Sparkly Stars

 An easy re-cycled craft using toilet paper rolls, some paint and a little bit of wire. I hope to do something creative each year and this was something easy and its great to use up things at home!
 Start with just trimming half inch slices off the flattened end of the toilet paper roll. Cut half way through the middle of each sliced piece. With two pieces in opposite direction insert the small slices into each other, to form your star.
 Paint the star white (or whatever) then with glitter paint when dry.
 Loop a wire through to hang on the tree.

Twinkle twinkle little star

Red Neck Travel Mug

 I doubt I'm the only one that loves a coffee that is around for a sip here and there while going about in the house, that stays warm for when that time arises. So here is an all cozie, convenient, and fun(ny) way to help with those occasions.
 Keeping your mason jars makes for lots of handy uses. But this time its a red neck travel mug. The kind with a one piece lid, not a ring and snap seal top.
 The sock sleeve is what makes this- cozy and feasible. You just simply cannot handle a steaming beverage in a jar. Plus you cant use the traditional sleeve to hold this handy mug, because it'll slip and crash. You are going to have to make a snug sock cover. With, literally, a sock. Yup, just yank the one off of someones foot... well you can use another one or new one, if you have an issue with that.

 Grab your sock, turn it inside out, and measure how long it will need to be, leaving some room from the top, so your lip doesn't get fuzzies stuck on it, but there is enough for seam allowance.
 Trace the bottom of the jar onto the sock, for the bottom of the cozy.

 Pin the bottom edge of the tube with the edge of the circle, right sides facing. Zig-zag stitch about 2 or 3 times, to ensure it will not unravel. Use a tight, small stitch to hold it together. Turn it right side out, then stitch the fringe inside the cozy to the edge of the side, very close to the bottom. So you will end up seeing a seam on the outside of the cozy at the very bottom, but this will give extra durability and will better hold the shape of the tube.

 

Now I can savour a steaming cup of joe, warm my hands, and I get to enjoy the smell of my honeys feet wherever I take it!

 

 

Put the lid on and have another steaming sip in a bit.
I love it, and my kids each want their own! Gimme your socks guys!

COURAGE for 2014

Last year I was inspired to pick a word for the year 2013, to encourage us. Frustrated by my children's lack of kindness for one another, making a habit of constantly picking on each other, preying on each others weaknesses, and deliberately hurting others feelings, hu hu hu (panting)... I picked the word KINDNESS. I came up with a slogan too. Its to the point, and I made who ever disrespected an other, have to repeat it: ~Feelings get hurt like a punch in the gut. So if you have nothing nice to say, keep your mouth shut!~ This was typed out in big letters, with a picture of a guy throwing a big punch. And hung up. Needless to say this was memorised pretty well and quickly. The kids got pretty tired of me getting them to repeat this. Another one I felt I needed for slightly different situations that arose was: ~Feelings get hurt like a kick in the knee. I must be kind to others if I want them to be kind to me!~ I am happy to say that the hurt feelings were brought down significantly. To remind us of our goal I made up pretty bunting with the letters for kindness on each little flag. I kept it simple with the flags made of card paper. I painted them with acrylic. I used a sponge to cover the card with paint. Next I used a small piece of bundled burlap to dab a rough border around each flag.Then to hang it up I used brown string.
This year I know we all need to remember to step out in COURAGE a lot more often. Especially with having recently moved half way across the country. Its hard to settle in and establish a new way of life, for each of us. New surroundings, work, school, church, neighbours, friends, stores, etc.
But sadly we can all lack a degree of courage. Life can start one off with situations that can damage, hinder, or completely spoil that courage that God wills for us. I speak from experience. Sadly that rubs off on our children from our view we have of ourselves.
But here is a definition the dictionary has, that puts it plainly: the courage of ones convictions the confidence to act in accordance with ones beliefs. 
We have no excuse to act out insecurely, because if we love, believe, and walk in Christ, that goes against what you believe. That's called a contradiction. 
Courage through Him, covers most of what the christian life calls us to: Courage to love, courage to do what is right, courage to stop doing what is wrong (change is hard even when its for the good), courage to step out and stand up for Christ or a brother/sister, courage to get out of your comfort zone (get out there and join in with others), courage to be yourself, courage to speak your mind, courage to face uncertainties, courage to deal with hardships, courage to forgive, courage to put others and God first, courage to heed or consider an others loving advice...
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.  1Cor. 16:13
In any situation, we should ask ourselves "IS THIS WISE IN THE EYES OF GOD?" If the answer is yes, have the confidence to do it! If the answer is no have the courage to turn away! The Lord will provide the wisdom to know the difference and what you need, to carry out His will. And doing His will is most fulfilling!
Also have you ever thought about how the word encourage comes from the word courage? Here is another dictionary definition: to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence.
All this courage has a chain reaction. I don't believe anyone can say they have more than enough encouragement. We can all use a bit more.
It makes me think of the Nike slogan: Just Do It. Having a grand thought or a nice idea is useless, if not acted upon.
"Beautiful thoughts hardly bring us to God until they are acted upon. No one can have a true idea of right until he does it." -Willeam R. Inge
So this all, like most of what I write about, is my own pep talk, but my hope also is to encourage from my experiences and struggles.
Not to forget, here are the slogans for Courage 2014:

Have Courage to say

Courage to do

Gods will,

He has for you.

 

Be a sample of Christ’s example.

Encourage through your courage.

Joshua 1:9 This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

 

 

 

Easy Advent Calendar

 Advent started this past Sunday. My family looks forward to this tradition every year. There are the candles. Five in a circle. The scriptures read. Different ones to focus on the Lord Jesus. Singing Christmas carols. Lifting our spirits and our voices in praise to God. A prayer to close. Sometimes something extra, like a craft or treat is fun to do. I wanted to add the advent calendar this year. Something fun for my kids to look forward too. I see the Santa themed chocolate calendar every year, but I just don't like that idea. I've seen so many neat ideas on line. But I really wanted to come up with something that would be thrifty and use what I had on hand. This idea is also very easy.
 I used a frame that had matting. I took the back off and cut to size, a nice piece of card stock and a piece of corrugated cardboard. Put frame back together with card stock on top of cardboard. Get out some more card stock and cut smaller sized rectangles to fit the middle of the frame. Twenty five of them. Punch a hole in the centre top of each. I hand wrote the numbers for each day counting up to the twenty fifth. I found printable activity ideas on line, for something fun each day. And glued them on the back of each card. I used an antique nail to hang the cards in the centre of the frame.

I know its late to start advent just now. But better late then never!

Pounding Pansies

Pansies are my absolute favourite flower. They can leave a lasting impression when you put them face down, and pound them onto a piece of fabric or construction paper. So simple, so beautiful!

The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field: the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD'S love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-- Psalm 103:15-17

The idea of something so beautiful being pounded for the purpose of getting a long lasting impression, makes me think about ourselves. The way life can be to an innocent child, or even a grown adult. The things that life seemingly pounds at us, can seem too hard to bear but the end result can, if we let it- leave beautiful, lasting impressions that don't kill us but surprisingly make us grow.

Early Spring Time Musings

Lake and his cousin were busy one after noon building crosses. I believe just for fun, but I love it that the cross was on their minds.

Making a Bird Nest:

Violet wanted to make a nest for the birds outside. We have to leave a note for the birds as well, she told me.

As an after thought, I carefully took the nest out by inverting it on top of another bowl and lined the bowl with plastic wrap. So that would be a good idea before you start, to line the bowl with plastic wrap. We were able to get a bunch of thin twigs from an old hydrengia bush. We broke them up into 2-3 inch lengths, line the bowl with them and squirt a bunch of glue all over them, to make our nest. It dried over a couple days and now birdie ready. Gods creation amazes me constantly. All the effort it takes for a make-shift nest, when itie bitie birds make cozy durable ones out of their God given insticts.

The weather is finally getting a bit warmer and less snowy for the kids to be outside more for play.

Birthday cupcakes for less effort than what it looks like.
1 white cake mix
2 oranges, zested and juiced
3 cups of gratted carrots
1 Tbs. cinnamon
canned cream cheese frosting
extra carrot
pecans
green candy coated chocolates
Heat oven to 350, line 2 muffin tins. Prepare cake mix as package directs but submitting the juice of 2 oranges for the water. Add the zest from the 2 oranges. Add 3 cups of grated carrots, and cinnamon. Divide batter into tins. Bake 18 min. After muffins are cooled, frost with canned cream cheese frosting. Sprikle with pecans and carrot peels rolled to look like rosets. Place in the middle of each cupcake with a green candy.

We had to take a long drive to the doctors. But I am thankful for the sights we got to take in on the drive, and even the detour, due to the road washing out.

The mountains snowy tops and the dry fields looked just amazing on this overcast day!

This distorted picture almost looks like a painting.

Delapatated barns are still good for something if only pictures.

Celery Scrub Curtains

 Here are the scrubs

Here is the celery

I was able to turn gently used scrubs into curtain panels. I easily clipped cafe curtain rings on the top of each curtain. I then dabbed my celery bottoms into paint to print flowers on. I saw this idea not too long ago in a magazine and thought it was a really cool idea. I never noticed the pretty pattern of a cut celery bunch before.

I do love pretty decorations, and am fond of decorating magazines, especially a particular one from Britian. And sometimes I can get to thinking quite a bit about how I'd like things to look around my house, or changing things around, making things look fresh, and portray my style. (Don't think for one minute though, that my house is in order and in tip top shape, half  of the time). I thought, that's all nice but that will all be useless or doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
And so I do favor looking at new magazines with peoples ideal homes and decorations, it makes me see how important it is to look into Gods Word. To use it to see how I look, and how I contrast.
So what am I getting at? Maybe that pretty is nice to look at, but what really matters is that we work at keeping the heart, mind, and spirit beautiful. By using Gods word as what we use to compare how we live, what we think and say. I've spent the last year reading through the New Testament, with all study notes included. Now that I'm nearing the end, I find myself thinking where should I start again? Start at the beginning in Genesis or Matthew again? Is it odd to just loop back to where I started? And that's when it hit me about the importance of keeping myself in His Word. I don't know this book off by heart, and so I need to be in those pages breathing it all in daily so that I can keep adding to whats in my heart, to grow stronger in Him, that I might represent and reflect Christ through out my life. Maybe like a spring cleaning, Or maybe not. I can find that overwhelming. The Lord wants us to go to Him everyday, and ask for what we need just for the day. And He does provide. A scripture verse, a prayer in our hearts, a quite moment, a song, a loved one, a beautiful view...or outlook!
It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.You will live in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song,
and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
Isaiah 55:11,12

By the way, I found this great list for doing spring cleaning in 30 Days here. Not so intimidating when its one thing a day. I'm thankful when the Lord puts things in our path that help and compensate. That helps me see how the Lord plans out even the small things to help His children.

Anticipating Spring

Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.
-Ralf Waldo Emerson

Some posies to brighten the room.
And a craft to visualize the upcoming of the seemingly distant Spring weather and blooms.

Violet and I cut some branches from the Lilac bush in the back yard. Cut some small squares from tissue paper.

Folded the squares into 4. Hold the folded corner and twist.

Dap glue on ends of the twigs and twist the paper around the gluey twigs.

Looks like blossoms are blooming!

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Christmas Creations

 
Wax paper makes for a much better surface when rolling out cookies. No extra flour which makes for more tender cookies, also easier to lift to place on cookie sheet.

Slit cookies 1 1/2 inches on bottom of heart and pull apart a bit to form the wings.

This recipe is from a Woman's Day Magazine, which I've held onto from a few years back.

Ingredients

• 1 stick(s) (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 cup(s) sugar
• 2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) pure almond extract
• 1 2/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup(s) cornstarch
• Decoration: white of 1 large egg, slightly beaten, sliced almonds and sugar

Directions

1. Beat butter, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl with mixer on low speed to blend. Increase to medium-high and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg and almond extract. On low speed, beat in flour and cornstarch until just blended.
2. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a 1-in.-thick disk. Wrap individually and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until firm enough to roll out.
3. Heat oven to 350°F. Have ready a 2 1/2-in. heart-shape cookie cutter.
4. On lightly floured wax paper with lightly floured rolling pin, roll 1 disk (keep other refrigerated) to 1/8 in. thick. Cut out hearts with cookie cutter. Slide paper onto a baking sheet; freeze 5 to 10 minutes until firm and easy to handle.
5. Peel hearts off paper. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheet. Cut a 11/2-in.-long slit at bottom of hearts. Spread apart slightly to form wings. Brush hearts with egg white. Attach almonds as shown, pressing down gently. Sprinkle with a little sugar. (Reroll scraps only once or cookies will be tough.)
6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until just golden brown at edges. Remove to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Holly is preparing a crown for the school Christmas Pageant.