Guest Post: Tanya Payzant - Easter Centerpiece

Cathe Holden @
Just Something I Made

I think this might possibly be the sweetest centerpiece I have ever seen for Easter/Spring! What do you think? I've been so excited to show it to you all ever since I laid my eyes on it this winter on Cathe's blog. I know Easter isn't until the end of next month, but I wanted to give you some time to pick up some spoons, ribbon, flowers (silk ones would be good for many years). You can use fresh eggs, plastic, or colored boiled eggs that your children have helped you dye.

Grab any kind of glass jar from your recycle bag and bend 8-10 spoons (depending on the diameter of your jar) at a 90 degree angle. You can pick up some spoons for a great price at the Dollarama. Or perhaps you have a surplus in your kitchen already. Wrap a couple sturdy elastic bands around the jar and then begin putting the spoons under the elastics, one at a time. Tie a ribbon, to coordinate with your flowers, around the jar to cover the elastic bands. Add flowers - fresh or silk, and then lay an egg (well not literally) ;0) gently in the cup of each spoon.



Maybe you would prefer a candle to flowers. If so, use a jar that will hold the candle you have chosen and, because the jar is smaller you will not need as many spoons. A version of this will definitely be in the center of my table this spring. I love to create pretty tablescapes, and this centerpiece has sure given me a jump start on my Easter table!

Be sure and visit Cathe at the website link under the top picture!

. . . and ya know I want to hear if you make a centerpiece!!

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Guest Post: Tanya Payzant - Chalkboard Paint

I've been admiring all the creative things you can do with chalkboard paint in your home. Compiled here are some great pictures I've been finding on the internet. Using chalkboard paint creatively is a super cost effective winter project to get your creative juices pumping!!

www.decorpad.com
A unique way to keep track of all the pantry items you will need on your next grocery day.

www.instructables.com
Painting the top of a table with chalkboard paint.
What a neat idea for a child's bedroom, playroom,
or for a small table in your family room to play games on.
It would be perfect for a checker board, X's & O's, hangman etc.
In the summertime put the games table right out on your back deck!

I LOVE this idea. A chalkboard platter or plate.
This one looks like a piece of slate to me, but you could easily paint
an old wooden cutting board or platter for the same effect.
I've also seen small coasters painted with chalkboard paint.
You use chalk to print your name on the coaster.
That's great at a get-together, because you always know which drink is yours!

Love, love, love old doors and windows!

www.marthastewart.com
Isn't this calendar cool? You could do this in your back entry, or hallway.
Or make a much smaller version on a wall in your kitchen or computer room/family room.

www.annporter.wordpress.com
This idea would literally take minutes to complete.
Using painters tape, just tape off a square and paint it with chalkboard paint.
Voila! Now label all your grains, pasta's, or in my case. . . chocolate chips!!!!

www.thisblessednest.com
A menu board for your dining room. Watch yard sales for an old platter.

www.hiphostess.blogspot.com
You can purchase chalkboard paint in many colors, and hardware stores can tint your chalkboard paint to your color of preference!

Label your herb window garden.

Celebrate every season, and holiday in "chalkboard style"!

Where possible, I listed the blog or website where these pictures may be found.

Have you ever used chalkboard paint on a project?


Don't miss our special announcement NEXT WEEK!!!

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Guest Post: Tanya Payzant - Diaper Duty

I have a "Positively Splendid" idea to share with you today. Positively Splendid BLOG is sharing an "upcycling" idea. She has made these super neat, lined canvas bins out of the boxes that diapers come in. Aren't they classy! The size of the box is just perfect. You could color coordinate the fabric to a particular room. The ideas for storage are limited to your imagination. I can imagine storing: toys, footwear, books, seasonal decorations, movies, video games and accessories, linens, craft supplies, mittens & hats, children's school work, etc.

If you are like me, the winter months are usually the time that you spend sorting through the clutter that drives us all crazy. These bins are perfect for helping us store the clutter that continually gets in our way. It is beneficial to teach our children to put things back where they belong. In a child's room, or closet it would be helpful to put a picture of the items that are to be store in each box right on the front. That way they know exactly where to put away their own toys, shoes, etc.

Just click on Amy's blog link above for the step by step directions on how to create your own bins. I'd love to know if you try this out. I'm hoping to make some too.

One problem.

Diaper boxes. ;0) (I didn't even know diapers came in boxes!)

Let me know if you'd love to give me some!!

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Guest Post: Sharelyn Stone - Snow Much Fun

With the warmer weather this past weekend, it made the snow sticky and fantastic for snow sculpting. We had some family fun as we filled garbage buckets full of snow to make this giant sea monster.






For another snow fun idea, fill spray bottles with colored water, and let your kids paint the lawn. Just don't use yellow ;)

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Guest Post: Tanya Payzant - Some of my Best Friends are Flakes!

For years I found my house so empty when I took down the Christmas decorations. Then finally I got smart, and decided to use all my snowmen, snowflakes, sleds, skates, mittens, etc in my decorating for January and February. It is still winter, after all! They no longer get lost in the Christmas decor. . . they have a place of prominence in my home!! *wink* I LOVE snowmen and snowflakes and have collected some pretty cute ones over the years. Today if I drive down the street and see a leaning snowman on a front lawn, it still brings a smile to my face!

In celebration of my "flaky friends" I've been saving some cute ideas in a folder on my laptop. It's pretty obvious that I'm not the only one who thinks snowmen are so adorable. Look at these "sweet" ideas!!

Photo courtesy of Bakerella.

Have you seen her cake pops? Oh my!

Instructions for Marshmellow Snowmen

Fruit roll up scarves on these cuties!

Photo courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Fondant snowman

Super easy, "Donut Men!"

Break out that gingerbread man cookie cutter
that you thought you were finished with til next Christmas!!

Find out how to make these "Melting Snowman Cookies" here.

Oreo cookies dipped in white chocolate!! How easy is that?

Please post a comment if you try out one of these ideas. I'd love to know!

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Guest Post - Sharelyn Stone: Determined...

I was at Wal-mart this week, and finally bought myself a "jelly roll".

For those of you who are not familiar with a quilters jelly roll, it is a collection of co-ordinating fabrics pre-cut and rolled so neatly together and tied with a pretty ribbon. It really is hard to unroll it, since it looks so pretty.

I wasn't expecting to find time to use it so quickly, but the next day was a snow day, and the kids and I decided to sew. I untied the ribbon, to reveal my collection of fabric, and sewed this cute little bag while the kids made some bean bags.



I must admit, I am a project starter, and not really good at finishing them, so I was so pleased that I was determined to get it finished (and cleaned up) before Joe (my husband) came home from work.

In King's Pier this month our children are learning about determination. That is deciding it's worth it to finish what you've started.

God desires us to live our lives with determination too. He promises to give us the strength we need when we need it to finish what he has asked us to do.

So my challenge to you is to finish what you start... especially when it comes to doing what God says.

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Guest Post: Tanya Payzant - FREE Valentine Printables

February is going to be such a fun month. The children in our school district have two weeks off of school due to the fact that our city is hosting “The Canada Winter Games”.

The other highlight of this month is, of course, Valentine’s Day! Valentines Day is a day we can celebrate the love we have for our family and friends. Feeling that you are loved is a very important part of a healthy life.

Due to the fact that I’ve had LOTS of free time on my hands lately (that’s a story for another day), I’ve been checking out some sweet, free, printable ideas online. There are so many great ideas online: Valentine's cards, labels, note paper, cupcake picks, bar wrappers, computer desktop wallpaper, and much more!

"Paper Glitter" is offering these Valentine labels as well as the Cupcake Picks below.

Find these Valentine Cupcake Picks here.

Find this sweet Cherry Valentine Set here.

There are lots of free printable Valentine cards online as well. Look at these cute ones for children or adults. You will also want to go on the Living Locurto website. They have some awesome freebies as well as free downloads when you "like" them on Facebook.

I believe that sometimes we feel Valentine's are just for that one special person in our life. . . or that they are something children pass out to their classmates in elementary school. Lets show our family, friends, co-workers, that we love and care for them. That might mean a card in the mail, emailed or hand delivered . It might mean some cupcakes or muffins taken into work, or a phone call to a friend you haven't seen in ages. It might mean a random act of kindness to a complete stranger. This Valentine's day lets "spread the love around"!

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" John 13:14 NIV

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Waiting, Waiting, Waiting... by Jenn Fortune

"They" say that patience is a virtue. But having patience is hard.

Waiting for the phone to ring, the mail to come, the kettle to boil, all require a little patience.

I'm that person who always burns supper because I want to cook everything on high just to make it happen faster.

God is trying to teach me patience right now, by making me wait, and trust Him that it will all work out. It seems like every time I start to get frustrated with the waiting, God sends me a little reminder that He’s there, trust Him, be PATIENT.

Patience is hard, but knowing that God is looking after things makes it easier!

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass … Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” (Psalm 37:4,7)

What are you waiting for?

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Guest Post - Sharelyn Stone: Happy what?...

Happy Holy Days!

Do you know that’s what it used to be called?
Not Happy Holidays, but Happy Holy Days!

Days set apart for worshiping God.

I decided to look the word holiday up on Wikipedia, and here is what it said:
The word "holiday" comes from the Old English word hāligdæg. The word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation, as opposed to normal days off work or school. The word derived from the notion of "Holy Day", and gradually evolved to its current form.

So don’t be surprised if I wish you a “Happy Holy Day” this year.
Wish someone the same!

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Guest Post - Sharelyn Stone: Memories...

Several years ago my mom gave me a book called Christmas Memories.

It's a keepsake journal that has space to write about 10 different Christmas seasons.

There is a space to include a family photo, to record who you spent time with over the season, to record new traditions that your family has begun, list special gifts both given and received and to even record the food you enjoyed that year!

I've had my book for 5 years now, and it is really neat to read back over the pages and remember the different things we have done to help celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Maybe recording your memories could be a new tradition for some of you to begin, or maybe this would be the perfect gift idea for you to give.

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Guest Post - Sharelyn Stone: A Christmas book for the Family...

My oldest son and I are reading through the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. We are having such fun.

I purchased another book called “ROAR” to go along with. It’s called The Chrisitian Family Guide to the Chronicles of Narnia. The cost was only $0.99 and there is so much inside!

Each chapter of the series has a corresponding chapter in "ROAR", and it has wonderful insights. Definitions of unfamiliar words, grown-up thoughts, "did you know?" and "look it up". All really neat tools to help bring out the Christian content in the Narnia books.

If you have never read these books, pick one up and be swept away in the fantasy of Narnia. And, as "ROAR" says, “if you’ve already been to Narnia, it’s never too soon or too late to return.

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Guest Post - Sharelyn Stone: Advent

Each of the 4 Sunday's leading up to Christmas my family celebrates Advent. (my husband's name is Joe, and we have four children - Hannah, Noah, Oliver and Georgia)

We've done it for as long as I can remember.

We pour eggnog into tiny teacups, and eat 2 special cookies. One from Germany, and the other white chocolate dipped Oreo cookies.

With the lights turned off, we light our Advent candle, and have family time.

Since we're doing the Jesse tree this year (I wrote about this in an earlier post), we are reviewing all of the ornaments we placed on the tree that week and sharing what we love about God.

It’s one of my favorite traditions of Christmas.

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Guest Post - Sharelyn Stone: Nativity...

I love Nativity Scenes.

When I visit someone's house I'm always looking for their nativity.
Is it handmade? Store bought? A family keepsake, perhaps?

Over the last several Christmas's I've been receiving pieces from the Willow Tree Nativity. I love the simplicity of it.

Just like the gospel.
We’re sinners in need of a savior.
God loves us.
God sent His Son to save us.
All we need to do is believe.

It truly is that simple.

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Guest Post - Sharelyn Stone: Hectic or Holy?

I was recently listening to a broadcast. The title was "hectic or holy?"

With all the business that surrounds and can consume us at Christmas I ask you, is Christmas hectic or holy for you?

I'll have to be honest, it's been a little hectic for me this year.

Organizing costumes for a drama our church is presenting, drama rehearsals, cooking, shopping, cleaning, parenting, play group, homework, dog training... H E C T I C !

I must admit, I was not surprised when I woke up with a sore throat and headache. Since I've been so busy maybe this is God's way of making me take a quieter day.

I'm going to take some time today and remember what Christmas is really about.

God.
God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

Wow. That is HOLY!

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Guest Post: from the mind and keyboard of Sharelyn Stone

I love Christmas.
Shopping, baking, singing, sewing, eggnog, decorating… it all makes me smile on the inside.

With all the business that can come with Christmas preparations, I’m always conscience of making certain I keep Christ in Christmas. Which is why I want to share with you a new tradition, that we are starting as a family, this year.

It’s called a Jesse Tree. It’s a really fun way to teach kids about the Bible at Christmas. Each day we have an ornament that the kids color and then place on our Jesse Tree, along with a Bible passage that we read. Each ornament represents a Bible story, starting in Genesis all the way to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. I’m really excited about this great visual teaching opportunity.

Today’s ornament, Adam and Eve!

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