Ambrosia Delights

I'm Crying As It Goes

2008-07-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm not really crying. I'm actually rejoicing! I've been cleaning out our elder son's room, and that means getting rid of a lot of fabric. I'm in the mode of "if you haven't used it in a year...if you don't think you're going to use it in the coming year, get rid of it!!!". So, I'm selling off my fabric! I have a LOT of fabric! We're talking something like 6-8 Rubbermaid tubs full. What I am selling off fills two laundry baskets. Can you believe it??? I used to have about 14 tubs of fabric, so I think I'm doing pretty well.

Anyways, in my Ambrosia Delights Etsy shop, I have begun listing fabric to destash, so that we can make room for our new little guy (who's already here, but he keeps getting more gifts from our lovely friends and loved ones), and to raise money for his adoption fees.

Here's some of what's there:

We're Closing Shop and Destashing!!!

2008-06-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

We are a little sad to announce that we are closing our "Ambrosia Delights" shop. We have not had a whole lot of business there, and we just got a 19 month old boy whom we are hoping to adopt, SO, we think that it would be best to shut down the Ambrosia Delights shop, and just keep the Rio Oso Designs shop open, and keep doing the blog (The Downtown Boutique).

We are making room for our new little guy, and we are also trying to raise money for the adoption fees (appx. $500), so we are having a "Destash for Cash/Going Out of Business Sale".

We have marked everything down by 10%, and we also have a LOAD of fabric that we are destashing. I also have a ton of patterns that I will try to list if I can. I am not sure I want to list everything if it's just not going to sell. So, if you're interested, please come on over to my shop:

Ambrosia Delights

God bless,
Angie

We're Celebrating 100 Posts on The Downtown Boutique

2008-06-19T12:07:00.001-07:00

Hello! It's Thursday, and life has been a little busy for us lately! With a new 19 month old boy in our home, whom we are hoping to adopt, our lives have been turned a bit topsy-turvy. So now we have a teenager and a toddler!! We also babysit a 2-1/2 year old boy, but his last day is this week, so I'm a bit relieved.

Thank you all for your prayers for and comments about precious Lilly. She is a little 9 month old girl at our church, who has leukemia. She has been in and out of the hospital since mid-December. She has two older brothers, and her momma and daddy, who have really felt the pain and stress of this illness. We encourage you to continue to pray for them all.

I wanted to let you know about a wonderful giveaway we are doing on our other blog, The Downtown Boutique. We are celebrating our 100th post by giving away 10 wonderful prizes! I hope that you will take a moment to stop by over there and visit.

Also, I'm sure noticed the change in appearance here on this blog. I have been doing some experimenting, and I'd love to know what you think of the new appearance. If you're interested in a "face-lift" of sorts for your blog, please email me and we'll talk!

Oh! I also wanted to mention that I have quite a bit of girls' "boutique clothing" that I have sewn, hanging in our new son's closet. I would LOVE to sell it, so that we can have space for his things. I will post some photos here of the things I have. If you are interested in any of them or would like to know sizes, please let me know. We live in a tiny two bedroom apartment with all four of us, so we really need to make some space!

***********************************************

****************************************

*****************************************

***********************************************

***************************************************

Have a great day!

Angie

An Update on Lilly, As Of June 3, 2008

2008-06-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's been a while since I've done an update on Lilly, because our life has just been a little crazy. Since we now have a little 18 month old boy, whom we are hoping to adopt, our lives have been turned a little upside down. But we love it.

Here is the update in the words of Lilly's Mom:

Lilly has a big day today.....the boys and I are taking Lilly to the surgery center where she will be getting a bone marrow biopsy and a spinal tap where they inject chemo into her spinal fluid. When that is all done we will all go to the clinic where she will be getting two different kinds of chemo pushed through her main line. Then to top off the day she will get a dose of steroids, which she will have to take twice daily for five days. Not much fun. Lilly has been doing great the last few days. She's been eating well, and sleeping through the night by herself in her room, which is big!! Her gift for being loud has only increased, which makes us all laugh. It also makes dinner time an experience due to the boys thinking they can be loud as well!! I wouldn't change any of it, it's good to be home!!Please pray for Lilly that she will make it through today with good spirits, along with the boys and me. Also that her bone marrow biopsy will come back clear and cancer free. As always please pray that God would give Lilly total and complete healing. I will update you all later this week to let you all know how our day went.

Thank you for praying for this precious one. We saw Lilly and her family in church on Sunday and we were thrilled with how good Lilly looked!

God bless,
Angie

Patriotic Minnie 5 Piece Outfit in Size 4/5

2008-04-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

This one of a kind outfit includes a very full, elastic waistband twirl skirt embellished with red ric rac and patriotic colored buttons, comfy elastic waistband crop pants, an appliqued tank top (with a removable bow---easy for washing!), and 2 gorgeous boutique hairbows to match.

Only one available!

$100.00

Update on Lilly as of April 22, 2008

2008-04-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest update from Lilly's mommy:

Yea it's all done!!! Lilly finished her last dose of high methotrexate. We were able to come home on Sunday afternoon. At this time she seems to be doing pretty good. Her bottom looks great!!! (thank you to all who have been praying) Her mouth sores seem to be okay but I can tell that more are coming.

The plan for now is to wait for her counts to come up than we go in for five days of chemo. We've had this type of chemo before and she seems to do pretty well. We have only six more hospital stays and we all can't wait for the day when we can do only clinic visits.

Please pray for Lilly, I think she might be coming down with a cold. We just need her cold free before she starts her next round of chemo. The next round of chemo will make her counts zero, so really important that she gets rid of any flu bugs.I will update again when I know when we will go back to the hospital. Thank you again for your continue support and prayers.

Update on Lilly -- March 13, 2008

2008-03-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Another prayer request...

Lilly's Mommy took Lilly into the Dr. yesterday after noticing a little mound on her stomach. It was diagnosed by the Dr. to be a hernia. This appears to be unrelated to the cancer or chemo at this point. Today when they get to the hospital they will be getting an ultrasound to further diagnose this and determine a treatment plan.

The huge prayer request now is that they will find a treatment for it that won't require surgery. If Lilly needs surgery it will delay her chemo treatment, cause another risk for infection, and all the other scary things that come along with surgery. Her little body has been through enough, so lets pray that there is another alternative. The good news is that it isn't infected, and it doesn't seem to be causing her any pain.

The plan today was to start phase 3 of her chemo, and for her to have a spinal tap and a bone marrow draw to make sure she's still in remission. I will send another update today or tomorrow when they know what the next plan is. Please continue to pray hard for this little girl!!! I know this will all be over soon for them, but it can feel like an eternity when you're in the middle of it. Keep praying for everyone to stay strong.

Thank you for continuing to pray for this sweet little baby from our church. I know that God has been working miracles in her life, and we will continue to pray.

Angie

Want to win this fabulous Cupcake Taggie Blankie?

2008-03-07T15:35:00.000-08:00

Then head on over to The Downtown Boutique, where we are taking entries for the blankie until Monday night at midnight!

While you're there, be sure to enter to win some of the great giveaways from The Ultimate Blog Party!

Want to know more about ME? Then head over to my THIRD blog and read about me.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Baby Lilly, the precious sweetheart from our church. She is not 100% out of the woods yet, and she and her family could definitely still use your prayers.

Have a blessed day!

Angie

Update on Lilly -- February 19, 2008

2008-02-19T08:07:00.000-08:00

Lilly's Mommy and Lilly came home last Tuesday for a few days. They were supposed to go back to the hospital tomorrow for another round of chemo, but they ended up heading back in on Saturday because Lilly had an infection in her toe. They wanted to get her started on antibiotics so it would have a chance to heal before her chemo begins. She is done with the methotrexate for this round (this is the chemo that causes the mouth sores), but the one she will begin tomorrow is the one that drops her counts low and causes her to feel nauseous and awful. She will recieve it everyday for 5 days, and then will be able to go home. They are encouraged that she handled this last one so well because she really is becoming stronger and healthier, but they are worried about this next one dragging her down. She has been so happy and full of smiles and giggles, so it will be hard to watch her get really sick again. The hard thing about this is that it takes 7-10 days for the side effects of the chemo to really set in, so Lilly's Mommy will be at home with her when this happens. The biggest concern is her developing an infection or a fever while she is at home. Her immune system will be very susceptible, so we need to pray for the health of her family, and for her little toe and bottom to heal before then. Also, that she would continue to gain weight. She is almost up to 12 pounds now, and that is their goal for her.

Please also continue to pray for the boys. Lilly's youngest brother especially is having a very hard time without his mom, and cries everytime he has to leave her. Their mommy is really looking forward to being home with them again full time. It should only be a few more months of these lengthy hospital stays, so pray that it will go quickly for them. Lilly really is doing much better, and thankfully there isn't much to report on a daily basis, but thank you for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers! It has been so amazing to see the change in her, and watch God continue to heal her tiny body! Thank you again to all who are praying and helping this family out!

Valentine's Day Dessert--Chocolate Parfaits

2008-02-14T22:31:00.000-08:00

I have not blogged for awhile, unless it's been about Lilly. So now it's time to do another recipe post. I found this one on MyRecipes.com You can print the recipe here.

Ingredients
1 (1.4-oz.) package fat-free, sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 (8-oz.) container fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
3/4 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs (4 cracker sheets)
1 tablespoon freshly grated chocolate

Preparation
1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a bowl until blended and smooth. Fold in 1 1/2 cups whipped topping.
2. Spoon 1 Tbsp. crumbs into each of 6 (4-oz.) glasses, and top with 1/3 cup pudding mixture. (I also used the whipped cream as a layer.) Repeat layers with remaining crumbs and pudding mixture. Top each parfait evenly with remaining whipped topping and grated chocolate. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Yield
Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 196(22% from fat); FAT 4.6g (sat 2.3g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 4.9g; CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 101mg; SODIUM 306mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.8g

Margaret Groves, Northport, Alabama ,
Southern Living, JULY 2006

February 8th, 2008--Update on Lilly

2008-02-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

Lilly at Christmas

From Daddy and Mommy:

Lilly's mouth is doing much better and we are going back tonight for her next dose of methotrexate. Our hope is that we will be in the hospital for five days and able to come home for a couple of days and then back again for another dose of chemo that will last five days. That should complete phase two of treatment.

Lilly is doing well and aside from having a sore mouth this last week. She was still smiling and she even giggled for the first time!! Our prayer is that Lilly will handle the methotrexate with little side effects. (this is the one that causes terrible mouth sores.) Also that she will be able to keep her weight up and of course no infections, fevers, or trips to the ICU!!!

Thank you again to everyone that has helped us out. Your support means so much to us. Knowing that all of you are behind us and praying for us makes this difficult time easier to bear.

This is our family life verse: 'I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

In Him,

Lilly's Family

Update on Lilly--February 1st, 2008

2008-02-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

Lilly and her mommy were able to come home on Tuesday of this last week for a couple days. They went back to the hospital yesterday for another spinal tap and round of chemo for Lilly. The doctors made the decision today to hold off on her next dose of Methotrexate that she was supposed to get today (this is the strong chemo drug that causes the mouth sores) because her mouth sores are already getting really bad. They are sending them home today, and will have them come back on Monday to begin treatment again if Lilly is well enough. Please pray that Lilly's sores would heal by then, and that they would have a good weekend together as a family. She is also starting to throw up some, but her bottom is looking better. Continue to pray for this wonderful family, and Lilly's protection from these awful side effects.

The Greatest Miracles Come in the Smallest Packages

2008-01-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

UPDATE AS OF 01/17/08:

Happy 4 month birthday Lilly! Mommy and Lilly were able to return home yesterday as scheduled! Praise God! They are both doing well, just pretty tired. The plan is for Lilly to go back to the hospital next Thursday where she will stay for 5 days for an intensive chemo treatment. Then if all goes well she will return home for a couple days, and then back for 5 more and another treatment. This is the next phase of her treatment called the consolidation phase.
There are a couple praises to share! The results from her bone marrow biopsy were in today. The Dr.s had told Lilly's mom that the preliminary report showed no cancer cells, but not to be surprised if they did find some trace when the full report came back- they said that was normal for a trace to remain. Well... praise God, the biopsy was 100% clear! The Dr.s were thrilled and said that was very good news, and that Lilly is responding very well to her chemo! There is probably a pretty good chance that Lilly will not need the bone marrow biopsy afterall, but we still need to pray that the Dr.s will make a wise decision based on what's best for her!
Also, when Lilly left the hospital on Wednesday, she was under 10 lbs. and the Dr.s were concerned about her weight loss. She won't take a bottle, and they were concerned that she wasn't getting enough calories through nursing. When Lilly's mom took her in this morning she had gained 3 ounces overnight! Please continue to pray that she would eat well and continue to gain weight, and that her rash on her bottom will clear up before her chemo next week. Please pray also that she will be safe and stay healthy when she is home- that the boys and everyone else would stay healthy too. Lilly still has a long way to go, but it's just so nice to see her smiling and healthy again. This picture above was just taken on Monday night, and she was such a happy, smily girl! One of Lilly's brothers told me today that she is smiling for him a lot! What a blessing. Pray that her body will be stronger for the chemo this time and that it won't make her as sick as before. Continue to pray for Lilly's mom and dad as well that they will continue to eat well and get rested! Pray for Grandma K. as she leaves on Saturday to return home, and for Lilly's daddy's dad, who is coming for a few weeks on Saturday. Lilly's mom and dad are very fortunate to have such a loving family to help them out at this time! This long road continues, but God's love extends further than we can imagine! He is faithful and he does hear our prayers! I know there area lot of prayers going up (especially today), and there are already praises to share! What a miracle. Thank you all for your faithfulness in prayer for this family.

Thank you SO much for your prayers!

Angie

News on Lilly

2008-01-16T16:39:00.000-08:00

Hello friends, prayer warriors, those we don't even know. I spoke with a good friend of Lilly's family today to get an update. Tomorrow, our church will be having a day of prayer, focusing on Lilly and her family, so I wanted to get specific things to pray for. I hope that you will join us in prayer.

Lilly is losing and has lost weight, and weighed in at just under 10 pounds as she was released from the hospital today. She is four months old as of tomorrow (January 17), and her family is praying that she can gain weight before she goes back in for another chemo treatment next week. Her mom is concerned that she is not producing enough milk for Lilly, which is likely because she herself is not getting enough to eat, and enough rest. So please pray for strength and weight gain for Lilly and for her mommy.

Lilly still has a bad diaper rash, which has slowly been getting better as the white blood cell count has increased. She still has open sores though, so please pray for complete healing there as well. She really needs the diaper rash to go away before next week, when she will get her largest dose ever of chemo (Thursday, Jan. 24th). She will be in the hospital for 5 days, home for 2 days, and then back in for another 5 days for more chemo. Her hair will likely start falling out after the big dose on the 24th.

Lilly's mom and dad will be getting the final biopsy on the bone marrow tomorrow, January 17th. This will determine how clear the marrow is, and whether or not they will need to do a bone marrow transfer. They will also be finding out in the next few days whether or not one or both of Lilly's brothers are a match for bone marrow donation. Please pray that the biopsy comes back in a very positive manner, and that there will be no need for a transfer. If there is a need for the transfer, please pray that one of Lilly's brothers will be a match.

Please pray for Lilly's mommy and daddy to be in high spirits, to feel the comfort and peace that only God can give. Pray for them to have patience with and time for the boys. Pray for Lilly's mommy, who has not been taking good care of herself...not eating well, and not sleeping well.

Please pray for the boys and the rest of the family to stay healthy so that they can keep the germs at bay, to reduce the chance of additional infection.

Again, I want to thank you so much for your prayers, on behalf of Lilly and her family. God is faithful and He is sovereign. We pray that this will all be to His glory.

God bless,

Angie

A HUGE Praise for Baby Lilly--God is Faithful!!!

2008-01-14T19:49:00.000-08:00

"Well... we prayed for a miracle, and that's exactly what we got! It was confirmed today that Lilly is in remission!!!! The cancer is gone in her blood, spinal fluid and bone marrow. Lilly's Mommy and Daddy went through one of the hardest weekends of their lives, but it wasn't all for nothing. God has revealed himself to them, and Lilly's Mommy knows in her heart that this is indeed a miracle: the result of the prayers of so many, and the grace of God. Needless to say, Mom, Dad, and Lilly are all doing much better now. Lilly's counts are all climbing, her sores are healing, and Mom's spirits are lifting. Right now it looks like Mom and Lilly may be able to go home as soon as Wednesday. Then they will begin the 2nd phase of her treatment which will most likely involve bi-weekly trips back to the hospital for chemo, but hopefully no hospital stays. The bone marrow transplant is still a possibility for the future, but they can now wait until she is 6 months old like they wanted to. Continue to pray for that, as well as her future health- she still has a very long road ahead of her! And pray for their journey at home- it will be a very scary time for Mom to leave the hospital with her and be without the constant monitoring.

I can't say enough wonderful things about all of you and the blessing you've been to them through your prayers and words of encouragement. Our church (Rolling Hill's Community Church in Danville), is having a day of prayer for Lilly on January 17th (which is also Lilly's 4 month birthday) and I would urge anyone who is willing to join with us- in person or in spirit. Thank you!"

Thanks to Rachel who has so faithfully kept us updated on Lilly's condition. Please don't stop praying everyone! Thank you ALL for your prayers!
Angie

2 New Updates on Lilly

2008-01-13T20:14:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 12, 2008:

Lilly's Mom asked me to leave an update tonight. There was not much new information today, but they did find out that there is a VERY small chance that these 'blasts' they are finding in her blood may be caused by the bone marrow and not Leukemia. Apparently when the bone marrow is fighting or working hard it can put out some little blasts that look similar to the Leukemia. I'm sure I'm not explaining this correctly as I don't fully understand it myself, but what I'm trying to say is that there is a glimmer of hope that this could be a false alarm. Please pray extra hard that this may be the case. They will get a confirmation on Monday as to what is causing this!

Continue to pray for her Mommy and Daddy. Her Mom will probably be upset that I'm telling you this, but she really isn't holding up very well right now. She has lost a lot of weight, and is not sleeping or eating well. We really need to pray that she will have the emotional strength to take care of herself right now. The kids and their Daddy really need her to be strong! Pray especially that they will have hope. I know Mommy feels sometimes like she just can't do this anymore, and she's really losing hope in Lilly's recovery. It's very hard to remain strong and optimistic under the conditions and news that they've been dealing with. (I can't speak as much for Daddy because I'm not talking with him as much, but of course he really needs your prayers too). Lilly's Mommy actually came home from the hospital for the first time to sleep at home tonight, and her mom stayed at the hospital with Lilly. It has been 1 month now since this all began, and she hasn't had anything even near a good nights sleep. I think its wonderful that she was able to come home for a night, and hopefully a good night's sleep will refresh her a bit for the week ahead. She will head back first thing in the morning.

I haven't heard too much about how Lilly is doing today, but I know her WBC counts are still low, and she does have a horrible diaper rash right now with some open sores. Lilly's Mommy requested specific prayer that this would heal before they have to begin chemo again. It is the chemo that is burning her bottom, and also the sores are openings for infection to get in so they need to heal before she becomes even more susceptible. I think that's it for tonight. I will definitely write back when anything is confirmed. Continue to pray for the bone marrow testing as well- her biopsy is Monday and the boys are being tested tomorrow.

It warms my heart everytime I get on this website and see how many visitors are checking in! I remember how excited I was on day 2 to tell Lilly's Mommy that 35 people had checked in! It is amazing to me that over 100 people a day are checking in on Lilly now. Your love, prayers, and support mean more to them than anything. They do have internet access in their room now and she can check here often, so continue to leave comments in the guestbook. I know it really encourages them to read your notes!

Sunday, January 13, 2008:

I just wanted to leave another quick journal update that is on more of a positive note. While there isn't much new information, and her Leukemia is likely still back, I just wanted to pass on some good news. Lilly is doing really well today. She is off of the morphine, eating well, her color is good, and she's smiling! Lilly's Mommy's spirits are definitely lifted today. She really felt all of your prayers and is feeling hopeful and comforted again. Some of Lilly's labwork came back today and her WBC count, her nutrafill count, and one other one, have jumped up considerably (which is great!) The Dr's are baffled because if her Leukemia is back, this shouldn't be happening. I got chills when Lilly's Mommy told me that, because when the Dr's are baffled it means that God is busy doing something they don't understand! I love it! While there still may not be good news for them tomorrow, we know that God is in control and is working in her little body. I will be going to see here tonight and will try to get some pictures to post. Keep praying- it's working!
Happy Birthday to Lilly's Daddy!

Thanks for taking the time to read, and to pray.
God bless,
Angie

PLEASE Pray for Lilly This Weekend...URGENT!

2008-01-11T22:13:00.000-08:00

Lilly's mom and dad received the devastating news tonight that Lilly's Leukemia has returned. She had been in remission now for a couple weeks with no cancer cells in her blood, but after a week without any chemo they have returned. This was absolutely their biggest fear, and Mom and Dad are both devastated. Also, they just found out yesterday from the bone marrow Dr. that the type of cancer Lilly has is one of the hardest kinds to treat, which isn't what they were previously told (apparently there's a big difference between infant ALL and childhood ALL). Needless to say, they are very discouraged and they all need your prayers right now more than ever. The bone marrow transfer is now going to happen for sure, and she will have her biopsy on Monday (she didn't have it today because her counts were too low). The boys will be tested on Sunday, so we really need to pray that one of them will be a match. They wanted to hold off on the transfer until Lilly was 6 months old so she would be bigger and stronger, but it doesn't look like they'll be able to wait now. Continue to pray for Lilly's cancer, but please lift Mom and Dad and the boys up as well. Their spirits are really low, and they need to feel the peace and comfort that only Jesus can give them right now. Thank you all for your diligent prayers. I will leave another update tomorrow as soon as I get more information.

January 9th, 2008 Update on Lilly

2008-01-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

Please continue to pray for Lilly! It is a possibility that she may be coming down with another infection. It looked like she was getting an infection around her chest tube today so they took cultures to have it tested, and tonight she came down with a low-grade fever. The fever has subsided for now, but please pray that this is not a serious infection and that she won't have to make another journey to the PICU! Other than that she is doing okay- she's thrown up a bit and been pretty fussy as a result of her treatment on Friday, but her mommy has been able to nurse her, so that is a praise. A couple days ago she even got a few of the really sweet smiles you've been praying for! Hopefully she will be seeing more of them soon.

Friday she will have another bone marrow biopsy which will help determine whether the transplant will be necessary or not. Her brothers are getting tested on Saturday to see if they are compatible donors, so be in prayer for that- that one of them will be a match for her, and that the experience won't be too scary for them (it's just a blood draw, but with all that is going on they may be a bit traumatized).

Continue to pray for her two brothers as well. They are REALLY missing their mom and crying out for her. Dad is back to work this week, so he's been able to be home with them in the evenings, but they've only seen Mom a handful of times in the last month. Continue to pray for Dad at work, and Mom alone in the hospital. I will try to keep you updated in the next day or two of any new developments.

Thanks again for all of your prayers. This family really can use them right now!

Have a blessed day and thanks for reading!

Angie

January 7, 2008 Update on Baby Lilly

2008-01-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

Here is the most recent update for Lilly. Please know that all of your prayers are REALLY appreciated!!

Lilly is still recovering from her last chemo treatment on Friday. She is starting to throw up again, and her mouth sores have gotten so bad that she is bleeding in her mouth. Please continue to pray for her pain level. She is still on morphine which helps a bit to make her more comfortable, but we all want to see her awake and happy once again. She will be chemo and steroid free now for awhile, so pray that these side effects will subside soon. Also, continue to pray that her blood and cells would grow back cancer free!
Lilly's Daddy is returning to work this week, so please pray for him as well that he will be able to concentrate on his work, and stay safe on the job. Pray for Lilly's Mommy as she will be alone a lot more now. She would really like to go home soon- she misses her home and her boys, so keep that in your prayers as well.
In my attempt to keep you all updated, I know it always sounds like "pray for this", "pray for that", and sometimes I forget to mention the praises and thanks to our Lord that I should. It's sometimes hard to remember in the midst of all this that He is in control and He does hold her tiny body in His hands. He is healing her and bringing her through this, and we need to remember this even through her suffering. Stay strong baby Lilly! We are ALL praying for you!

Thank you and God bless,

Angie

Current Update on Lilly

2008-01-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I have been pretty sick over the last few weeks and just have not had the energy to post.

Here is the most current update on Baby Lilly, as of today, January 4th, 2008:

Lilly had the last chemo of her induction phase today! They will now monitor her for a couple weeks to see if her cells will grow back cancer free. She has been keeping food down, so that's a big praise! They did reinsert the feeding tube because she is having a hard time eating because of her sores, and she is sleeping a lot from her medication, so now she will still get nourishment even when she can't wake to eat. The tube definitely bothers her, but it's probably the best thing right now.
They will probably make a decision next week on whether or not she will need a bone marrow transplant. Right now they are making it sound pretty likely- I think it's a pretty standard course of action based on the cancer she has, but because she has responded so well to the treatment they are reconsidering. Please pray that if it is in her best interest that it can be avoided, but if they choose to go ahead with it, continue to pray that one of her brothers will be a match for her. They did find out that the radiation associated with the transfer would not be as horrible as they were previously told, so that is good news. However, there will still be some risks and long term side effects , so be in prayer for that as well.
Again, thank you all for praying. Your prayers mean so much to their family, and we can definitely see them working! I believe that God is being glorified through all of this, and that he is pleased when He sees His children unite together for a common cause!

Thanks for your prayers. I know that Lilly and her family are in God's hands, and they would appreciate knowing that so many are praying for them.

URGENT Prayer Request

2007-12-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

We have an urgent prayer request for a family at our church. After having problems conceiving this precious little one...this family had a baby girl in September. We found out that Baby Lily was just diagnosed with leukemia. We don't know all of the details, but I know they would appreciate your prayers. This family has two other little boys who are staying with another family at church (who has four boys of their own!). Please pray for all involved that God's peace will reign supreme, and that they will feel God's love and the comforting of the Holy Spirit, no matter the outcome.

Thank you and God bless,
Angie

UPDATE ON LILY: Lily is currently in the hospital...a Children's Hospital. She is currently having a minor surgery to put a permanent IV tube in her chest to make blood draws and med delivery easier. They are also testing her bone marrow and doing a spinal tap at the same time.

They are still not sure what kind of leukemia she has. She did have a blood transfusion last night, with extra platelets, because her platelets are low (platelets are for clotting). She will probably be in the hospital at least a month. Her mom and dad will pretty much be staying with her during that time. Please continue to pray for them, and for the two little boys (I think they're 2 and 3 years old). Please pray that the dad's work will be ok with the necessary time off to be with his baby girl. Please pray for the family who is taking care of the two little boys.

2nd UPDATE (12/17/07):
Our friend Rachel, who is a good friend of Lilly's family gave us an update on Lilly:

From Rachel:
I went up to see Lilly last night, and she is doing pretty well. Her chemo is working, so that's encouraging. On Thursday night when she first got to the hospital her white blood cell count was 195,000, and now it's down to 1! That's very encouraging, but again it makes her very susceptible to infections, so continue to pray for her health. She has been experiencing some nausea and fussiness as side effects from her treatments, so she is taking some morphine and other medications to counteract these side effects. She had a chemo treatment yesterday, and will most likely have another one tomorrow and maybe the next day. Another prayer request is that the cancer would continue to respond well to the chemo so that a bone marrow transplant could be avoided. If she needs a transplant, she would have to have radiation which has some very serious long-term repercussions. Please continue to pray for Lilly's Mom and Dad as well. It has been hard for them to see her so uncomfortable and in pain, and they are running on very little sleep right now. They are so thankful to all of your for your prayers and support. They can definitely feel the love flowing towards them, and they are encouraged by all of you!

PLEASE continue to pray for little Lilly and for her family.
Thank you,
Angie

The History Behind Some Favorite Christmas Traditions

2007-12-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

Have you every wondered how the Christmas tree tradition got started? Or how about getting presents? Hanging stockings? Putting lights on the Christmas tree? Here are two really neat broadcasts from Family Life Today with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine, where they discuss with author, Ace Collins, the history behind some favorite Christmas traditions.

Before You Wish and Old-Fashioned Christmas

Decking the Halls

Thanks for looking, and God bless!
Angie

How to Make Fantasy Fudge

2007-12-06T18:18:00.001-08:00

Have you always wanted to show your candy-making skills off? Oh, you mean you don't have candy-making skills? Well, have you ever wanted to make your friends and family think that you have some smokin' candy-making skills? Have you ever wanted to make fudge and think that it's way too complicated? Well, with the help of a few brand name products, I am here to make this very easy for you. Let's get started.

#1: Jelly roll pans from Costco make GREAT fudge pans! Or you can use a regular ol' 9x13 pan.
#2: Take some butter (yes, REAL butter!) and coat 1/2 of the Costco jelly roll pan (up the sides too), or all of the 9x13 pan with a light coating of butter.

#3: You can either hold the butter inside a sandwich sized ziploc bag (to keep from getting all messy) and coat away, OR.........

..................you can use the butter wrapper to spread the butter around. I have put an aluminum foil "wall" up, anchored with some heavy butter knives. This will help my fudge to not spread out more than I want it to. Since it is one batch, you will only need 1/2 of the jelly roll pan. DO NOT try to do two batches at the same time...it won't work well! Not unless you have a pot the size of a candy-maker's fudge cooking pot!!!

#4: Gather together all your ingredients. If you have them all ready (and opened), it makes things so much easier.

Take 1 jar of KRAFT Jet-Puffed marshmallow creme, 1 twelve ounce bag of Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips, 2/3 cup of evaporated milk (ok, so I didn't get so picky on the brand name on this one), some yummy REAL vanilla (yep, that's Mexican vanilla in the economy size!), and 3/4 cup (or 1&1/2 sticks) of REAL butter (no margarine!!!!!!! no fakes!!!!!!!!).

#5: Also get 3 cups of sugar. Yeah, brand name doesn't matter too much on this one. But it really should be white, refined sugar (like C&H).

#6: OK, now listen closely, because this part is really important. Use a HEAVY Dutch oven (but probably not cast iron), preferrably one made by Club. This will keep your sugar and other ingredients from scorching! As you can see, mine has taken quite its share of knocks. But hey, it's good to me! And it's perfect for making candy and even popcorn!

#7: Now here comes the recipe part. Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in the dutch oven. Turn the burner on to MEDIUM HEAT. Don't get impatient and turn the heat higher or you will end up with burnt or grainy fudge.

#8: Here is where you should be going to the gym and working out. One, because you're making FUDGE for Pete's sake!!!! And two, because you will need to stir continuously to keep your ingredients from burning.

#9: Keep stirring constantly, being sure to scrape the sides of the pan. You will be able to feel the sugar dissolving in the milk and butter.

Once your concoction has begun to boil (It will take a little while to get to boiling point. You don't want to rush it, or your sugar will not dissolve, and your fudge will be grainy. Also your milk will burn!), you will need to start the timer, and boil the fudge for 5 minutes (no more and no less!!!!).

#10: When the 5 minutes is up, take your pot off of the burner, and add the chocolate chips, while stirring.

#11: Then add the marshmallow cream.

#12: Stir very quickly until mixture is thoroughly combined. This MUST be hand-stirred. Do not mix with an electric mixer or you could whip too much air into the fudge.

#13: Once everything is mixed thoroughly, your mixture will look like this:

#14: At this point, you will add your teaspoon of vanilla and stir well. This all must be done as quickly as possible so that your fudge does not begin to set up in the pan.

#15: Once the vanilla is stirred in, you are ready to pour into your pan. You may need to get someone to help you at this point, because the pan will be heavy, and it will be hot. Are you amazed? I actually poured this pan of fudge into my jelly roll pan, WHILE taking the picture!!!

#16: Once you have poured all of the fudge into your buttered pan (go ahead and scrape the sides to get it all.), smooth and even it out. Don't over-smooth. You want a pretty, swirly pattern, and you want your fudge to look smooth and glossy...not old and wrinkled.

#17: Here is what your final product should look like:

#18: Give it a couple of hours to cool and set up. Do NOT put it into the refrigerator to set up, or you will have sticky fudge that has condensated, because of the moisture in the fridge.

Now it is time to cut and serve up to your friends and family.

But WAIT!!!! Here is the best part of all:

If you work it right, you should have a good spoonful of leftover fudge in the pan. Get a spatula, a spoon, whatever...and sample your yummy fudge!!!!

GREAT JOB!!!!!! Now you've got the skills of a true candy-maker!!!!!

Thanks for reading, and God bless!

Angie

BURP! Excuse me!

2007-11-28T20:23:00.000-08:00

OsoBaby is our new line of baby items under the Ambrosia Delights umbrella. We will be featuring these soft flannel burp cloths, as well as cozy blankets, and cute bibs.

Check out these fun burp cloths!

You can find these burp cloths at AmbrosiaDelights.etsy.com.

Here are some very cute and cozy blankets for your little one:

These great baby gifts can be found at AmbrosiaDelights.etsy.com.

God bless and thank you for looking!

Angie

Over the River and Through the Woods

2007-11-09T10:56:00.001-08:00

Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go! Yes, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and we have the perfect little apron for Nana's Little Helper. This apron is one of our newest items in our BRAND NEW Baby and Kid's line! This is an OsoKids original. The neck strap has three buttons so that it can be adjusted to fit. It is made with pre-washed, pre-shrunk 100% cotton and can be washed in any load of laundry you have.

Here is where you can purchase this darling apron:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7765013

Be sure to keep watching for more OsoKids items from Ambrosia Delights.God bless and have a wonderful day!Angie

Calling Out on Etsy

2007-10-16T14:57:00.001-07:00

Well, generally "calling out" is a big no-no on Etsy.com. That is, unless you are calling out in a positive way because you are thrilled with one of your customers, or someone you purchased someone from.

It's my turn to do some calling out to thank some of my customers for purchasing from me. I know I can't possibly name everyone in one post, but I want to try to get quite a few shops on here, so please bear with me.

This is a HUGE THANK YOU to those of you who have helped Rio Oso Designs to succeed as much as it has. I have to say that the first "Thank you" has to go to God, my Father, because without Him, I wouldn't have anything that I have, including the talents and abilities that He has given me to do the things I do. Thank you Lord.

This is the beginning of my thank you list to my customers, beginning in the month of June 2007:

www.handmadebykathy.etsy.com
www.romp.etsy.com
www.sew4uboutique.etsy.com
www.joyceshafer.etsy.com
www.mamaplum.etsy.com
www.hopeandfaith.etsy.com
www.seadreamstudio.etsy.com
www.dindi.etsy.com
www.moneyhon17.etsy.com

Thank you all so much for being my first 9 customers! You started the trend and I really appreciate your business.

On my next blog, I will say thank you to all of my July customers.

God bless and have a great day!

Angie

Time Seems to Just Speed Right By

2007-09-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been nearly two weeks since my last blog entry, and I am supposed to be blogging once a week! But as you all probably already know, life just gets in the way. We have begun the school year again, homeschooling our almost 14 year old son. We are looking for resources to get help with the schooling, because he is a special needs child, and I feel that my teaching abilities have been surpassed already. Yes, there are some things I can do still, because he is still on an elementary level in many subjects, but with business picking up, I definitely need help!

I have also just joined Butterfly Life; a women's fitness center. My first full week was last week, and in the first week, I actually lost about 2.5 pounds! YAY! My body HURTS though, like it hasn't hurt before. Hopefully I will get used to it soon. I really want to get healthy, so it's definitely worth it!

Speaking of business, I just wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of my customers, from both Ambrosia Delights, and from my graphic and paper design shop: Rio Oso Designs. I am thrilled to say that I have sold over 90 banners to fellow Etsians. That is SO exciting for me! In fact, just yesterday, I hit my 100 mark for sales in our Rio Oso Design Shop. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all my wonderful customers!

Oh, and speaking of customers, have you seen the new web ring I belong to? It's called "Aged Vintage Papier", and it's facilitator is Amy of RazzPizazzBoutique.etsy.com. I actually designed her store banner for RPBoutique, and her blog banners! And I am the very first featured artist on her blog! Check it out here: http://agedvintagepapier.blogspot.com/

Well, it's time to get off the computer. My work day is long since over, and I have gone to do my hour at Butterfly Life, so now it's time to relax and watch a movie with my husband and son.

God bless and have a great day!

Angie

Fun & Very Unique Greeting Cards

2007-09-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wish that when you go to buy a greeting card, you could buy one that is one of a kind? Something that no one else can find at Hallmark or Target? I mean, how embarassing is it when you show up at a baby shower and 5 people have given the same card as you???

Well, we have the cure for the greeting card boredom.......Etsy.com! You can find some very beautiful and unique greeting cards there, including in my very own store!

http://www.rioosodesigns.etsy.com/

Check out some of my favorite greeting card shops!

http://www.razzpizazzboutique.etsy.com/

http://www.simplychic.etsy.com/

http://www.madewithcare.etsy.com/

http://www.cljdesigns.etsy.com/

http://www.4prettylittlethings.etsy.com/

http://www.pacokeco.etsy.com/

http://www.creativeapples.etsy.com/

Have fun looking! I know that you will want to buy! You just can't help yourself! Everyone sends birthday cards at least, right?

God bless you and have a great day!

Angie

Shameless Promotion

2007-08-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last several blog postings promoting some GREAT Etsians (www.etsy.com), but today I am shamelessly promoting myself! I am just thrilled with how well my second shop on Etsy has done! It is www.rioosodesigns.etsy.com.

I make banners for Etsy shops, web banners, blog banners, etc. I can also create matching business card designs, matching postcard designs, and much more. Below are examples of some of the banners I have created for fellow Etsians. Numbers 1, 2, 4, & 6 were custom made for those shops. The others were premade and listed in my shop.

I do have over 30 premade banners to choose from, including some on sale! Or you can purchase a custom banner, or even a custom business package where you can get banner, avatar, and business card design.

If you need some more promotional material, you can purchase the package which gets you the banner, avatar, business card design, and postcard design. There are many things to choose, and many ways to get your name out there. I hope that you will choose Rio Oso Designs when you need some great design work done!

I love the colors in this fun little outfit, perfect for back-to-school! The lime green eyelet peasant top goes perfectly with the sweet green apple ruffled pants and the fun hand-embroidered apron! You will also receive with this outfit the matching hairbows, and a tee that says "A is for apple". You can find this outfit at http://www.ambrosiadelights.etsy.com/.

Don't you just love the old-fashioned feel to this dress? I love the girly-girl clothing that keeps them young for just a little longer than the fashion industry today seems to believe. This little outfit is for sale at http://www.ambrosiadelights.etsy.com/. It comes with the peasant style dress, the wide butterfly sash, darling cuffed pants, a sweet little shirred sundress, and the two matching hairbows.

Thank you and have a blessed day!

Angie

I only WISH I were this good!

2007-07-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

I LOVE photography! I love to take pictures. I think I got it from my mom. I can remember everywhere we went when I was a kid, Mom had a camera.

When we lived in Okinawa, we visited Tokyo for about a week. If I remember correctly, we came back with about 80 rolls of film! Yes, that was before digital photography! We're talking about probably 2800 photos from one week in Tokyo!

The second photo you see is the stained glass window of a church in Hanalei on the island of Kauai. I took the photograph from the inside. I thought it was just gorgeous...especially the Greek letters you see on there, standing for the Alpha and the Omega...none other than God Himself.

Well, today I thought I would share some of my favorites from Etsy photograph artists. Check out their shops when you get a chance. There are some GORgeous photos in each one!

While you're in Etsy, please be sure to check out our two shops:

http://www.ambrosiadelights.etsy.com/

http://www.rioosodesigns.etsy.com/

Have a blessed day!

Angie

It's a Girl!

2007-07-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've had baby girls on the brain. No, we don't have a baby girl, and no I'm not pregnant. But we REALLY, REALLY want a baby girl. We are praying for a baby girl either through our own pregnancy or through adoption. So when we do get our baby girl, I will definitely know where to go shopping! At Etsy.com of course!

Check out these sweet little items for the baby girls. Each picture has the shop name on it, so all you have to do is type in the http://www.(storename).etsy.com/.

And don't forget to look at our own Etsy shop for some darling things for girls, boys, and even mamas! www.ambrosiadelights.etsy.com

Well, it FEELS like Monday!

2007-07-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, it's not Monday...but I'm going to go ahead and post anyway. It feels like Monday, because we just had the last two days off!

If you know me at all, you would know that my favorite colors are blues and greens. Yes, I do like pink an awful lot too, but my faves are blues and greens. So I have decided to do my Etsy feature on items that have those gorgeous colors! So when you want to see these talented people's shops, just go to Etsy.com and a username search and type in their name.

Happy day after the 4th of July!

God bless and have a great day!

Angie

A Friend's Wedding--and a Few Firsts for our Family

2007-07-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

WOW! It's been a really fast two weeks! So much has been going on in our household, that I forgot to even post last Monday!

I wanted to quickly share with you some fun firsts that happened with our family this weekend. One of my husband's best friends from elementary school got married this weekend, and guess who was the pastor who married them? My husband! He was ordained by our church pastor and was honored to be able to marry his good friend Todd off to a wonderful woman, Linda. This is the first time my husband has officiated a wedding.

While we were at the wedding, we got to experience another WONDERFUL first: my husband and I danced together! Well, we've danced together in our living room, but that doesn't really count, right? We had such a wonderful time dancing together; so romantic and sweet. My husband is the love of my life and my very best friend, so this was an awesome first for us!

And last, but certainly not least, our 13 year old son had his first dance with a girl! Awwwww, it just made my heart swell...he looked so handsome! He danced with the bride's 13 year old daughter. I was dancing with my hubby, so I hope someone else got a picture! I also was honored to dance with my son. He is a heart and stroke patient, but he can get out there and move!!! It was such a blessing to be able to dance with him AND with my husband. It definitely can't get any better than that!

Give me a couple of days, and I will get back into the swing of things, and post my Etsy favorites. In the meantime, have a GREAT 4th of July week!

God bless,

Angie

Cool and Hip Boy Clothes from Etsy.com

2007-06-18T12:47:00.001-07:00

Do you have a cool and hip little boy? Do you wish there were more cool, hip, and UNIQUE boy's clothing out there? Well, there is! Just check out Etsy.com. If you click on "Buy" and do a search for "boy clothes", you will find a myriad of cool and hip boy clothing, from babies, on up to the big guys.

Check out these shops, shown from top right to bottom left:

www.ALaineDesigns.etsy.com

www.kinchi.etsy.com

www.RockaBabyClothingCo.etsy.com

www.LittleGuysTogs.etsy.com

www.SalmonStreetStudio.etsy.com

www.MakristaBaby.etsy.com

And please don't forget, we make boy's clothing too! Check out these listings of ours on www.ambrosiadelights.etsy.com:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6015296

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5887623

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5023681

Thanks so much for looking, and have a great day!

Angie

A Penchant for Pendants

2007-06-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

If you look in my favorites at http://www.ambrosiadelights.etsy.com, you will see that I LOVE pendants. Why? Well, because I am a jewelry maker! I want to buy them all! But alas, I must wait until I sell more of what I have already made.

The blue polka dotted heart comes from Libra Sun Designs. Her shop can be found at:

http://www.librasundesigns.etsy.com.

The yummy frosted, sprinkled doughnut comes from Green Loves You! Her shop can be found at: http://www.magicbeanbuyer.etsy.com.

The pink tree pendant comes from a mother/daughter team...Madison Craft Studio. Their shop can be found at: http://madisoncraftstudio.etsy.com.

Thanks for checking out some of my favorites. Please be sure to check out our shop too. We have some great jewelry, kid's clothing, and more. If you spend $50 or more, your shipping to anywhere in the USA is FREE!!!

Also, today only, June 11th, you can purchase a piece or set of jewelry at regular price, and get 25% off of any other piece or set of jewelry of equal or lesser value!

Have a blessed day!

Angie

Are You Hungry???

2007-06-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

These earrings will definitely make you hungry if you aren't already!!

The poptart earrings can be found at:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6033521

The hot dogs are here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5883413

And the yummy creamsicles are found here:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5349651

If you want to see more yummy earrings, be sure to check out my favorites at http://www.ambrosiadelights.etsy.com.

ALSO, BE SURE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY SALE! EVERYTHING IN MY SHOP IS 20% OFF FOR THE NEXT FOUR BUYERS...IT WAS FOR THE FIRST 5 BUYERS, AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD ONE BUYER!

Have a blessed day!

Angie

Featuring Christian Crafters/Artists

2007-05-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Hello again, and Happy Memorial Day! I just want to start this post by saying "Thank you!" to all those who have served our country in the armed forces, and are still serving. Thank you for your allegiance to your flag, and to your country. Thank you for fighting so that we might be the free country that we are. God bless each one of you and your families as well. You are very highly respected in our home!

Today we are featuring some Christian crafters from the Etsy site. Please take a look...and enjoy!!

First we have VM Designs. This artist is from Indiana, is married to her high school sweetheart, and has two children...a daughter and a son. She makes some beautiful little girls bracelets, and bracelets for mommas too. Check her shop out at: http://www.vmdesigns.etsy.com.

Our next featured Christian crafter is from Colorado. She is a SAHM with two little boys. She has some fantastic custom birth announcements in her shop, as well as other handcrafted items. Her shop can be found at: http://www.ajcreations.etsy.com.

The third artist that we are featuring is an accomplished, published, award-winning artist and it is definitely obvious in his paintings! He has studios in both New Jersey, and Costa Rica. He has his own blog: http://paintingsbyjude.blogspot.com/, and you can purchase his gorgeous paintings at: http://www.paintingsbyjude.etsy.com.

Thanks for looking and have a blessed day!

Angie

My Etsy Shop

2007-05-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday! Did you get a chance to check out some of my favorite items on Etsy.com? You still can! Just check out the previous blog.

Meanwhile, I wanted to let you know about my own Etsy shop. You can find it at http://www.ambrosiadelights.etsy.com. We also just started a second shop on Etsy. Why? Well, I was thinking that our first shop looked a little crowded. I want to only feature the clothing, jewelry, and baby items in the Ambrosia Delights shop. But I also wanted to continue to make and sell our papercrafting items, such as greeting cards, and also our digital crafting items, such as Etsy store banners.

Sooooo, we created our second shop: http://www.rioosodesigns.etsy.com. Rio Oso is the name we came up with for the digital and papercrafting side of the business. Oso is Spanish for "bear", and my husband is pretty much just a great big teddy bear! Even his own mom calls him "Bear", and has for many years. And Rio is of course Spanish for "river". We love the outdoors, especially the water, so this made perfect sense for us.

While I am shamelessly self-promoting, did you notice the dirty looking onesie pictured? It's not really dirty, but it IS our very newest item in our Ambrosia Delights Etsy shop. I wanted to do a few more things for boys, so here ya go! I tea-stained this onesie to make it appear like it's a "game shirt". I've appliqued "Batter Up!" on the front and a "game ball", complete with a real genuine, artificial autograph on the back. I thought it turned out SOOOOO cute! And it's ONLY $18 plus shipping!

Thanks for looking and have a blessed day!

Angie

2007-05-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

Featuring Favorite Etsy Crafters

Have you been to Etsy.com? If not, you don't know what you are missing! You can find anything from clothing for yourself and your family, to pottery, jewelry, soaps, lotions, diaper bags, paintings, gorgeous photography, and much much more!

I have been looking and looking and still have only seen an extremely minute fraction of the shops on Etsy.com. I want to share with you some of my favorites. Many of the shops that I will be featuring are even Christian-owned! I encourage you to check out all the shops, because you will find many distinctly unique items that make awesome and personal gifts! And I just KNOW that you love to find something great and totally unexpected for your friends and loved ones for birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

Here are just some of my favorites:

The blue bracelet shown above is JUST gorgeous! You can find it at Maple Jewellry Design on Etsy. Sarah is from Wilshire, England. Take a peek around at the other gorgeous things in her shop...http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5039214.

Don't you just love the blue flowered handbag? It's made from Amy Butler fabric and has those great bamboo handles. This handbag is from Rebecca Weis Designs out of St. Louis, Missouri. Her shop on Etsy is found at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=4661.

And finally, I wanted to share with you these yummy Soy Whipped Body Butters! I have ordered two different flavors; Macintosh Apple and Orange Dreamsicle. They are such smooth and deliciously scented body butters! My husband loves them, and is happy to give me a foot rub with them. You can find these body butters at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=34601. The seller is Adrienne from San Diego, CA. Adrienne is a Christian from a military family, and she does what she can to help the environment.

Thanks for looking! Don't forget to check out these shops and others at Etsy.com.

Have a blessed day!

Angie

2007-05-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

WOW!!! It's been a REALLY long time since I have posted! I am now a part of Etsy.com and have been inspired to get back into blogging. I would like to be able to help out some of my fellow crafters by showing their work and a little about them.

If you LOVE handmade craft items (no, not schotzke flea market stuff...I mean some GORGEOUS handmade things!!!!), then you should check out Etsy.com.

You can find my shop (Ambrosia Delights, of course) at http://www.ambrosiadelights.etsy.com/. I have children's boutique clothing, handmade jewelry, a couple of baby bibs, and some greeting cards, all made by me. I also have added Etsy banners to my line...if you need an Etsy banner, let me know! I would love to work with you.

I have Crafting ADD, so therefore I must sell! While you're there, check it all out. You can shop by color or location even! Pretty cool, huh?!?!

I do have some sales going on, as well as free shipping on items over $50. Many Etsians have great sales and promos going on. One way to find out about what's going on is by checking out the Forums section. If you go to Promotions and Critiques, you can see a lot of very cool things, and a lot of great deals!

Let's support the handcrafters of the world! We're all trying to eke out a living, or supplement and income, or just make a little extra money. Thank you for your support.

See ya over at Etsy!

Have a blessed day!
Angie

2006-10-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Bread & Butter Pickles

Image can be found at www.pccrafter.com

2006-10-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

Marbled Orange Fudge (OH! So yummy!!!)

Images can be found at www.pccrafter.com

2006-10-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

Busy, busy, busy!

Hello! It has been three weeks since my last post. I guess that means I have been busy! I have acuteally finished an order that I got. I have also still been working on items for my craft show coming up in San Pablo, CA on November 11th. I have been making lots of post-it note holders, handmade greeting cards, and brag books. You can check out our website for these items too! www.ambrosiadelights.com

I haven't just been crafting though. I have been homeschooling, babysitting two little ones, taking care of my home and family, singing on the church worship team, visiting a pumpkin farm, and getting ready for interviews for our foster/adopt licensing. Yes, we are planning on adopting a baby girl. We have our last interview...a home study on November 30, so we have LOTS to do before then.

I wanted to share with you a yummy recipe that I will be making up to sell at the craft show:

Peanut Butter Popcorn

Pop a pot of popcorn (finished amount should equal about 6-8 cups). Put popcorn in a large bowl. Put 1/2 cup of peanut butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup light Karo syrup in a small pot and mix well, while heating up on medium heat. Stir constantly while heating until it comes to a boil. Let it boil for a couple of minutes, being careful to stir at all times. Pour over popcorn and mix in well.

Just be careful! It's VERY addicting!!!

Well, that's it for today. Have a blessed day!

Angie

2006-09-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

Christmas Craft Shows

It is almost that time again...time when many are gearing up for their Thanksgiving and Christmas Craft shows. I would love to know what YOU do at your craft show. I would love to see pictures. I am doing a craft show this year, albeit a small one at my mother in law's church. I would love to some day be able to do a BIG craft show, like the Christmas Craft Fair in Grass Valley, CA. We went there last year over the Thanksgiving weekend and REALLY enjoyed it! There were really some wonderful, quality crafts there. And the setup was amazing. It was on a county fairgrounds with gorgeous, tall pine trees all over, and a fine wintery mist going on. They had a bonfire, carolers, food vendors, and about 5 buildings full of crafters!!! One of these days.....

In the meantime, above are some pictures of what I am selling in my craft show. Send your pictures or ideas, and we will post them!

Have a blessed day!

Angie

2006-09-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Ambrosia Delights!

This blog is for people who are into crafts. I personally think that I have adult ADD when it comes to crafts, so I do a lot of different things. I love to sew and have been sewing since I was about 6 years old. My mom thought it was a great thing to teach me, as she has also been sewing from a very young age. I'm so grateful that she did teach me. I know in this day, it's not so common for a young girl to learn how to sew. Here you can see an example of what I make. I enjoy making boutique children's clothing that are one of a kind. I love the idea of individuality in a child (and in an adult too of course), so I love creating clothing for children that will emphasize that individuality. I rarely make two of one thing, but I do on occasion.

I also enjoy scrapbooking, making jewelry, counted cross-stitch, and cardmaking. I have also done some tole painting and stamping, as well as crocheting, and I tried my hand(s) at knitting, but that didn't work so well. I did manage to finish a knitted scarf, so I am proud of myself that I followed through! There are a few other areas that I am interested in checking out. But I think for my husband's sanity, and our space and time restraints, I won't just now.

With this blog, I would like to showcase other crafters' work as well as my own. If you are a crafter and would love to show off what you do, please write me. If you are good at writing out instructions for your project, we welcome that!!! We will have links for great crafting sites, as well as LOTS of great ideas! So please write and share what you do. We will also have lots of yummy recipes listed on this blog, so if you have a favorite recipe (with or without a photo), send it in! We would love to see it.

I must go craft, so I must leave the blogging for another time or day. I have some orders to work on. Have a blessed day!!

Angie