From A Little Girl to A Living Dolls

About 2 years ago, I decided to make my granddaughter some Disney Princess Dress-Ups. I made her Ariel for Halloween and the rest, for when we went to visit them. Sarah said, "I love Cinalalla!" So that was the first one I made. I really enjoyed sewing the outfits. Last Christmas, I made her matching dresses, for her American Girl doll. So, I guess you could say that my dolls come in all sizes.

This year at Champions for Life Kids Camp, we had a Tea Party with a special guest.... Cinderella, who came and taught the girls how to be a princess. She taught about keeping a castle clean, using their manners by remembering to say "Please", "Thank you", "I'm sorry", and "Please forgive me". Cinderella instructed the girls on how to properly drink from a crystal glass and how to curtsy.
Imagine my excitement when I was able to make Cinderella's dress. I started by getting a picture of Cinderella so I knew just what needed to be done.
Then I purchased the same fabric that I used for Sarah's dress. I used 3 different sewing patterns to get the right look for the dress. I even did the scalloped edge petticoat.

Well, here's the finished results.
What do you think? I think she'll sweep Prince Charming off his feet.

A Happy Heart & a Lot of Thanks!!!!!!!

This is the 6th year that I have happily chosen to spend my summer vacation being a Camper Buddy at Champions for Life Kids' Camp. What's special about this camp is that it "continues to bring HOPE and encouragement to children caught in the web of abuse". Please visit http://www.visionhope.org/ for more information and a direct link to Champions for Life Kid's Camp. CFL is a camp for the neglected, abandon and abuse kids in the Foster Care System.


Champions for Life Kids Camp

We have many activities for the kids, horseback riding, kayaking, archery, swimming, technical tree climbing, wood shop and more. We have several special events which include "CARNIVAL DAY, EVERY BODY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, BEAUTY SHOP, PHOTO STUDIO" and the yearly favorite the "MUD WALK".

Our cabins

As Camper Buddies, each cabin chooses a theme and decorates accordingly. In the past, my cabin themes have been:

"Cinderella" (From cinders to a Princess)

"You Grow Girl" (Encouraged to grow in God's ways)

"Beach Theme" (Walk in Jesus foot prints)

"Flamingo" (Finding Love And Mercy In Needing God Only)

"Princess". (I am a Princess! My Father is the King of Kings!)

With each theme, I use scriptures to reinforce who they are in Jesus. I also try to have a different theme as there are 8 girl cabins and 8 boy cabins.

Back in December, my daughter Amy and I went to Frankenmuth, Mi. for her birthday. We wandered through the shops and one in particular caught our attending, "Here comes Treble".Visit www.frankenmuth-riverplace.com/StoreDirectory. It was a unique shop dedicated to music. Past the Beatles & Elvis was counter with jewelry. What girl doesn't like jewelry? Any way, there was a bracelet, earrings & a necklace that caught my eye. They had a guitar pick that read "Pick Jesus."(the bracelets also had real guitar strings) I was so excited!!! "That's it!" I told Amy. "That's the theme for camp!" I thought some more and came up with "JESUS ROCKS". I like the colors of silver, purple and black. So, needless to say, after Christmas, I bought silver & purple garlands and black letters to spell out "Jesus Rocks." I also bought the "Pick Jesus" guitar string bracelets for both the girls and Camper Buddies in our cabin.

Mind you, I had some help with the theme. Amy wasn't going to be able to attend camp this year as she is expecting her second child. If you're interested, you can follow her blog :http://www.coffeewiththemrs.com/ Any way, she found some really great decorations on line...cardboard guitar forms, silver & purple stars, curtains made of cardboard records, inflatable microphones and inflatable guitars She also help me design t-shirts for the girls.

Unbeknown to me, Amy did just a little bit more. She researched and found out that Kerusso made the t-shirts we had seen at "Here comes Treble". She sent them an e-mail with a request and all the links to her blog and Vision Hope and CFL Camp. They contacted her back and said they were interested in the camp and in her request. Here's the kicker,the company is in Arkansas and Amy got that e-mail about two days before I was leaving for camp. Amy didn't hesitate to reply back with the camps address and my name and asked if they could have it there by Thursday July 16th. So off to camp I went, having faith that I would get the shirts. It was Thursday @ 12:25 pm when I saw the Fedex truck pull up to the Lodge. I was as excited as a kid on Christmas. Mind you, Thursday is the "Beauty Shop," "Photo Studio," & "Every Body's Birthday."When the kids get back to their cabins, their Birthday gifts are waiting on their beds. We also had a pile of mail, but what the girls saw, was the big box on my bed. "Who's that for?" What's in it?" Well, I told them that someone in Arkansas had heard about them and our cabin theme and wanted to send them something special. "Open it up" "Please"!!!!!

Here's a picture of what was in the box.

True to their word, Kerusso delivered not only shirts, but Witness Bands for our cabin. Please visit www.kerusso.com and see what other wonderful t-shirts, gear & jewerly they have. I'd like to thank Jason Anzalone for his help.

Jason,

You made the girls in Cabin #5 very happy!!!! I couldn't believe the scripture on the t-shirt as it was one that we had for our theme. Once again, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!!!

Take a walk in my garden

It sould have come with a warning label!

It's 8:33 pm and I should be working on the banner for CFL camp, but here I sit writting. Usually when I'm sewing, I watch a TV program or pop in a DVD or Video and this evening was no exception. As I have to return the DVDs from Hollywood Video on Thursday, I decided to watch the last one.

Movies today come with a rating, but I think they should also come with warning labels. What's that you may ask? Well, they tell us what they believe is age appropriate, but they don't warn us on what it heart appropriate. As I was working away and watching the movie, I should have know how it would end. Any movie involving a family and a dog usually pulls at the hear strings. Marley & Me did just that...pulled at my heart strings so hard, that my eyes sprung a leak and my heart broke again. Mind you, it was a good movie, but it was hard on my heart. I never had a Golden Retriever, but the movie called to mind, the Cockapoo, "Harrison", the Carin Terrier, "Chester" and of the Bedling Terrier, "Crackers". Very loving and affectionate dogs, that now are only memories.
So, as I said in the opening of the blog, the movie should have come with a warning label. Something like "Rated PG" "WARNING: Will pull on your heart! Kleenex Recommended"!
If nothing else, I've warned you. Now I'd better get back to the banner.

Flash of Lighting and a Flashlight

Last Wednesday was rough for me. I had one of those headaches that just wouldn't go away no matter what I did. Finally at 10 pm, I had relief. Thursday I still did not feel quit up to par, but I went to work anyway, enduring until 1:30. I just wanting to lay down for a while. So that's what I did, drove home, parked the car, went in and laid down.

Then the rain came. John checked in on me when he got home, then went out on the porch and watched the storm. I was content to stay in bed for a little while longer. I eventually came down stairs and turned on the TV. Then I heard that old familiar noise. You know the one....the buzzzzz, crackle, buzzzzz of the transformer and then the lights go off. Oh well I thought, I join John on the porch. He told me how he watched the leaves fly off in troves from the tree across the street. "By the way", he said, "as it was pouring, I noticed that you left your car windows open so I closed them."

The rain passed and the lights where still off. I told John that I didn't feel good when I came home and didn't even think to close the windows, as I went to my car to see how wet it got. Oh my gosh!!!! There was about 1" on water on the floor, even in the cup holders. John got old towels and we started to clean up the mess. There was so much water.....then I remember the Shamwow's my parents gave us. What a life saver. It was amazing how much water they soak up. Unfortunately my Bible was soaked through about 1". So, now the car is somewhat dry and we finally decided to try Sonic to eat (in John's car). Upon returning home, I pulled out a book that I had been meaning to read. I sat in my wicker rocker on the front porch and started reading. Along about 9:35pm, the sun had set and it was getting hard to read, but the story was getting good. Oh well, there's nothing to do but go to bed.....prop up some pillows and get a flashlight and read.

I felt like a little kid who was suppose to be sleeping but just had to read. I finally turn the light off at about 11:30. I proud to say that I read 8 chapters. Makes me wonder if, just from time to time, I should just act like there's not electricity and just sit and read.

Taste & See

(This is something I wrote on March 14, 1989)


There on the table, sits a gift for you. It's a beautiful wrapped, very expensive, box of chocolates. Upon opening the box, you find a wonderful selection. Oh wonderful, you think, a sampler.
You reach out and after a long scanning, select one. Every so carefully, you place it in your mouth and begin to chew slowly. Your taste buds tell you that it's your favorite, a gooey chocolate covered Carmel. You continue to chew slowly as you want the flavor to last as long as possible. You decide to make the box of chocolates last as long as possible, so you will eat only one a day.
For the past few days, you have enjoyed each and every piece. Today, however, you selected a dark chocolate....oh, the aroma.....you place it in your mouth and slowly begin to chew. UCK!!!! You don't like what's in your mouth.... a chocolate covered cashew. You remind yourself that the chocolates, after all, where a gift and an expensive gift at that. So, despite the faces you're making and how fast you are now chewing, you eat it anyway.

Did you ever realize, that God has given us a box of chocolates? No? Think about it. The Bible is like a box of chocolates.(An expensive gift at that as it cost Jesus His life.) It's full of the teachings of God. There are the teachings of God that we love and relish the flavor of and seek out. Then, there are the teachings, that make us uncomfortable and we would rather not take, because it leaves a bitter taste in our mouth. (Meaning it make us take a good hard look at ourselves. Something we don't want to face.)

Just as the sample box of chocolates is well balanced with the bitter and the sweet, with favorites and unfavored, so too is the word of God. Chewing on God's word, whether it is that which we always receive or that which we try, but would rather not have it all the time, makes us a balanced person with God.

So, as the box of chocolates is set before you, receive it all and "Taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Psalm 34:8

Section A, Row 6, Seats 7 & 8

Yanni Voices Concert at The Palace

(Not to bad for a camera phone picture)

Up until now, Amy & I have been to two plays,"Wicked" & "Legally Blonde". However, on Friday night, we attended our first concert, "Yanni Voices". Thanks to http://one2onenetwork.com/ , we had seats on the floor, 6 rows from the stage. We were excited to say the least. Seating to the left of us was Beth and to the right of us was Michelle & Courtney...guess you could say it was the Blogger Section.

Two odd things of the evening:

#1 The selling of Ear Plugs! I don't get it. It isn't as if it were a rock concert. However, to my amazement, I did see one man actually buy some.

#2 Adoring fans who pick odd moments to yell out their adoration's. Yanni was sitting at the piano and all was quiet, until a lady yells "I love you, Yanni"! He was polite and said "I love you too." Well, if that weren't enough, a man then yells "I love you, Yanni", to which everyone laughs. Yanni, smiles politely and says, "This is the quiet moment of the show."

We not only enjoyed the vocalists, but the orchestra, especially the violinists, harpists and drummer.

Not only did we have great seats, but we also had a "Meet & Greet" after the concert. A very large man, dressed in black, ushered us across the main area, to the stairs an up two floors. This led us to the Club Section, where we waited for everyone to come up. (One little man in the group was impatient and started to try and open up all the doors in the hallway) Our escort finally entered and led us through the glass doors to where we would have the "Meet & Greet".
We were able to meet with the 4 vocalists and get pictures and autographs (They even supplied the Sharpies, silver ones at that.)

Ender Thomas (Favorite song: Desire)

Ender was very friendly and greet us with a hug.

Leslie Mills (Favorite song: "Before the Night Ends")

Amy was able to talk to Leslie for a few minutes and was asking her where she got her inspiration from.

Chole (Favorite song: "Kill me with your love")

Chole has a wonderful voice and she also loves to dance.(Something you get to see her do during the concert).
One lucky lady got her own personal duet of "Happy Birthday" from Ender & Chole.

Nathan Pacheco (Favorite song: Unico Amore (Enchantment))

Amy getting Nathan's autograph on her CD insert.

Can I just say "What a voice"!!!!! He could sing the yellow pages and it would be wonderful. Needless to say, he was our favorite.

The PR people made sure that everyone got their pictures and autographs, before they whisked the vocalist away, to their waiting bus that would take them to their next destination, Grand Rapids.

All in all, it was a great evening. Another memory for Amy & I to relish.
Amy, if I forgot to Thank You, "Thank You!" If I already did, well, "Thank You" again.
You can read more on:
Amy's blog http://amyclary.blogspot.com/
Beth's blog http://teaandthree.blogspot.com/
Michelle's blog http://skinjunkie.blogspot.com/
Courtney's blog http://thedigitalmommy.com/