Father's Day Gift for less than $10

We are on a budget these days, so I try to come up with creative gifts for holidays throughout the year. Father's Day always seems to be the holiday that is the most difficult to shop for - my life is full of men who, "don't need anything." I'm sure you can relate!
The most difficult person to shop for is my Grandpa, Papa (pronounced "PawPaw" around here ;) ). His gifts range from gas gift cards to socks...sometimes, cologne....he always respnds to gifts with a "I don't need anything" comment as he shakes his head and carefully removes bows and paper...love him! :)

I adore my Papa, so I wanted to give him something creative. Samuel ADORES Papa - he calls him "Gramps." Samuel visits Gramps at least once a week - they love each other. Gramps teases, Samuel sasses, all the while, they both smile and Gramps belly laughs at Samuel's orneriness. :) It warms my heart.

So this year, I created this: all for less than $10. A 5x7 mounted photo.

I couldn't be happier with how this turned out! I am ordering one for myself since this brings tears to my eyes! 

While visiting with Gramps and Granny, I had Samuel hold their hands. (What you cannot see is my mom's hands holding Samuel's arms in place - he's a child who likes his freedom ;) ha.) These are Gramps' hands holding onto Samuel's hands.

I edited it in Lightroom and added the text in Photoshop. I uploaded it to Walmart.com and ordered the mounted 5x7 photo. It was ready in a few hours (supposed to be 1 hour, but they were busy with other last-minute Father's Day orders - oops!)

This picture is now the background for my computer. I adore Papa/Gramps. He is such a good man, and I love his love for his great-grandbabies. 

Enjoy the weekend with the great men in your lives! :)

Monday Ramblings....

*Vacuum Seal Storage is an activity I look forward to. If I have extra bags, I will look for things to store. How can stuff shrink to be so small??

*Vinegar and Baking Soda are to me as Windex is to My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It can fix anything...we buy in bulk. 

*I feel I've failed as a mother: my child will eat Spaghettios at least once a day. There are few things he'll eat. This is one of them. I have yet to make any at home via Pinterest.

*I pin crafty sewing projects on Pinterest, but never do them. If it involves sewing, I may as well not pin it. I have multiple sewing projects laying around my house unfinished (unstarted).... (My Christmas tree skirt from last year, for example)

*I've made 3 apple pies in the last week....for other people....but I still ate some of each....I'm making another tomorrow...for my grandma....I'll probably eat some of it too...(Jillian Michaels will be calling my name, soon) 

*I colored my hair last weekend for the FIRST TIME EVER.....I was a nervous wreck, but at least the masses of white hair are now gone :) (why can't women with salt and pepper hair look as distinguished as men with it???)

Mercy. Grace.

"Help me trust in You at all times; 

help me to pour out my heart to You, God, 

for You are my refuge." 

Psalm 62:8

I'm taking a leap, here, with this post. This isn't a crafty/cooking/photo/fun post. This post is coming from my heart. I want to be real. Real in my faith.  (It's also really long.....)
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My little family has recently suffered a loss. A loss that may seem so small to some, but to those who believe as we believe, a loss so great that it's changed our family.

On Easter, I surprised Josh with a card that read, "For Easter, I made you a bunny. You must be special because I don't do that for just anyone." I signed it, "Due: December 2013." The video I have of Josh's reaction to the card is priceless - he didn't know what to think, but once he realized that he was going to be a Daddy for the 2nd time, he was elated. It was still early, but the 4 tests I had taken were all positive.

On May 13th, we lost the baby. I had been pregnant for almost 12 weeks, but it was an emotional 12 weeks. I was told from the beginning that my levels were low and I was put on medication. I was monitored and tested every week to track the baby's progress. One week we were told there was no baby. The next week, we saw a fetal pole. The next week, nothing. The next week, a heartbeat and a baby. The next week, no heartbeat. Then, my levels began to drop dramatically, and I was told to expect a miscarriage.

I feel like I was floating through the months of April and May - not knowing what to feel from one moment to the next. I have grieved, been angry, questioned God, had faith, rejoiced, and stood numb and speechless.

In times like these, I can understand how people lose faith in God. I can understand why they question how God can love us if He allows certain things to happen and doesn't stop other things. Why would good, loving women who want babies be unable to have them while unfit women who don't want/won't care for them are able to have multiple babies?? I will admit, I question God on this, and I still am questioning Him. I trust Him, but I don't understand it.

But, you know what? As much as a question, I'll never understand. His ways aren't my ways. His ways are better than my ways - even if they don't seem like it at the time. He won't spare anything to save me - not even His own Son, so I know He has my greater good in mind.

In the midst of all of this, I prayed for many things - miracles, a heartbeat, a baby...mercy, grace... I did receive 2 of these things. Mercy. Grace.

Mercy
My miscarriage happened quickly and completely. I prayed for mercy through it. I decided to miscarry naturally because I didn't want to take this baby from my body and always wonder "what if." In the end, I'm glad I did. It was healing for me to experience it. It provided closure to the past 2 months of upheaval.
God gave me mercy in that it happened quickly and completely. It happened when I was out of town and surrounded by family. He knew where I needed to be.

Grace
I am so overwhelmed with thanks that He allowed me to experience being a mommy for a 2nd time, even if just for a little while. I loved the experience again. Everyday, I realize the grace He showered on me by choosing me to be Samuel's mommy. I will forever be thankful for him.
He showed me grace by answering my prayers for mercy even when I was angry with Him and questioning His ways. I am deserving of nothing, but God showers me everyday with his presence, His promises, and the love of my family. He tells us that He is near to the brokenhearted. I claimed that promise, and in His grace, He allowed me to feel Him near. He's healing me. He's replacing my anger with His joy.

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Everyday is new. I'm still mourning my baby. Each day gets easier, but I'm finding my mind focusing on Heaven - wondering if my other loved ones are enjoying my baby there...asking God to give my baby extra hugs...and wondering when I meet that baby, if he or she will still be a baby...
A lot of questions flood my mind at quiet times. Luckily these faces keep me busy and remind me of all the AMAZING things I DO have in my life. They make me get up every morning and relish in little boy snuggles and his new-found attachment to "Momma":

I opened my devotions the other day for the first time since all of this happened. I had a horrible day, crying out to God and asking why He hadn't heard me through it all, and why He wasn't listening to me. Afterward, I felt horrible for being upset with Him. My devotions were from Psalm 62:8.

"You will never be offended when I pour out the earnest despair and bitterness that wells in my heart. You desire for me to cry out in my agony, and You can take my feelings of anger, dismay, and confusion. In pouring out my heart to You, I rid myself of soul-cancerous bitterness. I also make room for You to pour in Your healing." (Beth Moore, Praying God's Word Day by Day, June 1)

God is alive and active. His Word is alive and active and meeting our needs.

I was floored when I read this. He knew. He knew long before these events that I would need this on June 1, 2013. Amazing. Praise You, Father.

Seashells and Photographs

Now, I'm not super-crafty. I don't claim to be. I do, however, have my moments. When I have these moments, I need to blog about them. Tada.

My husband LOVES to look for shells at the beach. If he's wandered off while at the beach, I know he'll return with a handful of only the best shells and perhaps a shark tooth or two (he's still a little boy at heart).

He's converted Samuel into a shell-searcher too... (this photo is completely candid...except maybe I did tell Josh to "freeze" so I could get this shot....ha)

So, I have multiple bags of shells from different beaches just setting in my house. I needed a way to display them, so I came up with this:

I found the idea on Pinterest to use sand from the beach in a shadow box. I didn't want that mess, so I used our shells. I used a picture I took from that beach, and voila! I'm in love. Now I have my little man's face, my big man's seashells, and a completed project (rare!).