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!