Summer Planter and Front Porch Ideas

Over the past year I have been snapping photos and searching online for cute, summer front porch and planter ideas, I finally edited the photos so I could share ideas with you!

I also included my personal addition, the first successful planter I put together!  I got the idea from the farmers market, but by purchasing the flowers/plants myself, and using planter I already owned, I cut the cost in half.

My Planter :)

Other Planter Ideas

 

  

 

  

TOMS Makeover!

So... I got a hole in my Toms.

After looking for a cute new pair, I paid 4$ at JoAnn Fabrics and recovered my old ones with new fabric.  

BEFORE

AFTER

Thank you Leone for sharing the recovering your Tom's picture with me back in the fall! It took me about 2 hours last Saturday afternoon...and I do have to say Andrew (my hubby) helped.  Have you ever tried stitching the tips of your shoes?!  HARD!!!  I needed his long and strong fingers, so thank you babe for your help, couldn't have done it without ya!!!

Bargain Refrigerator!

My husband and I have been praying for a stainless steel, side by side refrigerator for months.  We looked at our budget and decided we could spend $500.00, so we began praying for God to provide and we waited.  We have not even seen one for that cheap on Craigslist that met all our standards, but we figured God can do all things and if we are supposed to get one for 500, He will make a way, and if not, we'll have a peace about a spending a different amount.

 This past weekend we were looking at Lowes and Home Depot and on the verge of just buying one at full price.  My husband felt the Holy Spirit say "Just wait." and Andrew looked at me and said "I am just not feeling a peace about spending this kind of money, plus we have been asking and believing God could provide us a fridge for 500.00, lets wait."  We have been finding that when we are restless or having a check on the inside that something isn't right, that God is trying to get our attention and to listen.  So we have been waiting for His peace before we move (most of the time!!)  "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace" Isaiah 55:12a.  


A few hours after we decided to wait for God 2 refrigerators surfaced on Craigslist, one was 600 (20 mins away) and one was 495 (1 hour away).  We were so excited!  We hadn't even seen any in our price range, that were in good condition, and now there were 2!!  We called immediately and headed to the closest one.  The family said it got scratched in their move, after examinging it Andrew was convinced the "scratches" were really smudges from paint and could be wiped off.  We offered 500, she began to debate with Andrew on the price and I walked away and started to pray.  He came to the truck a minute later and said, "We got it for 500!!!"  Thank you LORD that was ALL YOU!!!

We got it home, wiped off the smudges and sure enough it was not scratched!  We looked up our model online, it still sells in the store for $2000!!!  Thanking thanking thanking Him for his favor!  So when you have a need, pray about it and be ready to find it an unlikely place.  I pray before I garage sale, go to the "sal" (Salvation Army), check on craigslist and the paper.  It is neat seeing all the different ways God provides!!

Unexpected Find!

When looking for a unique gift, run through your local Salvation Army.  I love the home good items, old platters, paintings, mugs, dish sets and decor that can be found there.  I was looking for a tea set for my friend for her birthday for a good price, I stopped at the "Sal" as my friend calls it.  Before going in I prayed that I could find a tea set Pot & tea cups, cute and a good price.  Here is what I found:

Perfectly her style, wasn't even expecting the creamer and sugar, and the whole set cost $10.00!!  Was so excited, I am all about the bargains :)

"HE.....BREWS"

Well you have probably figured out by now that I like coffee. You know God likes coffee too, I mean why else is there a book in the bible called "HE...BREWS?" Hahaha! I like to have an assortment of travel mugs on hand for drinking "joe" on the go.  Lately we have lost a few, and we were down to 2 travel mugs, they seemed to be always in the wash.  I mentioned to my husband that we needed to get more.  Just before my birthday back in January we were walking through the Christian book store and I noticed their new ceramic mugs with lids that had bible verses and thought "Oh, those are cute, I should get a few of those."  (However, I told no one.)

I have also had my eye on a set of regular coffee mugs that Starbucks carries.  They are the mugs that have the city names on them, I thought it would be neat to collect one from Charlotte, NC where I'm from, Chicago - my favorite big city, Detroit and wherever else we like to visit. I pointed them out to my friend Hillary last time we were at the "bucks".  I also pointed the write your own message mugs, so cute.  

For my birthday I received a Starbucks "write your own message" mug, and 2 of the travel mugs from the Christian book store.  I was so blessed and thankful to the LORD  whispering those desires of my heart to my friends & family.  Thank you Heidi, Hillary and Maria!  You guys blessed me more than ya know!

I was in Salvation Army two weeks later on the shelf with all the used mugs was a brand new Detroit Starbucks mug for .99 cents, that is what I am talking about.  Am I crazy enough to think my God put that there right for me??  YEP!!  They are still selling it in the store for $10.00!  I made coffee tonight and am sitting here drinking out of my Detroit cup as I type.  I was wondering what I was going to write about and then realized it was right in my hands.  Thank you God for blessing me with my mugs!  LOVE IT!