Midnight Crafting

Do you remember those commercials, probably back in the 90's, that said: "It's 10pm. Do you know where your children are?".

Well, I have my own version.

It's midnight. Do you know your wife is crafting?

With a 3year old and a newborn, my days are quite busy and often it's just me going back and forth between the children, meeting their needs. And not only am I feeling like I am not really getting anything done -- it's a good day when I can get food on the table --- but I am feeling my creativity is just pent up. I need to do something. Even a small craft project. Though, with me, nothing is ever small, so to even come up with an idea is an ordeal. Just saying, y'all.

So it was on my mind and aim to get something, anything, done. Tonight. So after putting a strong willed preschooler to bed and nursing a newborn,
I went on my mission.

Decided to do a small project. One of those that you always see as "need to get done" because every time you pass it's future location,
the lack of "project doneness" irks you.

Evidence 1. Notice anything about this wall? Something missing?

See the smaller blue frame? I am notorious for putting up frames, without their pictures. Why? Because putting pictures up is a two step process. You find an awesome frame but need to find the right picture to go into it. Or, the reverse and then you got to find the location for this match made in heaven. It's not rocket science.

Though in my case, I usually find an awesome frame first and then have to find that picture. And usually before finding the picture, I put the frame in the desired location, because, honestly, sometimes that determines the picture, right?
You can't have too many lovey-dovey pictures in your kitchen...

So I had this antique-looking robins egg blue and gold frame (from the clearance section, I think in Marshalls) on the wall for a while. Still not coming up with a picture, I thought I would do something a little different. And during this craft lull, happy cheery pinwheels were perfect.

Using the tutorial from The Mother Huddle, I made an antique-ish pinwheel from fabric scraps by gluing a sand colored suede fabric to a cream lace piece. Then I went through my stash of buttons and actually glued two together. I was really happy to have come across the button that said "Embrace Life".....good message to read daily.

Actually, kind of funny for the message to be Embrace Life, for now, with my completed craft, I'm gonna go and embrace some sleep. :)

There. Now isn't that a happier wall....

On being Set Apart...

Our Memory Scripture last week was from Romans 12...

Therefore, my brothers, in view of God's mercy, present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. And do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be renewed by the transformation of your mind.

I have to say that, for at least the last year, I really have had my eyes and heart opened to "patterns of this world" and the very important need to renew my mind, to transform my mind, to set myself apart.

Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations...

Romans 1:1
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God...

Galatians 1:15
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace...

We've been set apart and called to live a different way of life. And with this, I'm giving you a heads up on a 30 days series in February (I guess, then a 29 days series :P) that I will be launching called
"Being Serious about Being Set Apart".

I think a lot of people, Christian women included, struggle with what a Christian woman "looks/acts" like. And it seems, to me, that we do the things we aren't supposed to do and don't do the things we are supposed to do.

The series will take a look at what "set apart" means in terms of:
our ambitions and desires,
our dress and presentation,
our homes and families,
our beliefs, values and actions.

This will be a great journey of both the mind, heart and spirit. There will also be some great giveaways too!
I can't wait to go on it with you!

Stay tuned February 1st....

Shekinah Glory

At a special evening worship service at our church last night, we sang (and sang and sang) a wonderfully inspiring song....

Shekinah Glory

We wait for You, we wait for You
We wait for You; walk in the room

Here we are, standing in Your presence
Here we are, standing in Your presence
Shekinah glory come down, Shekinah glory come down

Release the fullness of Your Spirit
Shekinah glory come, Shekinah glory come

You move and we want more, You speak and we want more
You move and we want more; we want the fullness

We want more, we want more, we want more, we want more
We want more, we want more, more of Your Spirit

Here is the Cory Asbury video

And if you are wondering what Shekinah Glory is...it's the actual dwelling and presence of God. How wonderful is it to know and feel the presence of God...
...the creator of the world
...your creator

and btw, the WINNER of the About a Bride giveaway is Amy, from AmyBeads. Amy, contact me to choose your design!

Then Sings My Soul...

Another BookSneeze review. This time on "Then Sings My Soul", vol 3.

At church, do you sing the songs, unsure of whether you are singing the right words? Or, do you ever wonder how the song ever came about. Would you love to be able to play the music at home on your own instrument and with your family? That's why I love these series. In it, are over 50 songs and hymns, with the lyrics, the history and the sheet music. What's really neat about Book 3 is that it has a focus on more of the "lesser known" hymns, even some ancient and medieval hymns. The stories are well-written and give an insight into the experiences and lives of the hymn writers.

It's a great way to do family devotions and lessons on Christianity. The book is a definite goldmine, especially for musically inclined families or history buffs.

A followers Challenge (Giveaway)

Thought I would start 2012 with a Giveaway.
One blessed reader will get to choose one of my designs.

You can see more at the About a Bride boutique blog.

To win, tell me what was your favorite Shimmer & Tulle post of 2011....

This Challenge will end next Sunday, the 15th.

Looking forward to it!

How I shimmered in 2011...

With New Years, come New Years Resolutions. But before even going there, I believe in knowing where you've been to know where you're going. And with that, here's my year in review. From personal reconstruction (that involved my marriage and family), to adding another child to a total of 11 creative projects, it's been quite the ride.
Thank you God for blessing me in many, many wonderful ways this year!
I am grateful.

My 2011 in pictures.
(you can click on the caption to read full post).

Jed, my second son, was born in October. This was my biggest highlight.

I read 33 books this year (aimed for 25). This is a personal best.

My blog got a makeover (how do I look?:P) and we traveled to Orlando, Florida and visited Disney. THAT was an amazing (and overstimulating) adventure!
I even designed and created Eliel a Mickey Mouse tshirt for him to wear!

My husband and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. My vision for my family really started to develop and became more concrete. I got more into homesteading and off-grid ideas and found myself in a hot debate on exclusivity in the homeschooling field.

Some creative projects I completed this year were...

belts for Eliel

nursing cover

fall frames

book pumpkins

crib chalkboard which was featured on Roadkill Rescue by the way! :)

picnic blanket

portable giraffe growth chart for my kids

some new designs for my hair accessories business

kitchen curtain and
kitchen apron
I even tried my hand at making a birthday cake with homemade fondant!

and homemade pasta!

I posted twice as much as in 2010 and also gained many more friends and followers.
It's been a fantastic year and I look forward to 2012 and all of its blessings as well!

The Word of 2012: Diligent

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit
as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
-Proverbs 21:5

So apparently, New Year's Resolutions have been replaced by the now trendy, Word of the Year.
K, I'll join the bandwagon.

My word for 2012 is Diligence.
Intentional Diligence.
Feminine Diligence
Diligent Joy.

I came across this when reading Eat, Pray, Love and it spoke volumes to me.

In my own life, I can see exactly where my episodes of unhappiness have brought suffering or distress or inconveniences to those around me. The search for contentment is, therefore, not merely a self-preserving and self-benefiting act, but also a generous gift to the world. Clearing out all your misery get YOU out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself, but to everyone else. Only then are you free to serve and enjoy other people.

There have been plenty of times when yes, I got in my own way. Whether by sabotaging, making excuses, or allowing fears or
insecurities to penetrate through.
This is the year to be intentional.
This is the year to be diligent.

Our Greatest Fear
by Marianne Williamson
it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

And another one from Apple....
Here’s to the crazy ones The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? We make tools for these kinds of people. While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

The Artist & the Audience

“The Artist and The Audience”
By Kennan Burch

The Artist has given me a ticket to His concert of life;
His all-consuming music touches every part of me

Everything I see, hear, touch, taste, smell, and even comprehend are all part of the music of The Artist.

May I never forget that I am the audience and not the artist,
that I am the receiver and not the giver!

For at times I’m tempted to summon The Artist to recognize me for my song, And to woo others in the audience to hear me too,

But I find the sound of my song drowns out the music of The Artist

It is only when I lay down my own instrument and focus towards the stage, that I begin to hear music loud and clear,

➢ Music so consistent I cannot imagine an Artist with such rhythm
➢ Music so beautiful I cannot imagine an Artist with such creativity
➢ Music so vast I cannot comprehend an Artist so big
➢ Music so complex I cannot imagine an Artist with such intelligence
➢ Music so intricate I cannot imagine an Artist with such attention to detail
➢ Music so diverse I cannot imagine an Artist with such diversity
➢ Music so vibrant I cannot imagine and Artist with such life
➢ Music so freely given I cannot imagine an Artist with such love

May I never choose to ignore the music of The Artist, or attribute it to mere happenstance, for therein would lie my greatest offense.

It is written that The Artist knit me together in my mother’s womb, that he knows when I get up, and when I lie down, and that he counts the very number of hairs on my head.

For an Artist so great, to invite me to His concert, and play His songs for me… I am honored, I am humbled,
and His music is certainly worthy of my attention.

May I not perform good works out of duty, but may I enjoy the music so much that my natural response is the applause of good works.

May my life not be known for the things that I have done

But for the music I hear, the praise I express, and for encouraging others to listen to the music.

In so doing The Artist will be honored, I’ll enjoy the concert, and maybe you might find new meaning behind the music
and join in the applause of The Artist.

But the ultimate experience lies not in simply enjoying the music and applauding The Artist, it is found when I lay down my life and become an instrument in the hands of The Artist and He begins to play music through me, that is where I find meaning, purpose, and a heart that comes fully alive.

May we all enjoy the music, applaud The Artist and become instruments of His music to a world in desperate need of hearing it.

Join the Applause, June 30, 2012!

On Being a Living Sacrifice...

Today, at the breakfast table, we read Malachi 1:6-8

“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the LORD Almighty.
It is you priests who show contempt for my name. But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?'By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?“By saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible. 8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the LORD Almighty.

Besides being about the proper way to honor God, I think it also forces us to question ourselves: what type of sacrifice am I to God? Am I (in terms of my actions, my thoughts, my heart, my presentation) an acceptable sacrifice? Do I approach the altar looking like a fine sheep, but inside am really diseased inside?

How often do we go to church on the heels of a fight with our spouse, clothed in anger and resentment? How often do we lose our patience with our children during the ride? There's definite more to the statement of putting on our "Sunday best" once we enter the church doors.

The Bible says we are to "present ourselves as a living sacrifice"....and today's scripture reminds me to ensure I am a complete sacrifice, inside and out. God know my heart and it's condition. Do I treat my governors the same way? Do I treat my husband or my children as I do outside people? Would I raise my voice to a brother in the church or the pastor -- why then would I do it to my husband? Why do I go all out to prepare the house for company (whether it's making an extra nice meal or creating the "atmosphere") but don't go to this level on regular days with family?

A false hospitality.

A contemptible sacrifice.

Here's a wonderful song: Lord Prepare Me

Lord, Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary
Pure and Holy
Tried and True
With Thanksgiving
I'll be a Living Sanctuary for You.

How to Raise a Fool....

Don't remember where I read this,
but thought it was very good for parents to read...

How to Raise a Fool:
1. Teach your child God does not exist and therefore no moral absolutes exist. Whatever your child feels like doing is the right choice.

2. Spend as little time as possible with your child.

3. Raise your child to believe the chief aim in life is to please himself so give him anything he wants.

4. Do not teach your child to read.

5. Do not discipline your child ...in any way so as not to hurt his/her pysche. Never make your child do anything, especially work.

6. Let your child get his worldview from any source other than the Bible.

7. Since moral absolutes do not exist(see #1), set no standards in your home.

8. Allow all influences into the life of your child--he has to learn to sink or swim.

9. Show no affection or praise.

10. Last, but not least, set an example by living your life only to please yourself.

A sign...

that you need to wean off the Dr. Seuss books from the nighttime routine.
I found myself saying....
yes, that's what I said.
you were already fed.
Now I must put Jed
your little brother to bed.

The Dawn of a New Year...

Happy New Year to all!
Here's to new inspirations, growth and many blessings!