Get real people...

That awkward moment when you meet someone who truly believes that money buys happiness and makes them better than you and/or most everyone!

I had this experience only moments ago when I found myself telling  a woman twice my age that "well, money isn't everything!" . How sad to consider this person has made it to nearing retirement age and doesn't know that being known and having stuff is not what we are designed for! Consumerism is a nuseating thought as it is, but to earn money and think hoarding things will be the end all...is sad. What a disappointing existence.

As I embark on my journey of not working a full time job outside of the home, I am encountered with people asking what I'll do all the time. Well, for one, I am working just so ya know! Creativity is a lot of work! Something I find, in people without creativity, is their ability to simplify it as if you are just piddling around staring at the sky. False. We live in a world that revolves around creativity! Take the time to consider that as you use that smart phone, type on that iPad, buy a lamp, spin around in front if the mirror, or drive to your sales job. Creativity and art is life and you benefit from it as much as anyone else.

Furthermore, this conversation with the wild eyed lady made me realize something about myself. I am selfish. I do not want to end up like her or "seeing things in millions" as she so kindly worded. My hope is to use extra money and extra time I may have to benefit the kingdom of God. I want to serve others, serve the children, and love on the lost. It is one of the things I look forward to the most as we move to a new city, and I redirect my time from lesson plans and matting art to tapping into a few other unused gifts The Lord has granted to me. Your prayers are appreciated, that I not forget what I realized today, and I make an effort to fight off temptations to fall not apathy or laziness just because I can.

DIY Stained table

Whewww eee!

I'm sorry I've been gone for a couple of weeks!  I have been outrageously stressed about the house closings BUT they are officially done. finished. woohoo! (almost)

We closed on the dallas house and the austin house within a couple days of each other this week.  We don't take possession of our new home until the 18th.  The current owners are leasing it back for a couple of weeks. Good for the budget. Sad for being homeless.   I am more than ready to get there and moved in and for the house to become our new home.  I miss living with my husband and I am ready to have my own spaces again.  Living at my childhood home is a blast, but it definitely has the feel of when I was the only child living at home during high school.  I have really enjoyed watching shows with my parents, devouring ice cream on a daily basis, and having gorgeous sunsets to view each night. :)  The puppies have also enjoyed running away from big dogs and chasing after bunnies.  Tucker even got her first tick!  Country living! (and it's not even really that country anymore)

DIY UPDATE:
Nope. I still haven't finished the kitchen table yet.  That is my goal for this week!
Here is the next step I have done, staining the table top.  Pretty simple! All that is left now is to seal the top with a clear coat!

When staining, I started with:
-Rubber gloves
-A metal paint scraper
- natural hair brush
- SO FAST paint and varnish remover
- a pizza box (to throw the yucky stripped varnish blobs)
- can of stain (I cant remember what I used. I twas just something I found in the garage.)
- 2  pieces of a t-shirt that had been cut to make rags :)

1st:  I poured on some varnish remover and painted it around the area I was working.  It needed to be pretty thick and you can kinda see it start to set up.  If you scrape across it with your scraper and it isn't blobbing up with removed varnish, wait a minute more.  (Mom taught me the how to for this project!)

After the varnish starts blobbing up when scraping, you will start to see the raw wood tabletop underneath.  I wasn't very careful with my scraper, because I liked the beat up look.

Here, I had to add more remover because it had mostly dried up by the time I was scraping.
Nevertheless, you can see the raw wood versus the finished wood.

2nd:  I rubbed steel wool around to get off the extra little specks of varnish that hadn't been removed and let the table completely dry just to be safe.  This only took a couple minutes in the 95* TX heat.

3rd: Then, I began the staining! I used a very difficult and technical method that you may not be able to do unless you are a professional....follow the instructions on the can! :)  Shake the can, dip your rag in the stain and work quickly and efficiently in covering the table top and sides.  I wanted for the yellow pine to show through some (shocking i know!), so I only left the stain on the table for about 5-10 minutes, then strategically started wiping away (with my t-shirt rag) the areas I wanted to be thinner, letting the wood color peek through.  I absolutely love how it turned out!  I originally wanted it to be a deep dark stain, and could have gone back over it again, but I just really liked the depth that the pine and stain made together.

These pictures were taken outside while the sun was very bright.
 It almost looks like it has a blue tint to it when I stand at an angle.  I love it!

Close up of the wood with little nicks and scratches.  I wish I had made more before I stained.
This is my favorite part of the table top.

There ya have it!  I will finish the top with a clear varnish this week and then reattach the legs for the final photo...then promptly detach the legs and pack them in the car for the haul to austin!

  I wish I could show more pics of the new house, but my dearest husband informed me that people can search my images if they came from the internet and creep up and find where we live.  SO I have deleted the one that was up and will post my own later.  We don't want any stalkers around here ya know!

Only a few more weeks of selling snow cones and then I can get serious about my art and home decorating! I am more than excited!!

Hope everyone has a splendid weekend.