Ways to lose track of time when your are board

 I don't know about you, but being such a creative person I find myself board ALL the TIME! Over the years I have found many activities that don't just make me forget I am board, but also give me a task, or project. (and I am sure you all know how much I love projects)

     First on my list is building a fort, this is a good way to pass some time no matter what the season, if it is hot, build an air fort. If it is cold enclosing a small area will conserve body heat. Outside you can build igloos if there is enough snow, you can use a trampoline if you have access to one, or a tree house. Inside you can use boxes, chairs, cushions, pillows, blankets. You can spend as much time setting it up as you want, you can also make it as big or as small as you want, and of course you can invite friends, family, and pet into your fort.

     Next on my list is to play shadow puppets, if you put a bunch of work into making a fort, or even if you don't, shadow puppets, or shadow theatre is lots of fun. Even if this isn't one you can do by yourself, or at least it isn't a lot of fun by yourself, it only takes two to have a blast that can last hours.

     Learn morse code. I started teaching myself and my younger sister morse code to entertain us. I mean, who doesn't want to speak a secret language? It doesn't even need to be morse code, any code will do, try learning ASL. ASL would be more useful, but harder to learn than morse code. Morse code is just what I chose to learn.

   Practice a foreign language, this one is similar to the last one, but you have a few more options, you can watch a movie in a foreign language and try to pick out words you recognize, or listen/read a book. You can play online games, there are apps and resources everywhere! Learn the words to a song in another language, You can even learn Tongue twisters in a foreign language. 

     Learn hand clap games, my mom taught me, when I was very young "I caught myself a baby bumblebee, won't my mommy be so proud of me. Yes, I caught myself a baby bumble bee, ouch! It stung me! I am smushing up my baby bumblebee, won't my mommy be so proud of me, Yes, I'm smushing up my baby bumblebee, Ewww! It's all over me! I am wiping off my baby bumblebee, won't my mommy be so proud of me, yes, I'm wiping off my baby bumblebee, Eww! It's all over you. " Who doesn't know Mother Goose's pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker's man. Learning new hand claps can be lots of fun they can get really complicated or be really simple. Jump rope songs, or tongue twisters are about the same thing, but you can search them and get different results.

     Make art with natural materials you can gather materials on a nature walk and building lots of stuff! Let your imagination go wild and feel free to use Pintrest for inspiration, make your own paper, make your own paint, make your own paint brushes.

     Shop at thrift stores, second hand stores, buy junk for fun. Wasting money is a great way to forget how board you are. Find something that you can use, and it will keep you busy longer.

     Play hopscotch, dance, exercise, there are simply too many exercises that you can do with anything you have, for you to have any excuse not to exercise.

     Play pranks, be nice, but be creative, and be prepared for retaliation. Don't dish it out if you can't take it. Or watch prank show on tv.

    Cook from scratch, this is a hard one, but very time consuming. So many options!

     learn about growing a garden / plants/ Forging

     Build a kite, or build paper airplanes

    Write a story, poem, or blog

     Clean/do chores

     Play cards, or board games

     Play games with friends/sleep over

     Mad libs, mazes, word searches, word puzzle, puzzles

     Learn to play an Instrument, I pretend to play the keyboard, but, I do It outside where my family can't hear me. Not by my choice.

     Perler beads, necklaces, key chains, home decoration, organization

     Detox bath, tea bath, bubble bath, oil bath, candles, food tray, shower

self care, paint nails, do hair, pamper yourself

     Start a fire/ light a candle, roast marshmallow, roast bread on a stick, Shish kebab, grill, sing, be loud, burn spices to keep bugs away, or burn chemicals to turn the fire colors, enjoy being outside, just starting the fire can take some time.

     Spend time with animals

      Virtual reality, Field trips, one of my favorites! Or volunteer

     Sew, Crochet, Quilt

     Take quizzes, there are quizzes that tell you your love language, your Disney side kick, your taste in clothes, how old you are, What your friends like most about you, your ideal boyfriend's qualities. Really fun to do with anyone and compare answers.

God gave me peace.

God spoke to me

 This is a creative leaf rubbing, I wrote psalm 25:9-5 over it. I try to do something creative everyday. When I am in a bad mood being creative lifts my sprits, I was really struggling today, then I took a moment to pray, I went down on my knees and asked for help. Not long after that, I got on Pinterest. God spoke to me though a Pinterest pin. It said one hundred my fall by your side and ten thousand at your right hand but it will not come near you Psalm 91:7 I pinned the pin to my bible board. I took a much needed deep breath and felt peaceful for the first time all day.

How I can start my day off better 

     I plan on putting up a prayer above my bed so I can remember to start my day off right. I worked in little ways to lift the moods of the people around me, my focus shifted from my problems to the problems of those around me. I left a note that said "Hold E'm,  Fold E'm,  Walk away,  run" on the dryer when my mom went to check the laundry, I asked if she had found my note. She said "Yes what is that supposed to mean?" I started singing Kenny Roger's The Gambler, "You got to know when to hold E'm, know when to fold E'm, know when to walk away, and know when to run." We both started laughing and singing, which made us feel better.    

I also plan to start a biblical morning routine to get me to not lean on my own understanding.

I made an effort to be self sacrificial 

    Then I played with my little sister, she is always begging to play, it seems, but I keep reminding myself that she will eventually not want to play anymore, so I should take the time I have with her. I enjoy telling her stories more than I will admit to her, it gives me another creative expression, I hope she never grows out of listening to my stories. Just as I will never grow out of listening to my mom's. Even though mine are made up, and my mom's are based her experiences.

 The Geek word for self sacrificial love is agape

My loved role model

     My mom is so confident, I wish I could be more like her. My mom tells me that she is motivated and confident because God gives her confidence. Her confidence comes from asking God before she makes decisions. She doesn't care what anyone thinks of her, but she is also the best nurse I've ever seen. She is a fantastic house keeper, her cooking is far superior to mine. She is a devout wife and mother, and yet she is humble. Everything she does is an act of worship. She only gives godly advise.

My confession to you

     I have many decisions to make, I am almost eighteen. My parents are letting me made some of my own decisions, but I also have to deal with the consequences. I am waiting, and praying. When I read blogs that are linked to Pinterest everyone seems to have it all together, that is part of the reason the Internet can be so dangerous. It can make you question yourself, your life and make you envy other people and what they have. I don't have it all together, I don't even know what is going in my own head most the time.

What I want to learn next

     The creative project I am engrossed in right now is learning how to make my own clothes. I am going to start with making a shirt or blouse. I am researching, learning and preparing right now. My parents said they will take me to Hennessy soon to buy fabric I have worked with my dad all summer to save up money, I will spend this money to buy fabric. I am torn between buying fabric to further my education in sewing and altering clothes, or buying fabric to make stuff to sell. I suppose I will split and buy fabric for both. I also need needles, and want pattern drafting tools. I also need to remember my chores.

My prayer

      You are all knowing God, Greater than my mind can conceive. You have answered my questions in the past, things I put most importance on, are trivial to you.  I ask that you again show your faithfulness to me, and lead my paths. I revere and respect what you tell me to do, even when I don't like what you have decreed. I will not run like Jonah and the whale, I submit. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

 Tips on being both a Christian businesswoman and a teenager

       "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17)  

It's important to remember that you can't do it alone, but with God, everything is possible. I am on the same journey you are, and asking all the same questions. God is leading me down every path in unexpected ways. I hope I can be a channel through which God speaks to you. 

     The first lesson I learned is how to utilize others' knowledge and expertise.

      People are put in your life for a reason. God knows what you need better than you know yourself. I can't count the number of times I've needed help with something, and just the right person or thing to help me came into my life at just the right time. It's okay if God doesn't give you the answer you're seeking, as long as you keep asking and searching. When he finally gives you the answer, well, I can't even describe how it feels. It's not easy to ask for help, whether it's from God or others, but asking for help won't weaken or diminish you in any way. 

     "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) 

     Knowing what you are unable or unwilling to do is the second lesson.

      Setting clear boundaries with your business is as important as setting them in life. If asked to do too much for too little in too little time, simply say no. This will be better for your business than taking on too much and not meeting the promised standards and losing money and time. 

     Confidence in your abilities is the third lesson.

      If someone sings your praises in front of you, accept their praise and compliments. Responding in self-doubt will lose the respect of others and the high esteem in which they hold your business. If someone asks if you know anyone who can do what your business does, don't hesitate to volunteer.

     Accepting criticism is probably the most important and hardest lesson for me.        

     Now I don't mean bullying or naysayers; I mean real criticism that comes from someone wiser than you. Most of the time, you will know whether what they are saying is true or not. That is what makes it so hard to listen when you know they are right. My prayer is that when it comes to accepting criticism, it comes from a humble source and that you and I learn to accept it with grace.

     The fifth and final lesson I have for you today is to be diligent.

      Don't give up, there will be bad days (I pray for you that they are not as bad as Paul's). Being a Christian means that the devil will try to attack you in every possible way, including your business. Ask for success with confidence in the power of Christ and his love for you. 

I am going to share with you a prayer that I pray over my work.

     My salvation and hope are in you, Lord. You are the God who sees me. Forgive me for any sin I have committed in your presence, even those which I do not know about. You have always been my source of strength and my salvation. You have always kept your promises. I hope that you will use my work to bless others in ways that I cannot even imagine. Help me overcome my despair in a way that no one can doubt that you are there for me. Let me be a light to all who see me. Grant me knowledge that I lack. I offer my life, and business, in service to you. I entrust my finances to your great power. Amen.

 

My favorite way of praying for my business I learned from the marketing prophet I will leave a link here so you too can learn to pray for your business.

https://themarketingprophet.com/pray-business-strategy/

What I've learned going to craft shows

      I went to a craft show today, Octoberfest at Sunset Plaza. I wanted to share tips and tricks that I have learn that work for me.

First I want to start with collecting emails. Sending out emails doesn't work for me. No one even looks at emails anyway. I collect phone numbers and send out text messages. I wish someone would have told me to ask for phone numbers, more people are willing to give out their numbers than you might realize.

Tell people you take custom orders if you do. If you write it on a sign it might be easier than repeating yourself to ever person. 

Ask people if they would like to look at your (fill in the blank). Hand it to them, then talk about it. Some people assume you aren't talking to them and keep walking, some people don't hear you, and some people listen then ask questions. If they listen now is a great time to offer a card.

Set your booth you to where people can get to your stuff and get a better look, and so that is doesn't inconvenience other vendors.

Ask other vendors about their favorite maker's markets. You have a good chance of finding new markets that fit your business. That's all for now good luck and have fun!

Leaf rubbings

      Start by gathering fresh leaves, not any that are dried out lay them on a flat surface and place a paper over them. Use color pencils or  crayons and rub over the paper this will create an imprint.

For this leaf rubbing I made it look like the sun is shining on the leaves.

For this leaf rubbing I wrote a bible verse over the pattern.

You can chose what colors you use, and what you do with them.

Disappearing nine square quilt

 This is the second quilt I've ever made. I use a disappearing nine square pattern. I quilted the layers together with a geometric pattern. I practiced quilting making stroller/Walker caddies. 

This is what I started with,

I sewed them together.

Cut them in half vertically and horizontally.

Rotated the upper right and lower left square 180°.

Then sewed them together, I repeated this process many times then arranged the pieces on the floor, so I can place the squares where I wanted them according to color. Then I sewed them together.

Next I quilted the top to the batting. 

Then I sewed the backing to the quilt, I make the backing of my quilts larger than the top, so I can wrap the edge around the top, I think this makes the quilts look put together, and it is simpler.

This is the backing. I used matching fabrics to make the squares, and everything looks amazing. I saw a quilting trick after I finished this quilt that suggests you lay the seems open when you are sewing, and the fabric should lay flatter. Another benefit of using this method would be not having to worry about sewing seems in opposite direction. I intend on using this method next time I sew a quilt. 

Perler bead pistol shrimp

My pistol shrimp

I got an A+ for this art homework

 This is a pistol shrimp made out of perler beads, I made the design myself. I hope you can use my design to inspire you. My mom assigned me and my sisters to create a sea creature out of peeler beads. She had an entire unit study planned out for me and my sisters. We studied sea related spelling words, learned about explorers of the sea and submarines. We watched documentaries. We even ate creatures of the sea (sprite, with Swedish fish, and blue food coloring). Then each of us wrote a paper about the creature we chose.

Easy design

I drew this graph for all who wish to use my design, for creative projects, or for your own homeschool inspiration.

What you will need

These are the perler beads I used if you want to try and match the colors I used.

In this photo you can see the plates I used.