I have Trichotillomania

I pull out my own hair.

This is how Wikipedia describes Trichotillomania.

All caught up on what this is? Okay.

I have suffered with this in varying levels of intensity for over 20 years.

I wasn't aware of it for several years, since it happens mostly when I'm zoned out, watching a movie or reading a book. A friend pointed it out to me one day and from then on, I learned to hide.

I thought I was a freak.

I thought I was the only one.

Then one day I saw a Tyra Banks show with other women who suffered from Trich. I bawled my eyes out because I knew I wasn't alone, and because now my affliction had a name. Trichotillomania.

Oprah also did a show, though I don't really remember which one I saw first.

For most of my life I have been able to hide it well while still wearing my hair down, but during my second and third pregnancies it got progressively worse and now I can only wear my hair half up half down with a barrette or all up in a ponytail.

This year I have been really working to grow in my relationship with the Lord, as well as the relationships with the people around me; my family, my friendships and my church family. It is not easy possible to build true healthy relationships without sharing yourself. Trich teaches you to hide and builds a wall.

Healing from Trich requires vulnerability.

Vulnerability is scary.

Sharing this with the world is scary!

I have decided that this is the year that I heal myself. This is the year that Trich no longer has a hold on me.

Part of my journey is to share this with others; to share my struggles and pain and ultimately, my victory.
Jesus wants to set me free and He has already given me the victory!!!

"But thanks be to God!

He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Corinthians 15:57

Here are some things that are helping me along in my journey to freedom from Trichotillomania.

Stream of conscience Journaling.
Write what you are thinking, without censorship or judgement. Let it flow without thinking too much about what it is. Just write. Do at least 3 pages and when you are done, BURN IT! Yep! Burn it, shred it, put it down your garbage disposal...okay, so don't do that last one, but seriously, DESTROY IT. Oh, and don't read it once you have written it. This is meant to be a safe place to write out your true feelings. A place where you can be totally honest with yourself without fear of judgement (yes, even from yourself) or shame. It works! Even if you don't have Trich, give it a shot.

The e-book "What's wrong with pulling my hair out?" by Abby Leora Rohrer
I was so skeptical about what could possibly have been in this book that would cure me of Trichotillomania, but I decided to step out in faith and get it anyway. This book will only help you if you are willing to help yourself and do the work. It is not a magic pill or a trick to stop trich. It's a tool to heal yourself of the underlying problem that started your Trich in the first place. I learned that Trich is not a disease, but it starts as a coping mechanism and turns into an addiction. Yeah....let that sink in for a bit. If you have Trich and are ready to heal, I highly recommend this book. Here is the website to get it. (Just FYI, this is not an affiliate link and I get nothing for sharing it.)

Prayer and Bible Reading
Being completely vulnerable to God in my prayers and knowing that He loves me no matter what, that nothing I do can change how much He loves me. I cannot tell you how powerful it is to know that He loves me unconditionally. No conditions. He loves me for me. Spend time in prayer and get to know your maker by spending time in His word.

Essential Oils
Now this will not cure Trichotillomania, but it helps me to stay grounded and calm so that I can focus on my recovery. I really love InTune by doTERRA as well as Balance and Serenity. If you would like more info on oils please let me know. Those I do sell;) Mydoterra.com/increasinglydomestic

Not claiming Trich
I do not call it "my trich" or "my pulling", because I DO NOT CLAIM THIS! This is not who I am and though it is something that I struggle with, it is not mine. I do not identify myself as a "trichster" or a "trichie" and I hope that if YOU do, that you will stop. This is not who you are...you are beautiful and powerful, which are both things that Trich teaches you that you are not.
Trich does not speak the truth.

Not Hating Trich
I know I just got done saying I don't claim Trich and now I'm saying I don't hate it. What? Here's the deal. Trich was there for me when I was a young sensitive child who could not comprehend and process my feelings. Trich got me through those years. I cannot hate something that helped me cope. Was it ideal? No. Was is perfect? No. But it helped me. If I hate it, then I hate myself for allowing it to continue. That only perpetuates the cycle. I understand it now and I can let it go.

Okay, so that's it! I shared my deepest darkest secret with the world and I will keep you posted on my progress as I heal and as my hair grows back out. If you know someone who suffers from this, please just love them for who they are and send them my way. I would love to answer any questions you may have about this topic and would appreciate your support on my journey.

~Amy

How to turn a Chalkboard Mirror into a, uh, Chalkboard Mirror.

I bought 2 Chalkboard Mirrors from a friend and redid them so they would go better in my house.

 

For those of you who follow me on Instagram and saw this picture: 

 

 This is the resulting project:)

 

 

I have this hanging over my dresser and will be using it for {Memory Verses} and quotes. It makes me so happy to wake up to this every morning...I feel like it helps to start my day off right.

 

This is what they looked like before:

(There were two, but I only took pictures of one)

 

 

I loved the color and the metallic sheen in the paint(hard to tell here), but the chalkboard paint was flaking so I decided to redo them.

I flipped it over and saw that it was attached with screws, so I took it apart to really get it nice and clean. I sanded the frame of any rough areas and paint drips, and then tried to do the same on the chalkboard.

 

DUDE! Getting Chalkboard paint off of a mirror is no joke. I sanded, I scrubbed, I scraped and finally I used paint thinner and then scrapped some more. It was a total pain, and I blame my dad.

 

 Thank you Dad for teaching me that "If something is worth doing, it's worth doing RIGHT."
 

Boo.

I spent hours scraping Chalkboard paint so that I could have a smooth surface to
reapply CHALKBOARD PAINT.

 

Not gonna lie, it was worth it in the end. Boo again for Dad always being right;) Ha ha ha! Love you DAD!

 

 

I did a couple coats of spray paint with the leftover paint from my Garage Sale Owl on one of the frames (Rust-Oleum Satin Lagoon) and Rust-Oleum Sunburst Yellow on the other one.

 

 

The yellow one is for my daughters slow and steady room makeover.

I did a couple coats of Chalkboard Spray paint on the newly scraped mirrors and then let them dry for over 24 hours. Once they were dry it was time to "prime them",
which is just rubbing chalk all over to get the surface ready.

This was by far the worst part of the whole project.
Yes, even worse than the hours of scraping paint.
I HATE the sound of scraping chalk and I shuddered the whole time.

*Shudder*

Here is Brooklyn's finished Chalkboard.

I love the bright shiny color and how it contrasts with the Chalkboard paint.

 

And here's the one for me. I'll bet the color choice is not at all predictable to those of you who know me;) I'm kind of obsessed.

 

 I put this verse up for Valentines Day:)

 

What are some of your favorite short verses?

Garage Sale Owl Makeover

I scored this Owl Change Bank at a garage sale for $0.10

Can you believe it?!?!?

 

 

Of course you can;) Ha!

The lady looked at me like I was crazy when I picked it up, but I saw the potential in this nasty little owl. A diamond in the rough; he just needed a makeover.

 

When my husband saw it he looked at me like "How did I marry this insane woman?"

I get that look a little more often than I would care to admit;)

 

Enter my BFF: Spray paint!

 

This was left over paint from another project: Rust-Oleum Satin Lagoon.

 

I just scrubbed the owl really well with soap and water, and after it dried I set it on a canvas tarp and did a couple coats with the spray paint.

I LOVE easy projects like this one! Big bang for less than a buck!

 

I love the details now that they are no longer a putrid green and brown.

 

My cat even had to check out the transformation up close.

He approved.

So did the husband in case you were wondering.

 

So next time you see something laughably hideous at a garage sale, bring it home and give it a little spray paint love and you will have yourself a one-of-a-kind accessory.

You may find me linking up with some of these blogs:
Fingerprints on the Fridge, Making The World Cuter, Dittle Dattle, Mad Skills Monday, Skip to my Lou, Craft O Maniac, Delicate Construction, Ask Anna, New Nostalgia, House of Grace, Sassy Sites, Not Just a Housewife, Today's Creative Blog, My Craftie Life, Sew Much Ado, Seven Thirty-Three, Someday Crafts, A Diamond in the Stuff, My Girlish Whims, Somewhat Simple, Momnivores Dilemma, Paisley Passions, Fun to Craft, Make it, Wear it, Gluesticks, House of Hepworths, What Allie's Making Now, Finding Fabulous, A Little Knick Knack, Mommas Kinda Crafty, Its a Hodgepodge Life, Inspiring Creations, Be Different Act Normal, Wildflowers and Whimsy, Tatertots and Jello, The Idea Room, My Repurposed Life, Sew Many Ways, I Heart Naptime, Thirty Handmade Days, Under the Table and Dreaming, Creative Itch, Oops I Craft My Pants, Addicted 2 Decorating,CRAFT
DIY Home Sweet Home

{Tutorial} Penguin Mask

Okay, so here's the first of many felt animal mask tutorials!

If you want to know the reason behind all of these, here is the post about them.

Anyway, on to the child's Penguin Mask Tutorial.

 

 

Supplies:

Penguin Mask Template

Freezer Paper Sheet

Sharp Scissors

Sewing machine

White Felt and White Thread

Orange Felt(Scrap) and Orange Thread

Black Felt and Black thread

Heavy Interfacing

Elastic

Pins
 

Click on the above template, print it and trace onto the non-shiny side of the Freezer Paper.

You may be able to print directly onto the freezer paper if your printer will allow it.

 Mine, sadly did not, so I traced. Boo.

 

Loosely cut out each piece of the template.

 

 

 Iron the Freezer Paper template pieces onto the felt with the shiny side DOWN,

and cut out using sharp scissors.

 

 

Cut:

2  head pieces in White Felt

(the one template piece can be reused)

 

1 head piece in the Heavy Interfacing

(by this point you may need to pin the template to the interfacing if it is no longer sticking)

 

1 "hair" piece in Black Felt

 

1 beak in Orange Felt

 

1 piece of Elastic to fit your child

(mine is 15", but measure for yourself)

 Stack the head pieces with the felt on the top and bottom and the interfacing on the inside.

 Its hard to see on this mask because they are all white, but its like a sandwich.

 

Pin the layers so that they don't move during sewing. Tuck the ends of the elastic under one of the outer layers(between the felt and the interfacing)and pin it.

I tuck about a half inch, and factor that into my calculations before I cut the elastic.

 

 Then zigzag stitch around the outside edge, as well as inside each eye. Don't stress on this too much. The thread is the same color as the felt so it really doesn't show up if you goof a little. Your kid will be WAY to busy waddling around like a penguin to notice any uneven stitches;)

 Pin the orange beak piece to the, uh, beak.

Then straight stitch around the edges using matching thread.

 

 See? Totally cute already...even with its imperfections.

Handmade :)

 

 Then comes the fun part:) Pin the black "hair" piece on, so that the poor penguin looks like he's getting a rather involved session of acupuncture. This piece tends to move,

so really pin that sucker down! Then zigzag around the edges using black thread.

 

 

 

 You're DONE! Be prepared for your kid to think you're the best mom ever.

You're welcome.

 

Any questions? Did I leave anything out? Feel free to leave a comment with your questions and if you make one/some of these I would LOVE to see, so please share:)

You may find me linking up with some of these blogs:
Fingerprints on the Fridge, Making The World Cuter, Dittle Dattle, Mad Skills Monday, Skip to my Lou, Craft O Maniac, Delicate Construction, Ask Anna, New Nostalgia, House of Grace, Sassy Sites, Not Just a Housewife, Today's Creative Blog, My Craftie Life, Sew Much Ado, Seven Thirty-Three, Someday Crafts, A Diamond in the Stuff, My Girlish Whims, Somewhat Simple, Momnivores Dilemma, Paisley Passions, Fun to Craft, Make it, Wear it, Gluesticks, House of Hepworths, What Allie's Making Now, Finding Fabulous, A Little Knick Knack, Mommas Kinda Crafty, Its a Hodgepodge Life, Inspiring Creations, Be Different Act Normal, Wildflowers and Whimsy, Tatertots and Jello, The Idea Room, My Repurposed Life, Sew Many Ways, I Heart Naptime, Thirty Handmade Days, Under the Table and Dreaming, Creative Itch, Oops I Craft My Pants, Addicted 2 Decorating, CRAFT
DIY Home Sweet Home

The {Georgia} Dresser

Sigh...isn't she lovely?

 

 

 

My friend Georgia and I were talking during a crafting morning and I mentioned that I was searching for a smallish dresser for my entry. I just needed something with a little more storage than the sofa table I had in there currently. Well, she had picked this little dresser up about 2 years ago to refinish and it was still sitting in her garage and since she had no home for it, she sold it to me. I may have squealed with delight when she sent me the picture...it was EXACTLY what I had in mind.

 

Don't you love when things like that happen?

Of course you do;)

Anyway, that's why its the Georgia Dresser.

 

Here she is when I first got her home. Primed and with the hardware removed already.

Thanks Georgia!

 

I wiped her down and sanded a few spots and then got right to painting.

 

I knew I wanted a coral color and was so happy to find this at Lowes.

It's Coral Coast (aka: My happy place)

 

After painting a couple coats, I sanded around the edges and then applied Ralph Lauren Glaze in Tobacco in small sections and then wiped it off with paper towels. I glazed until I felt I had achieved
the perfect amount of "dirty".

 

 

To protect the new finish, I applied a layer of Wipe on Poly and let it dry overnight.

 

 Here's the hardware which Georgia had already spray painted (thank you) , but I like all my hardware to be the same.

Yep! Oil Rubbed Bronze.

FAVORITE!

 

I love putting everything back together and then stepping back to see how it turned out.

 

I am STUPID giddy over how perfect she is.

 

 

Seriously...I giggle every time I walk past her:)

Have you done a project that just turns out so dang well that you can't even believe it?

Let me know if you have any questions! 

 

Oh, and here's a picture of my "paint face".
You're welcome.

And here's one after I moved her into her new home:)

 

 

You may find me linking up with some of these blogs:
Fingerprints on the Fridge, Making The World Cuter, Dittle Dattle, Mad Skills Monday, Skip to my Lou, Craft O Maniac, Delicate Construction, Ask Anna, New Nostalgia, House of Grace, Sassy Sites, Not Just a Housewife, Today's Creative Blog, My Craftie Life, Sew Much Ado, Seven Thirty-Three, Someday Crafts, A Diamond in the Stuff, My Girlish Whims, Somewhat Simple, Momnivores Dilemma, Paisley Passions, Fun to Craft, Make it, Wear it, Gluesticks, House of Hepworths, What Allie's Making Now, Finding Fabulous, A Little Knick Knack, Mommas Kinda Crafty, Its a Hodgepodge Life, Inspiring Creations, Be Different Act Normal, Wildflowers and Whimsy, Tatertots and Jello, The Idea Room, My Repurposed Life, Sew Many Ways, I Heart Naptime, Thirty Handmade Days, Under the Table and Dreaming, Creative Itch, Oops I Craft My Pants, Addicted 2 Decorating, CRAFT
DIY Home Sweet Home

{Tutorial} Freezer Paper Prep

I have been working on the Tutorials for the Felt Animal Masks and I decided that I should first share how I prepare my Freezer Paper for Crafting.

 

Freezer Paper can be used to make Stencils for DIY Silk Screening, but it can also be used for transferring patterns onto fabric.

 

I used this to make my Felt Animal Masks so that I didn't need to mark up the fabrics. Simply trace the pattern onto the non-shiny side of the Freezer Paper and then iron it, shiny side DOWN, onto your fabric. Then you can cut out the pattern without pins or slippage. Its pretty fantastic stuff.

 

I know you can buy sheets, but I could only find the rolls locally, so I decided to make my own sheets to make things easier and to cut down on waste.

• You will need a Self Healing Mat, Quilters Ruler and a Rotary Cutter
• Line up the paper and cut at the 11" mark. Cut the whole roll like this.
• You will need a Fiskars (or other brand) craft paper cutter.
• Take the sheets that you just finished cutting and trim them down to 8 1/2"
• Place in a folder for safe keeping and easy crafting access.

Now go find some Freezer Paper and get ready for the slew of Animal Mask Tutorials that will be heading your way soon! :)

I'm not her favorite person right now...and that's okay.

Actually, it's a good thing. She may not think so now, but one day she will understand.

 

I'm talking about my 10 year old daughter.

 

My very smart, very talented, super hardworking daughter qualified to represent her class in the school Spelling Bee! She was in it last year and came home with the 1st place trophy.

This year she brought home the permission slip that said she would be participating, had me sign it and took it back to school. Toward the end of Christmas break she told me that she didn't want to do it this year and asked if she could quit. I told her I would think about it and would talk to her Dad.

 

Last week she came home and said "My teacher needs a note from you that says I can quit the Spelling Bee." I told her that I couldn't do that, for a couple reasons.

 

1. Its not fair to throw an alternate in with a week to study

 when everyone else has had a month.

 

2. She signed up for this and she needs to finish it.

 

Oh man! Did I ever get the silent treatment and some tears, and for a second I thought about breaking. Then I thought about what that would teach her, and I decided to stand my ground.

 

Today she called me from school asking once more if she could quit and again, I said "No."

She put her teacher on the phone and I explained my decision.

I could hear the smile in her voice and knew that she understood what I was doing.

 

Dear Brooklyn,

 

I love you so much and think that you are amazing! You seem so much older than your age and sometimes I forget that you are still a child. A child that I am supposed to mold into a self governed adult. You see, I am not raising a child, but an adult.

Allowing you to quit something that you signed up for just because you "don't feel like doing it anymore" would be doing you a great disservice.

When you are an adult you will have to do many things that you don't feel like doing. Some of them things you signed up for and some that you didn't.

I want you to learn how to finish strong the things you set out to do, as well as how to say "no" to some things. I want you to learn to think things through and to decide if its something you have the time and energy for. I want you to learn what you can handle and how to keep from over-committing.

I know you have not done much studying for this event, and all I can say to that is that I will be there to watch you complete what you started and I love you very much.

 

 Love, Mom.

{One Little Word} 2014

I know my "word" is a few days late, but this year it took me a bit longer to find it.

I had been struggling so much with finding a word that would give me direction, so instead I flipped it around and wrote down some of my priorities and my word just appeared.

 

Some of my priorities for this new year are:

 

1. To increase in the depth of my relationship with God by diving into his word

and spending more dedicated time in prayer.

 

2. To make my marriage a priority.

 

3. To train up my children in the way they should go;

Raising them as opposed to just letting them "grow up".

 

4. Making our house a home...cozy and inviting.

 

5. Learning more alternative medicines and putting them to use.

 

6. Becoming less of a consumer and more of a Homesteader.

 

7. Growing/Raising/Preserving more of the food we eat.

 

8. To get outside more. More walking, more hiking, more exploring.

 

9. To enjoy life more with my family.

 

 

I know that I have already been doing these things, but without much consistency.

This year I want to really focus on them. 

 

When I looked at these things the word that jumped out at me was

{HOMEMAKER}

 

A little old fashioned, but I love it.

More time invested in my family and less time on my phone.

More time learning, and then teaching.

More contentment in the blessings I have.

More fulfillment.

More adventure.

More JOY.

 

"She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness."

Proverbs 31:27

  

What you are focusing on for 2014.

Do you choose a word, do resolutions or set goals?

I would love to hear about it:)

 

 

Here are my {One Little Word} posts from the last 5 years:

2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

2013-I didn't do a post but my word was JOY.