Thrifty Thursday

  I am super excited to share this post with all you "secret keepers and gossips"!! Thrifty Thursday's will entail decorating ideas for the house :) Decorating is something that I take joy in; I find it to be an energizer! If I would have been able to I would have gone to school to be an interior designer. However, I went to school and became an Elementary Teacher instead...I guess I am "designing" the way children think, eh? 

  Every Thursday I hope to share with all of you either a piece that I got on sale and how to use it, OR I will show you how to turn something old from your home into a new conversation piece. So, I guess I could look at this as I will have sort of fulfilled my dream of becoming an Interior Designer by getting to help design something or provide a new idea for your home. 

Today's eye-catcher: Apothecary Vases.

  Most people living in the 21st century own an apothecary vase. If you are like me, you own 6. And yes, every one of them serves a purpose! If you don't own one, then go to your local TJ Max and purchase one for $10. Today's entry shows you how you can take an ordinary vase and make it become a statement piece. 

My January centerpiece on my island consists of: Hot Cocoa with a measuring spoon, a tree from my Christmas village (multi-purpose), and Marshmallows... a welcoming display for these cold winter days.

*BRR...*

All you need to make this happen are these vinyl letters. 

  You can pick them up at your local Wal-mart for $3.00. After you have used them once, put them back in their spot because you can use them again... take a look at how I used them this past fall for Halloween and this past winter for Christmas.

*BOO*

*JOY*

Wisdom on Wednesdays

     "Secret keepers and gossips," Monday we talked fashion; Tuesday we talked recipes; Well, Wednesdays are going to look different from all the other days of the week. Wednesdays are going to be a day of inspiration; a day of soul-searching; a day of reflection.

    As I was cleaning the house a few days before New Year's and thinking about what I wanted my resolutions to be for the new upcoming year, I found my Bible under my bed... un-touched and collecting dust. As I stopped and reflected over the past year, I realized I went to church; I read the small daily devotionals, but I never opened up God's Word. When I became aware of what I just learned, I was heart-broken. How could this be? What happened? Life happened. I got too busy with my everyday duties of life to where I couldn't find a few minutes out of my day to stop and talk with God. How sad and depressed I felt. A whole year had gone by....wasted.
   As a result, one of my New Year's Resolutions this year is to have my devotions every day. I want to delve more into God's Word and see what God is trying to say TO ME rather than just put in my time by "just reading" Scripture. I am loving all that God is showing me and I look forward to "our time spent together" every day.

   At my ripe old age of almost 27, I don't proclaim to have wisdom for I, myself, am still learning and experiencing along this journey we call life. But, I do know someone who is full of wisdom, for He created it. So as I end my day, let me share with you what God has to say about growing in Him.

   John 15:4 says, "You must go on growing in me and I will grow in you. For just as the branch cannot bear any fruit unless it shares the life of the vine, so you can produce nothing unless you go on growing in me." I hope that this can be encouraging to someone else who may have got distracted with everyday living and needs to recognize that there this is no reason for giving up.  God uses many things (maybe even a blog) to bring things to our attention and help us move forward.

I want to end with this YouTube video....this song is my theme song for my Spiritual walk with God this year. It speaks of my heart's desire. PLEASE watch and listen to it and let it speak to you! God Bless!!

Lord I want to yearn for you

I want to burn with passion 

Over You, And Only You!!

Tasty Tuesday

   It's Tasty Tuesday. That's right "secret keepers and gossips,"  every Tuesday's topic will be dealing with a new recipe that I have tried that evening for my husband and I's dinner.  Or it just may be one of my husband's favorite dishes that he likes for me to cook. Now, I don't claim to be a gourmet chef by any stretch of the imagination, but I do think that my mother taught me well with the general home-style cooking.

   My husband and I love Chinese food... really, just about anything with rice you can pretty much guarantee we will enjoy ("except for rice and beans"... my husband wants me to add.). Tonight, I made one of our favorites: Chicken Stir-fry, for two very good reasons. One, not only is it a rather tasty dish, but two I needed something quick to fix because the clock was ticking swiftly by as Aaron and I were out grocery shopping (trying out our new hobby... couponing! Which btw we ended up saving $44, which isn't bad for first timers, eh?!).

 

Ingredients:

- 1 can cream of chicken

- 1 can cream of broccoli

- 1 bag of frozen stir-fry veggies

- 2 cans of pre-cooked chicken breasts

- Salt and Pepper

- 1/2 cup of water (add more until you get desired consistency)

- 1 cup of rice

Prep time: 20 mins. 

While cooking your rice on the stove or in the microwave, mix all other ingredients together in a skillet. Add 1/2 cup of water to mixture. Bring to boil and cook until the veggies become soft. Salt and Pepper to your liking. Pour mixture over cooked rice. Enjoy!

Great side dishes: Rolls, toss garden salad... we prefer peanut butter and carrot sticks :) 

Modern Monday

Dear "secret keepers and gossips",

   From my last post, which I am assuming you all read, you should have gotten to know me hopefully a little better. While reading "About Me," I am sure you picked up on one of my passions: Fashion. I LOVE fashion! In fact, in my free time (which is very rare, but on occasion can happen) I love to look online as to what the latest styles are. If you happen upon me while checking out in Walmart, you will probably 9 times out of 10 see me with a People or Style magazine in hand trying to quickly gather as much information as possible to see "what's in style."
   My goal every Monday is to hopefully help you find a reasonable priced outfit or to inspire your brain as to how to put that old sweater, that's hidden in the back of your closet, to good use.

   After going shopping in my closet this is what I came up with:

Scarf: Gap Outlet

Sweater: Francesca's

Red-laced tank: Down East Basics

Belt: J Crew

Jeans: Banana Republic Outlet

Shoes: Francesca's

About Me

  I had a great imagination growing up. As a child, I pretended many things: princesses, teacher, mother, voyager, veterinary, and so on. One fantasy character that kept coming into play throughout my theatrical life was that of an author. I was 9 years old when I first started writing the story, "My Life." Now, fast-forwarding seventeen years later, here I am again wiping off the old cover, flipping through the pages that got filled with dust, and picking up the story to see where it left off.
  Before I introduce the main character of this book, I believe we should meet the author. Throughout those seventeen years, a new author was assigned to the book. He choose a different setting, but He kept all the characters the same and added just a few additional ones to the story to make "My Life" more interesting.

  The author goes by many different names. I'm sure you've read about him or have heard his name before. This is what one man had to say about the author of my book. "Love is patient; Love is kind; Love does not envy; Love does not boast; Love is not proud or rude; Love is not self-seeking; Love is not easily-angered; Love doesn't keep any records of wrong; Love does not rejoice in evil, He rejoices with the truth; Love always protect, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres; Love Never Fails!" Yes, author and Love of "My Life" is Jesus. He is my Savior; My Best Friend; and the author of  MY LIFE!! I am so glad that I handed over the pen of my book and began letting Him write My Story.


  Now that you have met the author of the story, let me tell you about the character that He created and is still shaping to be what He wants her to be.

  Name: Chera Vanette Crane Duvall... yep, that's me!!

Standing at a respectable 5'2'', these are some of the things that make up who I am!

1. Marriage: I LOVE it & I LOVE the man I married!!!!
2. FAMILY is the most priceless earthly treasure that I have!!!!
3. Friends are valuable!!
4. Starbucks is an addiction.
5. Chipotle is my fav.
6. Fashion is A MUST!! (I particularly LOVE the 70's...so glad bell-bottoms are back in style!)
7. Home Decor is my hobby/passion!!!!!!!!!!!!
8. IDAHO: my homeland forever.....*sigh*
9. I love the great outdoors; I LOVE MOUNTAINS!!
10. Vintage... need I say more?!
11. Music ON almost all the time.
12. Baking is for fun and for fellowship (and for weight gain :)
13. Christmas is the best time of the year.
14. I adore COLOR!!!
15. Summer sun and poolside fun is how I wish I could spend every summer day!
16. Favorite genre of books to read: Children Lit...yes, I am still a kid at heart!
17. Flowers.. orchids or hydrengas, but definitely roses for Valentine's Day.
18. Accessories are a girl's best friend!
19. "Coach" brings a smile to my face :)
20. SHOES you can't ever have too many of them!!!
And all of this wraps me up in a nutshell.

The Prologue

   Shh... I'm letting all my readers in on a little or big (depending on how many followers I get) secret. Every intelligent person, which I am assuming that all my readers fall into this category, know that a relationship takes two people!

FACT: I am married.

FACT: I LOVE my Husband!!

FACT: He is my Best Friend!

   However, I must confess a little secret to all of my readers, whom from now on will be referred to as "secret keepers or gossips" (let's be honest...those are the only two categories that exist). Secret: There is someone new in my life. Guilty other party in our relationship: YOU! Yes, I am now letting you and everyone else on the whole "www" in on my/his private life.
   This blog is for any and every one. Goal behind blog? To not only fulfill a New Year's resolution, but to also share with you how the Duvall's live everyday life. It's going to be fun sharing with you decorating ideas; fashion tips; DIY projects; new delicious recipes (or disasters, depending on how the meal turns out); and inspirational devotions, thoughts, and quotes. We will laugh, we will cry, we will learn, and we will make mistakes, but all these secrets will be a growing a experience TOGETHER.
   Every good book contains elements that helped it claim it's spot on the bookshelf at Barnes and Nobles. Every story has a setting, a plot, main characters, and conflict.  As I do in my  local bookstore, which happens to be my home, I am advising all my "secret keepers and gossips" to sit down in your comfy chair/couch, pour yourself a hot cup of tea (coffee if you prefer that; however, my preference if I am going to engulf hot liquid down my throat would be a delightful blend of 'Constant Comment' Tea, add a teaspoon of sugar and you're in heaven), and prepare to let your soul drift away as you begin this New Chapter in this Story called, " My Life."