In His Grip

Three Word Thursday

Love always wins . . .

Traveling--Journey to Adventure

Life has a way of taking me to a lot of different places.  Sometimes these journeys require travel and other times they keep me right here in my own little world.  Over the last year, I have been on a sort of journey that has taken me physically into places and circumstances that are way out of my comfort level.  This has been a spiritual journey that often times, what am I saying?  All the time, I feel illequipped to be on.  I tend to trudge along, feeling like my pack is way too heavy to bear and assuming this is exactly where God wants me to be.  In my head, and sometimes even out loud, I am saying, "Really? Really, God? Is this what life is supposed to look like?"   When in reality He wants me to rely on him for my map, my provision, and carrying my pack.  In this journey, I believe God has given me a very small glimpse of His compassion for my world and the people around me.  Boy, is that uncomfortable.  Through this little peep-hole into His compassion I know that God wants me to reach out and love the people around me, but not just to help them and change the world.  He is using this to change my life, the way that I think, and make me a little more like Jesus.  To do this I will have to significantly expand my capacity to love and the only way I can even hope to do this is through my reliance on God and this journey He is taking me on.  Wow, doggies, I think this journey has just turned into an adventure.  I know this going to be good.  

Burlap Valentine Bunting

Once I made my newest valentine sign last week, I realized that my valentine garland was no longer the look that I wanted to go with this year.  Seeing all of the burlap decorations out on blogs, Pinterest and the internet.  I figured that I would make a burlap bunting that would be just the look that I wanted.  The rough look of burlap with a splash of color is everywhere.  A designer that I work for, Brenda of Picture Perfect, told me that the burlap/linen look with a splash of color was everywhere at the Atlanta market that she went to two weeks ago.  I have been watching that look for a while now and even made some things last fall with burlap.  Burlap is a great way to give your home an updated look with very little money.  I purchased a yard of burlap for $3.99.

I cut the flap shapes out of the burlap and then doubled them up and stitching them together using red thread not only for a contrast but to add a boarder as well.  Doubling up the burlap helps give the flags a bit more somethin', somethin', and burlap tends to be loosely woven and a bit see through so this helps with that.

Using my handy Cricut machine I cut a heart and used it as a stencil.  Then stenciled a heart on each flag.  I used a light pink, bright pink, red and white color paints to do this.  Here is a free hint, make sure you put plastic or scrap paper under your flags as you stencil them.  They will soak through to the back.  I just know these kinds of things, no need to ask me how.   

Using hot glue, I folded the flags over some red and white bakers twine and secured the end over the back.  

The burlap bunting addes to my valentine look for next to nothing in cost.

I am participating in the following link ups: Between Naps on the Porch, The DIY Showoff,Boogiboard Cottage, Its So Very Cheri, Sew Chatty, Dittle Dattle, Sew Can Do, Keeping It Simple, Skip to My Lou, Coastal Charm, Ladybug Blessings, Today's Creative Blog,Sugar and Dots, My Girlish Whims, The Thrifty Home, Blue Cricket Design, Sew Woodsy, The Tablescaper, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Making the World Cuter,Itsy Bitsy Paper, So Much Ado, One Tough Mother, Sweet Peas and Bumblebees, Handy Man, Crafting Woman, Women Who Do It All, Seven Thrity-three, Someday Crafts, Tea Rose Home. Lil' Luna, Momma Hen Scoop, Sugar and Dots, {Primp}, Sommewhat Simple, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Tales From Bloggeritaville, Gluesticks, Momnivore's Dilemma, Beyond the Picket Fence, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Simply Sweet Home,Truly Lovely, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Someday Crafts, Passionately Artistic, Goodbye city, Hello suburbs, Handy Man, Crafty Woman, Make it Great Monday,Vintage Gwen, Sew Country Chick, 5 Minutes Just for Me, Sew Country Chick

 

 

Valentine Sign

Earlier this week I was browsing around Pinterest and found this wonderful Valentine sign.  I absolutely love the saying on it and decided that I was going to make it.  Because I have been called a "creative hoarder", I had all of the supplies right in my studio already.  No need to go to the store and besides it has been freezing cold this week and who wants to get out in the cold if you don't have to.  

Here is the sign that I orignally look at.  Landee See, Landee Do, is a great place for inspriration.  I have just recently found her blog and I really like her style.  As you can see I changed my sign up a bit by doing the pink thing instead.  You know I always say, "When in doubt pink is always the right choice." I am sure it is not shocker that I went with pink.  

One thing that I do like about Valentines is that you are able to put pink and red together without it being wierd.  Needless to say, I take very opportunity to do just that.  Pink and red for everyone.  

I was so excited to use my bakers twine that I recently purchased off of Pick Your Plum.  Pick Your Plum is a daily email that sells one craft type item each day for super cheap.  I am talking anywhere from $2 to $6.95.  I am pretty sure I have never seen anything for more than that.  Let me just warn you, if you are a "crafty" this email is dangerous.  It is hard to pass up these deals.  Seriously I could spend money everyday with Pick You Plum.

I used a 1 x 8 for my board, but I do think a 1 x 10 would be better as you can make the lettering bigger.  Using my handy Cricut machine I cut the letters out of a piece of adhesive vinyal.  Super easy project and the results are awesome.  

I am participation in these link ups: Today's Creative Blog, One Tough Mother

Bridesmaid Cupcakes

This week Anna received this beautiful cupcake from a girlfriend of hers.  Ashley is getting married in May and she wants Anna to be in her wedding as a bridesmaid.  Wow, what a cute and fun way to ask your friends to accompany you on your big day.  The cupcake not only was cute but even came with its own little "diamond" ring and tasted good as well.  If this is what it looks like for Ashley to ask her bridesmaids, I cannot wait to see the wedding.

Linked up to:  Today's Creative Blog, One Tough Mother, Silly Little Sparrow, Skip to My Lou, Sugar and Dots, My Girlish Whims, The Thrifty Home, Blue Cricket Design, Sew Woodsy, The Tablescaper, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Making the World Cuter,Itsy Bitsy Paper, So Much Ado, One Tough Mother, Sweet Peas and Bumblebees, Handy Man, Crafting Woman, Women Who Do It All, Seven Thrity-three, Someday Crafts, Tea Rose Home. Lil' Luna, Momma Hen Scoop, Sugar and Dots, {Primp}, Sommewhat Simple, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Tales From Bloggeritaville, Gluesticks, Momnivore's Dilemma, Beyond the Picket Fence, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Simply Sweet Home,Truly Lovely, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Someday Crafts, Passionately Artistic, Goodbye city, Hello suburbs, Handy Man, Crafty Woman, Make it Great Monday,Vintage Gwen, Sew Country Chick, 5 Minutes Just for Me

Dishwasher, Renewed Confidence

Several years ago there was a dishwasher recall and ours was part of it.  Up to that point, I had put up with a dishwasher that sounded like an airplane taking off in my kitchen as well as a pitiful job in cleaning our dishes.  So I was all over the fact that the manufacturer was going to give  $700 toward our replacement.  My research found a ultra quite dishwasher with a stainless steel inside that was close to the top of the line, not quite but I was not willing to pay "that" much over the $700 I was given.  Fast forward a couple of years and Jeff is complaining about our "crappy" expensive dishwasher and we need to look into a new one. The stainless steel is no longer shiny but chalky white and the dishes are covered with that chalky white grossness as well.  Jeff did his job of cleaning out the hoses, I was using that blue liquid rinse stuff that is supposed to make your dishes sparkly clean, as well a scrubbing the inside of the machine only to have it be chalky white in just a few washes.  We were ready to give up when I saw this Dishwasher Magic at Lowes one day.  The label says, "This dishwasher cleaner and disinfectant removes mineral stains, lime scale, iron/rust, calcium build-up, and food particles which can clog the water jets in your dishwasher and reduce its performance."  All in one use.  With the condition of our dishwasher, I figured if one bottle was good two had to be better.  So I purchased two bottles. 

 

 

 

Right next to the Dishwasher Magic, was Finish, a tablet type dishwasher soap, that states right on the box if you are not completely satisfied after using one box you are guaranteed your money back. This product was probably threes more money that the store brand dishwasher soap I normally buy, but heck, if they will give me my money back why not try it.  I am totally sold on both of these products.  Dishwasher Magic cleaned my horrible dishwasher in one use with some chalky left, so the I used the second bottle and it came out sparkly clean. Just like new, I kid you not.

I have purchased my second box of Finish tablets and they are the absolute best. I do believe they are my new best friend.  All of my dishes, glasses, and silverware have not looked this good since I took them out of the box.  Really, I am amazed every time I open my dishwasher to really clean dishes.  I am sold.  I will used Dishwasher Magic once a month as the label suggests and Finish is my new soap, even if it is more expensive.  Once again, I am able to not only enjoy the fact that I cannot even hear my dishwasher running, but my dishes are clean too.  Who knew?  And I give you theses little tips free of charge, because that is just the kind of gal that I am.  

Five Years of Blogging -- Really?

Wow, I cannot believe that I have had this blog for five years now.  My actual first post was in December of 2006.  But I did not really start blogging regular until January 2007. My original reason for starting this adventure was to keep friends and family up to date when I went on a second mission trip to India.  I have since returned to India for a third trip along with trips to the Philippines, Haiti, and Mexico.  My own personal mission focus over the last two years has been here in our own community, specifically, Gardner, Kansas.  This does not mean I will never travel internationally again, in fact I really hope not, just that my efforts and focus have been right here.  

Since the beginning of this blog my life has changed quite a bit.  We have had two high school graduations, two college graduations one from Doane College, the other from Pittsburg State University, and a soon to be graduation from Kansas State University.  We have celebrated our first family wedding, Ryan and Paula, on August 19, 2011. Jeff and I have been part of the beginning of a new church campus in Gardner, Kansas.  We went from having two teenage girls at home to empty nesters, to one summer all three kids back at home, back to empty nesters. We have walked the journey of losing my Dad, but now have the privilege of having my Mom stay on and off over the winter months.  We have vacationed, in Minnesota, California, Florida, Los Vegas, San Antonio, Branson, and celebrated a family wedding in Mexico, driving to most of these locations and taking in the scenary in between.

I haved share my heart and been as honest as a gal can be about a number of topics. I have let you in on what God is teaching me as well as little Godly discipline.  

In the beginning, I had no idea what a creative outlet this adventure would be for me. However, the creative part of this blog has been my greaest joy. I love inspring others to not only try new things, but also let others in on the secret of how easy some things can be that look really complicated.  Thank you for reading and all the encouraging comments along the way. Here's to another five, inspiring, creative, and learning years of being a gal  who wants to live "In His Grip". 

Tile Coaster Set -- How To

Because you have not heard from me in a while, you would think that I have not been up to much.  Well, actually the exact opposite is true.  I did take time off for Christmas and New Years to hang out with family and friends to just enjoy the season.  A gal is entitled to that every once in a while, right? However, my creative mind has been on overdrive having time to browse Pinterest, and plan some very fabulous, creative, wonderfulness for my home in the coming year.  It is this time each year that I get the urge to do something to my home. This year it started with the dinning room and then will move to the living room, and of course right on up to the now three guest rooms.  Oh, how sad to say I have three kid rooms that are now called "guest rooms", really this cannot be true.  

Today I am showing you this easy, fun, and inexpensive gift idea I made for my friends this year at Christmas.  I started out at Lowes and purchased 3x3 tiles.

I really liked these that had a bit of texture and some imperfections around the edges.  They happened to be some of the more expensive tiles, all of 33 cents each.  But you can get them for as little as 8 cents a tile.  

Picking out the scrap booking paper was fun.  I wanted the four different patterns to coordinate but have some contrast in color as well.  I cut the paper into squares that were about a 1/2 smaller than the tile so the coaster would appear to have a boarder all the way around.

Because the tiles had a rounded corner, I used a corner rounder paper punch and rounded all of the corners of each square of paper.  This also helps prevent any corners that might want to pop up when Mod Podging later.  

Laying all of the tiles on a piece of plastic, I Mod Podged each tile with probably 4 or 5 coats allowing to dry in between.  Once you have decided you have enough Mod Podge on your coasters let them dry over night and then take a piece of super fine steel wool and a bit of water and sand each one until smooth.  This takes all of the brush marks or bubbles out of the final coat.  Once that was dry, I sprayed them with a clear coat sealer to make them water resistant.  For the final step, I glue a piece of cork to the bottom of each one.  Sorry no picture of that, but really there is a piece of thin cork on the underside.

I made 12 sets of these and gave them to my friends, designers I work for, and one set went to a gal that invited me and my girls for a tour of her home which was a Christmas wonderland.

I tied each stack with a bit of twine and there you have it a handmade gift that everyone can use.  

I am participating in the following link ups:  Between Naps on the Porch, The DIY Showoff,Boogiboard Cottage, Its So Very Cheri, Sew Chatty, Dittle Dattle, Sew Can Do, Keeping It Simple, Skip to My Lou, Coastal Charm, Ladybug Blessings, Today's Creative Blog,Sugar and Dots, My Girlish Whims, The Thrifty Home, Blue Cricket Design, Sew Woodsy, The Tablescaper, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Making the World Cuter,Itsy Bitsy Paper, So Much Ado, One Tough Mother, Sweet Peas and Bumblebees, Handy Man, Crafting Woman, Women Who Do It All, Seven Thrity-three, Someday Crafts, Tea Rose Home. Lil' Luna, Momma Hen Scoop, Sugar and Dots, {Primp}, Sommewhat Simple, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Tales From Bloggeritaville, Gluesticks, Momnivore's Dilemma, Beyond the Picket Fence, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Simply Sweet Home,Truly Lovely, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Someday Crafts, Passionately Artistic, Goodbye city, Hello suburbs, Handy Man, Crafty Woman, Make it Great Monday,Vintage Gwen, Sew Country Chick, 5 Minutes Just for Me

Three Word Thursday

I am back . . .