June the model

I think I mentioned that my Mom sent June this adorable neckerchief??? Well, here she is modeling it, she loves it! Here's an up close of the fabric, I love it!

And, then June was pretty much done with showing off her new duds!

So, I participated in a swap on Swap-Bot that was an amigurumi swap. We were to make any kind of ami and send it to our partner with a list of their "favorites". This is what I sent out, I hope my partner likes it!

Here's a close up of her little face! I think she turned out cute.

Here's what I received:

I totally squealed when I opened the box! This bear is stinkin' cute!!!! I haven't named her yet, it needs to be something earthy but cute. I love the little poof on the top of her head! And the little card with her favorites is so creative! Love.
So, last Friday I think? I made this wreath for the front door. It was so easy to make! I am totally digging wrapping wreaths in yarn and then decorating them, pretty much like the last 3 wreaths I've made that way. It's kind of a pain in the rumpus to wrap the wreath, your arm starts to get tired. But, the finished look I love.
So, here's what I'm wondering - do you ever have so many ideas in your head that you can't even stand it???  That's kind of what I've been feeling of late.  I have like 3 quilt ideas and a bunch of wreaths and table runners and and and and.  I'm so glad it's the weekend and I can work on some of them!

Oh, yeah!  This past Wednesday night I went to a concert, actually here in town!  10th Avenue North, Addison Road, and Matt Maher played in town.  It was a great concert and super fun!  We bought our tickets, all us bible study ladies like 3 months ago to get the group discount and we had the whole front row!!  I was totally cracking up the whole time because like maybe 4 rows back was this group of teenage girls who were screaming and going crazy when 10th Ave N was on stage, and I was thinking how much they would have just loved to be front row!  The message from all the bands was great, so real and applicable and funny too.  The lead singer of Addison Road was so stinkin cute!  She was wearing a cute dress with boots, I think it's great when ppl can pull that look off!  She also has a blog which I've added to my link list because I just loved reading it.  Her husband is the guitarist in the band and they have a little girl who they take out on the road with them, and her blog posts are just so honest!  All of the bands were fab, and our little town is lucky that they came to sing to us!

Rock and Worship summary

And so, I am finally posting pics from the Rock and Worship Roadshow. So, basically it is a pay at the door type concert on a huge scale, all Christian artists. This year it was in the Rose Garden, which is a huge arena. We arrived at 8 am in the morning to wait at the door, which is really worth it because we got great seats in like the 6th row on the floor! The weather this year was eons better than last, the sun was out and pretty mild. The first band in the line up was Sidewalk Prophets, and they were really really good! I think they only did like 2 or 3 songs and I wished they could have done more!The second band was Remedy Drive, they were quite enthusiastic. No pics, sorry.Next up was Fee, and they were really really good also. I actually have their album but liked them better live. It's weird how that is sometimes. But, definitely a great band. Next up was Francesca Battistelli, she was so cute! Great voice, huge for such a tiny little thing! I think she's better suited to a smaller venue though, she was kind of lost on stage.
Okay, I'm bummed I didn't get pics of the next band, Family Force 5, because they totally ROCKED! I was too busy dancing to take pics, and frankly that's really saying something because I'm soooo not a dancer! They were so awesome. When they first came out on the stage in the purple matching attire, I thought "Whatintheworld?" And then the show began. Honestly I don't even know how to describe them to give them the justice they deserve! So entertaining, awesome music, and funny. All the kids there just loved them. I was the only one in the group I went with who liked them. Their music was closest to what I liked in my BC days - which was just joy for me to find something I wouldn't feel guilty for liking.

After FF5 I was thinking, how in the world can you follow them??? Well, David Crowder Band did that and more! David Crowder is flippin hilarious and their music is totally awesome. I had been looking forward to seeing them the most, and they did not disappoint! The best part, I think, is that they didn't have a flashy stage show - the music spoke for itself. So cool.Last, but not least, was Mercy Me. Sorry, the pic isn't so good. They were also at the last show, I'm pretty sure it was their idea. I was also looking forward to seeing them again because they put on a great live performance. The lead singer, Bart Millard, lost his voice that night. Can I please tell you how amazing it was to hear everyone in the arena singing along to every single song??? It was beautiful. Even I was singing.....! I know, right??? I never sing. When anyone can hear me, that is. I had actually asked God the night before to let me be able to worship him properly. So, sorry Bart Millard, it was my fault you lost your voice! But, that night I needed to worship God. And have fun doing it!!! I don't think the two have to be separate. Yes, there is reverent worship, but I think God wants more from us, because he is not boxed in to our "churchy" expectations. Think about it, if you had a relationship with someone and you only expected to do one kind of thing with them it would be pretty boring, right? You'd find someone else to do the other things you like to do with. God is not like that - He wants everything, he wants us to find enjoyment in Him, confide in Him, to trust Him, to laugh with Him, on and on and on and on! Check out Ecclesiates 3! The whole passage explains what I'm saying perfectly, but check verse 4:

"a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,"

As for Family Force 5, I think this verse sums up rather well:

Jeremiah 31:4b

"Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful,"

Cuz, that's pretty much what it was all about that night!

Day off from work

I took today off of work and this is what has happened so far:
So this past week or so I received two swaps from the Bead Trade Off from Swap-bot. Here they are side by side, on the left I'm calling #1 and on the right is #2.



And here's the contents of #1:


And here's the contents of #2:


So, since I was all into my bead stash and all I figured I'd work on these stitch markers! I've been trying to make some that don't have any sort of catchy pieces to get caught on yarn. I'm not sure if I've achieved this yet, but I'm close for sure. Check it out:

What do you think? Here's a shot in the sun so you can see the sparkliness of them :)

Last but not least, I started making an overnight bag last weekend and finished it up today. I loooove the way it turned out. I do have another overnight bag but was sort of in the mood for something more colorful, what else is new? So here it is:

I put a bag of stuffing in it so I could get an idea of the shape and how much it will hold:

The lining is the same fabric as the straps. I'm thinking it will hold a lot, which will be convenient. Soooo, why do I need a new overnight bag you ask? For the Rock and Worship Road Show next weekend in Portland!!!!!!! So excited. Went last year and it was a blast. It's $10 but first come first serve. Last year we got there at 7 AM (!) and waited allll day until the doors opened at like 4:30. But, we got first row seats! It was awesome! The line-up this year is going to be really cool -I'm totally looking forward to the David Crowder Band!