Up A Tree...

This time of year
we find Christmas trees everywhere... 

Bet you'd never guess that I
live in a little coastal community...
 

This tree is constructed
from wire lobster traps...
The decorations are lobster buoys...
And the top...well...
it's a red lobster holding a star!

This tree is constructed
from driftwood...
washed ashore after a storm...
The decorations are also lobster buoys...
And the top is a styrofoam boat mooring.

Today I worked
on some very simple trees
to use as tags for gifts...
or they could be strung
 together as garland...

They are oh so easy to make...
First, cut a pattern
from cardboard...

4 inches across bottom, 5 inches tall

Next, cut out two
triangle shapes from
assorted scraps...

and one square
from brown felt...

Great way to use up scraps!

Make a sandwich of
triangle, felt, triangle
with right sides together...

Then, sew across the bottom...
I do a whole bunch at once!

Clip the threads
and then open up
and iron
wrong sides together...

Starting at the bottom...
Sewing up one side,
pivot, then down the other
leaving about an inch open...

I used white thread to see more easily...

Stuff with fiberfill...
Then sew up the opening...

It's much easier if

you do them all together!

Next,
cut both sides with
pinking shears...
Too easy!

I also thread a big needle
with silver string
to make a hanger at the top...

I've found it helps
to "paint" the sides
and the hanger end
with mod podge
which dries clear...

Ever feel as if you are "up a tree"?

"Up a tree" is an idiom that
refers to being...

"in a difficult situation without
an easy way to escape..."

How often we find ourselves

in situations such as these...

misunderstandings or hurt feelings...

financial woes...

a loved one sick or in pain...

Sometimes it appears

that all is hopeless...

When I feel like this...

As I have this week...

I remember that our Lord 

never promised that life

on this earth would be easy...

^" Beloved, do not be surprised at the 

fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, 

as though something strange 

were happening to you. 

 But rejoice insofar as you share 

Christ's sufferings

, that you may also rejoice 

and be glad when his glory is revealed. .."

I Peter 4:12-13

But He did promise

to always be with us...

Through every trial...

and every heartache...

  "When you go through deep waters, 

I will be with you.  

When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.
 When you walk through the fire of oppression, 
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you..."

 Isaiah 43:2

For no one knows any better

than our Lord  

what it felt like...

To be "up a tree"... 

"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus,

 whom ye slew and hanged on a tree..." 

Acts 5:30