Merry Christmas To My Sweet Blog Friends :)

It's a lovely, peaceful evening here in my house:

the movie "The Ultimate Gift" on tv after returning

from a nice long ride to look at Christmas lights

all topping off a generally perfect Christmas day.

It's hard to believe that once again, this special time of year is now

pretty much passed and we're perched on the edge of 2012!

This month as been SO busy -- not only with the store and

orders for magazines and shop items, but in the personal realm,

my sweet daughter, Olivia, graduated last weekend (12-17)

from college.

I seem to remember that not that long ago I posted about her 

FIRST day at college.  So I ask you, WHERE has the time gone??

Well, in all fairness she did move at a pretty accelerated rate and

graduated early, but still...  :)

This is the girl who spent 6 weeks this past summer on her own

in Israel working with an organization that reaches out to Palestinians.

She traveled several times into the West Bank/Gaza Strip delivering 

food relief aid packages to needy Palestinian families.

This is the same girl who only AFTER she was safely back at home

let me in on the fact that the church-owned guest house she stayed in

had just been re-opened after extensive repairs due to arson at the hands

of some extremists in the area.

She knew about this before she left, but chose not to share this

nugget of info with me -- it didn't change her mind and she figured

no point worrying me... Oh my...

She absolutely fell in love with Israel -- I think she left a part of

her heart there...

(Olivia, in the library of the guest house)

I believe, if given the chance, she might well have 

stayed there and asked for her things to be shipped to her.

Israel was a perfect fit for her -- the foods,

the surroundings, the "feel".

(Sitting at the Sea of Galilee)

So now, she has her Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts 

(concentrated in painting) and for the next 1/2 year she'll

take a breather until she heads off to pursue a Masters Degree in

Intercultural Studies.

I'll be trying to soak in and savor every single minute with her until 

she leaves next year... *SIGH*

If you've followed my blog for a while, you have to know that she and I are

linked -- tightly linked.  I'm so happy for her -- so proud of her... but when she

takes off next year... a HUGE piece of me goes with her.  Ouch.  

But it's a "good" ouch.  If that's possible.  :)

Well, I digress...  This is a post to say 

Merry Christmas to you all and to thank you,

from the bottom of my heart,

for sticking with me this past crazy-busy year!! 

We've grown quite a bit this year, and I'm thinking up 

some fun new changes for the new year for the store.

All in all, life is wonderful and I am blessed.

How about you?  :)

All is calm, all is bright...

Merry Christmas to all

and to all

a good night.

Love,

  

You Know That Feeling When You Get To Pass That LONG Line And Go Straight To The Front??? Consider This Your All-Access Pass To Jeanne d'Atc Living!

By now, I hope all of my customers know that all you pretty much have to do is

ask me for something and if it's at all within my power to do it, 

it's done.

Well, after years of fielding daily calls, emails and 

Facebook messages from many of you

asking if you can just buy a subscription

to Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine

(instead of ordering each issue one-by-one

throughout each year)

we are happy to (FINALLY)

announce that we are now offering

a subscription service for that gorgeous magazine.

And what better time of to begin your subscription!!

The 1st issue of 2012 will be here and shipping out

in January and we can get your 

1 year subscription

started with that issue!

Of course we still offer the magazine on an

issue-by-issue basis so you can buy just the issues you want

as they come out.

But...

For those who always buy each issue and know they will 

continue to do so,

a subscription is the way to go!!!

Here are just a few reasons why:

1.)  No more "waiting in line" so to speak...your name is 

always "on the list" and in line to get the next issue!

You skip having to always try to be on alert to 

when each issue is coming so you can be sure to 

order your copy -- now you can just make one

purchase (the subscription) and sit back and wait

for each issue to appear in your mail box.

2.)  With a subscription, you enjoy a bit of a savings by

buying a year at a time Your price per issue goes from

$26.00/each to $24.00/each.

Same free shipping as always.

3.)  You will be guaranteed that you will not be caught

without an issue in the event a particular one sells out 

quickly.  This has become the rule rather than the

exception lately!  And when we go to try and order more

from Denmark, we're finding that now even they are sold out!

Your purchase of a subscription will have secured each and

every issue of the year -- no worries.

What better time to put a subscription to

Jeanne d'Arc Living on your list to Santa??  ;)

Or, what about giving a year of beauty to your mom,

sister, daughter, best friend, etc..?

Place your order for them online and we'll do the rest --

all year long they will get issue after issue of some of the most

inspiring, breath-taking beauty they can inagine.

If you have any questions, just let me know!

But really, if you are a regular buyer,

THIS WAS MADE FOR YOU!!

 :)

Hope your December is off to a lovely (chilly?) start!

We're still unseasonably warm here in Florida

(well... "normal" for Florida, but not at all

Christmassy weather).  ;)

Here's the link again for ordering

your subscription:

SUBSCRIPTION

Hugs,

  

It's A Christmas Miracle! :)

NEWS FLASH!!!!

Santa's elves came early and guess what they dropped off

here at The Beautiful Life?????

ONE 

LAST 

CASE 

of the Christmas issue that 

WAS sold out

(until the magic of Christmas struck)

but is now available again while they last!

Many of you have called and emailed frantically looking for a copy

and I've had to give you the news that we sold out.

If that was YOU,

head over to the site now

CLICK HERE TO GO

 and grab your copy

while they're still available.   

What a great way to start December!

  

Yes! Returning Again This Year From Uganda! Handmade Nativity Sets To Help Support Students & Mothers...

So very many of you have begun asking "Will you carry those beautiful African
nativities again this year??"


I am SO VERY happy to say "YES WE WILL!"

Hand made African Nativity Sets

How many of we ladies here in the west would say that the seemingly simple act of learning to sew,

and having your own machine would 

COMPLETELY TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE??

How many of you reading this actually don't own your own sewing machine?

How many of us have walked through JoAnn's or WalMart and seen the endless rows of 

bolts of fabric -- at realllly great prices?

For us, it's commonplace.

Not so for the women in Uganda pictured below...

So.... an idea was formed.  We want to help these women as well as young college students who are

striving through education to better their lot in life, but who struggle to even pay the tuition

and who are also relied upon to help support their families.

Last year, through a friendship with a sweet man in charge at the college in Uganda (Mathias),

 the college students there at his school to learned how to make these Nativities 

and they were brought back to the U.S. with one of the many teams who go to 
minister to them throughout the year.

The local women go daily to a central, usually open-air spot under a roof, to learn the skill of sewing, so that they can support their families and send their children to school.

They travel mainly by foot each day -- often toting their children along on the journey --

to sit and be instructed in sewing -- often using only paper (empty cement bags, etc.) to

practice on.

Fabric is a luxury, not in abundance like here.

But even if they master the art of sewing (and they DO!), it isn't much

help if they don't have a machine to work on once they finish their training....

This sweet woman, Prossy, just received her sewing machine.
But there are many, many other women who are still waiting...

Here, Jenipher receives her machine... if that isn't genuine gratitude and elation,
I don't know what is.     ;)

Just look at this assortment of raw materials ready to be
transformed into the nativity sets!

And you won't believe the finished product that can come from this: 

Wood, corn husks, plant materials, natural leaf-based twine, etc...

Cutting out the base for the nativity "house".

The work begins!

I love these pictures -- kind of reminds me of some of my own crafting times --
blissfully surrounded by all manner of materials!!   :)

I can't even imagine working in this kind of detail -- and when you see the actual
sets, you'll know what I mean... it is amazing.

I love that the young men are trained to use their hands creatively  --
this is a skill they can use throughout their life.

The sets are nearing completion...

The little handmade nativity pieces are carefully tucked inside and readied for their
trip to us!

Packed up and ready to board the plane!    :)

When you buy a nativity, you help poor students AND assist in the great need for sewing machines for women in villages in Africa.

Completely handmade out of corn husks and every piece fits neatly into the little nativity "house" that showcases them for display.

Nativity "house" (box) measures 8 1/2 inches high x 6 inches wide x 3 3/4 inches deep.

Figures - tallest about 4 1/2 inches

Set includes these pieces, tucked neatly inside the door of the "house":

3 wise men, 2 musicians, 2 shepherds, 1 Mary, 1 Joseph, 1 baby Jesus in manger, 2 animals.

Click HERE to go to the nativity sets in the shop!

The PERFECT gift for the person who already "has everything" ... because we'll just 

bet you they DON'T have one of these.

And, if they do have "everything"... what better reminder to them (and us all)

that there are still many across the world 

who do not "have everything"

and just the simple purchase of a nativity can truly be

LIFE-CHANGING.

  

One Of The Jeanne d'Arc Living Issues We Wait For All Year -- The Fall Issue!

The Spring and Summer issues are always light and lovely and fresh...

They offer us airy, sun-filled ideas and inspiration and we love those issues!

But...

wouldn't you agree,

there is just something about the Fall issue ...

it marks that long-awaited transition into the months that

bring us nothing but comfy, cozy, roasty-toasty,

cuddle-up, snuggle-up inspiration.

And, 

it is the issue that brings the promise of the issue

AFTER it --

the coveted 

Christmas issue!!

(Coming in mid-November).

If you wish to pre-order a copy for yourself

(our shipment of the magazine is due to hit our

doorstep THIS WEEK!)

HERE

and get yours!!

Also new from our friends at 

Jeanne d'Arc Living in Denmark,

here are some amazing new items in the shop:

BEAUTIFUL, large ceramic bottles with swing stopper...

Metal tags/badges in three color choices:

These VERY large zinc trays (set/2)... 

Just cannot even describe how amazing these are:

Below, the parcels of reproduced French script ephemera are back in stock,

BUT we now offer these parcels both in the paper-weight as well as

now in heavy card/board stock!

Each weight has a variety of applications!

These aluminum bottles (screw-on stopper included) are so unique...

HUGE, commercial sized roll of some of THE MOST GORGEOUS

giftwrap ever made... 

We're on our 3 re-order now of this incredibly popular item!

These

fabulous ceramic jars are on their way to us and

will arrive along with our shipment of the Fall issue!!

Be looking for them on the site SOON!

We have a small supply of these GORGEOUS and elegant

linen/flax Christmas stockings and will be adding them to the site

soon!

Check HERE for details!

Other just as fabulous new additions are:

Galvanized metal lidded tins with cheese label graphics in red or blue:

These most amazing LARGE and intricately, dimensionally sewn utensil banners!

Wonderful, fun cotton napkin sets!

Sets of assorted zinc leaves -- great for place settings 

and adornment anywhere!

Super fun, large zinc "medal" -- write on the 

medal whatever you'd like or decoupage a

lovely image or insignia!

One of the newest items I still cannot get over -- 

the detail work that went into making each of these... you cannot imagine.

Each one is COMPLETELY unique (the picture here is just a sampling)

and each one equally breath-taking.

These items are easily found by clicking 

HERE.

Well, that should keep you busy for a while anyway.  ;)

It has been CRAZY-BUSY here... all good, just busy.

One of these days, I'm going to sit down and write a sort of

"what I did this summer" post...

Yeah... should be good.  :)

Thanks for the visit -- enjoy the crisp Fall air if you have it already.

Keep praying for it (like I am) if you don't!  

With Warm Hugs,