I'm reading this book (that I received from that most wonderful place Paperbackswap.com)and I love the whole idea of breastfeeding. I have had four children and have tried to bf the three that lived, but to no avail. I've not had very much encouragement from my family so when I did hit hard times of latching on it was very hard for me to hear a clear voice telling me not to give up. I was so emotionally distraught at the time (because my house was a mess and not getting any cleaner!!!) and so uneducated I just gave in to the easy-ness of bottle feeding and missed out on the wonderful bond I KNOW the Lord is just waiting to give me if I can just stick it out and make it work no matter what. I'm so glad I got her book. If no one else will encourage me, she will. I will have to read and re-read the book over and over again so all that info can get on the inside of me so that next time I won't need to rely on some outside encouragement. I'll have enough in me to stnad myself up and say, I will not take anything less than success!!!!

     This last time I was trying I must have quit and re-started about five times...in one week!!!! It was crazy all the things I was coming up against. I'm like, why am I getting so beat up over the head with this!???!! It's just breastfeeding!!!! Why is it so hard for me!!?!?!? I wanted to scream and pull my hair out. When I did get it working it was the most wonderful feeling and I was so relaxed and calm...I think breastfeeding my children until they want to wean would totally change my parenting attitude. Usually I'm gruff and harsh. Breastfeeding seems to be the only thing that calms me down enough to just lavish love on my children. I felt so loving and amourous towards my other children while I was feeding my new baby. The loving feeling of providing her with the nourishment she needed overflowed to the other two and it was beautiful. Okay, so that's probably why I had such a hard time. Anyone ever heard of spiritual warfare over breastfeeding!??!?! Sheesh! The devil is really a low down sneaky monster. He's trying to steal a most wonderful experience from my family. I have decided no more! I'm not even near pregnant again, but I'm reading up now and preparing for the battle now so I can reign victorious with Jesus in my breastfeeding.  I'm determined to take back that ground. I've had enough of the canker worm eating up my blessing. Next time, I'm getting it all back!

I don'tknow what I was thinking when I left out this one. This project is my crown and joy. These slippers are slated to be an intermediate project, but Jesus helped me do it! He showed me how to make the tricky parts not so tricky!!! He has all the great ideas!

I made my son a pair of Timber Lane Press Easy Slipper Sock #802 pattern. I used fleece from JoAnn's (NEVER AGAIN!!! It is cheap fleece for a slipper that gets much use), ribbing stuff from Wazoodle (NEVER AGAIN...again.  I had no idea what I was getting and had to re-measure each ribbing piece so it would fit the opening), fabric paint for the traction instead of that jiffy grip (NEVER AGAIN...you get the point. I thought the Jiffy Grip would get own out too soon, but I discovered that the paint leaves marks on my linoleum floor!!!!) and ultasuede for the soles. It took me a while to read and re-read the directions so I'd know exactly what I was doing and not mess anything up! It took me a while, but I finally got it all worked out. Here are the final products:

They don't stand up anymore because the foam inside them moves around after you wash it a few times.

True to my word, here are the outfits I made. I made Simplicity's 5080 for my older daughter and McCall's 5028 for my infant. I was so excited because I finally had enough fabric to match their outfits. So here are the pics of their matching outfits:

I made another outfit for the Little One in a different color:

On this one, I used my decorative stitches to spruce up the dark colored top. I actually got a compliment on this one. Her smile is as big as mine was!

     It's been about a year since I last wrote of sewing something. The last things I was concentrating on sewing were cloth diapers for my new Little One. Well, she's 10 mos. now and we're well into cloth diapering. I don't use them when we go out places because it doesn't seem practical to be carrying around pee and poop. We're mostly at home so I get to use the diapers a lot. I love the ability to clean them and they don't have stains or smell! I spray the poop with Shout and just wait until there's about three of them (half a day) and then wash. I sometimes pour the Shout into the machine along with the detergent. We have hard water so I guess it works out okay. My diapers smell clean and you can't tell she's pooped or peed in them one day! I used two pieces of white sherpa for most of my prefolds (luxury prefolds) with hemp stuff in the soaker part. For the AI2 shells I used sherpa for the inside and PUL for the outside. The PUL is waterproff and makes sure she doesn't leak. I love the Darling Diaper (DD) pattern because she makes the inside smaller than the outside so that when you add the elastic to the seam allowances the PUL rolls in and keeps all liquids inside the diaper! It's genius! So anyway, here are some pics. I was able to get some cute pink PUL and purple sherpa:

The one on the left is the diaper closed and the one on the right is the diaper opened with a prefold in it.

     I've also made diaper covers when she was smaller. It was easier to just use a prefold (pf) and put a cover over it so it didn't leak. Here's a fleece cover I made:

I made this like a pull on because it was easier to work with.

     So, that's all in the diaper category. I'll do another post with a couple outfits I've done.

     I have been neglecting this place, but I have been doing things. Thank you everyone for your wonderfully encouraging comments. Yes, I was feeling like I was getting attacked at Sew Mamas for wanting to sew everything in my home. I got it again at the Hancock's store near me, although the first criticism prepared me for more. Since you all have been encouraging me so much I feel compeled to continue writing about my endeavors.

     I currently have two different projects going. I started on a skirt (B4235) with some fabric that someone gave me. It's an A-line flair skirt that has a side closing zipper. I cut out the top piece wrong (the fabric kept shifting) and had to do it all over again (does anybody know of a better way of cutting out patterns??!!!??? I hate that tracing paper! I keep thinking there's got to be a better way). I sewed the side seams and now I'm waiting to do that zipper. The instructions are not very easy for me to follow, so I found three different directions in three different books. Now I'm trying to decide which one is best. I'm hoping they don't steer me wrong.

     My other project is sheets for my daughter's bed out of some other fabric someone gave me. I love the way the overlock stitch looks so I'm doing the hem in that. So far I've got the two sides done. Now I'm going to do the top and bottom. I'm thinking of making the top and bottom the same size so she can use the sheet either way on her bed. I was looking at my old sheets and didn't like the way it looked washed out near the top, but the bottom was still colorful. I found some sheeting at Hancock's that was too cute for our master bed, but couldn't get it because I didn't have enough money.

     Next on the list is making some slippers for the children this winter as well as the cloth diapers this new little one will be wearing. I've been stocking up on the fabric and patterns so that when I get my new machine I can just get started. I'm praying and hoping that my father will come through and pay the last payment on my Viking Platinum 770 so I can get to work on that. The Simplicity I have now just breaks my thread and needles on layers. What a waste! I will forever tell people to buy quality when learning how to sew and needing a machine.

     Oh yeah, hey everyone. I don't think I put this in here before, but there's a website I found that has reviews on so many patterns, sergers, sewing machines, sewing websites, sewing stores and sewing books! There's also a message board area where you can ask questions and stuff. The place is: www.patternreview.com. I do hope someone gets to visit it and take advantage of the info! I've learned so much from there.

     Well, my last project was kind of sucessful. The pants do fit her although the waistband looks messy. I'm happy with it as my first serious attempt to sew. God has put it on my heart to do more and keep sewing until I reach my goal of sewing everything around this house that can be sewn. I'm getting there and He's also given me a desire to persevere through the troubles of sewing (like broken needles and bobbins running out in the middle of a project).

     With all that in mind, I'm embarking on my newest sewing project, cloth diapers! As you can see I'm about 5 going on six months pregnant and I have decided to cloth diaper this baby (saves SOOO much money). I've been scouring the internet for help and instructions on how to do this. I have found many, many sites that deal with all different aspects of sewing your own cloth diapers. I've got my patterns, I'm getting my notions and fabric (my God just blessed me through my fahter with $264 worth of materials), so all that's left is to get to sewing! I love it. I feel like I'm actually living out those verses in Proverbs that talk of sewing and making things for the family. God has surely changed my heart and attitude.

     So, I have done a few (I'm on my third) practice diapers but they really don't look anything like good diapers (I'm just using scrap fabric which doesn't act like the real fabric) so I'll spare everyone the horror of viewing them.  I will , however, post the pictures of my progress as I'm making the real diapers. I've figured out that I need to make 40+ for the newborn size and 60+ for the small (2-5mos. maybe). Imma be one sewing Mama!!! Until next time!

     YEAH!!!! I finally finished the capris pants for my daughter. I have the pictures. I didn't keep up a steady journal in here from start to finish, but I can tell you that I stopped four times (I called them phases). I was stuck in four different areas so I had to get counsel before I could continue. So here are the pics (keep in mind this is my FIRST real attempt at sewing)!!

These are the pants

This is the messed up waistband I did because I coudln't see what I was sewing (I sewed it from the inside). I need to think of a better way to do that. I coudln't adjust myself to the dip in the middle

This is the back waistband. I had to open it up to get the elastic through. I used a safety pin to shuttle it through the casing. It was getting caught up on the seam allowance from the back of the pants. I also have to figure out how to do that. After the elastic was in there I didn't feel like fighting with it to sew the waistband back up.

Here is the cute stitch that I used for the hem. I think it makes it look more girly which is perfect for my girly-girl.

So there it is. A photo journal of my first completed big sewing project. I have one more of these to do (in royal blue) before I start on my stash of cloth diapers for the baby! =) I'm so excited to sew those!!!

     Yesterday I tried another stab at finishing up the capri pants. I have two general sewing books and they urged me to finish the seams I had done in the first phase. I had to change the stitch for that. I used the three-step zigzag. Then I easestitched across the top of the pants from seam to seam. Next, I fused the interfacing onto the waistband...and that's about as far as I got. All of that took me about an hour if you can believe it. I had to read up on every detail before I did it. I also had to try out the fusing so that I was sure I was pressing it right. I was so tired out and had a complaining attitude by the time I finished. My husabnd asked me if I was discouraged, but I said no. I know I'm going to finish this project, I just REALLY don't appreciate all the complicated aspects I'm encountering...

     Now as a child of God I remind myself of the Isrealites in the wilderness RIGHT AFTER God delivered them from the Egyptians. I know my lesson is to be thankful that I have all the resources I have and can sew my daughter capri pants. So, this morning I'm rebuking and correcting myself and pushing past the bad attitude to a place of praise and thanksgiving. I'd probably be ale to fogure things out a bit easier if I had just had a thankful attitude and just prayed and asked God to interceed and give me wisdom (I am afterall supposed to be doing a Created To Be His Helpmeet wisdom study. If I'm studying, I'm supposed to be learning something, right?). So, that's what I'm doing today. In spite of my complaining, God did give me more ideas for home decor styles and fashions and I am SO EXCITED to start with those projects....but for now I say, PRAISE THE LORD for this time of learning! I know God put this on my heart to do (as He's turning my heart more towards home and homemakeing), so I will praise Him at every turn. Even if the capris come out terrible...PRAISE THE LORD!!! =) I'm going to be a joyful maker of my home even in sewing.

     Oh yeah, here are the pics of phase 2:

That's the interfacing I fused onto the waistband

This is the finished seam I did and the easestitching across the top

     Hello everyone. It's been a while since I've posted here and that directly reflects the wok I've been doing. Aside from practicing my hemming foot stiches I've been doing no real projects...

     Until now. This past weekend my mother and I tried to go shopping for my 4yo. daughter. It was next to fruitless becuase all of the pants we saw for her (that weren't denim) would have to be taken in or adjusted in some way and would mess up the style of the pants (I'm only a beginner sewer and don't know how to do perfect alterations yet). So, I decided right then and there that I would have to get off my duff and get to work (funny how necessity shakes off the laziness immediately)!

     So, here I am working on my first project. I decided on capri pants using a (supposedly) simple pattern from McCall's (McCall's conviently left out the sewing allowance and we had to squeeze to fit all the pieces onto the folded fabric. It was quite a panic for a while when it dawned on us that we didn't have enough room. This will be my last "easy" pattern from McCall's). My mother, so graciously, added the seam allowance (by sight! She didn't even measure it or anything. I was waaayyy impressed to say the least) and helped me cut out the fabric pieces. All I had to do was re-thread the bobbin and machine with the right color thread and start sewing! I made it through the first two steps (sew the darts and the seam down to the first notch on the crotch). The third step says something about easysewing a seam allowance on the top of the pants. Mommy didn't add in that seam allowance so Imma hold off on that till I get clarification. So here's what it looks like so far:

     So this is my first attempt at doing something substantial. I'm very excited and already thinking about how I can make the next pants project better (like thicker fabric). Praise the Lord!!!

If anyone has any wisdom to share PLEASE lay it on me...

     This has got to be the worst in my cooking history, but my husband comes along and encourages me with the Word of God, thus the walking by faith title. I have to walk by faith now becuase walking by sight would just depress me. Here's what's happening:

     As of about a half an hour ago, I have just burned two pots. I was typing out my blog entry and just let the water in the pots burn out (I was steaming some kale for my healthy pregnancy diet and boiling some eggs for the same reason). This is why I HATE cooking. You've got to monitor what you're cooking constantly. You can't just leave it and expect it to turn itself off (you know, that might be a wonderful invention. The first ever timer stove. Just set the time and the heat will shut off! That's exactly what I need...uh oh. I just told everyone!!! STAY BACK ALL YOU IDEA STEALERS!!! This one's mine!...). My confidence is all messed up (good thing I cooked dinner last night) and I'm mourning the loss of two good pots (both of them are filled with carcoal.I only thought to actually get up and check on the pots when I smelled the kale and charcoal and when I heard a loud crack, which turned out to be a few eggs popping their shells due to the intense heat. I only had the eggs on medium high, but that's more than enough when there's no water). I'm also dreading actually having to eat the kale and open those eggs. I've burned the water out of the pot for the kale before (since the top was on the steamer the kale gets that charcoal smell all in it), so I'll just grin and bear that, but I'm really scared to look inside those eggs. Who konws how deformed they'll look. I wonder what fried-boiled yoke looks like...

     As I'm pondering these musings and slowly making my way back to my computer (this has got to be a lesson on not being on here during the day or something), my husband calls and says he has a Word for me. I say I could use it, lay it on me. He says, "Your steps are ordered by the Lord". Now I'm not one to scoff at the written Word of God (logos) or His timely inspired Word (rhema), but given my circumstance I wanted to just busrt out scoffing at what he just said compared to the situation he didn't know was awaiting him at home. I didn't scoff I just put my mind to walking by faith and speaking that verse like my life at that moment was looking perfectly led by God. In hte natural it was looking quite the ungodly mess, but in the Spirit God is still ordering my steps.

     So that's my story that I just had to tell. I hope it blesses whoever reads this post. LET GOD BE PRAISED AND HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED!!!! (including doubt)

     Since I'm pregnant, I'm trying to eat healthy and everything so I came across this receipe for Sloppy Dogs in my crock pot cookbook. I didn't have hot dogs (and aren't supposed to eat them a lot anyway) so I just put in ground beef (iron!). It came out good, but could have been better. I need to get better at seasoning without making the food too salty. I'm glad I tried it though. It's supposed to be a dinner food, but I've been snacking on it (I'm making sure to eat lots of green leafys with it).

     After every dinner I've cooked in the pot I've been able and motivated to clean it out right away, put away the food in containers and put the pot back like it wasn't even used! I like that. You can't even tell I cooked!!! It's only one pot to clean!!!! I LOVE CROCK POT COOKING!!!!!!     

     I am doing so well!!!! I love God's grace! I have a big gathering coming up and I've been trying to cut down on the clutter (all of it didn't need to be thrown away, just organized). I had about seven major clutter areas that just drove me crazy becuase I coudln't do anything with them doe to a lack of somewhere to put it. So God gave me ideas to use what we have an abundance of, boxes (we were supposed to be moving so we accumulated a LOT of boxes)! I cut off the tops and made dividers in my bookcase for those magazines I talked about before. I used the boxes without the tops for organizing the stuff on our bathroom counter (we have a long counter but no cupboards to put anything in). I got my husband's approval to take one shelf of his stuff and throw it in a box so I had a place to put everything from the couch and other cluttered places. I also have a box for catalogs I get. I'm making sure to throw away the previous catalog when I get the new one.

     It feels so good to be organized!!! Now when I want to put something somewhere I can go to that place and stick it in there!!! It's so freeing!!!!  I've made it to oraginzers' heaven! I have our gathering on Saturday to thank for it. Imma celebrate!!!!

     We're about to have a real big gathering at our house on Sat. so I've been cleaning since last week. I like to do that with big tasks. I clean one thing one day and that thing the next day. I realize I should have taken pictures so the drastic difference could be documented, but it will get messy again so I'll just remember then. Right now all of my clutter areas have been cleaned. I have dusted and vacuumed. When I clean I clean very thoroughly. I don't like to clean often, but when I do it is a very thorough job. I actually love to clean although I'm not cnsistent enough to do it all the time. I think that's strange, but maybe someone else can identify with me.

     I still have a few spots to clean and dust before the house will be ready. I have to clean under the dish rack, clean the toilets, our master bath and mop the kitchen floor. I love having no guilt when people come over. I love not having to cringe as they move something over to sit down or go into a certain room for fear of something falling on them or them sneezing uncontrolably from the multiple dust bunnies.  So, I'm doing good in the cleaning department so far.

     Earlier today I received an e-mail from an online saying she liked what I did in my sewing section and that she could identify with what I said. Later on, I felt this drive to do something I had been putting off for a week. I made my son a bib:

     The shame ful part is it seems to me like the only catalyst for completing this needed project (his other plastic one was cracking) was my friend's comments!!! Aaauugghh!!!! I guess I haven't been cured from my approval addition as I had hoped. Back to the drawing board (A.K.A.- On my knees in prayer).

     The productive part is I did it. I even did it throughly. Here is a picture of where the string goes through the top:

     I didn't sew all the way to the seam. I left an opening and then just threaded the string through there. It acts like a drawstring.

     So anyway, that'as my newest creation. I need to get back to those receiving blankets for Caleb Ministries...