The heartaches will come. ... As you let the Lord help you through that, He will make the difference. –Russell M. Nelson
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Friday Night Sew-In
When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves. –William Arthur Ward
I haven't done Friday Night Sew-In for ages. Not that I haven't been sewing on Friday nights, because I usually am. But I don't usually think to link up. I had big plans for last night. I did the ditch quilting on the polka-dot quilt.
I used water soluble thread because I really like the stability that ditch quilting provides, but I don't want this particular quilt divided up by that stitching when it is done. After I finish the decorative quilting and run it through the wash, the stitches in the ditch will disappear. But while I'm quilting they will keep the quilt nice and stable. Hooray! I'm excited to finally be quilting this quilt. And now that the ditch work is done, I can start with the fun stuff. I'm actually off to work on that now.
Today's post brought to you by:
I haven't done Friday Night Sew-In for ages. Not that I haven't been sewing on Friday nights, because I usually am. But I don't usually think to link up. I had big plans for last night. I did the ditch quilting on the polka-dot quilt.
I used water soluble thread because I really like the stability that ditch quilting provides, but I don't want this particular quilt divided up by that stitching when it is done. After I finish the decorative quilting and run it through the wash, the stitches in the ditch will disappear. But while I'm quilting they will keep the quilt nice and stable. Hooray! I'm excited to finally be quilting this quilt. And now that the ditch work is done, I can start with the fun stuff. I'm actually off to work on that now.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Favourite Things Friday: Royal M China, circa 1959
Occasionally we all inherit, or are given, or get something or some things that are too good to use for a variety of seemingly sound but really quite silly reasons—they’re heirlooms or too rare or too expensive or too fragile or too pretty. The result is heirloom linen handed down from generation to generation that falls apart when some benighted heiress decides to air it. While I’m glad that past generations saved some things we now enjoy, we are enjoying them by using them instead of carefully storing them for our kids—in turn to store. Unused beautiful things are a waste. –Malcolm Forbes
There is an elderly lady who attends my ward {congregation} whose husband passed away several months ago. Sunday-before-last, during Relief Society {Women's Sunday School} the leader who was conducting announced that the woman was moving and had a nice set of 12 dishes she'd like to give away. I'm not sure what came over me, but I heard “12 place-settings” and I said “yes, please!” My hand went up like a shot.
And then I felt a little guilt. Not enough to not take the dishes, mind you. But I wondered if perhaps someone else who didn't have a set of china could have used these dishes? My grandpa gave me my grandma's beautiful set of Noritake Pasedena, to which I've added more pieces. I love it and use it all the time. I think I was secretly hoping that this new set of old china would match my old set of old china so I could have 20 matching place settings. But it didn't. So now I have two sets and I don't think it is superfluous at all. Well, maybe just a tiny bit. But I'm in love with those pretty blue flowers and now that I've got these dishes in my possession, I can't bear to let them go.
I don't know much about vintagey things. The mark on the bottom says Royal M by Saji and the pattern name is Liege. I googled and couldn't find much at all about the Royal M company, which is a disappointment. I do know that the woman these pretty dishes came from got them in 1959. And that's about all I know about them, except that they are beautiful and have already had a turn at Sunday dinner. We'll be switching off every Sunday and special occasions. The Little Bugs think it is awesome to eat of china on Sunday and remind me if I forget and set the table with our regular dishes.
Today's post brought to you by:
There is an elderly lady who attends my ward {congregation} whose husband passed away several months ago. Sunday-before-last, during Relief Society {Women's Sunday School} the leader who was conducting announced that the woman was moving and had a nice set of 12 dishes she'd like to give away. I'm not sure what came over me, but I heard “12 place-settings” and I said “yes, please!” My hand went up like a shot.
And then I felt a little guilt. Not enough to not take the dishes, mind you. But I wondered if perhaps someone else who didn't have a set of china could have used these dishes? My grandpa gave me my grandma's beautiful set of Noritake Pasedena, to which I've added more pieces. I love it and use it all the time. I think I was secretly hoping that this new set of old china would match my old set of old china so I could have 20 matching place settings. But it didn't. So now I have two sets and I don't think it is superfluous at all. Well, maybe just a tiny bit. But I'm in love with those pretty blue flowers and now that I've got these dishes in my possession, I can't bear to let them go.
I don't know much about vintagey things. The mark on the bottom says Royal M by Saji and the pattern name is Liege. I googled and couldn't find much at all about the Royal M company, which is a disappointment. I do know that the woman these pretty dishes came from got them in 1959. And that's about all I know about them, except that they are beautiful and have already had a turn at Sunday dinner. We'll be switching off every Sunday and special occasions. The Little Bugs think it is awesome to eat of china on Sunday and remind me if I forget and set the table with our regular dishes.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
I Must Ask . . . Did You Get A Class Ring?
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country. –Kurt Vonnegut
Wow! There were lots of fabric artists who checked in on pre-washing this past week. I loved all the comments and reasons to pre-wash and reasons not to pre-wash. I'm Team Pre-wash and I thought I had a pretty solid list of reasons to keep on pre-washing, but now I have two more reasons to add to that list. Carol of Brrmidji Designs alerted me to the fact that there could be bugs 
in the fabric. What kind of bugs I'm not sure, and I really don't want to know. I think if I did know, I might not ever buy fabric again. And Pink reminded me of the fact that there are germs upon germs on those pretty fabrics. Think about it. When you go to the fabric store, you stroke the bolts of fabric. You know you do. Everyone does it. And they leave behind germs. {Note to self: use hand sanitizer after fabric shopping.}
It's set in stone for me now. Pre-washing is the way to go.
Moving on to the question at hand, ever since the big 20-year reunion, high school has been on my mind. I'm not really interested in reliving the “glory days.” But I've reconnected with a few friends and it has been fun to get to know them again. One of the girls I knew pretty well lives near me now, as it turns out. We have a standing lunch date once a month and we have a great time talking about our kids and our families and our life situations now.
Even though it wasn't the best time of my life by a long-shot, memories from high school cross my mind every now and then. Senior year vendors come out in force, selling all kinds of memorabilia. At the time, all of it seemed like a good idea. But 20 years later, what do you do with it? I have a ceramic mug that has the names of all of my classmates on it that I can't throw away but don't ever use. I got a class ring with my birthstone in it and my name engraved on it. On one side is the school mascot and on the other is a Home Ec insignia. I wore it quite a bit senior year and for a few years afterward. But now my class ring just sits in my jewelry box {sorry, mom}. I pass a pawn shop on my way home from work. They are always advertising that they give the best prices on used gold. One day, I wondered how many people have sold off their class rings for a bit of extra cash. This crazy train of thought brought about today's question. I must ask . . . did you get a class ring? Do you still have it? Do you wear it? Vote in the poll and leave me a comment.
in the fabric. What kind of bugs I'm not sure, and I really don't want to know. I think if I did know, I might not ever buy fabric again. And Pink reminded me of the fact that there are germs upon germs on those pretty fabrics. Think about it. When you go to the fabric store, you stroke the bolts of fabric. You know you do. Everyone does it. And they leave behind germs. {Note to self: use hand sanitizer after fabric shopping.}It's set in stone for me now. Pre-washing is the way to go.
Moving on to the question at hand, ever since the big 20-year reunion, high school has been on my mind. I'm not really interested in reliving the “glory days.” But I've reconnected with a few friends and it has been fun to get to know them again. One of the girls I knew pretty well lives near me now, as it turns out. We have a standing lunch date once a month and we have a great time talking about our kids and our families and our life situations now.
Even though it wasn't the best time of my life by a long-shot, memories from high school cross my mind every now and then. Senior year vendors come out in force, selling all kinds of memorabilia. At the time, all of it seemed like a good idea. But 20 years later, what do you do with it? I have a ceramic mug that has the names of all of my classmates on it that I can't throw away but don't ever use. I got a class ring with my birthstone in it and my name engraved on it. On one side is the school mascot and on the other is a Home Ec insignia. I wore it quite a bit senior year and for a few years afterward. But now my class ring just sits in my jewelry box {sorry, mom}. I pass a pawn shop on my way home from work. They are always advertising that they give the best prices on used gold. One day, I wondered how many people have sold off their class rings for a bit of extra cash. This crazy train of thought brought about today's question. I must ask . . . did you get a class ring? Do you still have it? Do you wear it? Vote in the poll and leave me a comment.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Wardrobe Wednesday: Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep
In media, male sex appeal is represented as being influenced by a huge variety of factors, such as humor, intelligence, charisma, athleticism, income, courage, etc., along with appearance. Female sex appeal is consistently and exclusively defined by appearance alone. That sucks. –Beauty REDEFINED, Sex Appeal and Thin Ideals, February 6, 2012
It is a difficult conundrum. A book shouldn't be judged by its cover, nor should a person be judged by their appearance. All too often they are. Like it or not, what you wear sends a message. But how you look shouldn't define you.
One of the things that I've noticed in every single episode of What Not To Wear is that the hosts tell each participant that she is beautiful. Their goal is to help each woman to find beauty in herself, to flatter the figure that she has and to reflect her personality in what she wears. Over the past three or four years, I've been following their suggestions when I buy clothes. It is a little scary putting myself out there like this, but I find their “rules” really work. This is week three of sharing my little What-Not-to-Wear-distance-learning-on-a-shoe-string-budget experiment.
Making your clothes work for you involves optical illusions. This pretty pink top, which cost all of $4.20 brand new, has an elastic band that sits just below the bust, which brings attention to the narrowest part of the body and helps to create an hour-glass shape. This also makes your legs look longer, and therefore makes you look taller and thinner, because it appears that your waist starts higher on your body,. Straight-leg dark-wash jeans hide a lot. The hem should fall about ½” above the ground. And pointy-toed shoes help to elongate your legs.
Pink Print Blouse: Macy's
Retail: $24.00
Out-the-door: $4.20
Levi's 512 Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans, Macy's
Retail: $54.00
Out-the-door: $36.32
Yes, these are the same jeans I've shown you the last two weeks.
Grey Cardigan, Chadwick's of Boston
I've had this for four or five years, so I can't remember how much I paid for it.
Pointy-Toed Faux-Reptile Stilettos
I got these 3+ years ago at one of those traveling shoe parties in a trailer. I'm sure they were under $20.00
I made a few, simple alterations to the top. I almost always have to do some minor alterations {so not my favorite thing} in order to make a piece of clothing work. I raised the neckline a bit by taking it up at the shoulder seams. I added darts at the bust and took it in on the sides in the ribcage area. I also hemmed it a couple of inches.
I mixed and matched the top with a few other pieces I had in my closet. I pretty much stayed with the same color palette; theme and variation, I suppose.
On the left:
Chelsea & Theodore belted jacket, Ross
Retail: $108.00
Out-the-Door: $19.99
Oatmeal Skirt by Jones Wear
I got this second-hand, but practically brand new, for free. I raised the hemline {
scandalous, I know} by several inches and love how classic this A-Line skirt is.
Royal Blue Suede Platform Heels, Payless Shoes
Retail: $27.99
Out-the-door: $17.99
On the Right:
Navy Shawl Collar Cardigan, Kohl's
Christmas Gift from my mom. She did good.
Faded Glory Jeans, Wal-Mart
Retail: $15.88
Out-the-door: $15.88
No Boundaries “Delancey” Flat, Wal-Mart
Retail: $13.87
Out-the-door: $13.87
Because if the shoe fits, you better buy it because it won't be there when you come back.
My quote for today came from an article by Beauty REDEFINED, which my sweet friend, Jenna, shared on her blog last week. I really thought it was a good article and pulled out about 50% of it to quote here. In the end, I decided to let you click on over and decide what you like in the article. I hope you'll take a look.
It is a difficult conundrum. A book shouldn't be judged by its cover, nor should a person be judged by their appearance. All too often they are. Like it or not, what you wear sends a message. But how you look shouldn't define you.
One of the things that I've noticed in every single episode of What Not To Wear is that the hosts tell each participant that she is beautiful. Their goal is to help each woman to find beauty in herself, to flatter the figure that she has and to reflect her personality in what she wears. Over the past three or four years, I've been following their suggestions when I buy clothes. It is a little scary putting myself out there like this, but I find their “rules” really work. This is week three of sharing my little What-Not-to-Wear-distance-learning-on-a-shoe-string-budget experiment.
Making your clothes work for you involves optical illusions. This pretty pink top, which cost all of $4.20 brand new, has an elastic band that sits just below the bust, which brings attention to the narrowest part of the body and helps to create an hour-glass shape. This also makes your legs look longer, and therefore makes you look taller and thinner, because it appears that your waist starts higher on your body,. Straight-leg dark-wash jeans hide a lot. The hem should fall about ½” above the ground. And pointy-toed shoes help to elongate your legs.
Pink Print Blouse: Macy's
Retail: $24.00
Out-the-door: $4.20
Levi's 512 Dark Wash Bootcut Jeans, Macy's
Retail: $54.00
Out-the-door: $36.32
Yes, these are the same jeans I've shown you the last two weeks.
Grey Cardigan, Chadwick's of Boston
I've had this for four or five years, so I can't remember how much I paid for it.
Pointy-Toed Faux-Reptile Stilettos
I got these 3+ years ago at one of those traveling shoe parties in a trailer. I'm sure they were under $20.00
I made a few, simple alterations to the top. I almost always have to do some minor alterations {so not my favorite thing
} in order to make a piece of clothing work. I raised the neckline a bit by taking it up at the shoulder seams. I added darts at the bust and took it in on the sides in the ribcage area. I also hemmed it a couple of inches.I mixed and matched the top with a few other pieces I had in my closet. I pretty much stayed with the same color palette; theme and variation, I suppose.
On the left:
Chelsea & Theodore belted jacket, Ross
Retail: $108.00
Out-the-Door: $19.99
Oatmeal Skirt by Jones Wear
I got this second-hand, but practically brand new, for free. I raised the hemline {
scandalous, I know} by several inches and love how classic this A-Line skirt is.Royal Blue Suede Platform Heels, Payless Shoes
Retail: $27.99
Out-the-door: $17.99
On the Right:
Navy Shawl Collar Cardigan, Kohl's
Christmas Gift from my mom. She did good.
Faded Glory Jeans, Wal-Mart
Retail: $15.88
Out-the-door: $15.88
No Boundaries “Delancey” Flat, Wal-Mart
Retail: $13.87
Out-the-door: $13.87
Because if the shoe fits, you better buy it because it won't be there when you come back.
My quote for today came from an article by Beauty REDEFINED, which my sweet friend, Jenna, shared on her blog last week. I really thought it was a good article and pulled out about 50% of it to quote here. In the end, I decided to let you click on over and decide what you like in the article. I hope you'll take a look.
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