Happy Resurrection Day!

Our Savior has risen!  Hallelujah to the King of kings!  Let us praise Him! 

Let's Host an Easter Egg Hunt!

I know, I'm a procrastinator.  It's the eve before Good Friday & I'm just now posting these - cause I just now finished em.  Maybe one day I'll do better & post these type of things early.  Maybe... with hope & a prayer. =) 

Hide & Seek was always my game back in the day, I think that's why I love Easter egg hunts... the seeking & finding {not to mention the chocolate}!  I fashioned these printables to help you host the best Easter egg hunt party ever!  So, go ahead, {don't procrastinate like me} print these off & have a spontaneous Easter egg hunt for the little siblings/kids in your life!  

sign

invitation / envelope embellishments

starting line sign

lovely party art

Click on each image & then right click & save the picture to your computer {or copy & paste}, open in a word document, resize {if necessary}, print, & enjoy!

Happy Hunting!
-Bess-

Upcycling Plastic Easter Eggs {Part 2}

Remember how back in this post I upcycled plastic Easter eggs?  Well, I'm at it again!  This time I'm spelling out the word Easter - I saw a similar decoration at Target made out of wooden eggs, which cost around $12.  Depending on what you have in your stash, this DIY one will only cost around $2!

All you need are 6 plastic Easter eggs & chipboard letters that spell out the word Easter.  Use low heat hot glue to attach your letters to each egg.  Then, using the same glue, affix the sides of the eggs together.  Lastly, you could hot glue the bottoms of the eggs to a ruler if you like, so they'll stand up on their own.  Easy-peasy!  

Love,

-Bess-

P.S.: Here's a couple bonus Easter printables I made for you guys!  Right click & save each image to your computer, open in a word document, resize if necessary, print, & enjoy!

art printable

 bunny door hanger

Making Ribbon Labels {With Stamps}

I happen to like labels, whether it's a practical label telling me what's inside a container or a more whimsical label that just adds some extra flair.  This spring I've been adding some of both to my apt. through creating ribbon labels!  Here's how you can do it, too... 

For this project you'll need ribbon, scissors, alphabet stamps, & stamping ink.  If you don't have alphabet stamps you could use a fine point Sharpie instead.  

Stamp {or write} your word on your ribbon & tie around your container!  Pretty simple, huh?  These look great on mason jars, vases, pencil cups, cookie jars, flower pots, decorative boxes, etc.  Experiment with different ribbon widths & ink colors.  Here's some word choices for your more whimsical labels: bloom, grow, sprout, fresh, water me, blossom...  

Here's pics of how I incorporated my ribbon labels into my spring decor...

Love & Happy Spring Nesting,

-Bess-

Easter Resurrection Jar

When Jesus gave His life on the cross, willingly becoming the ultimate sacrifice for our sins for all time, He didn't stay in the grave.  He arose, alive again!  That's what Easter is all about... amazing indescribable love that couldn't stay contained in a tomb {or let us stay in our sins, far from God}.  I created this "resurrection jar" as a reminder.  You can make one, too!  Here's how... 

What You Need:

-jar

-twigs/sticks

-thread/twine

-purple fabric or ribbon scrap

-decorative moss &/or small stones

-glue

-scissors

-decorative tag {optional}

Break twigs or small sticks to create two pieces that will form your cross.  Tie your two pieces together with your thread or twine {you may want to add some glue first to make your cross more secure}.  Next, take your purple fabric or ribbon scrap & drape it over the cross {as shown above}, gluing it down to secure it.  Add moss & stones to the bottom of your jar & place your cross down into the moss, using the moss &/or stones to help it stand up.  Add a tag if you like with a special phrase {like He arose!, love, Happy Easter, etc.}.  Add your jar into your spring decor & remember God's love for us is beyond amazing!

Amazing Love,

-Bess-   

Song Love {March}

"Nothing Is Wasted" by Jason Gray


"Lord, I Need You" by Matt Maher


"Come Home" by Luminate


The Story Behind "Come Home"

Musical Love,
-Bess-

Fab Free Customizable Printables!

I recently found this fabulous website {On To Baby} where you can create customizable initial art for printing!  It's set-up to create nursery art with a baby's name, but as you can see, it can easily be used for what have you!

 There's lots of other color options to choose from, this just happens to be one of my favorites.  They also have a more modern option {click here for that}.

Here's some more word ideas: your first or last name; Easter; Jesus; hope; love; bloom; the state where you live; faith; create; glow...  The hard part is choosing!

What word(s) would you use?

Printable Love,

-Bess-

Spring 2013 Style Passport

Walmart - $13.88

 Target - $14.99

Target - $12.99

Walmart - $14.88

Target - $22.99

Walmart - $15.00

Walmart - $6.00

Walmart - $9.94

What trends are you loving for spring?

{Modest} Stylish Springtime Love,
-Bess-

It's Such a 'God Thing'

Sometimes things just happen that can only be described as “God things.” Circumstances meld together in mysterious ways & you become witness to something special & amazing. Today I witnessed my own little miracle - like a package wrapped & marked ‘hope’ - presented by the Father.

I was about to go for an important appointment. I had been praying constantly about it, but I decided to bow my head once more before I left. My prayers for this always included, “Your will be done,” & “If it’s Your will than let it happen, please Lord.” In my mind I heard the lyrics of a DC Talk song from back in the day, “Cause if it’s Your will than nothing can shake me.” I prayed for the peace to know that no matter what it would turn out as God had planned, just like the song that interrupted my thoughts said.

Fast forwarding a bit, I went to the appointment & everything went well; I felt God give me the words to say. As I was driving home from the meeting & listening to one of my favorite radio stations {that typically plays new & contemporary Christian tunes}, guess what song came on? Yes, DC Talk’s “My Will!” Now, this may not seem big to you, but I just knew it was God {He often uses my car radio to “talk” to me} =) telling me it’s going to be okay; no matter what His will, it is just right for me. I just need to trust Him. Yes, a random late 90s song coming on my radio out of the blue was such a “God thing!” Thank You, Father, for Your words! Whatever Your will may it be done in my life.



Love,
-Bess-

Tales of Bunny Tails {With Printable}

I've seen these Easter ideas all over the Web... a baggie full of marshmallows with a label reading "bunny tails."  I decided to do my own take on it...

I don't know about you, but it just doesn't seem right to eat bunny rabbit tails.  An angry PETA, not to mention Peter Cottontail, come to mind.  So, I decided to add a little note to my label.

I'm not sure if "synthetic" was the right word choice, but I like it fine.  Anyhow, it's sure to keep PETA & Peter at bay.  If it's not your style, however, just use the labels below.

The white labels are if you want to print it out on your own paper, which is what I did {I cut scrapbook paper to printer paper size & ran that through the printer}.  Just click on the labels you want, then right click & copy the set {or save to your pictures}.  Next, right click & paste the image {or open} in a word document & resize the labels to fit your project...  You could use these as jar labels, gift tags, plastic baggie labels, etc.  You can also crop the image to the label you want {i.e.: the white label or the pink gingham one}, as well as copy & paste multiple labels into your word document.  Print, cut out, add marshmallows, & enjoy!

Here's some more pics of my spring-ified kitchen counter...

       

Hoppy Trails,

-Bess-

{Early Spring} Cleaning

It's nearly springtime & I really want to get organized & have a general cleaning spree!  One such area that I'm working on is my "craft" closet.  It's not a total "craft closet" as I store my DVDs in there & various other things that I want to hide away {i.e.: jam in whenever anyone comes by & close the door quick so they won't fall out}.  So, it's in definite need of a cleaning.

I'm still working on it, but I've made progress {what a nice word}.  The lovely chevron striped clear containers are perfect for corralling crafting supplies & they came from none other than the Dollar Tree!  Yes, they were $1 each!  Since I'm on this cleaning kick, I thought why not go all the way & add labels to em?  So I used some printable sticker labels I had.  Eventually, thanks to my hodge-podge collection of supplies, I ran out of labeling ideas & simply went with "odds," "ends," & "sundry things" for three of the containers. =)  

Another Dollar Tree organizational find were these mini baskets I use in my laundry area.  They were actually packaged two together {so it's like .50 cents each essentially}.  Since they sport holes, I decided to hang them on the wall {just measure & use two nails (one for the first hole in the top row & one for the last hole in the top row)}.  

Are you going-to/doing any spring cleaning?  What are your tips?

Spring Cleaning Love,

-Bess-

P.S.: Did you know you can use tennis balls in the dryer instead of dryer sheets?  You can, just toss 2-3 clean balls in {it makes more racket =), but it's green & thrifty - it's especially good for items with down (feathers)}!   

Upcycling Plastic Easter Eggs

Can you believe it's March {& at the end of this month it'll be Easter}?  The arrival of springtime, not to mention the swiftness of the calendar, always surprise me.  Last night I stayed up rather late upcycling some plastic Easter eggs & I thought I'd share this little fun DIY with ya...  

All you do is take plastic eggs {like the ones above}, & embellishments & trims {like the ones below (whatever you've got in your craft supplies)}, & add a little glue {hot glue works best since it dries quickly}.       

Here's the end product...

These were just fun to make... & now fun to display around my place!  Go ahead, dig out the plastic eggs from all those past hunts, & go to town!

Crafting Love,

-Bess-