DIY - Memory Jar

Do you remember those dioramas that you made from an old shoebox in elementary school? What if you could save memories for your children (or even yourself) in the same manner?

Trade out the shoebox for a glass jar, fill it with things collected from a vacation - and maybe even some pictures - and what you get is a 3D memory jar.

I can't claim this idea to be my own, although it is really a good one! Actually, I ran across this in the August issue of Parents magazine.

The timing of this find couldn't have been more perfect because our family had just spent the 4th of July camping, and as a part of our trip, we had my son do a nature-themed scavenger hunt. What started out as an idea just to keep him occupied and interested in a hike, turned out to be a great opportunity to create memories and also bring home some of what he found.

My son has a bit of the photographer gene, so as a part of his scavenger hunt, we asked him to take pictures of two of the items on his list. With those pics uploaded, I jumped over to PicMonkey (seriously the best free photo editing website!) and created a collage, adding words and a couple of graphics to the photos he took. (I thought it would be cute to put a © symbol and his name on the photos as well, because he did take them!) 

All you need is a clear glass jar, the magazine suggested using a pickle jar, but I only had a mason jar on hand, so that's what I used.

A few items is all you really need. I think less is more with something like this. Adding photos is a really nice touch. Especially if you have a lot of photos in mind, creating a collage is a nice way to incorporate all of them.

Lastly, I wanted to have more than one way to view the items, so I removed the lid, leaving the rim that goes with the mason jar. I cut a circle slightly larger than the mouth of the jar out of a plain ziplock baggie. With the plastic in place on top of the jar, I was able to still screw on the rim, creating a "sunroof" of sorts.

This was so much fun to create and I know that my son will enjoy collecting more memory jars for years to come!

Country Christmas Holiday Bazaar

The countdown is on - there are only three more months until the holiday bazaar season kicks off! I am thrilled to announce that I will be a vendor at the Country Christmas Holiday Bazaar at Medford First Church of the Nazarene! (http://www.medfordfirstnaz.org/)

There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, but it is so exciting to look forward to being a part of such a popular event in the Rogue Valley.

In addition to handmade greeting cards and photo coasters, I will also be debuting numerous framed prints in various sizes!  Plus, there will be several cards, coasters and prints that are not listed in my Etsy shop.

This is a great bazaar, full to the brim with local, strictly handmade items - so mark your calendars: Friday & Saturday, November 2nd and 3rd. 

I hope to see you there!

Walking on Water

Knees in, sit back, arms straight, relax...just let the boat pull you.

This is the mantra I repeat to myself as I am bobbing up and down in the water behind our boat, skis strapped to my feet and tow rope in hand. As the water moves around me, I often struggle to keep my balance. Once I feel ready, I yell to the driver to start dragging me and then finally, when I have summoned up the gumption, I yell "hit it!" The driver, in this case, my husband, mashes the throttle forward, with me precariously following.

Sometimes I get up, sometimes I crash.

That's me! Not the greatest form, but I stayed up! I was
also skiing away from the sun, creating a
horrible shadow, but it masks the horrible face
I make when I am concentrating :)

If you were to ask my son about water skiing, he would say one of two things. 1) My mommy crashes when she skis; or 2) My daddy can walk on water! The latter of which prompts a discussion about Jesus and how he was able to walk on water by himself and that daddy needs some help. (Also, that mommy doesn't always crash!)

Don't we all need a little help sometimes?!

What I have gathered about my numerous attempts at mastering the art of waterskiing is that it takes a whole lot of trust in the person driving the boat in order to stay up. About the time you start to take matters into your own hands is when you crash. You have to let the boat pull you, it's as simple as that.

I started thinking about the similarities between waterskiing and our daily walk with God as Christians. This world is a crazy place, filled with many worldly things that can easily lead us down the wrong path, it's the water swirling around us, trying to keep us off balance. If God is driving force in our lives, we have to be able to give up our burdens and allow him to hit the throttle, and just pull us behind him. We have to allow him to carry those burdens and guide our lives.

Knees in, sit back, arms straight, relax...trust in God, and he will take care of you.


"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28