A Little Spray Paint Does the Trick!

Ok, so I've been MIA for a while. A LONG while :). We had a very FULL summer: we moved. Enough said, right?!? Now that life has settled a bit and the girls are back in school, I find myself with some time on my hands (not too much!), but just enough to begin working on some crafting/DIY ideas. A new space is really inspiring to have the chance to start over and re-work your furniture and home decor in new ways. Which leads me to my latest obsession...SPRAY PAINT! It is an extremely easy way to give life to an item at very little cost! My local Home Depot has a pretty good variety of colors to choose from. My fave line is the Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Ultra Cover spray paints. For less than $4/can, it really is a great way to go! It has great coverage and doesn't take more than 1 or 2 coats (depending on the original color of the item you're repainting). Plus it works great on wood, metal or plastic! 

All of the items I repainted where things I had on-hand and had been hoping to do something with or was going to get rid of. Here's some of my recent projects!

 A tired black candlestick got a fresh, beachy look with only 1 coat of the color "Moss" (Satin finish)

Found in our old attic, these unfinished shutters are now a gorgeous shade of "Colonial Red" (Satin). I added some self-leveling sawtooth hangers to the backs (found at Bartell Drugs) and hung them in the dining room. I'm super excited for the Christmas season cause I'm gonna put greeting cards in between the slats! *I'll post a pic of it when it's got a few! 

 An antique berry-picking flat got a light coat of "Moss" and is currently the home of a few autumn beauties :)

These wood frames were painted by my friend Birdie. The blue is "Slate" and the white is "Heirloom White" (both Satin finish).  Neither frame had the glass, so I took a few corkboard flooring squares and cut them to fit the frame opening. I secured them with hot glue-although I'm sure there are other glues that would work! 

What do you have lying around the house that you could give new life to with a quick coat of spray paint?  The ideas are endless! 

From Blog Signature

Upcoming Event!

I am honored to announce my upcoming live performance for the Artists of Tomorrow Benefit (put on by the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation).

June 13th at 7pm on the Frances Anderson Center Plaza

• Preview the Edmonds Arts Festival Juried Gallery and purchase art before it opens to the public.
• Visit with EAF Museum Featured Artist Pamela Harold.
• View art of scholarship recipients and student artists.
• Vote for People’s Choice Award in both the Juried Gallery and Student Top Twenty exhibits.
• Find fabulous art, vacation packages, wine and more to bid on in the Silent Auction.
• Listen to live music on the Plaza by Emily Brotherton and soft jazz in the galleries by Boulevard A.

For ticket information, click here.

Change is in the Air

Most of us are not creatures of change.  We love our routine, our structure, our same-'ol same-'ol...ok, maybe it's just us OCD'ers.  But I know I'm not alone.  2012 has felt anything but structured for the Brotherton family.  In January, we put our house on the market.  For those that have ever gone through this process, you know how *crazy* this is-especially with little ones!  Strangers walking through your house nearly everyday (sometimes showing up without an appointment), the need to make your house look and feel like a magazine (when it's totally NOT!)...the list goes on.  But somehow, this structured/wannabe neat-freak of a momma managed to get through it peacefully.  That's from the Lord, for sure!  About 2 months into the house being listed, we got an offer and accepted it with little negotiation (from the Lord as well!).  We haven't quite closed yet, but we're close.  Where we'll go?  We'll stay in Edmonds.  Where exactly in Edmonds?  Not sure yet.  God will provide those details! :)  In the meantime, I'm trying to remain calm about the unknown!  (*Insert nervous laugh here...*)

Another HUGE change in our family is that we're saying goodbye to our in-home nanny, Katherine Joy.  She has lived with us pretty much since the girls were born-allowing me to work to help support our family income.  She was, no pun intended, a JOY!  She became and will always be, Auntie Katy.  She & I have a friendship that has & will continue to stand the test of time.  She will be MISSED, to say the least.  But as they say, "all good things must come to an end", and it's her time to spread her beautiful, capable wings and FLY!  Cheesy, I know-but true!  We pray AMAZING things will come her way in this next season of life!  Love you and appreciate you, Auntie Katy!!!!!!!!

Goodness.  Last, but not least...drumroll please...I will be returning home and have given notice at my current job!  Whew! :)  For those that know details of this job, you know it's been a difficult year for me.  God knows those struggles and I pray He will use this experience to grow me and shape me.  The stress of having to wear so many different hats was overwhelming at times, but I'm very excited to begin a new season of life with my family!  I'm actually a bit nervous to be a stay-at-home-mom.  Uncertain if I'll be any good at it.  It takes discipline & diligence to make the added time at home productive, effective, yet FUN!  I pray I'll be able to find that balance.  The Lord knows how much I need BALANCE! :)  I hope to make time to write more music and also help out with our family business, Sno-King Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning (shameless plug...I'm allowed a few every now and then!)

So there you have it.  A Brotherton family update in a blog post nutshell.  If you think of it, say a prayer for us.  We need God's continued guidance and direction in the months ahead.  Our spirits are ready and willing, yet the flesh feels so weak sometimes!

Hope you and your families are enjoying this amazing Washington weather!  Can I hear an "Amen?"!!

Fabulously {Free} Fonts

I am an unashamed font-aholic.  It's an addiction that started late in life, but some passions are like that!  :)  Honestly, I trace it back to Picnik - my favorite online photo-editing site (R.I.P Picnik...that's a story for another post!)  But sites like Pinterest have only fueled my craze for the next great font, as I stumble upon pins (or repins!) from blogs like eighteen25 (which I love) that features their fave free fonts.  

I had a bit of time on my hands today (don't tell...) and was inspired to create my very first 

"4F" (Fabulously Free Fonts Feature)  

Enjoy!

"fabulously" - CK Cursive

"FREE FONTS" - Rio Grande Striped

Sunshine Poppy (side note - the parenthesis symbol makes those cute star/flowers)

Marcelle

Return to Sender

Truckle

Brannboll

Jellyka Delicious Cake

J.O.Y

I read a devotional today and thought this was the perfect place to share it--I think you'll see why :).  May it be a source of encouragement to you today, whatever it is you're going through.

Count It All Joy

By Kay Warren

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” (James 1:2-4 MSG)

This devotional is based on Kay Warren’s new book, "Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough."

We don’t get a chance to hide or pretend when the bottom falls out of our lives.

When we get bad news or a health scare, someone dies, or our finances collapse, all our great words about faith are worthless.

What matters is what we do in those circumstances.

The Bible says in the first chapter of James that our “faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors” during hard times. It doesn’t matter what I say about living a life of joy and faith. What I really believe is obvious to everyone —especially to myself — when bad times come.

So what do we do in those moments?

James 1 says to “consider it a sheer gift when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.” Another version of James 1 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters ...” I have to be honest: That’s rarely my first reaction! I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve been initially successful at considering hard times a “gift” or “counted it all joy.”

No, I’m like you. My first reaction is usually anger, despair, or bitterness — not joy or thankfulness for the “gift” of difficulties. When I react like that, I get disappointed in how far I still have to go to be a mature woman of God.

But that’s exactly the point James is making. We hate the process that makes us like Christ because it involves pain, sorrow, stress, and upheaval. Yet we all want the product: spiritual maturity. James tells us not to try and wiggle out of the hard times too soon. If we do, we will short-circuit the process and remain immature little babies.

I don’t want to be a spiritual or emotional baby. Do you? I want my faith-life to be sturdy and strong, mature and well-developed. I’m willing to let trials and troubles expose my faith-life so I’ll know to stay on the path until I’m finished.

I want my true colors to show.

Yes, No, Wait?

Do you ever find yourself frustrated by your lack of movement? Lack of progress in the forward direction? That's me today. Feeling confused and a *bit* discouraged by my lack of discipline to start making things happen. But there's a balance in life in regards to that "making things happen", isn't there?! If we try too hard, we become too self-involved and, usually, a bit full-of-ourselves. On the other hand, if we dont' try hard enough, we come across as lazy (as though we don't want it enough to make it happen!). Ugh. I'm so there...hanging in the balance of not trying enough and trying too hard. Knowing when to go head on running toward a goal and when to lay low and let God open the doors. It's kind of a waiting game. Making sure my ears are open and ready to hear any of [God's] responses to my incessant asking, "Why? When? Where?"

I can remember back when I was in Jr. High Sunday School being taught this lesson by Mr. & Mrs. Wills. God's answers to our requests are always 1 of 3 answers:
*Yes
*No
*Wait

I love that "Maybe" was not in the mix of answers. In fact, I don't think God's answer to any of our needs is ever "Maybe". God is not a God of confusion and indecisiveness (unlike the wishy-washy word, "Maybe"). If I truly believe that, then His answer to my dreams, goals and aspirations isn't "Maybe".

It might be "Yes", though. And if it is? Then my responsibility to to walk boldly and confidently through the door that's been opened for me.

However, it might be "No". And if it is? Well, then I need to refocus and regroup; get past the initial sting of discouragement and move forward, keeping my eyes and ears opened for the next door. Maybe even seek advice from a pastor, mentor or counselor to help me identify where I "steered off" track in regards to my goals. It's easy to want to be good a something, but it may not be an area God's gifted us in. Time to refocus.

Lastly, the answer might be "Wait". And if it is? Then patience and perseverance is KEY! If you're anything like me, the "Wait" answer is the toughest! It's the most out of my hands. It requires the most diligence and persistence. Wanna know a fun fact? I searched for the word "wait" in an online bible site and there were 135 verses pertaining to this very word! Some of the most well-known verses on waiting are found in Psalms, but here are some unusual references that really spoke to me this afternoon:

"I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."" - Lamentations 3:24

"For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." - Habakkuk 2:3

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." - Micah 7:7

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." - Romans 8:25

Oh, Lord...help me to have the attitude of "it is well with my soul" whatever Your answer is to my needs and desires. I know Your ways are best! Amen!

Pushing Past Unhappy

Bear with me for a moment...as this post is almost meant to be solely "regaining sanity" purposes :). For those that enjoy writing, you'll relate to me when I say, this post is therapeutic. Have I lost you yet?!?

Lately, I've been unhappy in a particular area of my life. Ok, it's not a secret, so I'll just spit it out. I'm struggling with my current job. And for those of you who have gone through rough patches in your workplace, you know how tiring it can be-emotionally, mentally and even spiritually. It's no one's fault, but it happens sometimes that we find ourselves in a place where we no longer feel like ourselves - we live and learn from these experiences, that's for sure!

Honestly, it has more to do with feeling unsettled, than being unhappy. As humans, we thrive in areas that are healthy, happy, and fulfilling. But when we find ourselves in a place where we feel the opposite, what are we to do? I don't know about you, but my first reaction is to RUN! I'm a pretty non-confrontational kinda gal, so in my mind, it would be much easier to stay in bed and not face it...right?!? ;) Unfortunately, that's not how it works. I'm thinking back to a post I wrote a few months back about what to do when the "enemy" is after you. I was inspired by the story in Exodus where Moses instructs the Israelites by saying, "...you need only to be still." It's what I've felt the Lord instructing me to do as well in this uncomfortable time; and yet it's the ONE THING I'm not good at. Be still. I can't sit still...I always have to be doing "something". Cooking, cleaning, laundry, cleaning, dishes, cleaning :) Most of the time though, I find I'm not really being productive. I'm just wandering around the house with a sense of urgency to get things done. It's quite humorous to me even now as I'm writing it out. Can you relate?

But as I practice being still, I'm reminded of God's unfailing faithfulness through every season of life-the happy and the unhappy. The dark valleys and the high mountain-tops.

There is a line from a worship song called, "The Desert Song" that I love. It says,

"All of my life, in every season...You are still God...I have a reason to sing...I have a reason to worship!"

Practically, there are many things I can do to push past this "unhappy" place and get myself to a better one...but getting my mind and heart spiritually in the right place is most important. We never know why trials come our way - but we do know from Scripture, that trials and valleys and struggles are opportunities for us to CLING to our Heavenly Father. To stand firm and hold on to the faithfulness of God, to test and prove His unfailing love, to become more mature - I want all of those things, don't you?

My heart is full. I'm ready to push past the unhappy and into a fullness of joy as God guides me through and past this season and into whatever is ahead!

From Blog Signature