Clothespin Bag

I finally did it! I have been meaning to make a bag to keep my clothespins in but kept putting it off. Finally yesterday I used Debbie's great tutorial and made one. This thing was super easy and works great. The only thing I did different was to sew the sides of the opening closed a bit so it didn't fall open when full. It works great, thanks Debbie!

This is a great beginner sewing project, so give it a try. You'll be surprised what you can do when you try!

Happy 17th Anniversary!

I can't believe that it has been 17 years today since I held Johnny's hand in a little Baptist church and said, "I do." We have become best friends and I couldn't make it without him. I thank God often for giving me such a wonderful gift in my husband, Johnny.

Here are 17 things I love about Johnny.

1. He really is a wonderful Christian and believes and practices everything he preaches.
2. He is so selfless and always puts others before himself.
3. He loves God's Word.
4. He is a faithful friend to all who are lucky enough to call him friend.
5. He is in love with me.
6. I can rest in the knowledge that he is forever faithful to me.
7. He never says quit.
8. He always smells so good.
9. He is a team player and enjoys being with his family.
10. He isn't lazy and is always ready to lend a hand.
11. He has the most wonderful laugh, I could listen to him laugh all day.
12. He is such a wonderful man I pray that each of my boys become just like him and Hannah marries someone like her Daddy.
13. He is a man of principle and never wavers.
14. He loves serving the Lord.
15. He thinks I'm beautiful.
16. He is a faithful witness.
17. He loves me madly.

Two Dresses for the Price of One

I have always loved to make things on my Singer but one thing I've never managed to do is actually make a dress from a pattern. They totally intimidate me and so I never even tried. I have made culottes from a pattern and Bible covers but that's about it.

I got this pattern when Hancocks had their .99 cent pattern sale, I stocked up! I have always wanted to make it but was a bit scared. I have attempted to overcome my fear and here are the results.

I bought 3.6 meters of pink polka dot and a green tiny floral and charged ahead. I cut out both dresses the first day and managed to get one made. The next day I made the hat and headband. Finally today I made the other dress. I like the green floral the most. Anyhow, here are so pictures of the finished products.

CLICK FOR LARGER VIEW

What's really cool about using the same fabric patterns is that the accessories go with both dresses. The hat and reversible head band match both so that's nice.


So I'm already looking in my pattern bucket for the next project. It's amazing what a little success can do for your confidence.

Oh yea and special thanks to my sweetie Hannah for modeling for me!

Great Craft Recipes, Fun for Summer!

The kids and I really enjoy doing crafts together, especially those icky, gooey kinds. So here's some recipes and I hope you have lots of fun with the kids making messes and memories.

Thanks to Blue Bonnet Village for the recipes

Dough

Bread Dough
The kids and I really enjoy doing crafts together, especially those icky, gooey kinds. So here's some recipes and I hope you have lots of fun with the kids making messes and memories.
Materials:
4 pieces of bread (remove crusts & make bread crumbs for cooking or feed the birds on your next nature walk) 4 Tablespoons of white craft glue a small amount of acrylic paint to color zipper type plastic bag.
Instructions Tear bread in small pieces and place in zip bag, add glue. Mix well until it starts to form a ball. Add paint to color and mix well. It will form a smooth ball collecting all scraps when ready to use. This takes a while so an adult may want to start before time for project Keep stored in zip bag in refrigerator until ready to use. Shape as desired and allow to air dry (depending on thickness of shape and humidity can take several days to cure. The project can be made without color and finished shape painted if you prefer.

Salt Dough
Materials:
2 cups of salt, 2/3 cup water, 1 cup cornstarch, additional 1/3 cup COLD water acrylic paint or food coloring.
Instructions: Place salt and 2/3 cup water in small saucepan and heat until quite warm. Remove from heat. Mix cornstarch and COLD water together, add to salt mixture stirring constantly. Return pan to heat and keep stirring until mixture forms a smooth mass. Turn out on a plate and cover with damp cloth until cool. Work in color as desired or leave natural. Place in zip bag & refrigerate. Salt Dough will keep indefinitely. Shape on foil covered cookie sheet and let dry (Several hours in a warm oven or several days at room temperature). You can sand rough edges with an emery board when dry.

Industrial Salt Dough
Ingredients
1 cup flour 1/4 cup salt 2 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 cup warm water 1 teaspoon oil Food coloring
Instructions
This is a long lasting dough that requires cooking. Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat until smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly and knead. The dough will be very pliable and easy to sculpt.Place in plastic bag or airtight container to store. Bake in a low oven and paint.

Cornstarch Clay
Ingredients
1 cup cornstarch 2 cups salt or baking soda 1 1/3 cups cold water Food Coloring
instructions
This is a gooey clay that is great for sculpting. Bring the salt and 2/3 cup water to a boil. In a separate bowl mix the cornstarch with 2/3 cup water.Add the cornstarch mixture to the salt water and knead into a clay. This clay should be air dried and then painted. To prevent cracks when drying cover with a damp dish towel . Keep unused clay in the refrigerator in an airtight container.This is an air dry clay.

Baker's Clay
Ingredients
4 cups flour 1 cup salt 1 teaspoon powdered alum 1 1/2 cups water Food coloring
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in bowl. If too dry work in extra water with hands.Bake on un-greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes in 250 degree oven.Turn over and bake another 1 1/2 hours. Remove and cool.When done, sand lightly if desired and paint

Edible Doughs

Yummy Honey Peanut Butter Dough
Ingredients: 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup honey 2 cups powdered milkThis dough is naturally yummy! Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Knead until smooth with your clean hands. Form the dough into shapes and then eat them for a snack.

Peanut Butter Dough
Ingredients 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup karo syrup 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar 1 1/4 cups powdered milkAlthough a little on the sweet side, this dough is also very yummy. Mix together with your clean hands.

Summer Kool-Aid Dough
Ingredients 1 cup flour 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 package unsweetened Kool-Aid 1/4 cup salt 2 tablespoons cream of tartar 1 cup waterChoose your flavor! This dough smells and looks pretty but tastes yucky! First combine and mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and Kool-Aid in a medium pot. Next add water and oil. Stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat when the mixture begins to form a ball. Knead until smooth. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Fall Applesauce Sculpty Stuff
Ingredients 3 3/4 ounces of ground cinnamon 23 ounce jar applesauceIf you like apples and cinnamon this doughÕs for you. Mix ingredients until the dough is stiff.

Thanksgiving Mashed Potato Clay
Ingredients instant mashed potatoes waterPotato spuds makes a nifty dough. Make just like you were cooking for Thanksgiving dinner. Cover the table with wax paper and play.

Paints

Finger Paints
Materials: 1/2 cup cornstarch 1 cup cold water 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 2 cups hot water 1/2 cup detergent or soap flakes food coloring to desired color intensity
Divide cold water, dissolve gelatin in 1/4 cup and dissolve cornstarch in 3/4 cup cold water. Add hot water to cornstarch mixture and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until it comes to a boil and is clear. Remove from heat blend in softened gelatin. Add detergent or soap flakes and stir until dissolved. Store in closed jars. Add food color as desired. Use on coated paper such as shelf paper or butcher paper.

Poster Paint
Ingredients 2 parts powdered pigment 1 part liquid starchPowdered pigment is great to have around. While powdered pigment can be mixed with plain old water, liquid starch is better. This is a thin quality paint that works great for printmaking, silk screening, etc.

Deluxe Poster Paint
Ingredients: 1/4 cup flour 1 cup water 3 tablespoons powdered tempera paint 2 tablespoons. water 1/2 tsp. liquid starch or liquid detergentMeasure flour into saucepan. Slowly add 1 cup water until mixture is smooth. Heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Cool. Add 1/4 cup flour paste into small jar or plastic container. Add tempera paint and water for each color. For opaque finish add liquid starch. For glossy finish had liquid detergent.

Monets Water Color Paints
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon white vinegar 2 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon glycerine food coloringDo like the famous impressionist painters did and bring your watercolors outside to paint. To make your own watercolors, first mix vinegar and baking soda. Next slowly add cornstarch and glycerine to the mixture. Poor into small paper cups to let dry. Add food coloring. The color is not as intense when it is dry so remember to add a lot of food coloring. When dry peel away the paper cups.

Shinny, Glossy and Shimmery Paints

Moooo Paint
Ingredients: 1 cup condensed milk Food coloringMix one cup condensed milk with a few drops of food coloring. This makes a very bright, glossy colored paint.

Egg Yolk Paint
1 egg yolk 1/4 tsp. water Food coloringMix egg yolk with water and lots of food coloring. Use a paint brush to paint on baked cookies. Return cookies to oven until egg has solidified.

Translucent paint
4 ounces school glue 1/4 cup liquid starch Food coloringThis is a short-lasting paint that works well for easel painting. Mix together all ingredients and store in small glass jars. Make only as much as you will need. The paint will last for almost a week.

Artist Quality "Oil" Paint
Ingredients Tempera paint Liquid dish washing soapThis paint has a smooth, glossy effect and holds color well. Mix together tempera paint and soap. Store in glass jars.

Crystal Paint
Ingredients 1/4 cup hot tap water 3 teaspoon epsom saltsSparkle and Shine! Mix hot tap water and epsom salts. Brush the mixture onto a dark colored paper. When dry the salt will form crystals that shine in the light.

Dazzling Paint
Ingredients White school glue glitter Food coloring Small zip type freezer bags.Pour glue and glitter into small freezer bags. Add food coloring if desired. Mix by squishing around in your hands. Snip off a small corner of the bag and squeeze to paint.

Just Stuff!

Saturday
Today is a lazy Saturday. I woke this morning to scorching heat already in the day, I could almost feel how bad it was going to get. We don't have A/C here in Europe so on the hot days, there's very little relief. Croatia is slowly getting A/C but it's not something that comes in the house, you have to add it. They have the A/C units like hotels have, you have a unit on the inside and on on the outside of the wall. The only problem with this system is that you have to make a hole in the wall, not so good if your renting, like we are. Since the A/C is out of the question in this house we have lowered all the blinds and we have two fans blowing and we're doing virtually nothing.


Question
I have done several loads of laundry, other than swimming I think drying laundry outside is the only other use for these scorchers. I hang all our clothes out so it's helpful when there's a nice hot sun. Oh on that subject: I have been washing in Tide, which is the cheapest here in Croatia and I use a good quality fabric softener and my towels still dry kinda crunchy like. Any ideas how to fix this short of using my dryer? I'm awaiting the years of experience you ladies have to offer.



ETSY!
Look what I'm in love with on Etsy, Eight Nesting Lotus Bowls. Aren't they lovely, hand made by Whitney Smith and offered at the low, low price of $325. Well I thought I would share them so you can ohh and aww them like I am. This is as close as I'll ever be to them, I'm admire them from afar!

Random Harvest
I have to let you know about this wonderful movie we just seen. Random Harvest is about an amnesiac World War I vet falls in love with a music hall star, only to suffer an accident which restores his original memories but erases his post-War life.
We watched it as a family and we were more on the edge of our seats than with any other movie we've ever seen. It was a wonderful love story, even my men folk liked it, that's how you know it's good!

So tomorrow is the Lord's Day, actually they're all His days, but you know. I pray you all have a great Sunday and that many souls are reached for the cause of Christ.

KJB Companion

It only takes a single generation to make a word archaic...
and a single generation of Bible readers can bring it back into use.
-David W. Daniels

I found this little booklet at a church we visited on deputation over 8 years ago. It's been in my Bible ever since, unless Johnny managed to steal it for a time but I always retrieved it.

I have an Old Scofield Bible that I've had for more than 10 years. I like the Old Scofield but I have realized that Scofield was a Bible corrector. I believe that the words in the KJV Bible are inerrant and perfect, preserved by the Holy Spirit through time for the English speaking world. I don't think Scofield or any other has the right to "make it better". God didn't and doesn't need our help in "fixing" His Book.

I love this little booklet because it is so useful in knowing what those "archaic" words mean. The language in the King James Bible is so much richer than our language today, I love it!

Anyhow, this little booklet is a gem and at .49 cents every King James Bible carrier should have one.

Oh yea and one more thing...there is a free online version of it, every word listed.

The Land of Freedom???

Freedom is the great treasure millions of immigrants came to America to find. The freedom to do what is best for us and ours, the freedom from a demanding government.

Where has that freedom gone?? We are banned from carrying a Bible in the halls of our schools, praying in public is all but illegal and witnessing to a fellow worker is means for dismissal.

While the light bulb isn't religious freedom it's still a step in the wrong direction. It's absolutely ridiculous that we are being told how, when, where and if we are allowed to do what we do.

What's next??

Thanks Theresa for a heads up on this thing. Leave it to a Texas to say it like it is!

I'm Starting Again

Okay so I've been keeping a weight loss blog and not telling ya, sorry. I starting I'm Starting Again

a while ago and I've been posting since. Well I'm happy to tell ya that I'm officially down 20 lbs!!!! Yea! I'm very excited about it and my sweet hubby doesn't mind either!

Obesity seems like a plague among women who are in the ministry. We are so busy working and serving and entertaining that we tend to forget about us. I don't think for a second we should focus on us, no Jesus should be our focus but we do need to spend a little time thinking about the tool He gave us to use for His service. How long can we serve if we are sick and so overweight that we are ashamed to go out? I think this is a very important area in our lives and we need to do our best to put some focus on it. Obviously I haven't been cured of this problem in my life, but I'm trying and with Christ I'm making some progress and you can too.

I ♥ hoops&yoyo

Okay so I have always had a major love for hoops&yoyo ever since I saw



them first on Hallmark. They are the cuties, funniest and wittiest little critters around. Don't ask me what they are because I really don't know but they are so cool.

Anyhoo, today after my sweetie sent me an e-card I found hoops&yoyo.com



I love it, so many fun, cool things and even downloads! They have downloadable animations and even ring tones. Very cool! Oh yea and they have an officail UK addy too, Enjoy!!

My Daddy

Well with today being Fathers Day I thought I would post a little about my Daddy.

My dad was born Billy Ray in 1956 to a very poor family. Daddy grew up living in tents in national parks around the US. His father was a sever alcoholic and the entire family reaped his abuse.

Dad's very first pair of shoes were given to him by his teacher. After several weeks of coming to school bare foot the teacher felt moved to buy Dad a pair of shoes. Dad often told me about that teacher.

Dad grew and had many challenges and burdens in his life. He was born a juvenile diabetic and dealt with sickness his whole life.

Dad met my Mom when he was just 18. She was 25 and already the mother of 2. I was 18 months old when Dad and Mom married. Dad never had a proper example of how a father should act so he did his best. He made mistakes but he sincerely tried to be a good father.

Dad had developed some very bad habits. He had an addiction to drugs. He used drugs as one would cigarettes but I never thought anything about it, this was normal for families.

When Dad was 32 he developed sores on one of his feet, the end result being amputation. After 5 hard years Dad had lost both feet and was now diagnosed with a systemic bone disease brought on by the diabetes.

Dad lived a very hard and painful life and through it all he had no one to lean on or turn to. Dad didn't know Jesus and didn't know how wonderful His comfort could be.

At 17 I moved out of our troubled home and into the home of my husbands family. The laws were laid out in the beginning, what was allowed and what wasn't. For the first time in my life I realized that my family wasn't normal. Families actually ate went to church and talked sweetly to one another. Life was totally different in his family.

At 18 Johnny and I were married. A month before the wedding Dad had a stroke and was paralyzed on his right side. He was very worried about walking me down the isle, and pleaded that he didn't have to. He was now confined to a wheel chair. It was wonderful holding Dad's hand as Mom pushed his wheel chair down the isle.

Not long after the wedding Johnny was preaching and I had begged Dad to come. He had been in church once in his life and that was for our wedding. He said a few choice words and then informed me that he wouldn't be coming to the church, not today or ever. Imagine my surprise and elation when the back door opened just after the congregation began singing it's first hymn.
My Dad, my Dad had come. I had been praying for years for his salvation and here he was. I sat in the pew the entire time praying and begging God to save my Daddy. As Johnny concluded his sermon and began the invitation my heart yearned for Daddy, I begged God and then it happened; Dad got up on his prostheses and hobbled down the isle. I almost stood on my pew and clapped when Dad bowed his head and asked King Jesus to save him. Dad was never the same.



When I was pregnant with our second son Dad began to develop sores on his fingers. As the months passed he lost one finger after the other. Dad was now a man with no legs and the possibility of loosing his ability to use hands.

Within the next several months we spent many a night at the hospital with Dad. He wasn't every going to get better and there was nothing anyone could do. I began praying that God would take him, he was already living the worst nightmare possible. I asked Dad often if he was sure he would go to heaven if he died and his answer was always the same, " Yes Sister, I would." My worry was eased and I begged God to take him home and end this misery.

Sitting in my mother-in-law's living room the call came and I knew this was it. Dad had been taken to the hospital and was not expected to live. We rushed to the hospital and I knew Dad wouldn't be going home. I think God allowed me to know that Dad wasn't going home. I sat on the side of Dad's bed and held his hand. Near the end he lost his eye sight and eventually fell into a deep sleep. I held his hand until his heart beat for the last time. He had such a serene look on his face and I knew he was with Jesus.

My Dad wasn't the best father and he didn't instill the wisest insight but he was Daddy and I think my Heavenly Father for every moment he let me spend with my Daddy.

On this Fathers Day, my thoughts are on my Daddy.

*Originally posted Father's Day '06

Fun at the River!

All last week it rained here in Croatia, we're talking about water standing in the yard rain. I was so tired of it and the kids had cabin fever so Monday we loaded all the bikes in the big van and headed to the Drava river, which is about 20 minutes from us. We had it all figured out, a little riding, a snack and some more riding and lunch and so on. We arrived, got all the bikes out and then noticed that Johnny's bike was flat, that was odd since we had checked it before we left home. then we realized that my bike also had a problem with the valve and was flat too. So the plans changed, the kids rode and Johnny and I walked. We didn't stay as long but it was nice. We took an educational trail and learned a little about the animals and foliage that live along the river.

We had a great time and we're headed there again on Dad's day off.

Drive-in Movies

Remember being a kid and going to the drive-in movies?? Well my family wasn't saved and I remember going to the drive-in to see a few movies, sitting on the hood of my Dad's old 57 Chevy pick-up and eating popcorn, what memories.

Anyhow I told the kids the other night that we were going to a drive-in, they were like, "What's a drive-in?". Made me feel old! I explained what it was and then we proceeded to make our own, minus the classic truck.
I found an old flat bed sheet and hung it from the balcony.
We then set up our high-tech video station. Praise the Lord we got to use this equipment for more than just showing our presentation in churches. **Hey missionary friends, this may be something you can do on family night and give you a change to use that projector, it was sure fun.

The technician (sweet hubby) checked and double checked all the gear. Our dog KD, whom we cherish, was close by to make sure Johnny did everything right. :0)

Then in total darkenss, which you can't tell because of my flash on my camera, we watch the movie, it was so much fun until the dew started, then we began to feel a bit damp, luckily the movie was only 96 minutes long.

Prophecy!!

Okay, I couldn't even help myself, this is prophecy in the making!
Enjoy the laugh!

Redesigned Dress

Well our house guest is gone, we're sad but it's nice to have Johnny back and a little peace.

I finally turned on my sewing machine yesterday. Hannah who is now 10 is growing out of everything. She is petite but she has broader shoulders so she grows out of the tops of dresses before anything else. I had this little dress sitting waiting to be given away when I realized that was still some use in it.
So I cut it on just below the bodice and redesigned it just a bit. I took the two pleats completely out and then I added two 1.5 in box pleats over the right leg. After steaming the pleats in place I added two little pink buttons at the top of each pleat. Finally I added an elastic waist band, all finished.
Hannah loves it and it's so long she'll be wearing it with her little pink sweater for some time.

Hey think about an item before you give it away, what part of it can be used to make something else. Oh yea and I used the little ties for the waist and using this pattern I made an elastic head band to match it.

Make sure to share your creations!

Give-a-way in Israel!

Okay this is a public service announcement:

Pam over at Good News From a Far Country is giving away some really cool goodies for their one year anniversary in Israel. Run over there and take a looksee!

Taking a Breather!

Well I thought that maybe I should sit down and take a breather for once. Life has been so crazy around here lately. Our guests starting arriving the end or April and Bro. Sam, our last guest, will be leaving this Thursday. We'll be sad to see him go for sure, but maybe life will get back to normal, oh wait we're missionaries, life is never normal!

I'm sure missing my husband a lot lately. He leaves at 10 am to go soul-winning and they finish up around 8:30 pm. That's a full day's work and worth every minute too. I will be glad when I have him back, won't be long.

It's been so killer hot here and with no A/C, it's very hard to get the motivation to do much more than what is necessary. I would love to do some fun sewing, but who has time. I need to hem several pair of pants for my son, record the graded papers (of which there are many), weed the flower bed, dig up around trees and shrubs and countless other tasks that are no where close to getting done this week, but praise God I have a family to do for and a home to take care of!


Oh I forgot to post these awesome pictures. We were on the way to the airport in Budapest so our friends could fly out and I was in awe of these yellow fields. Have you ever seen anything as lovely? Popular opinion says that these fragrant flowers are used to make some sort of cooking oil. I loved them and the smell was to die for. Thought you would enjoy those.

Oh yea another random photo, I took this one at the zoo, this tree is over 500 years old. I stood below it and looked up to take the picture, what an antique!
Oh i had to share this one too, KD wants to come in so bad, but she's a dog and dogs belong outside, at least at my house.

Here's a few random shots from around my yard. It's been so hot most of my poor flowers are suffering from heat exhaustion. :0)







Well that's all of the random shots, I wanted to tell you about an awesome book I got at the Half Priced Book store when I was in Texas.Decorative Storage is a great book with tons of easy, practical and cheap ideas.


Here are just two of the nifty ideas in this book. oh yea, and e-bay has used ones for as low are 1.98 WOW!
Anyhow I thought I would share that book with you, it's really great!

Life is still pretty busy. To date over 66 souls have been saved!! I'm so tickled and really in awe. Bro. Sam set a goal of telling at least 45 people and who would have though they they would reach more than 65 people. God is so good!!

Oh yea before I forget, the flowers at the top of this post were a gift from my ultra sweet Catholic neighbor, isn't she wonderful!

Have a great day y'all!!

Just a Little Rant

Well I'm so happy to report that 52 precious souls have been saved in the last 7 days, AMEN!!

I was a bit sad to see the response to the new blog with pictures of the folks who were saved. I know that people don't have tons of time to look at blogs, but these are souls were talking about and it seems that people should be more excited about hearing about a soul being turned from darkness to light, from Hell to Heaven and from a Christless life to a Son of God! We look at what is important to us and in these days and times souls being saved doesn't seem to make too many excited anymore.

Hey I'm excited, I'm shouting, AMEN, PRAISE GOD!!! One more person has been saved from eternity in a fiery hell. It's shouting ground!!

Okay so I ranted a bit, I know maybe I shouldn't have but I did and I think it was okay, even good. I know we're busy as wives, teachers, mothers and so on but our Biblical focus should be souls, if it's not them our priorities are all mixed up. We should be teaching our children to have a love for souls. When we hear of someone being born into the eternal family of God we should rejoice, as our children see us with a true excitement for souls saved they will soon learn that there's nothing more important than a souls being born again. Before long they will want to get in on all that excitement and will in turn become the soul-winners or warners that God wants them to be.

What would life be like for us now if someone hadn't cared about souls? Where would I be? I shutter to think about it. Like I said, I'm ranting a bit but I'm ranting at myself too. My heart has grown a bit cold and indifferent to the plight of the lost man, it's been so long since I was lost, I forgot how glorious it was to be found.

I hope you all know in which spirit I wrote this post, not angry whatsoever, but quite worried about the state of today's Christians.

To be a Christian is to be Christlike and in no better way can we be like Him than to love souls.

God's blessings on you all!!