These headbands are so very sweet, and very easy to make as it only took me about 30 min. to do it for my first try!  Miss Johanna is very clear in her instructions and  did a wonderful job!

I will be making many more of these for gifts!

Have any of my dear readers made any of these or have other fun ides or tutorials to share?

Blessings to y’all and have a great weekend,

Even though my dear mother does not sew, she knows when she finds some fabric that would make a lovely skirt or blouse that I (miss Antoinette) will be happy to make it for her!

We found a lovely giveaway through our dear friend’s blog “Country Hearts At Home” that “Warehouse Fabrics Inc.”

is having a giveaway!!!!

This lovely store is giving away a $50 shopping spree to the providential winner of this lovely giveaway, so head on over and make sure to enter this giveaway!  They have such lovely fabrics, it will be hard to spend only $50 if we win!

Here are a couple samples of my work

( you can also see more photos HERE and HERE!):

I am selling these lovely hankies for $20 and I make sure lots of love and care goes into each one!

So head on over to my Etsy Shop (which is also located on the side of our blog) and look around! if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I would be happy to answer!

Have a blessed Lord’s Day tomorrow!

Love in Christ,

I was catching up with one of my dear friend’s blogs “An Old-Fashioned Girl” And came across the cutest tutorial she did on making these sweet headbands that you can see HERE!!!!!

Aren’t they sooooo cute!?

As soon as I saw it, I had to share it with y’all  I hope you enjoy making them!  I have a few young ladies I will be making these for!

Have a blessed Lord’s Day tomorrow everyone!

Love in Christ,

What hope chest would be complete without adding a quilt (or two)?!

Quilts have been around for many centuries, and have brought much comfort, love and protection to all who have made and/or own them!  Every handmade quilt has a story and wonderful memories behind every one!   Any time my mom and I (and yes, sometimes my brothers too) are in an antique store and we find an old quilt, I stare intentively at it, wondering: “if you could talk, what stories could you tell, what memories are hidden in your past?” I absolutely LOVE quilts, and who does not!?  My grandmother has made me quilts since I was born and all of them are so very special as I know she poured all her love into each and every one!  My brothers even have what they call “cool” quilts she made them as well and she is so creative with them too, whether it was adding a piece of fabric from a dress I wore as a little girl, or “car tracks” on my brother’s quilts so they could play with their toy cars on them! Each and every one is different and unique to that particular person!  I made my first little patch work “quilt” (it was actually a place mat) when I was 5 ½, and made my first big quilt (a Full sized quilt) at the age of 13, and have made a few since then (and am working on one now!).  My favorite part of making a quilt is putting on the binding!  Knowing that the quilt is almost complete and adding those finishing touches and stitches are so exciting! Of course my least favorite is (like almost anyone else) ripping out seams if I messed up! ARGH!!

Quilts remind me of our relationship with Christ and how he has made each and every one of us so different and unique from each other, like the patches in a quilt!  Each and every one of them is so special to our Creator and He loves each and every one of those “chosen patches” and His love “binds” the quilt together to make it complete!

Colossians 3:1-17

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your  life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:  sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.  But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self  with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.   Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,  free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,  bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.   And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.   Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.   And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“

There are many different kinds of quilts you can make such as: wedding quilts, scrap quilts, baby quilts (especially with flannel), Good Bye quilts (for a dear family or friend moving away), memory quilts, special color themed quilts, and many more that make a quilt so very special to add to any hope chest or give away to friends /and or/ family!

Even if you are not very good at quilting, I would encourage you to try your hand at it, or to have a close friend make one for you who would be willing to do so (you supply the essentials of course).     Here are a few pictures of some quilts I own!

Here is a picture of a special quilt my grandmother made when I was 6 years old!  It is in wonderful condition, just a bit of color fade from it being on my bed often!

Here is my second quilt that I made with a sewing group a few years back!  We joke around at home saying that the quilt is so bright, you need sunglasses to see it!  LOL! J  This quilt is a sampler quilt from Debbie Mum’s web-site! She hosts a new sampler quilt every year giving away a block pattern a month so you finish your quilt in a year!

I made a few months ago a cute boy’s baby quilt with trains galore on it!   It has not been spoken for yet, but is waiting to be given to a baby boy to cuddle up with it in the future for someone special!

A hope chest without a quilt is like tea without honey, it is ok without it, but not quite the same without its sweetness!  Quilts can make many memories that will bring much comfort to a young lady when she is married and getting used to new home, and surroundings, or someone who is sick would love a quilt to cuddle with or keep them warm.   Having a quilt is such a WONDERFUL thing to have!

Here are some good book recommendations on quilts and patterns for them:

The Farmer’s Wife Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird

Block by Block to Beautiful Quilts by Thimbleberries

Quilt in a Day Underground Railroad Sampler Quilt by Elanor Burns

I would highly recommend buying this magazine, though you can only find it in your local craft/fabric store:

Quilts and More by Better Homes and Gardens

Well, I hope this has been another wonderful inspiring article to you!  I would LOVE to hear if you have any ideas on future articles, as I would love to write more of them and have a couple ideas! I have gotten so many sweet comments from all of you and feel led to share more of what I know about hope chests!  What would you like to see in future hope chest articles!?

Blessings in Christ,

This is the lovely hankie that was sent to our winner Miss Lindsay over at Content in Christ!   The colors she picked out are so lovely, it turned out beautifully!

I also have some wonderful news!  I will be changing some things around in my shop and will be selling some of these lovely hankies and even some pillow cases soon!  My love and passion is sewing and so I will no longer be making the scrubs and focusing more on doing what I love…..sewing!   I hope to start selling skirts in the near future too!  You can still buy my lip balm though, that will still be in my shop!

Leave a comment letting me know what you think about the hankie and the up and coming changes to my shop, I just LOVE comments from my dear readers!

Have a blessed week everyone!

I was blessed to have come across the Long ladies wonderful web-site last year. The Lord surprised me by allowing me to meet them in person at the S.O.S. conference in December (read more about the conference HERE, and HERE)! Since then, I have wanted to interview these lovely ladies for this blog and they have graciously accepted my request! YAY, as you can tell I am quite excited! These ladies have a God given talent for sewing and pattern making as well! I hope you will be encouraged by this interview, and enjoy getting to know these lovely ladies as well! So without further adieu………

Miss Antoinette: First off, how long have ya’ll been sewing? Who taught you?

Long Ladies: Kristie~ I’ve been sewing actively since I made my first quilt top at age 18. I was taught by my mom, who is an excellent seamstress.

Apphia~ I sewed my first garment at age 10, but did lots of handwork when I was younger.

Achaia~ I sewed my first garment when I was 8 1/2, but loved doing little handwork before that!

Nanny (our maternal grandmother) helped us sew our first big projects. We were always doing something with our hands in our earlier years, wanting to do exactly what Mommy was doing!

Abigail~ I got my first sewing machine when I was 7. I basically taught myself by watching Mom, Nanny, and the older girls.

Abiah~ I learned most of my sewing from Mom and Apphia mainly. Apphia and I are a lot alike when we work, so it’s good when we can work together!

Miss Antoinette: For those who do not know about you or your business, could you give your story about how Marie Madeline Studio came about?

Long Ladies: “The idea for our family business was hatched in the winter of 2006, when we girls began sewing one-of-a-kind handbags for friends and family. We officially launched marie-madeline studio in December 2007.” (from our website) Everything has just built on that! We now have a growing line of sewing patterns for ladies and girls apparel, aprons, and bags.

Miss Antoinette: What has the Lord taught (or is teaching) you in your business?

Long Ladies: He’s teaching us to work together all the better and how to work with lots of different personalities! He’s also teaching us to wait– so many things we want to do take time and we have to be patient.

Miss Antoinette: Do each of you have a favorite item you are selling? How about a favorite fabric line?

Long Ladies: Kristie~ I love fabrics and trims– I always have (a trait I’ve passed on to the girls completely!). But, I do have a weakness for Tanya Whelan and Jennifer Paganelli fabrics (Darla, So St. Croix, Dance With Me). Oh, and Flower Sugar!

Apphia~ I love everything we carry, but I especially love the fabrics by Tanya Whelan and Jennifer Paganelli. Dolce and Darla! I also love the new Nashville cottons. Fabrics with a vintage feel really appeal to my style!

Achaia~ Anything by Anna Maria Horner— Good Folks, Garden Party, and Little Folks! Love, Nicey Jane, Darla, and So St. Croix too!

Abigail~ LOVE by Amy Butler– definitely!  I also love Jennifer Paganelli and Anna Maria Horner’s fabrics.

Abiah~ Jennifer Paganelli and Anna Maria Horner fabrics are probably my favorites.

We try only to buy lines or pieces of lines we really love!

Miss Antoinette: Would you have any recommendations for us avid sewers and beginners on a certain pattern you sell? Maybe a fabric line that works great with the pattern as well?

Long Ladies: For beginners our pleated cottage apron or girls emerson skirts patterns are probably the best place to start. Virtually any of the fabrics we sell are great for the patterns we’ve designed!

Miss Antoinette: Do any of you have other hobbies you enjoy?

Long Ladies: We all love sewing related things… collecting old fabric, etc!

Apphia~sketching, designing new patterns

Achaia~ making quilts, vintage fashion

Abigail~ making things up– whether it be baking or sewing!

Abiah~ photography

Miss Antoinette: Most businesses have a mission/vision statement, do you have one? Do you have a Bible verse that goes with it?

Long Ladies: Our mission is to encourage ladies in their God-given role as wives, mothers, and daughters. We want to encourage creativity in ladies and we love providing beautiful and feminine fabrics and clothing for ladies and girls! We love helping others. Proverbs 31:10-31

Miss Antoinette : If any of you are to marry in the future will the business still be around? Do ya’ll have assigned tasks that you would still be able to continue in the business?

Long Ladies: Only The Lord knows what He will call us to do, but we’d love to be able to continue with marie-madeline! Of course, things would change as any one of the girls moved away, but there would still be plenty of jobs we could do long distance (if need be). For instance, Apphia could still draft patterns for us if she moved away. The main base of operation would stay in the family home though. more questions below! J

Miss Antoinette: Would you like to share some encouraging words to someone who is considering taking on sewing?

Long Ladies: Don’t lose heart! It’s not as hard as it may seem. We’ve made plenty of mistakes in our years of sewing— don’t be afraid of failure at first. Sewing is very rewarding and it can be a tremendous blessing to so many.

Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to The Lord, and not unto men.”

Well, this was very neat to read myself and I hope you enjoyed it too!

Blessings and have a blessed weekend!

Over at “Life In A Shoe” they are having a giveaway for a $50 gift certificate to Marie Madeline Studio!  It goes till this coming Friday, or Saturday,  so head on over and enter before it is too late!

Blessings in Christ,

I just LOVE the colors, and (believe it or not) this used to be a plain man’s hankie, I just hand sewed lace around the edge and this lovely monogram in one of the corners! The embroidery was very simple and easy! You can find the whole alphabet in this lovely pattern HERE and it is FREE!!!!  YAY!

I think the back looks quite well too!

I hope you enjoyed the photos of my project!  Let me know how you liked it, I LOVE hearing what ya’ll have to say! Hope ya’ll have a blessed Lord’s day tomorrow!

Blessings in Christ,

The first one is a giveaway of Marie Madeline Studio’s new Rout 66 skirt pattern!!! Enter HERE, this giveaway ends on the 8th (Monday) so enter soon!

The next one is another M.M.S item, and this one is a custom apron of your choice!!!!  This giveaway ends on the 10th and you can enter HERE!!!

Have a blessed day in the Lord dear readers!

Love in Christ,

Miss Antoinette