Faith, Fun, Fashion, & Family

Faith, Fun, Fashion, & Family

Friday, June 28, 2013

To pierce or not to pierce...Who NOSE?










Wonder what's different about this Wonder Woman? Huh? 
I have been wanting to pierce my nose for over 10 years now!
There are certain piercings I would never do, believe me...
but the nose has always been very tempting and attractive to me. 
I keep saying , "One Day"...
But I decided to make that "one day" be my 10 year wedding anniversary. 
My husband gave me a ring 10 years ago... so why not another one today?
So, on our little romantic excursion, we made a stop to the tattoo shop to get it done!
He was more scared than I was I think. 
He was never against it and always agreed with me that it would be cool beans, awesome blossom, and kinda hot. 
But suddenly, on the way there... he was not so sure. 
But I was more sure than ever!
This is me just minutes before my dad noticed my nose. 
He had seen me three times since I got it done and not noticed...
but I was constantly conscious of trying to turn my head in his presence 
feeling like a teenager who was going to be
GROUNDED FOREVER!!!
He was the one I was dreading to see it. 
When he did, it was one joke and laugh... deep breathe (of mine)... 
and that was it. 
Now I'm out to the world!


Predetermined Blessings above Lucky Circumstance...


I just recently got a pack of metallic sharpies and wanted to use them creatively, but I was not sure how. I am a little weird with some of my art supplies. I consider some like "fine China" and only get them out for special pictures. I have Prisma Colors, but since they are expensive I hardly every use them. I feel this way about colored Sharpies as well. Top shelf supplies is what they are considered...
So, I am critically thinking out this Metallic Sharpie drawing before I create it.
I have been really inspired by an artist style, David Adrian Smith, and how he uses very intricate detailed designs in a classic way in his old school method of design. 
You can watch this YouTUbe video on his work.
David Adrian Smith's Cover Design

I came across this "MoM" picture at my mom's house and was very inspired by the design and gold detail. It sparked my creativity to make an illustration of something I have been thinking of for a long while now. 


It has always bothered me how people say, "I am lucky, you are lucky..." or whatever is from luck. WHat is luck? It is from thin air. THe Bible clearly stated that all good things are from the Lord. So, we need to give credit where it is due. Instead of saying something is from Luck, claim it as a "blessing" from Him. It is like us giving our children a gift, but then they say it just appeared from nowhere based on nothing. If we do not claim the place it came from and recognize things as gifts from our Heavenly Father, then he may just stop bringing them to us. But, when we realize they are from Him and thank Him for them, He will be more willing to give them to us in the future. 


LUCK is invisible & comes coincidentally from nowhere. 
We cannot give thanks to thin air. 
But, all good things come from above, 
claim them as BLESSINGS sent with His Love.
                                                                     by Tabitha Seaton...

James 1:12 All good things come from God
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you
Ephesians 1:11 
I created another picture using metallic sharpies, colored pencil, and manila paper.


This is the syle that inspires me also...
Art Nouveau Posters
Pinned Image
Delftsche Slaolie


2189 L'Ermitage Nouveau Art Decoration Poster Graphics to Decorate Home Office | eBay
L'ermitage




Thrift Week 5- Family Vacation



My husband was gone for an entire week for a mission trip with our youth group. 
I wanted him to go so bad to experience working for God, but at the same time I was a little scared of how I would handle one week as a single mom! Props to all of you ladies doing it on your own... I would be hairless if I had to do it everyday. But, I trusted that God knew the leader of our home was gone for His work, so I asked Him to give some extra grace for the week of Daddy's absence. 
But, before Shannon (my hubby) left, he promised me some thrift store therapy apon his return. 
So, I did not forget this promise and the day after he came home, I was off to Tyler for some Mommy time. 
I have to say, the best part about the whole thing was driving for 30 minutes to Tyler listening to Christian music on the way there. I really clears my soul and puts things into perspective for me.
I heard my new favorite song by Toby Mac...
Lose My Soul.

SO, when I got there i was in the best mood ever. 

WHAT I TRIED ON...


I found some great stuff and tried on a lot. I always go into the dressing room with a plan.
I lay everything all out and try things on in some kind of sensible order. 
See more here..


WHAT I CAME HOME WITH...
I had in mind that i was buying things for our vacation we were taking the next day to Wimberley, Texas. 
I needed things to keep me cool. I am having some issues with shorts lately being too short and I am getting too old. SO, I wanted something more longer and age appropriate. 


I spent only $32 on 11 items. I got 2 hats, 5 shirts, 2 shorts, a skirt, and a dress top for my daughter. 
These are some of the details I fell in love with on the items. I loved the embroidered elephant on the dress top I got for my 2 year old Madelynn. I also loved the ladybug print on this sheer top I got for myself. 

This is our traditional family photo from the trip...
this is last year's


In this picture we took at 7A Ranch Resort, 
Madelynn is wearing her elephant shirt dress from Goodwill. 
Maisy is looking pretty, but has no thrifted pieces on. 
I have on the plaid shirt and yellow shorts from Goodwill trip. 
Leopard scarf from WalMart.

Here we are at the most awesome store in San Marcos, Texas called Paper Bear. 
I finally got me a pencil sharpener in the shape of a nose that I have been wanting for so long now!
Don't be jealous, you can go get one too...
I am wearing my lady bug shirt with vest from previous Goodwill trip along with my long shorts from this trip.

I had to get a shot of my newly pierced nose...
THis stud and I are still newlyweds.

Unfortunately with all of vacation's hustle and bustle, I was not able to get all the outfits photographed. But I will try to add them beneath this post just in case you were dying to see it (yeah right!). 
But, for my own peace I will try. 
Have a blessed week and keep reading.

This shirt and salmon top are from this week's thrift trip. The vest and shoes are from past thrift trips.
 
I love this midge podge pin broach that I bought from Hobby Lobby! It is super artsy...
$6.99 Sam & Libby shoes from past Goodwill shop trip. Love the topaz stone on the shoe. It is my birth stone and just my size... That means I had to buy them.






Monday, June 17, 2013

D.I.Y. Pillow Pal


Hey, are you dreading LONG CAR RIDES with your kids this Summer Vacations? 
Do they tend to be a "pain in the NECK?"
Well, make a neck pillow for your kids to encourage car napping.


Ok, I got this idea the day of my oldest daughter's dance recital. 
The location of this grand event was an hour away. 
She had been using her Pillow Pal dog that she has had since she was born on the long ride there.
She wanted to bring it in to the recital as well since we would be there for an extended period of time. 
Well, of course... it was left behind and we did not notice it till we were almost home. 
I refused to turn around and told her we would find another way to get it back or I could just buy her a new on or even better... MAKE HER ONE!
Everyone loves stuff made from their mommy, right?
I think I was more excited about this than she was and my mind just went on a creative adventure the rest of the drive home while she cried in the back seat the remainder of the ride 
I am pretty sure the tears of hers were fake, she can be a little ... who am I kidding, A LOT dramatic. 
Gotta love her.
Well, we ended up getting it back from the dance teacher who found it and figured it was one of her dancers.
Thank you Koni. But, I still really wanted to make one... or two... and maybe one for my husband.. 
and ME TOO!


NOTE: FYI, I am not a professional sewer and do not know terms of sewing. I also do not use a sewing machine. I have one, it is just that I do not have a sewing maid or mommy to come along and fix it when the sewing machine gets all in a hissy and makes me aggravated. SO, I would rather sew by hand. Okay?

I started off by taking a cheap pillow form we had laying around the house and traced it to the back side of the fabric I wanted. I then cut it our leaving about 1/2 inch around for the extra so it would not fray. 


I then traced the pattern from piece 1 to another piece of fabric that was silky. 
My daughter loves silky fabric so I thought it would be fitting. 
You do not have to use apposing print or texture at all on yours. I just felt like mixing it up a little.


I cut out the patter with pinking sheers just to be a little safer and avoid excess fraying.
I then used safety pins... well, cause they are safe.
The entire time I had little feet and fingers helping me, dancing around me, and siting on my stuff. 
So. I like the safety pins better. THey are safer for me too.

I then did a running stitch (I do know that term, Yay!) from the inside cure and stopped before I got to it again about 4 inches apart. 
Leave this un-sewn gap for stuffing...

THen turn the pillow form right side out for stuffing...


I use polyfil. Make sure to follow instructions and use small pieces and pull them apart some before you stuff. THis keeps if fluffier and you use less.

Stuff... Stuff... Keep stuffing...

Sew up the hole that was left after stuffing pillow.
You could leave it plain.. but then it would just be a pillow, not a pillow PAL!
We all need a pal.

DECORATE!
Make your pall come to life.
I had alot of help on this part. 
As soon as I pulled out a big glass jar of buttons...
here comes the girls wanting to help mommy.
FUn FuN FUn!!1 


I went ahead and crocheted some ears and a nose and collected some buttons for  a kitty cat.
That would be a whole another lesson I am not talented enough to teach. 
I can crochet stuff creatively, 
see here
but I have yet to write out instructions. 
I usually just make up the rules as I go along. I was never really "taught", I just learned the basic and went from there by trial and error. 
I do not learn much by reading, so I am not sure if others would get it if I tired anyways.

BUTTON PARTY!!!
My littlest girl Madelynn is 2...




My oldest girl Maisy 
(the drama queen who inspired this idea) is 6.




Here is the finished pillow pal #1. 
I am in the process of # 2...
and hope to make more. 



THis is the perfect time to make one since it is SUmmer and a lot of kids will be taking 
Family Vacations which are notorious for LONG CAR RIDES!
We all know who likes kid naps the most...
YEAHHHH!
Have  a great summer...
God Bless!