Handstamped Ring

Friends, I am so excited to be a part of "Spring Bling Week"!  Some of my favorite blogger friends who also make jewelry have teamed up to bring you a week full of tutorials, which will wrap up with four great giveaways!  Today, it's my turn to share a tutorial with you...here goes:

Do you remember the great giveaway my friend Blythe from Desperate Craftwives sponsored for us at a Shine on Fridays party a few months ago?  She was giving away gorgeous handstamped rings, and she was sweet enough to send me one too!  I fell in love with it immediately and have worn it every. single. day. since it arrived, so when I saw a pack of flat ring blanks in Michaels, I couldn't resist picking it up and trying to make a few myself...I'm thinking they'll make great gifts!  If you're so inspired, here's how you can try it too:

Materials

- steel stamping block

- alphabet stamp set

- hammer

- painters' tape

- ring mandrel

- ring blanks

- permanent black marker

- silver jewelry polishing cloth

Before you begin, determine what word or phrase you want to stamp on your ring.  I chose, "oh how he loves us," which is a line from one of my all-time favorite songs by the David Crowder Band.  Write it out on a piece of paper and find the center. 

STEP 1: Tape your blank to the steel block on top of a hard, flat, and stable surface.  Make sure the tape is straight because you'll be using it as a guide for your letters.

STEP 2: Stamp your letters.  To do this, I mark a line on the tape for the center.  I begin with the center letter, then work outward in both directions.  Place your stamp where you want each letter to be and give it a very firm tap with your hammer.

This is how your ring will look when the stamping is complete.  You can choose to leave it this way, or you can darken the letters for an oxidized look.

STEP 3: To get an oxidized look, the easiest trick is to color over your letters with a black permanent marker.  Yes, this will eventually wear off, but the good news is that you can retouch it anytime by repeating this process and coloring them in again.

STEP 4: Use a polishing cloth to rub off the excess marker.  All that remains will be the marker in the crevices of each letter.

STEP 5: Form ring shape by wrapping blank around a steel mandrel.  You'll need to use your hammer to tap down the ends.

The great thing is that these rings are adjustable, so you can give them to friends knowing that they won't be too small, unlike a wire wrapped ring.

I want to try some of the thinner blanks too, now that I know how well the DIY process works, but I like how I can fit two lines of text on these which allows for longer phrases like this one.

What about you?  Do you think you'll try your hand at ring making?  What would you stamp on yours?

Be sure to visit my friends and check out the fabulous jewelry tutorials they've been sharing all week long!

Woven Ankle Bracelet by Adrianne, Color Block Earrings by Kara, DIY Amber & Gold Dangle Necklace,Simple Statement Necklace by Natalie, Mixed Media Bracelet by Adrianne, Bingo Marker Spoon Pendant by Holly, Dangle Earrings by Kate

Hugs & Glitter,

Devotional Giveaway with Cheerios and Lattes

Ok, friends, it's POP QUIZ time!
Are you ready?


1. What is my word of the year for 2013?  {10 cool points}



2. What does the first letter, R, stand for in my acronym? {20 cool points}






Answers:
1. REFOCUS

2. Read the Bible

Did you get them right?  If you earned 10 cool points, you get to do a happy dance.  If you earned 20, I'll give you a shout-out on the Facebook page.  If you earned 30, I'll Instagram/post a special photo just for you.  So, let me know, k!

Anyway, if you got those right {or just read the answers}, you'll know that one of the areas I really want to refocus on this year is on my spiritual life and growth.  Which is why it was so timely that my wonderful mother-in-law gave me a new devotional book for Christmas.  It started on January 1st and has a short, powerful reading for each day.  It is written as though Jesus were speaking directly to the reader, which has a profound effect on my heart when I read the words.  I've only been doing it for a few days now, but I absolutely love it and already feel like it's putting me back on the right track spiritually as I attempt to refocus myself. 

Well, imagine my surprise today when I got an email from a bloggy buddy of mine, Makenzie over at Cheerios and Lattes, asking if I wanted in on a giveaway she's doing.  Guess what she's giving away?  THE BOOK!



Yup, the same book I started on January 1.  The book I thanked my MIL for last night on Facebook because it's having a real impact on me already.  That book.  It's called Jesus Calling, written by Sarah Young.

And know what else?  She's also giving away the children's version.  Which...are you ready for this?  My mom bought that for LC for Christmas.  Yeah. 

Like the grownup version, it's written by Sarah Young and published by Thomas Nelson publishers.

I'm so excited that Makenzie is giving these away, because I know what a blessing they will be to whoever wins them.  Will it be you?  Rafflecopter will walk you through the entry process; good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Gift

I've started this post four times.  Titled it twice.  All afternoon, I've been spastically jumping around the web...email, PicMonkey, the blog, other blogs...I can't seem to focus on what I need to do. 

 

Because of her.

 

Ginny.

 

She was my friend. 

A mentor. 

The mother of one of my closest friends. 

A teacher.

A servant.

A godly woman who always had a smile on her face and in her heart.

She loved to dance when she worshipped.

 

And now she's gone.

 

Cancer sucks.

 

I hate times like this.  Times when your heart hurts for your own loss and even more for the indescribable hole you know is there in the heart of your friend as she misses her mother every second of every day.  Times when words aren't enough and you just want to say something, do something to make it better somehow.  I love my friend Erin so much...so does LC.  {Doesn't she look like her mama?}



 

I wanted to give Erin a gift.  Something tangible to help her focus on the good memories and the beauty of who her mother was.  Something to remind her of the legacy Ginny left for those of us whose lives she touched.

 

And so, I made this.

 

The red stone represents January, the month of both Ginny and Erin's birthdays.

The starfish is because Ginny, Erin, and I mutually love the beach, Myrtle Beach in particular.

The quote was the theme of a retreat weekend {Emmaus} Erin and I served on with Ginny as the leader.  She truly knew how to worship God with joy no matter what her circumstances were...just was we have to bless His name now, even when we might not feel like it.  Because He is good.

He gives and takes away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.

 



 

 

 



It is Well Printables

Over the years, I've learned that God speaks to people in many ways.  Through friends, nature, the Bible, music, and all kinds of other methods.  For me, though, it seems that whenever He really wants my attention, He speaks through what I call "signs."  {Which might sound weird, but is basically a nicer way of saying He puts things all around me and kind of hits me over the head with the message so I don't miss it.} 

My favorite example of that is back when the hubs and I were first dating and there were signs everywhere...including a few literal ones I saw that had his name on them...pointing to the fact that he was "the one."

Anyway, all that to say it's happening again.  I don't know why.  All I know is that everywhere I go, this message is there. 

It is well with my soul.

I hear it on the radio.  
I wake up with it in my head. 
I see it on Pinterest. 
I can't seem to get away from it. 
Apparently, God wants this to be my new motto.

Perhaps it's because He knows I struggle with anxiety.  Perhaps it's because we've finally found and plugged in to a church home that's just the right fit for us.  Perhaps it's because in discovering and exploring the Jewish roots of our Christian faith, I've learned and grown more than I could have imagined.  I don't know.  {All I know is  that I hope it doesn't mean there's a big test or struggle just ahead!}  In any case, it's inspired me to do a few things that will help me keep the message in mind.

First, I got out my jewelry tools and made myself this bracelet.  I stamped the message onto a bronze blank and attached it to some pretty chain.  At first, I felt like it was lacking a little color, was a little too masculine, and looked just a little like a medical alert bracelet...so I added a dainty wire wrapped pearl and I think that fixed all three issues.

I also stamped a reference on this tiny square and attached it in the back of the bracelet, where the lobster clasp is.  I'm kind of leaning toward the idea that God wants me to remember this when I'm feeling anxious, so I chose this:

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."  1 John 4:18

I also thought it would be nice to have something I could put in the house somewhere to remind me of this, since apparently it's important.  So, I made up a printable.  And in case, by chance, this is a timely message for you too, I've included links for you to download the free printable and use it in your own home.  I couldn't decide which version I liked better, so I made up three different variations, all of which you can download as 5x7 or 8x10 prints.  Just click the link, save it to your computer, and then whatever program you use to print it should allow you to make sure it prints at the correct size.

          5x7 with butterflies                                                                           5x7 plain

          8x10 with butterflies                                                                         8x10 plain



5x7 chevron

8x10 chevron

Hope you enjoy them.  Have a great day and Happy Crafting!

PS: If you'd like your own bracelet, they're available in my Etsy shop.



We Walk by Faith...

If you've been reading One Artsy Mama lately, you probably know that Little Crafter and I have a new favorite hobby; painting with watercolors.  We started out by painting dots to go along with a book we read, then we worked together to make a special mixed media collage.

But every now and then, a mama needs to do a project on her own.

The other day, while LC was taking his nap, I decided to attempt a watercolor project all by myself. 

{I didn't tell him until after he woke up, or he would've thrown a royal fit and never gone to sleep!}

I envisioned something in the pink/orange color family with a word on top.  I just started painting and mixing colors until I liked what I saw.  Then, I remembered seeing some paintings at the Torpedo Factory Art Center one time where the artist suggested a bit of a landscape while staying in the color family, so I decided to give it a {very rudimentary} try.

Once I was somewhat satisfied, I penciled in the word "faith" and painted it with acrylic paint.  Then, I finished up by  writing the rest of the verse with a fine tip Sharpie.

I don't have any kind of training or anything, so I'm sure those of you who are trained artists could find a million things I could have done better, but it was a lot of fun just to play with the colors...and to actually get to paint by myself for once!  It makes me happy when I look at it, and that's good enough for now!  I'm using it to help me remember my word of the year {remember that?  Courage!}

Happy crafting to you!

My Word of the Year

Have you noticed the trend lately of folks picking a

word of the year?

Me too.  It seems like a lot of people are choosing a word to inspire them and sum up the things they want to do and who they want to become in the next 365 days.

As I started thinking about that, one thing kept coming to mind.  One thing I want need to change.

It probably doesn't come across much on the blog, but one of the biggest things that holds me back from doing things I know I could/should/would like to do in life is

fear.

I have a fear of the unknown, a fear of things I can't control.  Much of it {I think} goes all the way back to when I was in kindergarten.  In that same year, I had to process two tragedies.  First, the Challenger exploded and our teacher had to explain that none of the astronauts we'd learned about would ever come home.  Then, a five-year-old classmate contracted meningitis and died.  Five. years. old.  She was just like me.  They told us she went to sleep and never woke up.  For years I was terrified to sleep.

Now, as an adult, that fear of death has manifested itself in hypochondria...just ask the people closest to me how many times I've experienced some slight symptom and been convinced that I have a horrible disease.  And, of course, it manifests itself in making me afraid to take risks, even ones that some people don't think twice about. 

For example, I've always been terrified to fly.  I also never learned to swim.

It's not easy to talk about...in fact, I've gone back and forth a million times about whether I even wanted to post this {after all, there's nothing like sharing your biggest insecurity with 700 of your 'closest friends'}... but I think that getting it out there and tackling it head on is the only way to beat it once and for all.  Which I need to do.  Because fear keeps me from living life to the fullest and experiencing all that God has for me.  As a teenager, I won a trip to Memphis through the 4-H program, but backed out at the last minute because I knew I couldn't get on the plane.  As a young adult, I couldn't bring myself to fly across the country to Washington State for the wedding of my best friend.  The bridesmaid dress is still hanging in my closet, and the regret is still hanging in my heart.

She knew me well enough to "understand," but I know it hurt her even more than it hurt me not to be there.  If I could re-make one choice in my life, that would be the one.

I know that living a life of fear isn't what God intends for me.  So,

 I've decided that my word for 2012 is...

COURAGE

I'm going to take fear and kick its butt.

Dowload 5x7 here

Download 8x10 here

And I started on New Year's Day.

Little Crafter, hubby, and I took a 2 1/2 minute helicopter ride over Myrtle Beach...a doubly freaky prospect for me{remember, I can't swim!}.

Little Crafter wasn't a bit afraid, which was just what I wanted.  I want him to face his future with courage and strength...a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline, as my new life-verse says.

 Shortly before takeoff I asked Little Crafter {whose prayers have proven quite effective} to pray for me and he did.

"Dear Jesus, please help Mommy not to be af-waid.  Amen."

Up we went, and you know what?  My fear left.  Completely.

 The view was absolutely breathtaking.  It was like, "Hello, sky!  Where have you been all my life?"

In the office where you paid for your ride, they had a quote on the wall.

"For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return." - Leonardo DaVinci

Before we took off, I laughed and thought, "For once I have tasted flight, I will probably pee my pants."  But after we landed, I knew exactly what he meant.

So did LC, who wanted to ride "again."  All of us wished we had chosen a longer flight.

Next time we will.

So, this year, will you help me as a pursue a life of faith and courage?  If you catch me being chicken, call me on it and give me a {loving} kick in the pants.  Remind me of my life verse.

I'm counting on you.