my desk makeover {and tutorial}

I'm giving my little brown desk a makeover.

I decoupaged the top with cut up paper from Paper Source {where else?}

I love this vintage post card paper! I cut out all the individual post cards so I could lay them in different directions across the desk.

Spread on the Mod Podge and lay the paper down.

I let the post cards hang over the edges, then cut them when I was finished {I also used the access to fill in gaps}

I put several layers of Mod Podge on top to seal it.

But I need help...

What to paint it the desk?? If I should paint it... or maybe just change out the hardware?

Any suggestions? I'd love to hear them!

** UPDATE **

Thank you for all your suggestions! I decided to go with black for the desk with white hardware: here's the finished product:

Click here to see more of the finished desk.

ruby {a true story}

My sister works for a non-profit nursing home not too far from here. 

{Actually it's a really great organization that's trying to make nursing homes much more enjoyable in many ways, but that's another story for another day}

She told me this story today that I have to share with you.

There's a lady that lives at this nursing home named Ruby. Ruby loves the Lord. She constantly talks about Him, and how she is so excited to "go home." My sister told me Ruby will commonly raise her hands and say, "Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!" 

A few years ago on her 103rd birthday she told everyone that on her 105th birthday she would go home to be with Jesus. Ever since then, she's kept to the same story, {despite the understanding smiles from everyone}.

A few days ago was her 105th birthday. At around midnight a few nurses came into her room to see her wide awake. "Ruby, what are you doing awake?" they asked her. "Waiting for my chariot," she responded.

Only an hour and half later, precisely as predicted, Ruby went to be with the Lord on her 105th birthday.

...

I thought this was such an amazing story, and it reminded me why I'm living: for Jesus.  After all, our home is not here, but Heaven. I'm reminded to look to eternity in my day to day. How exciting! I as well can't wait to be with Jesus, but in the mean time I will live for Him and His purposes. {And honestly, our chariot could be much sooner than a few years away}.

Anyway I just wanted to say that as much as I love house projects and design and whatever else, God will always be first, and these things won't ever consume me, but He will. My number one goal in all my life is to glorify the Lord in everything I do, and I want to encourage you to do the same: live for Him, you'll never regret that you did.

celebrating baby

We had such a great time celebrating my amazing friend Stephanie and her little girl {coming soon}, Eliyah. {pronounced elee-uh}

She chose the name based on the name Elijah and made it feminine. I love it!

Leah and I cut out the pennants for the banner from a scrapbook paper book {devoted to cute pinks and greens} then strung them with twine.

The tulips in the white vase were the gift for the game we played... it was very hard for me to part with that cute little vase but made a great gift! {and decoration of course!}

I created and printed the cupcake circles and glued them to little wooden sticks.

Leah and I sat down one night and made this little diaper cake.

I covered the chipboard "E" with pretty scrapbook paper. {my initial plan was to do all the letters this way but... it sort of took longer than anticipated}

I ended up spray painting the chipboard letters then hot glued them to twine.

These were  a d o r a b l e , e a s y , & c h e a p! 

I spent a grand total of $1 on all 4 {not including the twine} and less than an hour.

{I used this tutorial from Martha Stewart if you're interested} 

Bought a pack of baby spoons at Wal-Mart and hammered in some E's to create a vintage look. {of course antique baby spoons would have been perfect but were harder to come by}

Gifts for guests. {cards tied with raffia}

Plain white onesie with an E iron on {with Amy Butler fabric in case you're wondering} hung on the front door.

A great party celebrating a wonderful friend and sweet baby girl! 

a baby shower for a best friend

My friend Leah and I are getting ready to host a baby shower for our dear friend Stephanie who is having her 3rd baby, but first baby girl. {Oh how I love baby girls!} She wants lots of pink, so she will get lots of pink. 

Here are the invites I made:

Today I'll be busy crafting and running errands getting everything ready for tomorrow. 


Can't wait! {Will be sharing pictures on Monday!}

saving {for kids}

My oldest daughter is almost 4. Can you guess what she is saving her money for?

What else, but an American Girl doll. 

{She's pretty sure she wants Kit}

Why is she saving and I'm not buying? Because {besides being crazy expensive} I want to teach her about money and being thankful. Here's how I'm doing it...

No. 1: Earning 

I'm not going to have her earn money just by doing chores {because that's her duty around this house}, but by going above and beyond her normal chores. So everyday once her chores are done, she has the option to do extra chores to earn money. Every day she has the opportunity to earn $1. 

{Thanks to my friend Stephanie for this tip}

There are a few other ways we use for her to earn money, along with her saving her monetary gifts.

No. 2: Saving 

It's a little hard to explain to a 3 year-old about how expensive this doll is and how she needs to save over $100 {she can't count there just yet}... so instead, I made a chart:

This has 120 squares on it so she can make X's every time she gets a dollar, and she can see how much she's saved. {And hopefully see that, "wow, this doll I want costs a lot"}

No. 3: Giving

I'm going to give her opportunities to give some of her money away, or use some of it to buy someone a gift. Such an important thing to teach children. 

No. 4: Spending

When she has all her money saved up we will go to the American Girl store {too cute by the way} and buy her doll together. She will get to pay herself! How rewarding for her to go and buy what she's been saving and working for!

I'm really looking forward to seeing the difference in how she treats this doll compared to any other toy given to her. There's always so much satisfaction in, "I bought this myself." 

mommy must-have: best children's bible

This is my second post featuring a Mommy Must-Have. To read my first Mommy Must-Have post click here.

...

I can't go too long without sharing my very favorite children's Bible:

We got this for Zuriah one Easter and we all  L O V E  it. It's the absolute best children's Bible I've ever read! {In fact I'm pretty sure I'd own it even if we didn't have children}

The idea of the Jesus Storybook Bible is to show how Jesus is in every part of the Bible. I definitely cry when I read some of the stories. And the artwork is amazing! Oh... AND they have {anointed} audio to go with it! 

I had a dream right when we got the {crisp, new} Bible that Zuriah read it so much that it was tattered and torn... 

{PS Did I ever mention my dreams pretty much always come true?}

Want to see what the Bible looks like now? 

{Maybe we'll get another one this Easter!} 

The girls love it, we love it. Definitely a Mommy Must-Have!

While I'm on the topic of Bibles... for  M E  I love  

 

The Word of Promise Audio Bible. Absolutely incredible!! What a wonderful way to get in the Word while you're doing whatever you need to do around the house. And it's theatrical enough for the kids to listen. Very good, and also a Mommy Must-Have! 

designer fabric 101 {a pretty post}

Looking to be inspired to sew?

Here are some of my very favorite fabric designers...

Just looking at their fabric will inspire!

Grab all these guys' fabrics online {click the above logos for their sites} or in a fabric boutique. Too beautiful!