Time for a Change

If you're expecting a heartfelt post about ways I want my life to change, I hate to disappoint. I have been reading some really good books, but I'm not going to share about those now. I'm just planning to bombard you with tons of photos of the projects I've been working on. There is something about the summer, and the lack of school schedule, that makes me want to get things done. Every one of the projects you will see is cheap, super cheap. So don't let a lack of money hinder you from fixing stuff up around the house! First, here's a lamp I made for Wendy. I found a clear vase from Tuesday Morning and Gorilla-glued a bottle lamp kit to the top. (Lamp kits like this cost $5 at Walmart and can be put into the top of a narrow-necked vase to turn it into a lamp!) I also made a cute lamp for myself from a little vase, but don't have a picture of that.


Next project: a child-sized chair recovered for my Laney-pooh! This chair was Luke's when he was little and was NASTY! Thankfully, I already had this linen-blend fabric that I bought on clearance, so the project was free!


Notice that I didn't hem any of it! I cut strips of linen for the ruffle, then washed the fabric so that it would fray. Then I just cut off the stray threads and ironed it into pleats. I sewed the strip of fabric onto a piece of elastic I had, and then attached it to the rest of the slipcover. Here's the cute, frayed ruffle:

Doesn't it look precious in it's spot in the living room? Laney loves having a chair that is just her size. She sits in it and climbs on it all the time!

Now for a project that took a lot longer to finish and was almost the death of me! I was unhappy with the shiny, flaky layers of polyurethane on my kitchen island table. I also disliked the orangy finish and wanted something lighter and grayer. Here's the before:

Ouch! Please excuse the glare from the sun! My neighbors were probably thinking I was totally crazy when I did this project. I began the stipping process early one Saturday morning before the kids got up, wearing my P.J.'s and huge orange gloves, in my driveway! Sorry, no pic of how ridiculous I looked. But here's a close-up of the finish before, so you can appreciate the many layers of poly that I had to scrape off:

And now the after! Yay!

I love how the finish turned out!

My easiest project was a coffee-table redo in my sitting room. This coffee table is constructed of lovely particle-board, complete with grandma-ish veneers. Michael and I bought it at Ashley furniture soon after we were married. I had the idea to make an ottoman out of it because I think that the room is too "leggy" anyway, and an ottoman might make it plush and cozy. I was going to attempt to make a tufted linen ottoman, but Lyndsay suggested a burlap slipcover instead. I'm so glad I listened to Lyndsay, because it was so much easier! Here's the before:

If it looks a bit odd, it's because I forgot to take the picture before I put spray adhesive on it. After the spray adhesive, I spread on some batting and stapled it to the underside. It'll be easy to remove should someone want use the table in it's former glory one day. Here's step two:

Lastly, I cut a circle of burlap for the top and pinned on a strip of burlap in pleats around the circle. I did this right on the table (I think slipcovers are most easily made this way, though mine are never perfect:). I didn't iron my pleats, and again, I didn't hem. Really, the only aggravating part of this project is how much burlap sheds when you're working with it. I'm really beginning to love the ease of raw edges! I think it turned out fabulous!


You can see that the only sewing I did was one straight stitch around the circle - so easy! Should you want to recover something cheaply, consider burlap. I think I only paid $3.99 a yard for it. I do love a good deal!

And on a side note, I think these pots from Walmart are the bomb-diggity! They are only $1.25, and are a nice earthy brown, instead of that orangy terra cotta. I watered down some white paint and slapped it on them, then wiped the paint right off. I think it gives them an aged finish, like those costly pots in the downtown stores. I bought the succulents at Walmart, too.

Whew! Are you tired? Cause I am! I did just finish another table that I stripped and restained, but I don't have "after" pictures yet. It was a bear of a job! I do think I'll stick to just spray painting stuff for a while now:). Hope ya'll are having a great summer!

Pluggin' Along

I've found it hard to blog lately. We've celebrated Laney's first birthday (whoa!), and have been busy, busy, busy. Our littlest nugget has found her legs and is off and running! Needless to say, my days of sitting are over. Oh well, I needed some exercise anyway:). My dad and Jeannine came for a visit on Laney's big day. She loved the extra attention. She's such a joy - full of life, and wiggly dance moves, and giggles, and unending appetite, and fetching abilities. Here are a few pics of our growing girl and her special day:






Sadly, I don't have time to catch you up on all that I've been up to, but maybe my list of things I'm thankful for will give you a glimpse.
Continuing where I left off:
8. A godly man and his wife, wise and winsome. A blessed visit with our headmaster candidate - hope opening wide like the spring flowers, God's hand at work.
9. A chubby toddler toddling, brave new steps.
10. Her "I'm sorry" without my prodding.
11. Flavored coffee with real cream.
12. The man who says he loves me just as I am. Daring to believe it.
13. A $10 lamp redone and sweet time rummaging with a dear friend. And for those of you who love a before and after as much as I do:


14. Her signature prance as she runs to retrieve the mail for me. Curls wild and free, like her spirit.
15. Dinner together, nowhere to be but here, recalling our favorite things.
16. Baseball season - cheering on my slender boy, big hits, good catches, time with friends and family, sunshine and concession stand food.
17. God's hand on our church, my spiritual family. A wise and humble pastor. His wife, sweet and warm.
18. Celebrating Laney and the ways she has brightened our world.
19. Tears of rememberance as we say goodbye to Hope, our sweet dog of 13 years. Memories of her picking up something from the yard as she greets us, laying her head on Laney's lap to be petted, tearing through the paper on her Christmas gifts each year like an excited child, sleeping on Michael's neck, giving unconditional love and gentleness, chasing tail while kids play. I think this picture shows her sweet and gentle nature. This is her with Luke when he was a baby. She would even let him play in her food bowl while she ate. Precious dog!

I'm working on lots of projects right now, so stay tuned for more before and afters!

Orton-ish Easter

I don't know at all what this title means, except that it's an editing feature on Picnik (a free photo-editing program). I haven't posted pics in such a long time, so I'm posting a few from Easter, after playing with them on Picnik. Hope your Easter was wonderful, too!

He Did Not Run

Sometimes, I want to run. I really have nothing to run from, even less to run to, yet the urge is there. This week I consider Him. He had much to run from as He walked a road of loneliness and pain to my cross. He had much to run to - a heaven full of laud and beauty where none would scorn Him. But he didn't run. He didn't run from the path that would bring me peace with God. He loved me and stayed and died. I consider Him now and try to commit to memory these words that breath new life into me this Easter.

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion. Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let your attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled Himself, and became obedient to death, even death on a cross! Therefore, God has exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, on heaven and earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:1-11

(I'm so thankful to Bayshore Christian School for requiring that Luke memorize this passage, therefore insuring that I would, too. I am so lazy on my own, and consider this such a grace from God! Beware, the above scripture may have mistakes in it. I would like to memorize to verse 14, but who will hold me accountable to that?:)

Joy in the Pouring Out

Sometimes I long for rest. It calls to me like a hidden treasure, lying to me that once it is found I will be happy. If only I had more time to myself, I think. If only I could do something without something else being constantly undone. As I dwell, I mope, losing the joy. Yet isn't it when I am undone that joy is truly found? Doesn't He say that when I lose it all, I gain the truest of treasures? Why do I hold so tightly then? Dreams of things easier choke me, idols rising to dethrone the One I claim to love most. He was poured out, like wine on the offering table for me. He came, not to walk the easy path, but the one marked for Him, full of pain and shame and giving up and rejection, out of ultimate love for me, this soul who constantly rejects. Often my feet drag to obedience, but still He moves them. I drive there to serve, often thinking that I'd rather stay home and crawl into pajamas and my place on the couch, and He rewards me with richer treasures than rest. My sweetest communion with Him comes when I am poured out for others. A privilege, it is, not a burden. In just two hours, I travel to Burma, and Chile, and Columbia, and Japan, and the Dominican Republic! He allows me to be His hands helping, His heart sharing, His words speaking! Amazing, that He would take this ingrate and use me in spite of myself! Oh God, who loves this forgetful one! May You keep teaching me that joy comes from being fully emptied, that I may be filled by You!

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."
Matthew 13:44

Through Her Lens

Leah loves to take pictures like I do. I love looking back through the images she's captured with my "other" camera; she doesn't get to play with the nice one:). Most of them are of her:



Many are of Laney, her own personal tag-a-long. I love her unique perspective of Laney-pooh.


Here are a few more I found on "her" camera. I love her foot in this one:

I love that she "caught" herself in the reflection in the window.

Cool angle. Accidental or on purpose? Hmmm...

Here's one of Laney and me catching up on our facebook:).

Here's my favorite picture that she took. This is a picture of a picture on my desk. It's Alaina, and Leah asks about her often. Her birthday is coming up soon, and she would've been seven. I am praying for my friends and thanking God for His purposes that were accomplished in her life. I long to meet her, and my Jesus, when all that is wrong will be made right. Heaven is a real place to me now. Love you, Hope.

On the Flip Side

My natural posture is not thankfulness. She follows me around from room to room, asking millions of questions. Seriously, millions. And she wants so much from me, and I try to give it, and then I get tired. Emotionally tired. Bickering and whining, crying and demanding... I'm not enjoying her company, and I feel guilty, but it's true. The discontent carries me and I wish to be anywhere but here, though I have no idea where that is. Isn't that the hole I inherited from our first mother? The dog I thanked Him for (#3 if you recall), poops on the floor, and before I realize it Laney has found it and IS THAT DOG POO ON HER MOUTH!? Thankfulness doesn't bubble out when I'm squeezed, but venom. "I hate that dog!" "Michael, help me! Why did you choose NOW to go put up your hunting bag!?" I immediately regret the word "hate", a curse word to my son who is observing my reaction, recording this moment with the others. Stress, and tension, this is my default. Expecting things to be easy and then stomping my foot when they're not. Dare I even long for the goal?
"One act of thanksgiving, when things go wrong with us, is worth a thousand thanks when things are agreeable to our inclinations." Saint John of Avila
Right now I don't thank. But I do tell Him how dark I feel, and not light. And as I empty it all I sense that He carries, He fills, He heals. My venom, His grace, full and free.