Thankful

I just wanted to put it out there today that I am thankful. In a time when so much has shifted, as life continuously does, I am thankful.

I am thankful for my Jesus who saves me from myself and my sin. Who gave his everything so that I could love him.

I am thankful that God saw fit to bring me the husband of my youth so we could grow miraculously old together.

I am thankful for the little boys who scream, fight, giggle, mess up, grow, change, cry, and, most importantly, cuddle me. They are the joy God has given me so that I might know what the Father feels for us his children.

I am thankful for provision. God's provision that is more when we need more and less when we need to rely on him and focus on his faithfulness.Praise Him for this wisdom.

I am thankful for friendships old and new, ones I was scared to let go and others I was terrified to begin.

I am thankful for the crisp Autumn air that the California desert has been longing for.

*Image screen shot from the PINK app

I am thankful for leisure and work, for focus and distraction, for who I am and who I will become.

I am thankful for parents who raised me in a manner that fit me. Although it was not perfect, it was a joint effort with two wonderful grandmothers who aided in working out the kinks. I am thankful that now they are the grandparents and get to enjoy time in that role.

I am thankful for inlaws. I may have the most miraculous inlaws God ever created. I am so thankful for these crazy Cuban people who have a crazy love for God and my family. They are awesome!!!

I am thankful for students who really are pretty special. As a professor, I have cultivated relationships with some of the most genuine human beings. They teach me as I teach them, and they grow me ever more toward compassion.

There is so much more I am thankful for. The list of blessings God grants me day by day and moment by moment is unfathomable. 

*downloadable image from first5.org

I hope you take a moment to praise God and graciously thank him too.

Jayna Rae

Polka Dot Passion

Toward the beginning of this year  one of my favorite gals of Instagram, Dictiocanary, mentioned wearing polka dots a ton. Then she realized post hoc that maybe she didn't wear them as much as she though, so she challenged herself to embrace her love affair with polka dots more often.

This is my newest polka dot dress. It is handmade and came from the Goodwill for $4. It is PERFECT!

Well, this got me thinking about polka dots. At first I thought that I too need more polka dots in my life; I clearly was not wearing them as often as I would like. Nor did I own enough. 

Skirt and bag: Kate Spade

After musing on this for a few weeks and looking down at my Kate Spade Pavilion Dot bag and it's matching zipper pouch, I realized that I have a profuse amount of polkas in my life.

Here is a snap shot tour of some of my favorites. I tried to get as many items as possible and a variety of types.

My sheets: 

And, I just bought even newer polka dot sheets(SHHHH! FrenchBull $15 on clearance at Target)

Hair scarves in different colors, sizes, and shapes of polka dots:

Bracelets:

Jamberry Nail Wraps (This is an affiliate link to my business page):

 

CLOTHES:

Burgundy on Burgundy dot: Forever 21 , black and white polka dot: high school 15 years ago, and red and white dot: Alannah Hill (from eBay) SIMILAR

Cute Mint Summer Dress:

 With a little mint polka dot hair flower:

This background is the skirt of the dress above

 Swimwear:

Black&white: Target Green&white: Handmade by  me
Similar to Black&White Here

 Belts with polka dots:

 Storage bins in my closet with polka dots:

 Sleepwear (including slippers) Both from Target Christmas 2014:

 Scrapbook supplies:

I even tried some polka dots when I did my Gwynnie Bee free trial.

 There are so many more throughout my home: Shoes, cups, book marks, underwear, slips, and whatever else can be dotted.

Okay, so I think that it is clear that I may actually have enough polka dots in my life, or do I? I am sure that I will always buy more and more. I just cannot resist a good dot.

How about you? Do you have enough dots in your life? What are your favorite polka dot pieces?


Have a Rockin' Day

 

With the exception of my Jamberry link, there is no affiliation between me and any of the brands or people linked above. They are merely brand and style preferences.

My First Bible Journaling Experience

At the end of 2014 I became aware of Bible journaling through my IG pal Andrea of Retrohipmama. I thought it was such a great idea; it did, after all, combine two of my favorite things: learning about God and paper crafting/hand lettering.

After some research and checking out Shana Noel's blog, Illustrated Faith, and the Bible journaling Community facebook group, I knew I wanted a journaling Bible of my own, 

I was blessed by my friend and bible Study co-leader with said journaling bible as a Christmas Gift. 

I have done some traditional annotating and basic hand lettering in it, but this is the first time I have gone big. Now, it is nothing compared to the amazing journaling art that is out there, but I am happy because my notes are the more important thing. 

While studying this morning in John I was reading about the woman at the well. I know this story, but I made sure to be careful and intentional in my reading. 

John 4:24, 35b-36, and 42 were the verses that most struck me anew. When I reached the end of 42, I knew that I was going to finally do my first full journaling page. 

I had a map chipboard piece that I received in my March Odyssey Project Life kit from Studio Calico. When I read, "...and we know that this is indeed the savior of the world," I immediately knew I had to use it.

I really am not sure when I would have used it in my album, so it is wonderful to use it in my Bible. 

Here is a little of my process for today. 

First, I stamped using two stamps from My Minds Eye Lost and Found Two collection. I used a teal ink I purchased in the Target dollar spot.

 I then added my chipboard map sticker. 

At this point I began my annotations in a blue gel pen also from the Target dollar spot. I wrote in regard to verse 42:

We first learn of Jesus from others, and then we see him for ourselves just as the Samaritans learned from the woman and then acknowledged via their own experience.

I made this note because it is a moment demonstrative of the importance of being ecstatic about Christ, as the woman at the well was ecstatic that though she was a fallen person who was essentially known as the town whore, she was immediately embraced by Christ who offered her living water in lieu of the H2O in the well.

Once I was done focusing on this section, I moved backward to verses 35b-36. I had already bracketed off and underlined this section before moving to my office to work on the page. The underlined portion is the beginning of 36, which reads, "Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life."

This is A response from Jesus to the disciples who are perplexed by his interaction with the woman, as well as the fact he states that he is full though he has yet to eat. As often is the case with the disciples, and believers, they are focused on the wrong thing. While they fret, the woman is already spreading the words of Jesus and bringing others to meet him and partake in his presence. Therefore, I wrote in green gel pen (from the same dollar spot pack):

Sometimes we are too busy waiting for the harvest to realize that we can already reap.

Once this was done I added six diamond stickers from a different Studio Calico kit (Walden, I think). These came on a washi like roll. I never thought I would use them when they arrived, but I use them all the time. I put two blue wood grain up top, two wheat diamonds under the note about reaping. (I couldn't resist tapping into the idea of harvest.) Then, at the bottom, I added a blue cross hatched or lined design and a blue YES, because I wanted to say yes to Jesus and yes to reaping rather than waiting for the harvest.

I enjoyed this experience. I know I will journal more throughout the year(s), as time allows for this extra step in my study time. I may share from time to time. 

Do you have a journaling bible? 

Would you want one?

It is a great time to start because Shanna Noel just teamed up with Bella Blvd to release their first Illustrated Faith Kit. It is in Pre-order (I am not affiliated with either company. I just think that this is a awesome set that people she pick up so that they can get in the word more).

Let me know? Share.

Until next time hve a Rockin' Day

Clutter Free Book Review

Okay, so this post is a long time coming. I actually finished the book back in January, but I spent the rest of the month, and the beginning of February, enjoying my Winter Break from work. Read: Being LAZY! Really though, my back was pretty messed up from my November accident, so after taking boys to school I would lay in bed, read, veg out on TV, and try not to damage my back further. I am so thankful for my AMAZING chiropractic team who have since moved me further along toward back health.

Back to the book. As you may know I was part of Kathi Lipp's Clutter Free Book Launch Team. This does mean that I received my copy of the book for free.

I am so glad I participated in this challenge and on this team. It was a blessed experience. I have tackled a ton of clutter, already purging over 1,000 items. It would be more, but I lost time and energy with my back down.

Each day, for 21 days, I received an email with daily tasks to help tackle my clutter. Now that the book is out, you can ALWAYS sign up for the challenge here. The best part about this is that I saved all of the emails in a folder titled "Clutter Free" so that I can redo them at any point in time, which will likely be every break, just so that I can help fight against my own very lazy tendency of not taking care of business: truth be told, I would rather be scrapbooking or shopping.

I was going to wait for my group yard sale to hopefully make some money, but instead I did this (11 bags) with most of the stuff and took it to my favorite Goodwill around the corner.

 Goodwill is BIG in my community; we have two that are wonderful, including job placement and teen centers.

Overall, I feel like I am managing my clutter better because of this book, which is a HUGE statement from me on several levels. Firstly, I do not tend to complete non-fiction/ help books in this amount of time. Clearly, being part of the launch team and challenge was a driving force in this. Lipp's writing is witty and candid, which makes the reading smooth. If you ever get a chance to see her speak live, it is a real treat.

Although, like any book, I may not be able to complete all the challenges or in the way intended, I LOVED this book. I think it is something that many woman who struggle with clutter can benefit from reading, especially since there is the accompanying challenge and facebook group for inspiration and accountability.

So, if you struggle in this area, grab your copy here.


Have a Rockin' Day!!!!!!

Gwynnie Bee Review

Several months back one of my favorite bloggers Britney Sherman of   Va-Voom Vintage Posted about receiving her first Gwynnie Bee box via a free trial. I mused over it for awhile, signed up for their emails, but didn't jump in.

However, in February I decided that a free trial is, well, worth a try. I am so glad I tried it. I got some cute clothes for work to mix up my wardrobe for 30 days. 

Here is a smattering of my experience followed by an overall evaluation.

First, my boxes came with my first three items: all dresses. 

The DRESSES:

   Spuce and Sage                                     

 

Cherry Velvet

 Triste                                             

I have never worn or purchased any of these brands before, so this was a pretty exciting trial.

 I immediately noticed that the size Large Cherry Velvet dress might be too big, so I put it on right away.

 And I was right. Rather than a 10 as a large, it is more like a 14. So, keep this in mind if you ever purchase this brand. I was sad, but mailed it back right away so that a new dress could ship out. It did, but I will get to that.

The first dress that I wore right away was the green and blue, mod print, TRISTE dress.

I loved this dress. Great Fit. Great colors. It is a 0X.

It was perfect for work.

 

 The next day I wore the Spruce and Sage dress to bible study. 

This dress is a size 10.

I paired it with a green belt that I have and a cute hair flower. 

Nice and springy, which was weather appropriate that day.

 I liked this dress, but I wasn't as excited about it as the TRISTE. The colors are super rich, but the color was not properly ironed flat, and currently I do not have an iron as I broke mine in November.

It needed pressing to keep the interfaced piece down, so my steamer did not cut it.

 Matching shoes to the belt.

I had mailed out the green Cherry Velvet dress Wednesday. By Saturday its replacement had arrived, which was awesome. We had a dance that night, and it was my back up dress in case my eShakti dress (post here) didn't arrive in time. However, my ABSOLUTELY PERFECT eShakti dress did arrive, so I wore that one. You can read about it here.

The red dress looked great!

My other items were another Triste dress.

 I almost bought it, but I decided to save my money for the new Kate Spade outlet that opened in my area. I did LOVE it! I just love Kate Spade more.

Then there was this Land's End skirt. 

Skirt: Gwynnie Bee/Lands End  Cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT

It was actually too big, but since it was jersey, and my sweater covered it, no one was the wiser. 

My overall experience was good. Canceling was simple. However, I was disappointed to never get the Hell Bunny items I wanted to try from my closet. They were the catalyst for signing up after all. 

As far as recommendations, I would say that if you are a 2x or larger then this may be great for you. Many items did not come in my smaller end of the size range, and I have little trouble finding professional clothes for a great price at Target, on eBay, at the Goodwill, or most anywhere really. I am a woman's med/large (sometimes xl up top) and wear anything from an 8-10 (rarely a 12) depending on the cut and designer.

I hope this review is helpful. 

PS The eShakti coupon code is good until March 30. Go check out the post for the code.