Saturday, April 26, 2008

Itty Bitty Baby Dress

I knew I was saving those scraps for a reason...


Made from leftovers of a skirt (the polka dot fabric), a pillowcase (the red pleated trim) and some embroidery floss from who knows when :)

Since I was trying not to buy anything for this, I picked out the stitching from part of the pleated trim and ironed my little heart out to make the waistband.



I used this wonderful free pattern.

And I upped the size a little bit, because well, I weighed 8 pounds... and my husband weighed nearly 10.

(I had to edit this when I showed hubby. I had put that he weighed nine pounds, but he proudly corrected me he came in at almost ten. Scary...)

To be tucked away for my someday...

Friday, April 25, 2008

Progress!

I may not have been posting, but I've been making progress!

Lots of gathering has been done...



And lots of crochet... (I'm finally down to the *last* skein of yarn! Yay!)


And a wee little baby dress in the works, with a touch of embroidery, inspired by Shannon's lovely projects.


Of course, most of my craft time this week has been spent on one certain project, but that can't be posted until a certain someone's birthday is over :)

(And no, I wasn't trying to get kitty in every picture, but he was following me around and sprawling over whatever I was trying to take a picture of...)

Monday, April 21, 2008

What Fun

We went camping this weekend, and had such a great time. Here I am trying to be a "Real Prairie Muffin" (according to my husband) and set up the tent on my own.

A little help from the hubby, and we're ready to go! Its a small tent, but just right for the two of us.


Hubby surveying the dam.


Foil dinners don't look yummy in a picture, but they taste FANtastic!


Beautiful view!




We dressed our friend up as Eve in the Garden.





I barely made it across the river, but hubby caught me before I fell.

It was a wonderful trip, and such a blessing to get away from all the hustle and bustle for a few days. It's great to be outside of cell service and away from the laptops for a while, just listening to the birds sing as you wake up to the sunshine filtering through the trees. Of course, nothing like being a maiden sleeping sound on the dank and dirty ground* will make you appreciate your wonderfully soft bed.

*I admit, I borrowed that from Shakespeare. :)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Happy Tax Day!

To the rest of the world, April 15th might be a bad day. To a "tax wife"... it's the very best of days! Thanks to the (very much appreciated) advice of fellow CPA wife Mrs. Lavin, I made a special meal to celebrate the day I got my husband back to myself for a few months :) This including one of his favorite things I make... Cream Cheese Pound Cake! (Note: I use the 1/4 cup buttermilk substitution in the butter for a more moist cake)

For this cake, You Must Use Your Stand Mixer. You Must.
I tried it with my wee little hand mixer to save time. I gave up when I was adding the sugar and my arm was quickly numbing with fatigue! So I switched 'er over to good old Red. I'm so thankful for this sweet wedding present from my grandmother.

I really know how to make a mess...

Mmmm, but the final product is *oh so* worth it!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Marriage and the Glory of God



I hope if you are married, or someday want to be married, you'll take the time to read this great post by R. Albert Mohler, Jr. In a culture that so disrespects and discredits a marital union, it is refreshing to think of oneself as a "counter-revolutionary" :) Here are a few highlights:

"Our culture is so sexually confused that the goods of sex are severed from the vows and obligations of marriage. Thanks to modern technologies, we can have sex without babies, babies without sex, and both without marriage. For many, marriage has become an irrelevancy."

"The end of marriage is its beginning — the glory of God, the mystery of Christ and the church. The exclusivity and purity of the marriage bond points to the exclusivity and purity of the relationship between Christ and His church.

How does marriage glorify God? Tertullian, one of the early church fathers, offers wisdom: "How beautiful, then, the marriage of two Christians, two who are one in home, one in desire, one in the way of life they follow, one in the religion they practice... Nothing divides them either in flesh or in spirit... They pray together, they worship together, they fast together; instructing one another, encouraging one another, strengthening one another. Side by side they visit God's church and partake God's banquet, side by side they face difficulties and persecution, share their consolations. They have no secrets from one another; they never shun each other's company; they never bring sorrow to each other's hearts... Seeing this Christ rejoices. To such as these He gives His peace. Where there are two together, there also He is present."

(Pictured above is hubby's wedding ring- inscribed with "faithfully yours 6/9/07")

Friday, April 11, 2008

Amazing!



Warning... this is another post about girl things. :)

I'm so amazed! Raspberry Leaf Tea is my new best friend. When I bought it a few weeks ago, I thought when I read the package describing the tea's "female benefits" that it would be really great if it actually worked. But honestly... I bought it because I thought Raspberry Leaf Tea would taste good. And it does! Which is the reason I've been drinking it quite a bit lately.

I was recently surprised by my first "on time" cycle for the first time since I've been plotting it- for 10 months now, since we've been married. This was a wonderful blessing, since having a one to two week late period every month can be a little... emotionally torturous.

Also, I was virtually cramp free. I've had awful back cramps for as long as I can remember- and I'm terribly allergic to painkillers. Every single one (even Tylenol, to the surprise of my doctor) I've ever tried has quickly ushered me into anaphylactic shock. Not a fun experience... so I have learned to just bear the aches and pains.

I didn't even remember that the Raspberry Leaf Tea was for this, until I was making a list for the grocery store and was adding tea to the list. I happened to re-read the box and I realized the only thing that was different this month than all others... I'd been drinking this tea. Wow! And don't worry... I'm not secretly being paid by the Tea manufacturer. But if you are having some of the same problems I had, give it a try! (And I don't drink massive amounts of this tea. Really more like one or two glasses every couple of days brewed medium strong.)

Here's the brand that I happened to buy, but I'm sure any organic brand would work just as fine.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

A Trip Worth Taking

I'm getting excited about the end of May...

Monday, April 7, 2008

A little Fun

Who are you in Anne's circle of friends?
Who are you in Anne's Circle of Friends?
Today I thought I would share a sampling of quotations that I've happened upon over the past few years and jotted down in my "inspiration" spiral. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

"Lord, do Thou turn me all into love,
and all my love into obedience,
and let my obedience be
without interruption."
-Jeremy Taylor

“A good wife is Heaven’s last, best gift to man, his angel and minister of graces innumerable, his gem of many virtues; her voice his sweetest music, her smiles his brightest day, her kiss the guardian of his innocence, her arms the pale of his safety, the balm of his health, the sure balsam of his life; her industry his surest wealth, her economy his safest steward, her lips his faithful counselor, her bosom the softest pillow of his cares, and her prayers the ablest advocate of Heaven’s blessing on his head.”
J.R. Miller, Home Making

"Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all."
-D.L. Moody

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is in the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit."
Jeremiah 17:7-8

"For they say when you marry in June... you're a bride all your life!" - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

"Chastity is so essential and natural to your sex, that every declination from it is a proportional receding from your womanhood. An immodest woman is a kind of monster, distorted from its proper form."
A Letter of Genteel and Moral Advice to a Young Lady
Wetenhall Wilkes, 1741

"My greatest ambition is to have a successful, happy marriage." -Nancy Reagan

"She is grace herself. . . . That is what a woman ought to be. She ought to produce the effect of exquisite music." -George Eliot

"A woman's worth is to be estimated by the real goodness and sweetness of her character; and a woman with a kindly disposition and well-balanced temper, is both lovely and attractive, be her face ever so plain and her figure ever so homely; she makes the best of wives and the truest of mothers."
- T.L. Haines & L.W. Yaggy ('To Young Women', 1876)

"Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,
Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee,
And for thy maintenance; commits his body
To painful labor, both by sea and land;
To watch the night in storms, the day in cold,
Whilst thou li’st warm at home, secure and safe;
And craves no other tribute at thy hands
But love, fair looks, and true obedience-
Too little payment for so great a debt.
Such duty as the subject owes the prince,
Even such a woman oweth to her husband;
And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour,
And no obedient to his honest will,
What is she but a foul contending rebel,
And graceless traitor to her loving lord?
I asham’d that women are so simple
‘To offer war where they should kneel for peace,
Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway,
When they are bound to serve, love, and obey.
Why are our bodies soft, and weak, and smooth,
Unapt to toil and trouble in the world,
But that our soft conditions, and our hearts,
Should well agree with our external parts?"

-Kate, “The Taming of the Shrew"

"Ladies should also remember that gentlemen look more to the effect of a dress in setting off the figure and countenance of a lady than to its cost. Very few gentlemen have any idea the value of ladies' dresses. This is a subject for female criticism. Beauty of person and elegance of manners in women will always command more admiration from the opposite sex than beauty, elegance or costliness of clothing."
The Scholars' Companion and Ball Room Vade Mecum
Thomas Hillgrove, 1857

"Father, I know that all my life is portioned out for me, and the changes that are sure to come, I do not fear to see; but I ask Thee for a present mind intent on pleasing Thee."
-Anna L. Waring

Saturday, April 5, 2008

The fruit of my Momma's hands

Yesterday my Momma and I organized and cleaned out some of her old maternity clothes and my baby clothes. I am so excited to know that when I am ready to put them to use, she saved lots of things for me! From little tees to lace trimmed shirts and a green silk dress, most of the maternity clothes she made will be happily worn by me, Lord willing! :)
I am so amazed at my her sewing skills, I had to share my little dresses she saved. She made all of these- and the details are breathtaking. Pictures just won't do them justice. All the insides are finished to perfection- bound with soft fabrics for sweet baby skin, trimmed with hand sewn cotton lace, and all smocked or embroidered by my Momma's sweet hands. I pray the Lord blesses us with a daughter so that these may all be worn again!

So here for your viewing enjoyment, is a sampling of her work. Nothing is store bought- everything is hand made. I'm hoping to learn how to smock sometime soon so that I can make things as lovely as these!

Thank you so much, Momma, for loving me so much and putting so much love into my clothes!!

A beautiful Christmas dress in red velvet, trimmed with lace and a deep ruffle at the bottom, covered by a smocked pinafore with little Christmas trees.



These are some of my favorites. Little rompers... I just love the sheep. And I love the unique touch of the little black sheep :)



A closeup of those cute little sheep :)



Hand painted little tulips over a seersucker jumper.



My "Little House on the Prairie" dress. And my flower girl dress, made with one of my Mema's handkerchiefs for a collar, with pretty little pintucks. Too bad I wouldn't actually walk down the aisle in it... :) Guess I was a little too scared at the last minute!



Little painted farm animals on my denim jumper.



Lovely summer dresses!



My Easter dress. Apparently I sat down the first time I wore it and picked off all the little bunny tails. Momma had to make new ones!



A closeup of the bunnies!




More summer dresses!


And last, a gingham dress with my initials.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

A little Hint

of projects in the works...



"How big should I make my petticoat?"

"Our petticoats were so big, we used to knock the pencils off of the desks when walking past!" -My grandmother in law, said with a little chuckle :)

 

Made by Lena