Diary of Three Dresses, part 3

Day 2, continued.

Yes, yes, the pieced strip was sewn upside down! And, I hope you won't think less of me, but I actually threw myself down on the floor and cried/laughed! HOW could I not have noticed it? I think I was so pleased with myself for coming up with such a creative solution that I was in La-La-Land until I was pressing it at the ironing board. It was stitched AND the seam zig-zagged to finish it off, so I had quite a bit of time for reflection on my mistake while the seam ripper was busy doing it's job. Here is the comleted piece, sewn Correctly!

Okay - now that that trauma is over, let's have no more! (Stop! Reality check. I did cut out the doggie and the purple dresses the same way, so I'll have to piece a strip for the purple dress, too!! Note: I could go to the store and get more fabric for it, but friend liked the pieced doggie part and thought her daughter would enjoy a dress with that extra something on it as well - which is actually great because I haven't done anything "quilt-ey" for a few years and I really enjoyed the piecing part -- NOT the ripping apart - but getting out my mat and ruler and rotary cutter and planning the little squares was a fun way to spend the afternoon.)

On to the Collars!!

Sorry for the dark pictures, I was working on these at night and figured this was better than the picture with the flash which just washed everything out. These are the three collars with the first part of the contrast edging pinned in place. Off to the sewing machine!

Remaining contrast edge pieces now pinned in place. What's next?

The collar linings are pinned and sewn and now the collars are done! Aren't they sweet? Now, onto the the bodices and linings. (I like sewing several dresses at a time because I love doing it assembly-line style. I don't have to use as much brain power - and if you will note the above mistakes, I need all the brain power I can get! - and it is much more productive for me. I can get two or three dresses done in just a little bit more time than a single dress takes.)

These bodices are fully lined (It just makes a much nicer finished product even if I'm not following the pattern :-) so there are two bodice pieces for each dress.

I'm sorry I didn't get any pictures of pinning the bodice/collar/lining together, but friend was over for the evening and we were sewing and chatting and I forgot. :-(

When the bodices were done, I went to bed. Thank you, Henrietta, for keeping me on track!

Purple Bath

Yesterday was quite a day for daughter. Not that she had a lot to do, but we were generally busy and she tries hard to keep up with her brothers. Toward the afternoon, I could tell by her voice that she had had it and was in need of some refreshing.

But before I tell you the rest, I have to tell you a story. A few years ago, the LORD was so good to me and opened my eyes to the condition of my relationship with my daughter. I knew early on how different she was both in needs and personality from my sons. I noticed time and again how she was seeking attention, approval, and affection from others. It forced me to reason "why?" The simple, and very hard, truth was that she did not have a strong relationship with me. Certainly we were a family and I loved her dearly - but what was special about our relationship that was different from just family or from her brothers? She was placated with toys or videos while I worked with her brothers on school work. She was told she was too little when she would offer to help me, because I did not take the time or give that extra bit of patience that would have allowed her to help me and in the process know that she was worth that extra effort. Plain and simple, I did not have her heart. And without her heart, I would be unable to keep her as the precious jewel she is - I would not be able to prevent her from becoming a common cubic zirconia.

She is now eight years old, almost nine, and while we still struggle with selfishness and sharing (I still do too :-) I know now that I have her heart. She is my helper in all things and likes being mini-Mom. When she needs attention, affection, comfort , a snuggle, or help, she comes to me and knows that she will receive it. I set a goal for her and have used that to help me. I have to have a goal, otherwise how will I know if I am staying on the right path? How will I know which direction to take or be able to judge properly those things which so easily side-track me or us as a family? It isn't always easy, but I have learned to keep the goal in mind - the goal of keeping her heart safe until the day she is ready to give it to another in marriage.

So, yesterday when she was in need of refreshment, I gave her a hug and led her into the bathroom. With the warm water filling the tub, armed with her goggles and snokel, and the little color tablets making the water purple, she played for almost an hour. I was a bit envious, thinking how I'd like someone to make me a purple bath now and then. She knew she was loved. She knew she was important to me. She knew I cared enough about her to take the time to do something special for her. And the sweet hug and kiss I got when she was finally out and dressed was priceless.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Diary of Three Dresses, part 2

What a time we have had!!

You remember, of course, that we were short of fabric to cut the whole collar for daughter's doggie dress. What I ended up doing is just making two pattern pieces from the one and having the collar pieced instead of in one piece cut on fold. Just fine, nobody will really notice unless they look closely, and her hair will be covering it most of the time anyway. No problem!

Well, as I was cutting out the pink fabric, I discovered an even larger mistake I made! I believe I mentioned how I was going to just make the skirt longer to accomodate daughter's unstoppable growth -- and I did. At least on the back of the skirt. I cut the front just regular, on the pattern line. ARRGGHHHHH!!

What to do, what to do?? Brilliant flash of inspiration! I have plenty of scraps - I'll just do some fancy piecing around the bottom to make up for those three lost inches and it will be great! I got the new border/fill pieced and sewn onto the solid bottom edge of the skirt -- except do you notice another problem?

That's okay, I'll give you some time to figure it out.

Diary of Three Dresses, part 1

The time has come, oh children, to talk of other things; Of patterns and pinning, of sewing and seams . . . .

Two nights ago Hen and I started our new project - making two dresses (one for daughter and one for a friend.) We pinned and cut until both of our backs ached!

Henrietta was wonderful - working tirelessly - even though she was on the verge of losing all her pins! (Actually it was kind of a blessing that she was losing all her pins since Dear Son 2 had some time on his hands and decided to 'dress' Henrietta with a whole box full of pins arranged in a rainbow. But she really doesn't like to talk about it, so let's just forget I mentioned anything. ;-)

We did run into a little snag in that daughter is growing. (They do that, don't they?) And since I lengthened the dress skirt by a few inches, I did not have enough fabric for the collar, by a few inches. Grrrrr. Not a problem really - Off to the fabric store we go! I bought the fabric (blue doggie, above) several months ago, so I really knew the store would no longer have any - but I was hoping. And we both love it so much, I'm kicking myself for not automatically buying extra. (see How to Buy Fabric from A Dress A Day) But, we can't change yesterday, so we must deal with today.

As suspected, the store no longer had our sweet doggie fabric, but they did have this --

Too springy and delicious to resist. And at $7.99 a yard for the pink ($5.60 at 30% off) it was a bit of a splurge, since I am terribly frugal about fabric and generally never pay more than $4.00 a yard with sales and 40-50% off coupons. Most everything that I sew for daughter ends up costing less than $15. But I digress . . . . .

So now our count is up to three dresses - We'll cut out the pink, figure out something to do about daughter's doggie dress collar, and be back soon with our next installment.

Blanket for Baby K

The pictures don't nearly show how sweet this little blanket is! One side is the softest shade of pink fuzzy imprinted velvet-like fabric, the other is a bold pink nursery rhyme toile. I made it 36" square.

I finished the binding on it last night -- and the LORD was surely good to me! I didn't measure the binding as I was cutting the strips and piecing them. I never do. I just kind of eyeball "Yeah, that looks about enough" So I start pinning the binding onto the blanket, getting closer and closer to the other end and I start thinking "This isn't going to be enough!!" But I pressed on . . . . and wouldn't you know it, when I made it all the way around to the beginning again, my two ends overlapped by 1/4". Can you believe that? I think it's totally amazing!

And then dear husband, in his own sweet way, told me to put a label on it. ("Didn't you spend money for things to make labels? Then use it and put one on there!" "Yes, dear." ;-) I told the children that the label makes it look like somebody actually made it. LOL!!

The great label making tutorial that I used can be found at Fresh Vintage.

Showing Off

While taking pictures of the new blanket for Great-Niece KNW, I thought I would take some photos of a quilt I made for daughter a few years ago -- I love how it turned out so this goes under the category of purely showing off, but you'll bear with me, won't you?

Brights! Hot Pinks! Bright Green! Fabulous Turquoise! and a nice staid purple floral to anchor it all.

The pattern is Woven Ribbons from the book Fat Quarter Quilts . I made this during my lovely but brief stint as a member of the local quilting guild. As I recall, this was one of the All-Nighters -- bring your fabric and machine (and iron and all necessary cutting implements) and cut and piece until you're done or ready to go home. It was a LOT of fun. And like so many of the groups on-line, it is so interesting to see how so many different people "see" such differences in the same pattern.

So Much, So Little

Sunday. Dear husband is usually at work but he is staying home today. We'll take this opportunity to go out and look at a house. It's on a little bit of land, out where the city hasn't reached yet. Not that we are planning on moving or anything. But we do like to look at other houses and dream and plan . . . . . "now the boys could do this here and the Hoosier goes over there and out back is the perfect spot for . . " Do you do that? It breaks up the monotony of days and it usually gives me a fresh vision for our own home.

Yesterday was spent catching up on some things. I worked on the other two skirts for Sewing Seeds, made a curtain for the hall closet door - a project that has been waiting for me for three weeks and when I finally get to it it's finished in an hour! I made a little gingerbread man felt cookie as a prototype (he's adorable!), concocted a delicious soup for dinner (the recipe will follow soon), and finally machine quilted a little blanket for my new grand-niece. I'll post pictures of each during the next week.

Today, besides looking at the house, I hope to sew the binding onto the little quilted blanket, hem the Sewing Seeds skirts, and possibly get mostly through making a few new pairs of pantaloons for daughter. Oh, and all three boys need haircuts, too.

I pray that your Sunday is productive or restful or whatever you need it to be. And most of all I pray that you may be found in Jesus, the only one with the power over life and death.

Philippians 3

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Best Brownies

We've been making these brownies for over a decade now. They are an easy treat that I can have in the oven in no time when guests are on their way, or something I make late at night when everyone has a desire for some dessert and there is no dessert to be found! They are delicious, chocolate-satisfying, and versatile, too.

Best Fudge Brownies

Prepare your pan - and this will determine what kind of brownies you have. A true 9x13 pan will give you thinner brownies. I have one that measures about 8x12 that gives me brownies like in the picture - just over an inch thick. For thicker brownies use a 7x11 pan (but I wouldn't go any smaller than that otherwise your brownies will be too thick and take longer to cook through to the middle.) Okay - back to the beginning. Prepare your chosen pan by buttering it. Turn oven to 325F.

In mixing bowl melt 1 cup of butter, either in microwave or double boiler style over boiling pot of water. When melted, stir in 12 T. cocoa powder with a wooden spoon (I think this may be about 1/3 c., but I've measured it this way for so long it is just habit now ;-) {Oh, by the way - it looks totally delicious at this point, just silky chocolate! For a little fun, offer a taste to the children and see how they like it - just a tiny finger dip though! My children only went for this one time - after that they always asked "Have you added the sugar yet?" } Now add 2 cups of sugar, stirring until mixed well. Stir in 1 t. vanilla and 4 eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg in thoroughly before adding the next one. At this point, you may add a good spoonful of peanut butter to the batter (about 1/2 c.), which not only adds flavor to the brownies, but makes them thicker and chewier too. YUMMM! Then add 1 cup of flour, again mixing well.

At this point you could be done and they make wonderful brownies by themselves - OR you could add whatever kinds of chips/nuts you have on hand or your heart desires. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, Milk Chocolate Chips, White Chocolate Chips, Butterscotch Chips, Peanut Butter Chips, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, etc.

Fold your extras into the batter and spread in pan. Bake at 325F for 28-35 minutes, depending on your pan and how you like your brownies - longer for smaller pan, shorter for larger pan - Brownies are done when the top is dry and center is mostly firm to the touch - a little give but not a gooey give, okay?

Enjoy!!

(Originally published @ henandchicks.typepad.com)

This Is My Father's World

One of our favorites (we have several, as you'll eventually learn ;-) which was brought to mind on our outdoor excursion yesterday.

This was written by Maltbie D. Babcock, a physically active man who loved to be outdoors, he also played several instruments, and might have become a musician if he had not entered the ministry. He had the habit of taking early morning walks to the top of a hill north of Lockport, New York where he was pastoring at the time. From the hill he had a full view of Lake Ontario and the surrounding countryside. He would tell his wife, "I'm going out to see my Father's world." It was on one of these early morning walks that Mr. Babcock was inspired to write the words to this hymn, although he never heard it sung. He died on a trip to the Holy Land at the age of 43. His wife published many of his writings after his death, and a volume of his poems contained this treasure.

This Is My Father's World

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears all nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres. This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wroght.

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise. This is my Father's world: he shines in all that's fair; in the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world. Oh, let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father's world: the battle is not done: Jesus who died shall be satisfied and earth and Heav'n be one.

This is my Father's world, dreaming I see His face. I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry "The Lord is in this place." This is my Father's world, from the shining courts above, The Beloved One, His Only Son, came -- a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father's world, should my heart be ever sad? The Lord is King -- let the heavens ring. God reigns -- let the earth be glad. This is my Father's world. Now closer to Heaven bound, for dear to God is the earth Christ trod. No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father's world. I walk a desert lone. In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known. This is my Father's world, a wanderer I may roam. Whate're my lot, it matters not, my heart is still at home.

"Christianity is not a voice in the wilderness, but a life in the world. It is not an idea in the air but feet on the ground going God's way. It is not an exotic to be kept under glass, but a hardy plant to bear twelve months of fruits in all kinds of weather. Fidelity to duty is its root and branch. Nothing we can say to the Lord, no calling Him by great or dear names, can take the place of the plain doing of His will. We may cry out about the beauty of eating bread with Him in His kingdom, but it is wasted breath and a rootless hope unless we plow and plant in His kingdom here and now. To remember Him at His table and to forget Him at ours, is to have invested in bad securities. There is no substitute for plain, every-day goodness."

Maltbie Davenport Babcock, 1858-1901

(Originally published @ henandchicks.typepad.com)

Henrietta's Day Out

Hello Again! So nice to have you back. Let's see what's been happening here with our Henrietta.

As you may know, she worked steadily on through a ruffle-ly dress and then helped whip up a set of aprons. Now I hope she's ready for a bit of fun!

She's decided to take a trip to the fabric shoppe to see what lovely things they have, what projects will go on her wish list and if there are any wonderful new books, patterns, yarns, or papers. You understand, dear, don't you?

Quietly strolling and browsing through the patterns -- Oh, Look! The children have found something! How cute, a fluffy chicken. Adorable. The children pushed on the chicken wing -- AAHHHH! WHAT is it Doing? It's chasing our Miss Hen!

Run, Hen! Run!

It keeps chasing her and playing this annoying polka song! Will she be able to get away?

It looks as though Henrietta is gaining some ground, if she can only keep it up for just a bit longer!

Oh, to be met with trials like this when one simply wants to enjoy the pleasantries of a visit to the shoppes!

Ahhh, a hiding place at last.

Oh, now, this is so much pleasanter and peaceful. What treasures Miss Henrietta could make with these!

After the adventures at the fabric shoppe, how about a bite of lunch, Hen? I know a little out of the way place nearby.

Lunch is ordered and Hen is getting out her napkin. She is, after all, a very proper and tidy hedgehog.

Well, isn't this nice? Just the right size for a petite pincushion. And she nibbles so daintily!

And now wash it all down with just a sip of refreshment.

What shall we do next? Oh, I know the perfect way to end the day. Come along, Henrietta!

The pleasures of nature are always able to soothe the soul if one will just stop long enough to listen and enjoy -- the cool of the grass, the warmth of the sun, the songs of our bird friends, the brightness and pleasant scent of the flowers, and the wonderful fellowship with friends and our LORD who created them all.

(Originally published @ henandchicks.typepad.com)