Sewing 101

Baskets: Kellie's brainwork and mechanical skills at work
Curtains: Rachael's seamstress abilities shining through
Seen Sewing: Rachael

I found this fabric at Hobby Lobby several weeks ago. I was drawn to it prob'ly b/c it reminds me of my grandmother's wallpaper. I bought 7 yards (did I mention it was on clearance?) So many people thought I would just have beaucoups left over--but I actually had to go pick up a couple more yards to work on recovering some pillows.

What was hit with this fabric? Valances on 3 windows, door curtains for our window, relining my kitchen baskets (still working on a couple--right now, actually), hopefully two old futon pillows, hopefully my memo board in the kitchen.

Funny how just a little sewing makes you feel invincible in the sewing department ... until you get home and realize you don't even know where to put the spool of thread on the machine. I actually had to look at the pix of Rachael to see where the spool goes. Not totally crazy, b/c the metal pole thingy that holds the thread had fallen off. So, now I know where it goes and what the metal pole is for!

Revolving Doors

We just had to say good bye to our last extended-guest that we have on our calendar! Kellie stayed a week and left last Wednesday. So, our calendar is open for those who want to plan a visit!

We had such a pleasant time with Kellie; she always seems to bring such clarity, encouragement, and peace with her. I think that is just the fruit of the spirit in season.

Speaking of seasons, we have several tomatoes (still green on the vine), a couple of growing (but slightly deformed) bell peppers, and more squash that you could count on both hands!

The disc golf pix is one of my favorites--so many different poses and expressions. Matt is with his 'retrieving pole,' though I heard he disregarded the whole pole concept and just jumped in the quite questionable creek for his disc. Some things never change and always make me smile!

Yesterday Matt hung up white Christmas tree lights in our backyard on our trees. It was picture perfect until one strand started blinking sporadically. This is the same strand that somehow makes it back to our tree every year...and everything is peaceful until it randomly starts blinking! AGH-we need to find a place to buy a couple of white strands of Christmas lights, but in May? Actually, I think I"ll just ask my mom if we can have/borrow a couple of strands??? (Mom, if you read this, this is an official request for the Christmas light favor...)

Gardens and Flora and Blooms, Oh My!

The reason I included so many photos of Simon from the Arboretum is to share his adorable little facial expressions! I can't believe how precious he is! Maybe one day I figure out how to post audio on here, and then, I can also share how precious it is when he talks!

One cute idiosyncracy about Simon is that he will (sometimes) automatically put his toys up where they go. It's so cute because it is so mature. For example, he might be in his room playing and I ask him to come with me. He gets up to grab my hand, but then looks at his hand and realizes he has something in it that belongs in his room--not outside. So, he will walk over and put it up and then walk back to me and grab my hand! One day the vacuum cleaner was out, and he had taken the dusting attachment out and was 'dusting' with it. I told him it was time for us to go outside and he ran the other way which is very unusual if the word 'outside' is mentioned. I looked and there he was in the utility room, putting the dusting attachment exactly in its place on the vacuum cleaner. And then, he toddles back to me to go outside. Isn't that precious?

I've been listening to C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters on audio. It's been several years since I read the book, so listening to it is almost like reading it for the first time.

It's been a long time since I asked for post responses, but I was wondering, who has read the book and what they thought of it. Or if anyone wanted to just share what they are reading that would also be interesting to read. So, comment, comment, comment, fellow readers of print!

Simon Goes Botanical

I totally forgot to brag about how I fixed our t.v. a month or so ago. There had been a power outage that ruined our t.v. Everything was off-color; lots of things were greenish that shouldn't be green. One day, when Matt was at work, I read the manual--looking in the index under Color Display. A simple troubleshoot solution: unplug the t.v. for at least 30 minutes to allow the t.v. to remagnetize (?). I tried that and VOILA that night when we watched our Chuck Missler teaching DVDS (pastor/teacher), Mr.Missler's face was no longer green! And, plus, Matt thought I was an absolute genius!

Arboretum Visit

I took 100+ pix this day; so posting only 14 total, as I plan, is really letting the viewer off quite easily!

We had lots of fun during Nana's visit. I also learned a lot--how to thread the sewing machine and bobbin, how to patch jeans and make a headband, how to wash windows most efficiently, how to make okra and tomatoes, how to make rice flawlessly, how to use Old English to buff up furniture, and many other how-tos that escape my mind at the time.

Life Unveiled

Here is the McDaniel Home, unveiled somewhat! I should warn you that on my next post there are no less than FOURTEEN pictures that I want to share from our trip to the Arboretum with Nana.

About the pix: Since gardening is so new to me, I am very easily enthralled by the grandeur of it all. The first pix is showing how strawberries grow. The white blooms are what you see first (after the initial pods.) And then, the middle part of the bloom overtime becomes a strawberry! We have our first tomato on the vine.

You can see Simon playing with his toolshed--(yay for garage sales!) There was a big community garage sale this morning, at a recreation center, but I didn't wake up early enough for that one! We had all night prayer last night, so we came home around 4:00 and slept in until almost noon!

Simon in his bath; these were the only family-friendly photos I could post! The little boats are adorable, though he doesn't quite know what they are for yet.

Simon on the couch watching a PraiseBaby or some other children's movie. He gets SO excited when he gets to watch one--and he gets this very contented, zoned-out expression. I am all for short (30 min.) movies in moderation. I think it helps his concentration skills; plus, sometimes I'm doing 'chores' that are dangerous when he is underfoot.