Fancy Flowers and Family Camp

I was making these really neat flowers a while ago using a melting technique that makes the petals cup, and I sewed some on a piece of tulle for a headband.    

This is an early example. I've gotten the petal shape more to my taste since and started using crystals in the center instead of pearls. I think it's much prettier, but our camera was broken at family camp so this is what you get. I've actually been making flowers out of other kinds of fabric recently because the fumes from the melting satin made me wonder about its health effects. Speaking of family camp we went to an awesome one over the weekend and it was a blast! More on that later plus pictures hopefully!!! For a sneak peak go to www.onebrightcorner.blogspot.com! In the group picture our family is on the far right (no pun intended).

Where Has Perry Gone?

Here's where. Yep! I got married and had a baby (who is getting altogether too big), and now we are expecting a little brother or sister to arrive for him sometime at the beginning of February!!! Hooray for lots of blessings! :)

From a couple months ago.

Took this one just now.

This one, too. ;)

Friendly, Yet Reserved

I recently read a book named Just Thirteen by Dorcas R. Mast. I did not agree with all the theology, but the story was a good one and I would like to share a part from which I really profited.

The main character, Pansy, is talking to her mother and the subject of boys comes up.

"Well, just how am I supposed to act around the boys, anyway?" Pansy asked relentlessly. "I never know."
"At your age, boys and girls should only be concerned about being friends," Mother explained. "There is a right way for boys and girls to talk together. But the right way is not Kirsten's [a girl previously mentioned who is getting a lot of attention from the boys by teasing and the like] way. A girl shouldn't be showing off or be loud or overly expressive. She will be friendly and yet reserved."
"But what is that?" Pansy asked. "Friendly and yet reserved."
"I once heard reserved defined as 'self-constraint in expression'," Mother said, thoughtfully. "A reserved girl will be modest and self-controlled. She won't be flaunting herself or be trying to catch attention. And the boys will respect that. You think that Andy and Jeremy [unbelievers from school] like Kirsten. Perhaps they do. But they respect you and Cynthia and Jocelyn [Pansy's Christian friends] too much to be free with you."
"I can understand that," Pansy said, looking soberly at her ear of popcorn.
"And don't forget that Hugh and Phillip, who are Christians, aren't flirting with Kirsten. Kirsten herself said that Hugh wasn't much fun. That means Hugh knows how to be reserved, which says something for Hugh. You see, Pansy, this is a two-way street. The girls can't do it all. And neither can the boys. Each must have respect for the other. But you can be friendly in a way that is reserved. It isn't necessary to be so reserved that you never speak to each other."
Pansy smiled a little. "Of course not. I know that. But this sets a few things straight for me. On the other side of the picture, Hugh and Phillip are the boys that I have the most respect for."
Mother nodded. "That's right. You're too young to be having a special friendship with a boy or even to be thinking about such a friendship, Pansy. But you aren't too young to form ideals about the right kind of boy."
"And we don't base our decisions on whether he's good-looking or not," Pansy said wisely.
Mother smiled. "Certainly not. Looks don't count for anything. Remember that 'Handsome is as handsome does.' And that goes for the girls as well."


What do you think? What are some practical ways you try to implement these concepts into your life?

Beauty and the Beast

 

What is more beautiful than a little princess holding a newly born baby goat?

There's a New Baby [Doll] in the Works

Lately, I've been in the process of making a doll.

 

Embroidering the face was the most fun part, cutting out a new set of arms was not. : ) It was quite hilarious when I had sewn all the pieces together, but hadn't stuffed her yet.

 

Before:



 

After:

 

 

I was so excited to have her "done" that I totally forgot to sew on her ears. : ) Since I hadn't made her clothes yet, I wrapped her in an old baby blanket and presented her to the little girls.

 

 

 

Today, during the time that the "big kids" were doing school the littles dressed her in some of their doll clothes and played a rollicking, messy game of house. : )

 

 

 

I haven't named her yet so if you have suggestions that mean things like "hope" or "trust in the Lord" I'd love ideas. If you'll excuse me, I need to go read about making doll hair, cut out some doll clothes and maybe sew on those ears. : )

 

Oh yeah, and there is some laundry to fold too.

 

 

 



American Everything and Pita Soccer

Bluebie has been extra funny lately. Her new adjective for emphasis is "American". When she needs to do something, she needs to do it "American bad". The other day she said, "Katie and I can make the [pancake] batter. We do it good. American good."
Today we invented a hilarious new game. There was an unspoken "no hands" rule and you should have seen us cleaning pita dough off our feet afterwards. It all started when I accidentally dropped some dough and began to squish it with my feet. She began to squish as well and it turned into a game of keep-away. It was great fun.

Six Months to Wait

It was 2008 and we were on a really long road trip. We had exhausted everything we had brought to listen to so Dad bought a cd at a truckstop. It was called "You Deliver Me" by Selah. There were good songs, decent songs, rousing songs, songs we skip, etc. But the last song on the album and its accompanying description stood out by telling the story of Audrey Caroline Smith, a baby girl who had only lived 2 1/2 hours after birth but had touched more lives than she would ever know.

Fast forward five years to this spring. My parents purchased a beautiful picture for me for my birthday. It is so beautiful, I am quite enjoying it!! I encourage you to visit the artist's site and check out her portfolio--her work is amazing and her art ranks as my top favorite. (www.breezytulip.com) Reading her blog one day I discovered that she was illustrating a children's book about Audrey written by the child's mother. (http://breezytulip.com/2013/audrey-bunny/) Just the cover illustration and author/illustrator blog posts will make you want to read it!

I'm really excited about it, anyone else?