solar-charged nite lites

September or 2012 my friend posted this blog entry

http://iamstricklyspeaking.blogspot.ca/2012/09/powers-out-friday-links.html

in it there was a link to 'A CUTE DIY'.

i loved the idea.

i wanted mason jar solar lights.

so i finally found garden lights at the dollar store.

i bought one and made my first mason jar solar light.

i put glass stones in the bottom for decoration

and some yarn to wrap around the top.

this was taken on a full moon - with no flash.  it didn't go green until i took the picture.

then..

 the other day...

 i had a new idea for this mason jar craft.

i was going to make the kids solar powered night lights!

off to the dollar store i headed.

found pink and a green garden lights.

i found the jars i was going to use.

and made handles out of some wire i had.

and...

tada!

the kids carry these into their rooms at bedtime.

they stay lit all night long

and in the morning the kids bring them back out to the dining room table to charge for the day.

**thank you V for your great links.. i miss those entries, i hope you start them again when things settle down.**

check her out at www.iamstricklyspeaking.blogspot.ca 

God thoughts.

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in his own image, 

in the image of God he created him; 

male and female he created them.

Psalm 139:13,14

For you created my inmost being; 

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because i am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

your works are wonderful, 

I know that full well.

we are created in God's image.

what does that mean to you?

create: (v.) Bring something into existence.

when i hear the word create i think of a sculptor.

a painter.

a designer.  

a carpenter.

someone who's final product has begun as an idea, a dream.

it has taken hours, years.

tears, laughter.

starting over.

frustration.

joy.

pride.

and when it's completed..

the words can't express how that creator feels.

the object is of far more value than what it is sold for.

it is created out of love.

passion.

now.

stop and think.

we are created.

we are created in God's image.

God formed us to be His portrait.

not a physical "look God has a wart on His nose" portrait.

but a display of who He is.

wow.

then read the next verse i mentioned.

a Psalm.

a song of praise.

'you knit me together in my mother's womb'

i don't knit.

i love knitted things.

i know the care that goes into something that's knitted.

hands used.

practice.

time taken.

think of a grandma who knits her wee grandbaby a blanket, or sweater.

the love and care that goes into it.

God knitted us.

that sings of care, and intricate detail.

he knew us when we were conceived..

and created us.

when we stop and think of our life in those terms it is a lot easier to sing along with the Psalmist.

I praise you for i am fearfully and wonderfully made.

wish i stopped and thought about that every day.

but i don't.

but, wow, the value one feels after realizing that no matter what

i am not a mistake to God.

may these words encourage you.

may they bless you today.

D.A.K.O.T.A. for 11 points.

I love making things.  

i have said that on the Creations page: here

but this one i decided to blog about on the main page.

i love to play Scrabble.

i love games with words.

i may not always win against Dan but we play friendly.

he can ask me how to spell a word before he places it.

he is the king of major points.

the king of using all his tiles.

i don't think of words like he does, but i do know when it's a real word or if the spelling is off.

I was watching some show on T.V 

and on one set i saw something on the wall that looked like Scrabble letters.

large wood tiles.

i wanted them.

i had to make them for my kids' rooms.

 my Step one:

find the letters for the kids' names in my Scrabble tiles.

for those interested, Elijah's name is 16 points.

step two:

find some scrap wood in the basement.

then

get dan to cut it to size.

(he is better in the math so he figured out the dimensions, and cut all the pieces out for me.)

then

sand the pieces.

step three:

get pencil.

eraser.

ruler.

wood burning kit.

then

draw on the letters and values with pencil.

wood burn over the pencil.

then 

sand again if needed.

step four:

clear coat each tile.

let dry.

clear coat again.

then

get dan to drill into the backs so i can hang on nails.

step five:

get 12 pushpins instead of nails.

haha, yes.  i did say pushpins - so much easier

get level.

pretend to use level, but truly rely on my own eyes.

hang the tiles on the kids' walls.

Loft Bed: Done.

So, we started the loftbed when our kids went to their Gramma and Papa's for 4 sleepovers.
Read about the beginning here.

So, when the kids got back home there was pure excitement about seeing his bed.
however, he would not be sleeping in it right away.
we were finishing up the mud and sanding..
then we finally painted the walls so we could move him in.
so, one week after seeing the bed he finally got to sleep in it.

daddy reading to his little boy: 1st night in the loft.

loft bed

every little boy wants a cool loft bed at some point.  

or if they don't it's because they've never seen one or heard of one.

we are giving our guy one.

the kids are visiting gramma and papa this week so i had the wonderful idea to get the boy's bed done for when he came home after the weekend.

will it be done in time?

we'll see.

On Monday morning dan cut down a tree for our lumber.

that afternoon he cut it into boards.

yesterday immediately after they left with gramma and papa i began my job.

on went the CD player: Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds Live at Luther College

up went the volume.

into the boy's room i went.

 

I cleared out his room - all except his bed - and that only because i didn't know where to put it.

i stood it up on it's side.

when dan got home last night we began planing the boards.

then we ripped out the wall above the kids' closets.

put in the main beam for the bed.  

exhausted, it was bed time.

this morning i was up by 6:30.  

bringing the boards outside by 6:50. (i had to eat breakfast)

and sanding them by 7:10  

it's now lunchtime.

i have sanded and clear-coated all the boards and the main beam.

i have removed all the wood and drywall (from above the closets).
wood to burn pile.

i have mainly cleaned the floor in the room.

i am sore.

i am tired.

i am hungry.

i am excited to see this bed happen.  

Dan is a creative genius and the plans are in his head.

i don't even know what it will look like when done.

not the restful week that i had originally planned when the kids first asked if they could have a 4 night sleepover at papa and gramma's...  

but when i see my little boy walk into his room and climb up to his new bed - 

it will be worth it.

creativity

I married a creative genius.

that may not be how he would describe himself.

he can build and create some pretty spectacular pieces of work.

i have a page on this blog dedicated to the things we make, but this piece...

I had to make sure it was seen by everyone who checked out the blog.

He made me a lamp this year.

from a tree in our back yard.

my job was to paint the lantern covers.

we're a pretty good team i'd say.

King Arthur's Castle

I love to create.

I love to allow my artistic side to shine.

I love to see something I have made, or been a part of, come together and truly turn out amazing.

this past weekend I was asked to come to camp and help paint the castle for the upcoming theme.

King Arthur's Court.

I jumped at the chance and was there on friday to start.

i spent from 9:30 - 2:30 Friday

then again Saturday, 9:30 - around 2ish.

painting.

creating.

loving.

happy.

then I came home, picked up dan and the kids.

we went back to camp and dan helped put the castle walls up.

there is a joy in my heart when I see it all come together.

we finished up some of the building and painting.

Around 7:30 we left camp.

2 exhausted & hot kids

2 exhuasted & hot parents

1 joy-filled heart.

***there were sme finishing touches to be put on it sunday morning, and I hope to see them soon.***

*Special shout out to: Moose, ShamWOW, Bandit, Sunshine, Yacko, Mumz, and the guys who helped put the walls up.

Thank you for all the work you did on this project.*