Meet Matchi!

First I have to say thank you Allie (my dear friend) who verbally abused encouraged me to make this post. :D Thanks friend!

This is my new car! Yes, I've named it. I call him "matchi bako" or "matchi" for short which means matchbox in Japanese. I thought it was quite fitting.

Robert was so nice to give me the apartment parking space...thanks love!

Watch out Okinawa...I'm 100% mobile now :D

Accordion Style Coat Rack

Our guest bedroom is the last bedroom I have to get finished. In my defense we've been waiting on the double bed to be delivered and it just got here last week. To help liven up the beige walls I spruced up this accordion coat rack!

The picture above is what I started with. As you can see it basically would have blended in with my beige walls...yuck! So I whipped out a can of spray paint. By the way spray paint is the answer to any problem in my book. If you don't believe me ask my sister-in-law, we needed a pink fruit to decorate with for her wedding reception so what did I do....that's right....I spray painted apples bright pink! Ok, back the subject at hand...

After the spray paint had dried I folded the rack out to the specific size that I wanted the diamond shape in the middle. I then traced the shape onto one sheet of scrapbook paper.

I stapled my traced scrapbook square to the other pieces of scrapbook paper that I wanted to use and cut out my diamond shapes. (I prefer to use an exacto knife, but scissors will do the job just fine too). Then all that's left is hot gluing the scrapbook paper to the back of the rack.

This was one of those quick and easy projects that really brightens up a wall. Hope you enjoy!

Thinking About the Cross

This Easter was definitely different than any other I've ever experienced. Robert got a call last night (Sat in Japan) that he would be reporting to work at 6:45am on Easter Sunday morning and not to plan much else for the day. As I type, he's back at work (it's 9pm on Sunday here). I was saddened that he missed the lovely Easter service and that he had to make a last minute phone call to tell the sound guy he would not be making the service he had volunteered for, which I know he hated. Luckily for me some of our dear friends were kind enough to come pick me up for church. I found myself being angry at the Marines who decided to do some less than intelligent acts last night that caused Robert to have to work all day, and more than that I was angry that they didn't even care that it was Easter Sunday. As I sat down in my chair and began to enjoy the worship service at Koza (our church) and I began to forget about all that. Then as Pastor John started speaking I couldn't help but think how many times am I like those Marines I was despising earlier? How many times does God look at my actions and my words and feel shame or anger? How many times does he think to himself, "what the heck was she thinking?"

Then I started thinking about his forgiveness. I sat down this evening and begin reading Max Lucado's book He Chose the Nails if you've never read it, it's an amazing read especially this time of year. So many times we just focus on the cross this time of year, which don't get me wrong is good, but what about all everything else. Lucado brings it all to life:

What about the nails?

What about the crown of thorns?

What about the garments he was stripped of?

What about the the garments used for his burial?

What about the wine-soaked sponge?

What about the the two crosses beside Jesus?

What about the people mocking him?

What about the beatings he endured?

What about the taunting to prove he was God?

What about the spear that pierced his side?

What about the blood?

There's so much more that the cross entails. Sometimes we get so caught up in life and begin to think so highly of ourselves that we forget what we put our Lord through. I need his amazing grace today just as much as I did yesterday and I will need it everyday after. He chose the nails for me and for you. He chose the crown of thorns, the cross, the pain, the separation from the Father, the mockery of the people that once worshipped him, he chose it ALL. He didn't choose part of it, so why do I so often only give him part of me? I think one of the greatest things that stood out to me while reading through this book was Matt 25:40, "I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!" Basically, he's saying that how we treat OTHERS is how we treat JESUS. Now of course when I first read this, I thought about all the good I do for others (those friends I took to the airport, that person I babysat for last minute, that lady I made dinner for), but if I honestly evaluate I see things more clearly. I see the people that I don't always have time for, the people I talk badly about, the people I judge by appearance, basically the people that aren't easy for me to love. Needless to say, this was a humbling and challenging read for me. Even though today wasn't the ideal circumstance, I'm thankful for that time I had to reflect.

Like I said this Easter was definitely different than any Easter I've had yet, but it has been a blessed day! I'm thankful for so many things and Jesus's sacrifice is at the top of the list.

Good Friday, Bad Thursday!

It's Good Friday already in Japan, but it was definitely a bad Thursday around the White House. There are many things I don't mind doing around the house, vacuuming, dusting, mopping, cooking...I almost enjoy all those things, but laundry is another story. I'm not a fan, that's probably why I have so many clothes so I can go two three weeks with out doing my laundry (Robert and my college roommates can vouch for that).

Yesterday I decided to be SUPERWIFE and tackle a stain on Robert's new rain jacket. So my process went something like this....

Research how to get an ink stain out of polyester...feeling confident

Used hairspray and dabbed with cloth....ink remained

Used alcohol and dabbed with cloth....ink remained

Tried a few other crazy remedies I found online....ink remained

Ended up soaking in a white vinegar and soap mixture....this is finally where I got a change in my results! The once tan rain jacket was now a light purple and then INK REMAINED!

At this a was extremely frustrated! As you see from the picture above it looks like I crossed my Easter egg dying with my laundry. At first I was upset, and then I just couldn't stop laughing (probably from all the hairspray fumes). So the lesson I learned was next time I see a great jacket in the store that has a ink stain on it and I think to myself "I can get that out AND get a discount" WALK AWAY....RUN!

Hope you and yours have a happy Easter, I'll be convincing Robert to wear his purple jacket in honor of Easter :D

Kitchen Ruffle Towels

I found some adorable towels like this on AshleyAnn's blog and have been wanting to make them for so long....and I FINALLY did! My first disclaimer is that I'm a photographer not a seamstress, don't judge the poor sewing...haha!

I picked out some of my favorite scrap fabric. The grey ruffle at the bottom is an old skirt that I had to retire but decided to hang onto it because I loved the material...thank goodness!

I just cut my strips of fabric, folded under the edges, and then sewed the ends down the ends to the towel and then pinned the ruffled areas. Then it was just sewing straight lines, which I'm getting better at, but it's no where near perfect!

I'm definitely pleased with the way it turned out! Thanks for the great idea AshleyAnn!

How You Know You're Getting Older

My college roommates and I were talking about this recently because one of my dear roommates just built a house and got customize just about everything...oooh la la! We decided that a good way to tell that you're getting older is when you start getting excited about light fixtures, bedding, dishes, tile and carpet samples AND......CURTAINS!

I received the newest addition or our lovely home this weekend. Not just any old curtains, but BURLAP curtains. I know...it may sound a little strange at first but it really matches our eclectic/shabby chic style. The texture of them and the way they let the light still pour in is absolutely beautiful. Who knew curtains could practically make you giddy!

A huge thank you to PaulaAndErika, they have the cutest stuff, I'm in love with their ruffle curtains! Yea for Etsy!

Easter is on it's way!

This all started when my mother-in-law sent me a picture of her center piece she had done for Easter. It really got me motivated to start some seasonal decorating...thanks Dulcy! I found this great project from good ol Martha! I love the way these turned out. Above are the old silk ties that I used to dye eggs for Easter.

I used cotton balls to rub white vinegar on the outside of the eggs, I got better results when I did this.

Then you tie the silk (print side facing the egg) around the egg

Then use a white sheet or other white scrap material you might have to wrap around the silk

Then place them in a pot, I didn't have a glass or enamel pot like Martha called for, but this one worked just fine

You cover the eggs with water and then add 3 tbl spoons of white vinegar (i double that and got better results).

I brought to a boil and then let simmer for about 25-30 minutes. And this is what I got!

Very pretty patterns, I love how great the flower transferred, it's so clear!

The I wiped them down with some vegetable oil to add a little sheen

I had a cake plate I wasn't using so I filled it with dried split peas (keeps the eggs from rolling around and looks like spring) and arranged the eggs accordingly.

I just love it! I'm not a big pastel person, so these vibrant colors are fine by me!

I also made some twine eggs. I used plastic eggs and hot glued twine on them very carefully :D

I think it added a nice natural look

Happy Almost Easter Everyone!