Thursday, July 29, 2010

New Fabrics and an Apron Sale!

Several new fabrics are up....fun for the fall, and a few choices that you could "tweak" with a festive hairbow and make work for the holidays as well. (I'll be posting a few more throughout the day......in between loads of laundry:)
**********AND************
An Apron Sale!
Today until Wednesday, August 4th..
any child's size apron......$15
Ladies Sizes........$20
Aprons are fun for birthday and Christmas gifts....extra fun in sister or Mother-daughter matchies!
Would you like free shipping on your sale apron order?!?!?!
Just invite your Facebook friends to follow Flitterbugs, share about this sale on Facebook, or email your friends and tell them about Flitterbugs....and I'll pay your shipping!
Pop on over to see my new fabrics......and choose some of your favorites for a fun apron!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

"Katie" Dress SALE!!!

SALE!
"Katie" dresses...just $20 each....shipping is included in the price.
Just email me or leave a comment if you would like to buy one. I will mail them out in the morning. Scroll down to see sizes and a description......
The "Katie" dress is Evangeline's favorite...a turtleneck fits great underneath for a year round dress!
(left to right)
Size 18-24 months: Limeade-SOLD
Size 2: Plain Jane Aqua
Size 2: Buggy Sage-SOLD
Size 3: Roesbuds-SOLD
Size 4: Le Poulet Pink and Orange
Size 4: Paisley Frogs Blue
Size 5: Ambrahic Tiles Orange-SOLD
Size 5: Eiffel Tower-SOLD
Size 5: Poppy Oz-SOLD
Size 6: Spring Flowers-SOLD
Size 6: Splashy Rose-SOLD

Monday, July 26, 2010

Flitterbugs at the Beach:)

My wonderful parents let me and the kids bum a trip to the beach with them:) It was such a special week, and would have been just perfect had Kenny been able to come. For the kabillionth time, sweet Evangeline let me take some Flittebug pictures. Yes, she did get the promised trip to the shell shop afterwards!






I am finishing up the last of a stash of 'Katie" dresses for a sale tomorrow....and an apron sale to come later in the week!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

So, How is the Adoption Going?

A few months ago, I was bursting to tell everyone about our adoption progress...and I couldn't wait for someone to ask about it.Now, everyone asks...and there does not seem to be much to tell. Every agency, every country...in some ways, every adoption is different. With out domestic, birthmother placement, and with our agency...this is probably how the "call" and remainder of our adoption will play out.

*We are officially done with everything we can do! Today marks the 2 month mark of being "paper pregnant". We are just waiting:) With our agency, we are not told when our profile is shown. Basically, once our caseworker left our home from our final homestudy, we will not hear anything until that call comes. I think this is a wise way for our agency to go about adoption...they have bee doing this for a long time, and they work hard to protect both the rights and freedoms of a birthmother, and the emotions of the adoptive family.

*Every adoptive momma longs for that phone the ring and for that blessed sentence to be spoken from her caseworker. One day, our phone will ring. It could be next week, next month or next year. We long to hear the words, "We have situation." Probably, though every situation is different and there is no way to be sure about anything...probably our little one will be placed in our arms very soon after that call comes. We really don't have set expectations of how everthing will play out.

*Yes, we hope to have a semi-open adoption, depending on the situation! This will be up to the birthmother and at the discretion of our agency. I am so thankful that Covenant Care works diligently to protect the birthmother, baby and adoptive family!

A few months ago, I was beginning to feel frantic. There are over 147 million orphans worldwide who need a home. Our state's foster care system is full of precious little ones in need of love and security. Our love for birthmothers grows deeper by the day, and how we long to pray for and love our birthmother by name. It is hard to just wait when you desperately want to welcome a child into you home. If you had told me that after 2 months on the waitlist I would be calm, that I would go from jumping every time the phone rang to just discovering that I have answering machine full of messages that I have not checked in over a week....then I would not have believed you! Over the past 2 months, the Lord has filled me (on most days!) with peace, my heart with rest. Sure, I daily long to for our little one(s) to be placed in our arms, but again, and again, and again, He has reminded me....spoken to me the voice of truth.....and I find myself content in His truth:

*I cannot "save" and adopt every child who needs a family. God does not "need" any of us to take care of those He has created! In His great mercy, He has called and encouraged our family on the journey, and all glory be the Him for allowing us on this journey!

*Before the foundations of the World, God knew I would be, He new Kenny would be, He knew who this little would be. It is He who knits together life, and it is He who will bring this life to us, in His time, not our. Nothing we can do will speed this up! (And in the end, I think we will look back and be glad we could not change a thing!)

*I want our baby, the one the Lord has known and set apart for us. I long to love our birthmother, the one for whom our heart so hurt. If we have to wait a month, year or decade for our baby and our birthmother....we will do it! I look at the faces of Evangeline, Landis and Samuel....I would do pregnancy, labor and that scary complication over, and over and over for those little lives. One day, I will look at the face of our baby, and I will say, "I would wait over, and over and over for you!"

In the end, the timing, the details, the finances, the fundraising, the waiting......He will make it beautiful in His time. For once, I am glad I am not in control! All I must do is sit back, love the 3 little ones He has placed in my care, bask in His pace and praise Him for guiding us on this journey......and one day, probably when I least expect it....that phone will ring! All glory be to Him, Who Was, and Is, and Is to come!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

NOW JUST $8!!!!!

I was sorting the kid's closet, looking for some smocking.....and found box of Flitterbugs left over from a trunk show I did a couple of months ago. These are all new, never been worn, dresses, skirts and ruffle pants.
NOW JUST $8 plus $2 shipping!!
Just leave a comment or email me if you would like to buy one.....first come first serve!
(the Flitterbug dresses are all sold...but there are still ruffled sundresses, skirts and pants!)
Ruffled Sundresses
Size 5: Field of Flowers
Size 4: Pink Birdcages-SOLD

Skirts
(left to right)
size 4: Spring Fling
Size 5: Little Red Riding Hood -SOLD
Size 12-14: Lava Leaves


Ruffled Pants
Size 4: Christmas Dots
Size 4: Metro Market Chickens Red
*************************************************
Just email me or leave a commet if you would like any of these outfits for just $8!!!!
I will mark them as "Sold" as they sale!
***************************************************
The Winner of the Apron Giveaway is:
Alisonmancuso@.......

Congratulations Alison.....I will email you directions.
My parents are letting the kids and I tag along on their beach/fishing trip next week!
I have a couple new styles to put up when I get back,
plus
a big sale on aprons and the "Katie" dress!

Thank you for being a part of our adoption journey!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Giveaway....Win a "Miller" Apron..for Ladies or Girls!

Would you like to try out the new "Miller" Apron?!?!
Win one for yourself, your mom or your little girl!
To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment (or email me your comment).
For an extra entry, share Flitterbugs or this giveaway on Facebook....leave an extra comment!(See the "Tell Your Friends"
tab on the left of this page? Just click on Share on Facebook!)
Winner can choose any apron size and fabric of their choice.
Winner will be drawn on Saturday!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

The "Sarah" Skirt and "Miller" Apron!

A Flitterbug for Girls and Ladies...... The "Miller Apron!
Feminine and fun....great for girls and ladies! Perfect for you Mom, Aunt, neighbor or as a hostess gift.
Choose 2 to 3 different fabrics for me to make your apron out of, or tell me your favorite and I will pick a coordinate to go with it!
Comes Sizes:
Girls: Small (1-4), Medium (5-8) and Large (10-12)
Ladies: Small to Medium (2-8) Medium to Large (10 and up)
And new skirt design......The "Sarah" Skirt
You choose the length.....long and lovely or wear short with leggings!
Choose up to 1,2,3 or up to 4 different fabrics! The "Sarah" skirt is fun....there is not a "front" or "back", so your little one can mix it up! Great for a year round, weekday and Sunday skirt. The elastic waistband makes for an easy fit.....you will get many seasons out of a "Sarah" Skirt!

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On a side note....it has been brought to my attention that my site could be competing with another adoptive families site. I do not desire a spirit of competition or frustration between families on the same journey and with the same heart. I pray that adoptive families can journey together and fund raise alongside each other with encouragement, not competition! I apologize and am deeply sorry if I have upset or offended any of you with my site. That being said, I am working very hard to go back, change and "tweak" my patterns and draft new patterns and ideas so that I do not impose on "Poppy Dip". So, you will notice a few changes in the coming weeks. I must pray and trust that the Lord will bring the customers and provide the finances needed to fund our current and future adoption. If you do not like the changes that I make (or if you are not in adoption blog world and have no idea what I am talking about!) then by all means head over to "It's Poppy Dip" and help Sallee and her family on their journey to their 3rd adoption from Ethiopia. I look forward to seeing the little one the Lord has set apart for Sallee and her family!

Ooops!

I had planned on posting more smocking for sale over the weekend, and the new skirt and apron designs on Monday, but I had forgotten that Kenny would be out of town with his Seminary classes....and I would be without a computer. Ooops! Hubby is back, the computer is back, and I am working on getting the pictures and posts up now!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

A Few of Your Questions......

Lately, I have been receiving many emails with much the same questions. I thought I'd answer a few of them here:)

***How old are you? I've been fielding this one for awhile now:) I just turned 28. Kenny and I got married a year out of high school, had Evangeline 14 months later, Landis 15 months after Evangeline, lost a little one in a pretty traumatic miscarriage when Landis was 17 months old, then had Samuel a few days after Landis turned 3 (and Samuel missed being a leap year baby by just a few hours!)

***When do you have time to sew? That's a good question. I think the enormous pile of laundry on my floor and a desperately needs to be weeded garden is a pretty good answer:) In all honesty, we do not have a tv, and the children and I stay at home all the time, for the most part. It is amazing just how many hours are in the day when you do not spend anytime in your car or catching a few minutes of news or the Duggars every so often. (Though I would really like to watch the Duggars!)

***Where do you buy your fabric? My favorite places to buy fabric are: fabric.com, Hancocks-paducah, Marie Madeline Studio, the Fat Quarter Shop and Fabric Depot. (All online stores)

***** What patterns do you use? I love, love, love Porta-bella Pixie pattern, Children's Corner and Indigo Junction. The "Ruffled Sundress", "Katie" and The "Silly Skirt" (to come on Monday!) are all ones I have drafted. "Katie" is a VERY, VERY altered version of a smocked bishop. You can find lots of patterns on Etsy, if you do not like to make you own! Also, WalMart carries "New Look" patterns for $3.44, and they are really cute! I think I have altered in some form or fashion every pattern I have ever used. (Sort of like the way my Momma taught me to cook!) These are my favorite casual patterns. For smocking or heirloom sewing, it a different list.

*****When are you going to teach a couping class? Ok, I am working on this! I have been mulling over my calendar for awhile now and I think the beginning of September will be the first weekend I can possibly do it.

****What homeschooling curriculum so you use? I am by no means a pro at homeschooling! I am learning a lot, and love it more and more each year. In 5K, my goal is to lay a firm foundation for reading. I will have to write a post on this (one day!) to better explain my reasoning and the whys, but I do not start any formal schooling with my kids until 5K. Once we get going, we become best friends with phonics. My kids have done really well learning to read with magnetic letters on the fridge. We also write letters and sound out words in pudding :) There are SO MANY wonderful curriculums out there. For our budget and the classical style of education we like, Memoria Press is our favorite. I started the 5K curriculum with Landis a few weeks ago, and by 2 weeks in, he was slowly beginning to sound out basic CVC words. It is not a fancy or "lots of manipulative" types of curriculum, which we love:)

*******Do you have a sewing room? I think my husband would say I do have a sewing room, we just don't have a bedroom:)

****Is Covenant Care taking out of State Applications? Covenant Care (our adoption agency) is NOT taking out of state applications for Caucasian families seeking to adopt an African American baby. In a nutshell, birthmothers do not want to make a plan of adoption with a family who lives out of state. (All CC birthmothers are in the state of Georgia.)

Ok , so that is a lot of randomness:) Back to my "sewing room":) I have 2 more dresses to finish and I will be all caught up and ready to ship out all orders! Monday will be a clean slate, and I will post more sale clothes and the new skirt, apron and dress patterns!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Smocking For SALE!!!!!-still a few left...and more to come!

( Update:I will remove the picture of the item as it sells.....so if it is still listed, it is still up for grabs!)
I have pulled out some outfits I made for my kids that they have outgrown.....thought I'd see if anyone would be interested in buying them before I move them on to ebay. They have been worn.....but are all in good shape. If you would like to buy an outfit, just email me....first come first serve. Shipping is $5, and I will mail them out in the morning!




I have several more outfits I will be posting over the next few days.

Thank you so much for this little boost to our adoption fund! Just waiting on that call, and resting in the knowledge that God is in control of this adoption, and He knows who the future holds!




Saturday, July 3, 2010

Welcome Home Isaac!!!!

Last night, the kids decorated signs, we loaded up and headed out late to Isaac Young's airport homecoming! It was sooo much fun:)

We got to meet the Johnson family and sweet Lucy Lane....and the McGinnis family. (They are #7 on the girl's AGCI list!!!!)

I was also so glad to meet Melissa....both of these ladies have been such an encouragment to me on our adoption journey! Melissa is son to bring home her beautiful little boy from Uganda!


Lucy Lane and I were sporting our "Adoption Rocks" shirts:)

Sooo exciting to watch Andrea and Isaac come home!
Samuel was pretty excited about the snacks:)

Lucy Lane.......little does she know...she inspired Isaac's adoption!


Isaac was a lot chubbier than I had imagined! Not the tiny, little malnurished baby we had begun praying for months ago!

Welcome Home Isaac!!!!!!

Friday, July 2, 2010

So Hubby...ya wanna?

Adoption has revealed a whole new world to me...the adoption blogging world. It is a welcoming, wonderful, happy place, where you get to know ladies by their blog title, best family pictures and know to the hour how old their children are, thanks to Lillypie widgets. One of my virtual friends, Andrea, is coming home from Ethiopia with her new son Isaac to introduce him to his Daddy and siblings tonight. Andrea has encouraged me, loved me, inspired me and provided my kiddos with many craft ideas over the past year. The best part? She lives in Georgia:) So, a couple of weeks ago, I ask hubby:

"Ummm, can the family drive an hour and a half away to the airport at 10:00 at night to hang out at baggage claim with a bunch of people we do not know to watch a lady we have never met come off the plane with a sweet little boy? We will all wear our favorite adoption tees, hold signs and take more video footage then we did at out wedding....then return home well after midnight and totally pay for it the next day. So....ya wanna?"

"Sure. Let's go!"
I love my hubby. And I think we are turning into weirdos.
We are stoked to be heading out tonight to hang with other weirdos, such as Melissa, and Kristi and the Young family. I have heard adoptive families say that airport homecomings are totally addictive. We are off to find out!