In His Grip

Pink Christmas Ball Wreath

This is the Christmas wreath that Anna made for me this past weekend.  She showed me this really cute wreath on a blog a couple of weeks ago and had me  buy some pink Christmas balls to so she could make one.  This was an easy peasy project.  Here are the steps so you can make one too. 

Take a wire hanger and untwist it and then stretch it into a circle.

  
Before stringing the balls onto the hanger you will need to hot glue the tops on.  This is an important step because as the hanger gets full and the balls tighten together they will pop off.  Do not skip this step, believe me!

 

You will need to use several size balls to fill in as much as possible the blank spaces.  Don't worry if the wire shows a bit, once the wreath is complete you can fill in by hot gluing small balls to fill in the gaps.  When the hanger is full twist the two ends of the wire hanger together and then cover it with a large ribbon.

I love the way this turned out and I think Anna rocks for making one for me.   Thanks, Anna, I love you!

Its Beginning to be a Pink Christmas

Our pink Christmas is beginning to really shape up.  I am done with the pink decorating and I have to say that Jeff is relieved that it is finally finished.  There is only so much pink one man can take.  Now you need to realize that the only pink Christmas that is going on is confined to the dinning room and oh yeah, the front porch.  This is the tree that I have been planning for several years now.  I truly love it.  The contrast between the white tree and the pink ornaments just sets the whole thing off.  The tree skirt is a saree that I purchased in India.  It is six yards of pink beaded silk loveliness, and boy, do I feel like a real princess when I wear it.  While in Delhi, last September I purchased pink beaded shoes that go perfect with it and I only paid $2.50. Really, how can you pass up such a bargain?  Here are some more picture of the pink Christmas.

These cute little pink wreaths I picked up at the Target dollar spot.  Score!  I added some ribbon and hot glued some silver balls to jazz them up a bit.

This is my table center piece.  I have no idea where all of this came from.  I am sure they were part of my after Christmas sale purchases of the past, as they were amongst the things in my "one day I will have a pink Christmas" box.  The table runner was a scrape of fabric I found in my work room.  Who would ever throw away a piece of such pink loveliness?

Another Target dollar spot find.  You really need to stop by the dollar spot at Target, there are so many fun things that you can find.

 

I think you get the picture of our pink Christmas here at our house.  Thank you for allowing me to give you the tour.  I keep finding myself sitting in the dinning room and enjoying this part of the house like I have never done before.  Soon I will give you a look at the porch that has a pink Christmas going on as well.

Christmas Carnival Giveway

There is a Christmas Carnival going on over at The Shabby Chic Cottage.  She is hosting a giveaway from over 10 different vendors and The Pink Porch is one of them.  Go on over and sign up for all of the fun prizes.  It might just be your lucky day.  This is the item that The Pink Porch is giving.   

Three Word Thursday

I am thankful!

 

  

 

 

Size 15 and "Skinny?"

"Skinny jeans" have been in for about a year now.  I like it when they call them Audrey (Hepburn) jeans, like that is supposed to make one feel better about the fact that jeans are skin tight and you need toothpicks for legs to wear them.  I have to say, that I do admire the look of long legs and these jeans certainly accentuate this.  I have several friends that are a lot younger than me.   They have been wearing skinny jeans and I do say that they look great on them.  So the other morning at our body boot camp they were talking about these great "skinny" jeans at Target on sale for $12.99.   They were talking about how they needed to buy a size bigger then they normally buy.  So I asked if they thought they might come in my size.  I wanted to buy a pair to wear with my boots so that I don't have a wad of denim around my ankles when I want to tuck my jeans in.  I have never had the confidence to even try a pair on, but they assured me that they did come in my size even though they were in junior section.  How bad could it be?  So as I needed to go to Target anyway for some other purchases, I decided to swallow my pride and try to squeeze into these jeans that they call skinny.  Remembering the gals from boot camp having to buy a bigger size I grabbed the size bigger than I normally wear as well as the next size up.  It's crazy!  They are called "skinny" for a reason because I could not get these stupid jeans on.  Feeling absolutely ridiculous that I even thought I could possible wear something that my "young" friends could wear I left the dressing room determined to put this humiliating experience behind me.  I shopped for my other items but kept thinking there were a couple more sizes I could try and after all they were only $12.99.  I went back over to the jeans and tried a couple more sizes and found one that they did actually fit, but they were not only a muffin top, I had a full out cake top going on.  Knowing no one wanted to see a 40 something behind in jeans that tight, I once again swallowed my pride and tried the next size up.  Shocker, I did like them.  If I wear them with a longer type blouse this could work.  Now here is the question, can you really call them "skinny" jeans if you have to wear a size 15? 

From Old Broken Sled to Pink Flyer

This is the old sled that used to sit on our front porch from December through March.  I would decorate it with a wreath for Christmas, I have some old skates that I'd hang from it, and used it in various ways to decorate our front porch in the winter.  Well, seems as we are going with a pink theme this year, I thought that this old sled needed a little pink loveliness added to it so that it would fit in better with our new fun pink Christmas and winter decorations this year.  So I got out my handy dandy pink paint and went to town.

I let the paint dry and then used a white paint pen and added some stripes, snowflakes and the word "Pink Flyer" just for fun.  I allowed that to dry and then went to town with some sand paper to rough it up a bit.

Because I thought the rail needed a little something and I love sparkle I add silver glitter to the rails. 

 
  
I cannot wait to put this outside on the front porch with the other pink loveliness I have been creating.  Check back, as I will be bringing you more and more of our pink Christmas.

Getting My Pink on for Christmas

For the last several years I have been accumulating pink Christmas ornaments.  It all started when my Mom brought me a gift of pink vintage beaded ornaments that my Grandparents had made back in the 70's.  Every year I go to the after Christmas sales and find all kinds of the pink stuff 75% to 90% off.  Shocker, I may be one of the only people to think that a Christmas could be pink.  Anyway, this is the year.  I think I have enough to cover a whole tree!  Not only do I have enough to cover the whole tree, our outside wreath got a redo in pink loveliness!  Okay, I hear your questions already, what does Jeff think of all of this pink?  Does he care that there is a pink Christmas going on the outside of the house?  All I can say is, I think my love of pink is growing on him after 27 years, because he even helped me hang that pretty pink wreath.   I am sure he would prefer a more traditional Christmas color, but if you know me at all, "when in doubt ,pink is always the right choice!" Here is all of the pink things I have to work with for the creativity to begin.  I will post pictures of the first pink Christmas here at the Sturman's.

New Designs on The Pink Porch

I have put some new designs up on The Pink Porch.  There are several everyday pendants and I plan on finishing up some holiday designs soon.  On Friday, November 28th, I will be participating in a giveaway at The Shabby Chic Cottage.  Check back here on Friday the 28th to get the details on how you can participate in the Christmas Carnival giveaway. 

This "Child of the King" pendant will be the item that I have donated for the giveaway.  Below are some more of the new designs.  Each one of my designs are unique and a one-of-a-kind as they are made using vintage buttons, hand colored papers, glass beads etc. ensuring no two are exactly the alike.  If you see something that you love, don't miss out, go on over to The Pink Porch and place your order. 
   

Three Word Thrusday

Plaza lighting preparation

 

 
 

Bergfalk Babes Weekend

This past weekend was our annual Bergfalk Babes weekend.  My mom, sisters and I have been getting together for a weekend together once a year for going on 22 years now.  If I remember right, the first year was the year Lindsey was born and she will be 22 in January.  Wow!  And to think we are all still so young, ha,ha.  We usually go to one of our homes but have had some years where we all meet somewhere fun.  This year we stayed here in Kansas City and our sister Lori came in from Seattle.  The weekend was filled with shopping, eating good food and great conversation.  We all realized how blessed we are to have these family relationships.

Mom had set up a little photo gallery to help us all remember back when.

This happens to be one of my favorite pictures of the three of us girls.  And look, even back then I was posing myself sideways in the picture to help make myself look skinnier. I guess vanity begins early
   

I Got A Pioneer Woman Cooks Book!!! Yeah!

The other day I was pleasantly surprised when a friend of mine gave me The Pioneer Woman Cooks,cookbook.  I have been following the Pioneer Woman blog for over two years.  I love her quirky posts about her life on a ranch in Oklahoma.  Since I read her everyday, I feel like I know her.  She has invited her readers into her family and home.  I feel like I have helped her make design decisions on the lodge that she recently renovated, helped her brother, Mike, stay on the wagon, and shared her great anxiety as she appeared on the Bonnie Hunt show.  Now, I am pretty sure she has no idea who Judy @ In His Grip is, but I know that if I saw her in person I might just embarrass myself by running up to her and huggng like she was one of my Panera tribe gals.  Okay, that is weird.  This is the best step-by-step cookbook I have ever seen.  To be honest I don't like cookbooks that do not have a picture of every recipe.  I want to see what I am making.  Not only does she have pictures of the finished product, she has pictures of how things look as you follow the recipe.  You have gotta love that!

Three Word Thursday

Global Orphan Project

Our Small Group Can Cook, What Can Your Small Group Do?

Tonight our ladies small group from  Indian Creek, Gardner had a super time of  cooking fun.  Instead of doing our normal Bible study, we got together and had a cooking demonstration.  My friend Debra came and showed us how to make some delicious hors doeuvres just in time for our holiday party planning. We made a  Chili-Lime Pecans (these are the best!!!!), Savory Cheese Cake, and Spanikopita. I will definitely be making these for the holidays.  Its amazing how well our small group has gotten to know each other in such a short time and how much each of our lives have been changed by being a part of this group.  Just last Spring we did not even know one another's names.  I love these gals and look forward to continuing on our journeys together in the future.

TV Can Inspire Creativity

I don't watch TV during the day, but for some reason I had it on this morning and it was tuned into the Rachel Ray show.  First off, can I say, I just love her.  Her peppy personality can pick up anyone's spirit.  Today, I am not even sure what was going on because I was so taken in my the pillows that were on the sofa she was sitting on.    They are to die for!!!  I hurried and got my camera and snapped a quick picture so that I could remember them.  You just wait I am going to make those pillows and you will see them on the site some time in the future.   Does anyone else check out the accessories on the set of TV shows, or is it just me? 

Choosing to Believe!!!!

This morning I read a devotional and the key verse was:

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  Hebrew 11:6

I understood something today that I had never noticed before, not only do we have to believe that he exists but he is also asking us to believe that he will reward those who are seeking him.  Hmmmm, I had never noticed that I am suppose to "believe", really "believe" that he does reward us for seeking him.  I don't know that I "really" believe that, I know that this verse states that, and I know in my heart that the Bible is the word of God, but do I truly believe?  Today I am choosing to believe that the reward I have been waiting on will be mine today!

Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies

Funfetti Cookies are just the best.  We made these this past weekend not only are they easy peasy, they are absolutely delicious.  Lindsey made these for a meeting that she was having, where nobody showed up, but that is another story.   So being my daughter, she "had" to eat the cookies herself.  But because they were soooo good she was willing to make the sacrifice.  Funfetti Cake mixes are out all year long and there are different ones for each holiday.  Here is the recipe:

1	(18.9-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury® Moist Supreme® Funfetti® Cake Mix
1/3	cup oil
2	eggs
1/2	(15.6-oz.) can Pillsbury® Creamy Supreme® Funfetti® Vanilla Frosting

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs; stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With bottom of glass dipped in flour, flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Bake at 375°F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Spread frosting over warm cookies. Immediately sprinkle each with candy bits from frosting. Let frosting set before storing. Store in tightly covered container.

Dollar Store Pumpkins~Made Snazy!

I bought these cute little pumpkins and gourds from our local dollar store a couple of weeks ago.  They are great and everything, but I wanted to snaz them up a bit.  So after thinking about this for some time and being inspired by my recent ironing board project, I decided to use some of the leftover dictionary pages and my handy Mod Podge and give these little guys a makeover.  I had some black glitter that I had used for a Halloween costume and put glitter on the stems and then glittered some leaves too.  Here is how they turned out.  I love them!  I think they could work at any black tie affair!  Okay, so I am not sure how black tie and pumpkins go together, but who knows.

Trunk-Or-Treat Success!!!!

The first Indian Creek Gardner Trunk-or-Treat was more than I could have ever imagined.  Jesi, our Kid Alive director, and I had been planning this but quite frankly had no idea how this event would turn out.  We thought we had all of our "i"s dotted and "t"s crossed but when it is a first time event, you just never know.  As the trunkers started showing up with their trunks all decorated  with lights and in costume I knew that something was up.  Now I don't want to over spiritualize it but I had been praying for the success of this event all week and it turns out God does care about reaching out to a community through something like a Trunk-or-Treat event.  Because we served over 500 children and there had to have been double that in adults.  The newspaper even showed up to take pictures.  Thank you to all of the people that helped out and especially to those "trunker missionaries" from the Olathe campus that came and trunked with us.  And most of all, thank you Jesus for caring about our small Live Out event and making it more than we could have ever hoped for!  I know, it's just the kind of God that you are and help me remember that.