Grace and Patience

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Gal. 5:22-23

It is SO easy to get frustrated with the very folks we love the most.  It's easy to become aggravated at friends and family members who make poor decisions.  It is easy for me to become irritated with myself.  Grace and Patience - we need it.

Feminina says it so well here:  Grace on the Fly.    "...try to be a character you would like..."?  Well said! Please, go read her whole post.

More on the Wall

an update on my April 1 post

The scrapbook paper wall art, mounted on 12"x12" canvases (I trimmed the paper to about 11.5" square), with blue, green, and charcoal ink smeared around the edges

I need to put that pillow cover on the sewing list - it's still just folded on with 1 safety pin.

--and the girls have taken over the TP roll art!

Here is some of that wall art I was talking about

Making TP roll art is addictive!  

I cut and glued this little piece together in about 15 minutes during the tornado warnings last week.

Spray paint with a little "Hammered" and clear coat, and we are ready to hang.

Pretty good little doodad, huh?

I picked this little metal and canvas piece at Hobby Lobby's 90%-off section. The frame was scratched up.  The sentiment was OK (not my fave...), but the green giraffe-skin background was probably the whole reason it never went home with anyone.

I used a brown acid-free marker to fix the metal frame, painted the canvas black, stencilled on my own sentiment, rubbed a little brown over it to age it, sprayed the canvas part with acrylic clear coat, and hung it up.

 -and you can see the faux metal doodad through the open door.

17 More Projects - Part 3: More wall art

Project ideas are really stacking up in my head.  It would be so much fun to take a week off, just stay home and do fun projects. 

I have an impressive stash of scrapbook paper, thanks to a store closure about 2 years ago. I'd prefer the store to have stayed in business : (  When it's time to make a card or do an album layout, I have the goods, and some of my prettiest papers I bought for pennies.  {At the same store closing I picked up 2 reams of nice-quality 11"x17" plain white paper for $3 total, and Earthgirl, her friends, and all the Sm'Arties have been drawing, coloring, painting, and writing on it for almost 2 years here, here, here. }

I've already done a couple of pieces of scrapbook paper art, hung in the multipurpose room (office, craft, school, home theater), but I want to add some to my bedroom.

The 2 papers in the multipurpose room, mounted on 12' vinyl tiles, Mod-podged.

Scrapbook paper auditioning for the roll of wall art.  Here are the 3 finalists.  The floral fabric is auditioning for the role of pillow cover.  I think it is a shoe-in. And imagine that headboard painted black and distressed...

Here are some places with cool ideas:

Frugal life Project's Wall Art - my original inspiration

Sew Can Do's wall art - another good use of pretty paper

Here's some more from sealed with a Kiss

and more from 31diy: easy peasy wall Art, using frames...

...which reminds me of my friend Science Geek's decor, and here .  She gave me 2 pieces for Christmas:

I love the sentiment on this one.  I love that she gave it to me. She's making the story of my life, too.

...and just when you think you've seen all the cool stuff your wall could take, I run across somethings like this pinwheel art.  ...which reminds me of this recycled magazine gift bow from How About Orange that I intend to make one day.  I've got plenty of magazines...

17 more projects, part 2

I'd like to have some curlicue doodads above a few of my pictures, but don't want to spend much money on it. Well, I don't want to spend ANY money.

Here is a picture hung in my dining room with a metal curlicue doodad over it.  (Were you wondering what the definition of "curlicue doodad" was?)  These little toppers help the look of a rectangular picture hung under a vaulted ceiling.  Like I said, I don't want to spend much on these, so I am looking at some ideas. 

I just found out that curlicue is spelled with a "c" rather than a "q" - curlique.  Thank you, Mr. Spelczek.

I picked up one little piece of metalwork from the 90%-off section at Hobby Lobby - my kinda price tag!  The catch is that an end is broken off.  I think I can recreate the end with a craft stick, Mod Podge papier mache and Rustoleum's hammered-look spray paint.

That will take care of one little picture.  But I want to take care of a BIG picture, so I am looking at some DIY inspiration - a real trash-to-treasures story:

Something like this project from Suzy's sitcom.  Pretty cool, huh?

Or How-To Gal's version.  Her fabric wall art here is simple, and the variety is unlimited. I might have to make one of these, too.
OK, it turns out there are TP roll rescuers all over - I like those wreaths. 

But now THIS TP roll art is just outrageous! - and fascinating!  The tree is delicate and lovely, but the faces are a little creepy, though still fascinating.

Some scriptures I am pondering this Sunday

From Proverbs 22:

1 A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all.

***

9 He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor.

***

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge;

18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be ready on your lips.

***

22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate;

23 For the LORD will plead their case And take the life of those who rob them.

  and from James 1:

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

 and from I Timothy 6

6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

I am praying, Lord grant me the contentment to know just how rich we are, the generosity to hold possessions loosely and  to give with humility, the vulnerability to be approachable, the wisdom to discern real needs, both physical and spiritual, and the willingness to help.

 



17 More Projects

I have that whole 17 Projects vibe goin' on in my head again. I am wanting to do it myself!  Today I'll show you some home decor inspirations that are calling my name.  Maybe later this week I'll show you some more, including crochet and sewing.  Hey, maybe I'll even get crazy and post recipe inspirations!  Here is the today bunch:
 We painted Earthgirl's room LAST YEAR, but have yet to add a new bedcovering, window treatment, and accessories.   - We already have purchased enough polka dot fabric for a duvet or quilt top, and enough floral for pillowcases. 

We found this inspiration from Hobby Lobby

The pillowcases may even get You Go Girl's posh pillowcases treatment.


I have the plainest white cabinets.  I'd like to mess with them a little and give them some kind of character:
It would be a good idea to close the pantry door before taking a picture, huh?

Kitchen re-do, especially using that beadboard wallpaper.

 Maybe I could beadboard the cabinet doors, then mould them?  I like how they upgraded the cabinets without purchasing new cabinets:

Drab to Fab's kitchen re-do

A blog post link-up on kitchen cabinet re-do's is brewing over at Funky Junk Interiors.  I'm looking forward to perusing the results - I could find some heavy-duty inspiration there!

I want something aqua, like this:

Sweet as June Aqua re-do.

or this for Flea Market Trixie

OK, that's all for today.