Home Decor Project

First of all: this is not my area. I like to scrap book. That is usually the extent of my craftiness.

Thanks to pinterest, I am being more crafty. Yesterday I saw this on pinterest:



Decided to make an H for the Henry household.
Bought:
Canvas
Paint
Buttons (most expensive item- try to catch them on sale instead of getting them same day bc you can't wait to be crafty!)
Thread (had some but wanted heavier)
Ribbon

And below is the progress:














I arranged buttons, superglued them so they would stay, then sewed them on. I wanted the sewing look and to make sure they would stay, but needed them to stay in place. I started off free sewing with out them glued and noticed I started getting crooked.

I could have ordered one for $60 on etsy, but instead made it a Rainy day project...

$30 supplies at hobby lobby
(have a lot of left over buttons bc they don't sell black by itself and I didn't wait for a sale)
And 3 hours of work (while also doing laundry and other projects while canvas dried)

I am getting craftier.. Started crocheting today.



Dog hat instead of human hat= need more practice!

Craftiness for His glory...

I finally went to ALDI

I admit it--- it's pretty great. I don't exactly how much I saved, but I know I won't have to shop for 2 weeks and only spent $100. We on average spend that much a week. So looking pretty beneficial. My experience also gave me a sweet reminder of China. All the grocery stores we went to there-- you have to use recycle bags or pay for some and you also have to bag it yourself after you check out at a counter. I will be returning....to say the least. Refer to Mary Rachel or Emily's ALDI blogs for the detailed lay out of ALDI. (not sure how to insert link from my phone)

Glorifying Christ in groceries....

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First Day

I knew tomorrow was my first day of teaching as a graduated, certified teacher. I started working about a month ago... Working on enrollment, supply orders, organizing, etc. I felt ready and prepared, when we got a few curve balls that put us down a student teacher and then temporarily down the director, too. We had undergrad orientation this week along with open house. They both went wonderfully. I am a teacher. That just really clicked a couple hours ago that I am a grown up. I am making money that pays for the water coming out of the faucet I just did dishes in. Even though I've been married and helping provide those things the past 2 years, it just became surreal and real for the first time. Not sure if any of that makes sense...
I'll never be rid of "first days of school" but this year I'm on the other side of the classroom door...

Glorifying Him in "first days"....

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news from the phone to the blog

A few things...
1- testing out the ability to post from the phone! Hopefully I will reflect more with the ability to blog anywhere.
2- listen to that first point in your head.... I am so overly blessed by the Lord and therefore over fortunate and "wealthy" compared to over 75% of this world. How can I ever complain about anything?! -- seriously! May we serve those around us and far from us, daily.
3- Korey, his stepdad Clint, and one of his best friends Jeff are finishing our month long project of a fence! We built it for our landlord and are excited for our dog (and maybe someday our first child) to have a yard to play in!
5- University Fellowship Church (our church) has moved onto campus in Stubbeman Village/Place. We are just west of the dorm towers. Our store front/room will be used as the church office and for anyone study/hangout. We'll also hopefully have a Wednesday night discussion group. Korey and I are excited to be a part of this extension with Andrew and Mary Rachel Fenrick and the rest of UFC.
4- working for OU in the fall is official! I am a mentor teacher full time at the OU Institute of Child Development (preschool on campus but open to anyone).


I am looking forward to meeting all the new children and families and reuniting with those from the spring!

Read this summer: Safely Home, Treasuring God in Our Traditions
Currently reading: Radical Together, 10 Things Every Minister's Wife Needs to Know, Fields of the Fatherless

Chief end of blogging, growing, working, reading... Glorify Christ.
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So it's been a while...

The Spring was full and busy...

--I was student teaching full time and taking the grad research class that goes along with it. I was first at Capitol Hill Elementary in Oklahoma City Public Schools. It was in a wonderful first grade class and loved every minute of it. I really wanted a job in that area. The second half I student taught at the Institute of Child Development on OU's campus that is part of our program. There I worked with 2-5 year olds and loved the variety, the flexibility, and the families. 

--During the job search and interviewing process, I found out about the need for a temporary Mentor teacher at OU's preschool. After praying about the new opportunity, Korey and I felt that having a job here in Norman that involves working with some really great people among other blessings would be the best thing for us this year. I'm very excited to be working there with such amazing staff and families. 

--Korey finished up his semester at Southwestern's extension at OBU. 

--Then we packed and headed to China for 6 weeks! God really blessed us with the opportunity to see what He was doing there already! We met some awesome people and hope to continue our relationships with them even though we are back in the states. I have pictures posted on facebook. 

--Korey was offered the opportunity to become staff at our church and be a part of our movement into the campus. The things that God has laid on the hearts of our church's leaders have been so biblical and true to why we are a part of that church. There was a reason God lead us to stay in Oklahoma and not move to Kentucky. I pray daily that the Lord would guide our steps and he sure is revealing some of his purpose for keeping us here.

--Korey and I have been married for two years... CRAZY!  Those two whole years we have had a roommate living in our back bedroom. This past weekend Jeff moved out :(  It is bitter-sweet. Korey and I are excited to be a married couple living alone, yet at times the house seems empty not having a good friend always hanging around. We are excited for Jeff though because he will be getting married to our great friend GinnyAnn on September 17!! I have to admit, turning that back bedroom into an office and ridding the living room of a computer desk and bookshelf has been nice. 

--I plan on trying to blog more. I am debating the phone app that will allow me to blog from it... thoughts?

Glorifying Christ as a married couple living alone...

Painting the Wall Purple

Life is too short for us to be planning out meticulous details to our lives. And since God is the one and only true planner of our lives, sometimes I ask myself, "Why are you trying so hard to take control of those petty details, Crystal!?" Recently I have felt rejuvenated by God's grace and promises, allowing myself to be more spontaneous.  Let me back up a few days. On Christmas Eve Eve Eve, we went to Chickasha to see the lights with some friends and just enjoy fellowship.

After the lights, we came back to our house to play some games. Korey and Jeff (our roommate) had been planning on rearranging the living room to get Jeff's TV to fit in there next to ours. Yes, I realize this is very bachelor-pad-esk, but wanted to allow the boys to do this the last few months Jeff lives with us and wanted the living room to get a good cleaning because of the rearranging. Well I knew this was coming soon and had slightly thought about painting one of the walls in the living room. So on Christmas Eve Eve, my friend Claire asks what I was up to and I just decided then and there that I was going to WalMart and I was going to look at paint colors to paint my wall. Claire met me there, we picked out a red color that we thought matched the living room. Got the paint, headed home. 

That was NOT the RED we wanted!!! So we went back to WalMart and as we pondered the array of paint samples, I asked, "Should I do it in purple!?" (Keep in mind, Korey is a huge Kansas State fan - whose colors are purple and white.) Claire and I decided it would look great with the red accents. I decided to do it, but needed a pillow that would tie the room together.  Found the perfect pillows that had the green of our recliner, goldish/brown of our couch, red curtains and decor, and purple for the wall. Here is our finished painted wall (minus the mirror, crosses, etc. that are now hung up) and the perfect pillows:

As Claire and I were painting, I would make comments... "Oh my gosh!" "Claire it's PURPLE!" "Oh my word, what am I doing?!"

She would reply with, "Keep painting Crystal!"

This was quite a spontaneous evening for me. Normally, I would find myself picking out samples and bringing them home. Consulting Korey, my mom, maybe even my Grandma and constantly questioning the color and the action. Well I decided to and painted the wall all in ONE day. It was thrilling, exhilarating, and enjoyable. I loved it. A few days later, Claire drove on the highway longer/further than she ever had and she felt that same exhilaration and thrill. She then said, "I'm painting my wall purple!!!!!!" Haha! It was great! She was being spontaneous and being a little unplanned! It was just a fantastic moment when we realized how great it was to do something that wasn't on the schedule! 

From now on, I will try to be more spontaneous and allow unplanned things to be enjoyable instead of burdensome.

Chief end of painting my wall purple, shall be to glorify Christ.