Easy Map Art

Maps are crazy popular right now, everywhere you look they are on Pinterest. Actually my son was all about the states when he was younger so I decorated his room with them back then. I posted this map on my blog several months ago as inspiration.

People keep sending me emails asking me how to make it. Ooooy... if only they would read. I did not make this, hence the title of the post... Inspiration, things you can buy from the catalog Nappa Style. All that being said, I do think it would be really simple to make. This one is on wood probably like pallet wood.

Ok, pardon this picture, this was taken a few years ago, before I knew you aren't suppose to use a flash. I made this for my sons room. I used artist canvas to mount it on. I took the map, wadded it up a few times to age it out and then Mod Podged it onto the canvas putting more Mod Podge on top. Once it was totally dry I took some watered down brown paint and rubbed it onto the map. The Mod Podge keeps it from really absorbing into the map which is good. This is one map that I cut in half. It really looked aged, I wish I still had it so I could take a better picture for you to see it. If you want to see more great stuff from Nappa Style check out the original post here.

Isn't this amazing!!! I actually had 4 of these a few years ago. I got them free! I just saw them listed on Etsy for 450.00 each, OUCH! I think I gave mine to Goodwill. Yep, makes me sick! I'm thinking does it pay to get rid of things??? Seems like whenever I do it becomes the next big thing! How about you, any remorse over something you got rid of?

Where did the time go?

My daughter finished up high school this week, it's very hard to believe.! Wasn't it only a few days ago I was beaming of pride when the nurse at the hospital said she has rosebud lips! I'd never had a baby with rosebud lips before! Honestly it seems like the last 13 years flew by in a flash. I should actually say 12, she doubled her classes up this year and graduated a year early. She was done, had had it! As she put it. I've been feeling so emotional and nostalgic over the last few weeks. ( and quite honestly robbed of an extra year of high school)  Man, why didn't any of my friends give me some kind of warning how difficult all of this is??? I've mentioned it before but she is my last of 4 kids and the only girl. It will be very different with just the hubs and I wondering around this house, it's always been so full of people, noise... well just life I guess. I have a little while yet, she isn't leaving  just yet but, it is already eerily quite. (There were days I thought I'd never get this, of course now I think I prefer the noise!)

Whenever my kids graduate I fill their door up with pics of their life, there friends, their activities, their first day of school,  etc... it's a fun tradition in our house. This is Rachel's. 

This probably explains the nostalgia!

This is our front yard, and ever since she started preschool she has stood underneath that tree to take a picture of her first day of school. They both have grown so much!

See that picture on the far right? That's her with her brother, and her backpack over her head on her first day of 1st grade... under that tree. 

And this is her now! I am so proud of who she is. She is trying to figure out where she is going in life. She's feeling called to possibly be a missionary and I am working on letting that soak in. It's not what I had planned for her but maybe that wasn't part of my job anyway.  I do know this, whatever God has planned for her is far better than anything I could dream!

It only seemed appropriate for the theme for her graduation to be "Oh The Places You Will Go"  She's thinking Thailand is where she would like to serve. 

And I'm thinking... seriously? That's so far!

But this one, this one told me... "Mom, I'm not like your boys, I'm out of here!  

I've got things to do!"

They may not be my things.. my plans... not what I wanted but, I do know one thing, whatever she plans to do...... well, 
kid I know you'll move mountains!

Working on a dream and stuff....

I've been sparse in blogland for a few weeks... for a couple of reasons. I've got to be honest here, the thing that got the ball rolling was due to the fact that we were without internet and cable for 11 days. Torture I tell you pure torture! I didn't realize how much I depend on those two things in my life. I also didn't realize how much I depend on you and again if I am being honest, my dependence had gotten to an unhealthy point. 

This is not unique to me, I've read about it on one blog after another, BUT I thought it was only happening to them, NO, never me. Turns out being without it for those 11 days showed me something different. So, I don't know where I am going with this. I wish I had some great answer, I love blogging and the friends I've made. I've often said it's a little like jammin' in a band, it's fun to have all kinds of new and different people to "jam" aka craft and share with. BUT!!!! it has become a place of feeling less than, why would I want to continue to put myself thru that? So, if you don't see me around here that's what up, trying to get some perspective and do what's right for me! 

The other thing that happened while without TV and internet is that I finally got around to making one of my dreams come true! I have dreamed for years of  have craft nights at my house with a room full of girls. I bring the ideas and supplies you bring yourself and a little cash to pay for the supplies and we'll have a great night! I launched my first idea out there last week and my class is almost full! 

I'm so stinking excited!!!

 I would really like to do this once a week but we will see where it goes. So another reason why you might not see me on here as much. I've got to come up with some fabulous ideas! Check out our first craft....

Isn't it cute? It brings a smile to my face when I come up to my front door everyday.

And by the way I want to thank all of you who stop by and comment and support me and have become friends, I really do appreciate that you spend your precious time looking at my blog!