I have been working on finishing the Monkey Quilt this week. I have completed the backing now and this morning laid it out so that I could layer it. It has now been pinned and is sitting next to my sewing machine in order to be quilted.
I was having a hard time deciding on what color thread to use for the quilting. But, with the help of some sweet people on The Quilting Board, I have chosen to go with a cream/ off white color. I am very excited to get the quilting finished and then put the binding on. The binding always gets sewn down by hand. I could never get it the way I wanted on the machine, so I have always done that part by hand.
I think that this is one of my favorites. I really like the colors and it looks like a little boys quilt. Probably more than the blue and white quilts that I have made in the past for little boys.
Any way here are a couple of pictures of the quilt pin basted together and ready to be quilted.
Blessings to all, ~S~
The Quilted YaYa
Are you "Guilty by Association"? Better yet, "Who do You associate with?"
I personally, associate with Christians. That doesn't necessarily make me a Christian. I go to church on Sundays, again that doesn't necessarily make me a Christian. Corrie ten Boom is quoted as saying, "Just because a mouse is in a cookie jar doesn't make it a cookie." This is especially true in the South where so many people are trained or brought up in a church environment. They have learned to speak "Christian-ese". When trying to decide if a person is a Christian we must watch their actions. Or as Jesus said the fruit that they produce. (Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Matthew 7:20) What fruit? Well the fruit of the spirit of Christ. (But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Gal. 5:22-23) Do you ask God daily to examine your heart and to show you where you are lacking? In Ephesians 6 it says that I must put on the full armor of God. Without doing this it can be very hard to have or show the fruit of the spirit. To learn how to put on the armor and to have the fruit of the spirit I must associate daily with the one who provides that fruit. I must be connected to the vine, or without metaphors, I must daily connect myself to Christ. To do this you need to daily read God's word. Again Corrie ten Boom gave a wonderful picture of how this works... An empty glove is nothing but a shell or picture of our heart. Empty unless it is picked up and a hand put into it. When our heart is filled with God's spirit we are no long empty. Proverbs has much to say about associations. Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20 My child, fear the LORD and the king. Don't associate with rebels, for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the LORD and the king? Proverbs 24:21-22 Also 1 Corinthians 15 has much to say about bad company and good character. I will not quote the entire chapter here, but encourage the reader to look it up. So the big question here is, "What kind of company do you keep?" Do you hang around with those that are into idolatry, rebelliousness, sexual sin, drugs, who get angry and threaten, etc.? Because if you do you will be deemed guilty by association. If I am with a person that I call friend and they are stopped by the law and found to be in possession of drugs, do not think that I would not be accused. Yes, I would be innocent, but that would not matter to the judicial system. My good character and reputation would be damaged. Worse yet, because I call myself a Christian, the name of my Savior would be damaged. Now you might say that Jesus while he was on earth associated with thieves, prostitutes, and in general a very bad group of people. Yes, he spoke with these people. He touched them and healed many. Many followed Him. He is Emanuel, God incarnate. But there were many that rejected Him, or just hung around to see the things that were going on. Their lives were not changed. When you accept Jesus as your personal Christ, when you let Him fill your heart and soul and mind, you want to be different than the rest of the world. You will be changed. You will desire to be near Him, to associate with Him. Someday that may be a criminal offense. In many places it is already. If I am then deemed guilty by association then I will count it gain. Something to think about... Are You Guilty by Association? Who do you associate with? Think about it. Blessings to all, ~ S~ The Quilted YaYa
This week is Holy Week and I have been thinking a lot about what Christ did for me. Our pastor said once that even if I had been the only one in the whole world to sin, God would have still come to earth in the body of Christ to die for me. How very much He loves me.
I know that many people will say that the devil tries to throw your past at you. And while this sometimes is true, because he wants us to feel as though we are not worthy of God's forgiveness, I don't think that this is always the case. Think about the many times that God has told the Israelites to erect an alter or to set a stone in remembrance of something that happened on that site. I think He allows me to remember the sinful things that I did in my past. Yes, I've been forgiven of those sins, but I also need to be humbled from time to time and remember to be thankful to Him for that forgiveness.
I do wish that I had always led the perfect spotless life. Always been a perfect Momma, Wife, Sister, Daughter, etc... But, as with everyone, I was born with a sinful nature, and sorry to say that in my younger days I indulged that nature. Twenty-one years ago I gave my life to Christ. The roller coaster ride has been wild, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I trust Jesus more than ever now. I won't take my hand out of His and I know that He will not take His hand off of me. I read once that God loves us so much that He can't take His eyes off of me. Yeah for that! But that coin has two sides. He see everything that I do. Good and Bad. He also knows my heart and knows how much I love Him. Do I always understand everything that happens in my life? Not even a little bit will I pretend that I know it all. I do know that He is in control and that He will do nothing to harm me. Like a vine He prunes away the bad stuff and sometimes that hurts, but with the pain comes growth and beauty. I will continue to praise Him.
Two verses that have been with me this last couple of weeks are: Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! Micah 7:19 and, But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgiveus our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 To God I confess my sins, to Him I give my life to do with what ever He sees fit. In Jesus' name. Blessings to all ~S~ May your Resurrection Sunday be filled with the blessings that come from the One True God who died for our sins and is the living God who loves us all.
Last night was Jessica's Sr. Prom. She looked so beautiful, it was amazing. Hard to believe, and I know that I've said this before but, my baby girl is so grown up.
Her big sister was one of the chaperone's at the prom last night and also walked out with her during the Senior Walk Out. In about a month Jessica will graduate and move on with her life. I am slowly working myself out of a job. That's ok and I know that's the way it's supposed to be but I will be sad. Soon it will only be Aimee and then in three years I will retire from teaching. It will be a bitter sweet thing.
Any way... Prom
We had an eventful day yesterday. I ended up watching storms move into our state from out west and as they came into our state continued to put down tornadoes. It was all a bit frightening. But we had been praying all day because Jessica really wanted to go to the prom. She had bought her ticket, we found a really good bargain on the prom dress. Found it at a thrift store for $8! Beautiful shoes were found at JC Penney. Kelly fixed her hair up for her. And a dear sweet friend, Monica gave her the most beautiful jewelry that she bought while stationed in Afghanistan.
As it turned out we decided to leave and try to get to where the prom was being held between storms. But God smiled on us and not only calmed us but the storms also. It was Awesome! The night went off without even a little hiccup! Jessica had a great time! Blessings to All ~S ~
Before the Prom
Feel the Love!
Waiting to be announced for Senior Walkout
Sisters
Shanningans with one of the favorite Chaperones
Getting her hair taken down towards the end of the evening
Well, I finally finished the quilt top for Elijah John with the new setting/design. It's been a long week.
I am hoping that this week will slow down enough for me to manage getting the backing finished. It will be pieced with the monkey fabric. I have considered, if I have enough fabric, cutting out a few of the monkeys and appliqueing them on the front. Haven't made up my mind yet. We will see how it goes once the backing is pieced.
Here are a couple of pictures. One of the currently finished top and one close up of the center square.
Blessings to All, ~S~ The Quilted YaYa
There have been changes in me. Yep! I'm eating healthy again. I did the vegetarian diet for 21 days and lost ten pounds. That was awesome! Well it was for me anyway. After the 21 days were up I added meat to my diet again. Well, I'm telling you I really started to feel down again after about two weeks. So, while I'm not removing meat entirely from my diet this time. I will not have it on a daily basis. I feel much better when I am drinking my fruity/ green smoothies and plenty of water. Hydrating from the inside out with a good diet. Trust me, you would not believe the energy that you can have when you are eating a healthy diet with plenty of water. Eating healthy is also easier when you can get organic produce from Abundant Living Lifestyles Ministry.
Today was our family dentist appointment. I am excited to report that everything is exceptional! For the last 6 months I have been using dental soap made by The Cheeky Maiden . My very precious hygienist, Miss Vickie, said that my teeth have never been in such good shape! You can bet I was one very happy little person.
Now it's on to tutoring and then when my sweet Hubby gets home from work we will fix supper together tonight and settle down to watch Dancing with the Stars the results show. Early to bed and then busy, busy the rest of the week.
TTFN! Hope everyone has a very blessed week!
God be with you all ~ S ~ The Quilted YaYa
I started the monkey quilt this weekend and I'm very excited!
When I started learning how to quilt I watched every quilt show on tv, looked up everything I could on line, (there wasn't much back then because the web wasn't then what it is now) and I read every book that I could find in the library at the time. Everything that I could find at the time said when you make triangular pieces you cut the little tips off of the triangle. I call them "bunny ears". So that is what I've always done.
I discovered something this weekend. If I leave the bunny ears on the blocks it is easier to match the points up. This block is called "Kings Crown". I'm going to use the monkey fabric on the back of the quilt. I just couldn't seem to find a way to put it in the front without cutting it too small and loosing the cute monkeys.
As you can see from the picture of the completed block that I'm still not perfect at it, but it looks better than any that I have done in the past.
A design from Electric Quilt 5 that I used to come up with the pattern that I am using for the baby quilt.
Looking forward to getting the front and back done. The center square will have the baby's name in it and on the back I will put scripture. Don't you just love big block quilts. They work up fast and easy.
