Olde-Fashioned Paper November 19, 2009

Tea-stained paper can be a useful craft for many different projects, including letters, collages, scrapbooks, and journals.  I brings back old-fashioned looks in very simple steps and processes.

1. Get several bags of dark black tea.  Boil water and place the bags in a large pan with the water.  The water only needs to be 1-3 inches deep, depending on how you put your paper in and how dark you want the paper to be.
2. Get a piece of paper (either computer or white construction or art paper) and place it a) flat down in the pool of tea or b) crumpled up in the tea (this can also be done in a bowl or mug of tea)
3. Let the paper stay in the tea for 2-4 minutes.  Flip it over if desired.  Also, you can take the tea bags and rub or blotch them on the paper.
4. Take out the paper and either a) hang it from a clothes line with two clothes pins or b) lay it flat on a surface.  Flip it over after a few hours to have even drying colors.

For even more effect, hold the paper close to a candle or lighter flame and allow the fire and smoke to darken it.  You can even burn the edges a bit.

Chapter 1 November 12, 2009

If God is the Author of our life stories, that means that our lives are like a “novel”.  You can’t start at the end of a novel and read backwards, because then it would not make any sense.  Instead, we start at Chapter 1 and read until the very end.  God does the same thing with our lives–He starts them at Chapter 1.  Each chapter of our lives is important to the whole of our “novels”.  Without that chapter, the story would not progress or make sense.

Some chapters of life are painful.  Others are full of joy.  But each is relevant to the entire novel.  Even though reading a sad chapter of a book may be hard, you can’t simply skip over it.  In a way, the painful chapters make the joyful ones even better.

Prayer Journal November 5, 2009

Something that I think is a great idea is to keep a prayer journal.  You may be thinking, “Not another journal.  I keep so many already and never write in them!”  But if you take the time each week or so to write down a quick prayer, you will see many blessings in your life.  Imagine being able to open it up in a year and see the prayers you wanted answered.  And just imagine if God answered them all!  What a blessing!

You can either buy a journal or make one of your own.  Here is my favorite way to make a journal.

Materials:
Composition notebook
Large pieces of scrapbook paper (1 for the front, 1 for the back, and any others you might want for decoration)
Ribbons (opt)
Stickers (opt)
Buttons (opt)
Pictures (opt)

Directions:
1. Cover the front of your notebook completely with glue stick glue.  Make sure it is thick and all over.  Do not apply glue to the binding on the outside.
2. Line up the paper with the binding line and press it down on the glue.  Use a ruler to flatten it out.
3. Do the same with the back.  Press the notebook under a heavy book or object for an hour or so.
4. Cut the edges of the paper small and fold them on the inside of the notebook.  Use glue to keep them folded over.
5. Use anything you would like to decorate the front.  Be creative and have fun with it!

White as snow… October 29, 2009

Oh, precious is the flow

That makes me white as a snow

No other fount I know

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

As I write this, I look out my window and see little white flurries blowing around.  I know many people who do not like snow–it is cold, wet, and makes icy roads.  But who can contradict the fact that snow makes anything beautiful.  A yard of brown grass can become a blanket of white.  Piles of dirt become mounds of snowflakes.

Jesus’s blood can do just the same thing.  His saving grace, His love for us, and the sacrifice He made are all like snow–they can completely cover the old, dirty, ugly things in our lives.  But it does not just happen in the blink of an eye.  We need to really understand and appreciate God’s forgiveness.  I see so many people who do not want to accept Jesus because it would mean accepting that they are not the highest power in the world, that there is Someone else who is higher than us.  And that Someone chose to forgive us for the wrong things we’ve done and we will do.  That forgiveness is like snow.  Pure, clean, and sent from above.   Whenever I see snow, it reminds me of God’s forgiveness and His love for me.

Our Winner! October 22, 2009

We have selected a winning verse for our first competition!  Marea submitted the winning verse for our website. 

Collossians 2:2
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ Jesus.

Autumn Desserts October 22, 2009

White Hot Chocolate

Serves about 5

6 ounces white chocolate, divided
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 quart milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Coarsely grate 1/2 ounce of white chocolate, for garnish. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. Chop remaining chocolate into chunks. In a medium saucepan, chocolate and milk. Over medium heat, stir constantly until chocolate is thoroughly melted. Remove from heat and stir in amaretto or almond extract. Pour into 5 mugs and top with a dollop of whipped cream garnished with grated white chocolate.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Serves about 12

1 (16-ounce) package white pound cake mix
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl on low speed, combine cake mix, 1 egg, butter and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice until crumbly. Press into bottom of 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, remaining 2 eggs, pumpkin, remaining 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well. Pour over crust, sprinkle nuts on top.

Bake 30- 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator. Cut into bars

Contest Extension October 4, 2009

The Bible verse contest is going to be extended until October 15.  Send your submissions to sistertosisterblog@gmail.com to win a beautiful new Bible!

Patience is a Virtue October 1, 2009

Just now I was waiting for the Panera lady to make my caramal latte.  Awkwardly, I set my heavy back pack at a table and went to stand by the counter to wait for her to finish.  Then I thought, “Maybe she’ll think I’m rushing her?  Perhaps I should go back to my table.”  I finally ended up reading the signs for new foods.  But I most definitely did not want to seem like the average American, always on the go, always pushing people to go faster and faster.  Give me my food faster!  Drive faster you idiot!  My dumb internet it so slow!

Patience is something that we can practice in the smallest and the largest of issues.  We practice patience when we wait for the water to boil.  We practice patience as we wait for the doctor to call with the results of a major test.  But patience isn’t just with people or events.  We must also have patience with God.

I know so many people who are struggling right now with where they are in life.  Hey, even I get antsy for the future sometimes.  It seems like for the last two years I’ve been doing the same thing over and over again–school, weekends, school, school, school, weekends, holiday, school, school, etc. etc. etc.  Sometimes I whine to God, “WHY am I still here, still doing the same thing, with the same old same old!  I want excitement!  I want to DO something or experience something new!”  Ever feel that way?

We are commanded to “Be still”.  Know that He is God.  You will never be able to truly rejoice in a new or exciting life if you cannot rejoice in God first.  God uses the silent, still moments of life to grow closer to us.  Be patient and wait for His timing, not yours.

Contest Reminder! September 30, 2009

As you will have noticed, we have changed the look of SistertoSister! We four authors had a meeting as a result of the poll we had, and have decided on several changes to be made on SistertoSister, the look being one of them! Be on the look out for other new changes that are to come soon! As another one of our changes to SistertoSister, we’ll be introducing a contest once a month! We invite each and every one of our readers to partake!

The Challenge: We would like a Bible verse that would become a kind of motto for SistertoSister, and this is where you come in! We invite you, our readers, to search for that perfect verse and submit it! We four authors of SistertoSister will review each verse and at the conclusion of the contest, we will discuss them together and pick the perfect one! The “winning” verse will be included on our website for all to read at all times, and the girl who submitted the verse will win a very special prize!

The prize: is a gorgeous, small, leather-bound Bible that will be mailed to the winner at the end of the contest!

Items of importance:

~The contest ends on October 4th, which is exactly two weeks away.

~You may submit as many verses as you wish!

~Search for verses that specifically speak about women/young ladies; verses about encouraging one another, teach each other, etc. Any verse that fits the description of our blog (encouraging sisters in Christ) will be great!

~If more than one girl submits the winning verse, we will choose the girl who submits the verse first.

~Please submit all verses with your name, age,  and e-mail address to our e-mail: sistertosisterblog@gmail.com (It is important to submit your name and e-mail address, so that we have some way of contacting you in the case of our winner!)

~We will decide upon a winner within a week after the end of the contest.

~Have fun!

What-ho! September 23, 2009

Howdy-do, pardners!  This here’s Olivia (otherwise known as Livvy, Livy, Livi, or Liv).  I am going to attempt to “introduce” myself to ya’ll in this here post. 

I am from the Wild West (actually, just a city in Colorado) and I’m really not a cowgirl or anything.  In fact, I’d much rather live by the ocean or in England or something.  It’s much too dry and barren out here.  True, the mountains are lovely, but after living by them for so long they become less of a novelty and more of an everyday tool for finding direction (the mountains are west).

While I have little talent, I have lots of passions.  I love Broadway theater, dance, opera, watercolors, history (anything from Victorian times through WWII era), classics, reading, historical genre movies, and pretty things.  I also LOVE the ocean, rain, snow, and foggy days (which we have very few of here in Colorado.  Oh, and would you like to know?  We don’t get much snow here.)  I also love tea (my favorite beverage) and all sorts of foods, most especially spaghetti (made with white noodles, home made meat balls, and garlic bread!).  My favorite color is blue and I collect post cards.

I love to travel and hope to do so quite a bit in the future!  Even though I lived in Europe for a year, I was 8 and do not remember very much.  For a career I want to go into missions.  My dream would be to help the people who are literally laying on the ground, dying from lack of food, medicine, and care.  Most importantly, though, I want to spread the good news of Jesus’s love!

My favorite Bible story is Esther, chapter is 1 Corinthians 7, and verse (or at least one of them) is Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

I hope you all enjoy our changes here at Sister to Sister!  If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns (or if you just want to introduce YOURSELF to us!) e-mail us at sistertosisterblog@gmail.com.  Jesus loves you and so do I!

Love,
Olivia

P.S. I love mint chewing gum.