monsters!

And so, without further ado....here was what I made last weekend:

MONSTERS! Aren't they fun??? I made the blue one first, that was my prototype. For the pattern I just sketched out a shape on some tissue paper, and then cut out the fabric.  I was going to give it to Brayden, Kristin's son, for his first birthday. But, when I stuffed the feet the stitching showed through too much and I was thinking that would be a precursor to the stitches fraying out and coming undone. So, I made another one and gave him the green one. He seemed to really like it! He gave it a kiss, which was totally cute! The party was fun, it was nice to see Kristin's family again and meet her some new people. Brayden ate his cake like a champ, that was funny to watch :)
Yesterday I also finished another quilted pillowcase. I had seen a house style pillow at Joann's when they had their 4th of July decorations still, but was way too cheap to spend $20 on a pillow that I could make myself! So, here's what I came up with.

I wish I had done the house all in the same fabric instead of doing the stripes on the one side. There was a pattern in a book that I borrowed from the library that used all different colors for each so I went with the pattern. And I've decided once and for all that I am not going to join that quilt a long, the Farmer's Wife one and here's why - each of the finished squares from the book are like 6" which is the size of the little house square of this pillow. And I can say for sure that me no rikey!
What else is in the works is a little granny square action:


I haven't totally decided if I am going to make another pillow covering....or a rug. I saw a crocheted granny square pillow cover somewhere online and thought it looked really cute. I'm getting a little faster at making these, which is a good thing!
I also had an epiphany Friday night. So, I've been watching this video series at church called The Truth Project.   It's been really amazing, eye opening.  Basically it is a study of the "worldview" vs. the "biblical" view on various topics.  I'm not going to get very in depth with the meaning, if you have more questions there's a link which explains way better than I could.  Anyways, Friday's video was about "labor" and what is God's view of labor?  One of the things that the teacher said was the God is the creator and he made us to create.  That can take on so many different meanings!  He said that God has given us our abilities, the things we're good at and those are gifts.  Okay, so I know that I'm rambling, and I do have a point, for real.  The thing is, and this was my epiphany - I've always viewed gifts, spiritual gifts, as something really serious, businesslike  if you will.  And, I've struggled for years to figure out what in the world are my gifts???  It may seem obvious, but I didn't get it before - sewing, knitting, crocheting.....those are my gifts!  Now, I just need to figure out a way to make stuff for God's glory!  Can I get a halleluia? LOL  I'm kidding, but I feel very uplifted just knowing that what I can do, what I've always done, make things - that's somehow part of God's plan for my life, and not just because I enjoy doing it (which I do, very much) but because maybe somehow I can do good with it.