One Serious Post a Year Can't Hurt, Right?

"As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit."
Emmanuel Teney 

In a recent conversation with my best friend, I learned a life lesson that I hope to keep with me.  I'm sharing and baring a bit of my soul with the hope that someone may need to hear it and might learn to let go like I am to learning too.

The background to the story begins when I was texting my bestie about how dang happy we are.  I'm not trying to brag, and you'll hopefully see that in a bit.  Let's just say that I am very happy right now.  Life is good and I am grateful.  She was mentioning that life is good for her right now too (4 months into a relationship that is going swimmingly well).  

So I asked her, "Do you ever worry that you're too happy and that something might happen to take it all away?  Like you just don't deserve this and soon enough you're going to get what's really coming to you?"  

This is a real, real fear of mine.  One that I lose sleep over.  Night after night I worry, what would happen if....Usually it ends in a soaked pillow and a prayer to Heavenly Father to "help thou my unbelief (Mark 9:25)."

I will never forget my friend's response- it totally shocked me as I was expecting her to say, "YES! I totally agree with you and see what you're worried for, and you're a genius."  

Instead she said, "Fear is a secondary emotion caused by guilt.  I think we deserve any happiness that comes our way."

Hold up, Lady.  This means that I'm not worried that I will lose what I have- it means that I feel guilty for having such joy?  Then it all clicked.  That was exactly what I was feeling.  I was carrying one fat load of guilt on my back.  Guilt for a lot of different reasons and all things that I had apologized for my part and should have moved on like a normal person.  Guilt over things that I couldn't control or do anything about or help with.  I felt undeserving of the happiness that I'd worked for and been blessed with.  

Now, I am a lady of faith and I have been trying so hard to accept God's forgiveness as I know He's been generous in granting it.  I had repented properly.  I had tried to have more faith to know that everything will turn out alright.  I had tried to focus on the good and let fear go away.  I tried so many ways to move past these issues and yet the fear of losing had haunted me.

Haunted me until I realized that it wasn't fear, it was guilt.  As soon as I read "it's not fear, it's guilt-" I felt lighter.  I knew she was right, she was the genius.  This has helped me in infinite ways.  I'm learning to let go.  I'm learning that I do deserve my fantastic husband and kids.  I deserve whatever blessings I am granted.  I'm finally learning that I am loved more deeply than I will know in this lifetime.  And you are too!

And so, with this in mind, I decided to join in on a blog I frequent: simple as that.  She shared this post about New Year's Resolutions.  Rebecca picks one word to incorporate into her year and tries to live and embrace this one word.  Rebecca chose 'strength.'  Well, I have a word...

Free.

Free to be happy.

Free to enjoy.

Free to fail.

Free to learn.

Free to give.

Free to take.
Free to forgive.
Free to be forgiven.

Free to love.

Free to be silly.

Free from guilt.

Free from fear.

Free to be me.

(Lisa Leonard Designs)

So, this year, I am working to live free.

"All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired."
Martin Luther 

Thanks, bestie, you're an answer to my prayers.

(http://www.thousandsketches.com)

Switcheroo

Had to change these shades to something more 'me.'  I had all the materials on hand so this project came together quickly.  The lamps were only $12 ea., including shades, which I think is a pretty great price.  I forgot to take a before shot...OK, I'll be honest and say that I didn't forget it was more that I felt the intense NEED to get it done ASAP.  These lamps had maroon silk and dangling orange-ish beads.  Now they make me happy.

See the before material?

I added the black velvet ribbon.  I'm debating whether to add another band at the top or a second on the bottom or leave it. What do you think?

Weaving Tutorial

Due to high demand or one person wanting more detail on how I did the woven piece, I've put together a quick tutorial. Please forgive the photos, it was late and I was in a hurry.

First step (and not pictured) is to paint a picture using water color and allow to dry.  Choose colors that coordinate to your room design.  In this case I've used scrapbook paper because I had it on hand. Once dry, run it through a shredder.

Next I traced where the opening to the mat was so I knew where to concentrate my design.  Then I marked off every 1/4 inch (because my shredder is a  1/4 in).

 Tape a strip at every other mark.  Continue all along one side.

 It should look like this when you are done.  All tape down on ONE side.

 Begin to weave your strips.  Over one, under the other, over, under.  Next strip do the OPPOSITE- if you started the last one under, this one starts over.

 Sorry this paper doesn't show the difference easily.

Use a glue stick to adhere the edges and every few strips I glued too- you'll get a feel for it.  Be sure to push up your strip as much as you can so there aren't any gaps.  Push up and glue.

Just keep going till you've gotten to the bottom of where your mat will be.  Trim up the edges and frame. 

Make sense?

Finally Getting Our Groove On

Man, I am so relieved to be settling into our home!  We are very happy here in Southern Cali and I have to admit that I'm a bit surprised by that- never thought of myself as a "California Girl."  Guess there is a small part of me that wants to wear daisy dukes with bikinis on top (rrrrright). I've managed to get a few projects finished and wanted to share so far:

First, I wanted to get organized after the Christmas influx so I bought basic fabric bins from Target.  I did wait happen to catch a sale for a dollar off each bin- hurray!  These are simple and self explanatory just cut out felt and adhere together. Voila!  In case you can't figure out my pictures, there's a box for baby stuff, food/kitchen toys, puzzles and cars.  

My son made the little apple :0)

This is a collage I made for our guest room.  Another easy one:  Paint paper, shred in paper shredder and weave together.  Now that this one is completed, I'm pretty sure that I am going to change the bedroom color scheme so I've decided to do another weaving on the reverse.  That way when I want to switch back all I have to do is flip the weaving over.  Smart, right?

Here's a pretty little number I found at the local thrift store.  She's going to have the mirror (shown below) above her and I'm debating on a color.  You can't see in the photo but the veneer just makes this piece look cheap so I AM going to paint.  I'm debating a few options- french grey, black or grey blue.  Ideas?  The wall color is staying put as painting the room would be a massive undertaking.

This is a banner I made to celebrate the all-important BCS National Championship.  My husband is a big Auburn University fan and we've invited friends to watch the upcoming game with us.  Because I hate love football, I decided I must make the most of it and decorate hence the blue and orange ornaments and banner. "If you can't get out of watching then decorate," I always say (or just made up). 

 I made the two topiaries as well.  Got the containers at GW for $.99 each- SCORE!

The two candlesticks were also projects of mine, I painted and distressed them and replaced the missing crystals.

 It says, " Go Auburn."  rah rah rah.

 Last, I have a question- We have an eat-in kitchen with a bay window and I don't know how to dress the windows.  What do you think? I put the wreaths up (I might have an obsession with wreaths) to try and make it pretty but I'd love to soften the whole area with draperies.  Valance, no valance, only valance, only worry about the door, dummie panels on the outside of each window...I'm lost and need help!

 Phew, I'm exhausted just looking at this.  Now I have to get more done to post about!  I'll be back after my Anniversary vacation to an undisclosed (to me) location.  So nice to still love vacationing with your husband!  (and nice to have friends willing to watch your kids- yikes)

I shared this on The Shabby Nest's Frugal Friday.  (this is my first time linking/sharing so I hope I've done it all properly.  If not, please let me know!)

Also shared here: http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/2011/01/furniture-feature-friday-favorites-link_20.html

Also sharing here:

Perfect Rainy Weather Soup

So here we are in 'sunny' California...minus the sunny.  It's been raining all day and it's chilly outside.  The only redeeming thing about this weather (OK, maybe not the only thing now I'm thinking about jumping in puddles & watching for rainbows...) is now I won't get the 'crazy-lady' stares for making soup in 90o weather.  Anyone else ever get this look?  I love soup and I make it all year but now it fits and therefore, I don't have to explain myself.

Apparently, I am not the only one to love soup as evidenced by this post by Centsational Girl.  Kate at CG is all-around a-MAZ-ing.  Maybe it's in the name?  Probably not, as I have yet to find my inner do-it-all-diva.  Anyways, when I saw that she had a fool-proof Chicken Tortilla Soup, I had to give it a try.  I love this soup and the results were fantastic. 

Here's the photo from her blog.  Beautiful and light.

  

I added a can of canellini beans to make it heartier.  One caution, do NOT over do it on spicing the chicken or you will be left with an overwhelmingly chili-esque taste.  Definitely make the chip garnish or use crushed, stale chips- it adds a lot.

Enjoy!

- Kate

Finally, A Breakthrough

Did you notice the new name?

It's taken me weeks to figure out just what I wanted to do with this blog.  It's silly though, because what I've finally decided is really what nearly every person does already- share what you know!  Why did it take me so long to decide that all I wanted was to share what I am passionate about?  Honestly, I've been scared. Putting myself on public display means that I am open to criticism and just open in general.  What if no one likes what I have to share?  Will people only look at how poorly I write?  What if no one reads this?  Does that mean I am a failure?  I think this is the question I've been wrestling with most.  Not to get terribly deep but I sometimes feel judged that I opted to be a mom and not a career woman.  I feel I took what's become 'the road less traveled.'   I worry no one wants to hear from lil' ol' me.  Just to cover my bum, I am in no way saying anything negative about career women.  I do feel the world takes their opinions more seriously than a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom).  Finally, I've decided I have to put the fears on the back-burner.  I need an outlet and just maybe there's someone that can relate or be inspired.

My posts will include (but won't be limited too):

• Home decor
• Photography
• Families
• World events
• Bowel movements (that's not a joke.  it's a mom thing.)
• Mommy life
• Books
• Beauty
• TV
• Bad days
• Good days
• Mediocre days
• Anything else that stirs up emotion in any form

I hope you'll read along and bare with me.

As and update, I've just decided to dive head first back into the world of professional photography.  I want to start slow so please check out the blog from time to time for updates: http://tempestprofessionalphotography.blogspot.com

Lastly, I wanted to add a photo of our new home which we have yet to move into.  It's funny that I feel such a drive to get creative and work on my new blogs but I don't have a home to work on or in.  Typical.  Anyways, here is our future home:

* Please note that I took this on my phone and does not reflect my personal photography ;0)

Used My I-Phone

Before:

After:

There isn't much here for photos, but I was able to sneak a few. Here's the results of weeks of work. Yes, it took weeks. I was alone with two kids and this was TWO dressers! Cut me some slack! I really don't want to sell these, but I am!