The Passing of an Angel

Hello Everyone,

I ask once again of friends near and far to pray for my family.

We lost an angel this year, last August.  My sweet little niece who was only 13 years old.  Though she fought valiantly, complications of diabetes ended up being too much for her small little body.  The Lord took her only a few short days after her 13th birthday.  She turned 13 on August 5, 2014 and died on August 16th.

I keep thinking I'll wake up from this nightmare, but every morning I wake with her on my mind, every day I miss her more and more and every day our entire family must find a way, must find the courage and the strength to continue on without her.

Please pray for all of us....

Bless you all,
Brenda

My Dear Friends....

Please pray for my family.

An event has happened in my family that I am asking prayers for.  The only worse type of event I would imagine would be a serious illness or death in the family.

I have a nephew who was just informed on Thursday that that was his last day of employment.  He and his family are devastated.  This nephew of mine who is a devout Christian, who comes from the old school…..you’re never absent, you’re always on time, and you put in a good day’s work, who is the type of person others strive to be, had to go home that day to inform his wife (my niece) and his two young diabetic children that, along with everything else that losing a job entails, that beginning November 1^st they will have no medical insurance.  No insurance to cover all the necessities that special needs diabetic children require.

They say that God never gives you more than you can handle, but sometimes you have to ask yourself…when is enough, enough?  Over the past 10 years we have had….my employer went out of business leaving me without a job, my husband had a heart attack, we had to file bankruptcy, I fell into a deep depression, my niece was diagnosed as bipolar and her two young children, within a month of each other, despite the enormous odds the doctors gave her, had both her young children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.  Not to mention....a young cousin was discovered to have anorexia, my sister had to have a double mastectomy for breast cancer, and her husband (my brother-in-law) was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. 

Okay God….I’m saying it….Enough!!!  Please….enough…..enough.

Please pray for my family…I would be ever so grateful.

Brenda

Hi There Everyone From a beautifully sunny, but also very humid, Indiana. 

I have a few issues I would really love to discuss with everyone and I WOULD ask that those who can please respond to these messages.  I really value and actually need everyone’s input please.  As my website and blog along with all of the free patterns, tutorials, etc., are aimed at pleasing all of you; that makes your opinion twice as important to me.

First I want to sincerely thank everyone who wrote me a note or signed my guest book thanking me for the free patterns.  You all have been so incredibly sweet…..and I will never forget nor will I ever take for granted that which you all have given me.

I also once again have to specify that my patterns are all copyrighted.  You may “sew” or “complete” the pattern to sell at craft shows, etc., but you may NOT sell the patterns.  The patterns are copyrighted and not yours to sell.  Not to mention that I am giving them away for free.  I, unfortunately, found another person on eBay who is selling my patterns.

So I would love it if anyone who has the time could go to my website, download one of my patterns, if you have not already done so, and please tell me if my copyright is obvious to you.  If not, then this is not their fault and I need to make it more prominent and obvious to those who are downloading my patterns.

Okay….here’s the real reason for this letter.  If you have not already noticed, I have not been actively creating new patterns for a couple of years now.  My sewing machines both went down at the same time.  That along with some other issues prompted my stopping.  I always intended to start back up again but for some reason I just never did.  Since then my attention has been demanded elsewhere and I’ve never had the time needed to jump back into pattern making.  However, I think I would like to start the newsletter up again.  Now the newsletter always had a new pattern in it for all of you, the subscribers, from Lillie Mae’s Crafts.  Since I’m not actively creating new patterns, I thought perhaps you all would like a little free advertising.  All of those who have their own businesses and even those who don’t would be eligible. 

It would, of course, be free.  Anyone who would like to participate would just email me with a description of their website, blog, etc., and a description of the free pattern they have to offer.  I would then get back with them and together we would design their “ad” for the newsletter.  I have a pretty strong and long following for my newsletter.

Those of you who might be interested in such a deal…..let me know ASAP!  Anyone who has any suggestions, questions, etc., please, as usual, don’t hesitate to drop me a note.

Thanks much everyone and have a safe summer.

  

Blessings,

Brenda

Hello Everyone from a VERY RAINY INDIANA….

First I want to sincerely thank everyone who wrote to me about my blog about a “Throw Away.”  I really debated with myself on whether or not to post it, but in the end, it was very therapeutic and helpful.  Please also accept my apologies for not answering everyone or posting anything more about it until now. 

To clarify a bit about that post which I’m sure seemed a bit cryptic to some, it was about a man who abused me.  It was physical, sexual, and emotional abuse which started when I was just a child and continued until I was a young adult.  I started in therapy as a young adult and have been in and out of therapy over this for years.  I really felt I had dealt with it and all of its issues.  I was mistaken.

Shortly after Bob and I married we considered moving.  However, Bob and I both have family and friends here, and neither of us really wanted to move.  So it was a happy surprise when this person moved instead…and had been gone for years and years. 

Unfortunately, right before I posted “Do You Know What a Throw Away is? he had moved back.  This brought back all the memories.  But on the other hand, shouldn’t we all rise to a challenge? And this has been a challenge for me. 

Every day since I posted that I would check in and read the sweet notes my “friends” left for me.  You cannot know what every little note and email message left for me and sent to me has meant.  You really do feel so very much alone when you’re going through such an ordeal….but I no longer feel alone ….thanks to all of you.

Bless You All,

Brenda

P.S.  I want to draw everyone’s’ attention to my new picture.  It’s been quite a few years since I started this blog and posted the picture of me as a blonde (with my niece Debbie at her wedding).  Well I thought it might be nice for you all to meet the “present time” me….and yes, I’m a natural brunette.  The picture isn’t that great, but I really felt that ‘therapeutic-wise” posting the new picture now was a good idea.  I’ll post a better one when I have a chance to get one taken.

Do You Know What a Throw Away Is?

Do you know what a throw away is? 

I’m writing this I think as more or less a form of therapy.  Hoping, I think, that if I put pen to paper (so to speak) perhaps it will stop haunting me.  If I bring out in the open that which I have spent a lifetime hiding…perhaps then it will stop haunting me.  Since I know that most, if not all, of my family have no knowledge or interest in this blog….that makes it safe. 

Oh yeah…what is a throw away you ask?  I am a throw away.  At least that’s what I spent my childhood believing.

What do you do….where do you go…..when your world crumbles down around you??? In therapy for years to forget? no not forget…to cope, to be able to handle memories which haunt your every waking hour and even into the night.  Finally though, finally over the years you have to say to yourself, “I’m there.”  I can handle what I can remember and you file it away in the hopes that nothing and I do mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G happens at any time in your life that might spark one of those memories.  You file them away and you try with everything you have not to remember.  It takes a while before they are not the first thing that enters your head when you wake and the last to leave when you go to sleep.  But….after many years you’re there and you find yourself able to appreciate…no not just appreciate, you find yourself actually enjoying each day of your life.  And for several years you are able to skip by, to escape if you will….and it is heaven.  Then…something happens, the panic and fear almost forgotten grabs you and once again the darkness overtakes your life. 

I thought I was the only one, but I wasn’t….there was one more...a loved one.  I escaped thinking I was the only target.  A throw away…that’s how you feel.  As if your life and indeed your very soul have no worth…no value….which makes you a throw away.  Somehow I thought the other one was loved….safe…but I was wrong.  How do you cope with the feelings of guilt???....how could I have not seen it???  And the tears once more flow and you find yourself struggling to stay afloat….but you know you have to.   So you reach out to those who have proved to you over the years they can be trusted.  You reach out and you hold on….and you hold on.

Stolen Patterns

Hello Everyone from Rainy Indiana

I regret that family emergencies have taken "forever" it seems to work themselves out.  And just when I think it's safe to take my focus away from family and back to my passion, which of course is creating my patterns, then another emergency arises. 

I do so want to thank all of you who have been loyal followers of Lillie Mae's Crafts.  So many of you have written to express your gratitude for the free patterns....which definitely puts a smile on my face.  It is all of you that make it all worthwhile.

And it is those same loyal readers who were kind enough to alert me to the 2 stores on E-Bay who were selling my patterns.  As far as I'm concerned this is the same as stealing.  I have taken the steps I deem necessary and hopefully this will be resolved shortly.  Those 2 stores had other patterns for sale which unfortunately I have to assume are probably stolen from another designer.  For those of you reading this, if any of you are pattern designers yourself, I would be on the lookout for your patterns being sold on E-Bay also.

Regrettably I have to assume that there are probably more stores on E-Bay that have my stolen patterns for sale.  I am seriously considering taking my store down.  I love designing patterns though and actually have a few new patterns that I still haven't listed.  I have considered creating a store where a "membership" is required before anyone is allowed to download any patterns.  This at least would give me names of anyone downloading my patterns and perhaps a little more protection in that area.  I'm not even sure how that is done.

What I do know is that I'm so very disappointed...and very hurt.  

If anyone else has any suggestions on how to protect my patterns, please drop me a note.  And...if anyone else sees my patterns for sale somewhere else....please let me know.

NOTE:  If I do find anyone else selling my patterns on E-Bay, I will not give them the chance of taking them down before I take other measures as I have before.  I'm really tired of trying to be the "nice guy."  They certainly know that these are NOT their patterns...they know it's stealing.  The next person I find that has stolen my patterns and listed them for sale on E-Bay...I'll email or call E-Bay right away to let them know that this particular person has stolen merchandise for sale.

Hi Everyone,

Once again I'm asking for some advice...p-l-e-a-s-e (lol). 

The pictures below are of a lotion that I found and purchased at...one of my all time favorite shopping spots...Goodwill!!!

This is actually a brand of lotion that I have read about, but found to be a little pricey for me...so I was so excited to have found this at Goodwill...paid $1.99 for it.

However, there aren't any instructions given on the bottle and I haven't been able to find this same bottle anywhere yet on the web.

I took a close up of the bottle so you could clearly see the name ... and it says:

Shiseido

Skin Lotion (Rich)

Yes...it does look more like a toner, but I have found this brand to have some "whitening" lotions and other lotions that look the same as this lotion does, but they are in a different type bottle and, of course, do not say "skin lotion (rich)" as this bottle does.

I even thought that perhaps it was perfume (even though the label clearly says it's lotion), and it does have a wonderful scent, however, when applied to the skin, the scent disappears.

If anyone could advise me on this...I would be so grateful as I LOVE this find of mine and would love to be able to use this lotion.  From what I've read about Shiseido, this brand is suppose to work wonders for those fine lines and wrinkles...so...HELP!!! (lol)

 

Whew!  Hello everyone from dreary, rainy Indiana.  I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've posted and since I've sent out a newsletter.  But...I have good news.  I'll be sending out a newsletter soon...and I thought I'd post a few pics of one of the new patterns.  This is Rag-a-Muffin & Her Raggedy Quilt.  Rag-a-Muffin has hair made of rags and her very own raggedy star quilt.  I loved designing her and hopefully you will all enjoy making her.

Now...I do have a favor to ask of all of you.  I have something very special I'd like to make for my hubby for Christmas.  I recently came across 3 old pictures of his father...whom he adored.  Now you have to understand how rare and how very unlikely it is that I came across these pictures.  Bob's mother had Alzheimer's and consequently threw away anything and everything that had any personal value at all.  I mean...no pictures of the family...AT ALL.  No pictures of Bob and his brother when t hey were little...no school projects of theirs...nothing.  I do have a few pics of Bob though...very few.  But...they do happen to coincide with these pictures I found of his dad....and what I want to do is to put the pictures together.  Sorry...I'm sure there's a technical term for it...but I don't know it.  

I have a picture of Bob's dad in his army uniform...and I also have a few pictures of Bob in Viet Nam in his uniform.  I have a picture of his Dad playing the guitar and I have a picture of Bob playing the guitar.  I want to put the two army pictures together and the two guitar pictures together to appear as though he and his dad are in the same picture.  Do you know what I mean?

Okay...now I know there's software you can purchase that will produce what I want...but I have no idea what it's called?...where to go to look?....no idea at all.  And...the cheaper the better as I also want to get these matted and framed professionally.

So...please guys.  Your help, advice, ideas...would be so appreciated.  So if you can help me out at all...just drop me a note at....lilliemaescrafts@yahoo.com

Blessings everyone,
Brenda

Announcements

Hello everyone,

I have to apologize for not writing sooner. There are times when life just gets in your way...ya know what I mean? (lol)

First I want to thank everyone for including my family in their prayers. I do believe in the miracle of prayers and so far things are pretty good.

I do have a few announcements for everyone. First; I have 3 sewing machines and one by one they've broke down; the third one just went down recently. So until I can get them into the shop, I will have to put a hold on my patterns. And..if that wasn't enough, my digital camera went down also meaning that I can't put any pictures up on my site, in the newsletter, etc. So I will need to replace that some how or get this old one working before I can put out another newsletter. This only means that my next newsletter may be a month or two late...but I will be back.

For you animal lovers out there, let me introduce you to Woody and Poco. Bob and I did a little animal rescue yesterday. We found the two little furbabies pictured above at a kill animal shelter 1 hour away. Both are rat terrier mixes. The first one is Woody. Woody was a senior with cataracts and was very thin. Our first visit to the vet, however, revealed that this sweet little one was more ill than anyone thought. Cuddled snugly and safely in my arms, this little one crossed over the Rainbow Bridge knowing how it felt to be loved at least once in his life.

The second picture is of Poco (means little). Our veterinarian estimates his age at about 4 months, and he was surprisingly healthy...if a little thin. Unfortunately though we haven't been able to get him to eat. He started to eat once and one of the other dogs growled at him and we haven't been able to get him to eat anything substantial since. He has eaten a few treats, but nothing more. He also has diarrhea. Now I know from the many furbabies we've adopted over the years, that diarrhea is not unusual as their tummies need to adjust to the new food, etc.

We've tried people food, baby food, puppy food, etc. I even bought some pet gravy and poured it over his dry food...still he didn't eat. If he doesn't eat by tomorrow, back to the vet we go. So....keep this little one in your prayers please. He's just the sweetest little thing....and in just 2 days he and I have bonded very deeply. If anyone has any advice....by all means drop me a note.

That's all of my news. I hope everyone is having a great evening.

Blessings,
Brenda

Asking for Prayers Again...Please!!!

The e-mails I received wishing me well and promising prayers were so kind and so-o-o appreciated. I am feeling better....thank you. The most they've found so far are a few vitamin deficiencies . I do have an EEG scheduled for the 22nd.

I do so believe in the miracle of prayers....so I am once again asking for your prayers. This time for my mother. She lives so far away...she's in Arizona and I'm in Indiana. Now in her 80's, her health has always been very good. Now....they found a spot on one of her kidneys which, even without testing, they are calling cancer. At the time though (a few days ago), they didn't seem to concerned....they were going to remove that portion of that kidney and start her on radiation.

Now....they did a bone scan but avoided giving us the results. Instead they did x-rays of her legs. They're telling us that all the results 0f all the tests should be in on Tuesday and they were discuss everything with us then.

Because of personal issues, I am unable to be with my mother. My sister (Kathy) is there....doing what she can. Please pray for strength for her.

My husband (Bob), who works midnights, came home at 1 a.m. this morning....sick. My husband NEVER takes off work for being sick. And....the last time he was this ill he ended up in the hospital. More prayers for him please.

And...I looked down at my hand about an hour ago and just realized that the main diamond in my wedding ring is gone...is that a bad sign do you think???

Nothing is looking up at the moment and even though I am an optimistic by nature....it's getting harder and harder to hold on to.

****Pause****telephone rings.

Okay...just spoke with my mother and she sounds pretty good. Hopefully she's not overly optimistic and that her "up" mood rightly expresses what really is going on. Hate being so far away. But....we have tried, are trying, and will continue to try to get them to move back to Indiana. So far....no luck.

Thanks everyone...so very much,
Brenda

Need Prayers Please

Good evening everyone from Muncie, Indiana where it is finally sunny and the rain....thank the Dear Lord....has finally stopped, lol.

I'm writing to ask a big favor of everyone. I need to ask for prayers.

Last Thursday I had a black out spell. Since then I've had an abnormal MRI scan, according to the doctor who just called a few minutes ago, and I have to schedule to see a neurologist ASAP.

Now those who know me know I am "forever optimistic" and this occasion is no different. I'm sure this is going to turn out just fine in the end, but on the other hand I'm not stupid....lol....the smarty always ask for prayers.

Thank you all so very much for your kind emails regarding both my stolen pattern and my fight against puppy mills. You all never fail to bring a smile to my face.....you are all so very much appreciated.

Blessings

Brenda

Help me stop puppy mill cruelty

Star

Having spent her entire life up to now in a cage and blind in one eye, Star had never felt the sun on her face, the grass under her feet, or the kindness of humans.

Help me stop puppy mill cruelty. Click on the picture and scroll down towards the bottom of the page; read Star's story.

Stolen Pattern

Once again, I have discovered a pattern of mine that has been compromised. Changed slightly by another artist and then claimed as their own and put up for sale. I have to say "I just really don't understand."

Since my site went to a completely free pattern site, I have received the SWEETEST thank you emails from so many of you. Those emails have meant the world to me. I will usually keep them for several months and will go over them; reading them again, and again, and again because they bring a smile to my face.

I'm not mad....not at all, I'm just so terribly hurt. I feel as if I've been used...and I feel taken advantage of. I really DO NOT want to shut my site down, but I will if I feel I have no choice.

Please don't assume that since I give my patterns away freely, that there was not a lot of hard work that went into them.... because there was.

Please...please respect me and respect my work.

June Newsletter

Hi everyone....

My does time seem to be passing faster and faster.
Well the June newsletter is finished and ready. When I think of June I always think of a June bride. Perhaps because I was a June bride...so I just had to include a bridal pattern. Included in the newsletter is also a wedding picture of mine as well as a little short story of an event that happened at my wedding. Curious?

I do want to thank everyone who took a minute or two to drop me a note and vote about the doll pattern. I heard you all...and when I took a moment to really look at the Annie Blue Eyes doll I realized that you were all right...none of the patterns I was trying to select one from just simply weren't right for this pattern. So....I created a new pattern which seems to compliment Annie Blue Eyes much better. I hope you all agree.

Click on the picture to download the newsletter.

Have a great day everyone,
Brenda

Help me choose a pattern.

Happy Easter everyone. I hope you all had a fun day filled with lots of Easter egg hunts and parades.

I have a favor to ask all of you. The pictures above are of a new pattern for the next newsletter (Annie Blue Eyes). I have two patterns, one of which I would like to include with Annie Blue Eyes in the same pattern....however, I can't decide which one I like the most.

Would you all please take a moment to look at the pictures here and drop me an email at lilliemaescrafts@yahoo.com and let me know if you like the small pillowcase doll or the prim doll.

Thanks much everyone for the help. Check back around the first of May for the next newsletter and to find out which pattern was voted in by all of you.

Blessings
Brenda