A couple of gifts...

My youngest baby girl will be turning ONE in the next couple of weeks, so yesterday I had a chance to make some of Amber's birthday gifts.

A Scrappy Doll...

I followed the tutorial on Love Laugh Quilt by Beth. It was a little past what I usually do...no measuring - isn't everything suppose to be symmetrical!!!! She turned out cute, even though she could use more stuffing. I ran out after doing her arms, legs, and head...so her body has scraps of batting in it. Once I get more stuffing, I may take out her bottom hem and restuff. For now, she'll be loved anyway! 

A Pair of Slippers...

These are a pair of adorable slippers...although not quite as cute as the ones on the New Conceptions pattern (but I also had to enlarge it for Amber). I must be venturing out...typically not something I would think of tackling, but Kristy at Hopeful Threads always finds great tutorials and is very helpful! She even gave me a few tips for next time I try to make a pair (which will be soon!). This is a quick project that has a couple of recipients waiting...Liz requested a pair (which means an even bigger enlargement :) ) and a new baby at church!

Also, if you're ever looking for a great charitable project to sew-up, check out Hopeful Threads. Kristy finds great monthly projects to sew-up and donate...then rewards us with chances at some great prizes - what's better than that! I like to participate when I can.

There is also a great Crafting for Cause project going on over at Ladybird Ln if you need some other charitable ideas. I jumped on this one...and the kids at school are even going to help out (even though they won't know about it till tomorrow :) ! ). Making Christmas cards for American soldiers...how great to give them encouragement as they are away from home for the holidays - fighting for us!

And he said unto me,

'My grace is sufficient for thee:

for my strength is made perfect in weakness.'

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,

that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

In the Bible, God gives us things from others to help us...and He used Paul a lot. Paul is a great example of someone that went through many trials and still praised and served God faithfully and fully. He even had a physical condition that he prayed to have taken away...but God allowed it to remain. Paul received a no, and still glorified God and knew that God's power would shine through him even with the problems he had.

May we remember this as we go through physical difficulties...Praise, serve, and glorify God even through the difficulties.

Amanda

My First Quilt...

I'm so excited to present to you my first quilt!

I finished in time to enter it into the Fall 2011 Quilt Bloggers' Festival over at Amy's Creative Side...were there are already over 500 quilts posted. I've been concentrating on getting the quilt done, so I haven't had time to browse much yet...

But for now, I hope you enjoy seeing my take on the Warm/Cool Quilt from Jeni at In Color Order...

Warm/Cool Squared Diamond

I was a little nervous about starting the quilting the other day...but once I got started, it went well! I think that the echoing of the block lines made it a good quilt to begin on...no fancy quilting, just great lines! It even transferred great to the back.

Even maneuvering it on my machine didn't seem to bad...although, a bigger quilt my make me say otherwise.

I love how everything just came together. Working with white takes a little bit more thought about which way to iron...but it makes a great finish!

On the back of the quilt I did end up putting on two quilt labels...one with the quilt name, my header, verse, that it was my first quilt, etc...but I also made an embroidered label to personalize it even more for Amber.

I've been more of a cross-stitch person, but this was fun to write/draw on a piece of fabric and add the colors I wanted...it went rather quickly and was fun. I tried a little embroidery earlier this year, but I didn't really like it...maybe doing my own thing would be more fun :) I really like the result of this label and think that for most of the quilts I will be making, they'll have two labels.

I don't think Amber will mind...yes, it's her Christmas present, but she already got to see it, and she really seems to like it.

I need to get started on a few more for Christmas...Liz's being one of them. She was wooing and awing over Amber's and requested a green quilt. We'll see what she end's up with!

It took some great pictures...so, here are a few more :)

Quilt Stats:
Size - 52" x 68"
Design - altered Warm/Cool Quilt Along Design
Fabric - 2 Fresh Flowers charm packs by Deb Strain for Moda
             color coordinated fabrics from Jo Ann's
             white from stash material
Binding - 1933 Poinsettia by Jackie Robinson and Maywood Studio
Quilting - machine quilted by me

Thank you so much for sharing the joy of my first finished quilt...
and I plan to spread it around to the different linky parties - see the right side bar for the list - and some flickr groups that I regularly contribute to...and then maybe a few more :)

If any man speak, let him speak
as the oracles of God;

if any man minister, let him do it

as of the ability which God giveth:

that God in all things may be glorified

through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise

and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:11 

I'm not sure if I've shared this verse here before or not, but I really like that it acknowledges that God gives us our abilities and that we need to glorify Him when we are using our gifts. We can never thank God enough for what He has done for us and we also need to remember to praise Him!

Amanda

So Much To Show You...

But there never seems to be time to sit down and post everything...

This week I am busy trying to finish Amber's quilt so it can be added to the long list over at the Quilt Blogger's Festival at Amy's Creative Side...and I think I might make it!

But before I started quilting it, I wanted to rearrange my sewing corner...

Before...

and even since this picture, a few things had changed...

but now even more...

You see, with the sewing machine out in the middle of the floor, I was afraid that one of the girls would go by and pull on the quilt while I was quilting it...so I needed to move. Also, I wanted to bring the computer into this area too.

This wasn't how I originally had things mapped out for the move, but I LOVE the way it turned out! (Thanks Chad!)

After...

The girls still have their play area just beside me...but I now have a higher hurtle to cross...my new exercise program :) since I don't have to run to the living room to use the computer. (The girls do get to 'invade' my space sometimes...but I try to keep them from getting under foot so they don't get into the sewing/craft stuff.) The way the room had been set up, Amber was reaching in and pulling fabric off the shelf of my table...I think she's going to be a crafty one...Liz maybe more on the artsy side.

This seems to be working great for quilting...and when I'm working at the table I can see out the window. Liz can sit at the end of the table and color...or play tea party :)...Amber will probably join her at the table when she gets a little bigger. For now she's content taking all the toys and books off the bookshelf and play kitchen.

So, I hope you've enjoyed this tour of one of my favorite places...time to go finishing quilting so I can bind and FINALLY post about Amber's Quilt!

Hopefully I'll be able to get back to connecting with the great linky parties list on my right side bar...it seems to have been a little hit-and-miss lately. But you can always check them out for great inspiration for another craft project.



Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him:

for the marriage of the Lamb is come,

and his wife hath made herself ready.

Revelation 19:7

So, I was actually looking for a different verse, when I opened to this one...it made me think about needing to keep myself ready (spiritual) for the return of the Lord to take us to Heaven to be with Him. Just like we prepare for weddings here, we have a great wedding we need to be preparing for...the best wedding ever!

Also, made me contemplate being prepared for my husband...to make things ready for when he gets home from work on a daily basis...this should be our preparation for the when we are again a bride that needs to be prepared. (However, this is definitely no guarantee it will happen on a daily basis...but I can try :)

Sewing seeds daily...

Amanda

Quick Fall Tote Bag...

Today I'm doing a quick post to show you my weekend finish...
A quick Fall tote bag for a friend.

I made this bag to fit a Bible, a journal and a piano book or small 3 ring binder for carrying items to church...but my friend can decide how she wants to utilize the bag. I think some of my love of fall colors dominated this bag...also hope she doesn't mind :) !

It really was a simple bag...but useful...even without any pockets or a closure...but with three small children and another one on the way, I didn't think she'd mind not having to fiddle with a closure. Great for a grab and go!

Linking this one up with the early week parties...check them out on my right side bar. Also, including this one in the Wearable section of Celebrate Color (button also on  the side bar).

Hope everyone's start of the week is good...I'm off to can 4 bushels of apples... reinforcements will be arriving to help after work!

To everything there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

At another time, I believe I already used this verse...but today this verse is appropriate. This morning I finished preparing my last Science lesson for school. It was a bitter sweet moment...

I greatly enjoyed teaching the children science, but my home (not just as in cleaning it, but the aspects of the children and husband too) were being neglected as I tried to prepare lessons, practicing piano, keep my sanity of doing the house work, and my leisure activity of sewing. So, yesterday, I 'resigned' from actually teaching the science class at school. I will still be there on my volunteer days to continue to help teach them and bond with them...which is one of the greatest joys of being there...

I believe that this is the direction God has for me at this time, and even as Pastor said when I told him...we can keep it in mind for in the future, once my girls get a little older, then maybe we would be able to resume these classes.

For now, my time at home needs to be directed to other things than science.

Amanda

Two-in-One...

These seasonal centerpieces and mug rug have been my main sewing project this past week.

The Autumn Side...

 The Winter Side...

I love this table centerpiece (holiday hexagon) pattern from Love Laugh Quilt. I made a few of this pattern for Mother's day gifts...and these are also gifts that I can't wait to give! And what's better...they are 'just because' kind of gifts!

This picture shows well the two sides...

The Autumn side will go great through Thanksgiving...then the day after, it can be flipped over and...Viola! Already to start decorating for Christmas!

I would struggle with this though...

I used to wait till the day or two after Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas, but in the past few years I have begun decorating in mid-November...so for about a week I'm wondering how to decorate my table for Thanksgiving! I love fall decorations...but the rest of the house is ready to celebrate Christmas. Maybe I can start doing a dusting of 'snow' on the fall leaves for that week...a meshing of the seasons!

So when do you decorate or start decorating for Christmas?

And here's my confession, I had my Christmas village still covered in SNOW up until the end of September, when I finally redecorated it for fall...hmmm...back to snow in a couple of weeks - it must be an Alaskan village :)

Also, to accompany one of the centerpieces, I made one of the adorable fabric pumpkins I've been seeing all over blog land.

I love them and the way mine came out...even with the many interruption I seem to continually have (an eleven month old will do that for you!) it only took maybe an hour, maybe an hour-n-half...LOVE the quick accomplishments! I'll probably want to whip out a few more before Thanksgiving!

My pumpkin is the ultimate recycle project too...the fabric is a skrit I really liked but wore only a couple of times (it was a little small) but loved the fabric...so it became a great pumpkin material. The stuffing is from an old bean bag chair of my husbands and the stem and leaf are scrap pieces of fabric. Fun to use things from around the house :)

I'll be showing these off at some of the linky parties on my right side bar and entering in the October Houseware section at Celebrate Color. Check out all the fun going on in blog land!

And a quick family note...my baby started walking today!!! She was going about 5 feet (measurement feet...not her feet) across the living room tonight.



I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,

beseech you that ye walk worthy

of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Ephesians 4:1

Walking daily in a way to honor the Lord is a goal that a true Christian should have... we have a 'vocation'... a job to get done for the Lord and we need to make sure we are accomplishing that job to His glory. I know some days I fall short of always being a good example to my girls...but I am thankful we have a forgiving God that allows us another chance and He keeps working on us - DAILY!

When I was younger, my favorite short chorus was I Love You, Lord...and I still enjoy it very much and have been playing through it when I sit down to practice...

I love you, Lord,

and I lift my voice

to worship You;

O my soul, rejoice!

take joy, my King,

in what You hear;

may it be a sweet,

sweet sound in Your ear.

Worship Him with a sweet sound...your voice!

Amanda

Random thoughts...

So, I still feel like a blog slacker...but if once a week fits into my routine the best, so be it! A science test and lesson need to be prepared, the laundry is always piling up, and the house will eventually be clean again, but I really want to post a few things that have happened recently.

Yesterday, as I was walking through my overly messed up living room to get to my desk, I had a heart warming thought...and I'd like to share:

So, this is what I was walking through...

and my thought was..."it's so cozy with all the blankets and pillows scattered about." I finally saw past the mess and couldn't wait till one of my quilts are included in the pile of blankets the girls like to play in. Liz's rag quilt is included here, but I'm working on bigger ones for the girls. They seem to like blankets, so I hope they LOVE their quilts!

For this moment, I think I finally grasped what Paul was saying in Philippians 4:11 - "...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Now, if only this would continue to penetrate my thoughts when I begin to again get annoyed with blankets and toys all over the house :) !

I have finally had time to work on Amber's quilt, so the middle is all sewn together, now I'm adding borders and hope to have the quilt top done this week! (I'm still waiting to have it all together to show the whole thing...I'm still loving this quilt!

My goal is to have it all done by the end of the month so I can add it to the Bloggers' Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side.

Recently, we have been experiencing some beautiful fall weather, so we went out to play in the leaves the other day...

and captured a great picture of my family!

Then this morning...

Liz wrote her name all by herself...for the first time!!!!

She said, "Mommy, it's my name."

My first thought was that it would be her normal row of straight lines. When I turned and saw this on her doodle board...

I was so excited for her and grabbed the camera! Now she can start writing her own name on her school and church papers! :)

And not to leave Amber out, she was adorable all curled up in the corner of her crib during her morning nap today.

I have two very wiggly sleepers...sharing the bed with them means little sleep that night! Gratefully, we very seldom have them coming into our bed anymore!

On to more crafty things...

I read the blog post over at Ladybird Ln just before I was going to start this post and decide that this months Crafting for a Cause is something to get involved in...even the school kids can help with this one! We will be writing encouraging Christmas cards to the Soldiers fighting to help us keep our freedoms. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out.

I already added the button to my right side bar!

But ye shall receive power,

after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem,

and in all Judaea, and in Samaria,

and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 1:8

This blog started as a way to share my faith and my crafting with people that share crafting interests...because the craft blogs are how I found out about blogs. I wanted a way to share my faith with others. Little did I realize that it would take me to the uttermost parts of the earth! I think it is truly amazing that people from around the world have visited my blog.

To God be the glory...great things HE hath done!

Amanda

How quickly...

Time just flies by! It's been two week since my last post...so this one is long over due, right?!

The past two weeks have been busy. First, I was finishing making the fabric baskets for the Missions conference at church. They were completed and filled the day before the conference started. Between the sewing time I was cleanning the house for the guest we were having during the conference.

We had our churches annual Harvest party on Saturday...it kind of kicked off the missions conference, which started on Sunday morning with a great Sunday School lesson about the harvest fields.

The conference continued on Sunday night, as well as on Monday and Tuesday night. Something new that we did this year was have a Discussion panel time for the school kids on Monday and Tuesday morning.

The kids seemed to enjoy it and the missionaries gave great information about the counries that they are/are going to be missionaries to. A few of them are even native to their mission field, which helped provide even more insite to those areas of the globe.

It was some good geography learning for the kids. Liz even seemed to pay attention (at least on the first day) for part of it!

Amber was herself...all though she didn't seem to yell as much!



It was a great conference and we had some wonderful missionaries that we were able to really get to know better!

Say not ye, There are yet four months,

and then cometh harvest?

behold, I say unto you,

Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields;

for they are white already to harvest.

John 4:35

This was the text for the Sunday School message that began a great missions conference. The point that stuck out to me was that some people that are ready to be 'harvested' will spoil in the field before anyone gets the Gospel to them. Made me think that the message needs to get out more so that we do not lose to many in the field.

Amanda