A-theologing we will go...

The long-awaited news has arrived: Brad has been accepted to Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI. We are planning to move in early August...and so begins the checking off of a list of to-do's that is 5 months long! We've made the announcement here officially, and now it's time to let the word spread. We're excited, a little mournful, and a bit overwhelmed. The biggest prayer items on our minds right now are 1) selling our house and 2) getting a good serving of financial aid to help us next year, and 3) overall wisdom in so many decisions yet to come.

Every spring Brad encourages the students in the youth ministry to "finish well" whether they are seniors wanting to mentally check out, athletes with a lot on their plates, or the average student anticipating summer break. Now that reminder is for us. We have a lot of responsibilities and relationships here that deserve our attention, even while we work at tying up lose ends and planning for our departure. The end is in sight and a lot needs to happen to be ready for this huge transition. I think I need more encouragement to finish well and stay engaged than Brad. I'm antsy to get moving on details that don't really need to happen until June or July! Patience and perseverance are what's needed!

Any tips on moving a family of four across the country and downsizing from a home to an apartment?

Tooth Brush holder

Again, being painfully practical, I needed a solution to keep C and P's toothbrushes and toothpaste from rolling out of our medicine cabinet. So here's what I came up with.

So simple and it's been working great! Here's all you need:

3 toilet paper tubes

a scrap piece of cardboard for the base

4 pieces of fabric approx. 6" x 6"

hot glue gun

Glue the fabric around the toilet paper tubes and around the cardboard base. The fabric is a little wider than the tubes so just fold the edges inside and glue them down. Then hot glue the tubes to the base. Voila! The variations of this are endless. Unfortunately the tubes aren't quite big enough for adult sized toothpaste, and brushes are too topheavy, but it has solved this problem for me in a simple, cheap, crafty way!



More bibs

If it isn't obvious, I've had the crafting bug lately! Unfortunately I have a hard time doing anything that isn't completely practical. But thankfully, I have a new niece to make something for.

I altered my original bib pattern to have rounded corners, to give it a softer appearance. I also took the advice of the fabric store attendant and DIDN'T prewash the fabric! Eeek! I thought that was a cardinal rule of sewing. So, my sister will have to tell me how they wash up...I also used cotten batting instead of polyester. It's more absorbent and less bulky so the bibs are a little more trim and attractive. At least I think so!

I chose three coordinating fabrics to make them reversible.

Side 1:

I also attempted to do some embroidery-type quilting, to prevent seperating and puffing after the many washes they will probably sustain. 

Side 2:

What do you think? I'm really happy with them, but like I said, we'll have to see how they work, practically. They are sized for a 6 month old to 2 year old child. (Can be used for older children but it might be too small, depending on the child.) Definitely intended as a meal-time bib, not a drool bib for an infant. My sister requested the ties, rather than velcro, since it's too easy and tempting for a child to pull off a velcroed bib. I agree, although when Cora's hair got a little longer it was hard to tie bibs on her. I had to teach her to how hold her hair up so I didn't tie it in the knot! Good thing my kids don't grow hair until they're almost 2!

Any ideas to make them even more attractive and useful?

Tile Coaster Craft

Craft night with girlfriends! Yeah! My friend guided us along this simple Tile Coaster craft.

 Materials needed: tiles (small for coaster, large for trivets), Modge Podge, tissue paper or napkins, scissors, brushes for applying Modge Podge, felt or cork and hot glue gun.

Cut pieces of tissue paper that you want to use to decorate your tile. If using napkins you'll have to peel the layers of paper apart so that you get one thin layer.

Using a paint or sponge brush, apply a thin layer of Modge Podge to the tile. While still wet, place tissue paper pieces on tile, then cover with another good layer of Modge Podge. Set aside to dry. When dry, apply a sized piece of felt or cork to the bottom side of the tile with hot glue so that the tile won't scratch the furniture it's intended to protect.

So simple, affordable and attractive! I went with holiday themed coasters because we did this craft soon after Christmas, but now they are packed away waiting for December!

I have not used Modge Podge enough to perfect the technique. Does anyone know secrets of how to avoid the wrinkle affect that usually happens with Modge Podge?

Make your own Neck Gator!

Brad and I love our neck gators. Recently when we took the kids up on the Mesa we were surprised at how windy it was and that their hats weren't going to be enough to keep them warm. So we each gave them our neck gators. Neck gators are like scarves, but better because you don't get stuck with a tail to keep track of. They're not fashionable like scarves, but functional and cozy!

On the way home I realized that I could probably make child-sized neck gators for them. So I tried it! Here are directions for adult sized neck gators. Adjust them to whatever size you need for a child. Just make sure it will be big enough to stretch over their little heads!

All you need is fleece and matching thread. I used a piece of printer paper as my pattern. Sized 8 1/2 by 11 inches.  Lay the paper on two layers of fleece, the short side along the fold. (It's hard to see, but the fold is nearest the camera in the picture.) ***Make sure that the stretch of the fabric goes the long way with your pattern, otherwise it will have a hard time getting over your head.

Cut. You should end up with a rectangle 8.5" by 22".

 Fold the rectangle over the long way and pin. (Shown below it is now 4.25" x 22".) Sew the seam, leaving both ends open.

Now stick your hand inside the tube you've created and pull one of the 8.5" edges through the tube and match it up to the other edge. Make sure the right sides are still together, and try to keep the seam lined up. Pin and sew almost all the way around the tube, but leave a couple inches unsewn to turn it inside out.

Now turn it right-side-out through the hole you left unsewn. You can hand stictch the opening but it will be on the inside of your neck gator so no one will see it anyway. I just machine stitched it and it looked identical to my store-bought gator.

 Now turn the tube so the seams are on the inside. You're finished!

 Here is Cora modeling my adult-sized neck gator. I made one adult-sized for her and it works great. The one I made for Peter I took in by an inch or two and it was a better fit.

Happy snow-fun! (Now that spring is almost here...)