A Grateful Heart

This week, I am so thankful for the few minutes I have found to sew. It is so hard to find the time, but I have been really trying to make sure that I get a few minutes. Sometimes it isn't even once a week, but I sure am trying. I have been planning and cutting while I work with the kids for school so that when I do get a few minutes I can just get right to it.

Here are some of my attempts and more bags. They are not perfect, but I sure am having fun. And I can't get better unless I practice. ;)

Hopefully this weekend I will get a chance to work on some gifts and a pretty purple block I am turning into another bag. Then, after Christmas, I plan to work on my first quilt. It will be for my daughter.

Beeswax Lip Balm

I am so excited about this lip balm. It is made with beeswax from the hubby's hives.

I used:

2 tbsp of coconut oil
1 1/2 tbsp of beeswax
1 tbsp shea butter
1 tbsp cocoa butter
about 25 drops peppermint essential oils

(Bought everything but the beeswax from Mountain Rose Herbs. - not an affiliate link)

I used a glass measuring cup dedicated to making lip balm only to create a double boiler. Once I had it all melted I used the tiniest little funnel to pour the liquid into the tubes. I kept the pot of water warm because it is cold here and the mixture would start to solidify. Then I would just place the measuring cup back in the pot of water to make liquid again.

And it makes a ton of these little tubes. I used an Avery label (Square 2 in x 2 in), but I had to cut off just a little to make it fit. And they didn't stick very well, so I used clear packaging tape over it. Now it looks like a real lip balm and works even better than the ones at the store.

Oh my goodness, it is so good. Love the way it feels on my lips. I'm adding these to the items for sale with our honey. And it is so great to start to see my little "shop" coming together. Dreams do come true.... as long as someone decides to buy them, haha!

Today is the Day! Back to the Future

 

Oh my gosh! My hubby and I are a bunch of geeks. Last month, my hubby turns to me and says, I think today is the day that Marty McFly went to the future. So, of course, I google it to find that he actually traveled to October 21, 2015. So we have been counting down until the day. And we will be forcing our kids to watch Part II to see it happen. Oh, the fun.

Brown Mosaics

Do you remember the primary color mosaics that were being made for a giveaway over at Stitched in Color? It was so much fun. I spent way too long playing with the mosaic maker and putting fun fabrics together. I didn't win, I wasn't even a finalist, but it was still incredibly fun.

So when I saw that she has another fun mosaic contest, I dropped what I was doing to play with fabrics from the fun fabric shop, Fabric Bubb.

Here are my two brown mosaics. This was hard. I have a ton more ideas and way too many fabrics to add. Oh, if I could add more than 9....

The first one has some fun blue shades and a wanderer feel.

As I was working on that one I started to dream up fun shades of purple and pink and brown... So lovely. I never feel like these are perfect, or finished, but I just couldn't afford any more time on it.











Do you want to join in the fun? Check out all the details here at Stitched in Color.

A Grateful Heart

 

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
   1 Thessalonians 5:18

I disappear from this little blog at times because life gets crazy and sometimes there isn't much to report that I feel is worthy of reporting. We still continue to struggle, but we are making it. I am thankful for this. Maybe it is not all perfect, but that is ok. I am working hard to remind myself that some of the things I spend time worrying about really don't matter in the long run. Maybe I didn't pay a bill on time.... yes it bothers me to no end and has me worried... but a few years from now I won't even remember that bill, or bills, was a couple days late. I don't know if my health is in check and don't have the means to get it checked, but for now I am choosing the be thankful for each day the Lord provides me and my family. And I am thankful that I have the jobs that I do, that my kids are happy and healthy, that we are back in beautiful western NY for fall. I love fall in NY.

So I am choosing the be thankful and happy. I am trying really hard not to be worried and crazy. Oh if only it were easier. And I keep praying that I will know the roads/paths to take to continue to do His will. 

Are you ready for the Jo-Ann's Giveaway?

Jo-Ann's is doing some sort of crazy giveaway where you win by being the fastest. You will get notified when the giveaway will start. Then whoever is the fastest gets the big prizes. Those that log in later will earn free shipping or other types of deals.

They are giving away 100 gift cards and a bunch of other deals. Some of the gift cards are worth $100, $200 and $500. That will get you a lot of supplies for whatever crafty stuff you love.


You can sign up now to be notified when the giveaway will start and even earn ways of getting an early notification!

Another Awesome Sewing Giveaway

Have you noticed all the great giveaways this month for fabric and sewing stuff??? Gotta love National Sewing Month or whatever it is!

Here is another one that you might want to enter with $2000 in prizes.

There are 11 more days to enter.