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CAMP CREATE SPONSORS & two giveaways!

September 29, 2017 Filed in Uncategorized

giveaway winners: Bernadette B. & Joleen S. and both have already received their prizes!
thank you so much everybody!!!
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At each Camp Create we have generous sponsors who send their product to our guests as a gift!
It’s so kind and every camper is so thrilled.
I’d love for you to click through all of these shops today, taking advantage of the discounts they are offering.
We are so appreciative of all of our sponsors.
thank you! thank you! thank you!

and leave a comment at the end for a chance to win one of the giveaway prize bundles!

DAYSPRING
Dayspring has so many products that are great for yourself but also make wonderful gifts for friends, family and even teachers!
I am loving all the Christmas products they have this year.
Use the code: 20CAMPCREATE for a 20% discount on your order.


BENZIE DESIGN
This is my favorite felt!  It’s a dream to cut & sew with and to use to make projects!
If you’ve never tried this felt… you are missing out!
You will never use craft store felt again after using Benzie.
Use the code: FALLCAMPCREATE for a 10% discount off your order.


 New York Times best selling author COURTNEY WALSH sent her book for our guests!
She is a novelist, artist, theater director, and playwright.
Courtney’s most recent novel, titled Hometown Girl, just released September 19.
She’s written almost a dozen books – come over to her Author page to see them all!


PITTER PATTER ART
Laura Kelly is writer and an artist.
She has a shop that she fills from time to time with FUN handmade goods like these wristlet key rings or
personalized name pillows and even original paintings.
She is super talented obviously but what i love most about Laura is that she has a HUGE heart!
Take the time to read her blog and you will be inspired to do better with your life!
This girl… she is just one of my most favorite people!
Here is where you can find Laura:  blog   –   instagram   –   shop

 

ILLUSTRATED FAITH
You know I am 100% on board with mixing creativity together with time in the bible!
Shanna Noel and her team have so many great products to make bible journaling even more fun.
i love everything about this company!
🙂
Use the code: print4jesus for 20% off your purchase in their digital shop – click here



FEATHER & BIRCH
This shop makes me soooo happy!
She has over 400 beautiful items for your home in her shop!
We used her mini wood words for one of our projects at camp and it was the perfect finishing touch!
Her font choice is completely on point.
Go find something for your house right now!
Use the code: CAMPCREATE15 for 15% off your purchase.

 

EMILY P. FREEMAN
Emily is a writer, creative director, and spiritual mentor who helps create space
for the soul to breathe so people can walk in step with their calling.
She is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Simply Tuesday and Grace for the Good Girl
as well as Graceful and A Million Little Ways.
This Simply Tuesday coloring book is a fun addition to go alongside her book.
Giving the book, coloring book and a set of colored pencils would be a great gift!


MERCY HOUSE GLOBAL
I love the mission of Mercy House and that it gives all of us the opportunity to purchase with a purpose.
Shopping with Mercy House provides employment & empowerment for women all around the world!
Use the code: FABFALL to get 15% off your entire order in their online store
AND/OR
Get $5 bucks off for trying out their subscription club for one month with code: FAIRTRADE
(only applies to our Main box – not Earring or Bracelet of the Month)
at fairtradefriday.club

I am super excited because it’s been quite awhile since I’ve gotten to do this!
I have two BIG giveaways that two lucky people are going to win!
(follow the instructions at the bottom)

GIVEAWAY #1
books by Lisa-Jo Baker – Dayspring, notebook -pen_and_paint, key fob – pitterpatterart, notecards – mary wangerin, paper packet – illustrated faith, bracelet set – Mercy House Global, necklace – jennifer dahl designs, book by Holley Gerth, Simply Tuesday coloring book and a book by Courtney Walsh.


GIVEAWAY #2
watercolor sign – Barn Owl Primitives, notecards – Gracelaced, notebook – pen_and_paint, LippyClippy – Gabriel’s Good Tidings, scripture cards – Melissa Beaver, necklace – Raising Up Rubies, coloring book – AdornIt, books by Emily P. Freeman, Annie Downs & Holley Gerth.

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Leave me a comment with your FAVORITE DESSERT to enter to win!

contest is closed.

add a comment

Karen Thurman - My favorite is Cookies and Cream ice cream 🙂

Margie - Creme Brûlée

Michelle - As a lover of all things sweet it’s hard to narrow it down to one…but mom’s rhubarb crisp and homemade ice cream. I HATED going out in the hot summer days to the garden to cut the rhubarb, smelling that compost pile and the feel of squishy, brown lawn clippings under my bare feet. But the warm,sweet-tart heaven and melting, frozen sweet cream (omg there were raw eggs in it and we actually LIVED!) takes me back to a simpler time.

Terri - I love homemade vanilla ice cream!!!

Tina M. - Lemon bars are my fave!

Kim york - Dessert is my favorite dessert 🙂 Carrot cake

Jamie - Creme brule

heather - macaroons

Alysha D - Anything chocolate!!

Allison albainy - Ice Cream every time !

Reeanna Altom - Lemon blueberry cake

Suzanne - Hello Dolly bars

Amanda Shannon - Carrot Cake!! Yum!

Our learning - Orange velvet cake

Karen - Black raspberry ice cream

Mari L. - Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Liz R. - Dirt cake with gummy worms!

Donna - pound cake with strawberries!

Karen - Homemade Chocolate Pie!

Becky Muir - Mississippi Mud Cake – so so so very delicious

Lisa Gering - Pecan pie!

Lael - Peach Cream Pie!

Cheryl - Any kind of cheesecake!

Emily landers - My favorite dessert is anything with cream cheese!!!

Kathy L. - I have a sweet tooth but nothing beats a warm chocolate chip cookie from the oven. Yum.

Jamie Weathers - Carrot cake

Jackie - Definitely homemade coconut cake! My great grandmother made the absolute best!

Mitzi Corrill - Chocolate cake.

Chocolate chip cookies are a very close second!

Beth Shaha - Favorite Dessert is a warm brownie right out of the oven with vanilla ice cream on top…oh and then hot fudge…and then sprinkles…not really for the taste, but the color ;).

Elizabeth C - Chocolate Cream Pie

Cindy Hilliard - Homemade vanilla ice cream with fresh sliced strawberries.
Yum!

Julie Schomacker - Favorite dessert-How can I pick just one?
Peach cobbler, apple crisp, pecan pie, chocolate chip cookies, banana cake

Sarah Kochert - Pick one dessert?! Pumpkin Roll (or most anything chocolate) 🙂

kima - Grocery store buttercream frosting! (cake optional)

Kim - Cherry Pie!!!!

Mary - So hard to pick just one! At the moment, I’ll say anything w/pumpkin and cream cheese for the current season!

Kirsten - Strawberry rhubarb pie

Angela - I love chocolate cake, but ’tis the season for pumpkin desserts and I love pumpkin rolls too!

Emily Patterson - Anything chocolate!

Lori - Chocolate chip cookies!

s - chocolate cream pie!

Kayla - Definitely ice cream and if it is homemade – even better!

Sarah - I love, LOVE, LOVE bread pudding.

Christy - Tiramisu for sure, but I’m pretty partial to any type of pie (other than chocolate pudding)!

Liesl Holtz - Usually chocolate – but this time of year it’s pumpkin pecan dump cake! Fast, easy and a crowd pleaser!

Liesl - Usually chocolate – but this time of year it’s pumpkin pecan dump cake! Fast, easy and a crowd pleaser!

Leona - Chocolate Pudding Brownies. These have 4 different chocolates and are the most delicious brownies I have ever tasted!

Mary - The Chocolate Dream at Carrabba’s is my all-time favorite dessert…heavenly!

Kelly - I have a sweet tooth so this is challenging. I’m thinking apple dumplings would be my favorite. .. perfect fall yumminess!!

Melanie - CHEESECAKE 😉

Tracy - blueberry pie

Wendy - Starberries, angel food cake and lots of whip cream

Ronda - Anything with chocolate and caramel is really a can’t lose with me but I will have to say my favorite dessert ever was a chocolate passion fruit tart from the Angelina in Paris. Oh so good, I want to go back just for the food.

Rita - WONDERFUL give-aways! Right now, favorite dessert is monster cookies. They don’t last long where ever I take them !

Dana Smith - Chocolate cake

Jane Goetz - Cherry Cheesecake and Lemon Chiffon Cheesecake

Vicki I - I love BROWNIES!!!!

Traceylynne - My favourite dessert is my Mom’s apple pie. She only makes it for Thanksgiving, and I crave it all year long!

Heather Henricks - Fav dessert is brownies with vanilla ice cream- no nuts allowed!! What a fun giveaway! So much color 🙂

Jessica Clevering - My favorite dessert is birthday cake. Especially when it is not my birthday.

Courtney F - This time of year it is apple crisp for sure!

Katy - Chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. I would never turn down dessert!

Michelle - Favorite dessert is cheesecake! 🙂

Skye - Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies!

se7en - I believe ice-cream is a food group, but some people call it dessert!!! Love it, all of it!!!

Carol vargas - My favorite new dessert is pickles pineapple dessert casserole

Marie - I love strawberry rhubarb pie with homemade ice cream!

Alison Speerbrecker - my favorite dessert… hmmm… probably any house-made restaurant dessert that comes out mostly chocolate, warm, covered in ice cream and two spoons for sharing.

Kirsten Lake - Favorite dessert? Anything chocolate!!

Kim - Red Velvet cake with homemade cream cheese frosting!

Carrie C. - My favorite dessert is crème brulee.

Kathie Whisman - Hmmm…I like a scoop of chocolate chip ice cream with a side of mint chocolate chip!

Erin Guisbert - Pumpkin Roll ♡

Diane - Banana cream supreme

Jamie - Ice cream cake.

Christie K - Most kinds of fruit pie.

Jasmine - Ooey gooey fudgey brownies with a glass of cold milk

Toni D. - Cherry Chip Birthday Cake!!

Becca - Cheesecake, any & all cheesecakes!!!

Jess Roy - You can never go wrong with a warm brownie and vanilla ice cream on top

Melissa - My favorite dessert is homemade apple pie served warm-with a scoop of vanilla ice scream. Yum!

Abby Hutchins - My favorite dessert is BY FAR a brownie with vanilla ice cream. It never gets old 🙂

Emily B - Hands down – my mom’s brownies:)

Ashley - My favorite dessert is anything chocolate! Pie, cookies, M&Ms… It doesn’t matter as long as it’s chocolate!

Michelle Johnson - I love Donuts – they are definitely dessert! Right?

CassM - It’s always a shopping danger when you post the link to your Camp Create sponsors!!!!

Favourite dessert?? Hmmm, that’s hard. How can you pick a favourite child? But the Raspberry Crepe Cake we made for our wedding (and now anniversaries) is over the moon delicious!

LeAnn Gaffney - My favorite dessert is jello poke cake!

Gabby D. - Brownies, please – no nuts!

Brooke Clark - My favorite dessert is Brownies for sure! 🙂 Hot and gooey!

Nanette Ryan - Apple Pie a la mode is my favorite dessert ever!

Helen C - Such lovely things – my favorite dessert is German chocolate cake

Chris - Toasted coconut gooey butter cake-yum!!

Stephanie - Cheesecake! Cheesecake! Cheesecake!

Amy Webster - So excited, I forgot to add my favorite dessert! A bowl of choc chip ice cream or Houlton Dairy Farms Grapenut Ice cream, it’s a Northern Maine thing. 🙂

Amy Webster - This is all too good to be true! What a wonderful giveway for a very lucky winner!
xoxo
Amy

Cindy - Love the giveaway! and your blog! there aren’t many desserts I don’t like – I’d say favorite are scotcharoos.

Ruth Goertzen - chocolate sheet cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Deb - I love cream puffs with chocolate whipped cream, and just a drizzle of chocolate on top. YUMMM

Sarah - Chocolate Concrete and Mint Custard.

Kat Lugo - Dreena Burton’s sweet potato chocolate cake. It is so moist and yummy that it doesn’t even need frosting! 👍🏻💖

Lisa - Chocolate chip cookies!

Amanda Soltoff - A big bowl of ice cream!!!

Rachel Twenter - anything with brown sugar & oats. 😂 especially this time of year! 🍁🍂🌾

Kelly W. - Right now my fave is warm baked apples with vanilla ice cream because that’s what I’ve been making. My *all time* favorite is Tiramisu but it’s very rare that I find a really good version of it. 🙁

Suzanne - My daughter worked at Krause Berry Farm this summer and even though their pies are dangerously irresistible, my current favourite dessert is their Raspberry Ice Cream in a freshly made waffle cones.

Bethany - Incredible bright and fun gifts from your sponsors! ❤️

Alissa B - Cake and frosting..hands-down!

Victoria - Only one favorite dessert? My new fav is chocolate flourless torte! So rich and decadent. Also love Bavarian Torte, so easy to make and delicious!

Jolene - I’m a pie girl….I love me a yummy pie….sweet or savory, doesn’t matter!

Megan - Rice Krispie treats

Becky - Pecan pie or anything chocolate 🍫

Erin Foster - My favorite dessert is any kind of cheesecake–yum!! Thank you so much for the fun giveaway. You’re so generous!

Jesse K. - Chocolate milkshake with a swirl of peanut butter!!

Suzanne Murray - Key Lime Pie with real key lime juice – makes me smile!

Melissa Smith - my mom’s chocolate pie!

jamie - Thanks for the opportunity to win!

Warm brownies with chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce. Love me some chocolate! 🙂

Bethany Flokstra - Favorite dessert, or at least my favorite one to serve is apple crisp. I have a simple recipe that my mom always used. It came from a cookbook put out by Gold Medal Flour company on their 50th anniversary.

Tracey - Current favorite: frozen custard hot fudge sunday with nuts!

Bernadette - My Aunt Bea’s German chocolate cake…no one can beat her homemade icing.

Kim Rohrbough - chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream – or maybe just the cookie dough! Great giveaway!

Yvonne Currey - I love, love, love desserts! Any and all of them! HA! Since it is fall, my current fave is pumpkin dump cake! It tastes so good warm right out of the oven with some vanilla bean ice cream! Thanks for the chance at winning.

Becky Kindel - Fun Stuff – Peach pie is my fav. <3

Terri Fretwell - Coconut Cream Pie! among many…..

Susan - Ooo, blueberry crisp, hands down!

Gina Murawski - Peach Pie!!

Lexie Gallagher - Do I have to pick just one? Ice Cream is my absolute favorite. Just about any flavor. In a cone, dish, on top of cake or a cookie! I have been known to eat ice cream for dinner!

RACHEL - I LOVE ANY KIND OF PIE! Pecan Pie is my fave!

Laura King - I was sent here by Emily P. Freeman — wow, what a great collection you have! And my favorite dessert is my Mom’s poppyseed bundt cake, with a crunchy sweet cinnamon-sugar crust.

Janel - Anything Kimberlee makes!!!

Stephanie R. - Chocolate cake!

Jennifer - My favorite is a good apple crisp!!! with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!!!

Heather Lilyquist - I LOVE dessert … warm cobblers with vanilla ice cream … or a good ole Binet cake with cream cheese frosting … yum, yum, yum!

Abigail English - Oh darn it’s supposed to say “baked” filling. autocorrect fail! Totally embarressed.

Abigail English - My mom’s Dutch apple pie:Apple pie with a spiced vanilla yogurt custard filling naked over the apples.

sam - Love anything that combines chocolate and raspberries. As I work on reducing sugar from my diet, my current fave is a dark chocolate chip tucked inside fresh raspberries. Of course eating a bowlful probably doesn’t qualify in reducing sugar.

Rhonda Fendt - I love cheesecake… the recipe you shared, Pams’ Cheesecake is amazing!

Gretchen Poulson - yellow cake with chocolate icing!

Kim Hahn - My favorite dessert is key lime pie. So good!

Jenni Carlisle - Such a fun giveaway! Lemon meringue pie! Lemon + sugar anything really – yum!!

Susie - Classic chewy chocolate chip cookies

Tammy B Allen - My favorite dessert is a red velvet cake that a childhood friend’s mom made every Christmas. I have the recipe and it tastes great but I have never mastered how pretty the cake was when she made it.

Jamie - My favorite dessert….I have to pick one? I can’t say no to homemade poundcake. Leave it plain, add strawberries, chocolate, ice cream….ok, now I want a slice… 🙂

Kim Fry - My favorite would be banana pudding…made with sweetened condensed milk, so much better!!!

Nicole - Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting!

Kara - oatmeal carmelita bars!!

Sarah - Anything chocolate! 🙂

Cheryl W. - Anything involving chocolate, of course! Awesome giveaways! Thanks for the opportunity.

Kayla Rokosz - Oooh, so many to choose from….but, I think I will go with hot fudge sundae with peanuts.

Krista W. - My FAVE dessert is white “wedding” cake! 🙂

sheryl - I love a good apple crisp!

Kirsten - Any kind of pie

Tracy - Cheesecake – I love Cheesecake!

Cyndy - Chocolate chip cookie dough! 🙂

Jenna - Blackberry cobbler! Or really anything you put in front of me… 🙂

Jill Pitzer - Creme Brûlée

Jody - Chocolate cake. Or vanilla. As long as it’s cake!

Stephanie Sytsema - My favorite dessert is the Milk Dud dessert my sweet grandma always used to make for family gatherings.

Lisa L - Pumpkin dessert (especially this time of year!)

Genesis - I love cookies! Any type! Or anything with caramel sauce 🙂

Susan Faulkner - These giveaways are fantastic! Many items I’d love to use! Tiramisu is my favorite dessert!

stacy - Chocolate chip pumpkin cookies & chocolate chip zucchini bread, & regular old chocolate chip cookies!

Lori - Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting ~ yummy!

Michelle Yoder - Cheese cake! Any kind love them all!

Meghan K - Chocolate cheesecake!

andrea - Brownies all the way! Especially the corner pieces.

Jenna - Chocolate…. Chocolate salted caramel torte??? Or just plain old chocolate chip cookies (with flaky salt on top)

Julia - brownies from the Joy of Cooking cookbook and vanilla ice cream (bonus points if they are frosted!)

Melissa Lackey - I LOVE Caramel Pie. Yum!

Kimberly - I absolutely L O V E the red velvet bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes!

Kathy - Peach pie

Megan puksa - Dunkin donuts used to have a donut that had icing in the middle of it. I’m from Canada so I had not had it in years and don’t know the name but it was THE MOST delicious donut I’ve ever had. Went back this June and was told they do not have a donut like that anymore. I still think about it. So good!

Kasey - I love a good chocolate chip cookie.

Beccy - Raspberries and chocolate

Lisa Robertson - Creme Brûlée!

Deitra Shoemaker - Chili’s Chocolate Molton Cake…what a fun question for your giveaway!

Jen B. - Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp!!

Joleen - With the fall weather in Michigan right now it is apple pie.

Charmin - Squash pie! Have you heard of it? Pumpkin pie made with butterceup squash instead of pumpkin? So good!

Kathy P - Anything chocolate!

Maureen Sharma - Apple Dumplings a la mode. Yuuuummmmy!

Alysen Sobecki - I LOVE fall time desserts like apple crisp and apple pie!

Amanda - Chocolate ice cream. Plain and simple. 🙂

Candice - Brownies. Mmmmmm. 😊

Kelly Krause - Just one favorite? Hmmmmm, that’s too hard! Peach pie? Coffee ice cream? Chewy coconut bars? 🙂

Kristi Kooima - Key lime pie!

Jenn - Strawberry Shortcake 🍓

Rebecca Kriner - wedding cake….or white cake with white icing!

Nancy D. - I don’t have one favorite, I love all dessert. So my top three are Creme Brulee, Cannoli, and Hot Fudge Sundaes. YUMMY

Mary Beth Hall - Texas sheetcake

Kelli Sardo - Any type of crisp… apple, berry whatever but it must have a scoop of ice
cream on top!!

Sara Brown - Birthday cake!

Donna Jo Anderson - Pineapple upside down cake!

Luz - Favorite dessert…..ice cream….any flavor…any time….toppings..or none.

Jessica murray - Tiramisu 😍

Sara hansen - Bread pudding. Yummm!

Tina Hammond - Forgot…any cheesecake !!!

Tina Hammond - Love all of this. Hopefully one day I can attend . Thank you for sharing!!

Susan Brewer - My favorite dessert is a warm from the oven chocolate chip cookie.

katherine - Lemon meringue pie (minus the meringue! :)) is my absolute favorite!

Crystal - Brownies with vanilla ice cream 🙂

Heather Secrest - Poor Man’s Eclair!

Emily G. - Homemade Banana Pudding, of course.

Molly - Oh man one favorite dessert. Probably chocolate cake with chocolate frosting!! Yes please!

Sherri - Black Tie Mousse Cake (from Olive Garden)… heaven on a plate!!!

cindy b. - ANYTHING Chocolate! seriously! 🙂 or a really good homemade carrot cake…

Sommer lynn - Home made chocolate chip cookies with a glass of cold milk…nomnomnom

Candy M - Cherry pie!

Charity Boehm - It has to be chocolate chip cookies!….or maybe no bakes, hmmm, either way it’s COOKIES! 🍪

Brantlee - Cheesecake!

Raye Marie Chappuis - German chocolate cake ‘

Janelle Goodrich - My favorite dessert is fruit pizza!!

Nicole - Dutch apple pie. ..a la mode, of course!

Heidi Durant - Brownie and ice cream

Kim Western - Favorite Sweets… All of them? French Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich is pumpkin
Cheesecake!

JessR - Carrot cake!! All day, every day! (In my dreams, of course!)

Carrie - My grandma’s famous cheesecake!!! So good!!!!

Janna Reid - Kettle corn–for dessert AND dinner sometimes.

Tricia - I adore ice cream… Anytime, all the time!! 🙂

Teri Balch - Homemade Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting…full of Walnuts!!! Yummy!! 😋

Kelly - How does one pick one favorite dessert? Ice cream . . . creme brulee . . . smores! My favorite this week has been brownies with ice cream. 🙂 Thank you for hosting such fun giveaways! Kelly

patti - Pumpkin pie!! Thanks for the chance to win!

Tiffany - Brownie sundae🎉

Liz Martig - Tiramisu, the real deal with marscapone, coffee liqueur, and espresso!! AMAZING!

Melissa - Cake! All kinds… I’m not picky!

Rachel Zana Mason - Brownies and cookies!

Naomi Johnson - heath blizzard from dairy queen

Kim - Hot fudge cake with homemade vanilla ice cream! Yummy! 🤤

Donna - Right now my favorite dessert is pumpkin tarts!!

Nikol - Chocolate Cream Pie !

Jamie Bell - favorite dessert is peanut butter pie!

Megan gerrity - My moms homemade peanut butter pie.

CarrieC - Hands-down warm strawberry rhubarb pie ala mode!

Shannon Schneider - Tiramisu…love it!

Rachelle M - Carrot cake

Allie Pankratz - Thanks for babysitting me 🙂 miss you and your family! Our families should have a reunion soon!

Leanne - Red velvet cake. That cream cheese frosting – yum!

MaryAnne Hommel - Lemon cake! It’s my birthday cake evey year.

Jamie - Cheesecake!!!

Amanda Baird - Apple Spice Cake + Caramel Cream Cheese frosting. My mother in law makes it for my brithday every year. With a cup of coffee it’s heaven!

Becky Jones - Oh my- my momma’ s cream puff dessert- decadent!! Thanks for the giveaways!!

Missy - Bread pudding! Oh, how I wish I was up there. I’ll be back next year! ♡

Traci Jones - wedding cake or Pam’s cheesecake – mmmmmmm

Jessica A - Banana pudding! Yum!

Cheryl - My favorite is key lime pie. 😍

Amanda Gindlesperger - Tiramisu! Yum!!

Tonya - Ummmmm…brownies…thick, fudgey, thin, cakey…as long as they’re homemade.

Lisa C. - My favorite dessert is my mom’s pound cake!

Sherri H. - 2 Frosting Cookies. It’s a recipe that I grew up with.

Shawnette - Hands down Pecan Pie!

Amber willis - Ice cream. Everyday all day. Espcially PB and chocolate.

Heather Jones - My dad’s chocolate chip cookies

Sarah W - Chocolate Lava Cake

Lori Grade - Creme brulee all the way!!

Nancy Jordahl - Is this favorite sweet? Cinnamon roll. Or fave dessert? Hot fudge sundae

Kay Hefner - Tiramisu cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. 🙌🏻

Robin C - Nestle Toll House cookies with LOTS of pecans!

Donna Joy - Snickerdoodles!

Donna Joy - Awesome giveaway!

Cristy - Sopapilla cheesecake!

Amanda - Cheesecake

Carolyn - Coconut cream pie

Rebecca Kaufman - Chocolate cake!!!

Gina - Chocolate cake with buttercream icing 😀

Amber Machado - Brownies!!

Arlene Freytag - Chocolate cake from scratch with vanilla ice cream !!!

Katie - Stunning selections! You can’t ever go wrong with chocolate chip cookies!

Cari P - My moms chocolate chip cookies.

Tracey Nichols - Cheesecake!!

Tonya - Warm chocolate chip cookies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Melissa - Strawberry cheesecake.

Jenna - Cherry Cheesecake!! 🍒

Chris - Apple Pie

Leah S. - Pumpkin cream cheese roll!!

Terri - Pazookies!!!

Tiffanie - Cheesecake 🤗

Michelle - Pecan Pie!

Lari - My moms traditional yellow cake with fudge icing. It’s the best.

Allison M. - My most absolute favorite dessert is my mom’s classic chocolate pie! I get it once a year on my birthday (which is 5 days before Christmas and also my dad’s birthday!) before all the Christmas dessert baking and eating madness! It’s amazing!

Angie Shepherd - Apple Pie!

Diane - hot out of the oven peanut butter cookies

Shana Yoder - French silk pie!

Laura S - I have to go with peach pie!! By the way, I love the signs from Feather and Birch, they are wonderful!

Ann C - Muddy’s Cupcakes (a Memphis, TN staple)

Shelly Primm - My favorite dessert is warm chocolate chip cookies with milk!

Love your blog!

Crystal - Pumpkin bread

Meredith Feisel - Grandma’s Chocolate Pie with her graham cracker crust!!!! Yummy!!!

Jenny Keylor - Pumpkin scones with a cup of coffee!!!!!

Bre Hargrove - Cheesecake! 🤤

Tonya Goertzen - I can tell wait to read the Walsh and baker books. I have been looking for a new author to try and those look great.

Becca Robertson - homemade cherry pie with vanilla ice cream

Ann Marie Latini - cupcakes 🙂

Nicole - Triple Fudge Cake! Family recipe that is the easiest dessert to make, but so fudgy and delicious!

Teresa Myers - Hard to pick a favorite! But I’d have to say ice cream. Or no…maybe cake. Pecan pie. No Apple Pie. Apple Pie with melted cheddar cheese on top. Yes definitely. Apple Pie with melted cheddar cheese on top!

Jackie O Marks - Favorite dessert depends on the season but if I must choose one over all? Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake. . . with for real shortcakes.

Thank you for sharing so much on your blog ~ miss that they are not as frequent as once but that’s life, ja?

Lynette - Chocolate Chip cookies

Christyn - Cherry Cheesecake

Jessica CornmN - Cheesecake! Preferably with chocolate and peanut butter accents!!

Amanda - Thanks for the wonderful ideas!! I just did some Christmas shopping!

Staci Brown - I love s slice of homemade red velvet layer cake with cream cheese frosting.

Linda sodaro - 🌈 cake!!!!!
Best cake I’ve ever had and soooo pretty too!!

Amy - Any sort of baked goods! Pie, cake, brownies, cookies, cobbler–yum.

Linda sodaro - FUN FUN FUN!!!
Crossing my fingers 🤞🏼

Rhiannon - Cheesecake!!! I’m even making pumpkin pie cheesecake bars today!! 🙂
This is all such fun stuff. You gals are all lucky ducks for getting this great stuff at each of these creative retreats!!

Amanda - Chocolate lava cake!

Marina - Chocolate chip cookies!

Elizabeth - Vanilla store cake with buttered frosting.

Tricia Hicks - My favorite dessert is Pumpkin Cheesecake from Sam’s Club, because I’m fancy like that. 😃 Seriously delicious,though!!!

Lisa Foster - My favorite dessert is called Dream Cake. We named it ourselves. It has layers of chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos and Reese’s cups! What’s not to dream about?!

Deborah - Brownies and ice cream!

Denise Talen - Brownie Ice Cream Sundae

Cynthia Bras Toriumi - Ignore my other comment — clearly I’m a rule-breaker. But while breaking rules, I love my Nana’s chocolate meringue pie!

~ Cynthia

Cynthia Bras Toriumi - oooooohhhhh! All these beautiful things — would love a give-away, Meg! If not, appreciate the discounts – always. 🙂

~ Cynthia

Angie Mathis - Cake! All the flavors. Apple. Birthday. Chocolate. Dump. Eclair. I could go on alphabetically but I think you get the idea:)

Jamie Johnson - What beautiful lovelies!! My favorite dessert is ice cream!

Jamie Johnson - What beautiful lovelies! Thank you for this giveaway!!

Nancie - Apple pie!

Michele J. - I love tiramisu! And any other coffee-type dessert. 🙂 Thanks so much for the chance to win all of these amazing things! So exciting! xo

Julia R. - Warm apple pie w/vanilla ice cream

Linzi Kavanagh - my fav is creme brulee, but I’d give it up for a lifetime if it meant winning these goodies!! 🙂

Linzi Kavanagh - I love creme brulee or lemon posset!

Liz Grissom - Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Crystal Bsrlow - Tie between apple pie (no ice cream and not heated!) Or basic cheesecake with strawberry topping

Megan - Key lime pie is my favorite, followed by carrot cake!

Melissa Newport - Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. Every.single.time.💗🎉👍🏼

Heike Wilson - I love anything chocolate but especially warm fresh chocolate chip cookies!

Katie - It’s hard to pick just one, but my favorite dessert would probably be gooey butter cake or ooey gooey bars as my brother calls them! 😊

Abby Schaber - Pumpkin pie with whipped cream! I’ll eat it any time of the year!

Bridget - Homemade hot fudge sauce, right out of the jar

Tanya Horn - WhateverCraft House RAINBOW CAKE!!❤💛💚💙💜

Carlee - Chocolate pecan pie!

Juanita - Chocolate lava cake!

Susan R. - Right out of the oven chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk!

Dana - Chocolate cake…any day and every day! 🙂

Beth B. - Fresh peach pie!!!

Donna - Cheesecake

Cathy S. - Cheesecake! With chocolate.

Rachel Clair - Chocolate chip cookies or chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream!

Susan Purnell - Oh duh!! I didn’t see the question! My favorite dessert of all times is Boston cream pie!!

Molly - You can never go wrong with chocolate chip cookies or chocolate ice cream!!

Gail - My favorite dessert is fruit crisp from Tanya’s a local restaurant. I actually got the recipe and it’s my favorite thing to make in the fall.

Susan Purnell - What wonderful offerings on your giveaway!! I have Emily P Freemans coloring book, but I would love to gift that and some of the other offerings to family and friends! God bless you and your ministry!

Andrea B. - Chocolate dessert of anykind is my favorite.

Trish - Striped Delight – Oreo cookies, butter, cream cheese, whipping cream, icing sugar, chocolate pudding, and more whipping cream! 🙂

Sarah Guevara - Chocolate cake!

jill Funkhouser - i love scotcharoos..love licking the bowl

Dana Rounds - Creme brûlée

Tameeka A McIntosh - Ooo my favourite dessert would have to be Tiramisu. Yummy! _ Thanks for the chance to enter 🙂

Kirsten Juenke - Brownies and ice cream with hot fudge sauce 🙂

Kristin - Creme Brûlée! Yum!

Katrina Caceres - banana cream pie

Savannah Tollison - I love love love this special recipe my aunt makes. It’s a mayonnaise cake. It’s basically the best chocolate cakes anyone every created!

Jessica Kassebaum - My all-time favorite dessert is pecan pie.

HEATHER - Ice cream. Vanilla. 🙂

Kristin Pippin - Cheesecake or anything lemon!

Leslie - Pumpkin pie

Stacey - Chocolate chip cookies

Stephanie Fever - Ice cream with Oreos+Heath!!

Meggan - Carrot Cake!!

Emilee - Banana pudding!

Bethany - Hmm…depends on the day, but if I had to pick one it would be peach pie (crumb top).

Abby - My go to dessert is ice cream. I have to scoop it into a bowl or I’ll eat the whole container!

Kate zerbe - Ice cream!

Kristen Kerwin - Shoo fly pie…delish for dessert (OR breakfast!!!)

AMANDAk - Cheesecake. Always chesecake

Margaret - Pumpkin pie for sure!

Jane - Definitely Hazlenut Torte, my grandma’s special recipe and she taught my sister before she passed away. Layers of a hazlenut meringue with cream and berries and jello inbetween – dining!

Stephanie Arndt - This might sound lame because all I do is go and buy it… Ha! But my all-time favorite dessert is mint chocolate chip ice cream!

Kathie Simmons - Chocolate anything!

Tabatha F. - Blueberry Pie (warm)

Sara Mincy - What a great giveaway! You’re awesome :))) I’m loving right now: meringue cake with whipped cream and berries 🙂

Kim - Love cherry pie with a crumb topping1

Chelsea - Favorite dessert… coffee cheesecake!

Maria - Usually anything chocolate, but anytime I see a creme brûlée on the menu, I need it!

Laura - My grandma’s peanut butter pie!

Jen Thompson - Def key lime pie!

Bonnie Stoltzfoos - Ice cream! 😍 Ice cream sandwich, ice cream cake… haha any form! 🙂

Caryn Presswood - Lemon pie!!

Bethany - Brownies and cookies.

Ashley Michael - CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES! There isn’t anything better! Thanks for posting about these shops. I always find the best, most unique gifts from your lists! ❤️

Sarah C. - Chocolate chip cookies 🙂

Sarah cummins - My favorite dessert is a pizookie. Chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream!

Nikki - Special K bars

Carrie - Monster Cookies. All Day. E’ery Day.

Grace Keith - creme brûlée….hands down!

Debra - Cheesecake is my favorite dessert!

Angie Alvarez - Coffee ice cream with hot fudge and whipped cream!

Lynne - Ice cream!! Chocolate especially 😋😋😋

Kim - Cheesecake

Patti H. - My favorite dessert is a hot fudge cream puff with chocolate ice cream. 🙂

Sara Sowers - Chocolate chip cookies!

Hayley - Chocolate chip cookies 🍪

Denise Karnes - Strawberry poke cake!

Brady W - I loooooooooove pecan pie!! It’s the best!

Heidi - Snickerdoodle Blondies

Tiffany - Fresh peach pie or peppermint ice cream with bits of peppermint candies in it.

Amy B - I love dark chocolate cake. I love the one from Costco.

Anna - Ice cream!!!

Gretchen N. - Favorite dessert: cheesecake! And great giveaway!!

Rachel Schumacher - My mixed berry and apple pie is a favorite in our house.

Sabrina - M&M cookies!!! They are my favorite!!!

Hannah Widener - Right now I am loving hot pumpkin donuts covered in cinnamon surgar.

Ashley Sumners - My favorite dessert is a cookie that my mom always makes only at Christmas: coffee snowballs. SO GOOD!

Jennifer Hamm - All the desserts!

Erin - Carmelita’s!!

Sara - Bumpy cake!

Chastity Eads - We love doing baked apples this time of year!

Kat - My favorite dessert is really cake. I LOVE cake. A little too much.

Carly - Favorite dessert is bananas foster!

Dalene Perrin - I am from Texas so it is a toss up between Texas Sheet Cake or Pecan Pie! Yummy…

Carly - Amazing as usual!!

Rhondi - Favorite dessert is rhubarb pie.

Terri - Peanut butter pie!! Sooo good!!

Tiffany - You always have such awesome sponsors! Beautiful products!

Nadine - Cheesecake!

Abbybeth - Yes yes yes!! Such a bomb haul!!

Michelle - Cheesecake always!

Beth Eaton - I’d love to attend one of your camps some day ❤️❤️❤️

My favorite dessert? Fudge brownies hot out of the oven! There’s nothing better 😍

Sarah - Tiramisu! Ugh, still searching for a slice like I had in a restaurant in college.

Alison - Love chocolate chocolate chip
Ice cream and brownies!

Cindy Mandernach - I am embarrassed to say that my favorite dessert is…dessert. Nah…not really embarrassed!! Anything chocolate. For reals!!!

Michelle - Peach pie. Mmmmm….

Megan Clark - It’s not fancy, but brownies and ice cream are my favorite!

MaKaela - Chips and dip is my idea of dessert!

Penny Smith - Moist chocolate cake with a creamy (not too sugary) frosting! (Like a cream cheese, or sour cream frosting. YUM!)

Kristi - Kimberlee’s cheesecake…must be eaten at the craft house, of course! 😉

Shauna - Cake of any kind!

Brook Declusin - My Grandmother Ruth’s famous 24 hour fruit salad. It’s so yummy tons of fresh fruit lots of whip cream and pudding. It’s a holiday favorite!

Krista Priest - Anything with chocolate or peanut butter!

Sue - Carrot Cake

Carrie Haughey - My moms ginger plum crisp with vanilla ice cream!! 😋

Kellie Fite Turner - I can never resist brownies with vanilla ice cream!

Raine - Triffle! The ultimate Christmas dessert.

Dianne B - Unfortunately for my waistline, dessert is my favourite time of the day 🙂 My favourites are cheesecake (I’ve made Pam’s – it’s good!) and ice cream…

Tricia - Chocolate chip cookies!!! 🍪🍪🍪

Becky McArthur - Such a tricky one because I love dessert! Cheesecakes, chocolate yumminess and ice cream hit the top of the list though!

Meghan - My favorite dessert is chocolate candy bars.

Sarah F - What great sponsors! I’d love to try/read all of these!

Mandy D. - Any ice cream!

Beverly Dennis - Strawberry cheesecake!!!

Karyn - Chocolate cake is my favorite, with a great chocolate icing or maybe it is Texas sheet cake…great, now I want dessert!

Heather Wartenburg - It’s a toss up between chocolate cake and a good old fashioned fruit cobbler with vanilla ice cream melting on top.

Larissa - So hard to pick just one-guess I will go with Cheesecake drizzled with chocolate and caramel.

Katy P - Chocolate Mousse Cake!!

Amy Griffin - My very favorite is homemade cookies n cream ice cream!

Megan Shearer - Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting

Kristin joustra - Apple pie 😀

Shelly Clark - Kona ice Cream Pie at Islands

Krista - Chocolate cake!!!

Greta Wiebe - Dutch apple pie!

Katy P - Chocolate Mousse Cake!!

jan - You’ve partnered with some awesome sponsors!
Love them all! 💗

Molly Pearce - My favorite dessert is Apple pie with vanilla ice cream

Emily K - Apple cider doughnut!

Jenn - Brownies for sure

Tara - Dark chocolate!!!!!!!!!

shelley w - anything chocolate!!

Julianne Brimner - Tiramisu with a good cup of coffee.

Heather B. - Chocolate cake!

Amy K. - Brownies and ice cream… or you know, anything chocolate!!

Julie Barker - My favorite dessert this time of year in New Hampshire is Apple Crisp. Yummy!!

Shay WLBM - Cake! Give me a good German Chocolate cake and I am a happy girl.

Linda - German chocolate cake!

Erin - Allll the ice cream!

Beth - Creme brulee. Of course I only get it when we go out for a nice dinner

Erin - Berry cobbler!!!

Makila L - Cheesecake. Plain cheesecake, no berries.

Jennibell - I just had a dessert at a local restaurant a few weeks ago…crime brûlée cheesecake!!! Absolutely amazing 🙂

Carrie D - Mmmmm. Hard to choose! I love brownies and froyo. So good!

Julie Anderson - A frozen piece of Key Lime pie on a stick, dipped in chocolate 😉

Vickie Sutphin - Love Cheesecake of any kind,

Katelyn Boese - Chocolate cake!

karen - My mom’s apple pie!

Shawna - A really good carrot cake!

Shawna - A really good carrot cake

Colleen Inman - Sugar cookies with icing are my favorite dessert!!

DeNeal - My favorite dessert is banana pudding! Thanks for offering the amazing giveaways!

Jenifer Higgins - Cake!

Amy - My favorite dessert is cherry cheesecake! Even from a box! 😀

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september camp create 2017

September 20, 2017 Filed in camp CREATE

what a wonderful week we had at Camp Create!
i came home feeling so filled up!

we had two Vickis, two Taras and two Melissas! WHAT?? And a Shelly, a Sally & a Sandy!
thank goodness we wear nametags!

we always have generous and awesome sponsors!
I will write more about them in a few days and i’ll have a BIG giveaway of goodies too.
Dayspring – Benzie Design – Pitter Patter Art – Mercy House – Illustrated Faith – Courtney Walsh – Feather & Birch


i brought all the flowers from my very own garden this time!
so happy that we could USE them instead of just watching them die – like the other 75% of the garden is now.
zinnias & sunflowers are my favorite flowers!


and finally it came time for our campers to arrive!
it’s exciting when everyone piles into the house with all their luggage.
everyone is borderline nervous; thinking things like “i just flew across the US to sleep at a strangers house” and all of their friends & family asking “you’re going to kansas? for what?” But as soon as they get inside the nerves settle.
because #1 – everyone is super nice and welcoming and #2 – we hand them a margarita as soon as we can.
🙂

{{ sidenote: if you haven’t made the Meg-aritas that we serve – are you truly living your best life? }}
1 can frozen limade
8 oz. tequila (or fill the empty limade can up 2/3 )
4 oz. triple sec (or fill the can 1/3)
1 beer – 12 oz.
———————————————————-
put the first 3 ingredients in a blender.
fill blender with ice & blend until completely slushy.
then add the beer – mix it in with a big spoon.
enjoy!


i mean just look at those kind faces!
Camp brings such sweet ladies to the Craft House.

our speaker was Stephanie Holden all the way from Mississippi.
people online know her as Honey Holden.
she taught each day about the grace of God, how much Jesus loves us and how He has changed her life.
it was FANTASTIC!  I could listen to her for hours!
she brought “Honey’s Happies” for us at each session… little goodies to help us remember the lesson.
it was always fun to see what the Happy would be and that worked!
I can think of each one and remember the message!

she also had us write a letter to our 16 year old self.
It sounds simple enough but it’s challenging and very vulnerable to share out loud the real stuff you’d want to tell yourself when you were 16.
it is special to be in a group of women who open up & share their hearts.
it’s a privilege to be invited into that space and i don’t take that lightly.
these ladies… gosh!  my eyes are all teary just thinking about them!
it was beautiful & inspiring to see how God is always working in our lives in the good times and still in the really bad times too.
i loved doing that assignment – thank you for making us Honey!


we got creative and made some very fun projects!
this reverse appliqué pillow is so fun to make!
I love that there are a million possibilities of color & pattern.
i love that there is hand stitching and machine stitching.
and i love the combination of working together with felt & quilting fabrics.
Benzie felt is THE BEST.
I won’t ever use felt from the fabric store again! This stuff is a dream to work with!

i led a project that was inspired by my friend Laura at a Craft Weekend several years ago.
and i got to the miter saw so this was extra great!

we started with wood in all different lengths, widths & textures, some old chippy painted wood & even rulers.
they put pieces together the way they wanted it to fit & we cut loose ends off.
they choose their word sent from our sponsor Feather & Birch.
her font choice is perfection! i love this shop!
and then they covered the pieces in paint or paper or fabric.

seriously! how cute are these?!!
LOVE!

we also made these fabric scrap chalkboard wreaths.
these are so cheerful!

I invited Rachel Denbow back for camp because she is so great at teaching this skill!
she teaches weaving techniques and she even wrote a book about it!

they are weaving rockstars!
so fun to send them home with a new skill they hadn’t done before.

i invited Tara Royer Steele from the famous Royer’s Pie Haven in Round Top, Texas to teach us how to make pie!
is 16 cooks in the kitchen too many?
not at The Craft House!
we made two each of four different kinds of pie – two of them sweet & two of them savory.
and then we ate those pies…. YUMMMM!

and yes i did have three pieces of pie that day, thankyouverymuch.
when Tara finally comes out with a cook book i will be sure to share it with all of you!


we took our trip out to my favorite antique store & barn.
i’m always so curious to see what people find!
this time i brought home a stack of chippy wood – to make more signs!
there are many photo opportunities all along the way.




Kimberlee Jost takes great care of us in the kitchen; morning, noon & night.
we love pampering our guests with delicious meals and cleaning it up too – because i doubt that happens at home!



it’s called  B A L A N C E .
ha ha ha
thank you to my friend Tara for frosting cakes, chopping veggies, washing dishes and everything else you did for us all week.



these are fabulous women – every one of them in these pictures!
it’s a gift to be a part of their creative journey.
and a total JOY!

thank you to Honey, Tara, Rachel, Tara & Kimberlee for working so hard to put on an awesome week for our campers!

*****************************************************************************************

our next Camp CREATE will be in April 2018.
registration information will be in the next week or so.
stay tuned….

 

🙂

add a comment

Alysha Dean - When is registration for the April camp create? Im dying to come!!

Amy Webster - SUCH. GREAT. GOODIES! oh, my!!!!!

Jenna - I am interested in Camp Create for April 2018.
I will stay tuned for details!

Teri - Wonderful pics! Looks like such a fun time! Pies look absolutely delish – favorite dessert – strawberry rhubarb pie 🎉

Roxann Regenstreif - Meg, what an amazing Camp Create this year! ( every one is amazing I’m sure!) It is a place where we deeply connect with women from all over who love Jesus and love art. Many of us choose to stay in touch with each other year round and even exchang Christmas gifts! Each teacher was fantastic and so patient in answering our questions. I can now say I’m a weaver! LOL! I LOVED making my pillow and already bought fabric to make more! My wreath is happily hanging on my front door to welcome Fall and all who come to my home. I loved how my wood project turned out too! Making pies with Tara was so much fun as we all gathered our hearts and hands together to make some awesome deliciousness! I was so excited to meet Honey and she rocked it with her devotionals everyday! I loved that she wasn’t afraid to toss her notes and share a new thing the Lord put on her heart. Letters to our 16 year old self was scary but so healing. We all bonded as we shared our stories. It was beautiful to see how we encouraged and comforted one another. And can’t forget our shopping for treasures to bring home. So glad I brought an extra suitcase! Always thankful for Kimberly and her helper Tara for accommodating my dietary needs. Kimberly rocks in the food department! Thank you Meg for your hospitality, your teaching and for making my Camp Create an amazing experience I will treasure always! Love you to the moon and back!

Shelly Clark - What more can I say to you, I love Camp Create! I love the opportunity it gives to meet such wonderful friends, and be surrounded by all things HAPPY. I love that I have learned new crafty skills (I am awaiting my Benzie Felt order, because I have been on a pillow making frenzy since I got home, seriously, pillows for everyone this Christmas). I volunteer to go to Idaho to recruit Camp Create Guests so that all states are represented at the Craft House). Most of all, I love how gracious and welcoming Meg and Kimberlee are.

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more summer memories

August 16, 2017 Filed in family fun,random,things i love


we only made it to this waterfall once this summer!
that’s a total bummer.
we never know what we will find when we turn down the path towards the water.
this year the water level was low so there was not much to explore.
but being outside on a beautiful day is always good!
and we added this day to the many memories of coming here together.


we even got kobe to try swimming for the first time!
he hated it.


we tried to watch the sunset as much as possible from our firepit.
sometimes that included margaritas… sometimes chickens… sometimes both.
and sometimes we’d even have s’mores and an actual fire.


i used my stash of linens and cutter quilts to recover all the craft house porch cushions.
it felt great to use my sewing machine again!
it had been way too long since i had gotten that out.


i did SO MUCH GARDENING this summer!
i hope with all my heart that it all comes back next year – or at least 75% of it!!
it doesn’t look great this year but next year it might fill in and be fabulous.
fingers crossed.

annie learned to use the riding mower this summer!


sean turned 17 years old!
i think that is pretty rude of him to just keep growing up without my permission… just kidding.
he is a super fun kid.
i enjoy spending time with him so much!


we spent our 4th of july very differently than ever before!
we were in a tiny theater and we were in the 7th row.
it was THE BEST CONCERT!!!
it was surreal…. to be so close and for them to sound so incredibly good!
and craig sang every word to every song.
and i love that.

add a comment

Laura Oyler - Can we talk about what’s going on with Sean’s cake? Because that looks delicious!

Tam - Love all the pictures ♥️♥️

Kerri - We attended our first concert at the Stiefel just last night (we’re in Ellsworth). What a great, intimate venue!

Katie - Wondering what kind of cake that is for Sean’s birthday – it looks like ice cream, but isn’t melty. Looks delicious! Please share!

Kacy - I love the Stiefel Theater. And the Avett Brothers. We just moved to Nebraska from Beloit, KS and we ALMOST bought tickets to that show, but didn’t quite know how moved/settled we’d be. We did see a Michael W Smith Christmas Concert there a few years ago that was incredible though. We sat up in the balcony and felt just as close.

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weekend in chicago

August 10, 2017 Filed in just the two of us

way back in june, mr. duerksen & i caught a flight super early in the morning and hit chicago for the weekend – no kids!
our airport is pretty small but we DO have a dunkin’ donuts so i make sure to start a flight off right!



our first stop was brunch at Hutch American Bistro.
we were just walking by and it was packed so we figured it must be good.
9 times out of 10 if the weather is even halfway decent we choose to sit outside to eat.
and i always choose sweet and he chooses savory.
i ordered the Strawberry Croissant French Toast filled with mascarpone cheese and an Iced Macchiato with vanilla & carmel vodka – YUMMMM!
i have wished for this meal again so many times since!

on the flight that morning we decided to go to a Cubs game.
it had been probably 15 or more years since the last time i’d been to one!
we walked from brunch to Wrigley Field and it was as wonderful as i remembered.
it was a perfect day for a baseball game!
and the Cubs won!
it was such a fun environment – everyone was so happy out in the streets afterwards!

the rest of our day was spent wandering around the city.
we did some sight seeing, some shopping and lots of people watching.  🙂


on sunday we met up with old friends for lunch which was relaxing and sweet.
and the best guac i’ve ever had!
i’m so glad they had time to see us!

and then we finally got to the whole reason for our trip…
the U2 concert at Soldier Field!


we did the math and figured out that this was our 7th U2 concert with our chicago friends dave & jenny.
we’ve been doing this together for a long time!
i remember bring pregnant for at least one concert and it wasn’t with annie.
so many memories from all those years!
we had such a good night!!
the best weather…hanging with our besties all day… the lumineers opened…  and then U2!


before we left the city we were sure to get some chicago style pizza too.

i love any time that i get to escape with craig.
he’s my favorite.
🙂

add a comment

jennibell - Glad to see you back blogging again (and a little time for me to sit down and read). Loved your summer pictures. . .you make me feel close to you when you pour your heart out (that’s weird, I hope you know I’m not a crazy stalker — bloggers become “like friends”). . .and then you inspire me to plan a weekend with MY love because in all of summer’s gloriousness, and working through “life”, and just makingdinnerrunningerrandsplayingchauffer I forget how important time away together is too. Thanks for the inspiration! Glad we’re in sort of the same parenting phases — you used to inspire me to create with my kiddos. . .now you are reminding me not to forget the one I made those kiddos with — ha 🙂

Lori - Looks like an awesome weekend!

LaurainSacto - Boy does U2 know how to sell out a stadium or what? That is a great picture!

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i can’t save them.

August 7, 2017 Filed in parenting

this parenting thing!!!
it’s the most bizarre challenge!
we want our kids to succeed and we try to help them but they don’t want our help.
except when they do… so you can’t quit offering.
you tell them everything you think they need to know and they don’t have to listen.
you can bring them to church their whole lives and they still don’t have to believe what you do.
you can tell them over and over how wonderful they are and they can still hear something else in their head.

why did God give ALL of us free will?  why not just the grown ups?!

we can’t compare our kids to anyone else’s because every family is different.
and we know that no family is perfect – no matter how it may look on the outside.
but sometimes... doesn’t that seem not true for some people?
like that some families are the exception and they ARE doing everything right?
it’s as if they have a secret way to raising kids that always works.

when our kids are little the problems we face are usually pretty fixable.
potty training… picky eaters… poor sleeping… tantrums… sassy talk.
there’s a solution or ways to make it better.
you get to control where they go, what they do and how they do it for almost a decade.
it feels manageable, safe and even measurable – maybe not at the time but looking back those are the words i think of.
then they get older and often it feels like there is no longer anything that is fixable!
the issues are so big!
and potentially life altering on nearly a daily basis!
with teenagers the things you deal with on any given day could include: driving, snap-chatting, dating, faith, sex, drugs, alcohol, suicide, curfews, clothing choices, hormones, depression, anxiety, friendships – to name just a few.
it is a completely different ball game!

there are times when i have no clue what i am doing!
times where craig and i will just stare at each other saying “what should we do?”
i pray “help us guide these kids Lord” over and over.
i need to give God the reins.
i don’t want to be consumed with worry.
i want to trust that God is big enough to handle it all.
and in my heart i know that He is but i definitely struggle with worry and guilt and doubt.
i have to give it over to Him every day.
or at least every day that i remember to give it over and don’t keep it – because i am too busy worrying!

it’s hard to truly grasp that i can’t keep them from messing up.
i cannot save them.
(of course i can’t – i can’t even save myself! thank you jesus for saving me!)
i have to remember that a huge part of growing up is making mistakes and learning from them!
how can they know how failing feels if we never let them fail?
how can they trust themselves if we make every decision for them?
how can they learn to get back up if they never get knocked down?
the struggles they face, the things they wrestle with, the choices they make – the good and the bad – are all part of their story.
through those experiences my hope is they learn that God loves them no matter what.

if i have all the answers then i don’t need Jesus.
so i have got to let go and rejoice that I DO need Him and that He’s with me as a mama!
He is with my kids through all the ups and downs they go through whether they realize it or not.
i can’t forget that yes they are my kids but not really – they are God’s!
i have the privilege of being their mom.
but He created them and loves them more than i ever could so seriously i have GOT TO STOP worrying!
my job is point them to jesus.
i have failed so many times at that but thankfully there always seems to be another opportunity to try again.

I’ve been reading this scripture on repeat and praying it over my kids:

“My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth.  I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit – not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength  – that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in.  And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love.  Reach out and experience the breadth!  Test its length!  Plumb the depths!  Rise to the heights!  Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. 
God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working with in us, his Spirit deeply and gently with in us.”  Ephesians 3:14-20 The Message

this is helping my heart as i parent five teenagers/young adults.

what i want the most for my kids is a relationship with Jesus.
i can trust that no matter where they go they can find Him.
it doesn’t have to be in the way i think it should be or in my timing – god knows everything about them!
they don’t have to be in a certain occupation or youth group or college or church.
those things are not barriers for God.
He makes himself seen absolutely everywhere so i can rest in the fact that He is there with them – everywhere and anywhere!

and i will keep praying for them to open the door and invite Him in.

add a comment

D - <3 U

jo - Meg, Timely post with a lot of young people heading off to college at the time of year. Sometimes we think we’ve given them all the tools and foundation and yet they will still will make wrong choices. We have to make sure we stay connected to them and let them know how much we love them. Thanks for the reminder that we can’t take it all on our shoulders….

Stephanie Johnson - Thank you so much for this post. This momma’s heart really needed to hear it right now. I struggle with these same things SO much! And this summer seems to have been harder than ever. Thank you for the reminder that God is in control & there is no barrier that He can not overcome

Liz - Hi! What’s funny about this post is that I often see your family as the one that is “doing it all right”; that is “perfect”!! I have 5 and 6 year-old boys, and I hope and pray every day that I am raising them to be able to successfully navigate the challenges they will face. I know it won’t be perfect, but one can hope 🙂

jennibell - “how can they know how failing feels if we never let them fail?
how can they trust themselves if we make every decision for them?
how can they learn to get back up if they never get knocked down?” Ugh. THANK YOU for this. I know you’ve mentioned before that it’s hard to write about your kids and “teenager” things because it’s so personal. I get it. My oldest is younger than your oldest and my youngest is older than your youngest so I’m right there in with you (minus one). Thank you for sharing and showing me that I’m NOT alone and pointing me to MY Father who created them, loves them (and me), and for some unfathomable reason gave them to US to raise in His love. It’s overwhelming. And such a privilege. And I worry so much that I’m not doing it “right”. And then I see that others have the same insecurity and know that we need to bond together, pray together and never stop. You and your blog are a blessing to me Meg.

Danielle Flaming - TRUTH! Wow! Loved your words! May we all keep our eyes on Him!

Jennifer Greeley - What a wonderful scripture to read. I’m saving it. I’m on the verge of the teenage years and I can so see how this is going to help.

shelly - Yes. Yes. Yes!!! This momma to 3 teenage boys feels the same way but couldn’t have expressed it as so eloquently as you did. Thank you!!!

Se7en's Fabulous Fun Post #352 - se7en | se7enSe7en's Fabulous Fun Post #352 - se7en - […] Parenting teens… Oh Meg Duerksen on Whatever has a way with words: I Can’t Save Them. […]

Kellie - So much this! We are preparing to send our only child off to college next week and I am worried about ALL of the things. I pray she makes good choices, I pray she hears all of my warnings about safety, I pray that she wakes up for class on time! Parenting big kids is so hard. Change is so hard.

Kristen Kerwin - Been following you for-like-ever…and your parenting posts are some of my favorites. Because you say that things that I can only whimper out…and you encourage me always! (And I love your heart / home / rainbows / and so much more) Thank you for this incredibly timely reminder (well, I need this DAILY!) that God holds our kiddos close, and us as well. But I’m with you on that ‘free will’ thing…can’t it kinda be more of a “25 and up” thang? 😉 Praying over both of our mommy hearts!

Cheri - Great thoughts, Meg! You know what they say…little kids, little problems…big kids, big problems. I’m in what they call the sandwich generation:). We have 4 adult kids, 6 grandchildren, and ailing parents. We are always taking care of someone:). Life was sailing along beautifully…all 4 kids were making great decisions. College, good jobs, great husband choices, adorable grand babies. Then our son got addicted to pornography, and our youngest daughter decided to close up her bible and walk away from Jesus! I felt like I’d fallen off a cliff. Really hard stuff. We have learned so much these past 10 years…yes, it’s been a long journey! I remember my son’s counselor telling us that it was going to take a long time to get him where he needs to be…I remember telling my husband that this whole nightmare may take up to a year to fix!!! Im glad now I didn’t realize that it would take more like 10 years!!!Thanks to Jesus and Pure Life ministries, our son is leading an overcoming life, but we still have a prodigal on our hands! Keeps us on our knees:). My husband and I have made it through some very tough years only because of Jesus. One day when I was stewing and worrying and trying to manipulate a situation, God whispered to me, “you’re not trusting me”! It’s quite freeing when you realize that God’s got this and He loves your kids more than you do! I’ve read your blog for some time now…your going to make it!

Ingrid - You have no idea how much I needed this post. Just now I am struggling with parenting a teen. I worry, yell, fret, love, and try to get it right. Often I forget to hand it and him over to God. Parenting, it’s not for cowards.

Christine - Dear Meg, as a fellow saved by grace mama of six kids ranging from ages 21-5. I completely feel you in your heartfelt post. Our oldest was a hard young child and a pretty easy teen who is married and serving God today. Our 2nd is a whole other story. This boy put us through it for 3 long years. He is living for God now, a real blessing and makes us beyond proud. A couple of take-aways from our experience with that whole experience was: 1. God’s grace on us as we felt so alone and like such failures. On our son to bring him back and forgive him. 2. To see other parents differently. No one is perfect and even the best of us can have wayward children. Like you said even if we do our best, they still have free will. 3. My commitment to my savior. Nothing makes you look at your own heart and walk with God than adversity. Do I believe what I say? Why do I believe that? Is it worth the fight? The time on my knees?
I see now that all of those nights of being woken from sleep to lay a hold of God for our son were very well worth it. The stands I made no matter how it may have affected my relationship with our son (at that time), worth it. The…you get the picture.
Hang in there, my fellow mama. You and your hubby are doing the right thing. Stay on your knees for your babies no matter how old they are. God hears your prayers. He wants them saved more than you. He has a way of getting the attention of our kids. Don’t give up or compromise. They are watching, seeing if it (your relationship with God) is worth it…something they can give their lives for.
I will be praying for you and your babies. Can’t wait to one day read your testimonies of answered prayers.
Golly, this ended up being a long comment…sorry.

Sara - I like this…I like you. I like that you are willing to type out what most moms are going through. Trust and prayer are what we have. We just have to remember how powerful both are. Prayers for your heart.

Tina - Oh my. What a perfect post. We are having some hard times with our teens right now and it only seems HARD and I have to constantly remind myself to not compare ourselves to other families who seem to be doing everything right and enjoying their teens and relishing the “joy” of their big kids while we’re over here STRUGGLING. Several months ago, I commented on another post you had written about mom things and how lonely it was parenting a teenager with difficulties. You sent me a private email that I saved and have referred to it many times. Thanks for your wise words yet again. Sure I’ll save this post too;-)

Jen - Boy, if this isn’t the truth as a mother of 4 boys (3 already adults) I often tell my husband THIS is the hardest part of parenting!! I wasn’t prepared for them to be adults, I long for the days of feetie pjs, pb&j, and cartoons!

Ruth - After a rough parenting Monday, (Children ages: 17, 15, 12 and 1) this was exactly what I needed to remember. Thank you Meg. May God bless us all in this journey…

patti-rae redekopp - AMEN!!!! Praying for your and your family. Thank you for being transparent and real. May God meet you right IN this .. Lean IN.. Just Be Held. Trust. HE ALWAYS HAS YOU. In the chaos..HE IS CALM.

Lauren - Long-time reader…thanks for being honest and sharing your thoughts and your heart here.

Kelly - So much yes!!! Great post! ❤️

Kathy Leach - A post for every parent….no matter how old our “kids” are. It never ends and the worry is constant. Thank you for this!

Lisa - Meg – one more thing. I just went of Chuck Swindoll’s daily devotion for 08-07-2017 and he ALSO quoted the Ephesians Bible verse! On the same day…check it out! 🙂

Andrea - Timely words! Raising teenagers is so hard and I needed to be reminded to keep turning them over to God. Thank you!

Lisa - Oh boy …… I’m so thankful to have found your blog. ( years ago!) You speak right to the heart of the teen-rearing mom! Thank you for being open and reminding us to follow the Lord – the creator of our children!

Praise | Chica Chick - […] a quiet moment this morning I read this blog post. By the time I made it to the bottom of the post my heart was in prayer. Thanking God for the […]

Elisa - I should also add that it’s hard to look back on old blog posts- to days when life was more simple but also a lot more work with younger kids. I miss those days.

Elisa - I skated through the teenage years pretty easily with my first one but my 2nd one is giving me a run for my money. I worry, I cry, I drink wine….
and wonder how I will make it through 3 and 4.

No words of wisdom, just wanted to let you know I am right there with ya.

Hugs mama!

Kate S. - Respect your kids’ decisions. Just because YOU need faith in your life to sustain yourself, doesn’t mean any of them ever will. Some people do just fine on their own. If I were your child and I read this post, beseeching “the lord” to help me, I would feel unheard, misunderstood, and as though my mother didn’t respect my life choices.

Sabrina - My kids are so little right now and there are days we wish they would be potty trained, not throw tantrums, eat all their food, play nice… But then my husband and I tell each other, With Big Kids come Big Problems! So we are trying to not wish these days away either. I know the problems and worries teens today face and I know they will be there in 10 years and maybe worse. I just keep praying the Lord will guide me as a mom and watch over my children as they grow. Thanks for your words!

Alice H - You hit the nail on the head! I think what frustrates me most is people with their dumb advice when they try to act like it is the parents fault for what their kids are doing or that a good ol’ butt whooping is what will do the trick. I made lots of mistakes as a young teen. It was hard but I got through them. Even as an adult, I have my mess ups. Sorry for whatever you are going through at this time.

Hannah Warren - oh my! i so needed this right now! i worry about my teen all day every day and probably lecture her way more than i should because i am so scared of her making wrong choices! AHH! teens are so fun but sometimes i miss the days of no naps and sippy cups. i thought i was stressed then! HA! thank you for keeping it real!!

Lorri - Oh, that pesky free will! You are so very right, Meg. One of the hardest things we can do as parents is let our kids make their own decisions and do their own thing – and reap the natural consequences of their actions. Sure, it’s great when it’s great. But when it’s not, and it leads to setbacks, disappointments, fractured relationships … ug. Those ups and downs can bring us closer to God, and that is where we belong. Best to you and yours, Meg.

Lori H - Meg, I have followed your blog forever…you were one of the first blogs I followed! And it never fails that you have interesting, relevant and also fun things to impart. But today..TODAY you have posted exactly what this mama needed to hear. And also to hear that you are going through some of the same things I am. Thank you!! I plan to read this post again soon (and again) and to print out that scripture from The Message to remind me.

Kimberly Dial - Meg, this post was so on point with a decision that was made in my family just today that I know it’s not a coincindence that I acutally decided to get on Blogger today to read a few of the blogs I follow (yours being one of them)something I hadn’t done in forever. That you for sharing this. You’re right, worry is not the answer (but oh so hard to avoid) but point them to Jesus is the answer. I’ve followed you for years and have enjoyed your blog but today, the Lord used you to bless me and provoke me to thought. Thank you 🙂

Kelly Krause - Right there with you! Every day I feel like a failure. Like I am not doing this job well enough. Like other Moms and families are doing so much better. That a Christian family should only look one way. That maybe it’s too late to influence my big ones…but I know better. I get compliments about my kids’ character all of the time. They are making godly decisions. I often fail to see the positives. But oh, #givemeallthepreschoolers!

Dena - Really great post. Thank you

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summer in the backyard

August 1, 2017 Filed in chickens,pretty,things i love

summer is flying by way too fast.
i have been spending lots of time tending to my flowers because i looooove my flowers!
and kittys.
and dogs.
and chickens.

i am not ready for school to start (and early mornings and games and more games)
nope.
i just want to chill here at home and do summer for like…6 more months.
is that so much to ask?!

add a comment

Tam - Gorgeous pics!

teyonce - sometimes I am taken back by just how good an eye you have, you set up the perfect shots and get the best results! I always love your posts (all of them of course) but when you post just streams of pictures I find myself going back, happy to look at them all again. i forget how talented my friend is!

Nina Newswanger - Your photos are beautiful!!

KATHY - Beautiful pictures….can’t blame you for wanting to chill 🙂

Kathi - Beautiful pictures! I love your kittens 🙂

Kerri - Wow – your flowers look gorgeous! The heat has been so hard on mine; has really taken a toll on everything (I am in Ellsworth County, Kansas). Sweet kitties, too.

Jill - Love, love, love your patio and yard pictures! Say, will you do a post about your chickens sometime with the details of your coop, your feeders, etc? I’ve always wondered how you have it set up inside the coop.

Tina - Your flowers are so pretty!! And I’m totally with you, I do NOT want summer to end. My 5 kids went back today. Sad face. But on a positive note, at least I won’t get a million calls at work today wanting me to referee a fight from home. LOL.

Angela - Co-sign on not ready for school to start! Your flowers are gorgeous!

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the Gathering at Round Top

July 9, 2017 Filed in creativity,things i love

way back in May we held the first “Gathering at Round Top”.
we hosted a creative retreat for 12 wonderful women.
it was even better than i had hoped it would be!
tara steele & stephanie ackerman invited me to be a part of their plan and it took me no time at all to say YES!


we stayed all together at The Vintage Round Top.
this was a really great space! there were so many unique features that were beautiful all together.
if you are looking for a place to stay in Round Top – this is it!



tara prepared all the meals for this group.
she was fantastic!
i am still thinking about that cheese dish… it was addictive.


we went to tara’s restaurant called Royer’s Pie Haven.
this was THE CUTEST little place!
i wanted to stay all day and eat all the pies.
and you can order their pies online and she’ll mail them to your house!
it’s basically the best mail you could ever get.

we got to go to Junk Gypsy too!
stephanie and i were very excited about seeing this person.
it did not disappoint!  Sooooo fun, colorful and jam packed with awesomeness!

tara taught a pie making workshop!
i wasn’t sure about the flavor of the junk berry but then i tried it – WHOA.
it was SOOOO GOOD!

these pies were works of art!
so of course we all needed pictures of them…

stephanie taught a stitching workshop that i loved!
but i have no photos of what we made unfortunately.
it was really sweet but hard to explain.
stephanie is such a good teacher! she is funny and encourages everyone to be themselves.

i taught how to make a wreath with a chalkboard in the middle.
the ladies had a lot of fun picking out their fabrics.
so many choices!

we really enjoyed our meal at Royer’s Round Top Cafe!
this place was super quirky and F U N!
i had the pork tenderloin and announced it was officially the best meal i had ever eaten.
EVER!

look at all those pies!!!


we went out junking because… that’s what you do in Round Top!
we weren’t there during Antique Week(s) so it wasn’t crowded or crazy.
but someday i do want to go back for that!


and we did so much more than this too!
but you just have to experience it sometime to understand that part.

i was a little unsure about being somewhere other than the Craft House for a retreat but as soon as i got there all my fears were gone.
we had such great ladies and so much fun getting to know each other!

thanks to all these women who made our long weekend super amazing!
i hope we all see each other again someday!
i can’t wait to go back to Round Top!


ps:  i road tripped all by myself down to Texas and it was soooo nice!
i listened to Up & Vanished podcast the entire way there AND the entire way back.
that was 18 hours!
it was the perfect entertainment and i was TOTALLY into it!

add a comment

Candace Barbee - Will there be opportunity for another one of these retreats? Thanks, Candace

April - That looks like such a fun time and a great place! Women have been bonding over making pies and crafts (sewing) for years. What a fun and inspirational idea.

Paige Hull - It was such a pleasure meeting you in Round Top. I loved getting a chance to watch some of the retreat and see you, Tara and Stephanie in action. You ladies rock!! We hope to host you again very soon!!

Jennifer Greeley - Road trips are the best. I’m glad you enjoyed your time in Texas. Hope you can make it back again soon!

Kimberlee - That house is gorgeous! I want to move in and have a Junkberry Pie standing order on Saturdays.

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