Friday, December 31, 2010

A Few of My Favorite Things--Year in Review and Happy New Year!

I hope you have enjoyed seeing a few of my favorite babies, I mean projects from this past year.  It is good to review, to see what was accomplished and to define where I want to go.  I chose this hanger thinger as my last favorite of the year.  I liked the versatility of it and that is was made from scrap fence boards the neighbor was dumping.


Happy New Year to you all--be safe!  Looking forward to a creative and productive 2011!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

A Few of My Favorite Things--Year in Review

Thanks all for linking up to the Under $100 Party--keep on linking and visiting and commenting on each other's links.  Another favorite from this past year was my porch primping that included a coffee sack skirt for my potting table.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Under $100 Linky Party

Sorry, I think I confused a few people with the blog hop in the post below.  It is a way to share with others the need to pray for Edie, a fellow blogger who lost her home in a fire last week.  If you are interested, please join below, thanks.   If I know anything, this I know:  Prayer changes things!

Now to get this week's linky party rolling, the last one of 2010, wow!  Here are some links from last week:

This clothespin wreath from Chipping With Charm is perfect!

It's not too late to make Ms. Smartie Pants button snowman for winter decorating.
Felt So Cute's fun kid's party hats can still be whipped up in the next day or two. 
Mason Bay's $20 Hutch redo is divine, check out her fabulous accessories in it!
This shabby box from Biljana Shabby is so sweet.
Making and posting Scrabble style family rules from Recovering Craft Hoarder is a great way to start the new year.
Under $100 Linky Guidelines
1. Please link to the specific post, not your blog!
2. Please only post ideas that cost $100 or less--it would be great if you share the cost of your project, but not necessary.
3. Please include a brief description in link up.
4. Grab my Under $100 button on the sidebar and include it in your post or a link to Beyond the Picket Fence so people can find you and more great ideas.
5. Please check and make sure your link works. If it doesn't you can delete it and try again.
6. Please no direct links to sales sites, i.e. ETSY or just a plain ol' commercial site, we are looking for inexpensive ideas we can recreate, thanks!




A Few of My Favorite Things--Year in Review and Prayers For Fellow Blogger

No worries, later this evening the under $100 Linky Party will be up and running.  But until then, for your viewing pleasure, another favorite of mine, the cake diet message center.  I liked this one so much because it was simple and not only a chalkboard (I have made hundreds of chalkboards) but also a magnet board, not to mention the calories it saved!

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Please pray for Edie and her family who lost their home to a fire last week.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

A Few of My Favorite Things--Year in Review

Another favorite of mine was my spring wreath.  I was so excited when I came up with this idea that I didn't even eat until it was finished.  I realize there may had been other versions of this out there, but it was totally new to me.  I do think that in the blogging world it is so important to give credit when you have been inspired by someone else.  I am afraid far too often I see people forgetting to do that and it makes me sad (as I saw after I posted this wreath).  Don't get me wrong, I post ideas for people to beg, borrow and steal.  I just believe in giving credit where credit is due.

Monday, December 27, 2010

A Few of My Favorite Things--Year in Review

I thought for this last week of 2010 I'd recap a few of my favorite projects from the past year.  I am sure it won't be easy--similar to picking a favorite child.  I won't share the how to's again, you can go to the original post link for that.  Enjoy!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Sunday Verses

I almost forgot it was Sunday, sorry a little late here.  Have been enjoing some down time!
 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might.
2 Samuel 6:14

We have been enjoying ourselves dancing to my daughter's new Just Dance Wii game.  It is amazing how dancing produces laughgter, a feeling of freedom, stress release, not to mention sweat.  David knew dancing was good and used it to praise the Lord.  It is a good reminder that there are many ways to praise God--singing, prayer, in action and deed, through words, and yes through dancing.  Praise God in all you do with all your might, even with some fun, silly dancing!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas to All!

How can I thank you all for praying for my husband?  Because of your prayers, we got a call yesterday morning at 10:15 asking if he could be to the hospital by 11:00.  We did, the cyst was drained, and other than the pain from where they hammered the needle through the bone to get to it, he is pain free--praise God and bless you all! 

Wishing you all the merriest of Christmases, celebrating the true meaning of the holiday, surrounded by people you love!

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:14

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Under $100 Linky Party

Thanks all for prayers for hubby.  He got into see specialist and thankfully does not require surgery.  However he has a very painful cyst wrapped around his spinal cord.  They tried to get to it to drain it, but were unable to do so--did inject some steroids which helped for a few days, but he is back in bed now, legs up over pillows.  They will try to get to it with a CAT scan to guide them.  They told him today they couldn't get him until the 30th, but he told them that is unacceptable, he is in too much pain.  They are supposed to be calling back tomorrow.  It should be instant relief when they do it--please pray for a cancellation and that they can get him in before Christmas.  I am exhausted doing all of the Christmas prep solo--not that he ever does a lot of it, but still no extra hands when I need it.

Sorry about the link mess up last week.  Still you found your way and figured it out--smart cookies!  Here are a few of those links:

Look at this sweet little vintage button tree from Redheads Craft More Fun:
I love this game in a bag gift--would make a fun New Year's Eve hostess gift--from Today's Fabulous Finds!
Dream Home DIY planked an archway--very unique with dramatic results!
Salvage repurposed like this from Brambleberry Cottage makes me drool!
It is not too late to make this coffee gift idea from Delightful Order!
And Junk Fest's vintage sled centerpiece can be enjoyed all winter long!

If you are not too crazy busy--get linking!
Under $100 Linky Guidelines
1. Please link to the specific post, not your blog!
2. Please only post ideas that cost $100 or less--it would be great if you share the cost of your project, but not necessary.
3. Please include a brief description in link up.
4. Grab my Under $100 button on the sidebar and include it in your post or a link to Beyond the Picket Fence so people can find you and more great ideas.
5. Please check and make sure your link works. If it doesn't you can delete it and try again :
6. Please no direct links to sales sites, i.e. ETSY or just a plain ol' commercial site, we are looking for inexpensive ideas we can recreate, thanks!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Last Minute Gift Idea

Need a last minute gift?  How about some wonderful organic sugar scrub?  All this gift requires is a quick trip to the grocery store for a jar of organic coconut oil and some organic raw sugar. 
I came up with this concotion myself and love it.  It smells divne too!  I used a 30.6 ounce jar of coconut oil and 1 lb. of sugar--this made a BIG batch. Heat the oil in the microwave 30 seconds at a time (make sure to take the lid off!). Then in a glass bowl mix thoroughly mix the oil and sugar and spoon into plastic containers--you don't want glass in the shower.  It hardens as it cools and is really nice consistancy to scoop out by the handful.  I attached a little cricut card describing what it is.  It is wonderful to use before shaving and gets rid of the dead, dry skin.  I also put a cautionary note that the shower surface may be slippery after use.  Try it as a gift for someone or for yourself!
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Find more ideas at Blue Cricket Design and Someday Crafts!

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Sunday Verses

I have decided it is time to reinstate Sunday verses.  I originally quit for summer and never came back to it.  But I miss it, so I hope that Sundays at Beyond the Picket Fence will be a time for you to find a word of encouragement.

"Be as calm in your waiting; let your hearts be strong: because the coming of the Lord is near." James 5:8


The verse has been a comfort to me as we waited for news on my husband and as we wait for him to heal.  Waiting is not my strong point.  If I know I am going to get news, good or bad, but especially bad, I want it immediately.  I am a dive into the cold water kind of a person.  But sometimes waiting is good.  It reminds us that we can handle more than we think we can, it provides other answers and avenues we may not have thought of in our haste, it reminds us that we have loved ones who are there for us, and it gives God a chance to work and to come into our lives in a new or unexpected way.  If you are waiting for something, news--good or bad, a job, a significant other, a baby, whatever it may be, remember to be calm as you wait and strong, God's timing is perfect.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Under $100 Linky Party!

**OOPS--I used the wordpress code so the links are showing up on another page--please make sure and visit!  I am worried if I change it now I will lose the links.  Sorry--lack of sleep!

Thanks all for prayers for my hubby!  We found out last night that the cyst in his back is not cancerous--praise God! However it is wrapped around his spinal cord and will require a fairly extensive surgery, so I will covet your continued prayers.  He is in so much pain, and let me tell you my husband has a very high pain threshold.  Hoping surgery can be soon, but specialists are so hard to get into see.  Thanks again--knowing others are praying helps keep me sane!

Thanks also for linking up.  I think links this time of year are my favorite--I love Christmas ideas.  Lots of those this past week, plus other fabby things such as:

This beautiful icy mirror from Bella's Rose Cottage,
Room by Room showed us a cute as can be penny jar--what a fun gift idea!
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What a fun and simple scarf from All Things Heart and Home!
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Are you Jonesing for a Kindle like I am?  Well if you happen to receive one or have one you need to make a cute cover for it like 20 Something did.
What a beautiful dresser redo by Frou-FruGal!
This I Spy ornament from Barnes Family Love is so fun and innovative.
It's Always a Party at the Parkers showed off the most fabulous Advent Graland.

Under $100 Linky Guidelines
1. Please link to the specific post, not your blog!
2. Please only post ideas that cost $100 or less--it would be great if you share the cost of your project, but not necessary.
3. Please include a brief description in link up.
4. Grab my Under $100 button on the sidebar and include it in your post or a link to Beyond the Picket Fence so people can find you and more great ideas.
5. Please check and make sure your link works. If it doesn't you can delete it and try again :)
6. Please no direct links to sales sites, i.e. ETSY or just a plain ol' commercial site, we are looking for inexpensive ideas we can recreate, thanks!

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Be Still

I love sunrises and sunsets (I must admit I don't see a lot of sunrises).  The other night the sun was setting as my daughter and I were rushing from Target, to get home to start dinner, to get middle kid to basketball practice.  But the sunset was amazing (much better than this cruddy phone picture is showing).  And I knew that we needed to drive somewhere that we could appreciate it a little better, so we did.  And we sat for a few minutes in quiet, appreciating God's handiwork, breathing and thanking Him.  I was reminded that in this busy season, we need to take time to simply be still and know that no matter what craziness is going on in our lives, He was, is and always will be God!  I needed that reminder, especially as we wait for some health news about my husband.  In case anyone else out there needs that reminder too, I had to share.

Friday, December 10, 2010

12 Days of Christmas Ideas--Day 12--Woo-Hoo!

On the 12th (not consecutive) day of Christmas Beyond The Picket Fence Showed me...how to make an old book Christmasssy.  I have a confession--I love old books, I hoard old books.  I love their fabric covers, and their yellowed pages, and the illustrations, oh my.  But, I don't do much with them.  Partially, because I feel badly  tearing them apart and partially because well, so many books, so little time. I decided  they aren't doing much for me sitting in suitcases so it is time to use them.  So, here are a few Christmas ideas using old books.

First, I made a Christmas card holder.
I cut out the innards of the book and traced it on its side for a gusset.  I used scrapbook paper, but you also could use fabric, which is more sturdy.
Next, fold up the sides of the gusset.
Hot glue to the book cover.
I then hot glued these to an old piece of wood.  You could screw them in as well if they were to hold heavier items.  I want to stick some candy candy canes in them as well, but I don't have any yet :(.
I also made a stocking holder (also great for keys, etc. after Christmas).
Again, I took out the innards.  I glued a board in there that was the same thickness of the book so that I was screwing the hooks, or in this case old knobs, into something secure.
There is so much you can do to decorate this.  I added chalkboard paint (writing messy--only had big hunk of sidewalk chalk), but you could decoupage a picture from a book, use some vinyl, or even spell out a word with junk like I did on Day 8.
A few smaller ideas include tags and ornaments cut from the book covers--just a quick little paint job.
I originally showed you this idea here.  I love these tags for a bottle of wine, tied to a gift, or simply hanging from the tree.  And hey, nothing says Christmas like a native about to be hit with a club (it is green and red!!).

And I know you all have seen the book page wreaths.  How about a miniature one for an ornament?
There are so many other fun ideas for old books--use your imagination!  Thanks for joining me for my 12 Days of Christmas--I hope you found an idea or two that inspired you!
Find more great ideas at Funky Junk Interiors and Finding Fabulous.