Upcycling a B&BW Candle Lid

Okay, bear with me here... you're either going to think I'm brilliant, or that this is the stupidest thing you've ever seen.  Either way, it might be the simplest thing you've ever seen!

You know those pretty candle-lids you see on the B&BW 3-wick candles?  Oh... I know, some of them just have the store name on them.  But then, there are others... like these...

... and I got to thinking that surely there must be SOMEthing that can be done with these.  Sure, they can be used to cover the candle when not in use.  They can also be used as coasters underneath the warm candle -- or drink coasters, if you'd prefer.

But how about... wall art?  I'm tellin' ya, people.  This could very well be the simplest thing I've done all day... or all week, even.

1. Insert push pin at approximate level for hanging.

2. Hang lid.

3. Stand back and be amazed.

Or don't even do step three, thereby shortening the entire process!  *wink

but if you have the time...

3. Stand back and be amazed.

Lunch with a Friend

Lunch with a friend... isn't what it used to be.

When my kids were really young, we used to meet regularly with another friend and her two children for lunch.  We never went out... but took turns coming to one another's homes, so that the kids didn't have to sit still while we talked, but had a chance to play.

Then the kids got older, and hers went to school.  My [homeschooled] kids spent each Thursday with my parents -- "Grandma & Grandpa Day," we called it.  That was my day to run errands and make plans.  That meant getting out of the house, and meeting my friend at a restaurant for lunch.  At that point in our lives it always felt like a big splurge.

These days, it's harder to catch up with friends at the lunch hour.  Most of them are working 40 hour weeks, or at least a part-time job that keeps them on the go. The stay-at-home-mom of my era is a dying breed [so to speak].  This isn't a pity party, mind you.  It's only an observation of how things have changed.

But, the other day, I had the rare treat of inviting a friend over for lunch -- a mom who has taken a hiatus from her job for the time being, or permanently, or whatever she and the Lord decide.

I was reminded just how important that time to connect with other women is.  Time for JUST GIRLS.  Girl talk.  We laughed.  We teared up at love for our family.  We spent time getting to know one another.  What a blessing!

If you are at home, wishing you could "connect" with other women, take the first step.

Invite a friend to lunch today!

Project Life Update ~ 10.6.14

Whew!  Where has the time gone?  So much for doing a weekly Project Life update, right?  I promise not to make any more promises on that front!  LOL

In some kind of convoluted way, this first album which I've shared with you (concluding with this post) is really my second album, chronologically speaking.  I also have completed an album which reaches back further than this one.  I may share bits and pieces of that one randomly with you -- but basically, my plan going forward is to share in exactly that way... moving forward!

Here we go with the next series of pages which, as I said, brings us up to date.  I have a handful of recent pictures to print, but I am happy to say that they are all from the last few weeks, so I REALLY AM current!  WooHoo to the Project Life.  This is revolutionary stuff.

Here we go:

My first trip to IKEA

A popcorn adventure in a local college town

 One of my favs, this layout is for our church's 80th anniversary celebration, and the installation of our new pastor!  It was a stellar day in the life and history of our church -- quite the celebration, complete with picnic and foam machine, painted faces and photo opps!  "One happy day" indeed!!  It was fun to include a lot of the grayscale ephemera from the day, which matched up nicely with cards from the "Christian" themed kit.

Goodbyes :: A new school year :: A trip to a local nursery

 A Cleveland picture-taking adventure

[see post here]

And the last page for this album... where I snuck in a picture of my girl and her bestie -- in Cleveland for a concert (her first, and yes, parent-chaperoned!)

If you hung in here until the end, here is your reward...

This month, Becky Higgins celebrates FIVE YEARS of her Project Life business endeavor!  In celebration, she is partying it up this month.  Just last week, she started the celebration with 40% off everything in her SHOP for FIVE hours.  I stocked up on the big packs of pocket pages, which have been hard for me to find around here.  Stay tuned to Becky Higgins on social media for other special offers during the rest of this month.  You will find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, not to mention her BLOG.

Happy Scrappin'!

A Picture-Taking Adventure

We had this great adventure a few weekends ago, and I thought I'd tell you about it.  It started out with a plan for lunch.  The restaurant was a bit of a drive, and after lunch, we decided to head further away from home rather than just home.  We didn't go far, mind you -- just off in a different direction than usual.

Here's the thing: other than lunch -- we spent no money.  Zero.  ZERO was also the amount of expectations we had for the day, and truly, that made the day so much more enjoyable.  We didn't know where we were headed, or what we'd see, or what we'd opt to do.  The rule wasn't necessarily "no spending," it just worked out that way.

I thought I'd share because, it's easy to feel trapped when you're on a budget -- but sometimes, that's the best part of the adventure.  This day ended up being a picture-taking adventure.  No destination.  No rules.  Just appreciating everything that came our way.

Our day looked something like this:

We started with lunch here...

Wake & Bacon - yum!

Playhouse Square District ~ Cleveland

Cleveland Firefighters Memorial

A 9/11 tribute.

A view from the Great Lakes Science Center lobby.

Outside the Science Center's back door.

The Steamship William G. Mather
Maritime Museum and lakefront attraction

The lobby of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

A wedding party hamming it up outside the R&R HOF.

What a beautiful day we enjoyed!

On Having Homebody-itis (A Slice of Life)

Wow, so... those of you who stop in here regularly may have thought I'd fallen off the face of the earth.  No worries.  I'm alive and well.

Since my last post I've been pretty busy.  I've been spending lots of hours in the church nursery for another year of babysitting for English classes, young mother's club, Biblestudies, and date nights.  It's such a JOY to spend time with these little ones!  I usually am caring for children birth through 2 years.  It is quite an amazing thing to strike up little friendships with them --while still maintaining a sense of authority over them (you know, all in the name of keeping a room full of babies happy and well-cared-for for a few hours!)

Though we have LOTS of fun, I find myself falling back on much of what I learned years ago while earning my degree in Family and Child Development.  It would be a shame not to use our time wisely with these little ones, so don't let them get away with any bad behavior.  We encourage "please" and "thank you," sharing, and all that other good stuff that the mommies would want us to encourage.  Granted, sharing is not something these little ones are good at yet, but we talk the talk so it all becomes a familiar thing to them.

Can I share a fun little scenario with you?  One of my best little buddies was recently babbling loudly and insistently at me about something that he wanted -- namely another snack cracker.  I fully knew that this is what he wanted, but encouraging him to channel his frustration, I said, "Use your words."  This little guy isn't super-verbal yet {at least not in a way that I can often understand}, so I knew this would be a challenge for him.  Never the less, I wanted to plant the idea in his head.  You know what he did?  With his little toddler hands, he SIGNED "more."  JUST THINK ABOUT THAT.  In his little not-even-two head, he made the connection between me saying "words," and the way he knew to express what he wanted -- through sign language.  Brilliant, right?

Some of the little ones that I care for don't even know English, or have it spoken to them at home.  In fact, they are with us so that their parents can attend English classes!  What a challenge it is to look into these precious faces, and attempt to comfort them in a language that is not their own!  It can be an emotional time, and I often leave feeling so helpless.  It's amazing, though, how God rewards our efforts, as our friendships with these little ones continues.

Usually by day three, I am thinking that I cannot take one more step in the direction of babies, but out I go again.  When I return home, I crash, knowing that Thursday and Friday are MINE ALL MINE.  Oh, please don't think I'm being too selfish -- they are only MINE for completing laundry that has been waiting for me, and grocery shopping that has yet to be done.  In between errands, I enjoy this home that we have been blessed with.  How good it is to just BE here.

By Saturday, I am already looking forward to spending time in the nursery on Sunday morning -- and my week starts all over again.

It's so hard to believe that I have already been babysitting for three weeks, and my daughter has a month of school completed!  The time has flown!!!  Mind you, none of this is a complaint -- I am simply incredulous over the passing of time!

It's always so good to get grounded again at home, and to be reminded of the simple pleasures that we enjoy here.  As I sit here at my computer, I enjoy the sun streaming through the kitchen window.  Looking out to the patio, I see a web glinting with dew as it swings between two chairs.  It's a reminder that the patio has gone long-unused as days have gotten cooler and schedules have gotten tighter.

Squirrels scamper back and forth on the patio burying things in my potted plants.  I'm always amazed when I find them later.  

The crickets sing wildly -- louder than any birds today.

The bunnies have been scarce.  They seem to have been replaced by a groundhog and a skunk.  Ummm, not my favorite.  Doesn't exactly make a girl want to get out and weed the garden or anything.

Inside the house, things are cozying up.  I've been burning Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin candles, and am loving this fragrance from Bath & Body Works.  I might have to go stock up on some more, as these will never get me through the fall.

Today, I celebrate twenty-two years married to this guy.

While life hasn't always been easy, and we have dealt with our share of "stuff" -- I can't imagine sharing the load with anyone else!  I'm thankful every day for him.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing a slice of life with me.  If you are a homebody like I am, I hope you get to enjoy your own little slice of home today!