Other Favorites

It was kind of fun to tell you about some of my favorite blogs last week, so I thought maybe I'd tell you about some of my other favorite things on Thursdays until I run out of things.  Maybe some of my favorites will be new to you and you can discover and love them, too.  So the category this week is favorite musicians!

Christian Artists

Jimmy Needham - We love Jimmy.  Here's his website.  His style is kind of soulful pop.  You can listen to some samples from his latest album on amazon.  He's a talented musician and is very good at putting words together to make a point and be musically interesting.  He loves God, his wife, and his two little girls.  "In the Middle" is a really great song and probably one of my favorites from his latest album.  It's about how his wife went through three miscarriages and his promise to be there for her.  He then changes it to focus on how God promises to be there for us through the hard things in life.  The other song on this album that is really good is the title track "Clear the Stage."  It is about making God first in our life and not letting anything else become an idol.  I was pretty excited to find out that he'll be playing at the Okoboji Bible Conference next year. (My husband's family is always at Lake Okoboji during that time for family vacation.)

Downhere -  Unfortunately, I don't think these guys will be making albums together anymore, but the few most recent albums that they did do were really great.  They are pretty much rock-ish.  The two lead singers have two very different voices, but both very good and the lyrics are also very good.  They made a lovely Christmas album a couple years ago and the song "How Many Kings" is such a nice song. Listen to a bit here.  If you like the sound of the band Queen, these guys have a number of songs that sound very Queen-esque, especially "My Last Amen." Hear a bit here.

Andrew Peterson - My husband introduced me to the music of Andrew Peterson.  It is lovely.  I would call his music folk.  He has made many albums and has even written a few books.  I should try reading them sometime.  His "Behold the Lamb of God" Christmas album is wonderful.  Here's his amazon page with a bunch of parts of songs you can hear.  When I want to hear a pretty song, I listen to "Isle of Skye."  He, along with his friend Randall Goodgame, who has also written some very good music on his own, did a kids album called Slugs and Bugs.  My son loves this album and it's not painful for me to listen to.  Win win. 

Sara Groves - We had the pleasure of seeing Sara Groves in concert this past summer for free!  For me, it was one of the best concerts I have attended.  She's such a likeable person and it was nice to hear some of the story behind a few of her songs.  Here's her amazon page if you want to listen a bit.

Newsboys - These guys are mostly fun dance type music.  Some of their songs have kind of silly lyrics, but some are really wonderful.  I really like their album titled "Go" and their worship albums are nice, too.  Amazon page here.

Non-Christian

Burlap to Cashmere - Ok, technically these guys might be under a Christian label or at least they used to be, but good luck understanding any of their lyrics.  While they make no sense, musically they are quite amazing.  It's this mix of styles ranging from Simon and Garfunkelish to Spanish and Greek sounding to kind of regular pop.  Here is their amazon page.  My husband's favorite is "Santorini" and I really like "Live in a Van" and "Orchestrated Love Song."  We have listened to their most recent album quite a bit and it is impossible to memorize the lyrics, but fun to join in for a few words here and there!

Jack Johnson - His music just makes you feel happy. :)  Here's his amazon page.  My son really enjoys the Curious George soundtrack.

 Michael Buble (I don't know how to make the accent over the e and am too lazy to google how right now.  Pretend it's there.) -  Sometimes I like a nice crooner kind of song. Amazon page here.

Norah Jones - I haven't listened to her much lately, but I do like her music if I'm in the right kind of mood.  Amazon page

Juanes and Shakira - I have spent a fair amount of time in Latin America, mostly Venezuela, and I learned about these two artists there.  This is dancing around the house pretending you have moves and some sense of rhythm music.  Amazon pages here and here.  Warning about Shakira...she doesn't really wear much in the way of clothing.

A couple others that my husband likes and who are really growing on me are Simon and Garfunkel (it will take longer for me to like just Paul Simon.  I really like some of his alone songs, but some are just weird.  Also, he makes no sense.) and Billy Joel.

Okay!  That's a lot.  And there are many other artists and bands I like, too.  Those are just some.  Who are your favorite artists/bands?   

WIP Wednesday

Okay, so last Wednesday I showed you the many things I have on my to do list.  I have not started David Kovach's book yet although I really want to!  I feel like I should finish the book club book first, but it's not grabbing my attention yet.  Maybe I should read more than one chapter, huh? 

I have completed a number of things!

Dots and chevrons baby quilt.

Sprout blocks for Tracey's quilt for her friend Chelsa, mailed today

Pajama pants for my son.  They are maybe a little too short.  The boy keeps growing!

Pleated pouch (pattern from here)

Some Chapstick cozies!  These were fun to make.  I think I'll need to make more for the craft fair.

Okay, so now here's what I need to get done.

 

 

 

More pajama pants!  And probably some hand warmers.

Hmm...I guess I don't have pictures of other things.  They are not so much works in progress as plans to get things done. 
Anyway, hopefully I'll just be posting lots of things that are done over the next few weeks.  I'll try to get the etsy shop link up by the end of the week.

I haven't practiced.

I was hoping to give a little review of EQ7 and show you some cool things I had designed on it, but I've been busy making stuff for the craft fair. So here's the flyer! If you are local and can come to this, please do! My friend Crystal will be selling the great stuff she has made, too! If you aren't local, I have just opened an etsy store, but I need to get all my items in it. I'll add the info to the blog when it's all ready. If you want to check Crystal's etsy shop, it's http://www.etsy.com/shop/SoSheStitches

Safe in the Ark

I've been in a study in Genesis for a couple of months now and the past week or two we have been looking at the account of Noah. My husband and I have noted that it is a strange thing for baby toys and decor to show cute floating zoos with Mr. and Mrs. Noah happily bobbing along. This account is anything but cute or happy. We are told that "every intent of the thoughts of his (man's) heart was only evil continually." God would not hold back judgment forever. However, in His mercy, He saves Noah and his family. God sends rain, but not only rain. He made the great deep burst forth. This was catastrophic. How did Noah and his family survive? They were safe in the ark that God had given specific instructions about building. Jesus says in Matthew 24:37 that His return will be like the days of Noah. People will be eating, drinking, getting married. What is missing from this list of activities? Worship of God. God is patiently and graciously giving time for people to come to Him, but as in the days of Noah, he will not hold back judgement forever. And it will be catastrophic. How will anyone survive? In Christ. We've also been reading the book of John with our son and I'm reminded again of John 3:16, but there are a few other verses after 16 that are very important. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the the only begotten son of God. This is the judgement, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." Out of God's love, He offered an ark. And out of His love, he offered His Son.

Dude, you slapped a fish

Just something funny today. The presidential debate bad lip reading "Eye of the Sparrow" is pretty funny, too. Have a good weekend!

A Winner and some other stuff

So I did things old school and wrote the numbers 1 - 14 on slips of paper and then had my husband pick a number.  The lucky winner is Veronica!  I'll send you an email, Veronica. :)

I've been kind of unsure what I'd post about today, but now I have a couple things so I'll start with something I think is neat.  It goes right along with the goal of my sewing and blog.  I thank my friend Crystal for inviting me to join in making a couple of quilt blocks for another quilter I don't even know.  Traceyjay quilts is another quilt blogger and has a good friend with cancer.  So she's making a quilt that I think will be really nice for her friend and has invited others of us to make a couple blocks to add to it and to pray for her friend.  If you click through to her blog, you can read more about it as well as the story of what her friend Chelsa has been going through.  Here are some of the blocks already done.

The other thing I thought I would show you are some upcoming fabric lines I have seen that I look really cool.  I'm not sure on rules about putting pictures of fabric lines from stores on my blog.  I don't want to make you check out a bunch of links, so I'll link you to Hawthorne Threads' Coming Soon section and tell you the ones I think look really great.

Well, this one is actually out now, but I love Ed Emberley and now there is a Happy Drawing 2.  I didn't buy some of the first one when it came out and I'm kind of kicking myself now.  My son loves elephants and that elephant print is hard to get...well, for a reasonable price at least.

Anyway, here are the ones I like coming soon:

Joel Dewberry Notting Hill - I have always really liked his orange and aqua prints, but never bought any.
Patty Sloniger - Les Amis - cute foxes, turtles, and owls!
Carolyn Friedlander - Architextures - I have a feeling this one is going to sell like crazy. 
Julia Rothman - Type - This one will be flying off the shelves, too.
Lizzy House - Pearl Bracelets - I love these prints and now they are in one bunch with many colors. Yay!
Lizzy House - Constellations - The constellation print depicts constellations of previous characters from other prints.  So cool. 
Rashida Coleman Hale - Tsuru - I like the cranes.  :)

Any fabrics coming out soon that you hope to add to your stash?

My Favorites

You can still get your name in for a chance to win a cool bit of fabric!  Comment on this post

I'm listing my favorite blogs on the right side here ----->
But I thought I'd tell you a little about them and maybe you can check some of them out.
I'll group them by categories.  Oops, I noticed that I didn't make them linky!  Fixed now.

People I know, non-sewing:

 http://andrewscode.blogspot.com/ - This is my husband's blog.  I have to admit that I don't really understand his blog.  He is a computer programmer and he has blogged about computery things.  So if you are of that inclination, maybe it will be helpful to you. :)  He has told me that he has gotten some traffic from my blog.

http://teamvanvoorst.blogspot.com/ - This is my friend Paige.  She blogs about, um...all kinds of stuff.  She's funny and smart and loves God, her husband, her kids and others.  Every Wednesday she has Video Vednesday where she puts up a funny video.  I like that feature so I'm doing a similar thing on Saturday. 

http://onceforalldelivered.blogspot.com/ - This is the awesome Paige's really cool husband, Todd.  Todd shares the Word of God with passion.  What he writes encourages and sometimes convicts me.  I'm very glad I know this couple.  Their kids are pretty stinkin' cute, too.  Their most recent baby was the recipient of a quilt I had a lot of fun making.  His name is Finneas Foxe (I think there's a Haddon in there, too and then the last name.  All together, this kid has 8 syllables in his name.) Anyway, I made this fox quilt for him and I understand he really enjoys it.

People I know, sewing:

 http://madebyabrunnette.wordpress.com/ - Doris is one of the co-founders of the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild.  She's clever and creative and even has a couple patterns for sale.  I really like the mug rug she made for another member of the guild for our most recent swap.

Isn't it so cool?!

 - http://flourishingpalms.blogspot.com/ Linda is the other co-founder of the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild.  She has serious quilt skills and even won a Bernina Aurora QE 440 sewing machine for winning Best in Show.  She's now in Florida, which is kind of a bummer for those of us in Iowa, but I think she's rather enjoying it.  Here's her prize winning quilt:

People I don't know personally - I guess these are all sewing.  :)
http://cuttopieces.blogspot.com/ - I showed you Angela's amazing pillow on Tuesday.  I think I love everything she makes.  Both of us caught "Anna Maria Horneritis" recently and joined a swap where each of us in the swap will end up with a charm square of almost every print from Anna Maria Horner's collections.  Recently she's been doing a really fun Mario Bros. quilt along.  I'm hoping to do at least one of those blocks sometime.  Check out the Mario block.

http://sotakhandmade.blogspot.com/ - Svetlana frequently uses happy and bright colors and I love the scrappy things she makes.  I really like this pillow.

http://www.freshlemonsquilts.com/ - Faith also frequently uses really great bright colors.  I love her Summer Sampler Series blocks.

http://www.stitchedincolor.com/ - I think this is probably my favorite sewing/quilting blog.  Rachel makes beautiful things, provides really wonderful tutorials, and as I've said before, I really enjoyed her Handstitched Class this past summer.  I think she tries to respond to everybody's comments on her blog and she just seems like a really nice and cool person.  Her Bottled Rainbows quilt is great.  I have a thing for Roy G. Biv.  My MIL is making one of these quilts, too!

http://www.nobigdill.com/ - Katy does amazing sewing, but usually clothing for her kids.  One of my favorite things on her blog is "Once Upon a Thread", where people make things inspired by children's literature.  She also takes really good pictures of her kids and the world around her.  She also seems like a really thankful and joyful person.  Look at this dress she made recently for one of her daughters.  I love the sleeves and how they look like waves.

Okay, so that's the list!  Check some of them out if they are new to you and if you have a blog and want me to add you to my list, let me know.  I'd be happy to!