Christmas greetings from our home to yours!

I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas! We have lots of snow here from a recent blizzard; the first white Christmas we have had here at our home after living here for 8 years.

Along with some other gifts this morning, I was surpirsed to find three new historical patterns from http://sensibility.com They are three patterns from the Regency collection, so as a seamstress, tackling a new historical pattern is great fun! =) Watch for some items to go up on ebay within the next few weeks.

For God -- the greatest giver
so loved -- the greatest motive
the world -- the greatest need
that He gave -- the greatest act
His only begotten Son -- the greatest gift
that whosoever -- the greatest invitation
believes in Him -- the greatest opportunity
should not perish -- the greatest deliverance
but have everlasting life -- the greatest joy.

Ready-mades revamped!

Well, we decided to go ahead and keep the sale up for some of our older ready-mades, and then we added a couple new ones.

We also finally got our nearly-new section up. For those of you who are not familiar with it, we usually sell dresses for a discounted price. The apparel has usually been worn once or twice, or we have prewashed the fabric and/or garment without it being worn. But what we list is in good condition and they are not flawed in any way.

The CD's are here!

Today Erin's CD's came! =D They came right before two of my students (brother and sister) arrived for their lessons, and so I wasn't able to join in for all the excitement, but the boxes are sitting in the dining room, just waiting to be opened and for the CD's to be sent out!

AND if they get shipped out tomorrow (she'll be shipping first class I think) there could be a possibility of you receiving your CD(s) before Christmas if you live here in the US.

Speaking of Christmas, as a early gift for Erin, I bought her a domain site, and wouldn't you know, the lady who gives me hosting was able to get me added this morning and now Erin's very own site is up and running! =D Visit her website at: http://www.erincross.org/

EDIT: There has been a change in shipping and handling rates. Please visit the website to see actual shipping charges per CD and for orders of larger quantities. If you have previously ordered, don't worry if the figures don't add up to what you paid for.

50% off this weekend ONLY!

Every year around Christmas time, we offer a 50% off sale for our Ready-made items to move some "old-timers" out and bring in some new ones. So this Friday and Saturday ONLY, we are offering to you this special sale!

Crocheting help needed

Last evening Erin taught me how to crochet a "granny square." She learned from the mother that she helped out while she was out in PA, and since having been taught the single and double stitch from our Grandma a couple years ago, I was eager to learn something new! =)

Working on it last night and this morning, I got to about a potholder sized (about 8") square and am pretty happy with it! Since I'm very low on the yarn, I thought I would just make a couple pot holders to use it up, and then see if I can make an afghan or something.

But Erin was never showed how to "close" or finish it! So would any of you ladies who may be reading this, know how to do this? Do I just join the gap as if I were going to start another "row" but not chain two? I'd post a picture of it, but blogger isn't letting me for some reason, so I hope this make sense. =)

And by the way, are there any sites out that someone would recommend for easy or beginner "crocheters." I've searched for a few, but I can't read the "chicken scratch" or "coding" they use for patterns just yet.

Erin's CD

Erin's CD is finally done, praise the Lord! =) From the two she brought back with her, it sounds so beautiful, and she has already received many compliments from people who have heard it. The CD's are in the process of being shipped here, so for those of you who have ordered a CD (or more), it shouldn't be to long before you get yours!

Would you like to hear a sound clip? It is the last song on the CD. It is a medley of Be Still My Soul, Be Still and Know, and Be Silent. She also did vocals on this one. Click here: http://www.ajoyfulhandmaiden.com/16%20-%20Track%2016.mp3

Looking for an embroidery site

I am in the midst of looking for an embroidery site that would show you how to do basic stitches. Are there any sites like that out there that someone could recommend? Anything would be appreciated, as I am working on a sampler that was started long ago and am nearly finished with it except for the knots (are they french knots?) that are to be in the centers of the daisies, and I can't remember how to do them. I have tried, but it ends up turning into a tangled mass of thread. =)

And while I have your attention, =) do any of you of a site that offers free embroidery patterns for pillow cases, napkins, etc that aren't very intricate?

Up on the drawing board...

This jumper has become one of my favorites and this winter, I hope to modify a jumper pattern to make girl's sizes and women's sizes. It is a square neckline jumper that is a bit different than the one we offer in the catalog (Dora's Jumper). This one is more of a "bib" or "overall" style jumper. We've even seen jumper sewn with overall-style claps in the front; we haven't tried it ourselves though yet. And then another feature which I like about it is that it has ribbon drawstrings in the back which allow you to pull in the extra room in the back of the jumper. Pictures of someone wearing it (yours truly) can be seen here: http://ajoyfulhandmaiden.blogspot.com/2006/07/july-25th-tuesday.html

It is always exciting to start thinking about putting together another catalog for the new year. We always appreciate suggestions and comment regarding what we offer, so if you'd like to share some input, whether it is something you like what you'd like to see, more of something, etc, please feel free to share it with us!

Getting Used to Dresses

I came across this article a couple days ago and found it to be a blessing. Surely wish I knew of LAF when I first was learning about modesty!

"If you'll take some time just to look at old photographs in antique shops or on the web, you'll see women who spent their lives wearing dresses. No one ridiculed them. Everyone wore dresses or skirts, and they were able to do a wide variety of work, even farming, in them. The few who dared to dress like men were considered unfeminine. Today we have strayed so far from feminine dressing that women who have grown up in pants and sports shoes feel awkward in dresses. In this confused modern society, women feel uncomfortable wearing dresses in public and even at home. Who would have thought that a woman in a dress would be such an unusual sight that people would stop and stare? How far we haven't come!!

One of our problems is that we have been convinced that our first priority is to be comfortable. We hear that said over and over in the name of slovenly, immodest and unnattractive dressing. One thing we can learn from our Victorian forbearers is the attitude of putting others first and avoiding embarrassing or shocking behaviour. Our forebears were more concerned about appearing rude than almost anything. They were concerned about how people would remember them.

These days we are supposed to be so politically correct that when older people like myself see something totally shocking and inappropriate, we are forced, in the name of politeness, to act like we didn't notice. Girls can come to church in their pyjamas--or less--and no one has the nerve to say anything for fear of being accused of something untoward. If our great-grandparents saw what we are seeing today, they would certainly speak up about it, and it wouldn't always be pleasant. We need to think of how our way of dressing is affecting others, and work to dress in a non-offensive, yet pleasing, manner.

Modernists mock the old Victorian stays and corsets, while wearing spandex and jeans that are just as form-fitting and even tighter than the undergarments of the past. One reason women feel uncomfortable in dresses is that they are used to wearing these tight clothes and feel rather unprotected and cold when they wear a dress. Their tight jeans make their figures feel pulled together, well-shaped, and firm. If you have difficulty feeling trim and neat in a dress, invest in foundations that will make you feel well-dressed and comfortable.

You won't enjoy dresses if they are uninteresting, uninspiring and dull to you, so don't wear fabrics and styles that make you feel depressed. It wasn't too many years (or decades) ago that a new dress helped lift women from a bad day, sadness, or depression. New clothes, if they are the right color, pattern, print, or style for you, can make you feel energetic, optimistic, and creative. And you don't have to spend a fortune!" Read the full article here: http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/artman/publish/article_649.shtml

Soon to be released!

Erin wrote yesterday saying that her harp CD is just about finished.
All she has to do is listen to the master CD, approve of it, and then within the
week, all the CD's should be ready to be released! We are all excited about it!

If you would like to pre-order a copy of her CD, please e-mail us
for more details as the websie I'm working on for her, isn't quite finished: ajoyfulhandmaiden@yahoo.com

Testimony of Modesty continued...

The other day I had to quickly end my post because of a pressing matter that needed my attention, so I left off where I was going to mention about being inwardly clothed with modesty and femininity. The two, outward and inward, go together I believe. What gets to me like nothing else when I see a woman in a dress ... they look really modest ... but their heart, attitude, and even they're mindset is totally opposite of what they are wearing.

A few years back, I remember several friends were bringing up the subject of being feminine and delighting in their God-given calling. And it brought back memories when there was a young girl who wished she was a boy, yes, that was me. Being the tough, strong girl I was, I loved it when on the father-daughter campouts they had guns to shoot down old liter pop bottles, and then being proud of on my first shot, to actually hit one right in the middle. How that happened, I'll never know...

So back to what I was saying, the term "femininity" has been new to me within the last 6-8 years or so. Books such as, "So Much More" by Anna Sofia Botkin and Elizabeth Botkin, "Let Me Be a Woman" by Elisabeth Elliot, and a couple other smaller books have really helped me as I search out my thoughts and feelings, goals and ideas.

And also realizing that without even knowing it, I to had been effected by this feminist mindset of being independent, career-oriented, fending for herself and no one else ... in fact, it reminds me of the woman in the Bible in Proverbs 7, "...And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner..." And as mentioned here, as I believe in the here and now, our clothing often speaks of our heart, our attitude, and our very life.

It is my prayer that what ever I wear, that it would reflect "...the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 1 Peter 3:4

I'm not very good with writing my thoughts down, so if any one who is reading this, has any other thoughts or ideas, please feel free to comment or if something doesn't make sense and it needs to be clarified, please feel free to comment. =)

Testimony of Modesty

Just recently someone had asked me how we came about learning to dress in a more modest, feminine manner. It was a good reminder for me to think back about 10 years ago when Mama had received some resources from the Barth Family Ministries out in Vermont. At the time I was an independent girl of 12 years old whose life was wrapped up in Gymnastics, and considered Mama's desires to wear dresses seemed rather peculiar and strict. I remember thinking that I didn't want to look like I was going to church everyday. =)

However I knew that she would desire for Erin and I to have these same convictions, but didn't push them on us. Although she did take me out of Gymnastics...she couldn't let her daughter be tumbling and dancing in front of others with just a skimpy leotard! Not being truly committed to serving Jesus, I was rebellious in my heart towards that decision she made. Now being born again, I praise the Lord that she made that decision then!

Ever since I was young, I have always loved old-fashioned, prairie, victorian stuff and so for two years I chose to wear jumpers, skirts, culottes to just "look old-fashioned." But it was two years later that when I had been truly born again, the Lord confirmed it in my heart that dressing in a modest, feminine way, is truly His delight for me.

And it really has been a joy for me to dress the way I do. Yes, we do get quite a few stares, looks, questions (the most popular: Are you Amish or Mennonite?), but then we alot receive a lot of compliments and it is interesting that most of them have been from men. They open the doors for us, they tell us how much they appreciate the way we dress, and one guy even offered to pump the gas into our car! =)

But most importantly, I believe God Himself gives us His smile of approval when we choose to dress in a way that is distinct from what man wears, as well as being separate from this world. However I must add that all of this is fruitless if our hearts are not adorned with modesty and femininity. More about this next time as I must be off!

New tatted bookmarks online!

Pinwheel: $3

Large Snowflake: $4

Vintage Diamond: $2

Out for a bit

From October 31st through November 10th, we will not be accepting any orders of any kind. I will be gone during that time for a Strings Workshop (Maybe some of you know that I study and teach violin?) and Erin will also be leaving he same day as me, but for a 6 week trip out to PA to help a family of 13 children. So no one will be answering e-mails, sending out catalogs, or taking orders during the 31st - 10th time frame. Trust you'll understand!

"A woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man must seek Him to find her."

Using fabric scraps

I love Frugal Friday's! =) Crystal always has such wonderful money-saving tips, and ideas. For the past couple of weeks, I haven't made a post about this, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to share a "frugal idea" every weeks, but I'll do my best! =)

As a seamstress in our home (not to mention my three other sisters who sew!) we are always making something, whether it be for an order or for ourselves. With making lots of dresses, jumpers, blouses, skirts, vest (etc, etc) over the years, we have developed a very large trash bag that is stuffed and brimming full of left over scraps from items that we've made. It takes up quite a bit of space in our sewing room, and so every now and then we are tempted to just pitch the whole thing (why have it, if we don't use it right?), but we never can get up the courage to do it.

But this summer, I decided that I was going to go through the scrap bag to see if I could come up with a few fabrics to make a small quilt. Since I never have made a quilt before, I wanted to start out small. Going through the bag, I realized I could make many quilts and other small items (potholders, and so forth) with all this fabric, and then tuck them away for my own home someday.

So not only am I being wise with the left over scraps, I can make useful items that can saved hundreds of dollars in the future, Lord willing! Sometime I'll take pictures of things that I've made with our scraps that we thought were only good for the trash. =)

Introducing...

Here is one of the websites I've been working on! I've offered tatted bookmarks off of our resource page, but decided to make a "branch site" where people can choose more styles and pick out their own thread choices.

Since it is fairly new, if you see and glitches, spelling error's, etc, please let me know so I can fix them right away! =)

Blouses for $1

Well, I made a mistake of adding one of my favorite blouses to my ebay listing. Sort of. I knew what I was doing, and now I really regret putting it up. Oh well, such is life. They aren't made by us, but if you are interested in some lovely feminine blouses, take a look: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZstringsftk

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

I've been using my time wisely by working on a couple new websites lately and can hardly wait to share more about them, but they aren't quite ready yet, so stay tuned! =)

Dress forms?

I have been considering buying a dress form just because with all the sewing we do, I'm sure it would come in handy! But there are so many different ones out there, I'm not sure what the differences are and whichs ones seem to work better. I'd be glad for some pointers in this, if anyone has had experience with dress forms!

Tip of the day

Whatever you do, no matter how soon you must get something done:

Don't ever sew for 5-6 hours straight

I did that this weekend, and am now suffering from sore wrists and hands. As a musician, violin teacher, and seamstress, I don't need to get tendonitis!

Blow-out sale

We are wanting to "blow out" a few things from the sewing room (whether it be ready-mades, or just fabric we've had for awhile) and so we are offering a sale for the next several weeks:

Receive 10% off any order you place with us!

Liberated Women

I always am blessed by what Crystal (from Biblical Womanhood) has to write about in her blog! Today she posted on "Liberated Women" and below is a snippet from what she posted:

I talk to so many families who say, "We can't live on one income." Thanks to the feminist movement, very few families think they can. Instead, mom and dad have to work 40-60 hours per week to pay the bills, pay the mortgage, pay the dry cleaner, pay the nanny, pay the house cleaner, pay the fast food restaurants, pay the babysitter, pay the boxed-food/frozen food dinner makers, and on and on. No wonder we can't live on one income anymore!

But, inspite of the damage caused by the feminist movement, there's hope. We don't have to follow this path of bondage. We don't have to buy into the lies. We can make one of the most truly liberating choices ever - we can choose home.

Read the full article here: http://www.biblicalwomanhood.com/2006/10/liberated-women.html

Boring?

I have a feeling my blog is rather on the boring side ... that is because I am bored with it myself! Is there anything you'd like for me to post? Every-day stuff, pictures, sewing advice (ha! I think I'm the one who needs the advice, but I could share what I have learned), articles, links?

Whether you visit ooften or this is your first time here, please feel free to let me know. I don't bite. =D

Tip of the day

Don't do any cutting out or sewing late in the evening.

The other evening I was cutting out a skirt for myself out of a lovely toile print. It was late as night and I figured I would just cut it out while I was waiting to get into the bathroom. Without thinking, I cut the back skirt with the print going upside down. It would be totally noticable if I were to sew it together, so I figured I would just have go out and by another yard of fabric. I went to two place where I knew they would have it - they were totally out, and I think it was a "one time deal" type of fabric. What a bummer.

For those of you who do sewing, don't ever do anything related to sewing late at night. I hope I learned my lesson. =)

Selling on ebay

I am now beginning to sell historical gowns on ebay. If you are interested, feel free to see my listings here: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZstringsftk

Ready-mades items are 50% off - this week only!!

I am posting this a day late, but when you buy any ready-made item and will send us a photo with you/your daughter wearing it for our website, we will give that item to you for 50% off the listed price!

Thankful to be at home

Erin and I have been so blessed to be able to "come back home" in the last couple of months. For over 3 1/2 years, we both worked part-time at a small, Christian-owned discount grocery store. This spring we just really felt like the Lord was leading us homeward to devote more of our time as single women, so that we can more effectively bless our family and also earning an income from home.

Though we have had our sewing business for 6 years now, it does get slow for us from time to time. But the Lord opened up other outlets this year of teaching music which was been a new stretch for us, but such a blessing. It has truly been an answer to prayer for me, as I remember Erin just really wondering if we would be able to make enough income to pay for things, but I told her that I was trusting God to provide. Knowing that is this is what God was leading us to do (and I believe it is his desire for all women to cultivate skills in the home!), He will provide. =)

Just this week however, we went back for a couple days to the little store to fill in for someone who was wanting to go camping with the young man she is courting. And coming home from a long day's work just totally reaffirms that my place is in the home, and realized in a new way how much I delight in being home! It is so much more rewarding to see new nightgowns made to send to a sewing customer, pulling out freshly baked bread out of the oven, tending to the gardens, and all the little joys that fill my day, rather than being stuck inside a building working a cash register all day! =)

Writing Contest hosted by Childrens Clothes Etc.

Write an essay (no longer than 4 pages), describing how you are able to maintain your faith and Biblical feminity/girlhood in today’s world. There will be three winners, one from each age group. The prizes are:

Ages 7-10: A Grandmother’s Hope Chest Book Set, which consists of: Grandmother’s Hope Chest Book 1 and Potholder Kit and Grandmother’s Hope Chest Book 2 and Bread Cloth Kit

Ages 11-15: A copy of The Future Christian Homemaker’s Handbook and a $10 gift card to our store.

Ages 16-21: A copy of So Much More and a $15 gift card to our store. Complete information is on their blog: http://www.childrensclothesetc.com/blog/?p=56

Shawl Collar Dress

Well, I went ahead and made the Shawl Collar dress from Hint of History. And I absolutely love every thing about it! I wanted the View 1 look, but without the hassle of the buttons so I used the skirts from View 2.

As cautioned, I noted the measurements and while I always wear a certain size regardless of measurements (they always fit me just right), I decided that I was going to make this dress the size above what I usually wear. The size turned out just wonderful!

The pattern instructions are very easy to follow. I detest directions from regular commercial pattern. And here and there, made a few different things. Such as I used to wide of lace (it came from England using a 1812 lace machine and I wanted to use it badly enough that I don't mind it). I also added an extra snap on the inset, just because mine was wanted to open just a little bit there in the middle. And I was glad for the extra length on the skirt pattern, just because I like to add pinstripes to a lot of my historical apparel.

Want to make one now? =) See the link on the side bar (Hint of History) and it will take you to Amanda's site where she offers this pattern, and another cute dress pattern for girls!

What shall I sew?

Well, we finished up the order that we had, and we don't have any in for the moment. So I'm trying to figure out what I should sew next. I have some lovely Tropical Breeze that Erin bought while out East for her harp recording (which went very well, PTL!) that I'd like to make a dress in. And then I have some slate blue linen-polyester type weave fabric that I got for $1 a yard and am having trouble deciding what I should make with.

I am narrowing it down to a couple ideas of either a Regency gown (http://sensibility.com/pattern/regency.htm) or a 1912 Shawl Collar dress (http://www.hintofhistory.com/1910s/). I love history dresses and have enjoyed trying to draft a couple of my own.

Any other suggestions for me? =)

Weekend Sale!

Greetings from the sewing room! Just a quick note saying that this weekend, we are having a special sale for those who have subscribed to our newsletter. All of our ready-made items are 25% and if you have ordered from us before, we offer you free shipping!

What a deal right?! But this sale ends on Monday morning, so order while you can and while still have things up!

Feminine Dress

A couple weeks ago I came across a radio broadcast done by Elizabeth Elliot on Feminine Dress (this I imagine, was done many years ago) and enjoyied it thoroughly that I though I'd share some of it with you:

Jesus said, "Come to Me all of you who are weary and overburdened and I will give you rest. Put on My yoke and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light."This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot, talking with you today about an older woman's mandate. We've been emphasizing during this week the matter which we older women are responsible to teach younger women, and that is the matter of modesty.The Bible says that we are to have a reputation for gentleness, that we are not to be accused of busybodying. That's one of the things that makes us very hesitant to accept the responsibility that we have before God as older women to help younger women to be gentle, to be feminine, to be reverent in the way they live, self-controlled and pure, so that no one will malign-- which means to defame or to speak evil of--the Word of God. That's all in Titus 2:3-5. Older women must themselves be reverent in the way they live, self-controlled and pure, so that no one will malign the Word of God.I do want to say a word about dress under this heading. Does a Christian woman dress differently from the rest of the world? Well, not in the way of drawing attention to herself by being very frumpy or extremely stylish, but I would say in being conservative, in being modest in dress. One of the arguments that women give me about wearing slacks is that they think slacks are much more comfortable. Of course, they're more comfortable if you're riding horseback or doing something extremely athletic. But I think there are plenty of women who would agree with me that skirts are, in some ways, much more comfortable. Do you have any skirts at all? Just plain cotton skirts, or even a denim skirt? I'm not saying you have to be dressed up. I was talking to a group of women recently at a conference and they said, "But we don't need to dress up all the time, do we?" I'm saying, "No. I'm not suggesting you should dress up. What I would like to see is a move toward those things which are distinctly feminine."

Read the full article here: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/9684/feminine.html

New fabrics!

We have added a couple new fabrics today that we have been able to pick out this week. Fall and winter will be coming around the corner in the not-to-distant future (although when it is about 95 degrees, sometimes we wonder when it will cool down!) and so we have two new flannels and a new cotton.

Check them out here: http://www.ajoyfulhandmaiden.com/Fabrics.html

Pray for Erin

My dear sister Erin has left this morning to go down to the airport. She is going out east to make her first and professional harp recording. She has asked for prayer and I know she'd be even more thankful if others will be praying for her too. Lord willing, it will be next week that she goes into the studio, so she'll have a couple days to really focus in and do some last minute practicing on her harp (which is already out there).

As a little advertisment, here is a video clip that I took with my camera which she was working on her "theme" song, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus:
http://www.ajoyfulhandmaiden.com/MVI_0002.AVI

Last day to save!

Today is the last day to take advantage of our summer specials!

All of our ready-made items are 10% off the listed price and if you have ordered from us before, you get FREE shipping on top of that!

Who says that dresses are only for Sundays? Funny thing is, I used to think that until the Lord showed me other wise! We have decided to post pictures daily for one week, showing that dresses are not just for Sundays! This "Through the Week in Feminine Dress" has been inspired by a few other websites that have done this of putting pictures up daily. We pray that it will be an inspiration and encouragement!

Pictures, coming up!

Does anyone read this blog? =)

I have been curious to know who all reads this, or for that matter, if ANYONE reads the blog. =) So I have decided to send a FREE tatted bookmark to whoever will post first in this entry. Anyone may participate whether it be your first time here, or if you read this blog frequently! After posting here, send us an e-mail (ajoyfulhandmaiden@yahoo.com) with your address and we will send one off to you for free!

Wow, just yesterday I received my book, "Handmaidens of the Lord" and I would highly recommend this book to any women who desires to walk in the path of Biblical womanhood. So far I have only read a little over half of the book, but it is full of testimonies of other young women who are living at home in their twenties, some who once wondered "What am I going to do after school," and other testimonies of God' faithfulness!

Crystal writes, "Handmaidens of the Lord is my gift to the brave young women who are challenging the status quo of college and careers and seeking to pave a trail for others to come behind them. If I could have an opportunity to sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with each and every Christian young lady in this country, this is the message I would want to give them. Instead of bashing college or pursuing a career, this book encourages young women to cultivate something which is much more valuable than a college degree or financial success – a servant’s heart. "

If you are interested, please visit the link to the side of this blog, "Biblical Womanhood" and it will take you to the site to order it! It will definately be worth your $8.97 worth!!

Want to learn how to save 25% and receive FREE shipping off a ready-made order? Subscribe to our newsletter to find out how!

ajoyfulhandmaiden-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

We are back!

While it is always fun to be on vacation, it is great to be back! Erin and I can hardly wait to get to the sewing machines and while we wait for custom orders, we'll work on some ready-mades to add to our website. Speaking of which...

We have a couple new sales going on through the month of July, that you might be interested in. =) The mainpage has the details: http://www.ajoyfulhandmaiden.com

Back, but will be out again!

This past weekend I got back from a two-week course of Strings Workshop (besides sewing, I play and teach violin) and while it is good to be back home, Lord willing, our family will be heading out tomorrow for a family trip out to MI. We'll be taking a northern route this time by visiting Mt. Rushmore and then driving through MN and WI to get up to the UP of Michigan where we'll be in Mackinaw for about 5 days and then heading south to visit relatives for a couple days. We'll be touring Greenfield Villiage one weekend if anyone wants to meet us! Just e-mail! =)

Lord willing, Daddy is planning to arrive back home on the 4th of July, so until then, we will not be able to process any orders or ship out catalogs whatsoever. E-mail will be limited (in fact upon coming home, I can't send any out for some odd reason ... hopefully yahoo will have that resolved soon!) so I think we could safely say that you'd more than likely here from us once we are back home.

Blessings!

Advertising

The other day I received an e-mail from a well-known Christian, homeschooling magazine offering ad space in their magazine for a certain amount with a 5% discount, but even with that, it would cost over $100. At this point, we wouldn't be able to afford advertising in it, now that Erin and I are no longer working part-time outside of the home.

We are actually rejoicing that we aren't working outside of them home anymore, =) and home to devote more time to our sewing business, and Lord willing, we hope to expand it a little bit. Any ideas? =)

Anyway, the point of this entry: do any of you know of any Christian magazines that would offer advertising for a little bit cheaper that $100? =) Other than a few websites, our main souce of getting word out is by "word of mouth."

Just recently, a business asked if we had any fliers to send them, so that they could include them in their packages, so we are now making those if any of you would like them! Just write and ask, and we'll send them out to you for free!

Another seamstress in a few years...

This evening our younger sister has been urging me to get upstairs and help her cut out a skirt and a couple jumpers for her to sew. For quite awhile she's been making simple pillows, bags, and so forth and now I think she's ready for something easy and simple.

About a year ago, someone gave us some fabric that wasn't really our tastes, but I thought I'd save it just incase something would come up, so what better use could we put it to, but Molly's first jumpers all sewn by herself? She has quite an interest in sewing and handcrafts, so I have a feeling that in a few years time, we'll be adding her on to our home business! =)

An update, as far as orders

If you have placed an order with us within the last several weeks and have not received it yet, bear with us for they ARE being worked on, but we've had a lot of stressful things (personal) happen this spring, lots of weddings to serve in or play for (Erin plays harp and I the violin) which has required some sewing for ourselves, trips, and the list goes on. It's just a busy time of year for us! =)

One announcement however is that we will not be able to take in any custom-made orders for the month of June. I will be gone for two weeks for the first part of the month for a Strings Workshop, and once I get home, I'll have about 3 or 4 days to pack up for our annual summer trip to Michigan to visit friends and relatives and Lord willing, that is usually a two week trip and we'd like to be back by July 4th.

We do not like doing this, but we have no other options! Our ready-made shop will still be open, as will be our resource shop (check out some new items we've added this spring!) as those things are al ready to be shipped out. As always, feel free to e-mail us, ajoyfulhandmaiden@yahoo.com if you have any questions!

Fixing this thing

I may know how to run sewing machine ans sergers, but understanding html and getting things to work right on the computer isn't my forte. Would anyone know how to get my profile/links/archive section up at the top and not way down at the bottom?

I came across part of an article that had a section on the subject of modesty, and I thought it had some wonderful wisdom and insights that I think we could gleam from.

Modesty
I Timothy 2:9-15: In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Later on you see some of the same things written in the book of I Peter. I think that it’s wonderful that God put some of the same instructions in the Bible written by two different people. That’s because he knows human nature—someone may say, “Paul looked down on women.” I’ve actually heard people say that! God, knowing that, chose to speak these same things through two different writers! Also, don’t ignore the teaching of holy dress because you already practice it! You must understand it in order to teach it to your girls. You must understand it in order to teach it to your boys, so they can find godly wives and teach these things to their children. Also, if you think you can overlook this simply because you already practice it, then soon you won’t practice it.

There are two meanings for modesty. Number one is not revealing the body, or not enticing men to wrong thoughts. That’s very simple—the Scriptures say to not cause your brother to sin. It’s very simple to know that you shouldn’t dress immodestly, meaning you shouldn’t entice any man. Many might think that the believing men aren’t going to be enticed, but that’s not always true! We want to spare our brothers.

The second part of modesty means being quiet and not seeking to be the center of attention. Once, I took my little girl Lydia to the doctor, and they left her in panties for a long time without giving her a gown. Lydia complained that she wasn’t modest! That was exciting, but the nurse’s response nearly bowled me over. She said, “I haven’t heard that word in twenty years.” Sadly, the concept of modesty is gone, so we must be doubly diligent in not seeking the center of attention—and teaching our children likewise. Children automatically like flashy things. If you don’t curb this early on, you’ll have a big problem with they’re older. What is nearly every little girl’s favorite color? Red! They even want to paint their rooms red. If you take them out to the fabric store, they’ll pull out a big piece of fabric that has lions and tigers done in purple and orange and say, “Mom, this would look great on you!” But we as believers don’t want to look better than the other person. But oh, how our flesh screams to be noticed by others!

Bold colors and bold prints are often worn by someone with a bold spirit. Yet Paul lifts up the virtues of shamefacedness and sobriety. Don’t think of this as law, but know that he is wise, and knows that clothes reflect the heart—he’s trying to help us out here. Many women think of this as bondage, but if we could only learn to trust God on these things, we wouldn’t have a struggle. Sadly, many employees are more willing to please their boss than we are to please the God of the entire universe! Employers realize that dress reflects the attitude of the person. Think about it—doctors and nurses wear white (sterility), those in the military wear dark, serious colors (no soft pastels!), bank tellers wear nice clothes (to reflect prosperity), and these are just a few. The whole world understands that your dress reflects your heart. What do you want to reflect? Fashion? Prosperity? Sensuality? Young girls, simply being “cool”? Be a stranger and pilgrim, and delight to draw attention to Jesus Christ, not to you. Let good works adorn you. Don’t be afraid to be “weird” in the eyes of a wicked world.

To read the full article, here is the link: http://charityministries.org/theremnant/theremnant-March2006-godly-woman.cfm

Our Resource Shop is now available!

We are excited to announce that our resource shop on our website, is now open and ready for customers! =) We have added more tatted bookmarks (and you can custom-request colors and styles that we offer up there) and are offering a lone doily handmade by a dear friend. My first thoughts after seeing them were, "Her work is professional!"

If any of our readers have quality items that you think might sell in our shop, we may be interested in buying wholesale from you! Please feel free to e-mail us!

Visit the shop at: http://www.ajoyfulhandmaiden.com/NewShop.html

Win an apron for a cheaper price!

We like put some things on ebay every now and then. And right now, we have our all-time favorite apron up for only $20! If you like aprons, you'll be sure to like this one full of old-fashioned charm! See it listed here: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZstringsftkQQhtZ-1

Hint of History

I can't tell you how delighted I was to hear that my friend, sister in the Lord, and fellow seamstress has finally opened up a business! Her creativing and ability to put those ideas into patterns and gowns is continually inspiring me. I think you'll enjoy browising her site: http://www.hintofhistory.com

The Return of the Apron...

...I have heard the apron called an icon of the past, so where did it go? With the dawn of the women’s liberation movement, more and more jobs became available to women, and women slowly began to leave their homes. There was no longer a need for feminine fashion statements that had such close ties to the home and hearth. There was no time to bake or entertain--no time at home to do many of the things women once enjoyed doing. Many of the homemaking skills like cooking, baking, sewing, and even cleaning were looked upon as drudgery. We hired maids, cooks, and childcare professionals to do our jobs for us, and the skills of the home manager were all but lost. Our young maidens no longer had moms at home to teach them how to be homemakers, so they, in turn, went off to work, too. You could say, “We’ve come a long way baby”, but I think we have been traveling in the wrong direction...

Read the full article here:http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/artman/publish/article_2290.shtml

We here at our little "cottage industry" love wearing aprons! Other than our own (www.ajoyfulhandmaiden.com/NewAprons) here are a few other modest apparel sites that offer some nice aprons that you might enjoy:

www.thekingsdaughters.com

This has been the moment we've been waiting for! =)

PTL, we have nearly everything up on our new website: http://www.ajoyfulhandmaiden.com/! We didn't think it would take this long, but since we've never done anything like it before, it has been a total learning experience! Not everything is up yet (our Nearly New section, Resource Shop, Photo Gallery and such) but we are working on it, and if there is anything that you want to see from those sections, please feel free head back over to the Geocities site. We will keep up a few of those pages until everything gets transferred. For now, just continue sending e-mails to this address until we get our other e-mail addresses set up.

We also have out 2006 catalog finished, and will be sending that out once we get our catalog made up (we have the masters done, just need to get them copied). If you have ordered from us this past year, you will receive a catalog. Any extras will cost $1 per catalog. We will continue to include a free one with each order you purchase unless you specify more on your order form.

Spring Special!

We are coming closer to the final stages of our website and our catalog is all finished except for our photo insert page! We haven't had the time make extra apparel for taking pictures, so if any of you have pictures of you/your daughters wearing apparel ordered from us, we'd love to see them and add them in our catalog so we can get them sent out!

We couldn't wait any longer though to let you know of a couple new Tropical Breeze fabrics that we are offering. We will offer them though April 10th and then will offer them again when we get our website up, but hopefully we can get everything up by then! =)

See the new TB fabrics here: http://www.geocities.com/ajoyfulhandmaiden/Specials and order like you normally would.

Frumpy clothes?

The other day, I received this comment, "I like how your homemade clothes are not frumpy. Seems that it can be easy to make a homemade dress look frumpy...if you know what I mean."

That is one thing that we have desired not to wear is frumpy, wrinkled, faded clothing. Not only does it have an appearance of disorderliness, but it can also turn people away when it looks like you just "came from the barn." Don't get me wrong, there is a time and place to wear dirty, faded demin, as I have a denim jumper that I wear a lot for working, cleaning, etc and as far as the statement, "came from the barn" -- I love animals and old barns! But the Bible does say that all things should be done decently and in order (see 1 Cor. 14:40) and though it isn't talking about clothing, I do believe that we could definately apply this verse to what our appearance looks like!

Men still respect the presence of a woman

I found this out once again this morning at work...

You know those airfilled balloon-like toys for children to sit on that make those unpleasant noises? We must have had one of those back in the little room where all the general merchandise is stocked - toys, cleaning supplies, pet food, batteries, and etc. As I was going back to stocking in this little area, I saw a grown man playing around with one and laughing. Another customer (I'm not sure if they were shopping together or what) said with command and sterness of voice, "Hey, quit doing that. There are ladies present in here" or something along that line. I should have said "thankyou" to the man who asked the other guy to stop, but I was once again amazed, and yet felt to honored to have been respected like that.

Had I have looked more like a man or wore man's apparel, I have to wonder if that would have been said? I had to silently thank the Lord for making me a woman and for giving me the joy and the delight in dressing in a feminine, modest way that would be a testimony to others!

Some great articles on modesty and femininity!

http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/artman/publish/article_2133.shtml/

http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/artman/publish/article_508.shtml

We are still working on our website and catalog. It has taken us long than expected. Thanks so much for your patience! Our e-mail was down for a a couple weeks (not sure why!) and so if you e-mailed us within the last month and never received a reply, we apologize for that! It seems to be working fine now.