Talk of the Town Link Party

Welcome back to Talk of the Town!

First, let's take a look at what you may have missed from your party hosts!

More Water on More Mondays

So today I am keeping our MORE Monday goal pretty simple.

I think most of us know drinking more water is better for our health. And while I usually drink plenty of water in the summer, I just don't seem to get as thirty in the winter and subsequently do not drink enough water for about 8 months out of the year.

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I set out to change that this winter and have been doing well with it.  It really does help me to feel a little better.  

The biggest change I have made is to start drinking my water out of a quart mason jar--it really helps me to measure and remember how much water I have had.  I also have started buying a dozen lemons at a time and I squeeze the juice from half a lemon into my water every morning.

I also "reward" myself with coffee AFTER I drink my quart of lemon water.  No water, no coffee!

Let me know if you need to add more water in your day and how you are going to do it!

Sunday Verses

Happy Sunday! When I read this verse this past week, I knew I wanted to share it with you. I love the picture and the idea of standing in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory. As I have previously said, living here in Montana gives us plenty of opportunity to picture wide open spaces. God's grace is so abundant it cannot be confined to small, cramped places. His grace is bountiful and generous and more than sufficient for us--all of us, even those of us who do not feel deserving of it. God's door is wide open to us, offering us what we don't have to earn, forgiveness and unending grace. Let's stand in it!

Scrap Wood Art

When I made this little corner shelf for my antique booth, the store manager thought it was an art piece when she saw me bringing it in.

I thought, hmm, that would be a fun scrappy, architectural looking piece to make...so I did.

Talk of the Town Link Party

Welcome back to Talk of the Town!

First, let's take a look at what you may have missed from your party hosts!

Getting Outside More

I love the outdoors. BUT, I also really, really like to be warm so my outdoor time is fairly limited for six months or so each year.

But, this year I did want the cold and snow to stop me from being outside, or at least not as much as it has.

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Sunday Verses

Happy Sunday! Raise your hand if you are excited that the days are getting longer and it is staying lighter a bit later each day. Light lifts our spirits, makes things easier to see, comforts us and makes us feel safe.  Light is a metaphor for life and goodness. And by God's grace, we have a light that fills our dark and empty places. God's light guides us and consoles us and it is greater than ANY darkness we may feel or experience in our life. This week let's look for the light--whether it be from the sun, a person who radiates, or even a favorite lamp, and let it remind us to feel and trust and be thankful for the light that God shines into our darkness.

Barn Wood Bench

When a friend asked me to donate to a fundraiser for a local family whose son was born with heart complications.  I said of course. I knew I wanted to make something Montana and I know how popular benches are so that is what I did.

Reclaimed Wood Art

I had a little time to myself the other evening when no one was home and I decided to use it to "play" in the workshop. 

This rustic, boho inspired art piece made from reclaimed wood was the result of that creative time.  

I am calling it God's eye because it reminds me of the yarn and stick creations called God's eyes that I loved to make as a kid.

Coffee House Decor

Ok, I am pretty sure I have been dreaming of having a coffee lounge or coffee house decor in my dining area since I first spied Central Perk in Friends. 

I mean, who doesn't love the casual, cozy, welcoming atmosphere?  And after seeing what Redhead Can Decorate did, I have been working on creating this in my home.

I am not flipping my dining and family room spaces like Redhead Can Decorate did, but I am working on designing a cozy, comfy dining space.  I found a round dining table (with 2 leaves) at the thrift store and I am just about done transforming.  The small round table will be perfect because I only have one kid at home still so most days there are only three of us eating at the table.  I love that I can expand the table when we have company.

Now, I am looking for other pieces to complete the look and feel of the space.  I am looking at both thrift stores and online for what I want.

*This post contains affiliate links.*

Talk of the Town Link Party

Welcome back to Talk of the Town!

First, let's take a look at what you may have missed from your party hosts!

Showing MORE Love on MORE Mondays

Happy Monday!  I hope you took last week to get caught up on getting MORE out of this year.  (SEE HERE) 

With Valentine's Day tomorrow, it is a perfect week to focus on showing more LOVE.

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Sunday Verses

Happy Sunday! Montana is called Big Sky Country and when my family first moved here, I remember my little brother saying, "The sky really is bigger in Montana." We have gorgeous, wide-open spaces where you can look as far from the east to the west as your eyes can see--which is pretty darn far. When God forgives us, this is how far God removes our sins from us. AND BONUS, he forgets them.  The problem is, God forgets them but, we don't.  We continue to live in shame and live in the boundaries and shackles of our sin.  God never intended us to do life this way--He wants us to live in the freedom of forgiveness he gives us. We need to accept the work Jesus did on the cross and, just like God does, forget our sins.  This week let's trust that we are really forgiven and let's work on forgiving AND forgetting our mistakes!

Vintage Table Updated with Paint

So, as I shared in my last post (HERE) there are a few things I have learned about thrift store shopping over the years.  Another thing I have learned is that right before you checkout, you should take one more pass through your favorite section (furniture for me) because most thrift stores are constantly putting fresh items out. 

The other day on my final pass through I found this vintage table just being placed on the floor at the thrift store.  I took it from the employee's hands and thanked him.

I love the funky, vintage style of this occasional, lamp, foyer (what do YOU call it??) table. It is sturdy, but rough.

Nothing that a little sanding and paint wouldn't fix!  

Vintage Metal Folding Table

After doing THIS--ya know, buying junk, fixing it, repurposing it, painting it--for 16 years I know when I should quickly grab a piece at a yard sale or thrift store and not hem and haw over it.

Such was the case when I spied this vintage metal folding table on sale for 1/2 price at the thrift store.

I didn't open it and set it up to see if it was sturdy, I didn't walk around the store and think about it, I just threw it in my cart.  I knew that the metal top would be great with new legs if needed or that it would make a fabulous, big, metal sign.

Talk of the Town Link Party

Welcome back to Talk of the Town!

First, let's take a look at what you may have missed from your party hosts!

Getting More Out of Life

Who want more out of life?  I am pretty sure we all want more of something, whether it is more fun, more rest and quiet, more income.  

6 weeks ago I started this MORE Mondays series as a way to motivate us and inspire us to have a better life this year.  I have decided that every 6 weeks I will do a recap so we can catch-up and reset what we are doing if needed.

Sunday Verses

Happy Sunday!  Do you ever wish you could serve God in a BIG way? You know, flying across the world to help those living in poverty and strife?  Working in other countries is a wonderful and good thing, but not always possible.  Thankfully, we do not have to fly thousands of miles to serve God. We have the opportunity to show God's love in our everyday walk and in our everyday life and activities. God places people and opportunities right in front of us--we simply need to notice them, embrace them, act on them. This week let's look for and welcome the simple moments where we can help others, the moments where we see God working, the day-to-day moments when we can worship Him.

LOVE Sign

What would February be without a LOVE sign?

This farmhouse style LOVE sign came together quickly with just a few bits and pieces.

How to Build a Reclaimed Wood Serving Tray

I needed a quick and easy building project today because that was all my brain felt like doing, ha-ha! After looking around at my scraps I decided to make a reclaimed wood serving tray.