My Homemade Canvas

I had a canvas made through Canvas People for my brother and sister en law for a wedding gift.  It turned out beautiful, I definitely recommend Canvas People for professional canvas's.  After having one made it made me want some canvas's for our house, so I decided to try to make one, I'm not a professional at it by any means, but it looks pretty darn good and ends up costing A LOT less:) 

The Supplies Needed ~

Something to cut the picture

any color of acrylic paint

Mod Podge - Matte

Paint Brush

That sponge looking brush (Not sure what its called)

Blank Canvas (I used an 8x10)

Picture of your choice (I used an 8x10)

First I paint the edges of the canvas, so it has time to dry( Don't worry it doesn't need to be perfect at all).

While the paint is drying I cut a little bit off the top and bottom of the picture, you can just eye ball it:)

Once the paint is dry on the canvas, I then apply Mod Podge all over the entire canvas, you don't need to let that dry just add the picture on top of the wet mod podge make sure there are no bubbles under the picture, and then cover the picture and all the edges with the Mod Podge and let dry.  And that's all folks!

Great Movie

Me, my husband, and our 3 girls watched this movie last night, my brother and sister en law let us borrow it.  It is almost completely word for word from the Bible.  I am a visual learner so this really helped me understand the book of John more.  Grace was really sad when Christ was being crucified, she kept saying "They are hurting My Jesus", but she was sooo excited when Jesus rose again and was "all better.":)   It was such a blessing seeing how Grace responded to this movie (Grace is 3).

We definitely recommend this movie.

Some Things We Have Made

We desperately needed a new table, so my hubby built us a farm style table.  I love this table, its super sturdy, the perfect size for our dining room/kitchen, and just my style:)  I love all the tables in the Pottery barn catalog but I knew we would never be able to fork out the money for one of those bad boys, so my husband built one for $40.00.
We are still using our chairs from the old table, while we search for 4-6 chairs on craigslist or goodwill.  And we are still debating on building a bench for one side of it.. What do you think we should do???

Next up is our electric fireplace in our living room.  I love this thing:)  We found the mantel and the insert brand new on Craigslist for $250.  If you have ever priced electric fireplaces this size they can tend to be super spendy, so all that to say we got a spankin deal!  Originally it was a light wood tone, so my husband spray painted it black and then we bought both the shelves on each side at Walmart (Better Homes and Garden) for $70 a piece.  So it looks kind of like we have a built in Fireplace:) 

Here is the front view, sorry about the bad lighting.. I want to change my mantel up, not sure what to do with it yet.  I also have to be careful about what I put on the shelves (3 little girls love to touch every thing).:) 
My girls where watching Tom and Jerry:) 

Once again some thing my husband made (I promise I don't make him build everything, he actually really likes to do it) ;) 

He built the shelf, but I painted it! 

See the picture of my girls, that is actually a canvas I made for about $3.00 its a 8x10, I will show how I did it soon! 

Oh, and excuse the pictures in the picture frames, I don't know those people:)

I didn't actually make this canvas, I just had to show it off.  I love this canvas, I'm not sure where its home will be in our home but I love it:)  I found this at Real Deals, its an Amish painting for $8.95.

Just a little something I made for Grace and Chloe's bedroom.  Its just a little banner and some tissue paper pom pom thingies. 

And last but not least is the mural me and my hubby painted on the wall in the girls playroom.  They love it:)

This was my favorite verse whenever I was pregnant.  

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These cookies are to die for and super easy. I'm baking some as we speak:)   

~ REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP COOKIES ~
1/2 cup butter or (room temp.)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 bag mini Reese's peanut butter cups
Cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Add flour and baking soda. Roll into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Immediately press Reese's PB cups into the center of each cookie. Remove carefully (do NOT flip pan over...chocolate will still be melted) and let cool completely on a wire rack. Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen.

Homemade Elderberry Syrup

My husband loves to hunt, and I love naturopathic medicine:)  Who would have thought that while we were hunting, that I could be doing some thing that I love at the same time???

Some times as a family we go road hunting, I drive while my husband is looking for a buck, our three girls also help daddy look for a buck:)  While road hunting this last season we kept driving by these bushes that had clusters of berries on them, I asked my husband if they could possibly be tiny grapes?? He said "no" in distracted hunter voice. :)  I couldn't stop think about those berries and wondering what they could be, then we drove by a cute older couple picking these clusters of berries.  I rolled down my window to ask them what kind of berries they were???  That's when I found out that Elderberries grow in Oregon:)  Thank you Lord:)  That's when I decided I really really loved road hunting! 

We ended up picking 54 cups worth of elderberries this year.   I am google freak, so I googled how to make Elderberry Syrup.  This is how I make it.

Elderberry Syrup ~

2 cups Elderberries
4 cups water
2 cups Raw Honey

I put the elderberries in a pan with the water and let it simmer for about 35 minutes.  Then I strain the seeds into cheese cloth, and take the juice and mix 2 cups of the elderberry juice (Cooled) with 2 cups honey in a quart  size mason jar, put a lid on it then shake it up and put it in the fridge. 

Its awesome on vanilla ice cream, but its also medicinal (Not for babies under 1 because of the honey).  I also put it in plain yogurt for my girls, and they love it.  I know it sounds like a lot of honey, but if you use raw honey it is super good for you so it just makes the syrup that much better for you:) 

Picture Borrowed from Simply Recipes Blog

So far this year no one in our home has been sick, at all!  And trust me we are surrounded by sickos! By this time last year (No elderberry syrup) my girls had at least 2-3 colds.  So all that to say, this stuff is amazing.. But I give all the glory to the Lord God for creating elderberries, and guiding me to them:)

P.S. I also made some elderberry jam, it tastes amazing.  If any one wants that recipe let me know:)

Favorite Song Sunday ~ Sons of Korah Psalms 51

My Heritage From the Lord

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. ~ Psalm 127:3

Building a Pottery Barn Inspired Play Kitchen

Have you seen the Pottery Barn play kitchens?  They are absolutely adorable, and my hubby and I are attempting to make one:) 
My husband is doing all the building, and I am the painter.  We found two super duper cheap end tables at the Bargain Building Warehouse, they are as ugly as can be, but have lots of potential to become a play sink and play oven.. I just can't wait to show every one..  I will have pictures of our creation soon.
Picture Provided by Pottery Barn.

Ours probably won't look this amazing, but it will definitely cost a lot less:)