A New Spring Look

Spring is on the way...  So I thought I'd give a fresh look to my blog!  hmmmm....  Love the freshness spring brings!  A chance for new starts and new things...  Refreshing...

Homemade Wreath

So, I had a creative moment this week and attempted making a wreath for our front door.  I found an idea I liked at Under My Umbrella.  You can visit the link below for more specific directions on how to make this wreath, if you'd like to try it yourself...

http://undermypolkadotumbrella.blogspot.com/2011/01/burlap-wreath-tutorial-giveaway.html

My finished wreath!

Under My Umbrella's wreath

I began with a simple wreath and a bundle of burlap I bought from Michaels.  I wrapped the wreath with the burlap twisting it a bit here and there to to give it a bit of a roughened look.

  

Then I took some remaining burlap and cut it into smaller squares to make some flowers.  I wanted these flowers to  be a bit lighter in colour, so I bleached these squares in a ratio of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach, soaking them for about 15 minutes.  They were left to dry overnight.

Then I cut several circles out of cardboard to use as a base for both the fabric and burlap flowers. 

Using a hot glue gun, I glued the square bleached patches of burlap to the cardboard circles -- adding more and more square pieces until the flowers appeared full.

Once all three of the the burlap flowers were finished, I began on the fabric flowers.  Using some fabric I cut out long strips of fabric -- 3 inches wide -- and folded them in half, and then in half again.  The fabric was then rolled into a flower shape and hot glued to another cardboard circle.

 

After that, the flowers were arranged in place on the burlap-wrapped wreath, and then glued down!  

The finished product!

So fun...  love this crafting thing!!!  :)

Contentment with the Little Things...

On the weekend, my sister and I had a blast doing something we hadn't done for years!  We went to second hand store!!!  We had a blast browsing through purses, jackets, coats, and housewear stuff!  We used to go when we were younger, and had a ton of fun looking amidst the piles of things for small simple treasures -- a new sweater, or a cute dress.  It had been a very long time since then...  We reminisced about the skorts and plaid dresses we had bought years ago, which would definitely be out of style by now...  haha!  After, spending some quality time together having some fun modelling a few dresses and making fun of MANY others! We found a few treasures!

S H O E S !!!

Yay!  

While we were walking through the store, we were having a conversation about being content in the little things, and being excited about simple things.  My heart beats a little quicker when I spend a few dollars on a new pair of shoes at Value Village/Talize, and when I find a treasure for $1.00 at Dollarama, I get excited...  We both said we hope we never lose that -- we hope we never find ourselves needing to have the most expensive, or becoming people who only live with items of extravagance!  Today I'm thanking God for the little things in life, and for the joy and contentment they bring!  Praying for a heart that is always content with the simple things in life, and continually grateful to the One who gives them!  

...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."   Philippians 4: 11b - 13 

This spoke to my heart the other day, thought I'd share...

Taken from Heart to Heart with Holley

http://blog.dayspring.com/2010/09/why-you-dont-have-to-be-perfect.html

Why you don't have to be perfect

I know Perfectionism.

She calls my name and says...

"You will never be good enough."

And sometimes I listen.

I cower in a corner.

Or I endlessly run.

But it's always about fear.

Then these words stop me in my tracks, grab me by the heart, and invite grace to speak instead...

Perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18

I don't have to be perfect.

I only need to be perfectly loved.

And I am.

So are you.

A few of my favourite things...

So...I've recently come across the website 1000 awesome things!  It's quite entertaining...
http://1000awesomethings.com/

Here are a few examples in their list of their awesome things...
*  hitting a bunch of green lights in a row
*  track pants
*  the perfect egg crack
*  dropping your cell phone on the sidewalk and then realizing its totally fine
*  the smell of the coffee aisle at the grocery store
*  popping bubble wrap
*  biting the last piece of a Popsicle without loosing any of it
*  pulling a weed and getting all the roots with it
*  when a public washroom has paper towels instead of hand dryers
*  stealing a nacho off someone else's plate
*  vacuuming a dirty carpet and hearing all the tiny rocks going through the hose
*  placing the last piece of a puzzle
*  shoveling handfuls of popcorn in your mouth really fast and spilling it everywhere (this one's for Mark!!)

I could go on...and on...AND ON.... since there are 987 more!
but I thought it might be fun to list a few of my awesome things...

*  sleeping in and waking to the sweet sunshine gleaming through the window
*  enjoying a cup of coffee with my love
*  telling a joke and people laugh with me
*  the feeling of excitement and passion welling up deep inside -- love it!
*  the relaxing tingle when you first climb into the hot tub
*  hearing one of my favorite songs come on the radio/ipod, and cranking it really loud
*  beating my brother-in-law in scrabble
*  the little ones in our lives -- hearing 'ti-ti' (auntie) and 'uncu' (uncle) from Ethan, and when Maryn and Laene run around with sheer excitement when we walk in the door
*  sharing long conversations with good friends -- renews my heart!
*  making a craft and it turns out beautifully...
*  eating chocolate... 
*  finding the perfect gift for a someone special
*  when someone surprises you with something -- knowing its exactly what you need!
*  laughing so hard your stomach hurts...

Hmmmm... contemplating the good things in life today! 

getting back up after the fall...

Feeling a bit battered and bruised this week?  Life has its moments that seem to knock you down -- and it can feel just so hard to get back up...  People say rotten things, life situations are complicated, and some days are just plain difficult to face.

Today I found some encouragement for my day from the Incourage blog -- http://www.incourage.me/.  The blog was called Helpless.   It was exactly what I needed to hear this morning, and maybe it's something you need to hear too... 

If you're feeling helpless, worried, or a bit beaten up, and you just don't know what to do...  you are not alone!  God has offered to carry our burdens!  We don't have to shoulder them alone!  ...His yoke is easy and His burden is light...  Why not let God have control?  He knows what to do!  Our only job is then to trust Him!  And when I'm often feeling like I just don't know what to do...that is something I can do! 

Trusting God with the worries of my day...  I can do that!  I can get back up and face the new day...

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."