Mountain Musings

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, Monday, January 21

Outside my window...the sun is just beginning to rise over the Blue Ridge Mountains this chilly morning in the Valley--a beautiful sight! The temperature tonight will be down to 12 degrees and tomorrow night even lower down to 7!
 
I am thinking...about what we'll do today with Tom home from work for the holiday. I absolutely love days that he's around the house!

I am thankful...for the new internet server we just installed--now I can watch sewing tutorials with no limits on band-width!! Last week was spent on the computer changing everything over...I'm sure you noticed it was quiet on the blog! It was a lot of work!

In the kitchen...the plan for tonight's dinner is leftover spaghetti with salad, homemade bread, and the remaining brownies for dessert from Sunday's potluck. Sarah experimented with two new brownie recipes for Market and brought them for the church families to sample.

I am wearing...navy skirt, purple turtleneck, light blue sweater, and knitted scarf of blues/purples/aquas, navy stockings...and navy crocs.

I am creating...next month's Block-of-the-Month for sewing class--this is the last block for this year's session, and it will be wonderful to get it finished!

I am going...out to lunch today with Tom. Where? No clue yet--doesn't matter--I'm looking forward to it.

I am reading...With Fabric and Thread by Joanna Figueroa that's listed under What We're Reading over on the left sidebar. There's a beautiful Blossom quilt pattern in the book, and I already have the fabric kit...maybe something to start after the BOM is all done.

I am looking forward to...The Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA, in February. It's possible I might be able to go--not sure yet.

I am learning..."in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:12

Around the house...at the moment, there's a bed in my living room! Tom brought his wood-working inside and laid out the headboard and footboard that he's building for Sarah. It's looking good!

A few plans for the rest of the week...it's Love Your Local Quilt Shop Day coming up on Thursday. I'll be visiting mine!

A picture to share..a cross-stitch Sarah recently finished for Hannah's birthday. It still needs to be stretched, matted, and framed which Hannah will do--in fact, she has a stack of past completed needleworks to frame this winter before the busyness of Farmers' Market resumes.

It's been awhile since I wrote a Simple Woman's Daybook post, so I hope this helped catch you up on what's happening in our neck of the woods. To see other Daybook entries, visit here.

~Deb

Cut the Scraps!

Have you noticed over on the sidebar under Books We're Reading that I'm reading a fun new sewing book--Cut the Scraps!?

My son, Jonathan, picked it out for me for Christmas from Patchwork Plus, our local quilting shop. I'm loving it, and I'd never even heard of it before! How did he know to buy the perfect book?

The first chapter is titled Fixing the Scrap Problem...hmm, I might be bogged down there for awhile!

Jodi over on Pleasant Home blog also just recommended Cut the Scraps! and started a Sew Scraps-Along to help sewers deal with their scraps.

You can read all about the month long Scraps-Along here and get involved in all the scrap projects each week! Or at least follow along and bookmark some of the projects to do later.

Here's a great post Jodi wrote on Organizing your Scraps.

Later this week Sarah's teaching quilting to a group of friends, and we're gathering up some scraps to practice making quilt blocks. Jodi linked to Freda's picnic scrap quilt, and I will, too. It looks like a simple block for beginners and great for using scraps.

~Deb

Karla Dornacher Book Giveaway!

Karla Dornacher is having a Grand Re-Opening of her bookstore and is giving away two sets of five of her books. If you're not familiar with Karla's Korner and website, take a look here.

So there's 2 WAYS to WIN and  3 WAYS to ENTER...

• 1. Leave a comment over on Karla's blog through April 2nd 
  telling her what your favorite form of creativity is.

• 2. Promote her giveaway on your blog and get 2 EXTRA ENTRIES! Comment again with your blog link where you posted about the giveaway.

• 3. Be a friend on FACEBOOK... one winner will be drawn specifically
  from her FACEBOOK fans.

Hurry! Her winners will be announced on Monday.

~Deb

Family Strategies Audio Giveaway Winner!

Family Strategies: Practical Issues for Building Healthy Families is a new audio webinar to encourage Biblical thinking in several areas of raising children and building God-honoring family life, such as mealtimes, family worship, sibling rivalry and character training, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and more. Read further details and hear samples of the topics here.

This morning we used Random Number Generator to see which one of you readers would receive a free "ticket" to this series, allowing you to participate by downloading the 30 minute weekly episodes, hosted by Doug and Beall Phillips. The series begins tomorrow--Tuesday, March 1st, and lasts 20 weeks. Listen to the messages at your convenience.

And the winner is comment #13............................Jenny!

Jenny commented: My favorite topic to hear would be the one on Mealtime! I'm interested in being able to maximize on all our together time, and...well...everyone eats so we'd have a captive audience:)

Jenny, please email me (girotti at wildblue dot net) your mailing address so we can get the information to Vision Forum as soon as possible!

Thank you to everyone who participated! If you didn't win and are interested in ordering this series, be sure to do so by midnight CST February 28 to save $10 and get 2 bonus messages.

~Deb

Family Strategies Audio Giveaway

strat-e-gies: The art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal.

Calling all Christian families--it's time for another special giveaway here on Mountain Musings (courtesy of Vision Forum)!

Family Strategies: Practical Issues for Building Healthy Families is a new audio webinar to encourage Biblical thinking in several areas of raising children and building God-honoring family life, such as mealtimes, family worship, sibling rivalry and character training, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and more. Read further details and hear samples of the topics here.

One of you readers will receive a free "ticket" to this series, allowing you to participate by downloading the 30 minute weekly episodes, hosted by Doug and Beall Phillips. The series begins this coming Tuesday, March 1st and lasts 20 weeks. Listen to the messages at your convenience.

To enter, just leave a comment on this post telling us one of the 20 topics you'd like to hear or that interests you the most. I'll start. I'd be interested in listening to How to Prepare for a Year of Home Education.

This post is now closed and giveaway winner has been announced!

If you are interested in ordering this series, be sure to do so by February 28 to save $10 and get 2 bonus messages.

~Hannah

EcoFrugal Baby: A Review

Last year, in my quest for cloth diaper giveaways, I stumbled upon a new website - 29Diapers.com. The writer is Laura Cowan, a mom who wants to share the benefits of cloth diapering with other parents. She has some excellent articles posted explaining the lingo and answering some common questions. 

As you all know, I love cloth diapers, even though I can't use them quite yet. ;) So, I've kept up with 29 Diapers and have enjoyed reading about Laura's experiences. When she published her book, Ecofrugal Baby, I was excited when she asked if anyone was interested in getting out the word about it. She kindly sent me a copy to review on the blog.

The book was fun and easy to read, and she has chapters focused on each category of baby gear. Feeding gear, nursery furniture, clothing, and of course cloth diapers are a few that are covered. I have to say, I already practice many of the tips given in this book - I've always been a pretty frugal person. :) But if you're just starting to try to cut down on your costs, there are some great ideas and resources listed for you! I found out about some websites with good deals that I hadn't heard of before - I'll have to keep them in mind. :)

After every chapter, she includes a "cheat sheet" - a quick list of everything talked about, so you can have a reference to remind you. Also, at the back, there is a handy chart provided for you to keep track of all your costs and savings. Who wants to needlessly spend lots of money on things that will only be used for a year when you can save it for more important things instead?

Ecofrugal Baby is available through 29Diapers.com as a paperback ($19.96) or as an e-book in PDF format. ($5.99) You can also find it on Amazon. If you're interested in purchasing a copy, contact me and I can give you a code to get 20% off. :)

~Sarah

Rejoicing to Yield

“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”

Romans 3:31

When the believer is adopted into the Lord’s family, his relationship to old Adam and the law ceases at once; but then he is under a new rule, and a new covenant. Believer, you are God’s child; it is your first duty to obey your heavenly Father. A servile spirit you have nothing to do with: you are not a slave, but a child; and now, inasmuch as you are a beloved child, you are bound to obey your Father’s faintest wish, the least intimation of his will.

Does he bid you fulfil a sacred ordinance? It is at your peril that you neglect it, for you will be disobeying your Father. Does he command you to seek the image of Jesus? Is it not your joy to do so? Does Jesus tell you, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”? Then not because the law commands, but because your Saviour enjoins, you will labour to be perfect in holiness. Does he bid his saints love one another? Do it, not because the law says, “Love thy neighbour,” but because Jesus says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments;” and this is the commandment that he has given unto you, “that ye love one another.” Are you told to distribute to the poor? Do it, not because charity is a burden which you dare not shirk, but because Jesus teaches, “Give to him that asketh of thee.”

Does the Word say, “Love God with all your heart”? Look at the commandment and reply, “Ah! commandment, Christ hath fulfilled thee already—I have no need, therefore, to fulfil thee for my salvation, but I rejoice to yield obedience to thee because God is my Father now and he has a claim upon me, which I would not dispute.” May the Holy Ghost make your heart obedient to the constraining power of Christ’s love, that your prayer may be, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin.

C.H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

Quilt Tour Begins

Today begins the Star-Struck Quilt Tour! Be sure to visit all the participants and check back on Saturday, August 28th for our questions and answers with Barbara Cline here on Mountain Musings--and enter our giveaway!

Passionate Housewives Book--Free!

Get a free copy of the book Passionate Housewives: Desperate for God and only pay shipping!

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God is an exceptionally well written book. Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald do not pretend to be the perfect wives, mothers, and homemakers, but they do have a heart for God and His glory.... This book will make you think, will convict you, and will.... give you a “fresh vision for the hopeful homemaker.” —Martha Peace, biblical counselor and author of The Excellent Wife

Vision Forum is offering this book for free until Friday, if you simply use the coupon code FREEPHDG at checkout.

While shopping, why not peruse some other helpful products such as this inspiring DVD series:

That banner is making me want spring to come very soon!

Or how about these crafting help books:

I enjoyed browsing all the new items from Vision Forum, and hope you will take advantage of this special offer!

~Hannah

A Life That Says Welcome ~ Book Giveaway

I've written so many times before about hospitality here on the blog, that Hospitality should have it's own category!

So when I read about this giveaway over at Making a House a Home, I knew I would be writing a post about this book by Karen Ehman.

Mrs. Ehman says this on her website:

"A Life That Says Welcome helps you make others feel refreshed, rather than impressed, in your presence. It’s packed with delicious, simple recipes and inspiring tips on how to:

• ensure that your family feels loved, wanted, and welcome

• decorate well on a budget

• de-clutter your home

• make the most of your space (no matter how small)

• be prepared for unexpected company

You’ll be encouraged to not only open your home but to open your life as an avenue for God’s love everywhere you go.

"The secret to hospitality is more about the condition of your heart than the condition of your home."

If you'd like a chance to enter the giveaway for this book, head over to Making a House a Home and leave a comment before Sunday, December 20, at 8:00 p.m. EST.

~Deb