Time and Talents

 I found myself a bit let down this week.  I worked all week on a dress - This dress, and cloak/cape.  I had in mind what I wanted the end to look like, and as I kept sewing THIS is what I ended up with!

It's not exactly what I had planned on - kinda far from it.  The fabric ended up being much heavier than I had anticipated and as I tested a few beading patterns, I couldn't make it look beautiful and classy - it sortof just kept looking like indian beading....which is not at all what I was going for.
Anyway.  I can't say it turned out awful.  It just wasn't what I set out to make, and considering I didn't have a pattern, I think for what it's worth it's fine.

I get frustrated.  I see these beautiful creations that people make on their sewing machine and am amazed.  I sit down to sew certain fabrics and they just twist, bunch, stretch, fray, what ever, and I seem to not be able to create what I see.






I did have an eye opening experience today though.

I have a friend Jamie, that lives up the street, near our church.  She is the younger sister of a high school friend.  She is a bit mentally slow, and lives at home still.  I see her at church, she's in the other ward, and I'm friends with her on Facebook.

Last month I made myself a new purse and posted pics of it on my profile.  Jamie commented, "Can you make me one for my birthday?"

I told her I would.

Today, We passed in the hall and she stopped me.
"Melissa, I made you a book mark!"

I praised her and was delighted that she thought of me!

So I sat down today and busted out her new purse, for her birthday!


 
 

I hope she likes it!  I think she will.

So, here's my point.
Sometimes you ask someone to do something and they expect you to pay for it.  I would love to make money off of all of the things I do, but what a jerk I would be if I expected that....or even let it cross my mind!

Can you imagine being so bogged down that all you could do to do something nice for someone was based on whether or not they paid you for it?

I feel this is the case all too often.

One of my counselors once, couldn't even do sharing time without turning her receipt in for the paper and flowers she used for her object lesson. 
I realize some people are very tight financially and can't afford excess, I was there once, but where is the line drawn where you use your talents and everything the Lord has blessed you with for building up Zion?
Without Doug's job I could have the mentality of "who's paying for this?"

I am so grateful that he supports us financially so that I can find time to bless others with my and my families talents....at his expense!

Using Time

As you may have heard me say in the past, "I have no hobbies."

Well, I DO like to sew, but I have to have a reason to do anything.  I don't enjoy riding snowmobiles around the field - but I love driving snowmobiles up to the cabin.  I don't love riding horses around the park - but I love a nice long trail ride or packing trip.  I have to have a purpose to spending the time...and money!

So, I've been working like crazy at the machine sewing doll clothes!

I'd love to sell them, but there are people out there practically giving clothes away, so I will never really make much money off this hobby.

But, Oh!  It feels good.  My house is a disaster, since I'm sewing at the kitchen table...
...and since I'm busy sewing, my kids practically get away with murder....
.....and when I'm on a roll, my kids run amuck - and eat anything since I am too busy to even stop and feed them!

I loved Barbies when I was young.  I loved to dress and style them.  I find it makes me super happy to make a set of clothes for girls who want them but can't pay $50 for a DOLL COAT!  Or $14 for a pair of pants.

I do sell to anyone who needs or wants though.  This is a sample set. 
1 fancy dress, complete with shoes and an accessory (hat, or purse, etc.)
Pajamas
2 1/2 skirts(one of them is reversible)
2 pants/trouser
3 shirts
1 jacket.
All for $30

I find I'm very happy sewing.
I like it a lot!

OH!  and especially when I make a matching outfit for the girls!  They love it and I love to see them love it!

Welcome To Mario Party!

The Scene!

Mario Kart Race and Pin the Mustache on Luigi!

 The Crowd!

 4th Place Team

They tried so hard...They even lost a shoe!

 2nd Place Team

 3rd Place Team

The 1st Place Team was so fast tat I couldn't even get them in a picture!

 Everyone got a mustache upon arival!

 Yoshi Egg and Coin Hunt

 Star Cake

Prize Box!

They used their coins to buy a prize from the Brick Box!

Linked to MadeByYouMonday

Nesting

This week my Husband thought the chickens in one coop stopped laying (as some times they do).

I heard a chicken in the front yard, Bocking her heart out the other day and 45 minutes later, I realized she was still bocking in the front yard.

 I went out to wear she was and moved the bush....

There were 10 eggs under the bush! 

I guess they didn't slow their laying after all!

Wind Socks

After Christmas (clearance!) I picked up several rolls of ribon. 

Each roll is 300 ft. 

I use it now and again for gifts and garb.

 Today I didn't even use entire rolls, but I cut up ribons for the 2nd grade class to weave into windscoks!

The entire project cost me about $6 (that includes Ribbon, Staples and Tape!)

Teacher Appreciation (part 2)

Here was the end result!

Teacher Appreciation

Before

 After!

Mothers Day Class Craft

I think I found my Brand New Best Friend!!!!!

 Plaster of Paris!

 Some kids chose totes, some kids chose these shapes and I will glue magnets to the back!

I have a bunch of these totes......

I thought my daughters 2nd grade class could paint a picture on them for a mothers day gift!

 So, I sprayed some primer onto the lettering in hopes it would cover it up enough to make a solid back drop for the kids to paint on.

Didn't exactly turn out the way I planned, but still, pretty good for 2nd graders.  Some did murals, like these, others did.....other things!

They turned out pretty good....for second graders, after all!

Teacher Appreciation Week

I have hundreds of these Foot rasp/files for pedicures and I was thinking of giving them to all of ther teachers in our school.

Now here is where you come in....

Help me think of a clever saying to go with them!

(Contact me if you want some for your own PTA!)

Salsa Review

I never used to be a huge fan of salsa....unless it was my aunts homemade FRESH salsa (she's from Mexico).

BUT recently, I have tasted some really yummy salsa's - ALL of which are a homemade or home mixed. I have been so into salsa that if I have it in the house I HAVE to eat it for all three meals until it's gone. No, I'm not kidding.

I found this recipe on a blog and tried it this week.

1can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes w/Green Chile's

1can Mexican Stewed Tomatoes

Cilantro

I found this recipe to be SO DELICIOUS! I used S&W but next time I will try a different brand since S&W was a bit too hot for my families taste - we are hot food wimps.

I highly recommend this recipe!

1st Egg

The first one's are small, but I'm told that this particular breed will lay eggs too big for our cartons!

Later that day:
I went out in the evening to feed the chickens and found a second egg!!! First AND second eggs in the same day - the first day of school!

Caprese Salad

So easy and yummy!

1 Tomato (Diced)

1 String Cheese (Diced)

Dash of Salt

Fresh Basil (Chopped)

Balsamic Vinegar (to taste)

Mix it up and eat for lunch!

Soap Tip

My kids go through hand soap in the bathroom like it's sugar!

It's NOT that they use a lot of soap to wash with, it's that they think they have to push it the pump as far down as it will go. THEN, in so doing, there is so much soap that it just runs off their tiny hands into the sink, instead of washing the germs!

SO, I put a rubber band around the base of the pump so that they can't push it all of the way down to waste soap!

Roosters!

Here's the Orpingtons and the Rhode Island Reds.

We are pretty sure by now that there are ALL hens! Our first batch of Sex-linked, on the other hand, are NOT all hens!

4 of the 6 were Roosters!

I loved hearing them every morning...and every afternoon...and most places in between!

But we aren't zoned for Roosters

and after advertising to GIVE them away

No one claimed them!

D had to have Tim come over and show him how to "process" them.

Thank you, Tim.

It was an experience that brought D a bit closer to his maker!

With the bees and chickens, we have certainly been brought closer to God. It's truly amazing, His works. We are so blessed.