Photography and Faith

New Obsession

2015-03-11T06:45:00.000-07:00

I know when most people bring up obsessions, I get a little uneasy...

"Oh no, it's about to get weird."

But I assure you, I'm not about to get weird. Well.. weirder.

I want to share with you one of my new favorite places to visit online! It's an online consignment shop called ThredUp. Perhaps you've heard of it? No? Well then keep reading!

ThredUp has so many amazing brands of clothing and accessories at up to 90% off retail- what's not to love?! You can even order a polka dot bag to sell your old clothing, but I suggest reading what clothing items they accept first. They even have designer bags and shoes. But I'm a clothing kinda girl. That's just the way it is.

If you're not into shopping for yourself, may I suggest checking out their kids clothing (yes, they sell clothing for kids!) or perhaps the Juniors section, or maybe New With Tags clothing to give as a gift? No, really. There's new clothing at up to 90% off the tag price!

I'm sharing my personal invitation link here: Emily is inviting you to ThredUp!
And some of my style shops (so you can see a little of what kind of clothing and accessories they offer) here:

Fresh and Feminine

Nautical Nonsense

Junior Dream

Love for the Timeless

Mega Maxis

Tribal, Aztec, & Animal

Floral Fantasy

Following any of those links will get you a $10 off credit to use on your first order ☺ BUT, you will have to pay the $5.99 shipping and handling fee. Which really isn't bad if you choose to purchase something $9.99 or under. That item will only cost you the $5.99 shipping!

So if you don't already have an account, you really should check it out! I'm going to update this post after while with some of the items I've ordered in the past. I have purchased from them 5 separate times, and have no complaints! Although shipping can be a little slow (up to 8 days), but I'm a patient person! *wink*

Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and right here on my blog!

2015?? Really???

2015-02-05T10:46:00.001-08:00

Woah. It's been a hot minute since I've posted... Allow me to apologize and maybe share what's been going on in my life (not that anybody is interested- you can always skip this post ;))

I did my fourth year of summer missions work with churches throughout my county. I made a new bestie through that, and am so glad God brought her into my life! She is awesome! I'm in the middle of decision making time, whether or not I will do it again this coming summer. I'm leaning toward yeeeess, unless something else pops up that will have me too busy. But I'm super excited either way!

Let's see, I went to Children's Hope in Jacmel, Haiti for the second time back in August. It was just as incredible on the second round as the first! This time we did less community work, and stayed mostly at the orphanage getting to know the kids and helping our hosts with anything they requested.

I'm currently substitute teaching in an elementary school. It's really opened my eyes to if I think education is really where I want to be. I feel God's calling in my life is to work with children, but maybe He's leading me to work outside of the United States. I gots some prayin' to do! (Considering I'll be back in school soon!)

I think that's a sum-up of all the big stuff. Not too much going on. Oh, yeah! I also started singing in the church choir since my mom became the music leader. Like what even? But anywho, I've been meaning to get some new crafts and different things posted, but my blog is a back burner type of thing; I do it when I can/want to.

Hopefully, I'll be posting some new things very soon.. so keep a look out! ☺

Who I Am Designs Jewelry

2014-03-03T13:44:00.003-08:00

So, I've been making jewelry for about the past year in efforts to raise money for missions trips to Haiti. I just thought that I would share some of my creations with everyone ☺ I hope you enjoy!

Though I do not currently have online buying available, I hope to be able to do that very soon! As always, follow me on Pinterest and check out more jewelry on Facebook and this special Pinterest page here.

Valentine's Nerd

2014-02-10T12:05:00.000-08:00

Hello, hello, my lovelies!

Valentine's Day is approaching quickly and I thought this year I would go a little overboard on my sweetie's gift. You see, I indulge his nerd side as often as I can, and I figured he would get a real kick out of this Star Wars themed gift. It is oh so much better than that standard box of mystery chocolate- you know the one (toothpaste flavor, oh yum!)

I originally picked up some Star Wars goodies in early January to hold until his birthday (March is just too far..), but I just couldn't resist giving them to him for Valentine's Day. He'll be so surprised! I think he'll love it, but according to him, he's loves everything I do that's personalized. Awwww...

Below, I'll show you everything I put in his box. And when I say I like to indulge his nerd side, I also mean his childlike heart.. Very childlike heart. There are a few extra things I threw in for good measure, which you will see.

Things you will need:

- If it is Star Wars related, GET IT

- A nifty box to put all those treasures in

- Star Wars Valentines add to the overall appeal

Yup, it really is that simple. And since it is themed, this gift can pretty much cost as little or as much as you want. It all depends on the contents.

Here we go..

I chose a sturdy container so that it could hold whatever I wanted to add. Dollar Tree has tons of options in many different colors. I picked red like Darth Vader's lightsaber. (This is coming from someone who, sadly, hasn't even successfully sat through any of the original films. Maybe that's what we'll do with the rest of the day..)

When I was in my local Dirt Cheap, I came across lots of ten cent finds, including lots of Star Wars goodies. I didn't spend more than a dollar on any of the small items. What a great find!

There was a 100 piece puzzle, two small stuffed figures, a giant Yoda eraser, a Grad&Go play pack, a Darth Vader cup, and a full size play lightsaber! Can you say awesome? No worries, I got both of us covered: AWESOME!

My only real splurge in the box was the Blu-Ray/DVD 6-disc combo pack of the three original films. I also got this really cool light-up candy lightsaber (which I've given him before and he loves).

I placed the Star Wars Valentines on each of the items in the box as a "corny yet cool" feature. My favorite is R2-D2: I bet you whistle at all the droids. Boom. I just love that.

It really came together great and may be one of the best themed gifts I've given him since the Zombie Survival Kit. That was a classic...

Now, amongst all the super Star Wars stuff, I put some cutesy/corny more traditional Valentines. My sweetheart likes dinosaurs, too, so I fashioned some little homemade things together for his gift including a hand-drawn dino picture and a card tied to a plastic T-rex from the Dollar Tree.

There's also a little stuffed bear in there with the tagline: I love you "beary" much!

So, you've now seen this years Valentine's Day gift! You can follow me on Pinterest and LIKE my page on Facebook! Happy gifting! ♥

Book of Love: A Personalized Scrapbook

2014-01-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting around to posting this (it took me long enough..), but this was part of my honey's Christmas present! I saw an idea similar to this one somewhere online, but it wasn't as detailed as I was hoping, so I wanted to put mine up ☺

Some of you will be stepping out of your comfort zone on this one. It requires gutting an old book.. *GASP* The horror! I know, I know. I felt bad doing it, but honestly, no one in my household is going to read that Reader's Digest from the fifties. Now, if you make it past this stage, it's clean sailing.

Here is what you'll need:

An old book- think thrift shop find
Glue (and maybe tape)
Photos
Scrapbook pages
Stickers to decorate (I also used wooden shapes)
A binder center or rings (I used rings)
White 4X6 notecards

Ok, gut that book! Just make sure you only take out the pages, but leave the entire cover intact! It won't work if the cover gets ruined.

Next, cover the inside with pretty scrapbook paper.

Poke the rings through the book's spine. If you decide to use a binder center instead, you will not be able to glue the ribbon down, ok? And you will need to used really strong glue to put it in place ☺ These will hold your pages inside. I used wooden shapes to decorate my inner covers and some of the pages I added. To cover the inside spine, I took a strip of thick ribbon and glued it down.

The pages were also made from scrapbook paper and I placed a white notecard on the pages I wanted to add text to.

Some pages were decorated with ribbon and stickers.

I used some of my favorite mushy quotes and special messages on some pages and glued pictures to the white backsides of other pages. Instead of typing anything, I hand wrote all of it so that it would be even more special.

Make your book as unique as you can ☺ The person who receives it will love all the work you put into it!

Happy crafting!

Monogram Mania!

2013-10-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

Everything!

Etsy.com

I don't know about you guys, but monogram is a staple here in the South. We monogram everything, and I do mean everything. So here is my first freebie post! It's for, you guessed it- monogrammed wallpapers! Is that too far? Eh, who cares! I'm also posting links to some of the most adorable monogrammed accessories I've seen floating about the web.

Also on Etsy.com

Monogram not your thing?

Try finding a fab background and adding a block of color with your favorite quote or song lyrics over it!

My current desktop!

Polka dots

Latest obsession? Lilly Pulitzer!

Stripes

Not sure how to do it yourself? Open up "Paint" in your computers start menu under accessories and add text over this picture. Don't wanna d it yourself? I hear ya! Tell me what you want in the comments and I'd be happy to do it for you! Free, of course ☺ Leave me your email, too!

On Mission in: Haiti

2013-10-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Wow, let me blow the dust off my blog here.. Sorry I haven't posted in so long, but now I'm back! ☺ I have plenty of things to share in coming posts, but I figured I would start off sharing about my recent trip to Haiti!

September 7-14, I was in Haiti on a mission trip with a team of ten other people. It was an amazing experience, and yesterday I learned I may be able to go back next summer! There are so many things I could share about the awesomeness of God, He was definitely with us every step of the way- from getting bags checked to traveling by tap-tap through Jacmel. God is so good!

I will share some photos in this post, all of scenery and I will update again later when I have more time!

The last evening we were in Haiti, our hosts, Tommy and Joy Schwindling of the Alabama House in Jacmel, Haiti, took our team out to dinner at Caplamandu. All of the following photos were from the restaurants balcony.

The view from Caplamandu.

Sunset

Beach

Flowers

Sunset

And here's one of me and one of the sweet children I met while there.

Though Haiti has many devastating parts, it was indeed a beautiful country. God is moving there, His grace and His mercy are enough.

Belt of Truth Hanger

2013-02-14T19:16:00.000-08:00

If any of you are like me, you have belts galore with nowhere to hang them. Mine were actually rolled up inside a bucket tucked away in my closet... Out of the way, but also out of mind because I never saw them. Now, I've seen this particular craft done before and I love it! But this really came together when my best friend brought me a few oddly sized canvases. I looked them over and picked the long skinny one and said, "I have just the plan for you!" This craft is very simple and takes just a few minutes, so even if you're a crazy busy college student like me, you can probably find a moment to do this!

The scripture pulled is from the book of Ephesians, chapter 6:

The Armor of God- Ephesians 6: 10-20
¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Supplies You Will Need:
- Long, skinny canvas
- Paint and/or Scrapbook paper
- Small hooks that can screw into the canvas
- Marker or sticker letters
- Decorative stickers (optional)

The canvas I used was 4 inches by 12 inches, so long and narrow.

Long and narrow!

The hook will be screwed directly into the side of the canvas!

Roll the canvas in the scrapbook paper and screw the hooks through the paper!

See? Easy, easy, easy! Now you have just the place to put all those tangled belts!

All done!!

Pampering Gift Set

2013-01-04T08:12:00.003-08:00

What woman doesn't enjoy being pampered? The answer to that- none! This gift is simple and cheap- and sure to be a hit with whoever you give it to!

What You Will Need:

- Basket

- Lotion

- Shower gel

- Nail polish

- Nail buffer

- Shower poof

- Nail file

- Foot scrubber or file

- Picture frame

Fill your basket up as much as you can.

Put the basket inside of a colorful plastic gift bag.

There is no limit to how much you can add to this gift! The bigger the basket, the more you can stuff it with!

Movie Night Gift Box

2013-01-04T07:50:00.001-08:00

A few months ago I made a post regarding a Movie Night Gift bowl (found here) and needless to say, it was a huge hit! Anyone who has received one of these gifts loved it- which makes the giver feel really good.

The best part of this gift for you as the giver? It's fairly inexpensive. The most expensive thing going into the gift is the movie.

This is just a slightly different way to do the same gift.

Want You Will Need:

- Large bowl or popcorn box (found at Dollar Tree)

- Movie of your choice

- Popcorn

- Various candy

- Soda

Get as many different types of candy as you want! And of course soda!

Simple, yet very effective at bringing a smile to someone's face!

5 Sneaky Acne Causes

2013-01-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, you occasionally get breakouts- even though you're not a teenager anymore. But I'll let you in on a little secret.. The five tiny causes below are many actions we are guilty of, but no worries! We can easily stop doing them!

1. Hands off: Adult acne can appear anywhere you apply repeated or extended pressure on your skin. Resting your chin on your hand while you work, pressing your mobile on your chin, or wearing tight clothing can contribute to acne. Touching your face can be a hard habit to break. To break the acne cycle, try using a headset with your mobile phone and wearing a ponytail to keep hair out of your face.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash

2. Sweat it out: Surveys show that we often touch our faces 10 to 12 times an hour. This can increase during summer as we wipe sweat from our faces. Unfortunately, sweat contributes to clogged pores so instead of wiping sweat with your hands, invest in makeup-removing wipes.

3. Glasses glitch: For acne-prone skin, glasses are an extra opportunity for nose pimples. Wearing glasses makes it easier for oil, dead skin and dirt to remain on the skin and clog pores beneath the frames. To avoid breakouts caused by glasses, give the area added attention during your cleansing routine. Also, keep wipes nearby to clean your frames and skin throughout the day.

4. Long bangs: Be aware: your fringe may be causing forehead acne. Apply styling products with fingers or a comb instead of spritzing on your hair and face. Hair products can block your pores and start a breakout.

Olay Acne Control Face Wash

5. Sunscreen side effects: I hope you're wearing sunscreen every day, even if it's overcast- not that I'm not guilty of usually skipping! But any beauty products without noncomedogenic on the label can set your acne-prone skin off. Choose water-based foundations, mineral-based powders and oil-free sunscreens to minimise your blemish count.

Maybe by knowing some of these small factors, you can save yourself from a breakout!

Zombie Survival Kit 2.0

2012-12-31T10:46:00.002-08:00

Ok, so in the last Zombie Survival Kit post, I mentioned that my Honey Bee wanted a bigger, better kit for Christmas. Well, here it is!

I was able to get some really neat stuff during October since, you know, Halloween was then. Take the edible body parts- that is so gross to me, but my guy laughed really hard when he saw it.

Scroll through this post to see just how YOU can make the Zombie Survival Kit 2.0!

What You Will Need:

- A medium to large sized cardboard box

- Spray paint

- Caution tape (optional)

- Brown packaging paper

- Small round containers

- Zombie decor (like the fake brains below)

- Large candy bars

- Red crosses

- Energy labels

- Zombie warnings

- Fake guns, knives, etc.

- Matches or a lighter

- Emergency heat

- Peanut or regular M&Ms

- Flashlights

- Binoculars

- Large blanket

- Filter masks

- Candy sticks as "matches"

I labeled this plastic brain as "Zombie Bait."

Edible body parts! Ick...

A put a back scratcher in the kit with the tag saying: If you find yourself alone during this time, you'll need a good back scratcher for those hard to reach spots.

I printed out some cool warnings and guides to take down on the inside flaps of the box.

The candy sticks will work as matches and you can put them inside of a small box and cover it in labels!

What would a survival kit be without weapons?? I included a bow and arrow set, water gun, and dart gun.

Here are toy binoculars, walkie-talkie, whistle, and compass, along with the filter masks and a rubber mallet.

The filter masks: Protect yourself from airborne illness. Being sick makes you slow. Being slow makes you zombie food.

The small containers will have the red cross labels hot glued to the tops and filled with the M&Ms.

This is the lighter and emergency heat. Emergency heat is awesome! But please don't play with fire...

The lighter and emergency heat wear taped with sticky caution tape with the tag: For long, cold nights. Or for cooking. Squirrel anyone?

I wrapped the weapons all together and labeled them.

The large candy bars can be wrapped in plain printing paper with the Emergency label!

Flashlights and binoculars.

These I found during Halloween also, just Zombie warning signs.

Most of the kit out of the box.

All wrapped up and ready! Make sure you "bloody up" the packaging for a spooky effect!

Remember, this is just a guide! Make the kit how YOU want it! Personalize it how your significant other would like it best!

Merry Christmas!

2012-12-21T21:48:00.001-08:00

Wow, it's already that time again! This year has certainly flown by and there have been so many blessings poured out on my family and me. I encourage all of you to write down every good thing that has happened to you this past year just to see how good God has been! My challenge for you (and myself) in the coming new year is to set up a jar to fill with little notes- notes that will remind you of blessings. When something good happens, write it on a slip of paper, fold it up, and collect it in the jar. When 2013 comes to an end, open your jar and read all the blessings! You'll be surprised how quickly they will add up.

I hope you and I both will make it a point in the new year to be more thankful! And let's not forget during this time that Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas. His birth brought us new life. So from my home to yours,

Merry Christmas!

Tappy Tap Shoes!

2012-11-30T18:25:00.002-08:00

My niece really likes to dance around the house wearing her black dress shoes. She calls them her "tappy tap shoes." Since she loves them so much, and of course dancing, I glued pennies onto the bottom of her shoes. Now they really "tappy tap!"

Tappy Tap Shoes!

Supplies you will need:
- 1 pair of shoes
- 6 to 10 pennies
- Glue gun or super glue

Just glue the pennies around the sides of the bottom of the shoe! Any kid that loves making noise will definitely like these shoes!

DIY Chandelier Earrings

2012-11-30T18:14:00.000-08:00

I made these recently as a Christmas present I'll be giving to my best friend. They took a little time, but were well worth all the effort put into them!

Supplies you will need:
- 2 Earring chandeliers
- 2 Fishhook earwires
- 12 Headpins
- Small jump rings (if desired)
- 24 pearl beads
- 10 flower shaped glass beads (or other shapes)

These earrings are on the heavier side because I used glass beads. If you like lighter earrings, use plastic or even wooden beads!

{Will be posting a video soon!!!!!!! So stay tuned!!!! ☺}

Pass the headpins through a pearl bead, then the flower bead, then another pearl bead.

Use pliers to fold the cut headpin back against the top pearl bead.

Use the same technique for the pearl bead used in the top of the chandelier. Fold the headpin back, leaving room for the pearl to dangle. Cut the excess headpin and fold what remains back against the bead.

On the fishhook earwire, I had springs resting at the bottom, but I removed those a replaced them with yet anther pearl. So this is a cuter option than the spring!

Ta-da!

Finished product!

5 Habits of Happy Families

2012-11-30T16:38:00.004-08:00

For my Human Growth and Development class, we had to read a short article on the 5 Habits of Happy Families, then in our own words, tell what each habit means to us. Here are mine. I thought it was worth sharing ☺

While it's still fall, let me say this!

Instructions from my teacher:

Read the attached article. Then 1) in your own words, summarize each habit in a few sentences. Explain the principle or the research that supports the idea. 2) Give examples from your own family, both good and bad, that relate to the habit. 3) Journal your Thanksgiving with regard to these habits.

Give Thanks -- No Matter What:

We should always be thankful for what we have. There are many who aren’t fortunate enough to even have a family to call their own. So in the midst of all the ciaos of everyday life, be grateful for what you have. I know we can get pretty mad out my house when dishes don’t get done, laundry isn’t washed, and grass isn’t cut, but in the end, as long as everyone comes home from work and school safe and sound, we know we’re still blessed to have each other.

Seek Out Satisfaction in Your Choices:

We should be happy with whatever choice we make. Life is too short to regret our decisions. Plus, regretting the small stuff that really doesn’t matter just adds unneeded, and unwanted, stress. The choices we make should bring us happiness. My mother likes to say, “Don’t do anything you won’t be proud of later.” Our choices shouldn’t be something we might be ashamed of later, because that just zaps happiness. We should be able to live with all our choices.

Lose Yourself in the Moment:

In our society, we spend too much time analyzing the moment, or trying to create the perfect moment, instead of just living in the minute and realizing that it’s great just the way it is. We’d rather pull out our camera and capture pictures then sit back and just watch what unfolds around us. Great memories will always be with us, so we should learn to be as in the moment as possible. I have had many moments that are worth remembering, and I’m glad I didn’t close myself off to those moments or become too distracted with meaningless things. How are we supposed to focus on the moment at hand when we can be too busy staring at our phones and checking our emails?

Spread Out the Joy:

You never fully appreciate the things you didn’t work for. When you are just given everything you want, the gifts become meaningless. These material goods will bring you no joy if you didn’t work to achieve them. If you always got what you wanted, there would be no purpose for striving toward anything. There is a saying about how to achieve happiness that I believe holds true: Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt, dancing like no one is watching, and live like it’s heaven on earth. When we find joy in all areas of our lives, we reap the rewards that are sure to be found. Nothing has to be handed to us.

Focus On Your Circle:

Family and friends are meant to be the center of our lives. Humans are social creatures, and without that vital socialization, like flowers without sunlight, we would wither away. You shouldn’t worry about the lives of people who don’t really affect you. We spend so much time trying to make our lives look as interesting as Jill’s, who continuously puts up awesome Facebook pictures of her fabulous weekends. Why do we care? Our lives are just as interesting, just in a different way. I have a friend who told me, “I always thought you had to be doing something to have fun. But now I know that’s not true. I can sit at home playing with my baby boy all day, and have the best day ever!”

During Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to spend the day with family that I rarely see. We had the best time, eating made-from-scratch cake and swapping stories. Though my family is far from perfect, seen in my fussy niece (good thing she’ll never see this) begging for more milk and teddy bears, my cousin and brothers roughhousing in the next room, and my grandmother sharing the latest gossip, I love them and we are all thankful for the time we get to spend together. I know that I was able to lose myself in those moments and focus on the people that mean the most to me. As imperfect as my family is, and as much as we can all argue, I do believe we are happy just as we are.

Book Post- The Host

2012-10-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

This book is by Stephenie Meyer (yes, that is the author of the Twilight series) but it's not just like Twilight! If you're looking for something a little more grown up, I recommend this. Love it, or hate it, I happen to like it ☺ Leave your feedback on this read in the comments section! I'd love to hear what you think!

Book Description

Release Date: May 6, 2008

The author of the Twilight series of # 1 bestsellers delivers her brilliant first novel for adults: a gripping story of love and betrayal in a future with the fate of humanity at stake.

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves-Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.

inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves-Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.

- as seen on Amazon.com

Here on this blog...

2012-10-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! I've added another link in the top tabs to my new Tumblr page, Anything Ridiculous. Check it out!

You'll find adorable pictures like these, and maybe even some of my own work ☺ I look forward to any and all feedback! So drop me a line in the comments!

I've just got it started so there's not too much going on, but as time goes on, the Tumblr page will grow along with this blog. Thanks for following!

And remember to follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!

In the Garden

2012-09-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

Our yard is always full of flowers and lots of other flora, and plenty of fauna too. My mom loves gardening. Maybe digging around in the dirt and realizing that you can coax something to grow from your handy work makes it worth all the time it takes to do it. Whatever her reasons for loving it so much, I appreciate all the beauty she adds to our home.

My mom loves flowers all over the yard.

Fresh pears all autumn long!

My Mocha

My shy cat, Franny

Such a pretty tree. Love crate myrtles!

Zombie Survival Kit

2012-09-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, let me start this off right. I love my man very much. So much so, that I made him a zombie survival kit.

I hate zombies. Zombie movies, zombie games, zombie blah blah blah.

My fella however, loves them. And anything else that is scary and/or creepy. He's a horror movie junkie, whereas I am not. Ever.

So to prove my undying affection for him, I decided I would make him this gift for no reason at all. (Who doesn't love getting gifts for no reason, right??) Needless to say, it was a huge hit with him. He loved it so much, in fact, that he wants me to make an even bigger, better one for his Christmas present this year.

Oi.. But I said ok. 'Cause remember, I love this guy!

Does your gentleman or lady love zombies? Can't convince them to stop? Well then, love them through it!

Follow the easy picture guide below to create your very own Zombie Survival Kit.

{Follow this link here for the Zombie Survival Kit 2.0!}

Supplies:

- Shoe Box

- Black Spray Paint (to paint shoe box)

- Candy Bars (Power Bars)

- Small Box (to put "matches" in)

- Candy Sticks ("matches")

- Flashlight

- Pretzels M&Ms

- Brown Wrapping Paper

- Mesh Drape

- Caution Tape

- Red Paint (blood)

- Empty Glass Root-beer Bottle

- Peanut M&Ms

- Granola Bar (Energy Bar)

- Bookmark

- Stencils (if you want to do it by hand)

- Band-aids in Case

- Toy Gun and "Ammo"

- Masking Tape

- Werther's Original Candy ("gold")

- Cologne

Keep in mind that any of this candy can be substituted based on what they like.

Just click the pictures to enlarge!

Paint shoe box black and add red hand prints or red paint splatters. Wrap in caution tape.

Decorate the kit so it looks creepy and slightly aged.

This is just a granola bar wrapped in white printing paper.

"You will get bored while hiding out. Be sure to bring literature."

This caution tape was found at the Dollar Store. Not exactly what I was looking for but it worked great!

Stencils will really REALLY help if your printer is out like mine..

Make it creepy! Zombies are creepy!

Root-beer bottle filled with M&Ms. "To keep your mind off your troubles and to chase the shadows away."

This nifty bandage holder was just laying around my house, so I used black nail polish to cover the design, then used red polish to write "first aid" on it. Fill with band-aids. "For minor cuts, scrapes, and burns. NOT for gunshot wounds or gashes."

"Matches-" small box painted black and wrapped in caution tape.

Candy sticks! Used to eat these like crazy as a kid! They made great matches.

Chocolate bars wrapped in white printing paper, and stencils were used to decorate them.

Find a toy gun with darts or one that makes noises. This one even came with a target to practice "zombie hunting."

The flashlight is very important. "To light your way in darkness." Put some kind of candy in it, like Pretzel M&Ms. Or, hey, even batteries!

My guy laughed the hardest at this! "For when bathing is not an option." A little bit of cologne.

Small tub for "gold." "Gold is valuable everywhere."

Werther's Original Candy is excellent as gold pieces!

Put it all together!

Wrap it up in brown paper that you messily cover in masking tape!

Whip out that red paint!

And make it absolutely scary and authentic!

Well I hope your zombie loving significant other loves this gift as much as mine did! As always, follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!

Fall Wreath

2012-08-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

Fall is almost here! I love fall more than any other season because it is so colorful! I bought the wreath used for this craft at Micheal's Craft Store and the leaves were purchased in a bag of 50 from the Dollar Tree, along with the sunflowers.

Now just follow this easy picture guide to create your own!

Supplies You'll Need:

-Grapevine wreath

-Artificial flowers

-Artificial leaves

-Hot glue gun

Supplies you will need!

Push the flower tip through the center of the leaf before hot gluing.

Hot glue flowers into place.

Single flower arrangement with leaves on the side.

Double flower arrangement with leaves on the side.

Tuck leaves into the vines and hot glue into place.

Your leaves should be tucked into place around your flowers and into the vine.

Hang on the wall or your front door!

Follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!

Book Post- The Bride Collector

2012-08-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

For those of you who like thrillers, this book is awesome! I happen to love Ted Dekker and think his books are great- and this is coming from someone who doesn't like scary things. This book was hard to put down and was very interesting. I recommend Ted Dekker's other works as well, such as the Boneman's Daughters.

Book Description

Publication Date: April 13, 2010

FBI Special agent Brad Raines is facing his toughest case yet. A Denver serial killer has killed four beautiful young women, leaving a bridal veil at each crime scene, and he's picking up his pace. Unable to crack the case, Raines appeals for help from a most unusual source: residents of the Center for Wellness and Intelligence, a private psychiatric institution for mentally ill individuals whose are extraordinarily gifted.

It's there that he meets Paradise, a young woman who witnessed her father murder her family and barely escaped his hand. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Paradise may also have an extrasensory gift: the ability to experience the final moments of a person's life when she touches the dead body.
In a desperate attempt to find the killer, Raines enlists Paradise's help. In an effort to win her trust, he befriends this strange young woman and begins to see in her qualities that most 'sane people' sorely lack. Gradually, he starts to question whether sanity resides outside the hospital walls...or inside.
As the Bride Collector picks up the pace-and volume-of his gruesome crucifixions, the case becomes even more personal to Raines when his friend and colleague, a beautiful young forensic psychologist, becomes the Bride Collector's next target.
The FBI believes that the killer plans to murder seven women. Can Paradise help before it's too late?
-as seen on Amazon.com

My First Newborn Session!

2012-07-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

An old friend got in touch with me not too long ago and asked if I would be interested in doing her newborn's photos. Of course, I hopped on that like hungry wolves on a juicy steak! I've never had the chance to take newborn pictures, so this was very exciting for me. I've heard you have to have a lot of patience to do baby pictures and I finally found out firsthand. He was a little on the fussy side through most of it, but he was completely adorable and I enjoyed every minute of it ☺

100% Boy!

Fresh from Heaven

Isn't he the cutest thing?! I so enjoyed taking these pictures and it was an excellent time to catch up with my friend. He is a beautiful little boy!
Remember to check out and like my page on Facebook and follow my boards on Pinterest!

Laugh a Little

2012-07-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we could use a pick-me-up. Just a little something to put a smile on our faces. Maybe these candid pictures I found on Pinterest can be of use to you for just that!

(Click an image to enlarge!)

I laugh every time I see these pictures!

Remember: Smile ☺

Making It New Again

2012-07-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered around a thrift store looking at charming old decor, thinking It's cute, but it wouldn't fit in around my home, simply because it was outdated? Well don't rule out something adorable simply because it needs some TLC. I found this sassy Kitchen Closed sign for a dollar. All it needed was a few coats of acrylic paint, some artificial flowers, and a new ribbon- now it looks brand new!

It makes a lovely addition to our kitchen ☺

Thrift store cow hanger for $1

Kitchen Closed: This heifer has had it!

So are there any thrift store finds you've come across that you fixed or updated?

I'd love for you to share!

As always, find me on Pinterest and Facebook!