Guess what's going to Gracie??

Can't keep it in! Sweet Gracie, the little one we sponsor is turning 1 in March. The Girlies and I brainstormed what we thought she would like. My girlies are B*rbie and doll crazy, so it wasn't a surprise that they thought Gracie needed a dolly. Whodathunk that you couldn't easily find Asian dolls. That setteled it- I'd have to make her one. Far more special that way anyhow. Thing is... I can sew a mean bow, but I'm only a dabbler at sewing much else. I have made some nifty Halloween costumes, but a doll? So I grabbed my tissue paper and set off to make a pattern. I'm thrilled with how she turned out. I drew the face on paper and used my design software to create an embroidery pattern. The doll is just about 16 inches and made out of muslin and cotton. I used this soft 'fur' for the hair and made pigtails I pictutred Gracie being able to grab onto. The dolly has this verse embroidered on her belly- "The Lord will command His Angels to take good care of you." Luke 4:10 . I then had to make her a dress. I found the sweetest birthday present fabric and made the dress reversible with a pink polkadot fabric for two looks! Thie picture is of her still in progress- I'll update with all done pictures. I just have some velcro to sew onto the back of the dress and she'll ship off Wednesday. I hope she loves it. It was certainly made with love!

Bows made it to New Day

Ok, so this happened a few weeks ago but I'm lousy at finding time to do much online besides business and reading all the blogs that I love and that minister to my heart. I have decided that I really need to post more and I have to share (though nobody read at this point) some of the pictures I received.

Though I had hoped to get the box mailed off before the end of the year, that didn't happen. But it arrived on perfect time for the Jiaozi party and our boys and toy cars made perfect party favors! Karen at New Day directly sent me some wonderful pictures of the kids and some dearly special ones of Gracie. We included our old Bumbo seat in the care packages and some clothes and toys for Gracie. My favorite picture os of her in the Bumbo in a sleeper both Girly Girls had worn as babies crewing on the book the girls picked out for her wearing two!! of my headbands. The cuteness was unbearable!





I love the group picture too!


You can see the scrapbook of the Jiaozi party (dumplimg making) here and see all the darling bow heads! I love how they all put in several at the same time.

Busy Days of Bows and Such

Isn't everyone just overwhelmed this time of year? I have just completed filling all of my interent orders and local craft show orders and that's a great feeling. I doubt too many more will come in that are for holiday items since we are getting so close to Christmas. I still have a lot of baking and wrapping to be done (The shopping is basically completed). It has been a joy to work on a special project- the girls and I are getting together a big box to send to Gracie and her friends at New Day. I had hoped to have it together and in the mail long before now, but it looks like it will get shipped tomorrow. We got sidelined by illness for a few days. Anyway, what are we sending... some goodies and needed items, but mostly BOWS (what else??). At last count over 80, in fact! The girls and I have put together goodie bags for each of the girls with bows and bow headbands for the younger (ie: little or no hair) ones. We are sending a lot of extras too! We also assembled some boy bags with toy cars. The Girly Girls have drawn cards and are so excited to be sending off bows to Gracie and the "girls we read about on the computer." We can't wait to find out the reaction.

Gracie

We decided that we should sponsor an orphan. After finding out about a special needs foster home near Beijing and viewing their website the decision was confirmed, we just had to select a child. That was the hard part. I knew we wanted a girl, since our own girly girls would more readily participate in the sponsorship if they could identify with the child. I was checking in on the blog of a couple working at the foster home when I saw an update and prayer request for a child going in for heart surgery to correct a hole in her heart. Her name is Gracie and her glowing smile in her picture on the website captured me immediately. The decision was swift to begin praying for her and become one of her sponsors. Once I figure out more about blogging, I'll add her picture. I know she'll capture your hearts too. She is 9 months old and her surgery went well and she is already back at the foster home recovering. We are sending Gracie a care package and in fact will be sending goody bags of bows to all the girls in the orphanage. The girly girls are so excited, especially since the sponsorship contact has said that they will send pictures of the girls opening and trying on their bows. We are making them now and hope to get the big box shipped in a few days. I've sent bows to 46 states and 4 countries, but nowhere even close to China!!! I can't wait to get them to those little girls. Gracie has little hair- she's getting a bowband!

Has it really been almost 2 years

Since I first ventured into the land of blogging? In short, yes! The bow business has grown leaps and bounds and occupies what little child free time I have each day, so there has not been opportunity to really learn the art of blogging and develop this into something worthwhile. For the past six months I have been researching international adoption and following some families on their journeys (one we hope to someday take) and have become a regular blog follower. I have even started to post on some blogs and needed to have an active account myself. Guess it's time to really try to put some effort into this. Wish me luck!