tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26870622411181454052024-03-14T01:31:22.503-05:00Life is Crazy BeautifulMany are the plans in the heart of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-86240769771366990542011-10-02T22:41:00.003-05:002011-10-02T22:49:44.698-05:0031 Days of Progress<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lifeiscrazybeautiful.com/category/31-days-of-progress"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2-vuAYM9rIs/Tokv5jky3rI/AAAAAAAAACo/e01wJuVCNyY/s400/31Days_250.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659107072616357554" border="0" /></a><span style="float:left;line-height:36px;padding-top:2px;padding-right:4px;font-family:Cambria, serif;font-size:48px;color:#a28054;" >J</span>ust thought I'd pop back over here to the "old place" and invite you to My New Place. I'm participating with over 600 <strike>crazy</strike> other bloggers for 31 days themes. Join us at <span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><a href="http://lifeiscrazybeautiful.com">lifeiscrazybeautiful.com</a></span>, where we're working on 31 Days of Progress. The way to tackle those tasks, goals and dreams is one step at a time...the important thing is to keep moving forward!!<br /><br />Today's post includes a GIVEAWAY and tomorrow's post will have a helpful kitchen tip and mini recipe.<br /><br />Come one over and re-subscribe, I've missed you!<br /><br /><i><strong><br /><br /></strong></i><img style="border:none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" />Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-15473657497779851572011-09-12T23:18:00.003-05:002011-09-12T23:26:37.955-05:00Okay, It's Official<span style="float:left;line-height:36px;padding-top:2px;padding-right:4px;font-family:Cambria, serif;font-size:48px;color:#a28054;" >W</span>hile there a still some minor things to work on, please consider this blog MOVED!!!<br /><br /><center><br />New Location is <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);font-size:180%;" ><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.blogger.com/lifeiscrazybeautiful.com">lifeiscrazybeautiful.com</a></span><br /><a border="0" href="http://lifeiscrazybeautiful.com/" alt="LifeisCrazyBeautiful" target="_blank"><img src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/Sep2011New/2011Button.png" /></a></center><div style="text-align: center;">I can't wait for you to come visit and hang out with me there!!<br /></div><br />For various reasons, I will NOT be using Google Friend Connect on the new site, but you can still follow by RSS, Email or by joining my <a href="http://theblogfrog.com/1502107">BlogFrog Community</a>!<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:839ecb;">Thanks for being a part of my first web home {and I hope helping me "warm" my second one}. Have a Beautiful day, especially if it gets a little Crazy!</span></strong><br /><img style="border:none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" />Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-35270149213747957022011-09-10T20:18:00.003-05:002011-09-10T21:06:23.012-05:00An Important Note About My Move!<span style="float:left;line-height:36px;padding-top:2px;padding-right:4px;font-family:Cambria, serif;font-size:48px;color:#a28054;" >W</span>hile I still have some "housework" to do concerning previous posts, I have reached the point in moving to my new domain & host where I need to redirect my feedburner feed, etc. I hope all of you will join me at my new place :). If you are following by rss and you don't see a new post from me early next week, you may need to resubscribe to the new blog(I hope not). I am providing my new button so you can find the new digs at lifeiscrazybeautiful.com <span style="font-style: italic;">(but try to wait a few days, there's still a little construction left). </span>If you see a post in your reader or email telling you I'm all moved in - yippee/transfer successful! <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">For strange reasons I needed to change the name of my feedburner feed, which means you will need to re-subscribe, sorry guys...come visit me. Please? :)</span><br /><br /><center><a border="0" href="http://lifeiscrazybeautiful.com/" alt="LifeisCrazyBeautiful" target="_blank"><img src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/Sep2011New/2011Button.png" /></a></center>IMPORTANT: IF YOU FOLLOW THROUGH GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT, I'm afraid I might not be able to passively take you with me. I followed suggested instructions for migrating the community, but it does not appear that it is working. So, if not, please come and reconnect with me next week!!<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">UPDATE: Well, it looks like I may have gone and lost GFC altogether (and can't even get a new widget to work on the new site). I hope you'll come and follow by rss or email!</span><br /><br /><i><strong><span style="color:839ecb;">Thanks for your incredible patience...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></strong></i><br /><img style="border:none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" />Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-8872385903901118932011-09-08T14:49:00.002-05:002011-09-08T15:08:11.694-05:00Moving In…Barely Moving…Moving Over<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; float: left; padding-top: 2pxfont-family:dancing+script, serif;font-size:48px;color:#a28054;" ><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MovingInBarelyMovingMovingOver_D087/Imsorry.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="Im-sorry" alt="Im-sorry" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MovingInBarelyMovingMovingOver_D087/Imsorry_thumb.jpg" align="left" border="0" height="200" width="260" /></a>P</span>lease forgive me for being very neglectful of my little bloggy…you will see later in this post it has been {partly, at least} for VERY good reasons!</p> <h3>Moving In</h3> <p>One of the VERY good reasons lately has been of the dwarf, four-legged variety. While we were on a mini-vacation to Branson we found out that a daughter-of-a-friend-of-a-family-member {whew!} was looking for a good home for her Pembroke Welsh Corgi. So, being <span style="color:#408080;"><strong><em>Corgi Fanatics</em></strong></span>, we started looking into the possibility of giving our Riley a new buddy….and 2 weeks ago he moved in. <u><span style="font-size:130%;color:#808000;"><strong>Meet Duncan!</strong></span></u></p> <p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="Duncan2" alt="Duncan2" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MovingInBarelyMovingMovingOver_D087/Duncan2.png" border="0" height="484" width="644" /> He {excuse me for the interruption, he just approached for hugs & kisses} is just the sweetest, lovey-doviest little 3 yr. old dude!! For various reasons he just wasn’t able to get the attention he deserved in his former home {hence, his loving previous owners sought new loving owners}, so he really is milking {oops, more pets & kisses} this “attention thang” to the hilt! We think he’s been reassured & comfortable enough it’s time to dial it down a notch. We don’t mind spoiling our dogs a bit, but we don’t want REALLY SPOILED dogs, ha ha!</p> <p>Introducing an “intact” {i.e. non-neutered} adult male dog into a home with another intact adult male was not without it’s challenges, but since they are both HUGE sweethearts, we knew discipline an patience would pay off.</p> <p>Here are the 2 brudders together on Duncan’s 2nd day… just before we let them off-leash in the house</p> <p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="BothDogs" alt="BothDogs" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MovingInBarelyMovingMovingOver_D087/BothDogs.png" border="0" height="644" width="495" /> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>There was definitely a whole lot of playing and panting, and dominance assertion and panting, and playing and panting…you get the picture!</p> <p align="center">Here’s someting else they both do a lot of, too, after so much fun play.</p> <p align="center"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="DuncanSleeping" alt="DuncanSleeping" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MovingInBarelyMovingMovingOver_D087/DuncanSleeping.png" border="0" height="199" width="244" /> <img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="RileySleeping" alt="RileySleeping" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MovingInBarelyMovingMovingOver_D087/RileySleeping.png" border="0" height="164" width="244" /></p> <h3>Barely Moving</h3> <p align="left">We’ve hardly had the worst of it {praying for you Texas!}, but we HAVE had our hottest summer on record – 52 {or 53? I lost count} days of 100+ temps, and many of those 105+. All I have to say is I consider it HAWT once it gets over 85…and we are soooo behind on rain. Everything’s been dry and crunchy, and did I mention <em>hot</em>? A lot of the ways I had planned to relax and enjoy summer went right out the window with the scorching heat. But God is good, ALL the time! He is in control and I am SO thankful for cooler temps - upper 70s to mid 80s! Next week we will still be above average for this time of year, but at this point I’ll take mid-80s to low-90s.</p> <h3>Moving Over</h3> <p align="left">One of the main reasons I have not been blogging is that I have been using my computer time for other things…I shut down 2 old blogs and started a new one for our church women. AND…. I am moving to WordPress!! Blogger is great, and I could have done more with it…but I was having trouble realizing my vision for blogging. So, this is exciting because it will be more organized and better-functioning for how I want to minister and encourage with my blog. Rather than completely migrating, I will be saving this domain for personal/family uses and the new blog is on a new domain. Not being a web guru, it has taken some time to design and set it up…I have already imported my Blogger posts, but just need to finish some formatting & re-categorizing and tagging issues. It’s almost ready to go!! I hope to switch over on Monday and will DEFINITELY let you know when it’s time. This will make me a much better {and happier} and consistent blogger. Yay!</p> <p align="left">So, anyway, I have truly missed you…and can’t wait to invite you over to the new place!</p><i><strong><span style="color:#839ecb;">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></strong></i><br /><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" />Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-59224523320620827342011-07-22T11:16:00.003-05:002011-07-22T11:20:00.614-05:00Easy Peasy Refrigerator Pickles – By Request<img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" alt="Owly Images" src="http://static.ow.ly/photos/normal/duQY.jpg" /><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; float: left; padding-top: 2pxfont-family:dancing+script, serif;font-size:48px;color:#a28054;" >R</span>aise your hand if you fear you could polish off an entire jar of bread and butter pickles in one sitting <strong><em>{insert pic of me raising my hand here}</em></strong>. Unfortunately, if you are allergic to allium (onion & garlic family), you can’t just run to the store and buy a jar of pickles. I’ve not jumped into the art of canning (yet)…but I did find some easy sweet pickle recipes I adapted for my household. I’ve had a couple of requests to share the recipe, so here it is! <p align="center"><span style="font-family:Dancing Script;font-size:180%;color:#70d0c6;">Easy Peasy Refrigerator Pickles</span></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <p>2 cups apple cider vinegar</p> <p>1/4 cup sea salt (you could use regular iodized if you like, or pickling salt)</p> <p>2 cups sugar (I used white, but have heard you can use brown)</p> <p>1 teaspoon mustard seed</p> <p>1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric</p> <p>1/2 teaspoon celery seed</p> <p>Cucumbers: in this case I used about 3 English cucumbers, sliced, for 2-1 qt. jars – just use the amount that will fill your container(s)</p> <p><strong>Directions:</strong></p> <p>In a saucepan, combine first 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, let cook for 5 more minutes.</p> <p>Meanwhile, slice cucumbers and pack (somewhat loosely) in 2 1-qt. canning jars. Pour hot liquid over the cucumbers in the jars. Twist on the lids and refrigerate. 24 hours later, voila…bread and butter pickles! Keep refrigerated {for as long as they’ll last – which in my house is not long!}</p> <p><u>Notes:</u> (1) If you are <em>not</em> allergic to onions and garlic, you could add some sliced onion & peeled garlic cloves to your cucumbers. (2) The cucumbers will shrink – resulting in what looks like a “half” jar of pickles. As an alternative you could try refrigerating for 24 hours in a covered container and transferring to a jar/jars later. (3) These are great! However, spicy mama that I am, I feel like they could be even better with a little ‘sumpin-sumpin’. I have been researching pickling spice and working on my own recipe for that. If I decide it’s better with it, I’ll post a revised recipe later :)</p> <p><script src="http://cdn.printfriendly.com/printfriendly.js" type="text/javascript"></script><a onclick="window.print(); return false;" style="color: #6d9f00; text-decoration: none" class="printfriendly" title="Printer Friendly and PDF" href="http://www.printfriendly.com/"><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" alt="Print Friendly and PDF" src="http://cdn.printfriendly.com/pf-button-big.gif" /></a></p> <p><i><strong><span style="color:#839ecb;"></span></strong></i> </p> <p><i><strong><span style="color:#839ecb;">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></strong></i><br /><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" /></p>Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-89206847362294771642011-07-06T21:14:00.001-05:002011-07-06T21:14:29.015-05:00Sleeping Like a Bear<p><a href="http://www.firstpeople.us" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="Rest_Stop_Brown_Bear-1600x1200" border="0" alt="Rest_Stop_Brown_Bear-1600x1200" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/SleepingLikeaBear_12AAF/Rest_Stop_Brown_Bear1600x1200.jpg" width="640" height="480"></a></p> <center> <p><a href="http://www.firstpeople.us/"><font size="2">Image Source: Native American Indians</font></a><font size="1"> <br>Child friendly site about Native Americans and members of the First Nations.</font></p></center> <p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px">W</span>ell, not really sleeping…more like resting and regrouping. {When my daughter was younger and felt like she got a really good, restful night’s sleep she would say “I slept like a bear!”} A couple of weeks ago I came down with a virus that most people first experience in their childhood. Needless to say I was taken by surprise by the yucky and long-lasting symptoms. I’m all better now, but with the Holiday weekend, etc. I’ve fallen a bit behind with the household & such.</p> <p>So, I’m going to continue my little break and get my ducks in a row…</p> <p><a href="http://simplycandidbysc.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="ducks" border="0" alt="ducks" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/SleepingLikeaBear_12AAF/ducks.jpg" width="640" height="443"></a>…and <strong><font size="4">return on July 18</font></strong>…. with my “day-cation” pics {finally!}, a couple of yummy recipes, maybe even a project or possibly even a how-to! </p> <p>Hope you are getting some resting and duck-arranging done in your neck o’ the woods!</p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"> Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-17859080696007412122011-07-04T16:28:00.002-05:002011-07-04T16:33:25.449-05:00Celebrate Freedom<center><span style="line-height:36px;padding-top:2px;padding-right:4px;font-family:Cambria, serif;font-size:48px;color:#a28054;" >Happy Independence Day!</span></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14268035@N05/5459368507/" title="Galatians 5:1 by katielloyd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5211/5459368507_e89b7b8651_z.jpg" alt="Galatians 5:1" height="512" width="640" /></a><br />[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14268035@N05/5459368507/">source</a>]<br /><i><strong><span style="color:839ecb;"><br />Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></strong></i><br /><img style="border:none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" /></center>Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-5724579063819771212011-06-17T12:20:00.003-05:002011-06-17T12:38:24.148-05:00Is Your Husband or Father a Rich Man?<span style="float:left;line-height:36px;padding-top:2px;padding-right:4px;font-family:Cambria, serif;font-size:48px;color:#a28054;" >I<br /></span> had the privilege of screening <span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.courageousthemovie.com/">Courageous</a></span> last week. This is the newest project to come from Sherwood Pictures, who also gave us <span style="font-style: italic;">Fireproof</span>. Those I saw it with agreed it is their best yet! Enjoy this video clip from the movie...<p></p><br /><center><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KAER68zS-qI" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="560"></iframe></center><br />In today's society it is such a tremendous blessing to have godly fathers and husbands...if you have either {or both} make sure you take the time this weekend to let them know how much you treasure their love and leadership!!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.courageousthemovie.com/"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Courageous</span></a> opens on September 30...mark your calendars now and plan to see this film! The fathers in this film are policemen, so the material would not be suitable for very young children. I pray this movie will start a powerful movement among men...but also women and families, to be all that God has called them to be!<br /><br />*I'll post lots of pics from our Mini Adventure "Daycation" on Monday*<br /><br /><br /><i><strong><span style="color:839ecb;"> Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful Fathers' Day Weekend {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></strong></i><br /><img style="border:none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Disclaimer: Community, church and ministry leaders are often given the opportunity to pre-screen "faith-based" movies at no cost so that they can help spread the word prior to the movie's release. I was able to screen Courageous for free...all opinions are completely my own.</span></span>Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-70959881273533133322011-06-11T11:14:00.001-05:002011-06-11T11:14:31.311-05:00Mini Adventure<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px"><a href="http://www.ksbyways.org/Pages/Prairie/prairie1.html"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Prairie_Trail" border="0" alt="Prairie_Trail" align="left" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MiniAdventure_9E10/Prairie_Trail.png" width="202" height="484"></a>R</span>emember way back when {like 9 days ago} when I posted <a href="http://www.thebeets.net/2011/06/what-i-hope-i-did-this-summer.html">these little summer goals</a>? My dear husband cracked me up this morning when he called it my “Summer Bucket List”. Well, the two of us are going to accomplish part of one of them today. Darling daughter is still on her summer mission trip to South Dakota {coming home tomorrow – YIPPEE!!!!}, so her parentals decided on a little rural day trip.</p> <p>Don’t know if we’ll see any bison or not, but we’re going to check out the <a href="http://www.ksbyways.org/Pages/Prairie/prairie1.html"><strong>Prairie Trail Scenic Byway</strong></a> and see what we can discover together. </p> <p>I cringe every time I hear someone whine about how boring Kansas is scenically and otherwise. It’s part of the world God created…and when He was finished He said that it was <strong><em>good</em></strong>. That meant ALL of His creation!! Even when I am craving an ocean-side nap or a cool mountain breeze I still love this state of mine. {And just in case you’ve never visited, not all of it is flat!}</p> <p>I know we’ll have fun…’cause I’ll be with my very best friend ♥. We’ll take pictures {maybe even video} and hopefully I’ll have a fun share post afterward.</p> <p>Hope you are making something an adventure today!</p> <p> </p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"> Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-38301360528757800912011-06-02T00:01:00.002-05:002011-06-02T00:01:00.905-05:00What I {Hope I} Did This Summer<p><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/WhatIDidHopeIDidThisSummer_FCBC/IcedteaFlickr.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Iced tea Flickr" alt="Iced tea Flickr" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/WhatIDidHopeIDidThisSummer_FCBC/IcedteaFlickr_thumb.jpg" height="196" width="244" align="right" border="0" /></a> {1} Sat on my front porch – a LOT!</p> <p>{2} Drank lemonade and lots of iced tea {unsweetened for my health}</p> <p>{3} Read at least 3 books I already owned, but hadn’t read yet</p> <p>{4} Explored new territory with my husband and daughter {maybe even in our city/county, most likely in our state}</p> <p>{5} Exercised 3-5 days a week</p> <p>{6} Took a walk with my man at least once a week</p> <p>{7} Read through the entire Bible & prayed daily</p> <p>{8} Ate more fresh produce, whole grains & lean meat poultry & fish</p> <p>{9} Ate less sugar, read meat & processed food</p> <p>{10} Lost 20 pounds {see #2, #5, #6, #8 and #9 above}</p> <p>{11} Made a new friend</p><a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/assilembob/wichita2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/assilembob/wichita2.jpg" align="left" /></a>{12} Walked along the Arkansas River in Downtown Wichita {haven’t done that since college, I think} <p></p> <p>{13} Listened to lots of uplifting music</p> <p>{14} Went the whole summer without a food allergy reaction</p> <p>{15} Laughed until I cried</p> <p>{16} Learned something new</p> <p>{17} Kept my lawn & plants alive in the hot, dry Kansas summer</p> <p>{18} Loved until I thought my heart would burst</p> <p>{19} Cleaned out the basement</p> <p>{20} Watched God do something amazing…then shared it with others!</p> <p>Of course I know there will be a lot of other things I experience these next three months, maybe something wonderful I haven’t even imagined yet, but these are some good goals to work toward I think.</p> <p>What are your summer plans?</p><i><strong><span style="color:#839ecb;">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></strong></i><br /><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" />Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-59200226710007590022011-05-27T15:17:00.001-05:002011-05-27T15:17:00.966-05:00Beautiful – A Holiday Weekend!<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px">U</span>nfortunately no travel, no beaches or beautiful change of scenery planned for this clan…but an extended weekend is always a blessing. One of the things I will be doing is transitioning my living area decor from spring to summer…nothing huge, just subtle rearranging & repurposing of accessories and a little color transition.</p> <p>I believe I will also spend some time dreaming and planning for the summer ahead. One thing I will be working on is this little internet home (one of the reasons I’ve not been posting as much). I’ve been praying about what God would have me do with my little corner of the web for quite a long time. I thought I had the answers once or twice, but now feel a peace and level of confidence about where it should be heading. Not really major changes so much as expansion, and I’m kind of excited about it!</p> <p>I pray that each of you has a relaxing, fun, safe summer kick-off weekend! Will you also join me in remembering all of those who have lost loved ones, homes & business in recent natural disasters? AND OF COURSE, we must remember how this weekend’s holiday originated…</p> <p>Take some time this weekend to honor, remember & thank our God for the ones who sacrificed their very lives for our security and freedom (and the families who had to say goodbye to them)</p> <blockquote> <p align="center"><font size="5" face="Dancing Script">Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 ESV</font></p></blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.freakingnews.com"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Memorial-Day-q" border="0" alt="Memorial-Day-q" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/BeautifulAHolidayWeekend_D6E9/MemorialDayq.jpg" width="467" height="484"></a> </p> <p></p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful <strike>day</strike> Weekend {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"> Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-32344062471005236702011-05-25T11:32:00.003-05:002011-05-25T11:35:52.846-05:00No Cost Too Great<a href="http://stickyjesus.com/"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Sticky-Jesus" alt="Sticky-Jesus" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NoCostTooGreat_A246/StickyJesus.jpg" align="right" border="0" height="260" width="201" /></a><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NoCostTooGreat_A246/StickyJesus.jpg"></a> <p></p> <p></p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; float: left; padding-top: 2pxfont-family:dancing+script, serif;font-size:48px;color:#a28054;" >M</span>ay is Digital Outreach Month. In light of this, 15 bloggers have been participating in a <a href="http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/05/02/introducing-stickyjesus-group-blog-project/">Group Blog Project</a>. We are reading through and blogging about this book together - <a href="http://stickyjesus.com/">@stickyJesus: how to live out your faith online</a>. <p>If you are a Christian, God has called you to ministry and evangelism <em>wherever you are</em>…<strong>and where most of us are, at least part of the time, is <span style="font-size:130%;">online! </span></strong>Tami Heim and Toni Birdsong have written this great book and created an online community where they collaborate with others and equip all of us to #LiveSticky.</p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <p align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">“We're here to infuse biblical perspective and daily inspiration into your online time. We’ll help you grow your technical know-how so you can share the sticky love of Jesus Christ with others.”</span></p></blockquote> <p>You can read <a href="http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/05/25/stickyjesus-10-cost-everything/">my guest post here</a> about the cost of Christ following, online or face-to-face.</p><i><strong><span style="color:#839ecb;">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></strong></i><br /><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" />Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-30244628429609074942011-05-19T09:50:00.001-05:002011-05-19T09:50:35.991-05:00Winner…That is All<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px">W</span>as waiting to come up with a coherent post to attach the news to, but so much going on I haven’t accomplished that yet. So, I’ll just get on with it. Random.org picked the winner for the <strong>$20 DaySpring Gift Code</strong> and it was….</p> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="DaySpringWinner" border="0" alt="DaySpringWinner" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/WinnerThatisAll_8A6A/DaySpringWinner.png" width="640" height="157"> </p> <p>Congratulations Suzanne! I’ll be sending you an email today with the code so you can pick out something fabulous from <a href="http://www.dayspring.com/" target="_blank">DaySpring</a>.</p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"> Lisa @ Life is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122906884829447989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-16691081720660156982011-05-14T23:26:00.001-05:002011-05-14T23:26:47.131-05:00My Girl and DaySpring Giveaway Extended!!<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px">A</span>s you likely already know, Blogger was down for a couple of days this past week. While I don’t believe I lost any comments {because of using a 3rd party commenting system}, I know that some bloggers did…<strong><font size="4">SO, I am extending the entry period for my <a href="http://www.thebeets.net/2011/05/beautiful-tray-and-giveaway.html" target="_blank">$20 DaySpring Giveaway</a> to 11:59pm Central Time US on Monday, May 16.</font></strong> The winner will be announced within a day or two after that.</p> <p>Hope you all are having a tremendous weekend. I spent a good portion of mine hunting down and going through 18 1/2 years of photos. My darling daughter is graduating from high school this year and I needed pics for the church slide show. Childhood truly does last but a moment…how does the time fly so? Those of you with little ones, cherish each and every moment you possibly can!</p> <center> <p> <img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="BaileyB06a" border="0" alt="BaileyB06a" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MyGirlandDaySpringGiveawayExtended_149B3/BaileyB06a.jpg" width="340" height="484"> <img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="BaileyB12" border="0" alt="BaileyB12" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MyGirlandDaySpringGiveawayExtended_149B3/BaileyB12.jpg" width="324" height="484"></p></center> <p></p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"> Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-17799560394691407602011-05-10T00:05:00.010-05:002011-05-16T23:59:29.757-05:00A Beautiful Tray and a Giveaway!<blockquote><div align="center">But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15b</div></blockquote><span style="color: #a28054; float: left; font-size: 48px; line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 2px;">M</span>y house is a gift from God…as is everything good and useful in my life. One of the ways I give Him thanks is to try to make it a warm, welcoming and comfortable venue, not just for visitors, but for my family as well. This doesn’t require a lot of money, or a degree in interior design. What I think makes a home inviting is to see that it reflects the personality of it’s inhabitants and holds items of significance to them. If you can see and feel that its a place they love and long to be it can’t help but rub off on on friends and family.<br />
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I recently received this gorgeous <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/m-pr.cfm?merchantID=25848&userID=511930&productID=477998933" target="_blank">Ornate Metal Collection - Cross Serving Tray</a> from DaySpring.<br />
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<img alt="May_09_2011 011" border="0" height="484" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/ABeautifulTrayandaGiveaway_DF92/May_09_2011011.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="May_09_2011 011" width="644" /><br />
I love items that are both decorative and useful…and trays definitely fit the bill! This piece is made of substantial metal and has a warm bronze-brown hand finish. The decorative cross is a beautiful reminder of the importance of my family’s faith. It looks great in a plate stand or carefully leaning on a shelf ready for you to grab at a moments notice to proudly serve beverages, desserts or appetizers {not food-safe, use a doily, napkin or dish underneath}.<br />
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Here it is on an ottoman providing a place for the remotes and hubby’s reading glasses. There’s plenty of space left to set a drink or two {I would probably use a coaster, just to protect the finish}.<br />
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<img alt="May_09_2011 015" border="0" height="484" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/ABeautifulTrayandaGiveaway_DF92/May_09_2011015.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="May_09_2011 015" width="644" /><br />
What a beautiful place this would be to collect your keys and daily mail in the entry, or to corral small items on a dresser or vanity. This would make an incredible {and affordable} <b><i><span style="color: #70d0c6; font-size: medium;">wedding gift</span></i></b>…or for any occasion at all!<br />
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All of the pieces from the Ornate Metal Collection and several other great decor items are on sale this month…click on the banner below to see all of this month’s featured products.<br />
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<center> <div 160px;”="" 595px;="" width:=""><a href="http://shrsl.com/?%7Ewlf"><img border="”0″" src="http://www.incourage.me/in-buttons/in-maydeals.jpg" /></a></div></center> <br />
DaySpring always has beautiful, encouraging and inspiring products that will help you brighten someone’s day {including your own}. <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=216676&u=511930&m=25848&urllink=&afftrack=">Shop the DaySpring Online Store</a> to check out what they have to offer.<br />
Thanks to my friends at friends at DaySpring, I get to...<br />
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<blockquote><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script; font-size: large;">Give away a $20 gift certificate to the DaySpring Online Store!!</span></div></blockquote><br />
This would definitely be enough to purchase the Cross Serving Tray, or most of May’s other featured products, or many other DaySpring gifts, cards & accessories. {Gift code does not apply to shipping charges and will expire July 31, 2011.}<br />
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<b><u>To Enter {Up to 3 Entries}:</u></b><br />
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{1} Leave a comment. Share what your favorite May featured product is.<br />
{2} If you are a follower, leave a comment telling me so.<br />
{3} Share a link to this post on Twitter or Facebook, then come back and leave a comment.<br />
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<strike>The entry period for this giveaway will end at 11:59pm CST (Central Time US) on Saturday, May 14. Winner will be chosen at random and be announced on Monday, May 16. </strike><br />
<b><u>Update Sat, May 14:</u> Due to this week's Blogger outage {and some bloggers losing comments} I am extending the entry period for this giveaway to 11:59pm Central Time US on Monday, May 16. Winner will be announced a day or two after!!</b><br />
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<i><b><span style="color: #839ecb;">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></b></i><br />
<img src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: DaySpring Inc. provided me with the Cross Serving Tray at no cost in exchange for my honest review, as well as a coupon code for one of my readers. All opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links.</span>Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-16317700001896912392011-05-06T18:36:00.001-05:002011-05-06T18:36:53.921-05:00For Mothers…But Especially for Others<p align="center"><em><font color="#aac5fc">I pray that what I have to share today will provide encouragement to those who need it and understanding for those who may need to encourage someone you know and love some day.<br>With some comic relief at the end :)</font></em></p> <p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px">L</span>et me start by saying that I know this weekend’s holiday is a painful or bittersweet time for many. Some of you don’t have your mothers here with you on earth anymore. Others of you are grieving the loss of a child. If either {or both} is the case, I pray that you know the peace that passes all understanding and that your Heavenly Father is there to wrap you in His loving arms of comfort.</p> <p>Maybe your relationship with your mother has been strained, or even broken. I can only imagine the hurt you are feeling, but my prayer is that hearts could soon be mended and relationships restored…Nothing, you see, is impossible with God. {Luke 1:37 MSG}. </p> <p>Some of you are feeling left out this weekend. Lonely. Forgotten. Unloved. I have been the woman who wanted desperately to become Mom to someone, or several someones. I have prayed the heart-wrenching prayers…only for God to answer “Wait.” “Wait some more.” then finally “Yes, but not the way you planned.”. And some get the answer they never expected… “No.” Maybe you’re a woman whom God has called to be single, or not to “legally parent”…and you’ve always been okay with that. Or maybe not so much.</p> <p>I want to encourage you if you fit into this last category. I know it is hard to see, or even imagine, when you are in the midst of the frustration and disappointment but <font color="#a28054" size="4"><strong>God has an amazing, beautiful and wonderful plan for your life!</strong></font> Even, and maybe especially, if it’s not the plan you hoped for {notice my life verse & tagline for my blog – top of right side bar}. In my case, God did decide to eventually make me a Mama. That’s part of the way He chose to heal that particular wound, but it didn’t heal immediately. In fact it couldn’t heal until I did my part.</p> <p>He showed me that reluctant acceptance of the road He chose for me was not enough. In order for healing to come I had to: 1} Believe that God loves me just as much as everyone else and that He really does want to give me the desires of my heart – <em>even if His plan means He can’t</em>; and 2} Surrender completely and joyfully to His good, acceptable and perfect will {Romans 12:2}…no matter what! Please take note that while He healed my wound…I will always have a scar. It is my reminder to have compassion for others who must travel difficult paths. It is an altar stone laid in remembrance of a period of refining, where God revealed to me a portion of Himself. My trust and surrender were my act of worship.</p> <blockquote> <p><font size="5" face="Dancing Script">" I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out-plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."</font></p> <p align="right">Jeremiah 29:11-14a MSG</p></blockquote> <p>He's got this sister! Believe it. Trust it. Surrender. Be comforted. God created women to “mother” – to nurture – and almost 100% of us do it on a regular basis, whether it’s our legal responsibility or not. Be a spiritual mother, a mentor, a teacher, a listener, an encourager, a comforter…you were MADE for it! </p> <p>Now check out Anita Renfroe {my personal hair model – a story for another time perhaps} in her latest hilarious video…and Happy Mothers AND Others Day!!</p> <center><iframe height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rCbPqi3virQ" frameborder="0" width="425" allowfullscreen></iframe></center> <center> </center><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"> Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-66765931712509567482011-04-26T09:59:00.003-05:002011-04-26T10:04:07.018-05:00DIY Artwork – Canvas and Coffee Filters<span style="color: #a28054; float: left; font-size: 48px; line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 2px;">E</span> very time someone tells me I am creative I think “no, not really…I just know something good when I see it and am brave enough to try to duplicate it.” My living room is mostly neutral with pops of accent colors (mainly, turquoise/teal, green, and cranberry). But recently I decided I wanted to de-emphasize the warm reddish tones for spring and summer and feature the blue and green colors more prominently. With that in mind I needed to replace a piece of artwork for 6 months of the year. I spotted something on line I thought would be perfect – and it was on sale for $89 {reg. $150} – not bad, but not in the budget. It was simple and a bit modern with 2 large white flowers and as I looked at it <b>White Coffee Filters</b> popped into my head as an easy way to create the flower petals…and they would add texture! So here is what I ended up with:<br />
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<div align="center"><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011071.jpg"><img alt="April_26_2011 071" border="0" height="480" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011071_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="April_26_2011 071" width="640" /></a> {going to paint this oak buffet some day soon :) }</div><div align="center"><br />
</div>I started with a primed blank canvas – had a 50% off Michael’s coupon and got one that was stapled in the back for $8. {You can get them even cheaper with staples on the side, and maybe cover with ribbon or something}.<br />
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<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011003.jpg"><img align="right" alt="April_19_2011 003" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011003_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_19_2011 003" width="244" /></a><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_4_2011002.jpg"><img align="left" alt="April_4_2011 002" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_4_2011002_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_4_2011 002" width="244" /></a>I got out a dinner plate and chose a location for my 2 flowers {this would serve as a reference point for my first layer of petals} and then painted my turquoise centers. EASY, right?<br />
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<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011022.jpg"><img align="left" alt="April_26_2011 022" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011022_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_26_2011 022" width="244" /></a> <a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011065.jpg"><img align="right" alt="April_26_2011 065" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011065_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_26_2011 065" width="244" /></a> Next is the part I forgot to photograph with the large white coffee filters, so I re-created here with my smaller unbleached filters. Fold the filter in half, then quarters. Cut out the center of the filter {no need to draw the line first}, then cut the 3 folds to yield 4 pieces.<br />
<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011066.jpg"><img align="left" alt="April_26_2011 066" border="0" height="154" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011066_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_26_2011 066" width="204" /></a> <a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011068.jpg"><img align="right" alt="April_26_2011 068" border="0" height="154" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011068_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_26_2011 068" width="204" /></a> <a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011067.jpg"><img alt="April_26_2011 067" border="0" height="154" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011067_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="April_26_2011 067" width="204" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011070.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="right" alt="April_26_2011 070" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011070_thumb.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_26_2011 070" width="244" /></a></div><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011069.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="April_26_2011 069" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011069_thumb.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_26_2011 069" width="244" /></a>Next I did a little pre-shaping by gathering the inner curved edge and pinching with my fingers. As I went along I realized I wanted a little shaping on the outer edge, too, so I started doing a little “pinching of the outer curve here and there. <br />
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Now, for the fun and messy part! Starting with the outer most part of the flower {using my dinner plate circles as a reference} I started puttin’ down the petals. I brushed some ModPodge on the canvas, placed my shaped pieces of <a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011004.jpg"><img align="left" alt="April_19_2011 004" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011004_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_19_2011 004" width="244" /></a><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011006.jpg"><img align="right" alt="April_19_2011 006" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011006_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_19_2011 006" width="244" /></a>coffee filter down, then brushed more ModPodge over the top. I repeated around the circle {overlapping the edges}, then started moving toward the center overlapping each subsequent circle slightly over the previous one. <br />
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After the ModPodge dried I realized that my pencil lines were showing through, so I decided to paint over my flower petals with 2 coats of white acrylic paint.<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011009.jpg"><img alt="April_19_2011 009" border="0" height="484" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011009_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="April_19_2011 009" width="644" /></a><i>And that’s where the photos stopped</i>…after allowing the last coat of paint to dry overnight the next step needed to go quickly, so I couldn’t photograph it myself and just didn’t think to ask the hubby to do it for me. SO, I brushed the java-tinted glaze I had leftover from <a href="http://lisa-beets.blogspot.com/2011/01/isnt-she-door-able.html" target="_blank">this project</a> {equal parts mixing glaze and paint} over the blank areas of the canvas, including the sides, wiping excess off with a dry rag* and reapplying until I got the look I wanted {*if I did it again, I might used a damp rag to mute the brush strokes even more}. Then, using the same glaze I dry-brushed over the flowers {dip the tip of the brush in the glaze, then dab excess off onto a rag or paper towel before lightly brushing on the flowers}. The FINAL step was a quick spray of non-yellowing satin clear coat. Here are some “after” shots:<br />
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<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011074.jpg"><img align="right" alt="April_26_2011 074" border="0" height="229" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011074_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_26_2011 074" width="304" /></a><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011073.jpg"><img align="left" alt="April_26_2011 073" border="0" height="229" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011073_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="April_26_2011 073" width="304" /></a> <br />
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<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011075.jpg"><img alt="April_26_2011 075" border="0" height="300" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_26_2011075_thumb.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="April_26_2011 075" width="400" /> </a><br />
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<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011027.jpg"><img alt="April_19_2011 027" border="0" height="484" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/DIYArtworkCanvasandCoffeeFilters_8C56/April_19_2011027_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="April_19_2011 027" width="644" /></a> <br />
Voila…a 22 x 28 inch piece of spring/summer artwork for about 10 bucks! My family and I love it {and we’re the ones who have to look at it every day}.<br />
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<div align="center">I’m linking up with Layla over at the Lettered Cottage…so go check out some more fun How To’s!</div><div align="center">{She’s got a great one herself today!!}</div><div align="center"><a href="http://theletteredcottage.net/?p=6662" title="The Lettered Cottage"><img alt="The Lettered Cottage" src="http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj29/LaylaPalmer/How%20To/How_To_Linky_Button.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none;" /></a></div><i><b><span style="color: #839ecb;">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></b></i><br />
<img src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" />Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-6134658830789735472011-04-25T14:48:00.001-05:002011-04-25T14:48:29.945-05:00How to Read the Entire Bible in 400 Seconds<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px">H</span>ave you used <a href="http://www.youversion.com/" target="_blank">YouVersion.com</a>? It is an online Bible site that is pretty great…but, their iPhone app is my absolute favorite Bible app!! You can read the Bible in so many different versions with internet access, but they also have many available for download…so I have all my favorite versions with me on my phone 24/7 – the only way to “forget” to take my Bible somewhere is to forget my phone. They even recently added audio, so I have the option to listen, read or do both simultaneously!</p> <blockquote> <p align="center">Based on the online Bible, YouVersion.com, the Bible App is a free mobile Bible that can be installed on almost any phone. The Bible App allows users to read the Bible, share verses with their social networks, bookmark their favorite passages, and more - all in a format that keeps up with their increasingly mobile lifestyle<em>.</em></p></blockquote> <p align="left"><em>Anyway</em>{free commercial over, haha}…<font size="4"><strong>May 2, 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible</strong></font>. To celebrate the occasion, the YouVersion community is going to read the Bible together — in just 400 seconds. (For those of us who struggle with math, that's 6 minutes and 40 seconds.) </p> <p>Here's how it will work: <p>1. Volunteer (and sign up) to read a small section from the Bible out loud. <p>2. On Monday, May 2, starting at 12:00 PM Noon U.S. EDT, 11 AM CDT (GMT-5), we'll each read our portions out loud, simultaneously. Think of it like a global flash mob. <p>3. We'll all share what we're doing with our friends on Facebook and / or Twitter. <p><a href="http://www.youversion.com/kjv400"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="KJV400" border="0" alt="KJV400" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/HowtoReadtheEntireBiblein400Seconds_C729/KJV400.png" width="644" height="367"></a> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.youversion.com/kjv400" target="_blank"><font size="5"><strong>Click Here or Graphic Above for Details</strong></font></a></p> <blockquote> <p align="center"><em>For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.<br>~Hebrews 4:12~</em></p></blockquote> <p>My assignment is 1Chronicles 23 and I’ll be reading my KJV out loud…care to join me?</p> <p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"></p> <center></center> Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-2589540558875214942011-04-21T17:41:00.001-05:002011-04-21T17:41:08.859-05:00Now I “Umber”stand – Mixing Custom Paint Colors<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px">A</span>ctually, I already knew this from waaaayyy back when I considered myself more of a “crafter”…but <strong><font color="#745c3d">Burnt Umber</font></strong> is my new best friend! I LOVE color…and I always feel happy when I see bright bold colors, but when it comes to the ones I surround myself with on a daily basis I want them a little more muted. So, while working on recent projects and not finding the perfect colors the light bulb re-lit and I remembered I could mix my own. Eureka!!</p> <p>Here’s an example from my current project:</p> <p><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NowIUmberstandMixingCustomPaintColors_F7FF/Easter_Craft_2011009.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Easter_Craft_2011 009" border="0" alt="Easter_Craft_2011 009" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NowIUmberstandMixingCustomPaintColors_F7FF/Easter_Craft_2011009_thumb.jpg" width="486" height="646"></a> </p> <p></p> <p>I wanted a light-to-medium teal/turquoisey color. I had a small bottle of turquoise, but it is too dark and too bright. If I just mixed white with it, it would be lighter but still too bright. Enter a little Burnt Umber…and voila! Just what I was looking for. Here’s a close up to give you a better idea of the colors.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NowIUmberstandMixingCustomPaintColors_F7FF/Easter_Craft_2011002.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Easter_Craft_2011 002" border="0" alt="Easter_Craft_2011 002" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NowIUmberstandMixingCustomPaintColors_F7FF/Easter_Craft_2011002_thumb.jpg" width="646" height="486"></a> <strong><font size="4">This mixture was 1 part <font color="#7a613f">Burnt Umber</font>, 3 parts <font color="#3ebfdb">Turquoise</font>, 6 parts White</font></strong></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">And here’s a picture of my project-in-progress…can you tell what it’s going to say?</font></p> <p align="left"><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NowIUmberstandMixingCustomPaintColors_F7FF/Easter_Craft_2011015.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Easter_Craft_2011 015" border="0" alt="Easter_Craft_2011 015" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NowIUmberstandMixingCustomPaintColors_F7FF/Easter_Craft_2011015_thumb.jpg" width="646" height="486"></a> </p> <p align="center"><i><strong><font color="#95cd44" size="5">Enjoy a Blessed Cross-to-Empty-Tomb Weekend Everyone!! </font></strong></i></p> <p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"></p> Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-18185091034111393202011-04-19T12:21:00.003-05:002011-04-21T09:39:16.475-05:00Get Inspired and Take a Leap<a href="http://comics.com/pickles/2011-04-19/" title="Pickles"><img alt="Pickles" border="0" src="http://c0389161.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/dyn/str_strip/362361.full.gif" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a> <br />
<span style="color: #a28054; float: left; font-size: 48px; line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 2px;">I</span>f this is your idea of “living dangerously” then please, do it!! Life is too short not to take a risk every now and then. During our interview as a couple before husband was called to be Associate Pastor I think I made a statement similar to this: “If it’s not at least a little scary, it’s probably not worth doing”. This drew a chuckle and a raised eyebrow or two…but I believe it!<br />
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I can’t believe the last 12 days have passed so quickly {and without posting} but I’ve been finishing up some “risky” projects. There is so much around us to inspire – <i>especially</i> on the internet. Our dreams, relationships and circumstances can inspire us, too…but we need to take a leap, take a chance and make that inspiration into something.<br />
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A desire for less boring, padded chairs around my black kitchen table, tight budget, and finding 4 of these pathetic, rescued-from-a-fire-damaged-house arm chairs for $50 on <a href="http://www.craiglist.org/" target="_blank">Craigslist</a> (ick)…<br />
<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/March15_2011003.jpg"><img alt="March15_2011 003" border="0" height="500" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/March15_2011003_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="March15_2011 003" width="380" /></a> …and lots of encouraging tutorials & inspiration from DIY bloggers all over the place inspired these <b><span style="color: #a28054; font-size: medium;">sassy</span></b> little numbers:<br />
<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/April_19_2011097.jpg"><img alt="April_19_2011 097" border="0" height="788" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/April_19_2011097_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="April_19_2011 097" width="596" /></a> A pretty piece of artwork I saw online and some white coffee filters inspired this {How-to post later}…<br />
<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/April_19_2011027.jpg"><img alt="April_19_2011 027" border="0" height="500" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/April_19_2011027_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="April_19_2011 027" width="660" /></a> This <b><span style="color: #aac5fc; font-size: medium;">15-year old Birthday Girl</span></b> niece…<br />
<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/April_19_2011043.jpg"><img alt="April_19_2011 043" border="0" height="500" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/April_19_2011043_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="April_19_2011 043" width="660" /></a>…and <a href="http://viv-spot.blogspot.com/2011/03/distressed-spring-artwork-tutorial.html" target="_blank">this awesome tutorial</a> from a fellow blogger {<i>man,</i> I want a Silhouette – I traced & cut my letters by hand} inspired this…<br />
<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/April_19_2011081.jpg"><img alt="April_19_2011 081" border="0" height="500" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/GetInspiredandTakeaLeap_9E7D/April_19_2011081_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="April_19_2011 081" width="660" /></a>None of these projects came out perfect, and I didn’t go into any of them 100% sure I could adequately accomplish them, but stretching yourself is exciting and makes the outcome that much more satisfying. I love how my projects came out and it really doesn’t matter if anyone else does {except my niece, and I think she loved her gift}.<br />
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Maybe it seems a little silly to apply this concept to art & decorating projects…but when I hear someone say, “Oh, I could never {insert some skill, adventure or challenge here}” I am always tempted to remind them {and sometimes do"}, “Aren’t you really saying ‘God could never’? And you KNOW <i>that’s</i> not true!” I marvel every time someone stretches beyond their self-perceived abilities {even my own} because <i><span style="color: #70d0c6; font-size: medium;"><b>that is when God’s glory is revealed…and I think that is just as true in the small things as in the big ones!!</b></span></i><br />
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So think about where you can stretch, take a little risk {or a big one} and watch God shine!<br />
<i><b><span style="color: #839ecb;">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></b></i><br />
<img src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" />Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-44782599872193773442011-04-07T13:39:00.001-05:002011-05-10T00:25:43.640-05:00A Movie to Inspire Faith and Courage<span style="color: #a28054; float: left; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 48px; line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 2px;">"S</span>OUL SURFER is the inspiring true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds to become a champion again, inspiring millions worldwide through the love of her family, her sheer determination, and her unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. The film features an all-star cast, including AnnaSophia Robb and Helen Hunt, with Carrie Underwood in her film debut, and Dennis Quaid."<br />
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Soul Surfer opens tomorrow all across the country! I had the opportunity to screen this movie and found it inspiring, encouraging and challenging. The family's faith is central in this dramatic true story, but don't expect it to be overtly central to the movie. It is definitely there, but not the focus of the film. Christians need to remember that we cannot expect "faith-based" films to do our job for us. They can open up a dialogue with those who don't share our faith...it's our job to get the conversation going!<br />
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Enjoy the trailer and plan an outing to see this movie {dramatic events that are the basis for this movie are too intense for little ones}. I'm glad I did!<br />
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<i><b>Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</b></i><br />
<img src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" style="border: none;" />Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-88805460173570550412011-04-04T11:20:00.001-05:002011-04-04T11:20:11.118-05:00Last Night’s Light Show<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px">T</span>hunderstorms. It’s Kansas. We’ve got ‘em. Yesterday was kind of a crazy day for early April. I think the temps approached 90 (F), pollen counts were sky high, and the wind b-l-e-w! Conditions were pretty good for firing up some thunderstorms. We got about 10 drops of rain in our neighborhood, but we had the opportunity to later witness what got going to our east.</p> <p> </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 425px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:351fcd06-5ef3-423f-b152-76650d32cbd6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="beef5fc4-2096-47cb-832a-4637061b6e81" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KKX0sqjiO4" target="_new"><img src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/LastNightsLightShow_9F66/video873cf28a4203.jpg" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('beef5fc4-2096-47cb-832a-4637061b6e81'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/3KKX0sqjiO4&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/3KKX0sqjiO4&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> <p>My little 4-year-old point-and-shoot Sony still camera doesn’t quite do it justice…but it was AWESOME! {My wannabe storm chaser daughter was frustrated she couldn’t get still shots. I’ll have to help her learn that function on her camera.} The wind was still gusting away, and the lightning display was almost nonstop.</p> <p>You could sense the power in that piece of sky. My mind wandered to just how powerful God is!! This storm was just a tiny momentary morsel of all that He created…a mere glimpse into the might of His hands. To me, this is what Fearing God is all about…realizing that NOTHING is too big, too difficult for Him to control – and that NOTHING is too small to matter.</p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Behold, to the LORD your God belong <strong><font color="#92b0e2" size="5">heaven</font></strong> and the <strong><font color="#92b0e2" size="5">heaven of heavens</font></strong>,<br><strong><font color="#a28054" size="5">the earth</font></strong> with all that is in it. <em>~Deuteronomy 10:14 ESV</em></font></p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"> Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-81577238456100617812011-03-31T16:00:00.003-05:002011-03-31T21:15:58.010-05:00Make Your Own Dishwasher Detergent<span style="color: #a28054; float: left; font-size: 48px; line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 2px;">A</span>bout a year or so ago I started researching homemade cleaning products, mostly to save money…but also to use fewer chemicals. A web search will lead you to many different posts on the subject. I finally settled on a Dishwasher Detergent recipe that works for me, so I thought I would share it…along with my newest suggestion for making it work better. {Disclaimer: This recipe contains Borax – which you shouldn’t go eating, drinking, or inhaling as a rule – but is actually a “natural” product. The ultra-purists will want to tell me why it’s bad and if you are one of them I do respect your opinion, but humbly make this choice for myself and family}.<br />
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Here’s the one I started with…which worked really well, except for one issue I’ll mention in a minute:<br />
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<div align="center">1 cup borax – 3/4 c. baking soda – 3 Tbs. Citric Acid – 2 1/2 Tbs. ground castile bar soap.</div><br />
It worked great {we have a 13 yr. old dishwasher & use a whole home water softener}…except that it would clump in the jar {maybe from the moisture in the soap???}. We tried it without the castile soap, but it still clumped, and didn’t work quite as well for us. So I came up with a solution that we are now loving! Same ingredients, I now just keep them in separate containers – No Clumping!<br />
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<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/boraxbox590.jpg"><img align="left" alt="borax-box-590" border="0" height="160" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/boraxbox590_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px;" title="borax-box-590" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/PeppermintCastile.jpg"><img align="right" alt="PeppermintCastile" border="0" height="240" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/PeppermintCastile_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px;" title="PeppermintCastile" width="204" /></a><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/bakingsoda.jpg"><img alt="baking-soda" border="0" height="240" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/bakingsoda_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto;" title="baking-soda" width="240" /></a><br />
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The<b> Citric Acid</b> was the trickiest ingredient for me {but I think necessary for sparkly clean dishes}. You want to use food grade citric acid. Because I had to pay shipping anyway, I ordered 5 lbs. from <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">Mountain Rose Herbs</a>…and when you see how much I use per load, you’ll know why it should last us for years!! Some say they have found it in the canning section of their grocery or discount stores – but not around here<b>.</b><br />
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<b>Castile Soap</b> – I use <a href="http://www.drbronner.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Bronner’s</a> because I can get it in 2 different stores without having to leave my suburb :). I actually prefer the Citrus Orange, but my local stores don’t carry it any more so I switched to peppermint {my daughter loves that}. I first grate one bar of the soap in my food processor, then I switch to the cutting blade to grind it up finer.<br />
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I used a tag image from a digital scrapbooking kit and a cute font & made these little labels, glued them to some thin cardboard I recycled from the back of a notepad, cut them with my exacto and tied them on to the jars with some polished hemp twine and voila…there they sit above my dishwasher ready to go!<br />
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<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/March15_2011048.jpg"><img align="left" alt="March15_2011 048" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/March15_2011048_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="March15_2011 048" width="244" /></a> <a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/March31_2011040.jpg"><img align="right" alt="March31_2011 040" border="0" height="244" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/March31_2011040_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="March31_2011 040" width="184" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/March15_2011052.jpg"><img alt="March15_2011 052" border="0" height="184" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/March15_2011052_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="March15_2011 052" width="244" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/March31_2011039.jpg"><img alt="March31_2011 039" border="0" height="484" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent_E11C/March31_2011039_thumb.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="March31_2011 039" width="644" /></a> <br />
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<blockquote><div align="center"><b><u>My new per-load recipe is</u>:</b> </div><div align="center"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></b></div><div align="center"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1 Tbs. Borax – 2 tsp. Baking Soda – 1/2 tsp. citric acid – 1/4 tsp. soap</span></b></div></blockquote><br />
<b><u>NOTE:</u></b> I also fill the rinse agent dispenser with <b>distilled white vinegar</b> & check it once a week – great for clean rinsing and cutting down on spots!! <br />
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I realize a few of you will be shaking your heads now because we actually have to scoop out of 4 separate containers, but this works for us splendidly…and I’ve had no complaints from my husband or daughter that it is “extra work”.<br />
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Hope this helps someone!<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: #839ecb;">Thanks for visiting...have a Beautiful day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</span></b></i><br />
<img src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" />Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-64447515648862464422011-03-30T17:26:00.001-05:002011-03-30T17:26:33.987-05:00Now This is Crazy Beautiful!!<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px"><a href="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NowThisisCrazyBeautiful_F544/unglydog.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; margin: 5px 10px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="unglydog" border="0" alt="unglydog" align="left" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/NowThisisCrazyBeautiful_F544/unglydog_thumb.jpg" width="111" height="164"></a>W</span>hat? You don’t agree? <font size="2"><em>{sorry, small lo-res picture & I don’t remember where I got it}</em></font></p> <p>I have something called my “Personal Calling Statement”. It’s seven years old now…but is still holding quite true for me {it came out of a church refocusing program}. One of the things you do in the personal aspect of the program is to pray about, discover and define your core values . Here is one of my top Core Values {straight out of my calling statement}:</p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <p align="center"><font size="4"><u>Creativity & Individuality</u></font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4">Appreciating God’s creativity in every aspect of His unique creation is an adventure! He made each of us with strengths <u>and</u> weaknesses which bring glory and honor to Himself.</font></p></blockquote> <p>In a world where people are trying so desperately to be just like someone else {or many someones}…or, in trying too hard to be “unique”, do & say things that are just like many others…or driving themselves to fit a model or standard which is unattainable {and, frankly, determined by someone’s subjective opinion}…I get my socks rocked off by someone who just knows who they are both as a person, and as God’s beloved & created child!!</p> <p>So, yes, that canine is some kinda crazy…but also uniquely beautiful!! Hey, when my grays overtake the “other shades” I would love to have them be that beautiful color, wouldn’t you?</p> <p align="center"><font color="#a28054" size="5" face="Dancing Script">He has made everything beautiful in its time. ~Ecclesiastes 3:11</font></p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Have a Beautiful Day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"> Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2687062241118145405.post-55263369673321410892011-03-28T23:35:00.001-05:002011-03-28T23:35:46.793-05:00Yes and Amen!<p><span style="line-height: 36px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: dancing+script, serif; float: left; color: #a28054; font-size: 48px; padding-top: 2px">D</span>o you ever come across one of the Scriptures and think “Oh, yeah…I LOVE that verse!” as in you loved it before, then sort of forgot about it? I had that very experience a couple of days ago in coming across 2 Corinthians 1:20.</p> <p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="Picture3" border="0" alt="Picture3" src="http://s623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/YesandAmen_14BAB/Picture3_thumb.png" width="660" height="396"></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>I feel like I’ve been given a pep talk, complete with a <strong><font color="#3fbcaf" size="4">“YES!” fist pump</font></strong>. All of the promises of God find their “Yes” in him {Christ}. The word in the Greek is “nai” – a primary particle of <u>strong affirmation</u> and means <strong>yea, verily, truly, assuredly, even so</strong> [1]. It’s as if Paul is reminding us – YES, He did it!! Jesus Christ fulfilled all of the promises that God has made to us.</p> <p>The second part of the verse says that is why <strong>WE utter our Amen</strong> {another affirmation of truth}, proclaiming that God’s purpose has been established. Kind of like a holy ‘True Dat!’. Matthew Henry’s commentary puts it this way…</p> <blockquote> <p>The apostle, having mentioned the stability of the divine promises, makes a digression to illustrate this great and sweet truth, that all the promises of God are yea and amen. For, 1. They are the promises of the God of truth (v. 20), of him that cannot lie, whose truth as well as mercy endureth for ever. 2. They are made in Christ Jesus (v. 20), the Amen, the true and faithful witness; he hath purchased and ratified the covenant of promises, and is the surety of the covenant, Heb. 7:22. </p></blockquote> <p>We utter our Amen to God’s glory, because the One in whom we believe IS the truth that cannot lie and is eternal. He kept His promises to us through <strong><font color="#36a398" size="4">Christ Jesus who IS the Amen!</font></strong> ‘Tis surely a “great and sweet truth”.</p> <p>Seems to me I’ve got a lot more “Amen-ing” to do. How about you? {Now you’ve had your pep talk}</p> <p><i><strong><font color="#839ecb">Have a Beautiful Day {especially if it gets a little Crazy}!</i></strong></font><br><img style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-right: medium none" src="http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt316/uniquelyus_photos/Crazy%20Beautiful/0311Signature.png"></p> <p><font size="1">[1] Strong's G3483</font></p> Life Is Crazy Beautifulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09323970558300716177noreply@blogger.com