Provision from the Lord

The Lord surprises me sometimes, well really often. It shouldn't but it does.

I had all my orders complete. I had ordered fabric for my new samplers, which I was anxiously waiting for. I saw my depleted bank account but was trying to not fret over how we were doing food and menu plans next week. My daughter was invited to two birthday parties for this month... you see where I am going.

Today a box arrived with fabric in it. My friend wants a quilt for her brother. I had already said yes this summer. I thought honestly I would have finished the order by now, its fine though I have none, I have plenty of time. It is a simple request. It also had a check to cover my expenses and also the batting that she did not find.

So now I have grocery money once again. With the recent rain we just had and then this provision, I thought of this bible verse

Deuteronomy 28:5, 11-12

5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. 11 The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

12 The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.

I love the idea of this verse! What a promise to have.

As we continue to move through this new season in life I am also reminded of Psalms 35:27

27 May those who delight in my vindication

shout for joy and gladness;

may they always say, “The LORD be exalted,

who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

The Frustrating Life of Computers

Sometimes I am so frustrated by computers. I just recently requested that my Blog be made over.

 I wanted tabs and a blog button with a code etc. I am so excited that Becoming a Strong Woman for God led me to Traci at Ordinary Inspirations she also has a facebook page

So what do you think?

I think she did an incredible job. I really love it. 

I could not figure out the tabs/pages on the Blogs.

I wanted a code button and I could not seem to figure that out either.

I wanted a header that was more about me, what I stand for, why I blog.

The frustrating part- she has this cute little quilted looking border with the maple leaves on the side- I can't see it on my computer. I was able to see it last night on my son's. I have tried everything. I reinstalled FireFox. I cleared my caches and cookies. NADA. It just shows up white across the entire screen. I am a tad upset that I can't see the beauty of my Blog in its entirety. I hope to figure out what setting is blocking that. Other blogs I visit have their cute little borders, so that tells me it is not my settings overriding it.

Another frustrating aspect today. I wanted to have my Blog posted on facebook. I have been working on it this morning. I have yet to get my graphic the size that Facebook requires. I can't seem to directly import without using Network Bloggers either, but I know many of you do. I feel like nowadays with all the HTML codes, RSS feed etc you need a class to get anything done. 

So to show you the kind of morning I have had. I just noticed that my PJ bottoms have been on backwards since I took the kids to school today. LOL!!! 

I guess they are just one of those pair of pants. Maybe on that note its time to shower, make enchiladas for dinner and work on my new Quilt Sampler.

Halloween Snacks

We are doing a Spooky Treats Tasty Tuesday for school. I was trying to come up with some great treat ideas along those lines. I found these today. They seem pretty easy. Now I am trying to decide what to bring.

Witches Wands

Dipped Pretzel Rods are instantly transformed into “Witches Wands” with a little Halloween pizazz! Put them in containers with candy corns to hold them up. The little mini buckets pictured are from the Target dollar section. SO cute!Witch Hats

One of the easiest Halloween tricks (and treats!). Place a Hershey’s Kiss on top of a Keebler Fudge Strip Cookie and you have a little hat. Use the little tubes of frosting you can buy in the grocery store baking isle. Pipe a ring around the outside of the bottom of the kiss and press onto the cookie. It will squeeze out and make the ring around the kiss. Then pipe on the bow.

A witch with a cute hat needs a broom to match! Use cookie dough to form a broom shape around the end of a large pretzel rod. Use a tooth pick to make indentations in the cookies if you want. If your cookies spread too much during baking just use a knive to trim the edges when they come out of the oven and are still warm. Then decorate as desired. I just use a packaged PB cookie mix to make it easy, but I add a bit of flour to make the cookies hold their shape better. You could also use this PB cookie dough or this sugar cookie dough.

Nutter Butters are naturally ghost shaped, which make them perfect for dipping! Give them a bath in some almond bark and put on a couple of mini chocolate chips for eyes. And might I add that white chocolate covered Nutter Butters taste really good!

Fore more Craft snacks click here

Owl Snacks

 I saw this cute recipe today for Chocolate Owls 

If you’re making the bigger owls, you’ll need a very sturdy round cookie cutter–think along the lines of the metal ones with the rubber gripper on top. Believe me, your hand will thank me. Then you just cut as many circles as you need (or as you can) with the cookie cutter. Save the scraps for snacking or try letting your kids make sculptures out of them (just rub some oil or shortening on their hands first to keep them from getting too sticky). Dip the treat in some melted chocolate.

 
and shake it to remove the excess chocolate. Insert a lollipop stick into the bottom and lay the chocolate-covered treat onto a piece of wax paper coated with vegetable shortening.

You do almost the same thing with the Oreos, only you insert the stick BEFORE you dip them. When the Rice Krispy Treat gets warm from the chocolate, it loosens up and the stick falls out. Trust me. I made a giant mess.

When you’re done dipping, place two peppermint Mentos in the chocolate for eyeballs and a candy corn for a beak. The Mentos are kind of big on the Oreos, but I think it’s kind of goofy and cute, like a little kitten with eyes that take up half its face.

Spoon the remaining chocolate into a Ziploc bag and cut a tiny corner off the bag. Carefully (this is a good job for the grown up) dot each Mento with chocolate, making the eyes. Allow the owls to cool completely–you can pop them in the fridge or freezer if you need to and they’ll be done in no time.

I popped these suckers into a wooden basket filled with floral foam and basket filler. It looks kind of like a little nest, don’t you think?

Well, that’s it! I hope you guys have enjoyed Kids Week as much as we have! Don’t be too sad, though–if you’ve been with us for over a year, you know that we’re just BEGINNING to kick off our favorite time of the year and we have lots of fun tricks up our sleeves for this fall and the upcoming holiday season!

Chocolate Owl (and Baby Owl) Pops

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Rice Krispy Treats (here’s the recipe; it’s also on the cereal box) and/or Double Stuft Oreos

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 Tbsp. canola oil

Peppermint Mentos

Candy corn

Supplies:

Long lollipop sticks

Wax paper

If making Rice Krispy Treats, be sure to line the pan with greased wax paper. When they have set up, you can just pull out the wax paper, making your life infinitely easier!

Using a heavy-duty round cookie cutter, cut desired number of circles out of the Rice Krispy Treats. If using Oreos, carefully insert a lollipop stick about halfway into the cream filling. Set aside.
In a 9″ pie plate, combine the chocolate chips and oil. Heat on high for about 2 minutes or until the chocolate is smooth and liquid, stirring every 30 seconds.
Dip each treat/cookie into the chocolate and twirl to remove the excess chocolate. Insert a lollipop stick halfway into the dipped Rice Krispy treat. Place dipped treats onto a sheet of greased wax paper.

Place 2 Mentos on each “owl” for eyes and a candy corn for a beak. Spoon a few tablespoons of remaining chocolate into a Ziploc bag and cut off a tiny corner. Dot each Mento to make an eye. Allow to cool and harden–you can place them in the fridge or freezer to hurry things along.

I admit I probably will use marshmallows instead of mentos but they are super cute.

For more recipes click here

The Get Dressed Challenge

A fun new challenge. I have a birthday coming up in two weeks and I love the idea of this challenge. I will be honest I have not worn makeup in months. I do get dressed most mornings because I take the kids to school but if I don't I might stay in lounge pants and throw a hat on..I could see how this challenge could be very beneficial to my Dating Your Spouse Challenge. If you look good, you feel good...you get the point.

So here is the scoop

What is the “Get Dressed!” Challenge? It’s a one-month motivational (motivation + devotional) where you are encouraged to go from “frumps” to “pumps” in the everyday. Why a month? The goal with “Get Dressed!” is to help you build into the habit of getting dressed and looking nice everyday.

Are you ready? Let’s get dressed!

For more info see Like a Warm Cup of Coffee

Facebook Hopping Wednesday

I found a great way to boost your facebook page followers on Chubby Cheeks Thinks 

She is hosting a Facebook Blog/Page Hop 

I think that is a great idea. If you would like more information on her rules go here and find out all about it.

For a link to my quilting page on facebook go here

I encourage you to become a new follower on my facebook page.

I will be hosting giveaways there.

Currently when I reach 300 followers I am giving away a free personalized Pillowcase to a lucky winner, chosen via Random.Org

Tackle it Tuesday

 Today's Tackle it Tuesday post on 5 minutes for Mom was regarding end of season clothes purging. I admit I did have tackling my closets on my list this week but I had one more quilt order to tackle first. Now I am all caught up and order free. I am ready for the Christmas Season Orders to begin!

This quilt has some really fun fabric!

I recreated this tshirt for my customer, her's had embroidery stitches that were undone- she bought it that way years ago. I took the back and found a block font and made her a NEW Shirt.

This little guy I am assuming is their Mascot. I found him on the front of a shirt and added him to another shirt square that didn't have much going on.

This is a repeat customer. We share a loss of our mothers. I wanted to make her birthday quilt (to herself) extra special. I came up with this cute little label that I created myself using a tshirt back from her daughter's shirt that she included in the quilt. I figured this sounded kind of like something a mom would say.

She chose the best flannel for the back of this. She had several choices and we narrowed it down to this once I showed her this cute Florida fabric. She wanted a beach theme and had found some cute Michael Miller prints. This set up was perfect! Even the binding has the smallest feather like detail- great considering the flamingos.

She requested that I add a 40 somewhere to the quilt- to represent her 40th birthday this year. I made it into an entire block. No missing that.

Out of all the photos I took this is my favorite. I can't show you in close enough detail but everywhere there is a block like this or in the rows across I used my cute embroidery leaf stitch across the rows- more as a top stitching. It sure came out super pretty. This was a huge Tackle it Tuesday. I even got it in the mail. She is going to love it. I am just sure of it!!

For more Tackle it Tuesday posts see here

Autumn Splendor

I saw this photo today on Facebook. I immediately thought of one of my favorite bible scriptures which had been on my business card, but is still my motto for my company. This would be my dream place to live I am thinking. The windy road, the colors, the quaint farmhouse.

It comes from Isaiah 18:4

   “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place,
like shimmering heat in the sunshine,
   like a cloud of dew in the heat of autumn.”

Tackle it Tuesday

I had so much anxiety over this order last night before I went to bed. I took the photos after laying out the fabric, sent them off to the customer and then got a GOOD NIGHT sleep. I am thankful for Grace. I could rest assured that the Lord already has a plan. That the Quilt would work out and to not let it affect my sleep.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. Philippians 4:6-8

My tackle it Tuesday is to wait to hear on the quilt, make a plan to finish it. Then I am starting a new sampler today with some Random TShirts since I have a craft show on November 5th. I am excited to say I feel no anxiety over that either!
I love this Bible verse- how simply anxiety is put.
"And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span?
Matthew 6:27

I hope if you have anxieties today that you lay them at our Father's Feet.
I Will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From whence shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
Nothing is too big or small for our Lord.  

Quilting Complications

I never realized how directional fabric could be an issue until tonight. My problem is that after I cut the selvage off this very festive fabric, I was left with 40 inches. The quilt will measure 50 or there about's width wise and 60 length wise. That means I need to connect pieces. I tried kind of turning some of it this way and that to see if that helps. I am still not sold that the customer is going to just LOVE THIS, so I sent three different photos. Praying it looks better in the morning, otherwise we might be trying to find a top fabric that matches the backing.