Lovin What I Do!

I guess I have to say that aside from my service for the LORD, my favorite thing to do is sew. It is my sanity aid, my free time filler, my enjoyment, and passion. This has been quite a busy time for us recently with the ministry, but I did have time to finish this HUGE teddy bear Monday evening. I think he may be one of the biggest, if not the biggest I have done. He is 16 inches (41 centimeters) and I think he is as big around as he is tall!!! He is quite a handsome guy though. I had a lot of fun making him. It is a bit challenging to make the ears, eyes and other facial features symmetrical as he is quite big and a ruler had to come into play, as well as a long needle to level the eyes and ears! Too much fun if you ask me!

I also published another quilt pattern on the QCA (Quilters Club of America) as a mystery and the quilters finished it over the weekend. I gave them the last clue early as an Easter gift, one way to celebrate the resurrection of our Saviour. Here is my version of the quilt. Check out the others on the QCA website: quiltersclubofamerica.com and it was Mystery Quilt 13, Beacons in the Night. I chose the name based on the stars and the black background. Some of the quilters didn't go so dark and the result was amazing and beautiful. I have the next quilt all tested and ready for the quilters to make, looking forward to publishing my  fourth pattern. :-) It is called "Butterfly Kisses". We will be starting in a couple months...I'll keep you posted.

We had a great Easter Sunday at church, with over 120 in attendance. We have been blessed recently by God with people being saved, baptized, and joining the church. We have seen God bless with about 30-35% growth in a few months. It is wonderful to watch God work and bless the ministry here. We know it was God who brought us here and that it was His perfect will for us to be here, totally evident in the many, many miracles. With those miracles, Satan attacks as well and his personal attacks have been viscous. We will not be discouraged and we will not stop serving God, so once Satan gets the memo, maybe things will cool down a bit. The fire is hot, but the gold is perfect afterward.

Me and my girls, teen camp 2016. We are headed back to teen camp on Monday, 24 April. Praying for protection on the roads...5 hours down, 5 hours back. I teach the teen girls Sunday School class and we have been having some amazing studies and discussions recently. I love watching "my girls" grow in the Lord and mature in their faith. I love those girls!

Because He lives,

Debi

Feeling Accomplished!!!

I feel like I got a lot accomplished over the past couple of days. I cleaned my sewing room and found a couple of UFOs (UnFinished Objects) in a neat pile. I began to sew and finished both projects as well as the NEXT mystery quilt is complete to the second border. Pictured is one of the projects I finished. I have all the machine sewing done, now I put it by the bed and hand stitch the binding while we watch tv.

I also got another teddy bear all sewn together, now for the jointing and filling. Then my favorite....the character and accessories...   This one is a bit larger than I normally do, I think it will be about 40 centimeters or more, which is 15 inches or more. The fur is a light cream tipped with a dark brown, I used very light cream for the paw pads...it's gorgeous. I will be posting pictures of this new one very soon.

These finished projects come at a very good time too! We are expecting ten people today for the homestay. I will be busy cooking them dinner and breakfast for the next couple of days. I am looking forward to having them staying with us. I have the house ready, except for a quick vacuum and bathroom tidy up this morning. Pics to follow....after the weekend :-)

Hoping you have finished projects to show and feel accomplished about...just like me!

Phew!

Debi

 

Quick Year

It has been over a year since our big move to New Zealand. We have had a very busy and fantastic year. God is blessing with church growth, both spiritually and numerically. We are amazed by His handiwork and guidance to bring us back "home".

In that year we have moved house twice (not including the first place we stayed for a week), watched God as he provided said housing miraculously, started new Sunday School classes, gone to teen camp, re-instituted family camp, missions conference, ladies fellowships, mens fellowships, retreats, and the list just keeps going. We love being busy about God's work and with His people. The church has been amazingly unified and moving forward with us. 

Not to mention a WOW flood a few weeks ago...praising God we lost NOTHING but a bit of mulch in the gardens! God is amazing! Neighbors lost bridges and driveways, land, and the stream is different now... He watches over and protects us ALWAYS! There is never a time when we question His hand on our lives and that of our church. I love watching Him move and praying for more. Come serve HIM with us.

God is good,

Debi

The Bears in There...

It has been a long time since I posted to the blog... We have been uber busy and I just haven't had time. With our Missions Conference at church, teen youth day at our home, visitors for a couple weekends, and making little vests for our after school kids club kids, my days have been full on. 

I did however get to finish the two furry bears I had started. I am pleased with both of them. Aren't they just gorgeous??? They need a bit of accessorizing, but they are finished. The shorter fur one is SO SOFT!! The long fur one is just "shocking", but so fun! I have another one designed and cut out, just haven't had time to fray stop and start sewing on it. Maybe today I can have a bit of time between errands and church.

Over this week, I will be making more of those little vests and writing directions for the next mystery quilt. We are in the middle of the current one..I made clue four live today. This mystery is six clues long. I love this! I love watching the quilters making my designs and loving them, I love the design part, making secondary patterns and color placement...all fun for me! I'll post a pic of the quilt when the last clue goes live. If you want to sew along, quiltersclubofamerica.com and it is mystery quilt 13. You can still catch up with us or save the pattern for another time.

Have an amazing day! Thanks for stopping by! I would love to see what you're working on!

Sew Crazy,

Debi

My Happy Place

I am pretty excited and happy with myself as I got the next mystery quilt fabric chosen and cut so all I have to do is sew now. I like to stay a few ahead of everyone, just in case something happens and I don't have time to prepare one. I still have one finished and this one, making me two ahead. Pictured here are all the bits and bobs for the quilt....we have hst units, flying geese units, squares, hourglasses, and only three fabrics! I am quite excited to start sewing. I need to finish this bear though as it is all sewn, just need to fill it and give it character. I love the fur, it is so soft, I just want to pet the teddy bear all day! I don't think I will dress this one, as the fur is so lovely to play with...maybe just a bow tie or scarf for the neck.

This weekend is our annual missions conference at the church. We have visitors from Australia staying with us, he is preaching our conference. She is a beginning quilter, so we have a lot to talk about. It has been very nice so far! We will be at church Friday evening, Saturday is an international dinner with a service to follow, and all day Sunday. Praying God restores our burden to see the world as He does, and to follow through and support missions with our time, talents, and money. Plus, Sunday is Youth Day at our home...the youth come out and play in the woods, tube down the stream, and have sing songs...such a fun day!

Well, time to get busy and fill this bear. I will try to sew tomorrow afternoon. If I don't have time, it will probably be Monday before I can get to it. I love being busy, but I love to sew as well! Until next time, thanks for reading. Have an awesome weekend!

In the words of Winnie the Pooh, 

Ta Ta for Now,

Debi

 

Mysteries...

I have quite a bit of free time on a Tuesday, so I designed another quilt for the Quilter's Club of America. I now have two more ready to go. I have one completely finished and another one is in the testing stage. I made the blocks yesterday and they are beautiful. My original design had crazy shapes in it so I decided to make it simple and make it a modified 9-patch. It's gonna be amazing (I hope)!! Tuesday is also the day I put the next clue up for the current mystery. I put clue two on the site. The quilters are doing an amazing job with their versions of the quilt.

If you would like to join in, it's not too late. You can still see the clues on the quiltersclubofamerica.com site. We have only completed clue one. It is a manageable size and would make a great gift or bed quilt for you. 

I will get busy tomorrow on cutting in earnest for the new one, which I have named "Butterfly Kisses". We have to be out and about today for quite a while, then church tonight. Truly never a dull moment around here. I love being busy. I am also nearly finished with the dense fur teddy bear. I love how soft it is and the shape it is taking. I will have it with me in the car so I can finish it up. 

Well, time to sign off and get busy. Have an amazing day. 

Debi

 

Time Flies

Well, that's another weekend done and gone forever. It was quite a busy one with our homestay visitors, cleaning up after last week's flood, moving a bit of furniture, and church. The weekend was just a blur. I did get a few minutes here and there to work on the dense fur teddy bear. I also fielded questions about the mystery I have on Quilter's Club of America's website. Clue two goes live tomorrow. The quilters are doing an amazing job and enjoying the mystery. I love doing this, it is the third one I have done. I have another one in the wings. I like to make them first so I can take pics along the way to better help with the directions. 

 

This coming weekend will prove just as busy as it is our annual missions conference at church. We will have house guests all weekend, along with church Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I love missions conference time. I'll be preparing and decorating for the conference this week. Love that part too!!!!! Can't wait!

We had overnight visitors last night, seems our door has an always open sign on it. I love the busy-ness and joy I receive in ministering to others. I'd like to spend some time today on the new quilt. In order to sew, I have to sign off and say "see ya later". Thank you for reading and have an amazing day!

From my busy home to yours,

Debi