Storing Up My Treasures

Autumn Harvest Quinoa

2011-11-08T11:30:00.000-08:00

Absolutely yummy, and very healthy too. It's very easy to make and is very economical too. Perfect for breakfast, a nice change from oatmeal.

I found the original recipe here and tweaked it quite a bit to make it work for us. It gives you the option of making it in the crock pot too, which I didn't but will try sometime. Here is my version:

1 C quinoa

1 C water

1 C apple juice/cider

pinch of salt

1 med apple, cored and diced

1 med pear, cored and diced

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t each of nutmeg and ginger

1/4 C each of honey and molasses

Combine quinoa, water, juice/cider, salt and spices and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Then add honey, molasses, apples and pears and continue to cook until all liquid is absorbed, approximately 5-10 minutes. Sweeten with brown sugar to taste. Makes 4 servings.

The Dollar Store 1 Minute Necklace

2011-11-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

I honestly don't even know if it would take you a whole minute even to make this, but you'll definitely want to try it!

I started off with these hooks that I picked up from a garage sale for $0.25. Yes, I know they technically didn't come from the dollar store. However most of them carry decorative ornie hooks like these, so I'm sure you won't have trouble getting your hands on them.

You then just interlink them together, and before you know it you have a lovely little necklace! Easy as pie, right?

These hooks were a lovely shade of gold, no paint necessary. However it would be just as easy to spraypaint them whatever color you'd like, or you could even give them a spray of acrylic topcoat to add shine and prevent them from tarnishing.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing!

Fabulous Fall

2011-10-31T12:30:00.000-07:00

Make Your Own Greek Yogurt

2011-10-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

I love greek yogurt, yummo! However, it's kinda pricey as those of you that eat it know. So I set off to make it myself. Super easy!

I took a strainer, lined it with a paper coffee filter and then spooned the yogurt inside. Covered it with plastic wrap and then set the strainer in a smaller bowl. Then it went in the fridge overnight.

This is the whey that drained off, and then you were left with perfect greek yogurt! It's very thick and creamy. However you could change the time in the fridge or just add back some of the strained off whey if it's too thick for your liking. Then add sweetener and fruit, granola, etc.

Try it, once you see how easy it is you'll never buy it premade again!

Click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing my recipe.

DIY Platform Swing/Glider

2011-09-13T15:17:00.000-07:00

So I finally have a project to share with you all, yipee!! I know, it's been awhile. However I am really excited at how this turned out and hopefully will be helpful to some of you.

I found a really neat platform/glider swing in a catalog that I wanted to buy for my oldest (well, all three kids actually). But at over $300 I didn't want to spend that kind of money, so my Dad and I set out to make it ourselves. Below is the finished project, let me give you a general idea of what we did, okie dokie?

Below is a picture of what we bought for the project. We went to our local big box home improvement store, spent about $55 total. We purchased the following:

precut 3/4" plywood sheet, cut to 3'x4'
two precut sections of 1" diameter pvc pipe, 2' long
four pvc end caps
2 pieces foam insulation for wrapping exterior pipes, 4' long
2 sections of chain link, 6 links per section, rated to hold 350 lbs
section of indoor/outdoor carpet to cover the plywood base
truck rope, rated to hold 300+ lbs, can't remember exact length, probably 30 ft or so
2 lock loop/carabeeners to hold chain to swing set, but we didn't end up needing them

Here is a picture of the swing/glider that I found. If you are interested, you can read more about it here:

So a brief overview of what we did. We took the chain link and looped it through the hooks on the swing set, those that you'd use to attach a swing. We then ran the rope through the chain link, knotting it off at the bottom as you can see to keep the rope from moving around.

We didn't end up using the locking loops/carabeeners we originally purchased because as you can see the opening for the chain to attach to the hoop on the swing set is pretty small. However if you had a swing set with a larger loop opening, or for extra peace of mind you could definitely use those locking loops to attach the chain to the loops on your swing set.

A view of the swing looking down. The platform as you can see has rounded edges, we cut the edges with a sawz-all and then sanded them smooth and rounded them off. The rope was strung through the handles, then through the top of the platform and was knotted off on the underside.

We stapled the carpet directly to the board, using a staple gun. We split the pipe insulation along the pre-cut side and then wrapped it around the edges and then used the staple gun to affix it to the board as well.

We used a drill to drill holes in the pvc pipe, then threaded the handles through the rope. We knotted off above and below the handles to make them more stationary.

So, this little tutorial wasn't exactly in the order done. But hopefully you get the general idea. Please feel free to ask any questions necessary. I didn't really take the time when I made this to write it all down, so I'm writing this from memory (which isn't the greatest!)

My kids have been having a blast on this thing. They can stand and swing front to back or side to side. They sit and play or read on it. Two kids at a time can sit on it. It also was made to grow with them, so we can adjust the height by simply moving the knots on the rope to raise or lower the swing.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing my newest project!

Where...

2011-08-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

... has God taken a dandelion from you only to replace it with a rose?

Today I realized that I recieved a rose when I was drivng home from a Dr's appointment on a beautiful stretch of highway.

A few weeks ago I was lamenting on how I missed the open country roads I would drive on when we still lived at our old home. My parents live in a very populated area and unbuilt on land is all but extinct.

However there are two major highways that they live near. One is in constant gridlock for the most part. The other is a absolutely beautiful highway that cuts through the last of the open land in the area. Guess which highway I get to use when driving to the Dr's office?

Now that might be looked on as stretching it a little, but I have come to truly believe in my heart that God delights in the little as much as He does the lavish.

Where in your life has God taken something small that you enjoy and replaced it with something even more special that what was lost?

Sillyness and Some Seriousness Too

2011-08-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

My hubby has a cool photo booth app on his iTouch and I used it to take some silly pictures on the way home from church. Fun, we've been using this one quite a bit.

I'm blogging this from Hubby's laptop, where I don't have access to any pictures so I don't have a whole plethora of pretty images to include along with my post. So I am sorry if this is a bland, wordy thing to look at.

The past few months have definitely been an adjustment for me. In some ways, very easy and in other ways not so much. My life is much different than it was a few months back.

On one hand, I am busier now that I was then. Then in some ways I don't have nearly as much to do as I did before. I know, it probably doesn't make much sense. It doesn't always make sense to me either. I've been praying for awhile now that God would ease my burdens, to take the stressful and difficult things and make them easier.

I guess you could say He did, but then other things replaced what I then felt was the overwhelming and difficult things I was facing at the time. Problems I had been praying would just take care of themselves didn't go away, but intensified. Things that I didn't know how to or more honestly, didn't want to deal with became front and center and became unavoidable.

My time has become much more of a precious commodity to me. I know that this time that I am going through is another opportunity for me to lean on God to get me through.

I can't fix it, I can't make it better, I can't ignore it and make it go away. Escaping to a computer or a scrapbook or a tv show or a bowl of ice cream won't magically fix my woes. Making a pretty for the house or trying to knock off the latest "it" thing from my favorite store isn't going to fix that nagging, persistent and debilitating place in my heart.

Leaning on God to get me through the day is the only way I've been able to do it so far.

Not fixating on the long term, but getting through the next few hours has been able to move me forward.

Not being distracted by the other things that I've used as distractions before forces me to look at my issues head on and realize that the distractions don't fix, but God heals.

Realizing that my timetable isn't God's. I look at things from a minute, hour, day, week, month, year perspective. He looks at things from an almost incomprehensible eternal clock.

Playing the "Woe is Me" game is futile, because I will never win. All it does is get me further in my self dug hole and make the sides even more slippery.

All that I know is that prayers said through tears and from a place of no where else to turn is both heartache and music to my Heavenly Fathers ears. He doesn't want me in that place, but He wants to be there with me.

So, with all that said it's not that I'll never post another project or tutorial or recipe or craft I've made. It's just that some long overdue work that I can't do by myself has been happening and that is by far more important than anything else.

I'll get back to that other stuff when time permits. It'll get there, as each season passes I know that this one will too.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who has promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

2011-08-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

I know, I know.

I have stuff to share.

I will be back soon, promise.

Hello Goodbye

2011-07-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Really, believe it or not.

Yes, I know it's been awhile. Over a month, almost two since I've last posted.

I have been very busy in my absence. I've not been catching up on summer reading.

Earlier this month, we said goodbye to the house we'd lived in for nine years. The house I brought all my babies home to. The house that my hubby and I have spent the majority of our married life in.

Lots of boxes, purging, yard sales, sweat and a little bit of crying was involved. We pared our belongings down to a 10x10 storage unit and said adios to the rest. Good thing we lived in a small home to begin with.

Once we found out we had to leave, we moved out in two weeks. During that time we had lots of heat, a round of the stomach flu, several dump runs and lots of take out.

The above picture was taken the morning we left. I went out in the early morning and shot several "house" pictures for our memory book. I took just a few minutes and recalled all the memories we'd made there. With three small kids who had lived there since birth, there was a lot to remember.

I only cried once, after we'd handed over the keys and stopped at McD's (not my choice) for lunch. Hubby was following behind me in his truck. When he got out, I lost it and gave him a big hug. "Everyone that made those memories so special to me are here with me right now," to which he replied, "Your right, it's only a shell." And with that, I cried my last real tear and resolved to start the new journey God has for us.

So, the kids and I are now living with my parents two hours south of where we were. Hubby stayed behind because of work, and lives with his parents during the week and then comes down on the weekends. It's not ideal, but it will work. Skype and phone calls will make it all much easier. It won't last forever, but until we make our next big move it'll be the space in between.

Yesterday my Mom and I went on a ride with the kids. We've gotten another round of sickness, this time a nasty cold. The kids were majorly cagey so we packed 'em up and headed out to the coast. We drove around and took pictures of several sites that I've enjoyed for many years.

One cool thing about moving home is that it gives my kids a chance to really experience things that I did as a child. We visited my parents quite a bit before, but it's nothing like living in the same town and seeing the same things. The bank, the store, the post office, the park I played in as a kid. Instead of it just being a noveltly they would experience while visiting Noni and Popi they get to actually "live" it. Even if they won't remember, I will.

It's also been nice to have the break from running a house. I've been helping out, but with living with my parents comes the respite from being solely responsible for running a household. My day to day chores have changed quite a bit and it's been so nice. And I've been able to do more things with my Mom, like batch cooking. It's always more enjoyable to do work with those you love. All the things that we've talked about doing together now we can actually do together.

So, my apologies for the absence. While I'm figuring out our "new normal", postings still will be sporatic but will definitely not be so far apart. I'm really excited to start this new chapter, and sharing my new experiences with you all.

Don't Let Them Rain on Your Parade!

2011-06-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

So I know you all have heard this before, don't let others rain on your parade. One place that you especially need to remember that is here in blogland. The buffer of a computer screen can be both a blessing and a curse. It can allow us to share our most inner thoughts and feelings with a feeling of safety-no face to face interactions necessary.

However it can also bring out those who use the buffer of the computer screen to write mean spirited and unkind words to others. In the forms of "constructive" criticism, unkind comments or unsolicited advice. We as bloggers need to keep in mind that when they try to rain on our parade, let those words roll right off you. Easier said than done, but it's still necessary. There will always be those, (I am inclined to think the Devil is in the details here) who's words do more harm than good or come across as less than helpful. I am by no means calling anyone out in particular, just making a general observation from my dealings in the world of, "social media".

In fact, I had a subscriber the other day ask me how they could, "delete me" because they didn't know how to do it. They started following my blog because of my crafting and decorating ideas, but once they realized, "that wasn't all you were about" they didn't want to follow me anymore.

Really? Is life so compartmentalized that we have to keep our blogs on topic at all times, only writting about certain things? Nope. So don't feel pigeon-holed into writting about the popular topics of the day, write what is on your heart, what is real in your life, be the real you and those that are interested will read with interest. Those that aren't, don't let 'em rain on your parade-it's your life, live and write about it how you want to!

Barn Charm Birdhouse

2011-05-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

I picked up a plain wooden birdhouse from the dollar bin at Joann's and transformed it to the above birdhouse. I think it's so cute, I am in love with barns and this reminds me of a birdie sized barn!

I took moss from the backyard, dried it out and glued it to the underside of the roof and in little clusters on top. The roof underneath is painted a russet brown and then has been given a light coat of metallic bronze glaze. The rims around the openings as well as the little perch have been painted olive green.

I also took some bronze colored flat glitter (not shiny) and sprinkled a bit on top here and there admist the moss. The wood is actually tanbark from the front yard planting beds! I just made sure to pick out pieces of wood that were strips to have them more closely resemble "planks".

The body of the barn is painted with a base coat of tapioca, then a coat of crackle glaze was applied. Once dried, I did a topcoat of oxide red and it dried to the lovely aged finished look. The base of the house as well as the roofline were painted complimentary shades of brown. I then used the same tanbark as I did on the roof to glue around the base of the house.

If my Momma likes it, it's hers. If not, I'll be keeping it for myself!

What do you think, does it look like a barn? I hope so! Please click on, "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing my latest project.

Happy Mother's Day to my Mommy

2011-05-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

Mom, I know that you are semi-irritated at me before even reading this. I know you don't like getting your picture taken, let alone having it posted for all of blogland. However, I hope that by the end of this post you'll forgive me.

Thank you for being such an amazing, "Nonni" to my babies. You show love, patience and joy towards them every time you see them. You know when to laugh at them, and when to tell them to reign it in and behave.

Thank you for all the times you've reminded me that love is a decision. That no matter what the situation, you choose how you are going to feel about it and how you are going to respond towards it. You've shown me that you can love and like someone, and even when you don't like them, you still can love them.

Thank you for the way you showed me many times that in life, you just need to roll with it. When you have a house full of sick kids, and a newborn baby too...instant slumber party in the living room. Getting mad and irritated and overwhelmed, while all valid in and of themselves makes for a disaster when combined and will lead you nowhere.

Thank you for all the stories you told me, and still do, about you and Daddy and your courtship. How you thought on more than one occasion that you were going to meet your maker due to his crazyness. How you two made plans, and you loved, and you looked forward to the future.

Thank you for showing me what a true blessing we as mothers have in that we get to grow our babies. How pregnancy was hard, but it wasn't something to be scared of. Labor was worth it, our bodies could do it, and you showed me and I watched in awe. Then you held my hand when I was in the midst of the worst and looked me in the eyes and told me, "It's ok, look at me, you can do it, breathe".

Thank you for telling me, and modeling to me, that our past doesn't predict our future.

Thank you for showing us that you loved your dying mother enough to drag all four of your kids up and down the state to fulfill her wish of an "ultimate vacation" with us. Thank you for loving us enough to give us that last big vacation with her while she was able and for all the memories.

Thank you for the camping trips and beach drives and McDonald's runs and park days and ice cream trucks. Thank you for the way you loved us without spoiling us.

Thank you for not accepting what you knew many would just accept. You showed me that we are not victims in our life, but we are survivors. Thank you for fighting for each of us in different ways, but in ways that each of us needed you to.

Thank you for protecting us. Thank you for caring for your babies and all of their needs. From collic to croop to bacterial menengitis to sleep apnea to broken bones to autism. For enduring the tests and the scares and the beeping alarms. Thank you for the prayers to God begging Him to let you keep your babies just a little bit longer. They worked.

Thank you for showing us how important God was. For scrubbing toilets when you were 8 months pregnant so we could attend our perochial school. For volunteering for church plays and VBS. For regular early Sunday morning rituals and ironing clothes and crying kids and brushing hair and getting out the door for church. For making sure we prayed before eating and before sleeping. For getting us bibles and CD's and movies that promoted Christian values. For making sure that we wern't fed spiritual junk.

Thank you for wearing the same three outfits over and over so we could look our best. For wearing the same glasses for 15 years so we could have that money for other things, for us. For sacrificing creature comforts because you'd rather spend the money other things, for us. For driving, "Mechanic's Special's" for cars and not caring about labels. For having perspective and remembering the big picture, and in the end if we didn't have Guess jeans we wouldn't die.

Thank you for all you've done, and for all the ways you've loved, and for all the ways you've served. Thank you for your prayers, and your advice, and your encouragement and for the swift kicks as needed. Thank you for your sacrifices and your tears and your realizations and your commitment. Thank you for your friendship. I love you, Happy Mother's Day.

"It is not that you have chosen me; but it is I who have chosen you. I have appointed you to go and bear fruit that will be lasting."~ John 15:16 ~

From Like to Love

2011-05-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

My sister bought me this print back when Hubby and I were first married, over 10 years ago. I absolutely adore it, the print is beautiful. However the frame and the mat made it look dated. I didn't want to get rid of it, but it needed a change up.

This is what I did originally. I used crackle medium on the oak frame and "whitewashed" it. Then I dry brushed some acrylic paint on the mat. Iused a pinkinsh brown on the outer portion and then dry brushed white on the inner portion. To finish it off, I cut up some linen and used it as a border between the two colors. I liked it, but it was still missing something.

Then I had the idea to use some galvanized french chicken wire. I took my wire snips and cut a square out, then cut out the center as to not cover the print. Didn't want that sweet girl to look like she was in a cage ;) However, I messed up and cut a portion too short as you can see along the bottom. I debated wether to start over again, but decided not too. Since the whole thing now has an aged, worn look I decided the messed up chicken wire helped with the overall look. That is what I'm telling myself anyway!

So next time you have something around the house that you like, but it just looks out of place try updating instead of replacing. It's a great way to upcycle and it lets you be creative at the same time.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing my latest project. Thanks!

"A Life So Full It Seems Empty"

2011-05-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

I read this passage today from the book I started awhile back, One Thousand Gifts . It really struck me, I can completely relate to what the author, Ann Voskamp is saying. A life so full it seems...empty. Monatonous. Predictable. Busy. Routine.

I think as a mother, my life tends to be pretty much on "auto pilot". It starts and ends the same pretty much every day. The fullness of each day is lost on me, because I tend to just go through the motions as a Mom so much of the time. Feed. Bathe. Instruct. Clean. Organize. Cook. I tick off the things I do every day in my head, my mental list of what I accomplish in a day. Since I think it's so "no brainer", I don't put much thought into it.

However, my life, it is so full.

My life is so abundant.

My gifts from God are lavishly given, I lose track of them.

My blessings are so many, they meld together and take a shape I don't choose to recognize.

My cup overflows so much that I don't realize it's past capacity and I see what can't be contained as opposed to the full reservoir I already have been blessed with.

My God loves me so much. He will provide. More. Abundantly. Every. Single. Day.

What I have is exactly what I need. He will give me just what I need. When I don't focus on what I don't have, and instead focus on what I already have, I will see what I already have been given. It's enough. It's a gift, given with purpose. Given from my God. Given. Not earned. A gift.

Sharing my thoughts today at Blessed Little Nest. Go check out her blog, it's worth the click!

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Fun With Fabric

2011-04-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently had her first baby. The theme of her daughter's nursery is Dick and Jane. I love me some Dick and Jane, the girl has good taste. So I decided to make her a gift that she could use for nursery decor and had a function too. Enter this memo/photo board and barette holder.

I took an 11x14 frame that I bought on clearance at Jo-Jo's (Joann's), and used it for the photo board. Lots of cork, fabric, ribbon and hot glue threw togther made the above result.

For a cute little tie in for her daughter, I used pink buttons.

I also used some flat glass marbles to make a few matching push pins.

The barette holder above is the same fabric stretched over an old canvas, then adorned with ribbon and buttons.

Easy to clip barettes directly to the ribbons for fun and functional storage. No digging around in a box, drawer, bowl, etc.

I love the vintage feel to both projects. I am a sucker for all things vintage right now. I really am.

So, are you dying to know how to make your own? Click on the vintage "You Tube" TV on the right sidebar and you'll be directed to my You Tube channel. I have video tutorials for each project. There are a few (okay...maybe more than a few) installments for each project, so make sure you watch them all. Then get to crafting something!

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be linking up my latest creations.

Thoughts on Thankfulness

2011-04-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

I know to be "thankful in all things", but treat it more as a sweeping "thank you" than as a intimate, intentional, specific thank you for the multiple, easily overlooked and daily things that God puts in front of me each and every moment of each and every day. I can honestly say that I do have moments where I am thankful for little things, but a continual, regular state of thanksgiving for all things? No, not even close. I'm too busy nit-picking out what I am not thankful for instead of wrapping up the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, the mundane and the glorious. I am expending WaY too much energy trying to extract out what I don't like instead of taking it for the whole, entire gift that God places before me.

For me personally I think that gratitude forces me to look at the good, the happy, the realness of something. When I'm not grateful, I am really negative for the most part and tend to pull out things that are sad, depressing, angering or frustrating to me. I then tend to dwell on those things, ruminate on how they make me feel. When I'm not grateful, I am very self-involved and selfish, and I tend to look at things through the "me" filter. How does it make me feel? How does it affect me? What can I do to change it? How can I make it go away?

By being grateful for things, and especially if I focus on the small, simple and real ways that God shows me His love for me (my kids laughter, my purring kitty wanting to sit on my lap, the unsolicited "I love you" from my hubby), how can I not be taken aback by the sheer volume of His love? If I focus on all of it, how can I not focus on any of it? If I can look at the blessings for the simplicity of what they are instead of waiting for the knock me over the side of my head "miracles", how can I not feel anything by abject love and pure devotion for my Heavenly Father? He delights in using the everyday to delight me, not just the pull out all the stops fireworks show once a year. He wants me to delight in the small of each opportunity of thankfulness, for that is a way to have open communication and communion with Him.

Bunny Cake and Silly Faces

2011-04-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

The other day we had a chance to do one of our fun Easter traditions, make our famous, "Bunny Cake". This year we even did things a bit differently, and made it GFCF. It turned out great!

We used jelly beans and salt water taffy from Trader Joes and some cake decorations my Mom picked up awhile ago. To make the "whiskers", we just stuck white toothpicks in a piece of salt water taffy. The rest is pretty self explanitory. Cute, no?

The kids and I had a lot of fun, and it's fun to carry on traditions. My grandma, or "Nanny" as I called her used to make these cakes for us grandkids. Once she passed away, they stopped, but I'm happy to start up the tradition again with my own kids.

What family traditions do you do with your family for Easter?

Linking up our pictures at "Embrace the Camera", click here to see more!:

Change is a Comin'

2011-04-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

So, it's been awhile, huh? I've not been around blog land much the past month or so. My last post had me lamenting on my unmotivated and uninspired attitude. Kinda not feeling the whole, "Spring Cleaning" bug that many of us usually get this time of year. Guess what? I'm feeling it now, big time. Wanna know why???? 'Cause last week I came home to find this pinned to our front door. Seems the landlord has stopped paying mortgage, and "our" home is being auctioned off at the end of the month. We've lived here almost nine years. Occupational hazard of renting though, we all know this can happen. So, as you can imagine, I've been purging and gutting rooms. I've been cleaning closets and dumping drawers. Boxes are being packed up with things no longer needed. It is amazing how much can be crammed into a 725 sq foot space. How much we amass, how much excess we truly live with.

Here is just a small sampling of the garage sale pile in our garage. We had one last weekend, made $97. Having another one on Sunday. I've added much more since last weekend. I'm sure I'll have a few more before we leave.

We don't know how long we'll be here, whether or not we'll be leaving once the house sells or if we'll stay. We can be given 60-90 days depending on what the buyer wants to do. No matter what though, we'll have some time to work with.

As to the amount of crafting and such, I don't know how much of that I'll be doing. I'm thinking it's going to be put on hold for awhile. At least until we get a better idea of what is going on.

I am totally at peace with the situation. No matter what, God provides and we'll be fine. It's just a humble reminder on a few levels. Most of us have more in excess than many people have as their bare necessities. Also that just because we don't want to do something doesn't mean that we don't have to do it.

So, on to what may be the next season for our family.

Unmotivated and Uninspired

2011-03-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

So, as a few of you might have figured out by now...I've not been around much lately.

It's not that I don't want to blog or read blogs, really.

It's just that I have, well..

nothing.

I've been feeling very unmotivated and uninspired lately. My creative juices just haven't been flowing. I'm not sure why, I'm just kinda in a lull I guess.

Lots of rain and dreary days might have something to do with it. But maybe not, I can't say that is all it is.

You ever just go through phases where you just don't have the mojo to do much of anything? I think I'm there. Lots of things around the house are kinda just hanging out. Laundry, dishes, cooking, etc. Last night, as we were scarfing down our In and Out burgers, my oldest asked, "Mommy, can we have dinner at home tomorrow night?" Ouch.

I'm reading all these organizing posts, cleaning and de-cluttering posts, and I just don't wanna. Am I bad for that? I normally do get the spring cleaning bug, but that bug hasn't been to my house yet. I did get a cold bug though, that's been lovely.

However, today I DiD manage to clean out our medicine cabinet. Baby steps, right? Excuse the picture, believe it or not that is as clean as the inside of that thing gets. It's a very OLD (or retro, depending on how you look at it) cabinet, and I am afraid to remove it because who knows what is behind there. The last thing I need is the Landlord having a hissy fit, so the cabinet stays.

Anyhoo, enough of my rambling. I just wanted to let you know that I haven't given up on my blog, or on your blogs, or on you. I'm just not feelin' it right now.

Be patient with me, I'm gonna surface soon...I can feel it.

Floral Twig Wreath

2011-03-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

I made the above wreath for spring a few days ago, not too shabby. I was semi inspired by a wreath I saw Kimba make over at A Soft Place To Land, you can go here to take a looksie at hers.

Pretty much most of the new materials I used came from the dollar store. I bought the petals, ribbon and yarn there. Everything else I already had on hand. Let me show you what I did.

I started with this wreath. Cute, way too many bows. So I snipped some off with my pruners (and saved them for another project). After my pruning, I ended up with the large one on the bottom and two on each side.

To make the large center flower I started with a metal lid from a juice container. I cut some vintage ribbon into "leaves" and glued them down. Then I stared with the flower petals, starting on the outside and working my way in. I used a button as the center for each flower.

This is what I ended up with when I was done with the flowers. Cute, no? I thought they were a bit too white, so I misted them with some diluted Tim Holtz distress ink that I put in a spray bottle. If you want to see what I'm talking about, watch my latest You Tube video here.

**On a side note, you can always watch any of my videos by clicking on my "vintage tv" link on my sidebar, all my videos are there on my You Tube channel. Ok, end of shameless plug**

I then used fluzzy (a combo of fluffy and fuzzy) green yarn purchased from the dollar store to wrap the top section of the wreath. I would have wrapped the entire thing, minus the bows, but it was almost impossible to get the yard in between those bows.

I used the green ribbon (also from the dollar store) as my hanger and I called it a day. I have it hanging over my couch. In retrospect, I would have used hot glue to attach everything so I could hang the wreath outdoors. But I didn't, so it's an indoor wreath instead.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" on my sidebar to see where I'll be linking up this project and to see lots of other sources of inspiration. Thanks!

Cutting Board Signage

2011-03-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

So my hubby made this cute little piggy cutting board in jr high, but it's been sitting in a drawer for years not being used. It's a bit too...um, gross to use as a functioning board but I couldn't toss it. He made it after all. So the other day I finally had an idea, make a sign out of it!

I stencilled "eat" on it and I think it fits into our little kitchen just perfectly. I first used white acrylic paint, followed by a coat of red. I then sanded the letters to give it that weathered look. I then took brown shoe polish and "aged" the board, especially around the edges and also to darken up the letters a bit. The red was way to bright otherwise.

Don't have a cute board to use? Keep your eyes out while junking and I can guarantee that you'll find one. Make a cute sign for your kitchen, it's easy!

Linking up this idea at my fave linky parties. Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" in the upper right hand sidebar to see more great ideas!

Storing Up My Treasures Is Now On You Tube!

2011-03-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

source

I've decided to start my own You Tube channel for my little 'ol blog. I've made a few haul videos and really had fun. I also have plans to begin posting tutorial videos as well. I figured the easiest and simplest way to continue would be to start a channel on You Tube and will upload the videos to their site. You can view them anytime, whether you are a member of You Tube or not. Click here to go see what I've been up to!

I'll give you all a heads up when a new video is posted. I've also added a link on the sidebar of my blog for my new You Tube channel, and you can click it anytime to see what I've been up to in webcam land!

I'm Going to Open my Blinds

2011-03-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

"If I am ruthlessly honest, I may have said yes to God, yes to Christianity, but really I have lived the no." "Now everywhere we look, we only see all that isn't...holes, lack, deficiency." "We don't see the material world for what it is meant to be, as the means to communion with God."

I started reading the book One Thousand Gifts this week. The above are a few lines that I highlighted from what I've read so far. I'm only done with chapter one and I can't even put into words how much it has already resonated with me.

If you've not heard of the book please find out about it. If you've heard of it but don't plan on reading it, I wholeheartedly ask you to reconsider. I truly believe it has the ability to be life changing.

My personal relationship with God the last several years has been very still. I love God, I know He loves me, but I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. For the one thing, the one catalyst, the proverbial ball to start rolling. I'm holding out for the "thing" that will just get my life, my relationships, my happiness to the next level. I've been treading water for a long time.

I love my family and my life, but I've been waiting for the "awakening" that will bring me the true joy that I've been waiting to feel. For the vest of shame and guilt and grumbling to be lifted off. I intellectually know that God is the only one who can do that for me, but I've been waiting and it hasn't happened yet. I've been waiting for something to happen to me, instead of opening myself up and letting go so that it can happen.

I think after reading the first chapter of this book, the one thing that I've walked away with is that God has done all the things that I've been waiting for Him to do. He's already done it. He has given me all I need to experience true joy, and still does. I've lost site of it from the moment I decided not to feel it anymore. I am waiting for something that isn't going to happen, because it's been happening all along.

I'm going to open my blinds, so that I can take in all that God has been doing for me, for mankind, from the moment He created it all.

"His secret purpose framed for the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory." 1 Corinthians 2:7, NEB

Scrapbooking Haul Video, Pt 2

2011-03-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

Here's part two!

I'm on You Tube!

2011-03-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

I've jumped on the You Tube bandwagon. Here's my first ever video, part one. Please keep the laughter to a dull roar, okay?

Picnik Time

2011-03-03T13:25:00.000-08:00

I've recently started tinkering on Picnik with my photos. It's actually not that hard to use, but I by no means am an expert.

The above photo is one that I took of my sister awhile ago, that I tweaked on Picnik. I like how it turned out. Pioneer Woman is running a photography contest on her blog with the subject being sisters, so I submitted it. If you want to take a peek, go here.

Happy Thursday, weekend is almost here!

Scrappin' Fool

2011-02-28T18:43:00.000-08:00

So one thing I have been doing more of lately is scrapbooking, yay!! I finally decided to just set up a card table in the living room when the kids go to bed and get to work. I've done it twice now in the last few weeks and I've gotten quite a bit done!

I don't scrap in chronological order, I'm not that organized. I scrap as the pictures inspire me, or as I find them. So, this is why you'll see several LO's of my youngest from when he was a newborn.

The other thing I've noticed is that lately, I've been gravitating towards more of an overall "collage" look with my LO's. I've not been matting each picture as I've done in the past and even have been layering pictures. I like how it looks, and I've noticed that things go MuCh faster this way for me.

I used a felt coaster from Michael's in this LO. I cut in in half and then gave it a light coat of white paint. I like the dimensional look it adds. I've been trying to use more non-traditional scrapbook items in my LO's, it's fun to mix things up.

I decided to be silly and use mustaches and a pencil to cover up names, etc. for privacy instead of blurring them out, 'cause I'm cool like that. Or, maybe because I couldn't figure out how to blur them on Picnik. I won't say which.

I always am glad when I get back into creating, and scrapbooking is such a fun and instant gratification type of crafting for me.

To those of you that scrapbook, what have you been working on lately?

Please check out "Linky Parties I Love" in the upper right hand corner to see where I'll be sharing.

Keep on scrappin' on, Ladies!

Um...Who Are You?

2011-02-26T09:28:00.000-08:00

Yep, I know, it's been awhile, huh? Sorry for my hiatus. My sweetie had to have surgery, and I've been MIA in order to help him recover. He's doing well and almost back to his same 'ol tricks. So, that being said I should be getting back into my normal routines here soon.

On a unrealated topic, I've recently purchased several praise songs off of iTunes, and "Christ is Risen" by Matt Maher has been my favorite of the new ones. I tried to get all fancy and imbed the video in my post, but my computer isn't cooperating with me this morning, so below you'll find a link to the song. Take a listen. I'd love to know what you think of it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2KNvuscKRA

I've been doing some scrapbooking lately, I'll post some of my LO's for you to oooh and aaah over soon;) Have a great weekend!

Coffee Can to Cute Container

2011-02-14T08:36:00.000-08:00

A friend is having her first little one in a few weeks, and so this weekend I worked a gift for her. The nursery theme is Dick and Jane, (SO cute!) but I didn't have any Dick and Jane books lying around the house. However I did have a Richard Scary one, (who can find Goldbug?) so I decided to use it to make the above cute little container. I put flowers in it as you can see, but I'm sure that it can have all sorts of other uses.

I took the can, cleaned it out and got to work. First off I mod podged some book paper to the can. After it had dried I used some green electrical tape around the top and bottom to help cover up imperfections. Then I layered on some red grosgrain ribbon, followed by some white satin ribbon and then topped it off with some blue ric-rac. It looks really cute, no? And it works well with the primary colors in the nursery.

This is the finished gift, all packed up and ready to go. I took a lidded storage box from Ikea and padded it with tissue. In went the flower can, along with a few parenting devotionals, a few Dick and Jane board books, a bib, a cute bucket hat w/floral pin, a vintage children's book and an adorable crocheted baby sweater. She loved her gift, and I had fun putting it together for her.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing this gift idea.

A Must Read

2011-02-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

I just read this book to my daughter this morning, what a good one. It's hard to go wrong with Dr. Seuss, right? I have read many of his books, but since he's written so much I haven't read them all.

Seriously, this is a great book. If you are in a funk, feeling down or sorry for yourself, not loving your "season of life" you're in, then you should read this book. It's obviously for children, but as you know most Dr. Seuss books have a "lesson" that is applicable for children and adults alike.

Check it out from your library if you've not read it, you won't be dissapointed. Sharing my find today at Blessed Little Nest:

Things in my Treasure Chest Valentine's Edition

2011-02-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

Been online this morning looking at cute, romantic, sweet, "valentine-y" inspiration. Here are a few treasures that I found.

These are so neat, a different twist on the standard silhouette portraits or a black and white. Even the sewing-embroidery challenged person like myself should be able to pull this off. Directions are here .

Some pretty pink blossoms that I clipped from a bush on the side of the road.

Lemon chicken, sounds delicious and looks super easy. From the Barefoot Contessa, you can find the recipe here .

Sweet napkin roses, how special for a Valentine's day dinner for the family. Found at Martha Stewart online, click here .

Several really cute and FrEe wallpapers found at Susan Branch online. I have the above on my desktop right now, perfect for Valentine's Day! You can find them here .

This necklace is absolutely adorable. I'm really into bees right now. How cute would it be to receive this with a note that said, "Would you bee mine?" Adorables!:)http://www.liberty.co.uk/fcp/product/Liberty/Gifts-for-Her/Gold-Bumblebee-Necklace,-Alex-Monroe/14824

A sweet Valentine's card from my Hubby from a few years back. I pull it out and display it every year since, it's perfect. He said he picked it out because, "It looked like something you would make." How cute is that?!?

Hope your week is off to a sweet start!

A Card From One of my Cuties

2011-02-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

My one and only sweet girl made me a Valentine's day card and I have it hanging on the computer desk. I cut out the heart, but she did the rest herself. I *love* the ribbon trim!

Sharing what is making my life more lovely here:

Taking a Bitty Break...

2011-02-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

will be back shortly.

I've Got a Suitor...and it's not my Husband

2011-01-24T19:50:00.000-08:00

So I have a confession to make. I've got a suitor. Yes, I'm married already. 10 years, going on 11. Fabulous man, heaven sent, a true blessing and my best friend. However, there is someone else who's trying to win my heart.

What can I tell you about this other suitor? Let's see, so much to share...where to begin? We'll let me start of by saying he's a sweet talker. He knows just how to wiggle his way into my thoughts. He'll whisper something in my ear, and days later I'll catch myself thinking about what he said. He knows exactly what to say and when to say it, his timing is perfection.

He is also very courteous. He is always thinking of me. He will pop by to say hi, just to let me know that I am in his thoughts. He consistently lets me know that he is trying to win me over.

He admits to me that he's a jealous type. That he so wishes that my husband was out of the picture. That he wishes he was my one and only. He tries to get me to shift my eye away from my betrothed quite often, he knows how to get me to question myself and my decision. He's always telling me the grass is greener on the other side.

He can also be very stoic. He will tell me that even though he and I aren't together that he'll be okay. He can wait for me, as long at it'll take for me to realize that I should be with him. He says he wants to be with me for all of eternity.

His motives are manipulative. He loves to catch me when I'm confused or questioning things in my life, my relationships. He really thrives on getting me to the point where I feel utterly defeated. He tells me that even though it seems hopeless, that if I just go with him then it'll change everything for my betterment. I'll get to do what I want when I want when I'm with him, and what could be better than that?

He will make me feel like I'm the only person in the world that he wants. He will try time and time again to win me over...wait, wear me down. He showers me with compliments as often as he will berate and belittle me, trying to make me feel that he is the only one that would love me. He's hell bent on becoming my one true love, at all costs.

Oh, and he's also told me that he's a polygamist. So he's not only courting me, but countless others as well. He's going to court as many as he can, he'll court you too. He's looking to amass as many significant others as possible. He told me that he'll never stop, that his ultimate goal is to have a commune of souls, all of which are completely enslaved to him.

Obligation vs. Desire

2011-01-21T08:04:00.000-08:00

I distinctly remember the first time I tried to have a conversation with God. I was 6, maybe 7. We were running late, so my Mom had me finish up breakfast in the station wagon on the way to school. I was drinking orange juice out of my favorite Sesame Street glass, and as I finished I wanted more. As you can imagine, that wasn't going to happen on the ride to school. I really wanted more. "God, if you are real, fill up my orange juice glass with more juice." "God, if you really love me, fill up my juice glass, please?" I bet you can guess what happened.

That was the first time, as a child, that I remember asking God to do something for me. It was the first time I had a conversation (albeit one sided) with Him. It was different than praying, that I did everytime we ate and before bedtime. This was different. This was telling Him what I wanted, and waiting for a reply.

I have been a "Christian" since childhood. I went to parochial school from second grade 'till high school. I memorized many verses, read many bible stories, performed in many Christmas plays. We've always attended church, my parents raised us in a Christian home.

Here's the thing though, you can have all of that, and more, and still not have conversations with God.

My relationship with God has been a up and down one. I try to live my life the way He wants me to. Try is the operative word there, because as we all know we can have the best of intentions and still fall flat. I have felt that much of my relationship with my Creator as flat, one dimensional. Doing things just because you "should", not because you want to can leave you uninspired and feeling obligated. I felt obligated to God.

When God doesn't feel welcome, He doesn't force Himself in. He is the God of the universe, and we are but a speck in it. God will shine through cracks and show Himself in ways to remind us that we need Him, but He won't come in shouting demanding attention. He wants us to seek Him.

So when I walk around feeling obligated to Him, like I have to do these things to please him, how is that going to look to Him? Like I'm seeking Him? That I want Him around? Or that I'm just doing these things on auto-pilot because it's expected of me? Praying before eating, check. Making my monthly donation to church, check. Doing things out of obligation, when your heart isn't in the right place, is nothing but checking off boxes off a list.

But when I seek Him, things are different. When I am quiet and just listen, I can hear. When I clear out the junk in my head and open up space, I am making room for Him. When I desire to grow, to get out of my funk, to break patterns, to live for something other than myself, the obligation that I feel subsides.

God wants us to desire Him. He wants us to ask Him to come. He won't force us to submit to Him, that isn't how he works. He loves us enough to let us get to the place where we realize we need Him. He will let us go through our motions, our obligations, our flat places. He knows that in order for us to truly seek and ask for Him, we have to come to that decision ourselves.

Does that mean He won't court our hearts? No, He's courted me since I can remember. But God isn't like some overeager teenage boy fixated on me. He's not going to throw candy, love notes and flowers at me until he makes me like him. He's going to love me and pursue me as my heavenly father. Let me make mistakes, let me skin my knees, let me cry some. He's going to let me come to the decision to love him, not make me do it. He'll let me come to the realization that I need him, that I can't live another moment of my life without him. That it doesn't matter what I do in life if He's not alongside of me while I do it. That is the true love that God courts us with, and that is the true love that He wants from us.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Step Stool Facelift

2011-01-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

I had a beat up old step stool for the kids in the bathroom that needed a little face lift. Here it is, looks SO much better! It was really simple too.

This it what it looked like. Your standard "Little Tikes" plastic step stool. I got it from a rummage sale, so it was banged up to begin with. I actually used it this way for a long time, but I just got tired of looking at it and wanted to pretty it up.

I covered it with black primer, then a few coats of brown spray paint. I then gave it a light coating of my favorite ORB for some added pizazz. To make the lettering I used white acrylic paint on some foam scrapbooking stamps, it worked really well.

It looked great, but I was worried that banging around in the bathroom would scratch it up, so I used two coats of Minwax Polyacrylic to seal it. Yep...it worked on plastic!

Totally free makeover, cost nothing out of pocket. Every time I looked at that stool I cringed, not anymore!! What is something around the house you can pretty up?

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing my latest project!

GFCF Homemade Cornbread

2011-01-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

My two boys are eating a GFCF diet, both for different reasons. So last night for dinner while Hubby, daughter and I were enjoying biscuits with our stew the boys had cornbread instead.

It's really easy and uses ingredients that you will more than likely have on hand. It's a simple recipe too, you'll never guess where I got it from.

A few years back my Hubby went on a business trip to Memphis and brought back this magnet. At first I was like, "Geez...thanks honey." But then after I looked at the recipe, I said, "Wow, thanks honey!!" Perfect recipe for our boys. The only substitution I make is using rice milk instead of regular milk. I pour the batter into a greased 8"square pan and bake as directed.

Even if you don't have special dietary requirements, this is good cornbread. It's dense and not nearly as "cakey" as lots of cornbreads tend to be. Almost closer to a spoonbread actually. We don't serve ours the way the magnet suggests, but I bet it would be good that way!

Sharing at the "Tasty Tuesday" linky party at:

Funny Faces

2011-01-17T09:07:00.000-08:00

When you are having a no good, horrible, very bad day...

and the bickering, fighting, whining and complaining is just too much...

and you think that you seriously are going to have a stroke....

and you can't run into your room and lock the door...

and you can't take the kids outside and let them run it off, because it's been raining for four days straight...

and the art projects, coloring, play-doh, snacks and tv shows they've watched before 10 am just aren't resetting the mood...

when all else fails...

get the camera, go in the bathroom, and take silly face pictures. It'll work, even if for only five minutes.

Being silly, it's good for them, and for you too!!

Sharing today with Blessed Little Nest:

And sharing at the "Embrace the Camera" linky party here:

Things in my Treasure Chest

2011-01-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

I've found that I really enjoy reading other bloggers "like lists." You know what I'm talking about? Songs they like, books they've read, wonderful websites they've visited, products they are ~~lusting~~ admiring, blogs that are inspiring. I thought it would be neat to join in on the fun.

So from time to time I am going to post about things in my "treasure chest" that I'm currently enjoying, finding inspiration from, etc. I'd love to hear about yours too!

This is a beautiful song, one that I find especially meaningful. As a believer, I struggle with guilt over not having the walk with Christ that I know I should. This song helps me to put into perspective that my walk with Him is a journey, not something that only has meaning when I'm doing it "right".

I absolutely love this song. It really reminds me that I am in a temporary place, that I am going home to a place that I've never been before. That this place I am at, while it brings joy also brings frustrations and trials that God will wipe way in an instant when His plan calls it to. That this world, as amazing and awe inspiring as it is will be gone in a moment and we will be in His presence.

We got a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble and I can't decide what book or CD I want so I decided to use it for something else. I found this cute globe, I've always wanted a little globe for the house and I think it's perfect.

What are your current sources of inspiration, joy or enjoyment that you want to share?

Simple Valentine's Day Decor

2011-01-15T09:59:00.000-08:00

Been working on some simple Valentine's Day decor this past week. Here are a few projects I did.

This is really easy. I just took a few branch cuttings from the backyard and hot glued some hearts to it that I cut out of red velvet ribbon. Arranged in a pink vase on a red plate/charger. This in on the microwave in the kitchen.

This is some simple Valentine's themed garland. I based it on all the cute pennant banners that I've seen around blogland. I took the same velvet ribbon I used for the heart tree above to make the banner.

All I did was take a piece of ribbon, fold it in half and cut out a heart making sure to not completely cut the top but used the folded section to wrap around the string. I used red/wht bakers twine that my sweet Momma gave me for Christmas, I think it looks perfect.

See, decorating doesn't always have to be a big production? Simple, cheap, fast is my motto...but I better be careful, that one could get me in trouble ;)

What are you doing to decorate for Valentine's Day?

Click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing my simple ideas.

Also linking up for the first time at Wildflowers and Whimsy:

Mommy, Guess What?

2011-01-13T12:56:00.000-08:00

There will come a day when they no longer come looking for me to tell me what is on their minds.

Trying to keep this in perspective.

Sharing today at:

Fab Fabric n' Felt Valentine Wreath

2011-01-12T13:04:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I worked on my latest Valentine's Day inspired decor idea while the kiddos were napping. I made this wreath for the front door, but I can't decide if I like it or if I should add something to it.

I wanted to use nothing new, but make it all from what I had on hand. I didn't have a wreath form, so I cut out a cardboard form and worked from there. I decided to change it up a bit and went with a rectangular shape. I actually like how it plays off the paneling in the front door.

I wrapped it in red felt, and then used some red fabric to accent the corners and make the little rosettes in the corner. I used bakers twine to wrap the entire perimeter when I was done and used a piece of red velvet ribbon as my hanger.

What do you think, should I do something else with it or leave it as is? I can't decide. On one hand I like the simplicity of it, on another hand it looks like a monotone rectangle to me. What would you do? Be honest, nice...but honest ;)

Here are some Valentine's Day related ideas from last year, a CD card...

some vintage Valentine printables....

and some hand dipped chocolate covered caramels. All really easy, all really inexpensive. If you look in the blog archives from Jan/Feb 2010 you'll find all of these ideas.

So, give me some feedback on my wreath. I'm interested to see what you all have to say!

My "It" Word for 2011

2011-01-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

Awhile back I wrote about how starting last year, I was introduced to the concept of picking a word that I wanted to focus on for the new year, you can read more about that here.

This was an awesome thing for me, I truly found myself revisiting that word over and over again and really applying it in my life. It made a big difference, I saw a lot of growth in my personal and spiritual life because of it.

I wanted to put some real thought into my "it" word for this year. I had a few things swimming around in my head, but wanted to wait to commit to something until I felt it was right.

This past weekend, a situation arised and it was really clear to me what word should be my focus for this year. "Meaningful".

How many times have we done something just because we're supposed to, without really thinking about how we're doing it? Made a decision about something and just went with the flow, not thinking about what the ultimate outcome would be?

I don't want to sound like you can plot and plan out every aspect of your life, because as we all know that isn't possible. Or that we have to make every decision we make into an monumental one. However, personally I know that many times AfTer a situation has happened I'll wish I had put more thought into it.

Experiences, we have them everyday. From the mundane to the extraordinary, we definitely can say that our entire day is full of them. The experiences that we have, they have the ability to shape our characters. To leave lasting impressions. The experiences that we create impact people under our roof, in our community, in our churches. They can shape, mold and form the children we raise and the family we love as well as those we don't even know.

If I take the time to make sure that the experiences that we have are meaningful, think of all the opportunities that I've made to show and model to my children what I'm called to. That doesn't mean that everything has to be a holy experience that unveils a bigger picture. However it does mean that what we do, how we spend our time, what we do with what we've been given...those decisions can make meaningful and lasting impressions.

How can you make more meaningful decisions and choices? What is an "it" word that you can focus on this year?

Stick Sunburst Mirror

2011-01-10T19:45:00.001-08:00

So I've really developed a fondness for sunburst mirrors. I've made one before and it hangs in our bedroom, you can see it here .

As I mentioned before, I'm kinda going for a nature inspired look in the living room right now. I decided to make another mirror to go in there, but wanted it to look different from what I made before. I figured I'd try making it with sticks/twigs from a tree out in the backyard, and this is what I came up with. Not bad, right?

I made it the exact same way I did with my first project, but just used twigs instead. I'm really happy with the look. It looks great at night, the twigs cast some pretty neat shadows.

Here's a distance shot for perspective.

I'm still working on the living room overall, I'll get some more pictures up once I'm done.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be linking up. How can you bring some nature inspired touches into your home?

Night Rides

2011-01-10T07:56:00.000-08:00

Last night, after dinner we decided to go on a night ride. When the natives are restless, we load them up and off we go. We started off at dusk, so after playing around with my camera a bit I decided that I was going to take some "artistic" shots as my little point and shoot wasn't going to capture much else with the low lighting.

The horizon.

Sideview mirror and some porch lights.

Some approaching cars.

The freeway.

I don't know how I managed to pull off this one, but I love how the exit sign photographed.

Surprising amount of Christmas lights still up, those made for great shots. The above one is of a big tree that they decorate every year in the "old town" area where we live.

The tree close up, so neat!!

Streetlamp.

A home still decorated.

Night rides are good for my soul, I always come home in a better mood than I left it in. Definitely try it sometime if you haven't, it's a fun way to spend the night (and you can even go in your jammies!).

Linking up our evening adventures here:

Picture Perfect Barrette Holder

2011-01-08T13:16:00.000-08:00

I made this for a little friend's birthday. She has many barrettes, but no place for them to call home. So after seeing all the cute barrette holders here and there in Blogland, I decided to make one. Here is the end result, not to shabby, right? Here's what I did.

I took a cheap black dollar store frame and gave it a basecoat of avocado green. I then used crackle medium followed by a coat of white paint. Then I gave it a light coating of matte sealant. I've never used the crackle medium before, that stuff is pretty cool. I can see lots of chippy stuff in my future.

I removed the glass completely, and then took the backer board and covered it with a layer of quilt batting. I then covered it with some green floral fabric and then chose three matching ribbons. After hot gluing everything in place I was pretty much done.

I decided to make a few quick barrettes to hang on the ribbons. I took some baby clippie barrettes from the dollar store and hot glued on some felt, followed by a few rhinestones. Easy, simple and pretty cute.

I took some sheer white ribbon and a bit of tulle and ran it through two eye screws I hot glued to the back of the frame as the hanger. That's it, very easy assembly actually. I am definitely making on of these for my daughter.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing this idea. Also linking up at this special "Celebrating Girls" month linky party here:

And linking up for the first time at "fix it up friday" here:

What fun project do you have in the works?

Just Checking In

2011-01-05T13:49:00.000-08:00

I'm still around, in case you were totally worried about me ;) We've just been busy getting back into our routines. I'm also on a whirlwind cleaning, organizing, purging run. I tend to get in this frame of mind at the beginning of a new year. I think lots of us are, right? If not, that's ok too.

So the other day I walked into the kids room and found my daughter in her doll's cradle.

Decided it would be fun to get down there with her for a photo. Oldest has a loft bed, so the space underneath is daughter's "hidey hole", her doll's cradle is there.

"Um, what is that smell, did you toot?"

"Ya", she said. Laughter all around.

"Ok, Mommy I'm stuck, will you help me out?" She is a goofball for sure. I remember when I was pregnant with our first, my Hubby asked me, "What if the kids think we are weird?" Yeah, we don't need to worry about that.

On another note, to those of you interested I've started up again trying to regularly post on my gratitude blog, "Today's Top Three Thankful Things." While I can't promise I'll do it on a daily basis, (as you can see that hasn't been going well) I am going to TrY and be more consistent. If your just overwhelmed with curiosity to see what my thankful thoughts are, please click here .

I'm in the process of prettying up the living room, going with a nature slash neutral tone look. I've even mixed in some branches. When it's more photo ready, I'll post a picture. I still have Christmas decoration boxes in the room, although it's packed the boxes haven't made it to the garage yet.

Peace on Earth Begins at Home

2011-01-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

So here we are, another new year. I feel myself both excited at the prospect of a new year beginning and a bit sad that one has ended.

When I was younger, I was always excited that a new chance was beginning, a year to go on to bigger and better things. Things to look forward too, things to leave behind.

I still feel that way somewhat, but I definitely find myself a bit nostalgic for the year that I'm leaving behind. The memories that were made, the stages of life that are sometimes left behind.

I also find myself feeling guilt and frustration over things that I didn't accomplish in the previous year. Vowing that this year will be better, I will finally do those things that I've vowed to do in years past but not accomplished. Less yelling, less swearing, more patience, more self control, being more intentional.

But lately I've really been trying to think things a bit differently. I don't have to do those things that I want to or think I should. Yes, it would be nice to do some if not all of them, but I don't have to. I am loved just the way I am. My husband loves me just as I am, my family loves me just as I am, my children love me just as I am, and most importantly God loves me just as I am.

I remember a message from an old pastor quite awhile back on the subject of God's grace, and he explained it this way; "There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more or any less, that is the grace of God." I remember hiding that away in my head, but I don't find myself hiding it in my heart.

I am VeRy hard on myself, I am great at listing all my shortcomings. Those shortcomings that keep me back, that make me say to myself that I must remedy them before I can more on. Things will get better once those go away, the guilt that I feel will clear up once those "weaknesses" do.

When I remember that I am loved by God just as I am, and my favor with Him does not rest in how I feel about myself I feel the guilt subside. I feel that He will use me in spite of my weakness and my failures. That I can fulfill my purpose here no matter whether or not I have my act together. Not only do I not have to have it all together, I can use my brokenness to God's glory.

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

I am excited to see what the new year holds for me, for my family and those I love. I'm excited to see how my walk with God will deepen. How my transparency can lead to greater peace and less guilt. I am praying for peace, in my head, in my heart, and for this world in the upcoming year.

Intentional Intelligent Design

2010-12-30T17:46:00.000-08:00

So looking back on the year, I was reminded of a woman's tea I went to earlier this year. The hostess asked us to come with a word that described our previous year and another word that we wanted to represent our intentions for the year ahead.

My word that described the year before was "chaos", because honestly it described the year perfectly. Overcomitted, overwhelmed, overstressed and overworked I was and my life felt chaotic.

In thinking of a word that I wanted to represent the upcoming year, I wanted a word that would force me to think things through before making decisions. Decisions I make as a mother, a wife, a friend, a ministry worker. Intentional was the word I chose.

I also saw other things happen as I started being more intentional. I began to see God differently. I started to notice small things I've never really payed attention to before. For starters, I began seeing His creation with a whole new appreciation.

Why would anyone doubt the existence of a creator when you look at His creation? His beauty is astounding, His fingerprint is on everything he has made if you take the time to look for it.

I have found my walk with God deepening over this past year in ways it never has before. I believe in part because I have been intentional in seeking Him and quieting myself to see and hear what He has to say to me.

I found that I've seen Him more in his creation than I ever have before. I've found myself seeking out His word more as I've been inspired by his handiwork. I feel myself praying more after being convicted by his fingerprints on creation.

Try looking for his fingerprints, look for how He shows himself to us in unexpected and intentional ways.

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Christmas Memories 2010

2010-12-30T09:47:00.000-08:00

I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and made many new memories amid flying wrapping paper and stuffed bellies. We had a great day, it really was one of the least stressful Christmases we've had since the kids came.

Here is Hubby and I looking waaaaaaaaaaaaaay tired, because we were. Oldest was up at 4, yes 4 am. It was so much fun trying to keep him in bed until we opened gifts at 6:30. I heard him up and stirring, worried he might be trying to sneak into gifts I got up and found him in the hallway rubbing his hands together going, "Hee hee hee". It was cute, even at four in the morning.

The kids really enjoyed opening their gifts. We buy three gifts for each of our kids, just as baby Jesus received three gifts from the wise men. We've also decided this year will mark the first year of no more "wish lists" for presents. Each child will receive whatever is bought for them, and honestly it helped to cut down on the gimme gimme's.

I explained to them that since Christmas isn't just about gifts, we need to be thankful for whatever we receive just as we are thankful for the gift of salvation that we've received. I know it's a hard sell to tell kids it's not just about the presents, and by not letting them make a list I think it's a way to downplay the whole present aspect of things.

On Christmas eve we went on a long neighborhood walk and saw a huge flock of wild turkeys walking around. I've never seen such a large group before, usually just one or two at a time. The kids were excited, and starting running down the street trying to chase them. The turkeys weren't impressed and took off.

We tuckered them out and on the way home they all found a bench and proceeded to park it and whine, "We're tired!" Mission accomplished for Mommy! I really wanted to wear them out somewhat since they all were bouncing off the walls with it being Christmas eve. I really enjoyed our walk, that might become a new Christmas eve tradition for us.

Hoping your enjoying these last few days of 2010. Can you believe 2011 is around the corner? Amazing.

Sharing our Christmas memories today at:

Remember...

2010-12-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

Take time to be still during the busyness of getting ready for Christmas.

"He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.'" Psalm 46:10

Dino Playboard and...

2010-12-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

So, awhile back I was blown away by this awesome dino playland that Kaleen from At Second Street made. You can see it here. When we bought youngest some dinos for Christmas I wanted to make something to go along with it and I thought of her idea. However a suitcase was too big (and I didn't have one to use), so I decided to use a board instead.

I used a wooden board and made a smaller, easier to store version and here it is. Yes, it's not nearly as fancy as the one that Kaleen made but it'll work and it was made completely with stuff I had on hand.

I covered the board in grout left over from a bathroom project, and once dried I painted it. I sprinkled sand and painted over it to add some texture. I took a few rocks from the kids stash and hot glued them to the end, sticking some spanish moss in between the stones.

To make the "mountain" area I glopped up some grout and made a mound of it. I then hot glued some sand to the top once painted. I used green to make grass, and some grey and brown to vary it a bit. Very simple, but it'll work and I think that he'll enjoy this area to use for dino play.

On another note, I know I said I was done making ornaments but I couldn't resist showing this one. He's Frosty, isn't he super cute? I took three foam balls, covered them with hot glue and then stuck on quilt batting. His hat is made from black stacked buttons and his nose and arms are a twig from the backyard. I tied on a scrap of fabric and used white ric-rac for his hanging loop. I think he's perfect.

I was also drooling over some mercury glass ornaments I saw on a website. I love how aged and imperfect they are, and an idea popped up. I grabbed a plain gold glass bulb and took some sandpaper to it. The finish started coming off and it took on a great aged look. It's hard to tell in the picture, but if you click on it to enlarge you'll get an idea. This would really work with a darker ornament (like red, green or blue). Not mercury glass, but it's an improvement.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing.

Four days until the birthday celebration...are you remembering to include the birthday boy in your thoughts and preparations?

Hot Chocolate and Gingerbread Smiles

2010-12-20T13:59:00.000-08:00

So, we're getting close to the birthday celebration...are you ready? Today, in a little over three hours I hit eight, yes, eight stores! I am realllly hoping that I didn't forget anything and I can officially say I will not be leaving the house until after Christmas.

We've been enjoying LoTs of hot chocolate and tea.

We've made gingerbread cookies (both regular and GFCF), and they were gone in two days. Oh the work of baking just to have it all gobbled up. Well, at least it tastes good enough to eat I guess.

I love to stay close to home as Christmas nears. It's easier for me to keep calm and more focused. I have a ton of work to do here, but staying away from the hustle and bustle is so nice.

Take the time to enjoy small moments as you're getting ready, don't forget the blessings that are right in front of you.

Sharing my thoughts today at:

Frugal Framed Fabric Art

2010-12-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

First off...the lighting on these pics is pretty crummy. We've had three straight days of rain, the house has zero natural light and I can't go outside. So, enjoy the lovely yellowish haze.

This is a gift that I made for my MIL. She is crazy for all things quilts, and has a wall of fabric art and quilt squares in her living room. I was going to make something else for her, but after losing part of it (ggrrrr) I had to come up with something else and this is it.

I took a vinyl removable wall decal and placed it in the middle of the frame, on the outside of the glass. I then took a piece of fabric and sandwiched it between the glass and went to town with the embellishments.

The flowers are circles of fabric that are rubber banded around a button. I needed a easy, no-sew option for me and this worked well. I used those mini plastic rubber bands that you find in the beauty section of the dollar store.

I then took some linen and vintage ribbon and edged the outside of the frame. The decal gives the glass a pretty, frosted look but since it didn't cover the entire front I wanted to cover the plain glass so that there wasn't a visible line. So I layered the ribbon and the linen and it worked well, I hot glued them directly to the glass.

I then took some trim and buttons and glued it on top of the linen, just to cute it up a bit.

All in all, pretty easy and very inexpensive. Everything I used was stuff I already had on hand, with the exception of the frame which my Momma gave me.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing. Happy Handmade Christmas!

Fabric Scraps Wreath

2010-12-16T12:42:00.000-08:00

Since my "Happy Handmade Christmas" workshop is in full swing, here are a few things I made for some gals on my list. All materials used are items I already had on hand, my goal this year is to use up as much of my stash as possible when crafting gifts.

This is a wreath I made from fabric scraps, some ribbon, some quilt batting and a foam wreath. I took the quilt batting and wrapped a single layer around the wreath form to bulk it up a bit. Then I cut fabric scraps, approx 1 inch wide by 5 inches long. I just wrapped them and tied them off.

I took some woven ribbon and tied off the top, pretty simple. I was going for the country/folk/rustic look, I think it'll pass. I'm hoping my Hubby's aunt likes it, 'cause I love it and it's hard to part with!

I made the jewelry holder above for my Hubby's cousin's wife. I just hot glued various types of ribbon/trim to the back of the frame and hot glued a few eyescrews to the top and ran some pink tulle though to make a hanger.

I've made a jewelry holder for myself before, you can see it here . I wanted this one to be different though, I like how it turned out. I think I'm going to tweak this idea a bit to make a barrette holder for a friend expecting a baby.

So a few more gifts to check of the list, yay!! Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing. Happy Handmade Christmas!

Girls Rule, Boys ...

2010-12-16T08:58:00.000-08:00

Daughter and I having cuddle time in Daddy's chair this morning.

Going through pictures lately, I've discovered that I don't have as many pictures of just her and I together as I do with the boys. Not sure why, but I'm on the mission to remedy that.

However, someone just couldn't handle not being in the picture....

So he made sure that it happened. Maybe this has something to do with my lack of Mommy/Daughter shots?

On another note, have you read about my Christmas project of writing letters to our kids? If not, click here for more info.

Sharing my morning with:

"Vintage" Train Signage

2010-12-15T19:17:00.000-08:00

I needed to make a gift for my FIL and my Hubby's uncle. They both are really into trains. I had already framed a neat vintage train photo for each of them, but wanted to do something else. I got the idea to make a sign, this is the end result. I absolutely love how they turned out!

I started with a wooden slat, from IKEA to be exact. I had bought a slatted bed base that we didn't end up needing, so I cut it up and used one of the wooden slats as my base. Totally free wood, precut and sanded. Score!

I took black wrapping paper and Mod Podged it to the wood. After it dried, I took sand paper and distressed it really well.

I had a stencil for the letters. I took white and grey acrylic paint, mixed it and dry brushed it on. I wanted it to be spotty and faded looking and it turned out just the way I thought it would.

The railroad logos I found on the internet and printed them off on cardstock. I picked ones that would be meaningful to the recipients, there are so many to choose from that it's easy to do. I Mod Podged them to the sign, and then distressed them with a pencil eraser and went over them lightly with black ink from a stamp pad to "age" them.

The whole thing was then coated with some matte acrylic spray varnish and I was done. If I could do anything differently, I would have covered the sides with paper and distressed as well.

My hubby actually said, "Wow honey" when I showed him my finished product. That was a first for me, so I'm hoping that the recipients will like them too!

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing. Happy Handmade Christmas!

Handmade Gifts for Guys

2010-12-15T10:46:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I personally find it easier to craft items for gals as opposed to guys. However, this year since it's all about "Handmade Christmas" at our house, I had to get creative with gifts for the guys, here are a few I came up with.

I took mini acrylic photo frames and glued a few car fuses onto the bottom. I think that the recipient who's really into cars will like them.

I dug around in the backyard and found some stuff to make school/office supplies. What guy doesn't like rocks?

I used some rock beads that I had, glued them to wooden discs and attached thumb tacks on the back.

The rocks I found in the backyard were hot glued to magnets and then I sprayed them with acrylic sealant (gloss). Done, packaged them in the hinged jar and we're good to go.

I then took a standard collage frame, the plastic kind you'd find at any dollar store and gave it a few coats of chalkboard paint. Now you've got a fun picture frame, this is for a college aged guy and I think he'll like it.

So here are a few options for the guys in your life. Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing this week. Happy Handmade Christmas!!

Snow in a Pot

2010-12-15T10:33:00.000-08:00

I made these for gifts this year, I was going to do something else but it didn't work so I came up with this instead.

I took two small terracotta pots and painted them, green on the bottom and red around the top. I then glittered them, green glitter on the bottom and gold on the top.

I took fiber-fil and used that as my "snow", filing the pot. I then took some silver glitter and sprinkled it on top.

The "Let it Snow" signs are actually plant markers, I wrote in black sharpie and then hilighted with a white paint pen. I used vintage wooden mini-ornaments and glued one next to the sign. That's it...pretty simple and cheap!

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing. Happy Handmade Christmas!!

Jesus is the Gift Ornaments

2010-12-11T07:06:00.000-08:00

So this is the last of the ornaments that I'll be making for gifts this year.

I love the message "Jesus is the gift", it's simple yet effective. I have another ornament that I made myself last year with the same sentiment, but wanted to make something this year for gift giving.

I covered a wooden block with scrapbook paper, distressing the edges. Then I "wrapped" it with white ribbon. I typed the wording and printed them out, then I laminated them. Then they were hot glued to the front, along with the star. To make the top I just cut a small bit of gold glittery ribbon, glued it down and topped with a button.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing.

Letters From My Heart

2010-12-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Last night I was thinking about things I needed to get done. Mostly Christmas related, gifts I needed to still make, plotting and planning type stuff.

I started thinking about gifts for the kids, making mental notes of what I needed to still do for them. I then had an idea I had never honestly thought of before, writing them each a letter.

It could be a letter about what the past year had been like. Or it could be about our relationship as mother and son/daughter. Or it could be advice that I want to give them now but they are too young to hear. Or it could simply be a letter to let them know they are loved.

A letter they can read when they are older, something put away for a time when they can understand what I'm trying to convey. Something tangible, that they can hold in their hands and see with their eyes.

So much of our days consist of the mundane, the regular, the rituals. It's hard to take the time needed to really look at the bigger picture of parenting when you are knee deep in the middle of laundry, spilled food, fighting and dishes.

My hope is that by taking the time to write these letters to my children, I will be allowed the opportunity to relay things to them in a way that will make a lasting impression. Not that my spoken words and actions aren't important, but honestly we as parents and they as children forget sometimes.

This will be a way to write about the blessings and the lessons that God has taught me as a mother. A way to tell them about how I see God working and growing them. A way to reflect on these things as I write them, and a way for them to see things through my eyes when they read them. A way to leave a part of myself now in the present that they can read in the future.

I would love those of you that are mothers to consider doing this. No matter what age they may be, whether they are unborn or 35 years old. Children are such a blessing to us, they are our legacy. What a way to honor their importance, to let them know of their worth to both us and their heavenly Father.

If you feel that you'd like to participate in "Letters From My Heart" this Christmastime, please post a comment indicating you'll be doing so. Or, if you already do this please post a comment to renew your commitment to continue.

To those of you'd who would like to spread the word to others, please feel free to mention this on your blogs as long as you link back to this original post. It would be wonderful to get as many mothers as possible to commit to doing this for their children. What an opportunity to give an amazing gift to our children that won't cost anything but time.

I'm spreading the word at:

Beaded Wire Keyrings

2010-12-10T08:15:00.000-08:00

So, my workshop is in full swing over here making Christmas gifts. Last night I made these.

Just simple glass bead and wire key rings. I had some beads left over from another project, and those along with some wire and a few split rings and before you know it I had five ready for gift giving.

They are very simple. I used a pair of needle nose pliers to help me make the swirls on the end of each strand of beads. Three varied lengths of beaded wire twisted together is all this is. I like that I used metal wire too, since it holds shapes the recipients can play around with them and customize the look a bit if they want too.

I attached the wire strands to a necklace pendant loop (I'm not sure what else you'd call it), and then threaded the loop through the split ring. That was all there was to it, pretty simple.

I plan on giving one to most of the ladies in the family for Christmas this year, I hope they like them! As you can probably tell, I'm all about using what I have to make gifts this year. Trying to buy as little as possible.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be linking up. Happy handmade Christmas!

On Being A Mommy...

2010-12-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

Since I've been doing this "Mothering" thing for seven years now, here are a few things I've figured out so far:

one can go days without a shower, if necessary
one CAN go outside of the house without makeup on, I can't believe at one time I actually thought you could not.
pb & j for lunch 5 times a week isn't excessive, if that is what the kids want to eat
random "I love you Mommy" moments are becoming less and less frequent as kids age
you make mistakes, you tRy and learn from them and MoVe On
counting 'till three before speaking when you're mad is really hard...especially when massive messes are involved
you can make or break the day, simply by your attitude towards it
you can't do it alone, and you're not supposed to, that is why you need God
one can become indifferent towards constast clutter if they are exposed to it long enough
accidents will happen, daily
children are NoT born sweet and innocent
once cleaned, your bathroom will not stay that way for more than one hour
I realize that I still have a LoT to learn

Just a few random thoughts, oh, and that is another thing I've learned since becoming a Mommy. Random, fleeting thoughts are common....wait, what was I doing again?

Linking up my thoughts here:

Fabric and Lace Ornaments

2010-12-09T07:06:00.000-08:00

So here are some more ornaments that I have been working on. Again, I had all the supplies on hand and didn't buy anything.

The fabric ones are made with styrofoam forms, I had both circle and egg shapes. I just cut fabric strips and pinned them on. I used the same strips to make the little "tails" and then just used a colored pin to attach the green cording for hanging.

The egg shaped ones turned out ok, I think I like the circle one better.

The lace snowflakes were ones I had bought several years back, but never really hung them up. They tended to get lost on the tree since they were smaller. So I used them, along with some cording and vintage painted mini wooden ornaments to make these.

I just used the cording to "sew" two snowflakes together and then attached the mini ornament to the front and tied it off. I used white embroidery floss to make loops for hanging.

Please click on "Linky Parties I love" to see where I'll be sharing. Have you made anything handmade for gifts yet this year? Not too late to get started!

Pine and Berries Arrangements

2010-12-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

When we went to get our tree, I snagged some noble fir cuttings from the tree lot for decorating. Yesterday I came up with these arrangements for the front of the house.

The red and white berries are actually spray painted. I wanted to add color, but didn't have any picks so I just cut some berries off a bush in the yard and painted them.

The pine cones are from our neighbor's tree and the ribbon I've had for awhile now, I got it from Wal-Mart for $0.50 when they were clearancing out their fabric department. I wish they didn't do that, I think the crafting section there is the pits now ever since they did that.

The above arrangement is hanging on our front side gate. Similar to the one on the front door but bigger.

Remember awhile back when I told you I'd be doing something with some cuttings from my Agapanthus? Well those white spiky things are cuttings, minus the blooms and spray painted white. I think they look awesome.

I just used thin gauge wire to attach everything and then hung them up, easy and took about an hour to do both. I still have some tree cuttings and pine cones left, but I don't know if I'll get around to making something else or if this is as good as it'll get in the front.

Please click on "linky parties I love" to see where I'll be sharing.

What have you done to decorate your front yard this year? Do you normally decorate outside or do you keep it indoors during the holidays?

Our Angel Kitty

2010-12-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

So my poor cat Patches had to endure my wackiness this morning. The kids have this angel headband/halo thing that they play with, and I was suddenly inspired to take pictures of the cat wearing it.

As you can see by the photos, she's totally thrilled.

She was a great sport though, I must have taken 15 different pictures before deciding I'd tortured her long enough.

This cat has a one way ticket to heaven for having to put up with my kids and me.

Folksy Felt Stars

2010-12-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

Last year I made ornaments to give as gifts. This year I wanted to do it again, this is what I came up with. Everything I had on hand, didn't buy a thing. Simple and fairly quick too, this would also be a good craft for a child who's beginning to learn to hand stitch.

I took red felt and cut out four graduated stars. The felt was left over from a gift that I made last year, I overbought so I decided to use it here.

I used my button stash and tried to stick with "patriotic" colors of red/white/blue. I varied the sized and offset them, I was going for a "folk art" look.

I didn't have embroidery floss, but had some white thread and used it instead and it worked fine. The felt is pretty thin so you could see it well, however if you used thicker felt then I'd recommend going with embroidery floss. I just freehanded my stitches, not being super particular about keeping them uniform or even perfectly straight.

I had some white thin ribbon and just stitched them to the backside to use as hangers. I used longer lengths, giving the stars somewhat of a tail. I liked how it looked, it was a bit different than just a simple loop on top.

I think that I'm going to give these in sets of two, one of each size. I have some other ideas for other ornaments to include, and if I make more I'll post them if they turn out.

Even if the idea of making a large handmade item is overwhelming, try something like this as it's fairly simple and they are easy to complete. I did the cutting of the felt on one day and all the assembling on another, total time was probably 2-3 hours. That sounds like a lot, but try doing it while watching tv like I did and it'll fly by.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing, thanks for looking!

I've Coined A New Catch Phrase...

2010-12-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

Our tree from last year

So a few nights back we got our Christmas tree...which ended up being a "fantastic disaster". There, that's my new catch phrase, like it?

I kept reminding myself that it's the fantastic disasters that tend to be our lasting memories. While the kids were running around on the wet pavement, getting dangerously close to the saw stand and generally acting like they've not seen the outside world in a month.

However, now that our tree is up I'm so happy we got it, one of our best trees yet in my lil' ol opinion. When I am not lazy (like now) I'll snap a picture and post it.

Hope you all are enjoying this fun and memorable time of year.

Sharing my lovely "fantastic disaster" at "Blessed Little Nest":

A Dirty Little Secret About Blogging

2010-12-02T10:25:00.001-08:00

I really enjoy blogging. It allows me the opportunity to express myself, get the creative juices flowing. To look at things from different perspectives, to see things outside of my own four walls.

However, I feel that blogging also has along with all those great things I mentioned above a dirty little secret. If allowed, blogging can tear one down just as much as it can lift one up.

While I love seeing a beautifully designed blog with all the graphics and buttons one could dream of, it can also make me feel like my little cookie cutter blog is just the opposite of that, plain jane and average.

I can be inspired by all the beautiful homes I see, decorated so tastefully and painstakingly planned and executed. Then I can go from being inspired to being resentful over my little two room duplex with just a little over 725 sq feet with old drab white walls and yicky brown carpet.

I look at the delicious, nutritious recipes that are being created. With exotic spices and organic ingredients all wrapped up in a full serving of perfection beautifully photographed on transferware that's to die for. It can make our lunch of peanut butter and jelly on melamine plates look downright unpalatable.

I see the beautiful family portraits of everyone in white shirts, perfect hair and makeup on Mom and everyone is looking at the camera and smiling. Then my favorite family photo of us sitting on the lawn at the park with three kids looking in three different directions seems like just some random picture.

I read about women who have felt led to add to their families by adoption. I hear the yearning in their words as they pour out their hearts about the journey that God is taking them through in the process. I then look inward and feel guilty, why don't I feel this way? Am I cold hearted because I don't feel that same pull to adopt a child?

I truly feel that blogging can be a cathartic experience. It can challenge us to think outside our box. It can inspire us to create, to nest, to reside in a home that we truly love. However I think that if not careful in our intentions that the exact opposite can happen and what once brought positive can instead bring negative.

We don't need blogging to feel accepted. We don't need yet another yardstick by which to measure ourselves to the world's standard. The amount of comments, followers or page hits we get doesn't determine our mark on this world. It doesn't matter whether or not our posts are featured or liked by others. While it's nice to be recognized by others for our contributions it is not a marker of who we are and it doesn't gage our success. Blogging can both welcome us into a body of others as well as make us feel alienated and unworthy.

Guard your hearts and minds while online, be mindful of what you are reading and posting and why you are doing it. You know what you struggle with, what your triggers are. You know what inspires you and what causes discord. Be watchful of what you allow in. Even words written with the best of intentions can bring upon unintended feelings if they focus on things that cause you to focus elsewhere.

"And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.' " Luke 12:15

Recycled Christmas Cards

2010-12-01T10:01:00.000-08:00

My Mom is giving some gift cards as gifts this Christmas and wanted some nice cards to put them in. She has quite a good card stash, but didn't really like anything that she had. So I took two of her cards and some supplies and came up with these.

Both cards are just standard greeting cards, one was a wedding card and the other a mother's day card. I purposely picked one's with solid background colors to make it easier to match papers.

You'll notice the above card has a lined envelope, because it had a weird logo printed inside. I just deconstructed the envelope and used scraps to line it and then glued it back together.

I took some scrapbook paper and stickers she already had and made sure to cover everything well. I asked her to pick two bible verses to copy to the inside of the cards. I always appreciate a Christmas card with a verse inside.

I took the same papers I used to make the cards and used a few scraps on the envelopes to help tie them in.

This card has a cardboard embellishment that I cut out of the backing of a sticker pack. It also has a random thread I found that I thought matched nicely.

I would say it probably took me 20 minutes for both, start to finish. I'm all about instant gratification. While I don't know if you'd want to undertake making all your cards this way it would be nice for those that you plan on giving gift cards too.

Start saving those paper scraps and think of random bits and pieces that you could incorporate. This would be a great way to use up those odds and ends of things you've been saving from your scrapbook/papercrafting stash. Also start saving your used greeting cards and instead of tossing them...come on you know you do...reuse them instead!

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing this idea. Thanks!

Cranberry Orange Cobbler

2010-11-30T10:15:00.000-08:00

Made this for Thanksgiving this year, it's supremely yummy and really easy to make. It's also another way to use fresh cranberries, which I think are one of the unofficial fruits of Christmas. Want the recipe? Here it is!

Cranberry Orange Cobbler

12 oz bag fresh cranberries

3/4 C rough chopped walnuts

3/4 C packed brown sugar

zest from one medium orange

juice from half of a medium orange

1/3 C sour cream

1 C flour

1 t cinnamon

2 eggs, beaten

3T white sugar

1 stick butter, melted

1 t vanilla or almond extract

Combine cranberries, walnuts, brown sugar and zest in a bowl. Spread over bottom of greased 10" pie plate. Combine eggs, orange juice, sour cream, extract and melted butter, mixing well. Add flour, white sugar and cinnamon, mix to incorporate evenly. Batter will be thick and slightly lumpy. Pour over berry mixture, spreading with spatula to cover top. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 50-55 minutes. Tastes best served warm. Cover and store in fridge.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing the recipe, thanks!

Christmas-y Cypress Swag

2010-11-29T18:38:00.000-08:00

We visited my parents this past weekend for Thanksgiving. I wanted to make my Momma something frugal and festive for the front door. I scrounged around for some ribbon and pretties and then hit the backyard to take a few cuttings from the cypress tree. This is what I came up with.

I bunched all the cuttings together with rubber bands and then covered with various ribbons. They were all different lengths, odds and ends mostly. She also had some red apple picks that I used. I wanted something a bit more "Christmas-y" but this was what I came up with. Using what was available.

I made sure to arrange the branches so that the little yellow clusters were facing forward for additional color. I took the white ribbon which I had the most of to hang it. I also had it hang the longest, to help draw your eye all the way down the arrangement.

Looks good to me, and best of all free! Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing this week. Thanks!

Thankful Thoughts

2010-11-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I know that most of us are in busy mode right now. Lots of cleaning, shopping, planning, and cooking going on.

However, I hope that we are taking the time while busily preparing for Thanksgiving to remember to thank God for our blessings. Not just a quick "Thanks" while we pray before eating our feasts, but a true thankful spirit.

As we all know, the degree of thankfulness that inhabits our hearts is in direct correlation to our mindset. You can find a way to be thankful about pretty much anything, if you go about it from the right direction.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Thank you Lord for the ability to procure all the groceries that we'll need to feed our family this Thanksgiving, even though it means busy stores and long lines.

2. Thank you Lord for our family. For all the disagreements, advice and rudeness that sometimes comes with them. For it means we are surrounded by our lineage and we're not spending the day alone.

3. Thank you Lord for our messes. For the dust, the dishes, the dirty bathrooms that we'll be cleaning. For we have a roof over our heads and shelter to protect us from the elements. You've blessed us with a place to call home.

4. Thank you Lord for your word. For all the analogies and hidden meaning. For it means we must earnestly seek to understand and hide it in our hearts, not just read and memorize.

5. Thank you Lord for our testimonies. For the bumpy roads and really hard trials. For all the suffering and hurting, for it makes us long to be with you in our eternal home.

6. Thank you Lord for our salvation. For the grace you extend to us and the way you court our hearts. How you allow us the decision to follow you and how you place situations in our lives to make us accept you over and over again. You make your path clear and straight, even though each of us travel a different road to get to you.

May you all have a blessed and peaceful thanksgiving.

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."
Colossians 4:2

Sharing my thoughts today at Blessed Little Nest:

FunnyKid Moment

2010-11-20T09:37:00.000-08:00

Hubby found a station last night that is playing Chirstmas music...yipee!!! The kids are listening to it in their room right now, and "Little Drummer Boy" is playing. That is oldest's favorite, but instead of singing the chourus, "Pa rum pa pum pum" he sings, "Barack Obama". Love this kid.

Clipboard Photo Holder

2010-11-17T13:30:00.000-08:00

A cousin of my Hubby recently had her first baby, a girl. Baby's bedroom has lots of pastel accents and butterflies. I wanted to make something that could be used to display pictures in her daughters room. Since his cousin is a professional photographer, I figured there'd be lots of pictures. Just to be clear the photo I used below is of my daughter, just wanted to give an example of what it would like like with a picture displayed.

This is what I came up with. I started with a pressboard sign from the dollar store as my base, and worked from there. Truth be told, the sign was in the giveaway box but I pulled it out and reused it to make this sign so I didn't end up buying a thing to make this but used what I had on hand. My kind of gift!!

Here is what it looks like w/o a photo displayed. I spray painted the sides a light yellow and then mod podged two coordinating scrapbook papers as the base. I sealed it with gloss finish mod podge.

I decided to use a mini clip to mount the pictures so it would be easy to change them out. The mini-clip is another scrapbooking embellishment, from a package picked up at the dollar spot. The ribbon is wired for extra reinforcement and I already had it on hand, love how it compliments the colors so well.

The butterfly embellishment was originally for another project, but I repurposed it here instead. The flowers used to make the body were added on, they originally were scrapbook embellishments.

I layered three different silk flowers to make the large flower above. I like the rhinestone center and the glitter, adds just a touch of sparkle and compliments nicely with the iridescent beads from the butterfly on the opposite side.

The "F" is is just scrapbooking chipboard, stacked and hot glued together. I used foam dots to float mount and reinforced with a bit of hot glue.

Happy with the end result and I'm pretty sure the recipient will love it too. Perfect gift for a new Mom. Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" on the upper right to see where I'll be sharing this week.

Indoor Fall Folliage

2010-11-17T08:10:00.000-08:00

It seems this time of year is a favorite for many, myself included. I love fall and I believe a lot of that is due to the fact that our trees turn spectacular colors as the season progresses.

I know that many people like to bring the outdoors in this time of year and you see lots of bare twigs and branches coming inside. Just wanted to remind you that actual cuttings are beautiful and you literally see the leaves change before your eyes!

The above photo was taken a few days ago. Since then almost every leaf on these cuttings are a spectacular shade of red.

The above leaves are just starting to turn, as you can see. They turn a lovely subdued shade of orange and take more time than the other cuttings to change over.

So make sure to also include some tree cuttings in your home, you'll love to watch them transform before you eyes. Just make to put lots of fresh water in whatever container you'll be using, and if the leaves are going to turn gradually like the ones above change out the water once a week.

Stay tuned to see what I'll be doing with some cuttings from my Agapanthus bushes!

What's Your Motivation?

2010-11-16T15:31:00.000-08:00

Initially I was going to write a lengthy, wordy post about getting ready for Christmas and what it means. Similar to what you've probably read in the past. Remembering the real "reason for the season" and stuff like that. However, I think that I'm preaching to the choir somewhat as most of us do understand (at least intellectually) what that means.

I was sitting down the other day mentally going through my list of stuff I needed to do, preparing to make my annual preparation "list". I'm sure you all make a similar one too. Who to buy for, what your buying, the cost, etc.

Also thinking about the crafting to do, gifts to make. Looking in my "stash" boxes to see what I have squirreled away for gifting this year. Lamenting on my lack of items and thinking about how I was going to compensate for it.

Thinking about the traditions that we do as a family. The ones that we truly enjoy and are fun for us. Remembering what I needed to buy in order to do these things that we look forward to.

Looking at my boxes of holiday decorations and thinking about how I'll be pulling them out soon. Starting to make room in the house, paring down existing decor to make room for the onslaught that will soon be coming.

Thinking about wrapping and presenting gifts, one of my favorite things to do at Christmastime. I'm a gift wrap/ribbon/presentation junkie and I always get extreme joy out of having perfectly presented presents.

As I was sitting down thinking of these things I felt a slight stirring in me. A question quietly emerged as I was mentally making lists and plotting plans. Why do you do what you do? What is your motivation? Is it for others, or yourself? Think about that for a bit.

All the planning, shopping, procuring, presenting, wrapping, cooking, preparations that you do annually...is it for yourself to show what you can do, or for the recipients that receive? Is is for the kudos you'll receive for a job well done or is it for the joy and benefit of others? Do you do it because of the sacrifice or so you can say, "I did it faster/better/cuter/cheaper/smarter..."?

Think about it, honestly for a bit. Then think about why we celebrate Christmas. What was our Father's motivation for sending His gift to us? So we could tell Him "Good work, looks great!" or was it for our benefit of salvation?

I personally knew the answer for myself, and it's causing a shift in my perception of what needs to be accomplished. I found a bible verse that I personally know that I will be focusing on this year, as I make that mental shift.

‎"... I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 4:4.

A great verse to store away as we prepare for the upcoming Christmas season. What is your motivation for what you do, and what are you striving to accomplish as you prepare for Christmastime?

Thrifty Treasures

2010-11-16T08:42:00.000-08:00

I was able to visit my favorite thrift store this past weekend while visiting my parents. I have found some wonderful things there in the years I've been shopping. You have to be patient with this store though, sometimes you'll walk out with lots and other times very little. This past weekend was a good run for me. Let me show you what I found!

First off, I paid a grand total of $14 and some odd cents for all of it. I bought 8 cafeteria trays (vintage), a pewter candlestick, a bookend, two sunhats, a boutique child's top and four woven decorative balls in all. Not bad I say!

These two sunhats were just too cute. The denim one is from Gymboree, it'll be a perfect little something for a friend of mine that's expecting her first baby. I love the details, especially the trim. The other floral hat is a bucket style hat for my daughter, Gap brand.

These decorative balls are huge, the pictures don't do them justice. Three are identical, I'd say they are 12" or so in diameter. The fourth one is even larger, I'd say 16" or so in diameter. The kids have already asked me if they can play soccer with them...so needless to say these will be up out of reach. I'm debating on wether to paint them or leave them as is, what do you think?

This bookend I'm definitely painting, I'm thinking my favorite ORB will look nice. I'm super excited on this find as I've been keeping my eyes open for a bookend or two for awhile now.

This candlestick is just too neat. I love the details along the base and the fluting on top. This thing is HeAvY too, and can you believe I only paid $2 for it?!? I don't own anything pewter and am excited that this is my first item I've found. BTW, does anyone have any good quick tips on how to tell if something is pewter? I always have trouble with that.

Thanks for listing to me ~~brag~~ describe all of my finds. Just wanted to show you that you can find nice things at thrift stores if you are patient and persistent. Happy hunting!

Tips for Easier Batch Cooking

2010-11-10T10:12:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I did some serious batch cooking. It was rainy and cold, perfect for staying inside and keeping the house warm by keeping the stove/oven in use. Kill two birds with one stone, kinda...

Anyway, I don't batch cook as much as I should. However the more I do it, the more I tend to pick up tricks that make it easier for me. And I figured if they worked for me, then maybe they'll work for you too. So here are some ideas for you to try, and a few recipes are included in case you want to try it out yourself.

First off, pull out everything that you'll need bEfOrEhAnD. This makes things so much easier. You won't be stopping every five minutes looking for something. And keep everything out until you are done, that way you put it all up at one time. I recommend using your kitchen table as your "prep" area.

**DISCLAIMER** Most of these pictures aren't good, in fact they mostly stink. My kitchen has lousy lighting, and since I abhor the flash feature on my camera you'll notice most of these pictures have bad lighting. However I think you'll still get the idea.

First off, baking. I made several things, all of which will freeze beautifully. Above are some "breakfast bars" as we call them. I got the original recipe from Quaker Oat's website awhile back but have tweaked it several times to what we now use. These are seriously yummy and very inexpensive and quick to make. You'll find the recipe at the bottom of the post. A tip on these, use nasty looking bananas. The blacker the better. I usually will buy those "day old" bananas and stick them in the freezer, completely whole and then thaw them when ready to make these. Try them, you'll not be disappointed.

This is a chocolate chip shortbread. I recently started making this, and it's seriously yummy. It uses a ToN of butter, as does any shortbread. However it's so delish it's worth the calories. Very easy as well, just a handful of ingredients. I'll include the recipe for this as well, check the bottom of my post.

A quick tip on the shortbread. You need to sift the flour bEfOrE measuring, which is unusual by today's standards. Use a sieve and shake your flour over waxed paper and then spoon it into your dry measure. Don't skip this step, it will effect your end result if you do.

GFCF chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. These are for my oldest that has to eat a special diet. I cheated and doctored up a plain GFCF cookie mix with oats and chocolate he can eat. These turned out great, he was a happy camper.

Cheddar cheese baking powder biscuits, very yummy and easy to make. I just took a standard baking powder biscuit recipe and added cheddar cheese, some italian seasoning and garlic powder. These will make AnY soup taste better.

Speaking of soup, I made a big pot of veggie soup. Very yummy and cheap. Use random left over bits of this and that to make this soup filling and varied. There is corn, cauliflower, green beans, kidney beans, onions, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and alphabet pasta swimming around in there. Also another tip, used boxed stock. Easy and tastes just as good, I usually use a low sodium brand and bump it up (try Pacific or Imagine brand).

A tip on using garlic. First off, use a LOT of it. You can't go wrong with garlic. Secondly DO NOT buy chopped garlic, it's nasty. Just buy a whole head and stick it in your cabinet. Peel several cloves at a time (I use the tried and true smashing it with a chefs knife trick) and then here's the awesome part. Don't mince it, but grate it! Easier and faster, I'll never mince garlic again. I have a microplane grater and it's lickity split fast, and no risk of boo boo fingers either.

I cooked up some white rice, and added a few cans of black beans and some frozen corn. I then seasoned with salt/pepper and some sauteed onions and garlic. Froze in quart size bags, perfect for taco/burrito filling or as a filler in a casserole.

A tip on sauteing onions. Chop up more than you think you'll need and then saute them in olive oil. The secret to good looking onions is almost overcooking them. You want lots of brown onions and lots of brown coating the bottom of your pan. That brown coating on the bottom of your pan is called "fond", it's a french term. That stuff is brown gold, it's not a burned on mess.

Deglaze your pan with stock or a bit of white wine and use it! I usually will saute my onions and then remove from the pan and deglaze it, then add the onions back and cook until the liquid is dissolved. I guarantee it'll take your onions to a whole new level. It's all about building layers of flavor, and this will definitely do that for you.

When I was finished I had quite a bit in the freezer. Three bags of "three cheese shells", four bags of the rice/bean mix, a bag of chicken sausage marinara and some cauliflower florets are all shown above. I also had a double batch of veggie soup, a double batch of cheese biscuits, a double batch chocolate chip shortbread, a batch of the breakfast bars and a batch of GFCF cookies. Not bad for half a days work I say!! Below are the recipes I promised. If you try something, let me know what you think.

Chocolate Scotch Shortbread

1 1/2 cups sifted flour

1/2 t salt (use 1/4 t if using salted butter)

2/3 C unsalted butter

1/2 C confectioners sugar

bag of chocolate chips (10-16 oz)

Melt butter in microwave, then add confectioners sugar and combine well. Add flour and salt, mix completely. Fold in chocolate chips and press into an ungreased 9" glass pie plate. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Sides will be browned well. Let cool completely before cutting, or it'll crumble on you.

Breakfast Bars

3/4 C packed brown sugar

1/2 C butter or margarine

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1 2/3 C flour

1/2 C ground flax seed

2 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 C quick or rolled dry oats

5 large bananas, mashed

1/2 C raisins (if desired)

Cream butter/margarine, brown sugar and vanilla. Add egg and mashed bananas, combine well. Add remaining dry ingredients (except oats) and mix completely. Fold in the oats and raisins last. Drop by large spoonful onto greased cookie sheets and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Bottoms will be browned well when finished. Cool completely and store covered. Add some peanut butter on top for extra protein if desired.

For His Purposes

2010-11-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

‎"We are such a throw-away society, but God is in the recycling business. He finds a use for all our broken pieces, shattered promises and crumbled relationships".

Such a true statement. How has God taken the hurt, the disapointment, the lies you've been told and used them to fulfill His will in your life?

Glimpses from a Tuesday

2010-11-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Cheesing on the couch.

Split Pea soup for dinner.

Late afternoon glow.

My favorite tree in the neighborhood.

View from my living room window.

Another living room view. Lately I have found much peace in staring at trees. Is that weird?

Yet another costume change. This kid is obsessed with this orange dishtowel. This is his take on Zurg. Notice the missing shirt, for some reason he decided Zurg didn't wear clothes.

Just another day of being a Mommy.

You Are More

2010-10-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

I heard this song on KLOVE today, and it immediately spoke to me. Usually it takes me a few times of really listening to a song to hear the lyrics and get meaning from them. Not this one. Take a listen.

What are you more than?

Me....let's see, where to begin.

I'm more than an impatient person. More than a mother who loses her cool too easily. More than a wife that speaks ill towards her husband. More than a gossip. More than someone who easily judges. More that someone who doesn't exercise self control.

Sometimes it's not the huge sin that makes us feel far from God, although many times it is. Sometimes it's the stuff we struggle with for years, the stuff that wears us down, the stuff we almost become immune to.

Sometimes it's the stuff that we earnestly want to lay down and give to God, but we take it back on when the situation presents itself. And trust me, a situation will arise where we will pick it back up and carry it around some more. The enemy will make sure of it.

>"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ Jesus was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a NEW life. Romans 6:4

A new life, every day. We don't have to do anything to claim it, and there is nothing we can do to have it revoked. It's new for us each morning, each day a fresh start. The power of Christ's death and resurrection brings new believers into His fold everyday, and that same power allows those who've already joined Him the ability to stay in His presence. For we are more than the sum of ourselves, our deeds and actions nothing in comparison to His restoration.

Shoebox Storybook Stage

2010-10-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

My kiddos and I made this shoebox stage today for puppets. It was fairly easy, free and they had fun.

I don't think I need to go into step by step instruction here, it's pretty self explanatory. I will say that using a glue gun makes things easier and the construction should last longer.

We used a variety of things. Craft sticks, construction paper, markers (washable of course!), pencils/pens, cardboard and Mommy manned the hot glue gun. We even colored some chipboard from my scrapbooking stash and added them for extra flair.

I would say it took us about an hour to put it together. I'm hoping they'll play with it a lot longer, and so far so good!

Start holding onto shoeboxes, so you can join in on the fun!

Here's to creativity and hopefully a few less, "Mommy, I'm bored!".

GFCF Choc-o Crunchie Mix

2010-10-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

So, in honor of the world series starting tonight I told my oldest I'd make him some kind of treat. I raided the pantry, this is what I came up with. It's got a few sneaky healthy things in there, although it's so sickingly sweet you'd be hard pressed to peg them.

Got the seal of approval from my 7,5 and 3 year old. Try it, I bet your kiddos will like it too. This would be perfect on top of ice cream, or a bit in a bowl covered with some milk for a crazy cereal dessert.

The ingredients are vegan chocolate chips, gf oatmeal, powdered sugar, rice cereal, ground flax seed and vanilla. You could play around with this. Like subbing rice crispy treats, or pretty much any cereal of your liking. It would be a great way to use up cereal crumbs too. We just used what we did because my oldest needs it to be gluten free and dairy free.

I used 1 bag of vegan chocolate chips (Sunspire brand), 3 C of rice cereal (Hain and Chex both make GF varieties), 1/2 C of rolled oats ( Bob's Red Mill GF oats), 1/4 C ground flax seed (Bob's Red Mill), 1/2 C powdered sugar and 1 t vanilla.

I melted the choc-o chips in the microwave. First off I did half power for 2 minutes, mixing after 1 minute. Then I did full power in 30 second intervals, mixing in between, twice. All the chips won't be melted and that's ok. Just take the bowl out anyway and stir, they will melt. You don't want to completely melt the chips in the microwave or you'll burn the chocolate.

I then added everything else and combined well. It ended up being really thick, so that the cereal crumbled up and didn't hold it's shape. That's why I recommend as an ice cream topping or as a cereal treat as the pieces are smaller and it would be messy to eat straight.

My kids shared a bowl, and they loved it. It's really simple and a great way to whip up something quick. It would also store well in the freezer to have on hand for a last minute treat.

From Spangled to Stately

2010-10-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

I love decorative stars. They really have a nice impact. I've been on the lookout for one for awhile now. Not finding one that I liked or could afford, I decided to try and make one instead. Here's my finished product, let me tell you what I did. Oh, and did I mention it cost me $0.50 to make?

Ok, this is the "spangled" thing I started off with. A cheapie plastic 4th of July decoration. It was discounted at the dollar store, so I got it for $0.50. It's pretty hideous, isn't it?

I hit it with some matte black primer. I didn't get super fancy perfect for plastic primer either, the regular stuff worked just fine and covered it well. Just needed a light coat.

I finished it off with Rustoleum's "brown" in their hammered finish. I really like this stuff. It goes on well and has a somewhat textured finish, as you can see below. It also gives your project just the right touch of metallic sheen.

There are a few places where the black primer just so faintly shows through. I only used two really light coats of the brown and like how the black is just showing through here and there, gives it some pop in my opinion.

So, not bad for $0.50, right? I had all the paint and the little bit of ribbon I used for hanging on hand. Looks great, made one for my Mom too and I'm hoping she'll like it as much as I do!

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing my project.

Cabinet Door Chalkboard

2010-10-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

A few months back I picked up some cabinet door fronts from the Habitat ReStore for $1 a piece. They had a lot of great detail and I could see repurposing them for signs. I've already made a sign with one of them, you can see what I did here .

With the other two I decided to make chalkboards. One for myself, and one for my Mommy. They were painted an ivory color, and while pretty they were pretty scratched up so I knew they needed to be painted. Since it's fall I decided to go with a darker color, and since we both tend to use a lot of red/brown/rust in our decorating I thought that I'd go that route.

I absolutely lOvE how these turned out. This was an attempt to sharpen my "faux" finish skills. I used about 5 different colors of paint altogether and went with a mottled finish on the front and kinda antiqued it up a bit. I know, it really doesn't make much sense but let me try and explain what I did.

The front has a sponged/mottled appearance. I mixed a rusty red and a nutmeg brown color and watered it down quite a bit and just sponged it on. I then took a clean washcloth and pressed along the surface, picking up some paint and texturing it a bit more.

The inside rim, closest to the chalkboard is solid acrylic paint, I used the same rust red color but didn't water it down.

The outer rim is ginger brown mixed with a bit of grey and the nutmeg brown. I didn't water this down either, and used a foam brush and gave it a even coat.

Then I washed over everything with metallic brown glaze that was heavily watered down. I love how it adds just a touch of sparkle and just perks up the overall look. I also made sure that the glaze settles in the crevices here and there to just make those lines really pronounced.

Super happy with the result. My Mom said she liked the pictures, hopefully she'll love it in person. $1 for the cabinet door front, everything else I already had on hand. That is my kind of project!!

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing this week. Thanks!

Nature's Bounty Wreath

2010-10-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

So, as you can see I found my camera, yipee!!! I put it back in a weird place. I need to have a dedicated spot for it so I don't have to go through that again, not fun.

So here's my latest project. I'm calling it "Nature's Bounty" wreath, like the title? I went to the dollar store yesterday and saw this wreath and this package of potpourri/filler stuff and immediately I thought it would make a great combo for a wreath. Let me show you what I did.

First off I primed the wreath and some of the decorative items. Everything in the bag was various shades of mud brown, so I wanted to vary it a bit. I used black primer (OSH brand) and did a light coat.

I used Rustoleum's hammered finish in "brown" for the wreath and some of the decorative items. I also painted a few of the items with some yellow and red spray paint I already had, but then lightly went over them with a coat of the hammered brown. I made sure the yellow and red faintly came through, not giving it a solid coat. The nuts I just covered with a very watered down glaze of metallic brown acrylic paint, for a barely there look.

To give the wreath some rigidity I took a plastic lunch meat container lid and hot glued it to the backside. I wanted to have a platform to help build off of and to have an area to glue to. I used the plastic lid as opposed to cardboard so it would stand up to the elements, as I don't have a covered porch.

Then I just started building the wreath. I wanted to cluster the items together and build it up instead of spreading it all over the wreath.

For the hanging ribbon, I used some brown ribbon and then tacked the gold sparkly ribbon to it with hot glue. I like how it turned out. Just a bit of glitz without taking away from the overall muted look.

Here's the view from my front porch. Very happy with the overall result. The wreath and all the decorative items were $2. I bought the primer and brown paint for $8, but only used a small portion of each so I have quite a bit left over for other projects. Both ribbons I already had as well, so I'm saying this wreath was well under $5 to make.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be sharing my latest project!

Gasp!!

2010-10-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

I've lost my trusty little camera. I love it so...I hope I find it sOoN!

The Woman is a Genius

2010-10-14T15:59:00.001-07:00

‎"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."-Phyliss Diller

Perception vs. Reality

2010-10-14T11:18:00.001-07:00

I've been praying and working on making a shift in my thought process about things that irk me. The stuff that tends to rub you the wrong way, things you'd rather not do, situations that cause you stress. Mostly the little, mundane things that we all do, all can relate to on some level or another. Shifting focus away from the negative and what you don't like to what you've been blessed with instead.

Designing and building a supposed "kid built" project is spending time with your child.

Listening to yet another "play" by ... is an opportunity to watch your child use their mind in an audible and tangible way. You can actually see the way their little minds are working.

Figuring out where to store all you kid's ~~crap~~ I mean stuff means you've been blessed with the ability to provide fun activities for your children.

Sticky, sugary gingerbread houses are family traditions.

Messy painting in the backyard is a chance to watch your child create and make something.

Cleaning up a messy toddler after a meal means they have the ability to feed themselves.

That clingy child that never leaves your lap is a few more moments of cuddle time before they are too old to cuddle anymore.

Those forsaken 20,000 little pieces of stuff all over the house are ways to develop fine motor skills in your child.

More, you say?

Those dirty undies on the floor that NEVER, NEVER EVER make it to the hamper belongs to a husband that comes home to you every night.

Those dirty dishes in the sink waiting to be washed means you have running water in your home.

The dirty bathroom that needs to be cleaned means you have indoor plumbing.

That filthy car that needs to be detailed so badly means you have your own personal means of transportation.

The 20 plus pounds you need to lose means you are in a season of plenty.

The dinner you have to make that you don't want to make means you have the ability to feed your family.

The house that will never stay clean means you have a roof over your head.

The same bedtime story your child asks you to read every night means you can read.

The guilt you feel over not being good enough, worthy of God's love or an adequate mother means you have the ability to think.

The fights you have with the kids over clipping fingernails means they have the ability to be mobile.

The laundry that is constantly in your baskets, hampers, on the floor means you have clothes on your back.

The "mommy burnout" that we feel means we are able to stay home with our children.

I could list more, but I think we all get the point. Switch your thought process a bit. Think about how that "curse" is actually a blessing from our Father. He has given us all that we need, I for one need to start seeing it for how He sees it.

The Rainy Season

2010-10-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

"Then I will send rain on your land in it's season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil." Deuteronomy 11:14, NIV

I love fall. By far, my favorite season. I love the change it brings. The coolness, the colors, the smells. I always have had a special place in my heart for this time of year. I remember being little and looking at changing leaves and colorful sunsets and feeling calm and peaceful.

I love nature. Bees, flowers, trees. Looking at them gives me an appreciation for God's creation. The variety. The complexity. The purposefulness wrapped up in beauty. I can see God's love for us so clearly when I look at His creation, how special He made it just for us.

I love special relationships. Words of wisdom and advice from my Mom. Silly stories and jokes from my Dad. Watching my brothers grow into men, developing their character. Sisters, whom I share secrets, laughs and love; listening more and "advising" less. Hubby and his unconditional love, squabbling and realizations, grace, frustration and acceptance. Children and their transparent hearts, seeing both the love and sin all in one adorably loving package.

I have been feeling lately that all of these things which I hold so dear and treasure are also bringing to life another realization. How all of these things allow me an opportunity to love and worship my Creator. Appreciating my favorite season and all that it brings honors how God restores our weary souls and gives us sinners the ability to change, renew and revive. Gazing at His beautiful world and marveling at how He's made it is an act of worship, acknowledging and marveling at it's unimaginable vastness and intricacy. Appreciating the special relationships that God has blessed me with, honoring how God's grace is everywhere and He lavishes it upon us in so many unexpected places in different and unique ways.

God brings us restoration in all forms. In relationships, in prayer, in His creation, in quiet, in situations. He gives us all of the wine, grain and oil that we'll need for this life and more in accessible and inventive ways. We don't "earn" this restoration, He freely gives it to us when we're parched; just as He sends the rains when the earth is in need of water for growth and rejuvenation. God delights in using the everyday to give us what we need to grow, survive and thrive in this place, in this life. We don't have to go out looking for it, God will send it to us in His way in His time.

We don't have to get to a certain place or point in order to earn it. We don't need to keep the house more organized, the food on the table healthier, the car we drive fancier, the kids we raise more obedient, the spouse we love more "loveable", the clothes on our backs trendier, the bible study we participate in more holier, muck our thought life to make it cleaner, even to forgive ourselves for all the ways we fall so terribly short.

We just have to trust in Him and wait for the rain. The sprinkles, downpours and sometimes even hail will come. Just as there are different types or rain, He'll send it to us in different ways to replenish and restore us. We just need to soak it in when it's the rainy season.

Woven Fabric Wall Art

2010-09-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

Awhile back, my lovely Momma gave me some fabric samples that she had received. They were pretty good sized, I'd say 18-20" squares. I was going to try and make some pillows with them, but since I'm so challenged in the sewing area I decided to try and figure out a no sew option way to use them. This is what I came up with, I'm calling it "woven wall art". Catchy title, huh? I used a wooden stretcher, I got mine at IKEA and just stapled the fabric directly to it. To cut the fabric I did use fabric shears, but I didn't measure or even cut all that straight (although I did try, kinda).

I tried to pull colors from the pictures that I hung below it. In all actuality the prints were really easy to work with, because they had a pretty varied palate. I am really happy with the all over look, simple and kinda "rustic". At least that is what I'm going to tell myself.

One of the reasons I varied the width of the fabric strips was because I wanted to make sure the weave was pretty full and didn't have any gaps. We have an old thermostat control on the wall that I wanted to cover up, so this project worked really well for that!

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" on the top right to see where I'll be linking up!

My New Blog

2010-09-19T22:20:00.000-07:00

I've decided in order to keep this blog from getting a little confusing for me others I'm going to start a new blog to list my 5 T's. Please click to read (or follow) my postings here:

http://todaystopthreethankfulthings.blogspot.com/

5 T's

2010-09-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

1. Company picnics. Went to the water park today, the kids had so much fun. They are all water babies. What a blessing for my husband to work for a company that provides a free, fun time for it's employees.

2. Libraries. I appreciate all the wonderful books, DVD's and CD's you can get there.

3. Children's ministry workers. Those that love, recognize and appreciate the individuality and uniqueness of God's children.

Bonus #4. A husband who's willing to drive the long way home, just because his wife asked him to.

5 T's

2010-09-17T21:06:00.001-07:00

1. AAA, worth the $120 each and every year I've had them so far.

2. Silly kid dances. Oldest started dancing in the living room today, I love it when he's silly.

3. Grocery Outlet, a discount/salvage grocer. I appreciate how reasonable their prices are, and their selection of food is usually really great. I spent a little under $80 and saved almost $70, so happy to shop there when I can.

The 5 T's (What Does It Mean Anyways?)

2010-09-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

My Mom gave me a great idea this morning, she is full of them, great ideas that is! Well, actually if I'm being really honest, she's talked to me about this before but I've not done it yet.

When feeling a little in the dumps, think of three things you are thankful for and this is the important part...write them down. So many times I think of things I am thankful for, but then forget as the day progresses or as my mood sours.

So, I am going to try and post every day (or close to it), three things I am thankful about for that particular day. Some days I might go into a bit of detail as to why I am thankful for them, some days I'll probably keep the list short and sweet. But either way I really want to commit to this, remembering the good, the blessings, the stuff that makes our lives special and meaningful to us as individuals.

Today's Top Three Things I'm Thankful for (or to keep it short, the 5 T's) :

1. Cute kid pictures. They seem to consume all corners of this house, but kids art is just too cute. Especially if your kids draw it!

2. Good smelling dishsoap. It makes doing the dishes (yes, I am the dishwasher in our house) so much more pleasant of a task.

3. Toothless grins. Number one lost another tooth last night, right now he has four holes in his mouth. Those are the cutest smiles on the planet.

Felted Wool Sweater Hat

2010-09-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

I am in love with the sweater hat I just made for my daughter. It is the cutest thing, she looks so sweet in it. I took an old wool sweater of hers and felted it and came up with it off the top of my head.

Being that I just came up with it, I have no real "tutorial" so to speak. It was a somewhat random process, so it would be really hard for me to try and explain what I did after the fact.

If you would be interested in trying to make one yourself, let me know. If I get a lot of requests then I'll start looking for another sweater and will post my version of a "tute" (for what it's worth).

It wasn't hard to make, and it's no sew which is always a big plus for me, since the only "sewing" I do as of now is hand stitching and that is sketchy at best. I added the floral pin to just cute it up a bit, got it from a sweet blog friend, Emily.

I used some cute grosgrain ribbon to help made the tassel on top. I also used some scraps to help make the tassel too, very little of the original sweater went in the trash.

Pretty much the sides were just knotted together, similar to making one of those no-sew polar fleece blankets. Very simple.

Please click on "Linky Parties I Love" to see where I'll be linking up.

Reflections

2010-09-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Today as we all know marks a really somber day in our country's history. The scope of loss is unlike anything that the majority of us have ever experienced. I can still vividly remember that day, when my Mom called me and told me to turn on the TV. How I called out for my husband and then proceeded to cry and just stare, not even being able to fully take in all that was happening.

The above picture is of my youngest sister, who has autism. Now sixteen and beautiful, such a blessing and such a gift from God. When she was younger, she was a different child. Screaming, raging, yelling, biting, unable to communicate even the most basic of needs. How my mother navigated through it all and came out on the other side is a true testament to the grace and power of God, there is no other way to explain it. To see the person she is today is a beautiful example of God's love and His ability to revive and restore. Knowing that God can do that for her, needing to believe that God will do that for our family.

Remembering the days "before the kids". All the nights out late, only worrying about your own agenda. Working for a paycheck, getting accolades and thanks from co-workers. Bonuses and holiday parties. Business clothes and fancy shoes. Trading it all for sweats and food stained t-shirts. Sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion (sometimes). Frustration over spilled milk and bold faced lies. Interruptions and constant questions. Belly laughs and small smiles. Stories in bed and cereal for dinner.

Trading one type of "work" for another. Trying to remember that my previous jobs just made small changes in a short time on earth but my work at home is the stuff that legacies are made of. The work that I do now will be part of a timeline that will continue on much longer than the time I am on earth. Trying to remember that when I want to yell at the kids for making yet another mess or interrupting me while I'm on the phone. All of what I do now will not be fully realized while I am alive. I will not see the grand picture until I am in heaven. When you want immediate gratification and instant results, that is a hard pill to swallow.

Worrying and doubt. Overwhelming and uncertainty. What should "I" do? How does it need to be handled? Thinking out all the possible scenarios. Working out the "escape route". Planning and plotting. Or I could hand it over. Let go and see how it'll work out. Let the Creator handle it. He make the universe in all it's glory, so He could handle my parenting quandary, right? Why is it so easy for me to believe in all of His power, but not trust that His power will provide for me?

Wanting things to change. Waiting for a new path. Frustration over timing. Dealing with attitudes and questions. Thinking about what "others" think. Measuring myself with another's yardstick. Tiredness over cyclical issues. Trusting in His timing. Knowing that He is the one I need to please, not others. Remembering that my plan isn't always His plan. Taking comfort in the realization that He knows it all already, I don't have to. Just trying to quiet down all the noise so I can hear what He is trying to tell me.

Some reflections that I've been thinking lately. Want to share some of yours?

Storing Up My Treasures

Autumn Harvest Quinoa

The Dollar Store 1 Minute Necklace

Fabulous Fall

Make Your Own Greek Yogurt

DIY Platform Swing/Glider

Where...

Sillyness and Some Seriousness Too

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

Hello Goodbye

Don't Let Them Rain on Your Parade!

Barn Charm Birdhouse

Happy Mother's Day to my Mommy

From Like to Love

"A Life So Full It Seems Empty"

Fun With Fabric

Thoughts on Thankfulness

Bunny Cake and Silly Faces

Change is a Comin'

Unmotivated and Uninspired

Floral Twig Wreath

Cutting Board Signage

Storing Up My Treasures Is Now On You Tube!

I'm Going to Open my Blinds

Scrapbooking Haul Video, Pt 2

I'm on You Tube!

Picnik Time

Scrappin' Fool

Um...Who Are You?

Coffee Can to Cute Container

A Must Read

Things in my Treasure Chest *Valentine's Edition*

A Card From One of my Cuties

Taking a Bitty Break...

I've Got a Suitor...and it's not my Husband

Obligation vs. Desire

Step Stool Facelift

GFCF Homemade Cornbread

Funny Faces

Things in my Treasure Chest

Simple Valentine's Day Decor

Mommy, Guess What?

Fab Fabric n' Felt Valentine Wreath

My "It" Word for 2011

Stick Sunburst Mirror

Night Rides

Picture Perfect Barrette Holder

Just Checking In

Peace on Earth Begins at Home

Top 5 Posts of 2010

Intentional Intelligent Design

Christmas Memories 2010

Remember...

Dino Playboard and...

Hot Chocolate and Gingerbread Smiles

Frugal Framed Fabric Art

Fabric Scraps Wreath

Girls Rule, Boys ...

"Vintage" Train Signage

Handmade Gifts for Guys

Snow in a Pot

Jesus is the Gift Ornaments

Letters From My Heart

Beaded Wire Keyrings

On Being A Mommy...

Fabric and Lace Ornaments

Pine and Berries Arrangements

Our Angel Kitty

Folksy Felt Stars

I've Coined A New Catch Phrase...

A Dirty Little Secret About Blogging

Recycled Christmas Cards

Cranberry Orange Cobbler

Christmas-y Cypress Swag

Thankful Thoughts

FunnyKid Moment

Clipboard Photo Holder

Indoor Fall Folliage

What's Your Motivation?

Thrifty Treasures

Things in my Treasure Chest Valentine's Edition