Etch a sketch.

As of late, the weather in my town has been quite muggy and cloudy. My natural instinct for less sunny weather is to create! I decided to show you all how to create your very own custom glasses or tumblers with a simple glass etch. 

All you'll need is a glass, tape, scissors, craft knife, printed out image, glass paint, sticker paper (I got mine at dollarama in the office section, just find any sticky paper.)

Take your printed image and tape it to your sticker paper. Then take your knife and start cutting our your stencil.

Next, take your sticky paper and apply it to the glass. Then, take a stencil paint brush and your glass paint and begin dabbing your paint on. Tip: use a very minimal amount of paint to ensure it looks like an etch and not messy.

Finally, peel off the sticker paper and reveal your stencilled image!

There you have it. Your very own glass etch. Enjoy!

Summer Blessings

This summer has been different than most. My "normal" had to be shifted. Opposed to what I had previously done for the past 6 years, working at camp, I got a hourly wage job, I was able to be home and sleep in my own bed every night and I had to figure out how to make time for God. In all of this I have found joy. Knowing that I can still babysit 3 beautiful girls every week, I can see my best friend every day of the week and I can go for a run whenever I need to. I have found a new norm and I have come to a realization that its not such a bad thing. It's different but I am thankful for how God has brought joy into my summer.

If only Matthew Cuthberg was peeking around the corner...

All you need is a little chalk.

I recently have been searching the inter webs to find inspiration for my new dorm room that I will be moving into in the next few weeks. I came upon this cute little chalkboard banner and naturally, thought I could make it. I guess it's the mennonite in me. And it was a success, so I thought I would share it with all you lovelies how to make an inexpensive home decor piece that you can customize to your personal style, just with a little chalk.

This craft is very inexpensive. The only thing you will have to buy is some chalkboard paint which is a great investment. The rest, you can find in your home:

 cardboard.paint brush. triangle template. string.

Step 1. Begin by tracing out triangles with your template onto the cardboard.

Step 2: Take your chalkboard paint and start painting your triangles. (I went for 2 coats of paint)

Step 3: Once the triangles are dry, just use a hole punch to make 2 small holes in the 2 corners of the cardboard. If you don't have a hole punch you can always puncture the cardboard with a scissor or craft knife.

Step 4: Weave your twine or string through the holes you made with your hole punch.

Tip: Your triangles may start to curl up, just stick them under an old phone book and they will be good to go in a couple hours.

And there you have it! Your very own banner that you can make your own and can switch up for every season. I hope you had fun making this and if you didn't because you didn't want to spend money on chalkboard paint, I will let you know you will be disappointed. It's probably the best decision you will make.

A Little Tunnel of Hope.

I would be lying to you if I said that "nothing much" was going on in my life this past month. Summer has been a whirlwind of excitement, stress, anxiety, happiness and any other emotion one human being must feel. With all of these emotions, change has come up in my cranium more than once. 

Change #1 - My beautiful nephew was born. Asher Milo. He is the cutest. I know a lot of people say newborns are cute but that's only because there biased. But seriously. This kid is actually the cutest.

Change #2 - I finished a massive chapter of my life. High school! I got through what's said to be the most "life-changing" time in my life. Alright. I think I can handle life. Right? 

Change #3 - Moving. I am in the transition of moving to a completely different province where I only know people by their profile picture. Not only is picking what clothes to bring along a struggle but I have to basically make a new life for myself. 

Ok so that may just have sounded like a bunch of gibberish and natural emotions of any 18 year old girl moving away from home. But I do have a climax to all this mess. I looked up this scary and foreign word of change and found out the literal meaning. To pass gradually into. Here's the rub. God gives us this verb called change and says to gradually pass into it.  I feel through this crazy roller coaster of change and emotions there is hope. A hope that I will make it to the end of this ride and still be holding onto His hand.  

through the eyes of Button.

What would  she see? A jovial world full of happy times and good memories? Perhaps her mama laughing and talking about how beautiful her little girl was and is? Maybe her auntie's are telling their friends about every little quirk their gorgeous niece has? Though these are all little snippets into our lives, I think she would also see a other side to our lives. A side where there was pain and suffering but I think she would understand and see hope in that.

She looks down. On the left, her mommy holding that cream, white blanket in her arms so tightly. Daddy in the boat at dawn sitting in anticipation for a bite. Auntie Jenni sitting by the window moving the paintbrush ever so slightly to create a masterpiece. Her eyes move towards the left as she notices Nanny sewing a little pair of baby mittens with such a grandma's touch. Papa in the kitchen walking back and fourth thinking and pondering. Auntie Picky, in the gym, hitting the ball with determination and a stubbornness. Auntie Kristen, working with fast hands as she continues to explore her passion of coffee. 

All these things are commonly known to be day to day life, but what she notices is a sense of longing for answers. She sees curious hearts and minds. They anticipate. The crave. They want. 

Looking through the eyes of wise, little Quinn makes me realize what my life looks like and what it needs to be. My life is a place of wisdom, creativity and questioning. I have been reselling with the question of what a Christian should look like and though I do not fully have this question answered, I have come to the conclusion that as Christians it's okay to question God and ask questions. 

Even though holidays like this one, can bring back a lot of unsorted and dark feelings, I am thankful for them. I am thankful for how He gives us curious hearts. Never wanting to stop learning more about Him. 

And because I don't get to say it nearly enough, I'm thankful for you, Button.

I mustache you a question...

     

         

 Today was a day for a mustache. I felt inspired by the horrific mustaches that men sport and so naturally I felt the need to make a shirt with a mustache on it? This logic does not make any sense but what my afternoon consisted of making a wonderful casual mustache graphic tee. I hope you all enjoy my afternoon as much as I did. 

1. First you will need your supplies to make your wonderful mustache shirt. 

Materials: 

-T-shirt

-Scissors

-mustache template

-paint (fabric will work better than acrylic but its all I had)

-Pin 

2. Take the mustache template and simply trace the mustache onto the t-shirt where ever you would like. I used pins to place in but this is optional. 

3. Start painting your mustache in with whatever colour you would like. I used a foam brush.

4. Shape your shirt. I decided to make my shirt somewhat of a crop top. I also rolled up the sleeves and sewed them for a more polished look. 

And that's it! I hope you came on

 the adventure with me to creating

 your wonderful graphic tee!

 

                           

The "Christmas" in all of this...

Having a holly jolly Christmas is not a command that is easy to fulfill. The last year has not been the most holly and jolly. I really have been trying to figure out how to celebrate the holidays during the most hard time of my life. I have felt like a person that missed the subway and stands there while the train whizzes by.

Grieving is like a bird. Even though birds are unexpected and inconsistent, they have a quite peace about them. Just like birds, I have learned grieving has the same characteristics. From the unknown, to the peacefulness.

 I think I am finally realizing the meaning of Christmas.  I usually associate Christmas with gifts and stressful time. I am realizing how peaceful it can be. Through the stress and sadness there is peace. Even though Christmas is not that jolly this year, I can hang on to the hope.

Maybe no one will read this, but I want to remember this feeling and never forget my sweet button. Love you Quinny.