Pinterest Inspired Doggie Bed for Daisy

I am so in love with Pinterest!  It has such wonderful ideas for cooking, crafts, homemaking....you name it.  If it can be done, it has been pinned.   

One thing that quickly got my attention on Pinterest was the many ideas of things to make from wooden pallets.  There are so many neat ideas that I had to make a board just for that!   Lucky for me my brother-in-law gets tons of pallets with his business and he is saving a bunch for me.  He has already sent me some nice slabs of wood.

One of the ideas of "things to do with wooden pallets" was to make a dog bed.  Well, if you know me you know how much I love my sweet dog Daisy and since it is too cold to make some of the outdoor wood pallet ideas I decided to start with an indoor project.  So I took two of the boards and cut 2 pieces 2 feet long and 2 pieces 18 inches long.   I used a table saw, but I'm sure you could use a regular saw. 

Next I painted the wood black.  I had some black spray paint already so that was perfect!

I had seen a really cute idea on pinterest where you take your dogs paw and dip it in paint and then make a paw print.  The pin I saw was a framed puppy print, but I decided to use the idea for the bed.  Here's what I did:

I put her paw print down the two side boards and the back board.   Daisy was not too fond of this process and was very glad when it was over.  ;)

I knew on the front board I wanted Daisy's name with a daisy (the flower) on each side.  I am not good at free style painting, but guess what???  I found this great tutorial on........wait for it.......PINTEREST that shows how to paint stencil-like letters on wood.  It is so easy!  I loved it so much I want to do more.  I'm seeing wooden signs in my future.

After that was finished all I had to do was put it together.  Tools needed:  hammer and nails.  :):)  

For the bedding I used a couple pillows that were already designated for Daisy use and covered them with black fleece and voila....

Daisy LOVES it!!  

So that's it!  I took 3 different pins I seen, mushed them together in my own way and created the cutest little doggie bed ever!  Well, at least in my own opinion. ;)

If after reading this you are pinspired you can head right over to Pinterest and check out all my boards by clicking here.

Mountain Rose Herbs Giveway

Love Herbs?

Love Green Living?

Love free stuff?

If you answered yes, then good news!  Mountain Rose Herbs is having a Green Spring Clean Giveaway and it's a good one.  Oh how I would love to win!!  You can go check it out here and see how you can enter to win too!  Be sure to have a pencil and paper handy because you are sure to want to write down the handy dandy spring cleaning recipes to replace your store bought cleaning products.  Hurry! Time to enter runs out tonight!

The Sisters of the Quilt Series Book Review

I previously was able to read and review the first and last book of the Sisters of the Quilt Series and was super excited when the chance to review the whole trilogy became available to me.  The book includes:  When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes and When the Soul Mends all in one volume.  If you have never read any books by Cindy Woodsmall you are in for a treat and I am certain you will love her style of writing!

The only negative thing I can say about this series is that you are sure to lose some sleep because you will not be able to stop reading. This is the best series I have ever read. EVER. It is so good. It keeps your interest from start to finish and each book starts where the last one ended so there is no time lapse of wondering what happened. As the book comes to a conclusion all questions in your mind are answered and nothing is left unsettled. It truly is a great book of love, forgiveness and redemption. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!



Book Descriptions:

When the Heart Cries


Her life among her Amish community brutally interrupted, seventeen-year-old Hannah Lapp faces questions neither family, nor fiance, nor even faith can easily answer. The first book in the Sisters of the Quilt series, When the Heart Cries will ignite a broader understanding of others’ beliefs and a God-given strength to deal with pain we all experience.
When the Morning Comes

Rejected by those she loves, Hannah Lapp leaves her Amish community and seeks refuge in the world outside, leaving her family and friends to wrestle with the painful truths that emerge in the wake of her disappearance. As she struggles to find her place in the confusing Englischer world, her community deals with the turbulent aftermath of her departure.

When the Soul Mends

Hoping to help her sister, Hannah Lapp reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community she fled in disgrace more than two years earlier. When hidden truths are revealed about her former fiance, she must choose whether to return to the Plain life or to the Englischer man who adores her in this captivating conclusion to the Sisters of the Quilt series.
 
Now what are you waiting for??  Get the book!   You can buy it here through Amazon. :):):)
 
***This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Healing is a Choice - Book Review

Healing Is a Choice: 10 Decisions That Will Transform Your Life and 10 Lies That Can Prevent You From Making Them.  By Steve Arterburn.

I received this book from the publisher through booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Everyone, at some level, needs healing. In this book, Stephen Arterburn outlines ten choices crucial to receiving healing and ten lies that can prevent us from making them.  It includes workbook type questions at the end of each chapter.

When I chose this book I was very anxious to dig into it in hopes of finding a book rich in the word and spiritual direction.  I was disappointed.  As soon as I read the preface red flags began to go up.  I was instantly concerned about the author and his beliefs.  He talks of his divorce, but through out the book he tends to lay the blame on his wife and paint her in a negative light. 

Right from the beginning of chapter one I knew that this was not the book I had hoped for.  The author stresses over and over again that in order to get the healing you need you HAVE to connect with other people, to tell them about your problems, to get help from friends, family etc.  This I disagree with.  There is no biblical foundation for this.  If you have a support system of friends and family that is great, but not everyone has that.  There are some people that have no one.  Our trust, whether we have people to connect with or not needs to be in God.  He is all you need to receive your healing.  He has done it for me many times. God does hold back healing or give healing based on our relying on others.  We must rely on Him.

I did not feel as if the author gave much help or good advice at all for the healing process.  He includes lot of stories of other peoples problems and like I said before a lot concerning his divorce, but no real direction.  I would not recommend this book to anyone. 

Christmas Happenings

Been busy making sweet Christmas memories the last couple weeks with more to come this week.  So far it has included a trip Silver Dollar City.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year celebrating an old fashioned Christmas.  Our favorites to see is The Dicken's Christmas Carol, The Living Nativity and The Homestead Pickers.  There are so many lights throughout the town and the hot chocolate is dee-lish!  If you didn't have the Christmas spirit when you came you are sure to have it when you leave!

We had our 2'nd annual gingerbread house decorating day at my sisters.  Of course it's just us girls that participate in this since Dakota no longer has an interest in decorating gingerbread houses.  hehe!  He did join us after he got off work  and we all enjoyed a nice lunch together. :)

We also made Christmas cookies, have been watching lots of Christmas movies and wrapping presents.  We've been having our Advent devotions and we decided to open our "Jesus gift" this week.  We were all surprised at how much money was in our box and really enjoyed looking through the World Vision Catalog to pick out gifts to send.  We decided on a Bible translated in a child's language, vegetable seeds for 1 family, and a rabbit.  We decided that our Jesus gift is definitely a new family tradition!  This week will be filled with my "mom's only" homeschool Christmas party, cleaning, grocery shopping, baking, and finishing up school for Christmas break, and somewhere in there I've got to take my car to get looked at.  Then Saturday begins the family festivities!  Can't wait!  God is good and has been blessing us greatly!  Hope you all are enjoying the Holiday season as much as we are!

When the Soul Mends by Cindy Woodsmall

Cindy Woodsmall has done it again.  She has captivated me with another great book.  She has a writing style that speaks right to my heart and pulls me right into her writings as if I am a part of it.

When the Soul Mends is the 3'rd and final book in the Sisters of the Quilt Series.  The book begins right were book 2 left off.  Hannah Lapp returns to Owl Perch after receiving a desperate call from her sister.  Hannah finds herself facing the people, community and family that hurt her so badly two years earlier.  She is forced to come to terms with her feelings.  She becomes torn between the Englischer world that she has settled into with Martin Palmer and her old lifestyle and former fiance Paul Waddell.    Which will she choose?    The Englischer world and the man who restored her hope, or will she return to the Plain Life and her first love?

This book takes you on a journey of healing, redemption and forgiveness.  Hannah faces her past and the people that hurt her and realizes that some things were not as they seemed.  Before anyone can move forward in life they have to face their past, find closure and healing and that is just what this book is all about.  I could not of imagined a better ending for this series.  Cindy Woodsmall left nothing "wanting".  She answered every question, did not leave anything "hanging" and ended it in a way that is sure to please every reader.

**This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Christmas Singing

A few weeks ago I posted a blog review for the Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall.  Actually I've posted several book reviews of books by  Cindy Woodsmall!  I love, love, love her books and I know you will too!  Here is a book trailer of her book The Christmas Singing.  You know, just in case you weren't convinced by my first post that it is a must read. ;)  You can also read an excerpt from the first chapter by clicking here.

For a limited time you can get 30% off the purchase of this book at
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/  by using the promo code CHRISTMAS11.  Hurry the coupon expires December 20'th 2011.  So what are you waiting for??? :):):)

St. Nicholas Day

It is more blessed to give than to receive!

Happy St. Nicholas Day to everyone out there in blog land. 

To celebrate St. Nicholas Day our family will be doing a brief History lesson in school about the man behind the legend.   Here is a good site that has everything you need to know. We will mingle Bible in with our lesson including  these verses:  Acts 20:35,  I John 3:17, Matthew 6:3-4, and Matthew 25:35-36

The the kids will check their stockings for goodies.  This is all in fun and the things we include in the stockings goes right along with St. Nicholas and the things he gave to those in need.

The stocking is used because the coins and gifts that St. Nicholas left fell into the girl's stockings and shoes. 

It will include:

1.A mesh bag of chocolate gold coins because Nicholas tossed bags of gold through the open window of his friend's house.

2.  A wooden gift in remembering Nicholas hired a wood-carver to make toys for the children. 

3.  An article of clothing, something simple and practical to remember his concern for clothing the people.

4.  A favorite food item, remembering his generosity in feeding people.  For my kids it's beef jerky!

5.  A gingerbread boy or girl, remembering how he baked bread.

Another great idea to celebrate would be to fix a supper with a mid-eastern menu since St. Nicholas was born in Myra which is present-day Turkey.

Here is one more link to another blog and how their family celebrates St. Nicholas day!

Second Sunday in Advent

Okay, so I'm a little late getting this post in seeing as it's Monday, but better late than never right?

For the second Sunday/week in advent our theme is LOVE.

We relit our first candle in remembrance that Advent is a time of preparation and that we are preparing our hearts.

Then we re-lit the 2'nd candle in remembrance that Jesus came to earth to tell us of God's love.  We read John 15:9-11, Philippians 1:9-11 

We discussed many things about love.  Including the many voices of love, both silent and verbal.  Such as a smile, a kind gesture, or a good deed.  We encouraged each other to use our voices of love this week, continue to fast and pray and give to our "Jesus gift".

Our final scriptures were found in James 1:22 and 1 Thessalonians 3:12

The versus we read during the week during our nightly devotions will all focus on love.

Bethany's Sign Name

Tonight we enjoyed our annual Christmas party/deaf fellowship.  It is always fun to get together with our deaf friends and our friends that are learning ASL.  We played games, laughed and of course ate.  We had pizza, yummy lasagna, salad and some awesome deserts, but the highlight of our night was when Bethany finally received her sign name!! 

To receive a sign name, it has to be given to you by a deaf person.  The purpose of a sign name is that when you are among the deaf community you don't have to fingerspell an individuals name.  If they have a sign name it saves time, plus that is how you are known around the deaf.  Each persons sign name is unique and fitting.  For example, last year Dakota was given his sign name.  It is the signed letter "d" up next to the open flat palm.  It is the sign for "camera" but with a "d" instead of a "c".   He loves to photography and takes lots of pictures.  See how it fits? 

So tonight as we were going through  introductions and it was Bethany's turn she finger spelled her name and signed that she does not have a sign name yet.  One of our deaf friends signed what he wanted to give her..the sign for beautiful but with a "b" hand shape.  Isn't that awesome.  I love it and I know she was so happy to finally get her sign name.  She refused to ask for one because she wanted it to be special.  lol  I always say she is my beautiful Bethany. ;)