Gorgeous Orchid

A friend sent this gorgeous orchid to me - it adds such cheer to the room. I wonder how long I can keep it alive.

searcy

I have no idea how it is spelled, but here in South Carolina, a small gift for someone is called a searcy (cirscy? searsy?). I made little notebooks out of pretty paper (stitched a seam down the middle with computer paper), added a bright pad of paper and tied it up with twine.

Searcy's for five friends got lots of oohs and ahhs...

Baby Gator Hat

A friend ordered a Gator baby hat for her nephew, who will certainly become a Florida Gator fan.

'wrapped it up with pretty french ribbons and sent it off....

What I Did with my Birthday Money

BEFORE and AFTER shots
I trash-picked this chair years ago and fell in love with its shape and design. Needless to say, there was a reason it was in the trash - it needed major reconstruction. But I save my little birthday dollars and finally got it re-done. I love it!

Corner of the Living Room

Cutest pillow award, don't you think? This table was one of three nesting tables - my girlfriend and I added the sheet metal to the top. It looks nice but cuts my fingers when I pick it up. :) I'm not a big fan of fake flowers, but couldn't pass on these pretty pink ones stuck in a tin bucket.

Windowsill decoration

Windowsill decoration in the bathroom (thus the "B"), little plants with a diamond jewel that fell off something or another, and a postcard of a funky door in east Berlin. I just like looking at it all.

Sunday Blessing

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." Psalm 62:5

Have a great Sunday!

Fabric Ribbons

Don't have any ribbons for packages? Wrap a package with a strip of fabric for a nice pop of color.

Oil Painting

Just got an amazing oil painting at a junk store for $20! Heiko thinks it's odd, but I loved the colors.

It was cheap because it has 2 rips, but being an optimistic person, I thought they could possibly be disguised with black shiny beads thrown on, cascading down the side. Maybe decoupaging sheer grey fabric over the holes? Any other ideas on canvas repair?? Slapping on some oil-based paint? I wish I was a painter instead of a fixer.

Sunday Blessing

"No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you." Joshua 1:5

Have a great Sunday!

Paint chips

I didn't take too many, but did feel a little guilty. These paint chips from Home Depot were just too tempting.

Add a little ribbon, and viola, nice gift tag enclosures from Behr Paints.

From Japan

I haven't posted much lately because I dropped my camera battery in the dog's dish (of water, of course. It couldn't have fallen into the food part). Anyway. I taught in Japan after college and was given this beautiful kimono. It has hung in every place we have ever lived.

The coral/pink paint is a perfect backdrop for the kimono in our front hall. Wherever it is hanging, we are home.

Fabric-on-the-floor carpet

I bought this fabric to make a seat cushion in our bedroom. It feels like ultra-suede but looks like petite-point needlework. Thrown on the floor (with an old blanket underneath) makes it look like a carpet. Does anyone have any suggestion how this could be secured (or what else to use as a cushion?) I like to think of it as a carpet from Versailles, where artisans spent months and months threading little needles with fine thread to produce silk carpets. I spent all of $14. :)

Sunday Blessing

'added branches from the yard to roses from Aldi. Makes me smile.

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you." Numbers 6:24-25

Have a great Sunday!

Sunday Blessing

A friend gave me these three blue eggs to symbolize our three children. Safe, warm, secure, nurtured in the nest, but with the goal of breaking out and flying away to their own world. I have one still "in the nest" and two that are testing out their wings. I guess I did my job right (sniff sniff) when that happens.

How much more so are we safe in God's hands. Isaiah 41:10 says,
"Don't panic. I'm with you.
There's no need to fear for I'm your God.
I'll give you strength. I"ll help you.
I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you."

May that speak to you today. Have a great Sunday!

Sunday Blessing

St. Teresa of Avila said it well. Have a great Sunday!

Kaffe Fassett Stained Glass Quilt

Kaffee Fasset is an internationally renowned textile artist with stunning quilt designs. On this one, the smaller peach and linen sheer pieces are placed on top and the back is cut out, making it look like stained glass.

In our other home, this hid the washer and dryer. Now it is in my little craft spot, decorating the wall between two windows, hung by an IKEA wire. I think IKEA should give me coupons for all of the advertising I do for them.

Bathroom Stripes

Our white, sterile bathroom needed a little oomph. One roll of black and white striped wall paper, put on horizontally, solved that problem.

The top of the wall was left as is, but the stripe gives it enough "pop". Come to think of it, a strip of wallpaper like this could look pretty neat going down a long hallway. Hmmmm...where could I do that?

Family Photo Wall Idea

We have three boys and tons of photos. Yannick was home for the holidays and I commissioned him to paint the various ages above the portraits. You could also use stencils or rub-ons for the numbers. Each son has a row - now it is easy and fun to see my boys and all of their various stages and looks. I can't believe they are that old. And to think, I have to add a wedding section this year!

Decorating with Books

'covered some old books with brown paper.

'stacked a couple and stuck them on a shelf.

A friend gave me some old red books...they look pretty together with a handsome car on top.

Tasha Tudor Christmas Wreath

My front hall light fixture is not anything to write home about. A perfect disguise for Christmas: A decorated wreath hung like a maypole with shiny hanging ornaments.
Take three pieces of wide French ribbon, tie them onto the wreath at equal intervals , hang it upside down and tie to the top of the light fixture. I added some shiny turquoise satin ribbon to boot.
'got the idea from Tasha Tudor, an American illustrator who painted idyllic scenes with a hanging advent wreath. I tried that once and had dripping, goopy wax everywhere. This works nicer.

Baby hats!

A friend ordered two hats for a brand new baby niece. Little pin on the side can be later used by mommy as a brooch.
Christmas version of baby hat with sleigh bells...

Rag curls for Christmas!

Extra tree boughs in a pot on the porch, which, of course, needed to be decorated.Some fabric scraps for little bows add a splash of color. Scraps are roughly 2" x 8". I grabbed pieces at random, trying to use some darker ones here and there to anchor some of the brighter colors.
'reminds me of the rag curlers we used in our hair as kids! But I don't think they were so pretty.

First Advent

First Advent marks the beginning of our looking forward to the celebration of Christ's birth.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

What great news. Have a wonderful first Advent!

Scarf with Pretties

Teenagers from our church are soon going to Appalachia to deliver Christmas presents to needy children. So we knitters decided to include scarves in each box.
The yarn I used was pretty boring, so I added 4" fabric strips at the edges. Mostly polka dots, but some plaids, checks and florals thrown in add to to the fun. I hope a little girl somewhere in Appalachia will like it!

Happy Bountiful Thanksgiving!

Is this the biggest cabbage you have ever seen?! A friend brought this over from his garden - it would be a gorgeous centerpiece. :) Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

Corners of my House

Here is a corner in our den. The round clock looked lonely on the wall, so the mirror was added to "mirror" the clock. The very-cool horse thing on the top was given to me by a friend...I love it.

Cuckoo for a Cuckoo Clock

When I lived in Germany, the only people who had cuckoo clocks were the Omas. But on my last trip there I found this little cutie and just couldn't resist. The little swiss miss bounces up and down, moving the bird across the porch! The tick-tock drives Micah nuts...he always stops the girl from swinging. Then I start it up again when he goes to school.

Chalkboard Wall

Underneath the kitchen bar is a great spot for stools and tons of scuff marks. Black chalkboard paint takes care of that....anyone who wants to leave a message is free to write and create. This message left by two sweet teenage girls.

Sunday Blessing

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bone. Proverbs 16:24