New Zebra print dry erase board

Above is the new Zebra Print dry erase board that I made my daughter. (Sorry I took pictures before I hung it on the wall)

The above picture shows how this project all started: with a framed picture that I had grown tired of. So I took the picture out of the frame, cut the picture out leaving the border (My picture and border was one piece)

Once the picture was out of the way, I got busy modge podging my Zebra print to the border, or mat. Once this was done, where the picture was I laid a piece of solid purple fabric behind the mat, and returned the whole thing to the frame. I decided that if my daughter was to use this as a dry erase board - it would need to be solid fabric so that her writing would show up on the board. However plain is so "boring" for a tween so the zebra printed mat would make it fun! I hot glued a zebra ribbon on the top edge of the Zebra Dry erase board and hot glued a dry erase marker to the other end of the ribbon - once it was hung on the wall.

**I did get this cute idea from another blog but for the life of me I can not seem to find which one, the zebra print, and color was my own. I apologize that I have not given someone due credit!!! Leave me a message and I will update my post.

Margins- having room for friends!

Margin is having more than what is needed. Once a week I try to report how I am doing, or what I am learning while trying to install, make room, or make adjustments in my life. This last week I have been thinking a lot about my girlfriends! Girlfriends are so important in life, yet they are just a portion of my life. One that can quickly be pushed aside if I am not careful to make sure that I make the time to connect with my girlfriends!

When I had small children (3 under the age of 5) I used to stay in touch with friends mainly by phone calls. I would keep track in my journal the friends I really wanted to stay in contact with and make it a goal that once every 2 weeks I would take the time, to reach out and "touch someone" verbally by placing a call. That meant scheduling!!! All my kids had to go down for naps by a certain time, my cordless phone had to be charged, and I needed use the restroom, and pour myself a large glass of Diet Coke, all before I could make my self comfortable and kick back to a fun conversation.

I also joined a bunko group - it is amazing how quickly a month can fly by when you are so busy chasing little or big kiddos around. (Don't believe me, mark something down on the calendar then try to accurately guess how long it has been since you have seen so and so, or went out to eat alone with your hubby - that is unless you have a standing date already set!)

Now days my kids are older, but I am still in a moms group (One of the most important things I ever did for myself. Scheduled, standing date for a mom, to have a few hours a month off really helps recharge mom's batteries!). I stay in contact also through facebook, as well as the mom's in my mom's group here in town meet for coffee once a week! (That means keeping the schedule open 90% of the time, as well as $5.00 a week in the budget for this outing!) However I am convinced all this purpose full set time is so important!!!

One of my favorite quotes is "Remember, the greates tgift is not found in a store or under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends" by Cindy Lee. Ophrah has said often (back when I used to watch her show) that forgiveness is a gift we give our self. But I believe a friend is a gift we give our self as well! Have you given yourself any gifts lately??????

HotPrints are Sweet!!!

I just got my free Hot Books by Hotprints yesterday!!! Isn't it cute - looks just like a magazine! My book theme was Halloween (yes, they have other themes!) Here is a picture of the inside:

I use my Facebook account, you can search "Hotprints" under applications and it will pull this awesome app up that allows you to pick your theme, and use the pictures you have uploaded to an album on Facebook to make a cute Photobook.
Hot prints allows you to receive a free Hot Book a month. (yes, free no shipping even!) If you decide you are making a really cute album, and a girlfriend, or grandparent needs a copy of it as well - it is only $3.99 for additional prints. How fun is that!!! Check it out!!!

What I love

I want to thank my "Blog" friend, and my IRL friend Jonni over at That's Baloney! For giving me this award!

Well I have to tell you 1o things that I love (I feel like Ophah doing her favorite things show!)

1. I love my God, who is so awesome that he gives Grace freely and loves imperfect, weak, shallow little me!!!

"My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" 2 Corinthians 12:9

2. I love My hubby! Brent is my best friend, a wonderful father, and the person that makes me laugh the most!

3. I love my girls! I have three daughters, and life is never boring, and never without estrogen or a little drama around my house! I do tease and say "It is really hard to be the Queen around here when everyone is trying to borrow your tiara!"

4. I love My Girlfriends!!!! Life would be soo boring without them! I have such a good group of friends (and they do not even all know each other). I have Wendy who is my encourager, and my Fun Friend!!! The friend I would want to go grab a drink with anytime! She is a positive, sweet friend that God has blessed me with (everyone who meets her just loves her!)!! I have Jayna who is my coupon Diva and funny friend who can always make me laugh!!! I have Heidi who keeps me on my toes! I have Jonni who is the Hostess with the mostess and always inspires me, (she does the neatest coolest things, and finds the coolest things!) and she always includes me. We have so many common interest, conversation is never boring! I have Kerry and Amy W who are my sexy friends who always remind me that I am a woman, and I need to focus on myself -after all even an old barn looks good with a little paint! Shannon who knows me when...(Scary thought I know!), Katie my prayer warrior friend, Doesn't everybody needs someone else they can go to with a prayer request and know that their friend will really pray for them! Danetta who is my newbie friend who can just come over, and drink a glass of wine with me on my front porch! and My mom who knows me well and loves me enough to boss me around! Here is a picture of Kerry and Wendy from Jonni's Halloween party:

5. A good book!!! I love to curl up with a blankie in my favorite chair and read (some of my favorites are "The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Society", "The Little lady Agency", and the "kill Artist" and the Twilight series - I read a diversity of books!)

6. Crafts - I love the sense of accomplishment you get from finishing something!

7. Having friends over at my house, where you can kick your shoes off and there is no closing time!!! Here is a picture of one such get together:

8. Laughing- you notice all my friends make me laugh, and so does my husband... humm... a common theme!

9. A good movie (one I want to see over and over and never get bored with: "It's a wonderful life" , "Momma Mia", and "Pride and Prejudice", and yes even cheesy Twilight) Here is a picture of Jonni and I at the movies, can you guess which one?

10. What life could be complete without Chocolate and Coke Zero!!!!

Those are 10 things I love and would not want to live life without them.
It is now time to spread the love!!! I am passing this award on to the following bloggers:

* C'estLa Belle Vie

* Sweet Tea

My journey in adding margin to my life....

The word "Margin" is my word for 2010. It is a theme I have selected to try to add to my life- To have "more" of what is necessary to have "extra". Extra time, Extra $ in the budget, with the extra time you can choose to spend time with your spouse and with my children, extra time to do things that bring me enjoyment, extra $ so I do not worry about life, but also extra $ so that I can help others, All those "Extra" were my goal. However God has showed me that having "Extra" time, allows me to be able to pour myself out into other people who are not my spouse and daughters.

Sometimes your "Extra" time can bless others!!! I love Motherhood, I think Mom's are so very important. We have a tough job!!!!! One of my favorite quotes is from "Mom Matters" by Jane Jarrell. "As wives and mothers, we set the tone for our home. We are in the business of growing hearts while preventing damage from weeds the world blows in out garden." Does that not just sum up girlfriends, what we are trying to do!

My life has hit a new phase, all my girls are in school full time this year, and my husband and I have decided that I will continue to stay home. Just because my kids are no longer at home August-May for 7 hours, I still have laundry, a house to clean, food to buy, and meals to cook. However I recognize I have the ability to do this without a baby on my hip. My children when the come from school can talk in complete sentence and we have great conversations. But I remember the days when I had 3 under the age of 5, when I got happy the first song that came into my head to hum was the theme song to Dora (a kids cartoon), when I was learning to parent, had self doubt about everything, struggled with being lonely with no adult to talk to during the day until my husband came home. Now don't get me wrong I would not have traded those precious days for anything!!!! However I was blessed to have my mom live around the block from me, who would call me, stop by and help me, bless me with little inexpensive surprises (like a cherry limeade from sonic in the middle of the day) how helpful was that!!!

Well God has placed in my life 3 young ladies who have small children and no family members who live close to them, who are in the middle of this stage in life. Through a conversation we had the other day God literally turned the light bulb on in my head and said "Amy, here is a mom who needs encouragement, a mom you could give some of your extra time" What that means to me, is that I need to stay on schedule, not get behind, not to just use "my extra time" on me, (what my life not to be centered just around me?!? Shocking I know!!) Place things in priority. Then I will have extra time for others. This is a balancing act that I have to lean on God so that I can bless others with the extra margin of time that I work on having in my life.
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I have also struggled with and currently still work with trying to keep the house clean and orderly so that my girls can have friends over, and when the opportunity presents itself that I can say "sure,\" yes". I have also had to work on letting go of just getting my house perfect, smelling fresh, everything in it's place and be open to letting a group of middle school, and elementary kids who smell like sweaty puppies come in and take over the game room, eat and drink food that might get spilt on the carpet, things might get knocked over and broken, However we can allow others to be blessed in our home. Loving other people like Christ calls us to, really is messy, and takes time.

Who has God called you to bless? Where can you carve out extra time from your schedule? Or maybe your like me, you really have been blessed with time, but maybe you need to get on a schedule . So that you might have time to bless others. Or learn to live with a little mess so that you can love others. I encourage everyone to get messy loving and encouraging those that God has placed in your life, you might as well have fun doing it! Life is short!