Moon Phase Chime DIY

Do you ever see something cool or unique and think to yourself, "that would be so easy to make"? I do this ALL the time, but it is a rare occasion when I actually attempt to replicate it. Luckily for you all, today is one of those unlikely times :)

I found this chime on Free People the other day and decided that I could make my own version.

It looks like they put a lot of metal materials into it, such as silver chain and some soldering around the edges. I don't have these things lying around, so my version is a bit simpler, but quite cheaper as well.

Here is what you will need for this project:

For this DIY you will be cutting out 7 clay circles.  Pull off small pieces of clay from the large block and start softening it in your hands.  Use a rolling pin to flatten it out till it is about 1/4" thick.

Then you will take whatever object you've chosen to cut out the circles (a glass or a small bowl should do the trick) and cut out the shapes from your clay.

Keep pulling off pieces of clay and rolling them out until you have 7 circles. After you have cut them all out, use a straw or another small pointed object to make holes in the top and bottom of each circle.

Next is to bake them in the oven. Follow the instructions on your clay (mine said 30 minutes at 275 degrees).

The next step is to paint the circles.  I found a photo of moon phases as a reference. The one I decided to pattern mine after starts with a crescent shape, then goes to a half moon, then 3/4, then a full moon and back down.  I used a pencil to do a light sketch of how I wanted my moons painted.  The white represent the shape of the moon and the black is representing the sky or negative space.

I painted the backs of them too because the moons may rotate so you will be seeing both sides (depending on how you hang your chimes).

After they are all painted you can start to string them together.  I chose black embroidery floss, but you could use anything you like.  Fishing string or twine could work as well.

I decided to cut out 6 equal lengths of string and tie them in between each moon. I think the length of my strings were around 4 inches, but the length is up to you. Make sure you leave some extra string for tying.

Once you have done this, attach a string to the top of the first moon, create a loop at the end, and you are done! Obviously its not as detailed as the original, but I think it is still pretty unique and it's cheap too :)

Things I Love about December

I love the Christmas season.  There is something so comforting and lovely about the cold weather, happy people, and wonderful decorations lighting up the town.  These are some of my favorite things about the weeks leading up to this wonderful winter holiday.

Hearing Christmas music wherever you go

    This may get a little annoying towards the end of the season, but right now I am loving it! 

Seeing Christmas tress in front windows

     I absolutely love driving through the neighborhood and seeing twinkly Christmas tree lights    
      in everyone's windows.

Having an excuse to wear all of my favorite winter clothing 

     (even though its still 70 degrees out)

Everyone is in good spirits

     There is something about this time of year that seems to bring a sparkle to everyone's eyes.

Making Christmas cookies

     I think everyone can agree that Christmas cookies are one of the greatest things about December :)


What are your favorite things about this season?


Merry Christmas!

Christmas Advent Devotional

Every morning I wake up, pour myself a cup of coffee, and sit down to spend some time with God. Sometimes I'm not exactly sure where I should be reading in my bible, which is why I love devotional plans. They give you a structured plan of scripture from the bible and a valuable lesson or two you can take away from it.

This Christmas season I have started using a devotional by the girls of She Reads Truth.  SRT is a community of women devoted to growing closer to God and staying in His word.  They have created an amazing app for your phone and iPad that combines a bible and beautifully written devotional plans, accompanied beautiful photography and design.

For this years advent, they have created a devotional titled "O Come, Let Us Adore Him" that gives you scripture and a lesson for 28 days.  It's a great way for us to stay connected to God in this wonderful yet hectic time of year.  Every day a new devotional is posted, and you can set a reminder on your phone or iPad to keep you going.  Its such a magical thing to wake up early, snuggle up next to a fire with a cup of coffee, and learn more about God and the truth of this Christmas season!

Find She Reads Truth here

Coffee Talk Vol. 2

Holy cow has it been awhile since I have posted!  School has been just short of crazy, and I haven't had much time for anything else.  Since I haven't been on here in the past few months, I'm going to do a quick update. Without further ado,

If we were to meet for coffee

...I would take you to the shop I am loving over in town called Scout

...I would recommend you order their milk and cookies, or maybe a homemade milkshake (YUM)

...we would sit at a cute little table in the corner looking out at the Fromagerie across the street

...we would revel in the warm and cozy weather, and talk about all the things we love about this time    of year

...I would probably tell you about the bible study I am leading and rave about how cute the girls are

...we would talk about what God is doing in our lives, and maybe a little about where we're struggling

...I would tell you that I have been lacking creative time lately

...I might tell you that I've started rollerblading but I fell on my tailbone last week and my butt hurts

...I would bring up that I am planning to study abroad in London this summer and I am stoked for this to happen 

...Lastly, I would tell you how excited I am to go home for Thanksgiving!

The Learning Curve

My years in college have been some of the best of my (relatively short) life. Now that I am here I feel like everything else was just building up to this really incredible time.  Even though I still have two years to go, I have learned so many things here that I am thankful for!

Find what you are truly passionate about and pursue it

College is a great time of trial and error. Testing out new clubs, experiences, activities and hobbies. There is no time like the present to find your passions, because sooner than later you will be thrust very quickly into the real world.  If you leave college knowing what you love and are good at, it'll be that much easier to figure out what you want to do with your life.

Find good friends.

My college experience would've been extremely different had I not been with the friends I am with now.  Much of high school ended up being difficult largely because I did not end up with good people to spend my time with.  I learned from this, and when I got to college I decided to seek out the people I knew that exuded happiness, love, and most of all followed God.  These people are some of my best friends and I know that they will be for a long time. On a similar note...

Friendships come and go, which is perfectly okay.

Unlike what we assumed in elementary, not every friend you meet will be one that sticks with you forever. God may bring people into your life for a reason, and he may lead them out for another. I have had quite a few of these friends, and while we may no longer talk or see each other, I know that God brought them into my life for a reason.  People change and relationships change; this is a fact of life. It is okay to let some people go and invite new ones in.

Take responsibility.

Going to college means embracing a lot more responsibility then you did when at home.  You buy your own groceries, make your own food, do your laundry, work a job, etc.  Our parents aren't here to help us with any of this. Being on your own is awesome and freeing, but you do have to take responsibility for your actions and life.

Persevere.  

This is definitely one I have learned quite a few times.  Whether it be continually pestering people to find a job, going in to see a counselor over and over while changing majors, or studying nonstop to pass a class, perseverance is a big thing I have figured out.  My parents always told me "the squeaky wheel gets the grease," so I guess they trained me well for this one. :)

No matter what, stay true to who you are.

All throughout high school I was slightly insecure. I wasn't sure who I was or where I fit in, so I would act differently around different people simply so I could feel accepted. The problem was that this never made me feel any better about myself.  It just made me feel worse because all of these people saw different sides of me.

That is partly why college has been so amazing for me.  I came here and had a completely fresh start where I was able to find the friends I really wanted and be myself around them because I knew they accepted me completely.  I now and perfectly comfortable being myself around everyone because I have friends, family, and a God that love me for me.  I've learned that I am so much happier being myself and sticking to my beliefs and values.

...

These are just a few of the things I have figured out in the past few years.  Since coming to college I have learned so much about myself and about the world around me, and I know that I have a lot more learning ahead of me. I have made incredible memories, met amazing people, accomplished some really cool things, and I can't wait to see what comes next!

Inspiration

Here are some wonderful quotes and sayings that I have found lately.  I love collecting these little things to go back to in harder times.  It's always nice to have a reminder of who you are, what you're here for, and how great life is.

Hope these little guys provide you with some food for thought! What do you look to when you need to be inspired and have your spirits lifted? 

DIY Donut Coasters

If you know me even a tiny bit then you know I love donuts.

I love these doughy, frosted wonders so much that when I saw this DIY the other day I knew I had to have a set of my own.  So I frolicked to the store, bought 4 cork coasters, and got ready to work!

Here is what you need:

-fun paint colors
-a large and a small paint brush
-craft blade
-cutting mat (not pictured)
-small cork coasters


Step 1: Use something small and round to make the hole in the middle of the donut.  Trace it out with a pencil.

Step 2: Use the craft knife to cut out the circle in the middle.  Make sure you cut on your rubber craft mat. I did a rough cut of the circle just to get it started and then perfected the edges afterwards.

 

Step 3: Use the paint of your choosing and the large brush to make the 'frosting'.  I went with pink! Flip over the coaster beforehand so the pencil marks are on the bottom and out of sight.

Step 4: Paint on the sprinkles!

After this you are good to go! You may want to coat them in Mod Podge if you have it just to ensure that the paint stays on.

So fun right? Another way you can go about this is painting larger cork boards and using them as bulletin boards. I chose to go with this version though 'cause I love me some funky donut coasters :)

Coffee Talk

If we were to meet for coffee....

...i'd take you to the coffee shop I work at, show you around, and introduce you to my great coworkers

...i'd order a medium roast coffee (black) and probably a yummy muffin!

...i'd ask you how your summer is going and maybe vent about the humid weather a little bit

...i'd tell you that I am obsessed with the Real Housewives shows and I'm not ashamed

...i'd show you the awesome new planner I bought that makes me smile (found here)

...i'd tell you that I just baked chocolate chip banana bread muffins and they are killer

...i'd tell you about this new singer I discovered that sings beautiful songs

...i'd talk to you about God a little bit

...i'd tell you that I am learning that having a relationship with God is based on more than just feeling        his presence, and that even when you can't tell he is there you have to have faith that he is

...i'd tell you that I'm going to Oregon soon and I'm SOOOO EXCITED

...i'd ask you if you have any pets, and if so i'd ask you to show me every picture you have of them

...i'd say we should hang out again :)

DIY Word Magnets

I had a good friend when I was younger who always had these awesome word magnets on her fridge. Every time I walked past I would string together a phrase or sentence - the weirder the better. I loved them so much, but I never found myself investing a few bucks in my own set. Just the other day I happened to see this tutorial on A Beautiful Mess for making fridge magnets, and I knew I had to make some of my own.

All you need to buy is:

-clay
-letter stamps
-magnet tape

You will also need:

-rolling pin
-craft blade (or sharp knife)
-a baking sheet and parchment paper
-an oven

First thing to do is start rolling out your clay. I had to really mold it with my hands because it was extra stiff. Once it becomes pretty soft, start rolling it into a long rope.  You are then going to flatten it out with the rolling pin. I made mine about 1/8" thick.

After you've rolled it out you will want to cut it.  I used my magnet tape as a guide. Simply place it on top and use the craft blade or knife to cut around the tape. My tape left kind of a mark on the top side of the clay, so if yours does the same just flip it over and use the clean side for stamping!

Next is the fun part...stamping out the words! Obviously you'll start thinking of awesome words like chocolate cake and bacon (or at least I did...).  Just make sure as you're stamping your words you throw simpler ones in like and, or and a few a's and s's. I happened to look online at the pre-made word magnet sets and it gives you a list of all the words in the set. You can find it here. This is a good guide :)

Once you have stamped out your words, cut them out and place them on the baking sheet.

After you have cut out all your stamps, you are going to want to cook it in your oven at 275°F for about 15 minutes.

Once they have cooked and cooled all you'll need to do is attach the magnets to the back of your clay. You may need to glue the magnets on just for extra security.

This was a super fun DIY to do. The hardest part was making sure I got all the words I needed! Other than that, it was really easy and totally worth it in the end. I am super excited to bring these to school and see what my roommates and I can come up with :)