Another Day

 I made a little cake using my friend Lynn's guidelines.  It tasted so good!

When I went back to college at age 40+ I doodled as I took notes and it helped me concentrate, so now I do the same in my Community Bible Study workbook. 

 Here are the Mad Hatter's sleeves.  I made his coat too short so I have to add on to it.  I'll do that another day.

 Cutting out the jacket wasn't easy with this little "helper".

 This is Alice in Wonderland's older sister's skirt.  I asked Kelli if the little actress could try to gain 15 pounds before showtime.  She responded, "Safety pins."

What have you been cooking for dinner while we all shelter in place?  We're having pork tenderloin tonight.  I really want to bake every day, but I don't want to eat too much of my baking, so I will resist.  
Bill said that lots of gardening supplies are being sold and that makes sense.  We're itchy to get outside and since we can't go anywhere, we can enjoy our own gardens.  When it warms up, in our case.
Tell me what you're doing, okay? I'm curious.
Thank you for coming by!  xoxoxo

Pink Around the House

 

(I reinforced the spine of my fat Bible and I LOVE washi tape stickers!)

 Hello cozy-makers!  How are things going in your lovely homey homes?  As we "shelter" so many of us have the blessing of a shelter that is so "us" and so warm and snug.  Our homes are very much HOMES, aren't they?  When I look on Zillow at houses that are on the market (just for fun - we're NOT moving anywhere else) I feel like they all look the same after a while.  The decor is whatever the current decorating trend might be.  Every once in a while, you see a zippy one where the owner just couldn't tone her (or his) creativity down.  I like those.  I like the funky furniture and the romantic colors.  

It's kind of hard to change our go-go and do-do mindset and just relax, isn't it?  I'm not going anywhere.  I will walk a little,  but ever since I was a classroom teacher I have a tendency to feel like I should be using my time more wisely.  I was blissfully unfamiliar with this when I was a stay at home mom.  I would like to find that spot again. 
So I shall still look forward to lilac season because there are always generous lilacs lobbing themselves over the fences when I am out walking.

 When I pinked things up this summer I did not know how happy it would make me now.  In Rumer Godden's book This Far and No Further she says that there should be pink in EVERY room.  I've mentioned this before, but I stand by it now.  Pink is a good thing.

Tim has colorful toys, doesn't he?  They all end up under sofas or in the basement. 

 This little bear says, "Don't forget to enjoy fika every day!  Coffee and a treat! Make treats!"

 This lovely friend says, "Don't forget!  Ironing can soothe your soul. Get those wrinkles out and admire your work.  Press those seams (this applies to Pom Pom's sewing tasks) and hang things straight.  Good job!"

 

I made a mistake on my sewing yesterday and I decided that there are certain times of the day that are better for sewing than others.  Tired sewing often has wonky results.  So, today I shall fix the mistake and sew a little more. I want this sewing job off my plate so I can fiddle around with other "make-y" things.

Well, I hope you are feeling peaceful and free in your spirit because the Holy Spirit is your comforter and your counselor.  What a fine counselor He is!

I might bake a sponge (Lynn!  Thank you again for the sponge tips!) for fika.  I'll put some jam on it.  Yummy!

I'm thinking of you all.

This too shall pass.

LOVE! 

Cheerful Things

 Hello out there! It's dumping snow right now and it is expected to keep coming down until the wee hours  of the morning tomorrow. We often get these spring snows. Happy first day of spring!

 I have lots of wool, but I'm meant to be sewing.  Guess what?  I'm a slow seamstress.  Almost four jumpers/dresses are finished.  I am not a factory.

 Remember when I made this fairy bed and then Birdie took it to her garden?  Maybe you could crawl inside and have a nap.  I'm sure the birds would sing you a lullaby.

 Even though it is snowing now, I know that soon the flowers will fill the garden and fuzzy bumblebees will join the fun.

 I have a major blockage in relation to cross stitch.  I can't seem to get going on it again and these are old projects.  I really wonder when I had the time to cross stitch back in those hurried family years.  I did.  There is more time than we think, right?

 I didn't buy lavender when I saw lovely pots of it at two grocery stores.  I think I will next time I go.  I'm staying away from stores and shops for the next few days because we have lots of stuff and have no real need to go.

 

I haven't forgotten about Jolly.  His journey is brewing in my mind and I shall make his book one day when inspiration strikes.  I know there isn't a big hurry, but he would be a fun visitor for the hostesses to find in their mailbox.  
Take care, sweet friends.  Thank you for calling in.   


Perfect love casts out fear.  Perfect love is poured upon us. 
 

We Have Good Minds (and we know what to read)

 In 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 1-3 says,
"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies; even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves.  Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping."

We have God's Word.  We must hold the TRUTH in our minds and in our hearts.  We trust in the Creator of the universe.  We must be aware of false teachers.
And we rest.  At home.  Bill and I have been running small errands together.  We've been walking in the neighborhood after dinner.  I've been staying at my sewing machine as long as I can, but it makes my back sore (just a little bit).
It's good to be in the "now" because nobody can predict the future, the duration of the changes to everyday life.  Whoa.  That sounds very serious.  

 Whatever this plant is, I like it.  I bought it because previous lookalikes have lasted a long time.  I'll move it around so it can drink in some sunbeams.

 A few chocolate eggs are nice with coffee.  A few, Pom Pom.  A few.  (sweet tooth)

 I have two dresses finished for the mad tea party in Alice in Wonderland.  Three more are cut out and ready to sew.  Inch by inch.

 It's way too early for seed planting, but seed gathering is in motion.  I can't believe I am planting cucumbers again since they were a lot of work in the past, but Jeff wants to return to pickle processing and needs my cucs.

 Here is a slimmer photo of Tim.  He's not quite as rotund as some of my photos suggest. 

Do you like the next fabric I'll be working with?

 At Whole Foods they sell little bouquets of flowers (tiny, really) and when I bought napkins (yay!) I bought myself a posy.  I had it placed in front of my Rosamunde Pilcher books and it looked lovely there, but Tim knocked it over and I had to move it. 

 I do like my simple sewing machine.  I even oiled it!  I've never oiled a sewing machine before (blush).

 Whole Foods also had these lovely seed packages. 

 I've been looking through old collage journals.

 I'm not sure why I drew this little angel.  I like her wings.  We can't see the angels but we know that they are about.

 

James and Noah are coming over to ride bikes today.  The weather has been typical of March.  It's not very warm but it's okay to be outside wearing a warm sweater. 

I thought we might wish to visit more with our blog friends because we are out and about so much less.  Do you think so?

I pray you are all feeling peace, indescribable peace, and if you aren't feeling it just now, I'll keep praying you do very soon.

I'm going to go take a bath.  Every time I take a bath (almost every time) I remember the book The Hiding Place.  When Corrie ten Boom was released from prison, she found her way to a hospital and was nurtured and cared for.  She had a hot bath after living in the filthy gloom of a concentration camp for so long.  She REALLY felt and treasured that lovely pleasure of getting clean and then she slept between clean, sweet smelling sheets, a delight she had not enjoyed for months and months.  Oh, that I could be so grateful for all the simple joys in life on earth.  You, too.

I have one friend who is waiting for another grandchild to be born right now, at this moment, and I have another friend who has battled cancer for eight years and has just moved into hospice. One new soul coming into the world and one dear soul leaving. 

Thank you for stopping by and saying hello.  You are good and faithful.

 

 

These Unique Days

Brad and I were texting about the classic Daily Light and I happened to have the Living Bible version handy.  It's so good and looking up all the verses is always encouraging.

 I did go to the fabric store yesterday to get some linen for The Mad Hatter's coat and Alice's older sister's skirt.  There were quite a few people there.  Churches have cancelled their services and Community Bible Study is taking a few weeks off.  The roads here are not experiencing the usual heavy traffic.  I don't want to watch the news too much, since the stories repeat quite often. I've been reading, cleaning, and sewing.  The light on my little sewing machine burned out.  Drat. 

Sweet Noah rode his "trike" while I rode Sunshine the yellow bike, around and around the driveway.

 We blew bubbles at Bible study. 

 I sent this photo to my sister because I'm quite amazed that tie dye is a "thing" again.  My other sister tie dyed t-shirts for my brothers for Christmas about fifty hears ago!  GASP!  Now at our Sam's Club (I always look at the piles of clothes for sale) they have 10-12 dollar sweatshirts so I figured Pom Pom needed one. I found the tie dyed t-shirt at Ross Dress for Less when I took Birdie birthday shopping.  I look quite Winnie the Pooh-ish in the photo. LOL!

 This one is true to his barn cat nature, grabbing a lap at every opportunity. 

 

These are old dafs.  I did buy a potted flower at the grocery because I rearranged the furniture in the family room and I made a spot for something "alive".

It seems everybody everywhere must keep their distance from others.  My friend in Texas said that people in Italy are singing to each other from their balconies.  That's very sweet.
I hope you are reading and writing, tending to your lovely homey tasks, and trusting in the One who has the last word.
I'm going to go eat a piece of fish and an apple for breakfast.  I'm reading The Kitchen Congregation by Nora Seton.  I love good writing and this is fine writing.  I also love to read food books.  Do you? I'm also reading a novel called The Secrets of Paper and Ink that Elizabethd from Small Moments recommended on Goodreads.  It's fast paced and interesting. 
Sometimes I get overwhelmed looking at all of my books, but that's silly.  I have time to read them between sewing sessions.  I can only sew so much before my back starts to feel sore and I have plenty of time.
I hope you are well.  I hope you feel connected.  I KNOW you are loved.