DIY Cheap/Free Valentine!

So basically. We don't have money to blow. Who does? So I was thinking of what I could do for Josh this Valentines day that wouldn't cost anything, and came up with this little number. I really like the way it turned out, and thought I would share it with you! It seriously took me maybe 30 minutes to make, and everything I used was already on hand.

I thought it would be hard, but honestly, when you have a husband like mine... finding something to love about him A-Z was really a piece of cake.  :)

I cut some regular card-stock to 5.5x4 and punched two holes in the top. The rest is just stickers and scrapbooking paper I had on hand! I will show you a few pictures so you can get the idea... but some of the letters are just none of your business. :)

Here's the final product, tied up with some string!

What do you think? 

On Heaven.

My father-in-law, after fighting for years with Hepatitis C and end-stage liver disease, went to be with Jesus last Saturday.

He will be so missed. I truly could not have asked for a better mother/father-in-law duo. Also, can I just say how amazing Josh's mom is? She took wonderful care of her husband in his most trying time and has been so strong since. I can only hope to be half as good a woman as she is.

One thing for sure is, Heaven sounds sweeter, the more people I know that are there. It will never cease to blow me away, just thinking about that place. Just imagine, someone like Josh's dad-- so much pain here on earth... Now he's walking with Jesus, with not a care. Josh's dad always said Jesus said in the Bible that he would "prepare a place for you..." so he decided he would probably have a solid gold espresso maker. :)

This song was running through my head the day before he died.

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have

But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that tries to grab

The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth

That we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings

That there will be a place with no more suffering

There will be a day with no more tears

No more pain, and no more fears

There will be a day when the burdens of this place

Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face

But until that day, we'll hold on to you always

I know the journey seems so long

You feel you're walking on your own

But there has never been a step

Where you've walked out all alone

Troubled soul don't lose your heart

Cause joy and peace he brings

And the beauty that's in store

Outweighs the hurt of life's sting

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings

That there will be a place with no more suffering

There will be a day with no more tears

No more pain, and no more fears

There will be a day when the burdens of this place

Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face

But until that day, we'll hold on to you always

I can't wait until that day where the very one

I've lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I've faced

To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery

O, this is why, this is why I sing

There will be a day with no more tears

No more pain, and no more fears

There will be a day when the burdens of this place

Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face

There will be a day with no more tears

No more pain, and no more fears

There will be a day when the burdens of this place

Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face

There will be a day he will wipe away the tears

He will wipe away the tears

He will wipe away the tears

There will be a day.

Goodbye for now. You will be so missed!

Compliments.

After discussing with some friends about each others hair, we decided that this would be the new way to compliment your friends. :) "I love your ____. If it were on Pinterest, I'd re-pin it."

:) Happy Saturday, friends.

Christmassing!

Well, at least I never told you I would be a faithful blogger. :)

We have been busy with life in general. Work, school, and church. That's what we do. But lately, we've been mixing in a little Christmassing around here at the Murphy house. 

Like making Christmas goodies.

We've been hanging stockings on the banister with care. Ours and the dogs, of course.

 Decking our halls, and whatnot.

Love our Christmas tree! 

 My grandma made this years ago, and I always remember it being on the top of her tree growing up. She has a small tree, now, so she gave me this! I think it's so cute. :)

 Here's the dining table all decked out, too! 

I think that's a cheese tray, right? I got it at the thrift store for like $2 I think! 

Anyway. I don't use it for cheese. I use it for pine cones. And I like it.

Nativity set made by my wonderful Mother-in-Law. There are a ton more pieces, too! I just have room right now for the main people. Maybe next year we can put all of the pieces out!

 Merry Christmas, from us! I hope you all have a blessed holiday season, remembering what this is really all about! 

Before & After: Love those thrift stores!

Found these at a thrift store for $7.  They came with hideous shades, too... But I actually took those off and left them there. They were nasty. I didn't even want them in my trash can. 

...I digress. Look, one of them even came with a lightbulb! What a steal. :)

Anyway, a few coats of spray paint later, and some new pretty drum shades, and we're in business people!

Paint addiction.

I have been on such a make-ugly-things-pretty kick lately.

Found these possible pretties at a thrift store:

[excuse the cruddy cell phone picture...]

Put some paint and TLC into them, and ooooh pretty! 

I am loving these end tables :) I may just have a rotation of furniture going on in my house!

*Edited to add:
The paint color is a Home Depot version of Benjamin Moore, Palladian Blue. I just told them  that's what I wanted, and they worked their magic! :) (It is VERY close to "Tide Pools" by Behr.)

Happy place.

Everybody needs a happy place. :) Where's yours?

Wedding Shadowbox!

All these random wedding items can either be 1) shoved in a closet, or 2) displayed like so. 

I pick the latter. :)

1- Invitation to our happiest day. 

2- My gorgeous, gorgeous veil. I love it.

3- The sash that was tied around my dress.

4- Well look at that, I don't have a number four... move along folks... nothing to see here. Literally.

5- Josh's boutonniere.

6- The flower that was on the blue sash around my waist.

7- Engagement picture.

8-My very favorite picture from our honeymoon.

What do you think? I am not usually a huge fan of shadow box displays, as I think they can look cluttered. But I also really wanted to find a way to display these items to remember the best day of our lives! 

Table Love!

So I found this full-of-potential table and chairs set on Craigslist. For $40. 

Yes that's right. $40.  And we don't have a truck, so I offered $10 more to have it delivered. Sold!

We painted the table white, and the chairs blue. How cute is that?! Thank you, Pinterest, for the inspiration. You are good for a select few things.

Also we picked up this light fixture for a steal. You can't see it because I stink at taking pictures. But it's cute. Trust me. 

I seriously love it. 

All we need to do now is reupholster the chairs, which will be easy enough, but won't happen until next paycheck. :)

Special thanks to my dearest friend, Ashleigh, for spending an hour with me in Home Depot picking out that perfect shade of blue. :)

[Edited to answer a question!: The chairs are "Tide Pools" by Behr, and the table is "Moon Rise" by Behr.]


And for you Better After readers... no, I haven't done the fabric yet. That will come with another paycheck :) Until now, the upholstered part just looks hideous. Don't look! :)

Why I hate Pinterest:

Maybe hate is a strong word. Because really, I don't hate Pinterest. I use it often, in fact, and have made recipes from it that were good, I've discovered making my own laundry detergent is easy-peasy and I'll never go back, and I've gotten cute house-y ideas from it.


However. Because I have pinned my little heart out, I sometimes feel so very... not enough.

My hair isn't good enough. My food isn't good enough. My clothes aren't good enough. My body isn't good enough. My makeup isn't good enough. My fingernails and toenails aren't painted good enough. I can't decorate cakes good enough...blah blah blah.

You know what? My sweet husband loves me the way I am. He tells me all the time. And oftentimes, I find myself second guessing him because I don't look like I stepped off my Pinterest page. But really I should care more about what my husband says, than what I think Pinterest would say. Right?

So I'm still going to use Pinterest. Because in all reality, it's pretty fun/cool/neato.

But I'm going to make a conscious effort to be the best me I can be- without caring what Pinterest would say. Of course I'm going to put effort into myself and try new hairdos, recipes, workouts and stuff... But I'm not going to try to be one million things I'm not! Not to mention... it's a huge time waster!

Much Love,
Not-a-super woman/baker/cake decorator/fashion designer/foodie/skinny/awesome/decorator/high fashion/weird makeup wearing/chef.

aka: Mel.  :)