Summer Project - From the Archives

This seemed to be a pretty popular post last summer, so I'm going to repost for you since we're in the height of summer.

I'm still really busy with the new job - which doesn't seem so new anymore - so I thought I'd repost a few things from last summer until I find time to create some new posts.

Grab that load of tin cans you've been stock piling - I've got an easy-peasy project for you.

I've seen tin can everything around blogland lately, and there are many great projects out there to be inspired by. One day I'll make my way through them all.

For now though, I just needed to do something with the ones I've been saving that were beginning to create a moat around my kitchen counter.

I decided to plant flower seedlings in mine. I needed a place to get them started, and this was the perfect solution.


It's a quick project that uses up several cans at one time.

Here we go!

You'll need cans, spray paint, seeds, a drill bit (or hammer and nail), potting soil, and some sort of identification stick.

I used actual flower markers that you can write on.

Ok, so I painted my cans before I took a picture of the supplies.

I'm assuming you all know how to spray paint a can by now, right?

Anyhoo, first, I painted all of my cans in various colors.

Love the mix.

All the colors are Krylon.

Next, let the cans dry completely, and then punch a few holes in the bottom for drainage.

If you have a drill, just use a small bit and do your holes.

If not, punch them with a hammer and nail.

(Just an FYI here - I put way too many holes in mine. Two per can would've worked just fine. Next time I'll know.)

Then, load them up with potting soil and put your seeds in.

Be sure to keep up with which seeds are in which cans so that you can label them properly.

I planted one type of seed at a time and then made my markers so that I wouldn't lose track of what was where.

Aren't the colors fun and happy?

TIP: I always put my potting soil in a bucket and wet it down before I fill my cans. This way, the soil is already packed down and your seeds won't shift or float to the top when you water them afterwards.

I put them on an old table and then sat them on the deck.

The next morning it was raining so I checked on them to see if they were flooding, and here's what they looked like.

The water droplets are so pretty on the colored cans!

And here they are 8 days later in the morning sun - already flourishing!

I check on them every single day, especially during this heat wave!).

At this rate of growth, I'll be able to transfer them into larger containers or into the ground and start all over with a new batch really soon.

I'll definitely be doing this every year now.

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Update: Here are a few of them in full bloom, transferred to even bigger tin cans!


So tell me, what have you been making, planting, or sewing this summer?

Happy Easter

No matter how you choose to celebrate, I hope you have great Easter.

Me? I will be sending up prayers of thanksgiving that I have a risen saviour who has demonstrated more grace with me than any one person should be allowed.

I can't help but think of all the people I love who have passed on, and how they are at the ultimate feast today celebrating the resurrection of Christ, with Christ. I cannot even begin to imagine the magnitude of the celebration. As a lover of the Lord, I look forward to that time when I can see Him face to face.

One of my favorite songs says:

One day I will stand in the presence of Jesus

and I'll see the Lord face to face.

With my very eyes I'll witness His glory

when I finally finish my race.

But the burdens of life sometimes get so heavy

that I need to touch Him somehow.

But I don't have to wait until I get to heaven, by faith I can touch Him now.

I can reach out and touch the hem of His garment,

I know He will make me whole

He's passing by this very moment.

Can you feel the virtue that flows?

Someday I will walk thru the gates of that city.

By grace I will make it somehow.

But I don't have to wait till I get to heaven,

by faith I can touch Him now.

I will fall at his feet in the presence of angels,

millions of saints round the throne.

I'll worship the Lord, sing hallelujah,

without all the troubles I've known.

I'll see those hands that lifted my burdens,

and I'll see those scars on His brow.

But I don't have to wait till I get to heaven,

by faith I can touch Him now.

(If you'd like to hear it for yourself, here is the video.

Nothing stirs me like good ole southern gospel music!)

 

It's because we have a risen saviour that we CAN access Him at any given moment, and He will no doubt be there in our midst.

If it weren't for our faith, and God at our side, I honestly don't know how we would've made it through the roughest years in our life. It is true that when you know God, you know a peace that is unexplainable. I am so thankful for that relationship in our lives.

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow......"

May you all remember why we have this holiday and acknowledge it as such.

I hope you are all doing exactly what you want to do today.

And more than that, I hope your children, who may be chasing that favored golden egg today, understand that there's more to Easter than a bunny who delivers colored eggs. :)

Happy Easter!

Change is on the Horizon

* Very long post alert *

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Where is My Heart?

I've thought about this long and hard lately.

And I've had to answer some tough questions for myself.

My life is changing before my eyes. Forced changes so to speak.

I never thought that taking a new job would catapult me into deep thinking and decision making like it has, but alas, it has.

What I want to do and what I know I need to do have finally met at the crossroads.

You see, I took a job that is 2 hours away from my house.

Obviously, making that drive is not feasible on a daily basis.

My mother lives 1 hour from where I work, so to make a shorter commute, I stay at her house

while I'm working. And then I go home to my actual house about one day every two weeks.

I love the job, so I make the sacrifice.

I didn't anticipate working so many long hours every single day, so even finding time to look for a house close to work just hasn't happened yet. My catch 22 is that when I have a day off, I need to go pack my house in KY, but I really need to be looking for a place to live in TN.

The reality is, I've been working 80 hours a week since I started, so when I do have a day off, my body wants to rest - not pack, not look for a house.

(on the plus side, I've lost 24 pounds in the last 10 weeks!)

So, what does that have to do with figuring out where my heart really is?

I'll tell ya.

When do we think the most? When we're alone and everything around us is quite.

I have two hours of that everyday, driving to and from work.

Here's what I've realized..........

1. I miss being in my own home, but I don't really need it.

2. I miss having my things around me, but it doesn't bother me to think about putting them in storage for a while.

3. When I have any free time, I want rest for my body. If I have the option to blog/read blogs,

or just fall into bed, say my prayers, and go to sleep, I choose the latter.

4. If I go into work late in the mornings, I'd rather make time for coffee with my mom than get on the computer and take time away from others.

5. When my husband isn't traveling, and he's not working at the office, he has to come to the town I work in and get a hotel so we can see each other. Usually, I make it to the room around 11pm, and then I'm back out around 6 or 7am. It's not fair to him. It's not fair to us.

God bless him though - he understands that I have to do what I have to do right now.

6. I hate to even admit this, but I find that I miss communicating with all of you, but I'm not missing my own blog. Is that bad? Am I just too busy to care?

Decorating is the farthest thing from my mind right now. And that's what I'm supposed to be blogging about, right? To be very honest with all of you, my heart just isn't there. Maybe it's because I'm so busy, maybe I'm simply too tired. Either way, it's not a priority for me anymore.

Let me make this clear - blogging about decorating isn't where my heart is.

You'll understand in a minute.

For a while now I've had some changes weighing on me. About my life,  my blog, my etsy shops, and about doing flea markets.

As for my life, hubby and I have decided that the easiest way to fix our living situation temporarily is to put all our things in storage and move into an extended stay hotel while we look for a place close to my work. This will at least put me within a few miles of my store and immediately eliminate the hour drive each way to work. He will still drive the same distance to work.

As for my blog, here's the realization I've had, which began months ago.

I've thought about what makes me passionate about writing, and what topics  I rush to write about vs the ones I let stew for a while.

I think you will all agree that my most heartfelt posts are about the needs of others, and spiritual experiences I've had myself.

When I write about someone in need, request prayer, ask you to lift someone up, or tell you what prayer has done for me, I get really passionate. I believe in the power of prayer and the miracles they can bring forth, and I believe that when good things happen in my own life, it is my duty to spread my faith.

My personal prayer list has over 350 items/people on it.

When I ask you all to help me pray, I can promise you that I am absolutely praying too.

My heart has been leading me to start another blog that focuses solely on rebuilding and strengthening your spirit. I started the other blog weeks ago, but I haven't got it "live" yet.

I am in the process of moving all of my inspirational posts over there.

When I post something there, I'll come here and let you know.

I have so many things I want to cover on that blog.

I'm calling it "Strengthen your Spirit", and it'll be a direct domain.

I will have resources, links to prayer groups, etc.

I get so many requests for prayer in email each week, and this is one way to start a public prayer chain for those in need. I hope you will give it a chance with me.

I'm not abandoning this blog, I'm just changing my focus.
When I have things that are unrelated to faith and prayer, I'll post it on this blog.
And I'll give sewing lessons when time allows.

About my etsy shops, I've decided to close all but one of my shops.
I will only be selling my aprons wholesale from now on to distributors.
(But if you want one, you can always email me.)

I will be closing my practical fun things shop, unless I can find a family memeber to take it over.

The one shop I haven't introduced you to yet will be the one that remains open.
I will tell you more about that when I'm ready to fully load the store.

About flea markets, I will only be doing 2 this season. After I've got all my things packed to move, I'll head to the Nashville Flea Market with all of the stuff I won't be taking with me. Instead of taking time to refinish all the wares in my garage, I'll instead be selling them unfinished for you to do yourself.
I'll let you know when I'll be there and what I'll have.

I've decided I can do with less that what I have now, and I can cope with not spreading myself too thin. And I'm fine with it. The days of trying to be all things to all people are over, and it's time to focus on putting the quality back in my life.

I want to be happy, I want my husband to be happy, and I want our family to remember who we are. We give them so very little time, and they deserve more from us. Times goes by so fast and we really regret missing out on so much.

My hectic work schedule will become leveled out in about another two weeks, and then hubby and I can start looking for a place to live together, and not trying to decifer what houses may or may not have based on the pics we find online and send to each other.
Once that happens, and we get settled into somewhere new, we'll be able to have a more normal life and schedule with no outside commitments.
I crave that day!

So there it is. That's where I am and where Im headed.
And I hope you will stick around to see what happens.
I've made many friends here and I hope to keep you all with me.
I know many of you share my faith and can understand why I feel the need to make these changes, and I thank you in advance.

Now, does anyone out there know of nice house for rent in Murfreesboro or LaVergne, TN?
I'd love the lead if you have one.

I hope you all have a super-duper fantastic day!