Valentine Treats '08

For Valentine's I made hubby and kids a special treat. For Rock and Key, I made felt cupcakes and cookies. I had gotten the idea from a baby boutique we visited earlier during our transition phase of moving. I wanted to buy Rock the felt food but they didn't have what PJ, and I wanted. Soon after I made their Valentine treats, I noticed them every where, apparently felt cupcakes were a hot item.

They were easy and fun to make! They worked fine for the kids but not for me...I needed a little sweet treat...actually, I always do :(

"Take these broken wings and learn to fly..."

My Favorite Beatles' song is Black Bird, and I love Sarah McLachlan's rendition. I was excited to make this little bird skirt for Key. The bird wasn't black (now I wish it were because of the song!), but this song came to mind when I began this entry. Total digression! Sorry... anyways, I attempted a different stitch on the little jean bird, and I think it came out okay... mess ups here and there, but nothing drastic :)

The Reality of a Covenant Community

In a covenant community (my local, confessing evangelical church), many things are apparent
A few are...
1. What brings us all together is what Christ has done for each of us, and the whole community.
2. It's Christ who keeps us together.
3. It's Christ who rebukes and helps the body stay near him, and uses the church to do this.
4. We strive to "live life" together.
5. Unfortunately we all still sin, either towards God, each other, or both.
6. Hurt feelings can muster up towards one another, but Christ's cross needs to stay in focus, grace proceed.

A covenant community is very imperfect but Christ said in our weakness he is made strong. There is a song (I forgot the name) that I like, I changed some words

In our weakness we are strong, so amazing our redeemer,
who picked us up, purified, cleansed and made us new,
because all you want, is all of us, and all we want is you...

I Call It A Semi-Pettiskirt (but it's not)

I made this skirt a while back, and I thought ruffles at the bottom could give the illusion of a petticoat underneath. It really doesn't look like there is, since it's on a crawling baby, but I thought it could look like it, if you--- squint your eyes, turn head, and tilt head back...voila, a pettiskirt : P

Christmas 08 Dress

I decided for Key's first Christmas (in 2008), I'd make her a special dress. I wanted it to be classy, simple, and colors that were soft rather than the traditional, prominent colors of Christmas. This was the first dress I attempted to make, and there were lots of mess ups, but it prepared me for the future dresses I'd conjured up in my mind. Remember "practice, makes perfect"-- I'm no where near the latter.

My Favorite Glass

I started saving my spaghetti sauce jars and using specific ones for drinking, and others as craft jars. They are great, simple, and BEST of all Eco-friendly! Try it :)I've been called a tree-huger before, but I think I'm starting to see it...I did buy an eco-friendly diaper bag.

TooToo for you!

Presenting TooToo Sweet...
I made this tutu six months ago. I wish to put it on my etsy shop, but I'm a little hesitant. We'll see :)


Tutu's are so fun and girly!

Halloween 08 Costumes

PJ and I had talked about making Rock, Peter Pan since he was a baby. Last Halloween I decided to make my own Halloween costumes. We had seen a Peter Pan costume in Disneyland that we were actually going to buy, but it was way too expensive, so I just told PJ I'll try making their costumes. So I tried, and it worked out!

I made Rock's hat, shirt, shoe covers, belt, sword holster, and the sword itself.


For Key's costume I decided to make her Tinkerbell. I didn't follow any contemporary design for hers because I was already starting to make tutu's so I decided to make her a green tutu.

I made Key's green onesie, green tutu, and wings.


For my first time making them complete outfits, I thought it turned out okay.

Cross-Centered

Each of our lives is centered on something.
What's at the center of yours?
Think about it for a moment. What's really the main thing in your life? Only one thing can truly be first in priority; so what's at the top of your list, second to none?
Or let me put it this way: What are you most passionate about? What do you love to talk about? What do you think about most when your mind is free?

Or try this: What is it that defines you? Is it your career? A relationship? Maybe it's your family, or ministry. It could be some cause or movement, or some political affiliation. Or perhaps your main thing is a hobby or a talent you have, or even your house and possessions...
what really qualifies as the one thing God says should be the most important?

Maybe your life's passion is not so much a single focus as a constantly shifting gaze. After all, today's marketing culture bombards us with never-ending offers of something newer...is as common inside the church as outside...what's the one thing that's really best according to God?

Introduction to "Living the Cross Centered Life" by C.J. Mahaney

DIY

What defines you?

I've taken on the endeavor of sewing, and it's been kinda fun. I started this a little over a year ago. I was exposed to sewing from my big sister Brenda. She use to create beautiful dresses for niece Samantha when she was a toddler, and she even started to sell them. She occasionally still sews. As a teenager, I thought that was so cool, and hoped one day to do something like that. Years later, watching friends (Selle, Ruby) take on this task was exhilarating, because I was reminded of that desire a time ago, and watching these two get down on their sewing machine was fun! When I saw them I wanted to start up, but didn't really have a motivation until Key Hava came into existence in my belly. All these emotions, and ideas starting churning in my brain, and I had no outlet, I was a wreck. All I could do is keep telling my sister Jenny "I want to create this...and this...and this too!" I knew I had to at least try this darn sewing thing. With Rock, sewing was just a forethought, I felt like I didn't, and couldn't create stuff for him (that's changed a little now), because he's a boy, and making boy stuff is hard.

Fast forward months latter...when we got to DC, I knew I had to crack open my little piggy bank that I had been saving for my little machine of wonders. I was so nervous, and excited to buy it. I would just look at it online for months (I'm weird like that). Well, it came and I played with it, and bought other accessories for it, I was having fun. I just hadn't sewn anything. I started to see that I could buy these little accessories all day long, and not create anything! I knew I had to start something. I searched and figured I'd copy a hooter-hider. I looked online and found a tutorial. After finishing it, I was proud to show PJ that the money was going to good use :) I later called Ruby and asked for help on making a skirt for my soon-to-be Pan Dulce.

I was reluctant to show my friends (online) of my little creations, because of pride. I didn't want to be compared, be seen as competing (in my head there's no competition, others are just way more talented), or other silly things that plagued my mind, BUT I started dwelling on the question, what defines me?

I don't want sewing to define me. And I don't want endeavors into creativity to define me. For others the temptation could be: money, prestige, a good job, success in your little business, creativity, relevance to today's culture, marriage, love, or any particular dream. What should define me? I WANT Christ to define me, and to define you too. I want people to see Christ far more than I want people to give complements of what I strive to create. Yes, there's a place for honor, and wanting to encourage people, which is fine, but it's up to the receiver, to not let anything other than Christ define them. It MUST be Christ that defines me.

So what prompted me to share now (not that there's anything to "show off")? It's to encourage. I believe, if God has given you an opportunity to stay home with your children, then new endeavors, and challenges should be explored, and tested to see if it's up your alley. This is an encouragement to mommies to test it out and see if you like it. Let God use you in different ways, for different reasons. Maybe your new endeavor (whatever form that can be) can open opportunities with friends, family, strangers! It's already been useful for me in respect with wanting to stay home, and save money here and there.

Perhaps for some, it's not sewing, but some other thing that has caught your eye, but you feel like you can't...I say, try it!
The hooter-hider that is always in use.Key's first skirt.

Lovely textiles...

From Heather Bailey! I love her patterns.

I like...

... my type

"Don't Make Me Count to Three!"

As a mom of small children my life can be crazy. There are good days, and bad days. Don't get me wrong the rewards are great, but a mom can get so caught up in caring for her children that you can loose it.

Recently I was wondering if I'd ever use my biology degree. After all the endless study nights at Starbucks and Denny's (which exhausting), would I ever get rewarded for it. The countless memorization for classes such as anatomy, chemistry and recombinant DNA! I thought for sure I'd fail that last one, but by God's grace I did much better than I expected. Anyways, I had these thoughts not because I didn't want to care for my children, but I thought of the benefits that could come with working. There's one that constantly comes to mind-- building relationships for the sake of the gospel. When I was working in college, and before my son was born, I had a strong relationship platform to cultivate, invite to my local church, and share the gospel. There were tons of good friends that I genuinely loved, and prayed they'd see Christ as their Savior.

Forward 3 years latter... What does my platform look like? Two kids, one with a poopie diaper, and the other asking me to look at his imagative tractor. Oh what a change. As I put them both down for a nap I wanted to read something that would encourage me, and boy was God kind. I pulled out my never-been-used-adorable front cover- "Don't Make Me Count to Three!" by Ginger Plowman.

It read...

Moms, we need to be reminded of the awesome responsibility that God has given us. When we respond to the high calling of motherhood with passion, the rewards are far greater than any we could ever gain outside of that calling. The joys of motherhood are rare and beautiful treasures that can be easily missed if we don't seize the opportunity to grab them.

Being a mom is more than being cook, chaufferur, maid, counselor, doctor, referee, disciplinarian, etc. (just to name a few). It's about molding character, building confidence, nurturing, training, and guiding. There is nothing like the influence that a mother has on her child. A mother's influence has encourmous potential to shape the person a child becomes, for good or ill.

She then gives various examples of strong, life changing men, who has accredited their moms for their character.

Boy, was I hit by God's grace and the great responsibility he has given me, as a stay-at-home mom! If you're like me perhaps encouaragement of what our role is as a mom, needs to come in our hearts steadily and consistent. I'm a lover of self (unfortunately), and I need to constantly learn, and be reminded, how to be satisfied in Christ, and the work he has given me (by his grace).

So I am not at a nine-to-five job, I am not evanglizing to everyone and their mom, but I am molding, and shaping my children's character... and that my friend, is a HUGE, beautiful, rewarding responsibility.

I like...

... shabbyapple......a Jackie O type dress that symbolizes her.

I will start putting up "I likes" for my husband to see ;)

Who's Masterpiece?

John Wooden, was one of the most finest coaches to tread on a basketball court. His philosophy was the backbone of his UCLA team, which earned him 10 NCAA championships. I was reminded of his character by my beloved husband as we sat and conversed over breakfast. My husband shared one point from Wooden's father's "creed list"--

Make each day your masterpiece.

My husband shared his lovely thoughts and mine lingered, but I didn't say much. Throughout the rest of the day that quote stuck with me. As I write here today, I could only think of God's ultimate masterpiece--his Son. Christ the God-man. There is much to look at in order to see God's wonderful masterpiece. Humans, for instant, are amazing creatures. John Piper reminded me of how awesome humans are. I remember being in my biology classes, as an undergrad, learning about the human body, and all of the different processes it undergoes, and I would be astonished at the creation of God. I haven't thought much about such things, and I was reminded by God through Wooden's father.

As I strive to make each day a masterpiece, I was struck by the fact, that I have to see more of Christ to do that. I will strive to make Christ my masterpiece, although I will fail, but he is the goal of all my days, by his grace. So as you, and I carry on throughout the day, striving to make it purposeful, lets strive to see more of who Christ is and what we are not, in order to make it infinitely purposeful.