Mamas*Little*Treasures

Ruby for Women, April, 2011

Open publication - Free publishing - More crafts

This Mama Bird is Feathering Her Nest . . . . Again

There's just something about springtime that makes me want to fix things up around here. This is the time of year that I love to wash the windows and curtains, rake up all the left over debris that landed in our yard during the blizzard winds of winter, and clean out the garage. Not that I just love doing those things   ;o) but having them done is well worth all the hard work that makes it all happen. But, since the weather is still not acting very spring-like, I decided to finish up an inside project that I had wanted to do this winter and just hadn't gotten around to yet.

Although the sun is shining out my living room window, and we have even planted our tomato and dahlia seeds for the girls' 4H projects, it is still just a bit too chilly out there to get me motivated to pull the rake out of the corner of the garage. So, this weekend we pulled all the furniture into the middle of the living room and started the process of preparing the walls for a new coat of paint. Now, if you read about my painting adventure last fall when we redecorated the dining room, you know that we live in a rather small house on a lake . . .  but it is not a fancy "lakefront home." It is a cute little double-wide manufactured home (known as "Hoosier Huts" here in northern Indiana), that is set across the road from the lake with a charming wooded area in our back yard, a cornfield on one side and our really LARGE garage on the other side. So, I have a few challenges to work with, but these days I think we should all be grateful to have a house at all, so I'm not complaining!

Because this is a "Hoosier Hut" (if you know what I mean!), we have those strips along the walls where the edges of the wallboard come together - so I got out my little thingy that I can wedge in between the wall and the strip, and yanked all those yucky, ugly things out of there. Then, I got out a can of joint compound and slapped a bunch of it on all of those cracks in the wall and smoothed it all down as much as possible. Let it all dry overnight, and then took my sanding blocks and tackled those blotchy patches of gray. We had a respirator out in the garage, so my sweet hubby insisted that I wear it while I was sanding all that stuff off the wall. I looked like a martian (well, at least I looked like some depictions I've seen of martians), and there was gray dust flying all over the living room. Got it done, and then we vacuumed up all the dust with the shop vac.

Then it was finally time to start painting! I had chosen a shade of brownish gray that matches the border that I picked out, to complement the border that I put in the dining room. It is rather a dark shade for such a small house, but the other day when we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house, I saw their recent paint job using a dark green. It was beautiful! But they only put it on one wall, so I'm still not sure I want the whole room painted that darkish shade of brown / gray. It is really a pretty color but it just might be too much for the entire room. I'm thinking of just painting the bottom half of the walls in the darker color, and then getting a lighter shade of the same color for the top half, with the border in between. I think I need to be kind of creative to fix up this little house!

Once I get this project finished, and if the weather warms up in the next week or so, I am so ready to get going on some yard projects. One of the things that I want to try this spring is learning about rose bushes and planting a couple out here. We have great soil (we are right in the middle of farm country, with that corn field right on the west end of our house) so I just need to do a little research to see what else rose bushes need. We're also planning on a small vegetable garden, and I'm really looking forward to creating a few perennial garden areas around our house. I had perennial gardens all around our house in Michigan that I had worked on for almost 20 years, but now I'm starting all over with my gardening adventures. We have some shade and some sun, so that will be a new gardening experience for me. In our yard in Michigan, we had almost all shade so I got to be quite familiar with the plants that would do well in the shade.

But until then, I've definitely got plenty to keep me busy with painting the living room. If I can save up a little bit here and there, we might even be able to replace the carpeting later this summer. You know, I guess you don't have to live in a mansion to fix up your little corner of the world. And since this is where we live right now, I'm pretty sure that it's a good thing to bring some sunshine into our home. I just keep reminding myself when I think about everything that our girls don't have . . . . I grew up in a house smaller than this one, and I survived! I guess they will, too   ;o) 

Have a great Monday!

~~ Nina

 

Washing Windows on a Sunny Spring Day

I've never been able to explain it . . . . but there is just something about the sunshine, a fresh spring breeze, and the beauty of creation on a day like today that always makes me want to wash windows.  It just somehow makes me feel hopeful, optimistic, and generally peaceful to see freshly washed windows sparkling in the sunshine.  The problem is, that I then begin to see all of the OTHER projects that need my attention, and if I'm not careful, I will spend my whole day washing everything in sight.  Including the kids (and the dog, if we had one!). 

 

It suddenly becomes so obvious that the deck needs to be washed down, the flower beds need to be raked, the cob webs and other junk that has accumulated up under the eaves . . . . all need to be taken care of.  And since I've always believed that I am, in fact, Wonder Woman, I once again become delusional and think that I can get it all done - today.  You would think that at my age, I would have come to the realization that I am NOT Wonder Woman, and it probably will take me more than one afternoon to get all of this taken care of.  But I can dream, can't I?  Except that''s not particularly productive, so instead of thinking about all of the things I SHOULD be doing, I decided to take a break, get another cup of coffee and make a list.  I know, I know . . . . I always put way too many things on my list, and then when I get everything on the list accomplished except for that one, last thing, I am disappointed.  I feel like I wasted a perfectly gorgeous spring day because I didn't get that one thing finished. 

I think I've already told you that I'm neurotic, but so is everyone else in one way or another . . . . so maybe you don't wash windows in the sunshine, but I'll bet there is something else that you do that never even crosses my mind.  That's OK, because at least we aren't psychotic, at least that's what the therapist always said  ;o)   So, now I have my list and I have to talk to myself quite sternly about getting discouraged because the list is so long.  Let's divide that list up and see if I can spread those tasks out over the next few weeks.  You know, painting and planting a garden actually do take more than a few minutes, even for the real Wonder Woman. 

This is such a joyful time of year!  Easter has always been my favorite holiday . . . . . without all of the hustle and bustle of the Christmas holiday, I can actually focus on the real significance of this celebration.  Remembering the gift of salvation that is free for everyone who simply accepts that gift.  And the overwhelming sense of gratitude for God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness makes every day a celebration of lfe.  Even during the tough times of struggle.  That's why I'm working on a Gratitude Journal - it is a tangible expression of my heart-felt thankfulness for everything . . . . everything . . . . including the dark and difficult times.  Because I have lived long enough to see how God can take the most painful, wasted, and damaged years of my life and make something truly beautiful of it all for His glory. 

So this time the journal will be all about the brokenness, the shattered dreams, the confusion, the hopelessness, and the dark places that we usually don't discuss, even in our personal journals.  This is my Journal Through the Darkness.  So that I can remember to be thankful, even for the pain and heartbreak.  Want to join me?  I'll be posting pictures here of my progress, and I would love to hear from you if you want to take this journey together.  Have a great Wednesday, Nina

Feathering Your Nest: A fun spring home decor project

Now that I have finally finished editing the spring issue of Ruby for Women, I can work on my next ebook.  I had so much fun with the writing and editing project that I just couldn't quite let it go . . . . I just kept going back over it and over it, and of course every time I went through it again, I would find one more tiny, little thing that needed to be corrected.  OK, so I admit I have perfectionistic tendencies! 

That's the bad news, but it is also the good news, because once it is finally finished, whatever I am working on usually looks pretty good.  But there comes a time when you have to let it go, decide that it is "finished," and not stress about whether there might be ONE more tiny flaw that was missed.  But even after I felt the document was as close to "perfect' as I was going to make it, then I had a new problem to solve.  Which is one of the things at the top of my TO DO list for today. 

Apparently the PDF creator that I am using (it really is old, and I need to update it) causes the pages to load so slowly that it makes you crazy if you are trying actually to read what is in the magazine.  That's not a good thing!  After all, lots of people have worked very hard to write and edit all of these articles, photos, devotionals, tutorials, puzzles, and recipes . . . . now is NOT the time for a technological glitch to cancel out all of the fun stuff that is available.  So, first thing I will be doing is checking out a few other alternatives, see if I can update my Adobe creator, and hope that helps.  It did help to find a different PDF viewer, but I don't think that will work for everyone.  I need to go right back to the original document and figure out a better way to convert to PDF. 

The thing is, I really have other projects that I need to move on to this week.  So I'll just say a little prayer that my brain will function efficiently, and that I will be able to solve THIS problem so that I can move on to the next event on my schedule.  If I can get that problem solved, I wanted to finish up this ebook pattern this week:  "Dolly Dresses Wall Hanging."  I made this sweet little decoration for Annie's bedroom when we painted it last year, and then I also sold one in my Etsy shop.   I really want to try to make up a similar version of this wall hanging in a variety of colors and styles. 

It would be really cute made up as a baseball jersey, either for a boy or a girl, with the name and number of our budding athletes.  It could also be made up as a ballerina tutu for a tiny ballerina, or it could even be created in bold colors with a few feathers and a little bling for our favorite teenage diva.  Or your sister, cousin, aunt, mom, grandma . . . . all in fabrics and trims that would reflect each individual person in your life who deserves a bit of celebration.  For now, however, I'll just finish up the ebook with this design, and then work on making a few different ones later this week.  But whatever design you might want to use, the same technique will work! 

So if you want to give this project a try, just leave me a comment and I'll send the ebook out to you by the end of the week.  It shouldn't take me all week to figure out this silly Adobe program!  Have a great Monday, and don't forget to check out Ruby for Women . . . . . . you can purchase a subscription here or you can buy a single issue here.  Also, be sure to let me know if you want to join Team Ruby for Operation Pillowcase.  We'll be sending at least 25 pillowcases to our troops in Afghanistan.  This is just one small way we can say Thank You for all that they do to keep us safe.  I'll be posting more about that project later this week, so let me know if you want to join the team! ~~ Nina

Confessions of a Crazy Housewife

OK I'll admit it.  I'm a control freak.  There, I've said it.  And I meant it.  And I'm really weary of trying to defend myself for not being a messy housekeeper.  What is it about being "too tidy" that deserves all this guilt???  One day I had a neighbor knock on my door, and when I opened the door, he took one peek over my shoulder and said, "Oh!  I could never come in to to visit you . . . . your house is too clean!"  And then he laughed.  But I wondered, how would it work if I said to you that I couldn't come into your house because it was too dirty?  We would never say that to someone, but for some reason it seemed perfectly normal to tell me that my house was too clean.  Does that make me a crazy housewife? 

Last time I checked, most of those ladies magazines you see while waiting in the check-out lane at the grocery store still have articles with titles like, "How to Clean Your Whole House in 20 Minutes," or "27 Ways to Keep Your Bathroom Smelling Fresh as a Daisy."  Did I miss something?  Perhaps I just haven't seen the magazines with articles that help us all figure out "How to Completely Trash Your House in a Half-Hour," or "99 Ideas for Shoveling More Junk into Your Garage."  We all know how to do THAT!  Houses just seem to take on a life of their own, and messes pop up overnight while we are sleeping.  Especially if we have kids.  So, "messy" is the normal,  natural condition of most houses, apartments, condominiums, cottages, cabins, and tents.  No matter where you live, or who you are.  And for those who are comfortable with a lot of clutter (think of those TV shows about people who are hoarders of "stuff"), or even feel safer surrounded by tons of worthless junk . . . I'm good with that. 

But I really don't see why I should be considered rather strange because I DON'T like to live like that.  As if I am somehow denying someone their God-given right to be sloppy.  So, I kind of feel better when the trash is taken out, the dishes are clean, the laundry is washed, the floors are swept, and the beds are made.  And if that makes me a "control freak," then I guess if that's my worst fault, can't be all bad.  But what, really, is a "control freak"?  I truly have absolutely no interest in being in charge of anyone else's life.  I've got enough to deal with in my own life, and can just barely manage to control all of the things in my life that I am responsible to control.  So is "control" a bad thing? 

Again, take a peek at some of the self-help books that reach out and grab you as you walk by.  "Boundaries:  How to say No Without Feeling Guilty."  "Monster Lies:  A Woman's Guide to Controlling Her Destiny."  "Inner Peace for Busy Women:  Balancing Work, Family, and Your Inner Life."  Or how about, "Your Truest Self: Embracing the Woman You Are Meant to Be."  Sounds to me like there are one or two women out there who wish they had a bit MORE control in their lives. 

There's a big difference between a healthy desire to have our own lives and surroundings under control and running around like a busy-body telling everyone else how to live.  Of course, there are never any guarantees.  Life happens, most unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye.  Without any warning, tragedy can strike.  But that is very different from those things in life that can legitimately be "under control."  I've always thought that it might be a good idea to control the things that CAN be controlled, so that when something comes along and smacks me upside the head that is completely out of my control, I will be better able to cope with it.  I could be wrong about that, though. 

But here's an example of what I mean:  I can't control what might happen if I drive innocently through a green light and a crazy driver runs a red light and broadsides my car.  But I CAN control whether or not I have insurance on my car.  That might or might not help me.  But at least I tried.  Just like I can't control it if I get a call from school that my 1st grader is suddenly screaming in pain and curled up in a fetal position on the floor of the principal's office.  But I CAN control whether or not I have gas in the car so that I can fly out the door, jump in the car, and get to the school in three minutes instead of 20 minutes because I had to stop for gas.  Simple things like that. 

Which gets me back to being a "control freak."  I'm not responsible for keeping my house tidy and orderly because someone might stop by and think . . . . what?  They might think I'm a "neat freak"?  I no longer care about THAT!  But the reason I am responsible to take care of my home (no matter what the neighbors or anyone else thinks) is because it is the home that God has provided for our family and I care for our possessions with respect.  Just because.  And also I feel some level of responsibility to care for our home and keep things tidy and orderly is so that no one dies.  Let me explain.  If you walk into my house and trip over a roller skate or slip on a banana peel, you might sue me.  And even if you don't, you could get hurt and since you are probably someone that I like, I would want to see you in pain. 

In addition, one thing that I HATE just about more than anything else in life is wasting time.  Do you know how much time the average family wastes just looking for stuff?  Or how much money does the average family spend on purchasing stuff that they already have but just can't find in the chaos of their home?  I don't know, either, but if I was a betting person, I'd bet that it's a LOT!  And the final reason that I try to keep my house "under control" (and frequently fail, but I do give a my best shot), is that it keeps me sane.  Really?  Wonder whose idea that was.  Well, crazy or not, at least I'm not a "desperate" housewife, just a rather neurotic "neat freak" who believes that children and husbands' really are healthier and happier when there aren't bugs in their beds and critters in their corn flakes.  Call me crazy.  I'm used to it.

Get out your matches and let's go!

“Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion.
You must set yourself on fire.”  

~~ by Arnold Glasgow ~~

 

Most of us would like to be successful.  But we probably all have different aspirations and thus, different ideas of what "success" would look like.  We have the notions of "success" hurled in our direction daily through the media:  tabloids, glitzy glamour magazines, billboards, television, radio, and the internet.  "Make more money!", "Lose more weight!", "Buy the latest fashions!", or "Be the star of your own reality show!" all give us ideas about what we need to do to be successful.  Seems to me that all of this just wears us out, because most of us will never fit that definition of "success." 

    So, it's no wonder we need to be pro-active with all of this "success" stuff; we're so exhausted from trying to sort out all of the voices screaming at us, that there will never be "spontaneous combustion" in our lives, for this or any other goal we might want to achieve.  My mama always used to tell me when I was a little girl:  "First you work, and THEN you play!"  And she meant business   ;o)  You know, the kind of mama who believed that if your behind had landed on a chair (or any other horizontal surface) before the task at hand was accomplished . . . . . well, here's your sign!  Get your little behind off the couch and finish the job.

One of her other favorite sayings (really, I WAS a kid once upon a time!) has stuck with me over the years, and I have realized how significant this is in daily life:  "Do what you're told, when you're told, the way you were told!"  Now that might seem a bit authoritarian and oppressive, but think about it.  That is LIFE!  There's a reason we have speed limit signs, and employment requirements, and school rules.  It's because they make life so much more pleasant for everyone.  That way we don't need to wonder every time we drive through a green light if we're going to get smashed by a semi going through the intersection.  Now, of course, that does happen, but when it does it is never a good thing, and it just proves the point. 

That's what parents are for; teaching our children how to "set themselves on fire" when that is necessary for success, as well as teaching them self-control when that is what is called for.  But when we become adults; when we are the parents, we need to be able to "set ourselves on fire" to accomplish whatever it is that God has set before us for this day, for this week, and for this lifetime.  We all know the classic definition of insanity:  doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get different results.  Waiting for "spontaneous combustion" to ignite underneath my behind while sitting on the couch eating chips and drinking cola will be a LONG wait.  Just isn't going to happen.

Got something to do?  Get out your matches and get started!  Today is the first day of your commitment to "setting yourself on fire" in your life and in your walk with the Lord.  Let's go! 

 

Please visit Karen at In L.O.V.E. with Jesus to find links to the other women's blogs who are participating this week with In Other Words. 

~by Arnold H. Glasow

Why Bother Cleaning Your House?

Really.  Think about it.  Or maybe you already are convinced that it is a huge waste of time to clean up your house. Especially if you have kids . . . . . and a husband.   I mean, after all, why should I spend five minutes making my bed in the morning when I'm just going to sleep in it again tonight?  But maybe that's kind of like suggesting that I probably don't need to spend time eating supper, because after all, I'm just going to get up in the morning and eat . . . . again.  Then I wouldn't have to wash any dishes, because they're just going to get dirty again, anyway.  And how about (this is the one I really hate!), why should I waste all that time washing, drying, and folding the laundry, when all we're going to do is wear it and get it dirty again?  Or vacuuming the carpet.  What a waste of time.  Time that I could be doing something fun!  That's what life's all about, isn't it?

And then there's the dust bunnies running around in the corners and under the beds.  Maybe we should just feed them to keep them quiet, and forget about them otherwise.  I can't stand cleaning the bathroom!  All that toothpaste smeared on the countertop and all over the mirror might as well stay there, because the next time the kids brush their teeth everything will be covered with toothpaste again.  What's the point?  And speaking of brushing your teeth . . .. . I wonder why we have to do THAT, too, when all we're going to do is go out and eat breakfast and get 'em dirty again.  Well, unless you decide not to spend time eating breakfast because you are just going to eat lunch . . .. or maybe not, because why waste the time eating lunch, when supper is just around the corner. 

If we could just STOP wasting all that time doing stuff that we're just going to do later anyway . . . . . kind of like sex.  ;o)   Why invest all that time and energy in getting all cozy and intimate, when you're probably just going to turn around and do THAT again tomorrow, or the next day, or whatever fits your schedule.  Seems like life is just full of stuff we think we should do, but then we wonder why we're wasting our time cleaning up or fixing up things (or relationships) when all we're going to do is get them messed up in short order.  I don't know.  I'll have to think about it for a while . .. . oh heck!  I don't want to waste my time thinking about something so stupid.  Guess I'll just go watch TV.  Now THAT's something worthy of my time.

How to Clean Up a Really Big Mess

Seems like I thought it was just common sense, or something that everyone was born knowing.  But then I've been wrong before . . . . and I got this one wrong, for sure!  I've been a wife and a mom for a long time, and over the years I've observed the "I Don't Have a Clue Where To Start" syndrome whenever you ask a husband or a child to clean up a mess.  I've watched them wander around, mumbling and whining, with shoulders slumped and head hanging down, tripping over stuff and kicking things.  I've even observed my children look at me with that stunned look (like I just asked them to crawl across hot coals to get to their popsicle), and then sit right down in the middle of a mess.  Like that's going to work! 

We moved into this house last October, threw everything in the garage (it's pretty big) and just took inside what we could find, what we needed, or what the kids thought they couldn't live without.  You know, things like the "My Favorite Princess" puzzle with ten pieces missing . . . . . and the Dora doll with no hair.  Stuff like that.  Gotta have it   ;o)  And of course, our Daddy needed his salad shredder, George Forman grill, and the TV remote.  Me, all I needed was the stuff for my sewing studio, some clothes, and a couple pair of shoes.  I'm a pretty low-maintenance chick.  Well, maybe we did need the shampoo and deodorant, underwear, and some food.  But that's about it.  Back in October.  And then it got cold.  Really cold, all winter here in the midwest, and so not much stuff moved from out in the garage to inside the house.  But a bunch of "junk" (where the heck did THAT come from???) got thrown out into the garage, because we would grab whatever was deemed unworthy of remaining inside the house, dash out to the garage and toss it into the closest empty space.  And then run, shivering, back inside the house. 

So, now it's May, and it is warm, and it's time to clean up that mess and have a garage sale.  Which is going to happen this weekend when the whole neighborhood is planning to have a community sale.  Can't put it off much longer!  So, here are my observations, and some advice, if you are facing the daunting task of Cleaning Up a Really Big Mess:

1.    Don't wander around, and definitely don't sit down in the middle of all of the junk.  Get started!

2.    Pick something up.  Anything, just pick it up.  And make a decision:  Keep it, trash it, or get rid of it.

3.    OK now that you're moving (a little bit) the first thing that will really help you feel like you are making progress, is to get a bunch of trash bags.  Yep, trash bags.  Because lots of the "stuff" that we keep actually should have been tossed in the trash can months ago.

4.    Pick up everything you can see that you know is trash .. . . . in our case, since we packed to move across the country, there was lots and lots of packing paper and tape.  Just throw it away.  Don't move it from one pile to another, just throw it away.  And when the trash bag is full, close it up and put it OUTSIDE of where you are working.  This is very important!

5.    Keep those trash bags handy, because every time you open another box or look under the bed, or open a cupboard, you will probably find MORE trash.  Why do we do this?  I saw a TV program once about people who are addicted horders.  I think that is what they were called . . . .. people who keep everything, until they are so overwhelmed by stuff that they have a breakdown, or have to move out of their house, or whatever nasty consequences might come from drowning in all of your old junk.

6.    Now, take a deep breath and go get a cup of coffee or a soda, or whatever.  Because this next step is really important to making this job a success.

7.    Start in one corner or one side of whatever you are cleaning:  a bedroom, a kitchen, a garage, a sewing room, the garden, your yard . . . . it works no matter what you are trying to clean up and organize.

8.    Move EVERYTHING out of that corner or that side of whatever you are cleaning.  In our case, it was the garage, so we started by moving everything out of one corner (from the corner out about 10' on each side, because you don't want too big of an area that you get overwhelmed) - just move it anywhere OUT of that corner.  If you need to wash walls, vacuum, sweep, wash windows, or paint, now is the best time to do that.

9.    NOW you have ONE place that is cleaned up . . . . . and you can move shelves into that area (after you take everything off of them, of course!), or put up hooks, or hang pictures or curtains, or whatever your project requires.  Then, once you have the shelves, hooks, or other storage in place in your nice, clean corner, you can begin to tackle ONE pile at a time. 

10.    Begin to sort through one pile, one box, one bag, whatever you have, and again make some decisions.  If it is TRASH, throw it away (FAR away, out of the room where you are working).  If you want to get rid of it but it is still too good to throw in the trash, get a box or a bag and mark on it:  "Garage Sale" or "Thrift Shop" or "Salvation Army."  Then as you come across stuff to get rid of, place it in the box or bag.  And set that outside of your working area, too!

11.    Finally, if you want to keep it and you need it everyday (then why is it in this mess in the first place?), put it in your closet or your dresser drawer or wherever it belongs.  If it is something to keep but not necessarily use everyday, put it on a storage shelf in your garage or basement, or storage room. 

12.    There!  Now, you have one corner cleaned out and orderly.  Now you need to move to the next corner and repeat the process.  I know that there will probably be "stuff" that you aren't sure about.  Don't let that slow you down!  Put it in ANOTHER box marked "Sort This Again Later" or something like that.  Otherwise you might go into Brain Overload and that ALWAYS leads to wandering around with the "I Don't Have a Clue Where To Start" syndrome.  And mumbling to yourself. 

13.    It might be a good idea to take a nap after you get one corner finished, so you are all rested up to tackle the next corner.  But in any event, this process works, and will minimize your tendency to sit down in the middle of the mess and order a pizza.  Happy Spring Cleaning!

PS I'll post the AFTER pictures later this week!  ;o)