How to color a jar.

Once upon a time I was really bored, so I decided to paint a jar. I don't have a before picture, so, time to improvise, imagine a blank boring jar, okay, that's the before. And this is the after!

I glued a button on the cap and painted over it. (I did two layers)

Supplies:
A jar, (cap is optional)
acrylic paint,

a paint brush,

Directions Step by Step:
Step 1: Make sure your jar is clean.

Step 2: Pour a pretty good amount of acrylic paint in the jar.

Step 3: Start rotating the jar to spread the paint around.
Step 4: Once all the jar is covered, the top is a little hard to get, use the paint brush to get the top.
Step 5: Paint the cap.

Step 6: Let dry. (Mine took two and a half days)

And walla! A new colorful fun jar!
THE END :)

I used mine as a pencil cup for my colored pencils. :)

Have fun!
~Nana

Super easy 7-Braid bracelet tutorial.

How to make a super easy 7-braid bracelet!
Step 1. Cut a circle out of cardboard, thinner cardboard works best,(cereal boxes) put 8 slits in it, and a hole in the middle.
Step 2. cut 7 strings 2 feet long each, tie a knot, and put the strings in the slits, order doesn't matter.

Hold the circle like this so the empty slot is pointing up, or farthest away from you.



Now, look at the string right across the empty slot, one string to the RIGHT you will move up to the empty slot. repeat these steps.

The bracelet will start to get longer and it will dangle down from the hole in the circle.
Finished project.

And tie two knots so there's an opening for the other knot so you can take it on and off easily.

This is a good project for travel, or if you're waiting for something.

Have fun!
~Nana

Fall comes and Fall goes...But in between...FALL RETREAT!

This weekend has been full of: Octoball, running outside, playing with a puppy, leaf wars, piggy-back rides, playing with little girls, chasing a dog for the sake of the guys playing Frisbee golf, hot chocolate, holes in t-shirts and sweat shirts, journaling, devotions, carpets that smell good, Velcro monkeys, lady bugs, screaming, a beautiful sunrise, praying, creamer that tastes like vanilla ice cream, bacon, bonfires,
Apples to Apples, staying up late, car rides, Skittles, old houses, bunk beds, talking, bees without stingers, and most of all, laughter.
And all of these things must mean one thing...And that is, Fall Retreat time!
Last weekend I went to a fall retreat...And I'm pretty sure I covered most of it already. ;)
I know most of you are like "Octoball? What is that?" well, Octoball was created in Cooperstown Bible Camp, it's really fun, first, there's a Octogon, kinda like a pig-pen, wood boards and stuff, anywho, and then there's a ball, any ball will do, we used a volleyball, okay, so, everyone is in the Octoball rink (A pretty big Octogon) and someone surves the ball by throwing it against one of the boards and yelling "Octoball!!" And then the madness begins...Basically if you get hit below the waist you're out, so you can only use your hands, it's a lot of fun.
Now, let's see...Anything else I need to explain? Hot chocolate? Well, I drank a cup of hot cocoa in ten seconds...
"What did you just drink?"
"Hot cocoa..."
"ALL READY?!?!"
"Yeah...?"

I probably should've told them it wasn't hot...;)
-Holes in t-shirts and sweat shirts, well, the puppy we were playing with, Cooper, attacked me with kisses, and nipping...He got a hole in my t-shirt and my sweat shirt...Oh well, memories are made that way. :)
-Carpets that smell good, in otherwords "The Carpet Of Life"! My friend was tired, and bored...So she decided to smell the carpet by the fireplace...It smelled pretty good, so, "The Carpet Of Life" was born I guess...
-Velcro Monkeys! I brought my velcro monkey to this retreat, my friend and I were going to bring stuffed animals to the retreat but she forgot hers, she got a minor concussion a few days before so I'll cut her some slack. ;)
Anyways, I brought my velcro monkey, his name is Squidonkey, there were a ton of lady bugs in our room, and the girls were FREAKING out, so I was like "Hey, use Squidonkey!" and yeah...He was used to "kill" a bug THAT WAS ALREADY DEAD!! Oh well..

Fall Retreats are the best kinda retreat ever, they're my favorite, especially because you're outside practically all day! And the weather is perfect! :)

Enjoying every moment of Fall Retreats,
Nana :)

Hi, I drew a goatee...

So, a few days ago I was really bored, so I was playing around with my camera, I took random pictures, and then I took a picture of my TobyMac poster, of his goatee, it's still on my camera, it looks cool. ;)

This is my drawing.

Close up.

And this it the picture I took of the poster, this is what it was supposed to look like..

If I was a little better at drawing and had a more time, I think I would be able to draw the goatee just like this.

Always finding a way to cure boredom,

Nana :)

TobyMac Concert!

Last night I went to a TobyMac concert with Jamie Grace and Chris August! It was awesome!
The music was loud and if felt like my heart was about to pop out of my chest and start dancing!
I couldn't help but sing and dance to the songs, it was a joyful time, it was awesome to see a full crowd filled with 4,000 people worshipping the Lord in unity.
TobyMac ended the concert by singing "10,000 Reasons".
You could feel the presence of the Lord, it was amazing. ♥
If you ever have the chance to go to a Christian concert, GO! You will not be dissapointed!

~Nana

To travel the world...

There's a saying that goes "I would gladly live from a suitcase if it meant I could travel the world" and for me that couldn't be truer.. I smile to myself as I lay in the midst of the autumn season snuggled warm in blankets of flannel freshly cleaned after a shower.. Which I most definetly needed after a harsh workout.. As I lay here I smile to myself.. My mother, my own flesh and blood has set up a trip... For December.. A trip to see the ocean. How magical it truly is.. I sniff to myself.. I can smell the ocean... Or is it just the remnants of the candle left burning but blown out only moments ago? One may never know... As if the ocean doesn't entice me enough to think of the airports simply takes the cake! Elderly men calling me affectionately "Sweety pie" and talking on and on about how I remind them of their granddaughters. They tell stories of  a much simpler time before cell phones and Facebook.. I sigh to myself.. If I was in that time what would I be doin now? I most certainly wouldn't be writing this! They would continue to talk about a war.. A scary war.. A war in which any soldier would be scarred with the remnants of the battlefield. He talks fondly of a fallen brother in arms and I choke down a lump in my throat as he speaks with such beauty.. About a man who died.. For me.. And everyone else of the USA... It reminds me of Christ.. As we walk to our next gate I see business men on cell phones.. I smell cinnamon rolls.. I see couples holding hands.. I reached out and grabbed the hand of my brother and receive a very interesting look.. I just smile back and through the look I give back to him I communicate he smiles almost laughingly and nods his head, he knows how magical airports are for me.. And how also terrifying they are.. He knows my fear of getting lost. He simply states "you will only get lost if you think you'll get lost.. I can't keep you in the family forever, you must someday be alone.. And then you may get lost cause you won't have practice of paying attention.." I roll my eyes.. He can't begin to fathom the thanksgiving I feel at this moment. The magical fairy dust of blood running through my God-created veins, he will never understand, but my brother of 7 years age older (at this time I do believe I was 10) simply smiles and guides me and my hand through the crowds of people and onto the plane so I don't have to pay attention to where I'm going and just breathe in the beauty of the place. He doesn't claim to understand what I mean by magic, but he understands enough to not discourage or tease me. We arrive at the plane and start boarding.. I meet the attendants for the flights.. With their shock red lipstick and pearly white teeth they smile at me and say "welcome aboard!" I wish I could wear lipstick so red and smile so bright.. We fly for hours and hours to finally arrive at the destination. Once we leave the plane the air hits: we have arrived! The smell of adventure is in the air, the excitement of a new place looks about and coffee invites me nearer.... " Will it be an adventure here?" I ask myself aloud, "it's only an adventure if you have an eye to see the electricity in the air" replies my dear brother with a wink "and if I know you, you have the eye.. But not so much for where were going.. Hold on and breathe it in!" To which he holds his hand out and we walk as a family to the car rental kiosk...

          May your travels and days be magical,
                                                             Nilly

Fall, how I love you...

Last week I went outside to play with my dog Daisy, and it was so refreshing!! To get out of the house, and not just staring out the window, but being a part of what I was staring at!
The beautiful grass and dirt, the plants, the leaves, the trees!! I was out for about an hour, I had to go inside to eat, I would've been out there all day if it wasn't so dark!
The place beyond the computer, the electronics, and beyond the window.
When you go outside you are part of the beautiful.
You know the beautiful scenery's in pictures? Yeah, you can be a part of that, just go outside.
It's amazing...
You'll thank me later. ;)

~Nana