Upcycling

Recently I turned this ugly fella (colours do look a little warmer than photo showed)...

Now I hope you are not offended that I cut this jacket up:)

Into this. Ok the baby is the cute part... Fits him perfectly and keeps his lil' chest warm.

Took me about 1 1/2 hours from start (adusting vest pattern I had) to finish. And that included hand stitching because I wanted the edge to be neat.

I used the lining that was already inside the jacket. Because I added the edging I didn't have to even turn the fabric inside-out. Just stitched shoulders and sides then added trim and one button on front. Ok. I admit I am NOT a perfectionist so I wouldn't want you to see my fast stitching inside but for me it works.

Am happy to send anyone a pattern (this one is size 0 but I could easily adjust other sizes up to size 6. I think....) if you wish.

I think I could actually make two more from the one jacket. Would be fun to try one from an old sweater.../patchwork of different fabrics...

Five books that changed who I am

I have been tagged in Cath's blog to list Five books that changed who I am.

Hmmm... very hard but I think these are the five I would choose (may think differently tomorrow (bar the first one)... I'm like that....:(

1. Yes, of course the Bible takes no. 1. I think in particular Simon Peter's words in John 6:68 "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" have been life changing for me. Also just love to read verse after verse connecting the fulfilment of OT prophecies in the NT. Love the overall theme of God's Salvation - the BIG picture... it is most life changing!

2. Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss. I was given this book at the baby shower for our first bubs (now 10!) and have read it a few times.Hey, isn't it so sweet when someone thinks of presenting the Mum with a gift at a baby shower - was touched by this before I even read the book:)

This book is a tear jerker for me. I just can't get away from how it demonstrates sacrifice and the depth of Christianity at work in the daily (female) grind of life. I love it. But it can make me mad:)

3. Battle for Truth by David Noebel. I like the big thick edition:) This book changed my way of thinking. When I was studying for a Bachelor of Education I knew there was a lot of rubbish in many of the subjects at Uni. A lot of humanistic teaching. My big sister was given the said book from Dad. I think she invited me to read it. I did (well not in great depth because I am a bit lazy). It was an eye opener. I could see that every single subject I studied at Uni had these core philosophies at their base. I was shocked. I needed to be.

4. A Woman after God's own heart by Elizabeth George. Most of the books I have come to love have been given/recommended to me by someone special. This one especially. When in the Czech Republic teaching English and working with some missionary friends I came to love the Smith family who worked there. As I watched Sonya Smith's life I was personally challenged. I discovered she was reading many of Elizabeth George's books which got me hooked. I love the author's sweet way of wooing the reader into serving their family in a Godly way. I have read other books re. women serving their families that stand out as better books but these ones were more life changing for me because of my friend, Sonya and the way I watched her serve her family so patiently, calmly and sacrificially...

5. The Young Peacemaker by Corlette Sande. This is something we have just started using as a family. I am desperately hoping it will change who I am/how I teach my children to make peace:) I pray it will. We are not naturally peacemakers:) I hope that is ok- can I kind of change the title to books I hope will change who I am?

So I would like to tag Angela, Evonne and Anya (are you still in blog land Anya?)

If you want to do this:

Tag 3-5 people

Call the post '5 books that changed who I am'

Enjoy

What I do

Pictures of Tuesday 31st of May. WARNING. Not glamorous.

What I do:

Wash.

Delegate.

Remind.

Drive

Fix cars. (well pick up the parts, anyway)

Usher in visitors. Glamorous part of my day (visitors that is - NOT my house:)

clean bath scum.

teach.

comfort (at least try to)

Provide nourishment.

Read about heffalumps.

Manage landscape assistants.

Provide opportunities for a budding pastry chef.

cook.

Reassure, assist, (whatever it takes)...

Wash.

Read myself.

Put on P'Js. Chat to hubby about all of the above. Sleep. soundly.

With slight variation I think when I wake up tomorrow it will probably be the same:) all over again. Sigh....

It's what I do. Though tiring, patience-testing, energy-sapping...emotion draining, at times plain brain -depleting and downright toxic!....

I am truly blessed.

Pictures of my day

Thought I'd do a run down of my day (yesterday) pictorially. Well some of it anyway... Did spare you the nasties (this time:). Not my average day. Is there an average day?

7:10am. Sick baby

8:15am. Making beds.

10:00Am. Forgot camera. Long trip to cousins.

1pm. Home. Party treats from Aunty!

1:30pm. Green tongue.

3pm. Preparing lunchbox snacks

4pm. Sermon Prep.

7:10pm. Sunday Quiz. Tired baby

Icing fun

A while ago I had a peek at this lovely blog. Feeling inspired and discovering this on the shelf in Woolies:

I decided to experiment...

First I outlined my sugar cookies with dark grey (I was a bit afraid of using more colouring to make it black...

Then filled it in

Then of course there are dalmations. Can someone tell me why they are associated with fire trucks? I guess they were used in the rescue? Not sure but thought they were a cute addition...

Thought it might be fun to take along to playgroup when the fire and rescue truck comes...

Ok for a first attempt but I obviously need to get the consistency of outline a bit smoother, use a finer icing tip (just used what I had). Oh and then there's the air bubbles. Never mind. I think they should recognise them?

Must confess it was a nice diversion from housework:)

Only one life

Holiday reading. Jay thought he'd join in this time:

and meanwhile Joshua actually said he'd finish the dishes for me (totally his idea) ! I must say I had to get this on on camera. And check it out - he's actually smiling! Love, love LOVE it!

Well so far we have pottered about the house, Josh had a go at a Lego building Challenge in local shopping centre, stocked up on library books, we've had fun with an apple slinky machine and now Josh is off camping with Grandma! Haven't ventured too far with snoggly noses and barking coughs:)

I have found that the children just love for me to join them outside - to swing them on our tree swing, to lift up their legs onto the swinging bars, to lie in the grass while they jump all over me, to show me their goofy antics and when they turn ten to try out their new song lyrics :) Can't help but think of how quickly life passes and how important is the here and now...

When Papa arrived home tonight he said there was a car accident which blocked up the road a very long way in both directions. The cause: a fatal car accident. Someone didn't make it home from work. I guess you can see how my thoughts travelled?

Only one life, t'will soon be past.

Only what's done for Christ will last.

More Changes

Change. There has been a lot of it in our lives lately. Putting our Joshua in school (the sort you have to drive them to and let them sit with a bunch of other kids behind desks), trivial things like a pair of glasses for me (discovered I might just need some when squinting to see smaller print), Daddy starting work in the city (for the first time in our married life he now works outside the home!) watching my baby go from crawling to walking, discovering that my first born is not too far from adolescence and ... the list goes on.

Hmmm... some change I welcome, other things I am still adjusting to. I'll probably just begin to adjust by the time the next big change arrives. Sometimes change leaves me with that knotted- stomach-type-feeling. At other times I embrace it, like something new and treasured. And so I find myself at the present with all sorts of up and down feelings. What I love most is the certainty of Christ. Even though I age (squinting at small things, starting to look a more 'motherly' and less young and lithe... well maybe I just never was lithe, but you get my point...) and though I cannot stop (and really, would I always want to?) the changes around me.... I relish the fact - NO - I am satisfied, completely satisfied in the fact that Christ , MY Christ is still so very much the same as when I first came to know Him.... or rather as even Eve, the 'mother of all living' found him! The Lord don't change at all! Amen and Amen!

Framed!

Hanging pictures on the wall seems to be one of those jobs I leave till last... I am ashamed to say we still had Owen and Josh's very young photos on the wall - the other two... well hadn't made it yet... until....

I finally got some prints done and decided to use the odds and ends of frames I already had ... I was a bit nervous...

David had the great idea of laying the pictures out how I wanted them on a large sheet of card (or 9 joined up). Then all we had to do was measure down how far the hangers were on each picture, stick up our card and drill away (hoping, desperately hoping that all the holes were exactly right). Not really keen on the abstract, drill-holed look.

Well here's the finished product (one picture has the reflection of the light on it). Hard to see the touch of blue I added and the actual photos but maybe you get the idea?

I stuck two laminated printed out butterflies (moths?) there too, for good measure...

I like that I can easily print out smaller prints to update it. Can also add frames in this arrangement. I think it needs something tall-ish in the corner (bunch of fresh , full-bodied flowers), but sure beats looking at only half of my kids on the wall.

PS - as for those earlier photos I blogged about and had you vote on.... turns out some little fingers had fiddled with camera settings and they were an unusual size (narrower) so wouldn't work with frames very well...

I love walking by that wall and thanking the Lord for my beautiful family!