Welcome March!

We need you.

 St. Patrick's Day Tea Towel

Please come quickly.

The word is you are coming in like a lion. I am so ready for you I don't even care. It would be nice if you could turn into a lamb soon. We would all appreciate it. 

Sincerely,

Andrea

The Girl in the Lane Shop

My Never-ending Sewing Project

The day Avia turned 5 months old three things happened. She ate her first "solid" food, she was dedicated which means I dedicated my life to help her get to know Jesus, and she met her best friend.

 Baby Ella

She was a gift from my sister and instantly Avia loved this bear. 

They have been inseparable ever since. 

Every six months or so Baby Ella needs a makeover. 

There is hardly any of the original dress showing anymore.  I don't know how many layers upon layers of patches there are but each one is carefully selected and sewn on with love.

My most important critic is pleased with my work.

Edit: 3/20/14 

I totally forgot to put this sketch I did years ago on here. Oops. Better late then never I guess. 

The Girl in the Lane Shop

White Bear

This is my White Bear.

This is an original design I hand embroidered.

 White bears remind me of my daughter Jamie who passed away shortly after birth. That is where this project started. For me this piece represents life continuing after loss.

 I do not mean for this piece to be sad. I was actually very happy as I made it and I want to show that there can be peace and joy. It is a very personal piece which I did not intend to sell originally but for me the healing was in the making. I love it and I want someone else to love it as well.

When you lose anyone you love you do not get over it and you do not move on. You move forward. You continue with life. 

The loss is always there and it takes its part in shaping your world. This is a good thing.

Loss can build strength.

Loss can create compassion.

Loss can bring beauty.

The Girl in the Lane Shop

A few words to keep in mind this Valentine's Day.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Valentine’s Day. I love making silly cards for my husband and kids. I love all the cute decorations. I love love love that it involves chocolate. Valentine’s Day is a great day to do something fun for the people you love. I was going to share a cute last minute Valentine’s Day craft but I am pretty sure there are a billion and a half of those already on Pinterest. I decided to be a little more honest instead.

Heart dino foot.

For those of you who are single please see your current state as a great opportunity. I know it is hard to hear that from a married woman with kids but it’s true. My husband and children require my time and energy. There is nothing wrong with that. It is just where I am. When someone is single there are different opportunities available.

Pink and Green heart

You have opportunities to love. There are a lot of people who need love out there and I am not talking about dating sites full of people wanting romantic love. I mean a kid who needs a mentor, a coworker who needs a kind word, the homeless man who needs a new pair of socks.

You have opportunities to be loved. One of the most meaningful gifts I ever received on February 14th was one flower from a friend when I was single. Love from family and friends is much undervalued in our overly sexual culture. We, both single and taken, need to remember to think outside the romantic heart-shaped box when it comes to love. Love is bigger.

Loneliness is real and it hurts. I am sorry. When I am lonely, and yes married people even happily married people feel lonely from time to time, I talk to the one I know always loves me or I read his love letters. Maybe Valentine’s Day could be an opportunity for you to know God's love. His love is more than enough.

Alright if any of you not single types are still reading, you’re up. Valentine’s Day is many great things but Valentine’s Day is not the day to rush a relationship or pretend feelings that are not really there. It is not a day to judge where your whole relationship stands and it is not a day to decide what your commitment means. There are more divorces filed the week after Valentine’s Day than any other time of the year. This is a huge problem. There is obviously a great deal involved with this, more than just Valentine’s Day but there is a stupid amount of expectation tied into the day. I am pretty sure the pressure to be perfect at romance is most heavily felt by men but it is on both sides. More importantly when expectations are too high a couple as a whole can feel strain. I realize I am not in any sort of a position to give advice but I am going to anyway. Keep it fun and simple. Communicate what you actually want and expect from one another.

I write all of this because although I obviously like a cute craft with a heart involved, I like thriving marriages more. Here are two marriage helpers.

One Extraordinary Marriage Podcast

Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

Detail from my latest almost finished project. I cannot wait to share it.

I did not realize I have made so many hearts.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Girl in the Lane Shop

A peek at my journal: looking back

I have kept a journal/sketch book since I was very young. Today I finished my latest and added it to the pile. Ending a journal and starting a new one holds for me a greater distinction in the chapters of my life than the change of years or even a birthday. Just looking at the cover I immediately know what joys and sorrows, mistakes and growth I experienced in the time I filled those pages. There are also countless silly, stupid, wonderful memories. How cool is that Lisa Frank dalmatian notebook by the way? I was rocking it as a third grader.

I know what is in there but I have actually read very little of these books. I want to. To start and because I finished a journal today, I looked back at some of the artwork I have done. I found quite a few gems so I'll have to share more some other time. Here are a few of my favorites in no particular order. 

Like I said I will have to share more with you later but much I never will share because this is my journal and you are the internet. Sorry. 

I don't even know but I like. 

My guess is the toddler version of Avia was directing this.

10 points to whoever recognizes this. It's all about the points.

Sophomore self-portrait. 

Kindergarten self-portrait.

This is every color in a big box of crayons in color order.

 It also might be proof that I'm a big ol' nerd.

Looking back at the art contained in my books was a fun first step in reading them. I think I will have to go through them slowly. It was already pretty painful. On the up side being inspired by your own old art is quite rewarding. 

The Girl in the Lane Shop