In His Grip

Book Pumpkins

I found a tutorial on line to make pumpkins out of old books.  Creations By Kara has a great step by step instructions on how to make these lovely little beauties.  They really are easy and everyone has old paperbacks hanging around, why not make them into these cute decorations? I found that the fatter the book the fuller the pumpkin.  I used scissors to cut the pumpkin shape but I think that a box cutter would make for more uniform pages and you would less likely make the shape bigger as you go as I actually did on both and then had to do some trimming in the end.  I really like how they turned out and may be making some more soon.  

I am participating in the following link ups:  Between Naps on the Porch, The DIY Showoff,Boogiboard Cottage, Its So Very Cheri, Sew Chatty, Dittle Dattle, Sew Can Do, Keeping It Simple, Skip to My Lou, Coastal Charm, Ladybug Blessings, Today's Creative Blog,Sugar and Dots, My Girlish Whims, The Thrifty Home, Blue Cricket Design, Sew Woodsy, The Tablescaper, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Making the World Cuter, Itsy Bitsy Paper, So Much Ado, One Tough Mother, Sweet Peas and Bumblebees, Handy Man, Crafting Woman, Women Who Do It All, Seven Thrity-three, Someday Crafts, Tea Rose Home. Lil' Luna, Momma Hen Scoop, Sugar and Dots, {Primp}, Sommewhat Simple, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Tales From Bloggeritaville, Gluesticks, Momnivore's Dilemma, Beyond the Picket Fence, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Simply Sweet Home, Truly Lovely, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest

Material Obsession

Yesterday, my daughter Anna and I went to the local Borders Book store closing sale.  We were in search of fun craft books that we would not normally buy but rather borrow from our public library.  With the "everything must go" sale going on we figured these books would be more reasonably priced and besides that we had a gift card that needed using before the store went out of business.  Material Obsession 2 book was the one that I just had to have.  Just look at the picture of the rows of fabrics.  I open to this picture fist and the book had me. This kind of image just makes my mind go crazy with ideas and inspiration.  I can spend hours in a fabric store, my children can back me up on this one, just looking at all of the artistic design and bright colors.  

Here is a picture of me taken back last January at a great little fabric store in Lawrence, Sarah's Fabrics.  I could have spent hours there just browsing.  There is just something about textiles that makes me want to touch them, imagine, and then ultimately create something from them.  Now this is going to sound a little "cheese ball", but I think they speak to me.  For real!!!

Three Word Thursday

Good summer reading.

"The Sweet By and By"

Over vacation I read a great book, The Sweet By and By, by Sara Evans.  I don't even remember where I heard of this book.  As I am a big library fan, when I see books or hear of them through friends, blogs, or TV, I just put them on my hold list through our public library.  I often have three or four books waiting for me on the pick up shelves at my library branch.  Sometimes, I am not sure of exactly what the books will be about because I have been waiting so long for them.  This book was a wonderful surprise, because not only was it a modern day story but one of grace, mercy and redemption.  Sara Evans is a singer/song writer and I really wasn't sure what to expect from a book.  But the story was one that any woman young and old can relate too. "All my songs tell a story. But this one's special.  My first novel. A story about Jade.  Her search for real love, her one-eyed mutt, hippie mother, and quirky vintage shop.  It's about looking backward while moving forward.  About chasing dreams, endless country roads, and tender faith.  A breath of fresh air that'll take you away and leave your heart humming a song of joy. -- Sara"

Self-Improvement While I Work

This week I have been listening to the book on CD "It's Not My Fault", by Dr. Henry  Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, in my studio during work.  Wow, this book has a ton of great information in it, so much so, I have now purchased the book knowing that I need to go back and look at some things more closely.  I have never been a big fan of self-help books.  I am not above them by any means, I just prefer a good novel. But after a personality assessment that I had the privilege of participating in, several months ago, I was shown some specific areas in my behaviors that definitely need improvement.  The assessment also came with an hour of counseling on how to interpret the results and some things that I can do going forward.  I have to say that the hour with Greg Wiens and Ken Love has to be some of the most productive time I have spent in a long time.  Since that meeting, a day has not gone by where I am not thinking about that assessment and my next steps for improvement.  This book is just one in a  long list of books that I want to read in order to be the best that God has made me to be.  Here is a quote from the book, "That which you desire will require more of you than you are today."  Now that's the kind of stuff that I can grab onto.

Magazine Brings On Creative Enthusiasm

A couple of weeks ago I picked up the latest issue of Where Women Create.  This has got to be my all time favorite magazine.  The fact that it does cost $14.99 really puts it in the book category for me, but since I discovered this publication two years ago I have not missed an issue. The pages are filled with artist and the spaces in which they create their loveliness.  The cover story this quarter is on Amy Butler, the best fabric designer in my book.  Her fabrics and pattern designs are not only inspiring, they are so happy and I scream "let's have fun."  Now that is my kind of fabric.  Also in the pages of this issue, is the owner of Curious Sofa.  If you have never been to her store you are missing out on some vintage curiosity.  I have followed her blog and haunted her store whenever I can get over in the Prairie Village neighborhood.  There are so many more artists within the pages of this magazine that I find so much creative enthusiasm that I can hardly contain myself. 

Picked It Up At Borders

I picked up my favorite magazine today at Borders.  My thought was to put it away until next week when I am on vacation, but I just could not wait that long.  I had to break it open just a little bit.  This magazine is really more like a book in that it only comes out four times a year and it is a little pricey, but I soak in every page.  I like to read it with my laptop sitting right beside me so that I can not only read the articles but check out the related websites as well.  The fact that it is dedicated to women and the space in which they create, is more than inspiring to me.  It motivates me to make the space in which I create a lovely place to be.  Although, in my studio on a daily basis, I am making up other designers' creations, I do make time to do my own creating there too.  Over the past year or so, my studio has really become a fun place to work and and make my own treasures.  I continue to add loveliness on a regular basis and am making my studio a place "Where Women Create."

I Got A Pioneer Woman Cooks Book!!! Yeah!

The other day I was pleasantly surprised when a friend of mine gave me The Pioneer Woman Cooks,cookbook.  I have been following the Pioneer Woman blog for over two years.  I love her quirky posts about her life on a ranch in Oklahoma.  Since I read her everyday, I feel like I know her.  She has invited her readers into her family and home.  I feel like I have helped her make design decisions on the lodge that she recently renovated, helped her brother, Mike, stay on the wagon, and shared her great anxiety as she appeared on the Bonnie Hunt show.  Now, I am pretty sure she has no idea who Judy @ In His Grip is, but I know that if I saw her in person I might just embarrass myself by running up to her and huggng like she was one of my Panera tribe gals.  Okay, that is weird.  This is the best step-by-step cookbook I have ever seen.  To be honest I don't like cookbooks that do not have a picture of every recipe.  I want to see what I am making.  Not only does she have pictures of the finished product, she has pictures of how things look as you follow the recipe.  You have gotta love that!

My Kind Of Coffee Table Book

Here is my kind of coffee table book.  I was in Calico Corner the other day and saw this book, but for $40, I just walked away, but not before I wrote down the title and author, to do an internet search later.  Even with the paper jacket cover off this book looks good.  I have always been one of those folks that buys my books according to the cover and this one certainly fits that standard.  Not only does it look great on the outside but the inside pictures are to die for.  I do have a special love for design and textiles and this book is filled that.  My own particular style does tend to include a lot of different patterns and textures and there are lots of examples of that.  This books has already inspired, in my head, several different projects.  Here is just a small sampling of the what you can find inside this book.

 

Where Women Create

I bought this magazine on Saturday afternoon and by Saturday night I had it read from cover-to-cover.  This is a publication that shows the studio spaces of artists around the country.  Although I do not consider myself an artist so much, Jeff calls me an innovator, creator, and fabricator, all I really want to be called is a designer of beautiful things.   I am very inspired by these creative women.  The stories of how they were creative as children and looked at as oddities from time to time by what they would make; there were times in their lives that people told them to get real and quit living in the clouds because to make money you had to have a "real" job; are all things that I totally relate to.  All of these gals are well known in their fields of artistry, although I would only call myself well known by family and friends, I have found that I can only feel satisfied when I can find the time to create.  Twenty years ago I went from having a "real" job to creating beautiful things for other people in the spare bedroom of our home.  And in those 20 years my studio space has grown and even become an inspiring place for me to be not only during my work day when I am creating things that others have designed, but in my free time when I have the privilege to create and design things that I like to make.  So I will take my titles as innovator, creator, and fabricator, if that means I can continue to have the privilege of doing what I love.

90 Minutes in Heaven

I just started reading this book this week and it has been something I could not put down.  This is the story of  Don Piper and his experience of being in a horrible car accident dying for 90 minutes and then returning to earth.  He talks about how it is that he actually came back to life, through the pray of one man at the scene of the accident; his experience in heaven, and the disappointment of returning to the life as he would now know it. 

In the small group study that I just completed with some women, we had many discussions of the reason and the power of prayer.  What was the need for prayer if God already knows our thoughts and the outcome, why pray, if he has it all under control?  How do we know our prayers are not just hitting the ceiling?  If anyone has doubts about the power of prayer, all they need to do is read this book. How can you be anything but convinced that prayer really can change things when you read Don's sotry?  Although, I know in my heart my God is big  enough to do anything, I am sometimes worried that what He will do is not what I want or will make me uncomfortable in some way.  This book has made me think differently about why and how that I pray and that God's answers to prayer a lot of the time are not about me but for someone else, and more importantly to glorify Him.

The Hole in Our Gospel

There are things in my life that just keep coming up everywhere I look.  I find it when I am searching for it and when I am not searching for it.  This thing that keeps showing up everywhere is poverty.  God seems to be continuing to show me that there is poverty in His world and it is all around me.  I can chose to ignore it and it will disappear into the landscape of my world or I can pay attention to it and do what I can to help.  Now the question is, what can "I" do?  There is the inadequacy thing where I am sure that there is nothing I can do to change such a large problem; and the; Why even try, I mean, I am just one gal?, Or God has the perfect person to help, I am sure I am not it.  But I do know that if God were only going to use the perfect person nothing in the world would get done.  God will use those who make themselves available to Him.  I read this book, The Hole in Our Gospel, a couple of weeks ago and I have not been able to get it off my mind since.  I am making myself available to help change the poverty in this world.  Today, I can help with the needs of school children in our area by donating to the backpack and school supply drive at Indian Creek Community Church, I can bring can goods to the Johnson County Parade in Gardner on Saturday, August 8th and place them in the Indian Creek grocery carts as they go by in the parade.  I can do something right now and I will continue to see the poor and under resourced in my world and not look away hoping someone else will help. I will get invovled! 

Hope Lives

Today I began a five-week journey reading the book Hope Lives. My desire is to be challenged to become what God is calling me to be.  I believe that there has got to be a reason that I keep finding myself faced with the poverty of the world. I know that God keeps interrupting my life to help me see these people, who He loves, and view them through His eyes.  I know that God values the poor and there has to be a reason that He repeatedly keeps asking me to serve them.  I will post here of what, if anything, that God reveals to me as is go through this study seeking the purpose God has for me in these opportunities that keep finding me here in Kansas.  At this point, I have no idea what will come of this, but I am open to what I discover.

Esther ~ Looking Forward to the Drama

I just finished my first week of homework in the new Bible study that I just started.  We are doing Beth Moore's new study, Esther, It's Tough Being a Woman.  One thing that I am looking forward to is the drama of this story laid out over 9 weeks.  I know the story and in fact read another book, Esther, A Woman of Strength and Dignity over the holidays by Chuck Swindol on in preparation for this study.  But you can never anticipate how Beth will make something come alive and new in how she presents things. 

Beth says on day one of our study, ".....no life is free of troubles, regardless of religion race, or nation........When we trust our lives to the hand and pen of an unseen but ever-present God, He will write our lives into His story and every last one of them will turn out to be a great read.  With a grand ending.  And not just in spite of those catastrophes.  Often because of them." 

Yeah!  I am looking for my life to be a great read with a great ending!

The Struggle to Say Yes

The first time I went to India the Summer of 2006, I went to the bible book store to find a study to do that would prepare me for my journey with God to India.  I ended up selecting the book What Happens When Women Walk In Faith.  Okay, I know, from my previous book choices you know that I tend to pick a book by its cover, and yes this one was no different.  But I do have to say that after doing this study I did feel that I could go on this adventure into India knowing that God would be right there with me and he did not disappoint.  So as I was looking for a new book to study before heading back into India, I choose another book by Lysa TerKurst, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God.  I thought that this is really what I wanted to do, say yes to God.  But right now, today, saying yes seems to be very daunting.  Although, the study is very good and the scriptures are very encouraging, I need to remember when I say yes to God, I need to be ready to go after the opportunities He places before me.  What will saying yes mean and am I really ready for this?  What if I continue to say yes?  How will that change what my life looks like?  After saying all of that, I WILL SAY YES, no matter what lies ahead, yikes!

My Vacation Reading

I read some great books while on vacation.  The Last Time I Was Me, I found one day in Barnes & Noble.  Normally I don't buy a book without reading a review or two, but I liked the summery, lounging on the lake look about it.  Who says you can't judge a book by its cover?  So on a whim, I bought this book and took a chance. This book made me laugh and cry with the main character, great entertainment.   The Beach House, I purchased in the Lifeway store near my home.  Again, I purchased it because of the cover and title, hoping it would be a good summer read.  It did not disappoint and even with a smattering of spiritual truth mixed in.  This is story of four friends meeting again after years and surviving their 40 birthdays.  Check them out, they are sure to give you great reading entertainment this summer.

Home Companion

I look forward every two months for the Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine to come out with a new issue.  This magazine is hands down my favorite of all time.  I have been a faithful reader for years.  Each issue I like to save for a special time that I can set aside to read it uninterrupted.  I like to have a good cup of coffee or tea, put my feet up and read, just for fun.  It is even better when the sun is shinning in my window.  This month's issue I am saving to read poolside on Spring Break. Yeah!

When God Writes Your Life Story

I have started reading this book and was interested in it because of what it said on the back cover.  "The God of the Universe wants to write your life story.  And when He dose, you mustn't expect a mediocre tale."  Who would not want the God of the Universe to be so interested in them that He would personally write a story about them. 

God gave us each the questions of life; Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?  We all have them.  I know that I do.  God etched these questions onto the hearts of all of us.  He gave us these questions so that we would search for the answers.  I think he prompts us to ask the question so that "He" can answer.

I know that the God story of my life will not always be comfortable and will most assuredly stretch me in ways I am not always willing to be stretched.  But I want to have a story that  is full of adventure and life change, not only my life but maybe even those around me. 

Stepping Up

The new Women's Bible Study has started, but you are not too late to join us.  There is one group meeting on Monday mornings and one meeting on Wednesday nights. 

I did the first day of homework, and ohhh boy, I think that I had better be prepared for something new with God.   Here is what Beth Moore says:

"God has a private agenda for each of us.  However, I believe He has the following goals for all of us:

• God desires to Dramatically change our outlook on daily life.
• God wants to raise us to a higher plain of worship and service.
• God wills to usher us to the next step in our personal journeys with Him even if we have to press through the thickest forest to get to it."

I am just hoping my journey does not include one of those thick forests.  Yikes!

When The Game Is Over It All Goes Back In The Box

This is a video of Kirk Rogg and the message he gave at Olathe Bible Church on November 4th. His message is about 11 minutes long.  When you have time, watch the whole thing and it will make you want to be sure that you are playing the "game"  of life to its fullest.  A couple in our small group goes to Olathe Bible and they told us of this story back early in November and we have decided to read the book he talks about as a group.  Kirk Rogg has since gone on to be with God, but in his video he challenges us to remember "When The Game Is Over It All Goes Back In The Box" and read this book.