A chest full of hopes

My sisters and I each got a hope chest for christmas. We were very excited. The dilemma was, they were unfinished unassembled hope chests. So until this summer they've been sitting in there boxes in the yard shed just waiting to be finished. We each got our finishing supplies, (our choice of color) our sand paper, our creativity, and went to work. They are now all sitting in our room just waiting to be filled with hopes. I used a stain called "weathered gray". I was going for a vintage-y look. It was a lot of fun to put together. (I got some first time experience putting a piece of furniture together, too.) I love that it's personalized and I'll be able to use in my own home some day.

Do you have a hope chest?

Easter Preparations

                                          >>Hard boiled eggs

                                        >>We used natural egg dye this year!

                                                >> Blown eggs on the door

                                   >>>  Medallions...Inspiration from here

                                                        

                                           >>Blown egg trees

                                                   Medallions & Eggs

We're getting ready to celebrate Easter with both sides of our family. We've been planning, preparing and decorating. Here's a peek of the decorations strewn about our home.

•Crocheted Tree Tutorial•

With a little time on your hands you can make a cute last minute gift. This crocheted tree can be an ornament, applique or even a cleaning scrubby. You can experiment with this pattern to design your own original tree shape. I will start by showing you how to make the tree and then I'll show you how to make a tree trunk and how to stuff your tree (optional).

 You'll need two balls of yarn, crochet hook, large needle, and stuffing or felt.

 Begin with 12 stitches and crochet three rows.

 Then decrease one stitch and crochet three rows. Decrease one more stitch and crochet one row.

 Decrease one and crochet a row again. You should now have nine stitches.

Keep on decreasing one stitch and crocheting one row until you have one stitch on your hook. Now cut your yarn and finish off.

If you want to make a stuffed tree repeat the above steps to crochet two tree pieces.
If you'd like to make your tree a stump begin with two stitches on your crochet  hook and crochet about four rows. You should have a rectangular piece. Now roll it up and stitch it closed. It should look like a cylinder.
Put your stump aside for the moment. 

 Now take your stuffing and sandwich it between the two pieces. Start to whip stitch with yarn on one side of the tree and stitch your way to the top and down the other side.

 Take your stump and put it in the middle of the open end. Stitch one half of the opening and stitch the stump on all the way around.

Now stitch the other end closed. Tie off. You can decorate your tree with ribbon, buttons, and anything you like.

I crocheted a few little "ornaments".

I hope this all makes sense. If you have any questions just comment!
Have a blessed holiday season...

A few of my favorite things...

Mina is having a photo contest!
The theme is your favorite things...

...Sewing, crocheting, music and photography. :-)

Click here to enter...

A Batch of Homemade Soap

 My two sisters and I made our first batch of soap a few weeks ago.
It was a very good learning experience and we've been enjoying our fresh bars of sweet soap. 

Nothing better than being able to use something that you've made.

I am sure you can tell their homemade... and No, we don't recommend that you cut the soap bars from our example, but we are happy how they turned out anyway. :-)

Good enough to eat right? ;-)

Don't forget to scrub behind your ears!

We used Homestead blessings recipe on their The Art of Soap Making DVD.

Do you like liquid or bars of soap better?

Pins & Needles...

 I've been doing a little crafting lately. I got out my patterns, pins and needles and went to work.
 

Can you guess what I made?

Easter Sunday

...Tissue paper flowers.....

 ....and bright colored eggs are such fun to create,
       but not compared to the price that our dear Savior payed.


On Easter we remember and celebrate the rising Christ our Lord. His awesome acts shine bright and we praise His glorious deeds!

 

See what a morning

See what a morning, gloriously bright,
With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;
Folded the grave-clothes,
Tomb filled with light,
As the angels announce Christ is risen!
See God's salvation plan, wrought in love, 
Borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,
Fulfilled in Christ, the Man, for He lives:
Christ is risen from the dead!

See Mary weeping, 'Where is He laid?'
As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb;
Hears a voice speaking, calling her name;
It's the Master, the Lord raised to life again!
The voice that spans the years,
Speaking life, stirring hope,
Bringing peace to us,
Will sound till He appears,
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead!

One with the Father, Ancient of Days,
Through the Spirit
Who clothes faith with certainty,
Honour and blessing, glory and praise
To the King crowned
With power and authority!
And we are raised with Him,
Death is dead, love has won,
Christ has conquered;
And we shall reign with Him,
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead!  
Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2003 Thankyou Music

 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 
 Romans 6:8-11