When we painted our house last month, we decided to remove the shutters to give a more authentic farmhouse look.  When we pulled the wood shutters off, I looked at the backside and thought these would be great for a wooden sign one day…so we stored them away.  A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by some of my Instagram friends (also bloggers) who were hosting a weekly contest called #salvageswagger and wanted me to join them as a host.  Basically we, the hosts, spend up to $20 and REPURPOSE, RENEW  AND GIVE NEW LIFE  to something (trash to treasure).  We post our projects and encourage our followers to do the same.  We pick a winner and show them off on our feeds.

Ok so….I’m not “crafty”!  I am pretty good at color, placement and space planning but that is way different than making something!  So…I accepted the challenge as an opportunity to STRETCH, GROW and hopefully make some BEAUTIFUL TREASURES for my home, on a budget.

As He always does, the Lord began to speak His truth through the everyday,  through this hashtag.  He reminded me that He is the very best at REPURPOSING, RENEWING AND GIVING NEW LIFE!  Our lives are a journey through seasons with Him.  He loves to take us from one season to the next because He knows it will STRETCH US, GROW US AND MAKE US INTO A BEAUTIFUL TREASURE  for Himself!  There is NO ONE that the blood of Jesus wasn’t powerful enough to redeem and there is NOTHING so ugly that the finished work of the cross doesn’t make beautiful!

My challenge to you is not just the #salvageswagger challenge (although you really should participate) …my challenge is this…Can you see yourself the way He does?  Did you know that He has made you beautiful? That He has restored you? That  He has given you purpose?  That He has given you new life?  He has done all those things for you, not because of anything you did, not because you were worthy, but because you are HIS TREASURE!

What if we were more like Him?   What if we could find the treasure in others and call it out….REPURPOSE, RENEW AND BRING NEW LIFE to those things the world calls ugly, useless and dead?  Let’s be Treasure Hunters!!!

These are the blogs from the  other beautiful ladies I partnered with for #salvageswagger.  Go check out their amazing projects and be inspired!

Becky – http://www.theothersideofneutral.com

Jennifer – http://www.thewillowfarmhouse.com

Jolia – http://www.farmfreshhomestead.wordpress.com

Becky – http://www.bucketsofburlap.blogspot.com

Annie – http://www.zevjoy.com

Ashley – http://www.littleglassjar.com

Avery – http://www.easteggstyleblog.com

Stephanie – http://www.theyammeringcabin.com

I decided to make a treasure for my front porch.

 

I had 6 of these wood shutters we removed from our home.  I used 5 of them for my project.

 

These are the other supplies I used.  I had most around the house and bought the stencils for $8 at Hobby Lobby.

 

They actually didn’t have an official stencil that I liked so I traced around these cardboard letters.

 

And here is my treasure!  Total cost $8 and I just LOVE IT!

 

Here’s to Treasure Hunting on the Shady Grove!