bible

On the Nightstand

Saturday, March 30, 2013

I love reading! I am usually reading a few different books at one time, and I thought it would be fun to share what I am reading now. It is quite a variety. 


Holy Bible: I always have this on my nightstand. I try to read it daily, but that doesn't always happen. It is always there when I need encouragement and guidance. 

Mom Inc.: No, I am not a mom...and NO, I am not pregnant. What can I say? I like to plan ahead! Mom Inc. is a book of wonderful advice on balancing business and baby...or kids in general. It is a good read, and I really recommend it for mommas starting a business! There is a lot of practical business advice within the pages.

Second Glance: Jodi Picoult is one of my all time favorite authors! I have just started this book, but I can already tell it is going to be great. She never disappoints! 

Start Something That Matters: TOMS founder, Blake Mycoskie, is such an inspiration! This book really encourages greatness. I have some cool things planned that were inspired by Start Something That Matters, and I can't wait to put them into action! 

What books are you reading? 

Kitchen decor

Kitchen Decoratin'

Thursday, March 28, 2013

I have been trying to find the perfect little items for my kitchen, and I really wanted to find a large wooden spoon and fork to hang on the wall. Well, I didn't find any...BUT my grandma found these babies...aren't they awesome!?


Okay, so they needed a little bit of a makeover, but that was not a problem. They were not wooden...they were actually ceramic. I couldn't just sand the mushrooms off (Dane was going to try). Instead, I filled them in with some drywall mud that we had left over from the front porch. Once they mud was all dry, I sanded it smooth and painted the spoon and fork white. I did sand some of the edges to make them look a little rustic. I love them...AND I think Dane does too! 


What do you think? They don't even look the same!

fashion

Ready for Spring

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Okay...I realize that it is already spring, but you wouldn't know it if you stepped outside my house! It is still a blizzard out there. I love the snow and have really enjoyed all of the snow-ventures. However, I am ready for this snow to melt and temperatures to warm up. My coats, and gloves are ready to go into storage until the fall, and my spring clothes are begging to make an appearance! I love spring! I actually love all seasons as they come around, but spring is my absolute favorite! I am smitten with all of the colors and patterns that reflect the season. When the weather warms and the sun starts to shine you will find me sporting some cute sandals, bright colors, and fun spring accessories. 


1/2/3/4/5

What do you love about spring? 

giving

The Gift of Giving

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Dane and I have been attending a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class at our church for the past 9 weeks, and we have really enjoyed the course. In the last class, we talked about building wealth and giving and we were asked to share a time when an act of giving impacted our life...


While on our honeymoon, Dane and I visited several small shops as we walked the streets of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. One rainy day, we stepped into a little store called Mr. Tablecloth. In a cozy little section surrounded by Vera Bradley, was a group of men sitting on couches, chatting as their wives looked at the collection of bags. As I admired all of the beautiful designs, Dane followed and tried to give input on which color I should choose. The men quickly noticed my newlywed husband, and struck up a conversation with him. For several minutes they discussed Gatlinburg and marriage. I selected a bag, we checked out, said goodbye to our new friends, and left. 

It was October and very cold in Gatlinburg. We decided that hot chocolate sounded like a good idea, so we stepped in McDonalds and ordered one to share. Shortly after finding a seat, one of the couples from Mr. Tablecloth walked in. The kind man noticed us and walked over. "I just want to wish you guys a long and happy marriage," he said as he shook Dane's hand. As he walked away, Dane realized he placed a gift in his hand. Our hearts swelled with love for the strangers that had been so kind. We were so thankful for the small gift, and I wish that we could tell them how much that gift meant to us! It was more than a gift of money, it was a gift of love for complete strangers that they had only just met, a gift hope that our marriage would grow and thrive, a gift of influence to be giving and loving to those around us, and a gift of assurance that there are wonderful people in this world. 

Dane and I cannot wait to grow old together and gather wisdom to pass on to a young couple. We cannot wait to bestow such a gift on some deserving honeymooners. My heart hopes that the couple that gifted us would somehow stumble upon this little blog and realize how absolutley grateful we are for the generosity that they shared with us. 

attic door

Going Up

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Wow...I realize that this post might make you fall asleep. Sorry! You may remember me mentioning the spare room of our house in some previous posts. It has acted as storage space for the past year and a half...and it hasn't always been very organized. Imagine a room with a varity of odds and ends...a wedding dress, a bench, a bowling ball, and lots AND LOTS of other stuff. It gets messy, and I attempt to straighten it up, but it quickly gets messy again. Trust me when I tell you that it is not a pretty room. I am not even going to show you a picture, because you would probably have nightmares! However, we have recently made some progress. Now, imagine me with and ear to ear grin! I have had plans to make this usable space since Dane purchased the house, and now that it is finally looking like a reality I am thrilled! 

The main problem that we faced was lack of storage space in our home. Our house has an attic that is roomy and perfect for storing stuff, but getting our belongings in the attic was not an easy task...so we never put anything up there. It was clear that if we were ever going to get rid of the clutter we were going to have to come up with a solution to the problem...which apparently is cutting a hole in the ceiling and making a HUGE mess, a mess that was SO worth it!

We started out with this little bitty attic door. I am really not sure if anything was ever stored in the attic, and if it was I am not sure how they got it in there. A small tub wouldn't even fit through the door. 


After a quick trip to R.P. Lumber we were the proud owners of this awesome baby! I really don't think that I have ever been so excited about buying a door before! 


The installation seemed pretty simple! I thought it might be an afternoon project, but it really only took about an hour or so. I will explain the details of the installation in a later post. I am just so excited to about the door, and I can't wait to turn the spare room into something wonderful that I can share with all of you! 

home

Time for Another List

Thursday, March 14, 2013


Okay, I feel like I have made a big dent in my list, but I have also added a lot to it! That is what lists are for, right? Keep in mind that this is not a short term list...this a list that will continue to grow and probably never be completed. I have come to except this as truth. The house will never be perfect and we will have to make changes based on needs...and boredom. Anyway, here is the new and improved list! If you want to check out the last one, you can find it here

Front Porch

• Get new door

• Change windows

• Remove window into bedroom

• Finish hanging drywall

• Pick out a color for the wall

• Paint the interior

• Paint the front door. I haven't decided if I am going to do this.

• Design the room...Dane and I are have been talking about what to put in this space. I think we are going to build...YES, BUILD...a hutch for under one of the windows! I also have to figure out some sort of bench/storage solution, window treatments, and decor.

Living Room 

• Paint

• Find a new TV stand

• Get new carpet

• Organize DVD storage. You can read about that here.

• Add art to the walls...I have added some, but I am not finished!

• Print wedding picture on canvas

• Get new window treatments

• Get new furniture...this doesn't need to happen any time soon.

• Install new ceiling fan. DONE...it is way more quiet than our old fan, and it is going to be really nice this summer! 

• Paint entry table. This may or may not happen...I haven't decided. 

• Make some pillows for the couch. You can check them out here!

Master Bedroom

• Paint

• Get new carpet

• Style our nightstand 

• Organize our closet...I feel like I do this weekly.

• Fix closet doors 

• Add art to the room. I really haven't done this yet, but for some reason this space never feels empty to me...it is always cozy and relaxing! 

• Make mirror for the room

• Get new lighting fixture

• Get window treatments

Label mattress for easy rotation

Guest bedroom / Office

• Paint

• Get new carpet

• Organize...yes, I am still working on this! 

• Install attic door. This wasn't on the list last time, but it needed done...TRUST ME. There will be a post soon! 

• Find desk

• Find bed or futon

• Find curtains for the windows and the office space

• Install sliding door

Kitchen

• Paint walls

• Paint cabinets

• Paint walls...AGAIN. Blog post coming soon!

• Makeover the refrigerator. Read more about that here.

• Add some kitchen decor...I have done a couple things here and here...but I still have more to do.

• Get a new kitchen table

• Add hardware to cabinets...nope, still not done!

• Get new light fixture...probably won't happen anytime soon! 

Bathroom / Laundry

• Paint

• Tile the floors...after doing the front porch, I think we might use the vinyl planks in here too! 

• Tile the shower

• Change the shower curtain...I am starting to get tired of the camo, but Dane is still a fan. 

• Decorate. You can read about that here, here, and here. These decorations could change slightly as the room changes. 

• Get new lighting fixtures. I don't really know if I want to keep two fixtures or have one centered in the room.

• Install cabinets above the washer/dryer

• Update the mirror

Patio / Yard

• Update the house numbers. Read about that here...I am going to be painting them soon.

• Find a new place for the soda machine with the help of my loving husband!

• Finish the grill...I will blog about that when it is done.

• Paint the stairs

• Extend the patio

• Find an outdoor rug

• Find outdoor furniture

• Work on a flowerbed for the front of the house...when it is warmer

• Install a new exterior light fixture. We picked one up, but we still have to get it put up.

creative writing

Sew in Love

Sunday, March 03, 2013

I took a creative writing class in college, and one of the assignments was to write about a tool. There were a lot of tools that I could have chosen to write about, but the one tool that kept coming to mind was a tiny little needle. 

My finger was in pain. I was only five years old, but this was a pain that I was all too familiar with. I examined my finger; there under the top layer of skin, was a sliver of wood. It was tiny, slightly thicker than a strand of hair and no longer than a grain of rice. However, it wasn't hard to see. The splinter was dark, and stood out against my pale, pink skin. With tears building in my eyes I went to seek comfort from my grandma. She took one glance at the little, dark spot and knew exactly what to do to make the pain go away. Sitting down in at the table, I watched her move around the kitchen like a dance. Above the kitchen sink, in the white cotton curtains, a needle is held between the threads. My grandma pulled the sharp silver loose. Then she made her way to a little drawer and pulled out a box of matches. She struck one of the matches against the box. It made a scratching sound and a glowing flame instantly appeared. She held the needle over the flame for several seconds, as the scent of burning matches filled the room. I sat with my legs swinging back and forth anxiously fearing the pain I was sure I was going to endure. She sat down in the worn wooden chair across from me and held my little hand in hers. As I sat with my eyes tightly pressed shut she carefully and painlessly used the needle to retrieve the tiny slice of wood.

Grandma has a way with this tiny tool. When my favorite stuffed animal began to spill stuffing from one of the seams she managed to doctor it to health. When my favorite dress was ripped she was able to make it look good as new. I have watched her make several quilts with this tiny piece of metal. Each time there is a baby born in the family or a marriage my grandmother makes a wonderful quilt. Taking pieces of fabric and strands of thread to create wonderful works of art. Each piece is unique and beautiful, and the tool she uses to put it all together is that tiny little needle. 


As a child I remember sitting at my grandma's feet with a needle and thread...trying...and failing to make a turn a washcloth into something pretty. (They always ended up looking like a giant knot.) Above me my grandma would transform three layers into a usable quilt. I will never forget those days...but now I am working on making something very beautiful. (I can't wait to reveal it!) With my grandma's help I have started quilting! I will tell you more when I am able to...for now it is going to stay a surprise! I am sew in love with quilting! I can't wait to learn new things, and try fun designs.