The Craft Room That Turned Into A Cabinet

Wow, the weather was beautiful here today!!  Yes, it was February 1, and I was outside, barefoot, in short sleeves, spray painting.  Perfection.

We recently moved into a tiny two bedroom apartment.  I used to have five bedrooms in an 1800 square foot house, so I had one large sized bedroom devoted solely to crafts/office space.

In our new, much smaller, yet closer to everything, and cheaper house, the living room now has five   functions: living room, play room, music room, office, craft room.  I'm super grateful for our affordable housing, but I really hate the look of so many pieces of furniture crammed into one space and pushed up against walls.  And there is just really no way around clutter.  I'm fighting the battle, but losing.

After we got settled in and I realized that I needed some craft storage in the living room, but had no money to spend.  Within a week, I found this beaut on the side of the road!  (It's the cabinet squeezed between the desk and the armoire, behind the little Elmo lover.) Don't you just love its plum color? 

Not.

So country, so horrible.

But so incredibly freeeeeee!

Today, my little craft corner got a makeover!!  For $8 I picked up two cans of Krylon Satin Ivory spray paint (although I probably should have had three cans).  The sun came out and I hauled this road side piece of country junk out to the patio.

I used the method of spraying that my Mama taught me - short and quick strokes, several thin layers.  I did 3.5 layers, but honestly should have done 4.  This is after the first coat, obviously before I got my groove going.

The simple wooden knobs were given two coats of oil rubbed bronze spray paint.  I love the way they glisten in the sun - too bad my cave of a house doesn't get sunshine like this!

After the paint dried, I scuffed up the edges, and some of the plum showed through.  Not exactly what i was going for, but I kind of like it!

I think I'd like to replace the o.r.b. knobs with some teal glass or ceramic ones from Hobby Lobby.  I didn't paint the interior part of the open section because I'd like to put contact paper on the back and sides.

One of the benefits of the craft cabinet being squeezed in between two other pieces of (major) furniture is that even though I ran out of spray paint, who cares!  I conserved the majority of the paint for the front and tops that are actually visable.  If we ever move and this piece of furniture is more prominent, I will just grab another can of spray paint and touch it up.  Can you see how the bottom half of the side could use another coat or two?

Levi loves getting in this cabinet, so I invested in some really high end baby-proofing.

And here are some gratuitous shots of the inside of my craft cabinet.

The drawer - tools, vinyl, cricut cartridges

The bottom - ribbon, stamps, stickers, etc

I attached a 3M hook to the left side of the cabinet to hang extra wreath forms and other things that don't fit inside the cabinet that can be hung, like my quilter's cutting mat and plastic guide (what are they really called, mom?).

And that's the story of how I shrunk all my crafts from a bedroom space to a cabinet.  

Well, let's be fair, some of my fabric and sewing notions live on top of the TV cabinet.  See, I told you, clutter everywhere!  Boy, this looks way worse in the picture than it feel in real life.

Oh, and notice the parson desk chair?  I think I promised you the 25 part saga - let's get to that this week, mmmkay?

The Anthro (Mug) Inspired Wreath

Oh, so many stereotypical blogger things on that title.  Have you seen this video?

The back story here is that Jess gave me a mug from Anthropology with an S on it.  It was Aqua and Red, and you know I love that color combo.  Then I picked up a few of them for Christmas gifts; one of them being a B for Becker.

I am so in love with these mugs.

Apparently so is Hollywood.  Look, the M mug debuted on ABC last week in the hands of Snow White on Once Upon A Time.  (I also spotted this monogrammed mug on Snow's nightstand a few episodes back.)

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Anyway, as much as I really loved my S mug, and the M that Melody gifted me, the color combo of the B mug was just so striking to me.  Teal and mustard.   A total win.

When craft night with Jess came along, I picked up some mug inspired teal yarn from the Dollar Tree.   Did you know you could get yarn for $1?  I also found a small straw wreath form that I got from Salvation Army for $0.50.

Lucky for me,  Jess had mustard colored startched felt on hand - and so graciously let me hack away at it. I wrapped the straw wreath form in teal yarn  (this step takes forever, by the way). I used the felt to create startched flowers and rosettes, using the tutorials linked below.

Startched Flower Tutorial

Rolled Flower Tutorial

My only issue now is the wreath is a bit petite to be hanging on a door.  I'm not sure where to hang it.  Any suggestions?

Ships Passing in the Night...and Day...

Remember the days when the weekend meant you got to spend 48 hours of uninterrupted time together - watching TV, going out to eat, wearing pjs till noon?

Now, I'd just settle for 48 minutes!

That new job I have, although wildly wonderful, helpful, and actually kind of fun, is robbing me of all my Herb time.  I would say it's affecting my marriage, but honestly, I haven't seen Herb enough in the last week to know if it is or not.

Ideally, it seemed like we'd have a few hours after my shift to still spend together, but we're both so tired from having jobs and then playing single parent while the other one is at work, that any conversation beyond, "How was your day," is just too physically taxing.

This weekend was especially bad.  Herb was doing work at church all day Saturday, and then in between church and his Sunday night radio shift, I took a lunch shift at the restaurant.  All told, I saw Herb for maybe 2 hours of awake time in the last 48.

I know this is probably coming off as very complainy.  But what I'm hoping, no praying, is that this is the stuff that lifelong marriages are made out of.  This is the season of our life that makes us better teammates, companions, lovers, and parents in the end.  This is one of those trials that makes the future that much sweeter.

Am I being idealistic?

I keep reminding myself this is only a season, this is only a season, this is only a season.  And I'm trying to limit the "I miss my husband" meltdowns to one a week, and preferably not at work in front of people I hardly know, which may have happened yesterday.

In the meantime, I'm just really grateful I don't work EVERY night, Herb doesn't have to install new speakers at church every weekend, and my son is so clever and smart and loveable, making all of this totally worth it.

Last Night At Dinner

Random things from dinner last night.  It's one of the few times in the day when Levi has both mine and Herb's full attention, and it's at this time when he usually does his best tricks.

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Herb and I talk about expanding our family, but that's where it ends for now, just talking.  In the meantime, Levi has explored the idea of being an only child.

Case in point:  He has been practicing giving himself high fives and pounding his own fists.



[Video Here]

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After making the Solo Pound It Video, Levi was sitting in this ridiculously cheesy pose.  He's practicing for his school pictures.

Have a great weekend!

Aqua - Red Loving

 Recently, I whipped up a couple of these Little Guy ties.  I got the pattern from etsy, and the fabric from one of Herb's old dress shirts.  I made one for Levi, Roman, and Liam.  I just wish I could have the three of them together for a matching picture!  Unfortunately, Liam and Roman live in Hawaii.  That's okay though, matching ties on our boys somehow makes me feel a little closer to Lauren!

Anyway, I made Levi the aqua tie and then realized I didn't actually have a shirt to match it.  I went out on a limb and tried it with the red striped Christmas shirt, and I loved it!  Here is Levi posing with the coordinating aqua and red Roman shade in our kitchen.  I think I'm on an aqua and red kick.

I know the jury is still out for some people.  This color combo may not be your cup of tea, and that's okay!  But, in my defense, even Target is recognizing it's awesomeness.  Check out this chevron dish towel!  The dish dowel and coordinating pasta were a gift from Jess - doesn't she know me so well? I just wish that I had the aqua pasta for my wedding.  My little color-loving heart is just going to explode when I serve it up with a side of red sauce.

So, there you have it.  I just wrote an entire post about loving my favorite color, aqua, and it's accent friend, red.  

And speaking of loving aqua, recently I found a couple blogs devoted just to the color aqua. I am so angry I didn't think of creating this myself!

House of Turquoise - http://www.houseofturquoise.com/

Everything Turquoise - http://www.everythingturquoise.com/

What's your favorite color combo?

Patience At Target Pays Off Again!

Target deals strike again.  Try not to be too jealous though, because these are all items I refrained from buying Levi in the last few months.  Even though they were adorable and reasonably priced, I knew I would be happier if I waited till they went on clearance.  There are sizable 70% off racks at my local Target this week.

 I'm especially excited for the 4 pc Christmas outfit - $26, down to $7.80.  I bought it in a 3t - hopefully that was a good guess for next year.  If not, we'll be having some snazzy fall church clothes.

The corduroy pants and stripped thermal tee are also buy-aheads - a 5t and 3t. I know, even if I fight it with all my might, Levi will grow into those sizes some day!

The little rocker jammies were originally $9, marked down to $2.68, and on the Target website, you can print off a coupon for 20% off a J.O.Y. children's apparel item.  Double score!

So to recap, successful Target shopping has three parts:

1. Wait for things to go on clearance.  

Patience, patience, patience.

2.  Buy ahead for future seasons.

3.  Match coupons with clearance items.

Also, I get weekly emails from Money Saving Mom about great Target Deals.

And no, I am not paid or perked by Target to shop there and blog about it, but seriously, this one-income mom wouldn't survive without it, and it breaks my heart to see other people wasting money on full price things!

Hope

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Bear with me, I'm processing the simple word hope.

For the first time, this morning I realized that hope has two connotations.  Most of the time when I use the word, I'm referring to something I "hope will happen."

I hope I will find a husband.
I hope we can adopt a baby.
I hope Isaac will get healed.
I hope we can move.
I hope we get good tenants in our house.

These hopes aren't guaranteed to have the positive outcome, and in fact, some of them have not.

I remember one time at a funeral, my mom was upset because the pastor kept saying, "We have a hope..."  She was frustrated because she had more than hope that Fred was in heaven.  She knew him well, knew he trusted and followed Jesus, and felt he already had assurance that he would be spending eternity in heaven.

But maybe that pastor wasn't saying "we hope Fred is in heaven."  Maybe he was using the second connotation of the word hope.

Ephesians 1:18 says, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you..."

This verse addresses the hope that is assurance of the work Jesus has already done.  It says we can KNOW the hope.  Jesus has already conquered death, providing a way to eternal life for those who believe in him.  Who put their hope in him.

So the eternal hope we have isn't that "I hope I get to go to heaven when I die," no, that I am assured of because I have trusted Jesus with my life.  But rather,

"Life totally sucks sometimes, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  I have a hope to look forward to; eternity in heaven with Jesus."

Isaac's word was hope.  Often times I thought it just referred to hoping he would get better or hoping his sickness and death wasn't all in vain, that it served a bigger purpose.  Now I think that Isaac must have also had the other version of hope in his head.  He knew he may or may not be healed, but regardless, his hope was in the fact that either way, at the end of his life he would be running on golden streets, taking a 200 year tour of the world, and meeting Jesus face to face.  And I think he was pretty excited about that.

Because Jesus has granted my eternal hope, how can I not trust him with my worldly ones?  He knows me best - he created me, he chose me - what have I to fear?

And that is the ultimate hope fulfilled.

So am I way off here?  I'd love to hear some feedback about hope - did you ever realize we use the word in two different ways?

His Daddy's Eyes

This week I went to a mommy group for the first time at a local church - what fun!  Ironically, I knew more faces there than Melody, a regular, who had invited me along!  Leave it to being back in Lancaster County and the good old Mennonite game.

That being said, I ran into an acquaintance from college who I hadn't seen or talked to in 6 years, and she obviously had not heard our adoption story.  Upon meeting Levi, she remarked,

"Oh my goodness what a cutie!  Does he have his daddy's eyes, or what?!"

Um, no, actually he doesn't.  Thanks anyway.  But I couldn't bring myself to correct her in front of all those people; that would have not helped anyone.  Instead, I politely thanked her and commented on her cutie of a baby.

Later, Melody and I chuckled about the awkwardness of that comment.  Melody told me that as crazy as it is, she knows several adoptive families where the children and parents' features favor each other.  And truly, it's not the first time someone has said Levi looks like Herb or I.  A time or two I have heard,

"Man, if I didn't know Levi was adopted, I would have thought he was yours."

To which, if I'm feeling soap-boxy, I reply,


"He is ours."

And then they usually correct themselves and say,

"I mean, he looks just like you/Herb."

Herb's aunt sent me some old pictures out of the blue this week, and if you look at Herb and Levi side by side at the same age, yes, I think I do see some similarities.  What a coincidence!

Herb, Levi, Herb

Coming full circle, as Melody and I talked about God, adoption, and grace, we realized, just as we're adopted by God, isn't our goal to look more and more like him?  I hope as people get to know me they say,

"Wow, she really has her Father's hands/ eyes/ heart."

The Couch Jump

This little stunt made us say, "Yup, he's a boy."

**No babies were persuaded to participate or harmed in the making of this video.**

 

(If the embedded video doesn't work, check out The Couch Jump video here.)

Chosen

In the weeks and months before my two biggest life events - marriage and motherhood - I prayed that God would use these life-changers to teach me more about Him and His character.  In marriage, He has given me an amazingly loving, generous, sacrificial husband who is doing his best to follow Jesus' example.  Because I know Herb is seeking God's will for our family, I know I can trust his leadership, the way the church clings to Jesus.  As a mother, God is showing me that the unconditional love I have for Levi doesn't even compare to the unconditional love God has for me.  God is teaching me that love is the foundation for discipline.

One learning opportunity I never previously considered, though probably obvious to everyone else, was the testimony that our adoption story would give as a real life example of God's adoption of us.  I know I've touched on it before; it really hit home the day the Levi's birth certificate arrived in the mail.  Now as I'm reading through Ephesians as part of the Good Morning Girls Bible study, Levi's adoption and my spiritual adoption are really on my mind again!

Ephesians 1:3-6

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

(Underlining added by me.)

It makes me think about how we chose to adopt before Levi was even conceived.  When Levi was created, God knew he would be our son.  It reminds me that in the same way Levi's name has been changed (even to the extent of his birth certificate and the fact that as far as legality is concerned, the person under his former name has never existed), my life before Jesus is gone too - I am a new creation!

I can see His hands so clearly orchestrating the construction of our family - how can I do anything else but trust Him with every other detail of my life?  And I'm so thankful that God has taken the time to give me real life, living, breathing, loving examples, in Herb and Levi, of His incredible love for me.