Day by Day in VA

facebook timeline cover: MINT

2012-01-21T20:06:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd share this one, too. :)

make your own facebook timeline cover

2012-01-21T12:29:00.000-05:00

While Facebook does not offer the large timeline cover image for pages, you can certainly deck out your profile if you have a little Photoshop knowledge.

Recently I saw a design site offering templates for $40. Ahem. Here's a very simplistic way for you to begin making your own and saving your dough (if you have Photoshop).

Here's the short version of how I did mine. It's short because I'm going out on a limb to think you might have a little knowledge and I don't have much time. When I have more time, I'll give a step-by-step.

Start with a canvas sized 851 pixels x 315 pixels.
Fill in with a solid background color.
Use brushes to create a flourish (mine are hearts in the top left and bottom right). My brush is part of a package called My Heart Brushes by ~mcbadshoes. It's a free download and you can get it here. After installing the brush in Photoshop I was able to use it. I added a drop shadow to each flourish. I performed a Free Transform on the upper left flourish to turn it around.
For the images, I opened the ones I wanted to include, reduced their size, and drag-and-dropped them onto the canvas.
For the framed image, I used the Custom Shape Tool and chose Frame 7. I kept the color of the frame the same as the quote text and added Outer Glow.
As a placeholder for my Facebook profile pic, I added a white box and applied the same frame style around it. The profile pic appears 2 cm off the left and extends approximately 10 cm up into the canvas. The box should be about 10 cm x 15 cm.

Photoshop 7.0 screen-shot

Inserted into Facebook

Will this help you generate some ideas? I'll hope to have more of a tutorial later. To help me know if that's necessary, I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment. And don't go spending $40 for someone to create one for you.

lightbulb moment!

2012-01-20T12:08:00.003-05:00

This can't be an original idea, but in case it is, let me throw it out there.

Just a while ago I was nuking my lunch in the break room at work. I'm having one of those Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers. While watching it boil in the microwave something dawned on me. Why not reuse the packaging to make my own?

If you're not familiar with this product, it's a clear, plastic container with dried pasta and a separate container with sauce. You add water to the line on the bowl and microwave the pasta for 3 minutes and 30 seconds before stirring in the sauce.

Since the lid has a built-in strainer, why not reuse the container to boil your own pasta from home? You can bring a container of spaghetti sauce and have spaghetti, or perhaps macaroni and cheese (sliced cheese melts easily on hot pasta), or whatever pasta/sauce combination you desire.

It sounds like a great way to save money on lunch for work (I think I bought this as a 2-for-$5 deal), if I do say so myself. Even if the bowl only stands up to one or two more microwaving sessions you've saved a few bucks.

square stick wreath

2012-01-08T20:39:00.001-05:00

My babies and I enjoyed picking up sticks in the yard yesterday and breaking them down for this wreath.

We used our four biggest sticks as the frame, twisting wire around the corners to connect the pieces. We used wood glue to secure the sticks to the frame.

The wreath was allowed to sit and dry overnight - probably a full 24 hours, but even so, two or three sticks fell off when we picked it up.

I was going for a very simple wreath to display right now in the dead of winter. No extra frills. The wreath is hung by a piece of burlap garland (buy it by the roll at Ben Franklin for about $5) and a piece of twine which I wove through the garland to avoid ripping it. Once the garland was cinched to create the twine hanger, I tied a simple burgundy ribbon on it. I didn't buy any special ribbon especially for the project, just used what I had. I think this would really reflect the season with a wide white ribbon. Maybe on my next trip out ...

Happy Crafting,

crayola art

2012-01-07T18:15:00.003-05:00

So I fibbed. Here's another Pinterest-inspired craft for the day ... the Crayola art that everyone seems to love.

Let me say that it's a little trickier than I expected it to be. It's a two-person job. One to manage the heat gun (or blow dryer) and another to manipulate the canvas if the colors start going where you don't want them to go ... or if the colors just flat out don't go anywhere cool.

I bought two boxes of 24 Crayola crayons and two 8x8 canvases - one for each of my children - plus grabbed a handful of good-shape crayons we already had to mix it up a bit. The canvas on the left is for my son and the crayons are roughly in color order (or at least pleasing to my eye). The one on the right is my daughter's. She arranged the colors and suggested they run to the middle (it's a tree, don'tcha see?). He is four and she is nine. He doesn't care and she does (i.e. Mommy has creative control on the little guy but not so much with the big girl).

Tips:
1. Two people, as said before.
2. Melt from the top of the crayon, not the bottom (if you melt from the bottom, you blow the colors all over the place).
3. Use the end of a pencil to depress the canvas and encourage pooling in various spots.
4. We used a heat gun because my husband is on a power trip. A hairdryer might be a better tool because it won't heat the crayons as fast and you don't risk burning yourself as bad.
5. Work slowly. Turn the gun or dryer off every so often and let the wax cool and pool (I should trademark that!).

If I could do them over (or when I do them over), I'd go ahead with the bigger canvas and I'd be sure to go heavier with the green on my son's canvas. I would also insist that my daughter choose some brighter colors and omit the brown and black. She had a cool idea, actually ... but we had already started her canvas ... She suggested a line of pink and green alternating (maybe blocks of three at a time?) as an homage to Sweet Frog. That would be totally awesome. Maybe we'll end up with our own Crayola art gallery.

Other ideas for Crayola art:
1. Camouflage?
2. School colors (I'd opt for "old gold and blue" for my alma mater.)
3. Christmas red and green
4. Mix in several whites and get pastel effects in the pooling.
5. Pick one solid and go for it. I can see needing a punch of red in a room and this would be a neat way to accomplish it.
6. What if you leaned the canvas diagonally and all the wax ran to a lower corner instead of vertically?
7. Can you tape sections to create a shape in the middle that the wax runs around?

Hmm ...

If you have any tips or have created Crayola art canvases before, leave and comment and let's share ideas!

of pinterest interest

2012-01-07T16:28:00.003-05:00

So after pouring over the wonderful craft finds that are to be had on Pinterest (thanks, Pinners!), I got crafty today.

{Honestly, I had this fear wash over me (okay, not real fear, but I was a little shaken and disturbed) that I was accumulating all of these fantastic, simple craft ideas and not acting on them. In the way that I've decided to use Pinterest, the goal is to find and create, not collect.}

From my For the Home board and re-pinned from Kristen R, is my rendition of the "tree of love" ...

My four-year-old son has already requested that we add grandparents! The two twigs are steadied with floral foam and I filled in around them with little red foam balls I found at the Dollar Tree. They're labeled "decorative container filler," and will surely last longer than red hots or red jelly beans. The little wooden signs had been stashed away in my "wood pile" in the craft cabinet. I have some small hearts, too, that I may paint and add to the tree. I can see this staying out all the time, not just for Valentine's Day. After all, family love isn't seasonal.

Today's second craft was inspired by Lindsey St. Louis's twig luminaries that I pinned to my DIY Gift Ideas board. While I still may make those luminaries, I went in a slightly different direction today.

I bought a small pillar-sized candle jar (not the votive size) at the Dollar Tree, wrapped twine around it and then wove the twigs through the twine. No glue or mess. I probably would have woven more twigs in, but the twine became too tight to manage such a task. And mama, I know you're reading ... this is one of your birthday gifts. :) Act surprised next month, okay?

I have one final twig craft for the day, but it's not finished. Stay tuned ...

the thankful jar

2011-11-11T10:29:00.001-05:00

Regardless of how often we parents remind our children how lucky they are, they really don't get it until they see it.

Call me crass, but last week, I sat down my soon-to-be nine-year-old daughter and showed her images of homeless children, starving children, children shivering because they were ill-dressed for the cold they must have been experiencing.

We cried together.

She got it.

Later that same day I encouraged her to take a slip of paper and write down one thing she's thankful for. I gave her one of my treasured blue Ball jars and told her she could repeat the process as often as she liked. Before I knew it, my four-year-old son was in on it, too. He would speak, she would write.

The jar is full. Still, they continue to write and cram. What a blessing.

...

a caring heart

a family that loves me

clothes

shoes

my pastor

...

What are you thankful for today?

he grew up in a weeks' time

2011-09-26T22:03:00.001-04:00

My little guy started pre-school last week. I thought I'd be a little upset, but strangely, I was very cool with it. For whatever reason, I sort of mourned his ripe age of four a few weeks ago when his big sister started fourth grade. I was already lamenting the start of kindergarten 2012 a whole year prematurely. That sadness made me see very clearly that if left in his current daytime environment, he would not be ready to start school.

I prayed, begged, and put out as many feelers as I could to find a pre-school, or at least someone who would work with him on the basics. An answer came quickly, much to my amazement and delight, and he is now in week two of a stimulating, encouraging environment. My husband and I saw immediate changes in him:

He's calm.
He has an interest in sitting down to draw, write, and color.
He has always been inquisitive, but his questions are becoming more mature and thoughtful.
His attention span seems longer as it appears he has learned how to focus, somehow.
He now has patience that he didn't have before.

How can all of this be? I can only say that God's hand is in it. From the circumstances of who his teacher is and a history our daughter's share, to the Christian learning environment I longed and prayed for, to the refinement of my son's behavior, that's the only explanation there is. It was time, and the Lord provided.

So now for something super cute. My little guy is sitting here with me, coloring away. Abruptly, he stopped coloring and I could feel him looking at me. I looked up and he said, "if you eat too much, you get a baby in your belly." I stifled a laugh and asked who told him that (assuming it was something crazy his big sister passed along), and he said it was the four-year-old girl he's attending pre-school with. Those two must be having some deep conversations!

With a Joyful Heart,

a song to carry me through

2011-08-08T12:48:00.000-04:00

Do you ever hang onto every word of a song? Sometimes it's like food for the soul for me. The one feeding me today is Made My Glad by Hillsong United.

I will bless the Lord forever

I will trust Him at all times

He has delivered me from all fear

He has set my feet upon a rock

I will not be moved

And I'll say of the Lord

You are my shield,

my strength,

my portion deliverer,

my shelter,

strong tower,

my very present help in time of need.

Though times are tough, I trust that I'm right where He intends for me to be. He is my shield, my strength, my portion deliverer, my shelter, strong tower, and my very present help in time of need. Amen.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. -Psalm 28:7

remembering 9/11

2011-08-05T10:28:00.000-04:00

The tenth anniversary of the tragedy of 9/11 is upon us, and one Virginia B&B is honoring first responders with a free night's stay. If you're an active police officer, firefighter, military, or emergency services personnel, reserve a room for 9/10/11 and the Richard Johnston Inn will give you the night of 9/11/11 for free. More info: Remembering 9-11

the window seat, please ii

2011-06-26T19:16:00.001-04:00

I have my modest desk not in the middle of the room, but directly in front of a window. It's comfortable and minus the house next door, the view is fine. I'm in the trees, nose to nose with the squirrels in the oak tree; inspiration washes over me.

The proof of a father-daughter wedding dance 10 years ago keeps me company and reminds me of home. My window seat. Home.

Smiles,

the window seat, please

2011-06-25T16:49:00.001-04:00

When I was a little girl I dreamed of a big room with a big fancy desk right in the middle of it. The desk faced the window and it's the place I would sit and make magic, watching the beauty outside from a cushy chair.

I almost had that dream come true in my childhood bedroom, but the nook with the window wasn't quite wide enough to hold my desk. I did situate it such that I could type on my word processor and still get a view of the creek. Poetry flowed and I'm sure it's thanks to having the view as inspiration.

I'm not sure if it was intentional, but my daddy built a big-girl-sized toy box for me when I was barely a teenager -- a toy box that fit perfectly in that nook. While I couldn't type from the toy box (why were laptops invented so late?), I sure could cuddle up on it and read a book. It was my favorite spot and many hours were spent there, just Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, John Grisham and I.

As I take this time out from cleaning my own home and yes, rearranging the house to try to find the perfect window seat, I'm reminded of how precious the simplest things are. A toy box with my name carved into a heart on the front; a view of the world from the safety of my home. The inspiration of God's creation is boundless and I'm blessed to see it and love it the way He intended for me.

Thank you, Daddy, for the gift that brought me to tears that Christmas morning close to 20 years ago and still does today.
I love you,

up and up

2011-06-20T10:20:00.000-04:00

wet-weather friend

2011-06-19T17:24:00.000-04:00

A Father's Day storm sprung up and so did this beautiful orange Eastern Box Turtle. She was a beautiful surprise!

About Eastern Box Turtles

Hey Mama: Save on Vinyl Wall Art at Michael's!

2011-06-12T19:53:00.002-04:00

Michael's was on my to-do list for today. I need a new wreath for my door, so I thought I'd go check out the floral offerings. My trip is never complete until I browse at least 75% of the store (I skip the sewing sections as sewing isn't my forte), and I was quite shocked by the deal that awaited me.

If you're a mom looking for quick ways to decorate your kids' room, vinyl wall art may just be the way to go. My daughter has a purple room with lime green polka dots, but when I saw the large pink butterly and starbursts, I couldn't leave them. Not because they're super-cute (which they are), but because the were drastically marked down. I was sticker-shocked so I honestly failed to recognize the actual price (must have been around $17.99-$19.99, I would guess). I walked out of Michael's with this huge butterfly wall cling kit for $1.99.

No good mother would get wall clings for her daughter and not her son, so I took home gigantic cars with my butterly. Amazing. Those big boys were originally $24.99 and are now $1.99. (The photo is not the actual kit; the kit I purchased included two very large cars rather than four medium-sized cars.)

Furthermore, we host Neighborhood Bible Club at our home (VBS to most of the rest of you) each summer and this year's theme is "Storm the Castle." I lucked out and found a castle cling set for the purpose of themeing up my dining room in August. It was also only $1.99. Score!

If you have a Michael's nearby, run (don't walk) to the cashier and ask where they keep their Hip in a Hurry wall cling selection. Hopefully they'll still have something good by the time you get there. :o)

did you notice?

2011-04-10T19:47:00.001-04:00

You might have noticed that I seriously dropped the ball on my 60 days of blogging. *sigh* I just couldn't keep up with it everyday. It's truly a large task for a full-time, hard working lady like myself. But I digress.

In my absence, I've had many moments when I wanted to write and had plenty on my mind. However, what's on my mind doesn't always have to come out through my keystrokes. I don't know if anyone wise has said something similar, but I'm pretty sure heeding said advice probably saved my tush a time or two, or at least saved some folks a day of heartache.

Courtesy http://donhall.blogspot.com/

Notes from the past 45 days (give or take) include ...

I am not a fixer. As much as I try to live my life in a Godly way, I can't make other people live His way.
I am not perfect. Well ... this one wasn't just realized, but I thought I'd mention it, given the "Godly" reference above. I slip, I ask for forgiveness, and I try again. Aren't you glad for The Cross?
As hard as I try to be accepted by some, my attempts fail. Miserably. You might ask why I need acceptance. Generally, I don't seek it much. Those days are falling farther into my past, including the recent past ... like just five days ago in the past. It's not like I'm trying to change who I am in order to be accepted, it's that I continually try to explain myself. I'm rather tired of that. It's like talking to a wall and I'm done with it.
God is good all the time, and I mean all the time. In the tough spots, He is good. In the embarrassing spots, He is good. In those moments where we lack understanding, He is good. God is in everything and everything is in God. Though we might not be friends, God has a plan. When you get old, I anticipate that I'll be caring for you. I may not like it, but for me to love God, I must love people. And that includes you.
New friends can yield a lot of love. Especially like-minded Christian friends who pray passionately with and for you. Try it sometime.
My children are growing too quickly physically, but perfectly in God. For example, my son, who will be four in ... wow, three short weeks, caught me by surprise the other day when we had this quick exchange.
Me: "You're getting so tall! I think you got those long legs from your Daddy."
Him: "No I didn't!"
Me: "Well where did you get them from?"
Him: "God gave them to me."
My daughter is me. This realization requires a lot of patience and prayer. And not even an ounce of gratitude for my mother, who wished her on me. Ha! (Thanks mama! You know I wouldn't trade that child for all the world.) And good luck world. She's a firecracker.

So there are my random thoughts for now. Time to throw a hot dog on the grill and enjoy the rest of my Sunday. Y'all go enjoy it, too.

Much Love,

tgif

2011-02-21T19:13:00.000-05:00

Who do you live for? Or, maybe the question is better asked, what do you live for?

Friday.
My spouse.
My kids.
The next paycheck.

We all have a master. You may not think of it that way, but I challenge you to argue it. Whatever it is that you live for - whoever - that is your master.

What should be your master? God. He's a loving Father, a generous Provider, and our only Salvation. If you're going to dump all of your time into something - a hobby, a person, etc. - make sure it's in a way that glorifies God and would be pleasing to Him.

Rather than "Thank God It's Friday," why not, "Thank God I'm Forgiven"?

Loving you because He first loved me,

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 17/60

new devotions

2011-02-20T20:56:00.000-05:00

I might fall off the blog radar a little more, but will try not to. I'm about to embark on some devotional writing. It's time to get serious and I've been approached to do more of it. God opens doors for me to improve and share, so I need to walk through them.

Taking on these extra initiatives in addition to my job and home life will be a stretch. But isn't that what God does? He stretches us to our potential.

Be praying for me,

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 16/60

my missing reader | my legacy

2011-02-17T21:39:00.000-05:00

We all have that one person we wish would pay attention to us a little more. Who is that one person you'd like to capture and intrigue?

Courtesy WomenInTheBible.net

Maybe it's unrealistic or unfair, but I get bummed when I think about the way I sometimes spill my guts here in my very public journal and know that my husband never sees it. Sure, he knows I blog, but he has no desire to read what I write. To his credit, he gets to listen to my mouth, so why willingly subject himself to my thoughts on a screen, too?

Probably 95% of the content on this blog has not been verbalized from my mouth. These are my thoughts, my heart in words. To know that my husband is not clued in is sometimes painful. I see this blog as an extension of myself. It's something that my children will be able to access in the days, weeks, and years after my life is done. They will be able to see a different realness of their mom that they may not have otherwise seen.

Everyone wants to leave a legacy. What will mine be?

I want to be known for my creativity, my heart for others, my passion for raising the best children I have the ability to raise, my unending dedication to my marriage, my fun-loving side that my colleagues get to enjoy (*smile*), and my drive to be more and do more every single day.

I want to see the day that my kids realize that they can have their own special moments - the kind that only a brother and sister can experience. The kind my brother and I have, where we can simply flash each other a look that says it all while never uttering a word from our mouths. I want my husband to never have a doubt about my faithfulness to him - to know that our vows before God have never and will never be broken. 'Til death do us part, babe.

Consider the things you want to instill in the next generation and the way you want to be remembered. Then set out to make your desired legacy a truth for those around you.

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 15/60

give time

2011-02-12T21:50:00.000-05:00

I was blessed to spend time with my parents today. We invited them to visit so we could honor my mom for her birthday. It was a relaxing day free of schedules and pressures (for some of us anyway; James was working at church most of the day).

The kids entertained and we caught up on the events of days that have been slipping past way too fast. It was an easy day. Simple conversation. Warm, fuzzy love.

At least twice my daddy thanked me for my time today. For allowing them into my normally busy Saturday. I was humbled. Their Saturdays are just as busy as mine, and besides, have I kept them at arms' length? If so, it hasn't been intentional. It's just the pace right now.

If you're reading, Daddy and Mama, I love you, and you're welcome to enjoy any Saturday with me that you ever desire.

Happy Birthday, Mama!

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 14/60

it was inevitable

2011-02-11T22:44:00.000-05:00

I finally missed a day of blogging. My apologies. Yesterday was gruesome and I was too exhausted to muster up a simple thought worthy of a blog entry.

Things are always fast and furious at work, but it's especially so now. We're in the midst of a major website overhaul - brand new content management system, migration of content and data, and of course a fancy new face. Be on the look-out for a brand new Virginia.org in April. :) It will be SO worth the sweat and near-tears that our team of four is experiencing right now.

In the mean time, I'll continue to blog and Facebook for Virginia is for Lovers (the regular duties don't stop just because there's a big project, ya know). Have a question about traveling in Virginia? Want to see our take on a particular destination? Simply leave me a comment here and I'll be happy to write something just for you over on our VIFL blog!

Retiring for the night,

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 13/60

who's your mama?

2011-02-09T20:10:00.001-05:00

It just dawned on me that the answer to the age-old security question, "What's your mother's maiden name?" is not very hard to figure out in the age of social media.

Facebook makes it easy to find long-lost classmates by allowing users to enter a maiden name. As a user, you can choose* if you'd like that name displayed on your profile.

Though you may have locked down your profile to be seen by friends only, your name is still displayed and can surface in search engine results.

Besides, who's mama isn't on Facebook at this point? And how many women are hyphenating their name now? It will be a much more insecure world for our children than it is for us.

My suggestion is to choose a harder security question for those accounts that need serious protection. Perhaps, "What date did you lose your first tooth?"

Just something to think about.

*To change your name display settings on Facebook, click Account > Account Settings. See User Name? Click "change" off to the right. If you previously included your maiden name in the Alternate Name field, delete it. Click "Change Alternate Name" to save the form. Do go back into that screen to make sure it's gone.

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 12/60

i'd hate to miss a day ...

2011-02-08T20:09:00.001-05:00

... but I'm tired tonight and don't really have anything in mind to write about.

I was driving to get my daughter from school earlier today and thought, "maybe I'll write about a mother's lamentations." That sounds awful though. "What a 'Debbie Downer'," I can already hear my friend Jane saying. So, no mother's lamentations.

Or wife's.

Valentine's Day is Monday and though I've been prepped to not expect a single iota, I manage to get my hopes up. Why is that? Why do I always think he's just messing with me and will have this great surprise? So not him. Get over it, girl.

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 11/60

call korie!

2011-02-07T21:38:00.000-05:00

My Kids, by Korie Nordstrom Photography, 2010

I was thrilled to spend some time tonight with my fantastic photographer friend, Korie Nordstrom, who was recently featured with Macaroni Kids Richmond for a Valentine's Giveaway. If you're looking for exclusive boutique images, check her out (and tell her I sent you so she'll give me something good!).

Seriously though, do take a look at her work. Korie specializes in newborn portraiture but also captures great senior images, too. I love the vibrant hues of her senior work and the diversity she demonstrates across other subjects. For example, Korie's newborn portraiture is perfectly, softly illuminated. You wouldn't be disappointed if you were to call on her. I promise!

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 10/60

a new southside small group

2011-02-06T20:12:00.001-05:00

Southside folks, James and I are opening our home for a small group to meet on Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. beginning February 15. Rolf & Deb Kleinfeld, our very own husband-wife missionary team, will be leading the group - very exciting indeed!

Courtesy
http://www.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org/

We do have childcare lined up and would like to collect an offering of appreciation each week to present to our teen volunteer. Maybe a couple of bucks per kid? She has a genuine heart for children and will be a great leader for ours.

Regarding the study content, Deb said she believes we will be studying 1 Peter. To my knowledge, no special study materials are required, just your Bible and something to take notes with.

If you're interested in attending, email me at jccjhiggins@gmail.com or connect with me through Facebook.

For Him,

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 9/60