The Portion of my Inheritance

Vintage Pattern

March 20, 2013 by peggy1martin2

O.K, so this was not my favorite vintage pattern. I tend to like the older ones better and try to stay away from the “trendy” patterns.

Just for the record though—I LOVE the hat!

The hearts on the pattern just seem to shout out “VALENTINES” and I was not sure how to get away from that and make it into something she could wear anytime.

I also was taking a little bit of a risk because I was making the girls matching outfits and Aria’s was already done, so I was a little worried that I would end up not liking this one.

But I am grateful that embellishments are “in” and the more the better for me.

I used the same fabric for both outfits, although Aria’s was a pleated skirt and Aniyah’s was overalls.

I also trimmed Aniyah’s shirt with the same soft pink rope cording, around the sleeve edge and the collar edge. However Aria’s did not have any lace or flowers on hers.

I made Aniyah a matching headband out of the same fabric. I ran a piece of elastic inside the headband then added the flowers.

I was happy how this little jumper turned out. Even though you can see the shape of the heart it doesn’t have to be a Valentine outfit.

They wore them to church this past Sunday and they looked so adorable!

The girls in their matching clothes.

“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. Mark 2:21

Posted in Vintage Patterns | 1 Comment »

Pork Chop Dinner

March 19, 2013 by peggy1martin2

Over 30 years ago I found this recipe on the back of a pork and bean can and it has become one of our family favorites.

This is what you will need:

1 large can of Pork and Beans

1 teas. cinnamon (I usually add just a little more)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/8-1/4 teas. ground cloves

pork chops

apple slices (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the pork chops on the stove seasoned with your favorite seasoning.

While the chops are browning, mix the can of pork and beans and cinnamon together in an oven proof pan.

In a separate bowl mix the 1/2 cup brown sugar and the ground cloves together. I use 1/4 teaspoon because I like the taste of cloves, but it might be too much for some. Start with the 1/8 teaspoon until you get the desired mix.

When the pork chops are brown, place them over the cinnamon beans, and sprinkle the brown sugar and clove mix over the top.

Bake at 350 for 45 min. or until the beans are bubbling and the pork chops are tender.

Optional: slice an apple and place on the pork chops 15 minutes before pulling out of the oven.

Remove from oven.

I usually serve with fried potatoes and salad.

Garden Fairy Party

March 18, 2013 by peggy1martin2

Just follow the sign, down the path of fairy dust and you might just come upon a garden fairy!

The Garden Fairy’s homes are open and all are welcome.

If you just happen to be a fairy that lost her wings, there are many to choose from. Just take your pick!

The garden is filled with little garden fairies that are very busy preparing for the garden party.

The little Gnomes have also joined in the fun.

The garden animals are happy to have so many visitors.

Fairies everywhere are busy painting fairy houses.

At last! All the preparations have been made and it is time to celebrate!

The fresh garden fairy food is scrumptious!

And the garden fairies eat and eat and eat . . . .

Everyone gets a piece of the celebration cake.

And finally the gifts are opened in the garden with all the fairies gathered around.

At the end of the day, each fairy hangs up her wings. It has been a good day and all is well.

So . . . . until next year . . .

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. Luke 1:14

Posted in Family | 2 Comments »

Whimsy Couture Booties Pattern

March 18, 2013 by peggy1martin2

I love this pattern from Whimsy Couture on etsy.

You can find the pattern here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/whimsycouture?ref=seller_info_count

The first pair of booties I made for Aria, to match her Minky robe. I used long pink shaggy minky and lined the booties with pink dotted minky.

They were so soft and yummy!

I used a rubber shelf liner on the bottom of the booties to keep her from slipping. After this pair I only used a little of it. It was really hard to sew and I realized that I didn’t need to cover the whole bottom to keep her from slipping. Just a strip or a couple of pieces work fine.

Then. . . . I just started making booties!

Oh, Bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved. Psalm 66:8-9

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In EVERYTHING Give Thanks

March 17, 2013 by peggy1martin2

In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

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On The Day I Became a Grandmother

March 15, 2013 by peggy1martin2

We call her our 3:16 baby. Born on this day of the Lord two thousand and eight, on the 16^th day of March.

Just hours after her birth, as her mother held her in her arms, her eyes found mine and we each searched deeply. And there was this awakening in my heart. You know that knitting together with threads that are woven so tightly and the Lord is there, right smack dab in the center of the weave, never to be broken or snatched away.

This strand that stretches from her heart to mine is held together by His grace. His magnificent, glorious, amazing grace. A transcendent gift of grace that surpasses anything on this earth.

And who am I that the Lord would lavish upon this me great, extravagant gift?

Yet, as the years press on, this gift becomes more and more precious to me and how can that be? How can my heart hold any more joy? How could I possibly love her anymore than I did that first instant or that first year or every year after? But here it is, this incredible love that first took seed and was cultivated by the Creator Himself, given by His own Hand.

And I think I finally understand just a little more of His love. The most powerful Love that ever was has given us a glimpse of that love through His gift of life, profusely bestowed upon us through our children and our children’s children. And it has been through this gift that I have learned more of the Gift givers heart. And the love that gushes out of our hearts upon the heads of our children came first from Him. It was from His Father’s heart that first loved us (1 John 4:10) and He said it in His word, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present no things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans 8:38-39)

I am so grateful to my Lord for giving me that most precious gift five years ago. I treasure every single second that I am so blessed to share with her. Every smile, every giggle, the laughter, playing dress up and barbies, cooking, sewing and knitting together. And yes, I am also grateful for even the ‘stinky’ moments. She has brought so much joy into my life and my heart is full because of her.

Happy 5^th birthday Aria Claire! You are my dream!

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children. Psalm 103:17

Posted in Family, My Heart | 6 Comments »

Vintage Pattern

March 14, 2013 by peggy1martin2

I used a combination of two patterns to get the desired look I wanted for this pleated skirt.

I wanted the skirt to have pleats, but I loved the waistband on this skirt so I adjusted the pleats to fit.

I was happy with the results and Aria was too.

I love the crisp classic look of pleats and I can only seem to find what I like in the vintage patterns.

The eyelet shirt is from the same vintage pattern that I have used so often.

I trimmed the collar edge, the front edge and the cuffs with a soft pink rope cording.

I sewed the buttons on with a soft pink thread.

Spring is here and this is a good outfit for the season.

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13

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The Making of a Fairy Costume

March 14, 2013 by peggy1martin2

Saturday is Aria’s 5th birthday and she is having a fairy garden party, so mammy started the process of making a fairy costume a while back.

There are five different parts to this costume so it happened in stages. It started with a slip dress that goes under the tulle skirt and fairy vest.

The netted fairy vest is the next layer.

The tulle skirt and the fairy crown complete the outfit.

But let us not forget about the AMAZING fairy wings, made by the most incredible Nicky Cook!

Aria the garden fairy.

I will be taking pictures at the party of all the other little fairies.

His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. Mark 9:3 (Jesus Transfigured on the Mount)

Posted in Sewing | 6 Comments »

Excerpt From My Book ‘Ponderings of a Mother’s Heart’

March 12, 2013 by peggy1martin2

“The most powerful Bible study I have ever done, and my all-time favorite, is The Life-Changing Power in the Blood of Christ by Jennifer Kennedy Dean. I have done the study twice and read through it regularly. Jennifer doesn’t know it, but she also walked through those few months with me. This was one of the studies I was doing during that time, and God used it in a powerful way.

I met Jennifer in person at a ladies retreat a few months ago at Pine Cove in Tyler, Texas. I am so thankful for her heart. She was wonderful! She ate her meals with us and sat by me during breakfast one morning. She was so gracious and patient. I know she must have thought I was a stalker or a “creeper,” as Kory would say, I left there with at least five autographs.

She didn’t know how many hours we spent together, crying out to the Lord. She didn’t know that our Lord used her in so many ways, not just in this experience but also in so many others. My friends knew. In fact, one incredible friend paid my way to see Jennifer, because she knew.

During this amazing study, I was reading a part that says that when God looks at us, He sees His Son. I began to pray that He would give me a greater understanding of that. A couple of days later, this is what I read:

—-“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13). These truths are written down so that you and I can be confident that the Son’s life flows through us; so that we can believe in the present-tense life of Jesus operating in us. When the Father looks at me, He does not see “Jennifer, who believes in Jesus.” He sees ‘Jesus in His Jennifer form.” This is called eternal life! (Jennifer Kennedy Dean)—-

That made much more sense to me, but still, I wanted to wrap my brain around it. I began to to pray and ask God to give me an even deeper understanding of what that meant. And several days later, He did.

I had decided to take “before” and “after” pictures of Kory’s chest. So I called Kory into the room and began to take pictures of his chest from different angles. When I uploaded the pictures to my computer, I was stunned.

I had truly never realized how bad his chest really was. I never saw how deep it was. It was as if I was seeing it for the first time because, when I looked at him in person, I didn’t see his chest–I ONLY SAW MY SON!

It was one of the most profound moments of this journey. I knew that the Lord was showing me what I had asked of Him. He was showing me in a way that I could understand how He looks at me. He used my son’s chest to paint this beautiful picture of how He views me.

I finally understood. When He looks at me, He doesn’t see the ugly stains of my sin. When He looks at me, He only sees His Son.”

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1a

You can get Jennifer Kennedy Dean’s Bible study- Power in the Blood of Christ here:

http://www.prayinglife.org/bookstore/the-life-changing-power-in-the-blood-of-christ/

Posted in Ponderings of a Mother's Heart | Leave a Comment »

Whole Grain Gingerbread Pancakes

March 12, 2013 by peggy1martin2

This is what you will need:

1 cup whole wheat flour–I grind my own

1 tsp baking powder– I use aluminum free

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp brown sugar–I use coconut sugar

2 tbsp melted butter

1 7-oz container Greek yogurt

1/2 cup milk–I use raw milk

1 egg

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves, nutmeg and brown sugar in a bowl.

Combine the melted butter, the yogurt, milk and the egg in a separate bowl.

Mix the dry ingredients and the liquid together until all the ingredients are mixed well and the batter is thick.

I used coconut oil for the pan.

Oil the cookie cutters so the batter will not stick, and pour the pancake batter into them. Cook until done. Since the batter is thicker that the usual pancake batter, make sure it is cooked all the way through.