BOOKINGS, BOOKS, AND BOOK MARKS!

I know this picture is a bit hard to view because of the lacy contrasts, but I wanted to share another of my winter projects with you.

These are the tatted Bible BOOKMARKS that I've been making. Occasionally I vary the design as I did in the one on the left. When completed, they are pinned to my lace pillow (used for bobbin lace) for stretching. After they are stretched and pressed they are ready for sale or gift-giving! Very easy to make and low cost! These make great gifts and I never keep them in stock for long!

Praise the Lord with me for the provision He has already set in place as with very little effort, Clint filled three of the four Sundays on the February calendar with preaching dates (BOOKINGS) at various churches! It feels like a confirmation from God in the direction we were sensing! The little tatted bookmarks will go well if we start a traveling ministry where we set up a BOOK table. Some friends told us they have been "seeing us for a month or more" (before we resigned) in traveling ministry and having my books offered on a book table! Amazing! May the Lord's will be done! Blessings, LORI

AN ENGLISH CASTLE--PAINTING #5

Introducing my fifth painting! I am quite happy with this one. I wish the colors would show up a bit better, because that's what I like best about it! I am really enjoying the new art set Rhiannon got me for Christmas. This has been a great way to wile away the cold January hours this year. So far this is my favorite painting of all. I've done three barns, the hollyhocks and this English castle.

I try to work on a little bit on a painting each day. It's amazing to see how a work evolves (hate that word!). I usually start with sky and background and then gradually add details. I didn't like the colors of the hills on this one, so I added "heather" to mask some colors I was not happy with. I was very pleased with the skies here and wish you could see the colors better.

I hope you are enjoying your winter days! Blessings, LORI

A BEAUTIFUL GIFT AND RECLAIMED SNIPPETS

I wanted to take time to post about the projects I've been working on! The first picture was of the wonderful gift I received recently! A dear friend had my name for the Christmas gift drawing for our spinning and weaving group. I missed the Christmas party and didn't get to pick up the gift until late last week. To the untrained eye, this stuff in the heart-shaped chair looks like a big pile of fluff. But to me, it's like GOLD! I was so excited to see these two huge balls of Icelandic roving from my friend's farm! I will surely put that to use! I made her the 'THANK EWE!' note (pictured below) in reply.

I got in the mood to use a bunch of my "waste" tatting--pieces of scrap tatting that didn't work out for one reason or another. I made up all the cards you see pictured by using these little snippets of otherwise wasted lace. It's amazing how perfectly some of the shapes lent themselves to new uses; the sheep and the girl's petticoat, for example!

Is there a lesson to be learned here? Things that we don't value much and might toss aside are very precious in the eyes of God. Sometimes we make the mistake of treating people that way. We don't value others as God values them and tend ignore them or their contributions. Let's be careful to see the value in every person God has created since all people are dear to His heart. (Jeremiah 1:5)

Sometimes it's the small things in life that really count the most--like the tatting that became something very unique with just a little effort. I wonder how many overlooked persons there are in the world that might be doctors, lawyers, teachers, or statesmen, if only one person would value them and give them a chance to succeed? This month marks the anniversary of the famous Roe v. Wade court decision. One can't help but wonder how many babies that are now "missing persons" in our country could have impacted lives had they been allowed to live. As well as grieving for the precious lives lost, we also need to remember that the mothers of thoses babies might have also been hurt or overlooked by someone in their lives. We can only imagine the stories behind the stories.

I hope this post showing my tatting and the joy this wonderful gift of roving will help make the point that many things in life have value far beyond first glance! Blessings, LORI

ONE LONELY SOCK

I finished this pretty sock a long time ago, before Christmas. Then I got busy doing other projects and failed to start the matching sock! I am kind of dreading the project now, even though the first sock really turned out well! I wonder if I can remember the stitches I used since I changed a few things? I do need this pair though since I am using my homemade, partly wool socks much more this winter. We are keeping the heat turned way, way down in the house and there is nothing like the homemade socks to take off the winter chill! Blessings, LORI

A FAILED DOILY

I have been tatting every evening for the last week. This is the finished project. Now you would think that a veteran tatter (36 years since I learned) would not have a failed project. But doilies are supposed to lie flat. This one doesn't. When I tried to stretch it, one of the joinings came apart. Usually I stretch the doilies I make overnight after each round added. I do this by pinning them onto one of my bobbin lace pillows. I got lazy and failed to do that this time. Then I paid for it in a "puffy" doily.

I have two options. Try to restretch it and fix the join, or make a velvet pincushion and shape it over it and have a lovely, lacey pincushion? Any suggestions? I had intended to sell this doily, but now, I think it's only useful to me. Taught me a lesson on scrimping my time.

How often do we scrimp on our time for the Lord and then think we can just be alright and go on with life? I think this lesson of taking time to work and prepare properly is applicable to our spiritual lives as welll, don't you? Let's present our best time and effort for the Lord! Blessings, LORI

JANUARY PROJECTS

I am thrilled to share with you my first two paintings! Rhiannon got me a beginner's acrylic set for Christmas and I've been having such fun. I try to paint almost every day near the living room window where the afternoon sun comes shining in. I know I have a long way to go, but I feel like I've improved in just two projects.

The first painting I did was the hollyhocks. Emma and I were working together in the last blog post and that was the hollyhocks picture in its infant stages. The second painting was another country scene, the red barn against fall fields and dark stormy skies. These are the scenes of my country life.

With all the family history we've done, I've read about my grandmothers and great grandmothers who loved to paint. One great grandmother loved to paint the pansies that she grew every year. My own dear grandmother painted flowers and covered bridges. I remember seeing her paintings displayed all over her living room when I was a young girl. She once gave me a painting of poinsettias on a canvas. I wish I still had it, but somehow it was lost over the years.

Thanks for sharing my latest art attempts! Blessings, LORI

ENJOYING FAMILY HOLIDAY TIME

Here is a picture taken during the recent Christmas sesason at our house. I wanted a lovley little picture of the girls in the dresses I made them--but Sophie was mad about posing! They had little coordinating dresses made from some leftover fabric I sewed up from a bridesmaid dress Rhiannon had made for a friend's recent wedding! I did some beading on the decorative ribbon and added a sparkly tulle skirt to each dress. They looked like snow princesses! Wish I had a good picture of them in their outfits.





I really like the picture of two budding artists! Rhiannon got me a watercolor painting set for Christmas. I've always wanted to learn to paint. I am enjoying it so much. If you know anything about painting, you can see I am going about it the wrong way! But I completed the picture today and I am quite pleased. Emma insisted on sitting very close to Granny and coloring on her own pictures! I loved it!







I also wanted to tell all my blog friends that during this Christmas season, we made one of the hardest decisions of our lives. Early in 2010, it seemed the Lord spoke to us about this being a year of awkward changes. There were many! Some of the biggest changes of our lives, like JT and Kori moving to Colorado and Clint's mom moving out of her home of 49 years all occurred this year. In addidion to that we had a big decision to make ourselves. We resigned the pastorate at NCCF--a position Clint has held for over 18 years. This decision was agonizing. He began a sabbatical upon the strong advice of our oversight in mid-November. Clint was burned out at that point and seriously needed to regroup. Through much prayer, counsel, and even things like prophetic words and dreams, we finally could see that God was directing that our time at NCCF was through. This decision was emotional to say the least. We read our letter of resignation on January 2. We will stay at NCCF for a short transition until the end of January. After that our plans are indefinite.



It would have been more comfortable for us had we had another job in place, but this time it seemed the Lord was asking us to take a big leap of faith. We do not know what we are to do next--still waiting on the Lord for direction! In the last year or so we had done some speaking outside our church. Clint is an evangelist at heart and hopes to be able to do more along those lines. If you know of any churches or groups wanting special speaking or a series of meetings--please suggest us!





Please pray for us as we come to mind. We will be seeking other employment and Michigan is not the best environment for that, but we trust that God will work beyond any of our limitations.



Happy New Year to you and many Blessings, LORI