Our Mission

Wrinkles and Grace came about due to my mother and I having a very unique relationship. My mom was a mother to me as I grew up and at that time I probably wouldn't have called her a friend. We were mother and daughter, there were boundaries and rules and expectations. She was my culinary teacher and my tutor. My mom was my etiquette coach, my stylist and my pastor. She was not my gossip partner nor did she let temptation sneak in to far. I didn't even know most of the songs my friends knew on the radio because ours didn't turn from the local Christian station very often, if ever. Now, I can honestly say I am the same way with my kids and that doesn't just go with radio station. I have boundaries, rules and expectations with my own children. My daughters would not necessarily say that I am their friend. They do however call me mommy and tell me how much I am loved. The unique thing about my mother and I, is we never had that teenage falling out or the "my mother is so annoying stage." Today, now that I am older and trying to be a godly wife and mother, I would call her one of my very best friends. She is a confidant, my sounding board and a big chunk of my wise council.

I don't know how she did it. She balanced it all so gracefully. We didn't even notice when things shifted from her just being my mother to being my mother and friend, it was just a natural transition for us. I have asked her on more than one occasion how she balanced open communication with a healthy boundary. We have often had discussions on how lucky we are to have the relationship we do, but we also feel a little broken for those who live a different story.

I have learned so much from my Mom, and not just because she raised me. But, from watching her with other women. I can remember so vividly peaking around the corner of a room, looking into another, just so that I could sneak a peak at her and a friend sipping coffee, reading scripture, crying, laughing or praying. As an adult myself, that is one of my favorite things to do. I love to open my door to others and allow ourselves to be honest, gentle and simply just there. Whether being "there" is in a place of joy or sorrow.

After having many of my own coffee times with friends, I noticed something kind of funny. I was confiding in women who were going through the same things that I was. That is great for empathy or sympathy. But, maybe not for advice seeing as how they haven't found success, failure or even made it out of the same season you are in. I am not saying to stop giving helpful advice to friends or ideas to try, as long as it lines up with the Word of God that's great and a big part of friendship. However, when was the last time you sat down with someone who has already been there? That is where Wrinkles and Grace comes in.

We, my mom and I, desire to develop a social company that embraces life's wrinkles, the ups and the downs of life and spreads grace through those times. We would like to help facilitate the opportunity to gain wise council and elders for young women to look up to. Children are not the only one who need a mentor, we all do. Our hope is to create gatherings through our craft nights that will lead to healthy relationships of multi-generational women.

Laced throughout the Bible God stresses the importance of elders, wise council and warns us to be of sound doctrine. We love Gods Word and believe that is completely true, relevant and necessary to live a full life. Titus 2:3 tells us,"Tell the older women to behave as those who love the Lord should. They must not gossip about others or be slaves of wine. They must teach what is proper, so the younger women will be loving wives and mothers. Each of the younger women must be sensible and kind. as well as a good homemaker, who puts her own husband first. Then no one can say insulting things about Gods message."

There are not the same opportunities now that women had in the "olden days" to learn form those whom have been there before us. The women who lived our season, whether successfully or with failure, they have advice for us due to what they lived and experienced. We, as younger women should yearn to learn those lessons before facing failure or consequence. We need to desire relationships with women who are generations ahead of us. This is not only due to a important biblical principle but, because we can be better wives and mothers though them.

God has clearly placed this vision on our hearts. My mom and I have been working hard to make the vision a reality, however God is much bigger than us and His vision is more than we can do ourselves. We would love for you all to pray for us as we lean on God and dive head first into this ministry. He is already blessed us so much and we have felt the enemies anger toward us. That however, only reassures us we are headed the right direction to bring God glory. With the blessing and encouragement we have been experiencing, we are also experiencing some growing pains. After just a few months of getting Wrinkles and Grace off the ground it is time to expand and add more women to our team. We are looking for facilities to collaborate with and host craft nights. We would also love to have some help with the editing and social media, as well as an administrative personality. Please join with us in prayer over those people and if you are local to our area and being part of the Wrinkles and Grace team is something you would enjoy, reach out to us.

Proverbs 11:14 "Where there is not counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety."

With Love,
Wrinkles and Grace

American Flag DIY

At Wrinkles and Grace we really enjoy having our monthly craft nights that are full of fellowship, yummy treats and of course crafts. Our June craft night was extra special for me. My mom, Ginny, had been out of town on a beautiful vacation. So, I was given the responsibility of coming up with and creating the craft for June. It may be because I have a "firecracker baby" or my love for Americana, either way summer decor should always involve an American flag in my opinion. So, a Boho inspired American flag wreath is what I came up with and I am excited to share step by step directions with you. I also hope that you take the time to create this wreath for your own home and share it with us!

To start this craft, first you are going to need to gather your supplies:
1. Embroidery hoop (We used a 12-inch hoop)
2. Hot glue gun
3. Fake flowers (We used sunflowers found at Walmart)
4. Red fabric, ribbon and yarn
5. White fabric, ribbon and yarn
6. Denim, blue ribbon and blue yarn
7. Pearls (plastic)

Now that you have all of the supplies you will need to create your summer wreath, you can start cutting the fabric into 2 to 3 inch stripes. Make sure that your strips are double the length that you would like the flag to be when hanging from the bottom of your hoop.

A good tip is to hang the bottom of the embroidery hoop of the edge of the table. This will allow you to see what each piece will look like as well as keep them from shifting out of place so easily.

Remove the inner circle of the embroidery hoop and set it aside for later. Now, start hanging the red and white materials in their pattern across the bottom third of your hoop. Feel free to layer white on top of white or red on red to create more depth and character to your flag, using lots of different textures of materials makes a big impact on the finished product.

Once you have covered the bottom third of your hoop with the red and white pattern then start cutting your blue denim and blue ribbon. You will want to cut your blue material in half of the length you chose for your red and white fabrics.

Now that your blue material is cut, using the same technique that was used with the red and white pattern, layer the blue fabrics over what is there on half of the right side of the hoop. (see below)

After you have adjusted all of the material and achieved the look you want as far as texture and length, grab the inner circle of the embroidery hoop. Making sure that the screw is at the top of the hoop, put the inner hoop inside and tighten the two together using that screw. This will keep your fabric in place while also allowing you to change it out in the future if you wish. I think changing the red, white and blue out for different flannels in the fall could be really cute. 

The next step after your materials are snug between the two hoops is the placement of your flowers. Take off the flowers from the stem that they come on, do the same with the leaves. Before you start to glue lay them out until you are happy with the look. 

Lift the flowers up and glue from the top as much as you can. Flip the whole thing over and glue around all of the flowers again from the bottom. Doing this extra step helps the durability and allows you to add more leaves and depth to the look of them. 

Flip the hoop back over one more time for your final step. We need some stars for our flag and that is where the pearls come in. I just laid pearls out randomly on top of the blue strips and did not count out 50, I wanted to leave it as a suggestion, but feel free to count them out if you would like. 

Hang and enjoy for the summer or beyond. 

However, before you go I would love to share a quick word with you. Memorial Day has just passed, The Fourth of July is right around the corner and election season is just gearing up. There is so much division in our country. We are so lucky live in a place were we don't only have the right to an opinion, but the right to express it. However, sometimes we can cause more hurt than help with those opinions. What our country needs more of rather than louder opinions, is prayer. As Christians, we are to live in a balance; standing for that which is true while seeking unity with each other as much as possible. Standing firm in faith while showing grace to those who do not, holding our leaders accountable while praying for their wisdom and well-being. In the craziness of opinion, can we stand in the gap and pray that God continues to work in the midst of it all?

1 Timothy 2:1-2 "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

1 Peter 2:17 " Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor."

Jeremiah 29;7 "also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

Proverbs 21:1 "The kings heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will."

Whether you like were our country is at or headed. Whether it breaks your heart to see whats on the news and how things have changed over the years. Whether you are complacent and try your best to ignore it all. We as Christians are called to do more, to show honor, respect and love, to choose peace and to pray. 

As cheesy as it is... God Bless America, land that I love.

Rachel Batey