A Step in the Journey

A Banner Round UP

2012-02-24T05:31:00.001-05:00

I am LOVING all of the banners that I am seeing around blogland. Each one of the are so unique. I've created a few around A Step in the Journey, but I think I need to be a little more creative!

I'm feeling like I need to have a shindig so that I can decorate using these FANTASTIC ideas.

All of the images can be found on my Entertaining Board on Pinterest.

I love the simplicity of burlap & all of these banners pull it off perfectly :o)

via

The banners below used fabric WELL to decorate their spaces.

via

Paper also can do the trick!

via

And if I were to marry III all over again, I guarantee a guest might see one of these banners.

via

Thanks friends for the inspiration.

HELLO. Yarn Wreath

2012-02-23T04:56:00.003-05:00

I am LOVING everything yarn lately :o) It's so warm and cozy and just makes me want to sit down and stay awhile. You'll notice my affection after seeing a few projects I hope to having popping up around here soon. Beginning with

Meet my new LOVE. The yarn wreath that so warmly greets all guests who enter our home with a simple

HELLO.

I know back in the Fall I promised I would NEVER make a yarn wreath again because it took HOURS upon HOURS to create and I felt that I could have sanded, painted, and distressed ALL of my kitchen cabinets in the time it took to wrap yarn in a circle enough times to cover a simple foam wreath. Well, I lied.

And the admissions don't stop there, because I have another yarn project in the works...

I used a green wire garden wreath form for the based. Then I wrapped and wrapped and just when I thought I was finished wrapped some more.

For the pinwheel, I followed these directions from The Polkadot Chair.

I added a rosette to the center & attached the pinwheel to the wreath with hot glue.

For the HELLO pennant banner I used a piece of polka dot scrapbook paper, copy paper, a letter stamp set, & a little black ink.

Simple. but Polite.

After gluing the pennants to a piece of yarn I attached the banner to the wreath as well.

I am still debating whether to add a piece of ribbon or yarn to hang the wreath from. I don't want anything too overpowering. Ideas?

For now it sits on the wreath hanger, greeting our guests, awaiting it's destiny.

Sharing...

Happy Birthday to two sweet friends, Katie & Stephanie :o)

Ash Wednesday

2012-02-22T05:16:00.002-05:00

Today's Ash Wednesday...it kind of snuck up on me. I had planned to post about the yarn wreath I FINALLY finished, but this post feels more appropriate.

(And total side note, but apparently "snuck" is not a word, at least according to the red squiggly line underneath it.

But you know what I'm going for here...the past tense of sneak)

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season, counting 40 days (minus Sundays) and leading up to the celebration of the resurrection of our Savior, on Easter Sunday. It is a time to pray, reflect, and repent. Many associate the celebration with the 40 days Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness.

A time leading up to the ultimate sacrifice.

Luke 4

The devil said "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."

But Jesus told him, "No! Man does not live by bread alone."

The devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

"I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them because they are mine to give to anyone I please."

Jesus replied, "You must worship the Lord your God, and only Him."

Then the devil took him to a cliff and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! The scritures say God will order his angels to protect and guard you, and they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone."

Jesus responded, "The scriptures say, You must not test the Lord your God."

Then the devil left him until the next opportunity came.

However, more often than being associated with a time of pray, reflection, and repentance, Lent is tied to the idea of "Giving Something Up." And I've done it all: coke, ketchup,exercise :o) What was important for me to always remember was what I gave up needed to be replaced prayer, reflection, and repentance.

Recently, I've looked at Lent in a different way. Instead of giving something up...I've thought of what I can take on to help strengthen my relationship with the one who didn't succumb to the strongest of temptations during his 40 days in the dessert.

Last year I wrote cards...

40 days = 40 cards and I sent them through snail mail.

This year, after a conversation with a friend, I've decided to take on a more dedicated & focused prayer life. Conversation is after all the means to growing a relationship with a friend and so it is also true for our relationship the Lord. III and I are going to do this together. Here is the plan, so to speak. Each week of Lent we will pray for something specific.Whether small breath prayers, meditating over it in our quiet time, or as our last words before our heads hit the pillow, we will pray for that week's focus. We haven't mapped out all of Lent just yet, but here are some areas we know we want to pray about:

Our Relationship,

Our Future Family/Kids,

Members of our Family,

Potential Mission Trip

. . . . .

And if you don't mind, I want to leave you with an excerpt from what I wrote last year about Lent :o)

Participating in the Lenten season does not make one more holy, and failing at your task does not make one less. God is praised in our desire to honor Him & bring glory to His name. Grace is a gift freely given, expecting nothing in return. God's grace & our redemption are gifts, freely given the day we asked Jesus into our hearts.

Easter Sunday, is a celebration, but we can't forget the path that led to His resurrection. Death on the cross came first. The sacrifice of a loving God, that loves us SO much that he would send his Son to die for you and for me.

JELLO

2012-02-21T05:46:00.000-05:00

This is probably the essence of cheap...

it's no...$21.96 savings when only spending $11.55....OH YEAH :o)

like I did a Publix on Sunday.

(That's 4 boxes of Special K, Milk, Special K Protein Shake, Special K Protein Bars)

but it's "thrifty!"

So we like JELLO pudding in our lunch. What I don't like is the $3.19 price tag that the 6 cups bring.

I know...it's only like 53 cents each, but still.

So here is my solution.

8 reusable GLAD containers for $1.88.

1 box of JELLO pudding mix for $1.00

Equals 4 pudding cups for 25 cents each

(plus reusable cups, which basically means, I'm saving the environment too!).

if you want both chocolate & butterscotch!

Now, before you try this out yourself, let me let you in on a little secret we learned the hard way.

When your milk goes bad...so does you pudding.

yuck.

So, now we only make one box at a time,

giving us 4 cups at 25 cents a piece :o)

Considering we both take our lunch EVERY day, over time that is a pretty big savings if you ask me!

Sharing!

Under Construction

2012-02-20T08:33:00.000-05:00

With Picnik going away (shed tear here.) I'm messing around with some new blog design ideas...

Pardon the progress today :o)

feel free to comment on any of the designs you see! Hopefully, I'll get everything nailed down soon.

. . . . .

Happy President's Day!!

Have you seen this Honest Abe vinyl

from the lovely Mrs. Lara @ Less Cake More Frosting.

Way to get it Honest Abe :o)

A Good Belly Laugh

2012-02-17T06:26:00.000-05:00

I haven't been in a crafting mood as of late.

And I don't want to throw a project together & post it "for the sake of posting something."

Instead, I am going to share with you what I am SURE will give any craft blogger or crafter or person in general a good

BELLY LAUGH.

Have you seen these :o)

I told you right?

Did you get at least one good belly laugh in???

There is more where that came from...

because there is an entire website devoted to these Ryan Gosling quotes...

Handmade Ryan Gosling

You have to check it out :o)

Happy Friday!

My Story

2012-02-17T06:13:00.000-05:00

Last week I shared my story over at The Pless Press.

I love the idea behind Amber's series of sharing your Faith stories.
And I was honored to be invited to be a part of her journey in sharing the gospel.
If you missed it, here is a little big of me, going deeper...

. . . . .

I used to think I didn't have a "Faith Story." You see, I've been a Christian all of my life.
Born and raised in the deep south....and going to church every Sunday.
I was christened in the Methodist church before I could sit up.
Thinking over the past 27 years I don't have any dramatic life experiences and I haven't lived a life of struggle. Isn't that what it takes to have a REAL testimony???
But as I've grown up I realized that just because I don't have any major setbacks,
doesn't mean I don't have a story.
Because God is writing my story, and let's face it, He doesn't write boring ones.

I grew up in a small town and graduated public high school with 53 other classmates. My whole life in this small place where truly everyone knows your name, I was one of those kids who always did the right thing, and so the right thing was always expected. I didn't want to mess up, I didn't want to disappoint my parents, I didn't want to disappoint those in my life, and I definitely didn't want to disappoint God. I always associated being a Christian with not making mistakes and always doing the right thing.

I went off to Auburn at 17 years old.
But what I didn't know at the time, was when I went off to school my faith was my parent's faith.
It wasn't until college that I feel I truly took on my own faith.

{source}

I invested in GREAT friends, a place of worship, I wrote in a journal, prayed about life and trusted God with my future. I surrounded myself with positive influences. Those four years are some of the best of my life.

However, I still struggled with the false idea that God desired perfection.
And that to be a Christian you must go to church, pray, be a nice person, read your bible, not cuss, save yourself for marriage, not drink, and the list could go on and on and on.
I continued to feel the pressure of perfection, and because I felt it, God must expect it.

An idea that made me lean a little more toward justice and a little further away from grace.
I was hard on myself, and therefore also hard on people, but didn't realize it quite yet.

It's been almost six years since I left the Loveliest Village on the Plains (Auburn).

And I've continued to mature in my faith and learn more about what grace really is.

There have been two BIG impacts in my recent growth: My husband & Atlanta.

4.5 years ago I moved to Atlanta. Talk about culture shock.
I'd lived the better part of my first 23 years of life surrounded by people just like me.

I call it the bubble syndrome.
My whole life up to this point had been spent in this bubble.

Atlanta opened my eyes to a world a lot bigger than what I had once known. A world where people go hungry, children don't go to bible school, and young girls are forced into a life not of their choosing. My heart breaks for these people who, unlike me, weren't taken to church every Sunday and given the gift of a great support system. There are so many people out in our world, whose eyes are not open to what it means to be loved by a God whose arms are always open. While there are others out there (myself included) who strive to live a life worthy of the calling they have received and fall short everyday. But they aren't quitting the race. They are continuing the journey one step at a time. What a wake up call! There are these two groups of people...but God doesn't discriminate. The same grace God gives to all those who hear his name and choose to follow, he gives to me, and not because I have done ANYTHING to earn it.

Grace. What a simple word, with a HUGE impact.
It's a gift given freely, expecting nothing in return.

{source}

Our God is not a God who loves and saves us based on work (and perfection).
He is a God who "while we were yet sinners, sent his Son to die for us."
He is the God to those who believe and BECAUSE of this belief He produces good deeds through us. My desire to "do what I am suppose to do" isn't a path I'm taking to earn God's love, it's a path God leads me on because of my faith (and I'm allowed a few wrong turns).

The other huge impact on my faith is my husband. My other half that fortunately leans a lot more towards grace than justice. He's showed me what it's like to love despite faults, and to give people the benefit of the doubt. That mistakes are okay. He has been an tangible example of God's unconditional love. A child of God is constantly changing and I too am daily being molded into the person God has called me to be.

{source}

I know I will still struggle.
I will struggle with control.
I will ask the "What if's?"
I will strive for perfection and have to be reminded that God loves me, even when the cookies burn.
I do have an exciting story.
Because God is writing mine, and he doesn't write boring stories.

Okay, that was hard, but well worth it! Thanks Amber so much for having me :o)

25 Things: New Wheels

2012-02-15T06:07:00.001-05:00

1. We bought a new car on Saturday.

2. I'm not sure who is more excited, me or III?

3. It's a Toyota Highlander. Do you have one?

4. Do you love it? We do.

5. In order to get the best deal possible we drove 4 hours to check out these new wheels.

6. The car lived up to our expectations :o) Not one detail missing.

7. We spent a lot of time waiting at the dealership while they ran numbers.

8. They knew the best way to our heart though. An ice cold Coca Cola.

9. I was serious about the waiting.

10. Making the purchase...of course I had to document it.

11. Before we left III had to say goodbye to his car. A 1999 Honda Accord.

12. This car was good to him, 220,000 miles good. It was good to him.

13. It was hard to part ways...but not too hard because we had our fancy new car waiting on us.

14. Rico was a great sales guy.

15. And a movie coniseur. We actually watched one he recommended when we got home.

16. It was called Unknown, and III just told me he didn't recommend it, but that Rico actually said he didn't like it.

17. We did.

18. After 4 hours of waiting, chatting, signing, and handing over some moo-la, we headed home.

19. III drove first, but I got my chance too!

20. It's so much bigger than our Accords...it feels safe and high.

21. We couldn't wait to get home and show Max.

22. He LOVES all the space, but cars still make him a little anxious.

23. I think the heated seats are my favorite feature.

24. Or maybe the keyless entry/start.

25. Well that was until we locked the keys in the car on the second day we had it.

25+. Lesson learned.

So This is Love

2012-02-14T05:47:00.004-05:00

There is always this HALLMARK-Y pressure today.

Today needs to be a

thoughtful

creative

not break the bank

mushy

surprise

from the heart

fancy dinner

LOVE acrostic kind of day.

I asked my students what love was before III and I got married.

They wrote out their answers, and we placed them on the tables at the rehearsal dinner.

Love is taking turns taking care of the baby when it cries.

Love is always staying together even when its hard to do.

Love is going on dates on a regular basis because it will improve your relationship. You should surprise each other.

Love is always putting the other marriage partner's thoughts before yours. Say sorry when needed.

Love is coming home from work early to spend time with each other.

Love is surprising your husband with a glass of lemonade when he's cutting the lawn or going online to buy baseball tickets.

And do you know what? I think Hallmark gets is wrong, and these kids get it right.

Love is the everyday actions.

Paul says it best in Corinthians.
"Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it keeps no record of wrongs..."

. . . . .

So I have to brag on my husband for a minutes :o)

The other day I left for work around 6:20 am like I usually do. After a long day I called III on my way home and he said to look on the island at the house.

When I got home I found a note from III on the counter.

He said he knew I didn't feel well, so he wanted me to relax. The note let me know he had swept the floor and put away the clothes (both my chores). He also apologized for not putting away the dishes, but the cycle was still going when he left for work. III wrote that I should RELAX, put on comfy clothes and watch Fat People (The Biggest Loser) until he got home. He reminded me how much he appreciates what I do for both him and others in our lives.

I love my HUSBAND.

Don't you :o) I really don't know how I got so lucky!

So this is love.

It's an action...small ordinary moments that you make extraordinary,

acts of service towards those you love throughout the year.

So as much as I would like to thank Hallmark for giving III a reason to buy chocolate and flowers, I have to thank him even more for not limiting those LOVE moments to one day a year.

We will be celebrating tonight at a local pizza joint.

It's a tradition of sorts to always dine here on February 14th!

No Bake Cookies

2012-02-13T06:04:00.001-05:00

I don't know how I've gone my entire life without learning how to make these cookies...

They are DELICIOUS, EASY, and ~~FAT FREE~~ well, DELICIOUS

They would make the perfect Valentine's treat as well :o)

You only need SEVEN ingredients,

and the best part about this list,

these are everyday items you probably already have on hand!

In a pot or sauce pan mix

on medium/high heat and bring to a

After one minute add in the remaining 3 ingredients

and stir until well mixed.

I lined my tray with parchment paper, but you could always use wax paper if that is what you had on hand.

Then just PLOP down your no bake mixture one spoonful at a time.

For the quickest results (like in my case...I needed them ready in an hour) place them in the fridge to firm up.

Enjoy.

Sharing with a few lovely ladies :o)

Visiting The Pless Press

2012-02-10T05:17:00.001-05:00

A few months ago, the sweet Amber contacted me.

She asked if I would be willing to share my FAITH STORY on her blog, The Pless Press

I was honored to be asked, but you see I've gone to church my entire life...did I have a FAITH story??

The answer is, I do. Because you see

God is taking me on a journey, and I'm not there yet.

God is writing my story, and it's not finished.

He is the potter, I the clay, and while I'm taking shape...

I'm not sure what my purpose is just yet.

I'd love for you to come on over and read a little bit of my Faith Story :o)

Let's Check in on the Floors

2012-02-08T05:25:00.001-05:00

I had several requests for an update on our Peel & Stick Tile that we used in the laundry room.

We'll, it's still looking great :o)

We haven't poured water on it or anything,

but we have put it though normal, in and out, wear and tear.

And it looks as good as the day we put it down!

(minus the need for a little sweeping)

Here is a close up shot as well. One question was

What makes it look grouted?

There is a little trim around the edges that give the grout effect.

I'm still a big fan, have any of you tried Peel & Stick?

What are your thoughts?

Flat Bread Pizza

2012-02-07T05:31:00.001-05:00

Flat.Bread.Pizza

I watch The Biggest Loser. Have I mentioned that here before? Well, I shamelessly do :o)

A few weeks ago while watching one of the temptations on the show,

I discovered that the average frozen pizza has 2,000 calories.

Ladies and Gentlemen, that is more calories than we should have in a day!

And the truth of the matter is...III and I LOVE PIZZA.

And I must admit, a frozen pizza is an easy meal in the middle of a busy week.

Fast forward about a week, and I find myself at the grocery store. While walking down the bread isle I discovered the best pizza invention EVER (minus the pizza stone...and well the pizza cutter).

FLAT BREAD. And each piece is a measly 95 calories.

ENTER, our new obsession. Flat Bread Pizza.

It's SO simple, and A LOT less than 2,000 calories.

1. Add a little olive oil and cook on 450 degrees for about 5 minutes.

2. Spread out the pizza sauce

3. Chop some veggies and add them on top of the sauce layer

(we used tomatoes, green peppers, and onions).

4. Add some mozzarella cheese

(this is where the calories are really going to come from so don't go too crazy.

5. Sprinkle with Oregano

6. Bake for another 7-10 minutes on 450 degrees...

THERE YOU HAVE IT!

Slice & Enjoy

I find it goes best with a friend/husband & a RedBox.

(We've recently rented Midnight in Paris & The Help, both are lovely).

Sharing.

NoReply Comment Blogger - NO.MORE.

2012-02-06T06:12:00.000-05:00

I love meeting you through the blogging world.

I enjoy emailing back and forth with you and reading and responding to your comments.

Well at least to SOME.OF.YOUR.COMMENTS. :o)

Because sometimes...this happens

And it makes my heart sad. Because I want to let you know that

if you pull up a collage on Picnik, then choose a background color, but never insert a picture.

you can save it and then add text and pictures to create a "printable."

or what color I used in my bathroom makeover.

Maybe where to find the grapevine wire I mentioned

or how I glazed my kitchen cabinets

But I can't respond to your comment. WHY? because you are a noreply-comment blogger.

You might not even know it.

I know I didn't when I was first blogging.

I was a noreplyer too...

If you are a no-comment blogger (or if you don't know whether you are or not)...check this out.

Pull up your blog and go to the dashboard.

Click on Edit Profile

Under privacy, look where it says Show My Email Address.

If this isn't checked...I can't respond to your comments.

So check it. And let's be blog friends and email each other.

I promise I won't send you spam :o)

Sharing

Blogland's Fabulous Friday Finds: 02.02.2012

2012-02-03T05:58:00.002-05:00

It's been over two months, but today it's BACK!!!

I am loving these chevron pillows from The Blue Ribbon Cottage...

especially the beautiful flower on the front!

August Empress created these bright monograms...perfect for invitations and stationary!

This dresser from ampirlot on Flicker makes me want to make a few adjustments to my chevron island!

This simple kitchen table organizer would dress up any table! Find it on Etsy @ OldNewAgain.

I referenced this quote several times the other day :o) It made me happy!

Have a great weekend!

We'll be car shopping. Wish us luck :o)

25 Things

2012-02-01T05:54:00.004-05:00

1. The Big Bang Theory is ~~probably~~ my favorite TV show. The laughing gives me belly aches :o)

2. I know all the lyrics to the theme song to the above mentioned TV show...impressive?

3. It is on TV right now (a re-run). Smile.

4. Max is working with a dog trainer. I've said it before, but he kind of has bullying tendencies with other dogs. She calls him "reactive." He's getting better.

5. Yesterday I had a frosty from Wendy's. Can you remember the last time you had a frosty?

6. I had planned to do a post today with a new yarn wreath I'm working on, but it's not finished...

7. We might be buying a new car. Anyone out there have a Ford Edge? Toyota Highlander? What do you think of it?

8. III and I have been eating peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch. And yes, it's the honey in the bear bottle; I couldn't resist.

9. On Monday night, we rented Midnight in Paris with Owen Wilson. It was delightful. It also makes me want to go for the walk in the rain. But I have to wait for the weather to warm up.

10. Do you eat Doritos? They are my weakness. I try to hold myself to only buying them when they are on sale. This week they are Buy One Get One Free at Publix.

11. Today,while grocery shopping, I gave in to my weakness.

12. I have a new student from South Korea. He is precious, and has chosen his "American" name will be Harry. How cute is a 9 year old name Harry?

13. I'm thinking of doing another photography challenge. Anyone interested?

14. This past weekend I got to hang out with three of my best friends at one of their baby showers. We are scattered all of the world now, so these times are priceless.

15. Last night I made hashbrowns. I pretended I was a cook at Waffle House because I like their hashbrowns the best.

16. Mine didn't "brown" in the same way. They more "blacked."

17. Perfectly Imperfect might be having a 25 Things link party next week. So we may try this again.

18. The Super Bowl is Sunday, and I am one of the few girls out there who is pumped. I LOVE football.

19. Usually I stick with college, but don't mind NFL. Those I enjoyed watching in college are now there. Plus I can throw out random facts like, how Tom Brady had to fight for a starting position at Michigan or how Eli Manning has an older brother other than Payton, his name is Cooper.

20. I'll try and finish the wreath so I can share it with you soon.

21. Did you see the recipe I posted for Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars? I'm serious about you HAVING to make them. They are simply delightful.

22. III proposed by writing a list of 36 reason he loved/s me. We send lists back and forth rather often. Some of the same "inside jokes" always make the lists.

23. Have yall started thinking about what you are going to give your husband/boyfriend for Valentine's Day? I'm searching for ideas.

24. I really want a big fat, round candle for my coffee table, but I had NO IDEA they cost $30. I don't want to pay $30 for a candle.

25. I am actually writing this entry at night, and setting it up to post in the morning. Therefore, I am sleepy, so I'm off to bed. 5:15am is an early wake up call. When I wake up it will be February and you will be seeing this post.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

2012-01-31T06:10:00.000-05:00

Is your mouth watering yet?

These are AMAZING and OH.SO.SIMPLE.

With Super Bowl weekend around the corner this is a recipe to have on hand.

Oh, and wouldn't they make cute footballs???

I pinned the recipe, of course.

And knocked it out in like 30 minutes...

Ingredients

1 c. softened butter | 1 pack of graham crackers | 2 c. confectioner's sugar | 1 c. peanut butter |

1.5 c. semi-sweet chocolate morsels | 2 tbsp. peanut butter | 2 tbsp. butter

Crush the graham crackers

Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, 1 c. of butter, 2 c. confectioner's sugar and 1 c. of peanut butter.

Press evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

In a double boiler, melt together

1.5 c. chocolate chip morsels, 2 tbsp. of butter, and 2 tbsp, peanut butter.

Pour over the peanut butter layer.

Refrigerate.

Cut.

Serve.

Enjoy.

Sharing.

Tagxedo LOVE

2012-01-30T05:51:00.002-05:00

Have you heard of the website

Tagxedo?

If not, you should really check it out...you can make the coolest word clouds.

I used it to make the heart in this LOVE printable above and the entire LOVE below.

One really cool feature is it can make a word cloud for you blog using the popular words found in posts.

Here is mine.

and again...

So what are you waiting for?? Go and check it out!!

Sharing.

Valentine Card Ideas

2012-01-27T05:29:00.001-05:00

Have you seen all of the AMAZING ideas from blogland to pinterest???

Well, here they are all in one place. So gather your kids around and pick out your favorite!

You are sure to be the cutest VALENTINE in the class :o)

I Have My Eyes on You | ARMOMMY

You're just WRITE for me | Family Fun

Treat Bag Topper | makoodle

Treat Bag Topper | Thirty Handmade Days

Cute as a Button | Thirty Handmade Days

I Need to Pop a Corny Question | Sugar Bean Bakers

I "Chewz" You & Buttercup | Craft.O.Maniac

You INCHED Your Way into My Heart | Danielle's Place

I'd Snap at the Chance | Pinterest

For "Crayon" Out Loud | Flicker

Have a Colorful Valentine's Day | The Moody Fashionista

I had my Eye on You | Dandee

Key to My Heart | Dandee

Knot the Same | Dandee

Have a Ball | Dandee

I Mustache, Will You be My Valentine? | Ewehooo

I Hope You Have a Fan{TACHE}tic Valentines | Plum Adorable

I'm Cocoa for You | Home Confetti

Hershey Kiss Stickers | Shindig Parties To Go

Love is a Battlefield | Jac o' Lyn Murphy

Perfect Match | Pinterest

Scratch Off Lottery Tickets | Skip to My Lou

I'm a Sucker for You | Shindig Parties To Go

And a few for mom to give those she loves...

Button Heart | Pinterest

Felt Hearts | U Create

Love is More than a 7 Word Score | Doodle Love on Etsy

LOVE Coupons | Mommy by Day Crafter by Night

Enjoy.

Now, where to start?????

Sharing.

{Not So} Little Brother

2012-01-26T06:09:00.000-05:00

My little brother was 9 years old when I went off to college.

And I've lived away ever since.

To this day I still picture him as that 9 year old kid

and when I go home am always shocked by how much taller he is than I thought :o)

But he isn't so little anymore.

He's a senior in high school.

And an avid tennis player.

He practices in the rain.

He wakes up at 2:00 a.m. to watch the Australian Open.

He LIVES it.

And now he is going off to college to continue his passion.

Yesterday, he signed with Huntingdon College.

We're so proud of him!

Go Hawks :o)

Pink Lemonade Pie

2012-01-25T05:29:00.003-05:00

OH.MY.GOODNESS.

This Pink Lemonade Pie was wonderful.

Like most recipes these days, I pinned it first!

Then, gathered my supplies...the recipe came from Prepared Pantry, but I altered it slightly.

Ingredients

Crust

1 wrapped pkg. of graham crackers | 1/4 c. sugar | 4 tbsp. butter

Filling

8 oz. pkg. fat free cream cheese | 14 oz. sweetened & condensed milk | 1 can of pink lemonade concentrate | 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice | red food coloring

Topping

cool whip | 2 tbsp. sugar | dash of vanilla

To make the crust

In a food processor crush the graham crackers (or in a ziploc with your fist...take out a little aggression).

Mix with sugar & butter and then press into a spring form pan (or pie pan)...making sure to go up the edges. Then bake on 350 degrees for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, the filling

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese & sweetened condensed milk.

(Prepared pantry gave a great tip: if you pour in the milk first, it will not stick to the bowl & pour more easily.)

Then add the pink lemonade concentrate and lemon juice.

To make the pink really stand out, add some red food coloring.

Then pour into your pie crust & place in the freezer.

Last but not least, the topping.

I simply whipped the cool whip, vanilla, and sugar together before spreading over the top of my pie. Again, Prepared Pantry went a different route that includes coconut (but I'm quite the picky eater, so I left it out..but I am sure it's worth trying!).

Serve. Enjoy.

Sharing.

LOVE Printable

2012-01-24T05:29:00.002-05:00

Have you heard??

I am HEART BROKEN.

He said it wasn't me, but him.

Typical.

He tried to ease my pain with a gift, but nothing can ever fill the void in my heart.

Now I am left to remember what we once were.

And we were great together. Honestly.

Picnik is leaving me for someone else.

I'm going to make the best of this situation...so you might see a few more printables around than usual.

I have to squeeze all I can out of these next few months, because on April 19th...it'll be over.

Inspired by Nat King Cole...

For A Step in the Journey followers please.

Right Click, and save. It should print as an 8 x 10.

{PIN IT}

Now I've got to go dry my tears & drown myself in a container of cookies 'n cream.

With extra chocolate sauce.

Sharing.

Paper Heart Art

2012-01-23T05:30:00.003-05:00

With Cupid stringing his arrow, I thought I should start adding a few touches of love around the house.

This project has great Valentine's balance in my opinion...

it's sweet, but not drowning in a sea of red & pink.

Cozy. Cottage. Cute inspired the idea with this beautiful butterfly print.

I followed her advice of marking my canvas with a grid, to try and keep my rows & columns straight.

I punctured each vertex with my Sharpie pen, leaving behind dots to guide my heart arrangement.

{Side note: I LOVE Sharpie...don't you!! And their pens, to.die.for.}

I did a little multiplying and figured I needed 24 hearts.

I decided on 20 pebble grey (at least that is what the paint chip calls it), and 4 paper bag brown.

I punched out each heart using this handy gadget.

The using glue dots, I attached each of the grey hearts.

{I first tried one big paper brown heart, but wasn't in LOVE yet.}

Using a mini stamp set found at Tar-jay {aka Target}

I stamped out L.O.V.E. on each of my paper bag brown hearts and attached.

Finally, I made a little handmade baker's twine,

and tied it in a little bow about 1/3 of the way down.

Sharing.

LOVE is in the air

2012-01-22T21:56:00.001-05:00

LOVE is in the air

I'm looking forward to sharing a few LOVEly ideas this week.

Join me.

sharing with Rebecca @ the SIMPLE things

The River Printable

2012-01-20T05:23:00.015-05:00

A few weeks ago my mom sent me this quote from a young pastor at their church.

She wanted it to be her foundation for twenty12, and asked if I could make one of those "paper print things."

Who ever tells this mama, no. Not this girl :o)

Jump in the river.

And trust God.

He will lead you, and give you abundant life.

Of this I am sure.

{option 1}

{option 2}

Print for all followers of A Step in the Journey.

Right click to save an 8 x 10

Sharing.