The Graphics Fairy For a Host of Beautiful Images…

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Someone tweeted something… I ended up on a site that referenced images from the Graphics Fairy, and I became aware of this treasure cove of free vintage images. Couldn’t sleep well knowing I hadn’t done my part in spreading the word. I bring you…

The Graphics Fairy
Take a look at Karen’s comprehensive list of creative sites, free printables and tutorials.

Here are some of my favorite graphics. My mind is whirling with ideas for projects involving these (and many more, but you get the idea)…


Amidst the useful links, I found information detailing copyright laws and links to more info on the topic. Did you know that images prior to 1923 are public domain. I did not. Most of Karen’s images are, therefore, pre 1923. Pretty cool. I love it when I get schooled. I foresee some new pendants utilizing this source. Thanks, Karen!!

Monday Musings; Above the Cabinet Decor Inspiration!

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I have never really known what to do with that space between the tops of my kitchen cabinets and the ceiling. I still don’t really know what I am going to do, but here are some things I came across today…

It all started when I came across this post, over at Thrifty Decor Chick. It is really about lighting, which she details step by step, and you can see her take on decorating this space;

She used a framed picture, some black vinyl lettering, some vases, and other items I bet I either have around the house, or could pick up for a great price at a thrift store. I also really like the lighting.
Here are some more pics I encountered. I like the plate idea, I just don’t know for sure where I am going to go with it.
This is a great kitchen from Country Living. These colors do it for me! I wish my cabinets were white, but that is a project I am not committed enough to this house to tackle.
Found the above cool array of trays over at Our Suburban Cottage.
What have you put in that space begging to be utilized and made beautiful? I need your help. I am floundering here. Teach me, teach me please!

Tuesday Tag-Along
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Only Parent Chronicles

Polymer Clay Day 95: Blissful Butterfly Beaded Beauty

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Butterflies are the most wonderful symbol of transformation, grace, beauty and freedom. I have been in such a phase of rearranging, hurting, messing up to the point of feeling like a gelatinous mess of disgust trapped in a cocoon. It has sucked, to be totally honest. I don’t do emotional pain well, but I can say that through it all, I have kept my eyes on the One who saves. Little by little, changes beyond my greatest of dreams are materializing, and I am truly free.


Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”
Romans 6:14 (NLT)

Scatter joy!!!!

A few of My Favorite Things From The Weekend Craft Fair…

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There are so many more pics I could post. I saw some impressive creations. The last picture posted is dimensional weaving, and I have much more to share about the artist and her work. I am in the midst of a cricut creation gone awry, and will have to get back to my blog tomorrow.

It is Sunday, my favorite day to scatter light and joy. I was moved by several readings. Here is an excerpt from an essay by Pema Chodron on patience as the antidote to anger and aggression (long and worth every second):

Patience has a lot to do with getting smart at that point (of anger’s initiation) and just waiting: not speaking or doing anything. On the other hand, it also means being completely and totally honest with yourself about the fact that you’re furious. You’re not suppressing anything—patience has nothing to do with suppression. In fact, it has everything to do with a gentle, honest relationship with yourself. If you wait and don’t feed your discursive thought, you can be honest about the fact that you’re angry. But at the same time you can continue to let go of the internal dialogue. In that dialogue you are blaming and criticizing, and then probably feeling guilty and beating yourself up for doing that. It’s torturous, because you feel bad about being so angry at the same time that you really are extremely angry, and you can’t drop it. It’s painful to experience such awful confusion. Still, you just wait and remain patient with your confusion and the pain that comes with it.

Patience has a quality of enormous honesty in it, but it also has a quality of not escalating things, allowing a lot of space for the other person to speak, for the other person to express themselves, while you don’t react, even though inside you are reacting. You let the words go and just be there.

This suggests the fearlessness that goes with patience. If you practice the kind of patience that leads to the de-escalation of aggression and the cessation of suffering, you will be cultivating enormous courage. You will really get to know anger and how it breeds violent words and actions. You will see the whole thing without acting it out. When you practice patience, you’re not repressing anger, you’re just sitting there with it—going cold turkey with the aggression. As a result, you really get to know the energy of anger and you also get to know where it leads, even without going there. You’ve expressed your anger so many times, you know where it will lead. The desire to say something mean, to gossip or slander, to complain—to just somehow get rid of that aggression—is like a tidal wave. But you realize that such actions don’t get rid of the aggression; they escalate it. So instead you’re patient, patient with yourself.

Developing patience and fearlessness means learning to sit still with the edginess of the energy. It’s like sitting on a wild horse, or on a wild tiger that could eat you up. There’s a limerick to that effect: “There was a young lady of Niger, who smiled as she rode on a tiger. They came back from the ride with the lady inside and the smile on the face of the tiger.” Sitting with your discomfort feels like riding on that tiger, because it’s so frightening.


Polymer Clay Day #13; Holy Spirit Dove Pendant

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Polymer clay dove pendant; Inspired by the fact that God sent the Holy Spirit to guide us in His ways – a miraculous gift, the extent of which is beyond me. All I know is… Thank you, Lord. Here is a meditation on one of my favorite chapters in the book of John.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth”

Scripture: John 16:12-15

12 “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Meditation: What would you give to know all truth! Truth, however, is not something we create nor is it our discovery. It is the gift of God who is the possessor and the giver of all truth. Jesus tells his disciples that it is the role of the Holy Spirit to reveal what is true. How can this be? Skeptics of truth don’t want to believe in an absolute Truth. If truth is objective then it must be submitted to as authoritative. Some fear the truth because they think it will inhibit their freedom. Jesus told his disciples that the truth will set you free (John 8:32).The truth liberates us from doubts, illusions, and fears. Since God is the source of all truth, then the closer we draw to him and listen to his word, the more we grow in the knowledge of him and of his great love and wisdom for us. Jesus told his disciples that he would send them the Spirit of truth who will announce to you the things to come. Through the Holy Spirit, we proclaim our ancient faith in the saving death and resurrection of Christ until he comes again. The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit as our divine Teacher and Helper that we may grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God. Do you seek the wisdom that comes from above and do you willingly obey God’s word?

“Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and guide me into your way of truth. Free me from erroneous and false ways and lead me in the knowledge of your ways and your will for my life. May there be nothing in my life that is not under your lordship.”

Grace on Day 13 of 100 Days of Polymer Clay

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It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. That is why we see so few fellow workers with God, yet so many people working for God. We would much rather work for God than believe in Him. Do I really believe that God will do for me what I cannot do? The degree of hopelessness I have for others comes from never realizing that God has done anything for me. Is my own personal experience such a wonderful realization of God’s power and might that I can never have a sense of hopelessness for anyone else I see? Has any spiritual work been accomplished in me at all? The degree of panic activity in my life is equal to the degree of my lack of personal spiritual experience.
“Behold, O My people, I will open your graves…” Ezekiel 37:12. When God wants to show you what human nature is like separate from Himself, He shows it to you in yourself. If the spirit of God has ever given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He will only do this when His Spirit is at work in you), then you know that in reality there is no criminal half as bad as yourself could be without His grace. My “grave” has been opened by God and “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells” (Romans 7:18). God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is apart from His grace.
From: My Utmost for His Highest By Oswald Chambers; June 1st Meditation

Handmade Cross Necklaces With Sculpey, and My New Clay Obsession!

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I am loving on some clay these days! I told some of you about these, so let me know about color preferences. I have circle triangle pendants as well, and can do custom shapes/designs too.

How annoying. I totally made this post and advertisement. I promise to be more informative and useful in upcoming posts. Just wanted to get these up here. Much more to come. Cricut is getting a nap since my clay adventures have taken over.

Pier One inspired fabric wall flower…

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pierONEFRAMEDBLOG

 

While at Pier One last weekend, I saw this fun decoupage fabric flower canvas.  The price tag was something like… $way to much and ten cents, so I decided to create my own version for way less.  I snapped a photo with my handy dandy phone and was off to hack this must have piece.  After some photoshop time, I had templates for the petals from my phone pic and the fun began.  Here is my final piece, and how I did it!
You will need:
*Canvas (got mine at goodwill, had a painting on it – $3, size 24x36in)
*A piece of material large enough to cover your canvas and wrap around the edges wrapping a gift. Mine came from the fabric remnant bin at Joanne’s fabric; $2.99
*Several pieces of fabric with various prints to coordinate with your home decor, for the petals (mine are leftover scraps from previous endeavors)
*Scissors, Modge Podge or other decoupage medium
*Paper and printer for template to cut the petals out of the fabric scraps
*Staple gun or hot glue gun to attach background fabric to canvas
Instructions:
1. Iron background fabric if need be
2. Attach to canvas, wrapping like a gift and stapling on backside (Great How About Orange tutorial here).
3. I used the actual photo I shot with my cell phone (above), opened it in photoshop, blew it up to 400% ,and printed out the different petals (there are five different sized petals, and the central circle)
4. Count the petals to determine how many of each size you will need, and cut them out of your fabric.
5. Arrange them on the canvas, on top of the attached background fabric, and coat each petal generously with modge podge. I painted on 2 additional coats of 3/4 modge podge 1/4 water, allowing the piece to dry between each.
I think that’s it. Let me know if you have questions. And show us your pics when you are finished!
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