Money-Stretching Monday - hutch before and after

Wanted to show  you a little before and after.  Paint on furniture can make a huge difference!  And, you can save oodles of money by loving what you have.

I have had a love/hate relationship with this hutch:

Before

I love the shape, the lines, and the wire screens I used in place of the glass doors.  This piece is great for storing our china and other things in our kitchen.  What I hate about it, is how dark it is in the corner.    The stain makes it look heavy and bulky; it also hides the beautiful detailing on the hutch. 

I was thinking about replacing it with something more airy and light.  That option isn't budget-friendly at this point.  Then I found this beautiful shade of aqua... it makes me smile just looking at it.

 

 

 

I got this 8 oz Valspar paint sample at Lowe's for free.  Yep, had a coupon for a free sample and they mixed the color right there for me at the store.  Without a coupon, this size is just under $3 - so not a big cost at all.  And, this is what I ended up with...



 

 

After

 

 

Now, I love my hutch... the color is fresh, bright, and cheery.  The beauty of the lines of the hutch now pop.   It is now one of my favorite pieces of furniture in my house. 

 

All I needed for this project was the paint sample and a piece of sandpaper to prep the surface for painting.  I love the result.  This piece looks fresh and new.  And, I still have some paint leftover in the sample for another little project. 

 

Take another look at the furniture in your home.  It is it tired and worn out?  Imagine what a little paint could do for you. For about $3 you could have a whole new piece.   Now that is money-stretching for sure!

 

Praying you have many blessings and much joy!

Kristen



p.s. we are working on painting the interior of our house... I am thinking a vintage yellow for the kitchen - I think it would go beautifully with my hutch:)



You Have to go Through Friday to get to Sunday

When my husband was in a seminary, a professor of his, said these simple words to some of us "You have to go through Friday to get to Sunday".   Seems obvious, right?  We learn to order of the days of the week even as young as preschool age...  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.   Richard Carlson, that professor, imparted to me that day a truth that would have a profound affect on my life and be something I would cling to as I worked through some dark days.  The words were spoken as we talked about conflict management and how we need to get to the "stuff", the "issues", the "sin" in us and address it or it would come out in other ways.  Jesus, had to go through Good Friday and his crucifixion, in order to rise again and give us life on Easter Sunday and beyond.

In our lives, we face issues due to our own sin, the sin others have done to us, and the brokenness of this world.  Only facing the truth of this and letting Christ take these issues upon Himself would heal this.  I have been a Christian since I was a youth and knew this in my head.  What I didn't know deep in my soul is this - I would have to let Christ in completely to every layer of my being.  There were things that were too painful, to scary, or two ugly to look at in the light.  See, that is how sin is - yours and mine.   Slowly, it eats away at life.   That is until it is exposed to the light.   At first, it hurts.   It is similar to the way your eyes sting upon encountering the bright sun after leaving a dark building.  They sting and tear up, and eventually adjust and open fully to the beauty of the day before you.

Once sin is brought to the light and handed over to the only One who can make you whole - life is never the same.  And, so it was for me... things I clung to somewhere deep inside needed to be handed over and given up.  At first, the process was so painful - like digging dirt out of a wound.  Painful, but necessary.  Some things feel too much to bear - too hard to handle.  The brokenness of our soul is hard to carry alone.  The story, however, doesn't end there.  Ever so slowly at times, we adjust to this letting go and just like our eyes can eventually open and see the beauty around us, so do our souls.

This is what Good Friday is all about.  Jesus, had to face terrible, unimaginable suffering and torture.  He did this as a completely free gift for you and for me.  He took all of the ugliness and sin upon Himself for us.  Then He did what no one else could do.  He rose triumphantly early on Easter morning to give us life.  We are free and forgiven.  What we should have paid for was taken care of by Jesus.  His love is unfathomable.  And, while it seems to us at times that He is not here in our darkest hour;  He surprises us as we surrender and gives us beautiful life just like He did on Easter Sunday.

Yes, we do have to go through Friday to get to Sunday.  And, it is so worth it. 

He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Praying you have many blessings and much joy!
Kristen

Clearing out the Clutter - One Bag at a Time

Back in January, I took part in a 31 day challenge to rid my home of clutter.  The theme was 31 bags for 31 days.  Each day, participants were challenged to work on an area of their homes and get rid of one bag of clutter.  I rose to the challenge and attacked my home with vigor; I was on fire.  No clutter was safe from me.  Bags and boxes were taken to thrift stores.  Trash was discarded.  Paper piles were recycled.  It felt good.

But here's the thing... six years of living in this house with my sweet family has allowed for stuff to pile up... more than I could take care of in just one month.  The problem with clutter is that it comes in one bag at a time.  By itself, each bag seems innoucous; when added all up, the sum is imposing.  Not only does its large mass encroach upon my space; it drains my emotions and my energy.  Clutter is a theif dressed in pretty packaging.  It steals my time, my peace, my space.  It clouds my vision... I no longer see and appreciate all I have and the beauty before me.  And, I will admit this, getting rid of the clutter sets off an irrational fear in me.  Questions pop into my mind like this:  "What about the money I spent on this item?", "What if I need it someday?", "What if I don't have enough?".  Umm... that is not life-giving but life-draining.  

Here is the reality of getting rid of clutter in my house.  As the clutter goes, I am much more content.  Funny, the things I thought would make me happy sometimes give me the most satisfaction when they are gone.  My charming cottage bungalow no longer feels small and tight but rather cozy and peaceful (well, as peaceful as it gets with a husband, three children, a cat, a dog... and me).   I have space to move and create.  Time is freed up to spend with those I cherish the most and to do the things I love.  And you know what?  I don't miss any of those things I got rid of back in January nor have I needed any of them. 

Today, I am building back into my routine the practice of purging my home regularly.  When those irrational questions come, I am replacing them with this questions:  "Could someone else use this?, "What is the worst thing that could happen if I let this go?", "Do I really want to spend my time taking care of this?", "How much will I gain by letting this thing go?".

Armed with this:

I am going to tackle that clutter and rid my house of it... one bag at a time.  If you have clutter in your house, won't you join me?  Don't let the task daunt you... take it one bag at a time!

Praying you have many blessings and much joy!
Kristen

What I Wore Wednesday and a Proverb to Clothe Yourself in

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:7

True beauty lies inside of us.  Starting this week I am adding a proverb each Wednesday to clothe our souls in. 

That being said, I really believe how your look affects how you feel.  When you put a little extra effort into what you wear, you feel better.   I am linking up each week with The Pleated Poppy - What I wore Wednesday.


I love trying new combinations with the clothes I already have - fun for me and good for my wallet:) 

So friends, take a few minutes to find something to wear that makes you feel good.   If you are seaching for ideas about what to wear, take a peek at some of the ladies linking up with The Pleated Poppy.  You will find plenty of inspiration there.

Here are some of my outfits for the week:

 

 orange and turquoise are one of my favorite color combinations. 

My sweet dog Sadie jumped in the picture with me

 

I have had this cardi and the shirt for years - bought on sale

This is a new combo for me with the mustard yellow posy from The Pleated Poppy

and the necklace and earrings I made. 

 I am so longing for Spring - so even if the weather won't cooperate, I can wear some pops of Spring

 

This shirt makes me happy... I love the colors and the pattern.

Don't you just love the "deer in the headlights" look on my face:)

 

 

 

 

wearing purple for Epilepsy Day... in memory of Mallorie Lindo,

a sweet young lady who lost her battle with a rare form of Epilepsy

called LaFora's Disease last week. 

Praying you have many blessings and much joy!
Kristen

Tortoise Tuesday - Making Peace With My Inner Lucy

I Love Lucy is one of my all-time favorite shows.  Lucy tickles my funny bone.  I love how she comes up with all of these great plans; plans that seem like good ideas at the time.  They are well thought out and she attacks them with gusto.  If you have ever watched the show, you know how the story goes... Lucy's plans start out smoothly and then, little by little, things go awry.  One mishap adds to another until mayham ensues. 

Sometimes I feel a little like Lucy... sometimes I feel a lot like Lucy.  See, there is a lot of Lucy inside of me.  I have all of these ideas inside of me bursting to get out.  In my mind, things go alot more effortlessly than in my real life.   Far more often than I would like, I start out gracefully like Audrey Hepburn, only to quickly end up more like Lucy.  I fumble, I fall. 

But here's the thing... I have finally made peace with this Lucy part of me and now embrace her.  And, here is what I have found...

~ Like Lucy, I laugh... a lot
~ I love with a passion
~ I may fail at times. but I jump right back in again
~ I live with gusto, much more so than if I tried to contain this part of me
~ My life is colorful and vibrant and never dull
~ Accepting the imperfections in myself, has let me appreciate the imperfections in others... perfectionism is highly over-rated and stressful
~ I am so much more comfortable in my own skin now
~ It is not the end of the world to stumble and fall... we all do
~ It is a lot more work trying to be someone who I am not
~ I am just who God intended me to be

 

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

 your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Psalm 139:14

 

 



Praying you have many blessings and much joy!
Kristen

Money-Stretching Monday - Take it Down a Notch

For the last two weeks, my Sunday newspaper has been inundated with sales flyers for Easter.  I expect that from the world of adverstising; It's a good marketing strategy.  Easter is a time of celebration and joy and we love our children.  So, let's show them our love by buying them stuff.  Now. let me preface my thoughts on this by saying -  I love Easter!  As, a Christian, it is the most important day of the year; it is the basis of my faith.  And, I love to celebrate.  Even as my children are getting older,  I still love filling their Easter baskets with candy... including a solid chocolate bunny - no hollow bunnies here.  And, I think you are never too old for an Easter egg hunt!   Here is where I think we need to take it down a notch.   When I was growing up, we had Easter baskets filled with candy and maybe a new outfit to wear for Easter Sunday.   Now however, advertisers and society tell us that we need to give our children toys, expensive purses, electronics, bikes, cell phones... the list goes on and on. 
I believe it is time we take it down a notch.  Let's take a step back and see what is really important.   We live in a time where people are over-scheduled, information overloaded, and homes are overstuffed.  People are drowning in debt and the economy is still in a tough state.  I really believe we have the power to make a big change for our families by stopping the madness of overindulgence.  It is not good for us and it is not good for our families.  Be counter cultural.  Celebrate the real meaning of Easter with your family.  Spend time with them.  Make the day special by having a nice meal.  Go ahead and fill those Easter baskets with some candy.  Have an Easter egg hunt if you want.  This is what really matters to your family.  And don't be surprised if your day is more joyful and less stressed.  That is good for your budget, good for your family, and good for your soul.
Praying you have many blessings and much joy!
Kristen

Faith-Filled Friday.... Lessons Learned in Lent

As Holy Week fast approaches, I wanted to reflect on lessons the season of Lent teaches me.  For the past few years, I have given up something for Lent.  It is not always the same thing; but, it is always something that is hard for me to give up.  This has been a way for me to be more aware of Christ's sacrifice for me.  I know what it means to be saved by Jesus and I want to show Him, in some small way, how much His grace means to me.  What I didn't realize was that in the giving up I would gain space to see things more clearly.  It doesn't matter what I give up, rather, it is the act of giving up and setting aside that has opened up a place in my life for me to gain a more eternal perpective.

Here is what I have learned through the season of Lent each year...

There are many times when I crowd Jesus out of my life.  I want Him to be first; that is my intention and desire.  But, I don't always put Him first.  I become distracted by the minutia and busyness of life and at times put Christ aside. 

There are many times when I don't ask Jesus for His provision; instead I fall back on my self-reliance.  In my humanness, I forget who my Provider is.  I forget whose will needs to have control of my life.

I don't see the whole picture clearly.  The Lord is sovereign and omnipotent and I am not. How many times have I wanted something desperately only to find out it wasn't what was best for me?  Jesus knows what is better for me than I do.

I need to be pruned regularly.   There are seasons when I feel like things are being stripped away while I am stretched and challenged.  I feel out of sorts and uncomfortable when I am being pruned.  Old ways and habits that are so familiar need to be clipped and discarded for new growth to happen.  Eventually that growth turns into something much more beautiful than those dead branches ever could.

I am a work in progress and always will be until I am home with Jesus.  This side of Heaven, I will fall and He will pick me back up every time... molding and making me along the way. 

I am loved by a Saviour who is relentless in pursuing me.   Jesus never gives up on me and loves me just as I am - sinful, broken, and unworthy.  No matter how many times I fail, no matter what I do, and no matter how far I wander, His love is pure and unconditional there for the taking. 

Whatever I give up for Lent is nothing compared to what Jesus has sacrificed for me.  What I give up is insignificant when I see that Christ suffered unthinkable pain and gave up His very life for me.

And, this what I have want to keep impressed upon my heart...

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 

 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,

 and all these things will be given to you as well.

 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

 Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Cross references:

1. Matthew 6:32 : ver 8
2. Matthew 6:33 : S Mt 3:2
3. Matthew 6:33 : Ps 37:4; Mt 19:29

 Matthew 6:32-34

 

 



Praying you have many blessings and much joy!

Kristen