Hairpin Turns...

Many of you know

how much I love

the crafts and handiwork

of times past.

Last year,

I took up the lost art

of tatting...

Not long after that

my mom stopped by with some old

newspaper clippings

that she had saved from long ago.

One of them was all about

"hairpin lace" crochet...

 Hairpin lace is a crochet technique

in which you use a crochet hook

and a hairpin lace loom.

 The loom consists of two metal rods
 which are held at the
top and bottom

by plastic removable bars.

The name originates from

the metal U-shaped ladies' hairpin

which was originally used...

perhaps even back as far

as in Shakespeare's time.

In those days,

Some believe this was 

the common folks' way

of making lace,

which was a sign of wealth

back then.

 I happened to stumble

across one of these looms

at the thrift store last week...

It was such a bargain

at 50 cents...

My first projects were

these hairpin lace bookmarks...

Sort of my own design...

Next, I am working

on a baby afghan...

Still in the very beginning stages indeed.

This blanket is made in a series of "strips" 

Speaking of hairpins...

Have you ever encountered a "hairpin turn"

while driving?

One moment, 

you're heading in one direction...

And then suddenly,

You are going completely in the opposite direction.

Our lives can be filled with

"hairpin turns" as well...

One minute,

everything seems to be in order

and going smoothly...

And suddenly,

everything changes...

There is confusion, heartache,

grief, anger, misunderstanding.

Yet, I am reminded of 

the amazing story of  Joseph,

 found in Genesis 37,

A young man who seemed to "have it all."

He was his father's favorite son

And he had the perfect life...

Or...so it appeared...

Then suddenly,

One fateful day,

Joseph ended up in "a pit"...

And his life took a "hairpin turn"...

But through all the heartache

and despair...

God had a plan...

And He has a plan for each of us...

We just need to trust Him.

Dear friends,

I just wanted to especially thank you

for your continued prayers...

in the midst of the "struggle" with my

parents and their home...

my father had a heart attack on Wednesday.

We so appreciate your loving

thoughts and prayers...

and continue to rely on

Our Great Healer.

"But as for you, 

 ye thought evil against me;

but God meant it unto good..."

Genesis 50:20

Seeing The Forest For The Trees...

Every year...around this time...

My parents attend a Christmas gathering

Of family and friends. 

It has always been a tradition

of my mother's

To make her famous peanut butter balls

and an ornament

for each of the families at the party.

I always help her with this task.

Last year,

I made "lobstahs"..

This year,
Mom wasn't feeling well enough
to make the peanut butter balls...

So...
I sewed up 25 little bags...
and made several batches...
for her to take to the party.

I usually make the ornament...
And this year I decided to do
a fun little one
that was very inexpensive to make!

My husband cut a birch limb
into 1/2 inch thick circles...
and drilled little holes for the ribbon.

 

After letting them dry
under the woodstove...
I stamped a little pine tree
on each wood circle.


 

Then, using a toothbrush,
I spattered white paint
for a snow effect.


 

I then added some 
three dimensional "snow"
to the bottom of each one!


 

You can buy this "snow" already made
in the craft department of most stores...
Or make your own by mixing
white glue and clear plastic crystals.


 

I added a red ribbon bow
and tie to each.


 

I boxed the 25 bags complete 
with 10 peanut butter balls each
for my parents to take to the gathering.

Unfortunately, they were unable to attend.
But my oldest brother was able to take
the "treats" down to Massachusetts.

While making these ornaments
I thought about the saying...

"You can't see the forest for the trees..."

This saying is usually used when
expressing that a person is focusing
too much on specific problems
and is missing the point.

Or, in other words,
Paying too close attention to detail
And not seeing the whole picture.

Remember the account of the 
miraculous feeding of the five thousand?

This was the only miracle
recorded in all 4 gospels.

What Jesus commanded his disciples to do
seemed impossible...
to feed such a large and hungry crowd
with such little provisions...

The disciples just couldn't see 
"the bigger picture..."

That this miraculous food
foreshadowed the true heavenly bread
which Jesus would offer his followers.

For He, alone,
is the true bread of heaven
that can satisfy the deepest hunger
we experience.

My dad made this bread box for me many years ago...

"And Jesus said unto them,

I am the bread of life:

he that cometh to me shall never hunger..."

 John 6:35

New Life...

We are so blessed to welcome

the newest addition to our family...

My nephew's wife just gave birth

last week to a sweet little baby girl...

They named her Mollie.

 This fall,

They moved into their new home.

While my brother was helping them move...

He noticed something tossed in the trash...

An old wicker doll carriage.

When he asked about it,

My "niece" said that it used to be hers

(and her mother's before her)

when she was little,

but it was all broken now.

Well, my brother secretly

tucked it in his truck...

And brought it up to Maine.

In hopes that perhaps

we could repair it for Emma,

Mollie's "big" sister,

as a surprise.

My father replaced the wicker handle

and some of the broken pieces on the bed...

And then gave it to me

to make a new cover.

My brother had found a picture

on the internet 

of the original carriage

which was done in red gingham.

I used the picture to make

a hood, mattress, and skirt.

I used some vintage linen

to make a pillow, pillow case,

sheet, and matching doll quilt.

 One day,

While in a dusty old antique shop,

I found this sweet little baby doll

Hidden under some stuffed animals

on a shelf.

I just knew that she was

the perfect doll for

Emma's carriage.

So... I brought her home...

Gave her a bath...

And made her a new nightie

and bonnet out of some

pink flannel.

And, of course,

she needed some 

"itty-bitty" baby booties!

It was so much fun

To give this "broken" carriage...

a "new life"...

I "happened" to run across

this little poem...

Which sums up this project...

and our lives...

so perfectly...

Broken Lives...

As children bring their broken toys

in tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God,

Because He is my Friend.

But then instead of leaving Him

to do His work alone,
I hung around and tried to help

In ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back 

and cried,
"How could you be so slow?"

"My child," He said,

"What could I do, 

You never did let go."

-anonymous-

How amazing...

When we are "broken"...

Our Lord offers us "New life"

If we will only let go

Of our old selves.

What an incredible gift.

Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

 behold, all things are become new.

I Corinthians 5:7