#2

wow, i feel like a blogging overacheiver today with post #2

another christmas gift,finished!! yay, me!!

this ones for my baby nephew and like the awesome aunt i am, i made a little lovey to go with it, just in case (not saying it will happen) this becomes THE blankie, so my sister wont have to carry a full on blanket around for 4 years, the lovey should hold up much better to washings as well, having not been actually dragged in the dirt.

but if baby Jackson is not too crazy about my gift and chooses a stuffed animal as his security toy, at least little stuffy will have a blanket too.

this took me about 5 hours of work time to complete, since its really my first big patchwork project and certainly of of the nicest things i think i have ever made, all bound on the edges, and whatnot. i do have to say i am rather proud of it.

the house has been on the market for 4 days, we have had one showing and the house is cleaner than its ever stayed for more than a day which i have to attribute to Ken's dilligence in picking up after dominic and sadly, after me as well.

we are going to look at houses this morning. theres one particular property that we have our eye on, the problem... its more than twice what we can afford.

it is an historic renovated fire house with a residence on the top floor and a 22x60 foot open work space on the bottom, we could have church there!

but the only way we are getting this is if God gives it to us, since its more than a little out of our price range.

the reason we are even looking at it is to see how well it would suit our needs, if it sounds like a good idea in theory but just doesnt feel right, we will forget about it, but if it looks like something that could really work, we will be praying for God to give us the fire house.

it has stared

i finished the first gift of the season!!!

i will let you see it but shh, dont tell my neice, Stella.

a mini chef hat and apron.

the hat was super easy

take an 18 x18 square, fold it in half then in half again, so its a smaller square. then make it round by cutting the open sides into a quarter circle.

make a 4x24 inch band by cutting an 8 x22 inch piece and folding it in half, i stitched a piece of scrap muslin sandwiched in the middle for a little added stiffness

sew up that top edge where the band is open. i left what would be the back of the band open but over lapped and finished off so the size can accomodate bigger or smaller heads add a velcro strip as the last step if this is what you choose to do

mark the band on the raw edge in 4 places evenly spaced, mark the circle as well, then pin the circle in on the matched marks the raw edges should match up.

start stitching, gathering between the pins as you go.

ta-da...

now is when you add a velcro strip or a piece of elastic.

the apron is completely free form, just do whatever you want, the only requirements are a string to tie it and a part that covers your front while youre cooking.

personally, i love this little inverted kick pleat in the middle of the front, its one of my favorite styles to sew.

so are you up for my buy almost nothing christmas challenge this year? tell me about your projects!!

and do not forget!! Sew, Mama ,Sew (on the side bar, under my blog list) has tons of great ideas.

im the worst blogger i know!!

i havent updated in 2 weeks!

but.......

all my time is being consumed by The Mission.

the mission is to show Gods love to the people of Madison, specifically the Walnut and East Street neighborhood. for all you non-Madisonians, thats where theres drug busts, domestic violence, meth cooking and even murders. theres also kids, young moms and men who have never had a dad so they dont know how to be dads. its also extremely transient and standard of living is alot lower than what we are accustomed to.

we as christians have been called to be salt and light. for our family this means, putting our house up for sale and moving there, to that dark place, letting our light shine, and allowing God to accomplish through us whatever he wants accomplished.

is it scary? yes

is it stressful? yes

God didnt call us to Africa, China or India.

He called us downtown, just 10 minutes from here, where we dont have to leave our friends and family, where theres running water and no rats, where we dont have to fear for our lives.

but is still scary, people dont get why we are doing this, it doesnt look like missionary work to the masses.

but there are the few, that are on board with us.

the few that will meet with us on sunday evenings as we build a church family by eating praying and learning.

the big change in Church In the Grass was announced last week. Wednesday nights are kids night at our location on east street from now on.

sunday nights are for building family and raising some money so that within a year we can be a sunday morning church, with a building.

so PLEASE pray for us as we begin the gatherings this sunday night, we need a house, we need a building, and we need to be persistant, tenacious, strong and courageous.