Gifts Sent to Mexico

I have a wonderful friend whom I met in college. She is a kindred spirit, and I'm ever so thankful for her. She is kind, compassionate, gentle, a good listener, an eager learner, hysterically funny, and a passionate follower of Jesus. Those are the kinds of people that you just have to snatch up, right? I feel honored to be her friend.

In February she and her family moved to San Miguel, Mexico to start a church. They have been full-time missionaries at a school called ACTS in Tieton, WA for almost five years now. Has it really been that long? This stint in Mexico is part of their partnership with ACTS. We think they will be there for a year, but the Lord only knows. You can read more here about their journey, if you would like.

I was able to send Kristin a gift at Christmastime, but I was too overwhelmed at the time to include a gift for her sweet daughter, Eden. (Thankfully Eden is too young to notice that nothing was included for her in the package. I realize I will only be able to pull that off for another year or so.) I was hoping as the winter months lingered post-Christmas I would be able to put together a gift and send it to them after they had moved. I guess part of me knew that they would need a little package in the mail a couple of months into their new adventure. You know, the time when the adjustment/new culture/new friends gets a little overwhelming.

Last month I began this little dress/shirt using Simplicity 3808. I guess it's technically supposed to be a shirt that should have coordinating bloomers. However, I didn't think I would like the pants that came with the pattern (at least with this shirt) and I didn't have a pattern for bloomers, so I justified not sending anything pant-like to go underneath with the idea that jeans could be just as cute, if necessary. Turns out that on the day they received it little Eden was wearing lime green leggings that matched perfectly. Love that!

I love the little "divits" that the pattern placed at the bottom of the shirt. They're kinda hard to see, but look carefully. Isn't that so cute? Wish it was my idea, but it wasn't.


Well, I couldn't send something for Eden without sending something that matched for my friend. Kristin is one of those sickeningly cute moms who can actually pull off the matchy thing. I found this little purse pattern here. When I saw it I immediately thought of Kristin. I'm not sure why, is it the buttons? Anyway, in an attempt to not go too overboard with the matchy-ness I found a pretty blue fabric in my stash and just lined the purse with the fabric from Eden's shirt.


The lesson I'm learning as a new(er) sewer is the importance for using the right kinds of fabrics for specific projects. In this case I used fabric that is too flimsy for a purse. Next time I would have used home decor fabric or something with a little more umph so that it would hold it's shape well.