Easy Gift Idea #2- The Gift that Gives Back: A Coffee Bean Necklace

Every year, I try to make something special for the other ladies 

that I teach with at my home church.  

This year, I have had my mind mostly on going to South Africa in 2012 

as a missionary to the Zulus.

My gift giving this year has been from a differant perspective than other years.

I found ways to make or give gifts that would make an impact, not only in the lives of the receivers, but in the lives of others around the world.

My idea for this gift came from a necklace I had bought 

at a local store called Ten Thousand Villages. 

This store sells items that have been made all over the world.

The proceeds from their sales goes right back to the people in those countries.

I love unique and internationally made things.

So, I bought this necklace.  It was made by some women in Ethiopia.

(Any time I get a chance, I purchase from an African.)

I am also a coffeeholic.

I LOVE COFFEE!!!

I can drink it any time of the day or night 

(I can't drink decaf though, because whatever it is 

that makes it decaf gives me a migraine headache).

Anyway,... I just love this necklace.

Caution: wearing the necklace will give you the sudden intense urge to get a cup of coffee, because the aroma is so amazing!

I thought that a necklace like this would be a great gift for my friends.

So I went online and ordered some fresh coffee beans from Eurasia cafe.

This is the best coffee.

The Eurasia Cafe was started to help missions in Europe, Asia, India, and North Africa.  

It is a fair trade company that allows missionaries to go into countries 

that would not allow missionaries (in some cases) to set up trade.  

Then they start a trading place or a farm to produce tradeable items.  

Those items, including mostly coffee beans,

 are then sent to the USA to be processed 

and then sold so that the Eurasia Cafe Trading Company 

can use the money for special missions projects.  

I know for a fact that they are truly impacting the world for Christ.  

Click on the above link to check out their website.  

I have totally changed all of my coffee purchasing to this company.

Okay, now that the commercial is over, back to the project at hand.

After selecting and purchasing some whole bean coffee.

You need to soak the beans for at least a day in water

(do not soak for longer than 2 days).

The soaking allows the beans to become soft enough to string on wire.

This is what your finished product will look like.

I used thin beading wire (28 gauge) to string my coffee and beads on.

Use wire that is thin enough that it will not break, but is stiff enough to hold when formed into shape.

Use a medium sized needle on the wire to string the coffee beans.

SUPPLIES LIST:

whole bean coffee

medium sized needle
28 gauge wire
pliers
scissors
silver beads (small balls, ornamental,...)
silver chain
silver necklace clasps

HOW TO MAKE THE NECKLACE:

1. soak the coffee beans 1-2 days so that they are soft 

   enough to string, but won't break easily (some of 

   the beans will break, just keep using the ones that 

   don't.)

2. string the first part of the necklace full of coffee 

    beans.

    <<<see example on left

    *Notice that you should pierce the bean through 

    the center.

    *Cut wire about 3 inches extra on both ends & 

    do the same with each part of the necklace.

3. string the second part of the necklace with 

    5-7 coffee beans and then a plain silver bead.

    <<< see example on left

Now that the first three steps are complete, you 

are over halfway there!

4. string the third part of the necklace with 

    2-3 coffee beans and  then a decorative bead, 

    followed by a few plain beads, another 

    decorative bead, and then the coffee beans again.

    <<< see example to the left

* Keep in mind that you can make your necklace as long as you want it.

5. Finish off the necklace by 

   combining all three necklace 

   parts together.  

   a. Take all three strands of 

   wire and thread it through 

   a larger decorative bead and 

   then a smaller one at each  

   end.

   b. Cut a 3 in. piece of chain 

   and a 1 in. piece of chain. 

   c. Attach a the cut pieces of 

   chain to either side.  

   d. Then attach the necklace 

   clasp to the shorter side.

*This allows the wearer to adjust the necklace to the length they prefer.

You can easily make some beautiful coffee necklaces for your friends too!

Easy Gift Idea #1- The Gift of Encouragement: A Notecard Holder

My mother has raised me to handmake most of my gifts.  

Because I have learned to do this, it makes gift giving more meaningful.

Mom and I on Christmas Day

The other year, when mom was having a hard time focusing 

of what the Lord was doing in her life, 

instead of the hard situation she was going through, I made her a special gift.

As a Christian, I know that God's Word is "alive" and can work in our hearts and lives.

So I got out my Bible and wrote a few encouraging Scriptures 

in calligraphy on some 3x5 cards.

Then, I found a cute little card/note/recipe/photo holder at the thrift store.

I wrapped it all up and gave that to her for Mother's Day about 2 years ago.

Today, that gift still sits on her kitchen shelf near the dish sink.

Every so often, I notice that the verse has been changed to a new one.

It serves as a reminder to us of all of the hard times that God has brought us through 

and continues to give us encouragement from His Word for each new day.

The other day, when I saw a dear friend in the grocery store, she started to share with me her spiritual struggle.  We all go through spiritual struggles in our lives.  

Struggles we have to figure out through God's wisdom and overcome with His strength.  

I felt helpless as I listened.  

I knew that I could open my mouth with encourging words, 

but that they would just be that - words. 

God burdened my heart to do something for her that would show that I am not just praying for her or telling her that God will show her and give her strength, 

but that as her friend in Christ, I am standing with her in this struggle.

As I prayed about what to do, I was reminded again 

of that gift I gave my mother a few years ago.

So I went home and made some special encouraging Scripture cards for my friend.

This time, instead of hand writing the cards,

 I designed them on Stampin' Up's My Digital Studio.

You can get a bunch of verses on one 8 1/2 X 11 in. sheet.

After deciding on a color scheme, font, and shadowed frame, I printed them off on cardstock.

 With my Fiskars' paper cutter, I cut each verse out in a rectangle like this.

Then I used Scotch Self-Sealing Laminating Pouches to laminate each verse.

Be sure to leave room around the edge of each card when cutting, 

so that the lamination stays attached.

On the front of the card holder I attached a smaller verse and some Stampin Up ribbon.

Now I have a nice and inexpensive gift to encourage my friend to rely on the Lord!

Sweet Little Baby Boy

This Thursday, a friend asked me to do some painting in her baby's nursery.

She is having a boy and wanted a baby room theme that can be used as he grows.

picture they found online for an idea

They chose the travel/nautical theme'

Using some ideas from the (above) picture 

and the colors in the curtains they purchased (below),

we talked about what they wanted on the walls of the nursery.

A compass will go over the crib and a boat will go on the wall facing the door.

Curtains for the nursery

One of my favorite things to do is paint.

I love making an empty space have character.

For years I have been painting on walls for buisnesses, ministries, 

at friends homes, and at my house.  

I was so blessed to be asked to do something special 

in the baby room at my friends' new home.

I brought along my supplies and looked at the bare walls.

This is where the baby crib will go.

Usually, I do my painting freehand, from a picture someone liked 

or I use a stencil and then add to the painting.  

This time I brought my laptop and projector.

It is hard to freehand draw a compass and I wanted to get it just right.

(It is a humbling experience to start painting on someone's wall.)

After finding a similar image online, I measured out where it should go on the wall.

A few tips on centering an object came to mind as I started this project.

Take a good look at your room overall.

There is a ceiling fan in the room and a closet door on the left wall.

If I center the image according to the wall measurement, 

then it is off center with the ceiling fan.

If I center it with the fan, then it is off center a few inches with the wall.

I chose to center it with the ceiling fan, 

since that seems to be what we would consider the center of the room.

This puts the image a few inches to the right, which leaves a few inches more for clearance of the closet door.

Honestly, you can't tell it is off center.

After centering the object, I begin tracing the parts I want to go on the wall.

With a pop-point pencil (you know the kind we used in school that are full of points.  when the point gets dull you take it off the front and put it on the back and it pushes a new point forward.) and a clear ruler I carefully traced the points of the compass.

You will see that I did not use all of the image, only what I wanted.

As I traced, I was sure to mark which of the parts get the darker paint 

and which get the light.

After the design is on the wall, I make sure it is what we wanted, 

then I go to town with the paint.

Dark color only

Light color added

Starting to paint the center

Verse added

As you can see, the center looks squished and kind of rounded.

I did this so that it looks 3-D and pops out instead of looking like a flat center.

I finished off the points by brushing a little grey on each point 

for a little depth of shading.

We had also talked about a verse, but were not sure where to put it.

It seemed very fitting to put the verse in the center of the compass.

Finished Compass
The compass lettering was done in Apple Barrel Barn Red, 
with my favorite letting stencil. I traced the stencil and then painted.

Next, came the boat.

This time, I did not trace the edges, but went straight to the wall with the brush.

As you can see, I started with an outline in the lighter blue, 

and then did the inside of the sails in a darker blue.

When the dark blue was finished I went back over it and dabbed my paint brush in lighter paint over the darker.  I dabbed alot in places where I wanted more shadow.

This gave the sail a different, dimensional look.

For the boat, I outlined in the dark brown used on the circle of the compass.

Then I colored it in with a creamy brown (also used in the center of the compass).

To make the boat boards I slowly slid my brush across the boat in that darker brown, 

leaving gaps between each stroke.

For an added touch, I put a few stripes on the sails to match the stripes in the curtains, and added a name plate to the boat (the letters were done with a black Sharpie).

Finished boat

The sail was painted in the same red as the compass letters 

and the same grey was used to shade it.

This is what the nursery looks like so far.

I can't wait to see it when the crib is up 

and the Sweet Little Baby Boy is asleep in his room!

To read about what the Lord reminded me of,

while I painted this project click here.

Gingerbread Men & Gingerbread Boys

Last Sunday afternoon, I finally got around to baking the gingerbread dough 
I had made a few days before.

My brother, William came over and we had a relaxing afternoon of cookie baking fun.

I love Gingerbread cookies, but my dad loves them more.

Every year he asks me to make Gingerbread cookies for him.

"Make them soft", he says.  I am like him.  I love soft cookies.  

The only cookies we like hard are my grandmother's sand tarts.

Here is the best Gingerbread Recipe that I have used over the years.

ROLLED GINGERBREAD COOKIES

1 cup shortening                        1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup King's syrup molasses      1 egg

2 tbsp vinegar                            5  cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda                1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground ginger                    1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg, molasses, and vinegar.  

Sift together dry ingredients; blend in.  Chill 3 hrs.

Preheat oven 375 degrees.  Roll dough 1/8 in. thick on lightly floured surface.  Cut into shapes.

Place 1 in apart on greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 6-9 minutes (I get them out just as they are lightly brown (because I like them soft).  Cool 1 minute and remove from baking sheet.  Makes 5 dozen.

After they are cool.  We decorate them with icing and sprinkles.  The icing is made from confectioner's sugar and water.  In a bowl place a cup of confectioners sugar.  Then add a little water at a time.  Alternate between stirring and adding water. Stir in enough water until the sugar becomes a thick paste.  The sugar will harden after it cools on the cookie. Add sprinkles.

After baking the cookies and letting them cool, we put icing on them.

While the icing is still wet William decorated them with sprinkles.

We laughed as he made some of their faces very funny.

It was a great time for making memories.

I am so glad that God has given me a brother who enjoys the simple things.

Every time I make a memory like this, it causes me to be thankful for these times.

After all, William will not be a Gingerbread Boy forever. 

Sometime in 2012, I plan to be moved to South Africa.  

When I return a few years from now, he will be a Gingerbread Man.

Penguin Card Tutorial

Read the instructions below to make a cute card that sits up all by itself:

1. Start by cutting an 8 1/2 X 11 in. sheet of cardstock in half length wise.

     Your finished card base should measure 4 1/2 X 11 in.

2. After cutting your cardstock, you fold the card in half.

3. Open the card back up and fold only one side edge to the center.

     Do not fold both side edges.

4. Then, I fold the card back in half, like this and fold the top fold to a point.

5. Open the card back up and it looks like this.

6. Now you stamp an image on the unfolded side of the card.

    *I used the Polar Party clear mount stamp set from Stampin' up.

Clear mounted stamps help when you are trying to line up an image.

*Be sure that the bottom of your stamped image is not below the fold lines.

See how the bottom of my trees are just above the fold.

7. After stamping the trees, I colored them with colored pencils.

    I added a little light blue to the bottom of the card for ice.

8. Cut around the side trees and tops of all of them.

  9. Stamp a bunch of penguins. (I call this a penguin parade.)

10. Cut out each penguin.

11. Attach the penguin to the card with a Stampin' Dimension 

      (a small foam dot that pops the penguin off the card and adds dimension.)

12. Stamp a few snowflakes here and there.  Add a saying on the triangle under the fold.

13. Optional: use GLAZE embossing pens to accent the red Christmas bulbs   

     and penguin's scarf.  I also used a little of the white pen on top of the  

     light blue pencil colored ice beneath the trees and penguin.

    *This is an amazing product.  It is Encore 3-D Ink.  No heating necessary   

    for embossing.  Just write on and let dry for a beautiful, eye-popping 

    effect.  I think I ordered mine from Blue Ridge Stamp Company.

    Take a look, below, at the difference it makes.

Now you have a fun and beautiful card, sure to please the recipient.

I know it brings a smile to my face.