New items in my Etsy shop

I'm excited that I finally have some new items over in the shop.

The first one is this little cutie pie... he makes me happy.

8 x 10 prints are available here.

This is a hand-painted sign from my original "She Said" series.

It measures approximately 12" x 24" and you can find it here.

This is another hand-painted sign from my original "She Said" series.

It measures approximately 12" x 24" and you can find it here.

This pillow measures 18 x 18" and features the scripture Jeremiah 29:11.

It comes with the pillow form and you can find it here.

This pillow also measures 18 x 18" and features a beautiful quote about marriage by John Piper.

It comes with the pillow form and you can find it here.

And last but not least, another print perfect for your kitchen or dining room area.

This was a sweet custom painting that is now available as an 8 x 10 print here.

And...for all my blogging friends, I'd like to offer you a 20% discount Easter sale good through Monday morning.  Please use code EASTER20 when you make a purchase.

We have been on Spring Break this week, have a huge birthday celebration going on tomorrow, and then Easter this weekend.  I'm so excited for all the festivities.  Have a safe and blessed Easter and I'll be back next week!  :)

Instragam update (again)

I had the greatest intentions of posting regularly here on the ol' blog, but life keeps getting in the way.
Instagram has become my daily go-to, it's so easy to keep a small visual diary on there.
Hence my update in instagram photos (again)...

I've been working on this area above the piano for a couple of weeks now.

It all started when I found the piano painting for a mere $10...

I love it, my husband doesn't. 

Then I painted the lamp and lampshade. 

Then I painted the frames.

I'm still not done and my husband is still not convinced.

 

I made this over the week.

I'll be offering versions in the shop soon!

 

 

I painted this little guy too.

In the shop soon, too!



Juicing makes me nauseous and my blender was about to bite the dust.

After a 30% off coupon at Kohl's I bought this and couldn't be happier.

I use it every morning!

(Sorry about the picture, can't get it turned the right way?)

 

It's pillow time!

Lots of new babies being born, bedroom make-overs, and shower gifts have meant I get to make lots of pillows right now!  :)

 

I'm creating a series of paintings using my wood pallet scraps.

This one is already taken, but I'm hoping to have some new ones in my etsy shop soon.

Do you see the theme here?  Soon, I hope!

 

Oh, and her.

She has begun guitar lessons and I love it.

Ashton plays the guitar and Jackson has declared when he's six he will play the drums.

We will officially have a family band!  :)

Spring Break begins today for us!
I am so excited to have a week of fun with my family.
Here's to posting more regularly...:)
xoxox

Daddy-Daughter Dance

The annual Daddy-Daughter Dance at our church is over again.

They have gone four years in a row and it is one of my favorite days of the year.

To see them both get so excited about their date warms my heart.

 

This is an excerpt from an email that the pastor of our church sent to all the men before the dance.
I think it's so lovely that I wanted to share it.

 

"The influence of a godly man is crucial in the development of a girl's self-esteem, and this relationship will set a pattern for the attributes in men she will seek as an adult. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to set, or reiterate, the standard for how you believe she deserves to be treated, and to let her know that anything less is unacceptable for her as a woman.

Here are a few ideas and suggestions provided by the Daddy-Daughter Dance Event Team to help you make this a time to communicate the value and beauty that both you and God see in her.

Approach this as a special date. Formally ask her out; get dressed up for her; buy her a corsage or flowers; open her car door for her; tell her how beautiful she looks.

Practice dancing with her before the dance so that both of you feel comfortable dancing together that evening – this will help improve her confidence, as well as yours!

You’ll be served “child friendly” desserts and snacks, so you may want to take her out for a meal before the dance.

Let her know in actions and words that you desire to spend quality time with her.

Compliment her – tell her how beautiful she is, how much you enjoy her company, how there isn’t anywhere you would rather be.

To stay focused on her, leave your cell phone in the car or at home.

At the end of the evening, let her know you had a wonderful time.

I feel so blessed to watch their relationship grow over the years.  :)

You are Beautiful and Brilliant

I've partnered up with women who have a story to tell.

These women are ready to be authentic with themselves.
Their stories are shared to inspire and encourage you.
To help you validate the truth that we all know deep down in our hearts.
Sometimes we get so bogged down by our insecurities.
By our hurts.
By things that have happened to us, or choices that we've made.
No matter what you look like, or what you have or have not done, no matter the color of your skin, the size of your bottom, no matter where you were born or how you were raised, God wants you to know this:

"YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND BRILLIANT"

 

Please welcome Angie and her story:

 

 

These girls of mine are growing up right before my very eyes.  In just a few short weeks they'll be turning 11.  They're half way done with 5^th grade and then it's onto middle school next year.  There are times when I catch myself looking at them and think, Who are these big kids?  How are they so tall?  When did they grow so opinionated?  I am the mother of small children.  These BIG kids can't possibly be mine.  But, you see, I am not the mother of small children.  These tweens are mine.  

And as they grow, I have this urge to hold them close and stroke their hair and whisper encouraging words in their ears.  Words that will burrow into their hearts and stay there forever.  Words that will become their truth.  Their anchor.  Their rock.  Words that will become their inner voice, words burned into their being.  Words that take shape and grow wings and fly about them, protecting them and keeping them safe.  Safe from self doubt (it will surely come one day), safe from the chains of society, safe from the buzz that surrounds us and makes us feel unworthy, not good enough, unloved.

I worry everyday for my girls.  They're blued eyed with blond hair.  Identical twins.  They are gorgeous.  One is a dancer, a perfectionist, a scholar.  The other wants to spend her time crafting and creating -  crocheting, sewing, drawing.  She loves to laugh and make people laugh.  They both love big.  They wear their hearts on their sleeves.  They care – about themselves, each other, our family, our community.

I worry about raising them right.  That we are raising them right.  I worry about making them strong and confident,  so that one day, when the weight of the realization that their biological father signed papers to give them up, to let their Daddy adopt them, comes crashing down on them, they will know that he did it out of love.  That he gave them up because he loved them, not because they were unworthy, not good enough, unloved.  And that their Daddy adopted them because he loved them.  And that every decision in their lives was made out of love and nothing else.

I want them to always be able to look in the mirror and know that they are  strong and courageous.  Kind and loving and thoughtful and  amazing. That they are beautiful and brilliant.

 

Thank you Angie, for having the courage and generousity to share your story with us.
You can learn more about Angie here:
Blog:  http://www.ikeandco.com/
Shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/ikeandco
Instagram:  @ikeandco

 

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If you'd like a free Beautiful and Brilliant 5 x7 print and have a story you feel led to share, (or know a group of people who could benefit from these prints) please email me at gracechrissie@yahoo.com.)  I am more than happy to share them with you free of charge!

40 Spots in 40 Days

I'm sure most of you are familiar with "40 bags in 40 days".
I took my own spin on it for Lent this year with "40 spots in 40 days"
I made a list of 40 places in my home that either needed to be deep-cleaned, organized, gone through for donation, or needed a more time-consuming task like painting.  I've got about half-way through the list, and I'm hoping to do a lot more over the weekend.

I started in our bedroom/bathroom.  I deep-cleaned...the fan, under the bed, all the drawers.  I went through our closets and washed all the bedding.  I spray-painted and embellished a couple frames.  I went through all my jewelry even and simplified.

It was very cathertic choosing what I wanted to keep and what we didn't need anymore.

One day when I was making a large drop-off at Goodwill, I ran in to find this shelf for $3.  I knew right away it was meant to house my paints!  I painted and distressed more GW frames and re-arranged some new art too.

This was my biggest project so far.
I have had a bookshelf for a couple years now that I bought at a Habitat for Humanity restore.
It is real wood but it was dark and dingy.  I've been wanting to paint it for a long time but was afraid I would mess it up.
Thanks to some advice from my IG friends it turned out great!

My motto as I do my spring cleaning and spruce up:

 This week I'm tackling a remodel in my almost-teenagers room.  Wish me luck!  :)
Are you doing any spring projects before Easter?
Have a great weekend friends.