I learn so much from my 6th grade material!

Shelly and I teach 6th grade girls Sunday School. I promise, I'm learning more than they are. Thank you Lord for the conviction that I get each week. I'm pretty sure Shelly agrees with me. Last week's material in particular for me. About how prayer is a conversation - how I'm supposed to be listening to have a real relationship with God.
I have trouble listening, like really shutting my mind up to hear what He wants me to. In my Experiencing God study I'm learning so much about how God is at work around me and that I have to join in that work and be obedient. One of those lessons also talked about prayer, about how if we're walking daily with God, then we'll be praying for what the Holy Spirit puts on our heart. And if we're praying for those things, then they will come about.
Today, I was humming/singing some of the lyrics below and they were very comforting to me, because I think what I am supposed to hear right now, is, wait. Enjoy the below! What a great song and what a great friend we have in Jesus!

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.

Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

Day Off = FINALLY playing with my sewing machine

Wahoo! Perks of being a school teacher always include random days off. We get today, a Tuesday off, because of voting. Yes, first thing this morning I went to vote. Was in and out like a flash. Really enjoyed going...especially since I had to drive less than a mile to my church to vote.


I got a FABULOUS Singer Athena sewing machine from my grandmother for Christmas. I haven't really sewed since the summers of my youth (funny phrasing) with her but with the Pinterest movement I knew I wanted one.
Today I have officially tried it on this coaster tutorial from Sew Many Ways.

 Here's my first attempt! Not bad...my stitch around the edge was a little crazy and I actually didn't grab all the material the first path around. Whoops. Remember, beginner sewer trying to do more than she can. It was super fun though. I actually adding some backing to the bottom/underneath the whole circle (see tutorial and all I did was add it to the bottom of the stack before sewing and turning inside out). Did this for more cushion.

So, before I moved onto a bigger project, since I'm so obviously ready, I did another one! Check out my awesome machine. Coffee. And messy desk area. Happiness.

 Now, I was impressed with myself - I thought I did MUCH better on keeping a 1/4 inch around the edge on my second try...at least I went slower and thus think this means more accuracy. If this fabric looks familiar it's because it's  left over from our fabric flower wreath making in this post. Yep, girls I used up some of our stuff.

Here they are together. I think super cute. I will definitely make more in the future. Fun gift and I love the idea of having different colors for a small party gathering to i.d. who's drink is who's.

Look who thinks they're a professional. Hahaha.

Pinterest Party!!

Amber from Tales from the Blystone Cottage texted me one day and said we needed to get together for a Pinterest Party. Chris was hoping that meant that all us girls were going to be making recipes from Pinterest and getting together to eat it all! (Also a good idea).
But, we decided since we're not super-crafty with all the great craft resources built up that we would pick a project and share our resources. So we drafted the fabulous Ashley from The Tinch Trio and my buddy Shelly who would be a blogger addict if she'd get one together and we decided to a spring wreath.
Insert fun conversations, brunch food, hot glues guns, fabric swatches, and wa la....an AMAZING Saturday and great first Pinterest party!

Here's our table pre-crafting. Not a mess yet. We've got our grapevine wreaths, covered table, scissors, laptop with other people's great ideas, print-outs of fabric flower tutorials, etc.

We got fabric squares and cut them into strips.

Here's all our pretty choices....Shelly started making hers before some of us were done cutting. Haha. But, we convinced her to cancel her hair appointment to stay and finish her wreath!

We weren't planning on teaching anyone how to follow our example so I don't have any step-by-step instructions but Shelly came up with a great plan to keep our flower level...it's all about having a little stem and twisting the fabric so it stays flat. Our table is getting a little messier, but we were flower making machines!

Ashley finished first! We know Eric would be proud!

Here's Ashley's wreath up close. Isn't it so cute? She also did some layered felt flowers since Shelly had some felt and glued some buttons on...glad I had a bag full of those.

Then Amber finished (those mommies know how to work fast!) next. Super girly wreath to take home to her two men.

Amber's wreath up close. She adorned with some pearls that I had. She also came up with the big circular layered circle that I stole later on.

Shelly's wreath! Love her combo of colors and little accents!

Close up of Shelly's wreath!

And finally, slower mcslowerson (me) finished my wreath. Actually I just had to quit.. See the flowers in the upper right hand corner of this picture? I made SEVERAL that I didn't end up wanting to use.

Kate and her wreath.

Still not on my door yet...now that it's March I need to get on it!