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a little laundry space

Raising up Rubies11 Comments

kay! i promised pics of our little laundry space … here we go



a few years ago we were talking about putting our washer/dryer somewhere on the first or second level. this little nook outside our bathroom at the top of our stairs ended up being the perfect spot


our appliances are stackable so that was the main reason for utilizing this empty little spot
on the landing upstairs … if they weren’t i think the laundry would still be in the basement.


really thankful for this space
it saves me gazillions of trips up and down two flights of stairs 
(but bad for my four cookie food group lifestyle)
i mean it only makes sense to have laundry facilities on the level where all the clothes are doesn’t it?  
yes. i agree with you.


on the opposite wall is a skinny little table that holds our detergents
family bible & books … some that we read before bedtime

a little tray with dry erase markers for chore charts
and magnetic alphabets for love notes & messages on the side of the washer
that’s some happy right there. 

the JOY clothesline canvas how-to is here
i made that last year sometime

the laundry canvas hoop thingy how to is here


the pom pom flowers are super easy to make … just whip up your poms 
and hot glue them to some brown floral wire (found in the floral section at joanns) 
orrrrrr… you can just buy some here. love that shop.

i made the doily/ fabric strip bunting while i was at Meg’s craft house 
for whatever craft weekend. you can read about that here too



my girls always think that the picture of the little boy on the shelf is my husband when he was little
but it’s not… my grandfather was an artist (like for a living not just for fun 🙂 
he died when i was a teenager but later on after we were married 
i found this drawing in one of his old sketch books and framed it 
…neat huh?

much love ♥
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on the seventh day of Christmas… ♥

Raising up Rubies4 Comments
just poppin in tonight with a little sneak peek at what’s headed 
into the shop in the morning!
day 7 of the 12 days of Christmas will be picked up tomorow
and my holly tags from last year are back 
so snag a set while you can! they’ll be listed at 10am EST



along with a new (and favorite of mine) mason jar garland
bright winter white “baby it’s cold outside” with pom poms & polka dots
beat those snowy january post holiday blues with one of these happy garlands
🙂






be back with those laundry room pics!
happy shopping!!

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laundry canvas hoop art… ♥

Raising up Rubies13 Comments

was just hangin out on pinterest a few weeks ago
just for a minute 
ya know
in doggie years. not the human kind
so i stumbled upon this wonderful blog & shop 
and found this really cute printable that was an instant download
i love it! how whimsical it is …
i instantly had big plans for this little laundry printable




i went to staples and had the 12×12 size printed onto canvas … 
it was super cheap! like five bucks i think. i was surprised it was that reasonable…
and i scored a huge box of huge embroidery hoops at a huge estate sale over the summer
so with some gray chev, a huge hoop & a cute printable i set to work.
should i say huge again?




i cut & fit the fabric to size with the hoop
did a quick zig zag stitch around the canvas with my machine, 
then lined that baby up in the hoop and stretched it to fit… done!
i did hot glue all around the edges in the back to keep it nice and tight too
i thought some pom pom yarn back & forth across the front would be fun
used hot glue on the ends for that as well (around the side and then glued to the back)



our laundry area is on the landing at the top of the stairs
and there’s no light up there at all, except from what comes in the bedroom windows
so it’s a challenge to get good shots up there




i did get some fun pictures though!
i’ll be back next week to show you the rest of that space
it’s little, but it’s fun … and a lot goes on up there



happy weekend!
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12 days of Christmas ♥

Raising up Rubies1 Comment
hustlin. 
been hustlin allll week.
i realized i forgot to post an update here on the blog
about the 12 days of Christmas stuff!
😦
i post daily updates on instagram for those who prefer a good social network
🙂
here is the list of Christmas products that have made their way into the shop
 or will be there within the next two weeks or so.














i’ll be back soon with a little project i did for my laundry area 
♥ much love & happy shopping!
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a quick shop update! … ♥

Raising up Rubies9 Comments



Christmas is in the shop!!
i know, i know…
Thanksgiving isn’t even over yet
but when you’re a small handmade business without 473 employees
you basically do everything yourself
unless you can bribe your kids & relatives to help you make stuff
hehe 🙂
so in an effort to get a head start and not be working up until december 23rd at midnight
i thought i’d spread out all the new items i’ll be offering over a twelve day period…
fun right?!?


i’ve been working hard the past few months on JUST Christmas stock!
and i’m so so excited to show you the goodies
kickin’ it off tomorrow morning at 10am EST 
with MASON JAR GARLANDS exclusive for the holidays!
these will go fast guys, so once they’re gone … they’re gone!
i won’t be making more 
boo 😦


pop over to the shop tomorow morning to snag one!
monday will be the 2nd day of Christmas
these 3 hoop styles will be listed in the shop at the same time!




this vintage-retro lady is probably my most favorite hoop of allllll time
ever.
really.
ever.





















i’m also taking orders for the mini state hoops for those who have been asking 🙂
i’ll be taking as many orders as i can handle per week
turn-around time is about 5-7 business days
the final deadline to order these will be december 9th
with a shipped no later than date of december 16th






have you even thought of a list yet?
maybe checked it twice already?!
i sooo have!!
not. 
🙂
i’m never ready for Christmas.
never.
don’t think i will be this year either.
ha.

see you in the morning!
happy shopping!

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a craft room update … ♥

Raising up Rubies71 Comments




well. i promised an updated tour of my studio
and i finally got it done! whew…
it’s a hard room to snap pics of (it’s never clean & tidy) and to catch good light at the right time of day is a challenge on this side of my house. 
between upstate NY gloomy fall weather and my messy crafting habits
getting those two things to happen at once are like the planets aligning or something
(i don’t think the planets really align)
(but in the new Thor movie they do for pretend)
(wait … do they?)
(no. they don’t)
glad that’s taken care of.




i get a lot of questions & emails about this room, and most of them are similar … but when i originally blogged about it here, things were a bit different and a lot of little changes have happened over the past two years … 
so instead of narrating, i’ll just let you enjoy the eye candy without my annoying descriptions of every picture … and if you have any questions about how we did something or about where i got something, just leave a comment and i’ll do my best to answer them throughout the day … kay?! 
so grab a cup a somethin’ and stay for a bit puh. lease. thanks 🙂
(oh, and my hubby’s original plans for the big table are here)































































most of the artwork & prints you see on my inspiration wall are from 
some of my favorite etsy shops …
pen & paint ~ katygirl designs ~ yellow heart art ~ 
doodles by amy lou (on instagram) ~ joy’s hope ~ mandipidy ~ grace for grace
this space in our home is a blessing to me … a gift from my husband really
who has yet to finish the basement or make a place he calls his own,
 that we often talk about. he wanted to see my dreams and goals come full circle, and is so supportive of everything i try to accomplish. do i love this room? yeah.
but i love why i have it more. i’m loved by a man God gave to me 
and i’m living out my calling for Christ. 
that’s more joy than a hundred cute craft rooms 🙂

thanks for stopping by today and remember to leave a comment
if there’s somethin’ you want to know.
that this room inspires and makes you guys happy is a gift all in itself, i appreciate all of you.
happy new week ♥
linking up to:
Tatertots & Jello
The 36th Avenue
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insta friday and a little home tour … ♥

Raising up Rubies14 Comments

it’s a great day to be friday 🙂
i’m over at my friend Heather’s blog today
her house made lovely series is so so awesome
go check it out … then come back 🙂

there’s a few pics over there of new things i want to share with you soon
i’ve been a busy bee the past two weeks
wrappin up little projects around the house that have been on my mind
for forever.
including a whole new room tour of my studio
so many things have changed in there since i first blogged about it here
i hope to share that with you guys next week

so take a peek at the past month or so … courtesy of instagram
you can follow me there i’m raisinguprubies




♥ lunch box notes & jokes. have been the highlight of my kids days.
they talk about them. tell them on the bus. and try to get daddy to guess the answers without giving him too much insight. (cause they know they can’t really fool him 🙂
you can find a lot of them on my print board on pinterest or just search lunch box notes on pinterest. i laminated them so they would last longer … along with some bible memory verse cards i found on pinterst too.
♥ love this album. go. listen to it.
♥ gray heart sweater sunday selfie
♥ sunday night routine: movie, coupons, and food
(sometimes crafts) (yay)



♥ packaging. my favorite 
♥ these paper chains are so fun
♥ psalm thirty-seven washes over fears, worry and self reliance. go read it.
♥ scarves & sweaters = happiness




♥ magnetic alphabets … should i spray paint them? was thinking gold … ?
♥ we glory in our sufferings. 
because we know that suffering produces perseverance. yes it does. romans five. five
♥ happy birthday daddy 🙂 we celebrated hibachi style … it was a first for two of us
♥ C is for Cookie. that’s good enough for me




♥ hi. i’m jaime. i make pretty things for a living.
♥ do you know this gurl? she’s cool. for serious.
♥ so i found these 12 days of Christmas old school glasses and thought they might be cute on a shelf or mantle with some pom pom or cupcake paper flowers in them? right? 
but day 3 was missing
😦
then my homegurl found a whole nother set at a rummage sale we went to!
she’s like a blood hound. she spots, smells, finds things from miles away. she’s my bestie.
now i have two of each, cept number 3
🙂
♥ He has done it this very day. let us rejoice. yes.
psalm one hundred eighteen. twenty four.




♥ i make laundry soap. lots of it.
♥ my journal is so very important to me. it’s the way i pray …
do you journal?
♥ a little box of sunshine from a dear friend
was so blessed by this
♥ gearing up for next week, all new Christmas stock in the shop along with some hoops.
i hope.
i’m never ready for Christmas.
never.




♥ front porch is telling me it’s fall
♥ roses. he’s a keeper. that’s all 🙂
♥ wait. just wait. it’s hard i know.
psalm twenty seven. fourteen.
♥ Christmas fabric tape is somethin i’ve been working on for next week … 
tags & garlands too



♥ headband side ponytail kinda day
♥ prayers for friends kinda day
♥ His Mercies are new every morning kinda day
♥ more Christmas product kinda day


come back next week … i wanna show you new pictures of my craft room
♥ happy weekend & much love

linking up with my girl Jeannett 🙂

life rearranged
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the most wonderful time of the year … according to me ♥

Raising up Rubies32 Comments

i don’t usually get personal on the blog
but’s it’s nice to change up the pace sometimes
and life has been, well…
sorta personal lately
we always go apple picking every year in October
it’s tradition
and i think this season is one of the best things about living in upstate NY
(cause it sure doesn’t have anything to do with the season after it)
(blah)



NY is called the empire state … not becuase of it’s apples
i think it’s cause the empire state building
right?
yeah … pretty sure
the hubs likes empire apples
so this is where we usually park




that’ my brood
including my dad 
🙂
minus my mom … she was away on a trip
we were sad she wasn’t with us
it didn’t feel the same
i’m thankful for my parents
they love my family
they support us
and most of the time, they’re not that weird




it was late in the season
but still so many apples
tons on the ground crushed and broken
it always seems like such a waste
but they smell so good




that’s me.
and my hottie.
i like him
♥
yeah … i do




my girls are growing up so so fast
not fast enough to be drinking coffee
she’s just holding that for daddy
she likes to sneak sips
and daddy lets her get away with it




our family is changing
families do that ya know
you change … your spouse changes
your kids are constantly changing
and you have to make adjustments
re-learn things





then just when you get comfortable
the cycle starts again
i don’t think God wants us to be comfortable in our relationships
i think He wants us to be active & alert
always on the look out for things we can do better




things we can improve
ways we can serve & love better
we’re learning…
i’m learning




it’s a constant work in progress
this life is…




somedays i just wish the wisdom
could be accquired all together at one time
so it wouldn’t be a trial and error type thing




but that’s not His Design for us
and that’s what i want to embrace
as hard and as unsure as it is sometimes




the farm we go to has a cute little store … 
i wanted to take all the things home with me




and those tomatoe crates … i tried to get a few
just by themselves
they very kindly told me they weren’t for sale
but the peppers inside were
🙂
too bad no one in my family likes peppers
weird. i know.




“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” 
―Anne of Green Gables




please linger just a little longer fall
you came and went too fast
♥
much love

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and if not.

Raising up Rubies29 Comments
sometimes i get comfortable
very comfortable

and life just isn’t comfortable guys
it’s messy.
it’s ugly.
it’s hard.




two huge things i’ve already known 
but came to life for me these past few weeks
 joy.
happiness.
joy & happiness.
yeah those two things.

they seem like they go together don’t they
when really fact of the matter is
they’re nothing alike
they’re just. nothing. alike.
they are competing forces

happiness is based on the things of this life.
temporary things
things that make us smile and feel good for a time.
but then the moment’s gone
 sometimes it’s just the everyday
sometimes it’s sadness
sometimes it’s grief
disappointment
hard things
and the moment is gone
sometimes it’s a moment you thought would never leave
or change
but it’s gone.

that’s when joy steps in
or does it.





it only steps in if we let it.
i struggle to see past the yucky (non-happy)
moments enough to let it in.
…long enough to let it in.

i need to fall back
fall back on something
someone.
Someone.
i just can’t do it on my own
i’m learning to fall back on the Giver of Joy
the one who through the worst suffering 
of a slow & painful death on a rugged piece of wood
was elated with joy. to give His life for mine

last time i checked i’m not on a rugged piece of any kinda wood
i don’t have nails in my hands
and i’m really not slowly suffocating to death
to be honest i’m sitting in front of a bright screen
in a beautiful home
with a cup of hot chocolate
and.
it has whipped cream
yeah.
whipped cream

joy
in every sense of the word
based on those criteria
should be easy to find
easy to apply
it should always be around
but it’s not.
and i want it to be.
i’m desperate for it
i’m tired of being a slave to my emotions. my feelings
a slave to things i can. not. control.
yeah those things.
i’m tired of them. 
they exhaust me.
but joy.
God help me see it
help me feel it in Your Presence
in Your Light
let it soak into the deepest darkest places that i did not even know were hidden
revealing all the yuck 
let it be my song
let it be my song
always.


so i’m thinking…
if joy had a motto
like a slogan sorta…
it would be this


the print was drawn by me 🙂
you can purchase a copy in my shop
and i will mail it to you all fancy like on some nice paper

coincidentally … 
(don’t really believe in coincidences, but anyways…)
our pastor talked about this very thing Sunday in church
and this post had been sitting in my draft folder all week


his sum up of the word joy…


” it’s the internal confidence that comes from knowing & trusting God 
regardless of what’s going on externally”


wurd.
hard truth.
but truth.