"What Not to Wear", by Julie

What Not to Wear

I just loved this post, by Julie, on her blog "Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss". Click on the above to see what we should, or shouldn't have in our spiritual wardrobes... : )

~Page

Crafty Organizer

I try to dabble in all forms of art. You'll see this come through in my craft tutorials : ) Switching it up keeps me interested and creative! Having tons of hobbies means having tons of supplies and lots of little do-dads. Staying organized and protecting my investments are important to me. I have bought many things to keep me organized, but sometimes I have to get imaginative when coming up with solutions on how to store my stuff. I recently invested in some nice paint brushes and needed a way to store them. I came up with a cute but functional answer to my problem. I call it my 'paint brush roll''! Below is how you make it.

Materials Needed :

* 2 Coordinating Fabrics ( at least 18 x 18 inches of each)

* 30 inches of Ribbon or Twill Tape

* Matching Thread

* Pins

* Scissors

* Ruler

* Pencil

* Sewing Machine

* Iron

* Your paintbrushes for sizing

Instructions :

1.) Cut a 18 x 18 inch square out of each of your fabrics

2.) Lay one on top of the other, pretty sides facing each other, and pin together


3.) Sew along each side with a 1/2 seam allowance, leaving about a 2 inch opening on one side. Make sure to backstitch on each side of the opening!

4.) Clip all four corners making sure not to cut your stitches. By cutting your corners you are eliminating a lot of bulk.

5.) Turn inside out through the 2 inch hole you left. Use a pointy object, like the handle of one of your paintbrushes, to poke out your corners

6.) Iron and topstitch all four sides with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. I topstitch everything! I think it really adds a finished look to every sewing project. Plus, it closes up the hole you used to turn your fabric inside out!

7.) With the fabric you want for the inside facing up, measure 5 inches up from the bottom and lightly draw a line all the way across. Fold on the line and pin your fabric down. Iron your crease. Sew where your topstitch is on each side of the pocket you just created.

8.) Now it's time to sew the individual pockets that will hold each of your brushes. I start off by drawing the middle line. If you used the measurements I gave, the middle should be at 8.5 inches along the bottom. Lightly draw a line from the bottom to the top of your pocket, no further. Since my brush handles vary in width, I make larger pockets in the middle and smaller pockets towards the sides. You can follow my measurements or come up with your own. 1.25 inch wide pockets should be wide enough to fit your largest brush. From the middle line you just drew, make another line 1.25 inches away. Do this on both sides of your middle line. Keep drawing lines on both sides until you reach the end. See the picture to see the widths of the lines I made.

9.) Sew along the lines making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of each line.

10.) Now we are going to make a flap that folds down and covers your brush bristles. Find your tallest brush and place it into one of the pockets. Mark a horizontal line about 1/2 inch above your brush. Fold on the line, pin and iron. Sew a 1/8 inch seam across the top.








11.) Almost done!! Now we need to add the ribbon or twill tape to the middle of the right side. Find the middle of the right side and make a small mark. Cut your ribbon to 30 inches long and, if it is a synthetic material, singe the ends so that it does not unravel. You can do this by holding the ends up to a flame. Be careful not to get to close! You are trying to melt the ends, not catch them on fire : ) Measure 13 inches of ribbon and fold. One side of the ribbon needs to be longer than the other so that after you roll up your brushes, you can wrap the longer ribbon around the bundle once and then make a bow. place the fold in the ribbon over the mark you just made and sew the ribbon on.

Ta Da!!! You can also store your make-up in it! Customize the widths of your pockets to fit your foundations brushes, eyeliner, mascara, and more! Also, if you stop after Step #5, you can fill your square with stuffing and make a pillow! After stuffing, just stitch shut your opening!

In addition, if you stop after Step #6 you have your very own fabric napkins...or place mats!!! **This brings me to a shortcut you can take for this project. Most department stores sell fabric place mats. They are usually 18 x 18 inches. If you find a place mat you want to use for this project, you can skip Steps 1 - 6!

Have fun and be creative! The possibilities with this project are endless !!!!

*Jes*

FRONT PAGE NEWS!

Proverbs 31:24 "She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant."

I'm thankful for how the Lord cares about every little detail of our lives. He is faithful to guide us and give direction in every area, if we but simply ask.
I'm thankful for His blessings and for the opportunity to expand my "hobbies" into more than I ever dreamed possible. I've taken my love of photography and designing jewelry and have been fortunate to turn it into a business. My business is actually Lauren Elise Designs which encompasses my Jewelry making business as well as my Photography. I never in a million years thought I'd be doing this. It's exciting, amazing, daunting and altogether a bit overwhelming to watch it all unfold.
I have just recently begun to really advertise in my small town. I started by hanging a few posters around town, and then proceeded to place an ad in the local newspaper. I was pleasantly surprised when I was approached by the editor about their desire to write a story about me and my business. I was obviously ALL for it! Here is the article that made the FRONT PAGE - see below: (click directly on article to open it in another window, then zoom-in if needed, to read)



This article is more than I ever expected and I am excited for all the possibilities that it might bring!

Thank you Lord, for caring about the little things - even caring about this girl's article making it to the front page. :-)

~Lauren

The Power of a Thank You

I don't know about you, but I feel so special when I receive a "thank you note". It gives me those warm fuzzies inside and always makes me think "aww, that was so nice of them to remember to say thanks". The power of a Thank You note -it's definitely a lost art nowadays, but something that makes such a huge impact on others! It's truly a way to show that you appreciate and take notice of when others are a blessing to you. It may not be thanking them for something they did, but even something like thanking them for being the friend that they are to you. In any case, this is one of those "lost arts" that I talked about back when I wrote on hospitality. These "lost arts" are things that people used to do for others years ago, when life wasn't quite so techy, when people weren't quite so busy with "things". Doing something as simple as writing a thank you note, is taking time to invest in someone else's life. It's not just the words you write, but the fact that you took the time to hand write them! Try it, and be a blessing to someone today!

~Lauren

Guest Post: "Your Body, God's Temple"

Today, I have a guest post written by Mrs. Denise Cross. She is the wife of Pastor David Cross at Faith Baptist Church in Jefferson City, TN. She has a burden for the younger ladies in our church and society, and is striving to reach them. I can't wait to see what is in store at our church as we begin a new ministry to help reach out to ladies of all ages and show them how to live for God!

Thank you, Denise, for giving AP31 this post!

~Page

"Your Body, God's Temple"

An encouragement to young women.

By, Denise Cross

1 Thessalonians 4:4 "That every one...should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor"

My dear Christian friend, as a Christian woman, mother, grandmother and pastor's wife, I have a tremendous burden for young women today. I have watched many grow from precious little girls into adulthood. Sadly, something changes around the ages of 13 or 14 in the lives of these young women; the "marks of the world" begin to appear all over them.

God has a plan fro your life! He loves you more than anyone ever could, including your own parents. His plan does not include mimicking the world, because He has literally set you apart for Himself when He became your Savior.

The Bible tells us that "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Do you remember the day you invited Christ to be your Savior? That is the very day you became His temple.

What difference does is make whether we are worldly or not? God is a holy God and will not be associated with anything other than holiness. "And ye shall be holy unto Me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be Mine." (Leviticus 20:26) Because we are His, we are to sanctify (set apart) ourselves to Him and be holy like Him, "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God." (Leviticus 20:7)

How do we begin? First of all, we ask Him to forgive us for the worldliness we have sought instead of seeking Him. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

After we confess our sin, we should evaluate our temple (body). That includes how we dress it. The world has convinced us that our only worth is tied to how pretty we are and how well-built we are. Because we have fallen for this lie, Christian girls have decided to dress immodestly and draw attention to their outward appearance in a negative way and not in a manner God has in mind.

Even some heathen religions have enough sense to cover up their bodies. They do so because they don't want men to take advantage of them or to be allured by them. Girl's belly, breasts, and thighs should not be on display!

What's wrong with dressing nice? Nothing! Christians should especially dress in such a way that brings glory to God. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) That should be our goal, to point others to Him, even by the way we dress.

We should also be careful about what we put into our bodies. We know that drugs and alcohol are toxic and can destroy our bodies and souls. Much evidence supporting that fact is readily available; I don't have to elaborate.

There is also another facet that should be addressed-food. American men and women are now in a crisis when it comes to our health. Food has become a god and is a drug in the sense that it can get a hold on us. As young women, we can and should take care of ourselves. Remember, our bodies are God's temple purchased at a high price. We can control our weight and protect ourselves from dreadful diseases such a diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer. The evidence is clear and God does, indeed, care about our health. Ask for help.

Finally, what about the second part of 1 Corinthians 6:20, where it says that out "spirit" is His? There is a difference in people when it comes to the spirit, which is the inner being of a person. I know of women who seem to always be complaining about everything. That's having a "complaining spirit". Others may have a habit of putting people down. That's having a "critical spirit". There are also those that gossip and talk about the faults of others; the Bible calls them "whisperers". You know what I'm talking about. Even young girls do it. It's the carnal nature in it's ugliest form. It causes divisions among friends, families, and even churches.

There are other women who have a "sweet spirit" about them. They have, inside them, an inner glow that draws people to them. They love the Lord, and get into His word. They talk about the things of the Lord, because they love Him. When I'm with them I am encouraged, nourished and refreshed, which is as it should be. It is like being with the Lord Himself because they have been with Him, and it shows.

What will you do with the precious life that God has given to you? Will you seek to glorify God in your body and in your spirit? Please know that satan is alive and well, and his goal is to destroy us. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). If you choose to be like the world, then you are walking away from God.

Bow your head and your heart right now and commit your body and spirit to Him. Ask Him to guide you and bring godly women into your life to mentor you. Don't be afraid to ask them for help and guidance. God will not disappoint you.

Denise Cross