In His Grip

$3 Pink Hall Table

With the girls moving out and the fact that this empty nest is need of some sprucing up, I have been haunting garage sales and estate sales.  I spent one weekend just sweeping out all of the "feathers" left behind by our little chicks.  But now I am motivated to make this new space somewhere that our kids want to come "home" to.  Here is my first project for the empty nest sprucing.  

I purchased this little table at an estate sale near our home for $3.  I thought that it would look great at the top of the stairs between Lindsey and Anna's rooms.  With both rooms having pink in the color schemes I wanted to bring something out into the hallway that would bring the rooms together.

 
Picking up my handy dandy pink spray paint, I covered the table paying more attention to the grooves and details so the the paint would settle into them.

Taking my electric sander, I worked on taking off most of the paint leaving the paint in the details behind.

 
To have this worn pink table at the top of the stairs between the girls' rooms will be just the right touch to bring the pink and brown from Lindsey's room together with the pink, silver and black of the room that is Anna's.  Now I cannot wait to start on the new rooms.

Link up parties I am participating in: Between Naps On the Porch, Its So Very Creative Very Creative, DIY Showoff, Mad Skills Monday, The Girl Creative, Keeping It Simple, Skip to my Lou, Making the World Cutier, Coastal Charm, Today's Creative Blog, Blue Cricket Design, Me and My Bucket, Nikki's Nifty, Knacks, The Thrifty Home, Its a Hodpodge Life, Its a Blog Party, Finding Fabulous, Its Fun to Craft, The Shabby Nest, Paisley Passions, Alchemy Living Fine 

Three Word Thursday

Life is good....

100 Blessing Chanllenge

This past Sunday our next step was to write 100 unique blessings in our life.  I wanted to take up this challenge so began this process right away on Sunday afternoon thinking this is going to be easy.  Well, it is Wednesday and I am up to 70.  I am trying to limit my list to blessings about the real stuff of life and not the material world around me.  Although, I do feel blessed by the "things" in my life, I feel like it is my relationships that bring me the true blessings I enjoy.  But seriously, trying to come up with 100 unique blessings is really hard.  Mine range from the blessing I feel when people comment that my daughter is just like me, to the sound of hearing Jeff come through the door each evening.   When you stop to think about what you would miss if the people in your life were not there, that's when the "real" blessings start to come to mind.  Try it, and then share these blessings with the ones that you love and bring a blessing to them today.

Vintage Hankie Scarf

I have a collection of vintage hankies that have been folded up neatly in a cupboard for years.    Every so often I would take them out and admire them and think of the stylish ladies that once carried these in their pocketbook. Some of these old hankies I remember both of my Grandmas carrying.  I love the floral patterns and scalloped edges and have never understood how someone could blow their nose into something so fancy. Not only that, but then nicely folding it back up again and putting back into a purse or pocket, yewh.  I prefer to use a tissue that I can immediately dispose of.  Anyway, I decided to make a scarf out of them after being inspired by the latest copy of "Where Women Create". 

I arranged the hankies end to end moving from pinks on one end to blues on the other end.  The final measurement should be around 72" to 74".  This will vary as the hankies are not all the same size.

Overlapping the edges, I topstiched the hankies together. Because the sizes vary, I centered the hankies so that both edges would be similar.

The finished project is this fun, lightweight scarf that can be worn with all kinds of things and match most any color.  I get to wear this great accessory and be reminded of my Grandmas all at the same time, how fun is that?

I am participating in these link ups:  Its So Very Cheri, Between Naps on the Porch, The DIY Showoff, Keeping It Simple, Mad Skills Monday, The Girl Creative, Making The World Cutier, Skip to My Lou, The Graphics Fairy, Coastal Charm, A Silly Little Sparrow, Today's Creative Blog, Blue Cricket Design, Nikki's Nifty Knacks, Tales from Bloggeritaville

Magazine Brings On Creative Enthusiasm

A couple of weeks ago I picked up the latest issue of Where Women Create.  This has got to be my all time favorite magazine.  The fact that it does cost $14.99 really puts it in the book category for me, but since I discovered this publication two years ago I have not missed an issue. The pages are filled with artist and the spaces in which they create their loveliness.  The cover story this quarter is on Amy Butler, the best fabric designer in my book.  Her fabrics and pattern designs are not only inspiring, they are so happy and I scream "let's have fun."  Now that is my kind of fabric.  Also in the pages of this issue, is the owner of Curious Sofa.  If you have never been to her store you are missing out on some vintage curiosity.  I have followed her blog and haunted her store whenever I can get over in the Prairie Village neighborhood.  There are so many more artists within the pages of this magazine that I find so much creative enthusiasm that I can hardly contain myself. 

Three Word Thrusday

Child of God

 

A New Back to School

Yes, this is Lindsey's first day of school.  This time instead of being the student, she is the educator.  Meet Spring Hill High School's newest Family and Consumer Science teacher.  She has spent the last week preparing her room and curriculum plans to be the best teacher she can be.  I cannot wait to hear all about the first day with students.  I know that she will be one of those teachers that will make a difference in her student's lives.  After all, it was my Home Economics teacher (old school for Family and Consumer Science or FACS), and Lindsey's FACS teacher that encourage both of us to go into our respective fields. Lindsey we are so proud of you and know that you will be the Queen of the FACS classroom! 

Lamp Rescue

I have been looking for a new lamp for our family room.  Not just any lamp will do, I wanted something that I could not only re-purpose but be fun and creative as well.  One night when Jeff and I were on our way home from working on Lindsey's house, I saw a heap of garbage at the top of someone's driveway and laying on top was an old brass lamp, and some other treasures I knew I wanted.  So after begging Jeff to stop, this trash diving embarrasses him in a BIG way, I loaded up the back seat and was thrilled with my new finds.  After checking the lamp to see if it worked, I knew that this would be my new lamp. Yeah!

This is the lamp before it transformation.

I used this Rust-Oleum antique hammered finish spray paint.  I have used it on several things in the past and knew that it would work great on this project.

I love the way the hammered finish gives a slight texture to the surface.  

Next came the lamp shade, this is where the creative fun begins.  I took this old lamp shade apart that my mother-in-law gave Lindsey.  Lindsey decided she wasn't using it right now so she let me have it.  I am thinking she is going to want it back after she sees what it looks like now.

I started to Mod Podge pages for an old dictionary to the frame of the shade. 

You have to be careful with the pages once they are wet with the Mod Podge, they become very fragile and tear easily.  Go slowly, draping the pages over the frame.  As the pages start to dry you can work out the wrinkles and repair any tears that may have occurred.

When the Mod Podge was dry, I glued gimp along both the top and bottom edges to not only add interest but to help finish the edge.

Using my Cricket machine, I cut out flower shapes to make the flower embellishment for the shade.  I cut three flowers in graduating sizes.  I started with a 2 1/2", 3", 3 1/2", and 4", so in the end I had 12 cut shaped.

I group the flower shapes together and sewed some buttons through all the layers and then using a pencil I curled the edges of the petals.

This is what the paper flower ended up looking like when it was done.  I really like the way this turned out and think I just might figure more things I can use these paper flowers on.

Considering I had everything on hand to do this project, it looks like this one is free.  You can't beat that!

 
Here is what the shade looks like with the light on.  I am really liking the way the light shows where the pages overlap.  Gosh! I can't tell you how much I love, love, love making something out of nothing.

I am participating these link ups: Between Naps on the Porch, Its So Very Creative, Keeping It Simple, Mad Skills Monday, The Girl Creative, The DIY Showoff, Skip To My Lou, Today's Creative Blog, Coastal Charm, New Nostalgia, Me and My Bucket,Nikk's Nifty Knacks,The Thrifthy Home, Blue Cricket Design, Creations By Kara, Fine Craft Guild, It's a Blog Party, Trendy Treehouse, Fireflies and Jellybeans,Tales from Bloggeritaville, It's a Blog Party, It's a Hodgepodge Life, Thrifty Tickle 

Featured On Blue Cricket Desgin

Becca at Blue Cricket Design 
has featured Lindsey's Goodwill sofa.  How fun is that?  This is so exciting to get this kind of exposure not only for the great sofa transformation, but for "In His Grip" as well. Blue Cricket Design is a great place for inspiration and DIY projects of all kinds.  I go to this sight often to see what is out there in the world of DIY and just for plain fun.  I mean look at her blog banner, who would not want to spend some time at this web sight?  Go on over and see what Becca has going on beside this great sofa!

Three Word Thursday

Only feathers left :(

 

What a "Deer" House

To say that my daughter, Lindsey, has a personal style goes without saying. She began her love for all things deer a couple of years ago when she started picking up small deer figures at junk stores, garage sales and where ever she could find small deery things.  This interest in deers began with her favorite Bible verse: The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like that of a deer, he enables, me to go to the heights. ~Habakkuk 3:19~  She began her search for her mantel piece as soon as she realized she would have a mantel.  The quest for a deer head began back last March.  She soon realized that people who have deer heads are quite proud of them and are none too ready to part with the precious catch.  Besides the cost was way out of her price range.  But she did not give up that easy.  Jeff and I happened to be in Paola, Kansas with the little red truck at a car show and I just happened to go browsing along the square when I came upon a store front for an auction house and what did I see in the window? But a small deer head that would be the perfect piece for Lindsey's fireplace.  The shop owner gave up the "old thing" for a mere $60.

 

This is the fireplace before we were done painting.

 

I know bad picture, but here is the fireplace with the new hearth that was added.  Thanks, John.  Who can have a fireplace without a mantel?

 
Only can a young single gal take a deer head and paint the mount bright pink.

 

This is to the left of her fireplace. The table was a find at a garage sale for $7.

Once again, she has brought her own style here too, with her button confetti.

  
This lamp is an "as is" garage sale find in all of its retro glory.

 

Just add a chunky, spray painted aqua frame and a string of beads and this deer head could hang in any "stylish" young women's home and it goes super great with the Goodwill sofa.

Link ups I am participating in:  Between Naps On The Porch, The DIY Show Off, Its So Very Creative, Keeing It Simple, Making the World Cuter, Mad Skills Monday, Skip to My Lou,The Girl Creative, Costal Charm,Today's Creative Blog, Me and My Bucket, Blue Cricket Design, The Thrifty Home, Life As Lori, Tales Form , Fireflies and Jellybeans, Trendy Treehouse, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Domestically Speaking, Creations By Kara, It's A Blog Party, Finding Fabulous, It's Fun to Craft

Three Word Thursday

Because relationships count!!!!!!

Suprising Impact

Today we received the newsletter from the couple, Travis and Roberta Sanders, at Casas por Cristo that served as our team coordinators for the mission trip that our family took at Christmas time in 2007.  Because this newsletter is not on-line, I want to share it with you here, otherwise I would just give you a link.  But this is the article that Travis wrote:

"A couple of Christmases ago Roberta and I had the privilege to be a part of the Bergfalk family in celebrating Addison and Peggy's 50th wedding anniversary by building a home for Sergio and Flor Venegas.  This January the world lost an incredible man as Addison passed away.  Instead of flowers Addison and his family requested people to donate to the work of Casas por Cristo.  About a month later Casas received a substantial check in honor of Addison.  After hearing of Addison's passing, I began to look back on the brief time that we got to spend with him and his family and about the impact that our time together has had.  The focus of Casas por Cristo is to provide adequate housing for people in desperate need.  The generosity of Addison and his family has had a deep and significant impact on my life and my ministry here.  I have always known that doing what we do has a lasting impact on not only the families who receive homes but also everyone who has ever gotten the opportunity to  be a part of a build.  After all, that experience is the reason that every single person at Casas has moved hundreds or thousands of miles for their homelands to serve here.  I have seen thousands of people's lives get changed here, but none have hit me so hard.  The thought of being part of the seventy-two hours that Addison chose to represent who he was as a man is probably the most humbling experience of my life.  I am not anywhere near being worthy enough to be a part of the life changing impact that goes on here. However, I am incredibly grateful that we serve a God that does not see that unworthiness, but allows us to share in what He's doing.  Thank you to all of you with whom I've been able to share in what Christ is doing here, and thank you to the entire Bergfalk family.  Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your family, for your continued prayers and support, and for reminding me that this is bigger than building a home or serving our friends across the border.  It's bigger than any of us."

To hear of the inpact that my Dad had on Travis is so touching.  I can't say I will ever tire of hearing stories of how my Dad made a difference in others people's lives.  It continues to prove to me that I cannot wait to be "perfect" for God to use me, but allow God to use me in the midst of my journey.

 

 

Daily Reminder of the Great Commission

In my studio I have a wall above my cutting table that has been blank for a long time.  Recently, I decided to fill it with reminders of what I want my life to represent, where I have been, and what Stitches By Sturman supports.  The pictures are from the several mission trips I have been on.  The quilted cross was made by the women of The Mashia Foundation.  The women live in Nigeria and help support their families by making quilted items and selling them.  Since my first trip to India in 2006, Stitches By Sturman has purchased at least 4 sewing machines a year for women in India to start their own sewing business to support their families.

I bought all the frames at garage sales for .25 to .75.  They were not in the best condition and really did not match.

Using some black spray paint, it did not take long for all of the frames to look a lot better and like they all went together.  I then picked some of my favorite pictures and printed them in black and white and placed them in the frames.  I now have a daily reminder that this is what it is all about and Stitches By Sturman is God's way of providing me with a way to support women 1,000's of miles away doing the same work I do and giving me a connection with them through His love.

I am linking up to: Between Naps on the Porch, Its So Very Cheri, Keeping It Simple, Mad Skills Monday, The DIY Show Off, The Girl Creative, Skip to My Lou, Today's Creative Blog, Coastal Charm, New Nostalgia, Me and My Bucket, The Thirfty Home