Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Some Success with Crafting and Repurposing

The weekend included some crafting time. With Michelle and Ada here with Ada under-the-weather (uhhh, not so much, but she did have stitches so she was restrained or running free with puppies restrained...so not so much down time as we expected...but I digress) Michelle and I planned some crafting. 

She is redoing her downstair living area after a forced remodel due to lots of rain and a sump pump issue. UGH. But that's her post. She made some pretty cool things. 

My focus was making gifts, using up some items I purchased to repurpose or repaint, and finishing up a couple of things that had been bugging me. 

My first project was to repaint my folks farmhouse window yard decor.  This time I did something a little different, very colorful and super cool. (I think) I have some varnish to add and Rob needs to silicone the glass into place so pictures later. 

Secondly, I wanted to make a couple gifts. I found out that & says "I love you to the moon and back and a million times around" to her kids. And I found out the girls need a few more pieces of decor in their room. Blue and silver and yellow and blue were the color needs. So. I made a box to hold jewelry and hair pretties that says "She leaves a little sparkle everywhere she goes." And two little metal wall pockets that say "I love you to the Blue Moon and back and a million times around" She'll stuff them with silver star garland. 

And then I had a brain storm. My brother's wedding is coming up real soon. He and my future sister-in-law have a special connection to the whole blue moon thing. The wedding will be casual and quirky. So I couldn't resist the sign and the box with their initials and a big blue moon theme. 

For me? I'm not done yet. I have a few more projects, but the one I finished is perfect in my book. And repurposing. Yay. 

I have a spot on my picture wall that is too high for pictures and I wanted the perfect square item to put in it. I found a cabinet door at a thrift store and intended to paint it. I also had some words...live, laugh, love that were boring, blah, brown metal. 

I painted the board, put some paint on the edge of the words and wired it all together when it was dry. 

I love it. So me. 

Scribbles and Scrambles~ Post-Surgical Ada

Michelle and I share a fondness for a bargain.  That is why she came to Iowa for Ada's spay. It's a 1/3 of the price that it is in her neck of big city life! Needed was the dreaded "cone of shame" and the clinic suggested the soft inflatable cone available at the pet store.  So while Ada was under the knife we checked out the luxury cone.

With the luxury price tag!  So we put our thinking caps on! She found the lightweight, comfy human neck pillow for $7.99. ( a 1/4 of the price) sewed it to her collar with embroidery floss loops and Bam! Perfect!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Meet Harriette Houndini

Yes it's true. Harriette aka Gladys escaped again!  I need nanny-cam.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Excuses

Well, after trying to clean and get some pre-guest cooking done I now have an accurate awareness... Ready?  Puppy wrangling aka making sure they potty outside and don't potty inside, keeping their tiny little teeth out of places they don't belong, and cleaning up after fails takes up 37.8% of my time. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ That Moment

That Moment... those snippets of time frozen in an epiphany of understanding. Sometimes they are so sweet. So poignant. So surreal. 

innocent party? actually in spite of the look on her face, yes. 

Other "That moments" not so much. 

Case in point. 

Free range beagle. Notice the lack of eye contact. Clearly a sign of her guilt. 

"That moment" when you realize that your co-worker is indeed looking to you to do this thing they need done. Thankyouverymuch. 

"That Moment when I stare 52 in eye yet have the largest zit I've ever had on my face. A Chunnel sized zit on my chin. I call it a Chunnel because it seems to cover miles underground. I haven't had one of those bad boys in years. I blame filthy little paws and hands that haven't been on my face for years and have recently entered my life. Oh well, the love is worth it. Right? 

Another 'That Moment" when scrubbing the second shower stall and making the bed, and cleaning off the counter again, and vacuuming and horking crap from one location into it's proper place and discovering that I feel old. This is magnified by the following "That Moment" and the fact that we have a mouse/mice in the house. YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Epic "That Moment" opening the door two hours later than you intended on getting home and discovering...one puppy resting nicely in the kennel and the other one free ranging. WHAT?!? and no idea how that escape happened or how long the Home on the Range song played whilst she made herself at home. 

Miracle. I mean MIRACLE upon discovering that the only things amiss were the addition of stinky stench coming from two brown piles. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Monday Funday Link

You like personality tests? 

Here's a fun site where you can click on pictures to choose your answer. You don't even have to read and choose. 

http://www.visualdna.com/quizzes/

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Circumstantial

I had nothing to say Wednesday when I was supposed to get a post ready to go and queued up for bright and early posting on Thursday. 

I had plenty swirling around in my head. Thoughts about the frailty of life and the fragility of bodies. I was also struggling with the depravity of humanity. 

I suppose these things were on my mind because of circumstances. Circumstances... the things that happen that make us stop and ponder and sometimes reassess. The unexpected deaths of loved ones of friends and the celebration of one month with sweet little foster grandchildren.  And having them share some of their stories. Heartbreaking. 

I love the days when I can move forward and embrace life and profess I know God is good. Other times, I am faced with the choice to BELIEVE that God is good. In spite of evidence that others have used since Eve's first taste of forbidden fruit, that far too often His rulership of the world looks nothing like mine would.

If I ran the world rights and freedom would go to those who value them, not abuse them. In my world the evil would live short and insignificant lives and the good-hearted would live long and do far reaching good all their years. The world I'd create would be full of loved and cared for innocents. And each of those precious ones would go, every night, to to a comfortable, safe bed with satisfied tummies and maybe a favorite story dancing through their thoughts or at least dreams of sugar plums or puppy treats. 

Therein lies my struggle.  Will I believe God is smarter than me? Better at knowing the outcomes of struggles? Is the sometimes hideousness of this world an opportunity to show how much He has to offer those who are willing to believe His story?

I know I cannot manage my own life, I have tried. And failed. What I think I need is often full of sorrow or remorse and what I would never choose for myself has radically changed my life for the better. 

So, in spite of circumstances that sometimes make me so burdened I feel 20 years older, I will choose to believe that God knows what He's doing. That He is in the process of restoring, healing, saving and redeeming. I have enough proof.