Sun-Print
Pillows How-To
(Before printing onto fabric, trim it to the shape you want for the pillow, with a few inches extra all around. This will give you more flexibility when positioning the pattern on the pillow.)
Resources: Ready-to-print cyanotype fabric, 43-inch-wide silk velvet, and raw silk
Materials: Fabric, Pins, Foam board, Plexiglas (optional), Iron, Velvet ironing mat (if using
velvet)
Step 1: Working indoors, out of direct light, cut fabric to desired size. Return unused fabric
to package. Pin fabric, slightly taut, to a piece of foam board.
Step 2: Make sure all botanical cuttings are dry (check ends of stems), and avoid touching
fabric with wet hands since water and sap spot the fabric. Arrange cuttings on fabric,
pinning each (if cuttings are somewhat flat, such as ferns, you could lay Plexiglas on top
instead of pinning). Use short pins without large heads, and arrange pins along cuttings to
prevent casting a shadow on fabric.
Step 3: Take prepared fabric outside, and lay flat in bright, direct light. Let fabric sit for the
amount of time specified by fabric's directions. Timing can vary based on the strength of
the sun and the season; you may wish to try a test strip first to test exposure time.
Step 4: Take fabric indoors, and remove cuttings; there will be only a faint image at this
point.
Step 5: Rinse fabric under running water, agitating gently, until water runs clear.
Step 6: Lay fabric flat, out of direct light, to dry. If using velvet, run your hand over the
fabric to separate the fibers and restore the nap. Once dry, the color and contrast of the
print will deepen. If you wish to iron the fabric, use a velvet ironing mat and a cool setting
on the iron.
{Isabel Delacruz}
Source:
From: http://www.marthastewart.com/337724/sun-print-pillows-how-to?center=0&gallery=275329&slide=337724
~
Brown Sugar Drops
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Mix wet, then dry ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375ยบ
F. Spoon dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet using a spoon or ice cream scoop. Cook for
12-14 minutes. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
{Charity Clothespin}
~
Verses of the Month:
Matthew 14:26-31
When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" And
they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be
afraid." Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." And He said,
"Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the
wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus
stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
{Dawn Paperclip}
~
Quote of the Month:
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he
who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
- Nelson Mandela
{Bridget Safetypin}
~
Movie Review:
Monsters University
Many of us are familiar with the big fuzzy blue monster and his quirky green pal in Monsters, Inc., produced by Pixar Animation Studios. We met them years and years ago, and now, given the chance to get to know them a little bit better, James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski are once again taking America by storm.
In the film, Sully and Mike are freshmen at Monsters University, the ivy school of scaring. Both aspiring to be scarers, they seem very similar, but in the opening ten minutes of the movie, it becomes very clear how different they really are. While Mike does everything by the book, memorizing every move and tactic, Sullivan (called the more youthful “Jimmy”) sticks to what he knows best—one terrifying, lion-inspired roar. Unfortunately, neither of their methods work, and they are both expelled from the Scaring Studies, forced to switch majors to Scream Can Design. Thanks to a contest and a daring bet against the Scaring dean, Dean Harbottle, Mike and Jimmy are thrown together with an interesting group of misfits, and are forced to work together, overcoming odds and surprising everyone.
The movie’s falling action is rather predictable, which has garnered the film negative reviews, with comments
regarding the slump Pixar seems to have slipped into after the disappointing Brave. However, looking beyond the lack of the expected Pixar climax and the absence of a completely unexpected Pixar solution, the film has some very redeeming qualities.
The first lies in the way the writers/directors decided to represent the University on screen. The possibilities for crude jokes or inappropriate pranks were endless, but even the antagonistic students were very clean cut. There was one incident in which the girl students invite Mike and Jimmy and their friends to a party that resented a touch of flirtatiousness and obnoxious behavior, but it isn’t exalted, rather shown to be a situation that turned out very badly. Also, with the setting of the film, one could expect it to be cram-packed with “college-is-the-only-way” propaganda, but it isn’t. While not making college out to be a bad thing, a message revealed at the end is decidedly “work-yourway-to-the-top”, as Mike and Sully both actually never finish their freshman year, but work their way up at Monsters, Inc. from the Mail Room to the scaring team that made history.
Secondly, the message behind the film is perhaps one of the best of all the Pixar films. Mike and Jimmy start as enemies, competing against each other in an attempt to prove that they were “the” scarer. By the end of the film, they both realize how much they need the other. Mike isn’t scary, but he’s got great leadership skills; Sully can’t scare by himself because he’s so afraid of failure, but with Mike’s encouragement and coaching, he is able to do what he thinks he can’t. In order to be successful, they each need the other. In their pride, they fail, in their cooperation, they become the best team the monster world has ever known.
Finally, keep your eyes open for links to the original movie. From characters’ backstories to memorable quotes, the discoveries are very fun to make.
Thus, while rather predictable, the clean, funny, and encouraging aspects of Monsters University make it an
enjoyable and edifying film.
{Agatha Forsyth}
~
Book Review:
Evidence Not Seen
“‘As an American spy, you are worthy of death. . . .’ With that, he drew his finger across his throat
then slapped the hilt of his sword at his side. All time froze around me . . . in terror I watched the man's
hand fold around the hilt of the sword . . .”
This is one of many gripping quotations from the amazing book, Evidence Not Seen. The author,
Darlene Ddeibler Rose, is one of my greatest role models and her humble faithfulness to God, along
with her courage to face the unknown, constantly amaze me throughout the book. The daily challenges
that she overcomes challenge me as I face my own challenges, which seem so small compared to hers.
The story keeps my heart racing to find out how God helps her out of her plight or to see how she
takes the next situation at hand. Rose shows how, when she fully trusted and loved God, He held her so
she could stand strong in the trials that came her way. When we trust God, He doesn't promise us that
everything will be easy, but He does promise us that He will always be at our side.
I love Rose's ending sentences, "Waves of tidal proportions have threatened to carry me under or
dash me upon the rocks. But knowing now what I did not know those many years ago, with C. H.
Spurgeon, I can thank my God for every storm that has wrecked me upon the Rock, Christ Jesus!"
Evidence Not Seen is the true story of all that Rose went through, and most of her missionary time
was spent in a Prisoner Of War camp during WW2. I most definitely recommend this book to anyone.
We read it as a family and everyone enjoyed it.
{Nora Rose}
~
Editors’ Choices:
Books and Entertainment of Quality
Book:
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Similar in setting to the Elsie Dinsmore series, this book is an intriguing and moving novel with
a balanced presentation of slavery in 19th century America.
Entertainment:
Edwardian Farm by BBC Television
Three historians cultivate a farm in Devon, Great Britain, living life, and raising livestock as it
would have been done in the early 1900s
~
The Benefactor
A young widow sees the hand of God providing for her through a mysterious friend. To read earlier entries, please visit our website
Two
Church was hard for Bryn. Sunday morning came early, and on occasion, bedtime was late. But the
hardest part was doing it all without Andrew. Putting lipstick on, knowing it wouldn't be kissed away,
pinning up her dark wavy hair, wondering if he would have liked it, and even her choice in jewelry was
made as though he would notice that she was wearing the set he'd bought her for Valentine's Day the
year they were married. In fact, Sunday morning brought such waves of emotion, that Bryn didn't even
apply most of her makeup until she was at church— a large church she'd only recently joined — somewhere she'd never been with him; somewhere that held no happy memories that were painful to remember.
"My red eyes and haggard face are clues enough that I'm struggling, we don't need mascara running
down my face to seal the impression." She whispered by way of explanation to her unknowing little girl
in the ladies room as she finished primping.
As the pastor, a middle-aged African-American man with a loving smile, began his welcome, Bryn
slipped quietly into a back pew, and handed Josie a doll. It’s plastic face had gazed up adoringly at her
when she was young, and it always reminded Bryn of her childhood. Her thoughts began to wander—
from her days of cooing to the doll to high school. From there, to her first date with Andrew... Concentrate! She scolded herself. This is church. Trying desperately to keep her mind on God, Bryn shut her
thoughts off, and picked up the song sheets, preparing to sing them intentionally. Her eyes blurred over
as she began to sing, however. She wondered when she would ever snap out of it, when she would get
over her year-old loss enough to live her life out like a normal woman. But really, I'm not normal. I'm a
twenty-six year old widow, and a single mom. I probably will never know what it is to be normal.
As the singing ended some twenty minutes later, Bryn lowered herself willingly into the pew, pulling
out her bible. Pastor Hector was beginning a series in Joshua, and as Bryn turned there, his rich voice
echoed through the quiet sanctuary.
"Today, I want us to look at Joshua 1. The book begins with Joshua preparing to embark on one of the
most important missions in history. The Jewish people are about to enter the land of the Hittites— the
land of the city called Jericho. God had promised a stunning victory, but there is still work, pain, and
even death facing him and the men he has been selected to lead."
Bryn glanced up as he paused.
"This, by itself, is distressing enough. But in the very first verse, we find that Joshua's challenge was
complicated by the death of his friend and mentor, Moses. Keep in mind this was no ordinary loss!"
He cried out what seemed like minutes after he put the final 's' on 'Moses'. "It was no ordinary loss.
Joshua had walked with Moses as his student, his disciple, his apprentice in leadership for forty years! His
death would have been a burden on Joshua's heart beyond description, for if there was ever a biblical example of fatherly care and teaching, their relationship certainly is it.
God knows this, but with His perfect love, still calls on Joshua to lead His people. In verse two, weread, ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into
the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.’ God begins by acknowledging Moses' death,
but commands Joshua to stand up and do a job —a big job. He has to put the old era behind him, and
obey the word of God to move forward."
Bryn began to feel uncomfortable, as though the whole church was thinking of her and her struggles
as the pastor spoke. Of course they couldn’t possibly, she told herself, but still she still squirmed in her seat
slightly, hoping he would shift his focus to another verse shortly.
"But God doesn't leave it at that. He doesn't say ‘do somethin' hard,’ and stop there. No! No, He reminds Joshua of His promise to Moses. ‘I have not forgotten Moses, or my promises to him.’ He says.
Every step you take will be yours, from Lebanon to the Euphrates.’ This is verse four, then in verse
five, the verse I'll be focusing on this morning, God makes another promise, perhaps the sweetest
promise in the entire old testament: ‘Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave
you nor forsake you.’ Brothers and sisters, there's a promise!"
A few of the congregation murmured "Amen", and Lou Hector continued.
“’I will never leave you, nor forsake you!’ Never!
Now, there are a few things I want to point out about this promise. The first is, seeing it in context, a
silent contrast presents itself; in other words, there is no but or however written here, yet perhaps we
can perceive a comparison. Here, by reminding Joshua that Moses was dead back in verse one, a reminder which Joshua no doubt didn’t need, then in verse five promising that He will not leave him, God
is almost making a contrast between Himself and His servant Moses. You see, Moses had doubtless
failed Joshua many times. Perhaps we find an example of this when Moses disobeys God by hitting the
rock. Joshua was probably like, "Seriously, man? You did what?" shaking his head in grief. And then,
when Moses dies, Joshua is without his counselor, facing a huge task, leading a mass of people seemingly on his own. But God tells him, "No, you ain't alone, because I will never leave you nor forsake
you."
The second thing I want to talk about is the amazing validity of this promise. God has come through
on this promise over and over again, and this is where my sermon really begins."
He chuckled, and asked the congregation to turn to Genesis 1. "Everything in this book," he held his
bible up above his head, "is built on Genesis. I've mentioned this in detail before. But when we're studying a particular passage of scripture, whether it's narrative or prophesy, we ought to remember to think
about the very first book of the bible. Now, in this case, we're going to look at the ways in which God
has kept this promise, starting from before He'd even made it. The very first verse of the bible reads "In
the beginning, God made the heavens and the earth." He has always been here. Before we were even
created, God was providing for us.
When we were here, He gave us a garden, and walked with us every day.
When we fell (turn to chapter 3 verse fourteen) He still made a promise that one day sin would be
crushed.
From there, we see Him wiping out evil, but protecting His people, when He floats the ark.
He grows Abraham's family through a seemingly impossible pregnancy, and uses Joseph in Egypt to
sustain His people. But we ain't done.
We move to Exodus, where God brings Israel out of Egypt, leading them through the desert for forty
years.
Through Judges, through all the Prophets up to Jesus, He repeatedly forgives His people, reclaiming
them for Himself.
Jesus came, and His people make the ultimate rejection. They kill the Son of God, and still God is going to reclaim them as part of his family once the global church of Christ is grown! And as a result of
God’s perfect love, now we, the gentiles are included in this promise. God will never leave us nor forsake us. Now, I say again, ladies and gentlemen, that's a promise! That's a promise!"
Bryn knew that tears were coursing down her cheeks, but she didn't care. After a year of holding the
pain so close to her, she couldn't believe that she'd missed the eternal plan of God, and how His power
and presence could be with her. He would never leave her, nor forsake her. She felt as though the burdens of the last year were coming out with the tears, like the perfect promises of God were purging her
of hurt. Her heart still ached, but she felt that for the first time since her husband died, it was going to
heal. Everything was going to be okay.
Another twenty minutes, and the service was drawing to a close, and mere moments later, Bryn was
sobbing in Carrie's arms."Carrie, thank God for you and your husband! God’s words of comfort have finally found me, and easedmy pain. If you will pray over me, I'll be going home to begin my life over again as I should have the day after the funeral."
It was another half-hour before she left the building, eyes red but dry. She was looking forward to
getting home, where she would put Josie to bed, and mentally begin the grieving process from square
one.
Her thoughts were broken in on by quick footsteps and a voice calling her name. Turning, she saw Dr. Kinglet, smiling as he met her. Really? You? Now?"Since I said I would see you today, I wanted to be sure I did. I also wanted to tell you that I received your payment."
This news confused Bryn, and she shook her head. "Payment? Payment for what?"
He shrugged. "The appointment. In cash. When I gave the bill to the secretary nurse, she showed
me an envelope she found on her desk with both your name and mine written on it. I thought maybe
the nurse had charged you on the way out, and you paid. The money was in green backs, with, like,
eighty cents in change and everything."
"No, that wasn't me. You sure it was for my bill?"
"Yeah. Like I said, it had your name on it, and actually had more money in it than I charge." He dug
in his pockets, and handed her fifteen dollars. She took it dreamily. "Turns out Dr. Gregg was planning
on calling me in before you even entered the hospital, so he wasn't going to charge you anything for his
services. There was money for his co-pay in there. There you go. Everything's clear."
Bryn could only stand there and half-smile in confusion. A moment passed, and she looked up.
"You said it had my name on it. Was there a yellow sticky-note, too?"
He wrinkled his brow, but nodded slowly. "Yes...Well, maybe. I don’t always remember details like
that.."
Bryn laughed, and shifted Josie from one hip to the other. "Thanks so much, Dr. Kinglet. I suppose
you've had plenty of opportunities to work with The Benefactor?"
"Huh?"
"I hadn’t heard of him either until a couple days ago. Apparently, there's someone in the area who
gives money to people who need it, in the exact method you described, and the town calls him The
Benefactor. I only learned about him on Monday myself from Carrie Hector. God has chosen me as one
of the recipients, and I have to figure out if I’m thrilled that He is providing for me in this way, or if I'm
uncomfortable that there's some unknown guy walking around who knows my name and health issues."
"Wow." The young man shifted his weight. "That's exciting. " He laughed. "Praise God for His provision! See you next week?"
"Yes. Thank you!" Bryn nodded, buckled Josie in, and climbed in the car. Backing off, the doctor
flashed another grin, and waved as she pulled out.
Flipping her visor mirror down, she had to shake her head. Just look at that mascara
Editor/Author Note: This serial is a trial run on my part. I’d love to get fellow amateur writers’ opinions on it as I experiment with the idea of completing this novel. Thank you! ~A
~
Poem:
Listen…
With faint dry sound,
Like steps of passing deer,
The leaves, frost-crisped, break from the trees
And fall.
-Adelaide Crapsey
