A Silly Little Bookmark

One of my favorite memories of growing up was our family’s frequent trips to the public  library to check out books. Whether we went by car with my dad or on our bikes, my sister and I  always came home with a stack of books to read. I am still an avid reader and now my kids and I are the ones making several trips a week to the library. For me, there is nothing better than a good book to read. 

I also love to sew and hand embroider, and I am totally into using recycled wool for my projects. One day I combined my love of reading with my love of sewing and came up with this fun and silly little bookmark. I named him Norman and put him up for sale at my web-store.  My intention was to sell them to adults, however, a friend of mine was visiting my store and her son saw the picture of Norman and said he wanted it. So I wrapped it up and gave Norman to him for his birthday.  My own son, who’s twelve, saw it and wanted one also.  So I made him one named Charles.  My brother’s stepdaughter saw the bookmark and wanted one, too. She named him Wilson. Not only do kids love them, they are simple enough for them to make themselves.

Winter is a perfect time to start making these woolly bookmarks to use when cuddling up with a good book. With a stash of  recycled wool scraps, some old buttons and embroidery threads you will be ready to make a silly little bookmark. 

Supplies

Felted Wool Scraps from sweaters or scarves (the tighter the weave, the better)

Two buttons, about 1/8”-1/4” in diameter

Embroidery Threads in different colors

Scraps of Fringed Trim

Embroidery Needle

Large Paper Clip

Hot Glue Gun

Scissors

Instructions

1. Make a pattern out of paper in the shape you want your bookmark to be. I made mine in the shape of an egg with the top cut off.  The size should be approximately 1-1/2” wide by 2” tall.

2. Pin the pattern to the wool and cut out a front and a back.

3. Position the buttons on the right-side front for the eyes and sew them in place with the embroidery thread.

4. Stitch a mouth with the embroidery thread.

5. Choose a fun piece of trim to use as the hair and baste it in place on the inside of the front at the top.

6. Using the hot glue gun, place a small amount of glue on the inside of the front and press the top of the paper clip in place to secure it.

7. Position the back to the front and pin together.

8. With the embroidery thread, stitch a running stitch around the whole bookmark, finishing the ends securely.

9. Give your bookmark a fun name and start reading!

Tips and Hints: 

©  Have fun! 

© These aren’t meant to be perfect.  Experiment with different wools, shapes, threads, etc. 

© Make a “memory” bookmark from a child’s or loved one’s clothing.

© Make a bunch and give them away!

Be Calm

“Be calm, no matter what befall you. Rest in Me. Be patient, and let patience have her perfect work. Never think things overwhelming. How can you be overwhelmed when I am with you?

“Do not feel the strain of life. There is no strain for My children. Do you not see I am a Master Instrument-maker? Have I not fashioned each part? Do I not know just what it can bear without a strain? Would I, the Maker of so delicate an instrument, ask of it anything that could destroy or strain?

“No! The strain is only when you are serving another master, the world, fame, the good opinion of men - or carrying two days burden on the one day.

“Remember that it must not be.”

This was yesterdays devotion from the book “God Calling” by A.J. Russell. 

I woke up this morning feeling very overwhelmed by all that I think I need to accomplish to make my life easier. Easier financially, emotionally and relation-ally. Do you know what? The worry of it all has not made my life any easier, only harder, especially on myself. It’s hard to accomplish anything when you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious.

The truth is, who am I serving? A quick look at my life and it would appear I am serving the world and man.  And not just carrying two days burden, I feel like I am carrying all of 2013 (and then some) in just one day.

Deep in my heart, I want to serve only God, but it’s hard to not feel overwhelmed by life and its challenges. Therefore, I have to make a choice, daily, that  no matter what today or any day brings, I will trust Him, rest in Him and wait patiently on Him.  Praise God that we have this choice!

A New Day

I just took the dog for a walk and snapped this picture of my street. Today the sky is overcast and everything looks a little gloomy; perhaps tomorrow the sun will be shining. Thankfully, each day is new and different.

"Great is his faithfulness, his loving kindness begins afresh each day." Lamentations 3:23 (The Living Bible)

As I begin not only a new day, but a new year, I need to remind myself of the truth that this verse speaks.   When we humble ourselves before the Lord and seek him daily, it doesn't matter what happened yesterday or any other day in the past. Each new day is a fresh new start with God. His mercies are NEW each day, and he is faithful to forgive us of all our mistakes and failures. What a wonderful way to start a new year!

Starting Over

Some awesome clouds from this summer

Something happened this past year, I stopped sewing my liluga plushies and put "giving love away" on the back burner. It's as if some dark rain clouds appeared in my life and decided to stay a while.

I haven't been posting too much either.
Life just got busy plus I just don't have a whole lot of energy right now.

I know that being busy isn't an excuse to not show love to others. Nor is being tired. I may not have the time to sew a new batch of liluga's but I do have the time give love away in a different way.

So, away with the stormy clouds and in with some bright skies.

the same view of the sky, but clear blue with birds flying

I have been reading a couple of books recently that have reminded me that there are many ways to show love. One of them is called "Small Mercies" by Nancy Jo Sullivan. She talks about the little things we can do for others that make a big difference. Little things like meeting someone for a cup of coffee. There are so many things we can do, a phone call, a visit, a card with a personal note are just a few.

Another book I am reading is called "7" by Jen Hatmaker. The book is about fasting from excess in different areas of our life, such as food, clothing, money and media. In her book, she talks about how God calls us to love others by giving out of our excess to those in need.

When I think about my excess, I find my biggest area of excess is my long list of excuses for not giving love away to others. My attitude these days is also excessive. These two books have re-lit the fire to start giving love away again. There is no shortage of those in need, so it is just a matter of me getting started.

Today I made a phone call to a woman I know who is struggling through divorce and a new life on her own. I had asked her to coffee about four months ago and never followed up. Shame on me. She is a non-believer and needs to be shown true Christian love.

Today I am also starting to shed the excess in my attitude, which I can assure you, doesn't show much love to others. I will not complain, whine, demand or be grumpy. I will let others get the last word. I will not try to always be right. I will show mercy and grace in dealing with my family and friends. I will trust God to deal with others, as I trust Him to deal with me.

I will take this one day at a time.

How about you? Do you care to join me on this endeavor?

Relaxation

Lately, I have found hand embroidery to be very relaxing. It only requires a few supplies, it's cheap (wool is from an old scarf, hoop from the resale shop, threads  from my mother's stash from when she was young), I can embroider anywhere,  it's transportable and it doesn't take a long to complete a project.

I checked out a book by Aimee Ray called "Doodle Stitching" and was inspired to create the above piece.  I made it for my friend Karen for her birthday. It's just a little something, but made with a lot of love.

My New Dishes

Yesterday morning I went to a neighborhood garage sale with my friend Karen.  At the first sale, a lady was selling a set of ten dishes (dinner plate, salad plate and mug) for $10.  She also had a set of ten wineglasses for sale for $20.

Being that I am a dish-a-holic, I was immediately drawn to these, mostly because of the pattern.  My husband is from Mexico and we cook Mexican food often.  I thought these dishes would be perfect for us, because, as we all know, food tastes better on good looking dishes.

Karen and I were chatting with this lady and I was telling her how I love dishes and about my husband and how we love to cook.  I told her I would like to buy the set for $10.  As we were starting to pack them up, she said to me "I want to give you the wine glasses also.  I would rather give them away to someone who would use them and enjoy them then sell them to someone else".  Not only did she give me the ten wine glasses, she brought out seven more larger glasses that could be used for water and packed them up also.

Wow, that was a blessing and her act of kindness made my day.  What a great example of not holding on tightly to our possessions!

There are so many ways to give love away, and the neat thing about it is, having been blessed like this inspires me to bless others likewise.  It really does warm the heart to be the recipient of a gracious act, and it always warms the heart to be the one giving it away.

"And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed". Hebrews 7:7 NLT

Cut and Paste

This is a picture of a liluga I recently made, photographed, and then cut and paste onto a picture of my balcony during a snowstorm.  Kind of fun, isn't it?

Do you ever want to “cut and paste” yourself somewhere else?  I could easily cut and paste myself on warm sandy beach right now.  In the picture I would be sitting on my lawn chair under a big umbrella, reading a book and sipping a big glass of iced tea.  Oh, how I would just love to go away for a week or two and sit by the ocean and relax.  I could probably spend the whole day staring out at the ocean.  It sounds so peaceful! 

"Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you."  

1 Corinthians 7:20

The reality is, I am stuck in Illinois.  No cut and paste for me.  So I remain and seek to do what God has planned for me.  I recently made four new liluga's and gave one away to a friend from church who is going through a divorce.  Life is never easy, but we, as Christians, can at least be there to encourage each other and to help each other out.  Praise God we can do that wherever we are located.