Canvas Typography Tutorial.

I've always loved art. I love looking at it, as well as creating it. Ever since I was a little girl I have always loved to draw, and just recently I've reconnected with that inner desire to start drawing again. So last week I came across some wooden canvas typography art done by someone I follow on instagram. (Her name is Bethann. If you don't have an instagram, get one! Then follow her because she's amazing.) If you're not sure what typography is, click here. After corresponding through a few emails with her, I was able to find out all of the materials I would need to create my own version of it. And now you can too! I chose one of my favorite verses from the Bible, Luke 1:45.

You can easily use a regular white canvas because they are very inexpensive. I chose the wooden canvas because I appreciate the rustic look, and it coincides with the decor in my living room. It's completely up to you.

These are the materials you need:

1. A wooden canvas (found at Michael's)
2. A pencil
3. A really good eraser
4. Black sharpies in different sizes
5. Acrylic paint
6. An array of different size paint brushes
7. Modge Podge (optional)

  After you decide what you want on your canvas, you can start drawing. I recommend starting on a piece of paper. I didn't, but I learned the hard way to use paper first. After many attempts, I finally got mine to look the way I wanted. 

I chose these two colors because my living room is accented in mustard yellow and a few different shades of green. 

Once you're finished with the paint, you can go over over the outlines with either a sharpie or a fine paint brush. 

Next you can brush a layer of Modge Podge sealer over the finished canvas. I didn't, but that's because it was too cold that day to go back out of the house. ;)

The finished product:

Well I hope you guys like it! Happy crafting!

-Tracy

No Shortcuts.

Instant gratification. Naturally a human desire. In this day and age, our society lives in the moment. Someone, somewhere decided that "now" is better than later. Besides... who really wants to exercise some patience and WAIT?

• We don't want to save our money for those new Jessica Simpson shoes, so we open a charge card or spend half of our paycheck on them so we can have them now. 
• We want to lose those last two pounds TODAY, so we go all day without eating and spend an extra hour in the gym. 
• We want to find prince charming so we take it upon ourselves to Facebook stalk him.
• We make the decision to say "yes" to God and welcome Jesus into our hearts. We want to memorize every story in the Bible. We want to recite every verse. We want to know every song during worship. We're on fire for God so we want spiritual maturity, now. 

Okay, you get the point. And to be honest, I'm guilty of almost each and every one of these. I used to have a bad habit of shopping. I would open credit cards just to have the newest.. .. .. anything! As long as I had it that day I was "happy." I'd eat nothing but saltine crackers so I could fit into a size 3 faster. I got into an unhealthy relationship with someone I hardly knew through a mutual friend. At the time, I thought I needed a relationship, so I settled. Several years later I got saved (by the grace of God) and thought, I need to learn everything there is to know about being a follower of Christ so I can be a godly christian, now!

What I'm trying to say is, some things take time. It has been said, there are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going. Patience is one of the hardest tests God will give us. He will test our patience, time and time again, to see how we respond. God loves us so much that he will extend us the grace to walk us through that test until we pass it.

It took me a long time to develop patience. And trust me, I still have my struggles. I tried taking shortcuts but I'm quickly reminded that instant gratification rarely offers the same quality rewards like hard work and time well spent. In my experiences I've learned that most of the time it's better to walk rather than to sprint. And that learning to avoid shortcuts is a demonstration of discipline, growth, and obedience. A lot of times, we don't understand why the things we think we want, we can't have, and that's okay. Have patience. Trust in The Lord's plan, because chances are He has something better for you, and we could be in the midst of one of His tests.

-Tracy

"He makes us wait. He keeps us in the dark on purpose. He makes us walk when we want to run, sit still when we want to walk, for he has things to do in our souls that we are not interested in." -Elisabeth Elliot

Valentine Tutorial.

These days it seems like we live in a world of Pinterest. If you've never heard of it, you are missing out!

So, last spring I decided to give the yarn wreath making a try. Needless to say, I've been a wreath making fool since. I like to express my own creativity through my wreaths, and with Valentine's Day right around the corner I decided a heart themed wreath would be appropriate!

I started with a few simple supplies from the craft store. I use a straw wreath rather than styrofoam because they give the wreath a fuller effect and you're going to cover it up anyways. Here's what you need.

1. Straw wreath

2. About four sheets of felt. I used two red and two cream

3. About a half yard of burlap

4. Ribbon of choice

5. Any other objects you think might be cute 

6. Glue gun and glue sticks (duh)

Now I cut the burlap into strips because doing it that way is MUCH cheaper than buying it by the spool.

Next i made some felt flowers, which are pretty simple. Here is one for beginners:

All you have to do is cut them into a swirl and roll it up some the outside in. Coincidentally my nails match, haha. 

Put some hot glue at the bottem and you end up with this little gem. 

You can always make them look a little more fancy by cutting the outside edges.

Roll it up.

To make a flower like this one is also pretty simple: 

Start by cutting a piece of felt into a strip. I usually use the 8 1/2 x 11 size.

Put a strip of hot glue on the one side and fold it over like this: 

Now after that dries, cut little strips about a centimeter wide and almost all the way down.

Then all you do is roll that up and it turns out really pretty. They look complicated but they are so simple! Once you have all of your flowers made you can start glueing them onto your wreath. 

I bought a string of beads for $1.00 and placed them on the inside of each flower to just add a little touch.

You can add any little details you like, i added some left over red yarn from the holidays for some extra color. 

And there you have it! Pretty simple, they make a cute gift and definitely add some character to your door. I hope you like it, and happy crafting! 

-Tracy

The Choice.

When Christ came to earth, He lived each day making the best choices. He lived in such a way that he lived a completely sinless life. So, I got to thinking about choices. We all have them. Every day we make thousands of them and most of the time we aren't even realizing we're making them. Think about it; you get to choose what you eat, what you wear, what you say, who you're in a relationship with, or who you're not in a relationship with. I believe life is all about choice. The choices we make, consciously or otherwise, that impact our paths, our decisions, our relationships and our ability to move forward.

Then I started reflecting on my life.

I remember being a senior in high school, and for a project we had to write about where we wanted to be in ten years. I clearly remember these few things: I wanted to graduate from college by the age of 22. Immediately acquire a "career" and be married by 23. I wanted two children (one boy and one girl to be specific) by the time was 26, and also reside in a spacious home with a white picket fence. Cookie cutter right?

Who was I kidding?

So, now that those ten years have come and gone, I look at the choices I've made. Some decisions I am proud of, and other decisions were just plain irrational, selfish, and thoughtless. I thank God for His abundant grace everyday. Although I'm not where I thought I would be with my seventeen-year-old intellect, I'm grateful for my flawed path. The past year and a half I've had to learn to seek God first each day, and welcome His presence into every decision made. 

The struggle does not stop there.

We are responsible for our own walk, and we are accountable for how we choose to live and behave. 

Nevertheless, we cannot schedule our lives. And we certainly shouldn't compare our lives to others. Sure, there will be barriers and obstacles to overcome, life has a good way of throwing us an unexpected curve ball. That's what shapes us into who we are. We need to make sure that we are being humbly attentive to the choices that face us each moment. Choices shape habits, and habits shape who we are. We need to remember to listen for God's voice and His guidance. His direction will lead us down the path of righteousness, hope, and promise. God gives his best to those who leave the choice with Him.

Let's do 2013 with purpose, love, grace, and good choices.

-Tracy

Who am I? vs. Who I am.

Have you ever wondered to yourself… Who am I? I used to ask myself that all the time. I frequently pondered- why on Earth God would put me here to be a waitress at the local Chili’s. Sure, I did the whole college ‘thing’.. graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work and wa-lah! Four years after graduation I’m still a waitress. Now you’re probably asking yourself, “Why doesn’t she just go get a real job?” My answer: social work isn’t where my heart is. I can’t pursue a career that I don’t genuinly love. See, being a waitress isn’t my calling in life either.

But being a waitress is not who I am.

2012 was a year of growth, and not the physical kind, but the spiritual kind. I’ve learned the hard way that people pleasing and seeking approval from others will only lead to misery, not to mention an emptiness that no shopping trip to Pittsburgh will cure. It doesn’t matter what others think I should do with my life. What matters is knowing who I am in Christ, and that I am a child of God. I had to learn to trust (and believe) that The Lord has set me apart. He has set each of us apart. No matter what you do for a living, that doesn’t have to DEFINE you. We all have a purpose in this life, and figuring out what that is- is a beautiful journey.

-Tracy

You can make many plans, but The Lord’s purpose will prevail. Proverbs 19:21

Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me.” John 12:4