Review of My Etsy Shop

About 6 weeks or so ago I received a request from a someone who has her own blog chronicling her love for American Girl dolls. She explained to me that she does

"reviews, giveaways, and advertising for doll items on my doll blog. I do detailed reviews on the items, including links, with pictures and everything. Giveaways are also fun too! Advertising can be free to very little cost. Would you be interested? I have around 90 views a day and am know around the blogs as an Etsy fanatic and lover. Everyone comes for reviews and wisdom on Etsy shops."

So, I looked at her blog and realized that she is actually a homeschool kid who runs the blog in her spare time. As a homeschool mom I knew I had no choice but to respond to this request with a yes. After a few emails ("convos" in Etsy speak) when I had a better idea of what she was looking for, my 10 year old and I chose several items to send out to her.

After receiving her message letting me know she received the items and loved them (yay!) she told me she would let me know when she posts her review. Well, the other day I got the link to her site with the review of the PJs I sent to her. I have to say I think she did a great job! She dressed her doll in the PJs and then added a cute headband and pair of slippers to "complete the look," and posed her for a bunch of photos. At the end of the review she used the questions she had asked me and framed them in the setting of me being interviewed by her doll, Victoria. Super cute idea. I loved it.

Below is the gist of her review. But it really is worth looking at her blog for the whole thing with all the photos.

The PJs are made from a light weight cotton print. The print is a baby blue with white polka dots (very small) all over! It fastens with velco, for an easy and helpful way to dress. The buttons are a deeper blue and look very tied in with the outfit. The pants are adorable and simple, two things pants need to be! They stick out a little like flare pants.

All in all, this was a fun experience. I enjoyed encouraging another homeschooler as well as letting my daughter see what "a kid can do" with something that interests her.

Red Letter Revolution Review

Well, I finally finished reading Red Letter Revolution. Truth be told, this book was what my husband would call a "game changer" for me. In the interest of full disclosure I do consider myself a Christian. However, quite often I feel like I'm just not doing it right! I feel like I just keep screwing it up over and over again. Then I read this book and realized that I am screwing it up over and over again, but that every time I do there is a God who is infinite in His grace to forgive me and let me try again. Now I know I should have already known that, and on some level I'm sure I did know it. But reading the way author Tony Campolo puts it: "Because I am not yet living up to what Jesus expects me to be... I always define myself as somebody who is saved by God's grace and is on his way to becoming Christian" (p 11). And I think that the main premise of this book is exactly that... grace. As a Christian, I am extended God's grace and it should be my response to that grace that makes me gracious toward others. Do I always do that? Absolutely not. Have I been trying harder to do that since I read this book? Believe it or not, yes, I have. I'm not perfect at it, but my mind has sure been stretched on who "deserves" and thus receives my grace.

This book is divided into three basic sections, which are made up of a number of discussions between the authors on topics related to the section heading. I will admit that the authors of this book stand far to the left of me on social issues. But to find myself seriously questioning my long-held beliefs on more than one topic was deeply unsettling to me. Understand that I did not necessarily change my beliefs on things, but I was challenged to think beyond some of my "talking point" beliefs. Case in point: I am a pro-life person. Having two children convinced me of that long before I became a Christian. But in my mind, being pro-life meant only "stop women from wanting/having abortions." I never really did anything about it, only had the thoughts in my head. And to top it all off, I was not against the death penalty. Having read the Pro-Life section of this book, I found myself realizing that pro-life means exactly that - for LIFE! "From womb to tomb" as the book calls it. And this is where they got me on the death penalty issue - nobody is beyond the reach of God's grace and forgiveness. Nobody.

The other issue where they had me was in regard to abortion. If I am against them, what am I doing to help the women that don't have them? Aside from saying "Don't do it!" am I offering any assistance to them when they find themselves and their babies in need of help? Am I voting for politicians who will support initiatives to help same women and babies? How am I putting my hands and feet to the work of helping those most vulnerable people? The awful truth was, "Im not." Consequently, very soon after reading this section, a woman I know was participating in a fund-raiser for a Christian crisis pregnancy center that tries to do those things I just mentioned. Without a second's hesitation I wrote the check. Now I realize that isn't enough, but it's a beginning. Perhaps the next step is to get involved with the center in some way? I don't know, but I will keep the idea in mind.

All in all I really liked this book. Not every section caused the crisis of conscience described above, but there were other sections that made me pause. This is one of those books that I think everyone should read, but not my copy! Buy your own here! LOL!!

Thanksgiving Post - A Little Bit Late

Thanksgiving this year was so much more fun than I anticipated. Not that I thought it would be "not fun," I just enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The husband, kids and I went to my dad and step-mom's house where we were joined by my step-sister and her boyfriend as well as my brother. With everyone there being relaxed and in a great mood and the "fun-ness" of the two dogs, it really was a happy Thanksgiving! Of course on Facebook were the requisite posts from everyone on "what I'm thankful for this year..." which I didn't bother to do, but I figured I'd put up some of the things I'm thankful for right here:

1) God - I know it sounds cheesy to say that, but I really do mean it truthfully. Without God, everything and everyone around me is nothing. He is the tie that holds it all together. He is ever-loving, ever-forgiving (YAY!) and ever-faithful, just to name a few. Recently, I have found myself looking for more of Him and reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis during a recent vacation sort of explained in my head what I've been feeling in my heart. Let's see if I can rephrase what I understand... God is in all of us. When I feel that longing to see God, to learn more about Him, it's that bit of God in me reaching out for Himself. In my mind, it's kind of like a magnet drawn to metal. Not the best analogy, but it makes sense to me!

1) My family - My husband is awesome. He really is. He works hard and he loves us like crazy. He's fun to be around and have deep conversations with. He's also really fun to drink a beer with while we watch a baseball game or hockey game (or whatever) on TV. My kids (as frustrating as they can be sometimes!) are really the light of my life. They are sweet and silly and just a lot of fun to be with. They teach me as much as, or perhaps even more than, I teach them. As homeschoolers, we spend a LOT of time together and I know that could go either way - as if to punctuate my point, literally as I was typing this, my daughter called from a sleepover just to say good morning to me! Did I mention that I LOVE my kids!?!

3) My home - We own a 2 family home and live in the two top floors. My brother lives in the downstairs apartment. It's awesome having family so close. He's been here almost 4 years and he has "come to the rescue" in our house more times than I can count. From things as silly as having extra cooking supplies I've run out of, to fixing our washing machine and replacing our hot-water heater to a host of other things we don't know how to do!

4) My church - The first time I walked in the doors of this building I was most definitely a "seeker." I didn't really know who I was or what I believed beyond a superficial level. I sat down in one of the chairs and listened to the pastor speak and it was if I was "home." Week after week I would listen to, and learn from, him. In the almost 8 years it has been since I walked into this church, I have grown as a Christian, specifically as a person, a mother, a wife and a member of the body. I enjoy serving in several ministries like I never thought I could or would! Well, I guess that's enough for now. Although, I could go on counting my blessings all day! But I think it's time for some breakfast and then time to get the Christmas decorations out so when my daughter comes home we can Deck the Halls!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Motorcycle Chaps for Dolls?

I have received a request from a family friend looking for a pink motorcycle jacket and chaps for their daughter's AG doll. The motorcycle jacket was easy. Liberty Jane Patterns saved the day on that one - although the jacket was not all that easy to make, it came out SO cute. The chaps, on the other hand, are apparently not as common for dolls. So, after looking and looking, I stumbled across this really helpful blog post that is technically for cowboy chaps, but I'm thinking that with a little bit of modification, this could be the pattern I've been looking for. Keep your fingers crossed that this works. If it works, maybe I'll add them to my shop!

UPDATE: I did, in fact, make the chaps to go with the jacket and they came out pretty great - if I do say so myself! Sorry it's taken me so long to post photos, but here they are! As of right now, I am not including the chaps in my shop, but who knows what the future will bring... :)

A Forthcoming Review of My Shop

I was contacted late last week by a 12 year old with a blog all about AG dolls and their clothes. She was hoping I would be interested in sending her an outfit to review on her blog and possibly give away. Being a mom to a 10 year old blogger, I thought it sounded like a great way to encourage a young girl while getting a little bit of exposure through her blog. I decided to send her a daytime set of clothes (jeans, pink and gray baseball jersey, and a polka-dot backpack) as well as a set of pajamas. I'm curious to see what she does with the items I send and what she thinks of them. I hope they pass her test. I'll put up the link to her blog when she's got my stuff up there - assuming, of course, that's it's a good review!

Books In the Basket on 9/29

Right now I am currently reading two books. The first is The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis. I'm only through the second chapter and I'm discovering that Lewis definitely makes a person think about what they are reading. I've never read anything by him (except The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which my kids and I read together during our homeschool literature study last spring) and I can say without a doubt that this is not an easy read! The second book I am reading is called Red Letter Revolution by Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo. The writing style is in stark contrast to that of the Lewis book. So far Lewis is very "heady" and I can only read a little bit at a time if I'm going to understand thoroughly what I'm reading. The Red Letter Revolution, however, is a much more "feeling" type book - at least through it's introduction and first chapter. Because it is written in a much more conversational tone (it is literally written as a conversation between the authors) it is an easier book to read quickly. Having said that, I have no intention of reading it quickly. In the first chapter alone they have succinctly summarized an argument that my husband and I have never been able to settle for as long as we've talked religion. (Justification by faith or good works.) So far I am really enjoying both books for very different reasons and can't wait to continue both of them. I'll keep posting as I go through!