Delightful Distractions

You Are Loved... a free printable :)

2012-02-14T12:35:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!
Last night I was thinking about Valentine's Day and these lyrics from a song by Sanctus Real came to mind...

And I could never lose Your love to sickness
Oh I could never lose You to divorce
And there's no concept of abandonment
For I am safe within Your arms

And in this marriage of our hearts
There is no death do us part
For You are eternal
And I am eternally Yours
Oh I am eternally Yours
I am eternally Yours

Here's a link to the song... it's worth listening to today.

There is so much that I could say, but I just want you to know that if you know and trust Jesus Christ... then today should be the best Valentine's day ever :) You have found a love unlike any other. A love that will never disappoint or disappear.

People fail... husbands fail. Family fails.
But God will never fail you...

I am just beginning to understand the relationship that God intended for us to have with him through Christ. It's so hard to wrap my mind around his love in general... let alone the personal intimate love that he desires to have with me.... I am his. He is mine. Nothing can separate us... I am eternally his.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

"But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." Psalm 86:15

^"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. " 1 John 4:9-10

To help you celebrate and remember Christ's love for you... Enjoy a 5x7 little art print!

Print one for yourself and print another for someone who needs to know that they are loved! (or for your daughter... 'cause the the print is super pretty and she needs to know that she's loved by the king as well :) )

DOWNLOAD HERE...

And I always love to know if you are planning to download one of my goodies... it just warms my heart :) ... So leave a comment!

Blessings,

V is One!

2012-02-07T14:55:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is my little V's birthday... I can't hardly believe it. It really is true that each year goes by faster in parenting. I feel like I just had him!

Well, I'm going to be kinda busy tomorrow, so I thought I'd post his suitcase pictures today :) My how he's grown... He is such a joy and a blessings. I never thought I could enjoy and adore a little boy the way I do. God knew there was a part of my heart that ached for a boy, that I had no idea existed! Praise God for his infinite knowledge that is so far above mine. ... and Happy Birthday, Little Virgil.

Here are some of the other shots.... :)

Blessings,

HOME SWEET HOME TOUR... Guest/kids Bathroom

2012-01-31T15:48:00.000-06:00

Hello Friends!
Well, I've been wanting to show you our guest/kids bath for a while now... but it's really no fun to take pics in a room with no windows. Especially when I LOVE natural light... pictures without it are just kinda boring and flat, in my opinion :(
But for the sake of some fun things that I wanted to show you, I buckled down, set my white balance for those pesky yellow lights, and snapped away.

As far as the decor of the bathroom goes... it was a frantic attempt to complete the bathroom before we had company over this past summer. We painted during the night, and I decorated it all the next day. So everything in there is... hmm... let's call it "resourceful"!

I'm going to commentate this tour... (I personally usually prefer the silent type tours... but I'm feeling chatting today. sorry :) )

This paint color actually is brighter than it looks in this pic... I like the pic better :) But hey, that's what you get when you paint right before company comes over! And yes, I know that everyone and their dog has that shower curtain... but hey! It's really cute.. and funky retro!

And yes, for those of you who are shuddering, that's a deer rack above the toilet. Hey, at least we used a small one :) It was one of my husbands first bucks when he was little. I actually really like it... it works so well with the theme!

To add to the nature/woodsy feel (and the poky dangerous feel... in combo with the antlers) of the room, we found this branch in yard and screwed it to the wall!

I strung some paper cut outs of birds onto embroidery thread with a needle and anchored the bottom with a little twig, then hung them from the branch... kinda weird... but I really like them :) I used an old children's primer and found a story that was about a pet bird... not that that makes them any less weird :)

I also happened to have the perfect picture to frame... my Sadie Pie... all covered in mud. perfect. I only had a 8x10 frame, so I crumpled up a brown paper bag and used it as a mat in the background.

Some vintage Bambi playing cards that I picked up somewhere, turned them into a cute mini bunting... forgot I had them!

And of course, what room of mine would be complete without a leftover fabric covered bucket from way back when!... I do like it though :) And I just love the vintage nature books... fun.

Anywho! That's about it... Hope you enjoyed the tour and my ramblings! :)

Blessings,

Show and Tell... My new business cards

2012-01-25T14:55:00.000-06:00

I've been wanting to redesign my business cards for awhile now... but, alas, it's hard to find time for "recreational" projects these days!
I've had about five different...very different... ideas for a new card design. So I picked the quickest one and tackled it the other night. (Maybe next month, I'll design another "new" business card!) I had recently purchased some tiny manilla envelopes and decided to turn the envelopes themselves into business cards. Then I could stuff them with fun things! You see I always like to include some free stickers (they're folded up in the pic) and some scripture with my packages... And of course, I sealed the back with my mini washi tape strips :)

Take a peak! ...

They make me smile :) Hopefully, they'll make my customers smile as well!

Blessings,

Pretty Valentines... for you to print :)

2012-01-17T16:07:00.001-06:00

Hello Friends!
I have something for you... some pretty Valentines Printables. I made these with my little girls in mind, but they would be perfect for anyone who appreciates a little whimsy and love :) I had quite a bit of fun creating the little characters and the patterns for you... It was like doodling during class in high school all over again! I'm planning on putting mine in little glassine envelopes... I love being able to see the pretty patterns and colors through the foggy paper :) Here's where I got them...

I also have a thought to pass along with Valentine's Day in mind...
You know, when I think of God's word which reveals his heart and his plan for creation, I can't help but see it as a love story. An amazing love story of a God who deeply wants a relationship with his creation... a love so strong that he would do anything to restore us and bring us back to him.
"For God so loved the world...." Just something to think about during this season of love!

DOWNLOAD HERE :)

****As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

ENJOY!

Blessings and LOVE in Christ,

Some fun vintage finds for my girls' room.... and a little redecorating!

2012-01-09T17:19:00.000-06:00

Kinda funny... I sell on Etsy... I love Etsy... but I rarely ever shop on Etsy. In fact, this last week was the third time ever to shop on their lovely site!
You see I had some Christmas money, and I've been drooling all the pretty "granny squares" blankets that I've been seeing on Pinterest. So I thought I'd check out the selection on Etsy! And I found a lovely one that matches my girls' room! And I also found a set of adorable vintage children's books that I knew would also go very nicely in the their room. Once my fun items arrived... I decided it was time to do a little revamp in the girls' room in order to accommodate my new finds. I had never decorated the long shelf that runs the length of their room above their door and closet.... so this was the perfect time!

Take a peek at my Etsy finds... and the girls' revamped shelf. I think it turned out darling :) And oddly enough (just when I thought they couldn't care less), my girls really appreciated the re-styling too!

If you'd like to see the rest of the girls pretty pink vintage room... you can find it HERE! :)

Blessings,

A New Years Wish ... and a Printable :)

2012-01-02T16:46:00.000-06:00

I'm a control freak (to be completely honest with you)... but not in the way where I have to take charge, boss people around, and do things my way... different from that.

It's more about having things under control. ... mainly my home, my kids, my stuff... I like to be one step ahead, not behind. I like to be proactive, not reactive.

Lately life has been out of control. I'm ten steps behind, hanging on by a thread, and just hoping my world stays together and life doesn't completely fall apart. I've slacked on training with my girls, let up on reading/studying God's word, I've put off going to the Lord in prayer, I push down the clothes in the hamper a little farther instead of starting a load of laundry, my kitchen floor is filthy, my desk is super unorganized, I haven't unpacked our suitcase from last week... and I've allowed these things to get under my skin. I feel out of control. I feel behind. I feel like a failure. What a great way to start the new year! :)

I went to church yesterday morning... and listened to a New Years sermon. I was in and out of the service, because of my loud youngest child, but God did speak to me.

These days when I utter a prayer in the midst of the chaos, it usually is a feeble cry for God to help me handle my load, my responsibilities. As I started to breath that prayer in church yesterday, I felt God ask me... if I would trust him. If I would trust him instead of trusting in my ability to conquer my life. Could I be okay with chaos raging around me, just holding on to my Savior? Maybe I don't need to get my life under control... maybe I just need to allow myself to be under God's control.

So my prayer has changed...

My New Years prayer is this:

Oh God, help me to trust in you and not in myself and my ability to control all the pieces of my life. Bring me under your control... hide me under the shelter of your wing and comfort me. Help me to be okay with the chaos raging around me if it makes me more dependent on you. Grant me joy and peace in this year ahead...that can only come from you, not from crossing off things on a to-do list. Thank you for your promise to never leave me no matter what life brings.

My New Years prayer for you:

You can print your own copy of this art print, as a reminder to trust in the Lord this new year... it's a 5x7... frame it, pin it up, or pass it on to a friend!

DOWNLOAD it here :)

Blessing in Christ and Happy New Year!

Today is our Christmas... take a peek.... :)

2011-12-24T11:49:00.001-06:00

Today our family is celebrating Christmas! My brain is too fried to write something cohesive... so...
here are my thoughts in bullet form :)

-To help you understand the context of this day and these photos... JJ and I didn't go to bed last night. We have been so busy this December, all Christmas gift prep was left till this week. I've had just a couple nights that ended before 3 am in the last several weeks. Today I am full of joy, but in a complete fog!

-Jeremy COMPLETELY surprised me with a gift that I've been asking for since our first year of marriage... so absolutely amazingly sweet.

-We painted our living room two weeks ago... I've been wanting to show you, but haven't had time.

-My house is anything but clean today, and I need to do laundry, pack for trip to KS, finish family's gifts, wrap presents for trip, and be festive!

-Jeremy is currently dead to the world.

-It's sunny today...YEA... and it makes the girls' room look lovely.

-JJ and I made the girls cardboard box cages for their animals, pretend mail, and LOTS of little notebooks to draw and write stories in.

-I am overwhelmed by the sacrifice God made to come to earth as a child... to keep his promise and send a Savior... "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Thank you, Lord.

Blessing to you this Christmas... and may you know the true joy of the season that comes from a relationship with Christ, the Savior of the world...

Love,
:)

Sticker, Seals, or Washi Tape! ... just in time for Gift Wrapping

2011-12-13T15:17:00.000-06:00

Awhile back, I did a post about how to make your own mini washi tape.... Well, today I have some more free printable patterns for you to use with that tutorial... some Christmas patterns!

I also wanted to show you some other ways you can use the patterns ...by printing on labels to make stickers, seals, and some medium sized Washi tape.

First off...
Print on round labels to make envelope seals or gift wrapping stickers:

Or...
Print on 1" x 2 5/8" return address labels to make medium sized Washi tape. Great for cheering up a simple wrapping job. To make these, you can refer to my other tutorial on Mini Washi Tape. The only difference is that after you've printed and cut the edges with pinking shears, then you cut the labels in half length-wise. Easy enough... and super cute!

Here are your Free Printable Christmas Patterns:
To Save, just click on the pattern and save the full-sized version. It will be a .jpeg... Open in an word processing program/or design program/or even a simple preview window and print onto label paper!
I'd love to hear your plans for these patterns... leave a comment and let me know!

Just please remember... Patterns are for personal use only and may not be sold, distributed, or used for profit of any kind.

Blessings,

Sadie Pie Small Fry is 3

2011-12-04T22:00:00.000-06:00

Today is my Sadie's birthday :) ....
She is a joy.
She is a blessing.
She is our little miracle.

I sat down with the girls after I put V to bed, and looked at pictures of Sadie from the day she was born. Sometimes I forget, that she was that itty bitty baby that God protected... our little miracle.

Today I am overwhelmed once again, as I think about what the Lord has done. There is always a twinge of pain, when I look back... But the God has taken that pain and drown it out with joy and thankfulness. Today I praise the Lord not only for my little Sadie, but for his amazing faithfulness.

"I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Psalm 77:11-12

You can read Sadie's Story (The Twins Story) here... :)

Blessings,

oh, my... missing patterns!

2011-12-01T10:01:00.000-06:00

I realized this morning that the file I linked for you to download yesterday was missing some of the patterns! ...so I fixed it :) Just wanted to let you know!

And because I can't post without a picture of some sort... here are a couple more photos from the Kansas photo shoot last week :) Enjoy!

Blessings,

PRINTABLE Doodle-Style Christmas Tags

2011-11-30T13:31:00.001-06:00

Hello Lovely Friends!

Well, I'm back in my own home... back at my own desk... and back to work!
My attitude is better now... most of the time :)

Virgil is sick with a fever though... which bums me out. But at least he cuddles with me now :) ...that's kinda nice.

I made you some Christmas tags. I was trying to decide what type to make, and I had all kinds of ideas swirling around in my head. I wanted to design something that you all would like... Problem is, when I go at designing from that angle, I'm bound to fail. So I scratched those ideas, and went back to true Amy J. style. If I were going to make tags for my gifts... these are what I would make! So... this is what you get... Amy J. style... take it or leave it :) (I'll keep fiddling with my other ideas... and when the time is right, and they aren't forced... they will come together. And then I will share them with you! oohh... and I also have some Christmas Washi tape patterns for you sometime, as well! )

But for now...

Download, print, cut, ... and enjoy!

And if you're the type that doesn't mind... please let me know if you're going to take these doodles home! It just brightens my day :)

DOWNLOAD HERE

*As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

Blessings,

This week in Kansas...

2011-11-24T22:54:00.000-06:00

This week in Kansas has not been what I was hoping for. I was hoping for a break...some rest... but it's been anything but that. I feel guilty even saying that. But you see I'm notoriously negative... I seem to have trouble focusing on the positive aspects of my circumstances. I tend to have a "poor me" complex. (big sigh.)

But still, the fact of the matter is I'm a mother to 4 young children. Children who, by their very nature, require a huge amount of work during a normal day at home, and even more work away from home. Away from home there are taxing new variables like new environments, late nights, heightened expectations to behave/perform, busy schedules, and extra sugar :) And I am The Mother... yes, with capital letters... I am the only one who is completely capable of caring for them (especially since I still nurse V). There is no escape, there is no break, there is... no vacation.

(I'm going to pause here to say... perhaps in defense of my doom and gloom post... that I signed up for this. I walked into this place in life with my eyes open. And I want to be here. I am thankful to be here. This is exactly what I always wanted. ... it's just hard sometimes. I knew it would be hard... I just didn't know being a mom would be this hard... and this exhausting :)

So here in Kansas, JJ hunted for most of the first two days... and then today he has been sick and slept most of the day. I feel like I haven't seen my husband in days... I thought I was supposed to see him more. I feel like I have more time alone watching the kiddos... I thought I was supposed to have extra help and a break. I thought I would get some time to do purely frivolous design projects... I've just responded to Etsy conversations and sent emails. Bummer.

Yesterday, I claimed my husband for a couple hours to help me take pictures of the kiddos for our Christmas card. Instead of being fun, the whole experience included lots and lots and screaming from Virgil, a bad attitude from Alice, harsh words from me, a very frustrated father, crying because of stickers in boots, weird and frustrating facial expressions, defiance, and a dog fight (literally 2 dogs got into a big fight that JJ had to break up in the middle of our shoot!)... It was just one more thing for me to add to my list of things that weren't going right. It was just one more thing to suck my energy and joy out of me.

But it's okay... It's all okay.

See actually that, right there, is the exact problem. It's more than okay. Nothing is wrong... I'm with the people I love the most... we are blessed beyond measure... and yet I find a way to focus on my selfish expectations. I find a way to feel cheated and to focus on the negative. Shame on me.

Today on Thanksgiving, I have no trouble saying "Thank You" to God. But what I do have trouble with is living thankful to God. Thankfulness is not something you say. It's not something that you mentally acknowledge...making a list in your head of the "good things" that you have. Rather it's an outlook... a way of living... a state of the heart. Today on Thanksgiving I am not thankful.... at least that's what my attitude and my actions are saying. After all, how can someone be thankful and have a bad attitude? They are completely incompatible.

So I've got a lot of work to do. I need to turn my focus back around....back around to the Father. I need to stop looking at what is or isn't perfect or difficult in my life and start living a life of gratitude. A life of gratitude that flows out of seeking after and learning to really know the God of the universe and his son Jesus Christ. When I gaze upon his face, his glory... I see that I am a selfish pessimistic mom who is amazingly saved by grace.... and for that I can't help but be truly thankful.

So there it is... me and my bad attitude in need of a heart change... HA!
How's your heart?
How's your attitude?
Are you living thankful to God?

Blessings,

Show and Tell

2011-11-18T14:34:00.001-06:00

SHOW...
I have piles of new stuff in the store.

You see... designing is my way of relaxing. And I've been needing to do something, anything to relax.
So I kinda went nuts one day and designed all this stuff...

Hope you enjoy looking! And maybe you'll get some Christmas Gift ideas... hmmmm :)

With that thought in mind... You can get 15% off your purchase with this code when you enter it at the time of checkout in My Etsy Store! Why?.... just 'cause I love you that much. ...awwww... how sweet :)

THANKSGIVING15

... and remember Custom Color changes are always FREE... Custom Scripture changes are only $4 more.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86423899/great-is-your-faithfulness-scripture

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86424079/great-is-your-faithfulness-scripture

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86423608/great-is-your-faithfulness-scripture

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86429087/custom-initial-name-art-prints-with

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86429166/custom-initial-name-art-prints-with

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86428776/custom-initial-name-art-prints-with

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86427185/custom-initial-name-art-prints-with

And there are so many more where those came from!

TELL....

I'm going home to Kansas for the entire week, next week. And... since I find designing relaxing... gues who is coming with me? Yup... Mac (that's my computer, don't feel bad if you're a little slow :) And it's not a lap top. How pathetic am I? No, I guess I'm not really pathetic, more like practical. Yeah. That sounds better :)

This way I can enjoy some design time while family helps watch kids and I can also keep up with Etsy and Blog (lucky you!) stuff. So I'd tell you all that I will miss you during the next week... but I won't. I'm taking you with me. :)

Blessings,

For Grandpa

2011-11-15T18:07:00.000-06:00

We ALL love you!

... V too, but he was asleep during our little photo shoot today :)

We are thanking God for you today...

See you next week!

V is 9 months old... and exasperating.

2011-11-14T10:03:00.001-06:00

Well, I finally found a few minutes to takes some 9 month shots of Virgil. Let me just tell you... I love that kid more than I could have ever imagined. I love having a boy. I love having four children.
But...
Some days I don't think I'm going to make it through these years. Virgil is definitely my most difficult child. Each of the girls took their turns being grouchy at one point or another as babies, but Virgil...oh, Virgil... ever since 4 mo. he has been grouchy! He was such a good newborn; I thought I was in for an even keel, content baby. Nope.

You know the movie Elf...with Will Ferrell...? If you do...
We often say, regarding Virgil "He's an angry elf!"... in the Buddy the Elf voice of course.
Because he is... He's an angry little person!

Let me ~~vent~~ share...
If Virgil is in the same room as me, and I'm not holding him AND walking around with him... he's screaming. So I nurse him (more than I should) to try and make him happy. He'll be happy for like 2 minutes then turn back to me and start crying. So I put him down for another nap... He wakes up after 20-40 minutes SCREAMING. One of my strategies is to take him to another room...that I know is safe... where the girls are playing and hope that he gets distracted. If I'm lucky, I'll get 10-15 minutes out of that before he comes and finds me... screaming.
That's my day. Everyday.

It's kind of hard to homeschool.
It's kind of hard to work on the computer.
It's kind of hard to do dishes or laundry.
It's kind of hard to do really anything...

JJ comes to my rescue in the evenings. Virgil adores him. And amazingly, doesn't act the same way around him! Jeremy can pin V up in our bedroom and watch TV with him... he wanders around, climbs all over Jeremy, plays, laughs... it's wonderful. But why oh, why can't he be that way with me?! Oh, the curse of being the one with the milk. (big sigh).

Nights are getting better. He was waking up several times... screaming. But now it's tapering off to once or twice a night. I can deal with that.

BUT...(another but)... I love babies! I love kids! If it wasn't for the fact that I'm completely exhausted, I really do think I would push JJ to have more :) On the other side of that though, maybe that's why God is allowing it to feel overwhelming for me... so that I give in and am content with my four!!

But when Virgil is happy... he is charming. He has an adorable gappy-toothed smile, the sweetest little mouth, and sparkling blue eyes... He's my baby boy. And someday, God will turn that frustrating personality into a tool for His glory. I just hope I can survive to see it! Ha!

But enjoy some pics of my Virgil... he looks just like his daddy :)

Blessings... and endurance to all you moms :)

50 Things Christmas... over at Jame

2011-11-10T09:29:00.001-06:00

Hello dear ones!

Jame has a wonderful little Christmas series going on right now.. And today I am guest posting about creative ideas for Christmas gift wrap/packages... Take a look!

Visit JAME HERE...
and happy Christmas planning!

Blessings,

PRINTABLE Christmas Gift Planner page

2011-11-07T10:42:00.000-06:00

Today is a gloomy, rainy day... here in Edmond, OK. Today is Jeremy's day off, but I'm kinda sick and hubs is trying to get over being sick.
So much I want (and need) to accomplish...
So little energy... (big sigh.)

But... thankfully, before I was feeling yucky, I created this for you! It's helping me get my thoughts in some kind of order as I attack my gift "to-do" and "to-buy" lists. This planner page is perfect for a three-ring binder or just put a stack of these pages in a clip board and hang on the wall... fill in as the season progresses and ideas come to you!

DOWNLOAD HERE

*As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

Blessings,

GIVEAWAY over at SUGAR MAMA'S

2011-11-04T11:48:00.001-05:00

Hello Friends!

I just wanted to really quickly tell you that Sugar Mama is doing a giveaway for the 2 Year Birthday of her blog... and is offering some super fun stuff... including a $20 gift certificate to MY STORE! yeah!

You'll want to check it out for two reasons:
1. hello? Christmas gifts.
2. Sugar Mama is awesome. You'll love her and her blog.
3. Today, I'm listing digital Christmas cards in my store! Take a look... here is one of the designs:

The rest of the designs will be in my store by evening.... Stop Back!!

Blessings,

Printable Bird Recipe Cards... Giftable!

2011-11-01T10:32:00.000-05:00

Well, now that Christmas is quickly approaching, I've been thinking about gifts. My goal this year is to spend $10 or less on each person... this means, most likely: homemade, thrifted, or a super sale! It will be a fun challenge. I hope to share some of my ideas with you as I go :)

Well, today I can help you out in your gifting pursuits! These recipe cards would be perfect as a small gift or a stocking stuffer... I spared nothing with them, so that they wouldn't look cheap or "run-of-the-mill"! They are two-sided and full of whimsy :) If you have a good color printer, grab some nice thick paper and print 'em out! If you don't, take the file to a local printer... Kinkos or something... and have them print them! I would suggest cutting with an x-acto knife and a metal blade ruler or a good quality paper cutter...

And of course, keep the file beyond the Holiday season so you have some cheery recipe cards on hand for yourself :)

DOWNLOAD FILE HERE

*As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.
And leave a cheery hello if you're going to download!
Enjoy!

Blessings,

Child of God

2011-10-24T13:57:00.000-05:00

Do you ever stumble across a portion of scripture, and have the words, the meaning, suddenly jump off the page at you with fresh significance? That happened to me last week... I love it when God does that :)

"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir." Galatians 3:4-7

You know how we all get really excited when someone announces that they are going to adopt a child? And we lend our encouragement and even financial support... because we realize how HUGE it is!! Well, if we claim Christ as our Savior and place our hope in Him, that's what has happened to us!! ... like that scripture says.

Last week, I was really bummed about a closed-door in my life. I was mourning the loss of an opportunity to share my faith... I so desperately wanted to pass along the hope which I have; the hope I have it Christ Jesus as my Savior. And when I say hope, I don't mean "hoping" for the best... "hoping" I will make it to heaven someday... Rather, The Hope I have is secure anticipation of what is to come! I wish so desperately that everyone could know the joy of that kind of hope.

I'm overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. My identity is secure... I AM HIS CHILD. My freedom in this life is secure... I AM NO LONGER A SLAVE to sin. My future is secure... I AM AN HEIR to the Kingdom and the reward.

Blessings,

Cute Custom Idea...

2011-10-21T14:10:00.001-05:00

This past week I had a sweet blog friend ordered a custom print from my Etsy Store for her daughter's nursery... She liked one of my new scripture print designs, but requested a different verse and her daughter's name added (these type of changes are free of charge, btw). Viola! A meaningful, one-of-a-kind print for her daughter... to keep forever. (Thanks Krista! ... it will be in the mail soon :) )

Take a look!

Blessings,

Sadie's Nursery... a KS HOME TOUR

2011-10-17T22:07:00.000-05:00

Earlier this summer I gave you a little tour of JJ and I's bedroom from our little bungalow back in Kansas. Well, I thought I'd show you Sadie's Nursery today! Whenever I think about this room, I have to smile. It was such a happy place for me :) I loved the wall color. I loved all the vintage baby decor. I loved the custom bedding that my mom-in-law made for me (although you can't really see it in these pics... I had taken the front bumper pad down already). I loved the high ceilings and old woodwork and doors. I loved how all you saw out the windows was tree branches and sun... because it was on the second story. Hmmm... it was wonderful.

Anyway... the pictures aren't the best... but you get the idea. ENJOY!

Blessings,

Fabric Covered Book How-To/ Tutorial

2011-10-13T14:19:00.000-05:00

I've noticed lately that I've been getting quite a few hits on my blog from Pinterest... from a really old post about some things I made for a craft fair! Ha! ... it was such a long time ago, but the ideas are still quite cute.

Well, based on one of those crafts, I made a tutorial( a year or so ago) about how to cover a photo mat with fabric. Today, I'd like to show you how to cover an old book in fabric... similar to another craft on that ancient post :)

MATERIALS

enough cotton fabric to cover the book you've chosen... I love using vintage fabric for old books
an old book, preferably one that has a blank cover, as some titles or illustrations can show through
spray glue -nothing beats 3M Super 77 found at Hobby Lobby or hardware stores
a scissor - one you don't mind getting glue on
Mod-podge
small foam brush

(you don't need a knife... I don't know why I put that in there, Ha!)

1. Lay out your book and cut a rectangle of fabric larger than the size of your book... 1 to 2 inches larger on all sides (you might want to iron your cut fabric at this point if it's creased or wrinkly).

2. Spray the back side of the fabric and the outside of the book with spray glue (not in the house!). Make sure you get a good coat... and don't forget the spine of the book. It works well to clip the piece of fabric to a wire hanger with clothes pins and stand the book, spine up, like a tent to spray.

3. Next, carefully lay your fabric out (glue side up!) and place your closed book on one end. Press book firmly down, checking to make sure the fabric is smooth and securely adhered to the book cover.

4. Carefully flipping the book over, while making sure the the spine keeps contact with the fabric, wrap the other side of the fabric around the front of the book. Once again, being careful to make sure there are no air bubbles or wrinkles in the fabric.

Your book should look like this at the end of step 4.

5. Cut off all 4 corners of the fabric, leaving about 1/8 of an inch margin between the corner and the edge of the cut.

6. Make two cuts in the fabric by the spine. The cuts should line up with where the cover creases. Do this on both ends of the book.

7. Smooth the fabric over the edges of the cover on all sides. Pay special attention to the corners, making sure to pull the fabric tightly over the edges. Use Mod Podge if necessary to make sure the flaps are adhered completely.

Your books should look like this at the end of step 7.

8. Add a very thing layer of Mod Podge to the left over tabs of fabric on either side of the spine. Then using a letter opener or a butter knife, push the tabs down into the little gap between the cover and the binding.

9. Add a little Mod Podge to the the corners of the book and use your fingers to push down the fabric (if necessary) to make a clean looking corner and keep them from fraying in the future.

Let dry and display... :) YOU'RE GOOD TO GO!

Blessings,

AND THE WINNER IS....

2011-10-11T09:06:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends!
Well, I had a great birthday weekend! Thank you to those of you who blessed me by sharing birthday wishes and also your favorite verses of scripture. I was so uplifted and encouraged by reading them!

Well... for those 19 of you who are actually reading this post...
As far as the giveaway goes, The winner is MALINDA! ... email me Malinda and we'll get you a customized print to adorn the walls of that new house that you love so much :)

On Friday, my birthday, I got to go out with the hubs for a bit in the evening... I requested that we take V with us and try to snap a few 8 month pics of him. And that's really the best way to describe how it went down... we tried to get a few good shots, the timing just wasn't right... too rushed and not enough light... oh, well. But we still ended up with a few decent pics.

Blessings and Happy Monday!

Free Printable Tags and A GIVEAWAY!!! ...because it's my birthday!

2011-10-07T14:42:00.002-05:00

So today is my birthday.... yea! I'm 29. I'm okay with that, because I'm the baby of the family and I'll always be younger than my siblings. He He. Sorry, Erica :) (at least I didn't say how much younger I am than you!)

To celebrate the day, I'm giving you some free printable tags and doing a GIVEAWAY! ...I've never done a giveaway before... hmm... should be fun!

So...

I designed the patterned background in these tags to look like vintage sheets... I love vintage sheets.
You can either download the ones that say Happy Birthday or Hello Friend... Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD HELLO FRIEND TAGS HERE

DOWNLOAD B-DAY TAGS HERE

*As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY...

I'd like to giveaway a fully custom Scripture Print/Nursery Scripture Print from my Etsy store!

The winner can choose any design, any colors, any verse.

And I just added 3 new scripture prints today! I really love them... they really reflect my personal style. I used one of my hand drawn doodle-y borders and designed a pattern that looks like vintage wallpaper. FUN!

Here are those new designs... and head on over to my ETSY STORE to take a look at all the other options. And REMEMBER you can fully customize any design you see in my store with colors of your choice and a verse that's especially meaningful to you!

TO ENTER, LEAVE A COMMENT and tell me your favorite verse of scripture :)

Entries will be accepted till

Monday night, Oct. 10 at 10:00pm CDT

Winner will be announced Tuesday morning!

Winner will be chosen at random by the

infamous True Random Number Generator :)

COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Blessings and Happy Birthday to Me!

Honey... make me a chalkboard... please! and PINTEREST

2011-10-04T16:14:00.000-05:00

A month or so ago, I told Jeremy about an idea I had for a chalkboard for the school room/my work area. I went on elaborating about how I thought we should do it, what the top should look like, what I'd use it for... on and on, as I always do when describing ideas I have. He liked the idea, but I didn't really expect him to think it was worth pushing to the top of the project priority list. To my amazement, only days later it was complete! ... my dear sweet, hubby... thank you!

Our walls are textured, so we had a thin piece of wood cut to size from Lowes. Then I drew the shape I wanted for the top and Jeremy cut it in the garage with our Dremel :) He painted it with chalkboard paint, and screwed it to the wall. Ta-Da! I love it. I love the way it looks, and it's awesome for school.

You can't really tell from the pictures, but it's on the open end of our school room/ my work space, in our kind of open hallway. It perfect because it's very central in the house and it's also above tile... making for easy chalk dust clean up.

And one more thing... Do you PINTEREST? You probably already do, but in case you haven't discovered this LOVELY thing... check it out. Its a place to "pin" fun things you find on the internet to save for future reference and inspiration! Not to mention, you can look at other peoples "pins". fun, fun, fun. By the way... if you ever care to check out what I'm pinning these days... HERE ARE MY BOARDS :)

Blessings,

Vintage additions to V's room...and some thoughts.

2011-09-27T10:29:00.001-05:00

I've been wanting to show you this turquoise suitcase that Jeremy picked up for me at a garage sale for awhile now... Then my mom let me take home some old Fisher Price toys a couple weeks ago... so I thought I'd give you a peek into V's room this morning with the new vintage additions to his decor. His room's on the East side of the house, so it's morning shots or none at all :)

I'm using the suitcase to store blocks and other extra toys that I don't want out everyday... I used to have baskets under the crib. I like this better.

I love the colors of the old Fisher Price toys... they coordinate perfectly with the colors in Virgil's room. LOVE that orangey-red color!

I woke up this morning feeling very low and discouraged... Do you ever get that way? Sometimes I feel like such an inadequate mom, wife, and even follower of Christ, and I often get overwhelmed by all that life sets out before me. It's hard to dive into mothering, school, and business responsibilities on days like today.... that's why I decided to do a post first, instead :) I think cleaning, business, and even school today will have to take a backseat to trying to refocus and get my mind and attitude back on the right track.

My devotions this morning from "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young was very appropriate...

"Relax in My everlasting arms. Your weakness is an opportunity to grow strong in awareness of My Almighty Presence. When your energy fails you, do not look inward and lament the lack you find there. Look to Me and My sufficiency..."

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

Deuteronomy 33:27

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."

Psalm 27:13-14

Blessings,

Kid's PRINTABLE Thank You Notes

2011-09-22T09:43:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends!
I dare say it's time for another printable :)
Alice Anna's birthday was last week, which had me thinking about thank you notes...
so...
this was the result!

Hopefully these will make writing those dreaded thank yous a little easier and a little more fun for the kiddos... they provide simple prompts for what to write and can be colored too!

I would suggest printing on card stock and coloring with markers or colored pencils... easy peasy.
Notes fit in A2 sized envelopes when cut...

LEAVE A CHEERY HELLO IF YOU'RE GOING TO DOWNLOAD :)

*As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Lost and Found

2011-09-19T17:24:00.001-05:00

Sadie in the waiting room at her appointment today.

Today we had an appointment for Sadie to check up on her kidney... Sadie had a rough pregnancy with multiple complications... one of which was the discovery of only one kidney (you can read the whole story HERE).

Ever since our pediatrician told us that he thought it would be a good idea to go to a specialist, just to make sure everything was functioning properly with her kidney, I've been a little anxious. You know, Sadie is almost 3, and most days I hardly think about all that we went through during my pregnancy with her. I hardly think about all the fears I used to have for her.

During the first year of Sadie's life, I worried alot about her. She was so tiny... and since we knew she only had one kidney, I worried about how she was growing. I hoped she was big enough... I hoped she was getting enough nutrients. She seemed so fragile to me. After making her appointment, those thoughts started resurfacing. I tried not to dwell on them, but every time the appointment would come to mind, I'd fear that they would discover something bad at it. I feared that they would tell me that she wasn't growing properly or that her kidney was weak ... I don't know... I just really struggled with fearing the worst! I even worried that when they did the ultrasound they would find something else wrong with her... like a tumor or something! I know... I had absolutely no grounds for being worried at all! ...but I still was. Shame on me. I knew I should be laying my burdens down in prayer to the Lord, but I was really having a hard time.

Well, because of an unexpectedly busy week spent back home in Kansas, Jeremy and I forgot to get a babysitter for the other kids so that we could go to the appointment together with Sadie. Awful, I know. So Jeremy, bless his heart, took her to OKC by himself (He's such a good dad). After the appointment, Jeremy called me. He sounded a little weird on the phone. But very quickly he said, "Everything's fine, but I just have to tell you about the ultrasound." Even though he said everything was okay, I was still nervous as he began to describe what happened. Well, I guess the technician looked at her one kidney checked it all out and said it looked good. But then as she studied the screen and moved the wand around some more on Sadie's tummy, she got a weird look on her face. Jeremy got nervous. Her brow furrowed and she looked intently at the screen. And then she said, "Well there's your other kidney."

WHAT?! What?! My sweet little fragile Sadie, has two kidneys? She's not going to end up on dialysis or need a kidney transplant some day?! (I know, I'm amazingly dramatic.) She'll be able to play powder-puff football or roller derby someday?! ...I couldn't believe it.

He continued to tell me how basically she has a pelvic kidney. A kidney that never rose into it's proper place, but remained behind the pelvis in front of the spine, if I understand correctly. It's perfect. It functions. She's normal. :) Ha!

I took in all this info. from Jeremy, teared up, and hung up the phone. Then it hit me. "Oh, God. I was so scared for my little girl. I feared the worst. I prayed that everything would be okay and that they wouldn't find ANYTHING. But, God, you gave me more than I even asked for... more than I could have even imagined! You gave her another kidney. Forgive me for not trusting you... forgive me for always fearing the worst instead of trusting and hoping in you. Thank you. Thank you for giving us what we didn't even ask for."

Today I am thankful, so thankful... and very humbled.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20, 21

Blessings,

The way I see it...

2011-09-07T19:09:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love candid, everyday photography of children. Something happens in that instant when a child is captured "on film".

Maybe it's because I'm sentimental...
Maybe it's because I'm an artist...
Maybe it's because I idealize things...
I don't know.

But when I look at those frozen moments, it makes me see things clearly. When it's my children, I suddenly am able to see those moments for what they really are.

Absolutely
Priceless
Precious
Wonderful
Moments

Those images allow me to realize what I'm sometimes not capable of realizing in the actual moment...
when I'm distracted by the noise, the chaos, the busyness of my day...

I see how blessed I am.
I see how perfect they are.
And I am thankful... overwhelmingly thankful.

Can't stop blushing...

2011-09-01T12:07:00.000-05:00

So today I'm blushing... and feeling amazingly blessed. Today I'm being featured...yes, I said FEATURED... this is a first... over on Two Shades of Pink!!

Jessica is a friend, a blessings, an encouragement, and best of all a sister-in-Christ! Please go on over to her blog and check it out... don't stop at my feature... go exploring! You'll find AMAZING IDEA AFTER AMAZING IDEA...all seasoned with Grace.
Can't say anymore.
There are no more words suitable for the treasure that is Jessica.

Blessings!

PRINTABLE Chore Chart

2011-08-30T13:27:00.001-05:00

With the new school year here, I decided it was time for a new Chore Chart for my girls! We've been doing chores on a somewhat regular basis, but I would always just write out a list for them. They have told me that they NEED a list :) It helps them attack a mess in a systematic way and they enjoy checking each task off as it's completed.
This is our new Chore Chart... I listed out cleaning responsibilities really specifically (otherwise they don't seem to know where to start!). I put the printed chart in a clear sheet protector (Avery brand from Walmart. I cut off the 3 holed strip on the one side) and the girls use Expo Washable Dry Erase Markers to check off the boxes... (yes, the markers are WASHABLE...isn't that wonderful?!!! I think they're new.) This way they use the same chart everyday... no re-printing!

I also made a blank Printable version for you!
I left some room at the top for you to doodle your kid's name all fancy-like :)
Just print, fill in chores, slip it into a sheet protector, grab some dry erase markers, and go crazy!

DOWNLOAD HERE
*As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

PLEASE LEAVE A HAPPY LITTLE COMMENT IF YOU'RE GONNA BE GIVING THIS A TRY! I'D LOVE TO KNOW! :)

Blessings,

a simple gift

2011-08-25T09:40:00.000-05:00

Last week was my mom's birthday...
Without a lot of extra time or money...these days require that gifts are simple and fairly cheap!
So here's what I came up with :)

Hand-drawn doodles on the card and envelope make it sweet... and adds a personal touch

I found some vintage unfinished quilt blocks at a little rummage sale at our church...she loves that kind of stuff!

I enclosed a few current pictures of Virgil, then also printed out the photo strip from my earlier post.

I folded it accordion style, punched little holes in the ends, and tied with baker's twine.

This simple format wouldn't even need a design/photoshop program to create... simply line up your photos in a word document and print on card stock!

Simple and Cheap!

Blessings,

Potty Training

2011-08-22T16:27:00.000-05:00

We are potty training. finally.
fun. fun. fun :)

Blessings,

Snapshots

2011-08-18T13:57:00.000-05:00

Blessings,

Reese's Rainbow Family Tree... MEET BLAKE!

2011-08-13T12:22:00.000-05:00

So maybe you noticed that I currently have three Reese's Rainbow buttons up on the side of my blog.... Let me introduce one of them that you might not know! Little Blake, the second one down, is being adopted by a dear friend, Anna, back from Kansas. So so awesome.

God began to do a work in Anna's heart through Danielle at Loving Every Moment... (does this sound familiar :) :) So this is really a home-grown story for many of you! ...you can read about Anna and Danielle's connection HERE on Anna's blog.

Once I again, on the same note as I posted earlier on this topic, I am so MOVED by what God is doing in the hearts of families... compelling them to adopt. Just last week I found out about ANOTHER set of friends (over at Breezy Acres Farm) who are going to adopt!! God is so so GOOD.

As is true in each of these adoption stories, God is moving and doing a work to make the logistics happen. This morning I got this email...

Hello!
Sorry to bug you on a weekend, but KSN News covered our adoption story yesterday and following the news, an anonymous donor challenged 1000 people to comment on my blog at: www.homeonthekansasrange.blogspot.com and they would donate $1 for every comment. So go comment now!!! It's free!! And it's a way to help!!
Thank you SO much.
Anna

So of course I'm passing this on to my faithful bloggy friends! PLEASE go read about their journey and COMMENT ON HER BLOG... or if you feel your heart being tugged by God, make a donation of your own! God is doing another amazing work in this family's life and you can be part of it!

OHH... another thought! I added that handy-dandy facebook "like" button at the bottom of my posts... "like" this post so that the words spreads even further!! ... pretty please :) :)

Blessings to you all :)

Make Your Own Mini Washi Tape Strips... free printable gingham pattern

2011-08-10T21:09:00.000-05:00

So lately I've been busy printing and packaging a whole bunch of goodies for Meg's Craft Weekend...
It occurred to me, as I was putting stuff together, that maybe you all would enjoy a little How-To and free printable pattern for making your own Mini Washi Tape! I just figured this out awhile ago... and now use it often in packaging my Etsy products.
It's super Cute...super Easy... and much cheaper than real Washi Tape! :)

All you need is:
- 1/2x 1 3/4 inch mailing labels
- printable pattern (I gotcha covered on this one!)
- pinking shears
- color printer

What you do:
1. Just click on the gingham patterns at the end of this post to make them full size and save them to your desktop
2. Open in pretty much any applications... anything that will open a photo (.jpeg file) and allow you to print it full sized (approx. 8 1/2 x 11)
3. Print pattern on label paper
4. Peel off the paper in the margin areas (not the label part) so that just the labels are left.
5. Then cut into strips, with pinking shears, along edges of each column of labels... as shown in photo.

It's that EASY! Now you can use them for just about anything!... you can even write on them!

*** You could also do the same thing with round labels and make your own sticker/seals... (like I sell in my store...wink, wink :)

Please leave a comment and let me know what ya think!

Click on pattern images below to view full-sized image... then just save!

Patterns are for personal use only and may not be sold or distributed.

Blessings,

All packed up and ready to go...6 months old

2011-08-07T23:29:00.000-05:00

Blessings,

Happy Thing... Doodles on hands and feet :)

2011-08-02T17:14:00.000-05:00

I love anything hand-drawn... always have. For me it's an instant Happy Thing. Maybe it's because I used to draw, all the time. Before I discovered Graphic Design, my love was drawing and doodling. In high school, I used to fill my notebook pages with cute little doodles... scrolly borders, little pictures, fancy swirly text... And, I loved to draw on my friends with Sharpies :) I did this so often, that eventually I gathered a little collection of drawings for my friends and classmates to choose from... it was fun :)

Well, every now and then I get out the little folder of drawings and doodle on my hand or feet... some pretty little pictures to make me smile and remember those days! Now occasionally I'll draw some on my girls. They think it's awesome! They pick their little picture out of that same folder and they giggle as they try to hold still while I drag that little Sharpie across their skin... it tickles! ...another Happy Thing :)

Things have been very busy and kind of stressful lately (hence my lack of posting), and as a result the kids have been out of sorts for a while now. So today I took a break from my long list of to-dos. I painted their toenails and drew some doodles on their hands and feet. It was fun... it made us all smile :) The pictures served a dual purpose today also... a gentle reminder of some of the things we need to work on in our house :) :)

On a completely different/side note... Virgil was playing on the tile in our entry way today, spit up, then rolled over onto it... big wet, slimy, hilarious mess. That too, made us all laugh. Alice hollered, "Mom, get your camera! You've got to see the disgusting thing Virgil did!" Oh, how we need those things to make us giggle and laugh!

Be joyful, laugh, and giggle today...that in itself is a Happy Thing :)

Blessings,

HOME SWEET HOME... The Girls' Room Tour

2011-07-27T09:20:00.000-05:00

You know, I don't think I could ever tire of pretty little girls' rooms! They are just so happy...

I'm so glad that I have three little girls... that means lots of girly decorating yet to be done!

And can you imaging the fun I'm going to have with their weddings!!!! oh, the thought...
3 WEDDINGS... (wow... okay, Amy, this is about decorating... not future weddings of now teeny tiny girls!)

Anyway... back to pretty girly decorating...

Enjoy the tour! (and don't forget to peak back at some of the other rooms in the HOME SWEET HOME or Decorating categories)

By the way... do you have any suggestions or requests for future printables?

Blessings,

PRINTABLE Menus for Playing Restaurant

2011-07-24T16:17:00.003-05:00

Hello!
... so if you ever wonder how I'm doing... check how recently (or how long it's been since) I've posted on my blog!
With that being said... I just have 2 things to say on the subject...
Life is Nuts
&
Life is Good.

But...I have something fun for the kiddos to do during this crazy summer heat...
and it's FREE :) ... of course.

Let me explain... towards the beginning of summer I was trying to come up with something fun for my girls to do, that encouraged independent creative play.
So I had the idea to make some play restaurant menus and tickets so that the girls could pretend to order food like at a restaurant!
Kids can order from the menu and a designated waitress/waiter records the order on the ticket by circling the food items...
Add some play (or real) money to the mix and it becomes quite educational, too, as they add up the cost of their meals...

I think they're pretty cute... and the girls have had a blast with them.

This time the files are just .jpeg images... large enough to print on full 8 1/2 x 11 sheets. Just click on the image so that you can view it full size, then save!

Print the menu front and back, ideally on card stock.
Print the tickets on regular paper, cut (on the gray lines) and staple together into a pad.

Hand 'em over to the kiddos and you've got at least 45min. to yourself!

Let me know if you have any questions about how to use them... my brain is foggy... I might be leaving important info out! :)

And please, if you don't mind :) leave a comment and let me know if you plan on using them!

*As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

Blessings,

Am I still young?

2011-07-15T13:05:00.000-05:00

So here's the deal.
I'm 28... will be 29 in October.
I've been married 9 years.
I have 4 kids... under 7 years of age.

I feel old! Not because of my age...
maybe because I have 4 kiddos?

maybe because I'm tired all the time.

maybe because I can't bounce back after staying up late anymore.

maybe because I don't really think plastic forks stuck in my yard, oreos all over my garage door, car, and mailbox, and plastic wrap everywhere are really that funny. (that happened to our house last night.)

maybe because I'm not losing my post-baby weight as quickly as the other times.

maybe because I rarely feel like I can "tackle the world" anymore.

maybe because I'm stressed and crazy busy all the time.

But I'm ONLY 28! ...that's not actually old at all. Some people aren't even married yet at this age!

I don't want to feel old... and tired... (big sigh.)

What happened??

JJ and I's anniversary was Wednesday... Jeremy's mom was here and she offered to watch the kids so we could go on a date. It was really sweet of her.
We decided to go to a late movie after the kids were in bed so that we could enjoy her a bit and not subject her to Virgil's screaming tendencies.

After the movie, at 1:00am, we were both dead tired. We are accustomed to staying up late... but this was like the 5th night in a week and a half that I'd stayed up super late (two of which were around 4am).
BUT... we felt so pathetic! It was our anniversary and we didn't want to just head home! So... we grabbed some Red Bull and made a bee line for Walmart.

This was the result... our somewhat pathetic attempt to feel young :) :)

"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:30-31

Blessings,

You Are My Sunshine Free PRINTABLE...

2011-07-13T16:34:00.000-05:00

Well, it's a sunny day in Edmond... stinkin' hot actually :)

Today is JJ and I's 9 year anniversary... Jeremy's mom came down from Kansas to watch the girls so that we can have a little date tonight... Yea!!!

So... I'm just saying "Hi" and leaving you with a little gift! This time my printable for you is straight out of my ETSY SHOP! This is a sheet of the mini prints like I sell in my store... I have several other designs available... and I'll make any of my regular 8x10 Scripture prints into mini version, by your request for no extra charge :)

These are great to use as gift tags, party favors, add to a greeting card or gift, thank you's for Etsy shop owners to put in their packages, hang on the fridge or bulletin board, etc...

Enjoy these now (I might not leave this printable up forever... perhaps just for a couple weeks) and hop on over to my store to pick up some other designs sometime!

Print on card stock, photo paper, or any other slightly thicker paper... and pass on the Sunshine!!

DOWNLOAD HERE
File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

Blessings,

Little V is 5 Months!

2011-07-11T13:16:00.002-05:00

Last Friday V reached the 5 month mark! Wow... it really is true that the time passes more quickly with each child... cra-zi-ness! Wasn't he just born?

So... V man these days likes to...
slobber,
cry alot,
slobber,
get up on his knees and attempt to crawl,
cry alot,
slobber,
and yeah... that's about it.

I don't know if it's just a phase... but he hasn't been happy much lately :( Doc said at his 4 mo. apt that he isn't going to cut teeth for awhile... so I don't know why he's such a grumpy bunny! He's been such a good baby up until lately. Oh, well... can a baby have an ear infection with no other symptoms besides crankiness?

Regardless, he's still precious, still a blessing... love that little man!!

Blessings,

Keeper of My Heart... a BIG giveaway!

2011-07-08T11:15:00.000-05:00

I have had a super busy week! ...lots of projects...lots of company... not very much Jeremy (he was gone for 5 days)... not much sleep! But I'm alive and kickin' and ready to get to work today...

First off for today... I want to share what is on my heart!
A Praise and an Opportunity...

Have you noticed... what God has been doing lately? He's been stirring, moving, awakening hearts... He has led so many families into adoption! And I am so excited!

As I hear and read about all these adoptions I have come to realize a few things in a new way....

-God is powerful, and so capable of accomplishing the impossible.

-God is in our blogging... if we allow Him, He will use any and every aspect of our lives to accomplish His purposes.

-If we submit our lives to God it often takes us out of our comfort zones and can be down right scary!

-The Joy that comes as a result of each of these is a gift and a promise.

"This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.... I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 5:8,11-12

So I urge you... all those sweet families that are engaging in the adoption process... join them! Read their stories, pray for them by name, give of your money, time, and resources... BE A PART OF THE JOY!! It is an opportunity to "bear fruit, showing yourselves to be (His) disciples!"

So JOIN ME.. as we "love each other" and help... TODAY... head on over to One Day at a Time.
Amy is doing a massive giveaway to raise funds for the adoption of sweet Davis. The KEEPER OF MY HEART GIVEAWAY began yesterday... so hurry on over!

There are INCREDIBLE PRIZES to be won! ...and love to be shown...

AND... consider what else God might be asking you to do... are you being called to give of your time, money, resources, energies here or in other areas of your life?? ... are you being called to adopt?

I can't hardly wait to see what God does next.... :)

Blessings and joy for the day!

Looking Back... a KS HOME TOUR... our bedroom

2011-07-01T11:48:00.000-05:00

I was looking for a certain photo the other day... from our old house in KS. In the process, I stumbled upon a whole bunch of photos of our house I had taken for this blog way back when I first started it. I had made little collages of each room of our house... but they were small and hard to see... And many pictures didn't make it into the tiny collages!

So I can't resist...
I just have to show you... my home back in KS.

It was a craftsman style bungalow that had been completely redone... using old wood and fixtures...it was adorable, adorable, adorable. It was a gift to get to rent it for 2 years.
My decorating style was makeshift and random... I was used to making do in rentals... but we were allowed to paint in this rental, which was a first for me!

This was the home where Elsie took her first steps...where we lost Sophie... where Sadie was born... where we felt God's call into ministry... This home was such a significant part of our lives.

Anywho! On with the tour!

OUR BEDROOM/OFFICE

Blessings,

PRINTABLE note cards/place cards/ gift tags...

2011-06-28T17:17:00.001-05:00

Well, I've got another free printable for you! ...featuring pretty "hand drawn" looking borders with lots of polka dots and gingham :) I love making these... it's such a fun excuse to design random pretty things!

Today it's little folded note cards... But really they can be used for just about anything!
- thank you notes
- place cards for a party
- gift tags
- cut in half and use as a label...

Just print on card stock, cut on gray lines, and fold...

So ENJOY!
~Leave a comment if you enjoy these! AND... don't forget to grab my button from the side bar and add it to your blog if you have one...THANKS! :)

DOWNLOAD HERE
File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

Blessings,

New Scripture and Nursery Prints...

2011-06-27T16:40:00.002-05:00

Hello All!
Hope you had a WONDERFUL weekend :)
Mondays are still the weekend for me... It's JJ's day off (I know, I'm super lucky...).

So today, I took advantage of my hubby's help with the kiddos and listed a WHOLE BUNCH
of stuff on ETSY.... Feels good to get it done! :)

TAKE A LOOK HERE :)

Almost all of my prints are scripture based... this excites me... getting to merge my love for design with my love for the Lord! What could be better...

This verse is the inspiration for my prints...

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:9

This concept is so important! Isn't it?! When my oldest, Alice, was just a baby and Jeremy and I moved away from our home town for the first time, scripture took on a new role in my life. I clung to the words of hope I found in my reading... I would write down the verses and tape them to the bathroom mirror, the fridge, the walls... Those words became my strength and my hope as Jeremy and I struggled through some very hard months.

I still have my hand-written verses around my house... just lately I've actually hung up some of the scripture prints that I sell in my store! funny. My hope is that the prints in my store will be God's tool to help secure His word in the hearts of homes and families. With each print that I mail out, I pray God's blessing on the home that it will go to... that His Word would be powerful in their homes and in their hearts.

So however you go about it... it doesn't matter the form... make His Word a part of your home! Put it up so your kids can see it... talk about it... memorize it... pray it. The blessing your home will receive is measureless.

I also listed the Kids Quotes Mini Books.... in case you weren't able to print one for yourself HERE (or just don't want to go to the work :) ... you can buy a set of 3 or $6 in the store....

Blessings,

Using Vintage Tablecloths Part 2: EVERYDAY USE

2011-06-23T16:31:00.001-05:00

For part 2 on Vintage Tablecloths I wanted to share two things... How to actually use your vintage tablecloths on your kitchen table and an idea for salvaging irreparable retro kitchen chairs....

If you're like me, you love the look of vintage tablecloths but are scarred to use them!

I have two suggestions for this:

1. Buy cheap faded vintage tablecloths... which still are quite charming... and use them! Don't worry about it... use, wash, and enjoy! I have several tablecloths that are worn enough that I feel comfortable doing this with...

2. Cover your tablecloth with plastic or a glass top. I cover my tablecloth with plastic... This way I can enjoy the color and beauty a tablecloth provides without my children literally destroying it! It's not quite as pretty as going without plastic... but for families with kids a nice tablecloth used on a daily basis is not really an option! A couple pointers... Keep a basic white tablecloth (I bought one a Target) on your table as a base under the vintage tablecloth. This way, any size of vintage tablecloth will work. You can find this type of plastic at most fabric stores... just measure your table before you go and make sure to buy it a little larger than your base tablecloth (maybe an extra inch or so on each side). You can always cut it down later if you need to.

Awhile back I saw a pic on Pajama Mama's blog where she used glass on top of her tablecloth... check it out...

Okay... onto the retro kitchen chairs!

So ever since I was in high school, I've always wanted a 1950s chrome table and chairs. Well, on my 19th birthday, 2 days before I got engaged, my then future mom-in-law gave me one! Oh, I was thrilled! She surprised me... it was bright yellow. But, it didn't have chairs that went with it :( Well, she found some very beat up chrome legged chairs and we set out on a mission to find new/retro looking vinyl for them. We searched and searched, but had no luck. Then she came up with the idea to cover them with fabric and the clear plastic vinyl (same stuff that goes on the table). I had the idea to use a vintage tablecloth as the fabric. It worked wonderfully! I bought an average sized tablecloth and she managed to squeak all fours chair out of the one! I treasure that table and chairs... so many memories! ...bummed our family is too big now to use it :(

I don't have any specific tips for how exactly to re-cover chrome legged chairs... she did it for me :) But they turned out perfectly and as far as I know she is not a professional is this field!

Here's some pics of the chairs from our old house...

Do you have any creative uses for vintage tablecloths? ...I'd love to hear...!!

Blessings,

I'm a Sea Monster...

2011-06-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

So I decided to paint my toenails the other night... for like the first time in about 3 months! Ain't that the mom life...(big sigh.)

I pulled out a color that I bought over a year ago, and had never used (pathetic).

I love turquoise... I wear alot of turquoise...so turquoise nail polish seemed like a natural decision.

Bad decision.

I look like a sea monster.

Even my girls laughed at my toes.

....but my toenails match my bath mat perfectly...

Jeremy said, I should just do them over again. I said, "Are you kidding, it took me three months to paint them!?"

So for the next three months (or until it all chips off), I'll be a sea monster.

(Yes, I'm wearing sweat pants... in the summer. Shame of all shames.)

Blessings,

Using Vintage Tablecloths Part 1: EASY CURTAINS

2011-06-20T20:37:00.001-05:00

So I love vintage tablecloths... This love stems from my love of 1950s Kitchen items in general! As a result, I've been gradually collecting vintage tablecloths since I was newly married. I thought I'd share a few of my uses for them in this post and in another post later this week!

In our 9 years of marriage JJ and I have lived in 8 different houses... this has forced me to get creative with window treatments! I've used anything and everything to avoid the cost of buying new curtains for my ever-changing window needs. One of my staples, has been using my vintage tablecloths for curtains...

Most of the time when you see tablecloths used for this purpose, it involves sewing and usually cutting the tablecloth. I just can't do that!! This idea involves no sewing and no cutting!

I decided to draw some little diagrams for you instead of trying to take pictures of this process! so....

This works best with a square or almost square tablecloth...

Voila!

I've used this method with various tablecloth sizes and on almost every window size... obviously though, a small tablecloth is going to work best with a small to medium window, etc.. Each window and tablecloth combo provides a unique version of this look. ...so have fun with it!

Here are a couple examples from some of my past houses...

Here are some fun links and examples of more vintage tablecloths... Enjoy!

VINTAGE TABLECLOTHS ON ETSY

CUTE 1950s KITCHEN WITH TABLECLOTH CURTAINS

EXAMPLE OF SEWN TABLECLOTH CURTAINS

Blessings,

His Brown-eyed Girl...

2011-06-18T23:17:00.000-05:00

My daddy...

...affectionately called me his "little A.A. " and his "Brown-eyed Girl"...

...carried me on his shoulders often...

...bought us kids "family day cokes" every Saturday (hence my ~~addiction~~ love for pop :) ....

...told me that I would never be too big to sit on his lap...

...unknowingly led me to Christ at a Union Rescue Mission service, as he preached...

...lost the majority of his hearing by the time I was in Elementary school...but still took the time and energy to listen to me...

...walked me down the isle ( I was only 19...still his little girl :) and pronounced JJ and me "husband and wife"...

...continually models endurance and strength in his life...

...makes me smile and feel so loved every time I see him...

...was and is a wonderful father... an encouragement...and a blessing....

Happy Father's Day, Daddy :) I love you.

Father's Day PRINTABLE Tags...

2011-06-16T09:08:00.000-05:00

Well, it's the Thursday before Father's Day... have you made plans... bought a gift...written a card?
You'd better get to it!

(This is actually an inner monologue going on in my head... I haven't done anything for Sunday except make these tags for you!!! ...I'd better get busy!)

To use these tags, just download, print on card stock and cut on the gray lines... (first cut them into rectangles, then cut off the corners...) ... hole punch, add some string or baker's twine and you're set!

Once again, I'd love to know if you plan on downloading! ... not to mention, I need to get to know some of my bloggy friends a bit better! :)

DOWNLOAD HERE

File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

Blessings,

V is 4 months...

2011-06-14T09:40:00.000-05:00

It's been a crazy weekend to say the least... I headed home to KS Saturday morning for an unexpected family issue, but am back and ready to tackle my busy week! Here are a couple pics of little V that I meant to post last Friday. ... doesn't he have the most adorable smoochable little mouth?!!

...so I'm thinkin' Father's day printable this week? ... tags? ...little cards??

Blessings,

PRINTABLE Kid's Quotes Mini Book

2011-06-08T16:53:00.001-05:00

Okay... I'm really excited about his download! It started out as a project I was going to work on for a friend... A friend on Facebook asked if I could design something to record all those cute things that her kids say. She thought maybe a little book to stash in her purse might be nice...you know to have it handy when those random and priceless words pop out of nowhere! As I was thinking about what I could design, it occurred to me that this would make a great printable download for all my bloggy friends (that's you guys)! So thanks for the awesome idea, Lesli :)

Here's what we've got:

Each little section features a place for the date, the child's name, and ample space for the quote. There is also a little section at the bottom where you can select a descriptive word or phrase to further help describe the incident :)

Now the fun thing is that this can be used a number of different ways...

1. Mini Book: print 1 or 2 sheets front and back, cut along all the thin solid green lines, fold on green dotted lines and staple with cover.

2. Medium Book: print 2-4 sheets front and back, cut sheets in half on middle thin solid green line, fold on green dotted lines and staple with cover.

3. Print whole sheets and keep in sheet protectors in a binder

4. Cut out into individual rectangles and display/use individually... on the fridge, on the bathroom mirror, send to Grandma, etc...

It's a 2 page download... the second page is the cover, for if you make a book. Leave it the original size for the medium book or cut in half (there are cut marks to help you) to use for the mini book!

DOWNLOAD HERE
File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.

***I have one request for you, now! Pretty please, if you could... would you leave a comment letting me know that you downloaded the super cool printable!! You don't have too... but I would LOVE to know if it's getting downloaded at all and if future downloads are worth my trouble :) Also, I'd definitely like to hear suggestions/ideas for future downloads! THANKS!***

Blessings,

Monday Encouragement...and a Happy Thing!

2011-06-06T10:36:00.001-05:00

It's Monday, 9:00 am and I'm dragging already! Oh, it's going to be a long week! JJ is "unavailable" because of work, so I'm doing the single mom thing. The To-Do list is much longer than my energy level right now... But...

"Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:28-31

This is the hope I cling to for this long week ahead... How about you? :)

How about some colorful Sharpies to brighten your outlook also?.... Don't write your To-Do lists in black ball-point this week... How about fuschia or Turquoise instead?! Sharpies are definitely a Happy Thing :)

Blessings,

HOME SWEET HOME...My Office/Work Space Tour

2011-06-04T17:05:00.001-05:00

I am spoiled... I have an entire room devoted to my office/work space. I used to dream of the day when I could have such!! Jeremy says I've earned it...now that I do so much design work beyond just recreation...(he's so sweet). Regardless of why... I LOVE THIS ROOM! It's colorful, happy, and spacious... and it's ALL MINE! I'm so excited to show it to you...

Believe it or not, it was painted this color before we moved in! ...so me. It's kind of a muted sea foam color.

This past Christmas, Jeremy received a Home Depot gift card from his mom. He used it to buy me these cube storage shelves... like I said, he's so sweet!

This is where I package up my Etsy orders... this always involves plenty of unnecessary stickers, divine twine, and other goodies. I love sending pretty packages!

These are actually vintage cafe style curtains... I found a huge pile of them at a flee marked several years ago. I just draped them over the rod... When I get around to it I think I'll make a matching pillow with some of the extra panels.

...And my favorite part!!! I just taped a bunch of my favorite things to the wall... vintage magazine ads, photos, bingo cards, vintage greeting cards, scripture prints, etc... Fun, huh?! Who says you can't tape stuff to your walls like back in high school!?

So there you have it! Hope you enjoyed the tour :)

See more of our HOME SWEET HOME.... Virgil's Nursery and Our Bedroom

Blessings,

Always into Something...

2011-06-01T22:46:00.001-05:00

Sadie... oh, Sadie. She's always into something.
You know that old nursery rhyme..."There once was a girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead...." Yeah... that's Sadie.

A few weeks ago, I was sick and was in bed for a fair chunk of the day. This is very dangerous when you have three active little ones! I emerged from my room to find a novel scene. In the back yard I found a family-sized box of Cheerios... mostly gone. And... Cheerios EVERYWHERE. I looked across the yard, speckled from one end to the other with the little Os. I think Alice and Elsie started it... they were feeding "the animals" that we apparently have in our backyard. Sadie took it to a new level, I gathered.

Of course, there's the classic "empty the entire box of crackers" incidents also. It hurts the most, once again, with the family-sized boxes. And yes, if it gets emptied in the house I do put the crackers back in the box. :)

Now that it's warm enough to occasionally turn on the garden hose, I'm in a heap of trouble with Sadie. She loves getting dirty... as most children do. It seems as if the moment I get her cleaned up and settled back in the house, she sneaks out the back door as soon as I turn my back...

You know, I'm kind of like that with God. I'm always getting into something... some mess... some sin. Just when I get things in my spiritual life in some kind of order... I mess up, I stumble and find myself covered in mud again. I would imagine this is frustrating to God! He must shake his head and say "Amy...oh, Amy... she's always into something. But God doesn't think it's cute when I sin! He longs to see me mature into an obedient child, yet I just can't resist the messes!
BUT just like a gentle parent, because of His deep love for me, God cleans me up again... He removes my sin, as far as the East is from the West. Then, he asks me again... to obey this time.

What a loving God we have... what blessed children we are. :)

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" Romans 6:1

Blessings,

Help!

2011-05-31T23:05:00.002-05:00

So apparently no one but me can view my spectacular blog planner! :) I've been trying to figure it out and I guess I'm not very savvy in this particular area! If you offer downloadable files in your blog posts, what document host do you use? I used Google Documents for this... Help me out! ... and I promise I'll post lots of cute downloads! :)

I changed a few settings... everyone... TRY IT AGAIN! :)

Free Downloadable Planner...for you!

2011-05-31T15:58:00.002-05:00

If you're like me you have sooooo many things going on at once! I was trying to get all my ducks in a row yesterday and felt like I needed to make 10 different lists just to get it all covered!! So... instead of tackling my list... I designed. Procrastination at it's best. But, I decided to make my time worth it and share what I designed with you!

I wanted something to put in my Control Journal to help me keep all of my to do list in order... something where I could plan blog posts, keep track of Etsy orders, list everyday reminders, and jot down goals and other project ideas.

Now I know not all of you are Etsy shop owners, so I created an alternate for you, too! It has a column for a shopping list and an errand list, that can be detached to take with you.

It's intended to be used as a two page layout... it's perfect for in a 3 ring binder. Although, I'm sure you could make use of the pages individually also. Download pages 1 and 2 if you're a Etsy store owner or download pages 1 and 3 if you're not...

PAGE 1
PAGE 2
PAGE 3

Here are some additional sites that have some great blog planners... Take a look!

LIVING LOCURTO

PERIDEAU DESIGNS

OH THE LOVELY THINGS

Blessings,

Dear friends...cute kiddos...

2011-05-29T22:01:00.001-05:00

This is another dear family, close to our hearts in so many ways.... the connection comes initially from my husband. He went to high school with the kids and had Mr. Mac as his chemistry teacher... while we were dating I remember hanging out with Olivia, Joel, and Jess... But once again, just as I expressed in my last post, the connection grew beyond being family friends and high school classmates. We also were blessed to have Bill and Olivia in that same precious small group that we left back in Kansas.

I had the pleasure of taking their pictures while in Kansas also... it started with a request from Olivia and then grew to a near whole family event! It was wonderful though... Jeremy came along since he knew the family so well. He got to chat it up while I snapped pictures like crazy. Once again, as I edited these pictures I found myself smiling at the screen... marveling at God's blessings through long-standing friendships like these.

... cute.. cute... kids... Don't you think?!

Blessings,

Smiling at the computer...

2011-05-25T16:59:00.000-05:00

I mentioned before that I took some pictures for some friends when I was back home in Kansas. Well, I was editing them last night.... and I kept finding myself smiling at the computer. You see I went to high school with both of the parents... and were friends back then, but just friends.

Several years post high school we reconnected. First I reconnected with her... in a young wives Bible Study which developed into a young mom's Bible study over a few years. That was a very special grop for me. Then... we became part of a small couples group together. And God connected us, all of us in the group, in a special way. As we dove into God's word and struggled together to understand how to live out our faith and how to communicate that faith, we became a group a broken people racing desperately towards the Truth.

So as I looked at those sweet faces of my high school friends, I marveled at God's power. His power to grow us, change us, and bless us. God used that little group of 'more than friends' to encourage us, teach us his truths, soften our our hearts and eventually get us here... to Edmond, OK... to serve in ministry.

They are such a sweet little family... I miss them :)

... and she's so pretty.

Blessings,

Love This.

2011-05-23T18:20:00.000-05:00

My sweet girl holding my sweet boy.

Blessings,

I've been wanting to show you...

2011-05-21T12:04:00.000-05:00

Hello All! ... sorry for the absence... I've been on vacation! This past week I've been in KS hangin' out with family and taking some friends' pictures (I'll post some of those soon). It was relaxing and refreshing... just what we needed :)

Here's some stuff I've been meaning to show you since a bit before my computer crashed... Remember the stationery with customizable little girls that I showed you awhile back, well I did a custom order for friend/customer with Little E and Company. She requested a set not only for her little girl, but also for herself. super fun. I'm not listing them on Etsy quite yet, but I am open to custom orders. Email me!! I'd like to build up a wider variety of hairstyles, dress styles, (I need to create a baby graphic too...and maybe boys???), etc... before I list them on Etsy.

I also filled an order for a "TRUST" print awhile back... she requested it in yellow instead of red...and I love it! Thought I'd show you that too :) AND... I'm kinda excited about the idea of Mini Scripture Prints... I made some on a whim to put in with some of my orders and they are stinkin' cute! They are perfect for so many things: to stick in with a card for a friend... they go great on the fridge or bulletin board... to use as a gift tag... to use as a "thank you for your order" note... etc. I love the idea of passing along scripture. I'm going to list some of those on Etsy too.

Blessings,

My Request

2011-05-10T17:40:00.000-05:00

I asked Jeremy if he could do something for me for Mother's Day... I him to take some pictures of me with my kiddos. He sweetly complied and we headed out to the park... I tried to control the setting as much as possible...no tricky lighting or anything. We picked a spot in the shade, I set the camera settings, and described the different shots that I wanted. It worked pretty well! He was a sweetheart and very kindly tolerated me bossing him around for 45 minutes! After he got some of me with each of the kids, I snapped a few of the girls before heading out. I couldn't resist... they looked so cute wandering around together through the trees :) So.... after I edited them... here's what we came up with :)

Blessings,

Moments

2011-05-08T01:09:00.000-05:00

I remember when I was little, finding ways to stay close to my mother....physically close. I wanted to be near her all the time... see what she was doing, feel her warmth, hear her voice. I'd sit behind her on the bed as she typed on her typewriter, and play with her hair. I'd lay at her feet while she worked at her desk. I'd hold her hand whenever I could.

Every morning before school, we would sit down with my mom for devotions. We'd read an Arch Book bible story and each pray. All four of us kids learned to pray out loud that way... and I remember my mom's prayers... they'd always end with "and give me energy, strength, and joy"...

As a young girl, I walked through the isles of antique stores and rummaged through boxes at auctions and garage sales. She would tell me "This is a glazed china head.... these are Swanky Swigs from the 1950s... now $10 is a very reasonable price for that..... run your finger along the edge to see if it has any chips....

When I was in high school we'd go on walks... around the dark streets of our little town. I'd talk to her...about everything. I'd tell her about school, friends, and Jeremy. She was my confidant, my encourager, my friend.

I watched my mother as a pastor's wife. I watched her be strong... I watched her show love. Her small frame, her fuzzy hair, and smile are pieces of her unforgettable presence... But her open arms, ready to hug you, define her and identify her as an ambassador of Christ's love.

Now I watch her with my children. I watch her read to them...get down on floor and play with them... I watch her cuddle them... God continues to bless me with new memories and images of my dear mother that will remain with me always...

Those millions of moments that she invested and continues to invest in me, have secured a permanent devotion for her in my heart. She is my mother... and I love her.

V man... three months

2011-05-06T10:06:00.001-05:00

What?! I'm three months old? Wasn't i just hatched?

Oh (blush). I'm mean "born"... Sometimes I get my baby animals mixed up. Gee.. what can I say? I mean, half the time Alice has me thinkin' I'm a tiger cub!

Well, Okay... let's see. I guess I should fill you in a bit about what I've been up to.

I'm really a pretty happy guy... I like to sleep, eat, burp, do my business....you know, typical man stuff. Oh, I have discovered these fat funny things on the ends of my arms. I like to put them in my mouth... and slobber. What else??... I like to laugh... these people that I live with...yeah, they crack me up. They're nuts. Except my mom... she's pretty cool. Oh, and I hear alot of people say I look like my dad...that I have his nose or somethin'...I don't know what they're talking about.

Well, I guess that's about it. I've gotta go play house with my sisters... uhhh... don't pass that info. around. It could damage my manhood.

Alright. Give me a fist, ya'll.... pound it. I'm out.

Happy Girl and a Play Room Bunting Tutorial

2011-05-03T20:25:00.001-05:00

First an update on my status... and then a quick bunting tutorial!

I am now the proud owner of an iMac!!!! And that makes me one Happy Girl.... My iMac arrived in the mail today so now I can blog... for the most part. I still don't have my new programs though. So no photo editing or designing yet... But hopefully in a few days I will be up and running. I will have so much to learn though. I haven't used a Mac since college and I will also have to adjust to the current version of Adobe Illustrator. This will be kinda major since I was operating on Illustrator 10.0! That's really, really old :)

Due to my inability to design and blog, I've had to satisfy my creative inch in other ways. Yesterday I made a quick and simple child's bunting out of vintage child's game cards. You could use this same method on various paper items: photos, post cards, cut out shapes (see photo of a butterfly garland from girls' old room) , etc...

Let's begin!

Here's what you need:
old game cards or other paper items
twine or string (I used baker's twine)
craft knife
ruler or straight edge
large needle

First you are going to cut two vertical slits on each card... near the top about an inch apart. I used my ruler as a guide for the distance between the two line and to ensure a consistent distance from the top of the card.

Then, cut your twine to the desired length and thread through the needle.

Finally string each card onto the twine, using the needle to push through the slits. Make sure to start with the needle on the top side of the card, so that the twine goes behind leaving the pictures on the cards fully visible.

That's it! I strung mine up over my girls' play kitchen area.... very sweet... I think!

Blessings,
Amy J.

This child can face uncertain days....

2011-04-27T10:35:00.001-05:00

"How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives"

We sang this song at our church on Sunday... It struck me in a new way this year. How precious it is that we have hope, not only for us, but for our children if they choose to trust in Him. We have no reason to fear.... Praise the Lord!

BIG problem....

2011-04-22T11:52:00.000-05:00

So you're probably wondering where I've been.... I had been doing pretty good, getting back into the rhythm of blogging after baby V crashed the scene. Well... It's gonna be slow again for a bit. Because... my computer crashed. (big heavy sigh...) No Illustrator, no Photoshop, no stored files, no access to all of my graphic design stuff, and no normal keyboard for typing quickly in between little ones' outbursts ( I'm on my hubby's work iPad)!!! So give me two weeks.... That's all I'm asking for!!! Please don't stop following :) .... I lost a few when I was out for awhile this past winter.... I'll be back!!! And with a new Mac, new ( and more current) Illustrator and Photoshop!!! So for now, I'll peck away on this mini keyboard... JJ is going to buy an adapter so I can at least load my camera's photos onto here... And I'll make do!!!

Blessings,
Amy :)

It's either going to make you laugh or cry...

2011-04-14T09:51:00.001-05:00

You know those things.... in a day as a mom.... that either make you want to laugh or cry???? I thought I'd share a couple of mine lately.

Sadie thinks her diaper is a pocket. She likes to store money in her pocket. A few days ago, I smelled a familiar unpleasant smell. I pulled out the back of her diaper to take a peek and confirm my suspicion. Yeah... you guessed it. I saw money... covered in poo. I lost 94 cents that day.

Yesterday, Elsie came and stood by my desk. "Mommy.." she said. "I'm going to miss you when I grow up." Her little chin began to quiver and her eyes teared up. "Will you come and visit me at my new house?"

"Of course, baby! Anyway, I'm sure you won't miss me that much. You'll have a husband and babies to keep you company when you grow up" I explained, trying to hide my amusement and trying to act sympathetic.

"But I just love you so much and I'm going to miss you so much!" she managed through what was now a full explosion of tears. What else can I say to that?! ...Oh, my dear sweet Elsie. I know God has special plans for that tender little heart, but man, now I know how men feel... She cries at the drop of a hat! It can be brought on by anything... Grammie and Papa leaving, growing out of a shirt, saying goodbye to the tiger at the zoo, talking about growing up, saying good night to baby Virgil... wow! I suppose I'm the overly emotional female in Jeremy's life and Elsie is the overly emotional female in my life.

Sadie has no standards for her food. Eating off the floor is completely normal for her. Well, yesterday I was doing the dishes and some plates had been stacked together with food still in between them. I attempted to rinse most of the food into the sink, but apparently a blob of sticky rice stuck to the back of a plate. As I loaded the plate into the dish washer, the rice slipped off and fell on the floor. Sadie came up and accidentally stepped on the blob of rice, which then stuck to her very grimy foot. Yup. You guess it again. She sat down, and before I could stop her, pulled the rice off her foot and popped it into her mouth. Her mmmm... confirmed what she deemed a yummy (although entirely disgusting) decision.

Sadie was two in December. She has been showing signs of potty training readiness for about 6 months now. I have been ignoring those signs. Well, the other night, Jeremy was at a meeting and I was home with the four kiddos. At one point I realized I hadn't seen or heard Sadie in awhile. Red flag. Sure enough, the bathroom door was closed. This is what I found inside....... (I know this is nothing new... every mom has been there... but it's still funny. Especially when Sadie does it... she's so stinkin' cute!)

She got the diaper off...

Apparently wiped...

Pondered over her pantie selection...

Attempted to put on the selected panties... (this step apparently still needs work.)

And proudly washed her hands... In her mind, a job well done!!

Blessings,

IT STARTS TODAY!

2011-04-11T09:30:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to remind you all that today is the first day of the fundraiser to bring little Sergey home over at "Loving Every Moment" ! ( I blogged about it earlier...) There are some adorable items available to win, once you've entered the fundraiser... including a print from my Etsy shop :) The fundraiser is only running through April 25... so STOP BY and help Danielle get it kicked off!

2 MONTH and some MOMMY/SON shots...

2011-04-10T16:53:00.000-05:00

Hello All!
Hope your Sunday is going well... and that you're enjoying some rest :) I've been resting... home feeling yucky with allergies :(
But since I always have the insatiable need to be productive, I decided to snap a few shots of the V Man since he is 2 month old now. I also attempted a few pics of us together.... I think they're kinda sweet :)

Blessings,

HOME SWEET HOME tour... Virgil's Nursery

2011-04-06T15:24:00.000-05:00

Hi! My name's Virgil... and I'd like to show you my super cool retro nursery! My mom decorated it just for me :)

I'm told that alot of love was put into this room. My dad painted it...even the trim! My Grandma made all the crib bedding,while at my house after I was born. My mommy repainted that turquoise and white dresser...found new hardware for it. She dug through her junk and looked for boyish things for the room... she didn't have to buy hardly anything! Mom and Dad found the changing stand on a curb and repainted it... cool, huh? My Grandpa Goertzen even donated some of his Coca-Cola collection for decoration... so fun. My dad found the KU banner online... mom allowed it because it had a vintage-ish look :) And you should know, I've just started sleeping nights in my crib... and I like it!

Enjoy looking around!

Hope you enjoyed Virgil's tour :)

Blessings,

Makes me smile...

2011-04-05T15:27:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we enjoyed the company of Jeremy's sister's family. This is the sweet family that recently finalized the adoptions of their three Haitian children... see their photo shoot from last summer here.... It was a wonderful time, but perhaps one of my favorite moments was when Justin, the oldest was holding Virgil and fell asleep with him. Just precious :) On a separate note... spring is officially here, in my book, since the girls wore spring dresses for the first time this year to church. ...so I snapped a pic. Happy Spring!!

Blessings,

Today is your birthday...

2011-04-02T23:49:00.000-05:00

Jeremy... your birthday is almost over, but I didn't want the day to end without me telling you a few things.
There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not so incredibly thankful for having you as my husband... my companion. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude when I think of how the Lord has blessed me through you. We were so young when we decided that we wanted to marry each other... only 17. I didn't know what I was doing... neither did you...we were just goofy kids :) I didn't know what I was getting with you. I just thought you were cute and really fun to hang out with :) But God did... and he gave me you. He gave me so much more than I could have hoped for...

I didn't know that you were going to make me feel like the most beautiful woman in world. I didn't know that you would cherish me and take care of me the way you do...that you would spoil me with endless diet coke, insanely late hang-out nights, and lots of babies. :)

I didn't know that you were going to be such an incredible father. A father who not only loves and encourages with tender affection, but also diligently strives to instruct his children in biblical truth. I didn't know that you would be such a partner in parenting... that you would be so supportive and encouraging.

I didn't know that you were going to throw away your dreams of success in the business world to follow God's call into ministry. I didn't know that you would become a man who would inspire me... a man who's passionate and holds to his convictions...a man who's optimistic and strong... a man who's full of dreams and plans... a man who wants to be used by God no matter what the cost. I look at you and see all your God given strengths. I don't know what exactly God is going to do with all those strengths, but I feel priviledged to be the woman on your arm... because I know he's going to use you. And I can't wait to give him all the glory as I see him accomplish his purpose through you.

I didn't know that I was getting such a good man... I didn't know that I would feel so proud to be your wife... I didn't know that I could love you this much.

Happy Birthday, Baby :)

A NEW DAY

2011-03-31T16:31:00.000-05:00

I'm gonna sing this song
To let you know that you're not alone
And if you're like me
You need hope, ~~coffee~~ diet coke, and melody
So sit back down
Let the world keep spinning ‘round
For yesterday's gone and today is waiting on you to show your face

It might not be
The prettiest thing that you'll ever see
But it’s a new day, oh baby, it’s a new day
And it might not look like
A beautiful sunrise
But it's a new day, oh baby, it’s a new day

I claim this as my song... as a stay at home mom. For me morning is the hardest... just getting out of bed. I'm always so tired and there's always so much waiting for me in my day. The responsibilities and needs are endless. BUT... "Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

This little face in my bed (below) was the first thing I saw this morning... in spite of my disdain for mornings, how could I not be happy waking up to that??!! And then the girls joined him... precious... so so precious. So on that note, I started my full day. I grabbed a can of diet coke, some pretzel m&ms (breakfast) and faced a new day. So my recommendation for all of you non-morning persons... crank up "New Day" by Robbie Seay Band and grab a can of diet coke first thing each morning. It does the trick :) Listen to New Day...

Blessings,

A Father to the fatherless...

2011-03-30T14:42:00.000-05:00

Every child loves bear hugs...Every child deserves someone who will give them one...

"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed..." Psalm 10:17,18a

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

These scriptures come to mind this week as I've been in contact with some people whose hearts are burdened and full of love for the orphan.... That's one of the lovely things about Blog Land; you get to connect with so many people, in so many place, that otherwise would never have crossed your path. And of course, our Mighty God has his hand on this... I love thinking about how he delights in using our technology...our blogs to accomplish his purposes! So I will attribute it completely to God that I am now aware of a few more homes that are flinging wide their doors and inviting God to do his work through them through adoption. Specifically two...

Stina from "Anchor & Evergreen" who is in the process of adopting Mateo.

Under her blog header she writes:
"i am a lady who fell in love with an island and then without trying, fell in love with an ill island baby. i had the pain and privilege of saving his life. leaving him was very very ... VERY difficult.
i went from being like a bird to being like a tree. this baby became my anchor. i stopped traveling all the time so that i could grow roots and pursue adoption to make matthew my son. this blog carries our story." Read more...

Danielle from "Loving Every Moment" who is in the process of adopting Sergey.

From her latest post she writes:
"So as many of you know we are adopting a little boy from Eastern Europe and we are so very excited about this! But as many of you also know International adoption is not cheap, after all is said and done we will be paying close to $30,000.00 for our little boy, who by the way is completely worth it:) And seriously which one of us would not pay even more to save the lives of our children? Some of you may be asking yourselves, "Why are they adopting if they don't have the money?". Well we believe that God is calling us to bring this beautiful, precious little boy into our family and He has asked us to step out in faith. We already know that He has gone before us and has prepared the way. And we also believe, and know from past experiences, that when He asks you to do something the best thing to do is listen and obey. I also believe that He wants to be glorified throughout this process and wants to see His beautiful bride, His body of believers be His hands and feet. And what better way than to come along side fellow believers and play a part in bringing home this sweet angel." Read more...

Both of these ladies are asking for crafty items for donation to help raise funds, in addition to monetary donations.
Visit Stina's blog here... her fundraising has not officially begun, but she is currently trying to spread word in preparation for it. An Etsy store will be available to purchase items to support Mateo. Follow along on her blog to keep up to date with her progress and what you might be able to do to help.
Visit Danielle's blog here... she is in the process of collecting crafty items for a fundraiser, "Dream Big" which begins April 11-25.

Go and read these stories... allow your heart to be vulnerable to their joy, their pain, their hope, as they strive to bring these little ones home. Consider what your part might be.... and then attribute it to God's mighty and powerful hand, that he can use you... to encourage and provide for the fatherless!

Blessings,

FUN PROJECTS Beautiful Jewelry

2011-03-26T19:45:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been working on some fun projects... for a fellow Etsy shop owner and fellow lover of little birdie graphics! She requested mailing labels, stickers with her web address, and thank you stickers for packages. Then we also collaborated together for some more custom needs... earring and dog tag product cards, display signs for her shows, a T-shirt graphic, her Etsy banner, and even a graphic for a custom notepad..fun! I wanted to show you some of that design work and encourage you to visit her lovely shop. Happy Viewing!! I hope you feel inspired after seeing both of our designs :)

Blessings,

GRAPHIC DESIGN...Birth Announcements

2011-03-25T16:31:00.000-05:00

Hello All :)
Thought I'd wish you a wonderful Friday and show you some Birth Announcements I designed awhile ago...

First up is an announcement for a friend, back in November.

The second, is Virgil's announcement... which has not even made it into church mailboxes or the mail! Oh, well... I have half of them done, at least I've started :)

Blessings,