BLOGGY GIVE-AWAYS

***I had noticed that after day one, hardly anyone was entering the giveaway. I found this odd because hey, I may not be that interesting, but free stuff certainly is! I found out today that my giveaway had disappeared from the BLOGGY GIVEAWAY site...I was informed by a reply email today that my entry was deleted because I linked my blog instead of my post. KindofstinkybutwhatcanIdo. So, for three days I was excited to be a part of something that I really wasn't a part of. Sniff sniff.

I'm a little late joining in on this "carnival"...but I so want to be a part of it. The generosity of the hundreds of bloggy friends prompted me to offer a give-away of my own. Before my third son was born I had an at-home business of nursery decor but got overwhelmed with trying to balance a steady flow of orders and my three ring circus. So, I had to let it go for a while. I still do it by referral only, but rarely! So...I thought this would be a perfect thing to offer...!
I hope you like the give-away.

It's for one customized wooden letter. See the many examples below. It will be for one block letter of your choice--the winner will have to let me know what color paint/s, ribbon, if you want a simple design, etc--and I will do my best to make the winner very happy.

SIMPLY--leave a comment and be sure I have a way to contact you. I will close on Saturday night after dinner...and then announce the winner.

DECORATED BOX!

I purchased this old box years ago for about $15 from an antique shop. It's a great way to store silverware that we only need for parties.
I used European decoupage paper and layered it so that some of it looks warn and then pieces like the bumblebee, the dragonfly and the large center tulips are clean and all together. The florals to the side are from papers I found from a shop in Milan called Calambour...somehow the sales person and myself were able to email one another enough in eachother's language that I was sent the papers I wanted! It takes lots of fine cutting and patience, but I love the look of decoupage. I painted on about 20-25 layers of mod-podge and then wet sanded it to a glass-like finish. Then, of course, added a finishing layer of gloss varnish.

I do wish I knew how to recover the inside in a less old fashioned like material, but I wouldn't have a clue! It serves its purpose I suppose.

INSPIRED!

I have recently started to paint and be inspired again, thanks to the many blogs I've viewed where women are showcasing their own works of art. I really feel inspired about this. Although I am new at this blogging thing, I'm trying to figure out the purpose of my blog. Well, I still don't know quite yet...however, I am finding that I have become very encouraged in being a daughter of Christ, a wife, a mother, friend and so on through many of the blogs that I have come across. We have been remodeling our home for the past few years, with a surprise baby arriving smack at the beginning and life and the house turned upside down. I barely had the energy to even consider doing anything! We are slowly but surely finishing it and I feel like I am finally coming around and getting the desire to sort it all out. I want my home to be a sanctuary for my family. I truly believe in my role of wife and mother and now I'm finally catching up to the reality of it. Even just spending a few minutes here and there during a break in my day and I become aware of many possibilites, different ideas--it's amazing. What a blessing. The Christian blogs are just beautiful as well. So many Christian women who are so devoted--and to the truth of the Word...what an awesome encouragement. Especially in the winter here in New England with a baby, we are definitely more couped up than I'd prefer...so this has been serving as a tremendous outlet.

Thank you so much to all my bloggy friends. A special thanks to Fee for encouraging me to get started on a blog. Your simple words of "I wonder why don't you have a blog" really got me thinking of doing it, so thank you!
From so many of you I've learned--a good post usually includes pics....I'm attaching some pics of items I've done in the past using a crackle medium or a simple distress. The tables were just plain wood tables that got so nicked up and worn from use, I thought...let's cover that up!

CRAFTY-NESS ALMOST FORGOTTEN

I see lots of blogs with crafts and I love them. Over the past few weeks, I have become so inspired and interested again. I have painted, decoupaged and created since I was a teenager, but with my third son born, I just sort of...um, yeah, I forgot. I heard that happens once the baby comes out. At least I think I heard that, but I CAN'T REMEMBER! Well, I thought it would be ncie to put some of my crafty-ness up and perhaps someone else would be inspired. We have remodeled our own house along the way, so perhaps soon I'll do some before and afters, but for now...LA CRAFSSSS

This was an ostrich egg that I decoupaged. The floral was meticulously cut out with teeny tiny scissors and then glued onto the egg. 40 or so layers of mod-podge later with hours of sanding, a gloss varnish and there you go. It was a wedding gift for some very special family members. I added some photography of rosemary and thyme on the back--everything I used was symbolic.

This was a desk set I did for a mom for her at home office. It was fun putting it all together.

Decoupaged for a teenager's room.

Done for someone's little princess. I wrote scriptures on the back. This was actually one of my first clients ever. She was a sweet Christian lady.

HUBBY'S B-DAY

Today is my husband's 36th birthday...old man! Just Kidding! I'm only 3 years behind!
He is such an incredible guy and I can't wait to sing for him tonight with the boys and spoil him.
I have a few surprises up my sleeve for him. He thinks it's just having a special dinner, but we'll see!
I've been thinking about what I want to say to him, but I can't even think it through without tearing up. He's the love of my life and I know I am blessed for that reason alone. When I think of him, I get this little love pang in my chest. He's too good to me, too nice to me, too loving and caring to me.
He had taken the men's ministry in our church to a new level and it's incredibly inspiring. He's so driven to get the other men to follow after God and to grow in Christlikeness. He will spend hours calling men before an event (one that he usually has organized) just to put a spark there to make the difference to get them to attend. He always says, if he can just get them to go, they'll form a relationship, they'll hear the Word, they'll get interested and it may just be the step they need to take. God has used him and I know he lives for the Lord. He makes sure he is fed each day, he loves it and lives it. I'm shocked at how God has changed him. I used to lie in bed next to him at night and when he'd fall asleep, I'd put my hand on his head and pray, "God, please let him be the man of God you've called him to be, Lord I know you can use him, I know there's more for him." I had faith that God would answer that prayer--and in no way do I take credit for what Jesus has clearly accomplished for him--but I never knew God would go above and beyond. I had sort of resigned to just living out my faith regardless of where my husband was. And then...well we lost two babies two years in a row. And, somehow in the midst of all that--God began to change both of us. Now my husband preaches the Word of God that he lives (periodically), leads communion service, leads a strong men's bible study that is completely word focused. But, even with all that aside, he's a dedicated husband and father. I couldn't ask for a better man to raise children with. He loves his children like there is no tomorrow! They have so much fun together too (as you can see in the first pic of "bubblewrap wars".) He's a great dad and example to them.
It is mindboggling though, just how must my man has been transformed. He truly is a Christian. He truly loves the church, He lives for Christ.
What an inspiration he is to me.
I genuinely thank God for this man. Not only is he the absolute love of my life, he's better than I could have ever imagined and I am so grateful. (And, he's so nice to look at!)