funkiefinds.etsy.com

I  have been playing around with crafts, faux painting and decorating for as long as I have been married… uh, that would be 13 years now. OUCH! I mean, WOW! Life flies.  Even as a young teen I remember doing some artsy fartsy things with my mom who dabbled here and there.  My father is quite gifted as well, only on the more practical building side of things. He would always wield the power tools and mom would make everything pretty. I have been able to hone my skills a bit to include both their strengths.

I am continuing to learn, increase my skill and range of ability, and refine my work. So recently, I opened a little shop on etsy.com, check it out! It is a wonderful forum for artisans. I am so thankful I was referred to it.  I was at such a loss. I love bargain hunting and creating, but my own home and budget can only take so much!! What was I going to do with the left over creativity??

etsy.com has become a great outlet and answer to both my creativity and overabundance of salvaged stuff.  God has been good. My husband blesses this venture and is so encouraging of the direction my hobby is beginning to take. While I don’t know what will actually come of it all, I hold loosely knowing it is not really MINE, but an out flowing of all God has given me.

I recently participated in my first Flea Market as a vendor and got some really great encouraging feedback.  Though it was not the best place to showcase handmade decor (since most are there rummaging just like I would have been) but it was a great trial run.  I even have a couple boutique owners who are interested in wholesaling with me… COOL.

My daughters, Ana and Mae, have been making glass cabochon magnets for fun so we hauled a slew of them to the market and the girls made BANK!! I was so delighted for them… a boutique owner bought a dozen and asked if they would make her more!! AWESOME. Their little hearts were so excited.

So, our little entreprenureal adventures are underway. Our hearts are full and we hope all we put our hands to will bless others and mostly our faithful Father.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6992878

So we’ve been stuyding a homeschool unit on Stewardship. We’ve covered stewardship of time and some aspects of the body/health, recently we have been focusing on money. The rich young ruler, the widows mite and the parable of the talents have all been sounding boards for good discussion.

But on a more historical/practical level we have touched on the Federal Reserve and US Treasury. So, when I discovered there was a US Mint in Philadelphia, well, a homeschool field trip was birthed!

Entering Philly was like entering Baltimore. Lot’s of gritty industrial factories sprawling before us. Though I have to say, Baltimore definately has less smog! You can see the discolored sky from blue above this sign to hazy brown below.

The US Mint was our first stop. Fortunately, Independence National Historical Park is about a 5 block radius in the same area. So we only had to park once.  We did get to view the actual coin making process from high overhead through viewing windows.  Our only disapointment was not recieving free samples. Bummer.

It wasn’t long before Samuel’s stomach began taking over as tour guide.

Here we are searching for an authentic Philly Cheesesteak place.

We found it. The official cheesesteak of the Philly Eagles, at the official price! Yikes. $7 got you the sandwich. No pickle, no chips, no drink. We licked our fingers clean. I think next time we’ll eat from the hot dog cart!

This is the alley where Ben Franklin would walk to and from his home daily.

The FIRST Post Office… thank you Ben Franklin!

Samuel giving his thoughts on our forefathers thoughts…… and the current state of affairs.

The Liberty Bell, the freedom bell….. over 200 years old… I remember seeing pictures in my high school history class. Pretty cool to be there.

It is also challenging to see it as the symbol for freedom, yet knowing how the ideal of freedom has shifted over the last200 years.  The freedom of religion, freeing of the slaves, womens rights, the end of segregation… all amazing strides. I  wonder though when “the ideal” of freedom will begin to show a more tainted face as mankind continues to re-define it, at times I think it already has.

Independence Hall. The first courthouse, and the signing of the Declaration of Independence happened here.

Just love that 18th century architecture.

My little smarty pants showcasing some Ben Franklin specs.

While we had the time to see more, the “little people” (Joey/Gabe) were pretty much done with history for the day. So, see ya’ next time Philly!

Aiyana and Malaya make the most of their trips to Virginia. It is where their grandparents live, where I grew up and where they lived until 2006. Abby and Leah Tombley are two of their best friends. They have been friends for the last 8 years. For Mae, that means almost from birth.

I remember birthdays and play dates were never one sister without the other.  Ana and Abby, Mae and Leah…. and now they are young ladies.

They’ve graduated from care bears, to polly pockets and now to High School musical. It’s an evolution of interests, a marker of development and at times a frightening wake up call that they won’t be my little girls for much longer.

For now though, I am grateful that they are still “little” ladies. I am thankful that I have the privelage of being home with them. I am hopeful that even in their teens, Samuel and I will still have their hearts. Even if we do embarrass them at times!

Here’s to “little” ladies, best friends and discovering what being a girl is all about!

I  LOVE candles. I recently removed all my usual suspects from the mantel (which is the recipient of ongoing mini-makovers) and kept it simple.  A vintage  frame flocked with candles of varying size, color and texture and  a garland of mini jewels and flower buds.

I love the result. Simple but elegant. The reflection of the flickering tongues of flame are a pleasant focal point and not too harmful in the romance department either!

Traditions are a part of life that bring an anticipated meaningfulness to everyday occasions. Each Christmas we bake. We make something gingerbread (house, tree, lanterns, ornaments) and we make goodies for giving.

I was captivated by Ana’s unique take on a chimney!

Trader Joe’s was the donor of the gingerbread house kit, to which we added whatever we could find in the pantry. These are such good motivators of resourcefulness and even some minor application of physics!!

This year we made Nutty Pretzel Bark to give to neighbors and friends. After making and breaking it apart (which is the most fun), we placed the assymetrical chunks into glass canisters from IKEA and tied them off with a pretty ribbon and card.  We have begun to make these little ‘treat’ offerings a part of an ongoing attempt to extend some hospitality to those  neighbors we don’t get to engage with very often.

The Fayette Street Blessing was an outreach event hosted by Imago Dei.

A corner of Fayette Street in downtown Baltimore is a well known and occupied “safe zone” for the homeless.  It is here on a church’s private property that the homeless are given the freedom to ‘live’. As a family, we want our children to become familiar with the idea of charity and cultivate a heart for the poor. So we got them involved with the event.

The kids and I shopped for bag lunch items and then a group of us gathered at our home to assemble the lunch bags.  Each one was finished with a handmade card and scripture as well as homemade cookies. A little touch of love and Christmas blessing to those alone and in need.

Ana and Mae actually accompanied the group dowtown and  listened and observed as the adults shared their hearts with the homeless and as the homeless shared with them.  Many adults cringe at the idea of the homeless, whether fear, pity, contempt or a sense of helplessness is at the heart. I was proud of my girls for their desire/willingness to be a part of something so very ‘unknown’.

Pierre has some mad sandwich building skills!!

This is the first year we have had a live tree! We had the most fun ‘hunting’ around the city for one we both liked and could afford! We settled on this little guy at a local family owned place and tucked him away in his cozy corner. We had to nearly re-arrange our tiny place to accomodate it, but it worked out and we had alot of fun.

We don’t decorate with traditional Christmas symbols like snowmen, angels and Santa. We have chosen to use mostly natural elements and stars as the base for our home. Keeping ourselves continually refining the way we celebrate is near to our hearts as parents. We know we are in Western America. We know there is a very thick and sly commercialism that pervades. We use each year to modify and challenge our celebration from the year before.  We hope that each year we get a little closer to giving center stage to Jesus.

PS: we ended the decorating with a traditional yearly watching of THE GRINCH!!

$10 piece of thrift store  “not so ugly” art begins transformation

The Ingredients: a smearing of left over red paint, a little bronzing wax, some chalkboard paint, and a stowed away shelf and urn that find new purpose holding chalk and an eraser

VOILA!!  A funky, fun piece for Celtic Christmas Blessings and reminders to pick up presciptions!!

We hosted a Christmas Party last night and I’m exhausted. We are still managing to get our math and language done but all else is so not a priority.

When the kids wanted Ramen noodles for lunch, I said sure. When they wanted to eat in front of the tv watching the unexpectedly funny and endearing Spongebob, I said sure. When they wanted to eat soup on the carpet, I said sure.  I’m sure… I’m sure we are breaking some universal code of edicate. I’m also sure I don’t care. My home, carpet included, is here to serve us and not the other way around. That’s why we call in the professionals annually!!

Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. Not just for commercial reasons, like the tree and presents, cider, cookies and such but the family traditions, the spiritual significance and the memories that inevitably intermingle themselves within the season. I truly want to establish some family traditions. Some of them light and just fun, some of them with deeper significance and worship at the heart.

Phase One of the season has been just plain FUN:

The kids each have their own mini tree for their rooms. Joey, who is packing heat baby, ( you never know what may be lurking in your fake fir) placed his airplanes and snowmen in no particular order on his tree.

We made ornaments last year as small token gifts attached to bottles of cider for family. It was so much fun we decided to make some different ones this year. I think making ornaments will become one of our traditions.

Samuel, who joined in on the fun, decided to adorn himself with his finished product. We enjoy having his presence. It offers a fullness that is otherwise missing.

Even Gabe was able to appreciate a well made jingle bell wreath. Jingle on little buddy!!

For the last 2 years we have relied upon this little guy as our tree. Our lives were just too crazy around Christmas to subject a larger tree to the insanity. The children decorate it any way the want and set up their nativity and gingerbread village around it. The girls get it “just perfect” and then Joey decides baby Jesus would be more comfortable in the bird nest! It’s kind of fun. Like a Where’s Waldo game. We never know where baby Jesus will be. Sometimes he visits the gingerbread ski shop when He has a little free time, he he!

The kiddos. Sweet and well, Joey, a little salty too! I love’em!!

I like to fiddle with my decore. I have NEVER decorated for any season other than Christmas, but this year I decided to give it a shot. I tend to keep my scope and sequence manageable and simple so my dining table and mantle were the  only recipients of mini-makeovers.

I just kept it natural. I raided my pantry and we filled some glass holders with beans, bird seed, coffee beans and almonds. We bought some gourds from a local farm, cut some greenery from our backyard and added a few dollar tree flower stems for a pop of added color.

Usually this frame holds a black and white photo of our home, but I think it will become a rotating seasonal piece. This photo of the tree in our back yard, was taken last year as I laid on our trampoline.

The mantle will be a traditional focal point for holiday arranging. I had alot of fun and I don’t think the pictures do it justice.

These gourd luminaras were a great quick project. Hollowed out, drilled and lit up they are a whimisical addition to my mantle. Thanks Martha, this was one of her “good things”.