My New School Bag...

As do many things, my new school bag took longer to finish than I had planned or hoped...but it came out GREAT! I love it! So this beautiful yardage...

Became this great bag...nice and big!

I made it to hold my books and the laptop.

I love the fallishness of the brown and green...and an untratitional color for fall - aqua (yet, very trendy)...it's a good combination that has a toned down fall feel that will go nice all year! 

It's been made to be sturdy and hold alot...inside are 2 layers of felt by the yard quilted to the lining. The hadles are also thick and quilted 7 inches into the body of the bag.

A couple of pockets were added for the smaller things that get lost in the bottom of big bags...like keys :)

It's an exciting finish and I'm going to be adding it to the Celebrate Color festival of crafts happening at Stiched in Color.

Giving thanks always for all things

unto God and the Father

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Ephesians 5:20

It always amazes me how God answers our little prayers...the things that seem almost insignificant...

On Tuesday, when I was getting ready to sew the handles on to the bag, I was thinking that it may take a lot of patience and fiddling with my sewing machine. It was a lot of material in one spot to be going through the machine...

but I cleaned and prepared my machine (with a needle for jean material), then prepared myself by asking God to help it to go smoothly. About 2 inches into the first handle...SNAP...the needle broke! Normally, I would get frustrated and irritated...but God's grace is good...I just changed the needle and continued on. Thankfully, the rest of the attaching of the handles went very well and quick too!

After the answered prayer, I was thinking about it...Why did I have the broken needle at the beginning? I'm still not sure, but I am Thankful for the sewing going smoothly on the hard parts of my new school bag.

Prayer for even the little things is heard by God when brought to Him by His children!

Amanda

Also, I'll be adding this great bag to some of my weekly linky party stops...check out the right side bars to join in!

FNSI Results...

Last night was Friday Night Sew-in hosted by Heidi and Bobbi...

And this is what I accomplished...

Two fabric boxes for the missions conference in October...so, now I have 3 more big ones to make and 2 smaller ones (I have one smaller one already done).

The original boxes were lined with cardboard, but I had an idea that I went with and like it alot better! Each section is layered with two pieces of felt-by-the-yard and the piece of lining material, then quilted. It makes for a sturdy piece of material. Then the construction is the same.

Each box takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours...

Today however...I want to take this beautiful combination of material and make it into a bag!

I hope everyone had a productive FNSI!

Not slothful in business,

fervent in spirit,

serving the Lord;

Romans 12:11

The other verses with this one are talking about how we need to deal with fellow Christians...but this one made me think a little more on the personal level. That as I work on different things, I need to do them all to the best of my ability while I'm working on that project. This is definitely what I'm struggling with right now! :)

Off to schedule my day of activities...

Amanda

Don't forget to check out the linky parties on the right side bar...full of fun, fun, fun!

Once a week...

It seems like I've only been able to post about once a week...that is not my intentions! I want to be able to post a least a few times a week. But I think that I'm still a little scattered about what needs done and when. Since the start of school and the things that accompany it...like science lessons... and then the laundry and house work always piling up...things that are not as obvious, are not getting done as well as they should. I'm going to work on this and hopefully be able to post more regularly again.

Tonight is Friday Night Sew-in...so I hope to be able to get a lot accomplished and show it all to you tomorrow! If you have the evening free, why not join in?



Today, I'll leave you with a recent picture of the girls!

Fear not: for I have redeemed thee,

I have called thee by thy name;

thou art mine.

Isaiah 43:1b

Amanda

Fabric Box...

At the beginning of October, our church is having a missions conference...and taking an idea from the missionary couple we have in our church (from when they went to a conference at another church)...I thought that putting together some cute little gift baskets for each couple would be nice.

So, the base of this idea is the basket, right? What size is it going to be? How much will fit in it?

Well, in order to make up a list of needed goodies to fill these baskets...I need to get the basket, right? The thought of regular wicker baskets from a thrift store or dollar store was discussed...but I'm not to much of a shopper anymore and thought...FABRIC!

A while ago I saved a link to Amanda Jean's Storage Cubes over at her site, Crazy Mom Quilts. While, last night I made one of these boxes...

I did increase my size to 7 1/2 inch fabric squares to begin with (rather than the tutorials 6 inches) and I think it turned out perfect for the intended use...

However, this particular one will not be given out because it has a few flaws I hope to remedy in the next 5 I make.

The lining is a little bunchy and my label holder is crooked...
Now, to make that list of fun goodies to present to the missionaries in their new Fabric box!

Also, the promised picture of Amber's quilt that is hanging on my design wall...

OK, so it's not the entire quilt, but I'm not quite ready to show it yet...
But here is a small section of the Warm/Cool section of the quilt...I used 2 Fresh Flowers charm packs by Deb Strain for Moda. It's not enough to make a full quilt, so I had to come up with something to fill this into a twin sized quilt (well maybe almost twin size)...

 So, adding some wide borders on the ends and narrower borders on the sides...here's a sketch of what I hope to make it into...

I can't wait to get a chance to work on it again!

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God

 with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,

and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:

this is the first commandment.

Mark 12:30

God commands us to first love Him...in and with everything. Do we? Do you even know God and what He has done for us? If you don't, Please read the left side bar and consider what you read!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Amanda

Remember to check out the weekly linky parties on my right side bar for more crafty fun!

Note: Gay from It's a Hodgepodge Life is taking a leave of absence on her Friday linky party...It's a Hodgepodge Friday...but I will be leaving the button where it is, so when she decides to return to host this wonderful party, it's there!

Celebrate Color...

Autumn has great colors...so, it's the perfect time to Celebrate Color! That's what Rachel over at Stitched in Color has planned for us for this great season...and as you all know...my favorite season!

I saw the inspiration post she put up on Thursday...and just couldn't bear it! Friday, I pulled out the Fall tote and transformed the house to a haven of orange, brown, gold, and dark red...LOVE IT! I typically try to decorate for fall right around Labor Day, so this year fell right into tradition.

Here are my main points of decoration...

My Orange Colorway :)

I'd have to say that I think Orange is definitely my favorite fall color...but all the fall colors mixed together make for great possibilities!

For most of the summer I have been admiring Sandy Garvais' Grand Finale...and I finally got some! You can see it sitting beautifully on my computer desk in the middle right picture...a jelly roll (my 2nd EVER!) and some yardage. I'm waiting on a Grand Finale charm pack to arrive...then I'll take some fabric pictures, so I can dig in and see how I can transform a great bundle of fall into a quilt.

It may be a little bit before that quilt actually gets as much attention as I'd love to give it because life around here seems to be making sewing time very elusive! Over the long weekend I did stay up the one night a put Amber's quilt on my design wall...also, LOVING IT!!! I'll try to fill you in on that and show pictures tomorrow.

But back to our fall Celebrate Color inspiration...

Here is my photo collage for Brown...

(all pictures are from google images search)

and for Dark Red...

(all pictures are from google images search)

I'll leave this Celebrate Color Inspiration with this quote from Country Living magazine (Oct. '07). (**Note...I changed the one line because it spoke of Jack-o-lanterns...and I don't really care for them. I prefer a nice smooth pumpkin...maybe with a painted/decor leaf put on it.)

Against the backdrop of twilight's blue,

windows glow amber as candles beckon.

A chilly gust sends up a swirl of leaves.

Set out on a walking tour of autumn.

Take in the sights of cornfields

and hay bales and sunflowers.

The views have never been better.

She girdeth her loins with strength

and strengtheneth her arms.

She preceiveth that her merchandise is good:

her candle goeth not out by night.

Proverbs 31:17-18

Proverbs 31 is a great passage for women, to show us how we are to take care of our household...I read this the other day and thought that the late nights I've been having are all part of keeping the house running sometimes. Another section of this passage also talks about rising while it is still night... I find it easier to stay up at night once everyone is tucked in bed than it is for me to get out of bed earlier than needed...but either way you need a 'candle' to get the work done!

Have a great time enjoying the great scenes of fall as they begin to pass by and thank God for the beauty he has established in the season's for us to enjoy!

Amanda

As always...check ou the great links on the right side bar for some inspiration...whether needed or unneeded!

School Days...

Yesterday was the first day of school here...and it was a pretty good one!

Liz had her first day of K4 (preschool). She gets to do her work on the two days I go to school to help and teach science. I love school/office supplies...but I think I love fabric MORE! But we did get Liz a few things and I was able to make her a backpack.

 She really liked it...played with it most of the day Tuesday...and this is what we had to fill her bag with...
Folder, colored pencils, ruler, pencils, a pen, eraser, pencil sharpener, glue sticks, a refurbished "puff's" container from Amber into a pencil case, and a crayon roll...

I saw the crayon roll on Hopeful Threads a few months back, an thought it was a cute idea...then on Stitched in Color, Rachel showed her adorable ones with color matching holders...then I knew I need to make on for Liz. I thought it would be a good way of teaching her a couple of things

 1) putting things back where they belong...

2) matching (which she's already pretty good at)...

3) and neatness, because unlike a crayon box

that preschoolers would have a tendency to dump out...

this lays neatly with all the crayons showing...

 I may make a few more of these for some other kids, but those will probably be the 'generic' ones with one fabric for the holders, rather that the individual colors...well maybe, because I really like Liz's color coded one!

Here is the main school room the day before classes...just waiting for the kids to arrive!

Then on the first day...filled and 'buzzing' with school sounds and activities.  They work on their ACE PACE's in this main classroom, but for the taught classes they divide up and go somewhere else in the church...The first graders (and Liz) went to their own classroom for the morning. When it was time for science, we went to the auditorium so we can utilize the A/V equipment for PowerPoint presentations, that is also where the history classes meet on opposite days from science.

Last year on the bulletin board the kids had an opportunity to put up a item (that corresponded to the theme of the board) when they received a 100% on a test...

However, this year we are doing interactive bulletin boards. Now they will have questions to answer to be able to move things around...

Here is the first one for this year...

They are filling up the teacher's desk.

Each day, one child gets an opportunity to 'play'. Once all of them have gone twice...I'll put up a new one. One of the other teachers gave me a book on these types of board...it helped get ideas going! (This one is my own design...the book just showed me about interactive bulletin boards...I don't remember ever having any in school.) The one for October will have something to do with leaves...I LOVE FALL!

I am so glad we have a Christian school at our church where I know I can send my girls and not worry about what kind of things they are learning. At one time, I thought I would like to homeschool...but now I KNOW that homeschooling would not be for me (unless for some reason there is no good christian school available). Especial with the beginning years of learning...I'm not good with the younger levels, but our school has a range of volunteer teachers that are good at all the different ages. I'm glad to be a part of this school!

As usual, I'll be joining some linky parties...so, check out the right side bar if you want to join them too.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do,

do it with thy might:

Ecclesiastes 9:10a

We started our class out with this verse...to remind the kids to take their school work seriously. But sometimes I need to remind myself of this on some thing that I have to do...but might not really care to do. Because in reality, everything we do is to be done to bring glory to God...so shouldn't we do it all to the best of our ability?

Thanks for stopping by today!
Amanda