She's Crafty, Part I

I was introduced to Pinterest more than a year ago, but it hasn't been until the last couple months that I've really gotten into it. On any given day, I can be found perusing the site at random hours, for unhealthy lengths of time. This site has also encouraged the craft-o-holic in me. I have completed about 7 craft projects so far and have dozens more on the waiting list. Unfortunately they will probably stay there for a while since classes have started back up.

Here are a couple of the things I have made thus far:

This is probably my favorite. It is our wedding vows and Scrabble tiles; I also decided to hand-antique the paper. It is very simple. Print your verse (or whatever it is), crumple paper and smooth out. Pour enough fresh black coffee to cover paper; sprinkle with instant coffee grounds (I skipped this step), and bake at 200 degrees F for 5 minutes or until paper is dry/edges curl. I still had a lot of coffee left, so after baking, I dumped some of it until there was just a tiny layer covering the paper. I think I ended up baking mine for a total of 15 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on this!

I had left over tiles from the coaster craft. The original blogger of this idea spelled out "ALWAYS" but I was missing a few tiles. I did have enough to spell out "AMOUR" (French for love, if you didn't know). This frame is 8x10 and was on clearance for $3.00 at Wal-Mart. Place the tiles wherever you want. I super-glued mine in the middle. Frame as a regular photo. I used black Duct Tape to secure the backing since the tiles make it pop out a little.

Note: Be sure to have something underneath your paper if you are using super glue. I adhered my tiles to the counter without realizing it, HAHA. Luckily it was salvageable (and so was the counter).

This craft is so incredibly simple, I can't wait to make another. All you need is canvas, crayons, a hot glue gun, and a hair dryer. Adhere the crayons with the hot glue gun to the canvas, in any design you'd like. I started with a rainbow for my first piece. Once crayons are adhered, now you may begin the long process of melting the crayons. I propped my canvas against the wall and laid newspaper underneath, above, and on the sides to save the area from wax splashing. Melt the crayons until you have the look you desire. Voila!

Stay tuned for more crafts and a few recipes!

To Be Resolute

An excerpt from a private blog, written January 1, 2012.

I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions, nor do I make them, but I do believe in myself. I do believe in the things stirring within me as of late. I believe in my hands and whatever power I may hold and my ability to use it for something worthwhile.

The new year is upon us already. These are not resolutions that I have made in haste, but rather, things that I will do... things that I am already doing... things I will continue to do.

...to be kind

...to be healthy

...to forgive

...to let go

...to grow

Happiness is earned, not granted. It is a fight every-single-day. I have to make the conscious decision to choose my reactions. The more aware I become, the more I set myself free... the more I grow and learn and live. I have recently realized that I have been wrong all along; happiness is not a grand destination. It isn't nirvana. It comes in little segments, from the mundane and trivial moments of glee to supreme life events. It is everything. I have missed so much because I dismissed it and forced myself to believe that happiness is everlasting. If it was only momentary, then it wasn't true happiness. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I would say that it is time to change some things, but.. I had already begun; I just didn't realize it until now.

Psst. Is This Thing On?

Well, well, well. What have we here?

A while back, I lost track of this blog and my photography blog. So many things were happening in 2011, I didn't have time to focus on either. I then grew tired of the archaic layouts and my general lack of web design knowledge. I wanted to revamp this blog in particular, but I knew it was going to be a hefty undertaking. I also grew dismayed at my lack of things to blog about, so I privatized it for a while. Then one day I decided to delete it all together. If I wanted to blog again, I would blog anew. 

I set out to do that this morning. While I was going through all the settings and re-familiarizing myself with everything, I noticed that while this blog (and my photography blog) had been deleted, there was the option to "Undelete". As you may have noticed, that is what I decided to do. I haven't changed anything except the typeface of the tab selection at the top. I even left prior entries intact. I feel a little more accomplished that way, ha.

I will though. I will change some things around and organize a bit. I do have topics of interest I want to delve into and crafty/cooking things I want to blog about as well.

So, as my coffee turns cold and one of my dog sits at my chair waiting to be fed breakfast, I'll leave you with this for now. A welcome home party for myself and time to get reacquainted.

Stay tuned.

P.S. I have an unhealthy addiction to Pinterest and that will be documented quite well here.