Painted Pine Cones

Howdy friends. How's everyone liking the season so far? Thanks to ninety degree temps, we haven't had much of a fall in Georgia. But as you can see, I'm determined to get in the seasonal mood anyway.

Since there aren't any pine cones on the ground yet this year (why buy them when you can get them for free?), I borrowed these from Asher's nursery.

And took them out to the garage for a little up-do with some Krylon spray paint. (The green shade is called "Ivy Leaf", and I can't remember what the orange shade is called.)

This had to be the fastest, easiest project I've done yet. All it took was about five minutes and two cans of spray paint to get green and orange tipped pine cones.

Then I arranged them in these decorative candle holders (which, by the way, were $1 each at the post-wide yard sale);

And just like that- a cheap, easy, fast, and fun way to not only bring the outdoors in, but the fall season as well.

This is where they are for the time being- the side table in our dining room, next to the golden orange leaf tea set that is also quite reminiscent of fall.

Happy fall decorating!

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The Wonders of the Clearance Rack

 

My favorite spot in the fabric store; the clearance rack. Specifically, the clearance rack at Hancock Fabrics. In my opinion, it's the best one in town. There are many times when it's a bust, but sometimes (like this time) you find a real gem. 

In this case, the gem was about three yards of high quality upholstery fabric for $3.99 a yard;

Not only is it a beautiful, modern print in a really nice neutral gray and ivory color combination, but let me repeat the price- $3.99 a yard! Every other upholstery fabric that I've ever seen (and liked) is priced upwards of $15-20 per yard. So, this was a no brainer.

It was originally going to be used as a backdrop for our built-in book shelves (since Thane won't let me paint. For, admittedly, good reasons).

Living room built-ins.

But after testing it there and seeing that it didn't create the dramatic pop of color or texture I wanted, it went into what I'll call "craft supply storage"; the top of my heap of random fabrics, frames, ribbon, and other yet-to-be-utilized goodies up in the attic. And there it sat, brimming with potential. And it continued to sit...for months... Until, finally, I figured out what to do with it; make more curtains! And my new odd-end of gray and ivory fabric seemed like a nice compliment to our blue-tiled guest bathroom.

Let's get this show on the road. Since it was one long piece, I folded it in half, ironed down the center (which made no crease), and cut the whole thing in half (lengthwise, of course).

If you thought my kitchen curtain project was a tad unprofessional, check this out; sewing without ironing or pinning. I only wish I could do it this way every time. 

Since the fabric is so thick, I found out pretty quickly that pinning and ironing didn't make any difference. So, I just folded my hem as I went. I can't find the picture to show you, darn! Oh well, we'll just have to skip right to the finished process.

 

Ta-da! Ever heard of "new-sew" curtains? Well, these are what I like to call "no-skill" curtains.

What do you know? They actually reach the floor. That's a first, in this house at least. By the way, the hem is about half an inch around the bottom and sides, and then the rod tab at the top is about three inches.

What motivated me to finally put this great clearance fabric to use? The fact that I was tempted to go out and buy more things with which to start other projects when I have lots of things (like this fabric) sitting at home already. This is my new rule; carry out plans with things I've already bought/already have rather than buying even more. When I've completely run out of projects with what I currently own, then I can start thinking about what moderate purchase I'd like to make next.

Speaking of another project...back to the built-ins for a minute. Since Thane is (smartly) against painting a rental that we'll only be living in for a matter of months, I've been brainstorming ideas for adding a pop of color to these shelves with something we can take with us when we go. In that case, it'll pretty much have to be fabric, and only if I find another great deal on something that would work.

Hmmmmmm... :)

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Tending the Back Door

After almost a year of gently nudging the man of the house, honey-do list item #2 can get a big fat check! Our back door has officially been moved and we now have an open walkway between our kitchen and attic rooms. (Note: if you're not interested in how to move a door, skip down to the bottom where the real meat of the post is!)

This is where the door was before the move;

And this is the hallway space between the kitchen and the stairwell that leads up to the attic;

I've been wanting this door moved so that I could use the extra hallway space as a kitchen extension to hang our pots and pans. It would also allow us to walk straight upstairs to our two attic rooms without going through a locked door. Let me explain; this door acts as our back door- on the other side of it is the stairwell that goes not only up to our attic, but down to the first floor (which leads outside) and then to the basement. The door that actually leads outside is down on the first floor, and we share that with our neighbor.

So, Thane moved our locking back door to the top of the stairwell instead, directly to the right of the opening you see in the first pic. So, we still have a secure, functioning "back door", but it's no longer blocking our direct access to our two attic rooms. And if that wasn't complicated enough, just watch me try to show how incredibly easy (yet hard via photos) moving a door really is.

Here's the all too-unwilling man of the house, getting ready to knock this baby out without so much as a power drill or- by the grace of God- a single curse word.

See the little pin at the top of this hinge? It has to be lifted up and out, which can be done using a hammer and flat head screwdriver. Just wedge the flat head in the seam, and give it a few taps with the hammer to get it moving.

 

And out comes the pin!

Give that treatment to both hinges, and it's off with the door!

Now it's as simple as removing the existing hardware;

As well as re-moving the hinge plates;

And then re-installing all of it in the threshold of the new spot (if you plan on putting the door back up in another location).

This is the dead-bolt. We were fortunate that somebody else had already done this exact door-spot-switcheroo before, so hollowing out the hole for the dead-bolt was very easy (it was filled with caulk). Otherwise, we would have needed a drill to hollow it out.

 

Re-installing the hinge plates;

Then came the trickiest part, for which there is no photo; lining the door back up with the hinge plates so that the big hinge-nail can slide back in to secure the door. This took both of us (hence no photo). But once we were all lined up, it was as easy as just sliding the hinge-nails back in.

And now we have a full, unencumbered view of our not-so-fancy (army house) kitchen and then dining room. Notice the new-ish microwave cart to the right- my latest attempt at better kitchen organization.

And now for the meat. Right around the time I was coercing Thane to complete this honey-do task for me, I came to a sermon preached out of the gospel of Luke titled "Jesus and Demons" (I'm going through the entire series, and it's excellent). And this particular sermon on "doors" came in a timely fashion- just as we were moving our back door. Here's a quick synopsis; 

Sin is the opening of a "door". We either belong to God or Satan. If we are Christians, Satan does not own us, but we are still able to "open our doors" and invite demonic influence into our lives. And this is a checklist of common ways that we do this;

Doors of Demonic Influence

-Sexual sin (1 Corinthians 7:5)

-Marriage between Christians and non-Christians (2 Corinthians 6:15)

-False religion, false teaching, false Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:14-22; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4)

-Bitterness (Ephesians 4:17-5:2)

-Foolishness and drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18-21)

-Idle gossip and busybodying (1 Timothy 5:11-15)

-Lies (John 8:44)

-Idolatry (1 John 5:18-21)

I'm guilty of a good number of these things, and by the grace of God I have to constantly strive for obedience so that I'm tending my own doors. Not only for the sake of living within God's will (the most important thing), but for the sake of my family. They're affected by what I do every single day.

So I hope this list is just as helpful to you guys as it is to me. I need these constant reminders and warnings from the Word, to continually strive to put off the things of the world and be conformed to the image of Christ. Praise Jesus for His amazing provision- for His Spirit that allows us to live the lives He meant for us all along.

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Six (No, Make it Seven) Months of Sweet Pea Weekly

Here we are, seven months into Asher's weekly photo project. (I started this post right about the time he turned six months, so the fact that I'm finally getting around to finish it goes to show it's been a busy few weeks...) I lovingly dubbed this project "Sweet Pea Weekly" as a cute pun on the sweet pea rattle prop we use as a growth gauge in each photo. If we'd had a little girl, I would have been tempted to make it "Sweet Peach Weekly", being in Georgia and all (tee-hee).

Anyway, SWP has been quite the endeavor! So far, these photos have been taken in six different states. That's what we get for not only traveling way too much, but for having a baby on a Saturday- if we're traveling, you can bet we're almost always gone over the weekend, which means SWP props get packed and a photo (or 100) gets taken no matter how inconvenient.

Speaking of Georgia, this is the lovely state of Asher's birth, and the scene for the first six weeks of SWP. Here's week one;

Then, things took a turn for the crazy, and we moved to Kentucky for four months. Many a photo were taken there, and this is my favorite from the horse state;

Within that four months, little buddy had his first visit to Virginia to see the family. And yes, his weekly b-day rolled around while we were there;

 

Then, after finishing out a couple more months in Kentucky, it was back to Georgia. But not for long! A trip to New York for a family wedding followed shortly. Weekly photo? You'd better believe it;

Then, it was back to Georgia. Shew! But wait- it's not over yet- the ranch trip came next;

 

And while we were there, he turned six months! So, I had to do a little something extra to mark the day;

And as usual, I couldn't just take one...it's no secret that I've officially joined the ranks of the crazy-moms-obsessed-with-(their)-baby-photo-photography.

Notice the painted foot? More on that soon...

After returning back home to Georgia, I swore of all traveling until Christmas. Well, two weeks later we found ourselves in South Carolina, visiting daddy (who was taking a two week course for the army) and some good friends who met us from up north. Try as we might, we are physically incapable of staying in the same state for more than two weeks at a time.

If I'd had any idea that we'd be traveling this much, I might not have started this weekly project. But, ignorance served me well in this case. As not-so-convenient as it's been to have to pack a white onsie, a background fabric, the sweet pea, and a charged camera every time we travel (as well as find the time to take the photo while in flux), it's been a really fun "tradition". And as frustrating as it's been to have no consistency as far as setting and lighting goes, (lighting makes a big difference in photography) it's gone off without a hitch overall.

No, it hasn't been as "perfect" as I might like it to be with the constant on-the-go nature of our lives, but it's taught me that it doesn't have to be "perfect" to be great. Minor variations in lighting or convenience will just be remembered as part of this crazy but wonderful little project, as well as a great reminder of all the places we've been as a family of three. Praise Jesus for such a rich, full life, full of family and friends, adventures and opportunities.

And it's not over yet. Florida- you're next!

But until then, allow me to leave you with one more photo, in memory of Asher's travels in-utero;

This bun in the oven visited four Hawaiian islands. We can't wait until he's old enough to remember things- a trip back to Oahu will make for another great family vacation one of these days...

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P.S. See more about how I do the weekly photo here.

P.S.S. Asher's smiles will be getting a little "toothy" soon- his first tooth is coming in! (On the bottom.) And he turned seven months old yesterday! 

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When Two Tables Conspire...

Remember my new reading nook? It's been a great new addition to the guest room, and I'm glad to inform you that I have, as a matter of fact, gotten some good use out it! It's definitely taken a big leap from what it was before...

And, always looking to improve upon what we already have with what we already have, here's the next tweak;

Two end tables pushed together and the rug from Asher's nursery (sorry Asher) to pull it all together. And might I add that this has been the best use I've found for them so far. They're sort of odd. They're too high to be good nightstands (their previous job), and they're too small to be good sofa end-tables (their very first job). So, what in the heck they're meant for, I haven't the slightest. But this has been their best use yet, despite the fact that it's unconventional and there's a "seam" where they join together.

But anyway, we started with this;

 

And went to this;

 

Hmmm. Well, as much as I like the functionality of the end tables- it's a great place to set my bible, colored pencils, and cup of coffee- I'm not so crazy about the fact that they're black. They're too dark and they take away from the nice light, soft look of the sofa. So, I might just have to "open up a can of whoop spray-paint" on these guys. Which will be- get this- their fourth round with a new color. Yep, they started out with hideous cherry legs topped with pine green and white swirly marble. (We got them for free from a neighbor who was about to kick them to the curb.) And since I've always loved an opportunity to get fixer-uppers for great deals, they soon became off-white. Then they were champagne. Then they were black. And now I'm thinking they need to be ivory, to blend with the sofa.

As much as I don't like the black on the tables, I do like the way the long vertical brown and cream rug draws your eye into room. This guy has also had quite the journey around the house. He started in our kitchen in Hawaii, then moved to Asher's nursery, and now enjoys his new spot here. At first I felt bad for taking it out of the nursery... But on second thought, I'm pretty sure the baby won't notice.

But back to the tables- color suggestions? Bronze was a thought (to match the bronze floor lamp that sits to the right of the sofa), as well as something funky like avocado green or creamy orange. But I'm thinking ivory will do a great job of "blending" into the spot and not taking away from the nice sofa or frames that you see peaking out in the hallway. What do you think?

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Jesus is Not Confined to My Couch

Jesus and I used to have a morning "appointment" on my couch, during Asher's first nap of the day when I could sit down with my bible and a cup of coffee. But my, how the tides have turned. Long gone are the days when my daily tasks fit together like pieces of a puzzle. This multi-tasking mamma is officially a has-been. 

I knew that Asher's "perfect schedule" wouldn't last forever, nontheless I couldn't help but hope it would! And alas, it met its demise at our last move. I just haven't been able to get him back into a consistent routine. Sleeping through the night, regular naps, and regular meal times are a thing of the past for this little guy. And thus the end of other things, like a time slot for daily exercise and (most importantly) time with Jesus.

Meanwhile, certain parts of the house have been in a state of disarray. For example;

This is our second bedroom, which sits at the end of our long, narrow hallway. It's visible from the living room, and we (as well as guests) see it every time we walk down the hall.

In comes a task from the good old honey-do list; move one of the love seats (being stored in the attic) so that I can create a reading nook.

Check! Now we've got a much nicer sight to behold from the rest of the house (we see this room opening a lot; every time we walk back to the bathroom, master bedroom, nursery, laundry room, and office). And since Asher naps in his crib which is in the room directly to the right of the reading nook, I can easily put him down and hop on over to the love seat for some reading with minimal distraction- no dirty dishes, toys on the floor, unmade beds, or laundry in sight.

One side note, this is actually where our guest bed used to sit before it came a corner for piled up books and other odds and ends. It was centered on the odd frame-out that used to be a door opening.

On another side note, see the art? My Grandaddy did both of them. If only you could see his whole collection! The painting to the right (in the picture above) was centered over the guest bed that used to sit where the pile of books were. But after moving the bed, I moved the painting as well so that the set would be a "pair" over the sofa.

And the pillows were "recycled" from our living room. They got kicked off of the main sofas when these came into the picture.

But more important than how it all looks is whether it gets me sitting down with the Word of God more consistently. Again, Asher's departure from a schedule has made it a real challenge. But that's life! As great as it is to have a perfectly planned chunk of time each day to count on for reading, the absence of that luxury is no excuse for a distant relationship with Christ. I've got to keep in the Word. But not not just for the sake of another check on a list, but because it's a joy and a pleasure! Not to mention I need the constant guidance and correction it supplies.

But whether I fit structured reading into my day or not, it really all boils down to this; Jesus desires for me to love, follow, and be in relationship with him all day, not just when I get time to plop down on the couch with my bible. And that's my deepest desire, too. So perhaps this more chaotic time is a blessing in disguise; an opportunity to get myself out of that rigid "thirty-minute couch appointment with God" and focus on practicing His presence continually, in everything I do. After all, He'll be faithful to provide me with the time I need for reading, assuming I'm faithful in taking advantage of those times. I have to admit that often I let too many other chores and distractions get in the way. But praise Jesus for His patience! I have to continually strive to be more diligent and disciplined.

Well- I can't exactly say "not a sermon, just a thought" at this point. Haha, sorry! I'll just sneak one more thing in, if you're still reading- One great way I've started to enjoy His presence throughout my whole day is this (something I've mentioned before); playing a sermon two or three times as I'm about the house- and playing it more than once so that I catch whatever I might have missed when out of the room to change a diaper/swap a load of laundry/etc. But as great as this is, I'm still hoping for plenty of time in the Word! There's just nothing else quite like it, this is where all joy, peace, and truth is. Where I'm constantly reminded of the goodness of God in contrast to this fallen world. Praise Jesus for His immense, amazing love and truth.

So here's to hoping this new little reading nook gets plenty of use!



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P.S. See my bible studying method here.

P.S.S. Asher started sitting up yesterday! It was a total shock!

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