Monday, October 17, 2011
Funny Business
Parenting can be hard. Days like today are long. Trey started another round of chemo, which means a long morning/afternoon at the hospital. Later, he threw up all over the carpet in the basement. Bella knocked the new tube of toothpaste into the toilet at bedtime. Joe gave me an elbow to the nose. Yada, yada, yada...BUT!!! There are parenting moments that make Jay and I laugh wholeheartedly.
Yes, Bella fell asleep for several hours last night with a quilt, another blanket and her Taggy blanket shoved under her sleep shirt. Fearing that she would wake up in a sweaty panic exactly 45 minutes after we fell into a deep sleep, we woke her to remove the blankets. Between giggles, we asked her why she did that. Her reply? "I wanted to look fat." Okay, Bella, whatever. Parenting can be hard. Being a parent can be hilarious.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
A Terrible Tutorial...
Recently, I made a wreath made of book pages. It turned out fine, but rather than trying to teach others how to create such an exquisite piece of craft that can then be posted on Pinterest, I'd like to write out my non-tutorial directions. Do not follow these directions under any circumstance unless you have a lot of spare time and extra fingers.
1) Decide to undertake the task of making a Book Pages wreath quickly after looking at just one tutorial with vague instructions and a hand model with chipped nail polish.
2) Take a ridiculously long time to mull over the decision to actually destroy a couple of books. Then, worry about what type of book to cut up and fret over the content on the pages in the case that an actual word might be visible in the finished product.
3) Cut out the pages of the well chosen books with a dangerously sharp knife, then use an out-of-date circle cutter to make circles of an arbitrary size based on the incomplete directions of the original tutorial.
4) Cut each circle into a spiral incorrectly by making the spiral wider towards the center resulting in cone shape rather than flowers. Realize your mistake and begin cutting appropriately proportioned spirals one at a time. Once you're almost done cutting the spirals, allow the knowledge to dawn on you that you could have been cutting several circles at a time.
5) Make sure to now look at other {better} tutorials that will make you feel like you found a wedding dress you like more than the one you already bought.
6) Create about a hundred paper flowers making sure to burn your fingers with the hot glue gun each time. Make empty promises to yourself that you'll "Do it differently next time!" then do it the same exact way.
7) Wrap the wooden loom with book pages to hide the loom itself. Quickly come to the realization that it's impossible to wrap a rectangular page smoothly around a curved piece of wood. Swear a lot.
8) Rub the edges of the flowers with a brown stamp pad to give it an antique/rustic/burned look. Drop the ink pad at least twice on yourself during the process.
9) Glue the flowers to the loom. Now, go make about a hundred smaller paper flowers to fill in the gaps between the large flowers. Make sure to show the unfinished wreath to as many people that will look and ask their opinion...then don't believe them when they say they like it so far.
10) At this point, start obsessing about the BACK of the wreath that won't be seen by anyone. But, since glue is visible and the flowers are uneven...find a way to cover it.
The wreath should be done at this point, so put it in a box where you can't see it until it's time to give to the recipient. Here's my incomplete, poorly focused, photo montage.
That, my friends, is crafting. Thank you.
1) Decide to undertake the task of making a Book Pages wreath quickly after looking at just one tutorial with vague instructions and a hand model with chipped nail polish.
2) Take a ridiculously long time to mull over the decision to actually destroy a couple of books. Then, worry about what type of book to cut up and fret over the content on the pages in the case that an actual word might be visible in the finished product.
3) Cut out the pages of the well chosen books with a dangerously sharp knife, then use an out-of-date circle cutter to make circles of an arbitrary size based on the incomplete directions of the original tutorial.
4) Cut each circle into a spiral incorrectly by making the spiral wider towards the center resulting in cone shape rather than flowers. Realize your mistake and begin cutting appropriately proportioned spirals one at a time. Once you're almost done cutting the spirals, allow the knowledge to dawn on you that you could have been cutting several circles at a time.
5) Make sure to now look at other {better} tutorials that will make you feel like you found a wedding dress you like more than the one you already bought.
6) Create about a hundred paper flowers making sure to burn your fingers with the hot glue gun each time. Make empty promises to yourself that you'll "Do it differently next time!" then do it the same exact way.
7) Wrap the wooden loom with book pages to hide the loom itself. Quickly come to the realization that it's impossible to wrap a rectangular page smoothly around a curved piece of wood. Swear a lot.
8) Rub the edges of the flowers with a brown stamp pad to give it an antique/rustic/burned look. Drop the ink pad at least twice on yourself during the process.
9) Glue the flowers to the loom. Now, go make about a hundred smaller paper flowers to fill in the gaps between the large flowers. Make sure to show the unfinished wreath to as many people that will look and ask their opinion...then don't believe them when they say they like it so far.
10) At this point, start obsessing about the BACK of the wreath that won't be seen by anyone. But, since glue is visible and the flowers are uneven...find a way to cover it.
The wreath should be done at this point, so put it in a box where you can't see it until it's time to give to the recipient. Here's my incomplete, poorly focused, photo montage.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Today...
My sister-in-law gave me the book "Streams in the Desert" by L.B. Cowman...and it truly is an amazing devotional. Each day that we've been in the hospital, the devotion is absolutely appropriate. Since the book was written so long ago, 1925 I think, I've been reading from the updated language version. Here's today's devotional....
"You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above." ~John 19:11
Nothing that is not part of God's will is allowed to come into the life of someone who trusts and obeys Him. This truth should be enough to make our life one of ceaseless thanksgiving and joy, because God's will is the most hopeful, pleasant and glorious thing in the world. It is the continuous working of His omnipotent power for out benefit, with nothing to prevent it, if we remain surrendered and believing.
Someone who was passing through the deep water of affliction wrote a friend:
Isn't it glorious to know that no matter how unjust something may be, even when it seems to have come from Satan himself, by the time it reaches us it is God's will for us and will ultimately work for our good?
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him" (Rom. 8:28). Think of what Christ said even as he was betrayed: "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" (John 18:11)
We live fascinating lives if we are living in the center of God's will. All the attacks that Satan hurls at us through the sins of others are not only powerless to harm us but are transformed into blessings along the way. Hannah Whitall Smith
In the center of the circle
of the will of God I stand:
There can come no second causes,
all must come from His dear hand.
All is well! for it's my Father
who my life has planned.
Shall I pass through waves of sorrow?
Then I now it will be best;
Though I cannot tell the reason,
I can trust, and so am blest.
God is Love, and God is faithful.
So in perfect Peace I rest.
With the shade and with the sunshine,
With the joy and with the pain,
Lord, I trust You! both are needed,
Each your wayward child to train,
Earthly loss, if we will know it,
Often means our heavenly gain.
I.G.W.
Can I get an AMEN? *Any typos are a result of my misguided youth, not the author of the book.
"You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above." ~John 19:11
Nothing that is not part of God's will is allowed to come into the life of someone who trusts and obeys Him. This truth should be enough to make our life one of ceaseless thanksgiving and joy, because God's will is the most hopeful, pleasant and glorious thing in the world. It is the continuous working of His omnipotent power for out benefit, with nothing to prevent it, if we remain surrendered and believing.
Someone who was passing through the deep water of affliction wrote a friend:
Isn't it glorious to know that no matter how unjust something may be, even when it seems to have come from Satan himself, by the time it reaches us it is God's will for us and will ultimately work for our good?
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him" (Rom. 8:28). Think of what Christ said even as he was betrayed: "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" (John 18:11)
We live fascinating lives if we are living in the center of God's will. All the attacks that Satan hurls at us through the sins of others are not only powerless to harm us but are transformed into blessings along the way. Hannah Whitall Smith
In the center of the circle
of the will of God I stand:
There can come no second causes,
all must come from His dear hand.
All is well! for it's my Father
who my life has planned.
Shall I pass through waves of sorrow?
Then I now it will be best;
Though I cannot tell the reason,
I can trust, and so am blest.
God is Love, and God is faithful.
So in perfect Peace I rest.
With the shade and with the sunshine,
With the joy and with the pain,
Lord, I trust You! both are needed,
Each your wayward child to train,
Earthly loss, if we will know it,
Often means our heavenly gain.
I.G.W.
Can I get an AMEN? *Any typos are a result of my misguided youth, not the author of the book.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Rejoice in the Lord!
| Rejoice in the Lord by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman | |
| "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Hab. 3:17, 18). Observe, I entreat you, how calamitous a circumstance is here supposed, and how heroic a faith is expressed. It is really as if he said, "Though I should be reduced to so great extremity as not to know where to find my necessary food, though I should look around about me on an empty house and a desolate field, and see the marks of the Divine scourge where I had once seen the fruits of God's bounty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord." Methinks these words are worthy of being written as with a diamond on a rock forever. Oh, that by Divine grace they might be deeply engraven on each of our hearts! Concise as the form of speaking in the text is, it evidently implies or expresses the following particulars: That in the day of his distress he would fly to God; that he would maintain a holy composure of spirit under this dark dispensation, nay, that in the midst of all he would indulge in a sacred joy in God, and a cheerful expectation from Him. Heroic confidence! Illustrious faith! Unconquerable love!--Doddridge. Last night I heard a robin singing in the rain, And the raindrop's patter made a sweet refrain, Making all the sweeter the music of the strain. So, I thought, when trouble comes, as trouble will, Why should I stop singing? Just beyond the hill It may be that sunshine floods the green world still. He who faces the trouble with a heart of cheer Makes the burden lighter. If there falls a tear, Sweeter is the cadence in the song we hear. I have learned your lesson, bird with dappled wing, Listening to your music with its lilt of spring When the storm-cloud darkens, then's the TIME to sing. --Eben E. Rexford |
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Clutter Control
As if I didn't have enough things burdening my brain these days, I have decided to tackle my clutter. I pinpointed 3 problem areas where things tend to just pile up. Do you have any spots like that? I did not have the foresight to take 'before' pictures, so I only have the 'afters'....
Here we have the kitchen counter. This is our communication center. I tend to hoard pens and pencils and scraps of paper, yes, scraps. Waste not, want not, right? I'm not even sure what that means, just that it applies to my scraps of paper. Anywho, this area tends to pile up quickly with other papers that need to be filed elsewhere, toys, rocks and any other items confiscated from children, etc.
This is my supposed crafting table in our office...otherwise known as the table that holds everything that doesn't have a home. It's such a source of frustration because it's so easy to throw things on it and leave the room. Outta sight, outta mind, right? I got a million of 'em.
Here, we have my dresser in our room. Most of the time, the top cannot be seen. It tends to get covered with things that need to go downstairs, but quickly get forgotten about. What goes up must come down, right? Wait...that's not right. oh well...
So, I have committed to let ANYTHING sit on these surfaces that doesn't belong there! I will be implementing the concept of 'O-H-I-O', Only Handle It Once. If something has a home, it needs to go there immediately. If it doesn't have a home, I will make one for it. Since Trey and I will (most likely) be going to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to continue Trey's treatment for more than a month, I really felt like it would be a gift for Jay to NOT have to look at my clutter the whole time we're gone. (It really is only my clutter!)
On a completely unrelated note, I read about a new hipster phenomenon called 'the Monkey Tail' and I challenged our friend, Drew, to grow one...and he did!!! And it was great!
Can you see the monkey tail? Awesome sauce!
So, I have committed to let ANYTHING sit on these surfaces that doesn't belong there! I will be implementing the concept of 'O-H-I-O', Only Handle It Once. If something has a home, it needs to go there immediately. If it doesn't have a home, I will make one for it. Since Trey and I will (most likely) be going to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to continue Trey's treatment for more than a month, I really felt like it would be a gift for Jay to NOT have to look at my clutter the whole time we're gone. (It really is only my clutter!)
On a completely unrelated note, I read about a new hipster phenomenon called 'the Monkey Tail' and I challenged our friend, Drew, to grow one...and he did!!! And it was great!
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