A Mile in My Shoes

What would You like for Your birthday Jesus?

Gleaned from Ann, always an inspiration.

Only 4 more paydays until Christmas....

We get paid twice a month, you might have a few more paydays than we do.  Anyway, my point is this:

Like us, you are probably gathering Christmas lists.  Are you as bewildered as I am at the thought of buying one more toy for your kids? 

I am.  Seriously.  They have a toy room.

A room.

Just for toys.

How many children in the world, right now as I type, would like to have a room to sleep in?  Never mind a change of clothes or a bed. 

Maybe a little food in their bellies?

"When you happen on someone who's in trouble or needs help
among your people with whom you live in this land that God, your God, is giving you,
don't look the other way pretending you don't see him.
Don't keep a tight grip on your purse.

No.

Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs.

Don't count the cost."
~Deuteronomy 15:7-9

"When a poor person dies of hunger,
it has not happened
because God did not take care of him or her. 

It has happened
because neither you nor I wanted to give that person
what he or she needed."
~Mother Teresa

What is our response?

Your response will be up to you.  But can I encourage you to reach?  Reach out.  Reach far.  Be as generous as your current circumstances allow.  Then maybe you can think of ways to change your circumstances to give more.

How are you going to celebrate Jesus' birthday?  What are you giving Him for a gift?  After all, why should we give ourselves presents?  It's not our birthday....

Thank you Ann.  For reminding me.

We are starting here:

And here:

Easter Decoration, or lack thereof

I have no Easter Decorations.  Not really any Spring decorations either.

So I decided to felt some Easter Eggs. 

I bought some Styrofoam eggs and needle-felted some wool roving to them.  Then I shoved them in one of Iris's old tights legs and tied a few knots. I took turns immersing them in cold and hot water while rubbing them.  Then I snipped them out of their little pods and continued rubbing on them individually until they had the finish I was looking for.  I wore rubber gloves so I could make the cold water really cold and the hot water really hot.  I squeezed as much water out of them as I could, and now they are sitting in the sun to dry.  I might tuck them back into some nylons and put them in the dryer with a pair of jeans on the air-fluff cycle, just to speed things up. 

I like them solid like this, but I think I'm going to needle-felt some little patterns on them.

So this is the extent of my Easter/Spring decorations (The chick and duckling found their way into my cart last night, they gave me the ideas for the eggs.)  I want to craft some more.  Anyone have any ideas?

Valentine Craft

So, I think I have a thing for Sun Catchers.  Either that, or I just need some color to brighten our February.  I came across this craft on my friend Martha's web-site.  I couldn't resist. 

First, we shaved the crayons.  The crayon sharpener was going a little too slow for me, so I got out an old grater.   That sped things up a little, but we had to go slow enough to be safe.  We didn't want any knuckles or fingertips in our craft.

Then I melted the crayons.   Make sure you heed Martha's advice to spread the shavings evenly and thinly.  It helps if you have the kraft paper she suggests.  We used paper bags and the creases became very annoying.  They made the melted wax pool instead of spreading evenly. 

The hardest part was finding a heart shape we liked.  One was too fat, one was too long.  One had bumpy edges.  I finally found the "perfect" one, and we traced all the hearts.  Then we cut.

I wanted to cluster them like Martha did, but decided that would be too putzy.  I wanted instant gratification.  So we used double-sided tape, like we did for the window stars.  And since we spend 90% of our time in the living room and dining room, that's where the stars went.  I love it!

I think our windows look like a kaleidoscope!