Many Useful but Unrelated Tidbits

I have a bunch of random things to share with you today...and if you make it to the end, there's a prize. {Well, sort of...it's a discount code...surprise!} I guess now you don't have to read the whole post.

Let's start with this picture of Maren...I have no idea what she is doing, but I included it since it's, well, random.

I love to read. My goal for 2013 is to read 33 books. I'll let you guess why 33, because a woman never tells her age.

My aunt gave me this little prayer book for Christmas several years ago, and I've just recently started using it again. There are a month's worth of simple prayers for morning and evening. My prayer life has been richly flavored by Baillie's words over the past couple of weeks.

I also just finished The Thirteenth Tale, based on a recommendation from a trusted fellow-reader-friend. {Side note...if someone who loves food is a foodie, and a picture you take of yourself is a selfie, what would you call someone who loves books? Just doesn't quite work. Also, if you live in Colorado, you are not eligible to participate in Amazon's affiliate program. Sad. Not that I was planning on getting rich from it or anything, but I love to buy books, so thought I'd give it a go. No go, Colorado address.}

I liked The Thirteenth Tale. It's dark and eerie and has a pretty great, unexpected twist at the end.

Maren learned to change diapers. Almost. It's backwards, but it worked! And...one less diaper for me. Literally, one less. This was her first and last attempt.

I've decided to do some things a little differently in my shop. I've read several books this year, and I've just been generally convicted lately about simple living. I'm pretty terrible at it, but as a family, we're working on getting better. It's so hard not to chase after the next new, better, smarter, more fun or special thing. I like to shop. I like to decorate. I like to cook. I like to read. I like clothes. I like stuff. There, I said it. But, I'm trying not to let all those things consume me or my family's resources. 

The thing is, I also LOVE to give things away. I like giving gifts to my friends and family, I like filling boxes at Christmas for children who might not have much, I like supporting various missionary friends, and I really find great joy in giving and supporting people doing special things. 

All this considered, I started praying a couple months ago about how I might use my Etsy shop to serve, love and help others. I received some great feedback and support from a couple of special friends. {Thanks Hannah and Heather! You should visit their blogs and shops...two very special ladies!} And, what I've decided is that I want to use much of my income from Oh Write to offer support to friends and family who are walking through the adoption process. My goal has never been to get rich from my Etsy shop, but I do really LOVE the idea of using it to help others! 

Effective immediately, 50% {hopefully even more...just need to see how the numbers all pan out!} of my sales will go directly towards helping families who are adopting. I have 2 special friends who will likely be my first recipients. I'm in the process of working out those details...but hopefully I'll get to share about them with you soon. I've always had a hard time promoting my shop for my own benefit, but now I'm thrilled for the opportunity to use my creativity and time to bless others...so go buy something! Ha. But, seriously, it's for a good cause. {wink}

Finally, I've come across a few great posts recently, and maybe you'll be blessed, encouraged, or informed by them, too.

Tsh reminded me to take time for Friends of All Ages. I'm constantly blessed by my friendships with older and younger ladies...how about you?

Is your family broken? Elisa shares the truth that we ALL come from broken families. Such a freeing reminder!

Do you read Edie's blog? I can hardly wait to try some of her October recipe suggestions...and please tell me that we're not the only family NOT eating like this every day?!

These Quinoa, Black Bean and Corn Tacos were delicious. Every single one of us loved them and raved about them...and they're a great meatless option, if that sort of thing matters to you!

And, that about wraps up this post.

Oh, yeah...a prize!!! Use code RANDOMLOVE for 20% at the shop.

How about you? Any random goodness in your life lately?

Come and see...

Autumn is just around the corner and I've been busy creating some fun new additions for the shop! If you click on the pictures, they will take you right to the listings.

My favorite cousin gave me a flaxseed wrap as a gift a couple of years ago, and it quickly become one of my favorite things she's given me. I have since given several away as gifts...new moms love them, grandmas love them, teachers love them, kids love them...and you will, too! These wraps can be stored in the freezer or warmed in the microwave...I especially love mine heated up during the cooler months.

I've also been having fun creating these special little collages. I love mixing the different patterns and colors...each one is unique! The current listings are for 4x6 small houses...wouldn't they be a great addition to a gallery or collage wall?

I've got several more new items that will be listed soon...and, how about a coupon code?! Use SEPTEMBER20 for 20% off your orders throughout the entire month!

Washi Tape Birthday Cards: A Tutorial in iPhone Pics

Good morning, friends. And happy 2013.

I've got a week's worth of posts in various stages of completion (or non-completion)...waiting to be finished. I intended to start the year off with some sort of deep, introspective post. Instead, a little washi tape tutorial. There you have it. And I'm using phone pictures. Welcome to the new year.

I ordered a collection of these cute washi tape spools from Le Box Boutique a while back, and have loved having the variety to play around with in my packaging. Stick around until the end of the post...I might just have a little discount code so you can pick up some washi for yourself.

One of my goals/plans/intentions for the year is to be better about sending birthday cards...good old-fashioned-post-office-mail. We're also trying to make better financial choices (hello, my husband is a banker). So, I spent a bit of time in my craft room last week making up a little collection of birthday cards to have on hand.

If you're human, you probably can look at a picture and figure out how to make these, but I'll go ahead and show you what I did.

1. Stamp something fun onto a gift tag...you could swap out any stamp to make a more generic card.

2. Choose some coordinating washi tape, and rip off a big piece to adhere the gift tag onto the card.

3. Add a second smaller piece of tape for a little added interest.

4. Wrap another little piece of washi tape around the envelope, just for fun.

5. That's all. So easy...but cute, right?!

You could also add some baker's twine to the top...

...embroidery thread would work, too.

So, go visit Lacey's shop: Le Box Boutique and use code OHWRITE10 for 10% off your purchase. Lacey sells washi tape by the foot...so you can start or add to your collection with some great variety.

You'll also find inspiring packaging supplies like these pillow boxes...

Happy shopping!

Advent

On Saturday our family will begin our Advent preparations. Maren and I have had a few talks on the way to preschool about Advent...and preparing our hearts for the celebration of Christ's birth. We'll be using Truth in the Tinsel this year, and we'll decorate the printable ornaments (found here). I'm planning to use the same book next year, and we'll do the more time-intensive ornaments when Maren and Truett are able to work on them together next year. Remember my desire to simplify this year? Well, using the simple printable ornaments fits into our plan. *wink*

Last year Maren and I made an Advent Tree out of toilet paper rolls. You can find the original tutorial here.

Hello, 3-year-old Maren!

Do you have any special Advent plans? I'm looking forward to pausing each day to reflect on the wonder of the season...and to be sure our focus in on Christ, the true miracle of Christmas.

Christmas Market 2012

A couple of weeks ago my friend, Shawna, and I put together a fun little open-house-style Christmas Market. We invited 8 friends to join us in selling handmade wares, and enjoyed a day together of selling our goods. I cannot believe these are the only pictures I took...but I was busy!

We cleared most of the bigger furniture out of the first floor of Shawna's home to accomodate tables for the vendors. This was my little space. I sold notecards, fabric covered notebooks, and stitched artwork.

This was Shawna's table...

Shawna also sold these cute purses...

We had a great variety of items...jewelry, stationary, home decor, knit and crocheted items, bath and body products...it was a wonderful day. I even made some money! I think we'll try to make this an annual event. If you've ever thought about venturing into the world of craft shows, this was a great, low-key way to start.

Coming back...coffee punch made me write

Well friends, it's been a long time since I've written, and wouldn't you know that coffee punch is what finally dragged me out of my non-writing slump.

Before I share the recipe with you, let me catch you up on the past couple of months in our lives. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to actually write something meaningful about all of these things. For now, I'll share a teeny tiny glimpse into where I've been. And then I'll share a recipe that you will want to make tonight.

In May I found out I was pregnant...we were shocked, but so thrilled. At my 8 week appointment we learned that our baby no longer had a heartbeat. This was devastating. My third miscarriage. It is a terrible thing to lose a baby. A lonely, heart-wrenching, horrible loss to experience. My mom flew out to be with me during the worst of it, and I was so glad to have her here. A week later my dad came, and we enjoyed a week of touristy fun around Colorado Springs. Sometime during that week our sweet boy turned 1. I cannot believe it has been a year since Truett joined our family. And almost a year since we walked through his heart surgery. Apart from a fading scar, you'd never guess that our happy, silly, active little boy was ever sick. God is so good. We celebrated with a splash party. It was a perfect day. Last week, our beautiful Colorado mountains caught on fire. On Tuesday the fire crept down into our city, and so many families lost their homes. We've had friends evacuated and friends lose everything. We had a family staying with us for a few days. It was so hard to wait and watch as over 300 homes burned to the ground. I cannot imagine what the next days and weeks will hold for the families who've lost so much. It's been a difficult week for our little city. I am so glad to serve a God who is very much in control, even when things around us seem to be falling apart.

Which brings me to today. Strangely, on Tuesday night as so many were fleeing their homes, I was hosting a baby shower for a dear friend. If I'm honest, it seems a little trivial to share a recipe for coffee punch in light of all that's happened in our lives recently. But, this is where I'm starting. I just don't have the energy to write much more on real life stuff. I hope you understand.

I adapted a few recipes I had, and this is what I came up with. It is delicious and was a huge hit...hence the sharing. It's worth it, trust me.

Coffee Punch

4 cups of strong (cannot emphasize the 'strong' part enough!) coffee...I used my French Press and let it steep for several extra minutes
10 teaspoons of Swiss Mocha
1/2 pint of original creamer
1/2 pint of flavored creamer (I used Coffeemate Italian Sweet Creme)
1 quart of whole milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla

1. While the coffee is still hot, mix it together with the Swiss Mocha
2. Combine coffee mixture with rest of ingredients, mix well, and freeze
3. Thaw to a slush and enjoy

*If you prefer a sweeter taste, you could add 1/2 cup of sugar in with the coffee and Swiss Mocha.
**I doubled this recipe for the shower.

It's good to finally be back. Hopefully you'll hear from me again soon...happy weekend to you!

Chi Gamma: January 2012

Occasionally, I've shared about my little monthly craft group. At our first meeting we jokingly referred to ourselves as a sorority of sorts, which was the origin of chi gamma. (Get it...Craft Group...I know, clever.) Well, it stuck. We rotate homes each month, and the host determines the project. 2012 got off to a great start with bracelet making at Jaime's house. Here are the makings all ready to go...

Jaime (on the left) was a fabulous teacher. These bracelets required great lengths of string, which proved to be difficult for some of us to manage. Thankfully, Jaime had perfected the technique and helped most of us out of tangles along the way.

Here's me and Jaime with our new bracelets...I only made one. S...l...o...w...p...o...k...e.

The group with newly adorned wrists. Can you find me? Remember...only one bracelet.
Most of the girls made 2 different kinds of bracelets. These things are all over the blogosphere and pinterest. I love the layered look...I guess I need to have another night of bracelet-making so I actually have more layers.

I love my craft group. I'm contemplating a little series on 'how to start a group'. I participate in a few different monthly groups. The evenings away throughout the month really help me to be a better mom and wife. I'm so grateful for a husband who supports me and encourages me to have a few hobbies. What do you do to stay connected to your friends?

Happy Valentine's Day!

We've been in a Valentine's flurry around our house. Maren and I made all her Valentines for her party at church. She used a stamp to put her name on the back of our little heart birds. I cut everything out and she glued it all together. We had such a great time working on these. Have I mentioned before how much I love that Maren is into creative projects? She is...and I love it!

I wanted to put up a few Valentine's decorations, but didn't want to spend any money. My mom gave me a square berry wreath a few years ago for Christmas. I love having it out during the holidays, and this year I transformed it (temporarily!) for Valentine's Day. I cut out letters on my cricut, glued them to some book pages and used mini-clothespins and string to attach them to the wreath.

I also strung up some vintage Valentines that I've collected throughout the years.



Maren dressed herself for her party yesterday. She was sure to wear plenty of red.

In other news...Truett is completely mobile. He has been for over a month now. He has been quite pleased to discover every nook and cranny around our home. We're working with Maren to keep her little things up off the floor. Nothing is safe from this little guy. He is so curious and quiet, which is an unfortunate combination for such a small boy. Or, maybe just unfortunate for his mother. I think he quite likes it, actually!

Our Handmade Advent

We're a week into December and I'm finally sharing our Advent calendar with you. Better late than never...and thanks to Pinterest, you can file this little idea away for next year. *wink* In order to make this little tree you'll need 25 empty toilet paper rolls. You might want to start saving them in June if you plan to make your own tree next year!

Maren has really gotten into crafting with me lately, which I love. She was a big help in putting together our little toilet-paper-roll-Christmas-tree-advent-calendar.

We started by cutting paper to fit around the rolls. Maren applied glue to the edges of the paper, and I rolled the paper around the empty paper rolls.


1. We rolled paper around all but 3 or 4 tubes, and we used those on the inside of the tree.
2. I used my Cricut to make 25 1.25 inch circles. I wrote the numbers on the circles, and hole-punched each one.
3. I made a little template for how we'd arrange our rolls to make a tree.

4. To make the trunk of the tree, hot-glue 4 tubes together.
5. Next we glued each row together before assembling them to make the tree.
6. Use yarn, string, twine, etc. to attach the tags to the inside of the rolls.
7. I flipped the tree upside-down to glue the tags inside the rolls.

Here's our finished Advent tree!

The paper rolls are a perfect place to hide a piece of candy, scripture verse, or other small treat.
This year we're doing "Truth in the Tinsel". We're not making all the ornaments this year, so we'll probably do the same thing next year to fill in the rest of the ornaments. We have found the readings to be simple and meaningful for our young family. I would encourage you to check it out!

What are some ways you make the Christmas season meaningful for your kids? Do share!