Wednesday Word: De-clutter

It's a new year.  A time for new beginnings.  A time for cleaning out . . .  to organize . . .  to de-clutter.

It's been on my mind too.  My sweet momma has come out to the farm to help me go through the boys' rooms, closets, and toy bins. She loves to do that kind of stuff.  Really.  She does.

But so much of my house . . . way more than just their rooms . . . gets cluttered up and messed up with our every day three little boys' life. . . book bags . . . shoes . . coats . . . in the closet floor.

Video games . . . dvds . . . board games . . . on the bookshelves.

I'm really not much better with my stuff either. 

I have so much stuff too.  Really.  And I don't know why or what the reason is for all this stuff either.  My  momma has decided that the master bedroom is her next project.  :/

I haven't been too eager for her to come out and get started on mine and Dave's bedroom.  I really don't want to hear her comments regarding all my clothes (that I can't wear) and craft stuff (I won't ever use) and sewing stuff (that's been a work in progress for years).  

And then my devotion this morning . . .

Matthew 6:19-34

New International Version (NIV)

Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  {source}

Wow!  God really convicted me today with these words.  Am I storing up treasures in my walk-in closet and in my drawers and with the knick-knacks sitting around my house?

Moths and vermin and thieves . . . Yuck!  

Am I storing up treasures in heaven?  Or are my treasures being stored up here on earth?  For where your treasure is . . . there your heart will be also.

Is my heart really committed to my treasures in heaven or is my heart committed to the things of this earth sitting in my closet and packed away in my rubbermaid containers?  

And soooooo today's word is de-clutter.  I'm going to de-clutter my life of all these excess and useless items and clothes and objects that are not treasures to me and my family.  I'm going to clear up my surroundings of all this clutter and focus on storing up treasures in heaven.  :)  And without all this clutter in and about me, I'll be able to focus on my true treasure . . . where my heart truly is . . . with my God and with heavenly treasures.

So join me and my momma this new year as we de-clutter away at Ferrell Farm with . . . 

                                 the Ferrell boys and me!

The 2013 Year in Review

I made this video on Slidely to highlight some of the fun times we shared during this past year.  Hope you enjoy it!


The Ferrell Boys and Me in 2013 by Slidely Slideshow

Happy New Year from . . .

                               the Ferrell boys and me!

Christmas Craft: Nativity Stocking Holders

I saw these awesome Nativity Stocking Holders on U Create blog last year and ordered the vinyl cut-outs immediately.

[source]

But I never got around to making them last year (2012).

I bought some stocking holders during after-Christmas sales last year for 75% off . . .

 and put them back for this Christmas.  Here's what I did:

First I removed the snowman and santa from the glittered base by removing the screws.

I sanded the glitter off and spray painted them white.

I found a 2x6 board out in the barn and got my sweet Daddy to cut it for me to accommodate the vinyl cut-outs.

Painted them all white and after they were completely dry, I lightly sanded them.

I laid out the vinyl cut-outs and carefully applied them to the painted wood.

Carefully peeled the paper off to reveal the sticky part of the vinyl.

Carefully place the sticker on the wood.  Carefully.

And slowly and carefully I applied the vinyl cut-outs to each block of wood.  (I don't know why the seasoning salt is sitting out there.)

At this point, I gathered up all my materials and headed to my Daddy's workshop.  DIY crafting is much more fun with Daddy!  :)

Daddy helped me attach the wooden blocks to the metal base. 

Me and the drill aren't always friendly with each other.  :)

After attaching the metal bases, I sprayed the finished stocking holder with a clear coat acrylic spray.  

I love them! 

Of course, they totally blocked the TV!  That's something I'll have to fix before next year!  

The boys kept moving them to see the TV so I never hung their stockings.  I had actually planned to make some burlap stockings for the boys and replace the Santa stockings that I've used for the past few years, but I didn't get to it.  So that's a project for next Christmas.

You can order the vinyl cut-outs too.  Go to the Ucreate blog and contact Becky. She quit taking orders before December 1st, but will probably sell them again in 2014.  If you go down the comments, you can find her email address and contact her about purchasing them.  I think I paid around $10 for the set.

I know Christmas is past and the new year has begun, but I never finished posting everything we did this Christmas season, so I'll be sharing more of the Christmas adventures and activities of . . .

                            the Ferrell boys and me!