Summertime laziness

In my mind summer is best spent enjoying the warmth. Warmth is a blessing sent only a few months of the year- and soni like to take full advantage. That equals to not a whole lot of painting, sewing or really any much of domestic homemaker type stuff. It has equaled huge quantities of outside fun with our (now very tan children)
But the good news (at least for our homes physical well being)and for blogging is that this school year, us sisters have no kindergarteners this year!!! That means no Fridays cut short!

So that's cool! And september we have lots (& I mean LOTS) of canning to do, so that's what's coming up next...


Tata for now

Brit

Soul Restoration 2

So if any of you gals out there want to enhance - lift up- be a little more focused or enjoy your life more than you do now. Even if you love your life deeply right now but want to get it to that next goal or step- If you need a serious face lift to your days, feel like your in a rut, need a little TLC or just want to do something special for yourself this summer- then you need to do this:




Copy and paste this into your address bar...

http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341c5c2253ef015432c126b5970c

It will take you to a post about this great class she's teaching!

You need to visit
Melody Ross




at BraveGirlsClub.com




and take her class "soul restoration 2" class

I promise you will love it!!!!

I got a little sneak peak of what's coming up in her class... It was lovely. The best thing I could describe it as- artsy, fun, very deep, helpful, true, lovely.

Brit

Ps- melody didn't ask me to post this- I doubt she will even know but she has a beautiful soul & Mind and so much to offer and I think every girl can use a little bit of love for the good hard things we do every day....so that's why I'm linking to her- just you know- FYI :)


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Being a Womam!

I came across this post

http://www.natthefatrat.com/2010/02/we-are-not-born-women.html

And I LOVE the thought of it....

When was the first time you felt girlie?



What makes you feel like a woman?

Why do you love being feminine?

I never really considered myself a girlie girl. The main reason being is because I don't wear makeup and I don't really like the color pink. (it has it's fabulous moments, but in moderation) But in all actuality- I am girlie.

I feel girlie when I wear stilettos. Walking on those tiny tips. The first time I really felt this was with my friend Nemiha - as teenagers we dressed up in short shorts and high heels (at my house one afternoon) and it was a ball! I felt sexy. For the 1st time.

I feel girlie when I am carrying a cute purse and when my hair is all just right.

I feel girlie when around friends and behaving all flamboyant like.

I feel girlie when I am in a dressing room and I find an outfit that is just- hmmmmm! So fabulous on!

I feel girlie shoe shopping (shoe trying on & shoe buying- not just shoe looking or shoe yearning)



I feel girlie wearing a bracelet(s).

I feel girlie when I am in a swimsuit with a sundress cover up (speaking of the sun I miss it)

I feel girlie getting a massage or a pedicure or facial not so much when getting my hair cut - to much pressure for small talk.

Those are wonderful feelings...

I feel like a woman when I am cradling my babies.

I feel like a woman when I am baking (especially when I wear an apron) but not so much when I am cooking dinner unless I am really excited about the dinner.

I feel like a woman when I am finishing a huge cleaning endeavor! When all the house is clean and everything in order.

I feel like a woman when i am taking care of my family with purpose!

I feel like a woman in an evening gown.

I feel loved as a women when I look at my wedding ring..


I feel like a woman when my man just holds me.

I feel like a woman when I go to lunch with friends

I feel like a woman when I planned and carried out a fun activity for my family.

I feel like a woman when I bring someone bread.

I feel like a woman when I wear a nightie.

I feel like a woman when my husband wants me.


Do you know what? Just because I love blue does t mean that I'm not girlie- I Am!!!


I love being a GiRL!!! I love having my man take care of me. I love taking care of him. I feel alive in my soul when I fully live my gender. I feel alive in my soul when I hug my daughters. I love being a mother. I love being a wife. I love taking care of myself in girlie ways and I love dressing in cute clothes, and I love creating a home for my family.

Of course there are times (sometimes many times a day) when I daydream about quiet beaches and a book or hiking in Europe and I wish my life were a bit more free than the demands it has but when I sit here I realize this truth. I love motherhood and wifehood and womanhood. I love my life that has been created for me. It has LASTING JOY.

What do you love about being a girl, a woman?
When did you realize this?
Do you remember a moment in time that you realized you felt really truly feminine?
I can't wait to hear!!!

Brit
Ps - my hubby said he likes that I'm a girl :) phew!!


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Family Motto + Old Ironing Board = ?

Ok so I've been wanting to do a family motto.  So that when someone in the family isn't behaving we can say, "What's our motto?!?!"  And so that we can feel like we have a purpose in our family.  Something that we strive for.  So we made the motto all together one (actually it took a few nights) evening and then I made this to display it-  

I found the ironing board at a thrift store a long time ago- like at least 5 years ago-  It started out a light brown.  So I stained it dark -

Obviously I outlined the wave... (note about waves- I really like them because they mean two things to me at least.  First they are constant.  I love the fact that they are constant.  Sometimes big sometimes small but always rolling against the shore.  That is a goal of mine to be constant.  Next they are beautiful and a gift from God.  The waves say to me, "Beautiful things don't just happen, they are made."



Then I painted the wave and using my friends Cruicit.  I cut out all these little letters and mod lodged them on.  IT turned out like this...



 Do you have a family motto??

Sew a straigt line Make it work Competition

I came across this challenge a few weeks ago and thought "What a fun thing to do!!!" I started poring through my patterns and my old clothes trying to find something that I would want to make over. It also helped that my daughter was turning 6 near the end of the challenge. Something new that is free is what I am all about.
So I found this skirt that has been mocking me in my closet (I purchased it just after #1 but now that #4 is two it still doesn't fit). A refashion is definitely in order



Isn't that an adorable skirt. I was and is in love with it. I was so sad that I couldn't fit in to it. I was ogling the costumes in Wicked(amazing) and had a brilliant idea for a dress out of my adorable yet small skirt. It would also make the perfect gift for AR.



So I cut the tie ribbons off and used those as the center of the shoulder straps.



I made a casing and put 1/8" elastic through it.


I then did three rows of shirring to create an empire waist



My lovely model AR wouldn't put her dress back on after church hence the modelless pics in the end.

I love making something new out of something old. I feel so thrifty

--Jo

Back Splash Instillation

Back Splash Instillation

Here is the Before....








So we have been planning on doing therese's backaplash for a year!! Yes! A whole dang 11 months. And why, do you ask, we now take the time to actually do it? Because Therese is putting her home on the market and her agent said a backaplash is needed.

Therese here is your formal apology- I am sorry we didn't do this last year for your birthday. I hope you know I love ya :)

So we used his very cool sticky stuff that makes tiling VERY easy. It only took us 1 1/2 hours!!! I tiled a bathroom once and had a TERRIBLE time with the grout, which is why I hadn't been to excited about this project.







You just lay the sticky stuff of the wall (of course we did some measuring) and then lay the tile on top! We even did the sticky stuff on backward. Wrong sticky side to the wall- but it didn't seem to matter!! BONUS!

We cut the glass tile pattern to the height Therese wanted and then carefully laid it in the sticky stuff...






Then we used pre-made grout (heaven sent!) but getting thoroughly behind the faucet was tricky but we have little hands :)








So, We did use the scrapper thing with most of it..,







I thought i'd ease your mind a bit!

And then washed stuff up...








Then we let it sit for a few hours

(Insert whistle tune here)

Then a bit more cleaning up and

DONE!!








Good luck with your house Therese!

And what am I doing here??






Find out soon!

Brit



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Brave Girls Camp Staff View

So last week I left my daughters and my man for 6 days to experience "life changing fun". A dear family friend Melody Ross and her amazing sister Kathy Wilkins have created an amazing retreat for women.

A place of:

fun, love, laughter, delicious food, art, courage, healing, music and courage





I feel so grateful that I was included in this amazing event.



They hold it 5 times a year!!

What I love about Melody's classes is that they are so individual. Individual to your own needs.





At camp we talk, and dance, and create art, and eat amazing food, stay up late, share and learn.

I have learned incredible things about me, my truths, my soul.

I want every girl to go.




I have learned to stop believing the lies that we believe about ourselves.

I have learned to love unconditionally- you never know what someone else's story and pains are.





I have learned that everyone is creative! Even if they don't think so.



And I LOVE being staff!! It's incredible to see the cabin before and be a part of the change into a magical sanctuary.




I love watching the women come feeling broken, hurt and depleted and watching them have happiness come into their eyes. The eyes are full of love beauty and bravery.

This is my favorite part.

And I love the music.



Thank you, Melody and Kathy, for letting me be a part of this adventure.

Christmas in May!!!

A very kind lady that I go to church with called me Sunday night telling me that her daughter said that I sew. I answered with a hesitant yes (you never know what people will want after that). She then brought music to my ears by saying that she has a ton of fabric she wants to get rid of. Soooo yesterday I went to her house and picked up a bunch of fabric!!!!



Look at all that fun stuff I got. Watch for it as I try to use it way fun projects

--Jo

Brave Girls Camp!!!!

Check  Out where I get to go this week!!!!  This is my second time I get to go as staff.  I feel so honored!

http://www.bravegirlsclub.com/aboutbravegirlcamp-main.html

Lettuce Wraps....YUMMY!!!!

So yesterday was my 10 year anniversary!!! We went out to dinner to The Cheesecake Factory and OH MY GOSH!!!! I ordered the Thai Lettuce wrap and I thought I may have died right there and gone to heaven. The plate was beautiful and there were so many fillings. All the sauces were so yummy I thought about eating them with a spoon. I was so enjoying my food that my DH thought I was a little crazy. He was slightly disturbed when I grabbed my phone to snap a pic of my beautiful dinner. I am so excited because there were leftovers....lunch

Jo

Lettuce wraps

Sent from my iPhone

Bunk Beds

I had this great idea of making bunk beds out of pallets.  Yea it would have been cool.  I sanded and sanded and sanded.  My man hauled pallets to and from work.  He's a champion.  Well, I was talking to my sister and she said that she was getting rid of their bunk bed and moving kids around rooms, so I decided, that more sanding, staining, finishing, assembling and hammering would be a lot more work than just painting.  Guess what?!? I was right.  Here is the before....

 

Well woops- I didn't take a before.  SO I guess you'll just have to imagine a fake brown oafish bunk bed.  

 

Imagine that?? Ok!

 

 

AH HA!  I FOUND IT!!

Here is the after

Like the bed making? I'm a champ at it!  

But anyways this is cuter.  What do you think?

My Cute Chair

I was surfing craigslist and found this fabulous chair.  For only $25.00 It was such a deal I couldn't afford not to buy it.  SO I did.  In the middle of a blizzard I drove out to the middle of nowhere- strangely enough that is only a 30 minute drive on sunny days.  But that day it took me an hour and a half.  Then I put that cutish thing in my hubbies truck and drove off with my two little girls.  It took us another 2 hours to get home (the storm had worsened) and we missed 3/4 of my daughters ballet class.  Sorry sweets.  But dang just look!!  I really like how it turned out.  

 

 
See that petal my daughter smudged.  Yea I can't get that stain out.  Dang it.

Yummy pasta Dish!!

So I made up this little pasta dish, so light and simple!!

It was just whole wheat seashell noodles (I don't know their real name- sorry!)

Freash green beans

Yellow zucchini squash

And parmeasan cheese.

And a bit of garlic and natures seasoning.



I boiled the noodles

Saut��ed the greenbeans N squash (the squash only for a few tiny moments- I didn't want is soggy)

Mixed the pasta and veggies in the saut�� pam and then added a half cup of cheese and teaspoon of garlic N some natures seasoning

Done!!

I think it only took 8 minutes- maybe! Yummy!!



What should I call it??



Brit

Pot Rack UPdate!

So here was the before, I wanted it more full and to have more variety.  SO I just added stuff.  Now people hit their heads once in a while.  But its so cute- I think it's worth it~ sorry friends :)

 

Here it is after being "filled up"

 

 

Yea its better now- everything is a work in progress !

Sister's Friday

So I just received a new Eee PC laptop from my mom (It's pink=love).  She just had it sitting in her cupboard going unused and I needed a new computer so she just gave it to me...Hooray!!!  IT will make blogging soooo much easier.  I am

Sister's Friday