Hi everyone! Today I'm linking up with Young House Love and Bower Power for their Pinterest Challenge!!

Now, you may be wondering what "the Pinterest Challenge" is, so I figured I would also include this video. Forewarning, you may just laugh so hard you pee your pants. My favorite is at the end when John says, "Two against one!" bahahaha

                    

Moving on, yesterday they hosted a link up party for the good ol' challenge and I missed it. I had my project complete, but, well, it was someone's two year wedding anniversary.

Yea...priorities people!

So, I'm back today to share my project! As I was selecting a project, I decided to try something that would cost me little to no moolah. You know what happens when you are renovating your entire house right? 

Yea, z-e-r-o money. NADDA.

So, I looked through my Pinterest boards and landed on what, I thought, was a project using Elmer's glue on a painting canvas. This was my inspiration post via Virginia & Charlie. Once I looked at the original source, I realized she actually used puffy paint, not glue, but I decided to try the glue anyways! 


I gathered up my three small canvas' and my Elmer's glue and got to work. 

I had decided that I wanted to use the letter "g" as my "painting" subject. You know, a subtle homage to our last name. So I took a pencil and drew three different gs on my small canvas'. Notice that I messed up on one. I erased it a bit and then realized it would be covered in paint, so it really didn't matter. Once I was satisfied with all of them, I took the glue and followed my pencil lines.

Now, this step was a bit difficult. I imagine using puffy paints would make this process a lot easier, but, like I said, I wanted to use what I had on hand. While outlining the gs, it was really hard to keep the line smooth. Your hands will get tired and you have to go slow enough to let the same amount of glue accumulate as you move along the line. I wasn't striving for perfection, so I didn't worry too much about this. But, if you want a smooth look, I definitely recommend using her original technique.

Once that was done, I let them dry overnight and then took out some acrylic paints I had laying around and mixed up a color that I liked. Then, taking a cheap sponge brush I painted a thin layer of over the whole thing and then used another brush to wipe all the excess off. Basically doing a dry-brush technique.

When I was done with that, I realized that I needed to cover up the edges somehow. I didn't want to paint them because I figured that you would still be able to see the staples. So I decided to use ribbon instead. I bought a basic gray ribbon (make sure to use one the same width as the edge of your canvas) for $2 and then used more glue to adhere it to the edge.

I cut four sections and glued them each individually. I would recommend doing one long piece though. This way you could easily hide a seam in a bottom corner, rather than trying to hide them all around the canvas.

Hey, we learn from our mistakes right?

And, here is the finished product!

I really like them and they seem to offer a bit (ha!) of color to the corner of our living room. My favorite thing is that the carpenter came home and loved them!

You know it must be good if it is husband approved! :)

And here is a cost breakdown for ya: 
      Canvas' : $1.50 x 3 = $4.50 (I had purchased these for another project I never got around to)
      Elmer's Glue: $1.00 (Had this on hand)
      Paint: $2.00 (You only need a little, so just head to wally-world and buy one tube of it)
      Ribbon: $2.00
      Total: $9.50 (This is what it could cost you, but I only spent two big ones)

I would love to hear about the projects that you have tried from Pinterest, so please, leave me a comment with a link to your post!!

A Family Tradition

For The Fourth of July, my side of the family always gets together at my Grandparent's house, which is situated along Lake Erie. For years, this has been the usual thing to do. We bring food, invite a bunch of lovely friends, and enjoy bonfires and personal fireworks displays.  The Fourth will always be my favorite summer event. 

My grandparent's house is situated on one end of a little bay. So, the way that their backyard is set up allows for a perfect view of everything that is going on. You can see all of the bonfires along the beach (each person tries to build the biggest and best), witness multiple fireworks displays as each family tries their hand at a show, and its also fun to see the many groups of people gathering together for one purpose: to celebrate our freedom! 

I love watching the fireworks come off the beach. We used to go to our local fireworks display after spending the early evening with my grandparents, but this is just such a unique tradition, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love the feeling of community that exists along the lake. Everyone wants to be part of the festivities.

So, my little brother, husband, and I sat along the concrete breakwall and enjoyed the show. The whole time I sat there, I thought about all of the past years and reflected on the joy that such a simple gathering brings.

Do you have any family traditions for the Fourth? 

Fixing the Lack of Storage: Bookcase Style

When we purchased the house, we also inherited a lovely hole-in-the-wall.

No, I'm not talking about the state of our house.

Shame on you!

Our house is beautiful! (Yes, I'm aware that we are clinically crazy.)

The hole in the wall that I'm talking about is a literal one. Take a look:

See that white paneled door at the top of the stairs in these horrible pictures? That hole, led out to the crawlspace above the back part of our house. Since our second story only goes over half of the house, they put this door in as an access point for the electrical and other stuff that runs through the ceiling.

The way that they had covered it was nice enough, but I thought that my carpenter could do better. Together, we dreamed up a design that would make the opening more practical and not such an eyesore. I wanted something that looked pretty intentional and didn't scream, "LOOK AT ME I'M AN ACCESS POINT!"

While we were working on the space, it was left "open" and temporarily covered with plastic to keep out dust. And that is how it stayed until two weeks ago.

As we saved for the materials, we became used to the plastic.It was a good temporary solution.  Keyword: temporary.  With our air conditioner blowing, the plastic would make noise throughout the night. Plus, the crawl space wasn't insulated and the plastic wasn't thick enough to keep out the hot air. Needless to say, we were anxious to get the hole covered before it became too hot this summer and definitely before the cold chill of winter.

So two weeks ago, a day or two after Jonathan did the closet, he also built a bookcase for our wonderful hole. A bookcase that can be pulled in and out when we need it to be, but will provide a bit of function in an otherwise nonfunctional space. First, he insulated the crawlspace with insulation (duh!) that can be used when we add on the rest of the second story. A bit more on those plans here and  here.

That morning, this is what we started off with...well after Jonathan accomplished the insulating side of things.

The puppers was just so curious. She would stand outside the hole while Jonathan as inside spreading the insulation and just whine. We tried to coax her in, but it was a no-go.

Finally, the shelving was done! We decided to see if it was puppers approved. Yea, that was a no-go too.

A horrible picture, but look how unhappy she was. Ears down = get me out of here!

Finally, after two coats of paint, the bookcase was ready for some accessorizing. 

Since the bookcase is one of the first impressions that you get of our bedroom, I wanted to use things that would sort of define our space. I decided on pictures of Jonathan and I and a basket of leftover yarn, from crochet projects, to go on the top shelf. Then a bunch of blankets topped with some random accessories, for the bottom shelf.

I have to tell you, I contemplated putting a really cool moonshine bottle that we have, on one of the shelves. But I was afraid that it would be taken too literally and may catch people by surprise. Something along the lines of, "Oh my goodness the baptists drink!" instead of "Oh what a cool vintage piece, I wonder what other vintage things they used to decorate their room?" So, I nixed it.

Oh and for the record...I'm a baptist, a Christian, and yes I have a drink on occasion.

Cue the oo's and aaahhh's.

I'm a spectacle. I know :)

And for your viewing pleasure, and to hopefully distract you from me, a bit of side-by-side-before-and-after action.

 And the best thing about this little renovation is that it freed up a bit of space next to my side of the bed. Time to add some books and more accessories! :)

God Knows

When you really start to struggle with something, God always seems to know.

Well of course He does!!!

Duh.

You just need to be aware of the little gifts that He is bringing you while you wait for the big things. In the grand scheme of things, the little gifts may not be important, but it is His way of showing His love. Is your heart open and ready to receive?

I have been struggling a bit over the past few months, but I have to say that God has been wrapping His loving arms around me and reminding me, in little ways, of His love for us. When I say "in little ways" I mean ways that would be insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Yet, when God provides for the small things, it becomes the perfect reminder of His faithfulness in the big things.

For instance, I don't know if you noticed our new bedspread in Tuesday's post.

And here is the bed made in a different way, with the same comforter. 

Plus, what do you think of our pretty new shower curtain and bath mat?

Isn't it all beautiful? Well, the bedspread, pillow shames, decorative pillow, euro pillow covers, a shower curtain, a bath mat, and an entire set of towels, were all given to us by our new friends! We have known this wonderful couple and their adorable son for about a month now and they have been an answer to prayers! God has blessed us and our church with their friendship. Plus, I have been thinking about replacing our shower curtain and bedding for awhile now and this gift was perfect! It definitely wasn't a need, and I was by no means praying for this, but God still provided!

Another thing that God has taken care of is a plumbing situation that arose recently. Jonathan informed me the other night, that our sewer was backing up into our basement. (I spared you a picture of our sewage and instead thought a picture of our basement door would be more acceptable---you can thank me now.)  I had horrible visions of a sewer issue that cost my parents thousands of dollars and was pretty worried that this sudden issue would bankrupt us. Thankfully, it had only been backing up for about a day, so not too much damage was done. Yet.

As we snuggled into bed that night, we asked God to let the whole thing become a non-issue by morning. Lo and behold, the next morning, when the plumber arrived, we spent $75 to have our drain snaked and everything is back to normal! Praise Jesus!

Finally, there are other things that have just been too coincidental to be luck. A friend contacting us at just the right time about some organic meat she is selling at a great price. A couple financially responsible options for chest freezers,  just popping up (in time to store all that meat). A queen mattress set, up for grabs, from a great couple we go to church with (a mattress that would be perfect for our future guestroom). Things falling into place for our first "grandparent's dinner" in our new house. The list could just go on and on.

One thing is for sure, God is so amazing and I cannot believe that He loves us as much as He does. I'm glad that He has opened my eyes to the wonderful "little things" that He provides us on a daily basis. It has really given me the right perspective. Even though we may be wishing something huge was very different, He will always provide for us and we should never doubt His love. That huge thing may be the next small thing to change.

You never know :)

Fixing The Lack of Storage

I love our house, really I do. But there is one thing that I completely overlooked when we were seeing her for the first time: STORAGE. I didn't realize that there was a complete lack of it. There is no attic, the basement isn't what I would call a "storage-grade" basement, and there were three closets total, in the entire house. One in the dining room and two small ones in the upstairs bedroom. So, that is why most of our stuff has landed in the unfinished guest room and in the sunroom. 

When one doesn't have an attic or a basement, where does one store big boxes of seasonal decorations, miscellaneous items, and things for the future?

Yea...

Two weeks ago, the carpenter decided that it was about time to build out our master bedroom closet. I totally agreed and practically did flips when he mentioned it--if only my body could contort that way. We had this huge space just waiting to be filled with our clothes and other odds and ends that we wanted to store in our bedroom. You know a girl has to have a place for her purses, shoes, and well, anything else she decides is, um, bedroom worthy. 

Here is a picture of our space before...

and here is all of the stuff that we wanted to put into the closet. Most of Jonathan's "dresser" clothes where just sitting in various piles, in boxes, on the floor. We also had been storing sheets, beach towels, and all of our hoodies in a giant fake-fireplace box. We had a basic system, but it was getting really frustrating.

So, while I went strawberry picking with this adorable little man and his mom, the carpenter spent the afternoon putting together our closet.

When I came home, I ran upstairs and this is what I saw...well it wasn't 100% finished yet, but I will just fast forward a bit for you wonderful blog readers :)

Look at those huge shelving units and the great bar to hang clothes on! I was so excited and couldn't wait to get her all painted up and ready to hold a bunch of our stuff. Finally, our bedroom was going to have some storage and I wouldn't have to worry about tripping over clutter as I moved around our room!

After a first coat of primer, the whole unit was looking pretty good. The bottom three shelves just have primer on them and the top shelf has a coat of primer and of semi-gloss. I ended up doing two coats of semi-gloss, just to be on the safe side.

Let's do a bit more fast-forwarding and here is what the closet looks like all painted and filled to the brim pretty much filled. We still have plans of adding our rarely used TV, a few other clothing items that are currently being stored under our bed, and I may see what else I can fit on the shelves.

For now, things are really starting to look up when it comes to the storage situation in our house. Plus, our room is looking much better and with all that clutter gone, I really enjoy the space so much more. Just take a look at how things have changed. Let's go all the way back to the two-bedroom-layout that was present when we bought the house. 

Do you remember the little "bedroom" that was directly at the top of the stairs and then the "master bedroom" that was down the hall a bit? 

Then, we moved in with all of our clutter and started throwing things together.

And present day is offering up a much more polished room. There are still plenty of things that I want to do, but it's really starting to come together. 

I'm pretty sure it won't continue to always look like this--I will probably organize and continue to tweak things around the room until I'm satisfied. Yet, this closet has already made me feel SO much better. It is amazing how lack of storage can have an affect on you.

Plus, what makes this even better, is that we now can use our closet downstairs for storage!! Things are a-changing!

Time to start making over another closet!

The Real Reason

I have decided to change up the blog a bit!

Why?

Yesterday, our Pastor talked about the "Comparison Trap." His sermon was based on the one given by Andy Stanley. Wow. What a powerful message. To put it simply:  we all compare ourselves to others and it needs to stop! 

Still confused? Check out the video (this is just the intro video, but you can watch the entire sermon on YouTube).

Have you ever been there? I know I have. My comparison trap looks a bit different, because I don't have kids, but it is a trap nonetheless. I always compare myself to those around me. Especially when it comes to this blog, our house, and my current stage of life. I want to make sure that I am 'up to par' with those around me, so I am constantly weighing my life against someone else's.

Andy refers to this battle as the 'Land of ER.'

"If only I were pretti-ER."    "If only I were rich-ER."    "If only I had a nic-ER      fill in the blank       ."

As sinful people, we do this and hope to eventually reach the 'Land of  EST.' 

"I am the pretti-EST"  "I am the rich-EST"  "I have the nic-EST            fill in the blank         ."

It's just such a tangled web to weave and I have submerged myself so deep, in that web, that I am about to strangle myself. I guess that means it is time to get out. :)

Can I get an amen?!

First things first. This blog needs to change a bit. I love blogging, but I have been blogging for the wrong reasons. To be honest, I felt like I had something to prove. I'm a stay-at-home wife and wanted to show everyone that I wasn't just wasting time--as if blogging is somehow a better use of my time. I wanted to prove that I was good at something and valuable in this world. I wanted to bring others into the 'Land of ER' and make them compare themselves to me. This isn't OK.

I wasn't listening. I couldn't hear God telling me that I don't need to prove it to all of you and instead should be proving it all to Him. And you know what the funny thing is?? He already thinks I rock...just check out Psalms 139. Yup...I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. I'm going to start believing that myself.

I am taking this blog to a new place. I want it to glorify God and Him alone. I still want to write about my passions: my husband, family, decorating, renovating, and the puppies. But, I also want every post to first reflect the appreciation and devotion that I have to my Heavenly Father. I'm not perfect, no Christian, or person for that matter, is. But I sure-as-heck can stop comparing myself to others, trying to become perfect.

This mind game is o-v-e-r.

Instead, I think it's about time that I start realizing that I am my ER and EST -- and that is definitely more than enough.


P.S. Check out the updated 'about us' page!