Life Lessons

Last week I decided that the girls were old enough to teach them how to embroider. My skills are basic for sure, but I thought it would be fun. It's a cheap project because the hoops are only $1.49 at JoAnns, and the floss is super cheap. 

 I traced what they wanted to stitch in pencil on the fabric. It only took a couple of minutes to show them how to do it. I guess that means I probably could have taught them a long time ago.

 I love that even though Emma is going to be NINE on her next birthday, her hands still look like they did when she was 3 years old.

 Cami on her first project.

 Below is Emma's VERY first embroidery! I can't believe how well she did! She stitched the name of the American Girl doll she has asked for, for Christmas. She added a blue bow and yellow flowers because "that's what is in Josefina's hair in the catalog". ;)

 Their first embroideries got them hooked and they wanted to do more. They already asked if they could put some paintings in my Etsy shop (which I did), and now they thought they could do these too. Cami did the McKenna one below as her second piece. All of the ones below (except for the Solana and Julie one) are for sale in the Etsy shop.

 Emma made this one for her friend Solana that moved to Santa Barbara this summer. Solana has a Julie doll. She plans on taking it when we visit them and surprising her with it. So sweet.

Emma is finishing up a REALLY pretty red Julie Albright today. I can't wait to list it, it's her best yet, with beautiful flower and leaf  detail at the bottom. 

Now here's where the life lesson comes in. Saturday night all three of us were watching a movie before bed and embroidering. Cami has big ambitions of earning enough money to buy her Rebecca doll without having to wait for Christmas. 

I REALLY didn't want to hinder creativity, so I told them when they asked to sell paintings in the shop- "Okay, but just don't be disappointed if no one buys them. Even mommy doesn't know if anyone will buy any of my things either. I'll do it as long as no one gets sad or jealous if one of you sells something and the other one doesn't." I figure, either way it will be an opportunity to learn something-dealing with disappointment (equally valuable lesson), or learning it takes work to earn money.

They agreed, so I listed the paintings. Back to Saturday night, I'm tucking them in and we are saying prayers. Cami prays, "Please help me get $100 before Christmas so that I can buy my Rebecca doll." 

I stop her there and tell her that she should understand something. I told her it would be better to pray that  God would "bless the work of her hands". I told her that everything that we ever have comes from Him. If anything does sell, it's not because we are so wonderful, but because He is. 

While I was preparing to open the Etsy shop, I read something that I have been keeping in my mind this whole time...

"Do not wear yourself out to get rich;

do not trust your own cleverness.

Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,

for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle."

Proverbs 23:4-5

That was the real life lesson.