Randomness and a few completed projects

I walked downstairs yesterday evening to see this. The lamp is not on, the sun coming through the kitchen window hit it just right it was gorgeous (far more colorful in person) and only lasted about two minutes... I hope it does it again!

So I got this idea a few Sundays ago when we were having the crazy storms and have been slowly working on it since when ever the weather agreed. I don't have a lot of jewelry and most of it I don't wear often. I love it all but mainly I have a few pieces that I wear constantly and the rest I just store in various jewelry boxes that never seem to have enough room. After untangling my necklaces for the hundredth time I came up with this idea.... I don't think I have ever seen anything like this out there before. But I am sure someone else has probably done it already. I searched the craft stores and came up with what I was looking for at Michael's ... of course in a terrible color. It is a front opening collectors cabinet it was on sale so it ran about $25. Here it is in pieces-

I didn't like the light wood color so I sanded it down and spray painted it in a semi gloss white. This took two cans... very annoying they really should have more paint then that in a can at $8 a pop...

I had a very clear image of how this was supposed to look and I wanted to use these hooks I searched everywhere for them and finally located them at Office Max... of course they don't carry them in store and they wanted $8 for shipping which I thought that was outrageous so I bought 16 gauge wire, pulled out my thing-a-ma-jig and made them myself... here's a quick example in case you want to make some:

I think they turned out pretty well....and they want $2 for 6 I made 13 for roughly $2.50

This is the backing for the collectors cabinet which I recovered in a pretty natural linen. Then I slid in all of the hooks spacing them out for various items I knew I would want to hang.

Here it is all put back together.

I tucked it away behind the door so people shouldn't really be seeing it... which is perfect. It's on my side of the bed though so I get to see it everyday and it makes me smile

A lot of this stuff I haven't worn in years and is just for sentimental value. My mums charm bracelet, my class pendant, a necklace my grandma gave me when I was maybe 6... and other things like that

My OCD tendency's are very obvious here. Everything has it's place.

Oh I also stuck broaches right into the board - I can't tell you how long I have been looking for a way to display these! I just love looking at them they are so sparkly. Joan and Mum should recognize them. They each gave me one of them when I was 9 I think? I don't know why they did I don't remember it being a special occasion or anything but I just remember feeling really special and loving them. I have no idea how I have held on to them for this long, a lot of my stuff disappeared during moves.

The invites came in! Kodak said to estimate 5 days printing 5 days shipping. They were printed the day after I ordered them and we got them in the mail just a few days later, less than a week for the turn around! Love that!

I think they turned out pretty awesome... even if I do say so myself. I've had wonderful feedback so far. Judy (who they were made for) about fell out. She said 'She didn't like them, she LOOOOVVVVEEEEDDDDD them!' (said with southern accent) And then I got a very long hug. Really you can't get better feedback then that I am thrilled. Now I just wish I could find people that want to pay me and that I would feel comfortable charging (just to note I was offered payment for my time on these but Linda and her family are incredibly good to Uber and I so I only do things for her if she accepts them as a gift)

My photos are lame sorry about that but I wasn't really sure how to photograph it.

More swaroski bracelet's for Ubers Mom (I've created a monster) She mailed me these beads so I could string them up for her. I am mailing them back to her tomorrow.

So I have been contemplating selling graphics that people can buy and then use to print up their own invites at home. I dont really want to go in the scrapbooking direction I am more into invites and party things. I have seen some people doing this - any feedback from you guys?? I would love your thoughts/suggestions!

Well I hope you all enjoyed my rambling! Not sure what I am going to have to show you next.... Ive got a million things started and not much even close to finished.

Uber made me do it

I picked up an iphone last night (when I should of been at home resting because I am sick) Uber totally made me do it. And so far this thing is amazing. I really like it! I think the cost is a little ridiculous but a few things that sold me on it is that it will hold all of my music so I dont have to carry a separate player anymore. And now Uber can have my old phone and mp3 player- which he wanted anyway. The internet is INSANE I can read all the blogs I want on it and so far I think it is actually making me more productive, I can do all my internet stuff while I am waiting on things out and about and when I get home I dont really feel the need to jump on the computer. I still haven't tried to blog on it yet so I am not sure if you can or not... I need to get better at typing before I try any of that! I am a little under the weather right now with a lovely sinus infection. I finally got into a doctor today so hopefully all the medication he has me on will have me better if a few days.
Thanks for all the kind words on Ciarra and Robert. Robert passed away yesterday and I am trying not to think about it too much. He was a truly wonderful, humble man and there is just not many of them.

Where have the last 11 days gone?

I didn't mean to be gone this long! Actually I didn't mean to be gone at all. It's been a long week and I just haven't had the energy to post anything.
One of our preachers had a massive heart attack last Tuesday and unfortunately isn't going to going to recover from it. He is only 57 and is leaving behind a wife and two daughters. I am confident that he is in a better place, but I am incredibly sad for his family and especially his daughters who won't have their father with them when they graduate in a few months. It's been a very tough reminder of just how short life is and just how quickly it can change. Please pray for them.
Sorry to bum you all out. And since there is no good way to change the subject after that I am just going to move on. I have actually been keeping myself VERY busy crafting and I will be showing you some of it shortly ... but not just yet.
Meanwhile something I can show you. We have a bunch of Ubers old bachelor days art work still hanging around in the garage. I don't necessarily dislike it (well all of it) but it doesn't exactly fit with our current decor and can sometimes offend people ...ha... anyway this is what was in the frame before hand.
Mom and Dad had sent this flag to Uber it's from a race that is held every year at our favorite place to ski. I have been wanting to get it up somewhere but ...well where do you hang a big orange flag? The answer is in the garage!

I think it looks pretty awesome! Total cost $2 for the black foam core... loving that and the pop of color it is adding to the garage...which I am VERY hopeful to be showing you very soon.

Going Quilty

You guys are all so sweet thanks for your comments! Yes I have amazingly fast growing hair... haha... and if blogging makes my mom come back sooner then I wish I had thought of it sooner!!

I am teaching bible class at the moment for 5 year olds and choose the Fruits of the Spirit as my topic for the quarter. I was pretty excited about it and figured there would be plenty of curriculum out there. Unfortunately there was not, at least not at any of the places I went. I was actually told by a 'very experience teacher' that there was no way kids could understand the fruits until at LEAST high school and even then that was pushing it. I really felt bad for the guy I wanted to tell him that I am sorry he feels kids are stupid... but he probably wouldn't have taken that the right way. So I dragged Matt over to Joann’s to try and figure something out. At previous churches I have done paper murals and had them laminated. Then we tacked or taped them on walls but at this building the walls are painted concrete. I didn't want to hassle with trying to stick anything up figuring it would likely fall down within the three months of class. So I bought a bunch of the cheap solid cotton fabric and made a quilted wall hanging. It took about 2 full days to complete because I didn't have any plans to begin with (are we sensing a theme here?) I justwent piece by piece until it came together, the whole time I was having anxiety attacks because I only had 4 days notice I was teaching and I was sure it wasn't going to come together. All in all it turned out REALLY well it is about 5 feet tall and 3 and a half feet wide which is a little tall for the girls but the boys in the class all have fun reaching the top.

The apples are felt with Velcro on the back and the words are done with Tulip fabric paint. The kids get to put the fruits on the tree as we talk about how they can use each of them in their lives and by the way they TOTALLY get it and love to describe how to accomplish each one love-hugs and kisses, patience-when mom is talking to someone, gentleness-to a puppy that they really REALLY want or that pesky younger sibling (definitely the 2nd choice to show gentleness to) and so on. No it’s not super technicalbut they are 5.

There are also necklaces that we are putting together as we cover each fruit in class so that by the end it will hold all of their fruits then they will be able to take it home with them to wear it and be God's tree.

As for the hanging it can be reused much longer then laminated paper and I could even make new apples to teach something different for another class (like Adam and Eve or Zacheus...now wouldn't that be funny! Sorry I can’t think of a lot of lessons with trees in them that could/should be taught to kids… but there are some very interesting ones running through my head see if you can think of any of them!!!). This will definitely be coming home with me when I am done. If I ever get around to it I am going to recreate the Noah’s ark one (I had done this in paper before) the front of the ark opens up and there is a song and the kids (preschoolers) get to put the animals in their stalls and make animal noises. It is a lot of fun and gets some of their energy out.