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Money $aving Mondays {No.2}

2011-07-06T17:56:00.005-04:00

I'm behind on this post due to the 4th of July Holiday falling on Monday and spending quality time with family. I opted to post about adoption first since the article I read really brought up some feelings and I've been wanting to share the news with you all, so the timing of that post was perfect.

1) In cleaning out our parents' estate, I've found myself having to clean things in order to make them sparkle, whether we are selling them or keeping them. I had forgotten my mom started wrapping her silver in plastic wrap and storing in plastic bags. It sounds ridiculous but that silver has not tarnished and it has been wrapped for close to 20 years. Wrap your silver and eliminate as much air as possible as this is what tarnishes it. It will not tarnish. Wrap it after you wash it, and it dries ~ thoroughly.

2)If you prefer, you may store your silver in flannel bags that have been treated to prevent tarnish. Take these special cautions with silver or silverplate pieces: Rubber may corrode or permanently etch silver. Never leave silver in contact with rubber bands. Also, never leave silver with prolonged contact with the following: eggs, olives, salad dressings, sulfur, vinegar, fruit juices, and alcohol ~ including perfumes or colognes.

3) Gold jewelry has not been that big in the South for years, but it will make a comeback, I know. In the meantime, if you ran out of jewelry cleaner and some pieces need extra cleaning, below is a great recipe. Use caution with fashion jewelry as those costume pieces may just be glued together and this recipe may loosen the glue.
You will need:
1 tsp. mild dishwashing liquid
1 tsp. plain ammonia
1 quart water
Mix the above in a small bowl and get a soft toothbrush that is new or has been sanitized and will strictly be used for this purpose. Immerse the gold to be cleaned in the solution, then brush gently with the toothbrush to get into the cracks and crevices. Rinse in a bowl in lukewarm water and allow to dry. You can also rub with a chamois cloth to restore a lustrous shine.

4) To remove grease from gold (either from baking or automotive grease), simply dip the gold briefly in rubbing alcohol (at least 70% isopropyl), then wipe the grease off with a soft cloth. Rinse briefly in cool water and dry with a soft cloth. DO NOT DIP gemstones, pearls, or other non-gold items into alcohol.

5) Pearls are so extremely delicate and should be treated as such. I have a very long strand that was my mom's and I triple wrap it around my neck. After I wear it, I rub it gently with a soft cloth and store it in a safe place. You can wash pearls in a very mild solution of mild dishwashing liquid and warm water. Rinse them in cool water and allow them to dry. Diamond jewelry may also be routinely cleaned this way.

6) And speaking of polishing, let's not forget the furniture: Lemon Oil Furniture Polish. You will need 1 quart of Mineral Oil + 1 Tbsp. Lemon Oil. Add lemon oil into the bottle of mineral oil. Shake to mix. To use, wipe it on and wipe it off with a clean, soft cloth. Note: Oils are flammable. Avoid open flames and do not smoke!

Until next week, shine on!

These Children Are Our Responsibility: Foster Care Adoption » Adoption » Content — SixSeeds.tv

2011-07-06T01:03:00.007-04:00

This post today comes from an article I've read {I've only read a few hundred since fall 2010 on this subject} and I cry every.time.I.read.one. Is it because I am sad for these children or is it because my Heavenly Father has awakened my heart knowing that one day Mr. Fabulous and I may be blessed to adopt one or a sibling group of sisters? I say sisters because brother and sister cannot share a room in our 2-bedroom condo, the siblings will have to share a room until the real estate market stabilizes enough for us to move.

At first, the idea of adopting from foster care was a little daunting {read that as scary}. I had the same misconceptions about it that most people have, but I very quickly warmed up to it so much so that hotflashes would be in order here. These children are in foster care through no fault of their own and they deserve to know what love, stability, security, safety, and healthy boundaries look like. While I will never be their birth mother, I do feel God is birthing children in my heart every single day. I do not know what age they will be, what color hair they will have, what color eyes they will have, whether they will smile at us the first time they meet us or cower in fear because we are just another set of strangers to them. So many questions without answers, but I do know this: God knows who are our children are. That alone brings me comfort. He is keeping them safe, warm, loved, and fed until He times everything perfectly for His plan when our world meets their world and they become ours. Will I be mad at their parents for not taking care of them? I think I will be mad at any injustice done to them ~ abuse, neglect, abandonment, etc., but I will be grateful to their parents for giving them life, for that life {or those lives} will be a precious gift to us. That's part of the reason that if you look to the right of this blog, I have a widget that highlights children from the United States Foster Care System that are legally free for adoption. I'll wait while you go take a look... Did you see them? Those are the faces of the fatherless in our country. Not every face is represented here, but you get the idea. Did you see one that just captured your heart? Don't you want to find out how you go about adopting them? :)

The topic of adoption is not a new one for me. Being the youngest child of 4, with an age gap of 7.5 - 10 years between my three older siblings and I, I was begging my parents to have another child. When they said, "No. You are the icing on a 3-layer cake", I insisted they adopt. I had a great reason or two: So I would have a sibling to boss around, and so I would have one closer to my age that I could play with. Well, that never happened. And yes, I am close to my siblings {my sister is sandwiched between my brothers and they were born literally one year after the other}. By the time I came along, Mom had 3 helpers for me, not to mention "instant babysitters". My sister contemplated adoption and I wish she had taken the plunge and done so {Dear Sissy, it is never to late...}. I could be an auntie to one of my siblings' children {none of them have children}. I'm an auntie to Mr. Fabulous' nieces and I think they are wonderful; in fact, they will be great role models for our girls. :) Fast forward to my single-again days in my 30s prior to meeting Mr. Fabulous. While at a Stephen Curtis Chapman concert in December 2005, he mentioned Show Hope, and my friend Emily who was also single and longing for a family, purchased ornaments from Show Hope for every woman in our small group. It was at that concert when I prayed, "Lord, if I am not married by the time I'm 40, can I adopt?" I always assumed it would be a little girl from China. And God has gently pointed the way. From the time adoption entered our world last fall until now, every time we turned on the TV, we'd see a commercial, a newscast, a movie or a show, not just featuring children who were adopted, but children adopted from foster care or children in foster care. We even started laughing about it saying, "OK, Lord, we hear You." So, we attended two orientations in February of this year. One was from our local county regarding foster care and foster-adoptions, the other was from Focus on the Family and our eyes were wide open. We saw God's loving arms wrapped around each person in the stories we heard that day, and those stories were from every end of the foster care and adoption spectrum. And, we learned, you don't have to be perfect to be parents {Thank You, Lord, because I am perfect at being imperfect!}. I still remember at the end of the FOTF event, Mr. Fabulous looked at me and said, "I believe this is a ministry for us in some sort of way." Why yes, Mr. Fabulous, it is. It is redemption for those children and redemption for us. It is introducing those children to Jesus when they might have never had the opportunity to meet Him. It is pouring love into them and letting them know they are finally home. Back to China: the cost and regulations are keeping us from International adoption. I kept asking myself, "How can we adopt overseas when so many need homes here, in our own country?" I'm not condemning anyone adopting overseas as I feel some are called to do so. This was a personal question that came up for us. Believe me, I'd adopt every orphan if I could, but that's just not feasible or realistic.

I believe this one is so close to the Father's heart that He weeps for them. Thankfully, He is a Father to the fatherless... Psalm 68:5-6a (NIV): "5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families..." I don't just feel God places orphans (the lonely) in families, but I do believe with all my heart that He placed me in Mr. Fabulous' family. Many blessings have come from our being married. Both of my parents are deceased. In fact, the 10th anniversary of my mother's passing is this August and this year, I find myself missing her more than ever. Anyway, one of my prayers when I was single again, was for me to be close to my future husband's parents. God has answered that prayer. They are kind, loving, good, and most of all, a blessing. Seriously, I have the BEST In-Laws, but then, I'm a little biased. I would love to sit at my Mother-in-Law's feet in her kitchen and just take notes on how she does what she does. I can hear her laughing now as I type this because "she does not really have a system", she would say. I believe she does, she just might not realize it. She is an amazing cook and hostess, and she is always doing for and serving others.

I'm working on getting our house in order ~ literally. Our office is in the 2nd bedroom and that will have to be turned into a bedroom for our homestudies and for our children. Our sunroom will have to become our office. There are things I kept here that will need to go into our storage, and ideally, we'd love to pay off our debt. We've been on one income since our marriage as my industry was real estate and we know how well that has been going {sarcasm}. I feel like all of that ~ the minutia of it all ~ is standing in the way of the adoption process for us. I'm profoundly saddened by that every single day. So, I am humbly asking for your prayers. Pray the resources come in where we are financially able to adopt. Pray that the book I'm writing is a success because that could potentially pay off our debt, pray my brain gets an organized scheme going every day {in my professional life, I am highly organized; in my personal life, it is more sporadic} so I can move mountains to get our place where it needs to be. Pray we have peace about when to take the plunge and dive in, knowing God has our backs as well as our best interest at heart, and He knows our child{ren}. I'm forever humbled and grateful for your prayers.

There are many other scriptures I could leave you with to ponder. Again, this one is so close to the Father's heart. I do recommend reading two extraordinary books: Choosing to SEE by Mary Beth Chapman {I grew to love this woman in that book!} ~ you will need tissues. My Sister-In-Law read it while here for Christmas and kindly loaned it to me {little did she know!}. I would go to open it and quickly close it because I was crying before I ever cracked the book open. It was just that close to my heart. Needless to say, once I started reading it, I could not stop. The other book I recommend is: Fields of the Fatherless by Tom Davis. I read that one in about a day. Both are so poignant and right on target. They are on my list of favorites! And no, I'm not being paid for the shout out.

Finally, the article I linked within this post. Here it is without further adieu!

These Children are Our Responsibility: Foster Care Adoption » Adoption » Content — SixSeeds.tv

Thank you for allowing me to share my heart today.

Money $aving Mondays {No. 1}

2011-06-26T20:23:00.015-04:00

This is a new series that I plan on adding tips, tricks, and ideas to each week in order to $ave you money and hopefully, time, too.

Around the House:
1) Contain Pot-Lid Clutter: If you have not been fortunate enough to have the newest kitchen organizing cabinets, then this tip is for you {& myself, too}. Dinner prep would be smooth sailing if only we could find the right lid for each pot without pulling everything out of the cabinet while we search. In order to avoid those lovely search parties: In a deep drawer, insert 2 or 3 tension rods from front to back about 1-1.5 inches from the top. The rods will divide the drawer in 3 slim sections so the lids are stored on their sides and stay securely in place. Use this tip in a not-so deep drawer for plastic lids, too!

2) Turn Yellow Plant Leaves Green: High pH levels in the soil typically caused by hard water are to blame. To resolve the problem, combine 2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar and 1 qt. of water, then water the plant(s) with this mixture as soon as you notice yellow leaves. Do this once/week for three weeks. The mixture will lower the pH level in the soil by increasing its acidity, turning the yellow leaves to green in a matter of weeks.

3) Salt Stains on Hardwood Floors: Do you have salt prints on your harwoods after every snowfall? Give them the boot with this trick: Pour 1 Tbs of apple cider vinegar onto a soft, damp cloth and dab at the marks, starting at the edges and working toward the center. The acid in the liquid will neutralize the salt particles, removing the stain without damaging the wood's finish.

4) Freshen/Clean Your Coffeemaker: Run a half pot of white vinegar, followed by two pots of water through your drip coffeemaker. The vinegar helps prevent the buildup of mineral deposits.

5) Got Belt, Scarf, or Tie Clutter? Use the plastic rings from a 6 or 8-pack of soda to organize them. Simply hang one of the rings over a hanger, then loop belts, scarves or ties through the remaining rings. Great way to reduce and re-use!

Beauty on a Budget:
1) Out of Dandruff Shampoo & Having a Bit of a Flaky Issue? Reach for the apple cider vinegar once again. Apply 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar to dry hair and gently massage into your scalp, rinse thoroughly with cool water. You can use this trick prior to shampooing. The alpha hydroxy acids in the vinegar will loosen the buildup of sebum that causes the embarrassing problem. Within a day or two, you'll be flake-free and have fabulous body, too! {OK for color-treated hair and there is no residual odor}.

2) Banish "Bacne" With a Bubble Bath: This protein-honey soak contains astringents from egg whites and natural antibacterial agents from honey.
Ingredients:
1/2 mild liquid soap {Dr. Bronner's Pure Castille is fabulous!}
1 egg white
1Tbs. Honey
Stir ingredients and pour under running water. Soak for at least 15 minutes.
Note: Don't want to use an egg white? Use a packet of powdered milk instead.

3)Feeling Like a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof? Cool down with this refreshing cucumber mist.
In a blender, combine until smooth:
1/2 fresh Cucumber, chopped
1/2 Cup Distilled Water
2 Tbs. Fresh Mint leaves or 1 Mint Tea Bag
Cheesecloth or coffee filter
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour through cheesecloth or coffee filter into clean spray bottle. Chill in the fridge and mist onto skin after bathing. Mist should be good up to 5 days.

4) Whittle Your Waist & Prevent Viruses: Sound too good to be true? Extra Virgin (Unrefined) Coconut Oil is the most powerful virus-destroyer experts have found. It's the monolauric acid - the same protective fatty acid found in breast milk - which attacks germs such as staph, strep, and influenza. Your Rx: Add 3 Tbs to your daily diet. It does have a slight coconut taste and can be used in any recipe that calls for butter or oil. {When I diet, this is my #1 weapon and the only additional fat I use}. It's great for baking, stirring, sauteing, or try spreading or drizzling it on toast. It is solid unless it is below 70 degrees. It won't raise your cholesterol (as long as you are eating healthy = Lots of veggies, lean cuts of meat, fruit). It's one of the healthiest fats around {MUFA ~ Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acid = think olive oil and nuts}, but a proven weight loss aid. Cherie Calbom's Coconut Diet book explains this in-depth.

5) Want To Banish Oil Without Looking So Matte? Oil glands go into overdrive in higher temperatures. To smoothe skin and dry up the oil slick, combine 1/2 Cup Orange Juice {Fresh or Florida Naturals ~ NOT concentrate}, 1 Tbs. Corn Starch, and 1 tsp. Salt. Massage over entire face and leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse. Repeat twice a week. The citric acid in the juice melts dead skin cells, while the cornstarch and salt soak up the surface oil without drying out skin. Your oil glands will give up and say, "We're not needed here".

Until next time, Keep it simple, keep it frugal, and keep it chic!

The Onset of Graves Disease

2011-06-23T22:45:00.010-04:00

I just read where Missy Elliott, the hip hop singer has been diagnosed with Graves Disease. My heart goes out to anyone with that diagnosis. Check out this article about college grads riding through Alaska to highlight Graves Disease.

Graves Disease is an Autoimmune Disorder. I was diagnosed in the mid-1990s with Hyperthyroidism. I lost weight from a size 6 to a size 2, which is a symptom of the disease {polar opposite of the popular Hypothyroidism}. The symptom that actually caused the largest problem for me was an accelerated heart rate. Mine would spike around 200 bpm. Crazy, I know. I remember I would be eating dinner or watching the news and I felt like I had just finished running 26.2 {marathon miles}. The spikes would cause me to blackout, which was scary. I went through a battery of tests: carotid artery ultrasound, thyroid ultrasound, blood testing that would detect anything from a vitamin deficiency to cancer, an EKG, and finally, an echo cardiogram. The technician said my heart looked perfect, just beat really fast {thanks, buddy, but tell me something I did not already know}. When I got home from all of the tests, my internist called with the news: "Your heart is fine, but your thyroid is producing enough TSH for 4 people. You have Hyperthyroidism and the early onset of Graves Disease." HUH? "You are young enough {mid-20s then} that your body will most likely correct itself and I'd like to take that chance, but I need to address the main symptom of your heart rate. I'd like to put you on a very mild dosage of a beta blocker to bring the rate down. On that note, no working out. Your heartrate spikes so high that it could cause a heart attack if you work out." HUH? I followed what he recommended and what Doc did not disclose is the beta blocker caused my insulin levels to raise to the point that no matter what I ate {insulin is a fat storing hormone}, I gained weight. I had gained 70 pounds in 6 months! S t r e t c h m a r k s and I.had.not.even.been.pregnant. or.given.birth. COME ON!!! I think I would have opted to have my thyroid radiated or removed than gaining that weight. I could not work out because of the rate spikes as my Dr. begged me not to work out {I was running at the time}. All I had going for me is that my eyes did not bug out of my head! That being said and a move back to Atlanta (lived in West Georgia at the time) and back to an Internist that I have gone to for 20 years now. He was not happy and wanted to radiate my thyroid. He said there is a slight chance that allowing it to linger could temporary infertility. Um...OK...not trying to conceive right now. He tapered me off the beta blocker and had plans to radiate the following month. My mom asked if I ever considered asking God to heal it and my body. She figured I prayed for everyone else to be healed during their times of need and I might as well ask for myself. I prayed about everything, but somehow forgot to pray specifically about this. In one month's time, before my thyroid had to be radiated, I was healed. Yep, you read it correctly. My Dr. is not a follower of Christ so this was a big deal. I went back in for the follow-up visit and blood work prior to the scheduled appointment to have it radiated, and he called me the following Monday yelling ecstatically in the phone, "Young lady, I don't know what you are doing, but your blood levels are completely normal. So normal that you could experience Hypothyroid. It's a medical miracle. We'll keep checking your blood every month for the next 6 months and then every 6 months thereafter to be safe. By the way, what have you been doing?" Gulp. Deep breath. "I prayed." Silence. "You prayed?" "Yes, I believe in the power of prayer, but more than that, I believe in the One who hears and answers those prayers, Jesus." "Keep it up, Kiddo, because it is working. I'll see you in a month."

That was 15 years ago. Lost the weight. Gained again. Lost again. Gained. Back to losing again. It's like a yo-yo, it goes up and goes down. I don't like saying "lost it" because when we lose things, we hope to find them again. I don't want to find the weight. Ever. Again. Here's to reducing to my healthy weight.

Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It is caused by an abnormal immune system response that causes the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormones. Graves disease is most common in women over age 20. However, the disorder may occur at any age and may affect men as well.

Symptoms: You can have all or a combo of some
•Anxiety
•Breast enlargement in men (possible)
•Difficulty concentrating
•Double vision
•Eyeballs that stick out (exophthalmos)
•Eye irritation and tearing
•Fatigue
•Frequent bowel movements
•Goiter (possible)
•Heat intolerance
•Increased appetite
•Increased sweating
•Insomnia
•Menstrual irregularities in women
•Muscle weakness
•Nervousness
•Rapid or irregular heartbeat (palpitations or arrhythmia)
•Restlessness and difficulty sleeping
•Shortness of breath with exertion
•Tremor
•Weight loss (rarely, weight gain)

Of the above, I'm still heat intolerant and my thyroid is still larger than normal, but not goiter size.

Famous People with Graves Disease:
•Billy Joel
•Former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara Bush
•Don Knotts
•Faith Ford
•Gail Devers

If you or someone you love experience any combination of the above, please ask your Dr. for a simple thyroid check.

That's my PSA for the day!

Encouraging Words ~ A Little Something To Store Them In

2011-06-21T13:47:00.013-04:00

The Nester over @ {in} courage is hosting a giveaway for Dayspring, but I love her lead into the giveaway. It's about the fact that we all keeps notes of encouragement or cards of sentiment and if we keep them, where do we store them? This post is about that...storage.

I have stored all the notes and cards from the fabulous ladies who were in the first ever single women's group that I led for 3 years in a beautiful hat box. I had hopes of scrapbooking them one day, but the nice thing is that I know where they are and I can open that box of love anytime I need a little encouragement.

While I no longer lead that small group and we've all dispersed into other groups, most of us stay in touch and still meet for coffee, lunch, dinner, a movie once in a while. Most of the group has remarried so our hubbies tag along from time-to-time, which is nice. These women and I have been together through sunshine and shade so I love reading their notes every once in a while and I think they need a pretty box to be stored in. That box may one day need to be upgraded to a vintage suitcase. The one my mom had in the 1940s would be great, don't you think? It even has her maiden name initials.

I had a special box for keepsakes from my husband while we were dating. I would store cards, dried roses, random little things. It was a box from Philosophy and it stored the fragrance set I wore at the time, Falling in Love. The photo from Philosophy's website is below. I purposely used that box to store momentos from Mr. Fabulous because I was Falling in Love {sigh}. After we married, my box became our box so it has been upgraded to a beautiful blue storage box with a nice seaside theme {did not take a photo of that one}.

I also am starting a box to store cards from each of my parents or both of them to me over the years. They are both deceased and I'm oh so glad I kept those momentos as they are sweet treasures I pull out whenever I find myself longing for some time with Mom or Dad or both.

I hope this post got you thinking about storing your treasured keepsakes in something pretty...

Remember: Keep it simple, keep it organized, keep it lovely, & keep encouraging!

Tablescapes ~ Patriotic Style

2011-06-20T20:32:00.026-04:00

I brought out the patriotic 4th of July decor from storage this afternoon and crafted a couple of tablescapes and a "drink counter". I know it is two weeks away, but I'm patriotic and my Sister-in-law sent me a G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S navy blue patriotic tea towel with fireworks on it for part of my birthday gift from her family, of which I have not taken photos of yet, but it is prominently displayed in our kitchen right now. The main gift was a gift card to Hobby Lobby {I'd say she knows me well ;)}. My apologies to any followers who are not American, but perhaps you will get ideas for celebrations that are specific to your countries. Back to the decor...

Below is how I designed one of the tables {ignore the foam soccer balls, they were in the stash for who knows why?!? ~ Mr. Fabulous said they are from the FIFA Soccer games last year and are to be displayed when we watch the women this year} and I forgot to remove them prior to my photos. The wineglass candleholders I already owned, same with the 8-inch red pillar candle, ribbon, and white milkglass dish that I inherited from my parents {I love, love, love milkglass!}. I also already had the inscribed rocks on hand from Coldwater Creek. The rest was purchased at Hobby Lobby {not with the gift card!}...

I just realized my little wooden flags that were Mr. Fabulous' prior to our marriage are on the display, too {I ended up sticking them in the vase with the flower arrangement, which you will see below}. I also forgot to light the candles for this shot {I'm striking out on this post thus far...wawa}. The whole point of this post is for you to see how cheap and creatively you can pull off a tablescape on the fly.

Details, details... The larger white table mats are stiff felt from Hobby Lobby and I got them half off so they were $1 each! They are 11"x17" in size and my thought was that they can be re-used on Valentines, Christmas, B'days, etc. The flag tablemats are felt and are 8.5" x 11" or close to that size. They are soft felt and I also got them half off for like 25 cents each! The foam stars were also half off for less than $1. The bandana was on sale (think of patriotic subway art). It was less than $1. The tray was from their spring/summer collection and I bought two on clearance for $3 and change. I plan on spray painting them down the road. The ribbon on the candleholders I had on hand already, but I've seen clearance and $1 at Hob Lob, too.

Here is tablescape 2, which is so similar...

The only difference is the milkglass vase is not in this one and a star dish is in its place. The star dish was something Mr. Fabulous owned prior to our marriage. Yes, Mr. Fabulous owns fabulous things and he has great taste {or maybe it is great to me because it is so similar to my own?!? ;)}.

Below is the Drink Counter...

Don't you love the dog bowl that I had unloaded on that counter {it's clean}? The photo displayed is simply an LP Frame I bought at Ross years ago with a patriotic scrapbook page of highlights from the United States Constitution. Thought it would make a nice added touch. The cups are for the hometown baseball team that Mr. Fabulous and I both L-O-V-E: The Atlanta Braves! Besides, their colors are red, white, and blue. Can't get more patriotic than our home team! Bobby Cox, we miss you, but we are adjusting to Gonzalez as Manager. The 2 pillars are from a set of three LED lights for our wedding from a friend {thanks, Ken!}. Notice the wooden flag picks I mentioned earlier? They are in the vase of flowers, which are fake, by the way. The vase is an olive oil jar that I scraped the label off and sanitized. The jars remind me of vintage milk bottles.

Here's a close-up of the scrapbook patriotic page {given to me from my fabulous sister, Kathi's, stash {bad grammar}...

So my point being... use what you have and add to it frugally. Frugal can be chic. It's all a matter of what you like. If you are on the beach, stars can be starfish. You get my point. I'd love to see how you are decorating this 4th of July so post your link in the comments below {I need a Mr. Linky tool, don't I??? And a button for my blog...worked on that button way too long, by the way...).

Remember, keep it simple, keep it frugal, keep it creative, and keep it chic!

Happy 4th of July!

I'll be linking to the below parties... Visit them for inspiration!

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Linking up to Blue Cricket Designs {her button is having issues so here is the link}:
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/2011/06/show-and-tell-linking-party-4.html

Making Memories {French Memo Board Tutorial}

2011-06-13T15:31:00.046-04:00

Our niece, Ashley, graduated from high school at the end of May. One of her gifts was a French memo board I made for her in the colors of her dorm {she starts college this fall}. I did not even think to check blogland for tutorials, and I've never made one. I had one that I purchased brand new, unused at a garage sale 3-4 years ago. It was fucshia pink with orange ribbon. Not my style and not the colors of Ashley's dorm decor. I did not take a before picture of the memo board {sorry, I forgot}. I was thinking more about getting the project done in time rather than a blog tutorial. It hit me after I removed the buttons, removed the fabric panel on the back, ironed my fabric and stapled it on there that I should have taken a picture {Oops!}. Since I have been MIA from blogging, I just was not thinking, but you will get photos and the steps below. :) Hopefully the end result will make up for it.

Materials:
· Inexpensive memo board
· 1 1⁄4 yards fabric of your choice
· Iron and ironing board, optional
· Fabric scissors
· Staple gun and staples
· 5 yards seam binding or grosgrain ribbon, 5⁄8 inch wide, color of your choice
· Covered-button kit with 3⁄4-inch buttons or re-purpose the buttons as I did
· Wire cutter
· Frame hanging wire
· Fabric for backside of board {muslin or cotton sheeting}
· ½ grossgain ribbon to cover staples on fabric on backside of board.
· Fabric glue

1. Remove and discard the buttons and ribbons from the original memo board. Note: If you are using a template board you made, be sure to wrap it in batting and then fabric. I remembered the ribbon pattern as I drew it on a piece of paper so I would know how to place my ribbon {a large "X" and 4 parallel pieces}.

2. Iron your fabric to remove any wrinkles, if necessary. Lay the fabric facedown on a flat surface {if using burlap, you will need to double the fabric so it is not see through}; lay the memo board facedown over the fabric. Cut excess fabric so there is approximately 2 inches fabric overhang on each side of the memo board.

Wrap the fabric to the back of the board, stretching the fabric so it is tight. Using the staple gun, secure one staple at the center of each side.

3. Wrap fabric over diagonally at each corner, and secure with a staple. Neatly fold in the remaining fabric and staple in place. Finish stapling the fabric around the memo board.

4. Turn the memo board face-up. Cut two ribbon pieces a few inches longer than the distance from corner to corner diagonally. Wrap one end to the back, and staple in place. Stretch the ribbon tight to the opposite corner, wrap the end to the back, and staple. Repeat with the second ribbon, forming an “X”. Add four more ribbons parallel to the first ones {this makes a diamond shape when looking at the “X”}, stretching them tight from the mid-points of each side.

I used two different colors of grossgrain ribbon, but you could use all the same color.

5. Insert a staple at each ribbon intersection. I used scraps of 2 inch wide silk ribbon and made five covered buttons, hand-stitching the ribbon to cover the buttons. I attached the buttons with fabric glue hiding the staples at each ribbon intersection. Furniture brads would be another great idea. Because I was gluing buttons on {used fabric glue so they don't pop off like they would if I used hot glue}, I covered the staples at each ribbon intersection with the finished button.

6. I covered the back of the board with fabric I had from a cotton sheet. I used pinking shears to cut it so it would not fray, stapled it in place, and covered the staples with 2 inch blue grossgrain ribbon {I took a photo of the fabric and did not take one of the ribbon covering the staples}. I glued the ribbon in place with permanent fabric glue. The tape on the unfinished board back was to cover where the staples poked through.

Voila! Here's the finished French memo board. {I put the buttons in place and snapped a photo prior to gluing them down}.

Sorry for the lighting in the photos looking so yellow. Batteries were close to dying and I took the photos the evening I made the board as opposed to daylight, which would have made for better pictures! You get the idea...

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As for our niece, the graduate, she loved it!

Remember, keep it simple, keep it crafty, keep it thrifty, and keep it chic!

I'm linking up to these parties this week. Stop by for some creative inspiration. I'll be adding new party links everyday:

Blue Cricket Design's Linky Party Button is not working so here is the link to her post:
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/2011/06/show-and-tell-linking-party-5.html

Pottery Barn Has Nothing on Me & You!

2011-04-21T14:22:00.011-04:00

I love Pottery Barn. My heart swoons over the catalogs. Luurrvvvee it! I just don't love their prices. When I received a catalog a couple of months ago showing various shells in vases, I quickly thought, "Hey, I can do that!" I already have shells on hand. Below is the Pottery Barn picture from the catalog {one of them, not my inspirational one :(}...

And here are the 3 vases I created. My apologies in advance for the 3rd photo not turning out so well...

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Do you have a collection of shells lying around? Get creative and put them on display this summer. I'm thinking a vase of pretty seaglass would be nice or a vase filled with sand and the sand dollars I collected this summer. I want to be careful with the sand dollars as they are oh-so delicate and will crumble. Whatever your taste, whatever natural items you have (rocks, pinecones, etc.) put it in a vase and display your collection. Not sure what to do? If you do not have a PB catalog, log onto their website for inspiration and get those creative juices flowing. I'd love to know what you like to collect and display!

As always, keep it simple, keep it fabulous, and keep it creative!

Follow Me RAW...

2011-03-27T15:13:00.006-04:00

I've been a bad blogger the past few months. No DIY projects worth blogging about lately, although I have a list of projects to do around the house. I've been busy ghostwriting a book and the deadline is upon us ~ as in this week! That's what I've been up to ~ writing, writing, and more writing. Well, there's been some prayer thrown into that mix as I'd pray before I write. Anyway... just a little busy with that and clearing out my parents' estate with my sister, Kathi. You can view some of our vintage/antique items at: www.GRITSGirlz.etsy.com {shameless plug, I know}.

In the meantime, my 40th birthday is this June! There, I typed it. I cannot believe I'll be 40. Not that there is anything wrong with being in the "40 Club". My oldest brother, John, just turned 50. I cannot believe my siblings are either 50 or knocking on it. Time flies as we age, doesn't it?

My birthday gift to myself this year is health. I've really taken stock the past decade of what I can and cannot put into my body. I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas so I will try to get away with eating sweetness, but all that sugar does not do a body good. I should know, all the junk I have consumed since our marriage in 2009 has not done my body any favors. I gained weight, my joints ache due to the extra load on them and lack of nutrients, my sinuses are crazy, and I'm extremely tired all the time. Here's what I've discovered worked for me in 2008 when I was at my healthiest. I worked out 6 days a week to lose the weight and then twice a week to maintain {you can work out twice a week to maintain with T-Tapp's Total Workout ~ go to T-Tapp.com for more info}. On my every other day from T-Tapp while losing, I would walk 4-5 miles doing boosted intervals meaning I averaged 3.5 mph and boosted to 5 mph during the intervals. I cut out all the junk ~ nothing white {no sugar, no flour, no junk!}, no sugar substitutes with the exception of Stevia {Sweet Leaf brand is the best and purest in my opinion}. While I love a great dinner of fish and veggies, I realized eating a Raw Food Diet {fruits and veggies} and juicing throughout the day works the absolute best for me. You cannot help but lose weight effortlessly eating Raw and being at your optimal weight. It's when we put the processed, dead garbage into our bodies that we get into trouble. So, Raw I will slowly go over time. Nothing extreme as there are so many extreme sites out there. Just incorporating more fruits and veggies and less other stuff. I won't really miss red meat at all (except Bison). I think I will go "Raw-ish" meaning I love fish and quinoa so I don't mind not being 100% Raw.

I love that the local farmers are now opening the green market nearby so I can get fresh, local, organic fare cheaper and tastier than at the grocery store.

(All pix courtesy of the Green Market)

Here's to our health (however you choose to live healthy) & here's to being FABULOUS at 40!

What do you do to live healthy?

Clearing the Snow & Insights From God...

2011-01-26T16:52:00.012-05:00

When it snowed in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago, most of the metro Atlanta area (comprised of 17 counties) was shut down for an entire week. No surprise there ~ the city would shutdown completely because of snow when I was growing up. The south is just not prepared to handle it ~ no snow tires, no real salt and sand trucks. Sorry DOT, but gravel is a horrible option. Many drivers will thank you for their windshield dings after the snow has melted. And we get ICE in the south. Sorry yanks, even you cannot drive on ice! :) The highways were somewhat cleared (ice remained on most and many accidents occured as did the highways becoming parking lots), but residential areas were a nightmare. We could not actually get out of our condo community as there are 2 icy hills that did not get sun. Thankfully, I'm self-employed and do freelance writing on the side {while hoping real estate will get some oxygen poured back into the industry at some point} so I was working from home and my husband tele-commuted in the week. Whew! Just in case he had to get to the office that Friday, I ventured out to clear our sidewalk and area around our cars as that was the first day the sun showed its beautiful face.

The view of our sidewalk and upper parking lot from our front porch:

We were still having highs in the upper 20s, but the radiating warmth of the sun was too good of an opportunity to pass up. I proceeded to warm several pots of water with salt added on the stove to pour on the ice to help in my efforts. Being a condo owner in Atlanta no less, I cannot say we own a snow shovel or thought about purchasing one. No worries, I ventured out with an older plastic dust pan. Yes, a dust pan. Suffice it to say, the next my body felt like it had done a month's worth of workouts. I squatted and squatted and squatted until my glutes and thighs were numb. I had blisters all over my hands, but in the end, we had a cleared sidewalk, cleared the cars, cleared our parking area, and the lot infront of our condo. If I had a snow shovel, I would have been dangerous - that icy hill would have been cleared, too. Yes, it took hours for those of you who are curious. But, it allowed for some great time with and insights from God...

The view of our sidewalk and upper parking lot from our front porch {once cleared}:

As each layer of ice was removed, it reminded me of all the layers of gunk the Lord at times has to chip away at in me. At every crack of ice I could get to and wedge the dustpan under, I kept wondering about all the cracks God sees in this pot/vessel of mine, reminiscing about all the times He has had to pour His living water over me in order to put me back on His Potter's Wheel to mold me and re-shape me. It was a mundane task ~ pouring water and chipping away bit by bit. In the end, it became something beautiful once the ice, snow, and debris had been lifted off each surface. In a matter of hours, our area went from danger zone to safety zone. All {OK, most had been cleared}. It was a labor of love. As it turned out, my husband did not have to go into the office that Friday, but it was worth it. I ended the day spreading salt and sand on the sidewalk and around our cars, and thanking God for clearing away all the layers of stuff in me.

The cleared upper portion of our sidewalk:

The cleared lower portion of our sidewalk:

Another view of the lower sidewalk and partial view of cleared parking lot:

Cleared lower parking lot:

Being snowed in turned out to not be so bad after all.

Custom Printed Candles

2010-12-16T15:02:00.019-05:00

I originally started printing candles in 2009 when I printed the logo I created for our wedding onto our unity candle set {see photo below}. These images and/or text are heat printed into the wax of the candle ~ not a vellum overlay. I sell them on my business website (www.SerendipityBathElixirs.com).

It blossomed into many unity sets for other couples, baby announcements, and now memorial candles.

My first memorial candle was created this past April when my husband's 105 year-old maternal grandmother passed away. I created a large 4x9 ivory candle with sepia tones for my Mother-in-Law and her sister.

And this sweet one as a gift for my church's (denominational) District Superintendant, whose wife passed away after a long three year battle following a devastating car accident. Somehow I forgot to take a photo of the candle, but still have the artwork I created prior to printing. It was a black and white image on a white 9-inch pillar.

Dr. Berry loved it so much, he shared it with his Griefshare group at our church. One was ordered as a gift (black and white on a white candle) and another ordered by a Griefshare group member. This one was printed in Sepia tones on a marble ivory pillar. The acrostic on the backside encompassed his name and her feelings about him. He gave up his life in order for three passengers of the plane to live. A real hero!

I offered a discount to the Griefshare group. I feel blessed to play a very small role with their healing journey. While many choose not to burn the Memorial Candles, some choose to burn them as they say a prayer of thanksgiving on the anniversary of their loved one's passing or their loved one's birthday. It is whatever works with the healing process, and everyone is different with that.

These are some of the other items I've been busy with, which is part of why I was MIA for a bit. And... my sister, Kathi, and I have a store on Etsy. It is an eclectic mix of vintage and antique items, a lot of which came from our parents' estate (SILVER from the 1940s and 1950s!). The site is: www.GRITSgirlz.etsy.com.I created our shop banner and avatar and GRITS ~ because she and I are Girls Raised In The South!

Joy to you and yours this holiday season,

Oh By Gosh, By Golly... It's Beginning To Look A Little Jolly

2010-12-16T12:39:00.018-05:00

Sorry to be MIA so long. Between the sinus infection that just won't go away and the holidays, time has slipped by. I was so on top of Fall and the decor to go with it and now way behind on posts for Christmas. Forgive me for that. There are so many cute posts all over blogland right now. I'm going to link up with The DIY Showoff at the bottom. Be sure to pop on over and view the fantastic blogs showing their craftiness this holiday season. Grab your favorite cup of coffee or tea and join me for a whimsical tour of our condo decked out for the holidays. I have no doubt I'll be re-arranging things up to Christmas Eve (except for the hearth and table), but you can see what I've done so far. This year, it is very whimsical.

It has been way too cold in Atlanta this December and we had icy conditions during rush hour last night, shutting down many of our highways and stranding commuters for hours. I was trying to be a good samaritan to one of our neighbors who is single. She turned into our parking area (we are in a condo community) and where you turn, it's sharp and it follows a hill. The ice was too much and she slammed into the curb. Thankfully, she was OK and a neighbor moved her car for her, but in my quest to help her, I stepped off the grass onto the asphalt and yep, you guessed it... my feet went out from under me straight up in the air. I landed on my backside and hit the back of my head. Today, I'm very stiff and moving around like a 90 year-old. I'm on pain meds, icing my head, and heating my back. The ice has thankfully gone away today. My doctor has said I most likely have a very mild concussion. Good grief, Charlie Brown! On with the post...

While I have not posted as I decorated, I have been working on a few projects. One project is a repurpose. I purchased 3 small waxed pumpkins around Halloween. Because they are waxed, they last so long. I painted the stems gold, painted the pumpkins with green acrylic paint (only Christmas color I had on hand) and added red bows. My 3 pumpkins are now 3 "ornaments" for display. Below are the Before & After...

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Here's one on display under our entry table. I also spelled out "Merry Christmas" with Scrabble tiles on the table. Purchased the game and all tiles for $2 at a recent thrift store visit with my sister, Kathi. No worries, my three pumpkins (um, I mean ornaments) will be tossed after the holidays.

Onto Reveal #2. It's simple and anyone can do it {just like anyone can paint pumpkins}. I took a 3-inch white pillar candle and some Christmas rub-ons. I did not know if rub-ons would work with the wax, but they did. I also added a rub-on (Ho, Ho, Ho) on another candle (no photo yet for that one). Here it is...

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And now our Mantel. Well... Our entire hearth, actually. I decided against re-using the wine bottles I used {remember my earlier post about them and they spelled out THANKS?}. I used 3 cylinder candle vases (the ones I used in the fall with the leaves and LED pillars). I found some sheet music online (O Holy Night), printed it landscape on vellum sheets (use fast draft setting to print on vellum and let dry), wrapped around each cylinder, and took glitter foam letters that spell J-O-Y. I decorated our garland with ball ornaments, put Christmas lights in the fireplace :), and set up the 2 pre-lit (white lights) porch trees my husband bought me on each side of the fireplace. I added blue lights since I had them already from a small group retreat.I told him it was my nod to his family's team, UNC. His alma mater is actually Auburn (War Eagle!). Our 3 stockings were also hung (we bought a matching one for our dog, Kiley, this year). No big tree for us (there's no room in our condo, really) and less for me to put up and take down. :) Notice the rub-on white pillar on the left side of the mantel?

And a close-up shot of the candles...

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Here's what I did for our table. Simple. Some tapestry placemats with a snow couple that say, "Let It Snow", white flour sack napkins, candles of all types, a Publix S&P shaker snow couple, a vintage santa & tree S&P set from my hubby's paternal grandmother and the table is set with her china and glasses. From the chande, I put candy canes and a few silvery ornaments hung from it (not in photo). I also decorated the top of our corner cabinet.

Ignore the gift bag behind the table. That thing tempts me everyday. It's for me from dear hubby. We have yet to move it with the other presents for family. My card writing stack is on top of the stool that I should have cleared prior to snapping the photo. :)

The coat closet doors even got decorated. I could not get far enough away for a full shot. I have 2 felt bags with snowmen hanging from the doorknobs. We are into snowmen, can't you tell?!? ;)

Our Sunroom even has a few added touches. A die-cut rustic reindeer over the door and the candlescape has three pearl candy canes hanging from the three candle sconces...

A few random chairs have been decorated...

The director's chair that holds a few blankets and some pillows now holds Snoopy, the Grinch, and Rudolph, too. Also provides extra seating, if needed.

And the rocking chair that my husband's AU blanket rests on is now holding 2 snowmen, Cupid (reindeer) a felt Merry Christmas bag and a girly Santa hat.

I even decorated my husband's toy chest from childhood (holds a few seasonal books and seasonal table linens now)...

And I love this cute little 14-inch rug I found at Target on the cheap. Where to place...where to place...

I'll add more photos when I finish the breakfast bar (it's a crafting area at the moment), our coffee table, and the chairs in the sunroom that my gift wrap supplies are blocking. :)

Thanks for reading my post and following my blog! You make me smile with your sweet comments and e-mails every time I open them. May your holidays be merry & bright...

Help a Stranger
Praise a Child
Light a Candle
Share Your Love
Sing For Joy
Lend a Hand
Pray For Peace
Understand

Here's my link-up list:

May our Savior's love fill your hearts with joy this Christmas Holiday & always,

Fall Flowers From My Hubby...

2010-11-20T14:29:00.004-05:00

Isn't he just the sweetest thing?!? For no reason at all, other than surprising me. Gorgeous fall colors. Yes, that is a vintage It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! book behind the flowers. I had it on display on our coffee table in October.

Be still my heart...

More Thanksgiving/Fall Decor

2010-11-12T11:22:00.008-05:00

I know, I know. In my last post I wrote that I would not be making more fall creations. I just could not help myself with the following as they were easy and I already had the items on hand. :)

A simple cornucopia for one who does not own one. I made it with a 12"x12" sheet of scrapbook paper. Just rolled it into shape, stuffed with basket stuffing from the local Dollar Tree, grabbed a few acorns out of the yard, added 3 little cork pumpkins and beaded pumpkins and gourds. Done. It will sit on our uncluttered breakfast bar, which is now uncluttered but not at the time of this photo. :)

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The next reveal is what I did with wine bottles I had on hand. Friends give me their bottles to sterilize for the bath salts I make. I chose to use these for candleholders. I used leftover metallic bronze paper leftover from our wedding invitations, punched some fall hued scrapbook papers, used bronze metal letters to spell out T-H-A-N-K-S, tied skeleton keys with jute cord. I've since added candles and I'm deciding if I like the bottles filled up with beads or left unfilled. I think the beads help the wraps pop a little. If I burn the candles, the jute cord and keys are coming off as the wax would coat them as they melt. Just an FYI if you choose to do the same. It's all held on with double-sided tape except the letters are secured with glue. Below is the picture before I added the candles.

Here they are lit up (still not all were filled at the time of this photo, but you get to see them with the candles lit). The filler for the remaining ones is the same as the other bottles that are filled.

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I plan on re-using the bottles for Christmas and making wraps for the bottles in Christmas colors and spelling out M-E-R-R-Y.

I'm linking up to The DIY Showoff...

Keep it simple, keep it crafty, keep it fun, keep it fabulous!

It's the Great Pumpkin, Ya'll!

2010-10-18T23:43:00.028-04:00

I feel certain this is my final fall tutorial. ;S For 2010, that is. I started in August, after all. I have 2 tutorials below. They are easy peasy!

Fall Candlescapes that I will use through Thanksgiving...

I simply took what I already had and threw it together. This project used (3) 7.5" cylinder vases from Dollar Tree (these were used in our wedding as well as a baby shower I co-hosted this month for a dear friend), (3) LED 6" pillar candles. These were a gift from a dear friend for our wedding {even better that they are vanilla scented}, fall leaves (I think I purchased a bunch at Publix for $3, which you can also find at the craft stores), fabric fall leaves that I double-side taped onto the LED pillars. No worries, it will come off like a charm. Once inside the vase, I inserted 3 of the fall leaves from the bunch. I used LED pillars because I won't have to worry about the leaves catching on fire and I can simply pull each pillar out to turn it on. Piece of cake! Below are Candles 1, 2, and 3. The final reveal is after the pumpkin tutorial as I took pix of both together on our mantel.

Now for the Pumpkins... I'm not big into Halloween Decor so I mainly decorate for fall and Thanksgiving. However, for those of you out there who decorate for both, this tutorial is still applicable. I bought (3) pumpkins from Dollar Tree. They were ugly, and I mean ugly. I originally wanted to prime them and paint them Heirloom White so they would resemble all those white pumpkins I've been crushing on since last year. Well, I just did not have it in me to do all that spray painting before or after the shower I co-hosted earlier this month. I had sprayed one as a test with Oil Rubbed Bronze (ORB) but it was too black for what I wanted. I started painting another one in a cream acrylic paint. Not feelin' the love... Then it hit me ~ I love my Metallics acrylic paint in Rich Espresso Brown. Why not paint them with that? To get a good base, I painted them first with Patio Paint in Chocolate Brown. Below are the pix with the 3rd pumpkin being the only one that had just the Patio Paint and Metallic Paint on it. The others had ORB & cream acrylic paint on them first.

And now for the reveal... No, I don't plan on leaving the pumpkins here as they don't really fit but it works for the sake of snapping a photo. Nice streak on the bottom of our mirror that I need to wipe down again. :) The only thing I don't like about how they turned out is you can see a line in the middle of each one where it was in its mold. I'm thinking some ribbon will take care of camouflaging. You get what you pay for, but they are cute nonetheless. You cannot tell the candles are on since it is daytime but they are cute, too.

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I'm linking up to Hope Studio's Tutorial Tuesday! You can view this and other fabulous tutorials on their blog.

I'm also linking up to Sugar Bee's Take a Look Tuesday, too. Check out all the other bloggers on her site, too.

I'm also linking up to "Toot Your Horn Tuesday" at The Silly Little Sparrow's blog.

I'm linking to "The Halloween Pumpkin Parade Party" at the Fabulous Under The Table & Dreaming blog.

Also linking to the Fall Festival at The DIY Show Off. Another fabulous blog with so many creative bloggers.

And finally... Sister Sister Sunday @ Kuzak's Closet So many delicious things on this blog.

Sister Sister Sunday

Remember... Keep it simple, keep it crafty, keep it frugal, keep it fabulous, & keep it fun!

A Shower of Blessings...

2010-10-11T16:40:00.035-04:00

A few weeks back, I posted 2 tutorials related to a baby shower a couple of us threw for our dear friend, Emily. She is having a boy. We kept it simple and even made the food ourselves {OK, Suzi made most of the food as that is where her giftedness is ~ she is a gourmet goddess in my eyes ;)}. I made the decor and Denise made sure we had the clubhouse secured and helped us both with the set-up. So fun!

Here are some follow-up pictures related to this post , "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star...Do You Know How Loved You Are?" Here are the altered canvases I made with sweet Noah's monogram and nursery colors...

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Here are the vase wraps and "B-a-b-y B-o-y Lollipops" in the vases with greenery...

Special thanks to my sister, Kathi, for letting me borrow her tiered server. It was originally gold as she bought it in the 90s, but I sprayed it Titanium Silver for her and for the shower, just wrapped blue ribbon around it and added the white bow. The tablecloths were queen size Ralph Lauren bed sheets in chambray and chambray and white stripe that hubby had on hand from his bachelor days. They look fresh ironed on on the tables. All of the serving pieces were items Suzi and I had on hand. Blue plates were from my wedding so of course, they work for a boy's baby shower. :)

We had a yard sign printed for the entrance to the clubhouse on the left side...

And on the right side, "Lollipops" that spell out Noah's name with scripture stickers on the bottom of each letter...

Vases that were on the drink table holding lemons and sweetener for the coffee spelling out "b-a-b-y". I also had 2 square candles infront of the centerpiece on the food table with the same design but on blue vellum and they spelled, "n-o-a-h".

I found this idea out in blogland on How Does She. The guest blogger is Heidi and the Tutorial is featured on this link. These paper pom-poms are made from mini and standard cupcake liners. They reminded me of some of the lamps at IKEA and Anthropologie...

Here is one pictured here:

and another one pictured here:

Thanks for spending time with me reminiscing about the shower and fun DIY projects. All photos, unless linked elsewhere, are mine. I don't mind you linking or referencing to them, but please give credit where credit is due. Thanks!

Remember, keep it simple, keep it crafty, keep it lovely, and keep it fun!

Cozying Up To Fall

2010-09-09T08:59:00.008-04:00

I've been featured as a guest blogger on Jess's blog ~ Frugal Flourish. Thank you, Jess! Hop on over and check out her fabulous blog & my tutorial on making a great fall centerpiece.

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Here's the link to type into your browser window or you can click on the title of this post (Cozying Up To Fall) at the top and it will take you to Jess's blog. http://frugalflourish.blogspot.com/2010/09/guest-blogger-kimberly-from-extra-extra.html

Have you visited Starbucks for their Pumpkin Spice Latte yet? They're back...

Have a fabulous day!

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star...Do You Know How Loved You Are?

2010-08-30T20:59:00.038-04:00

Sorry for my absence in blogging. My dear hubby and I just went away on a 1-year anniversary vacation so I spent some time guest blogging and getting ready for the launch of small group, our trip, and doing some writing. Below are 2 Tutorials I hope you enjoy!

My dear friends, Randy and Emily, were married in the Spring of 2007, and I had the privilege of being the person who prayed for them {officially as I know others were praying, too} at their wedding. I just love it when God pens a great love story and theirs was/is one that was/is sweet to witness from their meet and greet to their nuptials through today. Emily is expecting their first baby this December. Noah is an answer to many prayers and I cannot wait to personally meet this sweet one. In the meantime, a celebration is in order so two friends and I are co-hosting a shower for Emily and Baby Noah. No particular theme in mind (no, we aren't going with the ark theme ~ lest it taunt him down the road:). I do know the comforter is from Pottery Barn Kids and has blue and white gingham and that got me thinking...

I have 6 cylinder vases left from my wedding so with those in mind, my brain started spinning. I still have to go get blue gingham scrapbook paper, which I will cut into (4) 3 inch sections to wrap around the vases and I took cute nametags and altered them with Baby Noah's name on one and monogram on the remaining 6. These will stick to the gingham wraps. I have a taller cylinder vase that I will use for his name as that one will probably be the center. I'm assuming we'll have a 6 or 8 foot table to display food to place these on {decorate first, plan later:)} Unfortunately, the full finished product won't be viewed until the shower since I don't have the gingham paper just yet. The idea came from a wrap I made for a couple of wine bottles that hold taper candles using leftover scraps and the monogram I designed from our wedding. Below is the process on these cylinder vase wraps. I'm putting sea glass in the bottom and some lovely greenery ~ fern leaves and other leaves will go inside each cylinder.

This is the project that got me thinking about cylinder vase wraps. The white specks at the bottom of the wine bottle are pieces of the candle that is placed in the bottle opening.

I took some scrapbooking letters from Rusty Pickle that I had and painted them light blue with acrylic paint since they are black. This font fit on the nametag stickers I purchased unopened at Goodwill for $1.

I then used Mod Podge after the paint dried and laid out 6 monograms and the letters for Noah's name on one tag. I coated with one coat of Mod Podge, hence the rough edges. The edges will be clean when I peel the stickers off to place on the blue gingham cylinder vase wraps.

They will be sooo cute! How's that for a humble opinion?

From there, I began sorting through all my scrapbook supplies and papers. I found a cute design and some circle coasters I had purchased last year at Michael's $1 spot with the idea to alter them. For this next project, I needed 14 of the 20 coasters. Why 14? I counted out the letters in "Baby Boy". Yes, I can add. ;) I want these "lollipops" to be double-sided. Mod Podge? Check. Scrapbook Paper (12 x 12 ~ 2 sheets of same design)? Check. 14 Coasters? Check. I had a package of Bamboo Skewers so those will be the "sticks". You can make this same type thing for a wedding shower, baby shower, graduation, birthday, etc. You can place them in individual vases with flowers or cover a styrofoam block with a coordinating paper and place as decor on the gift table. Be creative ~ there is no wrong or right. Even though I envision an event with decor in mind beforehand, I have been known to change as I decorate along the way. Blessed are the flexible...

By the way, these coasters are the very thin paper ones and not the thicker ones I've seen in the craft stores.

For the cute paper, I chose (2) sheets of a 12x12 size, make sure it is a thicker paper that will stand up to glue or mod podge. Use whatever you have on hand, if you can.

I scored this pack of Bamboo Skewers at Kroger for $1 over the 4th of July holiday as I had an idea for them but ran out of time and steam.

I painted chipboard letters with the blue acrylic paint I purchased and it matched the paper (sigh of relief!). While you don't see two sets of the word "Baby", I did make two.

Pictured below are the first set of coasters Mod Podged onto the back side of the paper.

Here are 2 coasters that I cut out with my cuttle bug detail scissors. Once you Mod Podge the coasters to the back side of the paper, I flip it over where I'm looking at the pretty side (aka: face up or right side up). I used a bakery rolling pin that you'd roll out dough with that I use to keep papers glued down nice and tight. Hence, edges are glued down and no air bubbles. Once dry, I cut out each circle perfectly with my cuttle bug scissors. I then used an emery board and sanded down the rough edges. Next came a coat of Mod Podge over each coaster face, the appropriate letter on each one, another coat of Mod Podge and dry time. I dried these overnight.

I don't have pictures of these next steps and my sincerest apologies for that (camera batteries died). I lined up the letters fronts and backs as for "BABY BOY" I should have 2 sets of each. I took out my e6000 glue and ran a ring around the back side of one corresponding coaster for each letter, ran a bead on the tip of the bamboo skewer and placed the coasters back-to-back with the skewer inside. I clipped each double-sided letter with skewer inside with clothes pins until dry. Once dry, I took out the blue acrylic paint and carefully painted around the edge of each coaster now "lollipop" as the raw cardboard and paper edges showed. You could also glue a cute coordinating corded ribbon around each. I wanted to keep it simple. Below are pics of the finished products. I just showed the word "baby" in the photos. I won't lie, this one took time, but I think they will enjoy them at the shower. I had fun making them.

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Keep it simple, keep it crafty, keep it lovely, and keep it fun!

For All My Single Friends {Part 2}...

2010-08-21T15:13:00.009-04:00

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." ~ Psalm 34:18

Walking in wisdom is what helps us avoid the enemy's snares, the counterfeits that slip into our lives and hold us captive because of our desires. The rearview mirror is always crystal clear. When we look back, we see all the little red flags: Friends and family said things we did not want to hear, but should have taken note of. We chose to ignore their admonition, but now have to admit that what they warned us about was true. Some will quietly hang their heads in shame and admit they knew they had no business with the likes of this man or woman. You had hoped by your good example they would change. However, he or she did not ~ "it's hard for a zebra to change its stripes", my mom used to tell me. Upon their exit from your life, this person wreaked havoc on your heart, your spirit, and your emotions.

Unfortunately, you will hurt again if the process of healing is not allowed to do its work. Take the necessary time to learn the lesson so that you do not have to repeat it again. Lessons get harder and harder every time. When I found myself going through a divorce in 2002, I finally realized the biggest mistake I could make {& almost did make} was to sweep my tears under a rug and move on stumbling blindly over my disappointments and heartache only to find myself staring them in the face at a later date down the road. For every lesson you and I refuse to learn, every heartache we refuse to process, the backlash is worse than the original occurance. Healing takes work and it usually hurts in the beginning and feels extremely uncomfortable. It will only hurt for as long as we fight the medicine. Take responsibility for your heart and get it right this time. Get ready to exhale everything that will impede your progress and inhale life. Pain can be a powerful teacher. It exposes the secrets that harbor defeat. It is a wonderful indicator that we are human and that we possess an incredible capacity for joy. Our level of joy is as great or as deep as our ability to register pain.

I have no idea where my mother found the following prayer, but I at least have a name to give proper credit. It was written by a lady named Carolyn Van Winkle. It is a prayer of release. It is imperative that when we go through a break up of any type that we have a clean break and cut ties with that person for a period of time; otherwise, our emotions stay clouded and we are more influenced by those than the wisdom the Holy Spirit provides. My advice is do not call them, take calls from them, Facebook message them, text them, answer FB messages or texts. Walk away or let them walk away. Forget about them for a moment and allow God to heal your heart.

PRAYER OF RELEASE
By Carolyn Van Winkle
"Because Jesus Christ is my Lord, I free ____________ from my anxiety, fears, and control. I trust the Holy Spirit to draw you and show you the way that is right for you - the way of peace, joy, and love that includes all the fruit of the Spirit. I place you on God's throne of Grace. I have given you to God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are a very special person. As much as I love you, I cannot live your life for you or entangle mine with yours. Your life is completely in His hands and I trust Him with it. I give you my blessing and unbind you and let you go, In Jesus' name."

Let the healing begin!

GIVEAWAY Winner!!!

2010-08-21T14:31:00.003-04:00

And the winner is...Peggy Lawrence! :) I know, it was by default. Lesson learned not to post a giveaway to gain followers, but I really wanted to do this giveaway and I'm so glad it's to a former classmate.

Peggy, I'll send you a message on FB to get some info for the candle creation.

GIVEAWAY!

2010-08-17T17:38:00.009-04:00

In honor of my new blog, I'm having a GIVEAWAY! I custom print candles and sell them on my website (SerendipityBathElixirs.com). For this giveaway, I will custom print a 6" Pillar Candle (your choice of white or ivory) with text or photo (you will have to e-mail it to me once you are notified that you are the winner). This is a $35.00 value. To view: Go to my site: www.serendipitybathelixirs.com ~ At the Menu on the LEFT, go to PRODUCTS under Home Page ~ scroll halfway down the page to view the candles. At the bottom of the page will be a couple of sample candles I have printed.

This is a different type of Giveaway. While I have readers of my blog, it is so new there are no "official FOLLOWERS". This giveaway is to generate "official FOLLOWERS". Giveaway Ends: Midnight EST Friday, August 20, 2010. Winner will be chosen by random.org. Winner will be contacted & posted on this blog Saturday, August 21, 2010.

You Have 4 Ways To Win:
1. Become an "Official Follower" and post a comment stating you are.
2. If you have a blog, post this giveaway on your blog and leave me a comment stating you did so.
3. Post this giveaway on your FACEBOOK profile and leave a comment with the link so I can see it.
4. If you enlist your friends or followers of your blog to FOLLOW my blog, have them leave a comment with your name and link to your blog stating they were referred by you (more chances for you to win).
NOTE: If you just leave 1 comment including the above, that counts as only 1 way to win.

Thanks & Best Wishes!

Introducing... Another Blythe Doll Named

2010-08-16T16:29:00.007-04:00

Here she is ~ Felicity Tate, another Blythe doll my sister had customized. These dolls are insanely collectible and have an underground type following. My sister designs and sells clothing for these cutie pies. When I saw her and all that cute curly hair, I immediately thought of Keri Russell in the show "Felicity", shared that with my sister and a name was coined. :) You can see my other blog about Wenslyn Emery, Extra! Extra! Blog All About It: What's In A Name? the first doll I named. I enjoy all the stuff my sister shares that some of the customizers do to these dolls ~ I have seen Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" and some dolls customized as Bella and Alice from "Twilight". It's fun to see the customizations, but the fashionista in me loves the clothes...

For My Single Friends...

2010-08-16T00:49:00.005-04:00

This topic has been heavy on my heart for the last week or so if I am being honest. So many single friends are repeating lessons they should have already passed the test on. Having been there myself, I commiserate with them. Ahhh, the sweetness of actually getting the lesson AND passing that test!

You and I are destined to repeat lessons not learned if we fail to pass the test. The sad thing about that is the lesson is harder each and every time and so is the test, but when you realize you've been doing the same thing over and over and over again (can you say PATTERN?), then the Holy Spirit has this uncanny way of showing us what we need to do, and when the test rolls around again, we recognize it and we pass it. YAH!!! You did it!!! So you think you know all there is to know about that guy or girl and therefore you believe they are "the one"? Are you kidding me??? Just because you know all there is to know about someone does not make them "the one". Could it be this person you refuse to let go of and leave in God's very capable hands is a COUNTERFEIT? Yes, that's right, the Enemy's version of God's best for you. Sure, this is a great guy or gal, but great is not God's BEST. Friend, I urge you, if there is someone or something you've been holding onto, let him or her go. Release that great guy or girl to God and cease all communication with them. It's called a clean break and it is a very necessary thing. Sure, pray for them, but pray God's will for them (praying scriptures for them is best so you know your motive won't ease it's way in there), and nothing more. If they return, you will still have to seek God's advice as to whether it's a test from Him or it's a blessing from Him. I cannot explain how you know the difference other than you just know "in your knower". My dear mom used to tell me, "be careful what you pray for since you just might get it". It was a warning. College sweetheart and I broke up for a year and I was on my knees in prayer for that boy, well, said boy came around again and I just "knew" it was God's blessing. :) Back then, you could not have convinced me otherwise; in hindsight, it was never God's blessing. Sure, God allowed it to happen, but He had been my co-pilot vs me allowing Him to be my Pilot and walking away. That rearview mirror is always crystal clear. The choices I made as that young adult college student haunted me well into my 30s. Don't let the same thing happen to you. Don't let the choices you make today haunt you later in life.

How do you know that person is not the one? When you don't follow God's directives (and I mean every single one of them, even when you think they are archaic), then all I know is God won't bless mess. Sure, He graces us extravagantly, but don't you want His absolute best in this area of your life?

I'm thankful He got a hold of me with His loving Shepherd's hook and showed me the way so I would walk in it. This stubborn child of His finally surrendered everything to His choosing and I'm so glad I did. He blessed me with my husband, Gray, and other than Christ Himself, that has been the best gift.

Here's to His best!

More DIY Things Around The House...

2010-08-15T23:32:00.025-04:00

Here ya go...more projects I did the past few weeks around the house and one not-so-good project I need help on (hint...hint). :)

Here's a Before & After on some items found on clearance at Hobby Lobby ~ they are cast iron so I had to be sure they won't fall down when the door is opened and closed. I found the keys for $1.70 {yes, you read that right!} each, and the "Bless Our Home" trivet for $2.00. I used cobra hooks with anchors to hang the trivet. I decided to hang all above the entryway door in our foyer.

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I changed out the curtains I originally had hanging in our Sunroom today. I found 4 of these Pottery Barn linen beauties at Goodwill for $18! Sorry, had to buy. They have tie tabs but we did not like the look so I used our curtain clips. I then added a candlescape I purchased a couple of years ago at a consignment shop. We like the look.

And here is the candlescape...

This next idea came from Blogdom. Many clever ladies have used an industrial looking pipe with elbows and fittings and they look fabulous. I decided to use a curtain rod I had on hand, strong anchor screws and voila! Well, we actually need double-rod holder because the cornice on our mini blinds sticks out a little far. So, while it works and we can open & close our blinds as is, we'd love it to stick out just a bit more. The pots and pans are supposed to be the "cafe curtain" at the window. Looks much better when all our pots and pans are up there. Basically, it frees up storage space in our cabinets {always a plus}. Working on taking down the wallpaper border and putting stacked stone up that wall with the window and as a backsplash.

This next photo is a basket I had on hand (yes, bought it while thrifting a few years back). It has a large compartment for something like magazines or plates for a picnic and three smaller compartments behind that. It houses our garden flags perfectly and sits nicely on a shelf...

Just a little something I had to hang in the Laundry Room to keep me focused. I don't care for laundry (does anyone really like to do laundry?) I don't mind the process of the washing, drying, hanging to dry, but putting it away is another story so I just do it to get it done, but this plaque reminds us of what we need to do...

Looks even better now that it is hung on a vintage wooden hanger.

This next photo is again for the Laundry. It's a beautiful oil-rubbed bronze metal scroll with hangers piece and I hung it up and then rubbed on letters that say, "Wash Room". Normally, I would put in the entryway for our keys, but we already have something for that purpose. I needed something for our dog's hankies and my baseball hats.

More Laundry Room Items. Please excuse the mess while I attempt to install shelving. Nothing thrilling - wire shelves and a utility hook. I needed space so I added 2 wire shelves under our existing shelves {wait until you see the next photo :)}. I also found a utility hanger for pennies (well, $5) to hold our brooms, mops, etc. Our Laundry Room is nothing like what is on all the fancy blogs, but it is a room and not a closet, and for that, I am thankful. I'm working with what we have or purchasing what is within budget.

Help me...I'm sliding...sliding away. Does not matter that I measured and leveled off this shelf. Not sure what happened, but it's completely lop-sided. I may be able to do many DIY projects...even gel staining cabinets over paint for that beautiful old world look (show me a piece of ugly wooden furniture and I'll paint it and make it beautiful:), but hanging wire shelves is NOT my forte` and I will completely own up to that one. Wanna re-hang it for me??? (HINT! HINT!:)

From one slide into another (the picture shows a slide in baseball:)...a display on top of a bookshelf in our Sunroom. This was my husband's "baseball room", which I actually like, but the bookshelf is an addition to store my books. The photo on the right was taken on his parents' wedding day, their wedding invitation is in another frame below that, a bowl of decorative balls (my fave is the globe ball), a plaque from a small group member to me about 3 years ago after a retreat ("Grateful Hearts Gather Here"), which I repainted a nice metallic bronze, a large shell that held our wedding rings, and a nice ornament/charm about having faith as small as a mustard seed from my mother-in-law...

This next photo is a tablescape of sorts in that I repurposed wine bottles cutting taper candles to fit, using scrapbook paper scraps from some of our wedding favors and the graphic design stickers I made for our wedding last year. Please ignore the large picture behind that. We leaned it on the wall to safely store until I hang it...

And finally, pictures we have purchased during the last year to go on our media wall with our tv...all are black & white with sepia tones. On the left, a scene in Italy, the center is Notre Dame in Paris, the two on the right are miscellaneous architecture photos. We had a nice size scene showing Parliament and Big Ben in London overlooking the River Thames, but the two staircase pictures work better. Sorry for the flash on Notre Dame...could not get a better picture...

That's it for the DIY for a bit. Thank you for joining me on the tour...

What's In A Name?

2010-07-01T14:22:00.009-04:00

My sister, Kathi, is an avid Blythe doll collector. She is insanely creative and makes and sells the clothes for these little lovelies in her Etsy store. I have a few favorite girls of hers ~ Avery Rose (has curly pink mohair), Kennedy Reese (has blonde Marilyn Monroe type hair), and Hannah Grier (has long, white mohair). Her newest arrival is a cute little blonde that she picked the name I tossed out there: Wenslyn Emery. She is pictured below (not wearing one of Kathi's fashions)...