We have a little girl...

Now don't get too excited.  I'm not pregnant, but I want you to meet our little girl Zuwena....

She is our Compassion child that we sponsor from Uganda and we get to meet her in October!!!!!!!!! We are so thrilled, and I can't help but think about how this is going to change our life.    

Michael and I have always talked about going on a mission trip together and this past October we began discussing where and when we would go.  We both felt like we needed a year’s time to prepare and pray about where the Lord wanted us to go.  A few days later I (JuliAnne) told Michael that I felt like I needed to go somewhere that would really stretch me.  In the back of my mind I was thinking Africa, but I was a little scared to say it at the time.  Michael immediately responded, “I was thinking Africa.”  A month or so later the mission trip schedule came out for our church, and they announced that there would be a trip to Uganda in October 2013; exactly one year from when we said we would like to go.  Isn’t it funny how the Lord makes things so clear?  He made things even more clear a few days after we signed up for the trip when a friend felt led to mail us a check.  She had no idea that we were even thinking about going on the trip.  The Lord has used her as a daily reminder that the He has called us on this trip. 

We will be traveling from October 9-19 which happens to fall on our 3 year anniversary. :) Our group will be traveling with Compassion International to several villages in Uganda that the Church of Eleven 22 helps sponsor, giving us an opportunity to build and cultivate relationships.  We are most excited about meeting Zuwena.  We have all sorts of excitement when we think about actually getting to hug and love on a little girl that we’ve only seen in pictures.  In addition to meeting Zuwena we will visit our CSP (Child Survival Program), help to build homes made of mud, and do some repairs at the schools.  We also will have an opportunity to visit Okoa Refuge to work and play with the children and show them the love of Christ!

I am asking for you to partner with Michael and I through prayer and finances.  First and foremost I am asking for you to partner with us in prayer on the following:

•  Safe and easy travels for the entire team.  (I am a little nervous about all of the flying.)
• Continuity between the team.
• As we step outside our comfort zones, our hearts and minds will be transformed and our marriage will be strengthened.
• The Lord will begin to do a work in the hearts of those we will meet and minister to. 

We are also asking that you would ask the Lord if He would have you partner financially.  The total trip cost for the two of us is $9,000-$10,000 with all funds due before August 12^th , with half the amount due June 6^th.  I am slightly nervous about how and where all of this money is going to come from, but I am trusting the Lord will provide.  

There are 2 ways that you can give towards our trip:

• Electronically at this link:  https://coe22.ccbchurch.com/w_form_response.php?form_id=262

• By Check: Checks made payable to The Church of Eleven22 with the following written on the comment line: Uganda, Michael & JuliAnne Kelly and mailed to:

The Church of Eleven22
Attn: Carol Gilham
14286 Beach Boulevard, Suite 2
Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250

 Note: All payments made out to COE22 are tax deductible and non-refundable.

If you made it all the way to the bottom of this post (I know it was a long one) thank-you for partnering with us.  Your prayers and support mean more than you know! 

Rusted Outdoor Market Recap

I wanted to share some images from the Rusted Outdoor Market that we participated in this past weekend.  We had a mass production of chalkboards a few days before, and many of them have been moved over to our booth, and are for sale there.  

Our Display of CeCe Caldwell's Paints

chalkboards,  an awesome potting bench, and a unique light fixture

my hardworking hubby

Going Green With Chlorophyll

I hope everyone had a fantastic Memorial Day enjoying our freedom.  Thank you to everyone who has served or is serving, so that we can live in this wonderful country!  Yesterday was the first time in a LONG time that I have done absolutely nothing around our house or at the Antique Market, and it was so nice.  I have been feeling a little worn down and it was great to have a day to just relax and rejuvinate.

For a while I have been meaning to share some health tips, tricks and recipes with you.  There is so much I have learned over the past 2 1/2 years durning my mom's battle with cancer.  As most of you know she has chosen to do things wholistically, which has resulted in a drastic lifestyle change for my family.  I am not an extreme health nut, but my diet and daily regimine are drastically different than the average American.  The first thing I thought I would share with you is Liquid Chlorophyll.  At first I wasn't sure of whether or not I would like the minty taste, but it is so subtle and I crave the chlorphyll in the mornings.  It is something that is so easy to add into your regimen and has so many health benefits.  I began drinking this daily at the recommendation of my herbalist...yes I go to an herbalist and she is AMAZING.  (more on that later.)

Here are the benefits and how it works from Nature's Sunshine (the company I order from).

Benefits:

• Helps promote the natural blood-cleansing functions of the body.
• Strengthens cells.
• Promotes a strong immune response.
• Supports the intestinal system.
• Deodorizes the body, including the bowel.

How It Works:

Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that harnesses the sun’s energy in photosynthesis. The chlorophyll molecule is chemically similar to human blood, except that its central atom is magnesium, whereas that of human blood is iron. It performs metabolic functions in plants such as respiration and growth.

Chlorophyll supports the natural blood-cleansing process. It is known to help cleanse the body and maintain the action of the circulatory, intestinal and female reproductive systems. Chlorophyll helps protect and support healthy cells and promotes the elimination of toxins from the body. In addition, chlorophyll helps neutralize normal body odors and acts as a natural, “internal” deodorant. It can also be useful in external applications and as a freshening gargle. Liquid Chlorophyll may help improve immune response.

I also found this website that explains it more in depth.

*My one disclaimer:  people are going to look at you weird and you will often get asked, "What is that green stuff?" ;)

   

Turquoise Table Redo

Living in a beach town means that turquoise will always be a key color in home design.  I had this adorable little table that needed a little facelift, and decided that CeCe Caldwell's Santa Fe Turquoise would be just the perfect color and I used dark aging wax over the turquoise.  I painted the top and the drawer in CCCP Vintage White, applied clear wax, and then used dark aging wax to add some dimension.  

before...I had already taken the drawer out

painted and distressed prior to wax

finished table

finished table

loved the original hardware

finished table top in CCCP Vintage White

Linking up to:

Redoux
Common Ground

Life We Live 4

Chalkboard Love

If you follow me on Instagram, it is no secret that I LOVE chalkboards.  I love making them, I love writing on them and I love looking at them.  My obsession with chalkboard art began when I helped with a gender reveal party and designed these chalkboards...

I have been asked by several friends to create chalkboard wedding programs, menus and signage and I absolutely love the way they all turned out.  

wedding program and signage

a frame wedding menu

I recently created these little beauties below.  I got the frames at a garage sale, cut and painted my chalkboard backing, and then refinished the frames in CeCe Caldwell's Santa Fe Turquoise and Spring Hill Green.  I wet distressed the frames and used the aging cream to add some additional depth to the colors.  These will be for sale at the Vintage Market at Rusted on Saturday...hope to see you there! 

spring hill green and santa fe turquoise

I absolutely love the way this next fame turned out.  I also used CCCP to refinish it.  I used Destin Gulf Green as my first coat, Smokey Mountain Grey as the second coat and then wet distressed so that both colors show through.  I finished it with dark aging wax.  

destin gulf green and smokey mountain grey

I love chalkboards so much that I even used one to tell our customers at the Antique Mall about CCCP.

This was one of my first drawings and it is still one of my favorites.

I am now taking limited orders for custom chalkboard art, so if you or anyone you know is looking for something unique to add an their event, wedding or home I's love to help! 

Crackle Your Paint

Last week my mom, my mother in law and I traveled up to Augusta, GA for CeCe Caldwell's new retailer training.  We had so much fun meeting several new retailers and learning from CeCe herself!  While we were there we learned so many great painiting techniques and continued to fall in love with these amazing products.   Since the paints and finishes are all natural with NO VOC's we could do everything indoors...such a great perk to using these paints.  

Learning from CeCe

I spent mothers day in Augusta with two beautiful and special ladies

My favorite technique that we learned was how to cracke using Elmer's Glue.  Who knew??  I am not encouraging the crackle that was popular about 10 years ago.  In my opinion the crackle is best used in corners, or highly worn areas of furniture to give an aged look.  You can also vary the way the crackle looks by how much glue you apply.  Lots of glue = large crackle; thin glue = fine crackle.

A fellow retailer shared this great tutorial on how to use glue to crackle, and I love the way her chair turned out.    

via 

Come Learn More About CeCe Paints

This Saturday J. Kelly will be participating in the Outdoor Vintage Market, hosted by Rusted.  We would LOVE for you to stop by!  We will be selling CeCe Caldwell's Paints and can answer any questions you have about the products.  (We just might be doing live demos as well.)  In addition to the paint we will be selling unique lighting, chalkboards, painted furniture, and much more.  Follow me on Instagram to get a sneak peek at what we will be selling.  Hope to see you there!!

Lets Keep it Real Mondays

Happy Monday Everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Sorry I have been MIA recently, but I have just had a little bit of bloggers block.

The quote above keeps running through my head, because so many times I find myself comparing my life to what everyone else is doing via blogs, Instagram, Facebook etc.  But lets be honest... social media always makes life look so much more perfect than it really is, right?  I have struggled posting on here, because I do not want you all to think my life is perfectly put together, and that I am juggling events, interior design, my etsy shop, our booth at the antique market, and painting furniture with a big grin and looking fabulous while doing it.  Truth is, most days I roll out of bed, throw on athletic clothes (that are usually covered in paint) and put my hair in a messy ponytail.  I make to-do lists, and loose them.  My desk is a disaster, and my Etsy shop has taken over my house.  Packing peanuts, boxes, tape, bubble wrap, wine glasses are EVERYWHERE!  I get overwhelmed with how much we have going on, yet I feel like I am accomplishing very little.  I doubt what I am doing at times, and wonder how I am making a difference in people's lives.      

So now that you know how crazy my life really is, I do not want this to be a blog that steals your joy, because there is a constant feeling of comparison.  I hope that you come to this blog seeking inspiration and encouragement.  

Here is a verse that I need to hang above my desk.  It is such a great reminder that the only approval we are seeking is from a God that loves us despite our imperfections.  

"For am I now seeking the approval of man or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."  Galatians 1:10

In efforts to keep things "real" around here I am planning to do a little segment called "Lets Keep it Real Mondays."  Let's start with my tomatoes that I put on Instagram a few weeks ago...

See these beautiful tomatoes that I grew.  Truth is they were already growing on the tomato plant that I bought.  All I did was water it, and ta-da.  I have a black thumb, and I am pretty sure my tomato plant is about to croak now.  Any tips on growing tomatoes? 

Rocker Redo

A few weeks ago I was commissioned to paint this rocking chair for a friend who is expecting a little girl.  I immediately knew that the lines of this chair would be perfect for chalk paint and some distressing.  The chair had a lacquered shiny finish, so I just wiped it down and began painting.

rocking chair before

rocking chair before

I finished this before we received our shipment of CeCe Caldwell's Paints, so I used ASCP in Old White and finished it with a clear wax.  I gave it a little bit of extra distressing on the arms, and places that would get more wear.  This rocker is super comfortable, but would be adorable with a seat cushion and patterned pillow.  Don't you think?

rocking chair after

rocker after

rocker after

I Linked up to :

Whipperberry Friday Flair Link Party

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

The Perfect Gift

For those that have been following along, you probably remember when I launched my Etsy shop back in October.  It has been such a fun little venture, and I love that people all over the US are receiving these personalized glasses as gifts.  When the shop first launched I was receiving a lot of orders for Christmas gifts and hostess gifts.  Now that it is officially "wedding season" I have been getting orders mostly for weddings or bridesmaid/groomsman gifts.  They are absolutely perfect for a bachelorette party, or for the day of the wedding.    

stemless monogrammed wine glass on J. Kelly Events

In addition to what I carry online, I am often asked to create custom orders.  I have had two unique and fun requests that I thought I would share with you.  The first was an anniversary gift for a wine loving wife and a beer loving husband.  My good friend had seen something similar on another website, but the turnaround time was several months.  I absolutely love the way these tree trunk glasses turned out.  I now carry them in the shop.

set of tree trunk beer and wine glasses available here

The second custom order was a wedding gift for a groom that loved whiskey.  The couple's new monogram would have been "SSS" so we chose to do just one single initial.  I love this decanter with the wooden ball stopper, and the stackable glasses.

If you are interested in a custom order I'd love to hear from you.  Email me at jac06r (at) gmail (dot) com or visit my Etsy shop.