Gifts #5-11

These are the gifts I'm thankful for today.

#5  listening to my daughter's speech for school - so well-written and smart!

#6  a phone call from my hard-working, newly-married, first-born daughter

#7  the perfect tart, crisp, green apple

#8  a pain-free day (a gift I thought I would never receive again)

#9   the camellias blooming by my front door

#10  a hug from my needs-a-haircut, drives-me-crazy, makes-me-laugh, candy-consuming, almost-taller-than-me teenage boy

#11  a sister-in-law who is also a holistic nutritionist - in spite of the no-sugar, no-gluten, no-dairy diet she has me on right now

What a difference in my day, looking for the gifts, instead of focusing on my needs!

One Thousand Gifts

Just discovered a new blog, well, new to me anyway.  It is called A Holy Experience.  The writer of this blog, Ann Voskamp, has also written a book "One Thousand Gifts". 

I have never read the book and have just begun reading Ann's daily posts but, right away, I was struck by the purpose of One Thousand Gifts - A Dare To Live Fully Right Where You Are - a recognition of the power of gratitude.

So, I have started my own One Thousand Gifts journal, where I can record daily reminders of all the beautiful gifts I have been given.  These are the first four gifts that came my way today.

#1 - the blank pages of a journal - filled with endless possibilities

#2 - ruby red pomegranates bought at a roadside stand

#3 - a text from my teenage daughter just to make me smile

#4 - wise counsel from a dear friend

I'm on my way -  4 down and 996 left to go!

DIY 1 Hour Project - Yardstick Jewelry Peg Rack

I recently moved my office/studio into our daughter's old bedroom.  I gave it a fresh coat of paint and have been slowly organizing my supplies and product to make it my own little perfect getaway.  I love it!

One of the things I really needed was a place to hang chains so they would be accessible and untangled for my jewelry making.  As I was scouring the garage for inspiration (yes, I find inspiration in odd places), I came across an old yard stick that had just the right amount of wear and vintage appeal.

I've taken that yardstick and made myself the perfect peg rack for my chains.  So, if you are looking for a fun and easy project (won't take you more than an hour, I promise), find an old yard stick or, if you don't need quite as much space, use a ruler, and follow my step-by-step instructions.

Step 1 - Assemble all your tools.  For this project you will need a hammer, a yardstick, a small nail, cup hooks or eye hooks.  You can buy cup hooks at the grocery store, hardware store, Wal Mart, etc.  I started with eye hooks but switched them out for cup hooks further on, since I felt they would hold more.

Make sure your hooks have a small screw, to avoid splitting the wood.

Step 2 - Every two inches, nail a hole into the wood to make it easier to screw in your hooks.  NOTE:  Do not try to put a hook too close to the edge or the wood will split.

My first attempt, with an old ruler.  Too close to the edge.

Step 3 - Screw your hooks into the nail holes.  I used a drill bit to help hold the small hook and give leverage.

By now, your yardstick should look something like this.

Step 4 - Make sure your yardstick is level.  Trust me, if it's not, it will irritate you every time you glance at it.

Step 4 - Use screws to attach it to the wall. Again, do not screw to close to the edge.  Do I sound like a broken record here?  Go in at least one inch.  You may need drywall anchors if you want it to hold a lot of weight.

Here's the finished project hanging on the wall by my work table.  I love the way the sun shines into my room and the beautiful aqua paint on the walls.  

Next week I will show you the rest of my space, where I work, dream and create!

I would love to see your version of this fun project.  What would you use this for?  A towel rack, key rack.  Be creative!  Post it on my Facebook page to show your craftiness!