So often...

So often we sit comfortably while people passing by are hurting. They are in pain. Maybe they haven't told anyone about their pain. Maybe the world knows. How can we as a community reach out to the hurting people around us.
When we look at people as God would, we see them differently. We see them hurting and in pain. Their hearts are aching. Do we even smile at them? Do we say hello? Where I live we don't even look at strangers in the eye as we walk past them. We most certainly live out of fear.
So often, those people we ignore are the very ones that need a smile.
As I look around me lives are being lost by loved ones. Marriages are crumbling before our feet. Women are losing their babies. People are getting really sick and sometimes don't recover. Accidents happen that cost lives. Choices are made that impact lives for generations. This is just in my corner of the world. These are people that I know. This doesn't include your part of the world. The people you are in contact with everyday, your family and friends.
Is there any hope for people who are just hurting?  How can someone who is hurting so bad have hope in this fallen sinful world.
So often we do not encourage. You've heard it said the Bible is a love letter from our Creator.
In Isaiah 48:20 is says:

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.

 In times of trouble let us as a community be there to uplift and encourage those around us who are hurting. Do you know someone who is hurting in your life? Can you go out of your way today to encourage them? When you do this please comment below. Let's show each other that we as a community still care about each other.

Late for a very important blog tour...

So I've been trying to get this post up since Saturday. It was one thing after another. Sometimes in the sewing realm things just don't go as planned. Well that was me this weekend. However, better late than never. This is the Delilah Pattern Golden Rippy. Here is the link to her shop and pattern to purchase it yourself and sew one up. You will love the ease of this pattern and the low maintenance sewing it requires.
http://goldenrippy.com/product/delilah/
Here is her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/goldenrippy
She is giving 2 winners 2 patterns - go and enter to win!!!!

Let's talk about the top. This was a crazy easy sew. The reason I wanted to join this blog tour was because of the bow. Yes I love bows. A shirt with a bow now that was worth it to me. This is a great beginner top to sew.

Yesterday I wore the shirt to a birthday party and rock climbed, scaled treacherous jumpy contraptions and chased kiddos. Then I wore it to my 2 hour dance class. I love this top. It is comfortable!!!

Switchfoot Bro Am 10th Anniversary

If you know me in person, which you may not... You know I'm a huge Switchfoot fan!!! I've been following them and watching them in concerts since late 90's... (first album release was '97). Anyway... I've seen them many many times. In November of 1999 they opened for Delirious in San Diego, Ca. A couple of friends and I attended this concert. As we were driving, we were lost. This is not unusual for me as I am super directionally challenged. I am that mom with 5 tired kids walking around the zoo parking lot, clicking my unlock button on my van key ring. Really... I am! I digress... Anyway, I prayed. I know it sounds silly. We were lost and just didnt know where we were. I prayed God would send someone with a Switchfoot or Delirious bumper sticker. A red SUV/Suburban pulls up next to us. We roll down our window and ask if they are attending the concert. He said yes! We asked if we could follow him and he said yes again. Let me remind you that this was way before GPS's were invented. We had to use a Tomas Brothers map, and well Thomas and his brothers and I just don't get along. We were so excited. God answered our prayers with a YES!!!! We were so blessed to be able to follow someone. So as we are following, he waves us through the private security parking and into the secure parking. As we get out we see him unloading a drum set and realize he is apart of the band. We giggled off as giddy as can be. We somehow knew he was the dad of one of the members of Switchfoot.
Let's fast forward... all these years I have always wanted to say Thank you. I think I sent an email at one point in time. Yesterday at Switchfoot's 10th Anniversary Bro Am it became a reality. I was coming out of the restroom and Jon Foreman talking to a couple. I waited. When he was finished I approached him and told him the story. (maybe took a picture too, lol) Since I knew the kind of car and color, he told me it was his dad that did that. He thanked me for telling him the story.
 The story gets better... 
At one point they announce that his dad was at the Bro Am. See I'm not a shy girl. I have no problem talking to anyone, even celebrities :). So I saw him at one point and went near him and waited for him to be available. I introduced myself and told him I have a story for you. After I told him the story, he equated it to the story in the Bible where 10 lepers were healed and one came back to say thank you. That just warms my heart. I'm sure we weren't the only ones he has helped in his day. (I may or may not have gotten a picture with him as well) See at that point in time I had a month previously rededicated my life to Jesus. It was such a divine appointment that I have never forgotten. God is real!!! I am blessed!!!! You never know when God will use you, even for the simplest of things, the smallest measures, to bless someone for years and years. Thank you Mark Foreman, from the bottom of my heart from this directionally challenged girl!!!!

Here's the other part to my day at the Bro Am 10th anniversary. I love to attend as many Switchfoot concerts as I can. However, I may be a loud girl. I can't even count the amount of dirty looks and people who have plugged their ears due to my amazing yelling voice. While I do sing along, I also like to scream (esp. when others aren't, lol). One of my close friends (I consider him one of my brothers) doesn't like me to attend concerts alone, for this very reason. Yesterday... I found my concert partner in crime. He loves the band (not as much as me lol, though he may differ on that opinion) and sings along with me. He goes early with me and waits after to meet the band. Yesterday was his first concert and we managed to get a picture of us with Jon. There aren't many people who get a picture of themselves with anyone from the band, at their first concert. I may be a little excited for him.We also got pre sale tickets to their next San Diego concert. We got them before it was announced!!!
Back to my concert partner in crime. Yesterday was no exception to the dirty looks. However, I knew that I was safe!!! I felt like I had a body guard lol. All day he was a gentleman. He didn't care or get embarrassed of my craziness. I truly enjoyed my time with him and my time watching the entire surf contest and the concert.
I have so many good memories at Switchfoot concerts. They are fantastic in concert!!! They are down to earth real life people. I took my oldest to see them as her first concert. I've gone with other friends. I was ushered in by Mark Foreman all those years ago. I took Nicholas to his first concert :) I will continue to support Switchfoot and yell my crazy head off at every concert I am blessed to attend!!!
Cheers Nicholas to our next concert adventure!!!!!

Jon Foreman and I

Mark Foreman and I

My concert partner and I, first thing int he morning. We were among the first to get there.

Surf footage

Concert footage

My phone uploaded the pictures and now I can't edit to add captions.. So after the concert footage is a picture of Jon Foreman, Nicholas and I. Then is a picture of our next Switchfoot adventure and a picture of Nicholas' first concert ticket purchase.

The Wave...a few more thoughts than my Facebook post

I posted on Sat. about my time at The Wave. I wanted to expand a bit  more. I wont say the child's name or his dads name just in case they wouldn't like me sharing that info to the web.
This past Sat. we went to The Wave with our Awana group. The kids earn a trip if they finish their book. We have to pay but they are allowed to go with the group at a discounted rate. My kids look forward to it every year and work hard for it. This year was no exception. Us adults really love the Flo Rider. We look forward to it every year as well as the kids. This year on this Sat. we could have attended a marriage conference our church was attending but we felt it was not acceptable to back out of our plans with the kids. So we chose to keep our word and take them to The Wave. We also could have attended a friends memorial. We were bummed they were at the same time as we really wanted to be there but our word to our kids is important. So we set off for the Wave. The Flo Rider was not resurfaced this year and therefore it cut our time on it shorter than normal because we were all bleeding.
So at one point one of my kiddos and his friend wanted to go in the lazy river so we went down the slide into the river. As we were hanging out a sweet boy came up and was hanging on my legs. I asked him if he wanted an inner tube. He did not respond but kept hanging on. I was more than happy to let him. It was like something my own kids would do. We floated around and his dad was walking around the edge keeping an eye on him. That was powerful to me. He had unconditional love. he just kept walking making sure his son was ok but ensuring he was having fun. They were celebrating his birthday. I made sure it was ok with his dad that he was hanging on my legs. His dad was so surprised that his son would do this. He said his son never does this to anyone. The boy has autism. I felt so honored that he chose to hang with me. He would go away and play and come back. He came back to me quite a few times. This sweet boy really blessed me. See I would have missed this amazing blessing had we not gone to the Wave. I talked to the dad at the end of the day and told him how much I was blessed by his son and that his son had made my day. I cant express to you the honor I feel. I have worked with and know that some autistic children do not like to be touched nevertheless by a stranger. However, he chose me. He chose me over and over again.
 His dad walked around time and time again with selfless love.
 Isn't that how God is? He chooses to love us unconditionally. He never leaves us or forsakes us no matter what. We love him because he first loved us the Bible says.
This sweet boy chose me. I don't know why and I never will. I could see an example of the dad walking around no matter the cost to himself. The boy trusting his dad, knowing his dad was there watching over him. Making sure he was safe. What an example!
This boy and his father will go on to touch other people's lives. They will be blessed to have met and see a glimpse into their lives. At one point the mom took him to go on slides and be with him. I really only talked to his dad.
While I have no doubt there are struggles for them everyday. This boy and his father will forever have touched my life. They will have forever made a difference in my life and made me want to be a better wife, mom, friend and daughter of the King.
I love when God makes divine appointments. Saturday God made a divine appointment and I'm glad I didn't miss it. 

The Lorelei by E-Beth all retro-ed up!!!

One look at this pattern and I was really hoping to be picked for this pattern test. It screamed at me... Make me into a retro dress. So I applied to be a tester. I had never made myself a dress before and was a tad nervous. The directions were fabulous and the end product was amazing. I wore it for Resurrection day this last year and received so many compliments. I need to make more because  I love love this dress. I made a muslin just to make sure I was making the right size and it fit me perfectly. This is my favorite outfit in my wardrobe!! I've worn it many times since that first day. This is a pattern you won't regret buying!!! So go ahead... What are you waiting for??? 

Resurrection day this year.

Love my family!!! 

Anything in the 1950's era and I'm excited!!!!

We can all use a little silly in our lives!!

Not many dresses allow you to limbo in them. Ahhh.... A beautiful dress that you can be real in!!!!

TA DA!!!!!!

Here is the pattern to purchase it and make an amazing dress for you or a loved one! Happy sewing!!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/187717040/lorelei-womens-dress-pdf-pattern?ref=sr_gallery_4&ga_search_query=E+Beth+designs&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

Swap meet find made new

I bought this lamp shade at the swap meet quite a while ago. I've always known what I wanted to do with it and never did it. I'm so happy to have finally given this lamp shade a make over. I love how it turned out!!! Don't you?

Before

After 

I think I will embellish it a bit later on. For now she is glittering in beauty as is.

Swap meet find made new

I bought this lamp shade at the swap meet quite a while ago. I've always known what I wanted to do with it and never did it. I'm so happy to have finally given this lamp shade a make over. I love how it turned out!!! Don't you?

Before

After 

I think I will embellish it a bit later on. For now she is glittering in beauty as is.

Fanning the flame

My husband and I recently attended a homeschool expo. The speaker Todd Wilson spoke on fanning the flame. He said that we should be fanning the flame of our children's dreams as well as our spouses dreams. This really hit home for me. So far our oldest son bought a skateboard (something he has wanted for a long time) and our oldest daughter, tonight, made cupcakes all by herself. She wants to own her very own cupcake shop when she is an adult. Will that pan out? I don't know. Will she remember the flavor she made tonight? Or that they are gluten free? I don't know but I can tell you she will remember me letting her do it and staying up past her bedtime to try them. Tonight I fanned that flame for her. This is an exciting time. It's exciting to allow my kids to fulfill their dreams. I'm looking forward to more fanning!! I encourage to fan a flame for someone in your life in the next week. Then comment here on what you did. Happy fanning!!!

Pattern test mash up

Last week I had 3 pattern tests due and I was out of town weeknd at a homeschool convention. All three were made from a sheet. I can only share two though. The top is by GYCT. Her patterns are wonderful. The fit is great. The pictures are very clear and her directions are easy to follow. I love her patterns and she is wonderful to work with. Here's is the link to the Tinley Tee

https://www.etsy.com/listing/188619819/tinley-tee-for-girls-pdf-pattern-size-12

The shorts are by Ruby and Jack. The pattern has not been released yet. It's to be released later this week. These shorts are so cute! They are her cartwheel shorts so keep an eye out for the pattern release. She gives an amazing way to easily ruffle the fabric. It will change your life in the ruffle department. She goes ruffle by ruffle with clear directions. I love these shorts! 

Here's Moriah in both pattern tests. Isn't she cute!!!!

Adventures of The Princess Party Dress

Ever since I tested this dress, Moriah will not take it off. In any moment she can, it's on! To say she loves this dress is an understatement! I was able to test a wonderful, frozen inspired pattern by Mandy K Designs. Moriah picked the colors she wanted. I did goof up a but on the colors she wanted but she loves the dress anyway and that makes me happy!!! This pattern is well written. This is my first costume ever. I say it was an easy sew because the pattern is easy to follow. There are so many options available. You have the choice of 3 sleeve lengths, a cape that can be permanent or detachable. You can easily mix match the bodice size with the length of skirt desired. You can purchase this pattern in the link below. 

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/clothing/princess-party-dress-frozen-inspired/93119

Here are some pictures of the adventures of The Princess Party Dress.

Here she is at the zoo. I will add more pictures as she wears it more places.

Persimmon by Williow and Co.

I was blessed to ba able to test a fantastic pattern. This pattern is for Willow and Co. Designed by Mouse House Creations. This summer dress is a must have. It is fully lined, pleated top, flowy and comfortable. Every sweet little girl needs this dress for the summer. The pattern is very well written which makes it an easy sew. Here are some of my tester photos of my sweet girl. The pattern will be released Tuesday so keep your eyes peeled for this wonderful pattern. When I made it Moriah said she was so happy to have a summer dress. Enjoy!!!!

People past and present

As you know Facebook is a way to reconnect with people of the past and keep up with people in your daily life. I saw my 7th grade teacher had pinned a pin on Pinterest about not having items that spell her name correctly. I decided to make her a keychain with her name spelled correctly. She loved it. I love when people truly love handmade items. 

Kindness

There are people in this world that when you meet you feel like you've known them forever! That happened to us this year. Here I am with my 5 little loves walking out of awanas. I usually stay a bit late because I volunteer in Cubbies and wait til all the kiddos have been picked up. Another mom/volunteer offers to help and I decline. "Oh I'm good" I said. Well bless her, she just helps anyway. She grabs her kids and says help her. Of course most of my kids know her kids because they are teenagers who work with them during awanas. So then it became a weekly thing. We both have 5 kids so it's perfect, one teen to one wee little Bryant kiddo. Then we get to talking. We all know how extremely shy I am and how truly hard this was for me. (I saw you roll your eyes lol). This is where the man I feel like I've known you forever comes in. For the majority we stay after and chat and the kids hang out together. It really is a pleasant time for all of us. Last night Moriah had a TNT movie night and my friends teens had Awana game practice. So we knew we would see each other. Moriah and one of her kiddos hit it off immediately. They are adorable together and each brought the other one a gift they had made. So as the kids go to their respective places, we were like what should we do. My friend informs me that her sweet daughter who had worked the last two weeks had given her money so we could go get a treat and hang out. Now to me that is true kindness. Most teenagers would think how they would spend every last penny on themselves. This really touched my heart and meant a lot to me. Clearly she saw money as a way to bless other people. She saw that our fellowship was important and invested in it. I love to see how God blesses others through the next generation. The next generation really has some amazing people in it. I'm pretty sure I know them all!!! We are so blessed by the teenagers from this family and others in our lives. I'm pretty sure I could write a book about the amazing teens we have.

Swwappin about me!!!!

I love Swoon Patterns - those are the purses and bags that I make. I have done the swaps from the beginning and love it!!!! This time we were to create a Cate (pattern name) that would be about us. Here is what mine looked like and my story!
Here is my Cate. The purple leaves represent my husband and I. When we got married I asked him what his favorite color on me was so that my bridesmaids could wear that color. Purple it was. Purple is my favorite color. My husband loves morning glories and this print reminded him of them. The blinged out keychain is all me. The more bling the better. The inside represents my kids. I have 5 kids and the blue represents life and a breath of fresh air that my kids bring to my life. The vintage lace flower hair clip/brooch represents my love for retro and vintage as well as my businesses as an accessory creator and wholesale supplier. The crown represents my faith. I'm a Christian and the crown represents being a daughter of the King. I hope Sharon Bratton loves Cate as much as I do.

What's really unique about this swap is that each purse has a story!!! In past swaps you tried to make a bag you thought your swap partner would like. This time we made one that represented us. It was a fun and unique swap. 

Don't tell my dimpled Betty but this pattern is my favorite to sew! Its simple but elegant!!! There are minimal pieces and the zipper is easy to sew into her. I love Cate!!! Below is the link to buy the pattern.
http://swoonpatterns.com/shop/cate-shoulder-bag/

A Pattern for ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really haven't done any garment sewing for myself so I applied to test a pattern for me. Wouldn't you know I got PICKED!!!!!!!!!!!! This time I tested a Sunset Infinity Scarf Cardigan by Rabbit Rabbit Creations. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is an item worth making for yourself. In a store it would be so expensive, but to make it with a coupon at Joanns was a lot cheaper than buying one in the store. Also, Ive never seen one of these in a store so it is completely unique!

Here is the link for the pattern to purchase it and make one for yourself :)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/183647546/sunset-infinity-scarf-cardigan-pattern

Crazy

Last week was so crazy for me. Amongst my normal day to day I had 2 pattern reviews due, a purse to make for a swap, curtains to fix for a friend, a scarf for a gift and a cake to make. Here are some pictures...

Lizzie Fran's new Laura checklet

Little Kiwis Closet soon to be released Bella Bolero.

So yes it was busy!!! This week I have 1 pattern test due... Keep your eyes peeled for that post!!!

Pattern Test for GYCT

As a mom of boys it's really hard to find nice clothes, stuff that does not have licensed characters on it etc. I had the blessing of pattern testing an item for Christian. The item is called the Sewside Tunic and Dress. It was so fast to sew. It's a really easy pattern. I love that there wasn't a million pieces. The directions were very easy to follow.  The designer is very sweet and helpful. Christian was so excited that I made him a shirt!!! If you scroll to the bottom if her release blog post you will see his handsome face!!! Here is the link to her release blog and a few of the pictures of Christian.
http://www.gyctdesigns.com/?m=1

Swoon Pattern Review Coraline

I have been making purses and bags from a designer that I love. Her patterns are fantastic and make the cutest bags. One pattern I love is called the Coraline. It makes 3 different purses. Small clutch, large clutch and wristlet. The pattern is easy to follow. The sizes are great!!! You really can't go wrong. If you are looking to make your first purse, I highly recommend this pattern. Start with the wristlet. If you are looking to make some gifts, you can't go wrong with this one!!! I know people on my list will be getting a wristlet this year!! Pictured are a wristlet and 2 large clutches. 

Here is a link to purchase the pattern. 

http://swoonpatterns.com/shop/coraline-clutch/