Handicrafts & Creativity

May the favour of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us -
yes, establish the works of our hands.
Psalm 90:17

"Handicrafts serve as a means of communication among people who are afraid, shy or sick, or even people who speak different languages. There is something reassuring, homely, pleasant and relaxing to see someone embroidering or knitting in an airport or on a train. One feels a trust and confidence about such a person. If one has similar work at hand, one becomes friends almost without words. Or one might ask what the other is doing and a bond of friendship, gentle & warm, is established with this person who only a short time ago was a stranger. the handcraft is a bridge.

All creative effort is from God, & people who do handcrafts create. To create is to be at peace, for in creating one is joined with the creator. Creativeness is one with the needs of our humanity and of the gifts of God to us. Handicrafts also are one more way of restoring wholeness in the natural and psychological order so as to better restore us to God. the loneliness of modern people has almost reached a point of no return; but in a common effort of creativity, men & women may find someone else who is interested in similar crafts, and become friends through their craftsmanship. Friendship is still the most precious possession that a human being can share. So handicrafts open the door to both friendship & creativity. these aspect go together, for friendship both creates & demands creativity to grow."

This was a devotion I read last week and has been on my mind to share with you as many of you - my readers - are friends that I have made through my crafts - some from SOF, some from the craft forum and some real life friends but mostly you are crafters. God has given us a special bond through creativity - he has given us this creativity to express many things and for me one of them is his love for me. My prayer is that all my readers will one day know that love of God as I do.

CARING HEARTS

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will hear me talk of these caring hearts a bit. What are they - they are hearts made by ladies on my craft forum to be given to our ladies when they need a group hug.

I put this quilt together from 3 sets of hearts to be sent to Kelly in Victoria to quilt and then to pass on to a fire victim family. The hearts in this quilt were to be sent to a family of one of our forum girls but she requested instead that I turn them into a quilt to give to other fire victims.

Sorry the pic is fuzzy bit I think you get the idea.

This swag I have only finished just recently was made from a set of hearts sent to me in 2006 before I took over being the "keeper of the hearts".

Morning Routine

While reading Lusi's blog one day I found a link to Biblical woman hood blog http://biblicalwomanhoodblog.blogspot.com/ which has been very encouraging to me especially the entries on "from exhaustion to rejuvenation". Crystal was hosting a how to make your house a home but has now passed the mantle onto Tammy who has given some wonderful advise and that is to come up with a simple and achievable morning routine.

here is part of what she has said in her introductory entry "So, the "Making Your Home a Haven" challenge isn't all about cleaning, working, or to-do lists. It's about having a spirit-filled heart and loving our families enough that we strive to make ourselves and our homes a welcoming, joyful, and peaceful haven to them! "

I have decided to join this challenge as it can only help me to get into a habit of getting the things done I really want to. Here is my morning routine list:-

* Quiet time & breakfast
* Read emails and forums
* Tidy up Kitchen - rinse and put away any dishes on sink & sweep floor
* Wipe vanity & mirrors on alternative bathroom & toilets (again alternatively as we have 4)
* 10 minute general tidy up

Read all about this challenge at http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3272 and her introduction here http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3268

My main reason for posting this on my blog is to now be accountable for putting this routine into practise.

Lusi's prompt for this week is kindness..SO here goes:-

REALLY - I have been in such a bad head space lately that when I first read this prompt that I immediately thought of no kind acts.

REALLY - one of the kindest acts that I can remember is when two very precious ladies from Church turned up with almost a months worth of groceries as they knew we were going through a rough financial patch.

REALLY - The kindest, sweetest, loving lady I ever knew was joy - so aptly named and she was a real joy to be around- was so special to me and many other people. She always made you feel special. Would often send me home after dropping her off with a bag of lemons or pumpkin already peeled & cut up just waiting to be made into soup. She had a heart of gold and loved her LORD more that anything. She went to be with her Lord last year & I really miss her so much.

REALLY - my mum was a very kind person and taught me by her actions that it doesn't take much to show kindness to others.

REALLY - I want my children to grow into caring & kind adults. Haylee is one of the sweetest and kindest young ladies I know. Royce is still a work in progress.

REALLY - God has blessed me with two wonderful Bible study leaders (Brenda & Esther) who show kindness in everything they do. A great example of Christ's love in action.

REALLY - A kind word or action is not at all hard to do.................... A touch on the arm, a phone call even a smile.

REALLY - The prayers of wonderful friends including my SOF buddies have been such a blessing to me.

REALLY - I have a extremely kind friend who knows just what to say and how to say it. And I know she is always praying for me - there is no greater way of showing kindness than to pray for someone.

Christmas Tablecloth AGAIN

Here is my Christmas Tablecloth now that I have added the extra borders it needed to fit my extremely long table. I am very very happy with how it has turned out. I will now get it professionally quilted hopefully to be used in July for Christmas in July.

Sneak preview

Here's a sneak preview of the Layered mini album I will be teaching at the Scrapping With Soul Retreat in May.

And some retreat info for those who would like to come.

http://www.nowrabaptist.asn.au/sws/retreats.htm

"We invite you escape and enjoy a wonderful weekend of scrapbooking/papercraft, relaxation and friendship, plus a 3 course Food for the Soul dinner function with special guest Rosie Ellery speaking on "Our hidden stories". The Retreat is over the weekend of the 15th – 17th May, 2009 at Waterslea Conference Centre, North Nowra. The cost of $170pp includes all meals from supper Friday to afternoon tea Sunday, accommodation in heated ensuite rooms of 4 -6 people and free demonstrations. Optional make-and-take workshops are offered at additional cost. Cropworks hosts an amazing onsite store for all your scrapping supplies, and we provide a Cricut, computer/printer and sewing machine for use during the Retreat. Enjoy some fabulous competitions, eat, relax, and scrap to your heart’s delight! "

Generous Giveway

If you want the opportunity to win a box of quilting supplies (& chocolate) pop over to Sam's blog http://missymack.blogspot.com/ & help her celebrate her 50 post. She has some very beautiful crafts you can also check out while you are there. You can also join her paper bag swap that she is going to run, i am going to join it as I had a blast in the Craft forum one.

UFO'S completed

I have been using some of my holidays to get a few UFO's finished and am very happy to announce that I have completed the pineapple patch quilt top, it has been sitting waiting for a border since the end of last year , but it was started at least 5 years ago.

I have also sewn together the Row X Row from 2006 and have also added its borders.

While on a roll I sewed the binding on some caring heart blocks, I was sent over 5 years ago,that I made into a swag. Still have the hand sewing to do, so pics to still come. I have also added an extra 4 1/2" border to one end of my Christmas Table cloth (Medallion RR) to make it long enough for my huge table and have another 6 1/2" border to add all around, hoping to have that done tomorrow. Also hoping to get the Chrissy swag completed and get the pic up next post.

I still have quite a few UFO's and some are only WIP's to go but am getting to them, this is the year to knock them over.

I have decided though to keep my interest that I will allow myself a small new project after I have hand sewn the binding of the swags and when I complete my next big UFO - the dreaded Cozy Cabins I will allow myself to make my Butterfly Fling jelly roll into a quilt.

I also have some fabric cut out to make a gift for someone special cant say who yet or what it will be but I will be sewing that at My quilters Bible study on Wednesday night group

GET REAL BABY

I'm a little (well over a week ) late with this weeks Get real baby post. Lusi has given us an extra challenge and has added a prompt to each week. This weeks prompt is wait for it ............. holidays.





Sooooooooooooooooo



Really - I am in the last week of my 3 week holiday. I went to a health retreat spa for 3 days and the rest has been taking it easy at home. Catching up on some UFO sewing.


Really - the best Holidays I have are the ones that I go on my own to the Health retreat each year.





Really - I have only flown once and that was last November to go to the SOF retreat in Brisbane. Both kids had flown b4 their mum.





Really - we have only had 2 actual holidays as a family.





Really - the first holiday was a disaster. Should have known when we got to the other side of Nowra and stopped at Macca's to have breaky that when I reached across the table & put my shoulder out to go home, right then. So we spent 10 days with Haylee & I screaming at each other, we shorted out a caravan park when we washed the Royce's clothes because he had thrown up on all of them for all of that part of the trip. we then backed into a tree and spent 1 night in a tent in pouring rain and had to pack up camp also in the rain.





Really - on the second Holiday (to QLd to do 2 theme parks) - which was also a travelling one we gave Royce Actifed CC so he would sleep while we travelled. On the last part of the journey we decided not to and he talked non stop the whole 8 hour trip home, drove us all insane.





Really - when we went on holidays my quiet time with God always suffered badly.





5 things to be thankful for





God's word that encourages, comfort and guides me





Friends





Fresh eggs from my sisters chooks for the last week





A great sermon this morning on Prayer.





God's love, grace & forgiveness.

Paper bag Swap

Today - March 1 - was the opening day for our paper bag swap on The Craft Forum. I sent a paper bag to Dawn with a FatQ, loads of ric rac, braid, embroidery floss and buttons. Dawn sent me 3 pieces of patterned fabric, calico, ric rac, ribbon, lace and buttons. We had to make each other a gift using these items. We could use some of our own (as Dawn has done) but Dawn sent me enough fabric to do her complete bag with only a small amount of fabric and ric rac left over.

AS soon as I saw her fabric I knew that it had to become a bag and in my head I knew how I wanted that bag to look but didn't have a pattern so I came up With the design myself using a few techniques I have used on other bags.






I made a 3 part pocket right across the inside of the bag with the burgundy spot fabric.

All I added to the stash Dawn sent me were all of the buttons except the watering can and 1 Burgundy button and the braid in the row above the buttons.

And this is what Dawn made me.
Sally. Isn't she just beautiful. She is a Rosalie Quinlan doll and the perfect use for all the ric rac I sent Dawn. Just love the way the buttons have been used to make a little hat on her ric rac hair and the row of lowers on her britches.