A Weekend Captured

 

 

 Hope you all had a great weekend! Let's make the most of this week shall we?

 

Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes."—Deuteronomy 1:29-30 (NIV)

Rustic Key Chair

Phew! I got my recent project just in time for a fun weekend. I really like how this one turned out! 

I'm calling it the Rustic Key Chair.

Before:

Inspiration:

 After:

 This chair is for sale! You can find it in the Rustic Store. Have a great weekend!

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.—Genesis 1:27 (NIV)

Our Extraordinary Life

Have you ever met someone that left you feeling like they were a breath of fresh air?

In case you haven't, let me introduce you to Olga. She is a lovely, gorgeous girl who not only has a beautiful family but is also inspiring and has a passion for living an extraordinary life.  She happily agreed to do this guest post while on vacation in San Diego, how sweet is that?!

  

Yup, she's pretty awesome, and so is her blog Our Extraordinary Life.

In One sentence, tell us about yourself?

Hello! My name is Olga, I blog over at Our Extraordinary Life. You might click over and think... what is so extraordinary about her life/blog?! What's extraordinary?! it's Jesus Christ who lives in us! When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your life is not just ordinary, it's extraordinary! With Him... anything is possible, with Him... you will be blessed, with Him... you can over come any difficulties, and when there is difficulties, you learn to trust/believe in God all the more and in the process you only become stronger! God grace empowers us beyond our ability! This is why we can all live an Extraordinary life!

Ok, I think I got off the actual question, so here is a little bit about me, I am wife to an amazing husband and a SAHM to 3 princesses! I have a heart for people, I love meeting new people, and I try to live my life as it was my last day here on earth! 

How did you get started blogging?

I started blogging after I deleted my Facebook. One of my girlfriends who blogged actually encouraged me to blog. She wanted to still stay updated with everything that was going on with me and my family. When she told me about this blog thing, I also thought that this would be a great way to journal mine and my family's life. And now, I love it! I love the blog world and meeting all these new lovely people!

What inspires you?

People with BIG hearts! 

How do you and your family spend a typical Sunday?

We sleep in, I make breakfast, and we head out to church. After church we normally grab a bite to eat and head home. Sundays are our lazy days, so we just lounge around, play with the girls, read books, watch football! 

If you have a rough day what never fails to lift your spirits?

Prayer, talking/seeing (to) my husband, talking about it with my mom, sister or a friend. These never seem to fail, my spirits surly get lifted back up!

Favorite Bible Verses:

Philippians 4:13 

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"

Romans 5:3

 "Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character; character, hope."

John 14:12

" I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things then these."

Pretty amazing girl, right?! So head on over to Our Extraordinary Life to follow Olga and show her some love!

Trash to Treasure

 I've been finding some great stuff at thrift stores lately, and this is one my most favorite "trash to treasure" thrift store finds. I got it for $2.75 and I'm pretty sure it was used to hold tea boxes. 

So what did I turn it into?

Here's a little hint from something I found on Pinterest. I didn't stray too far from tea really...

 I love how I manage a coffee shop Monday through Friday and the first thing I thought of for this project was a coffee station! I'm pretty sure I'm addicted, and this little station is going to work perfectly to fix my cravings...

A coffee station complete with sugar, raw sugar, stirring spoons (which I also got at a thrift store), creamer, and a variety of coffee beans for whatever mood I'm in.

 I used a white paint marker to label the mason jars. It comes off easily, perfect for when I'm ready to switch my coffee beans up...

I can't tell you how many times as a barista I've had people tell me that 

coffee makes their world go 'round.

I totally get it.

See who I'm linking up with HERE!

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy -- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.—Jude 1:24-25 (NIV)

Number Three

Wow Monday. You sure did sneak up on me! My weekend involved many cups of coffee, loads of laundry I should have done during the week (where did that chore list go!), and trying out a new pizza parlor that was un-buh-lievable. Casanova Pizza is the name and our new favorite restaurant it has become. I also watched the movie "I Don't Know How She Does It" with Sarah Jessica Parker. I thought it was pretty dag-gum cute. It made me super excited to be a mom one day. 

Wait a minute. I AM a mom! To this adorable furry thing...

Okay, okay. It's not quite the same thing...but it will do for now!

Moving on to Inspiration Monday. I seem to have collected a lot of chairs to work on lately and this is number three:

And here is an idea of the direction I'm taking this project:

Hhhmmmm. Yup, I'm pretty excited about this one and can't wait to see how she turns out. 

Happy Monday!

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.—1 Peter 1:23 (NIV)

Featured at Sunny Vanilla

My shabby chic dresser was featured by Jen over at Sunny Vanilla, an adorable blog that has great DIY ideas! So take a gander and check it out! Oh, in case you forgot, it's Friday. So make sure to do a happy dance. Shoot, I've done a few!

 

I love this blue-gray color on this dresser so much, I think I'm going to have to use it again.

Now I just need to find the right piece...hhmmm. 

In the car hubby! We need to find ourselves a project!

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse—Romans 1:20 (NIV)

Time for A Nap

Thanks to all this rain and snow I've gotten quite a bit done this week. From deep cleaning in the kitchen to finishing up a shabby chic dresser. I have struggled with staying focused though, the puppies look so cozy taking their naps and its really hard not to snuggle and take a nap with them on such a cozy rainy day!

Come on, how do you resist this?! 

Maybe I'll get a nap in today since I'm all done with my project! 

Before:

 After:

 I'm really happy with how she turned out! I was really tempted to switch out the knobs but chose to stick with the original.

 So, what do you think?!

This dresser is for sale! Check it out in the Rustic Store

I pray ... also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know ... his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead...—Ephesians 1:17-20 (NIV)

See who I'm linking up with here!

Thrift Store Treasure & Chore List

I've been blogging my projects since August 2011 and the post that has gotten the most positive response, hands down, is my wine rack turned towel holder. I found it at a thrift store for just $7. It looks beautiful in our bathroom and is very functional. The husband no longer needs to yell across the house because he forgot to grab a towel before jumping in the shower. 

 

So let me ask you this:

Other than a towel, what is something you do NOT want to be left without in the bathroom?
I know, this is super easy. Lets all say it together...Toilet Paper!

 Which brings me to my recent thrift store treasure (I paid $2.75) . . .

It couldn't go any better with my wine rack turned towel holder. I'm not sure what this was originally created for...jewelry holder maybe? Doesn't matter. I have now dubbed it, The Toilet Paper Tree. Not very creative, but come on... it's toilet paper.

I love the little shelf inside this old crate. 

Mason jars are perfect for cotton balls, cue-tips, and soap. 

If you're wondering where the towel rack went, I simply moved it to the wall across from The Toilet Paper Tree. This bathroom just got a bit more functional!

I was browsing Pinterest the other day and came across this adorable Chore List. I love lists and this one actually motivates me to do a load of laundry and clean the bathroom sink! It's from the blog My 3 Monsters. You can print this list or a blank one to create your own list. Cute!

Boise has finally been blessed with some beautiful snow! I had plans to get some crafting done but a movie, hot chocolate, and puppy snuggling is sounding muuuucchhh better.

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.—1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV)

Finding Beauty in the Ordinary

I have a special treat for all of you today!

One of best things about blogging is who it brings into your "blog" life, and I've had the pleasure of getting to know Heather from Finding Beauty in the Ordinary. She has a beautiful heart and a burning passion for Jesus Christ, I'm always inspired by her view on life. It's also a very exciting time for Heather and her husband, they are expecting their FIRST child! They made an adorable video to share the news, you have to check it out.

I just know you're going to love her. Enjoy!

In one sentence, tell us about yourself?
Hi, I'm name is Heather! I blog over at Finding Beauty in the Ordinary-- a lifestyle blog about life with my best friend & husband of 5 years, Joshua, and our German Shepherd puppy, Hartley. We found out awhile ago that we are expecting a little baby in August and we could not be happier! We recently relocated to Tucson, AZ, from San Diego, CA, and are enjoying exploring our new city. We love Jesus and are passionate about loving people well.

How did you get started blogging?
I started actively blogging in August of last year. Before that, I blogged here and there but nothing consistent. I fell upon one blog specifically, The Arizona Russums (and the author, Jen, now happens to be one of my "real life" friends!) and from there I just kept stumbling upon one blog after another and realized it was just a big community of bloggers. I fell in love with it.

What is your favorite thing about the blogging community?
I love the community I've built with other bloggers. Some of them know specific, personal details about my life and have offered unconditional, unwavering support. You can see how much the community I've built with other bloggers has affected me personally by reading the story of how I found out I was pregnant! :)

What is your favorite blog to follow?
There are SO many good blogs out there. Currently, I am loving:
Delighted Momma-- for skin care
Gal Meets Glam-- for fashion inspiration
The Daybook-- for new mother inspiration
Take Heart-- for a good laugh and encouragement
Tec Petaja Blog-- beautiful photography
Andrew + Carissa-- a childhood friend's beautiful road to adoption/photography 

 How do you manage to remain positive, even during the rough times?I would definitely say that maintaining a positive outlook even during some of the really rough times is 100% a result of God's grace in my life. And having to trust that everything happens for a reason and that the end result will be worth it. Knowing that trials make me stronger. I wouldn't take back any of the hard times-- I'm a totally different person now. That's what pain does to us; it makes us a person of more depth. 

What are you looking forward to in 2012?I am so excited 2012! This year will bring even more changes for us as we buy a house, prepare for the arrival of our baby in August, and continue to dive into building community in our new city!

Thank you so much Heather for sharing! 

A few of my favorite posts from Heather are:

 The Day I Told Him He Was Going To Be A Daddy

Expectations and Feelings 

A Trip to the Snow & A Little Bit About Discovering My Strengths

 

Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.—Isaiah 1:17 (NIV)