Tag Archives: knitting

Zebra Puppet

Posted on by

It’s “Works For Me Wednesday” hosted by Rocks In My Dryer.

Today, my tip is to unclog a hairspray nozzle with alcohol! Sometimes water just doesn’t cut through.

It’s a quick tip, I know, but it works for me!!

I’m happy to report this morning that as of yesterday, I am cavity free!

I absolutely hate dentistry so this was great news!! The dentist told me that since it had been so long since I had been, she was surprised to see how clean my teeth were….she doesn’t know that at home, we are obsessed with teeth! My children and I brush and floss often!! :) That is preventive care that works!

Today, being Wednesday, means we roll out the newest finger puppet. I’m really pleased with him, so here he is…..

For those who don’t know, I’m making a set of finger puppets for my little guys for Christmas (we try to live by a few gift rules in our home…give quality gifts that don’t require batteries!). I have been making animals…I might try and make a person later so that my children will have a “Noah” for their animals. This was a suggestion by Darlene from the Heart Light Knit-Alongs group on yahoo.

I guess this one turned out O.K. ….I might still try and tweak the pattern a bit. For those who are sewing along, you can access the other patterns HERE, and the following is this week’s pattern:

Cast on 12 stitches (this will be loose on the finger but I was trying to accommodate Daddy hands that might want to play along!) …Leave a tail of several inches.

Row 1: K
Rows 2&3: K in black in ribbed stitch pattern (knit, purl, knit, etc.)

Rows 4&5: K in white in ribbed stitch patten

Row 6: K in black

Row 7: P in black

Row 8: K in white

Row 9: P in white

Continue in white until puppet measures 1 1/4″

Last full row: K2tog all the way across (knit last stitch)

Carefully slide work off of knitting needle and with a large eyed tapestry needle (or whatever big needle you might have…I had a plastic canvas blue one), thread yarn through all holes and pull tight to close on top.

You want the purl side to be facing out at this point. Using the tail that was originally left from casting on, re-thread needle and use this to stitch closed the finger puppet along the back. Secure tightly.

Turn finger puppet inside out.

Thread needle and take one stitch (leave tail dangling). Using the tail and loose thread now threaded through needle, tie a knot to secure to puppet. Make a twisted cord tail, tie a knot in the end.

Make two french knots from yarn where you would like to place the eyes.

The ears and nose are made from black…

Cast on 4 stitches, leave a tail.

Knit 3 rows

On the 4th row, k2tog all the way across and then bind off in the last row.

Try and shape two pieces into a triangle, and one shape into a circle. Stitch triangle ears on to either side of head. Remember that a zebra’s ears are folded in just a bit so when you are sewing them on, remember to account for this.

His nose gets stitched to the front of his face. Try not to sew it on flat to the front of his face but allow it to pucker just a bit.

His hair is made by drawing a threaded needle through the yarn from the top, tie, cut and comb it out, all the way down the back until you have the desired look.

That’s it!

This is what the back of the little guy turns out like:

Thanks Christy, for the idea to do this animal!

Prayer Requests

Please pray for Roberta who is having some post surgery “issues”.

Pray for a new project that I will be starting on Friday.

Pray for Paul, we found out this morning that he will not find out about the job promotion for TWO MORE weeks. UGH!

Today I’m Thankful For

Having my dentist appointment over for another 6 months!

Progress on Christmas presents that we are making.

The house is almost dried out from the weekend!

An evening out with hubby yesterday!

New shoes! Woohoo!

Tracy’s Task

Today, we’re working on our kitchen. We’re deep cleaning all our rooms now so that we can enjoy the holidays with no stress.

What I’m Learning

Am I the only one who is noticing a trend to de-feminize women? While I was out last night, I must have seen a dozen women who were so masculine that I wouldn’t not have been able to tell their gender if I had seen them from behind.

It’s a tragedy that women are so easily giving up part (a huge, important part) of what makes them beautiful, for the masculine clothing and hair styles that seem to be so popular right now!

Today’s Scripture Meditation

Ps 18:28-30
“You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”
(NIV)

Praying for His will in my life,

Dentists…

Posted on by

Good morning! I hope that your day has started out well and you are accomplishing all that you have set out to finish today.

We actually started our day a little later than usual. Our day yesterday and night, last night was filled (to overflowing) by a broken dishwasher and then a broken pipe under the sink. I’m so thankful that my hubby (who has never worked on a dishwasher), is willing to research and take chances these days. He saved us an enormous amount of money and today we have restored plumbing in our home.

We are still trying to dry out the Living Room carpet. Last night, there was so much water your feet would sink into it in places. What a mess. I think that we’ve made some progress and today we’re blowing it all out with a fan.

The picture today is of Jessica’s K’NEX “twin”. If you look closely enough, she has hair that matches Jessica’s. Matthew built a twin too! ….and people think that kids in a big family would never want more children! My littles want more so badly that they resort to building them themselves!! LOL!!

This is my latest dish cloth. I’m making these for Christmas presents. I’m so excited because this is a pattern that I’ve written.

I thought I would share it with those who knit. I love this pattern because it has little holes worked into it making it look lacy and the little bubbles worked in make it a great scrubbing dishcloth!

You need two skeins of cotton yarn. I’m using white and the variegated green/white sugar and creme yarn.

Cast on 40 stitches in colored yarn.

Knit across for three rows.

From here until the last three rows (which you will knit), you will knit the first three stitches and the last three stitches of each row.

Perl row 4.

R5: K3, K2tog all the way across, K last three stitches.

R6: K3, now you are going to pick up the little bar in the middle of your stitches and pull your yarn through like this:

work this all the way across and then K3. (Count to make sure you did not pick up an extra stitch.)

R7: K entire row.

R8: Knit in white yarn. Begin with a repeat of R5 with white yarn.

R9: Repeat R6 with white yarn.

R10: Repeat R7.

R11: Knit back in green and white yarn and repeat R5….

Continue on with this pattern until your dishcloth is desired length. Knit last three rows and cast off.

Tada!

Remember, I am VERY new to knitting so if you see something I need to change, or you just have a question, please write and let me know!

I’ve enjoyed knitting so much, almost as much as quilting. My only difference is that you don’t really have to think too much about quilting….there are those patterns that really require your attention with knitting but once finished, you have created items that are much more useful than you could never purchase and are beautiful!

If you’ve never washed dishes with a hand knit dish cloth, you would not believe how much easier it is!!

Speaking of knitting….I’m off to the craft store to look at yarn colors to decide which finger puppet animal we’ll be working on tomorrow….so this week it will be a surprise. The older children in my home who are watching me making these are getting so excited. They are enjoying the wait to see what the knitting needles will turn out next!

Prayer Requests

Please pray for me as I see a dentist today. (It’s just a check up but I HATE going to the dentist, almost more than anything else!)

Pray for us as we continue to clean up water from last night.

Pray for Jenny, (on of the Lines’ yahoo group moms) as her family prepares for some upcoming changes in their lives.

Pray for Fay, (another yahoo group mom that I had mentioned last week) who is recovering from her newest blessing’s arrival! Please pray restoration for her body and health for her new little fella!

Please continue to pray for my dear friend, Christy and her family who are dealing with the passing of David’s Grandmother. I know he felt very close to his Grandmother (he actually had the privilege of baptizing her!) and that this loss is difficult for their family.

Please pray for the dear people in the Amish community who are picking up pieces following yesterday’s horrible school shootings.

I will never understand these things. More importantly, how can people be so blind. I was listening to the news last night and they were saying that President Bush is gathering officials together to meet and figure out what the government can do to stop such things from happening. My husband said it best…there isn’t anything that the government can do…this is a heart issue. It starts with parents. Period.

Today I’m Thankful For

I’m thankful that I still have my teeth and that is why I’m having to see the dentist to have them cleaned.

I’m thankful that this afternoon, my visit with the dentist will be over for at least another six months.

I’m thankful that it’s not raining on the day of my appointment. There is not much worse than having to drive to the dentist on a rainy day.

I’m thankful for hearing that the dentist I will be seeing today is not too “chatty” (I’m seeing a new dentist today.) I hate it when they try to talk to you while your mouth is wide open and filled with their hands working on your teeth…that’s just awkward! Come on, you know what I’m talking about!

I’m thankful to be breathing…people who aren’t breathing don’t have to see a dentist but this is not an option I am ready to explore. :O

Do you understand my hatred for dentist visits?????

I love those signs that read “painless dentistry here”….ha, ha, ha. I haven’t found one yet.

Tracy’s Task

We are continuing today to dry out the things that were under our kitchen sink.

If you haven’t done so lately, it’s a good reminder…just run your hand around the plumbing under your sinks to make sure that there are no leaks that you should know about!

What I’m Learning

My friend Angie, posted this on her site and I learned so much about her….I had to post mine.
Have you ever…

1. Babysat a llama.
2. Eaten raw oysters.
3. Owned a poster of John Schneider (O.K., Angie, I can’t believe that I’m admitting this!)
4. Tripped a boy in school, in the hallway, so that he will notice you. (Hi honey!!)
5. Spoken in front of thousands of people.
6. Written to request (and received) your governor’s favorite recipe.
7. Had a picture made with 5 generations of women in your family.
8. Brushed your Great Grandmother’s hair.
9. Baked homemade biscuits.
10. Made compost
11. Had an induced labor for more than 24 hours.
12. Held your child after a seizure.
13. Watched a sunrise with your family.
14. Attended a StarTrek convention
15. Taught a child to read.
16. Grown and eaten fresh vegetables.
17. Sewn a quilt.
18. Held your lifeless baby in your hands.
19. Washed a cloth diaper.
20. Hung your laundry to dry.
21. Watched Haley’s comment fly over.
22. Sat to view view master reels as an adult.
23. Given birth without an epidural
24. Had a C-section.
25. Made a cup of hot tea
26. Been sprinkled when changing your first baby boy diaper (with 5 boys, I had to mention this one!)
27. Created play dough versions of yourself.
28. Felt the everlasting love of God?
29. Read an entire novel in a day
30. Made snow angels.
31. Visited San Antonio, Texas
32. Been married to a movie star…O.K., it was just one movie…but he is listed in the directory.
33. Performed music in traditional attire from India
34. Went riding through the snow on an 3 wheeler.
35. Watched deer in your yard
36. Cried at the site of your new baby.
37. Sat helpless in a waiting room waiting on your child to undergo heart surgery.
38. Volunteered at a camp for children with cancer.
39. Owned a Volkswagen Rabbit?
40. Caught a jellyfish?
41. Shared an uncontrollable giggle with a friend
42. Owned a pearl that you personally removed from an oyster
43. Teased your hair?
44. Visited your local thrift store
45. Tap danced
46. Owned a well worn, favorite pair of slippers
47. Enjoyed a cup of hot cocoa
48. Done a cartwheel, in your yard, at the age of 32? (You should have seen the face my mom and Paul made!)
49. Watched crabbers on the beach
50. Been 14 and known that you had met the one man that would be the love of your life.
51. Owned a turtle?
52. Had too many pets to count at one time?
53. Had a LIFE game ongoing for more than half a year?
54. Had happy birthday sang to you at a restaurant with a foam lobster sitting on your head.
55. Danced with your hubby, in your teased hair to a song by George Michael (it was in high school!)
56. Sat beside your husband on the sofa and looking at his hand wrapped around yours, thought that there is no place you would ever want to be!
57. Made a birthday cake that looked like a bear.
58. Made a birthday cake that looked like Captain Underpants (don’t ask)
59. Splashed in a mud puddle
60. Known the smell of an old church
61. Been on public access cable?
62. Worn glasses
63. Eaten a saltine cracker and tried to whistle (it was for school!)
64. Written to your man in the military.
65. Raised tadpoles.
66. Sat under a table to read a book to your children.
67. Started a business
68. Reread love letters
69. Tatted
70. Played air hockey
71. Raised sea monkeys
72. Been in the newspaper
73. Eaten a wonderful Italian meal with Italian opera being beautifully performed right at your table.
74. Sipped a cup of tea in a tea room with your closest friends and their daughters.
75. Held your child’s hand while they received stitches.
76. Ridden a subway
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Learned to knit
79. Read Sense and Sensibility
80. Won a photography award
81. Sewn a dress.
82. Flown a kite on the beach
83. Eaten raw squid
84. Sang “There’s Fleas On My Dog” as a family to the tune of Feliz Navidad in the car on the way to church
85. Watched your family star in a musical
86. Fallen asleep on stage (literally) when performing a skit at church
87. Made a giant paper mache tongue
88. Stepped on a slug barefoot (EWWWWWWW!)
89. Received nothing but junk mail in the mailbox.
90. Had an obsession for cows
91. Experienced a child’s first steps
92. Owned an El Camino
93. Felt unspeakable gratitude for the blessings in your life.
94. Almost died after choking on a piece of bubble gum
95. Been a “test subject” for an experiment
96. Tie dyed a shirt
97. Looked up, while lying on your back under a Christmas tree with your children
98. Walked in wet sneakers
99. Swam in a river
100. Rang the bell during the holiday season for the Salvation Army
101. Jumped into a pile of Autumn leaves
102. Stopped to help a stranger on the side of the road
103. Held a snake
104. Eaten fried green tomatoes
105. Had glow in the dark stickers on your ceiling
106. Sat on your porch late into night, just looking at the stars with your honey
107. Shopped Ebay
108. Made a tomb stone rubbing
109. Ridden a train
110. Had 5 piercings (oh, the younger days….)
111. Worn black combat boots (I was not in the military)
112. Flown in a door less helicopter
113. Felt helpless in the world around me.
114. Slept in my husband’s office floor while he worked far into the night.
115. Felt blessed beyond words on evenings with my hubby and all our blessings sitting in the LR for family time.

That’s it for me…I would love to hear yours! Leave a comment or a link to your site!

Today’s Scripture Meditation

Ps 19:7-10
“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.”
(NIV)

Thank you Lord for a new day…even one that involves a dentist appointment,

Tiger Puppet

Posted on by

I’m sure that everyone is breathing a sigh of relief to not have to listen to me whine anymore about my head.

Thankfully, my Motrin did the trick and I am pain free today. One unfortunate lingering effect is the nausea but hopefully it won’t last too much into the day! I really hate migraines!

It’s “Works For Me Wednesday” again! I thought all week about what I would post today…sometimes the simplest things are what comes to mind.

Today, I am sharing our method for storing and organizing our homeschool flashcards. We got this great tip from someone that we used to attend church with and it’s stuck with my home ever since.

Shoe organizers work great! This one was one that someone had given us. It keeps all the flashcards neatly in one place and off the shelves (which is highly valued book space!).

It works for me…maybe it will work for you too.

Onto our Wednesday knitting pattern.

If you are just joining us, last Wednesday, I shared a knitting pattern for a chick finger puppet that I had made for my little boys for Christmas.

If you would like the pattern for this puppet, click HERE!

Today, we are going to continue on with that theme…we are making a tiger finger puppet (well, actually, I’m making a few!).

Please remember that I am *very* new to knitting. My patterns definitely leave a lot to be desired…but they seem to turn out O.K. That being said, if you have any comments or ideas on changing the pattern to make it a little easier to read and follow, I would welcome them!

So here goes:

Cast on 15 stitches (this will be loose on the finger but I was trying to accommodate Daddy hands that might want to play along!) …Leave a tail of several inches.

Row 1: K
Rows 2&3: K in black in ribbed stitch pattern (knit, purl, knit, etc.)
Rows 4&5: K in orange in ribbed stitch patten
Row 6: K in black
Row 7: P in black
Row 8: K in orange
Row 9: P in orange
Continue in orange until puppet measures 1 1/4″
Last full row: K2tog all the way across (knit last stitch)

Carefully slide work off of knitting needle and with a large eyed tapestry needle (or whatever big needle you might have…I had a plastic canvas blue one), thread yarn through all holes and pull tight to close on top.
You want the purl side to be facing out at this point. Using the tail that was originally left from casting on, re-thread needle and use this to stitch closed the finger puppet along the back. Secure tightly.

Turn finger puppet inside out.

Thread needle and take one stitch (leave tail dangling). Using the tail and loose thread now threaded through needle, tie a knot to secure to puppet. Make a twisted cord tail, tie a knot in the end.

Make two french knots from yarn where you would like to place the eyes.

Take a couple of stitches in black to make a nose in the shape that you wish. Take one stitch on either side of the nose and tie on the top side of the puppet for whiskers. Comb through yarn to separate strands.

The ears are made from orange…

Cast on 4 stitches, leave a tail.

Knit 3 rows

On the 4th row, k2tog all the way across and then bind off in the last row.

Try and shape this piece into a triangle, stitch across with orange yarn and stitch in place onto finger puppet.

This is what the little guy turns out like:

I’m having to be careful because Timothy (my four year old) is pretty quick to catch on to the fact that they are finger puppets. He is just itching to play with them! I hope that we can hold out until Christmas! :)

*On a completely different note, we are planning my soon to be 13 year old son’s birthday celebration. We would love to hear your ideas. We celebrated my older daughter’s birthday in a very special way but I don’t think that my son is going to want to sit with his friends in a tea room! :)

Please send in ideas that you might have for his birthday in February!

Prayer Requests

Today Paul has a couple of things going on, one with a possible job promotion and the other with an attorney for some legal matters to settle before we can proceed with investors. This is a HUGE step forward for us as it will free us to openly pursue investment for our infant company.

We also looked at the outside of a home last evening. It would definitely need a lot of work but the additional space would be so nice. Please pray that even if this is not a home meant for us that the Lord is already preparing a larger home for our family.

Please continue to keep Tanya Beutow’s Grandmother in your prayers.

Remember Fay, on of our Lines’ Yahoo moms….she was to be induced yesterday.

Please continue to keep Joshua in your prayers…his back is still bothering him.

Today I’m Thankful For

The Greenlaw’s seem to have been able to resolve the situation with their neighbor yesterday. I’m so glad for them. I know that this has been a stressful situation for quite some time.

My daughter who prepared a most wonderful dinner last night for our family. I’m so blessed to have her!!

The last few days (Before I say this, don’t get me wrong…I’m always glad for the cooler air!) I’ve been very aware that I only have a few more weeks, maybe, of hanging my laundry out before I’m left with the dryer again. Even at 5 this morning as I was finishing folding a little lingering laundry from yesterday I could smell the outside air in our clothes. I love that! I’m going to miss it! I’m thankful for a few more days of the wonderful smell in my laundry!

A little indulgent, I know, but if anyone has tried Hershey’s new Sweet and Salty granola bars…they are definitely something to be thankful for! YUMMY!

My two year old that for the life of me, we can’t keep out of his Super Man p.j.’s! We dress him five times a day and he always shows back up in those p.j.’s! Maybe he thinks they give him super powers??? Who knows but I adore my little super jammied man!

Tracy’s Task

O.K., back on the wagon today….I have got to do some much needed fall maintenance on my garden and my yard for that matter.

Look around your home today…are there things that are going to need some attention as we move into the cooler months? Remember that the outside is the first thing people see of your home! It should look nice and tidy….we’re working on ours…we hope that you will join us!

What I’m Learning

What am I learning?

I think if I could roll all that I have learned from the Lord over the last few years into one thing, it would be centered around this:

My home is where I find contentment.

For years, I felt like the only way to be content would be to stuff as much into my day as I possibly could. Lessons for this and lessons for that, clubs, meetings, church groups all seemed to be the way to better my family and myself.

A series of events brought our family to a place where all of these things were taken from us. Prior to this happening, I would have grieved over the loss of activities, our time out and all that I thought our family was gaining from the outside interaction.

What I’m learning, is that my place is within our home. It is only in our home that my children can learn the things that are REALLY important. It is only in our home that the foundation of life that my children must have will be built. It is only in our home that I will feel satisfied and invest my time in a way that it will come back to me more than I will ever know.

Today’s Scripture Meditation

This is my favorite part of posting everyday!! :)

2 Pet 1:10-14
“Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.”
(NIV)

Mom’s Soap Sack

Posted on by

This is the soap sack that I made for my Mom for Mother’s Day. I thought this was one of the most nifty ideas…it’s a drawstring bag perfect for little slivers of soap. You can actually lather through it and the drawstring is long enough to hang over the shower head! My Mom loved it!

I’m grateful to Darlene who runs Heartlight Knitalongs on Yahoo Groups for giving me permission to print her pattern here.

Today, I’m just going to print the actual knitting instructions but if you choose to knit the soap sack, you will need to join the group to get the sewing instructions or email me and I can send them to you! I would like to see a picture of your finished sack! You might even get a guest pic in the blog!! : )

May KAL
Happy Mother’s Day

Yarn: 100% cotton
Needles: 4.5mm (or 5.mm)
Gauge: not important

Cast on 17 stitches

Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: k2, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: k2, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: k2, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 8: Purl
Row 9: k2, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 10: Purl
Row 11: k2, yo, (k2tog)x3, k1 (k2tog)x3, yo k2,
Row 12: purl 4, M1, p1, m1, p3, m1, p1, m1, p4
Row 13: Cast on 15 more stitches then
K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 14: Purl
Row 15: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 16: Purl
Row 17: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 18: Purl
Row 19: k2, (yo, k2tog) x6, k3, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 20: Purl
Row 21: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 22: Purl
Row 23: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 24: Purl
Row 25: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 26: Purl
Row 27: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 28: Purl
Row 29: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 30: Purl
Row 31: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 32: Purl
Row 33: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 34: Purl
Row 35: K17, yo, k5, s1k2tog-psso, k5, yo, k2
Row 36: Purl
Row 37: k1, (yo, k2tog) 15 times, k1
Row 38: Purl
Row 39: Knit
Row 40: Purl
Bind off in knit and leave an 18 inch thread. Follow diagrams to sew the sack. (See photo section) make a twisted cord and thread through the holes; secure and give to mom. Mom’s Soap Sack, copyright 2006 Darlene Cutler

Now, if in case you don’t know what all these little symbols mean…knitting is definitely a skill that you want to learn. It is so much fun and the items that you can create are both beautiful and functional! Give it a try!

On to other things….I woke up yesterday just knowing that this was going to be a great week for us. My children asked why I felt this way and I told them that I just had a feeling. I even went so far as to list a few things that would be happening. “Daddy’s business is going to pick way up, we’re going to try some new things, and someone is even going to get a letter from their pen pal!” ….we’ve been waiting for awhile for a return letter. Wouldn’t you know it! Yesterday was awesome! Paul had a wonderful day, I tried something new (I’ll explain in just a minute) and Courtney did actually get a letter from a pen pal! She came in from the mailbox a little surprised to say the least! I’m believing the same for today. I can’t wait to see what the day brings!

O.K., I mentioned something new….as you know, a couple of weeks back, I made a wreath for my wall with honeysuckle vines. It’s all dried out now and I’m getting lots of compliments on it so I decided that I wanted to make another. I went out to gather my honeysuckle and realized that we were disturbing a little bird sitting on her nest. We decided to leave her alone for now and opt for using privet limbs instead. Still very flexible, definitely longer, I was unsure of how strong they would be for weaving.

I brought them into the house, stripped the leaves, boiled them for two hours. The first thing that I noticed was that the bark is much harder to strip but overall the limbs seem to weave in just about the same manner. They are definitely thicker than honeysuckle so you have to be careful not to over bulk your project in one area, but other than that they seem to be O.K. I finished another wreath, this time for my front door, and started a basket. It’s looking pretty nice so far, I’ll post a picture of this too, when it’s finished drying.

I have been asked why I would spend so much of my time working on projects of this nature. I would have to say that as the manager of my home, I believe that it is my responsibility, and honor, to create the best home for my family that I possibly can. This means many things but among those are to make the most with what I have. I have to go about my daily tasks with the understanding that it is within these walls the foundations of my children’s lives will be built. I must also realize it is my place to bring my husband good (see Proverbs 31:12). I should be actively working to further his projects, praying for him consistently, and making the most of the resources he works so hard to provide for our family.

With all of that said, this is an excerpt from one of the pet projects that I hope to have completed and ready for distribution before the end of the summer. It is from “The Frugal Housewife”:

“The true economy of housekeeping is simply the art of gathering up all the fragments, so that nothing be lost. I mean fragments of time, as well as materials. Nothing should be thrown away so long as it is possible to make any use of it, however trifling that use may be; and whatever be the size of a family, every member should be employed either in earning or saving money.”

This is off topic, but I would also like to mention that after speaking to our business mentor, he suggested that we ask others around us for referrals for sales people. He was really excited about our business model and said that it would be an awesome opportunity for someone in sales who “is looking for something better”. If you know someone who would be a fit, please ask them to give us a call!

Prayer Requests:

Stacy McDonald of Homeschooling Today magazine. She’s been battling an infection on her foot that had the potential for becoming quite serious. Please pray for her continued recovery.

Jacob Greenlaw is having minor surgery on his mouth this morning.

Kimberly Greenlaw who is still not feeling totally well these days.

I’ve been battling a slight virus over the last few days…please pray for a quick healing process for me.

My Grandmother goes for her cast today (I originally thought it was yesterday). My uncle will be taking her to live with him following this appointment. I’m sure that it will be a difficult transition for her to live with him at first but in the long run, it’s going to be better off for her, I’m sure.

Today, I’m Thankful For:

So many wonderful things happening yesterday.

Ben is starting to go potty all by himself!

The items that I’m able to create at low or no cost to our family.

Time spent playing with my precious Emma this morning before others were awake in my home.

The progress that we’re making in training our parakeet.

Tracy’s Task:

Yesterday, you filled in the gifts that you would like to make for others for the holidays…today, you are going to start thinking toward creating a holiday planner. This will be the first addition. I always keep mine in a folder that has the three prongs in the middle. That allows me the pockets on the front and back to store recipes and receipts and I can add or take away paper as I would like. So girls, find your folder or binder and lets work on planning for upcoming holidays so that it doesn’t pile up on us last minute!

What I’m Learning:

Little Jiffy Greenhouse with tiny growing plants labeled with paper labels left in the rain over the weekend (the plants are getting too big to keep the lid on now)….bad thing. Now we are left with a tray full of little vines…the only two that we can really identify are the lavender and tomatoes….we’re going to have more fun than I originally thought with our gardening this year. Our first objective will be to correctly identify the growing plants! UGH!

Today’s Scripture Meditation:

2 Chr 7:14
“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
(NIV)

Austin Phillip Arrives

Posted on by

This picture was taken during the recent storms here in Alabama by my daughter, Courtney. Always amazed by the night sky, Paul called her out to watch the lightning dancing in the distance. She couldn’t resist the opportunity to snap a quick picture while she had the chance.

We have a new arrival to announce! Austin Phillip Lambert, son of Scott and Melissa Lambert (Paul’s brother and his wife), had a new son on April 26th. Weighing 6lbs. and 2oz., he was 18 inches long and seems to be doing very well. I’ll post pictures as soon as I can. Thank you for your prayers.

I’m still working on knitting Emma’s wool soakers…I can’t remember if I shared this or not, but as I have worked on cloth diapering research, I have found that instead of rubber pants, lots of women are knitting wool soakers to go over their cloth diapers. They are so cute! The benefit is that the natural lanolin in the wool keeps moisture from leaking out while allowing air flow…something that rubber pants do not do.

I looked on the internet and found some simple patterns that I’ve started working on. I’ll let you all know how that turns out. *One additional note about this…I’m thinking of taking an extra copy of some of the free patterns that I find for useful things online…dish cloths, wool soakers, cloth diapers, skirts, etc. and making them additions to the homemaking manuals that I’m starting for hope chests around here. Maybe that would be a good addition to this site? Let me know if you would like to see a running list of items that I and others are adding to hope chests.

Prayer Requests:

We’re running our second ad this week for sales people. Please pray that we get a good response from this.

We’re potty training Benjamin. I think that is probably enough said.

My sister in law, Melissa, as she recovers from child birth.

I returned home this evening to a message from my friend Tanya that her husband has been laid off. Please pray that he find work very quickly and that God would supernaturally provide for their every need.

Today, I’m Thankful For:

Continued good health for my family. I can’t help to think that the little changes I’ve made to our diet (eliminating a lot of sugary things like cookies all the time and Kool Aid) have contributed to this.

The skills that my sons are learning during scouts. I can tell they are things that they will carry with them throughout their lives. A side note to that is I’m really enjoying spending time at scouts with my family. It’s nice to get out and visit with my friends during this time each week.

My sunflowers are really beginning to get big…I’ll post a picture of these sometime next week.

That some issues within my extended family seem to be calming a bit.

Today seems to be a beautiful, cool, breezy day. This is the thing I like best about spring.

Tracy’s Task:

Change your home air filter. You can never be too careful with the air that your family is breathing.

What I’m Learning:

My scalp has been really sore lately. I started investigating shampoos and was horrified to realize that there are actually carcinogenic ingredients in some of them! UGH! I’m going to do some further research that I’ll share at a later date but until then…I’m learning to question everything. Even things that I thought were safe. You just never know.

Today’s Scripture Meditation:

Ps 90:12-17
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Relent, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us– yes, establish the work of our hands.”
(NIV)

Sprouts!

Posted on by

Sunflowers! I can’t believe that they have sprouted so quickly but here they are! They look like they are going to be healthy little plants. I can’t wait until they are big enough to transfer out of our little temporary home for them, into the yard!

Our weekend was good. I worked away on Jessica’s dresses and finally finished the last two. So, my new projects are to make about 6 more of the dishcloths that I made last week….1 for a friend, 3 for Courtney’s hope chest and 2 for myself! (I ended up giving the one that I made last week to my Mom.) Later this week, I’m hoping to start a pinched pleat valance for Paul’s office with fabric that I found on clearance at Walmart! I’ll post pictures as I finish these projects.

Prayer Requests:

My Sister In Law, Melissa. She went to the Dr. this morning thinking that she was in labor. She’s now in that home stretch and I’m asking prayer for her and the health of her new little bundle, Austin. As of this afternoon, though the hospital had sent her home, she was still contracting quite a bit.

My Grandmother, will be celebrating her birthday this week!

My son Matthew, is having horrible trouble with his allergies.

Today, I’m Thankful For:

My little plants that are sprouting!

My sweet children! They are a never ending source of joy!

Allowing me to get most things done on my “to-do” list today.

The lovely drawing that my daughter gave to Paul and I for our anniversary.

The never ending love of a merciful Lord. It’s so nice to know that no matter what, no matter where His love is there for me.

What I’m Learning:

I forget what color my 2 year old’s stuffed puppy is actually supposed to be until he winds up going through the wash. Normally, a light brown….after a wash, he is actually cream colored. Amazing. Puppy, has been Benjamin’s beloved pet since his first Christmas. He joins Ben everywhere. On car trips, in the yard playing, going to the store. His latest adventure was Ben trying out the new strawberry shampoo….apparently it smells “mmmmmm”.

We are researching cloth diapers. Thinking about making the switch, we thought it would be an easy process. I’m so shocked at how many choices there are! I’m still trying to decide on a brand, etc. I’ll post what we learn. Right now we’re leaning toward “fuzzi-bunz”. (I giggle just typing the name!)

Today’s Scripture Meditation:

Lately, I’ve been praying about the last few years that Paul and I have endured. At some point in the future I’ll type it all out but it basically consists of:

Paul not having a job for a few years

A totaled car (our only car)

My daughter’s heart surgery

Etc., etc., etc…..

With the latest car “disaster” I was feeling really sorry for myself and I cried out to the Lord. This is the scripture that He impressed upon my heart.

Joel 2:23-27

“Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. ‘I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten– the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm– my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.”
(NIV)