For Such a Time as This...from Esther 4:14

For such a time as this... the Biblical quote from the heading is a well-known one - that many, I fear, don't even know the origins of.

Here's my summary of the historically true story.....Esther has been selected to be the Queen of Xerxes - King of Persia (Babylon...Iraq) back in 493 B.C. - after his original queen, Vashti, decided not to obey him and show up at one of his many parties (for which she was killed!). This really means that Esther was one of many in his 'court' (harem!). Her story is somewhat the same as Cinderella - search made for the loveliest in the kingdom, and the King selected her. After that, she was fed (fattened up because plup = pretty back then), and given all kinds of beauty treatments (spa, massage, facials, etc., etc.). Well - anyway - she was an orphan (living with her Uncle Mordecai), and a Jew - one of the many who had elected not to return to Israel when King Cyrus decreed that the exiled Israelites could return to Israel (this happened in 539 B.C. - remember, B.C. years work backwards!) after their captivity in Babylon. Sew...she had to been living and somewhat assimilated into that corrupt and pagan culture.



BUT, she knew from where she came, and kept true to her faith in the one, true God.

Well - as a result of her Uncle Mordecai refusing to bow to King Xerxes' right hand man Haman who is like Rahm Emanuel is to Obama, Haman has gotten the King to give a death order to all Jews in the land (yet approximately 9 months out in the future!).


Mordecai figures Esther might well be the way the Jewish people can be saved - and says to her: "Just because you live in the king's palace, don't think that you of all the Jewish people will escape. If you keep quiet at this tie, someone else will help and save the Jewish people, but you and your father's family will all die. And who knows, you may have been chosen queen for just such a time as this." Esther 4:13-14.



Sew...the lessons Beth Moore helped me see through this Biblical historical account ...
1. "Not only am I royalty (in Christ), but I am also placed in my sphere of influence, regardless of the size I perceive it to be, "for such a time as this."
2. God cut out the exact time and perimeters for me to live in - the time and the place. Acts. 17"26. That means I have a duty to not only seek what He wants me to do, but to do it!
3. I can refuse to do what I hear God telling me to do, but even if I do, He will still accomplish His agenda - despite my choices. I still have choices - because God grants us humans free will - that's where we mess up.
4. I want to be so close to God - that I have my will - the choices I make - be close to what He has planned. I realize that even when the hugest, most awful (in my mind) events happen - God will show up - perhaps not in my timing, but in His. (Wow, have my 57 years taught me that the waiting isn't usually fun!) I pray that I am beaten to a conviction that wins out over my self-centeredness.
5. When I face a huge decision - I want to be open to asking, What if this is a critical moment? What if this very thing, this very decision is the most important piece of the puzzle (that God has ordained) comprising my purpose?"

I just pray that during times of great struggle that I make the Godward decision over carnal, convenient earthly comfort.

Anyway - that is the story I've been studying, and some of the lessons learned. I pray it speaks to you too - "for such a time as this" - wherever you find yourself.

Wedding Gown progress!!!!! Granny fun.

I've been making HUGE progress on the gown. Most nights I dream about the next steps. It is turning into a more complicated project than I first thought it would be - but isn't that always the case! Last night - I even plunged in and cut out the lace pieces!

Pardon the layout of this picture - but I was trying to get her in the sunlight from the patio doors to reveal the ever so slight pink tinge to the gown - which we are both delighted with! If you've been following along, you'll know that is from layering the silk taffeta outer fabric over a pale pink batiste. I found when going to baste all the princess skirt sections together, that I couldstillsee the seam allowances, so I also added a layer of china silk under the pink batiste - so the skirt is 3 layers thick, then to be independently topped with our wonderful lace - as shown here. This photo will show the sloped empire line I worked and worked on - and which makes my darling daughter look VERY slim indeed! Please don't dwell on the drag lines - as this bodice is ALL basted together, and I don't have the boning in the side seams of the corset that is underneath all this yet - as OF COURSE, she is working on losing weight! I actually don't plan on stitching the side seams of the bodice at all, much less attach the bodice to the skirt finally until after May 9. The wedding is June 6 - so she's just gonna have to settle for that!

She is thrilled with the silhouette of the back skirt - with the additional pouf we added from the donated crinoline as previously described. See it - well kind of - in the picture on the right below. Sew... this fitting was actually to determine - for positive sure - the exact hemline. I then transfered that info to the muslin skirt pieces - for which I had made one muslin piece for EVERY skirt piece - clearly labelled as to which was the OUTSIDE - and cut the muslin hem OFF at the finished hemline. That enabled me to then utilize those pieces as the pattern pieces when cutting out the lace. I could lay each piece with the exact hemline on the scallopped border of the lace. OF COURSE, though - realize that the lace is straight - and the hemline is curved. But that will be all 'fixed' with cutting and handstitching those lace borders up into place. AND, sure enough - the lace was not symmetrical - not horizontally - NOR vertically. One scalloped edge had a row of lace/flowers above it with 3 flowers, and the opposite scalloped edge had less flowers in the grouping above. SEW... we decided to do the front pieces along one edge and the back pieces along the other - and I will add flowers to theback to 'balance' it - as if anyone other than myself - (and all of you) would EVER know such was the case anyway..........! I couldn't decide on placement of the bodice pieces - which direction, or motifs to center - but I had plenty of lace left for that - so at 11 pm - I decided to wait on those decisions. I'm so glad though that narrowing the circumference of the skirt yeilded ample extra lace and border. We plan to create some delicate straps of the scallop as well.

The fun part then was cutting off the beading and 3 D flowers from the seam allowances of the lace. We plan to scatter the flowers on the veil a bit too (a bargain at $6 from Hobby Lobby on 50% off!).

Jewelry: she seems to see that a simple strand of pearls is all this dress needs - nothing more 'showey'. I have a very sentimental strand that turn out to be the perfect color. She took them along to see if she could match some drop earrings.

OH - and all this on a day when my precious grandson Cole was with me. We had a blast going out to 'puddle stomp' after the rain died down. We also went on a worm hunt - but to our surprise, there weren't worms all over the sidewalks. Sew...we had to dig in the garden. Found 3 - one for him (a white centipede), and then a medium worm he named "Mommy" and a big one he named "Dabee" - her fiance who he dearly, dearly loves. This granny must show a picture...

Oh - and in filling out an application - actually decided I needed to mark the 'grey' box under hair color instead of brown... WHAT A DAY!

Really must get to WORK! The 'Barney' van awaits - packing for the International Quilt Festival show in Chicago I leave for tomorrow...

Biblical Wisdom for Life from the life of Esther

On Maundy Thursday, I finished the ESTHER Bible Study by Beth Moore (don't miss her website - Living Proof Ministries as given above!). Challenged by our leader, Carrie Burns, to decide WHAT I would do the following morning for my quiet time, I decided to both review all the wisdom and concepts I learned in this study - but also to not only write them summarily in my journal, but to share them here on my Blog in the hopes that something might speak to you - help you - lead you in your spiritual journey to the one, true God as revealed to us through His son, Jesus.

I will endeavor to put quotes around words exactly from Beth Moore, but I also have changed the person to 'my' in most cases, as I find doing this points the words more to my heart. However, if in doubt - just give the credit for the words to Beth Moore - OK?

Esther is a book in the old testament...the words most famous are 'For such a time as this'. Esther's faith and courage and wisdom actually saved the Jewish people from extinction during the time of King Xerxes in Persia. It is a short 9 chapter long book and I encourage you to read it for yourself. Get a good commentary, or buy Beth's book that you can find at any christian book store. Right now I can't seem to find it on her website...
Beth 'sew' related all of the events and lessons to our womanhood - what it means to be a woman in today's world...

Sew...here is the learning I have had from this study...I hope it enriches your life and speaks to you. I am starting this April 14, and it will be continued as I have time and do the re-study...

"When I trust my life to the unseen but ever-present God, He will write my life into His story and every last one of them will turn out to be a good read. With a grand ending."

"The essence of oppression is punishing one by hurting many."

If a man has to command a woman to respect him, then whatever 'respect' is so rendered loses its meaning. Those who can gainrespect and obedience only by holding enough power to command it live with the constant anxiety of losing it. This was froom her source 33 in the Bibliography - which is online is all I can figure...as it is not in the book.

I cannot amputate my destiny from my history! This = redemption.

God selected Esther (as He does me) for a task He appoints in my life - my time- my sphere of influence - not in spite of my experiences, but BECAUSE of them! Jeremiah 29:11

"Only a person strong in character and steadfast in spirit can follow someone else's instructions for long."

"Providence can be defined as times when God triumphs my perfectly good plan with one of His own...then seems to disappear from it...He's there. He's there right."

I'll be victorious when God and I have the same enemy.

"A true woman who cares apolgizes even if for nothing." In my book, I've recently done this, and God blessed it...

"'ll never be more prone to attack than when I'm on the way to where God wants me. " scarey thought... but true!

Beth had an entire session on "Mean Girls... read on

• Insecurity is at the heart of every rivalry.
• Only God can meet my needs. Not a man, a friend... The more I get from something or someone worldly, the more I will crave what they can't live up to. Only God can live up to my expectations.
• Anger is power to those who think they don't have any other source of it.
• Meanness always has a history.
• Meannness perceives a threat. 2 Corinthians 10:12
• Meanness catches like a virus.
• Meanness is curable. Romans 12: 17-21
• Mean girls let you hang with them as long as it's about them.
• Mean girls dig at other girls but don't admit to it - won't take responsibility for it.
• Mean girls dress provacatively around other girls' men.
• Coming in contact with a mean girl raises up my own mean girl.

A person close to God and His ways finds themselves in an awkward predicament when they discern evil in someone who other people esteem. (Many of us in our country today in relation to those in Washington!) We must be prayerful to search our own sin-driven souls.

Proverbs 18: 7-9 Words of gossip feed my soul. Lips are snares to my soul.

"Gossip finds an easy ear because my human nature, left to itself, finds sick satisfaction in the deluded discovery that someone who seemed superiour was inferior."

I should respond from my mindset - my soul: not my mood. Setting my mind on things above, not of this earth... Collossians 3:2

"I can get glad in the same clothes I get mad in."

God never takes His eyes of of me or off the clock ticking over me.

"Satan can't win and I can't lose. God always trumps Satan. Never picture the two of them as equal, but opposite authorities. "

"Sometimes, God uses the winds of a new threat to blow the dust off a past miracle that has moved from my 'active file' into the archives. I must always remember what God has done for me! "

"God designed conviction to be uncomfortable so that I'd hurry to repentance and find relief in restoration."

God as the "Ancient of Days" is defined as the fact that the same judge who sat on the throne when the wrong was committed will be the one sitting on the bench the day of sentencing. This is great to know for me because I have to belive that ultimately, justice will be served.

"One of the most important parts of fulfilling my destiny willb e my transparency. "

"When God asks me to make imporant decisions, I may well find myself alone. "

"It will often be a crises that God uses to pivot my direction." Wow - How TRUE this has been in my life! To be certain - in my family,and in my store - to change my career from a storefront to the internet, and my 'world' more back to my family first!!!

"All my crises are critical to the path God has for me. There IS human dilemna in destiny."

"Wherever God has given me dominion - He has entrusted some kind of power or purpose for me there. "

"Some crises are too important for saving face. Saving lives is worth losing face every time. In God's economy, saving is always worth losing."

If I forget God (and worhip others), He will still love me - but not shield me.

"Repentance is not my punishment. It's my fglorious right of daughtership to restoration (with God)."

"Guilt is a relentless mocker even if its misplaced."

"Most of my problems are a wold deeper than my appearance."

"Strength comes from muscle,and muscle develps with a workout. It is no different spiritually than physically."

"I am wise to force myself to keep differentiating between simple inconveniences and authentic tribulations." Oh - How TRUE!!! I think this is a main difference I see over and over between myself and younger people...but there are sure times I need to remind myself of this FACT.

"The more detached and SELF-ABSORBED I become, the more I mistake annoyances for agonies."

"To stand by and do nothing out of self preservation is to be dead already."

This refers specifically to Esther 4:14 - "For such a time as this..." which is SEW much the crux of this Bible Study, that I am going to make it a separate post...

Wedding Sewing Progress-Mother of Bride (me) and Bride

Well - I'm hard at it - sewing sillk chiffon and lace and beading. I moved it all up into my dining room - as I decided the basement was too messy with all my sweatshirt sewing/order filling projects to handle all this sewing as well...

I've decided God must have been watching out for me that I didn't go ahead and finish my dress earlier last fall when I got going on it after getting the (to me) lovely beaded silk chiffon floral print while I was in Houston. If I had - I'd realized way back then - and been worried all this time about the 'CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY" before me! Can't decide wich it is - either I didn't cut the 2nd back skirt piece, OR I cut it and have lost it (NOT to be found - I assure you!), but I have only one of the skirt back pieces of the floral chiffon for my dress. It is Vogue 8150. I'm doing the center view as seen below. Well.....a version of it I suppose. The skirt is the shiny side of the crepe back satin that you see draped in the photo to the left - topped with a loose layer of the silk floral beaded chiffon. The neckline as it curves around my neck was a buggaboo...I realized quickly it would need to be stayed - and SURE GLAD I DID - as it still seems to buckle a bit on me - but I'm convincing myself that I'm being too picky. One has to move in a dress and it isn't always picture perfect. I see things like that all the time in the fancy gowns on Hollywood award shows.....

Back to the skirt - Thankfully, I have enough of the chiffon to go around me - but the angles to the skirting that I do have - are kind of odd. See in this picture of the skirt kinda pinned on my Duct Tape Double - (which is on TOP of my dining room table) what I have to work with...

The photo on the right shows the center back seam - kinda crazy...

I did have a long piece left that I will add to the left front as an extra floaty piece - we'll see what happens. I finished the handwork on the top tonight - and tested it - I CAN get it on - and off with help. :) Dear Daughter had a cow when I put it on for her - exclaimed too much cleavage...

My hubby says it is fine. Not that low at all. I'd worked most of yesterday adding a 2" piece to the top of the original center front - as you can see on the inside lining in this photo. She should have seen it before I did that! Twas that issue that put the break on progress last fall.

Next problem is since I have a seam in the chiffon skirt on the RIGHT side, but NOT the left - do I take OUT the invisible zip from the left side and put it in the right side - OR go ahead and put an opening in the fabric without a seam on the left skirt - which would look yucky - OR just NOT take the zip down into the skirt - and I think perhaps I can get away with that solution since when I just put it on - and had help taking it off - that it could be done without the opening extending into the skirt. Will sleep on it.....

On the other front... the wedding gown is coming along. Have the bodice all fitted - and torn apart and labelled clearly so that this 'muslin' is now the pattern pieces themselves for careful cutting. Today, I went ahead and made the corset part that has the boning in it - and the petersham waistline stay - the mechanism that actually holds the dress up and on her. Got the neatest soft boning channel stuff from my bridal friend/expert Tina down the street, and the spiral steel boning - so all ready for a final fit on that tomorrow morning to determine the length of the stays, and to assure the placement is good. During the fitting yesterday, we decided how the lace edging would be stitched pattern-wise at the bodice neckline edge...see photo:

There WILL be straps on this one - though exactly how - and what they look like remains to be determined. I took quite a bit of circumference out of the princess lined skirt - so that will ease up things on the minimal amount of lace I have to work with...annother challenge - but what fun!

The other thing I have conquered is to 'give her a butt'. She wanted the back of the dress to stick out more - so armed with net flounce donated by Tina (cut off of a mermaid slip) I engineered the pieces to add to the back. See here - the bottom most one supports the train and I had the brilliant idea (at least I think so) to velcro it on - so we can remove the bottom one when it comes time to bustle the gown for dancing.

This photo of her in the muslin gown - checking out the back in our makeshift mirror system - shows how the slip supports the muslin skirt...

Have her coming again in the morning to double check the corset - then I get to cut the silk taffeta, the pink underlining, and the china silk lining! Can't wait.....

Red Envelope Initiative

A website sewing friend sent this to me - and I fully, whole-heartedly and emotionally support it - and encourage you to do the same. Life is life, human is human, and every one life is God-ordained. My arms ached for years to hold my own baby - but God answered my prayers another way - to grow my children IN my heart - not UNDER it. As the mother of 2 children by adoption - I can truthfully say that I'm SURE there is a home for EVERY unwanted child. ANd that INCLUDES children products of rape. If we'd been offered a child that the mother lovingly brought to life - even though a product of rape - we'd have gladly accepted.

Send your RED ENVELOPE - empty - today to the White House:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Penssylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

with this written on the back: "This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception."

I've given just one website as a link - just google for Red Envelope and you'll read much, much more.

Fun with Texture Magic

Played quickly with Texture Magic this morning. I selected this wonderful oriental print that I currently have available HERE because it had easy stitching lines to follow to stitch the fabric to this 'miracle' fabric. There is no indication on the package of the type of fiber it is (no surprise) - but it is slick, and sure feels like acetate or nylon or some mixtre to me. See on the site triangle to the side my stitching pattern following the print. Then - white side up, I just held my steam iron right over it and WALA - it shrank up amazingly - creating the bubbled area you see in the middle of the photo. THEN - from the right side of the fabric - the cotton print - I pressed it - squishing the textue flat - and I still like it as well. In clothing - as embellishment - I figure it would end up smooshed flat anyway.
This 1/2 yard piece will become the front and back yoke and perhaps cuffs or something on a new Creative Sweatshirt Jacket. For now - as I'm PLENTY busy packing, playing with new notions, etc. this is all the time I have to play.
Wanted to share this though - amazing stuff!

Peripety and Gleanings from Esther

Whenver possible, Thursday evenings is my 'school', Beth Moore is my teacher, and the course could be called 'A Survey of Womanhood's Trials and My Solutions" - a study of a book (The Bible) penned by God. I work very hard at doing my 'homework' every morning for my Quiet Time with the Lord. The current Bible Study I and many are studying is Esther by Beth Moore - and last night, I learned a new wonderful word: Peripety. Peripety is a sudden turn of events that reverses the exepcted outcome. It is the hinge in a sudden change. What I love about Beth as a teacher is how she makes it apply - to everything in life. As a woman, she especially does that well for other women.
Applying all this all the way from our current national scene of $ woes - exacerbated by what I see as very pompous 'representatives' in Washington -to how I conduct my own life and business - I come up with these conclusions:
1. My job is to just do my job - to live my life. Honorably. That means as a woman, a wife, a mother, a Grandma, and as a business owner. I need to just pursue a walk with God that is 'so close that the spotlights of this world - be they for me or against me - are eclipsed by His enormous shadow cast on my path'. Quoted Beth there ...
2. If I can do that - and I'm convinced I can only even TRY with the help of God's power as shown to me in the life of Christ - then I can realize that I don't have to be the hinge!!!! As so many other women, I've tried it all - as the 'enabler,' the 'helicopter parent', the one who thinks I have to fix everything. Identify? I am only responsible for what God asks me to do - not how this thing (life) works out. Though, as a Christian, I have faith that God is constantly at work working it all out anyway. What He asks me to do is just to 'do my job' - in a way that honors Him - NOT me!

A quote on my basement stairway 'to creativity' says it all...
" "Don't feel totally, personally, irrevocably responsible for everything.
That's My job! "
God

New Products for Embellishing

Whewww!!!! I'm hard at work - madly at work putting together my NEW presentation for at shows - and then later this year (remember,I have a wedding to prepare for which has me diverted in a fun way!) a new DVD as well - on Creative Embellishments. It has been fun digging through all these wonderful clothes I have (and no place to wear them as I work from home!) though. What I've realized is that the ones I've done more recently are more under-stated in embelllishment - and that is also the direction my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets have gone - understated. Perhaps it is my age - but I think rather it is a growing sense of style and what is good and not any longer that mentality of 'machine dealer wanting to sell feet and stuff'' that I had when I had my retail storefront.

ANYWAY - in preparation, and conversation with new sewing friends (thank you Kathy S.!), I learned about a new product - Texture Magic and had my mind refreshed on an old favorite - Seams Great for use with the newly re-tooled Spinster.

Texture Magic is by Superior Threads and is a package of 18" x 47" 'fabric' that you stitch (stitching pattern will create design) onto fabric, and then steam over top of the Texture Magic and it then shrinks up - causing the real fabric to pucker in a wonderful way! Scroll down to March 6 post to read and see more about this amazing product. Here is a picture from the Blog by Superior Threads..... Way too cool, eh?

OF COURSE, I immediately searched my sources, and found this to be so new that I ordered - oodles of packages - direct from Superior. It should be here on Friday!

Can't wait to play.

The other tool I'm anxious to re-acquaint myself with is the Spinster. The developer shared that they have had manufacturing problems, but worked through it all and with a new mold, it is even a more superior tool. This is a 'drill' type gadget that lets you twist cords, threads, yarns, etc. together and then back on themselves to create a wondeful cord. You can make it into a piped cording by invisibly tacking it to a folded edge of the product I used miles of to finish seams before I invested in a serger WAY back in the early 80's. That product is SEAMS GREAT. I found it hiding at my supplier, so added it to my website as well. Comes in white and black only now - but at least it is still available. I also used it to create serger piping by folding this lightweight knit binding over a tiny cord . then doing a rolled hem edge over it with my serger. Here is a photo of that embellishment on an old class sample - a lovely UltraSuede stencilled vest.

Wedding Gown Update

I'm on schedule - having completed the muslin for a fitting. In doing so, I've established a flattering angled/curved empire line that goes under her bust and then slopes down to the center back. (Want to have lots of typical bridal covered buttons at the back). I added 1 1/4" to the top pieces and 1 1/4" to the skirt pieces at this line for plenty of fine refining room. I also laid out all the pieces on the lace to see if I have enough if the skirt is this big - and yes, but BARELY so. There wouldn't be any extra lace at all for 'matching' motifs on this all-over lace gown, so I still think I'll end up reducing the fullness of each skirt piece to give me more lace yardage for the top. I DO have enough of the border to work with though for straps and the bodice top edge, in addition to clipping it and making it go along the entire hem edge. Yea!

The pink batiste has arrived as well. Thanks, Farmhouse Fabrics www.farmhousefabrics.com. The pink is the palest ever, and will underline the silk taffeta to create ever so slight of a shimmer of pink/coral to the overall effect.

Stay Tuned...

Ramblings for Early March

Hmmmm...... Have you ever notice all the crud around the edges of the carpet in women's dressing rooms??? That really bugs me! Stores...VACUUM your dressing rooms!!
And - while you're in there, take notice to see if the bottom of those full length mirrors are tilted OUT, towards you. If so - that is one dirty trick to make you look slimmer, taller than reality. Consider yourself warned.

New GREAT Book: My dear daughter brought this one to my attention - though I'd seen the author on one of the talk shows and did know what she was referring to. Eat This Not That . I don't ever even run to the grocery store these days without it! For example: Breyers All Natural Chocolate Chip Ice Cream can save you 150 calories and 11 grams of fat over Haagen Daz Mint Chip . Triscuits - Original over Wheat Thins - Reduced Fat. It even helped us fine Stretch Island Fruit Co smooshed fruit in the roll-up type of snack thing that my grandson loves. I know, I know - we could all read the labels, and we sure do in my house after my hubby's heart attack 3 years ago. But, this book makes it simple, simple with photos of each product TO grab on the left instead of those on the right. WalMart had it for under $14 - and a regular $25 book.

I'm in the Esther Beth Moore Bible Study at church right now, and what a blessing it is! From my study yesterday... I write some of what Beth says in first person to myself in my journal, and here from 3-4: "I desire to sit on YOUR side rather than serving myself all the way to meaninglessness. I am called to a purposeful life. I need to always ask myself: Is this a critical moment? A make or break moment? If I make a man-ward vs God-ward decision - will I be left out of a divine loop that would eventually mean everything to me?" She helped me really see that a war is being waged in the heavenly realm and great witnesses in heaven are cheering me on in my decisions. All this from 'for such a time as this" quote from Esther 4:14 where Mordecai sends the message to Esther that she really MUST go talk to King Xerxes and convince him to NOT kill all the Jews.

Beth's study on Daniel really impacted me in ways hard to describe. It makes it so crystal clear how our world has gone so totally askew...we continue to break the first commandment: Have NO other Gods before me. We do that when we insist on someone to get us out of any fix we get ourselves into...whether it be a greedy mortgage we insisted on, or as a company asking the government to save us, or asking the government to pay our medical bills, or when - even as a top government official - we cheat on our taxes! When anything and everything is more important to us than God is - then we have it all wrong, and deserve the trouble we get ourselves into!
Check out Beth's studies wherever you are. She makes the Bible SO revelant to our daily lives - you just can't believe it until you hear her. You can also access many of her products, DVD, CD, and even downloads online at her site: http://www.lproof.org/default.asp

Again - to me, Gov. Huckabee is the only one singing the right song - just "Do The Right Thing"!!!!! Though I often agree with Rush Limbaugh, and I believe his intent is good, he has put himself in that 'God' seat. At least in my humble opinion. I'll listen to him, I just don't make him into the God he wants to portray himself as.

For Huckabee, and for me - that 'right thing' is clearly defined in God's Word, the Holy Bible. In these days of doom and gloom, I trust in the fact, I depend on the fact that God - as revealed in the Bible, and demonstrated to me in an eartly way in the person of Jesus Christ - is all I need for my joy and my security!

Ohh - and I just have to share this poignant tale I received on the internet yesterday...regarding abortion. As a God-made mommy through adoption of 2 infants 27 and 30 years ago, I am unabashadly pro-life. Believe me, it would NOT have mattered if the child offered to us was the product of a rape, or born to a prisoner........none of that mattered then, nor would it now. As our birth announcements said - our children grew IN our hearts, not under mine.
Here is that story - and it matters not whether it is true or not, the principle of valuing LIFE above all else is the same.

A worried woman went to her gynecologist and said: 'Doctor, I have a serious problem and desperately need your help! My baby is not even 1 yr. old and I'm pregnant again. I don't want kids so close together.' So the doctor said: 'Ok, and what do you want me to do?' She said: 'I want you to end my pregnancy, and I'm counting on your help with this.'The doctor thought for a little, and after some silence he said to the lady: 'I think I have a better solution for your problem. It's less dangerous for you too.' She smiled, thinking that the doctor was going to accept her request. Then he continued: 'You see, in order for you not to have to take care of 2 babies at the same time, let's kill the one in your arms. This way, you could rest some before the other one is born. If we're going to kill one of them, it doesn't matter which one it is. There would be no risk for your body if you chose the one in your arms. The lady was horrified and said: 'No doctor! How terrible! It's a crime to kill a child!'I agree', the doctor replied. 'But you seemed to be ok with it, so I thought maybe that was the best solution. The doctor smiled, realizing that he had made his point. He convinced the mom that there is no difference in killing a child that's already been born and one that's still in the womb. The crime is the same! If you agree, please forward. Together we can help save precious lives! AMEN

If you are a woman who fell for the lie of an abortion as a 'solution', you need to know that God loves you ANYWAY! You will see your baby in heaven again some day. All you need to do to insure that is to ask His forgiveness and claim Jesus as the Lord of your life. Go to any Bible believing church and be transparent. There is help for you. If I can even help lead you to the forgiveness God has for you, please email me!

Newest Creative Sweatshirt Jackets....

Here are my latest Creative Sweatshirt Jackets...
I love, love, love this grey one - which I came up with while designing for one of my one-of-a-kind KITS - then I had to keep it and make it myself. I lvoe the 'funnel' neckline silhouette - which honestly just 'happened'... Bias is the key to all the swirls and binding. Started with the set of 3 great Crone Art Buttons...

Just back from my teaching expedition to 2 shops in Florida.... where this jacket was the WINNER! It is really SEW easy, that I've decided to write directions for it, along with an associated webpage, and give it as a 'GIFT' to customers who purchase over $45 during my next promotion and at shows... How's that for an idea?

3-2-09: I have it ready. :) Sew....if you place an order for over $45 and ask for it - you'll get the link to the webpage via email.








The Fuchsia jacket below features more silk doupionni chenille strips - in fact, the collar is solidly embellished with the strips. I was inspired by the collar on a Vogue pattern. I like the divisions I came up with in the jacket as well. To accommodate the 3 large buttons, I engineered slot buttonholes in a seam. This one will be available as a pattern - with more neat collar options in a pattern called CHOSEN - probably to come out in August - AFTER the wedding, breathing, and the writing process.

Wedding Gown Creation...a NEW Beginning

Scratch that design from January...when we went to the local independent Bridal shop a few weeks ago, my daughter fell in love with an ALL LACE gown! It was a gown made of what appeared to be almost a Cluny type of horizontal effect lace rows. Of course, I cautioned her that we probably could NOT find that exact lace! Also, on that excursion - she saw the slenderizing effect of a princess style and a fuller skirt that could create the look of a VERY cinched in waistline.


Then - we planned a Saturday to scour the fabric sources in Chicago (Vogue Fabrics, Fishman's and Supreme) and came up with just one lace - at Vogue in Evanston (where Dale was exceedingly nice and helpful by the way...). It is pictured below...

The embroidery on the off-white background net is a soft taupe color. You can see here where I laid my pink journal below the off-white silk doupionni and the faint pink cast it yields. That is what we're going for - we THINK. The wedding colors are pink-coral and green. (Never mind that the darlin' just HAD to move from the bedroom with PINK blinds to another because she hated the pink so much...just had to add that tidbit! ) Oh, how we gain in wisdom as we age...

Anyway - we both just love this different lace, and it was a VERY GOOD THING that i had taken the time to make a quick mock-up of the gown in red dot tracer (nicely shows the body,fullness, drape (lack of) of the skirt on this pattern, and took it along shopping with us. There was just a bit over 4 yards of this double edged lace. That's ALL. But, it seems - since the direction of the motif is vague - and would never be seen if I flip the pattern pieces to get the border all around the bottom - that I can get it to work. I'll just have to add a flattering empire line so the laces' width will be enough for the skirt - and I also have to take about 2" width from each of the skirt pieces. We bought the bouffant bridal slip, and she has her long line bra and SPANX. Now - just to find the shoes (without spending an obscene amount of money - which my wonderful shopper daughter will NOT do) - and we're set to get going.

With the help of my friend and neighbor and bridal etalier' Tina Colombo http://www.treasures-by-tina.com/ , we decided on a silk taffeta in ivory for the base fabric. I found several potential pink cotton batistes at http://www.farmhousefabrics.com%20c/which I ordered half yards of for 'auditioning' our idea. Tina also helped me realize that the skirt will have better 'movement' if I do the lace separate from the dress for the seams and the hem.

By the way - our pattern is Vogue 1095 - without all those ruffles, higher at the neckline so not to be so revealing, AND even I've talked her into straps of some type with the lace edging - IF we have enough edging to spare.

Though I love designing my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets, silk and lace will be welcome change.

Can't wait to get started - follow along, and comment, please.

I support Mike Huckabee - the man, his policies, common sense...

As I write, I've just finished watching Huckabee - Mike Huckabee's program on Fox News that airs for us here in central Illinois at 10 pm on Sunday nights. My husband and I love this program. It is sensitive, full of common sense, AND inspirational. Regardless of your political persuasion, I encourage you to tune in - then come comment here to let me know what you think.

If you're curious as to what this outstanding, moral, sensitive man stands for - read his book, Do The Right Thing. Just think about it - if everyone just "did the right thing" how much public funds would be released to do good work. In his book, Governor Huckabee describes what he accomplished in his state of Arkansas. Read the facts for yourself instead of believing the media's version. He also warns us of the oft-used phrase: 'over time'. Heard of the Fair Tax? I had no idea what this concept really was until I read his book. Wonder what a political race is really like? For someone without endless streams of $$, Huckabee describes traveling from event to event - flying on regular airplanes and waiting in line - just like you and me. That's the kind of representative in Washington - the kind of PRESIDENT that I'm looking for. .. someone who is REALLY like you and me - and who thinks no higher of himself than he ought to - than ANY person should. I see so much of the problem of those 'representing' us in Washington as simply that power has gone to their heads. They forget who they are working for. They forget the 'little guy' - regardless of what they might say. For me it all boils down to the precious truth I learned in my study of the book of Daniel by Beth Moore....that everything in life is determined by who your God is. If it is yourself, your 'stuff', what others think of you...you are worshiping graven images. Only God - who created heaven and earth, as made real to me in the personhood and life of Jesus Christ is worthy of my worship. Period. THAT is the truth I claim and stake all that I am upon.

I feel and believe and pray that Mike Huckabee runs again to lead our country. If that is the case, I'll be supporting him as actively as my life possibly allows. Meanwhile - I intend to read his book AGAIN, to study his common sense approach, and to pray for God's will for him, and for our country in these troubled times - learning whatever God has for me to learn along the way. In my support of Mike (yes, I feel that he is that approachable - that he would WANT me to call him by his first name - Mike) , I will forever be vigilant that in my support - I do not make him into a God. I know he wouldn't want that - as he, too, is a fellow TRUE believer in the one, true God. That makes all the difference.

Stop 'Shoulding' myself to death!

God yelled at me yesterday! Through a book I was reading and finished up. One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury. It is wonderful. A hard one to read - as it deals with a story about 9/11 tragedy, but very meaningful. Yep - I've been on a treadmill to put out a DVD on embellishing techniques - but it has been driving me crazy - and my family. SEW...all on hold until later this summer, AFTER my daughters' wedding! Right now, there's nothing else I really want to be doing than tending to however she needs help with the wedding plans, and having fun with my 3 3/4 year old Grandson while he lives here in town!

I do have some of the new embellishment video preparation done and will film what I have soon, but the stress is off! I feel so much better! WHY do I do this to myself in the first place? I bet others of you do the same thing. WHY? Comments welcome...

Had a great day with my Carmen traveling to Chicago to Vogue Fabrics and 2 others on Saturday. Found ONE lace she loved, and can make it work to be enough for her all lace wedding gown! I made that gown over and over in my head that night. What FUN!

NEW - BIG Website is now LIVE

YEA - Happy Birthday! My NEW BIG website is now LIVE!
All my previous websites that were more narrowly focused are now combined at www.londas-sewing.com - Londa's Creative Threads...

Fabric is back, and next Tuesday, a BIG newsletter will go out that includes $-saving offers.
LOTS of new inventory is up at this new site as well! Including: Tutto transporting cases, Amy Butler pattern line, etc., etc.

Thanks in advance for visiting! I welcome your comments.
Londa