Blue revamp sweater- birds take flight

Hello guys and gals, this is my really bad before picture (with no makeup and uncombed hair! yikes!!) of a top I found at the used clothing store. I had already cut it in the front. I am not as good at taking before pictures as I am at afters!!! :) Probably because my mind is so busy designing it that I can’t think of anything else. When an idea gets into my head, it’s there to stay until it’s finished! lol

AFTER

I am so excited!!! I just got my lighting kit in the mail and so now I can take some semi-professional photos and I mean semi but I have fun doing it!!!! lol I got it at Amazon.com and although it is inexpensive it works fairly decent! Not professional grade but the next best thing!! Worth every cent for me!!! great for doing small photo shoots but only good up-close as the lights are not bright enough for far away, but I just love it!!! Now I can take indoor photos without having to wait until the sun is out to get enough light or go outside and freeze!!  I can also get even lighting and it makes everything look a lot nicer! Here is the link if you want to see what the lights look like…Lighting kit from amazon.ca
I also recently bought a canon 50mm lens and this is my first photo shoot with it!!! I really like this lens for the fact that it does not distort your features in portraits!!! My other lens that I have make my face look longer than it is and I hate when it does that, but this lens looks more like my natural face proportions and I like this way better than the other one for portraits!!

Could the flower that I bought a while ago match any better??

It was time for tea and would you believe that my mug matched my outfit…I didn’t choose it consciously but since I had it in my hands I thought, why not….. :)

Yes, I crochet too!!! I’m sorry but it’s not my fault, I come by it honestly!!! lol  My grandmother on my fathers side was very talented and she won all kinds of awards for her crafts, cooking and she was a really good gardener,and I was told by my uncle and aunts that she had a great voice and that I sound just like her. My father also had creative things he would do although I never really knew exactly what he did other than make furniture I believe.

My mother was very creative, she would crochet, knit, paint, draw and quilt and sing alto. My mothers family were known in my village to be singers and guitar players.  My maternal grandmother also was a quilter and did knitting and crochet, so you see, I have no choice in the matter!!! Now I’m left “stuggling” on how I am supposed to use all these talents and gifts!!! hehehe   I tell ya, I actually have to pray about this at times! It can be overwhelming and sometimes, a lot of times, I have to discipline myself into NOT getting into too many things!! I would do it all if I could because I have so many desires to do all kinds of different things and I have to say NO to myself. sigh lol  I guess it could be worse….and it has been!!! haha

These above are actually my practice shots, even before the sweater was finished… you may see some stray yarns hanging around in these! ;) I was trying to decide whether the sweater was finished or if I should add some more crochet to it on the bottom. I wasn’t sure if I really liked the black and white cotton fabric from my leftover bedspread fabric or not but I think it’s ok. This is just a sweater I would be wearing around the house basically, just to keep warm. I love to be warm!!

I used my leftover eyelash yarn from my see it here: Hair Hat Also used blue yarn that I had kicking around for a while

The back detail, I smocked it!!

My make-shift background. A roll of plastic type wrapping paper that sticks to the wall. I have to get creative and figure out some nice backgrounds to use!

I adjusted the lights to different closeness and it effects how the shot comes out, this is very close and I can feel the warmth of the light, which are fairly cool considering the wattage.

Here is my girly puss, Minou Marie, always wants to take pictures with her mom, whether inside or outside, one of my cats will always find us :)

 

Having fun with birds!!!! lol

Matthew 6:29

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

James 3:7-12

New International Version (NIV)

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

 

Psalms 55:6

I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.

This verse reminds me of a song I wrote quite a few years back when I was really feeling in a bad way and it comforted me to read and write about these psalms!!!  My inspiration was Psalms 55, 56, 61 and maybe another one but cannot remember which one. All the psalms and songs of Solomon are inspiration for me!

From Wikipedia
The Book of Psalms (Hebrew Tehillim, תְהִלִּים, or "praises"), commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is the first book of the "Writings", the third section of the Hebrew bible.^[1] The English title is from the Greek translation, psalmoi, meaning instrumental music and, by extension, the words accompanying the music.^[2] There are 150 psalms in the Jewish and Western Christian tradition (more in the Eastern Christian churches), many of them linked to the name of King David, but his authorship is not accepted by most modern Bible scholars.^[3]

Listen to my prayer, Oh God, Do not ignore my plea

My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught

at the voice of the enemy                              

My heart is in anguish within me, the terrors of death assail me,                                          Fear and trembling have beset me

Terrors overwhelmed me,………. but I said

(Chorus)

“Oh that I had the wings of a dove, I would fly far away and be at rest

I would fly far away and stay in the desert, I would hurry to my place of shelter

far from the tempest and storm.” x2

Here my cry, Oh God,

Listen to my  prayer                                                                                                                 

From the ends of the earth I call to you, as my heart grows faint

How long shall you assault a man?

Would all of you tear him down?

With their mouths they bless but in their hearts they curse, will it ever end? Will it ever end? Will it ever end???…….

and I said 

(Chorus)  

 

I am missing a verse because I can’t remember it right at the minute and I have no idea where my song is right now because I moved around some things and I’m too lazy to go and find it!!! lol Hey, at least I’m honest!! Maybe I’ll sing it for you someday ;) 

 

 

 

Luke 3:21-22 ESV

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Do you think that these birds were really in my house? ;)

P.S. Until next time, see you later

Beautiful purple lace dress with matching sweater!!!

 

I was in need of something pretty, comfortable and warm…always warm for winter because I hate to be cold! I didn’t have anything that fit the bill and so I had to sew something up.

I had this ugly plain purple long sleeved shapeless thick T-shirt that I don’t even know where it came from. It may have been my husbands, I don’t know but this is what I made with it.

Sorry, I forgot to take my before pictures…I get so excited you know, by the time I even think of the pictures I’ve got it half done!!! lol

Some of the pictures were taken, (by my husband Leon),on the water front, Killam’s Wharf, Yarmouth N.S. Canada

This is a beautiful painting someone painted on the side of the building!! Sorry forgot the name of the artist!!!…….

This is my purple sweater that I made

 

I folded the top in half to find the middle and I cut it. Just in the front though. I turned the edges under and sewed them down

.

I can wear this with jeans, jogging pants or dress pants. Love it!!!

That may look like the virgin Mary behind me….but it is not! lol

I added the lace from the fabric I had to make my dress on the edge of the sleeves and hem. Makes a nice touch I think.

I then sewed up my dress using a simplicity pattern that I had on hand.

And here it is…..

The lace has been sewed with the fabric as one piece. Really hard to get the pieces to lay flat but if you pin them together first while they are laying flat it shouldn’t be a problem. Just be extra careful because one false move and your lace will be crooked and bunched up and will not lay flat against the backing fabric. I used the scalloped edging for the hem which omits having to make the hem on the lace. I just hemmed the backing fabric right underneath the lace.

This is what you do when you run out of fabric!!! Yup, I ran out of lace but that’s ok because it looks fine without it. You see I don’t totally have plans when I buy my fabric. I see it and I like it and so I buy it thinking I could make a dress or a top out of this and so I am not sure how much I should buy at the time but being creative helps figure out what to do about the shortage of fabric. There is always a way to use it.

I don’t know what the pen on the floor is about but I think it was on my keyboard when I moved it :/ 

I can wear this with a belt too.
I already wore this dress to church so some of you may have seen it already.
I wore it with plain black tights, probably looked better but I think they were in the wash when I took these pictures and so I substituted with these…

My sweater and jacket together!!! A perfect match!!!

 

Sleeves are sheer lace. Flowers are bright blue, dark green, white and black and the sheer part has a slight purple tinge to it. That is why I decided to use a purple or lilac if you prefer, fabric underneath.

 

It can be worn with or without a belt

Zipper in the back

I smocked it, I smocked it, I smocked it!!!! YES I DID LOL I smocked it!!!! This is the first time I have ever smocked anything and I really really enjoyed it and I will be doing it again!!!  Doing this technique gathers where ever you smock it and in this case my square top that I used became nicely gathered at the waist for a neat fit, great to do for someone that has curves (hourglass or pear shape, even someone with a rectangle or ruler shape this will give the illusion of curves as long as it is slightly baggy on the top and bottom of the waist) The fabric is pinched together and sewn in an even pattern making a kind of triangle look all around the sweater. Did I say I loved this??? I do!!!

 

I guess it was time that I posted these pictures because fall is almost over!!! It is getting colder here! We had a fabulous fall though and hoping we will have a beautiful winter too! Hope you enjoyed my pics of my revamped sweater and my new purple lace dress!!!

Just want to say a big thank you to all who support my blog!!! WOW, you guys are soooo great!!!

Canada,United States,Russia,China,United Kingdom,Sweden,Netherlands,Poland,Australia,Germany to name a few! Don’t be afraid to comment!! Love to hear from you!! :)

P.S. Don’t ever feel judged!!!! If you are feeling guilty(like someone is pointing a finger at you and hating you), this is NOT of God! It doesn’t matter WHO(or who they think they are) is doing the pointing!!!
If you are feeling convicted(knowing it’s wrong and that you shouldn’t be doing it) this is God speaking to you. For your own good try to listen.

John 8:2-11

New International Version (NIV)

8

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.

 ³ The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

 ⁶ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.

 ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

⁸ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time,

the older ones first,

until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.

¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Whenever someone is trying to make me feel guilty as if they are better than me and condemning me or putting me down, I remember this scripture and it is very helpful to me. Jesus never condemned anyone and neither should anyone else because all of us have faults and if you think yours is better than someone else’s, you are only fooling yourself… yes some have more sins than others and are more in your face but it doesn’t mean that someone who’s sin is hidden(and you know who you are) is better than someone else. Sin is sin to God.

What do you think Jesus was writing in the sand? Why do you think the oldest left first?

Don’t forget that even though Jesus said he didn’t condemn her, he asked her to leave it behind.

Is he saying it’s ok that you did it, I don’t condemn you, now go, I got you out of this one but now stop living that way?

Why do you think he said that? Was it so he could have his own way or was it for her own good that he said it? 

Jesus does NOT condemn and it does not matter WHAT sin your are committing but he asks for you to leave it. Will you do it for him?