essays, poems, even a book…) I couldn’t think while typing.

I always sat in my special devotional chair, where I could see out the patio doors, and let thoughts flow and inspire.

So pen and notebook were always handy to jot and hold-that-thought as it came.

Now my husband bought me this awesome laptop, so I have words, can travel, and pen and paper unfortunately don’t play the main part anymore. I do love the nostalgia of real paper with handwritten words, though.

Which is why we’re so thrilled to be in the stationery business!!

 

Meanwhile, let’s get on with our weekly round up…

The titles are links to the posts.

 

10 Books Newlyweds Need to Read Together

 

 

 

 

Mondays is our bride/wedding/marriage day here, and this week we shared 10 inspiring books that couple can read together.

Should read together.

Will be glad they did read together…

 

And then came Tuesday, our baby/mama day.

We showed you the girl baby shower invitation collection our new Adventure Forest stationery suite.

Magical Baby Shower Invitations When It’s a Girl

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Special Valentine’s Day: Love, Family and a Little Chocolate

 

 

This post is all about Valentine’s Day in the kimenink family.

My girls and I have some fun plans for some fun times!

 

 

Life is a Kitchen, So Where’s My Apron?

 

 

 

Do you wear an apron when you cook?

I’ve tried a few times, but didn’t have the right kind or something, because I couldn’t get used to it.

Remembering my gramma’s apron gives me the warm fuzzies, thinking of all the love she stirred up while wearing those flour sack beauties. (They always had small floral prints, just like vintage flour sacks.)

 

Diagnosed: Best Hospital Friend

 

 

This past year hasn’t been good for hospital patients’ hearts if they depend on physical touch and floral gifts for their wellbeing. My MIL was soooo lonesome in the manor last year.

There has to be a way to score high on the “Best Hospital Visitor Charts” even if you can’t go in person.

Our cheat sheet has a few ideas, but we’d love to hear what you all do to make your hospitalized loved ones feel you’re with them.

 

‘Ink Re-cap 115: Inspiring Inklings for the Weekend…

Slow Stitching: where sewing and junk journaling meet.

 

Thanks to one of my favorite bloggers

and her post about her favorite handmade Christmas gift,

I followed her link to this post and this “new” thing to consider adding to my list of hobbies.

The author says:

“There are all sorts of things you can use in slow stitching –
much like I say when making junk journals –
if you can glue it on, you can use it!
In slow stitching, we just sew it on instead.”

 

Romantic Script Fonts

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner,

and every great valentine card or letter or journal page

needs just the right font to set the mood.

This shop has a whole SET of fonts for just a little money, perfect for that card to that special person. Yum!

 

 

 

Gretchen Rubin

If you don’t get her newsletter emails, go to her website and sign up now.

Every time I read/listen/absorb her mindset I feel so wise and learned and positive.

A quote from this week’s mailing:

“No matter how mundane some action might appear,
keep at it long enough
and it becomes a contemplative,
even meditative act.”

— Haruki Murakami,
“What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Like, where does her stream of consciousness take her in one 24 hour day? Amazing mind.

 

This Free Circle Skirt Pattern is definitely going into my Granddaughter Pattern Book. In fact, I think it will be perfect for the Valentine’s dresses. (See our Valentine’s post link above.)

 

One day my DIL came across a new article, and she couldn’t believe her eyes. “This was my mom’s doctor!” She recognized his picture, even though her mom was lost to cancer 20 years ago. This good doctor’s story went viral when he retired and forgave all his patients’ outstanding debts. Even though her mama didn’t make it, this story really thrilled my dear one.

 

“Everybody allows that the talent of writing agreeable letters is peculiarly female,” Jane Austen wrote in Northanger Abbey. I might disagree, because I have read some very agreeable letters written by males, also. But that’s beside the point in this story, where two friends exchanged letters for over 70 years!

 

One last inkling: