Sunday, January 27, 2013

DIY valentine project


 I've seen several projects similar to this on Pinterest, but I wanted to put my own stamp on it, and now you can too!  With Valentine's day quickly approaching, here's a simple project that even the kids can create.

The finished project. 

 As always, first gather your materials.

you'll need:
  • a frame of some sort, proportionate to the size of your letters
  • a set of alphabet letters.  I used dimensional stickers.  If you're lucky enough to have a Cricut, or something like it, you can print out an alphabet from there.  Choose any font you like, or have your kids create their own letters, that would be really cute.
  • a heart of some kind to replace the O in your alphabet.  I don't usually go for much bling, but i thought the contrast between the letters and the heart was nice.  You could use your Cricut or die cutter, or even cut one out of construction paper.  Whatever you like.
  • a solid colored paper for the background.  I liked this dark blue color.
  • pencil, scissors, paint, brushes, etc.  And some glue that didn't make it into the picture.
I went looking for a regular frame, but the cute laser cut frames were on sale, so I decided to use one. If you decide to use a regular frame with a back, you won't need to repurpose a cereal (or in this case, Cheez-it box).  You could even use an extra frame you have lying around.



 Also, I was going to attach that chipboard bird to the bottom right of the frame, but I decided it was too much and I left it out.  He'll be used in another project, I'm sure.


Options... I decided to paint the i and the u from my alphabet.  You can use different stickers, or print out red letters, or whatever you'd like.  I wanted my letters to all be the same font, so I painted them.  You can see that bird was going to be blue... now he's a bluebird of happiness on his own.


 Step One: If you're using a regular frame you can skip this step.  Otherwise, measure the hole in your frame and cut your backing (aka, the cheez-it box) so that it overlaps about 1/4 inch.  I had to make sure the frame wasn't visible through the little holes in the frame.  I always look for a way to repurpose what would otherwise become trash, even if it is recycle trash.  Cereal-esque boxes are great for journal or book covers, matting for pictures, etc.

Cheez-its - the snack that keeps on giving!

Step Two: clue your background paper onto the backing for your frame, and make sure everything lines up correctly.

ah, there's the glue that didn't make it into the supplies pic!

Step Three: Begin lining up your letters to make sure they'll all fit.  I was using stickers, so I made sure not to press them down at all, lest they lose their sticking power.  This took a while, and a bit of futzing.  I kept the frame around the backing to make sure I kept everything within the frame's space.  If you have a high level of spacial reasoning, you might not take as much time as I did.



getting closer.......

Step Four: Once you finally have your letters situated, press them down to stick them in place.  I had to glue a few of them down because they had used up their stickiness, even though I tried to be gentle.  Not a big deal.
Now get ready to stick your heart in the place of the O.  I wasn't super concerned about the I, O, and U lining up, but it was a happy coincidence that they did.  I placed my <3, and then thought it would be cute if I cut up the other <3s in the package to fill up the empty original <3

my <3 is overflowing!

the finished <3, and you can also see that my letters have written text on them

Step Five: paint your frame.... this is also optional, depending on the frame you chose. 


 Steps 6 and 7: I got too wrapped up in what I was doing and didn't snap a picture of me placing the backing into the frame and gluing it down.  You could also use little staples, or, if you're using a real picture frame, this part is, again, unnecessary.  I just glued it down and painted the back to match the front. As always, try not to use too much glue or paint on your cardboard, or it will get soggy and bend and curl.  I always struggle with this concept.



Step 8: I wanted to let my red letters dry for as long as possible, so I glued them on last.  And that's it, you're done!  Now go show someone you love them with this cute and easy project!


 As for cost and time - waiting for the paint and glue to dry on everything took the longest.  I completed this whole project in under 2 hours.

I already had paper, paint, glue, brushes, etc.  I purchased the frame, the hearts, and the letters.  Using my 40% off one item and a fortunate 15% off my entire purchase coupons from my Michaels App, I spend under $8.  Those mobile coupons save so much money!  And, Joann's Fabric will let you use your Michaels coupons too, which is really nice. 













Wednesday, January 23, 2013

A humbling reminder

Most of you know that Justin and I have been struggling to start our family.  It's been a difficult path, and we were recently referred to Kaiser's infertility clinic.  It's not that we have trouble getting pregnant, we're having trouble staying pregnant.

While I have always put my trust in God, that He has a family in plan for us, and that He will see us through all of these trials.... I was also trusting that these infertility people were going to be able to help us.  WELL, after playing phone tag with them for about a week, I finally got a call back today.

Let me say that we have great insurance.  We are blessed that Justin's job provides us the opportunity to go to Kaiser, who I've had as my insurer most of my life.  With all of the health related problem's I've had lately, I so appreciate that I can get everything taken care of without having to wait for referrals, that I can get lab results (often the same day) online.  That our labs are free.

Even our referral to genetic counseling was covered 100%

BUT, not covered is infertility treatments.  Well, they are covered 50%, which is more than most people have.  With our coverage, our consultation appointment would be $150, which we maybe could have scraped together.  After that, appointments run around $500!  That means it would be $1,000 for people without coverage!  Even if it was $100 for each appointment, that would be beyond our reach at this point.

I was so very depressed and angry after getting off the phone.  But I realized, we were trusting too much in man and science, and not enough that God will provide for us.

I'm not saying that we should just wait around for a baby to magically appear on our doorstep, that's not how it works.  We will still try to have our own baby, until I feel that my body, heart, and soul can't take it any longer.  We can still work with our amazing ob/gyn Dr. Worden and with the genetic counselors who are covered under our plan to try to figure things out.

But we are also officially opening the door for adoption.

Because we don't have thousands of dollars to go through an agency, we will be working with Riverside County.

And we're trusting in God to give us the baby we're supposed to have, whether it's home grown or grown by someone else for us.

You can absolutely expect future posts on this subject, I've heard some frustrating stories from people who went through the county, but I'm confidant it's the path we're supposed to take.

I know I'm not one to casually throw Bible verses around, and if it's not your thing stop reading now.  But Psalm 146 speaks exactly to what I was reminded of this morning.

Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes,
    in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
    on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
    and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
    the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
    the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner
    and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The Lord reigns forever,
    your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Book Review: Lee Mather's First Kiss, Last Breath

Through my author friend Jake Elliot, I've been fortunate to meet (in the social networking sense) some great authors who allow me the privilege of reviewing their works.  Lee Mather is an example of such; in exchange for a fair and unbiased review, Lee sent me an e-copy of his latest work, First Kiss, Last Breath. 

Picture procured from the Lyrical Press site

First Kiss, Last Breath centers around a young man named Andy, an artist at heart who is failing his way though his A level of college.  He's lost his parents and lives with his grandfather.  Andy spent his childhood plagued by bullies, and now believes himself to be plagued with a demon named Glib, who (as demons are wont to do) wrecks havoc and horror at every turn.  Andy struggles to overcome his demons (be they physical or mental), some nasty family issues, and his shyness around the girl of his dreams in order to finally get his first kiss.

Writing that paragraph without giving away too many spoilers was a pleasurable struggle.  Mather has constructed (for 90% of the novel at least) a very tightly wound plot.  Not a word is wasted, every sentence lends credence to the next.  If life had allowed I would have read the entire thing in one setting, a feeling I don't get often. 

The first comparison that came to mind as I read First Kiss, Last Breath was the Hitchcock-ian masterpiece Psycho.  What we see on the surface is a kind, loving grandfather providing for his grandson, it's clear that there's something more, something much darker going on.  I was also reminded of classic Stephen King - The Shining, Christine, and the like.  I literally couldn't wait to turn (well, swipe) the page and discover what darkness lurked therein. 

I easily identified with Andy, having felt like a complete loner at many times in my life.  When Andy questions whether the madness in his life is real or just in his head, the tone of the writing rings true.  The reader wonders, along with Andy, whether all the chaos could be solved by just making sure he takes his Prozac. 

When the novel races toward its climax, it seems that Mather forces his way to the ending he wanted.  The writing is still crisp, but I feel that the author could have allowed himself a few more pages to really develop the climax.  Andy seems to jump from zero to 100 in the blink of an eye.  His actions are justified, it just felt a little forced.  Mather spent so much time building tone and tension throughout the rest of the work, I wish he had spent a little more time exploring Andy's emotions and feelings  in the moment.  

Mather packs a lot into a slim 100 pages, and it packs a powerful punch.  I think that First Kiss, Last Breath could be a huge hit in the YA market; which in this day and age isn't restricted to teen readers. I'd recommend Mather's work to any fan of classic suspense.

Lee Mather was also featured in the recently released horror anthology Fading Light. His short story, "Wrath" features a father, David,  desperately trying to keep his family safe and intact in the face of an unthinkable apocalypse.  The reader empathizes with David as he experiences a horror no father should face.  The story was one that stuck with me long after I read the anthology as a whole.  One should note that the tone and level of gore are more adult than that featured in First Kiss, Last Breath, as the Fading Light anthology is written for a mature audience.  You can find my review for the anthology as a whole here:   http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/404142438 

You can find Lee Mather's blog here:  http://leemather.livejournal.com/
and his Goodreads page here:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4501091.Lee_Mather

















Monday, January 7, 2013

DIY desk organizer

If your house is at all like ours, mail and coupons and the like tend to pile up.  Honestly, there are times we can't see the top of the table because things just pile up (and because we have to Frodo-proof the house before we leave; that puppy loves to eat paper). 

In an effort to ease our frustration over not being able to find coupons when we're heading out the door, and to make sure all of our bills were in one convenient place I headed to that mecca of DIY, Pinterest.  I melded a bunch of ideas together and came up with this...


I already had everything I needed, and I could utilize some of the empty toilet paper rolls I've been hanging onto for just such a project.  And now you can make one for yourself.  Here's how.

First gather up your materials. 


You will need:
  • a box - it could be a shoe box, or something of a similar size.  I used a box leftover from Christmas.  If there are lid flaps you should cut them off.  
  • Paper for covering stuff - I used scrapping paper, but you could use wrapping paper, newspaper, or really anything you have hanging around the house.
  • ModPodge or some other decoupage medium
  • empty toilet paper rolls
  • scissors, obviously
  • something to apply glue (I used foam brush that had already seen better days)
 

Step one - cover the inside of your box.  This doesn't have to look perfect, because you're going to put stuff into your finished project.  I used two 12X12 inch pages of scrapping paper, and glued them down.





 Step two - cover the outside of your box.  I had been trying to find a purpose for some paper I had featuring vintage post cards, so I cut them up and wrapped them around the box, again gluing them down.  One note about decoupage - I ALWAYS end up using too much medium, which makes the paper wet and it ends up being bumpy.  Try to use as little glue as possible to make sure your paper sticks.  The box I was using was also uneven, which didn't help matters.  Once you've covered your box go over the whole thing with a THIN layer of decoupage to make sure everything is covered and all of your seams are sealed.

 

 Step three - decide how many dividers you want in your organizer, and cut to fit.  Make sure the fit is snug.  I used the flaps from the lid of my box, but you could use any sort of cardboard you have. I wanted to have one section for ads and coupons, another for bills and important mail, and a third for pen/pencil/paintbrush organization.

Note- I always keep empty cereal type boxes (granola bars, frozen dinners, even dog treats - any of those thin cardboard boxes).  While making decorations and what not for our wedding, my friend Ant opened my eyes to the many many purposes for these boxes.  You can make banners, journals, scrapbooks, gift bags, etc. from what would otherwise be recycle trash. 



 Step Four - cover the divider pieces with paper - I had some postcard pieces left over so I used those.  I probably would have used a solid coordinating color if I hadn't had enough post cards.  I chose to not glue my dividers in place, to allow the option of adjusting them in the future if I want/need to. 





 Step Five - place the empty toilet paper tubes into the front section (after making sure you get all the little pits of paper off, of course!).  I randomly grabbed ten our of my craft supply box, and it was the perfect amount.  You, of course, could use more or less as you see fit.  I didn't take the time to cover them with paper, but I might cover them in the future.  Or, I may cut the tubes down a little so that they end below the edge of the box (which would take far less time).  Use the first divider to hold the tubes in place. 


 Step Six - you're finished... now load your organizer up with things that need to be organized! 

This project took me about an hour - including time to let my dogs out and refill my coffee cup and what not.  It cost me nothing, because I already had everything I needed.  That's part of the beauty of using re-purposed materials.  Scrapbook paper costs between .50 and 2.00 a page, and I used 5 sheets.  Decoupage glue can range in price from around $6 for store brand, up to almost $20 for fancy name brand.  A jar lasts me quite some time, and you can save 40% or more if you use coupons that the craft stores always give out.  I use the mobile apps on my phone so I always have at least one coupon.  Joann fabrics is really good about letting you use not only their coupons, but those of their competitors as well.

If you have any comments, questions, or ideas for other projects feel free to post below.  <3








new year, new blog, new format...

As so many people do during the first days and weeks of the year, I feel like this is the time to make a new and fresh start.  I realized that my old blog wasn't easy to find, and that the title was confusing.

So, here we are, with a new blog, and a new plan.  Instead of just rambling on about various and sundry events in my life, this blog has a purpose.  So, you can look forward to more diy projects, book reviews, and some information dissemination. 

of course there will still be room for various and sundry ramblings , because that's just the kind of girl I am.

Many Many things have happened as of late, and I haven't had the heart, or the time, to write about them.  In the near future I hope to catch everyone up.  Look for current posts, interspersed with happenings from the recent past.