exodus 35 creativity party #5

thanks to everyone who linked up last week. we had 46 participants! keep 'em coming! here are the most-clicked-on creative wonders from last week.

1. this kitchen redo is awesome! from two butterflies.

2. learn some organization skills and have "a spot for everything" @ ginger snap crafts.

3. problems with fruit flies? say no more! find out how to get rid of them @ sweet peas and bumblebees.

4. this argyle wreath is perfect for fall! from for mamas.

  

grab a button if you were featured!

<a href="http://letbirdzfly.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Let Birds Fly" src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l148/kha02a/bailey_feat.jpg" /></a>

  

now, let's party!

why exodus 35, you ask? find out here.

  

guidelines:
- follow, subscribe to, or become a fan of let birds fly.
- link up your talent. crafts, paintings, tutorials, fashion, inspirational posts, etc. i want it!
- please don't link giveaways, shops, contests, reviews, or another link party.
- you must link back somewhere on your blog. grab my button or simply add a link.
- check out other links and leave comments.
- check back next week to party again and to see if you were featured!

spray painting things

i wanted to this as our color scheme for the living room in our new apartment:

the seafoam green gets the most game time, being the color of the walls. the dark brown is the color of most of our shelving, and the ivory is the color of our couches. i wanted red sprinkled throughout the room. not too much, just a pop of color here and there. and the white is just another offsetting color. i love it.

to accomplish these "pops" of red i wanted, i needed to spray paint some things. yay!

i had a bunch of random vases and root beer bottles that i did not want to go to waste. also, i had this little elephant that i found at a garage sale and never did anything with until now. here are the before photos:

and the after photos:

and yes, those are all of the harry potter books at the bottom of my bookshelf. i display them with pride.

a really easy craft: bottle cap magnets

okay, i don't know if i can even call this a craft because it's so easy and only has like two steps to it, but i'm gonna share it anyway!

 

so, i love root beer. i don't drink it that much because it's completely horrible for me, but every once in a while, i will treat myself. i did not want to throw away the bottles or the caps, and what better to do with the bottle caps than make magnets?! yay!

  

i made these with things i already had in my possession, and they turned out well, but of course, i bet there is a better way to do this. i used mod-podge dimensional magic to fill in the caps, but i'm sure you can use hot glue if you have it. i hate hot glue, so i stay away from that junk. :) if you wanted to, you could also paint a design on the bottle caps, but i like mine au naturale.
 

  
the (super simple) steps:
1. get materials: bottle caps, self-adhesive magnets, and mod-podge dimensional magic (or hot glue).
2. fill in bottle caps with mod-podge.
3. wait to dry, 3+ hours. fill again if mod-podge has settled or left air pockets.
4. place sticky side of magnet on mod-podge side of bottle cap.

5. voila! use magnets on fridge.

 

pretty, no? i love the colors. classic IBC root beer, and then some other kind we found that had more "whole food" ingredients. love the copper color of those. oh, and sorry i have no photos of the magnets doing their job. you know, on the fridge. my kitchen doesn't get good lighting.

 
go make something!

to whom it may concern: part 4

   

dear facebook change haters:

yes. facebook did just update a few things. facebook made a little change here and there. who cares?! stop complaining. facebook has made so many changes in the past, and though you did complain about it at first, eventually you forgot what the old facebook was like and continued to use facebook! most likely, this will be the case as well. here's how it usually goes:

1. facebook makes some design changes.
2. you complain about it, using the service itself.
3. two weeks go by.
4. you stop complaining.
5. you forget what was like before it made its horrible changes.
6. you continue to use facebook.
7. all is well.
8. "then we start back at oneeeee." (name that tune.)

yet you continue to complain every time there is a simple change. even though the updates are usually very functional and actually make complete sense (i mean, the people that run facebook are most likely much smarter than you are).  lastly, facebook is a free service. in no way are you obligated to network with this service. if you don't like what it offers, go to google +. or back to myspace. or just stop complaining.

thanks,

fellow facebook user

exodus 35 creativity party #4

thanks to everyone who linked up last week. we had 45 participants! keep 'em coming! here are the most-clicked-on creative wonders from last week:

1. a super cute graphic wall art tutorial from rosita designs.

2. what a beautiful nursery! from life with the ellwoods.

3. a fun way to store your hair accessories from nefotlak.

4. an amazing shabby-chic chalkboard window from the freckled key.

grab a button if you were featured!

<a href="http://letbirdzfly.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Let Birds Fly" src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l148/kha02a/bailey_feat.jpg" /></a>

  

now, let's party!

why exodus 35, you ask? find out here.

  

guidelines:
- follow, subscribe to, or become a fan of let birds fly.
- link up your talent. crafts, paintings, tutorials, fashion, inspirational posts, etc. i want it!
- please don't link giveaways, shops, contests, reviews, or another link party.
- you must link back somewhere on your blog. grab my button or simply add a link.
- check out other links and leave comments.
- check back next week to party again and to see if you were featured!

guest post: cake bunting tutorial with uncommon

happy tuesday everyone! today, i have a treat for you. my guests here, bonnie and trish from uncommon, will be taking over my blog for the day. isn't that great?! while they are here, i'll be crashing at their place. check them out!

Hi Let Birds Fly readers!  We are Bonnie and Trish from the blog, Uncommon and we are so excited to swap places with Bailey today.  We have a super easy and super cute cake bunting tutorial to share with you! 

I love anything that professes to be sweet and easy.  This double cake bunting fits that to a "T"!  It is a quick and simple project that will not disappoint the next time you have something special to celebrate! The best part is that you can use your fabric scraps and really snazz up a store-bought cake.  Those are a huge plus for me and anyone else who may be lacking a few baking skills! 
  
Cake Bunting Tutorial

  

 Supplies Needed:

• fabric
• matching embroidery floss
• 2 wooden skewers or dowels
• hot glue gun
• scissors

I think it is best to go ahead and cut your triangles first.  I used 13 triangles that were 1 inch across the top and 1 1/2 inches on the side. You should iron them at this point to make them nice and crisp. Then, cut two equal pieces of embroidery floss about 24 inches long. Now we can start putting it together!

 

The first step is to dab a strip of hot glue across the top of the triangle.  Quickly lay the center of the embroidery floss across the glue as shown above.  Continue with the other triangles and make them meet tip to tip on each side.  You will have six triangles on the lower strand and five triangles on the top strand.  

You will attach the top strand to the dowels.  First, decide how far apart you want your dowels to be.  I used 9 inches for a ten inch cake.  You will tie one side to the left dowel with less than an inch between the dowel and first triangle.  You will do the same on the right side with the last triangle.  No need to tie a bow at this point, but I did add a little bit of glue to make sure it didn't slide down and trimmed the excess thread. 

To add the second strand do the same as the first.  You will want to leave about 11/2 inches between the dowel and the first and last triangle this time.  Tie in a bow and trim the thread  and dowels to your liking. 

You're done!  Go Celebrate! 

thanks so much, bonnie and trish! love that bunting. it adds so much to a simple cake! readers, if you enjoyed this, there's more where that came from. hop on over to uncommon for many more party and craft ideas!

fayetteville, arkansas

last month, i went to fayetteville with my sister, carley. she just started nursing school, and we kinda wanted to have a little fun in the town before the semester began.

we went to a few restaurants, parks, and had fun moving things around in carley's new house, among other things. we had a lot of fun on this sisterly trip.

we went to the fayetteville farmers market. they have so many vendors! music, food, handmade things, etc. 

   

one of the vendors was arsaga's coffee shop, which was selling lemonade on that crazy hot day. we got pomegranate peppercorn lemonade, and lavender-infused lemonade. they were amazing!

   

on the square was a cool little shop called the mustache, where i got these awesome shoes.

   

we also visited beaver lake. it was great to get in the water. this summer was brutal everywhere, not just in texas! 

   

on the way back from the lake, we stopped by this cute fruit stand we spotted. we bought apple butter, cuz carley had never tried it! crazy. she loved it, of course.

   

we also found this great tea room that had hundreds of teas! i was a little hungry, and got a caprese salad. carley had never tried caprese salad before, and she decided to try it that day. didn't go very well, as you can see. hehe. she said she liked the taste, but couldn't do the texture.

   

but my favorite in fayetteville was bliss cupcake cafe. they had a different flavor of gluten-free cupcakes every day. so naturally, we went every day we were there. the cupcakes were amazing!

flavors: vanilla, chocolate brownie with marshmallow icing, blueberry, and strawberry. yum!

   

'twas a good trip. hope you visit one day!

blog tip #2: short posts!

source

 
blog tip number two: keep your posts short

 
i can't tell you how many times i've come to a new post, and upon finding a novel, i press the back button. i wish this wasn't the case. but it just is.
 
keep your posts short. or bearable. if you are an amazing and captivating writer, novels are sometimes okay. but given that most of us aren't that great at writing, just keep them short. and it's not just writing. don't post a million photos. if i see 27 photos of the same chair you just painted, i'm gonna leave before i read the whole thing.
  
you want to keep your readers interested long enough to get to the end of your post, so they will read your whole post. or so they will be interested long enough to make it to the bottom of your post to comment. :) 

  

not many people have time to read a 20 minute post. remember to keep your posts short, and people will keep coming back!

come back soon for more tips!

exodus 35 creativity party #3

thanks to everyone who linked up last week. we had 32 participants! let's get even more this time! here are the most-clicked-on creative wonders from last week:

1. check out this beautiful mod-podge canvas art @ the creative paige.

2. see how to go from a pillowcase to a dress @ simply step back.

3. love gallery walls? check out this kitchen gallery wall @ big d and me.

4. learn how to lessen waste using these hand-knit kitchen towelettes @ make home make sense.

  

grab a button if you were featured!

<a href="http://letbirdzfly.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Let Birds Fly" src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l148/kha02a/bailey_feat.jpg" /></a>

  

now, let's party!

why exodus 35, you ask? find out here.

  

guidelines:
- follow, subscribe to, or become a fan of let birds fly.
- link up your talent. crafts, paintings, tutorials, fashion, inspirational posts, etc. i want it!
- please don't link giveaways, shops, contests, reviews, or another link party.
- you must link back somewhere on your blog. grab my button or simply add a link.
- check out other links and leave comments.
- check back next week to party again and to see if you were featured!

thanks for participating!

grape and mixed greens salad

another salad! sorry about that. but that's about all i've been eating lately. it's still so hot outside! plus, we've had a lot of grapes because it is grape season in texas, so i've had to find different ways to enjoy grapes.

i love this salad. mark (the hubs) liked it so much that he had it for lunch 3 days in a row.

grape and mixed greens salad

  

ingredients:

3 tbs white wine vinegar
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs minced red onion
pinch sea salt
8 cups lightly packed mixed greens
2 cups mixed grapes, halved
1/4 cup feta (omit for dairy-free, vegan or, raw vegan)
   
directions:
1. in small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, onion, and salt. let sit for 10 minutes.
2. in large bowl, mix together greens, grapes, and feta.
3. whisk dressing again, then add to large salad bowl.
4. toss everything together well, and serve.

  

tips:

- add walnuts for extra crunch.
- use different types of grapes for more color and more flavor.

   

  

mucho love,

blog tip #1: comment!

i've been getting e-mails recently asking for tips on blogging. now, i'm not a master blogger by any means, but i have learned a few things along the way. i've learned LOTS of things.

number ONE: comment much and comment often.

source

don't you just love getting a notification because of a new comment on a post of yours? i do. makes me think, "they like me! they really like me!"

if you're like me, and you are pining for someone to comment on your most recent post, then remember the golden rule: treat others as you want to be treated. in other words, if you want comments, then go comment!

i actually have "commenting time" written in my daily schedule. i make time to check out other people's hard work. people totally respect the time you take to read their blog. 

but i don't just comment on anything i see. first i actually read the post, and then i comment on things i truly like. a genuine comment. you know, truthful. if i don't like it, i don't comment. (but usually i can find at least ONE post that i like on a blog.)
    
some commenting no-nos:
--commenting just to ask others to follow you. don't do this. if they like you, they'll follow. don't beg.
--being rude. or mean. or disrespectful. just be nice! once again, if you don't like something, simply don't comment. otherwise, your comment will end up featured here.
--commenting anonymously. just don't. this probably goes with the above no-no, but it can happen otherwise, as well. just leave your name. otherwise, your comment will end up featured here.
--commenting without reading the full post. you might ask something that was already answered. worst of all, your comment will sound dull, repetitive, and not genuine if you didn't read the post and therefore are uneducated on the specifics of the post.
--not having your e-mail linked to your profile. if you ask a question in your comment, don't you want it answered? follow this easy tutorial if you think i might be talking about you. 

you wanna hear all my tips? well, you'll have to check back later!

exodus 35 creativity party #2

hi all! thanks to those who linked up last week! here are the most-clicked-on creative wonders:

the let's talk jar @ crazy.pretty.messy.life.

a visual prayer @ adventures in babywearing.

armchair makeover @ design par deux.

if you were featured, grab a button if you wish!

<a href="http://letbirdzfly.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Let Birds Fly" src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l148/kha02a/bailey_feat.jpg" /></a>

now, let's party!

why exodus 35, you ask? find out here.

guidelines:
- follow, subscribe to, or become a fan of let birds fly.
- link up your talent. crafts, paintings, tutorials, fashion, inspirational posts, etc. i want it!
- please don't link giveaways, shops, contests, reviews, or another link party.
- you must link back somewhere on your blog. grab my button or simply add a link.
- check out other links and leave comments.
- check back next week to party again and to see if you were featured!

thanks for participating!

please pray!

it has been a crazy weekend. my husband and i had two weddings this weekend and we were able to see some great friends and have some fun at the river. yesterday, i was notified about my mom going to the hospital with diverticulitis. they caught it pretty quick, so (thank god) she won't have to do any surgery or anything; she's just in a lot of pain.

but this post is mainly my plea for prayers for the state of texas. we need rain. bad.

we were driving home to houston last night from austin, knowing that we might have to make a detour because of the wildfires. mark and i began playfully saying things like, "every time i drive up a hill, i expect to see fire looming up on us." it hadn't hit us yet how real and how dangerous the fires are. about 10 minutes later, we came face-to-face with the truth.

rounding over a hill on highway 71, we saw the wildfires of bastrop, tx (near austin). it was unreal. my breath caught in my throat, my stomach dropped, and my heart immediately started aching. all we could see behind the skyline of trees was orange flames and orange smoke against the night sky.

we ended up having to take a detour, but we arrived home safe. today, i've been watching and reading coverage on the roughly 180 fires that are consuming over 1,000 homes in texas, 600 alone because of the massive fire in bastrop, which spans over 40 square miles, or 35,000 acres.

the weather lately has pretty much been the perfect equation for wildfires. while the past month has been unbearably hot and humid, the recent tropical storm has made this past weekend's weather windy with no humidity, and no chance of rain for at least the next seven days.

but miracles can and DO happen! be praying for rain. pray, pray, pray. pray for the families who have lost everything. pray for the workers trying to get these fires contained. pray for more reinforcements. and pray for the families of the four casualties we've had so far.

and go here if you want to help! but mostly...PRAY!

god bless,