My Husbands Fathers Day Gift

We are super short on money right now and I wanted to do something fun for my sweet hubby so I came up with this. I drew PAPA about the size and thickness I wanted, cut it out on my scroll saw, sanded it, then painted it a chocolate brown color. I printed off some photo's of our granddaughter Addy and decoupaged the pics on it. I had to spray a clear varnish on it so the ink wouldn't bleed  and then cut out the pics. I had to hold the photo's up to the light to know where to place it so as not to cut off faces. It was also hard to hide it when he came into my craft room twice to see what I was working on. Luckily I have a few projects going so I could say I was working on them., which I was while the pics or wood was drying. Our Addy calls him Papa instead of grandpa, she has 3 of them. He was very pleased with it. I also gave him a manicure and a hand massage.

Painted Piggies

I've decided to try my hand at painting toenails for a little business and I've been practicing on the neighbor girls. I'm having a lot of fun with it and will soon be letting people know I'm ready to start. What do you think so far?

Be Beautiful Within

Yesterday after I was able to sit and read the latest issue of the Ensign the LDS church publishes, I was so touched by Pres. Thomas S. Monson's message to LIVE GREATLY! He said, "We must develop the capacity to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and triumph with humility." He told of a lady who had three yellow canaries. When she passed away she left to of the birds to a friend and the third one to him. She apologized that this yellow bird had some gray on it's wings and said "He may not be the prettiest, but his song is the best". So many times I get caught up with hating my looks or weight, and miss when I was young and cute, but this made me realize I need to be beautiful on the inside where it really matters. I read NieNie and she was talking about how her face isn't beautiful and I was so hurt for her and wanted to tell her how much she has taught me about REAL BEAUTY and that my goal is to be more like her, BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE". We need to slow down our lives and really become what God wants us to be, beautiful from the inside and uplift those we come in contact with. Have a great day, slow down and enjoy the beauty around us and strive for the beauty within. Thank you Heavenly Father for all you give and do for us.

READ the story here

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=047cc79fed3b8210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

My Freestyle Embroidery

Here are a few pics of my stitchery I'm almost done with. I have had SO MUCH FUN with this and it has worked up so quickly. I paid for the tutorial at Silver Bella but I don't like doing all the types of stitches she shows. If you want to learn embroidery stitches, it is so worth paying for the tutorial videos she shows. Check her e-zines out here

http://www.paperbellastudio.com/category_14/E-Workshops.htm

I drew out my idea on a piece of paper with just the scrolly vine thingy and the saying I wanted. It's a quote from an incredible speaker,  Chad Hymas. He said "This life was never about you". Then everything else just came along from stuff I already had, like the bird cut from felt etc. I just kept adding things that seemed right to put in. I made a nest from some gold tinsel I had and two "eggs" from rhinestones I had. I hot glued it instead of sewing it. I have a picture I just put on fabric of Jesus washing someones feet that I'm going to sew on and then finish with little bits. I'll show you when I get it done. I have some others on paper of different themes, like The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, etc, that I'll show you when I get them done. If you are wanting to try this and have been afraid to start, jump in and you will see how easy and fun this really is.
On my post about the lids with the pics on them, I was asked what kind of lids I was saving. I have saved the canning jar lids from our bottled fruit. In the tutorial she used juice lids. Thanx for stopping by. See ya soon.