Back in action- Paint chip calendar and True Colors card

Wow y'all.. it's been a crazy month.. an awesomely blessed, exciting, busy, somewhat stressful, crazy month. A lot has changed, most significantly my state of residence. Hello Georgia! I'm definitely loving every minute of it, and because I'm living in very close proximity to my very crafty blest flend Anna P. we've been doing  some hard-core Pinterest partying going on. The products of these wild nights will definitely be fodder for many blogs to come, but right now I have a lot of catching up to do!



A few posts ago I mentioned that I had a few other paint chip projects in the works. The first was a Christmas present for the sweetest, most inspiring little family I know.. literally (check out their blogs here and here). I've been babysitting for the P's oldest 3 boys for the past few years and grown to know and love all of them more than my heart can handle. Momma and Daddy P are two of the best parents I've ever witnessed, and their passion for foster care and adoption was one of the main things that fueled my interest in going into the field of social work. A few months before I moved, they were blessed with sweet baby M, and not getting to see that precious little boy grow up physically and spiritually breaks my heart. Thank goodness both of them are diligent picture po

Like I said, Mamma P is one of the most inspiring moms I know.. if/when I have kids of my own one day, I am already praying I get half of her patience, love, and super-mom powers. She's creative, organized, never frazzled, and always smiling, no matter what her 4 wildly energetic little boys are up to. So as one of my first real Pinterest undertakings I wanted to make something that she could actually use. I tried out a few ideas for weekly menu organizational boards (which she'd actually use, since she really does plan dinners a week in advance and stick to the plans.. like I said, super-mom), but none of them really panned out, so I took this idea here and made it my own.

Paint Chip Calendar

I was passing by the Benjamin Moore pain store the other day and couldn't help myself- I had to take a look at there selection, and boy, they had some good ones. Great colors, shapes, sizes, color names.. I was in heaven.

Aren't they great?

I know the employees must have thought I was crazy, but I grabbed handfuls of the most colorful and fun and made a beeline for the door. An idea was being formed and I needed to get it started before it was forgotten. My one-track brain doesn't hold much these days.. SQUIRREL! (An Up reference. Haven't seen the movie? You're missing out for real)

First I gathered and organized all these pretty little things into a pattern that fit my fancy. In order to accomodate every combination of month start dates it required a lot of space (a month that begins on a Friday would need a calendar with 6 weeks to fit all the dates, even though it only has a maximum of 31 days.. do the math). After over an hour of mixing and matching, this is what I came up with-

Next I took each column and attached them to the back of some ugly-colored paint chip cards just because they were ready-made, evenly cut pieces of material. For those less lazy than I am, any sturdy scrap paper strips would do. I used double-sided tape so it would be easier to un-attach and move them around if need be.

I repeated this step for each of the days of the week, but because my frame wasn't large enough to fit all seven columns, I had to make the weekend days smaller. No biggie. It actually added a pretty cool dynamic to the design. I'm beginning to love the improvisation factor in all this crafty stuff.. and if you know me at all, you know what a miracle it is for this anal, type-A control freak.

I bought this frame for under $8 at Walmart (the only real cost of the project, may I add) and lined it with a piece of poster board cut to size.

I then cut a piece of white poster board to fit in the frame and begun lining up the columns.

The perfectionist in me started rearing it's ugly head at this point as I realized there was some unavoidable unevenness in the alignment, so I used my handy-dandy paper cutter (an OCD craft-a-holic's BFF) and cut very small strips of posterboard to make some "grid lines".

After securing all of these to the posterboard, I labeled the days of the week, added a space for the name of the month, and put the family's last name at the top.

Finally, I let it dry completely before putting the frame together.

(Excuse the crappy picture quality and gross over-croppage.. all I had on hand was my I phone)

The outcome honestly surpassed my expectations. Love it!


The next project was one for that SBOM. At one point he had jokingly made fun of my paint chip stealing, so I told him that all he'd be getting for Christmas was a big pile of 'em. And I was only half-kidding

I'd seen some cute "things I love about you" projects on Pinterest that had gotten my creative juices flowing. I thought about doing this one, but after my promising him a piant chip-ified present, I adapted.


"What I Love About Your True Colors" Paint Chip Card

First I gathered up some of my least girly paint chips (I used the trusty WalMart brand again) and prepared my mental list of his great qualities, which definitely wasn't a difficult task. Then I wrote one quality on each color square, using various colors of Sharpies. To make the cover slip, I cut one chip in each of the primary colors and glued them to a neutral slip. When I'd made six or seven slips, I punched a hole in the top right corner of each one and secured them together with a thin ribbon. And he had to eat his teasing words, because it was a big hit :)

Like I said, this past month has been so good, and I know there is a purpose for me being here and now, for "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). But I would be lying if I said that there weren't a few lonely nights that I've spent questioning if moving this far away from family and friends was such a good idea after all. I have a great friend and her wonderful husband right down the road that have gone so far out of their way to help me it isn't even funny, and I am more grateful for that than I can say. But I left a lot behind when I moved down here, and the only explanation I can give to people that ask why I did it is that God said so.. and even though it is confusing and hard, I know within my soul that it's right. This is where I'm supposed to be.

On the dark nights (and mornings.. and afternoons) that I feel so alone, unknown, and unheard, Kutless' new song "Carry Me to the Cross" floods my hurting heart with light. I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of their usual hard core, metal-esque material, but they mellowed out a lot on this one and it's one of my new faves. The first verse brings me to tears almost every time.. it's like they read my journal-

"When the path is daunting and every step exhausting, I'm not alone
I feel you draw me closer, all these burdens on my shoulder

I'm not alone, I'm not alone, You pull me me from this place"

Thank you, Jesus, for pulling me from the lonely places and setting my feet upon your Rock. The sorrow may last for a night but Your joy comes in the morning.

Hallelujah.




 
 

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 :)




 
 
 

His handiwork

Oh man, y'all.. I've got some news. Are you sitting down? Because for insurance purposes, I highly recommend it.

I've started another blog.

Yes you heard correctly, & don't bother thanking me for making all of your Christmas wishes come true. I figured that the one thing this world needed most was more uuber-frequent blog entries written by this infinitely wise, mind-blowingly successful, and ultra experienced chick. Did I mention that I'm dabbling in the high-fashion modeling industry and performing my first brain surgery tomorrow, too?

Jokes. You can stop laughing and pick yourself up off the floor now.

But for real.. before you click on the little red "x" in the top right-hand corner of this page, humor me and read on for a little while.

I started this little dandy a few months ago when I wanted to make the announcement that I was moving to the wonderfully southern state of Georgia early next year. My intentions were to give little updates every now and then to let my faithful few know what God was up to in this crazy life of mine. So far, the entry count is 3 in the same number of months. Go me!

But since then, I've done a little blog hopping, spent a few (wasted an ungodly number of) hours on the best website ever invented (Pinterest. duh), and had a number of heart-to-hearts with the Lord, all of which have led me here.

All of you fellow Pinterest enthusiasts know how terribly/wonderfully addicting it can be to peruse the boards of friends and strangers, eagerly re-pinning their great ideas, delicious recipes, and cute crafts, thinking to yourself, "One of these days I'll log on to Pinterest and cook every last recipe, make every single craft, and simplify my life with all these great ideas."

But life keeps coming, you continue to spend more time pinning than actually doing anything productive, and the glue gun, crock pot, and pile of yardsale junk you bought last weekend to "upcycle" stay in their cluttered cabinets.

If only there was a central location to find a bunch of good organizational ideas to take care of my cabinet problems..

I digress

Or if you're even more like me, you can't even imagine ever being creative enough to attempt any of these glorious ideas. You've been told (by other people, yourself, the devil, etc.) that you'll never be able to cook a decent meal or complete a successful DIY project. You're a failure at most of the things you undertake anyway, so even though your heart longs to try the ideas you've dutifully been pinning for months, there really is no point in wasting your time. Keep dreaming.

But with Christmas swiftly approaching as well as my first opportunity to live on my own (hence having to cook for myself and decorate all by my lonesome), I decided to branch out juuuuusst a little and start attempting to build the skills I believed were absent in me so long. Every endeavor was prefaced with much self-deprication, begun with absolutely no self-confidence, and completed with varying degrees of success. Most of the time my fears were confirmed- I failed. Big surprise.

Enter the aforementioned heart-to-hearts with my precious, patient, ever-loving Lord and Savior.

What I couldn't figure out is why, despite my pathetic track record, I still had a longing in my heart to do all of these things. I even kept amassing junk and art supplies, all the while thinking, you fool.. you're never going to use any of this. Once a failure, always a failure. But one night as I was looking through my craft box, mentally picturing what could possibly become of these odds and ends and immediately shooting down every attempt at creativity, I realized something very basic, yet at that moment meant a change of pace for me. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do," while Genesis 1:27 says, "So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." If I'm handiwork made in the image of the Creator and Master craftsman of this world and everything in it. that means that my very nature is to be creative. And if I'm created in the image of His perfect and good Son Jesus, then I've been enabled to make stuff that is good.. even GREAT! Furthermore, by insulting my ability to create anything of value I'm really insulting the Holy Spirit inside me that lives in me.

Whoa.. mind = blown

So I began creating with that mindset. And dang, did things change. Not everything, not all at once, but change was a'comin. And since it wasn't from me, I want to share it with you. Because nothing of mine is worth blogging about, for "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature" (Romans 7:18), but when He's in the drivers seat, it might be worth a second glance.

Insert blog #2. Since I started "She Can Laugh at the Days to Come" to be more of a way to update the fam and special friends on what Jesus is up to in my life lately, I decided to make a separate place to try my hand at tutorials, recipes, crafts, and the like. I'll explain how I came up with the name (if you even care) later, because quite frankly, 3am is wayyyy past my bedtime. Most of what's on here won't be original and I will definitely be linking honor to where it's due for sure, and every now and then there may be a Kelly n' Jesus original thrown in there. A girl can dream, right? :)

So there you have it. I promise most of the entries on here are meant to be short, easy-to-read, and to the point. And I'm 100% honest when I say that suggestions, comments, and even criticism are not just welcomed- They're encouraged. I definitely don't have all the answers and for sure don't always know the most effective way to do things, so enlighten me, would ya? I'd appreciate it!

And true to form, I've got to leave y'all with what's singing to my heart tonight, "Lift Me Up" by The Afters. Listen close to the lyrics.. I promise you'll hear Jesus speaking to you, too. Enjoy :)






Until next time,