In Progress...

A few shots of my {crazy} workspace today- literally dozens of projects in the works! Most are cut and waiting to be sewn, and a few are done and waiting to be photographed and listed (like this sweet apron!). 

What are you working on today?

Yes!

Print by Artsyville on etsy

Just popping in... this  is my favorite find in a long time. This print is perfect in every way.

on being 30

So maybe I overreacted a bit... my birthday was two weeks ago, and I just wanted it to pass quickly. Silently. So I forbid everyone I knew from mentioning it. My own children didn't even know it was my birthday. I deleted the date from my facebook profile and deleted messages on my wall from the few who didn't get the memo. My plan was perfect, and the day passed in quiet bliss, if only it weren't for those crazy youth girls. (I sound a bit like the villains on Scooby Doo, don't I?!) The girls gave me flowers, in front of one of their moms (who happens to be our senior pastor's wife), so the day ended with a tiny party with good friends and icing, er, I mean cake. Ah, who am I kidding?! We all know it's all about the icing.

Cupcake Print by Tulip Photographic Art

Anyway, I was thinking about how truly lovely it was that it passed the way it did. I needed that day, thirty, to be mine. I know God loves me. I know my family loves me. But I share everything. And while I love celebrating every moment of the birthdays of the ones around me, I just wanted it to be mine.

In truth I'm not that worked up over being thirty. I'm not having a mid-life crisis or anything, though I did get my lip pierced this weekend. (Hi, mom... oh, I didn't tell you about that tiny thing just yet? Have to see if you're reading! I'll anticipate your phone call tonight...) I surround myself with people I love and who keep me young, even when I resist to some degree. This truly is only a baby step in my becoming who God wants me to be~ this is just the beginning, right?!

Oh, the Dresses!

So something strange happened to my pictures from Saturday, but as promised, pictures of the Homecoming dresses I was working on.  Fortunately these girls post everything to facebook, and I snagged a few. They all wanted to match and chose Simplicity pattern 2440, view E, which is a knee length dress with one strap and bubble hem. Cute stuff! They each chose a different color combination and fabric, which proved to be the most tricky aspect as I've not worked with much special occasion fabric. (Most parents of toddlers don't pick satin for their little ones!)

Front view (I didn't make the cute blue dress second from the left)

Back view, sashes

I do think I would do this again, though I'd love to have more time so I'm not pulling my hair out at the end! On Wednesday of last week one of the girls came over to try on her dress (the blue satin), which was completely finished, and it was way too big. Like no-other-way-to-fix-this-than-ripping-out-the-zipper too big. So I had to carefully take out each stitch and completely rebuild the dress. Thankfully it fit the second time around (after almost 6 hours of alterations!)!  The girls looked great, each bringing their own personality to the same style~ it's definitely 'the girl that makes the clothes', as my sweet grandpa would say!

Until next time! xo

Miscellany Monday

Monday again, and you know what to do... click the icon above to link up with the marvelous Carissa!

{one} We had a nice, fairly relaxing weekend... Saturday was a banner day for us: we had NO plans! Yeah, you can be jealous~ No practices, parties, meetings. We spent the morning at home and then ran some easy errands in the afternoon, and it was lovely!

{two} Along with lazing around quite a bit, I did manage to finish up a few projects for the shop and upcoming craft shows. One was this play/pajama set that Halle is wearing. (In our house, clothes that look & feel like pjs are definitely a bonus!) I may be the only shop online where one of the product photos has a child inside a box, but I'm okay with that... I was excited to try applique on my new machine, and it worked like a dream. These little sets can be found in the 2 sweet things shop here. I also sewed up some delicious little tutus. Something about working with tulle makes the princess in me very happy.

{three} The girls wore their dresses to Homecoming on Saturday evening, and I didn't get one picture that turned out well enough to put up. I'm waiting to see some on Facebook, and I'll try to post later this week. I am so happy with how they turned out and thankful that they liked the finished products. (I know how picky I was in high school!)

{four} Trace is off to Chicago today for the second time in a week to look at a car. He is not thrilled with our 'one car family' arrangement and is hoping to find the car of his dreams.  Fingers crossed!

{five} I made these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies yet again, and they continue to be the most amazing cookies ever. Seriously, and I'm kind of a cookie expert. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned them before, but I am floored every time I make them at how good they are. Something about the honey (my guess) makes the texture light and perfect. You should absolutely try them right now.

Hope your Monday is perfect! xo

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Friday Love

Welcome, Friday! This week has been crazy, and truthfully, I'm glad it's nearing its end. But there have been moments of pure awesomeness, and today was a fine example:

~Meet Leo. At first sight Remy was horrified with the chance meeting of our new caterpillar friend on the back porch. He calls me over screaming 'Gross, you have to see this!'. Just for your information, this is something I NEVER like to hear. I come closer to see this sweet, fuzzy little creature, and I tell Remy and Halle that he's just a caterpillar. Upon discovering how not gross this is, he promptly receives a name and a story. That's just the way we do things around here...

So Leo must be travelling home from work. He is a pretty fast moving caterpillar, and so that must mean that he is excited to see his family. The wee ones put things in his path to see his reaction (I know, not nice to do to a guy who's excited to see his family, but whatever...). Most amazing is that little Leo thinks that Remy 'smells like his family' and crawls up his arm to find them. We build Leo tunnels with leaves, a tee pee out of sticks, and Halle makes a salad from grass.

After playing for a while it is our lunch time, and Leo is left outside to continue his long journey home. We eat our lunch of mostly finger foods. Lunch is cleaned up, and I realize that the kids never washed their hands. So hopefully Leo was as harmless a little guy as I thought and we don't get some sort of weird caterpillar virus. (I am a hypochondriac and will be googling that on another screen as I'm finishing this post. Just so you know...)


So far, so good...  I hope you have a great weekend!

Foraging

I get asked pretty often about what the kids and I do all day. I must admit that some days I am at a loss for anything creative. Chores mount and I can't really think of anything more than just getting through the day in one piece. I do try to get the littles outside for something organized at least once a day. We do a lot of collecting and foraging when we're outside. Remy, no doubt inspired by preschool, calls this 'compare & contrast', and we have fun making piles of found objects.

Today we went on a leaf hunt. We had categories that included biggest, smallest, strangest, greenest, silliest, etc. Once we were done collecting, we sorted them on the outside table and did a little comparing and contrasting. We also took our crayons out with us and made rubbings. It amazes me how much they love doing this every time we do it... never gets old for them seeing the smallest details appear 'magically' on their page, and it never gets old for me to see their excitement.

I'd love for you to share what kinds of activities you are doing as fall is upon us~ I can never have too many ideas! Happy Thursday!

Warm

Today's 'We Scout Wednesday' theme is Autumn. And when the weather starts to chill and leaves start to change, there is nothing that says fall to me like soup. I like it in all makes and models: potato, vegetable, chili, tortilla, taco. I love making it from start to finish, but I've also been experimenting with some time-saving dry mixes that have turned out pretty great. I did some scouting of my own on etsy and found some sweet soup-related finds that I would love to bring home!

from kriskay

from Yellow Barn Finds

from picapica found

from Nick and Nessies

In fact, all this hunting makes me quite certain that I will be mixing up some tonight... I have a chicken chili mix I'm dying to try! What says Autumn to you? 

My New Baby

Yesterday was not my favorite. Well, at least it started that way.  I woke up with a sore throat, the same one that several of the youth girls have been passing around. We kept it pretty simple in the morning, staying home and taking it easy. During nap time, I was trying to catch up on a few orders, and my sewing machine broke. Not just jammed up or anything~ Broken with a dead motor.

Horrified because I have too much to do, as soon as Trace got home I took my sick machine to the repair shop. Upon assessment, they told me that it would be more to fix than my poor machine was worth. In truth, my sweet machine just wasn't built for the kind of every day sewing that I do. So (and here's where my day got exciting!) it was time for an upgrade... and it's a big one! (You can see the specs here, if you're interested in that sort of thing...)

Suddenly, later in the evening, I was feeling better and even felt up to making muffins! =) What better way to welcome a new toy into the family?!

I'm still in the process of reading her manual, so all I have done are the basics at this point, but she is amazing! Can't wait to see what flies off the machine today!!  I'll be back for We Scout Wednesday later... xo

Miscellany Monday~ Second Verse, Same as the First

Well, it's Monday again (how does that always happen?!), and I feel like this post may be the same as last week. Thanks for reliving the insanity...

{one} Busy. Thankfully the homecoming dresses have to be finished by this weekend, so I can get this off my to-do list. They have turned out just perfect, and I'll have pictures after the girls get all dolled-up this weekend~ Can't wait! I just have one strap to finish today and a matching tie (this was a last minute add to the list...) to wrap up, and then I can breathe a bit.

{two} I am no longer a soccer mom. We are quitters... At Wednesday's practice, Remy kicked the ball once and told his coach that he needed a break. Seriously, ONCE. I took this as an opportunity to reassess our choice, and we decided to make a clean break. He's just not into it and told me that he wasn't going to do his best. Hmm. My dreams of the vinyl soccer ball cling on the minivan came crashing down. (Just kidding, I am actually thankful to free up an evening and Saturday mornings each week...)

{three} Eating. I have been using my mom's mini-muffin pan a ton. Like every day. And banana-nut is on the menu today. This is really my new most favorite thing in the world. Everyone needs some muffins, right?!

{four} Sore. We went back to the gym this morning after a few weeks off. And I am certain that I will be sore tomorrow. I have been quite annoyed with myself, as I have undone some of the hard work and hours I put in at the gym this summer. I am determined to get back on track, and today was the day. Isn't it funny how you forget how good you feel after a workout? I stop going one day and it snowballs into a few weeks, and I have a million excuses as to why I can't go... but it feels so good to get back at it. And to watch cable. (Have I mentioned before that I love that the gym has cable?)

{five} Sad. So I watch soap operas. Not a revelation, I know, but I like the noise during nap time, and some of these people have literally been around my whole life. So on Friday when As The World Turns aired its final episode, I must admit I was a bit teary. I know I will survive, but I'm not sure my granny will! 

Okay, I think that's enough for this morning. We have a mountain of laundry to tackle and errands to run, all before getting Remy to school at 12:30... Yikes!

A Cooler Weather Question

Hey, lovelies! I'm in and out today~ busy with the previously mentioned homecoming dresses and custom orders. But I wanted to get your opinion on something... I am thinking about taking some orders for Winter Pajama sets and would love your input:

~Are pajama sets something you would be interested in? I would likely be making lounge pants with matching appliqued initial t-shirts. I've never been too matchy, but I think I'll definitely be making some for Remy and Halle!

~Would you prefer cotton or flannel?

~What colors do you love this year? These are some of the fabrics I have been looking at (I love the trees, dots, and stripes!):

photo courtesy of Fabric Shoppe

~Would you be interested in adult sizes in the pants?

I would love your input~ thanks so much!

Miscellany Monday

Click the button and link up, if you want to! You know the drill...

Happy Monday! I absolutely cannot believe it's Monday~ we never stopped to breathe this weekend! Random is exactly what I've got this morning, so it's fitting to link up with Carissa.

{one} Remy's soccer game was, in a word, amusing. Our little guy is not quite the aggressive soccer player he claims to be while in the backyard. Usually with preschool soccer, where the ball goes the pack goes. But not our Remy... he's a non-conformist. He chose to tip-toe behind the group, doing the chicken dance and examining his awesome cleats. Go Number 10!!

{two} I am so thankful to be suddenly swamped with orders! Three of our students have commissioned me to make Homecoming dresses, and I am busy with fabric shopping and fittings and all that goes along with that. I'm so not used to sewing for full-size people, and I feel so much pressure to make these dresses perfect. Originally they weren't supposed to need the dresses until January, and then last week the school suddenly bumped up the date to September 25th~ Ahh! Things in the new shop are also going great, and I am loving this little surge before the holidays get going... blessed!

{three}This picture of Rem with his viking gear is his official "First Day of School'" picture. A boy must have his shield, evidently, and I didn't push it further than that (we weren't in the car yet!). He is loving school so far. Among the highlights are that they are learning extensively about trains, and there is a set of twins in his class. This is apparently the most amazing thing Remy and his classmates have ever seen!

{four}I am singing in a few weddings next month and am in search of the perfect dress. I have been scouring mainly vintage sites, but I'm terrified that I won't end up liking what I pick. I'm kind of in love with this one, but I just can't commit. I am also on the lookout for some great tall boots for fall & winter. I hate buying anything for myself~ is it just me?!

Hope y'all had a great weekend! See you soon!

Love~ My Boys

I do wish y'all could see these boys play. Wrestling in the freshly mown grass (and mowing is Trace's least favorite job!) is a favorite for both, I think. And, as is always the case with my sweet Remy is that it ends in a snuggle. Life is as it should be.

In the Kitchen

My mother-in-law gave me this Paula Deen cook book when Remy was very small, and I have been itching for him to be old enough use it! Yesterday afternoon he asked me if we could make something, and I began searching for the perfect (i.e. quick enough for a short attention span and simple) recipe to try. We settled on her pretzels. I was amazed at how quickly they mixed up with only a few simple ingredients. (These are only baked, not boiled as I know you do with some 'real' pretzel recipes...)

Remy's favorite part was kneading the dough. He spent the majority of that time telling Halle how strong he is and that 'this job is best for big boys', but she was more than happy to try as well. They only have to rise for an hour, and that was a great break for my budding chefs. We then rolled them out into letters and standard pretzel shapes. We chose to top them with cinnamon & sugar rather than just salt so that we could eat them as dessert after dinner. Halle loved using the shaker!

These turned out super-cute and pretty tasty!

These Walls Mean Something

Today for Scoutie Girl's We Scout Wednesday, the question is "How will you change the world with your money?". I think about this often and decided to jump in. I think for our home, it is as much about how we don't spend our money than how we do spend our money.

I love walking into a place that feels like home. A well-decorated and warm living space is wonderful to enter in to. Then I looked around our house this morning (and of course snapped a few pictures!) at my almost completely (except for the occasional wedding  or Audrey Hepburn picture) bare walls. Sure, there are times when I drool over decor8 or Pottery Barn's catalogue and think of buying up wonderful things to put on our walls... To run into an antique shop and buy charming vintage furniture and creative things to place on my tables. But then I ALWAYS think about how else I could use this money. God speaks to me, and I love being close enough to Him to hear His voice. These bare walls show my heart.

At the end of the day, I can live with myself if my spending has been mindful. I love hearing Remy pray for Nthiani, our Compassion sponsored child in Kenya, and I feel good about the money that goes to him every month.  I look at the blank space over my couch, and I can see missionary friends in Spain and Thailand.  I know that money has gone to serve God in dark places of the world. Acts 4:32-34 says "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them." More than having magazine-worthy walls, I dream of the day when there is no needy person among us! But since that day hasn't arrived, I would much rather have our money free to use if someone has need of it.

I debated on whether to post this at all~ I do not wish to come across as self-righteous or as giving a prescription for how you should (or shouldn't) spend your money. There may come a time when these walls are filled with lovely things we've collected over the years. I am not against decorating! But to answer the question~ I will change the world by spending with my conscience. By, for now, avoiding superfluous items and investing in things that have kingdom effects. By supporting handmade and purchasing thoughtful products that give workers a fair wage. By living as God desires us to live. That's our bottom line.

...until next time...

Enjoying

This weather really does make me sooooo happy! This weekend we had friends over for a cookout, and then yesterday we had a 'picnic party' (according to Halle) in the yard. While I love the craziness of big celebrations, I adore parties like this~ that only require a snack of some sort, a blanket (in this case a vintage table cloth) and friends.

Last week at my mom's, I went 'shopping' through her kitchen for anything I might need and found that she had some mini muffin pans. She graciously gave them to me, and I am thrilled! I have already made brownies, and yesterday I made banana muffins. The tiny little treats made the perfect food for our picnic. And the littles had a blast~ it even worked out so that Trace got home from work and was able to join us.

How are you enjoying this transition into fall? Today is Remy's first day of school and soccer, so it's a big one for us! I'll be back later with We Scout Wednesday, I think, but that's it for now! xo

Hip Hip Hooray!

Hello! I thought I'd start off the week (okay, I know it's Tuesday...) with a picture of the diva from my mom's house. We had a lovely time in Indiana, letting the parents spoil Remy & Halle a bit while Trace & I tried to take it easy. As soon as we arrive at my mom's, Halle makes a beeline for Grammy's jewelry box for her 'bwacelets'. A girl must have her accessories!

I also suppose you have noticed the new look on my blog. I am thrilled with how it turned out! I still have some tweaking to do, but I am getting settled... =) One big thing that I added is a button you can grab. I would be incredibly honored if you linked up~ Let me know if you do! The lovely Hannah from Vivid Design Studio did the design work~ y'all should check out her amazing portfolio & blog. This is one incredibly gifted teenage girl who loves God and shares her perspective and talents in a way that are well beyond her 14 years.

Also, in honor of my new Big Cartel shop & blog, I've decided to have a little sale. You can click on the link to my shop in the sidebar (or  right here), and at checkout enter the code 'HOORAY' to receive 20% off your entire purchase. This offer will be good through Friday.

Friday Love~ Found

In keeping with my Simple Goals, I am working on organizing my work space. I scored big last week when sorting through a much neglected drawer~ I found a bag of vintage lace and trims! Some of them scream eighties (like the gray and pink woven ribbon), while others appear much older. 

This envelope has about a yard of this incredible handmade trim. I can't even begin to imagine the time it took to make these sweet little circles!

It kind of makes me think I should clean more often (or just stay organized in the first place...)! Happy Friday!

Cool.

 Something very California about all these pictures, I think. Kind of makes me want to take a trip there. I guess even though the biggest part of me wants autumn to come, I find myself looking at images like these and hanging on a bit to warmer things. I could use a little cotton candy...

Swing Ride by Hey Zee

Candy Color San Francisco by Roadside Photographs

Sweet Shop by Lola's Room

Lanterns by Cassia Beck

Happy House by Bird And Bloke

 xo