Getting back to routine

Oh, how I love my routines :) There is so much comfort in having a routine. Minimizes the stress. I was able to attend VBS today (was fearful yesterday that I wouldn't) and things went much better and more smoothly. We are seeing record numbers in attendance and supplies were plentiful today. Lord is answering prayers, too, for my replacement(s). I've talked to two different ladies that I feel would make a good team. Both are artistic and crafty. And, I believe, that the Lord has sent them for this purpose because I've never worked with either of them in VBS crafts. 

This is the craft for Thursday. It was supposed to be a rainbow, but the instructions made it too complicated for first through third graders, so one of the "prospects" modified the design and this is one of two ideas. I made this one this afternoon just to do it. We have to be prepared in case the children need help. I don't know if I'll be there, but I'm ready.

I was gifted today with this beautiful quilt square. The children in fourth through sixth grade are doing a community service project and coloring with permanent markers the squares that will then be quilted and donated to a local shelter that our church sponsors. One of the teachers in the fourth grade class thought someone should do a palm tree. No one at her table had chosen to do it. She went on to tell us that she grew up in Trinidad. I absolutely loved her work and being the sweet lady that she was, she signed it and gifted it to me. 

I've never been to Trinidad, but I have been to the Bahamas and would go back in a heartbeat. The locals are some of the kindest people I've ever encountered and remember my trip fondly. I was also fortunate enough to go to Hawaii last year and again, fondly remember the locals as kind and caring (and not just because their livelihood depends on it - they genuinely are). Obviousely, both places have palm trees so this work of art will serve as a token and I am going to have it framed and displayed in my home.

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My spring, bargain plants are doing beautifully. We've had some really warm days (in the 90s) and they are managing to survive. We've also had enough rain that I very rarely have to water. The colors are amazing !!!

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I have a finish for this month !!! I needed something small for myself and found a tutorial on a blog (that I, of course, didn't record the name of . . . duh !!!). Anyway, I made these place mats out of scrap fabric - just to play. I'm rather pleased with the end result.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

AWOL

So sorry I've been gone for a whole week. I have been furiously working to get the finishing touches on crafting supplies for Vacation Bible School. I was so engrossed and involved I didn't even realize a week had passed until today !! Please forgive my absence.

Vacation Bible School began today. Let's just say that Satan was working overtime because everything that could possible go wrong today did - and not just for me. Please! Please! Please! Keep us in your prayers all week. For success, for decisions for Christ, for sharing God's grace through our actions and help with these young children as they spend their mornings with us. Due to circumstances beyond my control I will be unable to continue my role as the head of the craft department in VBS. I am planning on helping where and when I can, just not in a leadership capacity. This is extremely difficult for me to step away from, but there are other opportunities being presented so I may just be in another area - if that's where the Lord is leading. Again, asking you pray with my the HIS will be done.

I can't be the only one who is dumbfounded by the fact that we are half way through July !!! When did that happen? So get your projects ready. Head on over to Wendy's site for sign-ups. And while you are their, you can check out her new pattern - my secret sewing.

I'll be Gnome for Christmas

Isn't this the sweetest thing you've ever seen? !!

Mine isn't finished yet, but I can at least show you some progress :)

 

I've chosen to hand applique using the blanket stitch, back stitch and satin stitch. Absolutely love this project and it's on my agenda for Friday's Sew-in.

I also have another new project to work on and finish. 

 

These are some of the scraps from my "rug". I found this tutorial on a blog, I just forgot to write down the name of the blog. I did remember the basics I read and am making new place mats for my family. After the stress of family issues, getting ready for VBS and cheering BFF on through a couple of her projects (and finishes), I needed something quick and easy to get my back on track.  Personally it's going to be a bleak goal month, but that's ok with all the good stuff going. I'll catch up in the next few months and all wil be good again.

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Don't forget to stop by Wendy's to sign up for FNSI.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wishing you a creative day.

Feeling special

Do you ever have those times in your life, week, day, when someone unexpectedly makes you feel special?  I have. In fact, recently, it feels like a lot. A couple of months ago, my youngest niece (mid-20s) asked my sister and I to go to a craft fair with her. We had a great time.

Today, my oldest niece (early 30s), sent me a message asking about plants and gardening. I'm no expert, but I know enough to get in trouble (as BFF always tells me). I was able to give her the advice that she requested. It made me feel special. Just had to share.

  

These are my niece's before and after pictures of her garden - she spent the afternoon and evening working in the garden with the help of her husband and two of her sons. They did an amazing job. Her only exposure to gardening was my mom and myself and her dad. Her dad puts in an amazing vegetable garden every year. We'll conquer that with her later :) I'm just so proud of "my girls". They are amazing mommies and working women.

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(image found on FaceBook)

Yes, this is how today feels and started. Life can be very frustrating and things don't always go the way they should or you thought they should. So I pulled up my boot straps and moved on. And when I'm feeling like this the best thing I can do is keep my hands busy. 

I started in the garden and pulled a trash can full of weeds. Good timing since the trash gets picked up on Tuesday. And there will be more :) Weeds are almost under complete control (who am I kidding?).

Sunday, I took a break from the secret project and worked on samples for Vacation Bible School and started another scrap fabric rug.

Monday, I'm back to my "secret" project and now I'm sewing crabs :)

The fish are all done and we decided to add a little something extra and came up with the crabs. I'm just sewing them up, someone else is doing all the cutting. She's almost done, so I thought I better get busy before I get too far behind. She has more for me to do. VBS begins on Monday - please keep us in your prayers.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Friday Night With Friends - the results

I hope everyone had a productive evening and getting lots of stitching, sewing and needleworks done. I had a very successful evening, but I can't show you anything because it's the secret project I'm working on. I can tell you that I have all the piecing done and am now on to the next step. My family are privy to the project, and I can tell you they have been very complimentary of my results. I can't wait to show you the finished product when I get the go ahead :)

My Saturday has been equally productive. When I wasn't working on the secret project, I was doing laundry (which is all caught up - even put away), or cooking. Breakfast all around, leftovers for lunch and barbequed ribs and chicken and broccoli salad.

Fresh from the garden - apparently, deer don't like broccoli anymore than Newton :)

Fresh broccoli salad - does it get any tastier?

I found the recipe on Pinterest. This is definitely going to become a family favorite.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative weekend.

Happy Independence Day

It is an absolutely gorgeous day here in the Northeast :)

Temperatures should be a mild mid to upper 70s. What a great way to start the weekend, but also some much needed relief from the 90s we've been experiencing over the last several weeks. The a/c and elelctric bill are also getting a much needed break as the windows and doors are open and enjoying a beautiful breeze as I sit at my dining room table looking out at the street and sunshine.

We finally got some much needed rain last evening, so everything is crips and bright this morning.

I figured out a way to keep the deer away from my precious plants - old bird cages that were headed to the recycle plant that I have repurposed . . . clever girl! They say necessity is the motherhood of invention. Well, in my case, it's the motherhood of necessity :) It worked - at least until they figure out how to move them. Newton put them down in the ground for me. So here's hoping we're successful.

Isn't this a gorgeous onion bloom? I'm going to try and collect the seeds for onions next year - save some $$$.

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Off to my sewing machine. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you all a gorgeous creative day.

And let's not forget what we are celebrating today. 

We al take too much for granted and today was paid with a very heavy price.

This week just went !

It's amazing how quickly this week has flown by. Half the week was spent out of the house, so consequently, I don't feel like I accomplished much. But we did :)

I feel like my biggest accomplishments this week were getting carpets cleaned,

and filling this bin. These are the strips of fabric that I used to make my rug. I finally have all the strips sewn together. I would sew two strips together and in between would sew a fish for vacation bible school. It's called chain sewing. For me it was multi-tasking because I worked on both projects at the same time. I've sewn 400 fish and this laundry bin of strips together in the last few weeks. 

Another major accomplishment this week:

My vegetable garden is weeded. It still needs mulch and new weeds are popping up, but at least I know that my carrots are coming up. I'm praying over my peas because something is eating them. I spent this evening putting old bird cages over a couple of zucchini plants and a pepper plant because the deer are back and eating my garden again. I'm not as impressed with them this year. As you can imagine, a lot of work goes into your garden, and free-loaders aren't welcome :(

On a positive note, we have enough fresh broccoli already to make broccoli salad for the weekend.

 

                                                                           

Aren't they gorgeous? 

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So what are your weekend plans? We have a three day weekend to celebrate Independence Day on Friday.

Friday is also FNWF. Don't forget to sign up with Cheryll at Gone Stitch'.

I'm working on my quilt and sewing crabs for Vacation Bible School. There's a team of six of us working very hard to get things together and ready.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative weekend.

Busy, busy week

And it's only

Summer vacation has started and we have been keeping busy around the house. Monday we were at church for Vacation Bible School.

Tuesday, Newton helped me clean carpets and mow the lawn. It was wonderful having all that help.

I managed to even get some weeding done in the vegetable garden.

Planted some romaine from leftover scraps. Aren't they gorgeous?

 Sewing on the "secret project".

They are coming along beautifully.

Unfortunately, there just doesn't seem to be enough time right now to do much on the crafting front. I did find a link on Pinterest to a website I'd like to share with you.

Quilt Blocks of the Day

There is a different pattern that can be downloaded daily at no charge.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.