sewing projects

I thought I might share some of my spring, and early summer sewing projects. I love to sew for the girls, there are so many pretty fabrics out there to choose from.

These were their Easter dresses, It had been a while since I smocked for them, these were both challenging patterns, but I got through them. The fabrics are identical Lily prints, in different color ways.

I am afraid you can't really see that these are orange polka dots on the aqua fabric. We love polka dots around here! Eliza thinks the pocket on the pants is silly because she can't put her hand in it. I think it's cute.

This dress I made for Haven reminds me of one I had as a girl, very 70's ish . She likes the sleeves, and brown is one of her favorite colors.

Haven loves to wear skirts, and I fell in love with all of these pretty flower prints. ElizaJane looks so feminine in this, and it's her favorite lavender color.

I also love rickrack! This tree print caught my eye in the fabric store, and I added the fabric "flower" to the yoke, and ribbons at the ankles. So cool and fun for our recent zoo excursion. I made Haven a little head band experiment to match you can see HERE. My girls both still like to match:)

There you have it. I guess it will soon be time to start some fall pieces.

Have you made anything recently??

I'm linking HERE

Pets

No, we are not the proud owners of this beauty, but our neighbors are. Isn't he so lovely? Check out those eyelashes! This farm is home to many stately horses, and three just recently gave birth in late spring. This is one of those sweet colts. We love to watch them frolic and play. They never venture far from their mommas, and in the afternoon they take long lazy naps, basking in the hot Georgia sunshine.

This is my post for this weeks I heart faces, for the theme PETS.

climb to the top

I am constantly amazed at the willingness in my kids to try new things. I love that they all thrive in new surroundings, that they do not cower in the face of the unknown, or back away from obstacles or challenges. I am proud of how they so easily acclimate to new places, and have the ability to effortlessly make friends.

They have all faced huge upsets in their lives in the last few years, moving, disappointment, loss of friends, physical limitations, gossip, the realisation that people are not always who they claim to be, the death of a sibling, and the grief of their parents, the hard realities of life.

The four children I have left on earth, hold their heads high, they try, they battle, they persevere, they keep on keeping on,

.....and my one boy in Heaven, well, I am convinced that he is now able to climb mountains as well.

linking up with

http://www.chattingatthesky.com/2010/06/29/blooming-on-a-tuesday/

PLEASED

They planted,

they prayed,

they pick,

they pluck,

they prepare,

they partake,

they praise

They think this gardening thing is fun

They marvel at the miracles of their provider

from just a few tiny seeds.

and God is pleased

timely dinner guests

I was so excited for our new friends to come over for dinner. I had looked forward to it all week. I will admit that I was a bit nervous. I so admire people who have dinner parties, and entertain frequently, and with relative ease.

These were some of those people.

I assure you, I am not one of those people.

I set the table with some of my vintage tablecloths and part of my pitcher collection filled with cut flowers from the yard. I thought the blue hydrangeas gave a comfortable cottage feel to the dinning room. I was feeling good about how prepared I was.

Soon after that, things began to spiral downward. My watch stopped, and I thought it was twenty minutes earlier than it was. That meant I was really twenty minutes behind schedule, but bless my little heart, I didn't yet know that.

"They're heeeee ire!" the girls both sang, as they ran down the hall announcing the arrival of our first time guests.

THAT is the moment when I realised I was behind!

I quickly breaded the chicken, and in haste, forgot the Parmesan cheese. I popped it into the 400 degree heat, that was now making the kitchen feel like it was also 400 degrees! The kids dispersed to all ends of the house, and the sweet parents came to the kitchen to chat with Michael and I. It was then that smoke began to poor out of the oven. Something that had earlier dripped on the bottom, was now burning. Michael helped me quickly move the chicken to the other oven, and now the oven fans were going full blazes so we could hardly hear ourselves think! So much for conversation.

Twenty five minutes was what the recipe had said for the chicken to be done. I should have known that wasn't long enough before I even started. I took it out twice to check if it was still pink, and added almost 30 minutes to the cooking time. Meanwhile, I was choking on the smoke. The green beans were done long before the chicken, and sat waiting like unwanted left-overs getting cold as we all suffered asphyxiation from the now smoke filled room.

I frantically transferred the potato salad to a prettier bowl, something that should have been done in that twenty minutes that were "lost", as sweat rolled down the small of my back. The ice maker was spitting chips on the floor as I tried to provide my guests with drink choices and instructions.

Finally we sat down to eat!

The dinner conversation was refreshing with this precious family as they choked down raw chicken, and the compliments on my pitiful excuse for a meal were reluctantly accepted. We laughed and shared, joked and learned. They are a very special bunch, and I marveled at God's providence once again. Timely dinner guests,

His timing is always perfect, even when mine is not!

Have you ever been re-gifted?

Have you ever been regifted, that is, have you ever received a gift that you knew was a rejected gift that the reciever, who was now the giver, was regifting to you?

I think I have, on a number of occasions, I guess you can never be sure.

Does it bug you? It kinda does me, but I guess it shouldn't.

One time I received a dock with speakers for an ipod as a Christmas gift. Only thing is, a didn't have an ipod at the time! Don't you think that is kind of a random gift, if you don't just know the person has an ipod, and needs a dock for it???

I guess I should just be grateful, shouldn't I?

I think the only time you should regift, is if you get a gift and immediately think of someone in your life that would love it. Then, I think it should only be regifted for a 'just for fun' kinda thing, not for a birthday or Christmas kinda thing. Or perhaps, it is okay to regift when it's for someone you don't know, like those obligatory office parties where you draw a name out of a hat. But I don't really like those obligatory gift thingys either, what is the purpose of that anyway?

Do I have to many gift giving hang ups??? probably!

Isn't the point of gift giving, that you are picking and purchasing, or making, something especially for that unique individual?? Maybe that isn't the point for everyone.

Okay, I think I'm rethinking this whole regifting thing.

Maybe I am just to rigid.

Speaking of regifting, I was recently regifted, and it didn't bother me one tiny bit.

ElizaJane approached me quietly in my bedroom just last week, tenderly delivering this fancy red heart box, and with a tiny voice, and the sweetest of expressions, and the sincerest of hearts she chirped, "Momma, I thought you might like this".

I thought to myself, isn't this the box from the chocolates I gave her last Valentines Day??? Oh, I quickly assessed in my momma brain, she has put something special in the pretty box, something she made just for her Momma.

Upon opening the box I discovered this, five half eaten chocolates, 4 month old chocolates, chocolates that I thought had been relished and devoured months ago!

"UHHHHHHHH, wellllllllllll, ummmmmmmm, yeah, Liza, thanks......ummmmm that was really thoughtful of you sweety", I stammered.

"I just found them, and I thought you might like em, cuz, well cuz, I know how much you like chocolate. I didn't really care for them, but I tried them all. I thought you might want to try them too." her voice was hushed, and sweet, and proud, as if she was sharing a secret between just the two of us.

"Thank you sweety, that was so sweet to think of Momma! Chocolates are my favorite!" I swooned. We shared a long hug, and she was off like a pixie to bless the next unexpected victim with her charms.

Yes, I think I am rethinking the whole regifting thing.

In celebration of teens

My contribution to this weeks I heart faces challenge.

Hero is spelled DAD

The Father's day card that ElizaJane picked out this year for her Daddy, to go with the straw hat we purchased for those long hot lawn mowing days here in Georgia said, "At our house we spell Hero D-A-D."

Her card is so right on target! Her Daddy is her Hero!

All of these pictures were taken this year, but we have lots more just like 'em for every 22 years that we have had children. Pictures of him being here with us, always being fun! He isn't a I'm to tired, or maybe later, kind of Dad. He has invested his days being available and present.

He plays, he wrestles, he prays, he laughs, he lectures, he admonishes, he coaches, he corrects, he hugs, he cries for, he comforts, he helps, he encourages, he ribs, he punishes, he reads to, he teaches, he compliments, he drives, but whatever it is that he does, he is here, and he has been doing it for 22 years, and he will continue to do it for as many days as the Lord gives him!

In his heart he yearns for his children to love their God with all their hearts, and to follow and serve their God always. That has always been his greatest desire and prayer, and it always will be.

He longs for them to be great men and women of God, not for the eyes of man, but for the glory of their Father in Heaven.

I can say, because I have watched for 22 years, that he always strives to be the best Father he can be, always, and that takes sacrifice. If given the opportunity he would give his life for each of his kids without a moments hesitation.

In essence he does give his life for his kids, every moment of every day, as he works hard to provide for their physical needs, and comes home and provides for their spiritual and emotional needs as well.

At our house Hero is spelled D-A-D!

fun linkage

Isn't this a great idea? I think I will try this one. I was thinking, we could make some of the kids friends, and even historical figures. Wouldn't Abe Lincoln look great with veggies for a beard?

I thought this was fun.

http://www.zefrank.com/youngmenowme/

If you love paper crafting, you will love this video, so fun, reminds me of those flip books we made when we were kids. Or, I made as a kid. You made them too right?? Am I the only one??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_jyXJTlrH0&feature=player_embedded

Do you agree with this below? Tell me in the comments if so, if not tell me why.

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2270_how_could_god_kill_women_and_children/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+DGBlog+(DG+Blog)&utm

_content=Bloglines

How about this coffee table, fun and functional!

http://www.pigeontail.com/pigeontail/Papervore_H.html

And how cool would it be to use this to make a quilt of absolutely anything your heart desires, a flower, a wedding photo, a significant landscape or your childhood home? The possibilities are endless!

http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/quilts/patchwork#

birthday banner

A few years ago I made this banner for Haven for her birthday tea party. We now get it out every June, and display it in honor of her birthday month. She is proud of it, and this year it hangs on her bent twig bed.

It was really very easy and fun to fashion, and a great project to use all those bits and pieces you have left over from other projects.

I simply cut triangles the size that I wanted out of heavy twill fabric, and then attached scraps of other fabrics by sewing around the edges. I left the edges raw, as I like that frayed look that it will get over time. I then glued on glittered letters I had in my scrap booking stash, but you could use any letters you might have, paint or stencil letters, or even embroider some if you have one of those fancy machines.

Then I simply embellished to my hearts content with buttons, and trim, lace, and hard chipboard do dads (like that bowl of cherries by the V), rickrack, charms, and I even found a cute ribbon bumble bee at the bottom of my sewing basket! You can see it on the very first triangle if you look closely.

The sky is the limit with this project, and it was really fun to try and capture Haven's girlie personality in the creation of it. There are also a few scraps used that were from some of her out grown garments, like that pink eyelet on the H, and that sweet blue bird fabric on the V.

I attached the triangles to a gingham ribbon with some colorful binder clips that I had on hand. It would also be cute to sew the triangles on a ribbon, or use biased tape over the top edge of the triangles leaving some surplus on each end for hanging.

How about making a banner to honor someone special in your home, and start a tradition of your own?

If you have never left a comment before, today would be a great day to do so, I would love to hear from some of you lurkers.

Have a great Wednesday!

you can find more trash to treasure here

and more home decor here

Baby

This weeks contribution to I heart faces :)

Baby Clairebell

His plan

We detected a strong odor as we pulled up behind the grey sedan at the red light. Her license read IAMA 10, and she was on the phone as her fluffy white dog looked on. It wasn't until the light turned red that we realised IAMA 10 was in trouble. The car behind us beeped impatiently as it passed around us both. We pulled up beside her and my passenger side window went down. "need some help?" I asked. "I ..I ...I think so", she replied nervously. " I'm 40 minutes from home, and my husband is in Michigan, and I can't get hold of my friend, and it just shut down, we've been thinking about a new car, oh I never should have left home!", she rattled off. Michael put our van in park, and turned on the flashers. They opened the car hood together under the beating sun, as if a bright red button might appear that would say push me, and would magically restore the cars function. No button appeared. Kartwright joined Michael to push the stalled car into the turn lane together, in nice khaki pants and dress shoes. I too exited the car, and in my heels reentered on the drivers side to move our vehicle out of traffic as well.

Several minutes passed as I watched in the rear view mirror, and occasionally glanced at my watch. Eventually they all three began to walk toward our vehicle, and I asked Haven to join ElizaJane in the backseat to make room for our new passenger. Cheryl was her name she said, and her small fur ball was Wendy. It soon became obvious as Michael followed her directions that church was no longer our plan today. We shared pleasant conversation as we drove through the beautiful Georgia countryside, and I watched the minutes tick by. I texted Dakota to let he and Maria know where we were, so they wouldn't worry, and I sat back in silent submission to a God who often has a different plan then I do.

We dropped Cheryl and Wendy off at their desired destination, knowing the service was deep into sermon time by now, and we would only be a distraction if we tried to go, not to mention we had no idea how far we were from the church. We proceeded to drive the now more than 50 minutes home. Once home we all changed out of Sunday clothes and I started lunch. Dakota soon called to let us know they were on their way, We have made sharing Sunday dinner a sort of tradition now. Over oven fried chicken and potato salad we laughed and joked as always we do in this house. Dakota was anxious to tell us about the sermon, "it was awesome" he said with animation, "I wish you would have heard it, I just know you would have LOVED it!"

The topic: The good Samaritan!

As I tucked the girls in for that night, we prayed for Cheryl, and Wendy, and we thanked God for the opportunity to serve Him, even though we didn't understand why it had to be on Sunday morning.

It is so good to know that even when we don't understand, He always has a plan!

Our first harvest

Look, look what the Lord has done! Isn't it amazing??? Check out that amazing pea trellis that my man created! He had to extend it three more feet last week because the peas were still reaching for the sky!

Look at these huge beautiful flowers on our pumpkin plants, so very pretty, and check out these peas!

Haven opened some to sneak a look. We think they are ready, what do you think? I've never even shelled fresh peas before, it is all a new and exciting adventure for us! And here are the first of our cherry tomatoes, so juicy and fresh!

I'm already thinking about a fall garden now, I absolutely love this thing they call work. Perhaps that is because I didn't really do any of it.

What are you growing in your garden, do tell??