Breast Cancer Awareness Angels!

Just wanted to share with you these angels that I have up for sale on Ebay. This is a dozen angels that measure about 9 1/2" tall and 5" at the wingspan. I made the wings from a coordinated set of fabrics, all made for the Breast Cancer Awareness. I love the pinks, the flowers, and the little pink bows!!!!! The skirts are made from white crocheted table napkins!

These also come with tags. These tags have wonderful sayings and verses on them about angels!

The set of 12 sells for $36.00 plus cost of the plane ride.

Just click on the picture for all the information!!!

I'm so Blessed!!!!!

Lea from Farmhouse Blessings has just honored me with this wonderful award! Thank you so much, Lea! YOU have been such a wonderful friend to ME, and I feel humbled that you would think of me in this way!

There are lots of deserving people out there who regularly are giving of themselves in friendship, love, prayers, concern and help. But there are two that come to mind that I want to pass this award on to:

1. Dani from Eagles Wings! I've known Dani for a long time now through groups on Ebay and through her blog. It's been so wonderful to read of her journey growing up, finding the Lord, and all her experiences. She has been such a great help in our Ebay group, Glad Tidings Primitives and Folk Art, and a real testimony of God's provision and faithfulness. So this is for you, Dani!!!!

2. Nancy from Inside Nana's Head has been one of those all around, down to earth, practical, says-it-like-it-is, comical, giving, compassionate, faithful friends. What more could you ask for????? She has been so understanding, giving, and loving towards me, helping me with my crafting and sewing, etc. Thank you, Nancy!!!!

My Daybook Entry for April 28, 2008

FOR TODAY (April 28, 2008)...

Outside My Window . . .I see a Brown Thrasher feeding her baby at my feeder.

I am thinking... How will I get my trash to the dumpster past the vultures that have made my yard their roost!

I am thankful for... Wonderful, Godly friends I've made through my short time blogging! You are all such an encouragement to me!

From the kitchen... I will have a wonderful squash casserole and homemade bread.

I am wearing... oversized tee shirt, no shoes, baggy pants!

I am creating... A primitive candlemat.

I am going... I hope nowhere. I just want to stay home.

I am reading... A vintage magazine, Modern Day Priscilla, looking for old recipes and sewing ideas.

I am hoping... To get my workshop somewhat cleaned and straightened up today!

I am hearing... The Cathedrals singing, "The Poet's Song".

Around the house... I will scrub my kitchen floor, vacuum, and laundry.
One of my favorite things... Zucchinni bread with butter.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week. . . Make more Laundry detergent, cut and sew some quilt blocks, send out a gift package, mow my lawn, teach myself something new on my sewing machine.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...



I'm so glad to be able to participate with the others in this Notebook entry. You can visit The Simple Woman's blog HERE!

My Biggest Beef in Life!

I'm not the greatest housekeeper. I'm not organized like some of you wonderful homemakers. I get frustrated because I can't find things I know I have. My talents and strong areas are NOT centered in the kitchen, etc.

With that understood up front, you can understand that I need all the help I can get.
I go to all of your blogs, see the beautiful, organized kitchens, no messes in the pictures as you cook --- not even flour on your aprons or on your counters!!!!! After 40 years of trying, I have come to the conclusion that God did NOT gift me in the area of neat kitchens. I CAN cook some mighty good meals, don't get me wrong!
It is the finer art of methodology that gets me every time.

But my lack of skills does not come with without complaints and laying blame on certain things. I do have one BIG beef that has eaten at me ever since my first trip to the grocery store 40 years ago.

Will someone PLEASE tell me how to open a bag of sugar without flinging about a tablespoon of it across the kitchen?????

I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about -- those paper sacks of sugar, neatly folded down several times and glued shut. You get your sugar canister or can out, open it, set it on the counter, You take your sack of sugar, and ever so carefully, begin to open it, knowing that it once again will make a failure out of you and laugh at you, "I told you so, I got you again!" No matter how carefully I try, whenever I pull up on one of those folds, sugar goes flying.

Since the 50's, so much progress has been made in packaging, sealing, presentation of products, etc. But why in the world are we still stuck with paper sacks for sugar that are glued together in such as way as to hide a bomb of sugar, waiting to explode in your kitchen?????

Please tell me how YOU open your sugar sacks!!!!!

Update on my Homemade Laundry Soap!

A little while ago, I told you all about Lea's recipe for laundry soap and my fun in making it.

You can read about it here!

I thought I would give you an update as to how I like the soap, etc. The first time I washed my laundry, the water in the washing machine was sooooo. . . . . (let's not even go there)!!!!. . . . . dirty, that I had to rinse several times. A good sign or a bad sign???? I did notice, however, that my clothing was soft and brighter. I had rubbed a little of the mix on stained tee shirts, spots on other things, and even used it as a soak for soiled, vintage linens. Worked great as a spot remover.

This week, I just happened to peek into the washing machine during the wash cycle and noticed that the same clothing I had washed a few weeks before was NOT making that awfully dirty, muddy looking wash water. Had my things really collected that much soap residue, etc., over time????? I can't tell you how pleased I am with this stuff!!!!

I also found a new use for it. Buster was really sick last night and did his business (very runny stuff) all over my bedroom carpet at 3:00 am !!!!! Since there was no temporary solution to this horrible problem, I "took the bull by the horns" and cleaned it up best I could. But the smell!!!!!! OK! I'm up anyways, right? So I go get the steam cleaner, but I had no carpet cleaning stuff, no spray, no spot remover, no miracle pet stain remover ----- NOTHING! So, I made a plan.

I filled the machine's little tub thing with HOT water and vinegar. No soapy stuff in the little thingy. Then, I took my trusty laundry soap I had made, and started to put some on the stains, rubbing it in well. Then, I took my trusty machine and began to clean it. I can't tell you how wonderful it did. My carpet looks as good as new (at least where I cleaned it!). And my bedroom smells wonderful!

So, if you haven't tried this soap recipe, please hop over to Lea's Blog, Farmhouse Blessings! for the recipe and the instructions! You won't be sorry!

Mother's Day Giveaway!!!!

You just can't miss this one! I want to win this soooooo badly!

If you click on the picture, it will take you directly to her site at Maple Lane. Thank you for this generous offer, Jan!!!!!

Check out this great giveaway!

Naomi, from Naomi's Notions is having a great giveaway! These tags are so wonderful, and I'm sure you will find a million uses for them if you win! Go over there and sign up now before you forget!!! And be sure to check out her auctions and other selling sites. Her stuff is just too cool!!!! Just click on the picture to go to her giveaway post!

Unexpected Company!

Ever since the fourth grade when Mrs. France taught us to draw and watercolor birds, I've had this facination with watching birds. I think I would buy birdfeed before I would buy for myself, if it came to having to make the choice. Nothing thrills me more than when a bird does me a huge favor and makes her home in my birdhouses. Sometimes they sit empty, and I wonder what's the problem! Certainly, the rent isn't too high.

Here in Florida, I do get to see some wonderful birds, and to watch an Eagle is one of my most uplifting and exciting times. I've always said, if you find me dead in a car accident on the side of the road with no apparent reason for it happening, I probably saw an eagle or something and just ran off the road as I gazed up in wonder!

But today, as I was looking out into my backyard, all of a sudden this huge visitor decided to make my acquaintance. He just sat there and stared at me, and me at him. He is a red tailed hawk, and not an invited guest to those around me with chickens, etc. And I feared for the little titmice that had just come out of their safe little house. But all the same, he was so beautiful!

He stayed only a minute, and then flew into the woods. You want to know something? I would rather this guy than those nasty old turkey buzzards that have made their home across the street. Mind you, I'm not partial to who my neighbors are, I don't look down on certain classes of birds --- but these buzzards just HAVE to go! They have decided that I'm not allowed to get my mail and keep guard over my mailbox. They even chased me away!!!! I'm scared to death of these ugly things, believe me!



Which would you choose????

Daybook

I'm a day late in posting this. This is supposed to be a Monday thing, but I just had to join in. Couldn't wait for another week to pass!

FOR TODAY (April 22, 2008)...

Outside My Window I see. . . my Sycamore tree has leaves now big enough to cast shade from the afternoon sun.

I am thinking... of all the birds that have found food at my feeder!

I am thankful for... God's provisions for me, just when I need them!

From the kitchen... I am making a pineapple - zucchinni bread.

I am wearing... old tee shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes!

I am creating... A needle keep made from a vintage embroidered napkin.

I am going... Nowhere today.

I am reading... An old favorite. Biography of Amy Carmichael.

I am hoping... All my little titmice come out of their house before it's too hot!

I am hearing... The cries of those little birds as Mom and Dad feed them.

Around the house... I need to pick up after Buster, as he has chewed up some cardboard!

One of my favorite things... A cup of hot tea in the middle of the afternoon.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Cutting angels, grocery shopping, clean the garage, explore in my shed for forgotten treasures I have.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...



I'm so glad to be able to participate with the others in this Notebook entry. You can visit The Simple Woman's blog HERE!

Learning To Trust!

I'll admit it! I'm not really good in this area of trusting! I don't know why, either. I'm getting older, and as I look back over my whole life, I can't say there has ever been a time that the Lord has failed me. Yes, I've made some crazy, immature, self-centered choices, and I've paid dearly for those. But in God's wonderful forgiveness and grace, He has taken those experiences and turned them all into learning experiences for the future He had planned out for me.

These are hard times! Let's face it. Many of you have experienced set backs due to loss of jobs, income, illness, and other unexpected things we want to call negatives.
During these times, we draw upon every resource we have within us to pull through, and we tend to ask God why what seemed so good at the time and what seemed to come from Him is so suddenly taken away. I've had my dreams washed away like castles in the sand. My plans have gone up in smoke, and my business ventures have crashed down in a million pieces at my feet. And I have questioned God at times as to why He would give me something and then just grab it away from me.

I may never know the reasons why, and you may not, either. But I have come to realize that through it all, He has never failed me, never left my side, and never looked on me in shame. Hosea 6:3 says, "And we shall know, if we follow on to know the Lord." If our goal in life is to simply know HIM, then someday, we shall know. Can you trust Him with that?

It all seemed so right. . .
So Perfect. . .
So God-ordained.
First, a dream. . .
Then, a prayer. . .
And then, it happened.
He heard,
He answered,
He supplied.
I was so sure all I had planned
Would come to pass. . . .someday!

Carefully. . .and prayerfully. . .
I worked,
I followed,
I obeyed. . .

But then, You changed it all, Lord.
And I did not understand.
You did not allow me to finish,
To see the fruit of my labors,
To hold in my hands
The realities of my dreams.

Yet, I will trust,
AS I have trusted in the past.
Your ways are perfect,
Planned in love,
Protected by your promise
That someday. . .sometime. . .
We shall know. . .
If we follow on to know the Lord.
--Cora Eelman

I finished my apron!

I finally got a picture of my apron I was working on. Actually, I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, considering the sewing machine fiasco, and the fact that I have not sewn anything (except a few craft items) since 1961!!!!! I really liked this dresser scarf, and I think I will keep this one as a trophy for overcoming my fears of the sewing machine (and because I didn't like the way I did the ties!!!!!)
I'm NOT giving up! I did buy more material for more aprons, so I'm in this for the long haul. I figure it will be a wonderful way to learn sewing techniques without having to use a lot of material, etc. Here it is ---- my first attempt!

A Great Giveaway from The Simple Woman!

You just can't miss this one, Ladies!!!! A great giveaway from The Simple Woman!

Beautiful products to pamper yourself and to make you feel like a queen! Hurry on over there and don't miss out on your chance to win!