Sunday, October 29, 2017

Sunday Verses

Devotional on God Helping and Guiding Us
Happy Sunday! When life gets hard it is comforting to know that someone is on our side and there for us, supporting us and going through the tough stuff with us. And while friends and family may be beside us and around us in our trials, God is WITHIN us. He is not standing off to the side, watching from a distance. He is in the middle of our circumstances, suffering with us, holding us up, guiding and protecting us, weeping and hurting with us. Be confident in knowing that no matter what you may be going through, God is with you, in you, giving you strength and encouragement and unconditional love.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Sunday Verses

devorional abou choosing love over other things
Happy Sunday! "What the world needs now, is love, sweet love..." Lately, I have been finding myself singing this song from my childhood and I have been reminding myself love over anything else. And let me tell you, it is not easy. I want to be right, I want to let people know when my anger is justified, I want to yell, "Why are you being so mean and hurtful?" But, being right and being mad and being frustrated keeps me from doing everything with love. It takes courage and strength to stand firm in our faith and to let things go, to overlook an offense, to choose love above all else. But, it is what Jesus does for us and what He asks us to do. This week, let's work, I mean really work hard at choosing love FIRST.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Wood Pallet Wonders and a Gratitude Board



Hey all, how are you? So, I have casually mentioned that I spent my summer writing another book on working with and building with wood shipping pallets. affiliate link (You can get my first book HERE.) And, my second book is now available for pre-order on Amazon HERE

How did a second book come about and how is this one different?
My editor asked me if I had a second book in me. Interestingly enough, I had brainstormed new projects for another book a few months prior to her asking. I wanted this one centered around the seasons and holidays, but with projects that were versatile and could be easily changed up for other holidays and decorating. And... Wood Pallet Wonders was written. 
awesome book with complete directions and colored photos

The new book offers much of the same basic information as the first book--tools you need, where to find pallets, how to take them apart, paint techniques. Some of this information has been updated. The projects are all new and different from the first book and range from very simple to more expert builds (although if you follow me at all, you know I never build anything too complicated).


A few projects did not make the book due to a space issue, which in my mind is a better issue to have than not having enough material. One is this very simple gratitude board, perfect for the upcoming month. I thought I would share it with you now so you have time to get it made before November. I am sharing in more detail than I typically do, which will give you a nice example of how projects are shared in Wood Pallet Wonders, (LOTS of colored photos in the book!)
practice gratitude with this easy to make gratitude board made from a pallet

Monday, October 16, 2017

Small Ways to Keep Extra Pounds Off During the Holidays

Happy MORE Monday! These posts started in the new year when most of us make the BIG resolutions that are often forgotten and left behind by February or March.

simple ways to keep holiday pounds off
I wanted to motivate us to continue with and keep our resolutions by making small changes throughout the year.

The changes have focused on different areas--health, money, relationships. 

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Sunday Verses

god has already overcome anything we are facing
Happy Sunday! Folks, life is just hard, isn't it? There is pain and problems and forces coming against in all directions some days. There are mountains we are facing that seem insurmountable and those that are in the distant that we can barely see, but we know are there. And, many of us are choosing to live in defeat. We worry (oh, how I struggle with this) and we stress and we forget. We forget that God has already won the victory, that HE is greater than anything we are facing, that HE has overcome the giants and the mountains we face. Let's claim and believe and live in the victory Christ won for us on the cross. Amen?

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Buffalo Checked Bison Sign

Oh, how I love this buffalo check stencil from Funky Junk Interiors' Old Sign Stencils. It is perfect for adding a rustic, cabin vibe to anything.
Funky Junk Interiors Old Sign Stencils

I decided I definitely needed to make a buffalo checked bison (or buffalo, although in North America they are bison).

Monday, October 9, 2017

Let's Give MORE Grace

In the beginning of the year I started a series on Monday called MORE Mondays that offered simple and small steps to improve our lives and get more out of life this year.
simple ways to get more out of life this year

And then summer happened and book writing happened and I put the MORE Monday posts on hold until September. But, then a big computer slow down occurred and for about 5 weeks every post took me three to four times longer than normal and I just couldn't create printables. But, all of that is done and cleared up and so my MORE Monday posts are back for the rest of 2017.

Sunday, October 8, 2017

Sunday Verses

devotional about loving others without limits
Happy Sunday! I love the message version of these verses because it really spells out HOW we are called to love others--without reserve and with everything, like Jesus loves us. We are not called to pick people apart, to decide if they are worthy of love, to love them only if they agree with us. We are simply asked to love as we are loved, without limits. It is not always easy, but God has a plan for that too. He tells us to hang out with him more, read his word, pray, and learn how extravagantly he loves us and then ACT and show that love, HIS love to others.  

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Fall Porch Decor on a Budget

Yesterday I showed you my quick fall sign I made with pallet wood scraps.  Today, I am sharing the rest of my porch, or at least one of my porches decorated on a budget with thrift store and garage sale finds.

use thrift store finds and pallet wood projects to decorate your porch for fall
This porch we call the breezeway porch because it leads into the breezeway (which is enclosed) from the garage to the mudroom. It is the door that most everyone uses because we have no path to the front door (YET!).

Friday, October 6, 2017

Pallet Pumpkin Sign

I "needed" a new fall sign for my porch AND I had recently "cleaned" (or removed excess paint) from paintbrushes on some scrap pallet boards. 
make a hand painted sign for fall on pallet boards

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Sunday Verses

Happy Sunday! We had a long fire season in Montana this past summer. But, even though the smoke was miserable, we also know that fires are sometimes necessary and that good can come from them. Fires release seeds for new growth, rid forests of dead materials, renew the soil, and allow for a more diverse ecosystem. God is an expert at bringing good from bad. He allows the hard times to refine us, to make us better, and he tells us the hard times will not last--joy is ahead. Rest this week in knowing that trials are not forever and trust that God's mercy and grace bring us wonderful joy in the future.