Moms got a glue gun

Daily message of encouragement from the Brave Girls Club...

"Dear Valuable Girl,

You don't always have to be so tough, you know. There are people all around
who want to help and would jump at the chance if they knew how to help and
what you really need and want. There are so many people who love you. You
don't have to carry this alone.

Somehow it happens that we isolate ourselves over time, stuck in a mode of
survival, and forgetting that there's anything else to think about beyond how
to get through the next day....or even the next few minutes. Life is not meant
for that kind of living, even though there are stages of life that can stretch
for a long time living this way.

Try to reach out today. Call a friend and be really honest about where you are.
Try something new....a new skill, a new recipe, a new route to the same old
places....this will help you get unstuck and begin to build a live that is about
THRIVING and ENJOYING rather than surviving and enduring. You are SO STRONG and
you are so great at surviving and enduring, friend......but everyone who loves
you wants more for you than that. YOUR SOUL wants more than that too.....
you know that, right?

You can do this....there are so many smiles and laughs and new friendships and
new adventures ahead for you. Your best years have not even been lived yet...
you have so much to look forward to. Decide to LIVE BIG!"

I just love these daily e-mails with encouraging messages that I receive from the Brave Girls Club.  What a great group of ladies...maybe someday I'll get to go to a Brave Girl's camp and enjoy. 

 

How to dress up some dish towels...

I can't wrap my mind around the fact that the summer is gone...finito....poof.  I sent my hubby out for his first day back with the students at school yesterday.  Ah, I always liked going back myself when I was young, but it's a little harder when your hubby is a teacher.  I sure enjoyed having him home for the summer.

Anyway, this is a great time to start thinking of things you might want to do for the holiday season that will quickly be upon us.  I don't think I know anyone who doesn't complain of no time at the holiday season, so I'm trying to think ahead of some ideas that you might find useful ahead of time.

 I started this little project with a pack of sack cloth towels I found a Target for about $5.00.  They were thinner than I would have liked, but I was determined to use them.  I started by cutting them each in half and sewing the raw edge down.  In this first one, I used my Cricut machineto spell out EAT with some white cardstock and used that as a template to cut some scrap fabric.  I then ironed on double sided adhesive and sewed down to the towel.  Super simple and so cute.

On this one, I just hand cut some carrot parts and added them the same way. I wanted to keep it simple on these towels because they are thin, but on a thicker one, you could add a nice fabric or lace border or ruffle as well.  I also thought it would be fun to use hand-drawn images.  You can copy images from books or use any die cut machine to cut out your fabric if you want too as well.

 On this one, I had found an image of a cupcake and used that as a template.  I limited myself to my scrap stash with these, but it would be cute to pick out special colors or themed fabric. 

This took no time at all to do..really.  Think of making up a batch and keeping them on hand for gift giving or just for yourself.

I plan on making bunches of these this year myself.  They make me happy.