Vacation Mini Album

We just recently returned from a vacation/conference trip to Orlando, Florida to attend the North American Christian Convention. We had a great time at the convention and we were able to reconnect with a lot of friends who we haven't seen in so long. We also were able to drive down to Hialeah/Miami to reconnect with our best friends, Alvaro & Dennisse. We had a great time seeing them, eating Dennisse's Puerto Rican food, playing tennis with Alvaro and just sitting around and catching up.

Before we left I made this travel journal/mini album to take with me. I made it out of an old book that I had laying around the house. I cut papers to fit and made pocket pages so that I could insert travel brochures, etc. I like how it turned out and will probably try to make one for each vacation we take from now on.

I really like making mini albums, they don't seem to be as stressful as one big album. They can be strictly a journal or you can add pictures to them to record your vacation not only in words but in photos.

I hope you enjoy!

Old Book Mini-Album

A friend of mine asked if I would make her a small album that she could store/display all of her cards (birthday, anniversary, etc.). So this is what I came up with.
I have been seeing on the internet how you can make a mini-album by using an old book. Check here for one of the blogs that I follow, she makes several albums by using old books.
So I went to our local thrift store and found this book for $1.00. I thought the title on the spine was a good fit for the kind of album she was looking for.
I then took out all of the pages on the inside, leaving only the hardback cover. (you can either save the pages to use again for another project or just throw them away.) Then I embellished the front and back. I used two rings to bind the book. (you can find these at an office supply store.) I used grommets to help make the holes sturdier. (the grommets I used I found a Joan Fabrics in the sewing department. they are longer than the grommets I had bought at a scrapbook supply store.)
I also made dividers, this way she can organize her cards accordingly.
When I gave it to her she was very much surprised. She said she thought I would just put a couple rings into the top of 2 pieces of card stock and call it good. You're kidding right? No it has to look pretty.

(Sorry about this picture, it was right side up when I downloaded it.)

DIY Butcher Block Table/Kitchen Island

I just wanted to share with you a little DIY project that I did.
The preacher, who does all of the cooking in the family, (yea! for me), has this great big butcher block that he likes to use for all of his cutting needs. It used to sit on the counter next to the stove but it was so big and it was really in the way.

I found this side table at my work place. It was being stored in the upstairs storage area. I asked if I could purchase it if they were not going to use it any longer but to my surprise my boss picked it up and carried it out to my car and said that I could have it. Free is good!

So I took it home, sanded down the legs, spray painted it black, the preacher then placed the butcher block on top (it fit perfectly) and screwed some long screws in from the bottom. That block is not going any where.

We then placed it in the center of our kitchen. It sits in between the stove and the sink and it works perfectly!

The preacher is happy to have more space to make a beautiful mess.

Hey, It's Franklin

I was at a friend's house babysitting her kids. The kids were playing, the TV was on, and I'm in the laundry room sorting whites from the colors. The cartoon, Franklin, the Turtle, came on the TV, I heard the opening song, 


Hey, It's Franklin
Comin' over to play

Growin' a little everyday
Here he comes
With all his friends
They've got stories
Got time to spend with you
Hey, It's Franklin
Comin' to your house
Hey, It's Franklin
Comin' to my house
Hey, It's Franklin.

Suddenly I was transformed back to my house in Deerfield Beach, Florida. I could see and feel the sun coming through the sliding doors, I could see Sam, just a little boy, my little boy, sitting on the couch. He's watching Franklin. In my mind it all came back to me. I suddenly had this overwhelming urge to go back. I even said out loud, "I want to go back". Back to what seemed like a simpler time, back to being a stay at home mom taking care of my son, my husband and my home. 

Time goes by so quickly, That little boy of mine is now 17 years old. He probably doesn't want anyone to know that he watched Franklin. Every day throughout his life has been wonderful. I know that his father and I worked hard at raising him to be a fine young man and I do look forward to seeing the man that he will become. I'm just glad that there are little songs and cartoons to help me remember those wonderful days of his childhood.

Coffee and a Smile

This morning I took a glass of ice coffee to my son. He was half asleep, half awake. I told him good morning, set his coffee on his side table, leaned over rubbed his head and then kissed his forehead. He smiled. That smile warmed my heart.

Right to Life Sunday

Last Sunday was National Right to Life Sunday. So I thought I'd share with you my experience of this wonderful cause.

Back in the mid-70's I was told that I could not have any children of my own; it was physically impossible. Little did I know at that time what God had planned for me.

During the 80's the Right to Life campaign was beginning to find their voice. My husband and I began to take part helping a local Pregnancy Center. We were asked at one time to make a sign and stand on the side of a busy highway where we lived at the time. While standing there I couldn't believe how much hate there was for this cause .

I took the sign that we used and put it in the back window of the vehicle that we were driving at that time. I could not believe how many nasty notes that would be taped to my car.

I was a woman who could not have children. I could not understand how anyone could possibly think of doing the unthinkable, killing their own child. My heart went out to all of those babies and also out to all of those women.

Well, God had a plan for my life, he healed whatever problem my body had and at the age of 39 I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. I love the picture that I have attached, it shows just how beautiful child bearing is.

We again are working with a local Pregnancy Center and they are doing a great work here in NE Colorado.

I ask that whoever reads this blog that you would first, pray for our country, that this awful law that we have, Roe vs Wade, would be turned around; second, pray for the healing of the soul for all of the women who have bought into the lie that it is not a baby until the actual birth; third, I ask that you get involved in a local branch of a Pregnancy Center.

"For you have created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you becuase I am fearfully and wonderfully made;" Psalm 139:13-14

Life Beautiful - No Worries

Have you seen this magazine? I had discovered it a long time ago through a blog that I visit. I bought one at that time and then forgot about it, even thinking that it may have gone under and was not even being published anymore. Then one day my husband and I were in Loveland on a shopping trip. I went in to Barnes & Noble and there it was. Of course I bought it without even browsing through it first. This is a wonderful magazine. It is full of great information; everything from decorating your home to short little studies. The subtitle on the front reads: Faith for Your Journey.

The reason this issue seems to be of more importance is because I am going through a season of worry. Worry over our finances. Within the last year we have lost quite a bit of money each month in income and when you have lost that much you can understand how I can be stressed How am I going to pay my bills? All was going okay until November when our savings, that was keeping us afloat, began to run out.

But just when I was feeling very overwhelmed God was there. A guest speaker came to our church and something he said in his sermon hit me. He said "Don't tell God how big your problem is, tell your problem how big your God is." When he said that it was like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I realized I had not been giving this problem of finances over to my God. I was holding on to the problem. I was not letting Him be God and taking care of my finances.

Every month since then I still worry but I have been making a conscience effort to give it to God. And each month He has been reminding me of who He is. And this is why I am blogging about this lovely magazine. Even though I bought the magazine the first of January, it was just a few days ago that I actually opened it up to read it (at just the moment I needed it). There it was, the way God was showing me He is bigger than my problems. It came in an article by Joyce Meyer. She was talking about how she and her husband had gone through a time in their lives when they needed a miracle to pay their bills each month. (I could relate.) She was angry at God, and at her husband for not helping her worry over the situation. (I could relate.) She says that she realized that what she needed was to spend time with God, rather than her checkbook. She concluded her article saying, "I want to encourage you to live by faith, not fear."

It is amazing to me that when my worries seem just about ready to defeat me, God steps in and sends me these wonderful little messages. He is always letting me know that He is in control.

Matthew 6:26 reminds me that God takes care of the birds and ask the question, "Are you not much more valuable than they?" I have written on my mirror the word 'sparrow' so that each morning I can remember that I am valued by God just as his sparrows and each and every day He will take care of me, my husband, my son and even our finances.

God has been blessing us with just the right amount of money each month to get through. I am so thankful for His blessings.

I want to encourage you to look closely, look around you, God is with you and He will let you know of His presence in the smallest and the most opportune times.

"Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feed them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matt 6:26-27