Pleasant Boundaries

Sneak Peek

2012-02-13T09:38:00.000-06:00

I started this camera bag a few weeks ago, but our busy schedule has kept me from working on it diligently. I can't wait until it's finished; and now that Gabriela is taking a photography class, the pressure is on!

The pattern is from Kay Whitt's Media Frenzy, and this bag, alone, occupies ten pages of instruction.

I'm on the fifth page.

I'm just giddy about it and couldn't wait to post a photo, even though it's yet unfinished.

Also, I had mentioned last week that I hoped to be able to make a clutch to match the bag that I made for my friend, Terri.

Miraculously, I was able to carve out time to make it in time for her daughter to carry it home with her.

I used more of the plaid capulana fabric and a beaded zipper pull, both acquired while living in Moçambique.

I missed my opportunity to post this on Amy's Sew & Tell on Friday, but I've been taking it slowly. I spent yesterday organizing the sewing room. We have a lot going on in our house, so I have to keep to my own pace these days.

I didn't want to work on any more projects without de-cluttering a bit. It was getting out-of-hand.

My white-board list of projects has grown considerably, so I do hope to spend quite a bit of time sewing in the coming weeks - in between out-of-town guests, of course.

So far, the count for 2012 is twelve, with ten more expected before the end of February, and (Lord willing) my parents will come after that.

I can't wait to log in some kitchen hours with them!

Birdie Sling for a Friend

2012-02-03T18:48:00.000-06:00

It's been quite a while since I've made one of these. I still carry mine that I made in Moçambique.

Last spring, I carried my Birdie Sling to the Vera Bradley outlet sale in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and when my friend, Terri, in Alabama saw a photo, she requested one.

Well, shame on me.

I'm just now getting around to making it.

It helps that Terri's beautiful daughter, Ashley, has been visiting us. I can send it home with her, which has motivated me to get going - added motivation lies in the fact that today is Sew & Tell Friday and I missed it last week.

This bag has such great size and shape. In my opinion, Amy Butler is "The Bomb" and worthy of high regard in the sewing/pattern-design realm.

So, I'll humbly submit that I thought the only element this bag was lacking is a magnetic snap.

I went ahead and added one to Terri's bag.

I have really missed having one on my bag, because I'd love for it to be able to close.

Now that I've added one to Terri's bag, I'm having second thoughts, as it's causing the top band to bunch a little.

Grrrrr.

Fortunately, I'm pretty sure that Terri sees me through rose-colored glasses.

At least, I like to think so.

The plaid lining fabric is from a capulana that I brought back from Moçambique.

I'm throwing in a little bonus, since I miss my friend so much that it hurts. (I haven't seen her since May '09.) She's one of those hip, wanna-be-farmer, goat-milkin', flowy-blonde-hair, 10-K-runnin', make-you-laugh-until-you-cry, mama-of-9-not-wanting-to-feed-her-family-GMO-food types. In short: I love her!

If a miracle happens over the weekend before Ashley returns home, I'll make a gathered clutch to match the Birdie Sling.

If not, there's always Terri's birthday.

Say It With Alacrity!

2012-01-31T21:23:00.000-06:00

Our friend, Dave, lives by the most interesting lists. One of those is something like, "Words Best Spoken With Alacrity". (Dave, if you're reading, feel free to correct me on the details.)

Here's one to add to the list of

Words Best Spoken With Alacrity:

"Spanakopita"!

Say it again:

"SPANAKOPITA"!

It simply means "spinach pie", but this is where the Greeks do it better than their English-speaking counterparts.

I have a son who would be slap-happy if he could eat burgers or pizza (or both!) for every meal. So, it pleased me last week when I asked him to suggest a dinner idea for my menu list, and he mentioned spanakopita.

I had actually been thinking of it already, and it was nice to see that we were on the same page, so to speak.

This same young man who drew a line through all of my "healthful" menu items in protest, also chose a food item that has spinach as its key ingredient.

Heh.

This recipe actually came from Martha Stewart. I used to get her magazine, and I would save the perforated recipe cards that came in each issue. I first made spanakopita a few years ago when we lived in Alabama, and it calls for a LOT of butter.

This is one of those recipes that not only tastes good, but that I enjoy for the actual process of making it. It's fun to work with filo dough - although it bears an unsettling resemblance to the parchment paper that lines the baking sheet.

This photo is from the archives. This is the first one I ever made, and I posted it on my old blog. It's been about four years. I just wanted to compare the two.

So, do you feel inspired yet?

February 2012: Month of the Wish

2012-01-31T19:03:00.000-06:00

Don't worry.

I'm not superstitious, and I don't make wishes.

I believe fully in the sovereignty of God.

Still, what stay-at-home-mom doesn't "wish" for more hours in her day?

Well, it's leap year, and that means that we get 24 days' worth of an extra hour per day.

The beauty?

It's all crammed into one day!

So, the way I look at it is that I get an entire day to devote wholly to doing all the things that I can't seem to accomplish most days.

And I have 28 days to plan.

Is this recognized as a national holiday? 'Cause it should be. Maybe we can have a party...

Fun Saturday

2012-01-28T13:51:00.000-06:00

Our Saturday was kicked off nicely, and it's still only the beginning. We have more in store for later.

I just wanted to share, in case you're interested.

Read about it here and here.

Get This App!

2012-01-25T23:59:00.000-06:00

Are you trying to gain weight? If so, then this is the recipe for you. Otherwise, make it anyway, and then join a gym or take up running.

A while back, I downloaded the Epicurious App for my iPhone. Because I'm a creature of habit, I kept forgetting to use it when planning our menus. This week, I was determined to finally use the "shopping list" saved from my "favorites".

The recipe for Sweet Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Pecans (pictured above) is actually the second recipe I've used. (The first one was what we had for breakfast this morning, but I'll blog about that at another time and another place.)

Trust me when I say that there's a lot of guilt involved in this recipe, but the flavor makes one forget about it.

In my estimation, that's precisely what makes a recipe appealing!

The down side to the Epicurious App is that the entries can only be viewed in order, and once a category is left, the sequence starts over from the beginning when that particular category is resumed. The problem with that is that some categories have over a thousand entries. So, if you come across something you might like, mark it as a favorite, just in case. That way, you won't have to weed through the first 726 entries to find it again.

Other than that, I'd say that there are all pluses in the app! There's even a category called "I Can Barely Cook", aimed toward the novice, as well as "I Cook Like a Pro", for the more adventurous home chef. There are seasonal lists, weeknight dinner lists, and so on.

The best part is the "shopping list". Simply click (or tap) the "+" while viewing a recipe, and presto! You'll have an instant shopping list for the necessary ingredients!

Man, they should hire me, or something!

Happy Apping!

Love This Girl!

2012-01-25T18:06:00.000-06:00

In just a few days, our little dimpled baby will turn eighteen. I know it's early to be doing her birthday post, but I just felt inspired.

Morgan enhances the dynamics of our home and family in many ways.

Here are just a few:

She's ultra-self-motivated, taking charge of her health and fitness and setting a strong example for the rest of us.

Her interest in art has recently been revived, so she practices cursive handwriting in order to improve her drawing skills.

Having taught herself piano, she fills our home with beautiful music, and recently began teaching her brother, Graham, how to play the violin.

Morgan is wise beyond her years, and often encourages me by offering counsel when I appear to be losing my compass.

She aids in keeping the atmosphere of our home light and pleasant by making us laugh with her quick wit and clever impersonations.

But in all honesty, when Morgan eventually leaves our home to enter the next season of her life, I'm pretty sure that what I'll miss most are her chocolate chip cookies:

Don't you wish that you had a Morgan, too? ;-)

Camera Strap

2012-01-20T11:18:00.001-06:00

I finally got my camera back from the repair shop on Wednesday. It had been there since December 7th, and it had been broken since early fall. Now that it's back, I'm setting aside my white board list, in favor of a couple of camera-friendly projects.

This camera strap is the first of those.

I've been compiling a mental list of all of the residents of my dream kibbutz.

I'm thinking that Paula Deen, despite my fear of her excessive use of butter, would make a good go-to neighbor when I need advice on home accents. I like her style. (Besides, my kibbutz - which would likely be in Israel or Africa, where my husband prefers to live - wouldn't be complete unless someone spoke in an authentic southern accent.)

Some of my favorite bloggers would have to live there, too, like Amy & Penny.

There are others that I'd want there, as well, like my friend, Terri, who makes me laugh until I cry.

Of course, my parents would have their own wing in our home, with the kitchen ~~strategically~~ centrally located, to allow Mom & Daddy plenty of opportunity to make us some ultra-yummy food. Maybe I'll do a separate "Dream Kibbutz" post in the future.

Still, there is one woman who simply MUST live near me. Right now, she's about a four-hour drive from where I live. I may try to work this to my advantage one day. In the meantime, I'll have to settle for gleaning from her amazing patterns. I do hope to meet her one day, though.

Anyway, I awoke before my alarm this morning, ready to "Bring It"; but instead, I decided to rid my toenails of three-week-old chipped blue nail polish, and head up to meet with Clara in the sewing room.

(For those of you who don't know, Clara is my sewing machine.)

How nice to have a finished product just in time to walk downstairs to breakfast.

Morgan is as excited as I am that the camera is back in our lives.

Watching her attach the strap was almost as torturous as awaiting the first pan of chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven... OK. No comparison. But I was anxious.

Voila!

Bye-bye, phone photos!

(Well, except, of course, for the photos of the camera, which made it necessary to use the phone.)

Happy Sew & Tell Friday!

Rejoice With Me!

2012-01-18T13:08:00.000-06:00

My!

Camera!

Is!

READY!!!

Soft Globe Trial

2012-01-14T00:38:00.000-06:00

My to-do list is looming over me like a bad debt, but I managed to at least breathe some of the air in my sewing room this week.

I debated over whether to even post this, but here it is - my trial run.

I saw fabric globes similar to this (Ha! I flatter myself!) at a local decorating store. I fell in love with them, but the price would repel any sensible shopper. For several months, I've wanted to see if I can come up with a suitable substitute.

I think it's kind of cute, but I'd like for it to be much larger.

I had forgotten how unpleasant it is to cut out fabric map pieces - sort of like forgetting how much childbirth hurts, so you go ahead and have another (and, in my case, another, and another, and another).

Anyway, I did it. And it hurt. And I got lazy.

If you look closely at the cutting job, you can see just how lazy.

But don't.

I do plan to revisit this project. I couldn't decide which fabric would work best, so I'd like to try others. Also, I want to try to make this larger. For this one, I used the back of the Potterybarn duvet cover that used to adorn my bed, but is now, at least in part, a set of big pillows for the bench in our school room. The blue plaid appliqué fabric is left over from recycled Potterybarn Kids curtains.

I hope to get back to sewing next week. For now, we're enjoying a visit from a very special family of ten. Caelyn went to Alaska for three months in 2010 to be their nanny for three months. They've had three children since the last time our entire family saw them, but we knew them before they had any children.

Before their arrival this afternoon, I ran errands and did some last-minute grocery shopping to complete our weekend menu items.

Kudos to Craig Grayson and Morgan, who provided fuel for my morning tasks. CG made his should-be-famous chocolate chip scones (inspired by this friend and this family), and Mo took scrambled eggs to a new level:

The photo doesn't do justice to these amazing scrambled eggs. She sauteéd vegetables first and added the scrambled eggs to the pan. Then she topped them with crumbled turkey bacon. I should probably post these on our breakfast blog. My parents' legacy truly lives on in my children. I'm a blessed woman.

This says it all. I couldn't waste time photographing the scone. Actually, I ate it while driving and photographed the result in the grocery parking lot.

It was 27 degrees this morning. Twenty-seven. In Houston, TX. I'm so thankful to have these boots. By the way, I've actually been pursued in the mall before by someone who stopped me to ask where I got my boots. Twice.

Ok, I'm rambling now. It's time to go and see what the others have made this week at Amy's Sew & Tell.

Have a fun weekend!

So Exciting!

2012-01-05T13:05:00.002-06:00

Shabby Apple is offering 20% off of NEARLY everything on their site until the end of January!

Take your time, because the sale lasts all month long; but hurry, because time flies.

:-)

Just follow the button on my sidebar.

To-Do

2012-01-04T21:08:00.000-06:00

I've already mentioned that I don't do New Year's Resolutions, yet I can't help but get caught in the turbine of newness at this time of year. Everywhere I turn is a "fresh" or "new" idea for making things better, more organized, updated, etc.

I just can't help myself. I get hooked every year. It goes with the territory when we're faced with a new menu plan after Christmas and New Year's Day, and getting into the groove of a new school semester. It just seems that all aspects of life should be thrown onto the drawing board for reconsideration.

So far, I've cleaned all of our "good" dishes and serving pieces, along with the glass cabinets/doors in our kitchen, to make them all shiny and beautiful again. After that, I tackled the pantry in preparation for yesterday's trip to Costco.

In between a few jobs, I've worked on the attic in small "bites", but I'm not really ready to go all-out in there just yet.

Today, while Caelyn and Craig Grayson did our grocery shopping, I thoroughly cleaned the refrigerator. I have two words for that experience:

Science Experiment

In the process, I salvaged just enough leftovers to make Clean-Out-The-Refrigerator Beef Pot Pie.

Everything else was either pitched into the trash or put into the freezer for future consideration (like leftover glaze from Sunday's cinnamon rolls).

This week has been a relaxed process of easing back into a daily school schedule. For now, the children are working on music, and together we're making our list of reflections on 2011.

Today I finished planning our new menu.

Up next will be the following tasks, if I can make the most of the rest of the week:

* Thank-you notes

* New chore lists

* New daily schedules

* Outline/plan for my new breakfast series

* Part 2 of "Why We Homeschool"

* Lesson Plans

Right now, though, I'd love to just get the sheets back onto my bed!

Clean-Out-The-Refrigerator Beef Pot Pie, just before going into the oven

Wise Counsel

2012-01-02T07:22:00.000-06:00

I don't make New Year's resolutions, as a rule. I know myself far too well. I start strong, but I don't always finish well, depending on what it is. I need to take ownership of something in order to be motivated to see it through to completion, and a calendar date doesn't normally serve as a catalyst.

I can decide that it's time to eat better, work out harder, clean more, get organized, revamp our school schedule, be nicer to my children, remember to iron Craig's shirts before he needs them, catch up on emails... the list goes on;

but God's Word tells us to number our days, to make the most of every opportunity, to take up our cross and daily follow Jesus.

None of those former things matter much apart from the latter, and January 1st doesn't have to be the day that spurs me to frantically start checking things off, just to find in a couple of months that I don't have enough steam left to accomplish my lofty ambitions.

Still, while cleaning up Christmas and New Year's messes, putting away decorations, and gearing up for the rest of the school year, it's a good time for reflection and planning.

2011 was an exciting year for us, full of change, blessing, and challenge.

I can't make any particular declaration about what I expect to see happen in 2012, but these things I do know:

~ God is faithful. (2 Timothy 2:13)

~ His mercy is new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

~ He longs to be gracious to His people. (Isaiah 30:18)

~ He has promised in His Word to bring to completion the good work that He has begun in us. (Philippians 1:6)

Tomorrow, we have the wonderful opportunity to take a day trip and visit some special friends. I'm looking forward to this time of fellowship and refreshment before resuming our daily routine here at home.

After that, I plan to spend the rest of the week doing some spiritual "assessment" with the children and seeking God's will and direction for the rest of our school year.

A friend shared this blog post from a faithful brother in Christ, which I find especially useful and inspiring. Craig and I read it and have decided to put Mr. Phillips's counsel into practice.

I'm sure that our lists will differ from the Phillips Family's lists, but several of Doug's suggestions are worth copying, such as his advice to personally thank those who've blessed and influenced us, and encourage our children to do the same.

I'm excited about taking time with the children to recall God's specific blessings and provision for our family over the past year, and looking ahead to what He has in store for us next.

Wedding Soup

2011-12-29T16:10:00.000-06:00

Having lived away from our extended family for most of the past nineteen years, the responsibility of holiday dinners has been almost entirely mine. Only on a few occasions have we spent a major holiday away with family.

It's been especially fun when my parents have come for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I love working in the kitchen with the two best cooks I know!

As the children have grown & become more adept in the kitchen, my work load has become lighter.

This year, the work of Christmas meal prep was even lighter - for me, at least.

The children did almost all of the baking. I only made one batch of lemon sugar snaps (from Martha Stewart; my first time; marginal results).

We were invited to share Christmas dinner with The Cousins, with "instructions" to bring whatever we wanted.

Nice!

The girls made a couple of quiches and some desserts, and I got over easily.

I decided to make soup, and the girls made a special request:

Wedding Soup.

Being from Pittsburgh, I learned about Italian food (and Polish food and German food) before I ever learned about "soul" food. In fact, growing up, my exposure to "soul food" was relegated to a mere handful of basic options (although, with my parents, even ordinary foods are extraordinary):

Fried Chicken

Ribs

(I'll ONLY eat my dad's.)

Collard Greens

(I ONLY ate my dad's until Craig learned how to make them.)

As I've already mentioned, my parents are the best cooks I know, and this is true even with Italian food.

However, I never had wedding soup while growing up in their household.

I don't even know anyone else who makes it at home, except for a lady I once met in an Italian market. As a visual learner, I didn't remember much of her verbal recipe sharing that day. So, when I was ready to make it at home just a few years ago, I had to search online for a recipe.

I ended up finding two recipes that seemed promising. Each one lacked something that the other offered, so I combined the best of the two.

For the past several years, this has been a favorite, not only for my household, but also for friends and relatives who've tasted it.

On Christmas Day this year, though, I decided to wing it, and it ended up being the best yet! The Cousins don't eat much beef or any pork; so to be safe, I made turkey meatballs.

Here's what I did:

Turkey Meatballs = ground turkey, crumbled bread (a slice or so of something good - I used my homemade wheat bread and grated it manually), chopped onions, herbs, salt, pepper, egg, milk.

Don't make them too large. I used a tablespoon to scoop mine, and that's about as large as they should ever be.

Cook the meatballs in the bottom of the soup pot you plan to use. Add chopped vegetables when the meatballs are sufficiently browned:

(It'll be necessary to push the meatballs to the sides of the pot & add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.)

fennel

(I was out of celery, and I'm SO glad! Fennel is the way of the future. For sure.)

carrots

onion

garlic

spinach

(Confession: I use frozen spinach.)

I keep a cute little covered dish of coarse salt next to my stove. I always feel more chef-like as I pinch and sprinkle while cooking. Don't be shy, but don't overdo it. That goes for pepper, too. It doesn't hurt to add a bit more herbs and other seasonings along with the vegetables. I added some ground celery seed, as well.

OK, I can hear your question.

("Which herbs?")

I used rosemary, thyme, sage (all fresh), and dried oregano. I may have thrown in a little savory, but I can't recall for certain.

NOTE: This soup got rave reviews, even from The Cousins (who, surprisingly, had never tasted Wedding Soup before). So, if yours turns out bland, don't blame me. I am a seasoner. I just can't direct you on exactly how much. You'll have to sample as you go.

My only caution is that it is possible to use too much oregano, and it doesn't take much to cross the line. That stuff is powerful, unless it's fresh.

Cute little covered dish (gotta love Polish pottery, eh?)

When the veggies start to get a little tender, go ahead and add chicken broth. Now, I'm leaving this up to your discretion. It really depends on how many meatballs you have, whether or not you add a mini pasta (I usually don't), and how brothy you like your soup. It's totally a matter of personal preference, but at least use enough broth to cover the ingredients and leave room for evaporation as it simmers.

That's it. That's how I made my wedding soup. It's all in how you season it - and your meatballs really make a difference, too. Please - whatever you do! - DO NOT cheat by buying frozen meatballs. Seriously. It's worth the effort to make them yourself. If you decide to ignore my advice, just don't tell anyone where you got the recipe, OK?

;-)

The girls said that this photo makes the soup look more like swamp water (the camera is still in the shop); but I assure you, it is far superior to that.

Two Decades & Still a Rookie

2011-12-27T16:10:00.000-06:00

This is late, but blame it on Christmas.

Twenty years ago, on Christmas Day, Craig & I embarked on a grand and fabulous new journey...

of parenthood.

One would think that two decades and five children later, we'd be the go-to people for how it's done.

Au contraire,

we are not.

But we strive to "bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4)

Each new day, season, experience, etc., of parenting is just that: new.

Thus, we remain rookies.

This is exactly as it should be, lest we deceive ourselves and assume that we no longer need to depend on the Lord for wisdom and guidance.

With fear and trembling, we seek counsel from the Word of God and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as we aim these children in the "way they should go".

We are fully dependent on the mercy of our gracious Heavenly Father, from Whose hands they have been given.

I'm grateful for the twenty years I've had so far as Caelyn's mom. She is a true blessing, always eager to serve joyfully, humbly, quietly.

Her quick wit, inherited from Craig, lightens the mood of our home and offers us the much-needed "good medicine" of laughter.

Caelyn loves people and has a knack for making anyone feel welcome in her presence - from the elderly, all the way to babies and toddlers, and anyone in between.

She is a true friend who "loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17).

This is the purse I made for Caelyn's birthday, using this pattern that I first saw at the Houston Quilt Show. I knew right away that I must make it for her. I started it in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, and finished it around 1 a.m. on Christmas morning. I'd change a couple of things about the construction in the future, but overall, I love the design! I kept thinking, "These people are so clever!"

Festivities

2011-12-20T16:08:00.000-06:00

I haven't owned a water globe in my adult life. I was so pleased to receive this beautiful one from our friend, Peggy, who joined us for breakfast recently.

We've been invited to share Christmas dinner this year with The Cousins, so we've had a low-key preparation period. In the meantime, we've enjoyed some opportunities to extend hospitality.

Our friend, Jon, visited from Pittsburgh for a few days last week. While he was here, we invited a few friends to join us for breakfast on Saturday morning.

Breakfast is arguably our favorite meal, so it was a pleasure to plan and prepare for a great time of morning fellowship.

Sue and I were excited for our daughters to finally meet. Allie is a sweet, outgoing young lady who loves the Word of God, and the girls had lots to share during the visit.

I'm pretty sure this is the best candle I've ever owned. The scent is Amber & Bergamot, and it's addictive, therapeutic, soothing... I highly recommend it. (Thanks, Sue!)

Yesterday, Morgan and I helped Gabriela prepare for her First Annual (maybe) Cookie & Ornament Exchange, with some of her friends.

Caelyn was away at her nanny job, and the boys helped around the house as we prepared.

For Gabriela's ornaments, we used Vanessa's tutorial.

These were fun and easy to make, but a little hard on the fingertips (with the hot glue).

I helped with stitching the circles and did a bit of hot gluing, but Gabriela did most of the work on these. I think she did well for her first project of this sort.

The girls, (l to r), Emily, AnaLisa, Gabriela, Sarah, & Chloe, had a delightful time playing games, exchanging goodies, and, of course, giggling.

AnaLisa's cookies were so adorable! Sadly, I didn't get to sample one.

Chloe spent the night at our house the night before the party, and made chocolate chip cookies with Morgan. Gabriela opted for kiss cookies, which Morgan volunteered to make for her. (Happiness is having a really amazing older sister!)

Sarah & Emily brought these yummy pretzel-Rolo sandwiches. My mom makes these with a pecan on top, and we make them with an M&M on top. Either way, these go quickly!

For the record - and I feel that my word should suffice - homemade peppermint patties (brought by Sarah & Emily) are far superior to the name-brand option.

On a superficial note, I'm still trying to be patient as I await the return of my camera from the repair shop. I'm no photographer, but I look forward to sharing better-quality photos in the hopefully-not-too-distant future.

How are you preparing for Christmas?

Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-18T11:54:00.000-06:00

Participating in the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway has been such a fun experience for me.

Thank you to all who left comments on my nursing cover giveaway post. My family and I enjoyed reading through all of them (a few times)!

It was tough to choose a winner, because every comment was so intriguing. I'm amazed at how many common interests we share. It made me wish that I could have 24 nursing covers on-hand to give away!

Together, we've decided that Amber of "Bright and Shiny - Lovely and Good" will get the cover. In her comment, she said,

"If I could be anywhere, I'd choose a trip to Great Britain with my hubby. I've never gotten to use a passport, so that would be fun by itself, but I'd love to explore the streets of London, the Scottish highlands, Beatrix Potter's preserved countryside, and the gardens at Project Eden! I couldn't imagine ever going on a trip without my husband, either. I'd rather be home with him than there without. Your giveaway is so much fun! I have a friend who just had her second child plus 2 foster kids under 3 at home. It's fun to send her stuff once in a while because she deserves it! Thanks for the giveaway!"

Congratulations, Amber! Thank you for participating! Please send me your address so that I may send this to you as soon as possible.

We really enjoyed reading through each comment. I'm especially blessed to see all of the women who hold their husbands in high regard and prefer being with them - and with their children - rather than away from them. This is becoming more and more rare in our society. Family is so important, and our husbands and children need to know that we appreciate them and love being with them.

Thank you, everyone, for making this giveaway so much fun for me!

This Has Been a Good Week!

2011-12-16T08:43:00.000-06:00

I've been on a roll this week. I had fallen behind in my menu planning and grocery shopping, but I ironed that all out early this week. It feels nice to be on track again.

My workout schedule has drastically improved after a long rut. I feel energized again (and my clothes are fitting better).

There are oodles of reasons to give thanks and praise to the Lord for His many blessings. I could go on, but these are just a couple of highlights.

Adding to the list are a few sewing projects that I tackled this week. I sent these off in the mail to my friend in Pennsylvania, and I managed to get this ready just in time for the giveaway.

A friend in North Carolina really liked the Nook bag I made for Gabriela. Her daughter saw it and asked for a similar one, but wanted it to be larger. So, my friend asked me to make a messenger bag for her daughter.

I sent her some photos of some fabric choices, and here's what she chose:

I decided to use the elephant print on the back to break up the dots.

Morgan does good work with her iPhone photos. I can't pull this off like she can. I hope to have my camera back very soon.

Now, Why Didn't I Think of That?

2011-12-15T09:39:00.000-06:00

Three-generation apron set; thanks to my girls for modeling

I've been making aprons for several years, and it never occurred to me that I should make a matching set for my girls, or my girls and me, or my girls and my mom and me.

I still haven't done it.

But my friend, Peaches -- for whom I made this project in the spring, and this project just recently (with a matching laptop sleeve) -- asked me to make a set of aprons for her to wear with her daughter and granddaughter on her next visit.

Oh, how I wish that I could be a fly on the wall of their kitchen to observe all the cuteness.

Except that I'd get swatted.

At least, that's what I'd do if I saw a fly on the wall of my kitchen.

I think that this technically qualifies as a Craft Book Challenge post, since it's my variation of a design in one of my magazines, and I haven't posted for Liesl's challenge in quite a while.

Maybe I'm stretching it...

A "Sew, Mama, Sew!" Giveaway

2011-12-14T19:02:00.001-06:00

Disclaimer: My camera is STILL in the shop, so forgive my poor-quality phone photos.

I'm so excited to be hosting my very first giveaway! Sew, Mama, Sew! is hosting a gigantic giveaway week, and they've invited "any" blogger to participate.

(I think I qualify as "any" -- as in,

"They'll let any ol' person participate, won't they?")

I decided to add something to the "Baby & Kid" category, so here it is: a nursing cover.

I've made several of these over the years, and you can sneak a peek at just a few examples here, here, & here.

In addition to installing boning in the neckline to allow Mama to peek at her nursing baby when necessary, I like to include a pocket for stashing nursing pads during the feeding.

I like to add a backing to my nursing covers, and I couldn't resist this fabric. I bought what was left on the bolt. :-)

Visit the SMS blog to see all of the fabulous giveaways that are happening this week -- there are many!

But, hurry!

The giveaway period ends on Friday, December 16 at 5 p.m. (PST).

I'm a bit late posting this, but I just couldn't make it happen sooner.

(Actually, I found out about after it had already started.)

To enter my giveaway for this nursing cover (whether you want it for yourself or as a gift for someone else), all you have to do is leave a comment answering this three-part question:

If you could be anywhere in the world, with the companion of your choice, where would you be, who would be your companion, and what would you do there?

I'll choose the best one, in my opinion, and that commenter will be the winner of the nursing cover. I'll notify the winner by December 18, so please make sure that you include an email so that I may contact you.

How fun! Now I'm off to enter a giveaway or two, myself!

** ETA: It's sad, but true. The Giveaway is now closed. I hate to do it, but I don't want to break the rules on my very first time participating.

:-)

Thank you to everyone who commented. It's been a blast! The winner will be announced by Sunday evening (12/18).

Advent Calendar for a Friend

2011-12-09T12:12:00.000-06:00

I have a penchant for over-tasking myself, and I use the excuse that I work better under pressure. The truth is that I just procrastinate until I have NO CHOICE than to produce something under the pressure of lacking time.

I love it, though!

My white board makes me crazy and happy. I'm one of those weird people who let out a little "mad scientist" giggle, as I cross off an item from my list.

Recently, my young friend, Kelly, sent me this link and asked if I could make something similar for her.

We've been friends with Kelly's family for nearly twenty years. She was a little girl in the youth group that Craig helped to lead back in the early 90s, when we lived in California; and she's now married and expecting her second child.

How could I say, "No"?

This ended up being a really fun project, and I'm so glad that she trusted me to give it a whirl.

I spent a couple of days thinking about what to use for the main background, and I remembered this old sweater of mine that had been added to my "recycle" stash.

This sweater is too big for me now, as I wore it in the "old days" (read "pregnant-and-nursing-days") before I took charge of my health and fitness.

Once I got over the fact that PART of a garment that used to FIT me could be used to make a WALL HANGING,

I was free to proceed.

It took several moments of soul-searching before I finally cut into the sweater.

Some of the details of the original sample that Kelly had sent just didn't sit well with me. She's a really special friend with really great style, so I wanted to pay closer attention to some of the details, without losing the rustic look that she was aiming to achieve.

In my heart I knew that the numbers should be embroidered, rather than "markered". Still, Morgan had to stand by me and help to build my confidence.

Embroidering the numbers made the project take about three times as long as if I had simply written them, but I'm so glad that I took the time.

Morgan helped with the placement and color choices, but we tried to be intentionally random with them.

I went for a "wonky" placement of the numbers.

For some reason, "3", "15", and "17" just wouldn't cooperate in the hoop; but I persevered.

Soon, Lord willing, my photos should improve, as I've finally taken my real camera to be repaired. My phone just doesn't cut it; but at least I have a record, albeit fuzzy.

Many thanks to Gabriela for scavenging in the back yard for a stick. I used twill tape to hang it.

I got lots of "oohs" and "aahhs" from my girls - especially Gabriela, who hinted around to wanting one for our family to keep.

I've had practice saying, "No", to her, though.

Grocery Store Discipleship

2011-12-08T11:55:00.000-06:00

In just over a week, we will have been Texans for six months. (Well, that's if you don't get too technical and require a TX driver's license to make it official.)

This. Place. Is. Vast.

I depend a lot on my GPS these days in order to run my usual errands.

Some folks use Costco for "bulk" purchases, but with the size of our family (and our appetites), it's part of our regular grocery shopping.

It's taken a while, but I'm finally over the fact that the nearest Costco is located in the city.

About 25 miles away.

In lots of traffic.

On Costco Day, I'm always sure to take along at least one helper from my "staff of volunteers". Yesterday, Craig Grayson packed his school books and joined me. We covered a lot of ground, and by the time we got to our final stop (Target), he opted to stay in the truck and finish his school work.

He had earned the break. That boy can pack a mean trunk!

I can remember when it was my life's dream to be able to shop alone. I used to think that it was so unfortunate that we didn't have family nearby and couldn't afford regular babysitters to keep the children so that I might enjoy a child-free day of running errands.

Nowadays, I beg for a companion.

It's now clear to me that it wasn't at all unfortunate that I didn't have anyone to ease what seemed a burden to me at the time.

As much as I longed for a shopping trip without car seats, strollers, reprimands, and taking head-counts at regular intervals, I'm thankful that the children and I didn't miss the lessons involved.

I'll admit that if I had been offered the help, I would have taken it; but we spend so much effort trying to alleviate what God intended for us to bear.

(ref. Genesis 3:16-19)

Women no longer have to endure the pain of childbirth if we don't want to. Most go as far as to say that they don't even want to have children, or at least not very many.

Men no longer toil for the sustenance of the family as they once did. Labor is no longer valued as a means of provision. These days, time is money, and no one breaks a sweat while sending emails or making calls.

Likewise, moms who are able to stay at home with their children often forfeit the teachable moment that comes from including them on the shopping trip (or doing chores or baking or serving guests...). Someone else is left to pacify the children in order to lighten Mom's load. This isn't inherently bad, in itself - we are called to bear one another's burdens, but we must be wise about which ones to bear.

I understand the value of help, and I encourage my daughters to help other mothers of young children when the need arises.

Deuteronomy 6 tells parents to diligently teach God's commands to children "when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (ESV)

How will children learn to be obedient in social settings if someone is always keeping them in the sterile environment of the toy room while mom goes "by the way" without them?

Nap time and scheduling are important; but giving our children opportunities to learn proper behavior and be reminded that the world doesn't bend to the whim of one boy or girl, is even more important.

The grocery store is a perfect training ground for learning to "love your neighbor as yourself".

My children's formative years were spent on Army posts, for the most part. This meant that we'd often encounter elderly retirees in the commissary, which offered the perfect opportunity to teach the children to "stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man" (Leviticus 19:32).

When it comes to teaching children to be considerate of others, opportunities abound in a grocery aisle. I can't venture a guess at the number of times I've repeated this statement:

"Stay to one side. Don't block the entire aisle. We're not the only ones here. Be considerate of other shoppers."

If children are allowed to join mommy for her errands - and required to be obedient - after a while, not only will it gradually become less daunting to "handle" them in public, but they'll even learn how to be helpful.

Children should be regarded as producers, rather than merely as consumers. They are meant to be a blessing; but left to the toy room, they'll be hindered from opportunities to learn to be responsible and respectful when out.

Joining Mom on errands also prepares the children for learning to respond to others (safely by Mom's side, of course), look them in the eye, and respond coherently.

"So, is school out already?"

"No, Sir. We're homeschooled."

"Oooooooohhhhh....."

(By the way, learning to respond graciously to unsolicited opinions or snide remarks from others is another lesson best learned in the grocery store, and could be a blog post in itself. Oh. Yeah. I already did that here.)

An important thing to remember is that it is God Who sends these treasured arrows to us, and it is His Word that teaches us how to instruct them. What a comfort it is to know that He is patient with us as His children, and patiently guides us as we learn to parent according to His Word. As a mother (who is still in the process), I'm continually encouraged by these verses:

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Galatians 6:9

"He Who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it."

1 Thessalonians 5:24

Remember, mothers, that God is concerned with our training as well as that of our children. He leads us as we lead them, and He uses the challenges of motherhood to teach us to trust Him.

Regarding our children:

"... in humility, count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Philippians 2:3-4

Let's be interested in training our children diligently.

May the Lord richly bless you as you aim your "arrows" for His glory!

Why We Homeschool: Part 1

2011-12-03T22:53:00.000-06:00

(So our dogs will be smarter. ;-)

I can still recall the first time I ever heard the word "homeschool". I was watching a special news report about a family who had taken their children out of the public school system in order to educate them at home. As I watched and listened, I thought,
"That is the strangest thing I have EVER heard, and that mom must be some kind of incredible woman with super-smarts and ultra-patience! Somebody should make an action figure of her!"
(Just kidding about that last part.)

A year or so later, we met a family who not only had more than two children
(!),
but also educated their children at home. My thought then was,
"Yeah. They would."

A couple of years after that, I began reading - somewhat "accidentally" - some real-life accounts of homeschooling families. I appreciated that these moms shared the good, bad, and ugly about their daily journey. This really made me start thinking that homeschooling might be an option worth considering.

We were "dirt poor" in those days, so private school wasn't something we could even consider as Caelyn, our oldest daughter, approached school age.
Eventually, I came across a statistic about the number of hours children spend in a classroom, compared to the number of ours the average family spends together.
Ugh!

I started to prep the battlefield, so to speak, with Craig, whose response was something like, "Yeah, that sounds like a really good option; but it's not for our family."
I quietly walked away and resolved not to hassle him about it (totally out-of-character for me).

Another year or so passed, and I brought up an idea that was entirely unrelated to the education of our children. Craig's seemingly random response to me was,
"I think you should, instead, focus on homeschooling Caelyn this year."

Whaaa...???

This was in June 1997. We were gearing up to travel to PA for a family visit just before relocating from Kentucky to Georgia, and I was rather pregnant with our fourth child. Having received a negative answer to my earlier request to homeschool, I had made absolutely no preparation, whatsoever.
Perfect.

"But he said to me,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)

The agreement that we made when we began homeschooling was that we'd take it one year at a time and consider putting the children into school later. After the first year, we decided to continue all the way through elementary, and possibly middle school, with a plan to send them to high school.
By the end of the second year, we were committed to the long haul, realizing that the teen years would be no time to relinquish the guidance and discipleship that our children desperately need from us as they begin making larger, farther-reaching decisions.

It was around that same time that we decided it would be important to put into writing our goal and purpose of taking on the responsibility of teaching our own children - a mission statement, if you will. I recently came across the notebook where we sketched out our idea:

"To encourage a love of learning in our children by creating within our home an environment conducive for educating the whole child: mind, body, & spirit; making godly instruction the cornerstone while following biblical doctrine, thus producing wise, disciplined, God-fearing youth of character with a Christ-centered world view."

Reading this again after so many years, it's clearer that we, as parents, can't "produce" any particular type of youth; but we are fully dependent upon the Lord to have His way in the production department as we strive to be obedient to the commands and principles written in His Word concerning the instruction of our children.

Farther down the notebook page, additional thoughts were jotted down:

"... fully armed and capable to transform the world for Christ, if it is His will..."

"... armed with the Truth and capable to ignite the match of the comfortable-in-Christ and sound the trumpet for the lost..."

In America, the grand (and astonishingly successful) marketing scheme of universities has decided for us exactly how we are to define education: getting a college degree. Period.
We hold that there is so much more to education than that, and even a cursory background search of most of our key early-American historic figures would show that education a few generations ago was much broader than what takes place while sequestered on a campus for four years.
Shoot! Most key historic figures of any period were educated far beyond any university campus!
But I digress.

If you can get your hands on a copy of Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary, you'll be surprised at how the definitions of many words have lost much of their luster in modern times. Take this one, for example:

EDUCATION, n. [L. educatio.] The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.

'Nuff said.
(For now)

* * * * * * * *

In case you're interested, Part 2 of "Why We Homeschool" should follow as soon as I get the time to organize my thoughts. Currently, we are enjoying some R&R at a weekend family retreat in a beautiful country setting, where my sweet husband is the speaker.

One Thing Leads to Another

2011-11-29T13:33:00.000-06:00

A friend recently asked me to make her a couple of hot pads, and ever since the map project, I've been thinking of other ways to use the states.

Last night, I thought of this spin on the Texas flag, according to the colors that she says are in her kitchen.

I hope it works!

Back view

Probably The Most Satisfying Project Ever

2011-11-25T19:14:00.000-06:00

Have you ever seen a project and felt instinctively that you should tackle it as soon as possible? As if it's some rite of passage?

Not since I cross-stitched a sampler of Proverbs 31 back in the early 90s (a 3-year process), have I come across something so tedious, engaging, and utterly addictive.

As soon as I laid eyes on Kate's scrap map,

I. Was. Hooked.

I didn't spend much time analyzing my fabric choices, except for a few special places.

California is a dainty pink-and-floral print because my spiritual mother lives there. She is the epitome of a gentle and quiet spirit and godly womanhood.

Texas is black-and-white damask because it's where I live, and I've said that if I were any fabric, I'd be black-and-white damask home decor fabric.

Pennsylvania is denim because blue is part of the "Keystone State" emblem, and denim represents the casual, blue-collar atmosphere in which I grew up.

Georgia is camouflage because the lion's share of our Army time was spent at Ft. Benning.

Alabama is red because, if given a choice between the two rival teams, my husband would yell "Roll Tide!" rather than "War Eagle!". (I like the scissors print because it was while living in Alabama that I started sewing again more regularly after a long hiatus.)

Thankfully, I have very industrious kitchen helpers, so I was able to assign certain Thanksgiving dinner tasks to the children. They knew that I had some special sewing planned for this week, and they graciously allowed me the freedom to come and go between the kitchen and the sewing room at my leisure.

My two goals this week were my new apron (love!), just in time for Thanksgiving, and the scrap map.

I became so ~~obsessed~~ engrossed in the map project that I hardly slept on Wednesday night. I had just finished the final step of making it just before midnight, which meant that mounting and hanging it would have to wait until Thanksgiving morning.

I had multiple lists running through my head and couldn't prioritize them, so it took a long time to fall asleep.

Once asleep, I tossed, turned, and dreamed about the map and the fabrics for most of the night!

At 4:00 a.m., I forced myself to stay in bed and get plenty of rest for the day ahead.

Finally, I was able to get up, go for a run, mount the map, and watch, overjoyed, as my sweet husband hung it on the wall of the school room for me.

What a guy!

Once that was tackled, I was free to shower, eat breakfast, and work on the finishing touches for Thanksgiving dinner.

Incidentally, I strategically planned my Thanksgiving dinner dress to create a complimentary neutral backdrop for my new apron.

(My dress is actually slate-gray, but it looks black in this photo, next to the lighter gray in the apron, and so far from the black boots and tights.)

What's On Your Thanksgiving Menu?

2011-11-23T14:45:00.002-06:00

A loaf of bread awaiting its e~~xecution~~ transformation

I have a basic blueprint that I follow each year when planning menus for major holidays, but I like to change a detail or two, just to keep it interesting.

This year, The Cousins will join us for Thanksgiving dinner, and one of them offered to bring the turkey!

Selah.

Even with two ovens, it's a tremendous relief that I won't have to strategically time the use of them in order to accommodate something so large as a turkey and still make everything else in time for dinner.

I've been back in fitness mode recently, and I'm trying so hard not to load up on lots of heavy fare.

Even my pared-down menu still threatens the waistline, but not as much as in years past.

Trust me.

My dad bought this cute little garlic roaster for me a few years ago. Roasted garlic is a key player in my cauliflower pureé, which will be served in lieu of mashed potatoes, much to Morgan's chagrin. (I've promised to make it up to her on Christmas.)

What this photo lacks in aesthetic value, it makes up in culinary flair. This ordinary scene will morph into Craig's AMAZING collard greens (Daddy's recipe), sweet potato casserole, & cauliflower pureé.

The next generation of apple pie baker has graduated. Morgan normally makes the crust while I make the filling, but today she made the entire thing from start to finish. (It's probably more accurate to say that I've graduated. I wasn't a control freak about it, and she was free to create.)

What's fueling my operation today?
Ethiopia Harar Longberry

These bread cubes will become my stuffing (Mom's recipe), which will fill rolled flank steak (also Mom's recipe).

The remainder of today's prep includes making the topping for the sweet potato casserole, blanching brussels sprouts for roasting tomorrow, making cranberry salad, and mixing "pretty" herb butter to display on a cold plate.

The Line-Up:

Cauliflower Pureé

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Collard Greens

Cranberry Salad

Sweet Potato Casserole

Stuffed Flank Steak

Whole-Wheat Rolls with Herb Butter

Apple Pie

(And from The Cousins:)

Turkey

Salad

Green Beans

Pumpkin Cheesecake

* * * * *

Happy Thanksgiving!

Apron Happiness

2011-11-22T14:02:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I've had Morgan model for me. Isn't she just cute??

I posted about this fabric (purchased here) a while back, and mentioned that I hoped to make an apron out of it.

I've wanted a new apron for months.

Thanksgiving offered the perfect excuse to drop everything and get started on it this week, but I wanted something that will go beyond one day.

I can't imagine ever getting sick of this one. The fabric just makes me happy every time I look at it.

I added a towel loop to the waistband and made a decorative tea towel to match. When I cook or bake, I wash my hands countless times during the process. Since the children are normally right there working with me in the kitchen, the hand towels can get scattered. This way, I'll have one right at my fingertips and won't have to share.

I prefer a D-ring over using ties for my aprons. It's actually easier, as I don't have to hem long edges of an extra tie. Isn't that yellow fabric wonderful? It makes me want to duplicate it on a wall (a shade or two lighter). I won't, though...

Last year, I won a giveaway that Liesl was offering, and included in the goodie box were four different designs of this gorgeous embroidered ribbon. When I started laying out the fabrics for this apron, I just knew that the ribbon would be a perfect embellishment. I certainly don't regret adding a band of it here.

This is where the idea for this apron began. Not only do we fight over hand towels in our kitchen, but there seems to be a little elf that steals the hot pads just before one of us needs one. The idea of attaching hot pads to the apron is ingenious!

See?!

Improvise

2011-11-22T11:52:00.000-06:00

It always takes me forever to start hanging things on the wall after moving into a new home.

I just don't "feel" it right away. I'm too focused on the rest of our existence to worry about what should adorn the walls.

That doesn't mean I don't like wall art, though.

I saw this fun guitar painting at TJ Maxx a while back, and it haunted me for a few weeks.

When I returned a while later for another purpose, I was delighted to find that it was still there and the price had been reduced.

I thought it might be great for the boys' room, but I later decided it should hang next to Craig Grayson's drum set in the school room.

The hook from the previous picture was a bit too high for the guitar painting, but I was unwilling to make a new hole in the wall.

I started brainstorming on what to use to make it hang lower, and a guitar strap came to mind.

We don't have an extra guitar strap, so I thought of the next best thing.

With boys having major growth spurts, that means there will inevitably be belts that are still in good enough shape to reuse.

Voila!

(Thanks, Graham!)

My First Mug Rug!

2011-11-17T20:35:00.000-06:00

Quilting is not my forté, so I did some random squiggly thing on my machine. Anyone who might pity my lack of skill is very welcome in my home to give on-the-spot lessons. I'll provide lodging and meals. By the way, I avoid binding if I can help it.

Last spring, I discovered this link party, and I've wanted to make a mug rug ever since.

Sadly, my quilting skills are severely deficient.

For that reason, and because of another recent major relocation and a long sewing to-do list,

I've put it off until today.

There are oodles of mug rugs online, including a flickr group and various others.

For those who don't know what I mean by "mug rug", it's been described as being smaller than a placemat and larger than a coaster, with the purpose of making a cup of coffee or tea more at-home.

I've seen a few amazing designs that I'd love to try, like this, this, this, these, and this.

I may or may not eventually get around to making one of them, but today I was suddenly inspired to make not just any mug rug, but a

Steelers

mug rug.

The Steelers idea has been in my head for some time, and a while back I saw a beautiful Cathedral Window quilt that was simply breathtaking.

The design is perfect for making the Steelers insignia, but I couldn't recall where I had seen the quilt. A search of a few blogs led me to this variation of the Cathedral Window block, complete with a tutorial.

My handy embroidery machine was helpful, too.

Here's a back view of the finished product:

I've been so inspired lately by other bloggers to use up some of my scraps. This could become an addiction, although I ran from anything akin to quilting several years ago.

It seems almost unfair that I have this. I'm not exactly a faithful Steelers fan; but my husband and children are.

I'm sure there's someone far more deserving of this mug rug. I just felt the need to make it.

Besides, I couldn't bring myself to risk getting coffee stains on it.

It was a blast to make, though!

This was finished just in time for Amy's Sew & Tell tomorrow:

Happy 14th Birthday, Graham!

2011-11-16T10:22:00.000-06:00

In those days, he carried "Bear-Bear" and sucked two fingers. His favorite companion was "A-bah-dah" (Gabriela), and he loved to play with her hair.

He was a special "pet" to his big sister, Caelyn, and absolutely adored her.

He called himself "Ham", and referred to Morgan as "Doe".

We never thought he'd master English, but he has become quite a brilliant young man.

Graham has since traded his stuffed animals for pocket knives, multi-use tools, and Chinese stars.

(True story.)

He loves to play football, Risk, or Chess, and is enthralled with military and martial arts movies, cars, and music.

He doesn't say much, but when he has something to share, it's always interesting.

I love to observe Graham's relationship with his siblings.

He's affectionate, humorous, and ever so protective of all of them.

He shares a strong bond with his older brother, Craig Grayson. The two of them are like James & John, the "sons of thunder", in the New Testament.

"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
   are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
   who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
   when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."

Psalm 127:4-5

A Pieced Project, or Coaches Are Effective

2011-11-11T10:18:00.000-06:00

Some things are just easier and more enjoyable when there's someone standing by and cheering me on.

Like push-ups.

And childbirth.

Back in 2002, I was burned out on quilting. It was stressful for me because it's just not one of my strengths. I had joined a quilting circle (Did blogs exist then?) with ladies who really knew their stuff, and I couldn't hang!

I stuck around long enough to do a few swaps, and as a result, I have a few quilts' worth of blocks to (some day) put together.

At times, I take them all out just to admire the work and reminisce. Then they go right back into their ziploc bags for future consideration.

Since "meeting" people like Amy and Penny and countless others - and ever since I participated in the very fun scrap swap - I'm inspired anew.

But alas!

I still sort of stink at quilting.

The Houston Quilt Show and my friend who took me there have served as fresh inspiration.

Still, I'm a child of the generation that helped usher in the age of instant gratification; hence another excuse to not make quilts.

They take time.

I like to make "stuff" and "things" that don't take very long.

So, Amy's recent (brilliant, fun, perfect) idea to make a mini pieced project for Sew & Tell was right on time for me!

(And she even stood by and cheered me on! Bless her!)

Equally on time was this tutorial (I really like her style).

"Mind the Gap!" I love this fabric. I used it for the back of one of the pot holders. The London Underground is one of the most crowded situations I've ever experienced; but it was fun! This project reflects my frequent tendency to make major blunders in my sewing. In this case, I forgot to add the second layer of insul-brite; so I'll be hanging with the seam ripper today.

Caelyn was impressed that the recipe on this fabric can actually be read. I may try it, just for fun.

By the way, if you're needing more inspiration, Sew Mama Sew is doing an entire month of daily ideas for making Christmas gifts, etc.

OK. Gotta go.

I can't wait to see what everyone else did for Sew & Tell...

Amendment

2011-11-10T23:52:00.000-06:00

I made this purse a few weeks ago and didn't add the finishing touch right away.

Making the flower embellishment required using a hot glue gun, and I couldn't remember where I had seen mine when we moved into this house.

Besides, I'm pretty sure that we lived in California when I bought the two that I have.

That was before email.

It's safe to say that if I were to even locate my glue guns, they'd need to be replaced.

This called for a trip to the craft store.

(Twist my arm!)

In the meantime, I had the opportunity to join a friend for the Houston Quilt Show.

It was spectacular, and I so enjoyed Lou Ann's sweet company.

We were at the show for most of the day, and the ready-made, impulsively-purchased handles of the purse ended up really hurting my shoulder.

I decided to go ahead and replace the handles by making fabric straps, instead (which is sort of what the intelligent designer of the pattern suggested in the first place).

*sigh*

I learn the hard way.

As seems to be my M.O. these days, a major boo-boo was quite obvious after I finished the entire project. Just scroll back up to that photo at the top of this post, and see if you can figure out my blunder.

A nice person on Facebook said that she actually prefers the flaw rather than the "right" way.

It just doesn't bother me enough to redo it.

Seam ripping bothers me.

Precious Moments

2011-11-06T16:50:00.000-06:00

Often these days, I find myself lamenting the fact that the children have outgrown so many of our favorite books, toys, and clothing.

A colonial-period dress and a Pilgrim dress that I made for Gabriela have become sewing room decor, and many of our children's books & toys have been set aside for visitors or future grandchildren.

Today, Morgan showed me that seventeen isn't too old to enjoy a special mommy-daughter moment together with a favorite.

I was lying on Gabriela's bed, talking to her as she cleaned her closet, when Morgan handed me Joyful Noise, plopped down beside me, and snuggled up in a blanket.

Oh, the giggles that ensued!

One day she'll be reading with her own children, but today I'm thankful for this special time that will soon be only a memory.

As Craig says to encourage young parents,

"The days may seem long at times, but the years are short."

Take some time to read with your little ones... or your not-so-little ones!

Nook Bag

2011-10-31T12:04:00.000-05:00

Gabriela never leaves home without her Nook.

Ever.

I've been so nervous that it'll eventually plunge to its death on one of our outings.

Yesterday in church, I noticed that she was taking sermon notes on her Nook, so it gave me an idea.

I've made a couple of messenger bags recently using a tutorial that I found.

I promise that I listened to the sermon yesterday, but I was momentarily distracted as I figured out in my head how I'd use what I already know to make a smaller bag for the Nook.

I couldn't wait to get home and start on it!

I called Gabriela into the sewing room and asked her if she has any favorites among my fabrics. Apparently, she's had her eye on a particular combination ever since I made this.

I didn't tell her what I was planning to do, which made it even more fun.

While Gab watched football with her daddy, I worked happily on my idea.

This morning I quickly made a tissue pouch to match her bag. I mentioned recently that the tutorial for the tissue pouch is no longer available; but I should have mentioned that the author has made the pattern available for purchase. (I just figured it out on my own.)

Trying Again

2011-10-29T13:37:00.000-05:00

I love to cook;

but if I walk into the kitchen and find a mess, I can't even slice an onion or boil water without first getting everything organized.

(I am my father's daughter.)

Not so in the sewing room!

I've been itching to conquer this project (and to get it done in time to post on Amy's Sew & Tell for this week).

When I entered my sewing room after breakfast this morning, I had a moral dilemma:

Clean first?

Or just dive into the project?

It was a hard mess to resist...

... but resist I did!

I made a similar messenger bag a while back. It was intended for a friend, but I wasn't pleased with the results. Today I was determined to try again. I'm pleased this time. I just love this tutorial.

This toile fabric was used for the exterior of the first bag. I still had plenty left, so I used it for the lining of this one. I "heart" the black exterior fabric, but it sort of reminds me of the test that the eye doctor gave to assess my astigmatism.

And now I have some cleaning to do...

Happy 16th Birthday, Craig Grayson

2011-10-28T22:28:00.000-05:00

I'm sure that I should include a more recent photo for his birthday, but I'm feelin' this one right now.

Sixteen years ago today, the Lord gave us our first male child.

What a privilege it's been to have this treasured arrow in our quiver!

"Be strong and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes, His commandments, His rules, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn"

1 Kings 2:3

This is the best birthday cake I've ever eaten (aside from my parents' home-baked treats in Pittsburgh), and it's worth every minute in the gym!

Pumpkin Granola Bars

2011-10-25T14:16:00.003-05:00

I finally fell asleep last night after brainstorming some breakfast ideas, and I want to share one with you here.

Although we're still wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts in late October here in the Houston area, there are pumpkins seemingly everywhere.

If you don't roast fresh pumpkin, you should. It's far superior to the stuff in the can, and there's little labor required. Simply cut it in half, scoop out the inside (being sure to save the seeds for roasting separately), and place each half face-down on lightly-oiled baking sheets. Roast at 350°F until the rind begins to sink in the middle. Let it cool, scrape away the rind, and store the pumpkin in freezer bags for later use.

Anyway, as I was lying in bed unable to sleep (my to-do lists tend to rob me of slumber), I suddenly thought of a granola bar recipe that I wanted to convert.

The friend who gave me the recipe uses either honey or orange marmalade in hers, but I've always substituted with apricot preserves.

This morning, I decided to try using pumpkin pureé.

I can't say enough how thankful I am for baking stones. They truly are a kitchen wonder!

To be honest, my bars don't always maintain their shape. It may be a tell-tale sign that I haven't added enough moisture to the mix. This morning was no different. Most of the bars fell apart when I removed them from the pan. When this is the case, I simply dump them all into my big granola jar to be served later with yoghurt!

See?

Everybody wins.

I managed to set this relatively-intact bar aside for a quick phone photo before dumping it into the jar with the rest.

Pumpkin Granola "Bars"

4 C oats

(pulse in food processor to resemble quick oats)

3/4 C melted butter

1/2 C sucanat

(or honey granules, aka "Savannah Gold")

1/2 C pumpkin pureé

(mixed with 1 T agave nectar, if you prefer it sweeter)

1 C chopped pecans

1/2 C flax seeds

1/2 C dried cranberries

(Feel free to use other nuts/seeds of your choice.)

Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes.

Cool and cut into bars... or dump into your granola jar!

(If you're a coffee drinker, check out our friend's site. This is what completed my yummy breakfast this morning.)

ETA: I posted a revised version of this recipe here with some tweaking of the details for better results, thanks to my sweet friend, Lauren. :-)

I Did It! (Finally)

2011-10-21T23:14:00.000-05:00

I mentioned earlier that I've been planning to make a duvet cover for Gabriela, but I had hoped to surprise her.

I've had my eye on this fabric for a couple of years, and I finally bought it recently at a 50%-off sale.

The only thing I still lacked was a window of time with Gabriela away from the house, so as to surprise her.

Today was that day.

After searching a bit online for some direction, I had it all figured out in my head and just decided to wing it. I ended up saving the striped fabric that was supposed to be the accent. I'll use that for pillows, instead.

Anyway, it turned out that, after taking the girls to work with him, Craig decided to come home early.

Yikes!

I wasn't quite finished, but I was on the last step of assembling the cover. The older children tried to create a barrier in the doorway of the sewing room. Not realizing what they were doing, Gabriela crawled between their legs to come and ask me a question.

Oh well.

She was surprised. It just happened in the sewing room, rather than in her bedroom like I had planned.

I love giving her new things. She gets so excited. I felt sorry for her when she realized that she had inadvertently ruined her own surprise. I assured her that it was perfectly OK, and she spent the rest of the day thanking me and talking about how exciting bedtime would be tonight.

This was my very first time ever making piping. I actually made this way ahead of time and set it aside. Gabriela thought that I was planning to use it in my room. Tee-Hee!

Hats off to all those heroes who can perfectly match a directional pattern when piecing fabric together to make up width. I aspire to achieve that status some day... but not anytime soon, please.

I used a yellow sheet from Target for the backing.

Time to make pillows...

Wow! Thanks, Penny!

2011-10-18T19:10:00.000-05:00

I've taught my children that it's not nice to pick favorites when it comes to people - whether friends or family.

So, I won't call Penny my favorite bloggie buddy; but she definitely has what it takes to be anyone's favorite!

Today she solved a dilemma for me.

Before we moved from Moçambique last year, I learned that my beloved Grandma Betty had passed away.

When we moved back to the States, my mom & aunts had decided that I should inherit Grandma's needlecraft supplies, which included some crocheted squares that never made their way into afghans.

Not having learned to crochet, I really didn't know where to begin to use these squares, but Penny has offered the perfect idea!

I hope to soon turn these:

Into something akin to these.

Thanks for the fabulous idea, Penny!

My New Fall Purse

2011-10-18T11:26:00.002-05:00

The tissue holder tutorial is no longer available, but it's super easy to figure out; so I just whipped it up.

I've had my eye out for a new fall handbag, but I just haven't found anything affordable that appeals to me.

On Sunday, I took the girls to the fabric store to get supplies for some sewing projects that Caelyn will be doing with Gabriela. While awaiting our turn at the cutting table - we were #28, and they were serving #8 - I killed time by browsing.

I know that I never should have even picked up the latest issue of Stitch magazine; but I did, and it was love at first sight.

I've had my eye on this wool houndstooth fabric since it first came out; but I couldn't imagine a use for it in Texas.

I'm no longer wondering.

I just love the side pockets! I ended up personalizing the design of this bag a bit, as I wasn't terribly impressed with the handle instructions. Changing the handle also altered the overall shape somewhat. There's one embellishment that I still need to make and add to the purse, but after our move, I'm missing a crucial tool. I'll add an update later.

I used cammo fabric for the lining of the matching wristlet.

I'm so pleased with how spacious this bag is, and I just can't wait to fill it and show it off in public!

*Linking up to Sew & Tell*

ETA: My mom pointed out that I didn't include a photo that shows the handle:

Green Goodness Dip

2011-10-16T14:39:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've said that I love my Vita-Mix, so I'll open with that thought.

Yesterday we gathered with all of the cousins again for a multi-birthday meal, as several of us have recently entered a new year of life.

I haven't been feeling well lately, so I got away with only being asked to bring a salad. However, I do have a "staff" of helpers, so we added a fruit salad to our contribution, and instead of a green salad, I decided to take crudités with remoulade and one other dipping sauce.

I wanted the second dip to be green, but I couldn't find the "Green Goddess" recipe that I printed long ago. An online search yielded a seemingly infinite number of choices, so I decided to trust my culinary instincts and wing it.

Here's what I ended up tossing into the Vita-Mix:

Green Goodness Dip

madebydayna

yoghurt

(plain, fresh, homemade)

avocado

(bad news for my male family members)

a few garlic cloves

(this may sound scary, but I believe garlic can't be overdone; besides, it's a natural immune booster)

a chunk of fennel bulb

(my new favorite vegetable; jicama is my other new favorite vegetable; but I digress)

cilantro

basil

sea salt

freshly-ground pepper

juice of one lime

dash of cayenne pepper

ground celery seed

I didn't write down my ingredients as I added them, so a day later it's possible that I've forgotten something. The beauty of it is that it's mine, and yours can be yours! Change whatever suits you.

By the way, it tastes just as wonderful on Day Two; and if it accidentally mingles on your plate with the remoulade, worse things have happened.

Just go with it.

Feeling Mediocre/Blogging-Sewing Envy

2011-10-14T22:36:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I've had anything to share for Sew & Tell, but I still faithfully check in to see what's new with Amy and her friends.

I'm so jealous of all who attended this fabulous event. Amy blogs about her experience here.

I must find a way to qualify to attend the next time.

Reading about the great time Amy had at the summit made me reconsider something I've been resisting since 2002. I had gone through burn-out from quilting (perhaps because I'm a novice), and I vowed not to even consider quilting again until 2004.

Well, what year is it now?...

Anyway, Amy has inspired me to pursue mini quilts as an option. They seem like they'd be much less stressful. I like small projects that can be completed quickly. I think mini quilts may be the solution for me.

My project wish list just keeps growing.

The Mom That Could

2011-10-13T22:44:00.000-05:00

The children and I had the pleasure of hosting a couple of very special ladies for lunch in our home today. As I decided what we would have on the menu, I was craving chicken salad. The only problem is that whipping up "good" chicken salad is not my forté.

There was no one I could turn to for this task. Caelyn was at the store buying ingredients for the rest of our lunch menu, and she's the next best thing to my mom, whose chicken salad is restaurant-worthy.

I needed Morgan to make the sandwiches and Gabriela to make dessert, and the boys were finishing their school work.

I had to rise to the occasion.

I deliberated over it quite a bit and came up with something that my family declared "excellent".

First, I convection-roasted a few boneless/skinless chicken breasts at 350°F, using olive oil, a little butter, herbs, salt, pepper, seasoned salt... That may be all. I basically seasoned it the way I do when I roast a whole chicken.

When the chicken was done, I shredded it and transferred it to a bowl. One thing that bothers me about some chicken salad (e.g. the grocery store deli variety) is that the meat, itself, isn't flavorful, which throws the whole thing off. So, I ran the pan drippings through a sieve into the bowl with the shredded chicken. This made it moist, but not runny, and got all of that yummy goodness from the pan into the meat.

In my opinion, "good" chicken salad is a harmonious blend of colors, textures, and flavors.

For crunch, I added:

Fennel (1/4 bulb, chopped)

a few big red grapes (chopped; for a sweet "pop")

Celery (my mother insisted over the phone, and I can't imagine chicken salad without it)

Red bell pepper (a few thin slices, chopped)

Next, I added some chopped fresh herbs:

basil

rosemary

cilantro

I knew that the seasoning on the chicken was just the beginning, so I added freshly-ground black pepper, dried lemongrass, a hint of curry powder, and a dash or two of Greek seasoning with the other ingredients before adding mayonnaise.

*Important note*

I've drastically reduced the amount of mayonnaise in my life, but I do still occasionally use Hellmann's Canola Mayonnaise. I'm sure it's not healthful, but it has its place. For many things, I use a wonderful product called Vegenaise (the grapeseed version). I highly recommend it.

When it was time to "poison test" the finished product, Morgan and I agreed that it needed a little more sweetness, but I was afraid of choosing the wrong sweetener. The idea of just sprinkling or drizzling seemed so blah.

I ended up dropping two generous dollops of apricot preserves into the bowl, and it was the perfect solution. No one could have figured out the ingredient that balanced out the flavors, but we could certainly tell a difference.

We had a marvelous time of fellowship with our guests, and the menu was a hit:

Chicken Salad

Greek Salad

Curried Grilled Cheese with Pear, Chutney, & Brie

Chocolate Power Bar Balls

(because everything's better with chocolate)

A Sewing Check Up

2011-10-12T08:44:00.001-05:00

I tend to dwell in either feast or famine. Hot or cold. Burning or Freezing. You get the idea. I live life on a pendulum, swinging from finding no motivation whatsoever to being overwhelmed with a list I can't possibly fill in any reasonable timeframe.

I've talked before about lists, and mine tend to haunt me at night.

When we moved here, it took me WEEKS to get back into sewing. Although I still find it a challenge to squeeze in time for many projects, "many projects" are flooding my mind, and I don't know if I can live up to my list of ideas.

Quite a while back, I mentioned that I aspire to meet this challenge.

Psshht.

But Liesl is so sweet.

She hasn't given me one ounce of grief over being a horrible slacker. She aims to encourage, and has assured me that her sole purpose is to get people sewing more (and spending less).

Although I haven't exactly kept my end of the Craft Book Challenge, I have slowly moved toward finishing some projects that I owe to others. I think there's only one left. No, two. But the second one doesn't count because it's a surprise. So, really, if I don't get around to it, no one gets hurt, right?

I've taken sort of a Round-Robin approach to tackling projects. I can't decide which one is more urgent, so I act on inspiration. Whatever strikes me at the moment is what I end up doing.

For instance, I've been waiting for a certain decorator fabric to go on sale so that I may make new bedding for Gabriela's room. Well, I finally bought it, and there have been about two more sales since then; but I have yet to cut into it. I did, however, make the piping to edge the duvet cover I plan to make for her.

See:

I'll be using these for the duvet cover, but ssshhhh! Gabriela doesn't know that I bought the fabric already. I want to surprise her.

I hopped from that project over to something I was inspired to do for the guest room, which was the logical progression of an idea I had for my room. I wanted to take my old white matelassé coverlet from the guest bed and return it to my bed, which was its original home so long ago that I don't recall, exactly.

Taking the coverlet from the guest room would have left a void there, but I'm not willing to buy replacement bedding. The only recourse was for me to take the one remaining unused duvet cover that we had and give it a facelift.

Several years ago, when we moved from Georgia to Alabama, I went on a Potterybarn Kids binge. I can't even bring myself to look at one of their catalogs now (although I still like their stuff). Anyway, I decided to start recycling the leftovers of that decorating season in my life.

So, I started with this:

(Taken from the archives)

Then I removed that pink pom-pom fringe. Since the guest room usually hosts male guests (and because the wall color is blue), I wanted to give this white duvet cover a piped edge that would welcome a man with dignity.

I remembered these curtains (from guess where!) that used to be in the boys' room in Alabama:

Bed, quilt & sheets also from Potterybarn Kids
We still have these, by the way. It's time.

With Gabriela's project, I found that making piping is a lot of fun; so I did this:

I found these fabrics on clearance & thought they'd make nice accessories. I'm still searching for other coordinating prints.

The impulse then struck me to do something for my room, so I made a bedskirt to go with the white matelassé coverlet. Something that my heart just can't ever release is toile. And I have lots of it. Even longer ago than the Potterybarn Kids binge, I went on a toile kick. I bought yards and yards of La Dolce Vita by... some designer (I forget now). This eventually became kitchen curtains two moves later, but it is now my bedskirt (and two seat cushions like the one at the beginning of this post):

I learned with this project that a serger is a wonderful thing!

As if I don't have enough projects already on my list to keep me busy until next summer, I'm also considering doing one of these.

Then there's the nagging issue of our sofas.

*sigh*

I'm sure that I should just have them cleaned; but I really want to have them replaced. I had considered getting new upholstery, but that costs almost the same as new sofas.

I've started hinting around to the girls that I may employ them in helping me to make slipcovers.

The trouble is that I don't know what I'm doing. I did an online search for tutorials, but I'm terrified of going for it.

If anyone out there lives in the Houston area, knows how to make slipcovers, and takes pity on me, I won't refuse help.

In the meantime, I'm flopping over to a new project. Pillows maybe? Or kitchen accessories? Perhaps a purse or a baby gift? We'll see.

P.S. I wonder what it would be like to have her as a neighbor/best friend.

Weekend Wrap-Up

2011-10-10T14:21:00.000-05:00

Craig and I recently had our bikes serviced so that we might begin to explore the territory around our neighborhood. I was so excited when he sent me a text on his way from work on Friday, telling me to "get changed" for a bike ride.

I hadn't ridden for a while, so I'll just say that after a moderate ride, I was hoping that my weekend wouldn't involve much sitting.

The soreness didn't last long, thankfully. I enjoyed "breaking in" my new seat.

We had a marvelous evening ride, complete with some bird spotting. My camera is broken, so I'm having to use my phone for now. (Please forgive the quality.) Sadly, I didn't get any bird photos.

At one point, we came upon a flock of water birds that flew up and circled overhead, leaving me motionless in awe.

It was magnificent!

Just as they began to take flight, Sara Groves's rendition of "Breath of Heaven" began to play in my earphones.

The piano intro was the perfect segue to what seemed like a choreographed dance in praise to our Creator.

It brought tears to my eyes.

I felt a little like this guy.

Suddenly I realized that Craig hadn't stopped with me.

It took some effort to catch up with him.

At this point, we realized that we were approaching a private residence, so we turned around and headed back.

Although I was thrilled to move to the Houston area, I was afraid that I might never see anything green. To my great joy, I learned of this place, and our family headed into the city for their get-acquainted-with-the-outdoors event.

We enjoyed a birds-of-prey demo, which was the biggest highlight for all of us.

Craig couldn't wait to see a falcon, since he's wanted one for several years. This one is rather young and still in training for doing demos; but we enjoyed every minute!

We got to see this hawk "hunt" for the "prey" on this leather lure. What a treat to get a close-up view. It was literally right beside us.

This is probably cheating, but our boys were glad to see an airsoft booth at the event. I'm sure they meant this for younger children, but Craig Grayson & Graham couldn't resist the challenge of target practice. Graham walked away with the record for the most targets hit in the least amount of time.

Craig Grayson did well, too; but he couldn't keep up with his younger brother.

He's always a good sport, though.

Gabriela wanted a turn, too. She did well, considering that she hadn't shot before.

There were many other exhibits, including this wildlife center that had a few reptiles on display. We miss our ball python, "Kaa", which we gave away when we left Alabama.

The Hunter's Education booth was a favorite of the guys. They're anxious to get "legal" in the state of Texas.

Craig was intrigued by this gentleman's tales of hunting in South Africa.

I'm still amazed at the idea of electric cars. This booth was advertising "charging stations", two of which are already available in the city.

Snow cones in the shade

On Sunday, we were privileged to join our friend, Leo, in watching his son's team play (and beat) the Texans here at Reliant Stadium.

With my puny iPhone camera, I managed to at least show proof of Stefan talking with his uncle/coach, Steve Wisniewski, before the game.

Football fans really are a rowdy lot. My ears were ringing long after we returned home.

We had loads of fun, though.

We were especially grateful for the stadium's roof, as it rained quite a bit yesterday.

After the game, I ended up taking off my shoes, which were irritating my feet. We had a long walk in the "cold" rain to where Craig had parked, but I felt like a kid splashing barefoot through the puddles and dodging rocks.

A shower never felt better.