Ruby for Women, January, 2011

Ruby for Women “her worth is far far above rubies . . . “ Proverbs 31:10 31:10

January, 2011 • Create Your Own Antique Blocks • Warm and Cozy Recipes for the Chilly Days of Winter • Parenting from the Heights with Anne Wiggins • Winter in the Garden • Snowflakes and Sparrows • Design Your Own Art Journal • National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs • Empowering Christian Women

Editorial Staff for Ruby for Women Nina Newton, Sr. Editor

In This Issue . . .

Page

Title

3

Letter from the Editor

4

Create Your Own Decorative Antique Blocks Vintage Image Crafts

Amanda Johnson, Assistant Editor Katherine Corrigan, Graphic Designer Heather Miller, Home School Laura Day, Story Lynn Mosher, Devotions

7

Introducing Amanda Johnson, Assistant Editor

8

Snow Tracked Passage Keith Wallis

9

Warm and Cozy Recipes Ruby for Women Writers

11

Ask Ms. Beth Beth Brubaker

12

Introducing Anne Wiggins, “Parenting from the Heights”

14

Snowflake Ornament Craft Katherine Corrigan

15

Kid Quips Beth Brubaker

16

Secrets About Love Chapter Nine Laura Day

Keith Wallis, Poetry Beth Brubaker, Family Fun Editor Dorothy Kurchak, Gardening Rochelle Martin, Quilting Jennifer Cirka, Crochet & Cooking Deborah Shank, Women’s Ministry Carolyn Arnold, Kids Crafts

Page 4

Page 7

Page 12

Page 14

On the Cover . . . .

20

Resolution or Solution?

Lynn Mosher

21

The Tree Paints Blue Fingers Keith Wallis

22

Gardener’s Delight Quilt Block Rochelle Martin

24

Shopping Smart When it Comes to Furniture Amanda Johnson

25

National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs

26

Winter in the Garden Aunt Dots

www.southernbellemarketing.ning.com

Page 22

Page 26

1

Guest Authors and Contributors Carol Mokry

Page

Title

Lee E. Shilo

28

Fleeting Purity Keith Wallis

Deborah McCarragher

28

Shaping Up! Double Puzzle Beth Brubaker

Scott Henderson, Vintage Image Craft 29

Snowflakes and Sparrows Carol Mokry

30

Praying Pals with Stacie Ruth Stoelting

31

Book Give-Away “Parenting from the Heights”

32

Send Out Cards with Danie K. Bell

www.sendthecards.com

Page 29

Page 30

Design Your Own Art Journal Vintage Mama

33

Time of Winter Amanda Johnson

35

Empowering Christian Women with Karla Meachum

35

Footprints in the Mud Beth Brubaker

36

You Quicken Every Sense Keith Wallis

36

Letter to Pastor and Other People’s Letters Dr. Yvonne Anderson

37

Craquelure Craft Recipe Scott Henderson, VIC

37

Winter’s Wind Lee E. Shilo

38

Puzzle Solutions Beth Brubaker

39

Meet the Ruby Writers

43

Credits and Copyrights

Page 33

Page 35

Page 36

Page 37

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Letter From the Editor January is always a time to review, renew, and reevaluate our goals and dreams. It is a time when we so frequently want to be more committed to those things in life that we value and treasure the most. I’ve never been one to make a “New Year’s Resolution,” partly because that seems to be something that I need to do on a regular basis throughout the year! But there is just something about the dawning of a new year, a new opportunity, a brand-new start that gives us the inspiration to begin again to make life all that it can be.

For some of us that renewed energy and focus might include a determination to make healthier choices; or perhaps we have decided to make better use of our time; some of us will choose to start a new project, job, or friendship.

Whatever we want to accomplish in the new year, we need to remember that, even if we did not make as much progress as we had hoped in 2010, God always offers us another opportunity.

Don’t give up just because you didn’t get it “right,” yet!

One of the projects that I’ve had to put on the “back burner” this past year is working on scrapbooks. I have always found that it is such an amazing sense of accomplishment when I get a batch of photographs organized and then put into a beautiful scrapbook. Sometimes my scrapbook pages are quite creative, and other times I am happy with a tidy, orderly page with a couple of embellishments, names, and dates.

Then there are the pages where I feel really inspired, and write out stories that I remember from years past.

But whether it is wildly creative, or quietly efficient, the whole process of getting family photos put in order is just so much fun! My girls like to work on scrapbooks, too, and they have fun working on pages that are filled with their memories, their school papers and pictures, and little stories that they have written.

Of course, much of my time and energy is focused on keeping everything humming

around here, in the Ruby for Women community.

But with our new Assistant Editor, Amanda Johnson, and with the help of Katherine Corrigan and Beth Brubaker, I think I’ll be able to work on a couple of other things this year!

What are some of the things in your life to which you want to renew your commitment?

What’s important to you, right now, that you feel needs more of your attention? Is it time with your family, or perhaps a commitment to be more focused on caring for your home? Perhaps you realize that you need to slow down and take care of YOU a bit better. Or are you feeling compelled to take that little nudging in your heart seriously and follow your creative dreams?

In the midst of seeking to review, renew, and reevaluate your life, don’t forget to make your relationship with God a priority. As women, we all experience the “Mary and Martha” conflict, both within our hearts and all around us in our communities. We long for quiet time to sit at the feet of our Lord Jesus and listen to His Word.

And yet there are always other needs that are pulling us in so many different directions! What are we to do?

In this new year, here at Ruby for Women, we want to encourage you to find balance in this area of life. We want to offer you Biblical resources to guide you on your daily spiritual journey; we also want to remind you that God is with you wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

So, for the young mom who is in the midst of the busyness of raising small children, that will be different than it is for the grandma who finds that there just might be a bit too much quiet time. There are seasons of life, and we want to celebrate them all! We hope you will join us on our journey into the new year here at Ruby for Women.

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Create Your Very Own Decorative Antique Blocks from Vintage Image Craft We love recycled crafts, and this is one of the best. These vintagelook antique blocks are gilded with aged, cracked varnish (craquelure) and glazed to highlight the cracks. This traditional technique has several variations. You can buy the craquelure finish in a kit, or make it yourself - and we explain how. You can download images here for three distinctive antique blocks: An "Ice" Cube, comic Louis Wain Dogs, and Stars & Stripes!

Materials for Antique Blocks 1. Six vintage images printed on lightweight, matte photo paper.

2. Half-gallon cardboard milk cartons (two for each block).

3. Newspaper, ripped in 1" squares.

4. Decoupage medium (like Mod Podge - Matte).

5. Liquid starch (like Sta-Flow).

6. Spray paint (we used black, white and dark red for the Dogs, Ice, and Stars & Stripes, respectively).

7. Craquelure varnish kit (see Tips).

8. Artist oil paint in a tube (we used burnt umber and white) or gold leaf wax.

9. Matte or semi-gloss polyurethane.

12. Decorative-edge scissors.

10. Masking tape.

13. Craft knife

11. Fine sand paper.

Instructions (for one one block) * Measure the width of the milk cartons. Measure the same distance up from the bottom and draw a line around the carton (Ours was 3.75" high).

Cut both cartons apart along the line. Save the bottoms and throw away the tops - unless you can think of another craft idea!

* Push the bottom of one carton into the other, to form a square cube. (See Tips) Tape them together securely around the cut edges with masking tape.

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* Dip the squares of newspaper into the liquid starch and cover the cube with a layer of paper mache (see Tips). Smooth it all down and let it dry for a day. Lightly sand the block and add another layer of paper mache. Let it dry. * Spray paint the cube, two coats. Let it dry. * Trim your images into 3.25� squares, using decorative scissors. We used a tiny, scalloped edge. You could also tear the image along the straight edge.

* Using the decoupage medium, affix an image to each side of the cube.

First apply the medium with a flat brush to the face of the cube, then to the back of the image. Press the images onto the cube with a slightly damp soft rag and smooth them carefully. Cover all six sides. Apply a coat of decoupage medium over all. Let it dry.

* Apply the craquelure varnish according to the manufacturer's instructions (see Tips). Let it dry thoroughly.

* Using a soft rag (terry cloth is good), rub a little artist oil paint onto the surface of each side. Use a contrasting color to your antique block background color - we used white for the black cube, burnt umber for the white cube and gold leaf wax for the red cube. Rub it into the cracks, and wipe it off, especially on the images. If the antiqued cracks start to obscure an image, gently remove some paint with a dab of paint thinner on a clean, soft rag. Continue to rub and polish until you have the look you want.

Let it dry for a day. * Apply two coats of polyurethane.

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TIPS:

on three sides at a time, turning it over when just tacky. While a block is drying, rotate it a few times to keep it from sticking to the skewer

* You can make smaller antique blocks by

tips.

using 1-quart milk cartons. * We used a purchased craquelure varnish kit, * Before you nest the carton bottoms together,

which included two coatings. The first was

you may want to add some weight to your block

applied and left to dry overnight. The second

by filling the bottom with Plaster of Paris. Or,

varnish was applied, dried overnight, and

you might add some aural interest by putting

magically - tiny cracks appeared over the entire

some jingle bells in a Christmas antique block,

surface. You can get this effect using our

or a handful of raw rice.

craquelure recipe, too. (see page 37)

* Lightly sand the surface of the milk carton

* The possibilities for your antique blocks are

before you apply the paper mache, to help it

endless: Create alphabet blocks by including a

adhere to the wax.

large antique letter as one of your images.

* Applying wet paper mache and finishes to all

* Use them as bases for pillar candles. Nestle

sides of a cube is tricky. We made a temporary

small cubes in pine greenery for a centerpiece.

drying rack out of a block of Styrofoam and

String them on garland up your staircase. Ooh,

some bamboo skewers. Push three pieces of

here's a good one: make small blocks (1-qt

skewer into the Styrofoam in a 3" triangle to

cartons) and insert a twisted loop of wire in one

create a cradle for the block to rest on, so only

corner to make block ornaments.

the tips of the skewers touch the sides of the block. By resting the block diagonally on the triangle of skewers, we could work

Visit Katie at Katherine’s Corner and Go Ask Katie for recipes, crafts, and household hints 6

Introducing Amanda Johnson, Assistant Editor Ruby for Women We are delighted to be able to announce to the Ruby for Women community that we have a new Assistant Editor! Amanda Johnson has been writing for the Ruby for Women ezine for several months, along with her other ministry responsibilities, and she has been a free-lance writer for several years. She brings an enthusiasm and a heart for ministry that will enable Ruby for Women to continue to grow and develop in the direction that God is leading us. Please join me in welcoming Amanda Johnson to the staff of Ruby for Women as our new Assistant Editor.

“Hi everyone! I’m so excited to be on board with Ruby for Women! Nina is doing an amazing job keeping this magazine up and running along with the support of some outstanding writers and of course all of our readers and members of the Ruby community!

Nina asked me to share a little about myself, so here goes. I’m currently serving as the ministry assistant for Love UnVeiled, a non profit ministry working with women in S.E. Asia.

I’m also a freelance writer of Christian living articles and devotionals. I’ve been writing since I was in elementary school, and started developing my own online Christian enewsletters when I was in high school.

I’ve always felt the Lord calling me to reach others through the written word. The enewsletters began as simple one-story mailings going out to around 15 members, but through God’s blessings the newsletter grew to include Bible Studies, inspirational stories from readers and so much more. By the time the enewsletter ended (after running 5 years) there were more than 200 members!

Since then, it has been a passion and dream of mine to write for Christian publications and one day to see an online newsletter such as Ruby for Women graduate into the world of print publishing.

I continue my writings through my online blog at www.ajwrites4him.blogspot.com.

I also contribute articles to a variety of e-sources and most especially to Ruby for Women. In my spare time I enjoy hanging out with family and spending time outdoors with my cute little dog Dakota. He is often the inspiration for my online blogs and my in-progress children’s short stories. It is a blessing to be part of this group and a honor to serve with all of you! Thank you, Nina, for this opportunity!”

You can contact Amanda with questions, comments, and submission inquiries at ajohnson@rubyforwomen.com 7

Note from Amanda Johnson, Assistant Editor New Year – New Opportunity to Serve!

Snow Tracked Passage Passage Snow tracked passage, avenue of flurried dream, trodden pathway white laden; cold to foot warm to heart.

So many perversities imprint, marring stains make known their passing.

Unmasked travel announces each footfall, placing shadows in their wake.

I have walked this way, my signature written in boot-mark reveals every detoured motion from the straightest path.

Each detracted step etched into the frozen canvass; a fingerprint of journey.

These will fade, slushed and wasted to puddled mud.

My marring stains do not fade.

They are written in blood, etched in pain.

Separation drips incessantly in their non-cleansing thaw.

They will not be covered in the hiding of another snowfall, but await the laundering ministration that comes after the words “Father forgive” ~ Keith Wallis

Happy New Year! I'm so excited to be starting off the New Year with everyone here at Ruby for Women! 2010 was a time of change, a time of growth, a time of fun and adventure and of course a time of meeting new friends! I'm praying the Lord will continue to bless, guide, and direct each of us into 2011 as He opens up more doors of opportunity for all of us.

This year, the Lord has directed me to a renewed sense of commitment to Him and to the people and work He's given me. Along with reading Max Lucado's "Outlive Your Life," I've also been reading Charles Swindoll's classic "Improving Your Serve." The Lord has been using both of these books to remind me of the importance of leaving self behind and taking up the cross of Christ by devoting service to others.

My pastor recently shared this interesting thought, "A Christian is a cooperative friend of Jesus living for the sake of others through the power of the Holy Spirit." A life devoted to service outside of self isn't easy, but with the power of the Holy Spirit living within us, we can be ready and available for whatever the Lord may ask of us. I want to share the New Year challenge of not only finding new ways to serve, but also serving with a deeper level of commitment remembering that all we do is for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31b)!

Blessings in the New Year!

Amanda

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Warm and Cozy Recipes for the Chilly Days of Winter

Cottage pie refers to a British or Irish meat pie made with beef mince and with a crust made from mashed potato. A variation on this dish using lamb mince is known as shepherd's pie.

The term cottage pie is known to have been in use in 1791, when potato was being introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor ("cottage" meaning a modest dwelling for rural workers).

In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.

The term "shepherd's pie" did not appear until the 1870s, and since then it has been used synonymously with "cottage pie", regardless of whether the principal ingredient was beef or mutton. There is now a popular tendency for "shepherd's pie" to be used when the meat is mutton or lamb, with the suggested origin being that shepherds are concerned with sheep and not cattle. This may, however, be an example of folk etymology.

Shepherd's Pie (with Chicken instead of Beef):

First, cut up of the raw chicken breasts into pieces and grill them in the stove top skillet.

Once they’re fully cooked set them aside for later.

Next, in a separate bowl, combine the corn, carrots, green beans, and peas. Add a can of cream of chicken soup. (Do not add water to the cream of chicken as the directions on the can suggest). Stir the ingredients and mix well. Set aside for later.

Fix mashed potatoes according to the directions on the box. Once there finished, add anywhere from ½ to 1 whole cup of sour cream to the mashed potatoes to make them especially creamy!

Now, in a casserole dish, spread the chicken out evenly along the bottom of the pan. Then add the mixture of vegetables and cream of chicken soup. Next, spread the mashed potatoes evenly across the top of the vegetables and chicken. Top it off with an even layer of shredded cheese.

Place the casserole dish in the oven at 350 degrees and bake until cheese is completely melted. Ready to serve! ~ Submitted by Amanda Johnson

Instant mashed potatoes 4 Uncooked chicken breasts 1 can of corn (drained) 1 can of carrots (drained) 1 can of green beans (drained) 1 can of green peas (drained) 1 can of cream of chicken soup 1 to 2 cups of shredded cheese 1 cup of sour cream 9

Chewy Chocolate Cookies 4 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 stick butter, softened 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 1 chocolate cake mix powdered sugar Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and cream cheese, then add egg and vanilla. Beat well; add cake mix and beat well with mixer.

Refrigerate for 2 hours. Roll into balls, then roll into powdered sugar. Bake for 10 min. ~ Submitted by Danie K. Bell

Miss Betty's Famous Meatballs 1 pound of ground sausage 1 pound of ground hamburger 1 pound of ground / cured ham (Not easy for me to get, so I just use Hormel canned chunky ham, tastes the same to me!)

1 cup of cracker crumbs 1 cup of milk 2 eggs

Sauce (I usually double this):

Linda’s Party Party Chili Dip 1/2 lb. lean ground beef 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1 8-0z can chili beans, undrained 1/2 cup ketsup 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese Brown ground beef (chop into a fine consistency). Drain if necessary.

Put beans / ketsup into food processor until well mixed. Pour into ground beef. Stir. Add chili powder and cheese. Stir.

Simmer 30 min. You can hold this in a crock pot.

Serve with tortilla chips. Top with salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese. ~ Submitted by Linda Williams, who says “I ALWAYS make a double recipe!”

1/2 cup of diluted vinegar 1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp of dry mustard Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the sausage, hamburger, and ham into a large bowl.

Add the cracker crumbs, milk, and eggs (already beaten). Mix these ingredients well. Next, start making the mix into meatballs (small or large). Place the meatballs into a cooking sprayed Corning Ware (oven safe) casserole dish.

Once the meatballs have been placed into the dish, it's time to go back and make the sauce to drizzle on top. Mix the diluted vinegar, brown sugar, and dry mustard together (I usually double the suggested recipe to make more sauce). Be sure to taste the sauce once its mixed well. Depending on what likes and dislikes more brown sugar or dry mustard may be added. Once the sauce is complete, drizzle it over the meatballs making sure to drench each one!

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour and thirty minutes. Check frequently. May need to turn meatballs half way through cooking time. (Note that the brown sugar may burn easily, as well.)

Serve these up with a side of mashed potatoes and you'll be in for a real treat! ~ Submitted by Amanda Johnson 10

Ask Ms. Beth

by Beth Brubaker Dear Ms. Beth, My child drew pictures on the wallpaper with my lipstick! How do I get it off?

-- Lip Stuck Dear Lip Stuck, You can remove lipstick stains by applying some non-gel toothpaste to the marks. Rub the toothpaste in well, then wipe down. You can also try a piece of white bread to scrub out the stain or Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (by itself, no toothpaste, but beware of smearing!)

Silly suggestion from Sentimental Mama: When we were replacing the wallpaper in the house where our children had all grown up, we discovered behind a bookcase a childish scrawl that read: “I Love Mom.� So, we pulled that section of wallpaper down and preserved it in a scrapbook so that this Sentimental Mama would always remember how 4 year-olds express their love!

January Math Square Puzzle

by Beth Beth Brubaker Use the numbers 1 through 9 to fill the spaces in the grid and complete each numerical expression. Each number is used once. Answer on page 38.

A Savvy Way of Marketing Yourself Online to Create a Marketing Edge!

Southern Belle Marketing www.southernbellemarketing.ning.com 11

Introducing Anne Wiggins “Parenting from the Heights�

Anne was born near Cleveland Ohio in 1971, the oldest of three children. Raised in a family where her father was a music pastor and her mother stayed at home before going back to teaching school when Anne was 14, she lived in a blessed family. Anne and her brother Tom were always close, but Anne longed for a sister. Little did she know that this dream would come true... five months before Anne headed off to college! Anne and Sally are almost exactly 18 years apart.

Going to college to study piano performance at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago meant leaving behind not just her wonderful family, but also her baby sister. It was a difficult time between the pressures of Bible College, the music performances, and the homesickness to just hold that baby. However, God knew what He was doing by putting Anne through Bible College, because He was preparing her to marry a pastor and head into a life of full-time ministry.

For the two years Lee and Anne shepherded the church prior to having children, they both worked around the clock between managing the music (Anne), preaching (Lee), and ministering in every conceivable way to each person in the church (both). Anne began doing all the writing for the church from brochures to website and studied various aspects of writing extensively during this time.

Anne met her husband Lee at her home church in Ohio where Lee had been called from Phoenix, Arizona to serve as the youth pastor. (Incidentally, Anne's brother was in Lee's youth group!)

After having daughter Noelle in 1999, Anne realized in a short period of time that this precious bundle of sweetness had a terrible temper! As an infant, Noelle screamed whenever not held. This turned quickly into horrendous tantrum-throwing by the time she was about 14 months old. By the time Noelle was two, she exhibited every personality trait parents rue: selfcenteredness, lack of control, defiance, and lack of remorse. Anne realized that this child was so strong, she would either grow up to be an incredible person who would change this world in positive ways or would probably end up in jail by the teen years. Anne went to work figuring out how to turn out the former of these two options.

Anne and Lee dated for a year and a half before marrying. Just two years later, they received a call to be the senior pastor at a tiny church in Prescott, Arizona. Both Anne and Lee felt sure the Lord was leading them to "Heights Church"-a congregation of about 65 people, so they said goodbye to family once again and headed out to Arizona. Anne still remembers little Sally running on the sidewalk beside the moving truck as they headed down the street. It would be the last time they would live in the same state.

By the time son Matthew came along in 2001, Anne was depressed, exhausted, and desperately looking for answers. Through a series of trial and error, a lot of prayer, and great mentoring from her mom in Ohio, Anne finally began to help Noelle turn the behavior around.

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In 2005, Anne realized that so many parents were struggling as much as she had with raising tough kids. So Anne began teaching parenting classes at Heights Church (now running around 600 people). She couldn't find curriculum that suited her, so she wrote her own, based on her own experiences. Her first class had 12 people. It went well, and parents/children were greatly helped. So, she began to teach these 5-week rounds of classes in people's garages, tents, and living rooms! Anywhere she could get space and an audience of parents, she was happy to set up a seminar.

Around this time, Anne's mom felt the same call to teach classes at her church in Ohio. She and Anne reworked and reworked the curriculum as they taught round after round. Eventually, parents began to say, "We just wish you would write a book so we could keep all this information handy!"

In 2009, Anne and her mom Linda sat down and began to write Parenting From the Heights, a practical, how-to manual for dealing with everything from tantrums to disrespect to acting out in public.

The book was a huge success. After its publication in November, 2009, Anne and Linda appeared on numerous television shows, radio shows, and have had the privilege of speaking in multiple states. In addition to ongoing opportunities in these media outlets, they continue to teach their 5-week seminars in local churches, do in-service for schools, and speak at women's retreats.

Anne home schools her two children, so she is still in the thick of raising kids. She also helps with the music at Heights Church (now running over 3,000 per weekend), mentors parents-incrisis (to help get the children under control), and has a weekly parenting radio spot on KGCB 90.9 FM in Arizona every Monday afternoon. She and her two children love to serve the homeless at the local soup kitchen every single Monday night, regularly visit a nursing home for residents who have dementia, and minster in various other ways in the community.

Noelle, who started out so rough, is now 11 years old. She is the epitome of kindness, obedience, and respect. She loves the Lord, serves Him, and is a positive role model and leader in her youth group. Matthew has a huge servant's heart and loves volunteering as a "janitor" at church each weekend during services.

Parenting From the Heights differs from other parenting books in two ways: First, where other books stop with theory, Parenting From the Heights goes to the super-practical. It literally walks parents through how to improve their nonverbal communication, how to connect consequences to behavior, and provides a grid to put behavior through so the parent knows whether or not a situation deserves attention.

Secondly, where most parenting books are written by men, this book is written by two moms.

It was not written in a quiet office with air conditioning, it was written in a hot, noisy home in between getting and cleaning up meals and stopping to deal with misbehavior. It was written by moms who truly understand what it is to parent strong-willed children.

Parenting From the Heights helps parents avoid descending to the level of their child. We encourage parents to stay above the fray! Don't get sucked into the yelling, the threats, or the negotiating. Take the high road. Get results.

Parent From the Heights.

Parenting From the Heights is available on Amazon (also in Kindle edition) and at www.ParentingFromTheHeights.com.

To inquire about having Anne or Linda speak at your event, visit www.ParentingFromTheHeights.com and click on "Speaking."

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Snowflake Decorative Ornament Craft

by Katherine Corrigan What You Need Rotary cutter (scissors) cutting mat ruler 12x12-inch square of card stock (white) Quilling tool (or small dowel with a slot cut in the end) Craft glue Adhesive spray Fine glitter: (I like silver) Let’s make It! Using a rotary cutter, cut seven 1/4x12-inch strips from white card stock. From these strips, cut the following: one 6-inch-long strip (center round); eight 3-inch-long strips (arms); four 6-inch-long strips (scrolls); four 3-inch-long strips (teardrops); and four 2-inch-long strips (marquise shapes).

For round: Using a quilling tool, begin rolling a 6-inch strip from one end. Roll strip into a tight circle. Finished center round should be 5/8 inch wide. Use a dot of glue to secure end; let glue dry.

For arms: Roll one end of a 3-inch strip around quilling tool twice. At opposite end, roll strip around tool until finished arm is 1 inch long. Make eight. Glue arms together in pairs (see above photo). Glue the bottom of arms in place around the center circle.

For scrolls: Fold a 6-inch strip in half. Roll each end to the center. Make four.

Glue bottoms of scrolls to bottoms of arms near the center round, as shown. Let glue set. Glue sides of scrolls to arms, as shown.

For teardrops: Using a 3-inch strip, make a 1/2-inch round. Pinch one side into a point. Make four. Glue the teardrops between rolled ends of scrolls.

For marquise shapes: Using a 2-inch strip, make a 1/2-inch round. Pinch opposite sides into points. Make four.

Glue marquise shapes to ends of arms. Let it dry overnight.

Spray one side of ornament with adhesive and sprinkle with glitter; let dry. Turn over ornament and repeat on opposite side. Takes time but the end result is worth the wait!

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For something a little simpler, try this simple snowflake ornament (I bet you used to make them as a child!)

Pipe Cleaner Snowflake What You Need Wire cutter or pair of old scissors Three 6-inch pieces of pipe cleaner, plus six 2 1/2-inch pieces, six 2inch pieces, and six 1 1/2-inch pieces Needle nose pliers Cord or ribbon Let’s Make It! Using a wire cutter (or old scissors) cut three 6-inch pieces of pipe cleaner. Then cut six 2 1/2-inch pieces, six 2-inch pieces, and six 1 1/2-inch pieces. Twist 6-inch pieces together at their midpoints to make a six-spoked asterisk. Tighten twist by clamping down with needle nose pliers. Center one 2 1/2-inch piece at the midpoint of a spoke, and twist onto spoke.

Tighten twist with needle nose pliers. Repeat on remaining 5 spokes. About 1/2 inch from an arm attached in step 3 (toward spoke's tip), center one 2-inch piece, and twist onto spoke. Tighten twist with needle nose pliers. Repeat on remaining 5 spokes. About 1/2 inch from an arm attached in step 4 (toward spoke's tip), center one 1 1/2-inch piece, and twist onto spoke. Tighten twist with needle nose pliers. Repeat on remaining 5 spokes. Trim arms if needed. To hang, glue a loop of ribbon or cord to the back of a spoke.

Kid Quips

by Beth Brubaker I asked my children, “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” After a few minutes of debate, my 9 year-old daughter piped in, “I know! The chicken did because God made it!”

My friend's 6 year-old daughter was doing her homework one afternoon, and looked up, puzzled. She then asked her father, “Daddy, when you were a little boy, how did the dinosaurs die?”

“ “I know why Grandmom likes to look nice all the time,” my 8 year-old daughter quipped one day. “She used to be a rock star.” “She wasn't a rock star,” I gently corrected, “But she used to be a country singer.” My daughter's eyes widened. “Really? Was she the first one?”

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Secrets About Love

by Laura Day

Chapter Nine

Mark watched Jessica enter the house from the background. He was thankful she had brought his sister home safely, but suddenly felt unsure of himself. One minute she seemed to like him as much as he liked her, then she seemed distant. Did she like to play games like his lousy x-girlfriend Fiona? Or did she not realize what persona she was giving?

“Mark, will you start the coffee?” His mother bustled past him and slid a pie out of the oven. The crispy brown top hid the luscious apple filling within and the scent made Mark want to lick his lips. He quickly started a pot of coffee percolating.

Macie and Jessica sat at the table like close friends. Macie sniffed and wiped her watery eyes while Jessica patted her shoulder.

Macie gave Jessica an appreciative look and took a deep breath.

“Does someone want to tell me what is going on?” Margaret asked while setting the pie on the table. She looked down at her daughter with concern on her face.

“Macie and Howard have broken off their relationship for now.” Jessica spoke up, glancing at Macie. Macie nodded miserably.

“I see.” Margaret replied. She set out plates and forks without another word about the matter.

Mark poured the coffee when it was ready and joined the group at the table. The pie was cut into thick wedges and vanilla ice cream was provided to go on top. Mark ate with relish after all the hospital food he had been living on.

He was glad to feel like a normal person again.

The four ate in silence for the first few minutes, the only sound coming from there forks hitting their plates of the occasional sip of coffee. Glances shot across the table like gunfire and a few shrugs were given in answer.

Macie kept her eyes on her plate as she pushed her apple pie around.

“I can’t take the silence anymore. It is starting to feel like a funeral.” Margaret put her fork down and placed a hand to her forehead.

Macie suddenly giggled and Mark burst into a deep laugh next. They exchanged glances and Mark turned to Jessica’s questioning gaze. “Mother hates funerals. They leave her feeling a little too emotional.”

“Yes, she usually cries and laughs in the wrong places.” Macie giggled harder. “Do you remember at Great Uncle Ned’s funeral how when the minister said something like, Ned had always been a generous man, mother burst into laughter. She tried to conceal it in her handkerchief as a cough.”

“Uncle Ned was a miser, I couldn’t help myself at the time. Although I did apologize to Aunt Tess right after the funeral.” Margaret smiled wearily at the memory.

“I’ve only been to one funeral.” Jessica sipped her coffee and gazed off into space for a moment.

Mark watched her knowing she was thinking of her parent’s double funeral after the car crash. Mark stretched and yawned nosily to bring her attention around. He looked at all three occupants at the table and decided a happy announcement was in order. “I have decided that I am moving back home tomorrow.” He smiled widely showing his teeth.

16

“Mark, no.” Margaret gazed at him with worried blue eyes. “You just got out of the hospital not long ago.”

“Now mother, I don’t want you to fuss. I am feeling so much better and after another healing night’s sleep I think I will be well enough to attempt it at least.”

“Very well, I see there is no stopping you. Macie and I will help you take your things back home. I’m also going to bake up a storm so you have plenty to eat, and I don’t want to hear another word about it.”

“Well,” Jessica spoke up, “I think I should be heading home. Thank you for the pie. It was delicious.”

“You’re welcome dear. You can visit us anytime.” Margaret gave her a kiss on the cheek and then began to clear away the dishes.

“Thank you for being a friend.” Macie hugged Jessica tightly and then hurried away upstairs with tears glistening in her eyes.

“Come on Jessica, I’ll walk you to your car.” When Mark saw Jessica seemed about to refuse he added, “I could use a few minutes of fresh air.”

“Lock up when you come in, Mark,” Margaret called from the kitchen.

Mark followed Jessica outside. They took the steps slowly and then stood beside her car parked on the street. He glanced up at the half moon and thought how pretty Jessica looked by moonlight. He looked down into her face and smiled.

“So I get my neighbor back tomorrow.”

Jessica smiled, but her hands clasped and unclasped as if she were nervous. She would only be nervous if she cared for me too, Mark mused silently. “Do I broach the subject or leave it be?” he wondered.

He stood gazing into her hazel eyes not even knowing what she was really saying. The way she looked up to him with those trusting eyes drew him like a moth to a light.

“Mark are you listening to me?” Jessica shook him slightly.

“Sorry, I was just thinking.” Mark took a small step forward. “What did you say?”

“I said if you need me to run errands for you, let me know.”

“Thank you, but I think mother will be stopping in every four hours to make sure I’m still with the living.” Mark laughed softly. “I love her to death, but she does drive me a little crazy sometimes.”

“Your mother is the sweetest woman I know. Try to enjoy it. I haven’t had a mother for a long time.” Jessica smiled softly and shook her head.

“You’ve had it rough haven’t you? Do you have any family at all?”

“Yes, my father’s sister Aunt Charlotte, but she travels a great deal so I don’t see her too often.”

“Well, anytime you need to, you can borrow my mother. I’m sure she would love it. It would be a relief to forget about her own two troublesome children for a day.”

“Oh, you,” Jessica scoffed. “You are full of nonsense tonight, but I like you that way.”

She looked up and there eyes locked.

Mark lowered his face and waited. He was inches from her, but if she didn’t want what was going to happen, then she could pull away, but she didn’t. Jessica lifted her face and their lips met softly. Mark slipped his arms around her and they stood locked for a few seconds.

Mark could feel his heart pounding as a warm feeling swept over him.

17

“Oh, Mark.” Jessica broke away and spoke with a shaking voice. She looked into his eyes and he saw despair in hers. She gently pushed his arms away and ran around to the driver’s side of her car. She got in and was driving away in seconds. Mark stood there staring off after her, wondering what he had done.

Jessica woke up with a pounding headache. She looked in the mirror at her puffy eyes and thought of the night before. All night the same thought kept running through her mind. How could I? How could I? Now looking in the mirror I murmured, “How could you?”

A loud yowl behind her startled her from her self-loathing. She glanced down at the black and white face of her feline friend, Jake.

He was staring up at her with large eyes signaling it was breakfast time and she was late. His tale thrashed from side to side quickly as if he knew what she was thinking.

“Yes, your hungry. Okay.” Jessica tied a thin robe around her pajamas and walked to the kitchen. She glanced at the clock and was surprised at the time. It was just after ten and usually Jake dined at nine sharp.

“Well, I guess you have been patient long enough. Thank you for letting me sleep in.” Jessica smiled and thought how comforting it was to be able to talk to a pet.

A hour later Jessica was showered dressed and just sitting down with a cup of tea when there was a knock at the door. She put down her cup and answered it, hoping it wasn’t Mark coming over to apologize when it should be her doing just that. It wasn’t Mark. Two men stood in Army uniforms.

They looked at her solemnly and asked her name. Jessica felt like a rock had been dropped into the pit of her stomach. She answered, but she couldn’t hear herself, but she knew she answered because the two men stepped in and entered her living room. Jessica

slowly followed them and tried to calm her shaking hands. Somehow she knew why they were there before they had spoken a word.

She stood listening quietly while the two men spoke, but only certain words seemed to enter her mind, death notification, Edward Mason, and finally, we are sorry for your loss.

The two men left, leaving behind the paperwork to claim the belongings of Eddie Mason.

Mark sat tapping his fingers impatiently on the couch. All morning he’d been ready to go home, but mother kept putting him off baking one item after another to take home with him. Mark pushed himself up so he was sitting on the edge of the couch.

“Just five more minutes, Mark.” Margaret called from the kitchen. “I’m just waiting for the muffins to cool.”

Mark sighed and picked up the book Macie had tried to loan him. He glanced at the authors name and then flipped to the back cover. A picture of Jessica Mason the author smiled up at him. Mark sat stunned gazing at a beaming picture of Jessica Amy. Was there a mistake of some sort? Could Jessica Amy also be Jessica Mason?

“Mother,” Mark called from his sitting position, “Did Jessica ever tell you what she did for a living?”

“Oh, I think she said she was selfemployed, but I could be wrong.” She called back. “I’ll be ready in just a minute.”

“No hurry.” Mark absently replied. He glanced down at the words under the picture.

He read silently his eyes quickly scanning the words, but one word stuck out to him and seemed to jump off the page. He read aloud to himself, “Jessica and her husband…” So that was the reason Jessica was so upset about her feelings for him. It all made sense now.

Jessica was a married woman.

18

Hot white anger suddenly filled Mark until he felt like he wanted to crush something.

Mark picked up his keys to his truck and hurried out of the house. He didn’t hear his mother calling him, all he could think of was getting to Jessica and confronting her.

Jessica’s picture filled his mind while he drove. Suddenly Jessica and Fiona, his unfaithful x-girlfriend were one in his mind.

Both cheating, manipulating women, only out for what they could get. He turned a corner and there was Jessica’s house. Her car was in the driveway, so he knew she was home.

Mark parked in his own driveway and then marched up Jessica’s porch. He knocked on the door, but it could have been called pounding too. A moment later Jessica came to the door. She was dressed in a yellow sweatshirt and jeans. Tear marks ran down her face and wet the front of her sweatshirt.

Dear Ms. Beth, Why do moms seem to be the only ones to see hair balls and dust bunnies? I leave them for weeks and no one else sees them!

Mark was curious as to why she was crying, but his anger didn’t diminish at the sight. He even might have felt a bit of satisfaction from it, but he didn’t admit it to himself.

“Mark, this isn’t a good time.” Jessica wiped her eyes on her sleeve and started to close the door.

Mark noticed the paperwork in her hand, but he ignored it. Until he spotted the name Edward Mason on top. He made the only conclusion he could. “Why, is your husband home?”

Jessica looked at him in astonishment, then she shook her head softly staring up at him with wide eyes.

“I know you’re married. I read it in the back on one of your books. How could you Jessica? How could you?”

Ask Ms. Beth

by Beth Brubaker

-- Confounded Dear Confounded, During the pregnancy stages, the soon-to-be mom will go through a lot of hormonal changes and some of these changes cannot be medically detected. One of these new senses is what I like to call OtherSight. When the baby develops, the mother's sight is enhanced in a way that she can begin to see things other people can't, except other mothers. Her vision can now detect hazards that might harm their baby (even though he/she isn't in the world just yet), especially unusual things like the nail points sticking out from under the couch.

Dust bunnies and hair balls fall under this category of the Mom Super Senses.

So you see, the reason they don't pick them up is because they can't see them.

At least until you point them out. Moms also have the ability to make items appear out of nowhere, but that's for another letter. If you want your loved ones to pick things up, simply point them out to them, otherwise you might just have to pick those dust bunnies up yourself.

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Resolution or Solution?

by Lynn Mosher Last year on Twitter, someone suggested that “rather than making New Year’s Resolutions, we can choose to create New Year’s Solutions.”

That made me stop and think. What is the difference between a resolution and a solution? So, I looked up the definitions.

The dictionaries say that resolution is a formal expression of opinion or intention made. It comes from the word resolute, which means to be resolved or determined on a course of action, set in purpose or opinion.

Solution, on the other hand, means the act of solving a problem or question, an answer.

Only a small percentage of New Year’s resolutions see fulfillment, a humorous dichotomy, given its definition. Initially, most of them are launched with great intentions but slowly, or sometimes quickly, run out of steam.

Determination slides by the wayside. With little acting upon the problem or circumstance, the intended outcome is not accomplished. This is why I’ve never really made any New Year’s resolutions. I knew I would never keep them.

While solution infers the act of doing something, most people just have the solution compartmentalized in their heads or written down on paper. Wanting to change a situation or something about oneself and coming up with a solution to solve or improve it is still not the answer.

Just because I WANT something to change and may be determined for it to be so doesn’t mean it WILL change.

I need more than a resolution, more than a solution. While both executed together are preferable, they must be backed with something more…they need to be backed by actual action. Therefore, the meaning of this scripture takes on a new meaning, “A threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

(Eccl. 4:12b NKJV) I think I’ve come up with my action, which is my theme for this year. I’ve borrowed it from an old hymn, “I Surrender All.” Here are some beautiful portions of the song . . . * Humbly at His feet I bow, worldly pleasures all forsaken . . . * Make me, Savior, wholly Thine . . . * Lord, I give myself to Thee; Fill me with Thy love and power; Let Thy blessing fall on me.

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All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all.

If I surrender all, then I cannot be a hindrance to the Lord’s plans and purposes for my life. If I do not surrender all, I allow my life to be filled with the same old things from the year now passing.

God said through Isaiah, “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Is. 43:19 NKJV) What exactly do I want in the New Year? Or more importantly, what does the Lord want for me and from me? How do I embark on an action if I have my fingers tightly clenched around all the events of the old year? Do I really want a new thing to happen in my life?

If I desire the best for my life, I must, as the saying goes, let go and let God! I must…surrender all!

Do you desire God to do a new thing in your life this year? Are you dragging all the hurts, sins, regrets, failures, disappointments, and unforgiveness of the old year behind you in a little red wagon or perhaps a U-haul?

Let this year be a year of release. Take action! Surrender it all!

~~New Year’s blessings, Lynn~~

Pea Soup, Perfect for a Snowy Day! Submitted by Lynn Mosher Ingredients (Add to taste): • • • • • • • • • • • •

Rinse one bag of dried peas and add to 8 cups of hot water Bay Leaf 1 t. sugar (may use a little more) Salt Pepper Onion (as much as you like) / dried if you like Garlic Cayenne Pepper Thyme 6 t. Bouillon Crystals (add more if necessary after tasting) Several drops of Worcestershire Sliced Kielbasa

Directions: Cook until peas are soft (at least 90 min.) and then mash them. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with corn muffins if you like.

The Tree Paints Blue Fingers Thrust and gust winds withdrawn, the tree paints blue fingers on Winter snow, hidings from the sun.

There is stillness here.

This is not cold, it’s the warmth of a creator in different hue.

This isn’t the blue of melancholy depressed, forlorn and out of inspiration.

This is the blue of celebration with bunting snow adornment shouting for all to hear: ‘Behold, I make all things new’. ~ Keith Wallis 21

Gardener’s Delight Quilt Block

by Rochelle Martin This issue of Ruby has the fifth block of Gardener's Delight which is the tool block.

Materials: The yardage for the quilt is in the May/June issue of Ruby. For this block you will need:

10 ½" unfinished

1 - 11" square tan tonal fabric Prepared fusible appliqué shapes of green glove (O), green glove thumb (Oa) light green glove band (Ob), metallic gray shovel (Q) and fork (R), brown tool handles (P) and butterfly body (U), yellow (T) and orange (S) butterfly wings, brown embroidery floss for antennae or black pigma pen.

Instructions: 1. Center and fuse to the upper left section of the block the gardener's glove, thumb and glove wrist band.

2. Center and fuse to the upper right section the gray fork and brown handle.

3. Center and fuse to the lower left section the gray shovel and brown handle.

4. Center and fuse to the lower right section the orange wings, yellow wings and brown butterfly body. Machine finish the appliqué edges with matching or contrasting thread and press the block face down on a towel to remove stitching distortion.

5. Pencil the antennae onto the block and finish with embroidery stitches, a black pigma pen, or a pen that will not run when wet. Press the block again. Trim the block to 10 ½".

Visit Alabaster Box Publishing, Inc. where you will find “Mission Possible”

by Deborah McCarragher www.alabasterboxpublishing.com 22

Gardener’s Delight Quilt Tool Block Templates

by Rochelle Martin Reversed Templates for Gardener's Delight Quilt Block size: 10 ½" unfinished Cottage Quilt Designs ©2010 Cottage Quilt Designs All rights reserved. www.cottagequiltdesigns.info www.cottagequiltdesigns.info/blog/ www.rubyforwomen.com/

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Shopping Smart When It Comes To Furniture

by Amanda Johnson

Everyone knows that the best time to make a large home improvement purchase is not right after Christmas when wallets are bare and bank accounts are running low. Unfortunately, we can’t always control when we’ll need to repair or replace something in our home.

During a recent financial crunch, I found myself in desperate need of a new couch. I had put it off for weeks and the couch cushions were already scraping the floor when I sat down.

Serving as my only real piece of furniture, I had no choice but to go out and look for another one.

I began my search at the local furniture store. I was saddened to find the prices had gone up drastically since my first purchase. A brand new couch, similar to my old one, cost well over $500 after warranties and stain prevention. The price was out of the question. I returned home empty handed.

As a last resort, I took to the Internet to compare prices and styles of couches at retail stores and factory outlets. It didn’t take me long to realize the latest styles were over rated and overpriced.

I really didn’t need something brand new. I just needed a couch that was well made, sturdy, durable and built to last. I found myself muttering the very familiar phrase, “They just don’t make them like they used to.”

That’s when it hit me. If I wanted something built to last, then I would need to look for a couch built back when manufactures actually wanted their products to last more than a decade.

Where was I going to find a couch like that? A furniture consignment shop!

To my amazement, the local furniture consignment had a number of couches in all shapes, sizes, colors, and prices. The couches were sturdy in frame and the cushions were durable, stiff, and didn’t give when I sat down on them. The colors, however, were a bit off.

Older couches meant older styles of patterns and colors. The one I particularly liked had large floral patterns in the oddest of color combinations. As they say, “beggars can’t be choosers” and I wasn’t about to let the three cushion, Lazy Boy couch priced a little over $150 go!

I decided I’d have to make a sacrifice and purchase a couch cover of sorts. Again, I wanted to be a smart shopper about the couch cover, which I learned could cost anywhere from $40 to $200. So back to the Internet I went to compare prices. What I found was a useful tool at WalMart’s website that actually showed a video tutorial of how to select a couch cover and how to put it on the couch. Apparently these things can be very complicated.

Not to be discouraged, I viewed the videos and found what I liked, but I didn’t purchase it.

Instead, I surfed over to EBay and searched for a similar cover at a much lower price. I ended up finding the exact couch cover, brand new, and less than half the price!

Turns out there is such a thing as smart shopping, even when it comes to purchasing furniture. We should never assume if it’s what we really want then we should be prepared to pay the price. Use the Internet and don’t give up.

There is a lower price out there.

We all need to save a little cash and believe it or not there are actual retailers out there that understand this and cater to this need. Shopping smart brings in big time savings up front and in the long run. After all, I am now the proud owner of a very sturdy yet extremely comfortable couch and couch cover!

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Ask Ms. Beth

by Beth Brubaker

Welcome to the Forest Hill Soap Company!

Dear Ms. Beth, We park under our trees a lot and we have a lot of bird poo stains. How can I get rid of them?

-- Car Lover Dear Car Lover, Scratch-X removes the stains quite well, just put a dollop onto the stain and rub gently. Be careful not to rub too hard, because this is a more aggressive stain remover, and can damage your car's finish if you press too hard!

This should remove the stain completely.

We are a small, family-owned business specializing in luxurious homemade bath and body products. Our cold process soaps are handcrafted, from scratch, in small quantities using traditional methods.

Our ingredients include the finest vegetable oils, along with essential oils, quality fragrance oils and other skin nourishing additives. We invite you to browse our site and discover distinctive body care products to create a luxurious spa experience in your own home. www.foresthillsoaps.com

As a Christian business woman or entrepreneur, how would you feel if you could connect at any time to find support, ask a question, celebrate a success, or receive coveted feedback from successful Christian women entrepreneurs?

What would it mean if you were no longer isolated in your entrepreneurial ventures and knew that you were being lifted up in prayer and supported by women from around the world?

Finally—an authentic, virtual community where Christian business women can strengthen their faith while creating a powerful foundation for their business.

NACWE is a family of women from all over the U.S. and Canada who are creating and living out their God-given dreams. In this safe and encouraging environment, members receive monthly training from women experts on marketing, success, psychology, business branding, organization and much more.

The National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs is committed to sharing its connections, resources, and knowledge with an entrepreneurial tribe of women leaders and visionary thinkers.

NACWE supports Christian business women through practical solutions, tools, resources, and guidance from expert coaches to foster support, encouragement, and business growth. www.nacwe.org 25

Winter in the Garden

by Aunt Dots Winter. It can be beautiful with the freshly fallen snow lingering on the branches. The birds, especially the cardinal with its beautiful red color, perching on the trees and shrubs. But, it can also mean winter damage with broken branches on your favorite tree or shrub. The advice I’ve received from my trusty nurseryman is to wait until the end of winter to early spring to prune all broken twigs and branches. Prune them back to within one quarter of an inch above a live bud or to the collar of the nearest live branch. The pruning will reshape the plant and stimulate new growth in the spring. Some potential winter damage can be prevented by pruning partially dead or weak branches in the fall. When all the leaves are off it’s the best time to see the condition and shape of the plant so you can see what needs to be removed. However, sometimes healthy branches are broken by a heavy snowfall. Then you wait ‘till late winter or early spring.

Frost can also damage plants. Summer pruning or fertilizing in late summer or early fall may stimulate late growth which doesn’t have time to harden off before cold temperatures and will be damaged by frost. The new growth will turn brown or black. Once again, wait ‘till the end of winter or spring to do any pruning. Frost can also heave plants out of the ground by periods of freezing and thawing of the soil. If a plant is heaved out of the ground replant it as soon as the soil thaws. Then when the soil re-freezes, mulch it to prevent a recurrence. To prevent this, mulch plants that are planted late as soon as the soil freezes. This is especially for those late planted bargains you picked up late in the season.

Another source of damage to shrubs or trees can be from mice, voles or rabbits. To prevent this keep mulch away from the base of the plant and trees as this provides a home for these little critters. You can also place galvanized screen or mesh around the trunk of the tree or shrub. A couple of winters ago a snow drift formed over my lavender. Mice made a home there and just about did away with the lavender.

Also, that’s why I cut down the asparagus before the winter as it provides a home for mice and it’s next to the grapes and other garden plants. When the asparagus turns yellow I cut some and put it in a pot near the door. It looks pretty good for quite a while.

One way I damaged some plants near my sidewalk was to use a deicer. I had found this bag of deicer in the shed. It looked like it was pretty old. Anyway, it killed some ground cover by the sidewalk. Some folks use fertilizer as a deicer. It certainly won’t harm any plants. I noticed the newer deicers have calcium chloride in them or a vegetable by-product from (sugar?) beets. The newer deicers work better at lower temperatures and keep the sidewalk ice free longer.

Well let’s hope our gardens make it through the winter without too much damage.

I tolerate winter and wait expectantly for those garden catalogs!

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Winter craft project Winter gives us time to think of new plants to plant, new gardens to make, and time to do some indoor things like learning a new skill or using your love of God’s creation to learn crewel, cross stitch and applique to create beautiful items for your home or someone else’s. There are many cancer centers that will accept handmade hats for women who are undergoing chemotherapy too!

Here is another fun, indoor winter time project to help pass the time!

I spend a lot for bird seed because I like to watch the birds come and play near my home. Don’t you just love those little chatterboxes? Here is a recipe you can make with your children or be a kid yourself and make some! You will need unflavored gelatin, water, muffin pan or jelly roll pan and deep cookie cutters. Dissolve the gelatin according to directions. Pour in enough mixed bird seed so that most of the gelatin is used. Put the mixture in a muffin pan or spread in a jelly roll pan. Put it in the fridge for 4-5 hours. Remove the bird seed muffins by loosening with a butter knife and place on a cookie rack to dry. For the seed in the jelly roll pan, cut out shapes with the cookie cutters. Cookie cutters that are open work best because your mixture may be too thick for the closed ones.

Also put these on a rack to dry. Before they get too dry use a large needle with yarn or string to make a hanger so you can hang them outside. If you use the jelly roll method you will have scrapes. Just let them dry and then break them up and put them in the bird feeder.

Winter garden showcase The winter picture is from John and Diane’s garden. The one of the arbor was taken at night. Diane said it was so quiet and peaceful that night. The picture was used by one of the local TV stations for the weather report. Winter can be tough sometimes but just look at the beauty! In Job 38:22-23 God says He has storehouses of snow and hail. Can you imagine that! His storehouses would likely be larger than the North and South poles! It’s beyond my comprehension. Someday I’ll be able to see those storehouses!

I’ll miss most of the winter in 2011 because I’ll be going to Florida for a couple months with my new husband. The Lord has brought us together and we hope to have a few years of life together.

Enjoy each day the Lord gives you. Love the Lord and others.

See you later,

Aunt Dots Kid Quips

by Beth Brubaker

A five year old was admiring a bouquet of flowers my friend gave to his wife. She was toying with the roses, gently pulling the petals apart without removing them.

“Sweetheart,” Mom said with a chuckle, “You don't have to do that to make it bloom; it will open on its own.” “Oh, okay Mama!” the girl replied, and carefully closed the flower petals.

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Shaping Up! Word Scramble Puzzle

by Beth Brubaker Unscramble each word. Then use the marked letters to solve the second puzzle. Answers on page 38.

Fleeting Purity

by Keith Wallis The silent freshness of a new day, its untrod pathway of snowy novelty awaits your first crisp infringement imprinting claim upon this moment.

No greyed contaminations, no encroachment of step holding tradition’s chained melody.

This day is pure, this day is holy, this is new day, clean-sparkled with prospect.

Even here, mid shine and glisten, shadows play their trancing tunes.

Matting fingers steal their ways from yesterday’s encumbered moments to touch and foul with blistered lies.

This blanket strewn on nature’s head a mask or jewel in balance poised offers no pretence of wealth, but clothes and costumes all but upright strength of self.

With birthing sun this mantle fades from single flakes to melding flow, its gentle tread seeking earth’s cool compassion, its shield redundant overpowered by rising sun.

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Snow Flakes and Sparrows

by Carol Mokry They fell from the sky in legions; tiny sentinels covering the ground in crystal armor. I scooped them up by the shovel full and dumped their wee bodies in a mound. Most years I enjoyed a good Wisconsin winter.

I loved watching the snowflakes cascade from the sky coating the trees like Crisco and quilting the landscape in patches of immaculate frost.

Hot chocolate and a captivating book in front of a cozy fire warmed my hands and my heart, but this year the snow was just another weight to bear. I leveled the shovel and pushed my way through the cushy white powder.

Up to my knees in ivory flakes, I felt buried by life’s storms and lost in the white out. There was no escape from the fury of adversity that swept in like a gale, and in the backwash left only loss and despair. I was a wounded warrior with no more to give but an empty heart.

My mind rolled back the laments of my agony like a heavy velvet curtain and a rush of tears stung my eyes and froze on my cheeks. I wailed and railed at God as if pummeling His chest for an answer; a purpose. I cried out in anguish, "It's been long enough, God! You've ignored me and refused to hear my cry. How long must I carry this sorrow in my heart? I don't want to go on." I spent every emotion within myself and with nothing left but silence, a tiny tweet softly called to me.

It was faint at first, like a whisper laid on a pillow and then it crescendo-ed into an elaborate symphony. There, above the high rise drifts, was an orchestra of sparrows playing just for me.

Those little winged creatures, whose worth is considerably less than a penny, performed an elaborate composition of far grander proportions than the Philharmonic. They followed the lead of the Great Conductor and His interpretive decisions. Slow, fast, soft, loud, smooth, energetic; all communicated through the baton and gestures of the Master.

Their euphony of sound echoed God's love to me and the backdrop of unique confetti snowflakes made it all the more beautiful. I felt my heart lighten and my spirit rise. In that moment I knew God's eye was on the sparrow and He was also watching over me.

We all experience loss, destruction and hardships in life. We might feel hopeless, helpless, or worthless; that life is too painful, our will to fight is gone, and we don't want to go on. We might feel that we are of low degree and of little value, and our heart and flesh cry out for something better.

Don't give up! Like each snowflake we are created with a unique design. We are made in the image of The Great Designer, and with a specific purpose. You may feel as if you've been pushed aside, left in a mound of forgotten flakes, but God has not forgotten you!

He is big enough for you to beat on His chest and pummel Him with your questions. In the quiet He will surround you with His love and sing to you with the sparrows; those tiny creatures, so plentiful that they are considered of little value. Yet, not one falls to the ground that the Father doesn't care about. Though they are small they are not forgotten. Even the sparrow has found a home in the altar of God. YOU are worth far more than a sparrow!

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Praying Pals Need prayer and not gossip?

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God works mightily and receives all glory. Pray, praise, and pass it on. Spread the word as we spread the Word! Join us!

Find it hard to remember to pray? Hey, life is busy. But no prayer substitute exists. Good News! Praying Pals helps out in a big way: It reminds you to pray each Friday.

Unbound by geographic and denominational boundaries, our Christian prayer group prays each week without hesitation. With a preprayer devotional and a prayer list to pray over, it's efficient and effective. God works mightily and receives all glory.

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Bible Verse: "The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]."

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www.carlajgardiner.com 30

January Book Give-Away “Parenting from the Heights�

by Anne Wiggins and Linda Williams As we start the new year, we all have hopes for accomplishing goals that we have set for ourselves. Those of us who are moms are always looking for advice, insight, and wisdom for the all-important task of parenting. One of the ways that we are working to offer you great resources for your daily life is to create various groups on different topics that might be of interest to you in the Ruby for Women community. We have recently created a group in which we feature the book, "Parenting from the Heights," by Anne Wiggins and Linda Williams. In this group you will be able to share your thoughts and concerns, ask questions, and discuss parenting topics. Along with our parenting group, we are also offering Anne and Linda's book as our January Book Give-Away!

If you have ever experienced a day with a toddler in which you wandered around your kitchen wondering what you were doing wrong, tripping over this little bundle of joy who was screaming, throwing a tantrum, or attempting to rip the curtains from the window, then you will love this book! Anne shares part of her journey to becoming the co-author of this book: "When I gave birth to Noelle, my first child, I just knew in my heart that she was going to be sweet, kind, and compliant. I envisioned the two of us cuddling together and having a wonderful time. What I didn't realize when I brought my tiny daughter home from the hospital was that she was going to view me as her archenemy for the next four years."

Anne then relates an incident that occurred shortly after the birth of her son, Matthew: " . . . I needed more diapers for Matthew one afternoon. I told Noelle to get her shoes so we could go to the store. Little did I realize that moment that we were headed for World War III. Noelle did not want to put on her shoes. She instantly disintegrated into a screaming, kicking mess on the floor.

Not tolerating this type of behavior, I stood her up on her feet. She buckled her knees, went down, and proceeded to hit me."

The result of that little encounter: "Forty minutes later, following round after round of her screaming, hitting, and kicking me, she finally gave up the fight. I never did make it to the store that day." Over time, as Anne struggled with the constant conflict, she decided to seek guidance and her own mom, Linda, was there to help. Through these experiences, Linda and Anne realized that there are many other moms who are also struggling and need the assurance that they are not alone, and that there is hope for raising our children with confidence and courage to "take the high road . . . and get results."

If you would like the opportunity to receive this book in our January Book Give-Away, please visit our parenting group in the Ruby for Women community, or stop by the Ruby for Women blog and leave a comment. We'll be doing the drawing on January 31. We are looking forward to learning much from Anne and Linda in our "Parenting from the Heights" group. Hope to see you there!

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Design Your Own Art Journal

Here we are at the beginning of a brand-new year . . . . what are some of YOUR goals for the coming months of 2011?

Here’s an idea that might inspire you to express some of that creativity that is hiding inside your heart and soul!

Making an art journal gives you an opportunity to let your creative spirit grow. It will allow you to experiment with different types of artistic expressions, including collage, poetry, storytelling, and even paper piecing.

So what are you waiting for?

Get out some paper and paints, crayons and markers, glue, scissors, glitter, and any other embellishments you might have hiding in your desk. Ready? Let’s get started!

MATERIALS: • • • • • • • •

Any size blank book (spiral-bound is easier to work with, but not necessary) Acrylic / poster paints in various shades Markers in various widths and colors Gel pens, colored pencils, crayons, oil pastels, etc.

Various scraps of paper, including scrapbook paper Variety of paper images, fabric or ribbon scraps, lace Variety of other embellishments such as buttons, tags, etc.

Any other ephemera you can find, including match book covers, tickets, gum or candy wrappers, safety pins, flower seed packets, old photographs, vintage letters, envelopes and cards

Step 1: Gather all your supplies. Begin by swirling paint in various colors on the cover of your blank book.

Step 2: Add different colors and shades of paint, and swirl them all together on the cover. You can add glitter if you want a sparkly finish.

Step 3: After the paint on the cover is dry, you might want to do some edge painting on the interior pages with a matching or coordinating color.

Step 4: Now you can let your imagination run free!

Draw, color, paint, or write on the pages. Some pages can have lots of extra “stuff” such as small envelopes, pockets, little “cupboards,” and other hiding places for various ephemera.

Step 5: Go page by page, decorating and embellishing your journal with torn paper strips, ribbons and yarns, beads and buttons, paper dolls, envelopes with cut-out alphabet letters, tickets and tags, and vintage photos (many things can be found online by searching “vintage ephemera,” and most of it is free to print out and use in your personal art journal).

Step 6: Now you can add family photos, write your own journal entries, poetry, stories, or love letters . . . . and decorate everything with your own personal flair! Have fun with your art journal and don’t forget to document your memories of your journey through this new year.

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Times of Winter

by Amanda Johnson I love the winter months. The fresh, crisp, cold air pouring into my lungs makes me feel alive. The best days are when the sky is a clear blue and the sun’s bright, warm rays are stretching warmly across the grass and trees in front of me. It’s a sense unlike any other. Perhaps it only comes along in sunny Florida where, although the world around us is in the dead of winter, life seems to be in full bloom and full color.

Those living to the north most likely experience very few wintery days like that. The cold of winter sets in; a white blanket of snow keeps the color at bay. The earth is in the dying season and all is dark and gloomy. Life will come again, but it will take time.

Although I do live in Florida and have never experienced more than an icy snow of sorts, believe me when I say I know the gloom that lurks in winter and the loneliness that it brings with it. The cold finds us no matter where we live. I’m not talking about the blistering winds of winter; I’m talking about the cold chills of loneliness and depression. These are the wintery times in our lives when we feel trapped and shut in, unattached, alone, hopeless and so very sad.

I’ve been there. I went through a winter that seemed to last for years; five years really. It started with the untimely death of my grandmother. She was taken by ovarian cancer. We found out the diagnosis at the end of May and by the end of June she was gone. She was my best friend, my second mother; the head of a household of many families come together, a true matriarch. The realization that she was not returning, the days of not seeing her, the memories, the emptiness, the void, it was too much. I remember telling my mother how sorry I was. I felt helpless. My mother was standing in front of me, but her mother was gone.

Tears still come to my eyes and my throat closes in at the memories of those last days; especially the final day in the hospital when we took Grandma off life support and said our goodbyes. Her husband, my papa, just sat there bewildered. All he could say was how much we were going to miss her and miss her we did; we still do. That was the first day of winter.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 tells us “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die…” I couldn’t accept that there could possibly be such a horrid time in life. It was a cruel joke. I wanted to spit and curse. I pulled into myself and shut the world out around me. I was lonely for the sight of my grandma, angry at the way I was handling things, and confused with how God could let something like this happen. It was too much to bear and so I left it alone.

I threw myself into my work until I stressed out and eventually burnt out. I lost hope even though I knew my hope in Christ was right in front of me. Everything changed. Nothing would ever be the same again. How could I go on living with that? I wanted to fight and win life back as I knew it, but it was a losing battle.

The wintery days turned into months, which turned into years. I shut myself up inside my home and fed my sadness with comfort foods and movie rentals. I was on the inside looking out at the world 33

around me with no desire to get out and join in. I created a darkness to match the coldness inside of me; a coldness that was easier to bear than any of the warmth those around me tried to offer.

When the last glimmer of light within my soul began to go out, my friends and family found a way to get me to see a counselor. The first assignment I was given was to get out of my cold, empty tomb and step into the light of the sun. Literally, I was told to get out into the sunlight and walk for at least 45 minutes a day. I needed to feel the warmth again and allow myself to be enveloped by the rich, healing rays of sunlight. It took time for my eyes to adjust, but once they did, I found myself gazing into the world around me.

I could feel the coldness melt within me as I began to see the hand of the Creator at work. Life was continuing whether I wanted to be part of it or not. Just because I stopped moving forward, it didn’t mean the rest of the world stopped with me. I continued seeing a counselor for over a year. We prayed together and talked together. God was breaking through the bitter, cold layers I had built around my heart. I began to reach out to friends and family and allow them to reach out to me. The wintery season of my life had lasted long enough; it was time to allow the spring to take root and bloom new life into my being.

Just as the winter snow melts away into the cool refreshing streams of spring, so do the sorrows of our heart. Winter is not meant to last but for a moment. We are meant to grow and continue moving forward. When we feel the sadness and times of depression creeping in, we must remember to step out into the sun and into the arms of the Son. He alone can heal the brokenness we feel. He understands the pain and sorrow more than anyone. Ecclesiastes talks of the low times we will feel during the seasons of winter in our life, but it also goes on to tell us that there will be “a time to heal” (Ecclesiastes 3:3). Let the healing begin. Open the window of the soul and allow the cool, fresh air usher in the warmth of the sun and the newness of life.

Life is a cycle of ever changing seasons. Many times the cold winter months are when those cycles in life seem to hit us the hardest. The holidays are over and the family has gone back home. The world outside has died. All is quiet. The sun shows every so often but near often enough.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” 2

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

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Empowering Christian Women ~~ Online Christian Resource Center ~~ with Karla Meachum CONNECTING you with CHRIST-centered resources & ministries that will EMPOWER you in your DAILY walk with Christ! www.empoweringchristianwomen.com

Footprints in the Mud Honesty in Marriage is a Good Thing - Sometimes!

by Beth Brubaker My husband and I have been married for over thirteen years and we've stayed happy because we've always been honest with each other. This can be a curse as well as a blessing, especially when you want to get an honest opinion on something!

Many times we have critiqued each other's cooking, both of us knowing we weren't doing it for spite, but to make the dish better. In this case it's a blessing, because we work so well as a team when we cook, and we've come up with some awesome recipes to wow our dinner guests!

I wound up donating the sweater to charity. Let someone else look like a big blue jellybean! On the flip side, my husband decided to try on this suit that was on sale at the local men's shop. I took one look at the brown suit with black and beige pin-striping and shook my head.

“Honey, I love you, but that thing makes you look like a clown. All you need is an oversized bow tie, a red nose and some large shoes.”

Fortunately the store did have full-length mirrors and when he gazed at his own gaudy image he had to agree.

But, there’s a downside to this as well and it usually has to do with fashion. We don’t have a full length mirror, so many times we have to use each other to tell whether we look good or not.

One time I had on this really pretty cornflower blue sweater, but it had a cinched bottom that I wasn't sure would look right on me. So off I went to my husband to garner his opinion. He took one look at me and said, “You look like a big blue jellybean.”

The comments we make to each other might sound bad, but there's always wisdom (and love) in our words. Honesty might not always be pretty, but it works. I'll work on my hair for a little bit if we're going somewhere nice, and ask what he thinks of my new 'do'. Sometimes he'll freeze in place for a second, then grin and let me know in the most gentle of ways that it looks like a bird's nest. Then I throw a pillow at him, and we both have to redo our hair . . . mine just takes longer.

I stood there in shock, but only for a minute. I went back into the bedroom and looked for something to stand on so I could get a better look at my torso in the dresser mirror. After a few seconds of examination, I realized he was totally in the right . . . though he could have been a bit more tactful about it!

It's really nice when he honestly admires things like my writing or sewing, the housecleaning I work so hard on (that comes to him so easily), and all the little things I try to do to make things in the house a bit better. And I compliment him the same way. Honesty really is the best policy, especially when that policy is a marriage!

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Letter to Pastor and Other People’s Letters by Dr. Yvonne A. Anderson

You Quicken Every Sense You quicken every sense, monochrome days fill with colour.

Selfish emotions burst into carefulness shared pains and joys.

Whispering breezes speak Creator's love; strident winds shout the Creator's power.

The snowflake in journeying from cloud to watery pool shows an extravagant God prepared to clothe the smallest thing with individual splendour.

You quicken every sense changing fleeting touch to healing eternity. ~ Keith Wallis

Discovery House Publishers Feeding the Soul with the Word of God

Letter to Pastor and Other People’s Letters is a series of letters that introduced me to the concept that “All that glitters is not gold” (Shakespeare) in the Body of Christ. Perhaps you have been there, but shame and embarrassment have robbed you of the opportunity to give voice to your testimony.

Let me encourage you by stating that giving voice to this particular testimony put me on the road to deliverance and recovery so that I could continue on with my spiritual walk with God. Oftentimes, deliverance and recovery take time, but through it all, God was with me. He required me to continue to walk in love with those who had hurt me so that He could heal me. When He's giving us the opportunity to mature in Him, it doesn't always feel good to the flesh, but in the end, it is worth it. With spiritual maturity, you and I can be so much more effective for the Kingdom of God. This series of letters will take you on my spiritual journey over the span of several years. They start with the naive thinking and understanding of a new congregation member who is a fairly new believer, and they conclude with someone who has "been through" but has come out a more mature believer.

To order Dr. Anderson’s book, Letter to Pastor and Other People’s Letters, please visit Book Locker at www.booklocker.com/books/5119 Dr. Yvonne A. Anderson is an educator, advocate for teachers and students, writer, and scholar of the Word of God. She is available for speaking engagements, book signing events and educational consulting. www.thedoctorsinnsite.org

Visit Discovery House Publishers at www.dhp.org

For use

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Craquelure Varnish Finish For use with the Antique Blocks Project on page 9

This technique results in an aged varnish finish, veined with fine cracks like old porcelain or a Stradivarius. Very simply, it is a slow-drying varnish top-coated with a fast-drying varnish.

Winter's Wind

When the undercoating finally dries, it shrinks,

by Lee E. Shilo

cracking the top varnish. You can get the effect with: •

Oil-based varnish (not the fast-drying kind)

•

Boiled linseed oil (a few drops for a halfcup of varnish)

•

Fast-drying water-based varnish

•

Dark oil glaze, like artist oil paint

Add the boiled linseed oil to the oil-based varnish (to retard drying). Coat the surface evenly and thinly with the oil-based varnish.

When the first coat starts to get tacky, apply a generous coat of the quick-drying water-based varnish. Let it dry for two hours. The cracks may not be visible. To accentuate the cracks, rub a dark oil glaze over the entire surface and wipe clean with a lint-free cloth. Let it dry for three days. Coat with an oil-based varnish.

Please visit Linda Jones at her Etsy shop to see all her amazing artwork!

It was cold, cold as winter's wind, as winter lay close to the ground, and the snow fell like icicles from the trees.

Time itself was frozen by the chill, and still, the running noses of children ran unabated.

The liquid water ran cold, and was as slippery as oil’s slicks.

And every word spoken, would drop to the ground, like heavy frozen bricks.

The air was needle-like to breathe, and stung the back of the throat with every breath.

And with every blink of an eye, a sheet of ice would form across its shiny surface.

Snowflakes would pierce the skin like razor blades, and solid frozen blood would fall against the ground, only to shatter upon impact.

Yes, it was cold, cold as winter's wind, as winter lay close to the ground, and the snow fell like icicles from the trees.

Where time stood still, like a picture on an icy wall, frozen, in a canvas of ice.

www.LindaGJ.Etsy.com 37

Double Puzzle Solution

Math Square Puzzle Solution

by Beth Brubaker

by Beth Brubaker

Shaping Up!

You Can Make This!

Make your own boutique garments with ebooks from You Can Make This! www.youcanmakethis.com 38

Meet the Ruby for Women Writers Aunt Dots, Master Gardener Aunt Dots has been writing for Ruby for Women since the very beginning. Her love for gardening started early in her life: “I believe I got my love for growing flowers from my mother. She had a large flower garden with annuals and dahlias. I had my first flower garden after I married and we lived in a garden apartment. I planted seeds in a small 4 X 6 plot in front. Then we moved to a house trailer next to my mother where I had annuals.”

She now has perennial gardens, rose gardens, grape vines, asparagus, currants, gooseberries, walnut trees, apple trees, and hazelnut trees. In the winter months, Aunt Dots sews, making quilts that she has donated to a Mennonite Relief auction. She has also made hand-made paper and greeting cards with pressed flowers. In her “spare” time, Aunt Dots volunteers two afternoons a week at a nursing home, as well as serving on the mission board at her church and teaching an adult Sunday school class.

Scott Henderson, Vintage Image Crafts Scott is the creator of Vintage Image Crafts, a website where vintage images are the inspiration behind all of the crafts and scrapbooking projects. From the romantic to the whimsical, Victorian and turn-of-the-century illustrations can give your creativity a distinctive touch. These classic illustrations and photographs are rich in color, artistic technique and symbolism. This bygone art captures the essence of life's highlights - holidays, celebrations and sentiments – vividly. You can find Scott at www.vintageimagecrafts.com

Beth Brubaker, Footprints in the Mud and Ask Ms. Beth Beth is the “Family Fun” editor here in the Ruby for Women community. She is a mother of two very active kids whose antics are sprinkled liberally in her columns. She has been married for 13 years to her Knight in Shining Armor, and she is delighted to share with us that they still hold hands in public! Her day job is working as a fabric artist, a homemaker, and a writer. Beth says that, ”I enjoy making people laugh at life’s ironies. I also love animals, being creative, and cooking . . . but I hate cleaning up my own messes!” Beth will be writing humorous articles about life in general, puzzles, and an advice column that is based on readers’ questions, as well as sharing hints and tips for everyday life that she comes across in her travels between her laundry room, living room, and kitchen. Don’t miss Beth’s columns in every issue of Ruby for Women!

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Rochelle Martin, Gardener’s Delight Quilt Block Project Rochelle is the owner of her quilt pattern company, Cottage Quilt Designs, which she started in December of 2004. Her quilt designs are featured in quilting magazines, books by House of White Birches, fabric companies, and various fabric shops and online shops. Rochelle contributes a quilt block pattern in every issue of Ruby for Women ezine that can be used to create a complete quilt design, Gardener’s Delight. You can find more of Rochelle’s designs at the following sites: www.cottagequiltdesigns.com www.cottagequiltdesigns.info/blog

Laura Day, “Secrets About Love” “My name is Laura Day. I have been writing since I was a child, but only recently was published in Cotton Spice Magazine. I’m married and have two cats, Zoey and Missy who are often inspirations for my stories. My hobbies are reading, writing, eating chocolate, and gardening.” Laura writes a serial story with a new chapter published in every issue of Ruby for Women entitled “Secrets About Love.”

Lynn Mosher, Devotions Editor Since the year 2000, Lynn Mosher has lived with fibromyalgia and other physical conditions. During this time, the Lord placed the desire in her heart to write for Him. Now, armed with God’s purpose for her life and a new passion, she reaches out to others to encourage and comfort them through her writing, giving God all the glory. She lives with her husband in their empty nest in Kentucky. On occasion, their three offspring, who have flown the coop, come to visit, accompanied by a son-in-law and three granddaughters.

Visit Lynn at her blog, Heading Home, at www.lynnmosher.blogspot.com

Carolyn Arnold, Kids’ Craft Editor Carolyn Arnold is a stay-at-home mom. She has been married for fifteen years to Craig and they have five children. Carolyn has written many poems and has recently expanded her writing to novels. She graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Elementary Education and holds a current teaching license. Carolyn enjoys doing memory crafts with her children, teaching aerobics at the YMCA, tending her family's ducks and chickens, swimming, and reading.

Dr. Yvonne Anderson, The Doctor’s Innsite Dr. Yvonne Anderson is the author of “Meditations of the Heart: Life Lessons for Renewing the Mind,” and creator of A.C.T., Association of Christian Teachers. She is an educator, and her website at www.thedoctorsinnsite.org features inspirational and educational articles.

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Jackie Erwin Ladner, Southern Belle Marketing Jackie Erwin Ladner, creator and owner of Southern Belle Marketing, and Southern Belle Shoppes. ”In January of 2010, we created Southern Belle Marketing and we wanted to create a place for those who work solo, and who are their own brand. We created Southern Belle Marketing because online marketing is necessary--to get business and get recognized as a company.

A few months later we created and opened a virtual online shopping mall called Southern Belles Shoppes. Our motto is: It does not matter how many times you fail or you almost get it right. No one is going to know or care about your failures, and neither should you. All you have to do is learn from them and those around you because all what matters is that you get it right once. Then everyone can tell you how lucky you are.

When we started the site, it was a hobby and we never thought about it in terms of a social impact it would lead into. It was really about helping people connect around a sphere of common interest so they could do business and have fun on the way!” www.southernbellemarketing.ning.com

Carol Mokry, Devotional Contributor Jesus found me 37 years ago and we have been walking together ever since. He has been my help, hope and strength as I have walked through dark miles of trials and adversity. First and foremost I am a woman called to follow Jesus Christ. I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God. It is my relationship with God that has made me who I am today. In all these things I can say if God is for me who can be against me, I am more than a conqueror in Him who loves me!

Katherine Corrigan, Recipes and Crafts Hello, my name is Katherine. I am an open minded and spiritual person who strives to always maintain a positive attitude and greet each new day with grace, dignity and gratitude. I'm honored to meet you and to call you friend. Thank you for your friendship.

I am originally from England and now living in the US I have had the privilege of living in, and visiting, several different countries throughout my lifetime. I have had many wonderful adventures. I hold a rare dual citizenship with the UK and the USA and I am a proud citizen of both. I believe a good laugh and a hug every day help you to live a long happy life. I work very hard to create designs for my shops and to provide an entertaining and informative website and blog. I hope you’ll stop by. I welcome your friendship!

Hugs, Katherine

Lee E. Shilo, Short Stories and Poems Lee Shilo has been writing for Ruby for Women since the summer of 2010, and continues to share his poetry and short stories with out readers. We welcome Lee to the Ruby for Women family of writers and contributors. You can find Lee at the Net Surf Café at www.thenetsurfcafe.ning.com 41

Jennifer Cirka, Crochet Patterns and Recipes Jennifer Cirka, the designer behind Jaybird Designs, is never without a hook and some yarn in her hands! This Crochet Guild of America recognized Professional Crochet Designer has a book of her girl’s sweater designs with Leisure Arts and has been featured in major crochet magazines such as Crochet Today, Interweave Crochet, and Crochet World, with more publications coming out each year! She also independently sells her own crochet patterns at various online locations. For those who do not crochet, finished items such as infant portrait props, woman's hats and accessories, and lots of other goodies can be purchased online. Jennifer pledges that all of her handmade items are of the finest quality with excellent workmanship and amazing attention to details. When not crocheting, she also is learning to knit, and enjoys baking and spending time with her family. www.jaybirddesigns.blogspot.com www.etsy.com/shop/JaybirdDesigns

Keith Wallis, Poetry Keith Wallis is an English poet with decades of experience from the era of the “small press” to the era of “the web.” He’s been on this planet since 1949 when, by a strange manipulation of the universe, he arrived early and half-cooked. He is a husband, a father, and grandfather.

His first chapbook of poems, “Wordsculptures,” owes its title to him being called a “Wordsculptor” by a colleague thirty years ago, and the name just stuck. His occupation is in engineering design, but he sees poetry as a “gifting” and works hard to keep it in shape. Relaxation comes via dabbling in artwork and photo manipulation. He is currently a moderator at ChristianWriters.com. His particular interest is the use of the language of poetry within a worship environment – church (where he is on the leadership team) is getting used to being “experimented” on when he leads services!

You can find Keith at www.wordsculptures.com as well as www.christianwriters.com and www.wordbrief.blogspotcom

Amanda Johnson, Assistant Editor Amanda has been writing for Ruby for Women for the past six months, and she has been a free-lance writer for several years, beginning her writing career as a young teen-ager. She also works for Love Unveiled, a ministry to women in undeveloped countries around the world. Amanda brings experience as well as a passion for ministry to the work of Ruby for Women, and she has a heart for reaching out and touching the hearts and lives of women everywhere. Amanda will be working with all of our writers on their submissions, as well as assisting in keeping the Ruby for Women blog and website up-to-date with new information daily.

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Nina Newton, Sr. Editor When all of my four older children were in school, I returned to college as a “non-traditional student.” Eventually, I earned degrees in Classics and Philosophy, and a graduate degree in Medieval Studies: History of Theology. After teaching at a small community college in Michigan for seven years, my husband and I were blessed with the adoption of our two beautiful daughters, Gracie and Annie.

Gracie is 10 years old and Annie is 8. They were both born in China, and we were able to travel to China two times to bring our daughters home. We live in northern Indiana in a small farming community where I work from my home office. For the past six years I have been designing and creating children’s clothing and various crafts. I began writing ebook patterns for my designs in 2007, and have several patterns available for sale on You Can Make This at www.youcanmakethis.com. I have also been a free-lance writer for many years, writing for two local newspapers when we lived in Michigan. My personal blog is at www.mamaslittletreasures.typepad.com where I frequently post tutorials and patterns for crafts and other sewing projects, as well as weekly reflections on life as a woman, wife, mother, and daughter of the King.

Credits and Copyrights All stories and articles are copyright by the authors.

All pictures and images are copyright by the authors and / or have been purchased, used by permission or are in the public domain. If any pictures or images have been used inadvertently, and they do not belong in this publication, please email us and we will immediately remove them.

Nothing in this issue of Ruby for Women may be reproduced, copied, or shared without the permission of the author.

Advertising information is available from at www.rubyforwomen.com/advertise Questions? Email Nina @ editor@rubyforwomen.com Or Amanda @ ajohnson@rubyforwomen.com Ruby for Women is published by rubyforwomen.com All submission inquiries should be directed to Nina Newton, Sr. Editor Ruby for Women editor@rubyforwomen.com or Amanda Johnson, Assistant Editor ajohnson@rubyforwomen.com Graphic design by Jorim http://jorimslist.com/portfolio Special thanks to Maritza Bonilla for sponsoring the Scentsy Fundraiser. Please visit our community website at www.rubyforwomen.ning.com to see how you can help support the ministry of Ruby for Women.

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