Stitching Projects Complete

This past summer, I was able to do several rather large projects. It has been hard for me to get my bearings after our move two years ago, as there have been many decisions that involve just how to live in our new home.
It takes me a while to live in a place, before I'm really comfortable making decisions about about domestic arrangements and decorating. I think I like to get the "feel" of a house ~ the way the sun comes through the windows accompanied by the heart's response to it; the view from the windows, and the thoughts that are evoked as you gaze out of them; the way your family life flows through the house.


This is an old sofa we brought from our former home, (literally ~ it was in the house when we moved there) and it is constructed with a wooden frame, but the "wicker" is really paper-wrapped wire. It is pretty old, but still useful.
Each seat cushion is an individual frame, consisting of old-fashioned hand-tied box springs,
with a thick layer of cotton batting covering them. I simply made removable covers, which are semi-fitted, and drawn up with a casing underneath the cushion frame.

Here is it's matching rocker. I keep this in the kitchen next to the fireplace and the window.
I can turn it around to be part of the conversation circle in the kitchen-at-large, or turn it into the kitchen work area. This is my favorite chair to have my devotions in the morning as I can see the men folk off as their times of departure vary.

The back cushions are large and comfortable.

Another project was a personal one. I had purchased a long length of 100% cotton crinkled fabric a couple of years ago, thinking it would make lovely, cool summer slips. So this is what I came up with.
I drafted a full length pattern using my sloper. I've never cared much for the adjustable ribbon-type straps, as they always fall down, so this pattern has "real" straps.

Here is a close-up of the hand embroidery. I used a bias strip of polyester crepe de chine for an elegant binding.


I hope you had a thoughtful Thanksgiving. We can all appreciate the freedom we still enjoy to worship God ~ which is the very reason the Pilgrims came to these shores nearly 300 years ago.

It only seems reasonable that we should use that freedom. Freedom is lost simply because it is no longer valued and used, but I must confess how easy it is for me to "hide my light" when in the company of those who don't seem to possess much light, as if I were ashamed to talk about God "as if He were real". I must remember that the people around me will never take spiritual matters seriously, if I am reluctant to be the "new creature" He has made me.

I hope you may be able to take time during the last few weeks of this year to finish up some of those unfinished projects you may have on your mental list. While you are working on them, and if need be, challenge yourself to "be lit" by His Light (The Word), so that you may be a light to others.

The First Hard Frost!

Welcome friends! Burrrrrr! It's cold out side! This week, we woke up to a thick layer of frost covering all the plants outside. Whatever was tender, is gone. It's actually rather exciting,
because now we can start enjoying hot crackling fires in the fireplace.

Back in August, Thelma and I put out some cool weather plants
that we are just now harvesting. I'm really quite a novice at vegetable gardening,
so I was so pleasantly surprised to see these little plants mature and bear.
I was told that these heads of cauliflower are unusually large.
They are bigger than the ones in the grocery store! And quite tasty too.

Here you see the remains of the cauliflower plants after harvesting heads,
and being bit by the frost! The variety I grew was called "Snow Crown"
and I bought the plants at Wal Mart.
They are an early variety, 50-55 days. But I harvested at 87 days.

This one still has a little head inside it. Make sure YOU space your plants 4-5' apart!
It makes for better air circulation, as well as allowing you too get to the heads
without stepping on other plants.

Here it is peeking out! Isn't it amazing! This one is not ready.

I'm so thankful the Lord has allowed me to have a garden.
Reading books about gardening is one thing, but actually
doing it is another. There is something fulfilling about
cultivating a garden: it is almost like watching your
children grow and blossom, only faster.

"We Make Every Thing At Least Once"

This afternoon, Ashley and I had the pleasure of meeting another of our neighbor ladies. She is the sister-in-law of our other neighbor who has the charming chickens. Mrs. Ashley whisked us down the road to meet Mrs. Ashley, and we had a wonderful time seeing the amazing quilt she made, as well as other of her handy work (and yard-sale finds!)

Betty gave me permission to share pictures with you that I think will inspire you, no matter how old or young you may be, to be the queen of the domain God has given you.

This is her beautiful quilt! "Cathedral Windows" is it's name and it is amazing! It is made unlike any quilt pattern I have ever seen, and Betty's is even more unusual because each of her little "windows" has a piece of batting sewn behind it, giving it a three dimensional effect.

You may click on the picture to see it enlarged.

She stitched it entirely by hand and I must say, her work is very lovely. Perfect. Would you believe this is her first and only quilt?

Here is a piece that has "chicken~scratching" embroidery. I think it charming!

More chicken~scratching in the "Red Room". The theme of the afternoon was this: we enjoy learning a new skill and then using it at least once! Not every one will be proficient or fast enoughto use a skill very often, but the idea is to always have minds and hearts that are eager to learn new things and put them to practical use.

This pillowcase was cross~stitched. Isn't it pretty?

She also had some lovely open drawn-work pieces which she learned from an elderly lady in Donald's some years back. Unfortunately my pictures didn't turn out. I'm so sorry you are not able to see them.

Outside the house, Betty's finger prints were every where. She leaves her creative touches all around the home she shares with her husband. I loved her cobalt "bottle~tree". Needless to say, I am now in search of Milk of Magnesia bottles!


This is just tooo cute! Don't you love the way the "hens" are growing out of the toes? My son, Tristan, was taken aback at dinner when the two lively females in the house simultaneously laid claim to his old work boots as soon as he wears them out! (the poor boy has long suffered our teasing about his stinky feet!)

I would like to thank Betty for opening her home to us. We had a wonderful visit with her. I hope to be as good a neighbor as these ladies have been to us. May the Lord bless your weekend!

A Little Autumn Decorating

I got rather inspired after reading Sarah's blog. She's been drying larkspur and grass. I need to remember to make a note in my gardening notebook to be sure to grow more flowers and foliagefor drying next fall. I would like to be better prepared next autumn.

Because I needed to make a door wreath for the main entrance, Ashley, Hamlin, and I made a trip in to Anderson to visit Hobby Lobby. I needed ribbon and a couple of "somethings" to design a wreath around.

Be sure to click on the picture to see up close.

I really loved the oval shaped grapevine wreath. I grew straw flowers this summer and was richly rewarded with lots of crunchy blooms which add great accent to the "couple of somethings"I had to buy.

"I will bless the Lord at all times:
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord:

The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together.

I'm so thankful for yard sales and thrift shops! It is sooooo much fun to search for buried treasure! It is thrilling to see how the Lord has provided over the years through these "fun" hunting and gathering expeditions.

This past weekend, we ladies (Ashley, Thelma, and I) went yard-sale-ing. We had so much fun, I wish you could have been with us!

At the very first sale, we found this old quilt. The lady selling it told us her mother-in-law made it about 75 years ago, and her husband remembers sleeping under it. It is entirely stitched by hand! It was sewn in lengthwise strips. I consider it a special find. Can't you imagine it atop one of those old metal-framed beds with the squeaky springs, concealing three or four wriggling little boys huddled up to keep warm? It it needs a little patching, then I'll wash it on the "hand-wash" cycle.

Now, it takes a real visionary to see the potential here~but my friend, Marmee has a plant stand just like this one (only fixed up). Maybe I can persuade one of my dear sons to prepare it for a new coat of paint.

I love old suitcases! They are so nice to store things in.

I informed my family that I felt a need to be prepared to travel in case they decided to send me for a little trip to "Happy Dale". (They wouldn't DARE!)

I found this old suitcase and the hand~painted pilgrim couple at the same house. The people I bought them from were very nice.

Here they are on the kitchen mantle. They are just what I wanted.

My parents grew the Indian corn some years ago, and I keep it from year to year stored in plastic bin, otherwise, I'm sure it would attract rodents. I do look forward to the nice warm fires we will be having before long. There are few things more peaceful and comforting than a crackling fire in the hearth with the house all quiet and dark.

It's hard to believe that 2008 is winding down, as Thanksgiving time draws upon us. We have so very much to be thankful for. We still have the freedom to to what we ought to do; to look to God above and attribute to Him the glory due him.

The Story of Hamlin

This past Monday, my dear little one turned three years of age. It only seems like yesterday when he was just a wee infant in my arms, helpless and vulnerable.

Now he runs about under a full head of steam! But still, he has that sweet innocence of baby-hood.



Every time I look into his sweet face, I am reminded that God DOES hear my prayers and that He delights in answering them. I'm reminded that there is nothing too hard for Him.



There is a bit of a story here, and I would like to share it with you.

There was a time in my life when I struggled with an independent rebellious spirit against God and his plan for me as a wife and mother. We can go to the book of Genesis and read how He made Eve to complete Adam~ to be his help meet. We can also read how he made her suitable
to the care and nurturing of children.



I had never given much thought to what it means to be a wife and mother. Life was OK until I decided (in my rebellion) that I was through having babies! Enough was enough! No more children! My hands were full. The End.



Soon I became aware that our family had problems, and they were bigger than I realized. I began to really seek solutions from the Lord.



But first, He began to show me even more problems; those within myself. I began reading my Bible; for the first time in my life I was looking for God.



I also began reading No Greater Joy, and of course Mike and Debbie Pearl always lay it out on the line, not sparing for any one's delicate feelings! From there I went to the only book I had ever heard of at the time regarding the role of the woman. (Me, Obey Him)

I was searching for something that I was unable to find in our feministic culture~ I needed to know how God designed my life to work. I needed Him. I was willing to do whatever it took to get on track.



He began showing me that I was trying to be in control. He showed me that I could never expect my children to be anything that I was not willing to be myself. Ouch.

I began to realize that I must spend much time with God. I must be in His word, seeking Him as for hid treasure. I confess that reading the Bible had always been difficult because I couldn't understand it. But because I had a need to understand it, I sought to understand it.

I also must be God's friend, by praying. Nothing fancy, just learning to adore Him and NOTICE the blessings. Simple things, like the lovely yellow, red and orange, in the leaves that fall; a hug from your child; the kiss of love from your husband; the headache that you don't have today but did yesterday.

It did take time. But the more time I spent with the Lord in the quiet of the morning, the more I was able to understand what I was reading!

It became joyous to open the pages and understand! Our Pastor taught us that the Bible is not hard to understand; it is hard to obey! The real test is what you do with it.

It took a lot of years for my to grow out of my cultural thinking. It has taken even longer to begin to win battles withing my own heart. Self-centered thinking isn't changed overnight, but by God's grace, He is able to transform us into the image of His own Son, Jesus.

During these years, I began to realize that children really are a gift. God is the giver of life, not us. But I have to confess that I wanted to limited these "gifts" because of all it would cost me: my strength, my interests (sewing gardening), my life (fun with the girls, oportunities to do things I enjoyed doing-alone!), my reputation (what will people think of me).

I was really afraid I couldn't handle all the demands. And the truth is, I couldn't. Especially theway I was. What I have had to learn is that God's strength is always made perfect in my weakness.

When our then youngest child was about eight, we began to realize our reasons for limiting our family size was based on our own selfishness. We realized we were not embracing the opportunity to bring up potential servants of Christ, nor had we been willing to love them and give of ourselves for their benefit as Christ gave of Himself.

The Lord gave us the opportunity to undo the decision not to have children. We then prayed for another child. After nearly a year, the Lord blessed us and we found out we were expecting!
At the age of 47, I gave birth to our sixth child, Sawyer Hamlin. I know that God answers prayer!

"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree:
he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those that be planted in the house of the Lord
shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age;
they shall be fat and flourishing;
To shew that the Lord is upright:
he is my rock,
and there is no unrighteousness in him."