Welcome to Abundance of Lovely’s Do-It-Yourself Feature #2.
If you missed the opportunity to make your own Blessings Jar {Do-It-Yourself #1} then be sure to return to the feature so you can learn to cultivate thankfulness into your everyday life! These crafty challenges endeavour to stimulate your soul – inspiring creativity and imagination, generating joy and peace, and creating an opportunity to start a project which focuses on the abundance of lovely things in life.
Do you have those days where your mind gets cloudy and you find it hard to focus? Your mind automatically skips to confusion and despair. Your thoughts turn sour. You complain. You feel down. You struggle to find motivation. You feel discouraged and your mind wanders dark places.
At these times its hard to see the sunshine and find a glimpse of clarity. Your mind has to work extra hard to make sense of things and to find hope. Your reject sweet thoughts as they seem superficial. You struggle to see the praiseworthy aspects of your life as your problems seem omnipotent. You desire to uplift the spirits of those around you, but you can barely elevate your own mood. You wish you had the capacity to be inspired, but everything seems meaningless instead. You want to feel encouraged that there is a light radiating in the midst of your darkness, but you’re waiting for someone to flick the light switch and yell ‘surprise!’
On days like this, we need to take Philippians 4:8 to heart:
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”
The MESSAGE translation puts it:
“I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”
So whether you’re having a good or bad day, it’s always crucial to renew your mind with things that are worthy of praise. The practice of replacing the negative with the positive isn’t a matter of flicking a switch though. Something to help you wire your thoughts for FAITH and not FEAR is the DIY Inspiration Trove.
What is an Inspiration Trove?
A trove (n.) is a place to store valuable or delightful things. We have treasure troves for our pirate fantasies, so why not apply this concept to our realities? An Inspiration Trove is a place to store treasures that have a greater wealth than the pirates discovered. These riches are eternal, reminders of heaven and not earth. Pearls of wisdom and gems of truth. Store up thoughts in your trove which align to Phillipians 4:8 as a source of inspiration for days and seasons of darkness and difficulty.
Supplies Needed:
Why not head on over to your local craft store to stock up on the following goodies for your Inspiration Trove!
♥ BOX: Choose a box that preferably has a rectangular/square shape – but don’t be afraid to be ambitious!
♥ PAINT & PAINTBRUSHES: Pick your favourite colour, colours that bring you joy, that you feel connected to
♥ FABRIC & GLUE: Find some designs, patterns, textures, that you love. You’ll need two strips of fabric – one for the base of the box, and one for inside the lid. Be sure to use your colour-coordinating skills to match them – and watch for clashing patterns! {If you see my demonstrations, I chose one less-busy fabric to accompany a busier one – so keep this in mind too!}
♥ INSPIRATION CARDS: Collect coloured paper, scrapbook sheets, post-it notes, verse cards, quote clippings
♥ DECORATIONS: Spruce up your inspiration cards with sequins, scrapbooking goodies, and stickers
Steps:
STEP 1.
Choose a BOX, and have some fun with your PAINT and PAINTBRUSHES. Grunge-textured painting gives a nice rustic appearance, so don’t be afraid to blend colours and even add some specks of metallic gold and silver for some sheen.
STEP 2.
Once your BOX is painted, cut your FABRIC to the exact measurements of the base and inner lid {these should be pretty much the same, but may depend on your BOX}. Use super glue or strong craft glue to attach your FABRIC to the inside of your BOX, and be sure to let this dry. You might need to attempt this several times, as FABRIC and glue can be stubborn! Vanishing is a good idea, for extra security. Note: You might also want to give your BOX extra padding by lining your FABRIC with wadding {this gives a pillowed effect and a nice base for your INSPIRATION CARDS}. STEP 3.
When your BOX has been aesthetically transformed and given it’s new identity as an Inspiration Trove, begin to create your INSPIRATION CARDS, using DECORATIONS at your desire. INSPIRATION CARDS are handwritten (or typed!) quotes, verses, sayings, lyrics, and wisdom which resonate as inspiring, uplifting, profound, positive, and meaningful to you. STEP 4.
Place your INSPIRATION CARDS in your Inspiration Trove, and be sure to leave a stack of blank cards at the ready for when you hear/see a standout quote in your daily happenings {e.g. verses from your Bible reading, quotes from Pinterest/Instagram/Facebook}.
STEP 5.
Keep your Inspiration Trove somewhere close at hand, so that on those bad days {as well as the good days!}, you have a chest of treasure to dive into as a source of inspiration and reminder to set your mind on the abundance of lovely things in life.
Some starting inspiration for your trove:
- “Those who brings sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves”
- “Don’t doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light”
- “Have faith. Things fall apart so that things can fall together” – Dan Zadra
- “You doubt your value. Don’t run from who you are.” – Aslan
- “It doesn’t matter what you are going through, God sees it and he can handle it”
- “To be a star you must shine your own light, follow your own path and don’t worry about the darkness for that is when the stars shine brightest”
- There is no need to be perfect to inspire others. Let others be inspire by how you deal with your imperfections.
- “You are wonderful and have to believe that”
- “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will SUSTAIN YOU” Psalm 55:22a
- “You are altogether beautiful my darling, beautiful in every way” Song of Songs 4:7
So friends, may you find inspiration in the light and dark moments of your journey. If you try this DIY, be sure to comment/send photos to share what you designed as your storehouse of inspiration!
