1/15/2010

Weekly Wrap Up


From the Heart: Overwhelmed at times! Longing for more refreshing with the Lord. Have had a cold this week and just not on top of it health wise.


The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.


Psalm 29:11


On the Missionary Field: Learning more each day how to be less of me and more about what ever the Lord wants us to do and be.


Around the House: Lots of 15 minute cleaning going on.Do you have a hard time getting started with a cleaning or organizing project? I highly recommend Fly Lady for ideas to jump start your encouragement to a cleaner more organized home. http://flylady.net/  My zones this week? The closet under the stairs. Not only is it out of site out of mind but its hard to get to. Its low and crowded. It houses all things crafty.  ( not yet finished but working on it) My bedroom closet. This small narrow space is so hard to keep organized, Its long and only as wide as a hanger. The door to it is small so if you have clothes at the back of it they are so hard to get to. I did sort through and take stuff to the thrift store. 


In the School Room: Working hard to stay on schedule with life interruptions. Proud of the gals for sticking with it! Hard to believe we are half way through our year already.


On the Bookshelve: still reading Max Lucado three in one book: In the Eye of the Storm, He Still Moves Stones and A Gentle Thunder. Also reading Entering the Presence of God by Derek Prince.


In the Kitchen:  Chili, Lasagna, Tortillieni, ( cheese), Mexican Bar and all the fixings, leftover night,  Steak, ( outside in the cold bbq!), Crockpot Ham,


On the Creative Side: Finished thank you cards, I feel like I have made a big accomplishment! I am planning some thrifty christmas gifts for next year.  


Sweater Bags. Looking for wool sweaters to felt. They should be very cheap at the thrift stores soon.


http://frugalliving.about.com/od/craftsgifts/ss/Sweater_Bag.htm


Sweater bag, Hat and Scarf


http://www.rodale.com/felting-projects?page=0%2C1


Christmas Stocking with buttons. I want to make all new stocking for the kids this year. Grown up stockings so to speak.


http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/sewing/


I will be making these ornaments. http://www.allfreecrafts.com/recycling-crafts/victorian-ornament.shtml  Except I will put photos of my kids on them.


Working on crocheting again. Want to learn how to read a pattern better and crochet much faster.


Thrifty Finds: This is Library Sale week.  Boy did we find some treasures!!!!! One book is 101 years old! Four others nearly that old. They were not library books but books given to the library to sell. So they do not have any stamps or stickers in them. I also found two still in the wrapper books! These are going into my Christmas Box ( see below). Oh inside one of the books was a post card from Merchant and Miners Shipping Company. We had fun looking up the history on the ship in the photo. The card is worth about $6.50. Another book had a newspaper article about the author.


In the Christmas Box: Whats this?! Well this is a plastic tub with a lid that is easy to get to. In in are the first five gifts for next Christmas! I am so excited that I actually finally acheived this! For years now I have wanted to squirrel away gifts for the following Christmas starting in January. You know a few found treasures each month. Homemade gifts, thrifty finds, special one of a kind things. I purchased extra wrapping paper this year when it went on sale ( 50cents a roll). I kept my wrapping station in my bedroom. I usually put it all away with the Christmas stuff.  I wrap each gift as I find it. I have a Christmas Gift notebook. In it I write the gift, who it is for and how much I spent.  So far I have spent a whopping .75 cents on three very unique gifts for a dear friend. And $1.00 on two other gifts. Three of the items were brand new!!!!! Still in the package with orginal price on it. My gals made small gift  boxes out of all of the Christmas cards we recieved this year. These will be used to wrap small homemade treasures like earrings. We will also use them to decorate packages. I am hoping that by using the Christmas Box this year that I will have more peace come December. I so enjoy the hunt for special gifts and the thrill of spending very little on each gift. I will try to post photos next week.

3 comments:

  1. You must be one of those who has Christmas on her mind all year round!


    Isn't it nice when the kids will work individually to stay on track even when we aren't?


    Have a great week.

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  2. I am also planning to look for bargains this year to save back for Christmas. I am hoping to find several things for only a couple of bucks each.


    Isn't it neat to watch the Lord lead us to items that are a real "steal"? :-)

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  3. You're planning next Christmas gifts already? Wow! You are really on top of things. Have another great week! ~Karen

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Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Psalms 143:8