About Me

Welcome to my world!  I’m so glad you are here!  If you were actually stopping by my house to visit I would give you a big hug, because that’s what we do….we hug….a LOT!!!  You can never have too many hugs!  (I’m from a BIG family, there are seven brothers and sisters, so when we arrive at Granny and Papa Coonie’s house it takes a good half hour to hug everybody!  Ha ha!!!)

Front Row: Mom a/k/a Granny a/k/a Louise, Monique, Melba, Barb, Joyce (Me!) and Dad a/k/a Papa Coonie a/k/a Murl  Back Row:  Debbie, Kevin and Ray  (Christmas Day at Granny & Papa Coonie’s)   

I’m afraid it’s a little overwhelming for people when they visit for the first time, much like starting a blog and learning “code” was a little overwhelming for me!!! Computers aren’t really my forte!  But I love arts and crafts and I REALLY enjoy sharing that love with my friends!  (And in my family, once you visit you are a friend for life.  Visit a few more times, and learn how to give a proper hug, and you are considered family!  Ha ha!)

Over the years I have enjoyed many fine arts & crafts, such as watercolor painting, stained glass, silversmithing, (I am an apprentice in the studio of Allan Stuck), beaded jewelry, photography, textile & fiber arts, pottery (I was terrible at pottery), calligraphy & card making.  I’ll be sharing my arts & crafts with you.  I’ll also introduce you to other artists whose work I love!!!

One of the things I am passionate about is making cards! I love the instant gratification. In just a short time you’ve created a little work of art.  When you share that with your family & friends, it brings them so much joy!  On this blog I’ll be sharing some of my favorite cards with you and lots of tips so you can recreate the ones you like.

Another thing that I am passionate about is Young Living Essential Oils. 2013 was the year of hospitals being our home-away-from-home, Johnny had three major surgeries and I had major surgery for uterine cancer. When 2013 was finally over, our New Year’s Resolution was to find a more natural way to deal with our health issues.

My husband is a retired chemistry professor, so we spent months of research on a healthier approach. We were so impressed with the scientific research on the benefits of essential oils. Then we spent more months researching companies to find the best, purest therapeutic oils available. Finally, in July 2014, we ordered our first essential oils from Young Living.

Our lives have dramatically changed since we started using Young Living essential oils!!!  I no longer wake up with a headache every single day.  My husband is no longer in constant pain. We no longer have to take daily prescriptions for allergies, acid reflux, arthritis, anxiety attacks or depression. It’s so amazing and I love sharing the oils with everybody I care about. I truly believe essential oils can help you to have a calmer, happier, healthier life!!!

Of course, you will hear stories of my family, too.  I promise to TRY to not go on and on about how wonderful they are, but it will be hard, because they ARE wonderful.  I apologize in advance for my outrageous bragging!  Seriously though, my kids are amazing and I have the cutest grandson in the whole wide world.  (Doesn’t every Grandma think their grandchild is the greatest?  That’s exactly how it should be, and you know what, all of us are right!!!)

Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know me! I’m so excited that you’re letting me share my passions with you!!! I hope that I’ll inspire you!!!

Sending wishes that your life is filled with….

Peace, Love & Joy,

Joyce

MEET MY FAMILY:

Eva Joy Angeline (Angie) in ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ at McLeod Theater.  Angie is a bundle of energy and it’s an absolute joy to watch her perform!  Our youngest child, Angie graduated from the Musical Theater Department at  Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.    She has appeared at The Round Barn Theatre at Amish Acres in Nappanee, Indiana, performing in ‘Plain and Fancy’, ‘9 to 5’, ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’, ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ and ‘Wizard of Oz’, ‘Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat’ and ‘Shrek the Musical’.  She appeared at The Hult Center in Eugene, Oregon, where she had the lead in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’. 

Toby congratulates our lovely Irma Jolene upon her graduation with a Masters of Science degree at Univesity of Oregon.  While doing her under-graduate work at McKendree University, the school sent her as their representative to Japan. She studied a semester in Italy and a year at the National University of Singapore as a Rotary Ambassador Scholar.  She spent last summer in Ghana, Africa making a documentary.  She is currently working on her PhD at the University of Oregon. This summer she will be representing the university at conferences in Dublin, Ireland and Washington, D.C.  We are so incredibly proud of her.  She is even more beautiful inside than she is to look at!!!