Sacred Sunday--Day 25: Proving Him Right

Several weeks ago I found my journal in a box and started reading through the section where The Hubs and I were dating, engaged, and preparing for our life together.  There was one entry I was so glad to find.  I had completely forgotten about the experience I recorded.  Ten days before our wedding, The Hubs and I had gone to be interviewed by our stake president (one of our church leaders that presides over several different congregations) and get the recommends for our marriage.  We had both private and joint interviews.  I'll share some of what I wrote about the private interview.

At the interview last night he told me he knew that I was a choice daughter of God.  His eyes had filled with tears and he continued talking.  He said there are some people in life that you'll always remember and that I was one in his life.  He's excited to see what life has in store for me.  He said I was humble and yet very talented and that my parents had done a good job raising me, but I had a part in it, as well.  Then he told me to forget it and not let it go to my head, but that it wasn't in my nature...

I have a lot to live up to so that I can prove him right.  As I was waiting through [The Hubs]'s interview I wanted to become perfect to please my stake president and reinforce his faith in me.  Then I felt a little ashamed for my reasoning and prayed that I be able to do it to prove the Savior right.  He is the One that sacrificed to allow me to reach my full potential and be a worthy servant of God.

 This life is a time for us to learn, grow, and become more like our Father.  If we weren't able to succeed in these goals we wouldn't be here on this earth.  God has complete confidence in our ability to do what is right and to progress.  It is our job to prove Him right.

Origami Butterfly Wreath

Update:  For instructions on making the butterflies go here.

I've mentioned before that I'm sewing along with both Sew-vivor and The Sew Off.  This is probably the last time I'll sew along with two contests at the same time.  I felt like I lost my sewing mojo until I remembered that sewing along is not a requirement, but for my own enjoyment.  Then I got my inspiration and desire back.  Funny how that works.  Even though I got my inspiration back I did not get my time back.  I was determined to finish my project for The Sew Off before Sunday.  I made it with about a half hour to spare.

My inspiration came from a Pinterest image that showed how to fold origami butterflies.  I had planned to use those on the drawstrings for the Surprise Dress but still haven't gotten around to it.  Then I had an ah-ha! moment and thought they would be cute on a wreath.  I've also been inspired by the Stash Busting series on Feather's Flights.  I figured it would be a good way to use up extra scraps and make something pretty at the same time.  Besides that, using only leftover fabric made the whole project extra super cheap.  I only paid for the wreath form and had a coupon.  Score!

Finished butterfly

I did not relish the idea of pressing all the seams for the butterflies and taking out wrinkles.  That's when a brainwave hit: just make it a shabby chic style wreath.  I'm not a fan of shabby chic.  I know, I know...I've offended the crafting gods.  But doing shabby chic meant I could just sew around the raw edges instead of pressing them under and then edgestitching.

Pay no attention to that mess behind the wreath.  I'm sure no one else's craft space is messy. ;)

After making a few different sizes of butterflies I picked up a straw wreath form at JoAnns.  $2.99 plus a 40% off coupon got it for a grand total of $1.80.  I wrapped it with metallic gold sheen linen left over from a skirt I made at least five years ago.  Then I added the butterflies and a ribbon.

I changed the wreath a bit after taking this picture and before hanging the wreath on my door.

It took me a while to put up the wreath.  That's because it's shabby chic and...I don't like shabby chic.  I can't seem to get past the "shabby" part.  I guess that's my fatal flaw when it comes to home decor.  As I was making the wreath my inner Oedipus was gouging out his eyes.  Next time I make origami butterflies I'll be finishing my edges and that's a promise.

These butterflies are super easy to make and super cute.

It was nice to use free scraps and I liked knowing I was whittling away at my stash of leftovers.

Blue Eyes seems to share my uncertainty about shabby chic.  Upon seeing the wreath she asked, "Is it supposed to be like that?"  She also prefers the bow to the flower.

It turns out that the wreath is growing on me.  I love the colors, which is one great thing about using scraps, and it's adding character to my front door.  I just need to figure out a better way to hang it.  Right now I have a length of ribbon going over the door and tied on to the dead bolt on the inside.  I just need to pick up a command hook I can attach to the inside of the door and tie the ribbon on that way.

FYI, the original blog post that had the directions for the origami butterflies (not the Pinterest link with the Chinese knock off that stole the other blog's pictures) was shut down less than 24 hours after I went there to look at it.  Now that I can't give a direct link to the original, is anybody interested in a more detailed tutorial on making origami fabric butterflies?

Service Saturday--Day 24: The Hubs

It's hard to know exactly what you're going to get when you get married.  That isn't a bad thing.  You learn about both the good and the not-so-good after you get married.  Generally the good far, far, far, far outweighs the rest and you roll with it because you love your spouse and because you made a serious commitment of your own free will.  And besides, you know your other half is learning about all your highs and lows, too.  ;)

It was just a tad windy on our wedding day.

Well, I lucked out with The Hubs.  He's a kind man, a wonderful father, and a very service-oriented person.  If someone needs help he's there on the double.  I have joked that some women are football widows and I am a service widow.  He's pretty awesome.  I love him bunches and tons.

He makes me laugh.  Actually, the wind blew my veil across my face just as the photographer asked for our first kiss after exiting the temple.  The wind would later take it all the way off my head and floating across the parking lot.

Family Friday--Day 23: Q-ball's Birthday

This past week we celebrated Q-ball's first birthday.  We invited the grandparents and aunts and uncles over for the "festivities".  That included dinner, cake, and presents.  We keep it pretty simple for a first birthday.

I didn't take a single picture because my camera battery was dead.  However, with all the grandparents there we had no shortage of pictures taken.  I just don't have copies of those yet.  The Hubs took three pictures with his phone when I asked him to.

What's a birthday cake without garishly colored frosting and an unsuccessful attempt to write words while squeezing a tube?

When I get my hands on more pictures I'll post them.  First birthday pictures are always adorable.  For now I will leave you with the recipe I used for dinner.  I provided the main dish and the cake and everyone else brought something to contribute.  This recipe was first introduced to me when I was a missionary in Italy.  A fellow sister missionary, an Italian from whom we got Blue Eyes's real name, made it for lunch for us one day.  I never knew veggies could be so darn yummy.  But with the passing of time I forgot about it.  Then a year or so ago I stumbled on this recipe on another blog.  I was pretty excited to find it.  Even my father in law told me that he doesn't like zucchini but he likes this recipe.  Booyah.  He asked what the name of the dish and I had nothing but "Pasta with zucchini and carrots."  He thought it would sound fancier in Italian and I obliged by telling him that in Italian it's called "Pasta con zucchine e carote."  There's not a big difference.  It doesn't matter because it's a healthy and delicious alternative to tomato sauce, with our without a fancy name.

Thankful Thursday--Day 22: My Doctor

We're going in for Q-ball's 12 month well baby check at the doctor today.  I'm a big fan of my doctor. My friend suggested him to me when I was trying to figure out who to go to during my first pregnancy.  Because he's family practice rather than just OB I can see him for anything and my kids can grow up with the same doctor.  When decisions are to be made he explains all the options to me and gives me advice, then leaves it up to me.  I appreciate that he gives all the options for a given situation, even the ones he won't do.  When we discovered that my first baby had died in the womb he informed me of what could be done, including one procedure he refused to do himself.  I ended up choosing the option he recommended.  It's a blessing to have a doctor with the same philosophies about health care.  And I like that he knows my kids.

My awesome doctor holding Blue Eyes (still sporting the brand-newborn rat look) not long after she was born.

I should also mention that his nurse is the bomb-diggity.  She knows my name and knows my kids.  She wasn't in the office during my pregnancy with Q-ball and I am sooo glad she's back.  I liked the other nurse too, but there's just no one quite like Jennifer.  I don't have a picture of her because she doesn't attend births.  But it would be terrific if she did.  It's nice when going to the doctor's office isn't anxiety-inducing.

Wowzers Wednesday--Day 21

First up today is Shellee Anderson Interior Design.  If any of you are in the Austin area...feel lucky.  She's amazing.  I love all the stuff I've seen her do.  You can see it here on her website. She's got a great Star Wars nursery inspiration board.  Had we not needed to do a free nursery for Q-ball I wanted a Star Wars theme.

Darling?  I could die.  She also has an Etsy shop with some awesome busy books.  She didn't pay me for this, I just love her stuff.  A lot.

Wowzer's Wednesday is also a day for accomplishments and, as such, I can happily announce that I've reached my next mini-goal weight.  I have remained under 180 lbs for several days now which (to me) makes it official.  Hurray!  Now I can make my rewards.  Yay!  They may change a bit from what I posted before because, well, they're MY rewards and I can choose any darn patterns I want.  :)  I think I'm going to replace the skirt because I don't want to go buy fabric and I have a great cut that I bought at least five years ago and then almost gave away because I thought I'd never use it.  I'm so glad I hung on to it.

I've also found another dress pattern I love to add to the reward list.  It's Vogue 1341.  The model is demonstrating the "Whaaa...?" look I mentioned yesterday.

image via voguepatterns.mccalls.com

It's just so interesting and unique.  There are no side seams so fitting could be tricky.  I'll have to make some adjustments to make it appropriate for me to wear, but I've got a great idea up my sleeve for that!  Maybe this weill be my reward inn another twenty pounds.  We'll see how long I can hold out!

Ta-Da! Tuesday--Day Twenty (b): Surprise Dress

My second installment for this week's Ta-Da! Tuesday is a dress I made for Blue Eyes.  I made it to do the sew along for The Sew Off over at Nap Time Crafters.  The challenge was kids clothes and the rules allowed starting from a pattern or tutorial but needing to add your own creative spin to it.  I started with Simplicity 2464.  I had wanted to make it a hi-low skirt but the realities of how the pattern is constructed didn't fit in with the vision I had in my head.  Surprise, surprise.

I don't always use out-of-print patterns, I swear.

The pink fabrics came from my own stash, that had once belonged in my mother in law's stash.  I love free fabric.  The green trim fabric was an eyelet remnant I bought a few years ago, hoping to make something cute with the gorgeous embroidery at the bottom.  There was never enough yardage for anything I liked.  So I used it here.  The only difference in cutting out the pattern was adding some extra fabric to the bodice back to make it less open, and cutting the skirt front wider to accommodate what I wanted to do for the surprise part of the dress.

I didn't think about how thin the pink gingham fabric was.  If I were to do it over again I would have lined the yoke on the waist.  I was in a hurry.

Once the dress was all made up I tried it on Blue Eyes and found that the front ended up looking really, really low cut on her.  I added a fabric panel after the fact.  I meant to make the top of the panel go to the bottom of the green stripe rather than the top but didn't remember that as I was prepping it.  Then I was too lazy to make Blue Eyes come try it on before I sewed it in.  And I had her entertaining the baby.  I may or may not go back and change it.

Back view

Originally I wanted the bodice back completely closed.  Had I moved forward with that plan without thinking about it I would have ended up with a dress Blue Eyes couldn't get her head through.  No bueno.

Now comes the surprise part of the dress.  I added an under layer to the skirt with lots of sheer tricot ruffles.  I already had plenty on hand because I've made a few pettiskirts and had quite a bit left over.  I broke out my trusty(ish) ruffle foot and let it do the ruffling work for me.  On the wrong side of the over layer I added some rows of bias tape to make a casing for ribbon drawstrings to bring up bits of the skirt to show off the ruffle layer.  I'm pleased with the result.  It took quite a bit of figuring to get the hem right when you include the pink trim at the bottom and the fact that I wanted that part left separate from the drawstrings.  It was a bit of a headache but it all worked out.  The plaid pattern is busy enough that it hides to stitching lines beautifully.

My great fear was that I would attach all the ruffles and Blue Eyes would not want to show it off.  I needn't have worried.  She likes to wear it with the over layer down but gets a kick out of showing it off to people by saying, "Look under my dress!"  We'll work on a different choice of words.

Surprise!  There's a layer of pink and lavender ruffles.

The only thing I would change about what I did is to follow the pattern and sew the skirt to the bodice before sewing the side seams.  I had stopped paying attention to the directions by then and have never had a problem with attaching a skirt this way before.  The elastic pieces in the back and the trim on the front make that method a bad idea with this pattern.  It took me two hours to fix it when I saw what happened after I triumphantly pulled it off the machine and announced I was finished.  Boo.  But now it's right.  In the future I'm going to add butterflies to the ends of the drawstrings (this will further mask the drawstrings when the over skirt is extended) and to the bodice.  With Q-ball's birthday coming up I simply ran out of time.  Blue Eyes doesn't know the difference and is happy in her ignorance.  And so am I.

UPDATE:  My mother in law (the one who gave me the fabric) saw the dress and recognized the fabric.  When I told her she had given it to me she said she should give me more of her fabric to work with.  It's always a big win when the person who gave the fabric is happy and impressed with the finished product.  Even if it took several years to get around to using it.