Tatted Lace on a Christmas Card

I made Christmas cards for my sisters and used a copy of an old photograph of my Grandmother and Great-grandmother--Swedish origin and Norwegian immigrant and here they are doing laundry together. What a patient Grandmother to have her mother-in-law live with her and her husband and three boys. No wonder she died when she was 50. The great-grandmother lived to 93. Stubborn works, I guess. Seeing this photo made me ashamed of complaining about doing laundry. Off to shop for Christmas food and wrap presents for my 13 grandchildren--Ho, Ho, Ho!
Psalm 51:7--" Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."--a prayer of King David after coming to grips with his sins.

Ruffled Bible

I got an order for a ruffled Bible. Mine went to the shop for a display for bookmarks and a lady saw it and wanted one. I had to find a used NIV or NKJV at her request. This one was at the second Goodwill store after I had already searced the Salvation Army store. I was glad to see that the clerks said they did have Bibles but they go quickly--Yeah! This one was really used, underlined and seemingly loved. I guess people who get new Bibles give their old ones away. Like everything else, we keep ours. Anyway, here it is and I love it. I get scornful and wistful looks from my Bible-lover husband but...I do it anyway. There is no destruction to the words that can still be read so I don't feel I'm destroying it. Maybe it will actually attract attention and someone who wouldn't normally read one will read this one. God's blessings on you, little Word of Life.
Deuteronomy 17:19--"It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees."

Angel Domino Necklaces

Here is another section of the batch of domino necklaces I took to a shop last week. These have an angel motif. I used vintage hankies, jewelry, letter stickers and ephemera. I'm glad my husband has a drill press. I couldn't do these this way by myself. (Cue music) "It's so nice to have a man around the house."

Luke 2:10-11--"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

The Presentation

Half of the gift is the presentation. I actually threw these cone ornaments into these packages in 15 minutes. Hopefully the presentation is acceptable. I stamped Merry Christmas on scrapbook paper, clipped glittered garland branches, attached little jingle bells then tied it all to the wrapped package--easy as pie. We give gifts at Christmas to celebrate the greatest gift of all--Jesus Christ.
Matthew 2:11--"Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."

Christmas Domino Necklaces

Here are three of four domino necklaces with a Christmas theme I made for a little shop called "RE." (One of the necklaces already sold:-) This shop's by-words are "re-claim, re-purpose,

re-think." Much of their goods are from poor countrys and that seems to attract a lot of rich people for some reason. I'll put some more pics on in the next couple of days to share with you. My favorite above is the center one--the one with Santa holding the Christ child. (Click on the photo to enlarge.)

Matthew 2:10-11--" They (the wise men) saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."

What To Do With Ugly Socks

Add rhinestones. Yep, argyle, not my favorite so I spruced them up with rhinestones. I think rhinestones make everything look better. They are for sale at S'More Couture.

Have a blessed day.

A Bible Of A New Sort

This poor little Bible had been abused by some child and I rescued it from the give-away bin at church. They'd used green marker on the edges and it had torn pages so I decided to give it a new life. "New," you say? It doesn't look new but that's the point. I sprayed each thin page with water and crinkled it, let it dry and dry brushed walnut stain and gold paint on the edges. I think it looks fabulous and it can still be read. I don't want to mess with the "jot and tittle" and totally obscure God's message here. (My husband, a Bible lover and collector was not too thrilled with my creation.) I made the bookmarks from ribbon and muslin strips and added bunches of beads on the ends worked through tiny old plastic curtain rings. The old Bible makes a great display for them. I've sold two bookmarks and have an order for one of the Bibles. Now to find another abused one....

Happy Birthday

Gift wrap with gathered crepe paper and a paper rose....

Decorated with a bought crocheted snowflake, a punched out scalloped circle and seam binding.

December brings two birthdays of grandchildren plus Christmas. We're celebrating one of them this week. The other lives too far away and received her presents delivered by the toy company because Grandma ordered online--what a great invention. Christmas presents are stacking up as we speak and still more to do. With 13 grandchildren, a Grandmother's holiday is filled to the brim. I love it!

Again--Working on Flowers

I've been asked to design a signature flower for the little curiosity shop called Relics. I love the shop. It has bunches of cool antique stuff and it seems she caters to the mixed media artists because I could spend a lot in there. Restraint here at Christmas time is in order and I have to concentrate on selling more than I buy but what with 13 grandchildren, that's saying a lot. I'm trying though. Back to the flowers--I think it is the coolest thing to use different fabrics. Each flower is a new creation and that brings me to another scripture about "new creations" found in Galatians 6:15--"What counts is a new creation." Paul was saying that it makes no difference what we look like on the outside but it's inside that counts. We can be as pretty as a flower on the outside but we ARE what is within us.

New Calendar

I've been needing a new calendar for a while now because January is filling up. The calendar I made myself last year was too big to carry in my purse so this year will be different. Hopefully the ribbons won't get in the way. I've used a page from an old photo album, old lace, paper velvet flowers, tiny buttons, a decoration from a book page, a fancy plastic button and seam binding. The insides are pages from a mini score of music. I've written the date and placed it on some cheese cloth at the top and also written "Seek and Find." The accompanying scripture printed on the fly leaf of an old book is glued on the inside back cover and comes from Matthew 7:7--"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you."

Tendrils

I call these "tendrils."

I made my own pattern and cut this design from a pre-made light-weight fleece scarf. I've added more tendrils attached with vintage pearls and gathered a couple of roses, each with a pearl center. I love wearing this and have one like it on my Etsy site. I've also put two more, one varigated sand and one mocha latte, in S'More Couture. I call this color Rose Romance. I loved making it and have one in the wings as a gift. How blessed I am to have been given this opportunity to create.

Psalm 16:8--"I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

I might paraphrase this as: "He is my right hand."

More Flowers

I guess you might say I'm hooked on flowers--this time from ribbon and tulle, crocheted edgings from sweaters, beaded lace trim from lingerie, ribbing from a sweater and just the sweater itself. Centers are pearl buttons and a rhinestone button. Love 'em!
1 Kings 6:18--"The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with gourds and open flowers."
See, even the first churches decorated with "created" flowers.

Festive Headbands

I made three headbands for a friend yesterday with a little bling for the holidays. I used sheer, gold trimmed ribbon with a jinglebell center, mesh sparkly ribbon with a pearl button center and sheer gold swirl ribbon with a shiny gold button. It was fun making them as they were different from the other flowers I've been making. Funny, I couldn't find any red and green ribbon when I went to search. I was in a hurry so I grabbed whatever and later found some. Now I have to make more with the traditional Christmas colors. Once I get started, it's like Christmas every time I make a new one because each is so different. Today is the beginning of December and I'm raring to go. I've been packaging up little goodies here and there and dreaming of what to buy for my grandchildren. I'm so blessed to have my baker's dozen.
Proverbs 17:6--"Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children."