Saturday, June 30, 2012

Link-Up Treasure Trove

Wow wow wow!!!!  This week was an amazing week for "treasure". 

My favorite treasure this week is this beautiful bread box.  I will trust the Lord to someday fulfill my farm house dream so that this litte treasure will go perfectly in the kitchen...along with this nifty antique strainer...Yes, I'm one of those that goes "nutty" over antiques.  My husband introduced me to the beauty of antiques...it was during our "dating" months that he often took me antique shopping....and for our wedding gifts to one another, we purchased an antique trunk and a Greek Key patterned oil lamp while on our honeymoon.  The neatest thing about these two items is I know the house they came from...a beautiful rolling hilled farm with the perfect white with black trimed farm house on it, which is surrounded with big maples...oh it is beautiful!


These cards are so neat to me...not sure if I will use them or frame them to go with some "liberty" decor we have.

Here are the most amazing finds this week...clothing galore!  All these clothes were at the thrift store that my daughter and I volunteer at.  We were so blessed and bonus all most all of them fit perfectly.


What did you find this week?  If you want to share your treasures you should join us as we share over at  http://www.mylifeonataffypull.blogspot.com/

Don't be shy we'd love to see what the Lord is blessing you with!  While there snoop around...you will find more than treasure sharing and I guarentee you will be blessed and encouraged.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Sew Happy Finished Project



















Sewing is one of my passions...especially aprons. 
It has been four long years since I sat at my sewing machine....life has been more than strange. 
I'm so glad to be back at it again...makes my heart sing. 





Since getting back into sewing I've sewn some fun projects, but this one has to be my favorite thus far.  Because it involved teaching my daughter the beauty of sewing.  She has sewn very small, no pattern or instructions to follow type sewing projects.  So this was a big project for her.

She helped me make a pattern from one of my aprons.  We drew what she wanted the end project to look like...this included where she thought the pockets, embellishments like buttons and the big bow should be placed, as well as where to add a ruffle.

Something new for me was using piping.  I googled how to attach and finish off piping - amazing how much you can learn just by typing in simple words.  So this part of the project was a new learning experience for us both.  We both really like how the piping set the ruffle off from the apron skirt...thinking piping is my new best friend! 






Since this was her project for learning, I asked her to do most of the tracing, cutting, pinning and sewing from start to finish.  She learned about adding pleats (don't ya just love pleats), how a lined project will lay nicer, and how finishing touches like top-stitching make the project have a "fancy" flair.


Adding buttons...see the piping?










I'm so proud of her and know she will be a master seamstress someday.


Sunday, June 24, 2012

Homemaking Is For Life

Renewing Housewives: Homemaking Is For Life#c7092534930776496697

Ohhhhhh...I really love this post!  My heart just rejoices with this beautiful list...why because our Lord values us so much, and He knows we can do it...for His glory! 

Here is what I wrote in response to the above post: 

I have a LOT of work to do....we went grocery shopping yesterday and since my husband was with us and really dislikes grocery shopping because he gets "bored" - I gave him a list of his own and we had a race to see who could make it to the check-out the first - HA!  Anyway, why do I have a lot of work???  In my husbands cart I noticed a lot of easy, fast, packaged foods (yuko - things I would never never never purchase)...I didn't say anything in the store but asked him why on earth he purchased those items?  The answer was SHOCKING...the answer he gave made my heart sink!  He looked at me and smiled and said..."I was just trying to make your job easier because last week you COMPLAINED about having to be in the kitchen ALL THE TIME...eeek!!!!!  Ohhhhhh I did complain about being in the kitchen all the time...I did complain about having to make all of our meals from scratch...I did complain...and my dear husband was listening and wanted to solve it - but what I got from complaining was what I've been avoiding all these years...yikes! 

If my husband was listening....hmmmm so were my children...I have a LOT of work to do and will be praying for the Lord to give me a cheerful heart while doing it! 

The truth is I love cooking and baking for my family...I love feeding them well with healthy, "scratch" meals...ugh I wish I would never have breathed those complaints! 

The past few meals I have been voicing how I love cooking and making them healthy meals...how it makes me happy to fill their bellies.

One day there won't be the big meals, one day there won't be the messy house and piles of laundry, one day my house will be a "museum".  My hearts desire is for my children to have fond memories of good, healthy foods eaten in a delightfully cleaned and organized home...which they helped keep!  One day I want my children to WANT to bring their little ones to "grandpa's and grandma's house" because I will involve their children in all that I do...and I want to be the fun, joyful grandma who has a joyful twinkle in her eye!

Thankfulness and joyfulness is what the Lord wants from me...He wants me to learn to be content in all things - especially in my God given right as Keeper!

Hope you enjoyed the post at Renewing Housewives as much as I did.  I hope it encouraged you to be the woman God called you to be!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Training My Son

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6  

Every day...all day we are either training our children to be about their Lord's business...or training them to be about their business.  Here is an example of how to train your children to be about their business...may it give you wisdom and encourage your heart to choose a better way...to train them to be about the Lord's business.

 I was gone helping out at the thrift store for about four hours.  On my arrival home my very sweet and compassionate son came skipping down the hill where he and his father were working on setting up new cow fencing...he came into our home saying "Hi MOM" and proceeded to walk across the room...in his dirty shoes...and reached out to give me a hug with his dirty self (he was filthy)...and did I return his joy at seeing him?  Did I reach out to receive his precious gift of a welcome home hug?  Did I train him correctly - teaching him that people are more important than dirt?  NOPE...I did not!  Instead I said, "Oh, you are so dirty...outside with you"....My face was not full of joy - there probably wasn't even a smile on it...instead I'm sure I had a scowl that said "ugh..more dirt to clean up"!
 
"These are the ones who give without counting the cost."

I should have had a face full joy to see my son who so loves and accepts me...he tells me often that I am beautiful ( even when I've been working out in the garden and am covered in...DIRT ) and that he loves me.

You should have seen his shoulders droop, his eyes shadow, his smile diminish...all because of a little dirt!  What I wouldn't give for a "start over" button..."re-do"..."scratch that moment"...but the damage was done.

Wow, I failed big time!  I did apologized and explained to him that I was wrong and should not have worried about the dirt...but oh, I will never get that moment back again.  And I trained him to think being clean and "perfectly" presentable is how you will be accepted and loved...oh the damage! 

However, I believe the Holy Spirit pricked my heart right then and there and I was able to take a broken hearted boy, who had been rejected by his mom, and turn it into a lesson.  A lesson that showed my son that dirt is just dirt...and that people are valuable. 

This outcome would not have come about if I had not been seeking the Lord, reading His word, and asking Him to create in me a clean heart - daily.  Do you have a heart that is walking after His spirit?  Whom will the Lord send your way today?  Whom do you need to ask for forgiveness from? 

Mamas - treasure your moments with your young men, don't throw them away like I did, cherish them, embrace them...ask the Lord to help you to train them. 

For these young men, the ones who are so loving and compassionate, are our doctors, teachers, veteranarians, pastors...these are the men that fall on the grenade to save the battalion...these are the ones who give without counting the cost, because their mamas trained them to be about their Lord's business.
All my "men" going for an overnight camping trip


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Would You...Could You...Stand Guest Post...

Home Sweet Home
Would you...could you stand with your man if you were asked to go where you did not want to go? What if going would make your relationship stronger in the Lord? What if going would mean that you would have to learn a completely new way of living...off grid? What if going would create in you a clean heart - just like you had been praying all these years? What if going would mean that ALL of your "stuff" would be in storage for years? What if going would mean no more favorite things like sewing, baking when you wanted, or scrap booking? What if going would bring your family closer together - even though you would not see it for many years? What if going would bring immense stress on your marriage? What if going would make you think thoughts you never thought you'd ever think? What if going would teach you what it means to have a heart that cries "Your Will Lord, Not Mine?"
From this lovely home...

Want to finish?  The rest of  my message is here at http://www.renewinghousewives.com/, where I'm guest posting today - such an honor.  Please come on over and visit me there.  I hope what I have to say will inspire you to stand for God's word!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Beyond Treasure...Blessings

As most of my treasure hunting has been...a huge blessing.  This is yet another one of those "blessed treasure" kinda posts. 

My daughter and I have been volunteering at our little thrift store in our little town...and have been blessed big time!  We aren't volunteering to get "things", we are doing it because it is something we love to do...organize and clean!  We have been blessed by helping people find things they need and blessed by finding some treasure for us too. 

One huge blessing...a box FULL of home-made aprons just waiting for us to discover them.  They are from the 50's and are so delightful.  My daughter and I went ga-ga over them...aren't they adorable!

These are my favorites...especially the blue one!



I have looked all over the web for this pattern...voila! 
Now I can wear this pretty green one and make a pattern from it for future aprons...how cool is that?
They belonged to the lady who owns the thrift store.  Some of them were made by her aunt.  I was more than thrilled to know who used them before me...I love nostalgia!

Speaking of aprons have been working on this one with material and notions which I received for next to nothing from various places.  I made this reversible.  I even made up my own pattern, traced from one of my "trusty" aprons.  I used old jeans for the ties, neck straps and a fun pocket on the red one.  I love embellishments so I used buttons at corners and such...I think it turned out so very cute.  I don't think I'll wear this yet so I can enter it into our one day fair.


And these are my three trusty aprons that have seen me through failed bread, glorious cupcakes and special dinners!  These aprons have a special place in my heart as they were given to me by three special people...a friend whom I'm so blessed to still have in my life (cancer survivor), my husband,  and another special friend - here is her blog spot:  http://intercessionwithsally.blogspot.com/.


I also found this gorgeous plate.  It will go great with my favorite print of George Washington crossing the Delaware.

And lastly...be still my heart!!!  I love bucket hats! 


What treasures did you find this week?

If you need some inspiration to get out there and go treasure hunting here is a great place to find that inspiration:  http://www.mylifeonataffypull.blogspot.com/

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day!

Monday, June 4, 2012

21 Days...Less Than 30 Minutes...

Want a challenge that will give you greater understanding of God's word?  Want a challenge that will clarify some confusing scriptures?  Want a challenge that will once and for all lay to rest the "controviersies" that seem to be in the Christian faith? 

Take the 21 Day...Less than 30 minutes challenge... 

I have taken the "21 Day Challenge" over at my husbands blog  http://thegospelaccordingtothegospel.com/.  I am on day 5 and am so thrilled to share this with all of you. 

The Lord is really speaking through him and has given him such insight. 

I am excited about what these teachings are doing for me and my understanding of the great mysteries of the Lord...so excited! 

I hope you take the challenge - it will strengthen you!  Leave a comment on here and on The Gospel According To The Gospel blog telling us what you think.

Blessings!  May the God of peace richly bless you today and give you hope.

Pslams 144:12 -

That our sons may be as plants
and our daughters may be pillars sculptured in palace style.


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