Thankful to Be Back Thursday

OK so this feels like my first day blogging like EVER.  It's not though... honest.  Used to do this all the time, several days a week even.... then sometime earlier this year.... the desire to blog just disappeared.  Who knew it could do that?  Show of hands?  Um no me neither.  Neither?  Either?  Whatever.  Yes, Monogirl still has Monobrain hard at work as you can see.

So what is on my mind this first day back?  This little guy.  Tanner.  He is about to be 14 years old on Nov. 1st and here at our house we are dealing with elderly dog issues.  Suddenly there have been accidents in the house.  He has never been like that since being house broken . Now he isn't making it thru the workday, and now even thru the night.  He is also having trouble hearing sometimes (we think) and if he's been sleeping for awhile it takes him a long time to stand up and get the joints moving.  Vet also told us he now has a heart murmur also due to age.  My heart is feeling kind of heavy and discouraged today because I feel like we are heading down a dead end road here... and I don't like what is at the end.  We have a call in to the vet to see if he has any help for the incontinence issues.  Is it possible something else is wrong?  It would be great if its fixable.  Otherwise I sense a decision coming that Darrel and I do not want to make.  Praying God will just take care of things when its time.

So what else is new?  Um Bible Journaling!  I might have mentioned that earlier in the year cause I've been toying with the idea for awhile but now?  So loving Bible Journaling.  My BFF Lisa and I went to an Illustrated Faith workshop in September and it was awesome.  Totally lit my fire to want to study my Bible more and meditate and create cool colorful notes and illustrations based on that reading.  I mean reading... note taking.... cool art supplies.... what's not to love?!!

At the workshop one of the other ladies had this fabric made into a Bible cover.  LOVE. Shortly thereafter I headed on over to Etsy to see if I could find a cover of my own.  First I found this one and fell in love with all the pinkness.  I ordered it immediately.  Well immediately after I measured to make sure it would fit.  Are we remembering that measuring is not Monogirl's best thing?  Well proof of that would be when the Bible came I soon discovered that a 7-3/4" cover would not fit an 8" Bible..... Why did Monogirl think it would?  Probably cause she tends to measure and say OK... close enough... and then just gets lucky if it fits.  Well after this debacle Monogirl and the husband decided that Monogirl is no longer allowed to measure anything and the husband is now officially in charge of all needed measuring.  It's totally his thing.  I've been known to call him Mr. T-square... Well I decided it couldn't hurt to ask if the shop owner would possibly be willing to exchange my cover.  I fessed up that the problem was TOTALLY my fault and that if she'd rather not, I understood, no hard feelings.  Well guess what she did?  She totally let me exchange, and since there was no more of the banner fabric she sent me links to Hobby Lobby and Joann's and let me custom pick out my fabric!!  How fun!!  And they totally had the King of Kings fabric! LOVE.  So I picked that, and mentioned my um.... LOVE for pink stuff and she outdid herself with pink lining, and pink ribbon markers and then I also ordered a matching pencil bag cause who could resist right?  Melinda the shop owner was awesome, and so wonderful to work with.  Please go check out her stuff.  She will fix you up!

Here is a peek at my first few journaling entries:

The last image is the pages I did at the IF workshop.  If you get a chance to attend a workshop... GO! Shanna Noel was the leader and she gave us her wonderful testimony, we listened to a 15 min. sermon, and then we went to town on our pages with notes and illustrations from that sermon and the scriptures in Colossians.  I have two more entries penciled in and waiting for some color and lots more notes from the last few weeks of sermons and devotionals.

The journaling has even spilled over into my job!  Our pastor just started a sermon series about the Beatitudes.  He asked the staff at staff meeting if anyone had any "catchy" title ideas. I didn't have too many thoughts at first, but after I got back to my office and read the Beatitudes and read some of the commentaries and looked it up in the Life Application Study Bible notes.... well then the brainstorming started.  Google is also a great help in brainstorming.  I had several pages of notes and title ideas and other thoughts.... then I had the urge to go home and draw it up.... Well when I mentioned that to the Pastor when I was telling him my title ideas he said I should draw it up.  Scary!! But fun.  So I drew it up, and then I re-created it on the computer, and Viola!  Sermon series graphic and then I turned that into sermon series powerpoint templates.  FUN.... I really liked it and it totally felt like one of those things where you are going um I could totally do this.... all the lights and switches and gears were going! ha.

So yes I am being brave and showing you my graphic.... and here is the original drawing...

Very fun and now I am helping with some ideas and creative stuff for another sermon coming up in November.

And so now I am thinking that is a pretty good start to my returning to the blogging world.... Why don't we close with a short... maybe... thankful list.

Feeling thankful today for....

• Tanner... 
• getting to use my creative abilities more! 
• Bible journaling.  LOVE 
• the very kind lady at the BlackKitty OrangeCat Etsy shop
• beautiful fall colors and weather 
• art supplies 
• that my husband was protected this morning when a tire went out on his car 
• warm soft covers to cuddle under in the cooler fall temps 
• getting to wedding dress shop with a dear friend 
• reading!  I am behind on my challenge (4 books...) but I am on it! 
• dinner already cooking in the crock pot 
• my ugg slippers 
• Miss Sophie and Miss Tris 
• honeycrisp apples!  A new found favorite.  Where have I been?  
• being married.  I am so in love with my dear husband. 
• having a good amount of Christmas shopping done already
• crocheting for the Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes 
• date night tomorrow!  yay! 

Hope to check in with you again soon ..... you know sometime before 6 mos has passed.... ha.
Blessings!

Ten On Tuesday..... The Bunny Report Edition

1) The bunny has been here.  As in Easter... not Energizer....although I could probably really use a visit from him too plus he's pink so that totally works.  Apparently I was a good girl because the husband bunny brought me some wonderful Fannie May goodies like a FUDGE egg and Mint Meltaways, and remember the cutest bunny ever, the bashful beige bunny?  Well he has a pink friend who now lives with me.  Very smart husband... um bunny. 

2) And just so you don't worry that the husband was neglected.... he was gifted with Fannie May chocolate bunnies, and peanut butter, pixie, and Trinidad eggs.  He was well cared for.  As always.

3) And here you have proof that our sweet little great nephew Elliot was happy to receive the "small bashful beige bunny" as his new friend.  I mean how cute is he holding him? 

4) We had a very nice Resurrection Sunday!  We didn't make sunrise service, but had a wonderful very full church service that included some wonderful music, duets, and an awesome drama at the end.  We then had a relaxing dinner at Springmill Lodge and got to have some family time for the rest of the day.  Beautiful weather too.  Springmill Park was lovely.  Made me think a big Easter cookout would have been pretty great too! ha.  Do people do cookouts for Easter? 

5) OK so after all of our binge watching of the Walking Dead, and then catching up just in time for the season finale... we may now be having withdrawal.  Do we really have to wait till like um October?  Cause perhaps we should have rationed seasons 1-5 a bit to avoid the lull.... I did hear there is a companion series coming for the summer?  Hopefully that will be a good thing. 

6) The replacement bike fork arrived today!  This should mean that my bike will look like a bike soon, a very pretty pink bike.... and not just a pile of parts in the dinning room. 

7) Been doing lots of googling and pinterest browsing about Bible Journaling, Watercolors, and Art Journaling.  The browsing lead me to this blog yesterday and I am in LOVE with her artwork!  She does amazing lettering and I love her art too!  She is also a stamp carver!!  A girl after my own heart.  I think I pinned half her blog yesterday and I totally know what I want to carve for my first stamp too after seeing one of hers!  She has some classes linked which I plan to check out and she has stamp designs with Technique Tuesday!  I think I want to be like her when I grow up....

8)Worked on my planner some on Saturday while my husband was working on running TV and DVD wires in the walls to hide them from hanging down behind the TV.  Did a little watercolor painting of a tulip and my Resurrection Sunday banner and added lots of fun and pretty washi tapes!  Are washi tapes not like the coolest thing? 

9) Have you watched Amy Tangerine's latest Design on Time video?  Check it out here!  She makes me want to use all my stamps and paints and sewing the minute I get done watching one of her videos.  She has a way of showing how fun and simple it can be when we don't stress about perfection and just have FUN... what a concept for Monogirl.

10) Date night was great this week!  We had carryout pizza and pasta from town....not to be confused with the big city.  We watched Amazing Race both old and new.  We watched a movie called Interstellar.  Which was good... until it wasn't.  ha!  It reminded me of how I felt about The Abyss.  Remember that one? Good story, action, very interesting, until the way they pull it all togehter turns out to be this giant alien thing lifting them all up out of the water.  Really?  Interstellar's whole 4th/5th dimension thing felt a lot like that. Overall a good story though I guess.  Plus didn't I mention it was date night and we exchanged Easter gifts then, and no bad moods, movies, or attitudes are allowed on date night. It's sacred.  But you knew that right? 

And to close.... two more very cute pictures of our new little nephew.  Is he not the cutest? 

Awwwwww... I mean how do you not love the bow tie?  Blessings!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful today for this work in progress.  We are finally getting our shelves up.  Are they in the living room?  No.  Dinning room? Um no... They are in both.  We decided the longest wall, which both rooms share, would be the best spot and so far... I am thinking we were right!  We had them all in place and then we both decided we weren't liking that top shelf on the right.... it wasn't working with the rest like a team... so it got moved... which also mean the wall got repaired and is waiting for some paint this evening.  I am also thankful for a husband who knows how to do all this stuff and he does it well and is generally happy about it.  Have I mentioned what a great husband I have?  Just checking.  As you can see we tried out a few of the things we intend to go on the shelves... and yep.  Loving those too!  I have plans for lots more things to join these few. 

 

What else is there to be thankful for today?  How about.....

Sloppy Joes... its what's for dinner! Does anyone know who is Joe and why was he sloppy? 

the forsythia bush is blooming.

Happy Mail. 

Sleeping in on rainy gray days

My pretty pink laptop.  I like my smart phone.  I like my tablet.... but when it comes to emailing, because I like to be able to type on a keyboard, or even browsing... still prefer the laptop. 

The Fannie May package that just arrived... addressed to my husband.  That could mean good things for Monogirl for Easter.  Fannie May is easy to find in the Chicago area where we are from.  Here in SW Indiana?  Um not so much.  Pretty much have to go to Indy I think.

We got this quilt hung in our bedroom this week!  yay!  This is a baby quilt my Mamaw made for me when I was yes... a baby.  It's got pink!  Wasn't she smart?  It's old... which yes would imply Monogirl is old... a fact that was recently made quite clear to me when  picking a song for worship leading that was not all that old to me, but after thinking it thru.... that the copyright was 1983.... I realized that meant it was um 32 years old.  That part was thought thru after discovering that the worship team people had not heard of it and some of them.... who are adults with children.... had not yet been born in 1983... Oh my.  When did Monogirl get old?  Anyway.... old or not... tattered and greatly used... LOVE this quilt and love it on my wall. 

My IRCA judging books arrived... and that means I received 4, signed by the author, books to keep!  I have until Mid May to read 4 books.... do ya think I can handle that assignment? I can't tell you which books I have until the judging is done.... so tune in later for details. 

Getting to play with my watercolor paints this past weekend.  I was totally fighting complete anxiety attacks and stress about worship leading (among other things) and a little escape to my craft room and playing with paint and markers was the perfect soother.  I hand lettered this in my planner and then painted it with watercolors.  Very Fun.  Need to be doing more of that!

A fresh pink pedicure and getting to wear flip flops this week!  Although in old people Monogirl's day they were called thongs.... And yes, I am aware that means a whole other thing these days...

More people joining in on the Handmade 4Him Operation Christmas Child project at church!  Love it!!

My new bike arrived.  My husband was going to put it together until he discovered the front fork was bent.... why am I thankful?  The company took care of the problem wonderfully and a new front fork is on its way to us with very little hassle!   I love it when quality companies stand behind their stuff! 

As long as we are talking about the bike... LOOK how cute it is.  Thankful for that!

beautiful spring days this week

Cuties!  Love those things... sad that they tend to disappear in April and not reappear till November.  Better stock up now!

finishing this book today.  SO good.  Her book A Fall of Marigolds is also excellent. 

That I am 2 books ahead of schedule for my goal of 110 books this year!

....and that it's early in the day still so after getting a start on the sloppy joes there will still be time to play with paints and markers and scrap supplies...

Until next time... blessings!

Thankful Thursday

Now how could one not be thankful for the best bunny ever?  He is so soft and his tag says "I am small bashful beige bunny.  Please look after me."  Awwwww  Can't you just picture a little person carrying him around by his ear?  Good thing I have one or two on hand for a couple special little people I know.  Did you also know they come in PINK? 

Also feeling thankful for.....

the Internet having an off switch.... cause some days my head just doesn't need anymore chaos

days when it's OK to just close my eyes and drift off for a nice nap when I'm feeling tired

a generous gift in the mail yesterday

singing!  Love to sing at church. 

watching Miss Sophie playing with new toys

being stocked up on cuties... especially since they usually disappear in April

a productive day at work yesterday

an unexpected dinner at Steak and Shake yesterday which of course included the all important milk shake - shake of choice?  Chocolate for Monogirl

seeing the daffodils starting to come up

Kids Hope yesterday and more painting fun!

Date Night!  I look forward to it every week!  Last week included carry out Pasta and sandwiches from Procopios, popcorn, and more Walking Dead.  We are into season 5 now... they are about to have a confrontation with the people at the hospital to try and rescue Beth and Carol...

This verse.... "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." Proverbs 29:25  That verse has been put in front of me several times over the past few weeks.  It's even more enlightening when you check it out on blueletterbible.org.  I love seeing the meanings from the original Hebrew. 

Capri pants weather

my iPhone 5S

creative things and making stuff and inspiring things like those Amy Tangerine videos!  Good stuff.

Miss Tris being fully recovered from her surgery

going to church with my husband

my husband bringing dinner home from papa John's.... we are trying the Philly cheesesteak pizza... Lets hope we don't regret that decision.

and that I actually got blogging done twice so far this week.  yay Monogirl. 

Signing off for now... Blessings!

Ten on Tuesday

1) More stuff up on the wall!  Yay!!  So I bought these from Zulily... My husband is probably thinking I need to start deleting their daily emails without peeking at them.  ha!   They are pallet shelves or pallet bookshelves I've seen them called.  When I ordered them I planned to put pictures and knickknacks on.  After that I saw them called bookshelves which gave me some different ideas.  My very first thought was of my beloved copies of Charlotte's Web and Lassie Come Home.  I still remember - clearly - the day my Dad took me to Printer's Ink in Jefferson Square Mall and told me I could pick out 2 books.  These are the books and they are a treasure to me and now I am oh so excited to have a cool way to display them.  As for the rest of the space?  I haven't decided if it will be all books?  Pictures?  Antique plates?  Or perhaps a mix of all?  I think I'm liking that last plan the best.

 

2) Since I've come back to blogging I set up a query to put a link on facebook whenever there is a new post.  Working pretty well.  My only complaint is it also prints out the whole blog post and when it does it squishes all my lines together making it difficult for one to read.  Um do they not know that Monogirl's OCDness does NOT like that?  So then I obsess over whether or not people know that if they click on the link and/or picture it will take them to the actual blog where hopefully reading is more eye friendly...... So that I can stop obsessing.... may we declare item #2 on today's post as the official public service announcement informing all readers of this option.... I feel so much better now...

 

3) Apparently we've been binge watching way to much Walking Dead.  Why you ask?  You did ask right?  Well that would be because today driving to work I came up on a spot in the road that is covered with blood.  LOTS of blood.  I don't know what got hit but I assure you it died.  I mean there is like at least a car length of red pavement.  It was likely a good sized deer.. however as I drove up on it today the thought that went thru my head was "looks like a herd of Walkers have been thru here..."  Bwa ha ha ha ha...... Of course then I'm like OK was that funny?  Or like totally psycho?

 

4) Stopped to pick up a salad at the little food place in town on the way to work yesterday.  They were busy!  I placed my order for carryout and was ready to pay, but the girl left to start making food so I figured OK I pay when the food is done I guess.  Sat down.  Was going thru emails on my phone and while I'm waiting the place got quite crowded.  Word to the wise.... always call your order in ahead at lunch time.   Finally its my turn, my salad is ready and the girl walks out and hands it to me and starts to walk away.  I said um I still need to pay you.  She says didn't you already pay?  I say nope...still need to pay you.  At this point a lady across the room says "boy are you an honest person."  I smiled at her and said it was important to do the right thing.  That kind of stuck with me the rest of the day.  It reminded me as a Christian, it's always important to live my life the way that honors Jesus 100% of the time.  People are watching and I want my life to always be a witness!  I also felt blessed that as a Christian it never even occurred to me that I could walk out without paying.  That's not what I was taught, not how I was raised, and I am thankful for that too. 

 

5) This book came in the mail today!  Apparently it's become quite popular with the whole Bible Journaling craze because it's like the first time I had to wait forever for the book because it was on back order and unavailable like everywhere!  So Monogirl is happy to have her very own copy and eager to dive in! Maybe then I will actually DO some Bible journaling since that is the idea after all....

 

6) The pink bicycle has arrived.  It's sitting in the dinning room encased in about 10lbs of shrink wrap which is good I guess since it looks like there are lots of pieces under there.  Monogirl is quite happy her husband enjoys "some assembly required" and has agreed to take care of that for her. 

 

7) Have you seen this video from Amy Tangerine?  You have to watch it just to see the amazingly cool thing she does with watercolors and a straw!  SOOOOO cool.  I have to try this.  As soon as I figure out exactly how she did that...

 

8) And as long as you are watching Amy Tangerine videos I'd watch this one too.  She is so good at creating and I love her style!  I see her stuff and then have to say um Monogirl... why do you not use all your fun stamps and paints more like Amy?! 

 

9) Regarding my shelves up top in the pic... they don't look like I've got the flag hanging in my dinning room do they? Because that is totally not the look I am going for. 

 

10) I haven't carved a stamp yet.  I can't decide what my first one should be.  Well.. .first one since leaving high school.  An arrow?  A word I'd use in my journal?  A word in an arrow?  I am thinking I should keep it simple but need to cut thru the monobrain fog and make a decision.  Not my best thing sometimes. 

And now the husband is home and it is dinner time!  I believe French Bread pizzas are on today's menu. 

Blessings!

Thankful Thursday

Pretty thankful today that we are finally getting some things up on the walls in our newly remodeled living room and dinning room.  I bought this cute little vintage suitcase looking shelf from Zulilly  and thought it made a perfect home for my most favorite painting ever.... the one my husband painted in college. The painting used to belong to my husband's parents.  A couple of year's ago, Darrel's Dad told us we should take it home.  Nice of him to suggest that and thwart my plans to steal it one day when no one was looking... ha!!!

I am also thankful that.....

the wasp that is currently flying around my house is leaving me alone.  I told my husband he needed to come home. (kidding) He told me the fly swatter was in the pantry.  I replied that wouldn't help me unless there were also stilts in there.  Monogirl is short remember?  His reply?  To tell me where the gun is.  He is oh so helpful.... Usually. 

the beautiful 70 degree day we had this week!  Love those first beginning peeks of spring!

Capri pants weather.... see point above. 

Reading!  Currently reading The Beekeepers Son and enjoying it. 

A newly cleaned scrapbook and crafting room.

Miss Tris is recovering nicely from her spay surgery.  She has been in solitary for the last week and 1/2 or at least I'm sure she thinks it's like solitary confinement.  About a week after her surgery she started swelling.  The vet said she was being too active and needed to be quiet and dry.... so she has been living in the dog crate while she recovers.  She has her own little bed, litter pan and food and she is resting.  How else does one keep a year old cat non active?  Duct tape? 

That Miss Sophie likes to play fetch.  It is sooooo cute.  I have to get it on video sometime.

New crochet magazines

finding out that the food place in town makes a wonderful chicken strip salad.  yum

that the new Insurgent movie comes out tomorrow

the drive in opening soon - I am hearing early April!

Mexican Food! 

OK... and Italian food and Chinese food and OK... food. 

the pretty pink bicycle I bought the other day... yes.  It looks all vintagey too.  Wait till you see it. 

Saturday pancakes

Cuddling on the couch with my husband and watching our shows together

new art supplies, especially the stamp carving stuff!  Loved looking at the blog I linked yesterday and can't wait to try one of my own

Hilton Head.   Nope, haven't been recently... but we're going again this summer!  Maybe I'll ride a pretty pink bike on the beach with my husband. 

holding Darrel's hand

The Walking Dead... I know... a weird thing to be thankful for.  It's just that Darrel and I have been enjoying binge watching it together as we catch up with the rest of the world. 

and for the hot shower that is calling my name.  I think today's shower gel scent shall be Madagascar Vanilla.  It's almost... almost a tie with my all time fav. Moonlight Path.

Blessings!

Late Night Randomness....

So I think I've mentioned that this year I've been trying my hand at the whole Bible Journaling, Documented Faith/Document Life kind of project.  Right? Stephanie Ackerman was my first inspiration.  LOVE her lettering style and the way she journals in her journaling Bible.  She has a cool video here showing the process.  I even signed up for her online doodling/lettering class.  I've barely started it.... but last week this verse was put in front of me a couple of times and it was really... really... speaking to me so I just had to include it in my planner.  So here we have my attempt at lettering.  Haven't done much lettering in ages so I am rusty!  Did it turn out like I wanted?  Um no.  Did I have fun?  Yes.  Will I keep trying?  Definitely.  The "I love this" on the side is a stamp.  The rest was me.  And is this not an awesome verse?  It was first in my Sunday School Lesson from Lysa Terkeurst's book The Best Yes.  She had used it in a lesson about how we tend to confuse the command to love one another with the "disease to please".... meaning we fall into the trap of trying to be a people pleaser, worried about what others will think or how they'll react rather than fearing God alone and following his plans for us.  Good stuff! 

So like a week or two ago... I realized if I ever actually want to work in my scrap room to like you know actually scrapbook or Bible Journal or play with any of my new art supplies then I was actually going to have to clean up the clutter I have let accumulate.  This was the before.   Do you see like any work space in there?  Me neither.... Of course... the after is much better....

A little rearranging.... a little decluttering... and we are back in business.  I guess I should mention that one also has to ignore the ugly walls... and ceiling.  My space is an enclosed porch.  Mamaw and Papaw enclosed it.  When we bought the house, we made it more an actual part of the house... but it's last on the remodeling list.  As we've redone walls, and removed old windows etc., its added to the ugly wall status... but one day?  One day you shall see a PINK wall there.... Trust me.  Hopefully heading into that project next fall.  Here was the other side of the room before... and after. 

 

More ugly walls... ignoring those... moving on... As you can see I have a book or two on this side... and my beloved pink sewing machine and jars of buttons!  I have some of my crochet stuff this side too.  My main work surface on the first side I showed you is an antique drafting table that belongs to my husband.  I also have a vintage metal credenza and this cool vintage metal desk.  LOVE. 

And since we were speaking of remodeling.... this sort of counts!  New ceiling fan to replace the ceiling fan that died in the power surge.  A surge that may have been a blessing since we got to get this cool new sort of industrial sort of vintage ceiling fan.  LOVE it and it has Edison Bulbs... also love!  The day the surge happened our house smelled like something was on fire.  VERY scary.... especially since in 2005 our church caught fire and myself and 3 others were in the building at the time.  We all got out OK.  Just will never forget that smell.  Ir kind of sticks with you when your office turns into this.....

Anyway when Darrel took the old fan down, we found the source of the burning smell... which wasn't only a smell.  Thank you again Lord for your protection! 

See... just a bit of burning was going on in the ceiling... yikes!  Scary stuff.  On the positive side... with this replaced we only have 2 things left to purchase.  Yay!  Glad to be thru that. 

Show of hands if you have ever carved your own stamp.  Carved.  Not craved... cause who hasn't craved a cool new stamp.... especially if you are a scrapbooker.  In case you are wondering what the heck is Monogirl talking about... there are some good examples on this blog.  Cool right?  I carved a couple back in high school art class.  I enjoyed it and have often thought of trying it again, but lacked the tools.  Until of course I got this cool book out of the library that helped me figure out that those supplies were as simple as a browse over at Amazon.... So guess what Monogirl now owns?  Carving tools and linoleum blocks just waiting for a design and some carving fun.  Well... .mostly fun.  Cause from what I remember from high school... you know back in the olden days.... those carving tools are also sharp and one should be quite careful not to gouge one's self in the hand..... I might have done that.  Once... OK maybe twice. 

Speaking of stamping.... you have to watch this video from Amy Tangerine.  I mean the girl is so talented and does she not make stamping and water coloring look oh so fun?  The only way I kept myself from running into my room to make a water colored, stamped, stitched layout after I saw that was that I wasn't at home when I watched it! ha!!  I need to watch it again to get re-motivated. 

Thinking we will call this enough randomness for one night.  Besides now my head is all wondering what design I want to carve into a stamp.... those banner ones on that blog are pretty cool.... hmmmm

Blessings! 

Ten on Tuesday

1) Have I showed you this pic?  I think I only had it on facebook. This is my attempt at getting back into sketching, artwork, etc.  I loved it in high school and still do.... but had gotten away from it.  Now that I have all these new art supply toys, I need to get busy! 

2) So I go to the library today to return some books and pick up some on hold.  The library lady then proceeds to spend the next several minutes checking in my books, before turning around and getting my books on hold and checking them out.  Really?  Is it necessary I stand here and wait while you check in my books.  Has no one told her patience is not my best thing? 

3)Last night I had my yearly employee review.  On my way there it occurs to me perhaps I should have dressed a bit more professional than yoga pants and a comfy shirt and sweater and a messy bun.  Although.. I figured if that was the case, then wearing the shirt I dropped spaghetti on at dinner was a big mistake.  Lets hope they didn't deduct points for that huh? 

4)Also on the drive in last night it was like Wild Kingdom out there.  First I come up on a deer at the edge of the road... and thank you God for telling her to wait a minute and not run out in front of me.... then I get past that and here goes a coyote across the road.  At least it keeps you alert!

5)Looking forward to a bonus date night tomorrow night!  It's the season premiere of Amazing Race and Survivor back to back!  Yay!  Cannot wait.  We are gonna snuggle up on the couch, eat pizza and watch every exciting moment! 

6)Apparently Miss Tris is in heat.  She certainly acts like it.  We had/have plans to get her spayed, we just thought we had more time.  Darrel called the vet yesterday and they inform us the price is $20 more if the cat is in heat?  Um why exactly?  Need to go google that! ha.

7) This past Sunday the husband and I sang this song.  LOVE that song.. and VERY fun to sing with the husband and his lovely harmony.  We might need to do that again.  Of course.

8) Do you observe the season of Lent?  Loved these thoughts the 1000 gifts author shared on her blog yesterday.  I also need to know where to get one of those candle wreath thingys she has.  How cool is that?

9) Anyone familiar with #SheReadsTruth?  Someone mentioned it in the Bible Journaling community I joined on FB and it sounds good so I am checking it out starting today.  Anyone want to join me?  Looks like they also have a FB community and some great devotionals.  Their website is here.

10) Still going strong on the Elm Creek Quilts series and am currently reading book 18 which is The Wedding Quilt. Enjoying the series but am becoming eager to dive back into an Amish book or two.  And yes of course I have a list. 

So how was your Tuesday?  Hope it was a good one.  Blessings !

Thankful Thursday

So what's to be thankful about on this Thankful Thursday?  Well.....

Shelter from the snow and cold!  We made it all winter without snow until this week and then we get hit twice!  This of course has been followed by frigid temps. Makes a girl wonder if she is back in Chicago again.  Did I ever tell you the one about the boy and girl who got engaged in Chicago on a cold.... 22 below... December day? 

The Insurgent Movie comes out next month!  Just saw the trailer.  Too funny though... when I heard them say "Tris" on the trailer I think oh!  Just like our little kitty Tris.... of course then I realize um hello... we named Tris after the Divergent series since we read it together!  They don't call me Monogirl for nothin.

Clean glasses.  Now that I am more dependent on my glasses... cannot stand dirty glasses. 

Halos.  Not quite as much my fav as Cuties... but they are a great second choice. 

A working Internet connection. The one at work is not so much... working.  Making Monogirl's job difficult! 

And on the heels of that thought... the ability to work from home when weather and annoying Internet connections interfere with work from the office!

Being reminded that Fannie May sells Easter Candy.... I mean have you ever tried their Caramel Pecan Fudge Egg? 

Progress on our Handmade 4Him crafty items for Op. Christmas Child boxes.  A church friend and her daughter spent this week making some awesome bracelets for the boxes!  SO excited about that!!  LOVE seeing people get on board with the project!

Not breaking my iPhone when I just dropped it between the end table and the couch..... and yes I thought I was being careful.

The ability to laugh at the chaos that ensued a few nights ago when we had the dump the meat sauce, spill all of the tide on the floor debacle...

The ability to laugh at that including that a few nights later my husband was in the basement working on the new outlets for the living/dinning room and he noticed a spot on the floor. He goes to investigate and is all what's that?  It was detergent... Yep.  Seeped thru the pantry floorboards and found it's way all the way to the basement floor.  Too funny! 

Playing with art supplies! 

 

Date night!  Especially our Valentines Date Night this past week. 

 

Reading!  And discovering that DUH the last 3 books on the Elm Creek Quilts series (which I am currently reading) are available on E-loan from the library.  Which means I am back on my beloved Kindle. 

Discovering the library E-loan now includes some magazines.  However.. not for Kindle, for Nook.  But Monogirl was smart enough to figure out Nook has a free iPhone app so now Monogirl has Taste of Home and Crochet magazines on her iPhone.  Martha Stewart Living too.  It's a good thing.

 

The Vera purse my husband picked out for me. 

Valentine roses that are still pretty. 

God's protection for our niece when her car went off the road in the snow yesterday. 

All things warm when it's next to below zero out.... like ugg slippers, down comforters, heated car seats, Dennis Basso scarves, Ugg boots.... and Miss Sophie. 

 

Spotting this on clearance when I was looking for that link.... That belongs at my house.

 

Watching Miss Sophie play fetch. 

Spaghetti for dinner tonight!  Assuming Monogirl gets off the computer and gets in the kitchen to make the sauce?  ha..

Blessings!

Ten On Tuesday

1) Yes, Valentines day has come and gone, but just had to share that actual art work occurred at Monogirl's house... she made a card for her beloved husband....It was a hit.  Of course now more artwork needs to occur.

2) Our Valentines Day was good!  It was mostly celebrated on date night beginning with dinner which was pizza, pasta and bread sticks from town... and oh yes... the all important Chocolate Confusion Cake for dessert.  That just seemed like a very Valentinesy thing to do right? 

3) Beautiful pink roses and a Valentine's E-card started my Valentines day because when I got to work... these were on my desk.  I *heart* roses especially when they are the perfect shade of dark pink.... He knows me well. 

4) Last year our Valentine's gift to each other was new iPhones.  This year we got a bit more creative.  My husband... all on his own... picked out a very PINK very Vera purse.  Did he do good or what?  There was also a beautiful card and a very pretty box of again the all important chocolate. 











5) My gift for him was a coach Wallet that I got on a great clearance deal back at Christmas, Fannie May candy and cashews and I made the card as I mentioned with my trusty new watercolor pencils which were VERY fun!

 

6) On Sunday night, we decided to order out for dinner.  So as we are sitting enjoying our wonderful Procopios sandwiches, the cat starts misbehaving. Darrel had his hands busy with his dinner so as I reached to get her back from what she was getting into I managed to spill my plate... dumping an entire cup of red sauce In. My. Lap.  Very nice.  I managed to get my nightshirt,  my pretty pink long john pants... and of course the sofa.  So as Darrel is helping me clean up I of course have to go change clothes and get my tomato sauce covered stuff in the wash.  As I am putting my stuff in the wash... Monobrain kicks in.... and I somehow manage to try to open the washer lid with an open bottle of tide sitting on top.  It of course falls off and lands completely upside down.... and pours laundry detergent all over the pantry floor.  I'm all like OK seriously.... did that just happen?  Um yep it did.  Do you know how hard it is to clean up laundry detergent? .... fun evening.  One minute we are cuddled on the couch enjoying dinner and one of our shows.  Apparently the next minute we decide to mess up and then clean everything in the house..... I liked the original plan better. 

7) Do I have plenty of crochet projects lined up right now?  Not to mention scrapping projects.... cross stitch projects... art projects.... Yes.  Did I see this Pineapple Pashmina today and totally need to order it?  Anyone?  OK... so I haven't ordered it yet... but only because I couldn't decide what color I wanted to make it in.   Do I want Pink....OK so that's a given.  Or maybe ecru, black.... or maybe the cement color?  I am decision challenged today. 

8) I forgot!  Also for Valentines I gave Darrel the "How Well Do You Know Your Husband" book and also the wife version.  I saw them on another blog and they looked totally up our alley.  There are 100 questions.  We figured we'd do 10 or so for several date nights.... which of us do you think will earn an A+ first?

9) Are you a fellow cashew lover?  Cause if ya' are... you need to try some of those Fannie May cashews.... Pricey?  yes.  So good?  yes.  They are worth the splurge on occasion.  And as long as you are placing an order... get yourself some mint meltaways too.  The green ones are the best!

10) And now... I shall bid you goodnight as I go and dive back into my book and perhaps enjoy a cashew or two since my husband seems to like me enough to share.

Blessings!  

Thankful Thursday

Feeling grateful for many things on this Thankful Thursday evening.... things like...

• Miss Sophie here.  Yes... this is my leg, my nightshirt and my blanket... but apparently Miss Sophie is under the impression that my nightshirt doubles as a great blanket to tunnel under.  Could she be any cuter? 

Being back to blogging!  I've missed the blogging world and my blogging reader friends.  Thanks for hanging around

Hot Stuff Potato Chips.  Have you had these?  The Jay's people make them and they were our Fav when we lived in IL.  Somehow a bag or two found their way down to Southern Indiana.  Don't know how that happened but me and the husband were happy 'bout that!

Crocheting... it just might save my sanity.  Or maybe that's reading... or maybe it's a toss up.

Nail polish that does not chip.  Yes. Gel polish qualifies but after wearing that for like 2+ years Monogirls fingers suddenly decided they were allergic to the Gel... Not happy about that turn of events. 

Books!  Still enjoying the Elm Creek Quilt series and loving every minute!

Art!  Did a little playing with my watercolor pencils today to try and come up with a Valentine's card for my husband.  I came up with two.  At the moment I am not sure either are fit for viewing.  Monogirl will decide tomorrow.  It was still fun just perhaps a watercolor artist I am not.  Did I mention it was fun?

Remembering I wanted to make a Valentine's card.  I've been thinking I'd do that today for a few weeks now and today?  Completely forgot until I had one hour left before he arrived home.  Perhaps that pressure of the hour has something to do with my watercolor skills or the lack thereof...

Valentine's Day.  Yay!  I *heart* Valentine's day!!  Especially since ours will commence tomorrow night for date night!  I am hoping flowers and chocolate will be involved. 

Kids Hope!  Loved spending time with J this week and loved playing with paints together and getting a hug!  J is awesome!

The nebulizer machine.  It is helping and perhaps is worth the 9 arguments and endless irritation I endured dealing with the Home Health people and the Insurance people.  Not Monogirl's favorite thing.

A new freezer on the way to replace the power surged freezer.

Mexican food... it's what's for dinner!  YUM.  Tortilla's should have their own food group.

Saturday Pancakes

My husband's pillow. I love to steal it after he has left for work.  It smells like him and yes that is a good thing.

Cuddling on the couch watching our shows and movies. 

The Chocolate Confusion cake they have at Procoppios.  YUM.  It's a very close second... or perhaps a tie to Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake from The Cheesecake Factory.

Our Handmade 4Him project!  So excited about doing this and crafting with my friends. 

My BFF.... she signed me up for a List Making online challenge/class thingy yesterday.  Now WHY would she think I'd like a list making event?  Perhaps she is my BFF for a reason. 

My craft/scrap room.  It's currently somewhat of a disaster which makes me miss it and want to craft and clean it up.  I am thinking everyone should create every day.  Who is with me?

Bath & Body works Moonlight Path shower gel.  LOVE that scent.  Love it.  Good stuff. 

Ok... most things from Bath & Body works. 

My Job.  I love working at the church.  I mentioned on FB the other day that quite often my boss... the Pastor... walks around singing whatever song or hymn happens to be stuck in his head at the moment. Makes me smile! 

Good memories of Valentines past. 

The library.  I think the library should be part of every one's day.

Our home.  Shelter.  It's supposed to be like Chicago cold in these parts on Saturday. 

Our DVR.  Love picking from things we've recorded to watch together over dinner.  Tonight's pic?  this week's episode of Chopped. 

And now I am thankful that dinner is ready!  And it starts with nachos.  Don't want to be late for that. 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Blessings!

Wordless Wednesday

A hand painted valentine from J at Kids Hope today. Now how awesome is that ?  And ok...so it wasn't completely wordless. What? Did you like just meet me?  

Ten On Tuesday

1) Yes... I showed up....for a possible 10 on Tuesday.  At the moment I only have like um 4... on Tuesday but that just doesn't sound as nice.  Let's see what we end up with. 

2) Here you have a pic of my current project.  Bought this in a kit from Mary Maxim because I fell in LOVE with the pink color.... shocking I know and because I liked the raised stitches. Loving it but am also ready to be done with it and move on to one of the 101 projects waiting in the wings. 

3) I work at our church.  Not news to you right?  Well it is such a blessing.  Especially days like today when my boss.. the Pastor walks around singing at the top of his lungs.  Love that and am thinking I need to burst into song right along with him next time. 

4) Are you ready for Valentines day?  Or are you in the "it's just a made up card holiday" camp?  I am soooo NOT in that camp.  When I was a little girl my Mom told me a story about when she was in grade school (I think) and a boy that liked her gave her a giant heart shaped box of candy.  It was so big she had to wrap both arms around it to carry it home.  I loved that story.  I love romance.  And yes I could not wait until someone wanted to romance me and give me a giant heart shaped box of candy.  The husband God had for me?  Totally fits that description.  We always enjoy Valentines day together.... and this week, for us, it will start on date night!  Can't wait. 

5) Speaking of date night, my BFF sent me a link to this blog today and I love love love all these cool ideas for dates!  I mean how creative to make this gift for her husband for Christmas?  I might totally have to steal some of her ideas.  I love how she took pics and made a scrapbook page for each monthly date too!  Awesome!  Of course she also makes me want one of those instax cameras all over again too... I mean it comes in pink and I don't have one.  That is reason enough to get one right there.  ha! 

6) This would be my gift for J at Kids Hope tomorrow.  Cool like confetti looking polish, a sparkly headband and a I *heart* volleyball bracelet.  Did I do good for an almost teenager?  Is it a bad thing that I am 48 and I like it too? 

7) A friend gave us some of those little poke in the ground solar landscape kind of lights.  We live in the country and our driveway is HARD to find in the dark so we used two of them at the bottom of the driveway to help guide us home.  We also live on a highway.  No sidewalks.  Barely a shoulder to walk on or pull over if needed.  Being outside of town and heading out into more country I don't know where anyone would be walking to anyway.  However... one of the lights went missing?  Where did it go?  Did someone drive out here just to pick one of them up and take it with them?  Did someone happen to walk by and need a light to find their way?  Did it like blow away in a tornado I don't remember?  It's just gone.  Makes no sense.  I mean you'd have to purposefully drive out here and pull in our drive way and choose to take only one light.  This does not compute.  If someone had driven over it or hit it and knocked it in the ditch.... well that I'd understand.  Would a dog pull a light out of the ground and carry it away?  Or is the universe just messing with me?  At least we could still find the driveway with the other light.  Well... until someone.... like probably the people working on the sewer line... GRRRRR .....smashed that one. 

8) I realized today that I recently told you that we got a great Christmas gift in the form of a new great nephew but then blogger and its picture loading issues prevented me from showing you.  Well... .blogger is still pressing my buttons with its picture loading issues but I found away around that... so here you have little Elliot.  Is he not the cutest thing ever?  No.  I am not biased. 

9) Still reading the Elm Creek Quilts books.  Started #16 today! There are 20 in the series so I am on the downside and excited to be through the whole series.  You'd think a series that long would get boring or redundant but she has a cool way in each book of picking a different part of the timeline of the story and maybe the whole story is about the earlier generations. Then the next book in the present.  Then the next focuses on another member of the team or goes back and picks up a story that started a few books ago.  It's been very interesting and I've really enjoyed them.  Thank goodness for the library and the inter library loan thing because I've been able to request all 20 books thru them from libraries all over the state of Indiana. 

10) Trying to get the bedroom ceiling fan replaced (from the power surge).  Not liking anything we see in the stores.  Very much liking ones like this online.... but they are all WAY more than the budget.  Another cool one.... but with an over $400 price tag?  Really?  Hard to go that route when Lowe's has them under $200.... but they just are not that cool.  Do I have to pay for the coolness factor? 

And lookey there.... I made 10... yay Monogirl. 

Be back soon!  Blessings!

Handmade 4Him

Yes... here we have a hat and yes.... handmade by me!  I *heart* crocheting.  Why did I manage to forget that somehow?  I blame the scrapbooking obsession.  Which although it has cooled....somewhat.... it is also still with me. 

Made this hat for the Operation Christmas Child project I am trying to get off the ground at church called Handmade 4Him.  I saw several pics online showing people making items to put in the shoe boxes for the kids.  Well of course I'm all I wanna play too when I see something like that.  I mean think of all the cool stuff one could do.... hats, scarves, stuffed toys, headbands, wooden toys, pillowcase dresses, doll blankets, rainbow loom bracelets... etc... etc... the possibilities are not only endless but sound SO fun. 

So as I was working to get this started at church, I set us up an event page on the church's FB where I could post to the church with all the latest info.  The local newspaper apparently saw my posts and asked about doing an article so last week they were here to interview me and then this past Friday, this story was online!  I think she told me its also in print today.... I need to check that out! 

Thought she did a great job with the story.  The only thing I would add or include is that she had asked me what is the significance of handmade items for the shoe boxes?  My answer to that.... I believe God blesses us with the gifts and talents to make these things.  What better way to use that talent then to make a hat for a little one that is living in poverty somewhere?  I think its a wonderful way to love them and show I care and to be Jesus to them and to bring honor and glory to God for the gifts he gives me. 

I am hoping church wide, as others join in, we can make 1000 items.  So far I have made um 5.  4 washcloths and this hat.  My personal goal is to do 50 items.  I have until mid November.  It can be done right?  I am sure you will be sitting right here on the edge of your seat waiting to see the next project produced too..... right? 

Did you have a good weekend?  Our weekend always starts with date night.  This week was good... as usual of course.  We had Buffalo Wings and Rings Carry out.  LOVE the Teriyaki Tenders and potato skins.  YUM.  We watched some Amazing Race reruns... we are now on season 16 and we watched a movie, John Wick.  Have you seen John Wick?  Oh. My. Goodness.  Can we just talk about Daisy for a moment?  I won't say more... cause I don't want to throw out any spoilers... but Daisy?  On my mind for most of the movie and I still am thinking of Daisy...... Watch it.  You'll understand.  Although.. don't watch it if you don't want to see bloodshed.... and yes... some language.  Why can't they leave that part out?  We are generally pretty picky about watching R movies.  Honest. 

Anyway thanks for stopping by!  Plan to be back this week with some more Handmade 4Him projects and other crocheting, reading, crafting, oh and Valentines news... You are welcome. 

Blessings

Tie Dye Noebooks.... Otherwise known as Kids Hope FUN

OK so since I said I was going to do better blogging, and since it is one of my yearly goals to be a better blogger this year.....here I am!  Of course blogger is still being TOTALLY annoying about uploading pics... but did I let that stop me?  NO.  After sitting here for like 45 minutes messing with it I figured out a way to make it work!  Yay me... unless of course blogger wins by getting me to sit here for 45 minutes messing with it... nah....

So for a quick post I had to show you the "tie dye notebooks" we made in Kids Hope.  My KH friend had already made some at home on her own and she wanted us to do it together and therefore she got to be the "teacher."  I love that. I love when she sends me texts before our meetings about what she'd like to do although sometimes they result in a to do list like bring paint and Mod Podge and fun stuff like that.  I think she was most excited about my giant jar of Mod Podge!  Too funny.  My giant jar was courtesy of my husband stopping at Walmart on his way home from work! 

Since she has mentioned seeing this on Pinterest, I of course had to go there and check it out so I'd have some idea of what we were doing.  Here is the video tutorial if you are interested.  Oh and a little tip for you.... turn the volume down on your computer before clicking that link if you'd like to not be knocked out of your chair by the music! ha.

So we somehow managed to create these 2 notebook covers in 40 minutes while also not covering ourselves or the table in paint.  Monogirl gave her apron to J (my KH friend) so of course Monogirl did get a little paint on her shirt... but it came out so all is well.  Monogirl should have known to pack 2 aprons... duh. 

Monogirl's notebook cover had an issue or two with the paper peeling off on the "print" on the notebook but that was her fault for getting the paint a bit too thin on the paper we printed from.... hey... not bad for a first try anyway right? 

Currently our notebooks are still awaiting their final coat of mod podge for sealing purposes since they needed more time than we had for the paint to dry.  That will be on this week's agenda.  Fun right? 

So there you have it...... a blog post that came sooner than like 2 months later... and a weekend fun art project for you and a friend.  You are welcome.  :) 

Blessings!