A Special Delivery

 I have been working my little fingers to the bone crocheting, knitting, and now even sewing lil animals for my friend to take to Africa in June. You can see my previous post on this here.
Imagine my suprise to read on her Facebook that the trip was postponned. The price of airfare has skyrocketed...I mean to a rediculous amount. The cost of gas and other things have driven the cost up, so the decision was made to postponne the trip.....
So I freak out
and I was bummed....
and I called my friend cos I was bummed and freaking out......

These sweet little animals wouldn't have a home, and there was no way in heck I could keep up making two a day until the new date we are leaving, which is in September.

Yes, I said WE. I have finally gotten my opportunity to go. I have been craving a mission trip to help people for many years. I always find out to late, or talk myself out of it......But not this time. Those of you that know me are probably scratching your heads and not believing your eyes, but yes, this is something I have been just dying to do. I suppose I didn't talk about it much cos I was trying to talk myself out of it.

I am absolutly delighted to get to not only provide for physical needs of people, and spiritual needs of the people....but I get to hand deliver every one of my lil animals, stitched in love and prayers.  I got all the info and got in touch with the XMA(extreme missionary adventures) group leader and set up everything, got all the info and then now ........... I need money to go.
  
 I am going to offer all of you some opportunities. I am going to sell a few of the many"Animals for Africa" that I have made. Each one is special, and slightly different, and since I want to bring along a bunch, will be very limited edition. They are safe for kids (obviously) and would make a great baby gift, or just a little something for that little someone. I will be making a listing on my Facebook where you can see them. (send me a message on there if we arent already friends)
     The other thing is only if you live locally. I am going to offer manicures. Now these aren't just ANY manicures....( I was professionally trained to do manicures, and do hair too) but these include custom printed designs on your nails. This will also be listed so you can see and I will begin to take appointments in June.

 I have a  page which tells a little more about what it is we will be doing in Africa. You can click on it HERE .  Forward it to your friends, you can choose to donate on there too, if that is what you want. Or just wait for one of the many opportunities I will offer in the comming months.
  I hope you will all pray for us and help to support us on this awesome adventure....we even have room for more..........

The "in-crowd"



So a friend of mine is going to Africa on a mission trip. I have had a feeling for a long time about this..... like I would LOVE to do something like that, but then my mind goes crazy with a million "what if" and "how would that work out" scenarios. I believe I will do it, just not yet. Nevertheless, I WANT TO HELP in some tangible way. If I can't be there physically physically, then I want some part of me going in some way. I did come up with something she could take of me with her....my crochet. I also decided to challenge myself and really try to make an impact.

     So here it is....she leaves in approximately 30 days. I am going to complete 2 miniature animals a day for her to take along with her for the children she encounters on her journey. After all, I have a ton of yarn just sitting around in my stash that needs to be used up.



my favorite by far!

 Here is a post of her's from facebook recently........."Most children in America fear the monster under their bed.......most children in Uganda, Africa fear the rebels who will take them from their homes at night to become child soldiers, and teach them to kill brutally. If they are found crying......they are killed. And we complain about gas prices and not having enough money....."

I hope these little animals will give these sweet babies something to comfort them. They are loaded with love and prayers. I can't help but be moved when I hear of things like this. Be on the look out for a pattern in the next couple of days.

 If you want to help, just shoot me an email and I will tell you where to send your completed project. Here are a few I've completed:      





Have you ever gotten an "ahhh-ha" moment?

Or hear something that you think..."I wish someone would have told me that when I was young."....I get a lot of those from time to time. I take them as more of a God thing....... Him trying to show me something or to even tell me something. Sometimes it's even encouraging. On the way home from a trip to Hobby Lobby for some plastic safety eyes for my animals, I hear one particular part of a song (I have no idea what it is called or who sings it..). I wasn't even really listening to the song until it says:

"You don't have to be part of the in-crowd.

 Everyone knows who you are because your life screams Jesus."
   
 I thought right away of times where I've purposely tried to fit in somewhere. We've all done it at some point in our lives...heck we STILL do it. Now, you can't go getting the big head ........... but on those days where you feel invisible, it is rather comforting to know you aren't. Besides, we aren't here to be part of any person created group, we are here to be a part of His group, and He never snubs someone off.
                   I love my Jesus! 

Sweet Little Sweater

Maybe you know me, maybe you don't, but I just adore a newborn. Their sweet tiny hands and feet, their adorable little cries, and of coarse I don't know of one person who doesn't just swoon at the smell of a freshly bathed newborn. I can remember fighting with my mother overwho got to sniff Elaina after her bath (she's 9 now).... I also enjoy crafting for newborns as well. I love the speedy satisfaction I get from it since it's so small, and I really enjoy feeling the yummy fibers baby yarn has flowing through my fingers as I work.

I have been noticing that EVERYONE who is pregnant, that I know at least, is having/just had a baby BOY. There is absolutely nothing like a handmade gift for a new little darling. I can't help myself from devising ideas for a friend, or sometimes someone I don't even know who has a baby. Which brings me to this....... I have been just DYING to show you my latest project. I have been working on it for about a month, and just sewed the last button on it this afternoon.

Isn't it just delicious?? My favorite thing is the little buttoned sleeve cuffs, and the stockinette edging......

It was such a joy to make, and I can't wait to send it off to NY!

Are you a knitter? click here for the pattern....ITs FREE

Panic, and Cooking.....

SO. things have been a little squirlley in our house as of late. I finally decided to do something about all of my Anxiety I have been dealing with for as long as I can remember. I guess it is something heriditary, since my dad is 10X worse than I am about things. Excessive worry about literally Everything is not Okay. I want to be a better wife, mother, and person. I feel like somewhere in all this, I've lost who I really am. I havent'seen  that gal in a very long time....too long.

      In that conquest of my illness, I have tried several medications to make it better. The most recent one, which didn't help me in the least......in the process of doing that, I had a lovely reaction to the old stuff leaving my system.

 I thought I was having a Heart Attack...... I had all the symptoms of one, and it was NOT fun. So off to the doctor, who takes one look at me and sends me to the ER, where I spent the next two days getting poked, tested, and fed icky hospital food. The short of the long, is that I was having Panic Attacks....I had NO idea what the heck those were like....until now. I will be glad to say BYE-BYE to those, hopefully in about two weeks, when the new medicine begins to work. They were also able to fix my blood pressure medicine to work more effictively as well. That more than anything has helped me feel better. No more racing  heart rate, and a completely normal BP!

  Anyhow, on to nicer topics. In leiu of all of the food I had to consume to stay alive, I decided to try another new recipe from one of my newest cookbooks! When I say I am IN LOVE with my Deep COvered Baker....I MEAN IT.

My DCB

I am soooo looking forward to dipping my fork into this one. It was BY FAR the easiest Chicken Pot Pie I have ever made. I know I know...its totally corny, cos that is what the recipe is entitled. But if you know anything about Pampered Chef...they are all about EASY. I still do love to spend hours in my kitchen on occasion, but since I've gotten into all this, I don't have to anymore. The WOW factor is always there with any PC recipe. My only disappointment is this: They are being awful stingy with the recipes from this book on their website. But, you know who to ask to order you one!

Wow, it's been busy

So I am bored this morning and decide I needed to give my blog a little pampering. Hope you like it! Guess it is more veg time since this week and last have been such a blur due to a death in the family, and now it is appearing we may lose another dear family memeber. Prayers from everyone appreciated.

My goal is to try to keep up with this thing, maybe a post a day, just of my thoughts and for therapy, and when I have the inkling, pics of my latest projects.

Let's see...lately I've been cooking a whole bunch. I have been wanting to crochet and do some other things, but they are so time consuming, and that is a commodity I've been short on. Cooking has been an attainable satisfaction for me in the last few weeks. Since the Pampered Chef makes it super easy for me, I've been testing out some new recipes I got when I ordered the new Spring Line of products. All of which I love. My new favorite is the BBQ Bacon Meatloaf  from the new Dinner in Your Deep Covered Baker cookbook. I absolutely love my DCB, and it comes in so handy for when I don't have time to make an extravagant meal but would like one. Unfortunately, they don't have the recipe online yet for it, I have no idea if it will make it to their site, but it should!! However, you can get one from me, your Pampered Chef Consultant!

Well, I've been sitting here a while now, so off I go to I think knit for a while. Will post pics of the project once I get rolling on it!