The Life of a Pumpkin.... And a Window Frame

 This is our buffet in our eating area. It has lots of storage inside and was given to us by my grandmother when we first got married. It used to have bookshelves on top of it but she kept those and I like it open anyway. There are a few things I am super proud of on this buffet right now.

My decoupaged pumpkin. This little pumpkin is from goodwill originally and was maybe $1? It was an ugly textured orange with a green stem and leaf. My original plan was to spray paint it silver, which I did, but didn't like because of the texture. So it sat in a box being all lonely since last fall. Then this year I decided to try again at making it over and this is what came out. I got the idea from this post. However, I didn't have a book that I wanted to tear up and I didn't want to go buy a book to tear up and I don't like having random words in my house anyway, so I typed up a list of words that are fallish and that I liked and cut them up and started decoupaging away. This is one craft I actually like because you can be random and there are no rules and you don't have to do the same thing over and over again. I don't much care for repetitive crafts... 

Here are the words I used: 

After I crafted my little fingers off and let it dry I still felt like it needed something more. It was too white and not cozy enough. So I mixed stain with water and rubbed it on with a paper towel. 

Here it is afterwards: 

Love it :) This poor pumpkin has been through a lot, but I think she is finally finished :) 

And then, the window frame mirror. 

I love Pottery Barn. For inspiration. For quality. And sometimes their sales at the outlet. But generally it is a bit too pricey for me. They have these gorgeous window frame inspired mirrors, but I'm pretty sure you're starting somewhere around $200.00 or more. So last winter I went to Shaun's parents family farm and found an old frame in the chicken house... Not being used, just propped against the wall begging for love. :) It's been sitting in our garage waiting to be worked on for almost a year now. Well I finally got around to it. 

Here's the before. 

 You saw the after in my first photo. Here's a closer view of some of the distressing: 

And guess what the tally was? $8.33. Yup. Eight dollars and thirty three cents. First I hosed it down really well and removed the glass. Then I painted it with leftover chalk board paint. Then I sanded the edges of the frames. I was nervous about this part but if anything I wish I would have sanded more. Then I gave it a coat of dark stain (that was also leftover from another project) which made it shiny and made the wood showing through a rich brown color. Shaun put the mirrors in for me. 

Eventually I would like to hang it from the wall, right now it is just propped. But I absolutely love it. 

The $8.33 we spent on it was for the mirrors, which our good friends the Zooks picked up for us. They were cut to size to fit into each individual opening. 

It is so fun to find inexpensive ways to re-create things you see and love but can't afford. 

Drew is three!

Since I have only been faithfully keeping up this blog for about 10 months now, I have never written about Drew's birthday before. I thought I'd chronologically post some photos of my little man from birth, to six months, to one year to two years. (I'll post his three year photos at a later time as I haven't taken them yet!) It is so hard to believe that there was ever a time in my life when I didn't know this little sweet heart. Who was I before I was his mommy? Was my heart really complete before this huge piece belonging to Drew existed? 

It's funny, you carry this little person inside you everywhere you go for nine months. You feel them stretch and grow, you see them on ultrasound, you name them, you prepare for them, then you deliver them. And you look into their eyes for the first time. Who are you? Precious innocence. A clean slate.  Who will you be? What will you like? Snuggling that sweet baby smell and soft skin and newness of life, dreaming of their future, praying for them, in awe of every sigh, every coo, every stretch of their little toes and fingers, figuring out what color eyes they have and what different noises mean. 

When Drew was born he didn't cry at all. He cooed, ever so quietly. I had an epidural while in labor with him, and his delivery was much more peaceful than Isaiah's. In the middle of the night, darkness, dim lights, just me and Shaun and our doctor and nurse. Welcoming our little boy into the world. As soon as I saw him I sucked in my breath. "Shaun! He looks just like you!!" My mom told me once to just wait until I had a little boy who looked just like his daddy and see if I he wouldn't have me wrapped around his little finger. Oh my. Does he ever. Every little quirk of his is so precious to me. His perfectionism, cleanliness, particular-ness, cautiousness, his love of running, back hoes, trains, tractors, airplanes... The way he likes to keep his hands clean and doesn't like to spill any food on himself, the way he holds his boats with the tips of his fingers when he plays with them in a sink full of water, the way he likes to help, how he tries to talk like we do and sound all grown up. His sunshine smile, his enthusiasm, his shyness and then his outgoing-ness once he warms up to people. His little Kauffman swagger when he walks. So many things he does and says are just so sweet. 

peaceful little papoose :) 

we have a tradition, Shaun picks out our new babies going home outfit. This is the one he chose for Drew. 

Taking our Sweet Drew Elisha home and changing our world forever. 

6 Month photos: 

We have all changed quite a bit! 

One year photos: 

Us being a little more ourselves... :) 

Two year photos: 

Drew is such a snuggler. I'll always be able to hear him saying "Hold you, mommy" in my heart forever. He falls asleep in my arms every night. He loves hugs and kisses and sometimes just looks at me and says "ove you mommy" with a smile. He loves to make tents under the sheets in our bed, be tickled and wrestled, read books, mow the grass with daddy... There is no one in all the world like Drew. I am so thankful for him. 

Drew Elisha, 

Happy 3rd birthday baby. I know you won't stay a baby forever and I am savoring your little arms around my neck for as long as I can. I love seeing you grow, and sing, and tell stories, and watching your little personality be molded and take shape. I can't help but smile over every little piece of who you are. Our peaceful warrior. You are amazing and wonderful and sweet and caring and thoughtful and perceptive beyond your years. I pray that your confidence in who you are in Jesus will always be  strong enough to help you take a stand for what you know is right. I pray your sensitivity and thoughtfulness toward others will be a doorway through which you lead many to Him. I love you with all my heart baby. 

Love, 

Mommy

xoxo 

the why behind the fashion

I could try to write this post from lots of different perspectives, but I'm gonna try to mostly just write it from mine. What is fashion, and why do I care about it?

It dawned on me the other day in the target clearance clothing section as I browsed (as much as that is possible with two energetic little boys along) and quickly mentally noted whether things were "me" or not... I like clothes because they represent a piece of me. A first impression of who I am, what I like, my taste, my style.

Getting dressed can be an art form all its own. Putting pieces, colors, textures, patterns together, accessorizing... it can feel like painting, or sketching or decorating. Maybe this is just the artist in me, and some people don't feel that way. But whether or not you have fun assembling an outfit, mixing and matching pieces, or trying the same piece lots of different ways, we all say something with our clothing.

Maybe you wear your favorite team's paraphernalia, and everyone knows you are into sports. Maybe you work at a job that requires professional attire, and you tend to dress that way all the time to put forth a competent, mature, responsible image. Maybe you are from the south and you love your cowgirl boots, and they represent a part of your heritage. Maybe you are super into music, and depending on the genre, you dress a little punk or a little artsy, or a little conservative. Maybe you are a mom like me, and on your days at home, you choose comfort over style hands down. (as I sit here in a black nursing tank and navy blue shorts with hair in a bun and no make-up...) Maybe you work retail and have a certain style dress code for that store. Maybe there is someone you admire whose style inspires you, maybe you have a favorite store and most of your wardrobe is made up of their items. Maybe you have a lot of money and you wear expensive jewelry and only name brand clothing. Maybe you want people to think you have a lot of money and wear expensive jewelry and only name brand clothing. The list goes on. But regardless, what we wear says something. It speaks. We wear dark clothing to funerals out of a sense mourning and sensitivity. We wear our best to weddings. What's acceptable at the beach might not be acceptable at church. Professional attire has a whole list of guidelines. On and on.

Fashion isn't just an American or European concept. African tribes decorate and adorn and create, think silk in Asia, think turbans in the middle east, think cultural pieces, sombreros, wooden shoes, veils, do rags, hemp, nose rings..... It's as old as time. We long to express ourselves. We long for identity, whether is cultural, counter-cultural, sub-cultural or personal. We have an innate desire to create, to be seen, to leave a mark, to be part of a group or to be an original, and one of the most basic ways this comes out is in our dress.

To me, it's not about money at all. It's about an expression of who you are. I went to a consignment sale the other day and came home with two dresses, a pair of pants, a sweater and a purse for $7. You can do all your shopping at thrift stores or Goodwill. You can hand make your own clothing. You can shop solely in clearance sections or with coupons. You can style your hair different ways or make jewelry out of seashells (used to do this all the time in high school). You can budget and stay within your means. The point is, it doesn't have to cost much at all to have fun with fashion. As with anything, it can swing out of balance and become an obsession.

Here's the irony though. What should be fun and an expression of self that can be appreciated and enjoyed by all often turns into a standard of judgment. "Did you see her in that..." "Did she really just wear those two things together?" "How much do you think she spent on..." Even as I wrote this post I could've been guilty of that.

Let's appreciate each other for who we are, and instead of stopping at the first layer of our impression of what we see, let's go deeper and get to know them on a more personal level. It's awfully hard to judge someone when you're at a heart to heart level with them.

Your style and uniqueness is beautiful. Don't ever be ashamed or embarrassed to embrace it. Try something new today and smile. :)