Crafting to CHRISTmas: Personalized Tote Bags

I'm doing homemade gifts for CHRISTmas this year and I'm starting with some canvas bags for my Sunday School class kids and for my own kiddos.

I admit... I took the easy road. I bought the canvas bags. I could have been an Uber-Crafter and made them but, hey, I have TONS of projects lined up. And I'm only human.

So thur she blows.

You'll need:
3-pk multi-colored canvas bags
acrylic craft paint
super cute stencils
spouncers (doesn't that sound funny to you too?)

First, I tried something I saw online somewhere... if you know where it's from, please let me know so I can give them proper credit. The idea was to take a dollar store paper doily and use it as a stencil. And that's precisely what I did.

 

I wasn't entirely happy with this so I got some cute and inexpensive stencils from Wally World.

And this is what happened...

I then did a google image search for embroidery fonts and freehanded names and initials. They're not perfect (I did say freehanded) so don't judge, you silhouette owners.

And then I was getting a little bored with the stencils and did some sort of argyle-ish pattern, made using a ruler to draw the lines and painted with painter's tape as a stencil.

Note: to give the diamonds a worn look, I pressed a strip of tape on each one when they were still wet.

And backed it with some boyish letter stencils. (also inexpensive from Wally World)

Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday... a week late.

I was completely without a ball last week. I didn't just drop it... it ran away from me screaming.

 

Head on over to www.orgjunkie.com for more great menu plans!

Monday - flatbread pizza

Tuesday - loaded baked potatoes

Wednesday - muffins

Thursday - soup (canned)

Friday - BLTs and chips

Saturday - potato soup and french bread

Sunday - leftovers

Monday - bean and beef burritos

image credit

Tuesday - steak salad & baked potatoes

Wednesday - potato, egg and cheese breakfast burritos

Thursday - BBQ chicken, steamed rice and vegetables

Friday - hamburgers & fries

Saturday - black eyed-pea gumbo and cornbread

Sunday - leftovers

Special K Challenge Review

Technically speaking, they did not come through on their promise... I cannot fit into my size 6 jeans.

But the Special K Challenge is definitely worth it.

I started out at 142 lbs (6 months after birthing a watermelon)

I was working out for only 30 minutes a day before starting the diet... but that soon fell to the wayside.

I got sluggish and just didn't have the motivation to do much of anything. I've read that this is normal... something to do with detoxing your body and toxins stored up that are releasing into your bloodstream. You'd think we would be rewarded for doing something good... so the diet isn't at fault for that part.

It was hard at times. I considered raiding my kid's snack stash. 

But just as I was hitting my breaking point I got to have another snack or meal. And, hey, the snacks aren't half bad. Then again, I might have eaten cardboard and called it bellissimo.

On the last day of the diet I weighed 136 lbs - for a grand total of 6 lbs lost.

Not too shabby for two weeks.

*shhh... don't tell him I shared this, but I've got my hubs dieting too : )*

So I will NOT be doing the whole diet again - but I AM still eating Special K breakfast cereals and shakes and the snacks. And I'm slowly but surely getting back into the exercise routine.

I'm gonna call this a success and definitely worth the money I saved. 

LOL - YES SAVED...  Special K meals and snacks cost a LOT LESS than all the junk food and carb-full meals I was eating.

A Tricky Subject (pun intended)

For Christians, Halloween is a tricky subject...

Dh and I have decided that we're not just going to turn tail and run from everything that may or may not be an affront to Christianity. What we do is live our lives for God and not spend our lives hiding.

Like one of my Good Morning Girls said... Satan has no right to any day that God has made.

So we celebrate CHRISTmas but we don't celebrate Santa... we celebrate Easter without the bunny... teeth with no tooth fairy... and Halloween without the images of death and evil things.

Man has a bad habit of ruining everything... so let's just do it the right way, shall we? Let's keep Halloween innocent and keep the dark stuff away from the kiddos.

I very much agree with Courtney's post on Halloween here: Women Living Well

SUPER Easy Braided T-Shirt Headband

So easy that you don't need a single crafty bone to do this.

First, cut a 1/2"x 12" (or longer, depending on length wanted) strip from three different tees. I keep old t-shirts that get holes in them to use just for these types of crafts. You can pin them to something or tape them to your desk like I did  : )

Start braiding! Mine didn't want to curl so much so I was using a pin to hold them in place while I was folding the edges back.

Once you've braided to the end, pin in place and trim off the excess. You can either hot glue the ends together or sew a line across them. I did a little hand-stitching... but I'm crazy like that.

I then did a fitting and measured out how much elastic I would need to finish it. Use a little less than what you think you'll need - the headband will stretch, trust me.

Place the elastic about 1/2 an inch onto the braid and wrap a folded piece of coordinating fabric around it. Again, either sew in place or hot glue. Do this for both sides of the braid.

Done. See how easy that was?

Now admire your handiwork on your daughter...

And let your other daughter try it on because she has to do everything the older ones do : )

Meal Plan Monday

I'm trying the Special K diet for two weeks (and by the way, it actually saved me money to buy those specific items instead of my normal meals and snacks) so the meals are a little healthier than normal (with carb add-ons for the family). If it works as promised (with exercise as well) then it may become a regular thing...

Head over to OrgJunkie for some more great meal plans!

Monday - chicken salad/ baked potato

Tuesday - cheese ravioli in pasta sauce/ garlic bread

Wednesday - streusel cream cheese & pumpkin spice muffins (a mouthful!) - same recipe but I added a dollop of cream cheese and streusel

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Thursday - corn and chicken tostadas

Friday - bacon (veg-bacon for me) avocado sandwiches

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Saturday - crockpot chili and cornbread

Sunday - leftovers

Monday - steak salad/ baked potatoes

Tuesday - burgers (veggie for me) & fries

Wednesday - P-Dub scones

Thursday - veggie stir fry and steamed rice

Friday - turkey sandwiches & soup

Saturday - potato soup & french bread (not so much diet...)

An End in Sight

It seems like every day I clean up the same messes... I'm always disciplining the kids for the same things... the laundry and dishes are forming mountains on top of me... I only get to eat after everyone has had seconds and my food is cold (and it gets shared with the toddler)...


With all of this... it just seemed never-ending. I've been more than happy to sacrifice my time for my family... but I was secretly hoping that there was an end to it (who doesn't?). I've had several older women tell me that it isn't always like this... but I didn't believe them : )

Finally - there is an end!

 Recently we had Old Fashioned Day at church with a potluck afterwards. There I was in line, juggling and serving three plates, while my husband mercifully controlled our three girls (the baby was asleep)... and all I'm thinking about is how I won't get to eat until after I come back and get plates for my husband and I then go take two trips to get everyone drinks. Thankfully, some kind person offered to get the kids drinks for my husband while I was gone. What a relief to know that my mind won't always be centered on such things.

My oldest is turning 6 soon and is certainly showing signs of getting older. She has started helping (of her own accord) with the dishes, laundry and straightening up. I do give the kids chores and they do help... but they're children and not capable of handling any significant work.

A few days ago, while I was feeding the baby, my oldest opens up the dishwasher and puts away the dishes.  You can imagine my pleasant surprise! Several instances like this have been popping and and wowing me.

It's one thing to hear that things are going to get better... it's another to SEE it. 

 It's been like a second wind to my Mom Hat.

From Oops to a Perfect Project

Have you heard of oops paint?

It's what happens when someone has paint mixed and then doesn't like it. It gets put back on the shelf but with a significantly lower price.

I call that reduced price happiness.

Image Credit

 

You can find these pretty much anywhere paint is mixed - Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart...

I always have a list of projects going around in my head and whenever I'm in one of those stores I do a drive-by of the oops section to see if any oops colors would work for one.


{Head on over to Living With Lindsay for more great tips on using oops paint}

NOT My Nana's Mashed Potatoes

8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 c milk
1 stick butter
2 tsp garlic
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 T parsley
s&p, tt
water to cover

1. Cover cubed potatoes with water in pot and bring to boil. Reduce slightly and continue on high until potatoes are tender. Drain water.
2. Add all other ingredients and combine with a mixer. Lumps are okay... though Northerners may not agree.
3. Sprinkle with some more parsley if you like pretty things.

NOTE: Potatoes should be creamy, not thick - add more milk and butter to attain creamy consistency. And the more salt and pepper, the better...

A Giveaway

Giveaway: Eternal Life.

 

Mandatory Entry: Salvation.

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Okay, I'm saved... What next?

 

We are told that once we are saved we will begin to live our lives for Christ. That we love Him so much that we WANT to obey. Romans12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

What can happen if you don't live your life for Christ? Jesus himself tells us that HE NEVER KNEW YOU. Meaning, if you don't love Him enough to live your life for Him, then you have not been saved! Matt 7:15-23  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?  And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  

How do we live our lives for Christ and show the fruit that He wants? 

We let the Holy Spirit work on us. 

Television/Music

Am I watching a tv show or listening to music that is a stumbling block to me? Does it send the wrong message to my children? Does it depict people breaking a commandment? Does it have murder, homosexuality, promiscuity, deceit...? The more we watch these things, the more desensitized to them we become. And if our children are watching them with us (even if their eyes are not on it, they take it in!) they will never believe us when we tell them these things are wrong.

Media

Am I revolving my life around the tv, internet, facebook, blog, twitter, e-mail, smart phone? We're told not to put anything before God and that is just what our media-centered culture has us doing!

Children

Am I telling my children about God throughout the day and everywhere we go? Did you know that you're supposed to? When you daughter/son asks why it is raining, do you only tell them that water evaporates into clouds and falls when heavy enough? Or do you also explain that God created that system? Do I show my children a giving, kind and patient spirit that they will grow old and display the same? 

 

Church

Do I only go to church when I feel like it or when I can? We're told not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together and to hide God's words in our hearts that we might not sin. God also established the pastor and the missionary that we might LEARN. Am I serving in church? Am I exhorting  my brothers and sisters in Christ?

 

A Christly Woman

Am I being a Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 woman? Am I modest? Do I keep my home? Do I talk about my husband to other women? Am I sober minded or have I given in to the modern, loud and boisterous woman? Am I idle or do I help where I can? Do I help add to my husband's reputation?

There are so many ways that we can evaluate our lives and ask ourselves these questions... 

I don't think there should be a checklist for living for Christ...

But if we could just apply our love for God into every area of our lives, we would start seeing that fruit.