Sunday, September 18, 2011

Craft Night with Gabi

Told ya i'd be bad at this. haha =) I've been so busy! We redid our downstairs bathroom, and I wanted to post before and after pictures so maybe I will later? It's almost done.- I LOVE it.  What else is new...
Today was fun! Today we celebrated the To-be-Marriage of Sarah & Scott (Oct 22 2011). My Mom Gabi and I went. It was so great to see everyone. Well Gabi and I decided to hang out all night and craft! We ended up making  Coasters out of 16 cent tile! Woo Hoo! Check out the tutorial that inspired me Here!
We went to michaels and got double discounts today and bought everything we needed!
This is us with our massive gift ;)

Got home and got started... 3 hours later....Here's the finished product!




SO fun! I made 3 sets, Gabi made 2- pretty good for our first try??! Cant wait to do them again! Hope you all had a great weekend! Leave a comment and let me know what you think! =) ( ya know.. so I dont feel like im talking to myself! )

Sunday, August 21, 2011

..Everlasting to Everlasting..

These past couple weeks I have been going through the book of Nehemiah. The Lord has been teaching me a lot through this... Today though I was going through chapters 7-9.... 9 wrecked me. (Wrecked: a christian term for when someone gets "WRECKED", or becomes broken.) He revealed to me how gracious, forgiving, and loving he truly is. He lays it out plainly for us to see just in this chapter alone. from vs. 5B and on it is a prayer about the forefathers of the Israelites.

Its too long to copy and paste, so if you do want to open it in another window and read it, its Here.

In the beginning of Chapter 9 what is described is almost like a revival. The Israelites came together and fasted and prayed. For HALF of the day they read the book of the Law, Confessed their sins and worshipped their God. To me thats at least 6 hrs of the day. When do we ever do that??  (just saying, this is for me.) Someone stood up in the middle of this worship session, and began to pray this prayer- and to start of it he commanded "Stand up and praise your God, who is everlasting to everlasting!" .. and on a "side note" I just love that our God IS the ONE & ONLY everlasting God =) This prayer goes on to explain how God was so faithful to the Israelites, and how they were not. This prayer is of humility and TRUE Repentance (thats what its all about!) for their forefathers. They looked back at the story and saw how blind they were to what the Lord was doing. When God was blessing them with new land and plentiful food, they don't even acknowledge that he exists. These  people were described as, arrogant, stubborn, stiff-necked, disobedient (vs29), rebellious (vs26), evil-doers (vs.28), wrong (vs.33), and closed-eared (vs.17). And we can look at all of that and say wow they were blind, and crazy not to see God working in them, and providing for them- but really... when we reflect on that, Isn't that how we are? (and maybe how America is becoming? if I can say that..)  This story shows so many truths about our God, that he is forgiving, faithful, loving, just, gracious, glorious, patient, merciful, jealous and kind.  After reading this prayer HOW can we doubt that the Lord LOVES us!? We turn our back on him and yet he still wants us back "Time after Time"! (vs.28) He is always providing a way out (vs.30 "For many years you were patient with them, by your spirit admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention..) and we may choose not to see it, but we have to seek his face in time of disobedience instead of running from him, like we tend to do (I think out of out guilt.) This is proof that the Lord is constantly calling us back to him. Guilt is NOT of God, only conviction by his Spirit. Give that to God and do something with that conviction. vs 17 says he is forgiving and gracious, he is "slow to anger and abounding in love." .. and man that's the truth. I pray that if their is any guilt in us that we would ask for God's forgiveness and RUN to him. If their is any conviction from his Spirit, that we would lay whatever that is at his feet and have the courage to change. That we wouldn't take his forgiveness and compassion for granted but be repentant and strive be like him because of it. That we would see God has a plan for us, and that we would strive to see what that is instead of growing weary, or stubborn in our own ways...
I hope that someone sees what I am trying to say in all of this. This is one of the first times I have ever openly shared my devotions with the Lord (its intimate..) But I felt so strongly about this, that I had to at least write it down again. Be encouraged today and praise our God for he is good. <3


Thursday, August 18, 2011

Next Project??..

Beyond the Picket Fence is a new blog i'm following.. look what she made!!!
I love the colors of the stains she used!! Check the whole thing out Here on her blog. What do you think?? I love crafting =)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Ladder Love..

Months ago, I saw this post on a blog called Designer Garden and instantly I knew I had to have it in my living room. If you dont want to go to the blog, its a ladder used as a shelving unit/blanket hanger-thingy. I mentioned it to my husband, and all summer long i've been on a ladder hunt. FINALLY a couple weeks ago I found one when i was out garage saling with my friend Jenna Wells in Van Wert Ohio. Thats a whole other story in itself. That weekend was a garage sale dream. Rt 127? was doing their garage sales, and it the worlds longest yard sale extending all the way from Michigan to Alabama! whaaattt!! well it also just so happens to be by Jennas Hometown- Van Wert, who where also having their town garage sales. Needless to say we had to be there. We spent the entire day walking around looking for deals for our home. I was about to give up on ever finding my ladder, and the last sale we went to... I FOUND IT. =)
I grabbed Jennas arm, and she knew what I seen. ( dramatic, I know but thats pretty much how it went down.) SO this past week or so I've been playing with it to see what I wanted to do, and today...
 I finished it!!! =)
Sorry this picture is not the best- it was taken on my phone. It doesn't do it justice in my opinion, but a lot of you have been asking about it and I couldn't wait to show you! Everything but the blanket (a wedding gift made for us by the amazing Annette Colarusso) was also purchased at the garage sales that day. The books are old vintage books that I fell in love with, one is Old McDonald had a Farm, and the other is Alice in Wonderland!! (the pictures are so cute!)  I had to stain and sand, stain and sand the ladder, but I really love the way it turned out! Tell me what you think!! 

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

In the Stillness..

Its a beautiful morning. I have a few hours to kind of catch up around the house. I started playing a new cd I got ( it's actually not new to everyone else haha) by Jadon Lavik. If you haven't Heard of him, you should definitely check him out. I was listening to his older cd called Roots Run Deep, and a lot of those songs are hymns. I was getting ready to do the dishes and I just started to tear up when I heard "I surrender all" .. How many times have I heard that song?? Yet this morning the father chose pressed it in my soul. I need to seriously surrender all, give everyyyythingg to him. We have to surrender "control" of our life to him, even though it was his to begin with. He gives us a new peace knowing that he has it all in the palm of his hand, his ways are above our ways. I have to lay it ALL at the feet of the cross. And today, He stirred a new joy in my heart. I love mornings with my savior. All he wants is for us to be with him.. in the secret... in the quiet place. In the stillness.. HE is there. Let's spend some time with Jesus today =)

Sweet Pea Jewelry

If you haven't checked out my etsy shop yet, you should! This is where I sell some of the things I love to craft! =) My newest makings are feather earrings.  Just feedback would be great! <3

Sweet Pea Jewelry






<3 you all!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Our Creator God

Im amazed at the world around us. To know that we have a God that is so great that he would make everything in this world. As my friend Emily Main was driving me home last night we were talking about the stars, and once we were by my street we looked up and the clouds were placed SO pretty and the moon was SO bright, it looked fake. I think its a good reminder of how great our God is. He placed those stars right where they are for a purpose.


I wanted to share something about these flowers. Last sunday it was Samer's Grandpas 80th birthday, and we went to his aunt's new house with her room mate Lynn Rodebough. We had a great time eating and catching up and even meeting some new friends. I was admiring all of Lynn's fresh flowers. In the past month or so i've been telling Samer how much I want fresh flowers to be a permanent staple in our kitchen. It just brightens my day by looking at them =)  Well as we were Leaving she hands me the flowers on the right, and says here these are for you. I was SO excited! She told me that she grows flowers in her yard, and whenever she has guests over she gives them a vase with flowers in them and attaches a bible verse to them so we are reminded of his glory and goodness. The verse on the flowers she gave me said "he has made everything  beautiful in it's time..." Ecc. 3:11. I just loved that she gave those flowers to me. I thought it was Suchhh a good idea!! Then the next day my wonderful mother-in-law bought me the flowers on the Left and I put them in my new "vase" i bought at a garage sale for .50! Love it. So now even a week later i'm still staring at these gorgeous flower in my kitchen! Thought i'd share this little bit of joy this lady gave me last sunday! =) hope this encourages someone!