Modest Swimsuits

It seems that modest swimwear is hard to find in today's shopping malls. They have very little material and are very pricey. The material that they use is very blah.

Young ladies, we are to dress modestly even when the heat index rises. My mother did some research on the Internet and found some websites that offer beautiful and modest swimwear.

Here are some websites, http://www.swimmodest.com/, http://www.danzfamily.com/, http://www.modest-swimwear.net/.

"In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves is modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works." I Timothy 2:9-10.

Birthday Party

Miss Hannah age 12 and Alissa age 7
My best friend Morgan

Birthday Girls

Birthday Cake Yummy

Birthday Party Guests

Today my cousin and I celebrated our birthdays. We decorated in a luau/teeki theme, with pink flamingo plates, monkey mugs, with pink flamingo straws. Each guest received a lei and a hibiscus hair barrette to take home as a gift. Also, they took home their monkey mugs and straws. We chose a white cake with butter cream frosting and a chocolate cake with fudge frosting. For the ice cream we chose vanilla and chocolate. To cool down we had fruit punch to drink.

Spring Cleaning Your Sewing Machine

Here is a picture of our Singer Fashion Mate Sewing Machine

Our machine is becoming very noisy, and it spits and sputters along. We have decided that it is time for a good spring cleaning on our sewing machine. Here is a website that walks you through the cleaning of your sewing machine, http://craftnectar.com/2009/03/09/spring-cleaning-for-your-sewing-machine/ .

Mending

Girl Sits in a Window-Seat Mending Her Doll

by M. Ellen Edwards

www.allposters.com

Today I decided to sit down and work on our mending pile. Mending your clothes is a good way to save money and the time of going out and shopping for new clothes. As our clothes wear out, we set them aside and use them for another purpose. My father's old work jeans are now going to be made into a cute jean purse. My dresses that become to too short are going to be made into skirts. My mom found an article on the Internet about darning socks. Please check out the site at http://supermomnocape.wordpress.com/.

Bistro Chicken Pasta Salad

Bistro Chicken Pasta Salad

2 cups cooked penne pasta
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 package (4 ounces) ATHENOS Crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 cup prepared GOOD SEASONS Italian Salad Dressing for Fat Free Dressing
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves, grilled or broiled, cut into 1/4 " slices

Toss all ingredients except chicken in large bowl. Spoon onto serving platter.

Top pasta mixture with chicken. Serve warm or chilled.

Makes 4 servings.
Prep Time 25 minutes

Diabetic Choices Cookbook
www.kraftdiabeticchoices.com

Nature Walk

Look closely and you will see a brown rabbit in the grass.
Butterfly Bush

Ground Cover??

Wild Rose Bush?

Azalea

In the cool morning air, we walk down a quiet country road and we see many beautiful flowers and rabbits. Here are a few pictures that I took this morning on our walk.

Sew Pretty Homestyle

Sew Pretty Homestyle by Tone Finnanger Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle by Tone Finnanger

pg. 26-27

I purchased these books at Jo-Ann's Fabric and Craft store. They can be purchased at www.amazon.com , www.ebay.com, www.joanns.com. There are over 35 projects in each book. I especially like these cute bags. There are patterns in the back of each book. My mom and I are going to make the bags shown above. I will take pictures of the finished bags.

Spring Wardrobe

I promised I would show pictures of my dress. I believe it took me 4-5 days to do the dress. When my machine gets hot it starts to creak, spit, and sputter. It is time to service the sewing machine. Sometimes it has a mind of its own. It is an old Singer Fashion Mate/Model 237. The machine is very simple and easy to use!

Spring Dresses

Yesterday, my mom and I went to Walmart. While we were in the fabric department we found two pretty spring prints. I chose a pink fabric with white polka dots, green frogs, green dragonflies, and a pink and white gingham border. My mother added and eyelet lace border for length and pink shoulder straps. My cousin Alissa chose a white fabric with red watermelons and red flowers, with black watermelon seeds. The top section of the fabric is smocked.

The dress can be worn with a cap sleeve shirt or with a caplet.

I am currently working on a McCall's pattern sundress. I will take pictures of the dress when it is completed.

Happy Sewing!

Raisin Scones

Here is a recipe that I found in the newspaper.

1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold butter, cut into bits
3/4 cup of raisins

Preheat oven to 400 F. Whisk the egg and milk together in one bowl and the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in another.

Drop the butter into the four and using your fingers, cut and rub until the mixture is pebbly. Pour in the milk and egg. Mix with a fork until the dough is evenly moist. Add the raisins and give the very sticky dough a few more stirs.

Spoon a dozen mounds of dough onto a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until scones are golden brown. Cool for a few minutes. Serve warm with butter or jam, or a little of both.

Spring Flowers

Sring Flowers

Artist: Norman Rockwell

It's time to get out in the garden and enjoy the beautiful flowers that God has created for us to enjoy. My mother and I have roses, salvia, black eyed susan, and dahliahs. Gardens seem to come with lots of weeds and so it seems that we are always weed, weed, weeding.

Happy Belated Birthday, Lydia