My dress

I went shopping today to try to find a dress. I hate to order one because as I found today I could wear three different sizes, depending on the style and who made it. I found one that was made just like the brown one in the earlier post, except it was green. It was Jones New York so it was a lot of money.
I found this one and wasn't sure about the ruffly stuff on it, but am learning to TRY IT ON. So many times I like things on me that I don't like on the hanger. This is one. It hits right above the knee. It is a jersey fabric that will not wrinkle. And, the ruffly things I wasn't sure about... they draw your eye up away from other areas. Plus, Plus!

I can wear it with flip flops and my wedge sandals. At home I can wear it with some heels, which I am not taking to California. It can be casual or I can dress it up with jewelry. I still need a cardigan. I didn't find that. The color is not as orange as the first photo. It is more like the second.

Here, let me get you a bandaid for that

Edit: I did NOT do this, I found this somewhere else, but they didn't do it either.

I need a casual dress

I do not want to check baggage on my trip to California. I am planning on taking a casual dress, a pair of shorts and top, a pair of pants and a top, 2 pair exercise pants and 2 exercise tops that will double as pjs (wash out and let dry each day), a bathing suit, possibly a cover up, tennis shoes, wedge sandals, and a cardigan. I will be gone 7 days plus two traveling days= 9 days total. I will wear dress, pants set, short set each three times. I will wash them after the 2nd wearing of each while in the hotel. The exercise things I will wash each day in the sink and hang dry.

I need a good casual dress that will wear and pack well. I will probably wear it on the plane. These are some of my choices. I want to go shopping, but if I don't find something I am looking at ordering one of these dresses.
This shape above looks good on me. It is a faux wrap so you don't have to worry about flashing people when you are running through the airport or when you are walking along the boardwalk with the wind whipping through your hair.

I don't know what it is about this one. I love it with a cardigan, which I do not have at the moment. So, that is another problem, finding a cute cardigan.

I love the neckline of this one, but I would also be putting a cardigan with it. It is cool in California, highs at 75 with cold nights. This one is also a jersey fabric and I could wad it up and still look good. This comes in a pink and blue also, but I like the brown.

I love the preppiness of this one. The neckline is not as flattering on me. Definitely would not wear this without a cardigan. But, I just love madras plaid, so it is on the list.

After all the others this one is my least favorite. It is a little dressier, but would work.

So, any opinions? Be nice, I am a fragile fat girl. I am having to work with what I have and not able to go with what I love in fashion.

Sewing Projects for Boys

One of my readers requested some sewing projects for her 10 year old son to make. I love a boy that can sew! I quickly went though some of my saved photos that I keep for inspiration, and I have totally stolen the images. I wish I had the sources, but I did not expect to be posting them publically.

In my previous post on sewing projects I showed a crayon roll, you can do it with boy fabrics. You could also make a boy apron for chefs. Another idea would be a cape for younger boys. Or pillowcases.

For a tween boy you could make pajama pants and a tee shirt. You can use flannel or regular sheets to make the pants with a drawstring waist, then cut out an applique piece and iron it on t shirt with Wonder Under then zig zag the edges.

Ties .

Pillows. Let child draw something. Cut it out and make their drawing into an applique.

Patchwork dog pillow. I had this when I was a little girl!

Change the fabric to look more boyish.

Monkey made out of striped socks/stockings.

Appliqued letters on a tee.

Or any applique, using a book or a coloring book as a pattern.

Make a book with a pocket and then craft the "X's" and "O's" for a travel game.

This tote is made out of placemats.

Could they not just let it go?

I mean, really! Are they that proud of her affilitation with Alcoholics Anonymous? It even has anonymous in the title, so are you supposed to print this in your obituary? It is put in the same sentence as her membership with the church. Did she make someone mad because she didn't leave them enough and they thought that to publicize her alcohol problem would be fun?

Message to my family: Please leave off any mention of how I yelled at that insurance lady that time, okay? You don't have to tell that I cry every time a policeman pulls me over for speeding and so I never received a speeding ticket. And, you don't have to list blogging as my occupation.

My sewing nook

I found this wire shelf at a garage sale on Saturday for $5. It is not ideal, but I am overflowing with fabric and have a small, narrow place in my sewing nook that it would fit in. I painted it white and it works perfect to store some of my fabric.

This space is not ideal, but our bedroom is large and has this nook on the front. It beats sewing on the kitchen table and having to move it and go to another area to search for supplies. We also have our main computer and printer up here.

I love this chair. We were in Pensacola and drove by a furniture store that was having a tent sale. I started yelling at my husband to stop NOW. I spotted just a little of the chair and I wanted to see it. It is perfect, made to look chippy and old, although it is new.

The yellowish desk is an executive desk that we bought at a garage sale and painted with leftover paint.

The computer desk is a door with plexiglass on top. It is sitting on two craft drawer units.

These prints were over my buffet in my dining room in Florida. I love them. The dining room was painted the deep cranberry red.

I need to paint the turquoise desk. My daughter didn't have room in her new room so I took it.

Sewing class projects

These are some of the items I am planning to teach the kids to make in the home school Friday classes. I will not do all the journal covers, these are just some of the ideas to choose from. I would like to add a skirt, but do not have a saved photo of one.

I would like the class to incorporate both sewing clothing items with fun items, and have also chosen some items that can be given as gifts. Many sewing techniques are used in the below items to teach them different sewing techniques and applications.

If you think your child would like to take this sewing class I will get together a list of items as I finalize exactly what will be taught. You can get a lot of material out of used sheets found at the thrift store or garage sale. Some of the items below will be made totally using the scraps from some of the larger projects. pillow with pom-pom fringe

Pajama pants. Either use new fabric or a recycled sheet.

Half skirt apron.

crayon roll.

bookmarks using fabric scraps

Memo pad cover.

tote

fabric broach pins made from fabric scraps. Can be worn on lapel, or pinned to a purse or tote.

Journal cover.

Bunding/Garland

Patchwork belt

Journal cover.

IPod/ Camera cozy Summer top.

What is important?

Moms the Word hosts this Meme each week. What can you do to make your home sing today?

From the time my kids were born they heard Christian songs, were read Bible stories, learned about Jesus and what is right and wrong. Because it has been drilled into their heads how to behave and what we expect it is so discouraging when they fail to say, "Yes maam." or allow selfishness to overtake them to the point of murdering their brother with their tongue or a stare that would make a tatooed motorcycle man hide in shame. I am admitting that at times I have yelled and acted uncontrollably like an idiot, all in the name of trying to train them to honor God. I know the best way to train them is by example, it is just so frustrating to say the same things over and over. To repremand them over and over. You just want to shout, "What is wrong with you? Have you lost your ever lovin mind?" Senseless acts. Brain vacations. Uncontrolled tongues. Uncontrolled anger.

As my children age and more and more outside influences are brought into our home, the things that are brought before us have grown. What used to be our biggest battle was to get their bedroom clean is now met with peers doing drugs, sexuality, driving MY car, music from outside influences. The pull on our teens is so strong. Satan wants them to be driven from our influence. He desires for them to seek joy where it cannot be found.

I am so proud of my kids. I am seeing an opening and an honesty of mistakes and a genuine desire to follow Christ, although they have to find God for themselves and how to let Him reign in their lives. It is heatbreaking to sit back and watch that process as God pulls, and Satan pulls, and the child struggles to understand.

What does this have to do with Making My Home Sing? I am hit with the reminder that I spend too much time worrying about my kids saying, "Thank you. " and "Please" and if their room is clean, and that they are wearing Converse sneakers to church with their dress. What do these things matter? I have taught them and will continue to teach them. But, in the end, these things are such small matters. To make my home sing it is more important that I stop so much correcting and "teaching" and remember to tell them, "I love you." "You are special." " I love being with you." I do love each more than words can describe. Nothing could ever stop that. I hope they know that and that it is enough to give them a solid foundation. I would do anything for them, even unto death. My heart is full.

My Daddy and my Dadd-O

A big ol Happy Father's Day to my dad and husband. This is a photo of my dad and step mother. I am very blessed to have the best dad in the world. I have heard him raise his voice about twice in my life. He is so easy going and good natured, but at the same time a natural leader. People want to follow him because he is very dependable and trustworthy. He will drive 4 hours to see one of my kids play 10 minutes in a ball game then drive 4 hours back home. Then my husband, best friend, and one I love. I have spent more of my life with him than my parents, over half my life. He is a very hard worker and has provided so well for us, without sacrificing family time to strive for success. I have watched him grow from a teen aged boy into a Godly man that cares for us all. He can build and fix things, which is a requirement to be considered sexy. He is a lot like my dad in the way he is even tempered and not dramatic like some people can be (not me, just SOME PEOPLE) Humbleness and consideration of other people are true characteristics of his.

I am so blessed to have great men in my life. My kids are also blessed beyond what they can even know at this moment in time. They both have given me glimpses of who God is and an ability to see God as our Father and to care for us.

Camper in progress

I am exhausted. We got up to go to garage sales, then we have worked in a heat index of 104 today. I painted the shelf I bought for my sewing area that I will show you tomorrow. I weeded 3 of my raised beds. It is amazing how much they grow in a week or so. But, they sure were easy to weed, it just pulls out so easily of the two beds that are mostly my homemade compost. My husband worked to finish replacing the side wall in the bedroom of the camper and reinstall the painted cabinets. I am so excited!

This is the cabinets that go over the bed in their before state:
And here they are painted white. The three holes are where there was moroon upholstered pieces that I need to recover and put in. The two doors have etched glass mirrors, which are horrible. I am not sure what to do with them. I am considering scrapbook papering them.

We had to replace the wall behind the cabinets and bed and also a portion of the wall to the right of the bed, the part that is not painted. I had my husband put beadboard paneling on the back wall for a cottage look. We didn't do the wall section to the right because we would have had to do all the walls. We didn't have to remove the one nightstand so that is on the to do list to paint in place. I am going to paint the walls, over the wallpaper, a white. Then I will bring in color with different fabrics in the pillows. BTW, the mattress was taken out while my husband worked, we don't sleep on wood.

This is the kitchen and I hope to one day paint the cabinets in here white. I think I am going to tape off and paint all the upholstered pieces of fabric in each of the cabinets in here. It is worth trying. I am going to make curtains and reupholster the setee seats.

Just another view showing what they require of me camping... to cook for 6-7 in this!

Then we all gather on this and try to get comfy. I am reupholstering this piece and adding curtains and painting the walls.

Across from the couch is a tiny chair. The tv sits on this little counter. All this space is smaller than my closet. I think we are crazy.

Going on down the hall there are three closets. The first has shelves and the other two open to each other and have a rod. Lots of storage!

The bathroom vanity. I am thinking a cornflower blue for this.

Tiny tub. We just use the bathhouse. This is used for hanging towels annd bathing suits. A nice rack for that, huh?

Well, not sure how quickly we are going to get it remodeled. Considering my doors have been off my cabinets in the kitchen for over a year. I would rather live life and enjoy camping than remodel, although I love to remodel. We can't park our camper here at the house, so that makes it harder, also. We are probably driving the president of the homeowner association crazy.