A friend of mine from church contacted me this morning to say that a family of eight here in AZ lost their home last night due to fire. One of the child’s night lights caught on fire. Praise God everyone got out safe, but this family with SIX KIDS (holy cow!) has absolutely nothing. Here’s the note she sent me:
Hi everyone, This precious families house burnt to the ground last night in AZ city and all was lost. The young boys’ night light caught fire and the oldest was able to get them all out to safety. Could you search your closets and help them with some clothes or kitchen items?
Morgan , girl age 15, size 5 juniors med top
Logan, boy age 14, 27-28 waist, 27-28 length, men’s med shirt
Landon, boy age 10, 12-14 husky, mens small shirt
Levi, boy age 4, 4-5t
Lake, boy age 2, 2-3t
Allie, girl 9 mos, 12-18 month, also needs a crib & baby necessities
Mom’s size pants 14, large shirt
Dad’s size pants 36/30, XL shirt
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE help me help this family. I’m going to be going through my closets today and making a trip to Target! Every little bit helps! Contact me if you would like to drop off items…I’ll email you the address.
Pray for this family! I’ll keep you updated with more information as I get it.
I had the privilege of meeting miss JJ Heller at a friends’ wedding last year. She has performed at our church quite a few times and every time she just blesses us beyond belief!
As I was sewing the other day for the boutique, I found her “Painted Red” album on Ryan’s iPod (how come I never know he has new music!) and have had it on repeat ever since. Her song, “Your Hands,” spoke to me in such a great way that I just had to share it with you! It is just such a beautiful reminder that even though we pray and pray for God to do what we want, to take our pain away, to bring us the happy ending…it doesn’t always end that way. BUT–We never leave His hands… Such a great reminder that despite everything we went through this year, Jesus was never closer.
YOUR HANDS (click here to watch and listen…)
I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn’t there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That you would take my pain away
You would take my pain away
I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crooked lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
When my world is shaking, heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave your hands
When you walked upon the earth
You healed the broken, lost and hurt
I know you hate to see me cry
One day you will set all things right
Yeah, one day you will set all things right
When my world is shaking, heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave your hands
Your hands that shaped the world
Are holding me
They hold me still
Please support JJ and her husband Dave by buying her CD! PURCHASE HERE!
I love a good quiz and home interiors. And I love Home Goods! Way to go, HG, for making my day! A girl friend of mine sent me this quiz and it’s amazing how close these things get. CLICK HERE to take the quiz…then post your result in the comment section below!
Here’s my results:
Country Classic
You have a naturally refined sensibility with an appreciation for tradition and history. You value beauty, craftsmanship, and family heirlooms, but you like to open things up with pretty, easy-going pieces like painted wood or distressed furniture, lovely florals and other patterns, and bunches of fresh flowers that give your home a breezy, relaxed feeling. You love unique finds, have a thrifty, creative side, and can make these things work together.
You value serenity. While there are probably a lot of interesting things in your home, they are joined by your taste or a certain palette that keeps them in harmony. You appreciate the beauty in simple forms. Whether fancy or plain, you appreciate things that are well made and function as well as they look. You also have a strong respect for the environment and craftsmanship. You care about how things are made, and how they are used.
My Happy Home Colors:
My amazing friend, Holly McRae, never ceases to amaze me. I have shared with you about her family and her sweet princess Kate on this post and the awful battle with cancer that they are fighting through. On her blog, Holly & her husband, Aaron, shared their heart and vision for Christmas this year. They are unsure if Kate will be hospitalized on Christmas (and Kate’s birthday, which is the 26th) and are working through the details of the day. However, they have really felt it on their hearts to bless the kids at the hospital that they have gotten to know. Despite such dark times, the McRae family still seek Christ and desire to bless everyone around them. So amazing!
In her recent journal post, Holly shares the following:
“…the reality is, there will be families up here, on the oncology floor, away from the traditions, their immediate families and extended families, fighting for the lives of their children. Some their resources spent to get their children treatment. Others deciding which children to spend Christmas with. Others wondering if this will be their last Christmas together. The thought never ceases to bring me to tears. And so we thought we could ask Kate’s amazing followers to help us try and make it a special day for these kids. We are going to ask for people to send donations for kids of all ages and around Christmas we will distribute the gifts to the families from all of you! We want these kids to know they are loved, thought of and treasured. I wish fun gifts could take away a diagnosis, bring families back together, bring total healing. We obviously know it can’t. However, we can bring smiles where they may be lacking. And bring a glimmer of hope on very dark days.”
Sooo…LET’S DO IT! I’m not sure who all of you readers are, but I know that there are at least 100 of you! If we all sent one gift or volunteered our time, imagine the impact we could have on these sweet children’s lives!
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP…
Email me at danielleaxtell[at]gmail[dot]com or post a comment to this post by November 28th. I will forward the list of names to Holly since I’m inticipating her inbox being full from her post.
You can either send gifts, money or volunteer your time. I know many of you are states away, but you can still help! I will get more details from Holly within the next few weeks.
Thank you for helping with PROJECT CHRISTMAS and for blessing the lives of some very sick little ones! Can’t wait to hear how you can help!
Come check out my booth… one of a kind onesies, bibs, dresses & tutus! I have some product to sell but am doing mostly custom orders.
Click here for a full list of this year’s vendors!
I am in LOVE with mercury glass. Every time I see it my mouth instantly drops open and I find myself justifying why I NEEEED that piece. Pottery Barn came out with these mercury glass pumpkins this fall (although I think they are already discontinued) and I’m just drooling…
Here are some other mercury glass items to inspire and brighten your day…
The Christmas Boutique is THIS FRIDAY! Holy cow, that came up fast. I am working my little buns off to get as much product done as I can. I thought I would show you a few of my new favorite fabrics and some sewing inspirations today. Happy creating! 
I know I haven’t posted in over a week…so sorry! I have been insanely busy! Ever since we got back from our trip back east it has been non stop. I have been building up inventory for the boutique, working, taking care of the house, went to CA for a wedding, etc, etc.
I guess the best way to sum up life right now is to say that I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed. It’s not the kind of overwhelmed where you feel discouraged or stressed out-more so just realizing the amount of things that need to get done and not having enough hours in the day to get it done, and knowing that the break doesn’t come until the new year. I am grateful for all the things I have going on…I’m grateful that my business is taking off and I have opportunities to sell and spread the word. I love the amazing women in my life who I get to have coffee with and share life with. I love my house and my family and having a job that enables me to be home a lot. When I look at my calendar it’s so packed but filled with so many opportunities. I just need to remind myself to just take one day at a time, and praise God through every moment of it.
I have been overwhelmed emotionally as well. I have just had an overwhelming sense of encouragement and strength from God and from friends lately that it such an answer to prayer. The few weeks following my delivery I swear I was bipolar…one day I was totally fine and the next I didn’t want to get out of bed and just cried myself to sleep. Our trip was a huge blessing to get my out of that stage of grief and to bring me further along to the other side. This month has been full of experiences that have reminded me that God truly does shower us with all that we need.
This past weekend I went home for a dear friend’s wedding. Holly was actually my youth group leader in middle school and we have become good friends since. It was such an amazing wedding to see that God is faithful in his promises and always provides. A lot of the guests were friends I grew up with in church and let me tell ya, it was amazing to see them. I know everyone grows up and makes new friends, but there’s something about being with those friends that brings back so many memories. I realized how blessed I have been through my whole life with amazing people and support. I had a few friends speak some really encouraging words into me that brought new insight and peace to this situation. It made me really want to reconnect with them and saddened me that we didn’t all live closer. This weekend a few of my girlfriends came to visit for just a girls weekend. It was fun to just laugh, catch up and just be together.
I am living between the positive and negative ranges of the word overwhelmed… but I am still at peace. I’m still hopeful. I’m growing, learning and daily seeing that the Lord is good.
Here’s to November…
I am just SO excited to share the updates of babymaecouture with you! I have been trying to find a template for my website that was interactive, modern and fun, yet was easy enough for a first grader to develop it. I am still learning how this all works, and with each part of the site successfully published, I throw a small party in my heart. I am so thankful for my hubby and a few tech savvy friends who have helped me immensely. I’m still working out some kinks, but CLICK HERE to see my work in progress!!
I’ve also teamed up with Session Nine Photography to photograph my product and some of the cutest kids on the block. Here are some of my favs:
So fun! I had them photograph some of the items that I’ve made so that customers get an idea of my style and product. I’m then posting some pre-made items on etsy, but also giving them an option to create their own custom piece. That is actually my favorite part. I love working with a client and designing something that matches his or her child’s personality…the shrills of excitement on the phone after they recieve their orders are what make this the best job ever!
I found this print while searching the blogosphere a few weeks ago. One day when I have my big ol’ kitchen, I would love to own this. I actually just found it online in kraft color too…
The site I found it on has so many other great signs too…check them out!
Yay for fun art that makes you feel all warm inside
