If I were...

Well, lets see...

since I went to breakfast with my lovely friend Chelsea and had some coffee (having been off of it for awhile) I'm still feeling it!! While in college, I survived by Coffee and grace. for reals.

If I were a flower,

I would be a Plumeria -- today anyhow.

cause they remind me of the island that I lived on, last summer.

If I were a song... it would probably be

Day By Day.. the hymn. Not because I'm old school but because the words ring SO true in my heart and life. :)

If I were a movie-- It'd be singing in the rain.. :)

(speaking of, its been raining for a WEEK!! and I like the sunshine state, sunny..!)

If I were a place...

I would be an Island. I LOVE island life. love it. and so thats why

If I were a book, it'd probably be something by Jerry Bridges, cause his writings push me back to the arms of Jesus!

So.... lets say, the Pursuit of Holiness

If I were a Holiday- it'd be Christmas. i loooove the holiday season! sigh.

If I were a time of day-- It'd be evening, when the sun is setting over the horizon

If I were a drink, it'd be Boba tea!! (!!!) and probably Taro flavored. yum to the max!

Food: It'd be fruit. I love fruit. lets say, mangoes!

If I were a gadget... It'd be a Canon 7D :) with some sweeet lenses!

If I were clothing... I would probably be a ruffly cartigan-- cause i'm moving where it gets cold.

If I were shoes.. today, it'd be Galoshes.

As I said earlier. rain. tropical storm alex. need I say more?

Head over Here! to find out more random facts about.. well, random or not so random people :).

---J.

Laptop case

Jehovah Jireh means the Lord provides. He did, in an amazing way. For my upcoming journey I was in need of an affordable computer that will last me! Well, I found it, bought it, received it with trembling hands. Praying for the Lords blessing and that it may be a tool used for His glory.
I thought housing for it would be nice. So-- I had a sweet vintage sheet in my stash and used some fleece from around the house to line it. It's sweet. It's vintage. I'm so happy with it!

I made a ruffle pocket with Elastic to act as a closure. :)

Then small bits of elastic mixed with vintage buttons for the closure

Liner:

And there you have it. My notebook case! :) I plan to make a camera case for my point and shoot like this, also one for my bible.. and...... who knows what else. maybe a garland for my new home!

Enjoy

J

I have...

Done a BUNCH of these things from the list that She came up with along with another blog pal of hers.. Anyhow I love to do fun things.. we'll see how many I've really done at the end!

99 Memorable Experiences (Bold mean I have!)



1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disney

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sung a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a thunder and lightning storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (skipping class in college...)

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise(just a dinner one though :)

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied  <--totally lame! Trusting God for all I need is satisfying!!

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie (Not one you see in the cinema though :)

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Been sky diving

66. Visited a Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter (well, a simulator.. some day brother dear --helio pilot-- will take us for a real ride!)

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life (maybe?)

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Gotten a tattoo

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee



***



45 out of 99? Not bad -- seeing how many of them I have no interesting in checking off :)



What are your most memorable experiences?

What have you done on this list?

I've done other adventurous things. I love adventure. Its part of my life.. as some would say. :)

Journals

I've aspired to journal but I've never been too successful... Sometimes I enjoy going back and reading about what the Lord has done in my life and through it. Today begins the .. third decade? of my life and I'm extremely humbled by God's grace and mercy to sustain me to this point. I'm trusting that He's got the plan of my days under complete control and I have no reason to fear about life- my destiny is settled. What Jesus did on the cross, for you and for me-- has been completed. His love so pure, so deep, so rich is love that we cannot work for, attain by doing, or lose.

A lot happens in a year.. Life takes unexpected twists and turns... Here are some glimpses of what God's done during the past year.. in my life.

June 09: "Prepare the hearts of those you're taking me to and would you do wonders in my own <3 and life?--23 days til I leave"

July 8, 09: I am sitting at my gate. There is not a soul around because it is, after all 5 in the morning. I'm totally excited about what the next days will hold! We've prayed for this trip and here it is!!!!"

July 13- " Last night, I tried to hit the sack early. we have no water. :( Oh well, i felt icky, and sticky and sweaty, blech. 6AM rolled around  and I tried to go down to the beach to spend time int he word but the gate was locked. So I worshiped on my porch.--this journey is amazing!

July 15- A girl stopped by the college ESL class that I'm teaching to inform me that i'd be taking over her PM Social studies class for middle schoolers.. Middle schoolers are complete brats.

July 18- We swam past a coral reef to a sweet, huge sandbar.  After getting back E and I headed to snorkel! We got to see many awesome fish! It was so wonderful to see God's creativity. After going on the other side of the tiny day-trip island to do some more snorkeling, I saw a spiky fish... Spazzed and ended up cutting my knee on Coral! So we swam back then everyone was getting in to snorkel so I stayed in got to go pretty far out and be amazed by beauty! I felt a horrible pain on my wrist and had no idea what happened I jut new it hurt. A(my friend) YELLED that he'd been stung by a jellyfish. Thats what hit me too! I didn't know if it was deadly or not.... I was in so much pain it was so, so intense yet I can't really describe it. I wanted to lay down and die.. (not really) I started saying psalm 23 because i thought i might see my last day...
(i survived.) :) (it was a neurological thing where my body twitched in random places for the rest of the day, as I lay in PAIN)

August 6: Letter I received from my elementary ESL student ( i took over elem ESL -- no more college at this point): Miss Joji- your good to teach me so very very thank you. Now i love you so much. and I go back to my home country. I miss you. So I love you so much-- Lina
(i cried. cause I loved her sweet 8 yr old self back!)
August 11- These past days have been marked with GRACE! Saturday the sun finally came out- spent time at the beach with roommates.. I spent a chunk of time running along the shore just talking to God. T'was delightful!

August 18- Last night I had to say bye to everyone at Church. H- cried..... I said bye to my Far-eastern students. I cried. Ahh!
E had a brilliant idea to go to the north cliff to say bye... We took a blanket, hot cocoa, camera and my friends car..... When we climbed out of the car we were greeted by one of the most brilliant sights my eyes have ever seen!! There were so, so, so many stars in the sky--thousands and I could probably say I saw millions because there were that many. E thought God cleared the clouds for me. We talked to him as the trip ended. I broke out some glow sticks to take pics with in the ddark. two spurted open and i danced around the road as it spurted out. feeling free. knowing that my current task  had come to an end., yet that there would be many hours of prayer ahead for the people there-- for wisdom as to whether or not I should return there...


December 18-- It's been 4 months since I arrived been home-- A lot happens in 4 months, for sure. Not only has one more semester of school concluded, but a 20 page paper written, and different "career" plan ideas have come across my  path. Regardless, God is still with me. It's been a little "drier" season but I hope to spend a long time with Him over break.


February 4 2010- I stood up in chapel to testify. I had it all planned in my head-- yet when i got up there I got choked up about telling God NO! but He had other plans. (thankfully)
I'm looking forward to finishing school-- -- potentially moving-- and having a home of my own. Be thou my vision.


May 12, 2010
The Lord has continued to sustain me through thick and thin. I graduated last week and i am embarking on a huge move. 


May 14- I have been in Canada for 2 days now and have been able to do a lot (like eat lots of Korean food and teach an adult ESL class) -- right now I'm at my friends university sitting in the library overlooking this town and in the distance are awe-inspiring, snow-capped mountains. They are nothing short of beautiful. -- later that day we went to the other branch of her university.. and saw this:

and some of this:

How can people say that there is no God. British Columbia is breathtaking. 


His creation blows me away-- consistently. 




For that and so much more, my heart is grateful.

We graduated. We partied.

So in celebration of my sister and I graduating we had a party. I had been planning this for ages or so it seemed. And everything was a success!!

I traded a family session (photography) for these AMAZING cupcakes!!! :)
The tower was from the baker with vintage ribbon added :)

Remember the treat packages I made a few months back?
We filled them with Skittles.
and they hung here:

I actually took this metal mesh and used recycled wood as the frame.. 

clipped the treat packages on with clothes pins. It was adorable

And I made the treat banner :)

If you look above the man's head. we made a mobile with airplanes and cities/countries we've traveled to during college. Well the wind got the best of it. grr wind! Oh well, it was fun.

The party was for 4 -- and we had people sign our year books. Yes. we had our college year books signed (shows we go to a small school where we actually GET year books ;)

Food table had fresh fruit. veggies. chips and salsa. and pulled pork sandwiches

I elevated some of the objects with "brown paper packages tied up w/ string"

And you can sorta see the vases of flowers.. well they're ones like DANA made for Mothers day :)

The plates/napkins and forks were put in a vintage tool box. Yes amazing, right?

A friend loaned me these drink dispensers.. she even filled one with Ice water, what a DOLL!!!

The centerpieces.. consisted of a vintage napkin-- vintage books.. and a vase with tissue-paper-flowers :)

The can was simply a veggie can wrapped w/ brown paper- tied with string and a vintage button for a sweet accent :)

We had this sign, as well as the other end of the pavilion-- with the 4 graduates names :)

I used my school library's die-cutter to make the paper letters and used fabric book (samples) for the fabric.. and some sweet vintage ribbon stuff.. to connect it all. And then I sent this as a "card" to another friend who graduated on the other side of the world! Fun idea, huh?? 

And the BEST part was our photobooth.. set up a vintage sheet between two trees.. and.. Oh did we have fun!!! I made some 'stashes and they were a HUGE hit!!!

In short the party was a BLAST.. and now I'm done with college. and the party.

So then I found out I had a r/t plane ticket that needed to be used before I head to my next.. job in a few short weeks! (I was gonna let my mom use it -- but nooooo. my name and my name only could be used for it.)

So i decided Canada would be a fun place to visit. So i'm going. tomorrow.

I love this crazy life!! And I've got an amazing Father in heaven who has it ALL under control. He makes me glad, and my days full of joy. 

Hope you're having a blessed day,

Joji

Busier than usual

I'm a busy girl. It is rather unfortunate because it provides little time for true relaxation but its okay, its life --for this season. Yet I cannot see how in the next stage I can't be busy, it just seems to be wired into me! My family hustles and bustles around-- today I was on the go..... from 7 AM to 11PM. God allowed much to be accomplished during that span of time but running on a schedule like that is killer! I'm exhausted. Physically, mentally, emotionally and I simply need to escape and sleep for a few days.
not.an.option
Another incredibly busy day coming tomorrow-- but I'm confident that Gods grace will be plenty and in full supply to get me through what he has for me to do. :)

I'm not a patient person typically, i'm a last minute person and I like stuff right away! So spending 5 months going through a process of application/interview/more stuff-- has been not only a time to learn patience but a time of learning to quietly trust that God has life and plans for it under total control.

3 weeks from now, i'll be graduating, Lord willing --and I can hardly wait. Most big papers have been completed. What is left is the finishing projects and FINALS.

Yet amidst full time schooling, I've been running lights for our College musical! That is partically why I am so exhausted.

With this busy schedule I haven't been doing much crafting.. which is sad. I would rather be doing that most any day-- but those days will come in like.. May!

Last weekend I combined an altered shirt /and some grey sweatshirt material
to make this dress

Disney made a tutorial for this sort of shebang

so go check it out!!

http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/2010/04/lemonade-dress.html 

The sun has gone- to bed and so must I

so long. 

:)

Ruffle Tie Pillow!

Ruffles are in.
Ties are in.
Pillows too.
So-- I combined all three!

I recently acquired a surplus of TIES and thought about what I should do with them. Aside from selling a bunch on Etsy.. I still have some to craft with.
I probably chose a tie that was too thick for its own good.. and maybe the idea sounded better in my head. Oh well. It's done. and may show up in my shop in the next few days.

Started out with a tie. A pretty tie, actually a VERY pretty tie. (and thick). Anyhow and 2 pieces of fabric.. probably 10x8.. or so.

Then i went to town pinning down the ruffles ..

Pinning some more..

then sewed..
in a spiral shape of sorts..

And for extra support (or to hold the tie to the fabric.. ) I went all around and sewed a few stiches. back stiched.. and repeated.. (then snipped all of the excess string

Next, I sewed  the backing on. It looks fat, right? Because the ruffled tie is inside!
So flip. when you're done, but leave plenty of space for flipping, remember there is a bunched up tie inside!

Then for accessories, I chose 3 buttons. Gold buttons. :) of faux gold anyhow.

Hand stitched by yours truly.

Stuffed it with some left over stuffing.

Stitch it together, oh, so carefully (try to make it look invisible!)

And. Viola! It's done :)

See, it's pretty small. but next to some brown pillows.. or white. or gold. It makes a fun accent pillow.


and. when I finished the mail man arrived. In it was my "Disney" --not the channel-- jewelry kit.. and ring!!!

(I got the dark brown wire.. and LOVE it!!)

:). If you want anything from her site she's got a 50% off sale now!! So go check out joymadejewelry.etsy.com/ and snatch up some awesome deals!!!

enjoy.


Joji