Living a Radical Life

Boy's Only Clubhouse Birthday Party

2012-02-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

Trent's 5th Birthday Party

It's pretty inevitable at some point your son decides...

there are "No girls Allowed"

I think at this age its because they know it drives their sister CRAZY.

But somehow it became the "theme" for his first ever friend birthday party.

It was SO much fun decorating for a boy party.

I have done the girlie theme many times and I love it.

But I felt like I could be more creative with this one.

There just aren't as many ideas out there for a boy birthday party.

Ok, so let's get to it.

What did I make and how!

Paper Airplane Invitation

I thought a paper airplane was a fun way to invite the boys to the party.

We printed the party info inside.

Folded it as a traditional paper airplane.

It didn't fit into an envelope (although you could make it smaller so it would fit)

I liked the idea of the boys seeing it.

I cut scrapbook paper to fit the cello wrapper

and stamped the boys names on the paper.

Trent loved handing them out!

RAG GARLAND

This is a very simple decor idea and it looks great.

I used a variety of fabric scraps. Jute twine and tied the fabric to it.

After the party, I used them in his room as decor.

I love making party decor that can double as room decor for the kiddos.

Flashlight Chandelier

Two words you probably NEVER thought you would hear together!

I wanted to make something unique and very boy.

So my creative juices got to flowing and voila!

The flashlight chandelier was born.

I took an old rusted metal wreath frame ,

tied scraps of fabric all around,

and tied the flashlights on with jute twine.

I used flashlights that had the little hook on the end of them.

It made it really easy to hang them that way.

It looks really cool when it is on.

We put this in Trent's room too.

Polaroid Photo Banner

There are tons of free Polaroid photo frames available for you to use.

Or you can make your own as I did.

I don't know where the time has gone?

How is it that my sweet boy is 5...

Happy Birthday Bunting

I took scrapbook paper and cut it into a rectangle.

Folded it and hot glued it to jute twine.

I stamped Happy Birthday Trent and glued them to the bunting.

The Party Room

The Birthday Boy

The Crew

Confession: I was nervous to have an all boys party.

Are they going to be wild and crazy "little boys"!

Answer: No, they were more polite than the girls!

They used words like "Please" and "Thank you"

And they were actually quiet... I know crazy right!?

This moment, with all of them around the table...

was one of my favorites of the day.

Little boy chatter...

"I have a sister." " Oh yeah, me too. I have three." "Wow, thats a lot..."

"I have three Power Rangers." "I love Power Rangers..."

"I like transformers." "I got two for Christmas"

and it went on and on like that. SO cute.

Now, fast forward 30 years

and it was basically a bunch of men chatting over coffee.

I LOVED IT!

Happy 5th Birthday Trent!

CLUBHOUSE

A tent in the living room makes for a great indoor clubhouse.

(When your child's birthday is in January. You have to get pretty creative.)

Smore's Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcake

Large Marshmallow (roasted in the oven)

Hot Fudge

Gram-Cracker sprinkled on top

What a great day!

Nerf Gun War.

Bouncy House fun.

Hangin' out in the clubhouse.

"Boy" talk.

Lot's of sugar...

Ah... what a great day :)

My Friends Gave me the BEST Valentine...

2012-02-14T09:31:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning a friend stopped by to surprise us with this:

12 friends got together to bless us...

Tears. They overwhelm me...

I don't even know how to express how I feel.

THANK YOU! Thank you! THANK YOU!

But, thank you doesn't even come close...

Grateful: That I have such dear sweet friends.

Humble: To be the recipient of such a thoughtful gift.

Blessed: That these sweet friends are by my side.

Through the tears and the disappointment.

And one day...

I rejoice in knowing they will be there when we bring our daughter home!

I can't help but feel that a little part of her will belong to each of them...

and to every person that has supported our adoption in so many ways...

Money Tree

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I love you all!

"(I am) Rejoicing in HOPE,

(learning to be) PATIENT in tribulation,

(reminded I must be) CONSTANT in PRAYER"

Romans 12:12

Valentines Day at our House

I hope you are feelin' the LOVE today!

Happy Valentines Day!

January Waitlist Number... 68!

2012-02-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

Our January numbers came on the very last day of the month.

We are thankful for every movement closer to our daughter.

There a rumblings in the US Government...

A survey has gone out to adoptive families.

The process has slowed even more in the last few months.

Largely due to the the US Embassy process,

they have been REALLY scrutinizing the paperwork.

This could be a good thing...

maybe they are finally working to implement a "pre-approval process.

Which would possibly allow a one-trip-process.

It could be a bad thing too...

But lets focus on the good!

I was sharing with a friend the other day...

I KNOW God is in this and that his timing in perfect

and I know that we began this journey durning this difficult time for a reason.

And most days I believe that with my whole heart.

BUT there are moments that I want to scream...

Can I please have good news!

Why can't this be easier!

Can I please have some idea of how long this journey will be

Seriously. 1 more year? 3 more? *Sigh*

I'm really ok friends.

In the grand scheme of things this is just a moment in time.

God is SO GOOD.

I find such joy in rejoicing with my adoptive friends

as they bring their little ones home.

I know no matter what their road looked like.

It was a long, faith building, life changing... blessing!

And more than anything, TOTALLY WORTH IT ALL!

I have found strength in this song.

So no matter what you may be going through.

I hope this song lifts you up, as it does me EVERY time I hear it!

Please join us in prayer,

I really feel like in the next few months,

there is going to be a change in the program...

we are praying it is a positive change.

Vintage Barbie Birthday Party

2012-01-16T22:03:00.000-08:00

Rori wanted to have a Barbie party for her 7th Birthday.

So, here is her Vintage Barbie Birthday in pictures!

{The Invitation}

{The Birthday Girl in front of her "Barbie Box"}

It worked out great for photos!

I just used white wrapping paper, pink wrapping paper,

and printed the Barbie and Mattel Logo.

{Barbie Birthday Shirt}

I made the Barbie shirt she has on.

I printed out the Barbie silhouette,

Ironed heat n bond to the sequin fabric

and then traced the silhouette, cut it out, ironed it on

and used the applique stitch around the edge to finish the edge.

{A view from above}

{The Feather Boa Backdrop}

{Birthday Banner}

{The Table}

{Sweet Treats}

{Paper Flowers and Gifts for the girls}

I made Felt Clutch purses and matching headbands for each of the girls.

I'll be writing a tutorial for them soon.

{The Girls applying each other's makeup}

{All the Girls}

{Me and Rori}

Happy New Year!

2012-01-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

We received our last wait list number for 2011

a few days before Christmas.

We are officially #71!

We enter 2012 with hope and a request for prayer...

At the current rate of referrals

it looks as though we won't receive our referral

until sometime in 2013.

Here is how you can pray:

#1. Please pray for more efficient processing of background checks (on the children).

It seems that this is what is causing the greatest slowdown.

Basically, it's documented confirmation that the child is an "orphan".

#2. PATIENCE for us and for other families in the process.

We know God has a plan and that he is in control.

And that this slowdown is part of his plan for us

and our journey to our daughter.

But, we are human and impatient!

When we applied last January, it was a 10-12 month wait.

We would have, could have, should have, had her home by this summer...

It looks like maybe next summer...

Really needing those prayers about now!

Two very hopefull and excited kids.

They can't wait for thier little sister!

Here are a few New Years photos from around our house.

I thought I would get festive this year.

I'm excited for the new year!

I took a Dollar Tree frame and wrapped it with garland,

added the stars and clock face.

An inexpensive New Years Wreath for my front door!

I added some stars and cock faces to my front porch decor.

Don't you just love that old window!?

Twinkle lights, clock faces and stars.

I made another Scrabble Tile expression.

CHEERS!

I covered the stand in silver and gold glitter.

And used Distress Ink on the edges of the tiles

and hot glued them in place.

New Years center piece

I found both of these printables on Pinterest.

Twinkle lights and Tinsel!

My hope and prayer is for a Fantastic 2012!

I hope yours is getting off to a great start!

Have Yourself...

2011-12-23T12:52:00.000-08:00

a Merry Little Christmas!

Give a Friend for Christmas!

2011-12-19T10:49:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, we are in the process of adopting.

We have another year or so to wait. Sigh...

The wait is not easy, for us or for our kids.

They are so excited for their little sister.

It's all in God's timing.

We are learning to be content.

I bought this print last night at Korah Christmas.
You can buy your print at Korah Love.

Some friends of ours were just in Ethiopia meeting their daughter.

She is the sweetest, most beautiful baby.

I can't help but live vicariously through them right now.

While they were there,

they had the opportunity to meet their two sponsored boys.

WOW, I didn't know that was possible!

IT GOT ME THINKING.

What an amazing gift to give our daughter and son.

A Friend for Christmas!

So here is the plan.

We are going to choose a little girl about the same age as our daughter

and a little boy about the same age as our son.

We are going to print out their information,

photo and any thing we can gather on the area they live.

We will wrap it and put it under the tree.

They will have the opportunity to write letters, send photos,

and connect with a child 10,000 miles away.

It will be the best gift they will receive this Christmas.

We reached out to our adoption friends

and got some suggestions for organizations.

I'll pass them on to you.

Compassion International

Children's Hope Chest

World Vision

Food for the Hungry

I am sure there are many other organizations.

If you know of one, please leave their information in the comment section.

Sammy Liben

Last night, at Korah Christmas,

we had the opportunity to hear Sammy Liben tell his story.

Sammy was a sponsored child.

May it encourage you to know

that you can make a difference

in the life of a child.
Here is a link to his story.
Take a moment to read it.
It's truly amazing!

If you don't already sponsor a child.

Would you consider it this Christmas?

I want to leave you with this song.

I remember it from my childhood.

But this year it moves me to tears...

Glee did a pretty awesome version of it.

So I'm sharing it instead of the original.

Do They Know it's Christmas

It's Christmas time, there's no need to be afraid
At Christmas time, we let in light and we banish shade
And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world at Christmas time
But say a prayer, Pray for the other ones
At Christmas time it's hard, but when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window
And it's a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing
Is the bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there

are the clanging chimes of doom
Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you
And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life
Where nothing ever grows
No rain nor rivers flow
Do they know it's Christmas time at all?
Here's to you
Raise a glass for everyone
Here's to them
Underneath that burning sun
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

Feed the world!
Let them know it's Christmas time!

In the true spirit of the season...

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

It is better to give than receive.

For six years she has grown her hair.

She loved her long blonde hair.

But she heard a story about sick kids that loose their hair.

And she was sad.

So in the true spirit of Christmas...

she gave of herself.

10 1/2 inches

She cut off her hair,

to give to the little girl that lost all of hers.

I couldn't be more proud of my girl.

If you would like to give,

go to Locks of Love for more information.

Scrabble Tile Craft

2011-12-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

Someone made a comment at my last show

"I sure do see a lot of things made out of scrabble tiles..."

Well, in honor of her comment,

Here is a quick Scrabble Tile craft.

You will need:

Scrabble tiles and tray

Hot Glue

Decoupage

Distress Ink (Walnut Stain)

Mica Flakes

(optional) Stain the tray and edges of the letters

with Distress Ink using a sponge.

Choose your letters and glue in place with hot glue.

Apply decoupage where you want the mica.

Sprinkle on the mica flakes.

Done :)

I decopodged on some paper snowflakes

that I cut out with a snowflake punch.

You know, this would make a great gift too.

It's inexpensive, unique and quick!

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T18:36:00.000-08:00

From Our Home... to Yours

Have a BLESSED Day!

The Glitter Burlap Ruffle Tree

2011-11-22T19:37:00.000-08:00

Step by Step Tutorial:

Inspired by The Burlap Ruffle tree I found on Pinterest

Step one.

Cut the burlap into 1 in strips

Now, there are two ways you can do this...

one option is, just eyeball it and cut away.

the other option is to use the technical burlap cutting method.

(this is what I did. It takes longer but it makes for perfect ruffles and no fraying)

Either way you choose. It's going to look super cute!

Step two.

Cover your foam cone with muslin.

Cut a square to cover the bottom.

Continue covering the cone until is is completely covered.

Step three.

Cut the burlap into 2.5 in. pieces.

Fold in half and glue together.

Step four.

Start at the bottom of the cone and glue.

Continue all the way to the top of the cone.

Step five.

To finish the top of the tree.

Place the hot glue in-between the fold and squeeze it together.

Step five.

glue all four together.

It will look like this underneath.

Step six.

Glue to the top of the cone.

Step seven.

I forgot to take photos of this part.

Use decoupage and brush the tips of the ruffles and sprinkle mica flakes.

This will add just a little sparkle.

Glitter & Burlap & Ruffles

the perfect Christmas Tree Craft!

Ruffled Onesie Dress

2011-11-17T23:37:00.000-08:00

Ruffle Fabric is Awesome!

I made this dress for our neighbor's daughter

that just had a sweet baby girl!

And a matching Head Band

Now go buy some ruffle fabric and get creating!

There seems to be no end to the projects you can make with this stuff!

Burplap Ruffle Wreath Tutorial

2011-11-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Burlap is super hot this fall and I just can't get enough of it!

Burlap Ruffle Wreath Tutorial

Supplies:

Wreath Base

Jute/Burlap Ribbon

You can find this in the floral area of your local craft store.

It is sold by the 30 ft/10 yd bolt.

You will need two for this project.

Wrap the wreath base with the burlap.

To start your ruffle.

Fold the end of the burlap like shown and glue down.

Be sure to use the low setting on your hot glue gun.

Your fingers are going to get covered in glue.

Next just loop the burlap and fold over the middle and glue down.

Repeat this process as you go around the wreath.

I went around two or three times.

Until I achieved a nice full wreath.

Embellish your wreath with Hydrangeas, feathers, branches, leaves, birds nests, wheat.

What ever you like!

I made a few different variations.

It's hard to pick a favorite!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great weekend!

Updated Adoption Wait List Number

2011-11-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

We are offically number...

for October!

Fall Banner Tutorial

2011-10-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

I shared this tutorial over at

Women Who Do It All a few weeks ago.

I thought it was about time I shared it here!

Fall Burlap Banner Tutorial

I LOVE burlap!

But, burlap is a little tricky to work with.

I wanted to use it for lettering on a banner.

What I didn't want was for it to unravel

and I didn't want to see the banner fabric through the holes in the burlap.

Here is what came up with.

It's probably a little over kill but I have a tendency to go a little over the top.

Supplies you will need:

Heat n Bond

Burlap

Muslin

Cut your burlap and muslin the same size as your Heat n Bond.

First Iron the Muslin to the Heat n Bond.

Remove the paper backing.

Now, iron the Burlap to the muslin.

Tip: Iron on the muslin side. Burlap is too thick to get hot enough to adhere properly.

Here is a close up on the finished product.

Whew!

Ok next step,

Print out some letters on your computer to use as your template.

Lay the letters on the muslin side (backwards).

Trace and cut.

For the banner:

I used a decorator fabric, I loved it because it was heavy and such a great fall color.

I surged the edges of the fabric to prevent it from fraying.
(I don't have a serger but, my sewing machine has a serge stitch.
It has quickly become one of my favorite stitches.)

Again, you don't have to serge the edges.

I just thought it would last longer and stay nicer if I did.

Adding the letters to the banner:

Now if you used a permanent Heat n Bond

you don't have to stitch the letters to the banner.

You could just use a fabric glue to adhere them.

or you could also hand stitch around the letters.

I used the Appliqué stitch on my sewing machine.

There is no right or wrong. Just do what works for you.

Once I had all the letters sewn on I attached the banner pieces to the twill tape.
I used some vintage buttons and sewed two buttons to each piece.
It added a little extra decoration and holds it in place.

I used the same color of thread as the banner fabric.
Here is a close up on each of the letters.

There you have it!
I really like the way the burlap-muslin fabric turned out.
I was a little work to make it, but it is a sturdier product to work with.

Fall is in the air!

Vintage Paper Christmas Ornaments

2011-10-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

I know it seems early to be making Christmas crafts...

but Christmas is only 75 days away!

I have been pinning Christmas stuff like crazy on my Pinterest.

I fell in love with these ornaments and knew I would have to make some.

Supplies:

Christmas Ball Ornaments

Mod Podge

Vintage Book Pages

Mica Flakes

Silver Glitter

Vintage Paper Christmas Ball Ornament

Cut the book pages.

First cut off the white edges of the page.

Then cut the page into strips.

Cover most of the ball with Mod Podge

and layer the strips of paper on the ball.

Once the ball is covered, put a coat of Mod Podge over the paper

and smooth with your hand so the strips lay flat.

Sprinkle with Mica Flakes.

And let dry.

Once dry brush off the excess mica flakes.

Put Mod Podge on the top of the ball and sprinkle with silver glitter.

There you have it!

A beautiful Vintage Christmas Ornament!

Happy Crafting!

A Surprise Pop Can Drive

2011-09-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

And what a GREAT surprise it was!

My sweet friend Michelle called one day and asked if she could bring me lunch.

Well, I am never going to turn down that offer!

So she came over with lunch in hand.

Michelle and her beautiful family

But that wasn't the only thing she had with her...

Halfway through lunch she says:

"So I've been working on a fundraiser for your adoption"

She goes on to say she had thought of a variety of different ways

she could show her support.

But, she felt like God kept telling her to do a pop can drive.

This was pretty much the last thing she wanted to do

(if you have done one, you know, they are a TON of work

and it's a very sticky, yucky job).

But God kept prompting her.

And so began "The Bentz Family Adoption Pop Can Drive"

This is my favorite part of the story:

She posted the fundraiser on Facebook,

carefully hiding it from me,

and with in the first hour

she received a HUGE donation of cans (a truck load!)

from a local youth group and her neighbor!

I LOVE this!

Because,

Fundraisers are hard.

You really have to be willing to put yourself out there

and there can be a lot of rejection.

It's just not easy.

BUT, fundraising has proven to be where we have received

the BIGGEST blessings!

Yes, because of the financial support, but that is just a part of it,

mostly it's because of how God uses the PEOPLE to bless you.

It's hard to explain or put into words.

Michelle got to experience it first hand.

It's an amazing feeling!

The donations kept pouring in :)

Over 25 families donated to the drive!

$264.75

was raised to benefit our adoption!

Wow!

That is a TON of pop cans...

It is SO awesome to see God at work!

Thank you Michelle and all the families that donated!

We are so blessed to have you in our lives!

Obsessed with Ruffle Fabric...

2011-09-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

Seriously!

The ideas I have for this stuff...

This is probably the first of MANY posts with Ruffle Fabric.

Yesterday I guest blogged over at Women Who Do It all.

And I shared a tutorial for a Ruffle Fabric Apron.

It is SO cute.

You have to check it out!

I was on a roll with the ruffle stuff

and my nieces birthday was just around the corner,

it's today actually!

And as a crafty Auntie, I had to make her something...

Which turned into me making something for my daughter too.

Out of 1/2 yard of fabric I made:

Size 3 Skirt

Size 6 Skirt

Scarf

Headband with Ruffle Flower

Hair Clip with Ruffle Flower

Ruffle Necklace.

And I have just enough left over for a little purse

(at the request of my daughter).

Modeling her new outfit

Isn't it cute!

I used a tutorial over at Sugar Bee Crafts for the skirts.

Here are the rest of the items

You just gotta love this stuff!

Have a great weekend everyone!

New Wait List Number...

2011-09-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yippee!

Based on my calculations...

next year at this time

we could be receiving our referral!

We still have quite a wait ahead of us but,

we are overjoyed every month when we receive our new number,

because we are that much closer to our little Audri.

It's all in God's timing.

Blessings,

The Deepwood Show was a success!

2011-09-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

We had a great time...

We saw old friends and met some new.

Thank you to everyone that came out to see us!

Here are a few photos of our booth:

{Sneak Peek} A Vintage Flea Market at Deepwood

2011-09-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

I am super excited for Deepwood show!

Three days and counting!

With my first show {Molly Mo's} under my belt,

I am feeling pretty darn good about number two.

I am so happy that my super talented friend Tresa,

of Tresa's Treasures, will be back with me at this show.

Here is a sneak peek at some of our creations:

Living A Radical Life

Tresa's Treasures

Living A Radical Life

Tresa's Treasures

Living a Radical Life

Tresa's Treasures

Be sure to stop by and say hi!

Harvest Burlap Banner

2011-09-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

I love burlap.

But I don't love how it frays (ok sometimes I do).

But, not when I am making a banner.

I decided to come up with a way to keep it from fraying

and give it a little more stability.

I am a contributor over at Women Who Do It All

and I blogged about the technique I came up with

to create the burlap I used for this project.

Click HERE to read that post.

Be sure to read on to learn how I made this:

Harvest Banner

How to:

Cut the burlap.

Surge the edges of the burlap.

Glue on your glitter letters with fabric glue.

Punch a hole in each of the top corners.

Tear strips of muslin 1/2" wide and string through your holes and tie.

Here is a look at the back of the banner.

The front is burlap and the back is muslin.

I am really happy with how this banner worked out.

Happy Harvest Crafting!

School Days...

2011-09-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

Can you believe we are days away from the first day of school?

It seems like the summer went so fast...

but then some days it wasn't going fast enough :)

Back to School is just the beginning of

my FAVORITE time of year!

FALL!

Oh how I love the colors ,

the holidays,

and all of the reasons

to craft

and decorate!

School Days Block Sign

How to:

Wood Block: Paint and Distress

Old Dictionary Page:

Cut to the size you want for the face of your block

Ink the edge (this gives it an aged look)

Stamp " School Days"

and Mod Podge the page to the block

Number 2 Pencil:

Use E6000 to glue the pencil to the top of your block

Ruled Twill Ribbon:

Tie around your block.

I also glued the ribbon in a few places so it didn't slip off.

Enjoy the last few days of summer!

I'm linking up over at:

More Back to School Projects!
Check it out!

Burlap Ruffle Runner...

2011-08-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

...try and say that three times fast!

I was inspired by a runner I pinned on my Pinterest.

First I cut the burlap 36" long and 11" wide.

Then, I cut the muslin 64" long

(roughly twice the length of the burlap)

and 9 " wide.

I was able to iron the burlap and got it pretty wrinkle free.

I did iron the muslin too, (after I took this photo... lol)

I folded the muslin as I stitched down one side.

And then repeated the process down the other side.

This is the tricky part.

I was trying to be so perfect on my pleating.

I kind of think more imperfect pleating/ruffles would look good.

It looks pretty cute just the way it is though.

This was a quick and easy project.

All of the materials I had on hand.

I will definitely be making this again!

It's the perfect project for gearing up for FALL...

which is just around the corner!

Big Blessings Come in Small Packages

2011-08-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

A few months ago a friend from church sent me an email

with the sweetest message from her 7 year old daughter.

"Dear Miss Amy, My name is Maile and I am Rocky and Christy's daughter.

Rori is in my group in church and I’ve heard you were adopting a baby.

I’m wondering if I could help with the money.

How I would like to is by making puppets and making cards

and selling them…

Tobey and Kinzi are helping too.

I just wanted to check to see if this was ok with you. "

Doesn't that just melt your heart...

I am going to be honest.

Sometimes it is really hard to adopt.

Totally worth it!

But emotionally and financially hard.

This little 7 year old girl is one of the many ways

we have been BLESSED beyond measure

during this adoption process.

It makes me tear up just thinking about it.

Thank you sweet Maile and her amazing parents

for blessing our family!

Maile sent me these photos of the cards she,

her brother and sister made to sell.

They sold these precious items

to raise money to bring our Audri home.

When I think of taking Audri to church one day

and introducing her to these beautiful children...

It is almost, too much, for this momma...

"Here are pics of the puppets and cards we’ve made so far..."

"These are Kung Fu Panda puppets I made."

"These are sweet treats (chocolate bar, cookies, ice cream cone) cards I made."

"These are Veggie Tales cards I made."

"These are Tobey's bug (spider, ant, ladybug) cards."

"This is Kinzi's lollipop card."

They raised $49.00 for Audri.

Isn't that amazing!

Thank you sweet angels!

Have a Blessed Day!

New Wait List Number

2011-08-25T21:46:00.000-07:00

"Slow and steady wins the race"

It's what I keep telling myself!

Our new wait list number is

We rejoice over every single referral.

It not only brings us one step closer to our Audri...

But it also means a child has been united with their forever family!

Molly Mo's {Show Pictures}

2011-08-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

What a great show!

A beautiful day.

A beautiful setting.

So many friends came out!

I was sooooo nervous with this being my first show...

Thank you so much for the support!

New friendships were made :)

What a great group of vendors.

Truly fantastic people!

Photo courtesy of: Tresa Collins

I shared the booth with my dear friend Tresa.

She is so talented both as a crafter and a photographer.

She took all of these beautiful photos.

Photo courtesy of: Tresa Collins

Part One

{Molly Mo's Show Photos}

Highlighting: Living a Radical Life aka my stuff :)

Photo courtesy of: Tresa Collins

We are already preparing for our next show.

A Vintage Flea Market

Historic Deepwood Estate

September 16th and 17th

A Happy Trio!

2011-08-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share another little project

I put together for Molly Mo's

it's this weekend!

The weather it going to be beautiful

and I can't wait!

I haven't had much time to blog...

but I have been busy crafting and creating :)

Here is a Happy little Trio of Towels

Ruffles. Gotta love um!

A great motto to live by.

...everyday, for all things, give God the glory.

More sneak peaks coming soon!

I hope to see you saturday at the show!

A Simple Market Bag

2011-08-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited!!!

Only nine days till Molly Mo's Antique Faire.

I am busy, busy, busy, getting ready for the show.

Here is a little sneak peak

at one of the projects I've been working on.

(I shared this project over at Women Who Do it All)

I've made a few of these for the show and I just LOVE them!

You do not have to be a professional sewer (I am not).

If you can stitch a straight stitch, you can make this bag! Promise :)

The really great thing about this bag is you can make it any size you want.

You just need TWO fabric pieces cut the same size for the outside.

and TWO muslin pieces also cut the same size for the inside liner.

For these two bags,

I used a vintage floral sheet for the outside.

I used new fabric for these.

Ok, let's get to the How to part.

Here are my four fabric pieces cut.

If you choose to embellish the bag,

you do that before you sew the panels together.

For the flower I used some lace I tore off a vintage pillow case.

To ruffle or gather the fabric.

Set you sewing machine on the highest tension and the stitch to the longest.

It will gather it as you sew.

Then, pull on the bottom string to gather it tighter.

Tie the end strings together so it doesn't unravel.

Pin it on your fabric and stitch it to the panel.

Sew on a button for the flower center.

Moving on to the straps.

Again, this is completely flexible. You can make your straps any length you like.

For this bag, I made mine 20" long x 4" wide {x2}

Loop 18" long x 4" wide {just the 1}

Fold in half and iron.

Open up the fabric and use the center seam you just created as your middle.

then fold both sides in so they meet and iron.

Then fold one more time, down the center and iron. {not shown in this photo}

Now you should have a strip 1" wide.

This will become your strap.

Fold in one end of each of your two 20" straps.

Like the photo below shows and iron.

This will be the finished end you will tie to the loop.

Ta da!

So, to re-cap.

Two 20" straps.

One 18" strap {this will become the loop you will tie the straps to}

Stitch all the way around the straps.

For the outside and the liner.

First of all:

Place right sides of fabric together

and stitch on three sides leaving the top open.

Repeat this process for the liner.

Next: Fold the bottom of the bag so that the corner is pointed and stitch 1 1/2 in in.

This will create the flat bottom of the bag.

{you can skip this step if you want to}

Final Step:

Turn your liner, right side out.

Leave the outside fabric, wrong side out.

Stuff the liner inside your outside fabric.

Tuck your two matching straps in between the liner and the outside.

Also tuck your loop strap inside.

Pin your bag so everything stays in place as you sew.

Stitch all the way around the bag {leaving a 3-4 in opening}

Then pull the inside out and stuff the liner back inside the bag.

The outside should be on the outside now

and the liner tucked inside the bag and the straps should be sicking out.

Iron the bag, so the top seam is really flat.

Stitch all the way around the top of the bag this time.

This closes the hole and finishes off the top of the bag.

Tie or knot the straps around the loop.

And Done!

I made a few variations of this bag this week.

I added: Ruffles. Pockets. Lace.

Have fun with it!

The teal bag with the ruffles...

my favorite!

The bag with the yellow flower...

my sister in laws favorite!

Which bag is your favorite?

Happy Little Flowers

2011-08-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't figured it out...

I love to take thrift store finds and turn them into new found treasures.

These happy little flowers are a product of that passion.

The flower center,

which I believe are little cake pans or possibly a jello mold,

were the inspiration for this craft.

All of the pots were from garage sales or a thrift store.

The fabrics and embellishments are new.

I used felt for the leaves.

I sandwiched two pieces of felt

and stitched the veins of the leaves with a contrasting thread.

I filled the hole with batting

and glued the fabric to the edge of the tin.

I covered the back with felt.

Happy Little Flowers :)

Garden Cloche

2011-07-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

I shared this last week over at:

Someday Crafts

Today, I am going to share it with you!

How to create a Garden Cloche

YOU WILL NEED:

Folding Fence (Hardware store)

Needle nose pliers (I had mine on hand)

Wire Cutters (borrowed from the hubby)

Heavy gage wire (Hardware store)

Crystals (I picked mine up at Walmart in the jewelry making section)

FYI - There is enough fencing to make TWO cloche's.

The first step is to remove the section of fencing we need for this project.

We only need three sides,

so using some needle nose pliers,

pry apart the fencing.

Now you should have three sections of fencing.

Simply reattach the wire to the fence to create a triangle.

It should look like this.

Be sure to use your pliers to pinch the wire together

so the fencing doesn't come apart.

The next step requires you putting a little muscle into it.

To get your triangle shaped into a circle.

I used my feet to push and pull and my arms to smoosh it into shape.

It should look about like this when you are done.

Next I bent the top pieces into the middle

and squeezed the wire to a bit of a point.

Using some heavy gage wire, which you can find at your local hardware store,

I wrapped the wire around the three points to hold them together.

The needle nose pliers come in handy for this too,

they work great for bending and twisting the wire into place.

Using the heavy gage wire.

Cut sections of the wire and attach to the top of the cloche,

filling in the open spaces.

This creates more of a finished look.

Now for the fun part

Making your CLOCHE pretty!

Using the heavy gage wire and your needle nose pliers,

twist the end of a 4-5" piece of wire.

Slide a crystal onto the wire and attach to the top of the cloche.

This creates the finial.

Again, using your heavy gage wire, cut a section of wire,

make it long enough to secure at the top and bottom of the side of the cloche.

Twist the wire, above and below the crystal, so the crystal stays in place.

Now secure the section of wire to the side of your cloche.

I added 6, wire and crystal sections, to the side of my cloche.

The prongs help hold your cloche in place.

Now, place it in your flower pot or in the ground, over a plant.

I made two!

They are a lovely addition to our patio!

I love making everyday things more fancy!

Be sure to check out Living A Radical Life

for more fun ideas for you and your home!

A few of my most Popular Posts

Shabby Chic Tutu {It's tu cute!}

2011-07-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

I SHARED THIS TUTORIAL OVER AT Women Who Do It All LAST WEEK,

BUT I WANTED TO SHARE IT HERE TOO.

ENJOY :)

How to Make a Shabby Chic Tutu

a Shabby Flower & necklace!

Tutu Supplies

1 Bolt of Tulle {Ivory} (I used 25 yards)

Muslin (I had a scrap on hand. It measured 32 x34)

Woven, Non-Roll Elastic (this type of elastic, just works the best)

{Tutu How To}

Cut your tulle into equal lengths.

I cut mine 38” long. (I had 23 pieces)
Cut your elastic

I cut mine to 19” (my daughter is 6)

Sew the elastic together.

You can hand stitch it together or use your machine.
Tear the muslin into 1.5” strips.
Mine were 34” long. (I had 24 pieces)

Step One:
I tied all of the tulle on first.

I left the knot’s a little loose.

That way, I could adjust the tulle, as I added the muslin.

Step Two:

Step Three:

*TIP* It is helpful to place your finger on the elastic

and hold it down as you pull on the tulle or fabric.

This helps keep the elastic flat.

And there is your knot!

Next I tied on the muslin. (go in between the tulle pieces)

I used the same knotting technic that I used with the tulle.

And here is how it should look when you are done!

{Flower How To}

Three graduated strips of fabric (apx 1", 2", 3").

Torn - not cut. So the edges have the "frayed" look.

Gather stitch, either by hand or on your sewing machine, to create a ruffle.

Three graduated (one lg, med & sm) satin pieces cut into a flower shape.

Melt the edges with a tea light to they curl up.

Layer to create the flower and glue each layer together.

Add a giant button :) Cut a piece of felt into an hour glass shape.

Place glue on one side and glue the felt in between a tulle and muslin piece.

{Necklace How To}

You will need:

Tulle (1" wide)

Muslin (1/2" wide)

Acrylic Beads (with a large hole)

Thread the tulle and muslin through the eye of a "Chenille" needle.

Thread the needle through the beads and tie a knot in between each bead.

Tie the ends together.

And you're done!

A Happy little Princess.

Not too Shabby!

So Chic!

I am guest contributer today on . . . {Someday Crafts}

2011-07-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'm so honored!
Head on over to {Someday Crafts} and check it out!It's a great {outdoor} craft!Happy Monday!

Our July number is in!!!

2011-07-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

We have our official JULY wait list number...

We are number 89 on the Girl List!

{When we got on the list, we were number 97}

{We still have a 12 - 16 month wait before we will receive our referral}

Thanks for being excited with us!

2011-07-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited to announce!!!

I have been chosen to be a bi-weekly contributor to:

It is an awesome blog and I am beyond excited!

It is full of great craft ideas, recipes,

green living and so much more.

Go check out my post today over at Women Who Do It All.

I really think you are going to LOVE it.

It's a {Shabby Chic Tutu} Tutorial.

I will show you how to make the tutu, flower and necklace.

Peace, Love and a Baby

2011-07-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

We are on pins and needles around our house.

My brother and his wife are expecting baby #2 any day now.

They are the parents of the most adorable little boy.

They are one of those couples that doesn't find out if it's a boy or girl.

Which is T O R T U R E for me!

But it does not stop me from making something for the mystery child :)

My sister in law picked up the cutest little outfit for the baby, boy or girl.

If it's a boy - he will wear a beanie.

If it's a girl... well, this is where I come in!

She will wear this!

It's a little hippie and a little vintage.

I don't have a little one to model for me.

But I do think it looks super cute on a big girl too!

How to make it:

Three graduated (one lg, med & sm) satin pieces cut into a flower shape.

Melt the edges with a tea light to they curl up.

Three graduated strips of fabric (apx 1", 2" 3").

Torn - not cut. So the edges have the frayed look.

Gather stitch, either by hand or on your sewing machine, to create a ruffle.

Layer to create the flower and glue each layer together.

Add a giant button.

Cut a piece of felt into a circle.

Sandwich the flower, headband & felt together with glue.

I am making some to sell in my Etsy store.

Stop by soon, so you can pick one up for your little sweetie!

Dancing Princess Ballerina

2011-07-06T17:24:00.000-07:00

{Birthday Gift}

Our daughter Rori, is going to a birthday party for her very good friend, in a few days.

This little friend of hers, LOVES to dance...

So Rori and I came up with the perfect gift for her dancing princess friend.

Fancy Ballet Shoes:

I purchased a pair of ballet shoes.

Then I picked up some shoe clips at JoAnn’s.

I made some Ivory Lace and Pink Satin flowers

and embellished them with rhinestones.

I attached the flower to the shoe clip and clipped them to the ballet shoes.

Fancy Wand:

JoAnn’s had the cutest wand.

I purchased the wand but it was kinda plain.

So I tied some pink lace and pink pearls on to it.

And added the Pearl button to the flower.

Fancy Hair Clip:

Again I used Ivory Lace and Pink Satin to make the flower.

Attached it to an alligator clip and embellished it with rhinestones too.

Now she has a lovely clip to place next to her ballerina bun.

In the Bag:

Fancy Ballet Shoes

Fancy Wand

Fancy Hair Clip

Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses DVD

Barbie Princess Coloring Book

What a fun gift for a little girl in your life!

Ethiopia {Special Report}

2011-06-23T14:42:00.001-07:00

Update on MOWA Case Processing:

We received some positive news
from our agency yesterday that I wanted to share!

The Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA) office, in Ethiopia,

has indicated that they are currently processing 10 cases per day.

{Back in March MOWA reduced the amount of cases they review by 90%.

From approximately 40 a day to FIVE. It was such devistating news...}

Of course, the increse from 5 to 10 is great news for us to hear!

ANY movement in a posotive direction is AWESOME!

I don't believe this will greatly effect our "wait time".

I am still anticipating an 18 month wait. If it is sooner that would be amazing.

Hopefully they will continue to increse the amount of cases they process.

But for now we are happy to have something positive to report!

Ethiopia, Africa

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

{Thank You Flowers}

2011-06-22T18:18:00.000-07:00

I made some {Thank You Flowers} for some special ladies.

I had a Premier Designs, jewelry party fundraiser, a few weeks ago.

I wanted to give each of the ladies a little something

with their jewelry purchase and so I made some flower pins/magnets.

I printed on "Printable Cotton Fabric" the words: love, mercy, orphan, hope.

And cut it into to a flower shape and layered it between the fabrics.

I used a sponge to ink the edge of the card

and then sprayed it with Glimmer Mist which gave it the "aged" effect.

I found the {bird, Thank You} a wonderful

"vintage inspired" stamp at Craft Warehouse by Unity.

I LOVE this line. Such cute stamps! Definitely a new favorite.

I used various buttons and brads to embellish the flowers.

I used fabric scraps and seam binding to tie off the tags.

I am ever so grateful for their support and their purchases!

I hope you all enjoy your pins :)

Design Your Own T-Shirt

2011-06-20T21:05:00.000-07:00

I love making my own t-shirts.

I have tried nearly every t-shirt transfer out there.

I recently picked up Avery "Stretchable Fabric Transfers".

I love this transfer. It looks really good!

I am anxious to wash one of the t-shirts so I can see how it looks.

So far though, I am very impressed.

We are adopting a baby girl from Ethiopia.

It seems like every one that is adopting has cool adoption shirts.

I didn't want to be left out - so I got to work - and made some of our own!

For ME

I used the Stretchable Transfer for my shirt.

For the Kiddos

I asked Rori (our daughter) if she like the design of the shirts.

(The design I used on my shirt)

She said "Um not really... I don't like the oval.

Can you make it a flower or a star or something?

And I don't like the black. Can you make it pink?"

I should have known better than to ask. She is quite the little fashionista!

But I did ask. So, I redesigned their shirts as stars.

I used PrintWorks Dark T-Shirt Transfers for the kids shirts.

It's important to remember when you are using t-shirt transfers to ALWAYS read the directions.

Every transfer is different.

Different ironing times and different printing requirements.

Happy Crafting!

Treasure Hunting!

2011-06-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

Garage Sale, Flea Market, Rummage Sale... what ever you call it.

I call it Treasure Hunting!

And the season is upon us!

Yippee!

It was a beautiful morning.

It was sunny, finally, the best kind of morning for a hunting trip.

So I got the kids up and fed (very important).

Had myself a cup of coffee (also very important).

And we were off!

Here's what we found!

An {old blue metal desk}

I don't even know that I will do anything to it but clean it up.

I love the color.

{Old wood end table}

It's in pretty good shape.

It will get a coat of paint, maybe some distressing, and new hardware.

I can't decide. Should it be white or black?

The {drawer} I plan to paint pink, green or teal

and replace the hardware with the {glass knob}.

I thought it would make a cute treasure box for a little girls room.

The {old rake} will be promptly hung on my fence as a makeshift shelf.

I need to figure out what to put on it...

The {green fabric} will be made into pillows.

The {salt and pepper shaker}

will be made into picture holders, a cute idea I saw at a craft show.

{Fabric and lace remnants} will become part of a future sewing project.

{Wire baskets} for my plants. They are good and rusty, perfect!

{Lavender plant} will go into the garden.

{Cones} I plan to cover these in fabric or paper,

embellish with buttons or pearls and I'll add a wire or ribbon so it can hang up.

I have some grand plans for my thrifty finds.

A can of paint and some elbow grease are going to transform my trash into treasure!

So many fun things were found!

And my grand total for all of these great {treasures}?

Less than $20.00.

Seriously.

I'd say that was a good morning.

Happy hunting to you all!

Garden Banner

2011-06-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

{Garden Banner}
I am anxious for summer to arrive.

It is really taking it's time getting here in the valley...

So in the mean time, I am in patio and garden decor mode.

First on my list to make was a garden banner.

I love them inside my home, so why not make one for outside!

I didn't want to spend a lot. So I set out to find some well priced outdoor fabric.

I found some at Walmart but they didn't have a very large selection.

So, I purchased some outdoor fabric

and some duck cloth in coordinating colors.

I also picked up 12 ft of twill tape (ribbon isle) to hang the banner on.

I rolled the top of the fabric and stitched across,

creating a pocket to put the twill tape through

and I left the edges unfinished.

A quick and easy project!

On to the next one...

{Mini Garden Banner}

This is my morning coffee corner.

I haven't had many nice mornings to enjoy it yet...

but I think that warm weather is coming soon. I hope.

I couldn't resist showing off my 25 cent {cloche}.

Really, it's an old wire hanging basket turned upside down!

If I can find a rusted old finial, I am going to wire it to the top to finish it off!

Don't you LOVE my $5.00 shutters!

I picked them up at an estate sale. oh how I love treasure hunting!

I have another set I plan to use in my living room.

I was able to find a hint of summer in the garden.

A hand full of strawberries were ripe and ready for the picking!

"ONE" Step Closer...

2011-06-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

We are number

On the wait list.

We started at 97.

Se we are a "one" step closer to our baby girl.

We still have quite a long wait ahead of us.

I am hoping we drop into the 80's next month, a mother can dream right!

Please keep Ethiopia in your prayers. Especially:

orphans and those working in the orphanage,

the government agencies and staff.

And PLEASE pray they are able to increase

the amount of adoption cases reviewed daily.

Thanks for coming on this journey with us!

It's a {Summer} Thing

2011-06-01T17:15:00.000-07:00

I saw this free printable by Ariel Rose over at the CSI Project

and I knew I would have to do something with it.

I just loved it!

I put together craft projects for our Mom's Group at church.

The first thursday of the month is Coffee Fellowship and Crafts

(It's one of my favorite days of the month. I love to craft,

but I REALLY LOVE to teach crafts!)

Tomorrow is our last week and then it's summer break. Sniff. Sniff.

So I was looking for something fun! to end the year with.

And so was born:

A {Summer} Thing

Here is how to make one:

Dollar Tree Frame (you can't beat that price!)

Print the image onto photo-paper or brochure/flyer paper

(your image will look crisper and more vibrant)

Choose three coordinating, double sided, 12x12 scrap-booking paper

and buttons (to embellish) the pinwheels

Using this tutorial:

I cut one 4 inch square and three 3 inch square's

To assemble the pinwheels:

I used the low setting on my hot glue gun to glue the ends down first.

Then I sewed the buttons so they had a finished look.

And then I hot glued the button to the pinwheel.

And then glued the pinwheel to the frame.

Then I attached Wide satin ribbon through the hanger already on the back of the frame.

(It would have hung just fine on the hardware,

but I liked the look of the ribbon)

I cut mine 18" long. I cut the ends to an inverted V

and sealed the ribbon ends with a lighter.

And that is it! Easy!

Now you have yourself a cute summer decoration!

You could hang it on your wall, your front door or even over a mirror.

Or if you place the bottom pinwheel a little higher

and you could stand the frame up anywhere!

Enjoy!

I'm Linking up over at:

Some Day Crafts Women Who Do It All

A Garden Fence transformed into a {Shabby Chic Chandelier}

2011-05-31T21:02:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to re-do my

daughter's room for awhile now.

I have been looking for inspiration

and for inexpensive ways to do it.

This is the the first project completed for her room and

I am so in love with how this turned out!

It's a little shabby chic and a little princess.

Fancy just like my girl!

Here is how I did it:

I took some inexpensive garden fencing,

bent it into a circle and then wired it together.

I tore up some pink and white cotton

and tied the strips onto the fencing.

I strung pink pearls onto embroidery thread

and tied them to the fence.

I made some pretty satin and lace flowers for the top.

Using printable cotton:

I printed "Princess, Daughter & So Loved"

and tore that into strips as well.

To make the bird: I stared with a bird silhouette

I printed off the internet and used it as a pattern.

Then I sewed the bird up and stuffed it.

It sounds a bit complicated, but it was really pretty easy.

So get crafting! The possibilities are endless!

I would love for you to share your creation with me.

Post a link in the comment section!

If you would like to buy one for your little princess:

I'll be making these to sell in my store soon!

Leave me a note
and I'll let you know when I put them up for sale!

Have a good one!

I'm Linking up over at:

Some Day Crafts Women Who Do It All & The Shabby Nest

Dossier COMPLETE - We are on the WAIT LIST!

2011-05-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

It has been a whirlwind of a week.

It's been a GREAT week!

It all started TUESDAY afternoon, I was waiting for Rori to get out of dance class and I received a call from our AGCI case manager. At first my heart stopped, I was praying it wasn't more bad news about the Ethiopia program. To my JOY it was GREAT NEWS! She called to let me know we could submit our dossier, even though we haven't received our FDL yet! I was SO excited! She reviews dossier's on friday's, so I had 48hrs to finish ours.

So WEDNESDAY morning I dove in, and by the end of the day, it took all day - every minute - till 5:00, and finally it was DONE! Well, I was waiting for one letter.

THURSDAY afternoon, the letter was ready and we jumped in the car and drove our dossier up to Portland! It was such a great feeling. Finally FOUR months of work was almost complete, I felt like I was turning in a term paper, or my life's work, that is how I felt. When we got up there I was able to meet our AWESOME case manager and hand the file to her. SIGH! I was done!

So FRIDAY morning came, no call. And then I see a fellow AGCI family post they had their wait list numbers and I grew more anxious. Then friday afternoon approached and... I got the call, at 2:00. She said every thing looked great, but there were two minor corrections and NO wait list number until I had the originals in her hands. Ok I had 2 hours to get the documents and drive them up to Portland by 4:00 on a holiday weekend. It was going to take a miracle for this to happen. But I REALLY wanted our wait list number. So I dropped everything! Rushed out the door and managed to get BOTH done by 2:50. And we began our drive up to Portland. When we hit Wilsonville, traffic, S L O W traffic! We got through that and it was pretty smooth sailing from there on, till we got to downtown Portland, where we hit traffic again. But our friends and family were praying for our trip and we arrived at the agency at 4:15. I rushed in to deliver the documents, hoping our case manager was there and she was! The documents were correct, so she went to her office to get our wait list number... She wrote it on a purple sticky and asked Rori if she wanted to read it to us. And she did! It was SO cute to see how excited she was! Both of the kids are SO excited to have a little sister. If you have been following our blog, you know there have been many changes to the processing times in Ethiopia. As a result it is hard to even guess how long or short our wait will be. However, our agency has told us to expect an 18 month wait for our referral. Which would be around fall/christmas of 2012. And so we WAIT!

Our wait list number is...

It was a VERY stormy day!

On our way home we saw this rainbow.

It was an amazing reminder of a promise made to all believers.

And it reminded me of the promise we felt God had made us:

When the original thought of adoption entered our minds,

we wondered how would we ever be able to do this?

It's so expensive and we don't have the money.

It's so much work, we are already so busy, how will we find the time?

We already have two kids, we hadn't planned to have more,

how will we find room in our hearts and lives for another child?

Do you really want us to do this?

God answered us with these words from the page of a book,

Radical by David Platt:

" But then I realize there is never going to come a day when I stand before God and he looks at me and says, ' I wish you would have kept more for yourself '... When God tells us to give extravagantly, we can trust him to do the same in our lives. And this is really the core issue of it all. Do we trust him? Do we trust Jesus when he tells us to give radically?... Do we trust him to provide for us when we begin using the resources he has given us to provide for others? Do we trust him to know what is best for our lives, our families, and our financial futures?" Broken and burdened, we decided that YES, we did trust him. And so began this AMAZING journey that we have been so humbled and blessed by.

God has been with us, EVERY STEP of the way.

It has been AMAZING to see God at work,

there have been many ups and downs and

I'm sure there will be more to come.

But GOD IS FAITHFUL!

Now every day brings us one step closer to our daughter.

The daughter GOD has chosen for us.

She will be the perfect child for our family.

And we will be so blessed to call her daughter.

We are praying for her every day!

And so we CELEBRATE!

We celebrate our number 97!

A we thank GOD for getting us this far!

For reaching this great milestone in our adoption!

For changing our lives forever!

Rori decorated the cake.

Excited to meet their baby sister one day!

Dad being funny!

He can't wait to have another daughter!

An {Altered} Apron

2011-05-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

First of all, I must apologize for being so very lax on my blog posting.

It's not because I haven't be crafting.

And its not because I have had nothing to report on the adoption.

It's quite the opposite.

I have been so busy crafting, fundraising and finishing up paper work...

I just simply haven't had time to blog about it.

But life is slowing down, a little, and I have so many things to share!

First up!

An {Altered} Apron

This has to be one of my favorite projects EVER!

I made it for a dear friend's birthday.

I used an old apron for a pattern.

Sewed the actual apron out of canvas.

And then began the process of "Altering" it.

My friend LOVES vintage.

So I added, lace, doilies and buttons.

Wool felt {leaves}. A silk flower.

I printed on cotton: an old music book cover, sheet music,

ledger paper and labels.

I really tried to personalize it.

I truly enjoyed the process.

And she LOVED her gift!

Mission accomplished :)

Have a Happy Day!

~ Amy

God can move mountains AND He can sell trees... so many trees!

2011-05-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

We were blessed to be given 50 TREES to sell as a fundraiser for our adoption.

This seemed like an unsurmountable task,

how in the world would we sell that many trees.

But, God can move mountains and he can sell trees.

The sale started Friday April 29th. On the Thursday before the sale,

I got a call from someone that was landscaping her new house

and was interested in a few trees.

She saw the ad we had posted on craigslist and the attached flyer.

She told me the ad had caught her eye because we were adopting.

She and her husband had adopted three children,

one from Korea and two from China.

Cool right?

It gets better.

Her daughter adopted two children from ETHIOPIA about a year ago.

Isn't that awesome!

She brought her 3 year old grandson with her and he was adorable.

Rori and Trent LOVED playing with him.

It made the idea of a little sister from Ethiopia so real to them.

It made Trent want a little brother even more.

Sorry Trent, little sister first, then maybe a little brother :)

Ok back to the tree sales!

She bought 19 trees!

What an amazing start to the sale!

We sold another 18 trees over the next three days.

Bringing our total to 37 trees.

We continued to post the ad on craigslist and the trees kept selling!

We sold another 13 trees over the next 11 days,

selling our 50th tree thursday!

In exactly two weeks we sold ALL 50 trees!

What an amazing blessing!

Thank you so much to our family and friends for your support!

We hope that every person that planted a tree

will think of our daughter each time they look at it and pray for her

and for this journey we are on to bring her home.

We planted a tree too.

We call it the Audri Tree.

It will be a reminder to me every time I look outside, to pray for her.

Someday, we will take her picture by this tree

and we will tell her about all the trees people bought,

that helped bring her home.

What a story we will have to tell her!

The GRAND TOTAL...

$3346.00

PRAISE GOD!

Reflections on Mother's Day

2011-05-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

As the mother of two bio children and the waiting mother of one adopted child,

I had a lot to think about and be thankful for on Mother's Day.

This year was emotional for me, for many reasons.

First of all my kids are old enough to "get it" this year, so it was extra special.

We are adopting which puts a totally different spin on the day,

a whole new perspective and new emotions.

My Mother's Day Gift from Rori

Did you know you cook brownies at 60 degrees and you bake it for 2 hours?

(I'm sure it seems that long to a 6 year old - she really loves her chocolate).

Well, according to Rori that is how you make brownies.

My Mother's Day gift for Audri

We also received an amazing gift, from some dear people, on Mother's Day.

They had heard that our fingerprint appointment, which is THIS wednesday,

was going to cost $800.00. I know crazy right!

It is the last thing the Government needs

in order to issue our Favorable Determination Letter.

Which is the last thing we need to complete our dossier.

Which is the last of our paper work.

And then we will finally be on the waiting list...

Ok, back to the amazing gift.

They stopped by our house to wish me a happy Mother's Day and give us a card.

Tucked inside was $800...

Even as I am typing this I am crying!

I think I say this over and over, but we truly feel so blessed by this adoption.

God prompted us to adopt and we had a choice - yes or no. And we said yes.

BUT, that is only the beginning, we can not do it alone.

It takes lots of other people saying yes too!

I think that is the most amazing part of our adoption experience.

Because they said yes to give, our daughter is one step closer to our arms.

They didn't just say yes to supporting us, they said yes to God.

Do you realize how amazing that is!

Honestly, I don't feel like I can aptly put this into words.

Their support/your support is what makes this adoption possible.

We are continually overwhelmed by our family and friends generosity.

Either by words of encouragement and prayers,

or by support at one of our many fundraisers.

We truly can not say thank you enough,

I have no words for what it means to us!

So, yesterday I was thinking,

thinking about how blessed I am to have two wonderful children.

And about our daughter, the one we have never met,

we have no idea what she will look like,

or when she will become a part of our family. But, we LOVE her.

Our daughter will be formed in her mothers womb

(what a sacrifice she will make, what a blessing she will be to us).

But, God is preparing our family, to be her family.

Her smile, Her laugh, Her personality, everything about her,

will be the perfect fit for our family.

When we first started this process,

I wondered if I could love an adopted child

as much as I love my biological children.

And I discovered, that when you open your heart,

God can fill it with more love than you could have ever imagined!

So this Mother's Day I celebrated the love I have

for all three of my children!

Here are some photos from Mother's Day

I did a little decorating for Mother's Day.

We went to lunch with my family

and then came back to our house for dessert.

My sister made the most delicious champagne cake.

It was so yummy!

I got a little carried away making paper flowers.

I decided I needed a table runner to match the flowers.

Last minute sewing project!

My beautiful babies!

Rori - age 6

Trent - age 4

Audri - growing in our hearts

Happy Mother's Day!