Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Video, photos and more on Little Phillip.


Jennifer had a miscarriage at 12 weeks. Little Phillip's spirit never made into this world but he is in Heaven with His Heavenly Father.

His Mom wanted to remember him and asked me to create a chipboard baby album and a keepsake box for him. This was the first time I received such a request. But I didn't think it strange because Phillips was a baby boy just born too early who wasn't able to live on this earth.


Unfortunately many women are told that at 12 weeks, when they have an abortion, that their baby is not a baby at all, it's just a blob of tissue. It's not so. You can see HERE the video of the album and box and photos of Little Phillip.




Whenever I receive a request for a custom order I spend as much time on my studio working on it as I do thinking, praying and brainstorming about it.

I view my custom orders as a ministry. It's a privilege to create something unique for someone. Something they can't find anywhere else.



I always pray asking God to bless my hands, to show what to use, how to go about it. Many times I browse the web for inspiration. Sometimes, I ask God to show me creative ways to make something new and amazing. I, especially ask that He will help to create this customer's vision.


Every detail is important.

Jessica asked me for a box that would hold the 6"x6" album and other items that she will add to the box. This was the first time I covered and altered a box this big.

The box is about 8"x8"x4.5"

These sweet angels are from Rhea's blog. They are free and she has so many beautiful vintage images. Go check them out!!

The frame is a Prima Stamp. Pearls are Melissa Frances. Trim is Webster's Pages.

Papers are some really old Daisy D's collections that I love and I just bought duplicates of it and held on to it until the right time came to use them. :)

Bird nest can be found HERE. Chipboard letters are Tattered Angels and the chipboard hearts I cut them out myself with a pair of scissors and used glitter glue to embellish them.


I hope you were inspired by Little Phillip and His Mom's courage and grace to share him with the world.

Be blessed today,

Tereza

Sunday, April 17, 2011

12 weeks pregnant....

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. " Hosea 4:6



Do you know what is a pregnant woman carrying in her womb at 12 weeks?

Some people think that it is just a blob of tissue. Some people are told that it is just a blob of tissue. But that is not true.

I just finished creating a chipboard album and a keepsake box to hold photos of a 12 week old baby and I can tell you he is not a blob of tissue. His name is Phillip.

I never thought I carried a blob of tissue when I was 12 weeks pregnant but I was told by a doctor that it was so. I have sonograms of my DD8 at 12 weeks sucking her thumb and she was not a blob of tissue.

What do you think? Why do you think people want us to believe that a 12 week old baby is a blob of tissue?

Would you share Phillip's story with someone that does not know that a 12 week old baby is a BABY? Would you share this truth with someone today? 

Blessings,
Tereza

PS More photos and a video coming of the album and box on a later post. :)

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Thrifty Thursday : Salty, quick and yummy!!

I love cole slaw but not the North American style. In Brazil, we blanch our cabbage. We also don't shred it, we slice it so it ends up in long strips.

At my house, I usually buy a whole cabbage and slice it. Then I saute some garlic and olive oil and add the cabbage. I season it with salt and pepper or a little cumin and saute everything until the cabbage is wilted. It takes about 10-15 minutes. I use high to medium heat so that the cabbage gets a bit braised. You have to watch and stir constantly. It's almost like cooking on a wok, you can't just walk off.

The children and the husband love the cabbage like this and it's still crunchy and has awesome flavor.

Now for the Thrifty Thursday tip... the other day I was craving some salty salad but did not have any lettuce or other green leaves. I did have some left over sauteed cabbage in the fridge. So I came up with this recipe... (Please know I don't measure anything. I do like Rachel Ray, I eye bawl everything.)

In a bowl I mixed:
Shredded carrots, (about 2 medium ones)
chopped celery, (2 stalks diced really small)
sliced Kalamata olives (probably about 12 big ones)
cilantro (one handful chopped)
and my left over cabbage. (I would say it was about 3-4 cups already cooked)

I seasoned it with some of the water from the kalamata olives, extra virgin olive oil and pepper. No need for salt since the cabbage was already seasoned and the water from the olives is pretty salty. Here is the result:


It was really good. It was crunchy, refreshing, savory and yummy all at the same time!!

It was such a great success that I made it again this time with some variations:

- Instead of celery I added sliced water chestnuts.
- Added some chopped grilled chicken breasts and 1 tablespoon of Mayo.
I served it on crackers instead of a side dish.

Here is my challenge to you: what salad can you whip up with ingredients you have right now in your fridge or pantry?

For more Thrifty Thursdays go HERE.

Be blessed,
Tereza

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Reading list of March 2011

Here is my list of books we read during the month of  March 2011. My reference list  for future use.

This list contains the books we checked out in our library.  Reading level varies and some were  Read Alouds but most of them DD8 read by herself. She is the only one already reading. Wyzard or I read  to the children.

Where do rivers go? (Ask me why)
Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective

The Angel and the Donkey
The Toothpaste Millionaire
Ralph S. Mouse   [RALPH S MOUSE] [Paperback]

Arthur Lost in the Museum (Step into Reading)
I'm Going to Read (Level 4): Class Pets (I'm Going to Read Series)
 Who has dragon parades? (Ask me why)
Riddle-Icious
The Old Woman and Her Pig: An Old English Tale
I Want a Pony (Pony Pals #1) (the link shows just book #1 but I bought 2 volumes that contain 4 books each. DD8 read them all in a week).

The Big Golden Book of Christopher Columbus and other early adventures by Russell Bourne

And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, 75th Anniversary Edition (Classic Seuss)
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (Classic Seuss)

 Bartholomew and the Oobleck: (Caldecott Honor Book) (Classic Seuss)
 Daisy-Head Mayzie (Classic Seuss)
 Eloise by Kay Thompson
Eloise in Paris (Eloise Series)
Left: the sound of L by Wonder Books - Alice K. Flanagan
Dino-basketball (Carolrhoda Picture Books)
Book! Book! Book!
Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book
Cat Secrets
Stella Louella's Runaway Book







Books that we began reading in March and will be continuing reading in April...
 
History Stories for Children (Misc Homeschool)
The Book of Virtues for Young People: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories




There are many different themes covered here. Some books were used to cover Science, History, Biographies, Geography and more. And that was everything we read, besides Bible stories and many books we already owned.

Would you like to share your favorite books? Or the books you use to homeschool your children?

  I am already compiling the Reading List for April and there are some really fun books in it, so be sure to check back next month.

Blessings,

Tereza

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Against the current.

Have you ever needed anything and did nothing about it? Maybe you had a desire for something or you had a financial need ?
Once I really needed a job.... the type of situation where if I didn't work I wouldn't eat. Not just a job to afford extra stuff but a job to provide for my basic needs. Well, the world tells you to GO GET it. The Lord tells you to REST in Him.

I remember that I went out to interviews, sent my resume to head hunters and looked at the newspaper ads every weekend. But what I remember the most was my Dad nagging me to go find a job. I remember telling him that I had done everything I could do, now I had to wait and rest in God. That was very foreign to my Dad. But it happened just like that.

I got a job where I least expected, not through the sources or places I had visited and not through my own effort. It was all God's doing. It doesn't always happen like that. But for me, God has taught me through resting and waiting in Him. MOST of everything that I have achieved with success or my greatest needs came from Him while I was just RESTING.

Do you get an image of a lazy bum on a hammock at the beach just swinging with the breeze when you think of  RESTNG in the LORD? I do!!! LOL but you see I am such a Type A personality that anything that has to do with waiting is really outside my nature.

However after 18 years walking with the Lord I have learned NOT to FIGHT for what I want. I just WAIT and if it is supposed to be MINE it will be.

I am in that place again... waiting to see what will happen.

This morning we received a call, asking what we had decided. There were other people coming into the game. We could lose it. We told the person we couldn't decide right then. We didn't have the power to. We were still waiting.

It's crazy like that to have someone else decide your destiny.

There were a few times when I decided my own destiny and the outcome was soooo bad! It caused such stress - financially, emotionally, spiritually. So, no. I have given that to the Lord, He can decide my destiny. His Word says: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Hey, He knows best. He can take care of me!!!

This morning my DH went so far as to say on the phone "if it's sold from our us, then be it." I have had it sold from under me before. Not once, but twice. But God gave it back to me, both times. I didn't do anything but answer the phone call that restored it back to me. :) Praise the Lord!

Can you imagine being sent to a country you don't know? Having someone else by the house of your dreams?

My husband likes to say "the land of know not." Oh, what an adventure!! I love to walk with my Lord... who knows what is in store for us? God does!!!!

I am waiting Jesus! Waiting in you, resting on you, trusting you, knowing you got me covered. and all things work together for good. :)

Who are you trusting on today? Blessings,

Tereza

PS If you would like to see my latest video with some of the cards I sent to OperationWRiteHome go HERE.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Forever in Heaven

**** Edited to include Jennifer's website link *****

I received a very special request a few weeks back.

A Mom of 3 lost her fourth baby to a miscarriage and she asked me to create her a mini album to remember him. Oh, what a privilege! In a day and age where life is discarded so easily, a keepsake album to remember a precious little life is a very special request. You can see the photos of little Phillips here.

I am prayerfully and lovingly creating this album. Here is a sneak peek of a few pages. I promise to share more as soon as it is done.




Have a blessed day,
Tereza