26 April 2010
A couple months ago I created a skirt and bag from these lovely fabrics. The skirt was a must and the bag was a plus, so I made the skirt first.
The pattern is a basic A-line skirt with the length landing mid/low-calf. The pattern I made by using a calculation of my measurements (the formula can be found in this book).
The skirt has a white hidden zipper. I have not sewn a normal zipper yet, but I have found the hidden zippers very simple to insert and attach (especially after getting over the intimidation of actually sewing a zipper).
After the skirt was finished, I moved on to designing a pattern for the bag. The bag was to be a tote-style bag that could carry a camera, three lenses, a Bible, and a notepad . . . with a little extra room left over. The completed bag had plenty of room.
At one time the bag was nearly full. It contained twelve medium sized books, a camera, three lenses, notepad, and several other accessories. Oh, and a sweater, too! It seems that this bag is reminiscent of Mary Poppin’s carpet bag — it doesn’t look too big on the outside, but the contents seem to be never-ending!
This was the first actual sample of the pattern . . . and now I know where the pattern needs adjusting and improvement, but the bag still worked well and carried the needed supplies!
There is a divider in the center to separate the technological supplies from the books. The divider has been stiffened with fabric interfacing and wonder-under.
Sewn onto the divider are three pockets of various sizes. One for pens and pencils, the middle one for business cards, and the other for a cell phone.
Attached at top on one side is a long cover made from the inside fabric. The cover drapes from one side to the other hiding the contents of the bag. This adds privacy to the bag without taking away from the tote-bag style and decorative fabric.
The happy spring skirt and very large bag.
(Photos with me in them were taken by my sweet sister.)
19 April 2010
On April 15th, thousands gathered just outside the statehouse in the capitol of Indiana. “We the People” stood for our liberties and freedoms. The current tyrannical government is seeking to remove our freedoms and liberties, but we are not going to let it.
“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.” —Thomas Jefferson
“The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts.”
—Edmund Burke
“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led,
like sheep to the slaughter.” —George Washington
The “sleeping giant” has been awakened. No longer can we sit idly by—as we have for so long—and watch our freedoms be taken from us and our children. It is time to stand.
The voice of “We the People” must and will be heard.
Last year, Mr. Phillips spoke at the Tea Party Rally in San Antonio,
and gave the message, “Freedom at Risk.”
This year, Mr. Joe Morecraft spoke at a Tea Party Rally;
you can listen to his message here.
17 April 2010
Over the past few days I have been designing a new layout for my dear sister’s blog, A Bowl of Moss & Pebbles. Breezy drew blueprints for how she wanted the finished site to look, making the process very smooth.
The style of the design is fresh and cheerful with a clean layout. A few of the details include a bird carrying a ribbon in between the posts, a photo in the header that Breezy captured of our pear blossoms, and in the sidebar is a happy little link to subscribe to her blog.
There are still a few more elements I will be adding next week. But in the meantime, please visit Breezy’s blog and enjoy her posts of encouragement, artwork, and daily living!
P.S. Photos of the skirt and bag—the very large bag—are coming soon!
14 April 2010
After an autumn and winter of leaves and snow, our square-foot gardening boxes were left this spring holding on tight to the leaves and growing a few little foreigners (a.k.a. weeds that should not have been there).
Each box is 4′ x 4′ with small boards on top dividing the large box into sixteen small boxes. The soil is made from compost, vermiculite and peat moss.
When plating in the miniature boxes, the number of seeds/starters per 1′ x 1′ depends on how large the plant will grow to be. For example four lettuces per small square and sixteen spinach’s per small square.
After cleaning out the boxes, Breezy planted several seeds (thanks to Auntie Lou) which have already sprouted and are growing nicely. Last year we made three square foot gardening boxes and this year we plan to make three more!
12 April 2010
My dear sister, Breezy.
Our sweet friend, Rebekah.
On Saturday during the Father and Daughter Retreat, our family went on a walk with Rebekah and her father. The scenery was beautiful, with flowers blooming along the path and greenery covering the ground and trees (something that we had yet to see in Indiana this year). We stopped to take a few portraits, and above are a couple of them.
P.S. Breezy is wearing a dress that she made specially to wear at High Tea. You can see more pictures and read about her dress here!
10 April 2010
Below are brief summaries of a few of the sessions during the 2010 Father & Daughter Retreat put on by Vision Forum and held at the Callaway Gardens in Georgia. Click here to read Part One of my notes.
I hope that they are as much of an encouragement to you as they have been to me!
(Please note that these are not necessarily direct quotations,
but rather short summaries of what I wrote down while listening to the talks.)
Whose Daughter Are You? Examining Our Affections and Identity by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin
Are you God’s daughter or your own daughter? Are you pretending to be God’s daughter? You can do the right things, act the right things, and think the right things all the way to hell. You must have a true relationship with Christ.
Let go of everything that you want, and desire the things of the Lord. Identity is a matter of the heart, not appearance! What fruit are you bearing? (Matthew 7:16-18) What is your attitude towards God? Do you have fear of other things rather than a fear of the Lord? (Psalm 73:25-28)
Who are you going to be? Embrace the place where God has placed you and study to be prepared and ready for the battlefield. Actively place your love in the right place! (Proverbs 6:20-23)
A Twenty-First-Century Vision of Biblical Womanhood by Doug Phillips
We all have a religion – we either worship God or we worship man. Culture is religion externalized. The things we see in the culture (Hannah Montana, MTV, etc.) are all an expression of religion.
Cultivate a passion for defending the culture of life in the midst of a culture of death.
When you carry yourself like a lady with true femininity and grace, men treat you differently. When you act like a lady from your heart, others see that beauty and many times other women will desire to follow. Ask yourself, “How can I be a daughter in my father’s house and fully fulfill my God-given task as a submissive daughter?”
Model the virtues of femininity and womanhood in a world of androgyny. Be a truly beautiful woman, one that is characterized by strength, grace, love, faith, hope, joy, and femininity in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ministry is serving God in the domain He has placed you. Seven Biblical Missions of the Christian Home: Worship, Industry, Education, Evangelism, Hospitality, Culture, & Care.
Be joyful, serving, and obedient! Love your daughterhood, embrace it, rejoice in it!
9 April 2010
On Friday evening during the Father & Daughter Retreat the warm sun was shining while fathers and daughters ate a picnic dinner (of hamburgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, etc.) atop blankets spread out on the grand lawn.
8 April 2010
The speeches were most certainly a highlight for my father, sister and I. The Lord has used the speakers mightily in our walks with Him, and it is always such a blessing to hear them speak such wonderful words of wisdom from the Word of God.
Below are brief summaries of a couple of the sessions during the 2010 Father & Daughter Retreat put on by Vision Forum and held at the Callaway Gardens in Georgia.
I hope that they are as much of an encouragement to you as they have been to me!
(Please note that these are not necessarily direct quotations,
but rather short summaries of what I wrote down while listening to the talks.)
What It Means for a Daughter to Have a Father by Doug Phillips
Fathers are God-given and God-appointed. Fathers are wonderful gifts that the Lord has given and they help us to understand our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
There are many orphans who spend their days yearning, praying, and hoping for a father, and yet the world is telling daughters who have fathers to run from their fathers in independence.
Those girls without daddys would give everything to enjoy just a moment of the pleasure we take granted every day: the blessing of having a father who provides, protects, guides, and cares for us. Be thankful for the father that you have and pray for those dear girls who do not have daddys.
Proverbs 31 and the Daughter of the King by Scott Brown
The Proverbs 31 woman is a treasure, a strong, virtuous woman. She is very difficult to find – her rarity shows her value and that she is not a “cheap” girl. The Bible puts enormous emphasis on women and Proverbs 31 is no exception! A virtuous woman is priceless and we have a wonderful purpose!
She is Christ-centered above all, and through that she focuses her time and energy in her God-given role towards her husband, children and the home.
All the things in Proverbs 31 are fruits of the fear of the Lord. Be willing to take every bit of chastisement that will come, because His ways are pleasant ways. Do not falter. Do everything in Him, through Him, and for Him. What a wonderful life to be called to!
More notes coming . . . don’t miss them!
