Photography & Lettering Archives

Farmers’ Markets and Photography

July 29, 2012 By Laura 16 Comments

There is just so very much, that I love about this time of the year. One of those things for sure, is going to the farmer’s markets! We have them at a few different locations here in our hometown of Plymouth (MA), and they run from June through October, on Thursdays and Saturdays of every week. One of the original ones has made a new home starting this year, at the Plimoth Plantation.

To begin with, it matters to our family, to support our local farmers and the small business people in our community. We are small business people ourselves, and knowing these vendors have families they are trying to support just like we are, makes us truly appreciate all they are trying to do. Though our specific businesses may be different, we understand the hard work involved in marketing one’s self, producing high quality work, feeling love for what you create, and having little dreams for the success of it all.

And what’s not to love, about fresh and locally grown organic food, and handmade goods anyway?

It’s just enjoyable to walk around with my kids and see what freshness is available week to week, to purchase and bring home for some good old fashioned home cooked, healthy meals. There is always great music to listen to as we stroll around, some handmade goods here and there to check out, and tasty samples offered from various vendors, hoping you’ll buy from them. We love every bit of all of it.

Then for me, is also the opportunity to just have fun, photographing all of the beauty and interest that farmers’ markets display. I often have with me my classic Canon 5D, with my 24-70 mm 1:2.8 L lens. Just loving taking photos of everything and anything, is one of the things that has encouraged me to keep on blogging! It’s an outlet to share some of my favorite photos I’ve taken, for no reason or need for them, other than the joy it brings me just taking them. And so here in this post, is some I took from our last couple of farmers’ market trips. I like to think (and sure hope!), that our readers enjoy the photos of posts as much a I do, when visiting other blogs. Whether it be for the sake of being interested in photography, or for a sense of visualization to the stories being shared.

A dozen organic eggs. Have I told you I want chickens, this week?

I want chickens. This week.

This farmers’ big white truck was parked right behind his stand on the street there. It was the perfect backdrop for my shot.

But I did buy some produce from him, such as corn on the cob, the dozen eggs . . . . . .

. . . . . . and a quart of these blueberries.

How pretty are these mixed arrangements?

A pink cosmo.
Honestly, I think this shot was taken in my own garden, in between farmers’ market trips. But I knew you woudn’t know the difference.

Especially if I’m not even sure.

I can’t tell you how much fresh, locally grown corn on the cob we eat in the summer. We lo-oooove it. And, we’ve been cooking it a whole new and easy way, lately!

I’m going to share that with you all just how, very soon, in an upcoming post.

Sunflowers. Gorgeousness.

I really wanted to buy some. But it wasn’t a need, it was a want. And I need to not buy things we don’t need, right now. Even though I want to.

Olivia is growing a great big tall one in her garden right now anyway. We can’t wait until it blooms.

This young girl, is a talented violinist. Her mom and dad are back-up musicians for her. Her dad was playing guitar, and her mom was playing some kind of drum thing, I believe. The kids and I talked to her for awhile. She goes to college right near where I grew up, and comes home on weekends. Watching her made my son, who plays piano, want to play violin now too.

This guy was firing pizza, and selling it to buyers right there on the green. I bet you anything, he and his family made this clay oven. I thought it was pretty cool to be making pizza right there. Also a little crazy, for the hottest of days.

Homemade beeswax candles. *Matches included!

; ) I don’t know why I thought that was kind of funny marketing.

Edamame.

No, it’s not the same as sugar snap peas, or snow peas.

Carrots.

I’ve never eaten a carrot, that wasn’t orange. Have you? Do they taste the same?

This guy . . . . . this guy’s name is Ray Papile. He has such a great sound, such a great style about him, he sings a great choice of songs, and I just love his voice. Easy listening, for sure. Made me wish I brought a blanket, and a big bottle of wine. I was driving one of my boys crazy, because I was so lost in his music as we strolled around, and I guess I kept saying out loud, “Oh my gosh, I love this guy!” I was having a hard time leaving the market when we were done, because of Ray, here. Can’t wait to here him again. Think I’ll be sure to have that blanket, and bottle of wine next time. Do you think the other market visitors would mind walking around me much?

Yup, farmers’ markets just ring my bell, but good. OH! That’s another thing I love about these markets! They open with the ring of a cowbell! Anyway, it must be the real country girl in me. The one who loves country fairs, and such. I grew up around a lot of this kind of thing. I have so many flash memories of being a kid and running around barefoot at fiddle and banjo, bluegrass kind of festivals. Farmers’ Markets have that kind of feel to me, when there there is some good music playing too. There’s just something about them, that makes me feel right at home.

Thanks for swinging by, listening to me chat, and looking at my photos. It’s nice to have someone to show them to, at least.

Are there any farmers’ markets in your neck of the woods? Do you go to them much, and what are your favorite things to pick up? I’d love to hear all about what yours are like, and what you love most about them.

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How Much Wood, Could a Woodpeck Peck? : (

July 18, 2012 By Laura 5 Comments

This is the telling of a sad little tale.

The refinishing of this birdhouse, has been one of my most favorite projects ever. Between the excitement of using Annie Sloan paint for the first time, the color I fell so in love with, and the YouTube crash course video lesson I watched, on how to paint tiny roses in order to adorn my sweet new birdhouse with, it’s a project I truly enjoyed the process of.

I have to say, it’s held up so well, out there in the weather of all kinds, too. I did put it away for the winter, but otherwise, it has stood right over on the other side of my garden beds, under the apple tree. I have finished projects I’ve done all over my homestead, of course, and I love to see them around. This birdhouse has truly been a piece that still plays a part in bringing me a bit of joy every day.

So imagine my sheer panic this one very (very) early morning this summer: The kids and I were still in bed, and I was still pretty much sleeping. All of our windows were open a little, and I began to stir out of my sleep with the sound of some repetitive rhythm sound on hard wood outside. I was confused by it, being somewhere between asleep and awake, and so I tried to bring myself out of the grog I was in, wondering if I was dreaming, or what. But next thing I know, I hear little feet hit the floor hard, and come booming across the house floor, and my son yelling, “Mama, there’s a woodpecker pecking your birdhouse outside!”

That woke me up! The idea of the damage a woodpecker could do, had me wide-eyes, out of bed, out the front door, down the deck steps and out to the gardens, in a flash. My abrupt arrival scared the woodpecker, and I watched him fly away. The peaceful silence after the commotion, caught my attention. Even the birds stopped chirping. As I stood there in my summer nightie, in front of my house beside the street, amidst my gardens, our neighbor friend drove by in his truck to leave for work, and gave me a wave.
It occurred to me in that moment, that it was a good thing I wear pajamas to bed.

I sauntered over to the birdhouse slowly, not sure I really wanted to assess the damage done.

{SIGH}. It looked like the woodpecker figured a hole already there, was a good place to start.
I put a trash bag over the house for the day, not sure what I was going to do about the matter. But as the day went on, I thought, “What a cool photo that would have been, to get a shot of the woodpecker at the birdhouse.” That’s what photographers do. Think through life in images we’d love to get, as moments frozen forever. So I took that bag off, and had my camera with my 70-200mm 2.8 lens on it, waiting by the open window near my work area in my house. I listened, and I checked repeatedly, for that woodpecker. All day long. But he never came back. I thought that was the end of it.

Until very (very) early the next morning, of course. While we were all still sleeping. I jumped out of bed again, grabbed my waiting camera, and opened the window. But as soon as I did, he flew away. My boy and I, having both gotten a good look at the bird, decided it was a Downy Woodpecker. They are the most common in this area, and the description and picture matched. I was really hoping to catch him flying to the birdhouse, and get him when he just landed on it. Before he got to work again. Preferably the day before, while I waiting and so ready-window open already and everything. I should have known it would come back the next morning, at the same time. So these after-damage photos I show you were taken after morning 2. In the end, you can see the window opening was pecked on both sides, but it also did damage to the arched trim over the window, which is a much softer wood.

I put the bag back on it, and left it on for several days after that. Then I took it off, thinking; even a woodpecked birdhouse looked better than a black trash bag on a post. If the woodpecker did come back yet again, I was going to have to consider taking the birdhouse in for good, or, I don’t know…..installing some kind of taser device on it. A security system of sorts. But the woodpecker has not been back since. For which I’m thankful!

When I refinished this birdhouse, and it came out so pretty, it really was my little hope, that some sweet little birds would move in.
It just never occurred to me, a woodpecker would come along, and decide the window wasn’t big enough for him. Silly me.

So maybe none of us ever did find out the answer, to the question: How much wood, could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
But now we know how much wood could a woodpeck peck, if a woodpeck, could peck wood.
Too much! : (

P.S. In the last week or so, we’ve actually noticed 2 woodchucks waddling around our property, too.
So if we learn the answer to the first riddle, we’ll let you know. ; )

3 Little Garden Chairs | Refinishing

July 2, 2012 By Laura 9 Comments

There’s been these 3 little chairs, sitting in our basement for years now. One of my husband Michael’s clients offered them to him, knowing we had triplets, and thinking maybe we could use them. They are about toddler size. So he brought them home, and they’ve been in the basement ever since. I’ve never been a primary-colors kind of girl. I thought maybe I would repaint them or do something with them at some point, for the kids, or maybe as available props for my photography studio. But, I was just never inspired to ‘have-at’ them.

Until of course, I was.

001 I know these are ugly. Please don’t leave! I promise you, it gets much better! We were hauling out all kinds of things out of our basement that needed to GO, for our yard sale. Michael put these chairs out there, and when I saw them I said, “Hey! We’re not selling these! I could make them into cute little garden chairs!” Well then….there was my inspiration. The idea hit me for the first time, and flew out of my mouth. (As most thoughts do, if you must know. But I’m getting better.) As so as it was, I was finally inspired to do something with these 3 little chairs.

The challenge was the primary colors of paint that was already on them. Yes, I was going to paint them anyway, but I was NOT going to NOT distress them. And I sure as heck was NOT going to strip them. They didn’t mean enough to me, to work that hard. I mean, I love to paint, and to sand, and even to wax. But stripping off paint? Not so much. So the primary colors underneath were staying, and I was starting to imagine, they were going to look pretty cool when I was done!

I’ll say right here, that I didn’t take photos of every step of the process. But I think you all know what painting and sanding looks like. I DID take a whole bunch of photos of the chairs all done though! Lots. Those are the more fun photos you all like to see most, right. Because there was no special complicated process. I will tell you just how I did it right now, which was easy as 1-2-3, and then you can see so many photos I had so much fun taking as well, simply to show you.

Since I had 3 chairs, I thought it would be perfect to use the cans of the 3 colors of Annie Sloan chalk paints that I still had: Provence, Versailles, and Paris Grey. So, 1) I painted each one those colors. It was actually very scattered painting sessions over a period of a few weeks, and my girls helped some too when they wanted to. 2) Then I distressed them to my liking. (That means, a lot of sanding. ; )

3) Lastly, I waxed them with my Annie Sloan waxes. It was especially important for them to be waxed, because I knew they were going to be left outside in all kinds of weather. So they needed some kind of protection, to preserve all of my efforts, of making them into cute little garden chairs around our homestead. I did wax each chair one at a time, from start to finish. First I did the clear wax all over a chair, let it set up a bit, but before it was completely dry, I worked in some dark wax where I wanted it, to give them a more antiqued, aged look. It kind of has to be done that way, because the dark wax is potent stuff. It only takes a little bit, and if the clear wax is too dried, it is hard to rub off – or even rub around, the dark wax. So that is always the little bit tricky part, as well as wicked messy and sticky and stinky. But I’ll tell you what, this point in my project process really proved even to me, how much I love furniture refinishing! Because it was also sunny and hot this day. But I was out on our deck working away in the sun, sweating my a*# off (but wouldn’t you know it, it’s still all there!), but singing and rocking out to the music, with that nasty sock on my busy hands, and having a ball!

Or I might of been high on wax fumes. Hard to say. But it was fun! That much I’m sure of.

Not much chatting left. Just a ton of photos, and some tidbits I think you might like to know.

Here you can see a couple of things, that really make these chairs beautiful to me. Knowing the primary colors underneath were going to show, I was careful in deciding which paint color was going on which chair. So here is the (Annie Sloan) Provence, on the dark blue. You can also best see in this photo, the dark wax work, that helps make the chair look more aged.

And a bunch of photos, where I have this one right now . . . . . .

Do you love it? I do!! I love the color, and I love where it is, with the daisies and the white picket fence there. What I don’t love, is our yard. You may have noticed the lack of real grass. We pretty much just have crabgrass, and fine sand. I don’t much like the cement steps either. But, we have decided to hold off a bit and not invest in our grounds anymore, until we make some other pretty big decisions. So, we make due, with making ugly . . . pretty, best we can for now.

Next up, is the one that was yellow chair, which I painted Versailles. It’s out front with the garden beds, next to the covered bench and potting bench . . . . . .

Again, you can really see the paint underneath, where I excessively sanded, just the right amount. : ) You can also see the dark wax work, which only adds some character to it, to me. And do you see where the paint dripped? Some may think that is some imperfection. But I see it, and it makes me smile and feel happy. Because it reminds me of the memory, that my little girl was helping me paint this chair.

And lastly, is the red chair, that I painted Paris Grey! I really wasn’t sure where I was going to put this one. So I just stuck it under the apple tree, and it seemed to look like it was at home there. Funny thing is . . . . . . it’s not at our home. (Yikes!)

The apple tree is not actually ours, nor on our property of course. Just over the line, but we pretend it’s ours. The owner is not usually around at all, and Michael does manage the property. (My excuse to take such liberties.) But she’s coming tomorrow for a week, so we’ll see if I get my hand slapped, or she kicks it back to our side, along with the birdhouse. And if I get arrested or anything, I’ll surely let you know. Because we’ll need to collect some bail! (You all would help me get out. Right?! Say yes.)

Care to sit for a spell, in the cool shade of the apple tree?

See? I really go to town, with my sand paper! This one even has a little broken piece. Again = love.

I always say . . . . . . it’s the little things, that make me so happy.

Thanks for taking a stroll around my gardens with me. (We literally, walked around the garden beds.) I always love when you visit us here, so please come again. We invite you to join us on Facebook too.

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Flower Photography, and History Repeating

June 3, 2012 By Laura 6 Comments

I don’t know where time has gone, but I sure wish it would slow down some. I’ve done the best I can all along, to cherish every moment of watching all of my children grow up, knowing it will all happen too fast. It’s yet another reason I school my kids myself. I don’t want to miss any of their fleeting childhood. Still, it seems like yesterday that my first baby girl, Alexis Grace, was born. She grew up in the blink of an eye. Next thing I knew, she was in high school, and taller than me! She’s athletic and strong, and it blows me away.

And now she has a real job! She’s been trying to figure out how to get one sooner for awhile now. She has worked with both Michael and I in our businesses quite a bit, in the past few years, weeding and prepping truck lettering with Michael, and as my photographer’s assistant when I was doing a lot more portrait work. We’ve paid her of course. Also, she’s actually been pretty creative at finding safe ways to make a little cash of her own, in the meantime, too. I’d venture to say she chooses to spend her time differently than typical girls her age. She’s a determined soul, who loves to research, earn her own way, and make things happen. If anyone is interested for their own young teen kids, I can share those ideas at another time. She’s always been diligent with every dollar she’s gotten. Since she was little, she’s been strict with her own budget for spending and saving. And now, she’ll be making a real pay check from someone else, other than us. There was a lot to consider, knowing she has a lot on her schedule, especially with schooling, and more upcoming heavy sport seasons. Not to mention of course, being such a young age still, at 14. But she gets excellent grades, is self-disciplined with her daily responsibilities like clockwork, and has been really wise with her money. There was really no reason to not let her. She was hired in a heart beat. We just had to get some extra paperwork signed off here and there, because of her age.

She’ll be working at a nursery here in town, watering all of the flowers, helping customers, etc. It’s a job we’re comfortable with as her parents, because we’ve known the owner for years. He’s a good client of Michael’s, so we trust him to watch out for her, and he has a good staff. Also, it’s all outdoors, where Alexis loves to be. It’ll be real hot some days this summer, when the humidity kicks in. But it’s still pretty ideal work for her. I’m excited for her!

002_greenhouse-inside
The funny thing is, I used to work at a nursery and greenhouse for a couple of years in high school, right around the same age as she is. I have to admit, I was not all that interested in plants and flowers at that time. But I was working with my friend, so it wasn’t all that bad. I learned what I had to know, to take care of the plants and flowers, and help customers. But it was just a job to me. My second job, actually, working with a lot of plants and flowers. I started working when I was 9 years old, cleaning an older couple’s home and maintaining their impeccable landscaped yard on Saturdays, until I was about 14. I got paid well too! But I was well into my married years, before I honestly took an interest in real gardening and such. However, when I fell in love with it all, I fell hard! I really love working in my gardens.

The funny thing is, my daughter is as passive as I was about gardening right now, as I was at her age. She’s not as into it as my younger daughter is. To her credit, she’ll volunteer to water the gardens on summer nights, which I always appreciate. But I have wished she would love gardening as much as I do. So this job of hers, gives me hope. Already, she jumped in and helped plant some flowers the other night with me. It could very well be that all she learns at her job, will serve her well, years down the road. I think it’s a wonderful education to have. I know I was happy to have some agricultural knowledge and experience to draw on, once I decided to start gardens of my own. I believe she’ll be a valued employee, because she is definitely a people-person, always smiling, loves to help people, takes pride in her work, and despite her supposed lack of interest, she really remembers the names of flower varieties! I’m just so excited she’ll be working in this environment, in particular. I mean, what a great first job on her own.

Well enough chatting. Yes? I’ve been having fun taking photos of the beautiful blooms around our home. Some are on the edge of neighbor’s property. I am always so happy with my camera in my hand. So I thought I’d share with you some of my photos.

003_iris-flowers
An Iris.
–

004_geranium-flowers Geraniums.

005_chrysanthemum-flowers A Chrysanthemum.

006_azaleias-flowering-bush
Azaleias.

007_azaleias-flowering-bush
Azaleias.

Foxglove.

009_foxglove-flowers
And more Foxglove.

I think this last shot is my favorite, tied with the Iris. What’s yours?

Also, I’d love to know how old you or your teens were when you got your first job, and what you did. Scroll down and tell us about it.

So glad you came by. : )

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New Light, New HOUSE. (We’ve Moved!)

January 16, 2012 By Laura 19 Comments

WELCOME, to the ALL NEW, ~~OUR~~ HOUSE OF JOYFUL NOISE! OH, have I been dying to spill, about all of this! You may have noticed, we’ve barely been posting on the blog, and THIS is why! We have MOVED the blog, switched up our name a little, and started an all new Facebook Page! Generally speaking, we have really just opened up the windows all over the place, and there is a whole lot of freshness coming in!

JANUARY. The name of this month, comes from the Roman god named Janus – /Jay-ness/, the god of doors and gates. The patron of beginnings and endings, and especially of the important events of a person’s life. This roman god has been represented with 2 faces; one which looks back to the past, and one that looks ahead to the future.

I never knew of this roman god, and when I learned of where the name of January derives from recently, here at the beginning of this new year, and particularly at this point in my life, really resonated with me. Because it spoke to me, personally. The imaginary vision of this door of light, for me, beautifully depicts not only the leaving behind of the year behind me and the one ahead, but all of the changes I am making in my life, and with our blog here, at the start of this year.

WHAT CHANGES, YOU ASK?

Well that’s what I’m about to tell you about. But where to start?

BIG CHANGE IN BUSINESS, FOR ME.

This was a huge decision for me. But after 13 years, I have decided to put my business, Laura Lee Richard Photography, on serious and indefinite hiatus. I have felt this desire to do this, coming, for awhile. Last year, I limited the clients I took. In doing that, it made me realize what I really needed and wanted to do. And that is, to just let it go for now. I have many reasons, but here are some, in order of importance:

I want to put even more, into raising and homeschooling my awesome kids, and be completely available for all of their various schedules, commitments, lessons, games, activities and fun. I love, love, love homeschooling them! Still! Plus, I am prepping our oldest for college now, and that’s serious business! I love this life style of ours. I love these years with my kids growing up, so very much, and I don’t want to miss any of it!

I know I am known as a professional photographer, and I’ll always still be one. (Just not in business right now.) But, did you know, I was once known as an illustrator? I really, really have a deep longing, to get back to my creative roots. I want to draw more, paint more, for me and with my kids! Just get back to more of my hand-skill art, and enjoying that process again. I truly have many, many creative outlets that I want to indulge in, actually, as time allows. Including some graphic designing, which you could very well benefit from, on occasion. ; ) I have an art education in these things, as well as photography. There is no pressure on me, to create art for anyone but me now. So it will come as it does. But I do look forward to sharing it all, with you, right here on the blog, along the way.

Throughout my years in photography, I have seen the photography industry gradually change. More than ever, it is really going down paths I am not interested in battling. As much as I have loved doing all of the portrait photography I have done for my clients over the past 13 years, I have a real drive to really nurture other business endeavors, that I can sanely and happily do on my time. While focusing on the things that bring me such joy. Such as my family, and of course…..

THIS BLOG!!!

IT LOOKS DIFFERENT. BUT WHAT ELSE WILL BE NEW HERE?

Yes, it does look very different! So how do you like the new place? I really went through the gamut, deciding on a design for the new header. I wanted a logo icon out of it, but I wanted it to express so much more. I was all over the place with this one, literally lying awake most nights, brainstorming, and sketching out thoughts during the day. Then I had too many ideas. I prayed on it, and finally I came up with and designed this, myself. It conveys everything, I wanted it too. I love the clean and simplicity of it. Window = House. Window = New Experiences. Window=LIGHT=Truth=God. Windows especially represent light, for me. I do, and have always loved natural light! Light is a necessity, for me. Because 1) I am an artist. 2) I am a photographer, always working it. 3) I used to struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (before I filled my house with windows!), and 4) Because God is the light of our life, and our rock! I love colors too, as they represent all of life and creativity, that we can only truly see, with light. ; ) The header/logo flat out makes me happy when I see it. We hope you love the new digs too!

NEW NAME.

Just a slight change there. It was just easier. We’ll leave it at that.

ONE FEED!

This one is one of the big deciding factors, for an all new blog. For those of you who have been following us, with the crazy aggregate feeds and changes, you know what I am talking about, People! No more!! One feed for all, and all for one! BUT THIS MEANS YOU PROBABLY NEED TO RE-SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG! But no crazy explanations or directions. Just subscribe as you normally do, and perhaps remove our former blog feed (the one with the word OUR in it) from your subscriptions. (No more posts will be coming to you through that.) You’ll really want to re-subscribe, subscribe for the first time, or follow us on our all new Facebook Page! (See the pretty social buttons at the top of the page! 🙂 While subscribing will notify you of our new posts, liking our new Facebook Page will add a whole new element of fun for you! We’ll be sharing what we are working on, all kinds of little things, be able to better interact with you, share great links to other blogger’s projects and ideas we think you’d love, as well as some things we’ve shared before that you may have missed. And….my random thoughts, which can be rather interesting all by themselves sometimes! That, and so much more. The activity on our all new Facebook Page is going to be really kicked up a notch! So if you are on Facebook, LIKE us today, and join the fun with us! We’d hate for you to miss out on all of that, and it’s such a great place to connect, with YOU!

WHY? WHAT IS COMING UP AT THE NEW HOUSE?

Well, a lot of the same kind content we’ve been sharing, with lots of photos as always. But more of it! Perhaps some different presentation, and style to my blogging. We will be all over the social networks now, and we’re sure you’re going to love all that is coming:

Tasty recipes for you and your family to try.
Farmhouse / Home decor that may inspire you.
Our unique home improvements and furniture projects that make farmhouse-style house a home!
What’s being created in our art studio!
New fun crafts with step by step directions, for you or your kids.
Homeschooling chit-chat.
Chickens!
Our occasional personal celebrations and fun.
Thoughts on parenting, self, life & faith.
. . . . . . and more.

All in all, we are planning on a whole lot of content that we invite you to just enjoy reading about, sharing, or using as an inspirational spring-board, for yourself!

And don’t forget! We have nearly 4 years of archives on all of these topics, to look back through as well!

BUT WAIT!! THERE’S MORE!!
(I always wanted to say that. lol)

I have really been on a journey of personal growth. It has been a challenging experience at times, but also such beautiful thing. For all of the joy we have felt in our life, I feel it all blossoming even more. God is never done with us, is He? I am growing, and seeking growth, in many ways. And while this is in many areas of my life, I am positive it will all carry over and be reflected in our blog. I am also positive, you will all help me along, with your words of wisdom, and encouragement, that I am certain you will share. In fact, I am counting on it! Because, although I am still contemplating how I want to go about this, I believe I’ll be venturing into new territories, in some topic content. A series, so t0 speak, with deeper personal topics, that I am sure many out there will be able to relate to, in some way. Not too heavy. It’ll be a good thing. I don’t want to say too much, because I am still a little scared! It’s QUITE out of my personal comfort zone. But, I am thinking it through, praying on it, and I hope you’ll stick around to encourage me, if I dip my toe in the water! ; )

ONE THING IS FOR SURE, FRIENDS! . . . . . .

It’s going to be a ride at the HOUSE!! You are going to see things changing and growing, all of the time! And we sincerely invite you all, to come along with us! Share in it with us, and bring your own special touches with you! Invite your friends, to the HOUSE too! YOU are why we have grown so much! YOU are why we have felt so encouraged to keep making (Our) House Of Joyful Noise be all that it can be! So be sure to stay with us, or join us starting today!! Please go hit those pretty buttons at the top in the header of the blog, and subscribe to this all new blog, and/or follow us on our all new Facebook Page! It’s a new blog here, so most of those subscribed before must subscribe again, to stay with us! It depends on how you subscribe, but why take the chance to miss us? ; ) We’ll see you around! But before you go, please say hello and let us know how you like the new House Of Joyful Noise! (We’d love your honest feedback!)

-Laura & our the Richard Family!)

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