7 Quick Takes Friday: April 30, 2010

1. My new favorite Web site is Ravelry. It's a knit & crochet community. The best part? FREE PATTERNS! Yes, they are amazing. {You have to register to get the patterns, but it's free. I promise.} I've printed these to try out this weekend. I love that crochet is no longer just for ages 70+. Don't you? {Click the photo for a link to the pattern.}

2. Big weekend plans: Me and the hubs are going out to buy an XBox. We will also be purchasing Rock Band 2. If you haven't ever played, you are seriously missing out. I mean it. We have some friends who have the game and we can play for hours on end. Best. Game. Ever. It must be an adult thing. Kids just don't get it. I actually went to my 11-year-old niece's birthday party last summer and got in an argument with an 11-year-old boy about whether or not Rock Band is better than Guitar Hero {it is}. I've never felt more adult in all of my life. Yea right!

3. I'm about 3/4 finished with Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom. This is Albom's first non-fiction book since Tuesdays with Morrie. If you haven't read Tuesdays, I highly recommend it.

Have a Little Faith is a story about Albom being asked by his rabbi to give his eulogy. Albom,feeling vastly unworthy of such a task, begins regular visits with his rabbi in order to get to know the man better. At the same time, Albom meets a black minister who runs a homeless shelter out of a run-down church in Detroit. Through getting to know both men, Albom is taught the true meaning of faith. That's really all I can tell you, but it has really made me think about my own faith, and has touched me at the same time. Since I have experience reading his books, I know I am dangerously close to a tear-jerker ending. I can't wait to finish it tonight.

From the book:

"...and as is often the case with faith, I thought I was being asked a favor, when in fact I was being given one."

4. Compassion Sunday is next week, on Mother's Day. {Have you gotten your mom anything yet? Just a reminder!} I can't wait to pick out the Compassion child I will be sponsoring. I'll post a photo when I have one and definitely keep you updated.

5. Something has really been bothering me lately. I keep hearing comments from people in my life regarding social status and money. These people make it clear that it is unacceptable to them for one to attach themselves to someone who, in their opinion, is of a lower social class. The people who are saying these things are self-proclaimed Christians, which is what bothers me the most about it. While I am in no way saying that they are not Christians, it does bother me that you can claim Christianity so strongly, then treat another one of God's children as if you are better than them. These folks also act as if God had nothing to do with their so-called "social status". I know full well that I wouldn't have anything if it weren't for God's hand in my life. I have a very healthy fear of God and know that he could jerk away everything I have in a second if I start behaving as if my successes were self-made. I'm not saying I'm perfect by any means, and I fight sin daily. I also daily fight the urge to judge others by the way they look and I often lose that fight. I do know one thing though, I'm working on it. I also know that the phrase "trailer trash", for example, will never be heard coming from my lips.

God brings to mind the story of Esther. I'm pretty sure we all know who she is and she certainly would have been considered "low class" by today's standards. Just something to think about.

6. I finished a baby sling last night for a photography prop. It's pretty cute. I will be giving it to a local photographer who will be letting me use her photos to put the sling on Etsy. I love bartering! I'll post pics when I have some:)

7. Me, the hubs, and my sister- and brother-in-law might be taking a day trip so we can go to Target and Joann's next Saturday. I'm super excited! I know, it's sad that we have to take a "day trip" to go to the closest Target, but let's not even get into that.

Check out other bloggers' "7 Quick Takes" over at Conversion Diary.

Have a great weekend!

So glad it's Thursday...

...because that mean's it's almost Friday! Finally!

I don't have much to blog about today, so I'll just share a couple of things I've been working on.

I made this cute little door hanger last weekend for my sweet nephew's bedroom.

I used the "H" from this pattern and just added a ribbon to hang the letter with. From start to finish, it probably took me about 20 minutes, which was fantastic. I love quick projects!

I also FINALLY finished a crochet project. I have about 5 in progress right now, due to some sort of craft ADD or something, and I won't tell you how long this has been sitting around the house. {Note to self: One project at a time!} Anyway, it's finally done and in the shop. I'm pretty impressed with my fortitude. Aren't you?

Maybe I'll finish another project tonight, you just never know. I bought a fabric yo yo maker at Hobby Lobby today and I'm pretty excited about testing it out. {In case you don't know, the round scraps of fabric under the button on the yellow hat are fabric yo yos. I didn't know this until I learned to make them.} They are boogers to make so I'm hoping the yo yo maker will make the process a little quicker and easier because I think they're super duper cute.

...and a special thanks to Scotti at The Oxford Family blog for featuring me today! You're too sweet!!

What Are You Doing Wednesday

photo from kindovermatter.com

If you've been keeping up with the blog, you already know that I have recently really felt that God was telling me to use the gifts and talents he has given me to help the less fortunate. I have been ABUNDANTLY blessed in so many ways. While I'm by no means "wealthy" or "rich", my husband and I live comfortably and don't have to worry about whether or not we can pay the bills. I have also been blessed with my creative abilities. Without Him, I would have and be nothing.

So, to make a long story short, I have decided that for EVERY BABY ITEM I sell in my shop, whether it be a bib, burp cloths, crochet hat, or whatever, I will donate one of those items {bib, burp cloths, crochet hat} to Hope Unlimited {a local Christian organization that aides women with crisis pregancies} or to our church's ACTS House, which gives free clothing and homegoods to families in need in our area.

Through this, I hope I am able to bless someone in a small way, as I am blessed daily. This also means I need to get more items in my shop, which is something I always put off. I love creating but hate listing. Boo hiss. If only I had an Etsy fairy...

*Profits from my shop will still go to the child I am going to sponsor through Compassion Int'l.

If you have any other ideas of ways I can use my craft for the greater good, please let me know! I'm always interested in new ideas. How do you give back?

Here are some blogs focused on using your crafts for the greater good:

Craft Hope

Snuggles Project

Kind Over Matter

God bless your day!

Post-It Note Tuesday

Friday Etsy Faves

I haven't done this in a long while, so I thought today was a good a day as any to bring back the Friday Faves! These are just a few of my current Etsy faves. They're hard to narrow down, but here we go:

^A.MAZ.ING. I have to have it.^

^This really just says it all.^

^Simply beautiful.^

^Great song. Beautiful print.^

^Owls + Polka Dots = Love^

1. Home Love by spreadthelove
2. Scripture Art by artbyerinleigh
3. Under His Wings canvas by a pocket full of posies
4. Blackbird Singing in the Dead of Night print by WashiCat
5. Owl Fabric Art by woollypetals


Have a great weekend!

Put it on a Post-It

Crochet Summer Hat

I made this hat last night with some purple variegated yarn that I loved. I am really pleased with the say it turned out. What do you think? Honest critiques please! I want to start adding some of these to my shop. Any advice?

I especially like this pattern in particular because it works up really quickly, plus it's made with 100% cotton, so it's breazy and breathable for summer.

I got the pattern here.

Spell with Flickr

The other day while browsing the internet (I never can tell you how I find certain things, I just stumble upon them) I found this site. You just enter your text and it will generate a word using Flickr photos. How cool is that? I thought it was pretty neato. If you don't like a particular letter, you just click on it to get another choice. Keep clicking until you find one you like. The only problem I find is that there are not a ton of photos to choose from and you see the same letter pretty quickly upon clicking. But it's still fun!

Let me know if you try it out!

Also, since it's LOST Tribute Tuesday, I'm sharing a photo of me and Mr. Savvy Stitcher. These were our Halloween costumes this past year. We bought the jumpsuits and I embroidered them and added the patch. I have to say I was pretty proud of them:)

Faith

Yesterday at church we saw a video on Compassion International. In their own words, "Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults." Next Sunday is Compassion Sunday at church and I have really felt challenged to step up and do more for those in need. I have been blessed immensely and feel God challenging me to give back some of what I have been given. Therefore, I have decided to sponsor a child through Compassion. This is going to take a great deal of faith on my part since I will be quitting my job in August to go to nursing school full time. We will be living on one salary and paying for school. I know that if this is what God requires of me, he will come through and make it happen. I will still be doing embroidery and handmade baby items, which I sell pretty frequently, but I just have to have faith that God will bring enough business my way so that I will be able to still help pay the bills and do this for Him.

That said, profits from my Etsy store from here on out will go toward my sponsorship of a Compassion International child. Please say a prayer for both my faith and for this child, whoever he/she may be.

TGIF

I just ordered this design from Urban Threads. Maybe I'll actually find time this weekend to actually use it. Most likely not. Oh well.

I really need to spend my entire weekend studying for Monday's A&PII test, so there won't be much time for fun. I also have a photographer who wants me to get some crocheted hats to him for photo props. I'd obviously rather be crocheting than studying, of course. All work and no play makes Sara a dull girl.

What do you have planned for the weekend?

Put it on a Post-It