June Visiting Teaching Message

This month's message is
Visiting Teaching--a Sacred Assignment

After reading the message, I realized that there seems to be a common thread with the messages this year...

January's message was Watchcare and Ministering Through Visiting Teaching
February's message was Guardians of the Hearth
March's message was Daughters in my Kingdom
April's message was Love, Watch Over, and Strengthen
June's message is Visiting Teaching--a Sacred Assignment

All of these messages emphasize the worth of women, as well as the importance of visiting teaching, and taking care of each other.

So as I was deciding what to share with my sisters this month, it occurred to me what a blessing it is to be a visiting teacher--and then one of my favorite hymns popped into my head:

Sweet is the work, my God, my King,
To praise thy name, give thanks, and sing.
To show thy love by morning light-
And talk of all thy truths at night.
Hymns, 147

Even though it's sometimes not easy, visiting teaching really is sweet work, and I am so thankful for it.

To make this message, you will need a large candy bar {roughly 7-7 1/2" x 3 1/2 inches} for each of the women you visit.

Print the message {it worked better on regular paper, than on cardstock}.

Cut along the dotted lines.
Tape the message to the candy bar.

and you're done!

...Unless you feel like embellishing, then by all means, embellish away!

Another note: large candy bars come in different sizes.  If you are using a king-sized Hershey bar, or Symphony bar, etc., you will have less room to work with.  If you are using a large Godiva or Lindt-type bar, you have a little wiggle room and could layer a fun printed paper underneath if you want.

Happy Visiting Teaching!

P.S.  The "is the" in the title was bugging me, so I made a different version...you can print it here.
It looks like this:

Yard Sale Gold

The other day I was driving home and saw a large yard sale.

Of course I stopped and looked around and found a few random things like gloves and some patio {Christmas?} lights.  I was about to leave when they told me that there were a bunch of things in the shop out back that they were selling too, so I went back there and--

{cue chorus of heavenly angels}

it was like I was in the middle of an episode of American Pickers, or Picker Sisters.

The guy there told me that they were moving to Florida and they just needed to get rid of almost everything. 

So I started digging and found a few things.  And the more I dug, the more I found.

I ended up with these little beautes.

These cocoa bean bags--when I told him I was going to make pillows out of them, he gave me that "you're-crazy-but-whatever" look and told me I should probably wash them first.

This little stool--That he couldn't believe I wouldn't want to paint.

When I started sanding the big flakes of paint off, look what I found!

Well, hello bajillion baby praying mantis'.  Welcome to the world.  Go.  Eat my bugs.

I was going to put a clear coat of poly on it, but I guess it can wait till the babies leave.

And this!

It is one of those super-cool pieces that could go anywhere...nightstand, side table, little console...you name it.

I think I will put it here:

In the sunlight, I fell in love with the rusty, chippy paint surface, but inside....I'm not sure.  What do you think?  Should I paint it or leave it?  What color?  Navy blue?  Turquoise?  Orange?

P.S.  Don't forget to enter the Valshi giveaway!

Valshi-licious!

My friend Ashley recently opened the best boutique! Valshi has bags, shoes, dresses, the cutest tops and cardigans, jeans and shorts, jewelry and perfume, belts and scarves, and swimsuits--all at reasonable prices.

When I am looking for something new to wear for a special occasion, or just when I want to update my wardrobe, I head to Valshi Boutique; Ashley and Savannah are so fun and really helpful, and they will help you find what you need.

Valshi is located at 1438 E. Main Street in Lehi, Utah,{just south of Texas Roadhouse and right next to Kid to Kid} or if you live out of the area, you can find them online at http://www.valshi.com/.

Don't you love their stuff?! 

Don't you wish you could win a $25 gift card to Valshi...or at the very least your choice of $5 jewelry from their huge $5 jewelry wall?

Guess what?

You can!

All you have to do is visit and like Valshi's facebook page to enter, then come back here and let me know in the comments that you like Valshi.

One person will win $25 to spend at Valshi or at valshi.com, and 10{!} of you will win your choice of $5 jewelry!

You have until midnight on Friday, June 1st to enter.

Around Here

Around here all heck has broken loose.

That's right.
It's the last full week of school.

Between graduations, parties, concerts and regular life obligations, it's pretty crazy around here.

 

We kicked it off with a crazy weekend...

Followed by a crazy Monday.

Followed by a crazy Tuesday.

You get the idea.

And our summer calender is filling up fast.

Before summer starts, I always have visions of lazy afternoons and smoothies and barbeques.

But my kids are getting older.  And busier.

The reality is looking more like baseball and t-ball games, gymnastics, swimming lessons and swimming and camping and hiking and reunions. 

Not exactly relaxing, but it's going to be a great summer!

What are your plans?

P.S.  I finally got around to creating a MishMashMom Facebook page!
Come check it out!  Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/MishMashMom

The Story of a Chair

Last summer I found this cute curvy chair at a yard sale for $2!

There were a few small holes in the caning, but it still had lots of life left, so I brought it home and painted it, and used it at my office desk for a while.

Then something funny happened.

I had some family over and we had been out on the lake boating.

When we got back, everyone was still a little damp,

and for some reason, someone needed to look something up on the computer, so they sat on the newly refinished curvy cane chair.

Well, in case you ever wanted to know, or for future reference, when caning gets wet, it changes it's shape to whatever is pushing on it.

Over the next weeks and months, it bent more and more and more, till it ended up like this:

But I didn't get rid of it.

Oh no.

I would position my rear-end on the edge and switch sides when it got uncomfortable.

After a few weeks of sitting on it like this, I decided it was time for another redo.

So I took out the caning, and it has been sitting for the last 4-5 months, waiting to be redone.

Today I got to it!

I cut a piece of wood to fit the seat, then added foam and fabric.

This is what I ended up with:

Now this chair is waaaaaay more comfortable to sit in and the fabric pretty much matches everything in my house.

What project have you been putting off forever?

Fun!

Hey, I received this cool award from craftcorners.com!

Craft Corners has a conglomoration of ideas from stitching and jewelry, Home and Garden, and recycling and Special Events. Stop by their site to be inspired!

Pretty Pillow

Any guesses where I got the fabric to make this pillow?

Okay, I'll just tell you.

It came from an old jumper.

It was the skirt part.

But I forgot to take a picture before I cut the skirt off.

Sorry.

Here's what's left of the jumper, though.

I love using things I already have to make stuff.

Coffee Table Redo

Remember this thrifty find?

Well, I didn't get to it before winter came, and so I'm just now finishing it up.
A few weeks ago, I painted the base,


and on Saturday my husband helped me make the top,

then I stained it.

Now here's the question:

 Should I keep it outside, or take it in?

A Winner!

...aaaaand the winner of our FashiontoFigure.com giveaway is...

True Random Number GeneratorMin:Max:

Result: 3 (Random.org)

 

Congratulations commenter #3, who said,

Fun! I think the Berry Hoop earrings are cute! The clothes aren't really my style but maybe I'd go for the Apex Maxi Skirt or the Coral Satchel.

Contact me with your information and we will get you your prize!

Come back tomorrow to see what I've been working on.

Here's a hint...

Free Stuff For One of You!

Recently I was contacted by Jessica from a store called Fashion to Figure.  They are located in the Eastern United States with stores in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland.  They are also online though, and when Jessica offered to give one of you any one item up to $30, well how could I say no to that?!

Some of my favorite things on the Fashion to Figure site are the accessories.

Right now, they are clearing out their scarves and they are only $7!  As a scarf hoarder myself, I can tell you that is a great deal!  They have this basic scarf in 4 different colors.

They are nice, but I love this blue polka dot one {it is currently in my shopping cart}

They also have some great inexpensive jewelry.

Each of these pieces is between $8-$12.

And they have bags!

This one is my favorite!  I may order it for myself for Mother's Day.

In addition to accessories, Fashion to Figure carries a nice selection of trendy dresses, jackets, bottoms, and tops.

 

For the giveaway, the winner gets to choose one item $30 or less from FashiontoFigure.com! 

To enter, go to FashiontoFigure.com and look around.  Let me know in the comments what you would pick if you win!

What are you waiting for?  We will pick a winner tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. MST.

Good Luck!

P.S.  For this giveaway, Fashion to Figure can only send to addresses in the domestic United States.  Sorry international friends! 

P.S.S.  I am not being compensated for this post, but I wouldn't complain if that beautiful black bag ended up on my doorstep.  Just kidding.  Not really.