Thrift Store Wall Decor Makeover

 

Greetings Cottage Friends,

I've been working on makeover projects this week. Give me home decor screaming for a makeover, place a paint brush in my hand, and I'm a happy girl.

I found a wall hanging at the thrift store, with one of my favorite scripture verses, for $4. I liked everything about the piece, except the frame.  That didn't stop me from buying it though; I knew I could makeover the frame.

Half way through the painting process I realized I hadn't taken a "before" photo, but I did manage to get a portion of the frame so you can see what it looked like before I painted it.

 I felt like the colors used on the frame were bland and didn't do justice to the raised design.  I gave the whole frame one coat of Waverly steel chalk paint, and a dry brush of Waverly white chalk paint only on the raised portion of the frame.

Now this wall hanging works with my style.

The scripture is one that I have clung to through difficult times, and it has always encouraged me.

Hugs,

Monday Morning Encouragement - I will Fear No More

Welcome Cottage Friends,

Several weeks ago I wrote a blog post about how we can experience peace in times of trouble. If you haven't read it, you can find it here

This morning I discovered a song  by The Afters entitled I Will Fear No More that speaks so beautifully of the courage we can find in Jesus when we are fearful and anxious; when we worry. I hope you will take some time to listen to it, as I believe it will be an encouragement to you.

I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.

Hugs,

Monday Morning Encouragement - Storms of Life

 

Welcome Cottage Friends,

Last week I shared some thoughts on forgiving others. I've been thinking more about that and I feel compelled to touch on an aspect of forgiveness that's outside the bounds of the ordinary, and that's if we're in an abusive relationship. An abuser will often ask for forgiveness and then turn right around and continue to abuse. I'm not suggesting that we allow that to continue under the guise of forgiving the other person as the Bible teaches. I want to say to anyone who is living in an abusive relationship -- whether it's physical, verbal or emotional abuse -- Get Out! Yes, there will be a need for you to release your hurt to the Lord and eventually He will help you to forgive your abuser. But first you must protect yourself (and your children if they are still at home) and remove yourself from that situation. In no way does God want you to live with abuse. I can't say that strongly enough. 

Okay, I just felt I needed to make that clear. 

Today I want to share some thoughts on trusting God based on a devotional I wrote 10 years ago.

I suspect there's no one reading these words who can say they've never experienced trouble of some kind. Life is full of hard times, what Bible teachers often refer to as "the storms of life".  In the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 8:22-25 we read the account of the disciples and Jesus crossing the lake. As they were sailing, the Lord fell asleep. Suddenly a storm came upon the lake and the boat was swamped with water.

"They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, 'Master, Master, we are perishing!' And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.

And He said to them, 'Where is your faith?' They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, 'Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?'" (Luke 8:24-25)

Sometimes storms come into our lives through disobedience to God's word. If we fail to follow His instruction, the result can be tumultuous. But far more often storms come so that God can deliver us and increase our trust in Him. The disciples were on the Sea of Galilee because Jesus said, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." He said let's go, and they went. Now do you suppose for a moment that Jesus had no idea a "fierce gale of wind" (v. 23 NASB) was about to rack their boat and threaten to drown them? Of course He knew. He was God in the flesh. He knew that a life-threatening storm was brewing. It's very telling that with this knowledge the Lord then went to sleep. He had no fear of the coming storm, for He had control over it. He would allow it to appear, and He would calm it. This was the first time the disciples lives were in danger. They had seen their master perform many miracles, but this was personal. Their faith had not yet been tested to this extent. They cried out to the Lord in desperation and He immediately saved them. He rebuked the "wind and the surging waves" and they stopped. All became calm. And then He asked His disciples, "Where is your faith?" From the text we don't see them answer His question. Only that they were filled with fear and amazement, and wondered who it was who had that kind of control. I certainly can look at my own life and see how God allowed storms to come and then calmed them. Through these events He taught me more about who He is, and my trust in Him increased. No longer do I ask, "Who is this Jesus, then?" I know who He is.  .  .the all-powerful Living God.

After my late husband's passing I played a song from Casting Crowns over and over again. I'd like to share it with you here. I hope it will be an encouragement to you, whether you are in the midst of a storm right now, or not.

Hugs,

  

Monday Morning Encouragement - Forgiving Others

Welcome Cottage Friends,

Following a suggestion from Lorraine of Flower Lady Musings, I've made another video for you this morning. Today I want to share some thoughts on forgiving others. I pray it will be an encouragement and a blessing to you. The video is about four minutes long. (I'm trying to get better at holding my iphone camera still, but there is a bit of wiggling toward the end. I apologize for that and ask for your patience with me, as I'm still experimenting.) 

If you like these videos (I guess they're called vlogs) and would like to see more of them, please let me know in the comments. I'd appreciate your perspective. Also, if you have any constructive suggestions, I'm open to hearing them. Thanks!

Hugs,

Thrift Store Paper Towel Holder Makeover

 

Hello Cottage Friends,

For months I've been on the hunt for an inexpensive countertop paper towel holder. There's a plethora of stylish paper towel holders on the market, but my wallet doesn't like the price tags. I've been scouring thrift stores, knowing if I found a wood holder I could paint it. The problem with the used paper towel holders I found is that they weren't in very good shape. That is until I found a light oak countertop paper towel holder for $2. And while it was outdated and the finish was worn, it was sturdy, all the pieces were there, and I knew I could give it a makeover. So into my basket it went.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a before photo. If you're a thrifter you've probably seen the type of paper towel holder I purchased. Very 90's country style.

Anyway, I wanted to give my latest thrift store find a cottage style makeover, so I painted it with some leftover white chalk paint I had in my stash. It still needed something to spice it up, so I glued the little blue and white creamer I found for $2 at Goodwill onto the top.

A quick little project that gave me the cottage style paper towel holder I wanted. And for the very frugal cost of $4.

It just doesn't get any better than that, does it?

Hugs,

Monday Morning Encouragement -- The Peace of God

 

Good morning, Cottage Friends,

Lately I've been troubled by what I see happening in our country. We're dealing with things that I never imagined would surface here in America. The Cancel Culture, free speech being threatened, and so much more. It's all so alarming. And yet, in the midst of all this turmoil I experience peace "that passes all understanding". 

In the letter Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, he penned these words:

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7 ESV)

Herein lies the means to my peace. It is through acknowledging the Lord first in my life, worshiping Him, looking to Him and not man for salvation, that I have internal peace. Washington DC cannot give me peace. The right home, the right job, the right education. None of those things can give me the peace that I receive from Christ Jesus. I know, because in the past I put my trust in those things, and they left me empty and anxious.

If you have a personal relationship with Jesus, as I do, then you have everything you need to experience "the peace that passes all understanding" in the midst of the chaos around you. I know many of you who read this blog understand what I'm writing about. You have that relationship, you have access to His peace. So, be encouraged today. Don't focus on the trouble around you, whatever that is right now. It may be health issues, or family problems, or maybe it's fear over the direction our country is taking. Whatever it is, I get it. I understand. More importantly, the Lord understands and He is for you. Meditate on His word, talk to Him -- which is really what prayer is -- and tell Him truthfully how you feel. Of course, He already knows, but He wants to hear from you nevertheless. When we turn to Him and ask for His peace to replace our anxiety, He delivers. And sometimes we have to be in a constant state of asking for that infilling peace because what we're going through is just that hard! I know because I've gone through some very hard times in my life that demanded constant connection to the only One who can calm my anxious heart.

Here's a song by Keith and Kristyn Getty: Benediction (The Peace of God) to encourage you further.

I love you. I'm thinking of you, and praying that you'll experience the "peace that passes all understanding."

Hugs,

Monday Morning Encouragement -- Light of the World

Good morning, sweet Cottage Friends,

As you may know, I get up very early in the morning, even on my days off. The first thing I do after dressing and pouring my first cup of coffee is to light candles and quiet my heart before the Lord. This morning the light from one of my candles reminded me of John 8:12 where Jesus declares that He is the "Light of the world". It inspired me to record a short video for you -- to encourage you this morning. In no way is it a professional movie. Heavens, no! It's about a minute long, spontaneous and unrehearsed, as will be obvious if you play it. So please overlook this amateur attempt, and just know that this is sincerely from my heart to yours.

 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Hugs,

My Lime Green Frame Thingy Makeover (Or How I Made a Valentine Wall Hanging)

Welcome Cottage Friends! 

Earlier this month I shared with you my mega thrift store haul.

The lime green frame thingy with chicken wire was, in my opinion, a real sleeper. Kind of funky, but I could see it had potential for a crafty project. Especially at the meager price of $1, what did I have to lose?

I really do have a thing for chicken wire. After all, when I designed our cottage kitchen in Oregon, I made sure the glass cabinets included chicken wire. The cabinet maker installed the wire between two pieces of glass to make it easy for me to clean. Practical, as well as charming. Brilliant.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to transform my lime green frame thingy with the chicken wire into a Valentine wall hanging.

I picked up a pack of willow hearts at The Dollar Tree, and a roll of linen-like ribbon at Wal-Mart, along with a bunch of faux lavender and ivory chalk paint. Everything else I already had in my craft stash.

Then I got to work painting over the crazy lime green. I originally thought I might distress the edges, so I covered them with brown paint. I also took a few minutes to put a coat of burnt umber craft paint on the new chicken wire to give it an aged look. 

It took two coats of paint to cover the lime green. I liked the end result and decided not to do any distressing. 

I wrapped the bottom of the lavender with jute, 

and glued the hearts to the ribbon.

Since all the individual elements are tied to the frame and not glued, I can always use this ivory frame with chicken wire for another project.

So, there you have it. A charming wall hanging for just a few dollars and very little work. 

Have you ever found a "sleeper" at a thrift store that you transformed into something new?

"So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

Hugs,

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

 

Image Credit: PAFamily.org

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”  Psalm 139:13-14

On January 13, 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued the following Proclamation for the first National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday:

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The values and freedoms we cherish as Americans rest on our fundamental commitment to the sanctity of human life. The first of the “unalienable rights” affirmed by our Declaration of Independence is the right to life itself, a right the Declaration states has been endowed by our Creator on all human beings — whether young or old, weak or strong, healthy or handicapped.

Since 1973, however, more than 15 million unborn children have died in legalized abortions — a tragedy of stunning dimensions that stands in sad contrast to our belief that each life is sacred. These children, over tenfold the number of Americans lost in all our Nation’s wars, will never laugh, never sing, never experience the joy of human love; nor will they strive to heal the sick, or feed the poor, or make peace among nations. Abortion has denied them the first and most basic of human rights, and we are infinitely poorer for their loss.

We are poorer not simply for lives not led and for contributions not made, but also for the erosion of our sense of the worth and dignity of every individual. To diminish the value of one category of human life is to diminish us all. Slavery, which treated Blacks as something less than human, to be bought and sold if convenient, cheapened human life and mocked our dedication to the freedom and equality of all men and women. Can we say that abortion — which treats the unborn as something less than human, to be destroyed if convenient — will be less corrosive to the values we hold dear?

We have been given the precious gift of human life, made more precious still by our births in or pilgrimages to a land of freedom. It is fitting, then, on the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that struck down State anti-abortion laws, that we reflect anew on these blessings, and on our corresponding responsibility to guard with care the lives and freedoms of even the weakest of our fellow human beings.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 22, 1984, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon the citizens of this blessed land to gather on that day in homes and places of worship to give thanks for the gift of life, and to reaffirm our commitment to the dignity of every human being and the sanctity of each human life.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of January, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighth.

Ronald Reagan

Sunday, January 17, 2016 is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday; followed by the March for Life on Friday, January 22.

Since 1973 61,628,584 babies have lost their lives to abortion. It is my prayer that one day soon Sanctity of Life Sunday will no longer be necessary.

Monday Morning Encouragement

 Good morning, sweet Cottage Friends,

I'm just popping in to share this with you; to encourage you during these troubled times. I find that when I'm stressed by what's going on in the world around me, a music video like this can really minister to my spirit, can lift me up and help me focus on the One who has promised to never leave me, nor forsake me (thank you, Jesus!). I discovered this video this morning and I think it's just so lovely -- beautiful music, along with a stunning nature "movie". I'm playing it while I clean my house. Even if only for a few moments I hope you'll take time to play it and soak in the calm.

Praying you'll experience serenity today.

Hugs,

My Mega Thrift Store Haul

Happy New Year Cottage Friends,

While I'm not making any New Year's resolutions, I am setting some goals for myself in 2021. One of them is to blog more often and make my posts shorter. 

Earlier this week I visited our local Habitat Restore and came home with everything you see in this photo, including the print hanging on the wall.

All for less than $55. A lot of these items will be make overs, which means my "to do" project list is growing.

Looking forward to sharing more. Stay tuned.

Hugs,