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Quiet Your Heart

January 7, 2015 By Erica Deuel Leave a Comment

how_to_quiet_your_heartBreaking habits can be hard. Change can be hard, but it’s a battle worth fighting at times.

My life is pretty busy and full, and I find at times when I am carrying more on my shoulders…my family knows it. What seemed life a good idea, might lead to a load of stress that makes it not a good thing. As a dreamer, a crafter, someone with a entrepreneurial spirit, I constantly have new ideas. Like hosting craft days (my Spoonful Labs) or sending out craft kits (my Spoonful Tribe). Or maybe designing and selling shirts. Or maybe just attacking a mammoth project like My little Girls bedroom the week we moved into our last house.

Although these things aren’t bad, and part of my soul needs to be able to explore, go wild with dreaming, and try new things…I want to carve and shape it more carefully. I am learning that lots of good things turn into not good things if the people you love most carry the weight with you.

flower_wood_sign

quiet_your_heart_signI want to be a better judge of my time. I want to be more proactive with my schedule. I don’t want my little girl to say “mom, move your phone. I want to show you my picture.” I want to be drawing with her. I want to reclaim my schedule and life. I want the ideas in my head to be with where I am. Instead of thinking of the next thing I need/want to do. I want to fight to be present in all the little moments.

quiet_your_heart_teal1My memory is bad, and I am learning maybe it’s because my head is full of lots of little distractions that it’s not remembering the big things. I want to fight for that to change. I want to quiet my heart and be present.

When I think of a quiet heart, I don’t think of one that is subtle or timid. I still think of a bold, dreamer…but with more awareness and intentionality. I want to be aggressive and passionate about my actions and what things define me. When you ask my kids what is something they love about me, one of the first things they say is “i love her crafts”. I’m glad they do, but that answer always comes with a little sting. They say other things, but I want those other things to jump higher to the first things off their lips. They know they are my heart and my priority, but I want them to feel it.

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quiet_your_heart_hoops2So, I will continue to fight for a quiet heart. In my farewell to 2014 post, I gave some ways I hope to gain some quiet this year. I’m excited to say, I’ve gotten up two days in a row before my kids! Yes, change is possible. I got up in a quiet house. Today, I hope to put that phone down until quiet time or tonight. Less scrolling and more talking.

If you are like me and desire some quiet in your heart this year, make yourself a reminder! Write it on a post it. I just recently learned of a book that goes along with this mantra, The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst. I ordered it here (<affliate link) and am excited to start reading it!. Have you read this book?  Want to order it and read it along with me?

As always, thank you for being on this journey with me! I pray you can use your imagination and carve out some quiet time in your heart and schedule this week for you..so that you may be the best version of you.

Ps. I just listed these signs in the shop, if you would like one! Thank you for all your support!

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Engraved Wood Sign Tutorial (and Dremel Micro)

September 10, 2014 By Erica Deuel 13 Comments

wood_sign_with_dremelWhat’s your favorite part of creating?

I love the dreaming, imagining the possibilities, and starting the project. I love how you can take nothing and make something. I love to think outside the box and try something new.

I was so excited when I was given the opportunity to try the Dremel Micro 8050. I had never used one and was all too excited about the possibilities. You know I have a love for making signs and really anything with an inspirational quote. I now had the chance to learn how to engrave, and I was thrilled.

Turns out I love this thing, and let me tell you why through the process of how I created my Georgia home sign. Also, there’s a video at the bottom that captures the process.

I started by taking an old piece of cedar wood and sanding the sides really well. I then did a rough/rustic paint job and sanded it lightly afterwards to dim any thick solid parts of paint.

sanding_wooddistress_paintingdistress_painting_woodNext, I measured out where I wanted my word “home” to go and penciled it on, so I would have a guide to follow with my Dremel.

dremel_lettershomedremel_microI was then ready to start! I was so excited I didn’t wait till my Dremel was fully charged. Lesson learned. I was forced to be even more patient and wait for it to charge when my project was half way done. So, good lesson for me… Have your Dremel charging while you are prepping your project.

how_to_use_a_dremelcarving_lettersHome_lettersI found myself carving and it was so easy and FUN! I literally started and finished carving HOME and asked myself, “what else can I carve?” I made a few more signs as I couldn’t put this thing down!

dremel_created_wood_signsThe Dremel was so easy to maneuver. I was really impressed with my first try. I thought maybe I should play with it a little on some scrap wood, before I started my project but my impatience got the best of me, as usual, and I just dove in. To my pleasant surprise, it totally worked out!

Some features that I love are that it is cordless! This was so important as I was turning it around to get the letters complete. Plus, I was able to sit out on my front porch, while my kids played, and engrave away. There was no big set up. Dremel has said it is”light and easy to handle in tight spaces, the Dremel® Micro™8050 is packed with features that have crafters, hobbyists and DIYers in mind: soft grip, LED front-end lighting to illuminate projects, a docking station that continually charges, and an 8V Max Lithium-ion battery.”

I saw that they had you and me in mind when creating this project. I’m addicted.

After I had Dremel-ed my signs (did I just make that word up?), I stained them. I felt like I was learning and experimenting with a new craft this whole project, so I played with painting my carved letters in and leaving them plain. I like both looks! Each way creates a unique look. I glued an embellished wood piece on and my signs were complete! I think I am hooked and you will be seeing lots of new projects in my future with this Dremel.

Georgia_homeGeorgia_home_signwake_up_and_do_goodDIY_wood_signsDo you have a Dremel? The Micro 8050 can cut, carve, engrave, sand, grind, sharpen, clean and polish—helping you bring just about any brilliant project to life. It is fully compatible with all Dremel rotary tool accessories. I demonstrated the carving/engraving technique, but I can’t wait to try out it’s other features on future projects.

Here is a fun, little video that my kids helped me shoot of my project in the works. Enjoy! I hope this post inspires you to try something new and maybe pick up a Dremel Micro next time you are in Home Depot or you can order online at Amazon.com.

Dremel wants to celebrate its fans’ brilliant projects, work and ideas! Now through October 12, share, tweet or post photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that depict your brilliant ideas using the hashtag #MyBrilliantIdeaSweeps for the chance to win weekly prizes, including free tools and handmade gifts, or the grand prize: a custom-engraved Honda scooter and a Micro 8050. Visit www.facebook.com/dremel for rules and to learn more.

I have listed these signs in my store, if you are interested. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Little Girl’s Bedroom

June 13, 2013 By Erica Deuel 9 Comments

Bedroom makeover

Reagan’s Bedroom is one of my favorite makeovers I have ever done. I think because for half of the creating and planning for it, we were not even in our new house yet. I learned a lot about trying to create for a space that you don’t get to walk by and stand in everyday to imagine and “see” your project come to life. I was stretched and now have made something I am proud of as a result.  If it was my choice, we would play in there all day everyday.

Although she may only be two, it is something Reagan is proud of as well. If you were to walk into my house right now, she would ask you to come upstairs and see her room…even if you have already seen it. It makes my heart so happy. Some work might have been required, but what an easy way for me to show love to my daughter by being able to create something she loves.

Since before we moved, I have been showing tutorials and DIY projects that I have been creating to incorporate in her room. I thought it would be helpful to put all those in one place, so there is a little summary of how create this room. Please feel free to bookmark it, pin it, or share it. It is my hope all these hours of creating can inspire others to create as well.

DIY little girl's bedroom

Minnie Mouse Silhouette

DIY Fabric Bunting

Burlap Lampshade

Refinishing Ikea Furniture

Painted Stool

Stick Heart Wall Art

Teal Rustic Dresser

DIY Painted Striped Wall

It’s so nice to have all these links in one place! Many of these projects are some of my favorites, and I am so glad I can give you this summary. A few other items that I have incorporated into this room are shown below.

Elements for a girls bedroom

Wood Log End Table

You are My Sunshine Rustic Sign

Hair Bows and Headbands

Thank you so much for checking out my little girl’s bedroom summary! I hope these links and posts can help inspire you. Please feel free to contact me, if you have any questions about how to do any of these tutorials!

 

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Be The Good In The World

April 24, 2013 By Erica Deuel 3 Comments

why get involved in foster care

I have talked a lot recently about our new house and the plans we have for it. I’ve mentioned room renovations and lots about how packing is going. I don’t think I have talked about the heart behind why we are moving since Matt and I wrote The Story of What’s Next.

Today, I want to open up a little more about it with all of you, but first I need to introduce you to someone who will help me do this.

Jill straight on edited

My beautiful friend Jill blogs at Design Dreams. She has been around since the start of Spoonful of Imagination and been one of my biggest cheerleaders and sources of encouragement with all my posts. What began as a simple twitter follow & conversation led to email chains, and now regular text conversations. I love this girl, and I can not wait for the day for us to meet in person. Jill and I had a conversation the other day about foster care, and she encouraged me to share my answers with all of you. I am going to let you in on that part of our conversation. Jill has a huge heart and had lots of amazing questions about our thoughts on foster care. For the sake of time, I am going to share her questions and my answers (but leave out all her sweet comments back to my answers) in an interview form.

I wish we could have had this conversation in person, but through all the miles…a friendship was born and here is one conversation between friends.

erica_jill_coffee

Jill: Do you feel like foster care will take attention away from your kids or that it will enhance their lives?

Me:  I am scared of how I will be able to give my kids the same attention and help prevent them from growing resentful. I’m trying to take comfort in that we can control how many and how often we take kids in. If we need longer stretches between kids, we can do that. BUT I am praying this enhances my kids’ lives and gives them eyes to see how blessed they are, and I want to include them in the process as much as we can. What I want them to know and breath is we are loved, so let’s love others.

Jill: Are you planning to foster small kids or any age?

Me: Ideally, I would love around Reagan’s age. I keep thinking an 18 month to two-year old would be the youngest we would take, but I don’t think I could say no to a baby in need. I definitely wouldn’t want to go older than Caleb (our oldest). So, in between our kids’ ages is ideal.

Jill: What if you fall in love with a foster child?

Me: We are going to start with doing Respite Care. This is where we get the child(ren) immediately after they are removed from their home. Usually, this is short-term and they are then transported to another family member or a longer term foster family after a few days. I know this process can be messy though, and those short-term stays can easily turn into longer term stays. We are open to that, and we would love to adopt at some point. I told Matt I am scared we will fall in love with the first child, adopt him and then be maxed out so we can’t help anyone else. Matt encouraged and challenged me though with his response. He said if we change the life of one child, and are only in this for that one child, that is huge. He is right. So, although we have our own vague expectations, we are open to where ever God wants to take us.

Jill: What if (someone considering this) thinks I can’t possibly feed another mouth, even if it is temporary? Are there income requirements?

Me: I am not sure if there are income requirements. I am a little nervous about the expense. I know the state gives you a little money, although that should never be a reason to get into this. Since we thought we were done having kids, I have given away most of my baby items (including the clothes). I have thought a few times about what if we got a baby that needed formula or clothes smaller than my daughter’s girl 3T wardrobe? I’m not sure how we will do it, but I am also not worried. We are not going in this on our own. God is leading us down this path, and he has always been faithful to provide. I know he will continue to do so. I know there are foster organizations that you can get things from. We have a ton to still learn, but it doesn’t make me fearful, it more makes me think it’s just something we will figure out as we come to it.

Jill: Are there requirements on having separate bedrooms for the children?

Me: I think there are requirements based on their age. I do know young babies can stay in the same room with you. This room situation is the main reason why we are moving. Our bedrooms were so small there was not enough space for another bed in any of them. We are blessed to have a room in our new house that will have beds just for kids in need. I want to put a day bed in there or maybe a bunk bed and Reagan’s crib. I can’t wait to decorate it and make it feel warm and inviting.

Jill: How will you explain to your kids when the foster child has to leave (provided you don’t adopt)?

Me: I hope it will be along the lines that we loved and did what we could for that child(ren), but it is time to trust Jesus with them. Their family or a new family is ready to love on them, but we can continue to pray for them.

erica deuel

That is the extent of the questions Jill had for me. In some ways, I feel inadequate to be venturing in selling our house and moving into a new house to head down a road we know so little about. What I have to trust is the desire that God has placed in hearts is all we need in this moment. The house stuff has been such a whirlwind and was so draining that it consumed most of us. We have put off getting “trained” until we are settled in our new house. I do know part of getting trained and becoming certified foster care parents is a home inspection, so it makes sense to go through the process at the house we will be at long-term.

I am trusting that as we need to know something or go through something, what we need for that moment will be given to us. We are not perfect. Anyone in my life could attest that I have hard, bad days. I get down. I get overwhelmed. I lose it and have to humbly apologize. I am not perfect, and I still have moments where I question if I can handle this. Will I be able to answer my phone and return calls? Two things that I detest. I don’t know. I am challenged and know this will continue to be a year of change for our family.

I am open though, and I think that is what being obedient is about. I don’t have all the answers and don’t even know how we will be able to do it, but we are ok with that. We don’t have to see the end destination or series of stops along the way, we just have to take the very next step in front of us.

I saw this quote “Be The Good in the World” and knew I had to create a painting of it for our house. The message is so relevant and really the heart behind our desire to foster care. We are not perfect, but we can be some good in a child’s life.

Be the Good in the world signThank you to Jill for inspiring me to be open with my heart and such a daily encourager. Thank you to so many of you for being a huge encouragement and cheerleader behind my family. We are not alone, and that is one reason why I think we do not have fear about opening our lives and family up to doing foster care. We live in community and have some really incredible people that not only cheer us on but are there for us to lean on. Thank you for being on this path with us.

Believe there is good in the world

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