Journaling/Coloring Bibles

I just had to share my new Bible with you, because I love it so much!

Have you seen the new journaling and coloring Bibles? 

I think they are awesome for personal devotions.  Taking the time to color the individual verses really does help you take the time to think through what it's saying.

Of course, a cup of tea while coloring is nice too. (:

Here's a couple of the pages I've done.  I chose the Inspire NLT translation Bible, and after using the NIV for 25 years I am enjoying reading a new translation.  It's interesting how reading the same verses in a different translation can make them come alive again in a new way.

They also have coloring Bibles in NIV and KJV.

The Inspire version that I chose has over 400 illustrations to color,

and so it will take me awhile to work through it.  I'm planning to color the

verses as I read them in my devotions, so that way I'll be able to tell at a glance which

books I've read lately and which I should read again.

These would make a great Christmas gift if you know someone who likes artsy activities!

Flea Marketing

At the beginning of June my sister, Megan, and I had our first flea market booth.  We had a lot of fun and plan to do it again next year!  Megan makes jewelry out of silver plate spoons and forks, and she sold a lot of necklaces.

I didn't sell as much as Megan, but it was still a lot of fun and very interesting to see what items were popular and what didn't sell at all.  I was thankful that this chalkboard coffee table I had made sold!  We found it on the side of the road several years ago and all the glass squares were missing or broken.  So I cut some thin plywood to fit, and painted each square with chalkboard paint.

Megan still has a few of her necklaces left, and she recently listed them in her new Etsy shop.  So, if you would like one, you still have the opportunity!  They are really pretty and unique.

Here is the link to her shop if you're interested!

Megan's Etsy Shop

I am joining Home and Garden Thursday

Summer Activities

I am a big believer in summer break.

Lazy afternoons, sipping on popsicles or eating watermelon, are just what kids need after a busy school year of activities.  School is good in many ways but it just doesn't leave much time for imagination or exploration. 

So we are enjoying the more relaxed pace around here.

Except when it's wheat harvest and bean planting time, like it was this week!

The men have been working hard this week, and it's a great feeling to know your wheat is all cut and soybeans are planted when it starts raining.

Without home school to worry about I have had a little more free time the last few weeks, so I've been sewing.  I have put a few things in my Etsy shop again, so feel free to check it out!  The link is in the sidebar. 

I hope you are having a little break this summer too~

Family Cookbook

A while back I was thinking about how I might pass our family recipes on to our children, and I decided to make a scrapbook style recipe book with photos to copy and present to each child as they leave home.  (Our oldest will be graduating from high school this May, so the kids leaving home is going to be happening sooner than I'd like to think!)  I am making each page 8.5 x 11 size so they are easy to make color copies of and place in plastic sleeves in a binder.

 

Here are a few of my finished pages that I scanned to show you.

 

 

It's been fun to go back through our family photos and find food pictures to use- some of these recipes I've been making for over 20 years!

 

 

It's been a fun project and one I will be working on for awhile yet.  Our kids are thinking it's a good idea too-hopefully their wives will also...

 

I know that there I nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.  That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-- this is the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

 

I am joining Home and Garden Thursday

Fall Crafts for the Kids

 

Yesterday my mom came over and did some fun fall crafts with our youngest 3 kids, and since they were simple and fun to do I thought I'd share the ideas with you all.  The first one was preserving fresh maple leaves.  My mom had freshly picked leaves off the tree, and the kids painted them front and back with Mod Podge, and then we hung them up to dry.  They have since curled up a little, but they have kept their color really well.

 

The second craft she had for the kids was making leaf animals.  The original idea she found here, where there are lots of great examples.  But our kids had fun using the different shaped leaves to create animals and people (and aliens, of course).  For this craft you just need to press a variety of shaped leaves in a book a week or two ahead, then glue them on a paper and add legs or eyes or whatever you need with a marker.  The kids had lots of fun, so thanks Mom!

 

I'm joining Home and Garden Thursday

Fall is getting here...

On Friday we had a cool front come through, so it was the perfect time to enjoy some hot chai tea outside under the changing trees!  As the cool front was blowing through, the sky was filled with dragonflies and monarch butterflies on their way south for the winter!  It was quite something to see.

Remember the rag quilt I started a couple months ago?  Well, I got it finished so I decided to use it for our tablecloth today.  I was able to clean out my scrap drawers, and since I also had leftover scraps of batting, I was able to make the whole twin size quilt for just the cost of thread. (:

As you can see, apparently Miss E is impressed.

The last of the garden marigolds gave us a little more fall color with our blue transferware.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow,

will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

Psalm 126:5-6

I will be joining Tea Time Tuesday again this week.

Rag Quilts

So what do you do when you see this beautiful rag quilt on Pinterest...

...and your scrap drawers are overflowing...

...and it's way too hot to do anything outside?

You dream of fall and get started on a rag quilt of your own, that's what!

This will probably take me months to finish, but I am determined to get it done!  Most of my scraps are from the 80's and 90's, so they're not the most current colors, but the material is free which my Mennonite nature appreciates, plus each one is a memory of a dress or project from the past.  One thing I like about rag quilts is you don't have to be real particular, which is nice.

Sweet Girl's Nightgown Idea

There are so many wonderful ideas on Pinterest, and this is one of them!  Is this not the sweetest little girl's nightgown?  Of course, I think my model is pretty sweet too... (: 

It was very simple to make, and although the original nightgown was made with a vintage pillow slip, I didn't have one so I just used 1/2 yard of fabric.  Since the fabric was on clearance, it just cost me $2.50, plus about $3 for the roll of wide lace and we were set.  I just gathered up the skirt at the chest, making it to be a couple inches more than Miss E's chest measurement, sewed the lace on, and added some straps. 



Miss E loves it and so do I!

Entertainment center to sewing cabinet

I wanted to share with you all what my husband made me for

Christmas this year- a sewing cabinet!  But he didn't start from

scratch.  This sewing cabinet used to be an entertainment center!

Andy added in a shelf for my sewing baskets,

and a slide out shelf for the sewing machine.

He even made a shelf that raises and lowers custom made

for my sewing machine.  Pretty cool, huh? 

Now I'm off to do a little sewing...

Snowmen ornaments and Christmas poems

We had fun this morning during home school!

We made these cute snow man Christmas ornaments,

with the kids handprints!  Above is Miss E's,

she did great with the paint.

AJ's is above and SJ's is below.

They decorated their snowmen themselves.

It was an easy and fun craft and we got the idea here.

 

And now for a little Christmas poetry- courtesy of our 2nd graders.

I like presents with me,

under the Christmas tree.

I sleep under the Christmas tree,

I am free.

~by SJ~

Christmas is here,

the best time of year.

I get a gingerbread man

because it is finally Christmas again.

~by AJ~

Miniature doll houses

Have you heard of Mini Lalaloopsy dolls?  I think

they are just so cute, so one thing led to another and

here's what I've been busy with lately!

 

 

I started with a tin lunch box, and converted it

into a little sweet dollhouse!  The dolls are only

3 inches tall, and this box is about 5 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches,

so it's all pretty small.  I have had so much fun

making them!

 

Everything fits inside the box so little girls

can take their dollhouse anywhere!

 

I also made a school house.  This one has two sisters,

so maybe it's a homeschool?

 

Little books...

 

If you would like one, I have these two listed

in my Etsy shop!

Doll Clothes

We are very ready for winter to be over around here, but with highs in the teens this weekend and a forecast of sleet, freezing rain, and snow, it looks like we will have to endure it a little longer.  But when life gives you lemons, make lemonade, right?  So I decided that instead of feeling depressed about winter I would do something fun- make doll clothes!

For the Barbie dresses I used the tutorials on this website.  The directions were very easy to follow and fun to make.  I made up the knitted poncho and crocheted hat- even Barbie needs to keep warm in this weather.  And for the calico pioneer dress I used an old Butterick pattern my Mom had.  I really liked how it turned out, but I think I'm going to make an apron yet to go with it. 



As far as what little girl will play with them, we still don't know!  But we "might" be getting a little closer.  Hopefully we will know in the next few weeks whether we will be chosen for the girls we have submitted our homestudy for.  And, last but not least, here's a little encouragement for the day~

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another;

be sympathetic, love as brothers,

be compassionate and humble.

1 Peter 3:8

Barbie Wedding Dress

 

Back when my mom was a little girl, her mom crocheted her this

beautiful Barbie wedding dress for Christmas one year.  I remember

her showing it to me when I was little, and letting me play with it

if I was really careful!  It has little pearl beads sewn

around the hem, neckline, and sleeves. 

 

This fall when we thought we were going to adopt Mimi,

one of the things we knew about her was that she liked

playing with Barbies.  So I decided to try and copy my

mom's dress and make one for her.  I finally finished it this week!

It turned out pretty well, although I couldn't find the little

pearl beads so I used smaller glass beads instead.

Although I won't be able to give it to Mimi,

hopefully someday I will be able to give it to

another special little girl.

 

Speaking of adoption, we are going to be considered as a family

for another little girl, (I'm just going to call her A for now on the blog)

in the next couple months.  They haven't set the date for the match

meeting yet.  They are considering 3 other families as well,

so we won't necessarily be chosen as her family.  She is under a

year old and really cute!  We are hopeful and trusting God

will send A to the family that is best for her.

 

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year's!

 

Hymnal Snowflakes

 

The kids and I had a fun time this morning making snowflakes

from old hymnal pages!  I got the idea from Anita Diaz at Far Above Rubies.

She has lots of great ideas for using family antiques in her décor,

craft ideas, and beautiful photos of the Great Smoky Mountains.

 

 

They turned out great!  After we were done making them I ironed

them to press them flat, which worked really well.

 

This is my "homemade tree" in the kitchen.

Besides the hymnal snowflakes, I also have crocheted

snowflakes that I made this fall, and paper cones

my Mom and I made one year.

 

 

We decorated them with vintage buttons and trims,

stickers, and ribbons.

 

 

I also hung some snowflakes from the windows.

(AJ had a mouthful of candy when I took this picture...)

 

Christmas decorating is so fun, and being able to enjoy

it with the kids is an added blessing!