Embrace Life

Welcome back everyone. I'm sorry I've been away for a while but life has gotten a little crazy lately and  I've just been holding on and trying to make it through. For starters we have had the roughest flu season! We've been sick with just about everything. I've been trying so hard to just take care of my sick little babies and get the basics done. Have any of you been there? 

I know Christmas was forever ago, but I just had to share these fun Christmas trees I made with my sister-in-laws. We had a fun painting night when we were all together for Christmas. They asked me to teach a mixed media canvas. I used the same tutorial as I did for the girls' trees, but used different papers and colors. We also used some modeling paste for some gorgeous snowflakes.  It was so much fun!

So with the new year my mind can't help but turn to goals and new begins. Usually I love setting goals and having a fresh start. I love rededicating myself and striving to be a little better. This year New Years was a little different for me. I find myself trying to embrace my life for what it is rather then trying to change it. There are some things you can't change and when life throws you a curve ball you have to learn how to roll with the punches. 

I have no idea what this next year is going to bring. It might bring lots of changes. There is a lot that is unknown. I have a hard time when things are out of my control, but that's the way life is sometimes. I want to embrace my life and find joy everyday. I have so much to be grateful for. Even when my everyday life stretches me and I struggle to get it all done and things are out of my control I can be grateful. 

I am grateful for my family. I'm grateful for my friends. I am grateful for my sweet girls. I am grateful to be a mom. I am grateful for prayer. And most of all I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. It really helps give me strength when I have none.

I will simply keep on trying everyday. 

So after getting home from our big Christmas trip, I was excited to get back in my craft room again. I had so many Christmas projects all over my desk that I never got to. How did the holidays get so busy? I hate when I feel like I have to finish something before I can move on to something else. Sometimes unfinished projects get stacked everywhere and pretty soon I don't even want to go in my craft room. It starts to feel like work. I can't do something simple because I'm inspired, because I have so many projects I have to finish. So I allowed myself to pack everything away. I need to be able to move on. I can work on these awesome ideas later. There's no crime in working on Christmas projects in June right? 

Then I found this super fun project on Christy Tomlinson's blog. I thought it would be so fun to try something new. Since we just got through with Christmas, instead of buying the kit, I challenged myself to use stuff I had on hand. I found some old boxes and got to work. The best one was the box from my iPhone! It worked great!

I wanted to use each box to symbolize something I am grateful for. 

I wanted to use lots of bright colors. I love painting this old key yellow! I covered it with a coat of gesso first, then picked my favorite bright yellow. 

This was also my first time playing with wire. It was really easy and fun. I wrapped this whole box in wire and added a fun heart on top. I can tuck a picture into the loops if I want to.

So what stuff do you have lying around that you could repurpose?

And what do you have to be grateful for?