Wine Bottle Lamps

Friends are so special in so many ways. God has put several Christian, kind, supportive, imperfect women in my life, I don't know what I would do with out.
I have been helping one of them trying to start up a new business. These adorable, beautiful, fun "Lights In A Bottle". Have you ever noticed how beautiful alot of wine labels are. They are truly art work! I am going to post pictures later. I only have them on my phone and don't know how to get them on my computer, I am sure there is a way......I am just not that computer literate. For now I will just put her web site here: "http://www.linghtsinabottle.org/">http://www.linghtsinabottle.org/ . I know you will love them! She embelishes the shades and will do cutom bottles for weddings (find out ahead of time what wine they will be servcing), anniversaries, birthdays, Bunco gifts, Pokeno gifts.....so many possibilities!
I would like to think that my friend would support me the way I support her.She is a very talented, artistic, person, who sees the beauty in everything. I know that my gifts God has given me are serving and hospitality. I know too, that not everyone has those gifts. Sometimes I feel like I give to much to others and don't give my family or myself the right kind of giving. Do you ever feel this way. I am a follower of Insipred Into Action and she is starting a Month of Giving. I am excited about this......I have been looking for a way to give back to my friends and our community. How do you give back?

Hubby's Quilt

As you can see this is a quilt in progress. I just have to quilt and bind it. It went pretty fast, but I have been distrascted and haven't sewn in about 6 weeks! I need to finish it and work on some of my other projects. Just thought I would give you a peek at what I am "working" on!

Komen Race for the Cure

LSH came in this weekend to walk the Race for the Cure with the family and to celebrate her birthday. I love it when the whole family is under one roof!

I raised $690 so far for The Komen Foundation.I wish it could have been more, but is more than in the past! I am going to start earlier next year. I thank all of my family and friends that contributed! It is near and dear to my heart....I am a 10 year Breast Cancer Survivor and LSH interned for them last year.

My wonderful nephew joned us in the walk. I was touched, he is a first year law student and doesn't have much extra time. He is so thoughtful! Our family enjoyed spending a little time with him.

There were over 30,000 people there, it was sooooo......crowded! It took 2 hours to walk it because of all of the people and narrow pathways. But think of all the money raised for a great cause. I appreciate my husbands company for supporting it and paying oue entry fees and raising a lot of money for Komen (not sure of the total).

God has been so good to our family, brought us through so many hard times." With God's strength we can do anything", sometimes I need to remember to tap into that strength!

Blessings to you all-

Ellen

After Pictures

I finally figures out how to tuirn my pictures, have to do it before I try to dao a post! I know I am a little slow, mot very mechanical. I love this fabric. I also took my ungly Rooster valences dow forgot to take a before picture. I need to take a picture of my "new" breakfast room area.

Garage Sale Store Find

I got 4 chairs for $11.99 at the local Garage Sale Store. They were covered in this horrible Fall craft fabric....dirty......Have a look.....up! I really need to figure out how to turn my pictures the right way!The after will come soon!

Birthday......29??????39??????

My Birthday Dinner with the girls! What fun! Cheesecake Factory with six of my dear friends. Is there anything better?

Aggieland

What a weekend! First visists with Advisors and walking around campus with LEH, then lunch with LSH, then the chaotic, but exciting "Ring Day" with LSH. She was so excited, "I am never taking this off!". She didn't want to do the new tradition of the "Ring Dunk". Evidently the idea of putting your brand new Aggie ring into a pitcher of beer and chugging until you get to the bottom and the ring, did not appeal to our daughter. I have to say that I am not too sad about that, although I probably would have done it.....who's kidding who, I would have.

We then did a little tent shopping! The girls and I got a few things, but amazingly enought my Red Raider hubby who is paying a great deal of $$$ to A&M, did not want anything!

It was dinner time by now, so we ate at this great place in Welborn, TX called Hullaballoo's (SP?). It is the cutest diner. We had a great home cooked dinner and the breakfast menu looked awsome. We want to try it next visit!

After dinner, we went to the ever popular H.E.B. and brought LSH some groceries to wste time until mid-night yell...hubby, LEH and my first. I thought it was going to be this long pep rally, but it was only about 20 minutes. It was fun seeing all of the team spirit! I wish we lived near or in Lubbock so that we could participate in the fun there.

Saturday, we got up, did a little shopping, my favorite past time! Then we paid $20 to park in the West Campus garage and walk over to the Corps Quad to visit my Best Friend and her family. He son is a Freshman in the Corps. He is in E-2, the group that takes care of Revelle. LSH was reluctant, but she took her picture with that beautiful Collie. We then walked all the way back to West Garage and couldn't remember where we parked! We walked around the garage, trying to get my alarm to go off so that we could find it.....it took about 20 minutes. I don't know if it's early alzheimer's or just nobody paying attention! I hope the latter.

We went back to the Apt. and loaded up, got LSH something to eat and dropped her off to meet her friends for the game. Evidently it was a rollercoaster game, but in hte end they pulled it out! Gig'em! Wait, did I just say that.....maybe I am becoming somewhat maroon!

We came home in time to see our precious DS get Baptised.....so sweet to see a child make a decision to live his life for Christ! I am so glad that we made it back! We stayed a bit and then we were so tired that we went home, unloaded the car and watched the Tech.v.Texas game......a total nightmare! LEH and Hubby were having fits! I have to say I understand....the officiating stunk and many mistakles on both sides were made! Our house was very sad at the end of the game. I grew up bleeding burnt orange, but I am a Red Raider now and was very sad.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings. I have some projects that I am working on and hope to have them posted soon!

Addison Graces Quilt

I finally finished Addison Grace's quilt! I have been working on it off and on for a very long time (since Jan or Feb). I went to Dallas and was able to give it to her personally. She is such a beautiful little girl, with red hair just like her father and as swwet as can be!

I think that ththe rail fenceis is my favorite pattern to make. This is my 2nd one. They usually go quickly, I am just a procrastinator when it comes to finishing a quilt.

Another Quilting Retreat

What fun we had! Camp Allen is so beautiful and peaceful! I finally finished Addison Grace's quilt! WHoo hoo!

LSH Was Home

Hello! I have been busy the last few days. My oldest is in town and with J in China, we have been shopping, doing facials, having medis & pedis, more shoipping, sewing, watching movies, just enjoying ourselves & eachother's company. I am not only proud and honored to be her mother, I am so blessed to have such a wonderful, mature, sweet, smart, beautiful, responsible, Godly young woman.

I made a couple of pillows for her sofa and a couple of places mats for her table. Don't look too much, but I think they turned out pretty cute. She picked out really cute fabric! I am planning to make some napkins or a runner, something else with the left over fabric.

I guess now I have to get back to reality and help the younger one get ready for her hiking and CIY trips, clean house, finish laundry, work on projects.......and the list goes on. I think she enjoyed having her sister home. I pray that when age isn't a factor that they will become closer than they are. They are such comlete opposites, but each are very special and the best gifts (besides their Dad) that God has ever given me(and giving his Son for my sins).

Day 2

Hello! I am posting again today, trying to catch up with the challenge.

The question of the day was: "What was the best part of your day?"

The best part of my day today was getting to wake up to my hubby and spending a tough day with him. We slept in, then had lunch and drove to the Med Center for my mammogram. It was a long wait, they forgot me! Once they real;ized it, they rushed me right in and I din't have to wait at all and they gave me my results tight there. The results were wonderful, I don't have to go back for another year. Hubby was with me the whole time and then treated me to dinner at "Fat Mike's: one of my new favorite places.

A Little Late

I am joining in the 30-day Journal Challenge with Run With Scissors. I am excited! I journal, but not as oftem or as long as I would like. The first day was to do a page about yourself....putting your name as much as you could with in it. I am doing mine on my blog, so I am just going to write random things about me.

1. I am 5'3''.
2. I love to read.....currently reading-Whitehorn Woods by Maeve Binchy.
3. Love to cruise thrift shops and find treasures.
4. Love to redo treasures.
5. Love my hubby....he's so wonderful.
6. Had great results from mammogram today, don't have to go back for a year!
7. Love mygirls and am so very proud to be their mother!
8. I love red, black, pink. I love color in my life!
9. I miss my Father and thought About buying Father's Day cards today and even after 6 years realized that I only needed one for my father-in-law.
10. Have great neighbors.
11. I am dying to go see my mother, will go next month.
12. I am tender hearted.
13. I want to figure out what God wants me to do with my life.....am I doing it?????
14. I pray for my daughter's future husbands, whoever they may be.
15. I feel lonely alot.
16. I have two dogs that I am allergic to, but I am willing to take shots to keep them!
17. I am not allergic to cats but do not want any, ever!
18. I love to quilt and create things.
19. I love Northside Christian Church.
20.I want to be a finisher....complete things instead of having 20 things going on at once.
21.I want to be healthy!
22. I want to volunteer, but I can't get NAM or SAM to call me back!

Have a Blessed Evening!

E

Mother's Day

What a wonderful Mother's Day! Almost my whole family together. LSH came home from college even though finals were this week! What a gift, I loved it. I need to brag a bit, I love my girls so very much! They are smart, LEH is #12 in a class of about 880 and she works so hard, doesn't require much in the way of material things. LSH is pretty much the same. So independent. I am so proud to be their Mother,Mom, hey you!

Back to the family get together. My Niece Em, go the event together and invited everyone. So sweet and thoughtful! It was a great gift for mother. I appreciate all of the hard work she put into it and that my sister put into making the potatoe salad and opening her home to us. My Sister in law, niece and nephew came in from Ft. Worth and it was wonderful to see them, we don't see them enough! My brother and his wife and children came, the children are so cute and were so good! They are 7 & 3. We really missed the twins & Kat and my brothers oldest two and their families! Maybe next time.

Families are so complex, I don't think that any of them are normal.....whatever that means. I am just so happy that we could all come together and differences put aside.

Here is a prayer I have been praying from Ruth Myers 31 Days of Praise:

"Dear Father,I thank youfor the people in my life who seem to bring more pain than joy, for I believe You have let our paths cross for important reasons.Thank you for the good things You want to do in my life through the things that bother me (their irritating habits? their moodiness? their unloving ways> their demands? their insensitivity? their unrealistic expectations?) I'm grateful that You are with me, to meet my needs when others-even those close to me-fail to do so. I'm so glad that You are also within m, working to make me more like Jesus-more patient, more gentle, more loving- through the very things I dislike.

Thank You too that You love these people, and that Your love is adequate to meet their deep needs and to transform their lives, however willful or unwise they may sometimes be. Thank You that You care for them deeply, and that each of them has the potential of being a vast reservoir from which You could receive eternal pleasure. And so, though I may not feel grateful, I give thanks for them by faith, trusting Your goodness, Your wisdom, Your power. and Your love for them as well as for me.

And I praise You that I need not fret about these people, or be envious, or mull over angry thoughts to prove I'm right. Thank You that by Your power I can receive them as You receive me, just as I am, warts and wrinkles and hangups and all...that I can choose not to judge them, but to forgive them...to cancel any debts I feel they owe me-any apologies, any obligations...that through Your grace , I can choose to wipe clean any sklate of grievences I have within me, and to view these people with a heart that says, "You no longer owe me a thing." Thank You for your Spirit who empowers me, so that I can do them good, delight in You, resting in You as You unfold Your good purposes in these relationships-in Your name."

May this prayer be a comfort to you!

Ellen

Quilting Retreat

Hello ! I was blessed enough to spent the weekend with my quilting buddies at Camp Allen for a Quilting Retreat. We rented 2, 3 bedroom cabins that were on the"lake". God provided beautiful weather, we provided the good food, Camp Allen provided great accommodations.

It is such a small world, the cabins we stayed in were some of "Claude's Cabins" named for Bishop Claude Payne. He was one of my ministers at St. Martin's years ago. Then I was sitting talking to to one of my quilting friends (a new friend-she goes to another church, but quilts with us) and she said she was from Longview. I told her I only new one person (one of my sister's best friends growing up) that had lived there and she said who and I'll be danged if it wasn't one of her good friends! We called her and had a good visit. We plan to get together soon. Also, my new friend also lives in my neighborhood.A weekend of coincidences!

The best part of the weekend is that I finished my sister's log cabin , cat quilt! I have been working on it on and off (mostly off) for about a year! I am so thankful that I can finally send it to her!

Naps!

I should have been cleaning house, sewing or something productive. Instead I had my awsome after church, nap on the couch. It was cloudy and yucky outside, perfect for napping! Thank you to Mr. H & Lulu for keeping the house quiet!

Church was great this morning. Brandon did a great job talking about Jesus an his way to Jeruselum for the last time, traveling there to his death. His death on the cross for our sins. He talked about Bartimus, the blind man, who was treated like scum, like a 2nd class citizen, yet woke up every day and stumbled out to beg from the Jews on their way to Jeruselum. They would ignore him or worse say ugly things to him and those like him. Yet, Jesus heard Bartemus calling out to Him asking for His Mercy! Brandon challenged us to move out of our comfort zone and reach out to those searching for God's mercy, not ignore those that don't believe or are down and out, show them God's love and mercy. I pray that my heart will be convicted and I will move out of my comfort zone and reach out to those people.

I am looking forward to my sewing day tomorrow. I am still working on my quilt for Addison Grace, our great-neice! I need to finish the corners, and sandwich it tomorrow. I really look forward to my Monday's with my sewing buddies. I will try and post pictures tomorrow.

Valentine's Dinner 2010

I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day! We celebrated with friends on the 12th. We had such a great time. We we to the F's for drinks , then on Buca di Peppo for dinner and back to our home for dessert. We did this last year and went to The Gooses Acre, I hope that this will be a tradition for many years to come!

Dinner was awsome, we got 4-5 different Pasta dishes, 2 different salads and lots of garlic bread. Oh sooooo...good! I made a cherry triffle and chocolate mousse. Both of them wer mighty delish, if I say so myself and so easy! Mousse isn't as hard as I thought!

I love my honey and love my friends, I am a blessed woman.

Ellen

Road Trip With Friends

Yesterday, I had a great time on a Road Trip with good friends, fellow quilters and mentors. We went to Breanham to their Bi-annual Quilt Show. We had a great time looking at the beautiful quilts.

These are some the beautiful quilts! We did a little shopping Heather and I found old quilting magazines for .25 to $1. We bought lots to get ideas from. We went to downtown Brenham for lunch. I had a yummy avacado, stuffed with chicken salad along with a green salad. I was really bad and got Bread Pudding with incredible Burbon Sauce to take home! I saved it for dessert .....and it was decadent!

It is so nice to have friends to do these things with. I am so blessed! I am blessed in many ways.

I am working on several projects still, I am planning on finishing my sisters quilt at the Quliting Retreat in a couple weeks. I am still working on a couple of purses and my great-neices quilt. I have Lulu's quilt, Mr. H's Texas Tech t-shirt quilt and My Breast Cancer t-shirt quilt.

Have a great rest of the weekend.

Ellen