Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!! Enjoy the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon you and be glad!

Fondly, Sandy

Earth Day Reminder

Happy Earth Day!!

As God asked Adam in Genesis, "what name do you give these" making him true Shepherd of all the animals and the earth, so are we called by God do the same.

Let us challenge ourselves to come up with ideas within our own families that could make small but lasting changes.

• Turn those lights off when leaving the room.
  
• Shut off the faucet when brushing teeth or washing dishes.
  
• Accumulate enough laundry before doing a whole load.
  
• Stop using disposable water bottles.
  
• Recycle food waste for compost. Your garden will love you for it!
  
• Learn how to recycle plastic containers, for example remove caps from water bottles before tossing in bin or they will not get recycled properly if at all.
  
• Start a small outdoor or indoor garden to grow some things your normally buy.
  
• Use cloth bags for groceries (really its cool now and they don't tear when carrying heavy things).
  
• Stop buying paper plates, cups, napkins and paper towels. Use cloth.
  
• Pick one cup to use for the day.
  
• Keep your heating bill down by use heavy quilts in winter with warm jammies and set the temp to 66.
  
• Don't turn the AC on at the first sign of temps above 75. Save it for those really humid days.
  
• Limit TV time if you don't do so already.
  
• Walk or ride your bike when ever you can.
  
• Share a ride with friends. Offer to start a carpool.

These are just a few ideas we all know but most of us don't put into practice! But after this Earth Day reminder we will be trying really hard to do our part as Stewards of our God given Earth!

My Spinning Wheel

And here she is, my very own spinning wheel!! Isn't she a beauty? I have been trying to teach myself a little each night. Still waiting for a class date. Let me know how you like it and if you have one of your own post a picture would love to see it.

Shabby Chic Cloth Haversack

Sewing and all things crafty have always been my passion though never have I been expert in any. I still enjoy the simple joys of thinking up a little something and then creating it with hopefully a lovely outcome.

Here is a bag I made in one night with minimal sewing skills. I found it on the "Tiny Happy" blog. She has a lovely site with wonderful ideas and fabulous tutorials that take you step by step on making these adorable projects.

I began making my cloth shoulder bag/haversack at 10pm and finished at 2am. Like I said I have very beginner sewing skills.

The fun is that you can choose any fabric style and color to suit you and line it with a matching fabric. JoAnn's Fabrics was having a sale the day I got this inspiration and made the bag for $8 total. Not too shabby I think! Here is the link to the tutorial on Tiny Happy.http://tinyhappy.typepad.com/tiny_happy/2006/06/shoulder_bag_tu.html .

Let me know if you are so inspired to make a little bag for yourself and post a picture or two, I'd love to see it!! Happy notions!

Fondly,

Sandy

Not just another busy day

I usually awaken when I hear the sound of my husbands electric razor. He is like a well oiled machine (unlike me) first thing in the morning. By the time he begins to shave it is exactly 6:40 am and time for me to hit the ground running. Not being a morning person (though I really love getting an early start on the day) its that initial opening of the eyes that's hurts.
I lay there for a moment or two and try to assemble a morning prayer, which usually results in a simple offering up to God my whole day, every thought, word, and deed. It is usually all I can muster before my feet hit the very cold floor. It is my feeble attempt to Christ center my day, that He be at my core so that all else flows from Him during the little storms that can churn up on any given suburban mommy day.
This simple act by me, helps to turn my daily chores of changing diapers, cleaning floors, tending a sick baby or two, laundry and even the shuttling to and fro from school to church or other activities into glorious gifts offered up to our Lord. In doing so they are united to His Cross for our Lord to do with as he sees fit. Our earthly eyes can never truly see the holiness in these daily homemaker tasks but then again we do not have the eyes of God!
When we offer these things no matter how small or tedious Our Lord transforms them and we are reminded that through our vocations of motherhood, homemaker, part time or full time job holder we are chosen to do His will in these daily tasks! Suddenly there is a joy in these mundane things that we can so easily get bogged down in.
So our not so little task, from now on is to offer up our entire day to the Lord, every thought, work and deed that He may do with them as he wills.
And on that note I must scurry off to put a stinky little one into a tubby before running off to fetch the other little lovie at school.
Have a blessed day and may your every minute be transformed into Glory!!

Fondly,
Sandy

Knitting makes friends!

I was out today waiting for my little one Emma at her gymnastics class and thought to grab my knitting bag before I left the house. As I sat there I began pulling out my project (still working on emma's blanket). The mom who was sitting in front of me said "oh, great I won't be alone", referring to her knitting. I smiled and laughed a little. She explained that most of her friends seem to find it funny that someone like her an "engineer" turned stay at home mom would knit. Having had the same experience myself I completely understood.

Kim, said she often found herself while not shy, not very outspoken in a new surrounding but with her knitting she felt comfortable and it seemed that by accident more and more people wanted to chat with her about her knitting!

While we chatted and knitted we found we lived in the same town not far from each other and had many other things in common! She asked for my email and hoped to come and join my knitting group on a Tuesday night out at Springfield. I hope she can make it!

So for all those folks who think that only grannies knit, here you have it! Lots of people are curious about this wonderful hobby (or addiction really) but are just too silly to say so! Besides I hope that one day I am one of those grannies who knits and crochets for all her little lovies. What better reflection of love than to hear "my grandma made this for me and I love it!"

I am so glad that our Lord has placed this hobby in my hands that I may continue to make all sorts of new friends and share much more than knitting but the wonderful gifts of motherhood as well.

Fondly,
Sandy

How excited was I to have my husband buy for me a spinning wheel, a Kromski Prelude to be exact!! It is lovely! A single drive, 18" wheel. Of course now begins the task of learning how to spin! I do get myself into some tight corners...but hey how else will we ever learn something new? My thought process is, if I waited until I had time actual time with no children in need of my constant attention, or a house in constant need of dusting, mopping, straightening and the such! When I don't have a schedule to keep, I'd never ever learn anything new!

So here I am, six months after learning to knit, attempting to cross the great divide of purchased fiber and hand spun fiber! It is a bit of a daunting task, but as I sit here and look at my Kromski, a small smile begins to form and I can't wait for all the sleepless nights learning this new craft of handspinning! Once the little ones are all tucked in and daddy too I will practice my treadling (no easy skill either) until it is second nature! Then I shall move on to actually spinning wool. I will post pictures of this process as it comes along.

My new profile picture show St. Elizabeth of Hungry spinning wool for garments for the poor! funny little coincidence is that last Halloween, my littlest one went trick or treating dressed at Saint Elizabeth of Hungry! Maybe God's little whispers?

Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers as I will you and yours.

Fondly

Spinning Mommy!