NOT ME Monday!!!

It's Not Me Monday again!!!

As a Christian, I have really been working to live what I believe. I am really trying to rid myself of my potty-mouth. I would never scream expletives at the top of my lungs while sewing my sweet godson's outfit he will wear as his mother dedicates him to the service of Christ. No, not me, that would be so un-Christian.

I would never gab to my friends at work about my husbands latest "OMG, did he really say that?" moment. And proceed to relentlessly make fun of him. NOT ME!!

I am such a health nut, you know, a dedicated pesco-vegetarian. I would never eat ice cream, frozen custard, and frozen yogurt 3 out of 4 days this weekend. Not Me!!!

I wouldn't purposefully spend a large chunk of the weekend talking about how much I LOVE Chattanooga in a shameless attempt to get Molly to move here. That doesn't sound like me AT ALL.

I didn't spend the rest of the weekend watching my husband play with our godson and think what a wonderful dad he will be some day. Nope, that sounds EVEN LESS like ME!!

I would never want to steal my precious godson and bring him home with me, nope never.

I wasn't just a little sad when my "visitor" came on Sunday just before we left for the airport, even though I know it's way too soon and the total wrong time to miss my visitor. Nope, not me.

I would never use my "visitor" as an excuse to skip a workout, or at least turn a high impact swim into a low impact walk. Nope not me!!!

our adorable godson Joshua

I will blog more about our wonderful weekend with Molly and Joshua. But for now, a couple of precious pictures of Joshua before his dedication.

Precious treasures, the old becomes new

I've been doing a lot of sewing lately, and most of it has remained unblogged-about. But this project is very special. It's been in the works for months now (talking, searching for pattern and materials). Our godson Joshua's baby dedication ceremony is this weekend (they do it once a year on Mother's Day at Molly's church). Baby dedication is similar to Christening, except without the water. The family of the child stands in front of the congregation and promises to raise the child in the church.

When I first started searching for patterns and thinking about this project, I realized that it has been over 8 years since I've done any "heirloom" sewing. I've made lots of other things, cutesy stuff. But heirloom sewing is what I truly love, not just because the items are so beautiful, but also because it is becoming a lost art and not many people can do it (especially in my generation).

I became increasingly excited when I started gathering the materials. One reason this is so special is that I was able to use leftover fabric Mom had from making my wedding dress to make Joshua's outfit (and I still have nearly 2.25 yards left!). When doing heirloom sewing, I try to use only the best, most authentic materials. I thought last week that I may need to purchase some vintage buttons for it as well. I went to the local antique store (BAD BAD JILL) in search of buttons. I came home with lots of antique linens and trims, but no buttons.

Then it dawned on me. I was the only one of the grandchildren in our family to learn to sew, so I got my Meme's sewing machine (it's one built into a cabinet). I've been putting off going through the drawers, but this gave me the perfect excuse! Last Saturday, I spent the first half of the day cleaning out, sorting and restoring one of two drawers in Meme's sewing machine. It was so cool to sort through all the things that she kept at arms length when she was sewing. I found her metal scissors with the handles painted black (thought the paint is all but gone now), TONS of vintage buttons still on the cards, little promotional item cards with needles attached from Liberty National Insurance, and my favorite - a welding rod. My Papaw was a welder/ ironworker by trade. Meme kept a welding rod in her sewing maching to help push out the corners of pieces when you turn them right-side-out for sewing. Just knowing that I was touching the things that she used to make every dress for her daughters and granddaughters, every Easter outfit for her grandchildren, every suit for church, and maybe even the veil Aunt Pam wore in her wedding that we later repurposed into my veil, was very special to me. These things that look like not much to anybody else, are treasures to me. Most people would open that drawer, pull out that welding rod, and say, "What is this and why is it in a sewing machine?"

Wouldn't you know, I found BOTH size buttons in the exact color that I needed in that drawer? I also used that welding rod a couple of times to make the little button belt in the back of the romper :) Without further ado, the final product. I will DEFINITELY post pictures of our precious godson in this outfit when we get back!!

My NOT ME Monday!!!

So, I am still keeping up with Stellan and the entire McKFamily after his heart surgery. It will be a long road ahead for him. But McKMama has this great tradition called Not Me! Mondays. It's a way of confessing how human you are in a sarcastic way, but I'm NEVER sarcastic. Not Me! GET IT?? To read McKMama's Not Me! Monday entries, click this button.



She says it can be liberating to live your life with this kind of honesty, so here goes.

I would NEVER wait until 30 minutes before small group to read the passages for the week, Not Me! Especially on a week I was leading discussion, no I would never do that.

I would never, EVER even THINK of waiting until 10 days before we are leaving for our godson Joshua's baby dedication in Arkansas to PULL OUT the PATTERN for his outfit. No, NOT ME!!!

I wouldn't be jealous of friends' opportunities and wallow in self pity. NEVER, Not Me!

I wouldn't neglect quiet time with my Lord, or forget to pray for people I've promised prayers for, Not Me!

I would never waste too much time on the internet when I should be doing productive things, Not Me!!

I wouldn't hit the snooze so many times that I ran out of time to shower before work. I would never wash my face, brush my teeth, freshen my deodorant, flat iron my hair, get dressed and think, "All I did was go to church and sew yesterday. How dirty could I be??" NO NOT ME!!