Sunday, May 22, 2011

Its been a while

  So, ya, I've been a bit busy these past few weeks since my last post. Had a few crochet orders to fill, a granny square afghan to repair (took like 10 hours!!), a wedding gift to make (which I never have finished yet), a wedding to prepare for and play my flute at, and attended a two day ladies Seminar which our church hosted to about 300 ladies, at which I sang, played my flute in, and served the luncheon at. I am continuing to  homeschooling my nine year old. Also, throughout this time,  my oldest son moved out of the house and went back to college simultaneously as my second oldest child moved back in, due to her friends new husband  taking her place in the townhouse.

  Well, the whether has finally begun to show some resemblance of spring around here, although only periodically, but the flowers are out and the grass is finally green and full. Its been very cool for this time of year, but I am not complaining. I love to cuddle up under an afghan on a cool night.

Welcome Spring!


  


This is one little guy I have had a few orders on already which I have made recently.
Grant the Giraffe is 17" X 13", can sit, stand, and loves to be cuddled!! Too cute!



Here are a few pictures I have so far of our Seminar at our church:


Us ladies singing a music special. I am the third from the left to right. Isn't our church beautiful?

Here I am with a sweet young lady from the church, Suzie. We're just about ready to begin playing the prelude before the Seminar begins. Isn't she beautiful?  We have so much fun playing and practicing together.

Here is a closer picture of myself (on the right) and two friends of mine as we sing one of our music specials.


   We had such a wonderful weekend. The time always goes by way too fast, but we always walk away from them blessed to have been a part of them. :)

  

   Last but not least before I retire... the wedding of a friend of the family. Here are a few pictures so far-just a few of two of my boys, but they are nice pictures, so I'll brag a moment on them by putting the pictures here of them. Once the professional pictures are finished, I know there will be a few more nice ones to add.

My son, Tim, and his girl friend.


Sean and his little buddy-a nephew of the bride.

Again, Tim and his girl friend. Cute.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Mother's Day Weekend

  A beautiful Saturday afternoon, and I am here, on my computer, at twelve thirty in the afternoon, still in my PJ's, trying to finish my first coffee.


So much to do, so many ideas racing through my mind!!

I think I will take a few hours, take my youngest outside,  pray, read my Bible, sit in the warmth of the Spring Sun, re-write my goals and to do's for the future, and enjoy the beauty of God's creation for the day-before my husband and boys get home from junk yard shopping for a car hood, and disturb the quietness I now am enjoying. A re-focusing is needed for me, and to get proper direction as to just how I should go about in the days ahead.

Homeschooling my daughter and of course house work and caring for my family is top on the list. Then there is Vacation Bible Time, which I will be teaching at next month. Then there is teaching the ladies Sunday
School class, which I will be starting to teach again soon. Then there is the ladies Seminar at the end of this month, and music specials to prepare for as well. Tomorrow I will be singing a special with my son  for mothers day at church, before he heads back off to the college at the end of next week where he will live and work for the summer. Then there is my third child's graduation and party to think about and plan.
Then there is my daughter's friend's Wedding next Saturday-the Ceremony at which I will be playing my flute at, and another one of my sons singing at. We just got the music from her yesterday (ugg), I still need to contact the pianist, and get together with her to practice the songs. :/   All the while I have a million Crochet projects I have flying in my head that I just want to sit and make, future craft fairs I want to begin planning for and working on, and a few Granny Square Afghans I need to begin fixing in conjunction with my first video tutorial I will be putting together.

Here is a picture of the beginnings of a gift I am making for the bride to be. I will be adding hopefully something sheer and sexy and flowing to finish it up as a baby doll nightie. So, then there is fabric shopping to do as well. I ended up making it a bit too wide, not using the proper size hook (Duh me, thinking I could wing it-I dislike crocheting with super small hooks-way too time consuming for me!!!) so now I will have to be adding an elastic to the top to make it fit. So much for saving time!!  Perhaps it will work out better, (I hope it will!!!!), thus allowing stretch for comfort (she is a well endowed girl), and it will allow for a bit of room for growth in future years if need be.(Having babies can do a number on any sized bust, especially on ones that are blessed to begin with!)
  My husband commented on it, and said it was real pretty, which says a lot, as he is not one to throw out compliments or praise too freely. The picture really doesn't do the look justice. I want to make one for me next!



Yesterday my daughter came to visit with an early Mother's Day gift for me. Knowing she dislikes my taste in certain things makes me appreciate all the more the fact that she picked out this gift for me. Pink and flowers and roses are not her taste at all. Here is the Mix and Match Tea Set she found at a quaint little Second-Hand Country Gift Shop a few towns over from where we live. I just love things like this, with all their own unique charm.




  She knows that over the 22 years, raising her and her brothers and sister have caused a great loss to me of anything pretty and breakable, up till perhaps 7 years ago, when they all began to grow up a bit more, and be more in control of their playful, energetic spirits. It all started with my oldest at age 2, when he tried climbing my Curio Cabinet chock full of Crystal and china and such. He was fine after it toppled over. However, the case and all that resided in it did not fare quite so well. Thus, lacking dainty knick knacks strewn about the house became my plight,  replaced with toys, crayons,  rubber balls, stuffed toys, and anything child play worthy for years.
  I have been able to begin building up my treasured trinkets and such again, but slow is the go, and the use of money is limited and goes towards obviously daily needs, bills, tithing, and school books and classes for the kids. So, her little gift is much appreciated, and loved. :)


Well, enough...off to the beautiful outdoors and to clear my head. The blue sky is calling.....

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Winter Wonderland Hat and Scarf Set- PDF Pattern

Hat and Scarf set

PDF file Crochet Pattern 


PDF file Crochet pattern Hat and Scarf set
zoom
This elegant, stylish hat and scarf pattern is for the advanced crocheter. Perfect for Christmas gifts!!
Works up quickly, using double strand method with size N and H crochet hooks and Vannas Choice White with Bernat Softee Ocean yarns.  Hat size is adult.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Music special with flute Obbligato

Well, here is a link to a small clip of a Music Special performed at our Church Sunday night. Posted by a friend on Facebook, I am hoping that if you have a Facebook account, you will access to the song, even if you do not have her as a friend. I dunno. (Let me know if it doesn't work.)
  My oldest son (on the right) and our music director is singing, while I play a flute obbligato.

Music Special with Flute Obbligato

"Think Big, Pray Hard, and Finish Well"

   I have been crocheting for just about a year and a half now, after having learned as a teenager. I only made two simple afghans back then, and once married, all my creative energies went into raising my five children-all full of boundless, crazy, creative energy themselves. I have home schooled them for 14 years out the 21 years they have been around, and I still do.
  My oldest two have graduated-both sharp minded, quick witted, and extremely bright. One is pursing a degree in music-with a concentration in voice, coupled with church ministries. The other, having worked towards a restaurant managerial career, is moving back home to work and save money to pursue a degree in Creative Writing-her talent and long time dream. Having placed in the top 3% of the Nation on the ACT test in all the Literature/Language/writing, I know she will do well in her studies, and rise to great heights in whatever she purposes to do with her writing.
  My third is graduating this year, and will stay at home for a year to work before heading off to Bible College for a one year  Bible Certificate before deciding what he will do next. Another creative and talented kid, he possesses an amazing ability to play piano, as well as sing.
  I will be homeschooling my last two children  probably till they graduate as well. It is a privilege and a great blessing to be a stay at home mom, and share in the lives and laughter and love of my children as I do. It can be tough, challenging, tiring, and downright discouraging at times, but it is well worth it all as I fulfill my God given role as a wife and mother.
   However, now that I have a little time on my hands (literally) I am seeking to pursue making money as a homeschooling, stay at home mom with my addiction to crocheting. :)
   I am purposing-as part of my crochet business-to venture out into the world of teaching and design, Lord willing. A big order to fill, and may take some time for me and my limited time and energies-but I think it is something  that would keep me focused, challenged, content, and busy for a while. I also think rising to such a challenge and finishing well with it would be very rewarding. "Think big, pray hard, and you'll finish well" is the way I choose to live. :)

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Back to college



Last night I had another opportunity to sing a duet at church for a music special with my oldest son, Aaron. Its always a blessing when I do get to sing with my sons. He had come home for a semester in January to work and save up some more money to pay off some of his school bill before going on with his studies, and it has been very nice having him home again for these months. Last night was a bittersweet thing, however, as he has just announced he is going back in May to stay at the college, and work his old job where they will be giving him many, many hours. He will also be the grounds keeper at the college now as well, and the hours he puts in as such will be directly applied to his bill. Besides all that, he was informed the mens quartet so needs him. Lol. I know he always loves to hear that, and I know it is so true, too. He's so talented. It is always a blessing to see the Lord working in our kids lives, and to know that there are good, loving, caring people involved in our children's lives after they leave home, who are willing to care for them and love them and help them along for God's glory. This college is one such case. I am so thankful that my son loves it there, and is cared for and looked after like a son by these men at New England Baptist College and Central Baptist Church in  Connecticut. I am also thankful he had the opportunity to come home at this time in our lives, and be around while my husband healed all these months from his surgery in November, and share in all the hours we had as a family hanging around and enjoying eachother's company as we have these past months. I will miss him all over again, and need to readjust, once again, to him being away from home, but it is where he feels he needs to be, and that is fine. I am hoping my son Sean will be willing to step up to the plate and be my next music special "buddy".  He is another story on musical talent....





This is Sean on the Grand Piano as we practice an instrumental special at our church. He also has a beautiful voice.







Well, I'm going to miss you Aaron, but you need to be where you feel led. Love you kiddo.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Cricut Exression 2: Anniversary Edition Giveaway!!!



If you have been eyeballing one of these machines like I have, you will share in my excitement, knowing there is the chance everyday for an entire month to enter this contest to win one of these!!!!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Spring Craft Fair-Please join us!

Spring Craft Fair

Saturday & Sunday
April 30 & May 1, 2011
10:00am - 4:00pm


 

Newport Elks Lodge
141 Pelham Street
Newport, R.I. 02840
Indoor & Outdoor Event

For further information contact
Teresa: (401) 396-9921 or (401) 935-4904
Fax (775) 923-4735
http://www.cherishthemoments.net