Creative Ideas and Sunday Morning Coffee

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This week’s Sunday Morning Coffee feels especially meaningful after a restful and restorative few days. It was also a week of creative ideas.

I spent most of the week taking it easy after my cataract surgery, relaxing at home, and even testing out my brand-new Canon IX6800 printer, which I absolutely love. Dave and I traveled to Northern California to visit friends and spend time with our kids and grandson. It was the perfect way to end a week of healing, creativity, and family, all the things I’m most thankful for.

Several handmade ceramic plates with uneven, wavy edges are arranged on a light wooden table next to a wicker basket with flowers.
Season 5 Volume 41
Collage with a cozy interior featuring a dining area, kitchen, and coffee-themed text: "Sunday Morning Coffee.

About Me

A woman with light hair and a checked jacket smiles at the camera indoors, with beige walls and a stone accent in the background.

This week has been all about rest and recovery, something I don’t usually allow myself much time for, but my body made sure I did! I had surgery on Tuesday, and since then, my days have been centered around the couch, cozy blankets, and plenty of downtime. At first, it felt strange to slow down, but once I leaned into it, I realized how restorative it can be to rest.

There’s something about pausing that gives your mind room to wander … and of course, I used that time to brainstorm a dozen new craft ideas for the holidays and beyond. I can’t wait to bring some of them to life over the next few weeks.

While I was resting, I also had the chance to plan something that’s been on my mind for a while — a girls’ craft night! There’s nothing I love more than gathering around a table with friends, chatting, laughing, and creating something beautiful together. I’ve already started sketching out a few ideas for projects we can make, and I know it’s going to be such a fun evening.

Five orange pumpkin-shaped plates with embossed patterns are arranged on a table next to a decorative white pumpkin and autumn leaves.
Fall Tableware … time for Christmas!

And speaking of creative inspiration, I also enrolled in a new pottery class called Handmade Tableware for the Holidays. How amazing does that sound? I can already picture the pieces I want to create for our holiday table.

A plate of gingerbread cookies and ornaments.

By the end of the week, with my doctor’s blessing, I was finally able to get up and move around a bit more, just in time for a quick trip to Northern California with Dave. It’s Stanford reunion weekend, and he wanted to support the men’s volleyball team. The best part? We were able to see our kids and grandson, which made all the rest and recovery completely worth it. My heart (and my creative energy) feels full again.

My Latest Project

My Latest Project

I am so excited about my newest addition to the craft room … my Canon IX6800 printer! I’ve had a lot of printers over the years, but this one truly feels like a game-changer. It’s fast, precise, and the color quality is stunning.

I used it last week to print menus and place cards for a dinner party, and I couldn’t believe how professional they looked. The fact that it can handle 12″ x 12″ cardstock and tiny gift cards is fantastic. That’s something most home printers can’t do, and it opens up so many possibilities for entertaining and crafting projects.

What I love most is how versatile it is. This printer can handle envelopes, invitations, thick cardstock, small cards, and all sorts of specialty papers with ease. Whether I’m designing custom holiday menus, thank-you cards, or labels for handmade gifts, the Canon IX6800 can print them beautifully. The quality of the ink and the crisp detail of the text and images make everything look store-bought, yet they have that personal, handmade touch I love.

I can already see this printer becoming one of my favorite creative tools. From craft projects and event stationery to everyday printing, it’s going to get a lot of use around here. I’m even dreaming up a few new DIY ideas … personalized tags, photo prints, and maybe even some printed artwork for framing. It’s terrific when technology can actually enhance creativity instead of complicating it.

If you love entertaining or crafting as much as I do, this printer is worth every penny. It’s one of those tools that instantly makes your projects feel elevated and professional, and I can’t wait to keep creating with it!

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My Biggest Challenge This Week

A person wearing a hospital gown, glasses, and a blue surgical cap is smiling while sitting in a hospital bed.

This week has been a big one for me as I finally had cataract surgery on my right eye on Tuesday, and I’m so relieved to say that it went well. The surgery itself was quick and smooth (thanks to the twilight anesthesia), so there was no discomfort at all.

My doctor removed the patch the next morning, and later that day, I could already tell a difference. My vision isn’t perfect yet, but it’s noticeably clearer. I have even started reading my phone without my reading glasses!

It’s like a fog has finally lifted. My right eye had been cloudy for at least a year, so being able to see the world in sharp detail again feels like such a gift.

Two cyclists wearing helmets and sunglasses stand side by side in front of a white wall with blue trim. Both are smiling, and bicycles are visible in the background.

It’s incredible how much we take our vision for granted until something changes. Over the past year, that cloudiness made reading, crafting, and even biking more difficult than I realized. Now, even though I still have some healing to do, I’m already feeling hopeful and grateful for how far I’ve come in just a few days.

My doctor explained that my surgery was a bit more complex because I had LASIK years ago, which made achieving perfect focus trickier. But he’s optimistic that we can reach not just 20/20 distance vision, but also ideal vision for reading. That would genuinely be life-changing … no more searching for my readers every few minutes!

For now, I’m taking it easy, following all the recovery instructions, and letting my eye heal. I have two weeks to rest before we start the process all over again with my left eye. Lucky me, right? Still, I know it will be worth it when both eyes are done. I can’t wait for the day when I can look at my crafts, my pottery, and even my family with clear vision again!


This week's to do list.
  • Start making clay projects for Christmas.
  • Send out Holiday Party invitations (we are hosting it a week earlier this year!)
  • Gear up for the Holiday kick-off on my blog on November 1st.

A bundt cake with pink icing drips sits on a white plate atop a wooden surface, with a window and brick wall in the background.

All I can say is, Angel Food Cake Is The Answer.

A white plate with piles of various ground spices, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, star anise, and black pepper, arranged separately on a marble surface.

Everybody needs this Chai Spice Mix recipe. It’s so good in tea, drinks, and baked goods.

Happy Happy Nester made some beautiful White Pumpkin Crafts.


And what a week it was!

  • Seven Creative Ideas to Set a Christmas Table
    Today I am sharing Seven Ideas to set a Christmas table. Initially, I intended to share ideas from seven different tables I had already created. But then I got an idea. What if I set one table with seven creative ideas…
  • DIY Ceramic Christmas Tree – A Handmade Christmas
    It’s week ten of my 16-week series titled A Handmade Christmas, and today I am sharing this beautiful handmade Ceramic Christmas Tree. One of my favorite parts of my A Handmade Christmas series is finding new ways to make holiday décor…
  • DIY Embroidered Handmade Christmas Ornaments
    There’s something so special about handmade Christmas ornaments … the kind that hold a story, a little bit of creativity, and a whole lot of heart. Every year, I enjoy discovering new ways to create unique and meaningful decorations for our…
  • Creative Ideas for Christmas Gift Tags
    A well-wrapped present always adds to the fun of gift-giving. Today, I am sharing some creative ideas for gift wrapping with hilarious gift tag ideas! I am sharing my favorite Christmas tags, and I hope you have some fun with them.
  • Decorating with Christmas Ribbon in the Dining Room
    It’s fun to look back at decorating for Christmas and today I am sharing how to use Christmas ribbons to decorate your dining chairs. Sometimes the simplest touches make the most significant difference. I decorated our dining room and added Christmas…
  • Stocking Stuffers for Christmas Morning
    One of my big jobs every Christmas is filling our kids’ stockings. I am always on the lookout for great ideas for stocking stuffers. As kids, my siblings and I opened our stockings first thing every Christmas morning. I’m excited to…


Having been on the couch most of last week, I am excited to share lots of fun ideas on the blog this week!

  • Apple Pie with Flaky Sourdough Pie Crust
  • Our Airbnb Waco Home
  • Gingersnap Pumpkin Trifle Recipe
  • My Favorite Pumpkin Recipe
  • Family Christmas Ornaments – A Handmade Christmas
  • The Best DIY Fall Blanket


You Might Also Need…


Pottery Barn Inspired Holiday Finds

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Several irregularly shaped white ceramic plates are arranged on a light wooden table near a woven basket with pink and white flowers. Text reads, "Creative Ideas and Sunday Morning Coffee.

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2 Comments

  1. I enjoy your blog very much, and was so pleased for you to read that you had cataract surgery. It’s a life changer and you’re going to love it. In my case, my cataracts sort of snuck up on me over a long period of time and I didn’t realize how much my vision was impaired until I had my first eye repaired. No readers for me any more and a whole big bright world to appreciate anew. I will say that I wasn’t thrilled to get a really good look at the wrinkles that had appeared while my cataracts grew, but I’d trade those wrinkles for my new view of the world any day.

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