I'm going to start posting some of the projects that I've been working on the past six months.  I'm having so much fun working with wood and reclaimed pallets.  Here is a project that I made after the inspiration I got from Pinterest.  I made my gate based on the size of the wall I was going to be putting it.  I'll post the final pictures tomorrow with the wreath that is going to finish the ensemble.  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the process, just the end result.  This was a super easy project to make and the first of many of the free pallets I scored. 
I ended up painting it with some watered down acrylic paints and did more of a whitewash finish on it. I painted it the green color to go in my kids bathroom that I'm decorating in fun bright colors.  Enjoy!
 

Here's another project I made using my jigsaw.  I followed all the same steps as I did on my previous post, Love Sign.    

The only thing different I did with these letters was add some scrapbook paper.  Oh the possibilities!

This was my first project using my jigsaw.  I'm happy to report it was much easier than I thought.  JD bought me a little jigsaw from WM for about $20.00.  The key for success in working with a jigsaw is using the correct blade.  If you want to cut out letters or shapes, make sure you use a wood cutting blade that is used for scrolling or has a larger TPI.

Here's an assortment pack I bought at WM that has several different sizes.  The blades on the left are for wood and the blades on the right are for metal.  As you can tell I haven't used the metal blades yet, but I will soon and report on my experience.  So, for the wood letters I used the 10 TPI blade and it worked wonderfully.  I found a font I like and printed it out on my computer.  Then I cut the letters out and traced onto a scrap piece of MDF I had in my wood stash.  Before cutting make sure you have your wood clamped down to a saw horse so you have a nice tight area to cut.  Next cut out the letters.  I watched a few YouTube videos on how to use a jigsaw before starting.  Once the letters are cut out sand and paint.  Finally, I glued the letters onto a scrap 1x6.  I had so much fun with this project and will be showing more that I've done with my jigsaw.  I'm so excited to know that now I can cut out any letters from wood and have no need to purchase pre-cut letters at the craft store.  SCORE!

I love all the button crafts I've seen all over Pinterest. I wanted to use some white buttons for Valentine's Day and finally decided on using them in the shape of a heart.  I got the frame at a thrift store for $.50 all it needed was a fresh coat of red spray paint.  Next I hot glued some buttons, added vinyl wording "adore", and finally a white ribbon.  Easy but perfect for my Valentine decor.

Since I haven’t been writing as much this last year, I thought I’d give a recap on the ten top things that happened in my life or things I discovered about myself in 2011. 

1-      My hubby and I got back together in February after a 9 month separation

2-      Our family moved from a small 3 bedroom duplex into a spacious 6 bedroom house

3-      I have space now to decorate and have been busy making things for our house

4-      I discovered a love for repurposing and fixing up “old” furniture – making trash into treasure

5-      Received a Silhouette SD for my birthday and am finally an owner of a die cut machine and have been busily making things to beautify and organize our home

6-      Realized again my love for biking and hiking and went on many excursions with my family, including Timpanogos Cave with all six of our children

7-      Witnessed tremendous growth in my relationship with myself, my husband, and my children 

8-      My little Miriam finally started walking

9-      Found greater love and acceptance of myself and others as well as gained more peace in my life

10-   Helped facilitate a long awaited reunion between father and son

I'm excited for 2012 and new year of blessing, growth, and joy!  My goal is to write more this year, but I'm not committing to any number of posts, just more than last year!  Happy New Year to you all!

I reached a new milestone this last week…I had a birthday and turned 30!  Turning thirty definitely gave me a cause to think about my life up to this point and to think about the next thirty years (as Tim McGraw would say). 

Honestly though, I laid in the bed the night before my birthday and cried for 45 minutes.  My hubby says it was over an hour, but who’s counting anyway??  So yes, I had a lot of tears…some premenstrual if I think about it, but really I cried A LOT that night.  I’ve gotten teary eyed the last few months just thinking about my upcoming birthday.  Turning thirty is a milestone – a rite of passage so to say.  A farewell to those early adulthood years.  The twenties were fun but the thirties mean you really are an adult now.  I don’t know if thirty says all those things, but I guess that what it means to me.  I didn’t even really know why I was crying most of the time, but the tears just flowed.  It was a much needed release as I move onto the next decade of my life. 

I’ve been thinking about my life and the experiences I’ve been through.  I’ve had others comment to me about some of my life experiences being labeled as “mistakes.”  And this thought of mistakes has been on my mind quite a bit over the past weeks.  Let me just say that I don’t believe in mistakes.  I believe in growth, knowledge, wisdom, and experience that shape and mold who we are becoming.  I wouldn’t take back any of experiences and trade them for something else…ever.  I wouldn’t be who I am today and who I am becoming without the experiences I’ve been through.  I think back to who I was when I turned twenty and I’m completely different now!  Thank goodness!  If I was the same person as I was then than that wouldn’t be very exciting or challenging would it??  If I could have seen who I am today when I was twenty I would have judged myself so harshly.  I had a narrow view of the world around me and a harsh, condemning lens that I view everyone including myself.  As I look back to that young twenty year old girl that I was then, I forgive her for her judgments and I love her and what she has taught me.  I am grateful for that woman who held so strongly to her convictions as the best she knew how.  I’ve learned in the last ten years that in order to heal and to progress towards sanctification and a life of love, peace, and joy – then I need to forgive.  I forgive myself.  I love who I am today and am excited about who I will be when I’m forty.  I hope that I will have as much growth and life experience in the next ten years.  Here’s to the thirties!

This wreath cost me $0 since I had everything on hand.  I used black garbage bags and some orange tulle I had in my stash.  I made some rosettes from orange fabric, tulle, and one of the garbage bags.  This was so fun to make and I love the way it turned out.  Happy Halloween!

Have scrap wood laying around?  These trick-or-treat blocks were made with 4x4's cut into square blocks.  Paint them black then distress a little on the edges if you desire.  Next stencil, or cut out wording with vinyl.  Wrap with a white ribbon and you're done!  Simple project done in less than an hour.  That's my kind of project! 

Since moving into a larger house a couple months ago, I've now got more room to decorate!  I'm so excited to start making more seasonal decor and have decided to use this built in bookshelf area as a faux mantle.  Here's a photo of how I decorated for Halloween.  Sorry I don't have better pictures, or more info on specific projects. 

I’ve been absent on my blog for quite some time now.  I’ve had several people ask me why I stopped writing and all I can say is I got to a point that I didn’t feel that strong push and desire to write.  My family has been more of a priority than anything but I do realize that for those who don’t know my story well would appreciate an update.

A lot has happened over the last year and I recognize the need for me to continue to express myself and share my story.  If you have followed my blog and have read all my stories please be patient with me as I continue to gain clarity in my writing as I share my most recent processing.

The main difference in my life since February is my getting back together with my husband,  JD.  This last year has been outlined with a lot of growth and progress on both of our accounts.  I’ve share many personal details about our story and if you recall from my posts last summer I was filing for divorce.  I got to the point where I was really done and did go forward shedding the old scripts and patterns I had created in my marriage.  The divorce process was almost complete and I felt peace in my decision to move forward.  However, in February when I least expected it, JD came back into my life as a man who had been humbled and was on his road to recovery.  He had been through a lot and was still trekking onward despite the difficulties that he faced.   I saw in him a new man.  I saw him through the eyes of Christ.  I saw in him a man who truly loves me but he had gained a conviction to continue his path of healing no matter what.  I decided on an unexpected, beautiful and tender day that I was going to stay with my husband and that I was going to be the woman by his side.  The grace of God prevailed in our marriage and we shared many precious experiences together that I will cherish forever.  I thought my heart was closed to him for good but the tender mercies of God showered our family in those first days and weeks when we got back together.   JD is the perfect mirror for me and the perfect man for me to work my issues out with.  Although he has his issues and his addictions he has continued to show up for me emotionally and has revealed God’s love for me in a profound way that I have never felt before. 

It may sound cheesy and many people don’t agree with my decision or understand but what it comes down to is LOVE.  I am fully aware of my his issues which is completely different than when I was blind and did not want to see his dark side or my dark side for that matter.  We are conscious in our relationship, something that I don’t believe most people in our culture even understand.  Something I didn’t understand before we went through the last several years together.  We are working on our relationship daily.  We are working on ourselves daily.  We are seeking guidance and counsel, and receiving Divine support as we are committed to one another on the Red Path.

I believe that the power of repentance and forgiveness changes lives.  Sometimes the path of change looks different than we think it should but I believe as we give up the control and let LOVE and GOD into our hearts, we will be guided.  We will be directed as our lives unfold into what it is that our intentions are.  So I admit and finally getting my thoughts out on this path I’m on – that I’ve been guided back to my dear JD.  The man I love and adore.  The man who has shown me a level of love and tenderness that I never knew.   The man who knows me better than anyone and still patiently waits for me to soften my heart to his love.  The man who teaches me and reminds me daily of who I am and that the most important thing is LOVE.