Mod Podging Maps

Ok, so I have to tell you about this amazing craft that I saw on Pinterest and just had to try.

Since money is tight at our house, I decided to make Nathan (my brother who is now 14) a gift, rather than spending money. Now, he is a Lord of the Rings FANATIC! He has seen the movies a gazillion times, so I knew that I had to do something to do with that. When I saw this though,  I knew exactly what I wanted to do!

I went online and searched for Lord of the Rings maps. Now, I am telling you, this was not an easy thing to do! I had to find maps that were decent quality and size, so that if needed I could blow them up bigger. I didn't care if they were black and white, color toned, or sepia because you can always use Picmonkey if needed to alter the appearance of the photo.

I finally found 5 that I sort of liked... I printed them off, and narrowed it down to three.

The Realm of Middle Earth 

I then used Picmonkey and altered the background... so they then looked like the following (the large map I kept the same)

Mordor Before and After

Thror's Map Before and After

Thank goodness I somehow made them look alright, and printing them actually made it look better.

Alright, next step, I had to find the canvases to put them on. I decided to use 8"x10" for Mordor and Thror's Map. I wanted to have one bigger map, so I got a canvas that was 11"x14" and went to my church to print the map out onto an 11"x17" page. It took a few tries until I had it the size and shape that I wanted it (had to shrink the shape a tad bit) to be.

After all that, the rest was easy. I did a wash of a yellowish brown color on the background of the canvases, just to give it the aged appearance. Once that was dried I spread Mod Podge all over the canvas with my paint brush and placed my maps down on the canvas, spreading them out, erasing any bubbles. I actually ripped the edges of my maps to give it an interesting look, but you don't have to do that.

To make it even more aged, I spread the top coat of Mod Podge on before the bottom coat was dried, therefore getting the paper too wet, causing it to fade and wrinkle a tad bit. Here is the finished product, and I must say I am extremely happy with it, and so was Nathan... and every other person I showed it to haha.

The Perfect Gift,
Not-So-Princess Lizzy

My Life Story - Part 2

Alright, so about a month ago I started telling you a little about myself. It is time to share a little more of my crazy, ridiculous, amazing story.

I'll recap from where I left off. My Dad was paying taxes for reasons explained earlier, and so our house got raided... and we moved out temporarily (us kids) to a friends house for a month and a half. This is where our story continues...

The Waiting

I don't know if I have ever told y'all, but I am an extremely impatient person! When I say impatient... I mean IMPATIENT!!! We were finally allowed to move back into our house, which I am extremely thankful for, because it was so hard to explain to everyone at school (I was in grade 10 at the time) why I wasn't getting a ride from my parents to school, why I couldn't have friends over, why I always needed rides for volleyball practices and games, why I only had about 10 sets of clothes, why I didn't seem like myself, etc, etc, etc. I could go on, but I won't. We eventually (Nathan, Caleb and I) moved back in to our house and everything seemed to go back to normal. 

You could almost say that we forgot what had happened, but we didn't. It was lurking in the back of our minds every day, wondering when the cops would come knocking with the verdict. Days went by, then weeks,  and soon months were zipping by and I couldn't stop them. I didn't want to ask my mom if she knew what was happening, and asking my dad was just not a smart idea because he was bitter and angry all of the time. I slowly began to shut down my emotions, especially where my dad was concerned.

I know it sounds like a sad and horrible thing, to stop caring for your father, and at times I look back and wonder why I didn't notice what I was doing, but I guess I was too focused on forgetting the experiences and just wanted to move on. 

Waiting is just like winter... it never seems to end

A year went by and we were still left wondering if something bad was going to happen. I would find my mom sitting on her bed sometimes, just staring off into space, and I'd carefully crawl onto the bed, sit beside her, and just lean my head against her shoulder. We would just sit there, for 10 minutes, 30 minutes. However long it took for us to get back to reality. 

Throughout this waiting period I guess we almost forgot. Well at least I almost did. Not in the emotional sense, but just in how much I consciously thought about it. Don't get me wrong, it was always on my mind, but I just seemed to accept this anxious waiting as normal, and didn't notice how tense our house was constantly. 

This of course is when all the big problems with my older brother Caleb started. We argued constantly. I don't mean just arguing, but arguing to the point where one of us was choking the other, and punches and kicks were flying everywhere. I began to loose my focus on what family really looked like because our house was so tense that we couldn't get along worth beans. 

The Hiding Place

By February 2011, we almost expected nothing would ever happen with the paperwork they took from us. 

They had returned the boxes by then (all the stuff they took from my dad), and we all began to breath a little better thinking nothing would come of it. Suddenly everything took a turn for the worst!

I knew something was going on, because my mom was extremely upset, and my dad wasn't in the house at all. I was in my grade 11/12 year (I had enough credits, so I decided to graduate a year early from High School and just be done with the drama that came with it) and I was struggling with having extra courses on my plate. Eventually I went to my mom, after a couple days, and asked her what was going on. She gave me the scariest look... one I will never forget; one of absolute hopelessness.

She steered me to my room and shut the door. She then began to ask me if I remembered the "RAID". I told her yes, and she proceeded to tell me that her and Dad had received a summons to appear in court. Dad decided that they weren't going to, because he was listening to all these "WISE MEN" that told him he wasn't required to show up. A bench warrant was then issued, and the cops were on the lookout for both of them. At this my mom asked me to not tell Nathan (Caleb was in Bible School at the time), and  to keep it a secret for a while. 

After a period of time (I do not remember how long), the cops started to come by the house. The first time this happened was honestly so surreal that I felt like I was in a movie. We heard a vehicle pull up and we looked out the blinds. When we saw the two cop cars we got everyone together and hid so that we were not visible from any windows. I don't know how we did it, but the cops didn't see us and they proceed to knock for quite some time, demanding we open the door. After a while they left and we had to then discuss what we were going to do next. 

The cops proceeded to come quite often, coming during the day, and at night. We discovered that the best place to hide was in my bedroom because you could just see out the window enough to see the cops at the front door, and hear them talking, but we could stay hidden behind the blinds. There were times when the cops walked around the house, checking windows and doors, peering behind curtains with the flashlights. So many times they would almost catch a glimpse of us, and we would hold still, and hope that we weren't casting a shadow or breathing too loudly. 

Truffle, my dog (bichon-havanese) would bark like crazy because she knew something was wrong, and all I could do was hold her and calm her down. She would shake uncontrollably because she had no idea what was going on, but could sense our fear. There were many times I thought my heart would beat right out of my chest. This went on until the beginning of march... and this is where the next part comes into play. I'll tell you more about that later. 

Ever Hopeful,

Not-So-Princess Lizzy

Becoming a True Woman

Alright, for all you ladies out there, this is for you. I don't know or care if you are single, dating, or married. If you are young or old or straight up wrinkly all over. Our entire life is a struggle to become a True Woman of God, to become the women we all desire to be. I'm going to talk about what the Bible says about this, and maybe give a few pointers from what I have learned. I am also planning on doing a day by day study on Proverbs 31:10-31, a passage on what a "Worthy" woman looks like, and who we should strive to be in our relationships and marriages. 

So what do you think a beautiful woman looks like? Maybe a woman with perfect hair every day, or a stunning face, a perfect body? We define one of the most important terms for a woman with such derogatory and negative definitions, it's no wonder we are so broken and seek the wrong sort of men to make us feel loved.

I read a book recently by Chad Eastham called "The Truth about Guys". Yeah, I know, sounds cheesy, but I really wanted to hear what he had to say about why we think the way we do, and how we need to change our thinking before we find that "Dream Boat" guy us girls always wish for. I found the following excerpt extremely fascinating.

A Girl's Value Menu  If you could choose to be either of the following hypothetical girls, which one would you prefer?

Girl A: When a guy looks at you, he thinks most guys don't have a chance. Not because you are too beautiful or because you're mean, but because you don't seem interested in all boys. A guy sees you and knows it is going to take a lot of effort to develop a friendship with you. He's going to have to use his heart and his head if he's going to have a chance at any type of relationship with you. When a guy makes an effort to meet you, he stares into your eyes as though he is trying to see right into your heart. He's there to help you, not harm you. He wants you to know you are really important and he wants the best for you. He compliments you for no reason at all, and he doesn't require something of you at the end of the sentence... or the evening. He looks out for you, even when you aren't looking out for yourself. A guy who spends time with you wants to make you laugh and smile. Seeing you giggle when he looks at you makes him happier than most anything. He simply wants you to know you are wonderful, beautiful, and deserve nothing but the best, with no strings attached. And he doesn't want anything in return for this at all.

Girl B: A guy looks at you and thinks you are a mighty fine piece of meat. He thinks you look like someone that he can try some new stuff with. He knows he doesn't have to marry you in order to get you to do whatever he wants. He's determined to win you over tonight - and by "win" he's only thinking of his own satisfaction and pleasure. He doesn't really care about meeting your needs - especially not in the long run - as long as you can meet his. he wants something from you, and he figures that with minimal effort you'll probably give it to him.  

Drum Roll: ...Believe it or not, guys love friendships and relationships, with Girl A! The thing to note her is that you are the person who determines which girl you are seen as. Let me say that again. It's not up to anyone else to make that decision - it's up to YOU!

A girl who displays her sex appeal, a party girl, or a loud-mouthed, insecure girl who is craving a guy's attention all the time likely isn't going to be swept off her feet by a handsome prince who just wants to stare into her eyes all day. Not that you just want to be stared at, but you get the point

Likewise, a girl who doesn't use her body in sexual ways to get attention, one who cares about her reputation and has goals and relationship standards ahead of time, is not going to settle for anything less than someone who cares for her. She refuses to be seen as a target, so guys don't look at her and think she is prey. She has those rules written all over her. 

Guys see the instructions for girls ahead of time - before we get within twenty feet of them - so we know if we want to start out on their terms or not. Every girl may want to be seen as valuable, precious, and as someone to be treasured. But in reality, many girls who want to be treasures actually look more like targets; they just can't figure out why! 

 Remember: you have a heart perfectly designed for you by the greatest of designers. Your heart is there for you to take care of, so when you expose it, it will be cherished and taken care of in return. Allow your heart to be so wrapped up in God that a guy has to ask for directions to get to it 

The best guy in the world cannot give you everything you need. He can't be perfect. He can't fill your voids. Most important, none of that is his job. A guy doesn't want a girl who needs him to be her dad. A guy doesn't want to convince you that you are beautiful. He wants to sit in admiration of your beauty! But he can't do that unless you let him. And you can't let him until you believe it yourself!

 So what do you think? Is Chad right? Do we really need to project ourselves differently, because the way we act is drawing the wrong kind of guys? Are we looking to guys to fill our voids, and we are allowing them to see how broken we are, therefore they are better able to use us and abuse us?

I believe that Chad is completely right! He hit it on the spot. Girls always seem to be needy. We are never perfect enough. There is always someone better, and we are always comparing. Learning to be content with who we are is never easy, but if you want a healthy relationship with the "hero" of your life, that is what you need to do!

We need to search the scriptures, and find out what God desires us to be like, how we are to become a True Woman! Then, and only then, will we begin to see ourselves that way (not vainly, but with honesty)

1 Peter 3:3 says, "Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear."

Do you rely on outward things to feel beautiful? I was challenged last year to fast for a week. I decided that I didn't wish to fast from food, but from makeup. From then on, I have strived to be able to go a day a week, or at least one day in a month without makeup around a boyfriend, your best friends, your work, anywhere. Just go a day without. It may seem hard at first, but ti is so empowering, especially the more you do it. You learn to be beautiful for who you are internally, not just the beautiful on the outside.

On that note, another verse about inner beauty. Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Did you catch that? Christ lives in us, and there is nothing more beautiful or empowering than that. We have life because of Jesus' sacrifice. When we live to let him flourish within us, we glow like never before. It is time you let Christ shine through you!

Before I let you go for the day, I want you to read the following passage from Proverbs, and just study the words. They are powerful, and some might not make sense right now, but don't worry. I'll go into detail for you later on!

The Woman Who Fears the LORD

PROVERBS 31:10-31

10. An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.

11. The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack of gain.

12. She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

13. She seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

14. She is like the ships of the merchant;

she brings her food from afar.

15. She rises while it is yet night

and provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens.

16. She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

17. She dresses herself with strength 

and makes her arms strong.

18. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

19. She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

20. She opens her hand to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

21. She is not afraid of snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

22. She makes bed coverings for herself;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23. Her husband is known in the gates

when he sits among the elders of the land.

24. She makes linen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchant.

25. Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

26. She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27. She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28. Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29. "Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all."

30. Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31. Give her the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.

Feelin' Empowered,

Not-So-Princess Lizzy

Jewelry Hangers!

Alright. Well I don't know about you, but I have been trying to find a cute and easy way to hang my necklaces and earrings in a way that I can still find cute and fit all of my stuff in one place. This is not easy as I LOVE thrift store shopping for jewelry. I have been browsing Pinterest and just haven't been able to find the right fit for me until I came across this...

http://pinterest.com/pin/7670261837669211/

This of course got my brain working, and bear in mind that my walls are hideous... and the painting is not the best, it was just something I wanted to see if it could work (so when I do do it, I know how I want it done!).  You may also notice that the tree fits into what I have been posting about my verse (Jeremiah 17:7-8), and the latest crafts I have been doing... Foam Painting and Painting The Seasons So I penciled it on my wall, painted it with acrylic paints, bought some 1" finishing nails, and nailed them in along the branches. Once that was done, I started to hang my necklaces. I don't have pictures of my earrings yet, as it has been too cold to spray paint the "leaves" they will be hanging from. I will post more later, and update this post as well.

You may notice that one of the bracelets is on a larger nail... it didn't stay on the 1" nails. You may find this is the case for certain things as well. 

Feelin' Girly,
Not-So-Princess Lizzy

Foam Painting

Alright everyone... so I know I have been a slacker in posting... so here goes. I have been doing a few new crafts, and I want you to check 'em out. So here is something that I have started for a friend. I am not sure if I like it quite yet, so I am working on maybe changing it a little bit, but here goes. I might redo it as I discovered things as I went along...

I have a verse this year that I picked that really means a lot to me, something that I want to symbolize and represent me and how I have grown throughout the year. That verse is Jeremiah 17:7-8. It says,

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

whose trust is the LORD. 

He is like a tree planted by water,

that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

and is not anxious in the year of drought,

for it does not cease to bear fruit."

I chose this verse, and then I started noticing on Pinterest the amount of crafts that contain trees on them... so I decided to give them as gifts for Christmas to my family as I made them. Anyways, this I didn't see on Pinterest, but I saw tips on how to do it, so I decided to give it a try... and kinda failed.

Here is what I did. I saw a pin on how you can write with foam paint on wax paper, and later mod podge it onto canvas. I figured, why not do this with the verses! Unfortunately the only foam paint I have is fabric foam paint. I thought it was the same thing for some reason, and went for it. I printed it off, wrote it out on wax paper, and once it was dry realized my mistake. It doesn't harden stiff like regular foam paint as it is made to mold with a shirt/fabric. Therefore it doesn't come off the wax paper. 

I then had to change what I was doing. I threw out the foam paint on wax paper... and started fresh. I took the verse and taped it to the back of the canvas (after I had watered down a yellow and brownish paint and covered the background), and traced the words with a pencil. I then took the paint and wrote the words directly onto the canvas. Unfortunately, when I wrote with the pencil, my hand got tired, and I was not very careful with how clear or precise my lines were. 

When the paint had dried, I realized my problem. Some of the pencil lines were visible, and if I erased to vigorously, it would break the paint off. I got most of the pencil off, and I don't think it looks too bad. 

For the second part of this gift I painted a tree and did swirly colors (like my last craft, which you can find here) as the leaves. I then took buttons and glued them down onto the canvas to give it a 3D effect. I am not quite sure I like the colors that much, but here is the finished product. Hopefully you like it, but I will definitely have to use REAL foam paint if I am going to attempt this again!