masks

I think a lot about fear.  Maybe because lately I'm faced with it on a day to day basis.  It occured to me as I was driving the other day that I've crossed a milestone with living here.  When we first got here every time I got in the car to drive somewhere I was terrified.  The roads are extremely narrow with no shoulders.  They curve and dip and leave your stomach in knots.  I would even get a little car sick.  Every time a person would pass me I would raise up my shoulders, squint my eyes and let out a little EEEEEK!  Because it looked like they were going to hit me for sure.



It dawned on me as I was whizzing through the trees on my very own roller coaster/race track home the other day, that I'm passed that particular fear.  YIPPEEE!!!!  For the most part I don't shriek anymore.  My heart doesn't race every time I pull out onto that road, and the only thing I can think of that got me over that fear was that I HAD NO CHOICE, but to do it every.single.day.  There is no other route.  No other option.  Sometimes you just have to do it afraid.  Uh and pleading with God to help me might have had a little part in it too;)

Fast forward to last night where my friend Maureen dragged me into another adventure.  Well she didn't really have to drag me I was jumping at the bit to go;)  She has an amazing group of friends and we've set up a craft group called f.e.a.t. (friends exploring art together).  Once a month we are going to meet and share a fun craft/skill with each other.  Isn't that like the best idea ever!!!

Last night was our first meeting and it was appropriately called masks and margaritas:)  You take stripes of plaster gauze, wet them and apply them all over your very Vaselined face...making a really cool mask.  It sets up pretty fast and after it's hardened you can paint and decorate it.  That's our next meeting.

Maureen.  Isn't she beautiful??  Love the mummified look she had going on!  Creepy:)

Taking the mask off was a bit tricky.  You had to pull it really slow, because it suctions to your face a little bit and it stings slightly.  I'm thinking we all just got a great spa exfoliation treatment for free;)

 

Okay so my turn came around.  Never thought I'd show myself in a shower cap and Vaseline on here...but there's always a first time for everything;)

About halfway in something kind of snapped to attention in me and I hit a panic wall.  It was like oh yeah I'm supposed to be afraid...cue heart racing NOW.  I'm a little claustrophobic.  I don't like airplanes or tight spaces...forget about going under water, but I thought I might be able to do this.   Unfortunately the fear just reared up it's ugly head. 

I wanted more than anything to just rip that thing OFF MY FACE!!!!!  Get it OFF.  I got up.  Took some deep breaths.  Kept reminding myself that I could breath and had my Nan finish me.  That's the thing with fear.  Most of the time it's irrational.  Will that spider hurt you?  Will talking in front of people be the worst thing that could happen?  Actually that's another biggie for me.  That's why I hide behind a computer;) 


Not sure if Nan was trying to distract me or what but pretty soon she started telling a story that made me want to laugh so hard, but I couldn't.  I would retell it, but it's completely inappropriate for my sweet little blog here. 

The reward for not ripping of the mask is that I get a cool visual of overcoming that panic attack.  I did something afraid.  Oh yeah and I moved to Virginia.  I drive on that death trap of a road everyday.  I make stuff.  I write stuff, and present it to you.  And day in and day out I'm reminded that it's alright to go for your dreams.  It's alright to be afraid.  It's just a reminder that you are living and breathing and human after all.  Just don't let it stop you. 

Have a blessed weekend.

242.  thank God it's FRIDAY

243.  meeting new creative women

244.  overcoming fear

245.  finding someone to teach me Lightroom

246.  my new "where women create" magazine...inspiration overload

 

hanging onto HOPE

 #1

Last weekend, with much anticipation, we jumped in the car with tripod and camera in hand to capture our annual Christmas card picture.  Got to say this has become one of my very favorite things to do every year.  Here was last year's picture extravaganza. 

 #2

I saw on Pinterest somewhere this cute young couple kissing in the forest holding the letters JOY.  Loved that idea, so we brainstormed for four letter words and HOPE was what we came up with.  Loved the ducks in this picture...you know we always try to get some sort of wild animal in our shots;)

#3

Love how the sun makes our hair glow in this shot:)

#4

This location makes me giggle.  When I jumped out of the car and ran down to spot I wanted to set up the camera, I stumbled across two teenagers completely caught up in a make out session.  They were hidden behind some trees at a picnic table...oh and it was at a church!  You should have seen them jump when I ran right into their hidden spot.  Honey and I just sort of gave each other that knowing grin...remembering those early days when we couldn't wait to be alone;)

#5

#6 

Okay this is where we started attempting to jump and catch it at just the right moment.  So not easy with a self timer.  It sure was fun trying though.  Let's just say I got a workout running back and forth between the camera and my spot in line.

 #7

#8

I saved the best for last.  This picture sums up our last few months to a tee.  Here we are holding onto hope.  Honey's there, the girls are all in and I'm hanging on for dear life;)  I look scared to death!!!  I laughed so hard when I saw this picture.  Oh God thank you for this visual.  Even though it hasn't been easy and we have a lot of stuff going on we are holding onto HOPE with all our might.  He is our Hope!  He is the reason we celebrate Christmas...the reason we get up in the morning.  His promises are what fill us overflowing...without hope we would have nothing.   



I've already made the pick for our card...one for the front and one for the back.  I'm curious which ones you would have picked for us.  I'll share the card later on.  I was SO BUMMED I missed Shutterfly's free card give-away for bloggers this year.  Just too much going on and I missed the deadline..ugh!  Regardless I ordered from them anyway.  It's just so easy and they have gobs of great designs to choose from.  I was like a kid in a candy store.


***OH and I didn't forget about the give-away;)  Thank you for so many awesome suggestions.  I think I WILL add charm bracelets after the New Year.  And FYI anything you order from me is custom.  I can adjust cuff sizes, charm bracelet sizes and necklace length.  I'm cool like that;)  THE WINNER IS:   Rachel @ A Cupcake for Moose...congrats girlie:)))

Have a blessed day.

**Oh and I almost forgot. I just signed up for the Mother and Daughter online course with my Brave Girl friends. I know it's going to be AMAZING! Perfect thing to do with them over the holidays. Check it out here.

 

235.  my sweet peeps who go along with me wherever...

236.  the gift of HIS hope

237.  my camera...can i say that again?

238.  the thud of hammers building a home next to ours...future friends??

239.  paint crusted to my nails

240.  avocado...who knew you were so good?

241.  progress with our home in mn

made to order and a GIVEAWAY!!!!

Hello friends.  I can't believe it's halfway through November already.  Geesh where has the time gone?? I'm scrambling trying to put a few things together for my shop and this year I'm doing it the easy way.  I have no other choice. 



I'd say 90% of you who order something want it personalized, so instead of listing a bunch of prestamped cuffs I'm going to just be listing the leather and then you can tell me what you want it to say.  YAY!  You will see the leather I have right off the bat too.  Easy peasy:)  I just listed several new cuffs and I have SO MUCH MORE!  I'll make and list them as I have time. 

Oh and you get to pick the blank you want too.  Gotta love that!!!   I'm hoping this will make the process much easier. 

I'm toying with the idea of adding charm bracelets to my store.  What do you think?  YAY or NAY???  I haven't purchased the supplies yet, and I probably won't have time to post any for Christmas, just wanted your feedback first.  I made one for myself and I loved the feel and sound of it.  It was very lightweight and had a little tinkle sound when I moved.  I personalized mine with an owl, my favorite verse and an inspirational thought for the day.  Skies the limit here girls.


I think I might add this post to my sidebar, so I'd love it if you could help me out by giving me ideas for the charm bracelets/cuffs.  This will help my future customers with inspiration.  What would you want yours to look like...say??  I will pick one GIVE-AWAY winner to be announced on NOVEMBER 16th.  Oh and the winner will receive a CHARM BRACELET...personalized just for you!!!!  So leave me comments...with lots of inspiration.

Oh and just in case some of you don't know, I paint houses...not the inside mind you;)  If you email me a picture of your home I can do it up real cute!  Only have time for a limited few, so contact me here for more info.  That's it girls.  My plug for the shop.  **Don't forget to enter the give-away:)

Have a blessed day.

230.  worship that leaves me teary

231.  baptism

232.  zucchini bread

233.  my new friend Teresa

234.  days planned for nothing but creating

   

thank you martha stewart

I have a Martha Stewart Living subscription.  Most of the time I flip through the pages and just admire the projects and recipes.  I gain a little inspiration with decor etc, but I never actually take the time to make anything.  But with this last issue I became completely inspired to recreate one of her crafts.  I saw this needlepoint project and I knew my chicks would LOVE it!





So we jumped in the car one night when daddy was out of town and hit our brand new Hobby Lobby.  Oh how I love me a Hobby Lobby.  We sifted through countless threads.

The girls mapped out their "Strahle Family" plan.  Painstakingly picking out each and every color for our eyes, hair, clothes etc...

They were SO excited.  I don't know how many times they thanked me.  Most projects around our house are mine. This one is all their own. 

The day after Sasha left the girls were off from school, so we gathered up all our supplies and hit the Pocahontas State Park.  We'd never been there and the whole time we were driving I was praying please Lord give us a clearing where we can spread out a blanket.  Can you believe that's how many trees there are here?  I have to PRAY for a clearing!




Well we found one and the girls were off making people.  I swear that's their favorite thing to do.  We have a wii.  Making the people is their favorite part.  We have an army.  Send me a picture and they'll make you too;)

Hmmm wonder who this will be??

It was another glorious day.  Can't believe I wore sandals to the park in November.  The only thing you could hear was the occasional bird and leaves falling from the trees.  I tried really hard to turn my mind off, to just enjoy the surroundings and my chicks. 

After a bit they HAD to run, and I of course had to pee...but that's neither here nor there;)

I can't remember the last time I gave the girls my complete undivided attention.  How shameful is that?  They drank it in too.  I know they loved having me all to themselves.  It was good to take the day and just be.  Somehow in the midst of the move and life in general I feel like I've forgotten how to do that...just BE.

Is there anything better than be-ing a mom...than be-ing free to enjoy your surroundings and loved ones.  I don't think so.  Oh and what about be-ing sockless in November!  Ahhhhh...hope the sun is shining on you today:) 

Have a blessed weekend.

225.  the sound of leaves falling

226.  the sound of my girls laughing...outside;)

227.  the sun warming my shoulders in NOVEMBER

228.  smiles from ear to ear

229.  embracing who i am at this moment