Sneak Peek: {Hubby's} V-Tine Gift

This year I wanted to give something to the Love of my life that WOULDN'T get eaten, WOULDN'T take him a month to read through (a journal, those fill-in-the-blank books, etc.), and WOULDN'T be stored in a box never to be seen again. My Darling is hugely invested in decorating our home.  Making our house a home is a team effort in every way, which I absolutely love.  I thought of giving him a gift that would remind him every day of how much I love him.  Soooooooo....I chose one of my favorite quotes and created an art piece for our master bedroom. 

Our spa-inspired master bedroom has a HUGE bare wall in need of some coverup.  I had bought this frame at Hobby Lobby for about $20 a couple years ago and never found a use for it.  It's the exact wood finish and style of our bedroom furniture. 

For the canvas, I used painter's drop cloth.  The stenciling required a lot of time and a steady hand. I printed off the words onto paper and actually cut out each word, creating stencils. I used the frame as a guide and traced the words onto the drop cloth.  Using black interior paint (I bought a sample jar a while back and it has gone a long way), I filled in the words using #3 and #0 paint brushes.

Apologies for not taking step-by-step pictures.  I really wasn't thinking about snapshots as my legs were falling asleep while sitting hunched over and cross-legged. BTW, my neck is actually still sore from this project.  I really love my husband : )

I did take this shot of the project while it was still on the floor.  I hadn't even trimmed off the extra material yet. 

To attach the canvas to the frame, I used a staple gun pulling the canvas taught but being careful not to distort the lettering by pulling too hard. 

Last thing to do is attach a picture hanger and then hide it in my craft room where prying eyes won't find it.  I plan on hanging two DIY canvas photos as well.  Post on that project to follow.  Hope he likes it!

Linking to these parties:

Blue Cricket Design
Skip to My Lou
Making the World Cuter

In Memory of a Beautiful Woman

It would be hard to put into words just what kind of a woman my Grandma was.  If you've ever known anyone who brightened a room just by simply entering it, you may begin to know the woman my Grandma was.  A godly woman who loved the Lord, cared for her family, honored her husband, gave to her friends, was gracious and kind in all things -- that was my Grandma.

She has left behind her a legacy that will never be undone.  She taught me what it meant to be a virtuous woman.  She loved the Lord with all her heart. Even when dementia began to show its clear signs, she still spoke of serving her Savior and making Him proud.  When it began to take her an hour to read one page of her Bible, still she read it daily.

She was a meek and quite lady but in so many ways was strong and fearless.  I never remember my Grandma uttering a complaining word.  She had a stubborn streak in her, but never for one moment did you feel that she was ungrateful. 

She was a beautiful woman. My heart rejoices to think of her now in Heaven, whole and healthy, singing with the angels.  Goodbye, Grandma.  I love you and will see you again someday. 

Good Enough to {Eat}: Berry Wreaths

I had envisioned something slightly different when I planned on making these wreaths, but I love the way they turned out.  They remind me of Valentine desserts : ) and they were soooo easy to make.  Super cheap, too.

I found these sprigs of berries at Hobby Lobby after Christmas for about $.50 a piece.  At the time, I really didn't know what I was going to use them for.  

You all know how much I love the Dollar Tree.  Here's one of the reasons why.  I found these floral foam frames that were just perfect for the project I had in mind.  I wrapped the foam with pink streamer (also from the Dollar Tree: two rolls for a $1) and hot glued the loose end.

After completely wrapping the entire foam frame, I cut off the berries and pushed them into the foam making a three ring pattern.

VOILA!! A yummy Valentine treat.

Linking to these lovely parties:

Organize Your Stuff Now
Someday Crafts
Lil Luna
Passionately Perfect
Measured by the Heart
A Vision to Remember