Spindle and Linen? Yes, It's My Business

Handmade.  I love handmade items.  I love to make them, I love to get them.  There is just something about an item that is handmade.  It's special, it has a special value.  It screams, "cherish me".

A few years ago I really jumped back into being a crafty sort.  I have always enjoyed it but having littles around didn't always make it easy and I just got away from it.  Well, something inspired me and I got to making headbands and brooches for myself and my daughter and a few family members.  It wasn't anything too serious.  I enjoyed it and it was definitely cheaper to make my own items.  I was a little rusty, but using a hot glue gun soon got to be second nature.

Soon other ladies in the church started asking where I got my hair accessories from and I happily replied that I had made them.  Not long after that I started getting requests for headbands, brooches and clips.  It started small.  And it just grew and grew.  After about a year I had a Facebook page and now an Etsy shop.  Just as my business grew in terms of customers so has my variety of items.  I started with just hair accessories and brooches.  Now I have a variety of crochet items and very soon sewn items will be appearing.

I get a lot of odd looks when people see the name of my business, Spindle & Linen.  Spindle & Linen comes from the Proverbs 31 passage.  Here are the two scriptures:

"She puts her hands on the distaff and her fingers hold a spindle."~Proverbs 31:19 GWT


"She seeks out wool and linen [with care] and works with willing hands."~Proverbs 31:13 GWT

See, the Proverbs 31 woman was a woman with many talents, who accomplished many things.  She not only looked well over her house, but she used the talents that she had to add to the family.  (I am by no means saying I am that woman, I am striving to be that woman)  I can't go on about this because I have other posts coming really picking apart this passage, but I wanted the name of my business to mean something.  Not necessarily to everyone else, but to me.  Reminding me of it's purpose.

The reason I sell my handmade items is to benefit my family.  Period.  It's icing on the cake that I enjoy doing it.  I love working with my hands.  I feel like God gives us talents and it's up to us to do something with those talents.  Making things for my family is one way I use those talents another way is to sell those items.


"She makes quilts for herself.  Her clothes are made of fine linen and purple."~Proverbs 31:22 GWT


So I am a stay at home mom first.  But while at home, I work with my hands.  It's totally a win win situation.




To see some of my handmade items check out these sites:


Spindle & Linen on Facebook

Spindle & Linen Etsy Shop

If the feeling strikes, please share my blog and my shops.  I appreciate the interweb love!

(Also please click The Picket Fence banner at the side of the blog and vote for me.  Thanks)




Oh!!  And please forgive the picture of me.  I was working without a mirror and showing someone what the headband looked like and didn't realize it was too far over.  LOL

Some Days

When I was a kid, I loved being at my Nanny's house. She was so special, I have raved about her on here before, but some days I think of her more than others. Some smell, or special recipe, or a crochet project will make me think of her. I have all the afghans she made for me and my family. I love using them. I know it's cliche and maybe even corny, but you know the old quote, "Made with love in every stitch", I believe that with her afghans. Anyhoo, I am getting off track. The other day she came to mind while I was doing dishes. Dishes, dishes, dishes, they are never ending in this house. I was loading the dishwasher for the second time that day and doing up the pots and pans. I have to admit, I was more than a little frustrated with all the dishes. I was tired and the last thing I wanted to do was more dishes. Then my mind rumbled back to that kitchen that always smelled good and I could hear her laughing. My Nanny didn't like dishes in the sink and so she did the dishes, all of them, by hand after every meal. No dishwasher for her, she was the dishwasher. She would sing while she did them or talk if people were in the room. Laughter just flowed out of her, even while doing the dishes. I am not sure that I have ever laughed while doing dishes, and I am just loading them in a machine. I thought about what made her so happy about dishes. Then I remembered this little plaque that hung in her kitchen and I actually found the poem floating around online. Here it is:

THANK GOD FOR DIRTY DISHES; THEY HAVE A TALE TO TELL.

WHILE OTHER FOLKS GO HUNGRY, WE’RE EATING PRETTY WELL.

WITH HOME, AND HEALTH, AND HAPPINESS,

WE SHOULDN’T WANT TO FUSS;

FOR BY THIS STACK OF EVIDENCE,

GOD’S VERY GOOD TO US.

Anonymous

This is why she was so happy. She knew that she had dishes because she had food. She didn't mind the dishes because she was thankful that she had food and dishes. My Nanny lived a life of thankfulness. She didn't view mundane chores as mundane. That was her work, her job and she was good at it. I believe she was good at it, because she loved it. I look back and I think of that huge old house and all the work it took to keep it up and all the dishes she did and all the beautiful things she made (sewing and crocheting). She had to have been Superwoman.

I am trying to get over my dislike of dishes, rather seeing them as reasons to be thankful. I am trying not to view the mundane chores, like laundry, as mundane. I am generally a thankful person. I mail thank you cards, express thanks in prayer, let people know how much I love and appreciate them, but there is more. I want to live a life of thankfulness; thankful for the laundry as much as I am thankful for the munchkins that got them dirty, thankful for the dishes, because I ate well, thankful for cleaning because I have a place to live in that needs cleaning.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 I know this scripture is not talking about my dirty dishes or the laundry which is also continuous, but in every circumstance, whatever it may be, of life. So for my own purposes, today it includes housework. ~Smile~

Some days, I am just trying.

*I actually started this post about a week ago. It's going to be part of a series I am doing to do next week.