Teal Reveal: Same Dress 14 Ways for 14 Days.

Don’t have a thing to wear in your closet? Want to spruce up LAST years Easter Dress, or add a pizzazz to this years? Here’s my creative genius at work, sprucing up my own Easter Dress, 14 different ways.

 

My Easter dress this year:D Lace top with chiffon like skirt, and blue belt.

 

With a simple hat, pearl necklace and gloves, you are ready for a garden party!

A green scarf, and brown belt is also a perfect garden party look.

 

 

 

 

With a bright colored scarf you are ready for spring!

A fun 90’s punk, jean jacket, canvas bag and some spunky necklaces- ready for a day out!

Add a bright color bag for more spunk.

 

Wear a  teal jacket, and some pearls for an elegant look.

 

Or toss over your shoulders for another classy look.

 A silk button down  shirt, used as a jacket with a gold buckle and pearls.

Be adventurous with a white button down shirt and black scarf belt

Add a thick shawl and scarf (and leggings) for a cooler weather

A fedora and black cover up and metallic button belt for a “rock” look

For business or a night on the town take away the hat  (and add an updo)

Add funky glasses and have some photo booth fun!

Its In the Wash- Time (and Money) Saving Tips for the Laundry!

Here are 16 quick ways to save time and money on laundry:

1. Re-wear your jeans, at least 2x.

2. Re-wear and re-purpose. Pj’s worn two nights in a row can be exercise clothes in the morning.

3. If you have only wore it for a few hours, hang it up!

4. Make your own laundry soap. Laundry soap recipes can be found for a dime-a-dozen on the internet for both regular machines and H.E. machines. Homemade laundry soap lasts longer and is much cheaper.

5. Use cold water, it is just as effective as warm/hot.

6. Use a clothes line (indoor or outdoor) to wasting energy by running the dryer. If you do need to run the dryer, run it during cold/winter days and keep your laundry closet/room open. You can warm part of the house and possibly not have to have the heat on.

7.  Have a laundry schedule and stick to it!

8. Put clothes away, RIGHT away, to avoid ironing, or hang it up right away at least!

9.  De-clutter and de-clothes your closet! Less clothes makes for less laundry! Limit kids to 10 outfits each.

11. Dry a wrinkled garment with a wet cloth for  or hang in the bathroom while showering with hot water to avoid ironing.

12. Begin laundry at night, and throw into the dryer in the morning.

13. Make sure your clothes always go into your laundry basket and NEVER on the floor!

14. Keep laundry in closets or laundry room and out of immediate sight.

15. Teach and train children how to sort clothes, transfer to washer and then to dryer, fold and them away. They will be better about taking care of their clothes when they realize how much work it can be to get them washed.

16. Immediately spray or soak a stained garment. After washing hang the garment to dry, rather than putting it through the dryer where stains can be baked on permentantly.

Formation of the Future

  I sit here sipping my lemon/ginger icewater. My head is swirling with ideas that flow faster than the muscles in my fingers are trained to type. My bible lays in front of me next to my scratched out business plan. A large backback full of books, extra clothes and of rag-rugs fabric lay at my feet. The house is silent and restful- the girls are asleep soundly, as well as the dog, with the only noise being the lawn mower outside…and the candy corn taughintly calling to me  from its leaf-like dish across the room. 

   The silence affords me to think- to envision  and to create. A folded piece of paper, in bullet points carries the formation of business ideas in my head. It is the caddy for which the  disorganized internet superhighway of my brain can filter ideas to be prayed about and put into action.  Ideas for a future business- one created through flexibility and creativity. A business  to envision and train others in the skills of the home, and to offer services and products that will help them do so. A skeleton of a plan of action that can be done at any location affording me the priveledge of working at home. It is the formation of the future- a future of adventure and risk. A future unknown to me, but known in the mind of God. A future full of  mystery and excitement. A future submitted for the glory of God.  

          Lord, lead me how you will. May this business give all glory and honor to you. 

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. – Proverbs 16:9 

              The skeleton of ideas…..unfolds…

The Game of Risk

     Even as I write this, there are so many draft posts I have along the side, but I can honestly tell you in the very very short time I’ve had this blog- I absolutely love it! I love writing ideas out, topics I’m thinking of, lessons God is teaching me- about himself or others, ways to inspire and create. 

    Often times I love reading other blogs to get ideas- I know I’m not the best blogger out there, or even the most unique (I realize there are about 101 million blogs about homemaking on the market) but I do love what I do.  I love hearing other peoples thoughts on the home, getting their perspective and ”oohing” and “‘ ahhing” over their DIY ideas. Its encouraging to see so many creative people in the virtual world. 

                                 

      

                      I could spend hours on Pinterest and blogs looking at fantastic ideas 

 

       Like them,  I love creating. Thinking out of the box- creating gifts, or decor for the home, anything— poetry, letters, stories, journaling, painting, scrapbooks, collages, art’n crafts etc.  I love using scripture or sermons to inspire pictures, or events to inspire poetry. I believe that as we were so creatively designed we were made to be creative designers.

      Yet, there is a lot I don’t know about being creative or being creative for other people, or what it takes to use that creativity to make revenue. The last couple of months have  been stretching for my boyfriend and I. We have so many ideas and dreams but often don’t know how to “get there”. I want to expained my cleaning “business” to include training, homemaking, selling DIY products and selling crafts. He is wanting to pursue some occupations that are ” out of the box” and pursue writing projects. It’s all very exciting, and adventous and not a little intimidating, and ….it all involves RISK. 

 

    What if others don’t like what my hands have made?  What if my creative juices fall short? What if my crafts are a total dud? What if I don’t get hired? Or what if I’m just spinning my wheels in vain? 

   We are MADE to be creative beings- because we are MADE by a creative Heavenly Father. When we make something, take a risk, put ourselves “out there”, something happens inside of us. Something comes alive! Indeed it was as if it was how God meant it to be. To be alive, in the dreams he has given us. 

                                                   

         

                                  The game of RISK is one of my family’s favorite games 

            Often times we aren’t creative because we are afraid of failure. Failure is that which we see “snuffing-out”our  dreams and not seeing them to fruition. Or failure of making a mistake. Let me be real with you for a moment. This is the third time I’ve written this blog post. I make the mistake each time of not hitting the “save” button and losing all my work. It is discouraging, I will admit, yet pressing through makes each time I write it, better, sharper, and clearer. The post becomes more focused, and better defined with each rewrite. Failure drags us through torture to refine us, focus us, and holds us accountable. Failure forcefully gives us better definition to our dreams so that they are more efficient. 

    How much more ALIVE we would become, if we would embrace failure, and pursue creativity and risk taking? How much more “dangerous” for his Kingdom? So walk through your failure and take that risk, it WILL be worth it in the end. 

The place where God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”- Fredrick Buechner 

                      

                                        

There’s an Art to it: First Steps, First.

     As I begin a homemakers jounral I began to think what is “homemaking”? Is it just a word that describes the time period of petty skirts and bonnets, farm-woman, and log cabins? Why does it sound so …well…old fashioned?

     The art of homemaking is just that. Its an ART. Its takes work. It takes thought and intention–but the end result is an orderly home, a structured yet free environment of rest, causing those that live within to thrive. It is a welcoming haven for guests, and a sanctuary from the world without. It should be a place where family members can find refuge from the world in order to be equipped for the world.

       Through my own experiences and reading resources on homemaking, a few ingredients are needed (I will expand on these at a later point) 

These ingredients are : 

–Love and Prayer

: Morning prayer/devotion and worship time

: Morals, Morales and Rules 

: Family time

: Encouragement

: Creativity 

: Community and Hospitality

: Learning 

— Order and Routine

: Consistent rules and Consequences

: Daily routines

: Sharing duties 

–Organization 

: Cleanliness  and Simplicity

: Organized rooms

: Simple decorations

: Allowing light into the home

:  Functional spaces 

    As an good artist carries around a sketchbook or notepad to jot down ideas where ever they are at, so a pocket journal or notebook is a good idea to get you started. (For men: The Art of Manliness article on why pocket journals). Begin jotting down any and every idea you have for these areas- things you’d like to incorporate, routines and habits you already do, etc. This will be the beginnings of your homemakers journal- ideas that will turn into habits, and routines (with a little effort and love) creating a wonderful environment. (** Note for optimal inspirtation, this notebook should never leave your side!**)