I love using paint chips for art. Every time I go into Home Depot, Lowes, or Walmart, I grab as many color swatches as I can without looking too suspicious. The best kinds are the ones that are only one color per sheet. You can do so much more with them.
I love geometric shapes and these colors!
I incorporated pen and ink with this piece of art that I put in my office.
Here are some other ideas from Pinterest:
You can use any type of punch for these ones, they have used hearts and butterflies. Here are some instructions.
Well the garden is taking off. I still have no clue what I am doing. And it is so dry and hot here. I was anti-pesticide when I started the garden but now I am trying to decide if there are organic ways I can protect the cabbage, tomatoes and peppers. Bugs are attacking!
I have also learned that leafy veggies, like cabbage, arugula, lettuce and spinach are not really worth the work, or at least not worth it without pesticide. Plants growing in the ground and veggies like corn, beans, and tomatoes, are easier because even if the bugs devour the plant, you don't eat the leaves. I also didn't realize that arugula is a fall veggie. The leaves were so bitter.
I have learned a lot the past few months and now I know what will and won't work in my garden next year.
Here is our first harvest! Some green beans, lettuce, basil and arugula. The fresh herbs we get daily has paid for all the expenses that went into the garden, easily.
Now time for the coop!
Michael and I built a coop from scratch. We used a lot of scrap wood but had to buy the chicken wire and tin roof.
We built a little hatch on the back so we could pull the eggs out once they start laying.
The inside of the coop has two perching ladders and nesting boxes for them to lay eggs.
Coop before I painted it.
Michael putting together the chicken run. Not pictured, but we added a gate to the side of the run so I can replace the water and food.
Ya... I went a little overboard with color. We had a lot of extra house paint laying around from our tenants and our painting projects. I added a faux window too. I might make a flower box, we will see :)
The chickens are outside! I am so happy to not have chickens inside my house anymore. They are not very loud but they are stinky!
Jean is so cute.
Doris learning how to use the ramp.
I love these cute chickens.
If you want to know how to start raising chickens from chicks, read my previous blog!
So much work, but so rewarding. I love waking up and feeding the chickens and watering the garden. And when I get home I weed the garden and watch the chickens run around and fight over the top ledge of the coop. They make me laugh, such great pets. And this is before they are even laying eggs!
Michael and I eat 4 eggs every morning so we are really excited to get our own fresh eggs in the morning. It is also very important to us that we know where our food comes from. Well this is about as good as it gets.
We got our four chicks just a little over a week ago and I already love them. Our chicks were about 5 days old. I had no clue that chickens were so full of personality!
January of this year Nashville passed a law allowing homeowners to own domestic hens. You can learn all about that process here: http://www.ucannashville.org/
It is $25 a year for a permit and we are allowed to have 4 hens.
Michael and I decided to name the chickens after our relatives (mostly grandmothers). We have Faye, Matilda, Jean and Doris. I have no clue what I am doing with these chickens but I am learning as I go.
Faye is the sweetest. She doesn't mind being held. I think she is probably the most friendly of them all. She is growing really fast! She is currently the biggest chick.
Doris is the trouble maker and the loudest. She chirps the most. She escapes out of the brooder daily. We can always tell when she escapes because she has a special "I escaped but I really want to get back in the box" chirp. She puts up the biggest fight when I want to hold her. And in some ways is the leader hen. We will see if she continues when they are older.
Matilda can chirp so loud! Like piercing ear chirp. She is very curious and is often the pillow for the other chicks. She also like to stick her neck out funny when she sleeps.
Jean is our smallest chick and probably the most photogenic. I love that she has feathers on her feet! She is sweet and delicate. I like Jean.
This is how we started. We went to the Davidson Co-op and bought 4 pullets (female chicks) for $3 a piece. We then bought medicated chick feed. We will be giving them medicated feed for one more week and then change over to non-medicated feed. We bought a water dish, a feeder and a heat lamp. I learned that a red light is better than a white light because it helps them sleep. Not sure how much of a difference it makes but we went ahead a bought a red light. We took a big plastic bin and layered the bottom with pine shavings. Do not use cedar shavings, apparently that is bad for chickens.
Supplies:
-Chicks
-Plastic Bin
-Pin shavings
-Water dish
-Feeder
-Heat lamp and bulb
-Chick Feed
They always fight over the same opening. It is so strange. And they walk on each other. I seriously could watch them for hours...
Poor Jean, all by herself. Here are all the chicks in their brooder (this is before we got the red light).
So in terms of caring for little chicks...right now we just make sure they have fresh water and food every morning. We also change their bedding every 2-3 days just because chicks are prone to disease. They do take a lot of monitoring just to make sure their brooder is the right temperature. If it is too hot they will sleep far from the light and even start panting. If they are too cold they will huddle under the light. It is important to watch their eating and drinking habits and to be sure they are at the right temperature.
Their first week the temperature should be about 90-95 degrees. Every week it goes down 5 degrees.
They will live in the brooder for 4-6 weeks or until their feathers grow in. Then it will be time to put them in the coop. That will be our next adventure!!
"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters"- Psalm 24:1-2
Today is National Arbor Day and last weekend was Earth Day. I only felt it was appropriate to write a post about 'the Earth'.
Michael and I spend a lot of time in the trees:
I have to start by saying I did not grow up a 'tree-hugger'. We did not recycle, mainly because it was inconvenient. I didn't believe it was viewed as something important or necessary because the world will be destroyed in the end and was recycling really making a difference? I grew up hearing in Sunday school that the earth is not our home, we are merely passing by until we 'reach' heaven. I used to be annoyed with all the 'save the Earth' talk and I wrote it off because we were only temporarily living here anyway...right? I feel like protecting the earth became a political issue that is only talked about on one side of the aisle and in some circles even laughed at.
Well, in the last two years my perspective has shifted. It all started with witnessing my first home birth October 6th, 2010 (I will definitely be writing about my experiences witnessing birth in the future!). This led me to start thinking about my body and how it was designed. I then started thinking about the food I was consuming. That led to wanting to shop local and buy organic. I no longer wanted to be on or use medications that weren't necessary. I started looking into natural products for cosmetics, toiletries and cleaning supplies. My husband bikes to work/school every day. We started walking to the grocery store, which is actually a lovely 1.5 mile walk. We planted our first garden and started composting and recycling. No, I am not saving the world but I am starting to see the importance of taking responsibility for your own lifestyle - and yes, I am now the 'crunchy, granola' friend. :)
Growing up in church I hear all the time how we are supposed to be good stewards of everything we have, mainly pertaining to money. I started to wonder why Christians were not the biggest hippies out there, as stewards of this planet. Also in the church many people use language like, "I feel most connected with God when I am in nature". I don't think that is by accident. If God gave us this Earth and God calls it good, why on earth are we not taking care of it?
I just read the book "7, an Experimental Mutiny Against Excess" by Jen Hatmaker. I could probably take a whole blog to talk about my thoughts on this book but that will have to be another time. Jen takes 7 aspects of life and each month learns to minimize or improve in those areas. One of her months focuses on waste. She spends a chapter going through her family's experience learning to recycle, compost, garden, driving one car, etc. She quotes in her book author Wendell Barry who says it best:
"The ecological teaching of the Bible is simply inescapable: God made the world because He wanted it made. He thinks the world is good, and He loves it. It is His world...He has never revoked the conditions, bearing on His gift to us of the use of it, that obliges us to take excellent care of it. If God loves the world, then how might any person of faith be excused for not loving it or justified in destroying it?"
As a believer in Christ I recognize that he came to redeem the world. I came across another author that said, "I think the message is that God loves this place. God wants to restore this place. It's not so much that we were made for heaven as that heaven was made for earth" And often we limit that at a relational or spiritual level, but why not consider it ecologically? I cannot pretend that ecology and theology do not originate from the same source. One day there will be a new earth, one made perfect as it was intended to be. I want to be part of the process of bringing heaven to earth, both in my relationships and in the way I live my life.
I put Gungors's version of "This is My Father's World, the lyrics are beautiful and speak to everything that I am feeling about the way we view Earth:
This is my Father's world
and to my listening ears,
all nature sings and ‘round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world, I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,
His hand, the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world,
the birds, their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white
declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world,
He shines in all that’s fair.
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world,
oh let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world,
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the Earth be glad!
The presence of God is so tangible in nature and I want to do what I can to preserve the planet God created. I challenge you to look at your life and consider ways that you can better steward this earth.
Visiting Orphans moved offices! I was so excited to get my own space to decorate. Now that I have a cozy space I feel like I can focus so much better! Although transition and change can be really tough, a fresh start is just as rewarding. I have definitely learned to be patient trying to figure out new phone, printer and email systems and my old computer completely died in the middle of a work day. But after 3 weeks of transition and more change than I thought I could handle, I am embracing and enjoying the this new season. It is starting to feel like the perfect "office home"!
Here are some pictures:
Before: Grey walls and carpet
After: So much warmer with beige walls and brown carpet
I couldn't afford new furniture, so Michael and I built a bench out of some shipping pallets.
Before stain:
After stain:
I made the cushion out of thrift store pillows and fabric I got while in Rwanda.
I went to Goodwill, Ikea and Home Depot and got everything for $60.
-3 curtains that I made into 2 massive curtains: $10
-5 frames that I spray painted black: $10
-4 pillows: $8
-Lamp: $2
-Grey Rug from Ikea: $20
-Stain for the bench: $10
I filled my frames with some art that I made and 2 beautiful photographs that Alison (from my December Africa trip) took.
My office would not be complete without my favorite Anthropologie candle, wedding photos, and my pen holder made out of pretty fabric and a bean can!
Paint chip art! But seriously, if you want a cheap (free) and interesting medium for art, go to Home Depot, Lowes or Walmart and grab some paint chips. I am working on an entire post dedicated to paint chip art. I love using them!
Some more of my pen and ink drawings (I am a little obsessed with trees).
Side note: Happy early National Arbor Day! Every state celebrates it on different days, but the national day is tomorrow, April 27th! Michael and I will be celebrating this weekend :) I love that there is holiday dedicated to trees!
That vase will soon hold red fabric poppy flowers.
Thanks Urban Outfitters for my office motto :)
I had to combine three curtains to make one that was tall enough for the window. I love the texture of the deep purple curtain paired with the blue and brown patterned fabric.
