Pay it forward.

I won the pay it forward over at Young Homemakers!
Since I was one of the three winners I get to host my own 'pay it forward'!

So here's how its gonna work:

The first three people to comment on this post will win a homemade prize from me! I have to get it in the mail within 365 day's. I will get it in the mail sooner that that though, maybe...as long as a hurricane doesn't hit the post office...or an elephant doesn't crush the prizes...or any other horrific catastrophe doesn't occur...count on it coming sometime within the next month.

Now, the three people who win a prize, MUST host a 'Pay It Forward' on their blog. They will send a homemade gift to the three people who won and so on.

So what are ya waiting for? Leave a comment!

One year of being a curly girl.

This time last year I started an experiment! I was to do something bold and daring, something that, if I had told my friends and family before hand, they might have questioned my sanity. I was going to embrace my natural hair…no more flat ironing it every single day, no more hiding it in a ponytail, no more anything that would hide what God put on this head of mine!

Here is how it looked the first two weeks

I'm still unable to find a picture of my hair straight and down. I'm thinking of straightening it tonight just to do it and to take a picture for y'all.

Before I show the "now" pictures I want to share what going curly has taught me. I'm sure some of y'all are thinking "yeah right what can hair teach some one", well I'll tell you. First of all it has taught me acceptance.
Accepting my self the way God made me, not the way my friends look or how Hollywood thinks some one should look. What first got my into this horrid cycle of frying my hair into submission was none other than my best-friend. She was beautiful; she and everyone who saw her knew it. Little did I know she had curly hair! Until one day, it rained. Her hair looked just like mine, slightly frizzy and poofy. Then one day, before a youth event at our church, I went to her house to hang out. That was when the self inflicted abuse started. In my best friends bedroom. As skilled as she was with that flat iron it still took an hour- hour and a half! All the compliments that night left me sure of one thing. Straight has was good. My hair was bad.
While she was not to first person to straighten my hair she was the person who got me into doing to daily.


Second it taught me that being different is okay. Really, it is. Here I was 13 and already hating every thing about my body simply because my best friend did. I was short and skinny with "that" hair as people called it. I wore glasses and was clumsy. Some how I always blamed my hair on my misfortunes. Most of my friends were Mexicans with dark skin, hair, and eyes. I was white, boy was I white, with bright hair and bright eyes. Needless to say I stuck out! I tried everything to blend in but in time I realized that maybe God didn't want me to blend in. Maybe I'm God's "sore thumb"...OK lame joke but ya get the idea. I stuck out.


Thirdly, Beauty is more than what is on the outside. Yes the outside does count a little, but loving your self for who you are is what beauty really is! A truly beautiful person not only accepts how she looks but how those around her looks. She thinks others are pretty and lets them, in a sincere and honest way, lets them know

As strange as it seems the one thing that I swore was ruining my life is now the one thing that every single day people compliment and notice. I get asked all the time "do you hate your hair?" "My daughter has curly hair like yours but she flattens it every day! What do you do to your hair?" To this I smile and tell them how I use to hate my hair but I learned to love it by accepting it. While this may not be a purely Biblical based thought itis so true, If you love your "faults" then those close to you will learn to see them as your "trade mark". I can't say it enough, being happy with how you look is the first step to being truly beautiful. I deal with the doubts every single day just like y'all. "Am I to skinny, is my nose to big, are my eyes to big, am I to short, is my hair out of control etc. etc. etc." In the end I always end up closing my eyes and thanking God for how He "fearfully and wonderfully knit me in my mother’s womb". I may not always like what I see but I know God does, and that does count for something.

OK back to hair. Here is the method! You can also find this on Wikipedia
I found out about the method the YLCF site. Here is their translation of how to get your curl on.

Curly Care
the Curly Girl Way!

"My philosophy is, `Blow-dry straight, you're happy for a day; stay curly, you're happy for life.'"
-Lorraine Massey to The Toronto Star

So how does a Curly Girl care for her curls? Lorraine Massey's curly care principles include:

* don't use shampoo (except if you're a wavy girl, and then only a little bit once a week)
* never blow-dry your hair (unless you use a diffuser)
* never comb your hair
* use lots and lots of conditioner

Curls needs lots of moisture (think conditioner) to maintain their curl. But the main ingredient in most shampoos is a harsh detergent (such as sodium laurel sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate), which dries out your curls (making them frizzy to boot!).

As Lorraine Massey told New York Times, "The curly-haired can leave their hair hydrated with natural oils and clean their scalps quite well by rinsing only with hair conditioner once a week or less. Rubbing the scalp firmly with fingers is enough to loosen dirt."

The Basic Steps of Curly Care

1. Step under the "waterfall" of your shower and rinse your curls well (but don't touch them!).
2. Once-a-week Cleansing Step: Using your fingertips and a bit of conditioner (gentle shampoo if you're a wavy girl), gently rub your entire scalp. Rinse well.
3. Gently but generously and evenly distribute conditioner through your curls. Wavy Girls, rinse well. Botticelli Curly Girls, rinse 'til your curls feel right. Corkscrew Curly Girls, rinse for just a second. (Rinse with cold water to "seal" the hair shaft.)
4. Use your towel to "scrunch-dry" your curls, gently scrunching towards your head.
5. Spread a small amount of gel over your palms and scrunch your curls in an accordion motion. Repeat until all your curls have been scrunched (scrunching the canopy last), but don't over-gel!
6. Use claw clips to arrange and style your curls (click here to see examples), twisting any last curls into place. Then don't touch your hair while it dries! (Use a diffuser on the coolest, lowest setting if you must speed the process.)
7. Bend over and shake your dried curls to give them more volume. Enjoy your soft, springy curls!



Extra Tips

* Thin your conditioner by adding water to the bottle and shaking well, in order to allow for a more even distribution of the conditioner throughout your hair with less to rinse out.
* Blondes, mix lemon juice with your conditioner to eliminate product buildup and discoloration of your hair.
* Use a mustard-like squeeze bottle with nozzle to cleanse or treat your roots only.
* Use cold water, especially on the last rinse, to “seal” the hair (hot water strips the natural oils that protect your hair).
* Hang in there for at least three weeks. You may have to wean yourself off shampoo gradually, as it takes a bit for your scalp to adjust, so shampoo a bit if you must, but don’t give up yet! Curly hair is happy hair!

My changes to the method:
My hair is to long and thick for the clipping method to really work with out giving me a killing head ache, so when I have an important day or I just have some free time in the morning I do what is called "plopping". Here is a very helpful video on how to do it; while Jessi calls it "plunking" it is still the same thing, just a difernt name. Sometimes, when I'm rushed on the weekends, I will wash my hair after work on Saturday nights and plop it while I sleep or at least for part of the night!
I also use baby shampoo or a this natural shampoo instead of cutting it out all the way.

For those who are older or have your parents permission check out the curly girl forums for helpful tips! When I first started Naturally curly's site was extremely helpful and encouraging! Thanks guys!

OK, so for the now pictures.














I'm not saying that straightening your curly hair or curling your straight hair is wrong. You just need to learn that there is nothing wrong with your hair the way it is naturally.
Sometimes I straighten mine; some times I’ll curl it a little more for concerts when it is looking a little flat. So, for the sake of your hairs health, please, practice moderation! If you do use a flat iron or curler, make sure you use some sort of a protecting product on your hair first. I use this. It works wonderfully and doesn’t take a lot, it doesn’t even leave a film on my hair the next day!

So, if your an incognito curly girl, give this a whirl, the looks on peoples faces will be worth it when they first see what your hair really looks like. Be warned your friends will want to touch it! A lot! My first few weeks where kinda crazy. At choir my hair would get touched and played with though rehearsal. So be ready for your friends and family's' shock. Oh yes, and for brothers to throw stuff at the back of your hair to see if it sticks in your curls... or to randomly flick your hair...or pull a curl just to watch it bounce back...gotta love em =]

Encouraging manlyness in our brothers.

Gentlemen are the kind of husbands that most girls want, but who is encouraging the boys of today to be the men of tomorrow? Yes, the parents are but honestly most boys will act the way girls encourage them to act.
If a boy does some stupid bone-headed stunt and gets female attention more than likely he will do this more to receive praise of the opposite sex. If a boy gets attention from lewd jokes and sexually derogative comments from girls he will learn that this is how you get a girl to notice you!
Sure, his parents tell him that girls don't like it up the girls are telling him something far different by their actions!

So what can we, as tomorrows women do to encourage the men of tomorrow to become true gentlemen? Please remember that not all of these are proper to use on males outside your family, as it may be seen a flirting or you may seem to have a romantically inclined interest in him when you may simply be trying to build his manners.

One: Wait for him to open the door for you. I will often wait outside the door for my brother to open it for me. Now if his hands are full I will open it for him but in general I allow him to. Of course I am able to open it my self, but it makes him feel like a good guy and shows him that I appreciate his good manners.

Two: Ask him to carry heavy objects, unless he is physically unable. I have two brothers, A 16 year old who is much bigger than I and a 13 year old who is about the same size maybe a tad smaller. Now my 16 year old brother loves to show off his manliness around me. He'll open jars that I can't, open the door, take out the trash if its dark out or at least walk with me, and countless other things.
It may seem like I'm being lazy or that I'm pushing work off onto him but he loves it! He honestly gets upset with my mother and I when we carry heavy stuff instead of asking him to help up! I'm not saying have your brother or father do all the physical work but now and then ask them for help and watch their manly ego grow as they embrace their God given role.


Three: Encourage polite speech, not only by reminding them that it is not polite to speak harshly to women, as well as to men, but also by speaking the way a lady should. I have two teenage brothers so I know how hard this can be, especially when they go around singing "That song" or quoting "that", yeah it can be hard to speak nicely. If, heaven forbid, they make a comment that praises or accepts poor treatment to ladies, just tell them that girls hate it and not only that but that its simply not right. I am not a feminist, I'm not talking about poor treatment as in equality of the sexes but as in men pushing or using women, talking lewdly about the way they dress, or even just being hateful and vile.

Four: Make clear what acceptable behavior towards girls is.
When they hold the door open for you, thank them. If they compliant your outfit or the way you look thank them and tell them how good it makes you feel. Any charteristcs that you would want in your husband praise them in those areas. When they play with a child or help a mother with something tell them what a great trait that is for a man. Let them know that they are wonderful! Don't be quick to jump all over them when they do something wrong but fail to uplift when they do something right.

Five: Ask their opinions and listen to their thoughts. "Which shoes do you like better with this dress" or if you are cooking "would you taste this for me". Value their thoughts. Talk to them. Communication is very important in all relationships, if your brothers are unable to tell you what they like and what they think in a proper way how will they do so with their wives?

Six: Let them protect you. Often times when we are out and about if they notice a guy looking at me or sometimes they come up and try and start up a conversations my brother will walk up and just stand there...watching the guy. Once your old enough to be in a relationship and your in the right setting I'm sure this would be very annoying but in public, at 17, and since I'm not interested in them it is very nice. Again, tell your brothers that you’re glad they are watching out for you. They cannot read your mind. They do not just know that your glad they are doing this for you.

Seven: Pray for them. Daily. Pray for them the way you would want your future husband’s family to be praying for him.


While I know that it is the parents’ job to raise the children I think that we, as sisters, can help encourage our brothers. You never know, your future sister-in-law might be doing this for your will-be-husband.

Not only is this good for your brothers, it is good for your future husband, if the Lord gives you one.

In “authentic Beauty” By Leslie Ludy there are, I believe, three sections written by her husband about “studying manhood”. Those passages are very insightful how guys think; one of them is about this very topic, encouraging guys to godly manhood. If you read this book for no other reason those three sections are worth getting the book for. While I do not understand the male mind, those sections do give some ideas about bringing out the best in man by being the type of ladies the Lord wants us to be.

Note: My brothers are wonderful and when I speak about lewd and vile behavior in boys I am not speaking about them. Those are simply traits I have observed in other boys. Not my brothers.

So...your homeschooled...

This is one of the many questions I get asked all the time. When I work in the mornings/early afternoon during in the week I get that condemning stare from people who try to pose their question as merely curious, yes I know some people are really just wondering but there are those who just want to try and start something. Here's how they ask "so how old are you? You don't look old enough to be out of school" 'oh I'm not I'm home schooled' "oh...I thought...never mind, that is neat". I even had one lady flat out ask me if I was a single mother or high school drop out!

When I was much younger and my mother would take all three of us out shopping we'd get stares and every one asking "why aren't your kids in school??". Now, most people ask "Do y'all homeschool?" Its kind of neat how its becoming more accepted but there still are a few people who just don't get what homeschooling is.


Common misconceptions about homeschoolers:

1. Their educational weakness is because they are homeschooled!
When anyone sees my handwriting or spelling, they automatically assume that it is because I'm homeschooled. When I find out a public schooler is bad at,say, reading, I don't say "oh well, he goes to public school its to be assumed", no we realize that its his or her weakness. People need to see homeschoolers weaknesses the same way.

2. They never ever ever leave the house.
OK this one is slightly true. I do not go out and hang out with friends a lot, but I do have other things I do. I work and I sing in a homeschool choir and do a lot of stuff with them.
I use to take art, drama, was in two choirs, violin and even ballet until the kicked me out for being oh so clumsy and ungraceful. I also use to volunteer at the public library until my work schedule forced me to stop, also a food pantry until we changed churches and I was no longer welcomed there.

3. Homeschoolers are geniuses!!!
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA, that is my favorite! Some homeschooled kids may be exceptionally smart but I'm not one of them.

4. They don't get along with the outside world!
This one makes me giggle, I am a very social person. I enjoy talking to and being around others, Yes even non-homerschoolers. I know that they can't help they go to a brainwashing facility that is paid for by the government five days a week. -sigh- Ok, lame joke but still, you get the point. MOST HOME SCHOOLERS ARE SOCIABLE! Some of aren't but some of the public school kids aren't either!


Here are some videos about homeschoolers that make me laugh, and hopefully will make you as well.
You might be a homeschooler if... Its kinda funny...most of these apply to me and my family.
If you are more conservative with your music you might want to mute this one.
Homeschooler Song Who is scarier? Homeschoolers? Or "out-siders" that make videos of us?

The other
homerschooler song!

Diagnosis: Homeschooler

This post was not meant to educate anybody about how homeschooling works. It was purely because I got bored! When I get close to graduation I will be post about why I like homeschooling and why I think its better then public/private schooling.

Anyways, I'm off to get ready for church!
Peace out fellow "homies"

What I've been working on

The past few days have been very busy!
Saturday was teachers training at church from early morning to mid afternoon and afterwards I had to go to work.
Sunday was church and I finished my quilt top.
Monday was work in the morning to late afternoon and then school all night.
Tuesday was cold and icy; I spend the day doing school and reading about scholarships for college. I also made some bags for my etsy! I do not have very much listed right now but I'm slowly making stuff up to add!

I have some left over fabric from my own quilt so I'm going to make a baby quilt! Also my mother and I are going to be making pin cushions and other cute things so keep an open eye for future items!



This quilt is going to be a rag quilt.
This quilt is going to be a rag quilt. A rag quilt is sewn with inverse seams and then the seams are clipped very close to stitch line every half inch or so. Then the quilt is washed in hot water a few times so the seams fray and look soft and fluffy. I've never made one before but a couple of older ladies were in Joann's one day telling me all about them and encouraged me to try! These ladies came in about once a week not only with updates on their quilt but also about their grandsons...I guess they thought that a granddaughter-in-law that could sew would be nice I don’t know, but anyways, they inspired me to try my hand at this!

Here is a close up on the clipping I have to do all over the top.










These are the Eco-green shopping bags I've made so far. I had my eye on these fabrics for a long time but was never sure what to make out of them! Then I decided shopping bags so I had an excuse to go buy some cute fabric! I love the dresses on the red and pink bags!












The piggies are my personal favorite!



All of them can fold up like this to fit in a purse to make sure you always have a green
alternative to plastic bags right at hand!



Also bed for little miss kitty that I finished a week or two ago.




Sadly dear little Izzy's life here may not be permanent. The last few months have been hard on my allergies. The beginning of this month I spent a few days in bed because they got so bad. I can hardly wear my contacts which is a drag for two reasons, one, my current glasses make me look really dorky. Two, they are very uncomfortable. Come July when I get my eyes recheck there are a really nice pair of glasses that I want to get instead of contacts. They are frameless around the lenses and the part that keeps them on is very discrete and blends in very well with my hair and skin color. Any ways back to the kitten, I want to get tested before I give away my little one. She's so sweet...most of the time...and is very fun to play with. Even the dog likes her. The down side is she likes to eat thread and tries to attack sewing machine needles as we sew. My mother and I have both ruined projects because of her. If we lock her out of the rooms she gets on the table and knocks stuff over so it’s very hard to get any sewing done. She also likes yarn...she loves chewing and has a fetish for knitting needles whilst I knit. Over all she hardly fits our life style as far as my mother's and my work. The other problem is when I start college in a few months. I'll be gone almost all the time so my mother would have to watch her which is impossible to do while working. I'm glad that we were able to save her and her brothers life and that I was able to raise her into some what decent cat but I think that its time to give her to some one that can give her all the love and attention that she will need. While I dote on her when ever I can it’s rarely enough to keep her out of trouble. Sadly I think I will be saying good bye to Miss Pretty Kitty as my brothers call her. This is the longest we've kept any strays or abandoned animal that we've found before and now I know why my parents always told us not to get to attached to our little visitors. I already know someone who will take her when the time comes. I'm just delaying the inevitable.

Anyways, I need to work on my typing for school and start my baby quilt. If you are having any wintry weather as we have been drive safe and keep warm.

Getting closer now!

Graduation is so very close! We had another planning meeting Thursday night! I was sick but I went anyways, I'm glad we did because we picked the color of our gowns! We picked white but one of the mothers suggested changing it because she doesn't like white gowns. So if we decide not to do white it will be emerald green! The church we're graduating in is mainly blue so we knocked out that color cause, come on, who wants to look like one of the chairs!

Since none of the 5 graduates really know each other the first meeting was kinda strange and was mainly five teenagers sitting in a basement looking at each other grinning shyly. Thankfully this did not last long. The only thing we decided that night was that burgundy gowns was a huge NO-NO; I shocked my self by blurting out my passionate dislike for this color when asked what colors I was against but every one agreed with me very quickly; I think this was the main ice breaker. After that we played some games like catch phrase, bluff, and spoons. All in all it was a very fun and though unproductive night in planning the graduation it was useful to getting to know each other. Including my self there are four ladies and also there is one gentleman.

The date and location is set but that is about it! I still have my pictures to take and invitations to make up! Oh yeah, and finishing all the school work! At the rate I'm going I should be done the first week of May, only two weeks before we all march down the aisle, wearing white gowns. Ok, that does sound a little wedding-y but oh well!

I want my personal theme verse to be JEREMIAH 29:11 "29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. "
I'm not sure what color I'll do my invitations in or what color the cake will be. I want to bake the cake my self and have a lady I know decorate it! She makes masterpieces! Since my artistic hand is lacking a steady grip it is best I don't try to do it my self.

As far as physical appearance for graduation night; Make up is an easy thing to deal with being I don't wear any! My hair, I might just ask a friend help me pin part of it up with some pretty but simple little flower gems and leave it most of the way down. Random up-date my hair is about four maybe five inches from hitting my waist again! Its been a while since it was that long and I'm hoping it will be very close to my waist come May. Anyways back to graduation!
I could really just jump up and down!I'm so excited!
MJ has been great a great friend during my Senior year and started a great site for the class of 2009
Be sure it check it out and if your a Senior this year at least go over and read the bios of your fellow seniors, it might be an encouragement to you!

School left to finish:

Geometry.
Half of twelfth grade writing and grammar.
A few more books for Civics and British literature. I love Sonlight!
Human anatomy, I had to drop Physics, the math was way above my level.
A paper on either "How I plan to change the world" or "Can one person really change the world?". I didn't get to pick the topic but still, it will be interesting.


Since I didn't take the PSAT's or the SAT's I have to attended a junior college my first year at least. Being that junior colleges are much cheaper I might stay for two years and get all my basics out of the way then transfer to the main college to finish my degree. I'm still not sure where I plan to finish off my education but the junior college is all picked out!

Please pray for my dear mother during this time. I know she will be under a lot of stress with trying to get the graduation done and she wants to do a party for my 18th birthday come April. Also there are colleges to check out and transcripts to form! I know I'll be under pressure but its nothing like what she will be going through!

So, other seniors, what have you planned so far? Those who have all ready finished school what was your last semester like? Share your story!

2009 is here

2009, Wow. The past year has gone by so fast! This year is going to be one of much learning, I already know that. One where much in my life will change. I'm finishing high school, heading to college, buying a car soon, and growing up.

The past year was a wonderful one. As some of you know two years ago we changed churches. When we did so I was very upset and swore I would never be happy there. But last year proved me wrong, as did the year before that. As our second "anniversary" rolls around this Sunday, I am reminded yet again of how the good Lord works in my life.

Some things that I have learned this past year:

1. Complaining really doesn't help the problem, it just makes you feel worse in the end.
2. If something is worth doing it is worth doing correctly...the first time.
3. Don't sweat the small stuff. Not everything goes the way it was planned, learn to let some things go.
4. Pick your battles wisely. You don't need to give your two cents in every argument. Some times just smiling and walking away is the wisest thing to do.
5. Brokenness is beautiful. The Lord can work masterpieces with broken lives.
6. That a simple smile can lift a down trodden heart.
7. Praise matters. We often are quick to complain about things but how quick are we to praise when good things happen?
8. Family is more important then friends.
9. That person who said something rude to you might have just been having a bad day, give them the benefit of the doubt. They might just be a good friend waiting to happen.
10. God is always good. A lady once told me that nothing happens in our life with out God's "stamp of approval". That "bad" thing in your life is happening for a reason. God allowed it. God is always good. God is always God.

I could go on and on but I think those are the main things that I've been shown this past year.
Like most people I did make New Year resolutions.


1. Read my Bible more in depth.
2. Wake up earlier. I'm a night person so this one is hard for me.
3. Speak kinder words to my brothers. Even when my blood sugar is low and I get very moody.
4. Do more of my own sewing.
5. Spend more time thinking of others.
6. Be more thankful.
7. Fill my hopechest. Hope chest?
8. Exercise daily.
9. Post at least weekly on here.
10.Graduate high school =]


Some things I want to learn to do or simply make the time to do this year:

1. Knit a sweater
2. learn a foreign language.
3. Learn to make soap.
4. Get my own business out of the 'dream' stage and into real life!
5. Learn to make a good button hole. Trust me, its harder than you think.


I know this is so very late but I sort of hit a writing dead end.I was told that my writing needed some work and that my grammar was very poor. I know that my grammar needs work but it is something that I struggle with and also something that I have been working on. Rather then letting this slide like I should have I got upset and didn't want to write for awhile. I am now over this and will be blogging regularly again. Forgive me for allowing such a petty thing prevent me from sharing this.