They say tornadoes are coming my way today. I really hope my house or anyone elses doesnt get hit! I've got some kool projects I've been working on!
I was watching the news and Joplin Mo just broke my heart.
Short and sweet post today. Please keep Tornado Alley in your prayers.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
My friend Chandel's blog
her new bloghttp://prissystitches.blogspot.com/
My friend Chandel is a dress making fool, she is also a dog lover and if you think I am crazy about Hershey and Dottie, you have no idea how crazy about a dog this girl can be! I keep meaning to arrange for a doggie play date for our babies but havent had time to yet. I am quite sure the weiners and Chandel's "Little Dog/Big Dog" could really get into quite an adventure!
Go check Chandel's page out and give her some blog love please. It is such a boost to get new followers and comments from others!
As for me, I am working on some pretty awesome stuff! Will have a new post by the end of today hopefully!
My friend Chandel is a dress making fool, she is also a dog lover and if you think I am crazy about Hershey and Dottie, you have no idea how crazy about a dog this girl can be! I keep meaning to arrange for a doggie play date for our babies but havent had time to yet. I am quite sure the weiners and Chandel's "Little Dog/Big Dog" could really get into quite an adventure!
Go check Chandel's page out and give her some blog love please. It is such a boost to get new followers and comments from others!
As for me, I am working on some pretty awesome stuff! Will have a new post by the end of today hopefully!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Who Christ is to me
For starters, the man who predicted this so called DOOMSDAY, who claims he is a Christian is very misled. I am not saying he is not a Christian but only that he is not right about this. It would not be called DOOMSDAY to me, I would call it the GREATEST DAY EVER. It would be the day that all our cares are over and I don't mean cares like paying the bills, and getting kids to school, and losing weight. I mean hurting, suffering, anxiety, depression, heartbreak, physical pain, and so on. These are the things that are real to us measly humans. These are the things that when we are at our darkest time or hour or in the deepest pain ever, we cry out to God and say "Help me." "I need you." "Take this burden away."
I would be able to see God's face, something I have wondered about most of my life. I would know the One who made me. I would know why He made me. I would have an instant peace in that very moment.
It's hard to explain what Jesus did for me. I was lost, just like everyone who has ever come to know God is before. But when I found Him, and I say "I found Him," I mean that, cause without a doubt, He has been there the whole time, my life changed. I was joyful and happy and wanted to share Him. Gradually I got lost again and it became that I missed Him so much I could not explain it. My thoughts changed from pure to evil, my heart ached with anxiety and fear of the unknown, my love for others failed drastically.
Coming to understand who Jesus is has been struggle at times for me. Is He God, Is He the Son of God? There is one scripture that I have found that is clear on this. It is 1 Timothy 3:16:
16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
To me it is not coincidence that this scripture has the same Ch. Vs. as John 3:16
16For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
This is who He is! Jesus came to our world to show us the way to God. He is the Son and He is God and He is the Holy spirit who breathes on us and tugs at our heart and not just in church or when we are in trouble but when we are convicted, when we see someone else hurting and it hurts us cause it hurts Him, when we feel the uncontrollable urge to do something kind for someone, when we are laughing with joy unspeakable He is happy with us then too! Don't you know that everything we feel He feels 100x more!
I have recently just returned to Him, I wish I could have shown Him better to others in my life who are no longer here for whatever reason. And I am trying to now. It is not right to just hold Him in and not let others see what I know is true. It was not right to myself to live for so long without Him and let the adversary steal my joy. And it was no-one's fault but mine.
I spoke with Him this morning and I honestly can say that I haven't been able to even finish a prayer in the past few years. I get sidetracked, the phone rings, my mind wanders, whatever reason. But today He was there again as He reminded He always has been and always will be. He made me feel complete and full of joy and eager and anxious but not of world things, of awaiting His return to the world.
So I guess you can say that I was disappointed that He didn't come back today but I needed to have that talk with Him. So thank you Mr. Camping for falsely predicting the return of our Savior and reminding me that He was right there waiting for me too.
I would like to show you a poem that I wrote back in 1999. I was lost and just sitting in some college class bored and waiting for something to happen and these words came flowing from my pen to the paper effortlessly. I think He wrote this myself. After all, the bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16(another 3:16-I think these are the numbers Mr. Camping should be crunching)
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
This poem is not scriptural or in the bible, but it is what God used one day to wake me up. I am not claiming that I write scriptures, I am just pointing out that God wrote the bible!!!!
What was His name...
The One who called for me?
What did He want...
That man I saw?
I heard Him cry..
when I swore it was a lie,
still I knew this day would come...
This day that I die.
I reached for his hands,
but He turned away...
the same way I did to Him,
before that day.
"Take me with you, I dont belong here," I cried
As I realized,
I never went with Him
when He tried....
And He left me there,
As we cried.
If He is calling for you today, please accept. Don't be left there.
ADVICE NEEDED PLEASE
I am not a gardener or flowery type person. I do not have the patience to plant something and watch it grow or do the maintenance to help it grow. I guess this is why I craft and paint stuff cause I like instant gratification.
It is really embarrassing because the lady who I bought my house from had the most immaculate flower beds and they are even already set up on a sprinkler system and I still don't mess with them.
My mom has been nagging me about some kind of bean tree that is a weed that is consuming my flower bed, I knew it was a weed but I kinda didn't cause it looked like it was supposed to be there.
SO I need some advice about easy flowers to grow that grow fast and are easy to maintain. I think I will give this a try in the next few weeks or so. Any advice is welcome
It is really embarrassing because the lady who I bought my house from had the most immaculate flower beds and they are even already set up on a sprinkler system and I still don't mess with them.
My mom has been nagging me about some kind of bean tree that is a weed that is consuming my flower bed, I knew it was a weed but I kinda didn't cause it looked like it was supposed to be there.
SO I need some advice about easy flowers to grow that grow fast and are easy to maintain. I think I will give this a try in the next few weeks or so. Any advice is welcome
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
TRUE ART!!
As you have probably heard from me already, if you read this blog, my Nanny who has taught me everything I know about crafting and sewing is an AWESOME ARTIST! She has been painting with oil/canvas for as long as I can remember. She used to have a portrait of "Buffalo Bill" and I remember being scared of him and my sister and cousins teasing that he was one of our dad's. I cant remember the details. Those were fun times though!!
Anyway there is a portrait here of my beloved Hershey dog when he was just a puppy. She painted this from a photo I had given her. She has made special paintings for all of her kids and grandkids, she is just so talented!
Please check out Nanny's artwork
http://www.the-haskellok.com/artgallery2/
Anyway there is a portrait here of my beloved Hershey dog when he was just a puppy. She painted this from a photo I had given her. She has made special paintings for all of her kids and grandkids, she is just so talented!
Please check out Nanny's artwork
http://www.the-haskellok.com/artgallery2/
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
SWEATSHIRT PILLOW
If I can sew a straight line, I can make a pillow!
Ha! Well, it's mostly straight!! Anyway my sister and her soon to be husband are major big time hunters and I had this old hoodie laying around that was worn out and didnt fit right anymore, so voila! new pillow for my sister's house. The fabric flower was made out of strips of fabric sewn on one side and drawn up into a flower shape with a cute button in the middle! This was an easy project!
Ha! Well, it's mostly straight!! Anyway my sister and her soon to be husband are major big time hunters and I had this old hoodie laying around that was worn out and didnt fit right anymore, so voila! new pillow for my sister's house. The fabric flower was made out of strips of fabric sewn on one side and drawn up into a flower shape with a cute button in the middle! This was an easy project!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
I love frames!
Since spring has sprung upon me so quickly, I decided it was time to update my front door decor. A few weeks ago I was a at a yard sale and found a frame that I bought for no reason other than it "could be something cute" (i do this quite often)
So today when I was thinking of an inexpensive way to redo my front door to be more spring looking I remembered my $1 frame. I was going to spray paint it but after i cleaned it up I decided I liked the vintage, shabby, distressed look it already had.
I plan to add something to it later, like some mossy monogram or something hanging in the center. Any suggestions??
Did I mention I am in love with these frames too. I have a mirror in my craft room(a constant work in progress that I hope to soon show to the world if I ever complete it) Anyway-this mirror was $10 at a flea market and solid and in good shape. Unfortunately it was ugly mauve. Well glossy purple spray paint and voila! Cool mirror with fabulous frames.
So today when I was thinking of an inexpensive way to redo my front door to be more spring looking I remembered my $1 frame. I was going to spray paint it but after i cleaned it up I decided I liked the vintage, shabby, distressed look it already had.
I plan to add something to it later, like some mossy monogram or something hanging in the center. Any suggestions??
Did I mention I am in love with these frames too. I have a mirror in my craft room(a constant work in progress that I hope to soon show to the world if I ever complete it) Anyway-this mirror was $10 at a flea market and solid and in good shape. Unfortunately it was ugly mauve. Well glossy purple spray paint and voila! Cool mirror with fabulous frames.
I have lots more frame projects to come, that is if my crafting ADD will let me ever get one done!!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
NEW POSTER
I made a new poster for honoring my 4 legged friends Hershey and Dottie and all weenie dogs out there
This poster is courtesy of http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/default.aspx#createposter and to my PC for letting me edit it a bit. I had a hard time getting only the dog silhouette to show up without a background so I had to make it all B/W then I edited later.
THE BEST BROWN BEANS EVER!
Please don't laugh expert cooks out there when you think, "a tutorial on how to cook beans," they are supposed to be easy. But this was not the case for me.
The first time I ever cooked beans, I soaked them overnight, then cooked them all day, they came out watery and stinky and tasted like dirt!!! Oh! you are supposed to season them, add other things to them? hmm whoops! (I was about 25 then)
Second time my former "know it all" husband cooked some. I will give him credit for this and this only, they were good. But the ingredient's were not things that normal slackers like me have on hand all the time. (I'm trying to remember) Seems like 3 kind of vegetables maybe celery and bell peppers, I cant remember. (I was about 27 or so then)
So then I talked to my dear old Nanny. Now if you read my blog at all you know that my Nanny is the best cook and artist and crafter around. So if course she would know how to cook the perfect pot of beans. She advised me that I do not have to soak them overnight(it's a waste of time) and that a ham hock(whatever that is) is the best way to flavor them plus some Rotel. Hmm-I love Rotel. She says just season them with things you like.
So now I am almost 31 and have made this version of "my" beans several times and they are so good
So here is what I come up with. Step by step, blog style tutorial here we go:
You will need
Stockpot with lid
1lb bag of pinto beans-brand not important-I get the cheapest
1 center cut ham steak-I use Smithfield-they come 2 in a bag for like $8. (and I'm not getting paid by them or anyone else to talk about beans)
Garlic powder or minced, which ever you got
Onion-yellow or white-sliced
1 Can of Rotel- if you are fresh out of Rotel like we often are at my house you can use Salsa-if you are out of that, then you better go to the store. But you put the Rotel in last so you can start your beans then go to the store.
1. Sort the beans-you have to get the bad ones out. This stumped me too. Which ones are bad, how do I know. SO I figured out that in this case popularity wins the contest. Just sort out the ones that don't look like the rest of them. Here is a pic of the bad ones from today's beans. And my sorting process, I sort the good ones into a strainer, when you are done, rinse them well.
2. Boil water in the stockpot, about 2/3 full. Add good beans and start stirring, let it boil for about 10 minutes a full speed, then slow it down, add the ham, just one slice(see pic below). Now for the ham if you cant find this brand you can use any brand, pre cooked or not, just be sure to get some ham in your beans or they will taste like dirt. I do not cut up the ham(another waste of time) cause it just falls apart when its cooked. Just throw it in whole.
3. Add the sliced onion and garlic powder to taste.
4.Let it cook on low with the lid on most of the day(about 4 hours or until the beans thicken up and the ham is done. During the cooking time you can keep seasoning as you like to keep the garlic taste there and stirring to keep them from sticking. (very important)Today I had to go to the grocery store cause we are out of Rotel.
5. Make some cornbread if you like, it goes great with beans. And enjoy!!!
Now I am always welcoming tips and tricks and new recipes so please if you have any suggestions do share with me!!
The first time I ever cooked beans, I soaked them overnight, then cooked them all day, they came out watery and stinky and tasted like dirt!!! Oh! you are supposed to season them, add other things to them? hmm whoops! (I was about 25 then)
Second time my former "know it all" husband cooked some. I will give him credit for this and this only, they were good. But the ingredient's were not things that normal slackers like me have on hand all the time. (I'm trying to remember) Seems like 3 kind of vegetables maybe celery and bell peppers, I cant remember. (I was about 27 or so then)
So then I talked to my dear old Nanny. Now if you read my blog at all you know that my Nanny is the best cook and artist and crafter around. So if course she would know how to cook the perfect pot of beans. She advised me that I do not have to soak them overnight(it's a waste of time) and that a ham hock(whatever that is) is the best way to flavor them plus some Rotel. Hmm-I love Rotel. She says just season them with things you like.
So now I am almost 31 and have made this version of "my" beans several times and they are so good
So here is what I come up with. Step by step, blog style tutorial here we go:
You will need
Stockpot with lid
1lb bag of pinto beans-brand not important-I get the cheapest
1 center cut ham steak-I use Smithfield-they come 2 in a bag for like $8. (and I'm not getting paid by them or anyone else to talk about beans)
Garlic powder or minced, which ever you got
Onion-yellow or white-sliced
1 Can of Rotel- if you are fresh out of Rotel like we often are at my house you can use Salsa-if you are out of that, then you better go to the store. But you put the Rotel in last so you can start your beans then go to the store.
1. Sort the beans-you have to get the bad ones out. This stumped me too. Which ones are bad, how do I know. SO I figured out that in this case popularity wins the contest. Just sort out the ones that don't look like the rest of them. Here is a pic of the bad ones from today's beans. And my sorting process, I sort the good ones into a strainer, when you are done, rinse them well.
4.Let it cook on low with the lid on most of the day(about 4 hours or until the beans thicken up and the ham is done. During the cooking time you can keep seasoning as you like to keep the garlic taste there and stirring to keep them from sticking. (very important)Today I had to go to the grocery store cause we are out of Rotel.
5. Make some cornbread if you like, it goes great with beans. And enjoy!!!
Now I am always welcoming tips and tricks and new recipes so please if you have any suggestions do share with me!!
Friday, May 13, 2011
ADS ON MY BLOG
I debated about this for a while but finally decided it might be worth it, I mean, Hey, I have 13 real followers right? LOL- I am not thinking I will ever make any money on this blogging thing, I am only blogging because I love the crafts that I do and I get so inspired by the others on the Internet that I wanted to share mine with the world too. None of my very close friends or family are crafty or interested in my crafts(besides my Nanny-who I inherited all this craftiness from) so I thought, why not start a blog and share with the world who will appreciate my ideas as much as I do theirs. And so far it has been good, I have had 1000+ page views to my blog(some my own before I discovered the handy little "don't track your own views" option) and it has connected me to other bloggers with even bigger and better ideas than mine.
I think creativity is something that has to be fed and developed, nourished and supported. I am so glad I have my new Blogland friends to share with!!!
So please forgive me if blogs with ads annoy you, I will try to keep them to a minimum and keep the design easy on the eyes, I just thought, maybe....it could help support this crafting habit of mine, after all....yard sale season had begun!!!!
I think creativity is something that has to be fed and developed, nourished and supported. I am so glad I have my new Blogland friends to share with!!!
So please forgive me if blogs with ads annoy you, I will try to keep them to a minimum and keep the design easy on the eyes, I just thought, maybe....it could help support this crafting habit of mine, after all....yard sale season had begun!!!!
WHERE ARE MY LATEST POSTS!!!
ugh at least i can sign in but after all the trouble i had to go to to make a button it disappeared! so frustrating! i hope they re-appear
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
My attempt at a button
YES!!!! I HAVE A BLOG BUTTON!!! I THOUGHT I WAS NEVER GOING TO FIGURE THIS OUT!!!
BEST WAY BY FAR IS TO USE THIS TUTORIAL BY EHOW.COM I LOVE THEM!
When you get to the step about the code, I suggest getting the code from the blog link they provide it is much easier that way!!
I designed my button by using the http://www.lunapic.com/ photo editor and by using a free frame that I grabbed at http://shabbyblogsblog.blogspot.com/search/label/freebies and of course using the keep-calm-o-matic that you can find at http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/
I hope I didnt infringe on any copyrights since these are all freebies! THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE ABOVE LINK OWNERS AS WELL!!
I AM SO EXCITED, BE EXPECTING TO SEE MANY MORE BUTTONS FROM ME SOON! AND PLEASE IF YOU FOLLOW ME, I WOULD BE THRILLED EXCITED GRATEFUL and BEYOND TO SEE MY BUTTON ON YOUR BLOG!!!
FREE SCRAPBOOK DOWNLOADS
I am not a digital scrapbooker but I do love to have this stuff on hand for the day when I get around to learning or become chairbound! I seriously think that you cannot beat getting free scrapbook papers and its great to be able to print these out if needed when paper scrapping! I would like to find some free blog design elements if anyone knows, they seem to be limited!
http://www.computerscrapbook.com/free-digital-scrapbooking.html
http://www.computerscrapbook.com/free-digital-scrapbooking.html
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
baby changing table converted to laundry station
I had this old and ugly baby changing table that I purchased for $10 at a flea market. Well I saw this awesome laundry room storage idea a while back at http://mattjessicapope.blogspot.com/2011/04/laundry-room-makeover.html and at http://ana-white.com/2011/01/saushas-washerdryer-pedestals.html
So I did what I do best. I took the shelf I already had and modified it to be a laundry room sorting station. It was really easy. I took the 2 bottom shelves off and moved the trim piece up. The trick here is to use a flat black paint after a white primer. Then sand and distress, then clear coat spray.I wanted to be able to change the labels if I ever decided to move the piece to another room so I chalkboard painted to one of the larger trim pieces that came off the original shelf. I already had the tall skinny sorting baskets so it worked perfect!
And don't worry~! I am using the leftover shelving pieces on some other projects, I am not letting it go to waste!
HERE IS THE BEFORE:
So I did what I do best. I took the shelf I already had and modified it to be a laundry room sorting station. It was really easy. I took the 2 bottom shelves off and moved the trim piece up. The trick here is to use a flat black paint after a white primer. Then sand and distress, then clear coat spray.I wanted to be able to change the labels if I ever decided to move the piece to another room so I chalkboard painted to one of the larger trim pieces that came off the original shelf. I already had the tall skinny sorting baskets so it worked perfect!
And don't worry~! I am using the leftover shelving pieces on some other projects, I am not letting it go to waste!
HERE IS THE BEFORE:
AND AFTER:
DISTRESSING IS FUN!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
KEEP CALM AND MAKE POSTERS! Free template/image generator!!!
The KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON trend has captured me! So I was browsing for a free download and I found the Keep Calm -O- Matic! You can make any poster you want with the design of the "KEEP CALM" propaganda poster. SO perhaps you dont know the story of this poster, it was designed in 1939 by the Brit's to ease the anxiety of the people when war was pending. I suffer with anxiety, I accidentally stumbled upon the original poster at Hobby Lobby and I loved it!!!
Here is an example of the one I created!
Here is the website! Enjoy: http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/default.aspx#createposter
UPDATE 9/18/2012-This post has had MAJOR hits. Thank you all for visiting and featuring on your pages. I can't take credit, I just happened to be one of the first who stumbled upon this awesome site.
LAST NIGHT I DISCOVERED A KEEP CALM APP FOR THE IPHONE. YES IT'S ADDICTIVE.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/keep-calm-carry-on-original/id393497171?mt=8 It does cost .99 cents but it's well worth it.
Here is an example of the one I created!
Here is the website! Enjoy: http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/default.aspx#createposter
UPDATE 9/18/2012-This post has had MAJOR hits. Thank you all for visiting and featuring on your pages. I can't take credit, I just happened to be one of the first who stumbled upon this awesome site.
LAST NIGHT I DISCOVERED A KEEP CALM APP FOR THE IPHONE. YES IT'S ADDICTIVE.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/keep-calm-carry-on-original/id393497171?mt=8 It does cost .99 cents but it's well worth it.
simple frame makeover
I had this cute painting that matched my scrapbook room perfectly but I had no frame for it. Except and old one I found in my "project" room aka. the garage.
A little black paint and its a whole lot cuter! Maybe you can see the curtains that me and my awesome Nanny made a few weeks ago! Someday I will have my own sewing machine!
Anyway I am working on a pretty big project and I am so excited and can wait to be done with it to show off. Soon I will have the entire craft room complete with all the cool stuff I cannot brag about enough!
Anyway I am working on a pretty big project and I am so excited and can wait to be done with it to show off. Soon I will have the entire craft room complete with all the cool stuff I cannot brag about enough!
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