Crafty Organization

I think I must have stumbled across this idea over at tipnut.com (I LOVE tipnut).

I love circular needles for all my knitting, not just knitting in the round. They are so much more comfortable for me to use.

I have spent so much time wrestling with and untangling them, because I am a naughty knitter and don't keep my packages to store them in.

So today I pulled out some scrap fabric and a kids clothes hanger (their clothes are getting too big to stay on the smaller hangers) and set to work. I think the whole project took less than an hour including the 'figgerin' part. And the green spotted fabric (which is much happier than what the picture shows) brightens up the patch of wall that it hangs on.

Pursuing Wellness

My friend Elisa, over at Extravagant Grace, is organizing a cool online Bible study using Begin With Christ, First Place 4 Health Bible Study. We will be reading and sharing and praying for one another for 12 weeks. Click the link below if you would like to join us.

I've been wanting to use some of First Place's material for a couple years now and I'm really excited about doing with with a dear friend and meeting new friends along the way.

Silly Kitty

We recently decided to take a break from being fish-owners, and while most of the cleaning out of the tank is done, it hasn't been fully put away. I guess Cleo misses them.

Check this out:

This came across my twitter last night:

honeybee69_etsy Wanna know how much a baby rag quilt would be after the cpsia goes into effect? http://tinyurl.com/9x58tl

Follow this link to email your representatives:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Follow this link to email your senators:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Google "CPSIA" for more information.














Two weeks ago, Caleb and I read about the creation of the 'gentlemens agreement' in politics. Basically it is when legislation is written that means one thing but does another, especially when what is really being said is that we want to discriminate against a race or country.

It seems to me that this CPSIA nonsense is very similar. We want to say 'no Chinese goods' but we can't for any number of reasons, so we are going to write crappy rules that cripple business owners and artists in our own country.

And while I'm on my soapbox, whatever happened to expecting parents to employ some watchful common-sense. Can we make some rules about that, too.

Brilliant!

Found this on a circuitous blog journey (google "drink mug with biscuit holder" to find several buying options). I LOVE it! Think I will design one to hold biscotti.... mmmm.

Kitty Litter meditations

This morning, I was cleaning the kitty litter. A thought crossed my mind "I wonder if this is how it is for God". Since I don't normally think about God while I clean the kitty litter, I let myself stay there for a few minutes, appreciating that not only did God send His Son to die for my past sins, but also my current and future ones.

The thought became a little amusing as the cat came in to evaluate how I was doing at the cleaning, and to even try to save some of her little 'treasures'. Oh, how much like me. I know what I want to do and don't, and what I don't want to do, I do. And rather than just saying 'thanks for cleaning up the mess', I actually try to clean some of it up for myself.

As I finished up the Saturday chore, and tidied the floor, I thought of another reason why God might invite me to think about Him while doing this dirty little chore:














Oh, yes, the Glory and Comfort of His Companionship. Bless the Lord oh my soul, bless the Lord.

Trash to Treasure

Marc came into the kitchen as I had my hands half-way into the garbage can. He gave me a 'what ARE you doing look' as though this were an unusual thing. I had had an idea, and I was pretty sure the means to my end was still in the garbage.

What I was looking for was the white styrofoam from Caleb's new IPOD docking station. Sure enough it was still there (the other half is still in there if anyone else wants it). I pulled it out and cleaned it off in the sink (fortunately I went treasure hunting before todays coffee grinds had been dumped).

I have been playing with polymer clay and jewelry making for awhile now. With my new Dremel tool that I got for Christmas (SO exciting) I was able to drill holes, and here is a picture of my 'bead rack' that I used to hold the beads while I glazed them.

I was pretty impressed with the beads by themselves, but the glaze that I used really makes them stand out. I can't wait to figure out what to make with them.

Spiritual discipline

For school this week, we were talking about Faith. I found a short list of ways to grow your faith (Bible study, prayer, worship, fasting, and conversations with other Christians) and challenged the kids to choose one to do this week.

Anna chose fasting. 6yo Anna. Even after the other kids talked about other things, and even after she counted the cost of missing lunch, she was committed. So today was the day.

As the time for lunch grew nearer and nearer, Anna began asking about what the three of us were going to eat. I was not going to get all legalistic on her. If she was going to eat, that was fine. Finally I asked her what she was asking for, and why she seemed to be growing stressed out (aside from blood sugar).

What came out is that Anna heard that not only do you give up a meal, but you serve others a meal. For the life of me, I have no idea where she got that from. But she was determined. So she painstakingly made my sandwich and served me during her fast.

As I got to thinking about it, I had more and more 'how cool' waves come across my brain. Not only did she stick to her fast, but the direct impact in her heart was to serve her family what she was going without.