The Homestead Archives | Page 12 of 30 |

How to Blow Out Egg Yolks and String for Hanging | Decorative Eggs for Keeps.

March 6, 2013 By Laura 10 Comments

A couple of pre-Easter seasons back, we blew out and decorated eggs, and prepped some for hanging. I took lots of photos of the process of the way we did it, but never blogged it for you all. It’s not all that hard. And the best part is, you don’t have to figure out what you’re having for dinner that night! You’ll have a bowl full of egg yolks, ready to scramble. : ) Breakfast for dinner! We do that sometimes around here.

Scroll down to read and see just how simple it is to blow out eggs, and string them for hanging after decorating them.

When you’re done reading through, the above collage is the perfect Pin It image for these tutorials.
(Hint, hint. ; )

So let’s pierce some eggs.

Using a drill makes putting the holes in the egg very easy. Use a 1/16 drill bit for the top of the egg. This is the smaller hole.
On the bottom of the egg, make a slightly bigger hole, using the 1/8 drill bit.

Next, use a long pin in the bottom/big hole, and move it around and jab in and out, to break up the yolk sac some.
Now it’s time to blow that yolk out.
We let the kids take turns blowing them out. They thought it would be so fun. But I was worried their head would explode, seeing how red their faces were getting! I was like, “Oh my gosh! Breathe!” Ha ha ha.
It took them a little bit to learn how to direct the air from their blow, into the hole. You need to do that best you can. You can also try a syringe, to push air through. Once the yolk starts coming out, it comes out pretty fluidly.

Plenty for our family of 6.

So after you have blown all of the eggs you want hallowed out, you’ll want to wash them off and out a bit. Run them under warm water, getting water inside the egg too, and shake them some, to wash the inside of the egg. Drain them as well as possible. You can then put them all on a plate in the microwave for microwave them for 10-15 seconds

Now you can decorate them. It is a little tricky to dip-dye the hallowed eggs, because they tend to float now. So if you are dyeing them, you’ll need to keep it submerged with a spoon or whatever. Of course, there is a host of other ways you can decorate eggs. And remember, since these are blown eggs, you’ll be able to keep them! So consider drawing on them, doing a little decoupage with dried flowers, using Washi tape, or embellishing them in a number of ways. Just use your imagining and have fun.

If you’d like to hang your hallowed eggs, here is how you can string them:
These are helpful supplies to string your eggs:

strong thread
eye needles
little scissors
toothpicks
small (wire) cutters. As you have probably caught on by now, my husband was the executor of this project this day, while I was the photographer.
(Please excuse my husband’s hard-working hands in these detail shots. Love this man so much, for all he does for our family. And then he does fun things like this with us, too.)
Thread one of the larger sized needles, and tie it off as a single thread.
Insert the threaded needle in through the top of the egg, all the way, but leave plenty excess out of the top for hanging later.
Now it needs to come out the bottom, and as you can imagine, it would be challenging to make the needle do that.
So here’s the trick . . . . .
Hover a magnet underneath the egg at the hole.
You can gently shake the egg as you do this, to try and get the tip of the pin to the hole as well.
The magnet will draw the the threaded needle down out of the hole.
Cut the pin off the thread now. You won’t need it anymore for this egg.
On the same end of the thread that you cut the pin off, tie on a toothpick, and wrap the thread around it, as shown above. You only need that little piece of toothpick where the thread is wrapped, (maybe 1/2″ or a little more) so you can cut the rest off using your cutters. So now you have this little piece of toothpick, tied onto the thread, that is coming out of the bottom of your egg.

Now carefully push the whole thing back up into the hole of the bottom of the egg. Let it fall in all of the way.
This will act like an anchor inside the egg, for the string coming out of the top of the egg, to hang it.
So with the single thread coming out of the top, tie it in a loop, to hang your egg.

That is the process you do with all of your eggs. If you don’t wish to hang some or any of your eggs, of course you won’t need to string them.
All of it is fairly quick, and you’ll have your beautiful decorated eggs for years to come.
Here’s how we have used some of ours:

Hung on an Easter Tree.

In a glass cylinder vase, with some pieces of Raffia paper.
What ways will you use yours?

I am considering making some more this year, decorating them in a new beautiful way, possibly personalizing some, and giving some of them as gifts!
We hope you found this tutorial helpful and learned some tricks that will help you blow some eggs of your own, and maybe string a few as well.
Thanks for coming by! May your Easter celebrations with those you love, be beautiful!

* * * * * *

Please come follow me here and there:

This tutorial was shared at Joyful Homemaking’s Think Tank Thursday Link Party #230!

Banner of Love | A Valentine Decor Craft

February 4, 2013 By Laura Leave a Comment

While February, the ‘month of love’, was approaching throughout January, I had had this image in my head of a burlap pennant banner that spelled out LOVE, with little pink ribbons, over our french doors in the sun room, to the living room. Of course, I didn’t actually have one, so it was something I’d need to create. After pondering how I might go about doing that, I decided I wanted to keep it as simple as possible, even if it doesn’t hold up for subsequent Valentine holidays.

As planned, I got some burlap, for the pennants themselves. I’ve never worked with burlap before. Good-gosh does it stink! I don’t understand why. ??? I need to get educated on burlap I guess. I’m adding it to my list of things I intend to Google. But in the meantime, I hung the burlap outside for a bit, and even went so far as to FeBreeze it, so I could work with it. I could have used another material, but my vision, was the burlap. So for this project I used it, as well as jute string, a 4.5″ x 6.5″ pad of designer cardstock that contained a variety of pink patterns (for the letters), and pink satin ribbon.

I also used a few other supplies to make it as well, and I’ll explain in these easy steps as I go along here.
But before I do, let me show you how sweet it came out.

Kind of shabby-chic looking, don’t you think?
Of course this would be sweet with fabric letters, and would probably hold up for many more ‘months of Love’ and Valentine decor to come, but it would probably require some sewing, and I still don’t sew yet. I’m going to learn someday. But it wasn’t happening before this craft. So I used paper cardstock letters. Which does kind of have it’s own charm, I think.

This is how I made this rustic, simple, sweet little banner:

I made a template for the pennant, that measured 7″ wide by 10″ to the point. You can use cardboard as a template. My husband cut me a piece of sheet metal he had, but that’s not really necessary.
So using the template, I traced the pennants with a brown marker. I used the finished edge of the burlap itself, as the top of the pennant, to help hold it together as well as reduce my cutting.
1. Place pennant template at edge of material. 2. Trace template. 3. Cut out pennant.

4. To keep the sides of the pennants (the sides that form the V) from falling apart, because burlap is a weave, I applied a bit of matte Modge Podge just on the edges.
Modge Podge dries clear, and it worked like a charm.

Using the small 4.5″ x 6.5″ pad of designer cardstock that I bought, I wanted each letter as large as possible. So I made each letter to fit a full cardstock sheet edge to edge. I just created the outline of each letter (4.5″ x 6.5″) in photoshop, and arranged two of the letters side by side on an 8.5 x 11″ standard space, and printed them out. LO on one, and VE on another. Then, I traced those printed letters onto tracing paper. Then, I arranged each letter tracing upside down on the backside of my little cardstock sheet (for each letter). Having done that, I had a backwards letter on the back/white sides of my cardstocks to cut out, so that when I did cut them out, they were facing the right way on the front. Some of the patterned paper is embellished and bumpy, so it was easier to transfer the pencil lines on the backside, and keep the patterned side clean as well.

Here are my letters all cut out.
Again, the letters I designed filled a mini-cardstock sheet, so it reduced some of the cutting I needed to do, minimized paper waste, and gave me as large letters as possible.

Next, I wanted to string the pennants.

I planned to use jute string for this; another stinky material! I did not want to cut holes in the burlap at all, because it would simply fall apart, being a weave. So using the tip one side of the scissors, open, I just poked it into an existing hole of the burlap where I wanted a hole for the string, and gave the scissors a little twist. No cutting, but just pushing the fiber-string over.

Then I strung a sufficiently long enough piece of jute through each pennant piece, as seen above.

To add some touches of pink and pretty, I wanted to add some little simple bows. To do this, I first tied a little piece of satin ribbon onto the jute string in between each pennant, with a little piece of thread, and then cut off the excess thread ends to just leave the little knot. Then I tied a bow with the ribbon. The reason I tied the ribbon onto the jute string with the thread first, rather than just tying the ribbon directly onto the jute string, was so that my bows would not be sideways.

I did not take photos of this part, but to attach the cardstock letters to the burlap pennants, I used Modge Podge as a sort of glue.
I simply covered the back of each letter, and pressed it down onto each pennant. Although the letters created to extend beyond the pennants, I still Modge Podged the entire back of the letters, because I figured it would help give each paper letter that extra stability.
I let it all dry, lying flat.

Then we hung it up, right where I envisioned it to be.

I think it makes for very cute Valentine decor.
It’s also made me start humming a few times,
♫ The Lord is mine, and I am His
His banner over me is LOVE . . . ♫

Sorry if that sticks in your head all day long, now! ; )
Hope you enjoyed this project, and it inspires you to make one like it, or one of your own design.

We’d LOVE your thoughts or a hello, if have another moment.
But know we’re always glad when you visit.

* * * * * *

Please come follow me here and there:

Save

Home Improvement Reveal; A Dream Come True; Part 1

January 15, 2013 By Laura 9 Comments

I have had a childhood dream, that has never faded away. Not even with the passing of decades of years, this dream has lived through.
Well, that childhood dream, is about to come true for me.

♥ I am getting a completely customized art studio! ♥

It’s in-home, and already in the works. I thought I would take photos of the progress, in case some of you might enjoy watching it come to life along the way.

I was in kindergarten, when I decided I was going to be an artist when I grew up.
That plan never waivered all through my schooling years. As a kid, I used to see little empty shops with real estate signs around town, and dream of what it would be like, to have my own studio space in there. When I graduated from high school, I went on to commercial art school for the next 3 years. In the past 22 years since then, I have been a freelance artist and photographer. Following art school, in my early 20’s and back home, my parents were kind enough to give me an extra room in the house for my drawing table and such. I probably did 100 commissioned, illustrated large portraits out of that little room. And I’ve had a cozy little in-home photography studio in our finished lower level here, for many years, until a year ago. But never….anything like this, that I’ve got coming.

Between Michael and I, we always have (all kinds of) projects going on. All over the house. And because I haven’t had a dedicated space, I have craft supplies stored all-over-the-house too. It is a wild-goose-chase to ever find what I need, when I need it. Let me show you just a glimpse of what I mean.
But before I do, TAKE NOTE: *In these photos below, I had already started pulling stuff out, sorting, throwing away, and packing stuff up – for the new studio in development. So these areas have never looked like this big mess, unless you looked behind the curtain into the closet or in the cabinets.

But anyhoo, this is one end of my former photography studio in the lower level of our home. You can see, one closet that’s been chock full. Those shelves were packed. So frustrating finding anything, or getting anything out. Much is already pulled out of the closet you see here, and on the floor and in bins now, not visible in the photo. Across from that closet, is 2 floor cabinets, with drawers, which have stored more craft supplies.

Another cabinet upstairs in in the corner of the school room by the back door, holds yet more supplies.

But wait…..there’s more….
Our cramped little laundry room on the mid-floor, has still-more-supplies.

And, there are various other little places around the house, where there are tools and whatnot.
So as I’m sure you have gathered with just this much observation, that there is great need, for ONE LARGE STUDIO, that is organized, functional, and inspiring, to do our thing.
Art is a huge and active part of our lives and work fields.

This space in the upper level of our home, is where the new art studio will be. There is mega natural-light, and it is 12′ x 22′. The ceilings are 8′ high. That’s great space!
So this is the view walking into the room.

It’s funny how this came to be. We have been trying to work on our unfinished house for the past 6 years. It’s been held up many times, due to finances, or lack of time. And then it was held up for a bit more, while we re-pondered our original plans, and the intent of each room in our home. The girls’ rooms have been done for quite some time, and I do plan on sharing those. But we realized that this one great big space that we had planned on making the boys’ room to share, would be of much wiser use, as the art studio that we desperately need. It would be much more appreciated and well-used, on a daily basis. Although it’ll be my studio, and I’ll be spending the most time in it, it will actually be a great space for all of us. It is such a grand space, that even Michael will be able to do his sign work in here as well. The boys will still get awesome rooms, but of their own. But much of this space, will be a new art studio. We’re back on track to finishing it now until it’s done. And it’s well on it’s way, as you can see.

The opposite end; which will actually be used for another purpose, and I will tell you more about that at another time.
I know none of these photos are pretty or exciting now – but they will be. Right now, it’s a matter of imagination. : )

The other side of the room, the long way.
On the left is the entry door.

Viewing from the end we first saw, back towards the entrance.

This wall, seen when you first come into the studio, is going to be great. The single window on the far right, is actually going to be replaced with a picture window, which we are removing from a side of the school room downstairs (which will become a wall.) We have regretted putting that window there downstairs. It looks out at nothing, gives us no natural light, and would be of more use and more attractive as a wall. Deciding we need one of these windows to be larger up here in the studio-to-be, gave us the perfect way to make use of the one we take out downstairs. However, even with the windows, it is going to be a very functional area to work, as well as have a whole lot of storage and work space

We are still in the planning stages as far as design and layout.
But here’s what I can tell you for sure:

It will be all white: walls, ceiling, table tops, shelving, cabinets, etc.
- There will be splashes of color everywhere, from the supplies, materials stored and organized, much out and accessible, as well as the artwork we create.
- It will have natural pine floors.
- It will have specialty lighting installed, for dark days, night-time work, and photography.

There will be:

A lot of flat working areas everywhere, for various needs.
An island block on wheels, with a large flat surface, cubby shelves on the sides, and additional storage inside.
Custom built storage spaces in various areas for specific supply-organization needs (paper, ribbon-spools, etc.)
An area specifically set up for photographing anything I need to.
A large, old drawing table.
Dedicated seating for the kids, to do their crafting, and sometimes, possibly their school work, too.

In this studio, designed correctly, here are some of the creative projects we’ll be able to do in here, and store all of the supplies/machinery to do them:

all illustration work
designing
crafting
scrapbooking and card-making
small furniture refinishing
sewing
sign-making
vinyl-work (large cutter/plotter
photography

. . . and more.

And here’s my man, who is making it all happen . . . . . .

If you follow us, you’ve seen he’s capable of some amazing carpentry work. One of his greatest builds I haven’t even shown you all yet. But I will in time. Nonetheless, he is capable of making this space into absolutely anything I want it to be. I couldn’t be more grateful. We’re a pretty good team too, and have a lot of fun bringing our little brainstorms to life. He works about 50-60 hours a week, so he works on our house when he has time. Usually the weekends. But it should move along now, I think.

I plan to document the progress of this studio, to share with you all. if you’d like to follow along. Not every little boring step, but a quick update here and there on how things have come along. We would love your input and ideas along the way! We know some of you have creative spaces of your own, as well, and we’re sure you have opinions and advice, that you could share with us.
I have already started a Pin board, just gathering some bits of ideas, options, and inspiration for storage and such. And my brainstorming is on over-drive. As always.

We’re all too excited! It’s not every day a childhood dream comes true.
And by the way, the re-pondering of our home and the rooms/space it offers, will be resulting in ‘Musical Rooms’ of sorts (like Musical Chairs, but Rooms), and some fun redecorating too.
So there is more room make-overs, besides this one, coming as well.
We hope you’ll enjoy following along with us, as we go.
Got any tips or ideas for us already? Let us know anything you’d like to say, in the comments!
And as always, thanks for coming by. : )

* * * * * *

Please come follow me here and there:

The House Of Joyful Noise Top 10 Projects of 2012 Countdown!

December 29, 2012 By Laura 1 Comment

The year of 2012 is coming to a close, and my-my-my, what an amazing and unpredictable year it has been for us! It truly taught us to have faith, and hold on for the ride! We are way excited for the coming new year of 2013, because we have some big (huge!) and exciting projects that we will be doing, documenting, and sharing, with you! In fact, many. But before we get to all of that, we thought it would be fun to just reflect on this past year, for which we are so grateful for. Both in regards to the blog, and ‘The Big Picture’ of our day to day family life. And THEN, have a little countdown of our most popular projects of the past year. Won’t that be fun? We think so. : )

But you are quite free to skip right down to Top 10 Countdown if it’s what you are most interested in!

Bloggin’-So what a year it has been, for our little (teeny-tiny) corner of the internet world, here! With my putting my photography business on hiatus, to focus more on my kiddos and their schooling, and having just that bit more of time to put into the blog with a bit more business approach too, it has grown more than ever. My goal this year has really been to just make any bit of income I could, to help out Michael, while putting what comes first in our life, first. While blogging hasn’t exactly raked in the piles of cash that my photography business did, it hasn’t been too bad. And it also hasn’t taken the huge amount of time away from my kids, their schooling. and our family as a whole either, the way my photography business really did. It was just very time-consuming, and took more people-skills than I truly had some days. I just wanted to keep doing what we do anyway, and blog a little more of it, and then put a little more into the marketing end of it, and see what happens. We’re happy with what has happened, and God-willing, it’ll keep growing. But we wouldn’t have gotten to this point this year, without you all. Your visits, interest, comments, sharing, and general support of our projects, have made it a joyful journey. It’s meant a whole lot to us. Yes, every once in awhile I do start talking about throwing in the blogging towel. There are just some difficult personal aspects of it that can be hard on the heart, at times. But whenever I start talking such smack about quitting, my husband and oldest daughter throw a little fit, and demand I keep it going. Not only is it our family blog, but inside, they know how much I enjoy the whole creative process of not only the projects that we do, but the photography and blogging of it all. And the connections we have built, with you. So, it’s been wonderful in that way.

Family-Life– Our year has really transformed over the course from beginning to end! In really wonderful ways. Michael has made the biggest changes, professionally, that has ultimately been the best thing for our whole family. It’s given us stability that we haven’t known, for many years. In all of our married years, Michael has pretty much soley focused on his truck lettering and sign-making business, as our main source of income. It’s a work field he has loved, and as a second-generation track letterer/sign-maker, it has meant a lot to him, to follow in his father’s footsteps. More than ever, since losing his father a couple of years ago. He wanted to be sure to keep his father’s trade alive. But the economy and the struggling businesses of many companies, really effected the business enough, that we were very much financially struggling. He toughed it out as long as he could. I never wanted to take that away from him. But it came to a point where he needed to put the fight for income aside, and do something else, to best provide for our family. To skip the details and make a long story short, he transitioned to working a full time salary job. WHAT’S MORE . . . Michael’s own business is still there! His clients, have remained loyal to him, and patient. They understand he has another full-time job now, and are willing to wait the few extra days, to get their trucks lettered and what-not. So all-around, Michael is very content. The financial stress is gone (because are needs are not that great, anyway), and the enjoyment of what he is doing, keeps him going. He is working more than ever, but to see him so relieved of the financial stress and worry, makes me feel a whole lot better, and gives him the drive of feeling so good about what he is doing.

Our children have really thrived this year. too. They have had some beautiful and amazing accomplishments, and it has been a true blessing and joy to watch them grow.
BUT, this post is long enough, with too much more to go. I know I never shut-up when it comes to my kiddos, so we’ll save some of that for another time. Shall we?

Let’s just get down to the projects that all of YOU, our readers and visitors, loved most! This countdown is based on the most page views. Not the most comments, or anything like that. Just sheer traffic that the project drew, from out there on the net. We’ll start with the 10th most popular, and count down to #1 project that drew the most hits this year!
Y’all ready for this?
(And if y’all have a song playin’ in your head now, you’re a lot like me! ; )

Here we go!

(*TIP- To see full posts, click on highlighted titles; not photos.)

10.
My Custom Built Farmhouse Home Office Desk
For sure, this is THE project I was most excited to share with you all, this year. Personally. It was nothing short of a little dream for me. And to be blessed with a husband who is so talented to whip out my greatest desires, is something I am thankful for every day. I think the fact that so many like me love anything farmish, and maybe some envy, is what made this such a popular project to be drawn to. But it’s the details, and the story behind all of it’s parts, that makes it so meaningful to me. Come to think of it, I still need to take a photo of it ‘in use’ now, for you all. *Note to Self: Do that.

* * * * * *

9.
Pinwheel Wreath / Tutorial and Decor
This was flat-out fun to create, and proved to be fun & cheery home decor in our sun room, through the spring and summer months.
You can make this too, with my easy to follow instructions, photos and tips.

* * * * * *

8.
Recipe for Apple Pie Pops
As I said in the post, this wasn’t even my recipe! I just needed to make them. I think it’s their cuteness that made this a popular visit.
But I did pretty much show you how to make them and give you the recipe.

* * * * * *

7.
A Snowman Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial
Now this is a fairly new project on the blog. And yet it’s #7! Again, cuteness is a powerful thing.
I had way too much fun making this. Like a kid, building a snowman! Minus the miserable cold.

* * * * * *

6.
Our Antique School Desks and Books

Well this wasn’t even a project, or anything we did! But as it turns out, old school desks are pretty heavily researched! Still, one of the desks we discussed was one of Michael’s when he was little, and it got pretty hilarious. One visit to the post and a quick scroll through the photos, will show you why. ; ) Goodness. It still makes me laugh.

* * * * * *
5.
Decorating with Autumn Leaves / Door Garland and Candle Jars
Not much to say, except that people loved it.
And that I’m beginning to feel like Casey Kasem.

* * * * * *
4.
Heart String’s / A Valentine’s Craft
I can tell you right now, how this one made the list. And it probably just made it the other day! It seemed to be shared by someone on some popular Slovakian Facebook Page, and that was it! It was fun reading the translations of the comments. But anyhoo, it was a whole lot of fun to make with the kiddos. Anything with melting crayons, is going to be fun. Taking photos of crayon shavings was also fun. We’ve saved this craft project and hung it up 2 years in a row, too! Hoping it’s still in good enough shape to give a 3rd.

* * * * * *
3.
Boys’ Hardware Accessories
This project was just playing around, and seeing what I could make for accessories, for my boys’. (Who do love accessories.) It seems I’m always making their little sister something, so it was their turn. I just brainstormed what might be boyish, and came up with hardware. I made them both jewelry and belts. Half the fun was photographing my little men, wearing what I made. Like a magazine shoot. Planning and setting up photo-shoots, and photographing such a wide range of things, is huge part of the thrill of blogging for me. Throw my kids in, and I’m a Mama having more than her share of fun! 😀 (You really need to visit the post, and see how handsome and boyish they were. ; )

* * * * * *
2.
Glass Tile Handmade Gifts / Necklace Pendants and Magnet Sets
I’ve gotten great traffic on this one, ever since I blogged it. Such a fun project. The key really is working with high quality white glass tiles. I have a great supplier, who I’m about to use again. I tried another, only because she had some kits I wanted to try. It was a huge mistake. The quality of the materials I was working with, didn’t come close. So if you do this, use my supplier, mentioned in the post. Check out the gorgeous pendants and magnet sets I made.

* * * * * *
and FINALLY…..OUR TOP MOST POPULAR PROJECT POST OF 2012 IS . . . . . .
. . . . . . just the craziest thing . . . . . . I mean, I loved the project and had a great time doing it but . . .
. . . . . .I don’t know that it’s the best thing we’ve done this whole year! Actually . . . . . .
this is a project I did all by myself. I DID put a whole lot of love into it. The funniest thing about it being #1 is . . . . .
the idea to blog it was not even a plan at first! It was just a special gift I wanted to make, and taking photos to blog it was an after-thought.
And POOF!! It’s a HOT ONE!!
The top-traffic project of the year IS . . .
.

.
1.
A Doodle Journal; Made with Love
This was a personal and customized gift, that I made for my God-Daughter. I happened to submit the blog post project to a (very popular) craft site, and the photo apparently intrigued people TO NO END. I still get traffic every day, from this baby. Who knew? I think deep inside, everyone loves doodling. Even if they say they don’t know how, WHICH is impossible. I promise you, everyone can doodle. Just pick up a pencil or pen, and let your tool of choice go crazy on paper. Frankly, it’s therapeutic. My mother was a chronic doodler. She even doodled on the cards and school projects us kids made for her. She truly couldn’t help herself. I find it great fun, and it really exercises the artist in us all. That’s why I wanted my God-Daughter to have this journal, to get her own DOODLE ON! And to express the beautiful little chickadee that she is. I hope she’s using it and enjoying it.

And THAT my friends, concludes this year’s countdown. Join us again next year, for another, if we’re still here. (Just going to roll with God’s plan, as always.) And if I do this countdown again. This was my first time ever. HOLY….that was a lot of work! I sure hope you enjoyed it! It took me just about all day! I think I’ll take the rest of the year off. ; )
Incidentally, I wanted to mention that the actual #2 spot, was our home page! That means just plain old visits to our blog, to check in if you know us, or see who we are if they don’t, and see what nonsense we’re all about. That’s good to know!

Thank you all so much! For being there for us, and digging what we do.
Now….who’s up for another year of this?

******

Please come follow me here and there:

“I Am Third” | A Wood Pallet Sign

December 5, 2012 By Laura 9 Comments

It’s always a great day, when I finally get something OUT of my head, and am able to find the time to bring it to life, and have it real and in front of me. It makes me happy because, there’s a whole lot in my head, that never (ever) gets out! I wish I could do all of the projects that I actually think of, but I have other joyful obligations too, than just being all artsy 24/7. So only a small percentage of my notions ever actually come to be.
I’m really glad this one did though, because it’s a meaningful one in our home.

The vision was a wood pallet sign. And we usually have no shortage of those, as this is what our driveway often looks like . . . . . .

. . . . and there’s more where those came from. Michael is able to get them from work by the load anytime. Many of them he chops up and we burn in our wood stove. Free wood is always good! But they are great for many other things too. And a pallet was perfect for my idea for the sign I wanted to make.

The theme of the sign is a phrase we are fond of in our family, and try to live by, and it is this:

I am third.
You may well guess all on your own.
Like all families with many kids, one of my tasks as a parent is to teach my children to always put God first, be compassionate of others, and make great efforts to be selfless whenever possible. Having triplets, you can imagine we’ve had many teachable moments and conversations about this kind of thing from toddler-hood on up, while encouraging them to share, and not grow with any kind of mindset that our own wants and needs should always or ever be first. That’s just not how we roll, as Christians. Of course, this philosophy of serving, goes far beyond the constraints of our family, and the walls of our home. It applies to our world and every day we live in it, and with all whom we interact with across the board, from absolute strangers, to acquaintances, to loved ones a part of our personal lives, and everyone in between whom we happen upon daily . I want that to stick with my kids, as they grow older in their faith, and take on this world, with all of their plans and dreams before them. It can only help, for each one of us to be reminded often.

And so with another an extra piece of plywood, some old extra nails we had on hand, and some paint and a brush, the pallet sign I saw in my head for so long, was created:

Because of the list form of my idea, I saw the pallet as the perfect material for the sign.
It was cut down to a size of about 20″ x 27″.

I wanted it kept as simple as possible. Rustic, raw, and straightforward. Sure, it may not always be easy to live the message.
But God always forgives us, and we always have the opportunity to keep on trying.
It is a simple concept to remember, in terms of the priorities we want to strive to serve in our life:
God
Others
Self

For some reason, I always saw it in this darker red. When it came time to paint, I stopped and considered other colors.
But I really needed to create it just as I had envisioned it for so long. Or else I could go crazy.

Michael hung it up the very same day. Right there where we all see it, again and again, every day. He loves it as much as I do.
I suppose others may come into our home, start to read it, and be a little perplexed. But one of the most cherished things about having a home to me, is making it a place that is meaningful to our family. It’s the little things, that are personal and of the heart, that make it feel like home. And this sign….. and all it says….it means something to us. It’s an awareness that we want to be reminded of, again and again. Not just the kids. But all of us. I know I can use such a gentle reminder, as often as anyone else.

There is lots more space on this particular wall in our open living space, up there with the clock. The wall is much bigger than it even appears in this photo, with the cathedral ceiling. We realize the sign is so flush left, and leaves the wall as a whole quite unbalanced. But we’re ok with that for now. Soon enough, the wall all around the clock will be filled with other things that mean something to us. Maybe more signs. Who knows. But we have no desire to rush these things, just to fill up and balance the wall. It’s what is hanging there, that matters to us.
All of the space? Well, that’s what I call inspiration. Like a blank sheet of lined paper, or a canvas. The possibilities are endless, and exciting.

The kids have really embraced the lesson, most days. But when they are together and it’s needed, because one, or some, or all are reverting back to looking out for themselves over little things, I like to remind them:
“If everyone put everyone else second, you’ll always actually be second, too! Not third. Right? So just be a good example.” ; )
I’m a tricky Mama. ; )

I wonder what I’ll be able to get out of my head, next.

* * * * * *

Please come follow me here and there:

Save

Amazon Affiliates