Walk for the Kids!

Less than three weeks left til our St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Walk for the Kids! 

Please visit our page and make a donation today.  Any amount would be so appreciated. 

If you are local and want to join us, it is October 20th at Old Post Park in Russellville, Arkansas.  Some Guy Named Robb and Steven Kaufmann are sharing their musical talent with us, and we will have  a prize drawing and yummy food from Stoby's and McAlister's and Sweet Sensations for all of our walkers!    If you want to be a walker, contact me asap.

Thanks!

What's love got to do with it?

¹ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

^8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
¹¹When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.
¹²We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
¹³But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

The Message
I Corinthians 13

What does He care about?

"God is showing me He is more concerned with us learning to wait well and continue trusting Him--even when we don't know the answers as to why.  I just need to step out in faith, trusting that however it works out, He is the one orchestrating it."

--Paul Alexander, Campus Ministry, Orlando, FL

Finally...

"Z" is for Zebra! Show off your wild side this fall by mixing in some fun animal prints for exotic impact.

Seen here with our Embroidered Scroll and Stripe Pillow, Parisian Ottoman Tray, and the Scrollwork Oversized Throw that is on sale this month!

November Sale!!!

Visit my website or contact me to place your order today for some great Christmas gifts during our HUGE sale!

www.darlenesdesigns.willowhouse.com

The ABCs of Fall Style

"Y" is for Yellow! Whether it's the rich gold of autumn leaves or the bright yellow of sunflowers, use this cheery color to brighten your fall displays.

The ABCs of Fall Style

·        ‎"W" is for Whole spices! Fill a hurricane or vase half full with your favorite whole spices like cloves, cinnamon sticks, or star anise. Then, just pop in a candle to fill your home with the rich scents of fall baking!

TIP: Buy whole spices in bulk from your local ethnic food store.

The ABCs of Fall Style

"V" is for Villa! The beaded detailing and classic cream color of the Villa Collection make it the perfect base for building a fabulous fall table. Just add splashes of rich color and natural accents and you're all set!

New Fun Wreaths in our Outlet!

Angel Wreath: Hot Pink and Lime (50% off this week)!http://darlenesdesigns.store.willowhouse.com/product.aspx?zpid=6415

Tastiest Witch's Brew Ever!

Are you in the mood to make something fun and festive for Halloween while at the same time serving it in something fabulous? Then try one of our favorite recipes, "Scarecrow Crunch." It's cheap, easy, and everyone will love it! Plus, it looks so amazing when served in our Hawthorne Trifle because the clear glass shows off all of the cool munchies in the mix.

  

Whether you're hosting a Halloween party or just want something good to munch on at the office "Scarecrow Crunch" is the perfect snack. And when served in our Hawthorne Trifle it showcases all of the beautiful fall colors in the snack mix. It also looks so cute when filled in small baggies and given out to trick-or-treaters instead of candy.

 So dust off your trifle and try using it for something else for a change! Here's what you need to do to make the mix. Combine all of the ingredients, mix together and voilå! You have a great snack or a perfect item to bring to a Halloween bash. WARNING: Scarecrow Crunch can be extremely addictive!

Scarecrow Crunch

4 cups crunchy oatmeal cereal squares or Chex cereal
4 cups tiny twist pretzels
1 can salted peanuts
1 bag of autumn mix honey candy
1 bag of candy corn
2 cups peanut butter M&M's
2 (6-ounce) boxes caramel popcorn with nuts
1 (6.6) bag chocolate Teddy Grahams

The ABCs of Fall Style

·        ‎"U" is for Urns! Whether they're flanking a mantel or anchoring a buffet, decorative urns are a style shortcut for fall!  Fill with mini gourds (like we did with our Framework Urn) for an easy harvest look.

Darlene Williamson's Page

Darlene Williamson's Page

Please visit my St. Jude donation page and help the kids!  Thanks so much.

The ABCs of Fall Style

·        ‎"T" is for Treats! For a fun fall centerpiece, forgo flowers and build a tower of treats! We added candied apples, trail mix and everyone's favorite — candy corn — to our French Wire Tiered Stand. And for a really fun touch, use holiday scrapbook paper to line each tier.  It's too pretty to eat...almost!

The ABCs of Fall Style

·        ‎"S" is for Sunflowers! There's simply nothing happier than a bright bunch of sunflowers, and you can find them just about anywhere! Tuck them in a door bucket or Demibottle for instant fall wow-factor!  Seen here with our new Riverstone Collection dinnerware.

The ABCs of Fall Style

·        ‎"R" is for Rust!  If you style your nest with orange this season, look your best in rich, spicy rust tones.  The Maya Collection's rust-etched mother of pearl medallions add instant warmth and style to your look!  Contact me soon to schedule your jewelry party or private showing with my new Sara Blaine Designer Jewelry!

The ABCs of Fall Style

·        ‎"Q" is for Quilts! We love the heirloom style of quilts for getting cozy on fall nights and for making hayrides more comfy.  For a fun fireside caddy, tuck a quilt and some birch logs into our Nola Party Bucket!

The ABCs of Fall Style

‎"P" is for Pumpkins, of course!  To create this 3-step centerpiece, fill the Cyprus Footed Bowl with reindeer moss, pop in a Cinderella Pumpkin, then tuck in dried berries. So easy!

The ABCs of Fall Style

·        ‎"O" is for Orange!   No color captures the feel of fall quite like orange!  Brighten up neutral pieces like our Villa Stoneware with pumpkins or use a fun orange print for an eye-catching backdrop.  What's your favorite way to use orange?

·        ‎"N" is for Nuts!   Acorns, pecans, and buckeyes make fantastic fall fillers.  Add them to our Galveston Hurricanes and top with candles for a nice natural centerpiece!  (Seen here with our Villa Stoneware.)

How can I tell if an egg is fresh?

I recently came across this helpful bit of kitchen trivia and wanted to share it with you.  Did you know that you can easily gauge eggs' freshness by gently placing them in a bowl of cold water?  Really fresh eggs will drop to the bottom of the bowl and lie on their sides (how cool is this)!  Somewhat fresh eggs will stand on end and bob about in the water.  Old eggs will float--and should be discarded.

If you are like me, you are trying to eat healthier and avoid food that has been recalled.  This info on eggs will just add to our arsenal as moms in the fight against yukky food!  It also provides you a neat science experiment for your children.

If you would like further info on "yukky food," check out Food, Inc.'s movie at www.FoodIncMovie.Com about what we are really eating.   I first came upon the movie while subbing at the high school.  I'll warn you, you may stop eating altogether after watching it!