The new FOLK article name, a winner and giveaway #2!

This giveaway is now closed.
A winner will be announced soon.
Thanks for entering!

Tadaaaa!

It's official. Tune in to FOLK for your regular Junk Fix, folks! A trash to treasure how-to or a junk haunt will await you. :)

Your brainstorming for my new column title last week was awesome! And really helped me land the name JUNK FIX. Lesley Litrento's suggestion was The Funky Fix. Thanks Lesley and to the rest of you! Ben at FOLK did a nice job on setting that crate like logo up, so it looks like we're ready to roll.

~ FOLK Gossip ~

Did you know each edition of FOLK will have a running theme? The Premier issue is deemed, "Classics to fall for." 

With the short time frame of landing the column assignment, I did submit something I've done before this first round, but with a little more info than I've previously offered online.

Can you guess which of my how-to projects I would consider a true classic? You'll find out Sept 1st. :)

~ FOLK winner! ~

Winner to last week's FOLK 1 year subscription is....

Congrats to Beth over at Under A Pile of Scrap!

I'll have FOLK get in touch with you for your mailing address. :)

~ Buy through FJI ~

New magazine budgets are tight, so to help fund my new 'writing career', the kind folks at FOLK have offered me a sweet deal. If  you purchase a single copy or subscription of FOLK through my blog at any time, (same price as elsewhere) I will receive a small commission. 

I can even offer wholesale deals on the mag. So if you have a storefront and wish to do a trial run on FOLK coming out Sept 1st, please email me and I'll get you in contact with the right person.

Wholesale

Put FOLK WHOLESALE in the title and send to: signmakergirl@hotmail.com

subscription

single issue

Thank-you!!

~ Giveaway #2 ~
Win a 1 year subscription to FOLK

Name your own favorite American classic in comments and you're in! :)

(meaning, anything you like)

New LIKES or just a friendly hello over at  WE ARE FOLK on Facebook gets you another comment to enter!


Link HERE

Blog, tweet or Facebook the giveaway and comment to enter again!

(1 entry)

Order the premier copy or a subscription through my blog this week, and comment to enter again!

(if you win, you can get an extension OR reimbursed)

Winner must have email in profile activated. 

If you don't have a blog, please leave your email with your comment.

This contest will end Sat night Aug 6 and a random winner will be announced during giveaway #3.

Sat Night Special #92 - what can I do with ?

Welcome to Saturday Nite Special #92

If you're new here, join in! There are three categories to link to. Home Decor as well as Crafts, Sewing, Recipes, plus the 3rd themed link up which stays open indefinitely. Check below for this weekend's theme.

Party starts Fri night and ends Sunday 11pm pacific, so you have all weekend to join!

I'll be featuring SNS highlights during the weekend on FJI Facebook, so join in and see what they're all saying about your stuff. :)

This weekend's theme:

~ What can I do with ? ~

Care to help me brainstorm?

Yes. You DO have what it takes.

I often watch others and wonder what's wrong with me. 

Ever do this? You see someone achieve something and wonder why it comes so hard for you yourself?

Dig a little deeper. Dreams aren't built in a day. 

Skills are needed to build your confidence. From there you start setting realistic goals and maybe some dreamy ones too. Then each day take small purposeful steps towards your goals. 

It's a little overwhelming, isn't it? But it's totally obtainable for anyone. Including me.

a non builder builds a picket toolbox

Got the skills? 

So do you have what it takes? And for the record, there are no NO answers allowed here.

I've always liked to tinker around with junk, but I also like to write and take pictures. So when I started my blog, I did 'ok'.  My early blog posts and photos left a lot to be desired. But I looked around me and saw what was possible. I rolled up my sleeves,  and started studying and asking questions. I went online many late nights self educating. I learned the basics of building online and in real life and working with tools. Today, building, writing and photography have become passions. And all three skills are incredibly important on delivering a good DIY story or magazine shoot. 

Admit you have what it takes. Even if you don't know how to do something. Then go figure it out.

making it official with cards

What's right for you?

I use to watch others travel and marvel at their extreme luck. I've since wised up  and now smile at their achievements. Anyone can hop on a plane and go somewhere. You just have to either earn the privilege through your work or pay and go yourself.

But there's another factor in this part. Perhaps I'm not on that plane because it isn't right for ME.

Everyone's circumstances are different. Chances are, if  you aren't achieving what you thought you wanted, it's because perhaps that isn't the right path for you. You see, I don't travel against the grain for long. If something doesn't work out, it's ok. I tried. Plan B officially goes into effect.

There's a reason and a season for everything. So be patient and keep trying new things. That's the best way to figure out what you were meant to do.

new camera day

Take purposeful steps.

I tend to get overwhelmed easily. I have my income work, my passion work, my home to run, my son to raise, you get the idea. Some days, it's all I can do to get the bare minimum done, never mind meet over achievement status! So some days it's easier to stare at a computer screen rather than be truly productive.

But what I've been doing lately is writing down my daily goals, and some longer term ones too.  For if you achieve those, your ultimate goals are just around the corner. No one has acres of time but we all have the same 24 hours. It's what you DO with those 24 hours that counts.

Here's a little test. While you carry on with your day, stop yourself with each task and ask, "Is this task or purchase taking me towards my goals?"

Make each thing you do have a purpose and you'll soon be wondering how on earth you got so smart. :)

another goal achieved

So, is this blog entry taking me where I ultimately desire to go?

YES. I wrote this post for me.  Because I needed it.

I stall a million times a day. I don't know why. Ok, I sort of do. And it's not like I don't get encouraged by others. But a friend had some fresh new wise words for me just the other day. Her 2 cents;

"Just keep taking purposeful steps towards your goal 

and you'll be ok."

That advice was worth a million in my book. And I took it to heart from that day forward.

I've written my list. And everything I do today has a goal in mind for my son, myself and our future. And the power list may even include sitting in front of the tube and laughing at a funny movie from time to time. :)

Enjoy. Learn. And above all, do.






I've shared two sneak peeks over at FJI Facebook on what I've been working on. And they are both VERY one of a kind projects I've never done before. You don't know unless you try. :)

So... what are your plans for today? :)

Pretty and practical poolside pallets

I needed salt today. Bad.

"You can buy the chips ya know."

"I can?!? I just had them yesterday!"

"Yeah, that's ok. If we were at the beach, you'd get them. So we may as well put this summer on the map. Get the chips."

We were at the corner store we visited yesterday. My truck came with some bad news. The transmi$$ion fried. So looks like summer will be at home this round.

The place that will be doing the work can't take me till next Tuesday so I had to drive Rent-a-Wreck home. I was able to get up to 20 mph,  revving at 2nd gear top notch. The cure? My boy handing me ketchup chips all the way home. It took the tailgaters and curious looks off my mind as we drove home like I was 110 yrs old with the flashers going. Sa-weet.

So once home, we walked to the library, kicking a little green apple all the way there (it's actually rather fun), loaded up on loaner videos and a ton of books, went home, and I continued my new mystery project, PLUS jazzed up the pool area abit. May as well bond with the joint. We'll be around. :)

Ah, right. POOL. Wanna see?

What can I say. The pallet was too heavy to get rid of so I put it to work so it could earn it's keep.

Gotta love all those pool noodles all in one place.

Weird galvanized somethings were bent to hold poolside toys in place and off the sidewalk. It works!

Simple screws hold the water guns in place just fine.

A book I took out that I have to read in 7 days... HAHAHA. Trust me, that's hilarious. I'll no doubt be bringing it back without a word read. Looks nice for the photo shoot though.

Not sure I'm loving this new low resolution I'm using on these photos. I think I need to up it some... I dunno. What do you think?

Aaaand, we needed a nice place to hang towels.

So my old barn gate came back outside for the season once again.

I dolled it up abit with a plastic plant pot, wire hanging basket and real hydrangea cuttings. I LOVE these flowers. They make such an incredible impact with so few and they really do last quite long. I'm going to attempt to dry these after they've had their day.

Know what? We are going to have a GREAT summer! We've already carved out a few new routines we really enjoy. Nightly walks (kicking that little green apple), evening coffee and slushie on our front bench encouraging neighbourhood conversation, a little DIY while the boy reads, sleeping in, going to bed late... we are enjoying ourselves!

But I need to do something tangible to pay for that blasted truck. So I plan to fire up some real writing and get busy with selling some real stuff.  Was this truck breakdown part of a bigger plan? What's He up to now... :)

Click to visit features at:

STRANDED... on our first day of summer vacation.

It's summer vacation time! The weather isn't perfect but it's warm. I have a week off work. And my son wants to get outta town.

I'll admit I wasn't really ready for it. I started a new DIY and I'm itchin' to keep at it! But we packed up the trailer anyway and sorda kinda planned to find a spot to park this week and just go romp around.

Well... the trailer lights didn't work. And then my truck stalled. Don't you LOVE it when you get those answers you pain for?

So instead of the beach, we head on down to the only vehicle fix it shop that did it all. To me, that means they can work on everything and they can drive us back home if the vehicle needs to stay. Not many places offer that, do they?

Well, not all are fortunate to have two that drive in one household. Those that cater get my money. Thank-you for listening.

Here.. allow me to show you how we spent the first day of our summer vacation.

Last year... the perfect bench in the middle of awesome.

"Wahl slap mah see ment curb, dude... "

Casual footwear is thrown aside as to have a chance to adore that beautiful hot sand.

"No honey, don't go barefoot. Glass and cigarette butts... and stuff."

Incredible natural elements brought me an award winning photoshoot that led to an amazing weekend in a high end resort. Dream material!

eeeee yup

Beauty in the simplest of objects. You couldn't help but take amazing photos.

A fire hydrant shot with the iphone... any takers?

Astounding surroundings leaving you breathless.

At least the windows weren't boarded up.

Delectable treats that full-fill your hearts desires surround you.

My son dropped his chip in my cold but tolerable coffee. I can't make this stuff up.

Simple signs become objects of appreciation, thanks to an amazing backdrop.

Weeds.... go better with coke. I guess.

Desperation and depression set in, so we went for a walk. And found this. Sweet....

But... we had to go back and wait.

And just so you know? I haven't had chips in like weeks.

I buckled today.

Depressed AND cheating on the diet. Good times.

"Mom, you look like a prison guard."

Nothing a little humorous insult won't cure.

And... the truck $tayed. So we got that needed drive home. Bless you, car shop!

Guess I'll DIY this week after all. 

How depressing...

Not. :)