March Placemat

I don't know what the weather is like where you live but here in Michigan it has been a "WOW!!" winter!  There has not been much snow and that is sad for the skiers, sledders, ice skaters and anyone to loves and those who depend on the snow for recreation and for their income. 

I can't believe this March!  The saying goes:  "If it comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb.  But if it comes in like a lamb it will go out like a lion."  This month definitely came in like a lamb and it seems to be staying that way!  HURRAY!!

March 1st I heard and saw the first of the Red Winged black birds.  By the third the Robins showed up then a few days later the Finches.  Now it seems it is full blown spring!!  In the pond next door the Mallard ducks and the Canadian geese are making their nest and making family plans. 

I love this time of year!!  Every thing is new.  The old is gone and the sun is shining.  The days are getting longer and brighter.  It reminds me of what the Lord said in Second Corinthians 5: 17:

...so that if any one is in Christ he or she is a new creature; 

the old things DID pass away, lo, all things have become new.

Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible

This month's placemat pattern is whimsical with a friendly lion and lamb for you to appliqué.  I won't have much instruction this month.  You can refer to other placemat patterns on the list at the right for applique instructions.  I have the picture for placement of the pieces.  

You will need a copy of the pattern.  You can find this on the right listed under "Links to my Patterns".  The pattern is color coded so you will need to trace out each pattern piece separately.  Cut out the pieces out of appropriate color fabrics.  You choose the colors.  You can choose "life-like" colors or what ever you would like to choose.  Here is the picture:

 

For each placemat you will need:

15 x 18 fabrics for each of the front background, stabilizer, and backing

Fat quarter for lion's body, face, ears

Fat quarter for lamb

Fat quart for lion's face

scraps for rest--eyes mouth, noses

Follow picture above for placement of pieces and machine applique on.  Layer and bind off using your favorite method.  As you can see I made mine oval but you can make your rectangle if you wish.

I apologize for this being such a short tutorial but if you have any questions about this pattern please write me at the  email address in my profile.  Make sure you write something about this pattern, such as, 'March placemat' or something similar so I don't delete your message as spam.  

Thank you for looking!  Have a great day!  God bless!!

Blogfunny!

Hey Guess What!!!  My little blog got a listing on the "Blogfunny"!!!  Holy Cow!!  What an honor!  I don't know what the poster found funny--maybe all of it!  But I am deeply honored!  THANK-YOU (to who-ever) for the advertising!!!

HURRAY!!!

Destination: PRAISE

We all get into a slump and even discouraged.  Some people suffer from depression.  Quite often what most people suffer from is the "Poor Me" syndrome.  What can be done about this?  The Lord has the answer in His Word!  This is a sermon my pastor gave this past Sunday and I wanted to share some of it with you.

Psalm 47

1 O clap your hands, all you people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

2 For the Lord most high is terrible, He is a great King over all the earth.

3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under ouir feet.

4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom He loved.  Selah.

5 God is gone up with a shout,the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises unto our King, sing praises.

7 For God is the King of all the earth:  Sing praises with understanding.

8 God reigns over the heathen:   God sits upon the  throne of His holiess.

9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham:  For the shields of the earth belong unto God:  He is greatly exalted.

There is a lot of excitement in these verses reason being is that God is AWESOME  and is the awesome CONQUEROR!!

Here are some of the things that praise does:

A)  First and foremost it gets us off from thinking about ourselves and places us where we should be:  In the presence of God, the One who created us and deserves our praise.  It gets us to thinking about Him instead of ourselves.

B)  It leads us into the mission that God has for us, to be 'watchmen'.  

Isaiah 62:6-7 says this:  I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night:  You that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence.  And give Him no Rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

We are to praise and NOT shut up about what God has done.  Part of praise is to tell the story--HIS-story!  Speaking forth the awesomeness of God!!  We are to show the world something different!  

We are to show them what God has done!

C)  Praise leads us into JOY!!  To a lame man begging near the temple in Israel, Peter said, 'Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give to you:  In the name fo Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk!'  And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up:  And immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  And he leaping up stood, and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God!!  And all the people saw him walking and praising God:  And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which happened unto him.  Acts 3:6-10

I really want to encourage you that if you do not know Jesus to get to know Him.  He is for you and He loves you so much.  He has so much for you!!  Give Him a chance to make a difference in your life.  He says in Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is Good:  Blessed is the man, woman or child that trust in Him!

If you have any questions about the Lord, need prayer or want to know more, Or maybe you have questions about how to get to know Jesus, write me to the address I have in my profile.  I would love to hear from you and will try to help.  I will certainly pray for you.  Make sure to write: 'Destination:  PRAISE' in the subject line so I don't delete your message as spam.  God bless!

Homemade bath powder

Homemade Bath/Deodorant Powder

This is great stuff!  Use after shower or bath.  This is made as a deodorant.  I don't like using commercial products that have aluminum.  I don't believe that is healthy for anyone.  It has become so hard to find deodorant without it.  So I made my own product!

Ingredients are very simple--just 3!

One box of corn starch

1 Cup of soda

1.25 ounces of cinnamon

That is it!

Cornstarch is to help with absorption, soda for odor control, 

cinnamon is a natural deodorizer.

Mix all ingredients in bowl.

 If you have an old powder box with a powder puff that would be great!  But I haven't seen one of those in years.  What I did is saved a couple of powder shaker containers.  I had to remove the lids with a flat head screw driver.  If you need to do this be very careful not to let it slip and stab yourself.

Here I started to fill the containers using a funnel.  

But what really worked best was making a funnel with a clean sheet of paper and cutting a hole just large enough to go inside the opening of the shaker bottle.  That worked really well.  You can see above it makes a nice light tan color.  And OH it smells so good!!

This recipe makes one and 1/2 shaker containers!!

And there you have it!! Some great homemade powdered deodorant!

Do I dare say this?  ;-/  It makes a great gift for all your 'stinky' friends!!   (And 'stinky' relatives too!!)

HaHA!!

God bless!

Good Morning!  This morning I had another thought about putting this powder in containers.  Use a glass jar with the lid--probably a couple of narrow jar such as olives come in.  Punch a few holes in the center of the lid.  You don't want too many holes, but a few in the center.  Voila!  But be very careful not to drop this in the tub or shower!

Sweater Loom-a-Long Part 6

"Throw-on Sweater" because it is just what it says--to throw it on.  I didn't make it with button holes or button, just throw it on to keep you warm on chilly days.  The name also relates to the scripture verse:  "Casting all your cares upon Him (the Lord); for He cares for you." 1Peter 5:7 in the King James version.  I also like the New Living Translation that says, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you."  This sweater, hopefully will remind us to do this!  The Lord loves you so very much!!

I need to talk at this point about panels.  If you need to make the sweater larger than the loom you have this is what to do:

Measure the width of the sweater back and minus it from your measurement for your back.  Take the difference and divide by 2 (one for each side of the middle panel).   You will need to take this measurement and and a couple of inches for the material relaxing as it comes off the loom.  Follow the directions for the back with one exception--  Since the new panels will be next to the middle panel the side of the new panels that will be sewn next to the middle panel will need to end with the purl stitch on the ribbing rows so there will not be so many knit stitches where they come together.    Make these panels the length of the middle one and stitch together.  Here is a link for the mattress stitch:  http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring04/mattress.html

Now!  Once the back and fronts are done and panels are made and sewn on, place right sides of the front and back together and stitch together at the shoulders.

Place this on your shoulders so you can see how far off the shoulders it comes.  Measure the length from this point to the wrist.  Also determine how far under the arm you would like your sleeve to go and place a marker on front and back.

Measure between markers.  This is how wide the tops of your sleeves need to end up.  Now measure wrist to the circumference you would like.  Find the center of the loom and cast on stitches to that many inches.

Sleeve (make 2)
Knit 3 and purl 3 ending in knit 3 for nine rows.

Row 10:  knit for 20 rows.

Row 21: * add new loop at the end of the  row this way:  before knitting the last peg make new loop the same way as casting on--bring yarn in front of peg, bring tool from under loop, bring new loop down and over to the empty peg.  Do not knit that new peg yet.  E-wrap the peg before and Knit.  Now knit new loop as the first of next row.

Row 22: Repeat *

Rows 23---26: e wrap and knit Repeat rows 21---26 to the length you measured for the length of your sleeve.  Bind off..

With right sides together lay sleeve on sweater body in proper place putting the center of sleeve top on the shoulder seam sew across using mattress stitch.  Once the sleeves are in place fold sweater in half, match under arm seam and stitch from the bottom of sweater to the cuff of the sleeve on both sides.

If you have any questions please write me at the address in my profile.  Make sure you write something about the loom-a-long in the subject so I don't delete it for spam!  :-D

I will be back with the finishing touches to your sweater!  God bless!!