Privacy is NOT Overrated- Curtains are up!

Guess what I finished yesterday?

MY CURTAINS!

Oh man, was I excited to have this project finished. It took me a little longer than I thought, between the measuring, kids, husband, the curtains sucking up the paint like crazy, repeat trips to Lowe's for more paint, and the amount of stripes there were, BUT I am happy to report that I could not be more pleased with the end result! 

Wanna see?!

 

 Kitchen Curtains

  

Counter and Window View

 Living Room

 Window and Couch View

 From the Hallway

I haven't done very many DIY projects for my home, but this gave me the itch. We are the most settled I've felt in years, so this was such an enjoyable experience. You know what I love about DIY projects? You can do it exactly how you want. Duh, right? But, seriously, if you can't find something that you want, and feel like there is some inspiration and creativity in you, go for it! You'll feel so proud of your accomplishment at the the end. 

I got this idea from another blogger, via Pinterest,  and she showed how she did the curtains, so I thought I would show you how I did them. It was super easy.

Step 1: Iron Your Curtains 

I found them easier to measure that way.

Step 2: Measure your curtains 

 

I did mine with 4 inch stripes. 

The length of curtains depends on how thick your stripes will be.

Do whatever looks best to you.

The ironing board was the perfect place to do the measuring.

Start from the top, and mark your measurements.

Do that all the way across.

Use a yard stick, or level, to draw a straight line, connecting all of the marks.

Continue making marks, and lines until you reach the bottom of the curtain, measuring 4 inches- or whatever you chose- all the way.

Step 3: Tape The Lines

The hard part is over. Tape on the lines to create division for the color.

Green Frog Tape, is hands down, the best out that. I would use that for the taping.

It looks like some stripes are smaller than others, but I promise it will turn out. You have to alternate between the tape being above the line and below the line, to make the stripes even. Does that make sense? I hope so! Email me at jmcadriel@gmail.com if you have any questions about the taping. 

It should look something like the picture below, after you're done. 

Step 4: Start Rolling That Paint! 

This is where it got fun for me. Seeing it start to come together was worth all that measuring. 

I used a thinner 4'' roller, because the paint would have been too gloppy with a regular sized hand roller, and would have been wider than the width of the lines.

Unless your stripes are a lot thicker, I would highly recommend that smaller roller. I went through two sponges. Total it cost me $7.00... Not too shabby. 

Once you've got everything ready, and set up. Start rolling that paint! 

My particular curtains sucked in a lot of paint, so I used more than I anticipated. I should have gotten a gallon of paint. I got one quart at first, then went back for another quart. 

I had 6 valances all together, with 4 gray stripes each. I was able to cover 3 curtains, 12 stripes, with a quart can. Just a reference.

Depends on your project. 

HERE is a link to the color I use. "Cathedral Stone," by Valspar. LOVE this color!

I painted on an old mattress we're dying to get rid of. Classy, huh?

 Step 5: Hang Them To Dry

Step 6: Pull Off The Tape

Give your husband a silly, "Excuse Me?" face, when he makes fun of you for wanting him to take pictures of the process. 

Thanks babe! I love you!

 After I took off the tape I let it hang dry for a little bit longer. 

I was SO excited when I saw what it looked like!

Just so you know, they didn't turn out absolutely flawlessly. I got over excited while rolling, and some gray got into the white, and there was very minimal bleeding. But, because curtains bend and fold when they're hung, you'll hardly be able to tell. All of that to say, don't beat yourself up if you don't get it perfectly. I promise they will still look good. 

Step 7: Hang Your Curtains and Enjoy!

Once again, here are a few pictures of the final product. I'm super duper pleased!

What do you think?

Hooray for privacy again!

If you do something like this, I'd love to hear how it goes, and see your pictures!

I hope this "tutorial" helped. Don't hesitate to email me if you have any questions.

jmcadriel@gmail.com

Have a great day!

What I Learned From Blue Eyeshadow

School is starting for all the kids, and for some reason it got me thinking about when I was in 7th grade. Allow me to explain. 

I went through this phase where I was obsessed with outrageous make-up. Well, I didn't think it was outrageous then, but trust me looking back on pictures, which I wish I had to post for you, it was ridiculous.

I'm talking bright blue eyeshadow, crazy colored mascara, more glitter than any 13 year should be allowed to own, and crazy nail polish to fill an entire kaboodle container. P.S. Do you remember kaboodles? I loved those things!

I've had many years to laugh about that make-up phase, joke about it with my friends and family, and move to neutrals- thank goodness! But, one day I asked my mom, "Why did you let me wear all this crazy make-up?! I looked so silly." Her response was the best- the response that every mom should have to a phase like mine. She said, "It made you so happy, and it wasn't worth a fight over something so silly."

Wisdom.

Remembering her response got me thinking.  

So here are 5 things I learned from my crazy seventh grade make up phase, that hopefully I can constantly remind myself of, and that I'll be able to remember when my daughter is old enough to make lots of her own decisions.... or when she picks out a cat shirt from target, with her birthday money, that I hate. Yup, that happened. :)

Pick Your Battles 

 No doubt, there are moments/times in life where you are presented with a situation that you must decide whether to invest your energy, or walk away. Some things that are thrown in front of you, are super important to focus on and spend time working through.

Just like labor pains. 

They are painful, but you get the precious gift of life at the end.

When you pick the right battle, and fight for the things worth fighting for, there is life on the other side. A renewed sense of who you are, hope, deeper love, and a stronger, more well rounded perspective, even though you went through something painful to get there. That's worth fighting for.

But, there are also other frustrations, moments, people, situations, that are simply silly to even spend energy on, time responding to, fighting with, or getting worked up about. The energy simply isn't worth it. It's not life giving....Like my mom's perspective on my blue eyeshadow. It's a tiny thing, insignificant to the grand scheme of life, and ultimately didn't matter. It wasn't harmful to anyone. 

What's the blue eyeshadow in your life that you can just let go of, let be, and walk away from? 

I wish I could tell you, specifically what the blue eyeshadow vs. life giving labor pains, are, but really it's tailored to your own life. For me, close relationships matter-those are always worth the energy of working through things. But getting worked up over my daughters cat shirt, since I loathe cats, probably isn't the best place to invest my emotions. Kind of like Jenny's sock post in her marriage advice.

 

Do What Makes You Happy  

 

Ask yourself this question: "Am I hurting anyone." 

If your answer is "no" to whatever you're questioning, than do it.

Do what makes you happy.

7th grade for me was an awkward year. Like most 7th graders, right? :)

You're trying to figure out how to fit in, and figure out who you are, while going through puberty.

(Or if you're me, watching everyone else go through puberty, while I was still a scrawny, little thing. Just call me "Late Bloomer.")

I'll tell ya, that crazy make-up, and excessive glitter, made me happy. It was something that I looked forward to doing every morning. 

It allowed me to express myself, in a very non-threatening way. 

It made me happy.

I have different things now, that make me happy, but the underlying theme is the same. 

Doing what makes you happy is important. Life giving.

What makes you happy? What refreshes you? What allows you to express who you are? What gets you through the hard and awkward phases that life often brings? 

Whatever it is DO IT, and don't apologize for it.

If it makes you happy, then wear that blue eyeshadow proud! 

  

True Friends 

Looking back, I wouldn't have been surprised if I had lost a few friends in 7th grade, through my crazy phase. 7th grade is so brutal! But you know what? My friends stuck by me during that silly time, and even joined in with my craze make-up craze. 

See a friend who will stick by you no matter what you look like, what you are going through, or how many bumps there are in the road, is worth keeping around.

Isn't it always amazing to see who of your friends, shines, when you are in the midst of something hard, weird, or painful?  

Not that you "test" your friends on purpose, but naturally, that's what happens when you walk through a new, unknown season. Some drop off, some change, and some walk right in your door. 

Through my blue eyeshadow adventure, I was lucky to have friends who still wanted to be around me, and would even put on the silly stuff with me. 

We all need friends who will jump in and put on blue eyeshadow too, feel your pain, walk through life's seasons, and remain steadfast in their love for you. 

True friends really don't care about your blue eyeshadow. They care about you.

This Too Shall Pass 

My 7th grade make-up phase lasted one year. It was literally, only that year. I started to calm the heck down in 8th grade. 

We have all walked through a handful of different kinds of seasons in our life. Some are refreshing, some are full of self discovery, some suck the life out of you, and some are simply routine.

No matter what kind of phase you are walking through, life moves fast, and those seasons pass.

So what matters? What are the things that regardless of what you are feeling, going through, or discovering, that are steadfast? Those are things you hold onto when the seasons change. 

Change is good. It's hard, it can be painful, it can be refreshing, and it can be timely. 

Invite "this too shall pass." Anticipate "this too shall pass." Embrace "this too shall pass." 

 

I'm glad my 7th grade make-up phase was only a year, and then ended. It was time for me to move on.

There have been other seasons of change and growth that have been really hard for me. But, they've passed as well, just like my blue eyeshadow. I've mourned change and I've welcomed change. Both are so important.

There is just a time where you move on from where you're at, or things move for you. When they do, it's ok, maybe it's even necessary.

Laugh At Yourself

Don't take yourself too seriously, folks. There are just times, and moments, where you have to laugh. Laughter gives you perspective. I'm so glad I can look back at the 7th grade me, and laugh. Yes, it was awkward, goofy, and a bit ridiculous, but it has become quite the memory for me and those who knew me then. I chuckle at how seriously I took my crazy make up, and I laugh at how funny I looked. 

Where you can laugh, laugh. When you do something ridiculous, laugh. Heck, do something silly, just so you can laugh.

Life is too fun to be so serious all the time.

Happy Saturday, friends!

*hugs*

Thursday Latelies- Stripes Rule My World

It's time to link up with BEX, for August's last Thursday Latelie video! Go to her blog to see other Thursday Latelie posts. There are some fun ladies out there!

THIS WEEK'S THURSDAY LATELIES VIDEO

Sorry for not plugging in my computer before I started the video. Thanks for you patience, though, as I got my power cord :)

Striped Curtains. HERE is the link showing you how to do them yourself, if you've been dying for striped curtains like I have. Here is a picture of the part I've been working on this week. Measuring! I'll post pictures of the finished product when they're done!

Striped Towels. There's a theme in my life, huh? You can find the towels HERE if you're interested. $3.50 isn't too shabby!

I'm so excited about my new door bell! HERE is a link to info about it. Below is a picture of the one I spray painted.

Have a major sweet tooth? THIS recipe won't disappoint. Try it! Let me know what you think. Mine didn't turn out quite as artistic and well presented as the picture below, but let's be honest, when something tastes that good, who cares what it looks like.

Friends are wonderful. Especially ones that leave you more enriched every time you connect with them. 

Jessica

Amy

Jenny

Rachael

Thank you for being women who encourage me, love me, understand me, and ultimately help to make me a better person. I am beyond blessed to know you, and call you friends. I love you all.

That's all from me!

See you in September!

Behind Every Face

Behind every face, there is a set of  experiences, events, and moments that have shaped who they are right now.

We are all a product of our past. The good things, the hard things, the things we've overcome, the things we still need to be healed from, and maybe we're even a little product of the hope we are holding onto for our future.

Every single person you encounter is on some sort of journey, path, or road. 

Every single person you encounter has a story. Even the people you get so frustrated by.

You probably have a story of your own.

There is always, always, always, far more to a person than just what you see in front of you. Our lives are unfolding by the minute, and therefore, we should treat others as such; taking into consideration, that maybe who someone is, how they act, and how they speak, is bigger than the present- because we know that to be true of ourselves, right?

-Have you ever been misunderstood, thought to be one way when really you're another, had things assumed about you or your situation? Yes? Me too. And you know what? It sucks. 

-Have you ever done that to someone else? Misunderstood, assumed, and projected what you thought was the truth about them or their situation? Yes? Me too. And you know what? That's pride. Ugly, nasty, pride. I'm as guilty as they come.

See, we don't know the depth of everyone else's story. We don't have a right to make assumptions about reasons, intentions, or motives of others, without knowing them a little. Rather, we have the responsibility to engage with those in our lives, and those we encounter, with respectful inquisition, gentleness, and grace- assuming nothing until we hear their story. And if we never hear their story, we treat them as if we had. As if we understand that the unknown depth of them carries more than just what we see. 

When you are willing to hear someone else's story, whether about their life, or a certain situation, I have found things become less fuzzy. Pieces fit together much better, and the assumptions I held were wrong. Really wrong. 

We know so much less than we think we do. We have so much less information about people than we think we do, and have no right at all, to make judgements about others. A lesson I've been learning this last year. 

If we viewed every person or situation as an opportunity to show grace, compassion, gentleness, and genuine understanding, I imagine that our perspective would deeply change. 

EXAMPLES:

You know that girl who has cuts all over her arms? She's probably been abused her whole life and is just trying to cope with the pain.

You know that guy who seems like an arrogant, jerk? He's probably overcompensating because of his deep insecurity, stemming from the fact that he's never felt good enough.

You know that kid who is misbehaving in the store, that you think just needs to shut up? He/she might have medical, or behavioral problems, that make it challenging to thwart "unacceptable" behavior. Or he/she is a normal kid- and guess what? Kids are loud, and rowdy sometimes, and that's ok. The adults are uptight.

You know that single mom in your neighborhood? She's probably not a slut. No single mom that I know has ever made the choice to raise her kids alone, because that was her dream. Unfortunately, it's often because she was in an abusive relationship, her man left her, or she made a brave decision to give her kids a better life.... And you know what? Even if she does sleep around, and has kids as a result of that, doesn't that show you the amount of pain she is in? There's a story there too, you know? I also don't know any girl who dreams of having a million sexual partners and not being cherished by one of them. There's a story there, there's pain there.

You know your gay co-worker? You're just as "sinful" as you're accusing him/her of being for living a "homosexual lifestyle," when you speculate about their life. As if sexual orientation should ever define a person, anyway. It's ludacris. Maybe they were abused, or maybe, just maybe, this whole "gay" thing, actually has some biological components. All I'm saying is we don't know, so stop standing on a soap box about those who are homosexual.

My bottom line is this. Stop assuming. Stop with preconceived notions, and start showing compassion. It's hard, especially when it's so easy to make up your mind about someone or something without actually talking to them, or being willing to hear the truth. But just try. You'll start to see the world differently, you'll start see people differently, and most of all, you'll start to see yourself differently. When you can see yourself as no better, or worse than someone else, and see your own need for hope, compassion, and grace, it makes it easier to give those things to others. 

I'd love to say that I have this down, but it's a process. It's a mental shift that takes time and practice to acquire, and I'm no where near "there" yet.  Much of life, though, and the things we learn, are about the process. So here's to the process and hope for a continued changed perspective in us all. And here's to our stories; that they would compel us to grace, gentleness, and compassion toward others.

Thursday Latelies- Your Future Has Been Adjusted!

Hey! How's your week going?

I hope well.

Mine was....well...routine. 

But, hey, routine isn't bad! I just had to search a little harder for the things in this week's...

THURSDAY LATELIES VIDEO

"Adjustment Bureau"- SEE IT. Go. Now.

 HERE is a trailer for the movie. SO good!

Below is a sweet picture of the lovely couple.

Fall is almost here! YES! Below are a few pictures of the wreath that is making me super happy :).

And just to be clear, these pictures were for today's post, only- I'm not jumping the gun, guys, I promise. This is not going up until September 1st. I'm just so darn excited for the new season, I had to show you!

GARDEN PIZZA

Pizza dough amount, depends on how many people you are serving. We usually cook 2 pizzas for 5 people.

First: PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees

1) Roll your dough into a pizza like circle. Use flour so it doesn't stick to the pan or pizza stone. 

2) Once rolled out, put a light covering of olive oil over the top of the dough.

3a) Put in oven for 10 minutes.
After it's baked for 10 minutes, keep the pizza in the oven, but turn the oven to BROIL.
Cook on BROIL for 5 minutes- or until desired crispiness. I love it crispy!

3b) While pizza is baking, I like to use the cooking time to cut up your toppings. I like...

Prociutto

Bell Peppers

Jalapeno, finely chopped

Cilantro

Fajita style chicken- would require more prep, but it's de-lish!
Fresh Mozzarella, if you like cheese 

4) Pizza dough should be done by now.
Cheese is optional. I LOVE it. If you choose to put cheese on, do it after you've baked your dough. Take the pizza out of the oven, put the cheese on, stick the pizza back in the oven, on broil is fine, for just a few minutes, until it's melted.

5) Take out, cut into pieces, then serve and garnish your pizza with whatever you've cut up! Yummy!

We like to do it like a pizza bar. Set out all of the toppings, and let people put on what they want.

Any questions? Leave me a comment, facebook message me, or email me at jmcadriel@gmail.com

I'll post pictures next time we make it, so you can see it.

ENJOY!

"The Horse and His Boy" Quote

“I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.”

-I may or may not have cried after I read that-

That's all from me this week! Enjoy the rest of yours, and I'll see you same time, same place, next Thursday.

It's a date!

Thursday Latelies- Home Sweet Home

Getting back into the real world is tuuuu-uuuufffff 

(yes, I know I spelled tough incorrectly)

But, home is sweet. As Dorothy says, "There's no place like home." Though that's become such a cliche', it couldn't be more true, and I am abundantly grateful

that I love the place I dwell.

See what has made my entry back into real life worth it, in this week's...

thursday latelie video

  -Why don't you just go ahead and ignore the horribly awkward 

face I'm making because vimeo decided THAT was a good

place to freeze the frame. Or make fun of me. Whatever works.-

Washington is beautiful. I love it here. Here's a few recent

pictures of the place I feel

so lucky to call home.

 Sambica Field

 One of my favorite walking trails

Flowers in the field

 A vibrantly colored tree, and amazing green grass

 Lake Boren. Water. Good for my soul.

 Bellevue Park. Tree tunnel.

Sunset over Lake Sammamish. Home. Wow.

Blackberries are a-maz-ing, and a hint of early fall. Blackberry crisp recipe will have you drooling. Will post soon! Here's Layla picking some berries. So sweet. She's so beautiful.

Check out my friend, Jaclyn's, business, Bel Fiore. Fun hair ties and headbands that are 

soft, pretty, and trendy. You'll be glad you ordered them. They are a great price, too! $2.00 for a hair tie, $4.00 for a headband. There are package deals, as well. Here is a close up picture of a black and white combo I like, and a little idea of what the headband looks like.

 Hair Ties/Stackable bracelets

 Purple Headband 

Sassy lil Thangz is my friend, Cheyanne's, business. She is a crafty one, and makes 

anything you could want! Check her out if you have something custom

or crafty that you are interested in. She's great! Below are the letters she made for my kiddos.

Support small businesses!

Nail fun thanks to Pinterest! I'm going to have to get some new colors
soon to try these :)

"Falling" Glitter

Polka Dots 

See you August 18th

That's next Thursday, by the way :)

Thursday Latelies- Hawaii Round 2

You know how when you are at the end of your vacation, you start anticipating real life again?

Why on earth would I want to leave this?!!

Well, doing this week's video with BEX is my antidote to life creeping me up on me, reminding me of the amazing trip we've had.

So come see what this THURSDAY LATELIES VIDEO is all about!

  


HERE is a link to info about a Kindle. My reading life has thanked me for this amazing piece of technology!

Cheetos Natural White Cheddar Puffs make my mouth so happy. They've been the perfect beach treat!

You should try them for a taste of yummyness is your mouth :)

I've been loving the look of a waterfall braid. Left is what I was shooting for. Right is my attempt. You gotta start somewhere!

HERE is a tutorial on how to do one version of the braid. There are a ton of different ways, so have fun playing around!

Remember the story I told you last week about Rachel. Her charity:water campaign is still climbing! check out her page to learn more or donate. It's almost at $800,000. I'm crossing my fingers for a million!

Lastly, below are a lots of pictures of the highlights from our last week in Kauai. Enjoy!

QUEENS BATH

 KIPU FALLS

SUNSET AT LUMAHI BEACH

DATE NIGHT AT BOBBY V'S

KIDDOS

see you back in seattle!