**Sense & Sensibility ePattern Giveaway**

I'm so excited to be hosting my first blog giveaway! How fun!

I have sewed and loved it for the last 7-8+ years! My wonderful Mom taught me how to sew using simple patterns and making doll blankets. I owe all my sewing knowledge to her. She spent countless hours helping & teaching me to cut fabric the most frugal ways, sew, re-sew, re-sew, re-sew, & yes re-sew again, iron, adjust patterns, etc. It was a long rough road those first years but now I'll be forever grateful for her help. I still remember those first projects with her by my side helping me along, what wonderful memories!

Now, today I can sew and I can't wait for the day when I'm blessed to teach my future daughters (only have Mr. T - 7 months - right now...) how to, just like my Mom taught me. I pray that I'll be just as patient and hardworking as my Mom - juggling all her daily tasks and helping a little girl learn how to sew...

Now on to the giveaway!!! :-)

Romantic Era Dress Pattern
I like the detail of this dress and have always liked the way dresses with buttons down the skirt look. : )

Jennie is a wife and stay at home mom to 9 children. (Love that! I'm one of 10!!!) Here's a little piece from the About me page:

"As a stay-at-home wife and mother, I never planned to devote eight hours a day to my sewing or pattern designing. While I thoroughly loved sewing for others, I was also committed to my family and did not want to rob them of precious time that could not be recaptured when my children were grown. With the arrival of our third son in 2001, I took time to refocus my plans and efforts for Sense and Sensibility. Many customers had asked me to sell copies of my patterns.

Girls' 1780's Portrait Dress Pattern

At first I wasn’t sure about drafting patterns for a wide range of sizes, but I finally took the plunge in 1998, introducing my Regency Gown Pattern. The immediate success of that pattern convinced me that there was a market for wearable, historical patterns that evoke the grace and charm of times past. I developed subsequent patterns slowly over a period of five years, and today I have 20 patterns available. I am so delighted to have met ladies from all over the world who share a passion for lovely, feminine designs. Read more..."

I was given this {below} pattern to review. I haven't had a chance to make this doll dress but I hope to soon. I'm hoping to make it for one of my younger sister (there's 4 of them). I've done lots of sewing before and really look forward to making this. I've read the instructions and looked over the pieces and have been really impressed with the effort put into them.

Doll's Romantic Era Dress ePattern

Jennie from Sense & Sensibility Patterns was so kind and has offered a FREE ePattern of their choice to one of my readers!

Mandatory Entry:

• First follow A Restful Place via Google Friend Connect and then go over to Sense & Sensibility Patterns and tell me which of Jennie's patterns is your favorite (don't worry you can always change your mind if you win). Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. :)

Extra Entries:

• Leave a comment with your favorite sewing tip to share with A Restful Place readers. (1 entry)
• Blog about this giveaway (2 entries)

This giveaway will end March 25, 2011 at midnight. I'll plan to post the winner the following day, Lord willing!

♥ Happy Sewing Ladies! ♥

*** I was given this pattern for review purposes from Jennie at Sense & Sensibility Patterns. All opinions expressed here are my own.***

Wise Woman Link-up

Click the picture to join and meet other encouraging bloggers.
♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥

Have we Forgiven Them?

I heard this song the other day for the first time and was blessed by it.

Have we forgiven those who have wronged us? Are we forgiving them over and over again? We need to be.

Below are the words and a link to listen to it.

7 x 70
I’ve been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born
These walls have seen me happy
But most of all they’ve seen me torn
They’ve heard the screaming matches
That made a family fall apart
They’ve had a front row seat
To the breaking of my heart

7 times 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way
7 times 70 times
There’s healing in the air tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I remember running down the hallway
Playing hide-and-seek
I didn’t know that I was searching
For someone to notice me
I felt alone and undiscovered
And old enough to understand
Just when I’m s’posed to be learning to love you
Let me doubt again

7 times 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way
7 times 70 times
There’s healing in the air tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I lost count of the ways you let me down
But no matter how many times you weren’t around
I’m all right now

God picked up my heart and helped me through
And shined a light on the one thing left to do
And that’s forgive you
I forgive you

7 times 70 times
If that’s the cost I’ll pay the price
7 times 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way

7 times 70 times
There’s healing in this house tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around
Yeah
I’m gonna wrap it all around

I’ve been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born

Listen to this song here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5-Q1zAhqpA

Be Blessed!
♥ Tabitha

Thankful Tuesday #2

I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 69:30

11. shoots of grass peeking through the ground
12. encouraging books on our shelves
13. sunny days just around the corner
14. hearts of mustard :-)
15. grace & like-minded fellowship
16. uplifting music filling the air
17. dishes
18. playpens
19. travel bags
20. words - how we can explain our hearts and be encouraged through them.
21. Salvation

What are you thankful for today??

Cream Cheese Brownies

♥ Cream Cheese Brownies ♥

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup butter or coconut oil
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Cream Cheese Filling - below

♥ Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches, with shortening.

♥ Melt chocolate and margarine in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently; cool.

♥ Prepare Cream Cheese Filling; set aside.

♥ Beat chocolate mixture, sugar, vanilla and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour and salt on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat on medium speed 1 minute. Stir in nuts. Spread half of the batter (about 2 ½ cups) in pan. Spread filling over batter. Carefully spread remaining batter over filling.

♥ Bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars. Refrigerate any remaining brownies.

Cream Cheese Filling
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg

Beat all ingredients until smooth.

Enjoy!

"And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you,
because you obey the voice of the LORD your God." Deuteronomy 28:2

This recipe is being shared over at:

Thankful for My Many Blessings Tuesday #1

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
Psalm 100:4

I'm going to try to post 10 things or more every Tuesday that I'm thankful for.

1. My Husband and his love for me.
2. My Son - Little Mr. T - his beautiful eyes, chubby hands, adorable smile & contagious laugh!


3. The rain and sunlight, making the grass grow.

4. Family and friends - the ones we love & cherish.

5. Baby toys on the floor.

6. Food on our table.

7. Clean air to breath.

8. A house to live in. Warm in the winter, cool in the summer

9. A happy smile after nap time.

10. Piles of laundry - they seem to never quite be done, more like rolling hills, up & down, up & down......

What a you thankful for this Tuesday?
If you want I think it would be fun and a blessing to others if you posted them on your blog and left a link here so the rest of us can read them too.

♥ Tuesday Blessings To Everyone! ♥

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful."
Colossians 3:15