Keepin' it real.

Not every project I attempt turns out.

I was trying to make coasters today for the living room and it was a big flop. I guess they were cut too small and the material was too thick because when I got to the last step, it all fell apart.

I guess I will have to make a quilt for the living room and put these squares in it so they don't go to waste.. I will have to go buy more potholders, so hopefully there wasnt a mad stampede for them since last night!

This was the first time appliquéing the birds like this. These are also the same birds I hand drew for that tray I did. Kind of made it up as I went along.

Materials used:

Heat n' bond and iro
brown thread
fat quarter quilting fabric in brown
clearance potholders cut apart. (I thought I was so slick for these at 50 cents a piece...too bad thats what ruined it.)

Result:

Poooooooor sad bird. :( Pin It

I took the handmade pledge!

I have been wanting to do this for awhile but was too much of a chicken. I decided to go for it though. Hopefully we can last through Christmas! (Shoot, I can even "make" gift card covers if nothing else :)) Every gift we will give will be handmade related. There are a couple of things that won't be, but thats given out of tradition or for the kids. I am excited and nervous to figure it all out!

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Competition Among (Women) Friends

I would like to talk about an issue that happens with every single woman out there. There is no denying that it happens, and its constant. I can go out on a limb here and say it happens to every single woman because whether you feel it or someone feels it against you, its out there (and I can even bet that it usually goes both ways)....

Competition amongst us.

Bigger or nicer homes, better jobs, comparison between children (or if you don't have children, wanting them), greater husbands, nicer looking bodies, nicer cars, cooler clothes and accessories, greater haircuts, more money, more stuff, even petty silly things like nicer bigger more read cooler blogs, better more greater nicer bigger whatever anything.

It doesn't matter WHAT the age, from little girls to little old ladies, there is competition amongst us. "I want that Barbie, she has so many, I only have two" or "Everyone always wants to hang out with her, what about me? I live alone too." Yes, even when you are old and gray it happens. There is no stopping it.

And its a disease...spreading around, preventing us to grow stronger and more secure with ourselves as women.

"She always gets everything she wants." "She always looks like she doesn't even have to try." "It all just comes so easily to her in life" "She has a nicer body, I can never look like that" "Why does her house always look like..." "Gosh, I wish I could...."

It is horrible! Keeping up with the Jones' is an understatement. Its a feeling of inadequacy. You feel inferior because you don't measure up. It starts to make you feel resentful, angry, bitter, and also results in wallowing in your own self pity. "No one likes me" "I have no friends" "I am so alone" "I feel so ugly all of the time" "No matter what I do, I can't be me, everyone else is the same way, I want to be different"

But guess what! YOU ARE DIFFERENT! We are ALL different! And we are all beautiful!

Its easier said than done, but think about it. When you get into the rut of comparing and competing, you lose who you really are. The qualities that we all have, that should compliment one another, strengthen our friendships, uplift our lives are instead ruining us. Its tearing us apart, putting us against one another.

Let's stop the cycle. Is it easy for me to sit here and say this? No. I am horrible with this. I get down on myself all. of. the. time. I couldn't sit here and count how many times I have cried to my mom, my husband, my friends, myself, to my God. I just want it to go away.

No one has it easy, no matter how much it seems like it. There is so much going on in my own life right now that isn't apparent to ANYONE, no matter how much they think they know me. And it goes the same for anyone. We all have different lives. We all hurt.

No one is better than someone else. No one is a better wife, mother or friend unless they are more focused on what is wrong with themselves, then they are hurting their family and selves.. Focus on yourself. Give what you can to your relationships. If someone does it a different way, good for them!

Don't judge. Don't compare. Don't belittle people's lives or feelings. We all get our feelings hurt. And when someone acts ugly out of jealousy, it really hurts. It hurts relationships, minds, lives. And you know that beauty everyone has? When jealousy comes out, the beauty goes away.

My husband always tells me that I am prettiest woman in the world when I smile, but when I am angry...... What he says makes me laugh, but its true. Think about someone you know and admire. Are they kind? Do they have a good heart? Do you think they are pretty? Or is it what's on the outside that you admire? Think about if that person you admire so much because of their "stuff" .... Stuff means nothing.

Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Focus on what is on the inside. That's what matters. Figure out who you are on the inside, and nothing on the outside will be worth fighting about anymore. Love each other. Support and uplift each other. Let's not tear down and separate. Pin It

Just tellin' it how it is.

Well look who it is! Jackson! Sweet Baby Jack, playing in his crib...

But just because I tell it how it is.... here are a few of the memorable moments from our little mini shoot.

Hey, when ya got an itch.....scratch it.


Bless you!.....YUCK!!

I love this little guy....itches and all :) Pin It