Ribbon Necklace 2

I've only really used beads and metal in my jewelry designs, but lately I've been using a lot more ribbon and really like the way it looks.

This was originally going to be a bracelet that would wrap around my wrist twice. I made it too short and too long at the same time. So now it's a necklace.

I also wanted to show you my beautiful Valentine's Day present. I wanted a plain wedding band if I ever didn't want to wear my diamond. We had this handmade. Simple sterling silver. I love it.

And in other news, tomorrow's March! Thanks goodness.

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I'm linking to:

Blue Cricket Design

You Never Let Go

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Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

Your perfect love is casting out fear

And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life

I won't turn back

I know you are near

And I will fear no evil

For my God is with me

And if my God is with me

Whom then shall I fear?

Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go

Through the calm and through the storm

Oh no, You never let go

In every high and every low

Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on

A glorious light beyond all compare

And there will be an end to these troubles

But until that day comes

We'll live to know You here on the earth

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on

And there will be an end to these troubles

But until that day comes

Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

You Never Let Go: Matt Redman

Beautiful Blog Award

My sweet cousin Leslie nominated me for this award. Leslie posts all kind of wonderful recipes like orange yogurt cake  and pizza dip. Thanks Leslie!

Here are the rules for the award:
Thank the person who nominated you and link to their blog.
Copy the award and paste it to your blog.
Tell us 7 interesting facts about yourself.
Nominate 7 bloggers that you love and link to their blog.

So interesting facts, huh?

1. I have kept a journal since the 6th grade and am dreading the day when my parents won't let me store them at their house anymore...I've accumulated quite a lot.

2. I was born in Anchorage, Alaska. I filled in "Alaskan Native" on standardized tests until my teacher came over and informed me that I was not actually an Alaskan native despite the fact that I was born there. I was devastated.

3. I met my first real boyfriend when he drove to Columbus and gave me a hubcap clock that he made for me.

4. I married the hubcap man on July 25, 2009.

5. I love to sing and was the lead in my high school musical. I was Daisy May and it was hilarious.

6. I am obsessed with Vera Bradley and can name every pattern and almost every style. I secretly dream of being a personal Vera Bradley shopping consultant.

7. My favorite band is Hootie and the Blowfish. I walked down the aisle to "Hold My Hand."

I nominate:
Sarah- Some Aspects of Ourselves
Charity- Palmer Ponderings 
Meghan- Ty and Meg's Adventures in the Big City
Brooke- Polka Dots and Ric Rac
Michelle- L-O-V-E to Junk
Ashley- All In His Timing
Collier- Don't you Just Love to Begin Again

Go visit these wonderful women's blogs.  Tel them I said hello!

Spring?

Yes please!

I'm ready when you are.

Gray is the new Black

Or at least for me it is.

I am not a big fan of color when it comes to my wardrobe and usually stick to the basic blacks, whites, and browns. I also hate mixing black shades and brown shades so I have two pairs of glasses so that I always match.

My new favorite neutral lately is gray. It goes with everything.

Aren't these gorgeous?

Can anyone lend me $745?

[source]

I love the cute buckle.

[source]

The first dress for sure.

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This is the perfect coat for spring.

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This is the outfit for me!

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And a pretty scarf to tie the outfit together. This would be perfect with a flower or rhinstone pin.

[source]

What's your new favorite color?

As soon as I posted this, I found a great party over at Hope Studios. I'm linking up to We're Into It!


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Go check out Gussy for a fabulous giveaway!

Completed Living Room

I know this may not look like much, but getting the last few details completed in our living room is a BIG deal to us. We finally have pictures on the walls (instead of the blank frames that have been hanging up since we moved in...and were hanging up for 6 months in our last apartment).

I love how the bookshelf turned out.

I used canvas as a back drop for the open-back shelf. I used sticky velcro to adhere the canvas to the top shelf...a great way to make that corner look a bit more put together. I also made cute numbers out of card stock for my baskets (1 is our "home office," 2 is for electronics and cords, and 3 is for receipts).

Finally, we have pictures!

Chip board letters and some card stock for one frame, b&w photos of loved ones for the other.

A few odds and ends.

And our living room is finally a comfortable, relaxing, put-together place...

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..full of treasures and sweet memories.

I'm linking up to:

Today's Creative Blog

24 Days Until...

...St. Patrick's day, so I thought I best get ready.

Inspired by Tatertots and Jello's amazing burlap wreath, I tried my hand at something similar.

I used canvas instead of burlap since we had it lying around. I wasn't able to find St. Patty's print fabric [I had to go to Walmart since the Hob Lob was closed] but I really love the way it turned out [I wish the lighting was better in our kitchen, but alas].

Then I thought that the living room needed a bit of shamrock cheer.

Remember these?

I cut out a few shamrocks and added buttons [of course!].

Jupiter helped.

Perfect!

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I'm linking to:

Freedom is Here

[source]

The future comes alive
You speak Your word and I
I'm running into Your hope
Cause I've seen Your light
You bring my world to life
I'm coming after You love

I'm not shaken
I'm not letting go

And everything comes alive
In my life as we lift You higher
Let Your freedom arise
In our lives as we lift You up
Sing it out
Sing it out
Your freedom is here

So take the limits off
No matter what the cost
I'm running after Your call
And I will run this race

See You face to face
So let Your power overflow

I'm not shaking
I'm not letting go

And everything comes alive
In my life as we lift you higher
Let your freedom arise
In our lives as we lift you up
Sing it out
Sing it out
Your freedom is here
Your freedom is here

I will not fear
I will not hide Your love
Your love
All of my life
I cannot deny Your love
Your love

And everything comes alive
In my life as we lift you higher
Let your freedom arise
In our lives as we lift you up
Sing it out
Sing it out

Freedom is Here: Hillsong

My Favorite Place in the World

I absolutely love the grocery store. I always have. When I was little, my dream was to be a "checker at Carrs" (the local grocery store in Anchorage, Alaska where I grew up). I had a toy cash register and I had to ring up all the groceries before my mom could put them away. I would announce into the blue plastic microphone, "carry-out on aisle 4."

In high school my dream came true...I was a cashier at Giant Eagle. I was a master of the produce codes, a wiz at the cart return, and an expert at the double bag.

Although my cashier days are far behind me, I still have a shopping cart shaped place in my heart for the grocery store. Every Monday night Kyle and I venture to our favorite store. It took a while for us to commit, but after 6 months, we have found the perfect grocery for us. Armed with our reusable bags, calculator, and shopping list, we enter my favorite place in the world.

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Ok, I'm being a bit dramatic. Although it might not be my favorite place, I really do love making a trip to the grocery store. My favorite department? Produce. Monday night I was the crazy girl with the camera, snapping pictures of the bright reds, greens, oranges, and and yellows..

Sometimes when life as a hall coordinator gets rough, I long for the simpler days of scanning cans and boxes and asking "paper or plastic?"

Cat Toys?

We buy Jupiter such cute cat toys. Nothing but the best for our baby! These were her Valentine's Day present.

With all these cute toys, and cubes, and things that roll, and things that make noise, do you know what her favorite thing to play with is? A paper bag. Yup, a plain old free paper bag from Panera Bread. Go figure.

Ash Wednesday

I was raised Catholic and for much of my young life, Ash Wednesday and the holy days that followed were a consistent part of my faith. I made the decision to leave the Catholic church during college, and although I find my spiritual place among a non-denominational community, the meaning behind the ashes still remains.

"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

2 Corinthians 5:14-17

I went to mass today and sat by myself in the congregation. Although I attended mass every Sunday for a better part of 21 years, I felt a bit lost in a place that I no longer regard as my own. But the ashes drew me in.

We are all broken. We are all sinners.

We deserve nothing, but because of the Lord Jesus, we have been given everything.

The sermon today was about this church's Lenten theme: reconciliation. There was a photo projected on the wall of a woman mending a torn blanket. The priest explained that this Lenten season should be a time of mending relationships with others, ourselves, and, of course, our Father. We were each given a tiny wooden spool to symbolize our need of mending: "we are called to mend or fix these relationships during the seasons in which we celebrate the dying and rising of Jesus."

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

2 Corinthians 5:18-21

Ribbon Necklace

I took apart an old necklace and turned it into something new and wonderful.

A few amber crystal beads, silver rings, and silky black ribbon.

[my, I have a very long neck]

My new necklace goes perfectly with two pieces I made a few years ago.

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And remember when I said that a few folks would win some goodies once I reached 50 followers...I wasn't kidding!

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I'm linking to:

Blue Cricket Design