Abitare

As me and my Brother walked the streets of his lovely Brooklyn neighborhood I saw this sign hanging from a far. I know a good design when I see one, and even from a far I immediately took to it and knew I had to take a peak inside.

Ask Enrique ... I was super excited to get in there ... drum roll please!!!

sigh .. HELLO THERE BEAUTIFUL!

And what is this hanging in the corner I see???

Are those... Are those skinnylaminx tea towels??? OH YES IT IS!!!! Those in the back looking like Orla .. yes .. those!!!!

Oh my oh my, fancy meeting you here. I knew you looked familiar and yes we have met before.

I've hearted skinnylaminx's Etsy shop forever! 

See why? Another lovely from her Etsy shop. And oh what joy it is to see other Etsian's work out in the real world looking lovelier than ever!!! I think it's about time I get some of skinnylaminx of my own! Ok now back to Abitare.

Everything in that shop was lovely ... and honestly I could see this whole setting in the middle of my dinning room one day. What an amazing space.

To my disappointment I left with nothing, but wanted to take everything ... but I knew I'd have to control myself because I had only a few hours left in Brooklyn and only so much space in my bag left. And since the stuff I really wanted is on Etsy I will go ahead and get some there.. but I'll definitely be back and visit Abitare again, because this shop is to amazing for words!!!

I love love love Abitare!!!

Brooklyn, you're amazing.

My Brother in Brooklyn

I'm still not sure where to begin this entry or if I'll ever be done with it because I've got a million and one things to say. But I guess I can start by saying, I have a brother, and he lives in Brooklyn. {It's taken me a week to find the words for this entry, Sorry for the delay}

I didn't use to always have a brother, but some how God turned a seemingly normal high school friendship into so much more after graduation ... friendship turned into family. So that's why now I have a brother. And now that brother of mine .. is pursuing an acting career in NYC and lives in beautiful Brooklyn Heights. If you knew this guy before New York, or even before acting, you'd know that, "that Enrique" is a totally different person from the one who lives in NY now. "This Enrique" has totally grown up and found what he loves and is great at, yet still has the same big ole heart as he 's always had ... just maybe a lot less sports.

This is how he looked when I first arrived!!! OMG right?? hahha. Good looks and awesome style run in the family ... bwaahah KIDDING! But really doesn't he look great?

Showing me how their subway works .. hahah {Actors ... LOL!}

And me showing Enrique the best pizza in town! hehe He LOVED IT!

Maybe it's me, or maybe I've just forgotten because it's been so long since we've hung out ... but this guy {I'm so proud to say} is truly a gentleman's gentlemen. Besides showing me around his side of the city, and taking me to the places I wanted to go in subfreezing temperatures, as well as feeding me THE BEST Brooklyn has to offer, Enrique's chivalry can put most guys to shame. I'm so proud to call him my brother, and though it's still a wonder why he doesn't have a girlfriend ... we both know that there aren't many girls deserving of him. HAHA.

Chivalry in action. Besides having his own 2 bags to carry around town from his classes ... his first order of business was to not only give me a huge hug, but knowing Enrique, he took my big PINK {semi heavy} weekend bag carried it around for me the whole time ... without having been asked as we ventured around town. How amazing is my brother?

This was the second day and even as I started accummulating more stuff as we shopped he was still the biggest gentlemen ever!!!

I joke around, but really this guy has the heart the size of a football field or two. I have much to learn from Enrique, like how to be such a great friend, or great encouragement, as well as a continuously hungry Christian. Enrique hasn't been a Christian for the longest time, but he is always eager to learn and grow and see God in all the little things that make up our lives.

Ok ... gotta cut this off short but I did have so much more to say {more than I've said already}.

Enrique and I on the Brooklyn Bridge {possibly the 2 most stupid people in all of NY that night .. it was freezing!} But it was totally worth it!

I love Brooklyn Heights, but I love my brother so much more!! He's made me sooo proud in all that he's done and accomplish and I'm so blessed by his life and friendship! Love you Brother!! Watch out .. you might just see his pretty face on a movie screen one day!!!

***These few photos are from my weekend with him in Brooklyn ... I'll post more soon, I promise!!***

A day late news...HOLY CUTE!

I'm been uber busy but I did want to mention that RED VELVET ART is finally open!!! YAY! Hop on over to their amazingly awesome website and even visit their newly opened store or check out their ever so cute blog!! I absolutely love their style their products and their craftiness!

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Red Velvet Art!!!

Collection of the week {61}

This week's collection is actually a group of hard core, rule breaking knitters: Knitta! In their words Knitta  is "a tag crew of knitters, bombing the inner city with vibrant, stitched works of art, wrapped around everything from beer bottles on easy nights to public monuments and utility poles on more ambitious outings". Who says knitting is for just old folks? These guys are so creative! I wonder when they'll hit up DC! Here ... watch them in action!

Knitta Rocks!!!

Messy Monday

I know this picture isn't the greatest, but it is my Monday's mess. Mama Cakies, Ruby challenged her blog readers to share a few laughs and asked for others to blog their own messes as she did hers. My mess may not looks like a lot but tangled up yarn is a killer {especially if you have 209384750295478 different colors tangled together at once}. And just image whats in the big bag ... more yarn and more tangles!! A crafters worst nightmare! Thank goodness for patient and loving mothers who help make messes with you to help you finish up orders! I love my mom and I love Cakies! Great idea Ruby your so creative!!

Share your Monday Mess: HERE

Happy 1st Birthday R&F

Happy Birthday Rini &Faith! And though Punxsutawney Phil makes his offical forcast today on {Happy Groundhog Day by the way!!!}, a year ago today we made our own debut on Etsy! I couldn't be more proud and more happy with how this little project has turned out and by God's blessing we are continuing to grow and grow as a business. All praise goes to God!

A million thank yous go out to those who've been there to support me, encourage me, inspire me, and also guide me and pray for me through all of this, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!! I love you all and I am soo blessed to have such a great support and love all around me. Also thanks you to our AMAZING CUSTOMER! We really couldn't have done it with out you!

Special events will be going on at Rini &Faith these next two weeks so we'll be keeping you posted on the blog as well as send out surprise emails so be on the look out!

Lastly BIG NEWS is happening at Rini &Faith on this 1 year anniversary...

***Rini & Faith will be sold in a Ohio Boutique in a week!!!***

RINI & FAITH LOVES YOU!

{we'll keep you all posted in the coming days about the happenings at Rini &Faith!}

Parables for breakfast

Every second of the past three days something wonderful happened and God's blessings continued to pour out like a steady stream. Though I haven't entirely grasped why, what I do know is that God's love is immeasurable and to great for description. With His love also comes His goodness, and man is His goodness in my life so undeserved. I'm dying to share stories of God's blessings over the last few days but the first thing I wanted to talk about and share are not my own stories, but a story from God's word. I love God's word and the wonderful stories and lessons He has to teach me. May we all have teachable hearts, and "who ever has ears, let them hear" as it says in Matthew 13:18

The Parable of the Weeds: Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from? 'An enemy did this,' he replied. The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up. 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn." {Matthew 13: 24-30}

Growing up, and even now every spring and summer my uncle makes me and my cousins help weed out his garden so I know very well what it's like, but maybe not to the extent of an entire wheat field. This parable is such a colorful reminder to not be a weed in the harvest, but a "good seed". This worship song was the first thing that came to my mind after doing my devotion because for "the harvest" ... "He is coming back again".

Have a great week,

and I hope and pray that God blesses you more than He can me

.. for His favor is so sweet it must be shared and tasted!