Mamas*Little*Treasures

What's Up With Your Wardrobe?

Every morning you stumble to the closet, take a peek inside at the jumbled, crumpled, and disorganized mess, and then you wander away mumbling something about "not having anything to wear." We all do it at one time or another. Of course, some of us are so organized and in control of everything in our lives, including our wardrobes, that perhaps this little scenario doesn't play out in YOUR home very often, but as women we all have days when we just don't feel "good" about our clothing. For others, it just might be that we no longer even take that peek into our closet, because now that we work from home, we can just work in our jammies all day! That's fun for awhile, but eventually we all have to get dressed sometime!

There are lots of reasons that we go through this little ritual. It could be that you've gained weight or lost weight; maybe you just don't have the money to go out and buy new clothes to fit your realigned body. Perhaps you have accumulated so much "stuff'" in your closet over the years, that you just can't wade through all of it to find something that still fits, that you like, and just happens to be the right season. It is also possible that, if you are anything like me, you have worn your "favorites" until they are threadbare, and you just don't want to invest the time or money looking for something else that will be your next "favorite." But in the end, those of us who struggle with this frequent drama, know that it can be a real discouragement, trying to get dressed so that you feel good, look nice, and have the confidence to face the day.

 
If you are in the midst of the "mid-winter blues," one thing that will bring back a spring in your step and a bit of hope in your heart, is to update your wardrobe. But NOT by going out and racking up a huge debt on your credit card or busting your budget! The inspiration behind my little Etsy shop, "Tatters to Treasures," was this very situation. And since I have spent my entire life shopping in "thrift shops," it was just natural for me to find some great deals and then share them with my customers. I grew up wearing "hand-me-downs" from friends and neighbors (and even strangers sometimes, too!), and then as a teen-ager I had great fun sewing my own clothes, or fixing up a "new" dress that I had found at the thrift shop. I remember my mama telling me about the sweet little coat that she made for me when I was just a tiny girl . . . . . she bought a ladies large coat for 25 cents, cut it apart and used the fabric to make me a winter coat!

 
As a mom, I frequently would take thrift store garments and "recreate" them for myself and my children. Of course, I'm not sure they appreciated all of that at the time, but now they realize that when there isn't enough money to go around for everyone to have everything brand-new, this was one way of covering all those pesky bases that mamas need are responsible for! Now, my little girls love to go to the thrift store and we find all kinds of amazing items! My theory is, "Why go to the mall and pay $120 for a dress that I can buy at the thrift store for $5.00?" Of course, I may not always find the PERFECT outfit in my size . . . . but it definitely leaves room for lots of creativity!

And so, out of my love of all things vintage, and my life-long interest in "upcycling" and "recreating" clothing, I've built a small online business offering vintage, "Almost Vintage," and hand-embellished, upcycled, and recreated garments, shoes, and accessories. I hope you will stop by my little Etsy shop, "Tatters to Treasures," and see some of my newest creations. Thank you for your interest in "Tatters to Treasures," and please be sure to email me if you have a custom order you would like to discuss.

Nina @ Tatters to Treasures

www.tatterstotreasures.etsy.com 

Domestic Diva Escapes Capture by Computer!

It has been almost a year now, that I have been working on building the ministry of Ruby for Women. During that time, I have not had the time or the energy to invest in my home the way I would like to, and I definitely have not had the mental capacity to keep up with my blogging! Well, we now have an Assistant Editor here at Ruby for Women, as well as a Graphic Designer on staff. Amanda Johnson will be helping me with all editorial and submission tasks, as well as assisting with all of the details on the Ruby for Women blog and community website. Katherine Corrigan will be providing assistance with making our blog and website beautiful! She is also available to help you with your blog or website makeover! You can find both of these ladies in the Ruby for Women community.

So, now that I have some help with all of the responsibilities of Ruby for Women, I have been able to catch my breath a bit, and do some domestic engineering. Although we live in a small cottage by a lake, with a lovely wooded area behind our little house, I feel that it is important to make our world as comfy, cozy, and pretty as I possibly can. We lived in a large, renovated Victorian home with four bedrooms for almost 20 years in Michigan. Then, when we moved to Colorado for my husband's job, we found another beautiful old home which had been renovated, with four bedrooms, a fireplace, and a spacious family room in a Victorian mining village up in the Rocky Mountains. After three years there, we realized that I was probably never going to adjust completely to the altitude (7,500 feet elevation) and that we needed to move back to the midwest. Here in Indiana, with a really difficult economy, we decided to "down-size" in many ways, including our choice in homes.

Around here, I've heard that this kind of house is called a "Hoosier Hut," because it is a manufactured home and only "poor" people live in these little hovels  ;o)  Well, we do have a HUGE garage, a lovely little studio where we can entertain Grandma and Grandpa for summer fishing trips, a lovely large yard, and a beautiful wooded lot behind us. Out my kitchen window we have the cozy woods and out our front window we have a nice view of the lake. Although we are not on the lake front, we do have access to the lake where we have a little fishing boat in the summer and the girls can go swimming. It is peaceful and quiet here, and the neighbors are friendly and like family in many ways. So, even though our little "Hoosier Hut" is small, it is cozy and charming in its own way.

On the outside I am hoping to fix up the yard this summer. Our house in Michigan had beautiful perennial gardens that we had worked on for many years. They were filled with a wide variety of flowers and plants that did well in the shade. We have some shade here, in the back yard, but lots of sun in the front yard, so that will be a brand-new experience for us! This winter we decided that it was time to fix up the inside, so we started with the dining room. Now, those of you who read my blog occasionally know that I LOVE thrift shopping and vintage everything. And, because we have had some pretty significant financial struggles this past year or two with unemployment, I don't have very much money to spend on these kinds of projects. I love these kinds of challenges! I like to see what I can find to spiff up my home in our local thrift shop, and then work my "creative magic" and turn someone's piece of cast-off "junk" and turn it into our family's "treasure."

First, we painted the walls a soft creamy ivory gold. It is not really yellow, but it definitely has more personality than ordinary "off white" or "ivory." I thought about doing a texture design but decided I like it just the way it is, with the simple country-style border. Got all of that at Walmart (we love Walmart, and I guess that proves that we are "poor country folk." No matter, it works for us! Then, I took a strip of the border and put it on the front of the drawer in the top of an old cabinet that I've had for at least 20 years, put new knobs on it and it is perfect for storage. We are going to use the storage areas in the dining room for our craft supplies, because I have more than enough cupboard space in the kitchen for all of the dishes.

Then, I found a beat up old wooden shelf at the thrift shop, so I paid $3.00 for it and brought it home to paint. I painted it black and then used a dry brush technique to add a sheer layer of gold paint. It now matches the discarded wall hangings and vintage saucers that I also purchased at the thrift store. The wallhanging frames were already black but the inside had rather worn and tired looking pictures of chocolate truffles   ;o) So . . . . . I painted the whole thing black, then did the sheer gold layer of paint on the frames, and glued the vintage saucers right in the middle. The saucers are ivory with gold designs, so it all kind of works well together. At least, I think so! The original wallhangings were $1.00 each and the saucers were .50 each.

Then, I had a couple of other wallhangings that I had picked up from thrift shops over the course of the past year, so I grouped them all together, including a vintage mirror, lamps, and other odds and ends, and now I think my dining room is just perfect. Well, for us country folks in our little "Hoosier Hut"! The embellished button frame on top of the cabinet was created using the same technique of brushing a sheer layer of gold paint over a black frame, and then I glued on various vintage buttons.  Inside the frame is a piece of fabric over quilt batting, and I stitched on a piece of black ribbon and vintage lace from a tattered old slip, along with more vintage buttons. Just perfect! A few old books, a couple of candles, some old boxes, and a couple of beautiful "Mama" statues that I picked up at Walmart for $5.00 each after Christmas last year, and I think our dining room is just about ready for a festive family gathering over the holidays.

Of course, not too many of us will all fit in our little house, but we have managed to tuck several babies and grandbabies in around the edges and we all have a wonderful time in our cozy little "Hoosier Hut" here beside our lake in Indiana. Perhaps if you are finding your budget a bit tight this year you will be encouraged to use your limited resources in creative ways to make YOUR home a bright and beautiful corner in the midst of the cold winter months. Blessing on you and your family this holiday season . . . Merry Christmas!

"Impossible" is not in our vocabulary!

"Oh, remember this: There is never a time when we may not hope in God. Whatever our necessities, however great our difficulties, and though to all appearance help is impossible, yet our business is to hope in God, and it will be found that it is not in vain." 

~ George Muller, quoted in ~ The Roller Coaster of Unemployment: Trusting God for the Ride by Sarah M. Hupp

 

Although our family has been touched over the past couple of years with the affects of unemployment, and I could share several stories of how God has provided for us in the midst of this uncertainty, that was not the first memory that came to me when I was contemplating this quote. Many of my readers know that we have two beautiful daughters, ages 7 and 9, who were adopted from China. In the beginning of our adoption journey, we knew that the financial realities of such an undertaking would be difficult at best . . . . but we actually did have a few resources at first. So we began our first adoption, and through a long series of circumstances, we managed to meet all of the financial deadlines that are required for the mountain of paperwork and "red tape" that goes into an international adoption. We brought Gracie home in November, 2002 at the age of 22 months. 

And then, a few months after we returned from our first trip to China, we "found" Annie on an adoption website. She was on a waiting child list because of her Cerebral Palsy, but somehow we just knew she was our daughter. But we also knew that, by that time, we had already invested all of our resources in our first adoption, and there was simply no possibility of coming up with the funds for a second trip to China. I called the adoption agency, inquiring about this little girl, 15 months old at the time, and was told that if we were interested we needed to fax our paperwork immediately.

Apparently, as the story was given to us, these children each have a file that is sent to an adoption agency for a designated number of weeks (I think we were told three months, total), and if there are no inquiries, then the child's file is sent to another agency. If there is no interest in adopting the child at the second agency, the file is then sent on to a third, and final, agency. This was the final stop for Annie's file . . . . and it was the last week before it would be returned to the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs, not to be sent out again. If she was not "spoken for" within the next couple of days, her file would be returned and she would never again have the opportunity to be adopted.

So, even though we had NO idea how in the world we would ever be able to figurel out all of the financial requirements of an international adoption, I immediately faxed a "Letter of Intent," indicating that we were interested. This, I believe, put a "hold" on her file to give us a few more days to figure out what we were going to do. At the same time, we requested a copy of her medical records to take to our pediatrician. I called the drs. office, and they agreed to have our pediatrician review the medical records immediately, as soon as I could bring them in. When the fax arrived, I rushed down to the drs. office, the pediatrician took the records, and said she would call me as soon as she possibly could.

Within a half-hour of returning home, I received the call. The pediatrician told me that there was nothing she could see in the medical records that would indicate a situation that was going to get worse than what was already going on . . . . which we still didn't know exactly what "that" was, but it appeared to be minor Cerebral Palsy that had great potential for being successfully treated with therapy. That was all we needed to know! We needed to know that, with God's help, we would be capable of caring for a child with limitations, and this was definitely something that God could take care of.

So, the flurry of paperwork was underway - but that was just the beginning of the many times and ways that God gave us the hope, the courage, the confidence to move forward with an adoption of a precious little girl; a situation that seemed "impossible" in human terms. From one event to another, through the entire nine months that we waited to bring Annie home, God brought people into our lives, through our church and our community, to provide every penny that we needed for our adoption and our travel to China. Tomorrow I want to share with you a few of the amazing things that we experienced while watching God at work, making the "impossible" a reality for our family and for our Annie.

Please take a minute to visit some of the other participants in this week's IOW meme, and then leave YOUR link back to your blog so we can visit you!

I am not courageous today . . . . maybe tomorrow?

“It requires much more courage to stand and wait and still not lose heart or lose hope, to submit to the will of God, to give up opportunities for work and leave honors to others, and to be quiet, confident, and rejoicing while the busy multitude goes happily along their way.”

J.R. Miller
from Streams in the Desert

The other day I said to my husband, "If I could just figure out what God is leading me to do, I know I could just let go of all this anxiety and worry." The problem was, and is, that there is no shortage of things that COULD be done, or even things that SHOULD be done. The problem is that I simply don't know which one of the multitude of opportunities in front of me is the RIGHT one . . . . especially in light of the fact that it would also help if whatever it is that God wants me to do could help us pay the mortgage and feed the kids! But then, I must remind myself, God knows THAT, too.

So, it is beyond my human comprehension that this particular quote was chosen for this particular week. I'm clueless. All I know is that God has put on my heart the need to pursue the opportunities that have "accidentally" dropped in front of me, but where that will lead and how that will benefit my family financially, I don't have the slightest idea. And with my personality, and my determination not to ask anyone else to do for me what I really should be doing for myself . . . . well, waiting is really very, very difficult for me.

"Give up opportunities for work" is the part that is the hardest . . . not because I want to "work" for any particular award or recognition. It is just that "work" is part of the way I was brought up and "work" is something that we all should be doing everyday. Whether it be the "work" of caring for my home and family, or the "work" of teaching a Sunday School class, or the "work" of just doing the task at hand. So it is all very confusing to me, to suggest that it is actually OK for me to stop "working" so hard. Now where does that leave me?

Because I KNOW that we don't have to "work" in order for God to bless us or to accept us or to love us. But this whole business of "not working" is a pretty huge obstacle for me, especially right now, with the economy the way it is and so many of us struggling financially.

So, the way I see it today, through my faulty vision of God's plan and purpose, I would love to be still and wait, not to lose heart or to lose hope, to be courageous in the face of uncertainty, and to submit to the will of God . . . but since I'm still trying to figure out what God's will is for me in this situation, I find myself wandering around trying to figure out if there is even one more thing I am supposed to be "doing" to get there. And when I am fearful and wandering around clueless, it is really not possible to be courageous, brave, and hopeful. I'm not looking for honors, just honest "work" that honors my Heavenly Father. . . .and helps pay the bills.  I'm trying to relax, really!   ;o) 

Please visit our hostess this week for "In Other Words," Tami at The Next Step, where you will find the links to the other participants this week. Then leave your link and we'll come by and visit you to read your thoughts on this week's quote.

I just keep beating my head against that same ol' wall

“There’s somethin I learned when I was homeless:
Our limitation is God’s opportunity.
When you get all the way to the end of your rope

and there ain’t nothin you can do,

that’s when God takes over.”
~ Denver Moore~
Same Kind of Different As Me
(co-written with Ron Hall, with Lynn Vincent)

 

It's really our loss that this is true . . . but it is.  Whenever we "have it all figured out" we just go about our business, cheerfully ignorant of the reality of what might be just around the next corner.  I am eternally grateful that God knows not only what is around that next corner, but He also knows and cares about the last five (or a million) corners that I've turned, and He knows about every corner I will ever peek around in the future.  I just wish I would remember that BEFORE I crash into the next wall of difficulty that will inevitably rise up before me on my daily walk through life.

 

As long as we have a shred of "me, myself, and I" to cling to, we tend to keep telling ourselves, "I can do this!  I can do this!" . . . . all by myself!  Reminds me of most two-year-olds I've ever known!  Or The Little Train That Could.  But I do this all the time - I think for me it must have something to do with growing up in a part of the country where we are all trained from a very early age about the "American work ethic."  "We make money the old fashioned way . . . we work for it" has been the motto of my family's life from long before I arrived on the scene.  When I was a little girl, both my Mama and my Daddy worked, every day, away from home, just to pay our mortgage of $60.00 a month.  And I remember my Mama worrying frequently about whether or not she was going to be able to pay it on time.  But I didn't know at the time that we really were "poor."  Who knew??  Not me, because that wasn't the focus of life.  It was about working hard, paying your bills (on time as much as possible!), being honest, and taking care of whatever possessions you managed to acquire.  But all of that came to me from a perspective on life that did not include the grace of God, and His mercy, love, and everlasting kindness.  It was just us, and we had to figure it out on our own.  And we did, most of the time, but it was rarely easy or "fun."

 

So now, with a lifetime of hearing about hard work, independence, doing for others, and an absolute horror at the thought of being selfish or lazy   ;o),  even though I  KNOW in my head that I really can trust God to take care of my family, even when I (seriously)  can't figure out how to pay the bills AND buy the groceries - I still feel a sense of "responsibility" to figure it out myself.  After all, I reason, God has bigger issues to deal with than my family's struggles.  Really, I'm fairly intelligent and educated - but it always comes down to that.  And I know that it comes from my belief (as we like to say in our Christian community:  My World and Life View) that yes, God is in control and, yes, God is BIG enough to take care of it ALL, but I'm sure He expects me to do my part.  But that's the problem . . . . I get a bit confused (alright, a LOT confused!) about just exactly WHAT my part is. 

 

I am convinced that this is an area where every person exoeriences a great deal of influence from their upbringing.  Maybe people who have rarely had to deal with scarcity, whether in the area of money, food, clothing, just the basic necessities of life, are better at recognizing when they "can't do it all" and perhaps they are better equipped to trust God.  I don't know . . . . I've never been there!  But I just know that I am not so good at it.  I need the constant reminder that I don't need to "do it all."  Well, of course I CAN'T, but my heart continues to tell me that I am responsible, at least, to try.  So the battle continues - even though I could write numerous posts about ALL of the times that, when I really was facing that weekly question of choice between the bills and the groceries, it all worked out.  In quiet, simple, unimpressive little ways . . . . it was that Still Small Voice of my Lord, reminding me to give it a rest once in a while.  It's a good thing to be a hard worker, diligent, persistent, determined, responsible . . . . blah, blah, blah . . . . but if you keep knocking yourself out, day after day, you are bound to get a headache.  So stop it!    "I'm trying, Lord, really I am" - see, I even go there when I'm trying so hard not to.  Ain't life grand???    ;o)  

 

If you want to join the rest of this week's In Other Words participants, just visit Miriam Pauline at her blog,

Miriam Pauline's Monologue.  You will find links to the other blog posts on this topic today, and you can post your own link, as well.  Then later today, I'll pop around and visit you!  Have a great Tuesday, and remember to trust . . . . it's much healthier than banging your head against that wall, like me!    ~~  Nina

 

PS I have just about finished up the spring issue of Ruby for Women, and it will be available tomorrow  for purchase.  I'll post a link to a preview, some excerpts, and the subscription page.  In the meantime, let me know if you would like to submit an article, poem, story, springtime photos, recipes, or devotional for the summer issue, which will be coming out the first week of May. 

 

PPS  Also, don't forget about Operation Pillowcase . . . we are sewing pillowcases to send to the troops in Afghanistan in March, and we would love to have you join "Team Ruby."  Let me know if you are interested, and I'll put you on the list! 

The Joys and Challenges of a Work-at-Home-Mom

Every where you look there are ads for the most miraculous opportunities to make money by working from home.  And the testimonials are so convincing:  "I quit my day job, and in just 30 days I've replaced my income AND my husband's income."  Amazing!  So now they are both working from home, and I sincerely hope that it is working out for that family.  Especially at this time when our economy still seems to be pretty lethargic, and finding a JOB is an elusive quest for so many. 

Besides, I'm not sure how it would work out for both the husband AND the wife to work from home.  I don't know. . . . I would love to spend my days in the presence of my Sweet Hubby, but I think there's the whole issue of "male" and "female" brain function, and we just might not quite see eye-to-eye on a daily schedule.  But if it works for some folks, I think that is great!  What I wonder about, however, is how honest and reputable some of these companies are that are encouraging unemployed people to part with their grocery money for the week for the "opportunity" to work at home. 

Do any of them really work?  Or is it just one of those "trickle up" theories where, if you send ME money, I'll tell you how to advertise to get other people to give YOU money, so you can tell them how to advertise to get more people to send THEM money.  And there is never any REAL work, just more of the same thing over and over.  The idea of working from home, and making a real income, is so appealing to women with children.  Many moms really want to be at home if their child is sick and needs to be taken to the dr.   Lots of us love to be at home either so we can homeschool our children, or to be at home when our children come home from school.  We love to cook, and sew, and sometimes clean the house, and do the laundry, and even sweep the floors once in a while.  Well, not that we actually enjoy doing all of those things, but most of us like to have them done.  And there is no one else to do those chores in most of our homes. 

Many of us moms are doing our best to keep up with all of that, and keep up with the kids, and talk to our husband when we can get a word in around the babbling of children.  Some of us want to be able to volunteer at our children's school, or work in our church, or participate in community activities.  And all of THAT makes us look for ways to generate income and still be able to have the flexibility to do the other things in life that are important to us.  When I held a job away from home, I simply could not do most of the other things in life that I believe are significant in the life of my family.  I would come home at night so tired I barely had the energy to fix supper and feed my kids before collapsing for the night.  But what about their homework, and reading with the girls, and folding the laundry (oops!  I forgot to wash the laundry before I left for work in the morning!) or pay the bills, or wash the dishes.  Now, I know that there are millions of women who do this every day for years and years.  And I am impressed.  Seriously. Because I couldn't do it without completely giving up on the possibility of ever having any part of my life that wasn't totally out of control.  And I've already admitted that I'm a "control freak," and for me that means that I don't cope well over long periods of time when the laundry is piled high, dirty dishes are oozing out of the kitchen sink, and there is this annoying crunching sound every time I walk through the living room.  But that's just me. 

And it is NOT because I'm getting old!  ;o)   I was just like this when I was 32 and had four kids running around the house.  I just needed to be at HOME!  So, now I am at home, and I'm trying to work and actually make some money from my writing and design projects.  Most days that goes quite well.  But we are now on our third snow day, with no school, and my girls have just about exhausted all of our bright ideas for creative projects.  The joys of being a work-at-home-mom are such a gift!  I love being able to be here when they do have a day off of school, and we can cuddle while we watch a movie together.  We've been working on Valentine's Day cards, making muffins, sewing a sweet little apron and totebag, and creating decorated mail boxes for our newest adventure:  The Mail Box Club.   In our private little club, The MBC, we each write little notes to each other all day long and drop them in the appropriate mail box in the kitchen.  Then, at bedtime, we get to open our mail box and read the sweet notes that we've written to one another. 

Today we are playing house, and the furniture has been rearranged and all of the dolls and stuffed animals are out and about.  While I was brushing my teeth, I was informed that I was the Grandma (of course!), and before I could object I heard:  "Hey Grandma!  Can you babysit?  Here's the baby and the pup!"  And there beside me in the bathroom was the stroller with the baby and the pup.  That's what you get for being a Grandma.  Great fun!  But the challenging part of all of this wondrous, joyous family togetherness is that I'm buried in messes!  One right on top of another, because there are two of them and only one of me.  They do pretty good at cleaning up after themselves when I remind them . . . .  . but unfortunately mamas sometimes need to do other things, like take a shower or answer the phone, and then WHAM!!!   A fifteen minute phone call turns into a mountain of creative left-overs. 

All in all, it is wonderful being able to work at home.  But it is not all it's cracked up to be in those advertisements that make it sound like you'll be able to leisurely check your computer when you wake up at 10:00 a.m. and with a cup of freshly brewed steaming hot coffee in hand, you will suddenly discover that you made at least $1,000 while you were sleeping.  Working at home definitely has its positives . . . . but being able to comb your hair and find your underwear isn't always one of the perks.  Just something to think about. 

A New Year: A Time to Simplify Life

What is it about New Year's celebrations that seem to make us all reflect on where we've been and where we want to go?  Perhaps for some of us it is a bit of nostalgia or sentimentality.  For others there is a desire to change some of the experiences and realities of the past and move in new directions.  I'm not sure what it is about moving from the festivities of the Christmas season, right into a period of new beginnings . . . . but I've always felt a renewal of purpose; a recommitment to goals; and an overwhelming sense of regaining focus and direction in my life. 

Now, not that my life is ever particularly exciting, chaotic, adventurous, or even slightly risque   ;o)  That's why New Year's Eve is typically just another night for us.  We are not the party-going type of family.  We really are pretty boring, but when I look around at the world and see all of the really unsettling things happening everywhere I look - well, I guess I'm just content to stay in our little corner of our community and work from here.  I ran into a friend from Our Town yesterday at the post office.  She and I worked together briefly at the bank, and that's how I got to know her.  She is also unemployed, but she doesn't have a family support system and she is really struggling.  She is trying to find a job, but she is also trying to figure out how to sell her house so that she could move somewhere else where she might be able to find employment. 

As we were chatting, she mentioned to me that the recent murder in Our Town took place just a couple of miles from where we live.  I knew that it was somewhere up here around the lakes, but didn't really know it was that close to us.  Seems that a woman was murdered by her ex-husband who then took off with their 11 year old son.  The body was not located for several weeks, but I had heard on the news that they were searching in a lake.  Eventually they did find the body, and it was in one of the lakes near our house.  So, even living out here in the Heartland of America, in the midst of cornfields and lakes, crazy stuff happens.  Can't always avoid all of the nutty stuff in the world!  But I always feel just a little bit better about trying to avoid the obvious places and situations that could potentially be dangerous. 

Well, all of that is to say that, even though our lives are pretty tame compared to millions of other people in the world, I always anticipate the newness of the new year.  It is a time to rearrange the furniture, wash the windows and the curtains, clean out the cupboards and the closets, and return to my commitment to a more healthy, simple, and intentional lifestyle.  Even the girls seem to appreciate playing in their room more when it is orderly and tidy   ;o)   Of course, it is a chore to teach them how to get it that way, and then keep it that way.  But that's just part of my Mama Job!  So, after all of the cooking and baking, decorating and creating, wrapping and mailing packages . . . . . I am so ready to simplify! 

I want to sort out all of the junk that somehow accumulates, even though I am not a pack rat.  We go through all of our closets and dresser drawers two or three times a year and get rid of the stuff that no longer fits or is worn out.  But somehow, no matter how much stuff I take out the door, more and more stuff ends up in our house!  It is time for it to GO!!!   How many pair of shoes does one mama need?  And how many pair of blue jeans do two little girls need?  Or what about TOYS??? We bring in new toys at Christmas (and then we have a birthday right away for Miss Drama Diva on January 4!) . . . . and then we have to wade through all that stuff until I have time to sort it and get rid of a bunch of it.  Hopefully this year I can get rid of MORE than we brought in, so that I can begin to make some progress on this mountain of STUFF  ;o)  

Today we are going roller skating with our Dear Daddy and some friends . . . . . and then I'm going to start pitching stuff out the door:  a bunch of it is simply trash and I always wonder why we keep some of the junk that I find when sorting through the piles.  Some of it will go to the thrift store (but as it turns out, I will probably buy MORE stuff at the thrift store, just hopefully not nearly as much as I toss out!).  Some of it will be stored in those neat, tidy plastic tubs that you can buy now in every color imaginable.  And I always label those tubs so that I can find what I'm looking for . . . . . there's not much in this world that I hate more than knowing that we own a watchamajigget and not being able to find it, and then having to go out and BUY ANOTHER one!   Finally, what we decide to keep will be returned peacefully and orderly back into the dresser drawers and closets.  Good job!  At least until spring when I know we will have to do it all over again . . . . . but that's the cycle of life.  Or at least one part of the cycle of life! 

This year the other image that comes to my mind at the thought of the New Year is new birth.  With the arrival of two beautiful new grand-daughters in November, the idea of babies and new life and new beginnings is even more meaningful than perhaps in previous years.  Let's celebrate all of our opportunities to begin again . . . . whether it be in a recommitment to a healthier lifestyle; refocusing on our goals; redefining our relationships; or simply a decision to bring peace to our little corner of the world . . . . the new year is a great time to embrace the challenges and opportunities that are just ahead on our Journey of Life.

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!

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