Jewelry Holder Redo

Before:

In all its original glory directly from the thrift store.

After:

This will be used at the show this weekend to display some of Mom's Jewelry. Roderick liked it but said "Does anyone use these any more?" I had to laugh since I know a lot of people that do. Since that comment I've been seeing "Jewelry Holders" everywhere.

 My next project is already in the works and I am loving it! Whoever came up with the idea of embroidery hoop wall hangings was a  genius. There is a danger of  my house being overrun by them!

Where do you think I'm planning on hanging these?

I need help...

I mentioned in an earlier post that I am wanting to redo my bathroom. Being cooped up in a house for 3 months I guess does that to you. The bathroom seems the easiest to change {and probably cheapest}. Plus it is one of the few rooms that has been almost untouched since we moved here 3 1/2 years ago.

So here's how it looks now... well almost I have been sick for 3 months {read its not currently picture worthy so the picture is from right after we moved in}

My inspiration for the new room occurred as I was painting a canvas I planned on selling. The plan for the "new" bathroom is black and white {damask and other patterns} with a little aqua and a touch of light purple. (I already have a purple shower curtain hanging over my washer and dryer and I thought I could just switch the two.) I've scoured the Internet for damask towels, rugs, etc. I've found some great options too! Just have to get better to actually go do the shopping. I'm not really liking the idea of paying shipping for items I can go to the store and purchase myself!

Here's some of my idea: 

* Each picture has been linked to the appropriate site 1.) My painting inspiration for the room. Smaller canvas is actually a picture frame canvas I painted after the inspiration "hit." 2.)Anna's linens - seems to be good quality by the reviews, but is it the right blue?? Not sure. 3.) Amazon - they are also available in misty blue {and green - I'm thinking my kitchen needs them!}, but I think I like the black the best and I'll "doctor" them up. 4.) Etsy - Funky Chicken - I think I want to change the switch plates no matter what I decide! 5.) Macy's - Firenza pattern, I think. 6 & 7.) Target - not getting great reviews, but the best I've found other than IKEA. IKEA rug can't be ordered online and I don't want to drive there for $4 rug(s)! 8.) Macy's - Blue dot, again not that great of reviews, but I think the color would be perfect.

Now, however, I'm in a quandary. I finished the paintings I had been working on for the bathroom and hung them up so the wall wouldn't be bare as I wait to change the decor. {I'm planning to sell them at the November 12th conference.} I LOVE the idea of redoing the bathroom and really love the new color scheme.... but the new paintings do look great in there and keeping it as it is would be a whole lot cheaper...

I've never been a very decisive person... so I need your help! What do you think, should I bite the bullet and make the change or just leave it be? Decisions, decisions, decisions!

*  I find it comical that Sara Mincy's post today has several canvas' with Prov. 3:5-6 on it as well. Love that verse! If I redo the room as planned the "new" canvas will also have that verse.

Enjoying the little things

This saying has really been on my mind and heart lately. I feel like the Lord has struck me with the thought and desire to enjoy the life he's given me, whatever it may be. When life is all comfortable and speeding by, I often forget to "stop and smell the roses." Since I've been sick that's about all I can do.

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks because I didn't want another "I'm still sick post." However, I decided that it was time to post again whether I'm still sick or not. Today marks 3 months of sickness. I've been told that mono is like really bad morning sickness... I'm hoping like morning sickness it will go away after 3 months. (Tomorrow would be nice.) Too bad the "reward" in the end isn't the same!!!

Here's one the little things that has become a big thing lately:

With me stuck in the house most days, outings have taken on more of a gargantuan occasion status. For the last month or two we've had the tradition of going to 3 Amigo's every Saturday. I truly look forward to it! Roderick drops me off at the curb and I either sit on the bench outside (Centerville) or on the benches inside (Battlefield) until he parks the car. By the time he comes in I've gained a little strength again. We ALWAYS share the same thing. When, I say always, I mean always... At both locations the waiter/waitress has placed our orders for us. We love that it's "healthy" and cheap.

I'm hoping when the Lord chooses to heal me from this mono, that I will continue to thank him and enjoy the "little things".

Are there any little things that you've realized really are big things lately?

Something New...

I tried something today I've never tried before...making a "print" of one of my paintings. Roderick LOVES it! Me, I'm not so sure....the colors are a bit different from the original. It is really neat to see my painting in print, makes me feel a little more like an actual artist somehow. Plus, I love that you can make the print any size you want! I may try out postcard size next. These will be for sale soon to the public at large.
Did you try anything new this weekend?

Life is "Sweet"

No, this is not the post in which I tell you I am finally over mono...actually quite the opposite as I fear I've had another resurgence of the symptoms this week. However, it is the post in which I tell you God is good, life is great, and He's given me so many sweet blessings this week I can't help but post them.

Replacement sunshine flowers from a sweet friend

The resurgence of symptoms actually began last Friday after a very fitful night of sleep. So on Saturday I slept until 2! (Yeah, 2 in the afternoon...however, I will say that I did wake up umpteen times, but I was always able to go back to sleep.) Upon waking my husband tells me he thinks we should go out to eat and suggests Olive Garden. (As he knew I had been craving their soup, salad, and bread sticks. Sweet thing #1) I then preceded inform him I will just take a shower and not wash my hair as it's chilly outside, I don't want to add more symptoms by going outside with wet hair and I don't feel like I have the energy to blow dry my hair after the shower and then go out. (Wow that was quite the run-on sentence....) He then tells me to go ahead and wash my hair and he'll blow dry it for me! Which he did very well I might add! Sweet thing #2

When we finally made it to the car I declined my seat, as car rides seem to take a lot out of me these days. My husband opened the back windows and turns up the heat a little, "so you can get fresh air, but not be too cold." Sweet thing #3

After a wonderful, albeit tiring, meal at Olive Garden, we proceeded to CBTS (my husband's school) where I stayed in the warmed car while my husband picked out a book to read for fun. He choose Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. Which brings me to Sweet thing #4, my dear sweet husband read that book to me until his throat became raw. At which time he would take a little break, read silently for a few pages, and then began reading out loud again.

While he read that wonderful book, I worked on this sweet picture I had begun several days before.

I had a wonderfully sweet time searching out a verse to put on the bottom of the cupcake. Try doing a quick search of sweet or taste in the Bible and you will find several verses talking about how sweet the Lord's words are to us, or how sweet they should be. Such  a good reminder and Sweet thing #5.


We have continued to read a couple of chapters of Pride and Prejudice every night when Roderick gets home from work. Plus we've been watching the long A& E movie, in sections as they go with the book. Sweet thing #6.

One evening, I believe it was Sunday, I was craving something sweet and my husband found an unopened container of chocolate Haagen-Dazs in the freezer. I know it sounds crazy, but that shared sweet was simply marvelous! Sweet thing #7.

Sweet thing #8 has to be mentioned as well. That sweet thing is the number of you that took the time to comment on my last post. (So many first time comments as well!) Ah, life is sweet and those comments mean the world to me!

I must admit that there are SO many more sweet little things I could post...like a friend stopping by last week to give me a stack of the most delicious ginger cookies I have ever eaten (Fall exuded out of every bite!), or another friend that added a pumpkin cake to the meal she brought to us because she knew I was craving pumpkin.....but I think I'll stop here for now.

As this week has progressed and I have remained feeling pretty blah, my husband has done so many sweet things. Just little things that if it were not for my illness and my specific thought process on taking notice of the sweet things, I may have taken for granted. Although I would never have wished to be sick for this long, I can say it has drawn my heart closer to my husband and has caused our relationship to be sweeter. (Which I wouldn't have thought possible as we already had a sweet relationship.)

The illness has also seemed to draw my heart closer to my Saviour. I still see my need for growth so acutely, but I am thankful for the sweetness of my current relationship with Him. My desire is still that my love for Him grows to be wider and deeper. I am so beyond undeserving of His love it sometimes crushes me. Yet I know that despite that unworthiness, He looks at me and He sees the payment His Son made for me on the cross!

This post is not written to make you think I have a perfect life. That is very far from true! It is written to encourage you, and myself as I read this later, that blessings, little and small, abound and we should strive to take notice of them.  Such an effort can cause such great encouragement despite the fact we are at our "lowest" or maybe because we are there. The Lord is good and life is Sweet!

Have you taken the time to reflect on the sweet gifts the Lord has given you this week?

Sunshine Flowers, Painting, and Health Update

Still laying low. Would have thought that after a month and half I would be over the tired achy feeling if I do too much. (Which is still surprisingly little!) Learned on Friday night that the lab results do indeed indicate mono. I am certainly improving and am now able to do a bit more around the house. For some reason leaving the house for long periods seems to be too much still. Almost everywhere you go you have to walk for awhile and I'm still only able to do short stints of that. We solved this problem on Saturday at the grocery store with me sitting in the child double seat cart extension. (It did say it was for one adult or two children...up to 300lbs.) Even if it was a bit unconventional, it worked great! I decided since I was spending so much time cooped up inside I needed to have some sunshine flowers. Loving something new to look at.

With choices of activities limited I've continued to do a lot of painting. Yesterday I painted outside on the porch so I can at least get some fresh air and sunshine. Here's the paintings I've finished over the past couple of week:

Inspiration from House Beautiful

I've mentioned that I've been painting a lot lately. It seems like inspiration is everywhere I look. While in Colorado I happened upon this wonderful article about a beach house. 

Don't you just love that adorable bike from Target...I think I need one! The picket fence, the roses... I'd easily take this cottage any day! But the best part is the inside. When I saw this bedroom I was seriously inspired.  It's adorable!! Might even be inspiration for a future son's room or maybe a playroom whenever that happens!

My mother-in-law told me to rip out the pages and take them home.  Based on the inspiration I created this...

It was so fun to create. I hope someone else thinks so too! I'm having too much fun creating new things for the show.

Friday Favorite - Growth

I have really enjoyed watching the plants on my porch grow this year. Here they are freshly planted:

Now a few months later!

 It is truly amazing to watch things grow and produce "fruit." Our creator is amazing! To think we could get 5 bell peppers, a tomato and lots of basil from plants (Plus 4 new tomatoes currently growing)! AMAZING!!

Pepper Plant Progression

Tomato Plant Progression

" Tomato twins" - looked like  single tomato on the plant, turned out to be two!

Well, at least this is how they looked earlier this week. But I do have an "unfavorite".... pressure washers! Here's the results of these nasty devices:

It's a rather ugly site and it just makes me sick to look at! I have to admit we did know that the pressure washer was coming and my husband did attempt to move things out of the way to avoid the plants getting hurt. They've gotten so big its not like we could move them inside or anything! Here for hoping for a complete recovery!!! I've been babying them and talking to them ever since.

Here's the other growth I've been working on and hope to be working on till the day I die!

Hope you had a great week of growth!