Monthly Archives: November 2018

Giving Thanks

Reflections

1 Thessalonians 5:18  “ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

While preparing to host our Thanksgiving celebration this week I have found myself reflecting on all of the things I am thankful for. I have so much to be thankful for I am not sure I could put it all into words. Instead I have put together a small photo journal from this year and thought I would share it with you. I hope you enjoy it.

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In closing I will share this short story – Yesterday I woke early. It was around 4:30 A.M. when I was wide awake and crawled out of bed. I turned on the computer then the coffee. Scout came to me wanting to go outside. As I opened the door to let him out there was a bright streak in the sky to the east. A shooting star. “Make a wish” I thought, but nothing came to mind. I couldn’t think of anything to wish for. I have all that I want and more than I need and I am thankful.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Gift For Addy

crochet, Reflections

We celebrated our Granddaughters first birthday last week.

Meet Addy.

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I made her a birthday gift.

IMG_4614This sweater is loosely based off a free pattern I found online. I found the written pattern somewhat difficult to understand. I am thankful there was a video tutorial as I did have to view parts of it for guidance. I added the cuffs and changed the collar and trim to match. I chose lady bug buttons because Addy’s nickname is Ladybug. The matching beret was my own design, having made larger berets in the past I used the same process to make a smaller version.

When I went to sew the buttons on the sweater I discovered that the ladybug antennae threatened to snag the sweater when passing through the button holes.  To prevent this I added snaps on the inside of the sweater, so the ladybugs on the outside are only for decoration.

I would liked to have gotten pictures of Addy in this outfit but by the time gifts were opened and cake was eaten our precious Ladybug was ready for a nap. It was not the right time to expect her to model and pose for a pictures. Instead, as I held her she put her head on my should and closed her eyes and I savored these precious moments. 🙂

Thanks for reading.

 

Why I don’t Use Palm Oil When Making Soap

Palm Oil, Reflections

This recent post on one of the blogs I follow made me realize this is something that I, as soap maker, should address. https://thecobweboriumemporium.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/theres-a-rang-tan-in-my-bedroom/

If you watch the short (heartbreaking) video in this link (and you should) you probably get the gist, but let me give you a little more detail. When I started making soap, 10+ years ago, I found that most soap recipes called for palm oil. Interestingly, I found some of the sources of these recipes recommended using “sustainable” palm oil. I honestly had no idea what was meant by “sustainable” palm oil, so I did what any person with internet access would do – searched “sustainable palm oil”.

What I learned is that palm oil is widely used in products that we consume (about 50% of the products in our grocery stores contain palm oil) and since production is not able to keep up with demand rain forests are being destroyed in order to plant more oil palm trees. This website gives lots more details and says it way better than I ever could. https://www.palmoilinvestigations.org/about-palm-oil.html

I found it very disturbing that entire habitats and the were being destroyed and wildlife was being killed or displaced in order to satisfy human greed. It seemed unethical and immoral, so at that point I decided rather than adding to the problem by creating more demand,  I would just not use palm oil. In soap making there are many, many oils and many oil combinations that can be used to make nice soaps. Palm oil is simply not necessary.

After reading the post from The Cobweb Emporium I realized that I had been negligent by not passing this information along. I am certain that awareness of the issue is the first step in making a difference. Beyond that it is for each individual to decide on actions they might take. These could include:

  • Seeking and purchasing products that do not contain palm oil or its derivatives. This is not an easy task as there are around 200 ways palm oil can be listed as ingredients. They can be viewed at this link https://www.palmoilinvestigations.org/names-for-palm-oil.html
  • Cooking from scratch and/or making your own soap, skin care and cleaning products.
  • Getting involved with advocacy groups.
  • Contacting companies that use palm oil in their products and ask them to seek alternative ingredients.
  • Share this post with others so they too are aware of the problem and can take action if they choose.

Let your conscious be your guide.

Thanks for reading. 🙂

Port Huron Senior Center Holiday Bazaar Friday November 16

Reflections

The Port Huron Senior Center is holding is Annual Holiday Bazaar on Friday November 16 from 9am-4pm. The center is located at 600 Grand River Avenue in Port Huron, Michigan.

There will be many vendors selling handcrafted items. If you are in the area I encourage you to stop in and support these local crafters. Be sure to stop by my table to say “Hi” and pick up a bar of Don’t Eat It! soap or a lip balm.

***If you are not in the Port Huron area I encourage you to take some time this Holiday Season to attend a local craft event and support your local merchants as well.

 

 

Some Recent Crochet Projects

crochet, homemade, Reflections

I haven’t written about crocheting in a while, so if you haven’t been following my blog for long you may not realize that this is a craft that I really enjoy. Unlike last year when I completed a major crochet project, this year I have kept it pretty simple.

When it comes to crocheting, scarves are about as simple as it gets. Below are three of the scarves I have created.

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The one on the left is a pattern I made up combining two rows of double crochet followed by two rows of broom stick lace and repeating that pattern throughout.

The one in the middle was a pattern that was on the yarn wrapper. It is a combination of V-stiches and shell stitches. I absolutely love the royal colors of this scarf.

The one on the right is an infinity scarf made using a broom stick lace pattern. It is made with Lion Brand Landscapes yarn and is very soft.

You can probably tell I enjoy using variegated yarn for creating scarves. It is fun to watch the piece come together as the colors transition and each scarf becomes a one of a kind.

Thanks for stopping reading. 🙂