Handmade LOVE (THE Series #3)

(Just a few crocheted items, please forgive the school work in the background)

I love creating things. A few people seem to like what I make and the ladies at church keep me busy with accessory orders. I have tons of ideas running through this head of mine and not nearly enough time to make them all!! But I decided that this year I would open an etsy shop.

Now, to have a shop you must have stock. And those precious church ladies keep buying up my stock before I can get them listed!! ~Laughter~ But I am working diligently to get some items listed. I told them Sunday that I would have to make things and NOT bring them to church so that I can get them on the site. I am very appreciative of my sisters though, make no mistake! So, impersonating a person that has an infinite amount of time, I have opened the etsy store, despite it's lack of stock at the moment.

I made a commitment to the Lord that I would pray over every item as I am making it, that the receiver would be blessed and live in the shadow of the Almighty. I prayed and asked God to use me, in any way possible, including my etsy shop. It is my desire to share God this year, to share His faithfulness, His love, His salvation and His grace. If I can sell my handmade items and share God too, that's getting the cake and eating it. I believe God is already honoring my efforts to add to the family budget and share of His mercy.

My etsy shop is called Spindle & Linen, under SheWorkethWillingly. . . it's a Proverbs 31 thing, scriptures below.

(Note cards!)

Here are a few items that were either ordered or are for sale, just not listed yet. The pics aren't fabulous, but they work. I just wanted to share my love for handmade items and my passion to create.

(Giant black flower, jean rosettes and polk-a-dot fun)

Crochet headwraps and scarves for little girlies

Mickey Headwrap!!

Houndstooth rosette headband and broach with feathers (it's mine, but more can be made)

Special order white large flower with feathers!

The back of my head with red rose and black feathers! ~Smile~

So there you are! Fully updated about my handmade love! I love to crochet and I'm still learning to knit~hopefully by next fall the etsy shop will have crochet and knitted items. I will post a link to the etsy shop here when I have stock listed.

Here are the scriptures that I pulled from for my shop name and my purpose.

"She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands."~~Proverbs 31:13

"She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle."~~Proverbs 31:19

"She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple."~~Proverbs 31:22

This is NOT a post about how all women should make things handmade or work with their hands~~it is simply how the Lord led me! Please take no offense!! ~Smile~

Crocheting, Knitting and Sewing, OH MY!

I love to crochet. I love to sit down, turn on some jazz music, a podcast or dramatic theatre and listen while I create fun yarny stuff. I love to give it away. I finally sat down last week and made a scarf, for me. I have made probably 50 scarves in the last 3 years and I have given every single one away, which I love and was glad to do, but I decided that I needed one. I would never make it if I had to sell them to survive because I don't have as much fun crocheting for money, it's my hobby, and I love to bless others with it. I recently went shopping on the Lion Brand Yarn (my fav!!) website and got some new ideas and yarn and I also bought a specific yarn and knitting needles because I am finally going to get lessons from a fabulous knitter!! My Pastor's wife is amazing with the knitting needles and since teaching myself didn't go so well, she is going to teach me. I can't wait! My excitement overflows!! I have found no less than 50 things I want to knit and I have a sincere desire to make my own socks. I know I just confirmed your suspicions that I am a little off, but what can I say?!? I am who I am. But knitting my own socks in all the wild and loud colors I love just sounds divine! Not to mention if knitting is as relaxing as crocheting is for me then I should be one chilled out lady, which I need.

Sewing. I haven't been using my sewing machine as much lately because of all the crocheting and I do still have a family to take care of, but I have some new flannel for flannel wipes and a couple of projects for Makiah. I have tons of projects in mind, but I still need to get my skills back in shape, like I said before its been awhile since I have used a machine. The wipes are giving me the opportunity to practice my seams and lines and make all the wipes I need for cleaning and such around here. Hopefully soon I'll get brave and make Makiah a skirt and then we'll go from there! Gotta keep it simple until I get fully back into the swing of sewing.

I have so many projects floating around in my head that I want to do!! Now if I could just find the time!!!

Heart Tip~~One of the funniest questions I think doctors ask is, "Do you have any stress in your life?" I so desparately want to turn around and ask if they do, but I don't. Usually. Anyway, stress is a huge contributor to a lot of health issues including heart disease and unfortunately we don't always deal with our stress properly or at all. We all need to find ways to de-stress. If its exercise or crocheting or scrapebooking or reading or playing a board game with your kids, whatever helps you de-stress after a long day, do it. Keeping stress bottled up isn't helping anyone or anything and it's silently hurting your body. Give your heart a break and let it go, everyday.

Have a healthy Wednesday!!

Sew Thrilled!!

My parents visited a couple of days ago and they brought with them a wonderful gift!!

On the top of my wish list has been a sewing machine and a couple of months ago my mom mentioned out of the blue (I hadn't told her I wanted one, yet) that they planned on getting me a sewing machine for Christmas. Oh the joy that filled my little heart!! I immediately started planning all the wonderful things I would make once I gave myself a refresher course in sewing. About a week ago mom told me that they were having hard time finding a quality machine in a decent price range. I had been looking and thinking the EXACT same thing. So she informed me that she would be giving me her machine. I was shocked! Her machine is older but a VERY high quality machine. I asked her why and her response was hilarious, "because I don't use it. I like to think I will, but I don't. And I know you will." So Thursday my house get an addition, a sewing machine, cabinet and ALL of her sewing supplies.

My dad carries everything in and I got to laughing. I had forgotten about her sewing boxes. Once I saw them, recollection hit me, but I hadn't thought about those boxes in years! Well I got to laughing because they are 70's olive green plastic. There are two of them, a deep one rectangle one and a more flat rectangle just for thread. Now my wonderful mom had warned me that she had not gone through the cabinets drawers or the sewing boxes in years. That's right, years. So I started going through the three drawers and the two olive green boxes. We uncovered the treasures of Jo-Ann Fabrics, circa 1970's and 1980's. We laughed and laughed. Patches, decals, ric rac in various colors and widths, enough zippers to make a shirt out of zippers, buttons, thread (still in the plastic wrap complete with price tags), needles, needles and more needles. Four, count again, four seam rippers, three pairs of scissors, three tape measures, two pairs of pinking shears, four sewing gauges, two hem gauges, a never-been-cut-out Noah's Ark pocket pillow with animals set and various other sewing goodies. We cracked up! There were also some family treasures in there of my beloved Nanny's. Her last pair of scissors was in there as well as a little bowl with a lid that she had put a dozen bobbins with thread in. Thank you Nanny, I'll not need threaded bobbins for three months.

I have been reacquainting myself with using a sewing machine and I'm getting there! I found some flannel that I had packed away and you should have seen me last night when I realized I can finally make my own flannel wipes!! I made four last night in various sizes and shapes. I figured what better way to get back in the sewing groove by making wipes that no one will see but for cleaning. I can work on keeping everything straight and get some wipes.

Well, I have been up since 4 a.m. I have done and folded one load of laundry, two more are washing and drying, made and a few eaten caramel rolls (Linton's breakfast) and now written a blog post and its only 6:22 a.m. Pretty productive for a non-morning person.

I think I now deserve a nap. ~Smile~

By-the-way, I will be posting pictures of the funniest items from the treasures listed above, but I have to save some things for another post. Have a happy Saturday!!