The best things in life are free- Paint Chip coasters, cards, & Christmas decor

Let me just say that I'm a sucker for anything free.


Turn me loose in Sam's on a Saturday morning and those sample booths will have me fed for the week.

Once I got a bottle of Ojon (shampoo specially formulized for African-Americans to combat nappy roots) just because I recieved a coupon in the mail (and used it).

And don't get me started on the "free" section of Craigslist. I don't care if I'll never use a mini-Vuvuzela.. if they're giving it away, I'll take it.


So when I discovered the art of crafting with paint chips, i was hooked. Not only are they uuber cute and colorful, by gosh, they're free. Yes and amen.

Fast forward a few months, and I'm pretty sure I'm on the watch list of Wal-mart's paint department. Decorations, cards, gifts.. It's gotten a little out of hand. That SBoM was making fun of me for this obsession the other day, so do you know what he's getting for Christmas? That's right, paint chips (I'm only half kidding.. be on the lookout for that post sometime soon). One of my bigger undertakings is a gift for one the most amazing families I've ever known who I babysat for in Searcy. That one will be a post in itself as well, but here's a sneak peak:

 Stay tuned!









My latest P.C. project was an upcylce of some old drink coasters. I was inspired by this but I needed to use what I had laying around, so the finished product looked more like this:

Here's my version:

Paint Chip Coasters


I had some beat-up, drink-stained Christmas coasters stuffed into a box of decorations from last year that needed a new life, so they became my base. But you could use any sturdy cardstock, cardboard, or cork.

These were made out of thin cardboard.

The supply list wasn't extensive, either. Just some Modge Podge, a glue stick, the coaster bases, and whatever combination of paint chips your little heart desires. My personal fave are the ones only available at Wal Mart because they're long, have great colors, and come in about bajillion and three varieties.

First, slather your coaster base in a generous amount of glue from the glue stick. Be sure to get every little nook and cranny.



I went for the "less is more" look.



Easy as 1-2-3



Next, trim up the edges to match the coaster base.

Then apply a thick, even coat of Modge Podge on the top and sides.

Be sure to get the sides really well so that the paint chips adhere completely.

Repeat as many times as you have coasters and let them dry completely until no stickiness is left.

And you're done!

Now all that's left is to put them to work. My favorite way to do that is with a concoction I made up on a whim recently called a Strawberry Wine Spritzer. Mix your favorite sweet wine with some strawberry flavored carbonated water and half a "to-go" packet of strawberry flavored Crystal Light. Yum!

But the craze doesn't end there. These guys are so perfect for Christmas cards and tags like these:








And a lot of them have Holiday-themed names that add extra flair:



"Polar Bear" and "Sugar Plum"




"Happy Holiday"





"Jolly Holly" and "Christmas Red"



"Warm Gingerbread", "Cinnamon Stick", and "Cinnamon Spice"

And they make great quick, colorful ornaments/wreaths/etc.

You may see me at an addicts anonymous meeting soon, but for now I'm perfectly happy with this little obsession... as is my wallet. You can't get much better than free.


Speaking of free..

There's been a lot on my heart and mind lately, and so much of it makes me think, why in the world would the Lord still forgive me for all of this? I have done so much to hurt His heart (for real, y'all.. it's been a mess), and I still don't have it all together in the least.


Last night when I was talking whining to God, the Holy Spirit hit me hard with the fact that if  I spent half  the time in the Word as I do on Pinterest my life would look a lot different.

Ouch.

But the Truth isn't always comfortable or easy to hear.. And I know that that Truth brings no condemnation. So as the lies flood in about how awful I am and how far from grace I must be falling, the word free begins to grown in meaning, because in Chirst I have recieved so much for free:

Free grace

Free love

Free forgiveness

Free acceptance

Free-dom from condemnation

Free

Free

Free

I am free. Wow. I don't know what that does for you, but my heart can't get enough of that. Jimmy Needham sings many songs addressing this blessed fact, one being "Forgiven & Loved." Part of the chorus is,

"When He died He died to rectify my hopeless situation,

And His blood commands my guilt to flee.

So on calvary I stand, empty pockets, open hands,

Because there is no condemnation for me."

And at the very end he just repeats,

"Child you're forgiven and loved."

Wow. Gets me every time. Enjoy :)




 
 
 

Happy birthday Dad!- Beer & Bacon Pancakes & Decoupaged Photo Tray

I have an absolutely AMAZING dad, who just so happened to be born 61 years ago today. And I can't say enough about this guy...


Is he perfect?
Nope

Do we get along 100% of the time?
Hardly

Am I pretty sure he wishes he could send me back for a quieter, saner, more cooperative model most days?
Oh yeah

But could I have asked for a better man to show me what unconditional love and continuous forgiveness looks like?
Not in a million years.

But he does have one itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny fault- it's impossible to buy a gift for him. Not that he's picky or particular. Just the opposite, actually. He never needs anything. He has a closet full of shirts, too many ties to count, and is perfectly happy with his current assortment of electronic devices and power tools. Usually my default gift is a box of malted milk balls (his fave) and some sort of gift card (which he usually ends spending on my mom, brother, or I instead of himself anyway). So this year I thought I'd put my new found craftiness to good use.

My dad's a sucker for a good TV show (what dad isn't?) and he's not going to let dinnertime get in the way of a new episode. When I was home for Father's Day this summer I noticed that his TV tray of choice was an old rusty cookie sheet (points for resourcefulness), so I scoured the streets of Abilene looking for something better. Everything I found was either licenced by Disney or more for show than supper, so I settled for a plain white plastic number, embellished with a few stickers to add a "personal touch" (the extent of my pre-pinterest creativity.. pathetic doesn't even come close). And bless his sweet heart, he loved it.

Last month when I moved back home I found that the much-used tray was looking a little shabby..

See what I mean?

My pathetic attempt at personalizing

So I decided to give it a modge podge n' memories makeover.

First, I sorted through 22 years worth of pictures to find the sweetest daddy-daughter moments:

 

 

 




... then printed them off on this baby:

Mom's newest toy- Canon PixmaPro9500, AKA the beast of photo printers

.. and glued them to the tray. We have a winner!

Here are the deets:


Photo Collage Tray

Gather your supplies:

Modge Podge
Clean and dry plastic tray
Numerous photos of all shapes and sizes

Before busting out the Modge Podge, experiment with different layouts to find the best one. I'm a little bit OCD when it comes to symmetry and evenness, so this took a while.

When you're satisfied with the picture's positions affix them to the tray with modge podge. I removed them one section at a time so that I wouldn't forget where they'd been originally placed.

When all of the pictures are attached, I apply a generous layer of modge podge to coat them all. It helps to do this a section at a time as well so that you can make the surface as smooth as possible. Make sure to get the excess goop out of the crevices between the pictures and in the corners of the tray.

Let this layer dry completely, then add another, making it very smooth.

After the tray is fully dry (I let mine sit overnight), fix up some yummy food and show off your handiwork! Like a birthday breakfast, perhaps?


My dad's the king of breakfast, specifically pancakes. He can somehow take the recipe on the back of a Bisquick box and turn it into a meal that puts IHOP to shame. I've tried and tried to recreate his signature dish with no avail, so I decided to switch it up a little bit.

I made beer & bacon "Mancakes" for my brother and his roommates when I visited him at school last fall (because what college boy doesn't like beer, bacon, or breakfast for dinner?), and they were a huge hit, so I decided to put them to the ultimate test... dad-pproval.

Verdict? They passed with flying colors. And besides the fact that cracking open a Coors at 7:30am makes me a bit uncomfortable, they'll be on our breakfast (and lunch.. and dinner) menu again very soon.


Beer and Bacon "Mancakes"
find the printable recipe here


Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb bacon, about 8 slices (I used turkey this time, because the first time I made these there was too much fat and not enough usable meat on the regular bacon)
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar (I eyeballed this one. A couple of handfuls is sufficient)
• 2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
• 1 cup of your favorite regular or nonalcoholic beer (I used regular Coors because it's cheaper and all the alcohol is cooked out anyway)
• 2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. While it's heating up, line a baking sheet with tinfoil and arrange bacon in one single layer.

When the oven's ready, bake for 10 minutes (or less if you're using turkey bacon. I learned this the hard way. 7 minutes worked well).

Sprinkle bacon with half the brown sugar (or just grab a handful and sprinkle away like I did). Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes (or 7 with turkey bacon).

Flip bacon over and do the same to the other time. Return to the oven one last time and bake for 10-15 (7-10) minutes. Remove and let cool completely. I was kind of short on time so I popped them in the fridge while I made the batter. Worked like a charm.

Crumble cooled bacon and add it to the mix.

Drop heaping spoonfuls of batter onto a greased skillet.

Cook each side until the edges are crusty. After both sides are browned, press down on the middle with the flat bottom of your spatula to make sure all of the batter on the inside is fully cooked. Mine looked done on the outside, but I'm assuming that the extra yeast in the beer made them rise in the middle a bit and not get fully cooked. Pressing down on them squeezes any uncooked batter to the edges and allows you to brown it as well.

Repeat for as many pancakes as you have batter for. For me, the mix yielded 5 medium-sized cakes.


While the pancakes were cooking, I popped another tray of bacon in the oven (the only way I am ever cooking bacon from now on.. it is SO EASY and they turned out PERFECT) and whipped up a few eggs (tips found here: add a tablespoon of milk per egg, whisk until your hand's about to fall off, and add to an already-warm pan). Add a good cup of coffee to the mix and you've got a breakfast fit for a king.. or a birthday boy :)

YUM!

Proof that the Pancake King highly approved. And please ignore the "I don't own a hairbrush" look I have going on. Cooking a decent meal still equals running a 5K in my book, and I'd barely made it to the finish line.

Like I said, I have an earthly father that can't be beat. He has shown me the love and unconditional acceptance that's helped me truly understand how my heavenly Father loves and accepts me in the midst of my sins and struggles. And that is something for which I am eternally grateful. He's my hero, my encourager, and my biggest fan.. and when I grow up, I want to be just like him :)


There is a new-ish movie out by the makers of Fireproof named Courageous, and it is amazing.. if you and the special men in your life haven't seen it, do. There is a song with the same title by Casting Crowns that speaks to men stepping into their God-given destinies as fathers and husbands, and I feel like it fits so well today. I am blessed beyond belief to have a dad that lives courageously every day. Every time I hear these lyrics, it brings tears to my eyes, because I know how much he's fought for me over the years (and believe me, it's been a battle)-

"This is our resolution, our answer to the call, 

We will love our wives and children, we refuse to see them fall. 

We will reignite the passion that we've buried deep inside, 

May the watchers become warriors, let the men of God arise"

I love you daddy :)

It's Just Too Easy- Decoupaged scrap paper ornament & the Barefoot Contessa's New York egg cream

Ever had one of those days where there's ninety-trillion things that you need to be doing, therefore you end up doing anything but? That's been my life lately.. not good. I knew it couldn't be Biblical to chronically procrastinate, so the other morning I woke up at the crack of dawn and searched the Bible cover to cover groggily headed to Google and typed, "What does the Bible say about procrastination?" It took me here, BackToTheBible.org, which had some great and
convicting points-

• We are to be imitators of Christ, who didn't delay in doing anything His Father set before Him. He knew how valuable every second of every day was, and He never failed to take advantage of the time He'd been given.

• God created us with potential that can only be fully found when we're serving Him with everything we've got. It's hard for me to see how getting my laundry done or responding to the emails that have been piling up in my inbox qualifies as stepping into my God-given potential, but it makes sense when I remember what Jesus says in Matthew 25:21 and Luke 16:10 about those who can be trusted with very little being able to be trusted with very much. If I can't discipline myself to load the dishwasher and study for tomorrow's exam, how can I expect to be able to handle the things that eternally matter in the way God created me to handle them?

• And lastly, time is limited. Ain't that the truth? There have been too many reminders of that lately. When my days and deeds are read before the throne, I would really rather hear less of how I updated my Facebook page for the 569873th time and more of how I listened to the Lord and acted accordingly

Again, conviction. And I wish I could say that I changed my tune immediately.. my car's half-unpacked trunk and the mound of unfinished Christmas presents staring me in the face right now would rat me out if I tried.

Dang you, sinful nature.

But I'm trying. And actually, today I was pretty successful. So when mid-afternoon rolled around and I needed a break, I decided do a few quick-and-easy DIYs that are perfect for all the cash-and-time strapped of us out there.


Since I'm kind of a hoarder when it comes to saving cute tissue paper (as in, I have drawers full of it that I can't make myself get rid of), and since I'm still in love with this guy-




 I decided to make use of both. Add a little Elmer's Glue Stick and Modge Podge in on the action and viola- 15-minute Christmas tree ornament that costs next to nothin'.


Decoupaged scrap paper ornament
Supplies:
-Clear glass ornament
-Colored tissue paper
-Glue Stick
-Modge Podge
-Brush

Cut one sheet of tissue paper up into small square pieces.

Take the topper off of your ornament, then use your glue stick to spread a line of glue around the ball. Be generous, because you want your tissue to stick well.

 

Start sticking tissue paper squared on the line. Don't be afraid to overlap, and don't worry about getting them even. It works better if they're layered.

Continue this process until you've covered the ornament, then fill in any blanks in the same manner.

 Modge Podge the whole thing. Try to brush it on in the same direction the tissue paper is going so there aren't any big bumps. Smooth out any excess.

Let it dry thouroughly. I found that a bendy straw stuck in a cup (especially if that cup has some beautiful burnt orange horns on the front) make a great drying apperatus. Hey, I'm nothing if not resourceful ;)

After it's dry, pop the topper back in, stick a big ole' bow on it, and hang it on the nearest tree! I added some sparkly puff paint to up the pizzazz factor. Lovin' it!

And while we're going with the the quick-easy-cheap theme, I'd like to introduce you to my new favorite way to satisfy a sweet-tooth craving... the New York Egg Cream.

I found the recipe in Ina Garten's (aka the Barefoot Contessa. Check her out here) cookbook, How Easy is That?, which is filled with easy-to-make recipes that seem fancy enough to have taken hours (savory coeur a la creme or spaghetti aglio e olio, anyone?).

I'll take two.

New York Egg Cream
from The Barefoot Contessa's How Easy is That?




Fox's U-bet chocolate flavored syrup (this po' girl's hershey's worked just fine)
Cold whole milk or half-and-half (I used 2%)
Ice-cold club soda or seltzer water




Pour 3 tablespoons (or just go ahead and squirt as much as your little heart desires, because we all know you can never have too much chocolate syrup in anything) chocolate syrup and 1/4 cup milk of half-and-half into a 16oz. glass. While beating vigorously with a fork, slowly add club soda until the glass is almost full. add a straw and serve very cold.


No pictures for this one, y'all.. it was gone faster than you could say, pour me seven more. I wasn't quite satisfied with the sweetness level so I added a few packets of Splenda to the mix. It tastes a lot like a "poor man's milkshake" (Anyone else ever had one of those? My dad makes them all the time- cold milk, a spoonful of sugar, and a generous amount of chocolate syrup- stir until frothy and sip through a straw), and since club soda is cheaper than milk it would be less expensive too. Perfect





As I think about the battle it's been to kick this procrastination habit, a song by Chris August comes to mind. The title, Battle, is pretty self explanitory, but it's the last line of the chorus that says it all-

"Life's a fight of wrong and right that tearing me apart,

but it's what the cross has done;

The world will try to battle for my heart,

but the war is already won."

Yes and amen





And just because it cracks me up every time, this is a video from one of the freshman orientation sessions we had when I was in school warning us about the evils of procrastination. It's terrible quality, but listen closely.. it'll be worth it. Couldn't have said it better myself :)








 
 
Until next time,