Faux Gumball Machines!

So I was needing a quick, cheap craft to send to my sister-in-law for part of her finals week care package.  Pinterest to the rescue!  Faux gumball machines!

My BFF made one for me for my birthday (it matches our kitchen colors...awesome!):

So I made a mini one to send to my SIL.

I went to Hobby Lobby (after trying Walmart and Dollar Tree without any luck), resigned to the fact that I'd spend a small fortune.  I was pleasantly surprised!  My little glass bowl was 50% off, but even if it wasn't, it was only $1.50.  (It had a "lip" on top of it, I couldn't find a SMALL glass bowl the right size without one...which was frustrating.  But, moving on...)  I bought the small terra cotta pot for about $2, and a pack of 6 "saucers" for $3.  I already had wooden knobs from previous crafts, and ribbon/paint/sealer.  Some cheap candy, glue (I buckled down and got some E6000 glue, as I wasn't sure how I felt about hot gluing glass), and we were good to go!  A full tutorial can be found at the original post HERE.

I think my black-pink-and-white version is pretty classy.  :)  I love the sparkly argyle ribbon. 

The top looks a little goofy because of a lip on the glass bowl, but at least it doesn't slide around/off like ours does sometimes. :)  I think it's still pretty cute. 

The larger versions of these are still pretty affordable.  And HUGE.  Our average-sized one holds 7 POUNDS of M&Ms.  It would be a fun cookie jar, too.  I think I'll make one for my classroom to hold erasers or stickers or something like it.  :)  The smaller versions of these would be fun for a nice party favor (if your party has 6 or less...I think they're too expensive to make a TON, but for a small, special occasion...)

I love getting inspired by other people's ideas, don't you?  :)

6-Word Memoirs and BOOK GIVEAWAY!

So, last week I read this book called Not Quite What I Was Planning.  It's a really cool project from like half a decade ago that I just recently found out about, and it's fascinating to me--as an amateur writer (though I haven't visited that love in YEARS), a teacher, and a person.  Basically, the idea was for people to submit their life stories in exactly six words--no more, no less.  And someone compiled it all into a book.  There are famous contributers, like Dr. Jane Goodall, and there are mostly ordinary, everyday people like you and me.  As the introduction states, "it's a thousand little windows into humanity," which I find very worth the read.  Even when some are stupid.  :)

In real life I'm a quiet person.  Sometimes shy, but mostly just quiet.  I'm a listener.  I'm a thinker.  I mostly like that about me.  But when I start writing, I find I have a lot to say.  Being concise is NOT my thing.  So writing a 6-word memoir would be a challenge for me.  But even MORE challenging is the idea of committing to one.  As someone in the introduction pointed out, "Whole lifetimes happen in people's lives every day."  Things change so quickly inside and all around us, and I can't imagine that what I write today will be the same as what I would write tomorrow. 

The person that shared this book with me mentioned that her family read it together (they're all older, of course), and in their discussions her father said his memoir would be, "I said my prayers every day."  I thought that was sweet.  I don't know if it's completely true of me, at least enough to define my life...but how cool!

I'm still thinking about mine.  But here are a few from the beginning of the book that resonate with me, for whatever reason:

"Made a mess.  Cleaned it up."  ~Amy Anderson
"Taking a lifetime to grow up."  ~Miron Iliescu
"Danced in Fields of Infinite Possibilities." ~Deepak Chopra
"I am trying, in every regard." ~Lionel Shriver
"I thought I was someone else."  ~Tysa Goodrich
"I was born some assembly required."  ~Eric Jordan
"Blogging is easy.  Writing is hard."  ~Jennifer Shreve
"Memory was my drug of choice."  ~Pea Hicks
"Can my words have footnotes, please?"  ~Amy Harbottle
"I colored outside of the lines."  ~Jacob Thomas

I won't share too many of these with you, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO SHARE THE WHOLE BOOK INSTEAD!

I don't do giveaways often on my blog because, frankly, I don't see the need much.  I do this blog for ME, and think it's just a lovely bonus that someone else might find me inspiring or interesting enough to follow.  But I don't see how I can share this with you and NOT offer to send one of you this book!  SO...all you have to do is leave a comment with YOUR 6-word memoir by May 15 (my anniversary!).  You're welcome to leave as many as you'd like, but each person will only be entered once, so you might as well take the time to make it your BEST...unless you're indecisive like me and need several.  :)  Every person who comments will get entered into a drawing and on the 15th I will literally pick a name out of one of my many awesome hats to find a winner!  The winner will receive not one, but TWO books: Not Quite What I Was Planning, AND It All Changed in an Instant, the sequel!  :)  I will also commit to a 6-word-memoir of my own then and share it with all of you. 

Ready?  Set?  WRITE!

FHE

My FHE/LDS blog is in full-swing.  I'm doing a lot of planning and studying of the gospel (compared to usual, anyway) and I'm loving it.  I have yet to really *implement* a lot of my own ideas, but at least I'm thinking about it, right?  :)  I need the motivation still to actually do it with just me and Paul at home.  It's easier to just not.  We already spend a lot of time together compared to couples with kids, so the line between dates and FHE and normalcy are all a little blurred in this phase of our lives.  But maybe soon I'll actually implement some of these things in our own little family more deliberately.  :)  Anyway, if you need some family-friendly FHE ideas that revolve around the talks of the most recent General Conference, check out my posts...they're long, but that's so you can pick and choose what would work best for your family--so don't be overwhelmed!  :)

Follow along at http://givethemheaven.blogspot.com

Digiscrapping, Week 1: GATHERING MATERIALS

I've decided to share with you over *several* tutorials how I digiscrap for practically free.  (I of course still have to pay for printing the books [sometimes], but it still turns out to be SOOOOOOO much cheaper this way than printing off pics, buying kits I can only use one time, not to mention all the limitations when you can't resize objects or photos...)  I realize many of you, like me, may be hesitant to digiscrap because (a) you're texture people and love "real" scrapbooking, or (b) you have no idea where to begin, either because you've never scrapbooked before or you just need a little hand-holding.  Let me just say to the former that even though it's not the same as working with all the fun textures of paper and inks out there, you can still make your pages look remarkably textured, and I think the easiness (all you need is your computer!) and the variety of options, not to mention the price, more than makes up for it.  To the latter: that's why I'm here.  I will walk you through each step of the way.  Hand holding, virtually, anyway, until you feel confident in your own abilities.  :)

We're gonna break this down into easy steps each day of each week that you can do.  This week, week 1:  GATHERING MATERIALS.

Digiscrappers are generous people.  There are LOTS of free kits, elements, or quick pages out there for you to use, and I'm going to show you some of MY favorites.

DAY 1: Make a folder on your computer for your digital scrapping files.  I'm the kind of person that likes folders within folders within folders, so I go a little overboard, but you can do as you see fit.  FOR SURE, though, you'll need a folder just for digiscrapping materials.  (If you're curious, inside that folder I have folders for kits, quick pages, bits 'n' pieces [for all those random papers or word art that don't fit anywhere], and MY creations.  Inside each of those are more folders...like in "quick pages" I have a separate folder for each season, and I also have a separate one for brag book pages, etc.  But, again, I'm crazy like that.  Just look at the picture below for proof of the fact. :)

Here are my basic folders inside of my "Digital Scrapping" Folder.

Here are my "Quick Pages" folders...by season/use...

Here are a few of my kits, each in their own folder.  I've been doing this for a little over a year now, so I have LOTS, and some of them I went ahead and bought on clearance or something ($1/kit, mostly).  MOST of them, though, were free.

DAY 2: Sign up for a photobook printing service online.  I mostly use Shutterfly because the quality is so much better that it's worth the price, not to mention every six months or so they'll send you a coupon for a free 8x8 hardbound photo book...so I've only had to pay for shipping on any of my books printed off so far.  Other options, though, are VioVio (super cheap, but the color quality is variable), Scrapping Simply (they don't print off whole books, just the pages, but it's a good price), Blurb, etc.  If you want to do your research, check out THIS SITE--it has the top 10 compared side-by-side and you can make an educated decision.  If it overwhelms you, pick Shutterfly--the price looks steep on the chart in comparison, but, again, they will send you those coupons that make it VERY affordable for your first few books. 

DAY 3: Check out these two websites.  Download anything you see that you like into that folder you made on day 1. :)
SHABBY PRINCESS
COMPUTER SCRAPBOOK.COM


DAY 4: Check out these two websites.  Download anything you see that you like into that folder you made on day 1.  :)
FREE DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING
DIGISCRAP DEPOT

DAY 5: Go download any and all of my Project 366 pages HERE.  Even if you're not doing Project 366, these pages are a great way to get a lot of photos on a single page--most layouts out there feature 3 or 4 at the most, but each of my pages has room for 7 pictures.  Save these in your digiscrapping folder.

DAY 6: Follow these blogs.  On the 1st of alternating months (coming up soon!) the Blog Train blogs have MEGA kits available from multiple designers for free that all coordinate together.  The other blogs are just generous designers who give away weekly or daily freebies.  Download anything you like.  :)
BLOG TRAIN BLOG
LDS BLOG TRAIN BLOG
DESIGNS BY CONNIE PRINCE
CRAZY-4-MONOGRAMS
SWEET PEA DESIGNS

DAY 7: Download PAINT.net for free at http://paint.net/.  It's a free alternative to Photoshop, so it's a little limited and not as user-friendly but it's still awesome and definitely gets the job done.  I'll guide you through using it next week.  If you already have Photoshop, you probably don't need to continue with my tutorials, as they will revolve heavily around how to use Paint.net. 

See you next week!  :)

Sick today

I'm sick today, so I've got time to catch up on blogging and crafting and reading and all that.  :)  Be prepared.

Also, what do you do to pamper yourselves when you are sick?  I've mostly just got a runny nose and some sinus pressure today, nothing too debilitating.  And the stomach/back pains that have been my constant "friend" this last month or two are still here, but, again, I'm getting used to that.  But I seem to be in a bad habit now where I take these "sick days" to mean "I finally have time to do this and that and the other thing," instead of "Wow, I really should rest in bed today so my body can get better."  :)  I gotta work on that. 

What is your favorite thing to do when you are sick?  How do you pamper yourself when your mom isn't around to pat your forehead with cool, wet cloths and feed you chicken soup?  I really want to know.  I need inspiration here.  :)

Project 366--April 9-15

(Click HERE to get your very own BLANK .png version of this page for personal use!)

This week's theme: "Things I cannot live without...at least this week..."

Apr 9--quick, healthy, cheap recipes

Apr 10--clickers!

Apr 11--my phone (which is everything EXCEPT my phone--my ipod, scriptures, computer/internet, games, to-do list/organizer...)

Apr 12--this handsome guy!

Apr 13--music (I don't actually play guitar much, but it symbolizes relaxing music to me)

Apr 14--work (I love it!)

Apr 15--a good book...currently, "Catching Fire" for the 3rd time...

Project 366--April 2-8

Click HERE to get your very own blank .png version of this page for personal use!

Weekly Theme: What is Easter?

April 2--cute crafts & decor
April 3--new life
April 4--hope (that's 3 Ne. 17, one of my favoritest, most hope-filled chapters in the Book of Mormon)
April 5--a better body
April 6--family
April 7--Easter traditions (dying eggs, egg hunts, etc.)
April 8--the Savior!

God is Good

So I have this "friend" in the blogging world (meaning I follow her, she follows me, and we comment now and again :) who had been trying with her husband for 8 YEARS to conceive a baby or adopt.  That's a lot.  That's like 4 times as long as we've been trying.  THAT'S A LOT.  This week, I found out on her blog that a whirlwind adoption had taken place and she now has a BEAUTIFUL 22-month old daughter.

Another acquaintance from Church had been trying for quite a while, too--I want to say 6 years?  When she and her hubby left the ward to go overseas, I followed up now and again through facebook and blogger but hadn't really "missed" her so I hadn't really thought of her much.  Randomly, I thought to check out what she's been up to this week.  Turns out, she's expecting a little baby boy in September!

ANOTHER friend, this one an actual FRIEND-friend (who I really love dearly and who has been an inspiration to me many-a-time), and her husband had been trying for several years and were on a waiting list for adoption--and this week, they announced their first pregnancy! She's due in October!

What is miraculous about these three stories isn't so much that God heard and answered their prayers, because He does that every day to people all over the world.  To me, the miraculous part is that in hindsight every couple is so very grateful--if not for the trial itself--for the intimate way they've come to know the Lord through their trials.  They know He is involved, personally and directly, with the timing of their own sweet little families.  And, as is true with all of us at the *end* of the trial (or temporary stay from it, at least), they see the past as WORTH IT.  They appreciate the answer to the prayers so much more.  They've grown and been prepared and I'm SO VERY GRATEFUL that the Lord has heard their prayers and answered them--IN HIS OWN DUE TIME.

I'm grateful for the hope this gives ME.  I have no idea what is in store for us, even beyond this summer.  Strange and scary and wonderful winds of change are brewing, I feel it in my heart.  I am so excited to be applying for teaching jobs, even if I don't get a single interview, because I'm willing to MOVE ON and trust in the Lord's timing for Paul and me.  Even if it means waiting *another* two, or five, or ten years to be financially/emotionally/spiritually/physically ready for pregnancy/fostering/adoption, or even if the miracle of parenting doesn't come to us in this life.  At the end of the journey I know I will see the past as WORTH IT, too.  And I will have all my righteous desires exactly when I'm meant to, and I will be entitled to all the blessings God gives to those that seek Him.   And, in the meantime, I can lean on Him and invite Him into our lives in a special way that only the struggling can.

This is a big deal, people!  GOD IS GOOD!

Milestones!

I have big news!  Part of this blog includes recording family happenings--especially big milestones.

So I would be remiss if I didn't share this with the world.

I honestly never thought it would happen to me, especially at the ripe old age of 29.

But it has happened!

I have...

...my first cavity!  :)

I noticed it today as I subbed in a 5th grade class...I bit into a Starburst candy (I almost never eat chewy candy or hard candy, I'm pretty strictly chocolate-all-the-way, but I was dying during snack/reading time and it was all I had in my prize box to eat).  I had no warnings and didn't notice a thing at all before this, but as I was administering the spelling test I bit into that candy and suddenly it was searing pain--the kind that drills into your jaw and makes you cry against your will--and I just knew.  A peek in the mirror confirmed it. 

Even better, I think I've got one coming in on exactly the opposite side!  I have cheek-insides that cover those teeth all day long (they're the very back ones, right in front of my half-in wisdom teeth) so it's not surprising.  But still.

I can no longer say I've never had a cavity!  Now I've just got to find the time to get to a dentist and get it checked out/drilled & filled...

I'm gonna go drink some milk now.  :)  Sometimes you just gotta laugh.

When was your first cavity? 

Family Updates :)

Here is a simple summary of the last month, in pictures & words:

We went up to Chicago a few days before my birthday to buy Filipino foods & ingredients that we can't get here.  Paul's parents really loved having Caida and Cerene with us, and Caida really loved helping them make breakfast:

The only pic I have of my party, at the very end when only a few other couples hung around to chat. :)  Caida insisted on wearing a "party dress" and was very cute.  

Paul got us cooking classes from Adelino's for my birthday!  We loved the first one, it was a Mediterranean Islands night.  Here we are after we've cooked our dishes:

And here is my plate FULL of food.  Everyone did an awesome job cooking, and we learned a lot of new recipes. SO WORTH IT!

As I've already mentioned, he also got us tickets to Hunger Games.

 This is just a cute pic of Voodoo:

We're clickers now!  Check out http://www.billionclicks.org ...I'll probably post a whole separate post all about this, but it's been a great way for us to increase the positivity in our lives.

And a cute pic of Obi, who's been sick as a...well, dog...and become a big fan of sleeping with blankets lately.

Paul's work is keeping him busy.  He doesn't get to use his Spanish anymore and his role is less managerial and more analytic, but he says he likes it most days...between that and his calling as Ward Mission Leader, he doesn't have much energy to do anything else.  :)  He's a good sport, though, and tries hard to play along when I want to do something.

As I've mentioned before, I'm applying for teaching jobs for next fall.  SO EXCITED and SO ANXIOUS!  There are several jobs opening up, including one at my old elementary school!!!  But there are also HUNDREDS of applicants, some who have taught for years already...so the competition is stiff.  That's what you get in a college town.  I'm very qualified, though, and hoping things work out.  If not, of course, I'll keep subbing.  I really do love it lots, too.  It's not the same as teaching, but it'll do for now.  :)  I'm having a hard time juggling my crafty side with the work stuff and the church responsibilities and family stuff, especially because I've not been feeling well for almost a month now (always something different...sinus infection, chest cold, indigestion/nausea, severe back pain...).  So hopefully I'll figure it all out soon...it's not like getting a teaching job will slow that down any, hahaha!  Life is good, though.  We're alive and, if not super healthy, at least not dysfunctionally unhealthy.  We've got great friends and family.  We love what we're doing at Church and we each have our little pet projects going on the side to keep us sane--like my crocheting and his designing spacecraft.  We're working towards our goals slowly but surely...and the puppies keep us entertained in the meantime.  :)