Just a dress I forgot to blog and a purging update

Whoops. I made this about a month ago and never got around to posting it! Pics were taken and everything, it just slipped my mind.

This is Butterick 5456 and it's one I've made before--you can see that version here (second dress down); it's probably my fave handmade dress of all time. I still wear it quite a bit!

This knit didn't work quite as well. It's a rayon jersey, but definitely has more stretch than the black knit I used before. I still really like it, but it just droops a bit more, causing the arm holes to gape a bit and the back to barely cover my bra under the key hole. I have to watch my p's and q's, which I don't want to do in an easy Summer dress, ya know?? Maybe I can find a way to take the whole thing up at the shoulders. We'll see.

I do not have a fake tan, I just couldn't get the colors right when editing these photos, hence the orange skin, ha!

In other news, Casey and are lovin' the new uncluttered vibe that some of the rooms in our house have acquired these last few weeks. I decided to keep some of the scrapbook supplies, since a lot of that doubles as other craft supplies and for the girls to use later, but the stamps and ink are going. If you're local and interested, let me know!

In the spirit of getting rid of both physical and mental clutter, I've decided the Etsy shop is both--the stuff takes up space and the mental burden is just too much, with the shipping, the photos, the ironing, the listing time, etc... Plus, you really have to be networked with lots of other things online, as well as active in the Etsy forums to be successful at it and I'd like to spend less time online, not more. That was the biggest deciding factor for me. I hadn't determined if the shop would be a long-term thing or not, but now that I've decided, I'm relieved. I made a nice little chunk of change and now it's time to pass the stuff along! Again, if you're local and want to dig through my vintage patterns, they're yours for the taking :) Just tell me soon, cause I'm not planning on keeping them around for long. I've obtained some vintage linens recently that I'll be passing along to friends who are into that sort of thing.

Whew! The purging is going well and feeling good! It's been a great week! It's AMAZING how much easier it is to keep a clean house when there's just a little less stuff!!!

Edith Schaeffer

You may have heard of Francis and Edith Schaeffer and their ministry called L'Abri in the Swiss Alps. Edith Schaeffer has been a favorite author of mine for quite some time now. She is a godly wife and mother and has raised several kids in an involved and intentional way that truly inspires me. It started with this book, which my sister recommended to me:

Beautiful, beautiful book! I promise if you read this, you'll be encouraged and inspired!

Then I bought this one:

Equally great!

Recently, I picked up this one on Amazon:

Love, love, love!! It's sort of a compilation of short writings of Edith's thoughts on parenting. So, so good. And since the sections are short, I read just one a day in my special quiet time chair with my coffee. 

Consider her thoughts on loving relationships:

"Compassion and understanding of what another person needs comes through having been cared for ... A family is the place where this kind of care should be so frequently given that it becomes natural to think of the needs of other people ... Love isn't just happiness in ideal situations with everything going according to daydreams of family life or married life or parent-child closeness and confidences. Love has work to do. Hard and sacrificial work--going on when it would be easy to be provoked and think evil. (p. 28)"

In those rare moments when the children are playing peacefully, the house is clean, dinner is in the oven, a candle is lit and you're having a good hair day, it can be easy to think, "this is what family life should always be like." Oh, not true! Love has work to do!! And love is so much better exercised when kids are bickering, when the laundry is way behind, when dinner is burned, when the husband is late and when life is just a mess! 

I think if you go to Amazon.com and type in Edith Schaeffer, you could pick any one of her books and be blessed :) 

yard sale day and thoughts on purging

We had a yard sale today! It was really fun. We were not in it for the money, we really just wanted to be rid of some "stuff". The kids have been crazy excited about the yard sale prospect for weeks, especially after I told them they could keep the money from whatever toys they sell!!

We did pretty good! And since we were outside all day anyway, we decided it was a great time to teach Natalie to ride her bike with no training wheels. She was nervous. But, we really need her training wheels for Layla's bike cause the ones on hers are rusted and so they just bend upward all the time. Ulterior motive ;) But, she did great, she practiced allllll day long and was doing really well by the end of the day!

Kelby got a big boy bike this week too! We found him a Buzz Lightyear bike on Craigslist, my favorite store ;)

He enjoyed "fixing" it with his tools, too.

So, now that I've purged a nice amount of stuff, I'm in the mood to purge more. A LOT more! We are a military family and are planning on a move a year from now. Thinking about moving all this stuff we have completely overwhelms me! I'm a pretty organized person, I like for everything to have a place, and for now, it does, but there's still just way too much.

My question is, when you're a homeschooling family and have several hobbies, when do you draw the line for what to keep when you literally will probably "use it someday in the future"? For example (because the homeschooling community is super generous!), I was recently given several boxes of books and resources for schooling. Most are childrens' books, many animal books, some preschool workbooks, etc... But, I can and do get these types of books at the library. Does the convenience of having a book on Koalas at my fingertips when an Australia unit comes up outweigh the amount of space it's taking to have so many books around?? I dunno.

Also, I've decided to ixnay scrapbooking from my list of hobbies. Sad, I know, but how liberating too! Scrapbooking comes with a lot of guilt!! I don't get to do it very often and it's easy for this particular hobby to make one feel "behind" in yet another way. And while I do enjoy it (the two times a year when I get to do it), the truth is, if I have a couple hours to devote to a hobby, I sew. Or work on a house project. So, I'm no longer a scrapbooker. I'm going to have yearly photo books like these made instead, only very basic. Then, get this, I'm going to DELETE the year's photos from my computer *GASP*.

But, anyway, what to do with the scrapbook stuff?? I'm sure the girls would enjoy it, but I'm more of a mind to either sell the whole lot or donate it all at once to a good cause ... rather than move with it ... across the country ... twice next year, it appears ... until the girls are old enough for it. I dunno.

It's hard to let go. Both of the past and of the once-hoped-for future. But, I think I'll be glad if I can do it.

Thoughts?? Encouragement? Success story? Commiseration???

I have an idea!

I took a meal to a young couple today because she's recovering from surgery. But, as much as I want to help (and food is a great, tangible way to help!) I struggle with what to make! I came up with something good, I think, but I need more ideas. I'm so not a casserole person and so thinking outside the one-dish-meal, what good "delivery" meals do YOU have as go-to's? Wanna share?? I'll give you a few days to think about it, then we'll have a little link-up party here on my blog. Sound fun?? Good! Think about what meals you've delivered in the past or what recipes you would make if you get the chance and share it with us! How's next Tuesday sound? Good?? Good :)  Spread the word! I'd love to have a button for you to grab and share, but since Picnik shut down, that is no longer my area of expertise. If you want to make one for me, though, I wouldn't say no, ha!

In other news, this kid has been rather more mischievous the usual (and his usual is already very mischievous!)  I pray daily for added grace and patience to get through a day with the Kelby Monster. He's not naughty, he's just very, very, VERY BUSY! He never quits. And he thinks his ideas are better than mine :) But, he is beyond precious and I love him oh, so much, for keeping me on my toes and being part of the sanctification process in me, just like all kids are in some way, right?

This morning I was getting dressed and Layla came up to tell me that Kelby had spilled the salt all over the floor. Then the car alarm started going off because he had gotten my keys (after he tried to clean up the salt, which only made it worse). Then, he later told me he had found my Tic-Tacs, eaten them all, then spit them out and put them back. Ew! So glad he told me. Those are my Kelby Funnies for the day.

Be thinking about your meal delivery recipes! I can't wait!!

yet another girls' room revamp

Remember my girls' lovely room? About a year ago, it looked like this:

Yeah, the awesome tent lasted a good couple of months. It really wasn't the kids' fault, the thing was just too dang heavy and I repaired it several times before giving up on it. *sigh* It was fun while it lasted. Then, the bed started falling apart. About a month ago, yet another slat holding the top mattress up there broke (while Casey was outta town, of course) so I had to haul that top mattress to the ground myself and Layla slept on the floor for awhile. We sold the bunk bed. I was not bummed, because what a pain it was!! Changing the sheets! Even singing to girl on top was hard!

So, I started painting the wooden day bed that was my cousin's growing up and I also started looking for another wooden bed on Craigslist. And I scored! After being too late on 4 other beds, I finally got one and for only $40.

So, here's that sneak peek painting project from my last post revealed!

I painted them a beautiful light turquoise color and love, love, love the new look! But, if I may say so myself, the quilts are really what make them great ;)  The girls are super excited too, after a few months on mattresses on the floor. They have actually made their beds every day! A novelty that will wear off soon, I'm sure :)

I have some ideas for wall art and toy storage, since the walls are pretty bare right now. I'll be sure and share the progress!

all in a day's work

Casey has a much-needed four day weekend so we were busy here at home yesterday!

Pampering a sick baby:

 Working on a painting project. End result to come soon! The girls and I are so excited to get these put together today :)

 And an outside project going on too! The dirt and rocks in front of our house were slanting toward the house. They need to slant away from the house for drainage purposes. Casey made it look all pretty back there and even kept my paving stones so I can water my petunias :)

Natalie's been putting my vintage drawing books to good use. That girl is talented! 

And I finished up a dress for Natalie! It's a little big, which is a bummer, but at least it will fit her for a few summers instead of just one, right??

I also started a dress for myself! A pretty easy one, so it will be done soon--even without my serger :)

shop notes and pattern plans

My little Etsy shop has made it's first few sales! Feels good! A learning experience, though, I've been asking questions in the forums quite a bit and am fine tuning my prices and product to build a nice little brand for myself. It's fun!

I added this beauty just this morning:

I would keep it if I had the space. See how it matches my 1969 appliances!?

In other news, I promised I'd share my haul from Denver fabrics. Wanna see my plans??

 This one's tried and true, I made it last Summer and is a favorite! I'm excited to make it again.

 This beautiful rayon will make a lovely long, basic skirt, I think.

 This one will be really pretty if I can get the best use out of the border print. I don't plan on using it in the traditional (border at the hem) way, so we'll see what I can come up with. It's a rayon lawn, so it will be super cool and comfortable.

 I got a sort of stripe knit to try out that long version!

This pink knit was in the $1.97 a yard bin. There's a lot of it, so I will probably get a knit nightgown out of it after I make this cute tie front cardigan.

SO, what to make first?? Suggestions??

My serger is in the shop :( but I'm plugging away at some dresses for the girls while I wait for its return. Makes me wonder how I did without it all those years, ha!

Take me to the tropics!

On Friday, I was in desperate need of a project. Casey had been outta town again and was coming home that evening and I knew the day would drag by if I didn't put my hands to something. So I dug through my stash and pulled out this gorgeous rayon print that was given to me awhile back. I'd been wanting to make the sleeveless version of Simplicity 2588 because my Easter dress turned out so well and is one of my favorite things I've made. This fabric was perfect. The last thing I made (a skirt--I'll share later) didn't turn out great, so I was so happy that this turned out beautifully!

I am more proud of this dress than most because look what I did to the back!!!

I added a keyhole! I'm not skilled in pattern alterations or design, so this is a big step for me. I practiced on some muslin to make sure it was going to work out and couldn't be happier! So glad I tried something new. I just love a good back feature. I really wanted this to be a "night on the town" type of dress, not another church dress (like I said, those are my specialty and I don't need any more!) so I made it a tad shorter than usual and added the fun keyhole. I love it. It's the best thing I've made in awhile. It also did a great job of keeping me busy (well, it and the kids ;) 'til Casey got home. Only one Nebraska trip left for him. Whew!

Mom and I made it to Denver Fabrics today!!! Love that place. I will be seriously bummed when we move away from here and I can't go there anymore! Luckily they have a great online clearance and sale section too, but still...  I'm excited to get started on some things! I'll take some pics of my haul tomorrow and share!