Mamas*Little*Treasures

Grammie's Jammies Part 2

With only four days left to finish up our holiday crafting, I've got a few more fun, quick, and easy projects to work on.  This morning I'm finishing up some hand-decorated ornaments, as well as working on a few more pair of jammies.  I only have five more sets to finish up!  Here are a couple more jammie sets that I wanted to share with you, and give you a sneak peek at the other two project ideas / tutorials that I will be posting later today and tomorrow. 

Then, after those projects are finished up, I've just got a few recipe ideas to pass along and that should take us right up to Christmas Eve.  After that, I'm sure we will all need a few days  to rest and recover from all of the festivities, and then it's back to creating!  Pretty soon we'll want to make some crafts or sew something fun for our little ones (or even for ourselves!) to brighten up the dreary days of January, and then we'll be working on creative projects for Valentine's Day . . . . . and before you know it, we can look forward to spring.  Can't wait! 

And I have so many ideas that I just have to get out of my brain and into creations, it's a wonder that I ever accomplish anything at all   ;o)   Here are just a few of the ideas that I'm planning for after the holidays: 

*  Gingerbread Baby Applique outfit

*  Personalized "My Story" kids'   journals

*  "Dolly Dresses" wallhanging

*  Crazy Patch Journal Covers

*  Mama and Me aprons

*  Personalized totebags

*  Simple Quilt Projects

*  Ebook patterns for my new collection of 'tween fashions

Well, I think that will keep me out of trouble for a minute or two!  Please continue to send me your ideas of projects you would like to do, and together we can come up with our own new designs and tutorials to go with them.   My only problem right now is that I always run out of time to create all of the fun stuff that is bouncing around in my brain!  It's a good thing that we have snow days once in a while around here, because it gives me a great excuse to stay at home and CREATE!  Have a wonderful Monday, and be sure to let me know what you want to work on next . . . . and stop back later today for the tutorial on making personalized hand-decorated ornaments.  Chat soon, Nina

PS Here is a sneak peek at the Vintage Recipe Collage that makes an inexpensive gift with lots of family traditions and memories.  But then those are the best kind of gifts, anyway!

Eclectic Artisans Team Blog Ring: My Favorite Etsy Shops

I hope we get to do this topic again soon, because I have met so many wonderful sellers on Etsy, that I almost don't know where to start!  Mostly I work on stocking my own shop, and haven't bought lots of stuff on Etsy . . .not because I haven't found anything I wanted to buy, but this year has been quite a financial juggling act with both of us being unemployed for several months.  However, I have "met" lots of great, friendly, gracious, and generous people through the forum conversations that I have participated in.  And then, once we start chatting, I visit their shop and discover a delightful world of incredible artisans and their work. 

One of my most favorite Etsy sellers is 12Step.  His photography is amazing and he is so kind and helpful!  I love the way he finds the soul and spirit in images all around us in our everyday lives, but we are so often too busy to notice.  He notices, and captures those images to share with others through his art.

Another Etsy seller (I have actually purchased items from her shop!) is Pamela at the Delightful Designer.  Her gorgeous bridal laces, fabric flowers, and beaded trims have been used in my little studio to create the hand-embellished bridal shoes that many brides have requested.  I have also used some of the beaded lace from her shop to embellish handbags, as well as a few other pairs of shoes that are just for fun!  Her service is wonderful and her product is excellent! 

And then I would like to recognize my sweet friend JeannetteJed.  Although I have not purchased anything from her shop, I have "chatted" with her on numerous occasions and she is one of the most thoughtful and generous people I have ever had the privilege of getting to know.  I realize that online acquaintances cannot be considered actual "friendships," because of the limitations of the interaction that is available through online communication, but my encounters with these three Etsy sellers has given me a great appreciation for the opportunity to have even a passing encounter with such genuinely friendly people. 

Please visit 12Step, Pamela at the Delightful Designer, and JeannetteJed and tell them I sent you!  Have a great Thursday, and be sure to stop back tomorrow for more last-minute holiday gift ideas.  Off to finish up Grammie's Jammies   ;o)  

And now to complete this week's blog ring, please visit HairbowsWonderWorld to read about more favorite Etsy shops!  Be sure to visit the Eclectic Artisans Team Blog, too. 

We're almost out of time, but we can still get this finished!

Am I the only one out here who really loves to make gifts, buy gifts, and give gifts . . . . but there just never seems to be enough time, energy, or money to do it all?  This year I decided that it would be fun to make a little something to send to all the grandbabies.  All 10 of them! So, in addition to trying to figure out all this new-fangled stuff that the girls want (DSI?  What the heck is that?  And just exactly HOW did we raise kids, who actually survived, before we had all these doo-dads to entertain our babies and keep them safe???) . . . . I am working on a little project that is fun, simple, and best of all it fits my budget.  Which is pretty small this year, considering the months of unemployment around here. 

So as I was staring at my stash of fabric, I suddenly remembered that I had a bag filled with plain white t-shirts that I bought last year when they were on sale.  And then I remembered that I also had quite a bit of flannel that I had also bought last winter and just didn't have the time to work on.  My little brain started thinking about the sweet  jammies I made for the girls a couple of years ago.  That's when I decided just what I was going to make for all the grandbabies.  Well, they're not ALL babies.  Two of them are 6 years old, two are 5 years old, two are 4 years old, one is 3 years old, one is one year old, and two of them are just a little over a month old.  That does make 10, doesn't it?  Four boys and six girls. 

I pulled out all of the t-shirts and found just about all of the sizes.  Just need to buy a couple more.  And then I started going through the flannel and have just about enough different designs for both boys and girls of various ages.  I think I'll be able to do this project without investing too much more money, but at least I'll be able to invest lots of love and time, and hopefully let them know that they are loved.  And while I'm out in the studio working on each little pair of jammies, I  can say a prayer for that baby that God will protect them as they grow up. 

So I just wanted to share this idea with you, in case you are looking for a last-minute, quick and easy Christmas gift for a little one in your life.  If you received the "Learn to Applique" ebook last week, just use that same technique to apply any design you cut out of some flannel fabric to the front of a plain white t-shirt. 

Then, using any pattern you might have in your collection (or buy a basic pants pattern) to make a super-quick pair of jammie bottoms to match.  I finished up a couple of pair of jammies yesterday afternoon out in the studio. 

Here's what you will need:

Grammie's Jammies

*  1 - 2 yds flannel fabric (depending on the size you are making)

*  1 plain white long-sleeve t-shirt in the size you need to make

*  Sewing machine

*  Scissors

*  Matching thread for sewing and stitching on the applique design

Follow the directions in the applique eBook (or leave a comment here and I will send it out to you!) by cutting out a simple design from your flannel fabric.  Iron on the fusible interfacing to the inside of the shirt, and iron on fusible web to the back of your design.  Press securely in place on the front of the t-shirt, and using an applique stitch (wide, tight zig-zag stitch), stitch all around each of your designs. 

Then, following your pattern for children's simple elastic-waist pants, make your jammie pants in the matching fabric.  Insert the elastic in the waistband, hem up the jammie pants, and there you go! 

Super-dooper simple!   Be sure to leave a comment here if you want me to send out the "Learn to Applique the Simple Way" eBook to you.  And have fun making more holiday gifts from your home, your hands, and your heart!

PS you might want to put each child's initial on the jammie top, at least if you have as many to make as I do, so I can remember which pair of jammies is for each one of the little ones   ;o)  

PPS you might also want to consider making the pantlegs of the jammies a couple of inches longer than needed right now.  That way the pantlegs can be rolled up a turn to make a cuff, and then as the child grows, they can unroll the cuffs and the jammies will still be long enough.   

 

My Mama's Hips - Who Cares, It's Christmas!

I used to LOVE to cook and bake, and try new recipes and experiment with different kinds of foods.  But that was back when I didn't have to think so much about my waistline!  Back when my older kids were small, we made all kinds of fun stuff.  I used to bake bread that we would take to the local farmer's market in the summer months.  That was back when we first started talking about "health foods," and so I made these beautiful loaves of bread that were crammed full of yummy stuff like nuts, whole grains, raisins, cranberries, wheat germ, and of course whole wheat flour and honey.  I couldn't tell you all of the different kinds of "Health Bread" I made back then!  But it sure was fun   ;o)  

Then, the kids grew up and, of course, given their choice they would always prefer plain old white bread.  OK, I give up!  And then, after four babies and a few years going by, I suddenly realized that I was going to need to pay more attention to ME and my own health.  So, even though I had never really had to think about my weight that much, and I had been kind of an exercise devotee for many years, somehow as time went by these sweet young girlish hips became My Mama's Hips.  And I stopped cooking and baking the way I used to.  That was OK most of the time because, I told myself, why should I spend so much time cooking and baking when the results of all that creativity are either completely ignored (or rejected), or else whatever I have spent hours creating is devoured in 30 seconds. 

I know that is a very cynical attitude about cooking.  But you can see why I just couldn't be bothered to invest any unnecessary time and energy in cooking and baking . . . . especially if I couldn't eat most of it anyway!  I still am trying to be very health-conscious with my cooking, for my own health as well as for my family, but at Christmas I guess it is OK to splurge a little bit.  So when I found this recipe for Candy Cane Fudge I decided to give it a try.  Partly because it is so pretty, but also because I love the combination of chocolate and mint.  

Chocolate is not one of my favorite things (as I know it is for some people), but once in a while it is super yummy!  Yesterday afternoon we made up our Candy Cane Fudge and put it on this cute little Santa Claus dish.  The girls want to take some fudge to their teachers on Friday, so I guess we'll be making another batch or two.  Go ahead and splurge a little and take a taste of this scrumptious fudge yourself . . . . and perhaps make up a batch to take to the neighbors.  Another simple and frugal gift from your kitchen!

Candy Cane Fudge

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

2 teaspoons mint extract

1/4 teaspoon red food coloring  

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, salt, evaporated milk, and butter, and stil until the sugar melts.  Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil stirring constantly, for five minutes. 

 

 

 

 

After five minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the marshmallows, white chocolate chips, and mint extract.  Pour the mixture into an 8 X 8 pan that has been lined with aluminum foil or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 

*  Optional:  Sprinkle drops of red food coloring over the top, and stir once or twice, creating red swirls.  Do not over-stir, otherwisethe candy will turn pink.  Place in the refrigerator to set the fudge for at leastone hour.

*  Instead of the red food coloring, I sprinkled the top of the fudge with red andwhite sugar crystals.  You couldalso use crushed candy and  sprinkle over top of the fudge.

I remember my mama telling me that "Necessity is the motherhood of invention," and of course when I was 8 years old I had no clue what she was talking about.  But as the years have gone by, I definitely have had to figure it out on several occasions!  When we were making the fudge yesterday, I knew that I had some red food coloring in my kitchen, because  I bought a little box of the four different colors when we made the lollipops last week.    But . . . I know my Miss Curiosity and her propensity to "figure it out" by experimentation, and after she got red food coloring all over her hands last week, I put that little box of food coloring away . . . . someplace.  I hid it from the girls so I wouldn't walk in the kitchen and discover them (along with the walls, counter-tops, and floor)  covered in a rainbow of colors.  And then I couldn't remember where I hid it!  Still don't remember   . . . .  so that is when I decided to use the red  and white sugar crystals, and I actually think it is much prettier than with the red swirls through it.  So, there you have it!  And trust me - it really is yummy!  Have a blessed Wednesday, and I'll be back later with another fun and frugal, quick and easy, last-minute gift idea for some of the little ones in your family.  Chat soon, Nina

 

"When you can't see His hand, trust His heart"

“When the trials of life unravel
the fabric of our plans.
When we face the deep confusion
of painful circumstance.
When our feeble strength is broken,
and we stand with empty hands.
That’s when the Father whispers
‘Trust the pattern I have planned.’ ”

~ Lyrics from song, "The Weaver"

 

There are many different kinds of pain, brokenness, and "empty hands" that are potentially just around the corner on this journey called Life.  Sometimes that pain is caused by our own choices . . . . that is one thing that I have been trying to stress to our daughters as we talk about choices and consequences.  Because choices always do have consequences, and often-times in life if we make unhealthy, dangerous, or foolish choices we will experience unpleasant consequences.  And it is not uncommon of us to experience positive consequences when we make helpful choices.  This conversation frequently takes place in the context of being safe, and the wisdom of keeping our family protected.  Sometimes little girls (and boys, too) worry about that kind of thing, so we try to help them know that the safest place for them to be, especially at their ages, is with their family.

 

However, there are those inexplicable times in our lives when we confront tragedy through no particular choice of our own.  Or, perhaps it IS a result of choices that we have made at one time in our lives that we THOUGHT were the right choice.  Being brought face-to-face with a broken dream when all along we really did believe that we were doing all the right things.  But even here, there are many different kinds trials that cause life to unravel right before our eyes.  And no matter how hard we try to "fix it" or make it better, we find that "our feeble strength is broken, and we stand with empty hands." 

 

But here is the part that I have found to be a very perplexing aspect of all of this:  there are some painful experiences that we can talk about and there are others that simply seem to be inapproppriate to talk about.  And I sometimes wonder why, because in the end, no matter what the tragedy we encounter, tragedy is tragedy, and brokenness is brokenness, and empty hands are empty hands. 

 

As a life-long seamstress and quilter, the imagery of "fabric" and "pattern" resonates with my heart.  I love the process of discovering (or creating) a pattern that I can envision, completed into a beautiful garment or craft project, in just the perfect fabric.  Of course, including all of the trims, buttons, lace, ribbons, and whatever else my imagination can dream up!  But anyone who has EVER tried to sew will tell you that there are those times when it just doesn't turn out the way you had envisioned it. 

 

I remember one time, many years ago, when I was working on a sweet little outfit for my oldest daughter.  She was very little at the time (meaning I was very young!), and I had never attempted to put the kind of snaps onto a garment that you need that pliers-type thing to attach the snaps.  So, I got all four of the little snaps attached to this cute top, and I suddenly discovered that one of the snaps was in the wrong place.  I don't remember . . . . too close to one of the other snaps, too close to the edge of the fabric, or something like that . . . . and I attempted to take it out and "fix" it.  Of course, that only made the problem worse, because in the process of trying to remove the problem snap, I ended up creating a small hole in the top that I had just spent many hours sewing.  I was devastated!  It was just that, after all of that hard work, doing everything pretty close to "right," the final result was definitely anything but "right." 

 

And that's the way life can be.  But the difference is that, when we run head-on into a disaster in life, even though we are emotionally and spiritually crushed, we can know in our heart and mind that God STILL has a plan and a pattern for what's going on.  When I can't see that anything good could actually come out of my circumstances, I can hold tightly to the promise that He knows, He cares, and ultimately He is in control.  We need to be reminded of that frequently as we stumble and fall on your way through the darkness that sometimes surrounds us.  

 

The words of a song that always comes to mind when I think about this is:  "When you can't see His hand, trust His heart."  I have no idea who wrote it, who sings it, or even where I heard it, but it so succintly says exactly what we need to remember in our times of brokenness.  And maybe someday we will all have the courage to speak, and the compassion to hear, about the "empty hands" that are all around us, no matter how difficult the words of that broken heart might be.  But for now . . . . we must listen for His whisper.

 

Please visit Loni today at Writing Canvas to find the links to the other IOW participants this week.

Winter comes to our little house in the woods

Some people hate winter . . . . but I actually LOVE the winter months, now that I no longer have to drive out my driveway every morning and head to the city!  Last winter I had a JOB away from home, and even though I didn't need to be there all THAT early (leave my house by 9:00 a.m. to start work at 9:45 a.m.), still it was the stress and pressure of being out that door, on time, no matter what else was going on around here. 

I realize that millions of women do that (and so much more!) every day of their lives for years and years.  If you are one of those women, I give you credit for being a better woman than I am!  But as moms, we all know how stressful it is when we have one responsibility that seems to overwhelm all our other responsibilities . . . . and then when the two collide, what's a mom to do? 

Even when a kid is sick, or even when mom is sick, or if the car breaks down, or there are snow drifts in front of the door, or there is ice on the roads, when you have a JOB away from home, you just have to figure it out.  Well, since I lost my JOB away from home in October, I have been quite content to work right here, in my little home office and sewing studio.  And I am actually getting a great deal accomplished!  Maybe in the new year I will even make some money to help with our family budget.  But even when I am not bringing in "new" dollars, I remind myself of how much money I am saving by being here at home. 

If you just think about the cost of daycare (which my girls absolutely LOVED going to, at our church, but still. . . . ), it adds up to over $600.00 a month.  So right there we're moving in the right direction!  And then there is the cost of driving 30 miles each way to work five times a week, which really gets pricey   ;o)  At about $50.00 a week on average to keep the gas tank full, there's another savings of approximately $200.00 a month.  Then, if I eventually make a little bit from my online business, I'd say we are doing great! 

But, the thing that is such a gift to me is that I get to stay here in our safe, cozy little cottage in the woods and work at what I love:  taking care of my family and having time to create!  I feel fortunate and blessed to have such a supportive hubby who loves his work, too, and he encourages me to pursue my dreams.  After the past couple of days when we had a blizzard around here (not as much snow as many places, but the wind was really WILD!), it is wonderful to see the sun shining on woods behind our house.  And the wind has let up so that I could actually stand on the deck and take a picture without being blown to bits! 

This beautiful image of the snowy woods behind our house reminds me of the peace, simplicity, and joy that can be found in the smallest blessings in life.  Even when we all are a bit confused and concerned about the future, and perhaps some of us have questions about where life is headed in this economically difficult time, we can still accept the gift of joy and peace that is present all around us.  We can find it if we slow down and look at our world.  Of course, when the girls come home and my little house is filled with giggles, tumbles, and creative messes, it is sometimes hard to remember the peaceful, quiet moments, but those times of serenity always return, but children grow-up and take with them all of those giggles. 

So for now, I enjoy the peace and quiet, and this afternoon I will celebrate the rambunctious chaos that comes with children.  And today . . . . . I get to create!  And do the laundry, pay the bills, do the dishes, vacuum the carpet, change the sheets, scrub the bathrooms, sweep the kitchen floor . . . . . or some combination of those mundane household chores.  This is where I love to be!  Again, I celebrate those moms (like my daughter-in-law who has three children, the oldest not yet 5, who will be returning to her full-time JOB away from home shortly) who can do all that and still stay sane (or something!). 

Perhaps I am boring, but I guess there is a time and a place for just about everything.  I've always felt my best "role" on the stage of my life has been the one who just stays in place while everyone else enters and exits at the appropriate moment.  But it's a good thing that the stage is never empty!   Have a blessed Friday, have great fun whatever you are doing and celebrate the gift of life, wherever that might take you. 

Lost in a Blizzard of Creative Beauty

Even my girls have been overcome by the spirit of creativity these past few wintry days!  And even though it is still two weeks until Christmas, they are really getting in the mood of the holidays with their own creative projects.  This morning they were painting on tin foil . . . . that was their idea, and then they decided to include a few paper plates in their artistic adventures.  I will post some pictures of their beautiful designs later today, but just wanted to let you all know that I'm still busy sending out the eBook patterns for the teacup pincushions and the applique projects.  If you posted a comment and I have not gotten your eBook off to you, I will be working on that this afternoon again and hope to have them all sent out by tomorrow.  I hope!  Thank you again for your wonderful response - and please stop back because I have so many ideas that I want to share with you   ;o) 

Today I have a couple of other ideas that I will be writing up into tutorials this weekend (after I get ALL of the current requests filled!) and should have the new eBooks ready by next week sometime.  I'll keep you posted on my progress!  In the meantime, the girls and I have a couple of recipes we want to try this afternoon, including the Candy Cane Fudge recipe that I found online, AND we really want to finish up with our holiday home decorations. 

Here's the goal that is keeping me moving forward on all of these projects:  I know that many of us are struggling to make a joyous holiday for our families in the midst of a recession.  Many of our families have lost jobs this past year, and even if some people are finally finding work again, it is going to take quite a while to recover from the months and months of falling behind . . . . much less having funds to purchase gifts at Christmas.  So . . .. I've suddenly had so many ideas of things that we could make for the people that we love, and not only stay on our budget but also let the people in our lives know how much they mean to us. 

Think about it - perhaps it would really be nice to be able to give an expensive gift, but remember that when you give someone a gift that you made yourself, there is a deeper message that we give.  When you give a gift that you created, and invested the time, energy, thought, and love into it, that speaks so clearly of your genuine love.  So whatever your financial circumstances this holiday season, here are a few more ideas of ways to share the true spirit of Christmas and relieve some of the anxiety of worrying about money.  Let's create a place of peace and simplicity and give a gift that will be remembered long after the Christmas decorations are put away for the year.  Give someone you love a treasure from your heart and your hands, and make it yourself!

 

I've been working on the crazy-patch piece journal covers and fiber art bookmarks, as well as the Christmas Tree table runner.  Either one of these projects can easily be made up in an afternoon and they are made from snippets and scraps of fabric, ribbon, lace, vintage buttons, beads, charms . . . . and the sewing machine!  Super simple, really inexpensive, and great fun to make as a gift or even for yourself!  I'm working on getting them written up, just as soon as I send out all of the rest of the other eBooks and tutorials.  Let me know what you think . . . . 'cuz I've got several more ideas in my little brain and can't wait to share them with you!  Have a wonderful Thursday and stay warm   ;o)  

PS If you want to see more pictures of the crazy patch journal, take a peek at my Etsy shop.  They are all custom-made to order and this one is sold, but you will be able to see a few more pictures. 

I just found this cute little widget to help me welcome my visitors! Please click on the link (on the left in the pink box from Blog Frog) and let me know you were here ;o) Still working on sending out all of the eBooks and tutorials, and hope to get them all sent out by tomorrow! Thanks for stopping by ;o)

Why did He do that, anyway?

"If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words:  God with us.  We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ.  The greater truth of the holiday is His deity.  More astonishing than a Baby in the manger is the truth that this promised Baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!"  

~ John F. MacArthur, Jr.

Several years ago, having spent most of my life up to that point very involved with my family in our local church, I began to wonder what we really were doing, after all.  I mean, really . . . . . don't you ever ask yourself that question?  What's all of this about, and what do we think we are doing with this "church" stuff and "Christian Life" business.  Does it make any difference?  Is it really as important as we make it seem?  And yet, for all of the talk about "grace" and "forgiveness," and our ongoing discussions about living a life of commitment to the Lord - I wasn't convinced that we were that much "different" from everyone else.  What is REALLY going on around here anyway, I wondered.

Every where I looked there was the pretense of perfection, that just didn't quite seem right since NONE of us are perfect.  I seem to remember the words of the Apostle Paul saying someting like, "There is none righteous, no not one."  Well, of course that is true, otherwise we wouldn't need a Savior if we could get that part right on our own!  But in puzzling this one through in my little brain, I realized that we were all pretending because that is what was expected of us.  Well . . . . no one would admit to THAT, because we could all quote Ephesians 2:8 - 9  "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."   But there was still this sneaking suspicion in the back of my brain that if someday I slipped up and made a mistake (you know one of those REALLY BIG mistakes, because some sins definitely are worse than others!), and if anyone ever discovered that I wasn't perfect after all, it would be all over.  I would be abandoned by all the other perfectly pretending Christians. 

Well, eventually I had the opportunity to take a few classes in Biblical studies and theology, mostly just to try to understand why it is that so many of us were saying one thing and doing something very different.  I'm not sure I ever discovered the answer to THAT particular question, but one thing I remember discovering was the concept of the Incarnation.  Of course, I already knew the story of God sending His Son the Lord Jesus to be our Savior, John 3:16 and all.  But I finally had the chance to think about the "why" behind that eternal, historic event.  Why would a Holy God do that?  And why did He come to earth as a Baby instead of, say, a great big brute of a guy with a deep, gruff voice to put us all in our places?  Well, I'm no theologian (gave THAT up very early on in my educational journey because I really don' t like to argue that much) - but it seems to me that this was the PERFECT plan.  I  guess so!  Since He is God, His plan probably is perfect, even if I'm not and can't quite understand it all.

And it is perfect because we need to be reminded that even the Glorious, Infinite, Eternal God of the Universe was willing to be humble.  And because He knew that we needed to know, in our human finiteness, that we have a God who understands our limitations.  And one thing I did realize that was quite helpful . . . . even if lots of people around me couldn't quite cope with my imperfection, God was not surprised!  Actually that Baby in the manger, one and the same God of the Universe, came to earth because He loves us so much, and He cares so much that He was willing to become as one of us.  Kind of like God with skin on.  We're kind of simple that way, and need a little nurturing once in a while.  So, when I read the ancient text, "Cur Deus Homo," and I was able to begin even finitely to comprehend His amazing grace and love, it made sense . . . "Why God Became Man."  He doesn't turn His back on us, ever, even when we sin.  That's the whole point of the baby in the manger.  And that's why I celebrate Christmas.  The eternal God came down here, right HERE, to fix our brokenness.  Even when we pretend to be perfect, because we might be able to fool some of the people all of the time, but not only does God know all along about our failures, He took care of THAT problem a very long time ago.  Truly, God is with us!

Please stop by Jennifer's blog, Scraps and Snippets, and you will find all of the other IOW participants this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Busy mamas create wonderful holiday memories

Just a quick note to let you all know that I'm working my way through all of your posts and sending out the eBook patterns and tutorials just as fast as I can!  Thank you so much for your wonderful response and your kind and encouraging words   ;o)  I do need to finish up the next project that I will be posting and would really like your input on another idea . . . . please let me know if you would be interesed in learning how to make this sweet little Gingerbread Baby outfit.  It is super simple, and could even be made up as a paper doll on a heart for Valentine's Day.   For now, however, I'm finishing up the Christmas table runner design that could also be used to make pillows or a wallhanging to bring lots of holiday cheer to your home this Christmas!  I'll be back later this afternoon and send out more of the teacup pincushion, stickpin, and applique eBooks.  Thanks again for your incredible response!