DIY Umbrella Headband

January 21, 2013 ~ Sophie ~ 3 Comments

Have you ever lived in a community where everything is so much the same? Where one thing is spotted more than three times? Welcome to my world. Amidst all this I try as much as possible to be outstanding ( don’t we all? Standing out from the crowd it is.) and this pushes me to be more creative than ever. Don’t get me wrong I love being creative. And so today I have decided to share with you one of my many DIY projects (after much battling with myself mind you) and I hope you will benefit as much as I do.
I am going to try as much as possible to explain how I made it (AKA tutorial) without pictures(sorry!).
Materials:
• Old umbrella fabric (of your color preference)
• sewing yarn
• Needle
• Garter (2 in.)
• Tulle fabric(of your color preference)
• Scissors
Steps
1. Cut the umbrella fabric into three thin strips of 12in. each by 3in. Do the same with the tulle.
2. Connect the strips of umbrella fabric by sewing them together to make one long strip. Do the same with the tulle.
3. Add the tulle on top of the umbrella fabric and sew them together in the middle.
4. Start gathering the fabric from one end of the long strip to the other while sewing it in place until it has a length of one 12 in. strip or until it can wrap almost around your head. Be sure to leave an allowance of 3in. (as in it shouldn’t completely wrap around your head.)
5. Get another piece of fabric and sew it inside out into a long tube and then turn it inside in. Get the two inch garter and insert it into the piece of fabric (make sure the width of the tube of fabric is the same size as the width of the garter) and then stretch it until it can stretch no more.
6. Fasten the garter and the fabric with pins and sew the edges. When released it should compress back to its normal size and create a gathered effect on the tube fabric.
7. Cut out the excess fabric from the garter.
8. Connect the garter to the 12in. gathered fabric.
9. Finally, there you have it. Try it on (the garter should be at the back of your head) and if it needs any adjustments, just gather more fabric or loosen it.
🙂
Sophie

2012… Still

January 3, 2013 ~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

2013 More of 2012

Although it is now 2013,Istill can’t just get over the fact that 2012 is gone! I’m still in that bitter-sweet moment where I am glad at the same time sad that 2012 is over. Though its gone, I still want to share some significant memories that made it a good year.

1. Being Alive – First of all I am so grateful that I passed through the year alive.

2. Turning 18- It’s a little bit scary and still hard to comprehend but yeah! Last year I turned 18(i feel so old!) and still I’m grateful for reaching this far…I don’t deserve it.

3.Starting College- Ok ,I started college the other year(2011) but after a lot of complications and major moving, I finally settled in college and I have to say its all good though hectic.

4. Visiting my Grandparents- I finally got to visit my grandparents after a long period of 6 years! I know it’s too long but well so circumstances can’t be controlled.

5. Bri’s Wedding- I also got to me a maid on favourite cousin’s wedding. It was a very emotional moment watching her marry the man of her dreams… I shed a few tears… totally cheesy! I know.

6. Appearing on TV- I know it’s insane alright but yeah it happened out of the blue. I would like to sat that is was God’s planning because it taught me many things. By the way we( me and my little sister) sang a song.

7. Starting up a Blog – yep I started this blog last year. I am grateful I did because I have learnt a lot from it. I have had a chance to connect with fellow bloggers and it is somewhat a documentation of my growth a s a person.

8. Hosting a Christmas Party- Yeah I did it all by myself… ok ya with the help of my sisters… and my dad too. But it’s the first time my mother has not been around so it was a major accomplishment for me. The atmosphere was great and the people liked the food( I got to make a pound cake for dessert and my dad couldn’t get over it… really!). I hope i get to make more parties!

Well that about sums up 2012. It was a good year and I have already listed my New Year’s Resolutions. It’s a long list but I tried to make them as realistic as possible so they can be achievable.

what are your new year’s resolutions?

Sophie

BEGINNING FROM …

January 3, 2013 ~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

BEGINNING FROM THE END

I don’t intend to seem rude or ungrateful in the least to the numerous friends and family who have offered, “Happy New Year” on some platform-phone, social media and in-person. But I won’t be revealing state secrets when I confess that I find “Happy New Year” all but cliché. Seriously, do we pause to even think of it? Its meaning and weight before hurling “Happy New Year” in the many intriguing styles? What is happy and new and year to you? In retrospect, you all mean well, so, thank you.
Granted, we have much to be grateful for the new Time Address as we will be negotiating our lives in an all-new calendar date called 2013. For this, I am most grateful to my Lord.
So, why must I “BEGINNING FROM THE END?”

While all sorts of gurus embrace the moment by dispensing wisdom and philosophies to live by this New Year, I invite you to God’s word as I make the case for 2013.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead, I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3v13 and 14 NET)

The immediate context of these words in Paul’s epistle as read here to the Philippians, is ‘Pursuing the Goal’ of attaining to Christ’s knowledge.

Goals (read…resolutions), friends, is the new hype in town these next few weeks.
How do I start, maneuver and eventually close 2013 in victory? I find three precious truisms in the apostle’s words:

1. ACKNOWLEDGE
Acknowledging is same as accepting…accepting that my past year(s) was short of its possible glories. It means to fess up to my shortcomings against myself, God and fellow humanity. My relationships might have been short and perhaps I killed in spirit! God have mercy! Paul admits, “I do not consider myself to have attained.” Nor do I. what about you? I acknowledge also my inadequacies without self-pity. This means I need you…I am not an island. And finally, I admit to the fact that I am totally helpless without God. I need you Lord!

2. FOCUS
The responsibilities of live can be overwhelmingly crowding. Focus therefore, is not an easy one! Focusing means to be ‘single-minded’ as Paul says. I must choose by God’s wisdom which battles to fight and drown all sideshows out of my space. This includes in the words of Paul, “Forgetting the things that are behind.” This must be reached since it is tempting and easy to keep going fishing in waters of my past- past fears and failures…past mistakes and misfortunes. Focusing means in the words of EGWhite, that I “must give all and do all for Christ; for the Redeemer will not accept divided service. Daily I must learn the meaning of self-surrender. I must study the word of God, learning its meaning and obeying its precepts. Thus I may reach the standard of Christian excellence. Day by day God works with me, perfecting the character that is to stand in the time of final test. And day by day I am working out before men and angels a sublime experiment, showing what the gospel can do for fallen human beings. (AA 483)
Just like the apostle, I will choose my battles, I will drown out the hullabaloo and I will concentrate on the task at hand. My college professor, Dr. Jocelyn Mercado often said, “Focus” and she could repeat it again and again…“Focus” “Focus” “Focus” … How true, I keep realizing!

3. MOVE
Paul says, “reaching out for the things that are ahead with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Wow!
An upward move! It brings to mind the song,
I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Canaan’s tableland;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till rest I’ve found,
“Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”

Take note however, mobility demands purpose. Purpose inspires that spring; that bounce in my step! It gives some steel, call it even, grit in the seconds and minutes and hours of my day because I live for something beyond just myself. That is purpose! It gives the sparkle on my face, the twinkle in my eyes and an inevitable acceleration to my upward move. My true confidence of course is founded on my Savior and my Lord’s unfailing Word from whom also emanates my purpose.

Oh, I wanna BEGIN THIS YEAR FROM THE END; to behold the glorious prize before me! To keep my eyes on the bull’s eye, to commence my journey from the destination for there is no other safer point to begin apart from my prize- my Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ.

Won’t you join me in this quest?
-Daniel Onyancha